Chapter 33

Everything was now cleared up. I reunited with Shun, told Sasuke that he was only a friend to me and confessed my true feelings. Now all that is left is to find the scrolls and go back.

Shun, Ino, Neji and I were assigned to go to the outside world and the others were to lead a search in the grounds of Konoha and a little bit around it.

On reaching the periphery of Konoha, I let in a deep breath. Time for a short visit to my previous land.

I looked at the others and nodded. Everyone was ready to leave and were determined to come back only after finding the scroll.

We stepped out of the boundary and felt myself change. My old look was back. My hair was a bit shorter and lost its deep red color. They weren't sticking out in their regular style.

Its been so long. I smiled as I recalled.

"Lets go." Neji commanded and started walking ahead.

"Its probably better if we split up." I said mostly because I wanted to be alone. "Shun will guide you around and I will go and search the other way."

"Bu-"

"Let her go." Shun was cut in between by Ino. I smiled at her as a thanks and left them.

I wandered around aimlessly for I don't know how much time. People on the street were looking at me strangely and commenting on me. I could hear them whisper to each other but I didn't care.

I didn't know where I was going when I saw a familiar building and my heart skipped a beat. West Cross Senior High. My school.

I paced towards the building, my heart beating faster as I came closer to it. Tisha. I will meet Tish!

I entered the school grounds and as usual, there were no guards to stop me. There was a surveilance camera which probably caught me, but since I am a student here, I didn't think they would have any problem.

I swiftly made my way through the corridors and waited in front of the familiar locker. It all started here. I thought. I leaned my back on it and lowered myself. I sat there until the end of the ongoing class and then students started crowding the place.

I jumped up and straightened myself. Tisha's locker was the one besides mine; she had to come there.

And as I thought, she was soon there. I guess she didn't notice me in the crowd as she busied herself with the locker. I waited for her to close it and then I hugged her, taking her by surprise. "Tish! Long time no see!" I cheered. "I am sorry I left without a word." I let her go. "I am so happy to see you!"

"Uhm..." she looked at me with confused eyes, "Who - who are you, again?" she questioned me.

"What?!" I was shocked. "Tish, its me!"

"Am sorry but I don't think I know you." she said, giving me an awkward smile and distancing herself from me. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have to go."

And without another word she went away. With a guy.

"Who was she?" I heard the guy ask

"Don't know, some weirdo." she replied.

"But she was hot."

I didn't dare look back. I was in a state of shock. What happened here? Has everyone forgotten about me? I forced my tears to stop. I rubbed my eyes with the sleeve of my jacket and eliminated the possibility.

"Naeko?" someone beamed, "Is that really you, Naeko?!" It was Ria, one of my classmates. I looked at her and nodded, passing a smile.

"Its really her!" someone shouted, "Guys its Naeko!"

Everyone in the corridor once again started gossiping about me and waving 'hellos' and 'hi's'.

"Wow." The Ria said, "You look..." she paused, "different."

I shrugged.

"Yet you haven't lost your status!" A random guy, I recognised as Ria's boyfriend exclaimed. She elbowed him and he teased her, "Just kidding baby. Your the only girl in my life."

"So, uhh... why were you crying?" she asked, looking curiously at me.

I thought it would be best not to tell anyone about anything but no, I opened up pretty fast. Maybe I will get to know what happened here.

I explained to her what happened with Tisha a while back and she gave me a sorry look. "Naeko, when you left, she was hospitalized because of an accident. She suffered amnesia and doesn't remember anything about you or Shun." she explained. "She showed interest in Shun for a while again, but then even he vanished along with the new girl Saaya."

I had a hard time accepting that, but I knew it was the truth.

"But where the hell did you all go? A short time afterwards, even Z stopped coming to school. I heard she transfered."

"Uh, you see, we are adopted and er--" I tried to make up a nice and convincing story, "they live abroad and they called us to live with them. I only came here to get my things."

"Oh. So you are going, forever?"

"Yeah..." I said in a low tone.

"I feel bad for you, maybe we should tell Tisha who you are!" she suggested.

"No! Its better this way! I will be going away, anyway."

I had a long chat with Ria about the school and recent happenings. I got to know that the guy with Tisha was called Sean and he was his boyfriend. I was happy to know that atleast she had someone clse to her.

I left the school when the classes restarted and re-embarked on my aimless journey. It wasn't totally aimless, but since I didn't know where to go, I ended up at a Manga Café.

Through the bundles of shelves, I made my way to the counter. There always had been a weekly release poster with the rankings of the manga.

I scanned the list once. Then twice. Then thrice but didn't find the mention of Naruto. "Strange." I mumbled. It was always in the Top Five.

"Hey gramps, why isn't Naruto mentioned in the list?" I asked the person behind the counter, who was reading some other manga. He looked up from the book and eyed me.

"It is there kiddo," he said pointing towards it, "See here?" Then he continued reading.

It surely was there. I had missed it because I never checked the last position. I never thought it would be tenth.

"Tenth!" I bellowed, "Why so low?"

The mister looked irritated and shut his book. "If you are such a Natuto fan, you should know it yourself."

"Uh- I wasn't here. I was abroad. I couldn't read 'em..." I didn't lie.

He sighed as he started to explain. "The author cracked up and has been writing some pretty weird stuff. Out of nowhere, he added new characters and the storyline drastically changed. No one knows whats going on."

"Wow." I said. His explanation made me want to read them but I remembered why I was there. I had to find something.

I turned around and was about to leave when a child came out of nowhere and started talking to me with sparkling eyes. "Aren't you Naeko chan? Naruto kun's sister?!" he exclaimed.

I was yet again dumbfounded. "Wha- How do you know?!" I asked him, kneeling down, reaching his level.

"You really look like her! I am really glad you like Naeko chan." he kept talking, "Most of my friends don't like her since she came out of no where but I really like her!" he paused for a breath, "And since you are cosplaying her, you must like her too, right?"

"Co-cosplaying?" I repeated.

The kid's mother called him back and I was left there in deep thoughts.

If- If I am right, I might be able to find the scroll!! I rejoiced.

_____________________________________

A/N

So who knows what the plan is? Yes! Naeko has grasped it. She has a plan.

Only 2-3 chapters more, maybe 5. Yes people, the story is gonna end soon. Vote and Comment to show your support! Thanx.

~Sassy