#not focused enough? Neither is neji and lee's | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lemony-snickers · 8 months

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I pick number 7 - dealers choice!

I ❤️ you babe!

7 - envy. hello, my dear. <3 @anubisthe1 also requested this number!

Gai might not have been a particularly good sensor. Hell, most people with any sort of chakra control could sneak up on him without much difficulty.

(That didn't mean he wouldn't take them down with a single punch if they did.)

But Gai was also no fool. And he knew his friends and loved ones so well they could not escape his notice even if they possessed a genius level intellect and understanding of how to mask their chakra.

Which was precisely how he knew Kakashi Hatake had been sitting in a tree near the training fields all morning as he and his team practiced their kata.

The fact that Kakashi had not left the tree to greet them made Gai uneasy.

Kakashi knew Gai was aware of his presence. It was obvious in the way the other man kept throwing what he thought were casual glances over his shoulder while his students were engrossed in their sparring.

Gai was not a subtle person, but it seemed neither was Kakashi. Because he hadn't even bothered trying to disguise his presence. He knew it was useless, anyway; Gai would always find him even if he didn't want to be found.

When he'd woken up at that morning, Kakashi had not intended to make his way to the training grounds. In fact, he'd been solely focused on going to the Hokage Tower to demand a high-ranked mission that would take him away from Konoha for as long as was feasible.

The training grounds held too many painful memories. Too many ghosts of Team 7 laughing and squabbling and generally being a nuisance.

He'd avoided the place ever since Naruto departed to train with Jiraiya because it made Kakashi ill to see the post where he'd tied the boy during the bell test, to bear witness to the crater Sasuke had punched into the earth during their final week of training before the Chunin Exams began.

It was the same reason he'd begun taking a more circuitous route to the Konoha Cemetery in the mornings--seeing the Hospital, which used to only make his stomach churn because he hated the sterile smell and the invasive questions the medics asked, now reminded him that the only one of his students still within the village walls had found a better mentor.

Sakura and Tsuande. Naruto and Jiraiya. .... Sasuke and Orochimaru.

Kakashi could admit to himself he was not a perfect man. Could attest within the privacy of his own heart that he had not been a perfect teacher.

But for a job he had never wanted, Kakashi had also strived to be a sensei worthy of his students. Even when they argued or turned his hair from silver to grey with their asinine and unending questions, he he tried to be patient. Tried to provide them with the training and education they needed to not only survive as shinobi, but to succeed in a line of work which demanded violence and strength.

And now, instead of nursing a Naruto-induced headache or redirecting Sakura's attention from Sasuke's brooding stare to her incredible aptitude for genjutsu or trying not to think about how much the young Uchiha reminded him of Itachi, Kakashi perched in a tree like a spy, observing Gai and his team train through the fluttering leaves.

Jealousy, cold and cruel, curdled in his belly as he watched Neji haughtily correct Tenten's technique and Lee step between them, his good nature too much of a shield for their vitriol to continue.

Why did Gai get to keep his students while Kakashi was left with nothing?

It was a stupid thought, one that made Kakashi grind his lower lip between his teeth in frustration until he drew enough blood to stain the front of his mask.

Of course Gai deserved to be a sensei. He excelled in the role; had been made for it, really. Kakashi could never have been deserving of another team, not when he'd so horrifically destroyed his own. That he had allowed himself to believe he migth be was his own folly and no one else's.

Kakashi lingered until Gai dismissed his students, trying not to sneer at the hearty hug Lee gave his sensei, the curt nod Gai received from Neji, the broad smile and wave Tenten gave her teammates as she jogged away. Then, he climbed down from his perch and began to make his way home through the sparse woods around the training fields.

Gai's heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks a few moments later and Kakashi cursed internally at not having departed sooner.

"My dear Rival," Gai said, his voice unusually hushed, "I wonder if you would honor me with some company."

Kakashi sighed, in no mood for whatever nonsense Gai might have devised in an ill-fated attempt to cheer him up. Before he could answer, however, Gai had used his incredible strength to push Kakashi to the ground. Kakashi protested, legs folding beneath him until he was kneeling in the dirt and leaves.

"What the hell, Gai?"

Gai said nothing, just settled beside him, legs crossed and hands balanced on his knees as he was about to meditate.

Kakashi sighed, resigned--and, if he were honest, too exhausted to protest--and readjusted his position to match his friend's. They didn't look at one another, but their knees just touched in a familiar show of closeness. Silence stretched between them, but rather than uncomfortable, it was soothing--a reminder that they had known one another long enough and well enough for there to be no requirement to fill each moment with words; that saying nothing could as powerful as one of Naruto's overly long monologues.

At the thought of Naruto, Kakashi felt his throat tighten and he made a small, strangled noise behind his mask as he attempted to hold onto his anger and envy.

It was easier than what lay beneath them, the sadness and disappointment which threated to break through the dam of Kakashi's jealousy and wash him away.

Gai turned to look at him, but Kakashi couldn't return the gesture. So Gai simply reached out and patted his friend's back, never uttering a word.

#lemony scribbles #kakashi hatake #kakashi fanfiction #gai maito

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depressedhatakekakashi · 7 months

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I need something to free Kakashi from the statement "he's one of the worst senseis", am I one of the few people who knows what a sensei is like or I don't understand the anime? I'm tired of always having to explain the same thing to the fandom. Sometimes I feel like I'm crazy or that I'm the only one who sees that it's not like that.

sorry about this😣

This fandom seriously has a problem understanding a Sensei’s job or even seeing things with a clear look tbh.

Like i’m not going to say Kakashi’s perfect as a Sensei, he’s not

But everything he did that people hatw, the other Sensei’s did

Kakashi entered his team into the chunin exams after only a year of training? So did Asuma and Kurenai. Sakura wasn’t prepared for the chunin exams? Neither were Hinata and Choji but their Sensei’s still put them in.

He also allowed his Students to ultimate choose if they wanted to do the exams, lying about the applications so Naruto and Sasuke didn’t pressure Sakura into doing something she wasn’t ready to do. Gai did the SAME with his team, but his team decided to wait a year. Team seven did not.

Kakashi also had two of the most difficult cases in the villages so he had a lot going on. He had Sasuke who was a ticking time bomb of anger and was being chased after by Orochimaru. He had Naruto, who was a ticking time bomb of energy and needed attention because he had a sever lack of it, and Kakashi couldn’t always provide that attention because of Sasuke’s situation.

He didn’t speak perfectly to Sasuke when trying to get him to stop fighting his teammates and calm down, but he was also trying to be a Sensei a a Konoha shinobi who was being sent away on a mission asap

He didn’t train Sakura enough but tbh that’s also a writer’s issue and Sakura issue. Writers issue because Kishi just didn’t care to give her the story she should have had, Sakura’s cuz she never reached out for more training like Naruto did. Kakashi trained her where he could, recognized her talents, and talked her up to Tsunade to a point where Tsunade happily became her new master

He also didn’t ignore any of his students. While Gai was so hyper focused on Lee after his fight against Gaara that he forgot to train Neji for his chunin exam finals, Kakashi trained Sasuke while also finding a Sensei for Naruto who could help him with his weakest point (chakra control) and that teacher was only replaced cuz Jiraiya knocked him out for calling him out on being a creep (Ebisu is a perv, but he never stepped over the line into creep territory)

Kakashi is the main Sensei we see so he gets the main brunt of crap, largely cuz it was the main character’s he was the sensei to, but his job was never to teach them

Minato didn’t pass on any of his skills to his students. From what Kakashi says he learned Rasangan on his own. If anything Minato probably told him how to learn it (which we see Kakashi say to Naruto as well) and Kakashi took off with that training on his own

Kurenai didn’t teach her students any of her jutsu’s/moves

Asuma didn’t teach his students his

Gai did admittedly try to teach Neji and Tenten his, but this is a perfect example of how a Sensei is supposed to be more of a lead. Both Kakashi and Gai had one student they taught their moves to (Lee and Sasuke) while supporting their other students in their seperate aims/goals (Naruto, Sakura, Tenten and Neji). So to shit on Kakashi for ‘not teaching his students is 1) wrong (he taught them his ‘ninja way’ aka Friends over mission which they took to heart (at least Naruto did and Sasuke did until he dove head first into darkness. He also taught Sasuke chidori, helped Naruto create his own jutsu and taught Sakura Qi release when she was a genin (it’s a jonin rank jutsu)) 2) not his job.

There’s also the fact that Kakashi is often viewed as lazy because when we see him train his students he’s hands off (laying on a bench while naruto trains, teaching the kids chakra control for tree climbing and then allowing them to practice) but that’s what a sensei is supposed to do. He shouldn’t be holding their hands every step of the way.

He’s also effective. Naruto created a whole new jutsu in DAYS because Kakashi taught him how to use his shadow clones to his advantage in a way no one else could. Sasuke improved his speed to such extreams he was on par with Lee without his weights, and Gai recognized that as being the result of Kakashi’s training. He also learned chidori in that same month, which is a difficult jutsu

Kakashi was actually a really good Sensei, he just had the world stacked against him in keeping his team together, and because we see more of his mistakes people make him seem worse than he actually is rather than… just recognizing his faults and success’. Like i’m sorry to anyone who thinks another Sensei could have done better, they would not have

Gai couldn’t have stopped Sasuke from leaving the village

Yamato would be equally hands off because of how he was raised/trained

Asuma is more likely to highlight their faults than their success’ (probably a result of being the hokage’s son and having a shit ton of expectations placed on his shoulders growing up)

Minato wouldn’t have taught them anything

Jiraiya was EVEN MORE HANDS OFF AND SPENT HIS STUDENTS MONEY ON WOMEN AND BOOSE WHILE ALSO TELLING HIS STUDENT TO STAY IN HIS SEXY NO JUTSU FORM

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raspberryfanfics · 4 years

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Six—NTmonth Day 15

Day 15—Witches and Warlocks

I’m late but you don’t care and neither do I. I burned out during the first week. So here’s another Harry Potter crossover. This can be a standalone but feel free to read part one!

Part 1 on FFn

Six on FFN

—

It's quiet outside. Quiet apart from a few familiar hits of a couple of owls, breaking the cold silence with weary conversation. Yet a figure draws out of the shadow and the hooting halts for a moment, curious of the strangers walking along their path.

The person wears a long tan wool trench, though bulky, does nothing to hide an elegant figure as when she walks, her lean legs, looking taller with the pleats on her grey pants. Her leather loafers look new. Maybe she often cleans them, though it wouldn't come as a surprise if she is good enough not to get them dirty. Her hands are gloved in black. There's a scarf of red and gold wrapped tightly around her neck, the only article of clothing with colour. Her footsteps are nearly soundless but even so, the soft clicks that are made command attention among the owls, her presence powerful.

One owl hands on the black lamppost, talons scraping onto the metal as he silently folds his wings. The woman glances up and examines its shape, brings up the crook of her elbow as if placing it onto a tall counter. The bird lands on her forearm, dipping his head in greeting.

"Ah, it's you, Kaiten. It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" her voice is calm and deep, though the deepness comes from her slow calmness rather than her actual voice. Yet it is effective. Her voice makes her seem more mature than she looks, a soft face with large eyes, colour indistinguishable under the glare of the darkness, and hair tied into two buns at the sides of her head.

Kaiten hoots in greeting. There is nothing tired around his ankle, she notices.

"Are you here alone?" she smiles, "I expected him to be with you, though it could be that you are meeting him here. I am, as well."

Her words almost seem to bring the anticipated footsteps of him, his heavier, but are just as intimidating and as confident as hers. She slowly turns around and focuses on the person she has been expecting, or expecting her.

He's dressed similarly to her. However, his trench is navy rather than tan and it's unbuttoned, revealing a black vest under a white button-up that seems to shine in the dark. While her shoes are pebbled, his are smooth and glossy and reflect every bit of the light. His scarf was of the same material, a thick knit, but the colours were of blue and silver rather than red and gold. Perhaps the most distinguishable difference is his long black hair flowing down to his waist, tied into a very low ponytail with a silver band. His bangs reach his collarbones and they drift in the wind, resembling a ribbon rather than the messiness that hair usually reacts under the breeze. Though her dark eyes were hard to say much about, it is easy to see that his eyes are silver, and they stare into hers.

She stays still, holding his gaze, face without any expression. The woman doesn't allow herself to feel much at the contact. Her chin tilts down in greeting, as he does the same. As he was the one who has requested their meeting, she waits for him to speak first. She is looking for a direct answer to why she is meeting him, now, in the night, in the break they have had from speaking.

Instead, he looks at the owl, who's snowy feathers start to resemble his eyes when one looks closely and quirks the tip of his eyebrow, almost amused.

"It has been long since Kaiten has not tried to terrorize a sorcerer in his path,"

"Perhaps he likes me," she says, untying the sash of her coat and taking out a series of seeds, allowing him to eat from the palm of her hand. "Or perhaps he recalls that I carry food in my pocket. I fed him well."

He nods. "Is Bō—"

"Bō passed a couple of years back. Murdered while carrying classified information." the woman explains, nearly emotionless. However, there is a glance of sympathy in his eyes that she does not miss and confuses her, however, she does not let it show.

"It has been a while, Miss Long,"

She gives a bitter chuckle. "Are we already past the point that we cannot address each other by our first names?"

She purposely leaves out his name, not knowing what to say. She'll allow him to decide whether he wants to continue calling her by her last name or her first. So she waits for him to walk up to her before pacing with him along the cobblestone path, weaving through turns and intersections at a moderate pace. His skin looks warmer under the orange glare of the lamps but she knows of the usual paleness, resembling porcelain rather than sand. Yet her attention focuses more on the lack of accessories on his hand apart from the Hyuga crest on his middle finger and a silver swirl on his pointer.

She hasn't seen that ring before, not on him at least. Perhaps it is another crest. But she has seen it on other people and he isn't the type to engage in trends. What's more important is that there is no ring on his ring finger, which doesn't come as much as a surprise considering that he was on the newest Witch Weekly's Britain's Most Eligible Bachelors. She knows he is still officially single. Just like her.

Of the past six years, she has made four Britain's Most Eligible Bachelorettes on Warlocked Magazine and he has made all. In a strange way, it bothers her that he has remained single all these years while she has had a good handful scattered everywhere and was in a serious one in the years she didn't make the magazine. It nearly feels like he has been faithful to her, but there are far more reasons to disprove his faith.

"I'm sure you have heard of the Akastuki's rising," he starts. She nods. Since the organization started to murder people in every corner of the world, that's all the witches and wizards have been speaking of. Few people do not know of it.

"There is an order looking to defy the ministry and to rebel against them. Tsunade herself is leading it. So far, Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru, a few professors, and Hinata are in. There are more, but we're still recruiting. He pauses "We need you, Tenten."

She freezes. Tenten does not respond. The idea sounds like a hopeless school club but appealing nonetheless. Yet there are too many things, things she would not have thought of when they were still young that keep her from really considering.

"I'm not sure you do," she says, but she wishes so in another way that has nothing to do with the order.

"Tenten, you're the youngest witch to ever be appointed Head Auror. They say you've put 200 in Azkaban. You're more powerful than you know."

"You need my title, not my power," she says instead. "Isn't that right, Neji."

He shakes his head. "You're extremely talented—"

"I am. I am Neji, but most of the people you just told me about are better at magic than I am. They were qualified to be Aurors. Many Aurors are better than I am. I only hold the position because the minister or magic needed a drastic change. How well do you think my name and power will work when I am in Azkaban? You don't need me. You've put far more people in Azkaban than I have."

Neji Hyuga is a member of the Wizengamot. He's a part of the jury who decides on the new laws of the wizarding world and also of the results during a trial. Tenten is the head Auror, a position that is usually handed out to people in their forties, the youngest before her in their mid-thirties. Neji, on the other hand, was offered the position at twenty-one, while most Wizengamont members were at least sixty, nearly retired. It was inevitable that he would be the Cheif Warlock very soon.

He speaks of her power highly, as if his position is not much higher than hers. But their power difference was not always so drastic.

In the over four years that they had been dating, they had been going along similar paths. Both went under the three years of Auror training and made it out with high grades, his better than hers of course. He was good at everything, better at everything except for transfigurations. But a scout found him, found his calmness, his level-headedness, his intense demeanour as the perfect candidate for a Wizengamot member, despite being so young. Not to mention that his name happens to be filled with history, probably the purest of the country. Almost disgustingly so.

"We don't need your name. The organization is secret. We need your power, your position. It will be easy for you to know the details of criminals and feed false information to the ministry. You are in charge of recruiting both the trainees and the Aurors. Your intuition is astoundingly good. You can spy without the need of being subtle or cautious. Do you not understand?"

"I understand my power," she says. "But you know just as well that power will not win a war."

Neji nods. Clouds clear, revealing a moon similar in colour to his eyes. Yet the weather remains cold, the streets remain desolate. The area provides an almost nostalgic setting. It could be nostalgic.

She, Neji, and Lee, a former classmate who is now a professional Quidditch player, used to sneak out of their homes, or orphanage in Lee's case, and play. They were teenagers by the time they met, so it was mostly to play wizard's chess and Gobstones in the parks or wander into muggle stores where they'd explain the use of items to Neji.

And the winter where all of them were finally seventeen, they'd duel in the forests, able to use magic. They'd rescue frozen cats and heal injured birds, would feed stray dogs scraps of food they'd steal from the butchers. When they began dating, they came here on dates, showing him hot chocolate, then ice cream. Yet after the massacre happened near the town, a reputation developed for dark things happening and the area deserted.

This place was good for one reason: secrecy. Their history allowed them to use memories as place names and times. Here, it was convenient. It was not for nostalgia. Tenten barely spared second glances to the cafes and ice cream shops they had gone to.

Won't you join anyway?

She said nothing, unsure.

"Tenten, your righteousness surely cannot fail you now."

He was answered by a sharp how of wind and the slicking of their shoes.

"Forgive me that I do not want to participate in an order that will start a war."

"That's awfully hypocritical coming from a witch who makes money off of conflict."

"Do you not also make money off of conflict, Neji Hyuga?"

"I am trying to end the war, Tenten Long."

"How do you not think that it is what I am trying to do as well? I am neither the best nor the most experienced Auror. I am more progressive than half of them combined. Do you know how hard it was to get this promotion? While you diddle daddle in meetings and recruitments, I'm cautiously watching every action of the blood-supremacist Aurors and firing them. I'm slowly imposing more guidelines to control the brutality and the hate crime our own are committing. Less extreme measures. The new recruits have been screened so tightly that any unnecessary accounts of violence or hateful comments do not make it. But everyone is watching me. Those old members of the Wizengamot will use any excuse to get me out of power. They'll throw in a violent head who allows the uses of the unforgivables. I'm trying to end this current war, not stop the upcoming one."

Neji's face hardens. "I cannot see how someone as noble as you are so afraid of joining the order."

Tenten scoffs. "I'm not noble—"

"You know why you made Head Girl in our seventh year but didn't make Prefect?"

She recalls how he was both Prefect and head boy. And she made has wondered. She wasn't the smartest or the kindest or the most anything. Tenten had asked him countless times why he thought she had made head girl but he would never tell her.

"You were good. You brought out the best in everyone. You did what you believed was right and would make sure others would do so. I had heard Professor Yuhi say to Professor Hatake that you were the role model that all Gryffindor should aspire to be.

"She didn't," Tenten can hardly believe he potions professor would say such a thing about her. It seems all too much.

"You know I wouldn't lie about that, Ten."

She can only let her heart ache at the sound of the name he used to call her, but should not have much more meaning. She can only wince and stand her ground. "

It's been six years, Neji." she whispers as her voice drowns among the trembling leaves and rain dripping off roofs.

Tenten has held off on thinking about them since she got his owl. It has been all too much now. Six years ago, they were freshly graduated from the Auror academy. New recruits sent on easier cases. Maybe half a year later, they had gained the trust of many seniors and they were partners, developing strategies, blending together like dance partners.

She still remembers how loving him felt. It was too good, impossible, almost.

They were twenty-one. They had been dating for four years and she thought it was possible that he'd even propose. Even now, she doesn't blame herself for thinking so. He had consistently disappeared more and more. He stuttered to her more. And the chemistry wasn't gone. He couldn't have been cheating. He wouldn't ever.

But one day, he just left.

She woke up and half his stuff was gone, mostly pictures, even of them, his scarf, his favourite robes, and obviously his wand. He didn't show up to work. She was told that he resigned and she was offered to either have a new partner or to work alone. And she chose the latter.

Tenten had sent her owl to deliver countless letters to him, pouring her heart out, begging him to come back home, to work with her again, to tell her why he was gone. But he never wrote back until she found his name in the daily prophet, announcing his new position as the new Wizengamot member. She wrote to his work address and her reply only explained how he got the position rather than why he left her. And it was completely professional, not an ounce of emotion.

She had never followed Witch Weekly magazines until then, hoping for glimpses of the guy who ghosted her and broke her heart. Even now, she still isn't over him, her first love, likely her only. Tenten wonders if he still cars about her the way he did when they were seventeen.

He cast his first Patronus, the spell he could not master because it used one's most powerful memories, after their first kiss over the top of the Ravenclaw Tower, a place she should not have been. He had snuck her there. His Patronus took form as a falcon, resembling his serious and strict demeanour, intimidating and sharp.

She wonders if his Patronus has changed form, as Patronuses sometimes do to resemble one's personality. Hers has. Every time she mumbles those incantations, no matter which memory she uses, a swan spills out from her wand instead of a leopardess. It's a bird, like his. Maybe it's because she will never get over him, will always belong to him in her heart.

"Tenten, you can't possibly be naive enough to believe that this can be solved without war. It's either that or you just don't want to do anything I ask of you. The order is asking, not me."

"So you don't care about whether or not I join. Following someone's orders without a second thought of doing what you'd like to yourself," she spits out bitterly. A flinch reaches across his body. Her words may have reached deeper than she would have thought.

"Of course I agree with their course of action."

"Well, of course, you do. You always just obey rules, never bend or break them. And of course, you're a part of the order and have enough respect that even if your name leaks out, your job is secure. You still have enough money to sustain yourself for another century."

His face hardens and his adam's apple, shadows crossed deeply over his neck, bobs slowly. "I do not follow every rule—"

"One instance, Neji," she says, controlling her voice despite the way she wants to scream at him. Gravel shakes behind her.

"Ravenclaw tower. I shouldn't have snuck you—"

"That's shit, Hyuga. You snuck me into your common room and that's the only rule you've ever broken? You've never done anything. Not to sneak socks and scarves for the house-elves. To let the first-years drenched because they were lost, use the prefect baths. Stealing ingredients from the potions cabinet because some muggle-borns couldn't afford it. But no, the worst you've ever done is put a Gryffindor Head Girl in the secret Ravenclaw tower so you could kiss her into submission for the rest of her life. Tell me, did you leave me without saying goodbye because your uncle told you to or because you didn't love me. I bet it's both."

"Tenten!" he yells. His voice quivers like the leaves, he shakes with the wind.

"Dammit, Neji!" Tenten has her wand out now. She doesn't know why but she feels vulnerable and whenever she feels vulnerable, she has her wand out. "Deny it! I dare you to deny it!"

"I—I cared, but—" he doesn't muster out much after that.

"Yea, I thought so," she swallows, wraps her scarf tighter. There's a spell on it to protect her from the cold but it still feels freezing. Neji won't look at her. He won't deny or admit anything. She can only ask one thing of him. "Cast your Patronus."

The man freezes, his fists form into tight balls. She catches his every movement, analyzes his movements as she does to a suspect. But she can read suspects. She can't read him.

His lips, pale but still red from dryness, press together. Wind pushes by him, almost trying to rip through this trench coat, to unravel his scarf. His eyebrows knit but his face appears to be the only thing that moves. He doesn't reach for his wand.

"Cast it!"

He slowly shakes his head. Neji's voice runs deep. "I cannot."

Tenten bites her lips and trembles, just slightly. "Six years. It's the first time you've reached out to me in six years and still, it's not an apology. I—I just need to see if—if it has changed."

"I haven't been able to cast a Patronus in—six years, Ten," he says. "Not even a wisp."

She can't move. It's like she's petrified. Had he been broken too?

Tenten swirls her wand in a circle and yells. "Expecto Patronum!"

A silver ribbon of light flows from the tip of her wand, it starts to dip into the ground, forming into a puddle until shapes weave together into a swan. It starts to fly, around her, around him, and slowly goes into the forest behind them, exploring. Everything around them is dark, greys, blacks, but her swan is a glow of warm blue light. It makes him look lovelier, the colour of her Patronus now the colour of his eyes, glued onto it.

"Tell me why—" her voice cracks abruptly. "Why for the past six years, I've been casting a bird that represents everlasting faith instead of a leopardess that's supposed to represent fierceness.

His gaze is focused on the figure cast of her happy memories, ones surrounding memories of him and Lee, bittersweet, but also marvellous. "Every memory I had used to cast a Patronus doesn't bring me joy anymore. I cannot feel anything but guilt and regret now."

Even though she wants to say he deserves it, he deserves constant sadness, depression, six years is a long time. It's more than the time they had been dating. And he's been on all six issues of Britain's Most Eligible Bachelors—

"You bastard," she nearly sobs. "Why the bloody hell did you leave me?"

He starts closer to her. "I was wrong. You were right. You were always right. It was my uncle. I was afraid of being disowned and I thought I'd be nothing, that I would have nothing but not having you—god, Tenten, it's so much worse than I would have ever thought."

She grabs his coat collar. She knows he expects her to kiss him but she takes his wand from the pocket of his sleeve, a move they practiced when they were working together. It's usually unexpected. The feel of his wand, elm, unicorn tail, a smooth finish that's much neater than hers, still sits strangely familiar, though the stun she shoots misses barely.

Her next movement consists of taking a black wand from her own sleeve, ebony phoenix feather, and she throws his back into his hands before turning back to their unwelcome visitor. She had sensed him there, behind Neji, finally finding an opportunity to attack.

Curses, dark ones, shoot at her. Tenten reflects them with the flick of her wrist but even then, she can feel how powerful the dark arts are within him. The gravel littered across the ground lifts and she transfigures them into sharp blades fo steel. With a large wand movement, they shoot to him at a rapid speed. This attack continues, the rocks becoming knives, twigs becoming daggers.

A particularly nasty curse comes towards her and she doesn't know how well she can deflect it. She has always been better at attacking than defending.

The glow of capable blue light form around her and it isn't her spell. The shield stops even her movements. It's Neji's charm, one of the biggest and strongest ones she has ever seen. It's his clan's specialty: defence and his cousin perform them so well and she doubts that he will have a single scar after the war from magic.

The force of his shield is so strong that it knocks back the dark wizard. Tenten snaps back into focus. Through the shield, she sends a series of stuns, transfigured objects, and they move close to him, Neji shooting defensive spells as offensive ones. It's a pattern of attacks that Tenten has forgotten. Only her muscles move practised precision, using their enemy's unfamiliar to the environment to her advantage. Neji disarms him and Tenten binds him with Auror ropes.

Her pants of breath are muffled by the howling wind. Yet she can tell that Neji is also out of breath from the wispy puffs of perspiration. She strides up to the man and lifts his hood. She quickly flips back the pages of the blacklist and she recognizes him. He's Kabuto Yakushi. He's a powerful dark wizard, skilled healer, and a killer of countless of her coworkers.

Had neji not been with her, she doubts she would have been able to deflect him alone. As the same for him. Even had it been any other Auror alongside her, she knows that she simply wouldn't be strong enough.

"Well, I have to say, the show you put on was convincing," KAbuto says calmly, his glasses resting at the tip of his nose. "Caught me off guard for a moment. That's pretty rare, but nothing to think otherwise from the Head Auror and a Wizengamot member."

"Yakushi," she says, her voice cool like a snake. A smile quirks at her lips. "We've been looking everywhere for you,"

Neji glances at her. "You know him?"

Tenten nods. "He's one of the most wanted wizards in the blacklist."

"You better bring him in quickly, then," he replies.

Tenten flicks her wand and he goes unconscious, head falling back. She puts him in a sheet of paper, a spell she has invented inspired by extension charms for backpacks. Then she hands the paper to him. He knows how to use them. Neji looks very confused.

"You can interrogate him within the order."

His eyes go wide. "But—"

"I'm in. I'll join. We won't get as much out of him as you will. But you better owl me, Neji. I won't let you chase enemies by yourself. I have six times your experience."

He smiles, then it falters. "Is that how you knew he was there?"

"He followed you. It's just something you tune into being an Auror for so long."

Because even though he'd be better at many things, defence against the dark arts still being one of them, there were some things he just couldn't pick up without practice.

"Was it all just for show?" he asks.

She shakes her head. "The easiest way to lie is to tell the truth. I can't fake a Patronus."

He pulls out something from his pocket. It is the silver ring with the same engraving she had seen others wearing, he included. "The shinobi order ring. It's yours to have."

Tenten stares at it for a couple of seconds. She slides it onto her middle finger, then smiles ina bittersweet thought. He notices her smile, he always notices the little things.

"What is it?"

"Before we broke up, I—" she pauses in consideration of telling him. Tenten stares into his silver eyes, curious. The wind makes his hair drift like a silk curtain, he looks like a painting. She decides to let the confession go. It's been a while. He should know. "I thought you had avoided me those years back because you were going to propose.

Neji is silent. She can see a hint of his blush even with such minimal lighting and to know that his face is red makes her smile, despite the anxiety in revealing her hopes to marry him.

"I would have, had we had more time, had Hiashi—I'm—"

She interrupts his stammering, however adorable it may be. "It's ok. I just hoped."

Tenten kisses him on the cheek slowly. His face is warm, her lips are cold, but she only allows herself a brief moment of lingering before turning away.

The end of the alley is still cloaked in dark shadows but she feels that it looks just a bit lighter. It is, maybe it is getting brighter. She sees a wisp of white, more ribbony in texture and flowy, yet stronger in opacity compared to her Patronus. Tenten holds her breath as the animal slowly comes up behind her—it's also a swan.

Tenten feels its proximity. The swan provides her with warmth, curiosity, intrigue. These feelings are not the feelings she is used to his Patronus feeling like. Usually, they are simply of content and tranquillity, sometimes even an exhilaration that makes her stomach tumble and makes electricity flow through her body. It's cast with a different memory, though cannot imagine which one.

"The first time we met. On the train. You bought me a chocolate frog even though you only had enough money for one. The person on the card was Tsunade, you told me she was your hero." he explains. "It's the only memory of you I don't feel guilty about. I'd like to try again. I—I would marry you any day. I would wait forever."

He pulls off the Hyuga Crest from his finger, presses it into her hand. It's heavier than anything she's ever held.

"I will," her voice comes out as a whisper. It feels too soon, but she has been ready to marry him since she was 17. "But me wearing this crest will really piss off your uncle.

"That's the intention,"

Perhaps even in the six years they had been apart, the two had been completely committed to each other already.

#nejitenmonth2020 #nejiten fanfiction #nejiten au #nejiten #neji #tenten #raspberryfanfics #raspntmonth20

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eiijunkun · 5 years

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Getting Together

Neji and Sasuke weren’t close at all, not like how Sakura and Tenten were at least. The two girls had a strong enough bond to text now and then and go out together, unlike Sasuke or Neji who only knew each other cause of friends.

Neither of them had intentions to get to know each other nor did they really want to become friends, Neji found Sasuke to be underwhelming quiet and Sasuke found Neji too blunt.

What the boys did have in common though was that they both had big mouth bestfriends and both of the boys were in love with their female friend.

Sasuke had already known of Sakura’s crush on him but Neji wasn’t too sure about Tenten.

So when Sasuke told Naruto his problem and Neji told Lee his, their bestfriends had an idea to make Neji and Sasuke bond.

The loud mouth boys making a groupchat then ditching but not before adding, ‘’Talk to each other about your lady problems.’’

At first it was awkward, Sasuke and Neji both not good at expressing how they felt. Soon enough they understood each other, seeing eye to eye with their problem and Neji wanted to help as Sasuke would help him.

That's why Sasuke was making conversation with Tenten about swords and their blades, both into the conversation.

Neji couldn’t really get into a conversation with Sakura, he didn’t know her hobbies just that her job was working at flower shop with Ino.

Getting together was harder than both the boys thought, Sasuke getting annoyed with lack of Sakura interaction and Neji was the same with Tenten.

‘‘Seven minutes in heaven!’‘ A drunk Ino and Naruto yelled together both of the blondes hanging over each other. Sasuke was about to turn to leave the scene but Sakura held his hand before he could, did she want them to play together?

Tenten asking Neji if he would like to step outside with Shikamaru, who was smoking a blunt which both the teens needed a hit of to loosen up a bit.

To say Tenten was bold would be a understatement, Tenten had a thing for words and making them sound pure, that's what Neji thought at least. Her words always sounded like music to him, so when he heard the words, ‘want to makeout?’’ He didn’t hesitate.

Not wanting to miss a chance with the girl he adored most in the world.

Unlike Tenten, Sakura lacked the cuteness in her words and would fumble with them at times. Sasuke didn’t mind though, likenow when tipsy Sakura was in the closet with a sober man talking her head off.

The pair should be making out since they were playing the game but it seemed Sakura wasn’t up for that just yet.

‘‘And that's when me and Tenten decided to just take the lead and separate so we could talk to you guys, we had to confess our love somehow.’‘ She giggled and pushed her hair back, standing on her tip toes and pressing her lips to his.

Sasuke had seen what she was up to when she stood on the tip of her toes and he wasn’t about to stop her. Their kiss lasting only a few seconds cause a shy Hinata opened the door to go in with Kiba.

Sakura smiled drunkly and made crude signs with her hands, making Sasuke drag her away from Ino and the rest of the crew.

They were together alone, Sasuke watching her look up at the sky but her words not heard. His eyes focused on her lips and thinking about how they felt, ‘’Then I-.’’

Sasuke pressed his lips to hers cupping her check and hopefully making her melt, which was working. Pulling away when both of then needed air after moving their lips together.

Unlike the other couple that was messily making out just on the other side of them, both out of air but refused to pull away. Their lips could be heard by Sasuke and Sakura.

‘‘Uh.’‘ Sakura was the first to make a sound, causing Tenten to turn her head just a little to see. Neji pulling off once Tenten tapped his arm, a signal to stop for right now.

‘‘Fun?’‘ Sakura asked stepping closer to the couple and smiling, Tenten holding the same smile and grasping hands with Sakura in excitement. ‘‘So much!’‘ Tenten exclaimed loudly, Sakura giggling and explaining her story.

Seems the girls had their own plan in mind when they could get the boys alone.

Mission ‘Getting Together’ completed successfully.

#neji #neji hyuga #tenten #naruto #sasusaku #sasuke #sasuke uchiha #sakura #saskura haruno #party #shortfic #fanfic #fanfiction #short fiction

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kusunokihimea · 4 years

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ALAS: How it Works

[ So I know this doesn’t concern too many of you, as not many people write in the ALAS verse on this blog, or with any of my sideblogs, so if you have no idea what this is...that’s okay! BUT, for posterity’s sake, I thought I’d do a quick (ha) rundown of the verse, and how it all ties in to all my silly blogs.

First of all...the blogs! There’s this one, @whitefangwanderer, @thefriendlyflicker, @hyuuchiha, @foxesnflowers, and technically @sylviesmuses (which is more just an info blog on muses I no longer write in RP, but are part of the fic). These blogs are all, by default, written in ONE canon verse known as A Light Amongst Shadows. It’s (loosely) based on OLD RP back before I joined Tumblr with two friends. It was originally made so we could blend in ships and OCs that we enjoyed, while following as much of canon as we could, sans those ships and OCs.

So! For a bit more of a visual, you can see the “full” (aka the best I could do) genealogy map for the verse and most relevant characters [ here ]. First thing you’ll probably notice are the two main ‘crackships’. ALAS follows canon pretty darn close up until we pass chapter 699. From there, it takes its own epilogue course. Children and ships all pretty much stay the same, however, EXCEPT that we switch out N.aruHina and S.asuSaku for N.aruSaku and S.asuHina. Which results in four NEW ship kids! Uzumaki Akane, Uzumaki Kei, Uchiha Tenkai, and Uchiha Chikyū. The NS kids are the muses of @foxesnflowers and the SH kiddos are on @hyuuchiha.

ALAS also fills in a some missing faces, such as Shisui’s parents, Neji and Hinata’s mothers, etc. etc. Otherwise, most of the OCs are those of the next gen from the above-mentions ships, as well as N.ejiTen and Ryū’s ship in that verse with Shisui. As mentioned in a previous post, this is a swapped ship due to revamping the plot. In short, this makes things more canon compliant, and requires less plot intervention / “OP” OC actions to make it work. So! While the plot prior had ItaRyū, the new ship for the fic is ShiRyū. That’s not to say other ships can’t work for either Ryū OR Shisui (as he’s the muse of @thefriendlyflicker), but that’s what’s written by default, and they are the parents of the three ship kids for ALAS on this blog.

SO, now: how it all ties together. This is going to be a little long and I guess a little spoilery, BUT: for the sake of explanation of how things all fit, I’ll go over a (VERY) barebones summary of main aspects of the fic. We’ll go under a cut for length cuz...this post is long enough, lmao

So, as said, the purpose of ALAS is to blend in OCs. And given that neither of my previous partners RP anymore, it focuses solely on Ryū. It starts much the same as her default verse: Iwa, during attempts to cut through to Hi no Kuni, use doton to scale the mountains along the north side of the country. Given they were also battling with Kumo...this still makes sense. Ryū’s village, Kusunokizan, is all civilian save for her clan...which are healers. Sages, yes, but healers. So, the village is destroyed, with Ryū being the sole survivor after her mother uses the last of her chakra to hide her behind a barrier that bends light, and makes things under it invisible. Ryū’s mother, Reika, is killed in an attempt to defend her daughter.

On the floor of Hi no Kuni, a patrol spots the smoke rising from the mountains, and meets the Iwa squad on their way to investigate. They kill or capture them all, with some losses. Most head back to take the prisoners to Konoha, while some - including Uchiha Manami, Shisui’s mother - head on to check out the smoke. They, of course, find the ruins of the village...and Manami finds Ryū. Knowing she’s now alone, Manami tries to adopt her, but is denied due to village sanctions about rare bloodlines...and also bias against the Uchiha. Instead, she is made a ward to be raised as a village asset.

In a different attempt to help, Manami introduces the girl to her son, Shisui...and the pair hit it off right away. Shisui’s boisterous nature helps bring Ryū out of her shell. Through him, she meets others like Itachi and later Sasuke. And while she is trained in the hospital to utilize her bloodline, the boys all head into the Academy. Itachi is rather standoffish around her, but Sasuke - always dealing with boys (and a bit jealous of the attention his brother gives Shisui) enjoys her company.

...then Shisui apparently commits suicide. Ryū is, of course, devastated. Her first friend is gone. Not long after, the Uchiha clan is massacred save for Sasuke. Now Manami is gone, the clan...and Itachi is a murderer, Sasuke left all alone as a ward, like her. Though unable to be an official guardian due to village restrictions, Ryū nonetheless acts as Sasuke’s as he grows up.

After the Nami mission, Ryū - working at the hospital - becomes acquainted with his team, including Kakashi. Admitting to her worry over Sasuke, she asks the sensei to keep an eye on him for her, as she’s unable to fight. She aids with the chūnin exams, and is the medic who works primarily to save Hinata’s life, which begins a friendship between them. She also assists with Lee’s recovery, but is unable to cure him completely.

Otherwise, things progress as canon as normal. Sasuke is infected by Orochimaru’s curse mark, and leaves to join them for training. Ryū, in the interim - having lost nearly all of the people in Konoha she’s come to care about - asks to take a trip back to her village for some kind of emotional closure and respite. While there, she discovers the sage that trained her line, and rather than return to Konoha, stays in the ruins of Kusunokizan to train to become a healing / protective sage.

Shippuden passes much the same as canon, with mild participation by Ryū. No events change, and she is part of the war effort with the other medics, and is caught in Mugen Tsukuyomi. After the war, she encourages Sasuke to stay after her confides the truth of the massacre with her: to both let her repair his arm, and to help the betterment of the village and shinobi system by bringing it all to light. She also revives Neji as a token for Hinata and her friendship. The council is confronted by the clans’ heirs, and are removed from power. Kakashi, upon taking his seat as Rokudaime, reveals the truth and pardons Itachi to have him removed from the Bingo book and remove his criminal record.

Once that’s all over, Shisui returns, revealing his faked suicide: to give Itachi the Mangekyō, keep his body from Danzō (and those like Obito or Orochimaru), and keep the councilman’s betrayal from the clan, lest it start up a civil war. But with Danzō dead, the council ousted, and the truth revealed, he can now return. At first, Sasuke is angry with him for abandoning Itachi, and Ryū is hurt he didn’t come to her to be healed.

But the past is the past, and they move on. Ryū makes Shisui new eyes from his DNA, and the pair reconnect and grow closer, eventually becoming a pair. They marry and have their three children. Sasuke, after a slowburn, ends up with Hinata, and they have two children. Naruto and Sakura end up together with two children. Neji and Tenten get married and have a son, Hinode. A raid of one of Orochimaru’s old bases reveals an in-stasis ‘clone’ of Neji he also adopts as his own and names Higure.

The plot then focuses mostly on their kids, and the rising threat of the remnants of Root, led by Ayame, who want revenge for Danzō’s death and defamation by eradicating the Uchiha completely.

And that’s the gist of it, really! Obviously there’s a lot more guts, but this covers most of the OCs and their bonds with canon characters! And again, you can find most of the OCs and canons on the various blogs. Any that are missing you can always ask about! But uh...yeah. This is stupidly long, but...given that this story is going on seven years old, there’s a lot to it! Hopefully this provides a little insight into how this verse, and these blogs, work! ]

#sylvie speaketh [ ooc ]#[ verse summary || a light amongst shadows ]#long post #like #stupidly long post lmao #sorry about this to anyone who doesn't care #but for those who DO #here's just about everything you need to know about ALAS!#i'm actually going to try - keyword: try - to rewrite ALAS #i got 300k words in before #and then just...lost the heart for it #but all the reworking has me PUMPED #and ofc i'd also reallllly love to rp some of the beans from it with y'all!#especially the next gen beans #i love them #but also those like manami and hanako #all the good mamas #anyway #i'll stop now xD

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6ix-dragons · 6 years

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On the Great Contentions of Naruto, Chapters 699 + 700: Three Years Later

Before I begin, I just want to make it clear, on what this post will be really about. This will focus on the controversies that arose from the final couple of chapters, in the Naruto manga. Not only that, but there will be a few certain shipping fandoms of this series that will be mentioned upon—one of which, will be mentioned more in detail, in the rest of this post. All of the following in this post, is made from my own personal point of view...and therefore, are only my personal opinions for this particular matter.

To those who are from the few, certain shipping fandoms that will be mentioned later in this post...feel free to skip/ignore this post, since it will have some of my opinions that you may not agree with. However, consider that preceding statement as my only warning, as I will block anybody who leaves a nasty comment, or bashes me for just expressing my personal opinions. You have been warned!

Now, I don’t mean to go into a Don Cherry-styled rant, or express whole-heartedly (like Steve Dangle does in his videos), but there has been something that’s bothering me for quite a little while. And, for one moment, I just want to get it all off my chest.

For the record, Naruto was—and, still is, to this day—one of my favourite anime/manga series of all time. I first caught it on T.V., over 10 years ago...and I enjoyed it well, during that time. But, around that same time, the whole idea of putting characters together as a pairing seemed pretty new to me, and I didn’t really caught onto that idea, until a little bit later. It was after when I got into the idea of shipping characters together, that’s when I became involved in what would be called, the “shipping wars”.

I’ll admit, in my disclosure, I am a profound fan of both the NaruHina and SasuSaku pairings. Back when I caught the Naruto series, not long before Shippuden even happened, I always thought about how Naruto and Hinata were a good pairing—and, the same, for Sasuke and Sakura. In hindsight, despite the seemingly-minor signs that pointed to this, I just saw something in those two characters that would suggest a good fit with each other. But, hey, that’s just me talking about how I got into shipping them, of course! xD So, I’ll move on...

Anyway, a little while after I was introduced into the Naruto fandom, I discovered that there were fans within that series, who got into arguments with other fans, over which pairing was better, and should be canon (official). There were some who ship Naruto and Hinata together...and then, there were others who ship Naruto with Sakura. Of course, there were other fans who ship neither pairing, with some shipping Sasuke with Hinata, Lee with Sakura, Karin with Sasuke...and even Sasuke with Naruto! It was stunning to think that there would be those who would pair different characters with each other, outside of the major ones, even though some of them didn’t make sense. Although, with the main focus of the shipping wars being NaruHina (and SasuSaku) up against NaruSaku, I couldn’t help but feel that I wanted to become involved in this.

It was around when Shippuden began, where I had become more involved in the shipping wars between those two pairings. In hindsight, it really looked like NaruSaku had a compelling case for it to become canon, based on the amount, and strength of the moments, and the development of the realtionship, between those two characters. I wasn’t easily convinced, however, and so I pushed on. I had the time of my life, putting out stuff that was all anti-NS (and, to some degree, anti-SasuKarin). I even scoped around online, finding whatever logical and valid arguments that refute, not support, this particular pairing. Looking back at what I did, ‘though, I wasn’t totally proud of some of the things I did. But, if I was given the opportunity to do all of that...I would truly do all those things again.

As the years passed by, however, I started to become less and less interested into getting myself into the pairing wars, along with Naruto, in general. I had gotten myself into other fandoms around that time, focusing more and more on those, and even less on Naruto. Ever since then, I’ve been in and out of the loop, only learning about what had happened in the manga since—but, a little while later. I only caught what happened in some of the chapters here and there, but enough to gain somewhat of an understanding in what went on.

However, as recently as three years ago, I caught the news that the Naruto manga was officially coming to an end. I did not make much of it, at that time, since I hadn’t gotten myself much into that series anymore. Then, when the final chapters of the manga did come out, in November, I only caught some of the hubbub about it, on social media. Well, little did I know that there was quite a lot of hubbub about it, online...and, a lot of it wasn’t all that great, in a sense.

At this point, in this post, I would like to explain—and, discuss in further detail—about what had happened during, and after the final chapters had come out. There’s so much I wanted to explain and discuss, however, so I’m going to separate what I will deliberate in, in only three sections:

The Lead Up to the Final Chapters,

The Final Chapters, and the Fallout After Them,

and,

My Take, on the Controversies

I feel that it’s necessary to separate into those three sections, in order for me to explain and discuss, in a chronolgical order. That way, you will understand, and get a sense of all the stuff that really went down during, and after, the finale (from my point of view).

THE LEAD UP TO THE FINAL CHAPTERS

As I already mentioned from above, it was kinda hard for me to catch up to the manga, during those recent years. Although, I finally managed to figure out what was going on, in the chapters that preceded the conclusion of the manga. I find that it won’t be that easy and simple to explain everything that happened in the manga, between the point where I left off, and the final two chapters. But, I will attempt to explain it in a way that’s both concise and precise, nonetheless.

Alright...to summarize what had happened in the lead-up to the manga’s finale: a lot of battles happened, some important characters had died, as a result of those battles (may you rest in peace, Neji T.T), the major antagonists (namely, Madara and Kaguya) get defeated, Naruto took on Sasuke in their final fight against each other, the war ended, and—last, but not least—Naruto saves the world.

Well, I could’ve summed it all up, a little bit better than that...but for those who haven’t come across the final parts of the Naruto manga, yet—now you know! xD

So, with all of that having happened in the manga so far, there were still the ultimate questions that remained on the minds of those who have followed this series closely, for long: will Naruto end up together, with a female character in the end (and the same for Sasuke, and the other male protagonists)? If so, which female character will he end up with (and, again, the same for Sasuke, and the other guys)?

In retrospect, it looked like either Naruto was going to end up with Sakura, or that he was going to end up with Hinata, instead. Both NaruSaku and NaruHina had stronger cases, for either one to become official, with each pairing having significant developments, at varying points in the story. It all pretty much came down to what the author of the manga—Masashi Kishimoto—would do, for the conclusion of his work.

It was suddenly, then, just a short time before the final two chapters were officially released...the leaks happened! Days before chapters 699 and 700 were to come out on Shonen Jump, spoilers for the finale had spread across, online. Not just the real kind of spoilers, mind you, but also fake ones, too!

Having combed through the many reactions of fans, at the time the spoilers were leaked, I can only tell that a lot of them were confused. Confused, over whether some of the spoilers were real, or not. However, many followers of the series soon found out what the true spoilers were, for the final chapters. Speculations had it, that Naruto was going to end up with Hinata, and that he would have two kids with her. Same for Sasuke, who was purported to be together with Sakura, and having a daughter with her.

When those true kinds of spoilers came out, some fans were excited at the prospect of this kind happening, in the manga’s very conclusion. Others, however, were not.

Right away, there was a growing amount of denial, over those reportedly-true spoilers for the ending. Chief among the growing denial, was the NaruSaku fanbase. They couldn’t believe a single thing that was described to them, in those spoilers. There was yet, some hope that their favourite two characters can still get together in the end, right?

As the time got closer to the offical release of both chapters 699, and 700, the amount of hype (and, at the same time, denial) grew to an all-time high, barely being held back by the anticipation of all fans, of this series.

And then, as soon as those two chapters were finally released on official channels...the floodgates burst open.

THE FINAL CHAPTERS, AND THE FALLOUT AFTER THEM

When chapters 699 and 700 were officially released—three years ago—on WSJ, and online, both chapters confirmed everything about what was mentioned in the real spoilers, the whole time. Not only Naruto became the Hokage, but he also ended up together with Hinata, having two children with her (a son named Boruto/Bolt, and a daughter named Himawari). On top of that, Sasuke ended up with Sakura, with both having a daughter named Sarada. Other prominent characters ended up together, such as Shikamaru, with Temari; Sai, with Ino; even Chouji, of all characters, ended up together with Karui. It was the conclusion that most fans and followers of the series had expected all along, and it was one that closed out the story, 15 years in the making.

As I recalled from the time I found out about the manga ending, on social media, a lot of people were happy about it. Not just the fans in Japan, but also those from the West...and all over the world. Both the NaruHina and SasuSaku fandoms were jubilant, and in a celebratory mood, over how their favourite pairings ended up being official. The same can be said about the fans of the other pairings I mentioned above.

At the time when NH and SS became truly official, I personally was satisfied with the way the story ended with those two couples. Sure, I wasn’t as involved in the Naruto fandom, as before, but I was still a fan of both those pairings. And, to me, they still made sense, when it came to the question of whether they should end up together, or not. As I looked a little bit more around, I saw more and more fans reacting positively to the end of the manga. Generally-speaking, there was excitement and joy to be had, amongst those in the fandom.

With all that excitement and joy, however, there was also outrage and controversy.

Despite the positive reaction to the ending, by a lot of people, there were also a large number of fans who did not take to the ending very well. Looking back at the copious amounts of reactions from the entire Naruto fanbase online, from three years ago, it would seem that there was a substantial number of those who didn’t like the way the manga had ended. In fact, there were some of those who stated that they had outright rejected the ending. Even more, there were some who called out Kishimoto, on the way he wrote the ending.

The worst of the outrage and controversy, however, would have to come from a couple of fandoms of those pairings that I didn’t like.

To say that the NaruSaku fandom had thrown a huge, hissy fit, would be quite the understatement. Right after the final chapters came out, the whole NS fandom went into a meltdown of monumental proportions! At around that time, I had no idea that it was going to be that bad, until I looked through the posts online, much later, that were from three years earlier. I couldn’t believe what I was looking at!

A lot of the NaruSaku fans started to express their anger on social media, and threw accusations at the NH and SS fandoms. They even threw accusations at Kishimoto himself! And, even then, that was only the tip of the iceberg, for what the worst of their actions and reactions would soon follow. I saw some posts, from some of those NaruSaku fans that fudged things up, such as the interviews with Kishimoto, and the news surrounding the “The Last” movie...just spreading around #AlternativeFacts, and fake news (perhaps you can just say that the NS fans did #AlternativeFacts and fake news first, before #AlternativeFacts and fake news even became a thing? lol). Likewise, fans of SasuKarin—and, to a certain extent, SasuNaru—also expressed their outrage, although not on the same level as the NaruSaku fans.

In fact, the outrage and controversies arising from the ending itself, can only be felt across the Web, for quite a long time. It was quite telling, based on some of the negative feedback I found from NaruSaku fans, most recently, on this site (and these posts from there, were from weeks ago!). Not helping to end the outrage and controversy, were the recent interviews with Kishimoto being released online. According to those interviews (official interviews, that is), Kishimoto actually planned to have Naruto end up with Hinata, from the beginning of the story—but, he only made that decision as final, halfway into the story.

Furthermore, the sheer impact of how the manga ended, continues to perpetuate the debates between the NH and NS pairings, to this very day.

MY TAKE, ON THE CONTROVERSIES

Alright...after going through what had happened prior to, during, and after the final two chapters...what do I personally think of all the outrage and controversy that happened?

Well, after going through certain parts of the manga again, and looking at what was discussed from the fandom itself, I can certainly express that my opinions of the ending to Naruto have been changed a bit, from what they were, originally.

Were some parts of the manga not that great, in terms of how they were written? Yes. Should there have been improvements to the storywriting? Absolutely. Should there have been slight changes to the ending, then and there, so that it makes more sense? Sure.

I do think that there wouldn’t be a whole lot of outrage and controversy, too, if Mr. Kishimoto wrote and implemented things differently, than what it was/is now. But, don’t tell me, for one second, that he intended to make Naruto together with Sakura in the end. That is totally not true, and those recent interviews with him support this!

Now, what do I think of the NaruSaku fandom, who are among those that have expressed outrage at the ending, and have done those worst things they did?

Well, the thing is, I don’t necessarily think that the entire NaruSaku fandom is responsible for all the crap that was done, not long after the finale was revealed. If anything, I would want to address a few certain groups—three of them, to be exact. First, those who are NaruSaku fans, but did not partake in anything controversial; second, those who are NaruSaku fans, but did partake in anything controversial; and, third, the rest of those who are against the ending (in general, regardless of whether you’re fans of different pairings, and/or, who are against any certain pairings). This is what I would have to say to them, three years ago....

To those who are NaruSaku fans who did not partake in anything controversial: I commend you, for having such restraint from being involved in the backlash, like all the other fans were. I understand your disappointment, in the fact that your favourite pairing did not become official. Believe me, I would also be disappointed, too, if my favourite pairings did not become canon, somehow. At least you can take solace, in the numerous (and plentiful) fanart and fanfiction that your fandom has contributed to.

To those who are NaruSaku fans, but did partake in anything controversial: I’m not going to hold back, from all the choice words that I have for all of you. All of you are just pitiful, and sorry. Actually, ‘pitiful’ and ‘sorry’ just doesn’t quite cut it, for those of your ilk. All of you are pretty much a classless, pathetic, ignorant, rude, ridiculous, disrespectful, and ungrateful kind of bunch—and, that’s what you all really are! I mean, are you really that dumb, dumb, DUMB...DUMB, that you would go ahead, and pull all that crap you just did?! Not only did some of you had bashed the NH and SS fandom around, some of you actually did this:

Accusing and harassing Kishimoto on social media

Harassing Kishimoto’s assistant on Twitter, to the point where she had to make it clear...in English!

Harassing Studio Pierrot—yes, the same studio originally responsible for putting out content that favoured your pairing in the first place!

Starting up petitions, calling for the ending to be changed; even calling for the manga to be banned in the U.S. market!

Creating and spreading around #AlternativeFacts...and fake news, too!

Taking fanart that featured NaruHina and SasuSaku, along with their children, and editing them to make it look like Naruto and Sakura together (AND THAT’S WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS!)

Even worse...sending Kishimoto death threats, and urging him to die!

I’m not even kidding on all of those...just look up all those links!

Let me be the one to say this: your actions are totally indefensible, and totally inexcusable, to say the least! No wonder the NaruSaku fandom has gotten quite the horrid reputation, as they have now—it’s all because of those, like you, who have done those sorts of things, for your fandom to get all that kind of negative buzz from others! All of you should be ashamed of yourselves, for this!

And, to those who are generally opposed to the ending itself: look, I know you’re upset and concerned over how the story all ended, and I totally get that. It could’ve been done better...but, that’s just how it’s going to be, regardless. However, I did notice that there’s a large number of you, who aren’t going to be fans of the series anymore, because of this. Just because of how the manga ended, doesn’t mean you should stop being a fan of that series, right away!

I even read that some of you are longtime fans of this series. I mean, really? You’re just going to throw away that many years of dedication to this series, all just because of an ending you don’t like? Honestly, I can only say that Kishimoto doesn’t deserve those kinds of “fans” like you, then. For all the flaws he has, when it comes to making stories—like the one that has entertained you for years...at least Kishimoto knows how to earn and maintain an already-large fanbase he already has. He doesn’t need to pander to fickle, and fair-weathered folks like you, anyway.

I’ve also seen some of those who expressed that they would do away with all the Naruto merchandise that they have owned before, just because of the ending. Seriously?? Well, I hope you know that whoever comes out as the real winner, in that case, is Kishimoto himself! That’s because he probably earns a percentage share of the royalties he gets from his own works, through all that licensing and merchandising. In other words, he already has your money, anyway; why go through all that trouble, over this?

Oh, and don’t get me started on some of those folks, who have denied that such an ending actually existed for the manga! Now, I’m going to express myself, in a way that will probably make some waves (or get myself into some trouble), but it’s all about how those people insist that the ending “never occurred” to them. To me, having heard of the bunch who don’t acknowledge the ending ever happened—it certainly reminds me of those who deny that climate change exists...and, maybe even those who deny that the Holocaust ever happened. It just boggles my mind at how many people have went that far, into discrediting Kishimoto’s hard work...and all because of an ending they just can’t be content with. Are you freakin’ kidding me?!

I know that, at this point, this post has gone long enough. But, when I saw all those reactions from the Naruto fanbase about the ending, here (and elsewhere)...I was just simply appalled. It sickens me that such a large fandom was pretty much divided, over how the story ended. Even worse, the amount of unwarranted negativity was so downright toxic and venomous, such rough stuff had to occur (i.e: cyber-bullying) right away!

Looking back at the aftermath of the Naruto manga finale from three years back, maybe I was fortunate enough to gloss over a lot of such hatred for the ending. As less involved into the Naruto fandom, as I was recently...I would have gotten myself into this whole mess, anyway—if I stumbled upon all of it, at that time. I enjoyed the whole series for what it is, and I’m totally okay with the way it all ended. However, I’m not totally proud of the fact that there are some in the fandom who have expressed such outrage at the ending, either out of spite...or, in a knee-jerk reaction. Those who really have...they should take a good look at themselves, and then consider if they were even fans of the series to begin with.

Granted, the shipping wars will continue to happen elsewhere, on any fandom...and there will always be controversy and drama, on any fandom, as well. But, I think Naruto is a perfect example for all the controversy and drama that happens, all simply because the views shared by a certain portion of the fanbase are not lining up with the true intentions of the creator. As I’ve mentioned it before: I liked the series for what it is, and I was fine with the way it concluded. I didn’t need to raise some hell over it, unlike what a whole bunch of others were doing, at the time. And, maybe it is best to not put up quite a lot, over something that’s now considered minor.

Maybe, it is the best to not—and, I will borrow an idiom that’s a few centuries old—“make a mountain out of a molehill”.

#personal takes #long post #retrospective #naruto #anti-narusaku #anti-sasukarin #naruhina #sasusaku #chapter 699 #chapter 700

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