[Naruto] Sticks and Stones

[runespoor]

Title: Sticks and Stones
Author: runespoor7
Character/Pairings: Sakura, Naruto, Karin
Rating: PG-13
Notes: done for the 'unusual weapons' challenge at naruto100 ...might have done a little stretching there. -_-;

"He left a while ago, actually. Wasn't in much of a state, too, but sneaked away all the same."

There's a harsh ugly glint behind the girl's glasses, and if Sakura felt up to dealing with it she'd acknowledge the pain - both the girl's and her own, but she won't.

Instead, her attention is caught by the not-quite-a-snarl out of Naruto's lips, not quite a snarl but close enough to put her on edge. She glances sharply at him, her shoulders tense for a reason she doesn't want to think about either and which has nothing to do with the last time she heard that noise from him and the fourth chakra tail that formed, and everything with how livid she'd be, too, if she allowed herself to be.

But she won't, not this time. This time it's only her and Naruto, and Sasuke, somewhere, and this girl who knows where he has gone and isn't telling them.

Sakura is looking at Naruto and Naruto is glaring red-edged at the girl Sasuke picked up as teammate.

"You'd better fucking start talking," he growls in such a deep, deep voice. It sends fears rumbling down Sakura's back, as well.

But the girl pales a little and she opens her mouth, so Sakura doesn't put a restraining hand on Naruto's arm, and turns her gaze back to the other.

Comments

[outlawpoet.livejournal.com]

I want to like this, but I think I need a little more to sell Naruto as scary. He's such a fundamentally reactive character (like Harry Potter, his primary competence is the stamina to get the crap kicked out of him until the plot kicks in and he wins by default) that it's only when someone has been hurting him for a while, or the kyuubi takes over that he ever does anything aggressive.

And when the kyuubi takes over (particularly in part II), he's omnicidal, and not particularly well motivated against his original target(in addition to being animalistic and unable to use normal ninja tactics).

What's happening here? Is Naruto seeing Orochimaru and more of Sasuke's abandonment of them in this girl? Is the kyuubi getting out? Is Naruto still upset from some battle or confrontation?

[runespoor7.livejournal.com]

First off I'll start by saying I really disagree with your comment of HP as a primarily reactive character, because no matter what he says, the minute something around him goes weird, no matter how minor, he'll be there investigating. And occasionally driving his friends mad with it.

The little scenario I had in mind (incredibly undetailed) is something like: post-387, Sasuke is intent on not letting go of Itachi's trail and ditches his team, who apparently had other ideas about what he was in a state to do, and particularly Karin. (<-very, very rough.) Then Naruto and Sakura (what the others are doing, I don't know - maybe they separated themselves in pairs again) catch up with Karin and realise who she is.

I think Naruto is upset because he's been spending the time since he realised Orochimaru being dead wouldn't change anything about Sasuke not coming back to Konoha in a state of constant upset impatience. (lulz, understatement) I imagine Karin has taunted them, and Naruto's control is fraying thin. As for the Kyuubi, he's a definite threat right there, but Naruto isn't gone to the point where he actually starts growing chakra tails. Sakura is aware of the risk, though, and it seemed likely to me that Karin would be able to pick up on the different chakra.

it's only when someone has been hurting him for a while, or the kyuubi takes over that he ever does anything aggressive

I suppose it depends on what you mean by 'aggressive'. Otherwise, I'd say he did surprise gag and bound Sasuke as far back as in volume one so he could talk to Sakura, and he's always reacted harshly to words he disagreed with and which weren't even always aimed at him (the fight with Tsunade). And recently we've had the superb example of Naruto Not Taking Any Shit and springing on Tobi with a Rasengan in his hand. ^_^ I loved that scene.

[outlawpoet.livejournal.com]

I suppose I have to justify that. HP and Naruto are both very hotheaded, it's true, and they talk a lot, it's not out of character for naruto to snarl and howl and yell at people at little provacation (or HP for that matter), but for them to be scary (to the reader) they have to occasionally act aggressively. To sell them as dogs with teeth.

Unfortunately, they both have the problem that their competence in this is pretty minimal until certain conditions are fulfilled. Naruto has to be 'motivated' which usually means getting kicked around until the kyuubi powers him up. (actually, the first arc is the only one where I can recall him accomplishing things without that happening, even during the Chuunin exam he had to lose to Neji and Kiba for a while). HP has the same thing. He talks a lot, and plans(sort of), to do things, but in terms of actually solving problems, he kind of has to depend on either Hermione, or his Voldemort Kryptonite kicking in and allowing the bad guy to beat himself after he gets, again, kicked around for a while. (Malfoy is pretty much the only 'bad guy' he's allowed to overpower without a windup, which by the last book seems more like bullying).

[runespoor7.livejournal.com]

But it's not being aggressive that makes a character scary. For instance, Kiba kicks Naruto around, but that doesn't make him scary at all.

And, while we're at it - Naruto is generally the one rushing at his opponent to try and land a hit, which, in shounen logic, means that he's bound to be the one originally losing. Then his opponent kicks him around, and then Naruto, like you said, has to reach for enough power to not lose. I don't really see how that makes him less competent.

As for Harry, just because what he tries to do doesn't comes through doesn't mean he's passive, not to mention that what he succeeds in isn't always thanks to Hermione or just to Hermione. Plus some things are done plain against her opinion. (the end of PoA, for instance, when he springs out of the woods to cast the Patronus.)

(Malfoy is pretty much the only 'bad guy' he's allowed to overpower without a windup

The trio did overpower Snape in PoA, Harry cast Expelliarmus on Lockhart at the end of CoS, he tricked Lucius Malfoy in that same book, they all fought well enough to resist the Death Eaters at the end of OotP (plus the fact that he ran after Bellatrix and tried to fight her)... It's never outright victories, true, but that wouldn't have been, er, realistic. Harry gets called a Stu enough as it is. >_>

which by the last book seems more like bullying)

I didn't see that. Do you mean HBP? I still wouldn't agree, but they're not even at school in book seven, and Draco is definitely in a position of strength every time they meet (except when the trio saves his life) and Harry seemed sympathetic to Draco's unease anyway.