Chapter 1: The Return!
"Home at last!" Sakura thought relieved as the village gates came into view. It had been half a year since they had left Konoha for their first mission. Even though the Daimyo had been deposed, they had been stationed in Saito for 6 months to help the transition of the new leadership council. "But now I can finally relax!" She thought as she stretched. When they neared the gates, Kakashi began to talk. "Alright gang, now normally we would all have to report to the Presidium for a debriefing. But since your teamwork has improved, I'm going to let you off the hook for today." When they entered the village, he added, "Take the next couple days off to recover. I'll let you know when our next mission is assigned to us." And with a quick wave, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Well at least I have some time to relax." Joe said as he turned to leave. "Good, now that he's gone." Sakura thought. Turning to face Yahiko, she began to say, "So Yahiko, do you want to han-." But mid-sentence she noticed that he too had left. With the two of them gone, Sakura was left all alone. "Well this sucks." She thought as she began walking home. However, her mood brightened when she heard someone shout, "Sakura, your back!" Looking behind her she saw her best friend Laura Collins running up to her. When Laura reached her they hugged each other giggling crazily. "Laura, it's been so long! I haven't seen you since we graduated!" Sakura said as they separated. "I know right! C'mon, you have to tell me all about your first mission!" Laura exclaimed, then her eyes took on a more mischievous look as she added, "And if you made any progress with Yahiko." Sakura smiled sadly and answered, "It didn't exactly go as planned." Putting her hand on Sakura's shoulder, Laura tried to reassure her, "Don't worry Sakura, he'll come around eventually." Then she grabbed Sakura's hand and began dragging her down the street. "But enough standing around, let' hit the town. We have sooo much catching up to do!" She exclaimed. Smiling, Sakura answered, "Alright!" The two of them walked down the street, looking forward to a night on the town.
"Ugh, it's a good thing I got out of there. That whole Saku/Laura love fest drives me nuts." Joe thought. "I'm about a mile away and I can still hear them going at it." Finally out of ear-shot, he began to wonder what he should do tonight. "It's too late to bug Ariana. I think I'll go grab some dinner." He thought as his stomach began to growl. Walking over to his favorite place, he ordered his meal and took a seat at one of the picnic tables. "Figured I'd find you here." Looking to his side, he saw Shikamaru smoothly slip into the seat next to him. "How'd you find me Shika?" Joe asked smiling as he made room. "I knew that you couldn't pass up a good steak joint, just like Tsuneo here can't pass up a good looking woman." Shikamaru said with a devilish smile as he pointed to the person next to him. "That's right my friend. Tsuneo Bryant, expert ladie's man at your service." He stated proudly offering Joe his hand. "Oh brother." Joe thought as he and Shikamaru exchanged a look. Taking it, Joe asked, "While you must be pretty experienced if you're a professional Ladie's man." However, it was Shikamaru who replied instead. "He's got plenty of experience with the Ladies, if you're talking in terms of rejection." He jeered, smiling. "Shut up Shikamaru, winning a woman's heart is a process. It takes perseverance, good looks, charm." Tsuneo answered defensively. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and replied bluntly, "In other words, everything you seem to lack." Joe let out a laugh as he noticed the cashier call him over. "Be back in a sec guys, looks like my meals ready." After a couple of minutes they were all sitting around a table digging into their meals. "So what about you two, any women in your sights?" Tsuneo asked as he put down his drink. "Not really, girls are such a drag." Shikamaru answered as he finished eating his chicken wrap. "What about you Joe?" Joe looked up from his steak salad and answered, "Nah, relationships come with wwwaaayyy too much drama. I'd sooner kiss my Kunai knife, much less painful." Shikamaru laughed, but Bryant was not so amused. "What do you mean? Wait a minute, you too aren't…" Confused Joe asked, "Aren't what?" Tsuneo sneered and answered, "Oh you know." Shikamaru and Joe both jumped up. "Shut up Tsuneo, if I wanted I could get any girl in this dump!" Shikamaru answered. "Hell No! For your information I'm the only one here who was actually kissed by a girl." Joe shot back. "What how?" Tsuneo asked. Joe looked around and noticed that they had drawn the attention of the restaurant crowd. Even Shikamaru was giving him a sly look. Slowly sitting back down, he waited until the crowd resumed talking then answered, "It was on the last mission." Shikamaru gave him a sly look and said, "Perhaps you convinced Sakura to forget about Yahiko." Joe shook his head in disgust. "Careful Shika, you're gonna give me nightmares. No it wasn't her. On the mission, there was this woman named Kai." Joe said as he polished off his salad. "Well, was she a dime?" Tsuneo asked urging Joe on. "Never really noticed." After a questioning look he added, "Well the villagers said that she was pretty, but she was also 5-6 years older than me." Tsuneo looked at him and said, "You got a kiss from an older woman?" Grabbing Joe's hand he added, "You sir are my hero." "Oh no, I don't think that this is going to end well." Joe thought as he shook his hand free and got up to leave. Shikamaru trying to hold back his laughter said, "You know Tsuneo, perhaps Joe could give you a few tips." Joe shot Shikamaru a dirty look as Tsuneo immediately kneeled at his feet. "Please O Great one, teach me your learned ways." Joe smacked his forehead as he thought, "You're gonna pay for this Shikamaru."
"Well here's my stop Joe." Shikamaru pointed out as they walked by his house. "It was great chillin with you Shika." Joe replied and then added, "Minus a couple parts of course." Smiling Shikamaru answered, "Oh go easy on him. I mean he's only been rejected fifty times already." Joe looked back in the direction Tsuneo had gone. They had been walking down the street when they had passed Sakura and Laura. Upon seeing them, Tsuneo had immediately followed. "Well I'll admit that his attempts are funny to watch." Joe answered laughing to himself, then added, "Still not exactly the brightest bulb in the box." Shikamaru laughed and was about to answer but then his mom waved him in. "Woops, time to go Joe. My mom can be a real pain when it comes to curfew." Shikamaru said. "That's alright, take care Shika." Joe answered as he waved. "You too Joe, see ya." Shikamaru answered as he waved back. Turning away from Skikamaru's house, he began to walk down the street. "The village sure is quiet right now." Joe thought as he walked. Reaching his apartment, he pulled out his key and twisted it open. After checking his mail-box, he entered and locked the door behind him. "It's kinda hot in here." He thought as he took off his cloak. "The Land of Stone sure is cold compared to the Leaf Village." Grabbing an apple from the small table in his apartment, he lied down on the couch and took a bite. "Ugh gross." He said in disgust as he spit the apple into the trash, along with the food itself. "I forgot, I've been away for so long the fruit's gone bad." Making a mental note to buy fresh fruit, he laid back and tried to fall asleep. However in the silence of the room, he noticed how empty it was. "That's right, there's never really been anyone else here besides me." Feeling lonely, he decided to do what he always did. Jumping up from the couch, he opened the window to his apartment and climbed onto the roof. Using his cloak as a make-shift pillow, he began to look at the night sky. Whenever he had felt lonely, he would always come up and gaze at the stars. "Hell I've gotten more sleep up here than I ever have in my bed now that I think about it." He thought as he laid back and enjoyed the peacefulness that night brought. That didn't last, as he heard something off in the distance. "Help, help me!"
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? The village can get pretty rough at night." "Nah, I'll be okay." The girl said as she waved goodbye to Crystal. Turning, she began to walk towards her home in the center of the city. It was then that she noticed how dark it had become. Starting to get worried, she increased her pace. Then she heard footsteps behind her. "Excuse me miss, could you help me with something?" A man said to her. Not looking back she began to walk faster. "Hang on theeerrr little hiccup lady. We just waann talk." Scared, she began to run. "I hope this is a side-street." She thought as she turned corner. But she realized in horror that it in reality it was an alley-way. Turning around, she saw two men approaching her from the entrance. They were clearly drunk, as the sidled up to her. Panicking she screamed, "Help, help me!" However, it seemed hopeless as no-one had heard her. "You shouldn't have dunnnn that lady hiccup. Now I'm rellly gonna make you pay." The first man said menacingly as he closed in on her. She couldn't move, her body was frozen in fear. Expecting the worst she closed her eyes. All of a sudden though, she heard someone say, "That's far enough." Looking up, she saw a shadowy figure standing on the rooftops above. "Just mooov alon, nothing to shee here." The man answered as he looked up at the figure. "I don't think so, unless you leave this girl alone." The shadow replied as he stared right at the two men. The girl then looked back at the men, wondering what they were going to do. They seemed to be judging the distance between themselves, the girl, and the mystery man. Deciding that they had enough distance, they began to charge. Terrified, the girl crouched down and covered her head expecting the blows to come. They never did. Looking up, she saw the figure disappear from the roof and re-appear right in front of her. He then took on her first attacker. Dodging a wild punch, she saw him grab the man's arm and twist his wrist. She grimaced as she heard a cracking sound. Then he hurled the man to the side and faced towards her other attacker. "You'll pay for that." He shouted as he charged her savior. He wouldn't be taken down that easily however. Using the man's momentum he grabbed the man's arm and flipped him over his back. "He's…so strong." She thought as she watched him finish off the last attacker with a kick to the stomach. Then he came over to her and she got a good look at his face. He had dark green eyes and short brown hair. He also wore a headband tied around his fore-head with a dark cloth. Reaching down, he grabbed her hand. "Are you alright?" He asked as he went to help her up. "Is he touching me?" She thought as her mind started to blank. Overwhelmed from all that had happened, she fainted right in the middle of the alleyway.
"Well great." Joe thought as he put the girl over his shoulder. "If I leave her here then there's no telling what will happen. But if anyone sees me carry her then I'll be in even more trouble." Jumping from wall to wall, he landed on top of the roof. "Hey lady wake up." He called out as he shook her. But it was no use, she wouldn't budge. "What now?" He wondered as he paced across the roof. "You know what; I'll just take her to the cops. Yeah, that ought to be enough." Picking her up, he jumped from roof-top to roof-top until he reached the Uchiha compound, where the police headquarters resided. As he approached the doors, an officer came up to him. "What are you doing in the Uchiha compound so late at night?" The officer asked, and then added when Joe got closer. "And why are you carrying an unconscious girl over your shoulder?" Seeing his suspicious look, Joe immediately began to explain. "It's not what you think officer. This girl got ambushed walking home, and I came to help." The officer looked the girl over, and upon seeing no external damage decided that it wouldn't hurt to buy his story. "Well bring her in. Perhaps one of our officers can ID her." He said as his expression softened. "There's no need for that officer, she's a friend of mine." Joe looked over at where the speaker came from. He then saw a girl with long reddish-brown hair walk up to them, a disgruntled expression on her face. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be sleeping, your patrol shift doesn't start for hours." The officer stated to the girl. "Shut up Toshiro, I don't take orders from any man. Besides, I knew that you would screw this one up. You're letting him off the hook too easily." The girl then turned towards Joe. "How do we know that it wasn't you who attacked her?" She accused. For the first time Joe got a good look at her. She was almost his height, only a couple inches shorter. Her curves were incredible for someone her age, it was clear to him that many men would consider her beautiful. She had tan skin and deep violet eyes. Eyes that were shooting angry fire-bolts at him right now. "So who's little miss sunshine here?" Joe coolly asked the guard, ignoring the girl. "My name is Crystal Uchiha, you would do to learn it well." She answered coldly. "Now answer my question or I'll plant a blade in your throat!" She demanded. "My guess by the attitude is that she's some sort of royalty." Joe thought to himself. "Well she sure is a royal pain in my ass." Drawing his kunai, he said, "I'd like to see you try." That was when the officer got into the middle of them, stopping any chance of a potential fight. Looking over at Joe sympathetically, he said, "I'm not sure you want to do that. Crystal take's special pleasure in beating on men." He then cleared his throat and continued, "However, she does have a point. Why should we believe you?" Joe looked at her and decided that it wasn't worth it. Sheathing his Kunai, he answered, "She's unscathed. Plus I'm the one who brought her here. Why would her attacker ever do that?" Satisfied with his logic, the guard moved to let him leave. "Very well citizen, you have done a good service today." As Joe left however, the guard asked, "What is your name?" after a skeptical look from Joe he added, "For the report of course." Joe looked back and answered, "Joe Donnelly." Facing forward, he climbed the wall and left. After traveling across the rooftops, he finally reached his home. Swinging into his room, he checked the time on the watch. "Jesus, 2:00 A.M.? I'd better go to sleep!" He thought as he stripped down to his shorts and hopped on his bed. "What a crazy night!" He thought peacefully as he finally fell asleep.