This idea floated around in my head for a while before making it out into something slightly comprehensive. So here it is.
Summary: When the boys set off to retrieve Sasuke, they forgot to do something very important. Unfortunately, it was important enough to tick off two people who shouldn't be trifled with.
Warnings: Errmm… Angry person foul mouthage, spoilers for waaay past what shows on American television, if you notice something else I've ruined, tell me please.
Chapter One: The Birth of a Plan
Tenten stormed through town, her anger in stark contrast with the sunny afternoon. She headed with determination to the Yamanaka flower shop to have a talk with Ino. As she hurried forward, she remembered the conversation that caused her to visit the bubbly blonde in the first place.
"Lee, shouldn't you take it a bit easy? You just came outta surgery after all." The dubious kunoichi looked on in worry as her friend and teammate practiced his kicks and punches in his hospital room.
"Never, my flowering Tenten! I must become stronger. I promised myself that when Neji returned from his mission I would challenge him to a match." The energetic boy kept jabbing at the empty air in front of him. Tenten however stared at him, her eyes wide and alert.
"Mission? Where? What? I didn't know about any mission!" Tenten didn't like this; why would Neji go on a mission without telling her?
"It was a bit of a spur of the moment thing. Uchiha Sasuke ran off this morning to join Orochimaru and Hokage-sama told Shikamaru to gather a group and bring him back. He took Naruto, Chouji, Kiba, and Neji with him."
"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
"It just now crossed my mind."
"The fact that Neji told you to tell me that he had to leave just now crossed your mind?" Lee finally stopped punching and turned to face Tenten, a look of confusion etched across his face.
"He didn't tell me to tell you anything…" She bristled.
"He left on a mission, a mission against the SOUND and didn't tell you to tell me?" Lee nodded. "But he made sure you knew where he was going-"
"I was there when Shikamaru found him and asked him to go along." Lee interjected, but Tenten wasn't listening.
"Of all the selfish irresponsible, stupid things to do! I'm on his team too whether he cares to acknowledge it or not and him leaving on a mission is something I deserve to know about!" By now Lee was hiding on his bed cowering at the aura of pure fury emanating off of her. "And you say Nara's their leader right?" Lee nodded. "Well then, I need to have a talk with Ino. Later Lee." With those words, Tenten left the hospital room.
"Hey Tenten, you here for more flowers, or just to talk?" Every week since Lee entered the hospital and after Neji fought Naruto, Tenten came by the flower shop to buy a bouquet for her teammates. Over time, the pair had begun talking and formed the beginnings of a friendship.
"Actually Ino, I'm here to ask you a favour."
"Sure thing, you just sit down right here." She cleared off counter space leaving room for the older girl to make herself comfortable. Settling in, Tenten sighed.
"Ino, when Shikamaru gets back, please beat into him the importance of making sure people's teammates know that they're leaving on a mission. It's only fair."
"Hold on sugar, when Shikamaru gets back from where? I didn't know he was gone." Tenten gulped. Apparently Shikamaru was just as bad as Neji. Slowly she relayed the story Lee'd told her watching as Ino started looking as angry and frustrated as she felt.
"Why that pineapple-headed bastard! He took Chouji too? This is the SOUND we're talking about. Orochimaru could find them, kill them, or trap him into working for him! We deserve to know if out team mates are headed on a death mission!" by now, Ino was pacing and brought up worries that Tenten had also thought of while walking.
"My thoughts exactly." She muttered.
"He didn't tell me, he didn't tell you… Screw waiting, I say we go get 'em."
"What?"
"Let's go! We can hunt them down and tell them off without having to wait! Honestly, not taking a few minutes to call your teammates and tell them where you're going. It's irresponsible. We won't get involved unless it's absolutely necessary, we'll be more of an escort or a very angry welcome wagon that meets them along the way. Then when we can light into them along the way back." Ino's eyes were alight with mischief and pride in her idea. After mulling it around in her head for a moment, Tenten grinned.
"I like your style." The two girls thumped knuckles to seal the deal. "Let's go talk to Hinata and see if she wants in." She hopped up and headed for the door. Ino called for her parents to cover for her and followed Tenten out.
Hinata accepted the disgruntled pair into her house and room before they burst out speaking each struggling for dominance, speaking out of turn, and cobbling together the entire story complete with anger and details of the plan. When they finally stopped speaking, Hinata looked shocked. At the situation or the pair, it was uncertain.
"And you want me to come along with you?" The pair nodded.
"You have every right to be angry too." Ino said. Hinata mused it over but shook her head.
"I don't think I'm ready for this kind of thing. I'm still a bit out of it from my hospital stay…" She trailed off but the other two nodded.
"We understand. We'll give you a call when we get 'em back." Tenten said. Hinata nodded and showed them out. "Now we head to the hospital. I need to tell Lee and find out anything else he may have left out." Ino nodded and the two girls took to the rooftops for the quick way to get there. As they ran, they bounced back and forth reasons that their teammates neglected to fill them in.
"They thought we'd want to come along." Ino said.
"I wouldn't want to go along, I just want to know where they are! They probably thought it'd upset us."
"Yeah, they probably thought that we'd have a spaz. Frankly, it could just be because we're girls and they think they're weak."
"After my chuunin match, I wouldn't be surprised." Tenten sighed dejectedly.
When they reached Lee's room, the pair watched with slight amusement as Lee took one look at them both and dove for cover under his bed.
"We aren't here to kill you Lee." Ino said sitting down on a chair.
"You aren't?" The bowl haircut popped out revealing happy and wide eyes.
"No, we aren't but we have some questions." Tenten said from her seat in the window. " First off, are you sure that they went off to fight the Sound?"
"Yes. Sakura tried to stop Sasuke from leaving and he knocked her out. Some of Godaime-san's men found her and she told them everything. She's pretty messed up about it." By now Lee was actually sitting on the bed no longer fearing for his life.
"Ok, so how many are there? Does anyone know?"
"Five according to what I've heard about Raidu and Genma."
"Are they gone too?"
"No, they ran into five Sound-nins on the way back into the country and got severely thrashed. They're in hospital now under the Hokage's care." The two girls exchanged worried looks.
"Seems like we just may get involved after all." Ino said morosely.
"If we make it in time and want them back alive you mean? Then yeah, just a little bit by the sound of things."
"No pun intended?" Ino actually had a slight smile on her face.
"No pun intended." Tenten laughed. Lee looked from one to the other, thoroughly confused.
"Get involved with what? Go where?"
"Lee, we plan on going after them. Initially it was just a selfish idea so that we could give them a well-deserved piece of our minds for leaving us totally in the dark, but now it looks like they may actually need us." Tenten said with a weary sigh. In a flash, Lee was at her feet.
"I'm coming too! I want to prove that I'm still useful!" Ino looked at him uncertainly.
"Lee, you had an operation yesterday. You're in no shape to go tracking sound-nins today."
"Tomorrow." Tenten said. "We leave tomorrow." Both heads turned to her.
"Why not right away?"
"It's getting dark. If we had Kiba's nose or Hinata's Byakuugan, then I'd say tonight, but we wouldn't find anything in the dark and probably lose them." Satisfied by this answer, Lee and Ino nodded. "Lee, Ino and I are going to run supply check at 8:45 a.m. If you can escape by then, you can come along. Lee whooped and hugged Tenten, proclaiming that he would be there in full force. Once plans were settled, the two girls left the hospital to prepare and rest up.
"Why's Lee coming along? He's injured." Ino asked worriedly.
"He has as much to prove to himself and to them as we do. It wouldn't be fair to turn him away." Tenten sighed. "Besides, if we left him, he'd follow us, and that would just create more trouble." Ino nodded and bade her good night as the girls split ways to get ready for the morning's mission.
That's chapter one. Read and Review constructively please. Feedback is appreciated.
Kitty Kat Mac