Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto(c). I am merely a fan of the series writing my own version of events.

A/N: Please read and review! All comments are welcomed! WARNING: Mature themes are mentioned, and language is profound.

Chapter 1: Awakening

She stared at her reflection in the mirror…This was the final straw…there would be no more mercy, no more doubts or questions of her choice. She was going to follow through with everything that she had prepared for. Leaving a flower on the floor of the shrine, she left.

XxXxX

He gazed up at the sky above.

"Pretty good entertainment, huh?"

Sasuke looked down to the earth to notice Shikamaru Nara lying on the ground beneath his feet. "I guess you could say that. However, it just seems as if the air holds all answers to my questions."

Taking a sidelong glance at the Uchiha, Shikamaru shot back, "Don't tell me you're now having second thoughts about the whole thing. I mean, it's only supposed to happen when? Tomorrow, wasn't it?"

The Uchiha sighed. "No, inheritance of this new binding is something I'm not too confident about."

"Ha, none of us are too sure of our choices until much later in life." The Uchiha raised an eyebrow. Shika shrugged. "I mean, I always said that women were troublesome, and I have to disagree at times about my girlfriend."

"Hn. We only think of our lives now. We don't even bother looking to the future anymore, no more thoughts of what will be down the path."

"Funny you should say that," a new voice cut in. The boys looked up to see the famous Copy-Nin looking down at them from his perch at the top of the tree.

"Still watching over us are you, Kakashi?" Kakashi gazed down fondly at his former pupil. Obsidian eyes mirrored his own right eye.

"I guess so." He sighed. "I still can't get over this, I mean just yesterday it seemed you and I were wrestling in our first practice. Tch, tch, time does pass so quickly, don't you think?"

Shika stared up in surprise, momentarily distracted. "Are you getting sentimental on us?" Shaking his head, he said, "I guess your age is catching up to you."

"Hmph. I'm not that old. I'm only 34," Kakashi bluntly stated. The sound of laughter reached their ears.

Naruto popped out of the earth. "You're only 34 and you are still chasing after us to marry and look at yourself, still single!"

Kakashi shrugged. "Just because I haven't married doesn't mean I'm completely void of social interactions."

Naruto snorted as Sasuke got up to leave. "I've got to go think bout some stuff." The other three men watched his retreating figure.

"Alright. Pay up."

"WHAT?!"

Shikamaru shook his head. "You don't make a bet against the Copy-Nin and expect to win."

Grumbling, Naruto was about to take out his wallet and pulled out a wad of bills when he suddenly changed tactics. "Aww, come on Kakashi-sensei, what if we change up the terms of the bet and I treat you to some ramen, then you call off the bet? Doesn't that sound much better than me paying up money?"

"Sorry, Naruto, but that's not going to work this time. Let's just say we sealed the deal on money, you're paying with money. Naruto sighed and extended his hand over to Kakashi who took the bills gingerly and tucked them into his pocket.

Shikamaru's eyes almost popped out as he finally realized the exact amount being paid up. "You bet him that much?" Naruto shrugged and walked off, humiliated by his loss.

XxXxX

She ran as fast as she could, having not realized how much time she had wasted at the temple praying, that she would be late to work. Almost running into another civilian, she sprang up onto the roof of a nearby building and bounded towards the hospital. Not caring whether her uniform was ruined or not, she started to use chakra to enhance her speed. She was fine until a pair of very strong arms grabbed her around the waist and into a complete stop. She lurched forward a bit and shut her eyes as her world was suddenly disoriented. She opened her eyes, only to find herself staring at someone's ass. Her eyes shifted farther down, only to see the floor, the solid roof, move away from her. And this ass belonged to someone very familiar with her fighting style, if she had guessed correctly, and she wouldn't know, after all, it wasn't like she really had time to be checking out guys' asses. I mean, it's not like you can really identify a guy just by looking at his ass, she thought.

Well, whoever it was, she did sincerely hope that it was one of her team members, because at this point, the motion sickness of the constant bounding was starting to further disorient her already disoriented brain. Not wanting to speak up for fear of guessing the wrong person having picked her up, she wrestled with herself to talk.

"How are you holding up?" A very familiar voice asked.

She groaned. "Is now really the time to ask me this? I'm really going to be late for work!"

"I know," he cheerfully yelled back. "I'm just trying to get you there a little faster. Sorry about having to carry you this way, but it was the only method that I could think of without you punching the shit out of me."

Her only response was a loud groan. She finally sputtered out, "How much longer?"

He didn't reply. Once again, she was flipped around. She closed her eyes as the sudden movement (once again,) sent her mind whirling around in circles. When she finally stopped feeling so dizzy she opened up her eyes to see…

Sky-blue eyes. Whiskers. A big fat grin (a cheesy grin, as she called it). And the necklace dangling haphazardly from his neck.

"Argh…Naruto you asshole!" Not again with the ass!! She mentally thought.

"Well, we're here." She didn't move. "Aww, come on Sakura, don't tell me you're mad! We're at the top of the medical center. You can get up now." She refused to move a limb. He finally bent down close enough to look at her face. WHAM! Big mistake, if ever. He skidded almost to the edge of the building lattice, only to roll over to stare at a pair of feet wearing sandals.

"NARUTO! IF YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN, GIVE ME A WARNING FIRST BEFORE YOU SNATCH ME OFF THE GROUND!" Her voice thundered in his ears. He was glad he hadn't rolled over a little more, for if he had rolled up some more, he would've been looking up her skirt…and there was no doubt that she would've really killed him then and there if she had caught him doing so.

"Sakura?" She heard him faintly ask.

"What is it?" she snapped.

"Could you back up a few feet?" She rolled her eyes. At least he had the decency to actually warn her about wanting to roll up. She did as he requested and he sat up, still winded.

"Alright, I'm sorry." He grinned up at her from the ground. No wonder why I couldn't recognize it as being him; he's not wearing the normal orange jumpsuit! She smacked her head mentally. Really should've guessed that he wouldn't be wearing that especially coming back from another mission.

"I solemnly swear I'll give you fair warning next time." With another grin, he glanced down at his wrist. "You're about 15 seconds from being 'late'." She groaned and ran for the hatch into the building. He stood up, knowing fully well that her argument was far from over. He was just relieved that for now, he was safe from being pummeled into little bits and pieces by her freakishly inhumane strength.

XxXxX

On another building, a lone figure watched the two of them. He watched as the rosette haired beauty slammed a supple limb into the man's body.

He was a divided man. Even as he watched her with contentment, a war raged on inside him. Part of him wanted to reach out to the woman and offer her protection, whilst another part told him to stay away as far as possible.

He looked up from his reverie. She now strode off to go inside the massive sprawling complex. It wouldn't be long before he would see her again. For now, he sat up on his perch, watching the building carefully. Deep within him, something was starting to stir to life…a dark beast of beasts.

A/N: So how was that? Please TELL me what you think!!