This fic is dedicated to my RP buddies in Sannin (The name of our naruto RP forum in case you're wondering)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and all the usual stuff.

Day One: Prologue

Sasuke readjusted the strap for his backpack as he continued hiking along the mountain trail. He wondered if this was a punishment from the godaime after he defected from Konoha, or was this a funny excuse of a joke from Naruto to the godaime. Either way, he still suspected something was up from the godaime's sleeves.

He wondered how he got here in the first place as he tried to recollect what just happened a day ago.

Flashback

Sasuke was lounging on top of a building, contemplating his past just now when somebody called out to him.

"Oy, Sasuke! The godaime wants to see you!" Hollered a passing Kiba.

"What for?" Sasuke answered back.

"Dunno, but he wants everybody to be there."

Sasuke was left with things disturbing his mind. He gulped down dry thinking whether the old hag has finally given her verdict about defecting in the first place. If so, he was ready to face the consequences. If so, why now?

He collected his resolve and started walking towards the Hokage's Tower. While traveling there, he was trying to figure out what Tsunade would want with him. What's more, why the need for everybody to be there? It was too puzzling for Sasuke to think up of a logical conclusion as of the moment, so he shrugged it off for the moment.

At the Hokage's office, he knocked on the door and waited for a reply.

"Enter!"

Sasuke unceremoniously entered the door and found that most of the rookie nine, including Gai's team was already there. The one not here, being Naruto.

"Get in line, we'll start as soon as that brat shows up." Tsunade impatiently ordered.

He did so, exchanging nods with Neji and Shikamaru, and took his place beside Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura started. "Have you seen Naruto?"

"Nope, not that I care anyway." He lazily eyed the other direction and then glanced at Sakura. "You know why we're all here?"

Sakura merely shook her head, just before the door busted open with a blonde greeting everyone loudly, too loudly in fact.

"Ohaiyo, minna! Yo, Tsunade baa-chan, you better have a good mission for us to interrupt my ramen meal-tebayo." He protested.

"Ramen meal?" Tsunade's eyes twitched, while a nerve bulged from her forehead when she heard the 'baa-chan' part. Keeping her cool by still holding her two hands together in front of her; obviously trying to keep herself from lunging at Naruto and give him a three year juvenile delinquency lecture back in the academy, "It's already one o'clock, and you were still having ramen?" She continued.

"Well yeah! Ichiraku was having an eat all you can fest-tebayo. See? Here's thee flyer." Naruto toothily grinned, showing Tsunade the promotional add.

"Uwooo! Naruto-kun, why didn't you tell me that?" Choji started.

"Gomen, the ramen must've made you slip from my mind-tebayo." Naruto sheepishly laughed. "Don't worry, it's still on until Friday."

"Then you two will just have to cancel that plan, 'cuz you'll all be going to a week long trip away from here." Tsunade interrupted.

Naruto and Choji each gave their own moans of protest and gave looks of pure dismay at Tsunade.

Well, Sasuke was at least a bit alleviated that it wasn't about his case, three years ago.

"So, what's this trip about Tsunade-sama?" Sakura started, trying to turn away Tsuande's frustration from Naruto.

Tsunade coughed and took out a pile of papers. "You'll all be staying for a week long stay in a recreational hotel lodging near the country of Grass. We've apparently merited this much thanks after the revolution in the Sound village. They'd like to thank all of you from your hard work from freeing them from Orochimaru's binds, and thus the one week vacation."

She gave the pile of papers to Shizune, who in turn distributed it among the young shinobis in the room.

"Godaime-sama," Shikamaru started. "It says here, there are a total of sixteen people who will be attending the hotel. So who are the other four?"

The others who were dumbstruck about that certain detail and quickly scanned the paper for that detail then nodded in unison.

"I never knew Shikamaru could read this fast." Ino whispered.

"I told you that you'll never know Shikamaru wholly Ino." Choji happily replied.

"Yes, the other four will be Sai and the Sand siblings. You'll all rendezvous at the lodging tomorrow. So that wraps things up, meet in front of the Konoha gate by five hundred hours tomorrow." Tsunade answered. Yes, she finally got rid of the pain in her hind for at least one week. So that'll be a week that he won't be pestered by these brats, especially Naruto.

End of Flashback

"We're finally here." Neji said after climbing the what? Thirty fourth thousand step? Sasuke already lost count.