Yo everyone. Now, a few nit-picky people have been complaining that, I quote "sasusaku sucks and should'nt be near the godlyness that is narusaku." I created a poll to see which one the story should fall under and I'll change it as soon as the when one option beats the other by a few miles. : ) Now I know the pressure for the authors who write Team 7 before the new tab came up!

But for now it'll stay under Naruto & Sakura - for the moment. So don't worry dudes, it might not be permanent.

"Ow, ow, OW! This shit fuckin' hurts!"

"SHHHHH!"

Naruko scowled at the ass of the old guard, rubbing her head to soothe the bump forming. She inwardly bemoaned the state of her hair as the dirty drippings - god hope it wasn't sewage - of dank, smelly water splattered and dripped from the pipe's ceiling. Or what ever it was. Being in a round pipe wasn't making directions any easier - for all she knew, she could've been walking on the ceiling of the tunnel.

Her cloak was soaked with the dank water, dampening the clothes underneath and stopping the humid air from rising. Coupled with sweat dripping down her dirty face, Naruko began cursing at everything and anything in sight.

Damn Sakuro for not maintaining the sewage pipes. Damn Sasuke for getting Naruko to 'avenge' her. Damn Hinata for needing to save (not that she wanted to be saved, but anyways!). Damn this old dude's … ahem, behind …

"Yes, I know my ass is bony, no need to say it again." the guard's irritated voice echoed menacingly in the pipe.

Naruko's head shot up so fast that it clanged on the pipe - again.

"OOOOWWWWWWWW!"

The man signed exasperatedly. "You were whispering under your breath - and this pipe echoes. Watch the language, kid."

Naruko glared at the old man's ...behind. Just when had this guy lost all his respect for her? When did Naruko-sama turned into 'kid'? And she didn't have any leverage or threats to make this guy listen to her either, so technically this man could just lead her down through a tunnel and kill her any time. But somehow, in her heart, Naruko felt she could trust this man – he reminded her of Jiraiya, her master, somehow.

"Hey, what's your name? I don't wanna go around calling you old man all day," said Naruko.

"Call me Sabu. Sabu Kin."

"Sabu-ochan, how much longer? This place stinks." the blonde girl complained. "Why are we going through here anyway?"

An annoyed anime tick appeared at the back of Sabu's head. Even knowing his name, Naruko continued calling him an old man. Voice controlled, he replied.

"Because the other roads are closed due to the engagement ceremony. We'll get caught because all citizens are supposed to be in town right now, and the only way to meet Sakuro - though stupid idea is it - is to wait until the King returns to the palace after the initial celebrations."

Naruko wondered what sort of guard Sabu was if he knew a way into the palace through drainage pipes. A thought hit her.

"Then that means the King's going to be back at night time! I can't wait that long! I'm a busy person, ya know!"

Sabu sighed. "Kid, I said 'initial' celebrations. He doesn't stay for the entire ceremony - that'll just make him look cheap, living off his citizen's food and parties." a speck of light could now be seen in the distance. "Look, we're almost there. Let's hurry."

"Got it!"

Naruko and Sabu emerged from the pipes into a brightly lit room. Naruko winced at the harsh white light and closed her eyes, letting the light shine against her eyelids.

"Kid! Naruko! Open your eyes!"

Naruko slowly opened her eyes again. She was in laundry room, and the light was from the sun reflecting off the white sheets. Piles and piles of blankets, sheets and clothes were in the room, each neatly set in a corner with a metal chute hanging from the ceiling above every pile, a total of 4 chutes in the entire room. Even as she watched, another bundle of dirty clothes fell down the chute and landed.

However, the laundry room was eerily quiet. There was no woman-in-white-apron that Naruko had been expected, but there wasn't even a person in here. She turned to Sabu.

"Why …?"

Sabu shrugged. "I don't know. And now, I've led you all the way here," he turned back towards the tunnel "now I'm going to get … going …" he froze as quick as a shadow, Naruko appeared behind him and raised her finger to his temple. Despite shorter and more petite, the girl emanated killing intent behind him and though he couldn't see them, her eyes were cold and cast in shadow. Sabu was also not an idiot enough to know not know that a finger to his temple could result in a quicker death than a knife to his jagular.

"Take me to Sakuro. Then I shall let you leave." The cheery, whiny girl visage had disappeared, leaving behind a cool-headed, hard-hearted killer. A finger pressed harder against his temple in threatening.

"A-ara, just calm down, k-kid," Sabu said shakily. "I'll take you to the Prince, don't w-worry,"

The pressure on his temple was released and Naruko stepped back, smiling with her eyes in a 'u' shape.

"Well, shall we go now?"

Recovering slightly, Sabu nodded. "Everyone has a day off today, so the laundry's empty. We're going up the stairs now."

Suddenly, there was a rumble of noise above them. Sabu muttered something akin to a curse under his breath.

"The King's back. Let's get out of here."

He grabbed Naruko's wrist and dragged her up the stairs, and through the jewelled corridors of the palace. Huge hallways branched out in every direction with parallel windows on either wall, curtained with flimsy pink see-through material that flew up as they passed. They seemed to be a gallery of some sort, with painted portraits of red-haired and white-haired men in regal robes and golden crowns whose features blurred into one another and all who looked distinctly grumpy.

Naruko had no time to muse on the paintings before thundering was heard from either side - crimson and gold uniformed guards running to take back their stations after leaving the palace, spears in hand.

Sabu glared at Naruko and let go of her.

"Let's about as much as I'll do for you. I'm leaving now." He turned and hightailed out of the place, heavy footsteps thudding before they suddenly disappeared as Sabu found some hidden hallway to escape.

"Sabu you chic - !" Naruko screeched.

"Was that someone?"

"Yeah, it was over there!"

Oh crap. She was stuck in a hallway with soldiers coming in from either side and no other way out. What am I going to do?

"There! The blonde kid! Get her!"

Well, Naruko had always been renowned for her ability to think of well-thought out plans when under stress. So she charged straight at the crowd of soldiers coming towards her right, no siree. The soldiers faltered when they saw the person they were supposed to be chasing charging towards them, and scattered when Naruko barrelled past their ironed and shiny spears with no resistance.

Pampered idiots she grinned to herself, pattering herself on the back.

"What the hell are you doing?!" a soldier was yelling behind her. "Get her!"

To any onlooker, it was quite a sight to see 60 or so preened and dressed soldiers thundering through the gallery of painted portraits of previous kings, chasing after what looked like an orange-dressed blonde brat. The hallway, though wide, could not encompass more than 8 soldiers side by side, so often spears would poke someone in front, or a soldier would step on a shoe, or the armour would make clanking sounds against each other.

Ahead of her, Naruko saw two huge, red-brown mahogany doors. The swinging doors were slowly closing, and if she sped up she'd be able to make it through just before the doors closed, leaving the soldiers outside and some time to escape. What she didn't notice was that behind her, some of the soldiers were panicking and slowing down at the sight of the mahogany doors.

Naruko barrelled into the room just in time, and the slow-moving doors slammed closed behind her with an echoing bang.

There was some shuffling inside the room she had landed in. A dark shadow fell across Naruko, blocking everything in her view except for the figure in front of her.

"Naruko?"

Naruko lifted her head and stared.

"Sakuro!"

A/N I hope you all noticed the 'ya know' comment! It's what Kushina says when it's in subtitles, but I still prefer Naruko saying dattebayo instead of dattebane. I can't believe I spent a whole chapter explaining how Naruko got into the palace! Btw, Sabu has nothing to do with the actual anime character – he's a (probably) recurring OC whose had his name stamped onto him.

For those who are falling asleep - Sasuke's (finally) coming in in the next chapter!

Enjoy and R&R!