A/N: HUGE thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, or favourited this story! You're support means a lot!

As a warning, the story will shift between flashbacks and current events from here on out- I tried to make the changes obvious, but let me know if it's at all confusing.

Well, I should stop this rant and get on with the story… Enjoy!

With the speed of shinobi gossip, everyone in Konoha knew within the hour, and by lunch the participants from the other villages and countries knew thanks to handy dandy summon messages.

Konoha was a frenzied mess. Citizen's scrambled to reach the various hidden betting sites scattered about the village, and rampant 'debate' more akin to bar fights broke out in all directions. The few not driven with shipping madness hid out the storm, taking shelter in designated safe houses created for terror such as this. They made sure to place their bets at one of the hidden betting stations before they did though- they were scared, but they weren't stupid. The Bet was worth a lot of money!

Most of the Hyuuga had sequestered themselves away in their compound, comforting a distraught Hinata and licking the wounds of their defeat. Naruto had clearly said she would confess to a 'him', not a 'her', after all. Poor Hinata was clearly no longer a contender, and the Hyuuga were ashamed to find that they had backed the wrong horse.

At Ichiraku's Ramen Stand, Iruka was a catatonic mess. The man considered to be Naruto's brother figure had taken the news of her impending confession hard, and was currently trying to drown himself in his ramen broth. A few desperate jounin and chuunin had tried to wheedle information on The Bet out of him, but were promptly knocked out with a stapler and a creatively used correcting pen for their troubles. To add insult to injury, they were splattered with feathers and orange paint, and hung upside down outside of the ramen stand as a clear warning to any other trespassers. The rest of Konaha wisely made the decision to stay clear of the restaurant and Iruka's psychotic strength.

Meanwhile, Intel agents hiding within Konoha had promptly sent out coded messages to their home villages in the wake of this man-made (or more correctly, Yamanaka-made) disaster. "Abort, Konoha Death Con 10!", "Shitstorm is a go, repeat, Shitstorm is a go!" along with "The end has come, run for your lives!" being a few of the messages sent. But one message in particular was the same regardless of the agent sending it, as decided upon by the Kage's in the aftermath of the fourth shinobi war as being an alert of global importance- "Code Orange, countdown commence."

Xxx

While Konaha degenerated into a hellish nightmare, the likes of which hadn't been seen since 'The Day of Youth', the current Hokage Hatake Kakashi meandered around the village, dodging destruction with the practiced care befitting a shinobi of his calibre. The picture of lazy calm, one might even think he was unaffected by the news of Naruto's impending confession. They would be wrong. So very, very, wrong.

Internally, the ever-late shinobi was panicking more than ever before. Considering his ties to the blonde on everyone's mind and the close bond they had formed over the years, Kakashi was one of the few, if only people with a chance of determining the object of Naruto's affection before the approaching deadline of her confession. But just because the pieces to the puzzle were within his reach didn't mean Kakashi, with his limited social skills and inability to handle human emotion, was up to the task.

Kakashi idly pondered from his current perch on top of the Hokage Tower whether anyone else would learn the horrifying truth he had spent years ignoring. Few others had Intel like he did, and he knew that info on The Bet was worth its weight in gold.

Sakura, his devious little student, was apparently lording her superior knowledge in regards to The Bet over the rest of the village. Considering how she had seemingly gone mad with power and was currently using her insight on Naruto's love life to set up a mob-like following at the hospital, it was a good thing that his pink-haired student had never had Hokage aspirations like his other two minions.

As he finished reflecting on the insanity of his previously dubbed 'only normal student', Kakashi let out a defeated sigh. If Naruto was finally willing to pull out all the stops and confront the truth, he could for once bother to stop ignoring the facts and face reality. It was time to crack the puzzle, though Kakashi knew that he already had the answer.

As a pottery store down below caught fire, and 'Shipping Cults' formed with enough zeal to match a jashinist, Kakashi closed his eyes to the literally flaming present and dove headfirst into the murky waters of the past.

Xxx

It all began the day of the Genin team assignments.

As was the norm, Kakashi had risen bright and early, efficient in his morning routine. Feeding his dogs, putting on his mask (and back up mask), leaving an annoying message for his Mokuton wielding Kohai, and dodging Gai on his morning run. Then, Kakashi spent a good three hours by the Memorial Stone until he was sure that he was sufficiently late for his cute new students, and made his way to the academy.

Pausing before the door that he knew lead to the hellion who in another lifetime would have been his little sister, and the younger cousin of the best friend he had failed, Kakashi prepared himself for the worst as he opened the looming door.

The worst was apparently a falling eraser.

Though it would have been easy to dodge the descending object, Kakashi let it hit its mark, clouding his already grey hair slightly whiter with lingering chalk. An obnoxious laugh rang through the near empty class, a boisterious voice yelling, "He fell for it!"

Kakashi finally raised his head.

Three sets of still so innocent eyes stared back, yet untainted by the bloodshed so common in their profession. The only boy (who had Obito's chin and eyes oh Kami oh kami) was distinctly unimpressed, a prominent scowl twisting the face that looked so much like his into a distinctly Uchiha expression. The pink-haired one seemed unable to choose between horror and laughter, and though her mouth had twisted in disapproval her eyes had lit up with glee.

The blob of orange that was shaking with the force of its guffaws from the corner of Kakashi's eye was ignored. He didn't want to see their faces- not on someone who didn't even know who he was, and would look at him with ridicule.

"My first impression of you is… I hate you."

At Kakashi's bland admission, his two non-orange students tensed, the broody one narrowing his eyes while closing off his already blank face. Pinky looked like she would tip over the edge into sheer panic, her previously mirthful eyes wide and worried.

Finally looking towards his third student, Kakashi was surprised to see not a chastised young girl, but instead a defiant kunoichi. Her arms were indignantly crossed as she lazily leaned back in her chair, and with that condescending eyebrow raise her whiskered face looked distinctly unimpressed. Despite her ridiculous orange jumpsuit (seriously, who allowed future ninja to wear something like that?!) and the ghosts of her parents in her colouration and eye shape, Kakashi found himself not sombre as he had expected, but impressed.

Shooting her a genuine grin that was only slightly muffled by his mask, his visible eye crinkling into a happy crescent, Kakashi offered some (perhaps over the top) praise to the young prankster. "Nice prank, kid- I like the spunk. At this rate you'll be a Kunoichi worth my acknowledgement. " Naruto's previously cocky body language shifted into obvious surprise. Was it really so odd to be complemented?

"Meet me on the roof in one minute." With a whirl of leaves, Kakashi seemingly vanished. Though he had, to the untrained eye, apparently made his exit, a quick application of genjustu had hidden him in the corner of the classroom, watching to see what his possible students would do.

Naruto, who seemed in awe of the Hatake's "wicked awesome ninja powers, dattebayo!" made no move to rise from her seat. Broody instead was the first to leave the room, with his hands angrily stuffed into his pockets and a nonchalant stroll to the door, ignoring the "so cool, Sasuke-kun!" from his pink-haired teammate.

With a final reproachful eye back at Naruto, who still hadn't risen from her desk, Pinky skipped out of the room, her hair a trailing banner as she raced to catch up to the object of her affections.

Once her possible teammates had finally departed, Naruto's face broke into a grin, and she reached up to fiddle with the Hitai-ate around her neck as she made her way towards the opened window of the classroom. Kakashi was surprised to see the faintest of blushes decorating her whiskered cheeks, and gave a quick rub to his eye before staring again at the strange sight the angrily named 'Orange Menace' made with reddened cheeks. As the devious prankster began to pull a rope and hook form the inner pockets of her jumpsuit, Kakashi caught the faintest of murmurs from her still blushing form.

"…ka-sensei was right, like always. Other people will acknowledge me too- and like my pranks!" Sticking out her tongue as her face wrinkled into a look of deep concentration, Naruto finished tying the hook and rope together as she leaned out the window. After carefully coiling the excess rope in her left hand, the blonde threw the hook from her right towards the lip of the roof, letting the rope slide through her hands with practiced ease. Carefully flicking down after a calculated pause, she lodged the makeshift grappling hook into place. After giving an experimental tug and seeing it hold, Naruto grasped the rope with both hands as she stepped from the window sill. With easy strength, she began to haul herself up.

Before she was out of earshot, Kakashi heard a final few words from the blonde.

"…doesn't…pranks…best sensei ever."

The words themselves were innocent, but with Naruto's tone, which was so gentle and careful, they took a on a slightly… different meaning. Kakashi carefully ignored the warning chimes in the back of his head, and with ease of practice that comes with being emotionally inept, ignored Naruto's words of praise. That was one can of worms he had no intention of opening.

Best sensei ever indeed…

Xxx

Kiba woke in stages, the initial befuddled blinking of his eyes leaving them stinging with tears from the harsh light directed upon him. With a low groan, he attempted to move his jelly-like arms, but was incapable of doing so. Worry beginning to build within him, he blearily scanned his form. Ropes tied with precise care had locked him in place to the flimsy foldout chair upon which he sat, and an attempted extension of his legs proved that they too were bound. Flicking his eyes to his surroundings, Kiba was disturbed to find only blackness, the bright light fixed upon him ruining his ability to peer into the dark corners around him.

Giving an experimental sniff, the Inuzuka was able to identify, after a few sneezes, an overwhelming amount of dust, the faint musk of rotting wood tinged with mould, and… Dango?

"So you're finally awake. It's about time- considering the deadline we're under, I was gonna dump you with a pail of ice water to wake you up, but I guess I'll have to save the bath for another time, you mangy mutt. By the way, you snore."

Despite his apparent kidnapper's conversational tone, Kiba was no longer only mildly worried, and as his heart beat an increasingly fast and erratic tempo, the panic began to set in. That smell- that voice… It was-

"So, Kiba," Mitarshi Anko drawled, strolling into view as she swung the interrogation lamp around to shine even closer into Kiba's eyes. "I think you know what we want, and you're gonna give it to us. Be good, and we'll let you go. Act difficult, and… well. I'll let you use your imagination for that. But I can give you a hint." Anko leaned in close to the stunned Inuzuka, a sudden glimmer catching the light revealing a kunai in her manicured hand. She trailed the weapon from the tip of his ear around the curve of his jaw to his chin, pausing as she let the point dig in. Wide brown eyes met the crazed ones of his captor's as a manic grin stretched across Anko's face. "My snakes are very excited to meet you."

A pathetic squeak escaped Kiba's trembling lips in response.

"Oh Anko, stop with the bad cop act- he's a fellow Konoha nin, not a prisoner. I'm sure we can sort this out civilly." If Kiba was scared before, he was pants shitting terrified now. Because coming into view beside Anko, his scars creating horrific shadows on his face in the limited light created by the lamp, was none other than Morino Ibiki.

"So, Kiba, it's time- tell us who it's going to be. Considering you're close friendship with her, you must know- who is Naruto going to confess to!?" Ibiki uncharacteristically exclaimed.

An awkward silence descended upon the three occupants of the room as Kiba stared in dumbstruck confusion at the T and I members. "…Sorry, could you repeat that? I could have sworn you just said you kidnapped me so that you could find out who Naruto likes." A nervous laugh escaped Kiba as he shifted his eyes back and forth between the unimpressed forms of his captors.

"Don't play coy!" Anko demanded, cutting off Kiba's laugh. "You were one of her best friends during your academy days, and you routinely go to Kaiza's Pet Wonderland together- if anyone would have Intel into her personal life, it would be you!"

Kiba had forgotten about his fear with the skill of a true Inuzuka, and was currently giving Anko an incredulous look. "Why the hell would I know girly shit like that?! Sure, we hung out while we were in the academy, but that was mostly to plan pranks on Iruka! If we weren't messing around or playing hooky, we didn't talk- she was too busy antagonizing all the academy sensei!"

Anko's lips pursed in disapproval, and Ibiki was watching Kiba with carefully narrowed eyes. Seeing that neither of his captors was buying his words, the Inuzuka pressed on.

"Sure, we hang out sometimes now, but that was mostly to mess around! We both like animals, you know. If you really wanted to find out who she likes, you should ask Sakura- they're on the same team, and they're both girls! They probably talk about mushy crap like that at sleepovers, or something. Granted, Naruto's not the girly type, but still…"

"That's exactly why you would know!" Anko exclaimed, indignantly pointing straight at Kiba's face, the closeness of her pointer finger making him go cross eyed as he instinctively tracked the incoming appendage.

"Anko is right," Ibiki added. "Considering Naruto's tomboy attitude, it is more likely that she would tell one of her male friends about her possible affections." After giving an awkward shift of his shoulders, and looking towards some far off corner of the room, Ibiki finally mumbled, "That, and Sakura is currently holed up at the hospital running a mob. We're not crazy enough to go anywhere near her."

Kiba, by this point, was mostly annoyed with his impromptu capture, and with great frustration interjected, "I don't know shit! Besides, why do you care so much? It's not like Naruto's about to confess or anything…"

Anko and Ibiki guilty shifted in place.

"No… Seriously?! You guys have to let me go then- I need to go place my bet!" Kiba furiously began to yank against the bindings holdings him, though his struggles proved to be futile against the strength of the T and I quality rope. Kiba soon paused in his struggles, a ponderous look creeping across his features.

"Hey, do you guys know who the main contenders are?" Kiba asked, turning puppy dog eyes upon his kidnappers.

Ibiki shifted uncomfortably for a moment (he seemed to be doing that a lot lately…) but the Inuzuka's secret weapon won out- they were masters of the wounded puppy expression! Ibiki made a mental note to bring more Inuzuka's into T and I, considering their latent manipulation capabilities.

"Currently, the top contenders are: Sasuke, Gaara, Chouji, Killer Bee, and even Kakashi." At that final name, Kiba broke into obnoxious laughter, and Ibiki shared a commiserating smile. It was ridiculous- Kakashi as Naruto's possible love interest, Ibiki smiling- what next, a Nara not being lazy?

"I know, its pretty ridiculous- it couldn't possibly be the Hokage, but a few people were keen on adding him to the list. Last I heard, a few other names were offered, but those are recent developments- obviously, in accordance with the original rules, it's been forbidden to interfere with anyone who is a contender- wouldn't want Naruto to be unable to confess to any possible choices," Ibiki finished.

Kiba nodded in agreement, but a key detail- or lack of- had caught his attention. "What about Hinata? Isn't she one of the top contenders?"

Anko snickered in response. "Naruto very clearly said she was going to confess to a man- the crybaby Hyuuga princess is indefinitely out of the running. Last I heard, she was holed up in her compound porking back cinnamon buns. I'm pretty sure she's guilting the rest of her clan into comforting her- girl should just grow a spine, not be an annoying pest."

Kiba's face reddened with anger. "You- you bitch! Hinata is not a crybaby! She's wonderful and kind, and- and you're just jealous of her! She's heartbroken, of course she's upset- but at least she has an excuse! What's yours for being a crazy snake-bitch?!"

"Why, you!-"Anko raised her fist menacingly, her face scrunching up in preparation for a heavy rant and possible dismemberment of the Inuzuka, but before she could begin her tirade, a heavy BANG! interrupted her.

The three shinobi jolted towards the direction of the noise, and light streamed in from the now opened door. The incoming light revealed that the building was, in fact, a warehouse, and a pile of boxes in the corner tipped over with the force of the door's opening.

A flustered head peeked into the room, tousled brown hair springing up from a freckled face that was surprisingly pale.

"Boss! We have to let him go!" the newcomer shouted, racing into the room to stand at attention in front of Ibiki. His chest heaved with the force of his heavy breaths, the Chuunin vest he wore muddy and covered in suspiciously red splatters.

"Minion Number Six, explain yourself!" Anko demanded, pointing her finger in the newcomers face much like she had done with Kiba earlier.

The chuunin instinctively stiffened his back as he reported to his superiors. "Anko-sama, Ibiki-sama, I managed to escape the 'SasuNaru' vs. 'GaaNaru' brawl in the vegetable market with the new list of contenders- I had to crawl through broken glass from all the broken windows, had to out-manoeuver the Sakura gang, had to sell my limited edition 'Icha Icha Sensei Sensei: Uncut' to make it out alive, had to-"

"Cut to the chase, Minion Number Six!" Anko interrupted, eyes narrowed and furious. Minion Number Six gulped audibly.

"Uh, anyways, the list!" With a twitchy jerk of his hand, the chuunin brandished the blood splattered scrap of paper towards Ibiki. Gaze focused, Ibiki accepted the crumpled paper like it was a priceless artefact, and after smoothing it out, began to read intently. A moment later, Ibiki froze, his eyes riveted to a particular name on the list.

"Anko, knock him out," Ibiki commanded, carefully folding the list and sliding it within his trench coat.

"With pleasure!" As a predatory smile crept across her face, Anko cracked her knuckles and took a step towards Kiba's wide eyed form.

"Wait, what did I do?!" Kiba pleaded.

Ibiki held up a hand to stop Anko from following through with her task, and dropped to one knee before Kiba so that they were at eye level. He raised his hand to place it on Kiba's shoulder, and said in a pitying tone-"You're now a contender, and according to the sacred laws of The Bet, we can't inhibit Naruto from possibly pursuing you. But if she confesses to you, you'll have an angry mob after your tail of anyone who lost The Bet because Naruto chose you. May Kami have mercy on your soul..." With that final ominous end, he stood, and strode from the room.

"Dump him at Ichiraku's!" Ibiki called over his shoulder. Anko and Minion Number Six watched their boss exit the warehouse, the door banging shut behind him. The room was once again plunged into near darkness.

"Nighty night, you mangy mutt," Anko leered.

The interrogation lamp casting horrific shadows across her face was the last thing Kiba saw before she lashed out with her left fist. After that was only darkness.