Chapter Four: Who was defeated and the village went back to business as usual. (Well, sort of...)


As the crowd of ninja bore Kabuto away, still chanting, Naruto hugged Hinata closer. Or at least he tried to. Unfortunately for him, Kiba was just as overjoyed to see Hinata back to normal and had stolen his teammate away. Naruto looked around to find Kiba grinning like a madman while Hinata's face went increasingly darker. Whether this was due to embarrassment or lack of oxygen is debatable.

"Kiba, you fool! Let her go." Hana yelled, delivering a swift kick to her brother's rump to gain his attention. Kiba's hold slackened but he didn't let go.

Not immediately.

And not by choice.

As Naruto and Hana, and the few others who hadn't run off to see Kabuto tortured, watched, Kiba was mobbed by about ten teenage Hyuga girls, screaming battle cries. They were, of course, led by Hanabi.

Soon Kiba was lying on the ground, trussed up and gagged, Hinata's female cousins standing around him and glaring. His muffled yells were somehow interpreted and Hanabi squatted down next to his head and explained the situation to him.

"You probably thought you were doing the right thing, Kiba, and that's admirable. But the fact remains that you interrupted my sister before she could accomplish her life's goal."

Kiba glared up at her, growling and snarling and generally trying to declare his intentions. Hanabi smirked and stood up.

"You're going to be punished."

Hinata had been sitting on the ground, having been thrown out of the way when Kiba was ambushed, staring wide-eyed at her family members. Now she stood and tried to stop them. But before she'd moved two steps, she was stopped by twenty ANBU sent by Tsunade to round up the wayward Hyugas.

Everyone stood back as a scuffle broke out between the ANBU and the Hyuga girls, with yells of "Let me at him!" and "You haven't had your medicine yet!" abounding. Two girls broke ranks and were quickly chased down. Twenty minutes later, most of them had been subdued and led (read: dragged) away. Only Hanabi remained and the two ANBU facing her were both worse for wear.

"Hanabi!" a desperate voice came from the sidelines, then she found herself crash-tackled to the ground by one Sarutobi Konohamaru. Hanabi squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck, delivering passionate kisses all over his face. He was caught off guard at first but was quick to return the display of affection.

"Hey! Get a room, you two!" Naruto yelled, as the two ANBU attempted to disentangle the young pair. They finally managed to separate them and once Konohamaru was on his feet, he bent down and scooped Hanabi up, bridal style. Before he could attempt to follow Naruto's advice, he was firmly escorted back to the hospital.

As Naruto considered this latest turn of events, Hinata and Hana knelt to untie Kiba.

"Looks like you're off the hook." Hana grinned as she helped her brother sit up.

"Lucky me." Kiba grinned halfheartedly.

"N-Not quite."

"Huh?"

Before Kiba could blink, Hinata slapped him across the face. Although she hadn't put much strength into it, the sound of palm hitting cheek was still loud enough to catch everyone's attention.

"Hinata! What was that for?" Kiba whined, holding his cheek, where a red handprint was quickly appearing over his face marking.

"M-mind your own b-business next t-time!" Hinata huffed as Hana broke out into raucous laughter. Even Naruto smirked, though it was replaced by a nervous smile when Hinata stood up and faced him.

But that was as far as her courage took her. A blush blossomed across her face and her fingers started fidgeting as she stared down at her feet. Naruto gulped, unsure what to do next.

"Aren't you going to do something?" Hana whispered.

"I'm minding my business." Kiba muttered, crossing his arms in defiance.

Naruto caught sight of the gesture and squared his shoulders. He took a deep breath, let it out then grinned. Hana and Kiba eyed him warily, while Hinata glanced up then quickly back at her toes. Then Naruto ran over to Hinata, swept her up into his arms, and disappeared over the top of the buildings.

"What was that about?"


Sakura and Tenten separated from Shizune in the foyer, and continued on to the ward where Sasuke and Neji had been placed. Tsunade was just leaving their room as the two girls arrived.

"How is he?" they both called as they ran up.

"They'll be fine in a couple of hours. No, you can't go in. They need to rest." And she closed the door of the room firmly.

Sakura moved over to the window and looked in. She could see Sasuke was sleeping calmly. She glanced over to the other bed as Tenten stepped up behind her.

"Why isn't he restrained?" Tenten shrieked, pushing passed Sakura towards the window. "Don't you know what he put me through? How do you know he'll be back to normal?"

"Calm down, Tenten. Tsunade knows what she's doing." Sakura said soothingly, but her platitudes fell on deaf ears.

"He's gonna wake up and then I'll never escape!" Tenten whispered to herself. She turned an anxious look on Tsunade, "Can't you strap him in? At least until he wakes up and we know he's normal?"

"The antidote worked quite quickly, Tenten. You have nothing to worry about."

"Send me on a mission! Please?"

"What? No! You need to face this fear, Tenten. Neji won't hurt you."

"You don't know that!" Tenten shrieked as she wheeled away and disappeared through a window.

Inside the room, Neji twitched and turned his head.


In Interrogation…

"So, you thought you'd get away with it, huh?" Anko circled the man sitting at the table.

"Honestly, I didn't think…" he began.

"Silence! Thought you could do what you liked and there would be no consequences?" She changed directions.

"But it wasn't really my fault…" He was cut off as she slammed her hands down on the table in front of him.

"Shut it! I don't want to hear your excuses!" She screamed in his face, as snakes appeared, writhing on the table and inching closer to his face.

"Then what do you want?" a third voice interrupted.

Anko jerked upright and the snakes disappeared.

"Ibiki."

"I hardly think that Kotetsu deserved to be interrogated by you."

"Then why is he here?" Anko said, smirking down at the terrified Chunin.

"He is here to be interrogated, that is true. But not by you. This interrogation is below your abilities."

"Hmph." Anko sat on the edge of the table and crossed her arms.

"Didn't the Hokage send you home?"

Anko's mouth thinned and her nostrils flared, but she said nothing.

"Personal problems?"

"Not at work." She stated coolly.

"You aren't supposed to be here, though."

"If you don't want me to interrogate this little bastard, who can I interrogate?"

"No one."

"What?"

"Go home, Anko. That's an order."

Grumbling darkly, Anko stood up from the table and stormed over to the door. She yanked it opened, threw a death glare over her shoulder at both men, stalked through and slammed it behind her. They could hear her yells as she repeatedly punched the opposite wall. In fact, everyone in interrogation could hear her. The two bandits, who had been delivered by Naruto's clones, huddled together in their cell and prayed that that sound was from another inmate that they would never see. The four other men, brought in for dalliances with Hyuga girls, prayed that Anko was taking out her anger on the Kabuto/Orochimaru creature. The Kabuto/Orochimaru creature stirred in his sleep, before smiling and remembering happy times in the Sound bases where such noises were quite common.

Having created a fist sized hole in the wall and torn open her hand, Anko straightened, breathing deeply to calm herself enough to walk over to the hospital.

"Anko? What happened?" Shizune asked as she rushed over to the troubled woman.

"I want Kakashi. Can I have him yet?"

Shizune felt Anko's forehead then clicked her tongue. She called over her shoulder for some orderlies and led Anko into one of the treatment rooms. "Let's patch this up first." She said gently.

"Don't worry about the hand. It's nothing. Where's Kakashi?"

"He's sleeping. You know how lazy he is." Shizune attempted some levity. It failed. Anko glared at the wall as the medic continued to treat her self-inflicted wounds. Ordinarily she would have shaken off the medic's concern and stormed off for whatever it was she was after. Except that the last time she hadn't sat still while Shizune was working on her, she'd woken up in a hospital bed two days later.

"Anko, I sent you home."

"So did Ibiki." Anko muttered, as Tsunade stepped into the room.

"Pardon?"

"Yes, my lady, you did." Anko replied stiffly.

"Why are you here?"

"I was helping. Aren't I trustworthy enough to help out when the village is in danger?" Anko snapped.

"That isn't an issue." Tsunade replied, a frown etched on her face.

"I'm not my sensei!" Anko yelled, her eyes glazing over, "I won't betray the village just because he's here!"

Tsunade nodded to Shizune and Anko fell forward. The orderlies caught her and lay her back on the bed. Shizune put away her needles and finished treating Anko's hand.

"Transfer her to the psych ward and keep her under watch. She may need counseling before this is over."

"Was it just because of Kabuto?" asked Shizune.

"Oh, that is definitely an issue she has to face." Tsunade answered, then she smirked a little, "but that wasn't why she did that to her hand."

"Then why?"

"Who did she ask for?"

"Well, Kakashi. But I don't…"

"The man must have some serious skills."

"Oh!"

"Hmm. Feeling sorry you turned him down?"

Shizune pulled a face, "Not if it could reduce Anko to this!"

Tsunade laughed, "Indeed."


Sakura quietly opened the door to find Sasuke sitting on his bed and putting on his sandals.

"Sasuke? Where are you going?"

"I'm going home." He answered shortly.

"But…" she looked away from his cold glare, to find that Neji's bed was empty too. "You aren't supposed to be up! Tsunade has to give you the all-clear before you're allowed to leave."

Sasuke just stared at her.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?"

"Hn." He pushed passed her and headed to the door.

"Sasuke?" Sakura grabbed his arm and he stopped. "Talk to me!"

"I did to talk to you!" Sasuke growled as he faced her. "I shared my true feelings with you and you thought it was a joke."

"No I didn't!" She responded indignantly. Sasuke eyed her. "I didn't! I thought something was wrong with you! And it was!"

"Hn."

"Come on, Sasuke. Face facts. You aren't the type to walk up and say" Sakura paused, "and say…"

"What?" Sasuke challenged her.

"What you said." Sakura finished weakly.

"That doesn't change the emotion behind it."

"How was I supposed to know you meant it?" Sakura asked, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation, "You were acting weird! You were crying!"

Sasuke crossed his arms and glared down at her. "So?"

"You aren't usually that emotional." Sakura stammered, "You were so weak…"

An expression of surprise appeared on his face, quickly replaced by one of calculation, "So."

"Sasuke?"

"You don't like me being emotional or weak? Hmmm."

"Sasuke?" Sakura didn't know what he was thinking, really, but it didn't bode well.

"Your bedside manner is appalling, Sakura. We'll start there."

"What?" Sakura squawked. Next thing she knew he'd heaved her over his shoulder and walked out the room.

"Sasuke! Put me down! Right now!"

"Hn." He ignored the curious looks they were attracting and walked through the foyer toward the front door.

"Don't 'Hn' me, Sasuke! Just what do you think you're doing?"

They left the hospital and Sasuke jumped up onto the roof of the nearest building.

"Where are we going? Sasuke? Sasuke!"

Sasuke shifted his hold as she started kicking and struggling. He smirked as she gasped.

"Sasuke! Remove your hand this instant!"

"Stop moving or I'll drop you."

"Stop groping me in public!"

"We'll be in private soon enough."

"Sasuke!" she gasped again.

"Sakura." He answered as he landed in front of his house. He opened the door and they both disappeared inside.


Two streets over, Neji watched an apartment.

He'd been watching that dwelling for the last hour. Occasionally his byakugan flickered on and his face tightened. She hadn't moved. Not once. For an hour.

He'd been in there before. He knew where she was.

He'd also heard her at the hospital, so he knew why she was hiding.

Since he was her training partner and had been on several missions with her, he knew she'd have set traps all round her apartment to prevent him from entering. Having been caught in one earlier in the day, he knew he couldn't disregard her traps as escapable.

What he didn't know was how to approach her, and more importantly, how to apologize.

He looked down at his feet. There was a bouquet of flowers lying on the ground. He created a clone and sent it across to the door, carrying the flowers. He watched with his byakugan as the clone knocked on the door and was dispersed by a trap, leaving the flowers to fall on the doorstep.

He cringed as he gained the short memories of the clone and heard her panicked shriek at the knock.

"I am so sorry, Tenten."


Tenten was curled up in the middle of her living room. She'd strung traps all around her apartment, at each door and window to prevent anyone from entering. Then, despite her ninja training, she'd created a fort in the middle of the floor by overturning her lounge and coffee table and pulling them together.

She could still sense him out there so it must have been a clone at the door. She shuddered. Then she stopped.

He wouldn't have knocked if he wasn't back to normal. He wouldn't have used a clone. He didn't earlier. He just came charging in, so certain that he could beat her. Was this a new strategy? Or had the antidote worked like Tsunade and Sakura said it would?

The curiosity took control and Tenten pushed her coffee table out a bit so she could slip through the gap. Still being cautious, in case it was a trap, Tenten crawled over to her doorway and peered through the curtain in the little strip of window next to the door.

Her heart thudded in her chest when she caught sight of him. He was staring intently at the door.

No, not at the door. Damn the byakugan! He's looking at me!

She pulled back, and he moved.

Tenten leaned forward as curiosity caught her again. He knelt in the alleyway across from her home and bowed. She brushed the curtain out of the way, to see him clearer. He was saying something. What is he saying?

In her haste to open the door and find out, Tenten completely forgot about her traps. As soon as the handle started to turn, three different traps went off.

Across the road, Neji reactivated his byakugan as an explosion blew open Tenten's front door.

"Tenten?" He raced across to her apartment, just as she crawled out, coughing and gagging from the smoke and…

"A pepper bomb?"

"It's effective." Tenten tried to huff but sneezed instead.

"Tenten? I'm really sorry." Neji said as he helped her up.

"So that's what you were saying." She sneezed again.

"Oh."

"Yeah, I opened the door to see what you were saying and forgot to disengage my traps. Happy now? You're still better than me." Tenten muttered as she tried to brush the dirt and debris off her clothes.

"Tenten, I don't think about you like that." He said quietly.

Tenten stiffened and began backing away.

"Tenten, please, don't."

"Neji, I don't want to hurt you." But I will! The unspoken words hung between them.

"I'm sorry, Tenten." He said and he stepped away from her. "I'm sorry I caused you such distress. I won't bother you anymore."

He turned to walk away, but before he could, she called his name softly.

"Neji? Did you mean it?"

He looked back at her in question.

"Did you mean it when you said that you loved me?"

His face softened and he slowly nodded his head. Then the questioning look returned and he stepped closer as she put her hands over her face.

"Tenten, what is it? Are you alright?"

Her shoulders shook, but he couldn't tell if she really was sobbing or laughing.

"Tenten?"

"Neji, you idiot!" She cried as she threw her arms around his neck, "Why'd you have to wait 'til you were on drugs to tell me that?"


The next morning dawned on the peaceful village and Hiashi woke with a headache, assorted sore muscles, and a feeling of foreboding. Everything seemed much worse when the Hokage strode into the room.

"Where am I?" he asked, trying to play the disorientated patient in the hopes that whatever had happened could be shrugged off.

Unfortunately for him, it didn't work.

"You are in the hospital, which you know very well, so don't try to play that card." Tsunade replied with a stern look. "Given the circumstances, we will be waiving the punishments. But Hiashi, your family has caused quite a lot of trouble in the last twenty four hours!"

"What happened?" Hiashi groaned, holding his head.

"We were infiltrated and sabotaged. It was biological warfare. The eye drops we distributed two weeks ago were laced with a potent cocktail of drugs. They caused chemical imbalances within your system."

"So, I was…"

"Dancing in the main street of the village? Making a fool of yourself? Flirting with the ladies like a young buck?"

"I what?" Hiashi cried out in panic, "I don't remember that!"

Tsunade chuckled, "You're right. I made that last one up. Although, you are quite the dancer. I'd say there are a few ladies out there with their eye on you now."

"Oh no." He dropped back on the bed and covered his face. This nightmare is never ending! Then he sat bolt upright.

"What about my daughters? Are they alright? Neji? Did anything happen to them?"

Tsunade gave him a calculating look, as if trying to decide how to break bad news.

"What happened?" he demanded, sounding more like himself.

"The drugs seemed to affect them differently to you. We're unsure whether it was age or usage but while you and the elders of your clan were dancing, the youngsters were feeling… frisky."

"OH NO! NOT MY DAUGHTERS!" Hiashi began shaking, then he leapt off the bed toward the window, ready to find and destroy any young man who laid a hand on his daughters. Tsunade simply watched as his back seized up and he crumpled to the floor.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" she asked, still watching him.

His only reply was an agonized groan and she moved over to help him up. She led him back to the bed and forced him down onto his stomach. Then she began a brutally gentle massage, each of his twinges and gasps causing a smug smirk to appear on her face.

"You worry unnecessarily." She said as she finished. "No, don't get up. You need to let them recover."

"Why shouldn't I worry? My daughters are…"

"Not in any trouble. Both were admitted to the hospital before you finished your dancing."

Hiashi tried again to rise, as panic set in.

"You aren't going anywhere." Tsunade said sternly, holding him down with one hand. "Hanabi attacked and attempted to capture Inuzuka Kiba and was restrained by him and brought to the hospital. He went to find Hinata and brought her in as well."

"What did he do? Why would Hanabi attack him? That little…"

"You owe that boy for preserving your daughters' dignity. So don't think you're going to leave here and tear him a new one. Or you may find yourself facing Tsume."

Hiashi blanched at the thought. As with most adult males in the Leaf, he had a healthy respect for Inuzuka Tsume, which was accompanied by the need to keep a healthy distance.

"Hiashi, it may seem difficult to believe, but your daughters were the dominant ones yesterday. The young men should not be faulted for their behaviour during the course of the day." Although, all bets are off as to what they've been doing since then. Best not to mention that. "If it makes you feel better, what they did was tame compared to their cousins."

There was a sinking feeling in his stomach, as Hiashi considered all the possible things that could have occurred. He dropped his head onto his pillow to muffle his sobs. He was not looking forward to going home.


Kakashi sat up and looked around the room.

He snatched his mask off the bedside table and put it on, followed by his headband. Then he looked around for his clothes.

All he found was a freshly cleaned black bathrobe, with fluffy pink lining and a pair of fluffy pink slippers.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"


Kakashi sat up and looked around the room.

He snatched his mask off the bedside table and put it on, followed by his headband. Then he looked around for his clothes, sighing in relief when he found his usual attire in the drawer.

He was pulling on his shirt when the curtain surrounding his bed was pulled back and Shizune walked in.

"You're up. How do you feel?"

"I'm fine." He answered in a tired voice, "Shizune, how did I get here?"

Shizune pulled out a torch and shined it in his eyes, then proceeded to check him over. "You don't remember what happened yesterday?"

Kakashi swayed alarmingly, "You mean, that actually happened?"

Oh dear. That can't be good. Shizune thought as she steadied him. "What did you do yesterday?"

"I don't want to remember." Kakashi moaned, his eye covered by his hand.

"Well, I'm afraid you have no choice." Though I don't want to know the details.

He looked up at her in question.

"You do remember appearing on my doorstep yesterday morning?"

"Yes." Kakashi said quietly.

"And then you met Anko?"

"Yes." He murmured mournfully.

"And after?"

Kakashi whimpered, and Shizune grew more concerned. Maybe the antidote didn't work. Since when did Kakashi whimper?

"Kakashi?"

"Any chance of a long mission out of the village?" Kakashi asked hopefully, trying to hide behind his usual façade.

"You're recovering from a drug-induced…"

"So that's a 'no'?"

"What did you do to Anko?" Shizune blurted out, her curiosity taking over.

Kakashi blinked at her, "Whatever do you mean?"

"She's been placed in the psych ward, under supervision, restraint and sedation."

"Why?" he asked, though he had a pretty good idea.

"I think you know, Kakashi. Tell us so we can treat her."

"This is why I read Icha Icha." Kakashi sighed.

"What is?" Shizune asked, hoping he wasn't talking about what she thought he was talking about.

"I think you know, Shizune." He sighed, "I'm never going to live this down."

Shizune blushed slightly from embarrassment, then she paled. "You're addictive?" she squeaked.

Kakashi chuckled, "Not really, but the sharingan has its uses."

Shizune gasped and went paler. "Oh dear! What about Sakura?"

Kakashi froze, "What about Sakura?"


The door to Sasuke's house opened, and a very smug Sasuke stretched. He walked out and collected his mail. Then he turned and walked back in.

"Sakura? It's morning."

"Someone save me!" Sakura grumbled, rolling over and hugging her pillow.

Sasuke sat down next to her and leaned in. Sakura rolled over and was out the door as quickly as possible. He took her place on the bed and chuckled as he heard the front door slam and Sakura ran down the street screaming.

"She'll be back."


Sorry about the delay. So this is the final chapter. Fair warning, I consider this story complete. However, if there is something you think needs to be followed up, a situation that you don't believe to be fully resolved, feel free to tell me and I'll see if I can come up with another chapter for you.

Thanks for the reviews, mistressinwaiting, PaulRap Raptor, y-in-flame, Helga4ever, Yuuki-Hime, lolhell, eternalsmiles, and Faire101. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :D

Author's Note: Due to several requests, there will be one more chapter of this story. That is all.