DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!


The Night before the MISSION


Flashback of Chapter 3

Tenten and I got ready for the sleepover: the food, drinks, movies, and all that stuff, in 5 minutes. Why? She already had all the food at home, so we didn't have to go to the grocery store. Also, we're ninjas. We're faster than normal people. Neat huh?

Hinata kept her word and came at EXACTLY 5:45. Sakura and Ino came together at 6. Let the sleepover BEGIN!

(END OF FLASHBACK OF CHAPTER 3)


I'm surprised how I made some friends my first day here. They're all best friends and all that but they all have different personalities. At least that's what Tenten told me before the girls came. We had 10 minutes of spare time. We had nothing to do so she told me what the others are like.

This is what she said:

"Ino- A girly and a CHATTERBOX. She would always go on and on about random things: gossip, life, and you know, stuff. Even though she always talks, she would let others talk… later on. If you need someone to talk to about your problems, Ino would be the first in line to listen to your problems. She also LOOOOVES shopping. She'd go to the "Konoha Mall" at least twice a week if no missions. Whenever she goes, she always drags us girls with her. I'm not that interested in shopping, but I go just to hang out with my friends and to get rid of time."

"Nice. At least I know it'll never be quiet at the sleepover." I said.

"Hehe. Yeah I know. Sakura- a usually cheerful, bubbly person. If you get on her bad side though, she'll make you feel like as if you were in HELL. Just don't get on her bad side. Oh yeah, she's also TERRIBLE at cooking. She always adds in medicine and herbs into the food she makes. That's why her food tastes nasty. Eat it and you'll die. Like last time, when Naruto was learning a new jutsu and was training, she couldn't help in any way, so she made him one of her "Soldier Pills". Naruto tried them and almost choked to death."

"Oh wow. Yeah… never let Sakura touch the kitchen."

"Yeah never. Ok now to Hinata- the quiet, shy girl. The total opposite of Ino. As you know, she stutters. Why? She's shy around people, so she kind of stutters. Around us, she barely stutters, but she does it time to time. She's also the opposite of Sakura. Well, her cooking skills are the difference. Unlike Sakura, she's awesome at cooking. She always bakes cakes and cinnamon rolls (Cinnamon rolls are Hinata's favorite snacks). Sometimes she bakes too much sweets, she gives them to others. She always comes to my house at least once a week to give me a full basket of sweets. That's why I never have to go to the grocery store to get sweets." Tenten grinned after saying the last sentence.

"Wow. You described the others in so much detail. It makes me seem like I've known them for years and I've just met them to day.

"Thank you."

"Now it's my turn to describe you, Tenten." I said.

"What? Me?"

"Yeah. You. You're the type of person who would always be on the lookout for your friend. Even if there are some things you don't like, but if you're friend likes it, then you would just go with the flow. You know? Oh yeah, and you're heck nice" I said.

Tenten smiled and said "Awww… Thanks!"

The doorbell then rang. Tenten opened the door and it was probably the girl named "Hinata". It was 5:45 and she said she'll be here at 5:45. An on-time person. Hehe.

"Haha. Hinata, you said you'd be here at 5:45 and you really came at 5:45!" Tenten exclaimed.

"Well, there was nothing to do at home except watch nii-san (Neji) train." Hinata said.

"Hmm…" Tenten said while rubbing her chin (probably here thinking face), but then resumed to her happy face and said "Well, forget about Neji and come in!" She pulled Hinata in and then said:

"Aoi, this is Hinata. Hinata, this is Aoi. You two now are best friends starting today. Got that?"

"Uh. Ok. Hi Hinata!" I said.

"H-hey Aoi! Best friend!" Hinata cheerfully said.

I grabbed one of Hinata's cookies she brought with her to the sleepover, ate them, and said:

"Hmmm! These are good! Did you make them?"

"U-uh huh. This morning. A-a-are they good?"

"Hell yeah! They're AH-mazing!"

"Oh ok then. I'm glad." Hinata said in a relieved voice.

Me and Tenten started chomping down Hinata's cookies. About ten to fifteen minutes later, Sakura and Ino came.

"Hey Sak! Hey Ino!" Tenten exclaimed.

"Hey Tenten! Oh hey Hinata! Hi Aoi! I guess we're the latest people to come…" Sakura said.

"Forehead, she invited us to come at six. It's six. It's not that we're late, it's just that they're early." Ino stated.

"I know Billboard, but me being the latest makes me seem like Kakashi-sensei."

"Then you're saying I'm late too. Just like your perverted sensei."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched and then she said:

"Excuse me? Mind saying that again, pig? I didn't hear quite well." Sakura then were popping her knuckles, as if a fight was about to begin.

These two must be best friends or something. Strangers won't just randomly fight. Haha. This must be their way of communicating with each other. I thought.

Hinata, seeing that their conversation might become a fight, stopped them.

"G-guys! Guys! S-stop! Ino, Sakura, meet Aoi. Aoi, the blonde is Ino and the pink hair is Sakura. Ok then, you guys are now best friends."

"I've met Sakura earlier this morning. I haven't met Ino yet. Hi Ino!" I said.

According to what Tenten told me earlier about Ino, Ino is a girly girl. Now if I can just say something that'll make her like me. Hmmm… Aha! I got it! I thought.

"I like your outfit Ino. Where'd you get it?" I asked.

"Aww… thanks! I got this outfit yesterday at the mall. I like yours too! Where'd you get yours?"

"Err… uh… I got it at "Konoha Rare101"."

"Really? Isn't that the really expensive store that only rich people have the money to buy?"

"Um… I guess…"

"Are you rich Aoi?"

"Um… I guess… My parents had a lot of money. They had so much, when they give it to me, I still wouldn't be able to use it all. Even if I was a spoiled kid. After they died, in their will, they left me everything they had: money and all that."

And she actually lives with me now, when she has all that money. Tenten thought.

"Really?"

"Yeah…"

"It's amazing how you're not a spoiled kid, Aoi."

"Besides the Hokage, only you guys know this. K? Please don't tell anyone! It's kind of a secret."

"Ok."

Oh so that's why. She doesn't want to tell anyone about her secret. Tenten thought.

"Btw, Aoi. You have better fashion sense than Forehead here. I mean, look at her."

Sakura's eye twitched. Tenten, noticing that they were about to start a fight, switched to a different subject.

"Hey guys, let's go get something out the kitchen first for dinner. Then we can do whatever we want sounds good?" Tenten asked.

"Yeah!", "Okay!", or "Sure!" was what I heard from them. Then we all raced to the kitchen finding something to eat. Do dangos and cookies count as dinner?

After eating, Ino brought out a game board (consisting of a kunai and a pie graph) she recently invented called "Spin the Kunai: Truth or Die". Basically, it consists of 5 categories (listed on the pie graph):

A)Love

B) Ninja Teams (like Team Guy or team 7)

C)Memories

D)Family

E)Anything/ Free category (like free space in bingo)

If you don't tell the truth when you get asked about that category, you'll have some… consequences. People know if you're speaking the truth or not. I don't know how but they can just tell. But sometimes, you'd rather die than answer that? Get it?

"Ok. I'll start first. Hinata's next, then Tenten, then Aoi, and then finally Sakura." Ino said and started talking again, "I'll spin the kunai. and then the next person playing will get to ask me a question about that category."

Ino spun the kunai and it landed on the "Anything/ free category" space.

"A-any question Ino?" Hinata asked.

"Yep. Go ahead Hinata. Any question about anything." Ino answered.

"O-ok then. Ino… woould you rather go out with Shikamaru or Kiba?"

"Out of all things to ask, you ask that…" Ino said softly, leaving light-colored blush.

"Y-you haven't a-answered my question yet."

"Well, let's think. Kiba is a dog-addict, so I think he would pay more attention to Akamaru than me. Shikamaru, hmmm…., he's a lazy-bum. He'll just say it's too troublesome to go out with me or… well… you know Shikarmaru. But he's not that bad of you get to know him. Even though everything is a "drag" to him, he'll do it. He cares for friends and will put his life on the line in order to protect them. And…(blah blah blah… Ino kept going on and on about him)"

"I-it s-seems like you really like Shikamaru, Ino. Do you like him or something?"

"What? Him? The lazy bum?"

"J-just answer my question, Ino"

"Which one? The one about if I'd rather go out with Kiba or Shikamaru? Or the…"

"B-both"

"Fine, since you're one of my best friends, but I'll only say it once."

"O-ok! My ears are listening."

"S-shikamaru… l-like him… d-don't k-k-know when…" Ino confessed, stuttering.

"Huh? What is she trying to say?" I asked.

"Allow me to translate it. It means "I like Shikamaru. I don't know since when." Sakura said.

"Wow! You're amazing Sakura! How'd you know how to translate it?" I asked.

"I've been BFFs with Ino-pig forever. I know everything about her."

"Oh. So that's how."

"S-shikamaru is the answer t-to b-both questions. K guys?" Ino said.

"We know. It's kind of obvious Ino-pig" Sakura said.

"Whatever Forehead. It's Hinata's turn. Spin it Hinata."

"O-ok Ino." Hinata responded.

Hinata spun the kunai and it landed on "family".

"It's my turn to ask Hinata a question, right?" asked Tenten.

"Y-es. P-please go ahead." Hinata said.

"Ok then. Has your dad been treating you better after you became Chunnin?"

"Otto-san? W-well, y-yes. I guess. He still treats Hanabi better though. I t-think"

"What are you talkin' about girl? He obviously treats you better now. I mean, you're the heir of the Hyuga and all." Ino said.

"I-ino. Y-you don't understand. I'm not s-strong as her. I'm n-not brave like her. I'm not good as h-her…" Hinata said, her eyes watering up.

"… Hinata…"

"Huh? What's wrong Hinata?" I said.

I'm confused. Who's this "Hanabi"? what does Hinata mean by not as strong as her? Not as good as her? I thought.

"O-oh. I f-forgot about you not knowing, Aoi. H-h-hanabi's my little sister. When we were little, she always beat me in fights. I'm the older one here. I'm supposed to be stronger. Yet… Yet…" Hinata said, now sobbing.

"Hinata, don't cry. Everything's gonna be alright." Tenten said, now Hinata is crying on Tenten's shoulder.

"Hmmph, yeah you shouldn't cry. You said "when we were little", right? That means you haven't had a fight with her in a long time right? Time can change everything. You might be stronger than her now." Ino said.

"Y-you're right…"

"I'm always right girl!" Ino exclaimed.

"T-thanks guys. I feel a lot better after telling ya'll about my problem." Hinata said, smiling and then said, "It's T-tenten's turn. Spin the kunai."

"Ok. I'll spin it" Tenten said.

Tenten spun it and it landed on "Ninja Teams".

It's my turn to ask her a question about Ninja Teams. I thought.

"So first Tenten, before I ask my question, who's on your team?"

"Well, there's Lee, Neji, and Guy-sensei. I'm the only girl on my team. Sadly"

"What are they like?"

"OMG! They're all training-addicts! They train non-stop. Not 24/7, but non-stop. Those guys have TOO MUCH stamina. Especially Lee and Guy-sensei. They say stuff like "Let's run 3 times faster than we can" or "If I can't do 1,000 push-ups, then I have to do 10,000 squats" or "Let's see who can finish running 500 laps around Konoha first". Yes, I know. Crappy."

"Then what about Neji?"

"Neji… hmm…he's not like them. He always trains with me (we're friends). Well, more than he does with the others. HE doesn't do the "Do 10,000 squats", but just training. We don't go easy on each other, but we don't hurt each other. It's kind of hard to explain. " Tenten had a hint of blush on her when saying that.

"So you like him?"

"What are you talking about? Plus, this is supposed to be a "Ninja Team" question, not a "Love" question."

"But Neji's on your team. So it counts. Right?"

"…"

"Plus, you were blushing when you heard his voice when you called the Hyuga residence this evening. Remember? The phone call inviting Hinata over for the sleepover?"

"Tenten blushed when she heard Neji's voice? That's a first" Sakura said.

"N-no w-way? Tenten b-blushed when talking to Nii-san?" Hinata asked.

"So do you like Neji more than a friend? Yes or no?" I said.

"… Yes…" Tenten admitted, blushing madly.

"Hehehe… Tenten, you've grown." Ino said.

"Shut up Ino!" Tenten said, "Isn't it Aoi's turn? Spin it."

"Fine. Spin the kunai Aoi." Ino said.

I spun the kunai and it landed on "Memories".

Memories huh? I wonder what Sakura's gonna ask about it…

"Hmm… let me think of a question about "Memories" first." Sakura said, doing her "thinking" pose and then said, "I got it! What is your favorite memories during your childhood, Aoi?"

"Memories during your childhood? *laughs* I have a lot, but there's one that I'll never forget."

"Which one is it?" Sakura asked.

"I was five at that time. I had a cousin and he was five too.. I call him my "Nii-chan" though, even though we're only cousins. Nii-chan has a big brother and he was ten or eleven back them. I call him "Nii-san", the same way Hinata calls Neji. I'm closer to Nii-chan though, since he's my age and everything. Plus, Nii-san always left the house, leaving Nii-chan. I live right next to their house, so I'd always come over when Nii-chan's lonely (because Nii-chan has no one to play with amd Nii-san always leaves the house). And that day I was at their house." I said and then told them my memory.


Normal POV- 11 years ago, at "Nii-chan's house" (it was noon)

"Hey Nii-chan!" 5 year-old Aoi said.

"Hey Aoi…" Nii-chan said gloomy.

"What's wrong Nii-chan?"

"Nii-san left without saying goodbye." Nii-chan said.

"Aww…How about this? Let's go to the dock. Ya know… the one with the river?"

"Huh? Why?"

"You'll know when you get there Nii-chan." Aoi said, giggling.

Then Aoi said "Ka-chan! Oba-chan! Me and Nii-chan are going outside for a while!"

"Ok! You kids don't get into any trouble. Got that?" Okka-chan said.

"We know! Bye!"

At the dock w/ the big river

"Why did you bring me here Aoi?" Nii-chan.

"Well, then what is Nii-san?"

"Err… a boy?"

"Um… can you be more descriptive, Nii-chan?"

"A man?"

"Dummy!" Aoi yelled and punched Nii-chan's head, leaving and anime bump bruise.

"Then what Aoi?"

"A ninja!"

"Oh… then what about that?"

"What is your dream?"

"To be a ninja?"

"What is my dream, Nii-chan?"

"To be a ninja?"

"Exactly!"

"Then why are we out here?"

"Cuz' we're gonna become ninjas!"

"How? Why are we even here?" Nii-chan asked, confused.

"To train!"

"How?"

"Well, let's try walking on water. To-chan told me one time that ninjas can walk on water by balancing their chakra and then bring it down to their feet." Aoi stated.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Since we know how to swim, so we won't drown if we fall, let's practice walking on water!"

"Ok! Sounds fun!"

1 hour later (remember, Aoi and her Nii-chan are 5 years old)

*Aoi panting*(exhausted from using all that chakra)

*Nii-chan panting* (exhausted from using all that chakra)

"It's not easy like it looks." Nii-chan says.

"Well, we almost got it. We're only inches away from the top of the water. At least we're not drowning like 45 minutes ago."

"True."

Nii-chan and Aoi then try again and again. Until 20 minutes later…

"Aoi! Aoi! Look!" Nii-chan said.

"Look? At wha-OMG! Nii-chan! You can walk on water! I feel so happy for you! But I can't do it yet…"

"Aoi! Look you can do it too! Look!"

"What?"Aoi said, looks at her feet, and then says, "OMG! I can do it! NII-CHAN! I CAN DO IT!"

"I know! We both can!"

Aoi and Nii-chan then both do their happy dances and then jumps up and down on the water…

"Hey, Nii-chan, let's go get some ice cream"

"K"

At the ice cream store

"One cone of Oreo ice cream please" Aoi said, "What about you, Nii-chan?"

"I don't like ice cream."

"What? It's REALLY good, Nii-chan! Try some!"

"No."

"Please?" Aoi asked, showing her puppy face to her Nii-chan.

"Ugh. Fine."

"What flavor do you want?"

"Whatever."

"Another oreo ice cream sir!" Aoi said to the ice cream man.

Back at the dock, eating ice cream

"Hehe… Nii-chan. You said you don't like ice cream, yet you finished yours before me!" Aoi said, giggling.

"Hn. I just shoved it into my mouth cause' I don't like its taste." Nii-chan said.

"What a pathetic excuse. Oh well. What do you want to do now?"

"Let's go to the forest. You see? The one right across the river?"

"Now?"

"Yes! Now! Let's go!" Nii-chan said, grabbing Aoi's wrist and dragging her at the same time.

Aoi and Nii-chan were too busy talking to each other, they didn't notice how easily they walked on the water. It seemed like their second nature.

(END OF FLASHBACK)


Aoi's POV ( at the sleepover)

"Yeah, and then when we got to the forest. We practice jumping from tree to tree. It was fun, but we didn't get it mastered until two hours later. How sad, but it was the best day in my life. I actually got to do "ninja" stuff that day. It was my first time doing "Ninja" stuff. And I practiced with Nii-chan. Nii-chan is the person I admire the most in this world. He's amazing. " I said, smiling

"Where is he now?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know…"

All the girls were shocked (except for Aoi).

"What do you mean you don't know where he is Aoi?" Sakura asked.

"My parents and I got moved to that isolated place when I was six. I never got to see Nii-chan again. When I asked Lady Hokage where he is now, she said she doesn't know."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sakura said, in a sad tone.

"Don't worry guys! I'll be able to find him!" I said, then faking a smile on my face.

The atmosphere seems sad after I said that, so I switched to a different subject.

"So… It's your turn to spin the kunai, Sakura." I said.

"Ok." Sakura said.

She spun the kunai and it landed on "Love". (OH MY! What is going to happen?)

"It's my turn to ask you a question, Forehead. About love…" Ino said.


My my! Sorry for not updating in a long time! Had stuff to do! Thanks for reading! :D