I'm back! Thank you so much for the reviews guys! It makes me happy! I would name you off, but I'm too lazy, so sorry.. xD Well this chapter is actually kinda hard to write cuz I think its too rush-y (i think i made that word up..) to go into the main plot, but I'm also past the beginning.. I need something to fill the middle! Its like I'm at a cliff wanting to get to the other side, but with no bridge, you see? Looks like I have to build a bridge... Whelp hope you like! Review? I'll do a back flip for you..:P
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Chapter Four
Sakura leaned back on the tree branch she was resting on. She sighed and looked down over everyone else who was on the ground. Shikamaru was watching the clouds. Typical. Hinata was blushing, glancing at Naruto. She won't ever say anything to him, will she? And Naruto was looking up at her. Normal Naru--Wait! He's looking where?! Sakura quickly looked back over at Naruto, who was kicking a rock on the ground. She must have imagined it...
Sakura felt her face become hot as she tore her eyes from Naruto. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. Especially around Naruto. At that thought she pouted out her lips in aggravation. Every time he did anything concerning him it made her blush. Why? She didn't know, and that annoyed her. They hadn't even talked to each other since that...thing that happened! She had decided that he must have learned a jutsu that turned girl's faces red. That would explain Hinata's cherry-face everytime Naruto was around her, and now that would explain Sakura's too.
She sighed again knowing no one would believe that story. They had been traveling for another day and a half since the first night, and they were about to come up on a small village. Naruto and Sakura had avoided each other the whole time. Sakura mostly though... She kept telling herself that she was just focusing on the mission and not avoiding Naruto...Or atleast that's what she thought until Naruto fell off a tree and broke his arm that she had to heal.
As a matter of face, that was why they were resting at this moment. When she healed him, it was the closest she had been to him in almost two days. He had looked like he was about to talk to her when she finished pumping her chakra into his arm, but then he decided against it. Sakura gave him an awkward smile and ran over to Hinata, who lately had seemed to be her best friend. Sakura was positive Shikamaru had notice her change in friends.
He had looked strangely at Sakura and Naruto, but just muttered something under his breath about them being 'troublesome'. Sakura was thankful for him staying out of it. She really like that trait about him.
"Yo, break's over." Said teen announced.
Sakura smiled and jumped down from her tree landing beside Hinata. Hinata gave her a shy smile and looked over at Nara for instructions.
Shikamaru put his hands in his pockets before speaking, "Kay, we're gonna split up into teams before entering the village...Sakura and Naruto, and me and Hinata."
Sakura crossed out what she last thought about Shikamaru. She did not like him.
Her mouth dropped open in protest, but before words formed Shikamaru continued.
"Naruto and Sakura you're gonna look for a hotel to stay at. Two rooms.(sigh) Then go look for information on the Uchiha."
He didn't wait for interuptions, but looked at Hinata. "You, with me. We're gonna get some info, but on different things. This is gonna be a drag. (sigh) S'go."
They all nodded, some more excited than others. One in particular looked like she was about to kill a certain lazy ninja. Shikamaru decided they were going to meet back at the hotel at eight and share the details they found. Then he left quickly wanting to escape the wrath of a pink-haired girl.
Planting a fake smile, Sakura pointed toward the city and said to Naruto, "Well, let's go..."
Naruto, smiling just as fake, said, "Yeah!"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Arg!" Naruto grumbled. Sakura rolled her eyes and put her hand on the counter in front of them.
"Sir, you must have atleast one room open?" She persisted to the man behind the counter.
They had been all over the village, and have yet to find one open room! Nothing! Everything was booked. This was their last option.
The man, very old and kind looking, sighed glancing at the stack of papers on his clipboard. "Well," he started, "I could have one room open by seven if I push some people to leave."
Sakura smiled, clapping together her hands happily. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! We are in debt to your kindness!" Sakura bowed, politely.
The mans face crinkled in a smile, reminding her of Kakashi-sensi in his mask. He nodded and took the money from Sakura's hand. She bowed once more as her and Naruto backed toward the door. As soon as they stepped foot out of the not-so-nice-looking hotel, Naruto shouted, "Finally! That took forever to find a room! Not even two!"
"Yeah, I can't believe every hotel is full. It's really odd." Sakura commented, looking over at a huddle of people over to her left, whispering to each other.
Talking to Naruto had been easier than she expected. At first it was still a little awkward, but Naruto broke the silence and well... It was like nothing ever happened. Of course, Sakura still had this nagging voice in the back of her head, and the blushing problem when he got too close, but she pushed those things aside. Besides, she was still convinced he had put a blushing jutsu on her.
"So, what are suppose to do next?" Naruto asked, both hands behind his head in a relaxed fashion.
Sakura put her finger on her lips in a pretend thinking matter. "Well," She said after a silence, "aren't we suppose to look for information? Or did you not pay any attention?"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Neji-kun, you okay?" asked a browned-headed kunoichi. Her eyes curious and somewhat worried.
Neji glanced at her, then their other teamates before answering her.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little worried about the mission." He said. TenTen looked at him suspectingly, but said nothing. If he had something important to say, he would say it. I hope.
They had gotten up to a late start because a sleepy Ino. Neji had been distracted enough to let her sleep for an extra hour. It seemed odd to TenTen, but of course, she kept to herself.
TenTen was jumping tree branches at an easy speed to stay at the same pace as Neji and the Ino girl. ("Team! We must travel fast! Oh, the fountain of youth!")
"I'm tired can we take a break?" Ino asked, rubbing the sweat from her eyes. Her long, blonde hair danced in the wind. Neji looked coldly at her, but ignored the question. Ino huffed, but knew what her standing was, she wasn't stupid. Shikamaru must be rubbing off on her in more than a few ways.
TenTen was a little tired herself, but her women-are-just-as-strong-as-men pride made her tough it out. Besides, she would never want Neji to think she was weak.
TenTen had noticed that they were taking a different route than planned to get out of the forest. She wondered what Neji could be up to. Why would he take a different way out? Curiosity nagging at her ear, TenTen asked, "Why are we going this way? Is there something wrong with the other route out?"
Neji flinched, just barely, no normal person would have seen it, but TenTen knew Neji, and saw the flinch. It worried her even more. Why would he flinch?
The Byakugun user stopped suddenly. "We're taking a break." His voice echoed for Lee to hear. ("Awe, Neji-kun, why?!")
Ino cheered, and plopped down to a resting position.
Neji grabbed TenTen's upper arm dragging her away from the rest of the group. Lee was muttering about how they didn't need to stop because he wanted to spend time with TenTen, but Neji and TenTen, slightly red, ignored the comment.
Once away Neji, still clutching her arm, spoke in a very quiet whisper, "Listen, I thought I sensed a opposing chakra last night, so I took a different way out."
TenTen's mouth shot open. "Who was it? Where? Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, barely noticing how close they were.
Neji shushed her, then spoke softly again, "I don't know who it was, or even if it was even really there. I'm just being cautious."
TenTen mouthed 'oh', then nodded. She smirked slightly, poking him in his chest playfully before saying, "That still doesn't explain why you didn't tell me."
Now Neji smirked. He let go over her arm, looking down at her. "Aa. Well--
"Hey! Who the heck was that?!" Ino's voice shrilly sounded through the forest.
Neji and TenTen jerked up, glancing at one another and ran over to where they left their two teamates.
When they reached them, Ino was wide-eyed and Lee was standing in battle position, kunai at hand.
"What's going on?" TenTen asked.
Ino gulped, and stood up running over to TenTen.
"There...There was a ninja! H-he just ran--then he--and he..! Oh, his chakra!" She said, pointing to Lee.
TenTen looked questioningly over at Neji, who just shrugged.
"Lee?" Neji asked.
Then Lee went into a detailed story, that somehow ended with Gai-sensi defeating Napoleon. But fortunately, out of that, they got some facts: there was a ninja that just walked into the clearing, apparently following them. He didn't expect them to stop, so he decided to attack quickly then escape.
"So we've been found out?...Now what?"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I'm sooooo sorry! It's late, late, late! I don't know what to say! I started this a while ago, but I didn't know where to go with it so I just kept putting writing it off! Ack! And its short:P Sorry!!!!! Soccer season has started and I have like no life except: school, soccer, eat, and sleep... O.o Hopefully this will hold you over until next chapter? This chapter was actually suppose to be longer, but I decided to cut off writing the rest of it until next chapter so I could post this real quick... Sorry :( ...So review? Tell me if its too rushed or if I made it stupid in a way... Sorry for any grammar or spelling errors, I'm writing this on WordPad. (my laptop won't accept MicrosoftWord for some reason) I hope you're not disappointed by this chapter, I quickly wrote, and edited it. . Any hints or tips on where this should go? Any complaints? Tell me! xD
