A/N: Chinkyaku! Thank you for reading this chapter. Both matou and meow worked very hard on it, and they hope you enjoy it. Some things to go over… They use a lot of words that are in different languages, but there will be footnotes at the bottom for your convince.

One last thing; this:

Means a time skip. Well read and enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto. But Naru will always be matou's kawaii bishi! . ' As Sasuke will always be meow's kawaii kami! --'

It's Just Training

By: matou and meow

Chapter 4

Hesitancy

Sakura's POV

We were the first team to cross into the forest, so of course I was pumped. Not even these gaudy jumpsuits could dampen my spirits, and I was ready to kick anybodies ass that dares to stand in our way of victory.

Anko, are scatterbrain instructor, informed us that we should keep the lead. Yet pace ourselves. Sure…pace ourselves? We all rolled our eyes at that remark. It didn't really stick into our minds 'till now. At first we were practically running; however now since our chakra was useless we got tired more quickly and started to walk.

It seemed that we were on the same trail for hours, and I was debating whether or not we were walking around in circles, or if the atmosphere was just really playing tricks on me. If I voiced my opinion and we weren't going in circles then the joke would be on me, giving Ino-pig something else to gloat about.

But…if we were going in circles and I did point it out we could figure out the correct route and be on our way to the first checkpoint. I then looked toward Gaara and shivered. He was the one who was navigating us, and what if he took it the wrong way?

I would have kept quit if not for my aching feet. I wouldn't have minded walking on solid dirt; actually I would have preferred it. This road was broken, slimy and started to cause my feet to form blisters, which throbbed pain through my legs whenever I walked; I might add. I looked up at my other teammates too see if they where having the same problem I was.

No luck, Gaara's face was devoid of any emotion and Ino just looked angry at the world. What a lively bunch we are, ne? My body was giving up and I had enough and decided taking my changes with Gaara's reaction then continuing on this god forsaking path,

"I think we're going in the wrong direction."

There I said it. Ino and Gaara both stopped simultaneously and stared back at me. Gaara was the map holder and the teammate captain and he looked at me as if he was offended; surprisingly enough he didn't speak. Except this look also brought a look of death which caused more series of shivers to run up and down my spine. I jumped back gawking at him. Since they didn't respond or interrupt I continued my theories,

"I think we might be caught in some sort of illusion…?"

Ino sighed in frustration and countered fiercely flipping her long blonde hair,

"Illusions involve chakra, if you haven't noticed…WE'RE ARE IN A FOREST THAT HAS NO CHAKRA!"

Several birds flew away screeching and cawing. I fought back the urge to punch her. I didn't understand for somehow that idea seemed more prepared in my head; than through my mouth. Gaara simply blinked, apparently not much for words. But he didn't reject my theory. Instead he pulled out the map and looked at it. He then looked around our surroundings. I watched fearfully, but nothing bad happen he just explained in a monotone voice,

"Perhaps, this map only gives us half of what where're supposed to do."

Ino blinked and jumped over toward the map saying stunned,

"Huh?"

Normal POV

The trio in matching crimson jumpsuits gathered around the map. Gaara pointed towards a dotted line that lead from the end of the path towards a bridge; that they were supposed to cross once they reached the end of the path. Gaara looked up towards the sky and narrowed his emerald eyes suspiciously, and continued in a voice just above a whisper;

"Like Sakura inclined…this doesn't seem right. My conclusion is that these maps don't give you the full set of instructions."

Ino's eyes light up as she looked at Sakura and joked playfully,

"So bubble-gum head, said something smart after all!"

Sakura stomped on Ino's foot, hard, countering in a bitter manner,

"I wouldn't talk Ino-pig!"

Ino started to jump around clinging to her throbbing foot. In her fits she had managed to thwack her head on a low branch, and then tripped over a rock and fell forward; off the pathway. Gaara folded the map and pointed in the direction, in which Ino fell and declared,

"That's the direction we will be going."

Sakura glided in front of Gaara and bent down towards Ino. Ino's eyes were wide and pupil less, her eyebrows curving in towards her eyes; drool slipping down the sides of her mouth. Than Sakura's gaze turned toward the nonexistent path they would be soon taking. The branches resembled claws that grabbed at you and the trees were closely knit together blocking out most of the sunlight. Sakura gulped and wished she never opened her mouth.

"Hmmm…down here?"

Sakura shakily asked. Gaara nodded and took the lead. Sakura pulled out a kunai from one of her pockets, gripping the handle with both hands she quickly closed the gap between her and Gaara. She didn't want to be separated. It was at that moment Ino scrambled up and whined,

"Don't forget about me! Ne, maybe we should ask for Anko's advice…?"

Normal POV

Shikamaru sat down lazily at the base of some rock formation and scratched the back of his head while saying bleakly,

"This is so bothersome."

Shino and Hinata were doubled over panting heavily. Shino looked toward Hinata and asked in an orderly fashion,

"Hinata…are you okay?"

Shino and Hinata had been on the same team before. So Shino has gotten to know Hinata fairly well. The two of them had a closer bond than they did with Shikamaru. Hinata straightened up and stuttered,

"Ha-Hai…"

Shikamaru pulled out the map and articulated, not paying attention to them,

"Those clones sure were strong…I didn't expect anything like that…"

Shino nodded and walked toward his new teammate and glanced at the map, and than started looking at the rock formation Shikamaru was leaning against. Gai-sensei's voice rang loud and frantic through Hinata's radio,

"Oh the power of youth strikes again!"

Hinata jumped at his voice, and looked at the radio, which was attached at her hip like it was a foreign object. Shikamaru turned on his radio and commented as he wiped the sweat from his forehead,

"It seems each clone has a weak point…and each weak point varies from clone to clone. If you find out the weak point that you can defeat them easily. It's simple, really."

The trio heard Gai sobbing. Then he spoke between sobs,

"I…am…so… proud…of…you!"

Shino's POV

There was something about Shikamaru that didn't fit quite right with me. Strong feelings brewed in the pit of my stomach; feelings of hatred and distrust were targeted towards him, and I couldn't figure out why. I presumed Shikamaru was a lazy genius who befriended everybody, yet somehow the way he maneuvered today seemed like it contradicted everything I thought of him. Sure his skills were everything I had expected, but his attitude changed dramatically.

The aura he was releasing felt arrogant like he was superior to both Hinata and me. I wanted so badly to pull Hinata aside and ask her for her opinion, but then again, maybe I'm just thinking too much into it and maybe this was how Shikamaru really worked. This just made me ask myself if teamwork could be accomplished within our trio.

Our assigned route was to cross over some rock ledges and from there, follow a barely visible trail until we reached what we assumed was the checkpoint. I wasn't sure what difficulty our map was, but by looking at the rock formation I came to the conclusion that it was probably the hardest map.

I pointed to where Shikamaru was resting and stated formally,

"We have arrived at our destination."

Shikamaru turned around and looked up at the dusty red rocks and responded slyly,

"So it appears."

Hinata's POV

'Baka, Hinata!' I chastised myself. I shouldn't have fallen so far behind. This squeamish feeling never left me and that only brought even more stress on me to catch up. My hands and feet were bruised and every muscle ached. The no chakra rule was putting strain on all of us, but I felt it mostly on myself. I had never been a very great student, and this new challenge was only bringing that out.

I had to be stronger, I wouldn't give up. Naruto's words of never giving up know matter what rang through my head. Suddenly I felt my face blush and I quick buried my head in my hands. 'Naruto-kun…I won't give up!'

I looked up and saw Shino and Shikamaru arguing once more. They were so far in head of me I couldn't make out their voices. I needed to get over there quickly. I hated when people quarreled, and I wanted to get to them to stop, as soon as I could. Like Gai-sensei said, 'We need teamwork and corporation in order to succeed.' Nevertheless, weaving around, and over rocks was more difficult, and exhausting than I thought.

Gai-sensei's harsh voice blasted through our radios, a big change from the last time he talked to us. His voice startled me and I toppled over onto a large rock. I realized he was scolding Shino and Shikamaru. Not liking the sounds of yelling at all; I turned the volume down. Before I could react, the rock that was supporting my body started to inch forward, and soon it was teetering over a black yawning abyss.

I screamed out in horror. There was a good three feet gap between me and the next ledge. I didn't want to die! I wouldn't give up. With tears forming in my eyes I jumped from the rock and my hands gripped several rocks on the ledge.

In the midst of my frantic leap, I felt the radio in my pocket slip out and I heard Gai-sensei's voice getting smaller and smaller, as my radio fell into the abyss.

I started to pull my body upwards, my fingers and hands raw and bloody. My fingers only made me realize how much danger I was in- if I let the pain take hold of me, it would override my fear, yet all I could think of was getting onto that little ledge.

I wouldn't give up, no matter what. I started to pull one knee over the ledge when I heard shouting from both Shino and Shikamaru. I almost didn't hear them; a fierce determination had gripped me, making my exhaustion disappear.

Suddenly I realized that their frantic shouts were filled with concern. I soon realized what their shouts were. It was a warning. The ledge in which I was climbing up started to crack and I felt pieces fall into the abyss.

I cried out once more and jerked myself upwards; extreme terror tightened its grip around me again. I soon started to run with everything I had toward Shino and Shikamaru. Everything around me became a blur. The ground beneath me was breaking apart. I saw another abyss and I thought if I leapt over it I could make it.

Tears streamed down my dirty face as I saw Shikamaru outstretch his hand, Shino was nowhere in sight. I jumped toward his hand, I reached out and at the last second the hand that could have saved me was pulled back. From that moment everything happened in slow motion.

My eyes bulged in astonishment as my hand swept through empty air. I was falling down. I was falling along with numerous rocks down into the abyss. The moments of weightlessness in the midst of all this terror made me calm, if only for a brief second.

I slammed against the side of the cliff and tried to grab onto something, anything that would prevent me from falling any further.

I looked up and saw Shikamaru outstretch his hand toward me as if him pulling back had been only an accident, and his lips started to curl into a smirk.

I felt my left hand grab onto a small ledge that jutted out from the cliff, but it cracked under my weight, and once again I was falling through the air, my eyes overflowing with wetness…a certain wetness that wasn't tears.

I felt my body hit something solid. I opened my eyes and saw Shikamaru and Shino both yelling into their radio's, than I closed my eyes and saw Naruto smiling at me and saying, "You're really awesome Hinata." I felt a smile creep across my face, but all that greeted me was darkness, and an outstanding calmness.

A/N: Please review if you enjoyed it!

Footnotes:

Chinkyaku: Welcome visitors

Kami: God

Kawaii: Cute

Nani: What/Huh

Baka: Fool/Stupid/Idiot etc

Hitai-ate: Headband