For the people who don't really like Haruka: I know, she's kinda an unlikable character. I wanted to portray that she was a little emotionally impaired, and that she didn't really grasp the consequences of her actions. However, I acknowledge that I had made her too overpowering, and I promise I will take your views into consideration. Also, apologies if I made Kiba too much of a wimp, but considering the situation I thought it made perfect sense as it was a shock to the system for him. Thank you all for telling me your concerns with the characters, I will do my best to reach your needs.

Anyways, back to Chapter 7. I tried to make Choji 'thoughtful' in this due to his kind nature. Hope you guys like :)

Choji's P.O.V

Crisp supply gone, I grunted at my misfortune and looked to Shino inquiringly. Shino looked back. A silent discussion followed, made with raised eyebrows, nods and narrowed eyes. A few moments passed.

"Kiba's gone," I stated simply, crumbling the crisp packet and throwing it in the bin, "He's not coming back, is he?"

Shino nodded, knowing that Kiba would have come rushing back to boast if it had being good news. When sulking, or feeling bad, Kiba would huff away on his own. Everyone knew this, but no one wanted to say it out loud. It was bad enough that Lee hadn't come back, and he always bounced back from a bad ordeal.

It left me wondering. Rock Lee was one of the people who would always stand up and try again, no matter how hard the blow, and if he couldn't deal with this…what chance did I have? Me, the used-to-be-chubby guy who had no backbone until during the war, who had somehow forced his kindness into some kind of strength…what chance did I have, if the almighty Rock Lee had fallen and had not stood up again?

Naruto was currently glaring at Sasuke, a silent war between the two of them as they both refused to give in to the others point of view, and I studied them both. Naruto was a lot like Lee-he never gave up. Sasuke had the same quality, despite the two of them being as different as sun and moon, night and day.

After the day is over, would they still be standing against this challenge, or would they be turning their backs? I knew for a fact that if Naruto gave up, then I would.

If Naruto gave up it meant the world was a completely different place, and I didn't want to live in that world. I didn't want anyone to give up, because if they did then they wouldn't be who they are right now.

"Guys," I said carefully, drawing everyone's attention, "Let's make a deal."

Sasuke even turned his head at my words, his flat stare sparking with interest.

"I want us all to promise that we won't give up on this soulmate stuff," I told them, holding their stares, "I don't want us to change after today because something may go wrong. I want us all to continue being happy."

A beaming smile came from Naruto, and he chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"Who says we're gonna change?" he asked.

Shrugging, I turned to glance at Shino, who was inspecting a fly on his index finger. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, so I turned to Sasuke, only to find that he had turned back around to stare out the window.

"If something does go wrong, I just want to know that we'll all be the same people afterwards, and can bounce back," I muttered, trying to compel them to agree to the promise, "Take Lee. If he changed it would be terrible, because he's great just how he is."

Sasuke turned his head a fraction, his eye pinning me as if urging me to explain further, but Naruto was grinning, speaking before I could say anymore.

"I promise," he told me, "even though we'll all be the same anyway. I will be the same knucklehead, Sasuke will always be his genius self, Shino will always be talking in his weird way…Nothing will change!"

Frowning, I thought back to when Kankuro had excused himself and left for Sasuke's house. When he had returned from his summoning I was relieved, but as Kiba's session passed by he had grown restless and worried. He had left for crying out loud, and that was odd.

I was already seeing the changes taking place. It was frightening me.

"I ain't promising nothing," Sasuke sighed, crossing his arms, "There will be changes no matter what, depending on what happens."

Naruto scowled at that, leaning over to the raven-head with blazing passion.

"But we will always be us!" he ranted, "Jeez Sasuke, something is really off about you today. Normally you're an ass, but today you're being more of an ass than normal."

Sasuke blinked, shock filtering through his emotionless face at Naruto's blunt confrontation, but then he scowled. It was evident that challenging him about his attitude wasn't going to get answers, but that didn't stop Naruto from trying.

"Leave it, Naruto, there's nothing wrong with me," Sasuke ground out, gritting his teeth, "I just hate being forced into meeting my supposed 'true love'."

Another debate between the two heated up, causing Shino to grunt and hang his head in the corner, as if silently wishing to disappear. I felt as if I was losing everyone in this tense little room.

When the door finally swung open, revealing ANBU, I stood stock still a moment. Up until now I had being nervous, sure, but now that the time had come it felt all too real. A new tingle of fear raced through me as I wiped my hands on my trousers thoroughly, getting rid of any crumbs, and then I went with the ANBU.

I'm not just scared for the others, but also for myself. Pa had recently expressed concern that I should settle down with a woman and take over as head of the clan. In an attempt to satisfy his wishes I lost weight with the claim that it may help with finding a wife, but I was lying. I had known that I wouldn't really go looking for love, because I didn't have the courage to even try.

Now this soulmate of mine…there's no running from her if she's interested in chasing the true love stuff, but how could she love me? I've never had a proper girlfriend; my small romance with Ino didn't count, because it lasted little over a month, and I have the feeling that she was only with me because she pitied me.

There wasn't anything remotely remarkable about me.

As ANBU escorted me down the stairs I smoothed out my hair in a sad attempt to look presentable. I didn't want to force upon her (if she was interested) the duty of being married to someone who was soon to be busy being the head of the clan. I didn't want her to marry me if she thought she had to, and that it would impress my family. All I want is for her to be with me because she loved me. That's all.

Tsunade smiled at me as I came down the stairs, soothing my nerves a little, and she gestured to me to come forward. I was unnerved by the gloom of the dungeon like room, and by the strange ritual circles and masked nin, but they didn't scare me. They're just creepy.

"How's the tension up there?" she asked kindly, smiling.

A faint smile graced my lips, but only for a split second.

"Tense."

Tsunade's eyes dulled at that information, probably knowing full well that Sasuke and Shino weren't the most cheerful of characters. The only ones that could withstand the gloom those two radiated would be Naruto and Lee, but Naruto was really struggling with Sasuke today.

Everything's changing.

"Are you ready?" Tsunade asked.

I nodded; though I wanted to shake my head, but she went on to explain everything to me. Hardly able to follow what she was saying, I wished that I could ask Shikamaru for his opinion, but he was busy.

Everything is changing.

My brain felt dumb when I crossed over to the circle, as if it were full of cotton wool. When I drew blood I felt slow and sluggish, as if everything was slow motion. Is this mission, a trial run for a new jutsu, really going to make us happy? Did we really need to fall in love?

Sighing, I brought my hand down, releasing chakra into the circle's centre, and the haunting chant of the masked nin surrounding the circle started to ring in my ears.

I don't know anymore. I just don't know.

A tingle of unease grew inside me, feather light, subtle, and I became aware of a deep sense of desperation. It wasn't my own desperation, but someone else's. At this I gasped, finally coming to my senses, all the fog in my mind gone. Yes, this is scary, and I don't have answers, but what about her? What if she needed love, but couldn't find it because I wasn't there?

Grasping at the feeling of desperation, I realised that the sensation felt like it was in the form of something cool, like glass. The glass was vibrating in warning, announcing how close she was, and I was aware that Tsunade was squinting at something, so I followed her gaze to the smaller circle in front, finding the source of her interest.

It was a black hole, gaping into nothingness. Concern filled me as I considered if this meant I had no soulmate, but then something started to trickle out of the black hole. I scooted closer to see what was coming out, only to find that they were sharp chips of…glass? No, that's not it: they're the fragments of a broken mirror.

Bewildered, I stared as the fragments melted into each other, forming a silver pool that seemed to reflect its surroundings. Tsunade had said that how they would arrive linked in to their personality, so what does this show? What does it mean if my girl is a mirror?

The silver fluid was warping into shape, filling out dangerous curves and long legs. My eyes popped as I realised the size of her breasts, as they were rather large and impressive, and then I recognised I knew this person. Not as in I've met her before, but I knew her from the front of magazines and posters, normally clad in some expensive clothing or revealing bikini. Shikamaru and I used to pour over the 'naughty' magazines when we were teens, but now…with the person who had become our teenage crush standing in front of me…

Tsunade stared as the silver pool finally smoothed out, revealing the deliciously creamy skin and long blonde bombshell hair. Her full red lips were parted, and her warm brown eyes glanced around quickly in alarm at her new location. The ANBU stared. The masked creeps stared.

She was in her underwear. Black, lacy, see-through underwear.

Gulping in awe at the mass amount of cleavage and revealed flesh, I blushed furiously and closed my eyes, alarmed at how erotic she was. It was embarrassing to know that I had marvelled over her naked body in magazines…

"Wakahisa Minori?" Tsunade asked, looking over to the beauty, "The model?"

At this Minori looked to Tsunade, seemingly not ashamed at being in her underwear, and she nodded.

"Why yes, honey. Yes I am," she answered, her voice like smooth chocolate, "My, can ya tell a girl why she's in such a disgusting place?"

She nodded, gesturing to the ANBU beside her, explaining to Minori that ANBU would tell her everything. Minori blinked with her big long lashes, raising a neatly plucked brow.

"I ain't shy of ma body and all, hun, but I think I should cover up, yeah babe?"

I shook my head. My soulmate is the source of every teen boy wet dream…oh damn…and she's right here, practically naked.

Minori's warm eyes landed on me, and she smirked a seductive smile at my embarrassment.

"Nar, c'mon now boy, ya never seen a woman before?" she cooed, bending over and blowing me a kiss, her arms closing at the elbows in order to make her breasts bulge dangerously.

Unable to answer, I simply watched as she winked at me, and then she gave me a wave as she was escorted away by ANBU, a blanket now wrapped around her. She was laughing, making one of the ANBU guys ears redden as she draped herself against him. I frowned.

Not only am I never looking at dirty magazines again, but I'm going to have to tell her to be less flirtatious, because even though we haven't being introduced as soulmates yet…I'm jealous that she's flirting with other men.

Minori's P.O.V

These rigid ANBU guys are no fun. Every time I look at them, or smile, they look away as if I'm dirty. It's almost as if they think that looking at me was sinful.

"Ya know, boys, ya lot could be a lot less threatening ya know," I told them as we walked down the dark gloomy corridors, "Ya would think yarl all have a stick up ya asses."

No one responded to my words, and I sighed dramatically. I was used to this kind of treatment from men. They would either ogle at me and whistle, or they would ignore me and avoid looking at me entirely. With women, they either adore my curves or want to know my secrets, or they eye me suspiciously.

Put it quite simply, I'm tired of the way people treat me just due to my profession.

"Can I make a request for a drink o fine wine?" I asked the ANBU guy to my right, placing my hand on his bicep in order to gain his attention, "It would make ma mighty glad, ya know."

He shrugged my arm off silently, not answering me at all.

I swore at him boldly then, not even caring that he could hear me. His ears reddened at my curses, but he still made no comment.

"Oh, I get it naw," I hissed, glaring at them, "Ya all think imma slut, yeah? Well yarl all heard da lady in there, imma model, so ya all can drop the frosty attitude, yes?"

They didn't even glance towards me, but the guy on my left told me to be quiet. When they opened a door one of them pushed me through slightly, causing me to swear at them sourly. Stumbling through the door, barefoot, cold and wrapped in a hideous blanket, I looked around and saw that there were more ninja folk in there.

"Come and sit down please," one guy asked me quietly, his eyes surprised at seeing me.

I pouted, sulking with how I had being ignored earlier.

Studying the guy who had spoken, I saw that he had the 'lazy bones' look, and his hair was spikey. I knew a few modelling agencies who were looking for the calm collected type kinda guy, and he was perfect.

"Ya could model if yarl wanted, mister," I told him, sitting down in front of him, "Ya got tha sexy sleepy look goin on."

He stared at me a moment, frowning, but then raised his eyebrows and sighed.

"You're in Konoha, and were summoned by a jutsu that finds soulmates," he told me, ignoring what I had told him, "We can give you the choice of following this soulmate business through, or we can teleport you back home."

I giggled, leaning back in the chair and shaking my blonde hair out.

"Yarl all must think imma a stupid bitch," I smiled, checking my nails, "but I dunna believe in soulmates."

Lazy Bones guy facepalmed, and then peered up at me tiredly.

"Well, they do exist, because you're here, and the summoning jutsu works on soulmates. So…" he muttered, holding up a file and dumping it on the table, "You can either read about him, and decide if you do or don't want to follow this through."

Enraged by his impatience with me, I gathered he did think me a stupid bitch. Drumming my nails against the table, I snatched up the file and read through the information. I was surprised to find that my 'soulmate' was the guy I had blown a kiss to in that dreadful dungeon. I looked up at Lazy Bones.

"Choji?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "He's cute and all, but has he ever had a girlfriend? Before, he couldn't even look at me."

Lazy Bones yawned, annoying me, but he locked his eyes with mine.

"Look, he's my best friend. Choji has had a girlfriend, but that was a while ago. He's a really sweet guy, a true gentleman, so he probably couldn't look at you because he was looking at a near naked woman who he didn't know. The polite thing to do: he looked away."

I laughed at his words, amused, but I felt my curiosity bending towards this guy Choji. As a little girl I had dreamt of being with a 'gentleman', and that he would treat me with respect and make me feel special. Yet, as I grew up I was used a lot, lied to, beaten…I ran away from home so that I could escape my controlling ex, and I started a new life as Wakahisa Minori. I dyed my hair from dark blonde to bombshell blonde, I got all toned and fit, started wearing makeup and wearing pretty things…I wanted to be as different to my true self as possible. I even changed the way I talked, just so I didn't sound like my true self.

I wanted to be a hollow doll, pretty for all to see, but feeling nothing on the inside.

"Say I agreed," I started, startling the guys in the room with my change of voice, "would I be able to pull out whenever I want to?"

When he nodded, I sighed, biting at a manicured nail. If Choji was indeed the gentleman of my dreams, I should give this a chance.

"Okay then, I agree," I told them, crossing my arms, "but only if ya get an agreement from him, sayin that if I wanna walk away then I can, and he can't chase me."

A few raised eyebrows followed from my request, but they agreed and sent word to Choji. Within twenty minutes they had an agreement from him, and I agreed officially to continue with the soulmate stuff. However, he had a request from me also.

He wanted me to stop wearing revealing clothing, and to not flirt with any other guys.

I gritted my teeth, but agreed. It seems even my soulmate thinks me a slut.

When I was escorted to the hotel I was oddly quiet, asking no questions or anything. Yes, I would try and make this work, but I don't want to let him in. I've put up a façade for so long, I don't really want anyone to see through it and to the real me.

ANBU left me in my hotel room, promising to bring back some of my things, and I finally slouched into relaxation. My back hurt, and I cursed my big tits for their enormous size; blasted things are a pain for my back.

Looking around the room, I felt grim at how inexpensive it looked. Everything felt basic and minimal, but it oddly reminded me of my old life, back before I became Wakahisa Minori. Those weren't very nice days, back when I was someone else.

I'm glad I'm not there now.

The main issue is, as you guys can probably see, is that Choji will be jealous and untrusting, and that Minori will not want to reveal who she really is.

Also, review, advise and criticise!

Next up is Shino, and I admit that I have struggled with his pairing. If any of you have any ideas I'm all ears, but tell me before 3:00pm tomorrow! xD Taa taa for now, bye!