Last time in 'Birthday Present'!

He was so busy concentrating on the shuriken that Naruto had just brought into play, that he completely missed the senbon headed towards his neck.

NOW…

There was a 'clang', and Kagome knocked the senbon aside. They nicked her arm, but she ignored it. Right now, her job was to protect Sasuke.

Sasuke looked at the weapon she held- a beautifully crafted katana. He had given it to her the day she had beaten him in a spar. Sasuke had had it made especially for her, and when she used it, the blade was like an extension of her arm.

Kagome took in her surroundings, and her bemused opponent. Not turning her back on the blonde, she addressed Sasuke, "Sasuke-sama, what happened? You said it was just an assassination on a civilian. There should be no shinobi. So, why am I here?"

Sasuke looked over at Naruto. "It's not mission-related."

Naruto stared at the girl who had appeared before Sasuke, his poor brain working so much overtime, Tsunade should have paid him extra. 'Who is she? Well, there's no headband, so she's no ninja. But how does she know teme? Hmmm…maybe she's a summon or something…But he didn't make any handsigns or anything. How could he have summoned her? Ahhh, screw this, I'll just ask her.'

"Hey! Who are you?" Naruto yelled at the girl. "Why are you here?"

Kagome looked at Sasuke, who gave her a slight nod to go ahead. "I'm Kagome. I'm here to protect Sasuke-sama."

Naruto opened his mouth to ask Kagome another question, but Sasuke cut him off. "This fight is between Naruto and me. Stay out of this."

Kagome pouted, as she leapt to an unoccupied tree, sitting on a branch. "You know very well, I can't do that, Sasuke-sama. But, whatever. Go ahead, continue."

Naruto stared at her, as she swung her legs back and forth in the air. Sasuke glared at his ex-teammate. Naruto realize what he had been doing, before Kagome had interrupted the fight.

Their battle began again.

Naruto noticed immediately that Sasuke was more distracted, glancing over at Kagome often. He took advantage of that, getting closer to him with every attack.

Sasuke was so busy making sure that none of Naruto's attacks were close enough to bring Kagome into the battle, that he never noticed Naruto create two clones, one to take his place in the battle, and the other to create the Rasengan.

That is, he didn't notice, until Naruto charged him with a ball of swirling chakra in his hand.

Sasuke swore, trying to dodge the attack, but he was too slow.

Naruto felt his Rasengan hit someone, and saw the black hair of the person he'd injured. Grinning in triumph, he scooped up Sasuke, and 'poof'-ed to Hokage Tower.

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