The tension in the dining room could almost be heard crackling in the humid atmosphere. In fact it was very well represented by the lightening streaking through the dark, inky night sky outside; a sure sign of another freak storm to come.

"M`ladies, gentlemen."

The valet Lee came in with a vat full of some liquid.

"Thank you, Lee." Sakura dismissed the valet and addressed her guests, "We had Lee go into town to bring this ramen Naruto talks of so fondly." The three boys glanced at each uneasily. Sasuke raised one eyebrow, "Hn, town is really far away from here."

"Well, that's why we have transport, right?" Ino retorted. Shikamaru noticeably slunk down further into his seat, the day`s fiasco was clearly still fresh in her mind.

"Wait, I didn`t see any garage or any car…" Naruto frowned, more than happy to put off tasting of another unknown dish.

"Well, its at…at the bavk of the castle alright!" Ino snapped. Sakura shot her a fleeting, bone-chilling glare. Ino`s scowl vanished immediately, replaced by her signature charming, mischevious smile. "But, let`s not worry about that, the raamen is getting cold."

"You mean ramen."

"Yes, that."


"I am getting sick. SO. Damn. Sick. Of these boys….!" Ino said, no yelled, stomping her feet.

"Yes Ino, I think you`ve made that quite clear. In fact, so clear, they seemed ready to run off into the storm and face your panthers than stay at the castle." Sakura looked ready to burst, each word fraught with white-hot rage.

"B-but Sakura…" Ino stammered, shrinking away from the raging beauty.

"We have worked too hard, for way too long, to throw away the chance to finally, finally complete it."

"I know, Sakura but…."

"No buts Ino…"

"S-Saku-Sakura, m-maybe y-you-you`re…" Hinata broke in, attempting to extinguish the fire that had ignited, but failing miserably before a certain pair of smoldering emerald eyes.

There was a silence.

Then Sakura let out a long sigh, her shoulders and face drooping. When she looked up, a small smile played on her lips. "I`m sorry you guys, I`m being a total bitch." When Ino nodded in agreement, Sakura let out a small, chiming laugh. "Alright, alright I apologise." Taking Ino`s and Hinata`s hands in her own, she gave each a squeeze. "Let`s get rid of these parasites."

"Oooh, night games..!" Ino`s eyes gleamed with a dangerous thrill.


"Teme, We-I need to talk to you." Naruto hastily corrected himself as Shikamaru nudged him in the stomach.

"Hn."

"I-I don`t think we should stay."

"Hn. Why is that?"

"Its just that you`ve been acting so weird."

"Hn. No, I haven`t."

"Yes, you have, believe it!"

"Sasuke," Shikamaru broke in, "This is such a drag. I mean these girls are so troublesome."

Sasuke was silent… He knew something was wrong, terribly wrong. His head was screaming at him to run, get the hell away from this god-forsaken place…but something was pulling, reeling him in, as though a spell bound him with this place…Sakura`s voice rang in his ears, stay,stay,stay….

"Okay," he said slowly, "We leave, tomorrow."


Blackness veiled the night. The moons and the stars were lost in the dark, menacing clouds that hovered in the sky. Not a ray of silvery moonshine could penetrate the dense, unnatural cloud cover. It was as though the blackness had swallowed up any and all living creatures present. The silence was deafening, the calm frightening. The calm before the storm.


Heyyo...!

I know its been long since ive updated, but its been long i got a review so i dont have much incentive :P

Aaannyyways,

I managed this chapter, and yes I know its a tad bit boring, but hey its the calm before the storm ;)

Review pleeeeeaaaaase!