Eight - Innocence - Team Seven

The three of them stood in front of the Hokage's desk, watching as she scrutinized each of them. Each had a different reaction - Sakura's gaze diverted to the floor, Naruto kept shifting from one foot to the other, and Sasuke maintained an expression of boredom.

At last, Tsunade spoke. "Do any of you know why you're here?" No answer. Lifting her eyes to the office door, she called, "Madam Shijimi?"

A large woman entered - one who the team recognized easily by the aggrieved-looking cat dangling from her clutches. Beady eyes watched them all with something akin to a plea for help.

"Are these the ones?" Madam Shijimi demanded, her eyes - heavy with make-up - darting from one Genin to the next. "Are these the miscreants that attacked me and tried to take my darling Tora?"

Tsunade cleared her throat to gain the other woman's attention. "Pardon me, but didn't you say that only one person came after your cat?"

"So I did, so I did," the cat-lady mused, absently stroking her pet on the head. Every time her meaty hand came down, it merely served to bop poor Tora on the head.

"Naruto, do you know anything about this?" Tsunade asked, her voice firm.

"No," the blonde boy scowled. "Why would I want to jump some lady and her cat?"

"She's not just 'some lady,'" Sakura hissed at him. "She's the wife of the Fire Daimyo!" She glanced nervously at Tsunade - now the Hokage was looking at her.

"What about you, Sakura?" The voice was calm, though not in a comforting way. Tsunade was a coiled spring - the instant guilt was expressed, the perpetrator was going to find themselves in for a world of hurt.

"N-no, ma'am," the girl said quickly. Almost too quickly. She forced herself not to fidget and to meet the other's gaze - she would not be labelled as guilty.

Tsunade's eyes turned toward Sasuke; she seemed to pause. "I don't suppose I really have to ask if it was you."

He moved one shoulder in a half-shrug. "Naruto already said it - why would I want to take her cat?"

Leaning back in her chair, Tsunade sighed. "All right then - the three of you can leave. Madam Shijimi, is there anything else you can tell me about the person who tried to take Tora?" The office door closed, cutting off any further dialogue as Team Seven left.

Reaching the foot of the stairs at ground level, Sasuke stopped, turning to face Sakura. "So. Why did you lie?"

"Didn't you see the look on that poor cat's face?" she said, pointing back the way they'd come. "He runs away all the time, and no wonder, the way she treats him. She lugs him around like a sack of potatoes!"

Naruto glanced between the two of them. "What the heck are you guys talking about?"

"Moron - don't tell me you didn't clue in back there. Sakura was the one who tried to take the cat."

"Only because what she's doing is practically animal cruelty!" Sakura said defensively. "I felt bad enough when it was our mission to catch him - I couldn't just sit there and do nothing."

"Well, any stunt you can get away with is a good one by me!" Naruto broke in, grinning. "And way to go for pulling one over on Grandma Tsunade!"

Sakura sighed inwardly. Trust Naruto to condone lying to the Hokage.