A/N: EEE! I'm so excited, the action is so close! My bff, Rae-chan, and I brain stormed some ideas for the fight, and I can't wait to type it!! So, I think I'm going to bring the fight sooner, instead of putting some meaningless chapters before it. Who cares about proving the rumors are fake? There is plenty of time after the fight! Wahoo! I'm so excited. Alright, enough meaningless chatter. Dedication, Disclaimer, then on to the story!! Oh! Btw, I finally made it to Shippuuden!
Dedication: To Rae-chan! My bestestestestest friend who is genius! Te amo Rachel! (btw, you should read our co-authored stories, "Nejikun: You will Love me" and "Inopig: You are so annoying". Oh, and Rae-chan's story "The New girl". lol, thanks.)
Disclaimer: I wish I had something creative to put here, but I don't. So I'll just put the boring "I don't own Naruto" thing. Btw, I'm glad I don't. I'd rather live in the Naruto world than be the big boss of it. Lol.
Story time!
"What took so long, Kataki?"
"I got here as soon as I could. They've been keeping a close eye on us. Obviously the Konoha Ninja are more observant than we planned," She answered.
"No, they are just more careful. Ever since Orochimaru attacked them."
"Hm. You've got a point there."
"More observant than you planned." He added. Kataki looked away.
"Sure."
"Tell Yuri that plans have changed, and that she needs to do it today, whether or not she's ready," He said.
"What? If she's not ready, she can die," Kataki said, fearing for her comrade's life.
"So?" Kataki turning her head to look into his dark onyx eyes.
"It would be worthless to just throw her life away!"
"You knew the consequences when you agreed to this," He said, his eyes flashing.
"You know I would do anything for you," She murmured.
"You say that, but you contradict that by saying such ridiculous and petty things!"
"I'm sorry."
"Go tell Yuri, you've wasted too much time. The ANBU are probably getting suspicious," He commanded. Kataki nodded in submission. After all, she should be happy that he was even speaking to her. She didn't deserve it, especially after speaking against him.
---
"The plan won't work! I need more time!" Yuri whispered fiercely to her 'mother'.
"It can't be helped," Kataki answered. She glanced around. "I'll distract the troublesome ANBU, you go on with the plan. I'll meet you as planned."
"How will you distract the ANBU?" Yuri questioned.
"There's only two, and one is exhausted. I've studied her chakra flow, and she has an irregular flow. She must have some disease and hasn't told anybody. It'll be a cinch," Kataki answered smugly.
"Be careful, don't do anything foolish, nee-chan," Yuri warned. Sometimes Kataki was too confident.
"I will prove my worth, he'll have to notice me," Kataki answered with a determined look.
"Mother! I love you! I'm sorry that I've been such a brat about moving here," Yuri said aloud, ending their whispered conversation.
"It's alright, Yuri-dear. Why don't you head home, I'll see you in a little bit. I have some business on the edge of town," Kataki said.
"Ok, Mother!" Yuri called. She smiled to herself as she walked in the opposite direction. The ANBU didn't follow her, obviously they decided that Kataki-nee-chan was more of a threat at this point. This was too easy.
---
"Ino, what are you doing here?"
Ino looked up to see Shikamaru standing and looking down at her. Ino knew that she'd see him; after all, this was his favorite place. Ino also knew that he always came out to this hill when he needed to think. So she decided she would try it out. She half smiled at him.
"I'm just trying you're favorite place out," Ino answered. Shikamaru smiled and laid down next to her.
"You're not going to take it from me, are you?" He asked, clasping his hands behind his head, mimicking Ino's pose. Ino laughed.
"Nah, I don't think I will. It's nice and all, but there isn't enough flowers," Ino answered
"Ino, there aren't any flowers on this hill."
"Exactly," She said.
"Why do you need flowers?" Shikamaru asked, watching the clouds drift by.
"Well, I've been around flowers my whole life. I just find a certain comfort in them," Ino said thoughtfully. Shikamaru seemed to be contemplating this, or he just watching the clouds, because he fell silent and continued to gaze up at the sky.
"What made you come out here?"
"I just need to think and be alone," Ino answered, shifting from her position. Her arms were getting numb.
"Sorry to ruin that for you."
"Nah, it's ok," Ino said, pulling up grass shots and spinning them between her fingers.
"What'd you come to think about?" Shikamaru asked. Ino tried to find another comfortable position on the grass, but sat up instead.
"I needed some space, so I came here to think about the rumor and about Kiba," She pulled up some more grass, and piled the uprooted plants in front of her.
"Oh, I heard about the rumor. Did you really sleep with him?" Ino made a face, and began ripping the shoots into little pieces. Just needing something to do with her hands.
"No, I didn't."
"What were you thinking about Kiba?" Shikamaru asked.
"What is this, 20 questions?" Ino asked with a laugh.
"No, Ino I'm serious."
"I don't want to tell you, you'll get jealous," Ino said. Shikamaru nodded, that was enough answer for him. Secretly, he had hoped that this rumor would cause them to break up. He wanted to say something about it, but he had made her a promise. They were quiet again for a while, this time the silence didn't break until it was time for Ino to leave.
"I'm supposed to meet Kiba. We have to prove the rumor wrong," Ino stood up with a sigh. Even though Shikamaru wished that they had broken up, he didn't want Ino to have to through this.
"Good luck, troublesome woman," Shikamaru said.
---
"I told you, I'm fine,"
"You look like you're going to collapse."
"You should have followed the daughter, what if she's up to something?"
"You are just trying to get me to leave you alone," He said stubbornly.
"No, I'm trying to get you to do your job," She said with a sigh.
"The daughter is heading home. The mother, she's taking care of 'business' and I need to be here to help you."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"No matter what you say, I'm not going to leave you alone," He said, stubbornly again.
---
"Ino!"
"Naruto," Ino said in reply. She paused for him to catch up, continuing to walk once he did.
"Where are you going?" He inquired.
"I'm heading to meet Kiba so we can ask Tsunade-sama to help us prove the rumors wrong," Ino said, hating the look Naruto made as he recalled the rumor.
"Oh, that rumor," Naruto said, quietly.
"Yeah."
"Ino," Naruto said hesitantly, "I need to tell you something."
"What is it, Naruto?" Ino asked bluntly, cutting to the chase. Ino wasn't in the mood for this 'dance around' crap.
"Well, I was just trying to help and…," Naruto paused, seeming at a loss for words. Ino sighed.
"Naruto, what did you do?" Ino asked. Naruto words and the nervous look on his face told Ino that this couldn't be good news.
"I told Sakura all about…when I found you crying…and I told her what you said. And I'm pretty sure you said…'It's hard enough getting used to not sleeping with Kiba, but now he's on a mission and I miss him'" Naruto said. Ino froze.
"…I miss him a lot. It's already hard to get used to him not sleeping with me, but when he's gone it's even harder. On that mission, we formed a strong bond…"
"NARUTO!" Ino said, her anger flaring. Naruto flinched, but that didn't stop her fist. It connected with his jaw and sent him back a few steps. He reached up and touched the tender spot where her punch landed, and winced.
"Ino-chan…," Naruto said.
"NARUTO! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE PUT ME THROUGH?" Ino yelled, tears burning the back of her throat. Ino held up her fist again, put hesitated when he held up his hands to shield his face. "You baka!" Ino said, her voice lowered, along with her fist. He had to stifle a sigh of relief, happy to know that she was done hitting him.
"Naruto!" Her arm shot through the air, and, in horror, Naruto flinched again. She didn't hit him, though. Instead, she grabbed a hold of his collar and began to drag him down the street. "You're coming with me to see Tsunade-sama," She said.
"Naruto!"
Ino paused, and they both turned to see Yuri running down the street.
---
Hmm, Ino is with him. I didn't really like her in the first place, so maybe I should bring her along. I wouldn't mind seeing her suffer. Yuri thought as she ran towards the two blondes.
"What is it, Yuri-nee-chan?" Naruto asked, curiously.
"I saw a boy with raven black hair outside of Konoha in the woods a little way," Yuri said pointing in the direction, the opposite direction that Kataki-nee-chan had gone, "When I tried to ask him who he was and what he was doing, his eyes changed red and he blew a humongous fire ball at me!"
"Sasuke!" Naruto said, wiggling out of Ino's grasp and running in the direction that Yuri had pointed to.
"Naruto! Wait up!" Ino ran after him, recalling the last time he had faced Sasuke and the condition he had returned in. She couldn't just leave him by himself. Yuri smiled, and began running as well.
"Follow me, I'll show you the way," Yuri said, as she came up alongside Naruto. Naruto nodded, and they continued to run, soon on the outskirts of the village. "Just that way, in the trees," Yuri said as they neared the pre-determined meeting place. When they reached the correct clearing Yuri pointed to a branch, where he was standing.
"That's not Sasuke…," Ino said. Naruto shook his head, it wasn't Sasuke, but he still recognized this person.
"No…it's…"
A/N: Sorry for the cliff-hanger. Ok, I admit it, I'm not really sorry. But I had to, ok? Don't you agree that cliff-hangers make the story better? Anyway, I can't wait till the next chapter. (wowza! 1762 words!)
-Melanie-chan
