Zabuza was awoken by his young protégé.

"Dammit what now?"

"Zabuza-san, we must leave this place now"

"Oi nin? They shouldn't have caught up yet"

"Iie. Konoha nin. The team we encountered had received backup"

"So what. I can deal with all of them"

"Not a day after coming out of a near death state and with a still injured arm. It is best we disappear"

As much as Zabuza hated to admit it, Haku was right. With things as they were he could barely move. Gruffly he nodded. The corrupt businessman died before he had a chance to call them for help.

zzzzzzzz

With the death of Gatou it seemed a huge weight had been lifted from the shoulders of Nami no Kuni. The bridge was completed and the Konoha shinobi were set to leave. The grateful people of Wave named the bridge in honor of their saviors, the Great Leaf Bridge. With great fanfare the shinobi start their trek back home. Despite it all Naruto felt somewhat unsatisfied.

"Man. I wanted to fight. This sucks balls"

"Naruto-kun, just because we didn't have much to do this mission doesn't mean that we won't in the next"

Naruto made a slight grumbling noise as Hinata admonished him. Anko turned to her team.

"Don't worry. We'll get a real C rank mission when we get back"

Ino wasn't too interested in another mission so soon, but was wise to hold back her comment. No sense in antagonizing her sensei without a very good reason. Iruka cleared his throat.

"Anko-chan, do you have to ride on my back the whole way back to Konoha?"

"Aw, do you not like holding me close Iru-kun?"

Anko pressed her chest harder into the school teacher's back, causing him to blush. The blush deepened when she began to whisper dirty nothings into his ear. Kotetsu and Izumo shared a thought.

'Damn lucky bastard'

zzzzzzz

Once the group got back to Konoha the adults went off to give their reports to the Hokage the genin were left to their own devices. Hinata was quick to snatch Naruto and vanish to parts unknown. Ino sighed.

"Dammit. I need a boyfriend"

That being said she still liked the looks she was drawing on her walk back home. She decided to take the scenic route just to enjoy them more. On her way she passed team nine as they were resting from their last training session. Ino decided to call out to them like Anko had shown her.

"Hey boys! How's life treating you?"

The dulcet tones drew their attention immediately. They even blinked in unison. Chouji found his voice first.

"Whoa, Ino what happened to you?"

"I bear a similar curiosity"

Ino giggled and twirled around for them.

"Anko-sensei took me shopping. Like the result?"

Ino reveled in the appreciative nods from team nine. She just had to go try this out on team seven.

"Well I can see you're all really busy, so I must be going"

Ino turned to leave and after a few steps blew them a kiss over her shoulder. Putting a little extra hip in her step Ino sauntered off. Chouji again broke the silence.

"Ino's always been pretty, but wow!"

"Duly noted. But it seems our comrade is suffering from the effects of Law # 40"

"Wha? Law # 40?"

Shino looked at Shikamaru, as did Chouji. Shikamaru, who had been silent do far, spoke up.

"What?"

Chouji sagely nodded.

"Ah, now I get it"

Shikamaru was confused. True he was a bit stunned by Ino's new look, but-

)drip(

"Mendokusei"

It was then his teammates started to laugh at him.

'I got a nosebleed because of INO! Oh sweet merciful God please do not let her find out about this!!'

zzzzzzzzzzz

Unfortunately for him Ino did know.

'I can't believe this! I made Shikamaru react like that! I must really be hot stuff in this get up. Now I need to find Sasuke! I bet he'll have a fun reaction to my new clothes. And I can make Sakura jealous too!'

With even more spring in her step than should be possible Ino made her way to team seven's usual training field.

zzzzzzz

Hinata was in heaven. She had Naruto in the clothing store with her and he was trying on all the clothes she suggested. The store clerks were less enthused about their newest customer but wouldn't dare speak against the Hyuga heiress. Not unless they wanted to invite her clan's wrath.

"That looks very good on you Naruto-kun"

"Heh heh. I clean up pretty good eh?"

Hinata nodded serenely but was drooling on the inside. Formal wear looked so good on her Naruto. There had to be some way to make him wear it more often.

'Maybe I should invite him over for a formal dinner.. his etiquette lessons have been going quite well…'

Of course that would only lead to more dinners and parties… and everyone knew you could never wear the same outfit twice to such events. Hinata's smile brightened. Naruto felt a strange chill in the air, but couldn't figure out what it was.

'I wonder why Hinata's making me try on all these clothes. Could she be planning something? Nah, of course not'

The young Hyuga sneezed cutely.

zzzzzzz

It was another lazy wait for their teacher for team seven. Meaning of course Sakura was busy writing in her notebook, Sasuke was scowling at nothing in particular, and Kiba was playing with Akamaru. Oddly tranquil scene though it was, Ino could hardly wait to shatter it.

"Hiiiii! I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

Ino was again treated to having all eyes focus on her. Sadly Sasuke took one glance and went back to scowling. The blonde was disappointed.

'What a frigid guy… I bet I could be naked and get the same reaction out of him'

"Ish ahh Inuo waff ooo doain ear?"

"Hmm? Gomen Kiba, you'll have to stop drooling for me to understand what you said" 'Now that's more like it'

Akamaru whined as Kiba dried his mouth with his sleeve. Sakura leveled a glare at her sometime friend.

"Just what are you here for Ino-pig?"

"Oh nothing much. Just wanted to see how you were all doing; my team finished up a C rank mission so we have a bit of down time before the next one"

Sasuke clenched his hands in frustration.

'How dare he! I will not let that failure to surpass me!!'

"Dude! Seriously? Man that is so unfair!"

Kiba theatrically threw his hands in the air. Ino giggled.

"It isn't that much of a big deal. Anko-sensei trains us very hard and we have great teamwork . We even had some time to go shopping!"

Sakura's pencil snapped in her grip.

"Yeah so what? You went and got a slutty getup and stuffed your bra. That doesn't mean that-"

"Oh Sakura you silly; the top isn't stuffed it's self-supporting"

Sakura dropped her notebook, shock evident on her face. Kiba managed to mumble a single phrase before losing consciousness.

"n-no bra"

Ino reveled in Sakura's face, and Kiba's reaction was quite entertaining. Of course Sasuke was too busy brooding to even hear the previous conversation. Ino bent down and scooped up Sakura's notebook.

"Oh and what is this here? Wait is that a 'fujoshi life' sticker?"

Sakura snatched the notebook back in the blink of an eye. She cradled it protectively against her chest. Ino smirked.

"Oh my my my my my. Sakura you poor girl. Are the men in your life not paying you enough attention?"

"Sh-shut up Ino-pig! It's none of your business!"

"Oh I think it is. You should really try to get out more. Maybe come out with me and Anko-sensei?"

"I'm fine on my own!"

"If you say so. Later"

Ino sauntered off and soon Kakashi arrived. He found his team in a situation very different than he had become used to. Kiba was out cold but oddly holding his hands out in a squeezing motion, Akamaru was napping, and Sakura was loudly describing in detail just why she was a fully fledged woman and had no trouble attracting men to Sasuke who was ignoring her.

'Well at least one of them is consistent…'

tttttttt

fujoshi – Japanese for yaoi fangirl