Hey, sorry the upload took so long... I've just had LOTS of work from my teachers, who obviously have NO MERCY ON THEIR POOR HELPLESS STUDENTS!

Okay, I'll quit whining. Just enjoy this chapter, I hope it's somewhat worth the wait :)


Naruto was waiting impatiently outside of the Hokage's office door. He had been summoned there for some type of mission.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps and chatter. He turned his attention in the direction it was coming from, only to see Akamaru, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata. Kiba and Hinata was holding hands, and Akamaru was attempting to play with Shino.

"Back! Back, I say!" Shino was yelling frustratedly.

"Aww, but Shino, he just wants to play!" Kiba said with a laugh. Suddenly, his eyes met Naruto's. "Huh? You were called here, too?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, for a mission, or whatever," Naruto responded. He looked at all of them for a moment, then remembered all the previous missions they had had together, which were all epic fails, and facepalmed. "You mean I have to go on a mission with YOU guys!" Naruto said in disbelief.

Hinata giggled as Kiba got defensive. "If it weren't for your idiotic-ness, then all our missions probably would have been successful, you twirp!"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!" Naruto shrieked.

Just then, the door to Tsunade's office opened up. "Alright, I'm ready for you. Come on in," Tsunade hastily said.

Naruto gave one last, aggravated look at Kiba. "I'm rubber, your glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you." Then he disappeared into Tsunade's office. Kiba followed, practically dragging Hinata behind. "And HOW old are we, Naruto?" he asked sarcastically as Hinata klutzily stumbled behind him. Then Shino walked in, who was followed by an excited Akamaru, who was now pouncing on Shino, attempting to knock him over, it seemed. "Augh! Get off, I say!" Shino yelled frustratedly. Tsunade stood at the door and sweatdropped. This was just a group of idiots. But she might as well give them one more shot as a team.

She walked back to her desk. "Okay," she said. For your mission, you have to deliver this scroll to Suna's Kazekage."

Naruto jumped up and down. "Sweet, we get to visit Gaara!" he said, snatching the scroll from the Hokage. Then he turned to his team. "Let's go, everyone!" he said, strolling over to the door.

"NARUTO, YOU DOBE! GET BACK HERE!" Tsunade yelled.

"But, Granny!" Naruto protested.

"No buts, get back over here this instant!"

Naruto pouted, but he slunk obediently back to Tsunade's desk. Tsunade held out her hand. "Give me the scroll," she ordered. Naruto reluctantly handed it back.

There was silence as Tsunade eyed them all seriously. "Now, I want to warn you that the Akatsuki is on the move."

Hinata's heart leapt.

"If you run into them, then I'll give you this scroll," she held up another one, "which has a summoning jutsu in it. It will summon Kakashi." She then gave both scrolls to Shino, who was the most responsible. "Okay, now just be very careful

"Great, we can take the Akatsuki!" Naruto said. "Now let's go!"

/3

By evening, they were all packed and ready to go. They started down a path that led to Suna. While everyone else was walking, Naruto the Idiot was running at full speed.

"What are you slowpokes waiting for!" Naruto yelled behind him once he realized no one was running at the speed of light like he was.

"We don't have to run, you know," Kiba yelled back. "It'll just waste our energy if we run into an enemy.

If we run into an enemy. What Kiba said stuck out in her mind like nothing ever had. She felt like she was getting her hopes up, because if they did run into an Akatsuki member, it probably wouldn't be Itachi. What were the odds? There were many members, and Itachi was only one of them. Hinata sighed. She felt like she had the worst luck of the century.

"Hinata! HINATA, SNAP OUT OF IT!" Suddenly, Naruto was obnoxiously waving his hand in front of her pale, white eyes. She shook her head and realized that all of them had stopped. Akamaru barked and gave her a wet kiss. Hinata giggled and scratched his ears.

"Are you okay? You seem a little spacey lately," Kiba pointed out.

"Lately? It's been a few months actually," Shino added, continuing his walk down the path. Everyone followed.

"S-sorry," Hinata said quietly to Kiba. "I don't know why I've been like this."

Kiba sighed and put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tight. Then he laughed. "Don't be such a worry wart, Hinata, it's not like I'm going to dump you." Then he kissed her on the cheek and flashed his pearly whites mischievously at her. Hinata gave a small smile back before the five of them continued in silence (well, Naruto was babbling about who knows what the entire time) until the sun began to set.

Suddenly, Shino, who was in the lead, stopped abruptly. Naruto crashed right into his back.

"AUGH!" Naruto yelled, falling over and hitting his head on the path. As he sat up, he groaned and rubbed his head. "SHINO, WHAT WAS THAT FOR!"

Shino said nothing. He just stared off into the sunset. No one knew what he was thinking, as his sunglasses covered his probably expressionless eyes.

"Shino? Are you okay?" Kiba asked, cocking his head to the side.

There was a long silence as the group waited for Shino to speak. Finally, after what seemed like billions of years, Shino spoke. "Do you ever wonder," he started, capturing everyone's attention, "if there's really a God watching over us?"

Everyone sweatdropped. Naruto stamped his foot. "Shino! What is this all about! We've got to get a move on!"

"Yeah!" Kiba yelled. "You can watch the sunset and ponder the meaning of life later!"

"We should set up camp," Shino said without turning to face his comrades, as though he had not just said something very odd and off topic.

/3

The tent was all set up now. It was a dark night, the full moon shone along with all the bright stars that dotted the sky. All four shinobi set up their sleeping bags and were snuggled warmly inside them.

"I'm not that tired!" Naruto yelled obnoxiously.

"Well, the rest of us are! So go to bed... Oh my flip, are you serious?"

Kiba and Hinata, the only two awake, noticed that Naruto had fallen asleep right after he declared that he was wide awake.

Kiba rolled his eyes and facepalmed. "He's... special," he said. Then he leaned over and kissed Hinata on the cheek. "Goodnight," he said before lying back down.

"Goodnight," Hinata said with an amused giggle.

Soon, they were all asleep... except Hinata. She lied down on her back and stared up at the canvas ceiling. She didn't quite know what to think, but she felt like she had to empty her mind at the same time. Quietly, so as not to disturb her comrades, she slipped out of her sleeping bag and out into the night time air. She had to do what she always did when she was restless.

The Hyuuga walked over to a nearby clearing in the forest with a small pond surrounded by grass and flowers. This place had a perfect view of the moon. The full moon always made her think of her former sensei that she hadn't seen in ages. The full moon made her feel less alone, like a part of him was always watching over and protecting her. Still urging her to do her best and tell her that she was an excellent ninja.

She sighed then smiled up at the moon. Twirling her hair in her pale hands, she unzipped her jacket...

/3

"Itachi, are you alright?" Kisame asked, cocking his head at his friend.

Itachi nodded. "It's just... yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly and coolly.

Kisame smiled. "Fine, don't tell me," he said, looking dangerously smug.

Itachi sat up from the tree he was leaning against. "What are you suggesting?" Itachi asked suspiciously.

Kisame raised an eyebrow. He proceeded to cradle his head in his hands and stretch out his legs as he leaned against his own tree. "So, you're waiting for your girlfriend, aren't you?" he asked, closing his eyes.

In a fast, swift moment, Kisame was knocked out.

Itachi carelessly stuffed Kisame inside the tent they had set up and flicked his eyes suspiciously around. Was it just him, or did he feel that familiar presence? He kept trying to tell himself that he was crazy, obsessive. But for some reason, the feeling that she was close was so strong...

He walked deeper into the forest, not quite sure where he was headed. Just following where his feet were telling him to go. Maybe where his heart was telling him to go. The moon was getting closer. Itachi looked up at it. He saw it turn blood red. He heard Sasuke's screams and sobs. He felt the blood of his friends and family splashing on his face. The Uchiha closed his eyes, haunted by the fowl memory.

The next thing he knew, he was stepping into a clearing, then jumping right back behind a nearby tree in the forest. For atop the pond was a familiar silhouette, gracefully gliding and twirling across a pond. Her long, dark hair was swirling around her pale body, along with droplets of sparkling water that spun around her like glitter. Her expression looked distant and mysterious. It was her. Itachi couldn't stop staring in amazement.

Suddenly, she stopped. The water fell back to the pond and her hair settled down. Her eyes were suddenly darting around, alarmed. Then, she was gone in a flash.

Itachi wanted to hit his head against a tree. Had she seen him?

/3

"Hinata, get up, you lazy!" Naruto's voice was the very first thing she heard as Hinata was suddenly being violently shook by a pair of familiar hands.

Hinata groaned and sat up, rubbing her pale eyes. "G-good moring, Naruto..." she said tiredly.

"Hurry up, Hinata!" Kiba's voice suddenly sounded from outside the tent. "We gotta get a move on... HOLY!"

"What happened, Kiba!" Naruto was up in a flash, dragging the Hyuuga girl behind him. They rushed outside the tent. Kiba and Shino were grimacing, clutching their kunai and crouching in a ready position. Two familiar, careless looking figures stood before them.

The tall blue man smirked. "Well, well, looks like we've got a pretty interesting encounter, eh, Itachi?"


Hehe, I felt like I just HAD to throw Hinata's dancing in there :3 Anyways, it could take me a while to write next chapter since I'm not the best at... oh wait, I shouldn't give it away, lol. THE MORE REVIEWS I GET THE FASTER I'LL UPLOAD *hint hint* Besides, I could use feedback. Anyways, thanks for reading! :D