Chapter 25- Pride, betrayal and that

Ok, so the stuff I was saying about having a plot line? Yeah. That went completely out the window. I will play this by ear, so ideas appreciated (and thanks again lovelydragonfly for the attempt at creating a plot line with me! It was a gallant effort ;-))

Naruto beamed proudly, revelling in the feeling of surprising everyone (she had seen Kakashi's expression- what she wouldn't give to have a photo of it in the moment Kiba was beaten) alongside her two best friends.

Grabbing their hands, she whirled around in circles, not caring about the fact that she was revealing her super strength in front of everyone they knew. Gaara sighed and rolled his eyes in defeat whilst Fu had squealed with her, before catching sight of Katsu behind her.

"Katsu!" Fu yelled, blushing slightly at the sight of her beaming teammate. Naruto noticed immediately and mentally sent a thought out to her friend.

"Ooh… So I was right…" Naruto smirked slightly. A few people behind, Katsu started wading forwards through the crush of people. Next to the blonde girl, Fu blushed a deeper red than the faint pink that had been colouring her cheeks earlier.

"Don't you dare tell Yugito!" Fu exclaimed with a frown.

"Tell her what? That our dear little Fu-chan has her eyes on the prize? No… I would never," Naruto blinked innocently, radiating sincerity.

Fu growled. "I don't believe you… but if you do, then I'll tell her about that," The green haired girl retaliated, grinning in malicious triumph.

"You wouldn't…" Naruto answered in horror.

"Oh, I would…" Fu answered, liking her new position of power.

"But then I'd have no choice but to tell her what you've been saying for weeks about her and Utakata!" Naruto answered slyly, putting on a mask of defeat.

"You've been saying that too!" The Nanabi jinchuriki accused, a finger pointed at Naruto.

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that,"

"I'll tell her about the pink paint,"

"Then we'd both be in trouble,"

"Then… I'll tell her about where I found you and Gaara this morning!"

"Ha! Not our fault you decided to lie on top of us!"

"Guys. Urusai." Gaara finally cut in, rubbing his head.

They blinked, suddenly realising that people were staring on all sides at the silent argument.

Oh, and there was Kakashi-sensei, laughing at their little predicament.

Naruto and Fu sweatdropped, identical deadpanning expressions on their faces. Who knew that people were entertained by so little?

Standing slightly to the side of Gaara, Katsu risked a muttered comment. "Are they always like this?"

Nodding grimly, the red haired jinchuriki answered him. "Yes. Yes, they are,"

"Right,"

Exiting the building, Kakashi was surprised to feel a strong wave of chakra wash over him, specifically Naruto's chakra.

Curious if it was the same thing that the three genin had done in Ibiki's test, Kakashi focused in on it and entered a rather amusing conversation… again.

"-tell Yugito!" the first voice was yelling. If Kakashi was not very much mistaken, that was the green haired jinchuriki who Naruto was friendly with… Fuji?

"Tell her what? That our dear little Fu-chan has her eyes on the prize? No… I would never," Ah, no, it was Fu. And now it was certainly an argument between Fu and Naruto (he recognised the second voice even if it seemed quite high pitched… how had he not noticed that the first time?

A growl came through, and Kakashi winced, walking on. "I don't believe you… but if you do, then I'll tell her about that,"

"You wouldn't…" this was interesting now. What made his cute little genin sound so horrified? What was that?

"Oh, I would…" Fu answered.

"But then I'd have no choice but to tell her what you've been saying for weeks about her and Utakata!" The silver haired jounin frowned. Those names again. They were familiar; if only he could remember where from.

"You've been saying that too!".

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that,"

"I'll tell her about the pink paint,"

"Then we'd both be in trouble,"

"Then… I'll tell her about where I found you and Gaara this morning!"

"Ha! Not our fault you decided to lie on top of us!" Wait, backtrack. What had the couple been doing… with Fu on top of them?! He shook his head vigorously- that was an image he had never wanted or needed to see.

"Guys. Urusai." Kakashi laughed out loud this time. That was definitely Gaara, Naruto's boyfriend (which was still a bit odd, even though shinobi were open to this kind of thing) who had quite efficiently shut off the conversation in time for him and Ebisu to arrive.

By the onsen, Jiraiya finally caught his breath against the stone wall at the side. Maybe he was getting a little old for this sort of thing…

"No! I am Jiraiya, the legendary toad sannin and super-pervert of Konoha! Mountains tremble under my might, oceans-"

"Shut up!" a voice screamed from the other side of the wall, and a rather heavy stone fell with a loud thud onto his head.

Dazed, he stumbled away down the street and hoped he didn't crash into anyone. Apparently that blossoming flower was vicious and had sharp thorns growing on every side.

"Naruto, I would like to introduce to you to your teacher for this month," Kakashi smiled.

Ebisu stepped out from behind him, and said to the boy "I do not believe that you deserve to be trained by the best of the best, but I will attempt to teach you, little gaki, all of the short cuts for power,"

Naruto ignored the conceited man in front of her, and locked eyes with her sensei.

"Sensei? Why are you not teaching me?" she asked, using every inch of her iron self control not to explode with questions at the man whom she had considered a friend, and one who deserved respect.

"I can't, I'm afraid. I have to teach Sasuke," Kakashi answered apologetically, knowing that whilst Naruto was an enthusiastic child, he simply wouldn't be able to keep up with the high level training that he was going to be going through with the young Uchiha.

"Oh. Okay then," Naruto stated, walking away from the impromptu gathering slowly. Gaara looked expressionlessly at her retreating back, a hint of sadness expressed in his eyes, and he grabbed Fu's arm with a small shake of red hair.

"But gaki! How dare you walk away from me when I, the great Ebisu, have offered to teach you!" the snobbish man called in outrage.

"I decline. If sensei won't teach me, then I'll find myself a proper teacher who will respect me and teach me things worth learning," Naruto replied in an even, well measured tone.

Kakashi sighed. That could have gone a whole lot better… and if he was being honest with himself, not a lot worse.

"Kit? Aare you alright?" the worried voice of Kyuubi fell into Naruto's head as she walked around the corner of the street from her ex-sensei Kakashi, his rubbishy friend and the two best friends she'd ever know.

"Kyu-chan! I haven't spoken with you in ages!" Naruto answered with a fake smile.

"Kit. Do not try to change the topic," the kitsune scolded, disliking the whole situation through and through.

"I'm sorry, Kyu. I just… don't know," the blonde girl admitted truthfully.

Her thoughts ticked slowly, feeling betrayed by one of the few people that she had liked and respected, and felt herself to be liked and cared for in return.

Naruto felt sad and regretful at the loss of this friendship, but at the same time her thoughts were slightly darker. Rage and anger were starting to swirl through her veins at the latest betrayal. How dare he!

How dare he abuse her trust like this! He would pay… Naruto would make him pay. If it was the last thing she did, she would make that teme regret what he had done.

In any way she could.

Okay, so a twist there! It just… sort of happened. Although, with that, there is a slight plot back in place as to reasons for things to happen, so I'm glad it did, if a bit shocked. Is it possible to be shocked by your own story?

Oh, and thanks so much to guest, who left me a really nice review! And here u r- I wrote another chapter. I hope u find it awesome too!