Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Harry Potter.

Trial

"Our decision is as follows," Tsunade finally says. "Nara Riko, you will not be made chunin today. Instead, tomorrow, you will undergo a test of our choosing and we shall see if you are ready for promotion or not. That is, if you accept this proposition."

"I'll do it," I answer. "I'll prove to you that I'm ready."

How do I always end up in these situations? I ask myself as I let myself be led somewhere blindfolded by Kotetsu. I think we're walking through some corridor, judging by the quality of sound. But really, all I know for sure is that we're in some sort of building that is either underground or has really good air conditioning.

I want to ask Kotetsu where we are, where we are going and whether the test will be painful, but I don't because it would make me look like a scaredy cat. And if I want to be chunin, I have to act like one. So I walk after Kotetsu stoically, senses stretched to the max.

At least Tsunade cleared me for chakra use this morning, though I'm not allowed to overdo it. But then, I doubt I'll need A-ranked techniques for this test, I've already proven my fighting abilities. No, I'm certain will be tested will involve the Cursed Seal, since that is what's preventing them from simply promoting me in the first place.

Yippie. Curse business.

So troublesome.

Kotetsu stops moving. "Here we a- argh!" His voice cuts off and I try to rip the blindfold off of my face but a sharp pain zings through my neck and I fall.

When I come to, I'm alone. I'm lying in a corridor by myself, cold white light from the ceiling lamps illuminating my surroundings. On the floor, bloody tracks indicate that Kotetsu was dragged away by force.

I hate my life.

What do I do? I can't feel any chakras around, but I'm not the best of sensors, so I might be missing something. If I call for help, I'll alert the enemy that I'm conscious. I can't run and look for someone else to help because Kotetsu has been taken and time might be limited for him. I'm on my own.

Why did they – whoever it was - take Kotetsu and leave me? Maybe because he, being a chunin, has more information? But then, why leave me alive?

This whole thing doesn't add up at all. What the hell is going on?

Regardless, I have someone to save. So I follow the bloody tracks hurriedly, not bothering with stealth. There is only this one corridor to follow and no way to hide. And whoever the enemy is, they already know I'm here, even if they might not know I'm conscious again.

Senbon are in one of my hands and my sword is carried on my back ready to be used. I feel the Curse Mark throb, but like Inoichi taught me, I focus on what mental defences I have and the throbbing stops. My mind stays clear and focused as I noiselessly move along the corridor until I reach a junction where the hallway splits in three different paths, all looking the exact same with their white walls and floors and the cold white light. I follow the one the bloody tracks lead into.

The blood is still fresh and red. Not much time has passed since the ground was bled on. It gives me hope that Kotetsu will still be alive when I find him.

I turn a corner and stand in front of a door that stands slightly ajar. The bloody tracks lead inside. I steel myself, taking a deep breath. I place a genjutsu on myself to shift awareness off of me, though it won't fool anyone for long, and press the door open. I swiftly step inside and-

Blood. So much blood. It's everywhere, the metallic scent overwhelming.

The remains of what used to be a person – or maybe several persons, there's so much oh god please no! – are distributed over the large room, formerly white walls and floor died red. My eyes start to sting and my senbon clatter to the floor, making a clinging sound that echoes in the silence. I stumble inside, closer, I can't help myself as I stare at the heap of body parts. Even though I want to run, I approach them, unable to control my steps. I'm distantly aware that my breath comes much too fast and makes me lightheaded, but it doesn't matter.

When I move forward, I step on something. I look down.

It's a necklace. Mechanically, I bend down and pick it up, letting the stone on its end dangle in front of my face, hypnotised by the way it catches the light despite being stained with blood. It seems familiar. I've seen it before.

A brief memory of Tsunade bending over my to heal me in Tanzaku-Gai flashes through my head. Her breasts were right in front of my face and between them, this necklace hung. This is the necklace that she gave to N-

No. Nonononono. It can't be-

"Hello, Riko-san," a friendly voice says behind me, and I whirl around. Behind me stands Kabuto, the white light reflected off his glasses so that I cannot see his eyes what's he doing here kill him kill him kill him-

"Naruto-kun fought well. But it wasn't enough in the end."

A guttural scream tears itself out of my throat as I lunge forward, attacking Kabuto with my bare hands. He evades me easily but I don't stop, stopping means thinking and no no no!

"Too weak, Riko-san," He smirks, righting his glasses. "Perhaps I will see to your brother next."

A glowing hand hits me and I fall down on the bloody ground. I stare up at him, snarling.

"But then, you have power, don't you? All you have to do is let go."

The Curse Mark burns, promising power and vengeance. A part of me screams at me that it's wrong to use it. I shake my head, to shake off the curse's influence or quiet that voice, I don't know. Kabuto kicks me in the midsection and I catapulted backwards, sliding on the slippery ground, coughing. "Pathetic," Kabuto sneers, leisurely pulling out a scalpel and strolling toward me and I decide enough is enough. Let's see if some curse-reinforced chains won't take care of this bastard who hurt-

On the ground next to me, green-blue light twinkles. The necklace. It must have fallen out of my hand when I attacked.

"Give me back Ri-chan!" Naruto's voice echoes in my head. I stare at the necklace, focus on the way it catches the cold white light and turns it into something beautiful. Something tugs at the edge of my mind.

The Mark ceases to throb and I stand up, the necklace in my hand. I put it over my head and stare at Kabuto. "I won't," I say. "It's wrong. I'll fight with my own power. I don't need some curse's help."

"Oh?" Kabuto smirks, lifting the scalpel in his hand. "I do not believe you. You will succumb to the temptation." And with that, he runs at me.

I don't move as he plunges the scalpel into my shoulder. It passes through me, followed by Kabuto.

"What?!" he exclaims.

I turn to him. "You aren't real," I say softly. "None of this is."

He lowers the scalpel and drops his fighting stance. "So you saw through it," he replies.

"This was the test, wasn't it? To see if I'd lose control again. In reality, I'm lying in a hospital bed with some genjutsu masters around me and Inoichi's hand on my head."

"How did you know?"

"The necklace," I explain. "It's reflecting the light even though it's covered in blood. Also," I smirk. "Kabuto wouldn't be in that good shape if he'd really fought against Naruto."

Fake-Kabuto smiles, and makes a handseal. "Well done," he says and my surroundings blur into darkness.

I open my eyes. I am indeed lying on a hospital bed. Tsunade is there with Shizune right by her side. Also present are Morino Ibiki, Mitarashi Anko and Izumo and Kotetsu – I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of Kotetsu. Next to me stands Inoichi, a calming hand on my shoulder. Kakashi is on my other side, righting his hitae-ate – he must have been the one to place me under the genjutsu.

"Just to remind you," Inoichi says. "You agreed to this test, so you aren't allowed to hit any of us."

I glare up at him, not saying anything.

"Nara Riko," Tsunade says, ignoring my anger. "You pass the test. From now on, you are a chunin of Konoha."

My breath leaves me in a burst.

Chunin. I did it.

I give all of them a tight nod, then I get up and walk out. I should probably have said something along the lines of 'thanks, I'll do my best' but I'm too angry about the cruel test they put me through to do anything but not scream at them.

I go to the cenotaph and sit down in front of it. I sigh, letting go of my anger.

"I hope you're happy now," I say, looking at Fumio's name. "Sorry I didn't bring any cake."

I lean back, looking up at the clouds. The sun warms my face. Do I feel more at peace now that I reached this goal I set for myself? Fumio is still dead and my life is still a mess.

But the fact that I finally did something to pay Fumio back for sacrificing himself for me makes me feel a little better.

Someone lands next to me. I tilt my head and look up at Kakashi. He's looking at the cenotaph, his head respectfully inclined. Finally, he lifts his head.

"An odd place to celebrate, Riko-chan," he muses.

"I don't feel like celebrating."

Kakashi inclines his head in acknowledgment. "You will have to, though. As your sensei, I'm treating you to a celebratory dinner."

"Troublesome," I sigh. "I want ramen."

Kakashi gives me his eye-smile. "Of course. You might also be interested to hear that you will still stay with Team Seven."

I start. "They could have taken me off the team?" I ask, horrified. I never even contemplated the possibility.

"But they haven't. You're young and inexperienced, so you're staying with us to learn from me and learn to lead a team."

I sigh in relief. Leaving Team Seven would have been a catastrophe. At least this once, disaster avoided me.

"Do you think I'm ready to be a chunin, Kakashi-sensei?" I ask. "Because against the opponents I've had lately, I was completely helpless."

Kakashi rests his hand on my head, eye-smiling down at me. "You'll make a fine chunin, Riko-chan."

I smile back at him. "Okay then."

"So you passed, Ri?" Shika's voice drawls when I get home.

"What gave it away?" I ask sarcastically. "The flak jacket?"

Kakashi gave it to me before he left, presumably to tell Naruto and Sasuke about team dinner.

"How was it?" Shika asks.

"Troublesome," I reply. "Aren't you glad you aren't the only chunin?"

Shika smirks. "I am. Imagine being the only one. They'd have made me do everything."

I giggle. "That would have been fun to see. Wanna play shogi?"

"Sure."

And that's how we, Konoha's newest chunin, spend the rest of the afternoon.

Naruto is already there when I arrive at Ichiraku's. I run up to him and draw him into the tightest hug I can manage, burying my face in the collar of his jumpsuit. He hugs me back immediately. "Ri-chan?" he asks. "What's wrong?"

I release him. "Nothing," I say softly, taking in his orange clad form, the spiky blond hair and his blue eyes. The necklace around his neck. "I just felt like hugging you."

"You're weird, dattebayo," Naruto says and grins. Then his eyes widen and he points at my jacket. "Is that-?!"

I grin and nod. "I got promoted."

"Whoah! Ri-chan, that's awesome, dattebayo! Damn, now you're ahead of me!" He laughs. "We gotta fight sometime!"

I grin too, getting infected by his enthusiasm. "Now you've got to listen to me when I tell you to do something!"

Fat chance of that happening…

Naruto beams a proud grin at me. "You're awesome, Ri-chan!"

"You're chunin?" Sasuke asks from behind me and I turn around. The look in his eyes is unreadable. It doesn't seem too happy.

A brief memory flashes through my head, of him and me before the Chunin Exams, his self-loathing because he thought he hadn't been nominated, because he felt powerless. I guess it's the same thing now. Maybe even worse because I was actually made chunin while he wasn't.

I step up to him and hug him. "You'd have made a better one," I whisper into his ear. Then I step back, smiling at my two teammates. "Look at it like this: No more D-class missions. And with both Kakashi and me on the team, we'll get even higher-ranking missions. Now who wants ramen? Kakashi-sensei's treat."

"Yatta!" Naruto shouts enthusiastically, the tension dispersing. He punches his fist into the air and runs into Ichiraku's.

I look at Sasuke. "You didn't get promoted only because your match against Gaara was interrupted by the invasion. Look at the bright side, you get to go on chunin missions while still receiving training from a jounin sensei without having to worry about any extra responsibilities." I grab his hand. "Now come on, we've got ramen waiting for us. If we hurry, we can eat our fill and then run and leave Kakashi with the bill once he shows up."

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" I shout the day after in our family training ground and slam my hand down. It was way past time that I trained with my summons.

A lime green rabbit appears. Unlike Kyuuri who is about half as tall as me when he stands upright, this one is small even for a rabbit. It's ridiculously cute, too, with its floppy ears that peak out from under a helmet, its black kimono with a lightning bolt sewn onto his back and the running shoes that match its gloves.

The rabbit looks at me, shrieks and faints.

I facepalm.

The rabbit's eyes flutter. It is quite obviously awake, but apparently pretending to still be unconscious.

Why, oh why couldn't I get a normal contract? I ask myself. Out loud I say: "I know you are awake."

The rabbit shrieks again, jumps up, runs away and instantly smacks into a tree.

I facepalm again.

"So, this rabbit-summon got injured running headfirst into a tree," Inuzuka Hana states incredulously while she runs her glowing hands over the green rabbit. I brought it to Konoha's animal hospital.

"Yep," I say.

"That is so stupid," Hana deadpans. "A regular rabbit would be smarter."

"No kidding. My summons are nothing but trouble. The other one I've met so far only thinks about 'copulating'."

"Is that what they call it these days?" Hana asks, grinning.

"Not funny. At all," I grumble. "So, what's wrong with it?" I nod at the rabbit.

"He's only got a concussion. He'll wake up in a few hours," Hana explains. "Make sure he doesn't move around too much."

I nod and take the rabbit which now sports bandages around his head in place of its helmet. After a moment of contemplation, I place it on my head and focus some chakra to glue him to it. I like my arms free.

"Thanks, Hana," I say. She waves me off.

"No big deal. You wouldn't believe the fuss most people who come here make over their injured ninken." She shakes her head. "Or their pets. I swear, if Madame Shijimi shows up with Tora one more time, I'll personally-"

I never get to hear what Hana will do to the Fire Daimyo's wife and her pet when one of her co-workers calls her away in a rather panicked voice. Right on cue, a loud howl and screams are heard from the waiting room, followed by answering howls, barks, meows and bird's shrieks. It sounds as if a zoo got out of control.

"Damn it! Not again!" Hana shouts and sprints away, her ninken following. "I'm gonna kill those fuckers!"

I raise an eyebrow. And here I thought she had chosen a rather peaceful job for the normally so adventurous Inuzuka. Obviously, I was wrong.

I get up and move through the corridors of the animal hospital. Unlike the normal hospital, this place has wide corridors, lots of opened windows with little bird perches near them, and the walls and floors are made of wood, scratches and claw marks telling a history of animals passing through.

"Riko? What are you doing here?"

I turn around and grin. "Hi Kiba! Hey Akamaru-chan!" I greet them. Akamaru barks a greeting from his perch on Kiba's head.

"Is that a rabbit on your head?" Kiba asks, too weirded out to ask for a hug like he normally does. "A lime green rabbit? Is it a summon?"

"He ran into a tree. The tree won," I answer.

"That is so stupid," Kiba states. "A regular rabbit would be smarter."

I laugh.

"What?" Kiba asks.

I shake my head. "Nothing. I'll see you around, alright? I'm expected for dinner and mom might kill me if I'm late again."

Kiba shudders. He knows a thing or two about scary moms. "See ya, Riko. Hey, that bushy-eyebrows guy from Hinata's cousin's team has been asking around about you. Wants to fight you or something."

"What did you tell him?" I ask.

"Shino sent him to the old people's home. Why? Because he would have been troublesome to you," Kiba tells me in a sarcastic tone.

"Nice," I say appreciatively. "Those old folks will keep him busy for a while. Tell Shino thanks, will you?"

"Sure," Kiba says and then grins. "So, chunin?"

I smirk and brush some not existing dust of my flak jacket. "Shika, too."

"What! That lazy idiot?!" Kiba exclaims. "Damn it! Hey, come by for training some time. We gotta fight."

I shake my head at him. "You're so troublesome."

Kiba laughs. Then he waggles his eyebrows at me and spreads his arms. "Hug?" he asks hopefully.

"You're incorrigible," I state, rolling my eyes before shunshining away.

"There's a green rabbit summon on your head, Ri," Shikamaru says by way of a greeting when I arrive at home.

"He got a concussion," I answer. "I'll just put him up in my room, then I'll come down to dinner, alright?"

Shika shrugs. "Sure."

After the meal I walk up to my room and check on the troublesome rabbit, then I settle in for some studying and reading. A few hours later, I notice the rabbit stir. Considering the reactions he has had to me so far, I decide to pick him up to prevent him from running again. Hana said he shouldn't move around too much. Also, he might run into a wall.

The rabbit's eyes open. Again, he shrieks and tries to jump up, but I grab him by the scruff of his neck and hold him away from me while he squirms, trying to punch and kick at my hands. Damn, the little bugger is flexible.

"Help!" he shrieks. "I've been kidnapped! Help!"

I facepalm with my free hand. It's starting to become a common reaction to my summons. "I'm your summoner, you moron."

The rabbit stills. "Oh," he says.

"You have a concussion, so don't move around too much," I advise him.

Wrong thing to say. "You gave me a concussion?!" the rabbit screams, starting to squirm again and crying for help.

"Wow," I state. "You're an idiot. You got the concussion when you ran against a tree!" I raise my voice over the shouting. The rabbit isn't even listening anymore at this point. "Fine," I hiss. "You brought this on yourself."

I gather a water orb in my hand and dump it over the rabbit. Sputtering, it stops shouting. "What was that for?!" he asks. "I'm injured! You can't do that to an invalid!"

I snort. "First of all, you got the concussion from running against a tree headfirst. Second, a little water will not make your concussion any worse, but your punching and kicking will. So stop that."

The rabbit sniffs haughtily. "Set me down, summoner," he orders, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"My name's Riko."

"Set me down, Riko."

I roll my eyes and do as I am told. The moment I let go, he shoots off toward the door, but it doesn't open outwards. I lunge after him, but the rabbit starts zipping around my room, knocking over lamps and books and creating general chaos, all the while shouting: "You will never catch me alive!"

Damn if that rabbit isn't fast. Like, lightning fast. I guess that's what the lightning bolt on the back of its kimono means.

The rabbit cackles. "I am Flash Ninjin Seven! You shall never catch me!" he shouts and promptly trips over the cable of the lamp on my nightstand, sending it crashing to the ground. He himself nearly faceplants into the wall, but I manage to grab him before that happens.

He looks up at me. "Whoops?" he says weakly. Then he makes a big show of fluttering his eyelashes and pretending to faint. "…I feel weak…" he moans and lets his eyes fall shut.

I snort. "Hell, no. I'm not setting you down."

The rabbit's eyes open to glare at me.

"No," I say firmly. I pick up some wayward hair ties from the ground and tie him up with them. Then I set him down on the bed.

"This is kidnapping!" the rabbit protests. "I strongly protest this treatment!"

"So your name is Ninjin?" I ask. "You are the wrong colour for a carrot."

"My name is Flash Ninjin Seven!" The rabbit proclaims proudly, his ears perking up. "I am the fastest of the Rabbit Clan! I am the one who runs swiftly and silently! No one can catch me!"

"I just did," I point out. "What does the seven mean?"

"Oh. That." The green ears droop. "Ninjin's a popular name, 'cause we like carrots, so a lot of us have it. Number seven was free when I was born."

I stare at Ninjin. "I'm not even going to comment on that."

"But I'll be the greatest Ninjin!" he shouts, pointing at me. "I shall-"

A knock sounds on my door and dad enters. Ninjin shrieks once again and jumps up to hide behind me. How the hell did he free himself from the hairties?

"Hey Dad," I say. "I fully blame you for this."

Dad gives me a bemused look. "I heard screaming."

I reach behind me and hold up a struggling Ninjin. "Troublesome," I say, pointing at him.

Dad raises an eyebrow. "I see. Do try not to make too much noise. Your mother was quite annoyed."

I cringe. "Alright."

Dad gives me a smile. "Have fun then, Riko-chan." He ruffles my hair, both of us ignoring Ninjin's fearful whimpers, and then steps outside.

"You know," I say, looking at Ninjin. "If you want to leave so badly, you can always dismiss yourself."

Ninjin stares at me. "Oh," he says.

"So unless you want to stay and help me clean this mess up…"

The green rabbit disappears in a puff of smoke before I can even finish the sentence. I flop back onto my bed.

I want a new summon.

"We have a mission tomorrow," Kakashi announces to me three days later. The boys already left after team practice.

I raise an eyebrow. "Already? I'd have thought they'd wait a little with sending us out, what with you and Sasuke having been in the hospital for so long. Not to mention my own health."

"Someone left me to pay for a week's worth of ramen."

"You said you were treating us," I argue.

"I said I was treating you."

I shrug. "Whoops. So, we're going on mission because you're broke? It doesn't have anything to do with the village's image after the invasion?"

"Exactly. You evil girl."

As if. Kakashi has been an elite jounin for ages which pays really well, plus he never spends too much money on himself which means he has a lot of savings. He's just messing around.

"So what kind of mission is it?" I ask.

Kakashi hands me a scroll. "Escort detail. Make sure you three meet the client tomorrow, the details are in the scroll. "

I stare at him. "So, my chunin status makes me your errand girl now?"

He eye-smiles at me. "Smart girl. Here are your movie tickets," he says and disappears in a puff of smoke.

I groan. "I'm not even going to pretend that this makes any sense whatsoever," I mutter to myself as I make my way to follow after Naruto and Sasuke.

The following extra can actually be considered part of the main story and takes place during this chapter and the previous one, but I couldn't fit it in, so you guys get it in the form of a side-story instead. As always, thanks for your continued support, you are awesome.

Fun fact about Ninjin: His name means 'carrot', if you haven't guessed already. His character is based on the word 'scaredy cat', which exists in German, too, but if one translates the German word directly into English, it's 'scaredy rabbit' or 'scaredy hare'.

Side-story

In which Riko asks for advice, Shikamaru reveals his dark side and Naruto fears for his ramen.

"Say, Mom," I start as we chop vegetables for this evening's dinner. "Hypothetically, if some guy suddenly kissed me with no warning, what should I do?"

That kiss Sasuke gave me has been on my mind a lot lately.

Mom's knife slams into the chopping board and part of the cucumber she was cutting goes flying. She doesn't pay it any attention as she turns toward me. "Who," she orders.

"Uhh…" I say intelligently.

"Punch him."

"Uhm…"

"And remind me to teach you the water whip."

"Hey, Ino-chan!" I greet as I walk into the flower shop after my lesson with Inoichi. "How have you been?"

"So bored!" Ino complains, raking a hand through her hair. "Nothing ever happens!"

"Aside from chunin exams, invasions and a new village leader?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Aside from that," Ino says, nodding seriously. "How are you? Anything new?"

I shuffle my feet a little. If anyone would know what I should do, it would be Ino, right? All I need to do is avoid mentioning that it was Sasuke that kissed me.

"Say, Ino-chan… if a guy suddenly kissed you, what would you do?"

Ino shrieks first, then squeals. "You got kissed? By who? When? How was it? Why are you only telling me now?" She leaps over the counter and lands in front of me. Seeing the slightly manic look in her eyes, I start inching toward the door.

"Uh…"

"It was Naruto, wasn't it?" Ino says, a knowing glint in her eyes.

"What?!" I nearly shriek. Naruto? Eww!

"Oh come on! I saw you two in Wave! I'm a Yamanaka, you can't fool my eyes."

A choked laugh at her unfortunate wording seems to cement her opinion.

"Don't deny it! You can't be that close and not have something more going on!"

"But, Ino-chan, Naruto and I-"

"Oh, you two are so cute together! Don't worry about the fact that your friendship will change if you go for it, friendship is a great base for a relationship!"

"But-" I protest, but Ino is on a roll.

"You should totally have slapped him after he kissed you. And then you should have kissed him. Trust me, I know about these things."

I flee out of the door. Is there no one sane I can get advice from?

I end up at a small tea house where I decide to eat some dango and drink tea.

"Hey!" a vaguely familiar voice exclaims. "You're the Nara brat!"

I look up. It's Mitarashi Anko, the proctor for the second test of the Chunin Exams.

Hmm… maybe she could help me? Sometimes, a stranger's opinion is better than a friend's.

"So, how're you doing, snake bait?" Anko asks as she invites herself to sit with me and steals one of my dango.

I wince at the nickname. I really hope it doesn't stick.

"Say, if a guy suddenly kissed you with no warning, what would you do?"

"Ohhh…" Anko looks like a cat that's very much looking forward to eating a mouse. "First, punch him. And then leave. And after that, find out his habits, where he lives, where he works and then get him alone… in a dark alley…" she licks her lips and I start to inch away from her. "And then…" she giggles, playing with a kunai – when did she even pull that? "If he's hot, mmmh… oh yeah…" she licks her lips again, gaze unfocused. "But if he's not, well…" she twirls the kunai around.

I slap some money on the table and run.

Note to self: Stay far away from Anko.

Meanwhile:

"Forehead, did you hear? Naruto kissed Riko-chan!"

"No way! Riko and Naruto?! That's so… are you sure?"

"Oh yes! She told me herself!"

"Told you what?" a lazy voice drawls.

"Hey, Shika! Riko-chan told me that Naruto kissed her!"

Shikamaru stills. "Told you what," he repeats, voice eerily calm.

Ino hesitates. "That Naruto kissed her?" she asks, a little unsure.

"Told you what," Shika repeats.

"Uh… Naruto kissed Riko-chan?"

Shikamaru turns around and walks away with very controlled steps.

Back with Riko:

I kick a can away as I walk along the streets. At this rate, I'll never get any useful advice.

"Halt! Riko-san!" a voice shouts. Rock Lee drops down in front of me.

"I'm sorry, did you want something?" I ask, giving Lee a blank look.

"My hip rival!" he grins, teeth gleaming. "I have come for a rematch!"

"Sorry, busy," I say. "Don't you have another rival?"

"Neji-san is my Eternal Rival! But I have already fought him yesterday. I have been hoping for a youthful rematch since my loss in the Chunin Exams!"

"So… I'm the hip rival and Neji-san is the eternal one?"

"Yes!" Lee says, giving me a thumbs-up.

"So my rival status is only 'hip', not 'eternal'?" I ask hopefully.

Lee just laughs, apparently taking this as a joke.

Still, 'hip' is better than 'eternal'. Then again, both are 'troublesome'.

"Maybe later," I say. "I've got stuff to do right now."

And I disappear in a puff of smoke.

"Hey, Hanabi-chan…" I start after a training session with her – I missed spending time with the adorable brat.

"Yes, senpai?" Hanabi asks eagerly.

I hesitate. "Never mind. You're too young."

Meanwhile:

Naruto skips happily into his apartment, whistling after completing his daily training. He's very much looking forward to eating a dinner of ramen.

Suddenly, he can't move anymore. "Huh?" he asks.

"Uzumaki Naruto," a cold voice states.

"Oi, Shika, what're you doing?" Naruto yells angrily. In reaction, shadows start creeping up his body. "Hey, stop that!" Naruto shouts, freaking out at the cold sensation of the shadows on his body.

"I ask the questions," Shikamaru growls. He's sitting in one of Naruto's chairs, the light from the window at his back making his face appear dark. "What are your intentions towards my sister?"

"I- wha- huh?" Naruto asks dumbly. "What're you talking about?"

Shika chuckles darkly. The shadows tighten on Naruto. "I did not want to do this, but you leave me no choice."

Shikamaru may take after his father in almost everything, but he is also very much Nara Yoshino's son. And no one can do scary like her, in his opinion. He places the box with Naruto's ramen reserves which he spent over an hour collecting from all the stashes the boy had hidden around his apartment. He pulls out an explosive tag. "Talk, or your ramen are toast."

"No!" Naruto shrieks, taking a step towards Shikamaru despite the shadows binding him. Scowling, Shika tightens the shadow binds. "Not my ramen! I don't know what you are talking about!"

"So you continue to deny kissing Ri?" Shika asks darkly.

"Yes! Wait, what?" Naruto pauses. "Eww, you thought I kissed Ri-chan? That's, that's," he waves his arms around. "Ri-chan's not a girl! Well, she is, but not a girl girl! She's like a sister!"

Shikamaru pauses and studies Naruto. "If you didn't kiss her, who did?"

Naruto stills. His eyes widen, then they narrow. "I dunno, but I'll find out," he growls.

Back with Riko:

I am at the hospital for my medical check-up with Tsunade and Shizune.

One more try, I decide.

"Say, what should I do if someone kissed me without any warning?" I ask.

"Punch him," Tsunade immediately answers. Her gaze flicks to me. "Who's the guy?"

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune protests. She turns to me. "You don't have to punch him."

"Bullshit," Tsunade says. "Someone kisses you without permission, you punch them."

"Violence does not solve problems!" Shizune protests.

"She wants to punch someone, let her punch someone," Tsunade states.

"I don't actually want to punch him," I interject. "All I wanted was some advice."

"Oh? Well, then just do whatever feels right," Tsunade shrugs dismissively. "You're healthy. Get lost."

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune protests. Then she smiles at me. "Do you like the person in question, Riko-san?"

The question throws me off a bit. Sure, I like Sasuke. But I'm pretty sure that is not the 'like' Shizune meant.

"Uhm…" I say, trying to come up with an answer.

"That's not a no," Tsunade says shrewdly.

"I gotta go!" I say abruptly and stand up to hurry out of the room.

Meanwhile

Jiraiya sits in a bar, disguised as a generic chunin so as to better eavesdrop on the village gossip. As Konoha's spymaster, this is his duty.

It doesn't hurt that the bartender is a quite buxom young woman and that he really likes gossip. Plus, sitting in a bar requires him to drink alcohol.

He perks up when he hears his future apprentice's name.

"…heard the Uzumaki brat kissed that Nara girl. You know, the redhead," one ninja says to his neighbour.

"Tch, don't tell me you didn't see that coming! Those two are always together!" the neighbour replies.

Jiraiya starts to giggle. Really, Naruto and Riko? He actually didn't see that coming, but given how close those two are… he sighs wistfully. Young love. So adorable.

Actually, it wouldn't make for a bad plot for a future novel. He could introduce their characters in the one he's currently writing, as two children with a bond of friendship. A little bit of foreshadowing, and then he could write a book about their friendship turning into more… in the midst of adventure, intrigues and nefarious plots, of course.

Hmm, he's never written a red head as his main character before… oh, the potential…

Back with Riko:

For some inexplicable reason, I feel a cold shiver run down my spine. I look around, but I can't detect any threat around me.

Weird, I think.

I shake my head and enter the gate to Sasuke's residence. I find him behind the house, training. I watch for a few moments as he gracefully runs through kata, every movement controlled and perfectly executed.

He finishes the kata and straightens. "Ri," he states. I'm not surprised he noticed me. I wasn't trying to hide my presence, and Sasuke is more attuned to it than pretty much anyone else.

"Hey," I say, stepping forward. He watches my every movement.

My fist flies forward and is caught in his hand.

What the hell, Ri?

"I was told I should have punched you for kissing me during the invasion," I answer the question in his eye. "It was widely agreed that this would have been the appropriate reaction. I don't really get it, but if that's some sort of girl rule…" I shrug.

Sasuke snorts.

"But I don't really want to punch you," I continue.

Sasuke tilts his head a little. What do you want to do, then?

"Just do whatever feels right," Tsunade had said, which was the most helpful advice I got from anyone.

"This," I whisper, stepping closer to Sasuke. Then I stand up on my toes and press a kiss to his cheek. He stands perfectly still, not moving a muscle. His eyes never leave me. I duck my head a little, feeling my cheeks growing warm.

"I just- uhhm- " I stutter. "I mean, thanks for being my whatever."

And before it can get any more embarrassing, I shunshin away.