"When you two get back to the Village we'll have a spar, and then we'll finally see which one of us is stronger" were Sasuke's parting words as he departed back to his home village, a new resolve burned deep into his heart.

"And we still have to see which one of us can unmask Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura reminded loudly, her words easing what could have resulted in Sasuke and Naruto butting heads.

"You better believe it! Until then I'll get stronger and then kick your ass when I get back, Teme!" Naruto declared, a way of ensuring that he had an excuse to hang out with Sasuke once he gets back.

Sasuke's lips curved into a small, barely noticeable smile, "As if, Dobe. Just make sure Sakura doesn't overwork herself, and Sakura? Make sure the idiot doesn't pass out in a forest again" And as mocking as those words sounded, they were born of genuine concern.

It isn't long after Sasuke leaves the group composed of Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru and Jiraiya, that the sun sets down. Left with little choice the group decides to set up camp, each having their own tasks. Naruto to set up the tents, Jiraiya to build up the fire, Sakura and Shikamaru to go get sticks. The latter two deciding to split up, both having their own thoughts in mind.

Sakura walks through the woods, her mind occupied in the mental conversation between herself and Inner.

'Why didn't you tell Sasuke?'

'I can't. If I tell him about what I saw it would break him. He needs Itachi, whether he knows it or not.'

'What are you talking about?'

'As much as I'd hate to admit it, Itachi's the only one keeping Sasuke alive. Right now, it isn't revenge keeping Sasuke alive. It's a sense of obligation towards his clan to kill Itachi. That's why Sasuke charged in recklessly despite knowing that Itachi could easily beat him. Death doesn't matter to him as long as he gives killing Itachi a shot.'

'So by telling Sasuke the truth he'll have no more reason to live?'

'That's wrong. Instead of Itachi keeping him alive it'll be the people involved with giving Itachi the order to massacre the clan. Looking it from this point of view I could understand why Itachi would want Sasuke to hate him instead of Danzo and the others.'

'Since officially Itachi's a missing-nin it means Sasuke will get praised if he manages to kill Itachi, but if Sasuke goes against the village he'll become a rogue ninja and lose what he has now, right?'

'Yes. So it was a safer option to make Sasuke hate him, although he's gone overboard.'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean there was no real reason to have Sasuke hate him, it doesn't benefit the schemes he's involved in, it only makes it more complicated.'

'Then why make Sasuke hate him?'

'To atone I suppose.'

'Then what will happen when Sasuke finds out?'

'Sasuke won't. It isn't in Itachi's plans.'

'So we're just going to keep this a secret from him?'

'What choice do we have? Sasuke won't take this news well.'

'We tell him! We owe it to him.'

'Some things are better left unknown Inner. I have no authorization to tell him either.'

'Authorization? My ass! He's our comrade!'

'And it's because he's our comrade that we can't tell him this. At least not now. If...if he finds out the truth we'll support him.'

'And if he found out that we knew the truth?'

'Who knows? We'll cross that bridge when we get there.'

'Just so we're clear on this I don't agree.'

Sakura shook her head, she was going to answer before she felt her stomach churn catching the scent of cooking meat. She clenched her fists. 'He easily beat us. We couldn't land one single hit on him. Everything we learned up until now was useless against him and his partner.'

'Well, what did you expect? He did make ANBU captain at thirteen. He's only gotten better since then.'

'I know. It's just frustrating. I haven't felt this weak in a while...'

'Relax. We're learning more stuff. We'll improve. We just have to work hard.'

Nodding in agreement Sakura tiredly fell to her knees, hands on her stomach she started to vomit on the ground. The smell of meat reminding her of when she was forced to eat raw liver during that awful Genjutsu. One thing's for sure, she'll pay Itachi back for that one day. And then she'll punch him in the head for being a masochist obsessed with getting Sasuke to hate him.

Suddenly she feels her hair being lift up making her tense, had she not been paying enough attention to sense Shikamaru's chakra pattern?

"You can't just puke wherever you feel like it, troublesome woman."

Sakura flinched slightly at the sound of Shikamaru's voice, mentally she reminded herself that he was real. He wasn't that sadistic Shikamaru from the Genjutsu. He was the lazy cloud loving genius she knew.

It isn't long after that Sakura was left panting, no more puke escaping her mouth.

Shikamaru sighs, but he hands her a canteen filled with water. She didn't show any reservations as she chugged it down to quench her thirst.

"Thank you."

"Troublesome."

For a moment the two stay quiet, but then Shikamaru holds out his hand to her earning a confused look. "Are you going to sit next to your puke the whole day?"

Sakura snorts before hesitantly taking a hold of Shikamaru's hand, her eyes widening slightly at the warmness. She had expected it to feel cold. Just like in the Genjutsu. 'The real Shikamaru is warm. He isn't cold like the Genjutsu one.' She tells herself in reassurance as the lazy boy pulls her up.

"You're heavy."

"You can't tell a lady that!" Sakura chides flicking Shikamaru's forehead with a slight glare.

"I thought ladies liked honesty." Shikamaru jokes.

"We do, but we want to feel flattered too."

"If that's the case then I'll let you know that no matter how heavy you get I'll still be able to pull you up to your feet."

For a moment Sakura is surprised, but then she giggles. "You're not very good at flattery, are you?"

"No, that was just a fact. Applies to our other comrades too, even if I don't like all of them."

"Oh? Do you dislike me?" Sakura curiously asks.

"Troublesome woman." Shikamaru says averting eye contact.

"Should we head back?"

Shikamaru nods.

"And thanks for this, you really cheered me up Shika." Sakura softly says with a genuine smile.

"It's troublesome, but I'll cheer you up anytime." He mutters to himself.

Sakura's smile grows as she hears it anyways.

Jiraiya couldn't help the victorious smile he had seeing Naruto trying to get Sakura's attention at the same time that Shikamaru was eyeing them with a look of conflict.

'It's funny how while Naruto acts on his feelings towards the girl, the Nara boy feels obligated to not act on those exact feelings. And then there's Sakura who whether or not she realizes it selectively ignores the fact that most of the people she interacts with have some degree of feelings for her. Getting in their minds will be hard, because their way of thinking is so complex.'

He looked down at the notebook in his hands, writings and ideas for his new book spread out in it.

'How does Icha Icha Dead-lasts sound?' He wonders mostly to himself.

It suddenly makes him feel nostalgic. He used to be a dead-last as well, didn't he? 'And I lost the girl to someone who wasn't even my rival.'

"I gotta go pee!" Naruto suddenly exclaims.

"Don't say that in front of a lady." Sakura chides.

"I have to go too." Shikamaru informs standing up.

'Oh? I sense a sudden man-to-man talk coming up...' And discreetly the Toad Sage sends a clone to eave-protect them.

Once the two are far away enough he takes a seat next to Sakura who immediately gives him a questioning look.

"You're a good kid Sakura, I can see why Naruto likes you." And even though it was dark he could see her flush at the remark.

"P-please, you're thinking too highly of me. I'm just a glorified coward who recently started becoming a kunoichi."

"A coward would have ran away at the sight of Itachi Uchiha without a second thought. You actually tried disabling him despite knowing you'll lose and willingly took a Genjutsu for Sasuke. Don't think lowly of yourself."

"I'm sure you aren't here just to talk about that."

"This may sound sudden, but have you ever been in love before?"

Although surprised she answered : "I used to think I'm in love with Sasuke. But I was wrong. I've never been in love before, or at least I think I haven't."

"I see."

"How about you?"

"Yeah, I've been in love exactly once. Still am."

"Wow, she must really be something if you're still in love after all this years."

"Love's a mysterious thing kid, and yeah she really is something. She's amazing, strong, beautiful and perfect."

Sakura blinks, because the look Jiraiya currently had reminded her of the way her father looks at her mother. 'He has it hard...' "If you love her, then why aren't you two together?"

"In life...even if you love someone, there's no guarantee that the person will share the same feelings for you. Mutual love is hard to come by these days."

"And you still love her even though you know she doesn't?"

"Yes. I already told you that love is a mysterious thing kid."

"Sounds more like a virus."

"You're kinda sounding like Orochimaru there."

Sakura couldn't help but choke at that. "No way!" She yells in denial, how dare Jiraiya compare her to that snake?!

Naruto releases a relieved breath as he zips his pants back. "Didn't you say you have to pee too?" He asks directing a questioning look to Shikamaru who was leaning against a tree staring at him intently.

"I'm smart." Shikamaru suddenly says.

"Pfft, yeah and I'm a girl." Naruto shoots back.

"Cut the act, I know you're not as dense as you portray yourself to be. When we were nine you managed to play a prank in the compound of my clan even though you knew every Nara was smart." He says as proof.

Naruto narrows his blue eyes at Shikamaru. "I don't act like I'm dumb. People just assume when they see how cheerful I am."

"But it's still misdirecting. You were good enough to even beat me."

"Huh?" Genuine confusion glinted in Naruto's eyes.

"You graduated as dead-last. I was supposed to graduate as dead-last. You beat me without even trying. And I respect you for that. Which means even though you're street smart, you're book dumb."

"So?" Naruto asks a little too defensively.

"Which means you know that right now more people are beginning to see Sakura in the same light that you do."

"You too."

"...me too. But unlike the others I'm not going to act on them. If there's anyone who deserves Sakura the most, it's you. You're had a crush on her since years ago."

"What are you trying to say?"

"In Shogi, if one doesn't move they have no chance of keeping their precious piece. If you keep being a pushover one of the others will sweep Sakura from right under your nose."

Chapter End~!

A/N : 'Tis the season to be trolling, trololololololol. Anyways. Sorry for not updating in forever. I have no excuse.

Questions :

1. If you could gain the Sharingan at the price of your hearing, would you do it?

2. If you became the Hokage, what would happen?

My answers :

1. Nope. It isn't worth it for me.

2. The village would burn. It would simply be chaos.