"..I'm sorry..." Sakura utters for what must be the thirtieth time in a soft voice as she seats herself outside of Sasuke's cell, offering out to him a plate of food, slid beneath a portion of the door.

"I chose to come back, Sakura." Sasuke offers simply as he takes the food and begins eating. "I figured this would be the end result when I did. None of this is your fault."

"Yes it is..!" She answers, an odd, unheard of tone coming to her voice as she looks up at him with a sad frown. "If I hadn't been such a stupid kid... If I had been...more appealing to you...you wouldn't have left..! ..If I would have been good enough...for you to care about me back then, you... you would have had a reason to stay..." She utters, revealing her pain and woe of three years, clutching her chest gently. "...it was my fault...for not being good enough for you..."

"...." Sighing softly, the Uchiha male turns thoughtful a moment before explaining. "I couldn't have loved you back then. I hurt too deeply and I was too haunted by the past to let go. I needed an outlet and I believed killing Itachi was the only way I could finally let it go." Then seeming to change the subject he adds. "Ino came to see me today."

"This morning..?" She questions, blinking once before adding, chewing her bottom lip. "..Sorry I was late... I over slept, and...started cooking late..." What's she coming around for!? Is she still trying to muscle in on Sasuke?? HELL NO! I'm going to get his attention yet! You just watch, Ino Yamanaka!

"Did you know that Naruto took a big group into the Sound village to find us?" The black eyed young man turns to look at Sakura curiously.

"Oh.. Yeah. He said 'Losing Sasuke was bad enough, but when I heard you left, too, I thought 'Enough's enough! I gotta go get 'em!', and gathered everyone he could... It was actually kinda sweet." She offers with a bit of a smile before looking down as it fades. "What, um... What did Ino come for? Just to check on you and stuff?"

"She told me that while they were out, they actually got attacked by Itachi and Kisame...." Sasuke utters before adding. "Then she asked him 'Why have you done all this?' Apparently, she was actually able to link with his mind before he noticed and... read his thoughts. It revealed that... Itachi had an accomplice. He didn't kill our entire family. Only the ones that attacked him..."

Blinking up at him with wide eyes, the pink haired girl asks quickly. "Was he the one who...?"

"Yeah... what I saw... was all a genjutsu. This person was another Uchiha, though..." Sasuke utters thoughtfully before he sighs and sags. "...Everything that's gone wrong in my life has been through lies... Itachi lied, Orochimaru lied...."

"...I'm sorry, Sasuke..." Sakura murmurs before offering thoughtlessly, putting out a hand to hold one of the bars and stand slowly. "..I'm not going to leave your side. Even when you get sent away, I'm still going to visit you every day, and fight to get you out. By whatever means necessary... And you can count on it; that's not a lie, I swear it."

Smirking a little, Sasuke turns to her, looking up as he adds. "Ino told me one other thing, too... She said... 'Take care of her, she never gave up on you'." Then pushing his back against the wall, Sasuke puts his plate aside and stands as well before walking to the bars and wrapping his hand around her own. "I will, okay?"

Gasping in surprise as she blinks down at his hand upon hers before her face slowly flushes and her eyes soften. "..S-Sasuke..."

"Hey." One of the masked ANBU members starts toward the two. "You two need to back up a little--"

"BACK OFF! I'VE BEEN WAITING SIX YEARS FOR THIS!! BUTT OUT!!!" The young woman screams, turning only her head slightly as her eyes seem to become white beacons.

Grunting once in surprise, though his mask doesn't show the shock and slight intimidation, the hawk-masked man then scoffs before turning to walk away a bit. "...time for my break anyway..."

Chortling slightly, Sasuke smirks before he offers. "Just don't do anything to get you put in my boat, okay? ...I don't wanna ruin your life any more than I already have."

Turning back to him as her eyes soften once more, Sakura's blush returns, though softer than before as she only shakes her head quickly. "Mm-mm... You didn't at all... It just made me patient..."

Nodding, Sasuke then reiterates. "Just the same, the lady Hokage has already set the maximum at two years. That was before this new information on Itachi, and the psych evaluation. So promise me you won't do anything to get yourself arrested before I get back."

"..I promise.. I'm going with you just the same.." She murmurs softly, licking her lips.

Sighing a bit helplessly, Sasuke just utters with a small smirk. "Well, you're still as stubborn as you always were."

Smiling sweetly, she only nods before winking. "It's one of my better qualities." Her smile fading once more, she seems thoughtful before offering with an affirmed nod. "..You remember...when we were younger, and I couldn't come up with a nindo...? You had one...Naruto, Lee... Everyone had one but me..."

"Yeah." Sasuke nods once slightly.

"..I took a nindo...when you left..." She starts, looking down a moment before closing her eyes. "And...I'm going to revise it, now that part of it's done..." Lifting her eyes to him with a serious look in her eyes, she states simply. "I'm never leaving your side again. No matter what. That's my nindo; my ninja way."

"Hm..." He murmurs thoughtfully, still with a small smirk upon his face before he utters. "I may... need to do some revisions soon myself... I guess it'll give me something, hopefully, more positive to think about."

Seeming considerate as she reaches her free hand into her pocket, the kunoichi pulls a small device from her within, offering it to him. "They said you could at least have it until you leave... It'll give you something to do at night, when I'm gone.."

Blinking, looking at the object now in hand, Sasuke observes. "A music player..." Before he nods to her a bit. "Thanks."

Two masked ANBU approach now and stand nearby. The one wearing a mammalian mask speaks. "Sasuke Uchiha. It is time for your evaluation."

Turning and nodding, Sasuke steps back as the other walks up to unlock his door. This one doesn't speak as he takes the music player from him, however his counterpart does.

"This will be returned prior to the hearing." and then Sasuke adds.

"I'd like her to be with me. It will help me be more at ease."

Looking to each other, the taller ANBU, the only one speaking, then nods. "Very well."

* * *

"Nah... I didn't see any blondes like that." Naruto answers Kakashi as the white haired Jonin catches up to the Chunin, on the road in the direction of the Ichiraku ramen hut. "..Oh! But I did see a woman with...hmm...brown or pink hair... Purple! Yeah, it was kinda purple hair. Maroon, burgundy... And she looked like that. With the markings and stuff. Really sad..." He comments with a soft frown. "I thought she was a captive, but she wasn't even in a cell or anything; and she had this blank look on her face. When I put out my hand to her, she just looked at me and started crying..."

Staring at Naruto a moment, Kakashi then frowns somewhat obviously before he sighs. "Naruto... That woman... I believe she is someone I knew when I was younger... Someone, I believed was dead."

"Wow, really??" Then he grins a bit. "Well why don't we go get her?"

".....Because, thanks to you guys stirring up the Sound village they'll be on an extra high alert for a while. Even a jonin like me will have a hard time sneaking in." The kage level shinobi sighs, still frowning as he shakes his head. "...Damn..." Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Kakashi then almost grunts. "Well, nothing I can do right now. Where's Daisuke this time a day?"

"Daisuke?" Seeming thoughtful, Naruto then snaps his fingers. "Oh! Yeah. He works at the Ichiraku ramen shop during lunch. But only for the lunch rush. Hey, let's go for lunch, huh?"

"Hm... well sure. I've got to talk to him afterwards anyway."

* * *

Licking her lips nervously, Tenten sighs once, shaking her head. You can do this, Tenten! He knew you first! You were here first! It's not fair! ...If stuff like...kissing and sex is the only thing that separates us, I can do that just as well as she can! ...And...she isn't that much prettier than me...

Lee walks on to the knoll that overlooks the table where Azuma and Shikamaru are, even now, playing a game of Shoji and Go. Seeing Tenten he steps up to her, asking curiously. "You wanted to see me, Tenten?"

"Yeah, umm... Lee..?" She starts pursing her lips a bit. "..Before Rinsu got here...did you...like me at all...?" She asks outwardly, putting one hand at her back.

Blinking, Lee just stares thoughtfully for a moment. Does she mean... in the way that I 'like' Rinsu, or...as for friendship? ...hmm.... "How... do you mean, exactly...?"

"..You know... like me..." She urges, becoming slightly shy and rubbing a hand behind her head sheepishly.

Blinking again, the raven haired young man then becomes silent. ...Is this why she wanted to see me? ...Hoo boy... "I... well I guess I never really thought about it..." Then flinching as she begins pouting deeply and even whimpering. Waving his hands a bit, Lee adds quickly. "I-it's not ....uh.... I mean... not that I thought there was anything... unappealing about you... I uh.. just.. it wasn't really... I was really busy training, yes!"

"...If...kissing and.. sex is all it takes to get your attention..." She utters softly before suddenly flinging herself at the taller boy, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him deeply.

His eyes widening, Lee stumbles a bit as he calls out against the Chinese girl's lips. I... er... what..?? What is she...?? Is she... crazy???

Lingering for a moment, Tenten slowly eases back, her cheeks flushed before she smiles at him shyly, then blinks as her smile disappears, looking up over his shoulder in surprise.

Staring oddly at Tenten, Lee just shakes his head before noticing her look over his shoulder and blinks as an ill feeling crosses him and he turns quickly, his face suddenly falling at the shocked expression of Rinsu standing not far from the table where Shikamaru and Azuma sit, their game now stopped, however as they stare as well. ....Oh no.... Then as the brunette turns to run, Lee quickly takes off after her, calling out as he does. "Rinsu, wait!!"

* * *

"...I really don't like diet food much..." Mitsuki offers with a smile as she exits Ichiraku Ramen at Naruto's side. "..The ramen you were eating was good, though.." She says, folding her arms behind herself over her scythe. "Do you...eat there a lot?"

"Oh yeah! Every day!" The blonde nods with a grin as Daisuke sets his apron aside and walks to the front with the other two just as Rinsu runs past sobbing, Lee runs after her pleading for her attention, and Tenten crying for his.

"....Oh hell...." Daisuke utters knowingly with a deep frown. "...And thus the storm starts."

"...Is that just...a thing..? I mean... Are they trying to start a walk-a-bout...?" Mitsuki asks half in jest before biting her lip and becoming silent.

"...Nope." Daisuke explains with a bit of a dry laugh. "That's called; Lee screwed up, with Tenten, and Rinsu found out. .....I've seen similar situations with her before...."

"That's crazy! Lee'd never do something like that!" Naruto defends, seeming confused before he turns thoughtful. Still, maybe I should see if she's okay. Maybe I can calm her down like last time... Turning to the other two, Naruto states quickly. "I'll see you guys later!" Before he all but zips to the building tops.

* * *

Walking down the street on his way from the Hokage palace, Gaara thinks silently. The preliminaries to the Chunin exams are... so painfully boring... Luckily I mostly just have to listen and give approval or not. A moment later, the Kazekage blinks as he suddenly steps back from Rinsu, who runs by him tearfully towards the training area, down the left from the palace. Stilling his steps, he furrows his brows questioningly when Lee runs by a moment later, and then turns his eyes to follow the taller young man. Then when Tenten approaches, the red head extrudes his presence slightly as he calls to her. "Hold it!" When she skitters to a stop, panting softly and looking to him with a hurried expression, he just raises a brow before asking. "What is --" Pausing slightly as he notices Naruto out of the corner of his eye moving in the same direction, he then continues. "--going on here?"

"--"

"Okay, shut up." The kazekage snaps, and when the Chinese girl stops and then bows quickly before running again, Gaara just shakes his head. It's bound to be more interesting than the chunin exam at this point... Before he turns and follows after the group at a slower pace.

* * *

Slowing down for lack of anywhere else to run to, as well as her own fatigue as she comes upon the training area, Rinsu stares out over the meadow as she pants softly, then shakes her head and pouts, frowning hurtfully as she turns to see Lee coming up on her back. "Don't come near me..! You... You snake!"

Flinching heavily, Lee puts out his hands. "Rinsu please--"

"Shut up!" She cries, still panting before she throws out a hand. "I only came looking for you to ask you to have dinner tonight..! And I find you and that...that bitch kissing!??"

"I wasn't!" He protests defensively.

"Oh, so Azuma-san, Shikamaru, and I were all hallucinating..! Well, that suddenly makes perfect sense..!" She cries out, sobbing once and shaking her head.

"Well no.. but I wasn't kissing her. I swear, Rinsu! She--"

"I saw you! You didn't push her or pull away or anything! ...You... You've been cheating on me...haven't you..?" She asks, calming slightly as an even more panged look enters her eyes.

Shaking his head quickly and waving his hands, Lee states almost firmly. "No! It was--"

"You... Were you two cheating on me..!?" She asks almost through him, making Lee turn to see Tenten's panting form, an expression of stern pleading in his eyes.

"..I...umm... ....Y-Yes..." She answers, licking her lips and looking down guiltily.

His face suddenly falling as a deeply hurt look enters his widening eyes, Lee just stares before whipping his gaze back to Rinsu just in time to receive a harsh smack across the face. Flinching and holding his cheek, Lee puts out his other hand as he calls back pleadingly. "It was an isolated incident!" Following her as she turns to walk past him. "I just went to talk and then.. she threw herself at me!" Suddenly flinching again when the longer haired brunette strikes Tenten as well.

"...I hate you both..!" She cries, balling her fists as Tenten holds her own cheek, then calls out when Rinsu forms a set of handsigns, lifting the girl into the air in a triad of vines wrapping around her, holding her in place.

"Rinsu, don't say that!" Lee practically sobs. "I love you!! I didn't even know this would happen!!"

"You're lying!" She returns, shaking her head as she turns to him, putting her hands together before they begin to shake and she sobs again.

"No, honestly! I promise, I didn't know! I just--"

"Your promises mean nothing! You promised to never hurt me, too..!" She reminds, shaking her head again before coughing on her own tears, throwing her hands down. "..I can't.. even bring myself to...--"

"Hey! Let me down!" Tenten calls almost scoldingly before she silences, feeling the vines tighten around her painfully.

"You shut up!" The green clad female snaps, turning her head almost homicidally to the shorter haired brunette, a dark squint coming to her eyes, though she begins to take on an eerie calm. "If you say another word, I'll crush you."

"Will you?" Gaara asks from behind the jonin female. "Will you really?"

"I have no regrets." She answers simply, though her body still trembles and she doesn't turn to him, her bottom lip stiffening slightly as she sniffles.

"Rinsu, stop!" Naruto calls as he jumps down from a tree but moves no closer. "I don't think this is Lee's fault at all!"

"You didn't see it, Naruto!" She retorts, shaking her head as tears stream from her eyes. "They were kissing! How dare he..!"

Blinking once, rubbing the back of his head, Naruto asks. "You.. saw it? ..but... Oh! Maybe it was a Genjutsu!" He offers with a sage nod before he's met with a rock firmly implanted into his forehead.

"It wasn't! They both admitted to kissing!"

"Are you going to kill her or aren't you? If you kill her there's a strong chance of you going to jail and I'm sure a pretty thing like you wouldn't last long there." Gaara points out with a small but interested smirk.

"I'm more dangerous than you think." She scoffs before adding as she looks up at the silent Tenten, who scowls down at her. "And I told her if she said anything else, I'd crush her. She's not that stupid."

"But she certainly is impertinent to scowl at you like that. She obviously doesn't know how dangerous her position is." The kazekage points out before Naruto scolds as the vines tighten and cause Tenten to call out painfully.

"Are you antagonizing!? What the hell, Gaara??"

Glancing at Naruto, Gaara then looks back to Tenten then to Rinsu before offering. "You should make her apologize and beg for your mercy. It's more befitting than death in this situation."

Blinking at the red head before seeming thoughtful, Rinsu looks up at Tenten, who now stares at Gaara incredulously. "You really shouldn't stare at the Kazekage like that..." Before she licks her lips and nods. "Apologize! For... Being a nasty, man stealing... whore!"

Blinking at the imposing brunette before letting out a whimper, Tenten looks out over those gathered before almost pouting as everyone remains silent. "...I'm sorry..."

"Oh, no no no. Repeat me." Rinsu snaps back, a slight smirk spreading over her lips.

Flinching and pouting more hurtfully, even sniffling once before she wheezes once for the lack of air, the Chinese girl mutters sadly, lowering her head shamefully. "...I apologize for....being a nasty...man stealing....wh-...whore..."

"She spoke; crush her." Gaara points out accusingly before Naruto calls quickly in protest.

"That's not fair! It's a set up!"

"...I was kidding that time." The sand nin admits before smirking slowly.

"I never did tell her she could speak..." Rinsu utters thoughtfully as Tenten whines in protest.

"Y-You told me to apologize..!"

"Yes, but I never told you it was alright for you to speak. But...I guess I'll be merciful." She murmurs with a smirk. "Now...beg for my merciful nature." She continues as Tenten utters almost whimpers.

"...I beg of you...for your...merciful nature..."

"Without sarcasm!" Rinsu scolds as Tenten screams out, then her head flops to one side as she becomes silent. Raising a brow, the skirt wearing girl grunts before separating her hands, making the vines drop her uneventfully to the ground. "Well, that was awfully easy. No constitution at all... Oh well."

Chortling slightly, Gaara just crosses his arms. "It was still mildly entertaining for a moment." Before he turns to look at Lee. "What about him?"

Taking it almost on cue, Lee puts out his hands. "...Rinsu... I...I'm sorry... I didn't mean for this to happen... I love you... please...? Please forgive me...." Lowering down, he nearly lays prostrate as he sobs again. "You're like a goddess to me!"

Flinching and blinking at him, Rinsu turns her eyes aside a bit sheepishly before sighing and shaking her head. "...I might forgive you... But I'll never forget... ...No second chances, remember...?"

Snapping his head up quickly, his eyes pouring tears. "No! Rinsu, please! Just this once! I need you!" But as she remains silent and turns away, her demeanor softened, though stern as she crosses her arms. Lee sags and drops his head again, sobbing softly. "...this can't be happening... Rinsu... you're everything to me... you made me see life in ways I never have... You improved the quality of my entire youth! Please, I'm sorry..!"

"..Then be thankful...for the time we had..." She utters softly before starting to walk back the way she came, stopping at Gaara before bowing slightly, then walking on past.

As Lee sags deeper and continues to sob, Gaara turns his eyes to watch Rinsu a moment. Hm. Something about her is not unlike myself. And that jutsu... using plant-life is quite original...