Here's Chapter 4. Phew! All done!
CHAPTER 4-The Truth
It had been three days since the incident in the hallway.
"By the looks of it," said Shikamaru. "This killer is after the heirs; namely us."
"What about Sakura?" asked Tenten.
"She's a different case," said Neji. "However, I have a feeling Sakura is connected with this case."
Sasuke was still confused. None of it made sense; how was Sakura connected the case? How was she connected to Matsumoto Yuki? Why did someone want to kill the heirs to the business company? How did that mysterious female get information on them?
The questions were giving him a migraine. He rubbed his temples and sighed.
"Let's ask our parents." Naruto said suddenly. Everyone looked at him.
"Well," he started to say. "If there someone out to kill us, he have to at least let the company be safe. I mean, they could be using us as bait for something big. Plus, I have a feeling that our parents must have some idea about this. It wouldn't hurt to ask right?"
Everyone stared at Naruto like he had grown a second head. Naruto tilted his head, "What's wrong?"
"You finally said something smart." Sasuke said with a smirk. Naruto stuck his tongue out and grinned.
"For once I agree with the Dobe," said Neji. "We should discuss this matter with our families."
"We'll talk to them tonight at Yamanaka Company's anniversary ball." said Ino.
"Hi guys!" Sakura said happily as she grabbed Naruto and Sasuke's arms. Naruto grinned while Sasuke pulled away from her.
"Hi Sakura," said Tenten. "You feel better?"
Sakura nodded, "I do."
Shikamaru yawned, "Troublesome. I can't even sleep properly nowadays."
Naruto gasped dramatically, "Shikamaru can't sleep? It's the end of the world!"
Sasuke smacked the back of his head, "Dobe."
Naruto rubbed his head, "Teme!"
Hinata giggled at the two. She then turned to look at Sakura, "Sakura-chan, Ino-chan and her father are having a ball to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of their company. It'll be lovely if you could join us."
"Hell yeah," said Ino. "You're a fan girl but I like you!"
"So what do you say?" asked Tenten.
"I'd love to come," said Sakura. "But I have tons of homework to complete and besides, I'm not a party girl."
Naruto pouted, "A little partying won't hurt."
Sakura smiled, "Sorry Naruto-kun. I'm very busy. I have to go now, bye."
Sakura exited the room.
"So," said Ino. "Have you decided on what you're going to wear to the party?" The girls chatted away about their dresses while Naruto challenged Neji to an arm wrestling match. Shikamaru was taking a nap; so much for not being able to sleep.
Sasuke sighed. Tonight, hopefully, he was going to get some answers.
It was time for the ball.
Sasuke was wearing a black suit with a black dress shirt and no tie.
Neji was wearing a brown suit with a white dress shirt and no tie.
Shikamaru was wearing a brown suit with a black dress shirt and no tie.
Naruto was wearing an orange suit with a peach dress shirt and red bow tie.
Ino wore an ice blue halter top dress, which reached her ankles, with blue three inch heels and white elbow-length gloves. Her hair was tied in a bun on top of her head with stray tendrils of hair framing her face. She also wore some makeup and a silver tiara.
Hinata wore a white tube top dress, which reached her ankles, with white two inch heels. Her hair was curled and tied in a loose half pony tail with a flower, a white lily, in it. She wore some makeup and a silver heart necklace.
Tenten wore a brown spaghetti strapped dress, which reached her ankles, with brown two inch heels. Her hair was in a single bun which was held up by two hairpins. She wore some makeup along with a black choker with a kunai pendant, which hung at her throat.
Ino stepped on the balcony with her father, who was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt.
"Welcome," said Inoichi. "Welcome to the 52nd anniversary of the Yamanaka Company. Thank you all for coming. Through generations, the company has been progressing successfully. The Yamanaka Company would never have been successful if it weren't for everyone's cooperation."
"For that," Ino said with a smile. She raised her glass. "A toast to a working together."
"To working together!" everyone said as they raised their glass.
Sasuke just wanted to find his father and ask some questions. He met up with his friends who were by the fountain.
"Good, you're here." Shikamaru said to Sasuke.
"Let's go." Sasuke said as he shoved his hand into his pockets.
Their parents were at the snack table, chatting among themselves.
Fugaku was wearing a black suit with a black dress shirt and a grey tie. His wife, Mikoto, was by his side wearing a midnight blue gown and white elbow-length gloves.
Minato was wearing a brown suit with an orange dress shirt and a red bow tie. His wife, Kushina, was next to him wearing a black gown and black hand-gloves.
Hiashi was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt and Hizashi was wearing a white suit with a white dress shirt. Both wore red ties.
Shikaku was wearing a brown suit with a white dress shirt and a red tie. He was chatting with Inoichi.
"Hey dad!" Naruto called out. Minato smiled as his son came bouncing towards him.
"Father," said Sasuke. "We need to talk."
Fugaku raised an eyebrow, "About what?"
"A lot of things," said Shikamaru. "Actually, we need to discuss with all of you."
"Alright then," said Inoichi. "After the ball is over, we'll meet up in the dining room."
The ball went on. Naruto dragged Hinata to the dance floor while Ino dragged Shikamaru. Neji and Tenten were talking to each other while Sasuke talked to a friend of his father's. And of course, fan girls followed them around like crazy.
After the ball was over, everyone met up at the dining room of the Yamanaka mansion.
"Alright," said Hizashi. "What is it that you want to discuss?"
"Are we . . . targeted by someone?" said Neji. "Does someone want us dead?"
An eerie silence filled the room.
"Okay," said Naruto. "Now I know something is wrong. Come on dad! Tell us."
Minato sighed and looked at Fugaku, "Should we?"
"I guess they have a right to know." said Fugaku.
"Right to know what?" asked Ino.
"A few years ago," said Hiashi. "Someone set up bombs and traps and ordered assassination missions of the leaders of the Uchiha, Namikaze, Hyuuga, Nara and Yamanaka Companies. The head of this attack plan is said to be Orochimaru."
"Sasuke's old tutor?" Naruto said baffled. "That creepy snake dude?"
Minato gave a small smile, "Yes, that creepy snake dude. He has been arrested for drug dealing and a few years ago he escaped jail. He was targeting us but our security is pretty strong and none of his attacks were successful."
"A few months ago," said Hizashi. "Orochimaru set up traps around your school but our ANBU members managed to undo them."
"ANBU?" Hinata said, confused.
"They are a group of secret agents whose job is the welfare of the five Companies and also Konoha. They work directly under us." explained Inoichi.
"A spy is supposedly planted in your school by Orochimaru," said Shikaku. "That's why we've hired an agent to look after you and to find out the identity of the spy."
"A secret agent? Cool!" Naruto said with a toothy grin.
"Killers out to get us? Not cool." Shikamaru said with a sigh.
"What about that girl?" said Ino. Ino told them the story about the other night; about the man sent to kill her and the mysterious female who saved her.
"How did this female look like?" asked Kushina.
"We couldn't see her face because it was hidden with a hood," said Hinata. "We only heard her voice."
"Her voice was cold," said Ino. "Cold, mean and very, very serious."
"We heard that female's voice in school," said Neji. "She was talking to someone on the phone. She said that they were now targeting Sasuke."
Mikoto laughed, "Let me guess. The voice of a gangster chick?"
"Exactly!" Naruto beamed.
"She sounds like Sasuke when he's mad," said Tenten. "Except, it's a female." Sasuke glared at her while she grinned.
"Could she be the spy?" Hinata asked with worry in her voice.
Fugaku chuckled, "Don't worry, she's not the spy. In fact, she's the agent we hired to protect you."
"You hired a girl to protect us?" Sasuke asked, his left eye twitching.
"Son, as much as it wounds your pride, she is far stronger, faster, smarter and sharper than any man." Fugaku said with a smirk.
"Who is she?" asked Tenten.
"She'll be here shortly," said Mikoto. "Trust me, she's a lovely girl."
Sasuke scoffed, "Seriously?"
"Sasuke, be nice." Mikoto chided.
"You'll learn to like her." Kushina said with a grin.
"Yamanaka-sama," said Genma, Inoichi's bodyguard. "She's here."
"Send her in." Inoichi told Genma.
A cloaked person came into the room. You couldn't the person's face because the person was wearing a cat mask. The person also wore black combat boots and the person's hair was hidden by a hood.
"I brought-" It was the voice of the female. She stopped abruptly when she saw the heirs in the room.
"Oh," she said slowly. "Forgive me for intruding."
"No, its fine," said Fugaku. "I've told them the truth."
The female sighed, "They do have a right to know. But is it wise?"
"I guess it's best to tell them before they get themselves into trouble," Minato said with a smile. "I mean, they already know a lot."
"And I thought they were dumb," the female said with a chuckle. "I guess I underestimated them."
The female turned towards Ino, "Dressed more decently, I see? That's good."
"Who are you?" Sasuke said impatiently.
"Impatient are we?" the female said with an amused tone. "I remember when you asked me that same question the last time we met."
"But you didn't give me a proper answer," said Sasuke. "Now answer me. Who are you?"
The female looked at the presidents, "May I?"They nodded.
The gang watched as the female pulled off her hoodie to reveal . . . pink hair.
"No way . . ." Tenten said slowly.
The female pulled off her mask to reveal the face of Haruno Sakura.
"S-Sakura-chan?" Naruto said in a tiny voice.
Sakura smirked, "Never thought it was me, did you?"
"But . . . you're nice!" exclaimed Ino. "And sweet and bubbly!"
"Sorry to burst your bubble princess," said Sakura. "But looks can be deceiving."
"Princess?" said Shikamaru.
"Sakura has been with us since she was four," said Hiashi. "She's the most skilled agent we have."
"But is it necessary?" said Neji. "As skilled as she may be, she's still a girl. Plus, we can take care of ourselves."
Sakura scoffed, "Really? I doubt it." She pulled out slips of paper from her pocket.
"Your grandma's death messages?" Naruto said tilting his head.
Sakura smirked, "Real cute, Naruto. But these aren't death messages. They're paper bombs."
"Paper bombs?" said Hinata.
Sakura nodded, "These were used in war; an old form of weapon. These set of great explosions," she looked at Tenten. "I thought you'd know about them." Tenten blushed.
"Apparently, these are old so the explosion it set off wasn't that big." continued Sakura.
"Explosion?" said Shikamaru. "You mean that blast outside of school?"
Sakura nodded, "That's right. After Naruto found that paper bomb on Sasuke's bag, I took it away to disarm it. It wasn't a couple of fireworks. Also, disarming a paper bomb was a lot harder than a normal bomb."
"You've disarmed a bomb?" Naruto exclaimed.
"A lot of times but that's not the point," said Sakura. "The point is, the school was full of paper bombs but luckily, the ANBU were able to find all the bombs and disarm them. There were a total of thirty paper bombs found."
"So that's why you told us to return these if we found any." said Ino. Sakura nodded.
"Any sign of the spy?" asked Inoichi.
Sakura shook her head, "Orochimaru must have planned this beforehand. Just when I'm close to finding the spy, he vanishes with no traces or clues."
"Sakura?" said Ino. Sakura raised an eyebrow at her.
"Umm . . . would you by any chance be responsible for my missing red lipstick?" asked Ino. "I mean dad got me a new one but I just want to know."
"Very strict with cosmetics I see," Sakura said with a smirk. "Yes, I took it. It was made with a chemical that would either burn your skin or kill you if you swallowed it." Ino gulped.
"What about Naruto's gym uniform?" asked Neji.
"I took that too," said Sakura. "Same reasons like with Ino; it was laced with a chemical that would have killed him slowly." Naruto looked like he wanted to pee in his pants.
Sasuke stared at Sakura. To Sasuke, she was a loud, annoying and weak fan girl with a huge forehead. But now, she was a whole different person. He examined her features more carefully; shoulder length pink hair, wild and curious emerald green eyes, soft looking pink lips, a mature and serious face and a slim yet strong figure. Her forehead didn't seem that huge; it was big but it made people want to kiss it. All in all, she was beautiful.
"Don't worry," Sakura said to Sasuke. "I'm not a fan girl. I'm just doing my job."
"Hn." Sasuke muttered.
"I'll be taking my leave." Sakura said as she bowed.
"What's your relationship with Matsumoto Yuki?" Sasuke asked her suddenly. The room filled with silence again. Sakura stopped in her tracks.
"Sasuke . . ." Fugaku warned.
"I told you," Sakura said calmly. "She's my role model."
"No," said Sasuke. "That's not it. You're hiding something."
"Now what makes you think that?" Sakura said with a smirk as she exited.
Sasuke clenched his fist. He knew she was hiding something and he figured out half of her secret. But what about the other half?
Me: A cliffie.
Suigetsu: Not exactly.
Itachi: Stay tuned for the next chappie. We'll try to update soon.
All: PLEASE REVIEW! ^_^