Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. The only characters I do own are Kounouri Oyasume, Natsume Shinzue and Narumi Katiyou. If any of these characters resemble a living person or a character not owned by me, please notify me and I will change it. Any other characters in this story are owned by Kishimoto Masashi and are published by Shuiesha. Please don't sue me.

If Only, A Vision Of Beauty Chapter Three - Leaf-nin Camp
The early morning darkness slowly began to fade as the sun crawled up the horizon over Konohagakure. The birds began to call and the villiagers woke up, one by one. Nara Shikamaru walked lazily down the lane, his eyes half open. 'Damn Hokage-sama for getting us up this early, It's not like HE'S our cell leader. How troublesome.' He thought to himself. Still, he kept walking. A mission was a mission, be it troublesome or not. Shikamaru raised his head at the coming of other sounds. A few feet down the road, Yanamaka Ino was quietly closing her door. At the sight of him, She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.
'It's too early for this..' She thought, and walked slowly, expecting Shikamaru to start complaining. To her surprise, he kept walking ahead, without even waving. This angered her.

So she walked faster.

So did he.

And then she jogged.

So did he.

And then she ran.

But he didn't. 'HAHA!' Ino thought, sticking her tongue out to him while she looked back. he grinned, and she slammed into Akimichi Chouji, who dropped his chips. While he was staring downwards and hurrying to pick them up within five seconds, Ino was standing up and glaring at him. She dragged him away from the chips, and had difficulty at that, as he was extremely heavy.

The Hokage watched all of this from his perch overlooking the villiage. He sighed and made his way to the building where they assigned the missions. Hopefully those three Genin could start acting serious in Wind country, or they'd all be dead and he'd have to waste more ninja on this mission. The only reason he agreed to send his ninja in instead of KazeKage's was because of the treaty. Damn that treaty.

So here he was, dragging three more of his skilled Genin into the mission. Before he knew it, he'd be sending GAI'S team in! The Hokage sighed and took his seat as various ninja walked in, waiting to be assigned missions. Almost three times, he'd been about to assign the Sand mission to Chuunin, but he knew it'd only turn out bad. The ninja had to be the same level or it'd never work. That's when Gai and his team walked in. It was worth a chuckle, to see that team strutting around.

First, Gai walked in with a stupid smile plastered on his face, and two inches behind him came Rock Lee, drooling and doing everything Gai did. Hyuuga Neji seemed unaware of the two ahead of him, and walked in proudly, quiet and athority-like. Then, Tenten walked in. She stayed quiet and watched her team with a tiny grin on her face, supposedly the only one on her team with common sense. But, you had to admit, they were excellent ninja. Hokage read over his scrolls and assigned Gai's team a daily mission, escorting a lady to the Wind country border. The team walked over to the side of the room to wait for their escortee.

Then, finally, Asuma walked in with his team. Ino had a weird glare on her face, like she had been corrected or insulted. Shikamaru was grinning, obviously the one who'd given Ino her glare. Chouji, of course, was eating. Asuma walked up to the table, cutting line, and grabbed his mission scroll. He read it over and shifted the cigarrette in his mouth.
"Kaze Country, eh? Let's see...." He sighed. "Ah, the mission Kurenai's team is on. Why didn't she go, anyways?" Hokage ignored his question and shooed him off, noticing that Gai had heard. But it was too late, the self-obsessed jounin was already there and rubbing Hokage's head, shifting his hat. "Isn't Kakashi on that mission, too? Well, why don't we go? I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have four extra people tagging along, would it?" Gai's answer came in glares from both Hokage and Asuma. "No!" they said. Again, it was too late. Gai had already called his Genin over and dragged the other team out of the building, leaving their assigned mission behind. The Hokage sighed and straightened his headgear.

**********************************************************************

Lee skipped behind his Idol and hummed to himself, unusually hyper. Even for him. Neji still walked proudly, looking almost conceited. Tenten, again, was the only one who found any amusement in her team members. Team 10 followed behind them, Asuma apperently in his own world as his Genin trudged behind. They were nearing the edge of town, and Hokage had granted Kurenai permission to meet up with her team. So Kurenai was with them too. It was only a few Kilometres until the Wind Country border, and after that it would only be an hour's walk to the Leaf-Nin camp. So the ninja trudged on. It was still early morning, and the dew was just disappearing off the grass. For the first time all morning, the group was silent of Ino's grumblings, Chouji's crunching, and Shikamaru's complaining. Gai's cell was relatively quiet.

Suddenly, Shikamaru's mood changed. He sensed a sudden change in emotion from one of his surrounding affiliates. He looked around, scanning over the expressions of everyone he saw. Lee, Gai, Neji.. all the same. Tenten, Kurenai, Asuma.... Shikamaru sighed. Chouji.. fine... His eyes rested on Ino. She was still fine... but at that moment Shikamaru realized that HE was the one feeling so depressed. Ino's hair glowed in the rising sunlight. Time for Shikamaru slowed down, Sound became echoes. Something made Ino laugh, and her face brightened. She turned around and saw Shikamaru staring at her. The world moved faster and everything switched back to normal. She glared at him. His heart was tearing as he glared back and turned away. His pace slowed and his awareness dulled. She hated him. He winced as he thought the truth. Slowly, he regained his composure and kept going.

By noon, the group of ninja had reached the Leaf-nin camp. It was empty. The stakeout equipment was gone. A route map was pinned to a board and Asuma walked up to grab it. His brow furrowed.

*********************************************************************************

The sun was rising. All the ninja noticed it. Naruto, Gaara, Sasuke, Shino, and Sakura. All. Sakura was just opening her eyes, and was in Naruto's arms, being carried over branches and through leaves. behind her, she saw Sasuke and Shino, running to catch up. Her ears kicked in.
"NARUTO! GET BACK HERE! YOU'LL NEVER BEAT GAARA!" Sasuke was screaming. Odd, she thought, that Sasuke yelled so loud, or even yelled in the first place. Naruto stopped for a moment to catch his breath. That was when Sakura saw Gaara. He was catching up with them, and fast.
"NARUTO!" Sakura screamed. He voice rasped out and she coughed, and felt herself being pulled away by Naruto. He lept up, set her down, and landed again to face Gaara. The red-haired boy faced him with a straight look. It was an evil look, really... a mixture of confidence, determination and pure killing intent. No fear, no regret. Shino and Sasuke could still be heard yelling in the background. Sakura's vision began to blur again, her exhaustion kicked in. She strived to stay awake, she wouldn't get caught again. But her eyes were wavering their way shut. A figure appeared over her, who she recognized as Kakashi. His arm was badly cut up, and his forehead protector was pulled up. He looked down at the fight, and her last hearing was of his voice. She couldn't make out the words as sleep was about to consume her.

Naruto was fighting exellently. He dodged, stabbed, and slashed with precise timing. His body flew and flowed like water with wings. Hinata watched this with awe as she leaped through the branches, her chakra racing to get out of her body. She hovered above the fight, watching as Naruto slowly lost energy, lost Chakra, lost stamina, lost the fight. Gaara seemed unmoved by it all. He was standing in the same place he had been when the fight began, and it seemed that after fighting four different ninja he was still the same level that he had been at the beginning. So Hinata took a chance. She lept down and let out a yell, loud and clear, even shocking herself. She slashed at Gaara's back and merely hit his sand armour, pulling back and stabbing again, gaping holes through the formation of Sand, Blood and Chakra. She thought things through.

Sand was his chakra, really. All his jitsus involved it. He ate, breathed and probably was sand. 'No' She corrected herself 'Not all sand... part demon.... You're fighting a demon, remember that...' She had created an opening wide enough in his armour and stabbed at his skin. The skin was already healing and the sand was closing in around her arm. There were two choices;
She could repeateadly do the same thing she was doing, maybe weaken him a bit.
No, that would never work. She had to somehow get in that armour herself. She slashed again, making it seem like she was still trying. She would have to catch him off gaurd. Under her breath she whispered "Byakugan" and analyzed his armour. Chakra weakens... "THERE!" She shouted, and stabbed, twisting, at the point where the Chakra was weak. A hole gaped and she leaped through, Stabbing at Gaara's chest and twisting. She didn't care about his vital organs now; she had to get out before that hole closed.
Gaara coughed, blood dripping from his mouth. The armour weakened and Hinata jumped back out, saying "RUN!" as she leaped from the ground to the safety of the trees. From tree to tree, she got farther away from Gaara, and felt it too. Her Chakra was weak... in the rush she'd converted way too much and wasted her stamina. Too late now, she had to get back to camp. The other people on her team were nowhere near, and she could only hope they got out as lucky as she did. Hope.

******************************************************************

Naruto stood and looked as Hinata fought. Her movements swished and swayed, yet she was making no progress. His Chakra was dangerously low. Pretty soon, he'd be dipping into the Fox Demon's reserve. Not good. He saw Hinata's lips move, but heard nothing. There was something awkard about the way she was moving now. Suddenly, there was a gaping hole in Gaara's armour and Hinata leaped through. The armour weakened and she was back out in a flash, Gaara doubled over in pain and anger. She shouted "RUN" and she was off, Kakashi with Sakura in his arms, Shino close behind.

But Gaara was up again. There was no time. Naruto saw Sasuke stand up and poise to fight. His kunai was out and Gaara was glaring at him. Naruto was still on the ground, but stood up shakily. He watched the fight start. Sasuke leaped forward, and slashed across the armour, hoping to hit a weak point. Gaara soon attacked back, creating a series of sand bunshins and sending them after Sasuke.

Naruto lept up and yelled "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JITSU!". he surrounded Gaara with his cloned and moved them forward to attack. The slashed and kicked at his armour, gaping holes through it that quickly swallowed up. Sasuke looked angry and slashed his way through to Gaara, Spinning up and kicking at a weak spot in his armour. In the air, Naruto noticed Sasuke was using his Sharingan. The black haired boy landed and yelled "NARUTO! You are weak! let me fight him, or we'll lose badly!" Sasuke slashed and spin-kicked at Gaara's feet. He flipped over and landed behind him, and stabbed at his back. He lined up a punch to his head and had his hand caught by a strong hand. He winced and pulled up his knee toward's Gaara's chin, but the ninja just grinned and dodged easily, leaping back and spinning around, elbowing Sasuke in the face and slamming him into a nearby tree.
Naruto took into action and sent his remaining Bunshins after Gaara, pulling a meelee attack. They were easily defeated. Sasuke now winced in pain and yelled "Naruto! There's no hope! Give UP!" His eyes were now, again, normal and deep black, shining over in pain.
He and leaned his head back against the tree. "Naruto, just give up!"

But the blonde boy was still fighting. He swung his arm around, spinning a Shuriken at Gaara. Gaara simply caught it and grinned, knocking away the second projectile that'd been hidden in the shadow of the first. He spoke, darkly. "Yeah, give up." Naruto persisted, Yelling "Sasuke, Who's dead-last now? I don't take orders from lower ninja. I WON'T LET YOU BEAT ME!" He slashed at Gaara and leaped at him, landing hard as the other ninja spun out of the way. He got right back up and launched a series of Kunai's at Gaara, having them easily dodged and deflected. He grinned.
In puffs of smoke, seven bunshin appeared out of the Kunai and attacked at Gaara's back. They clung to him, arms wrapped around his limbs and neck. "All my life.." One said... "I've been following people like YOU!" another continued.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sasuke grinned. "You okay, DEAD-LAST?"

*switch scene*

Sasuke's face darkened. "What did you just say, Dobe?"

*switch scene*

Sasuke picked up Naruto and leaped out of the way of Haku's weapons.

~*~*~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK END*~*~*~**~*~~

"You HATE ME, Sasuke, And the only reason you SAVE me is to look so much better for all your FANS!" A third Bunshin yelled, and the Real Naruto thought of Sakura.

~*~*~*~*~*~FLASHBACK~*~*~**~*~*~*~*

"Sakura, Wanna eat lunch with me, since we're on the same team now?" Naruto asked, his hopes up.
"No, Naruto, You're annoying." Sakura's face darkened and she walked away, calling "SASUKEEE!! SASUKEEE!!"

*switch scene*

The pink haired girl blushed and looked over at Sasuke.
"I like... umm... my hobbies are..." She squeaked and continued staring at Sasuke.
Kakashi sighed and asked "What about you dislikes? What do you hate?"
"I hate..." The girl grimaced "NARUTO"

~*~*~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK END*~*~*~*~*

"BUT WHO'S THE COWARD NOW?" A fourth Bunshin slashed at Gaara's neck and knocked him over, disappearing in a puff of smoke. Naruto leaped and grabbed the frozen Sasuke, running away from the temporarily injured enemy. He headed toward camp, all the way bleeding inside from the wave of memories that had hit him in being yelled at by Sasuke. The whole villiage had hated him....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~FLASHBACK*~*~*~*~*~*

"You're a DEMON, Naruto, EVERYBODY hates you. Even Iruka, who wouldn't? You killed his parents." Mizuki glared at Naruto.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK END*~*~*~*~*~*

And even now that he was a Shinobi, people chose to hate him because he "Wasn't strong" Like Sasuke. "Wasn't brave" Like Sasuke. And what would happen when he BEAT Sasuke?

THEY WOULD REALIZE THEY WERE WRONG.

************************************************************************************

"Gai?!" Kakashi fumed as Kurenai bandaged up his arm. Sakura lay on the ground, bandaged and cared for. Asuma was making a cup of tea for Shino and Shikamaru, as Ino and Tenten socialized. Gai stood, smiling like an idiot, as Lee stood beside him. Neji was staring into the forest. It was an odd sight indeed... The camp was a mess, Kurenai was the only thing holding Kakashi back from stabbing Gai and Then there was the mix of people throughout the tiny clearing... No one seemed to notice though as they were all busy tending to their own things. Kakashi shot one last electrifying glare at Gai before Kurenai pushed him down on the chair, and he sat with a huff. Kurenai was annoyed. obviously, by the two, but kept calm. "There are matters to talk about, you two! There's no time to act like children."

'Personally, though, Gai IS somewhat into himself...' Kurenai thought to herself as two more ninja jumped down from the trees. Naruto landed, his breathing heavy, with Sasuke in his arms. Sasuke had apperently passed out, his Chakra had run out. The jounin quickly worked to get Sasuke taken care of when a question arose.

"Where's Kiba?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N- I don't know, Where IS Kiba? I haven't quite established that yet... O.o... So yeah... HELP WOULD BE GOOD! This chapter turned out longer than usual, but there was a lot of content I wanted to cover. The story is pretty well planned out except for exact locations and junkers...

I AM EXTREMELY SORRY FOR THE OOC-NESS! VELLY VELLY EBIL OOC-NESS!
I'm not very good at keeping people in character... I'm trying though.... as for Shino, Asuma, Kurenai, Tenten, Gaara, Neji and Gai's relationship with Kakashi (NOT love-relationship you BAKA! err...you sweet, smart, strong person.... ever notice that a lot of complements start with s?) , I haven't seen much of any of them in the Anime and I havent read past chapter four in the manga so all my knowledge is of character biographies at Narutguide.net.

So onto the thanks--
Narutguide.net - INFO! INFO! INFO!
Naruto Soundtrack - inspiration
Kishimoto Mashashi-Senpai - NARUTO! w00t! *bows down* I am not worthyyyy!
And if you people would give me reviews, I WOULD ANSWER THEM!