Section 28 – Genin Unite Again

Sakura walked solemnly along with Naruto, Shikamaru, and Ino. Ino was bouncy and bubbly while she was attached to unenthusiastic Shikamaru's arm. He rolled his eyes as she continued to squeeze relentlessly, while giggling adorably. Naruto walked along the outside of the pack, peeking over to the desolate Sakura with concern, "What's wrong with her anyways... she's been acting weird since Sasuke was here... Are you ok Sakura-chan?"

She failed to lift her head, but rather shifted it incredibly slightly towards him, "I'm fine. Don't worry, Naruto." She sounded no better than she was looking, and Naruto sighed sadly and looked back ahead frowning.

"What'd I do? Did I make her upset? Probably..." The four continued walking, and reached a city intersection, where another wall of people blocked the view of the village's center. "Damn it! Is there anywhere we can see?!" Naruto looked back and forth angrily and impatiently, until he noticed something to his left. "Ah-reh? Eh! It's Lee! HEY LEE!" Naruto began to jump up and down, trying to gain the attention of the distant Lee.

Lee, Tenten, Shino, and Romi all walked up together waving back at the mentally challenged Naruto. Naruto stopped when he noticed the new face of Romi, who was significantly holding hands with Shino.

Naruto lifts his arm and points forward, with a baffled look, "...Who's that there with Shino...?" The other three look over with curiosity, and wait for them to get close to ask.

"Shino...who's the girl..."

Romi looked up and turned away blushing with bashfulness. Shino looked over at her, then turned his head back to Naruto, "Her names Romi, she's from my clan..."

Naruto interrupts him as he spoke, "She's a female Shino?!"

Shino sighs, "If you want to look at her that way..."

Naruto whips himself around so he's in front of Romi, and gets all up into her personal space, startling her, "HI! I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Future Hokage of Konoha, and hey! You're pretty for a Shino-girl!"

Shino's eyebrow rose, with an offended grunt, "...so he's saying I'm ugly!?"

Sakura grabs Naruto by his outfit with a fuming scowl, "Who's pretty?!?!"

Naruto closes his eyes and laughs nervously, "Hehe, you of course Sakura-chan!" In an obviously lying tone, "Who else would I be speaking of?! Hehe...! Heh..."

Romi curled up blushing, "Thank you... you're cute yourself... Uzumaki Naruto."

Shino and Sakura lashed back, with their eyebrows twitching in rage. Inner Sakura blew up over Sakura's image, "Oh... NO SHE DIDN'T HIT ON MY MAN!" Inner Sakura lit on fire, flailing her arms and fists in anger.

Shino stared at Naruto, as his glasses gleamed in an intimidating way, "...This... is unacceptable Naruto...!"

Naruto smiled in a flattered fashion, before his expression dissolved into astonishment, "Huh? Tenten, why are you holding Lee's hand?"

Shikamaru, Sakura, and Ino all flung their heads towards the two to see for themselves, then the trio flung back pointing, "LEE HAS A INCHUUNOONA!?"

Lee looked back, offended and hurt, "Hey... why is that so surprising?"

All of them, with exception to Tenten, hung their heads down, "...He doesn't own a mirror...does he...?" Sweat drops rolled down their heads all simultaneously.

Neji walked up, and told Lee coldly, "You're ugly... that's why." Everyone, one by one looked up at Neji in shock at his cruelty.

Lee looked up sadly, "Awww... Neji, that was cold... I know I'm not the best looking, but Tenten loves me!" He joyfully wrapped his arm around the blushing Tenten.

"Humph... you think so...?" He peered over to Tenten with darkened eyes, "...Are you really that desperate Tenten?" She widened her eyes, which suddenly began to build up with tears, "...I thought so..."

"Neji!" Naruto dove forward shaking his fist in front of Neji, "...what's the big deal?! Why are you being so mean?!"

Choji appeared out of nowhere, scaring both Ino and Shikamaru, who were engaged into what was going down in front of them. He was eating, as usual, before he looked forward once again and noticed what was going down. "What a bad entrance..."

"Butt out... this has nothing to do with you." Neji looked over to Lee, who looked as if he had been scarred emotionally, "...stop being naïve, Lee..." He turned away blankly, "...you know how things are... you just don't fit in this role... give it up."

Naruto jumped up obnoxiously, "You bastard! I thought you would learn by now! No one has to go with what is only given to them! They work hard for it with everything they have!" He cringed in anger, "...And what you're saying is bullshit!" Neji looked back, except he seemed to be slightly broken by Naruto's words now.

"I... hope you're wrong, Naruto..." He looked over to Tenten, curled up with Lee. "You have to be wrong!"

"Eh, what the hell are you screaming about now, moron?!" Flying in was Kiba with Akamaru perched on his shoulder and a jerky smile across his face. Hinata landed shyly, far behind him in the background.

She looked over from a distance, and noticed Naruto in the crowd, "Naruto-kun! He's here!" She stepped back nervously, and turned bright red while curling up in fright.

Shino noticed her behavior, "Hmm... so she still has feelings for him... Poor Hinata."

Naruto starts yelling viciously, while letting spit fly into Kiba's face, "Eh?!?! Mind your own business wiener dog!"

Kiba looked back angrily, but was interrupted by Ino before he could retaliate, "Hey! Everyone's here! ...oh... well, except Sasuke-kun..." Sakura looked down sadly to the ground when she thought about what Sasuke was doing.

Neji huffed smugly, "You guys don't notice..." The group all looked back in surprise, with exception to Shino, who knew as well. "... He's already here..." Neji pointed up to the top of the building, where Sasuke sat at the edge facing away from them. Sasuke turned when he noticed they had spotted him, and leaped down to the group.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura stepped forward with a hopeful smile on her face, "...you didn't go after all!"

"I had nowhere to go..."

Sakura smiled, "You're always welcome here Sasuke-kun! Were here for you!"

Naruto launched forward next to her, "Damn straight Sakura-chan! Sasuke, together we make the ultimate team!" Sasuke looked at Naruto in shock, then smirked pleasantly.

"Naruto..." Sakura smiled happily, "...that was very cool..." She blushed in his direction, "...that's why I love him... those moments where he's amazing."