Disclaimer: I really shouldn't be writing this. I do own Naruto. ::nods:: He happens to be both in my laptop and in my bookbag and in my dresser and on my desk and on this random table all at the same time. Merchandise counts, right?

Chapter 4: A Done Deal

"A bet?" Rock Lee asked with a very confused loon on his face. Now, why would a bet settle this? It wasn't Rock Lee's nature to make bets like that, as his mother would probably scold him, especially if it involved something degrading or illegal. But he had to keep his form in front of all the Genin, especially Sakura. Maybe, if he won the bet, WHEN he wins the bet, she might just change her mind about him and offer him to go to the movies with her! Yes! It would all work out! He could beat the Sharingan! He really could! "Ok. A bet it is. So, what would this bet entitle Sasuke?

Sasuke noticed the confusion that had before clouded the eyes of the fellow Genin now turn to eagerness. There was no turning back on the bet now, or Rock Lee might make him look bad. Besides, the whole point of this was to prove to all that he was stronger than Rock Lee. And he really needed to find that out, since he never got a chance to fight him. He had to know. "Well, it would have to be something that would measure our strength. And our intelligence of course...But what..."

"And our teamwork!" Rock Lee said with eagerness. Gai-sensei had always said those were three very important qualities in ninjas (I'm just making this up.): Strength and the desire to win, Intelligence and the ability to look underneath the underneath (He got that from Kakashi.), and Teamwork and their cooperation with fellow Genin.

"But this is a bet between just the two of us. There would be no way we could measure teamwork with just the two of us, unless we were on the same team, which we can't be because of the fact that we want to measure the difference in ninja ability between us." Sasuke wasn't following Rock Lee at all.

"Well, Gai-sensei always said that teamwork was a part of ninja ability, so how could we properly measure ninja ability without teamwork? Unless, our teams could do the bet with us! Rock Lee knew he was smart! He didn't have to bea genius ninja like Neji, and Sasuke in order to comprehend and strategize. Just like his lovely Sakura. She didn't let her physical inability get in the way of her sharp mind.

"BUT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A BET BETWEEN US! IT WOULD HAVE NO POINT IF WE DID IT WITH OUR TEAMS! JUST LEAVE THEM OUT OF THIS!!" Sasuke REALLY couldn't have their teams going against each other. All he wanted was to fight Rock Lee. No one else. At least, not at the moment. What the hell was with the team suggestion??

"Why do you have to get SO angry? If it upsets you that much, then fine! We WON'T do the bet with our teams! I just thought it was a great idea seeing as a ninja is not someone who fights for himself, but for others too. And especially for their teammates! With out teammates there, we could have a more challenging bet because not only do you have to watch your back, but Naruto's and Sakura's. So the bet would have more meaning because it would also measure your ability to take care of your team, which is very important in a ninja, and very important for becoming a Chunnin!!!" said Rock Lee. Hehe.

" FINE!" Really. That was all Sasuke had to say. He REALLY hated team fights. But why was he acting so immature about it? Why was he acting all emotional today? There must have been something in the ramen or something, because Sasuke could never remember the last time he lost his cool so much. His attitude was the spitting image of Naruto's. Why?!

After all the fights and arguments that Sasuke had with both Naruto and Sakura, and all the missions that tested their teamwork and desire to save one another's lives, he would think that he wouldn't mind having to do a bet with his fellow teammates. But now that he thought about it, he wished he wouldn't have overreacted so bad. On his first day of training, Kakashi had found out the weakness of all three of them, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura. And of course his was that he felt anyone else trying to help him would only get in his way of winning and completing a mission. Sasuke knew that, but he never gave it a thought. Now that he was really going to become a ninja, he needed to learn to work with others, no matter what. No matter who they were. It was important. He knew that whatever Kakashi taught him would be the final word in his mind.

"Sorry I overreacted...I just..." Sasuke didn't know what else to say. He wasn't good at this type of stuff. "Just...Let's just figure out what the bet should be on."

"So, is that a yes to the team bet?" Lee asked with a little curiosity but more with fear that the question would open up another explosion from the volcano known as Mt. Sasuke.

"Yeah...It is." said the now somewhat relaxed Sasuke. He had decided to stop this immaturity that was starting to take over his emotions. He would not have it.

"Alright! Now let's set up the bet!" And so Rock Lee and Sasuke were brainstorming in their own ways of things that would challenge them. And of course it would have to be something that they both agreed on. Duh!

"How about the first team to do 1000 push ups each? Yeah!!"

"And how does that measure intelligence and teamwork? Remember? It has to incorperate all three..."

"Oh yeah. I wonder how those Chunnin Exam people made up our exams..."

"Well, the first exam was written, and even though we all needed to pass together, it didn't require strength, the second was in the forest, and the third required no teamwork because we all had to fight one-on-one..."

"Wait! The Forest Exam! That is a well-rounded bet! So, wait, we can't do the whole "steal the Earth and Heaven scrolls from the other teams" thing because it's only us two teams..."

"Why don't we all just fight and whoever lives wins!!! Which will be me of course!"

"Shut up Naruto. Lee and I are trying to think intelligently here. Ok, so it should be in the forest. But what should it be? Who ever survives wins?"

"Well...Wait a minute, so you mean everyone's gonna die except for one guy?"

"OR GIRL!!!"

"Sorry Sakura! Forgive me my love!"

"No, a whole team could survive together."

"Don't you think that's a little too serious, fighting to the death?"

"Well, if you are that scared about it, we won't kill each other. But remember, the forest IS called the Forest of Death, so there is a chance we could die by other means."

"Yeah...So, we're back at the beginning. Should it be whoever survives?"

"Well, you said it was going too far, so we can do something less life-threatening...Hmm..."

"How about, we all get separated in the forest. Then, the first thing you gotta do is try and look for our other teammates. And there could be a chance you run into an enemy, so you gotta fight them. They have to accept. I guess we could have some exceptions if something gets really serious. But anyways, you either give up,if you think you are going to lose, or...you die."

"I thought you said it was too dangerous."

"No, but that's how the Chunnin exams were. If you really think you are going to die, we're not about to go and kill each other. We are friends, so if you feel severely hurt, and we do not notice, tell us that you give up."

"Ok."

"But maybe we should have a Jounin watch over the whole bet, just in case."

"We can't."

"Why not?"

"Because they wouldn't approve of our doing a bet, much less watch over it. And they'd especially not let us do it in the Forest of Death!!! We can't tell anyone, alright?"

"Ok."

"Ok."