Boys of Hidden Villages

By: Asagi Tsuki

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Intermezzo One – The Great Plans

"Hello guys!" a cheerful voice rang through the room as the witch jumped up and down in joy. Beside her were her loyal wolf demon and a stool, along with a table that had a crystal ball on it. The crystal ball was round and wasn't misshapen. "I get a new crystal ball from a reviewer, and I'm still collecting money to buy a good one," she explained as she sat on the stool.

"In this chapter, we're not focusing on Sasuke," the wolf spoke up, standing near the feet of the stool, "We're focusing on the eleven nins that chased him around, and that's why the title was named Intermezzo One," he explained. And that explained why it wasn't Chapter Five but Intermezzo One, no?

"Okay, so now we're going to focus on them, let's look at what they're planning to do," the witch said, before she moved the table in front of her so she could get a better view on it while the silver wolf jumped on a stool and stared into the ball as well.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was a fine day, really, and it would be far finer if he didn't have those scrapes, bruises and cuts on his body. He wasn't even a missing-nin, so why did ten nins that have the abilities better than the ANBU chase after him the whole afternoon? He was very lucky he managed to come back to his apartment alive, or he'd have to contact a necromancer to bring him back to life.

He was sitting on a tatami mat in his apartment, sighing. Surely the ten nins wouldn't want to chase him to his house, right?

He heard a knock on his door and immediately jumped up, before hiding behind the curtain, glaring at the door warily. After some more knocking, he was convinced that it wasn't the crazed nins after him. They wouldn't bother themselves to knock on his door. Heck, they'd run it down!

Opening the door, he sighed in relief when he saw his pink-haired teammate instead of the ten crazy nins. He let the girl walk in, and closed the door behind him, thinking that maybe he should buy a lock and a lock pick, in case he lost the key.

"So, how does the festival go?" the girl with pink hair asked, smiling widely. She was wearing her usual ninja outfit. It was red with white circles on it.

"Can you guess?" the boy asked as he pulled the sleeve of his orange jacket up, showing the girl the scrapes, bruises and cuts he had got. Luckily, none was deep enough to make him bleed.

"Is that a bad omen?" the girl asked, tilting her head to the side, taking a closer look at the wounds that were all over the boy's body.

"This is so NOT an omen!" the boy nearly screamed. He jumped up and straightened his orange jacket. "Anyway, Sakura-chan, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Checking on you," Sakura sighed, "Really Naruto, you're so stupid that you can't even get Sasuke-kun," she added with another sigh while Naruto started to protest.

"So, what are you going to do next?" she asked, looking upwards since Naruto was standing and not sitting. Their height difference wasn't that big, and, if possible, she was taller than the blond boy.

"Don't really know," Naruto answered frankly as he shrugged his shoulders, "Do you think I should sneak into his house?" he asked.

"Haven't you tried that before?" Sakura asked. It was when Naruto took Sasuke's form after tying him with a rope in his house.

"Oh yeah, that's right! Why didn't I remember!" Naruto asked as he jumped up. Luckily enough, he wasn't tall, and his head didn't bump onto the ceiling when he had jumped up. "I guess I can sneak in tonight," he said as he grinned widely, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"You know, if I don't know you better, I'll shout 'Burglar!' right then and there," Sakura commented as she made a 'tsk' noise occasionally. "And what are you going if you managed to sneak in?" she asked doubtfully. Was he going to steal the valuables in there?

"Well, take some photos or something?" Naruto asked lamely as he shrunk down. "As long as he's asleep, I'm free to do as I wish," he added.

"Oh, no, don't underestimate shinobis," Sakura warned as she waved her index finger in front of her face.

"I didn't underestimate him," Naruto said, defending himself.

"I didn't mean Sasuke-kun," Sakura remarked, staring at Naruto doubtfully, "I meant the ten other nins," she shook her head and sighed. Luckily the kunoichis decided to help from the backstage, not having their own war while the men already had their own war.

"Oh," Naruto murmured. "They are dangerous," he added as he remembered how he needed to run from hundreds of kunais and shurikens, bugs, slashes of swords, and other jutsus.

Oh, the pain he went through for his idol.

"It's okay," Sakura said, patting his shoulder in a reassuring manner, "I'll help take care of your apartment while you're away tonight, deal?" she asked.

"Deal," Naruto grinned as he shook her hand.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Jiraiya, Kakashi," a woman with red hair called out to the two nins standing in front of her. The first one had silver hair while the second had white hair. "Your report," she demanded.

"I'm first," the so-called Jiraiya said as he stood up, "It happened that Sasuke had finally agreed to us, but the nin Naruto ruined it all," he stated, remembering the incident earlier.

"Naruto ka?" the woman asked as she mumbled to herself, feeling the want to ban him from the village. But it would be so unreasonable. "Anyway, do you have any plan for today?" she asked.

"I fear not," Jiraiya answered, disappointment clear in his voice.

"I do," Kakashi said suddenly, and the two turned to him.

"What is it?" the woman asked.

"It's a simple plan, really, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi said as he bowed down, trying to look cool while he himself was suppressing a laugh. "We'll sneak into his house later tonight," he explained.

"Simple…" Tsunade murmured, "But I think it's worth a try," she concluded finally.

"Alright, so," Kakashi stated, still bowing his head, trying to find the right angle that made him looked cool, "I'm tired, can we stop our little 'meeting' and get back to usual?" he asked.

"I'm the most tired! Why must I speak so politely to that old hag?" Jiraiya shouted as he pointed at Tsunade, and the next second, he was nowhere to be found.

"I… think it's okay with me," Kakashi muttered, fearing for his dear life.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"So, today's ruined?" a girl with short dark blue hair asked. "As much as I liked Naruto-kun, I'm not going to forgive him if this happen for the second time," she added menacingly and the two boys kept silent. They knew better than going against her, especially when she was having her period. And it was today.

"Okay, so, Hinata," the first boy, a boy with rather long raven black hair and marks on his cheeks, just like an Indian, started, "What are we supposed to do now?" he asked as the second boy, a boy with short spiky black hair and funny looking glasses, nodded his head.

"I wonder what Neji-nii-san is thinking right now," Hinata mumbled as she remembered her relative, for lack of better word. "Knowing him, he probably will take a chance right now," she muttered, her eyebrows furrowing.

"What do you mean?" the first boy asked.

"You know, Kiba-kun, devising plans on how to get Sasuke-kun to date him or something" Hinata said, "And he gets Tenten's help," she added with a growl.

Both boys could only stare. Was she just growling?

"Oi, Shino, do you think we can sneak in tonight?" Kiba asked his companion who had just kept silent for the entire little meeting they were having.

"We, Kiba?" Shino asked back.

"Whatever," it was Kiba's turn to growl.

"Worry not, I'm sure you two can," Hinata smiled at the two boys reassuringly, "Now, what would you do if you get to get in? Kiss him?" she asked excitedly.

"Take him to my house," Shino remarked silently and both his companions stared at him in silence, both thinking of what he would be doing if he managed to bring Sasuke to his house.

"I… don't think it's a good idea," Hinata said finally, "But, I won't stop you from doing what you want to," she said as a devilish grin was forming on her face.

Both boys stared in shock, before they decided to go get a psychiatrist someday. But definitely not today. They had something they had to do.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

A trio was sitting on the shore, enjoying the breeze. Well, not actually enjoying since one of them looked like he was contemplating something while the other two kept fidgeting around the first one.

"So, Gaa-," a girl with wheat-colored hair started as she turned around to face her little brother.

"Shut up I'm thinking," a boy with blood red hair stated as his insomniac-looking eyes stared at the sand and sea in front of him.

"Do you think we should help him or something?" a funny looking boy, a boy with paint all over his face and strange ninja outfit, whispered to the girl.

"I… don't think it's a wise decision, Kankurou," the girl replied as she stared at the boy who looked maniacal by now, a grin was spreading across his feature and he had started cackling evilly.

"I think so…" Kankurou nodded his head stiffly as he stared at the now-laughing-like-a-maniac Gaara.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Kabuto," a man with long raven black hair stated as he stood leaning on the wall in a ruined fortress. People like them weren't supposed to be in the broad daylight anyway. He had remembered how the villagers of Konoha averted their gazes from him when he passed by them earlier.

"What is it, Orochimaru-sama?" a boy with long light blue hair that was tied asked as he positioned his glasses. He was reading his cards when the older man suddenly called him.

"Did you think of beating me?" Orochimaru asked as his eyes narrowed into slits, looking purely bloodlustful, even though that kind of expression doesn't exist, but what made Orochimaru special if he couldn't make it exist?

"We'll see," Kabuto replied lightly as he smiled at the older man and continued to read the cards in his hand.

"Yes, we'll see," Orochimaru nodded in agreement.

"…"

"…"

"See what? Sasuke's naked picture in a magazine?"

"Is there?"

"I don't think magazines exist in this era,"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The evening clouds moved slowly yet steadily, covering the orange sun once in a while. A boy with dark hair laid on his back while staring at the cloud, imagining the picture of a certain short raven black haired Uchiha.

"Oi Shikamaru! If you want to win then get your ass up and do something!" a girl with long blond hair tied into a ponytail exclaimed as she stood hands akimbo in front of him, blocking his view of the clouds in the sky.

"What are you doing here, Ino?" he asked in a bored manner as he forcefully pushed his body upwards until he sat upright.

"I'm so not going to lose to Sakura!" Ino shouted, "She asked Naruto to go to Sasuke's house to ask him out! Maybe if you can beat him to it, you'll have the upper hand!" she shouted again and Shikamaru naturally closed his ears with both of his hands.

"Right, I'll go tonight and before the dawn comes, ask him out," he stated in a bored manner. As much as he liked Sasuke, he didn't think it was a very bright idea. He didn't like sneaking around anyway.

"Yes, that'd be fine!" Ino shouted excitedly, "Now get your ass up and go prepare to go there!" she commanded as she kicked him to get him moving.

"Fine, fine," Shikamaru complained, "She really couldn't tell whenever I was sarcastic,"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Ah, the power of youth…" a man with short bobbed black hair commented as he grinned proudly, staring at the three genins that were assigned under his care. He was proud of them, especially the one that came from the Hyuuga clan, when the only girl in their team told him that he was trying to beat the other nins to get the successor of the Uchiha clan.

"Ha… me myself wanted to fight Uchiha but…" a boy that really looked like the jounin commented as he closed his eyes and tried to look like he was deep in thought, "I don't think I'll win,"

At this sentence, both the Hyuuga and the girl stared at the two.

"I don't think you two understand what I meant," the girl scowled. It was so hard getting their support when they only possessed below average intelligent quotient and could not understand anything except when it was said bluntly. Obviously, she had avoided the word 'seduce' or 'woo' or something akin to that to save the Hyuuga from embarrassment but her teammate and teacher just had to ruin it!

"Oh? Didn't you mean fighting the other nins to see who is worthy to fight that Uchiha?" the jounin asked, followed by the student who looked like him nodding his head.

"Really, Lee-kun, Gai-sensei, sometimes I'll take you to the IQ examiner," the girl sighed heavily as she let her head drop down in disappointment.

"Oi, Tenten, what do you mean?" Lee asked, not really understanding what she had meant by the whole beating other nins and taking them to an IQ examiner. They simply don't match.

"Argh," Tenten nearly growled, "I meant he wanted to beat the other nins to get Sasuke, and it wasn't only genin, there are jounin, sennin and missing nins," she explained once again, trying to make it clearer.

"What? Neji! Why do you have to fight a sennin to fight Uchiha? Is he that strong?" Lee shouted disbelievingly as he stared at the Hyuuga in his team while Neji merely chuckled. He had been silent the entire meeting, and Tenten could tell that he was thinking of a plan.

Thankfully, Neji was smart enough. He wasn't called a genius for nothing, anyway, and he could devise a plan even on his own. Of course, she wanted to help, but not while the other two were still there with them.

"Oh I know! He's kidnapped by the missing nin and if you want to fight him, you'll have to beat the missing nin, then beat the jounin and sennin that went with you to rescue him! Am I wrong?" Lee asked confidently as he grinned from ear to ear, but frowned when he was reminded of something, "But I did see Uchiha in the festival this morning, how come he could be kidnapped by such a short time span?"

Neji stared blankly while Tenten fell down.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Two figures of men were seen sitting in a ruined living room in a middle of an equally ruined wooden house. They were facing each other, both looking deep in thought.

"So, you're sure that you'll go there in the middle of the night and get in?" a man that has shark-like face asked the other man with long raven black hair and crimson eyes with three black marks in each one.

"Yeah, he just has to let me in," the second man replied.

"Seriously, Itachi," the shark man started, "He hated you, what made you think he'll let you in?" he asked with doubt clear in his tone of speaking.

"Seriously, Kisame," Itachi replied, mimicking the shark man, "He is my brother and he has to let me inside my house, for the love of Ra!" he shouted.

"…" Kisame kept silent for a while, before "What's Ra?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Later that night, approximately nine o'clock by the position of the moon, eleven nins were gathering at the outside of the Uchiha mansion. They were preparing to check whether the window is locked or not –it was obviously closed- and sneak in no matter it was locked or not.

Hey, why were they trained nins if they couldn't even pick a lock?

They prepared to jump towards the window and…

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING HERE?"

"SHUT UP! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP HERE!"

And there goes a bang.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"The eleven nins and their grand idea," the witch shook her head, "Great minds think alike," she commented further as shook her head once again.

"Great minds? I'll say they have a simple-minded mind," Byaku commented as he jumped down from the table he was currently on to the floor.

"Oh, they'll kill you if they hear that," the witch commented, "Anyway, sorry for the long update, it took me a while to think about various scenes and…" she trailed off as she took the notebook on the table right beside the crystal ball. Luckily, she didn't knock the ball over.

"Lazy syndrome?" Byaku asked as he snickered. She had been playing too much lately, and she concentrated on the other fics so, naturally, they'd come up late.

"No! It's not that!" she protested as she put the notebook down harshly and banged on the table. A crack was heard, and the table went down with a loud thud, followed by a loud crack.

The two stared at each other, both not daring to look at their side.

"There goes another one," Byaku sighed.

"Anyway, we hope you enjoy this one," the witch stated, crying comically in agony as her crystal ball was once again destroyed by herself, "And if you did, please leave a review,"

End of Intermezzo One – The Great Plans