Hyuuga Neji wasn't happy. What had started as relaxing, but still essential meditation session had just been interrupted by some fool of a messenger. What's more was that when faced with his honed Hyuuga glare, said messenger could barley stop shaking let alone talk coherently. This left Neji to stoop to collect the scroll dropped at his feet while the messenger hastily moved in the opposite direction. Bykugan still activated, Neji noted the errand runner of the Hokage peering backwards, and smirked slightly.
"Either the glare is more threatening or the prey is getting weaker." He commented loudly enough for his watcher to hear, then took pleasure in watching him trip over himself in his hurry to get away. Feeling slightly better he turned to move inside and properly read his note.
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An hour later Tsunade was hurriedly attempting to keep herself looking dignified and almighty as she found herself positioned at the receiving end of the same glare demonstrated earlier.
"I'm sorry Neji but it is essential that you are included on this mission with the task you have been given." Tsunade gulped as she watched Neji's eyes puff up slightly around the corners.
"The task I have been given? Babysitting a girl?"
"Ah I would rather it to be referred to as 'Sentry of Camp and Medic Escort'"
"What am I required to do? Hold her hand as she crosses the road?"
"No. Just offer assistance to her um, Medics duties and defend the camp if the need arises."
"And the chances of either of those wondrous talents being needed?"
"Low." His expression didn't change as he continued to stare at her "But not impossible."
"If the rest of the team is only participating in investigatory work in a holiday village the chances are less than low. The only chances of a medic being needed are if the child grazes his knee." He looked at her again a noted a flicker in her eyes as he finished. "Unless of course there is something else? To do with the mission." Tsunade cursed under her breath. She had forgotten about the expression reading skills.
"It is not necessary for you or Sakura to know any more of the mission's details. Your instructions are clear."
"If there is going to be added risk wouldn't it be better for us to know so we may make the necessary precautions?" Tsunade was stopped by this comment. Although the risk was small it was there. She was suddenly truly glad she had assigned Neji for this just incase the rumors were true.
"Just handle it as carefully as you would any other. You know the general idea behind the mission. Having any more of you know the details would just be dangerous."
"You do not trust us to hold our tongues then? Or is there a chance we will be caught for information?"
Tsunade sighed. Sakura had asked almost no questions and was only glad to be requested for another mission. Kiba and Tenten both knew the details and had been given proper tasks to perform. Konohamaru, well she didn't know a boy, even a child could squeal that loudly. All had accepted. Neji's stupid little mind games and seemingly telepathic skills were making this hard for her. Still she had an unbeatable plan yet.
"NEJI! THOSE ARE MY ORDERS AND YOU WILL FOLLOW THEM DILIGENTLY WITH NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM NOW ON! UNLESS YOU WANT THAT SHINY METAL PLATE REMOVED FROM YOUR FORHEAD PERMANENTLY, KINDLY EXIT MY OFFICE NOW AND PREPARE FOR YOUR ASSINGED MISSION!"
Whatever reaction the Hokage had been hoping for the one she received was not it. Perhaps she would have enjoyed watching him break down into tears and beg for forgiveness and mercy, maybe even collapse in shock. Instead all she got was a small smirk as he turned from her desk and walked calmly out of the door on the opposite side of the room.
She fell forward allowing her head to bang against the wood of her desk.
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Haruno Sakura skipped around her small apartment, empty bag swinging dangerously from her arm. Earlier that morning she had been informed that she was needed by the Hokage. Assuming the request for her presence had something to do with her training; she had been delighted to learn that for once she had been assigned to a mission as the official Medic. So the Hokage finally thought she was ready for some real action! She paused, mid swing and the bag fell limply to her side.
"Well almost action." She pondered quietly to herself "She did say I probably wouldn't be needed much. Still experience is experience and I need to start somewhere if I'm to get back into field missions."
Sakura had been posted at Konoha Hospital as a nurse and surgeons assistant since she had completed the basis of her medic training over three years previously. Now was her chance to start her work as a ninja again. As she moved from room to room throwing a number of essential and nonessential items into different parts of her back pack she considered how well she would work with the other members of her team. She knew Kiba quite well, was friendly with Tenten and Konohamaru, well he was terrified of her after witnessing several shows of her inner selves wrath upon Naruto. Smiling at the thought she picked up sieve and dropped it into her packing. As for Neji she had no idea. All she could remember was watching Naruto beat him in the Chuuin exams. He was a Hyuuga though so she guessed he would be polite and kind like Hinata. Sliding her encyclopedia of the Fire countries birds into the last space in her clothes bag and squishing every thing down so she could zip it up, she grinned.
"This will be fun." She murmured.
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Neji was trying his hardest not to snap and break his 'calm Hyuuga' face. This was proving quite a challenge however as his recently designated team partner bubbled with excitement and small talk on the branch next to him as they sped through the forest towards the assigned destination. Kiba, Tenten along with Konohamaru were traveling ahead of them leaving himself in the company of the pink haired girl, Sakura. He had never met anyone this annoying in his life, except perhaps Naruto, but even then she was quite a tough contester.
"...And so then I asked Ino if she knew and she said..."
'Perhaps...' he considered mentally 'Perhaps if Sakura was to meet with an accident...like being pushed out of a tree, we would have to take her back. Maybe the mission would be canceled entirely.' Pondering his options Neji was only slightly aware of his name being called. He groaned inwardly. Plotting to break her neck was one thing but ignoring her was just plain rude. He gave her the best answer he could at the time.
"Hm?"
"Would you say the Red or the Blue?"
"Ah?"
"Neji? Well what do you think?" This was going to be a long trip.
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Carefully, Sakura turned her head to look at Neji from the corner of her eye. He had been very quiet so far and not even her charming conversation had induced him to say anything longer than a single word. She ticked of the options in her mind until she came to a suitable conclusion. Neji was sick. Actually now she looked again he seemed unusually pale and that would explain his excusing of himself from her while they were eating lunch. Thinking about it more she realized that he had barley eaten anything before he had hurriedly left and hadn't returned until she was getting ready to leave. She couldn't believe it! They weren't even one day into the mission and she was already failing in her role as a Medic Nin. Neji didn't need to have told her. She should have noticed the obvious signs of something being wrong. It was time for Sakura to take action and prove to her self and the world that she was well deserving of her title as team Medic!
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She had finally shut up and Neji couldn't be happier. Maybe his abrupt departure at their break had given her the message. Now at least he could concentrate on more important things like sabotaging Kiba so that Neji would take his place in the mission. He was thinking of shutting him a tent with Sakura for five minutes. That would put him out of action for a while. He was so busy laughing mentally that it took him a few seconds to realize he was jumping alone. Turing back he landed next to Sakura and waited for her to speak first.
"Neji. Are you hot?" After several seconds of horror from misunderstanding the question, Neji smooth as ever forced out an answer.
"No." She didn't seem satisfied with the answer.
"Well do you feel at all unusual?" He was beginning to get confused.
"No. I'm fine." Her eyebrows shot up and she stared at him.
"You haven't been throwing up at all? Coughing or sneezing lately? Are you regular? Have you..." Neji had stopped listening.
"What?"
"Are you regular? As in-"
"I know what it means! I told you I'm fine!" Wow. It wasn't even nightfall and he was shouting at her. Twenty Five years of cold demeanor ruined by one girl and six hours.
"But you looked pale!"
"I always look pale! I have fair skin!"
"You were throwing up at lunchtime!"
"No! What gave you that idea?"
"Well why else would you have left and not eaten anything!"
"I WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM YOU!" He watched as Sakura's eye's widened and her mouth opened slightly.
"What?"
"I..." Neji turned as he heard someone coming in their direction. "Kiba."
"What are you two doing? The campsite is just up here. Hurry up we need to get ready." He turned back and headed of in the direction he had come. Neji didn't spare Sakura another glance and followed him.
Nut 2: well I have finished another chapter. Thank you to my one reviewer 'silversilence0' and sixty readers. This is a strange story. Kind of drama/humor at the moment. I didn't even realize that was possible. Please review!
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Naruto.