Disclaimer: Look, if I owned Naruto, there would a lot more scenes with kunoichi in them, and we would actually know Tenten's last name. So obviously, I don't own Naruto.
A/N: Thank you everyone that reviewed, and seriously, when is Orochimaru going to die in the manga? He just stays alive…and it's getting annoying! I should just devote a chapter to Orochimaru bashing…anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
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"See, I told you Neji would ask you," said Ino, sipping her drink, "and now that I think about it, I should have bet you…"
Tenten laughed, "Neji asked me because it was convenient, as he has absolutely no time or desire to get to know another girl. Besides, your wording is wrong Ino. He did not ask me, he simply decided it."
Ino shook her head, "Same thing. Either ways, you're set to go to the ceremony with a Hyuuga family noble."
Tenten twirled the straw in her glass, "…that's not really a good thing you know. I'm betting that Neji went completely against the Hyuuga family to ask lowly me to the ceremony."
Ino smirked and pointed, "Further proof of his love, right Hinata?"
Hinata quickly nodded, "I'm very happy for you and Neji-niisan, Tenten-san."
"Speaking of which," said Sakura slyly, "I heard that you were showing Gaara around Konoha yesterday Hinata."
"Kazekage-sama? Yes, I did. He helped me, so that was my way of paying him back."
Sakura grinned, "Well at this rate you're sure to have a date for the ceremony…or is this a ploy to get Naruto jealous? Never thought you had it in you, Hinata…"
Hinata blushed and began to wave her hands frantically, "N-no! I really was just showing Kazekage-sama around, and Naruto-kun…well, Naruto-kun wouldn't care, would he?"
Sakura thought about it, "Well, he's really dense as everyone knows, but…" she shrugged, "Who knows? Perhaps you're speeding up the process this way…"
Ino sighed as she finished her drink, "Another one please! So, forehead girl…got a date yet?"
Sakura crossed her arms, "And how's this your business?"
Ino laughed, "I see. So, you really haven't got Sasuke-kun to ask you out, have you? Knew it, you are really just not his type…"
Sakura also laughed, "So what's his type, you? Psh, dream on Ino-pig, he could do so much better than you."
"Then he is sky and space about you forehead girl."
"Really."
"Really."
"A-ah," stammered Hinata, staring at the two glaring kunoichi, "don't argue…"
Tenten shook her drink, "Forget it Hinata, they always do this, even though it's obvious Ino likes a certain someone else now…"
Ino spun around, "I do not!"
Tenten continued like Ino hadn't said anything, "A certain lazy bum that's a genius…"
Sakura gaped, and shot Ino a look, "…please don't tell me you like Kakashi-sensei, because that is just gross, he's in his thirties now! And he's going with Anko-san I think…"
Ino gagged, "Ew, no I do not go for men who read perverted books day in and day out. And Tenten has no idea what she's saying, do you Tenten?"
"Who also controls shadows and is required to take care of deer…" Tenten smirked.
Sakura's eyes went wide, "…no way. Nara Shikamaru? You like Nara Shikamaru?"
Ino's face went red, "I do not like that lazy bum!"
Tenten yawned, "Better catch him while you can Ino, that girl Temari…well, you know how rumors go around…"
Ino twitched, and sat down slowly, "…really? Well, that doesn't matter. In fact, I wish Shikamaru good luck, since he is my best guy friend."
Tenten grinned and dramatically whispered, "Change one word…"
Ino screeched, "Tenten!"
They then proceeded to run around, Ino throwing kunai and shuriken at Tenten, and Tenten gracefully dodging all of them. Everyone else watched in wonder.
Tenten winked at the baffled crowd, "Trust me, once you get your own weapons thrown back at you with Kaiten, you get pretty good at dodging weapons."
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Sasuke leaned back and laughed, "Well, well Hyuuga…you actually asked a girl and she accepted. I simply cannot believe it."
Neji also leaned back smirking, "At least I have a girl, you on the other hand…are sadly lacking one of the fairer sex."
"I have tons of fangirls."
"Yeah," said Naruto, from his bowl of ramen, "But the ultimate problem is that Sasuke-teme is a cold bastard, and therefore will be ever female-less for all ceremonies."
"You want to bet dobe?"
"Sure Sasuke-teme, it's not like you can beat me."
Sasuke's smirk grew even wider, turning it a bit evil, "I bet that you can't find and ask the girl that likes you before the ceremony."
Naruto blinked, "…the girl?"
Neji rubbed his head, "Uchiha, he's dense. Everyone in the entire village knows it. He's not going to be able to figure it out, even if she blurts it out in front of him."
"What? Who?"
"So troublesome…" Shikamaru sighed, "even I know about it Naruto…"
"Who is it?"
"Still, it means that he will definitely owe me money," said Sasuke smirking.
Naruto pounded the table with his fist, "What the hell are all of you talking about! Can't you give me a hint?"
Neji shook his head, "She's already given you many hints before, and the fact that you didn't figure those out simply means that anything we would say would simply be in vain anyway."
"I haven't seen any girl throw herself at me," said Naruto suspiciously, "Are you guys just trying to set me up?"
Sasuke laughed, "If that's what it takes for you to figure it out dobe, than you're going to be an old man before you find her."
"I'll definitely find her. But you're never going to pick up the nerve to ask anyone out, Sasuke-teme," said Naruto somehow sneering and eating ramen at the same time.
Shikamaru yawned, "Well Uchiha, if you don't have a single preference to which girl you're going to take out, why don't you take Ino? In that case, maybe she'll stop shrieking into my ear, reporting every detail of her non-existent love life with you."
Naruto stared at Shikamaru, while slurping ramen, "…hey wait, I thought you were going to ask Ino!"
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "And why would I do that?"
Sasuke snorted, "The way you two act is already as if you're married…or are you going to ask that Sand nin girl?"
Shikamaru's eyes went wide, "Temari! She's older than me! Besides, her brother would probably kill me…if she didn't first. Women are so troublesome."
Sasuke raised his hands, and shrugged, "Well, there's always been rumors of you two. Oh, and I'm not going to take Ino, she's…strange. I'll get some other girl."
Neji raised an eyebrow now, "Oh, now what's this? You're actually considering some girl, Uchiha? Amazing…but she'll reject you."
Sasuke's eyes went Sharingan red, and he glared, "She'll accept. You'll see." With that, he stalked out of the ramen stand.
Naruto sighed, tapping his chopsticks against the large bowl, "You probably shouldn't have said that Neji, Sasuke-teme still reacts strangely if we talk about the whole Orochimaru years…"
Neji shrugged, "It's reality however. Whatever girl chooses him now has to consider the fact that he did betray the village for the sake of power."
Naruto glared, and slammed his bowl down on the counter, "Sasuke-teme is the captain of the Anbu now. Whatever happened in the past, is just the past."
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Sakura steadily walked home, still laughing a bit. Ino and Shikamaru…I still can't really believe it. But, it makes sense I guess, they were on the same team. That takes care of them, but I still need a date…should I just ask Sasuke, or—
"Hey," Sasuke said appearing behind her.
Sakura nearly screamed from fright, "Sasuke-kun, don't do that! You could give someone a heart attack that way!"
Sasuke shrugged, "Sorry, force of habit. You have to do that a lot in Anbu…"
Sakura smiled, "Yeah, fine. So…why are you here Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke looked down, and mumbled something quickly.
"What?"
Sasuke took a deep breath, and looked up unflinchingly, "Do you want to go to the Hokage ceremony with me, Sakura?"
Sakura stared at him for a few minutes. Wait, did he just…? Sasuke just…
It was still silent Sasuke turned, and laughed bitterly, "Never mind. You don't have to go out with me Sakura, if you don't want to obviously. After all, who want to go out with the traitor who—"
Sakura encircled his shoulders with her arms, "I don't care, Sasuke-kun. I thought I would have to ask you…did you finally figure out that I am the only one meant to be with you?"
Sasuke laughed, embarrassed, and gently removed her arms from his shoulders, "No. You're just the easiest person to ask, and since Hyuuga already has a date…"
Sakura rolled her eyes, "So this is really just a testosterone battle? Hmph, so even the great Uchiha family can't resist competing like this…"
"The noble families have always competed with each other, I obviously must uphold that tradition."
"Some tradition, it's just an ego thing."
They walked off arguing lightly, without noticing a slight rustle from the tree above where they had just been talking. Two Sharingan eyes with three spoke wheels appeared.
…so otouto, you couldn't fulfill one goal, so now you're trying to fulfill the other one? It might work, the Uchiha clan obviously needs to be rebuilt…but I wonder, have you truly given up killing me? You went to Orochimaru for that one sole purpose…something I wanted to prevent at all costs. Should I have told you my true reasons for killing our entire clan? It probably would have brought about the same result however…you would not have forgiven me, so in the end there is no difference.
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A/N: Did you like Itachi's appearance? Did he sound OOC, or is that just me freaking out again? I hope you liked this chapter, please review!
