Sangai no jutsu

Chouji engorged in his food while Shiniko grimaced in disgust.

"You know how unhealthy that is. Eating at such a rate, you'll choke one of these days," Shiniko commented as he slowly ate his own meal.

"That's Chouji for you," Shikamaru stated in his friend's defense.

Ino noticed the tension between the two. "I still find it odd, how you look just like Shika-kun, could you tell us why that is?" she asked.

Shiniko looked at her between bites. "That's confidential I'm afraid. Trust me, it's in your best interest that this remains a secret…at all costs. One slip…" he stopped in mid-sentence. "Never mind." He went back to eating.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "One slip and what?" he asked.

Shiniko shrugged. "One slip and you fall flat on your ass," he stated.

Ino laughed. "You've got that right," she proclaimed lightheartedly.

Shikamaru took a glance at the two of them lazily. He did not trust this guy. The Nara sighed. This was going to be troublesome.

"Anyway, back to the mission," Shiniko stated, brushing off his sense of unease, "I was thinking, since we're going to the Grass Village, we need to stay on guard for any attacks…"

Shikamaru cut him off. "Why should we do that? Konoha is in an alliance with Grass, or did you not know that?" This guy was getting even fishier.

Shiniko cleared his throat. "Of course I knew that…I was just…making sure you knew that. Yeah," he covered himself up.

"Ri-ight," Shikamaru said dryly.

Ino kissed his cheek gingerly. "Stop being so sour Shika. If you keep this up, you'll be even sourer when you get older, and I can barely stand you now," she joked punching him playfully on the arm.


"Wohoo," Hino said exasperated as he lye on the grass, his arms spread wide. "I thought that mission would never be over."

Kiba took a seat on the lush field next to him. "I know what you're saying, man," he stated.

Shino examined a bug on a tree as Hinata smiled a small smile at her teammates. "I wonder w-when Naruto-kun and them will be back," she commented.

"If they get back," Kiba added.

Hinata's face fell.

Hino grinned widely. "They'll be back. In one piece or another. Seiko-teme doesn't go down too easily, he's too stubborn," he flexed his arms, "But he's nothing compared to me of course," he boasted gleefully.

Hinata's mood brightened and she nodded. "H-Hai, you're right."


"Yosh! Another mission well done my friends of youth," Lee announced as he struck his fist up in the air for victory.

Neji and Teji rolled their white eyes in annoyance as TenTen shook her head.

"Lee, that's great and everything, but it was only B-Ranked, nothing too life threatening," she stated as they walked into the entrance of the leaf village.

"Yeah, don't you guys have anything more exciting?" Teji questioned.

Neji raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, where I come from…uh, never mind. I'm just used to more fighting is all," Teji stated.

"And where'd exactly did you come from?" Neji asked tilting his head to look at the boy. Lee and TenTen did the same, not able to cure their curiosity.

Teji looked at the ground. "A place very much like here…only more war," he replied as he lifted his head to stare straight ahead.

The three teammates of team fourteen glanced at each other and shrugged.


Kakashi stopped in the middle of the road and closed his book. His four companions also halted and glanced back at him questionably.

"Why'd you stop, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, scratching his temple.

Kakashi closed his visible eye. "Well, I've been thinking," he replied, his mask getting wrinkled, signifying he was smiling.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. What was he planning?

"About what, Kakashi-sensei?" the female questioned as she readjusted her pack.

"Maybe we should split up, to cover more ground," the eldest of the bunch suggested.

Naruto closed his eyes. "Why?" he asked, "What if we got ambushed or something, and one of us got injured, and the other couldn't hold their own and…"

"I think we get it," Seiko stated with a roll of his eyes.

Kakashi took out his book. "I think you can handle yourselves, except, if you're so unsure Naruto, you can come with me," he glanced at the other three. "Who wants to come with me and Naruto? We'll split up into two teams and meet in Oto. If in time of stress, we'll contact one another through flares."

"Let's go, Sakura," Seiko said demandingly as he grabbed the medic-nin's arm and began to pull her away.

Sakura blinked. "Nani?"

"Wait a second," someone else grabbed her other arm. Sakura was jerked into the middle of Sasuke and Seiko, each one clutching onto her limb.

"What's the problem?" Seiko questioned with a smirk.

"Who said she was going with you?" the Uchiha asked glaring at Seiko.

Sakura glanced at the two as Kakashi watched amused. Poor Naruto was confused with it all.

"I didn't know you wanted to go with her," Seiko defended, "I thought she was annoying to you, was I mistaken?"

"She is annoying," the avenger spat.

Sakura's eyes downcast. Even after she had trained so hard.

Seiko raised an eyebrow. "Then why can't she come with me?" he questioned.

"She is the weakest on our team. We don't know if we can even trust you yet, you could attack her when she had her back turned," Sasuke responded.

"You can't control her life," Seiko turned his gaze to the pink-haired teen, "Who do you want to go with?"

Sakura opened her mouth and then closed it and thought. "I…I don't care, as long as we get our mission accomplished," she answered, her heart knowing the real truth.

"I say she can come with me if it doesn't matter to you," Seiko stated pulling Sakura toward him.

Sasuke then tugged her in his direction. "I think not," he said in annoyance.

The two then began a game of tug-of-war, and Sakura was the rope.

"Guys, guys," Sakura said as her head jerked back in forth. "Would you please stop?"

Naruto looked at Kakashi. "I don't get it," he complained.

The Copy-Nin looked up from his book. "It's too complex for your mind to handle," Kakashi stated.

Naruto nodded in understanding until the words sunk in. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

Meanwhile, two teens were still fighting over Sakura, her arms now bruised.

All of a sudden, Seiko smirked mischievously and held his hands up in defeat, Sakura falling onto Sasuke as she was let go. The Uchiha sat her up straight. He cleared his throat in embarrassment at his previous actions. He had let his possessive side get the better of him. "Let's go, Sakura." He turned on his heel.

The cherry blossom nodded and the two of them took off toward the right at the fork in the road. She blushed and watched Sasuke's back as he trudged in front of her.

'He fought over me. Over ME!' she thought in excitement.

'Shannaro! Love conquers once again,' came the voice of a squealing Inner Sakura.

"Bout time that was settled," Naruto announced as he stretched his arms behind his head.

Kakashi took a glance at Seiko, who was watching Sasuke and Sakura as they walked. "So, why'd you fight for her anyway?" he asked.

Seiko glared at the older man and shrugged. "I have my reasons," he responded as the three of them took the left side of the road, heading off on their own journey to Sound.


Sorry it took me so long, guys. I can be such a procrastinator sometimes. It won't happen again, I hope! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!

Please leave your comments, they motivate me to write more!

sasuke fanatic1