Note: The song in this fan fiction is by a band called Flaw entitled One More Time. I find it difficult to use words to describe sound, so bear with me. Still surprised I got my first review the same day I posted the first chapter. I mean it was great enough getting my brother's stamp of approval and now this! Awesome! So, to show my appreciation, I've worked my ass off to bring you the second chapter. Sorry, if there are errors here and there. Haven't had a chance to edit it, but I feel the need to post it.

Auditions: Is that who I think it is!

Naruto could not stop moping. He and Jiraiya had barely returned to Konoha in the morning after a year of training for some stupid meeting Jiraiya needed to attend. Instead the old man had ditched him to go somewhere with Kakashi to do god-knows-what. Two hours later here he was, finding out he needed to enter a Battle of the Bands just to save his own hide.

"Why the hell would you make a deal like that with those bastards!" he demanded angrily. He would have slammed his hands on the hokage's desk if it was still intact. Instead, he settled for clenching his fists and glaring at the well-endowed woman in front of him.

Tsunade blushed at the question, catching Naruto off guard, but she never answered the question. "Naruto, the Akatsuki have threatened to destroy this village if you don't accept. The competition is a month away. That's plenty of time for you to get a band together, learn to play the guitar or whatever, and kick some Akatsuki ass!" She took a swig of a large bottle of sake. Not that the drink would change much seeing as how she was already plastered.

"What the hell is a guitar!"

Tsunade choked on her drink. This kid is so screwed, she thought to herself. She looked out her window to see if the person she sent for had arrived. Sure enough, her pink haired apprentice was at the foot of the building talking to the guards.

"Sakura! Hurry and get your ass up here!" Without missing a beat, Sakura knocked the guards out of her way and ran up to the office thinking, Oh crap, the hokage's in one of her moods again.

"What is it you need hokage-sama?" Sakura asked through gasps for air, not noticing Naruto was in the room.

"You're going to be the drummer for Naruto's band. You two also need to audition other shinobi to see if anyone else has some musical talent. Kakashi and a few other jounin have already posted flyers letting everyone in the village know that tryouts will be held in the academy auditorium. Good luck." She took another drink from the sake bottle.

"Wait, what are you talking about? What's going on? And did you just say the dr-drummer, Tsunade-sama?"

Are you high! screamed Inner-Sakura.

"Yes. If there's any instrument you'd be able to learn in time for the show, it would be the drums. You've got rhythm and you like hitting things. I'll have Genma teach you right after you finish the auditions. You'll be pro in a week. You and Naruto should get going. He'll fill you in on the rest"

An hour later…

Naruto and Sakura sat quietly in the auditorium waiting for the first participant to audition. It seemed that a lot had already been pre-decided. Sakura would be the drummer and Naruto, although having never played before in his life, would be the lead guitarist. Auditions were being held to find a vocalist and anyone who could play an instrument. Genma, Iruka, and Anko would be the main judges for the tryouts, but it was ultimately up to the two existing members of the band to decide who made the final cut.

The first shinobi to audition was a fourteen year old genin that both Sakura and Naruto remembered from the Academy. "My name is Yuroichi and I will be playing the trombone." The boy was about to play when a kunai was thrown at him, barely missing his left ear.

Anko was enraged. "I swear to God, you're dead meat you retard! Who the hell plays a trombone in a Rock band!" Genma and Iruka fought desperately to keep the feisty female jounin from lunging at the boy, who at this point was on the verge of peeing himself. "If I get my hands on you I'm going to shove that thing right up your –"

"OOOOkaaay," Iruka said, cutting Anko off. "Next please!"

The next few auditions were just as bad. Many shinobi thought the audition was a venue to show off any talent. Anko would have killed most of them if Genma had not figured a way around it. For example, one young girl decided to do a song and dance routine. She was very attractive, making sure to flash her cleavage in the direction of the male judges. However her voice sounded like kunai running against a chalkboard.

Iruka would say something along the lines of, "You were amazing! That was the best we've seen so far!"

Genma would say something like, "Wow, you are so hot. Unfortunately, you need a little work in the vocal area. Take a few lessons, practice in the shower, and you'll be perfect."

Then after their hopes had been raised, Anko would crush then with brute sincerity. In this particular instance, she chose to speak in an English accent. "That was unbelievably whore-able. How do you sleep at night knowing what pain you've just put me through? I swear I was about to rip my ears off and eat them just to escape the agony. On the upside, I can guarantee you a job in the Torture and Interrogation Squad. Unfortunately, as far as this try-out is concerned, 'you are the weakest link, Goodbye.'"

On and on it continued until three hours had passed. "Number 88, you're up!" Iruka shouted for the next person. Much to everyone's surprise, Chouji walked on stage. "Hey, what are you doing here?" Naruto shouted curiously.

"I heard there'd be free food," he stated flatly.

"Get the hell off the stage!" The three judges and two band members shouted back in unison.

Naruto glanced near the far end of the stage, pointed at a lumpy section in the wall, and added, "And take those brats with you!" A blanket fell to the ground, revealing Udon, Moegi, and Konohamaru. Konohamaru beamed with pride. "I wouldn't expect anything less from our leader," he said before he was chased offstage by a very irritated Sakura.

Iruka massaged his forehead and turned to his fellow judges. "Let's take a break. If I have to hear one more audition, I might just let Anko do whatever she wants to them." A sadistic grin appeared on the said Kunoichi's lips. She took her megaphone and ran to the line of shinobi.

"Listen up you worthless sacks of crap! Our ears can't take much more of you guys sucking! So we've decided to take a one hour break. Keep your number since that's how the order will go by. But I swear on Iruka's funny looking scar, I'm castrating the next lousy performer. And ladies, if you think you're safe, then think again. Ripping out your ovaries would be a justice to society if it meant preventing future generations of hacks! So heed my warning: Suck at your own expense."

Men and women who had shown up to audition ran away screaming for dear life.

At the Ramen Stand…

"My god, this has been the worst experience of my life," Sakura said, quite depressed by her situation. She held her chin with her palm and lazily poked at her ramen. "Three hours and we don't even have one new member of this band. Hell, you wouldn't have anyone if Tsunade-sama hadn't forced me to join. And what the hell is with her making me the drummer. I'm going to be the laughing stock of the village if anyone sees me behind a drum kit! Naruto, are you even listening?"

"Hn?" Naruto took what looked like cotton balls out of his ears. "Did you say something Sakura-chan?"

A quick smack to the back of the head sent Naruto crashing down into his nearly finished bowl of ramen. "BAKA!" Sakura shouted.

"You're just mad because you didn't think of it" Truth be told, that was indeed the reason she was mad but Sakura had no intention of telling Naruto that. Instead she turned back to her bowl and continued eating. Naruto, however, seemed as depressed as Sakura had earlier.

"I could be using this month to get stronger."

"Yeah," Sakura agreed solemnly.

I don't have time to be playing games."

"We sure don't."

"We only have two years left."

Sakura dropped her chopsticks and stared at her food, fighting the painful memories of their teammate's escape. They could not do anything to stop Sasuke and they had nothing at their disposal that would bring him back. Naruto was right in saying that they needed to get stronger, but that alone would not guarantee his retrieval. Still, if Sakura was anything, she was hopelessly hopeful.

"Don't worry," she said. "We'll bring him back."

Naruto's mood did not change. "I'm not so sure anymore." He paid the cook and turned to leave when he noticed a little girl selling fortune cookies. "Hey mister," she said to Naruto. "Can you buy a cookie? I need money to buy my brother some new shuriken." Naruto asked the girl why she had to do something like that and laughed a little when she said it was because she lost his last set. Naruto opened his frog purse and bought all of the girl's cookies giving one to Sakura and keeping one for himself.

"For luck," he said before cracking the cookie open.

Sakura opened hers and read it to herself. The love you lost shall be returned to you. Have the courage to embrace it. The fortune brought a smile to her face and she turned to share it with Naruto but found his seat empty. He did, however, leave his fortune on the counter where his bowl had been. She picked it up, read it, and then smiled a little wider.

What you seek will come to you. Hope shall determine the rest.

Back at the Auditorium…

Much to Anko, Iruka, and Genma's surprise and relief, only two auditions were left. Iruka nearly kissed Anko for scaring everyone else away but decided against it since she was too unpredictable. The last thing he wanted was Anko chasing him over the village screaming rape and threatening to sodomize him with a mic stand. Naruto and Sakura had just re-entered the auditorium as well, so the judges decided it was time to finish this Hell on Earth.

Speaking of Hell…

"Where the hell have you guys been!" Satan demanded of his minions who were bunched up in front of him.

One of the horned devils spoke up first, "Well, me and a few of the boys heard about this audition to join a band so we decided to give it a try. I swear half those guys were so bad that I shoved a toothpick in my eye just to distract myself from the pain. After than we came right back here."

"You were lucky!" shouted another in the back. "When the judges decided to take a break, the chick with the see-through shirt threatened to castrate both the men AND the women who played like crap. I was like 'Hell yeah' but then the crowd freaking lost it. I had to come back here just to not get run over."

"Wait, wait, wait," Satan said to the crowd, waving his hands in the air for emphasis. "Chic? See through shirt? Castration!" His minions huddled together, fearing how their master would react.

"I think I'm in love."

Back to the Auditorium…Again…

"Oi! Naruto! Sakura! How's it going?" shouted a loud shinobi from the side entrance. It was not until he heard the sound of a dog barking that he realized it was Kiba and Akamaru. With them, was a very timid Hinata.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Naruto, thankful to see a few more friendly faces, though it still puzzled him the way Hinata would blush and hide her face whenever he looked her way.

"Shino came to audition."

Sakura and Naruto both shared a look of surprise. "Yeah, Hinata and I looked the same way when he told us. I didn't even know Shino liked music. Still can't be as bad as some of the banshee cries of heard coming from this building."

"Let's hope so," said Anko, who had been eavesdropping on the genins' conversation.

"Alright Shino. Show us what you got." The teenager with the shades walked onto center stage carrying a black case in the shape of a guitar. He laid the case on the ground and took out a venom-green bass guitar with a fierce looking Hercules beetle painted the body. As plugged the guitar up to an amp, Genma turned his fellow judges and said, "Three hours and this is the first kid to bring in an actual guitar. I say we just give him the slot."

Anko, being the skeptical one, dismissed the toothpick-chewing ninja's request. "No freebies. If this kid wants to play rocker he better be able to play."

"You just want the chance to castrate somebody," Iruka snapped.

She turned to the Chuunin and said in a sing-songy voice, "Watch it school boy or that person's you." Anko tapped a finger playfully on his nose and Iruka's heart skipped a beat.

Shino ignoring the commotion from the judges and began playing. The audience was speechless, Naruto included. Although partially due to act after act of ear numbing garbage, Shino's bass playing sounded like the music of the gods. Shino didn't seem like Shino, while he played. His passion for the sound was reflected in his movement as well. He played for two minutes before the judges stopped him.

"We're not worthy! We're not worthy!" Naruto and Kiba chanted as they bowed to Shino. Anko also seemed moved by the brief performance. "That was unbelievable! I'd throw my bra on stage if I was wearing one!" Iruka passed out, blood spewing out of his nose profusely. "You're in kid!"

"…" was Shino's only response as he walked off stage.

Naruto, Sakura, Kiba, and the judges regained their composure as the final participant of the audition walked on stage. He wore a hood that hid all his face except for his mouth. Nonetheless, his lips seemed suspiciously familiar to Sakura. It took an unusually optimistic Anko to snap her out of her train of thought. "Alright kid, whenever you're ready."

Nothing could have prepared Naruto for what he saw next. The instruments that were set up on stage began to rise into the air and set themselves up. They then appeared to be playing themselves. Although Naruto lacked any real experience with this sort of music, the instruments seemed to be playing a call-to-arms. Then the boy on stage began to sing.

"There must be must be something you can recommend,
I have lost my faith in man again.
So sick of trying to pretend,
Same pain, over and over again."

His voice was impressive, even if the song was a little too morbid for Naruto's taste. Then again, as Naruto began to take in the lyrics of the song, the melody seemed perfect.

"How much longer do you think we'll stand?
So little left her to live for.
By the time my life is at its e-e-end,
I want it back, one more time
to let me try one more time
to live my life one more time"

The chorus had Naruto swaying back and forth. It spoke to the part of him that wanted the life the Kyubi stolen. From the day he was born to the day he dies, Naruto has and will always be the vessel for the nine-tailed demon fox. Why should he carry the burden when no one appreciated its significance? I want my life back damnit!

As the song continued, Naruto felt a presence in the back of the auditorium. Then he heard a quiet laugh that he could never forget. It was the same laugh he heard when Sasuke had been marked with the curse seal. It was the same laugh he heard when he first met Tsunade. It was also the same laugh his closest friend had inherited when betrayed his village.

"Orochimaru!" Naruto seethed. A ball of swirling chakra formed in his palm as he lunged from seat to seat for the legendary sannin. Orochimaru, who was standing against the back wall, never stopped smiling at his assailant and Naruto never noticed that the vocalist had stopped singing. His rasengan was inches from Orochimaru when he felt someone grab his wrist. He looked to see who had interfered and was stunned to see the face of the hooded singer revealed. Naruto found himself staring into the Sharingan eyes of Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke smirked. "Good to see you again, dobe." He then flung Naruto to the stage.

Naruto landed on his feet, but the shock at seeing Sasuke in Konoha was more than he could comprehend.

The judges, though terrified by the sight of Orochimaru, put themselves between him and the genins. Orochimaru merely laughed louder while an emotionless Sasuke simply stood there.

"So," Orochimaru began, "did my young apprentice make the cut?"