The Same Old Thing Chapter 2: Part 1, a naruto fanfic

"Oi, Naruto!"

"Hai, Ero- Sennin!"

"If you can't make the Rasengan work with only one hand by the time we reach the next town, I won't let you take a step in!"

"But Ero- Sennin," Naruto whined, "It was hard enough the first time, and now I'm using wind manipulation! That makes it 100 times harder!"

"Aren't you always the one telling me you need to be stronger? Well this is your chance!"

"Hai, Hai…" he mumbled, defeated and walked into a nearby forest to the side of the road to train. He knew Jiraiya wouldn't leave him; he would just go off somewhere and come back a few days later. "It's always the same." He muttered and started a long week of training.

"Are you sure you want to do this…?"

"Hai, Tsunade-Shishou!"

"You might not have enough chakra to make the seal, you won't wake up if that's true."

"I know, I'm willing to take the gamble."

Shizune smiled, "She always has been luckier that you, Tsunade-sama."

"Pft, fine. Are you ready?"

"I've been ready for days, Tsunade-Shishou."

Tsunade smiled kindly at her young apprentice. "Alright Sakura, you know the seals."

Sakura nodded gratefully and begun a long stream of hand signs that lasted several minutes. When she was done she put her palms together like she was praying and put one hand over the other on her forehead. Steam leaked out from under her palms. And sakura was wincing from the pain. She clenched her mouth together tightly in order not to scream. It didn't last long. She let out a piercing scream that reached miles away before falling to her knees and collapsing face first onto the forest floor.

"Sasuke-kun, you can't continue like this. If every training session you have is going to end up with you in need of hospitalization, you are going to become useless."

"Kabuto, you I don't care about that. As long as I get stronger, I don't care what I have to do to get there. I will endure as much pain as needed."

"But what happens if you become ill like Kimimaru, what will you do then?"

Sasuke sat up from the hospital bed he was on and glared at the floor.

Kabuto sighed, "You don't want to give up your goals, I realize that, but you will end up being forced to if you continue."

He noted that sasuke's look fell a fraction and gave him a small smile, "Just take it easy and get some rest."

Sasuke glanced up to him and gave a small nod.

Naruto lay on the soft dirt that made up the forest floor and watched the cloud pass over the sun. He was in a daze due to lack of chakra and was half asleep. It was the last day of the weak, which meant the last day of his training. Jiraiya walked out of the greenery and up to naruto. The blonde glanced up at the white-haired man.

"So, did you do it?"

"…"

"Answer me naruto."

"Hai, Hai, don't have a cow; I was able to use the Rasengan with one hand."

"And with wind manipulation?"

"mmhhmmm."

"Do you realize what this means? You just mastered the Rasengan, you defiantly earn some Ramen for that." He said with a big smile. Jiraiya waited for the shouts of joy to come from naruto's mouth, but his ears met silence.

"Naruto…?" he examined the blonde closer and smiled.

"Tch, he fell asleep." Jiraiya picked up the fifteen year old and carried him all the way to the nearby town.

Naruto woke up a day later, lying on a small bed.

"I see you've woken up" said a booming voice that just came in the room. "Glad to see you're still alive."

"Hehe, you will never be able to tire me for too long Ero-Sennin, no matter how hard you try."

"And the funniest thing is that I believe you there."

Naruto laughed, "Ouch." He clutched his sided in pain, "I'm sore all over."

Jiraiya looked down to him, "Of coarse. You didn't expect to master the Rasengan and come out ready to run a marathon. But don't worry, we aren't going anywhere today, and I'm sure you'll be all healed up by sunset." He pulled out a bag from behind his back, "And besides, I brought you some ramen!" naruto's eyes lit up but then narrowed, "What's the catch? You never do nice things for me." He crossed his arms. "is it poisoned or something?" he sniffed the noodles, "Smells fine, maybe its odorless.."

"Jeez, naruto! I didn't poison your ramen! Just eat and enjoy!"

Naruto smiled, "Alright!" he dug in. Jiraiya sweatdropped, 'just a second ago he thought I poisoned it but now he's all gung ho, I will never understand this kid…'

Sakura awoke to see sky blue above her. Her first thought was it was actually the sky, but then she noticed the stillness of the air and that she was covered in warm blankets. Sakura sat up. The supposed sky was the ceiling of a hotel room.

"Tsunade-Shishou? Shizune?" she called out.

A familiar smiling blonde walked in from an adjoining room. Tsunade ran over and hugged her, "You had me worried there sakura! You just wouldn't wake up."

"How long has it been?" she asked groggily.

"About a week."

Sakura's eyes shot open wide, "A WEEK!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!!"

Tsunade laughed, "Don't worry, you haven't missed anything. We just traveled to a nearby town and are resting in a hotel at the moment."

She nodded, "But what about Shizune?"

Said woman walked in carrying a bowl of rice, "I was making you some breakfast, I knew you would be hungry." She said with a kind smile.

Sakura took the bowl with a word of thanks, "More like starving!"

After breakfast a thought occurred to Sakura, "Ne, Tsunade-Shishou, did the jutsu work?"

Tsunade held up a mirror, "See for yourself."

Sakura looked into the shining mirror and saw the same old things. Shining emerald eyes, Soft shoulder length pastel-pink hair that was slightly mussed, her pale ivory skin; nothing new. Then she noticed a green-ish diamond right in the middle of her forehead.

Jeez! How could you have missed it!? It was right in front of your face, I will never know how you can be so stupid.

'shut up!' she told her self. 'if you're so smart why didn't you tell me?'

I didn't feel like it.

'whatever'

Tsunade watched bemused as Sakura was having her own little personal conversation inside her head. She figured out she had split personalities not too soon after she adopted the young pink haired girl.

"So," she asked, breaking in, "How do you like it?"

Sakura smiled brightly up at her, "It's beautiful, and useful, just like you Tsunade-Shishou!"

She hugged her tight, "You try to butter me up too much sakura!" Sakura giggled. "Sorry sensei."

"Are you doing alright, sasuke-kun?" asked Kabuto to the raven haired boy beside him, "we have been traveling for days, and you look exhausted."

"I'm fine." He grunted.

"It's quite alright sasuke-kun," a voice hissed out, "We are nearing our destination and will be there in a matter of minutes."

"Where exactly are we going, Orochimaru?"

"A town that is known to gamblers far and wide."

Sasuke raised a brow, "I didn't know you gambled, sensei."

He barked out a laugh, "I don't, but I have an old friend that does." He could still see confusion and weariness on the boy's face, "I will explain everything tomorrow, when you are fully awake." Sasuke gave him a weird look then nodded.

They walked into the hotel and the minute he was in his room he collapsed on the bed.

The next morning Sasuke woke up completely refreshed, all traced of weariness long gone. He got up and went out to the balcony to get some fresh air and found Kabuto.

"Sleep well?" the Silver haired man asked. He got a nod in response. "We're having a meeting, so hurry and come."

A minute later Sasuke was standing before Orochimaru. "Now, the reason why we are here is to meet up with some old friends." Sasuke tried to imagine friends of Orochimaru, all he came up with were some creepy looking pale people that also resemble reptiles.

"We are here to do some negotiating and planning of things, but there are some things you should know about them." This caught sasuke attention.

"What do mean there are some things I need to know about your friends, Ero-Sennin? Are they perverts like you?" naruto got a bonk on the head.

"No, baka. I really wish you would stop calling me perverted though." Jiraiya calmed down, "My friends are powerful. We grew up together, and we all have equal strength." Naruto marveled at the thought. Jiraiya may be a pervert, but he was incredible when it came to fighting and techniques, if there were two more people that were just as strong as him…

"Listen here, one of them is a woman, her name is Tsunade. She is the strongest physically in our group and has a temper. She is one of the best medics in the world, but is destructive also, you don't want to get on her bad side, I almost died from it once." Naruto's eye's widened.

"Orochimaru is one of my teammates," Tsunade told sakura who was listening intently, "He is the definition of pale and resembles a snake. He has a wide arsenal of jutsus and is a genius. He is the one that you cannot trust if anything.-"

"Then what of the other?" asked sasuke who was some-what eager to know about the other friend.

"He used to be one of my closest friends. He is a frog hermit, and has a deadly ultimate attack. He is also the biggest pervert you will ever meet," he added half laughing. Sasuke sweatdropped, 'His friends sound even freakier than I imagined…'

"Orochimaru and Tsunade have recently acquired new apprentices." Continued Jiraiya, "The same time I picked you up to be exact. You all are the same age as well."

"weelll, tell me about them already!"

"I was getting there, sheesh. Tsunade actually has two apprentices, but she has finished teaching one, her name is Shizune and is kind hearted, but fierce at battle like any kunoichi should be. Her other pupil's name is Sakura. She has a temper that surpasses Tsunade's and is just about as strong. I wouldn't ever let her tap your forehead."

"Why's that?"

"You will be walking around without your head. And if you really piss her off she will re-attach it and blow it off again." Naruto gulped nervously, he had been told he had a way of getting on people's nerves…

"Orochimaru's first apprentice is a medic nin like us," explained Tsunade. "He is also very bright and has silvery hair. Later though, Orochimaru took on another apprentice just like Jiraiya did, His name is Sasuke. He is the owner of a very powerful bloodline limit and is very deadly with a Katana."

"So don't mess with him or it could get bloody." Sakura took a wild guess, and from Tsunade's expression, she was right.

"Jiraiya's apprentice is nothing too special on the outside. He is a prankster and looks like a complete idiot at first glance, but he is strong. I am sure that Jiraiya has taught him most of his jutsus, including his ultimate. And he is also the holder of something even stronger that I."

Sasuke's eyes slightly widened, "What could be so strong?"

"have you ever heard of the Kyuubi, sasuke-kun?"

"Hai, he was the demon that nearly destroyed Konoha over a decade ago. But why are you asking me this?"

"Do you know how it was defeated?"

"It was sealed, wasn't it?"

"yes, it was sealed. But not into some rusty old teapot or something, it was sealed into a baby."

"So, Jiraiya's apprentice contains the Kyuubi in him."

"Correct. But he can't get out unless naruto lets it or if he is extremely angered."

"Right, I get it. Don't get the Idiot angry."

Orochimaru smirked, "I'm glad you understand, because we are going to meet them now."

"Wait, what?! Ero-Sennin, you can't be serious!"

"Of coarse I'm serious Sakura; why else would I be telling you this?"

"Fine," she mumbled, "But promise me you won't get drunk and make yourself look like a fool."

Tsunade seemed indifferent, "And when have I done that?"

"That one time, at the festival…with the pigs." Her eyebrow twitched.

"Oh, right…Agreed, I won't get drunk this time." Sakura let out a sigh of relief.

It was raining and dreary. A clearing not too far from the town was partially dry from the overhanging branches, and that is the meeting place of our friends.

Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura gracefully walked through the trees and into the perimeter of the clearing. "Let's wait here, they will be along shortly," Instructed Tsunade.

It wasn't long before Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke appeared through the thickness of the forest. Tsunade walked forward to meet him in the center of the clearing.

"Is Jiraiya late as usual?" asked Orochimaru with a grin.

Tsunade grinned back, "He never changes."

"Hey!" yelled Jiraiya as he suddenly appeared, "Some friend's you are! You all talk behind my back." He said sourly. A whiskered blonde stepped our from behind him and looked around the bare clearing. "Ero-Sennin, this place seems so miserable, why did we have to come here to meet them?"

"Because naruto," he said patting him on the head, "This place is secluded and no one will likely stumble upon it." Naruto rolled his eyes and stood next to his teacher. He hated it how he was treated like a kid sometimes.

"It's good to see you alive and well, Orochimaru. You too Tsunade."

"Glad to see you could take time off your busy work schedule and make it." Tsunade teased.

"Heheh…Anyways, this is my apprentice, Naruto."

"Tch, great way to change the subject, Ero- Sennin."

A vein popped out of his head.

"heh, calm down, Jiraiya. He's just like you said he was."

"indeed." Added Orochimaru. "This is my apprentice by the way. His name is sasuke." Sasuke looked up from the ground and glanced to the others around him. "Hn." Was all he said.

"Riight, you've got yourself a real chatterbox their Orochimaru." Tsunade said with sarcasm dripping from every word, "This is my pupil, Sakura."

"Nice to meet you all." She gave a bow.

"I guess she was born with manners because Tsunade sure as hell didn't teach them to her..." muttered Jiraiya.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"Ehh, nothing…?"

"Calm down, Tsunade." Orochimaru said nervously almost, "he was just kidding." The vein got bigger.

"Tsunade-Shishou!"

"Fine, fine. Now let's get down to business." She took notice of the teens watching her curiously.

"Now you kiddies run along and get to know each other, okay?" Jiraiya said in a sugary sweet voice.

The three very different teens simultaneously rolled their eyes and walked off into the forest.

The trio walked in silence for awhile. Naruto got bored of it. "Sooo, are we actually trying to go somewhere?" naruto asked.

He was answered by more silence. The tension was thick. It was getting uncomfortable.

"Umm…"

"Why don't we go to the waterfall nearby," suggested sakura, making naruto feel much more better.

"how did you know there was a waterfall near here?" naruto asked.

"I could hear it, it's kinda loud…"

"Oh, so that's what that buzzing sound was…"

Sakura sweatdropped as they reached another tiny clearing with a glistening waterfall directly ahead of them. Naruto glanced over to Sakura and a question came to mind.

"Sakura-san, is there a reason why you have a diamond on your face?"

Sakura giggled, "It is a seal, it stores my chakra." His mouth made an 'O' shape and sakura stared into the depths of the pool before her. She noticed a glint coming from the waterfall and walked slowly, almost ghost like, across the surface of the pool.

"Mind explaining what you are doing?" asked sasuke, speaking for the first time. All of the sudden Sakura disappeared and returned a second later with a kunai in hand. A millisecond later sasuke had his katana out and pointed in her direction.

Sakura smirked, "Hey, no need to be all jumpy. I just saw a shimmer from behind the waterfall and decided to check it out. It was just a kunai." She explained as she pocketed the weapon, "But you are pretty fast, Tsunade-Shishou wasn't lying."

Sasuke sheathed his katana. "You aren't exactly slow, either. It looked like you disappeared for a moment."

"Just a trick of the water, nothing special."

Sasuke raised a brow, "Are you a specialist on water or something?"

Sakura chuckled, "no, it's just my chakra type."

"Heheh, cool! I'm a wind and Earth!" shouted naruto.

"You have two?"

"Yup," he said proudly.

"What about you, sasuke-san?" asked sakura politely.

"Fire and Lightning."

"You have two too? I'm starting to feel week." She pouted.

"Well you aren't from what Orochimaru has told me."

Sakura cocked her head, "And what exactly has he told you?"

"Only that you can make a crater with barely any effort."

"Really," asked naruto, "Ero-Sennin said that you could blow my head off by just tapping it."

"I'm curious to see if you really are that strong," added sasuke.

"Which would you like me to demonstrate?" asked sakura who looked over to naruto with an evil glint in her eyes.

Sasuke smirked, "Better not be blowing his head off, we don't want to get on Jiraiya's bad side." Sakura sighed disappointedly, "Fine. I'll do something else."

Sakura picked her foot up and lightly set it back down.

…

"Was that supposed to do something?" naruto asked dumbly.

All of the sudden a huge crater the size of a house appeared beneath her.

The two boys stared at her with wide eyes and gulped. "You know what? I'm Going to take the pervert's advice and not get on your bad side."

"Agreed."

Sakura jumped out of the man-made crater and walked over to the boys. "Your turn." She said brightly.

"For what?"

"I showed you one of my attacks, now you show me one of yours." she said simply to answer sasuke's question.

"Hn." He did a few hand seals, took a big breath, and blew out a huge fire ball into the crater.

Sakura smiled, "Nice."

Sasuke just looked impassive.

"Okay, your turn, naruto-san."

Naruto bit his thumb and did a few seals as well. There was a boom of smoke and a second later he was sitting atop a big orange frog. (Not Gamabunta, the one that Jiraiya always summons)

"Eek! A frog!!"

"What's wrong, sakura-chan?"

"I-Don't-Like-Frogs!" she gritted out.

Naruto quickly sent the summoning back, "Gomen, sakura-chan. I didn't know."

She calmed down, "that's alright. Hehe, I'm such a wimp. I'm fine when it comes to slugs and blood, but frogs really freak me out."

"what about snakes?" sasuke asked, slowly walking up to her with a snake coming out of his sleeve.

Her eyes went wide, "Not funny sasuke! They are even freakier that frogs!" sasuke chuckled and the frog disappeared.

"Gomen sakura, it's fun to see you squirm." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Heheh, you two sure are dropping the honorifics fast."

"Eh, Gomen. I just feel so comfortable around you two, like you are my brothers. Don't take it in the wrong way."

"That's alright sakura-chan. It feels the same for me."

"Kind of weird, don't you think?"

"How so, sasuke?" inquired sakura.

"It's uncommon for three very opposite people to meet and suddenly become friends. Once in a lifetime chance, I'd say."

Naruto smiled, "and I'm getting the feeling that we don't always act like we are now, am I right?"

They nodded.

"usually I don't talk too much," said sasuke.

"I always feel like I can never be myself," Added sakura.

"And I'm actually being serious for once. Seems like we're helping each other!" Sakura smiled, "I sure feel better than I have in months."

"I can't remember the last time I was this peaceful."

"Soo," started sakura, "Lets really introduce ourselves. My name is Haruno Sakura. I was born in the Hidden Village of the Mist."

"I am Uchiha Sasuke, I was born in The Hidden Village of Leaves."

"And I am Uzumaki Naruto! Nice to meet ya!"

Sakura giggled, "Do you know where you were born, naruto?"

He shook his head, "Somewhere in Fire Country I think. I don't know if I have a family or not. I was an orphan and was always being beat up by people on the street. Jiraiya took me in when I was nine and I've been with him ever since. What about you sasuke? I swear I've heard the name Uchiha before."

"That is because the Uchiha Clan was one of the strongest in the village hidden in the leaves."

"Was?"

"Everyone was killed when I was eight by my older brother. I am the only one left. That's why Orochimaru is training me, he wants the Sharingan on his side."

"I'm sorry Sasuke."

He sighed, "Don't be. It's my damned brother's fault, not yours." Then he added, "And I think you may have been born in the Hidden Village of Leaves too, naruto."

"What makes you say that?"

"You are aware of what is inside of you, right?"

Naruto's eyes hardened and he nodded, "Well it was sealed by the Fourth Hokage in Konoha. Unless you were just some random baby that was there from another country, I'm thinking you were born there."

"Well, at least I know now…"

Sakura looked clueless, "Mind elaborating?"

Sasuke looked to naruto, "It's his secret, not mine."

Naruto smiled sadly, "Were siblings, right? You should know." He took a deep breath and continued, "Ever heard of the Kyuubi no Kitsune?"

Sakura nodded, "it was the king of all Demons. He would always attack Konohagakure until the Fourth Hokage…" she looked to naruto.

"I'm guessing you understand."

"I do, and I don't care. We all have our problems, yours just happens to be really powerful and furry." Naruto laughed, "Not to mention scary looking."

"So sakura, what is your big secret?"

"what do you mean sasuke?"

"You said you were a Haruno, which is a very powerful clan from the Mist, why are you here?"

Sakura frowned, "when I was young my parents were killed. I couldn't stop crying and was a huge disappointment to my clan. Death was just a way of life, and they figured that if I was so against death than I would never be able to pass the exams and become a full fledged ninja. I was kicked out of the academy, my clan disowned me and I was alone until Tsunade came for me. You see, she was very close to my parents and was my God Mother. She took me in and has trained me ever since."

"Pretty similar stories." Pointed out naruto.

"Maybe our pasts helped us in finding friends in each other." Suggested sakura.

"Or maybe it had something to do with our senseis." Sasuke added. "All I know is you two are the first friends I have ever made."

Sakura smiled kindly, "me too."

"Dido."

"I wonder what they met for?" thought sakura aloud.

"now that you mention it, Orochimaru never told me, how about you naruto?"

He shook his head, "no clue."

"Whatever, if we spy we'll get caught so lets just stay here."

Naruto and Sasuke agreed and they just talked about random things.

"Alright, the plan is set. We just have to get to Konoha now."

"Right, Tsunade."

"But we can't forget our students," hissed out Orochimaru. "They are part of the plan as well."

Jiraiya just thought of something, "Err, did either of you happen to tell them about the plan…?" he saw their blank looks. "…Right…we better do that…" they nodded and went into the forest the way the teens had left.

The Sannin followed the path and walked into a clearing to see three teenagers sitting in the rain on a bunch of rocks acting like perfectly normal teenagers. Then they noticed the huge crater with burn marks and slime all over it.

"Mind explaining what went on here?" questioned Tsunade.

The three stood up, "What do you mean, Tsunade-Shishou?"

Tsunade lifted a finger to the crater that was now behind her. Sakura sweatdropped, "Oh…that…"

"Naruto pissed her of." Sasuke lied simply. They bought it.

Orochimaru and Jiraiya shrunk away.

"Orochimaru, you do realize what she's done."

He gulped, "All too well…"

"She has made a minny her!"

"I pity Sasuke and Naruto…"

Tsunade loomed over them, "What was that?" she asked in a menacing tone.

"N-nothing!"

"-sigh- whatever," she turned back to the sweatdropping teens, "It's time we told you about the plan." They straightened up.

"So its not something that has to be done in secret or anything?" asked naruto.

Orochimaru joined back in the conversation, "It does, but not to you three."

"Then who are we keeping it a secret from?" asked sasuke.

"The Village Hidden Within the Leaves." Answered Jiraiya, joining them once again.

"What business do you have there?" sakura inquired.

Tsunade answered, "We have a mission, from the council themselves." Tsunade saw she had their full attention and continued, "We are to infiltrate the Leaf and steal a fake scroll from the Hokage tower."

"What is the meaning of all this?" asked sasuke.

"The council apparently thinks the ninja are becoming rusty. This is just a test for them, if they fail they will be put under more severe training."

"But if we are caught, wont they retaliate? You aren't exactly the populist people there." Pointed out sakura.

Orochimaru hissed out an answer, "The council has agreed that if we are caught they will make a public announcement saying we were ordered into the village."

Naruto just thought of something, "And what of the ANBU? We are most likely than not going to be found out by them if anyone."

"They are part of the test also. As for precautions; well, we'll just have to be more careful, wont we?" answered Orochimaru.

"Now, you three will be infiltrating as a genin team from the Sand entering in the Chunin Exams. (I put the exams in most of my stories, kinda weird…) Your sensei will be Kabuto under a Genjutsu. We have gotten permission from the sand to lend us some fake ID; they are in on this little charade as well. During the time it takes to get to Konoha you three will be working on your cooperation as a team and work out a few strategies as well. Understood?"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama/Shishou!"

Sakura noticed something, "Tsunade-shishou, where are Kabuto-san and Shizune?"

Jiraiya answered for her, "Getting the materials needed for your IDs in Suna. If everything is understood we should depart as soon as possible, the others will catch up. It'll take five days to get to Konoha from our current position in Iwa."

"Hai!"

((To Be Continued))

A/N: uhh ya, sry for the long update...plz review... :Sweatdropps::