I am sorry if this seemed rushed. And I know that the writing is cruddy, but please enjoy and to all those who hat me…..DONT KILL ME!!...I had a yaoi fangirl sitting next to me when I wrote this and I have the bruises to prove it!!

Brothers in Arms

The night air felt good against Sakura's skin. Chills slowly crept up her spine as she took in the fresh mountain side scents. The air filled with the familiar aroma of pine and oak, mixed with that same faint dampness of the rivers near by. She could see the fireflies in the distance, dancing along the lines of the riverbeds and above her the clouded rows of leaves; moonlight seeping through the cracks and once every now and again a shooting star escaped the grip of the god griping sky. Her eyes were dull now, lost in some memory of the past. Blurs of dark hunter green faded into some unwanted reminder; Sasuke running through these very woods while Naruto followed, the two bickering about who had better chakra control…Sakura behind in the background laughing at the two as they began to squabble. She remembered that it was the sunlight streaming in that day…Shining aimlessly down upon them; warming her face and lifting her dread. A sigh escaped Sakura, the cold air brisling her lips as her dreary eyes lost sight.

Kisame, whom had taken the lead, looked over his shoulder. He could only see the faded eyes of the young girl gleaming upward toward the shroud of leaves, her hat blocking the rest of her face. Kisame didn't address her carelessness, but merely kept on, adjusting his blade that weighed on his back. He looked forward the wood dark and curled with unknown path ways. This made him more comfortable that traveling in daylight. To open...to revealing...he perfered the dark ends of the world. Befitting to that shark like presence of his.

The night was still young. It was set in its early stages, where the day had just died away and the free spirited shadows rose; beyond the trees lay the deep pool of dreams. Spread like a quilt, drenched in glitter and stained with paint spills of blue and purple. Kisame found himself feeling that calmness. He snapped from it and came to a halt. Sakura, as he expected, crashed in him. He hardly felt it. Sakura came crashing back to reality and looked to Kisame with startled eyes. He sighed and smiled shaking his head in a nod. She felt the heat in her cheeks. Her face curved in a frown now. Her face sad and lonley. Kisame turned and said nothing. He understood...It was probly painful for her. But as Itachi had warned...he needed her strong. He gave a cold stare and she straitened up.

Now was not the time to be thinking about that...Those memories would only bring her to yet another downfall...she didn't need that...Itachi wouldn't expect that in her. They began to walk once more...It wasn't Kisame's style to be so discrete...But walking rather than running would by time into the late night...Kisames plan was simple; in and out. No trouble, no drama, nothing...But Sakura wasn't so sure...going back meant that she would be coming back from the dead. If anyone recognized her, her plan was over. Naruto would be enraged and no doubt just wind up hating her in the end…She didn't want that. Naruto meant too much to her to put him through more pain.

-------------------------------

The village gate…Tall, standing proud etched with the Konoha symbol. The watch towers lit dimly as two leaf ninja roamed lazily, rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Sakura remain in the shadows, adjusting her hat and collar to cover her face. Now only glimpses of her dark green eyes were visible. The wind now blew a hollow breeze, forcing the leaves to break from the branches and dance around in a gentle manner. Kisame looked back to her, tipping his hat as a signal. Sakura nodded, and looked up to the watch towers. She lifted up her hand, catching two leaves between her finger tips, and brought them down into a variety of hand signs. Three in total, each being repeated about three times before she stopped suddenly and she held the two leaves in the same manner as shuriken. With a gentle firm wave of her wrist she sent the leaves flying throw the air toward the towers. No longer fragile and limp, the leaves sharp end grazed the sides of each ninja's face and they stopped taking a defensive position. Sakura then blew a kiss their way and some strange toxin powder fluttered around them. They sighed in a delighted manner and fell, sliding and hitting the floor with a 'Thud'.

Kisame then jumped from the trees and ran up the wall with ease. Sakura did the same landing on the other side first. Silent. It was empty, cold and lifeless. Sakura felt another tight grip in her chest…It was the same…This lonely hated city of prospect was the same. The streets were empty, but the shops and parlors where the same. The dirt road that led along the market place steered the same course…Along the main street and unraveling at the end toward the academy and the lonely food district. Sakura admired it for a moment, and then the next second she felt Kisame's burning eyes on her. She looked to the ground, easing her mind off those memories.

Kisame stood next to her smiling with great satisfaction. "Great job kid…You really have come along. You mastered the negaigoto Jutsu." Kisame whispered.

Sakura was taken a back by this, but smiled. "Thanks…" she said unsurely. She then scraped her feet into the dirt and began to walk. From the layout she had seen earlier, they were on the way other side of the village; they would have to take the road down to the academy and go onto the blocked off pathway that led to the Uchiha province. Sakura was a bit excited; she had never seen Sasuke's home before…to think of it…she had no idea where he lived! This made a foolish smile come up on her face.

They continued on until they reached the academy road. More memories flooded into her thoughts…racing and playing like a movie, fitting neatly frame by frame. Voices echoed through like a song…She could hear Ino's high pitched laughter and Shikimaru's groan, and somewhere she could hear Hinata sheepishly trying to grasp Naruto's attention. She could hear Naruto, laughing in his same goofy fashion, while yelling 'Believe it!!' Sakura began to fall into her dream when she realized the voices weren't that of her imagination

She looked up. Lights on in the classroom above on the second floor. Kisame stopped, and looked up with a lazy face. The window was open, the curtains ruffled with the breeze and some soft music was heard.

"No, no!! Naruto! Do you have two left feet or something! I said go to the right!" Ino spat coldly.

"Stop yelling loud mouth! Do you want the whole village to hear you?" Naruto yelled back

Sakura gave a soft laugh. 'That's tellin' her Naruto.' Sakura thought

Kisame nodded in annoyance. "Let's keep going…" he uttered calmly.

"And where exactly is that?" a cool voice called from behind them. Sakura turned instantly recognizing the soft firm tone. A chill ran down her spine when she met the eyes of Neji Hyuga. He was tall, slender with long strait black hair tied back in its usual fashion. His head band presented to cover the Hyuga curse mark..His eyes white and empty like that of a mirror…The same Neji she had departed with 6 months earlier. She gulped…If Neji was to discover her identity, then it was all over…Her cover would be blown and Itachi would show no mercy.

Sakura was about to speak when the night air was broken by a drunken cry. "Neji-Kun!" a tall limp bodied ninja, whose shaggy hair fell in front of his face covering comical wide eyes was running up the path way. He stumbled back and forth, with a bottle of white sake in his hands; Neji grumbled something under his breath, as the limp boy hung over his shoulder. "You're a pretty girl" he said seductively nuzzling his cheek. He then began to nibble on Neji's ear now able to see his face properly. It was none other than Rock lee.

"I knew it!!" Sakura exclaimed suddenly. Neji then threw Lee's body over her head and into the brush of the woods.

"You damn idiot…"Neji said twitching in disgust. Sakura gave a laugh but quickly silenced herself Neji's eyes were back on her.

"That voice…" he whispered to himself. Sakura knew that face…He suspected something. Kisame sighed obviously he was annoyed. Sakura could tell because he didn't feel threatened. Sakura however felt on the edge...unsure of what to do. She made no sudden movements "Now then...Where exactly do you think your going?" Neji said smoothly, as if nothing had happened.

"What buisness is it of yours?" Kisame said suddenly. Sakura glanced to him. His tone was so cold, and icy.

"Oh..well for starters, your not from this village...And I doubt you have a pass." Neji said with a smug smile. Sakura tipped her hat. She hid her headband for some unknown reason. Kisame let out a soft chuckle. Neji kept his smile. Sakura however was not so sure. She just stood there bathing in the tension. Kisame's beady eyes were gleaming with anger now. The smile...he hated cokyness where it didn't fit.

"I see...are implying that were tresspassing?" Kisame asked coyly

"Hehe. Well not unless you show me otherwise..." Neji spat

"And who are you to ask for such documentaion?" Kisame crossed his arms.

"I am a Jonin of this village...It's my job to protect these people...Now if you can't show me proof, then Im afraid..." Neji took his fighting stance. "..I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Heh...Oi, Kid...Take care of this." Kisame had now turned his back and began walking. This was the way it had to be...This was yet another order from Itachi. Neji was quick to be on his case, springing forward aiming to take a quick, but vital, blow to the back of the chest cavity. Sakura however was quick and with ease, shifted Neji's weight off balance causing him to Miss entirley. Kisame was gone with in seconds. Neji regained balance and attempted to strike Sakura, but she moved back, and the blow barley struck her. Now he could see it...The headband proudly, yet shyly hidden, tied around her forehead. The Konoha symbol still whole; not torn or slashed through. Neji was a bit shocked. Sakura took another step back and manged to get a good distance away. She knew all too well that Neji was formitable in close hand combat. She needed distance. Neji stood strait and no time back to attack.

He used his clans signature style of fighting, gentle fist. Sakura didn't have much time to think. She dodged with every sweep of his hands. Chakra seeping through is fingertips, as they swept through the air like celestial lights. Sakura admired his determination...However this was no time to feel for him...for now he was her opponent and she needed to fight back. With a heavy heart she swallowed her remorse and looked him strait in the eyes. Her light green eyes dulled with no emotion of regret and she back flipped from his range. He slid in the dirt, watching as Sakura then made a signal hand sign. In a way, she was saying sorry to him, giving him the split second he needed to see what she was doing. The single hand sign was enough. The winds worked in her favor; the leaves broke from the trees and crowded Neji in a rain of thin razor leaves. One sliced the side of his cheek and blood spurt through the air. With the cover Sakura flew forward and lay a square kick in the stomach. Neji slid back and coughed. Sakura was holding back of course...She needed to refrain from making to much noise...Naruto and the others were just above.

He grunted, but said nothing else. In a flash he created the pattern for the Byakugan. Before Sakura could think Neji was scanning her with his eyes. "Female eh...She hits like a man..." he grumbled wiping his mouth.

Sakura, hearing his upseen comment, she blushed feeling the heat in her cheeks. "I can hear you ya know..." she uttered girlishly.

"Woo hoo!! Chick fight! Go Neji!! hicca," Rock Lee had suddenly sprang up, brush in his hair while he downed more Sake. Neji twitched and threw a single Kunai. It spun through the air, twisting around so that the handle hit his forehead. Lee however seemed unaffected with no sign of pain. "...Night...Night...Neji-kun" Lee fell over once more and crashed into a squirrel.

Sakura held back her laughter of it all…She needed to stay focused. Neji nodded it off once more and took a fighting stance. "I see…You're a leaf nin..." He breathed slowly. "…You must be up to no good…If you have to sneak around your own province…." He said bitterly. Sakura brushed off those words and again made no sudden movements. Any little detail in body language could say a thousand words to Neji.

Sakura took her fight pose. This was enough to anger Neji and once again come running forward. He swung to the left. Sakura stepped right. He aimed for her side, but Sakura was quick to slide. Neji was totally unaware that Sakura had seen this fight pattern before in his fight with Hinata three years before. He grunted in anger and sent another swing. This did it; the swing knocked Sakura in the chest. She slid back, grabbing onto Neji's wrist and dragging her with him into the first floor of the academy. With a loud crash the two sung into the window and broke the glass. Sakura and Neji were now face to face…However Sakura's was hidden; only her Jade eyes flaring through, burning into his Byakugan. The sat in silence they heard the music on the upper floor vanish and crowded foot steps huddle toward the window. Neji didn't care he glared into this girls eyes feeling a certain familiarity that he had not sensed in a while. "…S..Sa…" he was about to speak her name, But Sakura didn't give him the chance. With a sudden reaction she kicked Neji was all her force and he flew out back onto the pathway.

"What was that?!" Ino cried as she peered out. A cloud of dust hovered over Neji, but he was not down for the count. Sakura leapt out from the broken window and stood tall. She kept her face masked behind her hat. Neji lost his smile as he looked up to see Ino. "Neji?!" she cried. Sakura looked up. Ino's light pale blue eyes peered down with disbelief. She was then shoved over by Choji

"Oi! You lazy bum where have—"he cut off, seeing the unknown figure standing before him. He gulped hard "…What happen?" he asked idiotically

Ino said nothing else and hopped up on the window seal. This was bad…This is what Kisame was trying to avoid. She jumped off the edge landing somewhat on the right side of Sakura. She took a defensive pose. Choji nodded and turned back. Hinata came to the window next. Her hair grown long now and her eyes a bit more fierce that those of a few years ago. She gasped and nodded jumping down just as Ino did. She landed beside her. Shikimaru then came from the academy entrance.

"So…Who's your dance partner Neji?" Shikimaru asked lazily.

Neji didn't answer. He wasn't even sure. Ino made a step forward. Sakura gave a sharp glance her way. Ino lunged forward clenching her hand into a fist ready to attack, Sakura wasn't threatened. She made the same hand sign as before.

"Ino! Stop!" Shikimaru then pulled her arm, shoving her backward, making her dodge a leaf which sharply landed into the ground. Ino was a bit stunned…Her hair falling into her face more as she fell back into Shikimaru. "…This guys not playing around." He uttered as Ino's body plopped onto him.

"You mean "she's"not playing around." Neji said slyly.

"You…You mean that's a girl?" Hinata said almost in a whisper.

"Yes." Neji said sternly.

"Are you serious?" Shikimaru said looking the unknown Sakura up and down. "Well you can't really tell with that outfit…" Shikimaru thrust Ino off of him and made her stand on her own.

"True…But don't underestimate her." Neji said rubbing his stomach again.

They all nodded, each surrounding her from all sides. "Give it up…No way you can take all four of us" Ino said gladly.

"Don't you mean five?" Choji said stepping out of the entrance. He burped and licked his lips…No doubt her eaten before coming down.

"Right…" Ino said in a laugh.

Sakura looked to all of them…They were dead serious; no one knew who she was. Not even Neji, whom had got a good look at her eyes. She had no choice; running would only cause more of scene, and jeopardize her assignment. She let a small sigh escape her and using her already in play jutsu, she created a few other hand sign patterns. Ino was first to attack. She refrained from using any jutsu but rather as before performed taijutsu. She threw a swift kick, Hitting Sakura on the side of her waste. Sakura however showed no emotion. She threw a hard punch to Ino's left, and Ino fell back a few steps. Shikimaru had already activated his shadow possesion justsu, moving his shadow toward her. Sakura knew the basics of the attack and back flipped several times before unleashing a hail of sharp razored leaves his way. He was cut multiple times where then Choji expaned his body into his human boulder technique. With a loud cry he rolled toward her. Sakura moved aside, looking back when she felt a slap against her back. Neji had just hit a rather important chakra point. Sakura grunted, but was carefull in letting any whimper escape her mouth. She thrust back, with a closed fist she aimed right to Neji's forehead...scaraping his headband against his curse mark.

Blood seeped down from Neji's forehead...he was in shock..His mind numb and his eyes empty as he fall back. He hit the ground and after a few moments of silence he bang to scream in pain. No doubt the scrape in the pattern allowed the mark to act on its own, the chakra flowing with no specific comand. Hinata was speachless, but rushed to her cousins side. Sakura was pulled from the sight forcing her numb body to the left to avoid the rolling Choji.

"Damn..." she thought falling back, tripping into the bushes over Lee's body. The drunken boy, sound asleep. Sakura had an idea. She could feel the chakra in her disapting, she needed to think fast.

Ino slashed the brush away with a swift chop. She sent shuriken toward a moving shadow. They hit, but to Ino's suprise she had hit the limp and dead like body of Lee. Her eyes became wide. Sakura came from behind, letting out her arm and in a flash vines spread from her arms and made their way into Ino's flesh. She let out a scream and fell onto the ground.

Sakura said nothing nor thought of anything. In small 'poof' Sakura was gone. A clone.

Shikimaru expected as much looking around to find any sign of the mystery woman. In an instant he looked up to see a fiqure looming down on him. He merely glared. He bagan to creat hand signs but lost his attention when Choji came slamming into him. Another fiqure lay hidden in the shadows. The two boys fell back and leaves began to rain down on them. Choji was hit, grunting in pain as he fell over sideways. Shikimaru let out a sigh of frustration. He had already caught the two dark figures...both vanishing in smoke.

Hinata had payed no mind to the battle. She removed Neji's headband seeing the veins in his head pulse outward as he gasped for air. She was in a state of panic...she had no idea how to repair the seal. She tried a healing Justu which seemed to ease the pain, but the mark was still damaged. Shikimaru looked around to his fallen comrades. His anger rose but he didn't show it. He sighed, he was sure she had fled.

A small creek sounded beneath his feet...Thorns had caught his foot. In fast sweep thorns shot from where Lee stood hanged on the tree. Shikimaru's eyes grew

listless...Venom. The woman had suddenly come from hiding...she had taken Lee's form. He was now gone...sleeping. Hinata was lifted from the ground and into the air, trapped in relentless thorns. "Neji-kun!!" she screamed before fading into slumber herself. Same went for the rest, and Sakura stepped out from the shadows.

"Man...You guys..." Sakura mumbled with a sigh. "...That was lame." she uttered.

She patted the dust off her cloak and stepped over Lee's hidden body. She looked up to the window to see...Naruto looking down with wide eyes to her...Her green eyes were now weighed with heavy sorrow...her fist clenched, shaking with a deep fear. "Naruto..." she whispered to herself. Her heart tore...bleeding with deep uncertainty.

-----------------------

"This is a test for her." Itachi's voice rang inside Kisame's mind as he watched Sakura from the tower of the academy. "...In order for me to go on with this...I need to test her loyalty...he devotion to my brother...her ambition." Kisame looked out to the desolent moon. "She has potential..great potential...She is weighed down by hope...and in order to disapate that hope she needs to embrace sorrow." Itachi's voice cold and sneering. "...He'll be here soon. Be quick and go." Kisame nodded to Itachi's orders and turned. He needed to get to the scroll first before Itachi returned from HQ.