Technically I've had this chapter done for about a week, but I wasn't completely satisfied with it. I'm still not sure if I am, but I'm posting it anyway. I will warn you now: Sasuke and Sakura are not actually in this chapter. They're mentioned, but they make no appearances. That's because the next chapter (possibly the next two) are focusing mainly on them. Naruto, the Sand Sibs, Team Gai, and Shikamaru are getting most of the love for this chapter, though. Oh, and there is a bad word. Enjoy!

I do not own Naruto.

Bloodline

---Chapter Three: I Guess This Is Goodbye---

Naruto grunted as he punched and kicked, his hatred of the orange tracksuit he was forced to wear increasing with each passing minute. It was, unfortunately, the only thing available at the Hyuuga manor in his size. Shikamaru, who was supposed to be his opponent, made no attempt to counter-attack but instead dodged every potential hit with ease. Gai and Lee watched them, the former unusually calm and the latter shouting ineffectual words of encouragement. Gai had taught Lee, Neji, Tenten, and Shikamaru everything they knew about hunting supernatural creatures. It was only at Hiashi's insistence (well, vague approval) that he had agreed to teach Naruto. Right now, he was assessing the blond's skills. Naruto supposed the orange tracksuit was better than the green jumpsuits Gai and Lee sported, but they actually seemed to like them. Neji and Tenten (who, like Shikamaru, got to wear more normal-looking clothes) had been sent to another training room to do their own sparring.

"Enough," Gai called finally. Naruto ceased his attack, panting as he bent over and put his hands on his knees. Shikamaru took one of his hands out of his pockets to cover his mouth as he yawned.

"Where did you learn those moves?" Gai asked Naruto.

The boy fought to catch his breath. "I took karate for six years. I had to quit last year though, so I'm out of practice."

Gai smirked. "Don't kid yourself. Shikamaru here is the slowest of our little group, and that is only because he is lacking in youthful motivation. Why did you quit?"

Naruto looked away, still breathing hard. "Couldn't afford lessons anymore," he replied evasively.

Gai studied him for a moment. "Hmph. Lee!" He snapped his fingers.

Lee saluted his teacher. "Yes, Gai-sensei?"

"I will put you in charge of Naruto's endurance training. Start him off with laps, and start slow."

"Yes, Gai-sensei! Come, Naruto! We will run a hundred laps around the Hyuuga manor!"

Naruto gaped at the older boy. "What?! He said start slow!"

Lee lost his gleeful look for a moment, trading it for one of slight confusion. "I am. I run five hundred laps around the building every morning, and another five hundred every afternoon."

Naruto blinked. "Oh. Well… fuck."

"Such foul and un-youthful language!" Gai roared. "Fifty more laps!"

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Shikamaru cut him off. "Just do it before he adds more."

"Shikamaru! Fifty laps for you as well!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Sorry, can't. Neji, Tenten, Lee, and I are supposed to 'help' Hiashi 'greet' the hunters from Suna in about five minutes."

Lee gasped in horror. "Gai-sensei, forgive me! I shall run laps with Naruto after the meeting. In fact, we shall run fifty more to make up for the delay!"

"What?! But that's…"

"Excellent idea, Lee! And in the meantime, I will help Naruto improve the moves he already knows by having him repeat each punch and kick a hundred times."

"What?!" Naruto shrieked again.

He was ignored.

"Brilliant, Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

Shikamaru just shook his head at the display. "Will you two shut up? We're gonna be late if you don't."

He was jolted out of his standard apathetic stance by Lee grabbing his arm and pulling him out of the room at a sudden run. "Never fear, Shikamaru! We shall reach Hiashi's office on time!"

Naruto twitched and silently bid normal life, where his biggest worry had been math tests, a fond farewell.

--------

"Who did Suna send?" Neji asked his uncle once the four seventeen-year-olds were seated. Lee and Tenten watched the head of the Hyuuga clan expectantly, but Shikamaru looked instead at the three unoccupied cushions in front of Hiashi's low desk. Even after two years, the Hyuugas' Spartan-Japanese style irked him.

"They sent a trio of siblings reputed to be their very best. Each of the Sabaku siblings has more recorded kills than most of our other hunters put together."

The door slid open and a servant peered in. "Excuse me, sir, but the hunters from Suna have arrived."

Hiashi nodded. "Send them in."

Shikamaru watched in vague, almost non-interest as the trio entered Hiashi's office. There were two boys and a girl. The girl was clearly the oldest, with sandy-blonde hair in four stiff pigtails. The older-looking boy wore a black hooded sweatshirt, hiding his hair color. The youngest had dark red hair and a stoic look that was more impressive than Neji's. The girl noticed Shikamaru watching them and raised an eyebrow at him, but he felt no need to return the gesture. The siblings took their seats, and only the older boy glanced at Neji, Tenten, and Lee sitting on cushions along the wall. Shikamaru sat on the cushion farthest from Hiashi and nearest the door.

"First, introductions," Hiashi announced once the siblings were seated. "I am Hiashi Hyuuga, head of the Hyuuga family. This is Neji Hyuuga, my nephew, his betrothed, Tenten, and their classmates, Rock Lee and Shikamaru Nara. You are Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara Sabaku."

He gestured at each of the siblings as he said their names, and they nodded their confirmation. Hiashi put his hands down on his desk. "We are pleased that you have come and welcome you to Konoha. Now that the niceties have been taken care of, we shall get to business. I have contacted your family and asked that you come here due to the increasing vampire presence in Konoha," he said, addressing the siblings from Suna without looking at them. Instead he focused on the tea cup sitting on the table in front of him. "Normally our family would be more than capable of dealing with the creatures, but… thanks to unforeseen circumstances, our number of truly skilled hunters has been greatly reduced in the past few generations. The four you see, as well as their teacher, are the best we have."

Shikamaru was mildly surprised at being considered one of the best hunters associated with the Hyuuga family, given the fact that he'd never indicated that he really took to the things they'd taught him. He was sure he heard Kankuro snort as he glanced over at Lee. Temari elbowed him, and Shikamaru had to suppress a small smirk.

Hiashi continued. "My eldest daughter was recently captured by a band of vampires led by the last remnant of the Uchiha clan. That particular vampire has also kidnapped a local girl with no links or associations to any of the hunting families. Our goal is to retrieve the girls and destroy the vampires of that group."

Temari glanced at her youngest brother, who nodded ever-so-slightly. "How are much we getting paid?" she asked.

Hiashi slid a piece of paper across the low table. "I believe this sum to be adequate." It was Gaara who took the paper, despite the fact that his sister had asked the question. He glanced at it, nodded again, and pocketed the slip.

"Good. Lee, I would like you to show Gaara and Kankuro to their rooms." Lee bowed low before standing, and the two brothers rose as he did. "Shikamaru, I am placing Temari in your care."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered as he got up to leave. Temari followed him, her expression clearly one of disdain. Shikamaru actually had to resist the urge to smirk. At least the feeling was mutual.

--------

It didn't take the Sabaku siblings very long to memorize the entire layout of the Hyuuga manor, and after they'd done so, they gathered in Temari's room. The furnishings were simple yet elegant, and rather less comfortable than the ones they had at home.

Temari sat on her bed with her legs crossed, noting with slight satisfaction that she wrinkled the perfectly-pressed sheets as she did so. Kankuro flopped down onto a dark-upholstered armchair, nearly blending in with it. Gaara leaned against the door, ensuring that no one would take them by surprise, and crossed his arms. The three were silent for a moment.

"Was the one in green as stupid as he looked?" Temari asked.

Kankuro laughed. "Pretty much. How 'bout the lazy guy?"

Temari snorted. "He's not stupid, that's for damn sure. What do you think about this place, Gaara?"

"The lazy one is the only one that doesn't want to go after the last of the Uchiha clan personally," Gaara said.

Kankuro's expression grew serious. "Quite a secret these Hyuugas have been keeping. I thought the entire Uchiha clan was destroyed a hundred and fifty years ago."

Temari shrugged. "Apparently they missed one. The odds that either of those girls are still alive are practically nil."

Her brothers said nothing, but silently they agreed with her.

--------

That evening after dinner, Naruto returned to the training room alone, resigned to the fact that extra work was necessary if he hoped to reach the skill level he needed to rescue Sakura. He punched the training dummy, rocking it slightly on its stand.

"You're determined, but punching won't do you much good on a real hunt."

Naruto whirled around at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, only to find a red-haired boy watching him with dark-ringed blue-green eyes. "Who are you?" the blond blurted. He'd seen the three hunters from Suna at dinner, but he couldn't remember their names.

"Gaara," was the simple response. "You?"

"Naruto Uzumaki," he said with a scowl. "So what are you doing in here? This is a private training room for Gai's students."

Gaara blinked slowly, and Naruto realized he had no eyebrows. "The head of the Hyuuga family gave us permission to use this room, but my brother and sister have even less interest than I do."

Naruto's frown deepened. "Why watch me, then?"

Gaara's expression didn't change, and it was starting to unnerve the other boy. "I wanted to see how the Hyuugas fight."

Naruto shook his head. "You picked the wrong person if that's what you wanted. I'm not a Hyuuga and I just got here yesterday."

"Why are you here?"

Naruto's expression darkened more. "Vampires took my best friend. I'm going to get her back or die trying."

"That's likely to happen if all you know how to do is punch," Gaara scoffed.

Naruto grunted, annoyed. "I'm supposed to start weapons training tomorrow."

"Why wait?" a female voice said from the doorway. Gaara's sandy-haired older sister entered the training room. "The sooner you start, the more you'll learn, right?"

"I don't care about how much I learn; I just want to be good at it."

Temari laughed. "By the time I'm done with you, kid, you will be."

After an hour of throwing kunai at the targets on the wall, Temari told Naruto that while his strength was decent, his accuracy left much to be desired. Her exact words were "your aim sucks."

Gaara simply watched as Temari taught Naruto, perfectly aware of an extra pair of dark eyes observing the lesson.

And so the next day, when Naruto threw a kunai that hit the target dead center and impressed even Tenten, Shikamaru smirked.

---End Chapter Three---

Shika's a sneaky boy, huh? Yes, I put Naruto in the orange suit for absolutely no reason other than that it amused me. Well, I hope you're happy with this update, and I hope to see you all next chapter. Thanks for reading, and please review!