Author: aFigureOfSpeech

Title: Conflicting Chaos – Chapter 5

Word Count: 901

Pairing: NejixSakuraxKiba

Rating: T (for mild swearing, some suggestive situations, minor alcohol)

Summary: When Naruto manages to get Neji mad at him, Sakura helps Naruto, but in the process she hurts Neji's pride. Now he's out for revenge, but it may not turn out how he expected. Especially when Tsunade has plans of her own and Kiba's not going down without a fight. NejiSakuKiba

Disclaimer: Hmm, let's think about this, shall we? This site is called fanfiction . net and I'm writing this here, so… Nope, I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 5: Take A Picture

Neji was sitting in a tree. Although this would probably seem a bit odd to anyone else, Neji actually had a very good reason. As it happened, he was using the tree as cover to watch a certain pink-haired kunoichi play some sort of game with Akamaru. What the annoying man-mutt was doing, Neji didn't know, nor did he really care. He was more focused on the girl he had sworn revenge upon. He probably wasn't far away, though, as his dog was here with Sakura. As he observed them, she threw a stick, laughing as the dog would race off after it and then run back, prize in mouth, earning him a pat on the head and another throw. It all seemed rather pointless to Neji, but then again, it was Sakura; she was like that: confusing and seemingly pointless.

In fact, that was why he was crouching where he was, watching her. He needed to study her, to gather information about her, because, at the moment, he had very little. Then, when he determined that he had sufficient intelligence on her, he could assess her weaknesses and formulate the perfect revenge, specific to Haruno Sakura. No, he was not obsessed; Neji just liked to stick to his word. If he said he was going to enact a diabolical revenge, then he was going to enact a diabolical revenge. Simple as that. Naruto appeared to have other plans, though.

"Hey Neji! What are you doing up in a tree?" Neji looked down, annoyed.

"Leave me alone, dobe," he said. "I'm busy." Naruto pouted.

"Fine, be that way, Mr. Rude-Much," he said childishly. Neji's eyebrow twitched. "I try to talk to you, but no, the Ice Cube's gotta chill and be anti-social in a tree. Which is obviously much better company than an actual living, breathing, talking human being."

"Quite. Now shut it, Uzumaki, I told you, I'm busy-" Poor Neji. He never had a chance. Because of his distraction, he did not see the stick coming at his head. He did see little stars afterward, though. They were very pretty.

Neji shook his head, trying to regain his composure. He really should have been trying to regain his balance instead though, as he found that the branch he had been standing on was suddenly above his head. Now that couldn't be right…

"Neji-san!" He saw Sakura running towards him from his upside-down position on the ground. "Oh, Neji-san, are you alright?"

Oh, yes, of course he was alright. He'd only been hit in the head with a stick thrown by the freakishly strong Hokage's apprentice. He could shake this off, he was a shinobi after all, and not just any shinobi either. He was a Hyu- damn, did it hurt.

"Watch where you're throwing things, kunoichi," Neji growled, trying to cover up his pain and (still) lack of a proper sense of up and down.

Sakura frowned at his words as she picked up the stick, which had fallen with Neji. "Well, I'm sorry," she said. "How was I supposed to know you'd taken to sitting in trees for some obscure reason? And I've told you before: I have a name."

"Well, next time, just don't aim for me."

"Yes, because I so have it in for you."

"Apparently." Neji growled. "Now, leave me alone, you annoying woman." Sakura's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Uhh," said, Naruto, trying to intervene and prevent unnecessary bloodshed. "Guys, it's okay, I'm sure-"

"Stay out of this!" The two angry shinobi turned their equally angry glares on him.

"O-okay," Naruto stuttered.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again: don't call me that!" Sakura said hotly. "I told you, I have a name, not just a title. How would you like it if I called you 'aggravating bastard' all the time?" Oh, that was the last straw.

"Fight me," growled Neji suddenly.

"What?" asked Sakura in surprise.

"Fight. Me," Neji said slowly. "Right here, right now, just the two of us, one-to-one, you against me-"

"No."

"What?" now it was Neji's turn to say in surprise.

"No," Sakura said slowly. "Don't be impractical, Neji-san."

"Impractical!" Neji shouted. This drew the attention of the other three, who stopped what they were doing to watch. They made no move to stop the two, though. Even Naruto now knew better than to interfere in a fight involving Sakura or Neji, and this one involved both. Neither of them noticed the attention.

"Maybe that stick hit you harder than you thought. Yes, impractical. Think about it, Neji-san." She tapped his forehead protector with her stick. "If either you or I gets injured, which would be very likely to happen, we would become burdens and slow the team down. Not only that, but fighting would generate enough noise and charka-release to attract unwanted attention, which could jeopardize the mission itself, not to mention all of us. I hope that's not what you want. Now, if you'll excuse me…" With a triumphant smile at Neji's still-surprised face, Sakura returned to her game with Akamaru.

Neji was left with a shocked expression, an open mouth, and an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu. He suddenly noticed Naruto, Tenten, Kiba, and Hinata looking at him.

"Take a picture," he snapped irritably. "It'll last longer." He stormed off into his tent.

……………………

"Damn," muttered Tenten.

"What's the matter?" asked Hinata.

"I didn't have my camera."

AN: Hey, does anyone happen to know a good site where I can get English/Japanese translations? You know, ones written all in English letters? Do those even exist? How about a site with a dictionary thing, then? I just want to find something so I can figure out what all that Japanese I'm finding means. And, I'm trying to find Japanese names for this new fic that I'm working on. Yeah, so, if anyone can help me with this, I'd greatly appreciate it!