AN: I do not own Naruto!
Previously: When Neji and his group finally came into the scene, they found the their three comrades sleeping side-by-side with each other next to a huge crater.
"Naruto-kun! Sakura-chan!" Hinata and Ino exclaimed.
"Uchiha." Neji growled out.
"There's no one in the cabin." Sai said.
"So what do we do here?" Ino asked.
As the three were conversing in what to do Sai smiled, seeing his teammates together again. The thing that made him somewhat puzzled was that the three unconscious members of team 7 were all smiling as well.
Chapter 8 –Lets Decide.…
"Ahhh. What time is it?" Naruto asked, as he got up from a hospital bed, rubbing his eyes. Light streamed through the window, and judging by the sun's position, Naruto guessed it was late in the afternoon. "When did I get in the hospital?" He looked around and found himself covered in bandages. He then remembered what happened. "Sasuke, Sakura-chan!" He then looked to his side to find a bunch of instant ramen and get well cards. "Ramen!" Naruto exclaimed, completely forgetting about his teammates. He quickly got out of bed, but before he could reach one of the instant noodles, someone opened the door.
"Naruto?" Sakura asked as she stepped in the room, followed by Kakashi. "Yo." Kakshi said while taking out his come come paradise book. "Sakura-chan, Kakashi-senei!" Naruto exclaimed while hugging the two.
"Let me go baka!" Sakura said jokingly.
"Well, I see that you had a good three days sleep." Kakashi said, getting out of his former student's grasp.
"Three days! How the hell was I out for three days!" Naruto yelled.
Sakura knocked him over the head. "Shut up baka! This is a hospital!" "Ay, gomen Sakura-chan." Naruto apologized, rubbing the lump on his head.
"Where's Sasuke-teme!" Naruto asked.
"In Tsunade-sama's office. He woke up only a couple of hours before you did." Sakura said, with a sad voice.
"Sakura-chan…What's wrong?" Naruto asked.
"The law is that missing nins are to be executed, remember?" Sakura said in a small voice.
"They can't do that!" Naruto yelled. Sakura just looked at Naruto with sad eyes. He turned to Kakashi for support.
"It's a high probability that they are going to kill him Naruto." Kakashi said, while putting away his book and sighing.
Naruto clenched him teeth and looked away. "Just when we finally get him back before that snake bastard could take his body, after everything we did, he's just going to be killed off? JUST like that!" Naruto yelled punching a hole in the wall.
"Clam down Naruto!" Kakashi warned.
"How do you expect me to calm down when my best friend's going to be killed as soon as I brought him home! God damnit!"
The door opened again and three people entered the room.
"Hm? Sai, Neji Hinata?" Sakura asked.
Sai just stood there with a fake smile.
"What do you want Sai?" Naruto asked, irritated.
"You should really try being quiet. This is a hospital." Sai said.
"Why you! I'm not in the mood for a teme like you!" Naruto growled out.
Hinata slightly shuttered at Naruto's tone.
"Well you don't have to get so moody, and you're still loud."
"N-naruto-kun, what w-wrong?" Hinata stuttered.
He looked at her for a second and calmed down a little. With a sigh he answered, "Sasuke."
"You shouldn't just give up like that. Tsunade-sama may let Sasuke off." Sai said. "He's being trailed now."
"I asked Shikamaru to tell us Tsunade's decision." Neji said.
"So you're saying he's still being trailed in baa-chan's office?" Naruto asked.
Neji just nodded.
"Then I'm going to talk to that baa-chan!" Naruto said getting up.
"Narruto-kun!" Hinata said, as she tried to stop him.
"You can't just barge in there." Neji said. Kakashi decided to just play it safe and continue to watch the seen before him. He knew Naruto long enough to know that if he wanted to do something, it would take three hokages to stop him.
As Naruto opened the window in his room to jump out, he looked back toward sakura. "Sakura-chan, you coming?"
"Yeah." Sakura said. Before she went out the window with Naruto she put on her black glove on her right hand.
"Sakura-chan? W-what are you doing?" Hinata asked worryingly.
"Well, there are going to be anbu guarding the tower, and I'm sure they won't let us in peacefully." Sakura said with a smile. Then the two jumped out of the two story window and raced of toward the hokage tower.
"This won't end well." Kakashi said as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"I'm going to go follow them." Neji said while jumping out of the window.
"I think we should follow them." Sai said to Hinata. She nodded slowly and the two raced off to catch up with their comrades.
"Hey you two! No visitors, orders from the hoka-" But before the anbu member had a chance to finish his statement Naruto knocked him out. Sakura knocked out another one, and the two entered through the doors.
"This is like a mission, ne Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked while running through the halls.
"Yup!" Sakura answered, as she and Naruto sensed two chakra levels up ahead. Naruto made clones of himself as Sakura cracked her knuckles.
Tenten and Lee were walking together down the streets as they sensed a familiar charka. "Neji?" They both thought as they saw their teammate head toward the tower at a rapid pace. Lee decided wave a 'hi' to his teammate. Neji saw the two, but didn't stop to talk and kept on going. Lee had tears streaming down his eyes. Tenten was a little disappointed.
"Why did he just ignore me like that Tenten-chan?" Lee asked. Tenten just shrugged as the two sensed two other familiar charkas, heading toward them at a quick pace. Wanting to see what's up, Tenten and Lee caught up with Sai and Hinata.
"Hey you guys what's wrong?" Tenten asked.
"Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan are charging into Tsundae's office." Hinata said.
"Isn't Sasuke being trialed?" Lee asked.
"Yeah." Sai answered
"Then the place would be surrounded with anbu! You don't think that those two would…" Tenten stopped in mid sentence after she realized what she was saying. "This is concerning with Sasuke, no duh Sakura-chan and Naruto would go on a frenzy." She thought.
"We're coming with you!" Lee exclaimed. As the four raced off, Ino, Choji, and the rest of Hinata's team stared at their friends as they raced by. "First Neji, now them, what the hell?" Ino thought.
Kiba decided to see what was up. "Hey Hinata! Why are you guys running?" He called out.
"Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan are going to kick some anbu ass!" Sai called out while continuing to race on.
"What!" The four yelled and then thought about what Sai said.
"Oh shit! Sasuke's being trailed isn't he!" Ino exclaimed.
"So?" Shino said.
"Shino! Those two are going to do what they did in the training grounds, in the hokage's tower!" Kiba exclaimed, while jumping on Akamaru and racing toward their comrades.
"Lets go!" Ino yelled at the two remaining shinobi.
"Do we have to?" Choji asked eating his bag of chips.
"Hell yeah!" And with that the three went and caught up with their friends.
In the hokage tower.
"Shannaro!" Sakura exclaimed as she punched an anbu square in the stomach.
"Is it just me or did the way of getting into the office get a hell lot longer." Naruto said while doing a series of punches and kicks.
Sakura did a three hit combo, two punches and a charka fused kick, on another anbu. "Yeah, they must have put a strong genjutsu here. I can't cancel it. You have to find the caster!" She yelled out as the two were soon surrounded.
"Sakura-san! I'd advise you to stop this now and leave!" One anbu called out.
"Sorry, can't do that until we see Sasuke-kun and tsunade-sama." Sakura answered.
"You know we can't permit that."
"Then shut up and put up a fight!" Naruto called out. He wanted to end the battle quick so they could see their teammate faster. He then formed the rasengan. Sakura was too busy to notice the powerful jutsu, as Naruto charged with it toward five anbu. "Let us through!" Right before he was about to hit one of the nins, Neji appeared out of nowhere and blocked the reserves in Naruto's right arm, canceling the jutsu.
"Neji!" Naruto said, as he saw him knock out the five anbu.
"Neji!" Sakura said as she knocked out the anbu she was fighting and threw him on a pile of other knocked out anbu. "What are you doing here?"
"Just lending a hand." He simply said. Naruto patted him on the back with a thanks, as Sakura smiled at him. The three turned around to find a new round of anbu. Naruto and Sakura sweat dropped. "How many are there during this freaken village!" They thought, as the three got into a battle stance.
"We have to find the person casting this genjutsu, and when we cancel it, you two run to the office." Neji explained.
"We can't just leave you alone with all the other anbu!" Sakura said. Then about ten anbu charged at the conversing trio. The three stood ready to attack. The first anbu that approached them was about to attack Naruto, but before the anbu could get within a meter of him. Large black inc tigers attacked him from the side knocking the guy agaist the wall with great force. "What the?" They thought as the other anbu members being attacked by their comrades. A series of weapons with exploding tags were thrown. Insects were flying all over the place. A huge white two headed canine was swiping anbu with its great paw like flies, along with a giant human balloon rolling over and knocking out other nins. The three just stood their and rested as the watched their comrades fight with them. Out of no where an anbu came up to sakura and poked her on the shoulder.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto and Neji exclaimed. From the other side of the battle, "Sakura…chan?" Tenten thought sadly as she took out an anbu.
"Ahhh!" And before Sakura, Neji or Naruto could smacked him in the face, the guy said, "Wow, calm down forehead girl!" he said with his hands up.
"Ino?" Sakura asked questionably.
"Who else!" He exclaimed, then the anbu collapsed onto the floor. A moment later Ino showed up. "Hey! Who the heck do you think you are, just charging in here and destroying this place!"
"Sorry In-"
"Without us!" She finished off, cutting Sakura's sentence.
Sakura smiled at her friend. "Gomen, Ino-pig!"
"Watch out Tenten!" Lee called out. Tenten turned around to find an ignited explosive tag on the wall. "Shit! No time to run!" She thought as she guarded herself. Lee quickly raced toward his teammate and got her out of the way, but the explosion had full effect on him.
"Gahhh!" Lee yelled as he was shot back a good twenty feet into the air.
"Lee!" Tenten exclaimed as she ran over to her teammate. "Why did you, why didn't you-"
"You're ok right? That's reason enough for me to help out someone important to me!" Lee said standing up doing his nice guy pose. Tenten was touched. Then he flinched a little from the pain. "Lee! Go see Sakura-chan now!" Tenten ordered.
"I'm ok, it's only a scr-" But Tenten took no word of it as she dragged her teammate to the pink haired kunoichi.
"Sakura-chan!" Tenten called out. Sakura looked over to her left and saw Tenten dragging a charcoaled looking Lee.
"Lee! Tenten!" She yelled as she went over and healed her two friends.
"AHHH! Where the hell is the caster!" Naruto yelled out in frustration. Hinata was next to him fighting it all out.
"I'll c-check with my byakugen." Hinata suggested.
"Thanks! Here, I'll cover you!" Naruto said, as Hinata scanned the entire floor.
"There!" she pointed into a dark corner of the room. "She's hanging on the ceiling."
"Got it!" Neji said as he raced toward the genjustu user.
"Naruto! Get Sakura, and get ready to run to the office! I'm sure when the genjustu wears of, a new round of idiots will come." Sai called out, and just as he said the spell wore off, exposing a new corridor with a small unit of anbu.
Kiba came up right behind the two with Akamaru and Sakura.
"Here. Me, Hinata, and Sai wil-"
"Me too." Neji said suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
"Yes, ok, him too, will crash though those idiots while you and Sakura-chan go to the hokage's office. Got it?" Kiba said to Naruto.
"Got it." Everyone said.
"What about the asses here?" Sai asked.
"Don't worry we got it!" Ino said.
"Yeah don't worry about us!" Tenten and Lee said while fighting off some more nins.
"Just hurry up!" Choji exclaimed.
"Stop wasting time, and go." Shino said, and with that cue, the other small group of shinobi charged at the small unit of anbu.
"Don't let them pass, stop them!" Some anbu members said.
"Like hell I'll let you do that!" Tenten said as she retried two kunai from the floor.
"Remember don't kill them! They're just doing their job!" Sakura yelled out.
"Yeah, yeah I know." Ino said as she punche one nin in the gut.
Both Hinata and Neji went in front of the group as they both performed the 128 strike attack thing….(yes, sry I still don't know the names yet…so sue me…) on incoming shinobi . Then up next Kiba and Akamaru both created a small side winding tornado. When that set anbu were taken care of, all the others were left to Sai.
"Say hi to teme for me." He called out as both Naruto and Sakura went past the anbu that were being attacked by inc drawings.
Naruto and Sakura were now outside the Hokage's office doors. The two stopped to catch their breaths as the door opened.
"Naruto, Sakura-chan? Are you two the troublesome idiots who are making all that noise?" Shikamaru asked lazily.
"What do you think! How many freaken anbu are in this god forsaken building!" Naruto yelled out.
"Hey, hey, hey, shut up will you? They're deciding on Sasuke's punishment right now. Didn't I tell Neji to tell you guys that I would tell you later?" Shikamaru asked.
"We don't need this! Do you know what we went through?" Sakura blurted out. Shikamaru took a minute to observe the two. They looked like they were run over by Sasuke's fan girls. There were still battle eruptions coming down the hall.
"You know you two could have just went in the back. That's were I was guarding for the last hour. I would have just let you two in." Shikamaru said with a bored tone.
Naruto and Sakura fell anime style. "Are you kidding me!" Sakura yelled out.
The door opened again, and this time Tsunade came out.
"Who the hell is making all of that god damned noise!" She yelled at the three.
"Tsunade-sama please…" Sakura said politely. "You have to give Sasuke-kun a break."
"Yeah! After what the hell we went through we-" But Shikamaru and Sakura clamped his mouth shut with their hands.
"You're asking for a favor, right? It's not the smartest thing now to get her pissed off." Shikamaru whispered to the blond idiot. Naruto cleared his throat.
"Uhh…Ba-Tsunade-chan-" But Naruto was cut off.
"Just come in. Kakashi is inside waiting for you." Tsunade said rubbing her head with her forefingers.
"W-wait. If you knew we were coming…Then why didn't all those anbu let us through?" Sakura asked her sensei.
"Well, first you're not allowed to be here. Second I'd expected you to be smart enough to try the back door. What kind of shinobi gets into a restricted building through the front?" Tsunade asked.
"Naruto." Both Sakura and Shikamaru said. Naruto sweat dropped.
"That's mean you guys." Naruto said.
"But true baka." Sakura said.
"You two are so troublesome." Shikamaru stated.
As the four went in, Naruto and Sakura found their two teammates along with another bunch of anbu. Tsunade went back to her seat.
"Ok, now where were we…oh!" Tsunade cleared her throat. "Uchiha Sasuke, your punishment will be…" She stopped to think.
"Baa-chan, don't even think of-"
"Shut up baka!" Sakura said, knocking Naruto on the head.
"Dobe…." Sasuke thought.
"Sasuke Uchiha. You know your crimes, and the luck you have of us not executing you." Tsunade began.
"Yeah!" Naruto jumped into the air. "You're not dead teme!"
"Sit down now!" Tsunade ordered angrily. Naruto immediately sat down and shut up.
"Thank kami!" Sakura thought.
"Anyhow, the next thing that comes to mind would be to exile you, but that would be just as bad as letting you go back to Orochi-" Tsunade was cut off.
"I'm never going back to that snake!" Sasuke said. There was a brief silence in the room.
"Well then, Kakashi gave me a suggestion. Which, I might take."
"First, answer this. If you found that there was someone else who offered power for you like Orochimaru and endangered our village, would you take the offer again?" The room grew tense and silent.
"Honestly." Sasuke began. "I don't believe that I can gain anymore power anywhere else. From the battle with Itachi before, the closest I've ever gotten was with them." He looked briefly at Naruto and Sakura. "Revenge is everything to me, it's what I live for, but I guess I can make room for other things. I suppose that staying in this village wasn't such a waste of time after all."
With that answer Tsunade was satisfied. It wasn't the best answer, but it would do.
"I see. Well, I can not let you attend the chunnin exams-"
"Say what!" Both Naruto and Sakura said, but Naruto was louder.
"That's not fai-"
"Naruto!" Kakshi warned. "Wait until she's done." He then gestured for the hokage to continue.
"Well, as I was saying. Sasuke, I will allow you to take the exams when you gain my trust back, and reregister into Konoha, if you eliminate Orochimaru." Everyone stared blankly at the hokage. "And if you can't do that, I'm suppose your old crimes will never be cleared."
"Tsunade-sama…" Sakura muttered, as she looked over to Sasuke, then to a worried Naruto.
"I'll do it." Sasuke answered.
"Why is that the only way?" Sakura asked.
"The elders see that there are almost absolutely no reasons why keeping Sasuke here alive will help the village. So to be able to convince them, we'll have to give them a good cause. With a huge threat like Orochimaru eliminated, Sasuke may have his freedom." Tsunade answered.
"Then I'm helping him!" Naruto exclaimed standing up.
"Me too!" Sakura said right after. Kakashi smiled under his mask.
"I don-" But was cut off by the door.
The door slammed open and hit against the wall. "Don't forget me." Sai said entering the room.
"Sai?" All four of his teammates said.
"Now that's my team." Kakashi thought. Then everyone else came through the doors.
"Hey! What about us!" they all exclaimed, Akamaru barking in agreement.
Tsunade was currently drinking, more like jugging, down a shot of sake.
"Ok, who the hell invited the rest of you!" Tsunade said aloud.
"Hey! We're Konoha shinobi aren't we? We're going to help our comrades to the very end, whatever it takes! That's the way of the ninja!" Ino yelled out.
"Hey! That's my thing!" Naruto yelled out.
"You guys are so troublesome. Why can't I just go home." Shikamaru said, while joining the small group of friends in the center of the room.
"Sorry to here that, but you're coming with us Shika-kun!" Ino said.
"S-shika what!" Sahikamaru blurted out slightly blushing.
Everyone found the two amusing, well except Tsunade and Sasuke cause they were in the middle of something important.
"Everyone! Get the heck ou-"
"S-sorry, Tsunade-sama, but we're going to help Naruto-kun, and Sakura-chan help Sasuke!" Hinata said sternly. Everyone was like 'What the!'
"Hinata-chan…" Naruto said smiling, Hinata just blushed madly.
"Alright, alright." Tsunade said giving up. Taking another shot of sake. "God I hate kids…"
"Sasuke. I'll give you the mission now, but that doesn't mean you're off the hook. I'll have someone watch over you at all times while you're in this village. You will be confined to your home after you come back. As for the chunnin exams, you'll just have to take the next one that's coming in around seven months. Not the one coming in three. If I even hear from someone that you will be entering the more recent exam, say goodbye to the life of the shinobi!" She said dangerously. Making Naruto shutter. "I'll put you in three groups. Orochimaru was last spotted in Sound, Grass, and stone country. I'll send one team to each, with at least one jounin leveled nin in each group."
"Well then, that's all of us." Tenten said.
"Yeah! We beat those anbu like nobody's business!" Kiba exclaimed.
"No you didn't!" Tsunade said. "You just beat up a bunch of chunnin dressed like anbu." Everyone looked dumbfounded. "Do you honestly believe we have that many anbu here, and especially weak ones!"
"Uhhh.." Kiba said.
"Well, then. Should we get on with the teams?" Shino asked.
"Yes, yes. Well team 1: Sasuke, Naruto, Sai, Sakura, Kakashi-"
"Ahh…I'm not going to be with Naruto-kun." Hinata thought sadly. Before Tsunade had a chance to say the second team, Kakashi interrupted.
"Tsunade-sama, do you remember the arrangements we decided upon four days ago with Kurenai-chan." Kakashi asked, everyone looked confused.
She thought for a moment….
"Kakashi? Kurenai? Why are you two in my office?" Tsunade asked.
"Tsunade-sama. I know that since Itachi was here in Konoha, he probably brought someone close by without intention." Kakashi began.
"What do you mean?"
"I sensed Sasuke, a while ago."
Tsunade was stunned. "How did you-"
Kakashi just pointed at his left covered eye.
"Ah, I see. So what do you suggest we do?"
"We'll need Asuma and Gai's assistance as well." Kakashi said.
"Here's our plan." Kurenai began.
"Ok then, I'll put…hmm..Hinata in team 1." Tsunade stated.
"Yeah! Hinata's on our team!" Naruto exclaimed jumping in the air. This made Hinata blush.
"Tsunade-sama. Won't it be better if she was on someone else's team. They already have Neji." Shikamaru asked.
"Ah, yes, I know, but I have special requests from one of the clan's leaders to have Hinata be in a team with a jounin."
"Father?" Hinata asked. "Why?" "He doesn't think I can handle myself…I'll show him." Hinata thought with determination. "I was training with Sakura-chan, Naruto-kun, Ino-chan, Tenten-chan, and my team for over three years!"
"Hinata-san, you're the clan's heiress, you're almost of adult age." Neji explained. "It's vital to keep you out of harm's way."
"I-I can take care of myself." Hinata said staring directly into her cousin's eyes.
"But-"
"Neji." Sakura began. "This is Hinata we're talking about! She can take on those sound bastards."
"Yeah! Hinata-chan can kick all of their asses." Naruto agreed. The rest agreed with nods of their heads, along with Akamaru's barking.
Hinata blushed at the comments. "A-adigato." She said to everyone.
"Well, either way. I'll be setting the other teams. Team 2: Tenten, Shikamaru, Choji, Lee. Team 3: Kiba and Akamaru, Ino, Shino." Tsunade stated.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Why are there so many people inforehead girl's team, and only three in ours?" Ino asked.
"Well, each team will be sent to the three locations, judging from the last time Orochimaru was seen. From the number of the teams, you can guess, who might be going where. Team 1 in Sound, Team2 in Grass, and Team 3 in Stone. If you can find any trace of him, return back immediately. Who knows if he might attack Konoha, and remember not to take any chances!" Tsunade said.
"Don't you think we should just wait it out here?" Sai asked. "If Orochimaru doesn't have Sasuke, then he won't have a body as strong as his. We should ju-" Sai began.
"No! I know that godamned snake can make due with what he has. We have to attack him now, while he's vulnerable." Sasuke argued.
"Well, I know this is for your freedom, but I don't think you should come with us."
"What!" Sasuke said.
"Well, we're going into his territory with you. Might as well as put a bow on you and say happy birthday snake-pedophile!" Sai said sarcastically.
"He's not weak Sai. We need his strength and know-how on sound territory. You'll need him." Tsunade said. "Everyone leave in the morning tomorrow. You are all dismissed!"
Sasuke just glared at Sai. "You know, your face just might get stuck like that Sasuke-kun." Sai stated.
"Don't call me that!" Sasuke growled.
"What…You let Sakura give you a pet name."
Before Sasuke could make a remark, Sakura just pushed her team out the door.
"That's enough Sai!" Sakura said.
"Be careful on your mission you guys! You too Kakashi-san!" Sakura said as she pushed Naruto, a pissed off looking Sasuke out the door, and a smiling Sai out the door. The rest of her team and the others just followed out.
When they all left with 'goodbyes' to pack, Naruto's team was discussing amongst themselves.
"Why are we meeting at your house again?" Neji asked Sakura.
"B-because Neji-kun, she lives closest to the gates, so we can leave early, and she could give us all check-ups while we're there." Hinata answered.
Neji just looked passive, yet a little irritated. "What's so bad about going to Sakura's house Hyuuga? Me, Naruto, Hinata, and Kakashi went there all the time. Her parents left somewhere in the morning. So it's completely empty." Sai said.
"There's nothing wrong." He said.
"Then why are you acting like you're going to listen to one of Gai's lectures?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, just because she looks like a hag, doesn't mean she lives like one." Sai said.
"What did you say!" Sakura was about to smack Sai with a LOT of charka in her fist, but both Hinata and Naruto was holding her back. Sai just smiled in amusement as he walked on. "Let go Naruto, Hinata-chan! I'm going to kick his smiling face in!" She yelled trying to get at him.
"Oh, don't touch me! I might get an ugly virus!" Sai said sarcastically.
"That's it!" Naruto said, but was held back by Neji this time.
"Sai, I recommend you go to your house and get your stuff and come back when these two calm down….now." Neji said warningly. With a nod and a wave goodbye, Sai disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Neji! You let him get away!" Both Naruto and Sakura said in unison. "Why do they have to be so loud?" Sasuke thought as he watched his teammates.
Neji just let go of Naruto and walked on. Sasuke followed in suit.
"Gomen, Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan." Hinata appologised.
"Nah. Whatever, we'll get him next time." Sakura said, as the three went up to catch up to their two comrades.
"Hey teme! Why are you acting like a ice cold bastard again?" Naruto asked as he patted his friend's back.
"What did you say dobe!" Sasuke said in a low tone.
"What did you call me!"
"An idiot."
"Why you! I'm going to-"
"Naruto! Sasuke-kun! Cut it out already!" Sakura said as she hit the two on the head.
"G-gomen Sakura-chan." Naruto said, trying to soothe the throbbing pain in his head.
"Hn." Sasuke said, as they continued to walk on. "She hit me? She never-, well at least one person changed for the better." He finally took notice of his old comrades. Yes, they've changed. Naruto may be the same hyperactive, competitive, immature teammate, but he grew a hell lot stronger for sure. Sakura seemed to loose her childish crush, and seemed more interested in just being good friends. He had also found her improvement in strength, and to be a top medic no less. The Hyuugas, along with all the others seem to have gained close connections to the broken team 7. Then there is Sai, the one to fill in the hole in the team, during his disappearance. In Sasuke's eyes, he was just someone who's in his place.
They continued to walk in silence.
"Sasuke's a little quiet, well, he always is, but he used to go at least 'hn' or something. What's wro-" Sakura was cut from here train of thought when she heard Neji asking something.
"Huh? Wha, sorry Neji. Can you repeat that?"
"I asked where you lived." Neji asked again.
"Oh, umm just up ahead. Around the next corner."
When they entered her apartment, everything seemed to be cleaned. They all just went to the living room, and sat down on two separate couches.
"Hey Hinata-chan. Shouldn't you and Neji go get your stuff?" Naruto asked.
"We can get it later." Hinata answered. It grew silent again.
"I'm going to go train." Sasuke said getting up from the couch.
"Oh- uh, Sasuke-kun…" But Sakura stopped herself. There was no point in arguing about training with this guy. So she just agreed to go with him. He just 'hned' in response. This made Sakura smile. "At least he still acts the same." She thought. Everyone else came as well, finding that staying in the apartment sitting around was boring.
In the 'remodeled' training hallow, they decided to pair up and fight against one another.
"Naruto and Hinata. Why don't you too go together? Neji you can spare with Sasuke-kun." Sakura suggested.
"What about you Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.
"I'll fill in for someone who gets injured, besides, I'm the medic remember?" Sakura said.
"I'll train alone." Sasuke said as he walked off. Everyone looked at him.
"Sasuk-" Sakura began.
"You afraid Uchiha?" Neji said at Sasuke's receding form.
He stopped. "What!" He said turning around.
"You heard me." Neji said with his arms crossed, giving the Uchiha a smirk. "I know that Sakura would be more of a challenge, I understand."
"N-neji-kun-" Hinata began.
"Bring it Hyuuga." Sasuke said throwing a kunai straight at him. Everyone got out of the way of the two prodigy's battle. As the two fought it off, Naruto and Hinata started their match not too far from the others. Sakura was in between the two battles watching her teammates train, and seeing if they would need her assistance.
It was already a half hour now, and Sakura was getting bored. Neither of the four seemed to have any major injuries, or showed any signs of taking a break, so she just kind of nodded off.
"Is that all you got Hyuuga?" Sasuke said, as he watched the person in question getting up off the ground.
"N-naruto-kun…Do you need to rest? Hinata asked., panting slightly.
"Nah! Lets go!" Naruto yelled as he made two clones, and charged at her with a kunai.
"Hai." Hinata went into a battle stance as Naruto approached closer.
Naruto threw the kunai straight at Hinata, but she easily dodged it as she activated her byakugen. The kunai continued on its course as it was approaching an unsuspecting victim. Sasuke and Neji were at a standoff, both hands of each contained a fist, and a blocked punch.
"Give up traitor." Neji said to his opponent pushing him back a little.
"Hmph, that will be the day you ever beat me." Sasuke said as he tried to fend off Neji with his chidori, but his main charka reserves were closed.
While Neji was trying his best to hold the Uchiha off, from the back of his head he saw a kunai heading straight toward a sleeping Sakura. Immediately Neji backed down, making the Uchiha trip forward, and raced toward his friend.
"Watch it!" Neji called out.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke called out as Neji disappeared in a couple of trees.
Before Sakura could open her eyes from someone's sudden yelling, she felt someone push her to the side from the tree she was sleeping against. She landed on her back, with Neji on top of her. "What the fu-" but she stopped when she heard a small thud, and saw a kunai in a tree that she had just laid upon a second ago. A bead of sweat rolled from the side of her face. "Holy crap!" She thought, but then she brought her attention to the now panting Neji, who was still above her, hands to the side of her head. She was turning four different shades of red.
"Sakura, you ok?" Neji asked, seeing her turn a little red.
"Um…Uh..N-neji, could you get off-" but before she could finish her sentence, the two heard the bushes in front of them starting to rustle.
"Ummm, what are you guys doing?" Sai asked a little confused. He stood their with his pack and supplies, while staring at the two with a raised eyebrow.
"Kami, just take me now!" Sakura thought.
Next Time: "I thought you liked the teme!"…"Hey…Uhhh…Where are we?"…"Itachi, the Konoha brats are in Sound…"
AN: I'm sooo sry this took so long! If you read my other stories you would see why. A mother freaken virus! And yes my friend's still pissed about me using her computer! Sad though, it's gotten to a point that if I turn it on, within five minutes it freaks out and shuts off…..Crap! Well, I'll still try and update, so I'm sry if the updates take longer than a week like I said in my profile…Thx for reading!"