AN:/ This is probally going to be the last update in a while...I know I take a long time updateing as it is but I'm starting to spend more time on Pages of Ecstasy and Raven's Dusk. I'm still going to spend a good amount of time writing the next chapter(s) but not as much. Sadly I am only human (or am I?) and can not stay up 24/7 typing away on my lil old computer. So I'm sorry if you get mad at my lack of updates on this fic. Don't come after me with burning tree sticks of hate!
Disclaimer:/ Vesper chan dosen't own Naruto...or Hot Topic XD
It's a bit OOC in this chapter...Please review!Flames are welcomed as well.
Chapter Eight
Paper Fans
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Robbing stores
I get stuck
Dancing the dance of the moth
Smiling politely
As we push through glass
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Her hands found themselves rubbing the edges of her cloak, enjoying the feeling of the unique fabric under her nimble touch.
Sakura was sitting outside a bank with a bulging money sack filled with her payments from various assassin missions over the many months she spent away from her village. She sighed to herself, thinking about how long it had been since her vacation started. It must be many moths now, not quite a year, but very close. Most likely five or six months shy of a full year. But then it could be less.
Time flew when you're having fun and Sakura was having the time of her life. Too bad it would all have to come to an end sooner or later. She planned on spending another month and a half away before returning for good. No matter how much she was enjoying herself she had to admit that deep down in the pit of her stone cold broken heart, she missed her friends who had before her family.
"I wonder how everyone is handling my leave of absence. Most likely don't miss a deadweight like myself that much. I hope they are having fun and getting a lot of work done. I miss them, but I want them happy and it seems to me, being close to them was holding them back. At least this small amount of time will be enough for them," she thought closing her eyes and running her hands through his weightless silky pink locks that were clearly visible due to a lack of hood.
The small Shinobi-less village where she was currently located was fairly busy with the hustle and bustle of everyday people completing everyday tasks. Sakura was not an everyday person, but the task she had her mind set on was an everyday task. She was going shopping for cloths.
She could practically hear the funeral music in the back of her mind at the dreaded thought. Groaning a bit to herself she let her legs stretch out before she chose to stand once again. Shopping for cloths was not one of her favorite past times unlike her friend Ino who lived for nothing else. Sakura was more of a tomboy ever since she gave up on love and embraced her true desires and dreams a few years ago. Shopping was something she would rather skip for training or a good mosh pit.
She snickered to herself remembering the one and only time she convinced Ino to join her at a hard rock festival where there was sure to be a mosh pit. True to her predicament there was a small sea of hands that her blond friend just happened to be caught up in. After that Ino swore off places like the one they were both at.
That and she blackmailed Sakura into visiting the mall everyday for a month. If she didn't she would post pictures of her at the beach to every one of the pink haired girl's fan sites. Having no choice Sakura grudgingly agreed to occupy her friend on a trip to the mall for an entire month. That, for her, was torture in it's purest form and she vowed never to do that again so many times in a row.
"But…" She looked down at her garment's under her cloak and sighed.
They were torn and frayed with burn marks and stains that would not come out no matter how hard she tried. The red was fading and it's weakened threads threatened to unravel at any passing moment. She needed new cloths, it wasn't a matter if she wanted them or not. She needed new cloths, it was painful to try and walk around while having to avoid moving a certain way and expose the holes and tares.
Grumbling something about more durable fabric she stole off into the midst of the crowd heading towards the dreaded clothing boutiques.
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"Yes may I help you miss?" The store clerk asked from behind the counter.
Sakura sighted entering the eighteenth boutiques that day. Every place she went too was either too bright and girly for her or not durable enough for her. As if this wasn't painful enough.
"Uh no thank you I'm just looking for some durable cloths I can wear. I'm fine for now."
"Okay but call me if you need help or anything down from the higher shelves."
Sakura nodded with a light smile and stepped into the store. She noticed for the first time that color of the walls were an ashen gray and the shelves were painted black stacked with piles of dark colored clothing. This took her by surprise since she was expecting brighter colors and…girly items to line the shelves.
"Oi, that's interesting."
She giggled rushing forward like a kid in a candy store and digging into the nearest rack's content's. Pulling a few items forward after a few hours Sakura set them down on the counter for purchase. The check out woman raised an eyebrow at the stack of clothing and smiled.
"You redoing your wardrobe miss?"
"I guess you could say that." Sakura replied with a grin.
The small stack of clothing as she referred to was actually a pile taller than her. Well she wasn't twiddling her thumbs those two hours.
"Well all I can say is you have good taste. Let me ring you up." Sakura chuckled and leaned back watching to woman ring up her purchase.
"Say miss is this store a chain?" Sakura asked with a content expression. IN her head she was thanking God for the small mercy.
"Yeah it is we have a few other branches in other villages such as leaf, Suna and Mist." The woman replied folding a black colored piece of clothing before placing it in a bag.
"That's good…say what is the name of this store, I didn't get a very good when I came in."
"Oh, the name...it's Hot Topic miss. There finished bagging here are your cloths and here is your total."
Sakura thanked the woman and paid her with plenty to spare. Taking her baggage in two hands with the help of in human strength she stepped outside and headed towards her hotel.
Humming a song she used to hear as a child in a lullaby Sakura fiddled with her room key before managing to finally unlock her door and open it. Dropping her bags on the floor she pulled an outfit out and prepared to wear it to bed when a knock on her door stopped her from undressing further. She blinked planning on ignoring it but it was such a soft knock that came from a source at the bottom half of the door she decided to cheek it out. Grabbing a robe and slipping it over her undergarments she opened her door part way to see who it was. She was fairly sure it wasn't a guy since she made certain to stay at a hotel that was only for women. Who she saw at her door surprised her and she smiled. There standing with a stack of fleering in her hands was a six, maybe seven year old girl with cherry red curls pulled into a pair of pig tails.
"H-Hello miss, my name is Aoi and I would like to invite you to the Fan festival we are having tonight. My class is setting up out own booth too so we want as many people as possible to come. It starts at twilight tonight so be sure to show up for all the food and games!" She cried handing Sakura a handmade flyer with a fan in front of a row of paper lanterns.
"Why thank you Aoi chan, I'll be sure to come, thank you for informing me of this event." Sakura replied gently reaching behind her head and pulling out a silver coin. "For your services fair maiden. Thank you again and I'll be sure to attend."
The Aoi girl cried happily receiving the coin and ran off with a big hearty wave. Sakura stared down at the flyer in her hands and shrugged kicking the sliding door shut with the heel of her foot absent mindedly.
"I guess I could enjoy myself a little bit for one night." She mused letting her emerald colored eyes wander from the flyer in her hands to the newly bought kimono like dress lying on her bed.
On the other hand she really should get some meditating in and try to relax and unwind. Lately the bubble gum haired Kunoichi has been up to her neck in requests for missions by well off benefactors. She was literally jumping from request to request these days rarely sparing a moment to relax like she planed on doing that night. A busy bustling party wasn't exactly the ideal rest night.
Sakura looked at the flyer in her hand and then at the harmony bed with deep sheets that seemed to cal out to her. Giggling like a little fan girl Sakura tossed the flyer into the air behind her and ran into the bathroom after grabbing the Kimono on her bed.
"Ah who need some relaxation when you have a party like this one?" She though joyously stepping in to her room's privet bathroom.
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At twilight.
"Ahhh, it's so beautiful!" Sakura cried in happiness bringing her hands up to her lips as her eyes sparkled in amazement and joy. The look on her face of such innocent joy and amusement made her resemble a child in a candy store. "It's so big and bright and there are so many game booths and food stalls set up," Sakura added letting her eyes scan over the festival's crowed streets.
Many different colored paper lanterns lung from the polls at each end of the stall illuminating up the streets and allowing the participating people to enjoy the multi color light by witch they could see by. And true to it's name, Sakura spotted many paper fans in the hands on the ladies and a quite a few stalls dedicated to selling them.
She looked down at her empty hands and decided that since it was a paper fan festival she shouldn't leave without buying a paper fan. She smiled brightly when she saw one of the smaller stands being run by the children just link in her flyer. Her smile widened when she spotted the little girl named Aoi who gave her the flyer.
Approaching the stand she tapped the small girl on the shoulder making her turn around and smile up at the lady she recognized as the one to pay her. "Ah Konnichiwa Josei!"(young adult female) She chirped.
"Konnichiwa, Aoi." Sakura greeted bending her knees a bit so she could crouch down to her level. "So, tell me what are you selling at this stall of yours?"
"We're selling paper fans to make money for our school! Would you like to buy one?" Aoi asked eagerly.
"Why not? I need one for this festival and planned on buying one anyway. Would you pick one out for me please? I'm not good at any of this fashion matching stuff." Sakura laughed jokingly.
"Okay! I know the perfect one to go with your kimono, my mom made it herself, she's the best maker of anything in the whole wide world and she said I would be just as good as her one day too!" Aoi replied skipping behind the counter and pulling put a small blue box with silk lining.
Sakura looked over the small girl and almost gasped at the beautifully crafted hand made fans. They looked like they were made for royalty. Aoi picked up one white and black closed fan with a pastel pink tassel hanging off the bottom and handed it to Sakura. "It's like it's made for you kimono. It goes perfectly!"
Sakura looked down at her Kimono and studied the design. It was mostly black with the silhouette of a barren white tree with it's branches covering the bottom and top half part slipping under her milky white Obi dotted with Sakura petals. The bottom part of the tree's trunk stood out slightly as a faint milky white mist seemed over places near the bottom. On her sleeves were a few falling Sakura petals to match her Obi. Her hair was up in an ornate bun with two small braids twisting around the small bun that was held in place by white and black chopstick with yin and yang tassels hanging from the ends. A Large Moth shaped comb was placed behind her bun with it's wings peaking out over her tan tinted tresses.
Sakura looked at the closed fan in her hands and opened it slowly gasping at he beautiful scene painted on it. It was snowing on a black background with a pair of white birds with pink tinted wings and long pastel pink colored tails. "Oh it's beautiful Aoi, I'll take it." Sakura breathed handing the small girl a rather large leather bag of money. She could afford it from all her missions lately. "Please keep whatever is left over for you and your school."
With that said Sakura folded her fan and began to walk towards the food stalls.
"Thank you Josei!" The small girl cried happily holding the bag of money that was more than enough for the fan.
Sakura smiled over her shoulder and began to maker her way gracefully around the grows of people who gathered together to spend time together at such a merry event. Sakura stopped in her track and lowered her fan. She saw couples holding one another tenderly their hands entwined with a display of pure affection as the longingly gazed at each other under the paper lamp's muti colored lights.
The petal haired girl gazed longingly at the entwined fingers she spotted so often and sighed longingly looking at her own delicate fingers with a frown. No one would ever hold her hand like that, even if they wanted to such an effort would require physical contact. For whoever was the one that was unfortunate enough to hold her hand that spelt out death due to the poisons hiding beneath her skin's surface, complements of her loving moths.
Her whole body was filled with the ever changing toxin that cold kill on demand with the simplest of brushes. It was a wonderful asset during battle and at first she rejoiced at the gift, but outside of battel… It was more of a curse than anything else. Sakura spared one more longing look at the entwined fingers of a nearby couple before they moved away.
Sakura ran her poisoned hands over her pulled back hair, hiding a resistant curl behind her ear and let her dark wing-flipped lashes descend halfway over the hazy emerald forest green eyes she possessed. A gentle night breeze passed by and Sakura inhaled the wet late night scent that seemed to travel with the wind. This scent always reminded her of the times she would spend on missions with team 7 when they all had to camp outside under the stars because Kakashi would 'forget' his tent and steal theirs claiming to be an elder that deserved respect. She chuckled bitterly at the memory. Suddenly her night wasn't as bright.
"I wish someone would hold my hand like that." She breathed absent mindedly to herself.
Her body tensed when she felt a spike of chakra behind her and something move towards her hand. Was it an attack? In such a crowded place would someone risk such a thing? She backed up spinning around.
"Why with such the cold greeting? I was only granting you your wish Sakura chan." The attacker chuckled calmly brushing a few stray ebony locks out of his line of vision.
"Uchiha Sasuke, huh you surprise me. I ever guess you to be one who enjoyed attending festivals." Sakura replied back smoothly relaxing her tensed body a bit, knowing Sasuke wouldn't attack her.
"Nor I you. At least after we ran into each other during out last meeting. You changed so much that I though you would despise such an outing. But tell me what brings you out into the festival light on a night such as this?" Sasuke asked with a devious, knowing smirk that Sakura recognized so clearly she knew it was the genuine article standing before her and not some copy of her old teammate.
"I'm not one for parties but I couldn't help myself on such a beautiful night." Sakura replied coolly lifting her fan to cover the bottom half of her face giving her an air of mystery.
"It is a wonderful night I suppose. Not like the last time we met eh? That was such a long time ago. I kept an eye open for you but you never seemed to show up. Funny that the one place we would reunite at would be a festival."
"God works in mysterious ways. I heard a bit of talk about you in my travels but you seemed busy, so I decided not to peruse you." Sakura replied in a casual tone not showing the smallest hint of discomfort even though that was all her insides could feel.
"...I would have made time for you." Sasuke quickly replied loosing a bit of his dominance at the hint of what Sakura could have sworn were desperation.
She must be loosing her touch to believe for even the smallest amount of time that the great Uchiha Sasuke could ever be desperate for anything other than revenge. And even at that it was anger and rage, not desperation.
"You sounded really wrapped up in whatever you were doing, I would want to drag you away from that. After all my company would only be 'annoying' for you. I doubt you would want that." Sakura replied with a sour chuckle remembering when they were on a team under Kakashi. Sasuke paused furrowing his brow at her words in confusion. Deciding to stray away from that path of conversation he looked up at the sky and it's dark never ending abyss.
"I guess you were wrong. Do you remember what you said before you left the last time we talked?"
Sakura nodded remembering their last conversation and how it came to a close.
"Maybe we'll meet again one day, Sakura. I hope it will be under circumstances as good as these." Sakura did not turn to face him but he could hear her chuckle softly. "As much as I would desire that I highly doubt it, still there is always hope. Goodbye Uchiha Sasuke, Kabuto I was nice speaking with you."
"I do. I can scarcely believe we managed to meet aging without it being under instructions for conflict. But then there always was hope wasn't there Sasuke?" Sasuke frowned at how she left the kun out of his name but did not bring it up when the Kunoichi with dawn kissed hair began to speak again. "There is something I would like to know about you Sasuke, why are you here? I have given you my answer so it's only fair you share your own with me."
"Ah that, well you see…" Sasuke began before a loud and rather annoying feminine voice from behind interrupted his prepared explanation.
"Sasuke kun!" A bubbly girl with glasses cried running towards the ebony haired Uchiha. Sakura noted that the girl had scarlet red eyes behind a pair of glasses, matching hair color and an unusual hairstyle; her hair is short and unkempt on one side, and long and combed on the other. She was wearing a light lavender almost white kimono trimmed with black flower petals. The scarlet haired female Sakura believed to be a Kunoichi ran up to Sasuke's side and attached herself to his arm hugging it tightly with a girly childish laugh that made Sakura feel as if her ears were bleeding. "Oh Sasuke kun, I was looking everywhere for you. You just took off on me for no reason and I was so worried for you. I don't want to let you out of my sight as long as we are here at the festival together."
Sakura grimaced at the sound of the girl's voice and rubbed the back of her ear a bit hoping to calm down the burning sensation is was going through due the annoying girl's horrifying voice. She could see Sasuke displaying the same reaction as he cursed her ability to track other by their chakra signature.
The said female looked up from hugging 'her' Sasuke kun and noticed Sakura for the first time. "Eeto... Sasuke kun who is she?" Sakura could feel the disgust radiating off that girl's entire being as she narrowed her scarlet colored orbs while eyeing her up. "Is she a noble you'll work for?"
Sakura blinked looking down at her dress and blushed slightly to herself. She was a bit overdressed for such an simply event but the outfit looked so pretty in the store and she just had to buy it.
"No Karin, Sakura chan is an old friend of mine. We were just catching up on old times." Sasuke explained dryly trying to send the hint to the clingy female that he didn't want to be interrupted.
Too bad it had the opposite effect.
'Sakura CHAN? Who dose this hoe think she is having MY Sasuke kun talk about her so closely! Sasuke kun is mine now and forever, she can't have him!' Karin seethed in her mind going on to call Sakura a sting of ever so colorful words In the worse way. "So nice to meet you Sakura san, I never heard Sasuke kun mention you in our long personal chats." The scarlet haired Kunoichi all but hissed out with a fake smile waving to the unaffected female standing before her. The corner of her mouth twitching from keeping the obviously fake smile up so long.
Sakura saw this and decided to have a bit of fun toying with the girl. Payback for that annoying voice. "I'm not surprised, there is no reason for the burden of my existence to be discussed with you." Sakura replied with a calm quiet voice all the while keeping her fan up to her lips to conceal the devious smirk that played across her red painted lips in an amused manner.
"With me? But Sasuke kun tells me everything. We're really close like that." Karin replied hugging Sasuke's arm tighter with a dangerous fire burning behind her eyes. Sakura almost gagged at how desperately and shamelessly she was throwing herself at Sasuke's feet. It was degrading to herself, being a female as well. Over the years as she grew away from who she used to be she learned to be more open with her true self she grew to hate the fan girl she used to be. She was a strong able body female that didn't need to lower herself by begging to be acknowledged by a guy. So needless to say the performance before her was having a very negative effect on the emerald eyed girl.
"And you didn't know about me, being his former teammate from when Sasuke still lived in the village hidden in the leaves." Sakura replied, her devious smirk growing into a mischievous grin.
"Sasuke kun's teammate from the village hidden in the leaves?! You're from Konohagakure?" She cried jumping back and drawing a kunai, ready to use it against Sakura's neck. "I should have know there was something wrong with you. Now I know why Sasuke kun spared a glance towards you. You're not Sasuke kun's type at all."
"No…I'm not." Sakura replied refusing to let her fan fall away from her lips exposing the bottom part of her face to her opponent despite how close the kunai was to her neck.
"Karin." Sasuke sternly called with a hard scolding tone. "Lower you're weapon, Sakura chan is not our enemy. She is currently not affiliated with the village hidden in the leaves."
The scarlet haired Kunoichi shivered at the cold tone used against her but complied by lowing her kunai and stashing it away inside her kimono's back petal spotted obi. "H-hai Sasuke kun."
Sakura turned away looking board with her current surrounding despite the racing feeling in her chest. She was much more powerful than she used to be but she wasn't invincible. What if this Karin was a really skilled Kunoichi that could taker her out in a crowded place such as the one she was in. She had to be fairly powerful to impress Sasuke enough to allow her to travel with him. She inwardly shuddered, she had to be very powerful for Sasuke to let her travel white him with a voice like the one she had. Weighing her options Sakura decided it wasn't work making this girl an enemy without a prize. Besides it seemed like time for her to leave anyway.
"Well I wouldn't want to intrude on your… 'date' any more then I have already. So, Sasuke ,Karin, I think it is time I take my leave. Sayonara you two." Sakura bid raising her hand to them after turning around and heading to opposite way.
"No Sakura chan wait!" Sasuke called reaching out towards her and grabbing the sleeve of her kimono. Sakura's hear skipped a beat at how close he was to touching her skin and poisoning himself. "I just saw you again after such along time. Don't go."
Sakura freed her arms from Sasuke's hold and took a steep away. "I'm sorry Sasuke but it's about time I got back to my room and rested. I did not think we would meet again under such friendly circumstances but I was proven wrong this time. Who knows, you might just get lucky enough next time as well." Sakura paused mulling over her next her words carefully, deciding to take a chance and speak them. "I've decided to head back to leaf in the next month or so. So after that day we will be enemies again. don't think I'll go easy on you just because we used to be friends. When that day comes I won't hold back and be sure to win and drag your sorry ass back to Konohagakure weather you like it or not."
Sasuke chuckled softly to himself not bother in grab her again. He looked up and saw a stray lock of her dawn kissed hair begin to fall out of her tight bun. Reaching out hesitantly he slipped his finger into the small loop and pulled it free, enjoying the silky texture between his fingers. Being one of her lower locks the strand fell to the back of her shoulder blades. Sasuke rubbed the strand between his fingers before bringing it to his perfectly shaped lips and kissing it softly. "You know Sakura, despite that I'm looking forward to out next meeting." He pressed his smirking lips against her hair once again. "I looking forward to it most fervently."
Sakura shuddered on the inside but forced herself to remain calm. Her skin was crawling with Goosebumps she wished she could suppress despite her best efforts to do so. Masking her discomfort with venom she spoke back to the man still holding onto her hair. "That makes one of us Uchiha."
Sasuke chuckled at her attempts to hide her fear with bitterness. The two of them might have drifted apart over the years but it was good to know that he still had the ability to make her pale flawless, moon like skin prick with bumps from fear. It was a good feeling to know he could still get a reaction out of the girl he wanted to hold entirely for an eternity. "Sakura chan… I hope you know my actions would have been a bit changed if our present circumstances were different…. If things had been different I would have it arranged it so that you would not leave my side…." He leaned in a bit closer hover over her ear, showering it with his warm breath. "Ever…"
Sakura had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from loosing her nerve an screaming at him to stop what he was doing to her. Her whole body felt like it was about to go into auto pilot and run away from what was disturbing her so. She bit the inside of her mouth harder. She was a Kunoichi of the fire country, and not only that but the student of the fifth Hokage. She was stronger than this. She would overcome this. "Our present circumstances are what they are. You can't change that." She shook her head and freed her locks from his possessive hold. "And not everyone can get what they want Uchiha."
Sasuke let his hand fall to his side limply and chose to stare at her with those deep dark coal black Uchiha eyes of his that required all of Sakura's will power and training not to shiver under. Sasuke seemed to notice this. He smirked causing Sakura to use all of her training not to swoon at the sight. God, why did it have to be this hard?
Karin scowled at the way her Sasuke kun was looking at that pink haired hoe. She did everything in her power and ability to get Sasuke to look at her like that. With a longing to keep her by his side for more than a few minuets. She scoffed sneering at the pink haired bitch. There was nothing so special about her anyway. She looked weak and delicate, like a passing wind would come and blow her away with one swoop. She probably wasn't even a powerful ninja. Karin could tell by the girl's chakra that it was wild a fluttering though faint. Not something a skilled Shinobi or Kunoichi possessed. Then Karin saw the girl shake Sasuke and turn to face him reveling the bottom half of her face. It was no wonder why Sasuke had a hard time tearing his eyes away from her face, it was flawless and perfect in every way. That bitch, she was stealing her Sasuke kun away!
"This time I think I had better take my leave. Sayonara." Sakura called lifting a hand and letting her body from the bottom up, breakdown into a funnel of silky soft cherry blossoms that swirled around rapidly before melting into thin air. Her eyes and hair were the last thing visible before they too faded with the wind around them.
"sakura..." And she was gone.
Sasuke scowled inwardly at the empty apace before him where his cherry blossom once stood. Now it was empty. Once again he was left with empty. Empty in his chest where his heart would be. He liked to think himself a patient man. He needed to be in his field of expertise.
He knew he had to wait for the opportune moment to take what was his and keep it all to himself like the greedy traitor he really was. He would have to wait for the right moment to take Sakura and keep her all to himself. But it was a terribly arduous and grueling task for him to have to wait out. He wanted her now! He deserved her now. She belonged to him ever since their genin days, ever since she saved his life, ever since he told her thank you, ever since she tried to bring him back. She was his forever and now and he wanted her now!
Seeing her run off all the time was irritating. He couldn't remember a day he woke up without thinking about her or dreaming about her and her addicting smile he wanted to see used on him. She haunted all of him and it drove him mad.
Karin took this chance to snag back Sasuke, and dawn a happy look as she latched onto his arm. "Hey Sasuke kun do you want to get something sweet to eat now? We could share." Sasuke didn't reply but kept staring straight ahead at were Sakura last stood ignoring the female next to him. Karin scowled at her defeat and the nagging in her gut. She had to ask this one question, she had to know. "Sasuke kun, that girl, what it she to you?" She asked waiting for an answer.
For the longest time Sasuke didn't reply. But eventually his lips parted and he began to speak."She is the girl I am going to marry." He replied sternly turning on his heel and disappearing into the crowd.
Karin stopped dead in her tracks and growled in anger. There was no way she was loosing her Sasuke kun to that weal pink haired hoe. "It's time I called a friend and had her taken care of. No holding back."
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I hope you're happy.
I really do...
Cuz I'm tired.
Umm yeah, not a lot of fluff in this chapter like I wanted. But it's not compleatly hopeless right? Well I promice the next chapter will be better. Kakashi and Neji have a little chat about Sakura so that should be fun to write. Please tell me what you thought about this chaper and if you liked it or not. I love reviews!
ja ne