The Power of Youth
By SapphireWhiteTigress
Chapter XI - My Intermission
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The wind howled in the night as five shadows leaped through the forest. Their mission was clear; to scout out the surroundings around Konoha for any potential threats. So far, no threats were found. Once they reached a certain point, one of the figures, obviously the leader of the group, pointed in four different directions and thus, they all quickly split up.
Naruto took to the treetops, jumping from branch to branch as the wind brushed through his golden locks. His thoughts went back to earlier that evening when Tsunade gave them the mission. The mission, she had said, was to scout Konoha for any signs of Sasuke or even Orochimaru, or any threats to Konoha. And if there were to find such threats, they were to report immediately back to the Hokage, and ultimately, dispatch a group of ANBU to take care of it. That was something Naruto didn't understand though. He was sure that if he ran into Sasuke again, he'll pulverize him.
Tsunade wouldn't have none of it as she reminded him of the last time he fought Sasuke, three years ago. Naruto huffed angrily as he remembered it. That was one time and he was inexperienced then. He was childish and foolish. Now, three years later, after training under the pervert Jiraiya, he had improved greatly. Of course, that meant that Sasuke had improved as well, but Naruto refused to lose this time.
Sasuke was still his friend and he would beat him to a bloody pulp, but he was determined to bring Sasuke home and get things back to the way they were. It was a fruitless effort, because deep down, he knew that things could never be the way they were.
He sighed and cleared his mind as he continued to search the area.
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"Arf!" Akamaru barked as he and Kiba made their way through the west side of the forest.
Kiba glanced up at his companion. "You got something, Akamaru?"
"Arf! Arf!" The dog confirmed.
Kiba grinned and sniffed the air. "Yeah, I can smell it too. C'mon, let's go check it out!" The two quickly made it to the source of the smell, which lead them to a small clearing in the forest. Looking around, Kiba couldn't find anything out of the ordinary and frowned. He sniffed the air again and followed the alluring odor until he came to a small uninteresting looking bush. He raised an eyebrow and stuck both his hands into the bush to part it. What he saw made his eyes widen in fear.
There were at least ten exploding tags.
"...Ah, shit." Kiba cursed and quickly flipped away.
An explosion rocked the area and shook the trees in the night.
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The blast from the explosion nearly knocked Shikamaru out of a tree. Maintaining his balance, he looked into the direction the explosion came from and frowned in thought. That came from Kiba's location. Instantaneously, he sprinted towards the smoke that now clouded overhead him, fearing the worst.
It took him a few seconds before he reached the clearing that the explosion originated from and sighed in relief when he saw Kiba laying on the ground with swirls in his eyes and drool running down his chin. Occasionally, the dog-boy would twitch a limb.
Shikamaru knelt down and cautiously poked the other boy. "...You are so troublesome. Couldn't you tell that it was a trap?" His only reply was another twitch.
Akamaru, who didn't get caught in the explosion, barked pitifully at seeing his friend in pain. Poor Kiba, if only he hadn't decide to flip away at the last minute.
Shikamaru sighed as he lifted the boy up and tossed him over his shoulder. He didn't really feel like carrying him, but he couldn't trust an injured person on the back of an overgrown mutt. No offence to Akamaru, of course. He talked into his headpiece, "The area is secure, however, Kiba got caught in an explosion. I'm heading home now."
"What? Dog-boy got caught in an explosion? The idiot! Alright, I'll meet you back at the gates. I've found no sign of Sasuke or Orochimaru. Or anything for that matter. This mission was a complete waste. I thought for sure that Sasuke would still be around." Was the response that came over his headpiece.
"I also see no sign of any threats." Came the calm and quiet voice of Shino.
"Area secure here too." Said the voice of Neji.
Shikamaru gave a curt nod as he dashed through the trees and headed towards the village. "Let's head back."
"Hai." All three chorused at once.
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"Sakura-chan...I...do not think that this is a good idea..." Lee said nervously as Sakura practically dragged him to her house. Three days ago, after being in the hospital for almost a week, she was finally able to go home. Today was the first day that her parents and Tsunade had let her out of the house and during that time, she couldn't see Lee because of her father.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Come on Lee-kun. I wasn't able to spend time with you in little over a week…please?"
Lee would have given in right then and there, but something told him that if he were to walk through the doors to her house, nothing but disaster will come from it. "Sakura-chan…Why must we spend time at your house…?"
Sakura frowned. "Because, my father doesn't want me out for too long. And I believe that you two need to work a few things out." Sakura said as she released the hold on his hand to place hers on her hips. She tilted her head to the side to give a pointed look at the front door to the home she's been living in for almost seventeen years.
Lee sighed. He'll do anything for Sakura, but meeting her father again after what almost happened at the hospital was something he was unwilling to do. Even though Lee was a strong and capable ninja and he could just about get out of any trouble, he was slightly afraid of the burly man known as Haruno Matsou. Yes, Matsou even scared Rock Lee.
He took a deep breath. He wanted to make Sakura happy and she wanted him to settle things with her father. He would love to try, but Matsou just…doesn't seem like the reasonable type.
"Okay…Sakura-chan…" Sighing again, he added, "I will do anything for you…but, if I do not come out of this alive, tell my children that I love them."
Sakura laughed and playfully smacked him. "Lee-kun, don't be so dramatic, nothing's going to happen." I hope… She added silently.
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"What is he doing here?" Matsou growled from his position on the couch.
Sakura and Lee were standing in the well furnished living room of her parents' house. Her father, of course, nearly went off the wall when Sakura brought Lee home with her. Miki glared at her husband as she took a seat next to him.
"Matsou, don't start." She warned.
Sakura smiled thankfully at her mother as she took Lee's hand in her own. She raised an eyebrow at him as she noticed how clammy his hands were and how nervous he actually was.
"Lee-kun…" She whispered to him.
Lee nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice. He turned to her and smiled weakly. He turned back to Matsou. He had no idea on what he should say to the older man that wouldn't result in a fight. He knew that they had to settle things, because this couldn't go on forever and it was upsetting Sakura.
Suddenly, he pictured himself in Matsou's shoes. What if his daughter got pregnant and she was only sixteen, like Sakura, and unmarried? Lee knew then that he would probably kill the poor kid that did that to his daughter.
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Initiate Dream Sequence…
"Hey! Mom! Dad! Guess what!" A sixteen year old pink haired girl with thick pink eyebrows and lively green vibrant eyes ran into her parents' room. A much older Lee and Sakura glanced up at their daughter.
"What?" Sakura asked.
"I'm pregnant!" Their daughter yelled as if it was the best thing in the world.
Sakura fainted and Lee's eyes widen. "What!"
Her twin brother walked into the room. "YOSH!" And then, he walked out. Everyone ignored him.
Their daughter nodded. "Yep! Here's my boyfriend!" She suddenly pulled in an oddly familiar face.
"GAARA!"
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Lee was shocked at his own thoughts.
Sakura blinked at Lee as his eyes suddenly grew dark. "Eh, Lee-kun?"
"I am going to kill Gaara…" He murmured to himself.
Sakura was confused. "Eh?"
Matsou grew annoyed. "I'll ask again. What is he doing here?"
Sakura's eyes left that of her fiancé's irritated face to her father's constantly (it seems nowadays) enraged one. "Dad, I want you to apologize to Lee-kun."
Both Matsou and Lee glanced at the girl in surprise. "Um, Sakura-chan…" Lee started.
Matsou interrupted him as he stood up. "You want me to do what?"
"I. Want. You. To. Apologize." Sakura repeated, much slower than before.
Matsou stared at his daughter dumbfounded and turned to get some 'help' from his wife. She only shrugged her shoulders. Matsou growled and faced the two again. "I have no reason to apologize for anything."
Sakura sighed. She was getting a headache from her father's immaturity right now. "Dad, you owe Lee an apology for attacking him at the hospital. And for what you said about him." She narrowed her eyes as the words her father had uttered about Lee flowed through her mind.
Her father crossed his arms and scowled. "There is no way in hell will I ever…apologize to that kid."
Sakura threw her hands up in frustration. "Dad, you're impossible!" She had had about enough of her father's attitude. She turned on her heels and grabbed Lee's hand, pulling him behind her. "Come on, Lee-kun. We're leaving."
Matsou blinked. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Away." She said as the door slammed shut behind them.
Matsou sighed and dropped to the couch, placing his head in his hands. "Where have I gone wrong?"
Miki shook her head and smoothly rubbed his back. "Maybe if you stop trying to attack her boyfriend…" She trailed off.
Matsou looked at her. "Why are you acting some calm about this? She's your daughter too."
Miki nodded in thought. "That's true, but by law, she is an adult now and therefore, she's liable to make her own decisions." Miki took his hands in her own and squeezed them gently. "Dear, all we can do is be there for her."
Matsou remained silent.
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Together, Lee and Sakura walked down the crowded streets of Konoha, hand in hand. They were heading to Lee's own home when suddenly, someone shouted out to them.
"Hey, forehead-girl!"
They turned around to see Ino making her way to them, grinning from ear to ear. Following behind her were Shikamaru and Chouji. Shikamaru looked as if he rather be someplace else, and Chouji was happily munching on his never ending supply of chips.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "What is it, Ino-pig?"
Lee would never understand these two as they constantly called each other names. Oh well, he supposed it was a girl's thing.
Ino continued to grin. "Why didn't you tell me that you two were getting married!" She damn near shouted as she tried to contain her excitement. Shikamaru sighed. Of course, he was dragged into this mess against his will.
At Ino's shout, people on the street stopped and stared. Sakura groaned and glared at her. "You don't need to yell it to the world!"
Lee blinked and faced Sakura. "But, Sakura-chan…I would like the whole world to know how I feel about you." His eyes sparkled with passion as he said that and Sakura knew what was coming next. And she intensified her glare at Ino. Lee shouted at the top of his lungs as he pulled Sakura in a tight hug, swinging her around. "I love you more than words can express, Sakura-chan! And there is nothing in this world that can ever take that away! We will get married, have a lot of children, and grow old together!" He stopped spinning her and pulled her into a breathtaking kiss. Sakura's embarrassment was instantly forgotten.
Ino, as well as the other females on the street, swooned. If only their guy could be so sincere and opened such as that fuzzy-eyebrow teenager. Ino glared at Shikamaru. Shikamaru turned away from her as he noticed her looking at him.
"So troublesome…" He muttered.
Once the two lovers parted, Sakura legs felt like jell-o. She clung to Lee, ignoring the crowd on the street. In her mind, it was only her and Lee and the love they shared for each other.
Ino cleared her throat and ruined the loving moment between the two. "So, did you guys set a date yet?" She asked.
Sakura and Lee drew apart to look at her. Lee blinked. "A date for what?"
Ino sighed in exasperation. "For the wedding, of course!"
Sakura and Lee exchanged a look before Sakura answered Lee. "Um…no, not yet…we've only been engaged for little over a week…"
Ino shook her head before perking up. "Hey, Sakura, can I see your ring?"
Sakura nodded and lifted her left hand to show Ino the ring that now took permanent residence on her ring finger. Ino gasped as she gazed at the exquisite beauty of Sakura's engagement ring. Even Shikamaru was impressed, not that he'll say it out loud.
"Oh, wow." She said, peeking up at Lee who, in turn, blushed. "I never thought that you could pick out something as beautiful as this, Lee-san."
Lee grinned proudly at the ring that adored his Sakura-chan's finger. "It was from Gai-sensei!"
Ino cocked an eyebrow at Lee. Well, who would've thought? "Your sensei gave you this ring?"
The happy young man nodded energetically. "Of course! Gai-sensei is the epitome of fashion and style! Only he could pick out such a lovely ring for my Sakura-chan!"
Ino, Sakura, and Shikamaru sweatdropped. Chouji, who was long forgotten, went on to better things, such as participating in the sale that Ichiraku was currently having.
"Right…" Ino said slowly. She shrugged it off and pulled Sakura over to Ichiraku. "This is cause for a celebration! Shikamaru's paying!" She declared.
Shikamaru stared at the girls in bewilderment. He had no intention of paying for them…ah, why was she such a troublesome person? Shikamaru had no answer to that question so he just stuffed his hands in his pockets and trailed behind them. He stopped when Lee called out to him.
"Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru craned his neck to look at the older boy. "What?"
Lee walked over to Shikamaru and stopped next to him, keeping his eyes on the pink haired girl he loved more than life itself as she nervously laughed at something Ino had said. He turned his large round eyes to the lazy Nin. "Have you tracked down Sasuke yet?" He asked. After three years, he knew that the search for Sasuke had continued again. He would be part of the search, but Tsunade told him that Sakura needed him more and he wouldn't dare leave her side, for she is far more important than looking for that traitorous Uchiha.
Shikamaru regrettably shook his head. "No. Tsunade thinks that he's back in enemy soil. There's nothing we can do right now." He shrugged and made his way over to the ramen stand.
Lee sighed. Truthfully, he wanted to find Sasuke and beat the living hell out of him for ever hurting Sakura, but there was little he could do right now. He always believed that what goes around comes around and Fate wasn't going to let the last Uchiha get away unpunished. With that in mind, he made his way over to his future wife and friends.
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AN: Chapter 11 for all you hungry people. Not what I had planned, but it'll do. What's going to happen in the next chapter? Wedding plans will be made, so will the engagement party and…what's this? A bachelor's party? But they're under age! –shakes head- I guess in the ninja society, it's a bit different, hm? Sakura and Lee start to get anxious as the due date gets closer and closer to arriving. And, seriously, what's up with Hinata and Naruto…and….Matsou? Find out all this and more in the next chapter!
Thanks are in order: I like to thank all my friends and everyone who reviewed this story. I'm amazed at how great it's doing. Thanks everyone.
Next Chapter Preview: Lee wasn't at all surprised with her request as it had been going on for almost a week. He asked Tsunade-sama about it and the Hokage told him that late night food cravings were part of the pregnancy for most women. He nodded at her. "Of course, Sakura-chan. What do you want?"