"What happened? Where is everyone? No. This can't be. This can't be!"

"You."

"Don't kill me!"

"You're not worth killing, foolish little brother. If you want to kill me, hate me! Survive through the ugliness. Run..run…learn to survive."

"I hate you! I hate you!"

--

Kakashi wandered down the road toward Akatsuki High. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?" he asked Jiraiya. "If they see us…"

"Tsunade is right," Jiraiya told him. "If this tension between schools keeps up, we're going to have some pretty nasty fighting breaking out. And the more we know about the Akatsuki, the better."

"Well, they've got a truly bizarre uniform," Kakashi observed dryly. "Black dresses with red spots? Even for the guys? I don't know how they manage to keep up the whole tough-guy act with outfits like that."

"Remember, Itachi's here," Jiraiya warned. "And he's a murderer." They had no proof that Itachi had killed all the Uchihas other than Sasuke's word. That had been enough for them, but not for the officials. Whatever few officials actually dared to try keeping the law on their side of town. "They might look like pansies, but they're probably the most dangerous out of all the schools."

Kakashi squinted at the robed man and woman who walked along the other side of the street. "Who's that?"

Jiraiya checked. "That's their leader, I think." He froze. "It can't be!"

"What?"

"Those eyes…" His own eyes widened. "He's an old student of mine! I can't believe that he'd…" He stopped talking as the man turned to stare at him.

"Why are you here?" someone asked menacingly from behind them. Kakashi spun around. A tall, pale man smirked down at him, baring a sharp, toothy grin. He wore the Akatsuki uniform and carried a large knife with many points.

"Is there a rule about not walking down the street now?" Kakashi inquired innocently, darting a glance at Jiraiya, who was still frozen in shock.

The man brought the knife down on Kakashi's hand, but Kakashi had already moved away. He dodged the knife again, and the man missed his mark and slashed the knife down Kakashi's shoulder. "I'm making a rule."

Jiraiya jerked back to reality at that. "Let's get out of here, he said hastily, grabbing Kakashi's wrist. He turned back once to stare at the man and woman watching them, and then the two men strode away as quickly as possible.

Kakashi wasn't sure who was unhappier about their mission, Tsunade or Rin.

Tsunade scolded them. "I told you to be unobtrusive! You're lucky that you only got that cut!" she told Kakashi and Jiraiya disapprovingly. "Akatsuki's people have no scruples! They'll attack first, ask questions later."

Jiraiya put a hand on her shoulder. "It's Nagato, Tsunade."

She gazed at him unseeingly. "What?"

"Nagato is working at Akatsuki. So's Konan. No one else has eyes like Nagato's, and even though that man looked more like Yahiko than anyone…" his voice trailed off.

Tsunade shook her head. "Your old favorite students? The most promising ones you'd brag to me and Orochimaru about? You're sure?"

"Positive."

Tsunade had sent Kakashi to the nurse's office then, looking perturbed.

Rin was furious. "Tsunade sent you where?"

Kakashi sighed. "I'm okay, Rin. It's just a scratch."

"This isn't safe!" Rin exploded. "This time, you got off with 'just a scratch'. What about next time? Don't tell me that the teachers always get involved in these ridiculous school rivalries!"

Kakashi laughed a little. "Rin, half the rivalries are just between the teachers. It's not really about the school; it's about the neighborhood. The Konoha area kids go to Konoha, the Suna area kids go to Suna, and so on. These miniature wars have been going on since this town was first established!"

"I know," Rin said coolly. "I lost a friend to one."

"Obito…" Kakashi's one visible eye darkened.

Rin sat down beside Kakashi, pulling his torn shirt down so she could examine the damage. "He was our best friend. And they just killed him without a second thought."

Kakashi held out his arm so Rin could bandage it. "I told you then that I would protect you, for Obito. I didn't have the chance to keep that promise…you left so soon..." He nodded, almost to himself. "Don't worry about the other schools. I'm going to protect you from them."

Rin's eyes widened. "Don't tell me that you went on that mission today to try to protect me!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Don't flatter yourself. I went on that mission because Tsunade sent me."

"Oh. Well…okay," Rin said, deflated.

Kakashi got up to leave, smiling a bit as he walked out. He poked his head back into the office. "But if I had thought that you were one of their targets, I would have done the same thing, without Tsunade's orders."

Rin watched him go, whistling to himself. It's the same old Kakashi. And yet…something about him's changed…

--

Tenten watched Lee as he spoke seriously with Sakura. "You don't think they're secretly dating, do you?" she wondered.

Neji rolled his eyes. "Hardly. Lee couldn't get someone like Sakura. And it's really none of your business."

"What does that mean?" Tenten asked suspiciously. "Someone like Sakura? And anyway, why would they be keeping secrets suddenly? It's weird."

Neji shrugged. "She's pretty and smart. Lee's ugly and stupid. And they're entitled to their secrets. Let them be."

Tenten pouted. "So you think Sakura's pretty?"

"What?" Neji's eyes widened. Trouble! "No! I mean, she's pretty, but just like in a normal girl way. I don't like her or anything!"

"Do you think I'm pretty?" Tenten challenged him.

Say something! Anything! But don't scare her off! "You're okay," Neji said quickly. Tenten frowned. "I mean, you're a tomboy. That's what's so great about you!"

"That I'm one of the guys?" Tenten demanded.

Uh-oh… "Tenten, I didn't mean it like that-"

Tenten rose. "You're a jerk, Neji," she said angrily, shoving him. "I'm outta here." She stormed away from their lockers.

Neji opened his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out.

Sakura shook her head. "Go after her, Neji."

"Right." He rose and ran, looking from side to side. It wasn't for naught that it was said that he had the best eyes in Konoha. He caught everything in one glance, and so he saw Tenten sitting in the garden in seconds.

Neji joined her. "Tenten, I'm really-"

She cut him off. "Forget it." Her big eyes were looking a little teary.

Neji offered her his handkerchief. "No…Tenten, I don't want you to think that I just see you as another guy. Because I don't."

"Y…you don't?" she asked, taking the handkerchief. "So then what do you see me as?"

Neji put an arm around her shoulder. "You're cute, and fun, and really, much prettier than Sakura. You're my best friend."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Sometimes, that's not enough. I want…" She took a deep breath. "I hear people talking about us and wondering it we're dating, and I sometimes really wish that they were right. That we really were going out. That you saw me as a girl, not just a friend." She let out a nervous giggle. "And I can't believe I just said that."

Neji smiled. "Me neither." But he turned to face her, cradled her chin in his hands, and lifted it until her lips met his. He gently parted her lips with his own and Tenten gladly moved into the kiss.

When they finally parted, Tenten stared up at him in confusion. "Was that out of pity? Because you don't have to-"

Neji kissed her again. And again. And again. And when he was through, he shook his head. "I thought girls were supposed to be intuitive."

Tenten grinned. "Shut up." She leaned forward, a devilish glint in her eye. "See, now I can make you do it." And she kissed him again.