"Wha...What?" Sakura didn't know why she was stunned he always asked her out on dates, he was always there when she needed a shoulder to lean on, and he was always there to help her if she was in trouble. So why was she surprised to hear him say it again.
"I don't want to lose you, Sakura. I've already lost my mom and dad but I can't lose you too." Naruto kept trying to hold back the tears but he couldn't help it.
Sakura didn't know why she was so confused. She loved Sasuke...right? She stared dumbfounded at the blond in front of her.
"He did just save me, and he's always nice to me, he doesn't complain if I hit him, and he's become one of my closest friends but on the other hand Sasuke has...Sasuke is..."
"Sakura is everything ok?" Naruto's face had concern etched all over it.
"Yeah I just need to be alone right now." She started to stand up so she could leave when everything began to spin.
"Sakura! Sakura!" She seen Naruto jump towards her and felt his hands grab her before the sweet darkness engulfed her completely.
Back at the Hidden Leaf Village...
"Kakashi, why would you just leave those three there!" Kiba was furious. Here he was all nice and safe while three of his teammates had volunteered to stay behind so the rest could make it home. Now he was sharing a room with the rest of Team 7, Kakashi included, because shinobi continued to return home from their missions, injured, making the hospital quite crowded. The only thing they could say of their attackers was this: music.
"Music. Thats it. Just music?" For the first time in a long time, the Third Hokage was furious.
"Lord Third, what are your orders?"
"Bring me Team 10."
Shikuke Yita was deep in meditation when the sound of Ino babbling on and on about Sasuke Uchiha broke through his state of deep calm.
"To what do I owe this annoying interruption?" Shikuke was irritated at Ino for interrupting him.
"hmm" Ino turned away in contempt leaving Shikamaru and Choji to explain the situation.
"Huh wait Ino... ah man what a drag..." Shikamaru started to get an ear-full from Ino about how the "stuck up prick over there" had offended her so Choji took the initiative.
"Lord Hokage needs use to report in immediately. We're to be the rescue team for Naruto, Sakura, and Nabitora."
"Hmm were really going to rescue that annoying brat Naruto. Why do we even need him here?" Shikuke thought this was a ridiculous reason for the interruption. Just as he was about to start meditating again he felt Ino pinch him by the ear.
"Were going, NOW!"
"Deja vu" Thought the Third Hokage.
"Is everyone here? Good. Your mission is to re-locate and rescue Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Nabitora Izumara. We believe that they are located near the area that Rykuga Azu betrayed Team 7 and Team 8, causing the injuries you seen. Are their any questions?"
"Should we expect to fight Rykuga during this mission?" Shikuke wanted to be sure there would be no unknowns.
"It is a strong possibility but we are not sure. If there are no more questions then I suggest you go get ready."
With that, Team 10 headed back to their houses to prepare for the mission.
"Sakura...Sakura wake up...WAKE UP!" Sakura's eyes shot open just in time to see Naruto disappear in an explosion.
"NARUTO!"
She was pulled away just as an explosive tag went off, effectively sealing the small entrance to the cave.
"Sakura I'm fine see" the hands turned her around to see Naruto and Nabitora staring at her, "see I'm fine."
"You idiot *smack* I was so worried about you!" The smack to the head was immediately followed by a hug. The hug was then followed by a very red-faced, grinning Naruto trying to stutter out something that resembled words.
"Are you two done having your moment because we got ALOT of angry Sound ninja outside and they really want to meet us."
Sakura was about to yell at Nabitora when she realized that he was standing, with BOTH ARMS!
"How did you...I mean you...but...How?" Sakura was now the one stuttering at the sight before her.
"What this?" he glanced at his new arm, "Thanks to my Light style I was able to condense sunlight into a new arm, although this isn't an actual arm." To show what he meant, he rolled up his sleeve to reveal a yellow arm with veins and chakra lines embedded inside of it.
"But how do..." Suddenly they all dropped to their knees holding their heads when the rocks blew out of the opening revealing several dozen angry Sound ninja.
Nabitora awoke to a bright light and several sounds all around him.
"Stop screwing around!"
"Yeah just finish him off!"
"Hurry up and kill the brat!"
Nabitora turned to face what sounded like a fight to see Naruto's face slam into the tree behind him. Naruto struggled to stand up and his effort was rewarded with a kunai buried deep into his side and back.
"Don't worry, we'll kill your friends nice and slowly." Naruto then sunk into the waiting darkness.
"Light style: Hard Light Jutsu!"
The light surrounding about a dozen ninja suddenly turn into a solid object that hardened to take the shape of the people trapped inside, one of which was the man who was just fighting Naruto.
"Now it's my turn. Light style: Light Assimilation Jutsu!" the hardlight surrounding the people disappeared, along with the men trapped inside.
"You brat!"
"Where did they go!"
"They're now part of the light your in." Nabitora waved his hands in both directions. He was about to use his newest technique when he found that he couldn't move. On top of that he found a new kunai sticking out of his stomach and he knew that wasn't there before.
"Boy why can't you ever think of yourself?!" Naruto was standing before a massive cage staring at two red eyes.
"ANSWER ME!" Suddenly a massive fox with nine tails came into view.
"Because, you stupid fox, I actually have friends that I care about. But I doubt you would understand anything like that!" Naruto glared at the Nine Tailed Demon Fox without an ounce of fear in him. He also realized, too late, that the fox was now picking him up.
"Your mine now!" the fox roared in delight at how easy it was to fool him.
"No, you won't hurt me because your trapped inside of me." Naruto was impressing himself at his ability to control his fear.
Now mere inches away from the foxes mouth Naruto heard this simple question: "Do you fear me, Boy?"
His response was simple but the message was clear: no.
Team 10 arrived to a battlefield containing an injured Naruto, an injured Nabitora, and an unconscious Sakura surrounded by around 4 dozen Sound ninja.
"Shit this is bad!"
About 40+ kunai greeted their arrival.
"Well, there goes our element of surprise."
Team 10 now found themselves surrounded by 4 dozen bloodthirsty Sound ninja.
"This just went from bad to worse!"
AN: Well here is another chapter of (Re)Setting the Stage I hope you enjoy. I hope to upload another one tomorrow if possible. Like always please leave a review of what you think and also tell me any suggestions you have for the story. Also please, if you enjoy this story please spread the word so it can grow bigger.