I'm so sorry it took so long to update! I was in a major fix and it probably shows in this chapter. Sorry for making you all wait! Here it is; the THIRD chapter!

BOUND & FREE & INBETWEEN

tHiNgS tHaT gO bOoM

Squad Seven stood now in the arena of the tower standing menacingly in the heart of the forest of death. They reached the tower as the second to last team and were battle worn beyond what they had expected. Given little time to recuperate, the Jonin, Sensei's, Examiners, and the Hokage quickly assembled all the passing Genin into a line. Naruto was not surprised to see the Rookie Nine present but he was shocked to see those he indirectly encouraged during the first test were also present.

Naruto had said he would try to stick to the 'plot' as close as possible and he wondered with this many legible Genin how different the matches would be. The thought made him sick in the stomach and he clutched it uncertainly. His main concern was Neji. Could he change the destiny-following Hyuga for the better or would he be forced to take a different approach and risk changing him for the worst? Would Gaara kill one of the Rookie Nine? What about Hinata?

Naruto swallowed thickly. Crap…

Kabuto had already left, most likely to discuss the invasion with his master and remain inconspicuous. It was a relief to have the traitor leave the room; Squad Seven could breathe one notch easier. Hayate Gekko had pulled out the score board and the Genin in the stands were tense as they waited anxiously for their names to light.

Sakura held Sasuke's hand, who reluctantly decided he didn't care whether anyone saw, and her other hand held tight covering the curse mark on his forearm. It was hot to the touch but she kept her hand steady, an instinct telling her it was soothing to Sasuke. Figure trembling with near-bursting concern, she was pressed close to his side to offer all that she could to distract him from the pain.

Sasuke had told them it was more painful than before. Last time there were spontaneous spasms and waves of pain. This time the agony was constant. He was grateful. It was a sign that the filter-seal applied around it was in affect and doing its job, albeit with resistance. The Heaven Curse Seal was nothing to underestimate.

The seal throbbed wildly under Sakura's icy finger tips in tune with his racing heart beat as he stared through half lidded eyes at the electronic scoreboard, completely prepared to see his name blink onto the screen along with Yori Akado.

It was a surprise when two very different names were randomly selected. Sasuke visibly slumped against Sakura in relief. She placed her cheek tenderly on top of his crown of raven hair and stood strong under his weight. Her jade eyes flashed to Naruto. Her blonde teammate was beside himself with sadistic pleasure. Red was already invading the coast of his ocean blue eyes set on the indifferent redheads stepping to the center of the arena.

Sabaku no Gaara awaited his opponent, arms crossed and back erect, extending waves of stomach-churning intent of murder. His opponent, the other teammate of Kabuto, visibly tried to control his fear and faced the monster that would take his life.

The match was over before it could begin.

The referee got the first syllable of 'begin' past his lips before Gaara's sand shot out. It enveloped its prey and Gaara raised his hand, the corner of his lips twitching upward, and snapped it close.

Blood sprayed everywhere and soaked the sand cocoon cradling the compressed corpse inside.

Gaara used the Shunshin technique to appear back up on the stands with his siblings, unimpressed and hardly satisfied. It was a pathetic kill. Unworthy.

The spectators were dumbstruck and Gekko mumbled Gaara the winner. Death was expected in this type of Exam but not so abruptly and during the first match. It wasn't something anyone expected. Temari and Kankuro were surprised as well. They expected their demented baby brother to play with his prey. For him to end the game immediately, meant that Gaara was nearing unquenchable thirst. He was nearing the state in which he would kill and kill; never becoming satisfied till Ichibi no Shukaku was released.

The tension in the large room was so thick it would take the Kusanagi blade to cut it. Naruto didn't have the Grass Cutter but he was known for making a situation worse and took pride in his ability to do so. He barked a short, rough laugh full of mockery and contempt and affectively caught Gaara's attention.

And for the first time in his life, Gaara was scared.

Naruto ensnared the Sabaku Jinchuriki with a bloodthirsty glare that speared threats of hell through the demon within and caused Shukaku to roar furiously and fearfully. Gaara, so paralyzed by the stare of the Kyubi no Yoko, could not fall to his knees to clutch his head in agony as Shukaku raged inside him.

The blonde fox host curled his lips back and showed off his elongated, sharp canines in an excited snarl. "You never were one to eat your meals without making a mess of them first, were you Shukaku?" A jolt wracked Gaara's body and he began to quiver. "Even when you're too hungry to care about playing with them first."

Suddenly Naruto was in front of Gaara, noses a breath away and still the redhead could not move his limbs to feel. So paralyzed was he, his sand was motionless and scattered harmlessly at his feet.

"Do you still want to fight me Sabaku no Gaara?" Naruto challenged, his voice tuned down to a terrifying whisper. The Jonin below, ready to take any necessary action should Naruto lose control, could not catch the whisper. They were tense and some quivered in fear. The memory of the Nine-tailed Fox's rage was ready in their minds.

His response was silence. Silence everywhere and all around. It was broken again by a laugh but it was not cruel or evil. It was the laugh of a silly blue-eyed blonde who reeled his head back with a wide grin. In that moment, Gaara disappeared in a swirl of sand and Naruto was back at Squad Seven's side and in between the swell of Genin.

Startled and frightened, a few Genin jumped away from his sudden reappearance and stared at Uzumaki Naruto as if he'd grown two heads. Two heads of something monstrous like a bird and snake morphed grotesquely together, or perhaps two heads flipped inside out... Yes, that was the one.

Naruto was unaware of all of them, unaware of the killing intent leaking from the Jonin, and unaware of the fist rising behind his head which was nearly touching the ground in his hysterical laughter.

"Naruto…" Sasuke warned his friend halfheartedly. It was too late, however, and Sakura's knuckles rammed into his yellow skull with the force of a speeding train. The cement cracked as Naruto's head rebounded off of the floor and bounced back up, the force hurling him backwards. Sakura casually stepped aside with Sasuke in tow, allowing space for Naruto's fall. She was disappointed when his arms reached behind him and caught him, only his tush suffering the fall's damage. Then she saw the massive cut spewing a bloody river down Naruto's temple and Sakura felt slightly better.

"Ow! Sakura! What the he-"

"Don't be starting fights, you idiot! If you don't want the stuffing beaten out of you, then wait till your stupid name is on that stupid board! Got it?"

Naruto puckered his lips in a pout and Sakura snarled at him. "But it hurts, Sakura-chan…" He whined. "How am I supposed to fight when my brain's leaking from my head?"

"Easy; like you always have. You don't have a brain, Naruto." Sakura stated the obvious.

"Oh… Oh yeah."

Like a rubber band stretched so tight and then suddenly went slack was the atmosphere. The tension disappeared and was replaced by confusion and disbelief. Naruto…

Sakura sighed, exasperated, and glanced at Sasuke, who nodded and stepped out of Sakura's hold. She kneeled next to Naruto and cradled his head in her palms. All eyes were on her, waiting anxiously for her to knock the rest of Naruto's brain onto the floor. He deserved it after all for scaring the piss out of them. Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes (though the greater temptation was to knock the blonde's brain out) and said loudly, "Aren't we going to start the next match?"

Gekko started. "Oh… um… yes, yes. Um…" He peered at the board and called out, "Yamanaka Ino vs. Haruno Sakura."

Sakura started. "What?"

"Hmph. Scared, billboard brow? You should be!" Ino egged Sakura on, one hand on her swaying hip as she passed her opponent to take her place at the center of the arena. Sakura growled lowly and Naruto cringed in her hands.

"Just great. I'll have to heal that cut when I'm done." She stood and pointed a sharp finger at her blonde friend. "Stay," she ordered him like dog and like a dog, Naruto obeyed, grinning sheepishly.

Sasuke caught her eye, looking very serious. "Don't accidentally kill her Sakura. She's your friend, remember."

Sakura sighed as the other Genin looked her over skeptically, more specifically the Rookie Nine. Because they shared the same class at the Academy they knew her taijutsu had nothing against Ino's. In here, the Chunin Exams, that was not the case. There was good reason for Sasuke to warn her.

During the written test, they were sparring while their clones took the test. Sakura was trying out her medical chakra and her monstrous strength (which Naruto had dutifully nicknamed 'Monster'). It turned out that Sakura could use both in her twelve year-old body. Unfortunately, her strength came without calling; automatically and instinctively. It was so much a part of her mind that whenever she tried to suppress it, sometimes chakra would leak without her notice.

For Ino, that was very, very dangerous. For Ino, she would try harder to hold back her strength. It would look very bad if Ino's head went flying detached from her body.

As she took her place Sakura noted the smug smirk on Ino's face as well as the familiar ember of anger in her chest. Sakura reminded herself to try lots, lots harder. It would be rather difficult to talk to a headless corpse.

"Ready?" called Hayate.

Sakura was too ready.

"Begin."

Ino moved first, launching at Sakura with a fist cocked to annihilate. Sakura sidestepped it with ease, wracking her brain for a plan. Ino came at her again, following up with her knee. Sakura stepped back and out of the way.

Taijutsu was out of the question. She couldn't risk crumbling Ino's body to dust. Ninjutsu would be a problem because Kakashi-sensei believes her chakra reserves are ridiculously puny and the Ninjutsu in her arsenal required more than she was expected to offer. That left Genjutsu. Sakura wasn't prepared to turn Ino into a zombie or a vegetable. But it could win it for her but this Exam wasn't just about winning. It was about proving to your superiors that you were ready to become Chunin.

She must show them she knows her limits, show them she knows strategy, show them her knowledge of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu and show them how she utilizes them effectively. That was the way to become Chunin. Wining wasn't everything. That was how Shikamaru became Chunin; that's how he will become Chunin. He recognized his limits and displayed a high level of strategy and intelligence. It was enough.

Still, this was only the first fight. The preliminaries merely knocked out the inadequate. It was the second match, the genuine tournament, that mattered the most because all of Konoha would be there watching in the stands. They would finally see Squad Seven. Not the last Uchiha, the know-it-all pinkette, the famous Copycat Nin, or the knucklehead blonde- Squad Seven.

And she was the Squad's first representative.

"Oboro Bunshin!"

Flanking Sakura on all sides four replications poofed into existence. Sakura let them charge ahead of her as she fell to the rear. Ino growled furiously. The clones zoomed toward her, leaving a hazy shadow of themselves to follow after. Every step they took, every hit they aimed at Ino was hazy and blurred. It was obviously they were fakes but that fact didn't help Ino. They were distorting the real Sakura behind them.

Ino growled furiously and backpedalled fast as the clones came upon her. She kept her distance from them as much as possible, careful not to corner herself. She knew that the moment a clone got too close; Sakura would use the clone's image to disguise her own attack. It was a good plan but predictable. Ino kept backing and backing, growing more frustrated by the second.

It must have showed because one pinkette smiled smugly. Angry at being mocked, Ino shoved her hand into her weapons pouch and with a flourish of her wrist; two kunai impaled the crowd of haze clones straight down the middle. There was a loud clink and four kunai were suddenly twirling in the air behind the clones, down the center, right there!

Ino charged forward and caught the unaware Sakura in the chest, hurling her backwards. The haze clones disappeared with a pop as Sakura skidded across the arena. Her legs came over her head and Sakura used the momentum to push herself up off her hands. She got her footing just in time to see Ino with her fist raised, fully intending to lure Sakura into taijutsu, the one subject during the Academy she suffered.

Sakura danced around the hit but Ino came again, swinging her leg around to catch Sakura in the ribs. With amazing flexibility she bent backwards and saw Ino's smooth bare leg pass harmlessly overhead. Just then she whipped out a kunai and as she pulled herself straight again, she stabbed it forward, forcing Ino to retreat once again.

Kakashi stood behind his two Genin watching the battle intently. There was a tight knot in his chest that twisted tighter and tighter in sync with each move Sakura made. He could not label the feeling. Perhaps guilt, pride, concern, and anger- he couldn't decide. Perhaps it was all four and more. His fingers twitched to hold his favorite little yellow book but he had not the will to fall to the temptation.

His student- the least capable of his squad- was in the arena fighting for her right to the title of Chunin. She was fighting in such a way that it caused the knot in his chest to form in the first place. Every move she made was calculated, precise and… withdrawn. The concentration on her face, easier to notice with his Sharingan uncovered, was odd to see when her movements were so fluid and accurate without any real effort to make them so. She was concentrating hard but not on winning.

The random spasm of tension in her muscles during each attack and the hard-set focus… That knot in his chest, it clenched tighter. He realized Sakura was concentrating very hard not to hurt Ino, not to put too much power into her throws. He never imagined he'd see the day where Sakura would have to hold back in a battle.

Jumping back, Sakura left more space between them and fished out more kunai, odd little bags attached to the rings at the butts.

"Fight me, Sakura, you coward!" Ino growled, trying to close the gap. Sakura didn't give her a chance and with a simple flick of her wrists, the kunai whizzed straight, wave after wave. Ino furiously batted them away with her own kunai with ease. Concentrating on the mass number of sharp objects aimed at 

her, Ino did not notice the smallest of pauses between one of the waves of attack. In that pause, Sakura finished a short sequence of hand seals before continuing her barrage, watching Ino flick them to the side and in the air where the bags erupted, bursting little, innocent, pink petals that fluttered like feathers to the floor.

Ino stopped in absolute confusion, looking at the flower petals surrounding her with a very offended expression.

Kakashi inclined his head ever so slightly forward, his Sharingan glinting in interest at the scattered petals. His chest was caving in on itself, or what was left of it that the knot inside didn't destroy. He did not need the Sharingan to know what jutsu Sakura had used in-between her torrent of kunai. The sequences of seals were very familiar to him and he recognized it as a C-Rank Genjutsu named Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu. He had to admit it was a clever maneuver to disguise the hundred more petals scattered upon the arena. Sakura hid them from Ino's eyes, allowing her to see only the flower petals within a ten-foot radius. And something else, Kakashi noticed with the aid of the Sharingan. In each and every tiny petal was compressed chakra. The amount of chakra could fill the volume of a golf ball however each individual amount was compressed so tightly to fit the tip of a senbon needle. Kakashi had always known Sakura was gifted with perfect chakra control, however, he had not known she was capable of such an impossible level of control even a fresh Jonin could have difficulty of achieving.

He was sure now, what he was feeling that is. Guilt. Concern. Suspicion.

When had his mediocre Sakura come to the point she had to withdraw strength? When had his little Sakura become so collected during an event that could very well end her life? When had Squad Seven's uncertain pinkette learned the Oboro Bunshin, the Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu, and perfect control over a ready-to-detonate flower-disguised minefield? The moment Sakura would release her hold on the chakra inside the petals, the arena would be up in flames and Ino along with it.

Sakura's plan was very dark. With the ticking time-bombs invisible to Ino's senses, Ino would be herded into a nest of petals and the fight would be over. In fact, Sakura could very well kill Ino at this very moment as she stood among them. Why was she hesitating if Sakura appeared so ready to destroy her former best friend?

Kakashi had never taught or showed his team either of the jutsu he witnessed. He realized he hadn't shown them much at all, save Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke displayed potential and, of course, as his sensei, Kakashi made sure to mold that potential to further Sasuke's progress. But Naruto, Naruto had little to none. His only trump card was his infinite chakra reserves and Kage Bunshin, his only jutsu, his only skill. There was little potential there, the dead last of the Rookie Nine.

Then there was Sakura, who had only her textbook intelligence and her affinity of chakra control. There was little potential that could come from that when you had so little chakra to utilize. No potential. That concluded that his main focus was Sasuke, whose prowess was so much like his own. Sasuke was the only one with a future as a shinobi.

Until now. Now the question remained: Who had taught his Genin and what could he or they possibly gain by doing so? It was a very suspicious situation.

"Are you trying to make a point, Sakura?" Ino seethed. "Think you're going to decorate your victory with cherry blossoms! So everyone will know it was you!"

"Not at all-"

It was a worthless protest.

"Shintenshin no Jutsu!"

Hands shaped in a familiar Yamanaka Clan seal, Ino's spirit flushed from her body in a blue rush of energy and tackled the unprepared Sakura, absorbing into her body. Ino slumped to the floor, body and mind vacant, empty.

Naruto and Sasuke both grinned.

"It's over," Naruto marked. Sasuke finished unexpectedly, "Ino's done for."

Kakashi looked at his two students curiously, wondering where their confidence came from. They had sat there, calmly, never cheering only smirking in a knowing way, as their female teammate fought her former friend. They were not worried. Naruto never flinched when Sakura was hit and neither of them appeared to care that Sakura was under the control of one of the infamous Yamanaka Clan jutsu. It was a jutsu that was near impossible to escape and took total control of the victim's body by restraining their spirit.

And they say Ino's done for?

Kakashi looked back into the arena and against his will he was surprised yet again and given another reason to report this to the Hokage.

On the inside, hidden away from outsiders' eyes and where time stood still, Ino felt odd. She had rarely used this technique and when she had she was always uneasy by being in someone else's mind, man's most sacred haven, as well as their body. It was odd to feel like you didn't 'fit' into the new skin. The feeling was expected, however… her whereabouts were not.

"What the…"

"Ino?" a voice called, embroidered with lovely surprise and silvery joy.

Ino spun around, her blonde hair nearly slapping her face she spun so fast. Sakura smiled at her, standing amidst the inky blackness that surrounded them both, looking so happy to see her. Ino did not smile in return. Her knees gave out under her and she fell, carried down by gravity and held up by an invisible floor. Her eyes widened terribly and she shook.

This couldn't be Sakura.

This woman, she looked like Sakura, had pink hair like Sakura's but it was short and didn't reach her shoulders. She had green eyes like Sakura, skin like Sakura and Sakura's face… maybe. This couldn't be Sakura; Sakura was only twelve. Sakura's spirit couldn't be here because Ino's was in control. This couldn't be Sakura because…

Because Ino never actually hurt Sakura earlier. Sakura took a hit but there was no wound or injury. Sakura wasn't hurt. This woman was. It couldn't be her because the spirit reflects the physical body. No, no, no…

The look-alike was slumped against an invisible wall and her hands and feet were shackled with chipped and rusted cuffs that cut into her skin. Her once beautiful kimono was ripped and hung off her like shredded pieces of rags. Cuts, scratches, and burns decorated her face in sickly concentrated and patterned designs. They disappeared under the pieces of torn fabric and reappeared on every square inch of visible skin of her body.

Chains clamored together as she lifted her hand steadily, reaching. "Ino, it's really you!" She sounded so happy to see her, sitting there bleeding and bound.

"S-Sakura?" Ino stammered uncertain. "W-What h-happened?"

The woman's laugh was all silver, like wind chimes. "No, no, silly. Not Sakura. You put her to sleep, remember. I'm her Arukas."

"N-no!" Ino cried. Her previous anger had flittered out like a weak candle flame. "That's impossible! Who are you? One body can't be born with two souls."

Arukas shook her head with unreasonable sympathy. "I'm afraid they can, Ino-chan. And I'm afraid that you can't stay though I really love seeing you again. I don't get to see the dead often!"

She laughed again and Ino felt chills race up her spine. Ino opened her mouth to scream at the same time as a senbon materialized in Arukas' thin delicate fingers and was launched forward. Aimed for Ino's throat.

Back on the plane where time still governs the Earth's inhabitants, just as the last phase of blue entered Sakura's body, the unbelievable happened. Sakura's fingers trembled as they reached in the weapons pouch fastened to her right thigh and pulled out a senbon. Then, as slow as a sloth, the tip of the senbon was at Sakura's throat.

"Don't do it, Ino!" Shikamaru screamed from his place on the ramp. He was completely horrified as he glared at his blonde teammate, who was so ready to take Sakura's life. He couldn't believe it; Ino wouldn't do that. Something had to be wrong! "Ino-"

Whoosh!

Blue chakra erupted around Sakura and the senbon was sent hurtling towards the very vulnerable body of Ino, flanked by Ino's retreating spirit. It was a race. Which could reach Ino first? Her spirit or the senbon aimed for her throat? In the span of half maybe one second both appeared to reach their mark at the same time when Ino suddenly sprang to life, missing the senbon by inches. Her whole body shimmered as her spirit settled where it belonged.

Shikamaru and his team gave a very audible sigh of release. His hands were gripping the railing in a knuckle-white grip. Unfortunately, their relief was short-lived. Ino, despite escaping death, was not as okay as they thought she was.

"Ino…?" Sakura called out quietly to her friend. Ino was shaking, shaking very hard and there was a wretched sound coming from her. The ground between her sprawled legs was wet with quick falling droplets of clear liquid.

"Ino?" Sakura called again.

"What are you, Sakura?" Ino clutched her head in agony. The sight of that woman, the older version of her once best friend, mutilated and bleeding plagued her mind. "How can you have two- Who is she?" Ino's voice was loud among the stunned silence and hoarse with dry, choked sobs.

Sakura bit her lip, the topic one preferred to be avoided. "I'm sorry you had to see that," was her only excuse. "You weren't supposed to. That technique, Ino, can only restrain one soul. Because I have two, the other takes control while I am subdued." She took a deep breath. "Ino?"

"What?"

Sakura pointed a thin, delicate finger behind Ino. Not even meaning to, Ino looked and saw the senbon that was aimed to take her life embedded in the wall. A ripped paper bag was attached to the end and cherry blossom petals were layered across the floor beneath. Vaguely, Ino heard Sakura whisper 'kai' 

before the after blast of the explosion sent her careening all the way to the other side of the arena. There was darkness upon impact.

Naruto was there in an instance, catching Sakura as she collapsed. He hugged her close, crushing his body to hers and shielding her as every individual petal detonated at once. The chakra Sakura had been compressing during the battle was released and it all erupted in freedom. The explosion was fantastic and it sent the whole building quivering at the sheer magnitude.

Everyone on the second open floor shielded their eyes and each other, keeping close to the wall though the clouds of flames and ash never even licked the railing. Sakura was very precise, very careful.

Kakashi watched as his blonde student protected Sakura from the heat and admired her layout. All the explosions, ever petal, were placed in a precise position on the arena. He had a good view, he could see that none of the explosions were close enough to harm Ino, as if Sakura predicted Ino to be unconscious and helpless in that exact spot and coordinated the flower-petal bombs to detonate away from her. It was the same with Sakura and Naruto's position. The heat was most likely extensive but the damage itself was out of range.

Sakura, Kakashi realized, strategized the whole battle. She expected Ino to use the Mind Transfer technique the moment she 'dropped' her guard; she expected Ino to throw kunai through the haze clones and tackle her; she expected Ino to dodge that senbon; she expected Ino to hit the farthest east wall and to be safe. But then why the use of so many explosions? Sakura wasn't one to show off. The purpose of the bomb parade made no sense.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke gave a hardly audible 'hn' in response.

"Have you, Naruto, and Sakura been training together all this time?"

Sasuke hesitated. Kakashi's suspicion rose.

"…Yes."

Kakashi nodded. It was an easy answer and very predictable. Kakashi half-expected him to ignore his question or come up with a different reason. Instead, the Uchiha took the most reasonable and easy way out. He went along with it.

"When you and Sakura get back to top-notch, Squad Seven will be training together for the tournament," he informed.

Sasuke's finger twitched. He was confused. Kakashi was implying that Squad Seven would pass to the final rounds. Sasuke could only conclude that his sensei was getting close to their secret. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe.

Sasuke nodded, a small almost unnoticeable smile teasing his lips. "Is that an order, sensei?"

"Of course." Kakashi smiled too. He was going to keep a sharp eye on his team. After seeing Sakura's spectacular (and most likely traumatizing) performance, he was very anxious to see what his two boys were capable of. Were they as fond of explosions as Sakura was?

The bombs settled rather quickly and Naruto jumped back to his team, Sakura in arms. She grinned and gave Kakashi a thumbs-up. She hoped it looked alright because she couldn't feel anything in that hand.

"Should we call a medic, Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I'm just exhausted. That technique takes a lot out of me. It's called Sakura Fubuki no Jutsu. Compressing my chakra is the only challenge. I can sustain it but not for long and I still go numb afterwards, when they all detonate. It exhausts my chakra. I'll be fine by tomorrow."

Below, Hayate was coughing up a storm and Sakura mentally apologized to the sick Jonin. Once he regained his breath and Ino was taken away by the medics, he declared Sakura the winner because Ino was knocked unconscious before Naruto interfered.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, Kakashi moved to set Sakura against the wall but Sasuke stopped him and offered his lap. Suppressing a perverted smirk, Kakashi gently set the pinkette's head on Sasuke's thighs.

Sasuke was automatic to undo the twin ponytails and begin running his fingers through her soft, long tresses. Sakura smiled up at him. It was one of those smiles that said more than 'I love you'. Naruto smiled too. He was happy for them; they deserved each other more than any soul in any and every universe.

Kakashi shook his head, chuckling softly to himself. Either his squad was one of a kind or… not his squad at all.

--

Oboro Bunshin -Ninjutsu- Haze Clone

Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu -Genjutsu- False Surroundings Technique

Shintenshin no Jutsu -Ninjutsu- Mind Body Switch Technique

Sakura Fubuki no Jutsu -N/A- Sakura Blizzard Technique