Learning about Sai

Sakura, Sai, Captain Yamato and I were at the gate ready to go.

Sakura told me we had to try and keep it calm with Sai.

I had a small knife like blade in a shieth made for it strap to my belt, as Kakashi gave it to me since this was the first mission without him around.

"Team Kakashi lets head out," Yamato said.

We headed toward Tenchi bridge.

I kept it cool with Sai.

"You sure calm," Sai told me.

"You're on this team until we get Sasuke back," I said, "Until then you're a comrade, that I have to learn to deal with."

"Comrade means a lot to you?" Sai asked.

"Yes it does," Naruto said.

"Well it doesn't seem that case for Sasuke, in fact, the way I see it, he abandon the leaf village betraying it for power," Sai said, "What kind of comrade does that?"

"Don't insult Sasuke like you know him," I responded.

"Naruto calm down," Sakura said.

"She's right Naruto, you're suppose to be a specialize Jonin, you know better than to act like this," Yamato said.

However Sakura punched Sai as Yamato said that.

"I can remain calm as long as I have to, but keep insulting Sai like you did, and I won't hold back," Sakura said.

"And she told me to remain calm," I thought.

"You fooled me with that calm look, looks like a fake smile isn't the only way to deceives someone," Sai said, "This is good to know from someone with anger issues."

I held Sakura back from attacking Sai again.

"Wood Style: Wood prison Jutsu!" Yamato shouted making the handsigns.

Wood like logs form a prison behind Yamato.

Sakura and Sai were surprised as I was confused.

"If you three won't calm down I will throw you into this prison," Yamato said.

"Wood style jutsu?" I thought.

"That's one of the first Hokage's secret ninjutsu," Sakura thought.

"As team captain I'll give you 2 options: you can relearn the meaning of teamwork in this cage or at a nearby hot spring hotel for one night," Captain Yamato said and then his face went scary enough that shivers went down my spine and finished, "You don't know me but I can be scary when I want to be."

We ended up agreeing to the hot spring.

Sai Yamato and I shared one hotspring as Sakura was with women's hotspring.

Honestly, I didn't mind being with Captain Yamato, but I wish either Sai or me had a separate hot spring from each other.

"Now this is away for us to bond as a team," Captain Yamato said and made that face again, "Don't you agree."

"Yes sir," I responded, "I just wish you stop making that face."

Sai made an embarissing statement (A/N: I'm not going to repeat it), that made me blushed.

"Didn't any of your books mention to keep some things to yourself," I shouted.

Sakura heard me over the wall.

"Sai must be pressing Naruto's buttons," Sakura said.

I got out and got a towel around me before getting some robes on.

I got dressed and headed out just as Yamato came in.

"Where are you going Naruto?" Captain Yamato asked.

"I thought I walk around before dinner to cool down," I said.

Yamato knew I was referring to what Sai said earlier.

"Okay, but be back for dinner," Yamato said.

"Right," I responded unaware that Yamato was letting me go because he had a plan to keep an eye on Sai and didn't want to risk me knowing about it just yet.

I walked around outside and look around the scenery.

I headed to a lake, sat down at the dock, and look down at my reflection.

"How am I suppose to work with a guy, who keep insulting us?" I asked.

"Can I sit next to you?" I heard Sakura asked.

I turn to see Sakura standing there.

"Sure," I said.

Sakura sat next to me as I made room.

"You know, I didn't know what to think of you when we became a team," Sakura said.

"Huh?" I responded.

"You came from some nearby village, new around here, even with you being a tailed beast son, you didn't seem as great as Sasuke," Sakura said, "Then we took Kakashi's bell test, passed it thanks to you…"

"Only because Neji told me the point of this test," I said.

"But you got the bell first and we started missions together. Eventually, we came more than teammates, we became friends," Sakura said, "Now with Sai and Captain Yamato it's like we're starting over again. Captain Yamato trying to maintain peace and teamwork, just as Kakashi did when we were Genin. However, this time Sai is the unknown member, we don't know about. He gets on our nerves, and he pushes it, but we just started."

"So what should we do?" Naruto asked.

"Well we don't know if Danzo has plans we don't know about by having Sai join us, but we can at least give him a shot for the sake of the mission," Sakura said.

"Yeah, you're right," I said.

"Let's make a promise on this," Sakura said taking her hand out, "That we will at least work with Sai and give him a chance."

"I'm in," I said shaking her hand.

We headed back to the hotel room to see series of plates of food with Yamato and Sai waiting.

"Oh good, you're on time," Yamato said.

"Captain Yamato, is this the treat you were talking about?" I asked.

"Yes, Naruto, I thought since the three of you manage to get through the rest of the day without killing each other, then you deserve a treat," Yamato said.

They feasted before going to bed.

The next day Sakura woke up from her room and look out the window to see Sai sitting where she and I sat yesterday doing something.

She got dress and decided to check it out.

Sai was making a painting.

"I never thought of you as an artist type Sai," Sakura said.

Sai turned to see her.

"You need something?" Sai asked.

"No just was wandering what you were doing out here, so early," Sakrua said and look at the painting, "Wow this is amazing, I have to say, for someone who can't keep things to yourself, you're a talented artist."

"Thanks, I think," Sai said.

"So do you name your paintings?" Sakura asked.

"Not really, I never come up with any," Sai said.

I had arrived to here what Sakura talk about Sai's paintings and decided to look at them myself.

"Hey, these are pretty good," I said looking over Sai's shoulder.

"Naruto what are you doing here?" Sakura asked.

"Captain Yamato send me to tell you we'll be leaving soon," I said, "Hey Sai, if you want I have a good friend whose a well known artist who would probably be happy to look at them, and tell you what he thinks, as long as you watch what you say to him."

"I normally don't share my art with anyone," Sai said.

"It's up to you, but consider that you might get good reviews on your work from an actual artist," I said, "And from what I can tell, Kuroda might have some good reviews if you have more like these."

"I'll consider it then," Sai said packing up.

Sakura help out and took out the picture book.

"Sai what's this?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, that's a picture book I made for my brother," Sai said.

"Can we see it?" I asked.

"No actually, it's incomplete," Sai said, "And it's my prize possession."

"I understand, but I didn't know you had a brother," Sakura said, "Is there a way we can meet him since we're all in the same team?"

"Again no, as my brother been dead for quiet a long time," Sai explained.

Yamato was over hearing our conversation and smiled a little that at least we were getting along now.

We headed out again to Tenchi Bridge.

Night fall came again and Yamato use another wood style jutsu this time to make a house.

"Whoa I didn't know you could use jutsus to do that," I responded.

"Naruto the 1st Hokage used wood style jutsus to create some of the oldest buildings in the leaf," Sakura said.

"Seriously?" I responded, "Wait then how come Lady Tsunade can't use it considering she's the first Hokage's granddaughter?"

"Well that's because it was thought to believe that only the 1st Hokage could use wood style jutsus," Sakura said.

We headed in and saw a sign greeting us as team Kakashi.

Once we settled Captain Yamato called us together.

"Sakura I want you to tell me everything we need to know about Sasori," Yamato said, "The spy would be expecting Sasori, so in order to capture him, we need to make the spy think we're Sasori."

"Right," I responded.

"I'll approach him first, and signal you three," Yamato said, "If we have to go to battle I'll signal you and we'll use the buddy system that I'll appoint. First Naruto and Sai, and Sakura and I."

"Wouldn't it be best I work with Sakura?" I asked.

"Yeah, I mean Naruto and I have the most experience together," Sakura said.

"True but you Sakura are our only medical ninja, and as team leader I'm responsible for you all, as well as making sure you're safe while you're attending Sai's or Naruto's wounds," Yamato explained.

"That seems good to me," I responded.

"Good now since we still have time till the date of meeting at Tenchi bridge, we're going have a practice excercize to give us an idea of what to do, as well as give me an idea of what you can do," Yamato said, "All I know about you three are from your records, but this way I can experience them hands on."

We all agreed to the plan.

The next day we started simulating the plan as Sai and I went after Yamato.

I started to form the Rasengan.

Yamato tried to stop me but I jumped and avoided his jutsu.

Then I stopped knowing something wasn't right.

An ink snake came out of no where and wrap around Yamato.

Yamato turned into a wooden doll as it was a substitute.

"Sai," I responded as he jumped off.

"I know," I thought and transformed into a bat and fallowed.

At the end we capture Yamato after I tackled him and Sai wrap his ink snake around him.

"Excellent teamwork," Yamato said as Sakura break him free.

"Not really," I responded, "I just tackled you before Sai captured you."

"True, but it was close enough," Yamato said.

After a bit we packed up and left again.

"Sakura, you're close to Naruto aren't you?" Sai asked.

"Well yes, as a friend, and sort of like a brother," Sakura said.

Sai gave a fake smile but knew otherwise.

Next Time: Our plan goes into action at Tenchi bridge. But wait, why is Kabuto here? If he's here then Orochimaru is here, which means Sasuke must not be far. We have to complete this mission, but why my demon instincts kicking in? Read To Find Out...