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Dragonheart	By : UmbreonMessiah Category: Naruto > General Views: 1644 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
A/N: I have to say, I�m shocked at the
response I�ve gotten from the first two parts of the fic. Apparently I�ve
attracted a lot of attention from some notable sources, and that makes me
happy. But what makes me happier is that you people enjoy it so much. That�s
why I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you�ve enjoyed the last two�there�s
a lot of action in this one, so hold on to the edge of your seat.

Dragonheart

Chapter Two

            Konohagakure was silent in the early morning
mists, no sound other than the occasional cricket filling the still air. So
early was it that not even the sun, in all its majestic glory, had even
considered casting off the blanket of nighttime to shine its rays upon the
earth. Barely anyone could stand to be awake at this time, and those that were
lit their way through their early morning business via such simplistic
implements as oil lamps, to prevent their need for illumination from interfering
with the sleep of their friends, neighbors, and loved ones. The quiet that
enclosed the community was almost dreadful as the people kept their lips and
footsteps silenced, respecting the dome of noiselessness they had chose to
create. It was the world pre-daybreak: dark and still.
            It was in this pre-day haze that a certain
Uzumaki Naruto was sleeping peacefully, drool hanging from his mouth as he
dreamed his dreams about being Hokage and certain other habits he had picked up
from his white-haired sensei. He snored wistfully, giggling in his slumber as
images danced across his subconscious, bringing him glee even though he wasn�t
awake to fully appreciate it. It was in this pre-day haze that Uzumaki Naruto,
Konohagakure�s number one hyperactive knuckleheaded ninja, was awoken quite
suddenly as a fist connected with his lower jaw, sending him sprawling into a
corner where he landed in an ungraceful pile of limbs.
            �RISE AND SHINE, DUMBASS!� Yakusho�s voice rang
out into the small bedroom.
            Naruto jumped to his feet, his eyes blank with
rage as he clutched the spot of his face where Yakusho�s fist had hit him. �You
son of a bitch! What in the hell was that for?!�
            �Sleeping in,� the blonde�s new roommate
replied flatly.
            The blonde took a fearful look at his
frog-styled alarm clock sitting on the side table next to his bed. In the
frog�s mouth, the bright red numbers �5:00� shone back at him, while in the
small corner the red letters �AM� blinked.
            �WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUCK!?�
Naruto cursed violently. �J-Just what the hell is the meaning of waking me up
this early!?�
            �Food, mostly,� Yakusho said, cleaning his left
ear with the twisting of his pinky finger.
            �F-Food?!� the Jinchuuriki stammered. �Y-You
want food at five in the goddamn morning?!�
            �Is there a problem with that?� the
brown-haired shinobi replied. He idly flexed his right hand, in which his sword
was once again grasped.
            �Yes there�s a problem with that!� the other
whined. �There�s no way in hell I�m getting you food before the sun�s even come
up!�
            Yakusho shrugged and walked towards Naruto�s
window, pushing it open and hopping onto the windowsill. �Well then, you�re
completely useless,� he muttered. �I�m going to go find something to eat. You
can�do whatever.�
            With that, the blonde shinobi�s unwelcome house
guest leapt out of his apartment, landing on a tree limb and bounding off into
the rest of the village.
            Naruto stood there, his face flat as a grimace
slowly spread across it. For the second time in twenty-four hours, he swore
Tsunade would pay for this.

            One shower later, the whiskered shinobi was on his feet, dressed in his orange and black getup as he slowly trudged through the
barely awake streets of Konoha. The emptiness of the avenues and closed shops
reminded Naruto coldly that it wasn�t even five thirty yet, causing him to
shiver with gloom. He pulled up in front of his favorite restaurant, a cloud
growing over his head as he discovered that contrary to his wishes, Old Man
Ichiraku did not open his store before dawn.

            �Stupid�Yakusho�� Naruto grumbled as his fist and stomach trembled.
�Going�to kick�his sorry ass��
            With his stomach � and as such, his brain �
empty, Naruto wandered Konoha as though he were a lost puppy. He did not pay
attention to his surroundings or plot a course; he simply walked, and would
continue to walk until either he found food or he collapsed from exhaustion. As
he rounded the corner, another horrid rumble echoed from his tummy, signaling
that exhaustion (or hunger) would end up being the victor if he didn�t do
something soon.
            Just before he succumbed to his ravenous
appetite, Naruto�s ears perked up as they caught the inklings of noise. He
suddenly was acutely aware that he was in the old training grounds with the
wooden posts that were used for Taijutsu practice. He wondered what part of his
subconscious had driven him here, but it was simply an afterthought as the noise
once again prickled the drums of his ears. Searching the mildly forested area,
huddled behind a training post as his eyes finally discovered the source of the
noise, both blue orbs widening as he took in the sight before him.
            In the middle of the training ground that
almost every shinobi in Konoha had at one time or another used for training,
stood the unmistakable figures of Rock Lee and Haruno Sakura. The two were
engaged in what Naruto could only describe as mutual training, the kunoichi and
Taijutsu specialist�s movement in perfect unison, each punch and every lift of
the legs in perfect harmony. From the sweat that covered the pink-haired girl�s
brow the blonde shinobi could only guess that they had already been at this for
a while, her ragged breathing compared to his own another solid piece of
evidence towards that fact.
            Naruto�s eyes weren�t actually focused on the
art of the training. Rather, they were focused on Sakura�s body. Though he
felt dirty for letting his eyes wander anywhere but Hinata�s form, he could not
deny that Sakura had definitely grown up and developed over the time he had been
gone from the village. The outfit she wore wasn�t doing anything to prevent
this sad state of affairs either. Unlike Lee�s traditional green jumpsuit that
would serve as a constant reminder that he was totally obsessed with his sensei,
Sakura was wearing a set of clothes that Naruto could fiercely say was just not
her. Everything she wore was black in color, even the traditional shinobi
sandals that pretty much everyone wore. The rest of her now marvelously curved
form was graced by two simple pieces of black Lycra, clinging to her hips and
well endowed chest in a manner that left practically nothing to his rather
perverted imagination. The gap between top and bottoms which exposed the creamy
skin of her taught stomach and navel was like icing on a very tantalizing cake.
Naruto could feel the drool hanging off his lips and quickly rubbed it out,
shaking his head and clearing his mind. He couldn�t be having those kinds of
thoughts about Sakura-chan anymore�could he? He resolved to stop his gawking
and announce his presence if for no other reason than to clear his conscience.
            �Ohayo, Sakura-chan! Fuzzy Brows!� he called
out, stepping from what could be considered his hiding spot.
            Upon hearing his voice, Sakura froze up and
fell from her current position with her body in one of Lee�s stances, landing on
her butt. Her eyes widened with both shock, recognition and a bit of fear as
she saw the orange and black garbed shinobi walk towards them, a whimper issuing
from her throat. Lee on the other hand widened his face into a giant smile and
placed himself firmly on his feet, waving to Naruto.
            �Naruto-kun! It is good to see you this fine
morning!� the green dressed Taijutsu expert proclaimed. �I see the flames of
your youth burn as brightly as ever, even at this early hour! Are you here to
join Sakura-san and myself in training?�
            The answer didn�t come as Naruto had wanted, as
his pink-headed teammate fumbled out her speech first, her body trembling a bit.
�N-Naruto! What�re you doing here?!�
            �My asshole roommate woke me up at five
saying I was �sleeping in�,� the blonde grumbled, absently rubbing the spot of
his jaw that still hurt. �It took me discovering Ichiraku�s isn�t open to
realize just how freaking early it is.�
            There was a momentary silence before he looked
down at Sakura�s prone form, and flashed a smile that nearly attained the same
pervertedness as Jiraiya�s. �By the way Sakura-chan, you look really
good in that outfit.�
            Lee, clueless as ever, looked down at Sakura
and beamed. �Naruto-kun! Sakura-san is simply showing off her valiant youth,
much like Gai-sensei and myself!�
            �I think you mean �her body�, Fuzzy Brows,� the
jinchuuriki mumbled so that Gai�s star pupil could barely understand him, but
his teammate could clearly hear his words. At this development in the
conversation, Sakura�s head fell, gloominess encompassing her form.
            �Why on earth is this happening to me?� she
whined. �You�re making fun of me.�
            Naruto�s face took on a flat, confused
expression. �What�re you talking about?� he asked. �We�re not making fun of
you.�
            �Indeed!� Lee jumped in. �Your beauty and
youth are so radiant, the sun itself hangs its head in shame. Why would
Naruto-kun and I lie to you, Sakura-san?�
            The medic-nin shot her teammate a look that �
if looks could indeed kill � would have turned Naruto into nothing more than a
few million bloodstains. �I don�t know,� she seethed, vein popping on her
forehead. �Why would you lie to me?�
            The Demon Fox�s container realized quite
quickly that he was stepping on thin ice with this subject, and frantically
tried to extricate himself from it. �W-we�re not lying Sakura-chan! Honestly,
we�re not! It�s�it�s just early for me, and I was angry at Yakusho and�there�s
no way on earth I�d ogle you!�
            The popping vein on his female friend�s head
increased in size as flame began to lick across her skin in anger. �So what?
Now you�re saying I�m not good looking, Naruto?!�
            The blonde came to the conclusion that the path
he was on would soon lead to him adding to Sakura�s total hang time record with
fellow male shinobi. With panic in his voice and sweat beading down his body,
he blurted out �N-no Sakura! You�re good looking! V-Very good looking!�
            Naruto covered his face, preparing for the
worst. However, when the inevitable punch to his face did not occur, he lowered
his shield, looking down at his ex-crush. She stood up slowly, smiling.
            �Good,� she stated, rolling her eyes in Lee�s
direction. �At least someone noticed.� Said shinobi�s reaction was to
blink in confusion, whilst Naruto�s was to let out a sigh of relief. The blonde
felt as though he�d just dodged a million or so shuriken.
            �Shall we return to our training, Sakura-san?�
Lee spoke up.
            �Oh yes, let�s do that,� Sakura stated, turning
sharply to flash an adorable smile at the clueless Gai-clone. As she did this,
her heavy chest swayed back and forth a bit, signifying in a simple display of
physics how much she had grown in the past two and a half years, and how much
more like Tsunade she was becoming day by day.
            When did Sakura get so�stacked?!
Was the only thing Naruto�s mind could muster at the time.
            �I figured I�d find you here, for some reason,�
Kakashi�s voice sudden exploded onto the scene as his form appeared between the
three conversing shinobi. His appearance was sudden and unprovoked, causing all
three of them to jump in surprise and land on their rears, Sakura doing her best
job to cover her body as though she was suddenly feeling incredibly indecent.
            �KAKASHI-SENSEI!?!� Naruto shouted, his eyes
going blank as he shouted. �What the hell do you think you�re doing
sneaking up on us like that?!�
            �I wasn�t sneaking anywhere,� the Jounin
responded, turning a page in what was the latest release in the Icha Icha
series. �It�s hardly my fault you three didn�t notice me.�
            �Enough with your half-assed excuses,
Kakashi-sensei!� Sakura bellowed, still covering herself despite being clothed.
�What do you want?�
            The masked man tilted his head in Sakura�s
direction, his sole visible eyebrow raising as he took in her attire.
Afterwards he shrugged, returning to the pages of his book. �The Hokage has
asked me to rally you and Naruto at her tower. Apparently something urgent came
up, and she needs you for a mission.�
            �A mission?!� Naruto squealed, his face
lighting up. �It�s about damned time! I was starting to feel unemployed!�
            �I�ll bet,� Kakashi sighed. �She�s waiting for
the both of you, so hurry up.�
            There was a joyous cheer as Naruto bounded off
into the trees. Sakura stood up and bowed, offering Lee a soft farewell and a
coy wink as she leapt after her teammate, leaving both her current trainer and
her sensei standing in the middle of the training grounds, eyeing her
peculiarly.
            �What do you suppose that was about?� Lee asked
Kakashi.
            The white-haired Jounin�s eye twitched as he
took this moment to escape without having to answer any of the stupid questions
posed by Gai�s prodigy.

            Sakura whimpered as she bounded through the
trees, quite aware that her Lycra ensemble was not containing her assets in a
way that would be considered decent. Then again, that had been the entire point
of why she had been wearing it. She wouldn�t admit it to anyone, but as she
headed towards the Hokage�s office all she could think about was why she had
been doing what she had been doing. It wasn�t the training that had her mind
flustered, it was the way she had been trying to seduce Lee with her features
instead of her words, an action that she would have considered beneath her
merely a month ago. However now it seemed she was desperate. Images and
thoughts coursed through her mind and teenage body, giving her an overwhelming
sense of need and dread every single day until she felt like she was going to
explode.
            �GOD DAMNIT!� she suddenly screamed, as if
trying to shake the images and voices from her mind. �I NEED TO GET FUCKING
LAID!�
            There was a loud crashing sound as Sakura
realized that she had just said that out loud, and that Naruto had heard it
clear as day. She stopped on the next tree branch, looking back with horror on
her face, preparing to face the embarrassment that would come with such
commentary. Instead, her lips curved into a silly grin as she bit back her
laughter at her blonde teammate�s predicament. Upon hearing her words, the
Demon Fox�s container had fallen from the trees and crashed into the soft soil
below, his left leg still twitching in shock and pain.
            The pink-haired medic-nin sheepishly leapt
from the foliage and landed next to her friend, helping him up with a hot blush
on her cheeks. The two exchanged and awkward glance before swiveling their
vision away from each other, Naruto rubbing the back of his head.
            �Y-You um�probably want to know why I screamed
that out, don�t you?� Sakura whimpered in humiliation.
            �As much as I�m sure it�s none of my business,�
Naruto admitted, �I�d very much like to know, yes.�
            From that point on, Naruto did his best to pay
attention as his teammate spilled her guts. A lot of the details had nothing to
do with what she had screamed out. She explained that she had taken up training
with Lee only shortly after Naruto and Jiraiya had set out on his training
mission. She explained how she had been sent on a mission and had lost one of
the members, both due to a screw up of her medical ninjutsu and her inability to
fight back properly. It had been after that incident that she had sought out
someone to train her in the art of fighting, as Tsunade refused to do so
herself, opting to teach Sakura only how to evade injury and capture. Tsunade�s
training was superb, but it did nothing to quell Sakura�s feelings of
uselessness when watching her allies do all the fighting. Eventually her search
brought her to Lee, who for the past two years or so had been training her in
the art of Goken, teaching her how to fight and move like him. She also
explained how as time went by, her �blossoming womanhood� as she called it had
begun to influence her thoughts and actions, and eventually how she had gotten
to the point where she was trying to seduce Lee on a daily basis.
            �So, lemme get this straight,� Naruto grumbled,
trying to summarize all he had heard. �You felt useless, weak, and ugly�so now
you�re training with Lee, getting stronger�and trying to get someone to sleep
with you?�
            Sakura blushed and waved off her
embarrassment. �B-Basically!� she retorted shakily. �I swear, I�m going out of
my mind. If I don�t get some soon, I�m going to jump the next male I see. Does
that make me crazy Naruto?�
            �I think so,� the boy replied, giving his
trademark smirk. �But I guess it happens to a lot of people, doesn�t it?�

            Sakura smiled as her teammate attempted to comfort her. �Thanks,
Naruto�� she sighed, closing her eyes to absorb some of his words. When she
opened them, her face twisted into a glare as she realized his eyes were
attached to her chest. She cleared her throat loudly, causing him to jump and
sweat.
            �S-Sorry Sakura-chan!� he blushed.
            �It�s alright,� she said, blowing some of her
hair out of her eyes. �As much as I probably should hit you, I realize
they�re quite eye-grabbing. Good to know someone appreciates the view.�
            Naruto was dumbstruck. He had totally expected
to be airborne at this moment. Instead of bringing it up however, he simply
counted his blessings and patted his friend on her shoulder.
            �Things will work out,� he said. �Just relax
and let them happen. And�I think it�s best for my health if we never
talk about something like this again.�
            Sakura giggled and flashed a deep smile.
�Arigato Naruto,� she stated. �You�re probably right. Besides, don�t we have a
mission to get to?�

            �Oh yeah!� he shouted, pumping his fist in the air. �Let�s get
going!�
            With his latest cheer he was off into the
canopy again, Sakura trailing behind him with a small smirk on her lips. He had
changed in a lot of ways in the last two and a half years. He was finally
starting to show some maturity. If only he hadn�t taken on Jiraiya�s perverted
traits as well, he would�ve been much more attractive.

            Minutes later, Naruto and Sakura found
themselves standing just outside the Hokage�s main office. Whatever the mission
they were being assigned was, it had to be quite important. It was unusual to
call shinobi so early in the day no matter what it was the Hokage needed, and
the detail of ANBU members standing just outside her door made the two members
of Team Seven a bit curious. Knowing all the answers to their questions lay
within the room beyond the double doors, Naruto raised his fist and rapped his
knuckles against the wood fixture, eyeing the masked men around them.
            There was a clicking noise as the door handle
turned and the door itself opened into the office. Naruto�s eyes were greeted
with a pair of brown ones, a sadistic smirk forming on the face of the man
inside.
            �Well look who finally showed up,� Yakusho
chuckled.
            �AHHHHHHHHHHH!� Naruto shouted, jumping back.
�WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!�
            �Naruto!� Tsunade�s voice rang out angrily.
�Shut the hell up and get inside.�
            The Great Uzumaki Naruto or not, no one defied
Tsunade when she shouted an order in that voice. The mere implication behind
its raised volume sent a shiver down his spine as he quickly quieted and entered
the room. Sakura followed him, stifling laughter that was rising in her throat
over his predicament. The laughter was cured by the ominous stare her sensei
gave her upon seeing her attire, causing the pink-haired medic to whimper and
partially hide herself behind Naruto. Yakusho snickered and stood just off from
them, his eyes roaming towards the Hokage and Shizune.
            Tsunade continued glaring at her apprentice for
a moment before flicking some pages of the document on her desk open, perusing
the information then looking back up at the three people assembled before her.
�I�m sure Kakashi�s already told you,� she muttered, �but I brought you all here
for a mission.�
            �Which is where my first question comes
in,� Naruto growled, earning him the rolling eyes of everyone in the room.
�Just what is Yakusho doing here? He�s not a Konoha shinobi! Get him out!�
            The Hokage gave the young man a killing glower
which silenced him abruptly. �It is true that Yakusho is not a Konoha
shinobi,� Tsunade replied, �but he is using our village for his own
accommodations. It seems only fitting that he�pay us back, in a way.�
            �Sounds lovely,� the brown haired boy mumbled
in return.
            �Tsunade-sama,� Shizune spoke up. �Shouldn�t
we wait for the others before beginning the explanation?�
            �Others?� Naruto said, his head tilting like a
puppy listening to a loud noise. �You mean we�re not the only people going on
the mission?�

            �No, you aren�t,� the Hokage stated. �Shut up and be patient.�
            An awkward silence filled the office as the
five people there simply stood, waiting for the �others� that Shizune had
mentioned to arrive. For that period it seemed Naruto could not help but stare
angrily at Yakusho, several curse words rising to his mouth but never passing
his lips as he mumbled unhappily. Yakusho for his part pretty much ignored
Naruto, keeping his eyes off the blonde and focused on other things such as the
various paintings in the room or the Hokage herself. Sakura was forced to watch
this display in mute fascination and sadness. All she could think was that when
both Naruto and Yakusho acted like this, it was like looking into her past. At
that precise moment, Yakusho was acting a lot like their former teammate � aloof
and apathetic towards Naruto.
            There was a sharp knock at the door that broke
the pink-haired girl out of her thoughts. Tsunade called out to the guards to
let them in, not wanting to have Yakusho answer the door a second time after
what happened between him and Naruto. As the frame creaked open Naruto turned
his head to see who was joining them, and instantly his face lit up. Stepping
into the Hokage�s main office were the three members of Team Eight, which happened
to include Hinata. Upon seeing her it was as if none of what had transpired had
actually happened to him, or rather that he didn�t care. If Hinata was coming
with him on this mission, that fact alone would make Yakusho tolerable.
            �Ohayo, Hinata-chan!� Naruto called, waving at
her in the small room. The pale-eyed girl smiled and waved back to him despite
how close they actually were, which earned a grunt from Kiba. He, as well as
Hinata, did not look particularly awake just yet, his eyes half-lidded and dark
with the bags that still hung from them. As usual Shino managed to make himself
look like he wasn�t a regular human being, as the way his attire hid his facial
expressions it appeared as though he were wide awake. Somewhere in the back of
his own subconscious, Naruto wouldn�t have been surprised if Shino truly was
wide awake.
            �Are you finished?� Tsunade asked, grumbling.
For the first time everyone else in the room noticed how tired she looked as
well, but thought better of commenting on it for their own sakes. �I assume
everyone is here?�
            �Hai, Hokage-sama,� came Shino�s deep reply.
            �Good, then I can begin,� she sighed. �You�re
probably completely unaware, but we received a message of some importance from
Sunagakure early this morning. It is the reason you�re all here.�
            �And what exactly is that supposed to
mean?� Yakusho asked petulantly.
            From the way Shino�s head tilted in his
direction, it could have been safe to assume that the bug-user was shooting the
Ryumoto lad a harsh look underneath his sunglasses. The Hokage on the other
hand was busy gripping the papers in front of her tightly to suppress her rage.
            �The letter is from the Kazekage himself,�
Tsunade stated, gritting her teeth. �It seems that there are spies amongst the
shinobi of Sunagakure who are selling off both its and our military secrets.�
            Eyes widened in shock across the whole room
from that statement, save for Yakusho and Shino, who simply raised an eyebrow
and adjusted glasses respectively.
            �Spies?� Sakura mumbled over the words.
�Who�re they selling the info to?�
            �Of that we aren�t sure,� Tsunade said, looking
over the reports and the letter itself. �We are hoping to apprehend the spies
and question them if possible. This top secret mission plan was sent with the
letter, and is to be read by the leader of the mission. Aburame Shino?�
            Shino nodded to the Hokage and stood up, taking
a tightly bound scroll from her. This exchange meant he was not only in charge
of this joint mission, but he was also being left with the trust of two of the
greatest shinobi in the world to date.
            �I will peruse it soon,� the Aburame boy stated
calmly. �When do we depart?�
            �You will leave in an hour�s time,� the blonde
woman ordered. �Have your things readied for a three day trip there and back.
You will meet with the team from Sunagakure at the country�s border at the
coordinates in the scroll. That is all.�
            There was a room-wide utterance of �Hai,
Hokage-sama!� before the teams filed out of the office. Tsunade sighed,
looking up at Shizune drowsily.
            �Get me some coffee or something, I can�t stand
being up this early!� she whimpered.

            Things after the meeting were a bit hectic.
Sakura, Naruto and Hinata decided to run off as quickly as possible and snag a
quick breakfast at Ichiraku�s, an idea which was suggested by Sakura herself.
Teuchi was just setting things up for the day as they arrived, but was willing
to allow his best customer and his friends in a bit early for some breakfast on
a day they had a mission. As they ate the various forms of ramen they had
selected, the conversation wavered between Sakura�s training with Lee and the
relationship between Naruto and Hinata. Very little of the conversation
revolved around Konoha�s newest inhabitant, since both women decided it would be
best to not let Naruto fume over it. When at last breakfast was finished,
Sakura willingly paid for it with her own money, an act which earned her a
rather vicious hug from the blonde. The three shinobi said short farewells
before racing back to their homes to prepare for the mission at hand.
            Just as the clock rounded the hour the dual
groups of shinobi met at the gates of Konoha. There were short hellos and
greetings passed around, save for Yakusho who kept to himself and shrugged off
anyone�s attempts to get close to him. Shino made sure everyone triple checked
their supplies before they even thought of leaving. Disaster in any shape
wouldn�t be accepted on this mission. When all of the standard preparation was
complete the mystery-shrouded leader turned his sights on the newest member of
the village, his appearance seemingly to be laden with contempt but showing
none.
            �I want you to understand something, Ryumoto
Yakusho,� Shino stated grimly. �We know next to nothing about you. The only
reason you are here is to repay your debt to the village for allowing you to
stay. I cannot say I even begin to trust you. With that said�if even for a
moment you think of running out on us, we will deal with you.�
            Yakusho ignored Shino�s threat with an advanced
apathy, giving a deep yawn as he turned around to face the forest. �Yeah, yeah,
whatever,� he grumbled.
            Naruto�s brow furrowed in anger at the
village�s guest as he turned to the mission�s leader. �Who will we be meeting
up with?�
            �I don�t know just yet,� Shino stated. �We
will know later when I have the chance to read the mission parameters from the
scroll. Until that time, we�re ready to go. Kiba, you�re on point. Hinata,
you take the rear. Everyone else in the middle of the formation with me. Move
out!�
            Everyone but Yakusho gave the team leader a
salute before bounding off into the trees. The mission had begun!

            The midday sun shone through the foliage of the
Fire Country brightly that day. Beams of pure light danced across the skin of
each shinobi as they hustled through the dense forests to their destination.
They had only been on foot for about six hours but were making good time. At
the rate at which they were going, they would easily make it to the rendezvous
point on time, something that Hinata assured everyone made Shino pleased, even
if he didn�t show it.
            It was at this time that Sakura broke away from
Shino and Naruto and moved towards the anti-social Ryumoto boy. Thoughts had
been flowing through her head since she had met him that morning, and many of
the questions she had could only be answered by him. Slowly she moved beside
him, and wearing her most authentic smile she started the conversation.
            �We haven�t really gotten a chance to be
introduced,� she stated. �My name�s Haruno Saku��
            �Listen,� Yakusho interrupted, �I don�t really
give two shits who you are. I�m here to do my part and make a living. Don�t
think I�m going to get attached or something.�
            �Hey!� Naruto shouted from only a few feet
away. �Watch your goddamn mouth!�
            Sakura on the other hand simply waved off
Yakusho�s harsh words, giving back a very devilish grin to their guest. �It�s
okay Naruto,� she said. �If he wants to be pissy, let him.�
            �Finally,� the brown-haired shinobi retorted,
�someone who understands.�
            He and Sakura shared a devious smirk as they
reveled in Yakusho�s twisted sense of humor.
            The rest of the day�s journey played out
silently, with only a few conversations between them and their destination. As
the sun began to set and daylight began to wither, Shino called a halt to the
trek, ordering the group to set up camp for the night and prepare for dinner.
Half of them set up the tents while the other half went out to collect wood for
the fire. The cooking began just as the last rays of the sun disappeared over
the horizon and finished forty minutes afterwards. They ate a stew made of
potatoes, carrots and pork which Naruto stated overzealously was quite good.
Everyone but Yakusho joined in the laughter and occasional beating that was
their dinner, having a wonderful time forgetting they were on a mission and what
that entailed.
            However, that didn�t stop Hinata from thinking
endlessly and restlessly, even as Shino ordered them to get some rest and she
lay in her sleeping bag next to Sakura and Naruto. Even then she continued to
stare upward at the sky, pondering the state of affairs her life was in right
now.
            Ever since the other day when Naruto had
discovered her habit of reading his sensei�s perverted novels, Hinata had been
contemplating her relationship with the blonde. At first she had been
unquestioning and joyful, but as of late she had been forced to smile more often
than once. It wasn�t that she didn�t love Naruto. It was that she was afraid
he didn�t love her back. It was hard enough keeping the news which moved like
wildfire across Konoha from pervading her family�s compound and ears, but now
she was tasked with the thought that maybe Naruto simply went out with her to
avoid hurting her feelings. She knew those thoughts were irrational, but she
had started out having low self-confidence. Those old habits of hers rose to
the surface the more she followed this horrid train of thought. Worse still,
when she did think rationally about Naruto, her mind traveled to its
�less pure� sides.
            Hinata rolled over and her side and whimpered,
squeezing her pillow over her eyes and ears to block out the ambience of the
forest. She was going to go insane if she kept this up. What she needed now
was sleep.
            That came in about four seconds as Naruto
accidentally struck out in his dream and knocked his own girlfriend
unconscious. The dark-haired shinobi passed out with a goofy grin on her face
and a happy sigh.

            When the dark-haired beauty awoke the next
morning, it was with a groan of pain. She rubbed the back of her head, feeling
the swollen bump. She turned to the only remaining member in the tent, the
blonde�s hand extended near her sleeping bag, and did the math. With an angry
growl but a cute smirk she whapped her boyfriend across the head, causing him to
shoot through the roof of the tent as he cried out in pain. She giggled at him
and told him it was �revenge�, to which he gave a few stupid blinks and sighed,
saying he was sorry for whatever it was he had done. They kissed and that was
that.
            Breakfast was short and consisted of bread and
water. Naruto obviously complained but Shino refused to get into an argument
about it, shooting Naruto his classic �who is the leader?� glare before
returning to packing up the camp. Yakusho surprisingly offered the most help,
though he did so without really asking and without really saying much. In
merely forty-five minutes from their six o�clock wake-up they were on the road
again, speeding towards the rendezvous.
            During the trip, Shino explained the plan he
had read in the scroll before going to sleep, and made sure everyone knew their
part in it. Their actions and reactions to everything had to be perfect if this
was going to succeed. He had been about to mention to Naruto to be exceedingly
observant of this fact, but the blonde beat him to the obvious jab and told
everyone he�d try his best. It was the first time Naruto of all people had ever
gotten Shino to raise his eyebrows in near-shock.
            It took the group of six shinobi roughly five
hours to reach the border of the River Country, one of the small countries that
stood between the Fire Country and Wind Country. It was on the other side of
this small patch of land that the Konoha shinobi would meet up with the Suna
shinobi. As they crossed the border their anticipation could be felt in the air
around them. They were all both eager and worried about the coming meeting,
though it showed more on the faces of Hinata and Sakura than any other. Naruto
of course wore the same over-eager grin he always wore in situations like these,
proving either that no challenge frightened him or that he was really as stupid
as everyone thought.
            They finally reached the border between the
River Country and the Wind Country at about four o�clock. The scenery change
was drastic as all but Yakusho leapt from the forest, landing on the ground
before a nearly endless desert. The village�s tag-along decided to rest himself
against one of the towering trees near the border, watching the rest of them in
silence.
            �This is the place,� Shino stated, re-adjusting
his sunglasses.
            �Yakusho, you gonna come down from there?�
Naruto called out to his current roommate. The response from the taller male
was a loud grunt and a turn of the head, signifying a strong no.
            �Alright, whatever,� Naruto sighed, turning
back to the desert before them. �Well, we�re on time�where are they?�
            �Relax Naruto,� Kiba smirked, patting Akamaru.
�They�ll be here. You know how those Suna shinobi are��
            As if on queue the sands of the desert kicked
up suddenly and formed a tornado of sand not too far from the Konoha shinobi.
As the sands and winds died down the silhouettes of the Suna shinobi and their
group appeared, the giant wooden salamander puppet signaling the Jounin that had
come to meet them. Along with him were several chuunin members of Suna, all of
who looked eager for their mission.
            �It�s been a while,� Kankuro�s deep voice
called out. �I was beginning to wonder if you�d ever get here.�
            �We apologize if we are late,� Shino responded,
knowing full well they were ahead of time. �How are things on your end?�
            �On schedule for the most part,� the
puppet-master replied. His hand raised and pointed at Yakusho in the trees, a
twitch of worry in his eyes. �Who�s that? Friend of yours?�
            �You could say that,� Naruto growled
exasperatedly. �Don�t pay any attention to him.�
            Yakusho�s only reply was a disinterested
�cheh�.
            �So, what�s the status of the mission?� Shino
asked.
            �We haven�t tracked down the spies yet,�
Kankuro said, relaxing on his puppet. �The last reports we got stated that they
pass the information through communiqu�s in the River Country. That�s why we
called the meeting here.�
            �Well then,� the bug-user sighed. �I guess we
should start looking.�
            �Indeed,� the Sand Jounin chuckled. �I guess
we should.�
            A loud clicking noise filled the air as
Sanshouo, Kankuro�s largest puppet to date, turned towards the other Suna
shinobi and opened its large mouth, expelling a large cloud of poison smoke over
the other members of Kankuro�s team. It didn�t take long for the thick purple
gas to encapsulate the hapless shinobi, forcing them to leap out of it. A
twisted little grin placed itself on Kankuro�s face as they landed not more than
ten feet from him, looking at him like he was crazy.
            �Don�t even try to fool us,� Shino spoke
coolly, �we know you�re the spies.�
            �It was sort of obvious when you were the only
five to not volunteer for this mission,� Kankuro snickered. �For
shinobi, you�re half-assed.�
            The five spies looked at one another and gave a
unified shrug of defeat before throwing off their disguises. Gone were the
facsimiles of sand-beaten faces and desert hardened skin. What stood before
them were five individuals who had spent the majority of their lives in greener
places, a fact which was easily determined by the light layers of clothing they
wore, and the hitai-ate that had replaced the ones of Sunagakure. The most
notable of them were the three that occupied the middle of the line they had
formed: one was surprisingly tall, while another kept his face shrouded in a
thick gas mask. The most frightening of them however was the kunoichi, who
stood hunched over as she fondled her deranged and wicked looking set of kris
knives.
            �Well I�ll be damned,� the puppet-master
chuckled, �Kusa shinobi. Who would have thought it?�
            �Certainly not you,� the tallest of the five
snorted. Like his companions, he wore a long green cloak and head-guard,
complimented by other assorted green clothing. However, his cloak was longer
and a darker shade than the rest of his companions, leading Kankuro to believe
him to be their leader. �I�m amazed the charade lasted as long as it did.�
            �That�s the Sand for you,� Kiba chuckled.
�Always slow to catch on.�
            �Shut your yap, dog,� Kankuro hissed before
returning his attention to the Kusa shinobi. �Out with it. Why are you spying
on us?�
            �The only way you�re going to get the answer to
that question,� the spies� leader snickered, �is by taking it from our
bleeding throats!�
            The Kusa-nin�s statement was followed by his
first attack. With a wave of his arm he threw a large orb into the air which
exploded at the zenith of its ascent, sending a wave of kunai in hundreds of
directions at once. Years of training rose to the forefront of their minds as
each Konoha shinobi and the one Suna-nin dodged and blocked the scattering
assault, Yakusho doing nothing more than bringing his blade up to deflect the
weapon, shrugging his shoulder as he heard the dull thud of it sticking into the
tree behind him.
            �Is that the best you�ve got?!� Kankuro
snapped. �It figures, you Kusa shinobi have always been lackluster.�
            �You shouldn�t be so presumptuous,� the female
Kusa-nin snickered, licking her lips. �We have many tricks up our sleeves.�
            A small hissing noise began to fill the air as
the kris-wielding woman pressed her hands together in a generic seal, releasing
her charka into the air. It took a mere moment for Naruto to locate the cause
of the noise, and another moment for him to utter a single word due to it.
            �SHIT!� he cursed just before the explosive
tags on every last kunai blew up, thrusting the whole mission into a state of
chaos. Flames and smoke cluttered the border between the River Country and the
Wind Country, several of the forest�s trees now splintered and fallen from the
force of the blasts. As Naruto rolled to his feet he checked for Yakusho, but
could not locate him before the rest of the battle began. The five Kusa shinobi
pounced on the Jinchuuriki and his allies like panthers, pressing the advantage
their surprise attack had given them. The push was denied as the bodies of the
allied shinobi exploded in a wave of kikaichu, Shino�s sunglasses flickering in
the light as two of the assailants were covered in the black beetles, their
charka slowly drained away to nothing before they collapsed on the floor,
abandoned by their fleeing comrades.
            �That�s why you don�t mess with Konoha!� Kiba
called.
            The nin-ken trainer�s cry of victory was short
lived as the other three Kusa shinobi burst from the ground, pinning Shino,
himself and Kankuro to the ground. The three struggled at their attackers to no
avail as each one of the green-clothed assailants clapped their hands together.
As they withdrew their palms, bright blue chakra strings could be seen
connecting their digits. With much haste they used the ropes of energy to bind
the three males, tying their ankles and wrists together before snapping a set
around their chests. Shino attempted valiantly to counter with his kikaichu as
Akamaru leapt at them, but the spies� leader swiftly knocked the bug-user
unconscious as the mask-wearing spy subdued and tied up Akamaru to prevent any
interference. The task was completed so swiftly that the other Konoha shinobi
had barely noticed it had happened before it was too late to stop it.
            �What the hell?!� Kankuro snarled, struggling
against his bonds. �What the hell are these?!�
            �Those,� the masked attacker breathed, �are our
newest weapon. They continue to drain your chakra and feed it to us, all the
while slowly constricting and tightening around your body. In a short time they
will cut right through you. Devious and delightful, aren�t they?�
            �They what?!� Kiba yelped just before his voice
was cut off by a yell of pain. He struggled against his bonds to no avail, his
strength already waning.
            �Kankuro! Shino! Kiba!� Naruto cried out. The
Kusa shinobi were between him and his friends, all of who were suffering at the
hands of their attackers. Worst of all, he could not find a single trace of
Yakusho since the explosions, and assumed the worst.
            �What do we do?� Sakura asked the blonde. The
look on her face suggested she had no ideas to speak of.
            �What else should we do?� Naruto spoke in his
most commanding tone to hide his fears. �Beat the crap out of these sorry
assholes.�
            �Sounds like a plan to me,� Hinata agreed as
she stepped up beside him. �There�s no way I�m just letting them treat my team
like that.�
            The dark-haired kunoichi flashed Naruto a meek
smile as she finished her words. Despite how frightened she obviously was, she
was not willing to simply back down and go home. The edge of Naruto�s lips
curved in a slight smirk as he admired her for a split second, then returned to
the moment at hand.
            �Split up,� Naruto whispered to his teammates.
�Pick a target and stick with it until it dies.� Three silent nods of agreement
followed his statement.
            �They look so willing to die,� the
kris-wielding girl snickered. �Shall we usher them into early graves?�
            �I do indeed like the sound of that,� the
shortest replied, the eyes of his gas mask seeming to light up.
            �Then let�s indulge them, shall we?� their
leader announced, grinning ear to ear.
            The turning of sand and dirt filled the air as
the six shinobi raced towards each other. All six crashed together then split
apart, landing face to face with their opponents: Sakura faced the crazed
looking kunoichi, Naruto was pitted against the one wearing the gas mask, and
Hinata found herself staring down the spies� leader. The sound of the gusting
wind hollered in each of their ears, waves of sand from the desert to the west
scattering into the air about them. The tension rose quickly, each shinobi
waiting for the other to make the first move, each waiting for their opportunity
to strike.
            Naruto struck first, throwing shuriken at his
opponent while Sakura and Hinata quickly followed suit, attacking their desired
targets. The Hyuuga girl thrust forward with a palm strike to the Kusa leader�s
shoulder while Sakura lashed out with a series of attacks that put her opponent
on the defensive. Hinata�s opponent was more experienced than she had expected,
dodging what would have been a crippling blow and pushing her back. The heiress
and the Kusa leader backed off and circled each other, feinting strikes and
dodging them in turn.
Meanwhile, Naruto and his
opponent had kunai locked together, attempting to press their advantage before
breaking away and circling one another. Naruto could tell that this shinobi with
the gas mask wasn�t much for taijutsu, which meant he would either launch his
attack with ninjutsu or genjutsu. The jinchuuriki boy shivered inwardly:
genjutsu and avoiding it were not Naruto�s strength. He prayed to
whatever gods were watching over him that that was not the case.

Not too far away from the other
two battles, Sakura and her opponent faced off. The medic girl quivered
slightly as she drank in the crazed gaze of the Kusa kunoichi. The
kris-wielding woman drew her weapons to her face, licking over the blade.
�So, I get a little girl, eh?�
the sadistic girl muttered �You look like a screamer. I can�t wait to find out
just how loud you scream as I slowly peel off your skin.�
Sakura had to fight back the bile
rising in her throat. Great, she thought to herself, I got the psycho
bitch. Deciding to put her training with Rock Lee to use, she assumed the
infamous stance of Goken, using her outstretched hand to perform a �come hither�
motion. �Alright, bring it! We�ll see just how much screaming I do.�
The Kusa kunoichi licked her kris
once again with glee. Something about the motion seemed to remind Sakura of so
many crazed individuals she had met in her life. It was that look: the
one that denoted a total lack of sanity.
�I�m going to enjoy gutting you,
little girl!� the bloodthirsty kunoichi squealed. She dashed forward, charging
Sakura, slashing at the pink haired teenager�s outstretched arm with one kris,
stabbing at her gut with the other. Sakura spun violent, dodging the oncoming
daggers before catching the crazed girl�s arm with one hand and throwing her
some distance away with her chakra-induced strength. The Kusa girl gave a
slight grunt as she hit the ground, rolling back to her feet quickly only to see
Sakura coming at her, right fist cocked for a punch as she slammed the fist down
at her opponent. The green-cloaked shinobi had no choice but to block the punch,
readying her kris to stab at Sakura�s stomach as she came in for the assault.
Instead, the murderous kunoichi
was greeted with a loud crack as her arm broke under the furious power of
Sakura�s attack. With a scream the girl from Kusagakure was sent skidding
across the ground, coming to a stop only when she collided with a nearby tree,
shockwaves rippling about the large object from the force of the impact, causing
a the surrounding area to rain leafs for a moment..
�Who�s screaming now?� Sakura
grinned

No more than ten feet from where
Sakura was battling, Naruto found himself playing defense against his opponent.
The Kusa-nin used his favorable position to throw a poison smoke bomb at Naruto,
whose first instinct was to use a shuriken to detonate it in mid-air. Instantly
Naruto�s face was filled with purple smoke, his lungs quickly burning as he
inhaled only a whiff of the substance. His need for survival kicked in rapidly,
his body almost controlling itself as he leapt out of the cloud of death. It
was made quickly apparent to the jinchuuriki that his choice had been the right
one, as the purple gas slowly began to kill all the plant life near it. As soon
as the blonde landed however, the Kusa-nin drove his kunai through Naruto�s
chest, only to have the orange-and-black-clad shinobi explode in a cloud of
smoke.
�Kage Bunshin?� The confused man
muttered, scanning the area. As he turned around, several different versions of
Naruto appeared from the trees, each flashing his trademark smirk.
            �You�re going down!� each of them called out.
            The gas mask wearing shinobi chuckled, his
voice hallowed by the filtrator on the mask. �Line yourself up for the
slaughter? I couldn�t be more thankful!�            With that, he slapped
together a few hand seals quickly, the black domes of the mask�s eyes glinting
in the sunlight before he released his chakra.
�Kusa Hari!�
Each blade of grass within the
shinobi�s immediate area began to stand and straighten, their tips aimed towards
the blonde jinchuuriki. There was a snapping sound as each piece sharpened, a
white gleam passing over them as their apparent sharpness was revealed, before
the attack was finally launched. Thousands of needles made of grass flung from
the ground at Naruto�s clones, slicing through the air before digging into the
multiple bodies of Kage Bunshin, each one the countless number of clones
bursting into chakra smoke, one body being impaled over and over again by the
storm of grass before collapsing on the ground.
            �You lose,� the masked shinobi cackled.
            He was shocked to see Naruto slowly standing
up, grinning ear to ear. �Gotcha,� he muttered, just before he burst into
chakra smoke.
            There was no time for him to avoid Naruto�s
surprise attack as five more Naruto burst from the ground. Two attached to the
mask wearer�s legs and two to his arms, restraining him as the fifth jumped on
his back. Naruto himself pulled a kunai from his pouch and wordlessly pressed
the blade against the man�s throat and drew it across the flesh, slitting it
open. The blonde stepped off his victim as he bled out, the Kage Bunshin clones
disappearing one by one before the mask wearing Kusa-nin dropped dead on the
grass.
            �That�s one down,� Naruto mused as he turned to
his friends.

Hinata�s opponent was a tough
one, slipping around her strikes with ease, gauging her abilities and only
occasionally flicking a kunai or shuriken out at her, which the Hyuuga heiress
would quickly block with her own kunai and shuriken. Hinata could tell he was
just toying with her, trying to make her show the extent of her abilities before
finishing her off. Her speed wasn�t quite that of her cousin�s, so she couldn�t
simply lunge in and finish him off.
With her Byakugan she could see
Naruto and Sakura fighting, both of them already going for the final blows. Once
they were finished all three of them could work together to capture the spies�
leader, and the Sunagakure interrogators could pump him for information.
Hinata gasped jumped to the side
as she dodged another volley of shuriken. She would just have to keep him
occupied until the other two could join her.

The Kusa kunoichi�s face twisted
into a malicious snarl as she stared down Sakura. She slowly got to her feet,
one arm hanging limply at her side as she spat at the pink haired girl.
�You�you�you little BITCH!� She
hissed violently. �I�ll gut you. I�ll gut you, you little bitch! No one hurts
Kureji like that and gets away with it!�
With a yell, she charged at
Sakura. To this attack the pink-haired kunoichi simply smirked, steadying
herself.
This is it, she thought,
let�s see if I can actually pull it off�
Sakura dropped back, her body
falling back before landing on her palms. With perfect timing she kicked up her
left foot and caught Kureji in her jaw, sending the girl flying up into the
sky. The crazed kunoichi flew in a dazed arc before Sakura appeared behind her,
the use of Kage Buyo putting the light haired girl directly behind her
opponent�s projectile body. Sakura flashed a grin of self satisfaction as she
glared at the bewildered expression from the Kusa girl who had turned her neck
to see.
�Here�s a little tidbit,� Sakura
growled, �I only scream when I�m enjoying myself.�
With a loud �hiyah!�
Sakura delivered a mid-air kick that caught Kureji in her broken arm, causing
the airborne spy to cry out in pain. Tsunade�s apprentice quickly spun her body
and delivered a backhand to the face of her opponent. Continuing with her
momentum, the pink-haired medic whirled around on top of her opponent and struck
out with a sharp punch to Kureji�s gut. As the rest of her speed carried her
into the final spin she delivered a bone shattering, chakra-infused heel drop to
the woman�s stomach, sending her careening into the ground like a comet as she
cried out the name of the attack she had spent weeks attempting to perfect.
            �Shishi Rendan!!!�
            The female spy�s body crashed into the grassy
earth, blasting a small crater in the ground the shape of her body thanks to the
sheer force behind Sakura�s attack. Her form was twisted and broken, the glaze
over her dilated eyes indicating her death.
Sakura landed not too gracefully,
wobbling a bit from the exertion the move had put on her. She stood there
panting, looking at her hands with accomplishment in her eyes.
�I did it!� she cried with
victory. �I actually freakin� did it! Shannaro! Nobody can doubt the
power of Haruno Sakura anymore!�
With a deep smile she turned in
the direction of her blonde teammate, the two sharing thumbs up as they stood by
the corpses of their opponents. Sakura made her way over to Naruto to regroup
and defeat the last of the three.
Before she could even reach the
boy however, the spies� leader leapt from the bushes to Naruto�s right and
tackled him to the ground. Sakura gasped in distress as Hinata appeared from
the same bushes, a look of utter defeat on her face. The heiress must have lost
the spies� leader in their fight, only to have him attack the boy she was deeply
in love with.
            The two shinobi struggled momentarily before
the Kusa leader stood up and kicked Naruto towards his female partners. Much
like the rest of their team, Naruto was now bound by blue chakra wires that
slowly constricted against his body, threatening to kill him.
�Damn it!� he yelled, squirming
against his bonds. �Let me go you bastard!�
�Let Naruto-kun go!� Hinata
yelled, readying herself for a fight again.
�I�m afraid that�s just not on
the schedule,� he chuckled. �Now if you�ll excuse me, I must be going. Have
fun watching your friend die.�
Both girls had to quickly jump
back to avoid the man�s hastily thrown shuriken, only to look up with
disappointment as he ran off into the woods. Without even stopping to think
Hinata raced after him, leaving Sakura behind to attempt to rescue Naruto from
certain death.
She would have to place all her
trust in the pink-haired medic.

Sakura knelt down beside her
cursing blonde teammate, attempting to use her kunai to cut the glowing blue
ropes holding Naruto in place. After several failed attempts and close calls
with cutting herself, Sakura huffed angrily and tossed the tool aside.
�It�s useless,� she cursed, �I
can�t cut it, Naruto. Nothing I do will break it. If only Shino weren�t out
cold��
            �Th-then there�s only one real option!� Kiba
yelled out from his spot not too far away. Sakura was taken aback by his sudden
speaking, as if he had completely vanished during the fight and had just
suddenly reappeared. �You�ve got to go kill the bastard that put us in these.
If they�re connected to his chakra, killing him should do the trick!�
Sakura frowned in worry, but
conceded Kiba�s point. �Alright, I�ll go. Don�t any of you go dying on me!�
�Wouldn�t plan on it!� Naruto
grinned confidently, grunting slightly as he felt his chest pressed against by
the ropes. �Now hurry!�
Giving her teammate a reassuring
squeeze on the shoulder she took off.
No one had yet noticed there was
still one person missing amongst the group of shinobi.

Foliage zoomed past the heiress
in her desperate chase on the final spy. She didn�t exactly know what had
possessed her to chase him so feverishly. Perhaps it was that it was her
mission, or maybe it was the sneaking suspicion that he had control over what
had her friends captured, but she wasn�t going to stop now.
Finally she could see the back of
his head. Looking about her she found the perfect tree branch and leapt for
it. Using it like a springboard she propelled herself ahead of the fleeing spy,
both of them exiting the forest on the border of the Wind Country, Hinata
landing in front of him and cutting him off.
�Stop where you are!� she shouted
in her most commanding tone. �Release Naruto-kun and the others!� Hinata�s eyes
shifted as she activated her Byakugan, slipping back into her fighting stance.
The spy tilted his head as he
inspected Hinata, taking an immediate interest in her eyes and the veins bulging
around them. �A Hyuuga?� he smirked gleefully. �I bet you don�t even know how
much Kumogakure would pay for those pretty lavender jewels in your head.�
Hinata�s breath caught in her
throat at the mention of that village. �Is�is that who you�re funneling
your information to!?�
The Kusa spy snorted
disdainfully. �Hardly,� he croaked, �Its just that the price of a Hyuuga�s eyes
are quite fetching in Kumogakure, especially after that failed attempt the
kidnap the Heiress twelve years ago.�
Hinata�s entire form trembled.
The incident with Kumogakure all those years ago had nearly destroyed her
entirely family. It had been the birth of Neji�s old self who was obsessed with
his unchangeable fate, and it was what had bred her father�s distaste for her
incompetence. Hinata bit her lips hard in a sudden realization: Naruto had been
her family�s saving grace. Without him, they would have fallen apart.
Completely unaware of her inner
thoughts, the Kusa-nin continued with his dialogue. �Though, we could simply
ship those pale things off to Kumogakure,� he mused, �and keep the rest of you.�
He gave Hinata a once over. �They can have your eyes. We can keep the rest of
you.�
Hinata gulped. The mere thought
that someone other than Naruto found her body pleasing was reassuring. Yet, in
this case, it was also disgusting. It made her feel sick to her stomach that he
was actually considering using her like that.
�When did the Grass Country
become so filled with filth such as yourself?� she asked him, her voice choking.
�When did Konoha become so weak
as to let a woman be their Hokage?� came his sinister reply.
�The Godaime is more a ninja than
you�ll ever be!� Hinata shouted, amazed at her own strength of voice. �Now
release my friends!�
�I don�t think so,� the man
sighed. �In less than three minutes, the chakra bound into the wires will begin
to slice through them. I�m going to enjoy hearing them all scream.�
�I SAID LET MY FRIENDS GO!�
Hinata screamed.
Hinata flew forward, eyes
glimmering in rage as she thrust forward with an open palm. The lead spy
anticipated her hasty attack and merely swerved to the side, bringing a knee
into Hinata�s gut. The heiress stumbled back and coughed up a patch of blood as
she ungraciously stood her ground. Her face twisted into an angry glare - a
sight that was truly frightening any Hyuuga face � before she lunged forward,
swerving around his body in one fluid and graceful motion, slamming two open
palms into his back. There was a loud pshht as chakra flew through her
open hands, her attack stabbing through the tenketsu of his lungs and heart.
�You bitch!� he coughed, blood
flying from his lips as he pushed off of her. Reaching into the pouch located
at his hip, the man threw several seeds towards the Hyuuga girl. The Byakugan
clearly showed they were infused with his chakra, which could only mean they
were trouble.
It�s now or never, Hinata
decided, I have to use it!
            Hinata stood her ground and quickly
concentrated, chakra seeping through her hands and forming the weapons she would
use to defend herself. As the invisible blades formed Hinata�s body went into
overdrive, arms and palms firing off in almost every direction at blinding
speeds.
            �Shugohakke! Rokujyuu Yonshou!�
Each individual seed was cut down
in the air, sliced open and tossed aside by Hinata�s absolute defense. The spy
looked with awe as her arms moved in a flurry, cutting his attack to shreds in a
second. What was left of the chakra-infused seeds finally found their marks on
trees and the ground, exploding in a small bout of spiked plant growth. Such an
attack could easily have been fatal had it connected with her body.
�You didn�t honestly think it
would be that easy, did you?� Hinata breathed, eyeing the extensive growth from
his attack.
The Kusa-nin smirked darkly. �No,
I suppose not. The Hyuuga are reputed to be the strongest clan in Konoha, after
all.�
Wordlessly he reached into his
pouch and pulled out a single plant seed. Holding it in his mouth he performed
three hand seals then placed it in his palm, where it grew into a long,
thorn-covered whip. With a sinister, lecherous grin that made Hinata shiver, he
snapped the whip at his side, motioning to her. �See this? It�s going to become
your best friend when we get you to Kusagakure.�
With that the spy lashed out at
Hinata with his whip. Hinata was unable to believe the audacity of her opponent,
and was barely able to deflect the whip with one of her palm strikes due to her
occupied mind. The whip returned to his side shortly, the Kusa-nin licking his
lips with mock satisfaction. With a short flick of his wrist he began
channeling more of his chakra into the weapon before striking again. This time
when he struck his attacks flew at incredible speed, almost too fast for
Hinata�s Byakugan to follow. It quickly became evident to Hinata that the only
thing preventing him from attempting to kill her was his own lust and greed.
Despite her best efforts, her thinking was her undoing as one attack made it
through her defense, the long thorns of the whip embedding themselves into her
right leg. With a cry of pain she grabbed the weapon and dislodged it, falling
back on one knee.
The lead spy smirked as he pulled
out another seed from his pouch. �Now to keep you quiet,� he muttered, the seed
expelling a pink smoke. As it hit Hinata�s face she coughed, her vision
blurring before she was knocked unconscious.
With that job done, the spy
turned to face the sun in the desert, chuckling. �Now to go finish off that
pink-haired slut. I hope Kureji didn�t damage her too much. She looks
delicious.�
�DYNAMIC ENTRY!�
He didn�t even see the foot
coming as it collided with his jaw, sending him flying out into the field and
skidding across the ground. As soon as he regained his senses he rolled back to
his feet, rubbing his jaw in pain.
�Nobody calls me a pink-haired
slut and lives to gloat about it!� Sakura bellowed, now standing beside the
unconscious Hyuuga heiress.
�You know,� the spy said as he
stood, �it�s too bad Kureji wasn�t able to take care of you herself. Then
again�that would have left you horribly disfigured, and impregnating a
disfigured female is quite troublesome.�
Sakura�s body trembled with rage
at the words coming from the Kusa-nin�s mouth. �You�re disgusting!� she yelled.
�How dare you say things like that to me and Hinata!? You sir, are getting an
ass whooping extraordinaire! Shannaro!�
The other shinobi didn�t even
bother to register her words. �You should be thankful,� he said. �Unlike your
friend, I don�t plan on disfiguring you. She�s going to have her eyes sold on
the black market in Kumogakure. The rest of her will be used to restart her clan
in our village.�
�As if I�d sit here and let you
do that!� Sakura growled as she leapt forward, focusing chakra into her legs to
increase her speed. She drew her arm back just enough to throw a punch with
significant force behind it, aimed straight at the spy�s face. It connected with
a loud crack, sending the man tumbling across the ground for the second
time. Recovering quickly he sprung to his feet, performing three hand seals and
launching a Kusa Hari attack at the medic-nin, thousands of small needles of
grass slicing through the air at her. The sound of each needle finding its home
in a place in her body echoed through the clearing up until her body exploded in
chakra smoke, leaving a small log in her place.
The Kusa-nin cursed vehemently as
he scanned the area in search of his prey. A moment later a pale skinned hand
burst from the ground, latching onto his ankles and attempting to pull him down.
Despite the clever move, Sakura was disappointed upon climbing out of the earth,
discovering that her opponent had been nothing but a Kusa Bunshin as blades of
grass replaced his body. Her instincts told her she had fallen into a trap, but
her body did not respond in time as the ground beneath her exploded in a flurry
of vines which found their home around her form, wrapping around her and
constraining her like a small green prison. She struggled against the
constraints in vain, whimpering as she realized with horror that she was now the
object of this lecherous shinobi�s antics, feeling like the star in some sort of
bondage film.
As Sakura attempted to free
herself from her predicament, the Kusa-nin stepped out of the forest not far
from her, snickering darkly as he made his slow approach. �Enjoy it, you little
pink haired slut?� he snapped, licking his lips in an all too enjoyable manner.
�Oh yes, my abilities can be used outside of battle, you know. I think I�ll
reprise this one on the way home with you and the Hyuuga girl.�
�TO HELL WITH YOU!� Sakura
snarled, spitting on her tormentor�s face in defiance. He responded to her
actions with a quick slap to her face which silenced her.
�Now now,� he chastised as he
caressed her swollen cheek sinisterly, �no need to resist. You�ll learn to enjoy
the attention.� He took a pinch of her skin between his fingers and laughed as
he added, �You have soft skin. You�ll feel very pleasant underneath me.�
Sakura�s face trembled with rage
before she spat on the horrid man again. His face twitched at the feeling of
saliva on his cheeks and with anger he raised his hand, preparing to strike the
medic-nin once more. His attack came short however as the air around him kicked
up and something grabbed onto his wrist and arm, flinging him across the
clearing. The spy landed solidly and his feet and skidded several yards back
before catching his balance, straightening his body to look up at what had
interrupted his delightful mockery of the pink-haired kunoichi.
Standing where he had been was
the tattered and smoked form of Ryumoto Yakusho. His clothing was ratted and
dirtied, a small layer of mud and forest-related debris covering his body. He
remained unmoving, his body locked in the position it had moved into upon
throwing the spy, his sword still gripped in his right hand in that odd reversed
fashion he seemed to prefer. Slowly he adjusted himself and stood straight up,
staring down the man who had trapped Sakura.
�I apologize for being late,�
Yakusho uttered with a slight smirk. �Getting knocked out of an exploding tree
can do wondrous things to you.�
�Another one?� The Kusa shinobi
leader questioned, looking shocked. �No matter�I�ll just deal with you
quickly. Then I can have those two beauties all to myself.�
The spy reached into his pouch
again and produced several more seedlings, which he placed into the palm of the
hand bearing his whip. Chakra flowed through his veins into the seedlings which
caused them to expand and grow around his whip, stiffening and thickening until
the mess of vines became a large blade. Brandishing his new sword the
traitorous shinobi glared at Yakusho, his other palm flickering with a light
blue color.
�Huh, is that so?� the dirtied
teen responded, raising one of his eyebrows. He raised his sword arm and stood
prepared for battle, the blade of his Dragon Fang flickering red. �Let�s get to
it then.�
Yakusho struck first, swinging
his sword in an upward motion across the ground. The area just to the right of
his heels exploded in a small batch of flame and sent a stream of fire screaming
towards his adversary who quickly leapt out of the road, thrusting his left arm
out and firing chakra wires at the flame-wielding shinobi. Yakusho was quick to
react, his first attack stopping as he pulled his sword up into the air before
thrusting it down into the ground, the air immediately around him turning into a
wall of blazing heat which burned the wires away. Both opponents slowly resumed
standing, staring each other down.
�You�re�honestly going to have to
do better than that,� Yakusho quipped.
The spy responded with an eerie
smirk on his face. �Oh, I shall.�
The red-vested shinobi�s eyes
widened as the ground before him exploded, a giant spiked vine racing towards
him along with the man who had sewn it. A single seed that had been tossed as
the Kusa spy had dodged Yakusho�s first attack was all that was needed to create
the attack, and now the green cloaked assailant was using it to his advantage.
Yakusho seemed completely
un-phased by the turn of events, however. Instead of panicking or dodging he
simply turned his body before swinging his arm horizontally, releasing his blade
and sending it spinning towards the Kusa-nin and his attacking vine. Just as
quickly as he had thrown it he placed his hands together in the seal of the
Tiger, causing his sword to erupt in flame and cut straight through the savage
plant. The lead spy quickly ducked down out of the attack as the searing blade
continued its flight before slamming into the side of a nearby tree, the fires
sizzling out as it became lodged in the trunk.
�A lot better than that, too,�
Yakusho snickered.
The man in green stood up slowly,
his lips cracking into a twisted smile. �I�m willing to bet without your sword,
you�re nothing.�
�I�m not willing to take your
money,� came the witty reply. �Now I get to show you something that�ll make
your head explode.�
Sakura took in everything that
happened next with complete attention, should the need arise to retell the story
of what she witnessed. Yakusho slapped his palms together, eyeing the Kusa-nin
as he began a series of hand seals. The seal of the dog came first, seconded by
that of the rabbit. Coming third was the seal of the bird followed by the seal
of the dragon. The fifth seal was one that Sakura had never seen before or read
about in any text book: the index and middle fingers of his left hand covered
the index and middle fingers of his right, his left hand turned inward. The
remaining fingers of each hand were fanned out, thumbs curled inwardly. As soon
as he finished the seal, Yakusho�s lips turned into a smarmy grin.
�Let�s see if you can stop me
now!� he called out. �Ryuuken!�
Red chakra poured out from
Yakusho�s skin and curled around his hands, forming a protective shell around
each one that slowly formed into a set of sinister looking claws. The
chakra-made appendages fit over his original like a set of gloves that pulsated
with his own inner force.
The spy could only stare in shock
at what transpired. �Wh-what the hell is that?!� he shouted.
�The secret art of the Ryumoto
clan,� the clawed shinobi responded. �The last thing you�re gonna see on this
earth!�
With amazing speed Yakusho
launched himself at his challenger, delivering an open-handed swipe at the man�s
face. Though the Kusa-nin dodged the hot-headed shinobi�s real fingers, his
chakra-induced claws met their mark and dug deep into the cheek of the spy,
cutting it open as the strike completed and showering the grass in his blood.
The bewildered spy cried out in pain as he stumbled backward, hissing at
Yakusho.
�You bastard!� he cried. �You�ll
pay for that!�
Once again the shinobi from
Kusagakure reached into his pouch and produced several seedlings which he
quickly poured his chakra into. Each one sprouted into a long whip, and with
one huge swing he attempted to strike the Ryumoto with all of them. Yakusho�s
response was to quickly swing his right claw in the air, an act which
superheated it and created a wave of flame that traveled outward toward the spy
in green, burning through his newest set of vines and scorching his body before
throwing him into a nearby tree.
Battered and beaten, the
perverted spy took one last look upward at his adversary before Yakusho walked
over and grabbed the man by his neck, thrusting the claws of his other hand
straight through the defeated shinobi�s eyes, killing him instantly. The
dark-haired teenager tossed his defeated opponent to the ground as the blood on
his claws sizzled and evaporated just before the chakra weapons receded.
�You okay over there, Pinkie?� he
called to Sakura.
�I will be a thousand
times better if you get these things off me,� she replied, struggling against
her vine restraints. �Ugh�he was sneaking one into my shorts!�
Yakusho�s eye twitched as he
absorbed that statement. �Um�right. I�ll get you out of there.�
He walked over to where his sword
had been stuck and quickly retrieved it, using it to cut Sakura�s bonds. The
pink haired medic-nin thanked the boy who had freed her and quickly raced over
to check on Hinata. After finding her standing dizzily in the forest it became
apparent that she would be absolutely fine. The three made their way back to
where they had left their allies with as much haste as they could muster.

Both females sighed with relief
as they arrived to find each and every one of their friends unharmed. Even the
group�s leader had managed to recover from the earlier attack, standing quite
straight and adjusting his glasses. Naruto and Hinata shared an extended hug
with a quick kiss, which caused Yakusho to roll his eyes.
�Well, despite everything,� Shino
said demurely, �it seems this mission has been a complete success.�
�Agreed!� Naruto exclaimed,
chuckling happily. �We all kicked ass. Even Yakusho.� The man in the red vest
offered a weak �cheh� in response.
�That�s great,� Sakura whimpered,
rubbing her sore arms. �But can we go home now?�
�Yes, I believe it wouldn�t be
wise to keep the Hokage waiting too long, would it?� Kankuro offered with a
smirk.
�Yeah, you�re probably right,�
the blonde conceded. �Alright everyone, let�s hurry back to Konoha!�
�Actually,� a voice uttered from
the air above them, �I was rather hoping that you would join us for dinner in
Sunagakure.�
Seven separate heads turned
upwards to locate the source of the voice. It had come from a man floating in
the air on what looked like a small island made of sand. His clothing was
befitting that of a man living in the desert, flowing robes of light color that
would keep the heat off him and cover his body from the shifting sands. His
hair was a deep blood red, set above his black-rimmed eyes and a blood red
tattoo.
�Gaara?� Naruto�s voice rose with
excitement.

Well it�s about time. Sorry for all the delays, but
life�s rough. First and foremost I need to thank the Silver Warrior for helping
me write the fight scenes. It�s mostly his work, and I never would have
finished this chapter without his help, so give him some applause. Anyway,
chapter three should be much shorter, so look forward to it!
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Dragonheart

Dragonheart