Chapter 5
DISCLAIMER: This is pure fanfiction! I do not own Naruto and please do not distribute!
Naruto, Shikamaru and Ino
"What are you looking for Shikamaru?" Naruto asked curiously as he watched the shadow user search frantically. Shikamaru didn't looked up at him as if noticing him for the first time. Ino walked over to him and took his hand in hers. Shikamaru looked sadly at Ino's face and replied to Naruto.
"Nothing," he said leaning his head on Ino's. Naruto cocked his head to the side, and had a thoughtful look in on his face. Tenten stared dreamily at Naruto's cute face.
"We'll…I'm going to go check out more of the village. Tenten? Guys? Want to come?" Naruto asked them. Shikamaru shook his head. Ino held on tighter to Shikamaru and Tenten giggled.
"No. We're just glad we got to see you. Have fun, Naruto!" Tenten said encouragingly to him. Naruto grinned and winked.
"Of course I will!" he exclaimed and ran off. Jumping on top of building, he sighed. ""Time to open old wounds…" he whispered to himself.
Sasuke and Sakura
"C'mon! Where almost there! I can feel it!" Sasuke exclaimed breathlessly to Sakura as they ran. He couldn't explain it, but his gut feeling was telling him where to go. He hadn't been there since Naruto's disappearance, fearing what the memories would do to him. Making a turn, he skidded to a stop. Panting, he realized where his gut had led him. The training area. The place where Team 7 began.
"Sasuke...?!" Sakura yelled as she nearly bumped into him. "What happe--?" She was cut off by the figure sitting on the middle pole of three. He sat with his hands holding onto the edge of the pole, his legs spread apart and dangling.
"Hey guys…" said the voice. Knocking the heels of his feet to the pole, he gave them his signature lope sided smile. Sakura turned slowly as she felt her eyes tear up. That voice she hadn't heard in years, although it was deeper she could never mistake it for anyone else.
"It's you…" Sasuke said breathlessly. Sakura finally facing the man gasped and fell to the ground. Tears fell from her eyes as she felt her self hiccup and choke for air. Jumping off the pole, he walked towards the two.
"How have you guys been?" Asked the man as he neared them. Sasuke stood immobile while Sakura tired to compose herself. Stopping five feet infront of them, the man cocked his head to the side. "I've been waiting for you guys…" Sakura launched herself off the ground and embraced him dramatically.
"Naruto! It's really you!" Sakura held onto him tighter. Her tears soaking into his dark green shirt. Wrapping his arms around her he gently pattered her back and looked at Sasuke.
"Aren't you going to give me a hug?" Naruto asked him with a teasing smile. Sasuke was stunned at how natural Naruto was about the situation.
"You wish, dobe…" Sasuke smirked, yet fighting the erg to hug him. Naruto nodded knowingly.
"Yeah, you did try to hide your emo gayness…" Naruto shrugged. Sakura laughed while Sasuke mouth fell open.
"WHAT?! You dobe! You haven't changed a bit!" Sasuke yelled.
"Hahaha! Just kidding!" Naruto laughed. "I would rather die than ever hug you!"
"Oh yeah?!" Sasuke grabbed Sakura and pulled her off Naruto.
"Yeah…" Naruto said arrogant smile while tilting his head to the side. The two men glared at one another. Sakura smiled and didn't bother trying to stop the grown men. It had been so long since they last saw one another and she knew this was their way of expressing their brotherly feelings to one another.
"C'mon then. Show me what you learned," Sasuke challenged him, getting into his taijutsu stance. Sakura backed away, to give them enough space. Naruto grinned and got into his own fighting stance. One neither Sasuke nor Sakura have ever seen before.
Everything was quiet as the two stood like statues. In a sudden moment, they charged at one another. Sasuke grabbed his kunai from its pouch. Naruto grabbed his own at the same moment.
"I'm not going easy on you anymore, Sasuke…" Naruto said to him before their weapons clashed.
Shikamaru and Ino
"Shikamaru? What's wrong?" Ino asked Shikamaru as they walked hand in hand. Shikamaru shook his head and didn't reply. Ino leaned her head onto his shoulder and stroked his hand with her thumb.
"Don't you think it's great that we got to see Naruto again? It's been so long," Ino said, trying to brighten up the mood. Shikamaru smiled.
"Yeah…I bet he's with Sakura and Sasuke right now…" Shikamaru said at the thought of Sasuke and Naruto bickering. Everyone knew those two could never be in the same place for 10 minutes and not start fighting. Suddenly, Shikamaru remembered something.
"Ino…didn't Naruto say that he was going to surprise us in two days? Like revealing who he was with?" Shikamaru asked. Ino thought a moment then nodded.
"Yeah. So?"
"Then…that means that Gaara wasn't the surprise…" Shikamaru mumbled to himself. Letting go of Ino's hand, he made his signature seal. Maybe he was being a little paranoid but something wasn't adding up now.
Naruto left because he was mad for not becoming Hokage. But he met up with Gaara 3 years after he disappeared. Suna stopped contact with Konoha under Sasuke's request. But Sasuke never told him about it and seemed to be equally worried about it as was everyone. Then when Naruto comes back, he was just wandering around the village. Wouldn't the first two people he looked for be Sakura and Sasuke? Or atleast go to the Hokage's office to see Sasuke? Why would be stalling?
"Something is not right…" Shikamaru said shaking his head. Suddenly, Ino collapsed on the ground. "INO?!" Shikamaru said bending down. Suddently, the breath was knocked out of him.
"You maybe a lazy bum, but you are pretty smart," said a unemotional voice. Shikamaru fell to his knees, clutching his chest as if he couldn't breathe. Looking up with enormous effort, his eyes widened.
"Ga-Ga-…" Shikamaru vomited before he fell unconscious to the ground. Standing above him, the man held a thin needle in his had.
"Don't worry. You'll be up just in time for the fun…" he said, as he planted the needle into the side of Shikamaru's neck. It was barely visible against the color of his skin. Sand rose from the ground as a dead blood drenched sound nin corpse emerged from it. Putting his hand on the corpse, he pained his white Kazekage cloak with the blood and brushed bits of it onto his face.
"All set," said the man as he kneeled down towards Ino. Leaning down on one knee, he held Ino to his chest. "Ino! Ino wake up!" he said encouragingly to her. Blinking her eyes open, Ino stared up at the man who held her.
"Gaara…" she said, the her eyes shot wide. "What happened?" she said as she saw the blood on his face and clothes. Looking over she saw the corpse and the unconscious Shikamaru.
"I don't know. I came to see if Naruto was here, and then I saw that guy about to kill you guys. Are you okay?" Gaara asked her as he eased her up. Ino nodded to him and blushed. They were so close, she could feel him breathing behind her ear.
"I'm fine," she said, and ran towards Shikamaru, distancing her self from Gaara. "Shikamaru? Honey? Wake Up!" But Shikamaru seemed lifeless. "Shikamaru?!"
"Ino! Calm down!" Gaara said, grabbing her wrist. Turning her so she would face him, Gaara looked into her eyes. Ino immediately forgot her worries as she became lost in his silvery green eyes.
"Bu-but Ga--," Ino started but Gaara put a finger to her lips and slightly shook his head.
"Don't worry. He's still breathing. He'll be okay. Let's look for Tsunade and se if she can help him, okay?" Gaara said with a sincere caring voice. Ino almost wanted to through herself into his chest, and cocoon herself in his arms, but she couldn't. That wasn't right.
"Alright…" Ino said, reluctantly standing up. Gaara help lift Shikamaru's body with his sand and followed Ino towards the Konoha clinic. Studying her features, Gaara chuckled to himself.
"This should be fun…" Gaara said with a devious smile.
End of Chapter 5
Author Notes/Replies: Yeah! Finished Chapter 5! I'M SO HAPPY!! Finals are OVER! Sorry I couldn't reply to everyone, but my sister is kicking me off the computer now. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!!
Almores: Hey! Wow! Thanks for the catch! Fixed!
Kaori: Lol! I know cliff hangers are annoying, but it's so dramatic...LOL!
KingKakashi: I know. I have great joy making Sakura as dispiseable as possible. hee hee. And yes, Sasuke is a backstabbing Hokage.
Okay! That's all for now! See you guys in the next chappie!