Yo

Well, it's been a while. I've had half of this sitting in my outbox for a few months, and had the inspiriation to write it for only a few weeks, but I suppose all that matters is that I've put it out.

I'll write more in the A/N when I've got time, which will probably be tomorrow at some point. Since I've got work in a few minutes I'm not able to now, but any questions you can leave in a review or a PM and I'll do my best to get back to you.

See you at the bottom.

Ino lazily rolled out of bed. She'd been waking up early for several weeks in a row now. It didn't matter that she wasn't a morning person because when Shikamaru and Choji were called, the mission also demanded for the daughter of Inoichi Yamanaka be present. Not for the first time in her life Ino found herself wishing that their fathers hadn't formed the Ino-Shika-Cho team in their younger days.

After a quick shower to banish the remains of her sleepiness the blond Yamanaka left her home, shutting the door behind her. Her father's continued absence these last few weeks echoed around the house like an annoying cricket and Ino was grateful to be free from the wooden prison. It was lonely without him.

She stopped when the toes of her shoes knocked against the first step that formed the stairs to the Hokage tower. Taking a deep breath, the blonde sprinted up the stairs, barely making the turn when she reached the top, and continued at a light jog until she reached the lobby. Heartbeat slightly elevated, Ino stepped into the Hokage office. Shikamaru's body was leaning, bordering on falling over, on the wall next to the door. Choji had yet to open his chips since, officially, his day hadn't started yet. The blond Yamanaka's brow slightly twitched in annoyance upon noticing that she seemed to be the only one wide awake.

"Everyone's here Shishou."

Tsunade seemed to be fighting off a light doze herself. Ino's eyes met with the lip of a sake bottle that peered over the desk. It quickly disappeared after the Godaime noticed the wordless exchange between the kunoichi and the inanimate object. Tsunade stretched and popped a few bones. Ino was grateful that Shikamaru's light snoring and Choji's bag crinkling meant that their eyes hadn't managed to catch buxom woman stretching or that she subconsciously folded her arms over her chest.

"Your mission has two parts," Tsunade began. "The Oriyama family was recently in Konoha on a vacation. It seems that while they were enjoying their shopping spree, they accidentally left their son behind. He was found sleeping in a hotel room just yesterday. You're to return him to his village."

"The fuck? Can't they just come back and get him?"

For the first time that morning Ino noticed that the Ino-Shika-Cho team wasn't the only group in the office. Sakura was a few feet behind the blonde, the hair that fell below her shoulders an unkempt mess. The blond kunoichi noted that her attire hadn't changed, but two sets of bandages held firm around her ankles. Tayuya stood against the wall further behind the pinkette, her red mane an even more unruly mess than her roommate's. Ino's quirked eyebrow was met with twin glares from both kunoichi that firmly told her to keep her mouth shut.

"The Oriyama are a wealthy family. As a result of this they've suffered from numerous attacks in the past year, and the confrontations have been growing steadily. This last journey to Konoha and back has cost them ten men and no one in their village is willing to protect the family outside their borders any longer." Tsunade faced the pinkette and the redhead. "The second part is to stop these attacks indefinitely. The family believes there is someone manipulating the groups behind the scenes. They're willing to pay a generous amount of money; much more than we'd normally charge. Shikamaru will be team leader."

The sound of a bag crinkling brought everyone's attention to Choji who smiled sheepishly. "Does that mean we get paid more than normal?"

Tsunade sifted through a few papers, her face impassive but there was a small noticeable frown. "Most of the funds will be used to repair the areas of the village that are still under construction after the Suna-Oto attack. The rest will be used elsewhere around the village."

Tayuya pushed off the wall, pulling her hair from her long sleeved black shirt as she turned to leave. "Let's go Whore."

Sakura made to follow but paused when she saw part of the mission outline Shikamaru had been handed. "He's waiting at the hospital Tsunade-sensei?"

The Godaime nodded. "He can't defend himself so be sure to be careful. You'll be fine if you've been keeping up with your training."

Tayuya and Sakura left the office with Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji bringing up the rear a few feet away. The smirk Tsunade wore when she spoke of training gave Ino the impression that she specifically meant the two in the office who weren't part of the Ino-Shika-Cho team.

She knew it'd probably be a rocky mission since she hadn't worked with or even spoken to the redhead much since she'd become a member of the leaf village. Even worse, her contact with Sakura had been limited to their few joint training sessions with the Godaime. They'd spent little to no time actually talking to each other about anything other than medical jutsu.

The blond Yamanaka glanced at her long time rival, and though she and the pinkette weren't as close as they used to be (fighting and arguing included) she could tell that the girl had changed in the last year. She mentally counted off the time in her head. It'd been an entire year since Naruto had departed by her calculations, but the girls seemed to be unaffected by this. She idly wondered why. True, Sakura's...aura, if Ino had to use the term, had undoubtedly changed in that time to resemble something akin to what she'd felt when she'd first met the Godaime. Conversely, Tayuya's cursing and overall behavior hadn't shifted in the least from Ino's perspective.

She then glanced at her teammates. Shikamaru was still his usual lazy self; his heavy sighs indicating that he knew it'd be a troublesome mission. He walked slightly behind Choji, the Akimichi's crunching echoing throughout the hallway. Ino blinked before she strained her ears. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed it, but Shikamaru's posture, which usually was horrible since he slouched nearly every minute of every day suddenly stood a little straighter than usual. Choji's rate of eating had also slightly decreased from its usual frequency. They were unmistakably uncomfortable. Tayuya and Sakura were seemingly unmoved about their team arrangement.

The sound of the hospital doors opening greeted them warmly as they walked inside. Sakura went to a nearby nurse who smiled at the pinkette before turning down the hallway. The bubblegum haired kunoichi watched the nurse leave with a questioning look on her face before she whispered something to Tayuya, which then caused the other girl to raise a brow and shake her head in annoyance. Ino sighed. So much for teamwork.

"It's been a while since we've been on a team together, huh?"

Ino was snapped back to her senses by her friend's voice. She smiled at the pinkette and nodded "Hai, it has, we haven't trained together in a while either."

Sakura's lips curved upwards. "Hai. It's because you're usually busy with your clan, and Shishou's training sessions take place at strange times these days."

"Usually only when the stack of paperwork on her desk gets big enough," Ino joked with a knowing smirk.

The two girls broke into light giggles. Shikamaru threw them a side glance that the blond hardly noticed but he seemed almost relieved. Choji had also turned his attention away from the other four in favor of diving back into his bag. Ino threw a grateful smile her rival's way. The sound of heels clicking prompted everyone to face the direction the nurse had left in earlier to see Ayane walking around the corner, a blanket obscuring most of her arms up to her elbows. The group's eyes continued to follow the nurse's path until she stopped in front of the redhead and pushed the bundle into her arms, causing Tayuya to stiffen.

Ayane gingerly released the bundle and took a step back. "Here you go. Please be careful Tayuya-san, Tsunade-sama advised us to leave him in your care."

The other two kunoichi peered around her shoulder. Curious light brown eyes gazed back at them. Ino and Sakura couldn't resist squealing due to the sheer cuteness of the precious package resting in the redhead's arms. His shaggy brown hair moved slightly when he attempted to lift his head. A name was sewn into the fabric, which by now both kunoichi noticed was of a material softer than silk.

Choji poked the name. "Hiro."

Tayuya stared down at the baby with mixed emotions as a scowl spread across her lips. "Nurse, she said we were escorting-fuck!"

Hiro's toothless grin widened as he tugged on her hair a second time. The redhead winced and pulled the infant's hand away. Her hand lingered a few seconds on his, a fact that the other two kunoichi didn't miss. Sakura took the child from her roommate's arms while she continued her fruitless efforts to convince the older woman that she'd made a mistake.

"Oriyama Hiro. I was a bit surprised myself when Tsunade-sama told me to hand him over to you. She assured us that you were more than capable of caring for and delivering him safely, so we'll leave the rest to you." Ayane bowed and left.

Shikamaru allowed Ino and Sakura fawn over the child until it became apparent that their focus wasn't returning to the real reason they were here anytime soon. Choji also seemed to take a liking to the small bundle since its baby fat and hair color reminded him of himself. Tayuya slid a palm down her face and released a long breath. Strangely, it reminded the Nara boy of the times Asuma would light up a cigarette. He made his way to the head of the group and the three donned sheepish smiles after he'd cleared his throat.

"The easiest route is to go straight through the forest, but it's also the most obvious," Shikamaru began, pulling out a map. "We can take a less apparent detour, but it'll take at least a day and a half to get there. Since we're transporting…fragile cargo, it's safer to go this way. We'll move in a five man protective pattern."

Ino and Choji nodded dutifully as Sakura stepped forward. "Who takes care of Hiro-chan on the way?"

The Nara boy looked around the group and shrugged. "Tsunade-sama's briefed me on some of your abilities. Sakura, you'll be with me in the back, Tayuya and Choji will take front while Ino stays in the middle with Hiro. This is the best pattern for our mission."

Tayuya blew a strand of hair from her face in response, but didn't disagree. Her mood seemed to have become worse. She faced the Akimichi, scowl now firmly in place. "We're leaving. Me and you up front Tubby, let's get this over with."

Sakura's and Ino's eyes darted to the bigger boy and were surprised to see that the tick that would normally appear on his forehead didn't make its appearance. Choji merely followed the redhead without complaint at the head of the group without stopping his audible crunching. The pinkette hesitantly passed the infant to her childhood rival and took her position next to Shikamaru, allowing Ino to walk in the middle of the group. The team of five was soon outside the main gate and heading towards their destination.

"Come on Gaki! I know you can do better than that!"

Jiraiya's taunting gained some reaction as the blond bared his teeth. He picked himself up off of the ground. Naruto's whites disappeared behind his lips as he took a deep breath and stared down Jiraiya who remained in the same stance ten feet away. When the blond retook his stance, identical to his senseis, Jiraiya moved. The Toad sannin threw a left hook that his foe ducked under and countered by grabbing the older shinobi's arm, throwing him overhead before charging the Toad sannin.

Jiraiya met his student halfway through his own charge and the blond leaped at the older male with a high kick. It didn't connect as Naruto overshot the older shinobi by inches, though by the time Jiraiya turned around Naruto was already back on his heels. He threw a flurry of punches, the last of which Jiraiya caught with his left hand before burying his right into his student's stomach. Naruto grabbed his opponent's arm with his remaining free hand, teeth grit, and reared his head back then threw everything he had into a single forward motion, slamming into Jiraiya's jaw. The Toad sannin fell back a bit and released his hold on the blond, but still managed to block the follow up kick with his forearms.

Naruto immediately shifted his feet and body into a defensive stance as Jiraiya once again went on the offensive. He evaded each of the sannin's attacks successfully, though he also knew the other shinobi wasn't putting all of his effort into their spar. Occasionally, there would be moments during which the Toad sannin would surprise the blond by going all out. Fortunately, Naruto was gradually adapting to them. He leaned back in time to dodge Jiraiya's backhand, but wasn't prepared for the fist that had been hidden behind its partner and the blow sent him tumbling across the wooden floor of the dojo. A high ringing shrilled at the same time Naruto managed to get on his feet. Sighing audibly, he and Jiraiya exchanged bows and took seats across from each other.

The Toad sannin reached over and reset the alarm clock. "Your taijutsu has improved quite a bit since a year ago. You're just about ready to move on."

Naruto tugged on his white bottoms. He and his sensei were wearing identical clothing. "About?"

Jiraiya crossed his arms. "You still haven't managed to counter that attack; I've hit you with it enough times now that you should be able to through reflexes alone."

The blond huffed and looked at the ceiling. "It's all random. It's like you're attacking twice."

"You should be prepared for the extra attack then," Jiraiya lectured. "It's the basis for a style you'll be learning later on. If you can't get down the basics you won't be able to learn the more advanced techniques."

The younger shinobi scratched his head in frustration. "Ugh! Come on Ero-sennin! Isn't there another way?"

Jiraiya pressed his lips into a thin line. "There may be, but you still need to be able to counter that attack from someone who can use it. As it is, I'm the only one around who can."

"So there's no other way," Naruto sighed out, resting his face on his upturned palms.

Jiraiya stood, the pitter-patter of rain echoed around the old wooden building and the lights inside were dimming ever so slightly. "I've never known you to be one to give up, Naruto. If you know the attack, you should be able to stop it. We'll start another spar in about an hour. Go meditate."

The younger shinobi stood and walked outside. Instead of meditating right away he went through a few kata Jiraiya had taught him. The wooden awning above him made sure that he was kept dry from the pouring rain.

While traveling a little over a week ago, the Toad sannin had pointed out that the skies were darkening. The cold air had begun to nip at their skin. It shouldn't have been too surprising given that they near the middle of winter, but Naruto thought it'd come rather late.

They'd been lucky to come across an old man that owned an even older dojo; their current residence. He'd been nice enough to lend it to the ninja for the month in exchange for a fee Jiraiya still hadn't stopped grumbling about. The two shinobi had disliked the idea of staying in one place for such a long time but, seeing as they hadn't been attacked or approached yet, the urge to stay dry won out in the end.

The blond sat and stared at the drops of water raining down on the dirt. He couldn't help but feel that they'd spent too much time focusing on taijutsu; sure they'd trained in some ninjutsu along the way too, but his sensei had said that the taijutsu aspect was only a springboard for more advanced material. Naruto knew he could trust the toad sannin, so he let it be. He grinned and closed his eyes, choosing to focus on the thumps the individual raindrops made. The constant sunshine wasn't tiring, but a bit of rain along the way was a welcome change.

'You'd better hurry up and learn this Shithead. You'll be treated to an ass kicking first and a welcome later if you don't.'

'Cha! You can do it Naruto! Kick that old pervert's ass!'

Though he already knew what to expect, Naruto opened his eyes to see nothing but the scenery that had greeted he when he first set foot outside. A lopsided smile painted itself across his face. During the first few months when taijutsu had been little more than a beating delivered from teacher to student, he'd found himself losing determination. At that time Sakura's and Tayuya's possible responses filtered in to his mind. More than once, at that time, Jiraiya had lectured his charge about bursting into giggles during sparring. Much later, their imaginative encouragement had the intended effect of pushing his determination to new levels. He pulled the photograph he'd received four months ago from his sleeve. Unsurprisingly, their challenging grins hadn't changed.

"I'm gonna learn this Tayuya-chan, Sakura-chan! Believe it!"

Jiraiya opened the front door to see his student's fist in the air. He leaned against the frame. "Ready for another go?"

Three and a half hours later, Naruto was once again knocked down by the same attack. The difference this time, however, was that his sensei had been too.

Tayuya spun a kunai around her finger as she stared impassively at the man.

"Wanna repeat that?"

He had to be at least a head taller than her, a large broadsword sat on his back. "Give me the baby, little girl." He licked his lips, eyes darting over the redhead's shoulders. "Blondie back there too. She looks like she's good at what we need her for."

The four men behind him laughed perversely. Their leering eyes wandered over Ino's frame. Choji backed up a few steps to stand in front of the blond kunoichi. Shikamaru moved forward to assist the ex-oto kunoichi. Before he could reach her, however, Sakura had already stepped to the forefront of the group. Her facial features appeared as uncaring as Tayuya's. The pinkette turned her face to enough for the Nara boy to see her steely eyes.

The redhead caught the kunai in place and smirked.

"Fuck off; I'm not in the mood to kill you or your boyfriends."

The five bandits all chortled. The one in front of Tayuya wiped his eye. "You got quite the mouth girly." He leaned down. "I've always liked women with exotic colors, specially re-"

Ino winced as Tayuya's right elbow buried itself in the bandit's solar plexus so quickly that she nearly missed the movement. The man stood in shock before collapsing to his knees, Tayuya stood above him, teeth bared. Another removed his sword and came to assist his comrade with a blind slash, but the ex-oto kunoichi parried the first swipe and stepped into his attack radius, driving her kunai deep into his thigh. He cried out in pain and dropped his weapon before becoming the recipient of a hard blow to the cheek that left him sprawled on the ground. Tayuya watched his unmoving form in disgust.

The remaining three stood in front of the redhead with their swords drawn, but none of them made the decision to attack. She placed one hand on her hip and waited. They grinned suddenly, but this only made the redhead's mouth draw downward in a slight frown of boredom. The man from before seemed to have made a swift recovery. He stood tall behind her; his broadsword hoisted overhead and fully prepared to cleave her in half.

'CRUNCH'

Had the remaining bandits not been staring at the large man, they wouldn't have known where the sound originated from. A blue ninja shoe continued to dig into his side, breaking what they assumed to be several ribs before he was catapulted to the right, his body cart wheeled comically until his spine connected loudly with the bark of a tree where he slid down, incapacitated. Their eyes darted to Sakura, who slowly put her foot back down. The men jumped back slightly in response to her brows darting to the middle of her forehead.

Tayuya took advantage of this distraction. She moved forward and took the first man's weapon arm in her left, twisting it until he lost grip of his sword. His painful cry didn't long as she threw a haymaker at his face that impacted directly with his nose which buckled under the pressure. He staggered back, but Tayuya didn't care to watch. She skillfully moved into the meager defense he managed to put up. Ino counted four shots, two to his midsection and one at the middle of his rib cage, followed by an open palm to his already damaged nose that left him flat on the ground. Tayuya heard a growl from her left, but she didn't turn.

Sakura intercepted the next man before he could reach the other kunoichi. She leaned sideways, narrowly missing the vertical slash. The pinkette threw her weight into him and used her right foot to separate his legs, knocking him off balance. In the second and a half it took for him to hit the ground the bubblegum haired kunoichi's fist followed it, dutifully pinning him to the earth under its great force. Spittle and blood escaped his open mouth until he lay still, unconscious. She glanced over her shoulder to see Tayuya avoid a stab from their last opponent and counter with a backhand that spun him in a half circle. He stumbled in her direction in a futile effort to make another attack. She pitied him for a half-second; until he sent Ino another one of his perverse grins over his shoulder.

When he turned back Sakura had long since taken to the air. She flipped expertly and extended her right leg out in an attack similar to her master's ax kick. The momentum sped her leg downward and resulted in the heel slamming loudly against the back of his skull, his face rocketed downward until it embed itself in the solid earth beneath them.

'Diiiiiiiiinnnnnnng'

Choji cast a kunai at the same time that Shikamaru extended his shadow into the brush where the sound had emanated from. The Akimichi stood protectively in front of the baby and Ino. Tayuya closed her eyes and fingered the kunai in her holster while the sound faded into the distance. After a few tense seconds, the Nara boy released a heavy sigh and retracted his jutsu before motioning for the others to move out. The group resumed their positions before they'd been interrupted, albeit a bit tenser than before.

Time passed quickly, and when the sun had escaped behind the mountains a few hours later Shikamaru made the decision to stop the group's journey for the day. Amidst Choji's and Ino's silent groans Sakura released a heavy sigh of her own at the possibility of resting her legs. Tayuya had merely grunted and set to making their campsite for the night.

About an hour later the five sat around the site with Choji, Ino, and Sakura being the closest. The bundle of joy in Ino's arms cooed softly and yawned, an action the served to garner more attention for him from the three genin. Shikamaru smirked beside the redhead, allowing one hand to cradle his chin as he glanced at the girl. Her eyes were focusing on the other three across the campsite and Shikamaru had to suppress a chuckle. The baby had stolen a good amount of her attention it seemed.

"How's Naruto?"

Tayuya looked out of her peripheral as she picked up a stick. "He's fine."

Shikamaru smirked. "He's probably doing some crazy training now. That guy never knows when to stop."

For less than a quarter of a second, the Nara boy thought he saw a tug at the corner of her lips while she drew in the dirt. "You should've brought the board."

By happenstance, Tayuya had been walking along the roads of Konoha one day to come across him and his sensei playing. She'd immediately sat down, uncomfortable though she was, to watch the one-sided match. After Asuma's loss, he suggested that she give it a go against the genius. Tayuya proved even more of a challenge than his sensei and she'd nearly bested him after their first match since Shikamaru hadn't taken it too seriously. They scheduled matches every now and again whenever the redhead didn't have training to do or was more or less bored with the monotony that usually set in after doing one thing for too long. To this day she'd only beaten him once.

"It'd probably get destroyed and it's too troublesome to replace."

Tayuya continued to draw silently, the smirk she wore was identical to the one she wore during their matches. "Sounds like an excuse to me. I'd replace the damn thing."

The Nara boy ran a hand through his hair. "We have more important things to focus on. What do you think about that sound?"

She pressed the stick hard into the ground before frowning. "It's whoever's ordering these fucks around. The sound wasn't alone either. There were two; one immediately following the first."

Shikamaru's eyes surveyed their surroundings. "You're sure?" The redhead nodded. "We'll have to be careful tonight. It's safe to assume it our enemy is at least chuunin, though they apparently don't have the strength to face us head on."

The ex-oto kunoichi continued her scribbles as her companion lifted an eyebrow. "Since they've sent patrols out further than we'd assumed they had to know of the mission before we did." She gritted her teeth. "The cowardly fucks were waiting to ambush us. Low bastards."

She brushed off Shikamaru's slightly surprised look. He sighed. "I'll never get used to your language."

The redhead scoffed. "No one asked you to Pineapple. I'm taking first watch."

"I thought you would." Shikamaru stood. "Choji and Ino are probably curious. We'll leave at first light."

The redhead continued to draw in the dirt, choosing to ignore Shikamaru's departure. Naruto wrote that it'd be quite a while before more letters would come but since Tayuya knew his character, she assumed he'd try anyway. His impatience hadn't changed in the year he'd been absent. Inwardly she hated this particular trait but knew that if he lacked it she'd miss him more than she could bear. Only eight weeks after his departure she'd constantly reminded herself (and Sakura, when able) that their blond boyfriend wouldn't leave them without a word for three years and she'd been right.

She criticized the result of her absentminded scribbles. It was the best imitation she could make of the photo she and Sakura had back home. The three of them stood on the Hokage mountain. Sakura grasped the blond's arm while Tayuya used his shoulder as a prop for her forearm. Her gaze shifted several times between herself and the blond.

Seconds later she was sitting beside Sakura, holding her hands out. The pink haired kunoichi giggled lightly but handed the baby over nonetheless. Sakura instructed her while she rocked him awkwardly. It wasn't long before the ex-oto kunoichi relaxed. Hiro's mouth opened and closed repeatedly and Sakura smiled at her roommate's surprised intake when he attached his mouth to her left breast, deftly trying to eat in his sleep.

Tayuya pulled the infant away, wearing something between a smirk and a smile. "Gomen. Can't help you there."

Sakura's hands wound themselves around the precious package. "It helps, doesn't it?"

The redhead released a long breath but smiled down at the infant. "The first time...we fucked up. I wonder what she would have looked like."

Sakura arched an amused eyebrow. "She?"

"Damn right," she asserted. "My hair, maybe his nose, and my eyes. Shithead likes them."

Choji's and Shikamaru's backs rested against their respective trees. They'd both fallen into a light doze that Ino wished she could acquire herself. She couldn't sleep for various reasons; one of them being that she simply didn't feel comfortable sleeping in the vicinity of a possible threat. She rolled over and found that Tayuya and Sakura were still conversing quietly. The redhead's smile surprised her. Ino assumed her time in Konoha had been mostly uncomfortable aside from the time she spent with Naruto. Sakura's inviting smile pulled the blond kunoichi back to her senses. She crawled over to the two. No words were spoken and Ino fidgeted awkwardly.

"I'd definitely say black is better."

Tayuya raised a speculative hand to her chin. "Ditz's blond is a lighter than Shithead's. Definitely black then."

Sakura reached forward and took a hold of her rival's chin, turning her head. "His facial shape would fit better if it were a boy."

Ino jolted backward. "What are you talking about!"

Tayuya smirked. "What you and that lazy fuck's-" she pointed to Shikamaru,"-kid will look like."

Ino choked on her saliva. She did a double take between herself and the boy in question; flushing in embarrassment causing Sakura and Tayuya to snicker quietly. Fighting the red hue in her face, the blond kunoichi stared down the redhead. Tayuya merely waited, challenging smirk in place.

Unfortunately, after going through all of the possibilities in her head, Ino couldn't find one that would make Tayuya's and Naruto's spawn look ridiculous. Even red hair on a boy didn't seem too bad. Pairing the redhead with anyone else in the village would also be pointless, seeing that most of the rookie nine knew of her devotion to the blond. Ino stored a mental reminder for revenge against the girl and turned to her rival.

She tilted her head and smirked. "Ever imagine a younger Naruto with pink hair?"

Tayuya guffawed beside the pinkette as Sakura used one of her hands to smooth over the pink strands. She pressed her lips together. "At least if you and Choji-"

Ino raised finger. "Don't you even-"

The slug sannin's apprentice scowled. "A little fat would do your future baby some good. It would do you good."

The blond kunoichi opened her mouth to argue that the girls across from her were no different than her. She briefly compared her and their forearms, noticing grimly that they did seem to have a bit more in the area. Debating that the areas were occupied by only fat was pointless. Steadily developing muscle shifted under the fabric of their clothing.

"Why'd you stop your diet?" Ino changed the subject.

The two kunoichi had dieted together in the past, even after Sasuke had left the village for a brief time. That was when their frequented communication and friendship began to decay. Still, to not have noticed a change like this in the other girl until now made Ino genuinely feel that they were growing farther apart. It was a sad thing.

Sakura traced her index finger across Hiro's stomach, smiling wistfully. "Naruto told me it shouldn't matter if I enjoy myself every now and again. We work hard during training and...he'd love me even if I did gain a little bit of weight."

She snuggled the baby almost as if it were her own. Ino turned to the redhead.

Tayuya scoffed. "If you want to call staying in a shithole and living on limited rations over a few months because some arrogant fucks want to test if you're good enough. I don't need to diet Ditz. I've gone days without food before and I'm not doing it again by choice."

Ino resisted the urge to gulp at the redhead's hard stare. She took a deep breath. "So...you're happy, right?"

Sakura rocked the child in her arms and sighed contently. "Happier than I thought I could be. I just miss him."

Ino sat straight, hands resting her in lap. "I wonder what it is about him. Tsunade-sensei's said before that he's different."

The blond kunoichi watched the redhead's eyes soften. She watched them curiously. "It's not something you're gonna find out. Shithead is Shithead. You can't go any deeper than that."

True to her words, Ino wasn't able to probe any deeper. The redhead shooed her away after reminding her who had first watch, purposely avoiding the question. She watched the two kunoichi converse for a short while until Sakura dozed off with Hiro in her arms.

The blond kunoichi had seen evidence of Naruto ability to change people before. His exploits in wave were known to a good amount of Konoha, but she still felt part of herself doubting the validity of this claim. The blond kunoichi turned irritably, attempting to get in a better position so that she could acquire her much sought after sleep. This resulted in her eyes coming to rest on a hurried sketch of Naruto, Sakura, and Tayuya. It wasn't a grand thing, but Ino assumed that the redhead had done it with what care she could; it mesmerized her. The blond glanced at the redhead as inconspicuously as she could manage, and found her answer. Tayuya's legs were flat out in front of her, eyes on the sky.

Even with the minimal moonlight, Ino could still see her content smile.

Gamapuchi did the toad equivalent of a head shake.

"Aw come on Gamapuchi!" Naruto pleaded with the little white toad. "Ero-sennin'll never find out. I promise."

Gamapuchi made another motion in the negative. He used his webbed hands to make an outline much bigger than himself. Naruto sat across from him with his legs crossed. The blond tilted his head and assessed the gesture for a moment.

"You're worried about Bunta? He won't know either. Isn't everyone in your realm asleep already anyway? You'll be able to go back before morning and they won't even know. I know you can make it to Konoha before the sun rises." The blond crossed his arms and nodded, satisfied with his reasoning.

The amphibian didn't seem so convinced. He removed a small sheath from his back, one that the blond had missed since the summoning, and pulled out a thin blade. It couldn't have been longer than the average senbon and no thicker than two fingers. Naruto watched in mixed amusement while he made a false swipe across his throat, falling over exaggeratedly in the process. The blonde found he couldn't contain his giggles when the white toad twitched after being prodded a few times.

"You know," he started, lying on his stomach. "I'm a summoner too. Don't you listen to me even if Ero-sennin says not to?"

Gamapuchi sat and delivered another shake in the negative. Naruto sighed exasperatedly.

"I know you've been itching to go to go on another run. If we were in danger Ero-sennin would know and we wouldn't still be here. You'll be safe. If anyone comes after you they'll have to deal with me!"

Naruto found that he was slightly hurt by Gamapuchi's skeptical stare.

The blonde snapped his fingers. "How about next time I'll give you Gamatatsu's snacks? He's already big enough as it is."

Gamapuchi acted as if he hadn't heard the blond and busied himself by practicing with the small blade, turned away from Naruto of course. The blond crept closer to the toad until his face was centimeters from the amphibian's back.

"You'll get to see Tayuya-chan again."

Thought it was a barely audible whisper, it still stopped Gamapuchi in his tracks. He sheathed the sword, webbed hand rubbing his chin in thought. Naruto didn't miss his skin slightly turning a rosy color. It made the blond grin in victory until another negative reply wiped it off his face. He grabbed the toad's weapon between his index and thumb, lifting him off the ground. Gamapuchi's helpless flailing stopped when he and Naruto were face to face. He smiled slyly.

"Gamakichi and Gamatatsu mentioned something about Sakura-chan. I think she'd like to know-"

Gamapuchi managed to pull his sword from the boy's grip. He turned away and made numerous swipes in the air the clearly had no definition or method to them. Naruto grinned and, making sure that his sensei was still outside meditating, put up a hand sign. The audible 'poof' successfully gained the white toad's attention. Gamapuchi's sword clattered on the wood beneath him like a pin hitting the ground. Naruto winked suggestively, now wearing Sakura's image along with the bikini he'd seen in the photo months back. He took pleasure in surely being one of the only people who ever made a toad gape.

"Please Puchi-chan?"

As the amphibian continued to go without a croak, Naruto sat back up and released the jutsu. He pulled a scroll from his inner pocket. "I'm sure they want to see you too. It's been months."

Gamapuchi's webbed hands hesitatingly grabbed the piece of parchment causing Naruto to smile. He gave the toad a final thumbs up before he departed, leaving him alone in the old wooden building. The blond shinobi sighed audibly and turned his eyes too the roof. The toad was the fastest he'd come to know, so Naruto doubted he'd get caught. The blond had taken precautions too. He'd freely admit that he was being a bit selfish, though he knew Gamapuchi wanted to see the redhead and pinkette too.

"Resorting to blackmail?"

Naruto flipped around to see Jiraiya standing with his arms crossed. The blond chuckled nervously. "Ehehe...how long have you been standing there Ero-sennin?"

One of the toad sannin's fingers began a rhythmic tapping on his elbow. "It'll be a while before you can sneak something past me gaki."

His student huffed. "The bunshin I had watching you were probably goofing off. Either that or they got mixed up again."

Jiraiya jabbed a thumb the other way. The Jiraiya that had been there earlier was still there. Naruto released another nervous chuckle.

"They were watching me. Everywhere I went. Even though Tsunade's ordered it, it's still annoying. Not to mention ineffective."

The blond's eyes lowered. "Are you going to summon Gamapuchi back now?"

Jiraiya's bottom thumped against the wooden floor. "No. I knew your impatience would lead to this. I also assumed you wouldn't take the scroll back out after writing last night, so I applied the blood seal early this morning." He pointed outside the door. "There are toads scouting the area around us, so we're safe. Though even with them in the immediate vicinity I wouldn't usually let this go. I'm pretty sure you know why I am."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "So you know about them too?"

"Of course," his sensei replied. "The toads have seen people leaving here. It's only natural that they'd tell me about it. Who are they?"

The blond rested his chin in his hands. "Mainly copies of people we've seen in the last year. I never use anyone in Konoha or send them back home. I think I've got a little more than twenty bunshin going around different places. The longest has been out for about three weeks I think. The only thing they've managed to find are some places we haven't been yet. No guys in black cloaks with red clouds."

Jiraiya nodded. "That's surprisingly intuitive of you." A smirk spread across his face. "How do you know if one has found something? I haven't seen any return to report anything."

Naruto shrugged. "When they disperse I kind of just...remember. It's kinda hard to explain."

The older male grinned. "I think we can find another use for that."

Naruto tilted his head. "Like what?"

Shizune's hand grasped the handle without a sound and closed the door to the Hokage's office. Tsunade's still form lay over the majority of her desk and while her assistant would normally chastise her about falling asleep at work, she'd decided to let it go this time since a large pile of paperwork sat in the outbox slot this time. The inbox portion still towered mightily over its counterpart but Shizune saw that her master put in a generous amount of work before succumbing to the hard wood beneath her.

With her job done, the brunette began her trek to her own home—and nearly stepped on the amphibian beneath her feet. Gamapuchi saluted to the woman, an action Shizune matched with a giggle as he hopped past her to the door. She barely caught him in place by his stomach.

Shizune raised a finger to her lips. She cracked the door open to reveal her mistress' sleeping form. Silently closing it again, she gave the toad a sympathetic look. "Gomen. Tsunade-sama needs her rest. I can give it to her when she wakes up if you'd like."

Gamapuchi shook his head. He turned in the direction of the girls' apartment.

"Tayuya-san and Sakura-chan are on a mission right now," Shizune informed apologetically. "They'll be back in a few days."

She watched in amusement as the toad palmed its head. The brunette removed a scroll from her inner pocket and retrieved a vial of red liquid. "Tsunade-sama's trusted some of us with this in the case of an emergency, but I doubt she'll mind if we use it. If you'd rather go to them I can open it and hold hers here."

The little toad's eyes lit up and Shizune saw one webbed hand come up to finger the sheath lying on his back. He immediately handed over the piece of parchment to allow the brunette to unseal it. When Shizune had removed Tsunade's scroll she handed the two others to Gamapuchi and informed him where the girls were headed. Since Tsunade made sure that the redhead never traveled too far from Konoha he should have no problems finding them. In the early morning hours the team would likely be sleeping somewhere and if the toad left now, he could get a head start. With a nod in her direction, he started his fast gait toward the northern gates.

A few minutes later, Gamapuchi slowed down as the looming doors of the village came into view. He'd sped past the two gate guards on his way in but was certain that they'd noticed him as one of the Toad sannin's summons. That wasn't what stopped the white toad, however. The man standing at the gates was easy to discern as the one he'd seen in the girls' apartment four months ago. The amphibian idly wondered if he was making sure no one exited the village, but the basket in his hands didn't seem like a weapon. Kakashi turned his way when the toad stopped beside him. Gamapuchi received one of his famous eye smiles before the sound of footfalls opposite of them captured their attention.

Anko crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Didn't expect a welcome home party. You up to something Hatake?"

Kakashi waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing of the sort. Tsunade-sama's just given me a mission and I made the assumption that you'd be returning sometime this morning."

The purple haired kunoichi peered around him. "More dango?"

Gamapuchi could see his lips curl upward under his mask. "I thought you'd be hungry. A journey from wave is a long one. Are you tired of them?"

She scoffed. "It'll take more than free tri-weekly dango to get me tired of the stuff. Never been in all my life. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

Anko moved past the Copy Nin. After the carrier had transferred between the two Gamapuchi watched her leap toward what he assumed was her home. Kakashi directed another eye smile his way that had a different meaning than his previous one. Even though the amphibian couldn't speak, the message was clear that the Copy Nin didn't want his fellow jounin to know about his lie. Gamapuchi's response was to leave the village at his previous pace; neither affirming nor denying that he would keep it a secret.

With thoughts of the redhead and the pinkette occupying his mind, the rosy-skinned toad pushed his legs faster toward his destination.

The ceiling of the earthen dome crumbled under another series of attacks.

Sakura idly wondered how things had gone to hell as fast as they had.

One hour ago, everyone had been sleeping peacefully in their small campsite. Ino had been tasked with the watch while the others slept but, seeing as they'd run so far off course, the blond kunoichi felt that they were safe enough that she could doze for a few seconds. It'd been close to hers and Choji's switching time. However, in those five minutes they were surrounded completely by too many men with broadswords, katanas, and other weapons to count. The weapons and the light they'd brought successfully alerted the genin's and Shikamaru's senses. Everyone had converged on one another where Sakura instinctively weaved through several hand signs to form the dense barrier surrounding them.

But now they were trapped.

Ino gulped. The blond kunoichi fought the rising panic. She hadn't any idea that they would be facing so many of them. Even on past missions facing thugs like these, team 8 had never encountered more than four dozen of them at a time.

Shikamaru's standard contemplative stance soothed her a bit. When facing insurmountable odds, the Nara boy always came up with a plan. Choji waited calmly next to the chuunin. He forced himself to ignore numerous thumps from outside. The two other members of Asuma's team looked expectantly at Shikamaru when he stood.

"They've figured out that we're trapped. We'll need an outside view before we do anything. I'll need a bit of light."

A green brightness lit the inside of the circular structure. The aura emanating from Sakura hand acted as an eerie nightlight. Shikamaru nodded his thanks before his eyes passed over the wall until he'd found a spot he deemed satisfactory.

"Kage Nui no Jutsu."

A sharp tendril formed from the Nara boy's shadow and began digging through the earth at a gradual pace. Shikamaru pulled it back after it'd punched through. Ino wordlessly stepped up and peeped through the opening. After a few seconds she put up her own sign and her limp body fell into Shikamaru's arms seconds later.

Tayuya cocked an eyebrow, still not familiar with many of the village's clan related jutsu. Ino's body came back to consciousness after a few moments and she released a defeated sigh. "They've set up camp around us. The one's mind I invaded was already sleeping so we haven't drawn any attention yet. Seven are sitting around us. The nearest group is about eight meters west and they're also the thinnest."

"How many?"

Ino flicked a pebble against the wall. "Easily over a sixty. The largest group sits in the direction of Hiro-chan's village. There's something else too." The blond kunoichi knit her brows in thought. "They're all wearing something different, but there are things they have in common. Some have similar tattoos and other markings while others don't.

The redhead turned to the chuunin. "The shit ordering these bastards around has to be close. They'll be after whoever carries the baby."

Shikamaru made a motion in the negative. "Our priority is to get Hiro to his village. We can't afford to take unnecessary risks."

Tayuya faced the other girl. "Ditz, the largest group is between us and the village right?" Ino nodded. "Then that's where the biggest threat is. I've got a plan if you want to hear it."

The shuffling inside the dome woke one thug from his slumber. He quietly motioned for his comrades to ready themselves for whatever threat would exit but the sounds of scuttling ceased. Glancing at each other confusedly, the man who had been awakened first pressed his ear to the shelter.

"Shannaro!"

The dome of rock exploded, mercilessly showering the men with rocks flying at high velocity as a flash of pink darted out from the rubble. Those who hadn't been assaulted watched Sakura rear her fist back to unleash another wave of destruction that left the ones closest to her unsteady and disoriented. The bandits farthest away from the pinkette moved to block her way toward the village but also kept a safe distance. Choji flipped over the pinkette at the same time she turned around to deliver a punishing roundhouse kick to a foe that had thought it was a good idea to jump over the dome.

"Baika no Jutsu!" Choji's body inflated to something akin to a large, rounded boulder. "Nikudan Sensha!"

They first few were easy targets seeing as Sakura had forced them to move in the direction they needed to deliver Hiro. Choji barreled into them and kept on spinning throughout the campsite until less than half were left un-crushed by his massive weight. The rest of the team chose to evacuate their temporary shelter with Tayuya flanked by Ino and Shikamaru on both sides, Hiro in her arms. Their way clear, it was all the remaining bandits could do to try and keep up with the five of them. Ultimately, they were left behind.

"Knew I could depend on you Tubby," Tayuya smiled at the boy. A tick appeared on Choji's head but he chose to ignore the remark in favor of focusing on their mission.

The two genin nearly ran into Sakura; she'd stopped on a tree branch. The pinkette continued to stand still until Tayuya tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped down and set Hiro up against a tree softly. Choji's query on her behavior never left his mouth. The moment his eyes had locked with Sakura's, the girl had dashed in his direction. It was only thanks to the flash of pink hair suddenly obscuring his vision that Choji had been able to jump backwards and evade the punch that snapped the branch he'd been standing on in half. The pinkette wasted no time in attacking Shikamaru and Ino who, for some reason, were transient to her attacks.

'Ding'

The sound was followed by Sakura's next attack. He would have been hit if not for Tayuya grabbing the kunoichi in a full nelson to stop the blow from connecting. Her eyes briefly moved to the baby. Choji took the nonverbal cue and jumped from the tree to grab the infant. Sakura turned, her disbelieving and hurt look pinning the redhead. Her eyes oozed shock and betrayal. Another ding prompted the Akimichi to look back and see Sakura's form flying toward him. She'd slipped out of Tayuya's grasp and thrown her a good distance over her shoulder. He barely managed to move around her to jump back beside his redheaded teammate.

The bubblegum haired kunoichi glance passed over Hiro for a brief second. She lowered her head, hair obscuring her eyes. Choji watched her lips move in a silent incantation while her hands formed a sign followed by a small burst of chakra. Sakura raised her head, and the two genin watched as a lone tear slid down her right cheek.

A mocking laugh echoed off of the trees. Not too far away, someone walked out from behind one of the wooden giants. There was nothing remarkable about him. What was most familiar was the mask and outfit he wore. They were an exact match to those that the Oto nin wore that invaded Konoha more than a year ago. A lone weapon gleamed in his hand. The moonlight reflected the light off a perfectly shaped metal triangle.

"She seems to be torn on the inside. You two must be awfully close."

Choji stepped in front of the redhead. "What did you do to Sakura?"

The man glanced at Shikamaru and Ino."Bunshin...hm. My name is Kiko Tsumagi, one of the men who will help Orochimaru-sama establish control over this country. When he returns we will have everything waiting for him. And you..." He locked gazes with Tayuya,"...are someone I think he'd like to see. Won't you come back with us once we claim the Oriyama village, Tayuya?"

A growl tore its way from the redhead's throat. "Let her go."

Slowly, but without any hesitation, Sakura started unraveling the bandages around her ankles. A few drops fell to the ground but the pink haired kunoichi didn't release a sob or a sniffle. She paused to wipe her eyes, and then continued her work.

The man continued his play with the instrument. "It's fortunate that I watched from the shadows. While you may be pretty strong yourself, Tayuya, I don't think I've seen feats of strength of the magnitude this girl has displayed. Perhaps Orochimaru-sama would like to use her for an experiment. Either way, she can't hear you." The triangle stopped spinning. "Through sound, I've manifested one of her greatest doubts. I'd originally planned to incapacitate her. Still, she should be more than enough to keep you busy. I wonder who she thinks you are."

Choji had no time to respond. The 'clank' of metal connecting with the ground drew both his and Tayuya's eyes to the weights lying beneath Sakura's feet. Shoulders slumped; the pink haired kunoichi dragged her forearm across her eyes to dry her face one more time. When she looked up Choji was the recipient of a glare that had the potential to spoil milk. There was fear in her demeanor, but determination and rage as well. In one quick motion she'd sprinted forward with a quickness that surprised both genin. Though her speed had increased, Choji was still able to instinctively bring his forearms up to block. The blow connected and with it, the sound of bone breaking came as well. Choji's startled cry grew fainter as his body flew back until it hit a tree. One of his eyes shut tightly while his right arm cradled his left.

Tayuya involuntarily backed up a step, coming back to bark with a large tree. The bubblegum haired kunoichi sped toward the girl. Her fist smashed into the bark where the redhead had been not a second before. Tayuya managed to vacate the spot to run to Choji and check his condition. Two shuriken flew past her on opposite sides. She barely managed to turn around and see the ninja wire attached to the weapons before it bound her to a tree not far from their Akimichi comrade. Sakura's next punch slammed just right of the other kunoichi's head. Her knuckles pushed harder into the wood.

The redhead gulped. Sakura's eyes were facing the ground, her shoulders shaking.

"S-Sakura, listen to-"

"I trusted you."

"Damn that Kiko! Go to the west, he said. There's no one here!"

The man continued to grumble to himself as he sped in the direction of his Oto comrade. The Konoha team they'd planned to intercept had successfully escaped from their stone entrapment and though they had taken precautions against such a thing happening, they weren't fully prepared. Only through careful observation had he and Kiko been able to identify the redhead traveling among the group as Tayuya, the only Oto kunoichi who had been able to gain entrance into Orochimaru's elite genin unit. That alone put them on edge.

As much as it pained him to admit it, they were stragglers among what remained of Otogakure at best. In spite of this fact, their loyalty to Orochimaru never wavered. The sannin was bound to return and he would be much stronger when he did. He and Kiko agreed it would be beneficial to have something waiting for the nukenin. Thus, they'd started their raids on small villages, until coming across the Oriyama. Initially, their guards were too strong for the bandits they'd managed to gather throughout the many months they'd been preparing, but their determination had steadily waned along the lengthened time they'd been attacking. When they'd learned the family had left on vacation to escape their home for a few months and left their son behind, he and Kiko decided to mobilize what they could. Just one final push and the village was bound to surrender. The family's son would be a catalyst for that.

He slowed his run to a slow jog. Kiko's triangle echoed his ears again; he wasn't far now. He made to take a step forward, but found his body wouldn't respond. His legs also didn't jump away when he felt the tip of a kunai press into his middle back.

"You should really pay more attention to your surroundings," Shikamaru spoke.

Tayuya stepped around to his front and removed the isosceles metal triangle from his belt. She examined it for a few seconds before throwing it into the trees. The redhead gripped the man's collar and brought him down to her level. Her eyes, cold and unmerciful, glared into his.

"You've got five seconds. Where did all these fucks come from?"

An amused chuckle escaped him. "Mui Mujashi, a pleasure to make you acquaintance Tayuya. I'd expect nothing less from-"

The steel that cut a gash across his stomach stopped Mui mid-sentence. His hands wouldn't respond to his commands to cover his abdomen and stop the blood that began seeping out. He released a breathless gasp to calm himself. The Oto nin felt Tayuya's hand grip his collar tighter.

"I didn't ask for a fucking introduction." Tayuya placed the kunai at his jugular. "Three seconds."

Mui forced himself to calm down. He knew he'd likely die. It didn't bother him; as long as it was for Orochimaru-sama. Summoning the last of his strength and courage, he felt the mask he wore lift slightly in response to his grin. "Kill me then. Orochimaru-sama will return and when he does, there will be no mercy. You'd better hurry though, Tayuya. The girl with the impressive strength is likely killing your other friends now. I wish I could see-"

Without hesitation or a single twitch of her facial muscles, Tayuya drove the kunai straight through his heart. Shikamaru eyes widened a fraction of an inch. He had seen a few people die before and known during his and the ex-oto kunoichi's battle long ago that she would have killed him had she been able to, but the action caught him off guard nonetheless. He sighed and released his jutsu, doing his best to ignore the sight of the redhead withdrawing her kunai from the corpse's torso and slicing its jugular. The redhead gave her teammate no time to recover as she kicked the body to the ground and sprinted in the direction the others had left in. Shikamaru was left with no alternative than to follow her.

He and Tayuya arrived on scene in time to catch sight of Choji getting to his feet. They followed his line of sight to where Sakura had Ino, wearing Tayuya's visage, pinned to the tree. A nin wearing identical clothing to the one they'd just taken down sat on a branch, legs dangling and watching in amusement. Sakura reared her hand back.

The sound bounced off the trees. Ino's henge disappeared, but the angry red imprint of Sakura's gloved hand left remained on her face. She ignored the stinging in her cheek and managed to find Shikamaru running toward Kiko. Tayuya dashed toward her and the pinkette. The blond released a sigh of relief as her eyes met Sakura's. The other kunoichi was staring her in wonderment. Her one hand softly touched her rival's cheeks before a new fury erupted on her face. She about-faced in time to find Tayuya sprinting toward them both.

Sakura's attention focused itself wholly on the redhead. They'd followed her plan to separate and neutralize the two nin that were controlling the bandits surrounding them. Tayuya didn't think it possible for the one nin following them to control so many men at once, even through sound. If they'd been able to she'd have known of them since Orochimaru definitely would have put them to use. That was another thing; the redhead had been adamant about there being two nin. Only she had been able to tell the difference between the sound waves. Shikamaru, who agreed with her reasoning, had given her permission to lead team.

Halfway to the estate, her vision had begun to swim. Sakura knew that the nin behind the operation had to be nearby. She'd stopped to compose herself when she felt an unfamiliar hand on her shoulder. The pink haired kunoichi had taken to the ground to make sure Hiro was safely positioned against a tree before turning back and locking eyes with someone she didn't think she'd ever see again. His arms had apparently been fixed since their last encounter in the Forest of Death. Zaku raised his arms, giving Sakura all the warning she needed. His teammates were beside the hollowed nin, ready to support him. Sakura hadn't immediately fled since the three Oto nin hadn't noticed Tayuya standing behind them or mistaken her for an ally. They would be easy prey.

This time, they weren't ready for her.

Her mind had idly wondered where Ino and Choji had disappeared to. She reasoned they were hiding in the shadows. Ino would pick the infant up when she had the chance and Choji would support her. Since Tayuya was on scene that meant she and Shikamaru had already taken care of their other threat. The Nara boy would prove to be valuable backup too in case things took a turn for the worse. Still, Sakura was confident she and Tayuya could handle the three. Tsunade had full confidence in the two genin and Sakura knew no better partner than the redhead kunoichi.

She'd taken after Zaku first. His long distance attacks would be too difficult to avoid if the other two decided to attack her. The Oto shinobi barely dodged in time to avoid the devastating punch that passed by his face. The surprise the Oto team had shown was a window of opportunity that the pink haired kunoichi had quickly taken advantage of. Her fist slammed home against Dosu's chin, sending him flying several feet before his crumpled form hit the ground. Kin stared on in fright. Sakura's fist impacted on the kunoichi's stomach before her hands could grab the senbon in her holster. She let the girl fall when she felt her body slacken.

Zaku had watched her anxiously with his arms still extended. The Oto shinobi was clearly unprepared and caught off guard. Just before Sakura's next attack could find its target, her body had been put in a hold. Immediately, she'd turned around to confront her next enemy but found Tayuya's smirking face waiting instead.

Initially, it hadn't clicked. The ex-Oto kunoichi had to have a good reason for restraining her when she stood on the verge of finishing off the enemy team. While Zaku had made to attack her, Tayuya glared at the Oto nin and motioned toward the sleeping infant below them. The motion shocked Sakura for all of three seconds before she fell back on her training.

Ignoring the hurt throbbing in her chest, she'd thrown Tayuya over her shoulder and sped after the shinobi, successfully stopping him from reaching his target. Tsunade had taught her that in stressful situations she should remain calm. The sannin had conditioned her to avoid panic by falling back on her training in the event of a mass casualty or out of control incident. Sakura was now relying heavily on that.

Still desperately grasping on to the hope that the redhead hadn't turned on her, Sakura attempted to release any genjutsu present, but to no avail. It'd hurt more than she thought possible. The pinkette tried to still the rising anxiety and force the tears that were rapidly rising in her eyes back. Tayuya and Zaku standing beside each other provided enough proof for where the kunoichi's allegiance stood.

Her effort had been in vain. Sakura had felt the tears spill regardless of her attempts to halt their progress. The betrayal tore at her like a hail of shuriken. The pinkette felt her hands move toward the bandages holding her weights in place almost automatically. After removing the belts and wiping the residue from her eyes, she steeled herself for the coming conflict. It'd been a rage driven blur after that. Zaku had been easy enough to take down; with a broken forearm there was little chance he'd be as much as a threat. Tayuya had taken off after him and let her guard down. Even then, Sakura found that she couldn't physically injure the kunoichi. The most she'd been able to muster had been a slap that would hopefully bring the redhead to her senses.

Unfortunately it hadn't found its intended target. Tayuya had used Kawarimi to replace Ino with herself and avoid the attack. The move only served to enrage the pinkette so much so that, when she turned to face Tayuya again, all she could think of was a full body tackle that successfully knocked the other kunoichi off her feet. They tumbled to the ground until the redhead kicked her off. Tayuya took the stance that Sakura had sparred against so many times. The one she'd created herself and that the pinkette had helped her work most of the kinks out of. Her heart clenched.

Sakura almost hesitated, but her rage pushed her to make the first move. She fired several punches and kicks at the redhead. Tayuya barely dodged the flurry of blows. The redhead jumped over the other girl's sweeping kick. Sakura took after her and drove her knee into the other kunoichi's chin before she could react. The redhead leaned back to absorb most of the blow, following it through with a few back-springs to put distance between the two.

"Doton: Doryuso."

Tayuya jumped into the nearest tree to avoid the earth spikes encapsulating the area around her. She cursed under her breath, locking eyes with her opponent she jumped over the spears and landed not fifteen feet away from her. Tayuya wanted to avoid using any jutsu against the other girl. Even if burning or shocking her would bring her out of her daze, it would only hurt them if the men from the campsite managed to find them and Sakura was injured.

The knee that connected earlier could have done more damage, even while leaning back, so the other kunoichi wasn't using her full strength. She still had some semblance of reality. The redhead stole a glance in Shikamaru's direction. She could only hope that the Nara boy would use what he knew about their team to help gain an advantage over their foe. Tayuya tore herself from her thoughts long enough to lean back and avoid Sakura's punch. She grabbed the pinkette's wrist to still her movements and directed a punch of her own at the other kunoichi's midsection. Sakura caught her wrist as well, leaving both kunoichi at a stalemate.

Tayuya bared her teeth. "Whore, you'd better-"

The redhead never finished. Sakura used her only available appendage to attack, bashing the other kunoichi with her skull. The attack left both girls dazed, Tayuya more so than the other girl who found herself cursing the size of the pinkette's forehead. Sakura used the chance to pin the other kunoichi to the ground. During the entire altercation, Sakura noted that the redhead never lost the smirk she was wearing. That the other kunoichi could be so casual about her treason told the pinkette that she'd been planning it all along.

'Diiiiinnnnngg'

Tayuya rammed her knee into the other kunoichi's gut. The bubblegum haired kunoichi rolled off her, clutching her stomach. The redhead watched the Oto nin jump in time to avoid Shikamaru's shadow meters away. Closing her eyes, she allowed the sound to reverberate through her body, focusing on it, feeling its frequency measure out in her mind before opening her eyes again. It was just in time to dodge the other kunoichi's wild right. Tayuya knocked the girl off balance and threw her into a nearby tree. Before the other kunoichi could recover the redhead gripped her collar with her left hand and punched her across the face.

Sakura's upper body leaned sideways as a result of the blow, hair obscuring her eyes. Tayuya quickly went into her pouch, silently thanking Shikamaru's understanding of their abilities. The moment her hand found the item she felt the other kunoichi shift against her left hand. Sakura's glove crinkled as she clenched her hand. Tayuya looked up to meet her enraged eyes, and the haymaker she had no chance to dodge.

"Why won't you wake up!"

Sakura's confusing scream was the only other warning she'd had. The punch connected with an intensity that left the ex-Oto kunoichi feeling as if it had rattled her brain. Tayuya flew across the grass, rolling and eventually coming to a stop several feet away. Sakura's breathing was heavy as she lumbered over to the other girl. She ignored the throbbing pain on the left side of her face.

Tayuya groggily sat up from her prone position. When she was coherent of her surroundings she found that Sakura was standing directly over her. In the redhead's one hand she held the flute Naruto had bought for her months back. In Sakura's muddled vision, the redhead was holding a kunai. The bubblegum haired kunoichi clenched both hands so hard that her arms began to shake. Even if the other girl had meant to kill her, she couldn't bring herself to do the same. She'd find Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji and then bring her back to Konoha. Sakura pressed her weapon arm to the ground and prepared to incapacitate the girl.

"Shinranshin No Jutsu."

Tayuya watched the girl above her twitch several times. Sakura's vision was focused on her, but it was obvious that the bubblegum haired kunoichi couldn't control her body. Tayuya tilted her head back to see that Choji had released Ino, who held her hands in a similar sign to the jutsu she'd done earlier. The blond was panting heavily.

Without hesitation the redhead brought the flute to her lips and played a single sharp note. Sakura seized up, then wobbled unsteadily and fell on top of her. The weight of Sakura's unconscious body sent a wave of relief through the redhead. She gently set the girl down. Tayuya eyes stilled on Sakura's unmoving form. She broke away, taking menacing steps toward where their enemy was standing. Kiko's eyes narrowed.

"It was foolish of me to assume you wouldn't have a way to nullify my jutsu. You should tend to your-"

Tayuya piercing glare was unnervingly familiar to the Oto nin. It wasn't a perfect copy, but it was similar enough to Orichimaru's feared gaze that it had the same effect. His muscles seized in place and he could feel his lungs turn to stone under the young kunoichi's killing intent. With slow purposeful steps, she removed two kunai from her pouch. "Ditz, take Sakura and get to the estate. You go too Tubby, we'll handle this."

Ino glanced at the Nara boy with a pensive look on her face. Shikamaru gave her the confirmation she needed through a stiff nod and the blond gently gathered her rival in her arms before she, along with Choji and Hiro left in the direction of the Oriyama village. Tayuya waited and watched until they were out of sight. The shifting of the redhead's sandals was the only warning her opponent had before she sped off after him.

Kiko threw four explosive tags her way the moment that she'd taken off after him. Tayuya changed her course and moved to the side to avoid the weapons as explosion after explosion sounded behind her. Kiko continued reaching into his pouch and throwing tag after tag, but it was a wasted effort. The redhead flipped over his last weapon and brought her two kunai down hard on his triangle. The instrument buckled slightly under the weight. The sound nin barely managed to push her away. Before he could ascertain what happened Tayuya was once again on him.

Kiko parried what he could but his opponent's wild slashes were, for the most part, unreadable. It was frustrating how effortlessly she kept moving within his defenses. The Oto nin was left to deduce that her attacks weren't unplanned, but rather were intended to seem that way. He had no chance against her confusing taijutsu. His last hope lay with the men he'd conditioned to fight for him, but that was slim at best.

A deep cut in his right forearm nearly caused him to drop his weapon. With her other kunai, Tayuya thrust the pointed end through the holder for the instrument and jerked it out of his hands. Kiko's eyes followed the gleam of the metal until it could no longer be seen. His last hope of survival disappeared the moment he heard the chink of the metal connecting with wood.

The redhead spun and delivered a hard kick to his face. Kiko staggered back, but managed to remain on his feet, blood running freely down his forehead. The whizzing of kunai tore through the air. The metal that pierced his skin caused his upper shoulder and abdomen to erupt in pain. The Oto nin angrily wiped the residue away from his eyes in time to catch the last of his opponent's hand seals. The fireball she blew his way impacted at his feet. Miraculously, his body managed to avoid all trees and hit the blunt side of the earthen spears Sakura had raised earlier.

He could feel the concentration of chakra in the air increase. From his position outside the battle, Shikamaru watched Tayuya fly through hand seals and a rapid rate. The Nara boy observed them closely, only minutely surprised when the redhead braced herself and began accumulating a large amount of chakra in her hand. Her fingers shook unsteadily in an effort to curl around the unstable chakra. Eventually, it yielded to her command and enveloped the whole of the redhead's left hand. Teeth grit, Tayuya rushed forward into the black smoke the earlier katon jutsu had caused.

Kiko used every ounce of his being to rise from the rubble of earth. Blood trickled from his wounds, gradually draining his strength. The black cloud eventually gave way to Tayuya's form. Perspiration was visible across her forehead. Her teeth ground together in apparent pain, but the redhead continued to advance, eyes down. Her closed hand up to her elbow was covered in violently pulsing electric chakra. The Oto nin glared at her.

"You're making a mistake!" He snarled. "Orochimaru-sama will return! He'll kill you when he does!"

Tayuya continued to move forward without even acknowledging that she heard him. She stopped not five feet from the man. Even though Kiko stood nearly a head taller than the redhead, he still had to fight the urge to shrink away in fear. Her closed hand started shaking again; cries and shrieks of electricity crackling filled the air. Whether her trembling was due to anger or pain he didn't know.

Kiko forced himself to remain calm, his brows furrowed. "You know he will. He'll kill anyone he doesn't need. These genin, the Hokage, it doesn't matter. You know how strong he is!"

"You're fucking pathetic."

Once again he could feel her killing intent choking the air from his lungs; the Oto nin fell to one knee and coughed roughly. Kiko turned his eyes upward to meet the enraged brown of his opponent.

"You fucked up when you tried to use-" The redhead stopped, forehead creased. She ground her teeth together and took a deep breath. "...One of us to kill off the rest."

Kiko released a throaty chuckle. Blood darkened the grass beneath his feet. "I was right. You've grown attached. I've caused emotional pain before, Tayuya. That girl...she's not likely to trust you after today. A shame, considering how close you seemed." His grin caused his mask to crinkle. "Still, I'd rather die than return to somewhere I'm hated and distrusted. I don't envy you, Tayuya."

The Oto nin's heart very nearly leaped into his throat at the unexpected spike in killing intent. Before it had been choking, but now it was absolutely crushing. Instead of looking up to meet the enraged look that he assumed would be on the redhead's features, his eyes found the feral grin that obliterated any thought that his words would help his chance survival.

"This might not kill you," she started, rearing back. "...but it'll definitely hurt like hell."

Kiko tightened his stomach muscles in preparation. Feral grin still in full force, Tayuya swung her arm in an arc at the last second so that the blow connected in a solid uppercut. The moment her hand touched the other nin the electricity discharged in all directions. Kiko's body jolted as stream after stream of heat coursed through his veins. The man fell backwards, the dull thump of his body hitting the ground signifying the end of the battle.

The redhead clenched her arm tightly with her other hand and fell to her knees. Shikamaru barely made it in time to catch her before the rest of her body could hit the ground. He examined her forearm and hand closely. The damage wasn't extensive from his viewpoint, but the smell of burning skin was enough of an indication that it would be hurting for quite awhile. The Nara boy sighed audibly as he lent the kunoichi a shoulder so that she could get to her feet. Even with the apparent pain, the redhead was the first to take a step toward the village the Oriyama resided in.

"Where dy'a think you're going girly?"

Shikamaru stopped. The bandit from earlier, along with six other men, gradually emerged from the shrubbery around them. They all had varying degrees of injuries, no doubt caused by Choji and Sakura's earlier attacks. The man with the broadsword was wheezing slightly and holding his torso. Shikamaru took a step back, shouldering most of his comrade's weight.

"Can you stand?"

The redhead's feet shook unsteadily beneath her. She growled. "Fuck. Not for a few minutes."

One of the men notched an arrow. "You're gonna pay for-"

"Kage Mane No Jutsu!"

The early morning sunshine filtering through the trees allowed an interconnected web of shadows to bind the men across from them. Shikamaru didn't move when something fell to the ground beside him. He did wince, however, when the pain of having nails digging into his skin registered on his ankle. He suppressed the inward groan and cast his eyes down to Tayuya's prone form. A fine coat of earth now covered her face. Unfortunately, that didn't prevent her glare from losing its heat or intensity.

"You retarded asshole! You fucking dropped me!"

Shikamaru did a half-shrug, the other men following suit. "Gomen. It was the only thing I could think of."

Tayuya spit out a bit of dirt. "Tch, whatever. Just handle these idiots so we can go."

A bead of sweat trickled down Shikamaru's brow. "It's a bit troublesome, but I can't do that."

"What?" The redhead did her best to prop herself up on her uninjured arm. "Use that other shadow jutsu!"

Shikamaru sighed. "I can't do both at the same time yet."

Had Tayuya the proper motor functions, she'd have smacked the chuunin upside the head. She allowed her arm to rest beside her and chose to lie on her stomach. The majority of her body was still numb. "Fucking great. What next then Pineapple?"

Shikamaru exhaled. Binding them for an extended period would eventually wear on his reserves. He'd choke them to the point of passing out with his Kage Kubi Shibari, but doubted that he'd be able to stand after. "I can hold them long enough. You can take care of them when you get up." His face became grim. "No killing."

"…"

The Nara boy looked down. Tayuya stared stubbornly ahead at their enemies. "Something wrong?"

The redhead set her teeth. "I haven't used that jutsu many times yet, so I don't know when I'll even be able to get up."

Shikamaru blinked. "But—"

"Shut the fuck up and think." Tayuya interrupted, still glaring ahead. "Arguing won't solve shit."

The ex-oto kunoichi resumed her staring. She watched the men across from them shake in an effort to muscle out of the jutsu. The one who notched an arrow earlier still held it in place, its head pointed dangerously at the chuunin's chest. The moment he ran out of chakra he'd be pierced by the weapon. Any other movement Shikamaru made could just as likely release the arrow.

A flash of white caught the redhead's eye. Squinting slightly, she managed to make out the leaves of one bush giving way to two bulging eyes. Shikamaru took notice of her gaze, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what caught the kunoichi's attention. It could have been the two scrolls of different colors that sat in a space not five feet back from the farthest thug. The Nara boy hadn't any idea of their origin. His train of thought was interrupted when the arrow pointing at him snapped cleanly in half, an anguished scream escaped the man holding it a second later.

"ARRGH!"

"AGH! What the fuck! Where is it!"

"I can't move!"

The chuunin gazed confusedly around the area as the screams of anguish continued. He'd have checked to make sure that he hadn't accidentally pierced the men with his shadow had he had enough reserves and skill to do both jutsu. Tayuya tugged on the leg of Shikamaru's ninja pants.

"You can stop now. They won't be getting up."

True to her words the men fell to the ground, all grasping their legs and shins in pain. More shrubbery rustled across them as a small white toad stopped in front of the two Konoha nin, flicking the blood clean off its sword. The two scrolls from before rested comfortably on its back. He was startled to receive a glare from the little toad as Gamapuchi rushed over to the redhead to check on her condition. Shikamaru scratched the back of his head during the toad's inspection.

Tayuya smirked at the amphibian. "New weapon?"

Gamapuchi made what seemed like a confident croak. He sheathed his sword and removed the two scrolls on his back. Tayuya sighed and shook her head.

"Can't move right now. Give them to him," The redhead motioned to Shikamaru.

Still a bit wary, Gamapuchi handed the letters over to the chuunin. Perplexed, Shikamaru pocketed the two pieces of offered parchment before helping the redhead to her feet. Tayuya allowed most of her weight to rest on him as the white toad hopped on his other shoulder. The Nara boy almost fell over at the unexpected addition of weight. He glanced at the toad. Its skeptical gaze caused him to expel a sigh and silently pray that the animal wouldn't cut him while they walked. He shifted Tayuya.

"Naruto's summon?"

The redhead grunted. "Damn right. He just saved your ass too Nara. Don't forget to thank him."

Gamapuchi nestled himself comfortable on the chuunin's shoulder. If Shikamaru was surprised at the name change, he didn't show it. Nor did he decide to tell the redhead that he wasn't the only one that the toad had saved. Instead, he released another sigh that turned into a small smile and started the walk to catch up to their team.

Ino exited the room, a long sigh escaping her. Her eyes trailed over to the Koi pond not ten feet from their shared room. It was a beautiful thing and certainly stated that the family was anything but poor or middle class. The sight of the calm water should have soothed her. Sakura's earlier outbursts, Shikamaru's and Tayuya's absence, and Choji's injured state were at fault for her current worry; though her own inadequacies during the battle were also at the forefront of her mind.

'I should have used it earlier. I just thought that I wouldn't be able to do it right.'

Ino shook her head to end her self pity. An amused chuckle brought her back to her senses. The man wore a white robe in a fashion she likened to that of Hiashi Hyuuga, assuming from the rare occasions that Ino had seen the Hyuuga head. His shoulder length brown hair framed his brown eyes and complimented his goatee well. The blonde bowed apologetically, seemingly for no apparent reason, when he placed a soft hand on her shoulder.

"Have your friends returned?"

Ino shook her head. "No Oriyama-sama. Hopefully they'll be back by afternoon. If not I'd like to go—"

The man held up his hand. "I would not allow a lady, kunoichi or not, to go alone. If they have not returned by then I'll send the men to accompany you. Their morale has improved greatly now that our attackers have been dealt with and Hiro has been returned home. How are your other comrades?"

She glanced at the door. "They're fine. Sakura's great with medical jutsu so Choji's arm is feeling a lot better. He'll still need a sling," The blond explained. She paused. "Thank you for the rooms. Shikamaru and Tayuya will be happy to rest when they get here."

"It is nothing for our rescuers. If you need anything else please feel free to ask." He stopped in mid-turn, smile lighting up his face. "Hiro would like to see you all before you depart. He's had quite the adventure, and we are having difficulty putting him to rest. I'm sure he will remember you."

Ino smiled and bowed as the man left. The team had been housed near the back of the modestly sized estate. The village itself wasn't overly large. Upon arriving hours ago they'd been able to identify the small compound at the top of the farthest hill as the home that housed the Oriyama family.

The door to the team's room opened and Choji stepped out, arm in a makeshift sling. He took careful steps over to where the blond stood.

"How's Sakura?"

The Akimichi glanced back. "She hasn't said much since you told her she couldn't go back." Choji shifted his arm. "Shikamaru and Tayuya should be coming back soon."

Ino sighed. "I know. I'm still going to wait for them. It's hard to sleep on missions when Shikamaru isn't around."

He nodded in agreement. "Wanna wait by the pond?"

The blond kunoichi smiled wearily. She'd be happy for some company. Choji knew her just as well as Shikamaru did.

"Sure."

Inside the moderately sized room Sakura waited, knees drawn to chest, with a mixture of restlessness and dread. Ino had laid her one of the five futons in the room when they arrived, a spot she hadn't moved from with the exception of healing their Akimichi comrade. Though the previous events were a bit blurry in Sakura's mind, she knew that she'd been controlled the moment Tayuya had released her from their enemy's jutsu. The kunai in her hand reverting to the redhead's flute and her smirk vanishing in favor of well concealed concern were evidence of that.

Choji denied her apologies, instead deciding to speak about how she'd improved by leaps and bounds compared to how she'd been a year ago. It failed to bring a smile to the pinkette's face as he'd intended, but it did help her feel slightly better about the earlier turn of events.

Sakura grit her teeth, her knuckles beginning to turn white from the pressure of having them clenched so tightly. To be brought down by a single jutsu after the relentless training she'd endured throughout the last year both hurt her pride and made her feel as if she hadn't advanced far enough. How would they retrieve Sasuke at the level she was at now? How could she face Naruto when he returned? Surely he'd be much stronger than before he left with the Toad sannin.

The pinkette wiped her eyes. Her role in the earlier battle aside, she knew that those concerns were the least of her worries. Tayuya wasn't too emotionally perceptive, but the pinkette doubted the redhead missed the meaning of her earlier actions. Ino hadn't, but thankfully the blond decided not to push the issue for fear of making what little conversation they'd had even more awkward.

Sakura released a breath to calm herself. When she, Tayuya, and Naruto had begun their unique relationship more than a year ago the pinkette had more than her fair share of doubts. In time, distrust gradually gave way to camaraderie, and with it came a strange kind of friendship. They'd bonded over everyday things, a convenience of living together for so long. Sakura couldn't exactly pinpoint when she'd begun implicitly trusting the other girl; it came naturally. Though somewhere in her mind, the pinkette wondered what a normal relationship with Naruto would be like. That, and what events would possibly have to transpire for that to happen.

Several sets of footfalls opposite of the door caused Sakura's head to snap up to the entrance. Hiro's father's concern was evident in his voice but then another muffled voice rebuffed the man's effort to settle the others down. Shikamaru's drawn out sigh sounded through the door, as well as his apologies. Sakura set her teeth and swallowed, guilt creeping up to the surface. The moonlight outlined the redhead's form against the darkness once the door slid open.

Tayuya inhaled. She walked toward the other girl on unsteady legs, only stopping when she stood directly over the pinkette. Sakura prepared herself, though for what she hadn't the faintest. She didn't know what to expect from the redhead. The wood thumped as Tayuya collapsed to her knees, allowing her front to fall into the other girl. The ex-Oto kunoichi's long exhale blew behind her ear; not a word escaped her. Tayuya's left side pressed into her right shoulder, her face hidden from view. Sakura fumbled for something to say, anything to express her regrets.

"I'm—"

"My fucking arm is on fire," Tayuya interrupted her, voice laced with pain.

The scent of burned skin wafted into Sakura's nose. She glanced at the redhead's arm, brows furrowing in reflex. "Ino."

The blond jumped to attention. "Hai?"

"Bring a bucket of water," Sakura ordered. "Choji, Shikamaru, Oriyama-sama, please wait outside."

The men followed direction. The house head pointed Ino in the direction of a storage closet where she'd find what she needed. Shikamaru scratched the back of his head while the blond ran off. Choji's hand absentmindedly moved across his stomach.

"It seems we've been dismissed," The Oriyama head said around a smile.

"Sakura's the Godaime's apprentice," the Nara boy explained. The older man's eyebrows rose. "If she's anything like Tsunade-sama is with medicine she'll be a pain to be around right now. Would you like to hear the report instead Oriyama-sama?"

"No thank you," he kindly declined. "It's quite early and if your weariness is any indication, it can wait until morning. I'll have another room prepared for you."

Shikamaru thanked the man as they turned the corner. Ino sped past the three of them, ponytail billowing behind her and bucket in hand. Not a drop spilled as she turned the next corner and disappeared from sight. Shikamaru released another sigh that was matched with chuckles from both Choji and the older male.

Ino's obvious self-pity when they arrived gave Shikamaru another duty to perform as team leader. Thankfully Sakura gave the blond something to occupy herself with. Though both kunoichi's minds were likely occupied with pessimistic thoughts, he knew that they'd bounce back. Tayuya's blunt nature would aid that. Part of him couldn't help but compare her to Naruto in that respect.

Not twenty minutes after he and Choji lay down on their tatami mats the entrance to their room slid open. Ino carefully stepped around them and took her place on an extra mat in one of the corners. Shikamaru rose up on one elbow, eyes searching the darkness for the blond. Their gazes locked for the briefest second, but it was enough for the Nara boy to see her eyes lacked the sadness that had been there earlier. A strange sense of hope had replaced it. He and Ino shared a smile before he turned over and stored a mental reminder to thank the redhead in the morning.

An uneasy silence filled their quarters the moment that Ino left the room. Sakura, brows still knit, began the arduous task of removing what cloth hadn't been burnt clean off the redhead's arm. The arm had been singed in different places, peeling skin going up as far as the redhead's shoulder. The pinkette suspected that they went even further under the remains of her top, but decided she'd have to stop the burning before proceeding any further. Sakura laid a cool hand on her arm.

"It's worse than last time."

Tayuya hissed. "No shit. Can you fix it before Anko or Kakashi see it?"

Sakura didn't answer immediately. She sighed. "We've talked about this. It isn't good for your body if you keep using that jutsu. It might be your chakra, but it's still dangerous to try pulling it back. You couldn't push it back any further?"

The redhead turned to face away from the medic nin. "I used a shitload of chakra. The cowardly fuck deserved it."

Sakura's hand stopped as she bit her bottom lip. "Is he dead?"

"What do you think?"

Tayuya grit her teeth when the pressure on her arm increased.

"Did you have to?"

Sakura's tone was sad; remorseful. The ex-Oto kunoichi set her teeth. "I know you haven't killed before Whore. It's not like I'm a fucking killing machine either." Tayuya paused, brows drawing downward in thought. "They deserved it. Would've probably been killed if they ever got in contact with Orochimaru anyway."

The pinkette carefully sat the other girl up. "There were two then?"

Tayuya nodded. "Cocky, arrogant, and not giving a fuck about their own life." The kunoichi's lips drew into a thin line. "They're better off dead."

Sakura began removing the other girl's top. Tayuya stopped her in mid lift with her good hand but Sakura gently pushed it away. "I know they go up higher. It's just us."

She didn't relent. "Ditz?"

"She'll probably be back soon; we're all girls. Calm down."

Moment's later the redhead lay with nothing covering her top half aside from the wraps that securely bound her breasts. Sakura forced her to lie back down on her stomach, resisting on commenting on how her face had dusted a light pink. Though Tayuya killing didn't sit well with the med nin in training, she knew that as a kunoichi that she'd be called on for things of that nature in the future. That, or there would be times when she had no other choice. Sakura chewed her lip again, mind going to other matters.

"Gomen."

Tayuya's left eye was partially obscured by her hair. Still, the caramel orb that peeked through the openings could clearly be seen as it assessed the younger girl. "Don't be a dumb fuck Sakura. Bimbo's training isn't gonna make you invincible and neither is Kakashi's or Anko's. We're—"

"—You know that's not what I'm talking about," Sakura's voice echoed above her.

Tayuya remained still, words imprisoned behind her teeth. She'd never been one to know the procedure to deal with emotions, even after Naruto had cleared her mind of the emotional tornado that rampaged across it a year ago. Even if she had, Tayuya didn't feel comfortable discussing her feelings with anyone aside from the blond. With Naruto it was easier, though even he had to coax it out of her if her usual stubbornness reared its head.

She and the other kunoichi never had to delve into such things. Their time together, training and all, was the foundation for the trust they'd built within each other.

During the battle Tayuya hadn't been able to turn a blind eye to the other kunoichi's emotional suffering. Had it been for someone else it would be a great deal easier. That the pain in the pinkette's eyes had been because of her illusionary betrayal made things much more difficult. It shook their now fragile base, leaving Sakura and by some extension, herself, wondering where their partnership now lay.

The redhead had caught her roommate enduring similar turmoil at home; sniffling before going to bed and fervently trying to wipe the teardrops off the glass frame that housed the first picture of team seven in the morning. In months past, her tears brought nothing but irritation to the redhead. Those earlier—well, Tayuya could only liken them to the rare times Naruto had showed visible hurt when speaking of the Sandaime or Sasuke's defection. Her intent to stop the pain was the same in this case, but the method for going about it would certainly differ.

If their roles were reversed, Tayuya couldn't completely doubt that she'd have reacted similarly. Sakura was no Naruto, but she was far from an insignificant piece; she held importance. What kind of importance, the redhead couldn't put a label on.

Thankfully Ino chose that time to return, bucket of water and washcloth in hand. Sakura nodded her thanks while the blonde set the bucket beside her, choosing to sit with her knees under her and watch Tayuya's treatment. Sakura gently went over the injured area with the cool cloth. After making sure the burning had been reduced to a minimum the pinkette ran a quick diagnostic to check for internal damage. Sakura expelled a relieved breath that calmed the room's other occupants. Ino shuffled closer.

"How bad is it?"

Sakura's answer died upon meeting her roommate's eyes again. She cleared her throat. "It could be worse. I'm just piecing it back together."

Ino leaned forward. "It looked really bad when you came in. What happened?"

Tayuya rolled onto her good side. "The fuck does it look like? He burned me."

A tense silence enveloped the room. Sensing the atmosphere, the blonde rose unsteadily and began to make her way to the exit. Sakura sent an apologetic smile her rival's way before refocusing on the task before her. When she glanced back Tayuya was shakily rising from her prone position. She caught Ino by the arm, much to the Yamanaka's surprise, and dragged her back to the futon she'd been laying on. After retaking her position, she fixed her gaze on the confused kunoichi.

"Since you were so fucking slow you're gonna help fix my arm too."

Ino blinked. "Eh?"

Tayuya slowly turned the other way. "Fix it."

A gentle push from Sakura assured Ino that she wasn't hallucinating. The pinkette smiled, sliding up beside her rival. Ino deftly followed the other girl for most of the procedure without Tayuya acknowledging either one of them. Her grunts of pain lessened with every minute

A quarter of an hour later Ino wiped the sweat from her brow, grateful for the approving nod that the pinkette sent her way. Retrieving the bucket and washcloth from the head of the futon, she stood up to leave, not being intercepted by the redhead this time. She slid the door open.

"Ditz."

Ino looked over her shoulder. The redhead didn't move.

"Next time you're gonna save my ass, don't wait until the last minute."

Somewhat surprised, the blonde ended up waiting in the doorway for longer than necessary. When it was evident that Tayuya had nothing else to say, Ino closed the door and started back toward the room Shikamaru and Choji were sharing without the drag in her step that had been there previously. She cautiously stepped over Choji upon arriving and took the futon in the furthest corner of the room. Whether or not Tayuya had intended to, the redhead had let the blonde know she had confidence that she could save her at any point. Ino drifted into an easy sleep.

Back in the room, Sakura dug into her pouch for some bandages while her roommate sat up, facing the door. They remained silent after Ino's departure. The pinkette slid around to the other girl's back and unfurled the white gauze. Tayuya gingerly offered up her injured appendage only to have it gently pushed away. The med nin in training pulled out a kunai and in one swift motion, cut the bindings holding the redhead's breasts in place. The ex-oto kunoichi arms both came up automatically to cover herself, a reflex she found herself cursing when her injured arm throbbed.

Sakura released an exasperated sigh; she held the pieces up. A long, singed rip sat on the back of them adjacent to the material the pinkette had cut. "They were already damaged. If we don't change them they'll just tear on our way back tomorrow. Sit still."

Tayuya gradually relaxed her arms. Her roommate sat behind the redhead and immediately set to work reworking the bindings with the bandages, then moved on to her injured arm. Sakura gently applied an ointment to the limb to make sure all burning stopped. She'd have to wait for it to dry before wrapping her bandaged arm. Tayuya flexed the fingers on her hand. She grabbed a roll of gauze and tossed it at the door.

Sakura's bewildered stare immediately morphed into a wide smile. The white toad slid the door open and hopped over to the two. The redhead handed Sakura the letters over her shoulder while Gamapuchi fretted over her injured hand.

Tayuya gently flicked the toad's head. She grinned."Gonna take more than a burned arm to take me down." She leveled a hard stare on the toad. "Not a word to Shithead about this. He'll find out when he gets back."

A hesitant nod was her answer. The ex-oto kunoichi tilted her head back slightly, motioning for him to take his position. Gamapuchi happily complied, nestling himself in her hair. Sakura reached around and placed the red and white scroll in the other girl's lap.

Tayuya analyzed the thing, eventually coming to the conclusion that it'd be far too difficult to try and read it as she was and handed it back to the pinkette. "Read it to me."

"What if he put something inside he only wants you to see?"

The redhead scoffed. "You know Shithead wouldn't tell me anything he wouldn't tell you. Read it."

Sakura picked up her own green and pink scroll. "I'm going to read mine first," she informed the other girl. Tayuya shrugged one shoulder. Having no other alternative, she relaxed and waited for the bubblegum haired kunoichi to finish reading her letter in silence. Sakura's voice drifted through the air; she was far too absorbed in reading her letter to notice Tayuya turn around and raise an eyebrow.

Sakura-chan

I know that I said it would be a while before I sent another letter but I couldn't wait. Ero-sennin doesn't know that I'm writing this and he shouldn't find out. I've had my bunshin watching him for three days now and he's probably too busy thinking about what Tsunade-baa-chan wrote to notice.

It's getting exciting now that we're moving on to jutsu. Ero-sennin says my taijutsu is a lot better than before we left but there's still another style I need to learn. At the end of the second year I might be going on another trip too. The old pervert said I'd be going by myself but that's alright. After I learn all of these awesome jutsu I'll be able to handle almost anything that comes my way. He still hasn't told me where I'm going.

We're almost through with winter but it just started raining. It's been off and on for the last few months but I have a feeling this time it's going to be coming down for a while. We picked up a few futons and half dozen blankets before we stopped, so we should be alright.

You and Tayuya-chan have to be learning a lot too huh? I know Baa-chan and Ero-sennin are telling each other about what they're teaching us, but I think we should keep it a secret from each other. That way it'll be a lot more fun when I get back and we spar. I still want to know how your missions are going though! Baa-chan has to be using you both a lot I'm a little worried that Tayuya-chan hasn't been getting along with everyone. You're probably the only one that she can stand in the village Sakura-chan. It's kinda funny since you both used to be at each other's throats all the time.

Have you and Tayuya-chan made chuunin yet? Ero-sennin says I can't participate in any of the chuunin exams because we're being chased. It'd be like announcing our locating to all of the five nations. That means when I get back I'll still be a genin! Then I'll have to take the exams all over again. They were hard enough the first time and I won't have a team to take them with! There's probably other ways to become a chuunin...but I want to do it the official way. Having so many people cheering me on and knowing who I am...it's a great feeling.

Even though you're miles away you've still helped me these past few months Sakura-chan. When I've been knocked down it's like I can hear you yelling at me to get back up from the sidelines. You and Tayuya-chan. I wouldn't have come this far without you two. I promise I won't stop moving forward until I see you again and when I do, we'll move forward together. All of us.

Love you,

Naruto

Sakura quietly rolled up her letter and set it beside the futon. Wordlessly, she began wrapping the other kunoichi's arm. It'd been great to hear from the blonde again and know that he was still safe but his worry about Tayuya's interactions with the other members of the rookie eleven, herself included, and effectively re-cast the curtain of awkwardness around them. The pinkette used a kunai to cut the strip of gauze, finishing her work on the redhead's arm. Tayuya flexed her fingers, wincing slightly.

"Be gentle with it." Sakura cautioned. "It wasn't just the surface tissue that was burned. You're lucky it didn't destroy the chakra network in that arm."

Tayuya said nothing. She reached for her top, gingerly working her injured limb through the material. Glancing over her shoulder, she took note of the pinkette's hung head before turning back to the door and releasing a heavy sigh.

"Sound can really fuck you up sometimes. It fucks with your senses, especially when used with genjutsu; it's tough as hell to break then." She paused, forehead crinkling in thought. "The bastard used it three times. The first two were to get your body used to it. It was a lucky break for us that you were aware enough to hold back."

Sakura's hand resumed its iron grip on the futon. "...I wasn't. I just...I didn't want to hurt you."

A pang resounded inside the redhead. Words once again failed her, so she settled for a low chuckle. Sakura felt that familiar hurt begin to surface again until the redhead turned back to her. She rubbed the side of her face where quite the colorful bruise was beginning to show.

"That's bullshit. You wouldn't have knocked me thirty feet away if you didn't want to hurt me."

"You punched me first," the med nin in training reminded her. She absentmindedly licked the cut inside her cheek. "Hard."

Tayuya's retort died when the pinkette moved forward, her hands gradually being enveloped by a green aura. The warmth washed over her skin, the stinging around the side of her face diminishing until a dull ache remained. The redhead's hand gripped her roommate's when the glow began to subside, her eyes boring into those of the other girl. She appeared lost, but determined to grasp what she wanted to say.

"It felt real."

It was a straightforward statement. The redhead watched the small lump move down Sakura's throat. She nodded. "I didn't—"

Tayuya gripped her hand harder. "You're pissing me off Sakura. If I hear one more fucking apology...I really will punch you hard, so shut up and listen." She ignored the other kunoichi's sharp intake. "When we started our relationship with Shithead I didn't trust you. There's still that stupid, annoying little thing in the back of my head that always saying wondering why he stays with me...with us. But he wouldn't leave us, would he?"

The pinkette managed another nod. Tayuya looked to be debating with herself, as if trying to correctly phrase her next statement. She huffed and squared her shoulders.

"Ditz, Pineapple and Tubby were there to cover us for this mission but even if they weren't I'd still be there. No matter what happens, whoever or whatever fucks with us, I know you've got my back." Tayuya gripped the med nin's hand tighter. "I'm not leaving you either. No matter how much you think you fucked up."

The redhead pushed her roommate's hand away and quickly about-faced. Sakura simply stared at the other girl's back, a sense of calm and gratitude washing over her. She sniffed once, an action that caused Tayuya's shoulders to tense.

The redhead was unprepared for the other girl's forearms gently falling upon her shoulders and her forehead pressing between her shoulder blades. Sakura's arms wound themselves around her neck and were gone as soon they had. Tayuya said nothing about the impromptu hug as the other girl sat straight and wiped the bit of tear residue away from her eyes.

"Tayuya...th—"

Tayuya's scroll pelting the other girl's forehead interrupted her sentence. "I've waited long enough Whore. Read it."

The pinkette stared at the piece of parchment in her lap. Absentmindedly rubbing her head, she unfurled it and began reading the words aloud with a barely there smile.

Tayuya-chan

I was a little excited to start this letter. Probably because Ero-sennin doesn't know about it but also because we're almost halfway there. It's been a long year and hopefully the next two move faster since I'm going to be learning a lot more now that were done with taijutsu.

I'm gonna to have to catch up to you I think. Kakashi-sensei knows more than a thousand jutsu and you've had a year to get a leg up on me since I've mostly been working on taijutsu. I know yours was better than mine, but that doesn't mean you can count me out Tayuya-chan. By the time I get back you and Sakura-chan will have to come at me with everything you've got to take me down.

How have the missions been going so far? I hope you and Sakura-chan haven't been getting anything that's too hard but if both of you watch each other; I'm sure you can handle anything that comes your way. Maybe you'll both make it to chuunin and into the bingo book before I get back. I'll keep checking to make sure.

Anko-san as your sensei is still something I'm trying to get used to. I don't know anything about her jutsu except that she uses snakes and that she's a Tokubetsu jounin. Ero-sennin tells me that's a jounin that specializes in something, but didn't tell me what. I guess he wanted to keep it a surprise for me when we get back but it honestly has me a little scared. She creepy, but don't tell her I said that.

Who's been on your team so far? You'll get along with Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji okay I think. Bushy brows, Tenten, and Neji are your age so you four might have something in common too. Shino's quiet but he's still a good guy, even though he always wears his hood. Kiba's annoying sometimes, but him and Akamaru are really fun to hang out with if you're ever stuck with nothing to do. I don't really know much about Hinata, but I think she's pretty strong so she'd probably make a good sparring partner. You'll get along with everybody, I know it. I can't wait to see them, but mostly you and Sakura-chan.

One year down, two to go!

The pinkette licked her lips. "Love, Naruto."

"..."

"Did you—"

The scroll was pushed forward into the pinkette's front when Tayuya's unconscious form fell backward. The redhead's lack of movement frightened Sakura at first, but her light snores seconds later calmed her. A giggle escaped the med nin as a bit of drool escaped the ex-oto kunoichi's mouth. That was, until it started to drip steadily on her forearm when the redhead's skull lolled to the side. She frowned.

Gently grasping the other girl's chin, Sakura tilted it back so that her head could rest comfortably on her chest. The futon she'd been deposited on earlier lay nearest to the wall. Expelling a slightly annoyed breath, the pinkette scooted until her shoulders were placed firmly against it.

Sakura couldn't claim that it was the most comfortable position, but Tayuya's peacefully sleeping form pushed any complaints she might have had away. If this was the only form of gratitude that the med nin could offer and have accepted, she would gladly do so.

Tsunade's eyes roamed over the words from Naruto's latest letter. It seemed the Toad sannin had been using his newfound free time to train the boy in whatever he saw fit to. Pushing the piece of parchment to the side, the Godaime looked up at the slightly worn team she'd sent out the a few days ago.

"You brought him back?"

A hard tug on Tayuya's hair served as a reminder that, yes, they had returned with the baby they'd been assigned to escort home. A polite knock on the door sounded before the Oriyama head made his way in, respectfully exchanging bows with Tsunade as he did. Sakura and Ino returned his gentle smile while Tayuya handed the reluctant baby back to his father.

The man didn't lose his smile when he addressed Tsunade. "I'm very grateful for your assistance Hokage-sama. You sent me an excellent team; they went above and beyond expectations. My family is grateful."

The Godaime nodded in reply. "I'm relieved to hear everyone is in good health." Tsunade threw a sideways glance at Tayuya's bandaged arm. "If you don't mind my asking, what brings you back to Konoha Oriyama-dono?"

The question prompted most of the team to giggle or snicker quietly. Shikamaru smirked in the redhead's direction. None of them were fazed by the redhead's glare.

Tsunade noticed the head trying to stifle a chuckle as well. "Ah, yes. Well, my wife finds the village fascinating, especially the merchant districts. She's there as we speak. I'm here to thank you properly Hokage-sama and ensure these five are rightfully compensated."

The Godaime rested her hands on her intertwined fingers. "They will be. I'm sure you remember the amount you insisted upon should the team complete our contract." She shifted her gaze to Tayuya. "However, there seems to be something that you're not telling me."

Hiro's steadily growing cries gained the attention of all the room's occupants. The Oriyama's head's smile widened as he walked the few steps to Tayuya's rigid form, who soon found herself holding the infant once more. His hand grasped another lock of her hair while the opposite thumb made its way inside his mouth. Gamapuchi made a halfhearted attempt with a tug of war from atop the her head before giving in to the infant.

Tsunade found herself smiling slightly at the display. Tayuya shifted uncomfortably at being the center of attention. "I see. I don't mean to be rude Oriyama-dono, but I'm sure my team would like to return to their homes. Was anything else you needed?"

He shook his head. "Nothing at all Hokage-sama." He took the infant from the redhead and turned a kind smile to the team once he reached the doors. "I hope you will all come visit soon. We'll be waiting for your return."

With the older man gone, Tsunade leveled her stare on the other members of team ten. "Ino, escort Choji to the hospital. Your arm will need a proper cast if you're to recover quickly."

Ino quickly left with the Akimichi in tow. Both of them wanted to stay for the mission briefing but it seemed Tsunade only needed Shikamaru to give her a proper review of the events that took place over the last few days. The Nara boy sighed and tilted his head to the side when Tsunade leveled her expectant stare upon him. Shikamaru recited everything necessary from memory, omitting the details of Tayuya's jutsu. The redhead would have sighed in relief if it weren't for the fact that Godaime would have likely picked up on the motion.

"All in all it wasn't too much of a drag," Shikamaru finished, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Tsunade glanced at the girls again. "I'll be expecting a written report by tomorrow morning, Shikamaru. Dismissed."

The Nara boy relaxed his shoulders a bit more. He threw a lazy wave over his shoulder as he walked out. Tayuya made after the lazy chuunin but Tsunade's throat clearing rooted her legs to the floor. The moment the door closed Tsunade placed her letter on the desk.

"I'm assuming you've both read your letters." They both nodded. "Good. Jiraiya's informed me Naruto will be undergoing special training provided he gains a good grasp on the subject matter he'll be taught within the next few weeks."

"I've already written mine." Tsunade continued, eyes never leaving the younger kunoichi. "Among other things, I've told Naruto that I will not be opening anything within the next six months. I'll only be opening them every half year. If Naruto is to be any threat to Akatsuki when he returns, he'll need to be completely focused on his training."

The Godaime took note of Sakura's lips tightening and the redhead's hands clenching, but paid this little attention. "Going forward, Konoha as a whole will also be preparing for them. The clans in particular are teaching their members advanced techniques earlier than they typically would. Your training is no exception. When Kakashi and Anko aren't available, you will be with Sakura and I, Tayuya."

The redhead crossed her arms. She barely suppressed a wince when they rubbed together. "Fine with me."

Tayuya's eyes shifted to her roommate. Sakura gave her a quick nod. "Alright Shishou."

Tsunade pushed out her chair and walked around her desk. She stopped in front of the genin. "Naruto's expecting your sensei and I to make you both stronger the same way I'm depending on Jiraiya to improve his growth. My expectations for him are high and I will push you both to exceed those same expectations." The Godaime shifted her vision to the redhead.

"Tayuya, you're dismissed."

As relieved as she was to be given permission to leave, the ex-oto kunoichi almost didn't move at first. She and Sakura had always left the older woman's office together and it felt awkward to walk outside by herself. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji were all in the lobby when she exited. Ino motioned for her to approach the group instead of pacing endlessly in front of the door.

Inside the Hokage office, Sakura stood before the Godaime, visibly trying to reign in her confusion. Tsunade rarely needed to speak to her personally, especially after a mission. The pinkette resisted jumping when a displeased scowl marred the buxom blonde's features.

"I'm disappointed, Sakura."

The younger kunoichi's shoulders slumped. There were few things that hit her harder than failing to meet the bar that the Godaime usually set for her. She hung her head, nodding once in reply.

"You excelled as the team medic. Choji will recover quickly and Tayuya's arm will be in fighting condition within the next few days. You fulfilled your role and, even when faced with the possibility of a teammate defecting, you still focused on completing the mission regardless. All of these things I've taught you—trained you to be."

"However." Sakura's shoulders stiffened. "Tayuya's arm has been through far worse than a simple burn. I didn't expect Shikamaru, much less you, to omit that detail in the mission report. I've given you the tools to be far more than a competent medic and I expect you to use them in addition to what you already had. That includes the level head on your shoulders."

A hand fell on the pinkette shoulder. "That said, as your sensei I trust your judgment. Tayuya is your responsibility now. Whether Naruto returns to see her with only one functional arm or not will be a consequence of whatever decisions you choose to make. If nothing else, I know you've learned when intervention is necessary."

Tsunade backed up a few steps, flew through a few hands signs and pressed her hand to the ground. When the smoke cleared Sakura was left to stare Katsuyu, whose form was not much bigger than herself. The summon seemed to bulge in several different places before a large scroll slithered out of its bulbous body.

The Godaime placed it on the desk and unfurled it. Tsunade's name lie in blood red writing near the end. "Your progression over these last few months has been greater than I expected. After these three years I have no doubt that I won't have much left to teach you. Your control and aptitude for medical jutsu is above par and, with Katsuyu's permission, we'll begin the formulation of the next set of goals for your training."

Sakura did a double take between room's other two occupants. She bowed quickly to Katsuyu. "Arigatou, Katsuyu-sama."

Tsunade crossed her arms. "You're still under my tutelage for these next two years. Tayuya will be your responsibility as I've said, but you're well aware that it's against my rules to hide any other shinobi or kunoichi information from me, correct?"

The Godaime took a small amount of pleasure in her apprentice's shivering as she nodded affirmatively. She waited while Sakura squirmed underneath her gaze.

"Tomorrow at dawn, we begin your lengthened training sessions. Later this afternoon, we'll finish up our normal training routine. This..." Tsunade motioned to the empty space next to her own name. "...will be your immediate goal. I'll have her observe our sessions to assess you. When a decision is made whether or not you're ready, we will both make it. Understood?" The pinkette nodded. Tsunade's uncrossed her arms. "Dismissed."

Sakura bowed and turned so fast the movement nearly happened at the same time. Tsunade watched her go until the telltale signs of Katsuyu moving stole her attention from the closing door. The summon didn't have any facial features, but the Godaime could tell found as much humor in the situation as she did.

Sakura exited to the welcome sight of team ten and Tayuya waiting at the entrance to the lobby. Tayuya released a sigh of aggravation before snagging the pinkette's arm. Sakura exited along with the redhead without too much of a fight.

The med nin gave a slight tug on Tayuya's arm to stop her. Gamapuchi almost fell off her head at the sudden stop. "Where are we going?"

Tayuya began dragging her along again. "Doesn't fucking matter. You'll know when we get there."

"Wait up!"

The girls turned to see Ino running after him with the rest of her team in tow. She flashed a smile at the other two kunoichi. "Mind if we tag along? Choji's fine thanks to Sakura."

Tayuya glanced at the other three. "The mission's over."

Ino blinked. "So..."

The redhead narrowed her brows. "We have shit to do, Ditz. Go home."

Shikamaru observed the blond shake in an attempt to reign in her anger at the merciless shutdown. They were halfway down the hallway when the sound of Ino's foot stamping into the ground echoed through the passageway. Her index finger pointed accusingly at the two retreating kunoichi.

"Hey! You owe us! We didn't say a word about that jutsu that almost burned off your arm!"

The Nara genius' breathing halted when Tayuya's pissed off gaze leveled itself on his form. She seemed ready to storm back down to them and give him a punishing blow to the face. Instead, team ten was left to stare in surprise when she tightened her grip on Sakura's arm and took off down the hallway at a dead sprint, red hair leaving a trail behind her. Ino's finger fell limp at the redhead's childish action until her voice echoed off the walls.

"You move like that and we'll leave your slow asses behind!"

Spurred by the redhead's words, Ino snagged Shikamaru by his arm and took off after her. Choji quickly fell into step behind the blonde as she turned the corner. Briefly glancing at his teammate's death grip on his forearm, Shikamaru breathed out another sigh and allowed a small smile to touch his face. Things were certainly going to be different with the addition of the ex-oto kunoichi to their small group.

He supposed there were more troublesome things in the world, though.

Snow blanketed the small dojo that the two shinobi were currently residing in. Jiraiya had left a few minutes ago to make sure the perimeter was safe and that the toad's were staying warm, leaving Naruto to himself. The blonde was currently snuggled up in a few blankets that did little to warm him up, but didn't necessarily allow any cold to seep in either. All in all, he could have been more comfortable.

The door to the wooden building swung open. The snow atop it covered the Toad sannin the moment he made a step to enter the chilly building. Naruto's blue eyes peeking out from between the fabric caught the slip and his chuckles filled the small building. After shaking himself free of the frozen water, Jiraiya set a wrapped bundle in front of his student.

Naruto's hand shot out from the covers, skillfully grabbing the shivering white toad and bringing it close to his own body. Within the cloths, the blonde could make out three scrolls. Two with Tayuya's and Sakura's usual colorings, and one devoid of any color at all. His curiosity getting the better of him, Naruto unsealed the colorless one first. Jiraiya watched white clouds billow from underneath his student's blankets, brows raised.

After much rustling, Naruto peeled the blankets away from himself. Jiraiya watched the blond roll along the ground with two new pieces of clothing wrapped securely around his head and neck. The black scarf with burnt orange tassels near the end seemed to compliment the piece of clothing well. From his vantage point, the Toad sannin could see stitching sewed into the ends that formed the letters T and S respectively. The second piece to the set was a simple all black cap with the same burnt orange trim. A red spiral sat in the center of it.

"Tayuya-chan~. Sakura-chan~..."

Jiraiya watched in mixed amusement as his apprentice rolled along the dojo floor. He stopped the boy with his foot. "I know its cold outside, but we should at least practice the kata. Meet me on the front stairs."

Naruto enjoyed the warmth a few seconds more before he stood up. Tayuya's and Sakura's scents were on barely on the clothing and he found himself feeling a bit of nostalgia at the cinnamon-apple and strawberry aromas floating off them. He glanced at the small note next to photo he received. Jiraiya saw his charge exit with a grin that he'd couldn't help but match.

The Toad sannin rubbed his palms together. "Not cold?"

Naruto pumped his fist in the air in response, his scarf bouncing around his shoulders. "Not even! Summer's almost here Ero-sennin!"

Inside the dojo where a comfortable white toad slept lay a glossed photo and next to it, a scroll with little writing on it. Tayuya and Sakura stood next to each other in the picture wearing the same bathing suits as in the last set.

Naruto

We we're a little worried about you so we bought you something to keep warm and safe wherever you are. Ino helped pick it out. Choji and Shikamaru tagged along, so this is from them too. Stay warm and remember, summer's almost here.

Love you,

Sakura

Shithead

I told Whore that a little cold weather shouldn't be enough to take you down, no matter how much you bitched about it, but she wouldn't listen. Figures. Don't mess up my new cap. If I see you wearing that old ugly ass thing you wore to bed when you get back instead of what I gave you you'll be sleeping on the couch.

Wear it.

Tayuya

Outside, Naruto flew threw his kata with a sunny smile and practiced ease. The snow seemed to fall a little slower and Jiraiya couldn't help but wonder if spring was closer than he anticipated, or if Naruto's smile was simply melting flakes before they could hit the ground. The Toad sannin grinned and moved alongside his charge, moving through his own exercises.

Either way, he couldn't help but feel as if summer wasn't so far away.

Congrats on finishing. Longest chapter I've written, but it doesn't necessarily make up for the lengthy time it took to update. Credit for the beta of this chapter goes to Kenju, formerly known as Tobi is A Good Boy. Again, I'll probably edit the author notes tomorrow to include what I need to say. Thanks for coming back

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