Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Captivation ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer for complete story: I do not own Naruto or any of its character. Naruto rightfully belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.

Note: Consistent profanity.

Rated: Pg- 13

Chapter 1

In the beginning, it had never been her choice to accept what was given to her. She ignored her problems and let them linger on by, only knowing they'd come back to haunt her the next day. It was how she had lived her life for 13 years. But, it all stopped on that one day, when she learned how to become friends again with her ex-best friend; when she allowed the desire to have the one person she had first thought to be an insolence to become her best friend; and when she was able to understand what betrayal was and comprehend what a true friend means.

She hadn't understand what it meant to be deceived by someone she had given her heart too, until that day. It was too awkward for her to reconcile their friendship -no- alliance with him later on, so she let it be and felt that if it's needed to him, he would be the one to speak up. And if not, then the alliance was not needed after all. She figured he was too stubborn to apologize, thus it was left alone. Eventually, they were force to have compromise though it didn't help much. It was a normal atmosphere with them, a natural passer-by vibe.

She had thanked the Heavens and Earth for bringing back both of her comrades back safely. After the confession she had given Sasuke, she was foolish enough to think he'd react differently towards her. Haruno Sakura was deadly wrong on this one. He ignored her, crushed her, then threw her away. Just as he did before, only it had hurt so much more. Finally realizing what she had thought to have come true was just a dream, she confided in the once person she never thought she'd be able to tell anything too.

After the small talk with Naruto, she thought better of herself and made a decision that she would form a new friendship with her old friend. Surprised smack the other girl across the face when Sakura had told her the idea of them being friends again. Not needing to pry into the question "why" Ino obliged to her request, and both set foot into a new direction.

As she recalled, that day had been an uncanny one. Uchiha Sasuke rejecting her, confiding in Naruto (who just so happens to be her best friend.) And made up with Ino (who is her OTHER best friend.) All in all, believe it or not, it had been a rather good day for the girl -well woman now-. And to think that had happened exactly 9 years ago from today. She grew up and became the perfect kunoichi of her village. Her reputation was strong and everyone respected her. Everyone expect....

"Neji..." She greeted the man in front of her.

3 months ago

"Explain to me why you are doing this again?" Naruto asked as Sakura sat down, coffee in hand.

"How many times have I already done that?" She set her drink down and looked out the window.

"Well, I lost count on the 52nd time. How bout you Naruto?" Ino asked turning her head the to grown boy.

Naruto stared at Ino and sighed. "I was just making sure. After all, she had requested someone she has no relation too. I mean, she could have at least chose someone she knew, should anything go wrong." He explained calmly while fingering a rubber band. It was odd for Sakura to choose who she chose. He couldn't quite grasp the situation. He was available for the job, practically anyone was. But she had chose that-that....

"Neji was the only guaranteed ANBU member that wouldn't have to uphold any missions soon since he just got back from a mission at the Mist. Plus I didn't want to disturb you or Shikamaru with your upcoming missions. I mean, who knows how long MY mission is going to take? Don't get me wrong, I hadn't request Neji specifically. Hokage-sama recommended him for me. I just requested, someone who had the skills to back me up but had no upcoming missions. His name just appeared first." Sakura explained, poking Naruto in the chest.

She knew he was protective of her. It wasn't as if he had any grudge against the other man. Maybe he did once, but it's gone now. It was the fact he would have felt better if it was someone he personally knew. She was grateful for his security, but she just wanted to let him know that she's not the girl she once was. Of course, even if she did let him know, he'd agree with her but would always keep the same tactics. So what was the use? She would never win against the guy, he was just too Naruto for her to win.

"Oh Naruto, give it a rest. What's been decided has been decided." Ino added.

It was just like Naruto to fight against Sakura. She just thanked Hokage-sama it wasn't Sasuke, Sakura was partnered up with. Now that Naruto would explode on. She hadn't mentioned that fact, and it was best not too. Whenever given the chance, Naruto would jump right to it and beat any guys' ass if they messed with Sakura. Ino was more than gratified for Sakura to have Naruto as a friend, but she also understood why Naruto always came back the next day with a bump on his head or a black eye. And if it was really bad, both.

"But-" Naruto's next words were washed away when Sakura glared at him.

"I have to go. Chouji's coming back today, So I have to check on his report before he turns it into Shikamaru. Ja!" Ino walked out of the house and sped through the side walk.

"I'm gonna go too, Sakura-chan. Shikamaru and I are suppose to meet at Hokage's office for the mission. I'll be home around 6." Sakura waved a dismissing hand at him as he disappeared with a poof.

She sighed and looked at the clock, "Time to meet with Neji..." she murmured slightly and grabbed a coat to head outside.

The weather had been bothering her for some time. Not only is it summer, but it's not even warm. Sure there were some consistent changes in the temperature some time, but it was never constant. How the hell was she suppose to work under the weather where her eyes could barely even open, thanks very much to the damn clouds. She wondered if it would affect her mission. She'd hate to have it called off if it was for the weather. The sun wasn't even shining for crying out loud.

She strolled through the village and stopped at a particular area in the forest. She examined the area and came to the conclusion it had not been the right place. It was completely deserted. Nothing was there, besides a couple of trees surrounding the area. The grass had all been dried up and practically showed the dirt underneath. She scrunched her brows together and looked at the paper in hand. "But it says it right here." She muttered to herself. She looked up again and noticed 3 wooden poles sticking up from the ground. Each labeled a number. "Must be it." She added. She looked around again and noticed she was the ONLY one there. "Where the hell is the bastard?" She manage to get up before she had to effortlessly catch two shurikens.

She got up from the ground, "Not a very nice way to greet your partner." She acknowledged the man above her. He jumped down and walked towards her, slipping the weapons off her two fingers. She raised an eyebrow at him, "Why couldn't you just meet at my place?"

He merely shrugged at the question, "I wanted to see if you knew your directions."

A smirk took over her face as she triumphed over his challenge. Noticing the slight victorious look on her, the Hyuuga decided to toy with her.

"Which you don't." Neji began to walk away from the kunoichi.

She was flabbergasted. What the hell was this guy talking about? She met him at the right place AND on time. The hell was he thinking. "Excuse me? I happen to have met you at the right place and promptly too." She corrected him, following behind him carefully.

"So you did, but....walk east of your house, you could have reached the area in a quarter of the time it took you too." Sooner than she was able to speak, they were standing in front of her house, along with Naruto.

Sakura hmphed at the man and walked ahead, opening the door and allowing the man to escort himself in. "Take a seat and we'll get started."

She walked into a hall and disappeared. Neji took this time to examine the room he was in. It was small but cozy, albeit messy even. He was sitting on a dark green coach, parallel with a small coffee table, that currently held stacks of magazines. Across from where he sat was a T.V. set, and left from where he sat was another set of couch. The door was to his right and on the other side of the door was a small kitchen. Connected to the kitchen was a small hall way which possibly led to the bathroom and bedrooms.

From what he saw through the hallway was an ajar door. It was decorated blue and orange. He didn't need further details to know who's room that was. Naruto? A shoji door separated the room he was in with another room he believed. Neji saw Sakura grab a few documents and manila folders. She tucked them under her armpits and walked around the hall into the other room. There he saw Sakura's shadow bend down to get something from what seemed like to be a table. Her figure came closer to the sliding door as she manage to pop a feet out and push back the current door. In hand was a stack of line and white paper and in the other was a cup of coffee. And what more, in her mouth was possible a piece of cookie.

Neji stared at her with an eyebrow raised high. He watched as she set the coffee down first then took that hand and placed the stacks of magazine down, then the cookie and finally the stacks of paper. She sighed as she plopped down next to Neji. "Stupid Naruto..." She muttered.

"So he DOES live with you." Neji concluded his eyes movingover to the other room. Sakura followed his gaze and understood what he meant.

"Apparently."

She noticed Neji's consistent glances around the room and laughed, "I cleaned up yesterday. It took more energy than going on an actual mission." He nodded and turned towards the documents. "Here take a look at this." Sakura handed him a manila folder. He scanned through the papers quickly.

"So our mission is to assassinate a feudal lord of theSand?" She nodded her head and bit into her cookie. "But didn't you just come back from the place?" She nodded again and tossed him another set of paper. He read through them as she explained to him the ordeal.

"Clearly, the Kazakage doesn't want him as a feudal lord for their Village. He's caused too much of a distraction and embarrassment to the whole society for them. Part of the compromise with the Village was to somehow get him out of the way." She explained.

He nodded his head and got up, "I'll meet you again tomorrow."

"Your place this time. Naruto is going to make a mess again by the end of today."

The Hyuuga agreed slightly to the woman. "You know the place. I'll expect you there by 9 -no later-" Sakura waved her hand dismissing him from her small abode. He took the sign and walked out the door without another word.

Sakura picked up her pace towards the Hyuuga's territory. Her cropped hair was pulled back into a short pony-tail as perspiration formed on her upper lip. She took the back of her right hand and wiped off the sweat. Unfortunately for her, not only did Naruto make a mess (which resulted her in cleaning it up while Naruto laid in his bed with a couple of bumps on his head) but he broke her alarm clock. She had woken up at ten til nine.

Fuck...She accelerated through the forest and landed proficiently in front of the large estate. Where the hell am I suppose to meet him in this place? She quickly walked up to the guard and announced her name. "Haruno Sakura."

"Here for?" The sentinel's voice indicated he had also just woken up. It was tight and compressed together. The last syllables of the words were slurred and his eyes seemed a bit crusted. Sakura smiled. Seems like everyone is off today.

"Hyuuga Neji." The name slipped her mouth way to easily for her liking. It was as if she had known the guy for life. It struck her odd how she did know who he was when she was younger. Knowing him as the number one rookie who stood besides her former crush wasn't all that great. She hadn't cared for any other girl in that lifetime except for the Uchiha boy. Oh...and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei and Lee-kun

"Took you long enough." Sakura whipped around and found herself facing her partner. She hadn't noticed how tall he was until he stood hovering above her. Compared to him she was David and his was Goliath. She took a step back to take a better look at him. His usual attire consisted of the ANBU vest and the net fish tee underneath it. The sable looking pants hung loosely on his legs and his shoes were the customary ninja sandals. "Got lost?" He mocked her.

Sakura glared at him and ignored his comment. "Don't make me kick your bucket." He smirked at her comment.

"I like to see you try."

Sakura itched the reach into her holster and pull out a kunai. Amazing, he'd be first to taste the new cleansing agent she used to clean her weapons with yesterday. But killing him wouldn't help her. She needed him on the mission with her. It wasn't as if she wanted him to go on the mission with her she just needed the back up at this time. Her previous mission had been a success but at the same time a disaster struck and she lost two of her men in the routine and agenda they had attended too. Dying was an honor in Konoha because they died for the sake of the mission but that wasn't how her ninja way went.

It was the sake that all her men came back alive to her. She didn't care if she failed the mission or not. To her the life of her comrades were much more important than some crappy ass mission they can always retrace back. The village was in definite need of shinobis at a time like this and she was called on this mission just three days after she had gotten back from the compromise which lead to the death of her two comrades.

Neji wasn't exactly her first pick. Her first motives were Naruto or Shikamaru or even Genma for that matter. She had no relationship with the Hyuuga man and she had no intentions to make one. Inaptly, she learned that Naruto and Shikamaru were heading off to their new mission soon together while Genma had to prepare for the upcoming Chuunin exam.

She was upset when she had heard she wouldn't be allow a spot as an examiner. The last Chuunin exam she was able to place her spot as the first examiner. This year she wasn't as lucky. Missions were beginning to build up and she was out for a day until a couple of months. It was that bad. Favorably for her and the village, her compromise with the Sand had gotten their mission to lessen but they were still in need of shinobis. Genins on D rank missions were advanced to C rank. Chuunins were needed for A rank and Jounins were on S rank (if there were any).

"I don't have time for this crap." She turned around and tossed him a scroll. "Read that and report to the Hokage after understanding the full concept of the mission. We start our mission tomorrow at dawn. Meet me at the gate no later than 5."

"You should be one to speak."

Sakura sneered at his comment before taking her leave. They haven't even begn their mission yet and here they were already fighting. Damn him for being the person he is. She hated her placement but it wasn't as if she was going to refuse this mission. She's a kunoichi and she knew her place in the world. Whether she liked it or not.