The Nasty Prank

They were fourth year students. At the academy they felt like lords of the earth. It was during the final year at the academy that the instructors finally showed them the mysteries of how to work jutsus. It was during the final year that they began discussing such things as assassination techniques and the disposal of bodies. By this point all the weak willed and unsure ones were gone. The students who were still there knew they wanted to be ninja. Or at least thought they did. Some would not be able the brutal reality when it finally hit them. Some would not survive that very first brush with real ninja life. But at least the kids thought they were ready to face it. Naruto and Sasuke had already faced that reality and both had come to grips with it in their own way.

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Sakura looked terribly uncomfortable and nervous. He honestly wondered if she would have the nerve to do it. "Sasuke-kun why do you want me to do this again?"

He gave her that shy grin he had worked on in the mirror this morning. As it always did the look made her face darken just a little. With practiced ease he reached out a single hand to stroke her cheek. He could see the breathe shudder out of her. She was so ridiculously easy to read. She looked at him with such pathetic longing. He'd found the perfect equilibrium with her. He would give her just enough attention to leave her hungry for more. He always gave her just enough hope to think all her dreams were within reach. In the whole time she had been his girlfriend he had never once kissed her. He had also most definitely never said the, 'L' word. He would smile, joke with her, pay her attention when started one of her mindless lectures, he would take her out to nice places to eat, and he would hold her hand or touch her cheek. And that was all it took for him to make her do anything he wanted. So far. But he needed to know just how far he could take it. That's why he had come up with this test.

"Sakura-chan." He said in a soft and comforting voice. "Think of this as proof that you really would do anything for me."

She looked hurt. "But Sasuke-kun don't you all ready know that?"

He slowly shook his head. "Sakura-chan I'm not talking about meeting me for a date or lending me some of your kunai. Before long we are going to Genin going on real missions facing real danger. I need to know I can count on you even in the most trying of circumstances."

"Oh Sasuke-kun! What if we don't end up on the same team together?" She seemed on the verge of tears. "My heart would break if we couldn't be together."

Just what do you know about real heart ache? Real tragedy? Like all girls her age she lived on romantic fantasies and drama. He tried very hard not to sigh. Fine if you need drama I'll give you drama. He took her hands into his and looked deep into her eyes. "Sakura-chan think of this as a test of faith. If you do this you'll prove to me that you really would do anything for me. Don't you think Kami would reward such devotion?"

"Do you really think so Sasuke-kun?" She could feel her heart flutter.

He nodded his head and kept eye contact with her. "I do Sakura-chan. If you do this for me I am sure Kami will make sure we are together after we graduate." And if Kami was unwilling he was sure his clan would.

"Then I'll do it Sasuke-kun."

XXXXXXXXXX

Kushina and the Hyuga branch member who had escorted them departed. Hand in hand, just like always the two of them entered the academy grounds. A bunch of their classmates were outside talking or just hanging out. Kiba and Shikamaru both waved to them. Naruto and Hinata waved back. "Does it feel any different to you? Being a senior now?"

Hinata considered it. "Not really," she answered. "I mean we have a different home room now but we have the same classmates and teachers. Does it feel different to you Naruto-kun?"

He nodded excitedly. "This is the last year. In nine months we graduate and I finally get to start my career as a real ninja. I can start building a reputation and begin the path to being Hokage."

Hinata had also thought some about graduation. But she didn't smile. She was somber and serious. "Naruto-kun, what happens if we don't end up on the same team together?"

He gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "If it happens Hinata-chan we'll just have to make the best of it. It's not like we won't still see each other when we're in the village. I mean even once we start our careers we won't be on missions all the time."

Hinata cast her eyes down. "Wouldn't you miss me if you didn't see me every day Naruto-kun?"

With one hand he gently tipped up her chin so she could see his eyes again and that beautiful smile of his. "Of course I would Hinata-chan. I love getting to be with you all the time. But we are shinobi and we have a duty to our village to carry out the orders and assignments given to us. I'd love to be on a team with you. But if it doesn't happen we'll both have to do our best with whoever we're assigned. I mean what else can we do?" He said reasonably.

Fight like hell to be together! She didn't say that of course. Naruto's answer was the right one. And if Kami willed it, it was what they would both do. Oh but she would have liked it if he had said there was no chance they would be on separate teams. She would have liked it even more if he had declared he would fight for them to be together. "I know you're right Naruto-kun I just want to stay by your side." She noticed from the corner of her eye Sakura approaching them to say, 'hi.' Hinata frowned wondering why Sasuke's girlfriend would give either of them the time of day.

Naruto saw her from the corner of his eye and something warned him. He couldn't have explained what it was. But always being in danger had given him sharpened senses and he could spot threats. As Sakura's hand came out from behind her back he instinctively leapt back. Still holding Hinata's hand he pulled her rearward with him. Sakura held what looked like a big water balloon and whipped it at him as fast as she possibly could. She'd been aiming for Naruto's chest but he'd moved too quickly. The balloon struck Hinata instead. It exploded in a shower of pig's blood drenching Hinata dark blue shirt and pants. The back splash got Naruto and the white Hokage cloak was splattered with blood. The instant he landed he glared at the little pink haired girl.

Sakura saw a look in Naruto's eyes that reminded her of an angry wolf. She thought her heart stopped for a second. She opened her mouth to apologize but Naruto seemed to be on her instantly. With one hand he grabbed her by the front of her red dress and yanked her completely up off the ground. She could feel killer intent radiate off the boy and she saw his eyes filled with rage. For just an instant, for just half a second, she really thought he was going to kill her.

"What the hell was that?! Why did you do that?!" Naruto shook her violently back and forth to give his words some emphasis.

She couldn't help it she began to cry. "It was just a joke!" She wailed. "I didn't mean any harm!" He was still holding her up off the ground with one hand. She felt completely and totally at his mercy. Sasuke please come and help me!

Luckily for her Hinata was at Naruto's side and had her hands gently on his arms. "Naruto-kun it's all right! No harm has been done."

Naruto looked at her. "No harm? Hinata-chan you're covered in blood!" Naruto was seething.

Hinata nodded and spoke calmly. "I agree what Sakura did was not nice." She sent the crying girl a frown and then turned back to Naruto. "But she didn't hurt me. Please don't do anything that will get you in trouble or that you will regret later."

She was giving him a pleading look that seemed to just drain his anger away. "Fine." He put Sakura back down and let go of her. "Don't ever do anything like this again Sakura."

"I won't! I swear!" With that she ran away from him as fast as she could.

Naruto reached down to his belt and switched on his radio. "Mom can you come back to the academy please?"

"Is something wrong dear?"

He sighed. "Nothing serious, Hinata and I just had a nasty prank played on us and we need to go home to change our clothes."

"All right honey, I'll be there in about a minute."

"Naruto-kun we can't go home! Class is about to start we'll be late if we leave now."

He gave her a firm look. "Hinata-chan we are not starting the first day of our senior year looking like casualties from a battle. If we're a little late it won't be the end of the world." As they waited Kiba, Shikamaru, and Chouji came up and asked what had happened. Most of their classmates had seen what happened and were buzzing about it.

Ino had seen what had happened and had watched as Sakura ran away to hurry to her boyfriend. Ino didn't fail to notice that Sasuke had watched everything from a comfortable spot leaning against the wall. He had watched the entire event without taking a single step to help his girlfriend. Now that it was over she could see he was hugging Sakura and trying to comfort her. Now that it was over.

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Kushina had watched the confrontation in the schoolyard. It made her sad that someone who she thought of as a nice girl from a good family would do something so hateful. Though she thought balloons filled with blood were still better than kunai and swords.

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Ino went up to Sakura in the girls' room. They were alone and so she had the chance to talk to her best friend. "What was that this morning?"

"Oh, it was just a little joke." Sakura said weakly.

"Uh-huh, and whose idea was this little joke?"

Sakura looked away from the mirror to face her directly. "Mine."

"Bull!" Ino said sharply. "Don't cover for that jerk! I know you would never do something like this on your own. It's obvious Sasuke made you do it."

"Shut up Ino-pig! You're just mad because your precious Naruto got a little blood on him." Sakura snapped.

"No." Ino said flatly. "I don't like what you did to Naruto but it's not like this is the first time he's had blood on his clothes. He'll deal with it. I'm upset because I don't like seeing my best friend getting used."

"Used! You don't know anything! Sasuke would never use me! He just needed me to prove my love to him."

Ino frowned. "So it was his idea."

Sakura gave her an angry look. "Listen Ino-pig if you say anything to anyone I'll call you a liar."

"Don't worry that's not my style. I prefer to deal with things on my own. Sakura can't you see what's going on? Sasuke's using you! Do you think if he really cared about you he would have put you in that situation?"

Sakura glared at the blonde. "You are such a backstabbing lying bitch! What is it? Are you just jealous that the boy I love actually cares for me? Or have you finally given up on Naruto and decided to go after Sasuke?"

Ino actually felt a slight shiver. "No thanks! He's a little too cold for my tastes."

"Cold? What are you talking about? My Sasuke-kun is the sweetest boy in the whole world!"

"Sure," Ino agreed. "When you're right there in front of him. The rest of the time he's usually just brooding. He never smiles, he never laughs, he's just a bottomless pit. I don't know what happened to him but he's not the same boy that he was. He's changed over the last few years."

"No he hasn't! He's still the same sweet boy he always was! He cares about me and he's good to me."

"Good to you huh?" Ino crossed her arms. "You mean like when he has you try and piss off Naruto while he stands back and watches? Is that being good to you?"

"You don't understand!"

"Oh I understand all right! Sakura wake up! Sasuke is using you! If he really did care about you he wouldn't have put you in that situation. Sakura you need to leave him."

"Hah! I knew it!" Sakura nodded triumphantly. "You finally woke up to the fact that Naruto will never want you as long as he has Hinata. You just want me to break up with Sasuke-kun so you can move in and get him for yourself. Well sorry to disappoint you Ino-pig but that's never going to happen." With that she stormed out of the girls' room."

Ino watched her best friend go and sighed. "Sakura…"

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Naruto waited in the hall as the students began to filter out and head home. As usual Sasuke was the last. "Can I have a word with you Sasuke?" He'd asked Hinata to wait for him on the schoolyard. For moment it was just the two of them.

Sasuke looked at him and smirked a bit. He came to stand in front of him calm and relaxed. "Sure Naruto, what can I do for you?"

Naruto frowned. "Why did you have Sakura pull such a stupid stunt this morning?"

"I had nothing to do with it." He said unruffled. "You'll have to ask her why she did it."

"Cut the crap." Naruto's voice was low and held just a bit of menace to it. "Sakura is an annoying know it all, but she's not really mean. She would never come up with anything like trying to cover someone with blood. But I think you might, and it's no secret she does anything you tell her to."

Sasuke sighed. "You know Naruto I know you've grown up with danger all around you. It has got you seeing conspiracies everywhere. Any way what's the big deal it was just a prank."

"It was a mean spirited and cruel prank. I don't like it when people try and hurt others."

Sasuke gave him a slow and considering look. "You don't like seeing people hurt?"

Naruto nodded. "That's right."

"Well that's certainly strange given what you really are."

Naruto suddenly eyed the boy carefully. "What do you mean by that? What do you think I really am?"

There was a light in Sasuke's eyes. "A demon," he saw that hit. Sasuke saw a sudden panic in Naruto's eyes. "Of a ninja. And a demon of a killer. You have killed at least eight since you came to the academy. And those are just the ones I know about."

Does he know? "I only kill when I have to Sasuke."

"Of course, but somehow I get the feeling that it comes more naturally for you than anyone else here."

Naruto gave him a very cold look. "If you really believe that then you shouldn't try so hard to piss me off."

Iruka exited the classroom to find his two top students staring each other down in the hallway. "Is there something going on boys?"

"I don't know." Sasuke answered merrily. "Are we done here Naruto or was something more you need to get off your chest?"

Naruto shook his head. "No I think I've said what I needed to."

Sasuke smiled and left with a friendly wave of his hand. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

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Sasuke was walking Sakura home with his arm protectively around her. All her doubts about doing what she did had been assuaged by about five minutes of his talking to her. He smiled at her and it was a rare true smile, for in that moment he found that he liked her more than he ever had. She's completely mine now. I can trust her to do anything I want. I'll definitely need to arrange for us to end up on the same team. He suddenly stopped and squeezed her tight. He whispered in her ear. "I'll never let you go now Sakura, you'll always be with me at my side."

As they started walking again she took a hold of his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. It had all been worth it because now her Sasuke-kun really understood how much she loved him. And no matter what Naruto or Ino-pig or anyone else might think, she would always be with Sasuke-kun. Always.