"How to Love" Sai x Hero

Our return to the village meant that it was time to report in to the Hokage. My teammates and I headed up to the building,where we would announce our mission a total failure; I couldn't even begin to imagine how well that would go.



"What?! A failure?!"



"M'-M'lady! Please,that's the third desk this month that we've had to replace!" squeaked the fifth Hokage's assistant,Shizune. The three of us trembled before the young woman,who's strength was something awful. Her amber eyes narrowed as she studied us. I could see that she was already deciding our punishment. Whatever it was,it was bound to be dreadful.



"P-please,Lady Hokage! Everything was going well,and then these two started to argue!" Yama said suddenly. He pointed to Taito and I. 'Yama,you brat...I thought,turning away. I knew he'd rat us out again...!'



"You can blame Taito all you want,but not me," I said. "Everything was going well,but Taito came back late. Yama and I had done our part-"



"If you did your part,then how was it that the bandits were able to get away?" Taito smirked.



"Enough! I don't want to hear any excuses coming from any of you!" yelled the Hokage. The sound of her fist slamming into the desk caused all of us to jump. Silence engulfed the loudness in the room. "Now..." Tsunade began to shuffle the papers piled on her desk. "I will be assigning you all on a different mission. Yama. Taito. Go now. I will speak with you later,"



"Yes,ma'am!"



I watched my teammates leave the room. The only ones left were Itazura-sensei and I.



"Itazura,I'm disappointed. Where were you while these two were bickering again?" Tsunade demanded. I knew she was referring to Taito and I. It was always the same,on every mission. He would do something stupid,or get in the way of my heroic moments. 'Stupid,Stupid Taito...! Thinking he's so cool...'



"Hero!" Tsunade exclaimed,slamming her hand down on the desk. Tiny splinters of wood flew in various directions. "Listen to me...you've got to stop this foolish day-dreaming of yours. As a shinobi of this village,it is your duty to carry out missions. When an enemy is in sight,you don't have time to sit and write!"



"B-but..."



"No,buts," said Shizune. She stood in the corner,holding a stack of papers in her arms. "I know...you're not a kid anymore,Hero. How many times are we going to have to scold you?"



Tsunade took the stack of papers from Shizune and set them on the desk in front of her. "Those ninja will definitely return,having escaped with ease one time. But Hero,I have another mission to assign you. In fact,there's a team you're going to be joining for a while,"



"A new team?" I repeated. Unbelieveable! Itazura placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.



"It's only for a while," he told me. His words were assuring at first,but when I looked into his eyes I saw uncertainty. I didn't want this to happen. I didn't think it'd come to this.



"Please! M-mom!" I begged,turning back to Tsunade. "Don't make me leave my team...I don't...I'm sorry..."



"Sorry's not good enough this time,Hero. Sorry means you'll try your hardest to avoid the situation from happening again,"



She was right. Taito and Yama seemed to always get along. Maybe I needed some time away from my team. Maybe...it was really just me.



"It's too late to reconsider anything now," Shizune mumbled,glancing out the window. "They're already coming,"



"They?" I turned to the window,and then the office door. A shadow moved behind the blurry glass. "T-they...who's they? M-mom?"



The doorknob turned. My heart began to pound. Who was it? 'The interrogation team? The police? The funny farm ninja!'



I stumbled back near the Hokage's desk as the door swung open.



"Hero. I'd like to introduce you to your new temporary team. Team Kakashi!"



"Hey'o!" the boy on the left spoke first. I took a good look at him. Spikey blond hair,and round blue eyes. I couldn't make much sense of his outfit. What kind of training had he been doing? An orange and black tracksuit...what was he thinking? "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. And this here's Sakura,"



I looked next,to the girl who stood beside him. Short pink hair,and light green eyes. Her. I knew who she was...she was mom's assistant. I'd seen her many times before,so there was no need for an introduction here. Right?



"And this is our captain,Yamato. He's filling in for our real leader,Kakashi-sensei,"



I looked lastly to the man who stood beside Sakura,and studied his face. He didn't look familiar,but...'Man,his eyes are kind of scary. Oh,well. I'm sure he's a nice guy'



"And this...this is Sai. He's kind of new,as well," Sakura said. "He joined us to replace..." she trailed off. "Well,he's here for...reasons,"



Reasons.



Good enough for me.



My eyes settled on the pale boy that Sakura had pointed out. His clothes,suprisingly,were much similar to mine. A top that cut off from the bottom,to mid drift and pants riddled with zippers and pockets. Around his head,he wore a symbolized Leaf Village headband. I studied the expression on his face. Blank; empty.



That was,until he noticed I was looking at him.



"Hello,Princess. I look forward to being your commrad,"



My left eye twitched. "Wh-wh-what did you call me?"



"What do you think?" asked the boy. "I came up with quite a suitable nickname for you in such a short amount of time," he smiled. "What do you think of it?"



"Suitable..." my mother scoffed from behind her desk. "You might find yourself changing that nickname sooner than you think,"



Before I could turn around and argue,Itazura announced that he was leaving. "I'll be leaving then,Lady Hokage," he bowed briefly,and headed for the door. I pushed passed the team of three,and promptly chased after my teacher.



"Please,don't go!" I begged. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry,"



Itazura sighed and gave me an appologetic look. "I know,Hero. But I can't yank you out of the punishment this time. This is a serious order given by your mother,"



"Wait!" I screamed,grabbing onto his wrist with both hands. Itazura signed half a seal with his free hand,and dispersed into a puff of smoke.



"Get back here,you coward! Are you saying you're afraid of my mother?!"



A darrk shadow loomed over me,and then a shiver ran down my spine.



"Shouldn't you be?" whispered the voice of the Hokage in an eerie tone. When I turned around,I found team Kakashi well hidden behind my mother's assistant,smiles on their faces while they waved to me nervously. I thought to say no,but I knew it'd be stupid.



"Fine..." I grumbled,crossing my arms. Tsunade tsked,and returned to her broken desk.



"I want you all to get aquainted," she told us. "Hero will be a part of your team for a while. This is a her consequence,due to her uncooperative behavior with her previous team. I will not be removing her until I see some improvement"



"Um...Lady Tsunade? Forgive me for asking..." Sakura spoke up. "But...isn't a five man cell...uncommon?"



Tsunade nodded. "This is a special case,and again,it is only temporary. Starting tomorrow,you will all resume your regular missions,with the addition of Hero,"



"Understood," said Yamato.



"Good. Dismissed". I watched the four of them leave. When the door closed,I turned back,but my mother had beaten me to the punch.



"I said dismissed,"



"But,mom-"



"Enough,"



It was vain. This was the final answer. Without another word,I left the Hokage's office. I passed Taito and Yama as I walked down the hall,and they fell into step behind me.



"A new team,huh.." Yama mumbled quietly. If there was anyone I'd miss besides Itazura-sensei,it'd be Yama. 'He is like...'



"My sidekick," I said. Yama's dark eyes rose from the floor,and he gave me a quick smile. "Don't worry," I told him. "A super hero can never leave her sidekick for too long. For now,you'll just have to take my place on the team,"



"R-really?! Gee,but...who will they replace you with?"



"No one," said Taito. I shot him a mild glare,but he adverted his eyes. "No one can take your spot,"



His words had caught the two of us off gaurd. "Do you...really mean that?"



Taito stopped in mid-step and leaned against the wall in the narrow hallway. A smile slowly spread over his lips. "Of course,I mean it. Who could replace an idiot like you?"



"Haha,yeah Taito. An idiot like..." Yama's eyes buldged,and he slapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh,no!"



I gritted my teeth.



And then I pounded them both.