Hidden Underneath the Underneath

Chapter Ten

Neji sighed in annoyance as he sensed Team 10 hiding behind the bushes.

"Come out from there," he said in an emotionless voice.

"Damn," thought Ino. "We quickly hid...Operation 'Hide and Hope he Doesn't Notice' has failed. We will now switch to Operation No.2..."

"Man, we've been discovered by the wrong guy..." sighed Shikamaru.

Team 10 came out of the bushes.

"Oh my! I never thought I'd get to meet last year's No.1 rookie, Hyuga Neji-sama here," gushed Ino. "Can I get an autograph?"

"Oh, its's just you guys..."

"That's it!" thought Ino. "Time to use another technique."

Pulling out her hair tie, Ino's long blonde hair cascaded down her back.

"I've always wanted to get to know you better," said Ino, fake blushing.

"Get lost," said Neji coldly, walking off.

"What?! Why doesn't my sexiness work? Ahhh! This pisses me off! Damn it!" screamed Ino internally, clenching her fist and shaking it at Neji behind his back.

"Nobody was counting on you..." deadpanned Shikamaru, sighing.

"Hey...Does the fact that you're shaking your fist at me mean that you want to fight me?" asked Neji coldly.

"No...of course not," said Ino guiltily, cowering in fear,

"How did he see that? Does he have eyes on the back of his head?!" she thought.

"Then leave! Taking a scroll off cowards like you will only make me the laughing stock of the village."

"Yes!" said Team 10, running off in an instant.

"Pft, they're like cockroaches, pathetic," thought Neji, walking off.

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After running for a few minutes to get away from Neji, Team 10 reached a clearing and they dropped to the ground, panting.

"Okay!" said Ino determinedly, cheering. "Let's find some weak guys."

"There is nobody weaker than us...This is troublesome," thought Shikamaru, sighing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Hehe...up all night?" said a voice.

Sakura's eyes widened and wariness took over her fatigue.

"Wake up Sasuke-kun," ordered Dosu. "We want to fight him."

"Wha...What are you talking about," asked Sakura, shakily reaching for her kunai. "I know that someone named Orochimaru is pulling the strings from the shadows. What is his purpose?! What is this weird mark on Sasuke-kun's neck? You did this to him and now you want to fight him?! What is happening?!"

"Hmmm...I wonder what that man is thinking," thought Dosu.

"But hearing that, we can't let you go. I'll kill this girl and I'll also kill this Sasuke," said Zaku.

"Wait, Zaku," said Dosu.

"Huh? Why?" asked Zaku, irritated, itching for action.

Dosu bent down, inspecting the floor. "You're not very good. A recently overturned stone, different coloured dirt. Grass doesn't grow here. A trap is pointless unless it goes unnoticed."

"Pfft, stupid," scoffed Zaku. "So that kunai was to prevent the squirrel from setting off the trap."

"Well since we have no use for this girl, kill her."