“…This guy is… just taking Sasuke’s place, someone chosen to fill the gap. I’ll never consider someone like him as a team member!”
Clenching her fists, Kohana stepped forward. “Naruto, stop—“
She fell silent as Sai grinned. “Well, I’m glad you think of me that way. I wouldn’t want to be categorized with… the weak shit-for-brains, Orochimaru’s clone who only cared about power and ran off to Orochimaru, betraying Konoha.”
Naruto’s eyes widened with blatant disbelief before they narrowed in anger. He would never let someone insult Sasuke like that—especially someone like Sai.
Just as he was about to lunge forward, Kohana grabbed his arm, pulling him back when Sakura raised her own arm and prevented Naruto from moving forth.
“Truly, the most important thing is teamwork.”
Naruto gritted his teeth, looking at Sakura with incredulity.
“Sai…Naruto… since he doesn’t know you all that well, he just said too much. I’m sorry, please forgive Naruto.”
“Sa-Sakura-chan…”
“Think nothing of it,” said Sai.
Sakura tilted her head with a smile.
“Well… that’s good.”
Before everyone else could realize what was happening, Sakura shot forward and socked Sai right in the face. It was not much of a surprise either that Sai slid back at least a few feet away from all of them. Still, that smile never left his face.
“On the other hand… me, you don’t have to forgive.”
It was then that Kohana decided to intervene. From the look in Sai’s eyes, she had the feeling that he was planning on prolonging the affair.
“Stop this, all of you,” she commanded, moving away from Naruto. They all turned to her, and Yamato was thankful that someone else was willing to stop this.
“Sai… as an ANBU member, you have just as much a duty to be professional in this mission,” she narrowed her eyes menacingly, “one more step out of line and you will have to answer to my blade… for real. I don’t care if your rank is higher than mine, but the mission must always come first. And Naruto,” she wanted to hide her face, because she knew it had softened, “you shouldn’t let your irrational behavior hinder our movement. We haven’t the time to spare for childish quarrels.”
Naruto’s jaw almost dropped as he felt a sharp pang hit his heart with full force. His sister’s words hurt him, but not even the apologetic look in her eyes was enough to make him understand a little better.
Sakura frowned, her eyes just as wide as Naruto’s. She was just as surprised that Kohana had enough confidence in herself to say something like that, but she guessed it was just one of the many changes that Kohana went through.
Still, though…
Yamato grimaced. It seemed as if Naruto and Sakura were ready to demand something from their team mate.
Quickly, he brought his hands together, and out from the crumbling ground came a massive wooden cage.
Kohana gasped slightly in surprise as she stepped back, eyeing the wooden thing.
‘Mokuton…? How is this possible?’
Yamato crossed his arms, standing before the cage like a prison warden. “If you guys won’t stop arguing, I’ll have to toss you in a cage. I said we don’t have time before we go to Tenchi Bridge, but there’s five days.
[11] Discordant Team Mates
Start from the beginning
