The Turning Point

Chunin Exams Part 10

"Y-you're arms and face and legs. They're all bruised and bloody. W-what happened?" Naruto wondered softly as he reached out to touch the bruise that Sasuke had caused.

Before he could even get close, Sasuke had snatched his hand away and was glaring at him.

"Don't touch her dobe, she's hurt!" he snapped at Naruto.

"Teme! I'm just trying to see if she's okay sheesh. What's wrong with you!?" Naruto replied angrily.

"Nothing, just don't touch her" Sasuke seethed.

"She's my teammate, I can check to see if she's okay!" Naruto retaliated.

"Both of you stop it. Don't worry Naruto, I fell down an embankment when I went looking for herbs to try and help you and Sasuke. There was a bush full of thorns. I fell into it and got all cut up" Sakura explained, frustrated.

"Oh okay Sakura-chan. That still doesn't explain the teme over here with his bad attitude. Unless you too are finally-" Naruto trailed off.

Sasuke shot him a dirty look and Naruto immediately shut up to the confusion and annoyance of Sakura. She was tired of this over protective routine already.

"So what's with you guys, why are you here? What happened?" Naruto asked Shikamaru and Choji.

"Explaining this to you is going to be such a drag" Shikamaru sighed.

"There was an altercation with some ninja. Everyone here showed up to help" Sakura said quietly.

Sakura's not making a huge deal out of this at all. It's good of her to do that for her teammates, Ino thought as she overheard the conversation.

Lee was heavier than she expected and she began to struggle a little. Suddenly a girl with two buns on top of her head appeared in front of her.

"I can take it from here Ino" the girl said, her arms outstretched. Ino deliberated for a moment but handed the green spandex boy over.

"ALRIGHT LEE THAT'S ENOUGH! SNAP OUT OF IT! PULL IT TOGETHER OKAY?" Tenten yelled angrily and shook Lee by the shoulders hard.

Lee flopped unceremoniously on the ground and peered up at his teammate. "Tenten, what are you doing here?" he asked, confused and exhausted.

"I'm here to help you out. What do you think?" Tenten replied.

"Those Sound Ninja, where are they?" Lee asked as his eyes wandered over to Sakura and Team 7, he swallowed back a gasp of horror at the pink haired girl's appearance.

"Sasuke took care of them, don't worry Lee. But why did you get mixed up in all of that?" Tenten pressed, annoyed.

"Sakura, she was in trouble. I had to do something to help her" Lee replied, despondent at the thought of Sasuke being able to take care of the Sound Ninja.

"That was pretty damn stupid don't you think!?" Tenten reprimanded. Lee stayed quiet; he didn't really have an argument for that.

"AH-HA! I thought that it was you I saw Bushy Brows!" Naruto teased and ran over to make fun of Lee.

"Naruto! You had better not be saying anything bad about Lee!" Sakura stalked over and punched Naruto hard.

Man what happened while I was asleep, everything is opposite now, Naruto thought as he lay on his back completely dazed.

"Lee, I would like to say thank you for helping me against those ninja. You didn't have to but you did so anyway. I am sorry I wasn't strong enough to get back to help you in time, and I am sorry you got hurt because of me. But you have taught me a few things about strength, just from your actions today. I will remember these and try to become better" Sakura said and gave the green spandex boy a smile.