-1 Foreigners and Demons: Chapter One-

Strange is the New Attraction

Peace momentarily reigned in the hidden in the leaf village called Konohagakure. The sky was a waterfall of colors; streaking gold over fluffy azure-tinted clouds, beryl and amethyst shadows bathing the vast expanse of open air in a urethral light. The sun slowly dipped it’s warm, sill pulsating body into the gathering twilight-darkness as tiger-lily butterflies flitted across the somber grey buildings, and somewhere the tranquility is shattered by a shout……………

“Come on Kakashi sensei, you‘re the one who told us to come early-spit it out,” whined the blond-haired boy.

“Stop yelling you idiot! Uh, you’re going to wake someone up,” hissed the pink-haired kunoichi while kneading her fingers against her temples.

‘Why does my head hurt again? Could it be Naruto’s outbursts are finally wearing me down? -Inner Sakura drawled sarcastically……no, it’s more like-

“-Naruto! Didn’t you listen at all? No? Well it’s not surprising at least,” Kakashi cut in exasperated, ruining her train of thought.

Flashback

“All right now that you’re here-Naruto, Sakura, and, um, what’s your name again?”

“Take,” came the disconcerting reply.

“…….Right, well, Tsunade-sama has allowed us a week long vacation 2 weeks from now.”

“No way!”

“……..”

“Sakura? What do you think?” Kakashi asked quietly so only she could hear, worried that she was thinking about him again.

“Hm…What?” ‘Yup she was definitely thinking of that no-good, heartless bastard…’

“I guess it would be a nice break from sitting hunched over the desk.” Her remark surprised a deep throated chuckle from him and a goofy grin on Naruto.

“Wow! I can’t wait. Hey, I forgot to ask where we were going…..”

End

“So where are we going?” Naruto asked in a calm, very un-Naruto tone; causing sensei and teammate staring at him strangely.

“….Are you being serious for once? Never thought I’d see the day, started thinking I would turn 80 before that happened.”

“Well, of course I’m serio-Hey what’s that supposed to mean!”

Kakashi chuckled, amused at his student’s actions. He pivoted on his heel, striding forward quickly. “C’mon we don’t want to be late!”

The pink-haired one quickly caught up to her sensei, in step with his long strides. Looking back she could see her teammate was still standing there with a thoughtful frown adorning his face, she called to him. He stood still. She called once more, this time fainter with the distance between them a few feet and only when the all-you-can-eat barbeque was mentioned that whatever stupor he was in, was caused to break.

“Hurry up Naruto! You don’t want to be left behind do you?” she announced cheerily. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance; Tsunade barely left anyone a moment or two to breath before he or she was packed off with more work in decades weighing their hands, and she was not going to pass it up! She was also secretly glad that they were leaving the village, even for a little while, since everyone had looked at her with expressions of pity and sometimes hate.

‘It was not my fucking fault that the ungrateful bastard left! I was too weak then to stop him, blinded by a girlish infatuation and now look at me! The one and only apprentice to Tsunade, one of the three great Shinobi,’ Inner Sakura ranted hotly. ‘I’ll show all of them just how ‘weak’ I really am!’

When the three finally reached the designated meeting place, where the other Jounin teams were waiting: Team Gai of Neji, Tenten, and Lee, Team Kurenai of Kiba, Shino, and Hinata, Team Asuma of Ino and Shikamaru. As soon as Kakashi opened his mouth to give an excuse for his team arriving late, since Naruto had apparently forgotten to eat breakfast, dragging the others with him, Kurenai held up her hand.

“Don’t even.” Her voice was soft, yet held a deadly tone suggesting otherwise. Kakashi shivered involuntarily, he had seen what she could do when enraged.

“Well, well looks like you finally decided to join us in the world of the living Kakashi,” Asuma’s voice drawled lazily. His hair was tousled and there were bags under his eyes. Kakashi was happy to note that some twigs stuck out from his best, a sign he dressed hurriedly.

“And you? I may have joined the living but you look like you were dragged from your grave,” he countered. “So….. do you know where we’re going?” Every jounin stared at him, mouths agape, frozen in astonishment-

“WHAT!” “Y-YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE WE’RE GOING!” “WHAT KIND OF A-A-FUCKING TEACHER ARE YOU! WELL!”

“Why were you not told Kakashi sensei?” Hinata remarked quietly. The other--students-well-friends to be more precise stopped yelling-expect Neji and Shikamaru who had stood silent-and thought for a few minutes. The mentally exhausted sensei was relieved that he was saved from a very bloody beating by the kids.

“Well-see-it wasn’t my fault-I mean-um….why don’t you tell them Asuma?” His name was spoken pleadingly, almost begging, silently remarked said person.

Asuma sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous manner. Kakashi could just feel the evil and malice, in the air as his cigar-smoking friend explained, grumbling and muttering on occasion when answering an unfavorable question.

“The Old Hag-I mean Tsunade-sama-” He swiftly corrected in case she had some hidden listening device somewhere near them; you can never be too careful with the insane. “-she, that is to say-it is a vacation!”

Ino and Sakura gave whoops of joy, hugging each other. Neji just let out a small “Hn”. Shikamaru merely replied “How troublesome.” Tenten and Hinata inwardly sighed and smiled; they were finally going to get a break. Lee struck a guy pose and started yelling about ‘the exuberance of youth’ and whatnot. Shino grimaced; if they went to the Land of the Waves he was gonna kill. Kiba just ignored them all and talked to Akamaru . And Naruto,well….let’s just say he was happy enough for the entire village had they been allowed a break too.

“We’re going to uncharted territory beyond the Land of the Sand…to scout the area for data, potential missing-nin hideouts, just on the side of our vacation,” Asuma told them.

“I knew it, I just knew it! That Old Hag always has some ulterior motive behind every move he makes,” Kurenai mumbled, not caring whether she was heard or not.

“Got up on the wrong side of the bed Kurenai?”

“Unless you want to be impaled through the head I’d suggest you SHUT UP!” She roared. Kakashi covered his ears.

“Uh, sensei? Shouldn’t we be going now. I-I mean if Tsunade-sama sees us still here….” Hinata trailed off. Nobody needed to be told twice, even Neji hurried.

They traveled only stopping along the way and after at small villages, if any, to rest and eat.

Upon arriving at the Land of the Sand, the teachers; Asuma, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Gai all met with the new Hokage of Sand, Gaara. They were not seen until dawn of next day, so everyone else left behind did not let such an opportunity go. Kiba, Shino, and Naruto smuggled in some bottles of beer, Neji grudgingly swiped some Brandy. The girls got chips, salsa, pizza, and chocolate-chip ice cream. Kiba brought some board games and Shino and Shikamaru just sat and quizzed each other on genjutsu techniques. Take, meanwhile had slipped in noiselessly, no one noticed him at first. But then that was before Lee got drunk.

“You know you’re ‘kinda pretty. Reminds me of my cherry blossom.” Lee’s words were slurred and he hiccupped like no tomorrow.

“Perhaps we should stop the flow of drinks for a time when certain people know how to hold their liqueur.” Take remarked upon returning on carrying Lee to his lower bed of the bunks.

Kakashi had the idea that since they were ninjas they should learn how to sleep under such uncomfortable circumstances-boys on one side of the suite and the girls on the adjoining room. Not surprisingly, the other teachers agreed, rather too quickly for Neji, who thought it unusual. 'As if they wanted us to misbehave.'

“Well when Lee sees a sake bottle he can’t help himself,” Neji quoted dryly. He eyed the new member of Team 7, never know when you need to fight in unfamiliar territory. Ironically, that’s exactly where they were heading; uncharted territory, no guides, familiar paths, and you don’t know the wildlife. 'Great.'

Take smirked like a certain rival missing-nin, reaching his blue-black eyes? His black hair kept short, only coming to his shoulders, the lights caught a lone sapphire jewel clasped inside a gold casing on his left ear. He was dressed Chinese style; black breeches with the Pheonix embroidered from the hem up to his knee, ending in a graceful arch of it‘s flame-colored back, which in turn supported a body-hugging deep blue shirt, the V neck line showed tight musclesAnd over all this was a flowing black cloak with silver clasps on the front.‘Not just a pretty boy, huh?’ thought Neji.

Noticing where his stare was directed, Take grinned wolfishly. “Like what you see?” He laughed at Neji, who threw death stares, causing the others to look their way and inquire. Once they found out why Take was laughing about, however, everyone joined in-everyone but the ice king himself. Neji stomped his right foot hard on the ground., eyes glaring.

“I can just leave if you don’t want me here.” He choked out, struggling to keep his fury in check. Tenten sat beside him in front of the pizza and sake-strewn low table, and put her hand lightly on his arm.

“Now, now Neji don’t be upset. You’re acting like a child! Besides Take didn’t mean what he said, Did you Take?” Her last words spoken softly. Said person arched an eyebrow, she in reply. She would have her way tonight! He sighed audibly.

“Of course not. I was bored; there isn’t anything fun we can do.” Nodding her head in approval she lifted her hand and placed it in her lap while the other raised a glass of sake to her lips. She being one of the few able to hold sake well enough not to go crazy.

“ Hmmm…How about checkers? Poker? Monopoly? Truth or Dare?” Ino mused.

“Checkers? No. Poker? No. Monopoly? Definitely not. But, the last game might do. Any objections?”

“Hn.”

“How troubleso- Ow!- alright. I’m in.” Ino had dug her heel into his thigh, discreetly of course.

“Woohoo!” Naruto jumped up and down.

“ Allright!” Sakura's eyes sparkled mischeviously. There was going to be some nasty surprises on the way.

“Then let’s start the game!” Ino yelled, tackling Shikamaru and dragging him with her. The others gathered around, squeezing because of the table’s small size.

The table was cleared, empty or half-filled sake thrown along with the food spoiled by the unbearable heat, effectively cleaning up the place as well.

“Who’s going to start?”

“ I will!” Hinata shouted, eyes half-lidded and cheeks flush, clutching a sake bottle to her chest. She was officially drunk. Mostly everyone stared at her; even though she got bolder, Hinata was not a party girl and her being drunk, with the game they were about to play, certain thoughts came to them.

“O-Okay. Sure, truth or dare….Hinata?” Sakura asked, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“Hmmm……How about dare?”

And the game went on. Morning found most of them sprawled across the ground, the blankets half-covering them, they were so vulnerable. Kurenai with a devilish grin-much like Tsunade-sama appeared on her face Kakashi noted. She took out a camera behind her and caught a picture to die for-literally: Neji, usually impassive and emotionless was lying on the ground, a small grin on his face. Kurenai guessed that was because Tenten was lying next to him, her arm on his chest. Hinata hugged a sake bottle to her chest, her face down on the table, where Naruto lay, a fruit hat on his head. Lee was found in the bathroom with his head on the toilet seat, uncovered unfortunately. Ino and Shikamaru shared a blanket, the latter sporting a hickey. Shino's body was half-hanging over the balcony railing, neck sunburned already, as was Kiba, his jacket hooked on the ceiling fan. And Take...well somehow he was in his bed sleeping peacefully.

“I can’t wait to seetheir faces whenthey wake up,” Kakashi said gleefully. The others nodded their heads, this 'vacation' was turning out to be more interesting by the second.

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And what awaited them was so unbelievable, almost crazy that well I just can’t tell. Wait ’till next chapter!