Chapter 1

It was another bright morning when Naruto sat on his desk, wiping away the slight rust from his sword until he could see his reflection, beaming back at him, "Atta boy." he spoke to the sword as if it was alive, "We're going to be a bit busy soon, so I need you at top shape."

His eyes turned towards a poster he held in front of his office, office? Yes, Naruto is a leader of a mercenery group he created with Shikamaru. After years of blood, sweat and tears, together, they forged a mercenery group powerful enough to face the games.

Games? What games? Games are what mercs call them but in all actuality it is a blood bath where the final survivor wins a heap amount of gold and the mercenery group recieves rations for a whole year.

No one really wins, there has yet to be a survivor who's came back since Gaara, one of Naruto's merceneries, but the rations helped a whole lot. Naruto didn't need them, so he used the food to support needy villages to gain support. His real plan has yet to take action.

The only problem now is who is he going to send this year? There's Sakura, she's willing to join and despite Naruto's complete faith in her. He seriously doubt she'll be able to live through it. Sasuke's rogue right now, but he still keeps close ties with the group. Maybe he can convince him.

"AHHH!" Naruto slammed his head on his desk, "Too much thinking..." he sighed, after calming down, "Shikamaru!" he yells. The door to his office opens and Shikamaru strolls right by, "Yes?"

Naruto looked at him with pleading eyes, "I need help."

Shikamaru merely smiled. Shikamaru owns half of the company and is the main tactician for the group. Naruto comes up with ideas and Shikamaru finds flaws in those ideas. He has yet to make an appearance of coming up with ideas himself.

Whenever prompt to take over, he would complain and there would be no progress. He enjoys it a lot when there's actual work to be done, something he could test his brains on. He gets lazy when it becomes to easy. There has been many offers by the royal family to aquire Shikamaru and put him in a high official spot.

Naruto, not wanting to lose Shikamaru but at the same time wanted Shikamaru to make his own decisions, left him to decide on his own. Shikamaru denied all offers, "It's simple Naruto." he said, scrolling through his book, "You send the one who succeeded the first time."

"Gaara?" Naruto looked confused, "You're crazy. It looks like we role swapped, I can come up with a thousand reasons why we shouldn't send Gaara."

Shikamaru laughed, "Don't get ahead of yourself." he told him, "Gaara left the games unscathed, you can make a case that he's not the same mentally but I can make a bigger case that would be the best reason to send him."

He continued, "He knows what to expect, unlike you and I who would get trampled under those circumstances."

"What did you say?" Nartuo glared, "I can survive anything. You may be the brains of the whole operation but I'm the force that see it through."

"Oh my." Shikamaru slyly smiled, obviously taking satisfaction with Naruto's expression, "Have I struck a cord? If you think you can take on the games, why don't you-" he stopped himself, remembering that Naruto's brash and would take the games. He sincerely didn't want that.

His smile completely vanish from his face and appeared on Naruto's, "Oh no, we need you now Naruto, more than ever." he tried to back track.

"No you're right!" Naruto laughed, "If I think the games are easy. I should join it myself! Well done Shikamaru!" Naruto walked out the office, triumphantly as Shikamaru pondered deeply about his mistake.

Shikamaru didn't want Naruto to go because while him dying would give him limitless advantages with the company. What Naruto said is true. He is the force that demands Shikamaru's strategy respect. If he loses him, "Naruto wait!" He called out.

Naruto shook his head, ignoring the poor mans plea, "Nope, I'm not stepping into that office until I'm done with the games, then you'll see." Shikamaru sighed a hopeless sigh until Naruto peeked into the office after several minutes later, "Uh, where do you sign up again?"

IOIOIOIOI

In a small tavern, outside of Naruto's office, there was the man who completed the games. All the praises in the world couldn't amount to what he saw. He shivered just remembering it's name. He took the dirty rag and cleaned it, move to the tables and started wiping it down.

"Gaara." Sakura spoke, looking at him, "I gave you this job because you're a hero but you give crappy service."

Gaara sighed, "Of course..."

Sakura puts down the cup she was cleaning and heads over to him. She grabs another rag and helps with his job, "Just ask for help Gaara, it isn't too much if you need a little help. You're also filthy rich, why do you need this job?"

"I can't stand not doing anything." Gaara said, trying to conjure a smile, "Ever since the games..."

"Games, shame, you don't need that. You need to think about settling down, finding a good girl for yourself and living a normal life. Don't restrict yourself to the games, just forget about it."

Gaara shook his head, looking deeply into her eyes now, "There's some things you should never forget about."

There was a small silence as they finish up and a customer walks through the door. His hefty size and jolly smile made the awkwardness fly out the window, "Sakura, Gaara, good morning to you both."

Gaara nodded his head, grabbing a mop from the closet as he started his next job. Sakura left to assume the register, "Hello to you too Choji, what can I get you?"

"The usual." Choji replied, smiling like a child as he sits down. Sakura shook her head, laughing, "The usual? Isn't that about everything I got to offer?" They both shared a laugh as Sakura whips up something for him to eat.

"Yum." Choji told her, smelling the cooking from a mile away, "I'm a wandering sales man but coming here always makes me feel at home."

"And you're always welcome here." Gaara said, trying to be friendly. Choji took the consideration well and grinned brightly at him, "Thank you." He took the bowl of food Sakura offered and started eating it, "Hows business?" he asked, trying to make small talk.

"Terrible." Sakura replied, sighing, "We're living off Gaara's money he made off the games. I feel awful paying one of my workers his own money."

Gaara shook his head only slightly, "You helped me a lot."

"Shut up." Sakura said, feeling dissapointed in herself, "...thank you Gaara, I haven't made it up to you but I will. I promise."

"You really don't have to..." Gaara responded. Sakura hated this. She loves Gaara like a sibling but his personality after the games made him look pure. It spiked an interest in her. Gaara used to be rash, and he hated everything and everyone.

But after the games, he made a recovery and disowned all the worldly possessions he once had. He is an angel right now. But that's what made it so irritating because Naruto gave her the thumbs down when she offered to play in the games. No one knows what happens in the games besides that it's cruel and a lot of people die. There's currently a 99% chance you're going to die in the games.

Her business is slow and she doesn't know how long it'll last anyways. She wants to make a last ditch effort at the games, or die trying. It's embarassing to be helped like this for so long, especially when it is her business.

Choji changed the subject, "I hear merc cities like these are popping everywhere. It's good to know I got more places to trade with but is it really healthy with the economy."

"Depends." Sakura replied, "Merc cities have to be properous to make it a good thing. If a merc city pops up and a trader like yourself invests your money into it and then that merc city falls to the ground. So does your money."

Choji looked concern, "That sounds confusing. I don't think I have enough money to be wasting it like that." he laughs awkwardly. Sakura fills up the glass for him with beer, "Win the games, then you can have all the money in the world." she said.

There was suddenly a loud bang from the outside and it caught Gaara off guard, spawning images of his time in the games. He stumbles backwards and Sakura caught a glimpse of him, "Choji..." Sakura said as she raced to grab her tranquilizer, "You might want to have your food to go."

Choji looked confusingly at her, "W-" he was stopped before he could ask as a flying object flies pass his face. He dodges it with luck and looks at the weapon that nearly ended his life. It was the broken side of the mop and then he looks over to the aggressor.

Gaara's eyes faded into nothing, he was in a mode he forced himself in when he was in the games. His face held no emotion, he made no sound, he just continued with the assassination. Choji yelled as he grabbed his food and ran out the door but Gaara caught up.

Sakura loaded her tranquilizer gun and pressed the trigger, "Here goes nothing." she said. Gaara's beast mode happens occasionally, thats why she has a tranquilizer with her. The small needle shot it's way at Gaara but Gaara catches it with two fingers, avoiding any kind of penetration.

Sakura slammed her foot in annoyance, "These government issue sleepers never works!" she yelled, and went over to Gaara slowly. Gaara stared at her new enemy. Choji slipped pass him but dodged the door as he sets himself on another table.

He slowly chugs his beer and watches.

"Care to help?!" Sakura grunted, squaring against Gaara.

"You kidding?" Choji replied, wiping his lips, "The shows just about to begin."

Sakura rolled her eyes as she charges in with force. Gaara manuevers away from it and counters with a kick to her rib, but Sakura catches it with her left hand, grinning. She swings Gaara's body to the side where he goes crashing against some of the tables.

"Oh, breaking your own appliances?" Choji laughed.

"He's paying for it anyways," she hisses, moving for her next attack. Gaara looks at one of the table legs sticking next to him and breaks it, creating a sharp projectile. He lunges the sharp object at her but Sakura dodges it.

The leg was just a distraction as Gaara throws an uppercut, hitting Sakura. It damages her jaw, and she had tears forming on the outside of her lids, but she took the pain and reacts with a knee to his gut.

Gaara falls on his knees, having the air knocked out of him and returns back to normal. Choji starts clapping before Sakura scolds him.

"Eh? You did well Sakura, you defeated the only man to survive the games."

Sakura shakes her head, putting ice on her jaw, "He's holding back. He's not going all out. If he was actually going all out, you won't even be able to see whats happening."

Gaara remained on his knees but had his head bowed, "Sorry..." he manages out. Sakura rolls her eyes, "Don't worry about it Gaara, you have no control when it happens. It's not your fault." Sakura assured him with a smile, "Anyways, you've been helping me a lot."

"How?" Gaara asked, "Is it the money...I don't really need it to be honest."

"Not the money you buffoon." she smiled, "I've entered the games!" she revealed.

Both Choji and Gaara looked at her surprised.