DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE NARUTO SERIES, BUT IN SOME OTHER UNIVERSE I JUST MIGHT, SO FOR NOW, I'LL LIVE WITH THAT AND JUST LEAVE YOU ALL WITH THIS UNOFFICIAL STORY. PLEASE ENJOY!

Tsunade sighed as she looked across the desk at the Riakage, "Listen, I know you have been having a hard time dealing with the effects of the great ninja war, but there's no way we can take all of the new-"

The Riakage held his hand up, "Wait, I think you misunderstand what I meant when I sent the letter. I don't want to move all of the new ninja students here. It's just one student."

Tsunade let out a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness, I was under the impression you'd lost it"

"This student, however, isn't one that I can teach. I personally was unable to make any progress with him."

"He must be a very stubborn student"

"Not at all, he does everything I ask of him"

"Then, he's very weak?"

"No, he's by far the strongest new ninja I've ever seen, he was capable of being a Jounin from the day I met him"

Tsunade placed her tea on the table, "... How old is this student?"

"Sixteen, he came to me a year ago."

"... So where is the problem?"

"He has... issues that I cannot help him with"

"What kind of issues?"

"He is... bad with people"

"So... he's very shy?"

"To put a wildfire mildly, yes, he is a very shy boy"

"Well, we've had shy ninja's in the past, how soon can he get here?"

The Riakage sighed, "He's waiting outside the door, but I think it would be best if he stayed out there for right now"

"Nonsense, I won't hurt him, bring him in"

The Raikage opened the door, "Siakuron, come on in"

After a minute had passed, Tsunade smiled, "Relax, Saikuron, I won't hurt you, I just want to meet you"

A shakey eye face turned the corner, with innocent, green eyes that shook like his white hair, "Y-You want to meet me?"

"Yes, the Raikage told me you might be worried about me being a little loud, I promise not to yell"

The rest of the boy entered the doorway, he was dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of blue pants, but he quickly hid behind the massive Raikage, who was at least a foot taller than him, "N-N-Nice to meet you, Lady Tsunade"

Tsunade smiled warmly, "Nice to meet you, too, Saikuron. Why don't you have a seat and tell me about yourself?"

Saikuron hid behind the couch as the Raikage sat on it. The Raikage sighed, "It's okay to talk to her, she's just trying to help you train, remember?"

Saikuron peaked over the couch, "M-My name is Saikuron... I'm fifteen... I really like to train, but I'm not good at talking to people..."

Tsunade could see how hard he was trying not to hide behind the couch, "Okay, tell me a little bit about your strengths, if I know where you stand, it would make lessons a little easier to plan for"

"M-My Tiajutsu is very advanced... my genjutsu is very accurate... and my ninjutsu is based off of several different techniques that I've combined through my studies"

"Hm... would it be too much if I asked you to give me a demonstration?"

Saikuron hid behind the couch as th Raikage began to sweat, "Saikuron doesn't like to perform in front of strangers, especially not those above him in rank"

Tsunade waved her hand, "Oh, Saikuron, don't worry, I'm just a normal person, like you. There's no need to be afraid, just do what you would normally do"

Siakuron swallowed from behind the couch, "O-Okay... I'll try!"

Tsunade smiled, "See, Riakage, all you need to do is make sure he knows you just want to help him"

Tsunade began to sweat as Saikuron tried to hide behind her. She had forgotten that a couple of Genin were there for lessons under Iruka, but she had no idea they would effect Saikuron as much as they did. The second one of them pointed at him, he hid behind Tsunade and refused to budge. The little boy that had pointed at him spoke up, "Lady Tsunade, who is that guy?"

Iruka saw Tsunade's expression and tried to help her out, "Kids, why don't we go train somewhere else?"

A little girl stepped forward, "Before that, Lady Tsunade, could you show us one of your really cool skills?!"

Saikuron popped his head out, "Yeah! Tsunade, you can do one of your moves on me!", Tsunade was confused until he whispered into her ear, "As long as you're the center of attention, I won't be nervous"

Tsunade sighed, "All right kids, you want to see a really hard punch?"

The kids shouted, "Yeah! Yeah!"

Tsunade felt bad as she looked at Saikuron from a few feet away, but she felt a little better as she saw the tension and worry fade from his face. He was now wearing a happy smile, as if the weight that had been holding him down had been lifted off his shoulders, and he was without a care in the world. She closed her eyes and focused her strength, then she jumped into the air and brought down her fist with Herculean strength, "AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

As she made contact, she created a crater in the earth that reached at least a few yards into the earth. When the dust settled, she began to sweat as she realized she might've gone too hard on him. Her fears were dispersed as Saikuron jumped out of the crater, without so much as a bruise, "Good hit, Tsunade!"

Tsunade was shocked, in her quick confusion, she'd accidentally put everything she had into that punch, anybody else that would've taken that hit directly would've been crushed or at least horribly beaten. But Siakuron was perfectly fine, until he suddenly hid behind Tsunade, which was when Tsunade realized the kids were running back, "Wow! That was so cool! How did he take that hit without getting hurt?! Who is that guy, Lady Tsunade?"

Tsunade sighed, "He's new to the Hidden Leaf, his name is Saikuron. Please try to make him feel as welcome as you can"

Siakuron waved to them from behind Tsunade, "H-H-Hi..."

The boy jumped out in front of Tsunade, "Hey! Could you teach me how to do that? I think that was really amazing!"

Siakuron hid behind Tsunade, "I-I'm not a g-g-good teacher...but if y-you w-work hard, y-you'll be great one day..."

The boy held his thumb up, "Then I'm gonna work real hard to become strong like you, Saikuron!"

As Saikuron shivered, Tsunade and Iruka handled the situation, eventually getting the kids to go train elsewhere on their own. Iruka looked to Tsunade with a soft smile, "So, that's the guy the Raikage wanted to bring here... where'd he go?"

Tsunade pointed to the tree stumps, where Saikuron was promptly trying to stay out of sight, "Well, there's no denying he has skills, but I have no clue what they are"

The Raikage landed next to Tsunade, "I figured you'd be finished by now... where's Saikuron?"

Tsunade pointed at him, "He took one of my strongest hits without so much as blinking, do you have any idea how that happened?"

"Hey, Saikuron! Come here, I want to ask you something"

Saikuron stood at attention before the Raikage, "Y-Yes sir!"

"Just how did you block that hit? I want details"

"As opposed to the normal combination of defense techniques, I used a combination of all three jutsus. First, I used genjutsu to throw off her aim slightly, causing her to hit my bicep as oppossed to my shoulder or elbow. My extensive training in taijutsu has allowed me to develope those muscles and pinpoint a precise spot where the blow could be distrubuted without causing damage to my body. Then, as a precautionary measure, I used earth-style ninjutsu to strengthen the ground withing half a meter of my foot, and soften the remaining ground, so that even if the blow was strong enough to force me nto the ground, I would recieve little to no stress upon my muscles."

Tsunade was impressed, "That's amazing"

Saikuron hid behind the Raikage, "P-Please don't stare at me like that..."

The Raikage chuckled, "See what I mean? Kid's the perfect ninja, but he can't handle the spotlight, any chance you could help him?"

Tsuande sighed, "I'll see if I can't help him, hey, Saikuron, do you like Ramen?"

"R-Ramen?"

Saikuron looked at the bowl of ramen as Teuchi smiled, "Don't worry, I promise it's good!"

Saikuron gave him a small bow, "Thank you, f-for the ramen"

"Don't worry about it! This is your first time here and you're a shinobi! You deserve one free bowl, especially since the Hokage brought you here!"

Saikuron took a bite, "Wow! This is really good!"

Teuchi smiled, "What'd I tell you? This place is the best Ramen shop in the world! People come from all around to try it, so please, help yourself. Just remember to thank Lady Tsunade for any more bowls you have."

Saikuron smiled as he looked to Tsunade, "Thanks, Lady Tsunade"

Tsunade smiled, "I figured the ramen's famous enough to make you feel at ease"

Saikuron smilled, "Huh... I guess I do feel better since people are focused on the ramen instead of me"

Tsunade took another bite, "Now we can just talk normally, right?"

"Sure"

"So, tell me a little bit about your training, I'm curious"

"Well, until I came here, most days, I would spend four hours studying in the Raikage's library, on different types of jutsu, their effects, and possible ways to combine them to make them stronger or more effective. I would take a few minutes to eat lunch, then I would go out into a special training field for about eight hours, working on chakra control, physical training, and then practical training via some of the ANBU that had spare time"

"You practiced your techniques against ANBU shinobi?"

"Yeah, if I practiced against anyone else, I wouldn't get any better"

"Alright, this is just a question I want to know the answer to, so you don't have to answer if you don't feel comfortable, but, why do you want to be a shinobi?"

"... When I was little, I was abandoned by my parents on the road. I wasn't from the area, I was just a little baby in a basket. I was found by a small orphanage a ways away from Kumogakure, where I was grew up knowing about my parent's having abandoned me. For a little kid to know his parents didn't want him... I thought I couldn't do anything, so I went out and looked for something to aspire to, and then I found out about the shinobi"

"Did you apply to the ninja academy?"

"No way, I was too nervous to even think about it. I loved the shinobi because they worked so hard to do what was right, even if they never recieved any attention for it, that was amazing, to me. But if I couldn't learn from a teacher, I would have to learn it another way, so I did the only thing I could; I learned by experience"

"Experience?"

"I would watch the lessons provided by instructors in the shadows, borrow books from classrooms to learn anything I couldn't see being done, and sometimes, I would patrol the outskirts of the village, looking for anyone up to no good"

"You did all this yourself?"

"Yeah, I was in the middle of obtaining some of the more advanced ninjutsu scrolls and books chronicling ANBU missions when the Raikage discovered me by mistake. After a quick interrogation, he told me he wanted me to see what I could do. For the first two days, I was too nervous to do a thing, so he was almost convinced I was a spy, until there was an tsunami. All of the water and rocks would have destroyed the orphanage, along with half of Kumogakure, I used a combination of wind, fire, and water-style ninjutsus to avert the crisis, when he saw what I could do, he agreed to train me, whenever he had the time to."

"That's a pretty incredible story, you want another bowl of ramen?"

Saikuron smiled, he felt happier knowing he wasn't interrupting her meal, "Yes, please, if that's not too much to ask"

"You know, for such a strong ninja, you don't eat as much as you probably should, even most of my Jounin would've swallowed that bowl whole"

Saikuron waved his hand, "A real shinobi should be conservative of his strenght and supplies, besides, how can you enjoy ramen this good if you swallow it all in one bite?"

Tsunade smiled, "If only I could get Naruto to understand that concept..."

"Naruto? The jinchuriki? He holds the Nine Tails, right?"

"Yeah, but he eats more than that fox ever could..."

"It must be tough for him, holding that much chakra inside his body. It kind of make you wonder..."

"Wonder about what?"

"If he ever talks to the Nine Tails... if he and the Nine Tails get along... actually, I wonder if the Nine Tails has another name. He can't just call himself 'Nine Tails' all the time, that would get exhausting after a while. Killer Bee, he called the Eight Tails Gyuki, but I never asked if it was his real name or just a nickname Bee made for him. Kinda funny, that even though the tailed beasts rampage and destroy everything they see... in a way, they're just like people. They feel emotions, they hurt, they love, they cry... just like the jinchuriki that cary them, they get viewed as demons when in reality... they're just cursed with a ton of power they can't fully control"

Tsunade was taken aback, she had never thought about it before, but he had accurately made a very unique observation every non-jinchuriki in the world had missed, "That's... deep"

He began to blush, "P-Please don't stare at me like that..."

Tsunade snapped out of her trance and sighed, "Well, I think that it would be best if you did a few lessons with a friend of mine, his name is Kakashi"

"The copy ninja? I guess you want him to gauge my abilities, right?"

"Yes, since I can't start you anywhere without knowing just how good you really are, it would be best that we find you a starting point"

"Fair enough, can we start tomorrow? I would actually like to study up on Konohagakure's current ninja's a little more, seeing as most of my information is on older ninja's, I have very little knowledge of the younger ninjas"

"Listen, it's not that I don't trust you, but files like the ones you're requesting are sealed for a reason"

"You're right about that, I shouldn't expect you to trust me with sensative information about you're shinobi, especially since you just met me. If that's the case, would it still be alright for me to take today off and get to know them?"

"Like... meet them?"

"If I can work up the nerve to talk to them..."

"Well, if you don't want attention drawn to yourself, I know just the person you could start with"

"Who's that?"

"Our resident tiajutsu expert, Rock Lee"

"Rock Lee? Didn't he face off against Gaara in his Chunnin exams?"

"Yes, Lee lost that fight, but he recovered from his injuries miraculously and has since become one of our strongest ninjas"

"I'd imagine he trains pretty hard, since he can't use genjutsu or ninjutsu"

"He's probably training as we spe-"

Tsunade was cut off as Lee burst through the door, "Yes! Now, even a genius has fallen at the hands of the power of youth!"

Neji sighed behind him, "You beat me in a sparring match, Lee, there's no need for you to be so excited..."

"Of course there is, for now you will be buying lunch!"

Tenten sighed behind Lee, "You don't have to yell... hey, isn't that Lady Tsunade?"

Tsunade waved to them, "Hey! Lee, we were just about to go looking for you!"

Lee looked confused, "Lady Tsunade! I do not wish to correct you! But you said we! This seems odd as you are alone!"

Tsunade looked around to see that Saikuron had vanished, "Where did he...?"

Tsunade noticed the boy was slowly tip-toeing towards the exit, when Lee pointed at him, "You there! You seem highly suspicious and the Hokage is looking at you! Why are you acting so strangely?!"

Saikuron fainted as the everyone looked at him, feeling crushed under the pressure. Tenten ran over and tried to nudge him awake, "Hey, are you okay?"

Saikuron covered his eyes with his hands and faced away from her, "D-Don't look at me... just... look away..."

Neji placed his hand on Tenten's shoulder, "I believe he would prefer to be left alo-"

Lee jumped over them and lifted Saikuron into the air by his collar, "Who are you?!"

"S-S-Saikuron... please... leave me alone..."

Tsunade became mad, "Lee! Put him down! He was just having lunch with me!"

Lee dropped Saikuron, who quickly left the as fast as his feet could carry him, which was almost faster than Lee could see, "I am sorry, Lady Tsunade! I will go and apologize to him now!"

Tsunade didn't get the chance to stop him as Lee dashed out, "Lee! Wait! Crap..."

Tenten looked to Tsunade, "Lady Tsunade, who was that guy?"

"He's Saikuron, a new ninja, I'm not quite sure what he's capable of, but he seems kind enough. Tenten, Neji, I want the two of you to go and train with him, see what he can do"

Neji nodded, "Very well, I'll make sure Lee doesn't overdo it"

"We might be too late...", Tenten pointed to the trail of dust where Lee used to be.

They could faintly hear Lee in the distance, "I will catch up to him in no time or I will be training for several hours on my speed!"

Saikuron had secluded himself in the woods, far beyond where most people would bother searching. It was only a little after noon, so he was able to read up on the newspapers he had procured along his run. As he studied them, he began to calm down, by himself, he could read in peace now.

Or, at least, that's what he was thinking until Lee landed on the ground before him, "You there! I have come to apologize to you for my earlier mistake!"

Saikuron felt the color drain from his face, "I... I forgive you... please don't stare at me..."

Lee looked up, "I am sorry for making you feel uncomfortable, I have come to train with you in the art of Taijutsu!"

Saikuron stood up, "Alright... so what do you want to do first? Running? Pain endurance?"

"A one on one match! Let us spar to test see if we cannot match punches!"

Saikuron began shaking, "N-No! I can't fight while someone's watching! I'll flip out and mess up!"

"Fear not, I shall face you blindfolded, that way you won't have to worry about me watching you!"

"That's not the problem… can we please do something else?"

"I do not understand, you looked as if you were extremely hot-blooded as you raced out of the village, why are you so less hot-blooded now?"

"When I was running, people weren't watching me, I didn't feel like the center of attention… but if I was sparring with someone… they'd have to focus on me. I can't fight when I know that my opponent knows me when it comes to sparring… I'm sorry…"

Lee sighed, "I did not wish to do this… but if it helps you fight, I will use my forbidden technique!"

"Forbbiden technique?!"

Lee pulled out a small, white bottle, "This is the key to my secret technique!"

Saikuron snatched it from his hands, "Underage people shouldn't carry sake. Especially not shinobi"

Lee waved his hands, "Hey! I'm only doing this because if I'm drunk, I will fight as if I have no idea who my opponent is! I am trying to aid you!"

Saikuron handed him the bottle, "Here, just stop looking at me like that…"

Lee looked at the bottle, "Saikuron, I will apologize for anything I may say or do while I use this technique. For your willingness to train with me, I am very grateful"

"Y-Yeah, don't mention it…"

Lee sighed, then very quickly swallowed the contents of the bottle, "Ugh… this always tastes disgusting…"

"Hm… alright then, Lee, show me the power of your Drunken Fist!"

Lee's face turned pink as he looked at Saikuron, "Hey… hey… hey you! I don't know who you are, but I'm not Guy! Sensei Drunk wouldn't let me have a drop, never! Because he's the guy… the guy that… forget it, I'm just gonna beat you up"

Lee's strange movements and oddly-angled strikes would have thrown almost anybody off, but Saikuron was doing just fine blocking his attacks. After a few minutes of frustrating missed attacks, Lee took a step back. Saikuron smiled, "The Drunken Fist is a unique style that is about as balanced as an arrow with a rock tied to one end, so most people get thrown off trying to predict the next move. The trick is not making any predictions, and being quick enough to deflect random strikes"

Lee hiccuped, "I'm not drunk! You… are…", Lee fell to the ground and began napping.

Saikuron began writing a note of thanks, which he then placed on top of the napping Lee. He turned to leave when he saw Neji and Tenten, "Ah!"

Neji sighed, "Hiding behind a tree won't make us go away"

"Then stop looking at me! Please?!"

Tenten opened the note she found on Lee, "Hey, Neji, it looks like he and Lee did some sparring, and… Lee was using the Drunken Fist?!"

"H-He didn't recognize me while he was drunk, so please don't be upset with him! He just did it to help me relax!"

Neji looked at the note carefully, then picked up the empty bottle, "Lee actually finished the entire bottle… he was really determined to help you out. And, I assume he won the match?"

"N-Not really… I was in the lead until he passed out…"

Neji's surprise was apparent, "You were winning?!"

Lee jumped up, "Of course I'm winning! I am Rock Lee!"

Lee began wildly throwing punches, while Tenten and Neji watched in amazement as Saikuron intercepted each punch using only his open right hand. It was as if he knew where Lee was going to strike and his hand was simply moving to where it should have been. After he stopped swinging, Saikuron held Lee's shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes, "Alright, enough Drunken Fist, get rid of the alcohol"

Lee stood still for a moment, then he turned around and got rid of the alcohol… along with everything else in his stomach, "Ugh… where am I?"

Neji covered him mouth, "How did you do that?"

Saikuron patted Lee on the back, "Genjutsu… I know he doesn't really want to hurt you guys, so I had to protect you. Now he's back to normal, right Lee?"

Lee wiped his mouth, "More or less…"

"Im just glad you're okay… thank you for the sparring match, Lee, I really appreciate it. It's the first match I've had where I didn't have to wear a mask. It was fun!"

Tenten was confused, "You've never had a normal sparring match before?"

"Yes I have! My opponents just didn't know who I was… and they couldn't see my face… and I didn't use my personal favorite style of jutsu"

"What part of that is normal…?"

Saikuron turned to Lee, "Hey, Lee, can I train with you tomorrow? Since you already know who I am, I feel a little more comfortable with you around"

Lee held his thumb up, "I will accept you as a training partner! Tomorrow, me, you, and Guy sensei will train harder than ever before!"

"Yeah! Wait, who's Guy?"

"My teacher! He will insure that we get the best possible training he can provide!"

"Is he… kind of like you?"

Tenten laughed, "You have no idea"

"That's okay… I guess. I'll just do what he tells you to do"

Lee held up his fist, "I look forward to it! We will meet at the training grounds at dawn!"

Saikuron smiled, "Sounds good!"

Lee charged off, then Tenten looked at Saikuron with concern, "Will you be alright? Lee and Guy's training can get pretty intense…"

Saikuron looked a little more nervous, "W-w-well, Lee seems like a nice guy, and he didn't put any pressure on me when we sparred, so I think it'll be okay"

"I was talking about physically surviving what those two will put you through"

"I-I-I've d-done some tough trainings before… but I should study the area… are ther any maps I could look at?"

Tenten pulled out a scroll, "This is a map that extends from here to the Hidden Sand village"

Saikuron shakily took the scroll, "T-Thank you, Tenten"

"How do you know my name?"

Saikuron hid behind the tree again, "I heard Lady Tsunade say it, please don't get mad at me!"

Tenten put her hand on his shoulder, "Relax, I'm not mad, I was just confused. I promise, I won't hurt you"

Saikuron peeked his head out from behind the tree he'd jumped behind, "Really…?"

She smiled and nodded, "Really"

Saikuron stepped out into the open, and faced Tenten without shaking too much, "Um… I hate to impose… but could you show me around and help me find a place to stay? I ran off before Lady Tsunade could help me arrange something…"

"Sure thing! I don't really have anything else to do today, so I don't mind"

"T-Thank you"

"Hey Neji! Are you busy today?"

Neji nodded, "I have some work that I have to do, I apologize, I wish you luck"

After Neji left, Saikuron sighed with relief, "Thank goodness… oh, that sounds mean! What I meant was, his stare makes me feel nervous! I don't know him that well…"

Tenten thought about it, "Well, he does have a scary stare… but Neji's a nice guy, don't worry about it. So, where do you want to go first?"

Saikuron held up a perfect square block of dirt with a beautiful flower growing out of the top, "Let's take this to the nearest flower shop!"

Tenten though the flower looked amazing, "Where did you get that?"

Saikuron pointed to a small, square-shaped hole that was obscured beneath a very large tree, "The Little Brother flower only grows naturally underneath much bigger plants, because it can't take direct sunlight very well, and it likes pure water best, in the form of morning dew"

"Wow… I didn't even know a flower like that existed"

"They're really rare, so I figured we should take this one to a flower shop, where it can grow safely. Here, smell it"

Tenten took a whiff of the little blue flower, as a gentle, yet wonderful scent filled her nose, "Oh, wow, that smells amazing"

"Right? So where's the nearest flower shop?"

Ino sighed… she had been trying so hard to make a move on Sai forever, but she wasn't getting anywhere. She needed something to take her mind off of him, but she was stuck watching the shop today… why couldn't something amazing just walk through the shop door?

As the door opened, she smiled, "Hi, Tenten! How can I help you today?"

Tenten smiled, "I'm just here with a friend to drop off a flower…", she looked around to see she was alone, "Ugh… where'd he go?"

Ino perked up a little bit, "He? You're with a guy in a flower shop?"

Tenten turned red, "It's not like that! I just met him! He said he found a really rare flower under a tree and that it would grow best here!"

"Wait, a flower under a tree that grows better in a house… it's not a Little Brother flower, is it?!"

Tenten sweated, "Yeah, actually-"

Ino grabbed Tenten's shoulders, "Where is the flower?! Tenten, tell me now!"

Tenten held her hands up, "Calm down", she walked over to the door, "Come on, Saikuron! She won't hurt you, stop being so scared! Then do it for the flower, it's not like it'll grow better right there in the street! Just come inside!"

After leaving for a few seconds, Tenten pushed Saikuron in, who was holding the block of dirt in front of his face, "Y-You didn't have to push me…"

"Then why didn't you come in sooner?"

"I-In a store, everything depends on the c-customer… the entire store is interested in the c-customer"

Ino raised her eyebrow, "Is he alright?"

Tenten smiled while she sweated, "He's a little shy"

"Well, if it helps, it's time for my break, so you're not a customer anymore"

Saikuron sounded a little less nervous, "Really? No tricks?"

"Really, I just really like flowers"

"O-Okay…"

As he lowered the flower so that Ino could see his face, Ino forgot about Sai, she forgot about the flower, her entire world stopped spinning as she looked as his face. Even as she took the flower in her hand, she didn't bother to look at it, "T-Thank you"

He, noticing the stutter in her voice, turned really red, out of embarrassment that he had made her blush, "I-I-I… y-you're w-welcome…"

Ino just stood there, breathless, in her mind, she was trying to will herself to say something that would sound cool, "W-Where did you find this flower?"

Saikuron felt a little relieved that the attention had shifted off of him, "It was in the forest just east of here. It was kind of by chance that I saw it, it was the only one…"

Ino's heart skipped a beat as she thought fate had brought her this handsome boy, "D-Do you know what kind of flower this is?"

"It's the Little Brother flower, because it grows better under the protection of a bigger flower. It's also called the Gentle Lover's flower, after the only shinobi ever to grow one in a garden, who used it make medicine that saved her lover. It would be horrible to let a beautiful flower like this die, so I brought it here the second I found it"

Ino sighed, just as she thought the stars were in her favor, she found a problem, aside from not having a way to make him visit her again, "But this flower grows best in morning dew… I can't spend time every day gathering dew for it…"

Saikuron, seeing her dismay, pulled out a bottle of water, "Here, I got this", he placed the bottle on the floor and did some hand seals, "Mist Style: Morning Dew!"

As he had called it, a morning dew blanketed the flower, the wet flower now sparkling with a beauty beyond what any of them could've imagined. Ino watched as it bloomed in front of her, "This is amazing… they say this flower only blooms when lovers meet for the first time…"

Ino felt her entire face turn red as she thought what she had said was idiotic. Saikuron wasn't sure how to respond, but luckily for him, Tenten was there to rescue him, "So, Ino, Saikuron here doesn't have a place to stay, got any ideas?"

For a very bold moment, Ino let her heart run away with her mouth, "You could stay at my house!"

Her father, Inoichi, opened the door that led to the back of the store, "Ino… just who are you inviting to our home without permission?!"

Saikuron felt himself begin to sweat until Tsunade entered the store, "There you are, Saikuron! What are you doing here?"

Ino spoke for him, attempting to defend him from her father's overprotective nature, "He was just bringing this flower in, he found it in the forest"

Inoichi marveled at the flower, "This is the rarest flower in the world! It's said the odds of finding one are about as high as finding a single grain of blue sand in the red desert! The chances of seeing one, especially in full bloom… I must thank this boy for gracing this house with such an honor… where did he go?"

Tsunade sighed as she looked at the trail of dust, "Sorry, he's a new shinobi from the Hidden Mist, and he's very, very shy. I'm actually surprised he didn't run out of here the second Ino looked at him"

Ino's brain ran with it, "He… doesn't talk to people?"

"He feels uncomfortable being the center of attention. I actually thought he would've secluded himself from everyone in the village and just start reading newspapers. When Neji told me that he left Saikuron with Tenten, I realized I forgot to set up a place for him to stay…"

Inoichi held his chin, "Well, since he bestowed such a gift upon my shop, I wouldn't mind paying for his housing, wherever he chooses to stay"

Tenten looked at the trail of dust, "How will we know where he's staying?"

Ino snapped her fingers, "I know! Kiba and Akamaru can track him down!", she then dragged Kiba and Akamaru into the shop, "I need you two to track someone down!"

Kiba scratched the back of his head, "Ow, ow, ow… why did you pull me by my hair off the street? That really hurt…"

"I need you two to track this guy down"

"Not to be mean, but I don't track people down because someone has a crush on them and wants to follow them- ow!"

Ino's forehead was bulging as her fist shook, "Lady Tsunade needs us to track him down, jerk!"

Kiba held his hands up in defense, "Okay, I'm sorry! I was only kidding! Akamaru, let's pick up the scent!"

Ino watched as Akamaru sniffed the bottle Saikuron had left and took off, "We can't lose him!"

Kiba jumped up, "Follow me, I can keep Akamaru's scent!"

At least, Kiba had done that, up until they reached an area where there was a large, circular clearing, where Kiba was losing his mind, sniffing all over the place, "His scent is gone! I can't find it!"

Ino was panicking, "How can you lose a scent?!"

"I don't know! It's like the forest becomes scent-less in this exact spot! Akamaru! Where are you?!"

Kiba's yells were responded to with a quick howl, "There!"

As they raced to the source of the howl, they peeked through some bushes to find a strange sight; Saikuron was rubbing Akamaru's belly, while Akamaru simply let him. Sakiuron smiled, "You're a good boy, aren't you? I bet you work real hard every day! But your master must really love you, I can tell from your fur he washes you probably as often as he does himself"

Ino sighed from the bushes, "If only he washed himself more…"

Saikuron stopped petting Akamaru and picked up a wooden flute he had been carving using a shuriken, "How about a song? I promise it'll be good"

Akamaru nodded his head, as Tsunade held her chin, "The Raikage said something about his musical talent, but I don't quite remember what he said… it was either really bad or… something else"

All doubt on what was said flew away as Saikuron began to blow on the flute, the notes flying throught the air like birds, each one revealing another piece to the long line of engaging harmony. The leaves around him swirled as his playing continued, the grass swayed along, even the small pond's waves seemed to coincide with the music. Akamaru even swayed with the tune.

When he put the flute down, the people in the bushes nearly jumped out and begged him to play more, but the kept their distance and watched as Saikuron took his coat off and placed it over Akamaru, "Sleep tight, I'll take you back to the village in the morning, and see if we can't find your master"

Akamaru seemingly smiled as he drifted off into his dreams. Saikuron smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small necklace with a metal pendant on it, which he held close to his heart. Tears streamed down his face as he clutched it harder, a pained look on his face. With a broken voice, he tried to sing, "Shinobi… we endure… so those we love… can be secure… Ain't no shame… in feelin' pain… but we hide our tears… down with our fears… Cause shinobi… we endure…"

For a long moment, there was an unbroken silence, as if he was daring anything not to feel his pain, then he looked up, "I know you're up there, watching over me, Mom… Dad… even thought you couldn't be there for me… so you did what you could… and tried to make me forget about you, so I wouldn't feel any pain over losing you. I love you so much… so I'll keep working hard… to make you proud… and make your dreams real"

Saikuron wiped his eyes, "You want to come out now, Tsunade? I could hear you coming"

Tsunade exited the bush alone, "I'm sorry for spying on you"

"Don't be, I let you. I don't care who's watching me when I speak my peace… it's something I have to do every night"

"That's uncharacteristically bold of you"

"I'm normally shy because I think people are always judging me… looking for a reason to consider me worthless. It was worse when I was a kid, because I thought my parents had already cast their judgement on me, and if they thought I was useless, who'd think I wasn't? The man that found me and saved my life was Bee. The first shinobi I ever met, one of the greatest of all time, and he told me I could be just like him. I called him a liar, ran away, and tried to hide from him all day.

When he found me, he was so tired, he could barely talk. When he could talk, he told me I had a talent for hiding in the shadows and that even he had trouble finding me. I was so upset, so confused, I yelled at him to stop lying to me, and then he put this necklace in my hand. And then he told me what it meant… "unclaimed worth". The only person who chooses what I can be worth is me.

Not my parents, not those who look to harm me, not the jealous, nobody, but me. That day, the owner of the orphanage showed me the letter that came attatched to my basket. My father had sold himself into a debt he could never hope to repay, on medicine he hoped would save my mother, and I was left behind out of fear the people he owed money to would try to kill me. My parents died in each others arms, tightly gripping a picture of me… because both of their hearts failed.

They endured… even though they couldn't hold me in their arms… they endured. So… it's my job to endure… and become the greatest shinobi ever to walk this earth, in their memory. No matter what anybody says, I'll fight as hard as possibly I can for the people I love. That's my ninja way"

Tsunade was impressed, "I understand. So, where do you wish to sleep tonight? Ino's father agreed that since you brought him that flower, in full bloom, he would pay for wherever you want to stay"

Saikuron revered back to his shy nature, "W-What? N-No, I can't ask him to do that… I-I'll just sleep in a tree tonight-"

Inoichi jumped out of the bushes, "Absolutely not! You will either stay in a fine hotel or at my own home, I will not let you sleep out here, especially after what you've done for me!"

Saikuron was trying not to faint, "I-I-I r-really c-can't imp-pose on you like that…"

"Nonsense! You're going to have a good night's rest at my home and that's final!"

As he was dragged off, Saikuron made one final plea for help in the form of a stare at Tsunade that screamed 'rescue me'. Sadly, Tsunade left him in the hands of Inoichi, who began discussing flowers as he walked.

Saikuron was desperately trying to keep himself together as he had been trying to shift Ino's father's focus onto flowers. Ironically, this led to him praising Saikuron's vast knowledge of them, making him even more uncomfortable. He was so relieved when they finally arrived at the house, only to be greeted by Ino's mother at the door, "Hello, darling, and who is this young man, Ino's boyfriend?"

Ino's face turned red with rage as Saikuron simply fell over. Ino ran to his side, "Saikuron, are you okay?!"

Saikuron's eyes fluttered, "Please… make them stop staring at me…"

Inoichi walked over to his wife, "Nothing of the sort. This young man is simply a guest to the Hidden Leaf, and as hospitable people, we should welcome him as our own"

Ino's mother saw right through it, "He did something to impress you. It must've been pretty big if he made you overlook Ino's crush on him and invite him to stay in our home… so what was it?"

Inoichi folded, "He brought us a Little Brother flower, in full bloom, no less"

Ino's mother looked surprised, "Goodness… how much did you pay for it?"

"Not a coin, he insisted we have it, so that it could grow beautifully"

"Is he smart enough to know how to take care of it?"

"He performed a ninjutsu to coat the flower in a morning dew, then promised Ino he would return daily to see to it the flower grow properly"

"Are you certain he doesn't just want Ino's attention?"

"This boy fears attention like a rat fears a hawk. Every time I spoke of him, he flinched or shivered, yet he is capable of amazing tasks while nobody is watching"

"That seems odd"

"He is a strange boy"

"I just can't believe you invited a boy the same age as your daughter to spend the night under the same roof as her", Inoichi cringed as he realized his folly, "You just now realized you did that?!"

"Seeing a blooming Little Brother flower did excite me… perhaps I made a mistake in my excitement…"

Ino looked to her father, "Dad, he's burning up!"

Inoichi forgot about his earlier line of thought as he felt Saikuron's burning forehead, "Ino, go fetch some herbs from the cabinet, I'll get him inside"

As he was carried in, Saikuron began shaking his head and murmuring, "No… grrr… get out… grrr… out…"

Inoichi laid him down in a bed and quickly fed him the herbs Ino had fetched, "It's not working, he's getting even hotter"

Ino placed her hands over him, about to perform a medical jutsu when his quickly grabbed hers, holding tightly for a moment, then gently pushing them away. He sat up, his eyes still closed, "I'm fine… I'll just sleep now, get some extra rest. Don't worry, I'll be fine"

Ino looked at him again, he look like he was dying, "Are you sure? It's no trouble, I can use medical-"

"No!", Saikuron shouted as he began shaking voilently, he tried to fight it, "J-Just leave me be... I'll be fine"

Ino felt bad, but she wasn't sure she was really capable of doing anything, so she left him be, "Alright... I'll leave you alone"

"I-I'm sorry... I don't want to be mean... I just... need to be alone right now"

Ino felt happy that he had considered her feelings, even while he was in intense pain. She returned to her parents, "He says he just needs to rest"

Ino's mother wasn't convinced, "I doubt that, Ino, why don't you check on him again? Just bring him some water"

Ino nodded and grabbed a glass, then returned to his room, "I brought you some-"

She dropped the glass as Saikuron pinned her against the wall, his eyes now a deep purple, his pupils like that of an animal. His entire facial expression read shame and pain, his breath made steam in the air, "S-Stop me... please... I can't... stop myself..."

Ino quickly broke his hold and put her hands together, "Mind Body Switching Technique!", having taken control of his body and seeing into his mind. As she laid him back down against the floor, she could see a huge abyss of fear and dispair. Every motion his body tried to make was completely on its own, he had no control at all, even though he was fighting with every fiber of his being, while a howling voice screamed in his head.

As she placed metal restrains on him, he was able to fight back some control, "T-Thank you... I'm so sorry..."

Ino smiled, "Don't worry, I know you didn't want to hurt me, I could see it when I was controling your body"

"You... were in my head?"

"Yeah"

"Then you head it... the howling"

"What was that?"

"I don't know... I haven't heard it since I was really little. But when it starts up, I can't control my body... and I feel really hot...", Saikuron began panting as his teeth began to sharpen, "Grr...", he gritted his teeth and they returned to normal, "No... I won't give in... I have to fight it..."

Ino could see how hard he was fighting, "What is it?"

"He keeps telling me that he's me, without restrain, without fear... he says that I can have the world if I want it... all I have to do is let go. I don't want to let go, I am who I am... I won't change who that person is because it's easy. I have to... fight... even though it's hard...", Saikuron's nose perked up, "That... that scent... it's driving me crazy..."

"What scent?"

As he looked at her, it was clear he had lost all form of control, "Grr...", his eyes, void of all humanity, cast themselves longingly upon her body.

Ino took a step back, as the gaze made her feel violated, "Stop looking at me like that!"

He didn't, in fact, his stare intensified as he began to bark, "Ruff! Ruff!", he let out a booming howl as he freed his right arm of the restraints.

Ino fell backwards as she moved away from him, "M-Mind switching technique!"

Her attempt to contain him failed as a brute wall of sheer will forced her out of his mind, and he freed his other arm. He slashed his feet free and look at her once more, until his right fist unexpectedly hit his face. As his fists assaulted his body, he crumpled to the floor, covered in bruises, and he began to whimper, like a dog beaten too much. His eyes changed back to their natural, green color as he coughed up some blood, "I got it... I won't let him hurt you... I promise..."

With those words, he passed out. Inoichi burst through the door, "What's going on in here?!'

Ino was still in shock, "I-I..."

Inoichi saw the blood on the floor, "Ino, what happened?! Are you alright?!"

Ino explained everything that happened, and once they had restrained the sleeping Saikuron again, her father and her discussed what they should do next over tea, "He really wanted to protect me..."

Inoichi sighed, "I'm not sure if there's anything we can do. He restrained himself to a point, and when he couldn't, you could. It appears the Raikage was unaware of this developement as well, he had no clue what we were talking about when I spoke with him about it. It would probably be best if you followed him around for the next few days, make sure he has a firm grasp on whatever it is that's warring inside him."

Ino felt herself turn red, "I don't want to stalk the poor guy..."

"Unless you can find a way to be by his side without making him the center of attention, I doubt you'll find another way to watch him."

Ino stared at the sunrise as she tried to think it over, though her train of thought was broken by a sudden knocking on the door. She answered it to find a familiar face, "Lee? What are you doing here?"

Lee held his thumb up, "I have come to retrieve Saikuron for early training! I did not see him in the requested meeting spot, so I came to get him!"

Saikuron rushed to the door from his room, looking very tired, "Sorry, Lee, I didn't get enough sleep last night, let's go"

Ino stood between them, "Um... can I come with you?"

Lee held his thumb up, "Of course, Ino! You are welcome to join us! Let's go!"

Ino watched Saikuron as he and Lee talked. Her thoughts were clear in her head, "I have to make sure Saikuron's safe, just like he did for me, no matter how much it hurts!"