INTRODUCTION: I had a hard time choosing the genre for this story. I see it as a story that has humor, comfort, adventure/action, and reclamation with romantic overtones woven throughout.

Although I have written fanfics before, this is my first foray into the Naruto fandom. This fic has been sitting on the back burner only a couple of chapters away from being done while I finished my Bleach fic. I had to backtrack and do editing the more facts I learned and research I did. For the most part, I tried to keep it close to canon although I bounce back and forth between anime and manga. For true believers, you'll easy spot when I didn't. Hopefully, that won't ruin the story for you.

Strangely enough, I wouldn't have tried this at all but it was driving me crazy how the character of Karin was so "Sasuke-besotted". I set out to do something about that and decided to hijack the character during the time she was in Konoha's prison and put her in an adventure and see where it went.

I originally intended this to be a 2-parter, but we'll see how part one is received.

Hope you enjoy!

All things Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I just collect with the action figures and write fanfic.

~Dwellin

INTRODUCTION

"Did you see Sakura?! Did you see the way he looked at me?" Ino sighed.

Sakura could only describe the look on Ino's face as besotted and smitten. Sakura wanted to sigh too, but for different reasons. Here we go again, she thought while shooting a sour glance over at Ino from the corner of her eye. Surely her friend wasn't going to fall yet again for some new visiting dignitary?! If she did, this would break her old records of being able to fall in a constipated state of infatuation in no time flat.

What good timing, not only did she have a headache was slowly building but now this. The two didn't necessarily mean there was a connection but on the other hand, who knew?

Ino was so susceptible to anyone new (to Konoha), handsome, and it certainly didn't hurt if they were rich and powerful, but this guy? Sakura did allow herself a sigh of exasperation while reaching up to tuck a stray pink lock behind her headband.

From the beaming expression on Ino's face, one could almost feel the sparkles and dancing hearts floating above her head. Sakura rolled her own green eyes at seeing how her friend's eyes remained locked onto the back of the most powerful leader outside of their own Hokage as he walked into Tsunade's office to confer with her.

Sakura also knew Ino wasn't looking for agreement as her belief was powerful enough to fuel a thousand romance novels but Sakura felt obliged to at least try to bring some sanity to the moment.

"If you mean the way the Kazekage nodded impassively to his two escorts while they both showed him around the hospital, then yes, I did notice that."

Ino broke from her enamored mood which was easy now that the door had swung shut denying her any further view of her new crush. "Obviously you weren't paying attention, Sakura! There was an underlying sexual current, there was subtext, there was so much being spoken on a nonverbal level that only the language of the heart could pick up."

"Uh huh. Like, 'leave me alone crazy lady'?"

"Jealousy does not become you Sakura."

"Jealous?!" Sakura exclaimed, incredulous. This was over the top, even for Ino. She gestured an arm at the closed door. "We are nonentities to him; just a couple of Leaf kunoichi's showing him around. At best he knows us as Naruto's friends. All we have been doing is giving him the grand tour so he can bring changes and updates to Sand's own facilities. He hardly said a word to us; in fact, he hardly said a word at all to anyone!"

Was it possible for someone to spew forth nearly tangible streams of glitter and sparkle? If so, Sakura was knee-deep in it… or rather, in danger of being drowned in the rising tide of Ino's delusional crush. Sakura felt she could almost see it emanating off her friend in perceptible flakes. It was too much to deal with and she was tired, not to mention the growing tension in her temples. It had been a long, busy day and she refused to battle against Ino's new and powerful delusion.

She turned and nearly collided into someone's standard green flak jacket. Glancing up, she saw it was Shikamaru.

Sakura was mildly surprised to find him looking down at her and… was that a grin? Astonished, her eyes focused on his lips, Shikamaru rarely expressed emotions other than annoyance or his most common expression they were oh so familiar with: boredom. What startled her more was the fact he had placed a steadying hand under her elbow, not that she needed it but it was thoughtful of him.

"Oh, hi Shikamaru. You come for Ino?" She took a step out of his way and gestured a gloved hand toward Ino who was still watching the Hokage's door with the intensity of a stalking panther. "Good luck grounding her, she's practically floating today." She knew he would know what she meant by that. Everyone who knew Ino knew what was meant by that.

His dark eyes flicked over and then back to Sakura as if he wasn't much concerned with his teammate. And yes, he knew this state of hers well and any logic inserted into her crush-sick swooning would be a waste of time.

"No, I was summoned by the Hokage but it was nice to have you bump into me," he said in a manner-of-fact voice. He nodded and moved to the office and knocked. He entered upon hearing a muffled voice giving him permission to enter.

Sakura watched for a moment until he disappeared while briefly pondering his odd response but shrugged it off. Maybe she had just imagined the grin or it had been a trick of the light. The Nara prodigy was enigmatic at the best of times.

Turning her attention back to her friend she asked, "Ino, I'm going now; you coming?"

"No, I'm going to stay and finish some paperwork. Where you off to?"

"I'm going to go check on the new prisoner we captured at the bridge before heading home. "

"Oh, how's that going?" Ino asked but Sakura could tell her attention was elsewhere. "Well, have fun. Have to get going on the… uhm…"

"Paperwork?" The pink-haired med-nin supplied with a smile.

"Yeah, that's it." The blond spun on her heel, her ponytail whipped out in an arc behind her.

Right. Paperwork. Sakura shook her head and walked off.

Ino lingered around the receptionist desk until his patience finally broke and with a grim look pointed his pen in the direction of the stairs at the end of the hallway that led down went to the outside. It wasn't a hint.

Ino cast a quick look at the Hokage's door, hoping that it would open just at that opportune time. When it didn't she knew it was time to give up… for today that is.

With a frown the blond girl turned and started off down the hall but the frown lifted within several paces for the blond was concocting schemes in her head about how she could be on the spot wherever the Sand Kazekage was scheduled to be next. She tapped a finger against her chin, now, if she could only get her hands on said schedule.

As soon as she stepped out into the bright afternoon sun after the relative darkness of the building, Ino squinted and lifted a hand to shade her eyes against the harsh sunlight. That's when she heard the crunch of someone's shoes fall in step with hers. Indifferently she shot a quick look over and then did a double take. It was Sai.

Any other time Ino might have felt like flirting; Sai was handsome in a Sasuke-kind-of-way but with a better personality and seemed like a nice guy to spend time with, and again, it couldn't be emphasized enough, he was certainly easy on the eyes. Today however, she was on a quest for a much larger prize. Besides, there were times when Sai didn't seem like the sharpest kunai in the pouch. Sakura kept telling her that the smile he presented to the world was not that of someone who was simple, underneath it he was quite clever. Still, Ino observed, she couldn't help but thing that he just came across as a rather dim in his social interactions.

"Well hello Sai, what are you up to?" She asked pleasantly, giving him a cheerful enough welcome and making sure to put interest in her voice and face, which wasn't hard, it was nearly second nature for her now.

"Walking with you."

Predictable Sai. "Yes, yes, I can see that, I mean, are you back from a mission, going on one, doing errands, you know, that sort of thing.

"Earlier I was drawing, but since the Kazekage was in town and I thought I would get a look at him, I hear from Naruto he is a pretty powerful shinobi and a good leader."

"Yes, he is." Was that just a little too much gush in her voice? Even she could hear it. Clearing her throat she went for cute, perky, and casual. I can understand wanting to see him, he's the most powerful ninja in Sand by far." Although her interest in the auburn-haired young leader was on a whole different level than was Sai's.

"What are you doing today?"

"Uh…Oh…" That was a good question, what was she going to do now that she had been effectively kicked off the premises?

She looked at Sai, who actually seemed to be interested in what she was going to answer. Well wasn't that sweet of him. Too bad she wasn't as interested in him as she was with a certain Kage.

"Sakura and I were the tour guides to show the Kazekage around our medical facilities. The Sand Village wants to update their operations and management of supplies and such so thought ours would make a good template."

Sai nodded and then gave that smile of his that she couldn't resist smiling back.

"You look exceedingly beautiful today."

Ino blushed; he certainly was good for the ego. "Ah, well thank you," she replied while demurely pushing back a lock of hair.

"May I walk you home?"

"Uh," Why was it he kept throwing her off her game just a bit with his unexpected questions? "I, uh, wasn't going home…" Indeed, she had no intentions of going home, the Yamanaka kunoichi had come to the decision to sneak in the back door of the building, so to speak and ever so conveniently be right there on hand when the Kages were done with their meeting.

Unexpectedly, Sai, still smiling that familiar grin of his, grasped her elbow and began leading her away from her primary objective. What to do, what to do? And he was walking rather quickly as well. Ino didn't want to appear rude, so gave a light laugh, if rather forced and allowed him to lead her off.

What Ino didn't know was that Sai was quite aware of her intentions but had other ideas in mind. Ino could be rude, if it was in her best interests, but since she was in a rather good mood today he very gently but firmly guided her in the direction of the destination he had in mind. This course of action was unlike him, but he had read a book that made it very clear that women liked a decisive, take-charge man. He still wondered what the bookstore owner had meant when she had classified it as a "bodice-ripper" and then after the purchase had chuckled as he had left. Some things books just didn't explain.

That was how a few hours later, Ino finally made her way home from the coffee shop after spending it with a thoroughly entertained Sai. How could she leave when the poor boy was obviously hanging onto every word she had to say? Well, she could understand, but now that she was back in her room she could plot without interruption. The Sand Kage was in love with her, she was sure of it she just had to make him aware of the fact.

Sakura had been feeling a tension headache starting to build for a bit now, but needed just a moment to herself in a relatively quiet and dark place to concentrate and release some healing chakra and open up some blood vessels while relaxing certain constricting muscles. That's why a few minutes later she found a tea shop and ordered a mild, relaxing tea that would help soothe her nerves.

After soaking in the calm and quiet since she was the only customer there at that time of day, Sakura could feel her shoulders relaxing and the tension flowing away. Finally the headache was gone and she sagged back into her chair with relief.

It was then she heard the bell jangle over the door but paid it no mind, no mind that is until a shadow blocked the light coming in from the wide front window pane. Looking up she found Shikamaru standing next to her table with his hands in his pockets standing in his customary slight slouch.

"This seat taken?"

"Er, no it isn't." She looked around him to see if Choji was with him, although how one could miss him was debatable.

"What are you looking for?"

Sakura shook her head, "Just thought Choji would be with you."

"Naw, he's busy today." With that, Shikamaru pulled out a chair and sat.

"Thought you had plans with the Hokage."

"Got my part taken care of, the rest doesn't involve me so I excused myself."

"Oh. Okay." Sakura stared at him while he waved to the waitress to bring him tea also. He looked back to her and asked, "Don't you usually go to the prison and check up on the new prisoner at this time in the afternoon?"

She blinked her green eyes a couple of times, but answered with, "Why yes I do but today I had a headache and stopped here for a bit to take a breather before…" Sakura stopped, turned to look him in the eye and asked, "How did you know that?"

"Ninja, remember?"

She rolled her eyes. "When did you take up comedy Shikamaru, so unlike you."

"I noticed, that's all."

"O…kay." He wasn't going to explain and she knew from experience that Shikamaru only talked when he had something to say and not before. The time spent having a somewhat stilted conversation with the Nara genius was a definite candidate for the list of 'Things Sakura Finds Odd'.

Later that afternoon after the pink-haired med-nin left the jail, Karin Uzumaki leaned her back to rest against the wall and crossed her arms in thought. With eyes closed and lowered head she went over the conversation that 'Pinky' had just tried to have with her.

She didn't mind the physical checkups so much but the chatting like they were old friends, well that was starting to drive her insane. If she wasn't already, after all, her formative teen years had been spent with Orochimaru and one couldn't get farther from a stable, healthy father-figure than him. So it was quite possible she was just one-hand sign short of a jutsu, but with all the 'gentle' interrogation they had been doing why were they tormenting her with Miss CheerPinkFul trying to bring her into the Leaf fold? A Yamanaka stomping around in her brain would be preferable if given the option.

The Sound kunoichi knew she was going to escape sooner or later, but really, if they were going to inflict this type of torture then she was going to have to make it sooner because at this rate Sakura would have her gossiping about boys while painting each other's nails.

Over my dead body, she thought grimly and crossed her arms. Then sighed and decided it was time for continuing her game.

"I hate Sasuke! I'd hate him so much I love him!" She muttered. In a slightly raise voice she stated, "Stab me will you! I am so done with him!"

Then lifting her head she leapt to her feet and shook her raised fist at an image only she could see. "You are such a bastard Sasuke Uchiha! I hate that I loved you!" Dropping her fist she turned her attention to the photograph of him sitting on the one table in the room. "After all I did for you too!"

Pointing an accusing finger at the photo she snarled, "I healed you! I used all my abilities to further your cause and then you throw me away! I hate you!" She pulled her finger back and jabbed it at the photo again, "Yes you!" Then her face crumpled and tears formed but she gulped them back. Karin didn't want to shed one more tear because of him. Oh, but he still made her insides churn with such anger!

Throwing herself down in front of the table she grabbed the photo and hunched over it in a kneeling position, clutching it to her chest. "No, no, no! How could I hate him? I love him so much I hate him!"

"No, I don't, I hate loving him if I didn't love hating him!"

Then a loud wail erupted out of her as she pitched the picture away from her only to launch herself after it, pounding away at it with a fist while hurling expletives that were nearly inaudible as her voice rose to such a screeching pitch.

Despite the fact the prison was sealed and a sensor's abilities were muffled she was still able to feel when the two jailors who had been watching her turned away shaking their heads at the crazy behavior the prisoner was exhibiting.

Good.

Finally emotionally spent, the Uzumaki female curled up on the floor of her cell giving the appearance she was exhausted from throwing herself around the cell and screaming. It had been quite the production. Maybe she should consider a career in theater since this ninja gig didn't seem to be working out too well for her. This brought up another point, a reason to try sooner than later to make a jail break besides Pinky. Karin was getting tired of acting so mercurial on cue rather than spontaneously as she was used to. It wore a body out after a while.

She smirked, reminding herself to be patient, everything in its time.

Til next time.

~Dwellin

Although this is a fic about Karin, I love these characters and wanted to start off with them since they will be appearing later on.