Gaara, no! What are you doing! Lemme go! Gaara…! Shebai awoke from her dream with a start. She was covered in sweat. She had been chasing Gaara, laughing, and suddenly he had turned on her. She had been trapped in sand, and she couldn't escape. She looked at the pouch, hanging from the corner of her four-post bed, which held a small amount of sand. Gaara had been training her how to control it. It was another day, similar to the one before. Shebai looked at the bed next to her, occupied by Temari. Next door were Gaara and Kankuro. God I miss my friends she thought. No, I made the choice to come here. It's too late now to go back. She wrote her mentor a note: Gaara, I'm going out for a couple of hours. Be back. –Shebai. He would understand. Shebai went down the stairs, and found Gaara asleep on the couch. "Gaara," she said softly, trying to wake the Sand Nin. As soon as she touched his skin, the sand in his gourd flew out and grabbed her ankle, pulling her towards the ceiling. "GAARA!!" He awoke, "GET ME OUTTA HERE!!" Shebai screamed. "I WANNA GO HOME!!" Instantly, the sand fell away from her ankle, and she hit the floor. "Then go!! And leave me alone!!" Gaara went up the stairs, leaving Shebai alone. After a few minutes, she went up the stairs, and packed her things, but she did take the bag of sand. Oh yeah, I don't have any money. She remembered. She had spent it all on new clothes for the hot weather of Suna. So, she walked. Tying on her headband, the one thing she didn't remember was that the previous week, Gaara said that she had passed her training, and gave her a Sand Village headband. Two ninja had been killed by a Sand Village ninja the day before. Technically, they hadn't even been ninja yet, they were three and four years old. She was not going to receive a warm welcome home.
"State your name." The guard said. "Shebai Haruno, of the Haruno Clan." Sheba said wearily. She had traveled all day to make it to Kohana before night fell. "Oh really?"
"Yes, really." Shebai was frustrated. Why don't they know who I am? Have I been gone from home that long? I was only gone two months! She thought. "If you're really Haruno Shebai, then tell us where you were." The guard told her. "In Suna, training with the Kazekage. Why are you asking me so many questions? It's me, Shebai! Green hair, kinda clumsy? Ring any bells?!"
Back in Suna, Gaara couldn't sleep. So, he walked into Temari's room. "Temari, I need your help. Shebai's run off, and I know she won't be able to get through the gates." Temari rubbed her eyes. "I know," she said, "So we'd better get going."
"I'm sorry, we can't let you through. It's against orders to let anyone in wearing a sand Village Headband." The guard said. "You have got to be kidding me! Just ask anybody in the Village! Kiba, Ami, Kitsune! Ask Sakura! Let me---" Shebai was interrupted by a voice behind her. "She's with us." Shebai turned around. "I told you not to run ahead. You could have gotten lost or hurt or—" Temari paused. "You should know who I am, and who he is." The guard nodded. "Kazekage, is this girl with you?" Gaara nodded. "Then, be on your way. And welcome to Kohana, Kazekage." Shebai looked up at Gaara with a gleam in her eye. "Don't expect this kind of favor again, you hear me? Now, I will visit the Hokaga, and then we will go home. Got it?" Shebai nodded at Gaara's stern look. She was happy to be home.
"Shebai, time to wake up!" Temari shouted in her ear. "Already? It's only… NOON!! Temari!! Why did you let me waste half of my day!?!?! I NEED TO SEE MY FRIENDS!!!" Shebai broke down. "And? I was gonna wake you up at five thirty, but Gaara told me to let you sleep. Opps," Temari blushed. He really does care about me!! Shebai thought. "Well let's go then!" Shebai got out of bed. "Wait for me," Temari cried, laughing. Shebai tried to pull her green hair into a ponytail, but to no advantage. She then tired on a red cami with fishnet underneath, and short-shorts. "Too much?" She asked Temari. "Unless you want every boy following you home, I wouldn't." Temari said plainly. "And Gaara wouldn't like that very much," she whispered, blushing. "I REALLY have to shut up once in a while," Temari said to herself. As Shebai pulled on her Sand Village headband, Temari stopped her. "Wait," she said, digging through Shebai's bags. She tossed Shebai her Leaf Village headband. "The Leaf Village is your home, why not act like it?"