Shino, Hinata, and Kiba went to the Hokage's office quickly. Once assembled, they awaited instruction. Tsunade rearranged her papers, and Shizune stood by, holding Ton Ton. She addressed them when she was finished.
"As you know, just inside the border of out village lies a nature reserve. They are having a special event today, and a specimen from the Sand has been delivered here. It is imperative that it get there as soon as possible."
Tsunade's eyes locked with Hinata's for a moment before she revealed a parcel, setting it in front of her. What she said hadn't been a lie, but it had been spoken in a way to not arouse suspicion.
"Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba. Your mission in to deliver this package to the Reserve. The mission will not be considered a success of the object is damaged. Under no circumstances are you to open it."
"Hai, Lady Tsunade."
As they turned to leave, Tsunade stopped Shino.
"Shino, you will fund that your skills will be invaluable on this mission. You are the leader. Make sure nothing happens to your team or the package."
"Hai."
They stepped outside with the package, and got ready to leave.
-
One month ago…
"I know we're allies, Temari, but is this really necessary?" Kankouro whined.
Temari smirked. "I've been meaning to find a reason to go back to the Leaf. You remember the Aburame, don't you? Don't you want a friendly rematch?"
Kankouro did want a rematch, but he didn't wanna go to his birthday party.
"Gaara?"
"We should do it. It will also help establish relations with the Hidden Leaf Village. The shinobi of Fire Country are valuable allies, Kankouro."
Kankouro groaned again. "Fiiiine…You don't have to go all "Kazekage" on me. Geez… I'll do it."
Temari smiled. "Now, I know you still have a dead insect from that fight. Go get it."
Gaara looked aghast. "Do you EVER clean your room?!"
Kankouro glared, saying nothing as he left to dig up a dead kikaichu from the puppet area. Coming back with one fully intact one, he set it on the table. Temari smiled. Gaara picked up the insect with his sand, going outside, motioning for his brother and sister to follow.
Once outside, Gaara lifted the dead creature into the air in a tennis ball-sized sphere of sand. Controlling it carefully, he warped the sand.
"Sand Burial.." He whispered, contracting the sand around the insect to a high density, but actually not crushing the insect inside. He up-righted the bug, and formed the sand to create a perfect likeness of it, a three-inch diameter kikaichu beetle. Holding the sand-beetle away from himself and suspended in the air, he spoke to Kankouro.
"Now."
The puppet master scowled. Why did he have to have a fire affinity? He was perfectly fine with his puppet jutsus. He formed the complicated stream of handsigns.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
An inferno erupted from his mouth, engulfing the sculpture in flames. Gaara stepped back, getting out of the flames' path, but keeping the object suspended. Temari whipped out her fan, and fanned the flames hotter, the fiery beast engulfing the tiny mass. Kankouro held it out as long as he possibly could, until the flames wisped away. Gaara brought him arm down, along with the object.
Temari and Kankouro walked up to it on the ground, all three knowing better than to touch such a hot object. Temari's eyes glittered, it looked beautiful. Even Kankouro was slightly impressed; he hadn't expected it to work. Before them was a glass kikaichu, with the perfectly preserved insect in the belly of the glass creature. When it was cool enough to touch, Temari whisked away with it, using glass stain to color the eyes a brilliant turquoise like the dead insects have. Bringing it back out, she held it in her hand, and it caught the evening sun's rays, casting rainbows on the ground.
Gaara smirked. This ought to be good. Plus, it gives Kankouro a good reason to stop whining about how he lost to the bug-freak. Gaara himself wouldn't be able to attend, but the other two could. Silence for a day. He took the object, and arranged for a ninja to deliver it to the Leaf.