"Ah, just who I was looking for - Lee-san, today is your lucky day!" A spirited feminine voice two pitches too high jolted Lee from his gloom and the boy jumped to his feet immediately.

"We're going to Suna? Really?!" He looked around and found a blonde girl with a high, fierce pigtail standing before him, her right eyebrow cocked quizzically.

"Huh? I need you to deliver these flowers, baka!" Ino slapped Lee on the head and stuffed a voluptuous, technicoloured bouquet into his outstretched arms.

"To...Suna?"

"What's all this Suna nonsense? I need you to give these to Sakura!" She gave him a devilishly grin, "Good favour, no." She frowned - the boy's zoned out expression hadn't changed one bit. "Hey, Lee-san, are you feeling okay? Otherwise, I can always entrust these to Naruto..."

"I'LL DELIVER THESE BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK!" He cried, snapping out of his stupor and charging helter-skelter down the road. Ino coughed in the dust storm he kicked up and shook her head. Boys, she sighed.

As Lee sprinted past horse carts, street hawkers and stray dogs (everything was a large blur so, for he all knew, they might have been dog carts, street horses and stray hawkers), he mentally bashed himself. "What's wrong with me today. I should be jumping for joy at a fantastic opportunity like this!" Almost emphatically he leapt into the air, colliding unceremoniously with a laundry-laden bamboo pole.

"A THOUSAND APOLOGIES!" He bellowed. But, really, had he actually been crestfallen for a moment there? He silently cursed the talisman. That damn pendant, I bet it has some Fiendish Magical Powers That Make Me Not Excited At The Thought Of Lovely Sakura. The sooner he returned it, the better.

Before Ino could blink - approximately 2.45 seconds later - Lee was standing in front of the Haruno Apartment. It was on the second floor of a rather sad looking shophouse; a cosy three room space with a wooden door.

Lee cleared his throat and rapped the door. The wind chime above it rang tunefully in response. "Sakura-chan! I've brought your flowers!"

There was a shuffle and the sound of a key in a lock. Sakura opened the door to find two-legged bouquet of flowers standing before her. The flowers emitted a strong, sweet smell.

"Wow, that's quite a handful." She noticed the green tights and blushed, "Lee-san... is that you?"

"Hai, Sakura-chan!" He thrust the flowers to where he hoped her hands were. And, almost reluctantly, "These...are from Ino."

"Oh right, of course, I needed these for some potions. Goodness, she could have wrapped them less extravagantly. A bouquet is completely overdoing things!" She took the flowers carefully from Lee and placed them onto a nearby table, giving the young shinobi a grateful smile, "Thanks so much for bringing them over - I hope it didn't take too much of your time."

"Certainly not!" He pumped, enthusiastically, "Anything for you, my dearest Sakura-chan!" He executed a flamboyant bow, making the girl blush even harder.

"Really, anything at all?"

"Without hesitation! Your word is my command!"

"Well... there is something..." Sakura gazed at her toes and drew a small circle with them, "You see, I'll be extremely busy these next few weeks...but I'm supposed to accompany Tsunade-sama on official business. She wont let me go unless I find a suitable replacement." She looked up and fixed Lee with desperate eyes, "Would you accompany Tsunade-sama to Suna for the Kazekage Induction in my place?"

She frowned - the boy's zoned out expression hadn't changed one bit. She waved a hand in front of his face, "Lee-san, are you alright. Otherwise, I can always ask Naruto..."

"I'LL BE THERE BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK!"