Naruto happily slurped up his ramen happily, his bright blue eyes sparkling with pleasure, "Ah! As good as ever!" He cried, downing the rest of the bowel in one gulp. He licked his chops and pushed the bowel away, next to a pile of six other bowels. "Nyaaaaaa, that was good!" He moaned, patting his stomach happily. The blonde ninja paid and left the ramen stand, hands behind his head lazily. He grinned as he walked along, feeling as happy as ever. He had herd from Lee that Gaara was coming down to the leaf village for some reason, and Naruto couldn't wait to see his old friend again! Though he couldn't help but wonder, hwy the Kazekage was coming down here in the first place. Probably a meeting with Granny Tsunada or something political and boring like that.

"Oy, Neji!" yelled Naruto, spotting the Hyugga walking down the street. He waved his arms in the air furiously, trying to get his attention, "Neji, Neji, Neji, Neji, Neji Neji!!!!" He growled and ran the few feet separating them, and rammed right into the jounin.

"Naruto, I herd you the first time!" Snapped Neji, sitting up.

"You didn't act like it!"

Neji snorted and stood, turning his head so he wasn't looking at Naruto. He narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking, "You herd about Gaara-san coming down for a few days, right?"

"Sure did!" said Naruto, standing as well, "I can't wait, I-,"

"Do you know why?"

Naruto blinked, "Uhda…" he scratched his cheek, "Probably to talk to Granny Tsunada or something, right?" He grinned.

Neji stared at him for a moment. He really is an idiot. "Yeah, probably," He said after a moment, shrugging. He knew the real reason, but he didn't want to tell Naruto. Knowing him, he'd overreact, a lot.

"Wanna do some training Neji?" Asked Naruto suddenly, poking him in the shoulder, "I just had about seven bowels of ramen, and I need to work them of! I don't want to be slacking when Gaara comes!"

"Sure," Said Neji, hoping that training would get his mind of things. He gave a small smirk as Naruto cheered and raced of towards the training zone. He followed more calmly.


"Onee-chan?" Hanabi peeked her head into Hinata's room, her eyes round with concern.

Hinata glanced around. She was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling absently. She had been thinking about what type of man her fiancé was going to be. Was he going to be kind, gentle, demanding, obsessive, or what? Some of the thoughts gave Hinata shivers up her spine, so she had stopped, and begun to think worriedly about Naruto, and she realized even though she was getting married, she still loved Naruto.

"What is it, Hanabi?" She asked, sitting up on her bed.

"Are you ok? It's been a day since father told you that you're getting married, and you haven't left your room or eaten since," She looked up at her older sister, frowning.

"I'm just a little…shocked," Said Hinata, giving a halfhearted shrug. "It's not everyday you get engaged…"

"Then you should be happy!" snapped Hanabi. She pulled herself onto the bed and sat down beside Hinata, "he might be a really strong, handsome man who you'll fall in love with right away!"

Hinata glance down at her.

"You can't be all depressed when he's going to be here in two days," She continued, "You need to get ready. Eat a good meal, brush your hair, it looks all ratty. You need to get some more sleep so you won't have those ugly bags under your eyes. And choose a good outfit to wear when he comes!" She crossed her arms and looked at her sister, one eyebrow raised.

Hinata let out a weary sigh, "I just don't think I can do this…" She whispered, tears swelling up in her eyes, "I mean it's an arranged marriage Hanabi! Arranged!" She brushed her tears away, "I just don't think…"

"You just want to merry Naruto," Teased Hanabi.

Hinata stared at her little sister in shock, "How long have you…?"

"Ever since the first time you took the chunnin exams, in the third round," She winked, "You seemed so obsessed with Naruto before he fought with Neji-Niisan." She giggled.

Hinata blushed.

"He is cute," Said Hanabi shrugging. She shook her head, "I'm sorry that you can't merry him. But I want you to know…" She cupped her hand over Hinata's ear, "father's original choice WAS Naruto, but the council decided on another man instead."

"Father's original…" Whispered Hinata, her eyes wide.

Hanabi nodded wisely, "Yeah. Neji was telling him all about how much more powerful Naruto's grown over the years."

Hinata looked at her hands, vision blurred slightly by the tears swelling up in her eyes. She quickly brushed them away, but they just came back. Her father had originally set for her to merry Naruto. Damn that council. "Hanabi?"

"Yes?"

Hinata wrapped her arms around her little sister and hugged her, "Thank you," she whispered. Hanabi gave a small smile.


Temari's legs were growing weary. They had been running nonstop as planned, but it was sort of exhausting at the speed they were going. Gaara raced along the sand like it was plain flat ground. Every step her took, the sand shifted to adjust to his footing. Whenever Temari or Kankuro stepped however, the sand stayed normal and they tripped a bit. They were nearing the edge of the desert, and grass could be seen mingled in with the golden sand.

"G-Gaara, you don't think we could stop for a rest?" panted Kankuro, sweat mixing with his purple face paint.

"Blame Temari, it was her idea to go nonstop." Said Gaara in a blank voice, not even sparing them a glance over the shoulder.

Kankuro glared at Temari.

"Don't complain," She hissed in a dangerous voice, "Besides, you need the exercise, fatty!" She sped up till she was beside Gaara to avoid Kankuro attacking her angrily.

"Stop fighting," Snapped Gaara in a crisp voice, "Now's not the time."

"Temari started it by calling me fatty!" Growled Kankuro.

"Well it's true!"

Gaara gave a small shake of his head. And I'M the youngest? He thought to himself wearily. His older siblings could be so…troublesome, as Shikamaru would put it. It was true, he was more mature then either of them.

He ignored their arguing as they continued to run, his mind wandering onto more important matters. Like the matter at hand, the reason why he was going through all this trouble to go to Konoha anyway. Again in Shikamaru's words, it was troublesome. He narrowed his eyes, wondering if this decision was still wise. He wondered….

"Bad rumors have been going around," Said Tsunada, taking another sip of sake, "Rumors about plots going through our villages. Rumors that we're going to attack each other."

Gaara blinked, "but we're not."

"That's the point kid," Muttered Tsunada, sniffing angrily, "This will show those other brain dead villages that we're still allies. If it doesn't…" She took another gulp of sake from the bottle this time, and slammed it onto the desk. Some of it slopped out onto the desk, "We're screwed."

"It's for the best…" Gaara whispered to himself.

"You say something, Gaara?" Asked Temari, looking around at him.

"……" He stared at her for moment, eyes narrowed, "No." He said after a long silence in which both stared at him, "Let's keep moving. I want to be there by tomorrow if best."


Yes! Gaara's almost there! –evil laugh- anyway, more Hyugga family love! Also some funny sand siblings stuff, lol, poor Gaara-kun. So, next chapter, Gaara arrives at the leaf village! –dramatic music-