Konoha, The Present:
Sakura entered the familiar room with a sense of trepidation that she hasn't felt in years. This room has been a mute witness to the death of her childhood dreams of love and romance…this room was where she lost and found herself for the first time in her life. This is where she was reborn. And now, the woman who made all that possible requests her presence for an assignment that even her closest companion Shizune did not dare to hint on.
"Ohayo gozaimash'ta Hokage-sama…"
Tsunade stared at her youngest apprentice and wondered how best break the news to her. Her clear golden amber eyes strayed across the pale, flawless face that was now smoothed by the years, rendering a stunning image of a young rose in the brink of blooming. Her emerald eyes has become deeper, darker with time, making them more mysterious…compelling in all their focused intensity …her unusual locks now held back in a demure and practical bun that was never taken down in public and kept in place with an ebony hair pick. She still favored the crimson hues that characterized her genin days but now, her clothes reflect a more practical, even subdued nature. A short-sleeved, scarlet kimono over a black mesh shirt and pants made-up her uniform whenever she was outside the hospital. She has grown out of the need to prove herself by using physical appeal. Now she prefers to be gain recognition through her reputation as a competent medic-nin. And in the medical ward, her unusual coloring helped to soothe the minds of her often-wounded patients. Sakura has gone through so much…not unlike herself, she thought with weary amusement. But this is different. What she is about to ask her would change not only the lives of their people but more importantly, it would require a sacrifice greater than any rendered by any shinobi in their country. And yet, sacrifices are done everyday…and this one has more rewards than all their missions…with this, peace could finally be theirs for the taking.
"Take a seat Sakura…this might take some time…"
Sakura nodded. She moved to settle in one of the simple wooden chairs that were placed on the other side of the Hokage's desk. After settling in, she looked at her sensei once more.
"Tsunade-sensei…"
"We will begin as soon as he arrives."
"He?" she asked, puzzled at this newest twist in this already suspicious meeting. "Who are we waiting for Sensei?"
Suddenly the doors opened, revealing a figure that was as familiar to Sakura as her own childhood. It was Shikamaru, though now grown considerably, he looks remarkably the same as the bored genius that would rather spend the day cloud watching than training. He was the first of them to actually attain the rank of Chuunin due to the fact that he was quite a remarkable strategist. Now, he was a Jounin of considerable repute.
"Shikamaru…?"
The young man turned to Sakura and gave her a short bow. If he was surprised at her presence, he gave no indication of it. Shikamaru rarely let any emotion slip from his usually bland visage. Other than boredom or annoyance, there were very few emotions that pass through the enigmatic tacticians face.
"Ohayo, Sakura-san….Hokage-sama…" he murmured in his signature bored tone. Only Shikamaru could give the impression that being forced to talk to acknowledge people was a thankless chore.Tsunade nodded towards the other chair for Shikamaru to take and as soon as he settled in, she took a deep breath and began what would be the hardest briefing in her career.
"Why do you think I called for you two today?" she asked.
Sakura frowned before answering simply. "Well I assumed it's for a new training or a new mission to be completed. Or at least a new assignment with my medic-nin training…if not that, well, then I assume there's some report I forgot to file…"
Tsunade nodded before she turned towards the taciturn strategist, "And you?"
"You called. I came." He stated simply. Tsunade almost gave in to the rare urge to roll her eyes at the asinine response. She gave a dark chuckle.
"What a smart-ass answer…"she muttered. Shikamaru simply smirked. Tsunade finally settled on her chair and gazed at the two with her intense amber eyes. Clearing her throat she began to speak.
SUNAGAKURE, The present
"They said what??"
Temari's outraged cry echoed all over the Kazekage's Tower. She shoved her brother ruthlessly until he sat on one of the many couches in the receiving room and leveled him with a steely glare.
"What did they tell you…spit it out! All of it!! Now! I want to know everything those old codgers said in that room, every damned word out of their wrinkled mouths do you hear me?"
Kankurou groaned but didn't back down from his sister's rabid temper. With a weary sigh, he gave an account of what had transpired in the council room that morning. After a few minutes, the Tower shook once more from the force of Temari's scream.
"A BRIDE?! Are they insane?? What the hell are they talking about? Have they forgotten that this is Sabaku no Gaara that they are trying to force under the matrimonial yoke?"
"They said that he must find her as soon as possible. His instincts or more specifically, the Shukaku's would soon manifest symptoms of the normal signs of his impending change of status."
"What change of status? What the hell are they talking about?" She paced agitatedly across the kitchen floor. To calm her mind, she started making tea for the two of them.
"I really don't understand it all that well, either. They said that Gaara would come of age and that meant that the Shukaku will soon demand a mate…"
"A mate? I mean, how do they even know that Shukaku will have one?"
This information silenced both of them. Thoughts crowded their head, knowing that even their own imagination couldn't possibly match for the terrifying reality they might confront sooner than they could manage.
"Did they give a timeline? Or anything useful that we could do to make this as easy as possible?"
Kankurou shot her a disbelieving glance. "You think telling him won't be the absolute worst thing about this?" he asked.
Temari gave him a serious look but he noticed the pain hidden in her usually bland expression. "You think he would be fazed by this? Our baby brother has been living in hell for all of his life…this is just another-!" Temari bit her lip, desperately trying to stop the anger and anguish from seeping into her voice. "It's so damned unfair…not another thing to add to his misery…isn't it enough that he lives with that thing? When will fate stop punishing him?"
Kankurou stared at Temari…surprised that she actually had such an outburst. "Temari…they said that he must find the one soon…or else we'd face battle far worse than anything we could handle…"
"What could be worse than this?" she snapped.
"The Shukaku will try to break out his body..." he intoned quietly. His words made Temari pale; her hands shook as her eyes suddenly took on an unfamiliar look of uncertainty.
"What? Why? How-?" she asked agitatedly.
"He is driven by instincts to do this…thus far none of the former hosts ever reached this particular stage…that's the real reason why there is that fear." Kankurou stood by their window, staring at the bare landscape with weary resolve. This was by far the most emotionally exhausting thing he has had to report to his own family. There have been countless times before when he brought bad news home…but this is the first time he really despised his role as emissary to the Kage. "This quest is not just to extend the Shukaku and Gaara's life…more than anything, it's the one chance they have of finding out if the presence of the Shukaku inside him could foster a change that will prove beneficial to Suna."
Rubbing a hand across her forehead, she gave a sigh before collapsing into a heap onto the couch. "Tell me the rest of it."
After an hour, the two Sand siblings finished the tea and stared at each other with a weary pout. They were exhausted from arguing. Somehow they must resolve this dilemma before they even contemplate breaking the news to their unpredictable sibling.
"So…there actually exists someone destined for him?" Temari murmured, her tone almost wistful.
"Weird isn't it? Thinking that there is a girl out there meant just for that shrimp." Kankurou gave a snort, "I guess that's the only way he'll ever get a girl to marry him. Declare her destiny tied to his and Gaara would be a real force to be reckoned with. Bet no girl would be courted with such utter asinine lack of tact." He gave another loud snort before his expression turned pensive once more. "But I am concerned about this mark thing…I mean how do we even see this?"
Temari shook her head, trying vainly to stem a growing headache. "It's not like we can lift the clothes off of every girl in Suna…wait-! What mark are we going to look for anyway? There aren't that many girls in Suna…maybe I can do something…" Temari leveled a glare at her fidgeting sibling. "Kankurou, the girl is in Suna, right?"
"Ah, well…as to that…that might not entirely be true…the girl could be anywhere…but, you see that's not the problem…" he began…
"Kankurou! What the heck are you hesitating for…?"
"Well, its not that—I just realized Temari…what if the girl's already married? Or dead?"
"Then we have an even bigger problem than we had ten seconds ago."
