Key: Read or you won't get anything!!
Naruto rules = Crimson
Naruto rules = Tristen
Naruto rules = both of us!!!
NOTE!! Tristen passed all her finals!! So you get this chapter early! ^_^
I'm new to this world of Emo. How does Tristen usually start off a chapter?
With joy and happiness! ^_^ And… LOT'S of sugar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hate being Emo. It's no fun. -_-
Don't flatter yourself! You're horrible at it! I haven't seen you cry once today!
I could cry if I wanted to. -_-
"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to!" Wait! NO!!!! Must. Fight. Peppiness. And urge to burst out into song!!!!!! What was I going to say? Oh, yeah. Prove it!!!!
……..(Long silence in which Crimson tried to make herself cry. Five minutes later…. ONE tear falls from her eye) Ha! See?!!! Told you!!!
That was nothing! This is how you cry! (Sprays pepper-spray in Crimson's face)
HAA!!!!!!!!!!! IT BURNS!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bye! ^_^ I have to run now.
ANOTHER NOITE!!!!! :This ch. isn't really funny... or random.... :( but we had to put it in to progress the plot line. But trust us. The next one will SO split your sides. It just might be our funniest piece of work ever.
Electrocution is actually not that bad.
Key.
Shuukaku – This print
Inner Sakura – This print
Two and a half weeks. Sakura had been stuck with Shukaku in her head for two and a half WEEKS!! She was at her whit's end. He made EVERYTHING perverted and NEVER left her alone. Not to mention the fact that she had to take showers and get dressed with her eyes closed.
He constantly kept talking to her, giving her a horrible migraine some days. She must have gone though at least a whole bottle of ibuprofen… At least Inner Sakura had never been THAT bad. Sakura never thought she'd say it, but she missed her inner self in her ear. Anything but Shukaku!!
Then, on top of everything she had to plan her friend's wedding!!! With all the interruption she was getting from Shukaku Ino would be lucky if she didn't end up with a wedding based around raccoons! Stupid perverted tanuki in her head…
But still, the thing Sakura didn't like the most was that in a weird, impossible, never-admit-to-anyone way, she was starting to get used to Shukaku. Sometimes they talked about things, and Sakura found she liked their discussion. It was hard to admit, even to herself, but she was becoming friends with Shukaku. Even harder to admit was that that meant she was becoming friends with Gaara. The real Gaara, minus the perverted-ness.
In a way, it made her goal a lot easier. She had promised herself that she would become friends with Gaara, and here she was going just that (sort of) and she found it wasn't as painful as she thought it was going to be. At least Ino would be happy.
And speaking of Ino today was the day she was going to return…
So what movie did you watch last night? Inner Sakura asked.
Underworld Evolution. It rocked. ^_^ Me and Sakura were screaming at the TV the whole time for the stupid main guy to do this or that.
Not fair. :( I haven't seen that one with her yet. You're so mean.
Hey, it was her turn to pick the movie. So what have you and Gaara been up to?
Not much actually. He's been enjoying his time without you I guess. Apparently he REALLY likes sleeping. Other than that, it's just a bunch of work.
Wait. So you mean he hasn't taken a day off since he got back?
No. He's such a work-a-holic. I don't know what he's going to do when you guys show up here. He's going to have so much time he's supposed to be spending with Ino and the others.
He need's a day to himself before the fiancé comes and ruins everything. Tell him to take the day off.
Alright.
Well, I've got to go. Sakura's waiting up.
Talk to you later.
See ya.
The alarm sounded and Sakura groaned, throwing the pillow over her head. She hated mornings. She grumbled, rolling over to hit the snooze button, then turned over again, curling up under the covers, refusing to get out of bed.
Shukaku came from the back of her mind, his thoughts still centered on when he would get to talk to Inner Sakura again. They had figured out why they could sometimes talk to each other. Whenever both Sakura and Gaara were asleep at the same time, since their inners were still linked to one another's brains they could talk to each other. But once Sakura or Gaara woke up they would be pulled back to the mind they were currently attached to. Complicated, but true.
Shuukaku and Inner Sakura even figured out why Gaara could manage to sleep. It turned out that because Shukaku's mind was in Sakura it allowed Gaara to sleep, but since his powers were still within the Kazekage Sakura couldn't go on a rampage like Gaara used to do when he fell asleep. Make since? No? Too bad, because it was also true.
Hey? Sakura? Shukaku called out, trying to coax her out of bed. Time to get up. This is the day Ino comes back. Remember? Get up!
Sakura is not here. Please leave a message after the beep. Sakura thought back.
Please get up! Look at it this way, if you don't you might never get rid of me. ^_^
Sleeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!! She groaned.
Get uuuuuuuuuuuuuup! Shukaku mimicked her tone.
"Fine!" Sakura pouted, throwing the covers off of her and hopping out of bed. Standing a little too quickly, her vision went blurry for a moment and she had to sit down on the edge of her bed to make the room stop spinning.
SOOOOOOO Tired!! She moaned.
Sorry. It's my fault. I'm the one who wanted to watch the movie.
Yes. It's all your fault. Sakura agreed with him.
But it was an awesome movie. I liked the blood.
It was a good movie wasn't it? But I liked the romance better.
Oh come on! You can not seriously tell me that that nasty kissing-stuff was better than Marcus getting blown apart by helicopter blades! And when Craven's head was torn apart! That was so cool!
Whatever. Sakura stood up off the bed and walked towards her bathroom.
So what are we doing today?
Hinata and I are going to make sure we've got everything we need to bring and schedule transportation for all of it to Suna. Sakura turned on the water in the shower and closed her eyes so she could strip off her clothes.
You guys went with the blood-red undershirt for Gaara's tux right?
Sakura rolled her eyes. Yes. Her and Hinata and decided against pastels for the wedding after what Shukaku told Sakura about how he hated them with a bloody passion. Sakura figured if he was going through with a wedding he didn't want to have in the first place she might as well be nice and give Gaara wedding colors he would be happy with. Everything was to be in white, the color of fresh blood to match Gaara's hair, and crimson to compliment it.
The bride's maids would all be dressed in the bright red with crimson accents. Sakura and Hinata had already picked out four different dresses for each girl. Herself, Hinata, Temari, and Tenten. And of course, courtesy of Shukaku, Gaara would have a red under shirt for his tux. Then, the flowers would be red roses and lots of them. They had ordered a ton.
Sakura stepped into the shower, feeling around for her shampoo and body wash. It was finally hitting her that Shukaku would be gone in a few days. After all, now that Ino was back they would be leaving for Suna, most likely tomorrow. It was strange, but in a weird way she supposed she was going to… miss him.
I'm touched. (Fake crying.) You're really going to miss me?
I guess… not much though. It will be nice to have my own inner inside me again. But it was nice knowing you Shukaku.
Do you really mean that?
No. You're SO annoying.
It's been a pleasure knowing you too Sakura.
Aw, crap.
What?
I just remembered, I have to do paperwork today. (Sad face.)
You know how I said you could never hate it as much as Gaara? Well, I think I take it back. You two are about equal on the hating of paperwork scale.
Oh, thanks. (Sarcastic voice.)
So what movie are we watching tonight? Shukaku asked enthusiastically.
The Grudge.
No kidding? That's one of Gaara's favorite movies! ^_^
Seriously? Cool. It's one of mine too.
Really? Because you don't strike me as the horror type.
Shukaku, when are going to learn that despite my appearance I'm the exact opposite on the inside?
Oh, yeah. Sorry. Over the last two and a half weeks he had learned that Sakura was a lot like her inner on the inside despite his doubts in the beginning. She had a very blunt opinion on everything and didn't sugar-coat her thoughts. She was spunky, fiery, and wanted desperately to be outspoken. It was just her shy streak that held her back.
Shukaku had learned that he actually enjoyed Sakura's company, just as he enjoyed the company of her inner. They were the same person after all, and their personality was so refreshing compared to everyone else's.
Sakura exited the shower and got dressed, going to the kitchen to cook herself breakfast. Shukaku already knew what she would make. Two scrambled eggs with a hash brown crumbled over the top of it, drenched in ketchup, and a red apple. Possibly the weirdest breakfast combo in the history of forever, but that wasn't why Shukaku was shocked to find that she liked it. He was shocked because it was also Gaara's favorite breakfast. Strange really, how much they had in common…
Sakura ate, went to do her paperwork, which took most of the morning, then headed out for lunch at Ichi-Raku.
"Sakura! You made it!" Naruto smiled at her when she arrived. Hinata, sitting at his side, also grinned at her.
"Hey guys. What's up?" She asked.
"Nothing much. I found a caravan to take us to Suna. They're loading up everything right now. They said they'll be set to go by tomorrow, early in the morning. All we have to do is wait for Ino to show." Hinata looked at her watch. "She's supposed to get in at two this afternoon. So we've got just over two hours."
"Great. We can have lunch and then maybe head down to the training field."
"Awesome!!!" Naruto cheered. "Sakura, will you spare with me?!"
"Sure," she agreed. Naruto smiled at her.
They headed over to the training fields once their lunch had been finished. It was a cool spring day with a light breeze. Perfect conditions for sparing. Hinata settled herself under a tree at the edge of the grassy field, basking in the shade the big branches provided.
"I'll be referee." She smiled.
"Thanks!" Naruto said happily, taking his position at one end of the field. Sakura took her stance at the other end.
Hey Sakura?
What is it?
Can I ask you a favor?
What? Her tone was cautious, like she knew what he was about to ask wasn't very appropriate.
Can you PLEASE ask Naruto if I can fight the Kyuubi? PLEASE!!!!
Are you nuts? I may have you in my mind, but your powers are still in Gaara. I'm, no demon! I wouldn't stand a chance!
You're right. Your body isn't strong enough. But I bet I could win with my intelligence alone. Think about it. You know Naruto, better even than Gaara does. And I know Kyuubi. We could do it Sakura! PLEASE? I'm SO bored.
No! besides, Naruto wouldn't allow it! He knows he could hurt me.
Don't you want to see if you can take him on? Don't you want to see how strong you truly are? Naruto is the only person you can fight without holding anything back. Don't you want to push yourself? I know you do. You're like Gaara in that way, always taking it to the next level.
Sakura bit her lip. Shukaku was right. She really did want to push herself. To see what she could really do. But would Naruto ever allow it?
Only one way to find out. Come on. What's it going to hurt?
He was right. What would it hurt just to ask?
"Hey Naruto?" Sakura questioned shyly, like a little girl asking for something she knew was inappropriate.
"Yeah Sakura?" he asked.
"Umm… I was wondering… Could I fight the Kyuubi?" Sakura regretted asking as soon as the words left her mouth. Naruto's eyes widened, becoming confused and a little disbelieving.
He laughed, trying to blow it off as a joke. "Yeah right. Good one Sakura. You really had me going there for a moment."
"I'm serious." She said. Wait. Why did she say that? Why didn't she just say she was joking? Why did she have to go off and say she was serious? Stupid!
"No, really?" Naruto asked in shock.
"Yes Naruto. I want to see how far I can push myself, and well… Kyuubi's probably the only one I could fight without seriously injuring."
Naruto blinked for a bit, still in disbelief that Sakura would ask such a thing of him. Really? What was he supposed to do? Risk hurting his friend? But Sakura really seemed to want to fight him. What was the cost-benefit of this decision going to be?
"Umm… sure Sakura. I guess so. But I think we should put special rules in place. That way I don't hurt you." Naruto gave in.
"Like what?" she asked.
"Let's see… I'm not going to go as far as to bring out any tails-"
That's no fun!!
"-and I think there should be a limit, like the first person to score three blows, no matter how harmful, wins." Naruto finished.
"Alright." Sakura agreed. She would take what she could get. "But Naruto?"
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Don't hold back. Use all of the power you've limited yourself to." Sakura stressed.
Naruto smirked at her. "Believe it." He gave her the thumbs-up sign.
Hinata, looking a bit nervous, stood to take her place as referee. "You two know the rules. Naruto, no bringing out the tails but no holding back beyond that. The first person to score three blows off their opponent wins. Ready?"
The two took their positions.
"Fight!"
Naruto opened his eyes, revealing the red irises of the fox within him. Sakura saw his fangs grow and the smirk he sent her way as if to say 'you're in WAY over your head' then he disappeared, moving so fast she couldn't see him.
Listen Sakura, Shukaku instructed. Do exactly as I say. Now tell me, where does Naruto usually attack from?
He like's frontal attacks.
What a coincidence. So does Kyuubi. But he'll anticipate that you know that so don't retreat backward. He'll have a trap for you. Instead go forward with your own attack. Take him by surprise. And don't forget to duck. Kyuubi like hitting you in the face.
Got it.
Sure enough Naruto appeared in front of her then and Sakura did as instructed. Instead of stepping backward to create space between her and her opponent she stepped forward, closing the small gab between them, ducking as she did so. Sakura's fist collided with the ground, rock and earth flying everywhere. Naruto was knocked off his feet when a large rock hit him under the jaw.
"Score one for Sakura." Hinata announced. Naruto's eyes widened and the fight began.
In the next twenty minutes Sakura scored another blow and Naruto got two. At the end they were both breathing heavily, tied with one blow each to go.
Sakura listen to me. Try to get him spinning a few times if you can. Then hit him on the far left side.
Why?
A fox's vision is centered very much on what is directly in front of them. Not so much on the sides. If you get him spinning it will mess up his vision a little bit, tricking his already poor eyesight in the corners of his eyes. Then you'll be free to strike.
Whatever you say, Boss. She teased, charging towards Naruto. He came forward as well, raising his fists to hit her.
He'll swing right.
Sakura dodged and countered, knocking Naruto into the air, sending him upward in a spiral motion. Spinning. Perfect.
She jumped, taking her chance. Sakura saw her friend's eyes widen for a split second, knowing what was coming but unable to prevent it. She hit him directly in his left shoulder, sending him hurtling towards the ground, hitting it with such force that more of the earth was torn up.
"Sakura wins!" Hinata said happily. She herself didn't think her friend had it in her, knowing how strong Naruto was. He must have let her win, she decided.
I did it!
We did it! Ha! We make a good team kid! ^_^
Yeah! Cha!! High five!
Metaphorically speaking?
Sure, why not?
Naruto sat up with a groan, holding his head in his hands. Since when did Sakura know how to block him perfectly? He had given his all, even being tempted to bring out one of the nine tails towards the end. No one knew the workings of his and his demon's mind so well. At least not Sakura…
"Ha! I told you I could do it Naruto!" Sakura cheered.
He smiled at her. "Yep. You beat me fair and square. Way to go Sakura. You've gotten a lot stronger. It was like you were inside my mind-"
Naruto cut himself off, his eyes going wide.
Ua oh.
What do you mean 'Ua oh'? Sakura questioned.
I think Kyuubi might have figured us out.
What do you mean?!! She shouted to Shukaku, but the demon was long gone, retreating into the back of her mind.
"You may know me but… No one knows Kyuubi that well…" Naruto whispered, looking at her, completely shocked. "No one but another demon. Like the three-tailed cat, or Shukaku…"
Yep. Kyuubi figured us out. Damn.
"Sakura…?" Naruto questioned, rising to his feet. "Is there something you're not telling us?"
***RandomnessRules***
Sakura, Hinata, and Naruto all laughed together, walking towards the village gates to welcome Ino back home. She would be arriving any moment.
Despite her vow to not tell anyone about what happened because of how embracing it was Sakura finally spilled the beans to Hinata and Naruto. After all, what else could she do? They were her friends and she had kept it a secret for far too long.
Hinata felt bad for her, asking over and over again what she could do to help, asking why she hadn't spoken about it since it happened. Not even to the Hokage.
Naruto sympathized with her, assuring her that though both Gaara and Shukaku were a little… let's go with different, she wouldn't be scared for life (TOO badly) and that he would help her manage Shukaku any time she asked. Sakura thanked both of them from the bottom of her heat, only requesting that they didn't tell anyone else. It was embracing enough without the whole world knowing about it.
"So Naruto, is Kyuubi just as perverted?" Sakura asked him as they walked towards the front gate.
Yes. Shukaku said, like she was stupid for even asking.
"Yes." Naruto admitted. "But don't worry. Demons are naturally perverted. Just because his demon is doesn't mean Gaara is. That's the only thing about our demons that isn't a reflection of our inner-most selves. They're perverted and we're not. At least… I hope Gaara's not."
They all laughed lightly as they arrived at the gate, looking out to the deserted path leading into the forest beyond. Now all they had to do was wait for Ino to make her appearance.
"Wait. So if Shukaku's in your head, then what's up with Gaara?" Hinata asked.
"Well… I've got sort of this… let's call her an inner-self (instead of a colossal pain in the butt) She's sort of my inner voice talking. You know how I act around you guys? Well, she's just like that. And how I act around the Hokage and others that I don't know well or are above me in rank is the other side of me."
"I get it." Naruto mused, but then his eyes went big with shock. "So you mean to tell me that the pushy, outspoken, blunt, scary-as-hell, assertive, and loud-mouthed part of you is inside Gaara's head?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
"I'm not loud mouthed." Sakura glared.
Yes you are.
Shut it.
"So that's means it's true???!!!!!!" Oh my god! If you're having a hard time with Shukaku I don't even want to imagine what kind of hell Gaara's going though right now. I mean, it's hard enough for a guy to have a girl in his head, but Gaara?! He's probably dead by now. That's why he didn't come back to try and get back to normal after you couldn't get to him. Inner Sakura killed him."
"Very funny Naruto, but I think he can handle it just fine. And besides, if he's dead it's because of the wedding and not because of me." Sakura threw back at him.
Naruto gave her his you're-probably-right look.
"Look!" Hinata exclaimed, pointing to the bend in the trail. Everyone held their breath, waiting silently. Then the figure rounded the bend, coming into view.
"Ino!!" they all shouted at once, racing towards her. The young konoichi didn't even have time to blink before she was tackled to the ground by her three friends, caught in an inescapable bear hug.
"Can't breathe guys." She croaked, squished between her friends and the dirt floor of the path. They got off her, Naruto helping her to her feet only to give her another monstrous hug.
"We've missed you so much!" Hinata said happily as she walked forward to receive her hug.
"Yeah. I mean, how am I suppose to focus on training when my best friend isn't here to tell me I'm pathetic and I need to work harder?" Sakura added with a smirk.
"What?!! You mean I'm not your best friend?" Naruto said in a voice filled with distress. No one knew if he was joking or not.
"Well, I'm back now." Ino said as she dusted off the dirt that had gotten on her purple outfit when she was tackled to the ground.
"Yeah, but then you're going to leave again. And then I'm never going to see you! EVER! Why didn't you tell me you were going to marry the Kazekage?" Sakura scolded.
Ino blushed. "So you know about that?"
"Know about it?!! I'm the one planning your wedding!!!" Sakura yelled at her.
Ino's face lit up. "Really?!!"
"Ua, YEAH!" Sakura said in a mocking tone. The two girls started squealing together, joined by Hinata in an all-girls hug. They kicked Naruto out before he got a chance to join.
"This is so exciting! I thought I wasn't going to get a say. But with you planning it it's sure to be everything I want!" Ino smiled happily. "So, how did you do it? What are the colors? Guests? Oh!! What's my dress look like??!!!"
"Come on; we'll show you. The caravan we're leaving with tomorrow is packing it all up now." Said Sakura, leading her friends off in one direction. Ino and Hinata raced off after her, leaving Naruto in the dust. Oh how he hated it when girls got to gather and started acting all… well… girly. It always meant he would be left out of the loop.
Sakura dragged Ino down the streets, this way and that until they came to a small collection of houses off to one side of the village.
"Hello again Miss." Greeted the first person they saw, a thirty-year old man with a deep voice, broad shoulders, and dark hair.
"Hello." Sakura said. "Ino, this is Yazumi Kanji, the head of the caravan taking us to Suna."
Ino shook the man's hand. "It's a pleasure to meat you Miss. Yamanaka. I can assure you that all of your supplies as well as your person will be well protected as we make our journey through the desert."
At that point three young men approached them, all of them baring looks similar to Yazumi. He introduced them all.
"These are my sons. They are all trained shinobi as well as experts in the way of the caravan and the lands we travel over. They will be helping to guard you on your journey. This is my eldest, Gouman. Okubyou, the middle son, and my youngest Shinsetsu.
Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, and Ino looked to each son as they were introduced. The first looked beyond stuck-up, like they were all beneath him. The second seemed shy and a bit timid, and the last of them looked friendly and kind, egger to make friends.
"We're just packing up the wedding things. Would you like to see?" Shinsetsu asked, addressing Sakura directly rather than Ino.
"Yes." She replied, knowing full well Ino couldn't wait to see her wedding dress.
They all followed the youngest son as he led them through the twists and turns of carts, horses, and people loading goods. They stopped at one of the large carts towards the back of the line.
"Here they are." Shinsetsu said, going to pull a large chest off of the cart. "I'll leave you to your business. Just call for me when you are done and I'll re-pack everything back up." He said with a friendly smile.
"Uh, a- Actually, I can take care o- of the things when they're done."
Sakura and the others turned to see the second son, Okubyou, standing behind them. He fumbled with his fingers like Hinata did when she was nervous and looked to the floor a lot rather than making eye contact.
"Thanks for the offer Okubyou, but I can handle it." His brother said with a smile.
"I can do it." Okubyou insisted. "I can be of use to Miss. Haruno too."
"I'll take care of it." Shinsetsu said with a little more force, like he was becoming aggravated.
Sakura, Ino, Naruto, and Hinata just stood bye, confused and a little weird-ed out.
"Aw. Look how sweet. You're feuding over a girl." Everyone turned from the two youngest brother's squabble to see the eldest leaning against a wagon. He was definitely the cutest out of all of them, but his bad-attitude that seemed to radiate out of him ruined them. He glared at his two younger brothers as they looked to the ground, both blushing.
"Stop acting like idiots, will you? She's not even that pretty. I'll put the things away when they're done looking at them. Now get. Father wants to see you both." He barked. The other two left with their heads hung low.
"You'll have to excuse my brothers. They don't know how to behave very well." He told them with a cold, heartless stare before walking away.
"Well that was weird." Naruto mused.
"Really weird." Hinata agreed.
"Who cares? I want to see my dress!" Ino squealed, jumping onto the chest Shinsetsu had removed from the cart.
I wonder what that was all about? Sakura thought to herself.
I don't like them. You need to find a different caravan.
There's no time to find a different one. Besides, they're alright. I don't think there's anything wrong with them.
Oh, there's something wrong with them alright. Especially the oldest. Not even that pretty my ass.
What?
Don't tell me you didn't get that conversation.
Not really. Why?
You're so blind to the way of guys. Okay. Here's the deal. Shinsetsu and Okubyou both like you. And, what was his name? Gouman? He just called you ugly.
What?! Sakura's temper flared. I am NOT ugly! Wait. Shinsetsu and Okubyou like me?
Yes. And I don't like it.
Jealous much Shukaku? Sakura teased.
No! I just don't appreciate having people drooling over my host. It's bad enough with Gaara and his fan girls, but now I've got to make sure no one gets too close to you too? Kill me now please.
You're protective of me? ^_^
Wait. No! I never said-
How sweet!
"Sakura! Oh. My. GOD! This is so perfect." Ino shrieked, pulling out her wedding dress. She ran over and gave her best friend a spine-crushing hug. "It's everything I imagined! Thank you! Thank you!!"
"I'm glad you like it Ino." Sakura smiled. "Do you want to see the bride's maid's gowns?"
"Um… YES!!!!" Ino said happily, full of glee.
Sakura rummaged through the crate for the first box, bringing it out to show her Hinata's gown.
"Whoa." Ino said, eyeing the bright color. "I take it red and white are the wedding colors?"
Sakura looked worried. "Do you not like them?"
"Oh no!" Ino reassured her. "I love it. Red is so… passionate and full of love. Plus, it's not like its common for weddings so I'm bound to have the most unique one ever." Ino hugged her again. "I just never thought you'd pick it."
"Well we were going to go with pastels," Hinata said, "but we figured we'd give Gaara a break and not torture him too much."
Ino looked at her with confusion. "Gaara?"
"Yeah. He likes red, so we thought what the heck? The least we could do was theme his wedding around a color he likes." Sakura teased.
Ino didn't respond. She looked like she was processing information she found unbelievable.
"Ino are you alright?" Naruto asked, a little worried.
She snapped out of it, blinking a few times. "Oh, I umm… I just forgot something! I've got work to do before we leave. So yeah… I'll, I'll see you guys at the gate tomorrow. What time are we leaving?"
"Around four in the morning. But Ino wait. What's up?" Sakura question. She still knew something was off.
"Nothing. I've got to go." Ino turned and walked away before anyone could ask anything else. As if things couldn't get any more confusing.
"Are we done here?" She turned to see Shinsetsu behind her, smiling.
"Yes. Thank you." She said, smiling back.
He nodded, leaning over the crate to re-pack everything up. "Well… I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah. See ya." Sakura said.
He smiled once more to her before walking away, off to help someone load something onto a different cart. Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata all said goodbye, going their separate ways, off to prepare for the trip in the morning. Naruto and Hinata were coming to act as extra protection for Ino and of course to help Sakura with the wedding.
Unbelievable. Two more days and they would be in Suna.
***RandomnessRules***
Gaara's hand clenched around his pen as Fukigen placed a stack of papers three feet high on his desk.
"These are the hospital's requests and their plans for training more medical ninja. Everything's in there. Supplies. Funds. Anything else you could imagine. They're due back in one week." He said, turning to leave Gaara's office.
Gaara glared at the paper as if doing so would make it burst into flames. Oh how he wished it would. It wouldn't be too hard to explain the fire…
You should just leave it. You need a break.
Gaara sighed. Paperwork wasn't the only thing that had him so stressed these days.
Two and a half weeks of pure torture. That's what having Inner Sakura in his head was. At first he thought for sure he wouldn't have to stand it for long. Just a few days, he told himself, then Sakura would show up and they'd figure out how to switch back. But she never showed. Stupid Haruno.
Having a girl inside his head, especially Haruno, was enough to kill him. Put the stress of being the Kazekage and the wedding stuff on top of that and it was a miracle Gaara hadn't committed suicide yet.
I'm not that bad. Inner Sakura argued back at him.
Gaara supposed she was right, in a way. He could have been stuck with worse. He could have had an insanely preppy, knaggy, whiny, prissy, girl in his head. At least Inner Sakura wasn't like that. Gaara tried to imagine what it would be like if it someone else, like Ino's inner-voice, was stuck in his head. He shivered at the thought. Having to marry the woman was bad enough.
And when he really thought about it Inner Sakura was a lot like Shukaku in many ways. They were both outspoken, blunt, and got straight to the point. Yes. A girl version of Shukaku. That's what Inner Sakura was to him.
Oh, that's flattering… NOT! I can NOT believe you just compared me to Shukaku. (Shudders.)
Yep. Just like Shukaku. It was a bit surprising actually. Though he didn't know Sakura very well, he had always had the impression that she was quite, conservative, and shy. Not this vibrant, bright, and fiery person she turned out to be on the inside.
For her inner personality there were no boundaries. If she didn't like something, she didn't like it. End of story. No questions asked. She was stubborn and not easily swayed to one side or the other. She liked being in control of her life and despised anyone who tried to take that control away. Kind of like him…
Earth to Gaara. Come in Gaara. This is the little vice inside your head telling you to take the day off already.
I've got too much work to do.
But you don't WANT to do it. I know you don't. You're like Sakura in that way. You need your space to be free and do what YOU want to do.
My country comes first. He said. Inner Sakura fell silent. Gaara smirked to himself. He knew her weakness. The one thing Sakura always put before herself: her friends and her country. Like him.
Gaara sighed, picking up the first paper in the stack Fukigen had given him.
Let's see here… Look's like my father made more cuts to the medical fund's budgets than I thought. The hospital's so old it's in shambles. Understaffed. Under funded. Not enough medical ninja's on staff. But I can't give them any more. I'm already down to one medical ninja to every twenty shinobi on the field. Look's like they've drawn up a plan for training more here… uh, but I our existing medical ninja couldn't pull this off! They're not that good.
They can't Handel that? You've got to be kidding me. Inner Sakura scolded. I could pull that off so easily it's not even funny.
Really?
Yeah. That's like, first year medical ninja training. Not only do you not have enough medical ninja, but the ones you have are incompetent.
Well of course Gaara knew that! But it wasn't like it was his decision. It was his father that had down-sized the program so that they could have more shinobi fighting on the battle field.
Yes, it may be your father's fault that you're where you are right now. But it will be your fault if you don't do anything to fix it. Inner Sakura told him.
What do you suggest?
Let's see… first you've got to give them back there funding then bring in some highly skilled medical ninja from another land. Have them train the ones you have here, the hospitals staff, and go into the ninja academy, starting to train one fourth of the students to require medical ninja skills.
And who do you suggest I bring in? He asked.
Well not to brag, but I'm probably the best medical ninja in all of Kohana, and that is your biggest ally…
So you want the job?
I don't know. If Lady Tsunade told me that was my mission I'd do it. No questions asked. The Leaf village also has many other confident medical ninja who could fulfill the job though. Shizune's a good one, if you could convince the Hokage to let you borrow her for a few… years.
Years?
Well… you're years behind. You'll need at least two or three years to catch up, train, and re-train the ninja.
Hmm… That is something to think about. It's a brilliant idea actually. We could easily get the money. I'm sure the council members wouldn't mind taking a pay-cut. (Evil smiley face.) And the weapons arsenal could use down-sizing. Yeah. I think we could come up with the money. And if Kohana agrees…
Gaara instantly started scribbling things down on pieces of paper, outlining the plans for reforming Suna's medical program with the help if Inner Sakura. They worked through the night, drawing up the plans.
***RandomnessRules***
I'm so stoked.
Stoked?
Yeah! ^_^ I mean we finished the plans and Sakura's leaving Kohana today. Inner Sakura smiled. Gaara glanced to the clock on the wall. 6:00 AM. Yes. According to the schedule he had received from the Hokage, Sakura, along with the rest of the traveling party, had left two hours ago. They'd travel the whole day, camp out that night, and reach the city around ten o'clock the next day. Soon, very soon he'd have Shukaku back and be rid of Inner Sakura forever.
I'm going to miss you. (Sad face.)
…………
Are you hearing me?!?!?!?!
Sorry. I'm more caught up in what will happen afterward.
What do you mean?
Think about it. I've gotten to know you well over the last two weeks, which means I know Sakura VERY well now. And she knows me well too. Don't you think it's going to be awkward, knowing each other that well?
Yeah, so what?
Nothing…
At that moment Gaara sensed Fukigen's chakra approaching his office. The man opened the door then, coming in out of the hall.
"I never thought I'd be so glad to see you here this early." Gaara said, getting up and quickly bringing a stack of paper three feet high over to the old man, dropping it into his hands. Fukigen struggled under the weight.
"What is this Lord Kazekage?"
"That is the new plan for reforming Suna's medical system. I pulled from what the hospital said and… other sources and came up with this. Get it to the other council members and review it as quickly as possible." Gaara commanded.
"Yes My Lord." Fukigen said, heading back towards the door. "Oh! I almost forgot," he said before he left. He pulled out another huge stack of paper at least four feet tall out of nowhere, placing it in Gaara's arms. "Please have these signed and completed by the end of the week." The man then left the room.
Gaara's eye twitched. He had just finished that WHOLE report and made up that plan and now he had MORE work to do?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
I get the country comes first crap, but in this case I believe you should make an exception.
You got it.
Gaara deserted his office, leaving the giant stack of papers on the floor with no intention of ever touching them again, let along looking at them.
Moments later Fukigen re-entered the Kazekage's office. "Lord Kazekage I forgot to tell you…" he trailed away when he saw Gaara was not there. "LADY TEMARI!" the council man screamed.
"What?!" she screamed back, appearing almost out of no where, walking in from her office down the hall.
Fukigen was fuming. "You brother has decided to play hooky! And on today of all days! We have a council meeting about the wedding!"
"So?" Temari asked in a bored tone.
"SO GO FIND HIM!" Fukigen hollered like an overly-hormonal teenage girl.
"Don't look at me. If Gaara doesn't plan on working today, then you're not going to see him until he decides to work again. You're not going to find him unless he lets you, and considering he was here ALL NIGHT he's not going to want to be found." She left without another glance in Fukigen's direction.
Fukigen pulled out some of his already thinning hair. It was just his luck that he had to look after a Kazekage who was less cooperative than an over-tired two-year old.
Gaara avoid Fukigen and the rest of the council members for the whole day, going out and training on one of the fields, patrolling the city, and just sitting at the top of the tallest building, looking out over Suna. Most people would think his day was uneventful and boring but to Gaara in was paradise. Anything but holding a pen and signing more paper work.
Hey, why don't we go watch a movie later tonight?
What do you have in mind? Gaara asked, completely up for that plan.
Have you seen Underworld Evolution?
No. I've seen Underworld, but I never got around to watching the next one…
Then let's watch that! Please!
Alright. You know, it's kind of scary that we have the same taste in movies. Gaara mused, laying down on the roof of the building he was on, looking up to the darkening sky.
What's scary about it?
Just never thought you'd like stuff like Underworld, and what was it we watched the other night? The Grudge? Yeah, that's what we watched…
I also like comedies you know.
Really? Which ones?
Have you ever seen Grumpy old men?
You've got to be kidding me! That movie rocks! It's so random…
You're right. It is scary how we like the same movies.
The sun disappeared from the sky then, plunging the desert into darkness, the red and gold that once painted it fading away until it was time for the sun to set once again. They laid there in silence for a long time, gazing to the sky, watching as the stars started to make their appearance.
The moon rose, full and bright, illuminating the desert, glistening off the sand. Sitting up and looking out over the city to the wasteland beyond, Gaara turned his sights in the direction of Kohana. Soon Sakura would be there, and he'd finally get Shukaku back. Soon everything would be back to normal. He felt a strange pain where his heart rested at the thought of the impeding reality, but he couldn't identify it. It was probably the bright moonlight getting to him.
***RandomnessRules***
Sakura set up her sleeping bad at the edge of the camp, looking out at the desert dunes, bathed in moonlight. She was so exhausted. So fare their journey to Suna had been uneventful and tiring. A lot of walking and a lot of talking. Her, Naruto, and Hinata had all made fast-friends with Shinsetsu, and had even started to get to know Okubyou a little, despite his shyness holding him back. None of them had even bothered to talk to the oldest son. His arrogance was enough to keep everyone away.
But of course the whole time she was talking with Shinsetsu Shukaku was growling inside her mind. He still refused to admit he was… what was he? Jealous as Sakura had suggested? Shukaku dismissed this possibility, deciding instead that over the last few weeks he had become friends with her and was being protective like a friend would be. Not jealous. No, never jealous.
The one downfall of the journey for Sakura so fare was that for some reason Ino wasn't being herself. She hadn't talked at all the whole way and was increasingly withdrawn from everyone. Sakura dismissed it, using the excuse Ino was wrapped up in her thoughts about finally formally meeting her fiancé. Nervousness, she decided.
Speaking of being nervous, Sakura was so jumpy it was unbearable. To think, after two weeks she was finally going to come face to face with Gaara again, the person's whose inner thoughts she had had inside of herself. How would their meeting go? She had somehow become friends with Shukaku, so would that mean she was now friends with Gaara? Would it be awkward being aware of how well they now intimately knew one another, always aware of what the other was thinking in any given situation? Sakura wouldn't know until the next day, when they finally met again, face to face.
Hello beautiful people of Du-Lock!! ^_^ I love you all!! Crimson's searching my room for the razor blade right now so you'll see her again during the next chapter! ^_^ Bye! May the force be with you! (Does Spock hand thing.)
NOTE: What's up with you guys?!! You usually review more! :( It's making us sad. If you don't like the story, review to tell us. If you love the story review to tell us. Either way, PLEASE review!! This story is the LONGEST one we've ever written! The first 2 ch. are longer that the whole Sleep Over of Doom story and we don't want to put all this work into it if you guys don't review.
Signed, 2crasy random people