And here's Chapter 9. I haven't made up my mind to update The Melt yet or not. Look for it just in case. Hope you guys like the newest chapter of AUATD. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Live For Today by 3 Doors Down.

CHAPTER NINE

Temari eyeballed her date from across the table, totally oblivious to the rest of her surroundings. Naruto slowly chewed his food, trying to draw out a little more time before she began to bombard him with questions. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her assume her 'cute, pouting pose' as he'd dubbed it. She leaned both elbows on the table and rested her chin on her cradled fingers, while smiling sweetly and batting her eyelashes. She didn't say a word, but Naruto sighed and sat his fork down.

"You know, you're getting really good at begging like that. Perhaps we should transfer you to the interrogation department. No prisoner would be able to withstand that pouty look."

She grinned and closed her eyes.

"I know. Now how about you tell me why there's an oversized rat in my family's home."

He took a deep breath and pushed his plate away. This might take a while.

"As you know, his name is Sanzoku and he's a red panda. I signed the raccoon contract earlier today and became the first summoner for them in hundreds of years. They had their reasons for contacting me, but I won't tell you yet. I'd rather show you."

"When?"

"Tonight."

"All right. So how have you enjoyed your first year here in Suna?"

Naruto smiled and took a sip of his iced tea.

"Temari, I love it here. This place has become my home more than Konoha ever will be. I love you guys. You treat me like a human being instead of a disease. It's a little dusty but I can live with that."

"How about your class? How are they coming along?"

"You should know. You hang out and watch whenever you're not on a mission. The class is great; those kids have talent, some more so than others. But they're all coming along nicely. They all have the basics down to a science."

"So? What are you going to teach them this year?"

Naruto rubbed his chin and sat back in his chair.

"I think…I'll teach them a few low powered jutsus. I'm going to request a taijutsu expert come by and a genjutsu expert as well. I'm not…very proficient in either of those. While I've come a long way in a year, my taijutsu is still abysmal compared to Lee's.

"Everyone's is abysmal compared to Lee's."

"Yeah, true, but my genjutsu ability is simply nil. I don't have any talent in it and these kids need every advantage they can get in the ninja world. If I can't give it to them, it's my responsibility to make sure that they get that education."

"Uzumaki Naruto, the poster boy schoolteacher. Never thought I'd live to see it become a reality."

"Me either. I mean, me, a schoolteacher. Who'da thunk it, you know?"

"Hmm. So when are Tsunade and Jiraiya going to visit?"

"They still don't know yet, but they're going to bring some of my friends with them to visit. Knowing Tsunade, it'll be a surprise visit so she can see the look on my face. Now enough about me, how about you? How's your past year been?"

Temari cupped her cheeks with her hands and leaned on the table again.

"It's been pretty good. I've got a gourmet chef as a roommate and he's also a pretty good masseuse. My year was kind of routine except for when I hang out with him. I always have fun around him, but he keeps dating other women."

Naruto grinned at the not-so-subtle jabs. Before he moved to Suna, he never would've taken Temari as a jealous person.

"Well, maybe this guy does that because a certain sandy blonde told him to date other women…"

Temari put on her own grin, hers a little more vicious.

"And maybe that guy should read 'underneath the underneath' a little better. When a woman tells you to date other people, that's not what you're supposed to do."

"Aw, but this guy doesn't know any better, I'll bet. He just likes to have fun. Besides, he always comes back to his roommate doesn't he?"

"Yes, and he's a sweet guy but it's like he doesn't notice me."

Naruto frowned and sat his drink back down.

"Now Temari, you know that isn't true."

"Yeah, but, I always have to make the first move."

'If this keeps up, it'll ruin the surprise I have for her…'

"Temari, you know none of that is true. Now, we're almost through and I have a surprise for you. You can ask me one more question and then we'll leave ok?"

She nodded and thought hard. As if struck by inspiration, she looked at him with bright eyes.

"What is 'the green'?"

Naruto was taken aback by her abruptness and his mind fumbled for an answer. He hadn't expected that.

"Where did you read about 'the green'?"

She blushed slightly and fidgeted in her seat.

"Well, to be honest, I didn't read anything about it. I kind of got bored waiting for you and flipped through one of your scrolls, but I didn't understand anything in it. What is 'the green'?"

Naruto sighed and stood, offering his hand to Temari.

"It's better for me to show you. It's all part of what I was planning to do with you tonight."

She couldn't even guess what that encompassed.

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As they walked, Naruto looked up into the sky. A full moon was out and he could make out the figure of Gaara on top of the KazeKage tower. Old habits die hard, after all…

He waved to the gate guards and kept close to the walls of Suna as they trekked to his land.

"Naruto, where are we going?"

"Remember, all those months ago when I asked Gaara for a plot of land?"

"Yeah, so? Oh, he gave you one."

"Yup. I'm taking you to see it."

Temari cocked an eyebrow and squeezed his arm tighter.

"If you've seen one sand dune, you've seen them all. No offense, but all the property in Suna is the same."

"Not mine. I plan to build a house here soon. Trust me when I say you've never seen a dune like this before. Hey, I can show you something else I've been working on. I found these seals in dad's scrolls and tried them out. They work great."

He lifted his pants legs and shirtsleeves to reveal seals drawn on pads under his clothing. She cocked her head to the side and looked at him quizzically.

"What do they do?"

"You've heard of gravity seals correct?"

"Yeah, they increase the gravity field around the wearer and help build muscle. Are those gravity seals?"

"Nope."

"Then what are they?"

"Resistance seals."

Temari stood upright and put her hands on her hips.

"Go on."

"Resistance seals are great for wind users. Instead of weighing the user down, like gravity seals, they create a pocket of air behind the user like a parachute that restricts movement and forces the user to put more effort into moving around. Kind of like gravity seals but without the excess force on the bones. This promotes muscle growth and helps your wind affinity at the same time!"

Temari eyed him hungrily. She was always willing to learn more wind manipulation.

"Can you make me some?"

"Of course. That was going to be part of my present to you, but now that the cat's out of the bag…"

Naruto formed a hand sign and the seals glowed for a moment before fading back to black ink. He grinned and scooped Temari onto his back.

"Now hold on tight. I'm going to show you the result of over six months of resistance training."

Temari nearly fell off when he shot across the desert, a cascade of sand rising behind him. She squealed with excitement when he leapt into the air and did a somersault. She was never more glad that she had wore panties, even if they were alone in the desert. Someone could have gotten quite an eyeful.

Naruto grinned as he felt her grip on his neck tighten. He enjoyed moments like these with her. The feel of her breath on his neck, her hair tickling his ear…he could do without her banshee shriek at the moment, but she was having fun. He could deal with it. The sight of his wall came soon and he landed atop the structure with aplomb. Temari slid off his back and pulled her skirt back down before he turned around. She looked around and down into the moonlit sand inside the walls.

"It's just sand Naruto. Nothing different about it at all."

He smiled and put his arm around her waist.

"Look closer."

Temari strained her eyes as hard as she could, but couldn't see anything but dirt. Naruto squeezed her hard and spoke again.

"Don't look at it like a civilian. Analyze it like a ninja."

She frowned at him and turned an analytical eye on the expanse of dirt. Her brow furrowed when she noticed a slight shimmer and she raised her hands to make a seal, only to be stopped by Naruto.

"So you noticed. It's a very large genjutsu, the only one I can do. I keep it activated at all times. Don't dispel it, just come inside and see what I have done."

Temari didn't say anything just wrapped her arm around his waist as well and shivered when she felt the telltale signs of genjutsu melt away to the sight before her.

"It's…beautiful…"

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Temari twirled round and round, taking in everything she saw with childlike wonder. This had to be a genjutsu, it had to be. Naruto saw her trepidation and sighed.

"Go ahead Temari, try to release it. I promise it won't disappear."

She put her hands together shakily, the ram seal forming and she cried out 'Kai!' as she closed her eyes. She kept them screwed shut, just knowing that she had ruined this wonderful illusion, but silently praying that it had been real, that it was just one more thing that the amazing young man with her could do that other's couldn't.

Naruto took his hands and caressed her cheeks when he saw she wasn't going to open her eyes willingly.

"Temari, open your eyes. It's ok."

Slowly, ever so slowly, she cracked her eyes open to be met with Naruto's smiling face. He latched onto her arms and pulled her into a hug as he lowered them both to the ground.

"It's ok Temari, this is all real. Just feel the grass underneath you."

Temari kept her eyes glued to his as she groped the ground beneath her. Instead of sand, she grabbed a fistful of lush green grass and lifted the blades to her face, staring at them in awe.

"This shouldn't be possible…"

"Sure it is. Watch."

Naruto snatched a blade of grass and put it to his lips, blowing on it and making a whistling sound. Temari stood and turned around. He had all kinds of flora here; trees of all kinds bearing fruit, bushes with berries, lush, green grass. It looked beautiful in the moonlight. She knelt by a small stream running through the middle and cupped some water in her hands. It tasted so sweet and cool.

"Naruto…how did you do this?"

"I harnessed 'the green'."

"What is it?"

Naruto walked over to a tree and sat down leaning against it. He motioned for Temari to join him and she sat down between his legs, her back to him. She moaned when she felt him begin to massage her sore neck.

Naruto knew how much she had been wanting a neck rub and decided to kill two birds with one stone. He only hoped that she would pay attention. He didn't want to have to explain this twice.

"Ok, you listening?"

"MmmHmmm."

"Good. Now then, 'the green' is a force that doesn't follow any laws of jutsus. It isn't a jutsu per se; it is instead an ancient energy force that drives nature's need to grow. I don't know everything about it, but from what I know, it is extremely picky about who wields it and several who have tried without its blessing have either been driven mad or have died at its behest. Get all that?"

"Mmmm."

"All right. I began to experiment with it a little over nine months ago, small things at first. Just grass, flowers, a couple small bushes. As time went on and I became more proficient in it, I was able to use more and more until I covered the entire plot that I was given. So what do you think?"

"It's beautiful, but what about a water supply? How do you maintain a creek through here without it drying up?"

"Underground springs and river. I spent a lot of time rerouting them to run underneath the property. The creek is fed by a spring in a cave up the hill. It's actually a very mystical place. I'll have to show it to you in the daylight."

"Why only the daylight?"

"Because it's a crystallized cave. Prisms throw light and color everywhere."

Temari formed her mouth in a silent 'o' and resumed enjoying her neck rub. The boy had really skilled hands…

"So what are you planning to do now? Will you show Gaara?"

"Of course. I'm bringing you, him, and Kankurou out here tomorrow. If he likes it, I'll see if he wants me to start on other parts of Suna."

"Why wouldn't he?"

Naruto shrugged and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Because Temari, I've found in my short life that some people refuse to let go of the past, even when something better is right in front of them, representing the future. It's the reason Gaara and I were hated for so long, it's the reason change is hard to accept. Ignorance is the harbinger of destruction."

"But it's so beautiful. Why wouldn't anyone want life in the desert? We could make Suna into an oasis…"

"But Suna has been like this for decades and they might like their home. It might be dreary, it might be windy, and it might be sandy, but it is their home and to mess with one's home is to insult them. I won't do that without permission."

"Will you at least allow the rest of Suna to see your accomplishment?"

Naruto smiled and squeezed her again.

"Of course. I'll have Gaara take down the wall soon.

She sighed and leaned into his embrace.

"How do you manage to do all these amazing things without any one ever finding out?"

"I'm just awesome like that."

They sat and listened to the wind rustle the tree leaves for several minutes, enjoying each other's company. Temari, despite her excited disposition, couldn't help but start to nod off while being held in his warm embrace.

"Hey Temari?"

"Mmmm?"

"What would you say if I wanted to be with you?"

Her eyes popped open wide and she spun in his arms to face him. Her voice was hopeful as she gazed into his eyes.

"Do you really mean that?"

"And if I do?"

She jerked forward and captured his lips with hers. She'd kissed him several times, but none had ever sent a chill down her spine like this one. When she finally released him, she sat back and watched the starbursts disappear from her eyes. Suddenly, an unfamiliar weight settled in her hair and she reached up to pluck out a kate jesmin, her favorite flower, not at all a native bud to Suna. She looked up at him and smiled.

"How?"

He merely put his hand on the ground and she watched in fascination as a small bush burst from the ground, bearing three more of the white flowers. He placed one in each ponytail and leant back against his tree. She melted into his chest and let out a happy sigh.

"This has been one of the happiest nights of my life Naruto. Thank you for this."

"I'm just glad I got to share it with you Temari."

They laid there for a while longer until Naruto noticed her eyes drooping more and more. He picked her up bridal style and leapt over the wall to go back into Suna. Temari shifted in his arms and yawned.

"Happy anniversary Naruto."

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Naruto and Temari had gotten home late that night and as such, were nearly late for their meeting with Gaara the next morning. As they rushed through the streets, Temari berated her new boyfriend. They stopped right outside the tower, where she continued lambasting him.

"We should have gone home after our date, but nooo, you just had to be romantic and ask me if we could go steady in a beautiful place. This is your fault."

"Hey I didn't hear you complaining last night princess. In fact, let's go over who was acting more lovey-dovey back at my property, you or me."

Temari growled as she opened the door to Gaara's office. A loud 'harumph' from Kankurou brought the two out of their squabble and Gaara motioned for them to take a seat.

"Now that the two lovebirds are here we can begin a meeting, that those who were late, requested. What is this all about?"

Naruto straightened himself up and sat the red bundle around his neck on Gaara's desk. Gaara and Kankurou wondered what the hell it could be as it slowly unwound itself while Naruto spoke.

"I acquired the raccoon contract for Suna. Their leader, Tsubasa, wanted me as their summoner and I agreed. This is my personal summon, Sanzoku."

Yo.

The little red panda waved his hand merrily to the brothers and Kankurou nearly died laughing at the look on Gaara's face. The Kazekage, despite sleeping well now, still retained his jinchuuriki marks and he was not amused by the creature in front of him.

"Are you making fun of me Naruto?"

"What? No! This is serious. Suna has a new summoning contract. Raccoons, Gaara, raccoons. They'll be able to help us in all kinds of ways."

Gaara still did not look amused.

"As one who used to hold a demonic tanuki, I would have expected these furballs to be loyal to me. Why did they choose you?"

"I dunno. I'm awesome I guess."

It's because he is able to help us. Kind of a 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine kind of thing'.

"See? Now that makes more sense."

Naruto grumbled to himself while Temari took over.

"Gaara, he has something else to show you. It'll change the way we live in Suna."

Kankurou snorted. He knew never to count Naruto out when it came to surprises, but that didn't mean he wouldn't get any jabs in.

"What's he done now? Invented ways to skin summons for fur coats?"

A quick bite on the hand from Sanzoku let him know that such humor was not appreciated. Kankurou grabbed his hand while Temari scowled at him.

"No, this is big, really big. Naruto has done something that will blow your mind. He showed me last night after our date."

"Why after your date? You two an item now?"

Temari blushed and turned her face down slightly while Naruto grinned and threw an arm around her shoulder.

"Yep, now hurry up. I want to show you two my secret project."

Before he could even grin at his own comment, he was shoved against the wall by a hand of sand and one of Kankurou's puppets held a blade against his genitals. Naruto scowled and bared his teeth at the two as they walked slowly toward him. Temari had her face hidden behind her hands. Those two did this to every potential boyfriend…

"Naruto, you are not to overstep your boundaries with my sister. What she says goes? Are we clear?"

"Yeah Naruto. If we find out you've been treating her wrong, I'll castrate you in the most painful way imaginable. You got that?"

Naruto just glared at the two. While he appreciated the concern on behalf of Temari, these two were his friends and he didn't expect them to act like this.

"Sanzoku."

Right.

The two brothers turned slowly when they heard the deep growling behind them and found a grizzly sized red panda baring its fangs at them. Kankurou backed away quickly while Gaara let his sand fall. Naruto brushed himself off and waved his hand to Sanzoku, who shrank back to his small form. Naruto grinned and threw his arms around Gaara and Kankurou's necks.

"Now guys, I'm glad that you're so protective of Temari, but seriously, I'm your friend and I thought better of the two of you than that. You know that I treat her like a queen, so don't do that again."

He pointed downwards with his eyes and the brothers glanced down to find themselves on the receiving end of two kunai to the genitals, held by grinning Naruto clones.

"I'd really hate to take away your ability to have children, before you ever get started."

Kankurou gulped while Gaara impassively hit the clone holding him hostage over the head with a fist of sand and walked to the door. He held it open and quirked an eyebrow.

"Now that the excitement is over, shall we go see what Naruto has planned for us?"

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Naruto led them down an alley that dead-ended at the outer wall of Suna. Kankurou and Gaara each raised an eyebrow and turned to the two blondes. Naruto grinned and pointed to the wall.

"Use your sand to drill a human sized hole in the wall Gaara. I'd use rasengan but I don't want to take out the whole wall."

Gaara nodded and formed a drill with his sand and began chipping away at the ancient wall. The others stood back and waited for the dust to settle before they saw Gaara's awed visage. For once in his life, the Kazekage was taken aback by a surprise that didn't happen in a fight.

"Everything is so…green…"

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Naruto and Temari smiled as they watched Gaara and Kankurou explore the expansion of trees and shrubs. Kankurou lifted an apple from a tree and took a bite.

"It's so sweet and fresh…"

Gaara was walking amongst the small forest with a serene smile on his face.

"It's so peaceful…"

They both rushed back up to Naruto with excited looks on their faces.

"Can you do this to the compound Naruto?"

"Can you do this on a Suna-wide scale?"

"I think I can. There's no reason I can't."

Temari had been thinking of other things while they had been in the meeting. She motioned for her brothers and boyfriend to take a seat on the grass.

"Naruto, make a few clones to go get a blanket to sit on and get some lunch. We might be here a while."

Naruto nodded and sent his clones off to take care of their assigned tasks while he turned back to listen if Temari had anything else to say.

"All of you sit."

The three men complied and Temari plopped down beside Naruto. She sighed and looked up at the sky.

"I was thinking last night and this morning, after coming here, about the benefits this could bring Suna."

Gaara cocked an eyebrow and folded his arms.

"Such as?"

"Such as economic benefits. Think about it guys. We won't have to depend on trade for vegetables and fruits, or grains anymore. We can produce our own. With grass and hay, we can bring in livestock and have our own meat that isn't imported at an outrageous price."

The others looked at her with interest.

"With all this greenery comes water. Naruto has discovered at least one underground river here in Suna and it stands to reason that he could discover more. We could be totally self-sufficient, to an extent."

Kankurou wasn't so sure about all that though and voiced his doubt.

"But sis, it could take years for him to convert all of Suna into a paradise. It took him a whole year to do just a few acres."

Temari shrugged.

"Not like we don't have time to wait. He can do it in his spare time, little by little. No one's forcing him to do it."

Gaara nodded thoughtfully.

"Indeed. That is if the rest of Sunagakure wants the village to be covered with flora. I'd have to get a majority vote from the populous."

Naruto sighed and laid back on the grass.

"I'll do whatever you guys need me to do. I just want my village to be happy. At the very least I could purchase a few more acres from you and make a few orchards. I could make a pretty penny selling fruits and vegetables alone to the populace."

"At a reduced rate of the current trade percentage of course."

Naruto glared at Gaara and stared back at the clouds.

"Of course Gaara. I got price gouged enough when I was younger. I wouldn't even consider doing it to my own people."

Temari meanwhile had drawn her knees up to her chest and was watching Sanzoku climb up various trees and get the fruits off the limbs. She was startled when a soft feeling rubbed against her leg and she looked down to find a small raccoon kit.

"Well hello, little one. How did you get out here?"

Naruto leaned up to see what she had and smiled when he saw the kit. It must have been that small family that Tsubasa had said he would assign to live there, to see if the green was truly helping them.

"Go on and play with her Temari. She won't hurt you. Her family lives in the caves on the hill."

Temari giggled as the kit ran through her legs and rubbed against her, tickling her nerves. She caught the little ball of fur and held it down, poking its tummy, making it squeak in what she assumed was laughter. It finally ran off, back to its family, when three Narutos appeared with the items she had requested.

The rest of the day was spent discussing the plans for what to do with Naruto's newfound power and his ability to summon. They'd all left more refreshed than when they'd come. The Sand siblings had never had a picnic on the grass before and they rarely got to lounge in the shade of a tree. Gaara had never looked so peaceful as he slept, two of the raccoon kits curled on either side of him.

Naruto grinned as he lay in his bed, remembering the events of the day. Sanzoku was curled up at the end of his bed, kicking his feet. Tomorrow was back to class and he had a surprise for his students. They'd probably never tried to walk on water before…

Kate Jesmins are a bush that my mother has out front of her house. They're a beautiful white flower that can grow several inches in diamter and sometimes take on a pinkish hue. I don't know what the scientific name is or even if that is the real name, but that's what mom calls them. And mother knows best...or so she's said...

Allright, this is for one of my reviewers, who made a request. I'm sorry that I can't find the PM you sent me to name you, but this one is for you. I thought it was hilarious, and so, I have acquiesced. Enjoy this little omake.

It had been little more than four hours since Naruto had become the summoner for the raccoons and he had summoned several kinds already, but relatively small. He wiped his brow and stared up into the sky. He needed to get back soon to see Temari.

'One last time before I head in. I'm going to summon a medium sized one before I leave.'

Naruto pushed the appropriate amount of chakra into the jutsu and his voice rang out over the desert.

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Gaara sat in his office, reading over yet another boring proposal, when he felt a tug at the back of his mind.

'What the...'

He disappeared in a poof of smoke.

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Naruto was quite dismayed. It had been several seconds and nothing had shown up yet. He was almost ready to give up, when a poof of smoke erupted under him and he was lifted a few feet in the air. He heard the sound of someone coughing and looked down into a familiar rat's nest of red hair.

'Red hair?'

"Where the hell am I? What am I doing here?"

"Gaara?"

The Kazekage stiffened and raised his gaze to meet the voice above him.

"Naruto? What are you doing? Why am I here?"

"I don't know. I was practicing my summoning and you showed up."

Gaara let out a long slow breath.

"Naruto, you are never to speak of this to anyone, understood?"

"Yeah."

"Oh...and Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"GET THE HELL OFF MY SHOULDERS!"