Chapter Ten: In Which Several Happily Ever Afters Happen

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A/N: Thanks to everyone who read and enjoyed this. Thanks especially to those of you who left a review; you guys made my day! =)

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Queen Tsunade, sitting regally upon her throne with the Prince on her right and Lady Ino on her left, was a majestic sight indeed. Unless you happened to be reporting that your attempt to find the Prince's True Love resulted in the bride-to-be fleeing from the house. This being the case, you were more likely to be too nervous to take in the scene, and the Queen was most likely scowling at you as though wishing she possessed the super strength to rip you apart.

It was mid-afternoon, two days after the ball and one day after the search for Sasuko. Shikamaru and Chouji were giving their report late because they'd wanted to put it off as long as possible.

"So you're saying that she just…left?" Ino asked, appalled that anyone could be so stupid as to turn down True Love.

Shikamaru shrugged uncomfortably. "Yeah. We suspect she went into Konoha Forest, because the Uchiha Mansion is right on the edge. We told Mr. Uchiha to let us know when she comes back, but, well…she hasn't yet."

"So basically Sasuko was so desperate to avoid marrying my son that she even ran away from home," Queen Tsunade said icily, and no one dared to respond to this statement that implied things dangerously close to treason.

Prince Sakaru's lower lip trembled. "How could she do this to me?" he wailed. "She broke my heart twice in three days! How could she be so cruel to someone who would walk to the end of the world if it weren't so far away?"

"Maybe that's just the way she is," Chouji sighed.

Ino reached over to pat her cousin on the back. "Don't worry, this has happened to me tons of times. There are other True Loves out there."

"But who?" cried the Prince. "And how would I find her? I - "

There was an interruption as the Throne Room doors opened and Sai, the head of castle security, hurried up to the Queen and whispered urgently in her ear.

"What is it?" Whisper, whisper, whisper. "Who?" Whisper, whisper. "I see. Bring her in," ordered the Queen.

Sai left and came back with two soldiers - Kotetsu and Izumo - and Rock Lei, the bushy-browed martial artist herself.

Prince Sakaru felt a strange pang when he saw her. Lei's eyes were puffy and red from crying (an activity she'd indulged in on and off since the ball had been announced), her short black hair was tangled and somewhat matted, and she wore a plain light brown dress that was easier on the eyes that that garish green unitard, but it was dirty and wrinkled. She obviously had had a rough time since the ball. However what really struck Prince Sakaru was not how ratty she looked, but the radiant joy that shone on her face (although she looked just a little guilty).

"I'm surprised at you, Lei," Queen Tsunade said sternly, although there wasn't really any anger in her voice. "A lady like you, resorting to eavesdropping!"

"Forgive me, your majesty," Rock Lei beamed. "I merely wished to know whether or not the search for Prince Sakaru's True Love had been successful."

Ah, so that was why she was so euphoric. The search had failed, causing her to believe she had a chance with the Prince. Still, Sakaru had to admit, he was glad to see Rock Lei happy again. He had…he…

He had missed seeing Rock Lei's smile. Ever since the Royal Ball had been announced and the martial artist had started sulking, Prince Sakaru had felt a palpable lack of something…important. At the time he'd been too distracted by the ball to really think about it, but now he understood.

To his mortification, Prince Sakaru realized he was in love with Rock Lei.

Well, I suppose there's no help for it, he told himself as he reluctantly got up from his throne and trudged to Lei's side. "Will you marry me?" he grumbled.

Queen Tsunade, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kotetsu and Izumo all shouted, "What?" and even Sai, who had the emotional range of an amoeba, allowed his jaw to drop in surprise.

But as loud as they were, they were still drowned out by Rock Lei's youthful bellow of "YES! YES, CHERRY TREE PRINCE OF MY HEART, I WILL INDEED MARRY YOU! YOU WILL BE THE PERSON WHO IS MOST PRECIOUS TO ME, AND I WILL PROTECT YOU WITH MY LIFE!"

She probably would've kept going for a long time if Prince Sakaru hadn't kissed her to shut her up (and he enjoyed the kiss more than he ever cared to admit). The unfortunate witnesses of Rock Lei's acceptance removed their hands from their ears in relief.

Prince Sakaru and Rock Lei were soon married. Everyone was invited to the Royal Wedding (and great care was taken to include every Fairy Godparent. More marriages had been destroyed due to vengeful Fairy Wishes than to any other single event in recorded history). In time King Sakaru and Queen Lei would be regarded as the greatest and wisest Royal couple to rule Konoha, but that's another story, and we aren't quite finished with this one yet.

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Madara Uchiha and his two nephews returned from the Royal Wedding in grim silence. They were much too worried about Sasuko to be glad for the newlyweds; why did their darling little sister run away? What was she doing? And perhaps most importantly: where was she?

Their question was answered when they opened the front door of the Uchiha Mansion. Sasuko was standing in the entrance hall with a young man an inch shorter than her and another man old enough to be her father. Both males had sunglasses and dark, curly hair. All three of them wore dark trenchcoats.

"Sasuko?" gasped Madara.

"Hello, Uncle Madara, Itachi, Obito." She nodded at each of them in turn. "I want you to meet my husband and my father-in-law."

"Husband?" gasped Itachi.

"Father-in-law?" gasped Obito.

"Who are you?" asked Madara.

The older man strode forward and shook Madara's hand. "I am Shibi, the Aburame clan leader. This is my son, Shino."

"The were-insect family?" Madara said incredulously. "My niece is going to marry a were-insect?"

"HAS married, actually," corrected Shino.

"I can turn into an insect, too!" Sasuko added happily.

"You can what?" spluttered Obito.

"Isn't she amazing?" sighed Shino.

"Um, well, do you two…love each other?" Madara managed, deciding this was the most important question to ask.

"I wouldn't have married him if I didn't," said Sasuko.

"I wouldn't have married her if I didn't," said Shino.

"Well, that's good then," Madara said with a sigh (whether of relief or reluctance, he himself couldn't tell). "You have my blessings."

Sasuko's eyes grew misty. "Thanks, Uncle Madara," she said in a wobbly voice, darting over to give him a hug.

"Who are you," said Obito, "and what have you done with Sasuko?"

"I figured there really isn't a point in being mad at you all the time," explained Sasuko as she let go of Madara and went to hug her brothers. "I'd rather have a loving family that a bunch of enemies. I'll visit as much as I can," she added.

"You'll promise to take good care of her?" Madara asked Mr. Aburame and his son.

"Of course," said Mr. Aburame.

"For all my life," said Shino.

Sasuko smiled as she rejoined her husband. "Let's visit Naruta next," she suggested.

The three of them jumped out of a conveniently-placed window, and the last thing the Uchihas saw was a cluster of dark winged creatures on the horizon.

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After Mr. Aburame had returned to the forest, having no interest in meeting his son and daughter-in-law's friends, Shino and Sasuko arrived at the Uzumaki residence and rang the doorbell. A tall blond man opened the door and smiled. "Sasuko! My daughter's been waiting impatiently for you. Come in!"

Sasuko and Shino walked inside, and after a split second Naruta came charging into the room. "Sasuko! Shino! You guys are married! Congratulations! This is so cool! What took you so long! Prince Sakaru got married! I was - "

"Shut up, idiot." Sasuko rolled her eyes. Naruta grinned, and the three friends all sat down on the yellow and orange floral-print sofa while Mr. and Mrs. Uzumaki politely excused themselves from the room.

"It's good to see you again, Naruta," said Shino.

"Yeah," Sasuko agreed. "Did you talk to Kakashi?"

Naruta slapped her forehead. "I knew there was something I forgot!"

"Can you summon him or something?" Shino wondered.

"I don't know," Sasuko answered thoughtfully. "I've never tried. But maybe if I…KAKASHI!"

In less than a minute there was a poof of mauve smoke, and the familiar silver-haired Fairy Godfather settled himself in a vacant red armchair across from Sasuko, Shino, and Naruta. "Yo!" he said. "I was wondering when I would hear from you, Sasuko. You may recall that I am bound to get you married to a prince, and now that Konoha's Prince Sakaru just got married, I'll need to find you another one!"

"Well, the thing is - " began Sasuko

"Let's see…" Kakashi continued, ignoring his goddaughter. "What do you think of marrying Prince Gaara of Suna?"

"No thanks," Sasuko said impatiently.

"What?" Kakashi frowned.

Shino straightened in his seat. "Sasuko is already my wife," he explained.

Kakashi's visible eye widened. "I'm doomed," he said simply.

"Nah, don't worry about it, Kakashi," said Naruta. "Shino is sort of like the prince of the Konoha Forest insects. Right, guys? So Sasuko got a good Happily Ever After and you don't have to worry."

"Really," Kakashi said sarcastically. "I beg to differ. Madara is going to be furious with me, and I still can't figure out what to give Itachi for his Happily Ever After. If I fail my duties as a Fairy Godparent the consequences are horrendous! They'll pluck off my wings and…"

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen," said Sasuko, and everyone gaped at her.

"Now there's something I never thought I'd hear from you of all people," Kakashi chuckled. "Practically your whole life has been drama, you know."

"Yes, I know, and I'm sick of it. So I reconciled with my family and married a person I actually love, and in a few years we'll live a normal life in a normal tree with normal were-insect children. No more drama. Just a normal life."

"Depends on how you define normal," Naruta muttered.

Kakashi looked thoughtful. "Well, then, what would you recommend for Itachi's Happily Ever After? Since you're the expert on drama-free normalcy now?"

"Meh, just pair him up with one of his fangirls - let's say Tenten, she's the least fangirly - and make them get married and have kids," Sasuko shrugged. "Oh, but make sure they actually love each other first. It hardly counts as a Happily Ever After if they can't stand each other. And believe me, I can relate," she added under her breath, thinking of Prince Sakaru.

Kakashi saluted. "Right then, I'll get right to it!" He vanished in another poof of mauve smoke.

"What?" said Shino. "He just left? No 'I'll be in trouble with Madara'? No 'How could you do this to me, Sasuko'?"

"I think he just wanted ideas for Itachi's Happily Ever After. He wasn't really that worried, especially when he found out I'd already made up with my family."

"He's always copying ideas," said Naruta, solemnly shaking her head. "Like from those books he reads. What do you call them? Brothers Bleakk? Hans Buddhist Anderson? I don't read stuffy old books like that. I read true literature, like fan fiction!"

"You have no respect for the classics, Naruta," Sasuko sighed.

Naruta ignored her, as she always did. "So you guys are going to visit often, right?" she asked as the three of them stood.

"Of course we are," said Sasuko with a rare grin.

Shino put his arm around her shoulders, and Naruta flinched, expecting Sasuko to murder the poor guy, but the couple seemed not to notice anything out of the ordinary. It was definitely True Love if Sasuko allowed someone to touch her without going ballistic.

"Goodbye, Naruta," said Shino.

"We'll be back to visit soon," said Sasuko.

"When you have kids, can I be their godmother?" asked Naruta.

Sasuko rolled her eyes again, but she was still smiling as she and her husband returned home to Konoha Forest.

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A/N: And that's the last chapter! But don't worry, there's still the epilogue before CinderSasuko is over. Maybe you could drop a review before you click the Next button?