Jardinière

Bleach/Naruto Crossover

In the Seireitei

The white haired captain of the 13th Division gave a perfunctory knock before entering the office where the majority of the 8th's work gets done. "Ah, Vice Captain Nanao, how pleasant to see you."

"Captain Ukitake, welcome to the 8th, are you looking for Captain Kyoraku?" she pointed at the tall open window that overlooked a small garden, "You'll find him on the roof."

"Of course I will," Jushiro smiled gently, "I don't know why you put up with him, Ise-san."

The younger woman gave him the smile he was after, "Because I can."

Jushiro chuckled quietly, stepped out the window, and climbed the trellis that led to the roof. Shunsui had been his friend for years. They both enjoyed the quieter things in life, although he'd always thought his friend carried things much too far. "Shunsui, my friend, you work her too hard."

The sleepy eyed man tipped his straw hat back, "She likes it this way. I can't mess up the paperwork."

"You may be right about that," he settled down cross-legged on the tiles, "I have a unique job for you, just came down from Special Services."

"Mmm?"

"It seems one of the Viable Dimensions may be experiencing a Hollow problem."

"Ah. That is unique. I thought we didn't monitor those sectors."

"Yes, as did I." Ukitake frowned, "You know how Central 46 loved to keep secrets, apparently, this one just cropped up out of no where. The man who came through with the warning was appalled that Central was all dead. But, the warning sounds real. The first captain has sent the word down. Squad 13 is on command duty this month, as you know, so I thought of my friend, and how he mentioned that he would like to take his Nanao-chan on a vacation."

"This doesn't sound like a vacation, Shiro. You know I don't take Nanao where she might get hurt. Or where I might get my haori dirty." He waved the pink flowered silk under his friends nose.

Jushiro raised his hands in a calming gesture, "My friend, never would I want to get Nanao-chan injured. Also, it's been reported that this is a possible hollow, though one that seems be able to manifest even to those without our spiritual energy. That alone was enough for me to think to bring this assignment to you. Personally, after 200 years, if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's not a zebra."

"So, you think this thing is not a hollow, but the First wants it checked out." Shunsui smiled his biggest, "Sounds like just the place to go on vacation."

In Konoha

Standing in front of Tsunade's desk instead of beside it always made Sakura feel a little edgy. It meant she would soon either go on a mission, or have a horrendous day at the hospital. She much preferred missions, especially since Naruto was off doing more specialized training. She wished him luck, since they'd need it, and him, once the war truly got underway. Beside her stood the remnants of her team consisting of Sai and Kakashi. She felt it was a safe assumption that today, she was going on a mission.

Standing just off to the side were two people she didn't know.

One was a man who was simply large. Everything about him seemed to announce that he was larger than life. He was good looking, in her critical eye, even for a man she suspected was much older than Kakashi. He had an air of being even older than her mentor, Tsunade, but he looked young, like she did. Maybe they used the same jutsu? His long chestnut hair was pulled into a curly ponytail topped with two beautiful red pins. He had a large body, without a hint of unhealthy fat, though. His smile was sweet and lopsided, sitting on a face that she would have called 'placid'.

His companion seemed to be his exact opposite. She was short. Honestly though, next to the man, everyone would have accomplished that feat. The woman seemed stern. Her black hair was pulled into a severe twist held by a plain clasp. The indigo eyes were stunning, for all that they looked as sharp as kunai. She was beautiful under the icy demeanor, not even the glasses perched on her nose could hide that.

She mused on what the people were doing there. It wasn't unusual for Konoha to have rich merchants or influential families that needed escort to or from the village. The man looked like he was probably of the latter sort. Most merchants wouldn't dress like that. He was wearing a pink flowery kimono on top of the slightly more traditional Hakama. Any thought of tradition was thrown out the window, though, when you added in the straw hat, and the collar that wasn't even remotely pulled close. The woman looked like a secretary or personal assistant of some kind. Her kimono reminded Sakura of the woman wearing it. Black and plain, with a simple white obi. She was holding a sheaf of papers and a large book.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of Tsunade pulling out a scroll, and calling Kakashi forward, "Kakashi, these two will be going on the mission we discussed a few days ago." Tsunade motioned at the man, "This is Captain Kyoraku, and his lieutenant Nanao Ise. They've got special abilities that, if what the liaison says is true, will help up to neutralize one of our deadliest foes." Kakashi looked the man over, and she could see the smile under the mask, he approved of something he saw there. "You are in charge of the mission, Kakashi, since they are not exactly from around here." Sakura frowned, what did she mean by that? "Once you have read the scroll, you will understand that after they've gotten a look at the mark, then they can call the shots. Take him out if it's feasible, he's too dangerous to us no matter what they think he is." At this, Tsunade turned toward the loudly dressed man, "They're one of my best teams, and have dealt with both high powered criminals and…oddities."

The man nodded, and cast a look at her team, "I think we'll get to know each other better on the road. Nanao-chan, anything to add?"

"Don't call me that."

"Right, I guess that's it then, Tsunade-sama. Thank you for your cooperation."

"You're dismissed, then. Good luck."

Sakura stood by the side, and let everyone else file out. Kakashi was the last one, and he touched her shoulder, "Let's get going, Sakura. Please tell Sai to pack, we'll meet again at the front gate in an hour." She nodded, and touched Sai's shoulder in turn, "Sai, we need to pack. Meet at the front gate in an hour."

"Right, Hag, I'll be there on time."

I raised my fist, but the man called Kyoraku turned with a smile, "Young man, you must be nice to the ladies," he paused, grabbing my fisted hand and straitening the fingers, "treat them sweetly." With that he drew his lips over my hand. Before he'd even finished, or the blush registered completely on my face, his lieutenant hit him in the shoulder with a fan.

"That's enough of that, Captain."

"So cold, Nanao-chan!"

Sai's eyes were practically falling out of his head. I could only guess what I looked like. Kakashi's giggles could be heard from the direction of his retreating back.

~.~

Our party left the gate just a little over an hour later. Kakashi had, of course, been late. Sometimes Sai wished his new captain could be on time a little more often. He let his eyes rove over the group, pausing on his pink-haired partner. Sakura seemed to have come to grips with the thought that Sasuke would rather kill her than kiss her. Not for the first time, he berated himself for telling her how Naruto felt. She must have known, but why didn't he tell her the whole truth?

He walked at the rear, just behind the hulking Captain Kyoraku. The man was a complete mystery to him. He could feel something around the man and the woman, but it didn't feel like a chakra signature usually felt. They felt different, much more natural if he had to put a label on it. Sai decided to just keep his mind on walking, at first camp, Kakashi would go over the details of the mission. Slipping a small smile onto his lips, he tried not to think about the way Sakura was walking.

As dark started to fall, Kakashi signaled a halt to the hike. Captain Kyoraku had been an amusing traveling companion. The man spouted poetry at the drop of a kunai. He also carefully folded his kimono when it became evident that they were going to continue walking down dirt tracks. Sai wondered at him, especially once he noticed the man had the same abysmal luck with women he himself did.

While we busied ourselves setting up camp, Kyoraku dragged several broken logs over to the clearing. "Beautiful here in Fire Country, isn't it Nanao-chan?"

"If by beautiful you mean dirty and decidedly countrified," her clipped speech was quiet, "Then I shall have to agree, Captain."

"No one's here, Vice Captain. Call me Shunsui." His voice was also low.

She looked at him over her glasses, "Captain. Let's not go there." She opened the folder she'd been cradling, and pulled a pencil from her sleeve. "I have work."

Sai sat down and pulled a blank scroll from his pack. Dipping his brush in ink, he began to draw. He started as he always did lately, with a sweep of hair. In his mind, the hair was the color of spring roses, soft as flower petals, and just as sweet smelling. He almost didn't notice Kyoraku sit beside him.

"A man of art," he said as he looked at the drawing Sai had started, "I dabble in the arts as well. I am Shunsui, young man, and you are…?"

"Sai. Nice to meet you, Shunsui-sama."

"Why did you call that beautiful flower a hag earlier, son?"

"It's supposed to be a nickname."

"Ahh." He tipped his straw hat back on his head and snuck a look at Nanao, "She hated my name for her, too."

"I think she still does."

"No. She's been with me for a long time, Sai. I think she just likes to hit me."

Sai gave him a look, "I don't think Sakura just likes to hit me."

"Maybe not, 'Hag' is a bit of a tough nickname for a pretty little thing like that. You should think of something that makes her feel good."

Sai looked down at the brush letting the ink soak the paper, "She loves someone else."

"Sounds like an excuse to me, Sai."

Sai looked at Sakura, watching her for a minute as she chatted with the other woman, "It is. She is too good for me, I can never be the one to make her shine brightly."

"Is that what you really think? Then you have lost already, and the battle has barely begun. She looks at you, you know?"

Sai's surprised look said it all.

"I didn't think you did. You know, Nanao-chan…I've known her since before it was ok for me to want to know her really well. Maybe you don't have that kind of history with little Sakura-chan over there, but you are both young. What would it hurt for you to tell her how you really feel about her?"

"I've placed her on a pedestal, Shunsui-sama. It's difficult reaching for the sun."

"Delicate flowers, our ladies are. Pedestals is where you want to keep them, but…" Shunsui stopped, considering, "You and I have the same problem, boy."

Sai opened his mouth to reply when Kakashi started to talk. Sai tried to listen, but for some reason, all he could think of was a beautiful flower, his little Sakura-chan.

AN// Jardinière is a display of flowers. This is my very first crossover. If you don't read/watch Bleach, I am so sorry. But, I wanted to have a little of everything, and I'm a little addicted to Bleach right now. Next word is Keloid, I actually have two of these, so you should be able to google it. LOL Anyway, as always, thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a comment!