"Ippan are you sure you really want to work under the Hokage?" The girls mother asked.

"Well, technically everyone works under the Hokage." She said with a matter of fact tone. Ippan's mother deadpanned.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Ippan had decided to tell her parent's that she was assisting the Hokage now. It wasn't an important job, but she was much closer to the fifth then she ever thought she would be. Ippan broke the news to them at the breakfast table. It wasn't like it was bad news. However, working for the Hokage is a job bigger than anything she'd ever dreamed would happen to her. "They're all shinobi. It could be dangerous. Something could happen to you."

"Mom, the only danger I'd be in is getting a paper cut."

The woman looked to her husband for support. Ippan noted that he didn't seem surprised at all by the news. Rather he somehow expected it, but that was impossible. Her father sipped his tea and leaned back in his chair, scratching his dark hair. "I think this is a good opportunity."

"Himitsu." Her mother called with narrowed eyes.

Ippan glanced to her father for his response. It was always this way when they 'argued'. "Ikari." He replied before quirking up his lips. "It is pretty ironic though. My kid working for the highest authority in the village. And a Sannin no less." He seemed to be talk more to himself than anyone else.

Said girl tilted her head. "What do you mean by that, dad?"

Her father smiled and poked her between the eyes. "Nothing important kid, I'm proud of you."

Ippan wanted to question him further, but she knew he'd never tell. So she decided to leave it alone and grinned at him. "Thank's dad."

"How did you're boss take you leaving the library?" Her mother asked, as she decided not to turn this into a debate.

"Oh Mitoku?" Ippan gave an exaggerated sigh. "He was devastated. Said that he'll never find anyone as impressionable as I am."

Her mother raised her right eyebrow as if she didn't believe that. "Really?"

"No, not really." The girl picked up her plate and started to rinse it out in the sink. Ippan looked up at the clock and picked up her bag. "I'd better get going. I'll see you later."

"Say hello to Naruto from me." She glanced back at her father who was no longer looking in her direction. Ippan was grateful that he actually liked her friend. When she closed the door behind her she began to think about the boy. If she hadn't become friends with him none of this might not have happened for her. If she had left Naruto out in the rain that day her life might have been different. She might have been different.

When she reached the Hokage's building she was up the stairs and she furrowed her brow. Ippan wouldn't lie and say she never got surprised, because she did. Though she was hard to shock. However, the boy in front of her made her a bit nervous. Ippan held a guarded demeanor as she gripped the straps of her backpack. He wasn't looking at her so perhaps she could just ignore him. That plan was quickly scrapped when the panda eyed boy gazed up at her.

She stopped a few feet away from him and stood quietly for a moment. "Um, hello. Long time no see." He looked at her with a straight faced expression. Perhaps he didn't remember her. She doubted that she could ever forget him. Gaara, that was his name.

"I know that last time we saw each other you were probably having a bad day, but I'm sure that's all behind us now." His expression didn't change so maybe not. Aw man, what if it was a mistake to even bring it up?

Finally the boy spoke. "You were in that hospital room." Is all he said. Ippan noted that he didn't sound as sinister as a few months ago. Obviously he wasn't a bad person anymore if he was allowed into the leaf village after causing so much trouble. Not to mention the Hokage's building.

"Yes, I was." She answered simply, but still a bit on guard. "You don't know me though, most people don't. I'm Ippan."

His arms were folded and he didn't blink. Ippan noted this along with all the other weird things about him, but maybe he couldn't help it. Naruto did say that he was the same as Gaara. Not personality wise of course. That meant he had a demon too. "I am Gaara of the desert. Are you acquainted with Naruto?"

Ippan nodded. "Yeah, besties for life." Gaara paused at her strangely phrased statement. He didn't know what 'besties' meant. "We're really good friends." She reiterated with a grin.

"I...see." The girl could see that he wasn't much of a talker and that was alright she supposed. He was a bit freaky, but weirdos usually had the best personalities. At least from her experience. Hopefully she wasn't proved wrong.

Ippan shifted a bit. "So did you need to see the Hokage or..." If she was going to be the fifth's assistant then knowing this type of thing would be important right? She was probably just being nosy.

"I've finished my business." He stated. Gaara looked her over. "Are you a shinobi?" His voice was quiet.

"No, not even close." She said. "A potato could probably beat me in a fight." The red head didn't respond. "Well, it was interesting being able to talk to you."

"You are strange " He replied.

Ippan shrugged with an easy going smile. "I'll take it as a compliment. Wanna be friends?" His face betrayed no emotion, but his question called for all sorts of confusion.

"Why?"

"Why?" Ippan thought. She had said it on impulse, but no one had ever asked 'why' before. "Cause you're mysterious and quiet. I like those types of people. I mean my husband is cool like that."

"You are married?"

"He doesn't know that, but yes." Gaara didn't have a reply. "Plus your hair is a pretty color and you've got the whole angsty thing going on. At first I thought you were scary, but this is just your style."

"I was right to assume you were strange."

"Hey, this is how friends work. You show your weird side first so that there's no surprises later on." Ippan explain. "I think you did your share a while back." He stared with no apparent expression on his face. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say. Ippan was usually very blunt, but she was cursing that characteristic at the moment.

"Your sand tricks were pretty cool..." He begins to walk past her and said nothing at all. Well, if her blunt rudeness didn't get her attacked this was a good sign. "So I'll take it that you agree?" Silence. "Okay! Bye!" She was totally besties with a red headed desert panda. How many people could say that? Probably lots, because the shinobi world was bizarre.

Ippan walked into the office to see Tsunade sitting at her desk. She looked up at the girl. "There you are, I've been waiting."

"I was talking to Gaara. He was standing in the hallway." The girl explained proudly.

The fifth blinked at her. "Really?" Though she shouldn't have been surprised. Ippan spoke to everyone, whether they wanted her company or not.

"Yeah, we're desert panda besties now." Tsunade wasn't even going to pretend to understand what that meant.


In Gaara's head as he left. She's probably an idiot.