Valentines Special VII

I don't own Naruto and I am not done with the Gallery. As always, all Mini-Shots have the involved Shots listed. As you can see, I'm back from my sabbatical and resurrecting everything that's still active. It's been a couple years, but I'll be trying to update regularly. I thought it'd be fitting to get started here on Valentines Day, instead of the 28th. It feels good to be back. I hope you all enjoy these Mini-Shots.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Demonic 'Verse (Shots 3, 4, 5, 11, 23, 27, 38, 53, and 60, as well as the third Mini-Shots in Shots 42, 63, and 100)

"It's good to see you again, Sakura," Ino remarked.

Tsunade's protege paused at the sound of the Nine Tailed Fox's second in command's voice.

"Ino," she greeted with a smile, getting up to make her rounds in the makeshift hospital of the village they'd gotten out of Madara's grasp.

"In the flesh," she replied with a smirk as she started checking charts, herself.

"You can read medical charts?" Sakura asked in surprise.

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste," Ino smiled, "And we had a lot of minds nearby. So I kept myself busy. I looked into the minds of the medics that were treating us."

"Wish I could've done it as easily as that," Sakura chuckled slightly, causing Ino to laugh as well, "Didn't they notice you running around in there?"

"I can be stealthy in people's heads," Ino replied.

"You've never been stealthy in mine," Sakura noted.

"That's because you welcomed me in freely," Ino replied, "Even the boss has times when he doesn't want to talk. But you? You were always an open book. It was like... It was kinda like when you go home, actually. Everything's familiar and you can relax and be yourself."

Sakura could feel the blush on her face at that proclamation and decided to change the subject so she didn't have to think on that, "Speaking of your boss, where even is he? Kinda surprised you aren't hanging out with him."

"I'm not good enough anymore?" Ino teased, "He's off with Hinata while they talk with the leaders of the surviving villagers we freed. And I missed you."

"I missed you, too, Ino," she admitted, "No one was telling me where you were whenever I asked. All your mom and dad would do is share sad looks and say that you were away for the time being. I was starting to think you were dead..."

"You think I'd have let something like death stop me?" she smirked, before slowly choosing her next words. "Could I... Am I welcome in your head?"

"You were in it when you were talking to all of us earlier," Sakura reminded her.

"Not really," Ino replied, "Not like I used to be. I just touch the surface for you for the group calls. I don't... I don't want to... This is one of the reasons I hate speaking out loud. It takes so much work to get the right meaning out loud. I don't want to impose."

"You're still always welcome in my head," Sakura answered gently.

"Are you sure?" Ino asked, wanting to be completely sure.

"I am," Sakura agreed with a soft smile, "You have my permission."

Ino smiled, her turquoise eyes meeting Sakura's emerald as she felt a sense of peace that she hadn't really felt since they'd all been locked away. It was exactly like coming home.

Toybox 'Verse (Shot 135, Second Mini-Shot of Shot 152)

It had been interesting to many that Kakashi and Shizune had seemed to get along surprisingly well. Being the two primary authority figures that the children affected by the strange toy phenomenon answered two had left the two of them having to interact quite often. It had been a rather slow process, all things considered.

They were both consummate professionals, eccentricities aside, and they had started out simply speaking short, efficient sentences, neither using any more words than absolutely necessary. They knew each other prior to their current situation, but only in the most distant manner, and primarily due to who had mentored them. Everyone who knew the pair just accepted that it was how they were and that they probably wouldn't ever actually communicate beyond these terse but polite conversations.

Shizune would forever deny that the start of their friendship was when she saw him close Icha Icha Purgatory and immediately asked him about his thoughts on the actual plot of the series. When he responded with a sincere answer about his thoughts and his theory of what would happen to the leads in the next book, she responded with a theory of her own and they immediately began arguing about their theories, going back and forth as they debated what was to come. Eventually, the discussion turned towards other books that they'd both read, which inevitably led to a book club of sorts. It was never formally established, and they tended to meet every day, but they were clearly enjoying themselves.

Some time later, he managed to get her to join in on the tabletop games that he'd started up with the other jounin teaching the students, which provided her even more entertainment in her time off, something for which she was grateful.

None of the others would have been able to say when they realized that the pair had become close friends, but it was fairly obvious to anyone with eyes that they tended to keep one another's company, even off duty. On the whole, whether the others understood it or not, there was no denying it.

"Hey, Kakashi," Shizune called as he exited the classroom he'd been teaching the altered children in, a journal in her hand as she wrote notes in it, "I need you to do me a favor."

"What?" he asked.

"Go pick up two takeout orders from that barbecue place," she requested, "I've got a theory and it's going to be a long night."

"No problem," he replied, before pausing in confusion, "Two?"

"One for each of us," she explained, "Or do you actually have plans for once?"

"Fair point," he conceded, "What do you want?"

"Whatever the special is today," she answered with a wave of her hand.

"Sure," he shrugged, "Are you buying or am I?"

"Your turn," she replied immediately, a slight smirk visible on her face.

"Somehow, I don't believe you," he rolled his eyes playfully, but left to get the food regardless.

The other jounin, special jounin, and chuunin they knew well were not willing to question the relationship between the two, but that was partly because they didn't actually think the pair thought much on how often they shared meals, went to movies, and generally spent time with one another.

They figured that the pair would somehow get married before they realized the situation.

Alliance 'Verse (Shot 74, the 38th Mini-Shot of Chapter 100)

"I've got to admit, I like this place," Sakura noted as she and Sasuke ate ramen at a shared table set outside of Ichiraku, "We don't get much in terms of fresh-pulled noodles in Iron. Also, more flavors."

"You don't?" he asked in confusion, "I seem to recall Iron having been known to have multiple culinary schools and having regular spice trade with Konoha and Suna."

"You remember that, but you don't remember your own birthday?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"My birthday is data that has no particular value to me," he replied, "It's better to use the space in my mind that it fills for more practical information."

"If you say so," Sakura shrugged, "So, if you don't mind my asking, your cousin in the wheelchair..."

"He's still active roster," he replied, "They have him assigned to the Academy."

"Fair enough," she mused, before tilting her head and glancing over his shoulder, "Now that's a surprise..."

Sasuke turned slightly to see their other teammate walking with the Hyuuga from Sasuke's year.

"She won't attack him unless he brings it upon himself." Sasuke noted.

"Yeah, I've noticed that about you shinobi," she agreed, "You don't seem to try anything unless it's important. But that wasn't what I was focused on."

"What has your interest?" he asked.

"Didn't think they'd be close enough to be arm in arm, already..." she noted, causing him to blink and look again. Sure enough,the pair did have their arms interlinked, they were standing rather close together, all things considered. He made a mental note of that for future investigation before turning back to his ramen, only to see one the halves of his boiled egg gone, Sakura smirking at him, the egg clearly in her mouth as she chewed and swallowed.

Section of an Upcoming 'Verse (Stay Tuned)

"Oh Great Hyuuga Priestess Hinata," the kitsune bowed, his tails twitching while his human face had a broad grin, "I'm waiting for your orders, as I've waited since my sealing centuries past."

Hinata did not remember this particular scene being in the game when she'd played it before getting sent to this world. Nonetheless, she was not going to focus on that problem and instead focus on the actual dangers they were facing moving ahead. If this world were truly like the game, then there was the Moon Princess to fight.

She'd work the rest out as things progressed.