The seven shinobi started their journey to Suna early the next morning. It was eerily quiet as they jumped from branch to branch through the forest that lied between the Village Hidden in the Leaves and the border of Fire Country.
Shikamaru took the lead for the first hour or so, but then Sasuke noticed that he had slowed down so that he ended up side-by-side with him.
"I just wanted to let you know that, officially, I am your escort during these exercises, but having been around you these last few months, I know you are now a dedicated shinobi. I'm not going to insist that someone stay connected to your hip the entire time we are outside the Leaf. It would just be troublesome for me to add that to everything else I need to do. However, do me a favor? Try not to go off by yourself at any time and please don't get me in trouble," said Shikamaru.
"I think I understand," said Sasuke with a smirk across his face. He wasn't going to do anything strange in Suna and he would always try to be with at least one Leaf shinobi if he could help it. However, he did appreciate Shikamaru's willingness to cut him a little slack with the Hokage's eyes not around. "No problem."
Shikamaru dropped back a few more spots and started talking to Chouji who was bringing up the rear of the contingent.
This part of any mission was never anyone's favorite. It often took days to get to where they were assigned to go and, apart from any brief rest breaks, they always kept on pushing. Physically, Sasuke didn't mind it. But it was just so boring…
Sasuke allowed his mind to turn to Sakura who he had now not seen for the better part of a week. Although they were a relatively young couple, he longed to see her. He questioned himself because, for all those years, he never thought about women or friends…and now, it seemed like he couldn't do without either of them. He had definitely changed and hoped Itachi could see from the afterlife how he had turned his life around since the end of the war. He never forgot that it was Itachi who had sent him down this path. Now he was forever grateful.
OlOlOlOlOlO
"Enter!" shouted the Hokage.
"M'Lady, we have returned and our mission was a success," said the pink-haired with her subordinates bringing up the rear.
"Very well. I expect a full written report on my desk in two days time. All of you, take a few days off to rest and recover. I'm sure you worked around the clock to make sure any casualties of the illness were kept to a minimum," replied Tsunade.
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," said the shinobi who stood in her office. They all turned to leave.
"Sakura…," said the Hokage, getting her attention before she went out the door.
"Yes, M'Lady?" Sakura said as she turned back towards her mentor.
"I just wanted you to know that Sasuke left a few days ago for Suna. He's going to participate in several joint exercises between Leaf and Sand shinobi with Team Asuma and Team Kurenai," Tsunade explained.
"Duration?" asked Sakura.
"Probably about three weeks," answered Tsunade. "I just wanted you to know in case you went looking for him. I sent him to start getting the rest of the world reacquainted with the Leaf's new Sasuke Uchiha. "
"Thank you for letting me know, M'Lady," Sakura bowed and exited.
Sakura was disappointed. As she walked back to her loft, she thought about the mission she had just returned from. She kept chiding herself because, to be honest, as much as she loved her job as a medical ninja, she was actually thinking quite a bit about Sasuke while she was away. After arriving at the village and evaluating the situation, she had verified the mission would take about a week to complete. Each day that clicked off, she would think to herself, only three more days until I can see Sasuke or only two more days until I can see Sasuke.
Now it would be about three more weeks on top of that. How would she distract herself now? Perhaps she was just a little too giddy for her own good - it reminded her of how she was back when Team 7 was first formed. Even so, is she letting herself trust him too soon? Everything was seemingly perfect whenever they were together…was she simply fooling herself? This was, after all, the dedicated Leaf shinobi who abandoned everything he supposedly loved and honored in just a heartbeat. He was here one day and gone the next.
Sakura sighed. At least Naruto should be around…perhaps he will train with me. Between training and work, I should be able to survive the three weeks.
Sakura headed over to Naruto's tiny apartment to see what she had missed while she had been away. She knocked on the door. Naruto appeared.
"Sakura!" said Naruto, surprised.
"Hi," said Sakura. "I thought I'd drop by since I just got back."
Naruto moved out of the way so Sakura could enter. She immediately made her way towards the lone couch (there was only room for one in the tiny apartment) so she could sit down.
"Uh, do you want some…tea?" he asked. He was obviously not used to having guests.
"Sure," she replied.
Naruto started boiling some water. "So, how was the mission?" he asked.
"Successful. It took us only a day to figure it out, but then six more to make the medicine and make sure it got handed out to everyone," said Sakura. "Other than that first day, it was mostly boring."
"Well, I'm sure the people whose lives you saved didn't think it was very boring," said Naruto.
"So what's been going on around here?" she probed.
"Not much to tell you the truth. Most of our friends went to Suna. Konohamaru and I have been sparring a bit, but that's about it. I haven't seen Kakashi or Sai for a while," said Naruto. He noticed that Sakura wasn't looking as happy as she usually was. "Is anything wrong?"
"No," she said, forcing a smile.
"Aw, c'mon…you can talk to me, Sakura," prodded Naruto.
Sakura hesitated, then decided that she may as well spill her guts. He was one of her best friends. "I just miss Sasuke. I thought about him almost every day while I was gone and when I finally got back, he's on a mission for three weeks."
Naruto was actually taken aback at how honest and open she was now being with him, especially knowing how close he was to Sasuke. For all she knew, he would tell him everything.
"He loves you, y'know," said Naruto.
Sakura now perked up. "I know," she replied finally. "I love him, too. Sometimes I just hesitate when it comes to him because of all the things that have happened in the past. I wonder if he senses it…maybe he'll end up holding it against me."
"I don't think he'd blame you for it," added Naruto. He thought of the conversations they had during the last two days before Sasuke left. Sasuke had told him he was letting Sakura go at her own pace. "Just take your time."
"It's hard because I want to see him," said Sakura. "Even if I have a tiny doubt in the back of my mind."
"If you get lonely, you can always come see me," said Naruto. "I'll even treat you to Ichiraku."
Sakura laughed. "Thanks Naruto. You're a great friend."
OlOlOlOlOlOlO
The seven shinobi from the Leaf arrived in Suna at just the time they had estimated. The guards were expecting them and gave them a scroll upon their arrival. Shikamaru unfurled the scroll and read.
"What does it say?" asked Shino.
"The exercises are going to start in two days - they are giving us a day to rest from our journey. We have been assigned seven rooms in the guest barracks near the Kazekage's headquarters. It says here that we should settle in and join them for dinner at a restaurant called Nudoru at six o'clock this evening. Both parties will be present and all the introductions can be made then," answered Shikamaru.
"If nothing else, the Kazekage is organized," noted Ino. "I never imagined we'd have a schedule to keep already."
"Let's go," said Shikamaru. "I know where the barracks are that he wants us to stay at."
Shikamaru led the way. The barracks were literally a long flat building located only about a block from the building they knew housed most of the important government officials of Suna, including the Kazekage's main office.
They entered to see several Suna shinobi milling about. When the Suna shinobi saw them, they briefly stopped for a second, but then one man came over to Shikamaru with his hand held out.
"Shikamaru!" said the man jovially as he shook Shikamaru's hand. "I haven't seen you since the war ended!"
"How's it going, Surudoi? It has been a few months, eh?" said a friendly Shikamaru. "The Kazekage has us staying in the guest barracks while we conduct some joint exercises with some of your shinobi."
"Oh that Gaara, always staying on top of things," noted Surudoi. "The war just ended for cripes sake and already he is having joint exercises?"
"Don't ask me man...it's kind of a drag. I just do what the Hokage orders me to do," laughed Shikamaru.
"I know where you guys are staying. I was wondering who they were prepping those rooms for. Let me take you to them," said Surudoi.
Surudoi took a few turns and walked down one hallway before he finally came upon the rooms where the Leaf contingent would be staying. Shikamaru thanked him and Surudoi went on his way. Shikamaru just stood there and smiled.
"I take it you know him?" asked Ino.
"Yeah, we were in the same unit during the war," said Shikamaru. As bad as the war was, Shikamaru thought about how he never would have gotten to meet so many fine shinobi from around the world if not for the alliance.
Each Leaf shinobi took the opportunity to go to their room to clean themselves up and rest a bit before the evening's festivities. Shikamaru knew that Gaara would not expect anyone to have any formal clothing with them, so he figured that it would be a very informal dinner at someone's favorite restaurant just to welcome them to the village.
When they finally arrived at Nudoru, they found it to be just as Shikamaru had envisioned. Shikamaru led the Leaf shinobi inside and upon entering, stood at the doorway for just a moment taking in the sight of many Suna shinobi eating, drinking, and talking.
Gaara himself was the first person to see Shikamaru and the Leaf shinobi. "Welcome," the red-haired Kazekage said as he walked towards the Leaf's leader. "I hope this gathering isn't being held too soon after your arrival. I would expect you to be tired from your journey."
Shikamaru rightfully bowed to the Kazekage, who had now been joined on either side by Temari and Kankuro. "We are a little tired, but definitely appreciate the invitation to have dinner with you."
Temari giggled at Shikamaru. "So formal, Shikamaru," she noted.
Shikamaru gave her an irritated look in response to her last quip. They had now been relatively good friends for quite a while now. He had often been assigned as her internal contact whenever she visited the Leaf. Over the years, they had actually spent quite a bit of time together.
"Temari, give him a break," said Kankuro. "You are such a tease."
"I see we have quickly gone from formal to informal. Please enter and make yourselves comfortable," said Gaara. "Besides the three of us, all the other shinobi who are here are going to be in the joint exercises with you. Feel free to get to know them. All the food and drink has already been arranged, so please do not feel the need to hold back."
"Thank you, Lord Kazekage," said Shikamaru. He looked back at the faces behind him and nodded his ok to enter the establishment.
Gaara stood off to the side taking in who the Leaf had sent for this mission. He saw Ino and Chouji enter...he had figured that if Shikamaru was the leader, that the remainder of his old team would have also been sent. Then it was Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba and his dog Akamaru...and by the time Shino entered, Gaara had already seen the last man in the party bringing up the rear.
That can't be...
Kankuro and Temari also saw Sasuke entering the restaurant and immediately stepped in front of Gaara as if to protect him.
Sasuke could already sense the tension from these three Suna siblings. To diffuse the situation, he bowed to the Kazekage just as any honorable shinobi would do. "Lord Kazekage, thank you for your warm welcome to the village." With that, Sasuke stood up and lifted up a scroll for Gaara to take.
Kankuro and Temari briefly looked at each other. Kankuro took the scroll and handed it to Gaara. Gaara opened the scroll and read it to himself. Meanwhile, Sasuke remained standing there, silent and respectful, waiting for some sort of response.
"Very well," said Gaara, rolling up the scroll. "You are welcome here, Sasuke Uchiha. As we are the best of allies with Konoha and I count the Hokage as my personal friend, I will take her word for your presence. Please make yourself at home."
Sasuke bowed again. "Thank you." He walked into the room, Gaara's eyes following him.
"Gaara, what is going on?" Kankuro asked his brother.
"It would seem that even after all the bad behavior he exhibited before the war started, the Hokage now vouches for him and would like me to allow him to participate as a Konoha shinobi in these joint exercises," Gaara answered.
"Is that even safe?" asked Temari.
"We shall see," said Gaara.