Hello, again.

Before you get on my case about it, the training month isn't quite as over as some parts might portray (though Turtle Island should be pretty obvious). After all, times like the Tsunade Retrieval do have some pretty big fights as well.

Though, at least with Sasuke and Kin, it's more of a normal relationship with them. One of the biggest things really on their minds is that this is more or less their second meeting, so they don't see just how a relationship between them could truly work. Dash and Karui, on the other hand, are just two clashing impulses, so they haven't quite got to the same point yet and are still stuck on 'Me and him/her? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!'

Perspective: Sun/Sakura, Jack/Dash, various among the other brothers and Sasuke

Don't own MLP or Naruto, by the way.

Starting to see

XXTurtle IslandXX

Sun idly read a book while looking around the room they were staying in, at least until they could talk to the Raikage, Sakura resting her head on his shoulder while one arm was wrapped around the girl. It was all he could really do to help keep her calm, especially after she had started twitching with an anxious look on her face as they had arrived at the inn.

It also didn't hurt that he was giving off minute traces of calm-inducing chakra while he was at it.

Jiraiya was out at that moment trying to get them in to see the man, but when their destination was mentioned, people were rather tight-lipped and guarded. Just how valuable to Kumo is Turtle Island?

His thoughts were interrupted when Jiraiya returned, catching their attention. "It's not gonna be for a few hours, but I managed to get us in to see him."

"With how they've been, how did you manage to make it work?" Sun asked, before glowering at the man. "It wasn't one of your so-called books, was it?"

Jiraiya glared back for a moment before speaking. "It was the full truth of our reason for being here that did it, actually. A knows the full consequences of not having full control of your personal demon, thanks to the two resident Jinchuriki, so he's willing to help Sakura with Blossom as well. He just wants to speak with Sakura before we actually head out to the island."

Sakura looked a bit nervous at that, but stayed strong this time. "I guess that works."

Sun hugged her tighter for reassurance, though part of it was for him as well. "At least we're making progress, Sakura. And when this is over, I have a little surprise for you."

She looked at him in curiosity, but Sun wasn't budging, getting a slight nostalgic chuckle from Jiraiya. "You really got it bad for each other, don't you?"

"One thing that me and my brothers agree on about love," Sun told him, "is that while 'I love you' is good reassurance, anyone can say and not necessarily mean it. We're better off proving said love instead of risking overuse and thus, lack of appeal."

He kissed Sakura on the forehead. "That is why I'm here. To show that Sakura isn't as alone as she might think from the fear this brings her. That someone is able to show her that she is loved when she needs it the most."

While Sakura blushed and tried to bury her face in his chest, Jiraiya looked on with a surprisingly somber expression on his face. Is it really that simple?

Thankfully, for the man, the couple didn't notice fast enough before he shook it off. No use reminiscing in regret.

Thankfully, he did have something to keep them occupied until it's time to speak with A. "You two do know that there is a library in town, right? With potential new books to read?"

He didn't even finished before the pair disappeared, leaving dust trails behind them. He chuckled in amusement. "Oh, so predictable."

He then turned around, locking the door on his way out. "And now for a few drinks to clear my head. Though if this is any remote indicator, Sakura isn't going to be the only person dealing with a personal demon on this trip."

XXTsunade RetrievalXX

Dash tapped his foot impatiently as Jack and Tsunade simply stared at each other, Shizune looking at them both nervously.

Despite what Jack had said, they had been in relative silence for a few hours now, and the rainbow-haired boy was having trouble keeping himself contained. At least until Shizune asked him, "Um, Dash? Is you-"

"My hair natural?" Dash finished for her, getting her to nod. "Yep, though no one knows how. The Harunos, among others, can be explained by genetics, but me in particular...still looks good, though."

Jack quickly threw a smirk at Dash. "Better hope Karui doesn't hear yeh flirtin' with another woman, bro."

Dash face-faulted and growled back "We're not together, ya idiot!"

Jack just raised a teasing eyebrow at him before turning back to Tsunade. "Could'a fooled meh."

Dash's growl grew in volume.

"Though that does give meh an idea." Jack said. "Seeing as you're supposed teh be teh best medic in teh world, so just who was it ya lost?"

"What's it to you, gaki?" Tsunade retorted, just as Shizune answered, "My uncle and her brother."

"And yeh didn't think that there was anything worth living fer anymore," Jack gestured towards Shizune. "when yeh got a reason right here."

Tsunade looked at Shizune, who was somewhat confused as well. "Shizune?"

Dash quickly caught on to Jack's exact reasoning. "The girl has done so much for you, and has stuck by you no matter what happened. Don't you think that your loved ones would want you to do the same for her? And that's without taking into account their own personal wishes."

"Exactly." Jack said, getting through to the woman, but could still see some lingering thoughts. "Let's put it this way: what would yer loved ones feel hurts worse, their deaths? Or yer stubbornness and pride?"

Jack walked out of the room, with a confused Dash close behind. "Think about it."

Once out of earshot, Dash asked, "What're we gonna do now, Jack?"

"All we can really do, Dash." Jack responded. "Hope that she makes the right decision."

That evening, when Jack was taking care of Big Mac, he found Tsunade walking up to him with a determined expression. "Answer me this, gaki. Just how did you and your brother know what I was going through without experiencing it yourselves?"

"All six of us have various traits that are both useful and not so useful." Jack answered. "Dash is loyal, but can be impulsive from time teh time. Ah, on the other hand, prefer honesty in all mah doings, but can come out as a form of stubbornness. But one thing that all of us have is teh ability teh see issues connecting teh our traits in others. Yeh were stubbornly running fer so long, yer mask to hide it was barely capable of doing its job. It all but consumed you."

When he finished with his horse, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "But thankfully, it's not too late to change things."

A few moments later, she shrugged him off as she told him "I expect the two of you ready to move out about an hour after dawn." before walking out, getting the boy to smile. Now we just need to get back.

XXKonohaXX

Sasuke sighed as he walked out of the onsen. "Man, I needed that. Kakashi-sensei cert-oof."

He stopped speaking as he accidentally walked into someone, but not hard enough to knock either of them down. "Sorry ab-Kin?"

Said girl recognized him as well, and blushed, remembering what happened during the Prelims as well as being much closer than then to Sasuke. She absently wondered if it was really such a bad idea. "N-no problem, Sasuke. I wasn't entirely looking where I was going myself."

Sasuke pointed behind him. "Well, if you're looking for an onsen, it's right there."

Kin looked and nodded. "Good to know. I'm still getting used to everything here."

The Uchiha chuckled. "Yeah, villages like Konoha can take time to learn about, even for those of us who were a part of said village since the beginning like me."

Kin raised an eyebrow. "I find that a bit hard to believe."

She changed her tune when he asked "Would you expect anyone like Shy or Rare to willingly go into the Red Light District for the 'entertainment' there? They're some of the last you'd expect to know anything about anything in there."

"Fair enough, I guess." Kin admitted, right before her stomach started growling a little, much to her embarrassment.

"Feeling a bit peckish, are we?" Sasuke gestured off in the direction of Ichiraku's. "How about we see what culinary delights from Ichiraku's will end up tickling the pickle today?"

Kin giggled a bit and accepted the offer, neither hearing a faint giggle that would've been eerily familiar to Sasuke in particular.

He did become suspicious when he noticed the knowing smirk on Pinkie's face as he took their orders. I really got to figure out how to keep him out of my life, let alone my love life.

Good luck with that. Suddenly coursed through his mind, as though Pinkie was speaking into it. But that was impossible.

Pinkie was not a telepath...was he?

The pair was alerted to company when they heard Ino squeal. "Sasuke's found someone! And they're holding hands!"

Sasuke and Kin both looked down, only to reel back blushing at the fact that they were indeed holding hands, much to Rarity's amusement as he hugged Ino. "Now now, darling, it's their first date, so we should cut them some slack. Okay?"

"WE'RE NOT DATING!"

"And now they're acting like Dash with Karui." Rarity quipped, getting a round of laughter at the comparison from those who knew enough of the details.

Sasuke growled in frustration, only to have to lower his head when Pinkie added in a conspiratorial mock whisper to Kin, "You might as well accept it, you two. You ain't getting out of a SasuKin pairing that easily."

Said girl couldn't help but start arguing with herself over whether or not the idea sounded like one she would go for. Was there truly any merit to the boy's words?

There are many different kinds of 'broken' out there, so it isn't like Sun and Team 7 are really the only ones that would be classified as such. And considering how they are in canon, Jiraiya and Tsunade have problems of their own, though Tsunade's are much more obvious, since they are the reason her retrieval came into existence in the first place (if she didn't doubt her ability after Dan and Nawaki, she would've most likely stayed in Konoha instead of running like she did).

Until next time. Please let me know what you think.