*Warning* First Lemon.

Chapter Seven: The Last Night

Fred, Cordi and the two sand brothers began to make their walk towards the festival three blocks down towards the Hokage's Square, mostly in silence, which was only broken by Kankuro finishing his beer and tossing it into a trash can. The girls led the men as they walked steadily towards the gathering crowds and music that imperceptibly grew in volume with every step. "Is it just me, or is this a little weird?" Cordi commented.

"Everything's been a little weird since we got here," Fred replied smartly. "You'll have to be more specific."

Cordi laughed, and said, "No, I mean us." She gestured between her and Fred with her finger and thumb. "You and I never hang out just us. Usually Ronnie, Rox or Lynne is also with us."

Fred frowned, then turned slightly to the men behind them and added, "Well, I'm not sure this is an exception, since we have two of your new roommates with us." She tilted her head in thought, placing a finger to her chin as she added, "Oh, and this isn't the first time we hung out just us."

Cordi frowned. "It's not?"

Fred nodded with a remembering smile. "A month ago. You and Ronnie were supposed to do the senior prank. But Ronnie ended up working late at the vet. So I had to help you get the cow on the roof."

"Right," Cordi laughed, remembering the night as well.

"You made the same comment then, too," Fred added.

"I'm sorry," Kankuro interrupted, sounding very confused by the story. "Why were you putting a cow on a roof?"

"Oh, it was part of our class's senior prank," Cordi explained nonchalantly.

Kankuro gave the fire girl a weird smile. "What's a senior prank?"

Cordi turned back around, catching both brother's surprised expressions that she could seemingly move as if she had eyes in the back of her head. "I'll explain. So, in our world, kids go to school until they are eighteen, or they can continue on until they're in their twenties if they want to go to college, maybe get a master's degree, or a doctorate."

"That sounds horrible," Kankuro stated, remembering his time at the Suna Ninja Academy and hating going to class thoroughly. He was proud to have graduated when he was twelve, and never really looked back.

"Anyway," Cordi continued, shooting a scowl at the puppeteer for interrupting, before continuing to explain the long held American tradition of the Senior prank, as well as explaining why they were putting a cow on the roof of the school being that cows could only go upstairs, and would cost a lot of money to get it down. Both men blinked at the women as if they were insane once the explanation was through.

"So, are pranks a big thing in your culture?" Kankuro asked.

"You did say you did have a pranking holiday," Gaara stated, remembering his conversation with Cordi.

Kankuro raised an eyebrow at that. "Really?"

Cordi nodded blandly. "Yes. It's called April Fool's Day." Kankuro mutter something along the lines of, "How bizarre," as Cordi noted Fred's unusual silence. She leaned over to Fred for a second and whispered, "Fred, are you ok? You don't usually let me monopolize the conversation like this."

Fred pursed her lips, realizing she couldn't just outright tell Cordi she was hit like a bus with a crush on this new man. She frowned as she realized she didn't even know his name. Cordi never introduced him. She knew one of them was Gaara, because Cordi talked about him constantly. But the other one, no. And it wasn't like she knew whose name was which either. She stopped as she said, "I just realized I don't know either of your names. We've all been chatting for twenty minutes, and Cordi completely forgot to introduce you."

"That's because everyone else knows who they are," Cordi commented, stopping with her. She added in slight reprimand, "And it's not like we haven't told you to start learning them." Fred rolled her eyes at the admonition.

Fred huffed as she said, "Well, I think introductions are in order. So, I'll start." She place her hand over her chest, which wasn't as large as Cordi's, but was happily just shy of average. "My name is Winifred Buchanan. But everyone calls me Fred." She held out her hand first to the redhead, adding, "I think you're Gaara, judging by the description."

Gaara nodded as he said a small, "Yes," but didn't grab her hand to shake.

She drifted her hand over to Kankuro as she asked, "So, what's your name."

He grabbed her hand and shook it as he said, "Kankuro." Her grasp was firm and warm, and her verdant eyes connected with his dark ones. He felt tingles shoot down his spine and settle in his navel. He could tell there was something different about her to her friends. She was grounded. Driven. He liked that in a person.

"Kankuro," she repeated with a small smile finding its way to her face as her gaze found his eyes again. "That's a nice name," she breathed, still shaking his hand. "What does it mean?"

He smirked as replied, "Thanks. Uhm, and I actually don't know. It's some ancient name that my Mom liked." He laughed as he asked, "What about yours. What does Winifred mean?"

She raised her eyebrows, and lightly laughed, "Oh, it means 'Blessed Reconciliation.' But it doesn't make sense with the rest of my name. It was just an ancient name my mom also liked."

Kankuro quirked his head. "The rest of your name?"

"Well, my middle name's Delilah, which means temptress, but again was another ancient name my mom liked," Fred explained. "And my last name means house of the canon, as in the weapon. So none of it makes any sense put together."

She was floundering, she realized. She'd been shaking his hand this whole time. She dropped it quickly, clearing her throat as she put it in her pocket, then turned to keep strolling towards the festival. They were almost there.

"So, why three names?" Kankuro asked.

Cordi made a face as she explained, "Some ancient myth in our world that if someone knew your full name, they had power over you. So, it would only be used in certain ceremonies, like a wedding, or baptism."

"So your parents pick two names when you're born?" Gaara asked, just to politely make conversation. He figured the last name was their clan name, given Rox and Cordi were both Turners.

Both Fred and Cordi nodded vaguely. "Well, every family has their own way of picking names," Cordi explained. "My family only picks from names already used in the family. Like I told you Cordelia was my grandmother's name. And Roxanne, my sister's name, was my Dad's aunt's name as well."

"Hmmm, Winifred Delilah Buchanan," Kankuro hummed. "It does roll together nicely." Fred blushed, but was thankfully facing forward so he wouldn't notice. She seriously needed to get this under control. "What about yours, Cordi? What's your second name?"

Cordi laughed as if it was boring. "Rose. Cordelia Rose Turner."

"Like the flower," Gaara more stated clarifyingly than asked. He vaguely remembered the video from her family where her mother said her name like that. He didn't catch it before, but now he did. He liked flowers.

"Like the flower," Cordi sighed.

"And what does Cordelia mean?" Kankuro asked, "Since we're on the subject of names, and yours are so alien."

Cordi rolled her eyes. "It means 'Heart of a lion.'" She shrugged as she added, "Although, Cordi just means heart. And before you ask, Turner just means someone who turns." She emphasized it by spinning in midstride with a nonchalant shrug.

Fred looked at both men with a frown, eyeing their generally warmly dressed outfits, then said, "I have a question. It is beastly hot, not to mention ridiculously humid. How are you two not dying of heat stroke in those long ass sleeves?" She gestured at both of them, adding, "And in layers!" She nudged her head at Kankuro as she added, "And you in black. I can't even imagine how you aren't suffocating."

Kankuro and Gaara looked at each other frowning. "It's a little hot," Kankuro commented with a shrug, "but it's way hotter back home."

Fred looked shocked at them, her mouth agape and eyes wide with horror at the idea. "'Hotter back home?'" Both men nodded blandly. "Geez," Fred grimaced, looking at Cordi pityingly. "You are going to die out there."

Cordi made a strange face as she replied, "You know, I thought so at first too. But ever since I got these fire powers, the heat hasn't really bothered me like it used to. I also noticed during all that training with Temari, I haven't gotten a sunburn." She showed Fred her bare arm, which hadn't even tanned, much less burned. "Which is weird, because I used to burn if I sat in a sunny window for thirty minutes."

"That is strange," Fred concurred, remembering how frequently Cordi sunburned during sporting events and long bus rides.

Cordi shrugged. "Maybe having power over fire and heat means I can't get burned."

"You all never explained your powers," Kankuro noted. The girls turned back to look at him as he stated, "When you first got here, you didn't have chakra. Right, Gaara?" He turned to his brother for clarification.

"They still don't," Gaara answered with a frown. Something in his brother's tone told Kankuro his little brother knew more about it than he was letting on.

"So, what are you talking about?" Kankuro asked, looking between the other three.

Cordi and Fred looked at each other, as if psychically debating if he should be brought into the fold. They already showed him some of it back at the bar when Ronnie bust the pipe in rage. Fred explained their strange new powers, how each of them has complete power over an entire element. They stopped at a window box with wilting pansies, and she waved her hand over them. Magically, they came back to life, the blooms spreading more beautifully than before. Kankuro and Gaara stared wide-eyed at the spectacle as Fred laughed it off, muttering, "Makes me feel like some happy-go-lucky wood nymph," as she continued on towards the festival, the men trailing behind her, both clearly impressed by her abilities. She added how Temari agreed to train them these past two weeks after talking with Cordi and then the rest of their group. She conveniently dodged the subject of their dragons, keeping that secret intact. But Gaara made a knowing glance to Cordi at the omission.

They slowed to a stop as they entered the festival. The Hokage's square was alive with music, food and games. Cordi saw a game of ball toss, mentioning she manned a booth like this one time for one of the festivals back home she and Rox volunteered for with their church. Gaara suggested they try it out, and they made their way over to the booth. Fred paid for Cordi, since she was not given an allowance like the rest of them. Cordi missed the first one horribly, laughing it off, muttering, "My aim was always kind of shit."

Cordi threw her second hitting one off the top, and then third with a grunt, knocking down four, totaling five bottles for her, and grumbled, "I wasn't going to get all of these anyway." The booth master let her pick out one of the minor prizes, and she grabbed a wacky finger puppet and joked to the Suna ninjas they were walking with, "You think I can join the Suna Puppet Core with this snazzy little finger-puppet?" Neither were much amused. "Tough crowd," she groused.

"Watch and learn, Cordi," Fred said, stepping up and paying the booth vendor her money. She threw her first ball, and it hit the middle of the pyramid squarely, knocking five bottles.

"Nicely done," Kankuro offered.

"Thank you," Fred replied, grabbing her second ball and spinning it in her hand for a second. She lined up her next throw and hit one of the bottom bottles so hard, it knocked the other middle bottle out as well as took down the last standing second row bottle.

"Last shot," Cordi called as Fred reached for her last ball.

Fred saw the booth master smirking as if he'd won. She'd already earned a medium prize, and no doubt getting both bottles down for a grand prize was going to be difficult. She aimed her last ball and threw it. It hit one end bottle, then bounced and hit the last bottle in what could only be a miracle shot. She let out a whoop, and accepted a congratulatory high five and hip bump from Cordi as Gaara and Kankuro offered their congratulations. The booth master, shocked she pulled it off, offered her a look at his biggest prizes. Fred tapped her lips, then decided on the giant Shukaku plushie, earning curious glances from the men while Cordi beamed at her.

"Why did you pick that one?" Kankuro asked as the attendant pulled it down and handed it to her.

She shrugged, "I dunno'. It kind of reminds me of Niko from Pocahontas. Loved that movie as a kid, and I had a big plushie of him eating a biscuit back home." She thanked the attendant as he handed her the plushie, which she positioned to hang on her back. Once he was stable, she turned to the men with a beaming smile and a sigh, "Anyway, who's hungry? Or do ya'll want to play more games?"

Kankuro smiled wide as he joked, "I think my brother and I could smoke you both at kunai throwing," elbowing Gaara in the side. Gaara just looked blandly at his brother with a slight disapproving frown.

"It would be no contest," Cordi laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Well," Fred started with a pensive expression. "I'm not so sure about that."

Kankuro looked at her with a challenging glimmer in his eyes. "Really?"

"Really."

Cord leaned over to Fred and hissed behind her hand, "What are you doing? They're ninja. Throwing kunai is what they do on a regular basis."

"Yeah," Fred whispered back, "but kunai are metal." When Cordi leaned back, looking at her worriedly as if she'd gone insane, Fred just winked. "So, Kankuro, care to make it interesting?" He raised an eyebrow at that. She smiled widely as she offered, "Guys versus girls. Whoever loses buys dinner."

Gaara narrowed his gaze at Fred as she smirked at Kankuro knowingly. The kazekage thought heavily on what Cordi told him last night about their powers. Fred was earth, meaning anything from the ground. Would that include refined metal? She had bent the metal pipe in the wall earlier when Ronnie blew it with her water powers. Before Gaara could speak up against the bet, Kankuro stuck his hand out to shake hers as he said, "You're on."

Fred's smile was slightly unnerving as she grasped Kankuro's hand. "Alright then."

Kankuro led the group to the kunai throwing vendor. Kankuro paid for his and Gaara's, and Fred for Cordi's and hers. Once the knives were dealt, Kankuro gestured over to them and said, "Ladies first."

Fred turned to Cordi, and told her, "Just throw as best you can."

Cordi nodded stiffly as Fred focused on the kunai. Cordi lined up her first shot, and threw. Fred flicked her finger up. Mid-air, the kunai twisted slightly upward and flew true to the heart of the target. Cordi laughed with surprise. "I got the bullseye!" she gasped. "I GOT THE BULLSEYE!"

Kankuro looked at her surprised and said, "Uh, good job."

Fred beamed at her youngest friend. "Yeah! Keep it up."

Cordi picked up the next kunai, letting out a nervous breath. "Alright." She took her aim then threw it. Fred flicked her finger again, and the kunai twisted right and sank into the bullseye next to the other kunai. "Oh my god! Two?! No way! I …" She trailed off as she held her hand up for a high five from Fred, who eagerly reciprocated the high five. But Cordi's eyes landed on Gaara's, who was scowling suspiciously at Fred. Suddenly it clicked. The kunai were metal. "I can't believe I hit the bullseye twice," she giggled, forcing a smile. They were cheating. She wasn't a fan of cheating, but in this case, it was either hustle or be hustled.

"You're doing great!" Fred beamed with two thumbs up.

Cordi nodded. "Alright. Last one," she breathed, grabbing the last kunai. She spun the kunai on her finger, then grabbed it. She aimed it, let out a steady stream of breath. She threw it and it landed in the middle outer ring of the target. She looked at Fred who made a face that said that one was all her. Her eyes went wide, and Fred nodded. She'd scored a ten. Cordi smirked at Kankuro, and said, "Beat that."

Kankuro grabbed his first kunai, spinning it around his finger as he smirked and said, "No problem." He threw the first one, and it was just left of the bullseye. The second just right. The third hit just under the bullseye. "Damn," he hissed. "Not my day." He'd only scored a nine. He shrugged as he turned to his brother. "Sorry, you'll have to catch us up."

"Then we're screwed," Gaara stated with a pointed frown.

Kankuro frowned. "What? What do you mean?"

Gaara crossed his arms, and said, "Why don't you go ahead and show him, Fred."

Fred pouted. "You figured out my trick."

Gaara nodded.

She sighed, turning and focusing on the kunai. She thrust her hand over them, and they began to float. Kankuro frowned, his eyes going wide as he saw her powers in action. She threw her hand up, and all three kunai shot out, nailing the bullseye dead on. "Hm, I guess that's a total of twenty two for us," she said with a chuckle, turning to the boys.

Kankuro's jaw dropped as he looked at the kunai. "H-how? I-I thought … How?"

"I did tell you," Fred said, wrinkling her nose it pitying expression, and with a shrug, "complete control over anything from the ground."

"Which would include metal," Gaara filled in for his brother. He reached for his own kunai, twirling it in his fingers as he added, "She's was altering the throws in mid-air."

Kankuro scowled, "You fucked with my score?"

"No," Fred answered quickly. She jutted her thumb to Cordi and said, "I only gave Cordi a handicap, which is only fair, let's be honest."

Kankuro opened his mouth to retort, but Gaara quickly stated, "We did agree to teams. And she did only alter Cordi's throws, who is on her team. So that is fair, even though underhanded." He made the last remark shooting a slightly disapproving look at Winifred who scoffed it off. The Kazekage turned, and took his throws. The first hit the bullseye, the second just outside the bullseye, and the third the bullseye again. "That makes eleven, with a total of twenty for us."

"But they cheated," Kankuro scoffed.

"It wasn't cheating, it was teamwork," Gaara stated. "You would not have complained if Fred offered to take Cordi's throws for her before we started. You were just overconfident." Kankuro frowned at his brother. Of course Gaara wasn't siding with Kankuro this time.

"It's called a hustle, where we're from," Fred said with a smirk. Kankuro just scowled back at her, and her face broke into a wide grin.

Gaara cleared his throat. "Well, Kankuro did say losing team buys dinner. What would you like to eat?"

"I've been craving a cheeseburger," Cordi answered, looking out around the vendors hopefully. "Like, a good basic cheeseburger." Most of the restaurants in the area predictably made Asian cuisine, at least Asian from their world. But there were a few that carried western foods the girls were more used to. Cordi made a scene when Temari took them to a place that made pizza earlier that week.

"Oh, Yuki had our cook make sliders for the Nomu Ki booth," Fred stated, pointing them out on the other side. The booth was colorful. Bright green with brown lettering with cartoon illustrations of burgers, beer, and yakitori sticks. "And they're selling beer and wine with novelty cups, if you want."

"So, burgers?" Kankuro huffed, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"And a beer for me," Fred added. She pointed to Cordi and asked, "What about you, Cordi? You want a beer?"

Cordi shook her head with a disgusted grimace. "Uck. You know I hate beer." She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she pondered her drink choices, then said, "I'd say white wine, but Temari said the cut off age here is eighteen, which leaves me a couple months short. So, I'll go with water or iced tea."

Kankuro picked up Fred's Shukaku plush, holding it out to her as he repeated, "Alright, so burgers, beer, and water."

Fred nodded, jutting her head over to where a lot of tables had been set up, edging along where people were dancing. "We'll grab a table then," she offered. She stepped over to him, taking her Shukaku back. Her hand brushed his, and she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. She averted her gaze from his. This was so stupid. She was crushing on a man she just met. And yes, this was a crush. The last time she felt like this was Travis, and she'd let her nerves get the better of her. But she refused to do that this time. She could flip the script on him, and maybe her heart would quit this sudden bewitchment it seemed to have found itself under his gaze.

Gaara and Kankuro left to get their dinner while Cordi and Fred found a table to settle in. Fred looked back to the boys for a second, then back to the table with a smile that made Cordi suspicious. "So, what's Kankuro's story?" Fred asked, doing her best to sound nonchalant.

Cordi frowned at her as if she was the mind-reader and not Lynne. "No."

"What?"

"You are not interested in Kankuro."

"I mean, he looks kind of cute," Fred confessed, looking back at him. Cute was an understatement. He had an incredibly attractive bone structure, she could tell. And something in the way he carried himself told her there was more to him. This was probably just lust in its purest form, but it was burning through her. Gaara looked their way, and she quickly turned back. She shrugged as she added, "Minus the makeup."

Cordi laughed, shaking her head, "Wow."

"What?"

"It's just …" Cordi trailed off before laughing, "wow," again.

Fred scowled, then said, "Excuse me for saying a guy is cute. It's not like I said I wanted to marry him." She crossed her arms as she pouted, "It's also not like he's sticking around for a date or anything. I was just curious."

"Sorry," Cordi replied, waving a dismissing hand. "It's just Kankuro isn't really boyfriend material."

"I wasn't asking if he was," Fred remarked. "I was simply asking if anyone had dibs or bets for his dating life." Dibs was a rule they had instituted among their group a long time ago when a previous member started getting territorial about who liked what character. That member didn't stick around their group, but the rule stayed.

Cordi laughed, "Hell no. He's not any of our types."

Fred raised an eyebrow at that. "Really?" she asked, looking back at him. "But he's hot." Cordi looked at her friend wide eyed, her jaw dropped slightly at Fred's confession. "What?" Fred scoffed, turning back to ogle the puppeteer. "You can't tell me you didn't notice he's got some nice glutes."

Cordi laughed. "I hadn't noticed," she stated. She picked at a fingernail as she replied, "Honestly, I'm more of a shoulders, chest, and abs girl myself, if we're objectifying men."

Fred frowned at her friend, then nodded, "Explains a lot." She sighed as she looked at the brothers who were now making their orders. "It's just this has turned into a weird double date thing, since you have dibs on Gaara …"

"Which I'm not pursuing," Cordi quickly clarified defensively, holding up a reprimanding finger, "because he's got a girlfriend." She muttered more to herself, "Whether it lasts is a whole other thing."

"Well, if it's not going to last, you should go for it," Fred stated shooting her friend a weird look. Sometimes the Turners' let their nobility or sense of honor get them in trouble. It was stupid to let it happen with their relationships.

Cordi just shook her head. "I'd rather be his friend than the girl who ruined his relationship."

Fred sighed, "Your choice." She looked back at the guys. Kankuro held two novelty cups, sipping from one, while Gaara held two water bottles. Both were chatting away about something. "Anyway, it's been a long time for me," she added, turning back to Cordi with a pensive frown. "And I know from those videos that the guy I marry is probably married to his first wife now, trying for his daughter. So, I'm not looking for anything serious either." She fiddled with her plushie's ear as she added, "I just want to have a fun night, and know I'm not stepping on anyone's toes."

Cordi blinked at her, slightly judgmental as she replied, "And by fun night, you mean sex."

"I didn't say that," Fred scoffed, frowning at Cordi. "Mostly some dirty dancing and drinking."

Cordi rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."

"I mean it," Fred growled. "I'm not like Ronnie. I wouldn't sleep with a guy I just met."

Cordi scoffed as if she knew she were lying. "I'll bet you fifty bucks you sleep with him tonight."

"Ew, no," Fred huffed.

Cordi nodded knowingly, then muttered, "Whatever you say."

"I do say," Fred stated resolutely. There was a pregnant pause between them, then asked, "So am I stepping on anyone's toes?"

"Well," Cordi chirped, pursing her lips as she thought the situation over, "according to Lynne, he's got a friends with benefits thing going on back home. But I don't think it's exclusive."

Fred raised an eyebrow at that, shooting a glance at the puppeteer as the men grabbed the food. "Non-exclusive is good." She smirked at Cordi and asked, "Care to be my wingwoman tonight?"

Cordi closed her eyes and smiled. "Not sure how well I'll do, but I'll try my best."

Fred grinned at her. "I'm sure you'll do fine." But as the men drew closer to the table, she began twirling her hair a little. Cordi scoffed again at Fred's character flip. Fred was like Ronnie. Whenever a Buchanan set their sights on a guy, they pulled out all the stops. Those girls were masters of the art of seduction.

The brothers returned with their food. "Here's your beer," Kankuro stated, placing the novelty cup in front of her.

"Thank you, my dear," Fred replied cheerily, pulling her hand away from her hair, down her neck to grab the glass.

The puppeteer gave her a strange look as Gaara set the basket of sliders and yakitori in the center of the table, then handed Cordi her bottle of water, which she grabbed with a small, "Thank you." "'My dear'?" Kankuro asked, placing a hand at the edge of the table, and leaning over Fred, a mix between playful and threatening.

Fred jokingly looked up in thought as she airily replied, "I thought it was better than 'Sucker.'"

Kankuro eyed her carefully, giving a small nod. "You're funny," he remarked with an annoyed sneer. "But I'll get you back by the end of the night. Mark my words."

Fred smirked at him challengingly. "I look forward to it," she replied barely above a husky whisper.

Gaara sat in the seat next to Cordi, since Kankuro was leaning over the other one, and dug into his sticks of meat. Cordi reached for her first slider and took a bite, letting out an involuntary moan as it hit her tongue. Everyone shot her curious looks. She chewed and swallowed, muttering a small, "Sorry. It's just so good." She took another bite, and let out another moan.

Gaara chuckled and took a bite of his yakitori, then nodded, "That is good."

Fred reached for her first slider, commenting, "It does sound orgasmic." Kankuro let out a choked laugh at the comment, picking up his beer to take a sip to hide his grin, while Gaara just looked at her in wide-eyed disbelief. She took her first bite, and let out a moan like Cordi. "Damn," she sighed. "That's good."

"I know. Right?" Cordi giggled through her second to last bite.

Kankuro cleared his throat, looking at the two of them as he placed his beer back on the table and grabbing some yakitori. "So," he started with a smile, "What were you two talking about while we went to go get the food? Gaara said he noticed you both looking at us."

Both Fred and Cordi shook their heads and replied, "Nothing."

Cordi was blushing, knowing they'd been caught, and added quickly, "Just girl talk." She took a sip of water to prevent him asking her anymore questions.

Kankuro raised his eyebrows at that. "And what exactly does, 'girl talk,' entail?"

Fred shot him a sly look. "You really want to know?" Kankuro nodded interestedly. "Because girl talk can have varying topics from gossip, to hair care products, to even relationship advice and interesting sexual experiences."

Cordi choked and spat out her water. She grabbed a napkin and put it over her mouth, knowing her face was about as red as a tomato. She chanced a glance at Gaara and noticed he was looking at a point at the table, his eyes wide and his cheeks going very red. Kankuro just looked at Fred with a stunned expression, his eyebrows high as he blinked a few times.

Fred shrugged as if not noticing anybody's discomfort, and continued. "But this time, we were talking about my uncanny ability to attract men who can't flirt," she lied with an easy smile. She sighed as she added, "It's always just one of those cheesy one-liners that you can't reward its use." She shot a smirk at Kankuro and said, "You've probably used some. Cordi mentioned that you're a bit of a playboy." Fred smiled cleverly at Cordi, shooting her a wink, then back at Kankuro.

Cordi blanched, her gaze shifting between the brothers. Kankuro didn't even look at her, his dark eyes trained on Winifred, but Gaara was eyeing her appraisingly. "Wha-? N-no," Cordi tried, her hands raised in surrender.

"It's inevitable, working in a bar now. So, I am curious," Fred said turning square to look at the puppeteer. "Are the lines to pick up girls as bad here as they are back home?"

Kankuro narrowed his gaze at Fred, clearly assessing her. He shifted in his chair closer to her, almost to the edge. "Are you asking me to pick you up?" he asked daringly.

Fred laughed, showing her perfect pearl teeth. "No, I'm asking for you to provide a sample of this world's bullshit pickup lines, so I know what I'm in for."

Cordi began to eat again as well, until she frowned eyeing Fred and the puppeteer. The way they looked at each other. The chemistry was palpable. By God, it was working. Kankuro smirked right back at Fred as he said, "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I don't use lines. Usually, I just get girls." He added the last bit with a nonchalant shrug.

"Oh, come on."

"No. But now I'm curious about the ones you've heard," Kankuro offered, sitting down on the edge of the seat closest to her.

She pursed her lips as she looked up in thought. "There've been some really bad ones. Like 'Did it hurt?'"

He ticked his head to the side as he asked, "Hurt?"

"'When you fell from heaven,'" Fred finished with a smirk.

Kankuro laughed and let out a whistle. "That one's bad."

"It's not even the worst one," Fred laughed.

Kankuro raised his eyebrows at that, and his chin rested on his knuckle. "Oh, please, tell me."

She was grinning victoriously as she leaned in, resting her chin on her knuckle, mirroring him. Her verdant eyes leveled on his black ones, her lashes batting a little as she said, "Do you have a map? I seem to have gotten lost in your eyes."

He closed his eyes in shame. "Wow," he breathed, dropping his hand as he coughed out a laugh. He opened his eyes and looked directly at Fred's eyes, and said, "Well, they are very pretty," he confessed, trying hard not smile too much.

"Oh!" she laughed, as she commented, "So, you don't use lines. You just piggyback off bad ones."

"No, I'm just stating a fact," Kankuro replied with a chuckle.

She batted her eyelashes again as she rolled her eyes and said, "Well, thank you." She dropped her hand, landing on his before she pulled it back, muttering a small, "Sorry. I didn't realize how big your hands were." She absently traced the pad of her finger along the length of his hand.

He raised an eyebrow at her as he laughed, "Excuse me, was that a line?"

She shot him a smirk as she added, "Just stating a fact." She tapped her finger against the table, daring him to contradict her.

Kankuro tongued the inside of his cheek as he chuckled, "Of course," Kankuro laughed, showing his own pearly teeth as he watched his own hand flex against the table.

Gaara's eyes flicked between Kankuro and Fred as he frowned, clearly picking up on something. He looked to Cordi for a moment who shook her head at her friend as she muttered, "Oh my God," under her breath. He frowned, realizing he missed something in the conversation while he was eating. He'd stopped listening after the conversation took an awkward turn to Kankuro's recreational activities.

Fred bit her lower lip as she watched Kankuro pick up his yakitori stick and take a bite of steak, then looked to the dancing area. It was full of couples dancing, twirling and spinning to the music. She let out a longing hiss, then said, "I want to dance." She placed her hand on Kankuro's and said, "Come on." She more ordered than suggested it as she stood and walked to the dance floor.

Kankuro's head swiveled as he watched her sashay away, and then lifted the stick of meat to his mouth and cleaned it with a swift movement. He dropped the stick next to his second loaded stick as he grunted, "Yup," as he stood. Then with quick steps, joined Fred on the dancefloor.

Gaara blinked at his brother dancing with Fred further and further into the crowd. "Did I miss something?" he breathed.

Cordi just scoffed as she watched them dance. "Wow," she laughed shaking her head. "Just, wow." She'd done it. Winifred Buchanan had the puppeteer in her clutches in a matter of minutes. "Good job, Fred," she laughed to herself.

"What's going on?" Gaara asked, looking at the fire user nervously.

"Oh, nothing," Cordi laughed, swiveling back to her food. "Kankuro's just getting some action tonight, is all." Gaara frowned at the turn of phrase. Cordi eyed him a little strangely, then clarified, "You know, get laid?"

"What? Really?" His voice was high and childish as he asked it. He hated when that happened. But how did she know this? What did he miss in that conversation?

She bobbed her head with a shrug as she stated, "I mean, Fred said 'No,' but I've always had a sixth sense for when people are going to get laid," as she reached for her water bottle. She sipped her water, ignoring the Kazekage's wide-eyed gaze on her as she added, "So, I'd say there's a good chance." She looked at Gaara with a frown, then asked, "You really didn't notice?"

Gaara shook his head, blinking worriedly at her.

"She got him to flirt with her, now their dancing," Cordi explained, pointing at them as Fred swayed with Kankuro, her hips swishing in figure eights. Kankuro's eyes were trained on the Earth vixen in front of him.

Gaara could only blink as he watched his brother. "But he said he didn't like her," he stated, still not sure what was happening. Kankuro had been griping about the girls' victory while they were in line for the food. Gaara had to tell him multiple times to stop before they brought the food to the table, and that he was being a sore loser.

Cordi laughed. "That doesn't mean anything in this situation."

"What?" Again, his voice was high.

Cordi leaned on the table closer to him as she licked her lips and clarified, "A man and woman don't have to like each other to be attracted to one another."

Gaara pursed his lips as he thought about that. He thought that Kankuro had some friendly regard for all the women he slept with. Was that not the case?

"Well, Fred was right," Cordi sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "This did become some weird double date." Gaara frowned at the comment. A date? This is a date? But his girlfriend was Matsuri, and that meant he only went on dates with her, right? Or at least that he should only be going on dates with her. "So, rather than being relegated to third wheels, do you want to go dance?" Cordi asked, her brow furrowed and her smile friendly, as if she was just as confused and trying to make the best out of a weird situation.

Gaara looked at the dancers. Most of them were smiling and laughing, including Kankuro and Fred. But Gaara knew as soon as he'd stepped up, he'd become too self-conscious to move. He'd look like a fool. He couldn't dance. He grimaced as he remembered he had a girlfriend. He couldn't be dancing with another girl anyway, or be alone on a date with one either. "No," he said quickly.

"Oh," Cordi chirped a little awkwardly, pursing her lips at the rejection. She chewed the inside of her cheek as she asked, "Then how about another game?"

"I'm sorry," Gaara said quickly, standing up. He could not be on a date with another girl. "I have to go. I have some correspondence to catch up on." Hastily, he made his retreat. He had asked for a meeting after the festival with Kakashi anyway. He didn't have time to be on a date with a girl who wasn't his girlfriend.

Cordi sat at the table, watching his retreating figure and wondered what she'd said that made him act so weird all of a sudden. She drank her water, and looked at the food, suddenly not as hungry as she once was.

Kankuro and Fred came back to the table all smiles as the song died out. Fred's face fell a little as she saw Cordi sitting at the table alone, and asked, "Where'd ginger go?"

Cordi scratched the back of her neck and forced an easy smile as she replied, "Uh, Gaara said he had to catch up on some stuff." She made a weird face, as if throwing a stray thought away, then added, "I think I'm going to head back too. Uhm, you two have fun."

Fred jumped up and called, "Cordi?"

Cordi turned, the same force smile as before. "Yeah?"

"Uhm," Fred murmured, then touched her giant plushie. "Can you take Niko back for me? I think Kankuro and I are going to dance some more before calling it a night."

Cordi nodded with a shrug. "Yeah, sure." She grabbed the Shukaku plushie, and swung him over her back and made her way out of the festival.

"I'm serious," Rox laughed as she walked with Shikamaru through the festival, their hands clasped as the made their way. She was animatedly telling him another story of her life. This one was about a water gun fight she and Cordi won at their house. "We snuck up to my Dad's office, which had a window with a great access to a roof that was perfect for sniping. So while everyone was running around the front yard shooting each other with water, Cordi and I were popping out the screen on the window and climbing on the roof to soak everyone. And because we were too high up, none of the other kids could shoot us back."

Shikamaru laughed. "That sounds like a good strategy," he commended.

Rox smiled, knowing that was high praise from him. She squeezed his hand as she asked, "Why don't you tell me a story about yourself? Something I don't know."

Shikamaru quirked his head as he said, "I thought you said you all knew everything about us."

Rox shrugged, "We know the important stuff. But what's something that makes you smile?"

He looked up in thought, then said, "What about my first mission as a genin?"

Rox smiled as she explained, "I actually don't know that. While you were drawn at the academy, team ten wasn't really introduced until the chunin exams."

He raised his eyebrows at that. "You don't know about my first mission," he said with a pleasant smile. "That's a good story." He scratched at his lower lip in thought. "Where to begin. Well, we'd only just been genin a day, and we were sent out to guard an artist's artwork while in transport to a noble's house. It was a relatively easy mission. Babysitting pretty much for a few hours walk. But as soon as the artist saw us, the first thing he said was, 'They're kids.' We were eleven, so yeah, kids." He scratched under his ponytail as he laughed about it in retrospect.

"Of course, Asuma gave him the same spiel whenever a client asks about getting a team of genin." Roxanne frowned at that, and Shikamaru smirked, as he clarified, "That genin were usually younger ninja, and adults were usually jonin, and exponentially more expensive. The artist was quick to say that it was fine, but that it was probably best that we genin were kept away from his wagon of artwork.

"Of course that made Choji and I curious what was in the wagon, and we tried to sneak a peek, but Asuma taught us the valuable lesson of being a ninja, that if a client wished for the contents of something to remain classified, then going against that can have disastrous consequences, least of which is not getting paid." Shikamaru lifted his finger with a smirk as he said, "It was at that moment, the artist confessed that he was going to pay us for our valuable work regardless. But the artist's commission was for a rather eccentric lord, and the subject matter of the piece being transported wasn't appropriate for children."

Rox blanched, looking at his smiling face as she asked, "Oh, lord. What was it?"

"I'm getting to it," Shikamaru laughed. He cleared his throat as he continued, "So, we get to the lord's house, and we see immediately what the artist meant by, 'eccentric.' The lord had many paintings and statues on display. Most of the paintings were of the lord himself as different legendary figures. So the lord comes out to meet the artist in the gallery, and demands to see it. The artist tried to convince him to view it in private, but the lord was adamant. So, the artist pulls out this painting …" Shikamaru tongued his cheek, doing his best to keep from laughing at his own story. "And the lord had commissioned the artist to paint the Seduction of the Moon Goddess, with the lord's new wife as the moon goddess, who we now know as Kaguya, and the lord as Kaguya's lover, who was an ancient vassal." He pursed his lips as he finished, "It was rather graphic."

Rox looked at him pityingly, and said, "I'd ask graphic on a scale of Titian to Bosch, but you wouldn't know what I was talking about."

He narrowed his gaze, and said, "If they're painters from your world, whichever one would paint a couple having sex with nothing left to the imagination."

Rox pursed her lips, then asked, "Was it normal sex, or were there kinks involved?" Shikamaru only answered with a wide-eyed stunned expression. Rox laughed. "Judging by that reaction, I'd say a grade or two less graphic than Bosch." He still looked slightly horrified, and Rox chuckled, "Hieronymus Bosch was a fifteenth century artist in my world, who created The Garden of Earthly Delights, which is a triptych with the middle print graphically depicting not only orgies, but other insane kinks." She waved it off, saying, "We had to study his work in my Art History class in high school."

Shikamaru cleared his throat with a laugh as he said, "Anyway, on the way back, there were clearly questions about what we saw in the painting, which Asuma did his best fielding. But at some point Ino confessed to walking in on her parents one time, and because they'd explained what it was to her, she knew. So Asuma was forced to tell us, or we were getting the information from Ino, however inaccurate. When we got home, Asuma had to explain what happened on the mission to our parents, who were pissed, understandably. So, yeah. That was my first mission."

Rox smiled with him. "So, did your parents have to give you the talk when you got home?"

"Uh, yeah," Shikamaru laughed again, scratching his head under his ponytail at the memory. "My Dad sat me down once I got home, and gave me the talk in detail. Maybe too much detail."

Rox smirked. "Probably wasn't as bad as what happened to me and my siblings." Shikamaru frowned as Rox began to recount the story of their church youth group having a rowdy camping trip, then the church asking her grandfather, a sex education teacher, to talk to the kids in the youth group. Shikamaru shook his head with disbelief as she recounted the story.

They paused, their hands swinging together as they slowed to a stop. Shikamaru pursed his lips as he looked around them, then jutted his head towards a game booth. "Why don't we play a game?"

Rox made a face that was half a smile and half doubting as she replied, "With how smart you are and not to mention a jonin, I'm not sure I would have a chance at winning any of these games against you."

"It's a ring toss," Shikamaru stated, pointing to the booth, pulling her a little with a lean.

She looked at the booth carefully, noting it was a game where you threw a light ring around rubber ducks floating in water. She smiled. "Alright," she acquiesced, allowing herself be pulled to the ring toss. Shikamaru paid for their rings, and they began to toss. Shikamaru, trying to show off, threw his three rings at once, and caught three ducks. The vendor revealed the bottoms for the prizes, and while two were blank, one was green, meaning he'd won a small prize, which he picked out the antler headband and insisted on wearing. But when the vendor revealed the second of Shikamaru's ducks, he accidentally flipped one that Rox caught a flash of gold underneath, meaning a grand prize. She wasn't sure if Shikamaru caught it as well, but Rox's eyes never left that duck.

"Your turn," Shikamaru sighed, smiling with his ridiculous antler headband as he turned to watch Rox make her throws.

Rox chewed her lip, still watching that duck as she reached for her first ring and took aim. She threw the first one, and it bounced off the duck next to it and ringed another. She huffed as the vendor took that one out showing her it was a green, and she lined up her next shot. That one was just over and ringed a duck in the middle of the clump. The vendor also pulled that one out for her, and it was a plain. She let out a breath, focusing hard on the golden duck.

"You've gotten so serious," Shikamaru laughed.

"Sh!" she hissed, still lining up her shot. She tossed the ring, but the duck moved left of where it had been. She knew it was cheating, but with a slight close of her hand, she summoned a small gust that blew through the festival that hit the bottom of the ring, lifting and flipping it onto the golden duck.

Rox pumped her fist and let out a small, "YES!" Which caused Shikamaru to raise an eyebrow.

The vendor pulled it out, and wide-eyed commented, "Well, that was lucky. You won the grand prize as well." He stood, reaching for the gift cards and fanned them out for her. There was one for a clothes boutique, and two for different restaurants around Konoha, and two for a general store. She pulled out the Ichiraku gift card, then pointed to the antler headband for her green prize.

She held up the Ichiraku gift card to him, and said, "I guess next date's on me."

"I'd say so," he said with a smile. Shikamaru gave her a flirtatious smirk as she put on her antler headband. "Did you get those for my benefit?" he asked, pointing at her antlers.

She shrugged, replying, "You say that like only your family has ties to deer."

He raised an eyebrow at her curiously. "Well, my name means deer."

"So does mine," she replied plainly. He frowned, a little surprised by her answer. "Well, my middle name," she clarified. "My full name is Roxanne Hart Turner. Hart where I'm from is an old word for 'stag.'" She bobbled her head as she continued to explain, "It was my mom's maiden name. Roxanne means 'radiant,' so my full name means 'radiant stag,' if you want to get particular."

He laughed, as if amused by a thought. "So, … we're just a couple of deer?"

Roxanne chuckled with him, "I guess we are."

He offered his arm as they walked away from the vendor, chuckling about their new discovery. She looped her arm with his again. He licked his lips before jokingly asking, "Where to next, my dear?"

She pursed her lips to hold back a smile. "Puns, my dear?" she asked, failing miserably at holding back her beaming grin.

"I don't think puns are edible, my dear," he joked back, his face straight. He added, pointing to himself, "And this deer is hungry."

Rox laughed heartily, and gestured for him to lead the way. As they waited in line for food, Roxanne airily commented, "You know, with both of us named after deer, I bet if we ever had any kids, regardless what their names were, Cordi would call them Bambi."

"How troublesome. Only three dates in, and already talking about future children," he commented oddly.

Rox blushed crimson, realizing her faux-pas. "Oh, I didn't mean … I-It was just a funny thought that popped in my head," she rambled, looking at the ground, "given the conversation and our names …"

"It's ok," he laughed with a nudge to her shoulders, which immediately calmed her down. Shikamaru gave a curious frown before asking, "Why Bambi?"

"Just an old movie where I'm from about a deer named Bambi," Rox clarified. She smiled reminiscently as she said, "Cordi and I loved watching it as kids."

He shook his head as if in slight disbelief with a small sigh.

Rox pursed her lips, then added in a not so subtle segue, "I have a funny experience with deer." Before he could say anything, she began rambling out the story about the whole flock of deer eating her family's front lawn one night when she was learning how to drive. It earned a few laughs from Shikamaru when she imitated the deer when she turned on the highbeams. He couldn't believe that was something deer were famous for doing in her world, in spite of the fact she claimed, "Deer caught in headlights," was the name of an actual expression.

As they got their food and moved onto new topics while they ate, Rox couldn't help but think dreamily, This is the perfect date.

Lynne sat in her room, reading a book as she tried to forget the humiliating moment of Ronnie blabbing one of her biggest secrets in front of the Sand Siblings. Not only that, she made it sound worse than it actually was. She didn't have sex in the sanctuary at church during a service. It was a youth group lock-in while everyone else was asleep, and she and her boyfriend snuck into the supply closet, and yes got a little handsy. The only reason her friends knew about it was because of a game of Truth or Dare, and even that was somewhat under duress. It was either answer the question asked, or drink a horrible concoction made by Fred, who had become a legend at several parties for making concoctions that would make even heartiest of stomachs turn.

She knew from her psychology classes it was better to let negative emotions out safely, and not to bottle them. But she didn't want to cry about that betrayal yet. She was still angry. So she was bottling, doing her best to lose herself in a book, and forget about her anger.

Her book of choice was The Hunger Games. One of her classmates in her history class last semester mentioned it as revolutionary, and was excited about the sequel. So , just before the trip she bought the two for her reading while in Maine. It was rather good so far, although she hoped when she started the Capitol wasn't actually killing children, and there would be a plot twist at the end that revealed all the competitors lived in the Capitol after the games. But as she continued reading, she quickly began to realize that wasn't going to happen. Katniss had just scared off the career kids with bees when Lynne heard a knock on the door.

She sighed, putting her bookmark in place and dropping the book on the bed as she swung herself around to stand up in one swift motion. She made her way to the door, and opened it only an inch to see Ronnie standing there with a pursed smile and a large tote bag on her shoulder. "What do you want?" Lynne asked guardedly, leaning the door on her shoulder to seal off any space Ronnie could wiggle through.

"I wanted to say I was jerk, and that I'm really sorry I threw that story in your face," Ronnie replied with a guilty nod. "Cordi was right. You told that to us in confidence, and I shouldn't have said it."

Lynne chewed the inside of her cheek, and inhaled through her nose. She pressed the door tighter against her shoulder, and remained silent.

"Now, I know you want to be angry at me," Ronnie continued, "and I get it. I'd want to be angry at me too. But I always find it's best for relationships to start healing early rather than let anger fester." Lynne scowled at this. Ronnie was using psychology against her. Damn her. "So, I brought over some of your favorite snacks," Ronnie said, reaching into the tote bag on her shoulder and pulling out chocolate pocky, popcorn, chips with dip, and wine, red and white. "I spent half my allowance on this," she added, "And some face masks and nail polish." Lynne raised an eyebrow at all of this. Ronnie was trying really hard to get back in her good graces. Then Ronnie grinned, fishing out another thing in the tote as she said, "And the piece de resistance…" She held out a DVD triumphantly, adding some Catholic chanting ah's like she'd pulled the holy grail out of her tote bag. When Lynne got a good look at the DVD, she realized it was in fact The Holy Grail. Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Lynne pursed her lips to keep from smiling. It was one of her favorites. Ronnie and Fred weren't huge fans of Monty Python, but would watch it with Rox, Cordi, and Lynne, who loved it. Cordi and Rox brought the DVDs for the trip, meaning Ronnie had asked one of them to borrow it. Likely Rox, since last week they agreed it wasn't fair for Cordi to take all the DVDs to Suna. So she burned as many as she could on her computer, and gave Rox those. Ronnie really was trying her best.

"And if that doesn't work, a double feature," Ronnie added, reaching in her tote again, this time pulling out The Princess Bride.

Seeing the case made Lynne long for home. The Princess Bride was not only one of the favorites among her friends, but of her family as well. The Belfoco's were Sicilian. They had a Boston Terrier named Vizzini. "Inconceivable," was her father's favorite curse.

She couldn't help the smile that came to her face as she opened the door to let Ronnie in. Ronnie beamed back at her with a small, "Yay!"

Lynne held up a finger as she shut the door. "This doesn't mean you're back in my good graces, yet."

"I know," Ronnie chirped, setting up the food. "For that, I figured I would let you in on my deepest, darkest secret." Lynne shot Ronnie an interested look. Ronnie let out a nervous breath, pulling on one of her digits. "I …" she bit her lip, then closed her eyes as she rattled out, "I was in a threesome."

Lynne's eyes flew wide as the veracity of the statement flew from Ronnie's mind into hers. Ronnie told her anyway, but Lynne was already getting the details from Ronnie's memories. "You know how the color-guard team goes to band camp with the band? Well, last summer, I'd gotten really close to one of the flute players, who was dating one of the trombonists. And one evening one thing led to another."

"Really?" Lynne couldn't help but laugh at the confession. "You didn't share this with anyone?"

Ronnie shook her head quickly, then looked away guiltily. "There's kind of an unspoken rule about band camp. What happens at band camp stays at band camp." She shrugged, awkwardly biting her lip as she mumbled, "But now you know."

Lynne blinked, still in disbelief. She shook her head as she asked, "Well, did you enjoy it?"

Ronnie shrugged. "It was an experience," she answered. She sucked on her teeth and winced a little as she added, "But I don't think it's my cup of tea, you know?"

Lynne gave her an understanding smile, then pulled her into a hug. It felt like a hugging moment. "Thank you for telling me."

Ronnie hugged her back. "I'm really sorry for being a loudmouthed idiot."

Lynne patted her back between her shoulders as she said, "Accepted."

Ronnie squeezed her tightly, then pulled away with a grin as she asked, "Alright, so which one of these are we watching first?"

"Princess Bride," Lynne answered definitively. She walked over to her desk and opened her laptop, and Ronnie handed her the DVD to get started. Lynne sat on the bed under the window, digging into the pocky as Ronnie went to the kitchen and popped the popcorn. As the movie played, Lynne and Ronnie chatted, quoted movie lines, ate food, drank some wine, and applied face masks to each other's faces.

There was another knock on the door while Valerie yelled "Humperdink!" at Miracle Max, chasing him around their small hovel. Ronnie went to answer the door. She swung it wide to see Cordi's surprised smile. "You made up?" she asked, looking at the other girls with face masks and glasses of wine.

Ronnie turned to Lynne with a smile as Lynne replied easily, "Yeah."

Ronnie reached over to the table and grabbed the opened red bottle of wine and asked, "Want to join us? We've got Princess Bride, face masks, and snacks."

Cordi laughed. "You don't have to twist my arm," she remarked, stepping in past her best friend.

Lynne frowned as she took in Cordi's general demeaner and asked, "What's wrong?"

Cordi shook her head with a sigh as Ronnie poured her a glass of wine. She muttered a small thank you as Ronnie handed it to her, and took a sip. She rolled her lips as she swallowed, enjoying the taste. Then she filled them in on Rox leaving with Shikamaru, Temari finding out about Shikamaru dating Rox and then also leaving. She filled them in on the festival and the weird double date with Fred, Kankuro, and Gaara, finishing with Fred and Kankuro splitting off, which they were only a little surprised by. Lynne commented that if they thought about it, it made a lot of sense though. And Cordi finished with Gaara leaving her at the festival.

"Anyway," Cordi sighed, "I came here because Fred asked me to drop off the plushie she won, and I heard you both laughing in here. So I thought I'd pop in."

Ronnie pursed her lips, then looked to Lynne who clearly read her mind and gave an agreeing nod. Ronnie reached into her tote, and said, "I have a chamomile and lavender face mask here that I think has your name on it." She got up, and pointed to the bed and directed, "Sit. I'll go mix this up."

Cordi gave an easy and thankful sigh as she said, "Thanks guys. I think this is what I really needed before going to Suna. Just hanging out with you guys."

"With wine," Lynne added, lifting her glass.

Cordi chuckled, clinking her glass to Lynne's. "With wine."

If someone had told Fred that tonight she'd be sneaking a man, no, one of the ninja from Naruto, back to her room with the plans of him screwing her senseless, she'd have laughed and called them insane. Actually, she had when Cordi had suggested it not three hours ago. She had two beers at the festival, and was only slightly drunk, as was he. She wasn't exactly sure when these plans were made. Originally, she only planned to get in his head and fool around a bit. Around about their sixth or seventh song on the dancefloor, after sunset when most of the families had left, she remembered dancing with her back against his chest, and her butt against his groin as they moved with the loud beat. His hands held her torso in place against his and made her feel like lightning was coursing through her. She turned to look at him, and he kissed her. His tongue slid so easily against hers, and it stole her breath away as she felt pleasure begin to pool in her core. She was puddy in his hands as she turned to face him, clinging to him like he was her life-preserver. That had to be when the plan was made. When she broke the kiss, his purple makeup smeared on her lips as she whispered huskily, "Take me home." She didn't even notice or care she'd called her dorm "home."

He held her against him, and shunshined them through the village as she gave directions back to her dorm until he landed at her door, and put her down. She saw the plushie she'd asked Cordi to drop off sitting outside her door. His hands never left her hips as she quickly moved it aside and whipped out her keys from her purse, and unlocked the door as fast as she could. As soon as she got the door open, she grabbed one of his wrists and pulled him inside and tossed the plushie and her purse inside somewhere. He shut the door behind him as she pulled him back into a kiss, just as hungry as the one on the dancefloor. She began to work on the knot at his waist as his hands roved over her body, kneading her ass cheeks like dough.

"I need to tell you," Kankuro breathed against her lips between kisses, "this doesn't go past tonight. I leave for Suna tomorrow and …"

"I know. Shut up," she hissed as she freed his knot and threw the undone sash to the floor. She pulled off the kimono part of his outfit, which left him in a sleeveless navy blue turtleneck. Then his hood, revealing his dark brown hair. It wasn't too long or too short, and it was messily perfect. Her fingers dove into his hair as she kissed him again, the pads of her fingers raking gently through his perfect hair, across his scalp. Using her leverage around his neck, she jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He caught her by her ass, giving her support to hang on him as he walked her to the bed at the end of the small studio apartment. He laid her down gently before settling over her between her sprawled legs. She moaned as he pressed his hips into hers, his tongue dancing on her lips before he bit her lower lip oh so pleasurably as his hand slid up her shirt. Her hands reached for the hem of his turtleneck, pulling it up. He broke their kiss for a second to help her pull it off, and tossed it aside. Her hands immediately caressed his large pecks over his barrel chest and eight pack abs, and chewed her lower lip in longing.

He smirked at her expression, his skin jumping a little at her touch as she asked, "Do you like what you see?"

She nodded, and murmured a small, "Uh-huh."

He grinned as he leaned back down over her. His hand returned under her shirt as his lips crashed back to hers. She shivered under his touch as his hand glided up to one of her breasts. "These," he moaned against her lips, kneading her breast in one hand, and feeling her quiver and gasp under him "feel perfect." He squeezed it again. "I've showed you mine," he growled, looking at her cleavage longingly.

Her fingers quickly moved to unbutton her blouse. He moved to let her sit up as she pulled it off, and then she quickly undid her bra, casting both to the floor. He looked at her, his eyes sparkling with lust filled wonder. His head moved to capture one rosy nipple with his mouth, but her hand over his lips stopped him. He looked at her with frustrated curiosity, and she said with a sneering smirk, "I don't want any purple paint on my body. So, if you want to go any further, wash your face."

His dark gaze bore into hers, and saw she was resolute on that boundary. He got up, grabbed a rag and wet it in the sink, then rubbed it against his face, cleaning his makeup away. His dark eyes watched her the whole time as she watched him and stood from the bed, unbuttoning her jeans in a sort of strip tease, slow and sensual. These were experienced, practiced moves. He finished cleaning off his makeup as she strolled over to him, completely naked. He dropped the purple-stained rag in the sink as her fingers slid along his abs again, then traveled south, feeling his member through his pants. "I knew your hands weren't lying about your size."

He smirked. His hand went right back to her breast, and he thumbed over her rosy nipple, enjoying how it bounced back with every stroke. "Do you have a condom?" he asked, figuring now was the time to ask it. She was naked, and clearly ready for him.

She shook her head no, and he set his jaw, annoyed that he'd have stop when their bodies clearly wanted this so badly. "I have a birth control implant in my arm," she stated, still petting his dick through his pants. "I'm good for three or four years. So, unless you have any STDs you're worried about, we don't need one."

"No, none," he stated. He took a bracing breath as his heart pounded with trepidation. He didn't need one? That was a first. His already hard dick got harder at the thought. His lips crashed against hers again with a bruising kiss, and her fingers pulled at his waistband until his pants dropped to his ankles, and he kicked them off with his shoes.

He picked her up and placed her on the counter, which was the perfect height for him. She held her arms around his neck and shoulders to hold herself in place for him and wrapped her legs around his waist. He licked the pad of his finger then used it to feel her ready sex, sliding his finger down then into her opening, and she let out a moan as he stroked her insides. She was dripping for him. He removed his finger from her with a swirl, then dragged his finger up to the little bead he'd long learned to excite, giving it a swirl, which caused her breath to hitch and her green eyes to fly open wide like she'd never been touched there before. He smirked, as he thought, She's in for a treat. He switched his finger with his thumb, which was easier on his wrist while he had his way with her. He aimed his dick at her entrance as his thumb rubbed small circles. Then he pushed in, slowly, and she let out a pleasured gasp.

She chewed her lip as if with a small wince as he finished pushing in, feeling her stretching. "Are you ok?" he asked, wanting desperately to move, but refusing until the only thing in her expression was pleasure.

"You're just the biggest one I've had," she breathed, adjusting her hips around him, which shot pleasure up his spine.

He smirked. "There's no need for flattery. I'm already inside you."

Fred laughed as she kissed him. "Just a fact," she stated as she ground against his hips and hand. He growled his pleasure at the sensation, sealing her lips against his as he began to slip out, then back in, at a slow, steady pace that picked up the more she moved against him and panted against his mouth. It was surreal how it felt without the usual condom dulling his feeling. Like this was how sex was meant to be experienced. She ground back against him as her head rolled back, her eyes screwed shut, and she grit her teeth. He could feel her tensing around his member, and realized she was getting close. He picked up his pace as her mouth hung open, and her panting moans became throatier. Her eyes opened and a smile ghosted her lips.

But she didn't go. He could tell. But suddenly it was too late to slow down. Something clicked in his brain that pushed him to reach his completion. "Shit," he hissed as he moved faster until he spilled into her, his essence warm as it pooled in her. He slowed to a stop as he huffed from the exertion.

She pulled his face to hers, giving him another kiss, deep and caring. "Thank you," she said, dropping her legs from his hips to his legs.

He shook his head with a scowl. "No," he huffed through gritted teeth, pulling out with caution and untangling himself from her grasp. "You didn't go. I have a track record to uphold."

Fred laughed. "A track record?"

"I've never left a woman unsatisfied," Kankuro answered pointedly. He made a bob of his head as he pursed his lips and added, "It's a point of pride for me."

She looked at him weirdly. "I went," she lied.

Kankuro shook his head with a frown, "No, you didn't."

"And how would you know?"

"Because I do."

"Yeah, right," Fred scoffed, rolling her eyes as she pushed him away, sliding down from the counter. "Given most guys can't tell when a woman orgasms," she argued as she walked around him, grabbing the rag from the sink as she looked at the mirror and cleaned off the purple paint already on her face from before he cleaned up, "I doubt you're an exception."

"I can tell," Kankuro stated as he sidled up to her, looking at her through the mirror. "There's always a tell. Maybe she doesn't glow right. Her skin isn't flushed. Or her eyes don't shine like her brain has just short circuited. You can still touch her after without her twitching." The last one he noted by sliding his hand through her southern curls without her moving away or jumping. "A girl who's just climaxed feels every touch ten times over, so every touch feels like a live wire." He kissed her shoulder as he added, "Plus, a girl who's just climaxed needs a minute to walk or stand."

She frowned, her eyes connecting with his dark, accusing eyes through the mirror. She dropped the rag with a small pout. "Alright, fine. I've never had an orgasm," she confessed, putting her hands up. "None of my boyfriends noticed. They had sex with me multiple times. Then you after one time …"

He smirked, cutting her off, "I'm a ninja. Being that level of observant a lot of the times means life or death." He moved his hand to her hip as his thumb rubbed circles into her skin. "You opened your eyes before you got there," he said, his gaze roving over her body appreciatively. "You took yourself out of it."

She scoffed. "And why would I do that?"

"I read body language, not minds," he laughed, his thumbs still rubbing lazy circles in her skin. "You aren't the first woman I've had to take out of her head, though. One girl I banged thought her face at climax was ugly." His eyes found hers again, his thumb continuing its movements as he said, "Just give me a minute and a glass of water, and I'll make sure your satisfied."

She laughed, and shook her head in disbelief, going back to cleaning the last of the purple paint off her face.

"Trust me," he said, the pads of his fingers digging into her hip. She looked up, and something in his eyes told her to do just that. He stepped away from her, grabbing a cup from one of the shelves and filled it from the tap. "So," he asked taking a quick sip, "out of curiosity, how many boyfriends?"

"Total? Or that I've had sex with?" she asked, dropping the rag in the sink. She reached up for another glass, which he grabbed for her. "Thank you," she said quietly, turning to fill the glass from the tap.

"I was asking slept with, but you can answer both," he stated, taking another sip.

"I've dated five guys total, but I only slept with the last two," she answered. She shrugged as she added, "You make three." She pursed her lips as she looked him over, then asked, "Do I even want to know your number?"

Kankuro smirked. "I never had a girlfriend per say, but I've had sex with six women …" He paused as he gestured to her, adding, "you make seven."

Fred nodded with an impressed expression. "Seven. Not bad."

Kankuro laughed. "Not bad?"

"It could be higher," she commented nonchalantly. She fingered the rim of her glass, chewing the inside of her cheek before asking, "Did you ever love any of them?"

Kankuro looked up, clearly pondering the answer of that question. "One of them, maybe. The second one, Akari. I had been in love with her since the academy." He smiled at the innocent memory.

"What happened?" Fred asked, knowing it didn't end well.

"She had a boyfriend she'd been in love with for longer," Kankuro answered, his expression bittersweet. "After the war, they broke up for a couple months. He wasn't ready to settle down when she asked, and she hooked up with me a few times in those months." He chewed the inside of his cheek and fingered his glass. He cleared his throat as he said, "There were a few moments when I thought that was it. That we were going to be together forever. But after a couple months, her boyfriend came back ready to marry her." He shrugged, taking another sip as finished, "Anyway, she's married now with a bouncing baby boy, and another one on the way."

He let the silence hang for a minute between them. "I'm sorry," Fred said, nudging his shoulder.

He rolled his eyes as he replied, "It's whatever." His dark eyes shifted to her, looking at her appraisingly. "What about you? Were you in love with either of the boys you slept with?"

Fred nodded. "The first, Aaron. He was one of those on again, off again relationships since we were thirteen. We decided to wait until we were legal to have sex."

"Wait until you were legal?" Kankuro asked. The way she said was kind of confusing.

She laughed, "In our world, it's illegal to have sex with someone under eighteen. It's considered rape."

Kankuro whistled, and said, "Glad that's not the law here." Fred looked at him weirdly. He made an awkward face, "There's a girl back home I've fucked a couple times. She only just turned eighteen in June."

Fred blinked at him. "Wow."

"What?"

"Just, wow," she laughed. He scowled at her, and she asked, "How old are you?"

He shrugged. "Turned twenty-two in May."

She frowned, muttering, "Depending on the state, you might have been ok. But still."

He rolled his eyes, and replied, "Well, here it was consensual. Under sixteen is the problematic age. At sixteen, a ninja fights on the front lines in a war, and is therefore seen as a full-fledged adult for the most part, minus the alcohol and gambling laws." He paused with an odd bob of his head before adding, "And brothels. Those are eighteen." He shrugged as he finished, "But most people are married by twenty, so having sex at sixteen is not uncommon."

She looked at him weirdly, then shook her head and continued, "Anyway, Aaron and I did it a couple times before he had to go to college, then he broke up with me out of nowhere."

"Nothing ever happens out of nowhere," Kankuro stated pointedly.

"Oh, I know something happened," Fred clarified. "I just don't know what it was. He was at college at the time, while I was back home. So if I had to guess, he started seeing another girl and dropped me."

Kankuro pursed his lips sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

She nodded emptily, then added, "Second guy, Dallas, was a dick. Great for a rebound, but complete shit for brains when it came to women and emotions." Kankuro laughed at that, and she laughed easily with him. "Breaking up with him was the easiest thing I'd ever done."

"I bet," Kankuro laughed, taking another gulping sip.

She inhaled deeply as she looked at him, a naked man with a well-toned body, and serious glutes that were just a beautiful as she imagined, leaning against her counter, sipping on water. This was supposed to be a one-night stand. "Your one-night stands often get this deep?" she asked.

He laughed with and another odd bob of his head. "You'd be surprised," he replied. "People usually just want someone to talk to."

Fred shook her head, "I wasn't planning on talking with you tonight."

He cut a knowing glance over to her, then placed the glass on the counter. "Are you ready?"

She looked at him challengingly. "Are you?"

"I'm not the one who needs to get out of my head," he countered, looking at her with pursed lips.

She placed her glass on the counter and stepped over to him. She caressed his cheek and leaned her face to his, connecting her lips with his tenderly. He opened his mouth welcomingly as his tongue licked at her. Their kiss wasn't as hungry as before, but it was still pleasant. He circled his arms around her and stood, pulling her against him. Their skin pressed with warm tingles as his hands traveled over her back. Her hands mirrored his movements, feeling his back smooth as marble.

He began to maneuver her back to the bed, laying her down. He laid over her, and began trailing kisses down her cheek, jaw, neck, then onto her chest, claiming her rosy nipple with his mouth, his tongue swirling around it as it hardened. She let out a moan as the pleasure stoked to life by his tongue shot through her, and she raked her fingers through his hair. He shifted his hips, nudging her legs to spread apart and let himself rest between them. He ground his hips into hers, enjoying the friction between them. He purred against her breast at the sensation.

Suddenly, there was a noise, and she gripped his hair tightly in a fist to stop him. His lips dropped her nipple with a smacking noise as he glared up at her, his teeth grit. With her other hand, she lifted a finger to her lips to quiet him as she listened. It was Rox's dorm next door. She'd come home, and was settling in for the night. The walls were so thin, they could hear her running water and putting stuff away.

Her grip on his hair loosened as she whispered, "Rox is going to hear everything."

He smirked, going back to her breast. "Then I suggest you figure out how to muffle yourself," He stated around his mouthful. His dick, now back to full mast, rubbed against her lower lips, and smiled as she gasped at the sensation. His hands landed on her thighs, pushing them apart so he could have better access. She quivered against him as his tip trailed against the insides of her lips, and he plunged himself in. She bit her lower lip hard to hold back a groan, feeling one of his hands travel up her thigh, and his thumb settled back on her clit, starting its small circles again.

His hands and the pressure from his hips prevented her from bucking back from his ministrations, as he pulled out then back in. His lips captured hers, overriding all of her senses as he licked at her while he pumped into her. But his body connected with hers the whole way up. Her chest pressed against his helplessly as she arched her back slightly, holding herself at an angle to help him penetrate her deeper than anyone before. He was slower this time, more sensual. It was more surreal. This wasn't the same in and out procedure she was used to with sex. Their first round had been straight fucking. But this … this was something else, but she wasn't sure what to call it.

Her breath hitched as she became keenly aware of the tightening sensation in her core. She felt it build and build with every pump into her, every circle with his thumb, and his tongue massaging her mouth, and the feeling magnified as pressure built in her throat and skull when she choked back her moans to prevent her friends from hearing the cries she desperately wanted to howl. This feeling was new and terrifying, and exciting. It kept building and building, pushing her body into a strange, stiff position. "Kankuro?" she cried in a whisper, not sure she could stand the pressure much longer.

"Let it happen," he breathed between kisses, not stopping at all.

Her breath hitched as her body strained, feeling it about to hit its breaking point. Her fingers that had sensually rubbing his head were fisting his hair now, and her nails dug into his back. She was panting with him now, her puffs of breath mixing with his as he bit at her lip and licked at her mouth. His grunts weren't loud, but she could tell he was coming close to his second coming. Something exploded in her and the pressure released, ecstasy shooting through her as her head rushed from holding back her moans. Her control over her voice broke as she cried out a small, quiet, "Ah!" Her brain seized as her core spasmed, and the world around them shook

Gaara stood in the Konoha Summit Room looking out the window at the festival, steadily fingering the letter from the Suna Council that arrived just an hour before. He'd kept an eye on the festival waiting for his meeting, since he had deemed it safer to wait here than at the festival after Cordelia's explanation they were on some sort of date. From his perch, he saw Naruto playing games with the Hyuga heiress, and eventually dancing closely with her. He saw a child drop his snow cone and cry, only to be cheered up by the child's older sister handing him another one. He saw Kiba, Shino, and Choji playing one of the festival games, and laughing at their own jokes and quips. He saw the genin from Suna running around the festival and having fun with the other villages' genin. He saw the other kage each making their way through the festival with their guards. Killer Bee stopped to talk to Naruto for a bit. The Mizukage threatened one of her new guards, it looked like. He saw Shikamaru holding hands with Cordelia's sister as they ate funnel cake only to pause as she cleaned something off his face, both of them now wearing antlers for some reason.

Konoha was alive with shrieks of fun filled joy and music. And Gaara was above it all, doing what he did best, watching the people have fun. It was a favored past-time of his over the years, even when he had other, less acceptable hobbies. Back then, it started as more of a longing to have those moments, and being jealous of the everyday intricacies of a normal life he'd never have. Now, it was less a longing to have those moments, and more an interesting study of what people do. Watching the people go about their day and imagining their lives. Was this a night they would remember for years to come? Were they disappointed about work? Were they happy? Falling in love for the first time? He didn't truly know any of the answers, but it was fun to imagine people in idealized lives.

As the sun sank and the stars and waxing moon took over the night sky, he looked around again, hoping to find his brother, knowing he'd essentially left him with two women, which was probably problematic, given his brother's interests. As his gaze roved over the dancefloor, he saw his brother with Fred getting closer and closer with every move, until the last dance made Gaara uncomfortable watching with their tantric movements grinding against each other and then kissing. He grimaced at the public display and shook his head, wondering how Cordi had predicted it. "Kankuro's just getting some action tonight, is all. … Fred said 'No,' but I've always had a sixth sense for when people are going to get laid. So, I'd say there's a good chance,"she'd said. All despite Kankuro calling Winifred a cheat, and grumbling about her smug expression and vowing for a rematch that would put "that smirking doxy" in her place not ten minutes before the girl convinced Kankuro to dance with her. Despite what anyone would see as clear hatred, or at least contempt, between the two, there they were kissing with a just as clear intent to sleep together.

It was Gaara's understanding that if a man and woman engaged in such carnal activity, there had to be some feeling between them. Love of some kind. But there was no way anyone could look at Kankuro and Winifred and think them struck by love. Even now, their kissing wasn't kind or loving. There were no loving smiles between them. No flowery words or romantic longing glances as described in the books he'd read. They'd only known each other two, maybe three hours. And they had sniped at each other most of the night. The glances they made each other's way were appraising and judgmental. So, how did Cordi see it?

Winifred whispered something in Kankuro's ear, and then they were gone, shunshined out of there with great haste. He pursed his lips with a small laugh. Maybe Cordelia could explain it to him if he didn't mind it getting out that he didn't understand human attraction or how people fell in love. He'd always assumed he'd get it one day. But now at twenty, having had a failed arranged betrothal, and a current relationship that he knew deep down was missing something, but didn't know what, he felt no closer to understanding that part of the human psyche.

He knew he found the female form interesting and attractive. Definitely preferable to the male body. But he was never overcome with need to talk to a specific girl, except maybe when he was really little. There was a girl when he started school. Tsumugi. She was friends with all of the other kids in the class, and clearly the ringleader of the classroom. Having been sheltered his whole adolescence up to that point, Gaara was too shy to outright talk to any of the kids, especially that girl. Tsumugi was pretty, with long dirty blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, dark brown eyes, and a cute face. At recess, the other kids played soccer, but Gaara sat on a swing on the sidelines, just watching as usual. He saw an opening to join the game and maybe talk to them, to her, when she kicked the ball so high it soared over the play-yard's wall. Gaara brought it back down with ease with his sand into his hands. He thought the other kids would be appreciative, but they just looked terrified. When they ran, Gaara instinctively reached for them with his sand, not thinking how it would hurt them to drag them across the stone play-yard back to him. He just had to convince them, convince her, that he wasn't dangerous. That he just wanted to play too.

He grimaced at the memory, inwardly cringing at his own social deficiency. That was when Yashamaru jumped in, he remembered. And later that evening, his uncle explained to him pain, and how medicine and ointment soothed wounds. Gaara realized he'd hurt the girl he wanted to talk to so badly, and asked Yashamaru to get him some ointment to soothe the injury he'd caused her. Yashamaru thought it was a wonderful idea, and Gaara ran the whole way to Tsumugi's house, mentally rehearsing his apology. Surely, she'd forgive him. It was an accident. He knocked on the door, and she answered. "I'm sorry about before. It hurt, right?" He offered the bag, adding, "Here's some ointment for you to …" She cut him off by slamming the door in his face, and growling, "Go home freak!"

He inhaled sharply, pulling himself out of the memory. There was only pain there. Whether that was what some called a crush, he didn't know. But he did know it was the first time he truly wished he wasn't Gaara of the Sand. He looked back outside, and noted the festival was dying down. There were a few couples still dancing and playing the games, but it was predominantly young adults out. Young lovers and singles out for a good time.

He looked at the letter, reading it over again to distract him.

"Lord Fifth,

We commend your acquisition of this new asset for Sunagakure. The Council agrees with your request this information remain strictly need-to-know, and we will work with Konoha where we can in answering the questions around these girls' arrival. This Cordelia's abilities will need to be tested immediately, and until more answers are found about the girls' presence, she will be given a suitable position in Suna, without grants to leave. This will be discussed in the Council meeting immediately upon your return. Given the situation with her beast, we will prepare one of the caverns at your suggestion to house it. It is being prepped as you read this, no doubt. Lord Kyoshi has agreed to lend some ninja from his family to study the beast upon arrival.

Although, we do request you send these new assets ahead of yourself with one of your siblings before the conclusion of the Chunin Exams. Kyoshi believes a days' worth of observation of the beast will provide crucial information to prepare for the beast's growth, as well as set up any precautionary measures against it, should they one day decide to turn. Several of the Council members would also like to meet this Cordelia Turner for themselves to gauge her character before the meeting to see if they agree to her prospects as a shinobi.

We know this will cause some delay on your return, as it will require the use of the rail system for your security. Please send us the departure times for your party, as well as Cordelia's, so we know when to expect you.

-The Suna Council.

He frowned as he reread it, wondering what it was with the Suna Council that couldn't look at people as people rather than weapons or tools. Cordelia wasn't a young woman in a strange new world, that wasn't remotely peaceful like her old world, and with new powers even she didn't understand, that was moving to their city due to overcrowding where the rest of her friends and family were. She was "an asset." An asset to be imprisoned in Sunagakure until more was understood about the girls' presence. Gaara pitied her. While he loved his village, he also knew it wasn't for everybody. Unlike the other villages, Suna was sometimes cruel and calculating with its people. He'd long gotten used to the Council's less humane way of thinking and addressing people. Only the strongest wills to survive lasted in his desert. If she was as passive as he'd seen these past couple weeks, she'd be manipulated and turned into a pawn in minutes upon her arrival. He hated knowing that was in store for her, being as innocent as she was, but it was this reality.

The door opened with a snap, and in walked Kakashi in his Hokage robes. "Hello, Lord Fifth." Kakashi greeted, smiling amiably through his eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Gaara turned to him completely, his expression unreadable. "I needed to tell you something I've discovered about those girls. Something that might cause a war if not handled correctly," he stated, his tone completely serious.

Kakashi raised his eyebrows at this, but looking more skeptical than surprised. "Something that might cause a war?" he asked, his tone laced with a hint of warning.

"Yes," Gaara replied, still poker-faced against Kakashi's warning. Kakashi may be thinking Gaara was threatening him, but as soon as Kakashi was made aware of the situation, he'd realize Gaara was doing his part as Konoha's closest ally. "Cordelia Turner confessed to me last night that shortly after their arrival here, the girls each had some powers awakened." Kakashi looked at him interestedly, gesturing for the Kazekage to sit at the conference table next to him, which Gaara did as he continued. "Temari was the first to know outside their circle, and has been training them to hone these abilities. As Cordelia explains it, each one has complete mastery of an element, similar to my control over sand. Cordelia has fire, which apparently includes electricity. Her sister, Roxanne, has wind, and has already mastered several of Temari's jutsus. Winifred has earth, which as demonstrated today manifests similarly to the first Hokage's powers, with abilities over metal, stone, and even plants. Veronica, or Ronnie, is water. And the last one, Lynne has what they call spirit. She's able to read someone's mind by looking at them."

Kakashi set his jaw, clearly thinking about this information. He eyed Gaara coolly before asking, "And you know this information to be real?"

Gaara nodded. "Cordelia has exhibited her powers a couple times, although I wasn't sure at first. She's informed me enough of Lynne reading my own mind for me to believe it." Kakashi looked alarmed at that. "Winifred this evening demonstrated her powers over metal and plants for my brother and I. And Ronnie bust a pipe in a tirade this evening as well. I feel it's safe to assume Cordelia was not lying about the rest of what she told me."

Kakashi sighed, reaching into his robes to grab a small notepad and pencil, writing down what Gaara just said. "I'll need to have their chakra re-examined, then."

"There's no need," Gaara corrected with a nod. "Temari had the Hyuga girl look them over again after the powers manifested. Still no chakra."

Kakashi frowned, dropping his pencil. "Then how …?"

"My assumption is it is something from their world," Gaara stated. "Powers that don't manifest like chakra." He crossed his arms as he stated, "From what Temari told me of their training, they can't perform standard chakra abilities, like a shunshin, or clone, or walk on water or buildings for that matter. But their powers when it comes to their element are somewhat limitless."

Kakashi looked upward, as if pleading the heavens for a break. "Great," Kakashi grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's not all," Gaara added carefully. Kakashi dropped his hand, looking at the young Kazekage annoyedly. "Their powers were manifested by the arrival of dragons as eggs, which then hatched."

Kakashi scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "Now I know you're bullshitting me."

"I wish," Gaara stated with a tired tone. "Last night, when Cordelia confessed all of this to me, she had me meet her at one of the gates of the Forest of Death where they've been hiding them for the past two weeks. She introduced me to her dragon, Aleera, worried I might attack her on the way Suna." Kakashi frowned at the explanation, and Gaara clarified, "Attack the dragon, not Cordelia."

Kakashi's brow furrowed as he looked at Gaara appraisingly. "Well, if they're only two weeks old they're probably rather sma—"

"Aleera was the size of a small horse," Gaara stated. Kakashi looked at him with wide eyes as Gaara crossed his arms and finished, "I can only imagine that means they might reach tailed beast size at full grown."

Kakashi scratched his forehead as he cursed.

Gaara sighed as he added, "They're also fast, and their strength is untested. And Aleera can fly. Which I'm guessing means the others can too." Kakashi glowered at Gaara, sucking on his teeth under his mask as he looked away. Gaara cleared his throat as he straightened himself up. "I don't know why you didn't inform the other Kages about them, but…"

"I didn't mention them at the meeting because we still have more questions than answers," Kakashi said, cutting him off. "We don't know what brought them here. We don't know if they're connected to the Otsutsuki or not. Now we don't know the extent of their new powers, or their dragons, if what you say is true." Gaara nodded, understanding that. Best not to worry those not in the know if there was nothing to fix the situation, but observe and report. Kakashi sighed, rubbing his eyes as he added, "We also don't know how long they are here. They've been here two weeks, and could still go back to their world in a month, since we don't know what brought them here."

"About that," Gaara frowned. "We had an encounter with a man the day of the summit. A ninja who claimed to be from Suna …" Gaara paused as pursed his lips looking at Kakashi, trying to think best how to phrase this believably. He inhaled, giving Kakashi a hard look as he added, "from the future." Kakashi scoffed again. Gaara continued despite the Hokage's disbelief. "He wasn't a ninja I recognized, but his headband was standard Suna issue. He said he knew me in the future, and had sand powers, which I'll have to look into. But he was able to get past Cordelia's computer security, and left a note claiming to be her son from the future, and that she and her friends will be staying here well after he's born, and won't return home until he's almost grown, with video evidence of them back in their world that convinced the girls of the veracity of his claim."

"What about you?" Kakashi asked. "What do you think?"

"I think he is someone of interest, but other than that, I'm not sure," Gaara stated. "He did say at the end of the letter to tell you to look into a Mr. Youshida for answers."

Kakashi frowned as he watched Gaara stand up from the table. "Mr. Youshida?" he asked, his tone full of confusion. "Who the hell is that?"

Gaara shook his head. "I don't—"

He was cut off by a few screams outside. Kakashi stood as Gaara stepped towards the window, only to stop as he felt the building begin to shake. The lights clinked and flickered as the world shook and roared. Kakashi grasped the table for stability looking around wide eyed, his black eyes connecting with Gaara's who also looked slightly fearful at the earth moving beneath their feet. And then, just as soon as it started, it stopped.

"What was that?" Gaara asked.

Kakashi stood, grumbling, "I don't know." He turned to leave, gesturing for Gaara to follow as he said, "It felt like an Earthquake. But we're nowhere near a fault line."

Gaara followed him out, down the hallway, only to stop as Shikamaru appeared. "Shikamaru," Kakashi breathed, slowing down. "What -?"

"The earthquake. I felt it at my house, and came here immediately to report in, but I seemed to be following the ripple," Shikamaru explained quickly. The shadow ninja's eyes went wide when he noticed the redheaded Kazekage standing behind Kakashi. "Gaara," he breathed, "What are you -?"

"Lord Sixth and I had a meeting," Gaara explained plainly. He knew Shikamaru knew about the girls' not being of this world, but he was also fairly certain he was not yet in on the fact that they had powers or dragons at their disposal. He felt it best if Kakashi or Roxanne explained that to him.

"Oh," Shikamaru sighed with a confused frown.

He opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off by several other ninja reporting in, including Naruto and Hinata, curious if something serious was going on. Kakashi quickly set up a sensory ninja group to identify the location of the earthquake, to see if anything disastrous had happened that needed to be rectified immediately. They were set up at a table of water over a map of Konoha, each sensory ninja holding their hands over the water to scry its location. Gaara stayed and watched, even though Kakashi suggested he go make sure his genin were ok, and his siblings. But the look Gaara gave him silenced him. He was one of two people in the room who knew of the girls' limitless powers. Of their dragons. If this tremor was one of the dragon's doing, they would not be able to keep the girls a secret from the other Kage anymore.

"We've got a location for the source of the quake," one of the sensory ninjas called out. Kakashi stepped over as the ninja pointed his finger to the northern part of the city. "It looks like it started here at a magnitude of 5.2, then lowered to a 4.9 or 4.6 as it rippled through the city." Kakashi crossed his arms, eerily silent at the news as he cut a knowing glance to Gaara.

Shikamaru looked at the map, then gasped, "That's the ninja dorms Roxanne and her friends are staying in."

Gaara closed his eyes, cursing his gut for knowing it was one of them.

Kakashi straightened, turning to the other ninja and barking orders, "Go check on the other Kage. Tell them the earthquake was naturally occurring, and should be cleared. Also explain tomorrow's Chunin finals will be postponed a day as we assess damages." The ninjas gave a bow, then shunshined away to carry out their orders.

Shikamaru moved, muttering, "I should check on the girls."

"No," Kakashi corrected. He turned to the sensory ninja and quickly said, "Thank you. You're dismissed."

As they left, Shikamaru frowned, watching them exit the sensory room as Kakashi looked at the table with a worried frown. "Why are we not checking on the girls, or other ninja in that building? It was the one that was hit directly," Shikamaru asked, his brow furrowed as his light brown eyes flit between the two Kage remaining in the room.

Kakashi looked at Gaara, then back at Shikamaru, stating, "Given the meeting I just had with Lord Kazekage, I think it's safe to say one of the girls in question just caused the earthquake." Kakashi straightened his back before adding, "And I do believe we should know why before we rush over there."

"What are you talking about?" Shikamaru huffed, placing a hand on his hips as he glowered at both Kage.

"Since arriving here two weeks ago, the girls have had tremendous powers awaken," Gaara explained. "Each with complete control over an entire element."

Shikamaru's face went blank. "Huh?"

"Which one did you say controlled Earth, again?" Kakashi asked, turning to the young Kage.

"Winifred Buchanan," Gaara stated, then paused wide eyed as if a piece of a puzzle clicked into place with the dawn of realization. Immediately he began to blush, looking at the ground.

Kakashi eyed the Kazekage curiously, then asked, "Which one was Winifred?"

Shikamaru shrugged, not remembering all their names. He knew which one was Rox and which one was Cordi. But the other three he wasn't sure.

Gaara pinched the bridge of his nose as he stated, "She was the woman Kankuro left the festival with this evening." He wasn't sure if they knew what Kankuro was like off duty, but if they didn't, they were about to learn.

Kakashi looked up with a sigh as he said, "Two weeks, she's had this power and she only causes an earthquake now. Why – wait." The hokage pointed at Gaara whose lips were pursed and eyes focused on the floor.

Shikamaru's face fell, his wide eyes on Gaara. The shadow ninja began to laugh nervously as he asked, "Surely you're not saying … or at least you don't mean that they were …" Shikamaru trailed off, pursing his lips as he gestured with his fist.

Gaara didn't answer, because it made him uncomfortable to confess exactly his brother's involvement. But surely his blushing and refusal to make eye-contact clued them in. He looked at them for a second to see Shikamaru looking somewhere between horrified and confoundedly shocked, while Kakashi looked between them both, then started laughing. Hard. Tears gathered at his eyes as the Hokage wheezed, "Are you saying your brother fucked a girl into causing an earthquake?" When Gaara didn't answer, Kakashi laughed harder, clutching his stomach as his body shook with the action.

Gaara bowed embarrassingly as he added, "I'm sorry for the trouble my brother has caused this evening. I'll be sending him back to Suna early tomorrow morning with Cordelia per my Council's orders." He knew his blush had to have reached crimson levels, as he bowed again, excusing himself and shunshining out of the Hokage Tower.

Kakashi wiped the tears away from his eyes as he tried to calm his laughter down. "Wow," he breathed through giggles. "Wow, wow, wow."

Shikamaru wasn't sure how to react to this new information, looking at the hysterical Hokage as he asked, "Sir?"

"Shikamaru," Kakashi sniffed, calming down. "I want you to bring the other four girls staying in Konoha here first thing tomorrow morning. I also need you to contact Tsume Inuzuka, and tell her to report to me at the Forest of Death in the morning, and to bring Hana and Kiba as well."

Shikamaru bowed, turning to leave. It was a lot to process in the moment. The girls had manifested powers, some that could be considered devastating if unchecked. Something about one of the games Roxanne played tonight stuck with him. He paused, his hand on the door before turning and asking, "Which element is Roxanne?"

"Hm?"

"Roxanne," Shikamaru repeated. "Which element does she control?"

"Uhm, Wind," Kakashi answered with a frown.

Shikamaru turned away, letting out a small bitter laugh. "Of course."

AN: Next chapter is the split. Thank God. Please remember to review.