Chapter 1: Journey back to the sand.

A/N this is a continuation of Master's tale (My story) from Shikamaru and Temari. Reviews please. An intro of Raiin (Replacement of Sakura). She's a jounin, on the same team with naruto and sasuke. Master of the Universe in the pokemon world. P.S the naruto world and Pokemon world exists together. Obvious parings in the story are shikamaru temari, naruto hinata, ino kankuro and tsunade jiraiya.

So the league matches were over and we are back to our own normal lives, Shikamaru thought as he watched Raiin and her new apprentice begin their journey. He shifted his gaze up to the sky and started thinking how great the clouds are again. Then Tsunade's voice broke his trance.

"Shikamaru." The fifth hokage said as he walked up to her. "You'll escort the sand allies back to their village."

"Hai!" he replied and bowed. When he looked up he saw Temari smiling at him. This is troublesome, he thought, escorting three sand nins who are better than him.

Shikamaru started looking at the clouds again when they finally hit the road. It'll take three days to reach the sand village from here. Now that Orochimaru is gone (He was killed in Master's tale), they have to beware of Akatsuki. They struck Gaara, the Kazekage of the sand once, to be rescued by Naruto and co. The last thing Shikamaru wants is to be attacked. Being the only chuunin amongst the others in Konoha leaves him at a disadvantage.

"What are you thinking about?" his gazing of clouds was interrupted by her voice.

"Nothing, just planning if there are any unexpected events." He replied in a tired tone. He knows that her eyes were on him, but he refuse to show the blush.

"Zetai, daijoubu." was her answer. "There'll be no problems." Shikamaru jerked his head to face the jounin. It was that smile again. The one she gave him when she helped him finish the match with the sound nin Tayuya. Shikamaru smiled back and concentrated on the journey as they leaped from tree to tree.

That night they stopped at an empty cabin (There are these in the forests in the pokemon world). Gaara doesn't sleeps, but Shikamaru offered to keep watch. He sat at the front steps while Gaara was sitting on the rooftop. Temari and Kankuro slept in the cabin.

There were no clouds, even there are, he won't be able to see them clearly. So cloud watching was changed to star gazing. The moon was bright, so were the stars. He tucked his hands behind his head and lay down to get a better view. Then as his vision travel upwards along with his movement he saw a face.

"Temari!" he sat up and turned to face her. She merely sat down beside him and lay down.

"The stars are bright tonight." She said. Shikamaru lay down after her and looked up.

"Yeah…"

There was silence as they studied the stars. But are they really looking at stars? Each took turns to peek at the other. When it was his turn, he sensed a movement beside him. She had turned to her side and was sleeping soundly. Their faces were so close. Shikamaru's face turned red. Then he gently sat up and went into the cabin. He found a piece of quilt, left behind by the previous occupants and carried it outside. He gently covered her with it. Then he sat beside her sleeping figure, watching over her. However beautiful the stars and moon was tonight, Shikamaru had found something more beautiful than them. Temari's sleeping face. He spent the whole night looking at her face until he was too worn out and fell asleep against the handrails of the steps…

Temari awoke to the sun shining through her eyelids. She opened her eyes and the first thing, or rather person she saw was Shikamaru, still in dreamland. His elbow on his knee and hand supporting his sleeping head. Her gaze traveled down his right hand and came to a stop when she realized that she was covered in a warm quilt. She smiled to herself as she shifted to get up. The floor creaked and woke Shikamaru. He blinked his sleepy eyes and shook his head, as if to wake himself up. Then he realized it's morning and turned to Temari.

"Oh you're awake…" Shikamaru said sleepily.

"Thank you for the quilt." She said as she sat up. Shikamaru took the quilt from her and went into the cabin. Kankuro was already up, getting ready to leave any minute. The young Kazekage was also in there. Temari went over to pick up her fan when her brothers came to her.

"You know he was watching you sleep all the time." Gaara stated. "I had to take over his shift of keeping watch…"

Temari remained silent as she packed her things. Kankuro gave her a nudge before walking out with his scrolls on his back. She smiled to herself as she remembered how Shikamaru looked when he was sleeping and strolled out.

They traveled for a distance; stopping only at meal times and short rests. It was only those times when Temari and Shikamaru got to converse. The day hinted a storm as the crossed the borders of another region, resulting in them traveling faster. By the second night they neared the borders of the Hidden Village of Sand. It was appropriate to continue the journey as they may get caught in sandstorms and the region doesn't seemed to have places for them to lodge for the night. So the next morning they reached their village.

Gaara was back in his office to settle official matters while Temari and Kankuro accompanied Shikamaru as he rested in the village. Kankuro took the chance to make himself scarce and left the two together.

"So when are you going back?" Temari asked.

"Tomorrow." Shikamaru's vision automatically went up to the sky again. "You can't see any clouds from here…"

"Yes, it's all sand and wind." Temari replied softly. Hearing Shikamaru saying that he'll leave soon somewhat brought her sadness. As though reading her mind…

"Is there any place where I can watch these sand and wind without being buffeted by them?"

Temari looked up and saw him smiling.

"Yes, I know a place."

In the distance, in a wooded area, a few figures rose out of the shadows and gathered.

A/N now how did this sound? Reviews please.