Ino, Kiba the Clown and his Royal Jester-dog Akamaru were in Lady Sakura's palace. Ino was scolding Kiba.
"Where were you?" she demanded.
"None of your business," Kiba replied, trying towalk past her.
"Tell me! Or else I'll tell Lady Sakura you went out without permission again!" Ino threatened, brandishing a kunai.
"Oooh I'll tell Lady Sakura!" Akamaru barked. Kiba laughed.
"Well, I will!" Ino said angrily. She didn't understand what Akamaru said, but she knew it couldn't be flattering.
"Calm down, Ino. You need to relax," Kiba rolled his eyes.
"If I tell Sakura, she'll totally fire you!" Ino said smugly.
"That's fine. It's still summer, and I'm so awesome I'll get a job in no time!" Kiba shrugged. Akamaru barked in agreement.
"I think I hear Sakura coming," Ino said, perceiving footsteps. "You'd better show some respect."
Lady Sakura entered the room with her steward, Rock Lee. She had a very sad expression on her face. Ino and Kiba both bowed at her entrance.
"Hello, Lady Sakura! How are you, m'lady? You look so lovely!" Kiba gushed, winking at Ino. Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"Don't bother her, baka! She's sad!" Lee snarled.
"Why?" asked Kiba.
"My hair!" Sakura wailed, running her fingers through her short, pink locks. "It used to be so long and beautiful! Then that stupid idiot baka Naruto comes along and 'accidentally' chops it all off with a kunai!"
"Naruto was demonstrating his 'fighting skills' for her and his kunai flew out of his hand." Ino hissed to Kiba.
"Well, don't cry, Sakura-dono. It'll grow back," Kiba assured her. Sakura just howled louder.
"I'm outta here," Ino grumbled, exiting.
"Don't bother Sakura-dono, you lowly fool!" Lee yelled at Kiba, hugging Sakura. He kept on shouting insults at the poor clown.
"Oh, you're so full of yourself, Lee! Don't be so mean!" Sakura finally pulled away. Ino came back.
"Sakura-dono, there's a guy at the door that wants to see you," she announced.
"From Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"I don't know. I think so. Naruto usually sends Sasuke-kun. Why didn't he do it this time?" Ino pouted.
"Why didn't you bring him in?" asked Sakura.
"Your cousin Chouji won't let him in," explained Ino.
"Go get him," commanded Sakura. Ino obeyed. "Go see what the person at the door wants. If he's from Naruto, make him leave," Sakura told Lee. He exited as well. Sakura turned to Kiba. "Stop ditching duty. Everyone's tired of it."
Kiba rolled his eyes. Chouji entered the room.
"Cousin Chouji! Half drunk, and being disrespectful to my guests! Didn't Uncle Chouza raise you right?" Sakura shook her head. "Who's at the gate, anyway?"
"Some dude," Chouji burped.
"Who?"
"I don't know. I don't care. I need food." Chouji walked out of the room.
"Go make sure he doesn't break anything," Sakura commanded Kiba. Kiba and Akamaru left. Lee returned.
"Sakura-dono, the man at the door wants to speak to you, but I told him no. I made many excuses, and a good gentleman such as I would get the message and leave, but he remains stubborn. What shall we do?" asked Lee.
"Tell him I'm not talking to him." Sakura crossed her arms.
"Already did."
"What's he like?"
"Very rude. Unlike me."
"How much is he unlike you?"
"In almost every manner."
"Fine," Sakura sighed. "Let him in."
"Hai, Sakura-dono." Lee exited. Ino came back.
"Ino, give me my veil. I need to cover my face, and my awful hair!" Ino handed her a very thick, black veil, and Sakura threw it over her head. A nervous, disguised Hinata stumbled into the room.
"Um… Lady Sakura… is she… can I talk…?" Hinata stuttered.
"I'll take the message," Sakura replied from behind the veil.
"Well, um… I was kind of hoping I could… um… speak to her in person?" Hinata asked.
"Where are you from?" Sakura asked.
"Around…" Hinata looked down at her feet. "I really wanted to talk to Lady Sakura… if it's no trouble…"
"Fine, fine." Sakura sighed. "I'm her. What do you want?"
"Keep it short. The Lady is busy." Ino commanded, sore at not seeing Sasuke.
"Well… I'm a messenger…"
"You must have bad news. You sure act like it." Sakura replied, "What's the message?"
"Um… it's sort of private, I think?"
"Fine. Ino, go away." Ino left. Sakura turned back to Hinata. "Go on."
"Well, um…" Hinata began.
"Who sent you?" asked Sakura.
"Duke Naruto," replied Hinata, blushing.
"Oh. I've heard it all, then. Anything else you want?" asked Sakura.
"Well, madam… I was hoping… could you…. can I… can I see your face?" Hinata blurted out. She was curious to see just how pretty Lady Sakura was.
"Well, aren't you bold?" Sakura remarked. "Do you have Naruto's permission? I doubt it, but I'll show you just the same." She took off her veil. "Am I pretty?"
"Yes," Hinata blushed, realizing her own shortcomings in looks.
"Glad you think so. Were you sent to praise me, too?" asked Sakura.
"You know… Naruto-dono really likes you…" Hinata told Sakura.
"Whatever. I don't like him. Go back and tell him to stop bothering me," Sakura commanded.
"Yes, madam. But Naruto-dono really truly loves you… you're so very lucky…" she said the last bit more to herself. "Farewell, madam." Hinata left.
"He's definitely interesting. I'd rather end up with him than Naruto." Sakura contemplated. She slipped her headband off. "I want to find out more about him. Lee!"
"At your service, Sakura-dono!" Lee rushed into the room.
"That idiot messenger left his headband behind. You know how important the headband is Konoha. Go give it back." Sakura held the cloth with the swirly leaf emblem in front of her. Lee, who did know of the headband's importance accepted it with both hands.
"I shall do as you bid, m'lady!" Lee saluted her and ran off.
"To steal another's headband is a horrible offence!" Inner Sakura cackled, rubbing her hands together. "Heheheh… now he has to come back!"