Sands of Time, Winds of Change (6)

First of all,

YES, I'm English. So I watch the dubbed version. I am writing in English aren't I?
So please don't flame just because I don't watch the Japanese version much (unless I need to see Episodes I haven't seen that aren't in English)

I'll try to tone down the annoying Naruto 'Believe it' thing, but frankly that isn't supposed to be the center of the story.

Thanks for reading.

---

The next morning, everyone was preparing for their arrival in Konoha the next day. Mixed feelings arose...causing the group to be on edge. Choji glowered as he got on Akamaru.

"Hungry." He said gruffly. Naruto stared at him.

"Is that ALL YOU EVER DO! I mean, EVERY TIME I SEE YOU, YOU'RE EATING!" He screamed. And then he pointed at Shikamaru. "AND YOU'RE ALWAYS NAPPING OR WATCHING CLOUDS!"

"Shut up, Naruto." Kiba said. "Shikamaru's our leader, and he became a Chuunin first, remember?"

"Stay out of this, Dog boy!"

"YOU WANNA FIGHT?"

"BRING IT!" Naruto and Kiba faced each other, staring daggers at each other. Temari growled and pushed her way into the middle of them.

"WOULD YOU TWO JUST CALM DOWN!" She shrieked, fists flying into the air.

"YOU SHOULD BE ONE TO TALK, YOU VIOLENT WOMEN!" They both screamed at her.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, and beat them both up. They fell to the ground, stars circling their heads. Temari smiled creepily and brushed her hands off. "Who else wants a piece of me?" She asked, smiling as her eye starting twitching. Neji, Chouji, and Shikamaru backed away.

"That woman is so scary." Neji said, shaking his head. Shikamaru sighed.

"This is getting too troublesome. Can we please just go now? You're all acting like idiots." He said, looking bored. Everyone calmed down as Shikamaru got on Akamaru. They followed him.

---

That night, the group was starting to calm down, although all of them were worried about what they would come upon in Konoha. The whole time they set up, they each seemed far off, the tension separating them. Temari seemed the least worred; it was her nature to try to be fiercely upbeat and determined, and Naruto seemed to be the most frightened, not of fighting, but of the only place that had finally learned to accept him, being destroyed as they slept safely. Shikamaru was sitting by a rock, his fingers formed into a square, his mouth curving down in a determined frown. Temari walked over to him and slid down the rock to sit. She stared at the sky as he thought, his eyes closed in concentration.

"You know...the day that we attacked...I only wanted to because I didn't know anyone in your village when they told us...and then I meet the people and...it hurts to go through with it." She said softly, staring at the stars.

"War is troublesome." He agreed.

"But I should've done the right thing! And I didn't. I thought the way of the ninja was to do what's right. But everyone has a different way of seeing what's right. And it tears everyone apart in war. We start fighting for what we want, and not what's best. And for me to follow it, to do the thing I hate about being a ninja...I did wrong." She said, her eyes widening in pain. Shikamaru's eyes opened. She looked down, knowing he would just smirk and say some crap about how women were weak, or that everything was troublesome. Instead she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault." He said, looking into her eyes. She felt taken back.

"What?" She said softly.

"War makes people fight for their cause, and each side has their faults. But one person wouldn't have changed anything because of the majority. Like Shogi. You need a full blown strategy to win, but one piece alone won't do much." He said. Suddenly she smiled.

"I guess sometimes things aren't all that troublesome, eh?" She said with a smirk. He smiled, closed his eyes, put his arms behind his head, and leaned back.

"Hn. Only sometimes." He said.

---

The next day, everyone took extra time packing up and getting ready for the arrival in Konoha. The ride would take six hours, taking them into the village late at night. Shikamaru fixed his satchels and meditated, while Temari practiced with her fan. Choji ate and Neji rewrapped his bandages. Naruto spent half an hour adjusting his headpiece. Soon all of them were ready, and Kiba got them on Akamaru (Kiba had spent his time bathing him). Soon they were off, all of their hearts beating and a million thoughts racing through their minds. No one spoke for the most part.

---

Soon, most of them had fallen asleep on Akamaru, and night had fallen, the moon lighting the path. Suddenly Kiba nudged Shikamaru awake. He sat up and yawned. Kiba looked at him, biting his lip. He pointed to a huge arch: the gate to Konoha.

"We're here."

---

Sorry it was short.

WudaiMarsWind