Backyard cricket is intense when you have a lot of people playing it. Originally, Iruka was just playing cricket with Namiko, Kimiko and Aki. Kakashi came over to visit on the grounds that he had not met with Naruto's legal guardians for a progress update in a while. He brought his wife and kids, so Iruka took Aki, Kimiko and Namiko outside to play while Kakashi chatted with Arashi and Kazama about Naruto's progress. Tenzou settled on the lawn with Minoru to watch the cricket game.
Everything was going fine and quite calmly. Then Madoka, who was getting healing lessons from Kurama's Guards, caught wind of the fun and decided to join in. Then four of Kurama's Guards joined in. Then Tenzou gave Minoru to Sei (who elected not to join in the game) and joined in herself. Finally, Kakashi, Arashi and Kazama finished their conference and came outside. They joined in too.
So now they have 13 people playing backyard cricket while one more tries to stop a crawling baby from eating every flower he sees.
"OUT!" screams Aki, annoyed that Madoka missed hitting the cricket ball. "LET ME BAT! YOU SUCK!"
Madoka gives the feisty four-year-old the cricket bat and says, "Let's see you do better, kid."
Aki's face twists into a frown of concentration. "Bring it, nerd."
"Oh is that how you want to play it?" says Madoka, picking up the ball and getting ready to pitch. "I'm not going to go easy on you just because you are sensei's kid."
Aki sticks her tongue out at Madoka. Madoka takes a step back and bowls the ball fast and strong. Aki swings the cricket bat. The bat connects with the ball with a thud, sending it flying. The ball sails across the garden and over the fence into the neighbors' garden.
A moment later, the unmistakable sound of glass breaking shatters the silence Iruka had not realized was there. Everyone was watching the exchange between Madoka and Aki in absolute silence, but now…
"S***********T!" yells Tenzou, holding the sides of her head in panic.
"Oh, great!" groans Arashi, face palming. "Not again!"
"Aki! Why?" says Kakashi, taking the bat away from his daughter. "Why did you hit it so hard?"
"What do you mean, 'not again'?" asks Madoka. "Has Aki broken a window before?"
"No," says Kakashi.
"Naruto did," says Iruka. "We were playing rugby, he threw the ball too hard and it went right through the neighbor's window. She was not impressed."
"Judging by the lack of shouting and swearing," says Kazama calmly. "She is not home right now. If only there was a way to fix it before she found out…"
"I'll be right back," says Tenzou, and vanishes through the fence. She reappears a minute later looking a little tired. "I took care of all the glass and replaced the window with shutters. They will be harder to break."
"Do you think they'll notice that their glass window is now a wooden shutter?" asks Namiko, cocking her head to one side.
"Yes. I also left them a note explaining that due to a recent glass failure, their window needed to be replaced with a shutter. Since they were not home at the time, we went ahead with the work anyway. I signed it with one of my secret fake seals that are meant to look official. If they look into it, they will be redirected to the Hokage or ANBU."
"Good job," says Kakashi, grinning. "I think that's probably enough backyard cricket now. We don't want to break anything else because Madoka can't stop himself from picking a fight with a four year old."
"Wait, Madoka picked a fight with a four year old, 'tebayo?" Iruka turns to see Naruto opening the front gate. Wind, Rain, Sasuke and Lord Fugaku are with him.
"I WON!" yells Aki.
"Haha, you lost to a four year old!" laughs Naruto.
Madoka blushes in embarrassment and glares at Naruto.
"Guess what?" says Naruto, changing the subject excitedly. "We are going on a mission! Team Seven! WOHO, 'tebayo!"
"A mission?" says Madoka, sceptically. "But Sasuke is in a wheelchair! We can't go on a team mission!"
"And that is where you would normally be right," says Lord Fugaku. "But we need people to guard Sasuke and Naruto while they learn the seal to defeat Zetsu. Kakashi and Iruka: you two are going to help them learn the jutsu. Madoka, you get to go along because Naruto asked if you could. Wind and Rain are going for extra security, and Kurama's Guards are going for regular security. I need all of you to come to my office so I can brief you on your mission."
"Ah, about that," says Sei, holding up a finger. "Only half of the Guards are actually in the Hidden Leaf right now. The other five went to find Shukaku's, Matatabi's, Gyuuki's and Saiken's Guards, and one went back to Kurama's Temple because one of us needs to be there at all times. Only five of us are available to begin this mission right away."
"That is alright," says Lord Fugaku. "Five is plenty. You will have Wind, Rain, Kakashi, Iruka and Madoka, so there will be ten guards on the trip."
"Trip?" says Namiko. "You mean they're leaving the Leaf Village?"
"Yeah, we're going to the Temple of Jashin, 'tebayo," says Naruto. "It's the safest."
"I'm coming too," says Namiko firmly. "I want to see the Temple of Jashin. And I want to stay with Daddy. And I can fight too."
"Well, alright then," says Lord Fugaku. "So long as your family agrees."
"I have no problem with her coming," says Iruka. He wants Namiko to stay with him as much as possible before he has to give her back to Mei.
Kazama sighs. "I hope this won't be for too long," she says. "As much as I would love a quiet house, I do want Namiko around as much as possible."
"Yay, Namiko is coming too,'tebayo!" grins Naruto.
"Well, that settles it," says Lord Fugaku. "But if Zetsu does find you, make sure she is kept well out of danger. We don't want an angry Mizukage on our hands. Look after your kid, Iruka."
"Yes, sir," says Iruka. He does not need to be told: he will protect Namiko.
Gaara signs the last bit of paperwork for the day and stacks it in the pile of completed paperwork with a flourish. He is done. Now his paper-pushers just have to file all his completed paperwork for him.
It is finally time to go and play the Game of Life with Temari and Kankuro. Gaara gets up from his desk and heads home, bidding good evening to the desk-workers on his way out of the Kazekage Tower. When Gaara arrives home, his siblings already have the game set up. He takes his seat and they begin.
About half an hour and a lot of chips later, they are halfway around the board. Kankuro is earning most of his money from the dead relatives squares. Temari is married with a son. Gaara is single, powerful, wealthy with a high-paying job and he has an adopted son.
There is a knock on the door just as Kankuro inherits 10,000 yen from an uncle who died in a tragic accident.
"I'll get it," says Temari, getting up and heading to the door. Gaara hears Baki sensei's voice and an unfamiliar voice. Then Temari reappears and says, "Gaara, there are some people here to see you." She plops herself back down in her seat and goes about taking her turn.
Baki sensei enters, followed by a man in red and black and ten people, five men and five women, dressed in matching uniforms. Their jackets and trousers are the same shade of sandy brown as Shukaku and decorated with markings that resemble the blue-black markings on Shukaku. Their heads are covered by plain, sandy-coloured headwraps.
IT'S THEM! IT'S THEM! screams Shukaku in excitement.
"Who are you and why is Shukaku so excited to see you?" Gaara asks, wondering why all the newcomers have uniforms except one.
One of the people dressed like Shukaku steps forward. "We are Shukaku's Guards, an ancient order tasked by the Sage of Six Paths himself to protect Shukaku. This man here," he gestures to the man in red and black, "is one of Kurama's Guards. He came to us recently to tell us that Kurama's jinchuuriki told them of Shukaku's whereabouts. We came as soon as we could, braving sand storms and the desert sun to find you so that we can do our job and protect Shukaku. Since you are his jinchuuriki, Gaara, we will protect you and your family and your village as well. We are at your service, Gaara of the Sand."
I want to hug him! Says Shukaku longingly. I want to hug all of them! My people! My guards!
Gaara steps forward and hugs the Guard who spoke. "This is from Shukaku," he says. Then he hugs each of Shukaku's Guards one by one. "He wanted to hug all of you. He's just so happy you are all here."
"What is going on?" demands Gaara's father, appearing in the hallway behind Shukaku's Guards.
"I have brought Shukaku's Guards to protect him and his jinchuuriki," says Kurama's Guard. "Naruto Uzumaki sent me."
"Oh, it's a Naruto thing," says Gaara's Dad, sighing. "Gaara, you can't keep ten strangers in our house. Find somewhere for them to live."
"Yes, Dad," says Gaara smiling. His Dad is a lot nicer now days. "Baki sensei, find somewhere for Shukaku's Guards and this guy to stay tonight. We can discuss permanent arrangements tomorrow. I need to finish the Game of Life."
"Oh, I love the Game of Life," says one of Shukaku's Guards.
"Me too!" grins Gaara. "Do you like sand castles?"
"They are the best!"
"On the count of three, name your favorite hobby. One two three…"
"Raising cacti!" Gaara and the Guard say together.
"Favourite food?"
"Salted tongue!"
"Did we just become best friends?"
"Hell yeah!"