Hey Guys!

I hope you're doing good. Here I am, although better now I'm still sick and working on my application to finally get a job I'm educated for (you'll never guess what that is! haha), so the updates will take a bit longer. Job and health are my priorities now, writing is and will be my favourite hobby, maybe someday it will be also work-related, we'll see.

So enjoy this new chappy!

SquaMata

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28. Sabaku no Gaara

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"Hikaru had found the perfect spot outside of the bathhouse. No one would see him, he was hidden behind the wall in the coppice and had a wonderful view of the ladies' outdoor pool through a peephole. There she was! He had declared her his personal goddess long ago and she still was, time had gone by but her beauty had stayed the same. Her full breasts protruded from the warm water, her nipples were stiff due to the cold weather and called for him to taste them. Hikaru opened his pants soundlessly and slowly began to brandish his hard sword.

It was the only thing he could do. His goddess would never allow him to be with her again, for her it didn't matter how much fun they both had experienced together that one time during the war, when she had finally slept with him. He had hoped so bad that everything would change, but she had chosen another man. So he had went on his journey, but secretly he often came back and watched her with suppressed chakra signs.

Hikaru didn't notice he started to moan softly, he closed his eyes and imagined a scene from years before as his goddess had lay squirming under him and then she had come, right at that moment he put a hand on the fence for support and came hard with a load groan. Before he could fully open his eyes he felt a strong blow on his head, he fell forward, stopped on his knees and tumbled into the pool. As his head hit the ground of the pool he turned and looked up. Outside on the pool edge he could see a fuming blonde ready to kill still in her very naked glory. Hikaru noticed the water around him turned red, he could die in peace now with his goddess as the last one he would see. Everything went black and sweet comfort washed over him, his reflex to breathe stopped.

The next thing he knew was someone smacking him and pleading for him to awake.

Apparently Nariko had nearly killed him again with her incredible strength.

"Hikaru, no! Please! Please don't leave me! You can't leave me! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…"

The man in her arms slowly opened his eyes, his head hurt like hell although she had healed him for almost an hour. This time she was really close to take his life. Her face was drowned in tears as she squealed overjoyed and put pecks all over his face and hands.

Hikaru propped himself up to a sitting position on the bed he couldn't remember how he got in and rubbed his freshly healed injury. It must had been really bad. He smiled at her and so did she, but her tears didn't stop falling.

"It's alright. I'm able to take a lot. Hey Pretty, please stop crying. I'm still here, see?"

She nodded and he wiped away her tears. Seemingly they were in a hospital room alone. He looked at her guilt-laden hazel eyes, she was still sobbing.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… I can't live without… I'm… Hikaru…"

He smiled at her and pulled gently on her chin before he sealed her lips with his. She kissed him back with all she had and soon she was on his bed straddling him. The two shinobi pulled their clothes off and with a few handsigns the room was secured. Nobody would disturb them and nobody would hear them. He was surprised how serious she was with what would likely happen now.

After all those years he would have never imagined he would get another time with her. Had he died? Was this heaven? For him it didn't matter, all he wanted to do was to give himself to his goddess, he would do everything for her.

"Does it still hurt?" She tenderly caressed his head.

"Doesn't matter." He murmured and kissed her again sultry.

Between heated kisses and rising passion she mumbled "I have an idea. There's something I want to try."

Her hands began to glow green and she started to massage his full erected member. Her chakra eased the pain in his head and let him experience new heights he had never felt before. She focused her chakra on other body parts and sheeted him deep inside of her. Soon both tumbled over the edge in tremendous orgasms."

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So she wasn't joking as she mentioned chakra-loaded healing sex as an effective form to get one back on one's feet quickly.

Oh my fucking god! I can't read that crap anymore!

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Sakura was sitting on the balcony bench and threw the book down onto the street.

"Are you ready to go?" The ninja on the balcony next to her asked.

She squealed startled and took a moment before she responded "Ehrm, yeah."

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"Good, let's go." He jumped down in feline shinobi style and picked up her novel. "Here, you lost something."

With a crimson face she put it into her pouch "Thanks."

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They had scheduled a sparring match with the sand siblings at the arena. ANBU cordoned off the whole area, so they could train in privacy. It was the first time they saw Kankuro with his face paint on since the war, obviously he wanted to appear intimidating.

"Ready for some action?" The puppet wielder asked as they approached.

"Sure!" Sakura responded with high motivation.

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Temari took the lead. "Good. Let's warm up a bit, then we'll spar in changing dyads, okay?"

They nodded, discarded what wasn't necessary and started with a jog around the field, then they stretched and did some exercises.

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"Sakura, may I ask you for a dance?" Kankuro joked and indicated her to follow him to the left side of the arena. She nodded and followed him. They started to spar and she noticed he held back, so she did too in an act of courtesy.

Kakashi looked at Temari "Shall we?"

"Don't go easy on me, Konoha nin!" She laughed and they went to the right side of the field.

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The kazekage appeared on his box seat and watched. His sister and the copy-nin blew up a lot of dust, they fought hard without using any chakra or weapons. It was great to watch, although she preserved fighting back she was about to lose against the infamous silverhead.

What Gaara didn't appreciate was his brother going too easy on Sakura, but she still seemed to struggle without her chakra-laden fists. Kankuro helped her up and they changed partners.

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The two winners fought each other and the two others build the second pair. The men thrashed each other very hard, they obviously didn't hold back their strength. The kazekage was amused. Then he watched the two girls, they fought hard too, but it looked more like a bitch fight than a high class ninja spar. Gaara was about to leave as the two Konoha nin turned out to be the winners. According to the rules they would face each other in the next match. All four ninjas took a bottle of water and drank before they continued.

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They greeted Gaara and he nodded at them before he spoke "I would like to see what you could do with restricted chakra. What about using 25%? No weapons, taijutsu only." The redhead sat back on his seat and watched what would happen.

He would have never expected Sakura had that much force behind her hits. He could hear the air getting pressed out of Kakashi's lungs many times as she caught him off-guard. He didn't hold back and showered her with a painful combination of hard and quick kicks and hits. Surprisingly the young kunoichi didn't back off, but turned her defensive position into an offense. Blood ran down from her lip, but she still kept on fighting.

"I think that is enough!" Gaara stopped the fight, because it would lead to nowhere, they were equal at this chakra level. Also secretly he didn't like to see her bleed.

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His siblings began to spar. The copy-nin brought Sakura a bottle of water and sat down on the bench next to her. The kazekage watched as she began to heal Kakashi's ribs and then her own knuckles and lip. They joked around and watched the fight of the two Suna siblings like nothing had happened.

The redhead decided to talk to her, he slowly walked down the stairs and approached her. Kakashi nodded and left to get another bottle of water from the ANBU, he respected the kazekage and his secrecy.

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"Do you mind to spar a round with me, or are you tired?"

Sakura's eyes nearly popped out, he wanted to spar with her? The kazekage wants to spar with me!

Turquoise eyes looked at her questioningly. "That is assuming you want to spar with me?"

"Of course, Kazekage-sama!" Her response came quick like a shot, it made him smirk.

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Kakashi was talking with an ANBU as he could hear the sand siblings had finally stopped their fray.

As he turned to approach them with fresh bottles of water, he dropped the bottles. Gaara and Sakura stood in the middle of the field and fell into fight stances. I'm gone for five minutes and that's what happens? What the fuck!

He picked up the bottles and sat down on the bench with the thirsty siblings. "This will be hilarious! I haven't seen him fight for years with anybody other than us now!" Kankuro said laughingly.

Temari smiled and whispered "They're getting closer!"

The copy-nin secretly hoped it wouldn't end up in a complete disaster.

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Gaara and the pinkette fought hard, he didn't hold back nor did she. They had both agreed to the same conditions than in her former fight.

The redhead had discarded his coat and his flak-jacket leaving him in his shinobi pants and a dark green t-shirt, Sakura had chosen to wear a crimson long-shirt, due to the desert heat and some shorts which stopped mid-thigh.

Dust flew everywhere and the ground shuddered as the two complementary colours collided. Strangely he didn't use his sand armour. She managed to strike his right eye pretty hard and he growled angrily but with a smirk. He seemed to be very amused.

The young kazekage kicked her feet and let her fall over, he pinned her down "Do you surrender?" he smirked at her, she looked at his right eye which seemed to swell quickly. She would have to look after it soon.

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What should I do? If I give up now, he could think I'm going easy on him because of his injury.

Yeah, but if you don't he may think you're a confident of victory tomboy.

Shit, you're right.

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She fidgeted under his strong grip, they locked eyes and he smirked. "I tell you what, I let you go for now." He helped her up, his intense eyes kept off any possibility to protest "See you tomorrow, Haruno-san." And in a swirl of sand he was gone.

Tomorrow?

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She returned to the others and took the held out bottle. "What happened?"

"To be honest I have no idea. It was weird."

Temari smiled at her as Kankuro stated "Gaara was impressed, Sakura. That's a good sign!"

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"So should we head back and have some lunch?" The blonde asked the group.

"Great idea! They carried a huge water melon into the kitchen this morning!" Kankuro could act exuberant when food was mentioned. Cooking and eating clearly belonged to his favourite hobbies.

For the two Konoha-nin it was still strange to eat mostly fruits and vegetables for lunch only with a rich and diverse breakfast and a full warm meal for dinner, but this was all due to the desert heat.

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In the afternoon Sakura lay on her balcony bench in the shadows and read one of the textbooks she had borrowed from the library.

Suddenly a Suna ANBU appeared. She did what she always did, she plopped down from the bench and landed on her bum. The ANBU suppressed a chuckle and helped her up.

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"Haruno Sakura, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'm sent to bring word of our dear kazekage." The medium sized man had a balmy voice.

Composed she sat down on her bench again "Ehrm, okay. What is it?"

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The masked man continued "The kazekage wants you to meet him tomorrow noon in his office."

"You can tell him I will be there." The pinkette answered visibly relieved.

"Affirmative. Have a nice day!" Then he was gone.

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The young kunoichi lay down on her bench and made herself comfortable with her book again.

"Oi, Sakura! Is everything alright?" Kakashi jumped from his balcony to hers.

Seriously guys? Is this a new trend to approach to a woman?

"Yep. As you can see I'm pretty occupied right now." She pointed at her book.

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The copy-nin read the title aloud "The herbage of the desert. That sounds VERY thrilling! You should lend me that when you're finished." He sat down next to her on the edge of the bench. Sakura was wearing a white short strapless sundress and the dark red bikini underneath, which he had seen back then in the grotto. The jounin wore his tank top mask combination and simple slacks.

He looked at her and she put her book down as she noticed his thoughtful look.

"What do you want, Kakashi?"

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The silverhead shrugged "I was just wondering what happened today in the arena and now you got visited by an ANBU…"

She interrupted him "If you're so eager to know, the kazekage asked me to meet him tomorrow."

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"Really? Good for you!" He looked at her questioningly "Are you okay? You seem angry."

"I don't know what you mean. I just want some privacy and quiet, that's all."

He nodded, gave her his trademark eye-crinkle and poofed away back to his own room.

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Are you okay, Kakashi? You seem a bit dejected.

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"Come in!" was the simple answer as she knocked at his office door with shaking fingers.

She took a deep breath and entered the lion's den. Sakura was very nervous because she didn't know why he had ordered her here.

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The kazekage stood up behind his desk and walked over to two opposing, whine-red leather sofas matching the color of his robes "Take a seat."

"Kazekage-sama." She nodded greeting, walked over to sit down on one sofa and he took the other, they were alone in his office.

A beautiful turquoise eye and a very swollen black pulp hiding his other found her emerald ones. "I hope you're hungry. I have ordered us some food."

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Right at that moment a servant came in and served them their dishes and beverages.

"I hope you like salad with chicken strips?"

He looked her deep in the eye, too deep for her taste for such a simple question only. She didn't notice she was caught in his look and didn't respond for a few, long moments.

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His look became softer and more questioningly. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I was just irritated." She found a sudden interest in her hands and looked down.

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"Irritated?" He mumbled.

The young kunoichi looked up guiltily at his black eye "Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

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He chuckled "Sakura, we are shinobi. It happens sometimes. But I have to say I am very impressed you dared to punch me in the face. Usually nobody is that reckless."

She hid her red face in her palms. "I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me, but for a moment I forgot your position. Also I thought you were using your infamous sand armour. Am I allowed to heal you?" Sakura asked friendly.

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"My infamous sand armour… Does it really look that bad?" He cocked his head to the side and laughed.

Sakura nodded hesitantly, but honest and couldn't hold back a small chuckle.

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"You are sincere and make no difference between opponents. I like your attitude. Okay, heal my severe battlefield injury." Gaara chuckled.

Sakura walked over to him and put her hand nearly on his face, as he withdrew his head a bit and frowned. Gaara wasn't used to strangers who touched his face, although she wasn't a real stranger he didn't know her enough to trust her fully.

"This won't hurt you. Look, it's just a soothing healing chakra." She showed him her green glowing hand. He nodded and led her continue.

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"All done!" She smiled at him and went back to her seat.

He blinked a few times and touched the area around his eye "I must admit it feels a lot better now. I can see fully again and the pain is gone. Thank you, Haruno-san!"

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The kunoichi of Konoha smiled happily and felt proud "You're welcome, kazekage-sama!"

"Enjoy your meal! Do you want some tea?" He asked and poured some fresh brewed Maté in their cups.

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They had a tasty salad with grilled chicken slices, walnuts, lettuce and cherry tomatoes added with warm roti. Sakura really fell in love with the Suna cusine.

During their meal he questioned her "So how do you like Suna?"

"It's a wonderful village! The hospitality is beyond imagination and I've never eaten more delicious dishes in my whole life before." The pinkette responded and pointed at her food.

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He smirked at her as he ripped off a piece of roti "And the heat?" then he put it into his mouth.

She looked at the visible parts of her arms and legs, they were crimson and seemed to be able to glow in the dark. "I must look like a cooked crab with my sunburn. I knew I've forgotten something as I left for the sparring yesterday. And then I slept in as I was reading in the shadows on my balcony. It was careless and stupid."

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He looked at her curiously "Why don't you heal it with your chakra?"

"Because first it is my own fault, it's part of a learning process and second I'm very good at dealing with all kinds of injuries, but a simple sunburn is not something I had to heal often."

She could heal the worst wounds but she had never to treat extensive sunburn with chakra before. As silly as it seemed, a sunburn was a weird combination of injured skin and flesh, pain and surface damage on a large area of the body, but she was only skilled to operate on profound injuries, small wounds and illnesses of all kinds. There were no sunburns in humid Konoha.

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"Do you need one of my medics? They are used to it." He hid an amused smirk, but his mirthful eyes didn't betray him.

She decided to use the chance "I would like to learn it. What do you think, would it be possible for me to work at the hospital? I mean, if I should help you to establish a new med school, I need to see behind the curtain of Suna's treatments."

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Gaara was surprised, he thought she was only another desperate attempt to get him into marriage by the council, but she seemed to take her work very seriously. "Why not? I think that would be a good idea. When do you want to start?"

"As soon as possible." She chuckled shyly.

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"Okay, tomorrow it will be. I will inform the hospital." The redhead assured her.

"Thank you, kazekage-sama! I appreciate that." The pinkette was happy, she could do something useful here in the village soon.

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The kind man continued "Do you need anything? Books, lab coat or something else?"

"No thanks, I have it all with me." She smiled at the generous young leader.

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The servant cleared away their empty plates and replaced them with frozen yoghurt and fresh berries. Her eyes shone with mirth.

As they had finished their meal, he bid her goodbye due to an appointment with a delegate.

"Would you like to accompany me next week again? After lunch we could walk through the village to find a building for the med school."

Sakura smiled happily "I'm looking forward to it!"

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"Have a nice day, Haruno-san!" Gaara walked back to his desk and put on his official coat and hat.

"You too, Kazekage-sama!" It was weird for her to see him in that high and powerful position after they had shared such a simple thing like a lunch together.

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She closed the door behind her and took another deep breath. Well, seems like we're achieving progress!

The pinkette smiled and walked by the kazekage's secretary. The blonde greeted her friendly and so did she.

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The next five days Sakura spent mainly at the hospital interchanging with the medics and helping them. They knew a lot about treating with herbs and other natural substances, but were weakly equivalent in healing with chakra. They learned from each other and they were happy about the idea of a new med school with her support.

Shikamaru arrived and so Temari was spending most of her time with him, so Sakura passed time with work. The intelligent shadow wielder noticed she was falling back into old habits, but his beloved told him everything would be alright and that it would be all according to her cover only. He was okay with that, if the behaviour of the great copy-nin would not have been so strange.

He thought Suna would not be able to bear a second Kankuro, no one would like to have that, but there they were in all their glory…

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The kazekage had invited her to his office again today, where they enjoyed another good lunch together. This time it was an oriental gazpacho and then a fruit salad with fresh mint.

Usually the redhead appeared to be very tense, always focused on work and his village, he seemed to be a distant, stern and some would even say cold person, but he was honest and surprisingly guest-friendly. Sakura suspected most of it was a political façade and Gaara aimed to stay composed and under his own control, because of the remains of Shukaku. He can't afford to let the demon take over again. He acted a bit different in her near.

The two ninja seemed to have their personal secrets each, which awakened growing interest on both sides to discover. The young kazekage doubted her real intentions, but he was willing to consider the situation and to see what would happen. He knew she was a good friend of Naruto and therefore he wanted to see her as a trustworthy friend too. If this would really turned out to be another try to marry him off it could be a matching woman this time, his siblings and his dear friend knew him very well after all.

She was lonely and so was he. Why shouldn't he give it a shot? If it wouldn't turn into a relationship or even marriage, it would be a new friendship at least and maybe some nice adventure. She seems to not be averse to figure out together what it will be.

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As they had finished their meal he led her to his office door and opened it for her to walk first. ANBU accompanied them as they left the building and began to walk through the city. Gaara told her a few stories of the Suna history matching the buildings and monuments they passed by. Many people greeted him dignifiedly and stared at her.

The kazekage noticed her discomfort and beckoned her to follow him, the ANBU did the same.

They rushed over the rooftops until he stopped.

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"Haruno-san, what do you think of that building. Would it be suited for your purpose?" Gaara pointed at a traditional noble Suna edifice.

The pinkette got curious "Can I go inside?"

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"It is vacant, of course you can." He helped her up on his sand and they flew down from the building they were standing on to the front of the one in question.

An ANBU opened the door for them and they walked through the halls. It was a nice building, a former home of a wealthy personality it seemed.

"Kazekage-sama, it is a wonderful house, but I'm afraid the rooms are too small and it's too fancy for a med school. I need at least three large rooms, two for classes and one as a common room, a dissecting room, an office and a small coffee kitchen. I don't need a palm garden nor expensive panelling." The pinkette gesticulated and babbled, then she stopped and looked at him with honest eyes. Hold your horses!

Gaara wanted to test her integrity and sincerity, he was astonished of her unabashed answer, he had not expected that. The pink-haired kunoichi was a different kind than the permananet kiss-asses around him, she managed to impress him with her loose nature.

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He chuckled and responded in a calm voice "Hm I guess you're right. There's another building I want to show you, it was part of the former ninja academy but I'm afraid I have to go back to work now. Let's reschedule that for tomorrow lunchtime."

She smiled at him and he looked relieved as she nodded enthusiastically. He returned her smile and opened the door for her to exit the beautiful house. Sakura wasn't used to such courtesies, but the little wannabe princess inside of every girl loved it.

Gaara escorted her on back to the hospital, they went over the rooftops again to prevent to attract too much attention. She drowned in his turquoise eyes for a few moments before he and his ANBU headed off to his office and she went inside the building.

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He is a trier.

So should you. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

With a smile she entered the building, put on her lab coat and prepared for the surgery she would have to perform with the Suna medics.