DISCLAIMER NOTICE: If I owned Naruto, I'd be filthy rich. I'm broke.
Shikamaru kicked his heels against the muddy road under him. He just got back from the academy, excusing the kids from class. Tsunade-sama had ordered him to her office. 'Maybe she'll finally give me a mission.' Shikamaru thought with interest. "Maybe it's to find Naruto and the others and hel-" Shikamaru stopped and shot his head up. He felt himself move from the middle of the street to the back of a very small and dark ally. He thought quickly. 'A sand shinobi in Kohona? This has to be trouble, unless Tsunade-sama ordered it.' He remembered the last time she ordered one to come help. A picture of Temari popped up in his mind. Shikamaru smirked. "Well, now that I think of it, it is her presence." Shikamaru stepped out of the ally-way and transported himself to outside the Hokages office.
"So, your brother made KazeKage?" asked Tsunade-sama with a bitter tone.
"Yes, and so far he's doing very well." Shikamaru's body went numb. 'G-gaara-san is KAZEKAGE?! When did this happen? Well, I guess now it's Gaara-sama.'
"Shikamaru-san?" Shikamaru spun around. Sakura stood behind him with a load of books in her hand and a curious expression on her face.
Temari heard Sakura say his name. Her body went stiff. He must have been outside listening. The door opened.
"Tsunade-sama, I have the books! And, you called on me?" Sakura burst in with a smile on her face. Shikamaru walked in behind her with his hands in his pockets with that same expression he always had. Temari turned and gained control of herself. Shikamaru noticed her movement and looked her way. She smiled and waved.
"So, crybaby, you finally came!" Temari called him a crybaby because he was upset and cried when he told himself he would never fail a mission again.
Shikamaru smirked.
"My, and I thought you would be over that."
Temari turned around and faced Tsunade-sama. "Please, the KazeKage doesn't have much patience. We will be leaving immediately." She turned to Sakura and Shikamaru. "You two, go pack enough supplies to last you for a month. It will be a long trip, and there is no time to lose."
Sakura stared blankly at Temari. 'There is already a new KazeKage? I wonder who it is…?'
"Um, Temari-san, who is the new KazeKage?"
"My brother, Gaara-sama." The books in Sakura's hands slipped onto the floor. "WHAT?!" Sakura screeched. Sakura covered her mouth. 'That was rude,' she thought to herself.
Temari glared through squinted eyes. "I-I mean," Sakura made a reasonable excuse fast. "I-isn't he a bit, you know, young?" Sakura sighed in relieve. The reason she really screamed was because he had a extremely deadly demon inside of him that made him insane, cold, hatful, and basically psychotic. He almost killed her.
"That's not the reason you screamed like a brat. Yes, he is young, but that doesn't prove anything. If you have not noticed, he stopped a deadly ninja from the Sound Tribe. One that was under the orders of your old friend. Orochimaru. He helped that Lee-san boy defeat him. He's gotten over his past." Sakura wanted to punch her for saying HIS name. He was the one that took Sasuke, put him under that spell. She hated him. 'Sasuke-kun…'
"Go. Get ready." Sakura glared at Temari and stomped out of the office.
A few days later
…
Gaara sat with his hands folded in front of his mouth. His eyes glared. Shikamaru, Sakura, and Temari stood in front of him. "This is the med-nin you gave me?" Gaara smirked. Sakura made a face. "Well, I did ask for a non-experienced one."
"IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, THEN SEND ME BACK IN A PACKAGE! IM RIGHT HERE, SO STOP COMPLAINING!" Sakura screamed at him. Temari stared at her like she had just grown 6 arms. Gaara gave her the coldest glare he had ever given a woman. "Look, you pathetic little girl! It is an honor to be called by ME! So start respecting my name!" Gaara's face was growing paler and paler by the word. He cleared his throat.
"Now, I called you here to train the children here. They need some skill. Shikamaru-san, I called you here because when I left last time, you said you were appointed as an academe instructor. I am appointing you now as a instructor in jetsu techniques. You both will start tomorrow. Now, go I have a room waiting for you both. You will be sharing a room." Shikamaru huffed. Sakura was like a steaming kettle that was about to explode.
Gaara looked up from his desk.
"Why are you still here?"