Thanks for all the reviews/faves! I really was not expecting that many... or any at all. Luckily I had the internet to do "research" on the whole village/kage system (and name spellings). It is quite confusing!

I think this one is a lot weaker than the first, but I could not resist writing it anyway. I will probably have another up soon so I can forget about it.

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Fortune Favors the Brave

Temari yawned and stretched. She had gotten up much too early again, but such was the life of a ninja. She had stolen the latter half of her lunch break in hopes of getting a quick -nap, but it was no use. The sun was too bright and her head was too full.

So here she was, on top of the Kazekage's office, staring at the wispy, cloud-like shapes in the sky. She had found herself there a lot lately in between training and missions, trying to relax instead of agonizing over the day which had now arrived.

Today was the day the delegations sent by Temari's various suitors would be gathering and presenting themselves to the Kazekage, also known as her youngest brother. She wrinkled her nose. Temari had not complained in the presence of either of her brothers, but she was not exactly looking forward to it. She sighed. She could probably guess from whom many of the offers would come. They were not all bad guys, but she was fairly sure none of them were after her hand because they were in love with her.

Temari's one hope was she would be able to maintain her status as a ninja of the Sand and Ambassador to the Leaf. She knew the chances were slim, but Gaara would so everything in his power. Though even his hands were ties between pressure from the council and the village at large and the harsh reality that the village was still suffering from its time under their father. The Sand needed powerful allies.

"Hey sis," a voice broke Temari out of her thoughts, "It's time." Kankuro looked about as reluctant as Temari herself. She gave him a half-hearted smile and followed him back through the open window. They were silent as they made their way to the council room.

Matsuri was waiting nervously for them right outside the doors. She opened one for the siblings and trailed them inside. Temari kept her face expressionless as she face the council and took her seat to Gaara's left, with Baki on her right. Kankuro sat to Gaara's other side. The Kazekage gave one final glare of warning to all those present and silently nodded the okay for the first delegation to be sent in. Temari held her breath.

She need not have. The first group hailed from a clan in the Mist, one most of the council had found personally distasteful. They did not have much to offer the Sand anyway. The second offer came from much more lavish delegates. Gaara remained unreadable.

By the time the third delegation was finished, Temari felt her weariness return and found herself struggling to stay alert. With a few helpful nudges from Baki, she managed to stake awake through the drudgery of the fourth and fifth presentations, which were just as boring as the seventh, eighth, and ninth (Temari had not expected the sixth, and the man had sent an amusing attempt at poetry, with an impressive actor to read it).

At the end of the ninth, Temari thought they were finished. She was about to request to be dismissed so the council could discuss the matter, with the intention of returning to the roof, when her brother stopped her.

"Are you sure that's all?" Gaara inquired, sounding almost desperate. Matsuri motioned to a guard at the door, and he exited the room. Temari looked at her brother, trying to determine a cause for his tone. There had been plenty of more-than-decent proposals.

"There is one more, Lord Kazekage," the guard reappeared hesitantly. Temari groaned inwardly, hoping it would be short.

Instead of another train of lavishly dressed ambassadors, three genin wearing Leaf forehead protectors walked into the room. The council members murmured among themselves. Temari blinked. She remembered the genin from the academy. Now they would be entering the next chunin exams. And the one who looked like the leader (their sensei was nowhere in sight; Temari vaguely wondered what had happened to him) was the nephew of….

Said boy suddenly tripped on his overly long blue scarf, and would have fallen if his companions, a boy who seemed in perpetual need of a handkerchief and a girl whose hairstyle rivaled Temari's own, had not caught him. Temari winced unintentionally. The three genin quickly straightened themselves.

"Lord Kazekage," they bowed together, trying to look respectful. Temari gave them what she hoped was a reassuring smile, and they approached slowly, handing over a scroll for inspection. Temari had to admire their attempt. As for what kind a cheapskate would send three genin with a proposal to the Kazekage's sister….

Gaara took his time reading the paper, keeping Kankuro from looking over his shoulder and letting the anticipation thicken before he put the scroll down and commented, "Well, well, well," he paused, "it would seem we have of proposal from the Land of Fire," Temari rolled her eyes, which Gaara ignored, "It's from the Nara clan. One Nara Shikamaru."

Temari stared at her brother for a moment, blinked, realized he was serious, and, in a manner which would have made even Hinata Hyuga proud, promptly fainted.

"She did what?!?"

"That's right, boss, her whole chair toppled over, too," Konohamaru reported.

"Don't call me boss," Shikamaru muttered, looking a little pale. Behind him, Ino was in hysterics. Choji was gamely trying not to laugh, though he was finding it rather difficult.

"The Kazekage accepted the proposal on the spot," Shikamaru looked at the boy in disbelief, "though Kankuro started spouting death threats," Konohamaru finished, frowning distractedly.

"She was okay, right?" Shikamaru wanted to know.

"Of course," Moegi seemed almost insulted, "She woke up the next day right after Ebisu -sensei."

Shikamaru sighed and slapped himself in the face at the same time, "I can't believe you went in without him."

"Didn't have much of a choice, boss."

"What happened to him, anyway? Scratch that- I don't want to know," Shikamaru paused, "Uh… did Temari have anything to say?"

The genin looked at each other, "Well," Konohamaru began, "First she called you a dimwit for embarrassing her in front of the whole council. Then she said you ought to start consulting with your friends about the food and flowers for the ceremony." He shrugged.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. He turned to Ino and Choji to make a sarcastic remark, but stopped when he saw they were grinning at him in a manner he could only describe as frightening.

"One thing, guys," his five companions watched him quizzically, "Don't tell my mother."

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Uneccessary Showtunes Refrences (USR): 1.