Girly time! yay! plus a surprise visit and a little trouble, read to find out!

"I was just thinking about him," I replied dreamily.

The two glanced at each other and smiled.

"You like him," Ino hedged.

"Yeah," I agreed, "he's nice and quiet, and he feels safe to be around."

"You 'like' like him," Sakura continued.

"What's the difference?" I asked innocently.

"Well, one as a friend," Sakura explained, "and the other, more than friends."

"I don't know if it's either," I replied thoughtfully.

"How is that possible?" Ino asked incredulously.

"I don't really know what he's really like. I mean, he could have some secret behind the fake smile," I explained, "Think about it, he didn't think he had emotions for a while, and we haven't really had a long talk to get to know each other. I don't want to assume everything by just talking to people around him instead of the actual person himself."

I took a deep breath.

"You're right," Sakura sighed.

Ino didn't say anything and looked as though she hadn't understood a word I'd said.

"Would you like to change clothes?" Sakura asked.

I looked down at the tattered top and three quarter pants mum had stolen a year ago.

"Yes please," I accepted quickly, "but what will I change into?"

"You can come back to my place," Ino offered, "and borrow something of mine, they look like they'd fit you."

I already knew that humans wore clothes from studying them in the forest. I'd watched them for 24 hours straight and they only seemed to remove their clothes to put other clothes on or to wash themselves.

"Let's go then," Sakura enthused.

They both grabbed my arms and lead me to our destination. My mind started to wander as they talked about what I would wear. I thought of how my dad would be anxious to hear from me as soon as possible. I thought about sending Sin, but decided against it. The size letter he'd be expecting would be too large for her to carry.

Suddenly there was a shout of, "Deer!"

"Oh my goodness," came a woman's voices.

'Where is she?' I heard an all too familiar voice.

"Dad?" I whispered to myself and ran to him.

'Cera!' he jumped in surprise.

'Hi Cera's daddy,' Sin peeped jumping and landing on his head

'Hello sweety,' he laughed, 'Have you been looking after Cera?'

'Yup, yup,' she twittered and flew around his head.

"Sin, i don't think now's the time for fun," I said exasperatedly.

She flew back into her nest quietly after seeing my face. i hoped she wasn't too upset with me.

"You shouldn't be here," I chastised.

'I know," he hung his head, 'you're mum's going to kill me as well.'

"She'd be right to do so," I agreed "it would scare her half to death to know you came here."

'Yes, but it scared me to know you were here,' he mumbled.

"These people are the same as me, dad," I consoled him, "they won't hurt me like they would you."

"You're dad?" Ino's voice said behind me.

I jumped and dad huffed at her.

"Dad," I warned.

"He's really cute," Sakura complimented.

I held him still as she reached out to pet him.

"And soft," Ino agreed, petting him too.

"You girls should stay away from that," came a male voice.

It was one of the guards from the front gate.

"It might have diseases or attack you," he warned.

'Diseases!' Dad snorted at him.

"He wouldn't do that," I replied standing up.

"You don't know," he told me, "It's a wild animal. He ran past us at the gate and kicked when we got close."

"You did that?" I turned and asked, glaring.

'Maybe a little,' he replied bashfully.

"I assure you he means no harm," I told the guard.

"Well there's no way you could possibly know that," he smirked.

I smiled ruefully back at him and growled, "You don't think so?"

"Don't do it, Cera," Sakura grabbed me.

"He's not worth it like Neji," Ino whispered.

"Well, maybe he shouldn't make assumptions," I hissed and he jumped back at the look I gave him.

"I'd run," Ino warned.

"She took out Neji Hyuuga in one strike," Sakura added.

"H-hyuuga?" he stuttered, retreating.

"That's right," I smirked, "Now run along and leave any 'wild' or 'dangerous' animals to me."

He turned and ran off. I felt better after I couldn't see the taunting look on his face anymore.

"Thanks," I breathed to the girls.

"I don't think you're out of it yet," Ino said.

"Why?" I inquired.

"He'll probably head to the Hokage's office and warn her that a dangerous nin has entered the village," Sakura explained.

"Oh well," I sighed, turning to dad again.

He smiled at me and then at Ino and Sakura.

'I think I should leave,' he told me.

"That's probably best," I agreed.

"Tell them I trust they'll look after you," he continued.

"Of course," I nodded.

"Goodbye," he said, turning and walking away.

"Bye dad," I waved as he disappeared around a corner.

"What did he say?" Sakura asked.

"He trusts you two to look after me," I replied, a tear streaming down my face.

Ino smiled and said, "We should go get you changed then."

I laughed and we started walking again. I noticed that a lot of people who had witnessed the scene were staring. I was really unhappy about that, but I guess I couldn't blame them. In their minds, I'd just stood up for some dumb animal, gone to attack a guard ninja and even called a deer, 'dad.'

We arrived at Ino's, her dad greeted us and we went into her room.

"You should try this and this," Ino rushed as she threw random clothes at me, "and this would be cute."

I dropped them into a pile and something caught my eye. It was a striped, black and white top. The pattern was beautiful and I just had to have it. Ino threw some shorts at me then. I picked them up and had a good look at them.

"They're denim," Ino said, "they're to big for me but you can have them. You can keep the shirt too, it never really suited me."

I beamed and bounded off into the bathroom Ino had shown me on the way in. When I came out the girls were waiting. They beamed and nodded their approval.

"It definitely suits you," Sakura complimented.

"Tiger stripes for the animal girl, not bad," Ino agreed.

"Now the hair," Ino said excitedly.

I took Sin off of my head and she watched as the two girls washed and pulled at my hair. In the end, it was parted into two on the sides of my head and was so shiny and soft.

"Perfect," Ino finished the final touch, a flower clip.

"We should go back," Sakura said, checking the time.

"They probably think we've kidnapped you," Ino giggled.

I smiled at the prospect of seeing Sai again and hurried ahead of the two back to the clearing. When I got there, my heart sank. No one was to be seen. I sniffed the air as Sakura and Ino joined me.

"They're gone!" Ino threw her arms up in frustration.

"They've probably just gone to get lunch," Sakura calmed her.

I walked over to where Sai had been seated and caught his scent.

"This way," I told them, tracking the scent.

They followed me through the town and we ended up at a place called, Ichiraku Ramen Bar.

"I should have known," Sakura sighed, entering.

"I'll go find my team," Ino told me, "I can guess where they are by myself."

"Thanks for the clothes," I called and waved as she ran off.

I entered the small place and found Sakura already eating a bowl of food, Naruto eating his way through a tenth bowl and Sai and Kakashi playing with their food. My stomach growled at the delicious scents filling the confined space.

"Oh, hey Cera," Naruto mumbled through a mouth of food, "You want some? Kakashi's treat."

Kakashi looked sadly at his wallet and then apologetically at me.

"It's okay," I resisted the offer. My stomach snarled back at me in protest.

"Two more," Naruto ordered.

"Same appetite as ever, eh Naruto?" the man behind the counter laughed.

"Yes sir," Naruto agreed and saluted.

The man brought the bowls out to him and he handed one to me.

"Eat up," Naruto instructed, "you'll need your anergy for more training."

I smiled and sat down at the counter. Sai had taken a seat at the very end and was next to Kakashi, so i had to sit between Naruto and Sakura. Naruto downed his bowl instantly and belched loudly.

"Eww," I complained, waving a hand in front of my face.

Sakura pinched her noes and looked at him, disgusted.

"'scuse me," he sighed, patting his now bulbous stomach.

Ichiraku always has the best ramen, don't you think. lol hope you enjoyed cus i have to think of where it'll go from here. cya X3