A/N: Without further delay...I present the 5th chapter of Lost...[is shot.]

Dracen: Alas, it has been a long time...I apologize for the evident delay...T.T Forgive me? But that's still your decision, so let me be.

Also, for those of you who like to put their advice...should I make this a crossover fic? I'll put up a poll if necessary.

Well, read and enjoy~

Lost

Chapter 5

A large husky bounded into the room, tongue hanging out, and large white fluffy tail wagging furiously. Dark, intelligent eyes looked at everyone. Sushi gave a bright woof.

Kiba was immediately taken to the dog. "Man, Kaien, that dog is a beauty. D'awww, you cute little thing, you good girl. I think Akamaru will like you a lot!"

Naruto was on his tenth bowl of spicy beef ramen when two figures stepped through the threshold and into the kitchen. One was extremely short, and the other towering towered over the first. Naruto grinned at the newcomers. The taller one stepped into the light, revealing bright orange hair in stubborn spikes, dark brown eyes, and a well-defined chin. The somewhat typical frown dissolved into a grin. "Yo."

The second figure, with dark raven hair, stepped up next to Ichigo. Her dark blue eyes lit up with excitement as she noticed Naruto. "I see you finally decided to pay us a visit. Been a long time, hasn't it?"

Naruto stood up, though somewhat reluctant to leave his ramen untended. "Guys, this is Kurosaki Ichigo and his partner in crime, Kuchiki Rukia. And I take risk in saying," he coughed, and laughed nervously, "that they are probably closer than that—"-"

He was cut off as Ichigo came storming after him, and the two disappeared in hot pursuit of each other. Neji gave a twitch, while Kiba looked up from the ground where he was playing with Sushi. "Say what?"

Rukia sighed in exasperation. "Nothing. Boys are being boys again. Sadly, Byakuya-nii-sama isn't here to keep them in line. But," she smiled, "Nice to meet you two. Welcome to Karakura's famous weapons' dealer, stocked with materials arsenal and other stuff materials. I'll assume that you guys came with Naruto to get supplies?"

Neji nodded thankfully. At least someone made sense in this hectic world. "Yeah. Though I'd like to wonder how you guys put up Naruto."

They all laughed, even Hitsugaya, who let out a snort of laughter. He ran his hand through his white spikes. "Well, I suppose we put up in the way you guys did. Even though Karin had quite an issue with his constant habit of chucking sharp objects at the wall and leaving marks all over the place. That was his way of coping, I guess."

"WHY YOU LITTLE—"

Hanataro gave a nervous chuckle. "Well, that was expected."

There was a crash, some avid cursing, and some more shouts. Somewhere, a door slammed loudly, and the wood echoed echoing its displeasure at being hit. Kaien, Rangiku, and Gin rolled their eyes. Rangiku sighed dramatically. "I knew this was going to happen the minute that Naruto and Ichigo came into contact with each other. It's like trying to call Toshiro by his first name."

Renji snorted. "Like hell. Strawberry's like that all the time."

Toshiro coughed. "Look who's talking. I was under the impression that when Naruto isn't here to occupy Ichigo's apparent free time, you're the one who clashes with him all the time."

Yuzu popped over from the kitchen with a grin. "I agree. Nii-san's like that."

Kiba looked from each person, wonder growing on his face as he listened. Sushi lay in his lap, tail wagging contently. "It must've been hard on you guys. At least Naruto only clashes with the jocks in our school. And he never told us how awesome you guys are."

Gin shrugged, a sinuous ripple of muscles. "Well, he is blond, I suppose."

Kisame frowned. He was surprised by how little Sasuke actually brought with him, considering he was an Uchiha, though Itachi didn't really carry much either. When he decided to clear up his confusion, he asked Sasuke, who told him that his furniture and other junk had already been shipped over. When further pestered by the shark man, Sasuke told him that he was an efficient packer.

At least the little twerp was willing to carry two of his cases and his backpack, which was slung on one shoulder. Kisame tugged around the third case, which was as heavy as the others. Wasn't too bad, considering the circumstances. Sasuke was slightly chattier than Itachi, who was, most definitely, the most iciest icy and emo dude he's he'd seen yet, though loyal and trustable dependable.

When they bypassed all the usual traditions of the customs and other processes, Itachi turned around, who had noticed Kisame's small glint of confusion. "It's the privileges that come with being an Uchiha."

Kisame sighed. Of course. If you knew an Uchiha, were friends with one, associated with one, worked for one, or happened to be one, then you then had a huge bunch chock-full of new rights that other people never got. At least he was included in the bunch. Usually though, people didn't bother messing with him in the first place.

"Hey, Kisame?"

Said person looked up. He glanced at Sasuke. "What?"

Sasuke shrugged. "If it wasn't too rude, I wanted to know how you got to know my socially messed up brother."

Kisame grinned, his sharp teeth lined lining up perfectly, and looking more like a shark who found something to chow on. "Well, he's my partner in crime. Even though he struck me as an introverted hermit with depression when I was first paired with him. He's a good man though. I wouldn't have him as my enemy, any time, any day."

Itachi's usual blank face was in place, though the barest hints of annoyance had begun to leak through, like the occasional twitch. He finally broke when Kisame began telling Sasuke about the day that he, Itachi, had somehow irked off Zetsu, and had an issue with his hair being green for several days. "Kisame?"

Kisame glanced at his partner, breaking the conversation that he and Sasuke somehow struck up a few minutes ago. He raised a non-existent eyebrow. "Yeah?"

Apathetically, Itachi replied, though it was laced with threats untold. "Shut up."

Uncharacteristically for both of them, Kisame and Sasuke both dissolved into laughter, have having managed to annoy Itachi enough so that he had told them to shut up, and with the as well as the excessive twitching as a bonus. Itachi did a mental face plant on the ground and stayed there. Reserved for the times when the his palm and the wall wasn't weren't enough to contain the fail.

Back in Konoha, in Naruto's house on the hills…

Several occupants woke to an unprecedented scene when they woke up in the living room. Shino and Sai were up early, and what they witnessed was shocking.

Wouldn't anyone be if they woke up to the sight of Gaara still sleeping, and snuggling with a stuffed raccoon cradled in his arms? As well as the sight Lee calmly snoozing away, somehow without rambling about youth and springtime joy in his sleep?

But really, the shock was Gaara. Peacefully snoozing away on the couch, swaddled in a bunch of fluffy blankets and several pillows. It took years off his pale, delicate face, and there was this an innocence that they would probably never see again. Then he mumbled incoherently, and Shino and Sai froze with trepidation.

But Gaara only turned over, his t-shirt getting rumpled in the process. It was the overdose of the cuteness that finally had Sai running to the bathroom, desperately trying to hold back a rush of blood that was threatening to spray out. Shino facepalmed.

Shikamaru gave a snore, and Shino sighed. Lazy bastard was sound asleep, and would probably not awake until noon, or after. At least he had some sense to drug Lee's food, so now the green monster should would leave them in peace, at least until tomorrow. Hopefully.

Said limped back, a wad of tissues barely holding back a waterfall of blood. In a congested whisper, he asked Shino. , "I quite frankly have never seen Gaara that peaceful. And that's an understatement. Where's the camera? I'm gonna somehow sneak a few pictures."

Shino sighed again. He didn't know why he was going along with it. Maybe it'll would get him killed one day, but he found the prospect interestedinteresting.

He handed Sai his best most professional camera, after fitting the best lens for the situation. "Just don't destroy the camera. It's one of my best."

Being the artist he was, Sai was a surprisingly adept photographer as well. The shots were well placed, well angled, and captured the innocence that radiated off the sleeping figure. The raccoon was caught in the photos as well.

Sai brightened. "Well, that's those were some rather good shots. Now you just to have to hide it."

Shino wordlessly took the camera back and slid it into his suitcase. If Gaara had to find it, then let that day not be today. Or at least until Naruto came back.

"Let's go back to sleep. That way, it won't seem suspicious."

Both snuggled back into the burrow of blankets . Sai and Shino and the two soon forgot about the photos taken as they drifted off.

There was a sharp crack that echoed across the room when Yuzu rapped Naruto smartly on the head with a ladle. Then, without looking away, she swung the ladle again, and rapped Ichigo on the head soundlyloudly. Naruto winced. He really shouldn't have pissed her off. Now his ramen was in danger.

"You two should really know better than this. Especially after how many years of having Kaien chasing you guys down?"

Kiba, who was off to the side with Kaien and Sushi, stifled a laugh. "Really?"

Kaien nodded solemnly. "As always. After about ten minutes, Yuzu forces me to go and drag them back."

Sushi barked her agreement. Meanwhile, Neji sat at the table with Toshiro, Karin, and Rangiku, who were all playing random card games to pass time while Yuzu disciplined the two with her famous ladle, which, coupled with her accuracy, was undefeatable.

Neji couldn't help but let a rare half grin rise to his face. "Does it always end like that?"

Gin walked by with the tea, refilling the cups before joining the bunch. "It really does. Though, sometimes, when Kaien's pissed off, he'll beat them up first."

All self-control slipped, and Neji laughed. Kiba and Naruto had such alarmed looks that it wasn't funny.

"What the hell? Did I just hear the ice block of Konoha laugh?"

Naruto, who was in the kitchen, couldn't help but crane his neck and try to get a glimpse of Neji. "I don't believe that. Kiba, are you sure? Like, absolutely certain that he laughed?"

He was promptly whacked by the ladle again. Yuzu seem to tower before him. "You don't look away while I'm talking. Even if it concerns a Hyuuga who happened to laugh."

Naruto's eyes bugged out. "But it's a Hyuuga we're talking about!"

He practically screeched, and Gin grinned. "But Yuzu's always more important."

Kaien winked at Kiba. "Even if it does happen to involve a Hyuuga."

Neji was now desperately trying to contain his laughter. It had been so long since he last laughed. Surely, he could keep it under control for another minute or two, like he had done so for all those years. But once again, he failed. Laughter burst across the room, and Kiba and Naruto looked like they were about to die.

Toshiro raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, other than hesitantly give a small grin. "Looks like he's gone hysterical."

Rangiku patted Neji on the back. "It's okay. Laughter is good for you."

Neji managed to recover in about a minute, which was long enough for Naruto and Ichigo both toto both get rapped three times each on the head. He coughed. "I'm fine. Just overreacting to the thought of one of the mighty street lords of Konoha being cowed by a girl with a ladle,"

"Which isn't a bad thing," he added, secretly slightly frightened at the prospect of being hit over and over by the ladle. Yuzu yelled a thanks, and the others laughed.

Toshiro threw a card onto the table. "So, what are you guys looking for? We have a lot of selections of for weapons."

Neji and Kiba shrugged. Neji flipped through his cards. "Well, I don't normally use guns, but I just want to know the good ones. And for different purposes, since we're headed into the darker side of society, and I don't want to be caught without a gun."

Kiba nodded. "Yeah."

Toshiro looked ticked at this statement. "Well, I suppose we can try and explain different guns tomorrow. Then you can try them in the firing range we have."

One of Naruto's random questions managed to drift through. "What about some nukes?"

There was another sharp crack, and everyone winced.

A/N: Life's good, ain't it? Gotta be afraid of Yuzu and her ladle...much?

Tatsuhiro: ...Terrified. I fully sympathize with Naruto.

Dracen: [Takes a ladle and whacks Tatsuhiro on the head.] It actually does work pretty well...

Syaoran: No.

Well, reviews people~ Tell me how you thought of it. And if you don't remember what happens to flames, please refer to my profile.

Makes my life worth it all. XD

And I'll try to hurry up and get chapter 6 up soon. O o Action starts then, and our favorite little kitsune bumps into Duck-Butt. [Had to refer to someone's idea...]