Kanoi: I have returned from the trip from Hell, and now I present chapter two! I'm sorry that's it's so short, but I'm already working on chapter three .
Sasuke: The trip can't have been that bad.
Kanoi: Trust me, it was.
Sasuke: You're just melodramatic.
Kanoi: I'm melodramatic!? You're one to talk!
Naruto: Well… Kanoi doesn't own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Kanoi: OH! –pushes Sasuke away- I would like to thank my beloved Zuki-chan for FINALLY checking her e-mail and betaing something. Darling, I love you, but you NEED to check you e-mail more often.
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"Oh! I'm so happy for him, Ino! He's always tried so hard, and now it's paid off! He's a Seraph!" Sakura gushed beside me.
My smile widened more.
"I'm proud of him too, Sakura, but you've been saying the same thing since the ceremony this morning."
She pouted and glared at me.
"Ino! This is a big thing! He's been trying for this rank since his feathers shed their down."
I placed a finger to my chin in thought.
"Has it really been that long?" I found myself asking in surprise.
Sakura's scowl melted into a fond smile.
"It has." Her voice wrapped around the words with so much warmth that I could feel the glow on my skin.
"Well!" Sakura suddenly chirped, and the warmth disappeared as quickly as it had come. "We should hurry, or we're going to miss the celebration!"
Her hand took my own, and the warmth returned. Even as she dragged me along behind her, all I was aware of was the silkiness of her smooth skin against my own of satin. For a moment, I felt the ridiculous paranoia that she would slip away. My hand tightened its grip. Her hand squeezed back. I wondered if she meant to.
!#$&&()
"Ino, Sakura!"
We both turned at the sound of our names being called; I smiled and waved. Sakura launched herself past me to latch onto our friend.
"Congratulations, Naruto!" Sakura squealed as she nuzzled the newly titled Seraph's shoulder.
"Guess what!" Naruto greeted jovially as he attempted to pry our friend off himself.
"What?" I asked, and I heard Sakura echo the same question- although she sounded more curious.
It wasn't that I disliked Naruto, because that certainly wasn't true. I quite enjoyed his presence. He was like the brother I had never been blessed with. I only seemed indifferent in the presence of Sakura, as she had known the male her whole existence. I had not known either for near so long.
Naruto's wonderful smile grew to a great grin, and he announced, "They're sending me on a mission."
My eyebrows pulled together, and Sakura asked in a shocked, breathless voice, "What? Already?"
"Yeah. Apparently there's a disturbance down on Earth, and They think I'm the perfect one for the job," Naruto explained proudly. To punctuate his answer he puffed out his chest in that dopey manner he always possesses.
"What's the disturbance?" I asked cautiously.
"You know I can't tell you that. Sorry." He really did look apologetic.
I shrugged helplessly. "Oh well."
"When are you leaving?" Sakura asked, her voice melancholy.
Naruto rubbed Sakura's back soothingly and answered, "Not for a few days."