A/N: I present to you Part I of the spectacle that will become the Mid-Fall Festival... Really this takes part before the festival even starts, next chapter starts an ends the festival. Enjoy!

He was thankful that he didn't have to talk the priestess he had been escorting to the village. He really wasn't ready to face her, nor did he really want to at all, but the village he loved wouldn't rest till he did.

He arrived a little before noon, thanking kami when he passed through the gates. Leading the convoy to the round tower to have Shion meet Kohona's 'brilliant minds'.

The trudge up the stairs was a bit awkward, the purple eyed girl would not rest till he agreed to pack her up the steps. He strolled up the steps just as normal, the girl weighed way less than any other person he had packed.

He came to a stop outside the door, wondering what the hell he was going to say, judging by the way things felt to him something was completely off. It was like something was deadly off.

Shion found is dismal stare at the door odd, never once had she seen him look like he didn't want to do something. Not once when she first met him was he ever hesitant to do things it was as if something literally off struck the boy.

"My little genin isn't afraid of something is he?"

She watched as his lips pursed to a cocky grin, something anyone could see was bad. When he set hi mind to something nothing would stop him from attaining or doing what he wanted.

He busted the door open leaving a wide eyed Shion, an causing Tsunade to spill one of her precious hidden sake` bottles.

"Baa-chan, I got her here safely."

Oh the fire in the fifths eyes burned hotter than any katon jutsu ever could, not only did he make her spill her drink, but called her granny in front of another village leader.

"Narutooo!"

"Yeah yeah, I know, but I've accomplished my mission."

Demon country's priestess, was totally in a small fit of laughter a the blondes antics towards his superior. It seemed that he always greets people in those rash ways regardless of who they are.

"I can see that, so how was it out there?"

"Same ol same ol, there wasn't a single problem getting here."

"I see, well let be the first to welcome you to Kohona, Demon Country's Priestess Shion."

"Its a pleasure."

He just stared at how formal they were being, he never understood why being so formal was important as long as you got your business done, why did it matter? He just threw the question away, wanting to get so see his pink haired friend. How ever Tsunade's voice brought him back to the current situation.

"Naruto, after you're done talking to Sakura you're to return here to pick Shion back up, is that CLEAR!?"

He gulped he wasn't given much of a choice there, everyone who even dared to cross her well they came out of the hospital a week later.

"Yeah, will do."

He didn't even wait to hear her reply before he was out the door, making a speedy escape from the building He was on a mission, to find his team mate, he hadn't seen in a few days, but what he got when he arrived wasn't what he expected.

He stood confused staring over her form couldn't understand why she was being so hostile towards him. Not since their rookie team 7 days had she talked this violently to him.

"Huh?"

"You heard me just LEAVE!"

What the hell was going on? Why was she being so out of nature, he couldn't understand, what in Senju's name had he done. Her next words caught him totally off guard, it was like a stab straight at the heart.

"Why, don't you just run off with one of the girls you took out.?"

Her words didn't shoot venom it was more like pain, broken hearted, an betrayal, but she was nowhere near done letting him have it.

"Did I not deserve the truth, i'm sure it would have hurt but not as much as being lied to. So just leave me alone!"

"S-Sakura-chan..." The door was promptly shut in his face, he stared at it, his actions carried heavy consequences. "It wasn't my choice.. I'm sorry."

She had tried to shut the door before he went into his heart touching speeches that jerked all her hatred out of her. Was it selfish to just want to be mad at him? He had lied to her more than once, she had the right to be mad, didn't she?

Her back slid down the door as she heard is final words before he heard him walk off. "It wasn't t my choice.. I'm sorry." His words rung in her ears she knew it as much as he did, it wasn't his choice but the stubborn councils. For now she hung on to what remained of her anger an sadness, it was all she had.

His head was low, just about as low as his pride was. He never expected her to react like this, he hoped she'd understand, but fate never was on his side. It all crumbled in front of him, it was tethered he most likely couldn't fix the gap between him an her now.

He contemplated on what to do go back to Shion or just lay around for awhile. A familiar scent rolled into his nose, ramen. It had been awhile since he had visited the old man, an today he really needed cheered up. An there was nothing better at doing that than Ichiraku's ramen.

The smell of amen invited him enticed him. Whenever ramen was involved his attitude always changed, or so he thought. He pushed into the small shop sitting at an open stool, he remembered his first visit here.

He was only eight, everyone in the village looked at him with intense glares, all but this old man an his daughter. They adorned smiles everytime he came into their small ramen shop, always happy to see him. It didn't matter if everyone outside hated him as long as he was here he was safe from all of that. It was the reason he refused to eat ramen from anywhere but there.

He stared at the wooden counter top his mind was fuzzed from everything; the council marriage, and now Sakura. He almost didn't notice the voice that snapped him out of his daze.

"Hmm."

"What will it be today, Naruto?"

It was Ayame, her smile glowed with warmth something he very well needed. There was no one who could frown in the precence of this girl, an if they could they were acting that was for sure.

"The usual, ya'know."

"Okay, coming right up."

He watched as Teuchi prepared his meal, he tried to be happy it just wasn't in him right now. Being upset didn't fit him that he certain of, he loved joking around an laughing way more than crying an frowning.

"What's got you down?"

As Teuchi asked he slid the bowl under to him. He smiled seeing how the old man always seemed to read him, an knew how to cheer him up, extra ramen.

"Just relationship problems ya'know."

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Naruto."

Ayame was always curious about anyone's relationship status, regardless if shinobi or civillian.

"That's the thing, I don't. I kinda blew my chance big time."

"Now now, im sure you didn't what girl could turn down a guy with a smile as bright as yours?"

That's the typical Ayame he knew always trying to cheer you up regardless if you needed it or not. He always found her to be cheerful no matter what, her complete positive outlook on life was envious at times.

"I guess you're right, but I gotta go. Thanks for the food an the pep-talk."

He knew coming here would cheer him up, even if just a little. It was more than enough to get him through the nights activities. He raced out of the wooden building, he had a job to do, regardless of if he liked it or not.

A/N: How was it? Hopefully good. I seriously got a big case of writers block thinking this chapter through, but I got through it. Hope to hear from my always good reviewers, later.

Next chapter: The Night of Recognition.