HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR….WritingIsMyDrug, HAPPY BRITHDAY TO ME!

Well if you haven't guessed yet, my birthday has been recently! YAY! Unfortunately, the week was midterms for my school and we only have school on one day, my birthday. Gah! So anyway sorry for the long delay! So much has going on for me like musical rehearsals, exams, dances, etc.

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firemageallanna- Hee hee hee. Patients, my dear, patients we're getting there! :D

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All right! It's time to welcome our beloved Shikamaru back into the mix and see where this mission is heading! So without further adieu lets welcome chapter 9 of my first ever fanfiction!

Disclaimer: … [Please copy and paste from previous chapters]

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For the second night in a row I felt the odd, but familiar, sensation of having been awaken by the suns rays fully beaming down on my eye lids causing me to see the multiple colors throughout them. I quickly opened my eyes and sat up straight adjusting to the fast movement I stood and began to retrieve my belongings slightly scattered around my sleeping area. I took one last glance around before taking off into the surrounding trees. Being a few hours from the village in the rain made me anxious but I had stop to plan my strategy and read the details in my scroll.

Gaara seemed to have been able to compile quite a bit of information in fact I wondered slightly of the reason why he didn't just complete the mission himself before returning and giving the assignment to me. My guesses were that he either realized the this mission was considerably time consuming and would have kept him away from sand leaving them without their Kazekage which could prove to be disastrous or that he wanted a reason to redeem the leaf village in the sand village's eyes. Temari also seemed to be in no immediate danger, at least any that she couldn't handle. The only thing that wasn't known was Temari's exact location which according to the scroll had been changing quite frequently.

So first thing is first, I needed to gather the unknown in formation and the best place to do that is, you probably guess it, shady cliché bars and of course these spots are everywhere, there is at least one every 5 square miles. The "bad" guys always have the information you need in these kinds of situations, it's sad but true. So following this line of thought I traveled towards the village and was surprisingly able to sneak in quite easily for a ninja village.

I took a quick scan of the area looking for the worst part of town while trying to blend in to the crowds walking through the streets. I soon found what I was looking for by following a thug traveling down an alley. The bar stood tall and proud but just outside its doors stood some drug induced men leaning on the wall and each other whistling at any woman to pass and mumbling incoherent thoughts in communication to which each would respond with their own just as jumbled comment.

I avoided eye contact keeping my head up straight, staring down the door. I opened the door having to use a little more force than one might think necessary to cause the door to swing from its rusted hinges into the building. The stale smell of alcohol instantly overcame my senses and I felt as though I could get drunk on the air that barely shifted throughout the bar.

Spotting an empty booth that was in a way, hidden but at the same time close to a large portion of the customers, I swiftly slid in, settling myself and ordering some sake from the bartender. I leaned back an closed my eyes using my ears ten fold to catch anything I could that might give me a lead to the sand princess.

"… knew who I was and I just laughed at the look on her face. It was hilarious, as if she was looking into a mirror that was talking to her! She hasn't changed much since I last saw her."

A woman in the booth just behind mine seemed to be dominating the conversation in the group causing small comments from those around her and laughter at the expense of some woman she didn't seem to fond of. I listened to the meaningless story for hours hearing one thing repeated over and over before I decided that it wouldn't be wise to stay there much longer or risk rousing suspicion. I slowly shifted from my booth and quickly finish off what was left of my second sake leaving bills under the glass, exiting as quietly as I came.

In the time I wasted in the darkness of the bar the day had rested and matched the inside of the building in color, slightly beating it in its frigidness. I felt slight shivers go down my spine as I tried to find a place to stay for the night. Coming upon a small hotel, I walked in and blinked rapidly at the bright lights that shattered the core of the night in seconds. When I regained my focus I walk to the desk quickly asking for a room. After paying a fair price got to my room and collapsed on my bed barely after I got my bag off my back and on to the desk in the corner. Sleep hit me quickly and I was knocked out as if I was instantly hit with a ton of bricks. My last coherent thought was of my desire to find Temari as fast as possible.

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I awoke with a start and sat up straight and flush to the walls taking in a deep breathe wiping the small beads cold sweat that ran down my face. Images flashed before my eyes before becoming completely lost and I suddenly forgot the reason for my unrest. The sun was just starting to rise and peak through the windows; I dressed after a quick shower and left the hotel still in search of the same information heading for the bar I found hoping that different people would past through today and give me the information I needed.

Sadly, days went by and I heard nothing. I found other bars and tried to listen there to but only heard minuscule and meaningless tidbits about the scandals going on with the village's youths. I created a small cycle through each of the bars I found and ended up at the first one I had gone to for the third time only to see the same useless woman from my first visit.

Scowling, I made my way to the booth that I had taken before and again kept my ears open. Earlier than I usually would have I got up to leave, paying for my drink before walking to the exit while the woman jabbered on.

"… and the girl thinks she's so high and mighty! 'Look at me, I'm Temari! My brother is a sand demon!' Ha. Her brother may be some thing but she's nothing but an insignificant flea!"

I froze with my hand holding the half open door.

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YAY! That was fun! I'm going to go eat cake now see you guys!

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