Chapter 19: Can You Feel the Love Today?

Collapsing on my bed I let out a long-exhausted sigh staring at my ceiling seeing the sun had already started to rise. I had just gotten back from a night of meaningless missions around the village, and I was more than happy to take a break.

It had been a few days since Isaribi left the village seeking out possibly family members in the Hidden Mist village. Tsunade unfortunately couldn't reverse her back to complete human form but said if she ever did come across a formula that worked, we'd let her know. Naruto, Hayner and Ino were tasked with bringing her there wondering when they'd return.

I heard knocking at my door making me groan slumping out of bed as I opened the door to see a bright red Ren.

"Ren-sensei… what's wrong?" I asked suddenly worried hearing him clear his throat going to speak when Anko popped out behind him smirking, "Well hello again Yuna."

"Anko? What's going on?" I said looking between them seeing Ren clear his throat replying with a deep voice, "We have a mission."

I stood beside a nervous Ren, an excited Anko and a sleepy Kiba with Akamaru in tow in front of Tsunade who smirked towards all of us.

"I've briefly went over the mission with Ren but now that you guys are here, I'll give you all the rundown." she said making us all nod while she finished, "In the Land of Birds there is a wedding involving a very wealthy princess and a commoner from the land. Her family has hired us to make sure nothing wrong happens since there have been threats made against her fiancé for not being from a wealthy family."

"Ren and Anko you will be acting as a couple who are friends of the husband." Tsunade said seeing Ren begin to shake in what I assumed was excitement before she turned towards me saying, "Yuna you'll be one of the bride's maids while Kiba will be one of the groomsmen, that way we have eyes on both sides."

Kiba and I both nodded as Anko turned to us saying, "Alright kiddos get packed up and meet us at the gates."

We went our separate ways as I quickly packed up knowing I would have to wear nice clothes making me frown before quickly going to the gate seeing Ren shuffling uncomfortably.

"Ren-sensei are you going to be able to control yourself?" I asked cocking my eyebrow up seeing him laugh nervously replying, "Oh you don't have to worry about me… this shall be a perfect time for us to get to know each other."

Smiling I said, "Yea maybe you can pluck up the courage to ask her on a date."

"What are you two talking about?" we heard jumping up standing beside each other seeing Kiba as we said, "Nothing!"

Akamaru barked at us while we saw Anko strolling up looking towards us saying, "Let's get this show on the road."

The walk to the Land of Birds was quiet for the most part Kiba talked about the missions he'd been on as I listened quietly. I could see Ren every so often looking towards Anko which made me inwardly giggle as Kiba kept giving me strange looks.

"So, you use blood for your technique?" Kiba asked me suddenly as I blinked replying, "Well just my blood, can't use just anyone. Mine is intertwined with my chakra so I can control it and mold it how I see fit in battle."

"So cool… loved when you kicked Shino's butt in the Chunin exams though he was a sore loser about it." Kiba said as I smiled innocently at him saying, "At least he wasn't farted on."

Kiba made a face at me as Akamaru barked knowing if he could laugh, he was making Kiba say, "Dude too harsh… no wonder Shino has such beef with you."

Waving my hand I said, "He just hates me because I don't like bugs."

"His bugs are creepy, but you learn to live with it, it's his attitude I can't stand sometimes." Kiba said making me laugh replying, "He's not so bad, you guys just have opposing views and personalities. Hayner and Reno are the same way though I admit Hayner can loosen up a lot more than Shino can."

"I'll say." Kiba said grumbling as we made it to the Land of Birds with no problems seeing Anko look towards us saying, "Alright we should split up a bit, you two get to know your marks and we'll do the same. Make sure to be respectful, they are the client so what they say goes."

I held my backpack tighter walking to the rooms that the bride's maids were staying in hearing voices coming from one of the rooms, "Honey are you sure you want to do this… we could find you someone so much better."

"I'm positive now please I have to meet with Roshi to decide on my hair." a smooth voice said as I turned into the room seeing a beautiful woman beside an older couple.

They looked towards me before walking out as she smiled over at me saying, "Hello, you must be the shinobi sent from the Leaf Village."

"Yes, I'm Yuna Ketsueki." I said holding my hand out as she took it replying, "I'm Meeka Hiroshi soon to be Meeka Hideiki, I've told my other bride's maids you're a cousin of mine, so they don't ask too many questions."

"Do you know anyone who would try to attack you or your betrothed, it will be easier to pay attention on those individuals." I said as she sat down by a vanity mirror saying, "Besides my parents not really, it was my wish to hire you shinobi despite my fiancé's assurance."

"He doesn't believe that anyone will attack him?" I asked seeing her smile replying, "He's a stubborn man and believes he can handle anything that could happen."

"Sounds like a guy I know..." I mumbled hearing her laugh saying, "I'm just ready for all this nonsense to be over with so I can enjoy my life with him… have you ever been in love Yuna?"

I made a face saying, "No though not really looking, I have my life as a shinobi to worry about right now."

"Surely there must be someone who at least interests you?" she said with a giggle making me think hard for a second before shaking my head saying, "Nope, besides likewise never noticed boys interested in me either."

"When Riku and I first met he was a gardener for our family, I'd catch him giving me sideways glances and such, but I didn't think much of it. You see before this I was supposed to marry another man but one day, I almost fell in our family pond, and he caught me." she began looking at her ring lovingly finishing, "It was the first time I really looked at him and realized just how handsome he really was. I began making excuses to talk to him and see him, I was terrible with plants, so it was a good reason to use my time with him. When I told my parents I wanted to marry him they were angry but with time they got to know him too."

"They don't seem to still be completely okay with this marriage." I pointed out as she laughed saying, "They mean well they just want to know I'm taken care of… but even if we were poor, I'd still love him all the same, that to me is what matters most."

"I see..." I said as she turned to me saying, "Trust me you're a pretty girl, I bet there is a boy that's watching you too when you aren't looking."

I scrunched my nose saying, "Shino… but it's cause he's my rival, though it's more of a creepy stalker thing less sweet like your story."

She began laughing before saying, "Why is he your rival?"

Patting the chair beside her I saw an older woman walk in beginning to do her hair as I crossed my arms saying, "He's just mad cause I beat him in a fight and hate bugs..."

"Bugs?" she asked shaking my head saying, "Let's just say he really likes them and collects them while I want to destroy all of them. I think we'd be friends if he wasn't so stubborn and holding a silly grudge over it."

"Well see it from his point of view." Meeka began as I looked over at her while she said, "You hate something he's passionate about and he feels the need to defend it, wouldn't you do the same thing if someone hated what you were passionate about?"

"I'm not really passionate about anything..." I said honestly while she smiled wider saying, "Well I doubt there isn't anything your passionate about."

I began thinking about how I wanted to be a teacher for future shinobi one day, I guess I was passionate about that. Though if anyone ever made fun of that I'd defend myself and continue to strive for it anyway… shoot she's right.

I looked towards her giving a defeated sigh as she laughed saying, "That's what I thought."

I realized there will be a lot of fillers for a while but hey that's what Naruto is all about. I think it's important to show how Yuna works alongside different people and show her growing teamwork with them.