Island of Storms [Sakura]

Chapter 42 | Family

Sakura began to make her way towards the beach. She had the night before to think things through and had come up with an answer for the sand spirit. She had woken up early as to avoid Kakashi and Kurama coming with her, but she hadn't anticipated how lonely she would get.

She wondered who else may have been up as early as she was before wondering if she should wake up the one she knew wouldn't be. Laughing to herself, she decided to take the fifty-fifty chance and placed her hands together, disappearing from the path she was standing on.

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Temari grumbled as she made her way to her front door. She had gotten up for some water, but it seemed the world had a different idea of what she would be doing. Sliding open the door, she found herself face to face with the leader of the village. She rubbed her eyes as the humid morning air hit her face.

"Sakura? Why are you here?" she asked, knowing it wasn't even six in the morning at that point.

"Sorry, I thought maybe you might be up so..."

"It's fine... but why are you here?"

"I was making my way to the beach and wondered if you wouldn't mind keeping me company?" the woman asked as she gave a coy smile, regretting her decision as the blonde looked very tired.

"Are you going to talk to Shukaku?" Temari yawned.

"Yes..."

"All right, come on in. I'll make some tea and get dressed."

"You really don't need to make any—" The older woman waved her hand in dismissal.

"I need it, so you can enjoy some with me and tell me about the mission you sent Shikamaru on," she murmured as she urged the other woman to enter her home. "I'm joking of course."

Sakura gave a quiet laugh as she was led to the kitchen.

"They didn't leave the main island, so there's no need for you to worry about that," she whispered. Temari was surprised she actually started talking about the mission.

"Well, that's a relief."

"They're looking for a scroll from Kirigakure. I'm hoping to use it to get on good terms with the Mizukage."

"Were looking," she corrected. "He got back in the middle of the night."

The blonde yawned, sitting down at the table as she waited for the water to boil. "I'd guess it's on your desk already."

Sakura gave a sigh of relief that it was already done, knowing it would not have taken long as the scroll had been near the bridge builder's old home. "The way you're talking about it, it sounds like it's the scroll of jutsus that was stolen years and years ago."

"It is."

Temari blinked in surprise.

"Wait, really? If that's true, that's a great way to get the Mizukage's attention."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Sakura grinned. Temari decided she should change before the tea finished.

Sakura poured the beverage into the cups that the other woman had set on the table before Temari came back.

"So how has the wedding planning been going?" Sakura asked as they sat on the deck. The blonde gave a sigh and looked over the small courtyard.

"A little slow actually," she started. "With all of the things going on with the village, he's been busy. I think things will get a bit smoother when jobs start coming in more and I can actually take some of them. Or I guess it will seem quicker if I'm doing something too."

"If you ever need help with it, I'm here."

"And stress you out with one more thing? I don't think so," the older woman teased. "You just focus on what you need to right now, but thank you for the offer."

"All right, all right," Sakura laughed quietly.

They finished up their tea, enjoying the peace of the morning before they headed out of the house towards the beach.

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The large tanuki, who had shrunk enough to lay down, looked up as he heard talking from the walkway down to the beach. He stretched and closed his eyes, rolling over onto his back, as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Shukaku!!" He lazily opened one eye to see the sister of his old jinchuriki. He hummed in acknowledgment. "Sakura wants to talk to you!"

He gave a rumbling chuckle and rolled onto his side, propping his head upon his arm.

"I see, and what does Kurama's little flower want to say to me? Finally decided to get the scroll I assume?"

"No." He opened both eyes and kept his face straight as he looked to the young Kage, even with the confusion that was swirling within him.

"Oh?"

"I can't risk my village for it. The people here are living peaceful and happy lives. If Suna found out that we were harboring people wanted by them there could be danger brought here. I'm not risking that and I'm not sending any of my people to steal it either. I don't want to create any tension between us and the Land of Wind."

"I see..." the one tail grumbled, showing he was following what she was saying.

"I'm willing to help you find a place to lie low until we can get the scroll without any trouble, but I don't know how long it will be before that happens." She kept her authoritative posture and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You seem to care a lot for this town of yours."

"I do."

"Including Kurama?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

Her brow furrowed.

"What do you mean, why?"

"Why do you care for these people? Kurama spent some time explaining things to me, and I've only gotten more confused. You hadn't even met most of these people until a few months ago, but you're acting like they're your family or something."

"They are my family," she stated, uncrossing her arms and placing a hand on her hip. "Sure, we may all be from different backgrounds, we may all see things different ways but... we care about each other... Many of the people here were involved in an attack that almost wiped out their town. A lot of people died and even more were hurt, but every single person who was able was helping look for their neighbors."

Temari and Shukaku watched as she lowered her hands and clenched them into fists. "They cared about them enough to look for them, even if they didn't know if they were alive..."

"I heard about what happened with your old village."

"Then you know why I brought the others here."

"Yes... I think I do now..." It was quiet for a while. He examined her. She hadn't broken eye contact during her speech and he could see the drive in her. She truly cared about what happened to him and his brother. "I have a question for you."

"What is it?" she asked, coming out of thoughts that had dragged her into herself for a few moments.

"If you were to get the location of another one of my siblings, would you seek them out and ask them the same question you asked me? If they wanted to be a part of your village? Not as a weapon or a fighter, but as whatever they wanted to be?"

"Of course."

"And you would accept them?"

"Yes. If they are willing to help defend their home along with the rest of us should the time come, I would be honored to have them as citizens of Arashi."

"Then I guess you've gained a new citizen," he grinned. She said nothing, as she had never expected him to join the village so easily.

"And a new family member," they heard Temari say. Looking over to her, he felt a small smile grow on his face.