Naruto: Dreams Unraveled

A Sand and Leaf Alliance

So it had turned out that my mission to the Land of Sunflowers was also an escort mission after Nanami busted into Tsunade's office asking if she could teach her. After realizing that I, her mentor, was in the room, she quickly apologized and Tsunade told her to stay under my authority and that she'd be joining me on my mission.

Now here we both were, in the Land of Sunflowers, in a small village located in a small forest area near the coast on the border of Suna and Konoha. Nanami had been working on basic mending skills as I was working in the neurotic sector. I had almost figured out what could be used for Lee to be healed.

Today was our last day here. Nanami was finishing up some more studies as I was taking a break from the month period we had been here. I was now sitting in the tree tops looking out towards the ocean. It was breath taking. The blue ocean glittered as the sand bathed in the sunlight out to my left. A cool breeze passed as the trees began to dance around me, also whipping up some salt from the sea. It was all quite refreshing. This trip had really relaxed me, but I was really starting to worry and miss Naruto.

It was then my thoughts were interrupted, "Hey, Holota! You ready to go?!" Looking down, I saw Nanami gazing up with me with that giant grin she always had. Of course, she didn't look like the girl I saw the first time during the Chunin Exams. No, her honey blonde hair had grown down to the middle of her back as she had gain a few inches in height. I guess I couldn't say much though, I had changed a little too. My hair had grown to just below my butt as I had also gained a few more inches. I had also noticed that my skin complexion had darkened in color just a little bit... this however was due to Shigusa.

I just smiled down to my friend as I replied, "Tired of learning yet?" "I never want to learn again!" She whined childishly. I just laughed as I jumped down beside her, "Alright, let's head out to meet team Kakashi and the joint Sand team." She just nodded as we started running through the forest as we traveled down the border between the two nations. We made small talk along the way as we headed inland, mainly about what Suna would be doing now to prepare for a new Kazekage and treaty with the Leaf.

"Wasn't the team that brought you in during the Chunin exams Sand Genin?" Nanami asked. "Yep, they sure were," I replied. "So, you know them?" She asked again. I giggled, "Of course I do." "So what about that red head that brought you in, Gaara was it?" She continued. "Yeah, what about him?" I simply pressed. "The way he was carrying you in that day was so romantic, he must really like you," She started, but as she did I stopped us as I put a finger to my lips. "What's wrong?" She whispered. I listened as I heightened my senses, "We have company." At this, I jumped into battle.

After quite some time, I had ended up fighting off Sand ANBU. I was very pissed. Why? First off, I had done nothing for them to attack me. Secondly, they had no skill so they weren't even a challenge. By this point I had picked up the scents of team Kakashi and the Sand team, which indeed included my red head friend. Nanami was having a hard time keeping up as I took the lead once more. I had arrived to find Naruto reaching down to take off the mask of one of the ANBU members, but Gaara had stopped him. I smirked as the ANBU member had come to, cursing, "Damn you."

I took the moment to make my presence known, "So you guys were ambushed too?" Everyone turned to me as Naruto's excitement went through the roof, "Holota! You're back!" "So you finally caught up with us," Kakashi replied. It was around that time that Nanami entered the scene complaining to mostly herself, "We're close to home now, right?" She then stumbled onto her face as I let her lay there a bit.

"They attacked you too?" Gaara asked in his raspy voice. I just nodded, "Yeah, but there wasn't too many and they really weren't much of a challenge." "Sorry about them, they were after me," Gaara apologized. At this I looked at the other two Sand ninja that weren't knocked out, that were standing close to my red head friend, and turned back to the red head himself, "You wouldn't happen to be the squad leader of your team would you?" He just blinked at me, "I am." "He shouldn't be," The ANBU that Naruto had tried to take the mask off of spoke up, "He should be dead."

That's when I got pissed and spoke up with complete authority, "You do realize you have just jeopardized a peace treaty between Suna and Konoha? Not only did your men attack me, the ninja in charge of delivering this treaty, but attacking the messenger, which is the leader of the squad that was sent on this joint mission with the Leaf." Everyone got quiet as the ANBU snapped back, "Oh really? A ninja of your rank? Oh, please!" "A Jounin of my stature has the rank to do so," I sent in a deathly tone.

Everyone was surprised by my reply as the ANBU began to panic. "Gather your men and get lost," I spoke with confident authority. He didn't say anything else as he went to gather his men.

"Wow, Sis, you're a Jounin?!" Naruto yelled, stars in his eyes. He was happy for me. I relaxed from the mature face as I smiled a little bit, almost nervously, "Yeah, Tsunade promoted me before I left for the Land of Sunflowers." I then joined them as I approached Gaara, reaching into my weapons pouch to pull out the scroll Tsunade had given me to give to Gaara. "Here you go," I gave him the scroll smiling, "it's the peace treaty Tsunade is willing to compose with the options of agreeing on and what she's willing to offer." "So you weren't bluffing about a peace treaty?" Sakura piped up. "Nope, everything I explained to that ANBU was true," I replied.

At that point I heard Nanami roll over, "Are we there yet?" I sweat dropped, "You do realize you feinted right?" I turned to face her. "Hey, Holota, whose that?" Naruto asked. "That would be Nanami, my medical student. She accompanied me to the Land of Sunflowers," I explained. "But the Land of Sunflowers isn't that far away, is it?" Kakashi asked. "No, it's not," I paused sweat dropping, "She feinted because she saw blood." Everyone but Gaara anime fell. "A medical ninja who can't stand the sight of blood... that's promising," Sakura groaned. I just giggled, "She's getting better." "I'm right here you know!" Nanami shouted.

"Well, I don't want to keep you guys from your mission, so I'll be escorting Nanami back to the village," I replied, deciding to take our leave. "You're not coming with us?" Uchiha asked. "I would, but Nanami isn't a ninja, she's just basic medical core. If we were to come along we'd only slow you guys down," I explained. They only nodded as Kakashi spoke up, "She's right. We need to get moving." "Alright! We'll see you when we get back!" Naruto smiled as they then jumped off. "Great! Let's go!" Nanami sang. "Wrong way," I gently smiled, crossing my arms. "Oh, right!" Nanami sang again as she headed in the right direction, not really looking back to see if I was following her or not.

I then turned to find that Gaara hadn't followed the others. "You should really get going, Gaara," I sweetly replied, not really wanting to say goodbye so soon. I looked down to find the necklace I had given him still around his neck as I simply smiled. But at that moment, Gaara's sand lifted my hand to his as he placed a silver chain in my hands and closed my fingers around it, "I'll never forget what you've done for me, and what you've given me. I want you to have this, so you'll never forget me sense we're miles apart." I opened my hand to find a small hourglass made out of glass, containing sand with remains of Gaara's chakra.

"You made this?" I asked looking up in wonder. He just nodded, "When sand is compressed down it's made into glass." I smiled, "It's beautiful. Thank you, Gaara." He softly smiled back, "I hope I can see you soon, even though it's going to be hard sense you're a Jounin now." I just giggled, as I caught his attention, "You'll never know, Gaara, 'soon' may come quicker than you think."

Before Gaara could ask what I meant Nanami called from the distance, "Holota! I have gotten stuck and I can't seem to free myself!" I playfully rolled my eyes as I just giggled to myself. Turning back up to Gaara, I gave him a wink and a salute, "See you soon, Gaara." And with that I leapt up into the trees and was off to find my ditsy friend.

Gaara on the other hand was left with a slightly dusted blush on his face as he gave a signature small smile of his, "See you soon, Holota."