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Chapter 3:Another Proposal

Naruto leapt through the trees as the early morning sun glinted through the mosaic of leaves above her. Two ANBU escorts were beside her as was usual when she left Konoha for personal reasons, unless Ero-Sennin accompanied her. It rankled with her that Tsunade-obaachan didn't assign her any solo missions because of Akatsuki, but she understood the obvious reasons for that. The two ANBU, however, were not her usual escorts – Yamato-taichou and Sai – because they had a mission. She was in full female form, although she was still wearing the baggy boy's clothes, which she much preferred to girl's clothing.

Her thoughts were in a whirl. She was now officially engaged to Sasuke. It made her feel better to know that she didn't have to produce babies – something she fervently thanked Tsunade-obaachan for - and that she could ask for a divorce at any time, although she did wonder how a divorce would affect her chances as Hokage. And there was the disturbing knowledge that as Sasuke's… wife, her chances at becoming Hokage probably weren't high either, since the Council expected her to be producing Sharingan babies.

Then there was the wedding to think about. Ever since she found out she was actually female, she had had a hard time coping with the physical changes, the difference in weight distribution, which affected her movements and thus her taijutsu, and most of all, menstruation. She made a disgusted face – boys had it much easier without monthly cycles. At first, she kept in her male form as much as possible, but Tsunade advised her to get used to her real body, which was sound advice, she supposed.

She guessed she was quite the tomboy. Hana-neechan and Ayame-neechan always helped her get girly stuff like bras and underwear and skirts (she hated those, but Tsunade made her wear skirts every now and then when she was off-duty) and heels (she still wobbled a little on heels) and makeup. She disliked makeup the most, although she loved using a cherry-coloured lip gloss that she had discovered in Suna. It kept her lips from chapping, and to be honest, she liked the cherry colour on her lips, too. The two women, together with Hinata-chan, were always trying to get her to be more lady-like, and were always frustrated with the way she 'stomped around like a man', according to Hana-neechan, or 'slurped up ramen like a greedy pig', according to Ayame-neechan, or 'had less-than-impeccable manners', according to Hinata-chan. Hinata-chan always did say things in such a nice way.

As such, she didn't really think about boyfriends and dates and weddings, although she often heard civilian girls and some kunoichi talk excitedly about those things. Her mind had been occupied with taijutsu and ninjutsu and getting Sasuke back and becoming Hokage. But now she was forced to think of her own wedding, even though it was just a paper marriage. She had heard girls chatter excitedly about romance, and flowers and chocolates and jewelry. Unexpectedly, she felt a twinge of sadness to know that she wouldn't be receiving any of those things from her husband-to-be.

It's just a mission! She reminded herself over and over again. I'm doing this so that Sasuke can kill Itachi, which would be one less threat for me, and then Sasuke will stay in the village. That's why I'm doing this. But it didn't ease the dull ache that had settled in a tiny corner of her heart.

It was their third day of travel, and Naruto knew that soon they would enter Suna territory. She looked forward to seeing Gaara again. Gaara had been very nice to her during the year-long goodwill mission she had just returned from. Towards the end of the year, he had made time to see her, to take her around, and eat lunch with her often. Even in the beginning of the year he had instructed Suna's finest swordmaster, Kujira-sensei, to teach her kenjutsu. She had also been taught quite a few Fuuton techniques, since Suna had many wind users. Then she had been taught to combine her Fuuton chakra with kenjutsu, and Gaara and Kujira-sensei had promised to make her a good katana that could conduct chakra, like she remembered Asuma-sensei's trench knives could. But Baki-sensei had taught her kaze no yaiba as well, just in case she had to part with the katana.