Chapter 170

"Kami you're an idiot," Kankurō bluntly asserts.

"At least I'm not wearing makeup, Tubs," Naruto counters. Though he wants to make a good impression, something about Kankurō feels light-hearted to the point they can trade insults and still be fine afterward, which Naruto enjoys greatly.

"It's war paint," Kankurō yells as Baki informs him, "Gaara, Kankurō, and Temari will not associate with you. Heed my warning. Gaara is the most dangerous genin here and our village will bear no responsibility should he kill you."

Considering Baki's words, Naruto isn't sure if they understand that that stuff doesn't matter more than friendship and asks, "so… as long as I say it's not your fault, then it's fine if we hang out?"

"No," Temari flatly answers.

"Not that it matters much," Naruto grumbles. "He can't kill me, anyway."

"Let's go," Baki commands them and they turn to leave. Naruto doesn't follow and decides to eat breakfast. After eating by himself, he begins exploring the tower when he happily hears Naru-nii's, 'yo!'

TEMARI

When Temari exits Gaara's room, a pensive Kankurō asks her, "do you think he can't die?"

Baki hands Temari her tray of breakfast as he asks Kankurō, "what are you referring to?"

"That blond kid," Temari easily answers, taking her tray and snacking on broccoli.

"He seems pretty sure Gaara can't beat him," Kankurō points out as the three walk next door.

"Seem pretty delusional, you mean," Temari corrects.

Baki nods for them to enter Kankurō's room. As they settle down, casually eating their breakfast, Baki asks Kankurō, "what are you thinking?"

"He's thinking intelligence gathering," Temari finishes.

"Well, we gotta do something to pass the time," Kankurō returns.

"Good luck with that," Temari quips with a smirk. "I don't think your sunny personality won him over."

"Temari," Baki calls, before ordering her, "see if there's anything there."

Aghast, Temari eyes her sensei unhappily as she asks, "what? Why me?" Pointing at her brother, she adds, "he's the one who wants to investigate."

"As you said, Kankurō will likely make him defensive and uncooperative," Baki points out. "You're also a kunoichi and he's a boy."

"You know I hate shit like that, Baki," the daughter of the Kazekage effortlessly speaks her mind to her superior.

"And you also know how effective appeal can be… regardless of gender," Baki returns. "More often than not, savvy women have an easier time directly engaging the more primitive desire-driven part of the male brain. It's all too common for men to fool themselves into thinking they have a chance if women let them believe they're interested. It's not sexism, Temari, it's tactics. I'm not asking you to seduce him to the full scope of the word, however, if he's comfortable-"

"Alright, I get it!" she heaves exasperated. "He'll be less guarded and more inclined to share." Entirely fed up with this apparently universal notion that her sex is her only substantial advantage, she grabs her tray of food and practically stomps toward the door, irately pointing out, "you know, I'm one of the smartest and deadliest kunoichi in the village," before sarcastically asking, "but what's skill and intelligence matter when you have a pair of tits, right?"

After she slams the door behind her, the two men let out a relieved breath before Baki orders Kankurō, "you to talk to his teammates. We have four full days of free time. Let's see if there's anything worth learning. Despite the imminent goals being finalized for the future, you three are Kazekage-sama's legacy and need to represent our village as a decisive force to be reckoned with."

INO

Ino had several nightmares last night and didn't get much sleep. Every nightmare had a boy dying in it, whether it was a blond-haired boy dying at the hands of some monster, or a raven-haired boy dying on an operating table, and come morning, she tracked Team 7 simply to see with her very eyes how crazy she's acting. Spotting Sakura and Naruto, Ino can immediately read the horribly awkward mood between them.

'They're broken pretty bad,' Ino calmly observes and she knows quite well she was the one leading them there. Two of her most important relations and they can barely look at each other. Feeling the need to correct her persistent errors, Ino greets them with charm before forcibly dragging Sakura away. By the weak resistance Ino felt, she's fairly certain she's rescuing Sakura.

Yet, in her assigned room, Sakura venomously asserts, "you know I don't want to talk to you."

"Yes, yes, yes, I know, okay," Ino quickly rebuttals, flimsily waving the pinkette's venom aside. "I understand what I did crossed lines. I saw you both. I'm not blind. Maybe I'll never be able to earn your forgiveness, but I'm telling you now, I won't stop trying to do just that."

"It'll never work," Sakura claims, eying her former friend and former rival sternly. "The day Naruto stops hurting from a broken heart is the only day I'll consider possibly forgiving you. Do you know how guilty I feel? Not only is it agonizing to think about Sasuke now—to truly see him—but it's even worse every time I see Naruto. There was no need to hurt him like that and it's all your fault!"

"Let's not be over-dramatic, Forehead," Ino returns with a raised voice. "You might be in a rush to forget how fanatically obsessed you were, but I certainly remember you were more than fine breaking his heart as long as you got your photo back." Sakura winces to hear and Ino inhales deeply before exhaling to avoid blaming one another. "Look, before we devolve into the usual shouting match, can we please talk a little first?"

"No," Sakura answers. "I still don't want to talk to you," the pinkette finishes as she moves toward the door.

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