Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ For The Pleasure of Her Company ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: evefaxton 
Operation: Convince Sakura to sell her body!
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.04.2011 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 285 | Status: Work In Progress
Operation: Convince Sakura to sell her body!
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.04.2011 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 285 | Status: Work In Progress
I do not own Naruto, don't I make any profit from it, neither “We Are The World” by Micheal Jackson. Relax, I put the bare minimum in.
Chapter Three
Late in the afternoon in Sunakagure...
Temari adjusted her giant fan on her back and whistled a happy tune as she wandered the halls of the Kazekage's tower after dropping off her travel papers at the front desk. Yesterday had been a very good day and if everything went according to plan, the next few weeks were going to be even better. A letter came from the Hokage offering her the perfect answer to a problem plaguing her for the past three years. Albeit it was a temporary solution, but definitely the first step in the right direction.
'Correction, two problems!' The blond kunoichi grinned to herself as she imagined the outcome of the upcoming conversation which happened right on schedule. Two men, one shorter than the other, stepped out from the adjoining hall and stood in her path. Temari waited for them to confront her and she smirked at the brothers, who made a bad habit of being annoying jackasses.
Gaara glared at his sister with his black-rimmed eyes, “You signed up for the Charity Auction.”
“That I did,” Temari haughtily glanced between Gaara and Kankuro, “And there is nothing you can do about it. I cleared it with the council before sending an answer and they loved the idea. Konoha isn't the only village that could use a little extra cash, you know. I leave in three weeks and you two schmucks are stuck.”
The gutsy blond kunoichi shuffled around her brothers in triumph, “Hah! No more scaring guys away with your sick little puppet shows or reassigning guys to the furthermost stations at the borders. I'm going on a real date and you can't stop me.”
Kankuro faced his sister down in a menacing growl in the hopes of resembling their father, “We'll kill whoever dares to buys you.”
She laughed and tugged Kankuro's black hat over his eyes, “No you won't. Maime or rip limbs apart possibly, but not without pissing off our new allies. I have no intention anymore of letting you intimidate me from having a love life. I will be damned if history repeats itself. I absolutely refuse to end up like Chiyo-baasama, sitting around useless and waiting to die. All the while doing nothing but figuring out how to prank my equally loser brothers.”
“What's wrong with that?” Kankuro stepped forward, but was stopped by his little brother extending one arm.
“Let her go,” ordered Gaara and the elder complied with a tiny scowl. The Sabaku brothers let Temari pass and they watched her strut proudly away.
Kankuro turned back to Gaara, “I can't believe that we'll let our sister sell herself to some creep? Or worse... Shikamaru.”
The Kazekage turned his cold green eyes onto Kankuro, “Like hell we will. She's not the only one who can manipulate the council.”
...
Late that night in the Hokage's private library, Tsunade sat in front of the Third's old scrying crystal and waited for a response from the two kages peering back at her from their own private communication device, “So gentlemen, I'm curious on what you think. Do you object A-sama?”
The Raikage slammed his thundering fist on a table making all three orbs shake in their stands, “I think it's a brilliant idea! A fundraiser will bring in more of the rich civilian clients who are still uncomfortable around shinobi. Won't be long before we're rolling in the dough.”
The Tsukikage thoughtfully stroked his goatee and muttered, “My kunoichi might find this a fun distraction from the daily grind. I'll put the word out and see if we get any volunteers.”
“Very good,” said Tsunade, “As soon as I get your lists, I'll ask the hotels around ready their rooms for all the guest coming. Also from the last message I received from Kirikagure, Mei will also be joining the line up of lovely ladies selling their company for a romantic evening.”
Onoki wiggled his bushy gray brows and chuckled, “Is that so?”
The Raikage rumbled at the little man, “Don't tell me you gonna be bidding on the Mizukage!”
“And why not?”
The Raikage poked a finger from his side of the orb and made Onoki's image bounce, “Well, look at you. One bra cup is bigger than your head.”
Onoki squeezed back into the other image, “My stature may be a challenge, but I got it where it counts. Enough bags of gold that could sink three battleships.”
The Raikage laughed so hard the walls in all three kage offices rattled, “Please, my pinky has got a piggy bank bigger than you.”
“You mean your ONLY PINKY! What do you have to offer Mei, one hand man?
“Excuse me gentlemen,” interrupted Tsunade and laughed at their enthusiasm, “But the Mizukage is not the only fetching bachelorette around.”
The Raikage rubbed his goatee in thought, “You got a point, Hokage-sama. Your personal assistant is quite the impressive medic and we always had a thing for brunettes. Shizune, wasn't it? A brilliant woman! Is she participating as well?”
“She is signed up for the auction, A-sama... as am I.” Tsunade ran fingers through her blond hair with flourish and threw a flirtatious wink at the two men reflected in the glass orb.
There was an awkward pause before the Tsukikage and Raikage went back to arguing over who had the bigger wallet. Tsunade glowered at the squabbling pair then cut the chakra to the scrying ball. She sulked at her own reflection, “Jerks!”
In the Land of Iron, the leader of the samurai picked up the short message that had been handed to him a few hours ago and his eyes perused the invitation once again. The man's outward appearance remained calm and placid, but inside his mind raced excited thoughts and various scenarios of how a simple entertaining event could bring the seven shinobi nations a little closer together.
Mifune signaled to the nearest secretary, “Would you mind clearing my schedule three weeks from now and send a reply to the Hokage that I would be attending the auction.”
“Hai, Mifune-sama.”
He returned to reading his pile of reports and smiled to himself, “A little diplomatic trip would be good for relations and it would be nice to see Tsunade-chan again.”
…
Yamanaka Ino proudly marched down the middle of street toward Sakura's house with her teammates, Chouji and Shikamaru in tow, “You may call me a certified genius for I have come up with Plan: Convince Sakura To Sell Her Body!”
“Please, tell me that's for the charity,” Shika mumbled with a glowing cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
“Of course,” quipped Ino then she snatched the cigarette out of his mouth and chucked it into a passerby's open cup of soda. Shikamaru didn't bother stopping Ino, but he made sure to keep his last pack out of his teammate’s sight.
Chouji scratched his temple in confusion, “Why do you think today is the day that she'll join you in the auction?”
The blond gave a long sigh as if tired of having to repeat herself, “Because underneath Sakura's protesting exterior beats a bleeding heart. I simply need to tug on the right strings and she'll be begging to join.” Ino pressed the bell at the doorway leading to the Haruno household.
“I'll be right there,” yelled a voice from a window above then Team Ten heard running footsteps to the front door. When the door opened, Sakura froze then glared down her foe, “Should have known. I don't care what you say, Ino. It's barbaric even if it's done in the name of charity.”
“Such a jaded soul in one so young. Don't you understand that we would be enhancing and bettering the lives of innocent children who need our help. You and I are shinobi... KUNOICHI! It is our duty to help and protect those weaker than us,” Ino hopped up the steps and wrapped her friend in a hug, “There's comes a time, when we head a certain call. When the world must come together as one.”
Sakura's eye twitched in annoyance, “Ino, that's not an argument... that's a song.”
Shikamaru and Chouji exchanged glances with the same thought running through their minds, 'Oh no!'
Ino clutched Sakura tighter so she couldn't escape, “Yes, but WHAT a song! Just listen to the lyrics.”
“There are people dying,” Ino began to sway, bringing a terrified Sakura along with her, and singing softly, “And it's time to lend a hand to life. The greatest gift of all.”
“Here it comes.” Shikamaru grabbed his rotund teammate and they ran headlong into the nearest shop with enclosed glass windows.
Ino took in a huge lungful of air and ripped to the heavens, “WE ARE THE WORLD! WE ARE THE CHILDREN!” The street that was once teeming with pedestrians cleared in record time with everyone running and hands over their heads. “WE ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE A BRIGHTER DAY SO LET'S START GIVING!”
Chouji panted as he watched from the safety behind the glass windows, “Now she's going into the second verse. Did Ino say, 'Bleeding heart' or 'Bleeding Ears'? Sakura looks like she's going into shock.”
“I wouldn't be surprised,” said Shika as he shook out another cigarette from the box, lit it, and took a long, comforting drag, “Ino's father taped her singing in the shower one morning then gave the recording to the ANBU special ops. Her voice created a whole new interrogation technique that they use on S-class criminals. It gave Inoichi-san a promotion that year.”
“That is messed up, Hey, looks like she's just about finished with Sakura.”
Shika held Chouji back, “Give me another thirty seconds then I'll put this out... Okay, let's go.”
“It's true we'll make a better day. Just you and meee,” Ino held Sakura by the collar, pulled her nose to nose and whispered, “Do it, Sakura. Sell your body!”
“You dirty bitch,” With her head bowed in defeat, Sakura hissed from under a dark cloud, “Fine, I'll do it. J-just promise you'll never sing at me again.” Then the poor kunoichi burst into tears, grateful for getting out alive.
Ino smiled wide and released Sakura from her grip, letting the sobbing girl plop to the ground like lifeless jelly, “Wonderful! I'll go tell Shizune-neesan that you'll be participating.”
Chouji was the first out of the store to check on the pink-haired kunoichi. He gently scooped up a sniffling Sakura in his arms and headed for the hospital, “A promotion, huh?”
Shika nodded as he followed after, “And a big fat bonus if he continued recording free material for them every year.”
A horrifying thought occurred to Chouji, “Inoichi-san wouldn't encourage her to sing at the auction, would he?”
“Not if he wants to have grand kids.”
...
It had been a week since Shizune declared Sakura's auditory senses fully rehabilitated and now she had to join the other women in turning Konoha upside down in their quest for the perfect outfit. Grumbling at the price tags, Sakura gazed into the window that seemed to beckon with their beautiful dresses made of smooth silk or luxurious satin. Each creation was hand embroidered with intricate designs that shimmered in the carefully placed lighting of the window stage.
Ino had her nose pressed into the glass of the next store and squealed with undisguised glee and lust, “Those shoes are gorgeous and look at the size of that diamond ring!”
Determined to resist temptation of useless excess, Sakura slapped her best friend in the shoulder, “It's not real. Diamonds don't sell for five ryu. You should know better than that, Ino.”
“Of course I do,” sniffed the blond kunoichi, “I can detect a fake gem from ten paces, but your average guy hasn't a clue. If I wanna land a rich suitor, I need to look like a rich bride. So bring on the bling, baby!”
Sakura rolled her eyes and tugged Ino away from the window, “Looks like the jewelry isn't the only thing fake around here. Come on, Ino. Let's find something a little less trashy and more upstanding.”
The blond kunoichi refused to budge, “We're not going anywhere. This is the one.” She held her ground against Sakura with the determination of a stubborn turtle.
“Don't be silly,” Sakura paused when Ino still would not move then burst into laughter, “A stupid shop can not be The One. Remember when we were twelve? You made a point of declaring Sasuke-kun was The One.”
“As I recall, you agreed with me at the time,” Ino teased back at her friend.
Sakura had to concede, but she wasn't going to admit that publicly, “That's beside the point. Back when we were sixteen, Sai was next to be dubbed The One.”
Ino folded her arms in annoyance, “He could still be. I've been dropping hints around him like crazy. So I don't see where this is leading.”
A vein throbbed on the far side of Sakura's forehead, “My point is that your view of the world may be slightly askew and exclaiming in a grandiose fashion that a store with lame sales pitches pushing products of sweatshop labor and cheap paste is THE ONE would qualify as a prime example of your usual rush to judgment.”
“I don't see where this is leading,” repeated Ino with a somewhat glazed look in her blue eyes while she had her nose once again pressed to the window and watched the pretty ring sparkle in the sunlight.
“You know what, Ino? You're absolutely right. As long as we make it make it back to the hospital in time for my shift, this shop could be freaking Shangri-La and Treasure Island rolled into one.” Sakura glanced at her watch and dragged Ino through the door. A delicate chime went off over their heads, announcing their arrival, and two smiling saleswomen appeared from behind a curtain door.
They smiled and bowed to their customers, “Welcome to our shop, ladies! Are looking for dresses, shoes, jewelry? We have all that and more.”
Ino spread her arms wide and proclaimed, “You name it, we need it. Give us the whole shebang!” The women's eyes lit up like firecrackers, but Sakura was quick to bring their eagerness to a screeching halt.
“But within our budget,” She interceded then whispered to her friend, “We do have to worry about dressing for our dates after the auction.”
“Good point,” The blond walked past the disappointed salesladies then started sorting through the racks of the more moderately priced duds, “Good point. We need to look good, but not too fancy yet.” An hour of trying on dresses then building accessories to compliment their choices produced two ecstatic kunoichi ready to impress their future dates.
As one lady rung up their purchases, the other saleswoman set a fancy display on the counter and started stacking little blue boxes in a pyramid. Ino pointed to the glitter laden display, “What is that?”
“Hmmm?” The saleswoman turned around from her cash register and brightened at the chance to make her commission even bigger today, “Oh this! It's a secret weapon that every woman should own. This will stimulate sexual appeal of whoever wears it and enhance the romantic mood of your partner. It promises to elevate your confidence and awaken the senses of the object of your desire.” She took a small blue bottle out of the box to show the curious girls.
“Ah-ah-ah,” The lady held the bottle out of Ino's reach and flourished a hand along the glass, ““I don't know if you're ready for this... but then again I would kick myself if you miss this very important piece to a wardrobe.”
Sakura inspected the bottle from afar and eyed it with a heavy dose of suspicion, “It's perfume.”
“Not just any perfume. It is a scent made with a secret recipe of blended pheromones and essential oils. Never underestimate the subliminal power of a woman's scent. The loveliest feature is that this perfume changes from person to person, making your sex appeal explicitly unique to the wearer.”
Sakura held up a finger, “Um, but that happens for any kind of-”
The saleslady cut her off and redirected Ino back to the bottle, “With this in your arsenal you can lure the man of dreams not just with your beauty, but with chemistry.” With eyes wide and breathing heavily, Ino stretched out shaking hands and she took an unopened box from the saleswoman's grip as if it held the fabled fountain of youth.
Sakura frowned while sniffing the sample then put it back on the counter, “Eh I don't know. It smells nice, but not a hundred ryu nice, especially for only a few ounces.”
“For you two, half off,” quipped the lady, making Ino squeal and grab two more boxes.
Sakura shook her head at the excited blond then everyone was distracted when the door chime went off and all the women looked over their shoulders to see Inuzuka Hana dragging her little brother into the shop.
Hana held the guy by the collar of his leather coat and pulled him through the doorway, “Look Kiba, I've been sewing your ripped pants and cooking your meals just about every day. Mom is out of town and you owe me a boatload of favors. So you will help me get ready for the auction.”
Kiba growled like a feral dog put on a leash for the first time, but that didn't deter his sister from pulling the twenty year old into the store filled with frilly lace and satin. The saleswoman forgot her latest conquests and hurried to meet the heir apparent of the Inuzuka Clan. After the other lady finished packing their purchases, Ino tapped Sakura on the shoulder and gestured for them to slip back into the changing rooms.
Hana bowed with the saleslady and was immediately directed toward their pricier stock. Kiba slunk off to the back where he could hide behind the rows of clothing, grumbling all the way, “It's not like her sewing and cooking are all that great. In fact, they suck! And now I'm being guilted into clothes shopping.” Kiba felt his senses tingling whenever there was someone watching and glanced over his shoulder to make sure nobody could see him through the store windows.
“Man, what is that smell?” He held up the offending blue bottle of perfume and scowled, “This shit stinks something nasty. Why does everyone always gotta go overboard on the perfume. That stuff always gives me a massive headache. The only way this could get worse is if-”
Ino poked her head through the changing room curtain and cooed, “Hellooo, Kiba!” The two young women stepped out of hiding, giggling at the comical way he jumped then tried to cover up being caught in a ladies' clothing store.
Annoyed that his nose failed to catch who exactly was in the shop with him, Kiba slowly turned around to glare at the women, “Ino, Sakura, you're here. It's nice to know that my bad luck is bottomless today. I see that you two are looking for a better quality of war paint?”
“That's none of your business, dog-boy,” Ino faked interest in a nearby dress hanging off the arm of a mannequin “And there's nothing wrong with a lady wanting to make herself look pretty.”
Kiba snorted at the kunoichi, “Pretty is one thing, but it's another thing entirely when a woman walks around looking like a kabuki actor.”
Ino drew herself haughtily next to the jerk, “Like you would understand. Makeup is a subtle art that you guys can never appreciate.”
“Bullshit! If that were true, then why is it possible for me to handle looking at you now.”
Spitting mad, Ino raised her hand and was about to whack Kiba across the head when Sakura stepped in between them, “Ino, I think there's a pearl choker in the display case for only ten ryo.”
“Really?!” The blond left the other two behind and ran for the glass counter to search every nook and cranny.
Sakura turned back to Kiba and raised a pink eyebrow at him, “You're welcome.”
“Bah,” He thumbed his nose at Ino's back, “She couldn't lay a finger on me and we all know it.”
“Don't be so sure,” Sakura wandered to the other side of Kiba where the shoes were on display and started searching for her size. She didn't notice how Kiba's eyes slowly made their way down her slim figure then back up to rest on her rear end.
“Where's Akamaru?” She asked while lifting a red velvet pair then winced from the price, “He usually keeps you in a more grounded mood.”
“He's at home with Kuromaru for extra training,” Kiba growled through clenched teeth, “That lucky son of bitch.”
Sakura paused in sorting through the rack and muttered angrily, “I would take offense to that kind of language, if it wasn't sorta true.”
Kiba shrugged as he leaned into the wall, “Hey, he's my dog! He doesn't care.”
Hana stepped out from her changing room, pulling up the side zipper of a red sheath dress, “Okay, Kiba! What do you think of this one?”
He glanced briefly then answered, “It's a dress.” Every single woman in the store groaned and rolled their eyes upwards.
Hana sighed at her stupid little brother, “Typical cop-out! I meant, does it fit right? Too Baggy or too tight? Too long, too short, wrong color, not enough sequins?”
Kiba rubbed one temple with a finger then waved at the bottom of the dress, “Fine then... the sequins, definitely too many sequins.”
Hana blinked in confusion then bent to check the hem, “Are you sure? Because there's barely any, just along here.”
“Of course I'm not sure,” yelled Kiba and threw himself into a chair, “Why did you drag me into this if you weren't going to take my opinion seriously.” Hana frowned at her little brother then returned to the dressing room in a huff.
“You shouldn't talk to your sister like that,” whispered Sakura from behind one hand, “She only wanted your help.”
“Then next time she should know better than to ask me. I'm the wrong person for the job.” Kiba sulked in his chair with one knee rapidly bouncing from pent up anxiety and aggression.
Sakura returned to the shoe rack, flipped over a pair of red heels, and muttered under her breath, “Tch, someone's all piss and vinegar today.”
“Tough talk from someone who used to hate the very idea of a slave-girl auction. Still I might check the auction out and see if you can go through with it. With your track record, I wouldn’t be surprised if you choked!” Kiba smirked to see that he hit the mark right where it hurt. Sakura's hand was stopped in midair and bent her head low.
Her voice quivered with barely controlled anger as she side-glared at him with hard green eyes, “You can be a real asshole, Kiba. Just because you're having a bad day you have to make everyone else miserable. Unlike you when I give my word to help someone, I do the best I can. Not kick and snivel like a spoiled baby the entire time.”
Kiba hooted at his playmates attempt to put him in his place, “Haruno Sakura is calling me a baby? Ah-hah! That's really messed up. Itty-bitty Sakura couldn't stand up for herself in preschool and it took Ino to rescue your fragile ego. Don't forget there was pathetic cry-baby Sakura who begged Naruto to bring back her Sasuke-kun despite the whole damn squad of us guys coming back more torn up than-”
“KIBA!” Hana came roaring out of her changing room with a black dress barely zipped up the side, grabbed him by the collar, and jerked him backwards to stop him from attacking Sakura anymore, “I can never take you anywhere without you stirring up shit.”
Ino came running to Sakura's side when Hana first barked from the changing rooms and found the older Inuzuka pushing Kiba onto his knees, “What's going on here?”
“Kiba was about to apologize for acting like a crass bastard with no manners and even less good sense,” Hana dug her claw-like nails into his shoulders and growled, “Do it.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and bent forward until his forehead touched the floor, “Haruno-san, I apologize for acting like a crass bastard with no manners and even less good sense.”
Sakura looked down on Kiba as he waited for some response or when Hana decided to let up on the pressure she put on his back, which didn't look anytime soon, “Kiba, the difference between us is that you were lucky to have teammates who realized they need you as much as you need them.”
Kiba glanced upward at the pink kunoichi before him with extreme sadness written all over her face and he felt like digging a hole to crawl in. Scenting the shame rising off him, Hana released her grip and let her little brother stand up.
“You're not the same kid who took every chance to knock Naruto down and I sure as hell am not the same pushover from the past. Last I checked you weren't the one who slammed a towering rampaging beast with one hit!” Holding her head high, Sakura grabbed her grinning best friend by the arm and made for the sales counter, “So if you want your teeth crushed like I did with your foot, keep flapping your yap!”
The first saleswoman piled their purchases on the girls' arms while other saleslady holding the door open also raised a complimentary box of the blue perfume.
Grabbing the box without missing a beat, Sakura paused in the doorway long enough to point in the air and proclaim to her audience, “SHANNARO!”
After the two kunoichi disappeared from the window view, Kiba stared at the floor and shuffled his feet, “I didn't mean to hurt her like that, sis. I don't know what got into me.”
Hana switched the red dress back over the black and sighed, “There are better ways of handling a crush, Kiba. Biting her head off does not work.”
The saleslady walked up from behind Hana and waved another box of perfume under the Inuzuka's nose, “For you, half off.”
Converting /tmp/phpLdcKuw to /dev/stdout
Chapter Three
Late in the afternoon in Sunakagure...
Temari adjusted her giant fan on her back and whistled a happy tune as she wandered the halls of the Kazekage's tower after dropping off her travel papers at the front desk. Yesterday had been a very good day and if everything went according to plan, the next few weeks were going to be even better. A letter came from the Hokage offering her the perfect answer to a problem plaguing her for the past three years. Albeit it was a temporary solution, but definitely the first step in the right direction.
'Correction, two problems!' The blond kunoichi grinned to herself as she imagined the outcome of the upcoming conversation which happened right on schedule. Two men, one shorter than the other, stepped out from the adjoining hall and stood in her path. Temari waited for them to confront her and she smirked at the brothers, who made a bad habit of being annoying jackasses.
Gaara glared at his sister with his black-rimmed eyes, “You signed up for the Charity Auction.”
“That I did,” Temari haughtily glanced between Gaara and Kankuro, “And there is nothing you can do about it. I cleared it with the council before sending an answer and they loved the idea. Konoha isn't the only village that could use a little extra cash, you know. I leave in three weeks and you two schmucks are stuck.”
The gutsy blond kunoichi shuffled around her brothers in triumph, “Hah! No more scaring guys away with your sick little puppet shows or reassigning guys to the furthermost stations at the borders. I'm going on a real date and you can't stop me.”
Kankuro faced his sister down in a menacing growl in the hopes of resembling their father, “We'll kill whoever dares to buys you.”
She laughed and tugged Kankuro's black hat over his eyes, “No you won't. Maime or rip limbs apart possibly, but not without pissing off our new allies. I have no intention anymore of letting you intimidate me from having a love life. I will be damned if history repeats itself. I absolutely refuse to end up like Chiyo-baasama, sitting around useless and waiting to die. All the while doing nothing but figuring out how to prank my equally loser brothers.”
“What's wrong with that?” Kankuro stepped forward, but was stopped by his little brother extending one arm.
“Let her go,” ordered Gaara and the elder complied with a tiny scowl. The Sabaku brothers let Temari pass and they watched her strut proudly away.
Kankuro turned back to Gaara, “I can't believe that we'll let our sister sell herself to some creep? Or worse... Shikamaru.”
The Kazekage turned his cold green eyes onto Kankuro, “Like hell we will. She's not the only one who can manipulate the council.”
...
Late that night in the Hokage's private library, Tsunade sat in front of the Third's old scrying crystal and waited for a response from the two kages peering back at her from their own private communication device, “So gentlemen, I'm curious on what you think. Do you object A-sama?”
The Raikage slammed his thundering fist on a table making all three orbs shake in their stands, “I think it's a brilliant idea! A fundraiser will bring in more of the rich civilian clients who are still uncomfortable around shinobi. Won't be long before we're rolling in the dough.”
The Tsukikage thoughtfully stroked his goatee and muttered, “My kunoichi might find this a fun distraction from the daily grind. I'll put the word out and see if we get any volunteers.”
“Very good,” said Tsunade, “As soon as I get your lists, I'll ask the hotels around ready their rooms for all the guest coming. Also from the last message I received from Kirikagure, Mei will also be joining the line up of lovely ladies selling their company for a romantic evening.”
Onoki wiggled his bushy gray brows and chuckled, “Is that so?”
The Raikage rumbled at the little man, “Don't tell me you gonna be bidding on the Mizukage!”
“And why not?”
The Raikage poked a finger from his side of the orb and made Onoki's image bounce, “Well, look at you. One bra cup is bigger than your head.”
Onoki squeezed back into the other image, “My stature may be a challenge, but I got it where it counts. Enough bags of gold that could sink three battleships.”
The Raikage laughed so hard the walls in all three kage offices rattled, “Please, my pinky has got a piggy bank bigger than you.”
“You mean your ONLY PINKY! What do you have to offer Mei, one hand man?
“Excuse me gentlemen,” interrupted Tsunade and laughed at their enthusiasm, “But the Mizukage is not the only fetching bachelorette around.”
The Raikage rubbed his goatee in thought, “You got a point, Hokage-sama. Your personal assistant is quite the impressive medic and we always had a thing for brunettes. Shizune, wasn't it? A brilliant woman! Is she participating as well?”
“She is signed up for the auction, A-sama... as am I.” Tsunade ran fingers through her blond hair with flourish and threw a flirtatious wink at the two men reflected in the glass orb.
There was an awkward pause before the Tsukikage and Raikage went back to arguing over who had the bigger wallet. Tsunade glowered at the squabbling pair then cut the chakra to the scrying ball. She sulked at her own reflection, “Jerks!”
In the Land of Iron, the leader of the samurai picked up the short message that had been handed to him a few hours ago and his eyes perused the invitation once again. The man's outward appearance remained calm and placid, but inside his mind raced excited thoughts and various scenarios of how a simple entertaining event could bring the seven shinobi nations a little closer together.
Mifune signaled to the nearest secretary, “Would you mind clearing my schedule three weeks from now and send a reply to the Hokage that I would be attending the auction.”
“Hai, Mifune-sama.”
He returned to reading his pile of reports and smiled to himself, “A little diplomatic trip would be good for relations and it would be nice to see Tsunade-chan again.”
…
Yamanaka Ino proudly marched down the middle of street toward Sakura's house with her teammates, Chouji and Shikamaru in tow, “You may call me a certified genius for I have come up with Plan: Convince Sakura To Sell Her Body!”
“Please, tell me that's for the charity,” Shika mumbled with a glowing cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
“Of course,” quipped Ino then she snatched the cigarette out of his mouth and chucked it into a passerby's open cup of soda. Shikamaru didn't bother stopping Ino, but he made sure to keep his last pack out of his teammate’s sight.
Chouji scratched his temple in confusion, “Why do you think today is the day that she'll join you in the auction?”
The blond gave a long sigh as if tired of having to repeat herself, “Because underneath Sakura's protesting exterior beats a bleeding heart. I simply need to tug on the right strings and she'll be begging to join.” Ino pressed the bell at the doorway leading to the Haruno household.
“I'll be right there,” yelled a voice from a window above then Team Ten heard running footsteps to the front door. When the door opened, Sakura froze then glared down her foe, “Should have known. I don't care what you say, Ino. It's barbaric even if it's done in the name of charity.”
“Such a jaded soul in one so young. Don't you understand that we would be enhancing and bettering the lives of innocent children who need our help. You and I are shinobi... KUNOICHI! It is our duty to help and protect those weaker than us,” Ino hopped up the steps and wrapped her friend in a hug, “There's comes a time, when we head a certain call. When the world must come together as one.”
Sakura's eye twitched in annoyance, “Ino, that's not an argument... that's a song.”
Shikamaru and Chouji exchanged glances with the same thought running through their minds, 'Oh no!'
Ino clutched Sakura tighter so she couldn't escape, “Yes, but WHAT a song! Just listen to the lyrics.”
“There are people dying,” Ino began to sway, bringing a terrified Sakura along with her, and singing softly, “And it's time to lend a hand to life. The greatest gift of all.”
“Here it comes.” Shikamaru grabbed his rotund teammate and they ran headlong into the nearest shop with enclosed glass windows.
Ino took in a huge lungful of air and ripped to the heavens, “WE ARE THE WORLD! WE ARE THE CHILDREN!” The street that was once teeming with pedestrians cleared in record time with everyone running and hands over their heads. “WE ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE A BRIGHTER DAY SO LET'S START GIVING!”
Chouji panted as he watched from the safety behind the glass windows, “Now she's going into the second verse. Did Ino say, 'Bleeding heart' or 'Bleeding Ears'? Sakura looks like she's going into shock.”
“I wouldn't be surprised,” said Shika as he shook out another cigarette from the box, lit it, and took a long, comforting drag, “Ino's father taped her singing in the shower one morning then gave the recording to the ANBU special ops. Her voice created a whole new interrogation technique that they use on S-class criminals. It gave Inoichi-san a promotion that year.”
“That is messed up, Hey, looks like she's just about finished with Sakura.”
Shika held Chouji back, “Give me another thirty seconds then I'll put this out... Okay, let's go.”
“It's true we'll make a better day. Just you and meee,” Ino held Sakura by the collar, pulled her nose to nose and whispered, “Do it, Sakura. Sell your body!”
“You dirty bitch,” With her head bowed in defeat, Sakura hissed from under a dark cloud, “Fine, I'll do it. J-just promise you'll never sing at me again.” Then the poor kunoichi burst into tears, grateful for getting out alive.
Ino smiled wide and released Sakura from her grip, letting the sobbing girl plop to the ground like lifeless jelly, “Wonderful! I'll go tell Shizune-neesan that you'll be participating.”
Chouji was the first out of the store to check on the pink-haired kunoichi. He gently scooped up a sniffling Sakura in his arms and headed for the hospital, “A promotion, huh?”
Shika nodded as he followed after, “And a big fat bonus if he continued recording free material for them every year.”
A horrifying thought occurred to Chouji, “Inoichi-san wouldn't encourage her to sing at the auction, would he?”
“Not if he wants to have grand kids.”
...
It had been a week since Shizune declared Sakura's auditory senses fully rehabilitated and now she had to join the other women in turning Konoha upside down in their quest for the perfect outfit. Grumbling at the price tags, Sakura gazed into the window that seemed to beckon with their beautiful dresses made of smooth silk or luxurious satin. Each creation was hand embroidered with intricate designs that shimmered in the carefully placed lighting of the window stage.
Ino had her nose pressed into the glass of the next store and squealed with undisguised glee and lust, “Those shoes are gorgeous and look at the size of that diamond ring!”
Determined to resist temptation of useless excess, Sakura slapped her best friend in the shoulder, “It's not real. Diamonds don't sell for five ryu. You should know better than that, Ino.”
“Of course I do,” sniffed the blond kunoichi, “I can detect a fake gem from ten paces, but your average guy hasn't a clue. If I wanna land a rich suitor, I need to look like a rich bride. So bring on the bling, baby!”
Sakura rolled her eyes and tugged Ino away from the window, “Looks like the jewelry isn't the only thing fake around here. Come on, Ino. Let's find something a little less trashy and more upstanding.”
The blond kunoichi refused to budge, “We're not going anywhere. This is the one.” She held her ground against Sakura with the determination of a stubborn turtle.
“Don't be silly,” Sakura paused when Ino still would not move then burst into laughter, “A stupid shop can not be The One. Remember when we were twelve? You made a point of declaring Sasuke-kun was The One.”
“As I recall, you agreed with me at the time,” Ino teased back at her friend.
Sakura had to concede, but she wasn't going to admit that publicly, “That's beside the point. Back when we were sixteen, Sai was next to be dubbed The One.”
Ino folded her arms in annoyance, “He could still be. I've been dropping hints around him like crazy. So I don't see where this is leading.”
A vein throbbed on the far side of Sakura's forehead, “My point is that your view of the world may be slightly askew and exclaiming in a grandiose fashion that a store with lame sales pitches pushing products of sweatshop labor and cheap paste is THE ONE would qualify as a prime example of your usual rush to judgment.”
“I don't see where this is leading,” repeated Ino with a somewhat glazed look in her blue eyes while she had her nose once again pressed to the window and watched the pretty ring sparkle in the sunlight.
“You know what, Ino? You're absolutely right. As long as we make it make it back to the hospital in time for my shift, this shop could be freaking Shangri-La and Treasure Island rolled into one.” Sakura glanced at her watch and dragged Ino through the door. A delicate chime went off over their heads, announcing their arrival, and two smiling saleswomen appeared from behind a curtain door.
They smiled and bowed to their customers, “Welcome to our shop, ladies! Are looking for dresses, shoes, jewelry? We have all that and more.”
Ino spread her arms wide and proclaimed, “You name it, we need it. Give us the whole shebang!” The women's eyes lit up like firecrackers, but Sakura was quick to bring their eagerness to a screeching halt.
“But within our budget,” She interceded then whispered to her friend, “We do have to worry about dressing for our dates after the auction.”
“Good point,” The blond walked past the disappointed salesladies then started sorting through the racks of the more moderately priced duds, “Good point. We need to look good, but not too fancy yet.” An hour of trying on dresses then building accessories to compliment their choices produced two ecstatic kunoichi ready to impress their future dates.
As one lady rung up their purchases, the other saleswoman set a fancy display on the counter and started stacking little blue boxes in a pyramid. Ino pointed to the glitter laden display, “What is that?”
“Hmmm?” The saleswoman turned around from her cash register and brightened at the chance to make her commission even bigger today, “Oh this! It's a secret weapon that every woman should own. This will stimulate sexual appeal of whoever wears it and enhance the romantic mood of your partner. It promises to elevate your confidence and awaken the senses of the object of your desire.” She took a small blue bottle out of the box to show the curious girls.
“Ah-ah-ah,” The lady held the bottle out of Ino's reach and flourished a hand along the glass, ““I don't know if you're ready for this... but then again I would kick myself if you miss this very important piece to a wardrobe.”
Sakura inspected the bottle from afar and eyed it with a heavy dose of suspicion, “It's perfume.”
“Not just any perfume. It is a scent made with a secret recipe of blended pheromones and essential oils. Never underestimate the subliminal power of a woman's scent. The loveliest feature is that this perfume changes from person to person, making your sex appeal explicitly unique to the wearer.”
Sakura held up a finger, “Um, but that happens for any kind of-”
The saleslady cut her off and redirected Ino back to the bottle, “With this in your arsenal you can lure the man of dreams not just with your beauty, but with chemistry.” With eyes wide and breathing heavily, Ino stretched out shaking hands and she took an unopened box from the saleswoman's grip as if it held the fabled fountain of youth.
Sakura frowned while sniffing the sample then put it back on the counter, “Eh I don't know. It smells nice, but not a hundred ryu nice, especially for only a few ounces.”
“For you two, half off,” quipped the lady, making Ino squeal and grab two more boxes.
Sakura shook her head at the excited blond then everyone was distracted when the door chime went off and all the women looked over their shoulders to see Inuzuka Hana dragging her little brother into the shop.
Hana held the guy by the collar of his leather coat and pulled him through the doorway, “Look Kiba, I've been sewing your ripped pants and cooking your meals just about every day. Mom is out of town and you owe me a boatload of favors. So you will help me get ready for the auction.”
Kiba growled like a feral dog put on a leash for the first time, but that didn't deter his sister from pulling the twenty year old into the store filled with frilly lace and satin. The saleswoman forgot her latest conquests and hurried to meet the heir apparent of the Inuzuka Clan. After the other lady finished packing their purchases, Ino tapped Sakura on the shoulder and gestured for them to slip back into the changing rooms.
Hana bowed with the saleslady and was immediately directed toward their pricier stock. Kiba slunk off to the back where he could hide behind the rows of clothing, grumbling all the way, “It's not like her sewing and cooking are all that great. In fact, they suck! And now I'm being guilted into clothes shopping.” Kiba felt his senses tingling whenever there was someone watching and glanced over his shoulder to make sure nobody could see him through the store windows.
“Man, what is that smell?” He held up the offending blue bottle of perfume and scowled, “This shit stinks something nasty. Why does everyone always gotta go overboard on the perfume. That stuff always gives me a massive headache. The only way this could get worse is if-”
Ino poked her head through the changing room curtain and cooed, “Hellooo, Kiba!” The two young women stepped out of hiding, giggling at the comical way he jumped then tried to cover up being caught in a ladies' clothing store.
Annoyed that his nose failed to catch who exactly was in the shop with him, Kiba slowly turned around to glare at the women, “Ino, Sakura, you're here. It's nice to know that my bad luck is bottomless today. I see that you two are looking for a better quality of war paint?”
“That's none of your business, dog-boy,” Ino faked interest in a nearby dress hanging off the arm of a mannequin “And there's nothing wrong with a lady wanting to make herself look pretty.”
Kiba snorted at the kunoichi, “Pretty is one thing, but it's another thing entirely when a woman walks around looking like a kabuki actor.”
Ino drew herself haughtily next to the jerk, “Like you would understand. Makeup is a subtle art that you guys can never appreciate.”
“Bullshit! If that were true, then why is it possible for me to handle looking at you now.”
Spitting mad, Ino raised her hand and was about to whack Kiba across the head when Sakura stepped in between them, “Ino, I think there's a pearl choker in the display case for only ten ryo.”
“Really?!” The blond left the other two behind and ran for the glass counter to search every nook and cranny.
Sakura turned back to Kiba and raised a pink eyebrow at him, “You're welcome.”
“Bah,” He thumbed his nose at Ino's back, “She couldn't lay a finger on me and we all know it.”
“Don't be so sure,” Sakura wandered to the other side of Kiba where the shoes were on display and started searching for her size. She didn't notice how Kiba's eyes slowly made their way down her slim figure then back up to rest on her rear end.
“Where's Akamaru?” She asked while lifting a red velvet pair then winced from the price, “He usually keeps you in a more grounded mood.”
“He's at home with Kuromaru for extra training,” Kiba growled through clenched teeth, “That lucky son of bitch.”
Sakura paused in sorting through the rack and muttered angrily, “I would take offense to that kind of language, if it wasn't sorta true.”
Kiba shrugged as he leaned into the wall, “Hey, he's my dog! He doesn't care.”
Hana stepped out from her changing room, pulling up the side zipper of a red sheath dress, “Okay, Kiba! What do you think of this one?”
He glanced briefly then answered, “It's a dress.” Every single woman in the store groaned and rolled their eyes upwards.
Hana sighed at her stupid little brother, “Typical cop-out! I meant, does it fit right? Too Baggy or too tight? Too long, too short, wrong color, not enough sequins?”
Kiba rubbed one temple with a finger then waved at the bottom of the dress, “Fine then... the sequins, definitely too many sequins.”
Hana blinked in confusion then bent to check the hem, “Are you sure? Because there's barely any, just along here.”
“Of course I'm not sure,” yelled Kiba and threw himself into a chair, “Why did you drag me into this if you weren't going to take my opinion seriously.” Hana frowned at her little brother then returned to the dressing room in a huff.
“You shouldn't talk to your sister like that,” whispered Sakura from behind one hand, “She only wanted your help.”
“Then next time she should know better than to ask me. I'm the wrong person for the job.” Kiba sulked in his chair with one knee rapidly bouncing from pent up anxiety and aggression.
Sakura returned to the shoe rack, flipped over a pair of red heels, and muttered under her breath, “Tch, someone's all piss and vinegar today.”
“Tough talk from someone who used to hate the very idea of a slave-girl auction. Still I might check the auction out and see if you can go through with it. With your track record, I wouldn’t be surprised if you choked!” Kiba smirked to see that he hit the mark right where it hurt. Sakura's hand was stopped in midair and bent her head low.
Her voice quivered with barely controlled anger as she side-glared at him with hard green eyes, “You can be a real asshole, Kiba. Just because you're having a bad day you have to make everyone else miserable. Unlike you when I give my word to help someone, I do the best I can. Not kick and snivel like a spoiled baby the entire time.”
Kiba hooted at his playmates attempt to put him in his place, “Haruno Sakura is calling me a baby? Ah-hah! That's really messed up. Itty-bitty Sakura couldn't stand up for herself in preschool and it took Ino to rescue your fragile ego. Don't forget there was pathetic cry-baby Sakura who begged Naruto to bring back her Sasuke-kun despite the whole damn squad of us guys coming back more torn up than-”
“KIBA!” Hana came roaring out of her changing room with a black dress barely zipped up the side, grabbed him by the collar, and jerked him backwards to stop him from attacking Sakura anymore, “I can never take you anywhere without you stirring up shit.”
Ino came running to Sakura's side when Hana first barked from the changing rooms and found the older Inuzuka pushing Kiba onto his knees, “What's going on here?”
“Kiba was about to apologize for acting like a crass bastard with no manners and even less good sense,” Hana dug her claw-like nails into his shoulders and growled, “Do it.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and bent forward until his forehead touched the floor, “Haruno-san, I apologize for acting like a crass bastard with no manners and even less good sense.”
Sakura looked down on Kiba as he waited for some response or when Hana decided to let up on the pressure she put on his back, which didn't look anytime soon, “Kiba, the difference between us is that you were lucky to have teammates who realized they need you as much as you need them.”
Kiba glanced upward at the pink kunoichi before him with extreme sadness written all over her face and he felt like digging a hole to crawl in. Scenting the shame rising off him, Hana released her grip and let her little brother stand up.
“You're not the same kid who took every chance to knock Naruto down and I sure as hell am not the same pushover from the past. Last I checked you weren't the one who slammed a towering rampaging beast with one hit!” Holding her head high, Sakura grabbed her grinning best friend by the arm and made for the sales counter, “So if you want your teeth crushed like I did with your foot, keep flapping your yap!”
The first saleswoman piled their purchases on the girls' arms while other saleslady holding the door open also raised a complimentary box of the blue perfume.
Grabbing the box without missing a beat, Sakura paused in the doorway long enough to point in the air and proclaim to her audience, “SHANNARO!”
After the two kunoichi disappeared from the window view, Kiba stared at the floor and shuffled his feet, “I didn't mean to hurt her like that, sis. I don't know what got into me.”
Hana switched the red dress back over the black and sighed, “There are better ways of handling a crush, Kiba. Biting her head off does not work.”
The saleslady walked up from behind Hana and waved another box of perfume under the Inuzuka's nose, “For you, half off.”
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