Echoes in the Rain ~Completed Story~

Chapter 14: Answers

Kankuro felt very jealous of Neji when he saw Tenten. Despite what Temari had told him last night about Tenten and Neji breaking up the previous month because of Hiashi. Dressed in a clingy, light green yukata and her long, wavy brown hair loose, she looked ladylike. But, she also seemed like someone you wouldn't want to mess with. Ino had also done wonders with her make-up.

"Hi puppet boy!" Tenten said cheerfully. She looked him up and down and her smile widened. "You look so cute!" She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him briefly. Kankuro didn't understand what was so cute about wearing red. But, he wasn't going to question it.

"Thanks. You look nice," Kankuro managed to say after she released him. Just then, Temari, Sakura, and Ino appeared.

Temari was wearing a turquoise blue yukata that was still slipping down one shoulder, despite how tightly it was tied. Her sandy hair was in the same style it always was it. Her turquoise eyes were outlined heavily in black pencil, accented by the pink-red lipstick she wore.

Sakura wore light pink with a darker pink pattern of flowers. Flowers that suspiciously looked like sakura flowers. Her pink hair was gathered up in a messy up-do. The light purple kimono Ino was wearing was extremely low cut and her blond hair was half up and half down. She had the most make up on, outlining everything she could. It worked for her though.

"Where's Hinata?" Gaara asked quietly behind Kankuro as they were talking cheerfully. Temari wasn't yelling at Kankuro about his hair. Not yet anyways.

"She was behind us, wasn't she?" Sakura asked Ino. Ino nodded.

"I'm here," said a small voice from behind the girls. The parted and Hinata stepped forward. Nobody could tell, but Gaara was struck speechless.

The icy blue kimono she wore showed all the curves that were normally hidden by her overlarge jacket. Because of its lightness in color, Hinata's skin seemed even more like porcelain. Her lavender eyes were outlined in black and her lipstick was bright red, giving her a dramatic air. Her normally straight indigo hair had waves in it now, cascading down her back. Her eyes were fixed on the ground and she was playing with her sleeve.

Nobody said anything. Temari was waiting for Gaara to speak, but when he didn't, she took control of the situation. "Well, shall we get going? We don't want to be late!"

The small group left Tenten's apartment, after they made Tenten put away her weapons. Before, she had been complaining about how there was no place to put a weapon in such a clingy outfit. But, she had found some places. Ino let her keep the small kunai she had placed on a chain around Tenten's neck. Tenten was disappointed and commented on it. How was she supposed to fight with a four-inch kunai?

"Tenten, we're not fighting! We're going to a ball!" Sakura cried after five minutes of Tenten's complaining.

After that, Tenten just grumbled under her breath about it.

Gaara fell in step with Hinata, who was near the back of the group. She still was looking at the ground, but she knew he was there. Looking around, Gaara brought his face close to her ear and whispered, "You look very....nice."

"Thank you," Hinata said, unsure of what to say next. There was a pause before she said, "You look...very unlike yourself."

Gaara laughed softly. Before either could say anything more, they arrived at the building. "God Is A Girl" by Groove Coverage could be heard from outside. Brushing the water off of their clothes as they entered, they entered a darken room. There were tables and chairs scattered around. Musical equipment was against one side of the room.

People were scattered everywhere. Shikamaru was sitting at a table, dressed in a dark grey. Choji, in scarlet, was talking to his pale best friend. Shino was sitting there also, dark glasses on.