Eight

Of Every Cloud

In July, We've Grown Weary

:: ::

He'd come to Konoha a few times over the long stretch of months with his siblings to help with the reparations and show their support as Sunagakure's representatives. But this was the first time he'd come with the official title of Ambassador after a six month high strung politics training, and as Kankuro stood before the tall wooden gates with his hands in his pockets and a new puppet prototype strapped to his back, he figured he would have enough time to try and track down The Worst Tourist Guide He'd Ever Met.

Nara Shikamaru was waiting for him at the gates with a slouch and a tired yawn.

"Oversleep again?" he snorted.

"Maa, more like I didn't get enough," the Konoha-nin sighed. He took the other's outstretched hand and shook before they started a slow walk side by side into the bright village. "I'll be your escort every time you visit, by the way. Since you're the official Sunagakure Ambassador and all."

Sunagakure Ambassador. Temari still made fun of the official robes the council assigned that he always managed to 'lose'.

Kankuro grinned. "You sure you won't fall asleep on the job?"

"I told Tsunade-sama my concerns. All she told me was to 'cut my bullshit and get out her office'."

They talked about some trivial things on their easy amble to the Kage Tower, like the recent shogi tournament held in Fang Country and the odd change of CEOs a string of companies suddenly took up since sometime late last year, like with Hisan I.E., the Cerdo Foundation, or The Povi Co., just to name a few.

At a lull in their conversation, the both of them basking in companionable silence, Kankuro glanced at the buildings and red-tiled roofs so singular to the Konoha landscape. Construction looked like it was going well with scaffolding and workers in only scattered parts of the village instead of the whole half of it.

And while he did feel guilty for letting the Konoha Crush go that far, a part of him was still curious about how much apathy Sakura held in regards to it. She didn't want the citizens hurt or anything like that, but she'd been content to watch the fires blaze as long as no one was there to burn down with it.

Speaking of Sakura, Shikamaru probably knew her, right? They were all in the Chuunin Exams together and were part of those rookies. Rookie Ten? Rookie Six. No, well, Rookie Some Number.

"Hey, so," he started. Shikamaru blinked and turned his head, mildly curious. "Do you know Sakura? Pink hair, was in our Chuunin Exams? I've been meaning to talk to her about something."

Then, Shikamaru did the weirdest thing.

He winced.

"Yeah..." he drew out. "You probably haven't heard." His voice dropped a pitch like he was about to tell a secret that wasn't his, and Kankuro immediately set on edge. "Her and the rest of Team Eight were supposed to be on a long-term mission with no exact end date, but a few months ago they got declared MIA. No one really knows the details, but at this point, everyone's leaning towards KIA."

"You're kidding."

"It's, uh, it's kinda a sore topic for our year. We weren't really friends, but you know."

"But—"

Kankuro clamped his mouth shut. The last time they'd ever spoken was when she admitted that Konoha meant nothing to her.

But dead? Sakura the Tourist Guide was dead? No way. Not a goddamn chance. Not with how she pulled her punches at the preliminaries or how she ignored her village's will by chatting with him in the forest instead of fighting him until one of them couldn't stand anymore.