"Hello Shikimaru." Sakino attempted unlatching the gate and walking in on him and Temari playing a game of Shogi. A pot of tea beside them on a table with three cups. One empty obviously for Katsuki.
"Ah, Sakino. How are you?" Temari smiled.
"As good as I possibly can acheive." Sakino replied.
"How's mum and dad?" Shikimaru asked.
"As good as it gets." She retorted simply attempting to cover the rudeness in her voice.
Temari mouthed Fighting again, poor girl, to Shikimaru.

Aiko and Michio were sitting on the tree again, "Im soooo bored!" Micho said, "Anyway where's Toshiro?"
"Didn't he go check on Ginger?" Aiko said, and laughed at the thought of the Suna girl, "She's strange and thinks she's better than the rest..." Michio grunted,
"Shouldn't he be back by now though?" Aiko nodded and stood up,
"We better go get him then."

Once at Katsuki's room they found Toshiro on sitting on the steps, "What's up?" Michio asked casually sitting next to Toshiro.
"She's not there. Hopefully Sakino caught up with her, she really shouldn't be out there on her own."

"Well i did speak to the Hokage and he said one of us, either Team 5 or Team 8, should be with her at all times... i guess i missed mentioning that point..." Aiko grinned, " Agh knowing Sakino, she'll have followed us to Katsuki's room and followed Katsuki to wherever she went!"

"Hey Auntie," said Katsuki to Temari. "I got a message from Dad for you. He says if you ever tell the ramen bar to send him your bill again he'll make a sandstorm in your house."

"Will he now? He does realise I have a giant sand preventing fan..? Come here, sweetie." Temari opened her arms out and rose from her chair. Sakino sunk down on the stairs beside Shikimaru's chair. Seeing this stuff made her feel queasy. Her mother and father never payed her this much attention...they were too busy argueing with each other to give a crap. She placed her head in her hands and her elbows on her knees, her black and blonde hair covered her face.

Aiko, Michio and Toshiro had decided to wait on the steps until Katsuki returned.
"There's no point in running around like headless chickens to find her!" Aiko concluded.

Katsuki sat comfortably with her aunt Temari and did her best to try and help her win the shogi game against Shikamaru, but of course even the two of them combined didn't stand a chance. Katsuki noticed that Sakino was sitting rather miserably on her own and wondered whether to bring it up. She was sure that temari and Shikamaru had noticed too...
"Hey, are you two hungry?" Temari asked Katsuki and Sakino, after losing to Shikamaru.

"Erm, eating others food isn't in the job description." But hell, I wont get fed the night with the arguement they were having earlier. Sakino looked at Katsuki for a conclusion of what she thought. "I'll have if Katsuki will."

"I'm hungry," said Katsuki, starting up a new game of shogi with Shikamaru as Temari disappeared into the kitchen.
"Sakino, give me a hand here, will you?" Katsuki said. "I have no chance on my own."

"Eh, whatever." Sakino muttered getting up and shuffling over to where Katsuki sat playing Shogi. Shikimaru chuckled, "I didn't realise Shogi was your thing, Sakino?"
Hey, we need something to avoid mum and dad don't we... "Yeah, I play it a few times to keep me amused." She replied.

Too bad there isn't a single person alive you could beat Shikamaru at Shogi. Katsuki planned ahead, but her mind was still no match for his. She and Sakino weren't doing too badly, but she could tell they were losing.
temari interrupted the game by bringing in a bowl of ramen each for the girls.

"Thank you, Temari." Sakino said and took the bowl and chopsticks from her and began to tuck in.

"Itadakimasu," said Katsuki quietly and started eating her own ramen. "Are you two going to be helping out with the Chuunin Exam?" she asked Shikamaru and Temari. "You normally do, don't you?"
"I've got a mission tomorrow," said Temari.
"I can't be bothered doing it any more, now that I'm a Jounin," said Shikamaru. "It's too troublesome."

"Words to live by, Mr Nara." Sakino said quietly. She looked down the little path in the garden and her eyes travelled up the street to where she 'lived'. Then her shoulders sank and her eyes closed tight as she heard a shout erupt from what she was sure to be her house. It was followed by an argumentative shout and yell and it kept on. A tear came to Sakino's eyes, she wiped it away hastily and put her empty bowl on the counter by Temari's sink.

Katsuki was still eating. She always took her time, even if she was really hungry. "To be honest, I'm a bit nervous about helping out with the Exam," she said to Shikamaru and Temari. "I've never done it before, and don't really know what's expected of me..."

"Smile, be polite and dont take sides untill a major world shattering battle unfolds..." Shikimaru smiled at Temari remembering his Chuunin examinations. Sakino couldn't block out the argueing coming from up the street even though no one else seemed to acknowledge it.
"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM, WOMAN?" Ssasuke yelled at her mother, who cried back sarcastically,
"OH, YES. I FORGOT YOU'RE THE FAMOUS SASUKE UCHIHA, BEST NINJA AND GOOD FOR NOTHING ARSEHOLE THAT LIVES UNDER MY ROOF!"

Katsuki winced at the sound of people arguing, and she could tell by the look on Sakino's face it was her parents, or at least close relatives.
"Um, I've got to go to a meeting," she said to Temari. "Thanks for the ramen."

"Goodbye, Mr and Mrs Nara." Sakino bowed to the two and began to move towards the gate.

"So is that why you're always grumpy? Because of your parents?" Katsuki had never been able to be subtle.

"It's none of your business why I'm so grumpy all the time. Keep your nose out, Katsuki." Sakino growled and then continued to escort her to the meeting avoiding the street her parents lived in.

Katsuki shrugged. She probably shouldn't have been so blunt about it, but that's just the way she was.

"Iruka! I bring the Sand Visitor." Sakino called up to him. For some reason he seemed to be on the roof of the Kage's offices...he looked as though he was chasing pigeons of the roof...? Confused much.

"...is he chasing pigeons?" asked Katsuki curiously, looking up at the roof.

"Could be... IRUKA!" Sakino yelled, this time he heard and grinned nervously scratching the back of his head. He straightened up and waved, "Sakino! This is the Representative?"
"Yes, this is Katsuki of the Sand." Sakino called and motioned for Katsuki to follow her towards the offices.

Inside, there were a number of Chuunin and Jounin assembled, along with the Hokage. Katsuki bowed politely. "I am Katsuki of the Sand Village, I look forward to working with you all."

Aiko and the boys had given up on waiting and were at the meeting. They were glad to see Katsuki safe and sound. Obviously with Sakino.
"You were right, Sakino needs to be with Katsuki so she's important," Michio whispered in Aiko's ear.