Howdy, y'all! Here is a trial chapter of my sequel to my Naruto fanfic "Flowers in the Sand." If I get enough reviews that readers like it, I will continue it. Otherwise it'll end up in my "crush-with-Desert-Funeral" bin. Also- not every future chapter will be this long- this is just the introduction, so hence has more explanation in it. Figure on each chapter being the normal length that my other stories are.

Chapter 1

"I don't think it's a good idea, Shikamaru."

"Neither do I, but it still needs to happen. With Iwa's cease of activity for the last few months, we will need as many shinobi as possible, in the event that they try for Suna again."

Naruto Uzumaki, Sixth Hokage of the Hidden Village of the Leaf- Konoha- leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. He frowned in thought.

"This has been going on for far, far too long," the blonde man sighed. "Every time we stop one of Kanaye's attacks, he disappears for a few weeks or months and builds up his forces while thinking up new strategies."

Shikamaru Nara, Jounin-level ninja and childhood friend of Naruto's, nodded grimly. "He's clever. He never sends out all of his shinobi at once- instead, he sends individual teams to try different methods of infiltrating Suna and getting to the Kazekage. And almost every time, at least one member has escaped back to Iwa with information."

Naruto slammed his fist down onto the top of his desk. "If only Gaara's ability with sand wasn't so strained. He wouldn't have let any of those bastards to get away and these stupid assassination attempts would've stopped years ago."

"Safaia and Gobi are doing what they can to protect Gaara and Suna, but we're not sure how far she has come with learning ninjutsu. We must estimate that her capabilities are limited."

Sharp blue eyes regarded the black-haired Jounin. "So you believe that holding the Jounin final exam here, regardless of the strife going on in Suna, will be beneficial how?"

Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest. "It will not only give us an idea of what our true force is should Iwa decide to do a full attack on Suna or Konoha, but it will prove to Kanaye that no matter what he does, we will continue on as if he were nothing to us. It should be quite a blow to his ego and perhaps cause him to make a fatal mistake."

The Hokage covered his eyes with his hands. After a moment of silence, he gazed over at his friend. "You are aware that most of our children have made it to the final?"

"Of course. And I've seen their abilities. They'll do fine."

Naruto frowned. "And Kohaku?"

Now Shikamaru looked extremely uncomfortable. "He…" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "He should… do fine."

Blue eyes narrowed. "Still can't perform any jutsus other than Bunshin no Jutsu, huh…"

"But he's incredibly smart," Shikamaru assured him. "He's got Sakura's brain- he just… doesn't always want to use it as he should."

Naruto stood up and walked to the window, his red and white Hokage robes flowing with the movement. He gazed out over Konoha for several terse moments. "I can't understand why it's so hard for him," he mused. "What have we done wrong?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Both Neji and Hinata say that his chakra levels are normal- there is no reason he shouldn't be able to do more difficult jutsus- especially at his age. But he did make it to the final round…" He didn't bother to mention that it might have been purely luck that he had actually made it that far, though.

"Something must be bothering him," Naruto muttered.

"Your guess is as good as mine. What could bother a seventeen-year-old boy to the point where he can't concentrate on learning and performing jutsus?"

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"Come on, Kiiromi! Let's do it this time!"

The medium-sized yellow dog barked once in agreement, her flopped-over right ear bouncing with the movement. Her left ear, standing up as it should, perked forward.

"Juujin Bunshin!" Mimi announced, making a series of hand seals. She frowned slightly in concentration, her large, white eyes narrowing.

A poof! signaled the transformation, but when the smoke cleared…

A stark naked Mimi- with a curled yellow tail and two triangular ears on top of her head (the right ear tip flopped over, of course)- was staring back at her. Mimi winced and slapped a hand over her eyes in exasperation.

Another poof! indicated Kiiromi had returned to her canine form. She whined in apology.

Mimi sighed and knelt down next to the sad-looking canine. She patted her companion on the head. "It's okay, Kiiromi. We'll ask Father for help… again."

Kohaku Uzumaki stifled a naughty chuckle of masculine delight as he hid in a nearby tree overlooking the Inuzukas' backyard. Mimi sure is hot… just like her mom and sister…

Knowing how keen Kiiromi's nose was, Kohaku had spent many hours reading up on how to neutralize his scent through ninjutsu- and he was delighted to see that his research had paid off.

Turning around cautiously so as not to draw unwanted attention to himself, Kohaku left his leafy perch and headed towards Ichiramu's. A few bowls of ramen after an afternoon of lovely-girl-gazing- ahhh….

"Where do you think you are going, Uzumaki?"

Wincing at the familiar voice, the orange-haired teen turned around slowly. "Ehhh… 'Afternoon, Haishen. Just… heading over for some ramen. W-wanna come?"

Unwavering white eyes gazed at him. "Ramen," he murmured tonelessly. "No, thank you."

He can't know, Kohaku thought frantically. Instead of showing his guilty nervousness, the Hokage's son merely grinned cheerfully. "Your loss, 'Shen. Catch you later, then." He brushed his long orange bangs out of his bright blue eyes and waved as he turned to walk away again.

Haishen merely watched as his friend sauntered down the street. Once Kohaku was out of sight, he turned his solemn gaze to the house nearby. He slowly walked to the front door and knocked politely.

A moment later the door opened and a lovely girl stood there, her waist-length brown hair divided into two braids. Now at seventeen, she was quickly turning into the appealing beauty her mother and older sister were. Mimi blinked her large white eyes at her cousin. "Haishen," she murmured, surprised. "I wasn't expecting you to come over until later."

"Mimi," he replied, bowing slightly. "I… needed to speak with you."

"Of course. Come in."

The young man followed her inside the house, his eyes unseeing as he stumbled over his thought processes. He was so deep in thought he didn't even notice when a shadow slipped behind him and yanked on his waist-length braid.

He let out an involuntary yelp of both surprise and slight pain. Mimi whirled around and glared at the culprit. "Hige, you brat! Leave Haishen alone!"

Hige Inuzuka, youngest child of Kiba and Hinata at nine years of age, merely stuck his tongue out at his sister. "Make me!" he taunted, grinning mischievously. When Mimi took a threatening step toward him, he yelped and fled for safety, a small blue-black puppy- the same shade as the boy's hair- racing after him.

Haishen gazed after the boy, his face unreadable. "Every time I come over…"

"He teases you," Mimi said, nodding. "He really looks up to you, though. He knows he cannot be what we are and …"

"It bothers him," Haishen finished. As usual, Mimi had finished his train of thought just as he was able to finish hers.

Hige had been born with the normal Inuzuka eyes rather than the Hyuuga Byakugan blood-limit eyes and although he had a stronger bond with his ninken, Aoimaru, than his sisters did with their ninken, he still felt as though he were weaker. And with him still learning diligently at the Academy to be a Genin while his sisters were both Chuunins training to be Jounin just rubbed the lad the wrong way.

A stunning young woman peered out from the kitchen, blinking familiar white eyes at the duo. A very large white dog with triangular ears was resting comfortably in the doorway while her mistress was cooking. "I'm surprised he managed to touch you at all," Teiru murmured, sounding very much like her soft-spoken mother. "Your talents rival your father's, Haishen."

The young man turned to his oldest cousin and bowed slightly. "I was not anticipating an assault in your parents' household, sister Teiru."

She laughed, soft as water trickling over stones in a brook. "I imagine not. I'll find Hige and deal with him momentarily- that is, if Father doesn't find him first."

Glancing at Mimi, who nodded, Haishen inclined his head. "No need, sister Teiru. He is just being a child. No reason to punish him for it."

Mimi led her cousin away from her sister and down the hall to her room. Her ninken, Kiiromi- named for her yellow fur- thumped her tail twice before returning to her nap. He had been here countless times before over the years- there was no reason for uneasiness. Or was there?

"Something troubles you," Mimi observed, "and I am unable to fathom it."

Haishen paused, unsure how to begin. He cleared his throat. "I just encountered Uzumaki in front of your house." What in the world made me say THAT?

A flush spread across Mimi's cheeks and her already large eyes grew even larger. "Y-you d-d-did? H-he was? A-are you s-sure?"

Haishen nearly sighed. Mimi (as well as most of the girls their age) had had a crush on Kohaku Uzumaki for the past seven years, much like her mother had had on Kohaku's father when they were still children. As far as Haishen knew, the interest was still only one-way.

And he intended to keep it that way.

He knew the kind of guy Uzumaki was and he was not about to let his innocent cousin fall prey to his charms and pretty-boy ways. Not since Sasuke was there a more sought-after male. But Kohaku wasn't cool and aloof like Sasuke was- he used his looks and charm to his advantage on any woman, young or old. And one would think he'd be more aware of his behavior, especially with a younger sister to watch over and protect…

"Haishen?" Mimi gently laid a hand on her cousin's leg, bringing him back to the present. "Did… did he say anything? A-about me?"

Not wanting to build up her hopes yet unable to lie to make her feel better, Haishen merely shook his head. "He mentioned getting some ramen. I turned him down."

Mimi was on her feet in an instant, Kiiromi's ears perking with her mistress's movement. "He's heading to Ichiramu's?" she gasped, her face still flushed. She turned and was in her wardrobe in an instant, sorting through her clothes frantically. Haishen watched sadly as she started muttering to herself. "No- where is it? Not that one… the white one he liked so much…"

Haishen sighed. He knew he shouldn't have said anything- now he would never be able to tell her the real reason he was there.

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"There he is!"

"This is such a pain…"

Inoko Akimichi playfully swatted her best friend, Shikazu Nara, in his arm. He grunted softly and rubbed the abused appendage. "Shh!" she hissed as she turned her attention back to the handsome boy eating ramen in front of her, oblivious to his secret audience. "You'll give us away!"

"I'm not the one man-hunting," Shikazu muttered, folding his arms behind his head.

Inoko giggled. "I would hope not!"

He turned dark teal eyes toward the beauty by his side. "I don't see what's so great about Uzumaki anyway," he grumbled. "Just because he's the Hokage's son doesn't make him the only eligible guy on the market."

Flipping her long mahogany ponytails in a manner that was reminiscent of her mother, Inoko merely grinned. "Maybe not, but it does make him one of the best!"

"Hardly," Shikazu snorted under his breath. "Baka can't even perform any of his old man's jutsus."

Inoko sighed dreamily as she leaned on her hand, gazing down at Kohaku. "You gotta admit, though… his looks sure make up for it…"

Shikazu rolled his eyes. "What a pain…"

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A knock on the door of Naruto's office preempted the arrival of Akina Nara, Shikamaru and Temari's eldest child. The 22-year-old Jounin walked purposefully into the spacious office, dressed in the standard Jounin vest and black bodysuit, her twin fans swinging from each hip. Konoha's forehead protector was tied around her neck rather than across her forehead, as she was currently not on a mission. "Hokage?"

Naruto glanced up from his pile of paperwork. No wonder old lady Tsunade was always trying to escape… the paperwork was death. "Akina… glad to see you could make it."

"You summoned me, sir?" she replied, her brown eyes serious.

He sighed. She was a regular stick in the mud, all right. That explained Kohaku's description of the girl. "She's a looker, Dad, but man… she's WAY too serious…" "You are aware your father wishes to have the Jounin final exam here in Konoha in a week?"

"Yes, sir." Nothing unnerved this girl.

Naruto steepled his fingers and regarded the young woman. "Your cousins have been advanced to this final exam. As the looming threat of another assassination attempt by Iwa on your uncle's family grows, they will need an escort from Suna to Konoha so that they are here in time for the exam."

"You require me to provide that escort?" Akina asked.

"You will not be alone," Naruto assured her. "Take Teiru and Chouichi with you."

The slightest flicker appeared in those brown eyes. "Chouichi," she murmured.

"I realize he is a few years younger than you, but since Sho's death, you need a third member for your team."

Sho Michi, Teiru and Akina's teammate while they were taking their exams, had been killed during a mission two years past. Akina still held herself responsible for his death because she was the eldest and therefore, in her mind, the leader of their team. She had not yet moved past the tragedy, even though death was a normal part of a ninja's life. She did not comment further.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Be careful, Akina. Take every precaution you can and come back safely."

Akina bowed stiffly. "As you command, Hokage." With that farewell, she vanished.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Iwa- the Hidden Village of the Rock

Kanaye- Tsuchikage of Iwa

Bunshin no Jutsu- Shadow clone (just the basic clone jutsu, not like the real clones that Naruto can make)

Juujin Bunshin- Beast Human Clone

Kiba & Hinata's Children:

Teiru ("tail")- 21 ninken- Shiromi (white)

Mimi ("ear")- 17 ninken- Kiiromi (yellow)

Hige ("whisker")- 9 ninken- Aoimaru (blue)

Shikamaru & Temari's Children:

Akina ("spring flower")- 22

Shikazu ("First son of Shika/deer")- 17

Chouji & Ino's Children:

Chouichi ("Firstborn butterfly")- 18

Inoko ("Daughter of Ino/boar")- 17

Kankuro & Niira's Children:

Kisho ("knows his own mind")- 17

Zinan ("second son")- 11

Naruto & Sakura's Children:

Kohaku ("amber")- 17

Midori ("green")- 10

Gaara & Safaia's Children:

Haru ("spring")- 16

Aikou ("adoration")- 15

Sora ("sky")- 10