Mai wakes up with sunlight in her eyes. It has been two months since she came to the Hidden Sand village. She is fully healed, finally recovered from what she has been through. She was given a small one bedroom apartment, it was perfect since it was just for her. Mai sighs. The people of the village have welcomed her but she knows they don't trust her. They have been kind so she is quite happy about that. Temari and Kankurō has helped her out a lot, even Gaara has helped her out a bit, even checking in on her a couple of times. Mai sighs as she got up and dress. She slept in and knows Temari is going to start knocking soon. She was running out of time. She needs to make a decision on wither she is staying or leaving. She wants to stay, everything was telling her to stay but something was still bugging her. A small part of her was telling her to leave. She place her hand on her upper left arm. She has the Hidden Mist forehead wrapped around her arm. She wears it for Naoko. She then heard a knock on the door and sighs. She heads out and answers it to see Temari and Kankurō.
"Come on." Temari tells her. "Gaara is waiting." Temari adds and Mai sighs.
"Right, sorry." Mai whispers, grabbing her black, low-heeled sandals and put them on.
"Is everything okay?" Kankurō asks as they head off.
"Yeah, everything is fine." Mai replies and Temari looks at her worried. Mai yawns. She was tired. She spent most of last night thinking. She didn't get much sleep.
"We better get to the Kazekage's offices, Gaara is not going to be happy. We are late as it is." Kankurō tells them.
"Right, sorry about that." Mai said as they head out of the apartment building and head off.
"Don't worry." Temari tells her and Mai smiles. "So today marks the two months since you came here." Temari said.
"Yeah, it has been two months. I can't believe it." Mai whispers.
"The two months have gone pass really quickly." Kankurō admits.
"It has, my wounds healed pretty fast, even my broken arm healed faster than I thought." Mai said.
"So have you made up your mind?" Kankurō asks.
"He is right, we need to know if you are going to stay or leave." Temari tells her.
"I still don't know yet." Mai tells them.
"You know there is a high chance Gaara is going to ask the same question." Kankurō said.
"Yeah, he could." Mai whispers. Gaara has asked that question at least once a week in the last two months, sometimes more. "I'll say what I always say." Mai tells them.
"He's not going to like that." Kankurō tells her. They made it to the Kazekage's offices. They head to the offices and knock on the door.
"Enter!" they heard Gaara shout. The trio walks in and Gaara stops writing.
"Hey Gaara, sorry we are late." Kankurō said. "Mai slept in, again." Kankurō adds and Mai sighs.
"That is fine." Gaara said and Mai sighs.
"Still, sorry." Mai whispers.
"So what is it Gaara?" Temari asks.
"I'm sending on a mission. You are meeting a team of Leaf shinobi on the other side of the Land of Rivers at the boarders. You leave as soon as you are ready." Gaara replies.
"Are you sure that is a good idea?" Mai asks walking back.
"Time to earn that headband." Temari tells her and Mai sighs.
"It's just… you know what kind of background I have with the Hidden Leaf. Maybe I should stay here." Mai explains.
"You are a medical-nin, I would like you to accompany the pair." Gaara tells her and Mai sighs.
"Yes Gaara." Mai whispers.
"Kankurō, Temari, I would to speak to Mai alone." Gaara tells them.
"Of course, we'll get our stuff ready." Kankurō said and the pair walks out.
"I know this will be hard for you, but as a Sand shinobi, you need to let the past go." Gaara tells her and Mai looks away. "Have you decided?" Gaara asks.
"Not yet." Mai replies.
"Just be careful, those rogue Mist shinobi are out there." Gaara tells her and Mai nods.
"Can I ask why we are meeting up with the Hidden Leaf?" Mai asks and Gaara nods.
"They would like intel on the rogue Mist shinobi that are after you." Gaara replies. "They have attacked a few villages in the Land of Fire." Gaara tells her and Mai sighs.
'Damnit.' Mai thought as she shakes her head. "I understand." Mai whispers.
"We will talk when you get back." Gaara said and Mai nods as she walks out. She heads back to her apartment to get ready.
'I wonder who we are going to meet up with.' Mai asks herself. She made it to her apartment and packs a small bag. It is at least a one and half to two days to get where they are going. Mai yawns, she was too tired to travel, but she has to. She grabs her weapons and heads out. She can't run the others late. She met up with Temari and Kankurō.
"Come on, let's go." Temari said and they head off.
"Are you sure you're up for the travel?" Kankurō asks.
"No." Mai replies. "Let's go." Mai then said and Kankurō chuckles.
"Come on, we better go. We can't keep the Leaf waiting." Temari tells them.
"Right." Mai whispers.
"Let's hope we know the ones we are meeting well." Kankurō said and Mai sighs.
'What if I meet one of them? One that killed Goku, Naoko, Ryu and Yukio.' Mai asks herself.
"How are you Mia?" Temari asks and Mai looks at her.
"I'm fine." Mai replies. "A little worried." Mai admits.
"Just stay close to us." Kankurō tells her.
"Yeah, I will." Mai whispers. "I'm just worried I would run into one of the shinobi that killed Goku, Naoko, Ryu and Yukio." Mai admits and Temari sighs. "Or end up back at my village." Mai adds.
"Don't worry, I'm sure we won't." Temari tells her and Mai nods. She can only hope.
