The importance of her leave was secret. Kao had never figured that this would come so soon, but it was time. Her time to leave the shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village forever.

With Kixara and the others…

"Kixara!! We have a problem!" Sasuke howled as he ran to the landing of the Genin House.

"What is it?" Kixara questioned, following Sasuke down the flight of stairs.

"She's gone!" Sasuke yelled.

'What?! Who?!" Kat demanded, jumping off the last step. Unfortunately she already knew who.

"She disappeared this morning!" Sasuke's anger was now visible on his features. When Naruto saw them, he began to wonder what was happening.

"What's going on guys?" he asked switching glances from Sasuke to Kixara, worried. Their expressions puzzled him immensely.

Ignoring Naruto, Kixara continued the bad-news conversation with Sasuke as each tale got worse. Naruto decided to listen.

"Ever since Orochimaru threatened to kill us if something didn't happen fast about this war going on, Kao's been acting all weird and anxious…hmm." Kixara stared at the floor, contemplating the possibilities.

"Why would she go exactly?"

Sasuke shook his head and Naruto caught on to the idea and started to ponder.

"She went to Orochimaru, you dolts," The voice echoed down from the darkness of the upstairs landing. The three looked up and Gaara walked out of the shadows.

"And how would you know this?" Sasuke said in unison with Naruto. Gaara glared at them.

"She told me so," He snarled.

"Why would Kao tell you where she was going?" asked Sasuke, the attitude was clear.

"She apparently trusted me with this information better than she did with you," Gaara stared at Sasuke, whose features became rigid as the harsh words soaked in.

"Gaara-knock it off, Sasuke-breathe. Now, what did Kao say, Gaara?"

"She said that something in her past, a flaw or something, caused pain and sorrow to this pitiful world and that nothing would stop her from going to Orochimaru to do something with the plan or whatever. She said that telling me would upset most of you but that I was the only one who wouldn't intervene with her plans. She said that she had never existed and that this was for the best, and she would go peacefully," Gaara recalled and grinned at Sasuke's reaction.

"You lie! She would never do anything like that!" Naruto screamed.

"Naruto SHUT UP!!! You are driving me insane with that inferno racket!"

"Hmph, that's what you think." Gaara turned to go, but was stopped by Kixara's command,

"Gaara wait. You're going to help. Round up Neji and the others. The more the better." Gaara nodded and walked off. Kixara looked at Sasuke and Naruto with determination on her features, "Get ready."

The boys nodded and ran off to gather provisions. This didn't make any sense.

With Kao...

Kao sighed and walked on through the thickening forest until she was stopped by Kabuto.