Kat yawned as she hit her alarm clock's sleep button, stretching. It wasn't even sunrise and she was up, as usual. She pulled the sheets back and got up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and heading over to her wardrobe. She pulled out her usual outfit and tiredly pulled it on, before walking downstairs and heading to the fridge. She pulled out an unopened carton of milk and unsealed it, chugging it all down in less than five seconds. She'd pulled out a lot in the last two minutes. Well, that was breakfast taken care of, anyway.

As quiet as a mouse, she creeped out the door and shut it behind her, not bothering to look at what she was doing. Before she could look, she tripped over something, and fell with a thump to the ground.

Kakashi smiled down at her and she groaned, slapping her forehead.

"Why aren't you in bed?" smiled Kakashi, offering his hand to his visitor and pulling her up.

"I'm going to go and train. That weird Uchiha kid said he wanted to fight me today."

Kakashi grinned.

"Have fun with that. By the way, you're not leaving without a proper breakfast. Here," he said, and he handed her a container with something that looked like meat in it.

"Thanks, 'Kashi," she smiled, and she went to leave before he took her hand and turned her around.

"Don't go to easy on him. He's not like Gaara."

Kat tried to smile but couldn't, and she walked away, a bit flattened by Kakashi's words.

He's not like Gaara.

Kat pushed those thoughts out of her mind and kept walking through the rather vacant village, navigating through the darkness.

She eventually came to a little park and she sat down under a tree, opening the container. She picked at the meat inside and ate some of it, but was feeling a little too dejected to eat.

"You're up early, aren't you?"

Kat looked up, and rolled her eyes.

"So now you're stalking me."

Sasuke didn't reply.

"Hey, I promised to fight you today. Leave me alone, Uchiha."

"I want you to call me Sasuke, not Uchiha."

"I'll call you whatever the heck I wanna call you," she retorted, feeling suddenly hungry. She grabbed a strip of meat and ate it. She paused, before she held the container out to Sasuke.

"Hungry?"

Sasuke's eyes widened a little at her kindness.

"No thanks, I've already eaten."

Kat pulled back her arm and kept eating, refusing to look at the raven beside her.

"If you tell me what you know about my family, I'll retract my offer to fight you."

"I'm not telling you what I know. It's my business. Between me and Ita- never mind."

Sasuke looked a little shocked.

"You were about to say Itachi, weren't you? Tell me."

"Itachi? Who's Itachi?" said Kat dryly, eating another piece of meat.

Sasuke was beginning to get a little mad.

"I said, tell me."

"I have no idea of who this Itachi is. Leave me alone, Uchiha."

"If you don't tell me, I'll make you tell me. Spill it, ponytails."

Kat ignored him, completely pokerfaced.

"Hey, Sasuke. Leave the girl alone. She's trying to eat," came a tired voice, and they both looked the other way. Shikamaru walked over to the two ninjas, and he nodded at Kat.

"Hi, guy." said Kat, waving a little.

"Hi, girl. I'm Shikamaru," he said boredly, waving back. "You're the new girl, right?"

"Yeah. I'm Kat. Came yesterday. It's a nice village," she commented, flatly ignoring Sasuke.

"Glad you like it. Anyway, Sasuke, leave her alone, she's eating," repeated Shikamaru, glancing briefly to him.

Sasuke hmphed and walked away, leaving Shikamaru and Kat alone.

"He's a bit cold," remarked Kat, offering her container to Shikamaru, who took some.

"Yeah. The Uchiha kid. Was he bothering you?"

"Not really. But thanks for saving me. I'm going to see enough of him later today. I don't wanna see him before then."

"You're gonna see him later? Why?"

"He wants to fight me or something."

Shikamaru gave her a serious look.

"He's not someone to mess with. He could kill you."

"I'd love to see him try."

"Believe me, tick him off and he will try."

"He doesn't even know me. For all he knows, I might be stronger than him. Or on the other hand, I could be weaker. He doesn't know that. I don't know that. Don't you think that it's pretty presumptuous to want to fight me just because I'm new?"

"Maybe. Have you met everyone else yet?"

"Everyone else? I know him, Naruto, Sakura, Shino, Hinata, Kiba and you. Oh, and that Rock Lee guy."

"You seem to have a good memory. There are a few others you should meet. If you like, I could introduce you to them."

"That'd be cool. Thanks, Shikky."

Shikamaru blinked.

"Shikky?"

Kat blushed.

"Sorry. Habit. I give people nicknames all the time. Sorry," she mumbled, but Shikamaru shrugged.

"Shikky's alright with me."

"Cool."

Kat stood up and closed her container, smiling at Shikamaru.

"I'll see you later, then," she said warmly, and turned her back and walked away into the coming dawn.

Shikamaru shrugged. Well, that was his share of randomness for the day.

****

Sasuke paced back and forth in the length of his room, his face frowning and his mind clouded. It was all because of that girl - that stupid, arrogant new girl.

What does she know about Itachi, he thought angrily to himself, a slight hesitation in his eyes. She's probably just bragging. She probably knows nothing.

There was a sudden knock on Sasuke's door, and the raven went over and opened it, his face suddenly lit up with surprise.

"Kakashi?"

"Yes. Can I come in for a moment?"

"Yeah, sure."

Sasuke was a little taken aback at the Copy Ninja's sudden appearance - since when did Kakashi visit anyone?

"What's up?" asked Sasuke, closing the door behind his sensei.

"It's about Kat. You're fighting her today, right?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I challenged her and she accepted."

"I'm here to ask you to pull out."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to ask why.

"Because… because you will make her relive a lot of lost memories. I don't want her remembering some of the very… pivotal… moments in her life. Especially not today."

"Why not today?"

"Gaara's coming to visit the village. Just found out. I'm doing all I can to even hide his appearance. I really don't want you making her re-experience some of her more… sensitive… moments."

Sasuke looked confused.

"What does fighting me have anything to do with Gaara?"

"You'll remind her of someone who had a… confrontation… with Gaara. It would be best if you didn't fight her today. She's probably going to notice that he's around. With him in the village and you fighting her… bad things will happen."

"What sort of 'bad' things?"

"Fury and anguish are some of Kat's more powerful emotions. She'll go on a rampage, probably."

Sasuke nodded.

"Okay. I won't fight her. When's Gaara leaving?"

"In three days. Which means that I have three days of hell trying to conceal him from her, and her from him."

"He doesn't know that she's here?"

"I don't know. If he does, then that will explain why he's here. He requested entry into the village, and didn't say why."

Kakashi went to turn away and leave, but Sasuke's words stopped him,

"Kakashi… what's Kat like when she's mad?"

"She's almost impossible to calm down."

"Is she impossible to defeat?"

"I don't know. I don't advise trying to find out. See you, Sasuke."

Sasuke's mentor disappeared and left Sasuke standing there, musing to himself.

If I fight her, and if she knows Gaara's around, it'll apparently cause chaos, thought Sasuke walking over to his window and looking out onto the city. I have to know why.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Gaara walked calmly through the Hidden Leaf's surrounding forestry, his eyes closed and his mind clear. Taking no notice of the two trailing behind him, he thought deeply and easily avoided a tree he was about to walk into, stepping to the side.

"Hey, Gaara. You haven't told us yet. Why are we here?" asked Temari, looking around the woodlands and looking to Kankuro, who shrugged.

The redhead made no reply. Instead, he kept walking for a while until he suddenly stopped, his siblings stopping abruptly behind him.

"We're here to see the blonde," said Gaara, his eyes still closed.

"Naruto? What do you want with him?" asked Kankuro, kicking the ground aimlessly.

"No, not Naruto. The girl."

"Ino…?"

"Think back to when I was a child."

Temari and Kankuro both thought for a moment, before looking at each other, wide-eyed.

"No, Gaara. No." said Temari softly, looking petrified.

"Why not? She's here. I've wanted to see her ever since that day. Do you remember? I want to see her."

"I think it's best that -"

"Shut up."

Gaara suddenly decided to keep walking, and they went on until they reached the village gates. The male with the gourd stopped just before he passed the village's gate, and he looked back briefly to his brethren.

"Go. See if you can find her."

Casting each other worried looks, the two ninjas departed in a gust of smoke, leaving the male on his own. The moment he stepped one foot into the village boundary, he found himself face to face with Kakashi. He did not look happy.

"What are you doing here?" asked the silver-haired man, frowning at the newcomer.

"I'm here to see the girl."

"I can't let you do that."

"I think you can."

"I don't think so. I decide who sees her or not. So, unless you have another reason to be in this village, I suggest that you call your family back and leave."

"I don't think of them as family. And I'm here for two other reasons."

"Like what?"

"To see the Hokage and to see someone else."

"Who?"

"Like I'm telling you."

"Tell me or else you won't make it another toe past this gate."

"If you don't let me in, I'll be able to call a war between our villages. That's why I'm here."

"To make war?"

"To stop one. Let me in."

"I don't believe it."

"Believe it."

"You sound like Naruto."

"I'd like to think I was thought of more highly."

Kakashi grunted, before stepping aside and allowing the Sand Villager entry.

"Touch a hair on Kat's head, and I promise you that you won't make it out of here alive."

"We'll see."

Gaara stepped past the older man and walked through the gates, smirking as he felt Kakashi's eyes drill into his back.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Naruto smiled as he peeled the lid of his cup of ramen, his grin devilish and his hands rubbing together rather evilly.

"Say goodbye, my little ramen," he hissed, picking up a pair of chopsticks beside him and holding them in both hands. There was a dramatic pause before he snapped the chopsticks in two, and he made a fake gasp, as if surprised.

"Now you shall be mine!" he cackled wickedly, and he caught a noodle between his chopsticks. He was about to send it to the dark, bottomless hole known as his stomach, when -

"Naruto!"

Naruto fell off his chair in surprise and his feet caught the table, sending everything crashing down on him. He got up angrily and marched to the door, and he opened it with a dangerous tone in his voice,

"What?!"

"Oh. Hi. Sorry…" said Kat apologetically, before stifling a giggle behind her hand.

"Two things; what the hell do you want and why are you laughing at me?!" demanded the spiky-haired blonde, and Kat broke out into a hilarious laugh.

"Okay, then, Mr. Angry Pants - for one thing, I'm here to ask if you'd help me out with a little something. Secondly - you've got noodles in your hair!"

"Huh?!" cried Naruto, and he put his hands to his now hot and wet hair. Ramen was scattered through his spikes and his hair was coated in broth. Kat could literally see the steam rise from his head in anger.

Naruto slammed the door in her face and for a minute or so, clinking and the ruffling of material was heard. A moment later, Naruto emerged, looking fresh, wearing his usual outfit and an I-am-so-not-amused look on his face.

"What am I meant to be helping you out with?" he growled, his arms folded and a frown on his whisker-lined face.

Kat leant forward and pulled back the hair near his ear, whispering something.

"Ohh. I see."

"Yes. So, do you think you could help me out?" pleaded Kat, and Naruto put his hand to his chin as if he were having serious thoughts about what she'd just asked.

"Hm… what's in it for me?" he asked slyly, raising an eyebrow.

"The feeling you get when you know you've helped a girl out?"

Naruto went to close the door on her when she stopped it with her hand, making cracks into the wood.

Naruto blinked.

"Seriously. I need your help. Here, tell you what. You help me out, I treat you to as many bowls of ramen as you want."

"I'm not doing anything for ramen anymore!" declared Naruto, and laughs could practically be heard from the village outside.

"It's got beef in it!" said Kat in a sing-song voice, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Oh… fine. But you can't tell anyone that I'm helping you."

"Why not?"

"They'll know I did it for the beef!"

"You got yourself a deal."

Kat went to walk away, but she turned around.

"About your door - I'll have that fixed," she smiled innocently, before walking down the door and disappearing around the corner.

Naruto closed his door, and sighed. Oh, well. He never liked that door anyway.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Kakashi sat on the roof of the house, the moonlight reflecting off his silver hair and creating a dim light over his space as he mused over the day's events.

He sighed. There was no way that he could protect Kat now. That redhead, Gaara - not only was he strong, but he was determined, too. Gaara wanted to see Kat, and seeing as he always got his way, there was no stopping him now.

He'd been there when the domineering male had seen the Hokage - and he hadn't been lying, he was there to stop a war. Orochimaru was on the move again. And for some reason, this was the whole cause of the war - the Sand Village wanted to be sure that Kakashi's community weren't going behind their backs and forging an alliance with the rogue.

That, according to Kakashi, was bullshit.

Apparently, the Sand wanted to have their ninja battle the Leaf's. That way, they could 'be sure that they weren't plotting against them'.

Again - bullshit.

Kakashi knew why they were here. Heck, the message was fake. Gaara only wanted to see Kat. He was sure of it. And even if there was a minuscule chance that the message was real - what sort of idiot goes around declaring war on the basis that if one villager's ninja didn't fight, it was betrayal?!

Bullshit.

"Hey!"

GLOMP.

Kakashi smiled as Kat jumped on him, pushing them to the side.

"Hey, it's midnight! You should be in bed."

"Well, you're a hypocrite if you think that you shouldn't be in bed either."

"Yeah, but I'm younger than you, and therefore I have the right to be rebellious."

"Sometimes I wish you had the right to remain silent."

Kat sighed and blew a stray strand of hair from her face.

"I'm not really sure if I like it here. I mean, it's okay and stuff, but I'm not sure I'll fit in."

"You're fitting in fine. Besides, this is your first day. It's natural to feel like that."

He sounded distant and there was a pensive tone in his voice.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

Kakashi shook his head.

"Nothing."

Kat rested her head on his and sighed, her hands on his shoulders.

"You know, Sasuke told me he didn't want to fight me today. You didn't have anything to do with it, did you?" asked Kat a little suspiciously, looking down at her sensei.

"No, not at all."

"So why'd you ask him to pull out? I know you did, don't bother lying to me."

"No reason. I thought you didn't like Sasuke, anyway, so I thought I'd save you the trouble."

"Of course I don't like him. He's an asshole."

"Hey! Don't talk like that. It's rude."

"I don't give a damn."

There was a sudden, deep cough that caught the duo's attention.

"I don't mean to interrupt your little hug-fest, but I thought you should know that Gaara's moving around. I think he's looking for her."

"Gaara?!" cried Kat, getting off her sensei and turning around.

Iruka stood silently, only just realizing that he'd confirmed Gaara's whereabouts. And the fact that Gaara was there in the first place.

Kakashi stood up, and sighed.

"Take her the Nara house. I'll catch up later," he said calmly, about to jump from the roof. Kat caught his vest and pulled him back, making him turn around.

"What does he mean, Gaara's here? Gaara can't be here! I'm not going to some guy called Nara's house!" she protested, tugging on his top.

"Nara is someone's last name. And you're going. Iruka, take her now."

Kat cried out as she was slung onto Iruka's shoulder and was transported away, her mentor heading in the opposite direction. Iruka jumped from rooftop to rooftop, gliding through the air.

"Let go of me! I'll kill you if you don't!" said Kat in objection, thumping her fists on the ninja's back. He shook his head, and looked back at her.

"You can try to kill me, but I'd prefer you didn't. Kakashi wouldn't be very happy with you."

She went to protest further but he'd suddenly arrived at a big, wooded door, on which he knocked twice.

"I'll get it."

A lady came to the door with a spatula in her hand, looking extremely surprised.

"Ms. Nara?"

"Yes? Oh, Iruka, it's you. Err… what's that thing over your shoulder?"

"Oh, this? This is Kat. Kakashi's had to go away on an emergency, so he was wondering if you'd mind having her for the night."

She shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Come straight in."

Iruka walked in carefully so he didn't hit Kat's head and slowly set her down, closing the door behind him so the snarling child couldn't escape.

"Look, lady. Ms. Nara. I can't be here. I have to go find Kakashi," said Kat worriedly, but to no avail.

Iruka shook his head.

"Don't bother trying to escape from here. They can freeze you in your tracks - literally."

"Um… go upstairs, Kat. You'll find someone familiar there. Besides, I need to talk to Iruka for a moment," said the woman, a still a little shocked.

Not one to disobey (well, not completely, anyway), Kat made her way upstairs and looked around, and she saw a bedroom door that was open. She walked in - and raised an eyebrow.

"Shikky?"

Shikamaru opened one eye to look at her as he slowly woke up, sitting up on his bed.

"Kat? What are you doing here? If my mum finds you here, we'll both be dead."

"I got sent up here by your mum. It's not like I have a choice."

"Shikamaru!"

The two teens headed downstairs, Kat racing and Shikamaru ambling at a relaxed pace.

Iruka, it seems, had gone, and Shikamaru's mother stood there with a fluffy rug and a pillow in her hands. She walked up to Kat and gave them to her.

"Kat… that's your name, right? You're staying in Shikamaru's room tonight."

"Then where am I going to sleep?" said Shikamaru, blinking lazily.

"In your room."

The two ninja looked to each other, and blinked.

"Go to bed, both of you. It's late, and you have to wake up early. Actually, Kat, you go upstairs first - I need to talk to Shikamaru."

Kat said a strained thankyou and headed upstairs, spreading the blanket on the floor. There was only one bed, and she sure as hell didn't want to kick Shikky out of his own space. She sat on the mat and waited for the male to come in, who didn't look amused. Well, he never looked amused.

"What are you doing on the floor?"

"I'm waiting for you to come in so you can turn out the lights and so we can go to sleep. I'm sleepy."

She yawned and curled up on the blanket, not even bothering to cover herself with it. Closing her eyes, she hugged her knees and tried to drift off as soon as the lazy teen turned out the lights and retired to his own bed.

But as soon as she was sure that Shikamaru was asleep, she opened her eyes and silently stood up, creping toward the window. She opened it as quietly as she could and clambered out. She crept along the roofing and was about to jump to the next one when she was suddenly struck by paralysis, and she shuddered as she turned around.

Shikamaru blinked at her blankly as he held the seal his hands were making, tutting.

"Mum told me you'd try this. Didn't you listen to Iruka? I can freeze you in your tracks. Literally. So, what are you running away from? If it's me, then there's nothing to be scared of. If it's something else, you'd better tell me. I'm not letting you go until you do."

"I-It's you. You're really scary," she said in a desperately scared voice, looking petrified. "I can't be in the same room as someone as scary as you!"

She watched in horror as Shikamaru raised his arms, looking shocked as hers did too.

"Look to the ground and tell me what you see."

She looked, and frowned.

"I see… my shadow's connected to yours…"

"That's right. And anything I do, you have to do too. And you can't fight it. So, once again - what are you running away from?"

"It's none of your business…"

He shrugged and walked towards her, and she found herself walking towards him, too.

And he didn't stop walking until he was an inch away from her.

"Tell. Me."

He sighed as he watched her try to struggle against his hold; watching her muscles move but her limbs remaining frozen in the air.

"You know, you're going to be staying like this for a long time unless you tell me."

"Your chakra will burn out," said Kat, starting to feel a little frightened.

"Shadow Control doesn't take up a lot of chakra. Besides, I need to know what you're scared of. Tell me," he said, covering his mouth as he yawned and, in turn, covering her mouth too.

" I'll tell Kakashi what you're doing!" she threatened, trying to squirm away.

" You'll tell me what?"