When he let go and his neck, which had stretched to a great length to reach her, went back to its normal size.
"You now have the Death curse mark. You can activate a second state which will increase your chakra and give you great power. The other sound ninja will teach you more." He said. All Masako could manage was a nod, then she scurried out the door.
As she made it back to the training grounds she was immediately surrounded by all five of the sound ninja.
"Hey Masako." The one with six arms said. "I'm Kidomaru."
"I Jirobo." Said a rather large one.
"And I'm Kimimaro." Said one who stood pretty tall. "Let's see if you're as great as Kabuto thinks." Kimimaro stated, "You'll fight all five of us, at once."
Masako just raised one of her eyebrows, "That's not fair." She said
"What you scared?" Tayuya taunted.
"No, I mean it's not fair to you," Masako answered, "but if you insist." The fight didn't last long. Kimimaro was the last to go. He used his bones as tools.
'That's so creepy.' Masako thought.
Meanwhile:
"What do you make of her Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto asked Orochimaru.
"She's perfect Kabuto. She is my new vessel." Orochimaru said as a creepy smile spread across his face.
"What? My Lord, she's a woman. Do you really wish to have her body?"
"Do not question me Kabuto. She's beautiful, young and strong. The ideal vessel."
A few weeks later:
Masako didn't open her window that night which was the sign that she didn't need to see the ops team. Nothing was wrong, no evil scams she'd heard of. In her perspective everything was fine. Until that knock came.
Masako was looking at some pictures of her and her best friend Tinnara. How she missed her. They were only 7 years old in the photos. Masako hadn't been to the leaf village in 5 years. Then a knock came on the door. Masako quickly stuffed the pictures in her side table and got up to answer the door.
"Oh. Good evening Kabuto. How can I be of assistance?" She asked politely.
"Masako, I just came to tell you that Lord Orochimaru wants you as his vessel." Kabuto said looking sad.
"Huh? What are you talking about Kabuto?" Masako asked very confused.
"Lord Oruchimaru will take over your body so that he may live. It will happen tomorrow after lunch. Sleep tight." He finished then left.
"Good night." Masako said softly. She closed the door and ran to her window and threw it open. She lay back in her bed and all she had to do now was wait. The ops came in about 20 minuets.
"Sipen. What do you need Masako?" Sipen was the code word. It wasn't a real word so nobody would ever guess it.
"Oruchimaru wants to take over my body. It's going to happen tomorrow. I have to leave." Masako told them.
"Yes, pack your bags and we'll take you to the sand village." The leader of the three said.
"Sand? I wanna go to the leaf!" Masako protested quietly.
"We have to talk to Lady Hokage first. You'll be home in Konaha in no time." He reassured her.
"Okay." Masako said. Then raced and packed her bags. She was still dressed from the day. She took her leaf headband out of her side table and tied it back around her forehead.
'Good to have you back old friend.' She thought as she put the sound one around her waist. She then jumped through the window and into one of the ops arms. This was in case anyone stopped them it would look like they were kidnapping her. As far as Masako was concerned it was fine. She fell asleep in a few short moments.
When she woke up she had expected to be in her sound apartment but soon recognized where she really was. She was still in her clothes so she quickly jumped out of bed brushed her hair and raced though the hallways to Gaara's office.
"Gaara-kun! I'm…" she said as she burst though the doors. Nobody was there.
"I thought for sure you'd be in here Gaara." She said sadly. She turned around and began to walk out the door when a familiar feeling wrapped it's self around her waist. Before she could respond she felt Gaara's strong arms wrapped around her.
"Welcome back Masako-chan." He whispered in her ear. He turned her around and they were so close she could feel his warm breath against her face.
"Glad to be back Gaara-kun." She beamed at him. Before they knew it they were in a full out kiss. Masako didn't want this kiss to end and apparently neither did Gaara because when they heard footsteps headed towards the office he shut the door with his sand. This only made Masako smile during the kiss. They heard the door knob turn but still didn't stop. Masako realized it then, she loved Gaara a lot. More then a brother, she had fallen in love with Gaara of the desert. "Alright Gaara!" Kankuro screamed and the two of them quickly pulled apart. Temari was with him,
"Well apparently Gaara's already welcomed you back." She said with a smile. Masako blushed and dropped her gaze to the floor.
"My turn to welcome you back!" Kankuro said. Masako looked up and he was going into kiss her. Then all she saw was sand.
"No way Kankuro. Find your own girl. I've got dibs on this one." Gaara said smiling at her. She smiled back.
Gaara put his sand back in his gourd and Masako said, "Well you guys I'm not here for long just a little until The Hokage says I can go home."
"We know." Kankuro said. "Just wanna milk the moments with you here." He said pulling her into a hug. Gaara looked angry but didn't do anything.
"My turn!" Temari exclaimed and pulled Masako out of Kankuro's arms and into her own. "Oh I missed you so much Masako!" Temari said as she squeezed the life out of Masako.
"Uh, I missed you to Temari, but I kinda need to breath." Masako said.
"Right. Sorry." Temari answered letting go of her. Then Gaara put his arm around her in a protective manner as he said, "Well, lets all catch up over lunch." Masako smiled. When they got to the dining hall everyone kept telling her,
"Welcome back." Masako wasn't aware so many people actually knew who she was. During lunch she told the three of them everything that happened in the sound village. They watched her intently not saying a word.
"Wow… that's wild." Kankuro said when she finished.
"Sure sounds exiting!" Temari commented.
"At least nobody hurt you," Gaara said "or I'd have a few more names to add to my hit list." He finished and smiled.
"Gaara seems out of his slump now that Masako's back. Eh, Kankuro?" Masako overheard Temari ask Kankuro.
"Definitely. I just hope he doesn't go back to it when she leaves." He answered back. A slump? Could that mean that Gaara loved her all along?
'Don't worry yourself over that Masako. The important thing is that you love him now.' She thought to herself. Masako was well aware though that she'd have to soon leave and forget Gaara for the time being, it was never easy, but she'd done it with Tinnara for 5 years and Haku and Zabuza for 2 years. Haku and Zabuza were dead though so she tried not to think of them at all. She stayed with Gaara, Kankuro and Temari all day. Masako went to sleep that night very happy.
The next morning Gaara picked her up and walked her to breakfast. It was strange though he didn't say a word the entire way. Well, it wasn't all that strange but he usually said something. After breakfast Temari and Kankuro told her.
"The two of us are on our way to the leaf village. We'll take you there. Even if your Hokage's not okay with it. She'll have to deal." Kankuro said. Gaara was standing there when they left.
Masako gave him a kiss and he whispered in her ear, "Have a nice time in your other home and don't restrict yourself because of me." Masako nodded and waved to him as she walked off with Kankuro and Temari. They didn't run into any troubles and were in Konaha before she knew it.
"Wait!" Masako exclaimed as she remembered that she needed to do something.
"This outta be good." Kankuro said as she ran off. Her deed didn't take long she was back within 10 minuets.
"What'd you do?" Kankuro asked.
"Oh nothing." Masako answered him smiling evilly.
"Come on we want to take you somewhere." Temari told her as they began to walk.
"I hope it's to the ramen bar. I'm starved!" Masako said hopefully.
"What do you do with all those calories?! You eat so much and yet you're still as tiny as a toothpick!" Kankuro exclaimed.
"Heh. What can say food just has no affect on me." Masako said smiling.
"Lucky." Temari murmured under her breath.
"We're here." She said a few minuets later. Masako knew exactly where they were.
"Wait here." Kankuro told her as he and Temari walked inside. Masako tried to listen in on the conversation but all she heard were muffled sounds and her stomach rumble.
'That's it! I'm hungry. I'm going in.' she thought.
"Got any food here?" She asked as she stepped through the door.
"Masako?" A girl with brown hair and pink streaks asked quietly.
"That's right! It's me Masako Uzamaki the one and only twin sister to Konaha's number one knuckle head ninja!" She said smiling.
"Hey!" Her brother Naruto said angrily.
"Haha. Sorry little bro but its true." She told him. He crossed his arms and began to pout.
"We're twins." He said.
"Yeah but I'm still older then you by three minuets, munchkin." Masako told him. Naruto was the shortest and, most likely, dumbest ninja in Konaha. It was hard to believe that they were twins. Masako was so much taller then him and a lot smarter, but they had the same appearance.
"DON'T CALL ME MUNCHKIN!!" Naruto screamed at her. "Sheesh calm down. I was only joking." Masako told him. "Hello, Tinnara. Your best friend has finally returned after being gone for five years and she would very much appreciate a hu…" Masako was saying but got cut off by Tinnara running up and throwing her arms around her.
"You haven't changed that much have you Masako?" Tinnara asked her.
"Nah. My favorite past time is still the same, practical jokes all around!" Masako said then the two girls laughed.
'Just like old times.' Masako thought.
"I missed you so much Tin-Tin! I have so many things to tell you!" Masako announced.
"Tin-Tin? I'll have to remember that, un." A voice said then laughed.
"Hey, Tinnara… how come I wasn't informed about your new boyfriend?" Masako asked Tinnara with a sly smile.
"He's not my boyfriend. He's my new neighbor." Tinnara said annoyed.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Deidara, un." He said putting his hand out for Masako to shake, she did.
"I'm Masako. As you can guess from my entrance." She laughed and so did he.
"Yeah I guessed, un." He said and smiled at Tinnara.
"He's cool I'm surprised your not dating him Tinnara." Masako told her friend.
"Masako we gotta get back to the sand." Kankuro interrupted. "That's fine. Thanks for bringing me home." Masako told them as she gave the two of them hugs.
"Bye guys!" She said as they left.
"Now, Tinnara. Let's go and say hi to everyone and let them know that Masako Uzamaki is back!" Masako said.
"Right. Got it." Tinnara said with a laugh. All four of them left Tinnara's house then.
"Hey lets go see Sasuke first. Even though I know you hate him as much as I do, but it would be nice to say hi." Tinnara said.
"Yeah, about that…"Masako began. "Sasuke's kinda tied up in a closet right now and I swear that it wasn't me who did it. It also was not me who told Sakura and Ino where he was. Nope. Wrong ninja." Masako said and Tinnara, Naruto and her burst out laughing.
"Nice one sis!" Naruto said as he high fived her.
"I don't get it, un." Deidara said.
"You wouldn't Deidara you've never met Sasuke." Tinnara informed him still laughing a little.
"So who are we going to see first then since Sasuke's out of the picture?" Masako asked.
"Uh…" Tinnara said wondering herself.
"Oh! I know!" Naruto called out. "How about Kiba?" Masako blushed even at the mention of his name.
"You still have a crush on him?" Tinnara asked.
"Yes." Masako answered
'Don't worry Masako, Gaara told you it was okay.' She reassured herself. "I can't wait!" Masako said jumping in the air.
"Well let's go then!" Tinnara said breaking into a run.