A/N: I've said it before I'll say it again. Author's notes are boring. But this time they're necessary however. I want to explain, that, due to some annoying circumstances, and what we feel to be good ideas, we've had to warp the timeline of the story slightly.
Some of the events that are going to happen in this chapter happen in the Shipuuden series of Naruto, but, as mentioned in the last chapter…unfortunately for us, there are people still around that should by rights be off training with Orochimaru… *cough* Sasuke *cough*.
Anyway, the story is finally coming together ^^
Telenei waited for the sound of the alarm, switching it off as it blared to life, knowing Mikari wouldn't hear it anyway. As long as one girl remained awake the power of the demon wouldn't be unleashed. Needless to say Mikari usually got the sleep. It was still slightly dark outside; the rising sun had lightened the sky, streaking the far horizon with tinges of orange and pink. Telenei took a small moment to take this all in before she gently shook her sister awake. "C'mon Mikari. Time to wake up sleepyhead."
"Nnnn f'koff." She said, rolling back over. Telenei sighed and shook her more violently, waking the girl up. "We've got a mission remember." Telenei reminded. "Mission Schmission." Mikari wasn't much of a morning person.
"Tsunade is going to kick our asses if we're late, now get up." Telenei said with a hint of frustration as she pulled the blanket off her sister's bed.
The pair ate a quick breakfast and grabbed their pouches on the way out the door. "I'm gonna kill Tsunade." Mikari stated grumpily. "Always sending us out so bloody early."
They stood outside of the Hokage's office before Mikari knocked once on the door and entered, regardless of whether Tsunade was ready for them or not. "Alright, what's this mission about? Hurry up and tell us so we can get moving." Tsunade eyed Mikari tiredly before answering. "I'm sending you to the Village Hidden in the Sand to meet the new Kazekage and make sure that our peace treaty is still secure."
"Hn, doesn't sound too hard." Telenei said, ignoring the mutterings of her sister ("Someone's been spending too much time with Sasuke"). "I suppose we'd better get going if we hope to make it there any time soon." Tsunade nodded at the pair, indicating that they were dismissed. They left her office and headed to the gates after taking a quick stop in at the supermarket to grab some food supplies.
"Be on guard." Telenei warned.
"There could be ninja anywhere I know…" Mikari said, sweeping the area over quickly to check for threats. That was the advantage of mental communication…silent but deadly. "That old woman is going to hear about this." Mikari protested. Telenei nodded once in agreement. She liked her sleep far too much for early morning missions.
After a few solid days of uneventful travelling, the girls had neared the Sand Village. "I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with…T." Mikari thought.
"Hmm, lemme guess, tree." Telenei replied. The days of travelling had bored them into playing I Spy. "Ok, Ok, now it's my turn! I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with…S."
"Huh, something beginning with S?"
"Yup."
"Uhm," Mikari looked around, trying to find the thing starting with S that her sister had apparently spied. "Ohhh, the Sand Village, right?" She asked with a knowing expression. Telenei nodded and the girls slowed their pace.
The twins approached the village by foot, walking slowly so that the ninja keeping guard over the village wouldn't think that they were a threat and take them out before they even had a chance to complete their mission. They stopped in front of the gates, announcing their presence to the ninja, saying that they have a meeting with the Kazekage.
They took a short amount of time to examine the village as they had never been here before. "That way." Mikari said, pointing at the large building. Telenei nodded and they swiftly approached.
An assistant showed them the way to the office. "Kazekage-sama, the ninja from the leaf village are here to see you." She announced through the door.
"Send them in." A familiar voice called back. Telenei and Mikari shot a quick look at each other before the assistant opened the door and showed them through. "GAARA!" Mikari yelled loudly, running over and embracing the surprised man. Telenei planted the heel of her palm onto her forehead before smiling widely at Gaara. "Long time no see Gaara." She said, shaking his hand, preferring not to latch on to him as her twin had just done. "Tsunade sent us to check up on the peace treaty and all that." Mikari said with a wave of her hand.
"The peace treaty will remain intact as long as neither side does anything to violate it." Gaara said, sounding way too professional.
"Awesome." Mikari said with a smile as Telenei leaned against the wall.
"So, how is everyone back in the Leaf Village?" Gaara asked.
"Well, Naruto is the same as always." Telenei said with a light shrug. "Always causing mischief." She figured that Naruto would be who Gaara really wanted to ask about.
Mikari stood looking through the round window, looking up as a giant white bird flew overhead. 'Well that seems out of place.' She thought to herself.
"You should come see this." Mikari said, not wanting to worry Gaara. Telenei stepped inconspicuously toward the window and looked out of it. "That doesn't look right." Telenei conceded. "Perhaps we should get a closer look…" Mikari moved her head slightly as a nod. "Excuse us Gaara, we haven't eaten for two days so we're really quite hungry…we'll drop by again soon." Telenei said quickly, before Mikari might say anything. Gaara nodded and Telenei ushered Mikari out of the room.
"I don't know what that was," Mikari began "but it sure is suspicious."
"Lets go find out what it is alright?" Telenei said, suppressing a shudder. They walked out of the building and went, as they said they would, to a food place. It was true that they hadn't eaten for two days, and they wanted to be able to perform to their best if it came to a fight. "Lets hope it doesn't come to that." Telenei thought out loud, thinking of their possibilities.
After they ate they went to the top of the nearest building, getting as high up as they possibly could so that they could get a closer inspection of the bird that was following them. Mikari lightly tapped Telenei's arm and pointed toward the back of the bird. There was a person on it. Telenei could barely make out the hair.
An explosion nearby caught their attention and the pair quickly rushed back to the Kazekage's office. "Gaara, something's out there." Telenei said, after Mikari had burst in rather rudely. Gaara nodded in acknowledgement, his back to the twins as he looked out of the window. "Will you fight with us?" he asked, turning only his head back to look at the girls. Both of them nodded firmly. "Anything to help out an old friend." Mikari said, giving Gaara a thumbs up before the pair rushed from the room.
Back on the rooftop the bird seemed to be loosing pieces of itself, watching as white things dropped from the side. "Uh-uh, they're not part of the bird." Telenei said, seeing as they got closer that the man atop it was dropping them. "Wh…What is that thing?"