A/N: Wow I actually managed to post at a relatively decent hour for once. Anyway, I would like to apologize to my readers (like I have any) I know my updates have been sporradic at best but my shcoolwork load has been insane so please bear with me. Now that that's out of the way, on to the new chapter.

As Strider carried her, Temari was able to get a good look at her rescuer. He was dressed so that every inch of his skin was covered. He wore black leather gloves on his hands and a long black trench coat with a green shirt underneath. His hair was dark and was tied back into a thin whip-like braid with a kunai on the end. She noticed that she wasn't the only thing on his back. Besides her, he carried a large black case, but she couldn't tell what was inside. What struck her was the mask. The stark whiteness contrasting so harshly with the deep crimson of the "tear" created a truly intimidating appearance. "What could he be hiding behind that mask?" She wondered "What kind of person lies beneath it?" She continued looking him over until his voice brought her back to reality.

"Hey, Temari"

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if we stop and rest for a minute?" He asked, with notes of exhaustion in his voice.

"We haven't gone all that far" she replied.

"I know" he said "It's just that I'm built for speed, not strength."

"Are you saying I'm heavy?" Temari growled.

"N-no it's not you that's heavy" he stammered "It's that giant metal fan of yours. It weighs a ton."

"Good answer" she thought as he leaned her against the wall of an alley. He sat down across from her and leaned against the opposite wall.

"Hey, Strider was it?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"There's a few things I want to ask you" she said "If that's alright."

"That's fine" he replied "As long as you don't ask me to take off my mask, because I won't. Otherwise go ahead and ask away."

"Okay. First, how were you able to convince those three to retreat?"

"Oh you heard that huh?" He replied "Simple, it was a bluff."

"A bluff!?" She said shocked, "What if they saw through it?"

"Then we would've been screwed." He replied nonchalantly "But they never would have called my bluff. It's amazing how easy it is to lie to people when your face doesn't move. So what's your next question?"

"This guy's insane!" She thought "Why do you wear those gloves? You're in the desert you know." She asked after a short pause.

"I wear these gloves to keep my hands from becoming stained with anymore blood" He replied.

"What do you mean 'more blood'?"

"Long ago I was responsible for the death of someone very close to me. Their death caused me to suffer a severe mental breakdown. I spent three days trying to scrub the nonexistent blood from my hands. Even now if I see so much as a drop of someone else's blood on my hands, I go into a state of catatonic shock. It's supposedly a mild form of schizophrenia, but I'm not sure. It's not like I can go see a doctor."

Temari just stared at him.

"So do you have any other questions?" Strider asked "If not then we should get moving."

"No, I don't have any more questions." Temari replied.

"Alright then" Strider said as he hoisted her onto his back "Let's go."

A/N: For those of you who don't know, people who suffer from catatonic schizophrenia often enter a mentally detatched state. They become unable to move and tend to mimic what they hear. Now then, you read it so please review.