Sorry for the late late update. I've been really busy due to exams. So please do understand. :) Anyway, here's a few FAQ that I'll answer incase I got more confused readers. "

1. Are you going to update this story soon?
- I will be doing major updates on this fiction, as well many others once my exams are over on the 25th November.

2. I spot some mistakes in your story which does not correspond to what had happen in the manga/anime.
- Indeed, there are some mistakes but some of them are intentional because I have my own idea when I wrote this fiction which does not correspond to the official story by Kishimoto.

3. Does Gaara still has Shukaku?
- You'll soon find out. :)

4. Who the hell is the missing-nin?
- Someone entirely made up from a figment of my imagination. ;)

5. Where is my GaaraXHinata action!
- Be patient, my dear. :D

Chapter Four: Hidden Mist

Neji was the leader of Team B and he felt at ease with this newfound leadership. Being a Jounin meant he had more responsibility.

It didn't help that Lee and Tenten both knew him so well, that they tend to overwrite his authority at times.

"Lee, cast the sails away. We can't be left behind!" Neji ordered. The ocean breeze was calm but a brooding cloud had settled above their heads.

"Looks like rain." Tenten observed, a small frown on her face. She hated the rain more than anything.

"If we're quick enough, we could beat that rain." Neji said. Just as he finished speaking, a low rumbling sound could be heard.

"Or maybe not." Neji sighed and brushed his hair back as he finished his sentence. He didn't notice Tenten staring tentatively at him, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Don't worry, guys! We CAN beat this rain! And even if we don't, it won't stop us from reaching our destination!" Lee exclaimed, full of energy and passion as always.

"…" Neji lowered his gaze and stared at the empty sea ahead of them. It looked to be a long mission indeed.


The darkening clouds let out a low rumbling sound. Before long, the entire Irishia Sea was cast into shadows as a brooding storm threatened to make its arrival.

"Great. Just great." Temari muttered, folding her arms. She cast a sideward glance as Gaara. He was sitting quietly at the front of the ship, staring thoughtfully out at the sea.

"Umm…Kankurou-san…?" Hinata muttered uncertainly as she walked towards the Sand Nin. "Can you tell me more about this missing-nin?"

Kankurou looked slightly surprised that Hinata had tried to start a conversation with him, even though he knew little to nothing about the missing-nin they were after.

"Actually, I really have no idea." Kankurou replied honestly. "The details were only discussed between Gaara and Tsunade. Maybe you can ask him." He said, casting a glance at the Kazekage, who was sitting quietly and facing out towards the sea.

Hinata looked hesitant. But after a brief moment of thought, she decided she should go and talk to Gaara after all. Not only to find out more about her mission, but also because she thought it would be good to know more about the people she would be working with.

Shyly, she walked up towards Gaara and stopped a few distance behind him. Biting her lips down nervously, she started to say, "Ga-Gaara-sama…?"

There was no reply from Gaara. It was as if he didn't heard her. Or else, he had chosen to ignore her.

Hinata decided she should try again, louder. "Gaara-sama?"

This time, Gaara turned around and widened his eyes slightly as if acknowledging her presence without words.

"I heard you know more about this missing-nin than the rest of us." Hinata continued, lowering her gaze. Gaara had a very strong glare, which made her afraid of him sometimes.

Gaara nodded briefly. "She's from the Hidden Mist Village."

Hinata swallowed. She would never imagined herself to be talking to Gaara like this. As if, they were equals. But she couldn't help but wanted to know more about this missing person.

"Do you know what's she like?" Hinata asked again, inching nearer to Gaara as he was speaking very softly.

Gaara paused thoughtfully. "She's a Genin."

"Genin?" Behind her, Temari seemed to overhear this and was now walking towards them. "Did you just say that this S-ranked mission is based on the rescue of a miserable genin?"

"A…a genin?" Hinata muttered, her pale violet eyes widened in surprise.

Her life over yours…

Tsunade-sama had said this missing-nin was a powerful ninja. And that they must save her from the Akatsuki Organization at all cost.

But…she's a genin…only?

Gaara's face remained expressionless. " She's a genin because she left the village at the age of 12 years old."

"Left the village?" It was Temari's turn to question.

Gaara nodded. "Hai. Her reason for leaving the village is unknown but it is said that her strength is equal to that of the Sannin."

"Sannin?" Hinata gasped out loud. It just seemed so exaggerated. She can't imagine that they were going to rescue a person that is as strong as Jiraiya or Tsunade.

"That's right." Gaara said solemnly, looking away out at the sea. Above them, another deeper rumbling sound was heard.

"Hey! If she's so powerful, why do we need to save her? She's definitely good enough to save herself!" Temari retorted, rolling her eyes.

Across her, Gaara looked away, feeling a deep dread rise up in him.


"That's right, she's equivalent to a Sannin." Neji finished, a faraway look in his light purplish eyes. Lee and Tenten had asked him the same question.

"But…then why…?" Lee started to say.


"We're not here to save her, as the Hokage so politely puts it." His voice was low as usual, and he continued to fold his arms, staring out into the sea.

"…What do you mean, Gaara?" Temari asked. She couldn't help but feel worried now.

"This missing-nin…she doesn't need our help. She's strong enough to deal with the Akatsuki members…"

"Then…?" Kankurou started to say.


"We're here to…stop her." Neji finished, turning around so that he was looking directly at both Lee and Tenten.

Tenten widened her hazel brown eyes. "Wait a minute, but…"

"Tsunade-sama said…" Lee stammered helplessly.

"Hokage-sama was just putting it in a politically correct term." Neji interrupted, crossing his arms and looking at his two teammates. "It's true we are suppose to save her, so to speak. But that is if she hasn't join the Akatsuki Organization."

"And…and that means if she already did…?" Tenten started to see the whole picture.

"Yes, that's right." Neji said. The wind had started to pick up and the sky above them grew darker. "That would mean we would have to…"


"…Kill her." Gaara replied, his face emotionless.

Both Temari and Kankurou stared at each other for a second, before turning back to their Kazekage, and also their youngest brother.

"Are…are you serious, Gaara?" Hinata muttered. She can't imagine that their mission was so dark and under-handed. But then, what Gaara said, does make sense.

Gaara did not reply, but continued to stare somewhat distantly out at the sea. A minute later, a low thundering sound was heard again and the sea around them grew misty.

A storm was approaching.

Kankurou approached them suddenly. "Looks to be a big storm coming up."

The sky was decidedly gray now. And the mist around their ship grew thicker.

"I didn't know it would get so misty. Might be hard to navigate the ship." Temari muttered, trying to see what's ahead in the ocean, but it was futile. The mist was too thick.

Hinata turned and saw that Gaara had suddenly stood up. He was staring intently out at the sea, a look of graveness written across his face.

"What's wrong, Gaara-sama?" she asked concernedly.

"The mist…" The Kazekage said.


"I can't see anything, Neji!" Lee exclaimed, widening his already huge eyes. "I don't know where to navigate the ship towards!"

"Keep to the initial route planned." Neji replied calmly. He mustn't lose his cool in front of his teammates.

Even though, deep inside him. He was already feeling turbulent and uneasy.

"Once it starts raining, I think the mist will clear." Tenten said hopefully.


"…Mist?" Hinata stared at Gaara intently. "What do you mean?"

Gaara did not directly reply to her. Instead, he had started to move up closer to the deck, nearer to where Kankurou was.

"This mist." Gaara muttered, turning towards Kankurou. "It's unnatural."

Kankurou nodded quietly.

"What do you mean 'unnatural'?" Temari asked, walking towards the two of them.

"Remember, this missing-nin we're looking for, is from the Hidden village of Mist." Kankurou replied.

"What do we do, Gaara-sama?" Hinata asked, inching closer to the group.

"Stay alert." The Kazekage said, turning his head slightly so that Hinata could see the outline of his jaw and his nose.And he also added, "Just call me Gaara."


"Stay alert, everyone." Neji said.

"Hai!" Lee replied quickly, glancing at Tenten, who only gave a small nod.

Does this mist mean…that we're too late? Neji wondered, a sense of dread creeping up into him.

"Neji!" Tenten's voice snapped him back into the real world. "The waves are getting wild. Our ship is already being thrown off-route!"

There was little choice left. The mist was so thick; it refused to let them see what was ahead of them.

But maybe…

"Byakugan!" Neji's eyes turned almost ghostly white, small veins appeared at the side of his eyes and they crept down to the corners of his cheeks.

With his Byakugan, Neji was relieved to see that it worked. He could see through the mist and their ship was already heading…

"Towards the rocks!" Neji suddenly cried out. "Lee! Turn the ship around! Quick!"


Okay, I hope this is a long enough chapter for everyone. Anymore questions, direct them to the Comment box so that I can answer them in my next chapter. Happy Reading:)