It was a new morning in the leaf. Yamouri fast asleep, was suddenly woken up by the sound of a very loud alarm. She shot up and looked at it in surprise before shutting it off then rubbed her forehead sheepishly. She was completely exhausted and the alarm had managed to give her a headache. Maybe it was because Yamouri had only managed four hours of sleep, since she had gone off to train in the night like old times. You'd think her body would be used to the lack of sleep by now. She walked towards the bathroom like a zombie and washed her face in the sink. The faucet was slightly opened and she listened to the water drops fall down slowly one at a time.

"Are you afraid? Shinobi are NEVER supposed to be afraid!" -Baku

"What do you really know about that Baku guy?" - Neji

"Ah that's right you haven't heard yet huh? He didn't tell you…. Shikamaru and Temari are dating now…" -Hikaru

"You'll never be as strong as me!" -Kento

Yamouri shrugged the voices away and splashed cold water on her face again. She looked up into the mirror and placed her hand on the glass examining her appearance.

"They don't understand you…" She whispered looking at herself. Takami had left just shortly after the strange incident. Yamouri had spent a good two hours searching the village, and the place they were supposedly staying. Baku and Akahana didn't say their goodbyes which was strange to Yamouri. You'd think spending so much time together they'd have the decency to say goodbye or see you later, but nothing. And then there was the way Takami was acting when she was trying to tell her something, but was unable to. That strange ninja had interrupted like it knew something. And Yamouri couldn't help, but have suspicions that it was that Anbu Tsunade put on her such a long time ago. She didn't understand. If the thing Takami was going to say was about Baku why would the Anbu interrupt that? Or was it something involving the leaf village? Whatever the case, Yamouri would have to investigate later because she wasn't really in a good, rested mood. She packed all her things and hurried to the old training grounds to meet up with the others.

~::.::.::.::.:: A few minutes later ::.::.::.::.::~

"Yamouri!" Lee shouted. She stayed silent as Lee ran towards her and stopped to catch his breath. "Lady Tsunade wants to see us… Our team."

...….

They finally made it to the gate and noticed Neji and Guy-sensei were already there waiting for them, but past them was Lady Tsunade. They hurried towards them and as soon as they did she gave them the message.

"I want you to work on the same mission that I gave Kakashi's group. Go to the sand village and offer your support to finish this mission. Got it?" She ordered.

"Yes!" Guy-sensei- shouted and gave her his thumbs up.

"Just leave it to us!" Lee added.

"Very well." Neji said. But Yamouri simply sighed and looked to the side. Neji nudged her and she glared at him, just like old times. She nodded and they all got distracted with Guy-sensei's random sneeze. Lee then made a bet that they can make it there in half a day, but they all knew it took three days.

"The power of youth!" Guy-sensei shouted and started to run off with Lee behind him. Yamouri sighed again and followed after Neji.

Minutes later they found themselves in the woods jumping from tree to tree. Apparently Naruto had returned just awhile ago and was immediately called for a special mission. Gaara had been taken by the Akatsuki! Of all people, that was the worst group that could possibly get their hands on him. Yamouri still remembered the day Gaara saved her, which was the same day she started to admire him, as well as the fact that they both had a sad past and felt like they didn't belong. But things were different now and Gaara had become Kazekage of his village. None the less everyone knew that the Akatsuki were after the tailed beasts sealed away in hosts. It was hard to believe that someone like Gaara could have been caught so easily, and this puzzled Yamouri. And after all those things he said to her in the past that helped her keep going, she wanted to bring him back safely as sort of evening the score.

"You're friends; they are your weakness…." Baku's words came again.

Yamouri looked over at Lee and Neji who were looking straight ahead. She started to contemplate what Baku's purpose was with her in the first place. Sure she wanted to get away from them all because just like Sasuke she saw them as a nuisance, but that was BEFORE. Now that Gaara had been kidnapped Yamouri thought how it be like to lose any of them… or even worse if something horrible happened to them. She already knew the pain of losing a family, but her team, without her intentionally wanting it, had become a second family. It was as if she was just now realizing it and how ridiculous she was in the past. No matter how much she tried pushing them all away, it was too late. They had somehow slipped through the cracks and got to her.

"No…. I think my friends are what make me stronger…." Yamouri thought to herself and stepped in front of Lee. "Come on Lee! Is that the fastest you can go? Pfff."

"Hmm!" Lee shouted and started to speed up trying to catch up with her.

"That's it! Keep it up! The power of youth!" Guy-sensei shouted.

"Am I the only normal one here?" Neji mumbled for only him to hear. While the others weren't watching Yamouri looked down at her pouch which contained her sword. She promised Baku she would only use it if she was absolutely desperate. For in the long run every time she would use it, it would cause damage internally. When she used it against that guy who had attacked Shikamaru, there was no chakra infused so it didn't count then.

"It doesn't matter because I won't depend on it…" Yamouri thought to herself.

"I wonder how Naruto is…" Neji added breaking the silence. It was true Yamouri hadn't seen him in such a long time. And he wasn't there for the Chuunin exam meaning he was still a Genin. With so much going on Yamouri realized that her training would finally be tested if they were going to end up fighting the Akatsuki for Gaara back. She heard a lot of things from that organization, and knew they would all have to perish for all the crimes they committed, but they were definitely strong. Yamouri focused on their direction when suddenly she felt a strong pain coming from her leg. She clinched her teeth and made sure her team wasn't looking.

"A muscle spasm…? Did I push it too far? You gotta be kidding me…"

"Wait Lee! Up ahead!" Neji shouted. They all came to a stop as Pakkun came out of some branches.

"Hold on Guy!" He said. Neji put his hands on his waist and Yamouri took this opportunity to stretch out her leg, which didn't seem to help.

"Kakashi had us eight ninja hounds split up and follow the Akatsuki's scent. We found that they've gone to the river country which lies between the sand village and the leaf," Pakkun said.

"The river country?" Neji asked. Pakkun nodded his head and told them that they were the closest to the Akatsuki as of right now, and there is no longer the need to go all the way to the sand.

"So follow me! I'll explain more on the way there," Pakkun added.

"Alright let's goo!" Guy-sensei shouted. Yamouri sighed as they headed off and soon went following them.

Before they knew it, they were traveling on ground on what looked like an old base of a river or something. Pakkun was still the leader and the group was following close behind. Pakkun then stopped and warned them that someone was coming.

"Byakugan!" Neji shouted. After he looked around he shouted that the enemy was approaching from behind. And sure enough something popped out from underneath the ground and came towards them with full force and speed. They waited till the last second to jump up in the air as it hit the rocks they were standing in front of. The smoke from the impact cleared moments later, and revealed a blue skinned Akatsuki member standing with a sword rested on his shoulders.

"A sword…?" Yamouri thought to herself.

"I haven't seen anyone with this much chakra since Naruto!" Neji shouted.

"That much!" Lee added sounding a bit nervous.

"You really don't recognize me?" He asked Guy-sensei. Yamouri side glanced at him as he added that he doesn't know who he is. This seemed to annoy the Akatsuki member a bit and then he added, "I'll make you remember soon enough."

...…..

"This is an Akatsuki?" Neji added. Kisame laughed and threw his sword into the air, twirling it. He then began doing hand signs for a water style jutsu. Guy-sensei told Yamouri and the team to get ready for battle. Suddenly water busted from the ground and raised Kisame, and then water rushed towards them.

"Here I come!" He shouted and came down with speed; the waves along with him. They began dodging waves and jumping from rock to rock, giving them no time to catch their breath. He asked Guy-sensei one more time if he remembered him yet, and of course the answer remained the same.

"Where is all this water coming from?" Lee added.

"He has a tremendous amount of chakra. I've never seen such a technique like this!" Neji added. When hey finished chattering, they noticed Kisame was no longer insight. They began to scan the area when suddenly, another wave shot up and directed towards them. All four jumped into the air, and then Kisame went straight for Guy-sensei. He landed on the water and Neji used his eight trigram air palm attack, sending Kisame to fly back. Yamouri then threw a knife as a diversion while she shot a lightning ball towards him. An explosion occurred, but Kisame managed to escape under water. A few seconds later he appeared and the battle continued for awhile. The team mostly dodging water attacks. Guy-sensei still didn't remember where he had seen this blue guy before and this only annoyed him more.

"Time for our counter attack! I'll go first and distract him; you guys hit him with everything you've got!" Guy-sensei ordered.

"You really think I'll leave myself open so easily?" Kisame smirked. Yamouri couldn't seem to get her eyes off his giant sword. "Allow me to show you what's wrong with that plan." Kisame added then charged towards Guy-sensei. He began dodging his swings, but the way he swung his massive sword so easily made it impossible for an opening.

"Lightning style, thunder spears!" Yamouri shouted and made about a dozen spears fly towards him. Some were covered in exploding tags. When the smoke cleared Kisame stood with a grin on his face and asked if something was suppose to happen.

Guy-sensei then charged at him again and managed to steal Kisame's sword. Meanwhile Lee, Yamouri and Neji went towards him. Kisame made water clones that grabbed a hold of them. He then used a water prison jutsu trapping the three and while Guy-sensei tried to stop it, the sword sent spikes from the handle, and stabbed his hands. Yamouri and the other two found themselves trapped in water bubbles with no oxygen. Shinobi can only hold their breath for so long, which gave Guy-sensei, only a little bit of time to release it. Kisame and Guy-sensei continued to battle it out themselves while the three remained imprisoned by the three clones. Neji and Lee watched, while Yamouri found it annoyingly hard to hold in her breath. It had already been about four minutes and she felt like her head was about to explode.

"Damn it Guy-sensei hurry!" Yamouri thought to herself. She began to struggle, but found she was unable to move. It was hard enough just moving her head to the side. Yamouri's strong will helped her to contain her composure for she didn't want to worry anyone. So she started to think of other things to get her mind off the situation. Guy-sensei continued to fight Kisame alone while Neji tried to come up with something to get them out. Yamouri thought if she could somehow get access to her sword then they'd be freed, or even if Neji was able to use his Gentle fist. The time was quickly passing by.

~::.::.::.::.:: A few minutes later ::.::.::.::.::~

"Gaara…" Yamouri thought to herself and closed her eyes picturing him being on a ground somewhere lifeless. Because once the tailed beast would be removed then the host would perish. She opened her eyes and looked over at Neji who was watching Guy-sensei fight. Out of Yamouri's control, her mouth opened allowing her to swallow water. She closed it as fast as she could, but the water had already entered. It only made it even harder now to hold her breath for there was barely any air to grasp onto.

"Yamouri!" Lee called worryingly and quickly closed his mouth again. Neji watched her cautiously and tried to move again. Yamouri closed her eyes again to concentrate allowing herself to drift into her thoughts. The first thing that came to mind was when she was in a coma and the strange long dream she had. Where she was trapped and couldn't save herself, how someone else had to save her. How she hated that, and wanted that in the past. She knew this time she wanted to be the hero and needed to do something fast, but what?