"Wooosh"

**Siigh**

We were walking for what seemed hours and I was tiered; and slightly BORED with this road trip.

"How much LOOONGER~"

I whined throwing my hands in the air, Yamato turns around looking at me as he stops; we all then stopped.

"Do we need a break?"

Everyone shook their heads as I pout crossing my arms.

"F-I-N-E. . . . ."

"I didn't think such a powerful woman would need a break by now."

Sai plainly lays out as I glare at him.

"Watch it."

He just smiles as Naruto was glaring at him.

"What are you looking at?"
Sai asks innocently as Naruto mumbles under his breath.

"Nothing, just thinking. . .. . you kinda look like our friend Sasuke. . ."

Sai pauses but then smiles.

"Don't you dare compare me with that worthless back stabbing piece of shit Uchiha."
In that instant the rest of us stopped in out tracks as me and Sakura gasp turning around to the boys.

"WHAT THE FUCK did you say?!"

Sakura holds him back as Sai smirks.

"Naruto stop it!"

She barks as Naruto breaks free from her grip as he glares at Sai. Sakura sighs as she turns to Sai giving him a apologetic smile.

"Please forgive Nartuo-kun Sai. . .. it's not his fault."

Me and Naruto looked at Sakura with a gasp.

"HUH?"

"I accept your apology. . . . "

SOCK!

I gasped covering my mouth as Naruto went back in a wide eyed glance.

"That's for talking bad of Sasuke-kun," She whispers under her breath as she stands back up regaining her posture. "And if I hear you talking back about him ever again I WILL kill you. . . ."

My eyes went wide as I still had my hands over my mouth; she was fucking serious! Sai merely gets up softly rubbing his face as he gives her a fake smile.

"So I see you say fake apologizes. . . ."

"Don't even think about it—"

Naruto hisses defensively as Sakura got in a lil stance as well, I looked at them like they were crazy; what were they doing getting into a fight in the middle of a mission?!

"THAT'S ENOUGH-!"
It was Yamato, I turned to him as the ground shook as I gasped looking up. The ground split as out from the ground came a stone cut cage as my face fell.

"Oh man-"

"Now we can let this go, or I'll put you all in this cage until you can calm down."

"And what did I do to get stuck in here?!"

I protest to him my hand wrapping around the bars as he swiftly pats his palms together with a sigh.

"Do we have an understanding?"

I glare at Sakura, Naruto and Sai acting like such children over this guy as I crossed my arms.

"Hi'e."

Sakura and Naruto bitterly replay, both pouting in frustration as Yamato turns to Sai.
"Sai?"

Sai nods as Yamato's cage vanishes.

"Wooow, dodge a bullet there."

I sigh as Yamato gives everyone a nod gathering his things again.
"Well come on now, were going to go to a local hot spring."

We all looked at him.

"Hot Spring?"

"Splash-Splash"

"Ahhhh~"

Oh yes, there was a hot spring lodge and people don't understand how delicious it felt to relax in a spring. I was swimming around the spring as Sakura had a towel around her and her legs in the water as she sat on the edge.

"Isn't this delightful~"

I said with a slight blush on my face of relaxation, Sakura takes a deep breath with a soft sigh.

"Yea. . . ."

I smiled.

"Man it feels good to just—"

"STOP TALKING LIKE THAT!"

I paused swimming as I looked at the wall that divided the male side with the girl's side.

"Was that-?"

"Naruto?"

"STOP TALKING ABOUT DICKS HERE! IT'S WEIRD! SHUT UP!"

Me and Sakura's faces fell in embarrassment as the ladies around us roared in laughter.

"He's DEAD to me."
I hissed under my breath to Sakura as she replied back.

"Hi'e."

I slowly sunk deep into the water as Sakura hung her head shamelessly.

"Let's get out."

"Hi'e."

We got out as she handed me my towel and we went to the changing rooms to slip on our kimonos. Hers was pink, mine was white. I laid down on the floor raising my arms over my head giving my body a long stretch.

"Ahh-that felt good*drop arms* I need a nap though."

"Then take one when we get back."

I nodded.

"Acourse i will."

She slid open the door as we gasped.

"Wooow. . . ."

"What is that?!"

Before us was a table FILLED with specially prepared meals, me and her gasped in delight.

"Oh hey girls, you came just in time sit."

Me and Sakura sat across from one another in aww as I couldn't believe all tat FOOOD.

"This is for US?"

I practically squeal as Yamato-sama nods.

"OOOHH~!"

Slidd~

We looked up as Naruto and Sai stood there, Naruto super gasped.

"FOOOD!"
He quickly sits by Sakura and Sai calmly sat by me as Naruto was already drooling over himself from the sight of all the good food.

Naruto: You got us FOOD?!

Yamato nodded.

"Well don't just looked at it, eat."

Me and Naruto were first to crack out sticks as we both holler.

"LET'S EAT!"
Sakura then slowly breaks hers and nods her head.

"HI'e!"

Sai does the same as me and Naruto looked over the food like it was life death situation. I went on chewing my piece of meat as I looked over the sushi bar as I went for a huge piece of lobster.

"THIS ONE!"
Smack!

I glared up at Naruto as he glares back.

"Not so fast."

"It's MINE Uzumaki."

He slowly shakes his head with a grin.

"It's MINE—"
I gave a gasp as I point to my right.

"Is that ramen?!"
Naruto gasps as he literally gets up snapping his head to the right.

"WHERE?! WHERE?!"

I quickly snatched the piece of lobster as I stood up and chomped it.

"SIKE!"
Naruto glares at me.

"That was a dirty trick!"

I playfully stuck out my tongue and pulled the skin under my eye.

"You can suck it Naruto ha!"

He glares at me still as I sat back down.

"Now Now there's enough for all."

"Hi'e."

All of us answer as I grab a bowl of rice and some meats as I began to eat with everyone.

Ahhhhh~

Everyone was full, slowly patting their bellies, well everyone cept Yamato and Sai.

"I'm so full-"
I said in a wince as Sakura follows with a small sigh.

"Me too."
Naruto gives a small burp falling to his back as he raises his right hand pointing to Yamato.

"I nominate Yamato to replace Kakashi!"

"Second that."

Me and Sakura answer in sync as Yamato smirks.

"Now now, Kakashi is and always will be your captain."

We huffed.

"Someone carry me to bed."
I whine again as I softly lay on my side. Sakura gives a soft burp as she waves her hand to me.

"Don't look at me."

She says getting up and walks to our room as I groaned slipping to the ground all the way lying on my belly.

"Sensei-"

I whine again turning to him as he looks at his bare wrist.

"Look at the time."

He gets up and leaves as I gave a pout; I looked at Sai as he simply nods.

"You didn't even let me sweet talk you. . . . ."

"Don't waste your time."

He gets up and leaves as I whined.
"BUT IM LAZY!"

A smirk came from Naruto as I looked up as he extends his hand to me.
"Come on you big baby."

I smiled.
"Thanks."

He helps me up as I lazily climbed on his back.

"To my room~"

I announced like a child would pointing east with my finger, Naruto huffs standing up.

"Yea-Yea."

I smirk as he walks out the door of the dining room, than living room of our hotel room as he walks to me and Sakura's room. I slipped down from Naruto's back as I stretched lightly with a small wince.

"Thanks Naruto-kun*smile* I owe you."

"No problem. . . ."

I merely smile again as we got silent.

"Well I'ma-get going-uhh—"

"Oh yea! Right*bows* Night Mizuki-chan."

I smiled.

"Night."

I slid the door open as Sakura was already knocked out as I sigh.

"So sleepy. . . ."

I slipped in my bed on the other side of hers as my head gently hit the pillow I soon fell asleep.

.::Morning Already?::.

MIZUKI-CHAN!

"AH!"

I sat up quickly with a mass of bed hair as Sakura had a mad huff with her hands on her hips. I gave a lions yawn slowly running my hand through my hair as I gave her a sleepy lazy eye look.

"WHAT, you fucking bitch?"

"WHAT YOU CALL ME—?!"

I went for another yawn as I rub my left eye.

"The point Sakura-chan?"

Sakura huffs as he stands tall looking to her right with a snobby look.

"It's time to go."

"Yea Yea-*pull sheets over shoulder* in a hour. . . ."

"NO NOW!"
She stomped her foot as the ground shook, I sat up.

"I'll kill you little girl."

"Oh just get up already."

She slams the slide door as I huffed.

"Stupid Sakura—"

I got up with a high whine stretch as I sighed; I grab my Tsunade blue like top and white shorts and Sakura like boots and my head band with long ties as my side bangs brushed to the side hugging the side of my face.

"Let's go."

I slipped on my backpack and tied my kuni bag on my right thigh as I slid my slide door open and stepped out. I took a deep breath of fresh air as I blew it out.

"Mizuki."

I turn my head to Yamato as he was ready to go as well as I turned to him.

"Where's the team?"

"Over there at the edge, can you go get em and tell them we're leaving."

I nodded with a sigh.

"I'll be right back."

He nods as I vanished before his eyes.

I was at the pier with the team as Sakura was leaning over by Sai as Naruto stood a good way from them in a mad huff.

"Ayye time to go!"

Everyone looks over at me as I walked to them with my hands on my hips.
"Whatcha guys doing anyways?"

Sakura stood up as I walked by Naruto's side as I looked over at Sai as he revealed a painting he had made.

"What's that?"

"Some worthless thing Sai made. . .."

"Just like that thing in your pants?"

Me and Sakura gasped as I looked to the side and Sakura looked away too in a blush.

"MAN FCK YOU! I'm outta here!"

He huffs and leaves as Sakura and me laughed.

"Nice burn Sai, come on lets go."

"Yes, let me just clean up."

Sakura sighs giving a small flip of her short pink locks as she turns away.

"Well I'ma head out, see you two in a bit."

I nod as she walks behind Naruto.

"Well come on Sai."

He nods as he slips on his backpack as we headed to the front gate where Naruto, Sakura and Yamato were.

"Good, now that we're all here*turns around* lets go."

We began to walk as I pause; I looked over my shoulder to the side of the forest as I sighed.

"Nahh. . .. ."

MIZUKI!

I turn my head as they were already down the trail as Naruto huffs at me.

"Hurry up!"

I look back with a slight glare but then turned around and went walking towards the team, something felt weird though and I didn't like it.

"Well let's get to the trail."

I stopped again glaring down at the dirt trail.
"Captain Yamato?"

Everyone stops as he was the only one not looking at me.
"They tracking us already*look up* aren't they?"

Sakura & Naruto's face fell in a gasp as Sai just narrows his eyes. Yamato didn't say a word, but merely sighs and turns his head slightly to look at me over his shoulder.

"Come, we must take a different trail."

I sigh nodding my head slightly as he began to walk, and I followed, then Sai and lastly Naruto and Sakura.

We got off the dirt road and into the forest. I took out a blade as me and Yamato began to make a trial as Naruto, Sakura and Sai walked behind us.

"So we're being FOLLOWED?"

"Well we don't want to walk right into their trap because they know we're looking for them, right."

"Ohh—"

SLING!~

Sakura gasps as I threw a blade right by her face as it hits a tree.

"Hey! What's your problem Mizuki!?"

Naruto spat out as I smirked grabbing another kuni and went on my business as Sakura stood there dumb folded, Sai was smiling as he walks to her side and pulls the kuni off as a huge snake fell from the tree dead.

"Nice shot."

He tosses it back to me in a sharp throw as I caught it with my two left hand fingers.

"Thanks."

I slip it away as Sakura shakes it off gulping but then glares at me.

"Show off."

Hours pass as day grew to night and we were quite tiered. I stopped cutting a while back as I sat down on a boulder as I huffed whipping my forehead.

"How much longer Yamato-sama?"

"Yea."

Sakura falls to her knees and sits on her butt, her legs go to her side as she tilts her head back a bit and takes s deep breath. Naruto stood at her side as Sai stood by me against the boulder. Captain Yamato walks a bit more as we watched him. He then turns to us and smiles.

"Here."

He walks a bit as he goes a bit out of sight, I gasped hopping down from the boulder.

"Hey wait~"

Sai had a smile on his face and follows me as Naruto goes to walk to as Sakura groans getting up and following as well.

"Wooow. . . ."

As Sai, Naruto and Sakura came after me they said the same thing.

"This is where we'll be staying."

There in front of us was a huge ass temple like building as Yamato was sitting on the roof like it was nothing.

"Srsly?"

He nods jumping down to us as the rest of the gang stood around me.

"How'd you find this in the middle of no-where?"

I scoffed as she glares at me.

"What."

"He MADE it Sakura*point to building* can't you FEEL the chakura from it?"

Sakura pauses giving me the dirty eye and then turns her head to the building squinting her eyes and then glares at me.

"W/e."

She walked towards the building as Naruto calls after her and goes in there too as Sai merely walks to them too. I smirked as I followed them inside, Yamato merely sighs shaking his head and goes in a well.

Wooosh~

A bright flame shined out of the darkness of the wooden temple we were in. Everyone basically had a corner, mine was by the window to the right, Naruto Left, Sakura bottom left, Sai bottom right and Yamato in the center as he was sitting on his knees.

"Well everyone sit."

Everyone looked at each other as I looked over at Naruto and he nods, I nodded back as we all slowly got up and walked over to the center around the small fire with Yamato.

I watched the small flame dance in front of my eyes as it the reflection from them blended with my blue eyes making them the same orange/blue/yellow flames would get.

"So we need a plan."

Everyone looks up at me as Yamato was looking down at the flames as well as he sighs lightly.

"Yes."

"To throw them off?"

I gave Sakura a look as I couldn't believe the idiotic questions this woman was spitting. Then Sai smirks, we all looked at him.

"Are you sure you're a ninja?"

Sakura glares at him as did Naruto; I merely look back at the smooth flame and smiled.

"Look Sakura, we gotta think that these people we're dealing with are strong*narrow eyes* really strong. . . . . .if we break up the team it might just kill us but we gotta throw these guys off-"

I then looked up at her as she was hesitant to what I was going to say next.

"-If you really want to save your friend."

Sakura's eyes fell in pain as she didn't utter a word, Naruto glares at the flame as he grips his hands and clenches his teeth slightly. Sakura slowly looks away from me in hurt as I looked back at Yamato. He nods and looks back at the flame.

"Sakura, you and I will be one team."

She didn't bother to look up as her face held hurt; Yamato looked up at me as I was already looking towards him.

"Mizuki*pause* you Naruto and Sai are the other team."

I nod in an understanding matter as Naruto glares up at Sai and Sai glared at him.

"Captain Yamato! Why do I have to be teamed up with HIM?"

Yamato looks at Naruto with a slight glare as Naruto shuts up.

"Because Sakura and Mizuki are both medical ninjas and Mizuki is the only one that can treat YOU if you get out of hand."

Naruto flinches, Sakura's jade eyes flashed across to him as I was looking down with a slight glare. I knew my part in this mission and it was to make sure Naruto didn't get out of hand. Naruto looks at me as I didn't give him eye contact. His face fell hard in anger as he looks away from me; I look up at him once he did as I sighed.

"Well now that THAT'S settled. . . . the mission."

I looked up at him, Sai did too, as Sakura looked over to Naruto and Naruto still was looking away from everyone in a mad huff.

"Now, we don't know exactly where Orochimaru's hideout is—"

Naruto's attention slashed to Yamato now that we were talking about Orochimaru, I heard things about him but never really saw this Orochimaru man. I heard he liked to play with snakes or something like that and that he took the life of the 4th Hokage.

"-but we do know that the Akatsuki's spy will be heading to the bridge we intended to go to tonight."

"The heaven and earth one?"

Yamato nods.

"Tomorrow morning we will do a simulation to see how you all fight together."

Everyone looks up at him as he went on with the plan. I was listening steadily as I stared at the flames once again. They danced in my crystal blue eyes as I was in a slight trance. My head began to throb with the beat of my heart as it all echoed in my ear drums. I tried to calm it down but I couldn't, I ended up glaring at the flames that was in front of me; and all while I was going through this pain-

Mizuki?

I gasp looking up as Naruto stood there. I looked around, the flame was gone the room was dark and everyone else was asleep. I gasp running my hands through my hair.

"What happened. . . ."

Naruto sat down by me as I rubbed my eyes with the bottom palms of my hands.

"You've been starring at the flame until it burnt out since we were talking."

I groaned as I looked at him with tiered and dull eyes.

"Seriously? Man I didn't even notice. . . ."

I slurred my sentence as I was on the verge of falling to my side as my vision blurred.

"Hey you ok-?"

He went to touch my shoulder as I pull away; his hand went back as I didn't look at him.

"Yes, go to bed*turn head* I need to get something."

In a swift movement I got to my feet as I walked to my corner, Naruto got up as well as he watched me stumble my things from my bag. He sighs lightly as he goes back to his bed and lays down, as he did I stopped and looked back. I waited for a while till I knew he was asleep. I then grabbed something from my bag as I walked to the window; I slide the wooden panel as I slipped out the temple. Cold wind blew against the trees as it hit my skin I shivered a bit,

A glimmer shined by the moonlight as I pulled out something from my hands. I sat down against one of the temples poles from the outside as I brought my right arm to my lap. I rolled up the sleeve from the Tsunade top as I grabbed a wipe from my bag as I cleaned the inner part of my forearm as I pulled out that shinny thing. Red ooze was sucked into my arm as I hissed in pain. I clench my eyes and held my screams as I opened them breathing heavily they flickered from my deep blue to a furious red. They'd flicker back and forth, back and forth, never ending-till the red ooze did. In a hard gasp I took out the needle handle and threw the object to my side as I leaned back against the pole I was by as I held my bleeding arm and huffed in pain. I huffed, regaining my un-even breath as I opened my weary blue eyes as they were going back to normal. I pulled my bloody hand from my small opening on my right arm as the blood stopped running, I sighed heavily-strength running through my body as the color of my pale skin was coming back to a rosy peach.
"There. . . . "

"There what?"

My eyes went wide as I looked behind me to a concerned Naruto; his feet were right by the bloody injection I had just used as I glared at him holding my arm.

"How dare you spy on me. . . ."

He gently picks up the injection capsule as he looks at it with a dull face but then he grips it and glares at me, I flinch lightly as I glared at him rising to my feet dropping my arm as my sleeve rolls down back to place.

"So you're a druggie?"
I scoffed in disgust as I turned around and huffed at him.

"You don't KNOW ME, Uzumaki."

"Yea but I know when I see a junkie!"

He yells at me throwing the capsule to my feet breaking the glass as I didn't lose my glare at him.

"Why are you here with us if all you are is a worthless drug addict?"

I dropped my head as I smirked slightly, this didn't please Naruto.

"You know I'll warn you now—"

I then walked swiftly past him as he gasps.

"Don't get too attached to me~"

He turns his head to face me but I was gone. He glares up ahead as he turns his eyes back to look at the broke capsule as he just glares at it.

"She isn't what you think she is. . . ."

Naruto looks up as Sakura stood behind him, looking down at the broken capsule as well with a sad face.

"She warned me. . . .*looks down* to not get attached to her? What's her deal?"

Sakura closes her eyes with a deep sigh as she opens her eyes yet again and looks up.

"She's dying Naruto. . ."

Naruto's eyes opened up slowly as he looks up more.
"Are you lying?"

Sakura glares at him as she looks to the side.

"I'm serious Naruto."

Naruto then turns to her in curiosity as Sakura still didn't look at him.

"She came, just a bit after you left, sick and weak. . . . So weak she was hospitalized the first two months here but she still trained with Kakashi. Kakashi believed in her so much that it made her heal quicker and better than she ever been. She became stronger and able to endure a lot even in her condition—"

"What CONDITION?"

Sakura looks up at him with a serious face.

"That's the thing*pauses* we never found out what she has. . . . but. . . ."

Her eyes gently fell back to the broke capsule as Naruto turns his head to it as well.

"That stuff she injects herself with after using her body for so long, is the only thing that keeps her alive anymore. . . "

"What is it?"

"A serum Lady Tsunade made for her, a mixture of her blood and someone with immense chakura. I heard it's from a beast of some sort but I'm not sure. . . ."

"A beast?"

"The point is Naruto-!"

Sakura snaps as Naruto looks at her, her face falls as she brought her right hand to her left arm holding it as she looks to the side.

"The POINT is*looks up at him* she's the strongest person I've seen since Sasuke. . . ."

He just stood there with a strict face as she went on.

"The tests she had to go through-*looks at him* you wouldn't imagine the THINGS that had to be done to just make her able to breath during the day like you and I do. . . . Her PAST, it's like I saw a piece of you AND Sasuke while I helped Tsunade treat her. . . ."

"A piece of us?"

She nodded.

"Though me and her have bad grounds, I would NEVER go against her judgment and points."

Naruto looks up at her with a dull face as he narrows his eyes.

"So you're not lying. . . . "

"WHY WOULD I LIE-uhh."

Naruto walks swiftly past Sakura as she gasps lightly.

"Thanks, Sakura. . . ."

In a flash he left as she turns her head to him in a daze.

"Naruto?"

In the darkness Naruto entered I was fast asleep in my sleeping bag as he walks to my side.

"Mizuki. . . . who are you. . . ."

.::Lucky::.

"Mizuki."

I gasped sitting up, I looked around as light sunshine rays came from the small window we had. I turned my head to the side as Sakura was there.

"What?"

"It's, it's time to move."

I paused as I looked out the window as I set my arms over my knees.

"What time is it?"

I got up as we were alone in the huge room; I got up as I changed to a black V-neck shirt and my white Jouinin vest as she looks up at me.

"Noon."

I stopped as I turned my head to her after I pulled my long red hair out of my shirt.

"Why so late?"

"We trained before you woke up, I-I*looks down* I knew you took your medicine last night so—"

I smirked;

Sakura looks up in a slight gasp as I had on my tan shorts and long black ninja shoes like hers as I tied my forehead protector like she did as I turned to her.

"Is that so. . . . .well—"

I packed my stuff as she looks down.

"I'm sorry just Naruto, he had not right to~"

I walked to her side as I set my right hand to her shoulder, she gasps as I had a pure smile on my face.

"Thanks, but he's gotta learn."

I then dropped my hand as I whispered before I left.

" . . . .the hard way."

She gasps turning around but I was gone.

"Mizuki?"

Naruto, Sai, and Yamato look up as I walked out with my backpack on my back and my hand behind my head as I had a sleepy look to my face.

"Mizuki."

I let out a slight yawn as I looked around.

"Let's go."

He pauses and then nods as I walked past him as I began to lead us out of the forest, Sai followed then Sakura came out the temple making is collapse as she ran to Yamato's side as she follows as well. Naruto turns to us as he narrows his eyes; I stopped walking as did everyone. They turned their heads to Naruto glaring at him.

"Naruto hurry up!"

He just stands there, glaring as I turned my head to him.

"Boy did she stutter, or does saving this Sasuke person not matter to YOU no more?"

He gasps as Sakura looks at me as well as Sai.

"Now Mizuki—"

I turned my head back as I kept on walking.

"Leave him, he can find us with that nose of his anyways. . . ."

I left, Sai sighs nodding as he follows me; Yamato rose his hand to me but then sighs dropping it in defeat.

"Naruto, NOW."

Naruto bares his teeth as he looks away and begins to walks with us as we headed for the REAL Earth & Heaven Bridge that awaited us.