Yay! We reached our mark! School has officially started, and I have volleyball practice everyday after school, plus piano and hanging with my stupider friends who need homework help. So, I might not update as often as I used to. I'll be sure to get lots of ideas though!

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Nobody looked up when Sakura and Yuri walked back into the tv room. Yuri was glad, she was beginning to think she had one of those phobias, and hers was a phobia of being put in the spotlight. Naruto was wandering aorund from group to group, listening in on conversations and sometimes adding in his two cents.

Naruto glanced over to Yuri and smiled, Yuri smiled back. She hoped everything would go back to normal, I mean, she hadn't meant to show off her perfect stomach. She wished she had never treated it as more than it was. Running out of the room was a bit much, she reasoned with herself.

'Well, at least now you have a few more fanboys.'

'Eek! Don't say that! That word is so terrible!'

'What, 'fanboys'? Gosh, you're such a wimp. I have no idea what they see in you.'

Yuri shut out her inner voice again, now really pissed. She had a sudden though, 'Hey, I wonder what time it is...' Walking over to Naruto, she tapped him on the shoulder and asked, "Naruto-kun, might you know what time it is?" she asked. Her friend jogged around the corner, into the kitchen, and jogged back. "Yikes!" he exclaimed. "It's already one in the morning, or close to it!"

Yuri nodded, and Naruto waited for his friend to say something. "Yeah, I should be getting home soon," Yuri said out loud, not really aware of her action. Her eyes were glazed over, and she had a dreamy look on her face. Naruto waved his hand in front of her eyes, and she snapped back to reality.

"Ah! Sorry, Naruto-kun. I was just thinking of the mission we might have tomorrow, of, I mean today. I'm really looking forward to it!" Naruto gave his friend a big smile, and she smiled back. "Ne, Naruto-kun, I'm going back to my apartment. Can you tell Sakura-chan for me?"

Naruto nodded, but before Yuri could walk towards the door, he stopped her. "Are you sure you don't want someone to walk you home?" he asked. "It might be dangerous at night." Yuri shook her head, and then seemed to think better of it. "I don't know who lives over there," she said. "If someone did take me home, I wouldn't want it to be out of their way."

Naruto thought for a second. "Let's see, you live over in the Oakwood Apartments, don't you? I think Shikamaru and Choji live over there, they have side-by-side apartments in a nearby complex. I'll go get them!" Naruto said happily, and before Yuri could stop him, Naruto had vanished from her side. Looks like I have an escort, whether I want one or not!

Yuri leaned against a wall until Naruto appeared beside her again, towing behind him a reluctant looking Shikamaru. "Shikamaru's going to take you home!" Naruto said proudly, pulling said ninja in the direction of the door. Yuri looked a bit surprised, but followed the two, picking up her shoes and her dvd on the way.

Naruto said good night, and then closed the door, leaving Shikamaru and Yuri alone. Shikamaru automatically headed off in the direction of the apartments, and Yuri followed him. "Um, ano, Shikamaru-kun?" Yuri asked, trying to keep up with her new friend's fast pace. "I'm sorry you had to leave the party early to walk me home."

Shikamaru looked behind him and saw Yuri was struggling to keep up with him. Slowing his pace, he said, "Nah, I thought about leaving a long time ago, I was actually waiting for you to leave. I knew we lived close together, so I wanted to make sure you got home safely. No big deal, really."

Yuri smiled, even though Shikamaru couldn't see it. "Um, but, what about Choji-kun?"

"Oh? Choji's a big boy, and I don't mean that literally. He can take care of himself. But...a girl, all alone on a street at night...that's something different. Some drunk bastard might take it upon himself to escort you home, if you know what I mean."

"Hmm...Shikamaru, you should shut up now. You're making yourself sound like you actually care," Yuri teased. "But..." Yuri sobered. "You're right. And I hate to admit it, but I probably would've stayed at the party longer, if I knew I'd have had to go home alone. It's a scary thought, really."

Shikamaru looked back at the konoichi. Her head was down, and her hair was hanging down like a veil. He stopped, and she bumped into him. Shikamaru put his hand on Yuri's head and said, "Yeah, a scary thought, but one you don't need to have. Especially when I'm around."

Yuri blushed, Shikamaru's words were running around in her mind. 'Especially when I'm around?' That's...it's like...

"'Especially when I'm around.' It's a safety phrase. Right?" Yuri felt Shikamaru's hand slip off her head and onto her shoulder as the two started walking again. "What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked. He didn't know why he had said it, but his actions were getting him a lecture. Never good.

Yuri stepped closer to Shikamaru and explained. "Well, when you say something like that, it's almost like saying, 'I love you.'" Yuri could feel Shikamaru tense, and she laughed. "No, it's not like that. I mean, when you think about it, not very many people truly know what the meaning of, 'I love you,' is. They're happy when they hear it, and it makes them feel warm in side. That's because it's a safety phrase. It makes you feel safe when you hear it, and you don't think much about it. Like, it might draw you're attention if you read it in a book, but some people would pass over it."

Shikamaru was beginning to understand. "So, you're saying that there are some phrases and words that people don't think much about, because they're only there to comfort the person they're being directed at?" When Yuri nodded, he continued, "And, if people took time to think about them..."

"They'd be suprised at how much they could really mean." Shikamaru pondered the thought for a moment. If he had to say...Even I don't know what the true meaning of 'I love you,' is. This girl...she must either be really deep, or has way too much time on her hands.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" his walking partner asked. "Hn? Oh, just pondering what you had said. How'd you know I was thinking, though. I could have just not had anything to say."

Yuri looked up at him and smiled. "I just knew. You were, um, giving signals. I don't know how to explain it, I just knew."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Whatever. Hey, we're almost here." Shikamaru took his arm away from Yuri's shoulders so he could open the complex door. Yuri walked in and headed down the hall in the direction of her apartment. "Mine's down here," she said, pointing down the corridor. "Thanks for walking me home, Shikamaru-kun!"

Shikamaru shrugged, leaning against the doorway. "It was nothing. I live a block or two over, so I only have another minute or two until I get to my apartment. But, uh, Yuri-chan?" Yuri brightened at the honorific added to her name. It sounded so special when he said it. "Yes, Shikamaru-kun?"

Shikamaru gave Yuri an honest to goodness smile. Yuri was enchanted, the way he leaned against the door, and smiled at her, the moon visible in the space between him and the door. He looked so cool, and...

"You taught me something tonight. You made me think outside the box, and...I learned something I never would have thought of before. Thanks."

Yuri beamed back at him. "It was no problem! What life without a bit of learning, anyway?" Yuri turned and waved over her shoulder. "Thanks again, Shikamaru-kun! See you tomorrow! Hopefully!" Yuri disappeared into her apartment, it having been unlocked. Shikamaru waited at the complex door for a few more minutes, and then left off to his own apartment.

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Yuri was early. Way too early. She had gotten up a few hours earlier than needed, and had gotten ready in record time. The konoichi was now at the bridge Team 7 met at when they had missions and training.

Yuri walked over to the bridge's railing and looked down into the clear, aqua blue water. Leaning on the rail, she gazed at the water as it zipped past underneath her. "It's different..." she murmured.

"What's different?" Sasuke asked. He had suddenly appeared behind the girl, and she acknoweldged him with a tilt of her head. "The water...it's different here than it is in the Land of Waves. Or, at least, it seems different."

Sasuke came and stood by the railing next to Yuri, who was still gazing at the water with a passion, as though she were waiting for it to spring up and perform a show. "Oh, is that so?" Sasuke asked, glancing from Yuri, to the water, and back again.

Yuri nodded, her eyes never leaving the water. "In the Land of Waves, the water is a sea green. And it's only clear where it's shallower than a foot. There are times when it looks blue, but even if the sun shines off of it, the water is green."

Sasuke thought about it. He hadn't paid much attention to the water in the Land of Waves, so he'd just have to take her word for it. "Why a foot or shallower?" he asked, if only to keep a conversation going rather than to find out the answer.

"The kelp and sea grass can only grow to a height of one foot, because of the trimming our village does. We cut the plants down to a length of one foot so that the boats won't get stuck, and so that you won't slip on any wet rocks or anything if you have to walk in the water. The sea grass is actually pretty good at keeping you on your feet, it's the kelp you have to worry about, because it's slippery itself."

Sasuke listened to Yuri's somewhat lengthy speech. "You sound like an expert on the subject," he commented.

"Nope," she said, leaning even more onto the railing. "I just look, observe. And I remember. Compare. And then I spread the knowledge."

"Please explain," Sasuke said, an amused look on his face. Spread the knowledge? She's like...like...

"A teacher. I'm like a teacher. I observe things people wouldn't usually notice, and then I remember then by storing them in my mind. When I come across something else, I'll usually remember what I have stored in my brain. Then I can compare the two objects, like the waters here and in the Land of Waves. Then , I'll be sure to slip it to someone, so they know too, just like I told you. And how I told Shikamaru last night."

Sasuke tensed at Shikamaru's name. He hid it, though, and laughed. "You talked about water with Shikamaru?"

"No," Yuri said simply. "We didn't. We talked about...love." Sasuke was quiet for a moment, and Yuri added, "In a roundabout way, but that's basically it."

Sasuke was quiet for a while longer, thinking about what Yuri had said. I wonder what they really talked about, because Shikamaru doesn't strike me as a love-talking-ninja. Then again, he and Kiba didn't really mind having Yuri on their laps, so Yuri probably forced him into conversation. Wonder how many times he tried to change the subject!

Sasuke was brought out of his thoughts when Yuri stepped away from the railing and walked quickly down the bridge to the street on it's end. She knelt down at the water's edge and dipped her hand into the water. "What are you doing?" Sasuke asked loudly, as though she couldn't hear from down by the water's edge.

"I was wondering...the water here...it's warmer than ours. You could go swimming in this water, it's so warm. You got a cold if you got soaked in the water from our country, or if you tried to swim in it." Yuri took her hand out of the water at stared at it, as though it had grown another finger. "Wish I had a map..." she muttered.

Sasuke heard her wish, and rolled his eyes. "You're so weird, you know that? I mean, really. One day you're extremely hyper, and the next, you're so quiet, and pondering scenery, it's a complete transformation!"

Yuri looked a bit annoyed. "I don't only observe the scenery when I'm quiet like this, you know," she told him, walking back up to the top of the bridge, taking her place at the railing. "I'm always aware of my surroundings, or at least I try to be."

"Why are you so quiet today?" Sasuke asked, this time actually interested in the answer.

"Why aren't you being your usual lecherous self?" Yuri asked, her annoyance growing. "Not that I mind, I like having these pleasant talks with you."

Sasuke opened his mouth, but Naruto closed it. "Sasuke!" he grinned. "Don't say anything, okay? I have the perfect thing to say right now that'll really annoy her!"

Naruto took his hand from Sasuke's mouth and Sasuke asked, "Fine, what is it?" Naruto scratched his head and answered, "Um, I forget. But it was really good, though!"

Yuri burst into laughter. "Oh, yeah! That was REALLY annoying! Maybe for Sasuke-kun! You should know better than to look to Naruto-kun for witty remarks!" Sasuke had a bit of red tinge on his cheeks, and it was divided between embarassment and anger. Knocking Naruto on the head, he asked, "Why the hell are you here this early, Naruto-teme?" (Note: -teme - 'you bastard' in Japanese. In other words, he said, "Why are you here this early, Naruto you bastard?")

Naruto rubbed his head and grinned. "I don't know, I stayed up late last night like you guys, but I felt really energetic this morning, and got up early to wait for you guys. But you're already here!" Naruto laughed, and Yuri chuckled along with him. "Yeah, I sorta felt the same way when I got up," the konoichi admitted.

"Oh, really? So, I wasn't the only one?" a voice said from behind Naruto. "Sakura?" Naruto asked, turning around on the spot. "You're early too?"

Sakura nodded and walked up to Yuri, who had her hands resting on the railing. "Yeah, but I wonder how long it takes for Kakashi-sensei to get here. It'd probably be easier to hang around in the village and come back later."

Yuri turned away from her friends and looked back out to the water. "You guys can go, if you want," she said. "I'm staying here."

"Why?" Sakura and Naruto asked in unison. Sasuke scoffed and answered for her, "Because she wants to look at the water."

"You make it sound like a bad thing, Sasuke-kun," yet another voice said. Team 7 turned and looked at the newcomer, or should I say, newcomers. Tenten, Hinata, and Ino were standing on the sidewalk by the bridge. Ino and Sakura waved to each other, and Sakura jogged down the bridge to meet her friends. Naruto saw Hinata and waved, causing the delicate girl to blush and wave back.

"Hey losers, we were about to go shopping, wanna come with?" Ino said. Naruto pumped his fist into the air and went to stnd by Hinata, and Sakura was already near the group. Sasuke shrugged his I-have-nothing-better-to-do shrug, and walked down the bridge with his hands in his pockets.

"What about you, Yuri-chan? Aren't you coming?" Yuri shook her head and Tenten's inquiry, and called out, "Nah, I just got through saying I'd rather stay here." Tenten shrugged, "Alright, we'll be wandering around if you need us."

Yuri watched as her friends and Team 7 walked off, leaving her at the bridge. Yuri looked back out ot the water. It was always running, even if it didn't look like it. She could tell it was heading west, but then again, it could have only appeared that way. Again, she found herself wishing for a map.

"It could turn, and head in another direction. I wonder..."

"Wonder what?" Yuri turned at the voice and her eyes met with the eyes of Shikamaru. "Wonder what?" he asked again, walking up the bridge to join his new-found friend.

Yuri blinked a few times and then looked back out to the water. "I was wondering...which direction it heads in." Shikamaru saw her looking at the water, and guessed what she was thinking. "Oh, I'm pretty sure it heads north, or west, I can't remember. There's a large river in the west, so it could be a tributary from that, but the north is the ocean, even if this tiny stream could make it there."

Yuri sighed, "Yeah, it's times like these that I wish I were dork enough to carry around a map." Shikamaru laughed, "Yeah, it'd be pretty helpful. But, why were you wondering about this little stream?"

Now it was Yuri's turn to laugh. "I had to answer the same question earlier, coming from Sasuke-kun. Actually, I sort of have this process..."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Yeah," Yuri said softly. She was remembering the time her grandfather had taught her the whole thing. "First, you have to take in your surroundings, just like someone could read a book and take in info. Then you have to store the information somewhere in your mind, and forget about it. When the time comes, you'll remember the info, and then you can compare it with new info. The last step is to share your knowledge with others, so they know."

"What were you comparing?"

"The water here, and the water in the Land of Waves."

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head with one hand and the other hand rested on the railing. The lazy ninja looked up into the sky and muttered, "I thought water was water, didn't think there was anything different about it."

Yuri shrugged, "There aren't very many differences, really. Just stuff like color, temperature. There's salt and fresh water, and if you want to get really complicated, you could go into what sort of plants and stuff grows in the water, but I don't carry a whole chem lab with me, so I can't take water samples and everything."

Shikamaru looked down at Yuri. "So...you're like, a mini-genius, right? I mean, I don't know anyone else who actually goes through that whole process just looking at a stream running through a village."

Yuri laughed. "A mini-genius? I wish! I could never beat you at any game, I could never even come close! Nah, I just...take extra time out of the day to think. And by think, I mean sit in a tree and stare off into space."

"Would you try?"

"Hu-huh?" Yuri was overcome by the look on Shikamaru's face. He was looking out into the sky, both hands on the railing. "Whould you try to beat me in a game? If you had a chance?" Yuri made a face, what an odd question. "I suppose so..." she said slowly. "Why? Are you going to challenge me to a game of Shogi or something?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Shikamaru said, looking down at his friend. "I have a board and pieces at home, we could play out here, on the bridge, while we wait for the others to get back. That is, if you're up to the challenge."

Yuri smirked, "You're on," she said. "But, I might have to challenge you again, if I can't beat you the first time."

Shikamaru smirked back, "Wouldn't have it any other way."

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"Ugh, Shikamaru! You have me trapped in a corner AGAIN!" Yuri cried. She had been able to avoid most of the lazy ninja's attacks and traps, but it was the 4th time he had her trapped in a sticky situation, and they were only on their second game. Shikamaru won the first game, and Yuri had instantly demanded a re-game.

"You're not paying attention," Shikamaru responded, eyes glued to the board. "I can see one good move that would take a few of my important pieces."

"Don't tell me, dumbass. You're giving me hope when you say things like that."

Shikamaru grinned, "That's the point. But, you'll never figure it out."

Yuri sighed, she hadn't been doing too well. It was so odd to be sitting out on a bridge, playing a game of Shogi, with a boy she had only met the night before. While she was waiting for her late sensei and the other team members to show up. Yuri had never been good at Shogi, but she usually could better visualize the board.

"That's it!" she yelled. Shikamaru winced at her sudden loud noise. Eyeing his playing partner suspiciously, he watched as Yuri turned on the the stop where she sat, so that her back was facing Shikamaru. Then she scouted forward a few feet and leaned back, so she was laying on her back, eyes on the board. "Much better," she sighed.

Shikamaru watched closely when Yuri went to surview the board, for about the hundreth time that game. When she tried to move, her hand knocked down the pieces, (it was an awkward situation, her hands having to reach past her head), and the girl sighed. "Shikamaru-kun, could you please move my bishop, I think you know what I want to do."

Shikamaru scratched his head. "Wait...that's not the move I was talking about. But..." Shikamaru looked down at the board. "If you moved your bishop it'd..."

"Take down your King. I win." Yuri grinned wildly, and Shikamaru thought back. "Oh, so when you..."

"Yup!" Shikamaru hadn't even finished his sentence. Sighing, the genius boy ran his hand along the back of his neck. "Yuri-chan, you're one of hte first people to beat me at a game of Shogi. I guess that means you get one wish, right?"

Yuri looked a bit surprised. "One...wish? I don't get it. How are you supposed to grant me a wish? Especially when you're as lazy as you are right now." Shikamaru wasn't too pleased about that last remark, but he shook his head. "Nah, just make it something easy."

Yuri grinned. "Alright, I know. As my wish, you have to stay here and talk with me untl the others come back." Shikamaru thought he heard wrong, but he shrugged and said, "Alright. What do you walk to talk about?"

Yuri grinned again; the day was turning out well. "Let's see where the conversation takes us, shall we?"