"Talking"

"Thoughts" and sound effects

"Telepathic speech"

~X~X~X~X~X~X~ change in scene

~X~ jump in time and sometimes a change in scene also.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

Previously

He had tolerated their bonding during the trip since it kept Gaara calm, but now that they were here. They needed to focus on the mission, and their ultimate weapon needed absolutely no distractions. "Leave, now" he ordered, and the short girl in black almost lost her equilibrium. She turned to the Jinguriki to see his forward facing gaze and she just turned and left for her complex.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

Chapter 9: Nothing is sacred.

As the young Yuyake neared her home, her eagerness to return dulled. At first she was excited, running through the streets as the wind chased her, but black blotches blemished her white euphoria. Thoughts of what she was to tell her worried mother were at the top of the list, next was her status in her team... There were other thoughts buzzing around without ranking like what was the likely hood of this occurring again? Would she survive the next time? Should she ask her mother about the Gaara situation? Was she allowed in the up coming chunnin exams? Was-

The list was getting too long, she needed to focus. "The biggest problem is that telling mom the truth will not lead to anything good... But with lying to her it will be hard" The fact she was pretty certain she left during a battle and that Kakashi was aware of that, meant her lie had to be a darn good reason to leave her team in peril. "Oh gosh! I promised not to abandon my team and I leave mid battle, that's suspicious!" she paused in the street to shake her hands in a fit of anxiety.

It seemed like there was no real solution to the situation; at least not one that was going to lead to a good ending. She looked ahead and saw her family insignia on the cement arch leading to her home and a world of trouble. First the sight of the rock constricted her to its likeness, but as quickly as it came, her body relaxed into a state of passiveness.

As she neared the compound, her mind formulated a plan that could get her into a butt ton of trouble if she were caught, "Yet here I am about to do it anyway..." Why was she going through so much trouble over this matter? She should just tell everyone the truth and let what happens happen. Yeah! Maybe she'd just come clean instead of going through all this trouble!

"People will die"

It was a jarring thought. If she came clean she'd be put under protection... Sure the man had been peaceful-ish in their encounters, but that's cause it was just them- just her. All that meant was that he wanted something from her... what ever it is. If someone were to interfere... they'd die! All for protecting someone who didn't even protect her own teammates. No. She wasn't worth people dying. If something happened, Akane would come back and reclaim her birth-right of being heiress. Her people would be fine if she were gone. She had to cover this up.

With that thought in mind, she dashed around the back of the complex in stealth. There was something she was going to need if she was doing this...

~X~

It wasn't long till her steps carried her before the Bokuso-chi mansion and into its entrance. As soon as she broke the ritual silence with the slide of the front door, footsteps closed in on her and when she turned to greet them, the owner pounced. They rolled but the attacker cared not, clutching the sunset eyed girl until their tumble stopped. "Oh my baby, my sweet sweet baby! I'm so glad you're home! That idiot Kakashi should have been watching you better! Are you ok? What happened! Where were you?" The always pleasant voice of her mother rambled. Yuyake tried turning to hug back or something, but her shoulder was stuck between her mother's boobs and arms encased the girl's upper body while crossed legs held the lower. "I know this is uncomfortable for you, but please, just... just let mommy hold you for a bit," That stilled the girl, and her mother tightened her grasp.

The nights after Yoru found out her daughter's fate had been horrifying ones in which her darker mind ruled her body. She refused to withdraw the 'hold back' order just to spite others. If she lost her child to it, all of the other Bokuso-chi women would too. It was a short but agonizing era in which she found out evil things about herself...

So yes, the woman was excited to have her daughter back.

When enough time had passed for Yoru to determined this was no dream or illusion, she released Yuyake from her grip. "Where were you Yuyake? I was worried. " she demanded answers. Yuyake stared blankly at her mother who sighed. "Oh right you can't speak..." her mother's words made the girl's eyes widened an unnoticeable fraction. Her mother didn't know she could 'talk'...

"Should I get some paper then?" the mother asked, and Yuyake scrambled her brain in a shake of the head.

This, however, did make the mother's face curl up, but she quickly let it go, just happy to have her daughter back. Then Yuyake pulled away and put her shoes back on. She waved to her mother who was dumbfounded. Then the young kunoichi was gone. She needed to find her team. She ran with closed eyes, letting the ripples of their thoughts guide her closer. When she was upon them, they were together, which she suspected. She waved from her distance and was about to connect to them when a gut feeling pulled her behind the beams that support the bridge they were near. "Now then, we'll start our next mission" Kakashi spoke to the group before him.

There at the jonin's hips stood Naruto, Saskue, and Sakura. Something about the pink haired girl's presence disturbed the sunset eyed kunoichi. Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke seemed... depressed? Well, more so Naruto; Sasuke always looked that way. Sakura seemed the most excited out of the four. Naruto was who spoke first. "The three of us? as a team?" Yuyake felt her heart crack.

They had replaced her.

The sight of them blurred as a she chocked on a lump of sorrow. "Yeah alright, we'll meet you there..." Naruto suggested and Sasuke hummed in agreement. The kunoichi in red felt slightly upset they were holding off, but a prick in her side said they had good reason. The boys had nothing against the green eyed girl. She just... wasn't Yuyake. It seemed like they'd grown used to her rather fast, even with her being secretively silent. Naruto missed the times she'd invite him to dinner and Sasuke missed the three-way rivalry. They also felt accepting Sakura would be like giving up on the Bokuso-chi way too fast. It had been about a week, sure, but still...

What was that? The ever sharp Uchiha Sasuke felt he was being watched, quickly, his eyes waved over the creations of man and nature. nothing so far... then he caught it. The wave of silky black hair retreating behind a pillar.

...Was that?

Yuyake held her breath. "Stupid Uchihas and their persceptive mannerism..." she cursed the boy's heritage. "What are you doing here, Bokusho-chi?" The girl mentally squeaked and pulled from the pillar. On top it, Sasuke was squatting, blinding red lineage alive in his eyes. Naruto's fox like gaze turned to the black haired boy's movement. Did he say Bokuso-chi?

Sasuke made his way back over to Naruto and Sakura, Kakashi having left before the last Uchiha made his move. Behind him, he dragged the limp girl by her hood and lifted her before him. Yuyake curled into herself like she was an animal being held by their gruff, then gave a small wave.

There was silenced.

Then there were blue orbs as wide as the ocean. Naruto hugged the suspended girl. "Yuya! You're ok! You're ok! Dattembyo!" The warm welcome made a smile crease her lips and she hugged him back, nodding. "What happened to you?" to the question of the day, Yuyake simply shrugged. "Why aren't you talking? To stupid to figure it out?" Sasuke teased and Yuayke just gave him a grin. She stood on her feet and pointed to the Hokage's tower.

The hyper boy was of course confused, but the stoic one picked up, "You need to report to the Hokage? Makes sense, you did disappear and suddenly reappear..." he stated. Yuyake confirmed his conclusion before waving them off as she scampered off towards the large structure, though she needed to make a stop first.

~X~

It was weird. The connection Gaara and the female ninja shared. It bound them in odd ways; he sort of knew were she was at all times, if he wanted to. All it took was for him to focus on the subject and something would tug his mind in certain directions. Sure he hadn't tested the precision of the bond, but he had a feeling it was reliable. Don't misunderstand, his goal to kill everyone stood firm and unwavering; the interesting feelings and experiences that the brown skinned girl brought to the table were just enough to buy her some time.

At the very least, he'd save her for last.

Setting the scene, Gaara was upon the roof of the building those people he was supposed to call 'siblings' were in. Then he felt it.

She was near by.

To no surprise, the girl appeared on the roof in a flurry of hair. He made no motion to regard her, however. Still, Yuyake could tell he noticed her presence. She walked over to him and with the gentleness of the breeze, she placed her hand on his cheek with a touch so light it tingled. She guided his head to turn to her own, and she gently leaned forward. A round them, sand escaped from its home , at first rushing towards her at her audacity. When it pulled her blood from her split skin, however, it changed. Its intent was far more indecisive and it simply thrashed about, unsure of itself but encasing Yuyake with Gaara in a circle only defined by the limits of the sand's sporadic strike pattern.

Warm sunset eyes blared into the cool circles of sea foam blue. There were moments of intense steam and feelings that couldn't be describe, but it all halted when the brown skin of Yuyake's forehead touched Gaara's. Though a layer of sand feigning as his flesh separated them, Gaara felt the pressure. All at once, a story burned into the red head's mind like recalled memories.

She had lied to her mother and friends and wished to lie to the Hokage, however she preferred what she would tell the Hokage to not be a lie.

She needed help.

Her free hand pulled a scroll out her pouch and she placed it in his lap before sitting upon the roof peak, waiting for his response. Gaara picked the scroll up, it had already been unsealed, so he unraveled it.

. . .

This was her plan?

"You wish use of my chakra" he looked back at her. She nodded. That was the other weird thing about this bond. He couldn't hear her words in his head like when she spoke to him before, instead her memories and thoughts popped into his mind like he had just remembered something himself.

She turned her back to him and waited for his decision. When it was reached, the boy changed direction, and she felt the gord on her back. With her legs crossed and the scroll now sprawled out in her lap, she pulled and molded chakra from Gaara.