kioku laid in bed for what seemed like hours, which for all he knew could have been. he stared at the ceiling, which was black like the room around him. 'i still don't know who i am.' he thought trying to sort through all his memories, or what was left of them. 'i had at least one person who knew me. a girl? i think so. but how long ago was that? months, maybe years? how do i know? will i...ever know?' his eyes started to close. he soon fell asleep, and even in his dreams he searched despratly for any hint to who he was.
yoake sat in the main room deligently sewing in the nine-tailed fox. 'it's been 3 and a half hours already, he must be asleep by now. almost done, only half a tail left.' she yawned, and remebered she hadn't slept much the past few days. 'even before kioku-kun was here i havn't been able to sleep. now with a boy in my house, and not knowing if he might...no! i know kioku-kun wouldn't! or at least...i hope not...' she put down the shirt for a moment, and her eyes glazed over. 'what do you think chimamire-san?' she asked some one. and seemingly getting an answer she answered in her head. 'yes, i know. don't remind me chimamire-san, i don't want to think about that right now.' she came back to reality and went back to sewing. 'time will go by to fast, and we can't get it back.'
the next day kioku woke up earlyer then he thought he would. it was about 7am, and he decided to go and see if yoake was in the main room. when he got out there he saw she had fallen asleep while finishing his shirt. the fox on his shirt was made in a great likeness, and she had folded it to show the whole form, with only a thin border of black. she was laying down on the couch, and so he took the blanket that was folded over the back of the couch, and spred it out over her. a strand of hair fell into her face, and he used a finger to move it back behind her ear. he stood for a moment gazing at her, then walked into the kitchen to wait for her to wake up. he yawned lazily, and put his head on his arms that were crossed on the table. 'today...i meet her team. i wonder...what they're like.' he sat in the kitchen sleepily.
kioku closed his eyes, and after a moment he was back inside the dank place that held the demon inside his head. he heard the drip drip drip, then he started walking twords the large chamber. hallway after hallway until he was finnaly in front of the large cage. "child? what is it you want eh?" the demon boomed.
"so wrong if i come inside my own head sometimes you damn fox?" kioku shot back. the demon was shocked, then started laughing. its laughter reverberated through out the room. "what's so funny?" kioku shot him a glare. the demon became quiet, then squinted to the boy as it lowered its head.
"you have guts boy. even the most powerful ninja fall before me, and yet you yell at me. even with this cage i can still kill you. do you understand?"
"and if i die what happens to you? i'm guessing you die to hm? will you really sacrifice your life like that? i doubt it." he smirked triumphantly. "so fuck you." he turned and started walking out of the room.
"you're smart at times huh kid?" kyuubi said as he turned to walk to the back of its pen.
"no, i'm not 'kid' my name, at least for now, is kioku." he got to the door way of the chamber.
"until you find out your real name you're just a child." it smirked, knowing it hit a sore spot for the young boy.
"so? at least i have something you don't." he started to leave the room.
"what's that?" kyuubi called to the child's back.
"freedom."
as the two from squad 7 came to the training feild many familiar faces looked their way. kiba and akamaru sat under a tree, shino was clecting bugs, and hinata was kicking a training post. ino and shikamaru were helping choji train over in another section of the area.as sasuke and sakura came into veiw every one became solemn, and walked over to the two-some. "any news about naruto yet?" kiba asked sasuke as sakura walked off with ino and hinata. the other guys stayed to lisen to what sasuke had to say.
"we have a lead. naruto might be in an enemy village, they have a new member from some place unknown, thing is they don't know for sure if it is him. kakashi has a friend in that village, but they havn't seen some one who looks like naruto, he might have changed what he looks like to hide from this village. we still don't know why he left so it's possible. hopefully he will reveal who he is to someone, but that might not work eaither. since the chuunin exams are coming up we'll ask any ninja from that village about him." sasuke gave a full report to the group.
"must be hard on sakura huh?" asked kiba looking over to the girls sitting under the tree. sasuke looked over to her sadly.
"yeah." he said turning back to the group.
"sasuke you've changed a lot." said kiba as he petted akamaru.
"we've all changed." he smiled sadly, and started twords sakura. she stood, and said good-bye to ino and hinata. she turned to sasuke, and started twords him. when he was only a few feet from them he stopped, and sakura went to his side. "i'm sorry hinata, this must be pretty hard on you to huh?" the black haired boy said to the hyuga. she smiled.
"sure i like him, but you're on his squad, and you've known him longer, and better. it's not my place to complain." she said standing.
"not true, you always belived in him, even when he himself didn't. whose to say that you shouldn't be the one most saddend by his leaving? after all having some one as a friend for the longest time still isn't as strong a bond as 'likeing' somone for a while. and plus it's already been a few years hasn't it? when he comes back you should tell him, even if you have to stutter." he laughed quetily as he walked away, hinata smiled as her eyes became foggy. she blinked a few times, sticking to her resolve.
'i will change, and become stronger.' she thought as she watched sasuke and sakura walk away, almost picturing the blonde walking away with them.
A/N okay another chap! it's getting hard to type this fic lol probly cause of scool(so u no in my a/n from now on if i havnt already i probly will talk in i/m) i thank every one who has reviwed, or even read up to this point, and i apologize for not adding in more o.c.'s(some are coming in next chap for sure although it's yoake's team so yeah) and also if you didnt no this already the names i give people have special meanings(like kioku yoake and others that are coming.) if you wana no em messege me(or email) although yoake's names meaning dosnt come into play in this fic(if i make an add on it will) and im sorry(ive goten a few coments about this) that i dont have naru/saku im a fan of naru/hina naru/oc thats bout it for naruto pairings( dont ask y) ne how that's bout it bye bye
SPECIAL THANKS TO(for reviewing this story):
(anon.) chris willy
(anon.) randy
(anon.) paul evans
sore jeien
(anon.) xXBEOWULFXx
(anon.) aarkenheim
(anon.) konoha flash
