The next morning I woke up and looked around, confused, it took a while for my morning grogginess to clear and I remembered where I was. I hurriedly got dressed and stopped off at a small café for breakfast before meeting Sasori at the gate.

"Sorry, were you waiting long?" I asked, knowing his hatred of waiting.

"Not at all, shall we go?"

"Sure, so…which way to the village hidden in the clouds?" I asked as I pulled out my map.

"This way." He said, pointing to the path on the left.

"Hmm…the map says that way."

"It's upside down."

"Oh. Yeah, I think it's safer to just follow you."

"If you can keep up, I'm a lot faster now."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Why not, let's make it one."

"You're on." I said, throwing off my jacket and stuffing it into my bag.

"Then let's go." He said and suddenly disappeared into the trees in a blur.

"Hey no fair you got a head start!" I yelled after him, then shot into the air and flew over the trees, I spotted his red hair moving quickly through the forest and raced to catch up, soon, I was flying directly over him.

He noticed me and increased speed, I followed suit.

At the speed we were going, it wasn't long before we ran out of forest and came to an open grassland, Sasori stopped and I swooped down to where he stood.

"I think I won." I said proudly

"I'm sure I won."

"Oh please."

"Why don't we call it a tie?"

"That's what losers say" I laughed, "But sure, tie."

We walked on from there, following a small winding dirt path through the fields.

"Have you eaten?" I asked, I was suddenly famished, and I pulled out some of the snacks I had bought at the café.

"It seems I am still getting used to being human again." He said.

I sighed, "Here." I said, and offered him one of the small paper bags.

"Thank you."

"You know, you're a lot different."

"How so?"

"Well you're acting like…a teenager."

"Physically, I am a teenager."

"Yeah but you're so care-free and fun, I thought you'd still be the grouch that you where before."

He shrugged

I guess he missed out on being a kid, so he's making up for it now.

"So will you tell me something?" he asked

"Shoot."

"How did you know about…everything? When we captured Gaara, about Tobi, and the meet at the Tenchi Bridge."

"Ah, well that's a long and complicated story for another time."

"But you seem to know more about me than I do about you."

"Not that much, you kinda…never mind."

"I would have died."

"How did you-?"

"Itachi was told by that cat girl Elishia, he was trying to persuade us to believe you."

"And it worked."

"Not at first, but then your predictions came true, and that was why I got out of the Akatsuki."

"Well, I know you were kinda a bad guy, you know, killing a lot of people and all, but you seem pretty good now."

"Thank you."

We continued walking in silence, eating the food I had brought, and soon we reached the mountain range where Village Hidden in the Clouds was located.

I looked up at the huge mountains looming over us.

"So, where is the village?" I asked

"At the top."

"Yeah, but where?"

"There's a mountain pass over there, that will lead us to it."

"I could probably get there faster if I flew straight up."

"But you still wouldn't get there, the village isn't 'straight up' it's within the mountains."

"But I'm kinda in a hurry so…"

"Like I said, the village is in the mountains, the path will take us there."

"So…I can't fly?"

"You could, but since you've never been there before, I doubt you'd find it."

"Have you been there before?"

"I have."

"Excellent." I grabbed his hand and shot upwards, flying up the side of the mountain. "Just point me in the right direction!" I yelled over the rushing wind.

"There!" he yelled back.

I landed on a large platform jutting out from the mountain top.

"You are one crazy girl." He muttered

"So this is the village?" I asked

"Yes."

"Well, I guess our journey's over then, I'll get my things, you'll meet with whoever your meeting."

"So it seems."

"Well, bye then."

"I said so it seems."

"Huh?"

"Our journey is not over."

"But…we're here."

"Yes, but I still have a debt owing to you, so I will accompany you the rest of your journey."

"Um…Not to sound rude but…Why?"

He reached out and pushed me over.

"Hey! What was that for?" I yelled at him from my place on the floor

"You are inexperienced, I will be your guide."

"Whatever, just don't push me down again." I said as I stood up.

"Very well then, go get your supplies and I will meet you back here."

"Yeah yeah." Geez,

I wandered off into the village and stopped at the medical store Tsunade had described, once I had found the right supplies, I packed them up and then browsed then returned to the platform.

Sasori appeared moments later.

"Shall we go then?" he asked

"I still don't see why you should come."

"Do I need to push you over again to prove my point?"

"Oh whatever" I grabbed his hand, "Hold on."

I jumped off the platform and spiralled downwards then spreading my wings to slow the descent and we glided gently to the ground.

"I can't believe you do that on a daily basis." Sasori exclaimed once we landed.

"It's like I have my own portable rollercoaster." I laughed.

"Roller coaster?"

"Oh, it's just a thing, from back home. Never mind."

"You are really a strange girl."

"Says the guy who spent most of his life inside a puppet."

"Touché"

"All right, if you're coming with me then let's go, I have to stop at the Land of Sound and then this one place in the Land of Earth."

"Very well, let's go."

Naruto came through the front door and smelt like he had been training for the day. He waved happily and shut the door after Gaara walked in, "Hey guys, what are you doing?"

"We're making sushi‼" Abbie cheered and effectively threw the rice in her hands all over the place; I managed to catch the fillings before they spilled to the floor as well.

"That's awesome Abbie; did you make any for me?"

She grabbed a large plate out to show him, "Look here."

He took the plate and tried one of the small circles of rice, chewing it slowly before nodding his approval, "This is excellent."

"Yay‼"

"Naruto go take a shower or something," I flicked my cloth at him and tried not to smell again, "you smell horrid."

"Naruto smells! Naruto smells!"

"You tell him Abbie," Gaara patted the small girl's head as he passed to try one of the many sushi pieces we had lying about. He nodded his own approval then looked to me, "Why did you guys make sushi?"

"We got bored of studying so we decided to make some dinner; I remembered how to make sushi so that's what we decided on to eat. Besides sushi is good, really good."

"It's edible."

I smirked at him, he was so in trouble, "Abbie, Gaara is being mean, what do we do to people who are mean?"

"Dump flour on them‼"

"That's right!"

"Fine, it's absolutely delicious and I can't wait to eat more."

"Now he's being sarcastic. What do we do?"

She grabbed his hand and pulled on it, "Still dump flour on them‼"

I grabbed the small bag and wavered it over the red head of hair, "What say you Abbie, yay or nay?"

"Abbie," Gaara squeezed the small hand with a small smile, "I ask you very nicely to say nay."

"Then I say nay‼‼"

"Thank you."

"Tch, lucky boy," I put the bag down and started to clean the spills on the bench. We had been cooking for a few hours so there was a pretty large mess to clean up, but it was all totally worth it when it comes to eating the awesome meal we made. Abbie is quite the little chef. And she also turned out to be the little helper as well, she wouldn't stop tugging on my skirt until I picked her up, "Please don't pull that, it's not very long as it is."

"Sorry but I want to help."

"You've helped me heaps today, making dinner and all, but how about you help me make the tea while Gaara does the dishes."

"Okay‼"

I stuck my tongue out as I passed him, if he wanted to eat he would have to do something to help. Abbie and I got the kettle boiling and prepared the tea, settling up the table while it boiled seeming as when Naruto got out of the bathroom he was bound to cause some sort of hassle for us.

I was surprised at how quickly Gaara finished up the dishes, he even made the tea and brought it to the table. Everything was ready to eat so all we were really waiting on was Naruto, and Abbie was really getting impatient.

"Where's Naruto? I'm hungry."

"Should we eat without him?" I asked Gaara straight.

"This is his house…"

"So yeah?"

"I think so."

"Okay Abbie," I looked around but the small girl had vanished, "Abbie?" that's when I noticed her about to open the bathroom door…

"Abbie stop!"

Gaara managed to swoop over a grab her before any childhoods could be ruined, he brought her back all pouty and wrapped up in his arms. I had to laugh at the small face as Gaara passed her over to me. She really was nothing more than a small child.

"Whoa…"

Naruto had finally emerged from the bathroom but he looked like he had seen a ghost, a very scary ghost from the looks of it. After a few silent moments he shook his head and sat down at the table. Gaara automatically went into his concerned mode, "What's the matter Naruto?"

"I just…you guys…nothing," he shook his head again and started eating. He is one strange creature that Naruto Uzumaki.