A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long. I wasn't going to update until I at least finished chapter 22 but since I was repeatedly asked to update I had no choice but to post this or face the consequences. I hope you find this chapter satisfactory.

There is one thing I would like to ask, something that was brought to my attention in one of the reviews, what is it that you don't like about Anna? Is her character unlikable wholly or is it just how she acts at times? Just curious.

And I want to thank those who gave reviews; I appreciate every one of them.

+.+.+

-Part 21-

Wind and Fire

"Why don't you buy a dress to match that girly hair, you creepy lesbian! Stop stalking me!" She turned on her oppressor. "Ya know what? I've taken you off the menu! You are a bad chicken nugget! You are McDonald's chicken! Nobody wants to eat you! A dog would walk past you, turn up his nose and say, 'I ain't eatin' that crap!' because you are nasty chicken!"

The Hyuuga frowned. "Am I supposed to know what this… McDonalds is? Do you have any other idiotic fantasies you would like to shout before we start a logical conversation? Of course, that's assuming you are capable of logic… or having a conversation." He regarded her with a sharp eye. "You stomp your feet and shout things no one understands. Are you a lunatic or did your mother simply drop you when you were a baby?"

"Yes my mother dropped me… into a pool of sexy! But you wouldn't get it because you're a nasty chicken nugget nobody wants to eat! I'm should bludgeon you with something!"

Neji was silent, a grim expression souring his face. To think he actually believed he could connect with this girl. "Imbecile," he deadpanned to the fuming ruby-head before him.

Anna glared and a stern seriousness spiked in her tone as she said, "One day, Neji, maybe not today but one day I am going to beat you with a weapon beyond your imagination."

Now it was getting interesting.

Neji smirked, rising a brow. "I doubt you could even touch me."

The ruby-head pressed her lips together, bit her tongue, and stomped off. She didn't get far before she vanished in a poof of smoke. "Ya know," her voice echoed against the trees, "I narrate everything you say with a British accent inside my head. It's the only way I can deal with your dumb ramblings."

"My ramblings…?" His indignant shock flipped to anger as his voice rose. "MY ramblings? You are the one who-!"

"Ayiyiyi!" The scream came out of nowhere with the red and black blur. His Byakugan was activated, but it was too late. She was already striking. Blow after blow was delivered, and all he could do was block with his arms, covering his face. No, she was going for his beautiful face!

"You made me do this!" the she-devil screeched, "You brought this on yourself!"

The Hyuuga wasn't going to tolerate this. The minute he had the chance he shouted, "Rotation!" and spun, forcing chakra out in a protective sphere-like barrier.

She fell back with a thump yet she smirked triumphantly. Neji huffed, covering his humiliation with irritation. How could he let her get so close? He let his guard down. A mistake he wouldn't soon repeat. Then, he felt it. His eyes slowly opened wide with realization as he examined the slick yellow goo he was now covered in. He looked to the she-devil, catching glimpse of a red sock oozing with the same liquid.

"I told you…" She grinned evilly. "I was going to beat you with a weapon beyond your puny imagination! Behold the BUTTERSOCK!" She waved the sock in victory, the yellow ooze splattering the ground.

Neji seethed, his face heating to that strange purple hue as he tried to keep composed. "You… you are the most senseless, imprudent, stubborn, idiotic…!"

"Oooo!" Anna wriggled her rear at him, mocking him. "My name is Neji Wedgie and I like to ramble!"

That was the last straw. Byakugan activated, he charged.

Butter covered the battlefield.

+.+.+

It was an accident.

Rain splashed on her face as she laid in a heap of shuddering bones. She hadn't meant to use it. It just happened.

Two blurred faces hovered over her, looking down. They were speaking, but the sounds were muffled and warped. She felt as if her entire head were submerged under water. She gulped air. The muted, garbled voices slowly became clear as did her vision and she saw the shocked eyes of Anna and Mae.

"Katy," Anna called again. "What was that? What happened?"

What was she to tell them? She had lost it, so to speak, while they sparred. Anna insisted they work on training Katy; that she needed to be toughened up. So Anna and Mae teamed together, barraging Katy with kunai, shuriken, and clones. And, oh, how Katy hated the clone jutsu. She was never able to grasp the technique and she had a hint as to why. It was used to confuse and deceive. Right when she thought she knocked one of them down- poof! And the real one would come from behind and send her to the ground instead. Such ninja trickery had Kat spitting venom. All ninja seemed to use and teach it. Whether they conjured it from shadow or sand, it served to distract and deceive. And Katy was never good at lying.

Mae had hung back, fending off an ice-skel dog when Anna came at the brunette again, using clones to overwhelm. The wind picked up from behind the older girl and she used it to strengthen a blast of fire. Katy barely dodged. While she was trying to recover her balance she was punched and kicked and she was getting sick of it. She wasn't going to be pushed around anymore, she told herself she was done being weak. So why was it still like this? She had shrieked in rage as Anna delivered another punch.

That was when she used it.

Cerulean light surged and before Katy could suppress it, it had shot up into the sky, a bolt of lightning in reverse. It was a thin and wispy streak, but still swift and with devastating consequences. Dark clouds formed, thunder resounded, and then came the rain.

"Hey!" Anna snapped, shoving at Kat. "Geez, you're freezing cold! What's going on?"

Katy trembled violently, body aching. "Home," she wheezed, blackness eating her line of sight. "I want to go home."

She could still hear them, Anna's sharp tone and Mae's rising panic. And she could feel them as they tried to shake her awake, their hands burning into her skin. She wanted to scream in protest but all that came out was miserable whimpers. They pulled her up and stood on either side of her, draping her arms over their shoulders for support. She felt the stinging cold all the way back to the house coupled with the burn of their warm skin. The next two hours were filled with blankets and hot tea. Anna paced the shoddy living room, switching from eying Katy to eying the rain pelting the windows. Mae sat with Katy on the couch, and it looked like she had picked up Katy's nervous habit of chewing on her lip. When the cold faded and the pain lessened, Katy let the blanket fall from her shoulders and put down her mug.

Anna stopped her pacing and stood before Kat with her hands on her hips and her mouth screwed in a scowl. "Well?" She tapped her foot impatiently. "Are you gonna tell us what that was? Or are you gonna keep more secrets?"

"Tell us, Katy…?" Mae encouraged her to answer, leaning forward.

Katy tightly clasped her hands and bit her lip. The questions ran though her head. Should she tell them? Could she? Calypso said not to tell any shinobi. But… she didn't consider herself a shinobi though she was registered as one. She had discarded her Leaf headband when she tossed her old outfit. She didn't care for it. Anna and Mae wore theirs in inconspicuous places like the thigh and upper arm, though that didn't really mean anything. Even rogue ninja wore their village's crest. The most important fact was that they were from the same world, and they were friends long before this whole ninja charade started.

Although Anna was serious about her dream of becoming a hunter-nin, Katy couldn't picture her ever placing her allegiance to the village above their friendship.

She made her decision. She trusted them.

Without a word she went up the stairs and retrieved "that" book, still wrapped in ancient withered cloth. When she came back down she motion for her teammates to follow her into the cellar. They spoke in hushed whispers. Anna waved her arms around vigorously while she talked with Katy and Mae took in the information with a slack jaw. Once the discussion was over all was quiet, save the thunder from above. Surprisingly to Kat, after she revealed the secret of Gelel, Anna seemed to go from being angry with her to being just slightly irritated… and maybe even worried. It was a good sign. It meant she cared, in her own way at least.

Katy made sure she was very careful in the way she spoke of the Gelel. But all the while Calypso's voice softly rang, "I told you to be careful. Why did you use that power without me? It will bring you pain. I told you not to speak of it, either…"

It's okay. We can trust Anna and Mae.

And she told them to keep it secret, told them what happened to Calypso and what may very well happen to her if anyone were to find out. They swore to secrecy, and for once Katy didn't need to fear. Everything would be fine. As long as she didn't use the Gelel so recklessly again, nothing bad would happen.

Two days later she heard, "She did it again…"

"Thanks for pointing that out, Mae, because I don't have eyes!"

Rain filtered down on them. Katy was brought to her knees, doubled over, a shivering huddle. Her breaths came shallow and fast. Thankfully it wasn't hurting too badly this time. Had Calypso sensed it was going to happen and helped? Although, the phantom seemed to be less and less alert with every day that passed since it reabsorbed some of its blood from the Vein in the ruins. When it talked, it sounded almost... tired, lethargic.

Katy watched as the gray clouds gradually swirled and expanded from the point the Gelel energy hit the sky. To think she could summon clouds. The rain smelled sweet. And looking around she could see the wonders the rain brought with it: the glisten of the water on flowers, the beads forming on a spider's web, the ripples in puddles, and how everything seemed greener… Rain was truly a wonderful thing. She was glad she could be a part of it somehow.

However, she wasn't so thankful later on.

Her gut dropped when she was summoned to the Hokage's office. Anna and Mae must have sensed her unease because they stayed close, flanking her sides when they walked into that room to face the Kage of the Leaf. Katy's nerves prickled as Tsunade sternly regarded her.

"I've been keeping an eye on you three," she began, throwing them significant glances. "There is no record of you before you became Genin. Your files say you came from a traveling caravan. If it weren't for the confirmation from Inoichi Yamanaka about your memories of it, I wouldn't believe it. By the way... I heard you ran into a caravan on your last mission, Katy."

"Not ours," Anna interjected. "Katy told me she didn't recognize anyone."

Katy nervously shifted her weight. If they learned anything about her connection to the Gelel… it would be a disaster.

"Well," the Fifth continued, interrupting Katy's frantically growing paranoia. "I had a right to interrogate you before considering that thing inside you… what was it you called it?"

"I n-named it Calypso," Kat stammered out, "It found m-me, it l-liked me, I don't know why-"

"Yes, yes." Tsunade waved a hand dismissively and, oddly enough, she smiled. "You've established that, don't worry. I didn't call you here to be interrogated."

"So what is it then?" Anna snapped, "You gonna send us back on the street, aimlessly searching for a home?" Leave it to the professional liar to build upon people's assumptions.

Tsunade's eyes softened. "No, of course not. You're becoming fine kunoichi and fine additions to this village." She nodded to Katy. "I'm sorry you had to be put through interrogations, but as Hokage I must put the security of the village first. Now that I'm confident you have Calypso under control, there's no need to worry." Her eyes hardened. "Right?"

Katy nodded dumbly.

"And now that that's behind us, let's get to the reason you're here today." Katy's face fell. What did they want now? Tsunade tapped her nails on her desk, stare focusing in on Katy. "It's been raining a lot recently…"

The air grew tense.

"Yeah, about that," Anna sighed, running a hand through her short hair. "My stupid friend's been trying a new jutsu and I already told her to knock it off, sooo…"

"It's as I heard, then." The Hokage leaned forward. "You brought that rain, Katy?"

"Yes, sorry, I-"

"Don't apologize! It's incredible. Normally it would take at least ten Rain ninja to do what you did. And you're timing couldn't be more perfect."

"What are you trying to say?" Anna started cautiously, "What's going on?"

Tsunade folded her hands in front of her, expression serious. "Are you aware of the situation our allies are in?"

"Nooo, why?"

"I'm not surprised. They kept it secret in fear other villages would take it as an opportunity to attack." She sighed heavily before continuing her explanation. "Our allies from the Sand have been suffering from severe drought and have just recently come to us for help."

Oh no, Katy thought with dread. Please tell me this isn't going where I think it's going.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Anna raised her eyebrows and her hands. "The desert… is suffering from a drought. Isn't that normal?"

"Yes and no. The desert does have a rainy season. It doesn't give a lot of precipitation but it is usually enough to provide their reservoirs and wells with adequate water levels. Unfortunately in recent years the storm clouds have either passed over their village without shedding a single drop of rain or never reached the village at all."

A spark lit in Anna then. "So? It's what those traitors deserve! You can't be thinking of sending Katy."

The response was a quick and harsh, "It's exactly what I'm thinking. In fact, it's what I'm doing."

"No!" Anna screamed. "You have no idea the side effects it causes! It makes her sick!"

This seemed to draw concern form the blonde leader. "How so?"

"Er, well… She gets really, really cold! It's more serious than it sounds! She almost fainted the first time."

Tsunade seemed to consider this information, but ultimately she said, "If there are any problems with Katy's health, I'll leave it to the Suna medics to help her."

"You can't be serious! After all they've done! They killed the Third and you just let that go?" Anna's statements stuck a chord in Katy. After all they've done… That's right. Why should she help them? She straightened her back in indignance.

"Enough!" Tsunade's palm came down on the top of her desk with a loud slap as she stood. Her strong voice caused Katy to shrink from her stance. "I will not tolerate any insubordination, especially not from a little brat! The lands of Wind and Fire are allies; therefore the villages of the Leaf and Sand are allies. You can hate that all you want, it won't change our standing with them. It was Orochimaru that killed the Third and deceived the Sand to go to war with us." She glared at Anna. "I don't want to hear another word about it. Besides, this mission doesn't include you."

Anna didn't seem to be deterred, she was relentless. "What? She can't go alone; she gets lost walking to the toilet!"

"She'll have escorts." Then the Hokage called to the door, "Send them in!"

The door opened and the moment Katy looked over her shoulder her eyes met his. Sea-foam to hazel. With him was his brother and sister, both sporting sour expressions. Katy thought it likely that they overheard Anna's yelling.

"Katy." The Hokage brought her attention forward. "You are to leave for the Hidden Sand first thing in the morning. When you get there I expect you to do all you can to help our allies with their situation."

She faltered in her speech, unsure of how to respond. She didn't want this, she didn't want to aid the ones that ruined her friendship with Gaara, the ones that destroyed her childhood friend and left in their wake a heartless killing machine. However she couldn't outright defy the Hokage's orders or she'd just get into trouble. She had to come up with something, now. "I… Um, yes, but I don't know if I have the ability to summon so much rain… and in such a dry climate."

"I believe you can." The powerful woman showed benevolence with a smile. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Do your best."

Katy lowered her head, hiding the bitterness that simmered in her eyes. "…I'll try."

With that they were dismissed.

She and Mae stiffly followed Anna out of the Hokage's premises. The siblings were not far behind, but they were disregarded until they reached the street. That was when Anna suddenly stopped and turned on her heel, sending a dark glower at Gaara. The two teams faced each other and not a word was said. The wind's whispers filled the silence until Anna started verbally breathing fire.

"This is bull," she barked loudly, "Why should we help you! You betrayed us, not the other way around!"

"We were following orders," snapped Temari. "It's not like we wanted to."

"Oh, wow. That makes me feel so much better."

Oh no, Katy cringed. Anna was using sarcasm. Things were about to get bad.

"Hey, come on," Kankuro interjected. "We helped you guys out when your Uchiha ran off. Three from your retrieval group would have been done for if it weren't for us."

"Yeah? Well how many died during the invasion you planned with the Sound?"

"We didn't plan it!"

"That's enough." Gaara's command cut through the discord. Everyone was still for a minute, but Katy shared a nervous glance with Mae. They both knew Anna wouldn't let it go just like that.

"I'll tell you when it's enough," she seethed out, "You freak."

Temari and Kankuro visibly tensed, and their anger shone in their eyes. The alliance and the treaty between Sand and Leaf may have been the only thing preventing them from going on the offensive. Gaara, on the other hand, didn't seem fazed in the slightest. He didn't even blink at the insult, and Katy knew why. He heard it too often.

Which was why she had to act.

She was swift but clumsy. Tripping over her own feet, Katy grabbed Anna's shoulder and used her falling momentum to crash skulls with the ruby-head. Mae looked on, wildly glancing between the two as they stumbled back from each other. They both held their heads and Katy made a quick note that no one wins with a head-butt… except Naruto, of course.

"Ow! What the- Katy!"

"You," hissed Katy as she rubbed her forehead, "You will not call him that."

Anna looked taken aback. "What? How can you defend him? Did you forget what he did to us- to you?"

The redhead in question stepped forward, eyes narrowed and trained on Anna. Katy moved in his path, retorting, "You don't know him."

"I don't need to know him to know what he's done! Geez, Kat, open your eyes! Did you forget about the Rain ninja in the Forest of Death? And what about your side? It still hurts, doesn't it? He did that!"

Sea-foam orbs darted to her side and a wounded expression slipped onto his face. Somehow she felt his guilt, so she looked away from him and tried to reason. "It's…not that bad."

"Not that bad? Are you kidding me? Look, I don't know what he meant to you back then but this is now!" Anna went with a gentler tone, saying, "He can't hurt you anymore. I know he probably cornered you and made you promise to be his friend but-"

"No!" Katy stomped her foot, and the words tumbled out. "You don't understand. I approached him, of my own free will."

Anna's horror quickly turned to anger. "Why?"

"Because…" She struggled for the answer. "Because… he… Because he looked just as lost as me! I dunno, I just…thought we could help each other. And he wasn't like the others, he was kind and patient. I went back every day because I wanted to not because I had to. I didn't like that village." Her voice grew avid with conviction. "In fact I hated it! They tried to kill him and when they couldn't get him they went after me! But he was my best friend and nothing you say can change that!" The image of her Geliebt, six-years-old, came into her mind's eye and the memories stung her.

Then she realized all eyes were boring into her, she could feel them. He was staring at her with something akin to awe, as were his siblings.

She had the sudden urge to disappear. But, since she already said this much she might as well get everything else out too. Gathering her courage, she continued, "And I came back just for him too. Not to be a ninja. I never wanted to be a ninja. I just went through with it so you'd be happy."

Anna was quiet for a long moment, she appeared to be in shock, and then finally she let out a simple, "Oh."

Katy sighed. "Please don't get upset. I'll keep being a ninja for you. Besides, Mae can't be on a team without me. And… and don't be upset about the Sand village. I said I'd try." She gave Anna a hard, meaningful look before muttering, "Which doesn't grantee success."

Anna's eyes lit with understanding.

"What?" Mae looked thoroughly confused. "Are you not really going to try? Just preten- Ow!" Anna whopped the younger girl on the back.

"What was that you said?" Kankuro glared at the trio.

"Nothing!" Katy said quickly, forcing a smile that resembled a grimace more than anything.

"Yeah, nothing." Anna shook her head at Mae, who smacked a hand over her mouth and inched over to her aunt. "I guess we'll see you guys in the morning. Come along, Katy, Mae."

The siblings watched them go, suspicion and displeasure written in their expressions. Katy avoided Gaara's eyes and didn't glance back.

She had a feeling she'd be seeing him sooner than sunrise.

+.+.+

Dusk was falling over into night and the remnants of the sun's rays were becoming dimmer by the second.

Katy glared at her empty pack, clenching her fists. She shouldn't have to do this, shouldn't even have to pretend she was doing this. But she obviously didn't have a choice in the matter. She swatted the bag from her bed and flung herself down into her pillows, burying her face. She thought about how awkward and awful the journey would be and how embarrassing it would be when she "failed." Although she could fail even with effort, she wasn't about to break a sweat for those people. Or freeze, she should say.

The lands of Wind and Fire were allies…

Katy didn't want any part of it. The Village of Sand wouldn't be getting a speck of rain from her.

Blame the village, blame the shinobi. They are the reason I had to take you and they are the ones who destroyed your friend.

Walking through the lands of Wind and Fire… to walk from grass into sand again, the nostalgia might be too much.

Katy felt something gently rake thorough her hair. She flipped over and swiftly sat up, almost knocking heads with Gaara. He was sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at her, his gourd nestled in the corner by the window. He seemed to be thinking of something when, suddenly, he gingerly placed his hand on her left side. "It still hurts?" he asked sadly.

She looked away. "It doesn't really. Just a small ache. The medics said it was all in my head, anyway. Nothing to be upset about…"

"I'm sorry." She glanced back at him, only to see his face guilt-ridden. Silence passed between them because she really didn't know what to say to alleviate his remorse. Or maybe it was because she didn't want to. Shouldn't he suffer for making her suffer? But then he broke her ponderings with, "You don't really plan on bringing the rain."

She didn't meet his gaze. "No."

"Why?"

She snorted. "Isn't it obvious?"

He retracted his hand and settled it on his knee as he moved his stare out the window, a far-off, deep look in his eyes. "…Don't hold a grudge for my sake."

Her eyes went big, glinting. "They tried to kill you. They tried to kill me. They spit on you and hated you for something that wasn't your fault. And they tore us apart."

"I know what they've done," he spoke slowly, calmly. "And I know what they're like. But…" He returned his gaze to her. "They are still my people."

Katy frowned. Had he forgiven them so easily?

"Seven years," he went on, "For seven long years I have hated and killed in vengeance. But that time is over, I've turned my back on that dark path. Naruto showed me… what I can be. I can connect with my people. And…" He reached for her, placing his hand on her leg. "Katherine, revenge resolves nothing. It will only bring more pain. Please…"

"It's not revenge," she quipped. "It's punishment."

He cocked his head slightly to the side. "Is it? I don't think so… You have a chance to help those in need and you won't do it… because of a grudge." She tried turning away from him, only for him to catch her chin with his fingers and guide her back to his eyes. "I understand; I know what it's like. But you are only hurting yourself in the end… and the ones who care for you."

Her eyes bulged. Did he know about her plan? No, she noticed in relief as his sights traveled to the side of her he injured. He was speaking from his own experience, not about her plan to get to him and break him down. But his words struck a nerve in her. Here he, as one raised in a shinobi world, was talking to her about forgiveness and letting go when she was the one raised in a church. It was disgraceful. Had she lost herself?

But, no! He hurt her. He hurt and killed others. He had to be punished. She wasn't like him. A fragile glass child like herself could not afford to forgive just like that. The chance of being broken again was too great. She couldn't risk it. The strong could forgive because they were not easily shattered.

"Kitty, my Geliebt." The tenderness in his tone startled her. He took her face in his hands and leaned his forehead into hers, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Help my people." And then, even worse, he whispered, "Please."

She faltered. It was too much. The pleading eyes, the sadness, using the word Geliebt. She had to concede. "Argh, fine!" She pulled back, ignoring the small smile that adorned his lips. "But not for them, understand? For… for my Geliebt."

He wrapped his arms around her before she could object. She sighed and slumped into his embrace.

What had she gotten herself into?