Chapter twenty-four: Tears are for the weak

"Tears are for the weak," Joi thought as she ran. Her traditional ninja sandals thudded softly on the mossy, forest floor. She ran, and ran until finally there was no more run left in her. Her eyes swept the forest floor and her surroundings. Her knees buckled underneath her, once again, and the memories of what she was running from flooded back to her. She buried her head in her hands. "Tears are for the weak," She reminded herself. Randomly Youree popped into Joi's mind, she remembered chatting with him on instant messenger. "A tear is strength and sadness wrapped up in one," She remembered him saying something like that. She hadn't understood it, until now.

Joi sighed.

Youree was right. But Joi refused, and wasn't about, to cry, ever. Especially not in the circumstances. She had always thought killing someone would be easy. That she wouldn't have a conscience afterwards. But she was wrong, so, so wrong. The feeling she felt inside her was almost unbearable. It was a feeling of sadness, anger, and, oddly enough, fear. Fear of what was to happen. Fear of her self. Fear, of what other people would think. There were many things in life to fear, and Joi had never feared those. Joi hadn't feared death, no, not death but rather life. Life was harder then death ever was, you had to make you're life good enough for death, death would not come to you, life would. Joi hated that idea. So far her life wasn't worthy of death and yet she had brought death to another person. "What's wrong with me?" Joi asked her self. "Why do I feel this need for human blood? Such…bloodlust…?"

Joi was lost, not just mentally, but literally. Where was she? And how in the hell did she get here? She hadn't been running that long had she? Well let's see, Naruto world wasn't all that big, she remembered the map well. She was in Hidden Leaf Village, right? She had been traveling north…which means…she would be hitting ocean soon…if she went east she could go to Thunder Country, and if she went west she would be in Earth Country, if she went south from there, she'd be in Hidden Sand Village…she could go anywhere, but back to Hidden Leaf. Joi was in no shape to be running. But did she have a choice? Well technically she did, but did she have the will? No, she did not. She wouldn't be able to look Gaara straight in the face. Let alone Youree, Kato, Isaac, or Hana and what about Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura? Iruka? The Hokage?

There were so many people…and she had left them all behind. Hana would break down…and Joi knew it…what about Kato? She would be worried sick…and Youree…well he's just going to be plainly pissed…as would Isaac. "Honestly…who cares anymore?" Joi asked, "Not me, they're better off without me."

Joi got up. She was moving on. "People always are better off without friends...Take Gaara for example, his best friend, Yashamaru, hurt him by trying to kill him. Will I be any different? Or will what ever is happening to me happen again? And I accidentally kill Gaara or one of my friends…I must protect them, and the only way to do that, is to leave," Joi decided and she was back to running.

Gaara smashed his fists down onto the Hokage's desk.

"NO! THAT'S NOT ENOUGH! WE NEED ANBU OUT THERE FOR HER NOW! I WANT HER SAFE!" After screaming this Gaara got up.

"Okay, Gaara, settle down," Kato said patting Gaara on his shoulder, "We'll get her back."

"She'll be charged with murder when she comes back, you do know that, don't you?" The Hokage asked. Gaara's mad expression fell. Murder? Was it really counted as that? Joi would never murder someone…there had to have been a reason. "I think it was self defense," Gaara told the Hokage, "It had to have been…she would never kill someone without a reason."

"She'll have to be proven not guilty then, either that or she'll become a lost ninja," The Hokage told Gaara.

"We don't need you then, we'll find her ourselves." Gaara grabbed Kato by the arm and led her out of the building, "Get Youree, Isaac, and Hana, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi. Now. Were going to need them all."

"Gaara were not going to be able to find Joi without the help of ANBU's…we at least need a Chuunin on our side…"

"Then get Iruka too, I'm sure he'll help…"

Joi could tell when she was out of the forest. The air no longer was cold and musty. The smell of fast food restaurants was all around her. People bumping into her constantly, and so on. Joi had not yet lifted her eyes from the ground. She didn't dare. But when some random person off the street runs into you, well it's sort of hard not to look up. People. There were people all around her, was there no solitude left on this earth? A dog ran up to Joi, it looked like a stray…its hair was matted, there was no collar of ownership around his neck, and you could clearly see his ribs. Joi looked at the brown dog sadly. Who could cast such a cute thing out? Joi reached down and petted the dog. Then she started to walk away.

The dog fallowed her.

Joi scowled. Why did animals always fallow her around? Despite the dog Joi kept walking. Where was she going anyway?

"Okay!" Kato announced, "We need partners…Isaac, you can be with Youree. Hana you can go with Sasuke. Iruka…Sakura….and…uhm, Naruto you can go with Gaara…wait…who am I going with!"

"I'm here, why did you call me Gaara?" Kankuro asked as he ran up to them.

"Kankuro your partners with Kato, were going out to look for Joi."

"WHAT!" Kato screamed, "NO! NOT KANKURO I BEG OF YOU!"

"Your with Kankuro and that's all there is to it, now let's go," Gaara announced. Gaara and Naruto took off north. Kankuro grabbed Kato's arm and took off west. Isaac and Youree shot of towards the east. Iruka and Sakura shot towards the south. And Sasuke and Hana went somewhere north west.

Joi froze when she heard the voice. "What are you going to do Joi? Huh? You're lost…and I'm taking control of your body!" Joi was stunned. Who was talking to her? The voice…it…was…coming…from…inside of her! "W-Who are you!" Joi thought. "It's Shukaku! Kill Joi, kill! You need human blood!"

"HAVEVN'T YOU HAD ENOUGH!"

"One person? Why that's atrocious, I need more Joi, kill!"

"NO!"

"Oh, but isn't the bloodlust in you're thoughts bugging you? You've been thinking about killing someone randomly off the streets all day."

"No I haven't…have I? You're just trying to confuse me! I never thought about killing some random person off the street!"

"Or have you?" Joi shook her head profusely. Why was Shukaku in her? That's Gaara's demon, not hers! She isn't supposed to have a demon! So why did she now! She needed to go back, she needed Gaara's help!

"There's a dog over there, you could kill that you know."

"SHUT UP!" Joi begged.

"Get your hands off me," Kato ordered Kankuro. Kankuro instantly let go of Kato's arm.

"What is your problem!" Kankuro asked. "You are my problem, STEP OFF!" Kato screamed. "I didn't do anything to you!"

"Would you LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Were partners! I didn't do anything! WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME!" Kankuro asked. "OH THAT IS IT!" Kato announced, "IM GOING BACK HOME!" Kato started to walk off. "HEY WAIT!" Kankuro called. "YOU RETCHED LITTLE CHILD! GET YOU'RE ASS BACK HERE NOW!"

"OH YOU DID NOT JUST CALL ME THAT!" Kato cried. "AND WHAT IF I DID!" Kankuro screamed. "THEN I WILL…I will…I WILL SICK JOI'S BOYFRIEND GAARA ON YOU!" Kato screamed right back. "WELL JOI MIGHT NOT EVEN BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW! SO PULL YOUR-FUCKING-SELF TOGETHER SO WE CAN GO FUCKING LOOK FOR HER!" Kato looked down at the ground. "Your right, let's get looking for her…but…I STILL DON'T LIKE YOU!"