A/n!! Kya!!! such encouragement for last chapter!! Lecherous children for all you wonderful reviewers!!! AH!!! i really don't know whats happening in this chapter, i just knew that I wanted to bring Aysen in.. cus she was such a cool char!

Terri got mad at me for not knowing tho.. she wanted me to tell her what happened and of course, i couldn't tell her cus i didn't know.. keh hee hee!

Anyways.. yay thanks for all who reviewed! O ya.. and theres a pic of Aysen in my Gallery at deviantart or my homepage in my profile... gogoogo

Read on!

Chapter 25 – Aysen

"A-Aysen!?"

The girl with the shadows at her back seemed shocked. So little did she meet with people and socialize, so how would some random nins know her name?

"W-who are you?! And why do you both know my name!?" she asked hesitantly, while taking a fighting stance, ready for any uncertainties.

"You are Aysen?!" yelled Maliko ecstatic that that was actually the girls name. The girl named Aysen didn't seem to have a clue and Tazze just stared, utterly speechless.

"Ahem... Who's Aysen?" asked Gaara, getting fed up with all the stalled time.

"Aysen was our friend that we used to play at the Falls with. She was on our team when we were nine, when we first became genins." Itachi and Gaara both looked at the Death nin and watched as her jaw dropped at hearing these words spoken from Tazze.

"W-Wait! You're trying to tell me that you're Maliko and Tazze?" Her eyes were wide as she looked over the two girls standing three meters from her. She became hysterical. "That's impossible! They were both killed! You both are imposters!" Aysen yelled.

She gripped onto her katana tipped staff and charged at Maliko.

"I'll kill you!"

Just as she was about to plunge the katana into Maliko's throat an arm slipped around her neck and one around her waste, holding her tightly. The twins both sighed with relief, the katana was eerily close to Maliko's collarbone.

"Why don't you give them a chance to explain?" growled a deep voice in Aysen's ear. She shuddered at the fact that she was caught so off guard. "Drop the staff and I'll let you go."

Aysen sighed and dropped the staff. As soon as the clink of the katana and wood hit the ground, she felt an odd, gripping feeling around her ankles, while the strong arms left her body. She shot her head down to see sand curling up to her knees. Panicking, she quickly went to pick up her weapon that she had dropped beside her, but found it to be gone. Darting her eyes around, she found her weapon in the hands of the man that had restrained her seconds before. His light green eyes glaring back at her black ones.

Becoming angry, she shot a glare at the two girls claiming to be Maliko and Tazze.

"If you're Maliko and Tazze, then why aren't you dead along with everyone else." She yelled and watched as the twin girl's eyes became sad.

"We were the ones the Akatsuki wanted when they came here. They killed everyone but us-"

"A lie anyone could tell!" the furious girl snapped, interrupting Maliko. She became silent for a moment while contemplating something. Smirking, she ordered Maliko.

"If you really are Maliko, then show me your chakra. Charge it to your hand so I can see it." The hateful look never left her face, despite her smirking. Maliko sighed, and proceeded to charge chakra to her left palm. As soon as the chakra became visible, Aysen gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

"I-It's black!... You really are Maliko!"

"Hai" Maliko responded, and began walking towards Aysen. When Maliko came close, Aysen did not flinch but embraced the orange haired girl in a fierce hug while tears of joy rolled down her cheeks.

"I've been so lonely! I thought everyone was killed!" she exclaimed through sobs. Noticing the sand was gone from around her ankles she turned to Tazze and motioned her over. Tazze obliged and Aysen quickly wrapped her arms around her too.

Gaara looked to Itachi, wondering what the hell to do now, but Itachi showed no notice. He seemed apathetic to the whole situation and simply watched the girls with a stoic expression.

Maliko pulled away from Aysen and held a serious look. "I'm glad you're alive but, why aren't you dead?" Gaara could've laughed at her bluntness if he was a person that would laugh. He wasn't, so he didn't.

"When those people came and attacked, Grandfather concealed himself and me in the cellar. We stayed there for the day and that night and when we came out the next morning, there was nothing but bodies...." Aysen no longer cried tears of joy, but tears of sorrow. "I-I tried looking for you two, but only found your mother. I also found my sisters in the street.. with holes through their chest..." She stopped talking to wipe her tears with her sleeves.

"I swore I would take revenge on the Akatsuki, but only Grandfather had seen them.... and he never told me who they were, in fear that I would fight and lose my life." Maliko saw the anger on her tear streaked face and tensely looked back at Itachi and Gaara. Laughing hesitantly she stated.

"Hehe.. We.. We never seen them either." She scratched the back of her head, smiling sheepishly.

"It's a shame... Well, why don't you and your men come into the village then. There's plenty of shelter since.. i'm the only one living here, so you can all stay for as long as you want!"

'Our men?' Maliko and Tazze thought looking back at the two, rather annoyed looking Akatsuki members behind them. Aysen already began walking through the gates and waved to them, motioning them inside.

"What does she mean by 'Your me-" Gaara's yelling was cut off as Maliko slapped her hand over his mouth, stifling the noise.

"Gaara! Don't anger her, I don't know what she's like now, but before she used to have a temper worse than yours. Plus, let her think what she wants. I don't want her knowing that you're both Akatsuki members. She'll think me and Tazze betrayed the village." The orange haired girl whispered to him, making sure Itachi heard also. Gaara merely growled and rolled his eyes, which Maliko took for an understanding.

With that, Maliko and Tazze latched arms with 'their men' and began following Aysen into their home village.

The village looked just as it did when the girls had left it eight years ago. The Zetsumeikage Tower was visible as soon as you entered the gates, standing high above all the other buildings from its location in the center of the small village.

Aysen stopped and turned to them as soon as they had entered the village.

"Over the eight years i've been here, i've been cleaning up from the destruction. Your house will be in the same condition as it was before the Akatsuki attacked, so if you want, you could stay there. I have to guard the village walls for the nights because thats when people seem to like to come here, so i'll talk to you in the morning."

"People come here?" asked Tazze, shocked that people came to a deserted village.

Aysen laughed at her innocence and cluelessness. "They aren't tourists Tazze. They come here thinking they can loot our village. I kill all who pose a threat."

"Oh..." Tazze was glad Zetsumeigakure was in such reliable hands. She smiled to the village's guardian and nodded, turning around to make her way to her old house, along with Maliko, Itachi and Gaara.

"See you tomorrow then!" Maliko yelled, waving to the retreating girl. Aysen waved back and then jumped to the top of the wall to resume her post.

"Well, we might as well sleep in beds tonight instead of the cave floor. Lets go." proclaimed Itachi, motioning the girls to lead them to the house.

A/N its gay and short, but I have to work and my cousin is coming down and such so .... maybe i'll try to make the next chapter more interesting but i probably won't have it up til the end of the week..but maybe if i get lots of reviews i'll get excited and do another chapter!!.. Thanks you for all the reviews for last chapter! I got more than I expected! Seven reveiws! W00 you guys rock!

Abayo

Malitia