Tsunade's eyebrow twitched at the sight of the giant grin. The girl—clearly a foreigner—seemed to be too much at ease. Apparently, she was the one causing trouble in the Land of Udon. Her eyes scanned over the report the squad leader had given to her. The fifth Fire Shadow frowned as her gaze shifted back up to the grinning foreigner. Cheeky brat, she thought. For some strange reason, that grin irked her. Tsunade leaned back in her chair as she set the papers back down on her desk. For the moment, she ignored the ninja in the room in favor of staring down the foreigner. "So…" she began. "Why did you do it?" The girl actually had the audacity to shrug!

"Because I could, I guess," she answered. Before Tsunade could shout, Hyuga Neji stepped beside the girl. He placed a hand on her shoulder, causing the foreigner to turn her eyes to him. "Neji, what-"

"She is our leader now, Yaya-chan. Please show her respect."

"Ah…!" The foreigner exclaimed as if she just realized it. Tsunade's upper lip twitched. The foreigner girl quickly bowed. "I apologize if my behavior is disrespectful, Hokage-sama! I did not mean to appear rude in any way!" Tsunade pursed her lips. At least the girl had some manners.

"Never mind that now… What happened to this brother of yours?" she questioned. "Yasmine-san, is it?"

Yasmine nodded her head in confirmation before opening her mouth to explain. She did not want to reveal too much concerning Deidara. "He was not truly my brother—only a mere traveling companion." The foreigner still could not believe that she had been traveling with a future member of Akatsuki! However, it was probably for the best that she kept her mouth shut about that. "As for his whereabouts… I truly do not know." Technically, that was not a lie. "Our time together was supposed to be temporary. I knew he would leave eventually." Yasmine noticed the way Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "He didn't like to stay in one place for too long…" Hopefully, that's what the village's leader wanted to hear. Judging from that frown, it was not.

"What was his name?"

"Deidara-sa… Deidara-san…" Crap, she had almost used the –sama honorific. That would have been added suspicion. After that, the room became quiet again. Neji had slipped his hand from her shoulder by now. Yasmine swallowed nervously. What a weird atmosphere, she thought. She cleared her throat. "Could I speak freely, Hokage-sama?" Tsunade gave a nod. "We were originally traveling to this village, but got distracted in that other village. But I would really like to reside in this village permanently, if possible. I did live here once for a time."

"You did…?"

"Yes, Neji and the Third can vouch for that."

A small frowned appeared on the foreigner's face. According to Mayu, the old man was still alive and well. It was not as if Yasmine was unhappy with this. However, that was a pretty big change that happened. Also, the fact that Gaara was a citizen of Konoha was mind blowing as well. These drastic events would probably mess up the entire plot of Naruto. These things probably didn't start happening weirdly until a different kunoichi joined Team 7. That was another thing. Where exactly was Sakura? Mayu hadn't been too clear on the details. Hopefully, once they were alone, things could come to light. As a true fan of the show, the news was a bit unsettling to hear. But what's done is done, and it could not be changed. Yasmine was anxious to find out exactly everything that had changed.

Tsunade suddenly let out a frustrated sigh. "Honestly, kid, I don't know what to do with you. I wasn't expecting a former citizen when I told them to bring you to the Leaf village." The busty woman folded her arms and closed her eyes. "In fact, I expected someone who would be placed in prison… after an interrogation of course." She anticipated a reaction from the foreigner, yet the girl only continued to smile. "I suppose I could put you in an orphanage."

"Impossible…!" Neji spoke again. Tsunade raised a curious brow again. "Yaya-chan need not be in such a place. I will take care of her."

"Hyuga-san…" Tsunade leaned forward. "You do know that your statement is out of the question, so I am surprised you would even suggest it." The Hyuga clan was very picky about who they allowed to visit their estate, let alone reside there. As far as anyone was concerned, only Hyuga lived there. Taking a foreign girl into their home—the very thought was absurd. Neji narrowed his eyes, yet looked away. He knew she spoke the truth. As a branch member, he did not have enough influence to persuade anyone to allow Yasmine to stay within the Hyuga household. "I will speak with Sarutobi-sensei and see what he has to say about this. In the meantime, you will cohabitate with Ishikari Mayu."

"Eh…?" Both girls reacted to Tsunade's sudden decision.

"In the report, it says that you understand the foreigner more than anyone… Besides, what else could I do under such short notice?" The Fire Shadow stood from her seat. "I have to pull files, speak with Sarutobi-sensei, and find someplace else for Yasmine-san to live. Fine the time being, you two are going to have to deal with it."

"But I don't want to live with Mary-sue… Her perfect traits might rub off on me," Yasmine grumbled. Her remark caused Mayu to strike her on top of her head. "OW!"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Mayu's far from perfect, you know," Sasuke commented, shoving his hands into his pockets. Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, if she wasn't my teammate-"

"Just who's side are you on?"

Tsunade rubbed her temple and promptly dismissed the young teens.

"You can put your stuff down on the couch—that's where you will sleep," Mayu stated, closing the door as Yasmine moved to pass her. The foreigner removed her shoes and made herself right at home, after apologizing for her intrusion. The kunoichi eyed the girl for a bit longer. Her arrival in this world was still shrouded in mystery. Mayu narrowed her eyes. Yasmine remained oblivious to her stare. When they were exchanging information, the foreigner did not mention how she had gotten here. This wasn't really fan fiction. There was no way she was sucked into some faulty appliance. Stuff like that didn't truly happen. Mayu frowned and leaned against the wall. In her case, of course it was possible—her mother had done the jutsu, after all. Yasmine was no in no way related to the Ishikari clan. "So how did she get here… once before as well…" The kunoichi crossed her arms. Her blue eyes closed in thought. "According to Neji, she appeared and disappeared in the same year, so it's not like we passed each other when mother performed the forbidden jutsu. Besides, we were nowhere near each other. She lived in America and I lived in Tokyo." Mayu slowly opened her eyes. Her head reared back sharply, banging against the wall. Yasmine was standing right in front of her.

Their noses were practically touching!

"Ne, Mary-sama! What's for dinner?"

It took everything in Mayu not to scream and knock the foreigner away from her. Taking deep breath, she moved around Yasmine. "Uh… I'm not making it if that's what you're asking. Me and my teammates are going for ramen in an hour or so." Mayu shrugged her shoulders. "You can come if you want, I guess."

"An hour…?" Her stomach seemed to growl as if on cue. The kunoichi gave a flat look as Yasmine clutched her belly. "How do you expect me to wait that long?" She sighed wearily. Mayu rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen, hoping to find water. "Not even Deidara-sama was this mean to me!" With a gasp, the Ishikari returned her focus on the girl. She practically stomped back over Yasmine. "What…?" The foreigner leaned her upper body back because Mayu had gotten quite close.

"What did you just say?" she asked. "You can't be talking about that Deidara, right?"

"Hah… I forgot you understood English."

"Answer me!"

"… Yes, Deidara-sama of Akatsuki! I did say it before…" Mayu could only stare slack jawed. However, her stunned—and probably jealous—expression was ignored. Yasmine began to launch into her fan girl mode. "Who would have thought that I, Yasmine Dalton, was with a member of that infamous organization for three months? I even had the honor of calling him my brother! Also, Deidara-sama liked me, too!" She sighed dreamily, clasping her hands together. "Because of Deidara-sama, Akatsuki came for him and I was able to meet others! To see Itachi-sama and Kisame-sama—I am truly fortunate!" Yasmine was quickly snapped out of her daydream of Dawn. Mayu had begun to shake her shoulders relentlessly until she paid attention. Talk about rude! "What the hell, Mary-sama?"

"Listen to me! You must never mention your involvement with that guy! If anyone asks, you barely know him and he never talked about himself!" The kunoichi squeezed the foreigner's shoulders. "On top of that, keep your Narutard actions controlled! We can't have anyone figuring out about this, alright?" Slowly, Yasmine nodded her head. Mayu's grip loosened. After stumbling away from the foreigner, she slumped down on the couch, suddenly exhausted. It was probably going to be very troublesome living with a fan of the show. There was no telling what she would do if she came into contact with… pretty much any ninja in their age group. "Man, I hope she isn't a Sasuke fan girl…" Mayu mentally shuddered, remembering her friend, Megumi.

"Uh… I have a question…" The kunoichi lazily shifted her gaze back to the foreigner. She was now sitting on the floor, one outstretched leg over the other. Her expression was curious, so Mayu nodded her head. "You said that you've been here for months, right? So do you have anyone's autograph?" The flat look returned to Mayu's face. "Hey, you said Narutard, so you must be a fan as well, right? Who's your favorite?" The young Ishikari sighed heavily before answering. Although, it was annoying as hell that the foreigner continued to call her Mary-sama, she was still trying to be friendly.

"Gaara-kun," she replied. "Though for awhile… he was tied with Lee."

"Really? It was the same for me, but in the end my favorite became Lee-kun!" Yasmine nearly bounced with excitement. Mayu sat up straight and stared at the girl on the floor. She raised a brow. Not many guys appreciated Rock Lee based on his looks alone. This was the first time meeting someone didn't care about his thick eyebrows. "What about your favorite kunoichi? My favorite is Hi-"

"-Nata…" Mayu finished. The two girls blinked in surprised. While Hinata was simply adorable, most girls disregarded her due to her seemingly lack of action. Yasmine nodded her head in agreement, stating that the Hyuga heir had potential to become the best. Mayu stood and sat down opposite of the foreigner. She was really interested now. "Say, if you could fight anyone on the show, who would it be and why?"

"Sasuke—because he needs to be taken down a peg or two." To both girls' astonishment, they said this in unison. Yasmine still seemed a bit skeptic. "Okay, who's the character you hate the most?"

"Kabuto!" Again, the two answered in unison. Both girls shared a smile. "Holy crap, did we just become friends?"

"I think we just did!" Mayu agreed with a nod.

"Sweet!" Yasmine high-fived the kunoichi, sealing the bond between them.

Before they could further celebrate, a knock on the door interrupted. The two stared at the door in silence until the knocking came again. Quickly, Mayu stood and headed toward the entrance. It was most likely her teammates. They were earlier than expected. The two did say they had wanted to get some rest. However, when she opened the door, Naruto and Sasuke were not there. Instead, there stood an old man. "Ho-Hokage-sama…!" The kunoichi exclaimed in surprise. The Third merely chuckled at the stunned expression.

"That is no longer my title, Ishikari-san. There is no need for you to refer to me as such," Sarutobi stated. Mayu bowed her head and apologized. The old man shook his head. "I heard from Tsunade that a foreigner has reappeared. If it's not too much trouble, could I speak with you two?"

"No, there's no trouble! Please come in!" Mayu stood aside, allowing the village's former Fire Shadow to enter.

"Pardon the intrusion."

The kunoichi swallowed nervously as she followed the Third into the living room. Yasmine was already standing. She looked just about ready to ask for an autograph. "Sandaime…" Yasmine murmured, most likely star struck. Sarutobi placed his hands behind his back and moved closer to the foreigner.

"Ah, so it is you, Yasmine-san. Finally you have returned to us." He gave a friendly smile. Yasmine bowed politely and returned the smile. "It seems like only yesterday that you were much smaller. You have grown quite a bit since I last saw you."

"Yes, it's been nearly nine years, but you haven't changed at all, Ojiisan!" The foreigner's statement caused Sarutobi to chuckle. "Please sit—make yourself comfortable!" The former leader nodded and sat down on the couch. The two girls resumed sitting on the floor. They stared at Sarutobi expectedly. "I'm sure you have questions…"

"Indeed I do, Yasmine-san. You see, Ishikari-san and yourself are very special. Traveling through worlds we know not of is an amazing thing." He noticed the two girls exchange a look before returning their focus back on him. "I know very well that you came from a completely different place… What I want to know is how. Ishikari-san was able to do so thanks to her mother's jutsu. For you, it should not have been possible, and yet it was. You arrival and disappearances are shrouded in mystery, Yasmine-san. I hope we can find the link connecting you to Ishikari Mayu." Both girls appeared hesitant on speaking. "You may speak freely. I have already cast a jutsu so that if anyone were to pass by, they would not here anything."

"So cool…! As expected of Sandaime!" If Sarutobi looked closely enough, he would see the sparkles suddenly surrounding the foreigner. She truly admired him.

"I, too, have been pondering your appearance in this world, Yasmine," Mayu stated. Her blue eyes slid over to the foreign girl. "I'm sure we are not related or anything like that and casting jutsu is just not something that is possible in that other world. Yasmine laughed at that.

"Yeah, you don't know how many times I tried and failed using the Rasengan!" The kunoichi rolled her eyes. Even if it was possible to use jutsu, Mayu doubted that Yasmine could use Naruto's strongest attack. Yasmine shrugged. "I'm not too sure how I got here either, though."

"There must be something! Try to remember what happened the first time you appeared here," Mayu urged. Yasmine's brown eyes shifted toward the floor. She appeared to be lost in thought. "Well…?" After a few moments, Mayu became impatient.

"I can't really remember anything significant. It's not like the television was broken…" Yasmine murmured. Mentally, the kunoichi sighed. The foreigner had the same mind as her, it appeared. "But I will tell you things leading up to meeting the ninja in this village." She took a deep breath before releasing it slowly. She narrowed her eyes. "My uncle was pissed and drunk. I came off later than usual, so he attacked me. That's how I got this scar on my back." Mayu noticed the way the old man's eyes widen in surprise, and then narrowed in anger. "He was abusive, so I was used to the beatings. However, this time had had actually used a weapon… In the next moment, I woke up in the rain."

The two ninja were silent. Well, of course they were. Most frowned upon beating up a child. When Deidara had accidently seen a part of the scar, he demanded to know who had done it. He was incensed to find out it had been a relative. He had even congratulated Yasume on killing the bastard. Everyone that had found out had pitied her and insulted her uncle. However, Yasmine only felt guilt about his death. Although, he beat her for no reason, he was still family—her father's brother. He did not need to die. "Not to sound indifferent, but why…?" Mayu finally spoke. Yasmine looked at her in confusion, tilting her head to the side. "I mean just because you were late he attacked with a sharp object? Why was it the first time he used a weapon? Why were you late?"

"Hm… I went to the library that day. It was a safe place. You see, my uncle was an alcoholic. He would drink at a certain time, and at a certain time, he would pass out. When he started drinking, I would sneak out to the library…" Yasmine explained. "This was the one place where I could sleep peacefully without worrying about being waked up. I also knew to come home at a certain time while he was still passed out." The two said nothing, waiting for her to continue. "Like normal, I went to the library, grabbed a random book, and used it as a pillow in the kid's section. That time, though, I did not wake up myself. One of the people working there had. I immediately knew I was in deep trouble. It was dark outside, after all." Yasmine shrugged her shoulders. "I went home, and then that's when he hit me… and you know the rest."

Mayu bit her lip. She didn't mean to sound unaffected by the story, but those details told her absolutely nothing. Her uncle—could he be responsible? The kunoichi mentally shook her head. No, it was impossible, right? He could not have been the link Sarutobi was talking about. Speaking of which, the old man cleared his throat. "Yasmine-san," he began, gaining the attention of both girls. "I am not hearing anything that could have sent you here… But perhaps that book you slept on had something to do with it. Tell me, did your head rest on the cover or the pages."

"Book…?" Yasmine repeated. She tapped her chin, looking upward. "The pages were more cushiony than the cover. But I don't think it could have been the book."

"You never know. Books have the power to start, as well as end, wars… I would not be surprised if a book could send those fortunate enough to a different world."

The former leader's words made Mayu narrow her eyes. She had recalled her other father saying something similar. "What did the book look like?" she asked. According to Yasmine, the book was old and it smelt weird. Mayu had to roll her eyes at that one. The foreigner also said that the book was written in Spanish and that the ink was not printed onto the pages. "Spanish…?"

"Yeah, I tried to read some of it—sounding out the words—but I eventually got bored and went to sleep," Yasmine said. "You know something… It didn't even have a barcode on it or anything like that. Library books usually do…" The kunoichi's eyes expanded.

You lost it? Do you know how important that book is? … Library…? HOW MANY YEARS AGO? WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GIVE THAT BOOK TO MAYU FOR HER TWELFTH BIRTHDAY! … How could you do this to me, mom? You were supposed to keep it safe until this point! … Yes, yes, I will tell him… No, it can't be replaced! You have to go back and find it! … For both our sakes, it better still be there!

Mayu recalled her other mother screaming into the phone one morning. Her other father had already left for work. Ishikari Sheena had believed she was gone as well, but school was starting later that day. When asked what was all the screaming was about, her other mother had told her that a present had been misplaced. Quickly, Sheena had stated that her mother would find it and ship it out as soon as possible. Her other grandmother had accidently left it behind at a local library. Mayu's mouth opened in shock. "You slept on the Ishikari clan's secret book?"

"Eh… Sorry…?"

"No, I mean… That is who you got here the first time! You must have drooled and got the ink wet… The words stuck to your face, and when you got home, you were hurt. Those are all the ingredients needed," Mayu explained. Yasmine still looked confused. "That's one of the reasons it's a forbidden jutsu. The caster and/or person being sent away have to be hurt—physically or emotionally for the jutsu to work."

"But I didn't do any hand signs," Yasmine stated. "The show didn't even exist back then!"

"Doesn't matter… You were touched by Ishikari, and that's why you arrived here," Mayu said.

"Then that means…" The foreigner suddenly gasped as if coming to a realization. "The book! I found it again! It must have sent me here the second time, too!"

"Wait, what?" Mayu put on a skeptic face. "You found it again? I admit the first time was a coincidence, but finding it again is just downright weird!"

"Well, I did. After my uncle passed away, I became a ward of the state. Luckily, I was adopted quickly. Unfortunately, she wasn't a nice old lady like I thought. She was hell bent on making me stronger. Anyway, my parental unit had just finished beating the crap outta me—oh, well, she called it training. She told me that her granddaughter, my pen pal, was coming to visit for the summer, so she wanted the house to be clean from top to bottom. Again, she called it training my body, so I had no choice was to do it. That's when I saw the book. It was in the attic. I took that book to my room, planning on reading it later. Weeks later, after cleaning the house for nothing because my pen pal didn't show up, I realized that I still had the book in my room. That book is the last thing I touched before I found myself in a forest."

"And what is the name of your caretaker?" The former Hokage finally spoke again. Both girls jumped a bit, forgetting he was in the room.

"Ah, her name is Theresa."

"Eh…? As in Granny Theresa?"

The room had become silent again. Sarutobi could only watch the two girls, waiting for one of them to speak again. The link had already been discovered in his mind. He guessed that it would take some time before the shock wore off the two females. They were still staring at one another wide-eyed. This Theresa woman was the adoptive parent to the foreigner and the other grandmother to Ishikari Mayu. "Whaaaaaaaaaaa?" They pointed fingers at one another. "You're Muya-chan!"

"And you're Jasmine-san—my aunt!"

"Hey! It's Yasmine not Jasmine!"

"What about you, huh? My name is Mayu, not Muya!"

"Your 'u's and 'a's look alike!"

"Well, your 'y's look like 'j's! How you managed that is a mystery!"

"…"

"…"

"HOLY CRAP!"

In unison, the two girls wrapped each other in a hug. It must have been a bit uncomfortable because they were still sitting, legs folded. Bizarre, Sarutobi thought. He blinked in confusion, and then smiled warmly. It sounded as though they knew each other before hand. They pulled back, but only slightly. "I can't believe you were my best friend this whole time! You're so much prettier than I imagined!" Yasmine smiled brightly. "How come you didn't come to America in the summer?"

"By then, I was already here!" Mayu grinned. "I can't believe we were still able to meet!"

"Me neither!" The two finally released each other. The kunoichi shook her head as if she still couldn't believe something like this was possible. It only meant that the connection between the two was much deeper than a person.

"This cannot be just a coincidence. This is fate, Yasmine! You were supposed to be here with me. That is the only reasonable explanation!"

"But it's not reasonable," Yasmine commented. "But I guess it doesn't matter! There's so much I want to ask you!"

"Me too! Like how the heck can you possibly think I had a crush on Ichiro?"

The two burst into laughter. They seemed to have forgotten about the former leader. Clearing his throat, Sarutobi successfully regained their attention. They seemed a bit embarrassed for their behavior in his presence. "I am glad that you have yet another friend in the Leaf village, Yasmine-san." The foreigner nodded her head in agreement. "The same goes for you, Ishikari-san. You connection to this girl has brought her back… where she hopefully belongs." The kunoichi looked near tears. The former Hokage finally stood. "I shall take my leave for now. I do not want to intrude on your reunion any longer. Have a good day." The great old man then left the apartment building, closing the door softly behind him. The two returned their eyes back to one another.

"So you've got to tell me now."

"What?"

"Why did you cause all that trouble in the Land of Udon. It's not really something I'd think you would do."

"Okay, I'll tell you… since we're best friends and all!" The kunoichi nodded her head in agreement. This caused the foreigner to continue with a smile. "Well, ever since I realized where I was, I had this plan."

"You began planning as soon as you realized you were in Naruto?"

"Yes, of course! I may not look it, but there's a pretty elaborate brain behind his cute face!"

"Of course—to be friends with Hyuga Neji, you'd have to be smart," Mayu remarked.

"Anyway, I ended up in a village hundreds of miles away from this one, according to the family that let me live with them temporarily," Yasmine continued. "I stayed with them for a couple of months formulating. The mother of that family happened to be a former kunoichi. She taught me how to throw a kunai. Her husband was a former samurai, so I learned much from those two. Maybe it was luckier that I ended up rescuing their kid." The foreigner grinned. "That reminds me, I have to write to them as soon as I get the chance!" Mayu told Yasmine to not get distracted. "Sorry—ah, I had to leave them months later. As a hardcore fan, I knew that I had to make the long journey to the home of Naruto Uzumaki!" The kunoichi rolled her eyes. "However…! That is when I discovered Deidara-sama. He was hurt pretty badly. At the time, I had no idea who he was… I treated him, and disposed of the Yakuza gang that he had been working for. He became indebted to be after that. After spending some time getting to know each other, I realized that it would be impossible for the both of us to enter Konoha. They would definitely find out about his status, so I figured we'd stop in the Land of Udon and instead of us going to them-"

"-We would come to you, bringing you here without knowing that it was your goal," Mayu finished, staring at the girl in admiration. She shook her head a few times. "All this drama just to get to the Leaf…? Man, I'm glad you're on our side." Yasmine only grinned. Mentally, the kunoichi was serious sighing in relief. She would have never thought that even if she knew the foreigner was a fan. Her plan to get to the Leaf village was more complex than it needed to be. It took months for her goal to happen, yet it did. It was people with minds like hers that needed to be watched. People like Yasmine—you could never know what they were thinking. "So what happened to Deidara, anyway?"

"Deidara-sama paid his debt, I guess. In his mind, he saved my life that night you saw him." Yasmine nodded her head, closed her eyes, and folded her arms. "He is probably making his way to that organization now. They came for him, you know."

"Yeah, I know…" Mayu narrowed her eyes. Chikara, the village's daimyo had given a distinct characteristic of Akatsuki to them. "If you knew he was going to be a part of that organization, why didn't you try to stop his initiation?"

"And screw up the plot? That's nuts! Kishimoto-sama would have my head!"

"I would say 'wow,' but in order for that to happen, I would need to be surprised." Mayu produced a flat look. "I am not surprised."

"You shouldn't try to understand a mind of a Narutard, ne?"

"You're late." Uchiha Sasuke did not look up from his partially empty bowl of miso ramen. His statement caused his blond teammate to turn his head to the entrance of the Ichiraku ramen stand. Standing there looking slightly apologetic was there female team member. She quickly took her place in between the two shinobi. After ordering chicken ramen, she did not say anything. "So what took you?" Sasuke was the one who broke the silence. "You know I hate to wait. Naruto's already on his seventeenth bowl."

"My bad—girl talk took a bit longer than expected."

"Girl talk…?" Naruto chuckled. "Are you and that foreigner best friends now?"

"Yup!" Mayu grinned. She did not notice the looks exchanged from her teammates. "Yasmine is my best friend. We have a connection—closer than sisters!"

Despite her being late, Sasuke could not help but to smirk. He noticed Naruto had relaxed at her words as well. This was good. Perhaps now Mayu wouldn't feel as bad loosing Yamanaka Ino and Hyuga Hinata as friends. "Anyway, now that you both are here, we have something very important to discuss." His teammates gave him inquiring gazes. "You won't believe what I heard."

"So stop leaving us in suspense and tell us already!" A bowl was placed in front of her, causing Mayu's blue eyes to brighten. Her attention was momentarily taken by the chicken ramen. "Itadakimasu!" She clapped her hands in delight. The young Uchiha smirked again.

"In a few months, the genin squads are going to get together to decide who's going to become chuunin." His statement caused both of his teammates to gap at him. "It's true—the Third ordered it himself, saying that it was a shame that the exam was interrupted before we could show our true potential. So it's giving everyone who didn't make it in the preliminary a chance to advance."

"How long did you know about this?" Naruto asked.

"Just found out—I visited that guy in the hospital earlier."

"Ah, that guy…" Mayu murmured. "How's he holding up?"

"Yeah, is that guy getting better?" Naruto asked, going back to slurping his noodles.

"Oi…!" A lazy voice sounded a bit offended. Three heads turned to the entrance. Hatake Kakashi nearly glowered at the three young teens. "Is that anyway to refer to your sensei?" The jounin sat down on the stool beside Sasuke. Not waiting for a response, Kakashi ordered himself a bowl of ramen. He felt the intense stares of his three subordinates. Kakashi mentally chuckled. They had developed into such a cute, headstrong team. Finally, Naruto became impatient and burst into hysterics. Question after question was fired at him, demanding answers. "Calm down, Naruto." The jounin turned in his seat, eyeing the three. "As Sasuke stated, a special chuunin exam will be held in a couple of months. I say special because it will only be held for the genin squads of the Leaf village. Also, only one match will decide who will advance in rank.

"One match…? You mean we only have to fight once this time?"

"Does that mean that there's no written test either?" Naruto sounded a bit too excited.

"That's right, Mayu." Kakashi then focused on the blond. "And yes, there will be no written portion." The Uzumaki child shot a fist in the air and exclaimed in glee. "Unfortunately, the news was announced while you were out of the village. The other teams have a head start in their training. So for awhile, we will solely work on your bodies. However, because you have just come from a mission, we won't start our vigorous training today-"

"And because you've just come out of the hospital."

"But tomorrow is a new day," continued Kakashi, ignoring the Uchiha's smartass remark. "We'll start bright and early under the waterfall."

"Under the waterfall?" Mayu sounded a bit incredulous. "We're getting wet, aren't we?"

"I suppose you will—bring appropriate attire. Ah, itadakimasu!" He immediately noticed the looks he received from the younger ninja. They were trying to be discreet about spying on his face, yet they failed horribly at that. Kakashi smiled a bit as he reached up to remove his mask. Perhaps he should let them see a glimpse, since they were getting along so well? The jounin sharply turned his head. "There's a massive killer intent coming our way!" The three, forgetting about their surveillance, turned in their seats, trying to locate the killer intent. Nah, they shouldn't have called him 'that guy' in such an aloof manner. After quickly finishing his meal, Kakashi stood up, regaining their attention. "Gochisousama," he chuckled at their disappointed and pissed looks. He turned to face them. "Don't forget—3:00 sharp!"

He then used the Transportation Jutsu, leaving no room for argument.

"Please… please tell me he meant in the afternoon when the water is slightly warmer!" Mayu grabbed her head as if she already knew the answer. "Kakashi-sensei can be really cruel…" The kunoichi slurp up some noodles. "Getting up so early—I bet it'll still be dark!"

"I bet Kakashi-sensei won't even show up on time." Naruto murmured, and then ordered another bowl.

"We won't know how late he might be, so we don't have much choice but to be there at the time he set." Sasuke crossed his arms, suddenly irritated.

"We could always work on our taijutsu while we wait for him," Mayu suggested. The kunoichi wiped her chin of the broth before continuing. "That way, time won't be-" She suddenly stopped, causing her teammates to focus their eyes on her. Her eyes were wide, mouth agape. "My… My fan girl senses are tingling." She announced, turning. Sasuke made a flat expression.

"Your… what?"

"AH! That means Gaara's close by!" Naruto exclaimed, also turning.

"You actually condone this!"

Ignoring Sasuke, the blond nearly hopped out of his seat and exited the ramen stand. Seconds later, he appeared again with the former Sand shinobi by his side. "Panda-chan!" Mayu's eyes sparkled. "It's been like forever!" Her fingers locked together as she stared in admiration at Gaara. The red head dipped his head, acknowledging her. His sea green eyes shifted to the Uchiha before doing the same thing. Sasuke grunted, and then turned back to his meal. "You can sit next to me, Gaara-kun!" Unceremoniously, Mayu pushed her teammate from his stool, eyes still on Gaara.

"Oi! What the hell, Mayu?" An enraged Uchiha all but growled.

"That is not necessary." Gaara stated. "I am on my way to the Yamanaka Flower shop."

"So you're gonna buy flowers for some pretty girl?" Naruto asked with a grin.

"No." Although his tone and expression were blank, Gaara could not conceal the pink tint that settled on his cheeks. Both Naruto and Mayu mentally gushed over the fact. "I am actually an employee there."

"Oh, that's right! I can't believe I forgot! But it's so late, though. Shouldn't that place be closed?" Mayu remarked.

"Yes… However, I must water the plants at this time."

"I see… Want us to come with you?" Mayu asked.

"Yeah, yeah! We can do it together!" Naruto nodded.

"I suppose that would be fine…"

"What do you think, Sasuke?" The kunoichi looked toward the silent Uchiha, who had picked himself off of the ground. The other two males watched him, awaiting his answer.

"Don't talk to me right now. I just might kill you."

After saying goodbye to her teammates and friends, Mayu decided to search for her houseguest. The Narutard was most likely exploring the village, oohing and aahing at the sights. The kunoichi chuckled lightly. It would probably be most disastrous if Yasmine happened upon any of the genin—especially Rock Lee. That encounter would not be considered in anyone's favor. "But where could she be now?" Her best friend—she still couldn't believe—could be predictable at times. For example, she did not write for months one time. The reason was simple. She was recovering from an eating contest—seriously. Unsurprisingly, she won the contest and her adoptive parent, Theresa made her work all the calories off.

Mayu walked her head as she continued to walk. It was all too much of a coincidence. It was so strange that they were linked in such a way. Theresa was the mother of Ishikari Sheena, making the old woman her grandmother. "So bizarre…" The kunoichi suddenly stopped. Somehow, she had reached a training field. She hadn't meant to come here, yet here she stood. Her blue eyes darted to and fro, recognizing the field. It was the same area where Team 7 had to capture the bells from there sensei. Actually, this was the perfect place for the foreigner to be. The fan in her wouldn't possibly pass this place up. Yasmine would visit several times.

Nodding her head, the young Ishikari jumped onto one of the three stumps. She sat down, legs folded. No doubt the foreigner would turn up here again. Mayu looked up. The half moon shined down on her from its position in the night sky. The stars, though, were mostly covered by night clouds. The kunoichi sighed. She'd wait for at least ten minutes. If Yasmine didn't show up, then Mayu would return home. The foreigner could very well take care of herself, so she wasn't worried about it.

The wind suddenly shifted, causing Mayu to shiver. Her eyes opened again, only to see something. Three figures were making their way to the field. They were coming out of the forest. The kunoichi's body involuntarily flinched when she caught sight of their faces. Quickly she moved off the stump, hoping they hadn't seen her. It was dark, after all. Mayu briskly walked in the opposite direction. She really didn't feel like dealing with those three at the moment. Well, Hinata and Ino—she could handle. It was Sakura that truly irked her. Because of her the other two girls had turned their back on her, and it didn't seem as though they would forgive her anytime soon. "Well, what do we have here?" A voice made her stop. It obviously belonged to the female blond. "I didn't know your team was back in the village."

Mayu flinched. She knew the tone—blatant sarcasm. Ino did not acknowledge her as being on Team 7. The dark haired kunoichi sneaked a peak at the quiet one among the three. Judging from Hinata's expression, she had the same opinion. Mayu sighed wearily. "I was just leaving." Yasmine was probably eating somewhere, anyway. She became walking forward again, but Sakura had suddenly appeared in front of her. Eyes growing wide at the speed, Mayu took several steps back. Had she gotten even faster? Sakura only grinned and moved forward, prompting the Ishikari back up again. She could go no further, though, seeing as how her back was against a wooden stump. Gritting her teeth, she noticed that Hinata and Ino had surrounded her as well. "What's this about?" she bit out.

"Oh, nothing really," Sakura said in a sweet voice. Mayu didn't buy it for a second. "It's just weird how you can possibly show your face after what you did to me. I admire your boldness, Mayu-chan!"

"Sakura-chan, you're being too nice!" Ino hissed, glaring. "Liars shouldn't be praised." The blond kunoichi crossed her arms. "I bet she's an enemy ninja, wanting to know our secrets."

"If I was, why would I possibly choose her body to steal secrets?" Mayu's nostrils flared. Her question was met by a harsh slap to the face. Shocked and appalled, the kunoichi could only glare at the offender.

"Don't insult me." Sakura slowly put her hand back down.

The young Ishikari bowed her head. Her blue eyes were focused on the ground, forcing back tears that threatened to spill over. "Seriously?" Mayu squeezed her eyes shut while clenching her fists. What had she done to deserve bullying? She never had the experience of it before, but several manga series told her all about it. It opened her eyes to the world of teenagers. For a time, she was actually afraid of entering high school because of it. The kunoichi did not know bullying first hand, but the signs were clear. Her head snapped up, eyes glaring in the Hyuga's direction. She bared her teeth at the girl. Hinata had the nerve to look startled. "I could expect this from Ino, but you, Hinata? I would have never guessed you would participate in something like this!" Mayu shouted. "Just where have your feelings gone?" The young Hyuga looked a bit guilty.

Another slap resounded.

Mayu nearly growled at Sakura. Her smacks were hard. They were seriously causing pain. "Hinata doesn't have to be nice to a faker like you." Her green eyes seemed to darken. "After all, no one likes to be deceived. Face it; you deserve everything that's coming."

"You hit me like that again-" The kunoichi cracked her knuckles. "-And me deceiving will be the least of your problems."

"Why you-"

"My, my—isn't this an unusual sight?"

The new voice caused all four of the Leaf kunoichi to shift their gaze up. Standing on the same stump Mayu was pressed against was the foreigner. She smirked down at them from her position. The young Ishikari blinked in surprise. "Y-Yasmine—you're here!" she sputtered. Mayu was quite embarrassed to be found in such a situation. Well, at least it wasn't one of her teammates. Now that would have been mortifying.

"Eh, not exactly," the foreigner spoke. Her narrowed brown eyes moved to the other three. "This is so out of character of them all. Seriously, Mayu, you messed up pretty bad. Kishimoto won't be as forgiving, ya know." Wait… Something was going on with her. It wasn't the same friendly voice as before. If it weren't for the face, Mayu would swear it was a different person all together—a sibling maybe.

"Just who the hell are you?" Ino questioned.

The foreigner squatted down, grinning maliciously. Both Hinata and Ino backed up. Ignoring their slightly frightened gazes, she tilted her head a bit. "My name is Yasume," she answered. "And I can't say I'm happy that you're bullying this girl. I don't take to kindly to those who pick on people this person likes… Well, besides that girly one."

"Who are you?" Hinata repeated.

Yasume was in front of her face in a blink of an eye. The alter ego heard the faint gasp from the blond kunoichi, but her eyes bore into Hinata's pale ones. "I believe I just told you," she stated. The girl looked as if she could not move. "Really, I am surprised by all this OOC-ness. Hey, do you call your crush demon child then?" The Hyuga princess turned a shade of red. She was most likely both angry and embarrassed. Yasume pulled back. "Now, you and your sudden lackeys better leave before I lose it." Her sharp eyes turned in Sakura's direction.

"Oh yeah!" Ino took a step forward. "What are you going to do to us? You're not even a ninja!"

"I kicked Neji's ass, I think I can handle weaklings just fine," Yasume replied, shrugging. Miles away, said Hyuga began to sneeze violently.

"What'd you say?"

"That's enough. We're done here," Sakura turned. "It seems Mayu-chan has tricked something else into thinking she's an okay person. Whatever, I'm done for now. We'll settle things at the chuunin exam." The pink haired kunoichi walked away. Giving one last glare, Ino did the same followed closely by Hinata.

Once they were out of sight, Mayu heaved a sigh of relief. Her blue eyes then focused on the foreigner. Her demeanor had drastically changed since she last saw her. In fact, she had seen it in her fight with Hyuga Neji. One second, she was strong, and in the next second she was fast. It was all very strange. "Yasume…?" she repeated the name. The foreigner turned her attention to the kunoichi. Her eyes widen in surprise. "Don't tell me… You have dissociative identity disorder?" A blank look was given. Mayu blinked. It appeared this side wasn't as smart. "I guess you do…"

"Look, I've got no clue what you fucked up, but just know we got your back." Yasume winked at her.

"Thank you, but that's not necessary. I can handle this on my own," Mayu stated. The alter only scoffed.

"Trust me, I know a little something about bullying, and bullying amongst ninja is not something anyone can handle on their own." She crossed her arms again. "Now, are you ready to tell us everything that happened while you were in Sakura's body?"

"Oh fine—now that Yasmine's my best friend, I guess I need to."

"What about me?"

"I have to learn to tolerate you."

"Bitch."

Finished June 15, 2010

Bullying amongst kunoichi—absurd!

Next time: La Familia

I'm looking forward to your reviews.