"I have to go after them! But I don't know where they went!" I slammed my fists into a tree and finally took a deep breath to think of something. Of all the things to go wrong this had to happen. And on top of that they were Gaara's friends. If they were to open that envelope not only would Pein have my head, but our plans would be exposed and the Akatsuki would never let that go. Or maybe Naruto and his group will come after me before the Akatsuki does. Or even worse they might even be in danger. I grab my backpack and look over at the village where I was suppose to meet with that man and sighed.

"Maybe they haven't even realized it yet…" I tried to reassure myself. I looked back as the village became smaller and smaller. "Damn it." What am I do when I do find them? Just explain to them that we switched envelopes, but what if they've already seen what's inside…. Then I'll have no choice but to…

~::.::.::.::.:: Meanwhile::.::.::.::.::~

"Would you slow down Naruto!" Sakura shouted. Naruto had the envelope in his backpack and was hurrying to get his mission done. Sai and Yamato were following close behind but Yamato had a funny feeling about that encounter back at the tea shop.

"Is it just up head Yamato?" Naruto called. They stopped for a moment to look around. "I believe so. Don't hurry in Naruto." He added calmly.

"Pffttt."

"He has a point Naruto…" Sai added.

"You be quiet!" Naruto snapped crossing his arms and puffing up his face. Sakura sighed as she watched the two bicker until Yamato calmed them down. They had a simple mission as well, but seeing as the whole Akatsuki situation happened so recently they can't risk Naruto going off alone or even with Sakura. He needed to have extra protection for the worst case scenario. They hurried past more trees and towards the village.

"Hey Naruto!" Yamato called. They came to an abrupt halt.

"Let me hold on to that envelope."

"Hm… Fine…." Naruto tossed it back and Yamato looked at it strangely.

"It's getting late we should stop here."Yamato added.

~::.::.::.::.:: A few minutes later::.::.::.::.::~

"Damn it... I can't believe this…" I snapped. I started to walk towards the pink shop I was at earlier and walked through the door straight to the lady at the counter.

"Oh hello miss back again already?" She added with delight.

"No I have a question… and I'd like you to answer honestly." The lady shrugged as I began to question her about the blonde haired boy and his friends that were there earlier. She said she heard them mention a mission in the rain village which was the other direction then I was heading. I tightened my fists and looked at the table they were sitting at. It was starting to get dark outside and at this rate I wouldn't have time to sleep. I wouldn't be able to afford that time to go to waste. I say goodbye to the old lady and start to head out to the opposite direction I had normally went. It would be incredibly hard to catch up with them in time, but there was still that slim chance they hadn't checked the envelope. If Pein were to ever find out about this I would never see the light of day again. From the shop to the rain village, it would take at least a day and a half. I'd doubt they'd travel during the night so they probably stopped somewhere along the way.

"This is going to be a long night…" I whined and started to head off into the dark woods. After a few hours of traveling I stopped to make a clone of grass and had her search another part of the woods. I then took off my headband and stuffed it into my bag. The plan was to somehow casually run into him and explain the mistake hoping they hadn't noticed anything fishy. If so then plan B would be to attack which would be rather difficult considering it is four against one. But I had no other options. The stuff in that envelope belonged to the biggest criminal organization of the most wanted criminals. It's not like they'd hand it over so generously.

…...

Dawn was starting to break and I just barely arrived at the village, but saw no sign of Naruto and his friends. They must have not made it yet. Even weirder, my clone never came and reported to me. I decided to get some tea while I waited. Of course there was that chance that they had already came and went, but even so that envelope would be gone forever. I started to get even more nervous thinking of all the possibilities and hoped that they would arrive any moment and then I could pretend none of this ever happened. To my surprise I heard Naruto's voice outside the shop. I quickly walked out to peek and saw the four walking in all casual. This was it.

"You there!" I called walking towards them and feeling myself shake. This whole situation sucked. Naruto's sensei looked at me like he was on to me and I held my breath as I calmly explained the situation.

"Aw no way! Yamato give her the envelope…" Naruto added. "Say what's your name anyways?" Naruto added. I looked at him blankly and then noticed Yamato slightly glaring at me as he examined me. I saw the hesitation in his eyes and wondered if he peeked inside.

"Nayumei…." I mumbled. I took out their envelope and slowly extended my hand out for Yamato to simply exchange them, but he held onto it and didn't look convinced. Finally what seemed like a gruesome five minutes which was only about one, he offered it to me, but just then someone came and snatched it. The one I was holding fell into a puddle and I looked dumbfounded at the rogue ninja thieves that began with saying the chief would never get it now. Most likely they were talking about the one Naruto and his team were suppose to deliver.

"That's mine damn it!" I thought to myself and tried to maintain my calm composure, but inside I was ready to tear someone apart. Naruto called after them as they quickly disappeared into the woods. I bit my lip as I saw Naruto ready to go after them, but Yamato insisting he stays calm.

"Don't worry about it… I'll handle it…" I added calmly. "They took my envelope so you guys take yours and finish your mission."

"Are you sure Nayumei?" Naruto asked widening his big blue eyes. I nodded and attempted a smile, but noticed his sensei keeping a dead serious look on his face. He was definitely on to me.

"No the least we could do is help you retrieve it," He added.

"But what about the mission Yamato?" The paler one added.

"It's fine we have plenty of time!" Yamato added. I felt sweat drops form on the back of my neck as I looked into space trying to keep calm. This was getting worse and worse by the minute. And those thieves were getting away while we just stood there discussing the matter.

"No really I got this," I added and started to head off, but Yamato placed his hand on my shoulder," Why in such a hurry?"

"It's a part of my mission…" I mumbled stiffening.

"Well what are we waiting for!" Naruto exclaimed and took off ahead. I side glared at Yamato as Sakura and Sai went off after Naruto. I followed as well trying to get ahead and hoping to lose them in the process. There was no doubt in my mind that Yamato was already on my case and was trying to get his hands on it first. After all it was important and the leaf village was known for being on our tails. In any case I would have to keep my skills at a very minimum to avoid any extra attention and to avoid Yamato's assumptions of coming true. After awhile of searching the woods we came to the conclusion that the thieves were long gone. I was ready to split trees in half, but maintained my cool as Yamato occasionally glanced at me. I crossed my arms as Naruto assured me that we would find them in no time.

"Don't worry! I won't rest till you have that envelope back in your hands!" Naruto exclaimed. I felt a smile spread on my face as I can tell why Gaara wanted to be like him. Everything about this kid was so different. Just being around him seemed to give me a bit of peace. Of course people would want to be like him, if I hadn't taken this path I would probably be one of his fans.

"But you barely know me…" I added cautiously noticing Yamato's expression as I said it.

"I'll help anyone who needs my help," Naruto added giving me a thumbs up and making what seemed like a hundred clones scatter throughout the woods.

"Naruto…" I thought to myself.

...….

With no luck with searching we stopped and took a seat. I kept my guard up and it was my turn to look at Yamato with suspicion. If he knew something why wasn't he saying anything? Better yet why wasn't he doing anything?

"So Nayumei was it? What village do you come from?" Sai asked.

"Why do you need to know?" I snapped. They all looked at me in surprise and then I cleared my throat. "I mean…" I started to speak, but remembered that I didn't know where I was originally from, before my memories were erased. "The grass village."

"Oh cool! Where's your headband?" Naruto added. I felt my blood begin to boil for it seemed that they were all trying to corner me and wait for me to say something off, then attack.

"I… uh… I lost it."

"What are you suppose to do with that envelope?" Yamato added breaking the silence. I felt my head jerk up as I put on a serious face and looked at him dead in the eye.

"I'm supposed to deliver them… a simple mission really… but I'm already behind schedule so I'm sure I'm going to be fired…." I added and laughed nervously. Naruto began talking about himself a little and I noticed when ever I would add something Yamato looked like he was ready to attack. I wanted to ask them how they felt about losing Gaara, but according to them I wouldn't or shouldn't know anything about it. It would only raise Yamato's suspicions. So I tried to block that, but I was aching to know how Gaara was like around them and how Naruto and him became friends. How the sand village was doing now that he was gone.

"You really don't seem that bad! I thought you were a little stuck up back at the shop…" Naruto added nervously.

"Stuck up?" I muffled. Naruto began to laugh and I noticed Sakura smile every time Naruto laughed. Sai looked the least interested and I was finally starting to feel a bit comfortable. I was so confused though at how Naruto would help a random person like me when I asked him not to. He was a stubborn little guy. And it reminded me of Gaara and how stubborn he was when he was helping me.

"Well let's go look for those thieves!" Naruto added standing back up. "Don't worry Nayumei, I got this!"

"These people…. Are so… friendly… it's too weird for me…" I thought to myself.

~::.::.::.::.:: A few hours later ::.::.::.::.::~

We finally did find that envelope, but when we did, the thieves that had it were all dead. There was blood everywhere and the envelope lay in front of a tree just barely opened. I knew it must have been the jutsu that Pein had placed, but Naruto and them seemed to have thought they were attacked or something, but I knew Yamato knew. The whole time I'd been with them he'd have an eye on me like he was ready to attack if necessary. I reached for the envelope, but Yamato's hand stopped me. I looked past him and noticed Naruto and the others weren't paying attention.

"That was a forbidden jutsu used on there… I knew it from the moment I saw it… what kind of business are you involved in?" He whispered sternly. I pushed his hand away and grabbed the envelope.

"That's none of your business! Now if you'll excuse me I'm late for a mission!" I shouted and jumped up onto a tree.

"Goodbye Naruto… see you again soon!" I added before taking off. Yamato called for me, but I started to speed ahead with force.

…...

"What's wrong Yamato?" Sakura asked.

"I have reasons to believe that girl is involved with the Akatsuki somehow…" He added. Naruto became serious as Yamato explained that he noticed the headband and that the jutsu had been reported before when the Akatsuki would try and weasel people out of money.

"But she seemed so…" Sakura added just as shocked as Naruto.

"That envelope could contain information of which tailed beast their after next…" Yamato added.

Naruto began ranting that they shouldn't let her get away to avoid a repetition of Gaara. So they decided to hunt after her.

I started to head as fast as I could towards the village. I know I'd taken about a day and half extra and that Pein would already be pissed as it was. But I for some reason felt guilty for leaving them like I did. After they helped me search for it and me leaving without even a thank you. I already knew the fastest trail to the village so I sped through it and headed towards there. The good thing was that I didn't tell them about where I was headed so that was good. I had figured that the reason my clone never came back was because Yamato had taken it out. It was strange at how I didn't even get a feeling or anything. I had a funny feeling that, that was not the last that I'd see them, and maybe they'd understand if they knew I knew Gaara. Oh how I wish I had did something to help him out. Then I wouldn't be feeling this heavy guilt. Just then Yamato appeared in front of me and through several kunai knives. I heard Naruto and the others land on the tree right behind me and felt myself begin to shake from nerves.

"I'm sorry Nayumei, but we can't let you go with what's in that envelope," Yamato spoke.

"So you know…"I mumbled looking down at the ground.

"Nayumei… just give us the envelope okay?" Naruto added sounding just as confused as I was.

"Are you crazy? I've worked so hard for them to notice me! I'm not going to just throw it away because of you strangers! I can't believe I felt bad about Gaara!" I snapped and placed my free hand on my mouth shocked that I had managed to let that slip. Just then I felt myself being swooped off my feet and into the air. I looked down at the four and saw Naruto with his eyes ready to pop out of their sockets. I looked at Deidara who had shown up out of nowhere and had me on his bird.

"Well if it isn't the nine tailed Jinchuuricki!" Deidara called. "Maybe next time, un?"

They began to get smaller and smaller and I heard Naruto yell my name and noticed his chakra begin to change. It appeared he had a strong hatred towards Deidara and if I was correct they fought before. And it was because of them Deidara had lost his arms.

"Why are you here?" I asked finally getting serious.

"I just had a feeling…." He added. "You'd think after finding out their friend is ok they'd be more thankful…un." He added.

"What are you talking about Deidara?" I added feeling my voice rise.

"Hm? The sand Jinchuuricki is alive."