Author's notes: Nothing really.

Discailmer: Look at any other chapter below 21

Chapter 26 Shadow

Zev was on time for training. He felt sore, but he felt worse before and pushed his discomfort from his mind. He was actually glad to have these long training periods with Lee, as Kuro would never shut up about the state of Zev's apartment. Zev looked around, Leta was sitting down rubbing her shoulder, and Utsuha was doing some warm ups. Zev suddenly realized how cold it was as a gust of wind sent cold air into his face.

Zev sat next to Leta. He rubbed her shoulder sending his chakra into her which relaxed her sore muscles. She turned and smiled at Zev, "Thanks," she said.

Zev smiled and held her hand, "Don't mention it," Leta blushed again.

Lee showed up not much later, "There will be no training today."

Utsuha jerked up, "What!" he shouted, "I was actually looking forward to training!"

"I'm glad to hear that!" Lee said striking a pose that Zev knew Lee called his nice guy pose, "But a good shinobi needs to know when to rest as well."

"I see, sir!" Utsuha shouted mimicking Lee's pose.

"I think Lee is beginning to rub off on Utsuha," Zev whispered to Leta who giggled at the thought.

Utsuha looked at Leta. Lee started talking again and Utsuha snapped to attention, "So, take the day off. Which reminds me, Utsuha, Sashii is still in town," there was a gust of wind and Utsuha beat it back to the heart of the village.

"Ah… the power of youth…," Lee said as he looked back at the center of the village. He finished quietly but Zev still heard him, "I wish you could see this sensei," he said as he ran off on his own.

Zev shifted slightly. He suddenly felt uncomfortable. He was split in two, he wanted to resurrect Kakashi and Gai, but he knew he couldn't his limitations prevented him. He was distracted from his thoughts when Leta stood up, "Maybe we should… uh… go too?"

Zev nodded and stood up, "Yea, let's go," Zev walked with her to her father's house. She stayed very close to Zev leaning into him. When they arrived at Leta's home, Zev stopped, "Leta, you should go the rest of the way. Your father seems to be a little uneasy about me still."

Leta nodded and slowly walked away. He was right; every time she came home her father bombarded her with constant questions about where she went and with who since the day of the testing for the new chuunin. Zev turned and began to run back when Leta went into her house. Zev didn't get lost anymore while running though the village, and it didn't take him long to get back to his apartment. The place was a mess as usual. Scrolls were scattered on the floor, various weapons were on the ground too, and a few stray shirts were on the ground as well. The only spot that it was possible to see under the mess was where Kuro's bed was. Kuro was asleep but when Zev entered he opened an eye, "I thought you wouldn't be back till much later."

"There's no training today, today we're just resting."

"Good maybe you can clean this place up a little."

Zev sighed, he didn't want to but he'd never get the wolf to leave him alone about it, "Okay, okay, I'll do it," Zev gave in. He started picking the room up.

When you could see the floor Kuro said, "Hey you have wood floors!"

It took a lot of effort to not smack the giant creature on Zev's part.

Kuro sighed, "It's…better…," the wolf admitted. The room was clean by Zev's standards. More than half the floor was visible. All the weapons had been thrown in a corner, the scrolls were in another corner and the few shirts thrown about had been put away. There was an occasional senbon on the ground, as well as some pieces of trash, "But not that much…," the wolf finished as a scroll rolled out into the middle of the floor.

There was a knock at the door and Zev jumped over the wolf to get it. He opened the door and found Leta carrying three boxes, "I… made you… and Kuro lunch…." Zev grabbed two of the top boxes and let her in. Leta put her box on the table and Zev placed the other two next to it. She opened one box and gave it to Kuro. He started eating immediately. She looked at Zev, "uh… do you… want…," she started tapping her index fingers together, "eat out in the park with me?"

Zev nodded and picked up her box and his. She went out the door first and led to Zev to a nearby park. It was called Shinmu Park. Zev had read about the park but he never visited it. He remembered bits and pieces of what he had read, but he didn't find it that interesting. He remembered that there were several signs hanging from the trees each with a different emotion hanging on it. There was a fountain in the center but Zev couldn't remember what it looked like. He remembered it was suggested to the Hokage to make it by Sakura several years after Saskue's return.

Leta found a shady place near a tree and they sat down. Zev watched some students from the Ninja academy running around playing a game as he ate. Leta sighed as she watched the students, "Something wrong?" Zev asked.

"No," Leta said shaking her head, "It's just that… you see that girl in the corner?" it took Zev a long time to find the girl. She was standing behind a tree. Zev, after he found her, noticed that she was keeping her eye on a particular boy who was leading his team to victory. She smiled as he scored another goal. The kid was knocked over and she stepped out behind the tree a little, when another girl ran up and picked him up, she got a sad look on her face and stepped behind the tree, "That was me not to long ago," Leta finished. Zev couldn't help but notice the sad tone she took when she finished.

Zev stood up, "I'll be right back," he said and he ran over behind the girl, "Hey," he said and she jumped, "What's up? Why don't you join in that game?"

"Well… I… uh… well… I'm not that good but I like watching," she gasped as she saw the boy she was watching get kicked from behind and got his leg hurt badly.

"What are you training to be, a medical ninja?" the girl nodded, "Why don't you go and help him?"

She looked back at Zev then to the boy who was holding his leg screaming, she put her finger to her lip scared. She brought her hand down and clenched her fist, "Okay," She ran out and started helping the boy.

Zev began walking back to Leta. The other girl who had picked the boy before yelled at the shy girl when she neared. She ignored the other girl and began to help him with a medical jutsu. The boy stopped screaming and leaned back as the girl helped him. When she was done the boy sat up and smiled at her. He said something that Zev couldn't pick up but he could tell it meant a lot to her from the way she blushed.

Zev sat down next to Leta again, "She really is a lot like you," he said to her as he watched the boy stand up and say something again, which made the girl blush even more.

"Is that a good thing?" she asked him.

"Well," Zev said as he watched the girl, "I think so…" Leta was blushing as well now.

They were quiet as they ate for a while, when Zev finished, much before Leta, he said, "You're a really good cook Leta."

"Well actually… my mother cooked it… I helped a little but she did most of it."

"Well… did you cook that meal you made me, Yukio, and Emiko?" she nodded, "Well you're still a good cook!"

"Thanks," she said brushing back a strand of hair, blushing a deep red.

Zev waited for Leta to finish. When she did he stood up and helped her up. He smiled and held her hand a bit longer. Leta began to blush. There was a flash of light. Zev blinked as he was momentary blinded by it. He looked over in the direction where it came from. Osona was standing there holding a camera, "I can't wait for that to develop!" she said smiling, "That was just too perfect."

Zev was slightly irked about them being watched but he wasn't too mad, "What do you mean too perfect?"

"Look behind you."

Zev turned and saw the tree with a sign on it. The sign read love, Zev chuckled a little, "That's actually funny," Zev said as he pointed it out Leta. Leta wasn't really paying attention her face was a deep red from her blush and Zev couldn't help but wonder if it could be any redder.

Zev and Leta went with Osona to get the pictures developed. Osona had several cameras. Most of which were more personal pictures than the pictures she was required to take for the mission. Osona explained to Zev that was part of the mission. To pretend to be tourists in a city and look for any particular weak points, if it became necessary to burn it down.

Osona gave Zev and Leta the details of the mission to them as they waited for the photos to develop. Osona asked them where Utsuha was. Zev shrugged and told her he was probably out with Sashii. Osona gave a small chuckle when she heard that.

Osona made doubles of every picture, and she gave the picture of Zev and Leta to them. Zev pulled out his wallet and put it in it before they left. Osona turned to face Zev and Leta, "Did you notice?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did," Zev said, Leta looked at Osona then to Zev.

"Notice what?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Osona told her. Osona ran off in the direction opposite the Hokage's home. Zev turned and began walking Leta home, Kuro, I think we're being followed, so can you trail the man trailing us?

I'm already doing it, the wolf thought back. Zev began wonder how long the wolf had been doing it and how Zev hadn't noticed the giant wolf, nor had anyone else for that matter. Leta couldn't help but feel nervous. Zev seemed to be concerned about something and neither Osona nor Zev were willing to tell her what. She decided to trust Zev, if he thought she was in danger he would have told her already.

She grew a little concerned when Zev walked her to her door. Zev knocked on the door, her father answered the door. Zev stepped behind Leta and had her go in, "We were followed," Zev told him. Leta turned when she heard him.

"What do you think you should do?" Her father asked.

"Nothing yet," he told the wolf to take the man. Naruto jumped as the giant wolf tacked the man and he appeared at the start of the sidewalk to his house, "Now I'll do something," Zev said turning. He walked up to the man and asked, "Who are you, and why were you following us?"

"Ninpou-choujuu giga!" the man shouted. A tiny black bird flew out of his shirt and took to the sky, "It doesn't matter what you do to me, because Lobo will know you're alive, Zev."

Zev pointed his index finger and middle finger at the bird, "Second level," he started, "Saceno no jutsu!" a bolt of electricity shot out of his fingers and hit the bird.

"Ah…shit…" the man licked his lips, "Any chance you'll let me go?"

"None what so ever," Zev motioned to the Hokage, who walked over along with Leta, "You might want to get Anbu down here, tell them they don't have to hold back while torturing him."

"Who is he?" Leta asked.

"I don't know. Some one loyal to Lobo."

"Oh, that hurt Zev," the man on the ground said, "Don't you recognize me?"

Zev was confused, then there was a small explosion as a jutsu came undone, "Yukio?"

"You do remember!" the response from Zev was a kick in the face.