Since school starts in three days and I have an orientation in two days, my mom thinks its a good idea to have me go to sleep early. Like...earlier than usual. Which makes sense, since I stayed up pretty late yesterday...anyway, I almost forgot about this update. And now...my computer is lagging, so I'll just get to the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

I've gotta survive this, Nami thought as she grabbed Shishi and covered him instinctively. If I survive, I can get Sasgay to come back. But how…? Her mind raced as her life flashed before her eyes. She didn't know any wind nature techniques. How in the world was she going to survive?

Nami closed her eyes. I've gotta think…

Wind whipped against her body, and she felt a desperate sensation. She couldn't die now. Not here. She had to live.

And suddenly…she stopped. She felt a pull on her stomach, and she let out a small "ugh!" She was upside-down now, staring down at Team Hebi who had started walking away. Nami glanced at her stomach to see something that looked like a plant's stem wrapped around her. Then it started to slowly pull her back up.

Once she reached the top, she saw Yousai knelt down with his hands in a seal. The old man stood up and looked at Nami worriedly. "Oh, are you all right, baby?"

"Uh…yeah…" Nami said awkwardly.

"Not you, dimwit. Shishi!" Yousai took Shishi from Nami and started stroking the cat's fur lovingly.

Nami sweatdropped.

"Stupid girl, can't I leave you alone for one moment?" Yousai demanded. "Even though I know a variety of techniques, I can't just use them to save your ass whenever you endanger yourself. When I say stay away from the cliff, I mean stay away from the cliff."

Nami grimaced and turned around. "Whatever." She stared down, noticing that she could see Team Hebi, almost as small as beetles from where she stood, and moving just as slow.

"Is that how kids these days show their gratitude to their saviors?" Yousai frowned.

"Why did you place your lodge next to one of Orochimaru's experimental sites?" Nami demanded suddenly.

"What?"

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about," Nami said sharply, "There's no way you don't know."

Yousai was quiet for a moment. "How much do you know about Orocihmaru?"

"I know that he was killed by his student, who's here right now to retrieve the last member of his team," Nami said.

"Is that so?" Yousai said gravely. "Well then…I guess its time to go."

"What? You just moved in! You wanna leave now?"

"I wouldn't have to if you weren't such a disloyal girl," Yousai said. "But since you are, we'll move."

"What does that have to do with anything? Look, old man, a friend of mine wants Orochimaru's student back in Konoha. He's right there. I can't just leave without try—"

"That's it," Yousai cut her off. "That's the reason. If you weren't so disloyal, I could just tell you to stay here for the time being and you wouldn't go running off into a dangerous place to get yourself killed over that person. Since it's you, that's something you'd exactly do. I'm not going to have it. So go pack up my things now, and we'll leave. I won't have anything to do with Orochimaru."

"Like hell I'm leaving," Nami said seriously. "Maybe you're right about the whole disloyal thing, cuz there's no way I'm leaving. I'm going to Orochimaru's hideout."

"How do you expect to get to the hideout anyway, girl? You don't know the way."

"I'll find it somehow."

"You'll get killed before you do," Yousai warned.

"I don't die that easily," Nami retorted. "You don't need to pretend to care, old man. You said you didn't want anything to do with Orochimaru, right? So don't come with me. You'd only hold me back, anyway."

"Wait—" Yousai exclaimed, but Nami was already running down the cliff, chakra gathering at the soles of her feet. Yousai grimaced. "Stupid girl…"

-SCENE-SCENE-SCENE-SCENE-SCENE-

"Never clean…never clean…" Midori murmured distantly as she sloshed water over her arms over and over again. She and Kyoko had run until they grew tired again, which meant it was time for another break. They stopped at a more open field where there were more flowers than trees. A very small stream dribbled through the clearing, where Midori was trying to wash away the "spider germs".

"Now you've got me freaked out with spiders," Kyoko complained. She was lying on the ground, staring up at the sky. "Hey, Midori."

"Hm?"

"That technique you used on that spider…When did you learn that?" Kyoko asked.

"A while ago. I've had a lot of time on my hands, and training with my…relatives helps out a lot. Why?"

"I don't know. It seems too lethal to be one of your moves."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Midori frowned.

"Eh. Nothing."

"Well, whatever. Don't expect me to use it too often. It takes a lot of time to build up enough chakra, as you saw. It takes a large chunk out of me…I even have to draw chakra from the crystal to do the jutsu. It kinda sucks in a way. I'd only be able to use it accurately against something that's not moving." She laughed a bit.

"Are you doneyet?"

"Don't rush me! We have plenty of time!"

"Not so sure about that…" Kyoko sighed. "Hm…Midori?"

"What?"

"How long have we been out here?"

"I'd say we've been out here a little less than six hours," Midori answered. "Why?"

"Mm…Just curious."

Midori stared up at the bright, blue sky thoughtfully. Hm… "Kyoko. Around what time does the sun set in this season?"

"Uh…around seven?"

"Strange…Although I don't think it's seven yet…the sky should've darkened, at least a little. But it looks the same as when we first started."

"Mm…I thought so too," Kyoko said, "But I wasn't really sure. What do you think it means?"

"I don't know," Midori said. "But I know I've never come across places like this around the village, and it didn't seem we were too far away, since it didn't take long to get here. Plus, the whole thing with the spider…There's no way a real spider could grow to that size without being manipulated, and I think Kidoumaru's spider would be the only one to be able to create so many spiders at once. There's something funny about this place, and—hey, are you even listening?!"

Kyoko, who had spaced out, blinked. "Uh, yeah. Continue."

Midori shook her head. "This is either some sort of controlled environment…or most likely, genjutsu."

As soon as she said that, the sound of glass shattering pierced the air. Kyoko and Midori simultaneously stared up at the sky, which seemed to be melting away along with the trees, grass, river; everything.

Kyoko suddenly found herself sitting on her knees, eyes glazed. She blinked then shook her head. "Okay…what just happened?" Kyoko noticed Midori sitting in the same position next to her, yawning.

"Congratulations," Marieke said. "You passed the first test." She looked over at Kurenai, who had dropped her hands to her sides. "Thank you very much for your assistance, Kurenai-sensei."

"It was my pleasure," Kurenai said.

"It took a while, but you finally realized it," Marieke said, crossing her arms.

"You mean figuring out the genjutsu was the first test?" Midori said, cocking her head.

"It was no ordinary genjutsu," Marieke said. "Nearly perfect hallucination, really. Chuunin must be able to recognize danger, genjutsu or not. I think it's a fitting first exam; it's the easiest one, anyway."

Midori and Kyoko exchanged nervous glances.

"But," Marieke continued. "The next exam won't be taken until tomorrow. Rest easy, girls! But not too easy. I'll be at your doorstep early in the morning!"

-SCENE-SCENE-SCENE-SCENE-SCENE-

Yousai couldn't believe how thick-headed people were nowadays. He hadn't met that kind of person in quite a long time; people who walked their own path towards danger; people who were so focused and determined no matter what was thrown at them. Then again, he thought, this generation seems to be full of those kind of people…

Right now, he was trudging across the rocky terrain, an umbrella over his head. The blistering heat didn't do him any favors, but once in a while, a cool breeze would pass.

Shishi walked by his side, the ground disturbing his tired paws. What was master doing right now? Was he looking for that girl? Why? Shishi was just a cat, so how was he supposed to know?

But then Shishi spotted something that didn't seem it should be there. He was sure Yousai noticed as well, so he bounded forth a bit faster to check it out. It was a body lying on the ground. He was sure it was the girl. Shishi sniffed the thing's hand, one hundred percent sure now. Looking back at his master, who was walking casually toward them, he wondered what he was planning to do know.

"Oi," Yousai snapped, holding the\umbrella in a way that it would partly shade Nami. "You dead yet, girlie?"

A small grumble came from the face-down figure.

"Quit eating dirt and get up. Are you just going to lie there while your friend gets farther and farther away? Have you given up on him?"

Another grunt.

"A pretty stupid mistake, that was," Yousai continued. "Running out to your death without any food, water, sense of direction…"

"I'm just resting. What're you doing out here anyway, old man?" Nami growled, finally looking up from the ground.

"Ah, you're awake now. I'm here to quicken your progress," Yousai answered. "You're obviously not getting anywhere on your own, and I'm not going to let you use this as an excuse to neglect to pay off your debt to me."

"How're you supposed to help me?" Nami questioned doubtfully. "It's not like you know the location of the hideout."

"Now, that's where you're wrong," Yousai said with a sly smirk. "I know much more than you give this old man credit for."

"What?" Nami was sitting all the way up now. A curious expression was mixed with a hint of confusion.

"I'll tell you along the way," Yousai promised, "I'm sure that your friend has gotten very far, while you were slacking off."

Nami didn't retort, but nodded, which was a surprise to Yousai. They started walking for a while, and he could sense her impatience as he remained silent.

"So? Explain, old man," Nami urged. "How do you know Orochimaru's hideout?"

Yousai let out a sigh. "Would you believe that back in the day, I used to be one of Orochimaru's minions?"

Nami's mouth dropped open. "No way."

"It's true," Yousai said. "He was originally interested in my mastery as a blacksmith, but once he recruited me, he made me into one of his prime scientists in human experimentation. I worked at many labs…this was one of them."

"Why the hell would you work for a psycho like Orochimaru?"

"He seemed so brilliant to me, back then. But I realized after a few years of work and research, when one of the experiments actually went right, how ghastly the power he wanted to create was. I ran, and he didn't pursue me. Why would he? I didn't think to take the data with me." He paused. "Then I became a traveling hermit. It was a good life; I always steered clear of Orochimaru, except when I was feeling nostalgic and felt like coming as close as I dared."

"You don't have to worry about him anymore, though," Nami remarked.

"That's true. I heard that everyone who had been imprisoned by him have been breaking out. Is that your friend's doing?"

"…Yeah."

"I thought so. Now, let me warn you, this particular hideout has one prisoner that is more lethal than you could ever imagine…"

"I know."

"Hm," Yousai frowned. "All right then."

The two walked in silence for a while. Then, Yousai said, "Tell me one thing, girl. Do you really think you can get your friend to change his ways? Here and now?"

Nami didn't answer right away, and Yousai noticed her usual hard expression had changed. Something about her face seemed thoughtful, softer. "…No. I don't. He's too set on his life goal, and I don't believe that he'll go home if it's just me, but…I have to try anyway. It's sort of an obligation. Besides, there's always the chance that I'd be wrong about him. You can never know for sure."

Well, well, Yousai thought. This predictable girl…has managed to surprise me.

lol I wonder if Yousai's story was believable. (shrug) Anyway...nighty-night everyone!

-HM