UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!! It can't be…Itachi-kun is…dead? And what the hell is Sasuke doing? Taking a nap? -.-…..Finally Naruto is back in his own manga. I thought he'd never return. Lol Tobi…GO SHINO-KUN!!

Quote Tobi: You're from the Aburame clan? GROSS!!

XD Classic Tobi idiocy.

But anywho, sorry for the late update. This weekend was Easter, and well, we've been really busy lately getting my costume ready, so I didn't have time to update. I'm at my friend's house right now, and she's letting me use her computer to update, so you all should thank her!!

Lol, anyway, here's the new chapter! FWEEEEE!!

"Who knew it'd take so long just to get to the sand village?" Muttered Akina, taking a moment to tie her long black hair up in a ponytail, "I just hope we don't run into a sandstorm. That's one thing none of us can handle."

They had been traveling through this cursed desert for what felt like years, even though it had really just been five days. Ever since Michiru went of to find Gaara, they had decided to go to the hidden sand village, guessing that that was the safest place for them to be at the moment.

"I hope we don't run into enemy ninja…" Murmured Debu, looking around worriedly "You know Akina? You're a good archer and all, but I'm not sure you'd be able to take out a cloud, sound, or mist ninja."

Arai nodded, "yeah. They have the ninja arts after all."

"Don't underestimate me," Akina growled at both of them, "I'm pretty skilled as it is!" She turned on her heel and fell over in the golden sand.

"Pretty skilled huh?" Said Arai smugly.

"OOH! Just shut up!" She hissed, getting to her feet, "I'm not used to this damned sand!" She brushed it of her legs angrily.

Arai watched, a smirk playing on his lips.

She kicked some sand at him before leaping over a dune and disappeared.

"Akina?" Debu frowned, "Where'd she go?"

"Pffft! Who cares!?" Arai snapped brushing the sand away, "I'll get her for this…she's gonna pay-"

"DEBU! ARAI!"

The two boys immediately leapt into a run and hurried over to the sand dune that Akina had leapt over. They both paused in shock, to see that she was sinking into the sand, like it was swallowing her.

"It's quicksand!" Debu gasped, his heart rate quickening.

"Idiot!" growled Arai, leaning forward, "grab my hand."

She was already waist deep in the sand, and still sinking. She reached out as far as she could, but her fingers only grazed his, "I can't reach!" She had already sunken even further…

"Damn…." Arai looked around, his eyes narrowed.

The cold blue pools landed on his companion beside him.

"Debu, grab my feet," The older boy ordered, "Now! Or else we might loose her to the sand!"

"Right!"

He grabbed Arai around the ankles and watched in concern as he swam into the gooey sand. His grip tightened and the sand tried to yank Arai away from him.

"Don't let go," Arai warned, gripping Akina's arm, "Okay, pull us out!"

"I-I'm trying!" He growled, pulling as hard as he could. Neither of them would budge from it. .

"Debu!" Akina was up to her neck in sand.

"I told you not to let go!" Cried Arai as his ankles slipped from Debu's sweaty palms, "Akina, hold onto my hand-"

"Gah! I can't move!" She snapped at him, the sand rising up to her chin.

"Me neither…" The sand was up to his as well.

"You guys!" yelled Debu as the top of Akina's head vanished from sight, "No! Akina! Akina!" Arai vanished as well, "Oh no! No, no, no, no, no!" He crawled toward the sand, but immediately recoiled. Sweat streamed down his face in fear. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to do!

Something long and black extended past his face and sunk into the sand. At the same time, the sand lifted slightly to the sides.

In his shock, Debu didn't dare look around.

He could only whimper in delight and worry as the black object came back out of the sand, Akina clinging to it, gasping for air, and covered in the grains of sand.

Someone pulled her to the solid sand and then the black object dove back in.

"Akina, Akina are you alright?" Panted Debu, hurrying over to her.

He gave her a few minutes to catch her breath, before he got a single nod out of her. He sighed in relief. They both looked around as they herd Arai gasp, as he was pulled out of the quick sand by the black, metal object as well.

He was set down next to them, panting and coughing the sand out of his lungs.

"I'm so glad you two are alright!" Whispered Debu, his brown eyes searching them to make sure they WERE alright.

"Y-yeah…" Breathed Akina.

"Al…Almost d-drowned…" Murmured Arai, shaking his black hair.

"You lot are lucky I came along."

They all looked up to see who their rescuer was.

Debu and Arai recognized her at once.

Her dish water blonde hair and striking green eyes were the first familiar thing they both noticed. Then the glimmering sand village headband that was wrapped around her forehead, and the large black, metal fan that she leaned her arm on, and the base was covered in sand.

"Temari-san!" Said Debu, blinking in surprise.

"Ah, you remembered me," Temari smiled sweetly and knelt down beside them, "drink up," She said, passing Akina a water bottle, "Share, all three of you. I don't have much water to spare."

"You…you herd us yelling?" Asked Arai as Akina passed hi the water.

She shook her head, "I was on my daily routine, patrolling the center area of the desert, when I sensed panic on the wind. Then I remembered that there was a path of quicksand around this place, and my instincts told me what to do from there on. It's a good thing I had my fan with me, or else you two'd be dead right now."

"T-thank you," Panted Akina, "But who are you?"

"I'm Temari," She said, "Jounin of the hidden sand village, head diplomatic deploy between the leaf and sand, and the Kazekage's elder sister."

She blinked in shock, "The Kazekage's sister? That means you're Michiru's aunt, huh?"

The kunoichi seemed to fumble on the spot, "How do you know about that!?" She murmured.

"Arai told us, and he told Michiru," She said, flicking her hand at Arai.

He nodded.

"But how did you find out? And where's Michiru now?"

"I herd this raven haired jounin talking, and he said that Michiru was Gaara-sama's son. He had blood red eyes with odd black symbols in them," Arai explained, looking up at her.

"Uchiha," She spat, "he's dead meat…"

"And as for Michiru," Akina cut in, "he went of in search of the Kazekage-sama on his own."

"He did?" Temari smiled and laughed lightly, "Well," She said as she brushed back her blonde bangs, 'he has the family smarts I see…"

The three teens rolled their eyes.

"That seems to skip generations…" She murmured, referring to her father and Kankuro included.

"What now?" Asked Akina, brushing the remainder of the sand of her.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to take you guys back to the village."

The three of them looked worried.

"Don't feel concerned," she said with a warmer smile then before, "Your friend Hiraku, she's there to, in the care of Hinata."

"Hiraku!? Really?" Arai leapt to his feet, "She's alright?"

"Yes. Our shinobi ANBU, Kakeru, found her in the desert."

"Thank goodness she's alright…" Said Akina, smiling.

"Yeah," Temari smiled, "She had a fever when we found her, but we took care of it, Sakura and Hinata did. By the way, how did you lot get separated?"

"That's what we want to know," Said Akina, "She just ran away one day."

"Really?"

They all nodded.

She frowned, but shrugged.

"Okay, hurry up and get on your feet," Said the blonde sand ninja, turning on her heel and stepping gracefully back onto the sand, "We need to get you guys back. You three look starved!"

"She can turn her heel in the sand, without falling," Snickered Arai.

Akina whacked him on the head before hurrying after Temari and Debu.

Arai rolled his eyes and followed.

"I'm leaving."

Ekiden watched as Akume threw her things into a bag, her long black hair bouncing around her shoulders, her red eyes narrowed angrily.

"Why?" He asked.

She sighed and looked around at him, "It's been about a month now since I saw and gathered the information from that Michiru boy. I gave all the in formation to father, now I need to do what I want, and need to."

"What's that?"

"I'm going to the sand village," She said, snapping her bag shut, "Because I know that is where my uncle, Amagumo is. The one who killed my uncle Koujin, and betrayed the village. It is finally time I confronted him about these treacheries…there has to be a good reason for it."

"You're not gonna fight him, are you?" he asked, getting to his feet and walking over to his friend.

"Course," She shrugged, "I mean, I bet he learned some powerful moves while living in the sand village. This is the main reason why I have been growing so powerful, Ekiden. Not to help father in this idiotic war, but to be ready to finally face my traitor of an uncle, that's why!"

He frowned at her seriously, "What will your father say?"

"Who cares now," She murmured, pulling the bag over her shoulders, "If I die fighting my uncle, so be it. If I win, I can return to the village with my head held high." She glared at him, "And you better not tell anyone where I've gone!"

"No! No! Of course not!" He smiled, 'I'd never dream of it."

"Good, because I'd kill you if you did."

He blushed all the same as her gaze fell on him.

"Well, I am of then," She said, tossing her long silky hair over her shoulder, "I guess I…." She frowned.

"See you," He said, waving his hand slightly, "Hopefully I'll get to see you again soon, huh?"

"Yeah…" She turned and leapt out of the window and disappeared from his sight, into the forest.

Ekiden sighed and leaned on the wall, running a hand through his hair.

He wasn't even brave enough to tell Akume how he felt…

And now she's left him, maybe forever.

His thoughts circled on the redhead that was the boy she had shared a kiss with, the one with the silver eyes and striking pale skin. He was indeed handsome. Maybe Akume was in love with him?

Then his mind went to the Kazekage. A man held with great respect in all the nation ns, even though the war raged. His horrible temper when it came to the ones he loved matched the Hokage's. He was also known well for his sand jutsu, and being the youngest kage ever.

"An interesting family…" he murmured to himself.

Michiru sighed as he plopped down in the cool grass, closing his eyes tight to block out the rain that was still pouring. Good thing he'd found a tree to shelter under. The INN wasn't that far away, but he needed a rest really badly.

He was exhausted.

He sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the small drops of rain that escaped the tree and landed o n his hot face.

His eyes opened slowly as he stared up at the sky, where the sun was slowly rising. It'd be morning soon. The sun was barely visible beneath the layers of clouds, dark clouds, meaning more rain.

"Well, that was good for him then, wasn't it? More rain meant the more time he had to find Gaara and con front him.

But his mind kept stopping, wondering if his friends were ok.

They were left alone after he'd left, but with Arai's leadership skills, Akina's fighting skills, and Debu's cooking, they'd be alright. Right?

Though, he was mainly worried about Hiraku, and where she was, and if she was alright. Maybe Gaara would know something about her…Hopefully he knew some good news, because Michiru didn't know what he would do if she had gotten hurt, or…

"AACHOO!" He sat up as he sneezed.

"Oh no…" he frowned. Maybe he was catching a cold from running around in the rain like this.

He sniffed and glared at the wet grass.

"Your fault," he growled.

Getting to his feet, Michiru walked over to the tree trunk and leaned on it casually, staring out across at the road and forest beyond.

He was near the leaf village, he could tell.

Hopefully he wasn't found by any leaf shinobi. They might take him back to the village, and that would mess with his plans.

There was a boom of thunder, making him jump.

He sighed and stared up at the sky, hoping this would all be over soon.

Sorry that it is so short. Like I said, I'm at my friend's house, and we're actually not supposed to be on the computer without her mom's permission. Don't wanna get in trouble. So, I promise that the next chapter will be longer, and I plan…THE RETURN OF ANOTHER SPIRIT!!

Yondaime Kazekage bastard: :D

Not u, u suck to much. You come back, the readers will throw stuff at you. Anyway, wait till the next update to see whom it is! –Smiles evilly-