Oooooooooooooooooooooooo!! 0.0……my friends and I are playing Rock band… I was singing, and it was so cool because we figured how to get some songs from Naruto on there! It was so cool, I was singing fighting dreamers, wind, and Heroes come back! And blue bird!! It was sooooooo much fun! –Dies- Anyway, I've been looking forward to doing this chapter…finally more shit starts happening…-evil laugh-
Arai walked out of the village gate and sighed as he looked up at the creamy blue sky. It was still early and everyone was just waking up as the sun climbed higher and higher into the morning sky. Hiraku was busy training with Sakura, and Baki had returned today, so Gaara was introducing he and Michiru to begin his training. Debu was hanging out with Hinata and baby Aki, whom he had grown close to over the past week. Akina, who he never wanted to hang out with anyway, was busy practicing with her arrows in the training ring.
This left Arai all alone to do whatever he wanted. He kicked a pebble which rolled through the dust and bumped into another rock. He sighed and sat down in the shade of this larger rock, resting his chin on his fist.
He sat up as a sound caught his attention.
As he listened carefully, he realized that it was the sound of a sword being swung through the air, and heavy breathing.
He got to his feet and walked towards the sound.
In a small oasis near the far east of the village wall stood a few palm trees. He sat a figure moving in the trees.
He moved forward and looked around one of the trees.
A girl stood beside the water, practicing with a long, silver sword. She had lengthy, silky black hair that was tied into a glimmering ponytail by a golden ribbon. Her eyes were a bright violet dappled with midnight blue. Her pale face was like an angles, her rosy lips parted in a frustrated sneer.
Arai stood there, mouth open, cheeks turning slightly pink.
"HAH!" She girl swung out with the sword, but her palms were so sweaty that she dropped it. The blade cut her hand and slammed into the sandy earth.
"Gah!" She dropped to her knees, holding her bloody palm.
"Hey, hold still!" called Arai, running up to her.
She gasped in shock. She leapt to her feet and hurried away from him, trying to get away, but she stumbled and fell face first into the sand.
"Keep still," Said Arai more gently, "C'mon, I know how to tie your hand properly to stop the bleeding.
She turned around and stared up at him, eyes wide.
"Here, let me see your hand" he said coolly.
She hesitated for a moment, before extending her hand to him.
He took it and examined it for a moment, "It's not that bad," he ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt of and tied it around her palm as tight as he could, "That should stop the bleeding. When you get back to the village, be sure to wash it with some clean water."
She stared at him.
"My friend is training to be a medical ninja," he said with a small smile, "Anyway, who are you? I haven't seen you around the village before."
She shook her head slowly.
"Well, you don't have to tell me," he said shrugging.
A relived look crossed her pale face.
"What's your name?"
She hesitated before answering, "N-Nariko…"
"That's a…a really pretty name," he said, blushing lightly, "My name is Arai. I'm not from the sand village, but my companion is the son of the Kazekage, so I'm staying here."
She suddenly perked up, "the Kazekage?"
"yeah…"
"You know him?" She looked excited.
Arai brightened, "Yup! Like I said, my buddy is his son! And my other friend like I told you, is training to be a medical ninja with the Hokage's student."
"Really?" A bright look entered her dark eyes, "That's amazing! My Nii-sama and I have been looking for…" She fell silent.
"Hm?"
She looked away quickly, "N-no…it's nothing…"
He frowned and looked behind him. He walked over and picked up her sword, "This is yours, right?"
She nodded, "yeah."
"You seem pretty skilled," he said approvingly, smiling at the fine blade.
"Not as much as Nii-sama…" She murmured, rubbing her arm, "my father is a skilled medical ninja but my mom was good with swords. Nii-sama took up sword fighting before me, since he's four years older then me. But I wanted to learn it to, so he taught me…"
"Cool," He sighed, "Must be nice to have a cool big brother like that…"
"…."
"I…I should be leaving," She whispered, getting to her feet.
"Well, wait," Arai grabbed her arm, "Maybe you could um…c-come back to the leaf village? I know you'd be happy there. We could find your brother…"
"I…I…" She looked over his shoulder and her eyes widened.
Arai blinked and looked around. He froze.
A tall man was standing beside him. He had long black hair that blew wildly in the fierce wind. His violet eyes tinted with grey were narrowed as they stared Arai down.
"Nii-sama…"
Arai looked at her, "This is your brother?"
The man pushed aria over, forcing him to release Nariko. He grabbed her arm and they vanished.
Arai sat up and stared at where they had just been. He sighed, feeling for some reason very sad.
About twenty feet away, behind a huge boulder, Rei and Nariko reappeared, Rei holding Nariko's arm in one hand, her sword in the other. His face was blank of emotion, but his eyes showed how angry he truly was.
"N-nii-sama…I-I…"
"In the future, you might want to see where your loyalties lie, Nariko," Rei said in a deadly voice, releasing her and throwing down her sword, "Because if you are not loyal to our village and our village alone, then you are no sister of mine."
Nariko felt her heart stop for a moment as she stared at him with wide eyes.
"If you are just going to betray me and our village, then you are of no use to our cause. Find a reason for yourself or get out of my sight," he glared down at her, eyes burning.
She stared at her feet, not able to meet his eyes, "I…I….I'm sorry Nii-sama….I…I will keep my h-head in place f-from now o-on…"
"See that you do," He turned and walked of to check his supplies.
Nariko sunk into the sand onto her knees and began to cry.
"Just try to focus your chakra. It's easier then you're making it seem," said Baki, who was standing beside a frustrating looking Michiru. Gaara sat on a rock not to far away, watching with blank eyes.
"I'm trying…" Muttered Michiru, glaring at the sand. He sighed.
"Just make the sign," Baki showed him again, "Close your eyes, and focus all of your life energy into one center of your body."
Michiru did such.
"Now make the hand sign," he showed him once more, "And say, Bunshin no jutsu."
Michiru took a breath and made the hand signs.
Bunshin no jutsu!
He blinked open his eyes in surprise. He looked around to see an exact copy of himself, smiling at him.
"I did it!" he gasped. He jumped as they clone vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Good job!" Said Baki encouragingly.
Michiru looked around at Gaara.
The Kazekage smiled slightly and nodded approvingly.
Michiru smiled.
"Good job kid."
They looked around as Temari and Shikamaru walked up to them together. They stood close together, Shikamaru's hand gripping Temari's waist.
Gaara's eye twitched, but he kept his composure.
"Thanks," Michiru smiled at them both, "Oh, and congratulations by the way, on the marriage and all."
They both blushed.
"Maybe," said Baki, "It might be good for Michiru to see an actual battle?" he smirked, "How about Shikamaru and Gaara?"
Gaara smirked, "Gladly."
Shikamaru went pale.
Temari sighed.
Michiru, Baki, and Temari sat down on the rock while Gaara and Shikamaru stepped into the sparring ring.
They began with Shikamaru kicking out at the Kazekage, who dodged it easily. The redhead whipped behind the Shadow expert and swung out his fist.
Shikamaru grabbed it and flipped over Gaara, landing solidly on his feet.
"Why are they just using tijutsu?" Asked Michiru in confusion.
"Because in simple practice spars, you don't use jutsus," Temari told him, "It's easy really."
Shikamaru was about to try and kick out at Gaara again when someone leapt in between them.
The Nara leapt back in surprise as Temari took his place and kicked out at her husband.
Not shocked at all, Gaara ducked and dashed under and behind her.
"Whoa!" Michiru blinked, "Where'd she come from?"
"Hey Michiru!" Debu hurried down to them, Aki in his arms, "Hinata-sama and I were taking a walk and saw you guys. She said she really wanted to spar a bit."
Aki laughed and crawled from Debu's arms and onto Michiru's lap.
Michiru smiled down at her and looked back up at both of his parents, watching their fluid movements.
Hinata dodged a punch from Gaara and flipped over him. He spun around to meet her next attack, a small smile on his lips. He grabbed her fist as she tried to punch, and twisted it behind her back.
She flipped over him, twisting her fist out of his grasp.
Gaara sighed and decided to try a special trick that Lee had taught him…
He dropped to the ground and swung out with one leg, knocking Hinata's legs right out from under her, causing her to fall to the ground.
"That's Lee's, Konoha sennpu!" Said Temari, "When did Gaara learn that?"
Shikamaru shrugged.
"Okay, Okay," Hinata sat up panting. She smiled up at him, "Good as ever, ever since Lee-kun taught you those moves."
He helped to her feet, "But you're still a tough opponent."
"No kissy, kissy!" Said Kankuro in a strangled voice, walking up to them.
"Oh shut up," Gaara growled.
He smirked.
"I don't think I could ever do that," Murmured Michiru, looking at the both of them admirably, "I wonder if Aki will ever be able to."
She laughed and clapped.
Gaara and Kankuro exchanged a glance.
"I'm sure you'll be able to do it soon enough, Michiru-kun," Said Baki, nodding at him, "Gaara and Hinata are your parents after all," he looked at the two of them.
They looked away uncomfortably.
Baki just laughed.
"I'm hungry, who's hungry?" Muttered Gaara, walking away.
Hinata sighed and looked at the others, "Let's get lunch. Gaara's paying."
"I herd that!"
Kakeru approached the village gate with Paku beside him. They saw that Sasuke was already there, and Paku fell silent, looking away heatedly.
"Hey," Said Kakeru, raising a hand in friendly greeting.
"Hey," Said Sasuke nodding, "Good morning Paku," he said politely, staring at her with his transfixing dark eyes.
She didn't even look at him.
He sighed.
"Okay, okay…" Kakeru slung one arm around Sasuke's neck and the other around Paku, "Come on you guys, at least try to get along for this one mission, or else Gaara-sama will get mad at us."
Paku shoved him away and walked toward the gate," C'mon…let's just get this over with."
"Huuuuuh…." This is gonna take awhile…"
Sasuke pushed Kakeru away from him and stuffed his hands into his pockets, "C'mon Kakeru…let's just go…"
"Uuuuugah!" Kakeru sighed and shook his head, "Sasuke, in three days in the day when your clan was killed, right?"
He froze, and Paku stopped as well.
"….y-yeah…"
"Well, you can visit your families tomb before we get to work on the mission. It's only proper that you do so. What do you say, Paku?"
She was completely still, "Let's go," She said coolly, stepping out of the village.
"That's a yes in Paku language," Said Kakeru, winking at Sasuke.
The Uchiha rolled his eyes and followed Paku with Kakeru behind him.
It's short…it's short…gomesnosaaaaaai!! I have some friends over, and they're hounding me to come and play Rock band with them! I need to leave now, so the next chapter will be better…hehe, Nariko….bad Rei!! –slaps- dun be mean to yah little sista!!
