Rythmic Breathing: Thanks so much for the review! It's really encouraging!! Now I have even more motivation to finish the story. :) Glad that someone thinks that my writing style is suitable for fan fic! Thanks!

Hope that everyone enjoys this chapter!

Three

2 Days later...

Sapphire and Emerald eyes eagerly met one pair of Amethyst ones.

"Welcome back to reality, Onii-chan."

The Raven-haired one smiled and propped himself up into a sitting position. The muscles felt stiff and rather weak still. Somehow one can never get used to being forcefully dragged back from the brink of death back to the real world. He stretched his legs out beneath the sheets to get the blood circulating again. Looking at the two young ones, he asked,

"So how long have I been out?"

"Not too long. Just 5 days."

"Hmm. That long? What about...."

"She's fine. She just a few doors away from here. She woke up yesterday and has since fell back to sleep."

"The sleepyhead. Ah well, I guess she deserves it anyhow. It has been a while since either of us has gotten proper rest."

He looked out the window to the landscape of a flourishing town. The sun is up and people are busily running about, greeting each other and living a life. Every one of them seemed happy. Everything seemed normal and just seemed peaceful. A struck of envy slip through that calm exterior of the patient. None of them ever knew what was it to live a life. At least not in the conventional sense. Sigh.

"All right. Let's get to some business. What do you have for me?"

The Blonde Spikey haired one handed a glass of water before starting to report.

"Firstly I would like to apologise. I have committed one grave error by making ourselves known. Gomenasai." The two of them bowed, only to have the elder one wave them off.

"You did what you thought was best. There is no need for apologies."

Without blinking, he downed the glass of water with the mask barely revealing any features.

"The Hokage is waiting for an account of our abrupt entry into the village. No names or motives have been disclosed. All they have is a current medical record of our injuries. Curiosity reigns amongst those who have seen us. Their main concern lies in wanting to know who we are and what happened prior to our entry here. Also The Hokage demonstrates immense interest in the healing abilities of Onee-chan. She has been lurking around her ward and trying to figure out her abilities. Fortunately, as we know, that is not something easily figured out from mere observation. Aside from that, it seems that there is no movement from them yet. But we cannot be too sure, all I know is that we cannot stay around much longer."

The elder one digested what has been reported and contemplates on how to deal with their current situation. By a stroke of sheer coincidence, a knock came from the door followed by Tsunade, who was flanked by Genma and Kakashi. She greeted the lot and was introduced to the patient (though no name is given). The owner of the violet eyes greeted,

"Afternoon Hokage-sama, I am honoured by your visit but above all that I am grateful for all you have done for us. We are indebted to this village."

"It is always a pleasure to know that we can be of assistance to you but I believe you owe this life of yours to your friend in the other ward."

He smiled.

"Nonetheless, you have provided much help and hospitality when we needed it the most." He bowed his head with respect and she returns it.

What a polite gentleman this one is. He is definitely much more mature in terms of the manner he carries himself. It seems that he would be the leader of this group.

"I believe that there are many questions that wish to be answered. Perhaps, if Hokage-sama permits, we can meet tomorrow and talk."

"Why don't you rest a few days more? There is time now that you are alive and about."

"It is not necessary. Besides, staying in bed too long is not too good for the body. Tomorrow will be a good time; I do hope that it will not be too much an inconvenience."

"Not at all. I will see to the arrangements." She turned to the jounins behind her and instructed. They nodded and went off with their assigned duties.

"I shan't disturb you no further. You have a good rest." And with that she exits from the room.


One of the meeting rooms was prepared for the meeting, obliging to the stranger's requests that few would be told about them, it was arranged that the village council, some jounins who have been in contact with them and the Hokage would be the only ones attending the meeting. Everyone had arrived and seated themselves. The table arrangements were such that the Hokage and council members sat facing the door while the jounins flanked the right side while the left table was left empty for the expected guests. Anbu members were stationed around for safety precaution, within the room and outside the building. Nothing was to be taken for granted. Amongst the jounins were the likes of Kakashi, Genma, Kurenai and Asuma. They were busily speculating especially since Genma and Kurenai have been sharing their quarters with two of the strangers.

"You must have gone around infecting people with your disease. These people never ever take off their masks! It's incredulous!" Genma commented, causing the lot to break out into a contagious laughter. Heck. Even Kakashi couldn't help laughing.

"I can't help that I'm such an influencing figure. Some people are just born charming.", which invoked more laughter amongst the jounins. However, they stopped as they sensed people approaching the room.

A knock sounded on the door and the expected guests came strolling in accompanied by a few Anbu members. They stepped up to the front as the door came to shut, isolating them from the rest of the world. They bowed in respect before their audience, to which the raven-hair leader stepped forward to speak,

"Thank you for your time. We hope to provide a satisfactory account, to which we pray that nothing goes out of this room. It is for your safety and those of other village people. I would guess from everyone that it would help to give some names. We will start off by identifying ourselves then: My name is Kendon."

He lifted and used two fingers to pull the stretchy material down his face. Enlightenment came upon the audience as a strapping young man of perhaps in his mid-twenties; chiselled good looks with a gentle smile came into view.

My. My. So that six-pack body does have a matching face to go with it.

Tsunade thought as she took in his face. He definitely does not look like someone from around here, too tanned and endowed with unusual eyes. You can tell that some of the ladies in the room were getting caught up staring at him.

"I'll introduce the rest as well - on my right is Maiko. Left is Ishida."

Maiko had a sweet face that couldn't possibly allow people to fathom her to be more than 16. Small delicate features matched up to her small stature, some guys in the room were starting to have a sugar-high. Especially Genma, she was his guest flatmate for the past few days and he did not expect her to be so sweet-looking and therefore couldn't stop staring. Ishida as expected was a young man of boyish appeal. The hedge-like blonde hair only added on to make him out to be nothing less than a heart throb, he did not seem older than 22. Kurenai this time couldn't stop blushing. It was only last night she teased him about his masked habit, saying that his face was probably too ugly with fish lips to be allowed out in public. Boy was she so wrong.

"And lastly, this one here is Keishinn."

She looked uncomfortable about removing her mask, and no one could blame her. She was now in the spotlight with everyone eagerly waiting to see her face. Sighing at the inevitable. She pulled at her material and revealed to all a young woman. And no, she did not disappoint the audience. Compared to Maiko, she had a mature face of perhaps 24 but it was a fascinating face. Slender and well-defined, she had a different appeal that was alluring and at the same time mysterious and her lack of a smile only added on to her attractiveness. Ne. The room at this point of time was speechless. These people do not seem like they belong to earth, too good-looking to be true.

An uncomfortable silence went by before Tsunade remembered her manners and invited them to sit. They seated themselves and were wondering if they should cover up again. No one has stopped staring for quite a while now.

It was going to be a long meeting from the looks of it.