This is one of my shorter chapters….

Read and Review please!  I will be eternally grateful and probably review your story if you have one.

I have a humble request.  If you are and artist of any kind, would you mind drawing a picture of Kakashi from chapter five?  That would be awesome!

Since, many of the people in the last chapter do not have defined characters I tried to define who they are.  Also, about Yashamaru.  He's a good person, but he does things for the wrong reasons, in short he's torn.  And he carries a mean grudge.

Chapter 7

We're going to go back in time for a bit, just to the beginning the last chapter- to right before Jezebel left Sunagakura.  Predawn.

"Wake up!" a voice hissed.

"Five maw minutes, Maru,"

"Wight now!"  Kankuro turned over on his pallet, mummifying himself in sheets.  "Kankuro!  You get up this instant!"   Temari gave the sleep clogged boy a quick rap on the butt with her knuckles.

"Ow!  Whaddaya want?"  The boy yawned, rubbing his bottom.  He squeezed his eyes shut tight, ready for strong morning sunlight, but when nothing happened, he cracked one eye open.  "What time is it?"

"Early, Gaara and I want you to come say goodbye to Jezzy with us,"

"Gaara's with you?"  Kankuro snapped to wakefulness.  He hadn't noticed the small figure next to Temari with his eyes closed.  The seven year old pushed away his covers.  "Good morning Gaara," he said brightly.

"Jezzy's going somewhere," said Gaara.

"That's what Temari just said,"   Kankuro yawned real big.  Gaara motioned Kankuro close to his ear.  Gaara's lips barely moved when he whispered his next phrase.

"I don't want her to go,"

"What?" asked Temari.

"Nothing," said Kankuro. (note:  he's covering for Gaara).

Before the sun rose on the third day the three not-quite-sand-shinobi in baggy pajamas (one clinging to a ragged stuffed bear) climbed the steps that led to the top of the high stone portcullis.  The wall stood about ten feet wide; its defensive limestone walls had niches carved four feet from the top so people could look out safely, or so that a squad of shinobi could attack an enemy trying to scale the wall without being seen.  The latter being more prevalent, not many people walked up here, and a person standing up made a perfect target. 

They made an interesting picture, though if anyone looked they would have only seen figures looming in shadow.  The first rays of sun touched the edge of the horizon.  There was Jezzy, tall and cold in her emerald green kimono; shoulders thrown back like that of a great queen.  Clustered around her were two small shapes, whose heads could barely be seen above the four foot wall.  One, a dusty blond and the other with dark curling hair.  A third figure was only visible through the niches on top of the wall; one looking would not have been able to find him.  Gaara could not see over the wall.

Instead, he focused on his interest for being here.  He had woken Temari and Kankuro to bring them up here, they probably needed to say goodbye to Jezzy too.  After all, she had stayed in their house, and she told Temari and Kankuro interesting stories.  In a moment of maternal weakness, a story about her first taste a ramen.  Kankuro later remembered wondering how she remembered her first taste of ramen, when he was years younger then she and couldn't even remember his first day of school.

Jezzy gave the three of them a quick appraisal, in a few seconds it would all be over.  She would disappear from this gods-forsaken village.  Gaara just stared at her with wide dark eyes.  Temari waited with bated breath.  Kankuro swayed a bit, falling asleep on his feet. 

Kankuro's eyes flew open. He jolted as if hit with something.  Jezzy narrowed her eyes.  The pupils went wide to catch the dim light.  Kankuro shook his head to clear it.

Suddenly he had a very bad feeling.  Something he couldn't shake.  His mind told him he made it up, but the more he thought about it, the surer of it he became.

"Bye bye Jezzy," he whispered eyes downcast.  He scuffed a bare foot.  Jezzy slid her fingers under Kankuro's chin, forcing his eyes to meet her own, the little boy didn't resist.

"What just happened?" 

"Hmrph," Jezzy drew Kankuro away from the other two.

"Speak clearly, kid,"

"I just know something, we- we'll meet again.   So, I guess I'll see you then," he whispered.  Jezzy lowered her voice to match his.

"You wouldn't want that?"  Kankuro took a deep breath and looked Jezzy straight in the eye.

"No, I wouldn't," 

You don't want to meet up with me again? Ha!  Jezzy remembered someone telling their child, bullies called names.  She understood everyone here called her a monster behind her back that made them bullies.  She wanted nothing to do with bullies.

The two walked back to Temari and Gaara with considerably more distance between them.  Next, Jezzy spoke with Gaara.

She pulled him close to her, wrapping one hand around his neck, the other tugged at his ear.  Her breath caressed his cheek when she knelt, whispering.  The little boy trembled.  Jezzy drew away and called Temari to her.

"Before I forget, I found this inside the locked room," Temari's eyes widened.  Jezzy fished through a pocket.  She held her prize out to Temari.  The little girl scrutinized it and held it up to the light.  Its many facets caught beads of dim light and reflected them onto her hands in diamond shaped patterns.  They looked like little teeth reflected on her skin.  The blue crystal piece was attached to a silver chain that felt as fine as spun silk.  Temari breathed in awe, small fingers caressing the chain.  It reminded Temari of water, water in the desert.  She slipped the long chain over her neck, trying hard not to get it caught in a spiky pigtail.

"I don't really know what it is.  You can figure it out," Jezzy almost smiled.  "It looks ok on you," In fact, the ornament dwarfed such a small neck, but Temari took the compliment to heart and tucked it under her nightgown.

I'm done here.  Jezzy balanced on top of the wall.  She spread her arms, poised to leap the twenty feet to the ground. 

"Wait!"  Gaara dropped Snookums to the ground.  The bear bounced hard before flopping over, forgotten.  Jezzy stepped off the wall, annoyed at yet another delay.  "Will you hold me?"  The boy looked up at her, holding his arms out stiffly, waiting.  Jezzy sighed and opened her arms. 

"Here," She waited to leave but nothing could ruin today. Gaara wrapped his arms around her neck; she tugged him close to her, feeling his heartbeat and lifeblood.  Her pulse picked up. 

It felt just like the other last night to Gaara.  The warmth of another person, someone who didn't care that he was different.  Her heartbeat felt soothing.  Breasts, soft.  Smell, like sand.  No tangy blood smell lingered on due to a recent shower.  For some odd reason Gaara felt comforted.

"Thank you Jezzy," he smiled when she pushed him away.  His cheeks flushed from the excitement of a completely mechanical hug. 

Jezzy leaped into air off the wall.  She dropped out of sight, landed lightly and ran, no more looking back.  The three children on the wall turned away.

It wasn't until weeks later that Gaara really missed Jezzy. He began to recall memories of her, they were so clear to him.  And with these he began to recall her harsh words. 

Desert:  evening

Jezzy sucked in a deep breath.  Grit filled her mouth.  it tasted good, like home.  She was almost home, where free food waits and no families.  Jezzy's arms pumped, she ran grinning unconsciously, extreme happiness bubbled up inside of her.  She hadn't been this healthy for too long.   She felt open to greet the sun, which was beginning to set.  Chakra filled her every pore and when it finished it flowed out like water through a siv.

 Filled with the taste of the desert, Jezzy threw her head back, biting wind poured through her dark hair like water.  She imagined the sun on her neck being like honey (though she had never tasted it, and didn't know how ridiculously sticky it could be).  Two miles.  Two bloody more miles.

"Ar-," A hand clamped swiftly and surly over Jezzy's mouth.  She tasted hard calloused skin, rough on her lips and sour.  She bit down with sharp teeth.  Blood welled across her tongue tasting metallic and even more sour.  Too late.  The hand released, but in the few split seconds it covered her mouth another hairy arm slammed across her throat.  Thick fingers searched for her windpipe.  Jezzy struggled, twisting her body this way and that.  She thrashed planning each move.

"Arggg!!!!!"  Think, dammit, think!   Jazzy slammed her elbow backwards into the stomach of her captor, he barely moved.  She formed continuous seals with her fingers.  In, out, loop, down, point.  The seals battered them, but nothing came of it. 

Sand filled Jezzy's mouth as her attacks kicked up wind.  The person coughed on the back of her neck.  Jezzy concentrated her chakra on her throat, where greedy fingers pressed.  Fists and sides connected and colors flashed.   Dizzy.  Slam.  Coughing.  Hair in mouth.  Balls and feet smashing.  Muscles twitched and bent, but the man did not relinquish his death grip on Jezzy's throat.  Neither combatant gave an inch. 

Five minutes later

Gradually, the man wore Jezzy down, every move she made his fingers close a little tighter.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"  Jezzy screamed in rage.  Something utterly inhuman poured out.  Every bit of chakra she had now focused on keeping her windpipe open.  The man shuddered against her back.  The world bent and snapped back into place like a rubber band.  The grimy hand exploded off her neck from charka force, but a blast that should have torn away the arm and everything attached only snapped the hand back.  In the split second of freedom Jezzy drew a deep rasping breath, her throat burned.  The hand sprung back to its position like a spring compelled.

Once again Jezzy gathered her chakra, not enough!   She reached deep into her own core, finger tips, toes, scalp.  A little more, give me a little more.  Still not enough, but Jezzy forced it into her throat anyway.  Hold him off, just a little longer.  Thin streams of air reached her lungs still.  Jezzy's pupils dilated, for the first time in her life she realized, I could lose.  And crushing fear crept from within her bowels.

No air!  Adahh!  Slippery.  Sweat.  Sour scent!   The man's fingers dug into her throat, blood welled under the nails.  Air dammit!  No, it hurrrrrrrrts!  Stench.  Power.  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  Tears rolled down her face, which slowly started to go from red to white.  She tasted salty tears.  Blood.  Not enough chakra.  And fear, it consumed her.  Jezzy's knees buckled.  Why was everything reddish?.... 

Suddenly, she could breathe, in thin whips, but she could.  The hand on her throat loosened slightly.  She became aware of a low voice in her ear.

"Shhhhh," Without releasing his sticky grip on her neck Watcher stroked her hair, as if to calm a frightened animal.  "Shh," Her full weight fell on him.  He released his grip a little more.  She had no chakra left, and even if he was breathing hard it wouldn't be difficult to get her in hand again.

Stars burst before Jezzy's eyes.  Wonderful, beautiful, clean air.  Still not quite enough, but it kept her conscious.

"Now, are you read to listen?"  Watcher spoke softly, but this time Jezzy recognized his voice.  She gulped remembering how she thought she was going to die, the overwhelming fear that swamped her, and seeing her own death.  But she still lived.  She didn't have the energy to get mad, only enough to breathe with relief.  Blood throbbed in her wrists and locked jaw.  Her hands shook, the cuts already beginning to clot.  She nodded through clouded vision.

"Ok, here's an arrangement.  You can try to kill me, but first you must listen, and do what I tell you.  When I release you, you agree to do nothing, otherwise I'll kill you," Watcher's voice held no conviction, but Jezzy didn't doubt it for a second.  She nodded, shaking (with fear or fury?  Watcher didn't know).  He reached into a pouch belted around his waist, making soothing sounds all the while.  Mimicking a stable hand dealing with frightened horses he tied a black cloth over Jezzy's eyes.  It wouldn't really stop her if she wanted to fight, but it might kill her moral a little more.  "Ok, I'm letting you go," 

Watcher released her and quickly backed up about  five paces.  Jezzy staggered, but regained her balance.  Something soft and black had been slipped over her eyes.

Watcher waited a couple of seconds before coming up beneath her, throwing her potato sack style over his shoulder and marching away.

Jezebel's Oasis- same time different place

Iruka and Kakashi had been searching for Watcher since the man disappeared, after breakfast.  Though neither was willing to admit it, they both felt much safer with Watcher around.  So, without leaving the oasis (the desert outside loomed like a giant death trap) they separated, each starting on opposite ends of the island and working their way inward, searching.  Neither harbored much faith that they would find anything, but it kept them busy.  Busy kept the mind away from unpleasantness, even if it lingered like an explosion note.

Iruka tramped through his side of the oasis.  He hadn't realized how many trees there were.  Palms were sparse, but beneath them grew tall, grandiose bushes and scrubby shrubs, enough to make it almost like home.  The way an ocean is to a pond, like home.  Iruka swatted away a few bugs and absently scratched a bite on his neck. 

"Dear god, we know Watcher isn't here..."

   Why look for him? 

"Am I going insane?" 

Why are you carrying on a conversation with yourself?  How could we sink this low?

We?  I'm not a schizophrenic, you know.

Of course not.

Hey...  Are you my conscience?

Oh, look, the pond.  Kakashi should be here so-!

Holy Mother of-!

Iruka gasped.  His body shuddered, overwhelming sensations filled his head.  Bubbles of fear, then pain and more pain.  It streaked like flashfire down his body, eating whatever it touched.  Suddenly there was a flash of anger, deep hatred.  Iruka suddenly hated...  something....  ARG!  More pain.  Goosh!  Cool!  Wet!  Water poured down his face, running down onto his shoulders and clothes.  He inhaled it.  Water meant life, water meant-.

KakashiKakashi's legs, to be more precise.  Iruka had a good view of the anbu's bare feet from where he lay curled into fetal position.  How did I get down here?  He squeezed his eyes shut.  Kakashi prodded him with a foot, not so gently, and set a large wooden bucket down in the dust next to him.

"Chunin?  Hey, you!"  Dammit, what's his name?  "Ah.  Iruka!  You okay?"

Iruka wiped some water from his eyes, sitting up.  He began wringing out his shirt.

"Do I look alright to you?"  The chunin tested his limbs.  They didn't even hurt anymore.  He sighed.  He did not need to take his weirdness out on Kakashi.  Even if Kakashi was a conceited bastard.  "What happened?"

"I was on my way here when you started screaming and yelling.  You fell over and twitched like you were having a seizure or somethin'.  Believe me, it was weird," Kakashi fingered his mask awkwardly.

"What was the water for then?"  Iruka wrung out his ponytail, letting the droplets cool his neck.  Kakashi sat down across from Iruka.  Iruka broke eye contact first.  The sharigen was difficult to look at.

"Well," Kakashi smiled, dramatically.  "In medical training they always told us never to leave insane- I'm kidding- hurt people alone.  But no one else was here, I take it you didn't find Watcher either, and I needed some way to shut you up.  You could've brought anything in ten miles down on us," Iruka couldn't remember saying anything, but apparently he had screamed.  He stared at the ground; Kakashi had just said what he had been afraid to think.  Maybe he was going insane. 

Kakashi watched the Chunin, Iruka, carefully.  Iruka seemed fine now, albeit a little wet, but only a few minutes ago he collapsed.  Kakashi shook his head.  If Watcher were here-.  Annnd we've sunk to a new low. 

Let's recap, shall we?  I woke up in the middle of the night to be brought out to the middle of nowhere (for a purpose that is still unknown, mind you) with a mad chunin, an insanely powerful chakra monster, waiting for something that feels like the kyubi itself, and now, I'm hoping Watcher will come back.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, a new low.  Iruka's soft voice interrupted his musing.

"You must be going insane as I am, you were muttering,"

"I was having an intelligent conversation!  Must you interrupt?"

"Yeah," They looked at each other, keeping eye contact.  This time Iruka didn't break.  Kakashi looked away first.  Iruka's eyes were ice, harder then he'd ever seen them.  Instead of basking in his mental loss Kakashi watched Iruka's eyes open wide.  The chunin stared right past him.  And the look that touched his face was one of horror.

Slowly Kakashi turned around behind him a huge mushroom cloud rose about two miles away.  It spiraled high into the sky.  An explosion if charka slammed into both of them.

Iruka gasped.  I was right?!  Kakashi rubbed his arms, trying to rid them of goosebumps.

"My god," he whispered.  "My god,"

(Notes:  At this point Kakashi and Iruka have only known each other a few days.  It effects they way they interact.

Kankuro doesn't want to see Jezzy  again because she scares him.

Watcher used the sand people in hopes that  human contact would begin to change Jezzy).

Thank you to:

Makai Dragon: I encourage you to continue for the love of Kakashi.   I'm not sure what you mean when you say that my writing style is intriguing though.  I'll take it as a compliment anyway : )!

Silent:  You are an inspiration!  You overcome the worst flames and I've read your recent writing.  It's damn good!  I know you are better then FF.net flamers.  I tried to watch my grammer in this ehem, half done chapter.

Big thank you to Gisela!  You sound like you really know what you're talking about.  I'm very you glad you mentioned the relationship between Jezebel and Gaara, I put a lot of work into it.  Also, Iruka is defiantly important to the plot.  You start to see it more in this chapter and the fallowing chapters.

FieryKitsuneYou are the only one that said anything about Anko and that crowd!  The only one!!!  I loved them, and I'm glad you like them too.  Tell me when you get a pic of Blaze!

Pixii- Meaker:  Thank you for appreciating the length of my chapters.

Wow a new reviewer!  KageNoKatana, I understand you completely.  People don't seem to like original characters, but I thought up Jezzy and HAD to put her in.  I was so afraid people were going to flame me for having an original character, so I made her have a purpose.  Kudos if you know what it is.  Also, don't worry about your writing style.  If you really love it your gift will grow with you.  Age doesn't matter.  I have never read a story and thought, this person writes like a teenager or a kid. 

Please review.  I don't care if it's a flame!  Just review.

"Will you hold me?"