Okay. I've officially written two chapters in one day. Yay for me!
ANBU Promotions and a Troubling Past:
"Oi! Leiko-san, why aren't we running?" asked Kiba, irritated. "If she's in trouble, wouldn't it be best to hurry up?"
"No. She's days from here, and we shouldn't wear ourselves out. Besides, her condition can't get any worse. Nor can it get better," responded Leiko wisely.
"Oh? And just how are you supposed to know?" again asked Kiba.
"I have premonitions, as one of my abilities. It is call the flash. I have never been wrong, and I doubt I ever will be."
Gaara and Leiko lead the way, walking side by side. "So," said Gaara. "How's everything been going for you?"
"Ah, the normal. I was…Oh! Sakura-san is coming."
Sure enough, Sakura came hurdling through the forest just a moment later.
"Hey! Tsunade-sama wanted me to come and help since I wasn't doing anything. Have you found her yet?"
"Nope. We're on her trail, though!" answered Leiko merrily.
"Eh? Who're you?" Sakura asked confusedly.
"I'm Leiko. Temari is this way. You're here to join us, and when we get back to Kono…wait! Tsunade?"
"Um…yeah, she's the Hokage."
Suddenly Leiko got an evil grin on her face and flames seemed to surround her…(An/O.o…an aura of death…)…
"YES! I can finally get back all the money she owes me! Mwahahahaha!"
"Money?" asked Gaara. "Never mind. You were saying?"
"Ah, yes. Everything has been perfectly normal. A few months ago, I was offer the position of an ANBU captain, though I refused," replied Leiko casually.
Everyone looked at her. "What?" she asked.
"How old are you? You're just like Tsunade-sama, aren't you!" accused Sakura.
"Huh? Hahah! That old lady who 'changes her age' so often! You must be joking. No, I'm ten years old, and I'm turning eleven in December!" explained Leiko.
"But…to be offered such a position, you would have to be…"
"Yes, I became a Jounin at seven years old."
"Huh? How can that be!" exclaimed Sakura.
"Extraordinary…" muttered Shino.
"You turned down becoming an ANBU captain! Why the hell would you! I would leap at the chance!" shouted Ino.
"I understand," Shikamaru muttered. "So tell us more about yourself."
"Sure! I'm ten years old, I've mastered many difficult techniques, some of which I created myself. I had a mother and father, but my father murdered my mother. I also had a brother, but I haven't found him yet. When I was a baby, my mother sent me off to live in the Hidden Village of Ice, where I an exile of the exiled, because everyone feared my power. Recently, I've been searching for both my brother and Uzumaki Naruto."
"Wow…what a troublesome past," murmured Shikamaru.
"Hm. I didn't know my parents, so I'm not really that sad, I guess. But I really want to meet my older brother. He would be about seventeen now."
"What is his name? I might know him," Kiba suggested.
"Yeah! We might know him from somewhere!" insisted Chouji.
"His name is Haku."
Sakura gasped.