AN: Sorry for the delay! Here is a very long chapter. I have decided to extend the number of chapters for Mission 1, since I came up with some scenes/ideas that I think will not only help with development of later chapters/characters, but also to connect my OC with the Naruto series.

I am debating on, what the next chapter after Mission 1 will be about: A training/lesson, memory, or another mission (or a mix of all of them)? What do you readers want? Please reply in the reviews!

-Warning: There will be some change in how the characters react and behave in this story compared to the anime/manga.

-Warning there may be a few parts of M rated violence and may change rating to M if it is considered M rated violence (as well if I continue with the same level of description and violence). This is a warning just in case it is the higher rating and please tell me in the reviews/comments if this is considered rated M!

Thank you! Please R&R!

I do not own Naruto.

Mission 1 (part 2)

~Kabuto~

Kabuto's POV:

I walked down the corridor of our base with the orange stone walls. It was dark only lit by the torches on the walls, but it was warm and quiet aside from my footsteps that echoed.

I wonder where Rin is. She usually finds and follows me around when she isn't learning from Orochimaru-sama or in her room. She is reckless and annoying. The fact that she let herself get so many injuries just to hit Orochimaru-sama's clone once was foolish, even if it was a few months ago. She has learned a great deal about not letting her opponent hit her and about medicine. She is still really native, especially if she thinks that Orochimaru-sama will let her go at any time now that she is showing vast amount of possibilities.

I had been told that Orochimaru-sama has summoned me to give me orders for a new mission. I walked into the room that Orochimaru-same summoned me to which was the same room he asked Rin to become our student. He was looking at one of the scrolls that contained the Uchiha secret fire jutsus. I walked closer and bowed as I said, "You summoned me, Orochimaru-sama."

"Kabuto, I have a mission for you and Rin. You will infiltrate the Village Hidden in the Sand. You will be a young ninja who is looking for a place to live and work. Rin is your little sister who is not a ninja. Kabuto, I want you to become part of them and get close to the Kazekage. Rin is to collect information from among the citizens." Orochimaru rolled up the scroll he was reading and picked up another from a pile in front of him.

"I have already sent Rin ahead to get use to the new environment and the routines of the citizens of the Sand Village. I had put a henge on her to make her able to fit in easier and make her part simpler. Both of you will stay in the village as civilians until you reveal to the ninjas that you are one as well. I suggest that you have Rin poison the Kazekage or a member of his family and you try to heal him and make a show of figuring out an antidote to the poison and the poison should be similar to a venom of one the scorpions in their environment and that you killed said scorpion," he said with an amused smile.

Orochimaru-sama finished reading the current scroll and put it down then picked up another from the pile and started reading as he continues to say:

"You and Rin can decide how it is revealed that you are a ninja when you tell her the new orders for this mission. The back story you will have is that some rogue ninjas destroyed your hometown near the border in the Wind country and that they chased you a day or two which got you lost. Once you give Rin the new orders give her two days to explore the area with new understanding and it will give you time to rest. I had given her strict orders to watch the Sand Village the entire time except when sleeping or eating so she may be bored when you get there."

He pulled another scroll off the desk and put the one he was reading down then he turned and handed it to me as he said, "Here is a copy of your orders and mission so that if Rin complains or is suspicious you can show it to her that it is by my orders that she is to pretend to not be a ninja. You will leave tomorrow to the meeting place that is indicated in the scroll."

I took the scroll bowed then left to my room and study to gather my supplies for the mission and to finish the experiment that Orochimaru-sama has asked of me to do. All that was left was to boil it until it reached a purple color and then add in the blood mixture. The color changed into a bright red that flickered with dark blue. I put it in a jar and seal it away for the time being. I collected a few storage scrolls, supplies, and several small scrolls for the reports we will be sending during our mission.

Rin has already gone ahead so I have to go quickly. She has been gone about four days so far that I know of. It will take me six days unless I go recklessly. Knowing her, she is probably very bored if all she is doing is watching the village. Two days to rest and review the knowledge I have before going in. Rin is supposed to be my little sister for this mission. This is going to be a long mission, especially if Orochimaru-sama is sending us to connect with the Kazekage so that they make an alliance or work together in the future.

The next morning, I set off towards the Village Hidden in the Sand. I have a henge over myself to have brown hair for my traveling and tan skin as well to look more like Rin until I meet her.

~Two days later~

Hidden Sand Village is only four more days away. I have four more days until I see Rin and our mission starts. She is probably bored if Orochimaru-sama order her to only watch the village until I get there and to record it daily. Rin will be happy to see me and more so when we will fight on the continuing order of Orochimaru-sama that we always fight at first sight outside the base. The Village Hidden in the Sand is where…

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I jumped out of the way of ten kunai that land in the spot I was going to be had I continued on. I hid behind a tree and pulled out a kunai and tried to sense the other ninjas that were hiding. I could only sense three, but I have a feeling that there is more of them that have suppressed their presence from my senses. The ones I can sense are chuunin and by the fact they I can't currently sense the others means their jounin. I attacked the chuunin and killed all three with a few kunai. The last one ran into the open to escaped but he only got a few feet before my kunai wounded his heart and other major organs.

After I killed the chuunin, I felt the cold steel of a kunai at my throat as well a few more at vital spots. I had my kunai at the throat of the leader of the group who was the one holding his kunai at my throat….

Once I gave him my full attention he asked angrily "Where is the girl?" I was confused about that since it didn't give enough information. I did not reply, and he clarified himself by saying "We traced the chakra signature from one of our dead comrades and the others never were found or returned. They were chasing her when you met and killed them. Where is the girl?"

They must be talking about Rin. Why send so many after her? She was foolish child when we met so it isn't because of the potential that Orochimaru-sama brought out through training or my lessons. They must be very strong to find let alone trace my chakra signature and remember it well to find me after all these months as well.

I reply with a bored expression, "I don't know where she is. I was ordered to dispatch her pursuers and I did so without question. I didn't see this girl that you are asking about when I fulfilled my orders." All the men around me made noises of anger and disbelief while a few pricked me with their kunai though not deep enough to be serious but deep enough to hurt and bleed.

The leader obviously didn't believe me and asked, "Where are the other bodies of our comrades?" I replied "They were disposed of in a way, that they were to never be found, not matter skill or jutsu. I checked to see if they had any secret jutsus, but they were just thugs with weapons and small skill in tracking."

This seemed to piss them off, but also the leader hid relief, that they were dead and that their secrets were not found. By the look of it, I'd say they didn't belong to a village, but the level of strength and ability said otherwise. What was Rin a part of? Who had her as a prisoner and why? Rin won't answer these questions yet, for her trust in us is not that strong, but the more I'm around her the more suspicious I am of her and her circumstances.

I hit the leader's kunai away and kick him away then hit and kicked the others way and went through the hand seals: Tiger-Horse-Rabbit-Rat-Dog to do the jutsu Chakra no Mesu (Chakra Scalpel) used my now chakra covered hands to hit vital organs and use my kunai to finish off the men but left the leader alive or at least that was the plan when they fought back. When they saw me forming hand seal, so they did so as well. One made a mud wall between us by using Gaeshi (Mud Overturn Doro) jutsu, another made a fireball by using Endan (Fireball) jutsu, and the leader used Kawarimi no Jutsu (Change of Body Stance Technique or Substitution) right when I was about to hit him which he used with a nearby tree branch. I quickly finished off the ones near me then waited for the leader to attack. I did not have to wait long for he attacked me using several other ninjutsu which I dodged and did several back. Once the smoke cleared the leader was unable to move, the area of our battle was completely destroyed, and I crouched next to him and started to question him.

I asked, "Why did you think I would be easy to defeat? Also, why are you desperate to find a random brat?"

He replied while glaring at me, "I didn't think you were easy, but I underestimated you and was not expecting you to fight us. I won't tell you anything about the brat than what you already know."

I tortured them all using both genjutsu and by physical torture by cutting and other methods. They were strong ninja who didn't know anything or if they did they wouldn't tell even if that meant their deaths and relief from the pain.

The ground was covered in blood and the ninjas were all dead. I sighed for I will have to clean this up quickly. I went through the leader's pockets and bags as well as three of the other ninjas sealing their belongs in a storage scroll and their bodies in another. I went through the pockets of the last ninja and found a scroll that held information of the mission sealed in a scroll that he hid very well. I carefully opened it to find that they were after Rin for the description completely described her as well that fact that she was a prisoner who escaped the same time as the scroll indicated. I read further to see what they knew of my mysterious student Rin and was surprised at the information I found.

The scroll read: Wanted Alive. No serious injury.

"Name: unknown. Age: child about 7 years old. Description: Brown-black hair to mid back, dark brown eyes, pale skin, skinny. Clothing: Black ninja shorts, white over shirt and undershirt.

Chopsticks hair ornaments blunt not a weapon. Sack: food (apples, bread, and water bottles), change of clothing: black long sleeve over shirt, black pants, grey jacket, weapons: about 20 Kunai, 15 ninja stars, 45 exploding tags, and two chakra pills (probably already used to escape). No special features and can hide in crowds.

I found her chopsticks in her bag. I should probably give them back to her after the mission. The sack only held clothes and a piece of bread left. The weapons were in her pockets and there was not even half the amount she stated to have started with. Even in this, she has no name. Considering the ninjas attacked me they are after Rin. Maybe I will learn more about her since she still doesn't trust us yet.

Note: May seem weak and easy to defeat but is smart and far stronger than an average jounin ninja. No serious injury when escaped. No special skills or bloodline. Chakra amount low and control weak from strong drugs. Fast recovery of injury and immune to all poisons. Trusts no one.

This can't be right. IF this information is true then she would have healed her wounds much faster than they did after her spar with Orochimaru-sama's clone. She would also know how to fight, so Orochimaru-sama's clone would not have beaten her so easily... If this is true, then it explains how she knocked me out during her test and how she was able to trap Orochimaru-sama. The information about her chakra is the same as when I met and examined Rin. Then my lessons were nothing new to her and even something she already knew by heart.

Rank: jounin or higher. Jutsu: unknown. Element: never tested but considering rank has at least three elemental ninjutsu knowledge/ability. Weakness: Unknown -drugs worked after 2 years of constant consumption with little pieces of food. Small amount of water (couldn't drug)

Kill/body count: 45+ -true number unknown

She has killed more than 45 people… How did she kill them? Was it during her escape attempts? The fact she could be jounin rank surprises me, but why have I not notice that? Either she has a strong concealment jutsu casted all the time or the information is wrong. But she was recovering from chakra exhaustion when I checked her, so that wouldn't work unless she always has a storage of chakra specifically for that jutsu.

Activate seal on mission scroll to alert of capture. Representatives will collect the child within the next four days or 96 hours. If scroll destruction necessary, memorize seal or make copy. Then blood activation instead of chakra (both your blood and the child's). You will be rewarded once child in representatives' control.

Farther below the writing showed what seemed to be the seal. A pattern of flower showed in black ink with five thick leaves sprouting and was enclosed by a looping circle. It hummed with a small amount of chakra.

I will destroy the seal but keep a copy for later when I wish to research our Rin. I won't tell Orochimaru-sama about this scroll for the time being, but Rin needs to learn to trust us soon or I may have to in the future. For now, I must go to Rin and start the next part of our mission.

I destroyed the seal and made a copy which I sealed with the scroll away. I then finished cleaning then started off again towards Rin and the Hidden Sand Village. Wondering more who Rin really is...

~Two days later~

I felt chills run down my spine as I was making my way to the Hidden Sand Village. The chills were make from sinister chakra and instinctual fear. As soon as they came the chills stopped. I pushed myself to go faster for I was only two days away from Rin and I am worried for the chakra came from the Hidden Sand Village.

~Two days and several hours later~

When I got to the meeting place I saw Rin eating her meal of bread on the dirt and grassy ground. I had been here for only a few minutes before finding her. I looked around the area thinking as I caught my breath from my six days long of getting here. I was also looking around to plan how to win the battle that I'm about to challenge Rin to.

This place is great. It has enough cover but is open enough to have decent fight. It is great that I also got here when she is eating which means her guard has to be lowered if not down.

I pulled our several kunai and threw them at her once I fully recovered enough to fight. She easily dodged them and hid behind one of the trees. I tried to move through the bushes quietly, but they rustled anyway as I moved to where my kunai hit the ground. I retrieved my kunai and said to Rin who was close, "You can come out now. You did well dodging the kunai and while you were eating as well. When someone is eating is when they are usually weak."

She didn't come out instead I felt her chakra spike and clouds of appear as if a jutsu was just performed. She probably made a few clones. It is good that she is taking this seriously. I shook my head as if disappointed and in disbelief. I calmly walked to the place Rin was once standing and looked around for her. I turned my back on one of her clones and it launched itself at me with a kunai, but I blocked the blow. Rin's clone continued to attack me with the kunai and her clone seemed to be pushing me back in a direction.

There must be an ambush somewhere with several more clones since there was too much smoke just for this one and the amount of her chakra spiked to. Interesting. I will play along for now.

Then I killed her clone and after it dispersed was in high alert. The silence that held the air as I tried to find her was thick with tension, but as I stepped toward the direction of her other clone who made more clones which ran right at me in attack. This made me open my eyes as I dodged and blocked kunai and physical attacks. I tsked in frustration as I continued to fight weak clones who were driving me into another direction even though they were coming from all sides. The clone from earlier was in the mix fighting and making more clones as they dispersed into smoke.

She must have noticed that her clones were fighting one of mine for she was only attacking recklessly at it which means they were all clones. I wonder how long it will take her to find me or beat my clone.

I was sitting in the tree branches close enough to see the clone fight but far enough to not be immediately noticeable to her. I was watching our clones fight with my cold mask expression as usual. It wasn't until there was a thick enough cloud from the dissipating clones that I had got suspicious of what her plan may be. A distraction? What is she planning?

My face held confusion when I heard the cry and the fighting stopped without his clone disappearing as well. Once the clouds cleared I was able to see that my clone had only his head sticking out of the ground and only one of her clones standing about three feet away with a smug smirk on her face. My face held surprise right when I saw it which was not something that happened often. I did sense that her clones were pushing mine in a direction but was not expecting that. It was unfortunately a bit of an obvious plan if I thought about it more. I was also shocked that she was able to pull it off without me noticing. Then I smiled smugly as I knew that my clones wasn't that easily captured and unable to do anything.

My clone stared at her clone and was trying to move to release himself from his position. Her clone smirked and said "You can struggle all you want. My jutsu was done so that you could not move anything aside from your neck up." My clone smirked and said "So you think you won? I -" Her clone smiled and interrupted him by saying "I have you trapped without being able to get out of the ground. I think I did well." My clone smirked again and tried to move enough to release himself. Her clone smiled smugly at his confused face and said "Now, I can't have you escaping or doing any jutsu, so I made the hole extra tight."

I want to laugh at my clone for being an idiot. She did good and thought ahead.

My clone frowned and said "Now, what? Are you going to just stare at me until I admit defeat?" Her clone smirked evilly and said, "No. I am going to get you to tell me why you don't like me and why you follow Orochimaru." My clone snorted and said, "I won't answer you." Her clone pulled out a Kunai and cut his cheek just deep enough for it to bleed on the blade. My clone watched in surprised horror as her clone licked his blood off the blade much like how Orochimaru would.

Wow. Orochimaru-sama seems to be rubbing off on her. I think he would be a little happy to know about this. I will tell him of it later and make sure to write it in my report.

Her clone smirked and said, "I am Orochimaru's student, so it is not surprising I start having the same habits as him." This made my clone pale… then smirk. My clone said "If you think you will get me to talk because you act like Orochimaru-sama then you are mistaken and will lose, especially if you kill me. I won't tell you anything. I -" Her clone interrupted him by saying "I know you are a clone and have other clones searching as we speak. But while you are here, the original will have to have some awareness over here."

I figured as much. There is no way she wouldn't notice considering the amount of time they have been fighting and I bet she is close if not here already. I will continue to play along for now.

I made both my face and the clone's faces show surprise. Her clone taunted mine with jabs to his intelligence, his skills, and rude remarks about Orochimaru. This served not to just piss off my clone but me as well. I am not going to play along anymore, especially after her insults to Orochimaru-sama. I didn't move from my spot and was very distracted by her clone to notice her other ones coming closer. I noticed once they came within about a twenty-foot range of me and I saw they were all armed with kunai. I smirked and asked, "Does it give you a disadvantage if your clones just come straight at me?" Her clones didn't verbally respond but went ahead to attack me. I blocked most of their attacks then jumped onto another branch only to be hit by one of the clones that had suppressed its presence. I fell to a few branches lower due to the force behind the blow. I then killed that clone and went on the kill the others while they were trying to attack me. Two of them tried to use ninjutsu but I killed them before they could finish the hand seals in time.

Once I killed all the clones the one by my clone frowned in my direction as if it received the memories from the clones. Then my clone spat a needle at her clone that was poisoned and as her clone struggled with the pain I sat back on my branch to watch after making another clone to release my first clone from her trap. Once both clones were free they stood over her clone and smirked. They said together with an arrogant smile and in a satisfied tone "You did not learn anything from your training. Orochimaru specially trained you these last few months and yet there is nothing to show for it than you are struggling with the poison. You lost."

I don't like the fact that she was struggling with the poison and it is causing her pain. If the scroll information was true, then wouldn't she not feel it or is it because it is a new type of poison she has not had before?

Her clone glared at my clones and said in a pained voice "I may have lost, but I did trap you at least twice now. Isn't that supposed to be impossible?" I heard movement on the same branch as my clone that her clone had been taunting for a while lost his had started yelling and cursing at her clone as the other clone and I shook our heads. Her clone still had a Kunai in her hand from earlier and carefully through it to hit the clone who was shaking his head. It was close range and neither expected it, so the clone got hit and dispersed which made her clone smile.

I did not think clones could get un-composed. I need to fix that later. This battle should be ending soon. It did help me see that she has grown since we first met.

The un-composed clone just stared for a bit as I frowned in disappointment and a little confusion. Then the clone attacked and killed her clone before I could stop him. I sat in shock that his clone was able to not only get out of control, but also take action on its own. I throw a kunai and killed my clone, but as I got the memories transferred to me, I pretended to be shocked as I received the image of her clone dispersing just before my clone got hit by the kunai.

Before I could move Rin put a kunai to my throat and released her barrier and smiled. I was shocked as she said, "Surprise." I froze completely still then I smiled. I carefully shook my head and said, "I lost this one."

Rin smiled and moved back but kept her guard up. "That was fun..." She said in a monotone voice and put up the usual cold mask she wears now. I nodded and said, "Now that we finished attacking each other per Orochimaru-sama's orders, you can finish eating and while you are eating I will read over your daily reports." She sighed as she handed them over and we both went back to where she was eating earlier. It was obvious that she grew very bored since her reports became very detailed and thick. It wasn't until I got to two days ago's report that I stopped skimming it. I was shocked and reread the report. I looked up at her with narrowed eyes. She stared back with a questioning look. I shook my head and continued reading the report and the ones after.

Then I looked up at her and said with suspicion, "The one-tails was not a secret of this village and is not the reason why we are here. How did the one-tails rampage stopped and who made it happen?" She said in a calm voice with the same cautious by relaxed posture "I think some of the Sand ninjas was able to knock him out with several advanced jutsu that I was unable to detect the origin from with the chaos of what was going on from my spot on the wall." I stared at her for a while trying to read her and my irritation grew visible and I said angrily "You just sat there and watched. You were unable to collect the necessary information that Orochimaru-sama would need most." She tilted her head a bit in a way that I and Orochimaru learned to understand as her studying us, not just our body language but deeper as we have taught her, and she often used in the habit of being confused.

I calmed down after seeing this and asked, "Do you think Orochimaru-sama will not punish you for not gathering this information?" She replied calmly "No, for the information would not have made sense and would be useless to Orochimaru-sensei." I asked curiously "How could the information be useless and how did it not make sense?" She replied calmly "The information did not make sense because if it was true then the rampage would not have lasted so long, unless the Sand Village doesn't care about its people. It also did not make sense because if it were that easy and true then Orochimaru-sensei would have already obtained the information a long time ago. There is also the fact that I emphasized that the head of the village was confused about how the one-tails was stopped which would not be true if his ninjas stopped it. There is also the fact that the ninjas who stopped it would have bragged if not much pride and satisfaction at stopping the one-tails. Therefore, the information would not have been correct in how to stop a tailed beast and so is useless to Orochimaru-sensei."

She is not lying to me. I would be able to tell… but she is keeping something from me. If the scroll is right, then Rin might have done something but considering she doesn't seem low on chakra she probably didn't. She really is learning.

I sat a moment to check her reasoning and logic then nodded my acceptance of her reasons and decision. I said "Orochimaru has told me new orders that would not be changed by this. He has ordered us to stay in the village as civilians for a while. I am then to approach the Kazekage as you continue to gather information from the citizens. I will reveal I am a ninja, but you are to be only a child that was brought to help my cover. I am to be your older brother as to why I have a child with me under the pretense that we are both looking for a new home after ours was destroyed by some rogue ninja. I will often be with the Kazekage and his counsel most of the time. We will start in two days the next part of our mission moving slowly like non-ninjas to the village gate and introducing ourselves to the ninjas there. You are free to do as you wish for the time being." She nodded that she understood and said "I am going to explore the area around the village then. I have to know more about the nature and area to better understand a way of escape and to connect with the people who live here. I was unable to do so for I was strictly ordered to keep watch all of the time aside from the time used for sleep and eating."

I nodded and went to sleep on the ground. She went to one of the trees, but as she passed me she froze and looked at me. After a while I turned to look at her with a questioning look. She shrugged and said, "I thought I sensed something, but it was just an animal." She then sat up in the tree there staring up at the night sky, looking at all the stars through the tree branches and leaves before falling asleep there.

I laid there thinking about why she froze and stared at me. Her eyes were unfocused, but it still felt like she was trying to figure out something. It was almost as if she smelled the scent of the blood off the scroll and why I would have the scent on me… I did sense a snake move about two meters away and it was a large one. It is not Orochimaru-sama's snake though. I probably won't see her in the morning. During the time she is away I will study the scroll more and refresh myself of knowledge about the Hidden Sand Village. For now, I will sleep.

Rin POV:

The next day I left before Kabuto woke which was very early about two in the morning to check on the boy who carries the one-tails and has blood red hair. I kept a strong barrier around me to make me invisible. I found him still asleep in his room that was pretty empty and dropped my henge though not my barrier. I gently put a hand on his head and using the medical knowledge and jutsu Kabuto taught me checked to make sure all the poison was out of his system. I smiled in relief that it was all out of his system and said in a whisper "Sorry." I put my henge back and then I left to do more exploring of the area like I told Kabuto I would yesterday with ease.

I wandered around the area but was mostly thinking about last night. My stomach was in knots for I smelled the ninjas' blood, the ones that were after me, as well as the sweet scent of the woman who took care of me on Kabuto. I have gone about the area several times learning everything there is to know about it as well as keeping an eye on the ninjas on the wall.

There is no way he met the woman without her finding me and attacking me right then and there. The ninjas must have attack Kabuto again and they had a scroll with her seal on it. Kabuto must have found it as he cleaned up… If this is true, then the fact that he kept trying to read me and was suspicious means he had read it. It must have my true rank and strengthen in it or he wouldn't be so suspicious. I still don't trust either of them, so I will do my best to pretend to not be strong and keep an eye on Kabuto for now. It is likely he will look for the woman and make contact. I know he is strong and so is Orochimaru, but I still worry considering the fact that she is the majority the reason I was both able to escape and unable to do so. I caught her off guard when I did so I was able to, but that trick won't work twice...

I kept going around only stopping for short rests and to eat and drink. It was night once more when I went closer to a desert area that I sensed had little to no life. I was about to change direction of my path when I felt a spike in Chakra and a genjutsu was casted on me. I didn't release it for I don't know exactly who it was that casted it. I allowed it to direct me into that desert area, but an instinctive tension gathered in my stomach. This place is not a place I can easily survive in as a ninja let alone as a civilian. But I continued and looked around wildly as the jutsu held my vision with illusions of an endless desert. I kept running like I was supposed to and stopped for a second before changing my direction while showing a fearful face. I met will a few animals and plants.

The plants were poisonous, so I got scratched on a few when they attacked. I did my best to keep to a civilian level of speed and stamina which is extremely low to me. I pretended to pass out a few times to keep it up and even pretended to cry. It felt like days to weeks I have been in here trying to survive as a civilian when in truth it was probably not even an hour. It wasn't until the sand storm tornado that I saw after waking from my latest pass out act. I know only a ninja can escape it without dying but only ninjas. I am so going to hit Orochimaru in the face for this later! This is so going to hurt, and I can't let myself heal during the attack either. I ran slowly like a civilian but the tornado over took me easily. I screamed in pain and let the tears of pain and frustration flow as the tornado ripped into me. I curled into a ball waiting for it to end as it threw me about scratching into me.

After several moments when the tornado would like a normal person I clenched myself tighter, but then it suddenly stopped and was gone. I stayed in that position for a while for both the pain I was in and because no civilian would move. It was only a minute later when I heard someone coming. I didn't move but showed the pain I was in on my face. I heard a curse and someone bending over me blocking the sun and then I felt someone pick me up and carry me to the wall. I couldn't help but hiss when the ninja put me on the ground just in the wall a few feet out of the sun and the sand went into a few of my wounds.

It took a bit for my eyes to adjust and heard them whispering among themselves. I carefully looked up at them and tried to not pass out. I saw a few faces, unfortunately, they were blurry, and my eyes would not focus, but I could hear their voices and memorize them for later. One noticed me and jabbed another in the arm then all of them looked at me. One went out of my view while another bent down and started asking me questions.

He said, "We are getting a healer for you, but in the meantime please answer some questions."

I nodded in reply then instantly regretted it. He continued on asking questions. "What is your name?" I replied, "My n-name is Kyou" "Where are you from?" I replied, "I am from a village near the border of Wind and River countries. Have you found my big brother? We were traveling together when a storm caused us to get separated. He told me continue to here, if we are ever separated. I had a map, so I knew which way to go." He replied, "We have not found your big brother. Why did you leave your village?" I replied, "Some rogue ninja attacked it and a few of us villagers were able to run before the entire village was slaughtered. Our parents were caught trying to distract the rogues." My reply resulted in them being silent for a while. They did not give any indication even someone with experience of reading people of their thoughts and opinions. It was in this silent moment when the medic came and started healing me. I relaxed as the pain slowly disappeared. I nearly fell unconscious for I lost a lot of blood, but Kabuto is supposed to arrive any moment and I have to be awake for his arrival.

The ninjas started talking among themselves not far away, so I kept my eyes closed to be able to hear them. The medic ninja didn't know I can hear the others and was focused on my many wounds. They argued a bit but settled after another comes from inside the village. I would have fallen asleep for I relaxed too much, but just as I was about to a whistle sounded from one of the other ninja. I opened my eyes and saw a staggering Kabuto with a few fresh cuts and covered in sand as if he was hit by another storm. The other ninjas went out to meet him and the medic finished healing my wounds. They talked to Kabuto, but the medic urged them to bring him closer for he saw Kabuto's wounds. Once they brought him closer our eyes met, and I slowly got up as he came closer. I hugged him and shouted, "Brother! I was so scared that I lost you too!" Kabuto carefully hugged me back. This feels so wrong and weird! Can't stop now. Kabuto asked in a whisper, "Do they believe you?" I nodded and then let go. I smiled at him and widened my eyes at all the blood on him then passed out. I heard Kabuto shout my alias, "Kyou!" before I fell unconscious. I lost too much blood...

The next time I woke I was in a bed in the village hospital and Kabuto was sleeping next to me in another bed. A nurse came in with a man who was a ninja of this village and came to stand close to my bed. The nursed checked on me then on Kabuto which she woke up after then left. The man stared at me for a moment then at Kabuto before he said, "We sent some ninjas to your home and it was completely destroyed. There were no one left anywhere near there either, so we believe you. While you were asleep and unconscious the council discussed whether you can stay here or send you away. They did not know for sure to accept you. For now, both of you are considered citizens for the time being and will be given a living arrangement. Kabuto will be given a job to pay the village back for the hospital fees and any living expenses until he can pay for your living himself. Kyou, you will help him with a part time job or running errands. If you become true citizens of this village then Kyou can go to the ninja academy but until then civilian school is where she will learn. Welcome to the Village Hidden in the Sand." After the ninja said this he left, and we were released from the hospital and guided to where we will be living.

It was a small house with about five rooms in it. Two bedrooms, one living room, one kitchen, and one bathroom. It was perfect to for us though I can tell we will be under surveillance until they accepted us. Kabuto and I settled into the life we were given relatively quickly. I went to school and did errands while Kabuto did odd jobs around the village. At first no one in the village would talk to us except some of the ninjas, Kabuto's employers, and the teachers. The kids would stay away from me and when I wasn't doing the errands I walked around the village to learn where everything was.

I liked the house a lot. It felt more comfortable than my room at the base. I have to do better to get them to accept me, at least I am able to eavesdrop until then.

It was a few weeks later when the kids finally accepted me. I had just walked into the park and asked if I could play with them with a small friendly smile. They said "no," but then a small scream from behind me. We all turned to the direction it came from and a little girl about my age looked like she fell away from the boy in front of her. The little boy with the blood red hair was just standing there but the sand around them seemed to move differently. The little girl and the other kids near her ran. My eyes met his green eyes that were full of sadness before the kids near me pulled me into a run away from him. Once we all were far enough away and caught our breaths I asked, "Who was that? Why did we run?" The other kids looked at me as if I was stupid, but then explain that the kid with the red hair name is Gaara and he is a monster. They also told me other rumors about Gaara as we all walked home. When we came near where I lived they stopped and they accepted me as their friend. I went home and told Kabuto everything that I learned by eavesdropping from my errands and what the kids told me as well that they accepted me as their friend. He smiled and patted my head like an older brother would.

Gaara had interesting eyes. I am happy that the kids are accepting me for it means that we will be accepted into the village and makes the mission easier to continue.

It was not long after that the council accepted us as citizens and my friends were able to hang out with me more and even started inviting me over to meet their families and play. Every parent I met seemed to warm up to me after they got used to me. I learned more about the village about that and became well-liked by many of the civilians. My friends were staying at the civilian school, so I stayed which as well made all the ninja and Kazekage accept me completely. Kabuto had gotten into a better and more stable job after confessing he learned the basics of being a ninja. He was tested and given a rank which was Genin, but they accepted Kabuto after He saved the Kazekage from one of Orochimaru's monsters in broad daylight though no one knew that it was one for Orochimaru's. The monster was a wolf mixed with a snake and a person. It had hair all over, had a tail, and was large. Kabuto got scratch a but killed it easily by beheading it.

Kabuto and I kept up the sibling act though it is always weird whenever were showed affection to each other in that manner. We found our usual snarky comments to each other showed how close we were and often did it. We treated each other like we did in the base just more "affectionate" so it was easy to keep up and seemed more real to everyone.

It is still very weird how we act as siblings, though I am getting used to it. I wonder if Kabuto will start liking me more after this mission. I can't trust them yet, but Kabuto is too busy to be suspicious of me for now.

Tonight, I couldn't sleep so I was on our roof stargazing. Something I was never able to do before and I found I love the night sky. It was cold here at night but barrenly hot in the day. The wind is the only thing that kept this village from getting heat stroke and able to survive here. I had on long sleeves and pants and was laying on a blanket that Kabuto bought me after I started making a habit of star gazing. He seemed to understand my wish to stare at the stars a while before bed. I was staring at the stars when I felt something touch my arm. I flinched and looked. It was sand, and it piled near my hand. I smiled and put my hand under it. It quickly formed a small clawed hand on top of my hand.

I whispered as I turned back to staring at the stars, "Still blood thirty and insane as always." I smiled happy as I felt the sand vibrate a bit as if echoing laughter from its owner.

I watched the stars slowly falling asleep with a sand clawed hand holding mine, before falling asleep I whispered, "Good night."

AN: A double length chapter with a bit of a mystery at the end.

Thank you for reading! Please review!

What do you think of this chapter?

I did get a little lazy and summarized closer to the end.

I also will be starting classes soon, so I wanted to update before I do.

Kabuto: I am still portrayed as a cat.

Moonlight46: You know, you like it.

Orochimaru: I was even in this chapter. Why a monster and not a follower?

Moonlight46: If I did the follower I would have to explain that Kabuto helped them escape or something.

Where if it is a monster just killing it is enough for they can't get any secret from it.

Kabuto: Who is Rin? Why does she seem happy holding hands with sand?

Moonlight46: You will find out later.

Kabuto, just wait until Kyou/Rin goes to the academy.

Who wants to see a Kabuto as a neko/half human-half cat person?