I'm so sorry this is a day late for those of you that read this, but I've been so tired it completely slipped my mind. I yet again didn't find the time to edit this, but i promise I will do my best to do so in the future! Enjoy!

Kiba had been gone longer than he should've been and Maia was beginning to get worried. It wasn't like him to not come home when he said he would, and the idea that something had happened to him scared Maia. She needed some comfort and she didn't know if leaving the village before his return would make her worry any less. So she sought out Yuuki, word on the street was her and Neji had become closer the past couple years and were in the process of dating. Maia sighed as she called out to her friend, knowing she wouldn't have to wait long before Yuuki showed up. Things were different with Yuuki, something Maia loved. She could be open and honest with Yuuki, something she couldn't be with most people. There were still things about Maia's past that she hadn't told even Kiba, not that she could tell people. She hardly remembered most of her life before her foster mother.

"Hey Maia," the sudden appearance of her friend startled Maia and gained a chuckle from Yuuki who was sitting up in a tree. She jumped down, happy to know that Maia wanted to talk to her. "What's up?" she asked her. Maia sighed and sat down beneath the tree Yuuki was currently sitting in.

"There are so many things going on right now that I just needed to talk to someone and you immediately came to mind." Maia admitted. Yuuki smiled and jumped down from the tree to sit next to her friend. She rested her head on Maia's shoulder as she waited for her to begin speaking. Maia smirked at her friend's actions and then did the same. She loved that she could be herself around Yuuki. She had been so accepting of her. Then again, maybe that was due to the fact that they were both Spirit Hosts. The only difference was that Yuuki was born with Sapphire and in the process killed her mother during birth. Maia had somehow chosen to be a Spirit Host when she was younger.

"You okay?" Yuuki asked. Maia nodded and sucked in a breath of air.

"I just, I wish Kiba and my dad and my mother and my siblings were here," truth be told, Maia needed her family. She missed her life before all of this. Because now she was the target of an organization known as the Guild.

"I know you miss them Maia, but know that you have people in your life that love you." Maia knew that well enough; she had her step mother, her half-brother, Kiba, Yuuki and so many more people that would've died for her. Maia had more than enough people in her life that would be there for her, but it upset her to know that some of the most important people in her life weren't there. Of course, Kiba would come back and if he didn't she would tear apart hell to find him.

"This just sucks Yuuki," Maia's voice trailed off as she felt a tear slide past her eye. She hated crying, especially in front of someone that cared for her as much as Yuuki did. Maia supposed she would eventually have to move on, but while on down time like this, it was easy for her to remember her mother's smiling face and to remember the pain and heart ache of her death. It was simply too easy sometimes.

Masami watched over his friend as she slept, the woman needed her rest after the ordeal she'd been through. Her legs had been pretty roughed up and it didn't seem as though she would be able to fight much with them in the shape they were. Off to the side Daisuke sat, worried for his mentor. The boy might have been a pain in the ass, but he did care.

"Don't worry so much Daisuke; she may have just saved herself with that last second chakra kick." Masami told him. The boy nodded, though the mere idea that she could've died scared him. He may have only been sixteen, but he was practically raised by the three of them. He stood up and walked to a different room of the bunker, he needed to be away from the sight of Katsumi in such pain. She wouldn't be able to walk right for quite a while. In the other room he found Tomomi discussing the event with their boss.

"She encountered the White Furry on a recon mission and was attacked. That beast was ruthless." A mutter of sounds was all Daisuke heard from the boss and then Tomomi sighed. "Please sir, it's not safe in these lands," he was cut off by a rather angry mutter and then was hung up on. Daisuke had never seen Tomomi show so much concern, for anyone; including Katsumi. Tomomi turned after hanging up the receiver. He was shocked to see Daisuke standing there, his eyes full of sorrow.

"Is Katsumi-sensei going to be alright?" he asked quietly. Tomomi's eyes, for once, held regret for their situation. It had been his idea to send her out there after all.

"I believe she will," Tomomi stood up and walked over to Daisuke, he was well older than the sixteen year old and acted as a father to the boy all these years. "Don't worry, she's a tough woman, she won't give up that easily," Daisuke nodded, his worry for his sensei quite obvious.

A massive disturbance rushed through the winds. Something unsettling was to begin, but what was the question. Tsunade stared out her window. The elder woman had a bad feeling about all of this, she knew something was wrong, that there was more to Maia and Yuuki than she'd originally thought. The need to find the other hosts was growing, she couldn't deny that. With all of them together, Konoha and the rest of the ninja world would be safe from any harm. They were needed now more than ever.

A grunt and a slam was what sounded out as Kiba found himself thrown against a tree, held by his throat; unable to breathe. Anger fell through him at the thought of anyone messing with him. This mission was supposed to be easy, so easy that he could sleep through the whole thing and when he woke up he'd be back home; mission complete. But not anymore, not with this unforeseen problem. Damn bandits.

"Just give us the girl and we'll leave you alone," one bandit growled. Kiba growled back and slashed at his face with his hand; leaving four gashes on his cheek. The bandit yelled out in pain and dropped Kiba to the ground.

"Shino! Get her out of here!" if they honestly thought they were going to take Hinata they were seriously mistaken. "You sick bastards, Hinata isn't an object!" he yelled as Akamaru joined the fight with him. The rather large dog had already gotten quite fearsome with their beast technique. Akamaru growled and snarled at the bandits, striking fear in their hearts and eyes. "You messed with the wrong shinobi," Kiba growled. In a flash Kiba was behind the man, he knocked his feet off the ground with a swift kick to the ankles. Smirking above the man, Kiba was surprised to feel someone grab his shirt collar from behind. He was yanked backwards moments later and knocked into yet another tree. Snarling in anger, Kiba called to Akamaru. His best friend tromped over to him and took the pill Kiba gave him. It was an old technique, sure, but it was effective. "Juujin Bunshin!" he shouted and in an instant, Akamaru transformed into a clone of Kiba and they were both animalistic. The Bandits eyes widened at the sight and then Kiba and Akamaru attacked. Idiots thinking they could honestly take Hinata and do hell only knew what. Needless to say it didn't take long after that for Kiba and Akamaru to finish off the bandits. He didn't kill them, no, just left them in the middle of a clearing unconscious.

"Kiba!" Maia shouted whilst running up to her man. He'd been gone nearly a week, not the intended plan. But things had gone well for the most part. The girl smiled as she wrapped her arms around the Inuzuka boy. "I missed you so much!" she exclaimed. He chuckled and returned her enthusiastic hug. AS she pulled away she kissed him on the cheek and took his hand in hers.

"I missed you too Maia, so much." Kiba replied, resting his forehead on hers and closing his eyes. He loved this girl, more than he'd ever loved anyone in his entire life. Maia smiled and closed her eyes along with him. She didn't care if people saw this homecoming; she had missed Kiba more than she thought she could.

Yuuki sighed as she watched the interaction between Maia and Kiba. They were so in love and so happy. She wanted that, probably more than she wanted anything. But Neji just, she loved him, she truly honestly did. He just never knew what to say, he'd upset her during a moment that she'd rarely ever had, let alone with a man. He couldn't have just been happy with sitting with her in a comfortable silence. He had to break it with talk of work and training. Sighing again, Yuuki turned away from the happy couple only to be startled by Neji's presence.

"Yuuki I'm sorry," it was a rushed statement. He knew that, she knew that, but it was the only way he could manage to admit he'd done something in any way other than right. The blonde haired girl scoffed and walked past him, she wanted to accept his apology, but he needed to know that he wasn't perfect. That he couldn't always do everything right the first time. That maybe, just maybe she didn't want to think of work, that she just wanted to spend time with the one man she'd ever opened her heart to. "Yuuki!" he called after her. It was out of his character to shout. But he needed to get her attention.

"You know Neji; last night was my first kiss. And I honestly thought that maybe you would be fine with just being with me, not thinking of work or anything. But no, everything is about duty to you isn't it?" She asked him. Her voice held anger, she really shouldn't have been this mad at him, if she were going to be honest with herself. But he needed to learn that not everything was about duty and perfection. Her statement had stopped him cold in his tracks. "I'm not so mad about earlier as I am that you care more about duty than spending time with someone who you think of a precious. As if," she muttered, not looking him in the eye. Neji now knew exactly why she was upset. Why must girls be so complicated? Couldn't she have just been upset about him ruining their wonderful moment earlier? No, instead she had come to the knowledge that he had chosen duty over spending time with her. Damn it all.

"It is not often that I admit my faults, for that is not something I was raised to do," Neji walked up to Yuuki, he was just going to have to wing it; even if for the first time in his life. "I know that I have upset you and I apologize for that. I've just never done this before and would like it if you forgave me so I could show you just how much duty does not mean to me," he explained. Of course, that last part was a bit of a lie. He would always think duty to be the most important thing in his life, but now that he had a girl who loved him, a girl he may just love in return, he needed to put duty aside so that he could please her. Yuuki wanted more than anything to say she would, but what would she do if his call to duty rang higher than his desire to spend time with her? She was almost certain that they would. But as she looked into his eyes, she couldn't say no to him.

"Okay," Yuuki managed a smile and then gave Neji a hug; he returned that hug with a tight embrace. Maybe he really did care for her more than he cared about his duties. She would just have to wait and see.

Katsumi woke up, her legs seemingly on fire. Jolting upright, she looked around; afraid that maybe she was still within the clutches of the White Furry. That thing, it appeared human, cloaked as it was, but was fearsome and gruesome.

"Katsumi-sensei, you're awake," that was Daisuke. Katsumi managed to calm down knowing he was there. That meant she was okay and it was then that she was able to focus on the pain in her legs. Wincing at said pain, Katsumi laid back down on her futon. She was in the bunker, safe with Masami and Tomomi. And more importantly, nothing bad had happened to her. She wanted to live to see the day where they were reunited with their lady Yomanai. "How are you feeling?" he asked her. Katsumi sighed and stared up at the ceiling.

"As good as to be expected I guess. My legs feel like they're on fire," she replied, trying her best to smile for the poor kid. She was ten years his elder and knew that this whole thing must've freaked him out. It was after all she who told him she'd always be there, even with her not liking the idea of taking on a student. Daisuke nodded to her statement and moved to sit by her bedside.

"I was real worried about you," he mumbled. Katsumi looked over to him, a small smile on her face.

"Don't you ever worry about me okay? I'm a big girl, I got this," she told him jokingly. He tried his hardest not to laugh, but a small chuckle escaped him. Even with all the pranks he pulled on her and all the times they'd argued because he was being an idiot, he loved his teacher. Adding to that, she was more like a mother to him than anything. Because in reality, Daisuke was just a scared little sixteen year old. He'd lived most of his life without a family fending for himself. Several times he'd barely managed to get out of some rather terrible situations. Daisuke needed Katsumi and Masami and Tomomi more than he'd ever admit to anyone.

"I was really scared Katsumi. You're the only woman who's ever really been a mother to me," he said quietly. That caused Katsumi's eyes to soften. A smile came to her lips as she watched his sad, sad eyes.

"Come here," she started. When he moved closer to her, she put her arms around him; embracing him. "I promise you, I won't ever let myself die. I will always be here for you Daisuke," she finished. Looking him in the eye, she kissed his forehead. It was weird to think, she was practically a mother to a sixteen year old boy at the age of twenty-six. It was quite clear though, he needed a mother in his life and he needed a father. Katsumi just hoped she could give him that.

Well, that was chapter five! I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned!

XOXO, Alaska