FOREWORD from EMI – Whenever you see the large skipping between paragraphs, that's switching POV's. You'll figure it out, I hope. Just review to tell me if you didn't quite get it clearly…

Krystal shook awake, feeling the cold winds of early morning on her cheek. She sat up, her head pounding in pain. She felt cold, partially dried blood on her temple. She looked down and saw Tibo's faint aura. She saw a lighter liquid as if someone had thrown two-color paints on a black canvas. She saw, on his bottom jaw, white and crimson (no, not pink) blood. She could hear his slow breathing, laboring away and she panicked. Krystal put her hand on his chest. Good. Still a steady heart beat. He must be asleep… she thought and brushed back a bit of his stained hair from his eyes. Maybe it's best I take care of those wounds first… Then I need to find a village or hunt or-Krystal stopped in her thoughts and heard a growling behind her. She saw the muddy brown outline of a wolf. Others crawled from the underbrush.

Krystal stood up and stared down at the leader. "Back creature. You have no quarrel with me…" she said in a sweet, soft voice. She spoke to the wolf through her mind and the wolves tamed. Krystal pet one on the head as they left the two alone. Krystal looked down at herself. She saw dark red splotched on her. "Oh duh. They smelled our blood. I guess I could get a bath…

Naruto swung from the rope that held his foot in a tight grip. He crossed his arms and legs, thinking on what his sensei, Kakashi, had told him. Huh! This sucks! I can't believe I fell for it again! His eyes wandered to the stone memoriam and saw the bento boxes. He grinned evilly. "Ninja must see the hidden meanings within the meanings…" he said to his self.

Naruto cut himself down again and snuck over to the lunches. He sat with them in front of him, rubbing his hands together in a scheming manner. "This'll be great! I can eat these and have the strength to kick Kakashi's butt!" Naruto was about to pick up one when heard a voice say, "You are, are you?" Naruto froze and turned slowly around, seeing the silver-haired jonin, Kakashi. Kakashi began to reach out when they heard a splashing sound. The two both glanced up to the lake in front of them. The splash again, and this time, a girl rose from the water. Naruto blinked in astonishment. Kakashi's eyes widened. The girl looked only to be 19 or 20. She had her eyes closed and she brushed her hand back down her birdseed mixed hair that went down to the base of her spine. He tanned skin glowed almost golden in the sun; Droplets of water on her body shining like diamonds. Her cheekbones were high on her heart-shaped face and defined her face beautifully. Two strikes of black on her cheeks almost to her eyes and across the bridge of her nose, as well. A strange insignia of a moon and dot was crested on her forehead between two elegantly angled eyebrows. She had more black stripes-like tattoos on her body. But they were too natural to actually be called tattoos. Her hand ran down and rested on her slender neck to a black choker.

Her breathing was regulated and her chest rose high with each intake. The rest of her body was exceptionally beautiful. She was thin, but not a twig. She had a runner's build, but more like an animal's. While she was human flesh and blood, she looked like she had the wild side of a tiger or, somewhat, of a komodo dragon. She wore a blue-and-grey bikini top and board shorts. But one thing made Kakashi sick. She was covered from head to toe in scratches of various sizes. They were slowly healing but they looked painful – some had re-opened when she arose from the water. He felt a pity for her and wondered who would do such a thing to a woman like that.

Needless to say, she was beautiful.

"Whoa…" Naruto whispered. The girl froze. Her eyes shot open. Kakashi looked down at Naruto, grabbed him and poofed away in clouds just as the girl looked at them.

Krystal saw two auras – a forest green one and a fiery orange/red one – before the just disappeared. She narrowed her white eyes before looking around. There is no was she could have imagined those flashed of color. It was impossible. And she had heard a small voice say "whoa" that only strengthened her paranoia of someone watching her. It couldn't have been Tibo who said that. The strange voice had a higher, more obnoxious timbre, unlike Tibo's low snake-like voice.

Krystal looked all around in the trees. Whoever had been there was having their aura masked by the trees'. Smooth… she thought and began to crawl out of the water. She could feel some of the wounds opening and it pained her a little. ˚ Tibo… ˚ she whispered through the link. Krystal scanned the skies. Weak muddy aumas of hawks and bugs lit up around. But there were no human auras around. She looked to her right before she felt a crawling sensation on her neck. Like being watched. She whipped around and stared into the green and black masses of trees; Fiery red flickering every now-and-then…

Kakashi stopped his breathing when he saw her eyes stare straight towards them. Cold white eyes like icy death. He saw rage and fear contorting in her eyes. The milky grey center like a core of hate…. Yet she only stared at them, and nothing more. Naruto fidgeted uncomfortably, rustling the leaves and making them fall softly to the ground. Kakashi gave him a cold stare. He stopped and everything was still. Kakashi looked back at the girl and saw her reaching for something slowly, before cursing in a language he'd never heard.

"De'ame…" Krystal cursed in Dragonite. Always take a weapon…Always…Damnit, Krys…Krystal blinked and stared angrily back at the spot she'd last seen the aura. She acted as if she'd not seen anything (like that was hard for a blind elf). She faced ahead before squatting down.

Kakashi breathed out when the woman stopped her hypnotizing, angry glare. He watched as she slowly knelt, and he nearly fell out of the tree in astonishment. He saw her ears for the first time. Tall, proud pointy things that just barely curled at the tip. Oh. My. Gosh… It was obvious because she's fairer than any of the girls here, but an elf! I thought they were only myth! Also, that means she could take us out if she gets angry...And that she's older than she looks…but my god, she's gorgeous!

He examined the rest of her. She had the birthmark/brands on her legs again. And graceful when she walked. Hm, why didn't she attack us or call us out to the field? Kakashi asked himself. Then he though back to her eyes. They icy white-blue iris and heather grey pupils. That's why…She's blind. He looked closer as she slowly rose up. Maybe she needs some help….

Krystal stood up and felt the wind blow across her face. She smelt ramen and demon and almost puked. Augh, what kind of creature – much less a demon – would eat ramen?? Nas-

"Excuse me?" she heard a calm, low voice say. She felt another aura near and turned around, seeing the same forest green aura around a man like before. "It seems you need some help," he said and put a hand on hers. Krystal curled up her lip. "I hate to be touched…" She grabbed his wrist and started to twist it back. She saw a thin red line form between his aura and his body. "And I can see your panic rising…" The man pulled out something and pressed it against her hand. It was cold and stung slightly. She jumped back, releasing the strange man's hand. Krystal saw a drop of luminous blood on her hand. The man held his wrist. "Please do not attack in vain! I am a friend!"

"The snake smiles but shows no teeth," Krystal said harshly. "You may be a friend but that doesn't mean you won't hurt me, human…"

The man's red aura slowly diminished but was still faintly there. "I see your fear. Not sense, but I can see it barely there." Krystal said. The man was silent. "Do not become hot-blooded. I merely want to help." Krystal narrowed her eyes. ˚ Tibo get your scaly butt up and get over to the lake area! NOW soldier! ˚ she hissed at Tibo. ˚ I'm in a bit of trouble! Now MOVE! ˚ she said more urgently and faced the man again.

Kakashi looked at her wounds again. "If you want to help, state your name," she said crossly. Maybe he shouldn't have bothered her. She nearly snapped his wrist off. "Com'on, out with it! Tell me your name before I rearrange your entrails!"

"Hatake Kakashi, um, miss."

"Um miss?" the woman mocked. Her guard relaxed only a minuscule of a second. Then she jerked up again and glared with more intensity. "Mearen tal…." She spat with acid dripping from her words. Kakashi saw new hate and angst in her eyes.

Krystal felt adrenaline pour into her veins. So, Hatake Kakashi…He's a potential killer…. she thought to herself. She had to find out if he was really a candidate for the assassinations. She was about to question him further when she heard a roar the jarred everyone's vision. Krystal smirked. "It's about time," she whispered. Kakashi looked at her with question, then he looked slightly above her.

Krystal felt a whooshing and smelt rancid breath. She knew this was Tibo. She didn't look back, but could see by the feared color around Kakashi's body and his flaring aura, he was scared stiff. Tibo growled deep, the noise coming from deep within his stomach. The growl was rich with defensiveness and scorn. Krystal smirked. "What's wrong human? Think I need help now?"

The black dragon with dried, cracked blood on his jaw behind her stood easily at 13 feet. He put his tail in front of the woman and snarled fiercely. He opened his great jowls and spoke in a low, gravely voice. "Krystal, is this…Human bothering you?" He said "human" as if he'd tasted something bitter. The woman – Krystal, as the dragon called her – stood taller with more stature. She didn't say anything, yet a few minutes later, the dragon stopped his growling and took on surprised pain. He looked sadly at Kakashi and his obsidian-scaled ears lowered. He put his giant talons on the ground and crawled forwards, more daintily and timidly than Kakashi expected. He froze as the dragon sniffed around his jacket, hair and body before he drew back, sneezing. He lowered his gaze, his big, red eyes staring into Kakashi's black-grey eyes.

Krystal watched as Tibo inspected Kakashi. Tibo raised his great head and looked back at her. º He checks out OK, Krys. Why did you threaten him? º

˚ I'm blind, you moron…How am I supposed to know what his status was? Plus, he stabbed me with some sort of knife. ˚ Krystal raised her hand to show Tibo. He blinked before slithering back to Krystal. Tibo lowered his head and pushed his nose under Krystal's hand. "I'm sorry, Hatake. I acted blindly – not to make jokes. I thought you were an enemy. Tibo doesn't think so, obviously. I can trust him."

Kakashi heaved a relieved sigh. "It's fine…" he said. He walked forwards and stood before Krystal. She rubbed the back of her head and grinned big. "You really did give me a big scare there! I thought you wanted to kill me or something!" she said. Kakashi shrugged. Tibo looked up at Krystal and Kakashi. "This isn't really what I would call 'hitting it off,' but that's just me." He remarked. Krystal whacked the top of his head. "Eeasantoka!" she hissed at Tibo. Tibo grinned wide. Kakashi looked at the two as if they were crazy. Tibo glanced up at Kakashi and raised his head. Krystal sweat-dropped and smiled a little, oddly. "Sorry about Tibo. He's a bit of a child at times…"

"Kakashi-sensei!! Who's that chick?!" a loud voice said from the trees. Krystal saw the same red aura as before drop to the ground. It surrounded a small, stubby kid who ran towards them. Krystal's eye twitched. "Don't treat your superiors like your friends, boy," she corrected. "Else one day you'll be sitting there with all these enemies that you never knew and none of your friends can help you, the only adults in your life will see it as an opportunity to take you out to suffer a long, painful fate worse than death… Trust me, the places I've been, it happens." The boy's aura flared dark blue and black underneath his aura and he stopped, pulling his hands up by his arms. "Wh-What?" he asked, his mood changed. He turned to Kakashi, who Krystal could tell was secretly laughing in his mind. "She scares me…" Naruto said. Krystal shrugged. "Ah well, dear child. You might want to look at that little thing you call your life again and address me properly." Kakashi sighed. "Good luck with that…Naruto is a bit 'brain dead' when it comes to authority"

Krystal gave him a sidelong glance. "Ah well, I guess I could leave you back to your business…" She said and started to walk off, Tibo slithering. Kakashi watched her walk away before saying, "Wait up." Krystal stopped and grinned. "Yes, Hatake?" she asked. "Uh, you'll have to check up with the Hokage. It might be in his interest to know that two foreigners – especially if one is a dragon and one is an elf – are in his village. If you wait for awhile, I could show you where his office is…" Kakashi explained. Krystal's heart quickened pace. Sarutobi… she thought. He'll kill me if he finds out I'm here….

She cursed, but knew if she didn't confront Sarutobi, there would be greater consequences. She turned around and sighed. "Ok…. Just let me go grab my things, c'mon, Tibo..." she said, Tibo lifting her onto his back. The two began to go back into the forest when Tibo asked, "So, are we in trouble?"

"Lets just find out," she said, looking back slightly as the Small kid called "Naruto" struck at Kakashi. She gasped quietly and faced forwards again, wondering why a student would attack their teacher like that…