Secret Eden Chapter 9: Friend or Foe?, a naruto fanfic

Blackeclipse: Ah~, and here at last his the next chapter….

Wondering why just suddenly the updates came in so many chapters?—Well, since I'm currently in the province, away from the city, away from my unlimited internet line[*insert incredibly chibi crying face here*]—including the fact that the Globe Tattoo internet access ran out of load for its function was also forgotten at my other residence (blame my father for buying too many lots _ _|||)—I am left with my laptop and plenty of time to write and write and write and draw and write and play my vi-Ok, anyhow, yes, I had so much time in writing. Which is a good thing!

Anyhow I know there are some flaws to this story, and perhaps it may be even stupid but please continue on reading as I try to go and fix them up TTATT.

For those wondering why Mieihi's having split personalities…she has this kind of thing on softening to a smile, thus, charming everyone around her, just like Ino =_=; don't worry, THERE ARE NO YURI PAIRINGS HERE. And if you may as well see, does it look like Naruto is entering the pairing?—Maybe~, however don't forget my other OC, which is my best friend's OC :D let's see, can you guess the love what-ever-shape is in this fanfic? :)

And as for before…with her mood swings…There is something within her, as you can see in the previous chapters that is making her be more dominant…could it be her hidden instinct? Who knows :D ! but one thing's for sure that it isn't the usual childish Mieihi!

If everyone is wondering, does 'that' Forest have a name. I was suppose to put in the name till I got carried away D: I'M AN IDIOT! DX

Anyhow, I shall be starting to referring the name of the forest as the Cursed Forest. Sounds lame? IKR? DX DX DX. Well, better then nothing!

So let's allll~~ presume they've been saying "Cursed Forest" when referring to 'that Forest' :D :D *GETS SHOT FROM BEHIND HER HEAD BY THE READERS* XP

O_O

*blinks*

O_O

OAO

If you see any other flaws or any questions at all, please feel free to ask them in reviews, I won't get angry and be more than happy to answer them! But please no rude language if it isn't some kind of compliment. However I do accept constructive criticism, which I'm used to from my Maestro at the Orchestra and for my drawings that is ALWAYS commented by my mom _ _||| But!—these things always improve's one intellect and skills so-*EVIL FACE*-—not that I'm threatening! :D

Wait…

Wait!

WAIT-WHY ARE YOU GUYS LEAVING MY FANFIC! I'M ONLY JOKING! *CRIES* (XD)

Gaara: Enough idle chattery and go on with the Fanfiction already.

Blackeclipse: Ok! GAARA CATCH THIS DISCLAIMER SIGN!

*SOUND OF SAND RUSHING OUT FROM THE EARTH*

Blackeclispe: I said CATCH—not—DESTROY!

Gaara: It's not my fault that I appear as my younger 13 year old self in this author note corner….my Ultimate Sand Defense is always automatic…..or do you not recall?

Blackeclipse: MEANIE! :O

Gaara: *sighs* =_=;

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto is owned by Masashi Kisihimoto-sama, Mieihi and Mizuumi are owned by Blackeclipse :D If I did own Naruto, those two would be there, and there would be more Gaara, and it would be named Gaara Shipuuden! XD OHHH YEAH!

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Chapter Nine: Mission: Day 2, Friend or Foe?

It was already about 5 o'clock in the morning, and everyone had already started packing off to the continue their trip to the Cursed Forest, Naruto though woke up with a punch on his face when he found himself in Mizuumi and Sakura's tent, which was actually facing the opposite of his own tent, Kami-sama-knows how he got there.

Gaara though claims he didn't notice, thus, not answering even if they were yelling at him, he had an unbelievable night as well, cursing all night for his damn insomnia to happen then among all nights he had, also regretting on ever volunteering to stand on watch when he could have just pretended to sleep.

Pakkun though had reported every single detail to Kakashi, who had the orange Icha-Icha Paradisu Kisu or whatever book he had on, closed in his hand to his ninken's words, his brow slightly raised in the other details. Glancing over the arms crossed Kazekage who was greeted by Kankuro, again with the kabuki face paint, and Temari who was currently stretching her arms out.

Sakura on the other hand was having a warm up on her chakra punched while Naruto blamed Sai for things even he cannot comprehend, wondering what has he done this time?

Shino was just observing through the black goggles he had on, who knows if he had slept?

Kiba was already playing with Akamaru, and going off to the river for the huge wolf to drink the river's clean waters, Shizune not far from where he stands, finally tucking things at her back pact, fastening the Konoha Jonin vest and doing a fair stretch.

He didn't even hear Pakkun when he had disappeared, back to the Summoning World, "Ah." ok, now he noticed when he blinked.

But there were three people he didn't see yet.

Where were Neji, Mizuumi and Mieihi?

*SPLASH!*

Aah…he nodded, turning his head to look at the far by river, 3 figures were seen. …

Temari had noticed as well, looking afar after stretching, and grinned. "Sharpen your sickle at sunset"….but at this case…at sun rise…

Neji had jumped back, coming back into his stance of taijutsu originating from his clan as the water kunoichi stretched her arms up, the orbs of water encircling her as Mieihi sat by the edge of the river, watching them.

The brown haired male began to lunge forward throwing shurikens before him that was blocked by ice that formed a wave shield before her when she flung a hand up, he stepped on it and jumped up turning to throw more kunais from above, she twirled as the ice extended to cover her head, her other hand commanded the orbs to dart. "Ice Crest Style: Koori no Shuriken!" she called out as the orbs morphed into for pointed shurikens, impaling the Hyuuga, which was soon revealed as a wet washed log. Her eyes widened when she turned her head to see him bring up his palm behind her.

"Kenkusho!" he yelled out as an invisible force had also come upon his upcoming palm, she acted quickly as she crossed her arms and lowered her head to form an ice circle crest, to block it, but the force was incredible strong, forcing her to be pushed back, but her feet and screeched the calmness of the water below them.

She moved her arms in some sort of T'ai Chi manner, that it was graceful, every movement water had followed her until she suddenly, abruptly slammed her hands on the water, and ice had came surrounding Neji. "Ice Crest Style…!" it began to turn into four dimensions of ice.

"What the…!" his eyes widened in surprise.

"Koorihitsugi!" and at once, it had began to encase Neji in them, freezing up.

Neji thought fast, forming his stance as he spins, "KAITEN!" he yelled out, quickly breaking the ice around him.

"Phew~!" Mizuumi grinned as she stretched, "Thanks for the morning workout Neji-kun~!"

"Hmph…" Neji smirked slightly, but it was barely one. "…I too needed some." He turned his eyes to the girl who was watching them the whole time.

Mizuumi had voiced his own thoughts, a hand at the side of her mouth, as if she was far away. "Do you want to spar as well, Mieihi-sama~!"

Neji looked back at her in question. "…-sama?"

Mizuumi grinned back at him. "Yup!—well, the name they did gave her before was Ojou-san right~?—and she is kinda cool so I'm gonna give her that suffix!"

I think you're mixing the concept of suffixes…Mizuumi… he sweat dropped.

The raven haired simply blinked.

+Campsite+

"Is it alright to let them spar for awhile?" Temari began to question as she turned to Gaara with a hand on her hip. "I mean…we do need to catch our time…"

Gaara looked back at her. "…It's too early…for us as well…it is best to use this opportunity to find some medical herbs for emergencies."

"That's kinda….troublesome, Gaara."

"What's this?—you sound like Shikamaru for a second!" Naruto gave a cheesy grin to the blonde's words, a beehive lump on his head was something he didn't want them to comment, well, he was praying, in the inside. "Hehehehe~! Ya sure you guys ain't dating!"

Temari gave him a cold look as she took her fan and almost flattened the lump back at his head. Giving knocking Naruto out, stars encircling his head from the effects. "W—why ar-gir-l-s-so-v-iolent…?" and with that, he really did, and finally, went unconscious.

Gaara sighed at his own friend's idiocy, turning to look back at the farther three as the Jonin sat under a tree with a book at his hand. "…We leave at 6…"

+River+

She scrunched her eyebrows, standing at the surface of the water before Neji, "….I can't…if I spar with my abilities…it'll be to the death."

Mizuumi eyes went around and her mouth into a triangle, like this (OAO)

Their faces where like this: (;_)

Thus, forming:

(;_)

(OAO)

(;_)

"Then…" the Hyuuga looked back at the raven haired girl, seeing that her bandaged was wrapped around her forehead and back at her like yesterday, shaking his head to wonder why did he even paid attention to them. "…why not just Taijutsu then?-no weapons?"

"Yeah! That sounds like a great idea!" Mizuumi had a thumbs up to his idea.

Mieihi thought about it for a moment, wondering if it would be alright, she scanned Neji for a moment. Neji-san's built is much stronger than I am…so apparently I won't do much harm to him…"…Very well then." She finally agreed, unfastening the belt of her coat.

"Why are you removing your coat?"

"…My body has a bad habit of not listening and simply taking the weapons nearby…" Mieihi simply said as she removed it, throwing it as Mizuumi clumsily caught it, she almost smirked at the girl's comical attitude.

Turning back to Neji, he gave a nod as he put himself back into a stance.

She blinked, almost analyzing him. Taijutsu, a basic form of martial art that must be his specialty…. Although, she had no established training, she simply placed her right hand to her left shoulder, and turned sideways, her other hand out, like a half butler like stance, her hand out and fingers open in a gesture for him to come at her.

Mizuumi blinked. What is that stance?

There was silence around them as the fish below them remained unaware of the training above them.

That was when suddenly, a small and fast blink was lethal to Neji as he suddenly turned around and blocked a hand chop to his neck.

"WOAH!" Mizuumi almost fell back.

Mieihi had suddenly appeared behind him, almost delivering a neck chop blow, and it seems the impact was heavy that it made Neji's feet screech the water by an inch. When he looked forward she was suddenly gone and a drop of water was seen, instincts told him to go in his above attack stance and instantly trusted it-

*BAM!*

Mizuumi froze, she blinked to see Mieihi suddenly above him, her leg was straight as her foot had slammed to Neji's defensive arms. She's—

-Fast! Neji continued her thoughts, pushing her up and turned down to push himself up to hit her with his legs, he felt her move away and jump back a few feet away from him, his lunge forward to her direction and turned to deliver an elbow blow.

Miehi turned to make herself in side view, moving her head up to miss his deadly elbow, and raised her left to block another blow from his palm, moving her left knee to block a kick from the side, she grabbed the arm she had blocked with her right and instantly slammed him down, turning to take his position as Neji instantly recovered, crouching as he spins to confuse her and finally disappearing to appear behind her. Her expression was indifferent when she had dodged it by squatting down, then jumping up backwards over him to avoid his lethal kick at her spine.

She turned around and repeated her neck chop that he instantly blocked, but it was stronger than before, making him screeched his feet on the water even further, the water being ripped from its calm surface.

She began to retain her first stance, a stance of a butler before he bows, a hand out just like his comrade, Lee, but opened to indicate him to move.

Her expression had no emotions, thus, making it hard to predict her movements.

Not only that she's fast—but she's very strong in her pressure… Neji thought as he felt his arms throb.

+Campsite+

Unknown to them, the rest was watching the so called 'morning exercise'.

"Oy….did you just see that just now?" Kiba's eyes widened from what he saw, Akamaru was silent. "…T-that was insane!"

Sai observed her, seeing at in an instant, she was here and there, and Neji was just basically doing most of the defense.

"May-Maybe's Neji's on defense and Mieihi-chan on offense?" Naruto asked, but Sakura shook her head to his question.

"Neji isn't the kind of person, who would do only defense…with that pride of his, it supports this idea." Shino finally muttered his words as Shizune looked worriedly from the backpacks.

Temari and Kankuro were quietly watching from a distance, but they were nearer than those who have reacted and spoken moments before.

Kakashi was still at his position, looking up from his book to have an eye on them, while Gaara wasn't far from him now, also observing.

+River+

"Gagh~!" Neji gasped from the hit he felt unexpectedly from behind, it took him time to register that the hit was coming from the back of her hand at the right, he maneuvered fast to land on the water, taking his stance once again as she suddenly appeared him again. "!" in an instant he found himself attacking at once, forming intense speed and pressure as he felt her gloved hands blocking each other and a bit of her arms and knees along with air indicating she had dodged slightly. She can also read every movement I make….HOWEVER! he turned around suddenly as he brought out his hands. "KENKUSHO!" Since this isn't really a jutsu….this will be alright.

"!" Her eyes widened when she was in the middle of blocking his fake kick with her knee, she felt the sudden air pressure as Neji's hands came at the air before her space, she planted her feet hard on the water, ripping it from the surface as she was forced to be pushed back even more than she did to him. …He's so strong. She felt her arms and knees tingle, he had almost hit all my nerve endings from arms to knees… she winced when she began to feel the after affects. During his intense close ranged attacks earlier—those series of movements were on purpose to distract me for him to plant his knuckles onto them.

"Wooah!" Mizuumi was cheering on from the dry rocky land as Neji panted.

He smirked at the raven haired girl before him, then suddenly to his surprise, he felt himself wince when he had felt his ankle ache. "What...th-" in a second he had grabbed his left arm. His eyes widened when his body told him what was wrong. She was able to hit the joint… in hitting the joint, it would mean whole paralyzation to the arm, although it is useless if you're trying to block the chakra flow, however, they were only using Taijutsu, and this is really something serious. My whole arm and having pins and needles from her blocks…and I feel it growing numb… he turned back to her.

She was already down to a knee, the nerve endings had taken affect to make her feel weaker and making her arms and legs numb, resulting to her position of kneeling down, she frowned at the realization that she had lost.

However Neji had it too. "Looks like it's a draw."

She looked back at him and nodded her head, Mizuumi approaching the water. "Hey you guys! that's intense!—do you need some healing?"

"No…it's fine M-" Neji's eyes widened when he suddenly felt the girl's hands on his left arm, and water particles going towards them, he had the suddenly feeling of it being washed but his fabrics weren't at all wet. She's healing from within my skin….using the clean water, she's also helping my blood flow. He had observed, feeling a slight blush as she finished with a soft smile. "I didn't ask you to do that."

"You didn't!—I did!" She giggled as she turned to Mieihi. "You're next!"

"NO." She dead panned, instantly giving Mizuumi's cheery spirits down to zero, sitting down on the water as if formed small waves to her despair infront of her.

Why doesn't she like me~? Why~! She pouted.

Neji sighed, cracking his neck. "That's because, I did that injury….so healing it without knowing what I did or the exact pressure you might end up paralyzing her for good."

"OH." Mizuumi felt like hitting herself, but instead startled to giggle with her hand on her head, sweat dropping as Neji sighed once again.

He approached Mieihi, stopping infront of her when he paused to see the feathers suddenly around him.

She blinked, "…Ah…sorry…" the feathers finally slowly disappearing in image. "…force of a defensive habit." Although she wasn't looking back at him.

"Don't like losing?" Neji grinned. "Well, this isn't a loss."

"It's not like that." Mieihi muttered as he began to kneel down before, in a fast rate of his fingers pressing onto the parts of knee like a fast keyboard fingers. "…I never experienced a loss nor a draw." She finally felt her knee back to normal, bending it so she would sit in traditional Japanese style, letting him holding her arm out to do the same.

He looked back at her, "…Well….loss or a draw is not something to ashamedly admit." Finishing, he proceeded to her other arm. "…by losing and also by fighting a 'draw' result….it gives you more lessons rather a 'win'." He stood up once he was finally done. Grinning down at her. "…I was taught by a delinquent who saved me from the darkness….that then, if I didn't experience my first loss…. I wouldn't be as strong as I am now."

She looked at her hands, closing them and opening them as she stood up closing her eyes momentarily. "…Thank you for sparring with me, Neji-san….I have learned something new today."

He blinked. "…About losing and ties?"

"Yeah…and something else."

He tilted his head, until he saw a smirk on her face as she moved her head for her to look over her shoulder at her blind spot. "You don't hit girls anymore."

He froze on the spot as she walked away, Mizuumi suddenly blabbering her mouth to her as she gave her coat back, smiling as the two females walked away.

Had he not noticed that, after he got converted and the guilt of almost killing the heiress to his clan panging on him, that he had created a habit of unknowingly holding back when it comes to gender. THIS IS FOOLERY! He yelled at himself, insisting that she was WRONG. However, if he doesn't accept DEFEAT…

MY WORDS ARE BEING USED AGAISNT ME…. He held his head in a huge sigh, face palming back to the campsite, later on slamming his fists without holding back to Naruto who had also noticed it.

+Campsite+

"Ninpou: Choju Giga…!" a paint brush was suddenly off a scroll as a huge ink bird came after his hand seal, flying out and landing before him with its wings flapping out to a rest.

"." Naruto had made this clear with the polite gesture of his arms crossed to his smiling teammate.

"But Naruto, from the book I've read, it is another step in the way of making your bonds closer by sharing…"

"NOT WITH ME!"

"Then with Sakura-chan?"

"NO!" both the kunoichi and shinobi yelled out in irritation.

Kakashi let out a sigh, "…Well…Shizune-san, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun and I will go on ahead." Turning to Gaara, the Kazekage agreed. "We'll lose ground if we wait for them…"

"I see…very well then." Gaara nodded, as he nodded back to him and the party already jumping onto tree branches.

"Well then Gaara-kun!" Kakashi saluted, disappearing in smoke.

"Why not?—I've done it numerous of times be-"

"THAT WAS WHEN I WAS UNCONSCIOUS!" Naruto yelled out angrily.

"I WAS PULLED IN BY YOU BEFORE I GOT SUCKED INTO SOME KIND OF LIGHT AT LOST TOWER!" Sakura grit her teeth.

Mizuumi on the other hand was intrigued by the huge ink bird. "CAN I-"

"NO!" both Sakura and Naruto yelled out to her, making her squeal and hide behind the expressionless Mieihi who was watching them along with Gaara who had nothing to say, alongside with Neji who had the same position, crossed-arms-against-chest.

Sai sighed, confused to his friends tenacious objections of just sharing an ink bird. As it in the way I asked? He wondered, and gave up. "Very well then…I shall make enough for everyone." Bringing out his scroll much to their surprise, as he began to draw an impressive and skillful flock of birds.

Mieihi took notice at this, and before he was able to finish, she was suddenly at his side, peeking over, scaring the living hell out of Naruto and Sakura.

She's so fast! Both of them thought as she still looked at his drawings.

Sai looked at her and smiled. "Is there something wrong with my drawings?"

She looked at his drawing, and shook her head. "…I want to ride with you on your ink bird."

"EH!" both Sakura and Naruto yelled out.

Gaara's eyes seemed to twitch slightly, but it was enough for Kankuro and Temari to noticed.

She looked back at the two startled stares. "…My wings are still weak from last night….."

Sakura scrunched, "…Uhh…that is true…but."

Sai though looked happy. "I see…then I won't have to worry of an argument."

"On the other hand."

Everyone's head snaps to the voice of Gaara, "…I am the only responsible for her protection…as the Kazekage, as well as her being under my responsibility…" his arms crossed as everyone was startled at his sudden statement.

Sai was looked back at him with a fake smile. "…However, we should all respect her decision…now should we?"

Everyone took a step back, except for Neji and Mieihi, from the intensity of the atmosphere as Sai and Gaara looked at each other in the eyes.

But knowing that none of them would break the eye contact, Mieihi came in. "W-well…Gaara….I'm just curious….so it's alright for me to even ride with our comrades right?" he though still didn't break eye contact, neither did Sai, and she continued on. "…Besides, the sand you have uses your chakra, you already have Temari and Kankuro to support in the air, not to mention that you'll be having a long and hard time in the air with the two of them…and if you still deny to that, it would be rather unfair for only I to be the one riding at your sands."

Gaara blinked, and finally gave in with a sigh, it wasn't to her words, no it wasn't, he would care less. But the fact that had occurred to him that he was wasting his time with the pale artist, was something he was disgusted when in fact the other party would be already MILES away from every second they waste. "…Hn." Was his silent way of saying 'fine.'

Sai smiled in victory, a face saying: she-wants-to-ride-with-me-not-you-so-I-win.

Gaara scowled in disgust, face saying: drop-her-and-I-will-kill-you. With an added, say-that-again-and-you-WILL-die.

Miehi was. Well, a blank with her expression, unknown to everyone else's expressions.

WHAT-THE-HELL-IS-WITH-THIS-SUDDEN-RIVARLY-!

+Above the Forest+

After a few moments of that death silence, Mieihi was riding with Sai at his own ink bird, Naruto and Sakura ended up being paired up with the ink bird, despite Sakura to nag him all the time of her not wanting this, Naruto seems so happy on the other hand and at the sametime Naruto being a bit irritated by looks of Neji being first alongside with Mizuumi, as Temari and Kankuro were being supported by their own Sand Platforms Gaara had provided, as well as his own.

Mizuumi and Neji was also before him, below them was the head of another kind of water dragon that seems to be consisted of small water particles which was clouds, it had hardened just enough to support their weight and to fly through the air swiftly. Always never ceasing to baffle the ones behind her.

Formation:

~ Mizuumi & Neji ~

~ Kankuro ~ ~Gaara ~ ~Temari ~

~ Sai & Mieihi ~

~ Sakura & Naruto ~

It wasn't long before Mizuumi began to see some tree tops rustling when there was no wind hitting from below, "Neji-kun!" she called out to him.

"Aah." He nodded, noticing it as well, closing his eyes to open them again saying "BYAKUGAN!" looking through the inverted colours of the view before him, his vision zoomed in like an eagle with X-Ray vision, seeing their fellow a boy followed by a dog, along with one hooded shinobi, before them was a Jonin, beside him was the assistant. "They're right there up ahead…" he announced.

"Thank goodness!—it seems like they're still alright!"

"Yeah…there are no indications of them being attacked anywhere yet." He added.

"Ain't that good Gaara?—At least we're still at par with their pace!" Kankuro grinned in a tough relieved manner to his lil' bro, till he paused to see him slightly looking behind his shoulder over to the pair behind him, Kankuro gave a sighed as well as a 'not-again' look. …I'm starting to wonder…if Gaara's…

Mieihi looked at the living drawing that was making them fly, it felt so smooth yet almost alive in feeling and actions, she had never seen such Jutsu before, so it was surprising to her, wondering if she could do this as well, but knowing she can't since she doesn't rely too much on chakra.

Sai was smiling though at her curiosity, pleased to have someone at least to appreciate his skills, he looked back to look on ahead of their direction, noticing that the Kazekage before them peeking over his shoulder, Sai only gave a smile, if Gaara had eyebrows, it would be very noticeable that he had scrunched them, as he looked away.

"WOAH!" Temari gasped as Kankuro sounded like he was going to curse, the sand before them had suddenly spiked like needles on their be-hinds, which was VERY unpleasant. "GAARA!" both of them yelled out.

Gaara didn't give any of his attention to this, his arms still crossed as he regained control of his suppression, She looks like she doesn't remember anything from last night. He told to himself, although that wasn't really helping. Either she's avoiding me…or she doesn't remember at all to what had happened.

"GAARA!"both of his siblings called out to make him snap out of his thoughts, seeing that they were doing some kind of tap dance to the spiking rising waves from the sand platforms.

"…Sorry." He finally murmured, but it lacked any emotion to it.

Although his siblings knew better than yelling at him for the second time as the sand began to still itself solid beneath their feet and both of them sighed

Temari looked back at her little brother's expression, which was what she expected to be, completely unreadable. …But for a moment, something inside of him was boiling…the sand doesn't lie to that. Then she saw it, the occasional looking back he did a few moments ago that she had dismissed as checking if everyone was alright.

But no, it wasn't everyone but someone.

She turned her head to see it. Her eyes slightly widening to look over her shoulder, Could it be…? She wondered quizzically to herself at the conclusion she had hidden in her mind, scared to even think about it when Gaara could perhaps sense her in deep thought.

There are so many love teams here… she had changed it to something more blunt, sighing at the thought which was a grave mistake, she froze, scared to turn, but she did dare to turn her eyes to her little brother.

GLA—HE'S GLARING? She literally paled at his cold spindrift eyes that seemed to see through her soul, BURNING and making herself feel utterly cold yet in utter pain within when she knew he was going to reprimand her when he gets a chance, despite being the Ambassador, she's totally defenseless, being the eldest, thus, being more in command, does not apply to their family, especially, when it is the other way around of the YOUNGEST being the KAZEKAGE.

She looked at the corner of her eye to see Kankuro looking almost half dead in his eyes.

He had been a victim to Gaara's 'I-KNOW-WHAT-YOU-ARE-THINKING' look.

+Naruto and Sakura+

"I'm kind of worried, Naruto…" Sakura's eye brows scrunched indicating her words, "…it's pretty heavy at the front…" turning to look beside her. "-don't you thi-Naruto…?" she blinked.

Naruto was digging his hands onto Sai's ink bird, he was glaring straight ahead, but it wasn't on Sai, nor on Mieihi, but it was the two before everyone else.

He could feel the weird burning inside of his chest, GAH!—I JUST FEEL SO PISSED FORREASONSIDONOTKNOW! He began to hold his head and ruffle them, quickly flinging them back onto the birds neck before he fell off due to wind pressure, and suffering from the ink birds wrath when it began to spin.

"A-A-A-A-H-H-a-a-a-a-a-a-A-A-A-A-A-A-a—a-a-a-a-A-A-A-A-H-H-H-H-H!" Naruto cried out, his eyes in circles with open faucets.

"NARUTO YOU I~~DIOT!—UAAAHH!" Sakura would have killed him it weren't for her hands clutching desperately onto the ink bird.

"DAMN-BIRD-STOP-THIS-NOW!—I-THOUGHT-YOU-CAN'T-FEEL-ANY-THING-OY!-SAI! IKNOWIT'SYOUWHO'SCONTROLLINGTHISBIRDSOSTOPIT—AAAHHHH! I'M GOING TO FALL OFF!" heaven's mercy, was the thing for Naruto by now.

+Mieihi and Sai+

Mieihi was looking back, wondering what the hell is wrong with their bird as Sai gave a smile at the scene.

"Do birds normally behave like that?"

"Who knows?—I've not read anything regarding to their emotions."

"But they're drawings…"

"That came to life." Sai said, looking at his own creation beneath the, a hand stroking the head of it. "…It's an artist's greatest dream,…to see their works come to life….and for others to appreciate it."

"Those are two dreams, isn't it?" She grinned slightly, "It seems the first part was done….Naruto-san doesn't seem to approve of it." It was a joke of course.

But he shook his head, making the grin on her face disappear, replacing her puzzled one, Sai smiled back at her. "….You seem to appreciate them more than anyone here…like someone I used to know…..if I were though, to look at this art….it would be like ancient Chinese drawings a bit…"

"…." Mieihi didn't know what to say as she looked back at the bird below them, and gave a faint smile. "…I see…"

The pale artist moved back his eyes to her, if they ever did looked away, he noted her skin, her porcelain skin on her face and the skin revealed on her limbs on where it was covered by her long black socks and short-shorts, her eyes were something very challenging to color, like a mix of sapphire and the midnight blue sky turning into the soft morning of the sun peeking out from its beds. His artistic mind had calculated numerous of colors to mix in other achieve it.

He found himself blushing when she looked back at him, and gave a smile that seemed to rival his own fake smile, and also shattering his ice façade, making his own porcelain skin be tainted with a soft hue of pink against his cheeks.

Her hair was pure back, against her porcelain skin made him think of—

"Chiaroscuros…"

"!" His eyes widened, nearly making him fall of from her sudden voice, "…excuse me?" he asked again, for the first time he sounded like he had choked before then, something off character, even for him.

She blinked, "….If I were to be thinking in the minds of an artist…you would be a Chiaroscuros…" she grinned, "I read it in books….that Chiaroscuros is…"

"A monochrome style of drawing whether in color or no color…it style of complete contrasts to make a life breathing affect to even just black and white art." He found himself saying the full dictionary like, however, it wasn't, it was to his own understanding, he blushed while looking down. "…it is a style I mostly favored…and I find it…" he dared not to, but he looked back at her. "…beautiful…"

She looked back at him, not knowing the sunburn on his face.

Sai seemed to stutter as he looked away, "…I was…about to say the same thing to you….th-the Chiaroscuros…" he muttered, he felt incredibly uncomfortable. "…I read that it is best to compliment someone on their looks when getting to know each other…" he added as well. …What is this…affect?—I haven't read anything about this…. "…P-please…stop looking at me like that…" he mumbled embarrassedly, not knowing what to do in this situation, his knowledge from books seemed to be insufficient now.

Mieihi simply stared at him, but then found herself smiling momentaril-

"GAARA!"

They both jumped, turning their heads before them to see Temari and Kankuro repeating the tap dance revolution they had down a few minutes ago.

The Kazekage had a scary aura around him, but it had faded slowly when Mieihi called out to Temari and Kankuro. "Asobi desu ka? (Is that a game?)"

"ASOBI JA NEE TSU NO!(IT IS NOT A GAME!)"

+Mizuumi and Neji+

Neji sighed while Mizuumi looked back over her shoulder to the commotion behind them, "…Even the Sand Siblings are noisy at times…" Neji quietly muttered. Not that he cared if Gaara would happen to hear it and bury him later on.

He looked down to the water particles below them, a bit amazed that it felt like glass in order for them not to wet their garments, he turned off his Byakugan when he saw Kakashi waved at his sight, indicating that everything was going smoothly like before, it was boring, yet, he preferred this, if it would be far better if the commotion behind them didn't exist.

"Hehehe, they're so full of energy~!" Mizuumi grinned, a pink bubble appearing at her chibi like carefree smile on her face.

Neji had his arms crossed, seated in a knee fold position, looking back at her, her long kimono sleeves were hiding the pinkish white skin of her fingers, which were inches away from his own space, her legs swinging back and forth, the black skirt she now wore was in danger of flipping up, but he was thankful for the black shorts beneath that-that wasn't in the style of Mieihi's shorts.

He remembered back in the village, from returning to his own solo mission, there she was suddenly appearing right after he had met Mieihi and his teammates running towards him, a memory that was so crazy that it gave him a headache.

He felt his cheeks flame when he had remembered the hug, it was strange, back when they were kids, she had always, hugged those around her, even Choji, although Sasuke was a complete failure in an attempt of a bear hug from behind.

It was actually 10 years since he had last seen her, and there she is claiming she had returned before she had reunited with him back at Yakiniku Q's front shack.

It somehow burned something inside of him, that she had met with Naruto first…

"Neji-kun?"

This is ludicrous, of course she would, I was away when she arrived to Konohagakure…it is not something t—

"Hey—Neji-kun!" she called out to him, snapping himself out of thoughts.

"Huh?—Wha-" when he blinked, turning his head, he froze on the spot when he found her face inches away from himself, his lavender white eyes widened at the sudden closeness and almost swore his heart had skipped a beat. "T—too close…!" was what he managed to utter, mentally punching his stuttering tongue.

"Oh!" Mizuumi blinked, pulling back, farther and almost falling off when she did before he grabbed hold of her wrist.

He blushed again, tugging her up and instantly letting her go for her to regain her own position by herself in order to hide the blood rushing to his face, thus, making him appear to have a huge sunburn at his face. "…S-sorry…I didn't mean to raise my voice suddenly."

"Nah, its fine~! Datte yo~" She grinned girlishly, "It's my fault—I know Neji-kun's easily embarrassed when someone invades his personal space!"

"!" he seems to be taken back as he looked away stubbornly, hiding the more embarrassed sulk he had on, not minding the thousand apologies Mizuumi was suddenly saying. Am I that too easy to read?

+Forest+

Kakashi sighed, …They're too noisy up there….

Shizune had an uneasy smile with a sweat drop. They're not the only ones though….

"WOOOHOOO! A-KA-MA-RU! LET'S GO AND RIP THOSE ASSHOLES OUT!"

"BARK-BARK!"

"COME ON OUT YA BASTARDS!—BRING IT ON! AHAHABITCHES!CAN'!"

"The way you yell out…you may never know who may be lurking within the shadows, hearing your various and colorful comments, Kiba-kun."

"WHAT'STHATSHINOICAN'THEARYOULALALALALALA!-"

The older adults just sighed to this as Akamaru kept barking energetically.

+Air+

It wasn't long before they did finally appear at the long and tall net fences, from their view up at the air, it was like the Great Wall.

But there seems to be a cut, indicating the opening and Gaara had noticed this before Mizuumi did. "It seems that's how travelers get in…."

"What should we do, Gaara?" Temari asked, balancing herself to stand from the sand platform. "If we let it open after we pass through it…"

"Aah." His form of nod was a slowly blink, "….We'll close it as soon as we all enter."

"Ok-dokie boss!" Mizuumi saluted, "Fortunately—I could do some wicked Seals!"

"Yeah, yeah right…" Kankuro rolled his eyes at this, making the girl pout and Neji glare at his comment. "What?—I'm always skeptical!"

Gaara though didn't mind his so called 'older' brother. "Very well then, Hino-san…do what you can."

"ROGER THAT~!" she grinned, her eyes sparkling.

But in an instant turn of events, they glow into also the same color as Neji's eyes when she and Gaara both turned their heads on opposite directions, raising their hands for ice and sand to shield everyone else from the upcoming arrows coming from their sides.

"AMBUSH!" Temari yelled out as she pulled out her Tessen, the 3 ink birds from behind them began to fly in higher altitude, something that Gaara and Sai had somehow managed to plan out before they had their death glare before. "GAARA! I'M COUNTING ON YOU TO COVER ME!" she yelled out, jumping out of the sand platform to swing her mighty iron fan down before the upcoming bandits began to target her, landing on one of their faces, ignoring their screams and she spins, the fan held above her to create a small twister.

She instantly flung it down beneath her to avoid the shurikens darting towards her, she heard the sound of sand untop of each other and jumped back, landing on the rushing sand that was now everywhere like huge thick vines around Gaara, in some form of extending Shukaku claws, while defending everyone else from the upcoming poisoned tip arrows.

Kankuro brought out his seals and a puff of smoke followed, he went into his famous stance as his chakra strings illuminated from his fingers, "LET'S DO THIS! CROW!" he yelled out, sending his death puppets towards every bandit he could see, also redirecting some of the bandits to hit each other.

And gosh, they were so UGLY. (LOL)

Mizuumi on the other hand was back to back with Neji who was using his own technique to slam them away from him, Mizuumi brought out her hand as she bent down for moisture in the air to follow her hand movements. "Ice Crest: Icy Floor!" she yelled out as the it began to make a solid ice floor in mid air, extending even further as she took a breath and pushed her hands on either sides, in both attempts to stab her ice sickles to the coming men at either side, and also in order to extend it for Temari to help in fighting.

"GAARA!" the Kazekage blinked as he looked up to see orange and black. "I'M HERE TO HELP BEAT THE LIVING HELL OUT OF THEM!" Naruto made his entrance as he jumped out of the ink bird, grinning at the Kazekage as Gaara looked a way, fighting the urge to smirk at his friend's enthusiasm.

He formed his hand seal with a grin. "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" with loads of puffs here and there, numerous of Naruto clones had set out landing on the ice floor that was still continuously extending for more ground. "YOSHA! (ALRIGHT!)-HERE WE GOOO!" they all yelled out, making an echo as they all brought out their kunais, more and more bandits suddenly coming.

"HAH!" Neji yelled out, slamming his fists to two chests at once as more and more encircled him simultaneously, "KAITEN!"

+Forest+

From below, Kakashi was already jumping tree to tree trunk, dodging all the weapons that was going near him as he flung kunais in deadly precision to the attackers' hearts, Shizune appearing at one of the hidden bandits in order to electrocute them with her black kunais, moving back before Kiba and Akamaru had dart through the forest branches with their Gatsuga, Fang Over Fang.

"I won't let you escape!" Shino yelled out darkly as loads of insects had appeared around him, attacking every intruder each on deemed dangerous of. Sucking their chakra and lives dry. "Parasitic Jutsu." He formed a hand seal as 9 bandits were now surrounded and covered by the insects and crushed, their blood curling screams echoing to every ear of any insect hater.

Kakashi stored his chakra in every kunai he had and threw them, using a clone jutsu, not for him, but for the kunais as they are twice the number from before, landing to where the bandits hid in either direction of his sides, closing in on him. He placed his hand down to summon his ninken, the huge dogs growled ferociously and without warning, ripping every limb their huge and sharp teeth could grab hold of.

He looked up to see they too were fighting as he jumped back from a fallen body of a bandit. It seems I've miscalculated…there seems to be more Bandits than before. A swift block with his kunai held in a side way point to avoid an arrow from hitting his temple cut his thoughts. It seems like we'll have to finish them all out before we proceed. His eye glared at more of them coming towards his direction, and sighed. "…Just when I had a new book to read too…."

His eye sharpens. "Maa….ii ka…(…oh well….)" electricity sparking from his right arm.

+Air+

Gaara had the samething in mind as he flung his arms above him to avoid the 3 men coming out of no where by using his sand as leverage, crushing them without even looking. They are coming from both sides… he noted. …Strange…he brought his hand out in a swift motion as Shukaku's claw rose from behind him and crushed them, when he closed his hand, the sand claw had followed, killing those in its grasps as more and more bandits emerged from the edges of the Icy Floor and climbing back onto the sand, without fear. …They are like shadow clones…their appearance seems to be uniform and their actions…and they keep on coming. We turned his hand to face up ward as he made a gesture for an explosion, and the sand had obeyed it, the claw suddenly spiked and bursts into a sand fountain as screams came from its victims. Gaara's observation grew even sharper as his eyes slightly squinted in his thoughts. …What's going on?

From above on the ink birds, Sakura's task was to fling a lot of shurikens and kunais as she can, she looked down to see if she could help, but that would only be endangering Mizuumi's Ice Floor if she were to pound accidentally the ice, but she needed to help despite the high advantage they had.

As if the bird had read her mind, it began to fly down, she turned her eyes to see Sai waving, her hair partially blocking her image from the pressure of the wind. "SAI?!" she gasped at this as he continued to grin.

She smirked slightly as she stood up as the bird swoop down, tightening her gloves as she aimed at the one coming from behind Kankuro's back, "HAAH~~!" she roughly yelled out, smashing the spine of the sneak up attack as she flew passed him, placing chakra at her feet for her not to fall off the bird's back, leaving Kankuro a bit startled that she had 'saved' his back.

He flickered all of his fingers as his puppets continued on to spray poison at every time their blades had made a puncture to the bodies it strikes, being careful not to do too much in fear of spreading the poison mist even further, he then brought his hands up as he let the decapitated body parts, which were hidden blades of his puppets began to go up into the air, and he threw his hand back down with an added flicker of his fingers, the blades began to act dolphins in a raise and dive motion as it went through the huge groups of bandits, he closed his hands as the strings grabbed hold of him, and his other hand lashed out for his other puppet to throw shurikens filled with poison to rain down on the binded bandits. …They're too many…why are they too many…?

Temari from his side and cleaned her view of the, with a huge swing of her fan, while Neji crushed the skulls of the bandits with his ultimate fists, Mizuumi throwing her hands before her and bending her arm for her hand to be at the opposite side of her face, making her hand look like a claw then as her icy blue eyes glowed.

"Icy Needles!" the huge moisture had suddenly solidified into ice, impaling all those around her as she twirled and slamming her hand to the ice floor she created, medium sized ice snakes had came out grabbing the enemies feet and extending to freeze them all that it captured, she snapped her fingers and at once they shatter together with their victims, like ice.

"Ninpou: Choju Giga…!" in an instant, ink beasts came forth from above to attack those being too close to any of his comrades, including Gaara as well.

Mieihi threw kunais that had an explosion seal to it, making an outline border to avoid any bandits from crawling up there like spiders. "OJOU-SAN!" she heard Sai's voice before once they suddenly moved violently to the side, the bird cawed as it flapped its wings hard before diving down.

It was impossible.

The bird was cut causing it to dive down because of the weight, she collected her thoughts to notice that the tail wing was cut off, Sai had grabbed hold of her as they headed down to the opposite side of the Ice Floor.

Naruto had noticed this, "SAI!—MIEIHI-CHAN!" he yelled out.

Gaara's eyes widened at his friend's distress, soon finding himself in the similar feeling when he turned around to see the ink bird disperse, the bird had fallen back, but not towards them, which was weird, it was as if someone was pulling them to that direction.

Before he let out a hand to grab hold of them, his sister yelled out his name, and by instinct, the sand had encased him to avoid the bandits from slamming onto his front when they had used Temari's attacks to fling themselves towards him.

He flicked his left hand inside to make it spike, impaling the ones who were pounding on it and making the whole sand disperse before turning back to see if they were still alright.

Sai was holding tightly against Mieihi as they fell, but at this pressure and height of where they fell, they were falling faster, There is something going on here. But at this way, he can't regain his posture.

"Sai…" his eyes widened when she felt her cling onto him, and found himself spinning, before he knew it, black had appeared for his eyes and the ends of black wings bursts out as everything happened so fast.

He sighed when he found them safe by her, but started to wonder why had they stopped to stare at something?

He looked back to see them all finally diminishing, and soon it was over, all of the bandits had stopped advancing towards the ice platforms, and his sand returned to his gourd as everyone sighed.

"What's wrong with those two?" Temari asked quizzically to those two from afar.

Gaara didn't reply, in his way of telling that he doesn't know either, Kankuro sighed, as Crow leaned on his back. "Perhaps they saw something interesting?"

Neji in the meantime had looked down using his Byakugan, it seems like Kakashi's party was fine, that supports the waving gesture that he did. "…They are done…" he informed them, turning around to see Mizuumi stretching slightly, the Ice platform still on.

Although Kankuro's brow raised at this, The bandits suddenly…stopped coming…?

"Well that's good!" and in an instant she had flung off head first to run towards Sai and Mieihi.

"OY!" Neji gasped as she saw her running towards them, her feet landing on ice that appeared in a split second. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

Both Temari and Kankuro's eyes widened as she saw her ice dragons go with her her, Naruto yelling out. "WAIT MIZUUMI-CHAN!"

Sakura cried out. "THOSE ARE NOT ENEMIES!"

Kankuro growled at his brother. "WE CAN'T JUST STAND HERE!"

He shook his head to everyone's surprise. "….Look…" he pointed out as they snapped their heads back at Mizuumi's direction.

She placed her arm before her with an ice sword and cut the images of the two, it was an illusion, and it seemed to act like a hologram. She twirled up before black feathers spiked her landing, in the air, she formed the hand seal gracefully. "KAI!"

And with that, the Genjutsu was turned off.

"GENJUTSU!" Temari exclaimed to the revelation before them, Gaara cringed as he made no waste second to appear in a fast puff of smoke beside Mizuumi who had landed and extended the Ice floor for all of them to come towards her.

The both looked down at the iron roofings from below, and at once both of them jumped back when metallic strings sprouted out from below them, at once, Naruto and Sakura appeared below them and cut them off, making it retract as the two landed.

Neji approached Mizuumi, "Was that?"

Kankuro had recognized it, "Aah…it was like chakra strings that's covered by metallic covering….something that's been copied by a few other shinobis in the past" he scratched his head while Mizuumi made it so to build high ice walls, like a floating glass room without a ceiling as he continued, "To think such weak attacks are still used."

"That's not important right now!—Where's Mieihi-chan and Sai!" both Temari and Naruto yelled out in worry.

"I'm…here… though."

Their eyes widened when they noticed a weak voice from above them. Their eyes widened in horror to see Sai on an ink cloud that was holding himself up above them, he had lowered it with his mind, and Mizuumi brought up her ice for him to land slowly and safely down into a laying down position, they encircled him.

"SAI!" Both Sakura and Naruto yelled out to their teammate, from his stomach, he had been slashed but it wasn't too deep, that made Sakura sigh for this, but his clothes were ripped, and some splashes of ink were at his clothes and arms, and the rest was terrible to see deeper cut flesh wounds in X formations around his arms and feet, and everyone around his belly up near his rib cage/

"It seems like I was caught off guard…..oh dear." Sai grinned slightly, Sakura yelling at him to shut up as she transferred chakra into her hands after removing her black gloves.

Gaara came by, "What happened?" he asked him as Sakura and Mizuumi had gone onto healing the artist.

"…We…were under the influence of a sudden aerial attack while you all were under the influence of a Genjutsu…" He muttered as he began…

+Flash back+

"OJOU-SAMA!" He yelled out, his hand pushing her away and pushing her further behind him as he felt the slash of an unknown sword, "GH!" he gasped, and saw the figure in a split second, it was a person with a black hood, and a cape like jacket, it twirled to cut the tail of the bird. "SHIMATTA!" the bird had suddenly dispersed into ink.

Before they fell, there were suddenly caught by white strings, "!" Mieihi's eyes widened from the sudden attack. Her sapphire eyes illuminated as her black wings bursts out, breaking the strings, Sai used this to lunge forward the figure with his tanto.

"You have some courage to come at me with that wound of yours…." He muttered a voice that sounded younger. Yet so dark and a bit deep when he clashed into a scissor like designed bladed sword, held like a kunai, it twirled and hit the handle's end to Sai's wound painfully, and in that very moment, he felt like multiple blades had cut him in every part of his body, he gasped as he felt some cloth ripped, multiple X wounds around his body.

"!" He winced as he fell back, only to find himself landing on the feathers that were scattered like there was some kind of invisible flooring below him, it took him time to see the black wings before him as she stood before him, before he said anything else, Sai's eyes widened when he felt the sudden burning pain from his wound and winced falling to a knee, she turned at his sound.

"Sai-san!" her eyes widened.

"Aah…it seems like the poison took effect already…" He muttered, his voice somehow was like her's, except this time, it was a bit lower and boyish than hers.

Poison? Her eyes widened when she turned around to face him.

Under his hood, he seemed to have noticed her looks, "You…" he mumbled, making her quirk an brow. "…" he had a moment of silence.

Seeing that he wouldn't move though, she moved her feathers with her mind, as he began to cover Sai's wound, some of it forcing his hand to release his wound. "!" his eyes widened to feel something coming out of his wound, he bent down his head to see the wings turning darker and violet.

His eyes widened in shock as he noticed the feathers around him turning dark violet, to his horror of his theory he looked back to see her wings turning violet. "Ojou-sama…!" his voice was still in pain.

She was transferring the poison to herself, was this how she heals? Sacrifice was something he didn't really like when he read it from his books.

In a swift motion, he saw before him, those two clashing together. Mieihi's speed was something he couldn't register when he saw her black sword suddenly in her hand, the young man's sword had also clashed with hers, but he was lowering it to the point of making an irritating sound, intending to distract her as the blade went towards her hand.

Her eye glowed when she suddenly disperses into feathers and appeared right behind him to fling her sword to his neck, which he had promptly dodged with a crouch, and turned to sweep her feet, which happened but backfired when she used her wings to push him away with black spikes that he had blocked with his sword pointing downwards with the direction of his wrist.

But her wings quickly retracted when she was about to expand them, and she nearly cursed at this when she slightly winced.

"So you're taking the pain?" he said in almost a sarcasm tone, something similar to Sasuke in his speech. "Interesting…" but then he raised his hand, black flames beginning to surround him like will-o-wisps.

Her eyes widened to this.

They suddenly turned violet, Sai's screams began to go through her ears as the violet hue from her wings were disappearing, he was forcing the poison back in.

"SAI-SAN!"

"…Why do you choose to use that way of healing, huh?—you can heal in another way can't you?"

She turned her eye to him, glaring at him, and he grinned, only the lower half of his face was visible from his black hood. "So you've noticed, huh?" he tilted his head slightly.

"Normal poison does not go back and forth…" She finally muttered to him, as she looks at him, almost expressionless. The other feathers around her were spiking into needles, pointing at him.

He tilted his head. "…Yes, it is actually a type of poisonous flame I've created….it burns from the inside like real poison, but only deadlier…there are no cure for this once you touched my blade unless I willed it….unfortunately this is how I heal those who have I strike." His hands returned his blade to the black scabbard, prompting it back behind him in almost the similar style to how Sasuke held his sword, except it was up on his shoulder blades. "…I can save your friend here…and also cease attacks towards your party."

So he was the one who launched them… she told to herself, as her eye moved to look back at sigh, making her turn her head to her right, Sai was in no condition on speaking as he fell to the side, clutching onto his wound that had somehow bled even more, and extending painfully.

She winced, and looked back at the black hooded person before her. "…What do you want?" she finally asked.

"…Come with me…to the Prison Cell."

"Prison Cell'?"

He frowned at this. "…There is something…I want you to do…"

"Don't…!" she heard Sai say as she turned around, to see his eye looking at her, the other one was closed.

She grinned faintly at him, she looked back at him, nodding. "….Alright…but first…remove the poison."

The man smirked as he snapped his fingers, and at once, the wound was slowly healing, purplish steam was coming out from it, Sai used this opportunity to bring out his scroll and scribble, but his eye sight was blurring, hand he had suddenly felt exhausted, making a small cloud like circle appear, his mind had said his Jutsu knowingly and it appeared as a small cloud below him, the feathers had blocked his view, and the two of them were gone.

He struggled while holding his belly, turning to see an image not far from him from below, and seeing a flash of blue that he guessed was Mizuumi going towards it.

He winced, but he commanded the weak scribbled cloud to go towards her.

+End+

The cloud below him had long gone disperses into in beneath him during his explanation, slowly feeling the medics do their thing, Shizune had came and Kakashi along with the rest, just in time to hear what had happened.

"It seems like she had made a deal…." Temari muttered worriedly, "…but…what would that bastard want with our Mieihi?"

Gaara, along with Naruto were definitely not pleased by it, but Naruto spoke out first. "That—BASTARD!" his fangs baring.

"Calm down Naruto…" Kakashi held up his hand to place it on his shoulder. "…All we have to do is get her back—but it seems like this man could be one of the Akatsuki."

Sakura blinked as she looked back at Sai, "You did say he was wearing an Akatsuki like black coat right?"

Sai looked up at the sky, before Sakura pounded him, thinking he wasn't listening, he gave a smile and talked. "…It was like it, however it was slightly open from it's high collar, and it had a hood on that covered half of his face….from the looks of it, he has pale white skin at black tips of his bangs were noticeable at the right side of his face, inside was a black round neck with a black chain mail extending to his neck, I was struck by an unusual scissor like katan-"

"DOES HE HAVE THOSE RED CLOUDS OR NOT!" Naruto, Kankuro, Temari, Sakura and Kiba both yelled out in their impatience while Akamaru barked for support.

Sai sighed, "…No….he doesn't have…"

Gaara glared at the spot below him, his eagle eyes going passed the icy coverings of the ice floor beneath their feet, he had a sudden blood lust for blood.

Temari and Kankuro, being the nearest felt entirely uncomfortable from the black aura emanated from their little brother.

"…Anyhow…he seems to be at a disadvantage when it comes to numbers…" Kakashi broke the uneasy tension with a sigh, "…From the number of bandits we've killed—it isn't possible for more of them to be there….the metallic like strings must be something to act as a one-time-defense since it didn't extend to any of out predictions of it attacking any further….."

"So you mean he's alone now?" Shizune followed in, "…I see….however I do not see what does he want to do with…Mieihi…-chan." She froze as her face flushed up.

And somehow Sai had cringed at the thought for the first time.

Gaara on the other hand felt like killing everything as his sand gourd made a crack, his siblings slowly going away from him.

Kakashi tried to calm the boys down, "N-now-now!—I don't think that she would allow that to happen…!"

"What?—I don't get it—what's that?" Naruto asked in confusion.

Neji held his forehead, opening his mouth to say GOD, but he can't, he had a huge headache coming up.

"Naruto…even though everything seems to make sense, you still don't see it." Shino muttered with a sigh, Kiba and Akamaru did the same as they looked at each other.

"OY!" he yelled at their pity for him.

"Anyhow, just standing here won't help this situation."

"G-Gaara…?" Kankuro muttered as his little brother's voice was deeper and scarier than before.

"I will go." He instantly said, Naruto jumped up in volunteering.

"Me as well!—I'll kick that bastards ass!" he growled with a fist up in the air.

Kakashi raised a brow, "…Then I'll come to make sure you guys won't end up killing each other…" the ex-Jinchuuriki and the last Jinchuuriki both glared at him as he sweat dropped. "Alright…let's go." Turning his head, he met Shizune's eyes. "You all stand in guard here and attend to Sai's wounds….it seems to be serious, and if what Sai said is true….we can't take any chances, on the chance that guy didn't keep his side of the deal."

Sakura, Mizuumi and Shizune all nodded, Shino and Kiba as well while Neji was the only one who voice it out. "Understood."

"I want to come as well!" Temari called out, Kankuro had supported this idea as he stepped forward, Gaara paid no attention to this as he turned around, the cork of his gourd dissolved into sand particles.

"Let's go." Gaara muttered as Naruto nodded, and for his siblings, that was a yes as the ice below the 5 of them who were off melted, they let themselves fall as Mizuumi cheered them on.

+Forest Floor/Prison Cell+

It seemed quiet there, metal block buildings and cemented shelters were found surrounding a taller building with a metallic roof that had a spout, perhaps where the metallic strings had came out.

But it was so, dead in that place that the 5 of them walked in the deserted Prison without getting attacked. "Woah…it's like a Ghost Town!" Naruto noted.

"Perhaps we wiped out all of the bandits…" Kankuro stated, but still not lowering his guard while they walked through the streets, "…Hey look!" all of them paused to see where he was pointing at, and saw a round building, there were a bunch of feathers at the door, indicating that, one, Mieihi is in there, and two,

"Her powers must still be active!" Temari had noted, before she had gone forward, Naruto had ran ahead, covering her own urge she yelled out. "OY!"

"It can't be helped." Gaara had muttered as he ran with his friend, raising his hand for sand to rise out from his sand gourd and encircle the whole round building, Naruto running ahead of him with kunais out at his fingers.

"Aah Geez!—so much for planning out!" Temari scratched her head as she lunge forward with the sighing men beside her.

"I'M COMING MIEIHI-CHAN!" Naruto yelled out as he burst through the metallic door with a flying kick, sand rustling around him when he entered into the darkness.

"Naruto-san!"

"MIEIHI-CHAN!" he looked around but it was too dark, "dammit! Where the hell are the-"

*Click*

Their eyes widened before them. The sand around the room and coming in by the doors and door way fell to the floor after Gaara had clicked open the switch.

Soon Temari and Kankuro came in with Kakashi, all having an OAO expression. "…lights….?" Naruto finished what he had said, his expression going into a comical surprise.

Wondering if this is a cliff hanger?—well it would if the chapter wouldn't come at once :D so no worries!

At here, I am already introducing another OC that my brother simply wanted to have.

Yes, I'm a sucker for little kids, especially when he kept on saying. "…I wish I can do that too!" or like "Y'know, if I'm in Naruto…my character would be like this!" and so yes, =_+; I had to do this XD

Any questions?—All are welcomed and Reviews as well! XD XD XD XD

Is Sai's a bit OOC?—I think so DX sorry Sai!

Gaara is doing a good JOB cradling his anger! :D … I think _ _|||

And DAMN, it's so hard to make everyone appear in action D: D: D: D: D: D: D: D: D: D:

Any confusion?—well to make it straight out, everyone else except for Sai and Mieihi, were under the influence of an illusion, otherwise known as a Genjutsu to create illusions.

It seems like this OC has a knack of it, however Mizuumi was able to see through it easily, wondering why?—Read on this story to know how!

PUSHTHAT "REVIEWTHISSTORY"BUTTONNOW!DOIT!DOIT!DOIT!DOIT!DOIIIITT!...PWEASE? DX.