Chapter 11

The next morning. . . . . .

Serena woke to an unusal smell. . . it smelled like. . . .chocolate and lemons. Then she looked around and relized she wasn't in the tree fell that she fell asleep in last night. She blinked and then saw a little note hanging on the enteryway of the canopy. she took it and it said:

Good morning sleepy head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hope ya slept well. Go take a shower and come down for breakfast

and no, you didn't get kidnapped and are being held for ransom.

You sleep densly or it's just we moved very fluidily. . . anyways

go take a shower. I got some fresh clothes from the girls ,namley

Britt. So no need to worry, see ya in a bit.

S.S.

Serena sweatdropped. She found the clothes the note mentioned (a pale lavendar tunic with little sliver star patterns all over it and a silver belt; dark blue leggings; a pair of soft, flexible cream-colored shoes; a pair of black gloves with with moons stitched into them; and 8 deep silver ribbons, each about 4 feet long from tip to tip. [sorry if you don't like 'em, they're what she could find in my closet). And took a shower. She came down to the smell of bacon and the sight of Kakashi and Sakura Sensei hugging. She was so shocked that she tripped on the step and went tumbling down the rest of the stairs, which was most of them, since she was near the top when she tripped. They both looked up and broke their hold when they saw her at the bottom of the stairs going, "Ow...ow...ow...that hurt...ow..."

"Are you ok, Yin?" Kakashi asked.

"What do you think, ya baka?! I just fell down at least 18 stairs!!"

"20, acually."

"SEE?!?!"

"I see your point. Anyway, good morning. What do you want for breakfast?" Sakura Sensei went to the stove and flipped some pancakes over, as toast popped out of the toaster.

"Uh...just fruit, I guess," Serena said uncertianly, sitting in a chair.

"What kind would you like? We have pineapple watermelon, strawberrys, and peaches."

"Uh...S-strawberrys, please."

"Here you go." Sakura Sensei handed her a plate with strawberrys cut in halves on it.

"Uh, thanks."

After an hour, Serena was finished eating and was ushered off to where everone was meeting. Serena was amazed at how different the feild looked now that it was fully decorated. Lights, game booths, and a HUGE dance floor covered from one side to almost the edge of the forest. Paper lanturns and variously colored lights lit and flashed everywhere on the feild. Some kids were finishing putting up speaker systems and suddenly a huge sreech sounded.

"HEY!! WATCH WHERE YOU PUT THAT MICROPHONE!!!!!!"

"SORRY!!!"

"That was painful... Well, what now?" Britt was suddenly there, leaning on a booth, making them all jump.

"Where did you come from?!" Kakashi demanded.

She look patronizingly at him. "Aww, did I scare the little K-k?" She asked in a little kid's voice. "Anyway," she continued in her regular voice, "Looks cool doesn't it? I help put up the dance floor and things like that. Oh, Yin, they need you over at the food table."

She walked over as Britt continued talking to Kakashi. "Yin, can you help get more of the food from the kitchens over there?"

"Sure." She walked over and picked up a tray of sandwiches, then carried it out to the table.

"...Everyone else will be arriving by 9 this morning," Britt was saying as Serena came back. "The Sand ninjas had to go get some stuff from their village, but will be here at about nine. The Festival will go on for a full week or month or so, so they will need lodgings when they get back."

Kakashi frowned. "I'm not entirely sure we have the room. Part of the main inn was damaged in a fire last week, so there might not be enough rooms for them."

"Well...you know that little house I'm living in now?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, there's some empty rooms that they could possibly stay in and..."

"And she seems to know the Sand best, don't you, Britt?" Sasuke was suddenly there, glaring at her. She shrugged.

"So I know them a little. We met, we talked, we're just acquaintances."

"Sure," he raised an eyebrow and she raised one back.

Kakashi looked between them, rolled his eyes, and pushed them apart. "Now you two, you need to be on your best behavior. Save the fighting for later. Britt, that is an excellent plan, and I'm sure you will be on your very best behavior. I'm sure they'll appreciate someone they can talk to and know a little bit."

"That, and I'm sure not many people would be comfortable with them in their homes."

"True. Well, then," Kakashi clapped, "Time to put the finishing touches up! Britt, I would suggest you go home and get those rooms ready."

Yin raised her hand, "Can I go with her?"

"I could use some help," Britt agreed, thinking. "Those rooms have been empty for awhile, so there's probably inches of dust and dirt and what-not there."

"Alright, but come back at 8:45. You need to change into casual clothes for today, but you two, "he pointed to Serena and Britt, "will be showing the Sand ninjas around since they will be staying with you. Alright?" [Serena is staying in an extra room in Britt's house

"Yup." "Got it. See ya!"

They raced back to Britt's house, and Britt unlocked the door. "First things first, we need to clean up the front rooms." After an hour, in which they cleaned the entry room, dining room, living room, and the two bathrooms, Britt unlocked and forced open the rooms that were to be used for the guests. She whistled.

There was a TON of dust everywhere. "Alright," Britt ordered, pulling up a handkerchief tied around her neck, "let's get to work!"

They dusted, mopped, fixed, vacuumed, polished, and generally cleaned the rooms. Then, while Serena changed, she touched up the rooms. Then Britt changed into a long tunic of soft red silk with gold edges and embroidery, loose black pants and a cleaner pair of sneakers. She even put on a pair of deep red fingerless gloves embroidered with gold dragons on instead of her normal plain black ones.

"Fancy much?"

"No, not really" said Britt as serena shook her head.

At exactly 8:43, Britt and Serena entered the finished party feild, but were ushered to the gate to wait for the Sand ninjas. Britt stretched, the settled against the wall. "I'm gonna take a quick nap," she murmured. They all waited, then about 4 minutes before nine, Temari was spotted on her fan. Britt was shaken awake just as they came into sight. She yawned, rubbed her eyes, then spotted them, and waved. One of them waved back, then turned to another and told them something. A few minute later, Kankuro, followed by Gaara, and Temari, who landed a few feet away, came up to Britt and Serena.

"Hey, Britt!" Kankuro greeted her with the air of a dear friend.

Wow, Serena thought, it IS like she knows them better than everyone thinks...weird.

"Hey, Kank...uro," she corrects herself quickly, glancing over at Serena. "Hi, Temari! Hi Gaara!! How you guys doing?"

Gaara shrugs. "Not too bad, I guess. You?"

"Pretty decent. Would you guys like to see where you're staying? You'll be staying with me, since I have extra rooms and part of the inn got blown up." The Sand ninjas grin at that and follow Britt as she points out some important or interesting landmarks and buildings. About ten minutes later, Britt unlocked her front door. "Yin, you can go now. How about you see what time we all need to be back at the party place, k? See ya!"

Yin goes off, and as soon as Britt is sure there is no one around, she takes them to her room, puts up a sound barrier, then turns to them and hugs each in turn. "Oh my gossh, it is SO good to see you guys again!!!"

They hug her back. "Same to you!! Are you ever going to explain about the note?"

"Later. I'll tell everyone my full story later."

A few minutes later, as they were talking, Kankuro said something really stupid that got Britt annoyed. She went to slap him, he managed to dodge her, and she hit Gaara right across the right side of his face, leaving a handprint on the side of his face. She and the others gasped.

"Oh my gosh!! I am so sorry Gaara!! I didn't mean to...hit...you..." She blinked. "I actually hit him...his sand didn't even try to protect him..." She flicked him in the forehead, then started poking his arm and head. "See? It doesn't even move. Temari, you try."

Temari drew back her hand and attempted to hit him, but his sand blocked her about three inches before his face.

"See? Now watch..." She pushed him and he stumbled and had to catch himself on the wall. "Isn't that weird? I mean...Hang on...what was that?"

Kankuro looked out the window. "I think I saw someone go around the corner...but...no, I don't think they saw anything, right?"

"Yeah, but...still...oh, nevermind. Go to your rooms and unpack, ok? That way, we'll all be ready for the festival tonight, k?"

"Got it. See ya!"

"Yup! Hey, I can make lunch if you'd like."

"Ok, thanks!"

"Especially since Kank can NOT cook." Temari teased him as they went to their rooms. "I mean, he almost burned the house down, remember Gaara? He was trying to make pancakes?"

"Oh yeah! that was nasty!"

"Ok, so they were a little over cooked-"

"A LITTLE?! I couldn't even tell what they WERE, they were just blackened crisps!!"

Britt laughed. "Ok, you guys, get changed. I'll bet the others are wondering where the heck we are right now. Hurry up!"

About an hour later, they were changed and ready to go. Britt lead them to the feild, where there were also three new people she'd never seen before. Their headbands were of the Village Hidden in the Snowflake. Two of them were guys, one a blonde, the other a red-head, and the other was blue-haired girl. They were talking to Tsunada, then went to join the other people milling around the festival sight. As Britt and the Sand ninjas came in to the feild, Sakura Sensei called everyone to get with their partners, and those without to go to the other side to be paired up. The girl and blonde boy from the Snowflake went with those with partners and looked around them with interest.

"OK!" Sakura Sensei grinned. "Time to get you guys partnered up. Um...well, first, Britt and Gaara, you two are together. Um..." A few couples later, only Serena and the red head were left, so they were paired.

"Hi. Yin, right? My name's Sassor. So, you live around here?" he asked.

"Ummmmm. . . . . . . .not really I'm sorta here against my will."

"Ummmmmmmm. . . . . . . . . . ?"

"Please don't ask."

"ok...well, I guess we're stuck together for awhile, so... Hey, do you know of a place my friends and I could stay? Apparently, the inn got blown up, so..."

"Do you honestly think we'll get much sleep anyways? But if you and your friends need a place to stay you all can stay in my room I have a fairly large room and even though I "supposed" to use it, I don't"

"Thank you."

"Eh its better use for you three rather than me alone no? So what do you want to do? I haven't been to a festival like this in. . . . . well. Heh heh so um?"

"We could go star gazing on the hilltop."

"Ok I'm good with that."

They climbed up the hill to the tallest hill and laid down on Serena's cloak. They looked at constellations and found pictures in the stars. "Oh look! A dolphin!"

"Where?" Serena craned her neck trying to see it.

"There." He reached across her to point out a group of stars. She looked and saw the vague out line of a jumping dolphin. "Oh yeah! I see it now!"

In the shadows of the trees behind them, Kankuro stood with a passed out Loni on his back, eating a type of meat-kabob. He wasn't sure why, but that red-headed ninja seemed so familiar..."They seem to get along pretty well..." he murmured to himself, fiercely chewing on a tough piece of steak. He listened to their conversation for awhile.

"Mmm?..." Loni shifted on his back and accidentally sent a small breeze carrying the smell of the kabobs to Sassor and Serena's noses.

Sassori sniffed the air."Do you smell cooked meat?"

Serena smelled around too. "Yeah..it seems to be coming from over there..." she turned around, but Kank, with a small curse, had disappeared by then. She shrugged. "Guess it was just our imaginations. mm, now I'm hungry..."

"Same here. Let's go get some food."

"OK!"

"What do you eat?"

"I never had a taste for fatty meals so I never go out to eat, so you pick or we could got to my place and I'll make us a picnic real fast,"Serena suggested while Sassor weighed his options. "And if go with the picnic I'll make whatever you want and we can avoid people, fatty foods, and the festival."

"Lets go with the picnic shall we?"

"OK!!!" So Serena picked up her cloak and dusted it off and put it back on and adjusted her glasses (note Serena is wearing fake regular glasses to hide her true eye colors there a light purple ear things and the glasses have no frames) "So? you wanna just come back and Stargaze or do you want to do something else while we can?"

"Um...I guess we could come back here...it's fairly quiet and-" his stomach growling cut off what he was saying. They both laughed, heading to Britt's house. Serena opened up a bunch of cabinets and raised her eyebrows, thinking Well, at least Britt keeps a large supply of food handy... she brought out some ingredients and the next few hours were filled with Serena cooking and Sassor getting the ingredients. She even let him try cooking, and he was ok at it, but not nearly as good as Serena. After about three hours, a picnic basket was packed and ready to go. They headed back to the hill.

In the shadows of the trees, Gaara and Britt sat. Well, Gaara sat against a tree, and Britt laid asleep on him. He was gently stroking her wings, producing a soft, gentle, purr-like sound from her. It was unheard by Serena and Sassor because a gentle wind had picked up, masking the noise.

Serena and Sassor talked about people in the Villages, and Gaara listened, bored but interested. He listened as they chatted, Serena unknowingly giving Sassor, his real name Sasori, information he needed for his mission.

"So," he started, leaning back lesurly on his hands, "you're a good friend of the people around here, right?"

She shrugged, also leaning back on her hands. "Well, a little, I guess. I know at some of them pretty well, like Britt. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," he said quickly. "I just...wanted to know a little bit about them since I'll be stuck here with them for a month. That's all. So, who's this Britt person you were talking about?"

Serena sighed and chuckled a little. "A very complicated person, that's who." She bit into a sandwitch.

Sasori cocked his head. "Explain, please."

Serena shrugged. "Well, see. She has these sort of mood swings alot, and her eyes change color depending on her mood. She has a LOT of power and can control all the elements, which I think is pretty cool. Um...oh, she has these big golden wings that come out sometimes, and she REALLY likes Gaara, and I think he likes her back. Uh...she has a soft spot behind her right ear that will make her sort of fall asleep or go uncouncious if rubbed right, and her spine and upper back is also quite sensitive."

Sasori was staring at her intentley and taking notes. "Wait...Gaara of the Desert? That blood-thirsty boy with the Shikaku demon in him?"

"Yup, but he's not very blood-thirsty with Britt around. He can accually be quite cheerful occationally. Shikaku is calmed by her presence is what I think she told me before...huh, I dunno, but I do know that he can falll asleep safely around her."

Sasori's eyes widened. "Really?!"

Serena took a bite out of an apple. "Yup."

'Interseting' Sasori thought. "so do you now anything about the others?"

"wow this is gonna take some time" Serena smiled. "OK first there Jakob, hes the boy with the brown hari and is not a ninja in any village but has the potetial to be. He, Britt, and I were traveling together in search of something."

"What were you serching for." asked Sasori.

"Heh. That a secret my dear red headded friend. Now theres Naruto Uzumaki. Hes the funny one with blonde hari. He tends to attck then think most of the time. Hes loud, straight to the piont, knowalagble, kind, careing, and loves ramen to death. He also wants to be the hokage when he grows up." Sasori nodded his head sorting all the data given to him. This went on for an hour or two.

"Wow you know a lot of people here." Sasori commented.

"yeah,. . . . . . . .though I'll never addmitt it to their faces I enjoy being here. I like the fact that people just don't ignore me. I like the fact there weilling to help and protcet me whenever they can. . . . . . but. . . . . . . . . .I don't wanna get to attached to them."

'strange girl she is' "Why is that if you don't mind me asking?" Sasori asked.

"Well, you know that thing I'm serching for. Well it dangoruse and could cost then there lives. . . . and I don't think I could live with the guilt of them dying for my sake. . . . again."

"Again?"

"OK I'm just gonna tell you. I'm serching for my past and its full of danger and power and I can't know if they die or not but I KNOW that people have died for me before and I don't want that to happen again!!!!" Serena said. "heh you probably think this is weird but. . . . .it feels as tough I've been here before and I creeps me out to possibly know they used to know my former self."

"Wow. . ." was all Sasori could say.

"Hey look what I spotted in the sky" Serena said pointing to the stars. Sasori squinted to the spot and saw a pattern that formed a tear drop in the sky. "I'm sorry if I put all this on you. I don't want your pity or help I just. . . . . . needed to get that off my chest. It feels good now and your just so easy to talk to. I never really talked to anyone but Britt or jakob like this easily if this fast."

"Well, I guess I'm here to help..." He was about to say more when a large announcement called them all to the main dance floor. He groaned. "And here we go..."

"What do you mean?" Serena asked. Just then she realized what he meant and stood up. "Come on Sassor were going."

"You mean your gonna try and escape what anub, jounnin, and chunnin?"

"So I might not be a ninja be sure as heck I can beat them!"

He looked at her in a strange way for abit, then seemed to decide on something. "Well, how about we brave out a day or two? My friends and I will be going in about a week and we might be able to bring you with us. I'll have to talk it over with them, of course. Why don't you come meet them? I have a feeling you'll all get along..."

He led her over to the others he came with. They looked up from their conversation with interest and some confusion. "Yin, this is Deride," he pointed to the tall blonde boy with a pony-tail, "and this is Uni," he pointed to the blue haired girl with a flower in her bun, "guys, this is Yin. She's been telling me a bit about the people around here and says she's very interested in new places." A small communication seemed to pass between them.

Uni looked at her. "Really? Hey, could you tell me who that girl is over there?"

Serena looked. "Oh, that's Sakura. She's..."

For the next few days, Serena was constantly with the three, unknowing of their plans, telling them all they needed and more about the ninjas and the villages to carry out their plan. In the process, she unwillingly/accidentally got fairly attached and trusting to them.

YO! I hope you enjoyed the latest Chapter!!!!

Thankies to all who reveiwed!!!!!

Thanks Britt-chan!!!!

Till Nextime my loyal readers!! Ja Nee!!!!

Yin Cardinal