AN:

Since I didn't end up giving her full name like I intended- to clarify on the last chapter's name Death Spirit Water Dragon, Shirei's full name is Mizuryu Shirei (Shi-death, rei-spirit, mizu-water, ryu- dragon) with the intent that if Haku still had his family name it would have been Mizuryu, but since he told us in flashback it was his mother's side he got the bloodlimit from, his mother's maiden name is lost- in fact Haku's last name entirely is lost, heh…

Sir Squigglim: Welcome to the party late one, keep reading, there is much insanity to enjoy!

IsabelCortez: ah- study-ing, I do without, if I didn't learning it class- then I didn't learn it usually.. a few exceptions, like if I missed class or something… anyway, I just have homework to do still before finals, no studying…

DarkRavie- wow- someone beat the fangirl squad to reviewing first- :snicker: but anyway, next comes dinner- than a short but incomplete visit to Rain country- then the Chuunin tournament- after that- you'll just have to wait…

Dragonrider666: whoa- getting' kinda creep now- but glad you like it 0.o;

Serenity Maxwell: yep, a huge step, a smile that's intentional, not an accident or a blip… as for Naruto, well, of course it's rough, life isn't easy, he should know, this is effectively his second try xD. But if you want more Gaara action, wait till the scene I was telling StarlightScribe about during the third part of the Chuunin Exams- :Itachi style Smirk:

Wow, chapter one alone has crossed 5k hits xD

End AN

"So why is Klein only now becoming your Sensei," Itachi asked once everyone sat down at the table.

Shirei looked up with a smirk, "'cause all my previous senseis got scared of my power. Every time they see me unleash my Kekkei Genkai using all that Chakara they're afraid I'll lose control, and every time I don't, they get even more afraid."

"So it sounds like controlling the Two-tail comes easier to you," Naruto wondered aloud.

"Not at first," Shirei turned to him, "My vulnerable years were very unsteady, and everyone tried to keep me away from large bodies of water," she scoffed as she said that, "But after I got used to using Chakara all over again, I already was used to using vast amounts of it at once. Why, was it hard for you to re-master your skills?"

"Wait," Sakura interrupted, "How do you know Naruto's- well, young again like you?"

Shirei looked to Itachi, "The way he glanced from me to Naruto when I made it clear who I was, I know the rumors about me- I spread most of them myself. But not many people see me without my mask unless I trust them or plan to kill them. When Klein arrives to find us will be the first time even he will have seen me without my mask."

"So you don't really know who Naruto is?"

"Should I?"

"Sakura!" Naruto cut her off, "In time perhaps, but I'm sure none of us are willing to share everything just yet…"

Shirei looked appraisingly at Naruto with an intense curiousity.

"You never did answer my other question though," she said at last.

"Was it hard to re-learn to use my Chakara," Naruto took a breath that came out as a sigh, "Where to begin, it was devastating when everyone in the village treated me like the demon itself. Then when I found I couldn't use my Chakara anymore beyond reflexive instinct. I didn't finally start to master it again until the day I became a Genin again. Even then that was only the beginning. I haven't had time to master some of my old moves, mostly because I don't want to use my old trademark techniques yet anyway, they'll give away who I was."

"Well, apparently my village did a better job of concealing my identity. It wasn't until my first Sensei that anyone learned who I really was. They started teaching me again as soon as I could walk and talk."

Naruto scowled, "Well, it was my plan, I didn't account for the fact I'd be starting from scratch."

"But still, you must have told some people, and when they realized you were having difficulties, didn't they try to do something?"

"What could they do- I needed to be re-trained, so they stuck me in school again…"

Shirei actually looked saddened for a moment. "At least I didn't have to go through that hardship again."

Naruto's head jerked up- "No- I, I didn't mean," Naruto realized he'd made her remember her task to becoming a Mist ninja, to kill a fellow student, since her first time through would have been before Zabuza.

"I suppose I'm glad for Zabuza because of that if nothing else," Shirei smirked, "Such a silly little test, prove you're a true Shinobi by snuffing out someone else's chances of being one."

"I didn't mean to stir memories, for me academy life was only bothersome because I lacked the ability to demonstrate my talents."

"That's always frustrating, like trying to walk before you've figured out your muscles are all mush again."

Naruto chuckled, "Yeah, I about pissed myself when I fell flat on my face the first time."

"Oh, you beat me there at least," Shirei chuckled.

The others at the table sat there in silence feeling out of sorts. At last Matsuri opened her mouth to ask a question, but she caught Gaara's slight head shake and stopped.

"Thanks for the food," Gaara said as he sat up from the table. Matsuri followed suit and the two left the room.

"Those two are an item aren't they," Shirei asked.

"They're student-teacher- and something more I suppose," Naruto responded. Itachi and Sakura exchanged looks, then Sakura started to laugh.

"What?"

"Never you mind, well, the food was great though."

"It ought to have been, you helped."

Sakura smiled brightly as she and Shirei gathered up the dishes. Itachi and Naruto headed into the next room where Gaara was sitting on a couch with Matsuri leaning against him. He had his arms around her waist and his head perched on her shoulder. But the minute Naruto and Itachi entered the room he let go and she scooted over.

(AN Any artists out there- cause that image just screams fanart)

"Don't you miss having friends who knew you," Matsuri asked.

"I did at first, but none of them really knew me anymore, so I've had to make new friends." He had been expecting Gaara to fill Matsuri in, but he still wanted it to be Gaara's choice rather than his…

Shirei and Sakura came into the room much later; Naruto had fallen completely asleep with his head hanging off the armrest of a chair. Itachi had his eyes shut and seemed to be resting as well. Gaara and Matsuri on the couch had resumed their lovey position and she had fallen asleep in it. Sakura came in and frowned…

"Well, it is late," Shirei forgave. Sakura just gave her a curious look. But looking over at Gaara and Matsuri she relented and sighed.

"I'd wake them but- then I'd have to roll out the bedrolls." Shirei smirked.

Sakura looked over at Itachi and wondered if he was really asleep. Thinking back, she hadn't ever seen him sleep before so she had no way to gauge. Gaara had given up trying to hide his situation with Matsuri, because it would require waking her. While Itachi was completely still. Sakura took a couple tentative steps. Slowly creeping up she stood over him. He was breathing steady, his eyes weren't moving under the eyelids, which meant if he was asleep, he wasn't in REM. She spent quite a bit longer than she intended studying him. She got to thinking, just how alike they could be at times. Every now and they she'd get a drastic reminder that they weren't the same person, but sometimes- sometimes he seemed- almost better…