A/N: Again, I'm sorry that I haven't updated! School is eating me already! Oh, I've posted a WIP picture of Kisame and Tsume on my DA account. Go see please. Now, in case you guys weren't aware, I rewrote the last chapter and it seems much better to me now. If you haven't, please read the new version. Anyway, I think I've set the stage for a little more conflict. Kisame is confused as to why he cares about Tsume, and Tsume is plagued by a new nightmare/dream. The first one to guess who her tormentor is gets a cameo in the next chapter! Guess, guess, guess! And I have another question. Should I write a lemon in the end? I've written one or two . . . or five . . . (blushes) and I think I could write one for Kisame and Tsume. But I wanna know what you readers think. I will only post the lemon if you guys want one. Please read and review! IKU ZE! (and one more thing: Spoiler alert for manga! In the last two characters, Leader-sama and Blue-chan have been reveled and I'm using their real names.)

UNSPOKEN

Tsume looked from one hand to the other, amber eyes wide and brows raised in confusion. She flexed the fingers again, once more expected pain, but there was nothing. "What in the world? How did—?!" Tsume looked up at Kisame, as if looking for an answer, but the shark-nin was fast asleep, his breathing deep and even. Tsume's surprise faded to quiet joy as she saw Kisame's chest rise and fall with breath, as his eyelids twitched slightly with his own dreams. He was alive, very much alive. A warm, beaming smile curved Tsume's lips. She knew without thinking that she cared about Kisame, and seeing him alive and well after her nightmare made Tsume beam with joy.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Tsume looked over her shoulder to see Tobi's masked face peeking in through the crack the open door aloud. "Tsu-chan?" he whispered, catching Tsume's eye. Tsume nodded and Tobi opened the door fully. He was quiet as he stepped inside, and closed the door with just as much care. Tobi walked over to the bed, and took up a seat in the chair that Kisame had been occupying before.

It was at that point that Kisame woke up. He opened his eyes quickly as usual, looking around for possible threats as he had been trained. When only found Tsume in his arms and Tobi sitting to his left, Kisame relaxed. When he did that however, he realized the unwrapped state of Tsume's arms. His eyes widened. "Tsume?! What's going on?!"

Tobi looked looked around Kisame to see what the shark-nin was so surprised about. "Tsu-chan?! Your arms are unwrapped! Are you alright?!" he cried, proceeding to panic.

Tsume looked up to Kisame imploringly, and made the sign of writing on something with her hands, trying to get her point across. Worry still in his eyes, Kisame nodded, gently eased Tsume from his arms so that she could sit upon the bed. She gave him a reassuring nod as he rose from the bed and got to his feet, giving her a glance over his shoulder, as if she might start writhing in pain at any moment. Tsume certainly hoped that that wasn't going to happen. Tobi kept babbling questions and his own worries while Tsume tried in vain to calm him down, giving as many arm gesticulations as she could to show that her arms were perfectly fine. Of course, nothing did any good. Tsume sighed in defeat.

"Here, Tsume," Kisame said, pushing a notebook and pen into Tsume's line of sight. "You have a lot of explaining to do. Start writing."

Tsume resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She opened the notebook to a fresh page, and put the pen to the paper. As always, her handwriting was clean and easy to read. "When I fell asleep, my arms were still in the bandages, and they hurt a little bit. I had this strange dream . . . do you want me to explain it?" Kisame and Tobi—who had stopped panicking—both nodded. Tsume recounted her dream, forcing back the tears that threatened when she came to the part of Kisame's death. Even though she knew it was a dream, the image still scared her and made her want to cry. When she was done explaining the dream, Tsume paused a moment before continuing. "Before I woke up, I felt an overwhelming feeling of warmth and caring, like everyone was reassuring me that I would be alright, that my dream wouldn't come true. It was so strange. When I woke up, my arms weren't bandaged, and they didn't hurt at all. I can't explain it."

Tobi held out his hands towards Tsume, and she set aside her writing implements to move towards him. She held out her arms, allowing Tobi to go over them with his hands, both glowing green with what Tsume had learned was his chakra. Tsume couldn't see Tobi's expression, so she had no idea of what he was thinking. But soon, his hands ceased to glow, and he withdrew them "Tsu-chan's dream healed her!" Tobi exclaimed, voicing the thoughts of both Tsume and Kisame. "Tsu-chan has magic healing dreams!" Tobi began babbling. "Tobi couldn't heal her! Tobi is a bad boy!"

Tsume shook her head vigorously from side to side. "No, Tobi-nii-san!" she wrote quickly. "It's not your fault! Please, don't blame yourself!" Tsume paused for a moment, an odd look in her amber eyes. "There are some things that just can't be explained. Aki-obaa-chan taught me that."

"Who is this Aki, anyway?" Kisame asked, siting down on the edge of the bed and catching Tsume's gaze. "She seems really important to you."

Tsume smiled sadly, putting her pen once more to the paper. "She is. Aki-obaa-chan was the one who saved me. I don't have any memories before I woke up in an alley with my throat and back cut. I tried to call out, but as you can guess, I couldn't. The people who saw me just looked away and kept walking. They didn't want to deal with me. But Aki-obaa-chan saved me. She wrapped me in her shawl and took me home. She cared for me, cleaning my wounds and bandaging my neck and back. I stayed in bed for days, wondering if I had died and ended up in some wonderful heaven. But when I woke up one day, I wasn't tired any more. I sat up in bed and found myself looking into the kindest face that I had ever seen. She gave me a slate and chalk to write with, and I told her what I remembered, or rather, what I didn't remember. I couldn't even remember my own name.

"Aki-obaa-chan gave me the name Tsume, and she cared for me until I was well enough to do so myself. I started to help her around the house and Temple. Aki-obaa-chan was a sort of priestess. She wasn't very powerful, but she did have some spiritual power. She could cure sickness, and speak to the departed. She could reach out to the spirits of the dead and speak with them. She taught me what she could, but I never had much talent. Well . . . that's not entirely true."

Tsume paused a moment, making Tobi tilt his head to the side. "What does Tsu-chan mean?" he asked. "Do you have some spiritual power?"

"Well, I suppose so," Tsume wrote. "I can connect directly with the spirits, and feel what they did in their life and before they died. I can learn their names and about their dreams and hopes. I try not to, though. It's because I can lose myself in their minds. I can forget who I am; where the spirit ends and I begin. If I stayed connected for too long, I would cease to be myself. But when I reached out to Zabuza-san and Haku-kun's spirits, they gave me something. They gave me their strength and their protection."

Tobi nodded. "So that's how Tsu-chan could use Zabuza-san's sword," he said. "His spirit gave your arms his strength. You don't have that strength on your own, so that's why your arms were hurting so much."

Tsume shrugged. "I guess," she wrote. "I never did understand it very well, but that explanation is all that I can think of at the moment."

Kisame furrowed his brows and scratched the back of his neck. "This certainly wasn't what I was expecting when I decided to take you with me, Tsume," he said, frown changing to a half smile. "You're certainly much more than just some mute girl." Then a thought struck him. "Just how old are you, anyway?"

"Almost seventeen," Tsume wrote.

Kisame blinked. "You're sixteen?" Tsume nodded. "You look older." Tsume shrugged, blushing slightly. "Well, anyway," Kisame got up and rose to his feet, "we should start your training again, I suppose."

"WAIT, UN!" The door flew open and Deidara burst in. He sprinted over to the bed and launched himself at Tsume. Tsume fell to the side as she was hug-tackled by the eccentric artist, a happy smile on his face as he nuzzled Tsume's cheek. "You're alive, un!" he cried happily. "I can still pass on my artistic genius, un!"

UNSPOKEN

The dull thud of Kisame block Tsume's blows filled the clearing along with the sound of feet in the dirt and quick breathing. Tsume danced around her larger opponent, searching for openings in his defense. She had only found two so far, and each time she had aimed for them, Kisame had blocked her with ease. But Tsume was quick to learn, incorporating the moves Kisame used into her own style, using all the moves that she had seen and stored away in her memory.

Kisame had also noticed that Tsume's blows had become more powerful. Even with Tsume's odd explanation about her contact with Zabuza and Haku, he still didn't quite understand how that could have made her physically stronger. There was a different look in her eyes as well, like a fire was smoldering in the amber depths. Her breathing was quick and measured, and never took her eyes off of Kisame, studying and memorizing his every move. Tsume's photographic memory kept Kisame on his toes, pushing him to keep using different combinations and varying attacks. Had Tsume been raised a ninja, she would have been a truly worthy opponent, even without a voice.

"Keep your guard up, Tsume," Kisame instructed as Tsume got her arms up just in time to block one of his own attacks. "You may be fast, but you need to keep your guard up at all times. Remember, you'll have to train with Itachi later today."

Tsume leaped back to give herself some breathing room, giving a small shudder at the thought of fighting the dark and elegant shinobi. It had been decided that Kisame would train her in taijutsu and the using of her newly acquired sword. Itachi would teach her in the arts of ninjutsu and genjutsu. Deidara would instruct her on the use of exploding clay and bombs, while Tobi would try to impart some of his healing ability to her. Considering that Tsume seemed determined, and was becoming more and more able, it had been tentatively decided that she would be part of the mission given to Kisame, Itachi, Deidara, and Tobi. Today would be the last day of Tsume's taijutsu training with Kisame—she would train with her sword later—and after lunch she would begin her ninjutsu training with Itachi. It was a prospect that made Tsume both excited and fearful.

UNSPOKEN

Tsume ate her lunch quickly, downing her glass of water a bit more slowly. Setting down her cup, Tsume retied her hair back into a tight braid which she coiled and pinned into a bun at the nape of her neck. She also tied a strip of cloth over her hairline to keep stray wisps out of her face. While she ate, Tsume had been looking over the scrolls on chakra control and some of the basic jutsus, all of which had been given to her by Tobi, who thought that if she had some prior information, her training with Itachi—which would likely be the most difficult—would be easier to handle. Now Tsume rolled up the scrolls, resealing them neatly and rising to her feet.

"Hang on, Tsume," Kisame said, coming up behind Tsume and putting a hand on her shoulder. She turned to meet his eyes, her own questioning. Kisame looked away for a moment before continuing. "I'm . . . sorry," he said quietly. "I shouldn't have let you get taken like that." Tsume looked at Kisame in confusion and he quickly withdrew his hand. "Go on," he said. "Itachi will be waiting for you."

Pausing to give Kisame one last curious look, Tsume bowed her head to him, and then exited the clearing where she had been training. Itachi had arranged to meet her at a small pond not far away from the inn where he, Tsume, and the others were staying. Tsume had wondered about the location, but had decided not to ask Itachi about it. As she walked, Tsume made sure that her kunai pouch and shuriken holster were secured and stocked. She soon came to the pond where Itachi had told her to meet him. Itachi was waiting for her, standing calmly on the water's surface, small ripples emanating from where his feet touched the water. Tsume continued walking until she stood at the edge of the pond. She rested her hands at her sides, and waited politely for Itachi to speak. His hand delved into his cloak, and he produced a blue-bordered scroll. He tossed it over to Tsume, and she caught it with deft hands.

"Sign language," Itachi explained. "Read and memorize it quickly so that you don't need to write when you wish to communicate. It will also help with your katas. Now, if you please, Tsume-san."

Tsume nodded and opened the scroll. Her keen amber eyes flew across the images of hands and fingers held in various poses, each with a different sound and/or meaning. Her mind needed to see images only once before they were fixed permanently in her mind. Faster than Itachi had expected, Tsume closed the scroll, and tossed it back to him.

"Thank you, Itachi-sama," Tsume said with her hands, slender fingers moving quickly. "This is much easier for me."

Itachi nodded and stowed the scroll back in his cloak. "Very good," he said. "Now, according to Kisame, you've seen him walking on water. Do you remember how he explained it?"

"Yes, I do," Tsume signed, nodding affirmatively. "I believe that you have to exert a constant stream of chakra from the soles of your feet in order to keep yourself on the water's surface. Is that right?"

Itachi nodded again. "Yes, that's the basic idea," he said. "Now, try to walk over to me." Itachi swept out his hand, indicating the water that separated Tsume and himself. "You should remove your weapons."

Nodding, Tsume removed her holster and pouch, setting them to the side before straightening back up. She brought her hands before her, closing her eyes and focusing her chakra. She felt the familiar tingling warmth as chakra moved through her body and gathered in her feet, at the same time calling up her memory of the time when Kisame had walked across the surface of the river. She gave herself only a moment's pause, before opening her eyes and stepping out onto the water's surface with her right foot. Her foot sank past the surface the moment her foot touched water, but Tsume set her jaw, pushing more chakra out the soles of her feet to keep herself up. She felt her footing steady, and the bottom of her foot rise to just a centimeter below the surface. Cautiously, she put all weight on her right foot, and lifted up her left to place it ahead of the right. Her movements remained cautious even when she was standing relatively steadily. Once sure that she would not sink, Tsume lifted her eyes to Itachi, who still stood where he had been before, watching Tsume with his piercing onyx eyes.

UNSPOKEN

Pein looked over the scroll, and raised a solitary eyebrow. "This is slightly unexpected," he remarked, his brow lowering to furrow. "They've picked up a little waif."

Konan came around and looked over her partner's shoulder, her eyes scanning the scroll in his hands. The paper flower adorning her blue hair rustled slightly. "A mute girl untrained as a ninja. What use could she be?"

Pein set the scroll back down on his desk and raised his unique eyes to Zetsu who stood several feet back from the desk. "What is your take, Zetsu?" he asked his subordinate.

"We have yet to discover what powers, if any, the girl possesses," the white side of Zetsu said.

"We should just eat her," Zetsu's black half said.

Pein shook his head. "No, I don't think so." He thought for a moment. "If Itachi thinks that she is worth training, then perhaps she has some skill that we are not aware of as of yet. Is that possible, Zetsu?"

"We only saw her in passing when we took a look at how the mission is going," Zetsu replied. "We have not spoken to any of them, as it did not seem necessary. Shall we go again and ask Kisame? He seems to be quite close to the girl."

It was Konan who raised her eyebrows. "Close?" she questioned.

"That is to say, he was the one carrying her when she was injured," Zetsu explained. "No one else had been wounded, so we left."

"I see," Pein said. "Watch from a distance, Zetsu; do not let them sense your presence." The double-sided nin nodded, and sunk back into the floor, leaving Pein and Konan alone. Pein looked over at his partner. "What do you think? Has Kisame possibly taken in an apprentace?"

"It is doubtful," the origami-nin said. "If he had wished to do such a thing, then he would have likely taken on that Suigetsu. There is probably more to this than Zetsu knows. Shall I watch as well, Pein?"

The leader of Akatsuki shook his head. "No, just let things run their course. Let time answer our questions."

UNSPOKEN

A/N: (dodges flying objects) I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I'm listening to a very evil song, and it made me think of Pein (Akatsuki leader) and Konan (Blue-chan)! I dunno why! I'm sorry! Please don't kill me! (runs away)