DreamXEscape: Okay, I've neglected this chapter for some weird reason and I'm sorry for that. However, since I now have been developing some followers for this story, I need to write a new chapter. So here you go, guys! I hope you like it!

Tell me if anyone is OOC or if my writing is awkward or bad.

Enjoy!

Asami POV

"Come on, Gramma Michi, can I come in now?" I whine and pound on the door, stomping my foot like a spoiled child in the process.

"Are you dry?" She asks from the other side.

I let out an irritated growl. "Yes." Damn her… She just had to make me go out and clean Gappa's pin. To add to that I had to clean off all the dirt and…ugh… feces in the stream out back. After that she refused to let me in due to the fact that I'd drip water all over the house.

She opens the door a crack and peaks out. I try to shove past her but she slams the door closed. The wooden obstacle slams against my face and take stumble a step back. Tears spring up in my eyes and I hold my nose in pain. "Liar!" She shouts and I hear the latches lock.

"Please?" I whine loudly and kick the door with my foot. I cross my wet arms across my chest, a shiver sliding down my back from the cold.

"Take your clothes off outside if you want in that bad!" I can hear Mimo giggling loudly from inside. I'll deal with her later…

I bob from one foot to the other childishly and whine as loud as I can. "But it's cold!"

"Just do it! You can come inside and change into warm clothes." Gramma Michi spits acidic, getting irritated with me and my antics.

"Fine!" I huff and pull my shirt over my head, slinging it against the stone pathway. It makes a wet smacking sound and I turn my back to the article.

I slither out of my pants and slide them down halfway when a voice rings out behind me. "What are you doing?"

I flush at the familiarity but shake off my embarrassment. It's just Shikamaru. "Striping. What does it look like?" I step out of the soaked garment and kick it towards my shirt. "Gramma Michi wouldn't let me in." I glance at the pair. Choji holds his hand over his eyes, trying to be polite but a deep blush is clearly visible on his face. Poor guy... Shikamaru just stares at me face, careful not to look anywhere else. I stick my tongue out at him, "Are you just going to stand there? What do you want anyway?" I start to walk inside, Gramma Michi hackling at the situation I got myself in.

He narrows his eyes at me, faint pink tinting his cheeks. "The Hokage wants to talk to you."

I jerk my head back in his direction so fast that it hurts my neck. "What?" Why would the Hokage need to see me?… Does she know?

He sighs irritably, "The Hokage wants to see you. Now." I notice his eyes dart swiftly to my chest and then back to my face.

I glare at him and cross my arms over my chest, telling him with my body language that I seen his glance. "Why?"

His cheeks flush a little redder at me catching him in the act. "How am I supposed to know? Ask her."

I let out a long breath. "Whatever. Give me a minute to change."

As I head inside I hear him grumble, "Women."

Shika POV

EARLIER THAT DAY

"Shikamaru… What do you want this early in the day?" Lady Tsunade asks, pouring another cup of "tea".

"I've been having suspicions about two young women who recently moved into the village from the Mist." I state, hands in pockets. I try not to meet her eyes. Now that I'm here it seems kind of ridiculous to have such suspicions of two girls.

The Hokage merely grins, she obviously thinks it's ridiculous too, and jokes, "You know, I'm not a matchmaker. I can't help you in that area of your life."

I feel my eye twitch in annoyance. "That's not what I meant. These girls… " I sigh, trying to find the right words to say. "They don't look like any Mist villagers I've ever seen, they don't act like Mist villagers, and they sure as Hell don't talk like Mist villagers. They claim to be mere civilians but one looks and acts just like a shinobi… She's too fit and too keen for a normal woman."

Lady Tsunade quirks an eyebrow at this. At least she's finally being serious about it. That's a lot better than her troublesome jokes... "Really?… What are they're names?"

"Mimo and Ami. Supposedly they're sisters but they don't look anything alike. I was told that one was adopted… I never caught their last names." They're story was a bit too well thought out as well. Normal people don't spill out their life story to two strangers they just met.

Tsunade nods, "Common names. If they're from the Land of Water then they would need passports to get past the guards at the main gate… The Mizukage normally warns me if any of his villagers are headed this way…" She thinks for a long moment and takes a long gulp of sak- I mean, tea. "I'll look into the matter and contact the Mizukage tomorrow."

I cross my arms and sigh, "And what about until Mizukage replies to your message? What if they attack? I don't mean to try overstep your decisions but shouldn't there be someone watching them?"

Tsunade eyes me suspiciously, a amused smile creeping across her face. "Why don't you bring the girls in so I can see if your suspicions are reasonable or not?"

I groan. Troublesome… "Yes, ma'am." Why do I keep doing this to myself?

PRESENT

I watch her from the corner of my eye, wet brown hair sticking to the side of her face… Can she really be dangerous?… She has to be. Her body is too muscular…too disciplined NOT to be dangerous…

"Is there something wrong with your eyes?" A voice jerks me back to reality and I blush, turning my head in the opposite direction so Ami can't see.

I shove my hands as deep into my pockets as I can get them. "There's no need to be vindictive."

I hear her scoff but focus my attention on one particular cloud hanging in the sky. It's shaped like a butterfly perched on top of a tiger lily… Too bad people can't be clouds… Just cruising along the sky, not caring where you go or who you see. Maybe wars wouldn't be so common if people could just learn to go with the tide and ease up. The butterfly cloud slowly breaks apart into tiny clumps of white fluff.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?" Ami's voice demands in that deep tone of hers. I try to ignore her further but she knows I'm bluffing. "I asked why the Hokage wants me?" I can hear a hint of worry in her voice and I look at her. I can see the doubt and fear etched into her chocolate brown eyes as she tries to glare at me.

"I don't know… You'll just have to figure that out when you meet her." I cross my arms behind my head and pop my neck. Why should she be so worried?…

Her odd behavior continues when she asks in a voice so soft that I can barely hear her. "Are we in trouble?… You don't think she's going to make us leave the village do you?" Her hair hangs across her face like a curtain and I can't tell what her expression is.

I feel my heart melt a bit at the sight of such an unconstrained woman in distress. "I doubt it. Lady Tsunade just like to know who's in her village so she can properly govern it. If you were in trouble she'd send a team to get you guys and force you out." That's a lie but I can't help but hope it makes her feel better… At least it'll tide her over so she won't whine or complain.

But she doesn't whine or complain or even speak. She only nods her head and connect eyes with Mimo. I can feel Choji's eyes on my back but I ignore him. The four of us are quiet for a long moment and for the first time in my entire life, the silence bothers me.

"So… how are things with Gramma Michi?" She still doesn't meet my gaze but I stare at her from peripheral vision. Her jaw is clamp shut with an intensity that screams of stress and worry and a forefront trying to hide it. Her fists are clenched so hard that her knuckles are white. Her body is tense and rigid, like a panther ready to pounce… No, like a deer caught in the eyes of a predator.

"Fine." She finally says, spitting the word out like vinegar.

Her eyes narrow at the dirt pathway and I sigh. Troublesome woman… I can't but keep staring at her. Everything about her screams danger. She has an aura around her that seems so dark and tense… almost like Sasuke Uchiha's…

Her eyes suddenly snap to mind, "Will you stop staring at me?"

I stare ahead at the path before us, kicking rocks at trees and watching them bounce off the bark. "Hmph. Whatever. Why are you in such a bad mood anyway?"

She glares at me and her mouth hangs open in shock. "Are you seriously asking me that? Two strange men just saw me in my underwear. That's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me!" Her face turns a cute shade of pink and her lower lip pooches out into a pout.

Wait?… Cute?

"Stop being such a drag." I cross my arms behind my head and force my eyes on the road and not on the mysterious young woman on my right.

"Stop being so troublesome." She counters and I do my best to repress a grin. This girl… She's going to be the death of me, I just know it. She crosses her arms across her chest and her baggy sweater bunches up around her armpits. After her little strip session, Ami didn't have a spare set of clothes. I didn't exactly want to make the Hokage wait, nor did I want to drag Ami to her office in nothing but her underwear. Although I don't think I'd mind that sight I grudgingly handed over my black sweater for her to wear.

The sweater is way too big for her and it drags across her thighs as she walks. I see a pale, crescent shaped scar etched across her knee… It matches all the other scars laced up her body. Despite the embarrassment of her strip show, Ami completely confirmed my suspicions of her not being a regular civilian. Scars like that don't happen by accident. Those are battle scars…

Another short chapter. I'm sorry. School has been such a pain in the ass, it's not even funny. I'm sorry I had to make you guys wait. I'll try to write as quickly as possible.

Love you all. Review, please.