A/N: I know. Please forgive me for the lack of updates. I've been so busy with college. To make a Dragon Quest reference, finals draw near. Updates will likely be sparse until the second week of June. I haven't forgotten about you all. I hope this chapter makes it up to you all. In this chapter, we're going to continue the Storm Arc. I'm going to give a little more development to Rise, and explain why she hates being tied up. Also, I'm going to show the villains for the first time. That said, please enjoy the chapter. Oh, one last thing, this chapter will show a new pairing. Enjoy!

Chapter Seventeen: A Storm's Purpose

Kaze awoke late the next morning. He rubbed his eyes groggily and he looked up at the clock. The clock read fifteen minutes after ten. Kaze looked down to see Rise asleep on the other side of the couch. He laid a blanket over her and he crossed the room to the window. The rain was even worse today than it had been yesterday. Kaze felt a sharp chill run up his spine and he spun around to see a black shadow against the wall. He opened the window and he looked out, and immediately regretted it as the torrential rains fell onto his head. He closed the window and he shook his hair dry. The noise had awakened Rise, and she sat up, the blanket clutched to her chest. He hair was a mess and she rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Kaze?"

Kaze slumped onto the couch and he sighed.

"I saw something out there. A shadow."

Rise smiled and she stood up, taking the sheet with her.

"You must have dreamt it. Come on, go wash up and I'll attempt to make something to eat."

Kaze opened his mouth to protest, but he merely nodded seeing Rise's serene smile.

"I'll go take a shower. I'm looking forward to it."

Rise let the sheet fall once he had left the room. She quickly folded the sheet and she organized the couch. As Kaze entered the bath, Rise began to sing as she cooked. She drew out eggs and cold rice and she cracked the eggs. She shivered in the cold air, and she drew on her jacket. A pleasant aroma filled the air around her. Rise spun around to see Kaze coming out of his room with his hair unstyled.

"Wow."

She said as she looked him over. Rise felt the heat rising in her face as she examined him.

"Kaze, you look great. Have you been training?"

Rise asked him. Kaze smiled at her and he nodded.

"Syao and I train a lot. He's been teaching me a lot of useful things. I guess this is just the after effects."

Rise's eyes were glued to his abs. She eventually shook her head and she smiled.

"It looks great. You're really well built Kaze. And your hair looks better when you don't style it."

Kaze felt his face run red.

"Don't stare like that."

He said and he quickly drew a white tee shirt over his head. Rise pouted and she sighed.

"Killjoy."

She said as she stuck her tongue out half in playfulness. Rise felt her heart racing in her chest as she placed the food onto two plates. Kaze grinned.

"Fried rice. One of my favorite breakfast meals."

Rise placed two of the plates on the table adjacent from each other and she sat next to Kaze.

"I've only made this once before, so I hope its at least edible."

Rise grinned and she started to eat. Kaze smiled. She even cooks for me. Kaze started to eat as well. Rise watched his face closely and she grinned as his eyes snapped open.

"How is it?"

She asked him and she looked at him expectantly. Kaze chewed his food and he swallowed it before speaking.

"Its very good Rise. I find it hard to believe you can't cook well."

Rise closed her Hyuga eyes and she smiled.

"Its not like its premium cut beef. But thank you. I'm glad you enjoy it. Its the one thing I can make without setting the food on fire."

Rise said with a soft laugh. Her thoughts drifted to the time she had tried to bake a cake for her mother's birthday. Kaze's soft voice broke into her mind.

"Its still very good Rise. Thank you."

Kaze said and he took her hand and he held it for a brief moment before he continued to eat. Rise settled into her seat and she began to eat. Rise didn't have much to say at the moment. Kaze finished his food in silence and he crossed the room to the window once more. He watched the torrential downpour in silence.

"Sure is coming down hard."

He whispered almost silently. Rise stood next to him and she nodded.

"It really is. We may be stuck inside today if it doesn't ease up."

Kaze closed his emerald green eyes and he stood in silence. He didn't speak for a long time.

"This rain isn't natural. Someone is causing it."

Rise looked at him with a look of concern on her face.

"What do you mean not natural?"

Kaze shook his head.

"I'm not sure. I just feel like someone in this village is causing the storm. With a very powerful Ninjutsu."

Rise sighed.

"I don't know of anyone with the power to cause a storm like this."

Kaze shook his head again and he opened his eyes, looking into Rise's.

"Maybe its someone outside the village then. I just know that someone or something wants to keep us in. Or keep something out."

Rise settled onto the couch and she closed her eyes.

"You know, you're probably right. Someone is definitely watching us and keeping us restrained. This isn't the first time my parents have been gone this long. Its usually me, Syao and Lyn who stay behind. I'm actually scared for them."

Kaze sat next to her and he gave her a sideways hug.

"They'll be fine. Don't forget, your father managed to defeat Kenshu and your mother fought and defeated Kisame while she was carrying you. It'll take a lot more than that to bring them down."

Rise smiled at him and she held his hand.

"You really are the sweetest boy I've ever met."

Kaze felt the heat rise in his face, causing Rise to laugh.

"Four months and you still blush every single time I say that. Kaze, you're amazing."

Rise laid her head on his shoulder and Kaze automatically put his arm around her. Rise looked up at him and she smiled. Kaze brushed her cheek with his hand and Rise moved her lips closer to his. Kaze closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Rise pressed her lips against Kaze's, and Kaze put his hand to her cheek as they shared their first kiss. Rise pulled away a few seconds later, her face beet red. Kaze smiled at her, and Rise looked into his eyes.

"Was... that ok?"

Kaze hugged her and he stroked her hair.

"I could ask the same. That was my first kiss."

Rise chuckled and she smiled.

"Mine too. It wasn't bad."

Kaze wrapped his arms around her. Rise rested her head on his strong chest. Kaze whispered gently to her.

"You are my home, you are my everything when I feel so alone. You are my shelter, you are my home, when everything else is gone."

Rise perked her head up and she looked at him with misty eyes.

"Was that a song?"

Rise asked him and he nodded.

"My father used to tell my mother that all the time, so he made it a song."

Rise smiled and she closed her eyes.

"Did I ever tell you why I hate being restrained?"

Rise asked Kaze. Kaze shook his head as he stroked her hair.

"When I was five, I got locked in a closet and a lot of heavy things fell on me, restraining my movement. I've been scared of closed spaces and being restrained ever since. Doesn't really make sense does it?"

Kaze chuckled and he stroked her cheek.

"It makes sense. I'm terrified of spiders."

Kaze said and he hugged her. The rain started to let up a little by midday. As they talked, Rise felt a growing sensation in her heart. Rise eventually untangled herself from Kaze and she smiled.

"Why don't we get some fresh air since the rain let up?"

Kaze nodded and he stood up.

"Did you have any place in mind?"

Rise held up her finger.

"You'll have to wait and see. Let's go get changed."

Rise took him by the hand and she led him to the hallway. Rise stopped in front of her room and she opened the door. Kaze turned to enter his room, but Rise held his hand. She pulled him inside. Kaze gasped.

"Rise?"

Rise hugged him close to her. She stroked his hair and she kissed his cheek.

"Wait here for me."

Kaze stood in the door frame and he watched as Rise picked out warm clothes. Rise turned her back to him and she pulled on a shirt and long warm pants. Kaze felt his face grow red and his body reacted accordingly. He turned around, his face a furious red as he squeezed his legs together to hide his embarrassment. Rise put her arms around him and she pulled him close.

"Kaze, you don't need to be embarrassed."

Kaze swallowed hard and he looked away.

"Rise, its just this is all new to me. I'm just nervous of what could happen."

Rise laid her head on his back and she spoke.

"Its new to me too. I'm just doing things I think you'd like."

Kaze turned in her arms and he lifted her eyes, looking into them.

"You don't have to go out of your way for me. I do enjoy the things you do, very much. I just am happy like we are now. All I need is your arms around me."

Rise let tears splash her cheeks as he spoke. Kaze wiped her tears away as Rise kissed him.

"I'll keep it in mind. But I do these things because they feel so right with you Kaze. Let's go get you changed and get out of here."

Rise said and they entered Syao and Kaze's room. Kaze pulled out a pair of sweats and a dark shirt. Rise watched him as he drew off his shirt. Rise smirked when she saw his stomach. Kaze quickly finished dressing and the two left the house for Rise's secret destination.

Deep in the Land of Sound, two men sat discussing their plans. The taller man wore his hair behind his head and his deep brown eyes pierced the darkness. The shorter, seated man wore a white robe and he was stroking a falcon's head. The man who was seated looked up at the other man and he spoke.

"It's been thirteen years since your last attempt at capturing the Uzumaki child, Kenshu. We now lack the power of Akatsuki's finest. We've assembled a new team to help you, yet you want to do this alone. Why don't you just capture the child's parents and torture them?"

Kenshu Ichijo laughed and he flipped his hair out of his face, revealing a scar over his left eye.

"If it were that simple, I'd of done that already Lord Gimchi. You forget that I fought the girl's father once before and we were evenly matched even when he went into his Kyuubi power. Her mother is strong enough to take on Kisame while carrying a child. Capturing them, let alone finding them would be nigh on impossible. Although our spy tells me that right now both the Kyuubi and Shukaku children are alone. Even with her parents gone, if she were to go berserk, our chances of extracting the demon for our purpose would be slim."

The man tossed the falcon into the air with a letter attached to his leg and he stood. He slammed his fist into the wall of the building, causing it to shake. Gimchi's slim face flashed dangerously.

"That's why we can wait another year for the brat to become a Genin. By that time, we'll have more than enough manpower to overpower her. And isn't your nephew Nanjo Inaba training with the girl?"

Kenshu nodded and he sighed.

"He doesn't share our vision. He wants to follow his own dreams and in his father's footsteps as a great Shinobi. And besides, he's not very different from Rise and Kaze. He has some of the demon's power sealed in him."

Gimchi laughed a hollow laugh and he looked at Kenshu.

"Then he's an enemy. Now get out of here and don't come back until you have new information."

Kenshu performed the Summoning Jutsu and he mounted his hawk's back and he rose into the sky.

Rise and Kaze were having a good time out in the village. The rain had slowed to a trickle for a brief hour, giving them time to go about the village as they pleased. Along the way, Rise and Kaze had met up with Hiro and Serah. Serah and Hiro had been dating for about a month now. The four of them ate a hearty lunch together at the barbeque restaurant and left as the rain picked up again. Rise and Kaze returned home after saying good bye to their friends. As Rise opened the door, she shivered.

We need to warm up. Let's stay in tomorrow and I can try and make something for us. Go take a hot bath Kaze."

Rise suggested and Kaze nodded. He went into the bathroom and she prepared food for them. Kaze closed his eyes as he bathed, enjoying the hot water. After he finished his bath, he returned to the living room. Rise had prepared two bowls of hot ramen for them and they ate in peace. The second day of the storm ended when Rise fell asleep reading her book. Kaze fell into a deep sleep not long after.

TO BE CONTINUED...