A/N: Hello everyone! I am updating now because I will not be updating in a while. My schedule is quite packed for the next couple of months so I hope you will wait. At first, this chapter did not exist, but I decided to at least stop before I started to Jounin examinations otherwise you wouldn't be able to enjoy the fights I've written. I do love to write them. Haha.

Anyway, some of the major events will be a book writing competition I'm taking part in, I have to hand in the manuscript by 28 July. Not to mention a National Competition for my CCA on 13 July, and my major End Of Year exminations are going to start on 18 August. So really, I have no time to update until after my exams. I hope you guys understand!

Anyway on with chapter 22!

-

Hurting

"Thank you! Come back again, alright?"

Naruto nodded enthusiastically at the question, earning himself laughter from everyone in his company. Temari, Kankurou and Gaara soon parted ways with Naruto and Sakura, indulging themselves in a light chat as they made their way to the mansion they were provided to stay in. Courtesy of the Hokage, of course.

Kankurou was the first to hit the sack, proclaiming loudly, "Man, today was tiring!" before walking like a drunkard towards his room. Temari and Gaara raised on of their eyebrows simultaneously at the irony of his sentence. The former chuckled and turned towards her younger brother.

"Well, he must have done something to be so tired."

"Hn. I think he's up to something."

Temari grinned, she could never get over the fact that Gaara was now responding to their questions now. This time, she was so overcome with emotion she nearly forgot what she wanted to say. Gaara bade Temari good night before her brain finally clicked into place.

"Gaara, wait!"

The red head paused before the door to his room and looked back, curiosity forming on his face. Temari took only a second to hesitate, before blurting out, "I thought I saw Seki today."

"Me too."

Temari blinked, obviously surprised at the comeback.

"Uh, okay. Are you going to find her?"

"Why?"

This time, she was so surprised, Temari couldn't find the words to form a proper sentence. Gaara dropped his hand from the door knob, sighing.

"I don't know if it was her, and I don't know if I could stand relieving the memories."

"Bu-but... wh-when will yo-you-"

"Sorry," Gaara actually looked apologetic before disappearing behind his bedroom door, the lock clicking loudly in the sudden silence. Temari's forehead creased with worry; she knew how badly he had hurt because of Seki, but ignoring the problem would only make things worse. She wondered why he was so reluctant to see her again.

Gaara, I wish you would open up just a little bit more.

-

Seki felt fatigue overwhelm her, but held strong and stood proud in front of Tomiro. She glanced down briefly at her outfit, frowning at the smudges that had formed from falling in the dirt.

"What's the matter? Can't continue?"

"Shut up, and get on with it."

Tomiro smirked, he could already hear her tired self speaking, and knew that he had to finish this soon. He, himself, was deadbeat, but more skilled at disguising his exhaustion. He might need to teach that to Seki, he knew some people, at the sight of their opponent losing stamina, would somehow take advantage of the fact.

"Last one."

Seki couldn't even reply a "Ready!" when a jet of water shot out from the lake in between them. She dove to the right, ducking from another jet of water and jumping away from the third one. This carried on continuously, Tomiro shooting weaving his jets of water so that Seki could train her speed. When the thirtieth jet of water shot at her while she was still mid air, Seki executed a perfect split and threw a kunai towards Tomiro. The shinobi dodged it, nodding slightly as he noted the strength and speed behind the kunai.

"Great! You're getting better at conserving your energy for attacks."

"I need to learn how to hide my fatigue," Seki ignored the compliment and walked over to Tomiro, panting slightly. The latter smiled sadly, picking off the kunai from the ground and returning it to its owner. As Seki bent down to place it in her weapons holster, a black string fell out from beneath her top, revealing a shuriken that had the string pulled through its center.

"What's that?" Tomiro reached for it, but Seki stood up so fast he only felt the material of her top. Flushing, he stammered an apology, hoping she wouldn't take offence. To his disappointment, Seki did not show a trace of emotion. She shrugged off the apologies, tucked the shuriken back into her top and turned away. She knew their training was done for today.

"Seki, wait!"

The kunoichi halted in her walk, waiting for Tomiro to catch up. Her friend from Takigakure ended up in front of her, and said nothing until she raised her head.

"What?"

"Why don't you tell me anything?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid. Haven't I been sincere enough? Why won't you at least show me you're human?" Tomiro bit his tongue at his last words, wondering if they were too harsh. Unfortunately, they had no effect on Seki as she just walked past him, brushing his arm so he could feel her cold skin, possibly as cold as her heart. He turned on his heel and yelled, "I'm your friend Seki, have you forgotten what it means?!"

"No, I haven't," Seki muttered to herself, never stopping her brisk walk until she was out of sight from Tomiro.

And then, she ran.

-

Seki paced under the tree she had met Uchiha Sasuke three weeks before, impatience getting the best of her. Trying to find something to release the tension inside her body, she picked up several rocks and threw them in the air, flinging wind needles at them so that they broke into pieces. When she pierced the tenth rock, she saw ebony black hair in a distance.

"Sasuke!"

She raced across the field, meeting him halfway. She grinned at him, receiving a smirk in return as each of them studied the other. Without any words between them, the two shinobis leaped into action, throwing kunais and shurikens, the clanging sound echoing in the air.

When they finally exhausted themselves, Seki dropped on the ground beside Sasuke, listening to his ragged breathing and laughing breathlessly as she copied his actions. They lay quietly for a while, admiring the peaceful sky that was so unlike the day they met. For a moment, Seki forgot who she was, as well as her past. She closed her eyes and embraced the present tranquility.

"Seki, I'm leaving."

Her eyes snapped open, sitting up and directing her red eyes that were suddenly filled with hate.

"What?! Why?!"

"The guy I told you I was following? He's moving to another place. I need to follow him."

"Why? Can't you train on your own here? Can't you train with me?"

"I need him. He's the one who can make me stronger."

"Liar. You're just leaving because you can't stand me anymore. Fine, be that way!" Seki knew she was speaking nonsense, but her body moved automatically, stomping across the weeds as she tried to get away from the boy she seeked comfort in just a few days ago.

"Seki."

His presence was so sudden and swift, Seki barely had time to register her shock when his hand grabbed hers firmly, but gently. She stopped, more willing than she revealed, and turned to look into those onyx eyes that had captivated her so.

"You know you're being silly."

"I know, but I hate it. I hate the fact that every time I open up, I have to part with the ones I opened up to. Its like having a best friend who stabs you in the back over and over again."

Seki spluttered everything, showing her real emotion for once, because she knew Sasuke understood her more than Keimyou or Tomiro. She was tempted to drop her tears, but Sasuke grabbed her face and lifted it, staring so hard in her eyes she was sure they dried up because of the intensity.

"I'm not stabbing you in the back. Don't be so weak, we both know we don't want either of us to be like that."

"I know. But what do you expect me to do?"

"Be strong, be yourself. You know you can do it. I know you can do it," Sasuke dropped his hands, smirking slightly at her. That playful smirk. Seki was going to miss that.

"Here."

Seki looked down at his open palm, a scratched shuriken with a drop of dried up blood lay on his pale hand. She picked it up, feeling the smoothness that was unexpected of its appearance. Sasuke took it and poked it in her palm. Seki winced at the slight pain, and frowned as Sasuke did the same with his palm.

"This shuriken looks old, battered and useless. But its as sharp as ever, and pierces the air faster than most. I got it from my brother, and I think you need it more than I do."

"Why?"

"To remind you of your power, your skill. You're a great kunoichi, Seki Raion. I'm hoping to hear about you in the future."

"What about you, how will I contact you?"

"You won't. We'll just have to wait and see."

Seki wasn't entirely satisfied with that, but placed on her mask again and smiled. As a master of disguises as well, Sasuke saw right through it.

"Very convincing."

"You caused it."

"Its my honour."

Sasuke smirked, but his eyes revealed the emotion he currently felt. Seki's smile dropped and they stared into each other's eyes, red and black, until they couldn't hear the winds of the incoming storm, nor feel the tickle of the weeds at their calves. They couldn't see the dark clouds covering the sky, nor smell the scent of rain. They only saw each other, as well as themselves, reflected in the other party's pupils. They saw their future, as powerful shinobi.

Seki gripped the shuriken tightly, before thrusting out her other hand.

"Some might say you're a bad influence."

"Some might say you're as fake as rubber duck."

A laugh erupted from the depths of Seki as Sasuke accepted the handshake and they smiled from within their eyes.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

"Egoistic jerk."

"Sissy perfectionist."

And with those as their parting words, both teenagers turned away and went back to their own villages, to their own so-called homes, to their lives.

Pretending, training, improving.

Hurting.

-

Seki opened her eyes at the sound of Keimyou opening the door under her. She had fallen asleep on the roof top again, and the scene of a lit Konoha greeted her red eyes. Seki reached inside her top and pulled out the shuriken, the smooth metal slightly warm from her body heat.

"How am I doing, Sasuke? Better than you expected I bet," Seki murmurred to herself. She pushed herself up, about to drop back into the room when a leaping figure caught the side of her eyes. She turned slightly, and saw a person jumping towards the Hokage mansion. Even though memories were blurred, whether it was her choice or not, Seki could recognise the leaping style anywhere.

"Gaara..."

-

A/N: Well, I hope this was okay for you guys. I know it seems like Sasuke is OOC but I will explain that in time. Please be patient.

I thank you for your understanding and I will see you guys in a couple of months time! Please review while I'm away!

-JE