… I'm nearing chapter twenty. If chapters could talk… Story: Boy am I getting old! …OMFG… I can just imagine that. Lol. Me and my pals are already planning for Anime North next year. My mom thought I was going to some costume party this year. LOL. XDXDXD! And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to my dearly departed friend Hayley. ROCK ON NUMBER NINE!

Here to Stay Chapter Seventeen: I'll Have One XL Sweatdrop

"It hasn't changed a bit since the last time I saw it!" Paloma jumped up happily as she ran around the shops and roads.

I thought this would be a dangerous rogue ninja not an excited tourist…

"Oh my god! SQUEAL! IT'S ICHIRAKU RAMEN! Ahhhhh… Taka! You still work here?" The girl glomped the store vender as Neji and Tenten muttering obscenities under their breath.

"Paloma?" Taka looked incredulously at the ecstatic teen. "I haven't seen you in ages! So how'd the mission go?"

Mission? Neji and Tenten exchanged looks curiously.

"Not a scratch on me! I'll have my old order." Paloma took out a wallet and paid up.

XxXxX

"Okay Cynara tell me what happened. Now." Anjyl walked into the cavern with black fumes rolling off her aura. "Give me the straight and simple facts. I don't want to be entertained."

"Uh… Shadusk! You're back!" Cynara spun around to face her younger peer.

"Just tell me."

"Tell you what?" Cynara tilted her head slightly.

Cynara's gaunt form slammed against the cavern wall. "I want to know what's so dangerous that my ever precious freedom is cut off. I want to know who is going around leading those nin to us. Oh and… I want to know what the hell is going on."

Shenvy sat down as the pressure on her throat was relieved, her eyes full of worry. "Axel was on patrol and he got attacked by something. He says that it's Magnar Higeki but we can't be too sure. Paloma left shortly after Diego arrived. And about the thing with the nin coming to us… Are you sure you didn't do anything…flashy? I mean you do tend to stand out quite a bit with your skills."

"Nothing special. Anyways I value Axel's word above any of yours." Anjyl crouched down next to Axel. "How you feeling Shadeath? You okay?" Her gold eyes filled with faint worry.

It was more than obvious that she had a soft spot for him out of all of them.

"Doesn't both questions mean the same? Don't be nonsensical Anjyl. Nonsensical is a funny word…" Green eyes flickered open and Shadeath started to babble. "Am I rambling? Rambling's another amusing word."

"Did you give him alcohol Cynara? You know we don't do that…"

"Well we had to drug him and I couldn't find any sleeping pills…"

"Cynara, just answer the questi—" Anjyl growled when Axel suddenly burped and a huge flame streaked into her face. "On second thought…" She spat out a piece of charcoal. "You are so not cute when you do that you know?

"Ha ha! You said 'you' three times! Ha ha!"

XxXxX

"NOOO—YOU CAN'T MAKE ME! SAVE ME! SOMEONE PLEASE!" Tenten and Neji dragged the hysterical woman across the streets that led toward the Hokage's office. Apparently Paloma had wanted to sightsee some more but… sigh… There's no stopping a determined kunoichi… "RAPE! RAPE! SOMEONE! PLEASE! PLEASE! YOU GOTTA HELP ME!"

SMALL SWEATDROP.

Tenten looked like she was close to pummeling the girl and was gritting her teeth as she heard the curious whispers and the prying eyes that surrounded them. Neji had a vein throbbing out of his forehead dangerously.

"YOU KNOW WHAT? JUST SHUT UP ALREADY! YOU WANNA SIGHTSEE? WELL FINE! You can sightsee here!" Tenten pushed her into the Hokage's office.

"OH MY GOD! THIS IS AWESOME! THERE'E EVEN THE FAMED VELVET CARPETING!" Paloma gave a high-pitched squeal.

MEDIUM SWEATDROP.

"The famed…?" Tenten looked at Neji warily.

" If there's a reasonable explanation for this…I don't want to know."

"Well, well, well. Lookee here… Paloma Kuragari… How long has it been?" Tsunade's voice rang out.

"Um… Do I know you?" Paloma looked at the gambler curiously. " OMG!!! ARE YOU A STALKER? …I mean if you're sitting in the hokage's chair then that would mean you're the hokage then… THEN YOU MEAN THE OLD CODGER'S DEAD?"

"Yes he's dead. I want to know everything." Tsunade rested her palms flat on her desk.

"…Wha?"

"THE MISSION YOU DOLT!!!"

LARGE SWEATDROP

"What if I refuse?" Her emerald eyes narrowed while keeping a smile on her face, making an odd combination.

"As Hokage of this village I order you to tell me."

Paloma gave a sharp laugh. "If I was Anjyl you'd have so much more trouble. But it doesn't matter. I may have been born and trained in the fire country but my skill lies with the water. My blood is wanted in both but my loyalties lie with no one. So I ask again. What if I refuse?"

"If you don't tell me I will of course have to tell you something. I know where Gabriel is." Tsunade's brown eyes glinted maliciously.

"What? Where are you holding Shadawn?"

"Tell me what I want to know first."

"…All I wanted to do was to see the plush carpeting this place has!!!" Believe me. Seeing a seventeen year old woman start wailing like that is no pretty thing.

"That all seven of you have demon implanted within. You in fact have the six tailed sea jackal Yaban na Hasami, or otherwise known as Savage Claw. You are referred as Shanger for your unpredictable bursts of emotion making you as unruly as the river. You probably came here with higher intentions then to see my wall-to-wall carpeting. Which I do admit… is simply lovely if I do say so myself…"

EXTRA LARGE SWEATDROP

"So you know more than we expected. So? Not like I should care. That can be easily remedied." She waved her hand in dismissal. "Oh and don't even think about torture. If you forgot I still am a ninja of this village no matter what rumors surround me." She glanced out the window. "… I could… I would tell you everything but... Seeing as you are quite the bargaining type…"

"What do you want? A dog? Chocolates? Food? Money? Strippers?"

EXTREMELY LARGE MEGA SWEATDROP

"… You really have no shame do you?"

Meanwhile in Some Random Cavern

"Burp burp burpity burp burp!"

"Diego! You know what Cynara said about that!"

"I know Cynara said not to make smores but… BUT I CAN'T HELP IT!!! Look at the open flame that comes out of Axel's mouth every time he belches… It's perfect for the sweet chocolaty goodness of a smore!"

"You're going to get fat Diego and you know it."

"Shut up Shuuhei! After all you're the gum-chewer!"

"I'll have you know that gum helps people remember things. And anyways… You're the short one."

"YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS OUTSIDE YOU PURPLE GIRAFFE?"

"Purple… giraffe?

XXxxXXxxXX

Sorry I haven't updated until like FOREVER. It must seem as if I was digging my grave or something. I was so BORED and I had this SEVERE case of writers block. And then my Microsoft Word started acting funny. The menu bar disappeared. I CAN'T FIND IT. So yeah. Well if you'll excuse the lateness and the rushed version of chapter seventeen than yeah. – Shadoom