Chapter XI: Rascals

[I. The clouds move on, the earth turns grey]

Naruto yawned heavily.

Night had finally fallen in Konoha. The lively city fell into a dull slumber, and only a select few were left impervious to the dark's all encompassing spell. Spare flames still glittered, standing strong and bright in the blackness which blanketed the busy village. It was a strangely comforting hour of darkness.

The blond man rubbed his eyes in an attempt to stay awake. He took a deep breath, and sat up a bit straighter upon his modest bed. Moving his pillows restlessly, the young male tried to arrange his bedding in a more comfortable position. To his dismay, it wasn't quite going as planned. What had moments ago been a perfectly habitable location, was now a jumbled pile of sheets, blankets and pillows.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto tried a couple more times before grudgingly coming to the realization that this was a war he could not win. Frustrated, the tired ninja fell back onto his comfortable bed. Staring at the ceiling above him, Naruto tried in vain to prevent old memories from tormenting him in his dreams. The pain, the fear, the betrayal...they were all just too vivid in his mind. Every night they warped into new evolutions meant to prolong his torment.

It was a cruel cycle, one that never let up.

Twitching slightly, the Hokage's apprentice stifled another yawn. His eyelids felt like dead weights, and he could feel the sharp aches in his calves. After pulling the blanket atop of him, Naruto proceeded to twist and turn once again managing to knock several items of his bed in the process. Groaning, the seldom sombre ninja sluggishly let his arms hang over the edge of the mattress.

Sleep was beckoning him ever so sweetly. Her haunting tunes were both melodious and gentle. Naruto struggled greatly to resist the beautiful, yet dually sinister woman's cold, tightening grip. That was a task easier said than done. It took every ounce of his energy to futilely cast off sleep's hypnotizing tunes. Yet, no mere mortal can ever overcome the power that she wielded over mankind.

Naruto was not exempt. He fell asleep and experienced another full bout of nightmares from his past. The poor nin rustled restlessly under the covers of his bed, like a ragdoll in the hands of a toddler. It was a piteous sight, one that would leave even the bravest man shaken to a certain degree. The always boisterous male was writhing in pure pain. This wasn't his first nightmare, and nor was it to be his last.

It was a dire reminder, a daily memento from his past.

"Not her, please just don't be her," was all Naruto could manage before he relented to sleep's seducing advances.

[II. The happiness I felt, has quickly gone away]

[III. The whisper of the wind, seems to call my name]

Sasuke Uchiha grunted, finally relenting on the naked woman beneath him.

Rolling beside the now blushing and sweating woman, he patiently listened to the sounds of their breaths. With darkness acting as their shield, the secretive pair briefly stole a respite from their intense lovemaking session. The entire room reeked of their passion, as did the stained white sheets beneath them. Silently, Sasuke moved back under the sheets to resume ravaging the lady lucky enough to bed him.

The beautiful female in particular, seemed at ease, while satisfaction was evident in her posture. It was a routine night, but to her, all the visits the paid to her by the proud avenger were extraordinary. She giggled in delight, as the firm hands roamed across her toned body. She moaned, when his mouth worked wonders on top of her. Gripping on to his raven hair and pale shoulders, she cried out in ecstasy while the sullen Uchiha continued to pound away at her. This continued on and on until they had both hit their climax. Once again their joint gasps and grunts filled the hushed room.

Expecting to go another round, the vivacious red head steadied her body for Sasuke's craving. To her surprise, he simply sat straight up. The shy woman took a moment to observe Sasuke's ashen yet extremely muscular physique. He exuded an ominous glow, but at his core, seemed to be a broken man. Becoming aware of his partner's stares, he stood up in all his naked glory to pull on a pair of boxers.

"It's nothing you haven't seen before," bluntly remarked the sole remaining Uchiha, heading towards the showers.

"You're leaving...already?" asked the tired woman, traces of disappointment trailing into her innocuous question.

"Hn," was the unresponsive answer, from the man who had already left for the showers.

Those few moments he spent in the washroom were when the exhausted female actually contemplated her future. Lifting herself up, she casually wrapped the long white sheets around her elegant body. Once it was secure, she ruffled through her bedroom drawer for an elastic hair band. Once she had found one, she pulled her luscious, bright hair into a messy bun in one smooth motion. It was only then did she feel around the top of the drawer desk for her all important glasses.

"You look prettier without them," complimented Sasuke, towelling his wet hair as he made his way towards the barely clothed nin.

"But I'm blind without them," promptly retorted the young woman, wiping the lens clean before placing them on her face.

"It's all a matter of priorities," muttered Sasuke, indifferently shrugging his shoulders at the stealth nin's response.

"I didn't know you were into shallow, brainless woman," smartly replied the charming companion, inciting a conversation from the stoic and reserved loner.

"Then would I be sleeping with you, Karin?" countered Sasuke, running his fingers through his wet hair in an attempt to push it away from his face.

"You need a release, I need some fun," coolly expressed Karin, adjusting the knots on her makeshift dress. "What else is there? Not that I'm complaining about the mind blowing sex..."

Sasuke presented her with a rare small smirk, "As long as you stay on birth control, everything will remain the same between us."

"That's what you want, isn't it?" slyly enquired Karin, inching closer to the Uchiha's bare chest, and trailing her slender fingers lightly on top of it.

Sasuke grabbed a hold of her hand and stopped it in mid touch before hissing, "We have a routine and we'll stick to it. Do anything to mess this up; by say getting pregnant, I will not hesitate in using my entire fortune to make your life a living hell."

Karin's eyes widened fractionally at Sasuke's emotional outburst, but she took it in stride. Pulling her hand out of Sasuke's tightening grip, she shook her head in disbelief while stating, "You are one paranoid son-of-a-bitch, aren't you? How many times do I have to spell it out for you? I do NOT want any children. Here, I'll prove it to you right now."

Without warning, the red head rushed towards her closet and pulled out a small medicine bottle. She opened it and dropped a single round pill onto her palm. Picking up the pill, she held it up so Sasuke could view it as well.

"Read the bottle to make sure," clarified Karin, closing the small bottle before tossing it over to Sasuke too. She then proceeded to swallow the pill. "Satisfied?"

Sasuke gave her a long, hard look. He placed the bottle on the drawer before pulling on a navy blue t-shirt and a pair of black pants. Throwing his towel on the side of the bed, he walked out the door to the main entrance, barely acknowledging the woman behind him. Opening the front door, he paused at the opening while his hand gripped the doorknob, before silently slipping away into the darkness.

[IV. I try to respond, but it seems I'm not the same]

[V. Time elapses slowly, into the universe]

Sakura awoke early to make herself a cup of tea.

The morning rays shone gently into her humble abroad. The tranquillity in her kitchen was only disrupted by the whistle of her kettle. Smiling peacefully, the energetic medic put down the book she was reading, to head towards the shrill noise. Picking up the steaming machine, she poured out a little amount to satisfy her need to make tea. The rosy haired lady, then hurriedly went about her way to make her favourite, delicious concoction.

Clutching her teacup, Sakura walked back out to the main hall and towards her study. She slowly blew on the chocolate coloured liquid to cool it down. Setting it down on the corner of the desk, the studious-nin resumed reading her book. It was a fascinating topic, which explored the psychological effects that laughter induced in ninjas. Humming slightly, Sakura immersed herself in both the book and her fresh cup of tea. All this came to a crashing halt once she heard a knock on her front door.

Marking her place, Sakura closed the book before she headed towards the entrance. Pushing back her chair, she yelled, "Coming! Hang on a moment."

The knocking temporarily ceased, when Sakura started unlocking the deadbolts on her door. Outside, an armed messenger stood waiting. In his hands he held a white summoning scroll.

Handing over the rolled note, the trained soldier gave a small bow before stating aloud, "Ms. Sakura Haruno, you are hereby officially named a member of Konoha's foreign delegation. As a member, you will participate in the upcoming Sunagakure and Konohagakure joint talks and are expected to contribute your valuable knowledge with regards to the talks. You are now cordially included as an associate of the current Hokage. All further details are included in this."

"Thank you," graciously accepted Sakura, pleasantly surprised to be a recipient of such an important invite.

Considering the recent outburst at the Hokage's office, Sakura was relieved to know that she was still on her grouchy mentor's good graces. Breathing deeply, Sakura unlocked the seal and memorized the given instructions. Once finished, she proceeded to burn the scroll as per ninja protocol. Smiling broadly, the pink haired ninja set about her day. She had a lot to prepare, in order to meet Tsunade's expectations ahead of the Kazekage's visit.

But as of late, a tiny part of her mind still wondered about the whereabouts of a select raven haired ninja.

[VI. It's definitely not a pleasure, nor is it a curse]

[VII. Nothing seems to matter, no one seems to care]

Rubbing one eye open resignedly, the usually energetic Yamanaka clanswoman woke up to an empty bed.

Turning to lay on her right side, she noticed the cleanliness of her shared bedroom. Nodding her head in displeasure, Ino got up to open the shades covering her window. Sunlight rapidly drifted in, coating the small room in seconds. It brought a smile upon the blond ninja's face, as she rummaged around her drawers for a hair band to keep her tangled hair in place.

She walked towards the room across the hall, in order to both take a bath and prepare herself for the day to come. The revitalized medic then made herself a small coffee and fixed a small breakfast of toast in her mini kitchen. Satisfied, she enjoyed her breakfast while eagerly scanning the morning newspaper. It kept her updated on the ways of the ninja world. Today, few articles seemed to interest her.

Ino continued to nonchalantly flip the pages, until her eyes stopped on a specific part—the date. Today was the day she had to meet up with her grumpy friend to pick up that orphaned little girl. Ino dropped the paper and looked up at the clock in horror. There was exactly ten minutes for her to get down to the Konoha orphanage. Gasping, the stressed female jumped out of her seat and rushed into action.

"How could I have forgotten this?" exasperatedly muttered Ino, trying to lock her small apartment.

Once she had secured her home, she took off chasing the wide, brown sign in the northwest direction. Ino's silky, golden locks bounced lightly behind her, while the blue sandals on her feet thudded loudly against the cold, grey pavement. Villagers watched with amusement as a thin, model like figure sped past them. They were all too familiar with the well meaning medic's forgetful tendencies.

"Why, why is it always me?" tragicomically whined Ino, running through the crowded seats of Konoha. "Shikamaru is going to kill me!"

Shuddering at the thought of the welcome she was going to receive, Ino looked back down at her watch. She now had less than seven minutes to appear at the government sponsored orphanage. Whispering prayers under her breath, the nervous Yamanaka ran faster then she had ever before.

[VIII. I reached out to touch you, but you're not really there]

[IX. Everything I see, and everything I feel]

"Where the hell are you Ino?" brooded Shikamaru, completing the last of several legal documents he was forced to read and sign.

The shadow technique user glanced at the clock behind the orphanage director. The time read 7:26 am. Yawning, the young Nara anticipated his ally's arrival in the bland office at any moment. The director for her part behaved professionally and wasn't overly irritating Shikamaru with long lectures about the values of adoption and how his contribution has changed an innocent child's life. Once they had ceased with their idle small talk, an untimely awkward silence fell over the tired duo.

"Well, would you like to spend some time with Suzume?" softly asked the aging director, pointing towards the door to her left.

"I..." began Shikamaru, unsure of how exactly to deal with situation. Thankfully for him, a known face finally made her dramatic entrance.

A sweating but not out of breath Ino, walked in to the office. Taking a breath of relief, she sat down next to her cross teammate. Ignoring Shikamaru's frowns, she maintained a pleasant conversation with the helpful director as she added her signature to the forms to comply with Konoha's security measure. Once signed, the director left the room to store the documents and produce identical copies to Shikamaru. The director had also volunteered to accommodate Suzume down to the office, noticing the discomfort on Shikamaru's face.

"Thanks for finally showing up," sarcastically remarked Shikamaru, collecting his share of documents.

"I'm so, so, so sorry," profusely apologized Ino, reviewing the orphanage medical records.

"Ino, I can't do this," frankly spilled out Shikamaru, unable to meet Ino's stunned gaze. "I can't even take care of myself let alone a child."

"No," immediately cut in Ino, her eyes now pleading with her old friend. "No, no, no, no, no! You can, you definitely can. There is nothing that I've seen you fail at. Just treat this like any ordinary mission."

"But this isn't any ordinary mission," anxiously hissed back, Shikamaru, unintentionally glaring at his worried teammate. "This is a living, breathing little girl."

"Who needs your help," argued back Ino, pulling all the medical files together.

"She needs a proper caregiver," briskly retorted Shikamaru, scratching the back on his head. "And I, for one, am not prepared..."

The sound of running footsteps abruptly ended the duo's heated exchange. Clean, bouncing brown hair flew up and down as an excited young girl burst into the room. Her eyes wandered with joy, searching for her new caregiver. Noticing both Ino and Shikamaru's astonished expressions; the girl instantly took a step back and immediately hid behind the polite orphanage director. The suddenly shy little girl refused to budge from behind the encouraging middle aged woman.

"If you are done filling out the forms, then you can take her home," informed the woman, gently patting the timid girl's back to sooth her.

"I..." Shikamaru struggled to find words, trying in vain to convey his uncertainty.

"Of course," cheerfully interrupted Ino, offering the small girl a smile. She slowly stooped down to Suzume's level, and opened her arms widely, inviting the girl in for a hug.

Initially bashful, the hiding girl seemed unsure of what to do. She tentatively looked back and forth between the director and Ino, before gradually walking to the glowing medic at the urgings of her older caregiver. Laughing, Ino embraced the girl in a warm hug. After releasing the girl from her hold, Ino tilted her head, inviting the girl to speak. Clasping both her hands together, Suzume hesitantly drew circles in the ground with her right foot to counter her anxiety.

"Am I...am I going to live with you?" quietly inquired Suzume, her brown eyes looking expectantly at Ino.

"Ah, well," stammered Ino, hesitantly trying to answer the child's innocent question.

"That would be me," idly informed Shikamaru, standing up to stick his hands inside his pockets. "You ready to go?"

Suzume looked up at him blankly, not yet trusting what he had said. She whirled around to face the director, as if to confirm what Shikamaru had said was indeed true. Blinking rapidly, the girl stood still and didn't move a step further. Swallowing deeply, she started working her way out of Ino's grip.

"Oi, hurry up," called out Shikamaru, only to receive a nudge in the ribs from an irate Ino. Wincing, the shadow user continued on. "We got a lot of work to do. Don't you want to go sign up for the Ninja Academy today? The deadline is today."

The girl's eyes brightened with delight once the word Academy left Shikamaru's mouth. Gasping widely, the amazed youngster stumbled forward towards the stranger she had met only once before.

"Really?" asked the five-year old, unable to believe the words Shikamaru had just said. "I can be a ninja too?"

"You can be whatever you want," gruffly clarified Shikamaru, his hands inching for the cigarettes in his back pockets. "This is just an option."

Without hesitation, Suzume launched herself at the normally indifferent man.

For the second time that day Shikamaru was speechless. Looking down at his knee, he saw a joyful five-year old clinging on to it with all her might. To his right, he could see the amused and relieved expressions of the two other adults in the room. Sighing, the Nara clansman lifted the girl's luggage and dragged it along behind him. Ino stood behind to carry the cheerful girl.

Pinching the crook of his nose, Shikamaru only had one thought running through his head.

"I am screwed."

[X. Sometimes seems like a dream, where nothing there is real]

[XI. I grasp onto reality, and try to play this game]

Sai sat up, watching wearily.

It was his turn to do patrols, and act as a lookout. He ignored the deep, lulling breaths of his comrades and focused on the task at hand. Currently, he was tending to the fire. The embers burned dully, yet they were his only company in the pitch of darkness. Poking the dying fire with a long stick of wood, Sai kept it burning. Smoke rose sparsely from the small hole in the ground.

In his other hand, he held a small box. Sai distractedly looked at it, at a complete loss of what to do with it. He was struggling inside, and had a difficult choice to make. Should he ask her or should he not?

The box held an engagement ring. Forged from the finest silver in all on the Fire Village, the ring had a beautiful oval cut diamond resting in the centre. It had been in his possession for over two months now, but he still failed to muster up the courage to finally propose to his girlfriend of five years. There was just one problem, Ino didn't want commitment. Talks of children and starting families always ended badly.

But they were so close now and seemed inseparable. Situations had changed and time had passed. Surely, her thoughts will have also changed by now.

Sai wordlessly returned the box to his back pocket, when he heard a familiar rustling noise. Out from the small tent emerged Chouji Akimichi. The sleepy ninja wobbled over to start his night shift. Yawning, the notoriously big eater took a seat next to Sai, sensing the pale man's unease.

"Need some company?" kindly questioned Chouji, stretching his arms out behind his head.

"I..." quietly started Sai, only to trail off into silence. "No, it's fine."

A flicker of disbelief skimmed over the observant Akimichi. Very rarely did his instincts let deceive him. He mutely tended to the fire while Sai stood up to catch some sleep. The pale ninja seemed unusually out of focus. It was odd to see an ANBU squad leader struggle with some strange unknown force.

It had to concern Ino.

Chouji watched Sai saunter away from the fire. Looking straight ahead, he mulled over what to say to encourage the darkly clothed ANBU commander. After a few moments, Chouji conjured up an appropriate reply.

"She'll be waiting for you, you know?" spoke out Chouji, his assuring tone contrasting with the voices of the forest. "Ino will always be there for you."

Sai briefly paused, but had his back turned the well meaning Akimichi. Nodding his head in approval, the Konoha-nin walked towards the temporary sleeping grounds. All the while, Chouji's last words were replaying over and over again within the confines of his head.

[XII. But every single thing, always remains the same]

[XIII. The mist is finally fading, the truth is here to stay]

Konohamaru chased after his tiny, barely clothed cousin.

At age five, Takeo Sarutobi had a strange affinity to the lake beneath the Hokage's monument. The inquisitive child simply could not get enough of the pristine waters. Much to the chagrin of both his mother Kurenai, and his often time babysitter Konohamaru, Takeo could not stop coming back to the lake. Nor could Takeo stop jumping into it.

Konohamaru gritted his teeth, racing after the grinning little boy. Using a clone, Konohamaru successfully trapped his streaking cousin and quickly clothed him. All the while, the little boy tried to squirm out of the elder Sarutobi's grip. Laughing, the little boy whipped his hair all over the place, spraying droplets of water on Konohamaru.

Konohamaru shot his cousin a stern glare but it did nothing to dampen Takeo's enthusiasm. The little boy took more to his mother's side, than his father. From his jet black hair to his pure red eyes—which were just a shade darker than his mother's—Takeo was definitely his mother's boy. However, Takeo had inherited his father's tan hue and the devilish tendencies which ran through young Sarutobi males.

Konohamaru forcefully pulled a green long sleeved shirt over the struggling little boy, while thinking, "Is this what poor gramps had to go through when I was little?"

"Kono," suddenly began the little boy, still having trouble pronouncing his older cousin's name. "Want to go to the Academy? I want to play on the swings!"

"Promise you won't run back here," gruffly replied Konohamaru, bending down to fasten Takeo's black ninja sandals.

"That's not fair," pouted Takeo, crossing his arms across his chest defiantly. "Mom said you have to be nice to me."

"Promise or no park, squirt," bluntly stated Konohamaru, refusing to budge to his cousin's demands.

"You are so mean!" exclaimed Takeo, sticking out his tongue. "Fine, I promise."

Grinning, Konohamaru picked up the short boy and placed him behind his back. If there was one thing he could trust about his nephew, it was his word. The little boy had an uncanny ability to keep his word and never break promises. Maybe that was another Sarutobi trait, which had gotten passed through his genes as well. The boy hung on tightly and closed his eyes, while Konohamaru ran towards the entrance Ninja Academy.

When Takeo finally opened his eyes, he was in front of a swing set. Smiling, the boy ran off towards the swing set. His relieved cousin took a seat on the nearby bench. Takeo ran to swing set, only to see a familiar face moving forward and back on the second swing. The young boy sat swinging away, oblivious to Takeo's lopsided grin.

"Daisuke!" loudly shouted Takeo, gaining the attention of the quiet boy on the swing.

"Takeo?" uncertainly questioned said boy. Daisuke Hatake confusedly watched Takeo jump onto the swing beside his own.

With dark grey eyes and gravity defying silver hair, the boy was a combination of both Kakashi and Anko. Rumour had it that Kakashi had gotten Anko pregnant while they were both drunk. Neither wanted to keep him nor did they want to get rid of him. As a result, the boy spent half the year at his mother's place and half the year at his father's. Usually, the quiet youngster just spent large amounts of time by himself. Thankfully, the boy didn't take after either of his parents' in the personality department.

Daisuke Hatake was shy and introverted by nature. Though he had shown an early aptitude for the ninja arts, he had an immense problem making friends. He was very withdrawn and much too quiet at times. The boy despite how friendly he was just seemed to drive other children away with his cold personality.

But he had made an unusual ally in Takeo Sarutobi who he had met, unsurprisingly, by the lake. A strange friendship quickly followed.

"What are doing here?" questioned Takeo, rapidly moving himself back and forth in an attempt to meet the standard of his friend.

"Swinging," bluntly remarked Daisuke.

"But why are you here alone?" persisted Takeo, his red eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Dad had a meeting and mom has a mission," honestly answered the silver haired ninja, before suddenly being interrupted by the loud growl of his stomach.

"Want to have lunch at my house?" offered Takeo, refusing to ask why Daisuke hadn't eaten yet.

"I..." hesitantly started Daisuke, who was not really sure how to respond properly. But he need not have worried.

"Kono! I'm hungry! Let's go home for lunch," shouted the energetic Sarutobi, jumping of his swing. "Oh, and Daisuke's coming too!"

Turning back around to face Daisuke, Takeo commanded, "Oi! Get down. Kono is going to leave us."

"R...right," stuttered the young Hatake, clearly grateful for Takeo's intervention. Without a second doubt, he too jumped off his swing and took off running behind the lively Takeo Sarutobi.

[XIV. The illusions are finally passing, the lies have gone away]

[XV. But reason cannot save me, tears will not heal]

Neji walked in circles within the Hyuga compound unsure of what to do.

He felt as though there was a dead weight bolted to his chest. He couldn't breathe knowing what he knew. The one person he could always tell the truth was now the only person he couldn't tell the truth too. All throughout the night, he kept running horrific scenarios through his mind. For the first time in his life, Neji felt dread and fright.

The renowned Hyuga prodigy was scared out of his wits.

"Tenten," muttered Neji, pacing back and forth with his hands clenched behind his back.

"What?" innocently questioned his wife, startling poor Neji in the process.

Shocked, Neji immediately turned to face the confused brunette. Releasing his hands, he pulled off a calm facade quick enough to satisfy Tenten's curiosity. Offering a small smile, Neji casually strolled towards her. Scratching his head slightly, he engulfed her in a sudden hug. It earned him a suspicious but warm glance from his sleepy partner.

"You know," began Tenten, speaking against Neji's chest. "If you spent as much time working as you do romancing with me, we would probably have gotten our own home by now."

"Escaping from the Hyuga compound," smirked Neji while closing his eyes and inhaling his wife's scent. "Impossible."

Tenten cringed in her husband's grasp. This was the answer she had grown accustomed to in the Hyuga compound but to hear it from Neji's mouth stung even more. Frowning, she gently removed herself from Neji's hold. She held onto his hands and made eye contact with her beloved. Tilting her head sideways, she touched her belly with that of Neji's stomach.

"Why Neji?" quietly spoke Tenten, clasping on to Neji's clammy hands. "Why should we live in this house where no one wants us?"

"Tenten, its Hyuga tradition," curtly responded Neji, his pale eyes turning away.

"I know but, can't we just get away from it all?" pleaded Tenten, sorrow and longing slowly creeping into her words. "We don't belong here."

"But I have to be here," insisted Neji, though the words coming out of his mouth greatly contradicted the desires hidden within his heart.

"No, you don't," argued Tenten, her chocolate brown eyes exuding warmth that was threatening to melt Neji's steel resolve.

"Yes, he does," solemnly stated a younger voice, walking leisurely down the stairs. The voice belonged to the next in line to the Hyuga throne.

The young heiress walked down, turning the atmosphere in the cozy hall a bitter cold. Shooting the couple an icy stare, contempt curled the slender female's lips up. Pulling on her ninja glove with extra vigour, the Hyuga successor threw both her cousin and his pregnant wife a cold sneer.

"Once a Hyuga, always a Hyuga," venomously spat Hanabi, making note of the couple's reactions before setting out to meet her team. "Never forget it...cousin."

She put an extra emphasize on the final word, watching her conflicted cousin squirm under her stare. Family was always the first priority in the Hyuga clan. The blood which flowed through each Hyuga vein was held in the highest regard. This mentality hadn't once changed despite the countless leaders the Hyuga clan had seen. Hanabi, for one, was determined to see it stay that way.

"I won't," tensely retorted Neji, unknowingly moving in front of his wife in a protective manner. "And neither should you."

[XVI. I've giving it some time, to see what will be revealed]

[XVII. No one has the answers, no one holds the key]

"Are you done packing?" inquired Temari for the umpteenth time, busily rechecking the contents of her son's travel bag.

"Yes mom," obediently replied Tsubasa for the umpteenth time, running around the manor in search of his uncles.

"Are you sure?" anxiously repeated his mother, carefully fastening the buckles on the side of his bag only to notice her son's disappearance. "Tsubasa, get back here now!"

But her worried command fell on deaf ears. The free spirited little boy ran out of the small bedroom. The thuds of his sandals slowly quieted down, leaving the proud sand ninja alone with her fears. Temari's bright blue eyes were strangely downcast and her body language seemed off. Unease radiated off of her in waves. Clutching her hands together, she constantly reminded herself that her son would be under Gaara's protection. Yet there a small nagging feeling at the back of her head, one that she couldn't fully shake off.

"He will be alright, you know?" reassured Kankuro, realizing his sister's concern for his nephew. The puppet master offered his elder sister a calming glance.

"He's so happy about going," admitted Temari, repeating her son's cheerful words. "This will be his first visit there."

"He'll learn new things and try new things," inputted Kankuro, only to be abruptly stopped by Temari's voice.

"It seems like he's growing up so quickly," stated Temari to no one in particular, even ignoring her brother's presence. "Too quickly..."

"He's you kid after all," humorously pointed out Kankuro, attempting to raise his sister's spirits. "Same mouth, same impulsiveness, same loudness..."

"Thanks," rapidly cut in Temari, trying her very best to glare at her brother. She failed miserably as a small smile slowly crept across her downturned lips.

However their small banter was cut short by the presence of their youngest sibling. Gaara, the red headed Kazekage of Suna, seemed unusually tensed as he paced into the room. Having one hand in his hair and another clutching three files, he walked into the room with a grim facial expression. After dropping the files on the table, he turned to face his siblings.

"What am I doing?" bluntly stated Gaara, to the surprise of his stunned siblings.

Gaara gained a reputation for being a calm and collected leader, at a very young age. It was his remarkable transformation from village demon to guardian of the sand that had drawn attention to the often ignored and troubled Sand nation. It was his rule that had brought stability to a region which had desperately sought an end to internal conflict. As a Kazekage, Gaara had done everything within his power to elevate his village with a dogged determination.

Yet the possibility of a single trip to Konoha with his wife was throwing off his cool as ice persona.

"You are acting like an idi..." trailed off Kankuro, when he felt his sister's grip tighten around his shoulder and a glare settle upon her face.

"What's wrong?" worriedly asked Temari, unused to seeing her brother in such a confused state.

"Do I have to go to Konoha?" anxiously inquired Gaara, replying to Temari's question with that of his own.

"Haven't we gone through this already?" wearily responded Kankuro, holding back a sigh and an urge to smack himself in the forehead. "Just go there, get it over with and come straight home. What's the big deal?"

"Everything," hissed Gaara, trying to rein his anxiety under control. "This just feels like a mistake."

"Relax, will you?" exasperatedly stated Kankuro, rolling his eyes in a very Temari-like manner.

"Gaara, stop trying to weasel your way out of this," abruptly commanded Temari, cutting Kankuro's rant short. "You have a duty both to your country and to your wife. Why are you acting as though you have desert snakes tied around your ankles?

"I..." unsurely began Gaara, but no other words left his mouth.

"Accept your responsibility," softly continued Temari, kindly glancing up at her youngest brother. "And keep moving forward. Without you, the Suna we see today wouldn't have been possible. Trust yourself Gaara, your ninja skills are second to none. A trip to Konoha and back should be nothing to you. They are our allies and we need their support."

"I know, but..." sordidly defended Gaara, as fear gradually left his dark rimmed eyes.

"Go," uttered Temari, without any hesitancy. "Represent Suna well. Let them know that loyalty means a lot to Suna."

"Right," managed Gaara, as a small smile crept up his face. With that the young Kazekage left the room as quickly as he had entered.

"And here I thought you disliked Konoha," remarked Kankuro, whistling in his surprise.

"But I'm not the Kazekage," shot back Temari, annoyed at her brother's accusatory tone. "Besides what I think and what the village needs, are completely different."

"Your just afraid that your boy will be disappointed if this trip gets cancelled, aren't you?" cheekily questioned Kankuro, after a moment of quiet deliberation.

"Shut up," said Temari, leaving the room. But her actions alone gave away her intentions.

"I knew it," excitedly crowed Kankuro, behind her back. "You are an evil, evil woman."

"Say one more thing and I promise I will sew your mouth together with your own puppet strings," darkly threatened Temari, whirling around to face her persistent brother.

At once Kankuro stopped his chattering. Growing with Temari, had taught him that she did indeed hold true to her threats. But despite trying his very best to not grin, he found himself giving her an awed smile. She was still capable of manipulating her brothers. And for once, Kankuro did not know whether this was a good thing or a bad one.

[XVIII. I'm wishing for a miracle, that you'd belong to me]

[XIX. Until then, I'm lost with my solitude]

"Pristine," thought a mysterious figure. "What an awful word."

"Boss, we're ready to set off," dutifully informed the young recruit, momentarily disrupting the thoughts of his masked leader.

"Have all the preparations been made?" growled the woman beside him, dissatisfied with what she perceived to be the young man's impudence.

"Of-of course ma'am," stuttered the recruit, in an attempt to demonstrate obedience.

These recruits were no strangers to punishments, often ranging from withdrawal of food to having to maim fellow recruits in order to survive. Often taken in as young, abandoned children, these kids were then forced to undergo a brutal transformation into cold blooded assassins. If anything, it was this conformity which bred submission.

"Mindless drones," spat the distinctly tattooed woman, who sported a symbol of the moon and the sun on opposite shoulders. "Can't do anything right."

"Patience is a virtue, my dear," opined a nasally tone, belonging to the group's sole weapons technician.

"Shut it, Botan!" threatened the agitated woman. "Don't make me shove this kunai down your throat."

"I'd like to see you try, Umeko," hissed Botan, flashing the paper bombs hidden between his fingers.

"You..." began the woman, inches from leaping upon the young man.

"Enough," commanded their hooded leader, stopping the feuding duo in their tracks. "Focus on the task at hand, ensure that the peace talks between the Leaf and Sand do not succeed. Before the end of the summit, that Kazekage's head should roll."

"And in the process, a bloodshed will result," sadistically envisioned the masked man. "The forces of the Leaf and Sand will rip each other apart. So much for their infamous unity; so much for their pristine peace."

[XX. Lost in this window, with no view.]

AN: Happy 2013 everyone! I know, I haven't updated in a long time...so I decided that this would be a better way to treat anyone who is still reading this story to a fantastic New Year. Three major developments have occurred in my life preventing me from continuing this story;

(1) Education: I no longer have the time I had before to continue this story on a regular basis, as my academic requirements continue to surpass any hopes I may have had for leisure time.
(2) Interest: Naruto, as much as it is very near and dear to me, has been dragging...especially the anime. The time I used to spend watching Naruto, is now dedicated to shows like Game Of Thrones, Sherlock, The Walking Dead, Merlin excetra, to name a few (it's all Tumblr's fault...now that I think about it).
(3) Kittens: The most importantreason for my lack of updates, are my two wonderful kittens; Milo and Artemis. Both are cute, adorable and a whole lot of work to take care of. So far, between the two of them, they have managed to ruin 3 pairs of earbuds, 2 USB cables and 1 Wii Sensor Bar wire. Preventing those buggers from damaging household items, is actually quite hard!

Suffice to say, I really have my hands full! So updates will take a while. Sorry for this inconvenience.