Naruto 1. The Reappearance

**Author's Note: Hello, everyone! I'm really excited to share this story with you. I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Any recognizable content in this story is not mine.**

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Yukari had been fascinated by her boisterous, blond neighbor the moment that their eyes locked for the first time. It was brief, only lasting a moment, yet it was enough time for them to burn into her memory. They were a dazzling shade of blue that glistened with mischief, and the warmth that they held reminded her of the sun's rays. In fact, in her eyes, the boy himself was the epitome of sunshine. From his light, spiky locks to the grin that made the whisker-like scars on his cheeks lift, he radiated a happiness and determination that stirred up envy inside the pale girl. It left her tugging at her own inky strands with a frown. Deep down, she wished she could be more like the boy who had caught her attention.

It was obvious that they were polar opposites. He was loud and oozed excitement - she was quiet and kept to herself. He smiled and laughed while her lips remained pressed in a thin line. Her white irises were lackluster and emotionless, a blank slate that kept her hidden from the world. She was impossible to read, yet she possessed a great talent for reading others.

It was easy for her to pick up on the things that everyone else seemed to miss. Instead of conversing and spending time with the children her own age, she chose to observe the people around her. No one noticed the wide eyed young girl watching them. She was a wallflower and successfully blended into the background. Guessing what others were thinking as they passed her on the street became almost like a game to her, and she had gotten so good at it that it was easy for her to tell whether or not someone was being truthful. Not only did it earn her a job, but it earned her a nickname, as well: the human lie detector.

When asked the easiest way of reading someone's true intentions, her attention would instantly be gained.

"It's simple, really," she would reply with feigned disinterest. "Their eyes hold the answers you're looking for. If you look hard enough you'll see."

That was where her true curiosity with the boy began. One look into his eyes was enough to reveal everything that she needed to know.

Loneliness pooled in their depths. They had been clouded over with pain and sorrow, and the sight of it lingering there was enough to send her mind into a frenzy. This boy, the one that was always cheerful, always smiling, was suffering, and it seemed that he was just as skilled at masking his emotions as she was. Only when he was alone did they seem to bubble to the surface.

He hid it all well. His closest friends probably didn't even realize what he covered up with a smile. But it didn't seem to matter how well he hid it; she could still see through his façade. How, though? How could she when even those who were by his side almost every day could not? The answer was easy enough: she suffered the same as he did.

It didn't seem to matter how many people were around. Even in a room full of faces she still felt completely alone. It was like a hand clenched around her heart, squeezing tighter and tighter until it ached and left her gasping for air. Every night he returned to an empty apartment, just as she did. No one was waiting for them to come home. Neither of them had parents to guide them or reassure them; comfort and love were foreign. Did it leave him feeling as hollow as it left her? Did he breathe the same suffocating air that she choked on every night? Guilt welled up inside of her for feeling such a way, but she was glad that there was someone else out there like her.

When the blond was home she didn't feel so empty. The noise that he provided filled the void and distracted her from her thoughts, even if only for a little while. She reveled in the sound; every bump, bang, and string of profanities that rang through the thin wall separating their apartments left her a little less lonesome. It angered their downstairs neighbors to no end, but not her - she welcomed the noise with open arms.

The nights that he did not return were the worst. Sitting in the silence reminded her how truly alone she really was. It left her mind buzzing and her heart sinking down into her stomach. She hadn't realized it, but she was almost dependent on the boy. They hadn't even met, yet to her he was more than just a neighbor. He was left wandering in the same darkness as she was.

Maybe that was what they both needed: for someone to be there at the end of the day when the nights were the coldest and their hearts were in their most vulnerable state; someone to offer an understanding smile when the world only seemed to frown; someone who would hold out their hand when everything came crashing down around them. They both longed for someone to come home to, yet it was as if she were invisible to him. It didn't matter that they crossed paths almost every day or how often their eyes would meet. He didn't even seem to notice the young girl, and maybe that was her fault. She could have easily stopped him on the street and introduced herself, but she found herself holding back. She was afraid to approach him. If she did, she would be allowing someone to be close to her for the first time in as long as she could remember. The thought of being so vulnerable frightened her. So they carried on with their own lives, never stopping to make that connection. Perhaps it was better that way.

It was late when Yukari unlocked the door to her apartment. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her before making her way towards the kitchen. A yawn left the small girl as she placed her keys on the table. She had stayed at work longer than she should have finishing a report that was due tomorrow afternoon. With her shoulders slumped, she bypassed the fridge and continued down the hall. She had absolutely no appetite, instead craving desperately needed sleep.

As she made her way into her bedroom she realized something. Her head snapped up and her eyes darted around her. It was quiet - much too quiet for Yukari's tastes. With quick steps she glided towards the adjacent wall and pressed her ear against it, hoping to catch any sign of the inhabitant of the next door apartment; a snore or a grunt, or anything at all would do. That last little flame of hope was extinguished when empty silence met her ears. She backed away will a small frown as the sinking feeling in her chest returned to her. It was always present when he left, but she could tell that this time something was different. Something wasn't right. Anxiety washed over her until it grew painful. She went to bed that night with an aching heart.

It didn't matter how hard she tried to shrug off the ominous feeling that followed her after that. It loomed over her like a dark cloud, dampening her mood even further than it was to begin with. It hung over her for days, weeks, even a month before she realized that she had to face the truth. She had heard talk around the village but tuned it out as best as she could, telling herself that it was merely gossip. She didn't want to believe what they were saying and instead chose to remain in a state of denial. But it seemed as if she couldn't ignore it any longer.

It didn't matter how often she searched the crowded streets for his bright, shining eyes, or passed by the door to his apartment, praying to hear even the slightest noise behind it. It was time to face reality, no matter how much she didn't want to. Naruto Uzumaki was gone, and he took a part of her with him the day that he left.

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It was midsummer. The warm night air was still with the exception of a cool breeze that shifted through the trees. Their leaves shook and rustled as it passed, the calming noise making its way throughout the village and lulling its inhabitants into a peaceful state of rest.

Konohagakure was beautiful with its lush foliage and fresh, crisp air. It remained a comfortable, warm temperature during the day and cooled slightly at night. It was nearly perfect weather.

Some days, however, the village grew very hot, and the air filled with a humidity that left everyone in it coated in a thin layer of sweat. On those days only the braver of the citizens of Konoha would take to the streets. The rest began their errands earlier in the day or waited until evening fell, trying desperately to avoid the miserable conditions. Today had been one of those days.

The sun had long since disappeared below the horizon, taking the scorching heat along with it. Yukari had been hiding inside of her cramped apartment for the majority of the time that the sun was in the sky. The only time that she dared to venture outdoors was spent washing her laundry and hanging it up to dry on the rooftop, knowing that the direct sunlight would make a quick job of it. She had been sitting by the window ever since, watching as the street below her went from buzzing with activity to nearly empty. She listened as the hum of talking and laughter dimmed into silence. All that remained now was a drunken man or two stumbling about as they made their ways back home.

When the last straggler had passed she rose from her seat and moved to leave, grabbing the laundry basket that was placed near the door on the way. She exited her apartment, turned on the spot, and made her way towards the stairwell that would take her up to the roof.

The sound of chirping crickets met her ears as she placed her hand along the railing. It soothed her, but she did not pause to bask in the gentle noise. Instead she quickly made her way up the steps, and when she had reached her destination, she began to pull her clothing from the line. She quickly threw each piece into the wicker basket as a breeze swept through. It caressed her skin and caused the large, baggy t-shirt that she wore to billow out. Her feet were bare, as she had only planned to step out for a moment, and her plum painted toenails stood out against her pale skin in the dark. When the last article had been retrieved, she picked up her basket and continued back down to the landing below.

Something caught her eye on her way back down the hall. It was a door, one that she hadn't glanced at for quite some time. Its occupant had not returned to the apartment in years, leaving it to stand vacant and empty. It was the door she had found herself staring at almost every day in the years prior, and it wasn't only due to the fact that the stairs both down to the street and up to the roof were located just beyond it. Each passing glance was a silent plea for the boy to return. She longed for the noise that he had once provided to surround her once again. No matter how much she wished for it, he did not come back. She knew not to get her hopes up any longer and passed it with her eyes fixed straight ahead.

Shaking her head, Yukari forced those thoughts to the back of her mind before slowly beginning to move away from the door. It was no use dwelling on it. She had only taken her first steps when she heard the sound of feet pounding behind her. Coming to a stop and turning towards the noise caused the person who had been running to collide right into her. The ground rushed up to meet her, and clenching her eyes tightly shut, she braced herself for the impending impact. Her back soon made contact with the hard surface and the basket she had been carrying slipped from her hands before rolling away from her with a thud. Pearl white eyes flew open just in time to see her freshly dried laundry soar through the air. It scattered and cluttered the hallway floor as she hissed and rubbed the back of her head in pain. A dull throb was already forming in her skull.

When the room had finally stopped spinning around her she raised her eyes to scowl at the person who had knocked her down. All of her anger slipped away from her and her mouth fell open in shock as azure irises met with her own. The boy who had plagued her thoughts for years stood before her, glancing down at her with a horrified look on his face.

Apologies spewed from his mouth and his bright blue eyes were filled with concern as he waved his arms around him. Her tongue tied itself in a knot, and all she seemed to be able to do was blink up at him owlishly. When he realized that she was staring at him he stopped waving his arms and instead held his hands out for her to take. She looked at them for a fleeting moment before placing both of her small, thin hands in his strong, rough ones. He lifted her back to her feet with ease, as if she weighted as light as a feather; to him, she probably did.

She was small for her age in both height and weight. The top of her head was barely level with his shoulder. She was thin but curvy, and despite her height, she had long, lean legs that seemed to go on for miles. Her skin was a translucent pale that contrasted with her rosy cheeks and inky black tresses, which framed her face and cascaded past her shoulders. What was the most noticeable about the small girl, however, were her eyes.

They were wide and doe-like, lined in black and framed with thick, dark lashes. It was far from the heaviness that rimmed Gaara's eyes, but it was there, and like everything else about her, it was bold and striking against the opalescent shade of her orbs. They were almost as white as the moon that hung in the sky above them, and they glinted like pearls in the dark. She reminded him of a porcelain doll, fragile and as if she were made of glass.

"Sorry lady!" Regret was evident in his voice, which had grown deeper in the time that he had been away. His once childish tone was now replaced with a rougher and more mature one. In fact, everything about him had matured. His round, boyish face was gone, thinned out and replaced with that of a teen's. His muscles were more defined through his clothing and he had grown quite a few inches taller, as well. He now towered over her and had to look down to catch her eye. He was even more handsome than he had been before he left.

"It's okay," she assured. "It was an accident. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going." Her voice was quiet and melodic, like waves rushing across the sand. He let out a small sigh of relief before his signature grin reappeared.

"Here, let me help you with that," he replied as he bent over and began picking up her laundry. A majority of it had been collected before she even had time to help. Soon enough, everything was removed from the floor and back in its place.

Her face was blank, her voice quiet. "Thank you." He gave her a slightly embarrassed smile and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's the least I could do for knocking you over." His eyes swept over her face and took in her features before he paused. He inched his face closer to hers, invading her personal space. She took a step back to put some distance between them. He rubbed his chin, his eyes squinted in concentration as he observed her. It was as if he were trying to remember something important. "You look awfully familiar."

"I live down the hall. I have for years."

"I remember now!" he exclaimed, causing her shoulders to twitch. He was just as loud as he'd always been. "I used to see around the village a lot. Did you go to the academy?"

"No," she answered in a monotone voice, shifting her eyes away from his. She was a pro when it came to keeping her emotions in check. If she hadn't been, she was certain that his questioning would have caused her heart to race with anxiety. He watched her as she stared past him, confused by the fact that she wouldn't look him in the eye. Their intense blue caused something to stir in her that she couldn't comprehend and hadn't felt in years. It was as if the only person who could understand her had vanished when he left. In turn, she had locked away the remainder of her emotions, and she wouldn't allow the walls that kept them hidden to dissipate. "I'm Yukari Setsuna," she pressed on after a brief moment of silence. "And if I remember correctly, you're Naruto Uzumaki."

"That's right, dattebayo!"

"You've been gone a long time." Yukari was stating the obvious. She allowed a hint of curiosity to splay across her face, but nothing more. Though she was fond of the blond, she wouldn't let it show. "I haven't seen you around for a while."

"I've been off training," he answered with a grin. She nodded in understanding before he continued. "I've been gone for over two years!"

"You must have been working very hard then," she replied with a small tilt of her head. "Two years is a long time to be away from home."

"Yeah, I just got back this morning. Here, let me carry that for you," he said as he took the basket from her hands. "Which way do you live? I'll walk you home."

"It's really alright," she protested as she shook her head. "I only live down the hall."

"I owe you, though! Just lead the way!" With the smallest of sighs – she was fairly certain that he hadn't heard it – she began the short trek back to her apartment. She knew that the blond wouldn't take no for an answer. He had always been so determined, and she didn't have the heart to turn him down when he smiled that smile of his. It took no time at all before they were standing in front of her door.

"I'd love to hear about your training sometime," she found herself confessing once he had placed the hamper by her side. The words had left her before she had time to think them through. He looked down at her, the same grin still plastered to his face.

"How about I take you out to dinner and tell you all about it! It'll be my way of saying sorry for nearly trampling you."

Her lips twitched. The left corner of her mouth rose, though not by much. She agreed because she didn't have the heart to turn him down, but she knew that she wouldn't follow through with his offer. _Keep everyone at arm's length_, she reprimanded herself. _It's easier that way._

"Sure. That sounds great."

She didn't think it was possible, but Naruto's smile grew even wider. He nodded his head furiously, her answer satisfying.

"You should get inside. You look cold." She looked downward to take in what she was wearing. In the coolness of the night, she had to admit that he was spot on with his assumption.

"I suppose you're right," she replied with a nod. The darkness was growing steadily, though the handle of her door seemed to glow in the light of the hall. "I'll see you around then. Goodnight, Naruto."

"Night!" he called as he turned to walk back down the hall. She watched his retreating form for a moment before picking up the laundry hamper and beginning to make her way inside. She allowed herself to stare after him, if only for a moment, before the chilly air started to get to her.

"Hey, Yukari!" His head poked back around the corner and his azure eyes met hers. His voice was cheerful, his tone warm and friendly. "I'll see you around!"

The sound of his door opening and closing sounded out a moment later, and she was left completely alone in the hall again. White eyes cracked with the briefest glint of confusion; and then it was gone. However, her thoughts drifted back to pausing at his door. If she had continued on her way without stopping at it, she would never have crossed paths with him. Was it just a coincidence, or was it meant to happen? The hoot of an owl in the night shook her from her daze and she quickly stepped back inside, a small click resounding behind her as she locked the door.

A frown crept its way onto her face. Their conversation had been brief, yet it had been the longest she had held with anyone outside of work. Her head was at war with her heart; she tried to convince herself that she wasn't interested in the battle ensuing, but she didn't believe it for a moment. Why was it so hard to fight against her stoic demeanor when it came to the blond?

It didn't take long for her apartment to fill with the sounds that she thought she would never hear again. He must have been cleaning - no doubt his home would be a mess after being away for so long. As she set the basket by the door to her room and seated herself on her bed, a particularly loud bang sounded. The image of him wrestling with a broom sprang up before she could stop it. Pink lips twisted in the faintest bit of amusement before settling back in their previous straight line. She flung herself backwards and let her back hit the mattress, losing herself in her thoughts. Yukari wasn't the type of person that trusted easily; she trusted her comrades and mentors, though not to the extent that she should have. She trusted them to do their jobs, and that was it.

Had she ever been happy like that? Had she ever smiled as easily as Naruto did, or let anyone in? She attempted to picture herself in that light, but no matter how hard she tried to think back, nothing revealed itself. It remained foggy and unclear. A dull pang in her head forced her to stop. She tangled her hands in her hair, unwelcome frustration that she hadn't felt in years creeping up on her.

_The past is the past_, she tried to convince herself. All that mattered now was the present. She would carry out her job – her missions – and she wouldn't worry about anything else. But Naruto's sudden appearance left her questioning those words. She found herself wanting to do all of those things; to be happy. She wanted to be more like him.

"Damn that blond," she mumbled to herself, turning out the lights and settling into her sheets. Yukari closed her eyes, the thuds seeping through the wall easing her tense muscles. _Don't let him in. Those walls are there for a reason._

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**Author's Note: Feel free to drop by and leave a review! Reviews keep me going, and I'd really appreciate any feedback you have to offer. Until next time!**


	2. Crossing Paths

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, its characters, or its plotlines. This is merely written for the joy of fanfiction.**

**Let's do this thing.**

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Dawn was arriving. The sun's light stretched across buildings and landscape as it began its steady ascent into the sky. It bathed the sleepy village in a pink and orange glow that awoke the birds and orchestrated their morning symphonies. It was a breathtaking sight to behold, yet hardly anyone was awake to witness it. Its only spectators were a few shopkeepers, who were too preoccupied with opening their stands to pay any attention, and one pale, wide eyed girl, who sat high up on her balcony to bask in the serene atmosphere. Moments like these, when the world was still tucked away in their beds, were the only time that she felt truly at peace.

As the sun rose higher into the sky and daylight seemed to be upon them at last, Konoha burst into life. The villagers began to flock to the streets to start their days, their arrival engulfing the area with a clamor of activity. Men and women alike moved from stand to stand, making purchases and stopping along the way to chat with a passing friend or acquaintance. Children dragged their feet and groggily made their way to the academy, and shinobi in green vests maneuvered through the crowds as they went about their duties.

Yukari did not venture into the street below until there was no trace of the sunrise left. It was somewhat of a morning ritual for her: she'd watch its warm hues illuminate the sky before heading out for the day, and she would not return home until the sunset took its place.

It was getting late, and she knew that she would need to get a move on sooner rather than later. There was no time to take the civilized route and exit down the stairs, so the teen climbed up onto the railing of her balcony instead. She swung her body over the steel bars without hesitation and propelled herself from the landing. The action forced her dark hair to fan out behind her as she glided through the air. No one seemed to be fazed by her sudden arrival and did not spare the girl so much as a glance as her sandal clad feet touched down on the dirt path. Her actions were nothing new to them; they did live in a village populated by ninja, after all.

Her black locks cascaded in a tangled mess around her, falling in front of her eyes and concealing them from view. Yukari let a strong huff of air pass her lips to rid them from her sight. The burst blew the obstructing strands out of the way, and her white eyes were once again visible to the world around her. They trailed from the left to the right and back again before settling forward, examining the path ahead of her.

It was certainly going to be a daunting task to weave her way through the throng of people. Everyone seemed to be out enjoying the warm temperature and the relaxing breeze. On an average day, the copious amounts of bodies in her way would have had her brow twitching in the little bit of annoyance she allowed to show. Today, however, her mind was not focused on how she would go about squeezing her way through.

Her attempts to untangle the knots in her hair were proving to be pointless. All that she could do was smooth it down as best as she could, but even then it was still a matted mess. Yukari had never been concerned with the things that girls her age were meticulous about. She told herself that she didn't have time to care about her hair or her clothing, and that there were more important issues in front of her. This morning was no different.

She had no time to return home to run a brush through her hair, and every snag that her fingers caught only deepened her scowl. The teen knew that there was nothing else she could do for it, so she stopped trying. She brushed off her black shorts, tugged the fitted maroon top she wore down, and began forcing her way into the sea of civilians.

A yawn escaped the ebony haired girl as she pressed her way through. Although she had slept exceptionally well, she was still exhausted. Yukari stretched her arms above her head, the action causing her to accidentally hit a man who had been passing by. A grunt of distaste sounded from behind her, and she quickly whipped around to meet his disgruntled glare.

She didn't say a word, no apology making its way from her throat. The man looked less than pleased and turned to yell at his assailant while he rubbed his cheek where her fist had made contact. But when he saw who was standing behind him, all of his biting words ceased. He apologized with wide eyes before striding away at a quick pace.

Yukari had a reputation around the village. People were unnerved by the small girl; her emotionless demeanor threw them off. She was left to stare after him with tired, weary eyes. Rubbing at them with her fists, she shrugged off the encounter and shoved her hands deep into her pockets to avoid brutalizing anyone else so early in the morning.

Yukari had a bad habit of being unaware of where she was walking. When she had time to herself she would get lost in her thoughts. Sometimes she would move but not really pay attention to where she was going, which proved to be a recipe for trouble. But since she was so small and the people around her generally moved out of her way, she never caused too much damage. With her eyes locked on the now bright blue sky she continued down the busy path, this time paying more attention to her surroundings.

The pale teen received a number of curious stares that morning. People craned their necks to catch a glimpse of her and were surprised by what they saw. Those who knew her, or in other words, saw her pass by every day, had never seen her in such a state. A calm, peaceful look took the place of her more than common emotionless expression. It was a complete mystery as to what had the normally brooding girl in such a content mood. She paid no mind to the multitude of eyes burning holes into her back, her attention stolen once again. How she was going to deal with a certain blond was the only thing she had been able to think about since she had woken up that morning.

Konoha had seemed so empty while he was away. Despite how loud he was, and to some, how annoying, it had seemed too quiet for even their tastes. It was as if a huge chunk had been missing from the village. Everyone seemed to notice his absence.

"Speak of the devil," she murmured to herself.

The blond in question was making quite a bit of racket. Although he was still some distance behind her on the street, she could hear him clear as day. Heads turned in his direction in confusion, but when they saw who was making the noise it quickly faded away. Some of the villagers waved and greeted him with a smile while others just continued on their way, not paying the teen any mind. Now that he wasn't constantly pulling pranks, many of Konoha's inhabitants had grown fond of him. It was certainly a change from how things had been in the past.

She remembered those days quite well. The villagers would glare and sneer at him with eyes filled with loathing and whisper cruel things as he passed. She knew full well that he heard their cold words, but he carried on as if he hadn't and as if they hadn't stung. Worst of all was the fact that he didn't even understand what he had done to be treated as if he were something vile. But things weren't that way anymore. Eyes no longer looked on him with hatred and contempt, but with respect and admiration. He had certainly come a long way since then.

She hadn't realized it, but her pace had slowed to a stop, and she now stood motionless in the middle of the bustling shopping space. Her peaceful expression caused an elderly shop owner's eyes to widen and for her to do a double take.

"You look as if you're up to no good," the woman mused. Her tone was teasing, and her words pulled the girl from her reverie. The teen offered no reply in return, but the woman sent her a friendly smile regardless and tossed her an apple from her stand. She waved her goodbye, which Yukari returned with a nod of appreciation, before she meandered back into the cool shade of her shop.

The girl's white eyes trailed down to the crimson fruit she had been given. The sight of its smooth peel caused the fog that clouded her mind to shift, allowing bits and pieces of tiny moments to dance across her thoughts. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to push past the haze further, but it pushed back just as strongly in an attempt to keep her at arm's length.

It was like a game of tug of war. Just when she thought that she had victory in her grasp, the rope would pull her further back. Body and mind were at war, and the result was a dull throb in the back of her head. The pain became sharper and more frequent the longer that their battle waged. Raising her hand, she pressed it against her forehead and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Her plum painted nails subconsciously dug into the apple's flesh as she willed for the pain to leave her. Its sweet juice escaped through the cracks between her digits and dripped into the dirt.

Images of metal ghosting across skin stood out boldly to her. She could feel the hair on her arms raise and small pricks travel down her spine as if it were actually occurring. Although it was a strange and unfamiliar sensation, it was nothing compared to what she experienced next.

Red as vibrant as the fruit she held was all that she saw. It was almost as if a film had been placed over her eyes, obstructing her view and coating the world around her in its foreboding color. Dread began to bubble up in her chest and her breath hitched in her throat. Her fingers went slack, and everything seemed to move in slow motion as the apple slipped from her hand; her ears searched for the sound of its meeting with the ground.

"Hi, Kari-chan!" she heard instead. The arrival of the new, unexpected presence left her body tensing up, but it was better than jumping out of her skin. Yukari slowly glanced over her shoulder to take in who had startled her. The tension that had overtaken her eased when a flash of orange and black caught her eye.

"Hello, Naruto," she replied. She should have known that he would catch up to her eventually. How long had she been standing there for? And what had she just seen? Whatever it was, it was gone now, and it took the excruciating pain along with it. The clarity that had begun to surface was stolen from her, the fog resurfacing in its place.

"Hey Kari-chan, where are you headed off to so early?" he questioned with curious eyes. In her bout of fright she hadn't realized that the blond hadn't called her by her full name. If anyone else were to have called her anything but Yukari, her displeasure would have been obvious. But she liked the sound of Kari when it came from the blond. It rolled off of his tongue with ease.

Mild curiosity danced in her eyes, but its appearance was temporary. It was odd, really; Naruto was being so friendly with her, acting like they had been friends for ages when in reality they had only met yesterday. No one had ever given her a nickname before; at least, she couldn't remember an instance when someone had. Things like that left her drawing a blank, and she hadn't any clue of what was meant to fill that space.

"Hello? Earth to Kari-chan, are you in there?" A hand waving in front of her face snapped her from her thoughts and back to the ninja in front of her. She blinked up at him in confusion; he sweat dropped in return.

"You sure are spacey, huh, Kari-chan?" His comment caused her frown to deepen and her brow to crease in confusion, leaving the blond teen slightly concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she mumbled back quietly. She turned her head to take him in, peering up at him through her dark lashes. He wasn't convinced, but he didn't question her further.

"So where are you headed?" Naruto tried again. He leaned forward in an attempt to catch her eye and succeeded, and for a brief moment azure irises bore into pearl white. The warmth and happiness they held left her tongue tied and unable to give him an answer. It would be so easy to get lost in their depths, but she knew that she could not allow herself to. What would he find if he stared into her eyes long enough? She didn't want to find out, so she shifted them away from his and turned them towards the ground. Her hesitance to look him in the eye brought a frown to his face.

"I could ask you the same thing," Yukari shot back after she had regained her voice. Her answer was sly and allowed her to dodge his question altogether. Without any warning, she moved from her spot and once again started to walk. This time, however, she continued at a slower pace to allow the blond to walk beside her. He did so with his arms folded up behind him, his hands resting on the back of his head. The pale girl glanced at him out of her peripheral vision before returning her hands to her pockets and her eyes to the clouds.

"My team is getting assigned a mission today," he informed her. Both his chest and voice swelled with pride. "It'll be my first mission in years. I hope it's something really cool, like-"

The rest of his words were lost to her. Her frown deepened and tugged almost painfully at the corner of her lips. Her stomach twisted in knots and her chest tightened with worry. It was a familiar feeling, but even so, it didn't seem to matter how many times it had occurred; it was still as uncomfortable as the first time she had experienced it.

"Leaving so soon?" Yukari asked. Her voice was quiet against the noise of the market. The blond took notice of her frown. He may not have been the most observant guy, but when it came to her, he took in everything. He'd even go as far as to say that he was drawn to her. She was so secretive and hid everything so well that he couldn't even begin to decipher the underlying emotion behind her words. Naruto wanted to figure her out.

"Don't worry, Kari-chan! I'll be back before you know it!" His assurance caused her frown to ease and her face to return to its usual blankness. "Crap!"

His shriek was loud, unexpected and right next to her ear. Its sudden burst had her once again tensing. She turned to scowl at him for almost blowing out her eardrums, but decided against it when she caught the look on his face.

The blond leapt from one foot to the other with wide, terrified eyes. "I'm late! Oh man, Sakura is going to kill me!"

He gave her a few pats on the head and sped off with a wild expression, sending a frantic "Bye, Kari-chan!" and a wave over his shoulder before disappearing into the crowd. Yukari stared after him, blinking owlishly for the second time that morning. Once the initial shock of his invasion of her personal space and his abrupt departure had dissipated, the corned of her lips threatened to quirk.

"Bye, Naruto," she mumbled under her breath. He seemed to leave her in a deeper state of confusion every time they crossed paths, but as she trailed behind him with her eyes fixed on the sky above her, she considered the odd situation he had left her in.

Guarded as she was, she didn't really mind.

* * *

**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who took the time to leave a review! They seriously keep me motivated and make chapters come out sooner.**


	3. Moving Out

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own Naruto, its characters, or its plotlines. This is merely written for the joy of fanfiction.**

**Let's do this thing.**

* * *

It was proving to be a busy day for Konoha's Intelligence Division. The day had just begun, yet the building was already in a state of organized chaos. People rushed up and down the halls to retrieve and deliver reports and documents. Those who weren't running errands congregated in small, scattered groups, receiving instructions and going over their tasks for the day. Everyone was busy, but even so, they all stopped what they were doing to greet Inoichi Yamanaka as he made his way down the hall. They bowed to him out of respect, and when they saw who trailed behind him, they bowed to her, as well.

Inoichi was renowned for his ability to search through an entire day's worth of someone's memories in mere seconds. His prowess attracted people from all over, desperate to learn from him. He turned down prospective students left and right, unwilling to teach anyone. Inoichi did not take on students; he didn't want the extra responsibility. That was, until three years ago.

He was preparing to relieve Ibiki and take over the rest of an interrogation when the Third Hokage approached him. At his side stood a young girl, her hair black as night and eyes white as snow. She couldn't have been any older than his daughter Ino, who was thirteen at the time. He instantly knew what the Hokage wanted of him. Inoichi was prepared to turn down yet another hopeful, but the elder man spoke before he even had the chance to open his mouth.

"Let her observe the interrogation. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

The Third put a hand on the girl's back and gently pushed her forward until she stood in front of the glass of the one-way mirror. Even then, he stood by her side with his hand remaining on her shoulder. Behind the glass stood Ibiki Morino, the head of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force. An enemy shinobi stood with his hands in manacles, chained to the adjacent wall. His attempts to get the man to speak seemed to be futile.

"Where is the scroll that you stole?" Ibiki inquired in a gruff voice. All that he received in return was a wince of pain and a taunting smirk.

"I don't know," he smugly answered back. "I never had it in the first place. It's probably miles away from here as we speak."

"He's lying."

The small voice startled Inoichi, who had been studying the shackled man rather closely. He turned his eyes downward to glance at the child, only to find her vacant eyes staring straight ahead and locked on the enemy's.

"How do you know?" he questioned her. She never took her eyes away from their focal point.

"Isn't it obvious?" she questioned back. "Look at that man's eyes. They trembled slightly when he was asked of the scroll's location, like he's trying to keep them from shifting. It's an obvious sign that someone's lying."

He was stunned. A girl so young was already this skilled at reading body language? The movement had been slight, barely noticeable, and it had been made from quite a distance. If he himself hadn't have been as experienced as he was in interrogation, he would have missed it.

"Impressive, isn't she?" the Third praised. "Her eyes are very sharp, and her sensory abilities are impeccable for her age. With the right training she could become a very valuable asset to the village. So what do you say, Inoichi?"

He glanced down at the girl once more, this time meeting her white eyes. They looked so lifeless, so empty, but they possessed incredible talent. He wouldn't allow that talent to waste away.

That was the day that Inoichi finally took on a student.

Both he and Ibiki took her under their wing, pouring everything they knew into the girl. The training was complex and the farthest thing from easy, but she never cracked under the pressure they applied, soaking up every last bit of information like a sponge with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. It didn't take long before she exceeded both theirs, and even the Hokage's expectations. She proved to be skilled far beyond her years, and he strongly believed that with time and training she would surpass even him.

Inoichi took a look over his shoulder, taking in the sight of his apprentice. She had grown over the years. Her long, black hair was draped over her shoulder and concealed a portion of her face from view. Her white eyes were fixed down towards a scroll she held in her hands, but even though she appeared to be reading it, he knew that her eyes weren't taking any of it in. They were unfocused, her mind miles away.

He had been able to observe her more than anyone else over the years that he had been training her. The girl distanced herself from those around her, keeping everyone at arm's length. She did her best to avoid all eye contact, but when she couldn't, her eyes were cold and seemed to lack any emotion at all. When she did show any form of it, it did not reach her eyes. Nothing ever seemed to reach them. She was frigid, merely an empty shell of the girl she must have been at one point in time.

Her focus had been shot for a little over a week now. She appeared to be constantly lost in her thoughts and ran into things more than she normally did. Of course, she was distant and clumsy when she wasn't watching where she was going to begin with, but this was on a different level. Something seemed to be eating away at her, but he hadn't bothered to ask what was wrong. The teen wouldn't have provided him with an answer, anyways.

Inoichi decided that enough was enough. He was prepared to question her about her behavior but stopped moving altogether when he spotted Ibiki walking towards them. The girl following at his heels failed to notice and plowed right into him, her face colliding with his back. The force of impact nearly knocked her over and immediately snapped her from her trancelike state. He turned his head towards her with a raised brow before she took a step back, her face apologetic. He couldn't help but send a small smile her way. She had grown on him over the years, and he considered her as if she were his own daughter.

"Morning, Ibiki," Inoichi greeted as the tall man stopped in front of him. The girl poked her head around her teacher's back at the mention of the man's name. When she caught sight of his long, black trench coat she sent her superior a nod in greeting. He returned it before beginning to speak.

"Did you hear about that fool Kakashi?" he asked the two of them. "He landed himself in the hospital for a week."

"He did?" she asked as she stepped out from her hiding spot. She rolled up the report she hadn't even read and handed it to the blond haired man. It was slight, but there was a hint of worry laced in with her words. "How did he end up doing that?"

"I don't know the details," he replied as he directed his eyes to the small girl. "All I know is that it happened on their mission to Sunagakure."

"Knowing him, he must have overdone it," Inoichi commented with a chuckle. A thought struck him and a smile crossed his face. So that was why the teen had been so spacey. It must have been due to Squad 7's mission to the Hidden Sand, although Yukari had never bothered worrying about Kakashi before. It wasn't that she didn't care for the man; it was the fact that she knew what the Jonin was capable of and found no reason to fret over him. He knew what he was doing. Why spend her time worrying as if he didn't?

That didn't seem like such a likely answer, after all. He had been so sure that that had been the cause. If she wasn't worried about Kakashi, then what had her so scatterbrained? Was she worried about the rest of his team? Inoichi didn't think that she knew any of the other members of Squad 7. The whole situation left him drawing a blank. Why did teenage girls have to be so confusing?

"Why don't you go check on him, Yukari?" Inoichi suggested. "Ibiki and I have everything under control here. You could use a break anyways."

"Are you sure?" she asked with uncertainty. He sent her a nod before shooing her off, turning away from her to continue down the hall with Ibiki in tow.

"Say hello to your old sensei for us," he called back to her. He didn't bother waiting for a response.

Yukari was left alone in the busy hallway to watch her master's back until it disappeared around the corner. When he was out of sight she turned around and retraced her steps, disappearing out the front entrance in the blink of an eye.

It wasn't long before she found herself standing in the lobby of the hospital. The air conditioner was running full blast in the large room, the sudden change in temperature causing goose bumps to spring up all over her exposed skin. She rubbed her arms, trying in vain to return some warmth to her limbs.

After asking the nurse behind the reception desk for his room number she began to make her way slowly up the stairs. She reached his room in no time and raised her hand to knock on the door, but paused. The hum of conversation could be heard from behind the hard surface. She considered coming back later but decided against it, bringing her fist forward to lightly tap against the wood. The voices stopped abruptly as she entered the room, and her eyes instantly connected with the Hokage's. Her face paled as amber locked with white. It was an impressive feat for her, considering how pale she was to begin with.

_I should have come back later._

"Well look who it is," a voice came from deeper within the room. Her eyes snapped from the blonde woman in front of her to the man lying in the hospital bed. Kakashi hadn't changed a bit, from his appearance to his choice of literature. Her nose scrunched in distaste as she caught sight of the book resting in his lap.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" he continued, a small smile evident in his only visible eye. She returned it with the slightest inclination of her head. Looking at his book once more her previously expressionless face slipped into a small scowl, making the man leaning against the window laugh at his expense. It was then that Yukari realized how many people were actually in the room.

Lady Tsunade stood near the foot of the hospital bed with Shizune at her side, Tonton resting in her arms. There were also two men standing on either side of her old sensei's bed. The one who had laughed was an older man with long, white hair pulled back in a ponytail. The other appeared to be Kakashi's age, if not a little younger. He had dark brown hair and pitch black eyes, and his gaze left her slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Milady," she apologized, bowing low in respect. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I can come back later."

"I was actually hoping to run into you."

Yukari lifted her eyes to meet hers, confusion briefly flickering in them. Tsunade began to make her way towards the door with Shizune in tow, and once she had reached it, she beckoned the teen to come with them.

"I'll stop by to visit later, Kakashi-sensei," she called back to the silver haired Jonin. He sent a small wave in return before the door closed behind her.

The walk through the hospital was silent, the only sound coming from their shoes as they made contact with the floor's cool tile. It wasn't until they had stepped out into the bright sunlight that the Hokage spoke. Her eyes took the young girl in before she began to walk down the busy street.

"It seems that the Akatsuki have finally made their move."

Yukari's body visibly tensed and her pace faltered as the woman's words registered. She regained her stride next to the two women as if the halt in her movements hadn't even occurred, but her body didn't relax again.

Yukari watched as the Fifth pulled a scroll from her robe and passed it to her, nodding to show the she wanted her to open it. With steady hands, she unrolled the document and began to read it, her pale eyes dancing across the scroll as she took in every word.

"This is the report from Team Kakashi and Team Gai's mission to Suna," Yukari stated. Tsunade nodded her head in confirmation.

"Then it's true?" Again the woman nodded. Her face was completely void as she rolled up the scroll and passed it back to her.

"Sakura and an elder from the Sand managed to defeat one of the Akatsuki, a man named Sasori."

"Sasori of the Red Sand," Yukari said as the name registered in her mind. Tsunade nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. And as a reward for defeating him, he passed on a bit of information to them."

"What information would that be, Milady?" Yukari inquired. "None of this was included in the report."

"That's because Sakura told no one else of this information. She thought it would be best to keep it quiet until I was informed." When Yukari didn't speak, she continued. "There's been an Akatsuki spy placed in Orochimaru's ranks. Sasori was to meet with him at the Tenchi Bridge in the Village Hidden in the Grass six days from today. We can't waste any more time if we're to get there in time for the randevu, so I'm dispatching Team Kakashi."

Yukari remained quiet as Tsunade spoke, her eyes fixed straight ahead and her neatly arched brows furrowed in thought. After a moment of silence she spoke, her voice quiet and filled with confusion.

"Milady, if the Akatsuki are after the tailed beasts, why would you send Naruto? This could all be a trap that they've laid out for him." The woman walking beside her didn't answer her right away. She seemed to be contemplating her words.

"I'm sure you're familiar with the name Sasuke Uchiha?" Yukari nodded her head in response to her question and looked up at her expectantly. "He's the reason that I'm sending Naruto. This information on Orochimaru could not only lead to that snake's assassination, but to the retrieval of Sakura and Naruto's former teammate, as well. They're determined to bring him home, and it is that determination that will make them succeed. That's why they have to be the ones to go."

"I understand, Milady." Yukari did indeed understand, but that understanding did not stop body from tensing even further. Tsunade could feel the something between worry and understanding radiating from the pale girl.

"Their mission is to go to the Tenchi Bridge, capture the Akatsuki spy, and bring him back for interrogation; which is why I'm glad that I ran into you."

"You want me to go with them, Lady Tsunade?"

"That is correct." Tsunade and Shizune came to a sudden halt. When Yukari looked up, she realized that they were standing in front of the Hokage's tower. "I want you to go with them and extract any information that you can upon capture. I know it won't be easy without the proper equipment, but I believe that with your talent you are the only one for the job. Gather any information that you can on Orochimaru's location, and on Sasuke Uchiha."

"Understood," she replied, nodding her head. "I'll do my best."

"Excellent." The stern look on the older woman's face softened slightly and was replaced with a small smile. Yukari had really grown since they had first met, that much was obvious. When she had first stepped into her office three years ago she had been so cold and withdrawn that it was nearly impossible to speak with the girl. Now she was more approachable, and even showed waves of brief emotion at times. Her emotionless exterior was slowly beginning to dissipate, no matter how small of a change it was.

"Yukari," she called out gently. Her voice was just above a whisper, but Yukari could hear it as well as if it were a shout. It was a tone that seemed strange and almost foreign coming from the blonde, hot tempered woman. She listened closely, understanding just how important her next words were. "Look out for him."

A warm breeze passed by and tossed the hair of the three women, making their tresses dance around them like the leaves in the trees. Tsunade could have sworn that she sent her a small smile, but it was gone before it came. Her determination, however, was clear.

"Of course."

"Milady!" a voice called out from behind the group. The pounding of footsteps against the dirt snapped them from the serious air that had surrounded them. They turned and locked their eyes upon the quickly approaching figure.

"What is it, Sakura?" Tsunade asked as the pink haired teen came to a sudden stop before them. "You still have some time before you have to meet up with the others, right?"

"Yes Ma'am," she replied, straightening up her posture. Her stance was rigid as she spoke. "I was hoping to have a few words with you before we depart." At the kunoichi's words the Hokage turned to the ebony haired girl, nodding to her in dismissal.

"Quickly pack your things and make your way to the front gate."

"Yes Ma'am." Yukari gave the woman a salute before turning and beginning to make her way back down the street and towards her home.

"Yukari!" At the sound of her name she turned back around and locked eyes with the Fifth Hokage. A wave of understanding passed between them, and Tsunade knew that the girl would keep her word. Sending her a small wave and a nod, Yukari turned back around and continued towards her apartment.

The sun was high in the sky when she arrived home. The afternoon heat had her body slick with sweat and her dark locks sticking to the back of her neck. She quickly weaved her hair into a quick, sloppy side braid before stripping off her clothes and tossing them into the corner of her room. The slightly damp articles were replaced with a long sleeve, fishnet undershirt and plum top. A pair of tight, black ninja shorts followed, along with a pair of knee-high sandals. She placed her weapon's pouch on her left thigh before she began packing a bag of necessities. After double and triple checking to make sure that nothing would be left behind, she picked up her headband and tied it loosely around her neck. She observed herself in the mirror to make sure that nothing was out of place. When she was satisfied, she made to leave the room.

Something caught her eye before she could completely pass through the doorway; the sight of it caused her to stop in her tracks. It was a torn, singed photograph, which rested on the nightstand beside her bed. Without a second thought she made her way over to it and picked it up, allowing her eyes to take it in before she tucked it away in her bag. The lights were turned out and the door was locked behind her as she left her apartment and took off towards the meeting spot.

Yukari could see four people waiting as the front gates came into view. They paid her no mind until she drew closer, the crunch of her sandals against the dirt alerting them of her presence. They turned around to greet the newcomer, and she instantly recognized her blond, loudmouthed neighbor, who grinned at her and waved excitedly as she approached, the brown haired man who had been in Kakashi's hospital room, and Sakura. She did not, however, recognize the pale skinned boy who stood with them, but his cold stare made her stomach flip with unease.

"Hi, Kari-chan! Did you come to say goodbye to me?" Naruto asked excitedly. Her face was relaxed as she stopped in front of Team Kakashi. His eyes landed on the forehead protector around her neck once she stood completely in front of them.

"Something like that," she replied. Naruto's expression was completely baffled. Turning towards the brown haired man, who she assumed was the captain of the squad, she continued. "I assume Lady Tsunade informed you?"

"Yes, she did," he replied, shooting her a small smile. "It's a pleasure to meet another one of Kakashi's students-"

"Wait, you're a student of Kakashi-sensei's?" the pink haired kunoichi interrupted. A look of confusion marred her face. "I didn't think that he had any other students."

"That's a story for another time," Yukari replied, her voice monotone. She turned her attention back to the man before her.

"My name is Yamato. I'm the captain of this team while Kakashi is in the hospital. You seem to already know Naruto, but this is Sakura and Sai." She nodded to them both, still unnerved by the smile that the latter wore. It was obviously a fake one.

"My name is Yukari Setsuna. I'm a Jonin with the Intelligence Division." Her introduction caused Naruto's jaw to drop and his eyes to widen. Though it didn't show, she felt the faintest hint of amusement bubbling inside her at the look on his face. Sakura, however, did not find his shock amusing in the least and smacked her fist over the top of his head. A yelp of pain emitted from the teen as he grabbed his it, rubbing where she had hit him.

"Ouch, Sakura!" he pouted. "What the heck did you do that for?!"

"Quit gapping at the girl like a fish!" she shouted back, shooting him a glare that made him shut up immediately. All that Yukari could do was blink at the two of them and their display of violence.

"Anyways," Yamato said as he tried to pull everyone back in. He was unsure of how to handle the scene that had unfolded in front of him. "Yukari will be joining us on the mission-"

"Alright!" Naruto cheered as he pumped his fist into the air. "This will be so cool! I still can't believe you're a ninja, Kari-chan! Why didn't you say something?"

"Now isn't the time for that, Naruto." Yamato scolded. The seriousness in his tone caused the blond to go silent once again. "Like Yukari said, she is a member of the Intelligence Division; one of their most skilled, at that. She is here for one very important reason: to gather what information she can once the Akatsuki spy is in our custody. That information could lead us to Orochimaru, and therefore, Sasuke Uchiha."

Everything seemed to still at his words, leaving a wave of silence to wash over the five of them. Even the wind seemed to cease its movement. She took every member of the group in one by one. Something lingered behind Naruto's eyes. It was an emotion that she struggled to decipher, and she found herself getting lost as she delved deeper and deeper into their stormy blue. It wasn't until the captain broke the silence that she was able to pull herself free of their hold.

"Okay people, this is it," he said as he turned his back to them, staring through the gate at the path they would take. "Team Kakashi, we're moving out."

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**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who stopped by to leave a review! I really appreciate every last one of them. I'm trying to keep up an updating speed of one chapter a week but it may end up being biweekly. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Conflict

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, its characters, or its plotlines. This is merely written for the joy of fanfiction.**

**Let's do this thing.**

* * *

The air was thick with tension as Team Kakashi left Konoha behind. No one spoke, leaving a stifling silence to dwell in the place of conversation. Naruto had taken up openly glaring at Sai the moment that they passed through the gates out of the village, and he made no attempt to mask his sour looks. It was obvious that he detested the other teen. Yukari briefly wondered why before directing her eyes back to the path they were traveling along.

Sakura trailed slightly behind him, watching the two with weary eyes, while Yukari walked next to Sai. Unlike her pink haired teammate, she kept her doe like eyes fixed in front of her, her attention focused ahead. She didn't have to look to see future conflict on the horizon. Although she didn't show it, the prospect of a fight breaking out between the two had her slightly miffed. A skirmish between teammates would hinder the mission. That was all she was concerned about at the moment.

The awkwardness of the trip thus far was beginning to become suffocating. Yukari's muscles were tense and her irritation was on the rise. Things could get bad if she continued to linger in the tension. Unable to handle it any longer, Yukari picked up her pace and left the three other teens behind to walk beside the captain of the squad.

"Uncomfortable back there, huh?" Captain Yamato asked. Yukari's small, lithe legs struggled to match his long strides. She answered him with a nod before turning her head to sneak a peek over her shoulder. Nothing seemed to have changed in the moments that had passed. Naruto was still glaring away. He probably hadn't even noticed her absence.

"Think it'll be this way the whole mission?" she inquired with her eyes still on the blond.

"I have a feeling it will be," he sighed back as he dragged a hand over his face. The ground beneath them transitioned from dirt to the rough wood of a large bridge. The silence still prevailed, so the only sound came from their feet as they began to cross.

"Well, what is it?" Sai questioned, finally acknowledging the blond's glares. His pitch black eyes clashed with cerulean blue.

It was the first time that Yukari had heard the boy speak. His voice was low and smooth, yet it was completely void of emotion. Everything about him seemed to be lacking in that department. Not once the entire time she had been in the boy's presence did she see even a flicker of emotion. He reminded her of the way that she had been six years ago, and a little bit of herself today. A frown marred her features and she began to lose herself in her thoughts, allowing herself to drown in them. While she was off in her own world, Naruto continued to glare at Sai with his lips pressed in a thin line. He offered the boy no answer.

"If you keep on staring at me like that, I will hit you."

The sheer bluntness of his threat made Yukari snort. Shaking herself from her thoughts, she redirected her attention to her two male teammates. The blond began shouting at the pale boy, his shrieks ringing painfully in her ear. Her annoyance only seemed to increase with the volume of his words.

Yukari covered her ears with her hands in an attempt to block out their argument. Yamato could hear the small girl grumbling something incoherent under her breath, only catching small snippets of her agitated words. It was obvious that the stress the two were creating was beginning to affect her, and he was unsure how to diffuse the conflict breaking out.

"We don't need someone like you on this team!"

Naruto's harsh statement left everyone coming to a sudden halt. Yukari turned towards the remaining members of the group but instantly wished she hadn't. The blond was furious, his eyes cold and filled with anger. It was a look that was almost frightening. Almost.

She may not have known him well, but in the short amount of time that she had she had never seen such contempt in his eyes. Even as a child, they had always been so warm, his demeanor friendly and inviting. What she was seeing now was the complete opposite. The happiness that usually resided there was long gone.

"You really rub me the wrong way."

"That's enough. That's no way to talk. Especially in front of me, your team captain, Naruto," Yamato scolded as his gaze shifted between the two. "Mutual respect and trust are essential elements of teamwork. Wasn't it Kakashi who taught you that?"

"He's right," Yukari cut in. The aggravation was at an all-time high, a frown tugging at the corners of her lips. Her entire demeanor had grown cold, her voice as chilling as ice. She was completely unlike the girl Naruto had met in the hall. "Kakashi drilled that into all of us. Don't let him down by speaking in such a way."

"He's not a part of Team Kakashi! Not now, not ever!" he shouted as his scowl deepened. Yukari flinched at the anger in his voice, but he didn't seem to notice; he was blinded by his fury. "The fourth member of our team is and always will be Sasuke Uchiha. This guy, he's just a fill in for Sasuke; that's all he is. He will never be a real member of our team!"

"Well I'm glad," the pale skinned boy replied to Naruto's outburst. From where she stood, Yukari could see the ghost of a smirk at the corner of his lips. His voice was taunting as he addressed the blond. "I'm glad that's how you feel. Sasuke is a traitor; he betrayed the Leaf and joined Orochimaru. Yes, you're right, I'm not him at all. I'm not a traitorous cockroach. I can't fill in for someone like that."

Yukari grimaced as a growl rumbled from Naruto's throat. If someone didn't do something soon, things would really get ugly.

"I've had it with you, Sai." Naruto began to step forward, fed up with the boy and his insults. But before he could do anything, Sakura threw her arm in front of him to hold him back.

"Remember what's important, Naruto," Sakura warned, her eyes staring straight ahead. "It's teamwork. Calm down."

The young Jonin observed the group with weary eyes. She didn't think it was possible, but the tension in the air only seemed to thicken. Her chest began to tighten, and she rubbed her hand over her heart in an attempt to cease the pain. She had assumed that this mission would run smoothly, but it seemed like she was very, very wrong. They'd be lucky if they made it to the bridge without a murder attempt.

"Sai, Naruto was out of line, but it's just because he doesn't know you well enough yet," Sakura said in Naruto's defense before dropping her arm from its raised position. "I'm sorry. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him."

"But Sakura…" Naruto trailed off at his teammate's words. Confusion shown on his face, and a hint of what Yukari assumed was sadness and frustration lingered in his voice. Yukari's frown deepened and Yamato let out a small sigh of relief. The situation seemed to have been handled by the pink haired kunoichi.

That was, until Sakura punched Sai in the face.

Yukari's cringed as she watched Sai fly backwards and skid across the bridge. He slowed to a stop some distance away and sat up slowly, and a bruise could already be seen forming where her fist had made contact with his cheek. With the force behind her punch, it was no surprise.

"I don't care if you forgive me."

_I hope I never get hit like that. She's definitely Tsunade's apprentice._ She subconsciously rubbed her cheek. _That had to have hurt._

Yukari's eyes darted back and forth between the team, and she could see Naruto shudder. She couldn't say that she blamed him. The girl's brute strength and quick temper was intimidating._ I wonder how many times Naruto's been on the receiving end of one of those hits..._

"Captain Yamato," she whispered. His eyes snapped down towards her. "Maybe we should put a stop to this before things get even more out of hand."

"You're right." As if on cue, Naruto made to lunge at the boy that now stood in front of him. Both Jonin were quick to respond, forming hand signs that were almost impossible to follow.

"Four Pillar Prison Jutsu!"

"Ice Style: Great Ice Gate!"

A blast of cold air hit the group as a sheet of pure ice began to form between them, separating Naruto and Sakura from Sai. It was a strange to have such a cold gust of wind surround them on such a hot summer's day. The ice grew at a rapid rate, startling the three members of Team Kakashi. It did not cease growing until it towered well above their heads.

At the same time, wooden beams began to rise from behind their team captain. They wove together and formed what appeared to be a large, wooden cage. Even Yukari could feel her mouth drop slightly and her eyes widen at the sight of the wood style jutsu, but she quickly regained her composure before turning her head to meet the shocked eyes of Sakura and Naruto and the emotionless ones of Sai.

"I'm warning you," Yamato threatened with an angry expression. "I will toss you all into this cage if you insist on fighting with each other. We don't have much time if we're going to make it to the Tenchi Bridge. With that being said, we have just enough time, I think, to sort this out once and for all."

"Quit acting like children," Yukari hissed. Her voice was dangerously low as she spoke, and a harsh glare was sent towards each of the teens. Naruto could feel his throat grow dry with just one look at her icy composure. "You are shinobi of the Leaf, and we are on a mission. So act like it."

When her pearly irises landed on the usually bubbly and friendly blond, he refused to meet them. Instead he took to studying his feet, and only lifted his head once Yamato began to talk again.

"As the peacemaker here, I'm offering you two choices: spend the rest of the day crammed inside a wooden box reacquainting yourselves with the meaning of teamwork, or enjoy a night in a comfortable inn with a relaxing hot spring. Which do you choose?"

The three shinobi trailed their eyes from Captain Yamato to the young girl and the sheet of ice she had conjured, and then to the wooden cage behind the two. All signs of a fight seemed to have vanished, and instead it was replaced with expressions filled with shock and a hint of fear at the captain's words.

"You don't really know me very well, either. Nor do you know Yukari," he continued. "I prefer the kinder and gentler approach, but believe me; I'll use more draconian methods when it's necessary."

"And I won't put up with such childish behavior."

No one dared speak for fear of spending the day in the wooden box. Both Jonin released their jutsu, and the wood returned back to its resting place of the bridge. The ice shattered and quickly returned back into water. It rained down from above their heads before pooling at their feet, seeping through the cracks in the wood and vanishing from sight.

"Let's get going then, shall we?" The glare that Yamato had worn previously had softened, and he returned to his previous calm state. Yukari's glare, however, did not. Her face remained cold and her eyes even colder. The captain turned and continued their journey forward, his fellow Jonin hot on his heels. After a moment's hesitation, the rest of Team Kakashi began to follow, and the group was once again on their way.

It was still the middle of the afternoon when they reached the inn. The sun had yet to descend below the horizon, and a few more hours of sunlight remained in the sky. No one dared to approach the small, almost translucently pale kunoichi the rest of the time they had been walking. She was still seething from the previous skirmish that had broken out amongst the team. It wasn't until they had neared their destination that she seemed to calm down. Her calm demeanor had returned by the time they had stepped into the building.

Captain Yamato checked out three rooms for the group: one for him, one for the boys, and the last one for Sakura and Yukari to share. Naruto did not look pleased in the slightest to have Sai as a roommate, but he said nothing as he made his way down the hall to put his things away. The pale girl sent a small nod in Sakura's direction before following after him as he disappeared around the corner and out of sight. Sakura soon fell into step beside her. Yukari could feel her glancing at her from the corner of her eye. She seemed to be sizing her up.

"So you use ice style ninjutsu? I didn't think that there was anyone in Konoha with that technique."

"I believe that I'm the only one," Yukari replied to the other kunoichi. Her pearl colored irises briefly connected with Sakura's pale green ones before returning her stare forward. "From what I understand, my clan specialized in it."

"I see." Sakura did not want to pry. She sensed that the girl didn't really wish to talk about it; if she had, she would have said more. But at the same time, she could feel her curiosity spike. If she was the only one, yet it was her clan's jutsu, what did that mean?

The conversation ceased between them, yet it was not awkward. The foul mood had left with the boys, and Yukari was extremely grateful for that. She could feel her muscles begin to relax for the first time since leaving the village.

The door to the room they would be staying in came into view and Sakura quickly opened it, revealing a decent sized space. A small table sat in the corner near the door, a clean stack of bedding placed not far from it. Other than that, the room was empty. Yukari wanted nothing more than to sink into the sheets and close her eyes for a while.

"Want to go down to the hot spring?" Sakura asked after placing her bag against the wall. "I could really go for a soak." When she got no response she turned towards where she knew Yukari was. The pale kunoichi stood rigid as a board. Her eyes stared ahead in an almost frantic and lost manner, fixed on the wall before her. She appeared as if she were locked in a genjutsu.

"I think I'm going to pass for now."

"Are you sure?" the pink haired teen pressed. She could hear the strain in the other girl's voice, and she found herself even more curious by her sudden change in attitude.

"Yes. I think I'm just going to rest up in here for a little while," she replied in a voice that sounded almost hollow. She rubbed a hand over her chest, just above her heart, before she could stop herself.

"Well alright. I'll be downstairs if you change your mind."

"Thank you."

Yukari listened for the sound of the door sliding shut and footsteps retreating down the hall before she released a shaky breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. She clenched the fabric that rested beneath her hand in a vice like grip as an aching throb passed through her. A hiss of pain left her and she squeezed her tired eyes shut before her back made contact with the wall behind her. The smallest bit of black could be seen as her shirt shifted to the side, but disappeared from sight as she slid down to the floor.

It didn't matter how hard she had trained herself to hide her emotions; she had let her composure slip. The team would surely become suspicious of her odd behavior, and the last thing she wanted was for them to watch her every move, to judge her - and all over a lousy trip to a hot spring, at that.

"This sucks," she mumbled as she grabbed fistfuls of her midnight hair and hung her head. "This really, really sucks."

* * *

**Author's Note: Hello, lovely readers!**

**First of all, thank you thank you thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Every last one keeps me going and writing. Seriously, you all rock.**

**I'm going to start replying to reviews here in the author's note starting next chapter. I think it'll both be easier and give the people kind enough to take the time to leave their thoughts some acknowledgement, you know? **

**Another thing I wanted to take the time to generally clarify is that this story is definitely going to be a slow burner because I want Yukari and Naruto's relationship to develop at a natural and realistic pace. Yukari's got a lot of baggage; it wouldn't make sense (and isn't very believable) for them to fall in love overnight. That being said, I'm going to spend some time writing about the mission to the Tenchi Bridge, but I'm doing it for a reason, I promise. **

**Thanks again, everyone! Drop by and leave a review if you have any questions, want to leave your thoughts, or just want to say hello. Until next time!**


	5. Clarity

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, its characters, or its plotlines. This is merely written for the joy of fanfiction.**

**Let's do this thing.**

* * *

_The forest was still. It was late into the night, the moon's glow hidden from view by the dense leaves of the trees. Thin beams of light were the only thing permitted to pass through the gaps in the towering trunks, casting long shadows throughout the area. It would have been a peaceful place to pass through on any other occasion, but not tonight; tonight the air was filled with the stench of fear and blood. _

_The pounding of small feet cut into the silence, their quick pace echoing in the dark. A flash of white and red flickered in the moonlight but faded out into the darkness, only to reappear moments later in the next patch of illuminated space. It was pale skin, and it covered the bones of a young girl, who couldn't have been more than ten. Her face was still round and youthful, but the same youth that should have been seen within her eyes was not there. Instead, her pearl-white orbs were wide and filled with terror._

_A strong breeze wove its way through the spaces in the branches. It howled forebodingly and caught her ebony tresses in its grasp, whipping them behind her as she sped up her pace. Her chest heaved in pain and her muscles ached in protest, but she could not afford to slow down._

_She could sense him behind her. He followed her slowly and at a distance, like a predator hunting its prey. It was a game of cat and mouse to him; a game that she knew he would win if she stopped for even a moment. Her mouth was open wide in a silent scream that she wouldn't allow to leave her throat. That's what he wanted, wasn't it? He wanted to feel her fear, to know that she was truly terrified of him. She told herself that she would not give him that satisfaction and made a sharp left in hopes to delay him for just a little longer._

_Her bare foot caught on a root protruding from the ground and her body flew forward, her small frame soaring through the air. She landed some distance away on her hands and knees. The earth beneath her tore through the tender flesh and brought tears to her eyes as blood leaked from the newly formed wounds. However, that was nothing compared to the sticky, red blood that was beginning to dry to her skin and into her hair. She was covered in it from head to toe. _

_The young girl quickly scrambled to her feet and took off again as she tried to ignore the searing pain spreading through her. He had grown closer in the time that she had fallen, and if she waited for even a second longer he would catch up to her._

_It would be the last thing she ever did._

_So she ran and ran, screaming in her head to run faster like a mantra. She did not stop even when the tall oaks began to thin and the tree line broke, leaving her on a lonely dirt road. It was as if her feet had traveled down this path before; she could feel it in her gut. Something told her that she was supposed to go left. Without a second thought, she barreled down the path with the hope that there was something, anything, awaiting her at the end. A town or a village - any form of civilization would do. _

_She soon realized that his presence had faded into the night. No trace of him tainted the air any longer. It was as if he had merely followed only to haunt her. She didn't understand, but she also didn't care to dwell on it. He was gone! He was finally gone! Her relief caused her to momentarily stagger, but it wasn't enough to make her stop. Even when she felt the odd trickling sensation of her mind growing fuzzy she didn't slow down. Her vision began to blur with fatigue, but she pressed on. The only thing keeping her going was the pure adrenaline pumping through her veins. That's when she saw it._

_Tall gates loomed before her like a beacon in the night. They were just down the path; she only had to go a little further before they were within her reach. The thought of help pushed her forward. It was only when she was inside the village gates that she allowed herself to fall to her knees, her small legs finally giving out. _

_The sound of footsteps rushing towards her caught her ear, and looking up, she could barely make out the blurred forms of people hovering above her. _

_They spoke in hurried tones, attempting to speak to her, but she could not understand anything that they said. It was as if she were underwater, their words incoherent and dispersing among the waves. Her wide, unblinking eyes were haunting, yet it was nothing compared to the ear piercing scream that finally left her. She had been suppressing it throughout her entire journey, but she could not a minute more. All of the fear within her burst to the surface and her eyes rolled back in her head. She fell forward, her world fading to black before she even hit the ground._

Yukari shot up with a gasp. With frantic, wild eyes she scanned the room, drenched in sweat and panting as if she had been running for miles. Her hair and clothing clung to her skin, which seemed to glisten in the moonlight that seeped through the rice paper door. It wasn't much, but it was enough light into illuminate her surroundings.

Sakura was still asleep a few feet from where she sat. Her chest rose and fell with her steady breaths. Yukari was grateful that she hadn't woken her up.

"What was that?" she whispered into the silence. Her heart was still racing with a fear that she couldn't seem to shake. With the anxiety filling her, she knew that falling back asleep would be an impossible feat. Instead, she decided to rid herself of the sweat that coated her like a blanket and threw the sheets off of her form. Settling onto her knees, she began to fold up the bedding that she had been resting on and set it against the wall. She grabbed her belongings and rose on shaking legs, and willing them not to give out on her, she made her way to the door.

It was obviously late. The moon was high in the sky and cast shadows around her as she continued down the silent hallway. Yukari knew that there would be no one occupying the hot springs at such a time, and her assumptions were confirmed once she found herself standing before the steaming water. If anyone else had been there, she wouldn't have gotten in.

She quickly rid herself of her drenched clothing and plunged into the warm pool, eager to keep her body hidden from the prying eyes of the outside world. Yukari cast her eyes around the outdoor space in search of any signs of life lurking around her. It wasn't until she was certain that she was alone that she dared to lift the upper portion of her body out of the water. It was obvious why once the pale flesh was revealed.

Long, thick scars littered every inch of skin. They made their way from below her breasts and dipped beneath the water's surface, their ending point hidden from view. Thick and jagged, their appearance was painful. Hardly a single inch of smooth flesh remained. But something more sinister tainted the skin above her heart, masked by her damp, inky locks. It was something she was even more eager to keep a secret.

Yukari made quick work of folding the dirty articles of clothing and placing them into her bag. A fresh set was removed and set aside before she once again sank down into the water. The stress that had overtaken her began to melt away in the warmth of the hot spring. While it caressed her body and eased her muscles, it did nothing to calm her racing mind.

This wasn't the first time she had experienced nightmares. However, this one stood out as different to her. The dream had been so vivid and clear, and she got the feeling that her mind was trying to reveal something important to her. It pressed against the back of her skull, and with a groan of confusion, she ducked out of sight. One conclusion presented itself to her as her head broke the surface again.

Perhaps it wasn't a dream at all. What if it was a long forgotten memory?

If that were the case, who had she been running from? She had been so desperate to get away. Whoever it was had been absolutely terrifying to her. And all of that blood… The sight of it alone was enough to make her stomach churn. It did not matter that it had taken place all those years ago, she still found herself filled with fear. She was afraid to remember anything more.

"You have to get a grip, Yukari. It's in the past. Don't let it consume you now." Her attempts at reassurance did nothing to ease her troubled mind. With another sigh, she dipped below the water once again.

She remained in the hot spring until the sun started to rise. Only when pinks and oranges began to splash across the sky did the pale teen removed herself from its comfort, eager to get out before anyone else came down to soak.

Wrapping herself up in the towel that she had grabbed from the adjoining room, she quickly dried off and slipped into her spare set of clothing. It was a simple black top with short sleeves and a fishnet long sleeved shirt beneath it. A maroon, apron-styled skirt fit snugly against her hips, and a pair of black shorts peaked through the slits in the sides. Her knee high ninja sandals were once again returned to her feet and her fingerless gloves were back in place. After tying her headband back around her neck, she slipped back through the sliding door and exited the inn.

The morning air was still slightly cool, but it was steadily growing warmer with the rising sun. A gust of wind rushed through the trees, rustling the leaves in a lulling manner. The gentle sound reached Yukari's ears and she let out a sigh of contentment at the chirping of the birds. She loved the early hours of the day. It was relaxing, and she felt as if she were in her own world.

Her small feet carried her to sit along the water, and she found herself staring into its pristine surface. How wonderful it would be to get lost in nature; to find her own peace among the towering trees and forget about her worries. She knew full well that such a thing was not possible. She was on an important mission, and the mission always came first and foremost. She had no time to think of such things.

Yukari's reverie was interrupted by the sound of shuffling feet. Her pale eyes snapped from the disturbances on the water's surface that the wind was creating to the form of her equally pale teammate. He was making his way further down the bank and did not even send her the smallest of glances. She was certain that he knew she was there. He could feel her eyes on him, couldn't he? But he simply ignored her. She didn't care about that, though. Yukari only cared about the sense of unease that seemed to follow him wherever he went.

Kneeling down, he began to dig around in his bag. She kept her eyes on him for just a moment longer before turning her gaze to the doorway of the inn. The only other kunoichi on the mission was exiting from it. When her eyes landed on Yukari, she began to make her way over to her. The panic she felt the night before resurfaced.

"I was worried when I woke up and you were gone," Sakura said once she had reached her side. "But I figured I'd find you out here."

"Sorry," Yukari replied steadily, even though her hands shook. Her attempt at masking her anxiety was proving to be difficult. "I'm a morning person. I like to watch the sunrise."

Sakura sent the ebony haired girl a small smile and a nod before she looked in Sai's direction, who was seated not far from them. Her brow furrowed in concentration before Yukari spoke up again.

"He gives you a bad feeling too, huh?" Sakura nodded in return.

"Even Lady Tsunade is concerned," she confirmed. "Let's both keep a close eye on him."

"I have been since the beginning."

Sakura once again glanced over and began to make her way towards him without another word. Yukari remained where she was, but her eyes followed after Sakura until she stopped directly behind him. She stood hunched over him, peering at something over his shoulder. Yukari couldn't hear the words that passed between them from where she sat, but she strained her ears in an attempt to do so regardless. It wasn't until her curiosity got the better of her that she rose from her seat, dusted off the back of her skirt, and began to make her way over.

"But that's what you do with pictures, isn't it?"" she could hear Sakura ask. "Like if it's a portrait, you name it after the subject, or with other pictures you title it to convey the thoughts, feelings, and emotions you felt while creating the piece."

A sketch book sat perched in his lap, an intriguing abstract stretching across the page. The hand that had been diligently working on the piece suddenly halted its movement, but the charcoal he had been using remained against the paper. His expression was as blank as ever, and he paid Yukari no mind as she came to a stop next to Sakura.

"The truth is, I couldn't really title any of my drawings even if I wanted to. Nothing comes to mind. I've never really felt anything; anything at all."

Yukari felt as if she were sinking into icy waters. His words left her cold, the blood in her veins pumping faster and her heart racing. She subconsciously took a step back, but it didn't seem to affect him at all. His words had been disturbingly truthful.

"Well that figures; wouldn't expect such a heartless bastard to have feelings."

She quickly whipped her head around to face the new presence. Of course it was the blond member of their team; it seemed as if he was destined to constantly sneak up on her. His face was the perfect canvas to display his distaste for the teen seated along the edge of the water.

"Captain Yamato sent me over to round you guys up. We're moving out."

"Okay," Yukari mumbled. Her body remained tense. "I'm going to go meet up with him. I'll see you all shortly."

She was quick to flee the scene, eager to escape before the tension once again caught her in its grasp. But her ears couldn't help but catch the last bit of their conversation.

"Whatever. That drawing's nothing special."

"Yes, you're right. Just like what's between your legs, right?"

A deep red seized every inch of her cheeks and she took off in a run, wishing she hadn't stayed behind.

* * *

"Hey Naruto."

"What is it, Sakura-chan?"

The team was once again on the move, traveling along a dirt path surrounded by towering trees. The two Jonin on the team were leading the group and engaged in quiet discussion. Sai trailed behind them, as silent as the grave. His dark eyes were locked ahead. Sakura and Naruto were left to take up the rear.

They had been moving alongside Sai when Sakura seemed to slow her pace, dragging her feet so that she would lag behind him. Naruto hadn't noticed until she forcibly grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled him backwards. He had been distracted, his eyes focused on the back of the pale Jonin's head. He hadn't gotten the chance to speak with her after she had gotten so irritated with him the day before.

"Doesn't Yukari remind you of Sasuke?"

Sakura's inquiry left him blinking in confusion, yet it wasn't long before a look of thought encompassed his features instead. Naruto returned his eyes to the girl's back, observing her with squinted blue optics. It was true. Sasuke and Yukari were definitely alike.

Yukari wasn't a girl of many words. She always seemed to sport a frown, and appeared to be brooding a majority of the time. She didn't smile, and every other emotion that graced her face was miniscule and never seemed to reach her eyes. Both Sasuke and Yukari liked to keep to themselves and were both distant and serious. It was hard to tell what either of them were thinking or feeling; they both seemed to prefer it that way. Their personalities really were nearly identical.

"Sure, I guess so," he confirmed with a couple of nods. "Only Kari-chan is much nicer than Sasuke."

Sakura let a little smile contort her lips and nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, you're right about that."

As if she could feel them talking about her, she turned her head slowly in his direction until their eyes locked. She mustered up a small, awkward smile for him before returning her gaze ahead. Within that brief moment, his thoughts had taken a turn in a new direction.

Sasuke had always been popular with the girls in their age group. They fawned over him, completely smitten with his good looks and stoic personality. It had irritated Naruto to no end during their academy days. He didn't see what they were so in love with. Thinking about it, Yukari wasn't so different in that aspect, either.

It was no understatement that she was beautiful. Her long, raven locks and unique eyes were surely enough to entice any sensible male, and if Sasuke's cold personality could woo the ladies, hers was sure to do the same for the male population. The thought of her being coveted and ogled made the familiar feeling of jealousy stir up within him, but he forced those thoughts away with a shake of his head and a crease of confusion marring his brow. It wasn't until he snapped away from his thoughts that he realized the group had come to a halt.

"Is there something the matter, Captain Yamato?" Sakura asked. He was silent as his eyes shifted around them, taking everything in. Without any explanation, both he and Yukari began to stray from the path, making their way through the shifting blades of grass and into the trees.

"Better hurry up before you get left behind," Yukari called over her shoulder. As if her warning had shaken them from their stupor, the three teens took off after them, hot on their heels.

Their trek was silent. The trees grew closer together the further into the woods they went. Bypassing them and weaving their way through was becoming more difficult as time passed, and the confusion surrounding the group's sudden detour seemed to be growing.

"What are we even doing in here?" Naruto wondered as he ducked under a fallen tree trunk. He received no answer and the silence continued. However, it was soon broken as Sakura let out a shriek of terror.

"Captain Yamato, what's the plan here?" she asked frantically after being startled by one of the largest spiders she had ever seen. "The path we were on was fine! Where are we going?"

"Maybe not," Yukari added cryptically, but said nothing more.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" the blond butted in. The lack of information that was being supplied to them left everyone on edge. Captain Yamato turned towards them, addressing the group in a serious manner.

"The information Sakura got could actually be a trap," he finally provided, taking the group by surprise. "There's a possibility that the Akatsuki are just playing us. Tenchi Bridge could be nothing but an ambush."

"This could all be a trick to lure Naruto out into the open. We're better off safe than sorry," Yukari continued for their captain, her eyes searching the blond for any sign of emotion. He seemed to be taken completely off guard, never suspecting the possibility of the Akatsuki being a threat to them on this mission.

"I don't think it's really all that likely, but still, you can never be too careful," Yamato assured. "We'll keep hidden as much as possible until we reach Tenchi Bridge."

And with that they continued deeper into the dark, the possibility of a new threat looming over their heads.

* * *

The night was as silent as it was dark, its black and vacant tendrils ensnaring Yukari in its emptiness. The nighttime creatures seemed to be absent in this deep sector of the trees, leaving her to sit in the void. It brought her no clarity, no sense of calm. Instead, it fueled the war raging in her thoughts, and it left her to reflect on the dream that had haunted her all day.

The mere thought of it caused her heart to race and sent a chill down her spine. It spread like wildfire until it consumed her completely, engulfing her and racking her body with visible tremors. The pounding of her heart rang loudly in her ears until she could hear nothing else.

It was incredibly eerie sitting alone on the balcony that warm summer night. The others were sound asleep within the walls of their grand, wooden sanctuary. Captain Yamato had shocked them yet again. When they had stopped to make camp, he formed a wooden, two-story home for them to take refuge in. It was a safe haven for them to discuss their upcoming mission.

After they had gone over every possible detail, Yukari had offered to take the first watch. It was obvious to her that she would not get any comfort from sleep. The lifelike dream she had endured had been playing on a constant repeat, dancing across her thoughts in a taunting manner. No matter how hard she tried to grab onto some form of certainty, it slipped through her fingers and eluded her.

With misty eyes, she subconsciously reached into the pack at her side and pulled out her hidden treasure. It was a photograph, and it was one of the only things that brought her comfort.

Three people were in the frame, and they all wore the same happy, content smiles. A woman with long, black tresses stood beside a tall man with brown hair and warm, hazel eyes. Her own kind, gray orbs gazed up at a young child that was perched upon his strong shoulders, one hand resting on her swollen stomach, the other placed gently along the man's arm.

The child in the photo couldn't have been more than five or six. She possessed the same dark hair as the woman and resembled her greatly. The only difference between the two of them was the child's eyes, which were a striking opalescent shade.

The hint of a smile twisted at Yukari's lips, the glint of distant laughter shining in her eyes as she gazed at the happy family. The little girl's face was scrunched up in an expression of mischief, the tip of her tongue poking out of the corner of her lips. Her small, pale hands had wound their way into the man's hair, making a disheveled mess of it. The girl had done her best to do so, and had clearly succeeded. And while the love clearly present in the picture brought Yukari comfort, it also brought along a wave of sorrow. Staring at the photograph was the only time that she allowed her emotions to surface.

The creak of the wooden door behind her sliding open caught her ear, yet it was not enough to deter her attention away from the photograph. Not even the sound of approaching footsteps, nor the shuffling of someone taking a seat beside her was enough to do so.

On any other occasion, or had it been anyone else coming to sit with her, she would have quickly tucked it back inside her pack and out of view. But for a reason unknown to her, she didn't feel the need to keep it hidden from the boy now seated beside her. Naruto, much like the photograph, brought a sense of calm with his presence.

His eyes scanned over the keepsake she held but didn't say a word; not until he had taken in every inch of the image, from its singed edges to its creases and folds.

"You were a cute kid." Yukari could not see his face, but she could hear the smile and sincerity in the blonde's voice. "Is that your mom and dad?"

She managed a small nod, but said nothing else.

"You look just like her - and your dad, too."

Yukari remained silent, her words locked up tight as a war raged inside of her. Slowly, her blank expression began to crack until a frown took its place, her brow furrowing with its appearance. It made him fear that he had said the wrong thing to her.

"I don't remember them."

It was a confession that seemed to knock the wind from Naruto's lungs. It not only intrigued him, but seemed to derail him, as well. Any response he could have mustered up caught in his throat, his shock holding back his words no matter how hard they tried to push their way through to her.

Her voice was just above a whisper, silent yet bold. It contained more emotion than he ever expected to hear coming from the pale girl. Confusion, loneliness, and a suffocating sadness clung to every word. "I don't remember anything about my life back then. One day I woke up and it was all gone. My parents, my childhood - all of those happy moments were gone in the blink of an eye."

Her words faded out and silence crept into its place, engulfing the two of them in its entirety. He didn't know how to react to such a heartbreaking admittance, but he didn't have to as Yukari's voice once again rang through the dark.

"I was so lost and so alone. I had nothing to hold onto. There was no one in this world for me any longer - no previous guidance laid out for me to follow. All I had was this hollow emptiness left in me. But then Kakashi took me under his wing, and then Inoichi and Ibiki did the same. For the first time I could remember, I had a purpose instilled in me: to grow stronger, and to remember."

"What happened to your parents?" he finally gathered up the nerve to ask. As soon as the question had left him, he instantly regretted it. The fear of her closing up and not speaking another word when he was finally beginning to understand her was great, but the urge to know outweighed it.

"They're dead."

Dread and sympathy twisted its way around Naruto's heart, aching for her and the sorrow she had endured. He didn't have to press any further or know any more details to make up his mind.

"Well then, that settles it." His voice was filled with determination and left her confused. She finally turned her eyes to meet his. With a quirked brow and curious eyes, she stared at him, urging him to continue. "I'm going to help you get your memories back, Kari-chan. I promise that I will."

Yukari's eyes were misty and her head was swimming. His words hadn't made her angry, but left her confused and filled with a feeling of desperation that she worked hard to suppress on a daily basis. He was easily unraveling her, leaving her open and exposed; it terrified her. "Why? You don't know me, and it's a promise that you can't guarantee. Why would you promise such a thing to a stranger?"

"Because I grew up all alone, too."

Every emotion swirling inside of her seemed to still until all that was left were his words and the need to hear them; to take in every single thing that he said and hold it close.

"I don't know what it's like to have parents, or a family. I've been alone from the start, so I can't imagine what it must be like to have had them and not be able to remember them, but I know that it must be painful and hard to bear. I don't want you to have to bear that sadness alone, Kari-chan. As long as we're friends, I won't let you be lonely."

"Friends…" she trailed off. It was as if she were testing the word on her tongue, completely unfamiliar with it. "I've never had a friend before."

"Not even one?"

"Not one that I can remember."

A frown tugged his lips downwards and his eyes stared out into the night as he thought over the words that he would offer the girl in return.

"You're a Jonin, so you must know, right? That I'm a Jinchuriki." Yukari offered him no response, but she didn't need to. He wasn't seeking a verbal confirmation, but searched her eyes for the answer, instead.

"I didn't have friends growing up, either. The villagers shunned me and avoided me like I was some terrible disease. But then I met Iruka-sensei. He knew who I was, and it was rocky at first, but he was one of the first people to show me kindness. And then Kakashi-sensei came along, and Sakura, and Sasuke-"

The mention of the Uchiha's name had stolen the rest of his words from him. Seizing the opportunity, Yukari asked him the question that had been eating away at her since Tsunade had assigned her to the mission.

"Why is he so important to you?"

The frown he wore remained only momentarily before the corners of his lips began to lift in a nostalgic smile.

"He was the first person to acknowledge me as both a rival and an equal," Naruto confided. "We share a special bond."

"You must really miss him for you to go so far for him."

"I used to hate his guts," he chuckled, his bright eyes glinting in the dark. "But I really just wanted to be like him. We grew strong together on Team 7, and before we realized it, we had become something like best friends, too. That's why I'll do anything to bring him home, and to save him from the path of revenge that he's traveling down."

Yukari knew as well as any other Leaf Jonin about the Uchiha massacre. With pain that great dwelling inside Sasuke's heart, she understood his desire for revenge. It would be no easy task getting the teen to return to Konoha. He would not come quietly.

"Well then, that settles it," Yukari repeated his words back to him, her eyes resting on the boy beside her. When his eyes met hers they were confused, just as hers had been.

"What do you mean, Kari-chan?" he asked, stumped by her words. The look on his face brought a laugh bubbling from her.

Her laugh was a beautiful melody in his ears. It was a sound that he didn't think was possible coming from the icy girl, but it left warmth settling in the pit of his stomach. It coursed through his veins like the strong waters of a river, engulfing him and taking hold of him. It was a sound that he wanted to hear again.

"What I mean, Naruto, is that I'm going to do everything in my power to not only help you find Sasuke, but to help you bring him back to Konoha."

His confusion was gone in an instant.

"You would really do that?" he asked in a voice filled with disbelief. "Why?"

Yukari didn't miss a beat.

"Because you don't even know me, yet you would go so far to help me. Plus we're friends, right? I've never had a friend, but I've heard that that's what they do."

A smile had slowly been rising to the surface the entire time that she had spoken. It was now in full bloom, warm and genuine. The cold, emotionless exterior around her seemed to crack, even if only a little. Even if it only lasted for a moment, she was smiling, and it was all for him.

"That's right, dattebayo!" he said, jumping to his feet with a grin. Yukari smiled a small smile right back and allowed him to pull her to her feet, just as he had done when they had collided in the hall. His hands, though calloused with years of hard work and training, were warm and inviting, and everything that had been plaguing her mind seemed to vanish for an instant. When he released her hands, she found herself wishing that he hadn't.

The sound of shuffling inside caught their ears, igniting a look of panic and embarrassment on the blond boy's face.

"That must be Sakura," he mumbled, his eyes darting to the door. The fear that his outburst had woken her up was understandable. The kunoichi had a wicked temper.

"It's her turn to keep watch next," Yukari assured him. "You go on in. I'll be in as soon as she relieves me."

With a quick nod and a smile, he retreated back into the security of the wooden structure. As the door shut behind him, Yukari once again made her way to the wooden railing of the balcony. Resting her hands against the rough surface she stared into the night, the emptiness that it brought to her slowly dissipating until it was no longer there at all.

She had a friend now, after all.

* * *

**Author's Note: The amount of attention this story has received so far is mind blowing. Thank you all so much for giving it a chance. And thank you to those who left a review, liked, and favorited. You all are really neat.**

**Now on to answering the reviews~**

**thor94:**I intend to follow the canon arc for the first part of the story. I promise that I'm doing it for a reason. I considered how I was going to write that particular chapter for a long time, and for the sake of character development and the way that I intend to alter the plot, I feel like it is important to keep things canon for now. I hope you aren't too disappointed and will stick around for the rest of the story.

**madeyemoody95:** I find the interactions between Sai and Naruto in the beginnings of Shippuden to be absolutely hilarious. Like when they went on that mission to the fire temple and Naruto thought Sai was hitting on him? That was so great. Let's lock a socially awkward Yukari and him together in a room and see where it goes! Or maybe not - I doubt they'd both make it out of there in one piece. I'm really glad that you enjoyed the chapter and hope to hear from you again!

**Thanks again, everyone! Drop by and leave a review if you have any questions, want to leave your thoughts, or just want to say hello. Until next time!**


	6. Shattered

_**WARNING! **_**There is a scene near the middle of this chapter that depicts sexual assault. Tread lightly.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, its characters, or its plotlines. This is merely written for the joy of fanfiction.**

**Let's do this thing.**

* * *

They had finally arrived. After four more days of overwhelmingly awkward and tense travel, they had reached their destination. All irritability and hostility that had loomed over the group seemed to dissipate as they caught sight of the Tenchi Bridge through the tree line.

It was just before noon. The long awaited arrival of their target and the true start to their mission was fast approaching. Anything could happen from here on out; that mere thought was enough to keep them on their toes.

A heavy breeze passed through the vast valley before them, its sigh engulfing them and whirring in their ears. Visibility was obscured by the green summer leaves riding along the current, a further blockade to their senses. The chime of a bell in the distance was the only other sound distinct enough to cut its way through the conditions.

A cloak of black embellished with ominous red clouds tossed in the wind around a disguised captain Yamato. It was spot on - so convincing that the sight of him sent a shudder down Sakura's spine. Even the rough, gravelly voice of the now deceased Sasori of the Red Sand had been perfectly mimicked by their superior. Attached to the signature hat of the Akatsuki that shielded his face from view was the source of the chiming. A little bell on a thin, red string danced in the wind, just as the leaves did. They could only hope that this ruse would be enough to lure the spy into a sense of false security and make him drop his guard. One false move could prove detrimental to their goal and put them a step in the wrong direction.

The hem of Yamato's cloak ghosted across the downtrodden road, clouds of dust rising with every step. While he began his slow and steady approach to the bridge, the four remaining shinobi crept silently through the trees. The meeting could all be a trap, although they believed that scenario to be highly unlikely. They wouldn't risk the life of one of their own, however, on a gut feeling alone. They were cautious, their eyes constantly scanning the area around them. They were ready to go on the offensive if need be.

They edged closer and closer to the bridge, and once it was clearly in view and they were satisfied with their proximity, they took refuge behind a large rock. They would wait for their captain's signal there, ever alert.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, a figure appeared on the other side of the clearing. They seemed to slink out of the security of the deep forest and into the sunlight. Although they were exposing themselves to those awaiting them, they were concealed by a heavy blue cloak. It was impossible to make out who hid beneath the hood.

After casting a few more cautious glances around them, they made their way across the sturdy wooden planks of the Tenchi Bridge and only stopped once they had reached its center. They took up position along the railing that separated them from the roaring waters of the river below, and gazing over the side, they patiently waited.

Another chime alerted both the group and the spy of Yamato's approach. He too stepped out of the foliage and made his was across the bridge to meet the spy where they stood. The four remaining members of Team Kakashi could not make out a word that passed between the two of them. Despite how close they were, they were still too far away. Their words were lost among the rushing winds.

Pure adrenaline coursed through Yukari's veins. The sound of her racing heart consumed her completely, causing anxiety to rush through her at an alarming rate. She couldn't take her eyes away from the scene unfolding before her. No matter how well things appeared to be transpiring between the pair on the bridge, she could not stop the familiar feeling of sickening unease from surfacing, nor could she quell her fear that something was about to go very, very wrong.

It was then when the spy finally allowed their identity to come to light and pulled their hood back that a collective gasp resounded.

Kabuto Yakushi stood before them, his glasses glinting in the sunlight.

It was certainly an unexpected turn of events. His devotion to Orochimaru seemed unwavering. To think that his right hand man and loyal servant was working against him was almost unbelievable. Yet here he was, prepared to betray his master. If Yukari weren't witnessing it herself, she would have scoffed at the ridiculous statement.

She knew of him, of course. He along with his comrades had infiltrated the Leaf in order to spy on the Chunin exams. They aided in the attack on the village, and ultimately, the murder of the Third Hokage. She had helped fend off the Sand and Sound invaders until they were forced to retreat. She assisted in countless interrogations and had tortured many people. What he had done to the Leaf Village was unforgiveable. He was a despicable human being; a traitor of the Leaf. There was nothing he deserved other than a merciless death in her eyes. The sight of him was enough to make her sick, but that wasn't the only thing that it did to her. There was something else about him that made another emotion stir alongside the hatred she felt towards him: fear.

A sharp, familiar pain pressed relentlessly at the base of her neck, digging into her skull until it felt as if it were going to split in two. Grabbing her head, she did her best to suppress the aching throb that was beginning to blur her vision.

"Are you alright, Yukari?" Sakura questioned. She was genuinely concerned for the kunoichi crouched beside her. Yukari didn't speak, keeping her eyes forward.

"No way. He's back?" Naruto's eyes were fixed ahead, locked on the spectacled medical ninja who had aided him and his friends all those years ago. The disbelief he felt was mutual.

"It's crazy," Sakura agreed. "So the Akatsuki spy was actually Kabuto?"

"It's hard to believe," Yukari murmured, all the while willing for an end to the pain. She strained her ears and tried in vain to hear their conversation. "He's definitely the last person I would have suspected."

"The wind is so loud I can't hear a word they're saying." Sakura scoffed at her blond teammate's complaint.

"You're such an idiot. That's why we were able to sneak this close in the first place. The wind blows away our scent and hides our sound. Why do you think he hasn't noticed us?"

"Shh," the pale Jonin hushed with a finger pressed to her lips. "It's true that our sound and scent are masked, but don't lose focus. You never know when things will go awry." How right she was.

Despite how flawlessly things appeared to be going, it didn't seem like that would be the case for much longer.

As if materializing out of thin air, the snake himself appeared behind Kabuto, seeming to take them both by surprise.

"Orochimaru!" Naruto's declaration of his arrival had Yukari's heart leaping into her throat. The throbbing in her skull only seemed to intensify at the sight of him. Even so, she fought through the pain with just as much persistence.

Both Kabuto and Captain Yamato jumped back to avoid his attack. It was a narrow escape, but they managed to come out unscathed and put some distance between themselves and the Sanin. Although Yukari wanted to rush forward to assist him, she knew better than to disobey orders.

_Don't compromise the mission_, she scolded herself. _Get a grip. Reel in your emotions_.

"What are we going to do?" Naruto pressed in an urgent voice. It was obvious that he didn't want to sit still either.

"I know how you're feeling right now, but we have to wait for the signal." Naruto wanted to protest, but he wasn't about to argue with the female Jonin on their team. He had seen her when she was angry. She gave Sakura a run for her money when it came to fury, and it was something that he wanted to avoid bringing upon himself at all costs.

Hand engulfed in the blue aura of his chakra, Kabuto went on the offensive, but not in the way that they expected. He swung back at Yamato, breaking his disguise in one quick blow. Droplets of blood soared through the air as he jumped back to avoid the attack.

"Multiple striking shadow snakes!" A multitude of green, fanged serpents emerged from Orochimaru's sleeve, wound their way around the airborne Jonin, and attacked. Instead of flesh, they sank their fangs into the rough surface of a wooden replacement. Yamato landed some distance away and the wooden dummy fell to the ground. His arm was wounded and bleeding, but he was alive.

It wasn't long before their captain gave them the signal they were waiting for. They sprang into action and left the security of their hiding place, exposing themselves to the danger lurking in the open. Senbon in hand, Yukari stood poised and alert, prepared to defend her comrades no matter the cost. Kakashi's words echoed in her mind. _"In the ninja world, those who break the rules are trash, that's true, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."_

"Well, it's you again," Kabuto mused.

"I know that face all too well. And it looks like the Nine Tails tagged along." Orochimaru's voice was as smooth as velvet, but laced with an evil and malicious intent. "Well, we might as well have a little fun together. Let's see who's gotten stronger: you or Sasuke."

The air seemed to shift. A sickening aura seemed to burst forth all at once, something foul permeating in the air. It was nothing Yukari had experienced before, and it momentarily halted her thoughts and movements. It was suffocating, drowning her in its magnitude. She had an idea of the source of the hatred. Slowly and cautiously, she turned her eyes towards the blond beside her, and her suspicions were immediately confirmed.

His once brilliantly pristine blue eyes had bled to red. The whisker-like scars on his cheeks had become darker and more prominent against his tan skin. She could hear his teeth grinding together and his now elongated nails digging into the ground beneath him from where she stood. She'd be lying if she said that she didn't feel the tiniest tinge of fear at the sight of him. The chakra of the demon fox was beginning to surface at an alarming rate.

"Give Sasuke back," he all but growled. "You give him back!"

Red swirling chakra engulfed him, whipping around him stronger than the winds in the valley.

"It's not as simple as giving him back. Really, you're way off here. Sasuke came to us of his own accord. You can't dwell on the past like this - it's unbecoming of a man."

Sakura had heard enough. "Shut up, four eyes! You don't understand how people really feel! You only understand cold logic!"

"If you really want to know about Sasuke," Orochimaru interrupted. "Then I'm afraid that you're just going to have to force it out of me; if you think you're up to it."

His taunt seemed to push Naruto over the edge. There was a loud crunch, and the wood beneath him cracked as he leapt forward with the intention of ripping the snake-like Sanin to shreds. With superhuman speed he launched himself past Kabuto and struck Orochimaru across the face. He was sent flying back through one of the ropes that held the bridge steady and out of sight, deep into the forest. The bridge began to sway in his wake.

Yukari's eyes were as wide as saucers, a small tremble shaking her at the intensity of his strength. She was unable to keep calm. What startled her even more was that the cloak of chakra surrounding him had begun to take the form of a fox. One tail bubbled out from behind him; though she wasn't certain about what was happening to the blond, she could easily deduct that whatever it was wasn't good.

"Naruto, you've come a long way as a Jinchuriki, haven't you? The power of the Nine Tails gets stronger and stronger."

The only answer that Kabuto received was a glare. No one dared to say a word, and it remained that way until it was broken by a smooth and deadly voice.

"You're starting to act more like a Jinchuriki, aren't you boy?"

Orochimaru approached them once again at a slow yet steady pace. The blow had hindered him a bit; it was hard to believe that smashing through all of those trees hadn't killed him. All those thoughts drained away the moment that she caught sight of his face. That one look froze the blood in Yukari's veins.

The skin of his face where Naruto had slashed him was beginning to peel away, and one that wasn't his own was showing through the exposed space.

"Now I see." He crept closer and closer to Naruto's enraged form, though his eyes were on Captain Yamato. Unexpectedly, his eyes shifted until they locked on Yukari, and his smirk only seemed to grow as his eyes took her in entirely. It was unnerving and made her stomach churn. With all the courage she could muster, she forced herself to meet his stare. The pain in her head only seemed to intensify as his snakelike eyes bore back into hers. They were taunting and familiar, and enough to make her physically ill.

"That's why he was chosen to be your watch dog, yes? Seems like some of my experiments came in handy, after all. And you, my dear - I never expected to see you again; at least not so soon. You're just as beautiful as ever."

All eyes were on her now, but she didn't pay them any mind. Every disgusting word he spoke rang in her head and mingled with the pain that caused her vision to swim.

"What do you mean? What are you taking about?" Yukari fought to keep her voice strong and unwavering despite the fear his words evoked. Her heart was beating so hard and so fast that it felt as if it would burst from her chest. The panic she felt only increased when he provided her with no explanation. "Answer me! Tell me what you know!"

"I see that my jutsu is still in place. How amusing."

Kabuto appeared to be just as much in the dark as she was. "What are you talking about, Lord Orochimaru? Who is this girl?"

He allowed his eyes to rake over her one last time before he supplied the answer Yukari had long been searching for. Only now, she wished that she had never sought that information at all.

"Of course you wouldn't know. She managed to escape just before you came to join me. You see, I had acquired some interesting information about a family living in the Leaf Village. They had a little girl who was just about to start at the academy. Despite how hush hush her situation was to be kept, I knew the truth: this girl had extraordinary power, and I had to have it. But you see, six years ago she escaped from my watchful eye. I thought that I would never encounter her again, yet here you are, standing before me. How I've missed you, my favorite little test subject."

"So this is the girl you were telling me about," Kabuto mused with his eyes on the now horror stricken girl. "Fascinating."

Everything seemed to still around her. Her chest clenched as her heart ceased its racing. The howling winds vanished from her ears and the leaves from her sight. It was as if she were standing in the darkness of a tunnel, the light at the end in sight, only instead of salvation, Orochimaru awaited her at the end. Her truth rested with him, and she would rather be swallowed up by the darkness than ever take his outstretched hand.

"It really is a shame that you don't remember," he said with a jeering smile. "We had so much fun all of those years that we spent together, and I had such big plans for you. Your screams were the best of all."

Yukari had never experienced such terrible pain. It was as if her head had been set aflame, its scorching heat spreading through her until she was completely consumed. It was so excruciating that it brought her to her knees, a blood curdling scream emitting from deep within her. It was a haunting sound that chilled the bones of the remainder of Team Kakashi and made that warm summer day feel as frigid as the coldest of winters.

Naruto's eyes tore away from the man that he wanted so desperately to rip to shreds when the sound reached his ears. With a heavy thud her forehead made contact with the swaying bridge beneath her, but the collision did nothing to ease her pain. She clawed at her temples in a futile attempt to release herself from the agonizing pressure, but that too did more harm than good. Crimson blood dripped from her self-inflicted wounds and down her brow, dripping off her pale skin to mingle with the thirsty wood.

"They're just as satisfying as ever."

"Shut up," Naruto growled, though most of his words were indecipherable to Yukari. They flickered in and out like a candle fighting to keep its light in the wind. "Shut up you bastard!"

"I wonder more about Sasuke. He needs to stretch his wings. Maybe we could put his growth to the test by pitting him against Naruto here." Orochimaru's smirk only seemed to grow as he proceeded to taunt the blond.

Yukari couldn't hear anything over the blood rushing through her, but she could sense the circulation of the ominous red chakra that Naruto was producing magnify. It bubbled more and more violently as his rage intensified, the bloodlust in the air growing exponentially.

In that moment, as streams of the Nine Tails' chakra threaded through the air, Yukari's mind shattered.

It was as if she had been struck by a great force. Fragments of memories previously lost to her flew before her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to grasp them they slipped through her fingers like the finest grains of sand. She was left with only pieces, forced to fit them together as best as she could into one big puzzle of confusion and tragedy.

* * *

_She had been ripped from a dead sleep by a loud thud from the front of the house. Her eyes were dry and drooping with exhaustion, and she rubbed them in an effort to wake herself up. The scream of her father did that job for her, and eyes now open wide, she shot up in bed. The door to her room flew open to reveal her mother standing in the doorway. Her eyes were wild, and they frantically scanned the room until they rested on her. _

_"Get under the bed!"_

_"But mom-"_

_"Get under the bed now!"_

_Her mother ripped her from the sheets and nearly threw her to the floor. She did her best to usher her daughter under the bed and to safety, but the young girl held onto her as best as she could and refused to budge. _

_"Mommy, what's going on? Where's Daddy?"_

_Her mother took her face into her hands, cradling it as gently as she could. It was only then that her daughter could see the tears glistening in her mother's eyes._

_"Please, mommy needs to you listen to her, okay baby? Get under the bed and hide, and don't come out no matter what happens. Do you understand?" She couldn't hold back any longer. A sob left her, but her daughter still couldn't comprehend what was happening. With what little time she had left, she kissed her little girl's head._

_"Mommy and Daddy love you so much."_

_She helped her scoot under the frame, and with one last tearful glance, she pulled the sheet down to hide her from view. _

_The next time she saw her mother's eyes was when her head connected with the floor, her lifeless orbs peering at her from the gap in the sheet. And when she saw amber gleaming at her, she knew it was over._

* * *

_She was in the cold, dark room again. The tattered clothes she had been provided with when she had arrived at this terrifying place had been stripped from her. Strapped to the cool metal of a table, she allowed herself to cry. She kept her eyes squeezed tightly shut and didn't dare to look around her. All that awaited her gaze were test tubes and the foreboding glint of metal. Seeing wouldn't change the outcome of what was about to occur. This wasn't her first time in this room, and it certainly wouldn't be her last. She had the scars to prove that._

_The sobbing only increased as the door to the room creaked open and the sound of footsteps reached her ears. He was standing over her now - the man with amber eyes. As his hand stroked her face she let out a wail. Making her suffer was something that he thoroughly enjoyed. When she felt the all too familiar slice of a blade against her skin and screamed for him to stop, it was apparent that this time would be no exception._

* * *

_Her arm was beginning to throb. The guard that had come to retrieve her from her cell was holding it too tightly. There was no use protesting, because he didn't care that he was hurting her in the least bit. _

_She couldn't remember how long she had been trapped here; the days bled together in this pitch black prison. It was impossible to tell whether it was day or night. She hadn't gone outside since the day she arrived._

_It had been quite a considerable amount of time, she knew that much. She had gotten taller and her hair much longer. It fell in tangles around her face, dirty and matted. _

_She assumed that she was returning to the dark room. The man would touch her again. He would cut her open - inject her veins with his poisons. He would make her bleed. It had made her numb and her eyes dead long ago._

_The guard continued walking past the door the dark room, not even sparing it a glance. It confused her as they passed; that was the only other place she went to besides her cell. She had never been down this hallway before. She feared where they were going and attempted to struggle out of the guard's grasp. He wasn't having any of it._

_Her cheek burned, growing redder with every passing second. This wasn't the first time that she had been struck, but her pale eyes watered nevertheless. With a rough, angry tug they proceeded down the hall until they reached a set of double doors that creaked open on their own. Without any hesitation, the guard threw her inside. Her best efforts to get back up and run out of the room were all for not as the doors slammed shut. _

_"Hello, my dear."_

_His voice stopped her in her tracks. He had been gone for a while now. How long exactly? She wasn't certain. But it seemed that he had returned. _

_She turned to meet his amber eyes. The fear that they had once brought her had faded into hatred long ago._

_"Now, now, is that any way to greet someone? Especially me."_

_She offered no response. He rose from the chair he had been seated in and made his way towards her, his movements unnervingly similar to that of a snake cornering its prey. No matter how urgently her body willed her to cower against the solid wood of the doors, she stood her ground._

_"Aren't you a brave one?" By now he was in front of her. He brushed the hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, revealing the skin of her neck. Caressing it softly, he hummed in a sick sense of satisfaction._

_"You're growing stronger by the day. I'm very impressed. Soon enough you'll be bursting with all of that delicious power I desire."_

_The false tenderness of his hands made her feel vile. More than anything she wished to be back in her dingy cell and away from him. _

_It was as if he had read her mind. "You're not going back to that cell. I have other things in mind for you now - much greater things."_

_Slowly, he lowered his head down to the exposed skin above her heart. There was no time to demand what he was doing before he sank his fangs into her flesh. Her blood became liquid fire in her veins. Certainly nothing could be worse than this. All she could do was scream. _

_Black lines began to twist across her skin until they settled over her pounding heart. It was a small, simple kanji that was bold even in the darkness, and it sealed her fate. _

_"You're mine now."_

* * *

_The sound of the door creaking open was like a death sentence to her. She rested under the sheets with her face to the wall and feigned sleep - not that that had done anything to help her before. _

_He had been coming more frequently as of late. Ever since the man she was forced to call master had given her his mark, she had been moved from her cell and into one of the many empty rooms in this labyrinth that he called a hideout. If only she could have remained in the cell. Rotting away would be a better fate than this. _

_The guard only came to retrieve her whenever he was ordered to. She may have been locked away, but there were no bars to keep her safe any longer. He was often on guard duty, posted outside of her door to make sure that she wouldn't try to escape. On those nights he would come into her room and close the door behind him. She didn't want to remember what happened next._

_She could smell the alcohol on him the moment that he sat down on the edge of her bed. He was clearly drunk; it was obvious in the way that he swayed on the spot. He grabbed her face in a clumsy movement and turned her head in his direction. Hateful eyes locked with his glossy, hazed ones. He smirked. _

_"What's that look for, baby?" he slurred, digging his nails into her cheeks. She only continued to glare, yet the pet name she didn't appreciate reminded her of a long time ago, back when it was one given to her by her mother. "Don't worry. I'm going to make you feel real nice."_

_For being so intoxicated, he had managed to swiftly throw his body over hers. His greedy, unwelcome hands ghosted up and down her sides. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't force him off of her; she never could. All she could do was squeeze her eyes shut and pray that he passed out._

_That was, until she heard the sound of a zipper being unzipped. Her eyes flew open as his weight came crashing down on her and his lips crushed hers in a bruising kiss. _

_It had never happened to this extent - it never went this far. He tried to force her legs apart but she fought back. He lifted himself up and dealt her a blow across the face. It whipped her head violently to the side and sent tears rolling down her cheeks, but she still wouldn't allow him to have his way. _

_In an attempt to restrain her he forced his weight back down on her again. With her hands on his chest, she did her best to push him off of her. She pleaded for him to stop._

_And then it did._

_The sound of tearing flesh and the heavy clank of a multitude of objects hitting the ground filled the void that her pleas had previously occupied. There was blood - there was so much blood. It soaked through her clothes, splattered across her face and coated just about every inch of her. His lifeless eyes stared down into her own pale optics, his mouth wide in a scream that he never had the opportunity to complete. It took all of her willpower to bite back one of her own, and with a lot of effort, she was able to push him off of her once and for all._

_Long, jagged shards of ice littered the floor at the foot of her bed. They were dripping with his blood. She looked down at her shaking hands in fear and disbelief. She could feel the bile rising in her throat but she managed to keep it down. She had killed him, and she didn't even know how. _

_"I have to get out of here," she panicked. An opportunity to escape had finally presented itself, but at what cost? The only thing keeping her going was the thought of her freedom. _

_The halls were empty. No one tried to stop her as she made her way through the maze that was Orochimaru's lair. She racked her brain to remember the way she had entered from all of those years ago. It was something that she worked to memorize in the face of this very moment. And there it was, a beacon of hope: the exit was just up ahead. _

_Her freedom was closer than ever as she made her way up the steps and back above ground, within her grasp as she tore through the trees on unsteady legs, and certain as she disappeared into the night._

* * *

She was falling. Was this another memory? Yukari teetered along the edge of fantasy and reality, fighting to define where she stood along that twisted thread.

There was someone yelling above her. Who? Their voice was desperate as it rang dimly in her ears. Who were they calling out to? Was it her? There was another body beside her; she could tell by the shifting in the wind. They were plummeting at an increasingly fast rate. Would they ever meet what they were falling into?

"Sai!" The person was shouting again. "Sai, get them!"

_Sai..._ It was a familiar name. Was it hers? No, it wasn't hers. Then where had she heard it before? It seemed like a distant memory.

Something rushed past her. It swept upwards and passed her while she continued to descend. Her brow furrowed as she swam along the border of consciousness, but she couldn't seem to push herself out of the waters of confusion and back to the surface. All she felt was the wind brushing against her skin and her body ascending upwards until it stopped moving altogether.

There was nothing now. Quiet stillness surrounded her, black emptiness pushing at her from all sides. It fought to drag her further into the void with it; to pull her down until she didn't know if she could return from it. She struggled against its ensnarement with every last ounce of strength she had left in her, but nothing seemed to release her from the maze of black.

She could hear the voice again, along with another that she was certain she had heard before. Their words were incoherent and urgent, and they only seemed to drift father and father away the more that she tried to reach them.

A light broke through the endless dark, and everything came surging back all at once.

Yukari shot straight up with wide, frantic eyes. The explosions and harsh winds that had ravished the area had freed her from her unconsciousness when not even Sakura or Captain Yamato had been able to. She gasped for precious air as if she had been drowning, yet no matter how much she drew in, it wasn't enough. As the reality of what she had seen and remembered finally hit her, she lost every breath she had gained back.

She was hyperventilating now. Hands gripped at the material of her shirt. She threaded it through her fingers and twisted it around as she fought to breathe. Her pale eyes searched around her frantically until they landed on the gap in the tree line that the team had emerged from. Kabuto stood there, watching her with amusement.

"It seems that she's going into shock." It was true. The sight of him made the memories flood back through her head and caused her to shake even harder.

"Shut up, four eyes!" Sakura's voice was filled with such animosity, but her harsh tone didn't seem to even faze the convulsing girl. "Yukari, lie back."

Sakura did her best to ease the girl back down in an attempt to calm her, but she wouldn't budge. The pink haired kunoichi jumped as the pale girl latched onto her wrist. Her hold was tight and she could feel her arm begin to ache, but she did nothing to push Yukari off.

Her eyes were filled with such terror and distress. They darted over the wreckage around her but took none of it in. Trees had been ripped out by their roots and lay scattered across the entrance to the woods. The Tenchi Bridge was in shambles, destroyed beyond repair, yet she wasn't seeing any of it. The total devastation of the surrounding area wasn't why her eyes were so haunted and Sakura knew it.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

Yukari gave her worried question no acknowledgement. Instead her head whipped around her, searching for something, only to zero in behind her as an explosion sent a tremor through the area and a sphere of light into the sky. A cloud of dust rose up in the aftermath and drifted with the wind until it, too, dispelled.

"Naruto." Yukari released Sakura's arm and raised her hands to her head, gripping it tightly as she curled up into herself. Her voice was hollow and empty. Any trace of life it once held, though it hadn't held much to begin with, seemed to have been sapped away from her. The state her comrade was in made Sakura grow angrier. With her hands engulfed in green chakra, she lifted them to Yukari's head only to be halted by Kabuto's smug voice.

"That's not going to help her."

"What did you do to her?" Yamato demanded as he watched the small girl shake.

"Oh, I didn't do anything. It seems the jutsu that Lord Orochimaru placed on her has finally broken. That or he broke it himself for his own amusement. You're remembering now, aren't you?" Yukari could only whimper, squeezing her eyes shut even tighter as if to block him out.

"What does he mean?" Sakura pressed as the green glow vanished. Yukari shook her head in response.

There was a mighty roar in the distance. It wasn't hard to guess who had let loose such a bloodthirsty and animalistic sound. Something shot out from the adjacent tree line and soared through the air only to slam into the rocky side of the valley. The blow shattered the stone cliffside and shrouded the entire area in a cloud of disturbed dirt. Harsh winds lashed out in result and forced the four shinobi to raise their arms in order to protect their faces. When the great plume of earth finally rose towards the sky and dispersed, they could finally see what had made such a violent and abrupt arrival.

Naruto was completely unrecognizable by now. The malicious chakra coating him had progressed even further during the time that Yukari had been unconscious. There was no distinguishable trace of the blond left, but it couldn't have been anyone else. In his place was something that could only be described as a foxlike creature – one composed completely out of orange and black chakra. Two ears had emerged from his head and four tails lashed furiously behind him. He didn't move a muscle. Orochimaru's neck had stretched until his head was visible over the tall, leafy tops of the trees, a long sword crossing the valley and holding the blond in place.

Yukari attempted to rise only to be stopped before she could stagger to her feet. There was nothing harder than having to tear her eyes away from Naruto to glare at the one who had halted her movements.

She had found her voice again, raspy and strained. "Let me go."

"There's nothing you can do for him in your condition." The captain may have been right, but that didn't stop her distress for the whole situation from worsening.

Yukari knew her place. Never before had she had the desire to defy an order from a superior. If they told her to jump, she would. If she were commanded to kill, she would do so without hesitation, no questions asked. Naruto was a different case. She wanted nothing more than to break from their grip and dash after him. She wanted to stop him before it was too late. Yukari was far more concerned for him than her sense of duty. It even outweighed the trauma she had endured and the state she was currently in. It didn't matter what she had seen or that she was still shaking harder than she ever had in her life; his welfare took priority over anything else.

Another howl was let loose, so powerful that she could feel it in her bones.

Naruto pushed the sword away from him as effortlessly as if it were a fly that was pestering him. It swung to the left, headed straight for the four not far from him. It came at them so quickly that they barely had time to move, but Captain Yamato was able to grab the two girls just in time and jump to safety. They could only watch in disbelief as more of the landscape was demolished before their eyes.

"This isn't so much a battle between ninja anymore. It's some kind of epic battle between two monsters." Sakura's hands clenched at her chest and willed his words not to be true, but what they were witnessing was justifying. The only thing that they could do now was look on in concern for their teammate.

Yukari could sense Sakura trembling beside her as Naruto let loose another roar of fury, but it was not out of fear. When pearl eyes connected with her brilliant green and caught sight of the tears pooling there, she knew that Sakura felt the same sadness and desire to help him. Her tears streamed down her cheeks like drops of rain gliding down glass, and as they dripped from her chin and met with the soil under her feet, she let out a strangled sob and dashed forward.

"Sakura! Yukari, come back!"

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. No matter how fast Yukari ran after her, no matter how hard she tried to reach Sakura in time, it was all in vain. The enraged boy, possessed by his tailed beast, wasted no time in striking at the pink haired kunoichi with one of his violently thrashing tails. With a cry of pain she flew back several feet, unable to do anything but clutch where she had been struck in agony.

Yukari closed the gap between them, skidding to a stop just in time to catch her before she connected with the soil. Her hands hovered over her, uncertain of how to aid her without causing her any further pain. Unshed tears glistened in the young Jonin's eyes. She desperately pleaded for the boy to stop and come to his senses, but as he once again lashed out at the two of them, she knew that he wouldn't be able to pull himself from this on his own. That's when Yamato intervened.

Naruto's tail was mere inches from her face when strong wooden pillars began sprouting up from the ground. They wrapped around him and successfully bound him in place. No matter how hard Naruto struggled, he was rooted on the spot. Whatever jutsu their captain was using was working.

The sound of footsteps approaching the two girls caught Yukari's ear, and turning her head to the side, she could see Kabuto drawing nearer and nearer. She went on the defensive, hands poised in front of her in a hand sign that the captain hadn't seen before. An icy wind seemed to rise from nowhere, circling her and whipping her hair around her face. Yamato was quick to attack, as well, using his wooden beams to latch onto Kabuto's arm and lock him where he stood. Yukari's jutsu came to light.

It was as if winter were upon them. A sheet of ice crept across the ground towards Kabuto, and when it finally reached him, it coated his feet until the ice engulfed him from the knees down. Yukari wasn't taking any chances.

"One step closer and I'll make you a human icicle."

His face was blank. He wasn't fazed by her threat in the least bit. "You misunderstand. I no longer intend to hurt any of you."

"You're lying," Yukari spat.

"In fact, it's quite the opposite."

"What are you saying?" Yamato asked, his face scrunched up in a scowl of suspicion. He, just like his fellow Jonin, didn't believe him in the least bit.

Kabuto didn't grace them with a reply. Instead, he stretched out his hand as far as it would go against his restraints. It glowed green - the very same light that she had seen surrounding Sakura's hands. It curled its way towards them like the fog that engulfed the Leaf Village in the early hours of the morning. Yukari rose to her feet and stepped back slightly, not wanting to be anywhere near it. It encased the wound on Sakura's arm and began to heal it before their eyes.

He finally answered them. "I'm saying you and I share a common enemy. The Akatsuki are in the way, and if we let you live, I'm hoping that you can get rid of at least one more Akatsuki member for us. So there you have it."

The wound on Sakura's arm was healing at a slow pace, but it was healing. She finally cracked her eyes open just in time for Naruto to let loose an enraged scream. The wood that caged him was beginning to crack from the force being exerted on it.

"Okay, I've helped you. In exchange get as many Akatsuki as you can. And as for that teammate of yours over there – well, I trust you can take care of it."

The green glow vanished, and just the same, Kabuto disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Naruto had managed to break through his bindings. It wasn't any surprise, really. If he could send Orochimaru flying the way that he had earlier, his strength was impeccable. Yamato lurched into action.

The signs he wove were quick. With a yell of determination, he jumped into the air just as he neared Yukari and Sakura. "Hokage Style Elder Jutsu: Tenth Edict on Enlightenment!"

His hand slammed into Naruto's chest, and a bright light mingled with orange and black.

Like a leash, what appeared to be a string of chakra formed between the two shinobi. Yamato retreated and planted his feet firmly by Sakura and Yukari's side just as spiked wooden pillars shot up from the earth around Naruto. Slowly but surely, he was being pulled from his tailed beast state.

It was as if the beams were soaking up his hatred like a sponge. The orange and black chakra cloak that wrapped around him began to slowly creep away, its disappearance leaving everyone breathing a sigh of relief.

The condition his body was left in in its wake was appalling. The first layer of his skin had been completely burned away, and he was covered in blood. The sight of his extreme injuries were enough to make any words Yukari could possibly say cling in her throat and her tears finally fall.

Sakura stood on shaky legs. Yukari was right there to help her teammate and allowed her to lean on her for support, but neither girl could draw their eyes away from Naruto. He was screaming in agony and continued to scream until the last of the Nine Tails' chakra was ripped from his body and he collapsed.

"It's finally over." Yamato's confirmation was like the sound of a gun being fired to signal the start of a race. Sakura took off in a mad dash; Yukari was prepared to follow until the sound of Sakura screaming out for the blond rang in her ears. Who was she to intrude? She wasn't a permanent member of their team. She hadn't known him long enough, didn't share their history, or know what it meant to be close to someone. Yukari held back until their captain approached the pair. Only then did she close the gap.

Yukari chose to remain on her feet while Yamato crouched down at Naruto's side. His staggering breaths and face scrunched in pain made Yukari's concern deepening until she couldn't handle it anymore.

"Where are you going?" Yamato asked, confused by her sudden actions. She had turned her face away from the group, staring off into the adjacent tree line. All eyes were on her as they awaited an explanation.

"I'm going after them," she clarified. Sakura was quick to voice her disapproval.

"You can't go alone-"

"I'm the only one well enough to go. Our mission was to capture Kabuto. I have to go after him while he's still close. Besides, me staying here won't do anything to help him. Only you can do that, Sakura."

"But we still don't know what happened to you earlier!" Sakura continued to argue. If it really was one of Orochimaru's jutsu, who knew what was going on inside the girl's body in its aftermath? She was hell bent on keeping her there until she could examine her. "What if it happens again and we're not there to help you?"

"I'm fine." Her voice was cold and short and her eyes were vacant. She wouldn't go without approval, but it was something she had to do - not only for the sake of the mission, but for Naruto, as well. "Let me go, Captain."

The mission had taken a drastic turn. If they could catch up to Kabuto before he vanished they stood a chance at regaining control of the situation. For the sake of completing their task successfully, he agreed. "Fine, but stay out of sight. Do not act on your own, and do not engage the enemy under any circumstance. I sent a clone out after them a while ago. Your orders are to catch up to it and wait for further instructions. Do you understand?"

With a curt nod she took her first steps towards the destroyed bridge. However, a noise stopped her before she could put any distance between them. For a brief moment, Naruto stirred. He cracked his eyes open with great effort and glanced around blearily before taking in the worried faces that hovered above him. When his eyes rested on Yukari, his brow creased in confusion.

Her pearl eyes were fixed away from them and refused to meet his own. The blood that previously dripped from her temples had dried to her skin. Why was she bleeding? Everything was one big blank. Despite his desire to ask what had happened to her, nothing would come out. She knew that he had questions for her, but they were inquiries that she wasn't prepared to answer. The only thing she had to offer him was a pained frown over her shoulder before she turned her back to them. He slipped back into darkness as she pressed forward, leaving her teammates behind.

* * *

**Author's Note: I was really hoping to get this out earlier for you guys, but I didn't get the opportunity to post before I went camping. I made it back in one piece, albeit a bug-bite ridden one. **

**Once again, thank you all for your feedback! It makes chapters come out faster!**

**Review answering time~**

**El** **Frijolero:** I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it and that I'm doing okay at keeping Naruto in character! Thanks for your review!

**madeyemoody95:** Thank you! More Naruto and Yukari moments are on the way, though yes, sadly they'll take some time. Hopefully they'll be worth waiting for!

**shika93: **Thank you so much! I'm super stoked that you like it and I hope you'll keep reading.

**Thanks for reading, guys! Drop by and leave a review if you have any questions, want to leave your thoughts, or just want to say hello. Until next time!**


	7. Into the Black

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, its characters, or its plotlines. This is merely written for the joy of fanfiction.**

**Let's do this thing.**

* * *

As Yukari barreled through the timber, she did everything she could to keep herself from crumbling. Her assurance that she was okay was a façade for Sakura's sake. She needed to get as far away from her team (and the demolished, upturned landscape) as possible; she needed to process the onslaught of her returning past. And Naruto's eyes… She had to escape from the confusion that glistened in his cerulean orbs. He wanted answers for why she had been bleeding. He wanted to know what had happened to the kunoichi, and what he sought, she wasn't prepared to divulge to him.

Try as she may, she couldn't shake the fear that wracked her, and she knew without a doubt that he understood that something was wrong. Despite what others thought, the blond was perceptive - too perceptive for his own good.

A rage burned inside of her. It took the place of her sorrow, dried up her tears, and pushed her forward. Her hatred consumed her in the place of her agony. Focusing all of her willpower on her fury, she pushed herself harder.

The towering oaks were beginning to thin out, the bright summer light shining through the gaps in the foliage. Lying beyond the safety of the forest was a large clearing with nothing but a few sparse trees and a cluster of tall, jagged rocks. She remained hidden behind an old oak. She knew better to expose herself in the open; Orochimaru was a capable and powerful shinobi. If he had sensed her coming before she had thought to mask her chakra a few miles back, she couldn't even begin to fathom what she would do if he was prepared to ambush her.

She put her sensory abilities to good use. Closing her eyes, she began to stretch out her awareness and lock on any other presences around her. To her relief, there was no one else in the area, so she stepped out of the sanctuary of the trees and onto the dirt laden terrain.

It was odd. Yamato's clone was supposed to be waiting for her, yet it was nowhere in sight. Brow creased in confusion, her feet lead her closer and closer to the towering rock. Yukari stop behind a thin tree to shield herself from view. While she was certain that no one was hidden nearby in preparation to attack her, she was better off safe than sorry. Her hand brushed across the tree's rough bark, smoothing over its creases as she contemplated her situation.

A pair of eyes emerged from it and blinked at her. They were followed by a head, which was followed by the body it was connected to. The clone had hidden itself away in the tree's trunk. Yukari let a small noise make its way from the back of her throat, a mixture of surprise at his sudden, unexpected appearance and approval of her captain's skill. Overall, she maintained her calm demeanor. She excelled when it came to putting on a stoic, emotionless mask.

Yukari didn't beat around the bush. "Where are Orochimaru and Sai?"

The clone didn't supply a verbal answer. Instead, he trained his eyes on the rock looming up ahead, tilting his head in its direction.

"I informed the others of our location and that we found the hideout. They should be arriving shortly."

A nod of understanding was all that she provided, and as silence engulfed the pair, she let herself slip back into her thoughts.

The sound of footsteps in the distance alerted them of the team's approach, yet she kept her eyes closed. Yukari had been growing impatient. The thoughts whizzing through her head were beginning to frustrate her. She did her best to push them away, and she only managed to succeed in doing so once the others were finally at her side. Her eyes remained hidden from the world until a hand rested on her shoulder. Yukari turned her optics to the source. White irises locked with blue, an uncertain smile clashing with her vacant face.

He regarded her with an emotion that she couldn't comprehend in her state. "Sorry it took so long. We're here now." She nodded and turned her eyes to Yamato and the clone. Naruto frowned and removed his hand from her, letting it fall until it hung at his side.

"Is this the place?" the captain inquired.

"The entrance is straight ahead; under that rock formation."

Tension permeated around the five of them, thick and suffocating. Yukari felt her chest constrict at the weight of it pressing down on her.

"Could it be after all this time that we really found him?" Yukari cast her eyes back to Naruto as he muttered the thought that was on everyone's minds. "Sasuke's there."

"Yeah, it's a definite possibility," Sakura agreed. Her eyes were filled with determination, her stance strong.

Their captain turned his head to address his team. "At the very least we should be able to find a clue to his whereabouts."

"Right. Let's get on with it." Naruto was blocked from advancing any further by an arm across the chest. The pale eyed girl was looking up at him with an unreadable expression.

"Wait," Yukari ordered before returning her arm to her side.

"Not so fast." The blond cast his questioning eyes to his superior's face. Soon the other veteran member of squad 7's face mirrored Naruto's confusion. They watched Yamato place his hand on the clone's back; a strange pulsation radiated around it, and before their eyes it began to lose its form and transform back into wood. The captain drew it back into his hand, and in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

The Jonin stretched his hand out to Naruto with his palm up. In it sat a little seed. "First you need to swallow this, Naruto." When he noticed the two members of squad seven's questioning glances, he sent them a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry. It's perfectly safe, I assure you."

He stretched out his other hand to Sakura. A similar seed rested there. "Here, Sakura. You, too. Though even if we should get separated, I'll know where the both of you are and can find you."

"Seriously?" Naruto asked in amazement.

"Because of this?" the pink haired kunoichi asked. She picked it up, fixing a questioning glance upon the little seed. "What is it?"

The pale Jonin finally spoke. "If I had to guess, those are a means of keeping tabs on them, correct? They're a type of tracker."

"Yes. Those seeds are a kind of transmitter specifically for tracking a person's movements," Yamato confirmed with a nod in her direction. Placing the remaining seed in Naruto's hand, he waited for them to swallow them. "It's a ninja tool that is only able to work off my chakra. I planted one of these in Sai's clothing - and in his food."

"In his clothing and in his food?" the blond repeated. Yamato nodded.

"Is it safe?" Sakura pondered, rolling it between her fingers. A look of understanding dawned on her face. "Of course! That was how you were able to track him all the way here."

"But Captain Yamato, when did you plant these things on him?"

"Back at the hot springs," he answered Naruto. "Do you remember how I was the first to get out of the water?"

"Yeah, I think so," he said. It suddenly clicked. "Yeah, I remember now. You got out and went inside."

"You see, I'm afraid I had an ulterior motive for treating you guys to that stay at the hot springs and that feast at my expense."

A knowing smirk graced Sakura's lips. "So all that wasn't just to boost morale and team spirit, huh?" Yamato returned her smirk with one of his own.

"Lady Hokage was suspicious of Sai from the beginning. She asked me to keep an eye on him," Yukari confided. She then turned her eyes to Yamato. "I assume that she asked the same of you?"

He confirmed her suspicion. "As it turns out, she was right to be concerned. It's a good thing I heeded Lady Tsunade's warning."

"You had better swallow those. We need to get moving."

"Right," Sakura nodded at Yukari. She swallowed the tracker, and Naruto followed suit. Yamato then turned to the pale teen. He had procured another seed and offered it to her.

"I know that you're more than capable at handling yourself in situations like this, but we don't know what will happen down there. I need to know where you are in case something goes wrong."

_In case Orochimaru gets his hands on you._

"I understand." Without another word, she swallowed the tracker, as well.

With a final nod he turned on his heel. "Alright. If you three are ready, let's do it."

* * *

"It's faint, but there are definitely people down there."

Yukari couched down on the balls of her feet, her hand pressed against the earth. Her eyes were closed as she focused on her task, stretching her awareness around her. Knowing that she couldn't provide a better answer than she had, she rose up and met the eyes of their captain. "Sorry, but that's the best I could do."

"I think we can safely assume there aren't very many of the enemy in there," he concluded. "But that doesn't mean that you can let your guard down. Remember: one of them is Orochimaru, and presumably, Sai is with him now. I will lead the way, followed by Sakura, then Naruto, with Yukari bringing up the rear."

"So how are we going to get in there?" Sakura asked the captain as she adjusted her gloves.

"We'll infiltrate from underground using my earth style jutsu. We'll start by drilling a main shaft right here. When we've gone deep enough we'll level off and tunnel our way little by little toward the entrance under those standing rocks."

"Right."

"Okay, sounds good to me."

"Well then, let's get started." Weaving a short series of hand signs, Yamato wordlessly pressed his hand to the ground. The earth beneath his palm began to crack before it caved in all at once, a decent sized tunnel left in its place.

With his job done he stood and regarded the three teens behind him. "When I give the signal, you follow one by one in the order given." Saying nothing more, he jumped down into the darkness of the tunnel.

"Alright, Naruto. This is it."

"Let's do it."

A sharp whistle sounded, and Sakura jumped down to meet him. Yukari glanced at Naruto out of the corner of her eye until the captain's whistle once again pierced the air. Naruto followed suit, not sparing the girl a single glance.

It was then, when she was all alone and staring into the darkness, that the gravity of the situation at hand struck her.

She would be traipsing right into the lair of the very man who had slaughtered her family and kept her locked up as if she were a caged animal for so many years. He had shown a lot of interest in her back at the bridge; it made her fearful that his plans for her weren't complete. She was walking into what could very well be the end of her.

Yukari took a subconscious step away from the dark hole as her chest heaved in fright. And then the whistle sounded. Its sound snapped her from the panic she was experiencing, but her heart continued to pound in her chest. She stepped forward until she was standing along the edge of the darkness, utterly terrified.

Blue eyes flashed in her mind, along with a promise - the promise she had made in the stillness of the night. Naruto was waiting down there for her, and she realized that with him at her side, what was waiting for her below wasn't so frightening. So with a steady breath, she dove into the black.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry this is out late, guys. My health is on the decline right now, so chapters might not be coming out once a week like I intended them to. But I won't stop writing this story!**

FlashLit3: I'm glad you're enjoying it enough to read it a second time :) I'm hoping to work my butt off writing over the weekend so I can keep the flow of chapters coming! I'm almost out of prewritten material. I'm working on some Naruto x Yukari moments but I want them to be perfect since they've taken forever, so that's in the near future!

shika93: Thank you! I'm really glad to hear that you're enjoying the story so far!

ThePizziaMan: I wouldn't say that it's going to take forever, just a realistic amount of time. I don't want it to seem rushed and I have a lot planned for this story, so it's going to have quite a few chapters if it goes the way I'm intending it to!

_**A few things I wanted to clear up:**_

1. I'm planning on keeping this story as cannon as possible. I feel like Kishimoto has an amazing plot going with both the manga and the anime, so while I do intend to implement changes, at this point in time (the Tenchi Bridge mission and some of the following chapters) Yukari is mostly along for the ride. Changes will be coming later in the story, though!

2. I know that I'm focusing a lot on their mission to the Tenchi Bridge, but only because it's important. The next chapter will be the last part of the mission, and then we're moving on to more original content.

3. A good portion of the dialogue and happenings of these chapters are taken directly from the anime, meaning that when I write a chapter, I sit down and watch the episodes and write as I listen. Like I said, I want to keep it as cannon as possible at the moment.

**Thanks for reading and your reviews, guys! Seriously, you all rock. Drop by and leave a review if you have any questions, want to leave your thoughts, or just want to say hello. Until next time!**


	8. Retrieval

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, its characters, or its plotlines. This is merely written for the joy of fanfiction.**

**Let's do this thing.**

* * *

The darkness of the winding, vacant halls engulfed the team like a suffocating plume of smoke. They had managed to infiltrate with only slight difficulty. It seemed that this particular hideout was carved from the same rock that safeguarded it from intruders up above. However, their captain was able to find a weak point in their defenses.

The hideout was like a labyrinth, and the echo of their sandals hitting the stone reverberated off the walls. Their shadows loomed around them, stretching like spindled beasts in the flickering flame of the torches lighting their path. They were silent as their eyes adjusted to the dark.

A hand on Yukari's shoulder caused her to start, though it went unnoticed by her teammates. The kunoichi's eyes rested on the hand and trailed their way up until piercing white locked with brilliant green. The pink haired girl's eyes were soft as she took in the visible parts of her face.

"Are you okay?" Sakura's voice was low as to not draw the other's attention.

"I'm fine."

"But back in the clearing - something happened to you. We don't know what strain that put on you."

A downward tug of the lips marred Yukari's face. They continued to walk, but their eyes remained fixed on each other.

"I said I'm fine," she pressed. Yukari averted her gaze, signaling the end of the conversation. Sakura sighed and removed her hand before turning her eyes ahead of her. She knew there was no convincing the mysterious girl.

The hall that they travelled down was coming to an end up ahead. It split off into another passage, providing them with two separate paths to take. Yukari and the captain had been able to pinpoint Sai's location once they had broken in, so they fortunately didn't have to worry about taking a wrong turn and wandering around aimlessly. It was a priority to deal with Sai before all else. Crouching low, Yamato pulled out a small mirror, holding it out so that he could peer around the corner. The hall was empty.

"Everything's clear up ahead," he confirmed as he stashed away the mirror. They took off running now, eager to hide themselves again before they were discovered. "We're almost there."

"I can sense him," Yukari informed them. "He's behind that door on the left."

They stood before it in an instant. Captain Yamato put a tentative hand on the metal knob that kept the door shut. He cautiously pulled it open just enough so that he could peer into the room. "I had a hunch that we'd find you here."

The door groaned as it opened the rest of the way and allowed them entrance. They filed into the room one at the time, Yukari being the last to enter. Sai's false smile greeted her as she set her optics upon him. She grit her teeth and set her lips in a snarl as she took the traitorous teen in with glaring eyes. Those who were in league with the cruel and monstrous Sanin were better off dead in her newly opened eyes.

"I'd expect no less from the Hokage's ANBU Black Ops. I take it that fake corpse didn't fool you then."

A bought of tense silence passed over them, but it was soon broken by their captain. "Start talking. What's going on here?"

Sai didn't utter a word. Naruto stepped forward from his place beside Sakura and grabbed the front of his shirt. His frustration and rage seemed to seep from his pores. Face set in a scowl, he pulled the boy closer to him in a rough tug. "Spill it, jerk! Why would you betray your own teammates?!"

"If I were you, I'd take care not to make too much commotion. Things could turn quite ugly."

Naruto growled as his body shook in anger and his grip tightened. "I'm gonna kick your-!"

"Naruto," Sakura interrupted. She was the voice of reason when it came to the blond; however, it did nothing to dissipate his anger. He released the fabric of Sai's shirt and shoved him away from him before turning from the pale boy. Sakura took the opportunity to advance toward him with her hand in her pack. "Here, Sai. Take this."

In her outstretched hand was a book. On the cover was an illustration of a pale child with black hair and equally dark eyes. It wasn't something Yukari had seen before, but the remainder of the team seemed to be aware of its significance. If she had to guess, the boy on the cover was Sai himself.

"It's yours, isn't it?" Sakura inquired. Finally, after a short pause, Sai took the book from her grip.

"Thank you."

"I'm assuming that you didn't come to Orochimaru by choice," Yukari pressed.

Sakura continued where she had left off. "You were under orders from Danzo, isn't that right? We know Danzo and Orochimaru have teamed up, and we know that they're planning something big. You were chosen to be Danzo and Orochimaru's go-between, so spit it out. What are they planning?"

Sai remained silent, that damn smile still plastered to his face. It was infuriating. Yukari felt the desire to end him bubbling in the pit of her stomach, desperate to escape. She settled for a snarl instead and closed the gap between them with quick strides. Her hand was a blur as it disappeared into the pouch on her thigh. It was as if she had disappeared into thin air, her movements quick. Yukari reappeared behind Sai, a senbon pressed against his throat. Unlike Naruto, no one reprimanded her or told her to cease her actions.

The pale teen didn't even flinch, so she pressed her weapon of choice harder against his skin. That false smile didn't waver, however, despite the fact that she had drawn blood.

"I suggest you start cooperating," she hissed. "You're in a bad position right now. If we didn't need information I'd kill you where you stand."

The hatred in her voice had Naruto unnerved. Sure the girl had been harsh on the first day of their mission, but this menacing presence was something far beyond her previous irritation. In their encounters in the Leaf she had been quiet and reserved, but he had never expected her to be capable of this. She was cold and unrelenting. Perhaps this was the cruel capability of the Jonin before him.

"Orochimaru is easy to read. He wants to try and destroy the Leaf Village again - isn't that right?" Yamato's voice was even and did not covey any emotion.

"No. That's not-"

"Look, why don't you wipe that phony grin off your face!" Naruto exclaimed. He nearly growled at Sai, his disgust near its peak. "I can already tell that every word you're saying is a dirty pack of lies!"

"The truth of the matter is that you people discovered my location," Sai finally said. "My mission is a complete failure."

Naruto let out a miniscule gasp before Sai continued. "Even if we fought, I couldn't possibly beat all of you by myself; I know that, and I think you know that as well. So there's no point hiding anything. You are correct. The plan was to crush the Hidden Leaf Village."

"I thought so," Yukari leaned forward, whispering in his ear. Her breath fanned across his neck; it was an icy chill against his skin. "I knew we needed to keep an eye on you from the beginning. You're nothing but a traitor."

Sai acted as if she had never spoken at all. "My true assignment was to form an alliance with Orochimaru and to orchestrate the conspiracy with him so that together we could destroy the village."

"Wait a sec, do you have any idea what you're admitting to? How could you-?!" Naruto's eyes were filled with hatred.

"I'm not finished yet. The other half of my mission was to gather intel on Orochimaru. In short, to report his activities back to Lord Danzo."

"You're a disgrace to the Leaf Village's shinobi," muttered Yukari. Her grip never faltered on the senbon in her hand though her stomach flipped with disgust.

Their captain outstretched his arm towards him, kunai in hand. "That's right, Sai, keep talking. Own up to everything you've been hiding."

"So let me get this straight. You found Orochimaru and made sure you earned his confidence so you could defeat him later?" While Sakura kept a straight face and a level voice, it was obvious that she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "It's a suicide mission."

"If the Leaf Village did fall, we fully expected Orochimaru would try to betray us. But this way we'd make sure we always have the advantage over him."

"I understand," Yamato said with a small nod.

Sakura kept her eyes on the stone below her feet as she worked on making sense of the information being told. "So it's Danzo; he wants to take over the Hidden Leaf Village." Finally she lifted her head, regarding Sai. "But hold on. You were sent in alone to set all this in motion?"

"It's not unheard of when it comes to the Foundation, Sakura." Yukari finally lowered the senbon from his neck. However, she did not step away, nor did she loosen her grip on it. It twitched in anticipation as the thought of a direct attack from the boy invaded her mind. When Sai began to reach for the pouch at his side, the long, thin needle was once again at his jugular. He continued to reach his hand in regardless and pulled out four scrolls. They unraveled and revealed inky script, which morphed before their eyes.

"The intelligence I write down in ink can transform itself into little creatures," Sai informed them. Mice emerged from the scrolls and slid under the doorframe, disappearing from sight with little squeaks. "They can defend themselves while traveling back to the Leaf Village. You see, I was chosen for this mission specifically because of my abilities."

Sakura took an angry step forward. "But if the village were to fall, then innocent people will die! Do you understand what you're doing?! Didn't you stop yourself and ask why?!"

"No," he replied emotionlessly. "I follow orders."

"Oh, Sai... How could you?"

"Oh, and one other thing: Sai is just a made up name I was given for this mission. I'm nobody; I'm merely a tool for Lord Danzo. I don't even exist, so no matter what you say or do, it's meaningless."

A look of sadness for the pale boy took over Sakura's expression, but she let out a small noise of realization after studying him.

"Then why the book? What about the book? Why do you treat that picture book with such care?"

For the first time since the group had met him, he finally showed emotion. His eyes bulged and a small noise of shock wormed its way from the back of his throat.

Yukari couldn't see his face, but she felt his whole body tense. He lifted the book up before his eyes and stared at the worn cover. Yukari was able to get a good look at it for the first time.

"Two kids of the cover of a picture book - it's you and your older brother, right? The reason that book means so much to you is because it's the only thing in this world that proves your existence, isn't that right? You're not as emotionless as you'd have everyone believe."

If Sai could sense that Yukari had gone rigid behind him, he didn't say anything. Yukari dropped the senbon from her hand as if she were in a trance, stepping away from Sai. Everything that Sakura had said struck a chord with her. When she was a child, she believed that she didn't belong anywhere in the world. No name, no past, no family - she didn't exist. All she had was a single singed photograph.

Emotions were trivial things. That's what she told herself every day. What did someone like her have to smile about? Why would anyone care about a nobody? So she locked her pain, her sadness, and her joy away in the deepest part of herself. She didn't need them, right?

"I'm going to keep watch," Yukari mumbled.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Sakura asked, looking to their captain for some sort of backup. She didn't get the answer that she was expecting.

"That probably is a good idea. Stay out of sight."

She nodded and made her way towards the door. Yukari avoided the questioning stares of her team, but she sent Sai an understanding glance as she was leaving. She wasn't sure if he understood the gesture or not, but she felt the urge to do so regardless.

"Sorry, Sai, we had a peek inside that book," Yukari heard as she exited the room. Peering through the crack in the door, she watched as Sai's expression shifted from trying to comprehend what Sakura was telling him to a dark and cryptic glare. Yukari felt her face harden for the boy, sympathizing with him to a degree. She didn't like what he was doing when it came to his mission from Danzo, but to have the only thing you care about being handled without your knowledge or permission? Yukari could understand that feeling very well.

The photograph burned a hole in her pack as she slinked down the hall. It wasn't something that she shared with others willingly. In fact, only two people had seen it besides her: Naruto and the Third Hokage, who had given it to her in the first place. It was her keepsake and her treasure. Singed edges and all, it was hers and hers alone. It was the only proof that she had once had a family of her own.

Yukari crouched low to the ground once she had reached the turn of the hall. If there was even the slightest noise, she would hear it. She kept her eyes closed as she poured every ounce of her concentration into her sensory abilities. The inhabitants of the hideout had no idea that they had broken into the base; she hoped that they felt safe enough under the earth to keep their guard down.

Slow, leisurely steps were coming closer and closer to her hiding spot. Whoever was approaching was still a ways away, but she didn't want to take any chances. She rose as quietly as she could before walking quickly back to the room that her team was in.

"We have a problem," Yukari whispered urgently through the crack in the door. Footsteps thudded across the stone before they stopped. Yamato's face peered out at her. "There's someone coming. They're still a ways away, so I can't tell who it is. We need to go."

"Right," he nodded before disappearing momentarily. The door creaked open and the four shinobi vacated the room, moving to stand beside her. It seemed that Sai had been bound in wooden restraints for good measure.

Yukari stepped back to let the captain lead the way but he shook his head and urged her to maintain her position at the front.

"My ability to sense chakra isn't as fine-tuned as yours is. We need you to find a safe route for us to get out of here."

"This way," she whispered. "And quickly."

* * *

They were back above ground now, their escape from the hideout surprisingly flawless. It made Yukari uneasy, and because of that she opted to stand watch some distance from the remainder of the group. She didn't want to hear what they had to say, anyways.

Yukari picked up on the new presence before the others did. She rushed towards the group as quickly as she could, managing to get their just in time to pull Naruto out of the path of a barrage of Kunai. The others jumped back, as well, though it didn't seem to matter. He flew over them from behind and slid into a defensive position before Sai.

"My, my, I thought we had given you people the slip," Kabuto mused as he righted himself. "But two of you were Lord Orochimaru's experiments. I guess I should have expected as much."

"I think that's enough out of you," Yukari replied with a sneer.

He turned to regard the teen behind him with a noise of amusement. "Sai, judging from the circumstances, it appears that they have taken you captive."

Sai didn't respond, but Naruto did. "Stay out of this," the blond warned. "If you try to interfere I won't go easy on you."

Yukari's head whipped skywards, taking in the sight of two of Naruto's clones on the rock behind Sai and Kabuto. Together they molded chakra between themselves, and despite the situation, Yukari couldn't help but be impressed. She hadn't even seen or expected the blond make the clones. He had caught her completely off guard with that one.

One of the clones vanished in a cloud of smoke, the other charging down towards their enemy with impressive speed. It wasn't enough. Kabuto sidestepped out of the way and landed a kick to the clone's side, sending it flying and making it disappear.

"That's pointless."

"It may be pointless, but we won't know unless we give it a shot!"

The battle began. Four copies of Naruto appeared and charged at Kabuto, weaving around each other and leaping into action. He managed to take them down easily before he grabbed a bound Sai and retreated back and out of the line of their attacks. He dodged with precision as tendrils of wood shot towards him, a smug smirk on his face all the while.

Ice encased the captain's jutsu, and when Kabuto's feet made contact with it, he lost his footing and began to slip. He caught himself by flipping through the air and landing on a beam below him. Sakura took his moment of vulnerability as a chance to attack. She charged him, her fist raised, though it made contact with the surface of the rock instead of the treacherous medic nin.

It was a narrow escape for Kabuto. He landed on the earth with ease, Sai still in his grasp.

"Ha! That was pretty impressive," Kabuto laughed as he set the pale teen down at his side. He wasn't laughing for long. His smirk fell as a swarm of what appeared to be wasps shot towards him. Hands glowing with razor-sharp chakra, he sliced away at them until not a single one remained.

The silver haired shinobi approached Sai after that. Leaning down, he whispered something in his ear so that the team surrounding him couldn't hear. Not a moment later he sliced away at his bindings and freed him.

"Well I must say that the way you people fight is truly pathetic. Especially you, Naruto. You're the most pathetic one of all."

A jagged shard of ice shot from the ground at his feet. He took a quick step backwards to avoid the attack, his eyes set of the smallest girl of the group. Yukari's face was hard, her eyes menacing as she glared at him. He had obviously struck a nerve.

"What a temper," Kabuto taunted. "What I meant was even if you did manage to beat me, it's pointless. People change. Sasuke is no longer the boy you knew long ago."

Everyone's eyes seem to bug out of their head as Sai twisted Kabuto's arm and pinned him to the ground with ease, sitting on his back to hold him there.

"Sai!" he shouted, looking back into the boy's cold eyes. "What do you think you're doing?! You have a mission! You're a liaison between Danzo and Lord Orochimaru! What's the meaning of this?!"

"If people can change," Sai began. "Then so can I."

"What?" Kabuto growled.

"But there are also some things that don't change."

Naruto took him in with a shocked look. "Sai, you mean...?"

"That bond - show me. I want to see it for myself."

Yukari glanced between Naruto and Sai in confusion, uncertain of what they were speaking of. Yamato jumped from his place and advanced towards them. "Sai, keep a tight hold on him."

His words jarred Yukari from her stupor. The girl approached as well and watched as the same wooden restraints wrapped around Kabuto.

They threw him near the base of the rock and crowded around him. He glared at them with a glower, unenthused with his current predicament.

"Alright, tell us where he is," Yamato commanded. "Come on, out with it."

They stared each other down. Orochimaru's subordinate remained quiet for a long while with a smirk spread across his face. "By now he's probably finished training and retired to one of the inner rooms," he finally enlightened.

"That could be true," was Sai's reply. "Sasuke began training with Orochimaru. There's no reason to believe that he's lying to us."

"Alright, let's get going-"

"However, inner room is somewhat vague." That wiped the smile off the blond's face in an instant.

"Even I don't know exactly where it is," the medic nin confessed with a serious expression. "The inner recesses of this place are riddled with isolated rooms. We're not just talking about one or two."

"Well if that's the case we'll just have to search every one of them!"

"Sure, there's always a chance that you might stumble upon it if you search at random, however if you aren't careful where you look you might accidentally stir up a hornets' nest. Lord Orochimaru's private quarters are located there, as well."

"Don't let him get to you. Go on ahead, I can take it from here."

"But Kari-"

"Go," Yukari barked and turned her head in Naruto's direction. The vacancy in her eyes was gone, replaced with unmistakable ferocity. "You do your part of the mission and I'll do mine. This is what I was sent to do in the first place, remember? You'd better get moving," she urged. _Before you think less of me_.

"Come on, Naruto," Yamato said as he took the blond's shoulder to lead him away. He wasn't thrilled about leaving Yukari with Kabuto - no one was - but they couldn't argue when her words held such validity. They turned to make their way back towards the hideout, but not before Sakura cast a worried, uncertain look her way. She watched their backs until they were no longer in sight before turning to regard the bound medic nin.

For a while she didn't move, the minutes ticking away until they felt like hours. Then, as silent as the grave, she began her slow approach. Her lean body circled him like a cat that had finally cornered the mouse. Her circling ceased once she stood before him, and crouching down so that she was eye level with him, her optics bore into his. Their pearlescent shade was unnerving; the girl didn't have pupils, and her irises were as white as the skin of a corpse. They held nothing but animosity.

"Not going to tag along with your little friends?"

"Why would I? They'll be fine without me. The only thing I can do to help them now is to drain every last bit of information from you until there's nothing left."

"Is that so?" He was clearly amused by her confident statement. He wouldn't be laughing once she was done with him.

"Did you know that you're in the bingo book?" he carried on conversationally. "Yukari Setsuna: the ruthless gatherer of intelligence for the Leaf Village. You earned that title, didn't you? The cold and merciless girl with eyes like death - you're known far and wide."

"I could care less about what they're calling me." She had leaned closer and closer to him as he spoke until her lips were hovering over his ear. Her chilling breath fanned across his face and neck, odd and unexpected in the heat of the day. It was as cold as the ice she wielded, and her words were just as chilling. "When I'm through with you you'll know just how I obtained that reputation, and I won't feel the least bit sorry for you."

Kabuto suppressed the smallest of shudders, but he told himself that it was merely the cold. She had moved her face away from him now, but remained crouched before him. "What is Orochimaru planning to accomplish by teaming up with Danzo? The destruction of the Leaf, sure, but there's more to it, isn't there?"

Kabuto didn't answer as he stared into her eyes. Something was surfacing in them steadily, but he wasn't sure of what it was until he took in the rest of her expression.

Creeping its way onto her lips was a manic grin. The corners of her mouth twisted and contorted until it was eerily wide. "Oh boy, I get to do it the hard way. I'm so excited!" He tried his hardest not to react to her frightening glee. "This is your last chance, Kabuto!" she said in a singsong voice. "Are you going to tell me what Orochimaru is planning or what?"

"I'm not going to tell you anything."

The grin melted right off her face. However, it was replaced with a sadistic smirk.

"Have it your way, then."

Her hands smoothed over the exposed skin of his legs in an almost sensual manner, but he knew it was a trick when her fingernails dug harshly into them. Painted and long, she pressed harder and harder until she drew blood. The sight of ruby red trailing from the wounds had her smirk growing by the minute until her previous smile had returned. He could only describe it as unadulterated bloodlust.

"If I could, I would kill you right here, and I would do it in the most painfully drawn out methods I'm capable of. I'm trained in interrogation and torture, and I'm good at my job, you know?"

He grimaced. She laughed.

"You're going to tell me every last bit of goddamn information that you're carting around in that head of yours, or this is only going to get worse for you."

_Still no reaction,_ she mused. _Fine, then._

She ghosted her hands down until they reached the visible skin above his sandals.

"I'm sure you know how many chakra points there are in the body," she taunted. "After all, you are trained in medical ninjutsu. I would assume that you aren't stupid if you're Orochimaru's trained little lapdog." She giggled at his scowl, though it wasn't out of happiness. "What would happen, I wonder, if I were to start right here at your ankles and freeze every last one? If I start going higher, your chakra wouldn't be able to circulate and flow, which means that it would start to build up somewhere else, right? Perhaps your chest? Or maybe your head."

She dug her index finger into his skin. He twitched as a sharp pain burst from the spot that she had prodded, and looking down he noticed the icy sheen of frost clinging to it.

"Ne, Kabuto, do you feel like talking yet?" His pained smirk was a good enough answer for her. "Aw, that's too bad. If this keeps up you're going to lose your foot. How will you be Orochimaru's little puppy if you can't even walk? You know what he'll do, right? He'll kill you. He won't have any more use for you and slaughter you. Orochimaru has no compassion for useless pawns."

He spit at her feet. Yukari moved with an unforeseen speed, reappearing behind him. She wove her hand into his hair and jerked his head up until their eyes locked.

"Let's talk about something else, shall we?" she hissed. "Let's talk about my stay with Orochimaru. Certainly you can tell me about that."

He could feel strands of his hair ripping from the follicles, but he smirked, nonetheless. "What do you want to know?"

"How about what type of experiments he did on me and why he took me in the first place." She loosened her grip on his silver locks, but she didn't retract her hand. "Orochimaru doesn't just let test subjects go waltzing out of his hideout, now does he? And maybe if you're still alive by the end of our talk you can let me in on what he has in store for me."

He didn't speak for a while - Yukari suspected that he was choosing his words wisely. "I don't know a lot, just about how he stumbled upon a small clan on the outskirts of the Hidden Rain during the last war. He bided his time waiting for a worthy child to surface. I don't know what sorts of tests he did, but it's my understanding that they were complex. I don't feel obligated to tell you what his plans are."

There was a growl. The hand that was laced in his hair tightened once again, this time jerking his head to the side and exposing his neck. He watched as a shard of thin ice shot up from the palm of the other. She spun it in the air in an impressive manner and caught it, gripping it in her hand and pressing it to his jugular.

"Don't fuck with me!" she shouted, her voice crazed.

"I think that's enough, don't you?"

The wood encasing him splintered and shattered, and bits and pieces came shooting in her direction. She raised her arms to protect herself; he used the distraction to gain the upper hand. He flashed behind her, a kunai flush against her neck.

"You really are cruel and calculating. I'm actually quite impressed, to be honest. It seems that you're similar to Orochimaru after all."

"Shut up!" She struggled in his grasp, but it earned her nothing more than the blade digging into her skin in warning. The clearing vanished right before her eyes as the pair was engulfed in smoke. She kept her eyes tightly shut, her stomach flipping uncomfortably once they had come to a sudden stop.

"Kari?!"

Her eyes shot open, wide and startled. Naruto and the others stood in what must have previously been a room in the underground hideout. The top had been blasted clear off.

She refused to turn her head to put faces to the two overwhelming chakras coming from her right. Yukari knew that one belonged to Orochimaru, but she was unfamiliar with the other.

"What are you doing up there?!" the blond yelled, but it wasn't directed at her. It was a question for the man standing behind her with his weapon to her throat.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I failed my mission."

"You wouldn't believe her methods of interrogation." Kabuto's sick sense of praise made her feel ill. "She's a little sadist. I didn't think she had it in her."

Naruto was clearly enraged, accusing Kabuto of being a liar. The fact that he was telling the truth made her feel vile. Naruto's unshakable confidence in her character made her wish that the medic nin would just plunge the kunai into her neck and end it.

Kabuto carried on as if he hadn't even heard him. "What should we do with her, Lord Orochimaru? Take her with us?"

Like a snake, the Sanin glided towards the pair from his position along the cliffside. Yukari flinched in fear as he brushed his hand against her cheek in false tenderness.

"No. The time isn't right. We don't want those pesky Leaf ninja pursuing us, now do we?" She turned her head, clenching her eyes shut as he dragged his hand from her cheek, down her neck and to her shoulder, ripping the fabric of her shirt as he pulled it down. Her pale eyes widened as he ghosted his fingers across the mark above her pounding heart. The sight of it had him humming in satisfaction.

She didn't want to meet his amber eyes, so she took in the sight of the teen standing only a short distance away from her. The sound of Naruto's shouts didn't reach her ears.

"Sasuke Uchiha," she murmured in recognition. His eyes met hers; they were cold. Her attention didn't remain on him for long as Orochimaru pressed his lips against her ear. "Don't miss me too much. I'll be back for you soon, and then we can be together again."

Yukari felt her body begin to descend, her hair whipping behind her as she fell through the air. Kabuto had released her from his hold, and with a shove on her shoulder, he pushed her over the side of the cliff. She braced for impact that never came. Naruto had caught her just in the nick of time.

"Until next time, my dear."

In the bat of an eye, Orochimaru and his subordinates were gone.

* * *

**Author's Note: Woo! Finally through with the Tenchi Bridge mission. I hope you all enjoyed it and are still enjoying the story._ Thank you thank you thank you_ for all of your reviews, follows, favorites, and concern for my health. You guys are amazing, and I really appreciate it.  
**

madeyemoody95: Thank you so much! I'm really glad that you like it. Thanks for reviewing!

shika93: Thank you!

Sir Falcon: Thank you for your feedback! It is very extensive and thorough - just the type of review every author craves. I'm glad that she isn't coming off to be a Mary Sue, as I've been developing her character and her history since 2012. And actually, fun fact, Yukari was developed in a post surgery, pain medicated haze. This whole story was born from illness and insomnia, so maybe that's why I've been able to pull her off.

I agree that there needs to be more dialogue, though I'm glad the lack of it hasn't made the story boring. I focus on what she is feeling as opposed to what she wants to say because she is a silent character whose fought against her emotions for years. I wanted the beginnings of this story to reflect her, if that makes any sense at all. I planned on the story and its dialogue developing and growing with her, as it is an account and record of her life. Writing for a character like Yukari hasn't been easy!

And thank you so much for the well wishes. Your coach sounds like an interesting man; it definitely got a chuckle out of me! I think I stress so much over this story because, like I said previously, it's something I started when I was sick. It's kind of become a crutch for me, in a way. And it hadn't occurred to me to do a movie, but now that you mention it, doing Road to Ninja is a fantastic idea. I'm going to have to figure out when to implement it into the story, but I'm definitely going to include it now. Thanks a lot! :)

Sweet Petit: I'm glad that you're loving it! There's a lot in store for Yukari in the upcoming chapters, so we'll just have to see what road she takes from here on out. And don't worry, I don't intend to stop writing this story!

ArdensLux: Thanks! I'm happy to know that you're enjoying it!

**Thanks for reading, guys! As always, drop by and leave a review if you have any questions, want to leave your thoughts, or just want to say hello. Until next time!**


	9. Breakthrough

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, its characters, or its plotlines. This is merely written for the joy of fanfiction.**

**Let's do this thing.**

* * *

Yukari was in the last place she wanted to be. Tsunade's eyes were locked on her, their amber shade taking her in as she silently observed her, but the young girl refused to lift her head to meet them. Her sandaled feet were currently far more interesting. The paint that adorned her toenails was beginning to chip away from all of the running they had done over the past few days. She would have to fix them when she got home.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

As the ebony haired girl lifted her head, Tsunade took in the hint of a scowl that crossed her face. She knew that it wasn't meant for her, but for Sakura.

Team Seven had reported in after their mission, as was mandatory. Yukari had hoped that it would be brief and to the point so that she could get the hell out of the stifling atmosphere, but she hadn't been so lucky. Once the details of their failed but enlightening mission had been divulged to the blonde woman, the pinkette had done what she had been dreading: she told Tsunade what had happened to her at the Tenchi Bridge. The woman's eyes had shot to her in a flash, a questioning frown on her face. She dismissed the remainder of the team with a wave of her hand, her stare never leaving the pale girl.

Yukari turned to glower at Sakura, but she had already slinked her way to the door. She only caught the disappearing strands of her hair as she darted from the room. Yamato followed after her with Sai in tow. Naruto, however, was rooted on the spot. His gaze swept over the infuriated girl with concern.

"Get out of here," Tsunade ordered him with hardened optics. He hesitantly obliged, but not before sending the young Jonin a worried glance over his shoulder. The door shut behind him, leaving the two of them alone in the office.

"Do I have to?" Yukari mumbled in a grouchy tone. There were plenty of things she wanted to say to the fretting kunoichi once she managed to weasel her way out of here.

"What do you think?" Tsunade replied. Her words held the faintest bit of amusement, but her expression was serious. Yukari's face clearly displayed her exhaustion as she pressed a hand over her eyes.

"Spill it. I'm not giving you a choice."

Yukari pondered how to put her experience into an acceptable explanation. The whole ordeal left a sick feeling twisting in the pit of her stomach, but she wasn't about to let the older woman see just how much it was bothering her.

"It seems that my memories have been jarred."

Tsunade was standing before her in an instant. She shot up so suddenly that the small girl hadn't even had the chance to register the creaking of her chair. Her grip on her shoulders was tight and her nails dug into her skin through her ripped clothing. Eyes urgent, they searched her exhausted face imploringly, commanding her to explain. The blonde didn't have to say a word for Yukari to understand how dire the situation was.

"I remember the night of my kidnapping and my parents' deaths. Orochimaru was behind it." Her breath was shaky as she relayed everything she could, but she practically spat the Sanin's name as if it were acid on her tongue. "I remember bits and pieces of what happened after that. He experimented on me, but I don't remember for what reason. I don't think he ever told me to begin with."

"I see," Tsunade sighed as she loosened her grip. However, she didn't step away from her. "Do you remember anything else? Anything at all?"

"No." Yukari's brow creased with concentration. Something was creeping up on her, something she had been working to force from her memory since she had stumbled upon it. "There's one other thing..."

The amber eyed Hokage noticed the shift in her demeanor immediately. The midnight girl's orbs were once again on her feet. When they reconnected with hers, they were desperate. "My medical report when I showed back up in the village - The Third didn't tell me everything, did he?"

Tsunade sighed and walked over to her desk, shuffling through the multitude of papers until she found what she was looking for. She didn't say anything as she handed a manila folder to her. She'd let it do the talking.

The first page consisted of a current picture and her mission and skill stats; she was expecting that. Every shinobi had a file comprised of their information. But the further back she sifted, the more her stomach dropped. It was a ways from the front, but a younger version of herself stared back at her with dead eyes. The blood had been cleaned from her skin, revealing a thin and bruised face. Pictures of her arms, legs, and torso revealed the same condition, though the latter was also covered with grotesque gashes and scars. The mark she had been branded with had also been recorded.

She forced her eyes away from the haunting photographs and trailed them downwards to take in the accompanying notes. Malnourished, severe injuries, unknown mark on her chest - she knew all of that already. But what rested beneath the obvious was something that she knew but didn't want to accept.

"I realized that your medical history wasn't with your file. I had to do some digging to find it. The old man had it sorted with the classifieds."

Her legs gave out on her and she sunk to the floor. iSigns of long term sexual abuse./i It danced in her head over and over in a horrifying sort of waltz. She clenched her eyes shut tight and turned her face to the side, her hand covering her mouth in an attempt to keep the bile rising in her throat down. She couldn't look at it anymore. The file flew from her hands, its contents littering the floor.

"I thought that maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, but this proves it."

Naruto felt absolutely sick. He knew that what he had been doing was wrong, but that didn't stop him from pressing his ear to the door of the Hokage's office. He backed away with wide eyes, ashamed of himself and mortified at the turn of the conversation. How had she managed to hold it together the whole way back? Remorse coursed through him. He continued to back away with staggering steps before fleeing down the hall, wishing he hadn't lingered at the door. The blond would take his presence there to the grave.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Yukari managed to choke out.

"Perhaps he felt that you couldn't handle it at the time," Tsunade speculated, her voice somber. What had her teacher been thinking, withholding medical information? She had an idea. How could he bring himself to put that burden on a child? "It was wrong of him to keep something like that from you. I'm sorry."

The kunoichi couldn't stop the tears that were pricking at the corners of her eyes. She fought to rise to her feet and succeeded, but not without difficulty. Her body felt as heavy as lead.

"Milady, there's something else I haven't told you," she whispered. Yukari lifted white to meet amber, her eyes as vacant as the picture lying on the floor. "Orochimaru told me something back at the bridge. He said that he stumbled on a secluded village outside of the Hidden Rain. He said that's where I'm from."

A thoughtful look encompassed Tsunade's face as she lowered herself heavily back into her chair. She rested her chin on her folded hands, listening intently.

"I've been trying to dig up information on my family for years. I had just assumed that we originated from the Leaf, but now I'm not so certain."

"Let me do some digging," she said, jotting something down. Once again she rose to her feet, making her way past the Jonin with quick strides. "In the meantime, get some rest. You're on leave until further notice."

Tsunade disappeared through the doorway, leaving Yukari alone in the empty office.

* * *

The sterile smell of disinfectant burned her nostrils. She had been wandering around the village aimlessly before deciding to pay Kakashi a visit. The pale girl had promised, after all, and she couldn't seem to bring herself to return to her empty apartment. If she did, she'd be alone with her thoughts.

Yukari arrived at the door to his room. She had been moving on autopilot since leaving the tower, and she had no recollection of her journey to the hospital. Trembling hand clenched around the doorknob, she pushed it open, revealing the last group of people she wanted to see.

Four pairs of eyes looked back at her. Team Seven stood around Kakashi's bed, the conversation they had been engrossed in dying out at the sight of her. She didn't move from the doorway and kept her eyes to the ground.

"Yo."

"Kakashi," Yukari murmured in greeting. She didn't say anything more.

"How are you?" he inquired, his visible eye locked on the curtain of midnight that obscured her face. The girl didn't reply. Kakashi frowned. If either had been paying attention, they would have caught Naruto's regretful expression.

"I just came by to make sure that you were okay," she informed in a low voice. Not waiting for a response, she backed out of the room and took off down the hall.

It was quiet. Sakura turned her eyes to her bedridden sensei, concerned. "Is that normal?"

"No, it isn't."

"I've been wondering something since we left the village, Kakashi-sensei. Why didn't you say anything about having another student? And why is Yukari like that?" Her questions pulled a sigh from him. Kakashi dragged his hand across his face, uncertain of what to disclose and where to begin.

"Five years ago, a girl was found collapsed at the village gates. She was covered in blood."

Sakura gasped, a hand pressed to her mouth to stifle it. "I remember hearing about that. That was Yukari?"

Kakashi nodded. "She had no recollection of anything. No name, no past: she couldn't even tell us where she had been. Thankfully there were records that identified her as a girl who had disappeared from the village years before. Her parents had been murdered, and she was presumed dead. Sometime after she returned, the Third asked me to teach her. She was like a walking corpse, though she seemed to have been improving recently. Something must have happened."

Naruto's fists clenched and his nails bit into his palms. Something had happened to her alright. He thought back to that night in the woods and to her bright, genuine smile. He had a feeling that he wouldn't be seeing that grin anytime soon.

* * *

His fist hovered over the thick wood of the door, frozen with hesitation. Naruto had lost track of how long he had been standing there avoiding doing something as simple as knocking.

It had been a little over a week since their team had returned to the village. The girl who inhabited the apartment had been evasive, avoiding everyone and everything like a disease. He hadn't spotted her once since the afternoon in the hospital room, and after hearing what Kakashi had said, he had been concerned. Naruto knew that his sensei wouldn't seek her out, so he decided to take the duty of checking up on the girl upon himself. When she hadn't made an appearance in the village, he could only assume that she had holed herself up in her apartment.

He swallowed his anxiety and knocked harder than was probably necessary. There was no sound from inside, so he knocked again. The door flew open as he knocked for a third time. Instead of wood, his fist collided with the small girl's forehead.

She stood stunned and raised her hand to rub the forming red mark.

"Sorry, Kari-chan!" A blush was darkening his cheeks by the minute. "I didn't hear you coming. You're quiet, you know?"

She didn't say anything, merely watching him with inquisitive eyes and her head cocked in curiosity. He smacked his forehead.

"This wasn't how I intended this to go," he confessed with a sheepish expression. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as he examined Yukari.

There were bags under her eyes and she seemed to have lost weight. Her hair hung limply around her face, lacking its usual sheen. However, seeing her after days of aversion put his mind at ease, even if only a little. Then he noticed the bag on her back.

"Are you going somewhere, Kari-chan?" he inquired.

"Mission," was all she said. She stepped out of the doorframe, turning to lock up her apartment. Without another word, she began to make her way down the hall, not bothering to wait for him. Naruto stared at her door for a moment before taking off after her. It didn't take long for him to catch up to her on the stairwell.

"Wait!" he called, catching her wrist to hold her back. It successfully stopped her in her tracks, but she didn't turn around. "Why won't you talk to me?"

"What is there to talk about?"

"How about what happened on the mission?" She had been expecting this. Ripping her wrist from his grip, she finally turned her eyes to take him in. Naruto's brow furrowed at the scowl twisting at her lips. She regretted her words before she even spoke them.

"That's none of your business. Leave me alone." Yukari turned her head away from him and continued down the steps, successfully leaving him behind. She didn't think she could take his hurt expression.

It was better this way.

She disappeared into the crowd of civilians. The pale girl was sure the teen wouldn't follow her after what she had said to him, but she was more than eager to put some distance between them. Weaving around people was easier when you were desperate.

Soon she was making her way down the hall to the Fifth's office. She stopped before the door, hoisting her pack further up her shoulder before she rapped against the wood.

"Enter."

Tsunade was busy examining something. Yukari stopped before her desk and stood silently, waiting for her to address her. The wait was brief as the older woman looked up to take her in.

"I take it you're ready to leave?" she questioned, already knowing the answer. The girl had been eager to take off days ago, but she wouldn't allow her to until she had solidified the details.

Yukari's mind wandered back to their meeting only days prior.

_There was a knock at her door. She lifted her head from its position face down in her mattress, rising to put an end the annoying noise. She moved sluggishly; she hadn't been up and about for a few days now, instead wasting the time locked up in her room. Opening the door slowly, she poked her head out, blinking owlishly at her former teacher. He stood there with his nose in that disgusting book of his. Pervert._

_"What do you want?" she grumbled. Closing his novel, he sent her a small smile through his mask._

_"You don't look so good," he observed._

_"What do you want?" He didn't look the least bit offended by her shortness._

_"Summons from the Hokage," he finally answered. Yukari perked up immensely, hoping that Tsunade was finally done with her digging. She slammed the door in his face before rushing to make herself presentable._

_"It took a while, but I found something," the blonde had said once Yukari entered her office. "Seems like you were right on the money."_

_She handed her a folder. The translucent girl opened it immediately and examined its contents, her brow furrowing as she took it all in._

_"So they came here seeking asylum," she stated aloud. "That snake was right. They were from the Hidden Rain, and it seems that they came here for protection."_

_"Hana and Kenta Setsuna were the aliases they were provided with when they were granted citizenship," Tsunade nodded. "As for their real names, I don't know the answer."_

_"I see."_

_"So what are you going to do now?" the Hokage inquired, chin resting on her folded hands. "Go looking for the village?"_

_"If you'll allow me to, Milady."_

_She sighed, signing a few papers as she considered it. "Very well. I don't think you'd forgive me if I didn't let you try."_

"Stay out of sight. We don't need you getting caught in enemy territory. You're dismissed." Those were Tsunade's parting words as she shooed the girl out of the office. Yukari bowed before taking her leave.

Long strides and steady legs carried her to the village gates. She gave a nod of recognition to Izumo and Kotetsu, who were manning the post that day. They waved back to her with pleasant smiles as she passed.

Yukari had almost departed without bumping into anyone familiar, but it seemed the odds weren't in her favor. She heard footsteps behind her. The members of Team Seven, minus Kakashi again, were approaching where she stood.

"Hello, Yukari. Headed out on a mission?"

"Yes," was her simple reply to the captain. He nodded with a small smile before walking over to converse with Izumo. That left her and the remainder of the team to stand in an awkward silence.

Sakura cleared her throat and attempted to discreetly kick the blond. It didn't work in the least bit. He screeched in pain as her sandal clad foot made contact with his shin. "So where are you headed?"

"Rain Country." Sakura had always been kind to her, so she didn't feel the need to keep her completely in the dark. However, when she asked what her mission was there, she refused to answer.

"When will you be back?" the pinkette pressed.

"I don't really know. Whenever I'm done, I suppose," Yukari replied with a frown.

"Can I talk to you?"

Pearl met blue. Anxiety made her chest ache as she thought of her actions that morning. She had attempted to push him away from her, tried to convince herself that it would be better for him if he forgot about her completely. If he got any closer he would see the person she really was. Her mission to interrogate Kabuto was at the forefront of her mind. If he had seen her in those moments, she doubted he would have stuck around anyways. Deep down, she wanted him to go with his confidence in her still intact.

They walked a short distance from the group, just enough to be out of earshot. Yukari fidgeted under the intensity of his gaze.

"I don't know why you're trying to push me away, but I won't let you."

Her head snapped up. She gapped at him with wide eyes, unable to think of anything to say in return.

"We made a promise. I won't stop you if you back out of your end after what happened on the mission, but I always keep my word."

She sighed and rubbed at her eyes tiredly, struggling to come up with a reply.

"I'm not good at this," she confessed. She dropped the hand that covered her face when she felt his hand on her shoulder. When their optics met again, his were brimming with understanding. It left her thoroughly confused. Hadn't she been mean to him only hours before?

"Don't worry about it, Kari-chan. Think it through and tell me when you get back."

She watched his back as he walked away. When he met up with his teammates, he turned his head to give her one last grin before disappearing through the village gates.

"Shouldn't you get going, too?" Kotetsu called out to her. She blinked, turning her head to take in the wolfish grin he wore. She glared at his assuming look and hoisted her pack up again before making her own way out of the village.

It would be a long journey; that she knew. But maybe, just maybe, she would find what she was looking for in the muggy little country to the west.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, guys. Ongoing health issues and the addition of a new menace in our family (otherwise known as Gus the English Shepherd puppy) has me pretty preoccupied.**

**I have the next chapter of this story written, but I'm extremely unsatisfied with how it's turned out. I don't want to put anything that I'm not happy with out for you guys to read, but I also want to get it out asap. ****So here's the thing: **I have a general idea of how this is going to go, but what would you like to see happen to Yukari while she's in the Hidden Rain? This is a chance to see your suggestions come to life! I'd be eternally grateful for any and all of them!

thor94: Thanks for your suggestions! I'll definitely keep them in mind as I continue to write. While I intend to keep this as close to cannon as possible I now have an idea on how to incorporate some of your ideas - however, it won't be for a little while longer.

FALLING-ANGEL24: I'm so glad that you took a chance on my story and that you're enjoying it! Really, thank you!

shika93: Thank you so much!

Osen-san: I'm really happy to hear that you're enjoying it! I'm so excited to start writing more situations where she has to interact with people. She hates most people, so it should be great. Hahaha. Thank you so much for your review and I hope to hear from you in the future!

**Thanks for reading, guys! As always, drop by and leave a review if you have any questions, want to leave your thoughts, or just want to say hello. Until next time!**


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