"Daddy! Daddy?" said Rina running into the darkness of the room. Rina is a four year old girl with odd emerald green eyes and hair that comes down to her chin in the front and gradually eases back until it's slightly above her hair line. Her shorts, tank top, and glove that's cut at the fingers and thumb are entirely neon green. The room was silent except for her father's snoring. Her father, the sixth Hokagei, is still asleep with Hinata. "Daddy!...Come on, dad, you said that we're going to climb trees today!" Rina said.

Rina herd her mother moan a little as most people usually do when they're awakened. She saw her mother's shadowy figure shift in the darkness. "Naruto," said Hinata, "your daughter's awake."

"Before dawn she's yours," he replied faintly into his pillow.

"But, Naruto, dawn's long since passed," replied Hinata. Naruto sprang out of bed like a startled cat and raced to open the blinds.

"Alright, Rina," yawned Naruto, "we'll get started on your training after I get dressed. Now, go get uncle Sasuke and Jouichi."

"Alright!" said Rina literally jumping for joy, "I finally get to start my ninja training." She leaves the room in utter excitement.

"Hm. Hm. Hm," laughed Hinata sitting up.

"What's so funny?" asked Naruto annoyed and still half asleep.

"Oh nothing," she replied, "it's just how much she's like you."

"Heh, heh , heh," he laughed, "I guess she's a chip off the old block huh?"

"I guess so," she said. Naruto came out into the hallway a few moments later wearing the usual Hokagei garb. He walked down the hall, out the door ,into the back yard, and to the three trees where Rina waited with Sasuke and his eldest son, Jouichi. The years had not changed Sasuke much. He was still just as cute as ever. His son, Jouichi, had black hair, just like his father, but also has unusually brown eyes and dark skin. Probably from generations and generations ago, but he definetly had his father's good looks.

"About time Naruto," said Sasuke.

The sixth Hokagei gives his rival a ticked look then turns to Rina and Jouichi and says, "this training is very advanced, in fact, Sasuke and I didn't begin this until we were 12..."

"We are giving you this training because we want you to be able to control your enormous amounts of chakra," Sasuke said. Rina raises her hand. "Yes, Rina."

"What's chakra again?" she asked. Naruto and Sasuke slam their hands into their heads so hard that it looked like they had really bad sunburn for the next two hours.

"Well, Naruto, there's definetly no question that she's your daughter," said Sasuke. They spent the next few minutes explaining for the umpteenth time what chakra is.

"Now, back to the training, we want you to focus your chakra to the soles of your feet then climb the tree without using your hands," said Lord Hokagei.

"How on earth is that even possible?" asked Jouichi.

"Like this," said Sasuke. He nods at Naruto, and they close their eyes while focusing their chakra, open them, and walk up the two trees and allow themselves to hang upside down on the first branch from the ground.

"See," the Kunin and Hokagei say together. The kids just stare in amazement and awe. "Now you try," they said jumping down throwing them each a kunai knife. Rina and Jouichi catch them, focus their chakra, and begin to run at the tree. Jouichi went up about three feet and was pushed off the tree leaving a huge mark on the tree where his foot was plus the scratch from the kunai knife, and Rina also went up about three feet but was just barely able to make a scratch on the tree before tumbling to the ground.

"Looks like we were reborn. Eh, Sasuke?" said Naruto.

"Well, they're certainly ours," he replied.

"Grrgh!" Jouichi and Rina growl. They got up off the ground, glared menacingly at each other, and said, "I went higher than you! Huh? No! I did! Grrgh!"

"Yep, definetly ours," said Naruto. Sasuke and Naruto both laugh.

"Sasuke! Did you forget to bring Chisami on this little play date?" yelled Sakura causing Rina and Jouichi to fall off the tree. Jouichi's blue tank top with the Uchiha clan symbol was torn. Sakura had grown quite beautiful as the years went on. Hey she's only 26!

"Mom," said Jouichi rubbing his sore posterior, "you have the absolute worst timing." He then brushed the dirt off of his blue and black shorts.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," she said, "I'll fix your shirt later. Are you o.k.? Sasuke! Why are you letting them do this? It's too dangerous for children their age!"

"Sakura, I told you. Rina and Jouichi have an uncontrollable amount of chakra for children their age. If they don't learn how to control it they could hurt some one, and Chisami is really not old enough!" said Sasuke.

"Well, I don't care, Chisami is coming along no matter how dangerous!" said Sakura, "I don't want her to feel left out. Even if she has to watch." Sakura sends little Chisami in with them and leaves.

Chisami comes in with her little teddy bear and her thumb in her mouth. She has long black hair tied back and dark skin and brown eyes like her brother. Chisame is wearing a long, purple, sleeveless shirt with the Uchiha clan symbol on it with red shorts and shoes.She goes up to Rina and Jouichi, takes her thumb out of her mouth, and says "hi Wina. Hi Jouissi. Wha awe you guys dowin?"

"Training," they say together then glare at each other, "grrgh." They began wrestling on the ground. Sasuke and Naruto rush in to stop the fight.

About an hour after the fight between Jouichi and Rina, Naruto said, "hey Sasuke."

"Yeah?" he said questioningly.

"Wanna go out for ramen? My treat." asked Lord Hokagei.

"Oh, come on, Naruto," said Sasuke, "don't tell me you still only eat ramen."

"What!" Naruto exclaimed, "Of course I still eat ramen. Who do you think I am?...Kakashi?"

"Sure," he laughed, "but who's going to watch the kids?"

"Hinata" Naruto replied. "Hey, guys, Sasuke and I are going out for ramen. Behave yourselves."

"Hey! That's no fair! Why can't I have ramen?" yelled Rina.

"Don' t worry. We'll bring back ramen for all of you," Sasuke replied.

"Hmf," grunted Rina.

"See you guys later," they said to the kids as they stupidly left them alone.

"Bye!" shouted Rina and Jouichi.

"Bye, bye!" shouted Chisami. Jouichi and Rina continue to climb the tree glaring at each other all the time. At this time, Jouichi has made it 1/4 of the way up with Rina only a few feet behind. They were dripping of sweat from head to toe and panting like two dogs in 100 degree weather. Their out fits were soaked and torn with dirt sticking to them.

'I've got to catch up,' Rina thought panting as she glared at Jouichi.

'She's catching up to me...inch by inch. I can't let her win,' he thought, 'I've got to get higher. I won't be beat by some little girl!'

After the first 15 minutes Chisami fell asleep through boredom, and it was also way past her nap time. About 45 minutes after Naruto and Sasuke left, Chisami's still asleep, and Rina is only a few inches behind Jouichi. 'I'm almost there...' she thought, 'I'm almost ahead of him. I know I'll beat him to the half way point now.'

Jouichi picks up the pace and tries his hardest to not let her make it to the branch at the middle of the trees, which was the next one, before him , but she pushes herself a little more and just barely beats him. Jouichi was so shocked that he lost that he didn't even stop himself from falling by bounding on the branches. Rina noticed this and caught him before he hit the ground. She set him down and said, "you o.k.?" He doesn't answer but begins to wrestle with her.

"Hey! Cut it out!" said Naruto prying them apart, "can't we leave you two alone for an hour without you trying to kill each other!"

Rina's face was all battered and bruised from falling out of the tree, and her clothes were filthy and torn as well from landing on her but and back so many times. She was entirely exhausted but felt so good that she could keep going for days on end despite the fact that she could barely stand. "O.k. that's enough training for today. Rina, go wake Chisami. It's time to eat," said Naruto. Rina reluctantly and sluggishly walked over to Chisami's sleeping form. She liked Chisami and all, but for Rina it would be nice if she could get a little peace and quiet...and get away from stupid questions.

"Chisami... Chisami!" said Rina. "Chisami, you're coming inside if I have to drag you the whole way! So stop fooling around and come on!" she said angrily. See this is what really annoys Rina. Rina actually had to drag her inside, and after a very annoying and unnecessary battle with Chisami, Rina easily got Chisami inside for ramen.

When they made it to the dining room, her father, her mother, Sasuke, and Jouichi were sitting at the table chop sticks in hand ready to begin lunch. Her mother had become very beautiful. In fact, far more beautiful than Sakura, Temari, and Ino put together. "Ah, perfect timing," said her father, "we were just about to start eating."

"What took you so long, Rina?" said Jouichi rudely and sarcastically.

"Your sister," Rina replied in Kakashi's cool manner.

"Pugh!" he bragged, "I could have easily gotten Chisami in here in less than half the time!"

Rina was just about to give him a really great come back when Naruto gave her a look as if to say, 'don't even think about it.' So she said coyly, "so, still sore I beat you huh? Geeze I'd already forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me." Her father was still giving her that look, but then it changed to a smile.

'Huh,' he thought, 'she's definetly clever.' Jouichi really had this ticked look on his face. He almost gave her another insult, but his dad looked at him like, 'cut it out now.' He then simply began eating his ramen. Sasuke smiled and though, 'nice job avoiding conflict, kid.' They all started eating, Rina, Jouichi, and Naruto slurping away, Sasuke and Hinata as neatly as possible, and Chisami in her messy and fun way making as a huge mess as possible on her and every one else.

Once lunch was over Rina led Jouichi and Chisami into her play room, and they played hide and go seek, tag, and all sorts of silly games like that for hours and hours on end.


Just before dusk Chisami fell asleep, and Sasuke carried her and put her onto a couch in the living room. Jouichi walked up to Rina who was facing the other way and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around seeming very annoyed, and Jouichi said sheepishly, "I'm sorry about attacking you after you saved me and insulting you."
Appalled by the apology, Rina could feel her face becoming hot. Seems like she got something from her mother after all.

"It's o.k." she said smiling, "no big deal."

"It is to me," said Jouichi guiltily, "if you hadn't caught me, I'd probably be out of it for a few weeks from a broken leg or some thing, and I should have been more grateful. Thank you."

"Heh, heh, you're welcome," she said cutely, "it really is no big deal. The insult and attacking I mean." They were silent for a while. Jouichi's a little embarrassed. Rina finally broke the silence, "I kind of enjoy the fighting physical and verbal. It's nice to have someone to mess around with," she said affectionately and lightly punching his arm.

"I guess so. You don't have brothers or sisters to fight with," he replied ignorantly. "So... friends?" he said extending his hand.

"And rivals," Rina said smiling and taking his hand, "best friends and number one rivals."

"Yeah," Jouichi laughed, "always."

"Jouichi," his father called in to the play room door carrying Chisami's sleeping form, "time to go home."

"See ya!" he said blushing then running out the door to Sasuke. Rina's still blushing.

"Rina," said Naruto, "time for bed." Rina went up to her room changed into her pj's then lay in bed. Naruto came in soon after and asked, "want me to tell you a bed time story?"

"No... I'm good," she replied. 'that's strange,' he thought, 'usually she begs me to tell her a story.'

"O.k. then," he said, "just so you know, Sasuke and I were exactly how you and Jouichi are now. Seeing you two today really took us back to the Land of Waves when we were Genin."

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

"Yep," he replied.

"That's cool," she said, "night daddy."

"Night, Rina," said Naruto. He kissed her forehead and left the room. 'Wonder what's going on with her,' he thought.

"Hmmn," Rina sighed then thought, 'it was nice of Jouichi to apologize like that but strange. He usually doesn't do that.' 'He's different now but sweet and still as aggressive as always,' she thought smiling and blushing, 'I kinda like that. He's so cute.' Now Rina had always thought of Jouichi as good looking...but never considered it...never thought of him like...like...

Rina was sparring Jouichi in back of the Hokagei tower, and their fathers were cheering them each on. The score was 2-2, and Rina was about to deliver the final blow that would win her the match. She planned to throw at him a tobi yoko geri followed by a mawashi geri, but when Rina went to jump at him, she looked into his eyes. Those gorgeous brown eyes that burned with a fiery intensity, which she adored, capturing her into their depths left her unable to move. She just stood their dazed and half conscious of the match gazing at Jouichi. He faked her then jumped at her with a flying side kick, which she blocked, followed up with a back leg round house kick sending Rina flying. 'I was gonna do that,' she thought as the entire world she was in faded...

Rina sat up in her bed. She looked out her bedroom window just beside her bed. 'Oh good, it's still dark, I haven't over slept,' she thought relieved, 'what a dream.' She stood and dressed. Rina walked out of her room and started towards the stairs to climb up to see the sun rise as she does every morning. She stopped as a thought struck her, 'I wonder if I could climb the tower using the tree climbing technique?" Now, Rina is a training fanatic who comes up with easy ways to do things but seldom uses them. Hey why not help other people who always complain.? She ran toward the steps to go down instead of up. When she made it outside, Rina focused her chakra and began to climb the tower. She ran quickly and silently considering she just woke up. Floor by floor she ran. Only two floors away from the top did she tire. Rina pushed as hard as she could, and just as she made it to the roof, she fell. Rina franticly clawed the air until she grabbed the shingles of the roof. She strained her tiny arms and abs trying to pull herself up. Rina suddenly felt her right hand slipping. She quickly found her grip and pulled herself up. Looking down on the village, Rina thought stomach turning, 'wow, long drop,' swallow, 'good thing I found my grip or...' swallows again, "I'd be dead!" She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

The sun rose on the other side of the village turning the once velvet black sky into a giant rainbow and the few clouds along the horizon a cotton candy pink and mango orange. "Wow," she said then thought, 'every day it's different, but always beautiful. Huh? what's that?' A shadow seemed to be silently moving across the buildings of the Hidden leaf village towards the tower. The shadow moved swiftly and silently begining to blacken the bright sky with its streaming shadows coming off of it like..like...black streamers blowing everywhere franticly in the wind. She looked at it in wonder. 'How can something so scary be so beautiful?' Rina thought, 'better investigate.' Rina ran behind the tower steeple and peered around the corner at the dark figure, but it did not come to the roof of the tower. Instead, it came down from the roof tops and to the door. 'Now why would he do that,' she thought. Rina turned to the trap door that was next to her and tried to open it. 'Locked... Oh yeah...I forgot. It can only be opened from the inside without a key,' she thought. She took her right hand which is always covered by a thin green glove. Rina's glove shone emerald green just as if the light of a green flash light was shown under a white sheet. Her eyes also shone brightly lighting up the still dark half of the village. A seal of thunder was revealed on the door circling the area where her fingers touched the wood. The light and seal faded from everywhere except Rina's eyes.

Just a few miles from the village, Rina saw the hidden leaf ninja fighting a huge dragon that could easily swallow the entire village in one gulp. She saw her father fighting it as well with a giant toad. "Daddy!" she called, but he didn't seem to hear her. She called again still no response. Rina realized she was in a vision. Jouichi's father fought at his side on a giant dog. She watched him and Sasuke use all kinds of jutsu that he told her about in her bed time stories like the summoning jutsu, the shadow clone jutsu, the transformation jutsu, and many others she can't remember the names of. Naruto and the giant toad and Sasuke and the giant dog fought a menacing and long fight that would take days to describe, but the shortened version is that Naruto and the toad with Sasuke and the dog wore down the dragon until they almost collapsed but continued to fight, and the dragon used a jutsu Rina had never seen or herd of befor. Hand signs too fast for her to see. The dragon's body immediately collapsed to the ground. Her father ran up to it.

"The jutsu and chakra are gone," he said, "what kind of forbidden jutsu is this?" The dragon's body was blown into ashes in the wind. This image faded...

Rina was now back in the Hokagei tower in her play room, but her mother and Sakura were there with a new born baby wrapped in a pink blanket. Obviously the baby was a girl. Her mother looked weak. "Mom!" Rina called to her, once again no answer. "Still," Rina said. The baby girl had a light blond fuzz on her head which was very messy and had redness on the tips that her mother was trying to clean off. A gust of wind blew open the window, and the baby girl opened her blue eyes and screamed as high and as loud as her voice could possibly go. Her mother held her child tightly as if the end of the world itself had now come. The baby still screaming...

Visions of the dragon's mind appeared to the baby and revealed to Rina through that. 'I shall conceal myself in the child of my enemy,' a thought came into the baby's mind. In Rina's eyes a plan of revenge became clear. The dragon planned to posses the baby and kill Naruto...

Hinata and Sakura sprang into action immediately using a sealing jutsu. Rina saw the baby's hair turn emerald green and the same with her eyes. She saw a dragon appear from her elbow to her palm. Sasuke came in the door with Naruto leaning on his shoulder, and Hinata told him what happened. "The dragon, Yasutaka, tried to posses her as revenge against me," he said.

"Sasuke," said Sakura, "you can bring Jouichi back in the room." The baby fell asleep, and the vision faded...

The light in Rina's eyes faded, and they returned to their normal emerald green state, not blue. Rina ran around the corner and looked at the sun. "No time has passed," she said, "and that baby...was me..."

Rina sped down the ladder by the stairs and then ran down them to meet the mysterious stranger. When she made it to the door she looked through the peep hole and saw it was Lord Kasekage in his usual Kasekage attire with a veil over half his face. She immediately used her byakukan, which her mother taught to her when she was three, and opened the door. The man looked left and right to see who opened the door, and after seeing no one he looked down and said, "Konichiwa, who are you?"

"Konichiwa, Lord Kasekage, I'm Rina, the Hokagei's daughter," she replied.

"And, apparently, you know who I am," he said.

Rina nodded, "Gaara, Lord Kasekage and Shukaku. He looked at her in surprise and utter shock at the fact that she knew his name and that he had a demon sealed inside him. Rina saw that he was upset at the mention of the Shukaku and pulled down her glove.

"This mark on my arm and the color of my hair and eyes are from the demon dragon Yasutaka," she said, "it chose me as its vessel because it wanted revenge against my father, but my mother stopped it from truly possessing me. Unfortunately it is still inside my body."

"Did your parents tell you this?" Gaara asked suprised.

"No, I just found out on my own a few minutes ago," she replied looking at her arm, "in a vision I got using this arm." Gaara didn't say anything. "I don't blame them for not telling me. I would probably not have believed them," said Rina stepping aside, "sorry, would you like to come in?" Gaara walked inside.

"You are obviously just as alike to me as your father is," said Gaara.

Rina nodded sadly and said, "I'm sorry about Yashumaru. What he did to you that is." Gaara's eyes widened and moistened at the mention of Yashumaru. They seemed as cold and lonely as her father had described. Rina walked to his side and hugged him at his waist because she wanted to comfort him and that's all she could reach. He placed his hand on her head as if to say, 'it's o.k.'

"You can see my mind can't you?" he said.

"Yes, my mother is of the Hyuga clan and she taught me Byakugan," she replied backing away.

"I see," said Gaara, "could you get your father I have important news to share with him?"

"Sure, but if you don't mind my asking," she replied, "what is it about?"

"Itachi," said Gaara. Rina ran up the stairs yelling, "Dad!"

"So," yawned Naruto, "what's this about Itachi?" As soon as Rina told him, he rushed down immediately not even caring to change into his Hokagei attire. Naruto's black t'shirt and loose white pants covered in the leaf emblem looked wrinkled and silly in a time like this.Gaara laughed at this. Rina was hiding just around a corner listening in.

"Nice pj's," laughed Gaara, "but back to Itachi. He was last seen in my village and according to rumor he's on his way here."

"Rumor?" said Lord Hokagei questioningly.

"Yes, rumor may not always be wise to listen to, but sometimes it's right especially in situations like this," replied Lord Kasekage.

"You have a point," Naruto replied, "I suppose I should have some extra security posted around the village and inside it. What do you think he'd be after?"

"Possibly you or..." Gaara began.

"Or what?" asked Naruto.

"Your daughter," he said, and Rina's eyes widened at the mention of her involving Sasuke's brother. "She has the dragon Yasutaka inside her, and it's possible that Itachi wants that power before the rest of the Ikatski finds it."

"But that's impossible," said Naruto outraged, "no one except very few select people know about Rina and the dragon. How could Itachi...?"

"Word gets around, Naruto, no matter how few people you tell," replied Gaara. "Secrets are not as secret as they appear to be, and word always gets around to the wrong people. You forget. Itachi used to live here. He knows how to get information." Naruto sat in silence. "Naruto Uzumaki, you know very well that the dragon wields more chakra than you and I combined, and if Itachi gets hold of it, we're all doomed. Rina's eyes widened, and fear struck her. She bit her hand to keep herself from screaming. She knew how powerful Itachi was and that he could kill her in an instant. She realized, 'Itachi...might be after...me...' Her hand began to bleed as she bit into it harder.

Naruto left the room to summon the Anbu black ops for security purposes. Rina quickly hid in her play room. When her father was out of sight, Rina went in to talk to Gaara. As she walked up to him he sat there at the dining room table starring off into space. "You must have some other reason for coming here in person," she questioned, "Lord Kasekage should have some extreamly important reason for going anywhere in person."

"Is informing the leader of my ali and friend about his and his daughter's safety not important enough?" he asked, "you were eavesdropping weren't you?"

"Important? Yes, but not for the Kasekage," she replied, "you'd think he'd send someone else to do this sort of informing for him, not go himself."

"Well I'm not like other leaders now am I?" said Gaara.

"No, but still, this is strange. I respect that you don't send others to do your dirty work. It shows that you care about the lives of the people in your village than you do your own," she said coyly, "what does eavesdropping mean?"

'Typical child,' he thought then said, "it means listening in on another person's conversation."

"Oh, right... So, Sasuke Uchiha's brother's in town?" she asked. Gaara nodded. "And he may be after me?" she said. Gaara nodded once more. "Hmn...," said Rina, "wanna go to Ichiraku's for ramen?"

"You just finish saying how suspicious I am and finding out that you might be being hunted by one of the most powerful rogue ninjas, and now you're asking me out for ramen?" he said sounding confused.

"Yeah, why not?" she replied.

"What about Itachi?" asked Gaara.

"You almost killed my dad. I think you can at least be able to evade Itachi," Rina replied.

"And your father?"

"We'll leave him a note."

"Sure," he said still appalled by a little girl knowingly asking him, the sand demon, out for ramen, "I suppose so."

"Awesome!" she replied ecstatic and ran for a scroll and a brush to write the note. Rina quickly found them and wrote the note, and they were on their way.

Lord Kasekage and Rina left the Hokagei tower and started making their way through the village. Both were silent until Rina couldn't stand it any more and began talking. "So... um... what's your village like, Gaara? she asked.

"Well, it's not surrounded by a forest like yours," he replied, "it's in the middle of the desert. There are often sand storms covering the sun and the stars and... even the moon..., and there are no hills only ocaisional sand dunes."

"What's a sandstorm like?" Rina asked.

"Hmm..." he sighed in thought as leaves began to blow at them. "It's like leaves blowing at you in the wind only the leaves are sand, and it scratches your skin like your skin scrapes on cement. Winds constantly blowing harshly and circling into a cylinder of sand. The sand comes into walls and clouds hiding the sky and all that you see in it."

"Sounds harsh... what are sand dooms?" she asked.

"Dunes. Hills made of sand," he replied.

"Oh." At that moment they had arrived at Ichiraku's.


Naruto came into the dining room to find his guest, but he was not there. Lord Hokagei noticed a scroll on the table and opened it.

Dad,
I asked Gaara to go to Ichiraku's with me. Be back soon.
love Rina

"Hm, same old Rina. Just like me."

Gaara took off his veil so that he could eat, revealing his face. Rina stared in awe. He looked so different now than he did in the pictures her father had of him. He still looked young but definetly older. His cheek bones showed more which made him actually look...attractive. Gaara had grown up...a lot...

Rina quickly looked down at her ramen before he could see her starring at him and began to eat. They finished quickly and ordered tea. "So," Gaara began, "how old are you?"

"I'll be 5 on June 20th," she replied, "you?"

"I'm 27," he replied trying desperately not to remember when he was her age. He asked, "how's the ninja training coming?"

"Not bad... I've almost finished the tree climbing technique, but I still have a lot to learn," said Rina.

"That's good," he said as their tea was put on the counter for them. Rina began to pour about 6 spoons of sugar into her tea. "Thats a lot of sugar," he pointed out.

"I like it really sweet," she replied and began to drink it. As she sipped away her eyes drifted to Gaara's face again. 'How can something so scary look so...so...nice?' she thought as she put the cup down.


'Grrah, what's takeing them so long?' thought a dark man hiding in a thicket just outside the village. 'You'd think the most powerful demon would be back here by now considering what he's after...'

Naruto was walking up towards his room to wake Hinata. It was still morning however late. When he reached the door of his room, Naruto heard the muffled voice of his wife and scuffling across the floor. He quickly opened the door to find his wife gaged and tied to a chair. Naruto smiled awquardly and began to drule. 'She's so pretty when she's tied to a chair like that,' he thought then shook his head, 'snap out of it, Naruto, you have to untie her. He then ran up to her, took out a kunai knife, and cut her bonds and gag.

She stood up quickly and said panting, "Naruto, Itachi, huh he huh he, and Kabuto, huh he, they're after, huh, Rina, he," and she regained her breathing and said, "Gaara's in on it too."

Naruto sped through the village like a basilisk across a river (no not the giant snake you see in Harry Potter; the lizard that runs across water) hoping, praying that Rina's at Ichiraku's and nothing has happened to her. 'How could Gaara do this? I know that our alies are also our enemies, but not Gaara...not my closest forign friend...how could he ever even think of doing something like this?' he thought as he ran.


Gaara watched as the small girl finished her tea. 'She is really adorable...' he thought. He heard a single pad of foot steps coming from his left, and out of the corner of his eye he saw purple pants and shoes which he indicated as Kabuto. His thoughts began to drift back to when he received this mission...


"You understand what you must do?" asked Itachi.

"Yes, I will do this," Gaara replied.

"Then go, Kasekage," said Itachi mockingly in his cool collective way, "go and bring me the daughter of Lord Hokagei!" Gaara smiled menacingly behind his veil as he walked out of the chamber...


When Rina closed her eyes to gulp down the rest of her tea, Gaara pulled out a kunai knife and pointed it toward her heart... The foot steps stopped. 'Well, well, looks like he's going to go through with it after all,' thought Kabuto, 'looks like you were wrong Itachi.' Gaara froze for a moment...heart beating... 'I'd better not miss,' he thought and struck his blow...

A figure fell to the ground, and Rina screamed as if the Boogie man himself stood before her. Kabuto lay motionless in between Rina and Gaara... He was flinching Blood oozed from his right leg. Gaara had not killed him...yet...

Kabuto staggered quickly to his feet and bolted pretty fast for someone with a kunai pierced leg, as usual. You know what they say...a thief who turns and runs away can return and steal the treasure another day. Rina's eyes were streaming with tears staring at Gaara. "Why did you attack him?" she screamed.

"He meant to kidnap you," Gaara replied, "Kabuto left Urochimaru years ago and joined up with Itachi. He always was the kind of swine to hide in the shadow of a powerful rogue." Rina looked confused. So Gaara continued, "when I heard rumors Itachi being after the child of the Hokagei, I immediately began tracking him down. I found him and asked to join him and Kabuto in the mission of kidnapping you..."

"You were a PART of the plan to KIDNAP ME! she screamed interrupting him, "HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?"

"As I was about to point out, your father and I are the closest of the shinobi leaders, and Itachi knew it. It took a lot of work to get him to trust me, and when he did, he sent me on the mission without question. I secretly planed to visit my old friend, Lord Hokagei, and warn him of the Ikatski being after you." Continuing, "I knew that Itachi would send Kabuto in after me to keep a close eye on me. I came to this village in person as an assassin and as a traitor to Itachi. My one goal now is to protect you." Rina looked at him in awe. Her byakugan scanning his eyes for any lie, but she found none. Gaara was telling the truth. She smiled at how kind he was being to her.

"Thank you," said Rina bowing to him.

He put his hand under her chin affectionately and said, "you're welcome, my friend. I swear, I will protect you... I promise." A round of small shurikin came flying at Gaara. The sand from his Gorde automatically rushed to protect him.

"Gaara, you...you...you traitor!" yelled Naruto.

"Dad! Stop!" yelled Rina standing in front of him.

"Rina! Get out of the way! He means to kidnap you and take you to Itachi!" yelled her father.

"NO! He saved me from Kabuto! He told me his plan to save me! He wasn't lying!" she yelled even louder, "I saw his true thoughts with my byakugan! He means me no harm! He's my friend and I won't let you hurt him!" Naruto lowered his guard and walked toward them.

"I won't harm you now," said Naruto grunting, "but one false move and you're finished!"

Kabuto went to the man hidden in the thicket outside the village. "So, he betrayed us?" asked Itachi even though he already knew the answer.

"Yes, just as you predicted," replied Kabuto, "and now I suggest we get out of here. Naruto aught to have the Anbus after us by now. It's best we lay low and come back to the mission in a few years or so." Kabuto knew he was going to throw a fit.

"Your right," he said to Kabuto's surprise, "we should lay low till this cools down. After all that demon blew our cover. It's best we come back to this mission later",,,


When they got back to the house, Naruto explained the situation to Hinata so she wouldn't try to kill him as soon as he walked in the door. Then Rina started to beg to train again. They called over Jouichi, and the two began climbing. Chisami watched. Rina was dieing for Gaara to see how well she was doing with the tree climbing technique. Jouichi and Rina made it 3/4 of the way up on their first try that day. Gaara was impressed. "Amazing how far they can go up the tree at their age," he said to Naruto.

"And this is only their second day with this training," Lord Hokagei replied still suspicious.

"Second? That is a truly a remarkable sight. Those two will grow up to be even greater ninja than you or I."

"Jouichi is older than Rina. Notice how she pushes herself to keep up? And how Jouichi pushes himself to keep up with her?" said Naruto, "they push each other and make each other stronger."

"Rivals?" asked Lord Kasekage.

"Yep," said Sasuke, "Thats why I'm holding Jouichi back in his first year at the Academy so Rina can learn with him, and they can always push each other. We're hoping that he'll be in the same squad with her when it's time for them to become Genin."

"Those two would make an unbeatable team," said Gaara as the two finally made it to the top just as the sun set behind the trees. They bounded down on the branches. Rina fell to the ground in exhaustion and relief. Jouichi picked her up and carried her on his back to their fathers and Gaara. The two kids followed by Chisami limped up to the adults, and Rina and Jouichi gave them a big grin and a thumbs up saying, "we did it. at the same time." They growled at each other again and fell over... to tired to wrestle. 'Jouichi is still so cute,' thought Rina.

"Well, they're definetly just like their fathers," said Gaara.

"You said it," Naruto and Sasuke said together then growled at each other. They both threw a punch at each other at the same time which collided. "Oww!" they screamed shaking their hands because of the pain. Every one else laughed.