~*****~
Ren's POV

The trees seemed to warp as we picked our speed. "It's not long now, guys. Keep up." I commanded back to my team. I grit my teeth again as another burning sensation wrapped around my belly. I palmed the flat plan of my belly and winced. 'The seals breaking again... it's not supposed to do that.'  An explosion rang off as we stopped for a second.

"Woah, what was that?" Sakura asked as Naruto leapt down to her, and Pakkun crashing down on his head.

"Trip wire traps." I say gently. "They're certainly not making Sasuke's job easy for him."

"Sasuke..." Sakura sighed. "Do you think he might have been--"

"I wouldn't worry about Sasuke." I said gently, smirking at Sakura. It takes a lot more than a few trip wire traps to get rid of him."

"Yeah, Sakura. He'll be fine." Naruto agreed. We started to run again. A chill washed down my back, and I gazed backwards, my brow furrowing in worry. "Hm? What's wrong Ren?" Naruto asked, bringing everyone's attention on me.

"It's just... Something doesn't feel right.... like.... something bad is happening right now. It's probably nothing... Let's hurry." I shake my head and we continue. After a moment, Pakkun stared to speak.

"There it is!" Pakkun said.

"What is it, Pakkun?" I jump faster to be besides him.

"I smell Sasuke!" Pakkun says. "He's not alone. I smell others with him. He's caught up to them."

"At last!" Sakura gasped.

"Sasuke..." Naruto sighed.

"They're close together and they've stopped moving. Could mean a fight. We should hurry!" Pakkun commanded. Pakkun turned to us. "Smells like we're not the only one tracking Sasuke. There's something else out there."

"Really where?!" Naruto snapped.

"Who is it?" I ask. "Friend or foe."

"I don't know... But--"

"But what?" Naruto asked.

"It isn't human."

I swallowed thickly, hoping they'd be a friend. We really didn't need anymore problems at the moment. We kept running through the forest, and I felt a wave of uneasyness wash over Pakkun. "What is it?" I ask as Sakura, Pakkun, and I stop on a branch. Naruto sails ahead and slams into the tree as he looks back to see what happened.

"You want to clue me in on what's going on?!" Naruto shouts unhappily.

"Smells like they're in motion." Pakkun explains. "Sasuke along with two of the other ones. And they're moving fast. Smells to me like Sasuke's chasing them."

"Huh?"

"You sure?" Sakura asked.

"But there are two more still there not moving." Pakkun explains.

"So what! Who cares about them!?" Naruto shouts. "We've gotta catch up to Sasuke, come on!"

"Naruto, I'm acting as squad leader, so shut up for a second." I snapped, feeling bad about that agitated look on his face.

"What's the matter, Ren?" Sakura asked.

"Are the two left about to fight?" I ask Pakkun.

"Yes. I can smell it." Naruto and Sakura gasp in shock.

"We need to go around them. Even if it means we'd lose some time." I explain.

"Are you crazy?! We don't have time to lose time!" Naruto argues. "So what if they're fighting. Big Deal! I say full speed ahead!"

"Naruto." I scold again. "Grow up. Who knows what'll happen if we get caught in the crossfire? We do not have time to get mixed up in it, not matter how confident you are. We'd lose more time doing that, no matter how much you get a kick outta it."

"Whaddya talkin' about? Who says I get a kick--" Naruto argued.

"Naruto, listen to me." I snapped. "Our mission is to bring Sasuke back. We should try and avoid any fighting if possible, let alone go out and look for it. Come on!" I jumped off to the side, leaving the rest to follow. Pakkun easily got ahead of me to lead.

~*****~

We finally managed to catch up to Sasuke, and the sight of Gaara was enough to cause a large ripple of pain washing over my stomach. And the poisonous Chakra Sasuke had been emitting, it was enough to make anyone lose their nerve. Naruto jumped in, kicking Gaara away with one mighty swing as Sakura and I leapt down to check on Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" I yelped, grasping onto his arm lightly. I looked over at the Sand Ninja and felt my insides stop burning and just go cold. "Can you get up?" I murmured, grasping his hand as he started to wince in pain.

"Sakura... Ren." I hear Naruto whisper. We both look over at him.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" Sasuke grit out. He started to groan and growl in pain.

"Sasuke, hold on." I cooed, trying to calm him down.

"Hey, uh, Ren... Earth to Ren!" Naruto growled out. I looked over again.

"What, Naruto?"

"This guy over here, who the hell is he?" Naruto asked, pointing at Gaara's misshapen form.

"His outward appearance may be different, but he's Gaara." I say gently, gripping tightly onto Sasuke's shirt.

"Hey, Little girl." Pakkun said to Sakura. "I guess now would be the time to tell you I'm not the fighting type."

"That's okay, Pakkun.  Thank you for your help." I say gently before turning back to Sasuke who kept writhing in pain. "Sakura... We need to get him out of here." I try to urge her, but she just looks at Gaara.

"What do you want?" Gaara asked coldly, a slight growl to his voice. Sasuke tried reaching up to his shoulder, grunting.

"Sasuke..." I leaned down.

"So, it's you. You're the one I didn't kill that day." Gaara said, staring directly at Naruto. Naruto gasped in shock. He started to shake.

"Guys, get up! We have to go now!" Naruto screamed as Gaara leapt passed him. I got up quickly, and got in front of my team mates with a kunai. Sakura joined after a second. "Ren, Sakura, no!" I stared into his green eyes, not wavering in the slightest. Blood dripped down from my palm as I sighed out, the nervous jitters flying out the window as I embraced the pain to distract me from the sense of fright Gaara gave me. His eyes widened a fraction as he flew in. He thrust his hand out.

"Move it!" I whirled myself around, and as soon as Sakura and I hit the three, I pushed back against the sand, gasping out in pain as my knees and palms were crushed against the bark. Sakura lay against my chest, unconscious. I grit my teeth as the sand grew tighter and tighter. My mind blanked out....

Those long hall ways, lit with dim purple flames seemed much more welcoming to me than anything else. I took a step forward, the subtle ripple of water leaving my foot prints. I strode down the long hallway, gazing at the large gate at the end. The wide blue eye gazed down at me as I approached, the black swirl on the iris shifting a little. "Why do they insist on sealing me with an odd seal." She said lowly, pressing against the cage.

"I don't know... But... it keeps breaking." I mumble, gazing downwards.

"The seal is only as strong as the one who put it in effect. The first lasted for quite sometime, but unfortunately age caught up with Hiruzen Sarutobi. And right now, I can feel his life fading. The seal is weakening." I gasped in shock, flinching my gaze upwards to Ameonna. "But for now.... please sleep. You're life is in danger. And I fear that we will not survive." She coos, slipping her tentacles down the gate and resting against the ground. "I feel the intimidating chakra from two other tailed beasts... But do not fear. Your selfless acts have saved your friend from any further harm." I let out a breath of air and closed my eyes before falling backwards into the water, sinking below the surface. The water felt warm, and comforting as I awaited death.... Everything went black.

~*****~

My eyes cracked open a fraction, and I gazed at the blue skies above me. Pain washed over my body in subtle waves, and I found it comforting to be in pain. It meant I was alive. Soft sobbing echoed out from my chest, and I gazed downwards at the head of pink locks. Sakura sobbed heavily on my chest. "S... Sakura?" I hum. She sat up in shock and grinned a million watt smile.

"Ren! Sasuke, she's awake!" She cheered. He came into view, and I smiled at him.

"How's Naruto?" I ask, turning my head. Naruto lay on the ground besides me, passed out.

"He beat Gaara." Sasuke hummed, looking over at him. "He saved you and Sakura."

I smiled warmly at the blond boy, and reached up to rub his hair. I took notice to my hands. The skin had been rubbed raw, and blood seeped from the wounds. "You saved me, Ren. From being crushed. You took all the weight, and I was so scared that it may have damaged your arms and legs. But the weights you were wearing stopped the sand from damaging the bones and muscles." I looked at down my arms. The weights Guy had placed on me were broken and the fabric had been ripped up. I tried sitting up, and gasped out in pain once I did. "Just rest. Sasuke and I will get you and Naruto back to the village." Sakura cooed, placing her hands on my shoulder. I nod as I feel my head begin to get fuzzy again. My world darkened once again as I gazed over at Sasuke.

~*****~

The next day, I wore the funeral garb Kakashi had gotten me. It felt as if my stomach had been punched. The Third Hokage had died protecting us from Orochimaru. Kakashi met me by the door and placed his hand atop my head once I gazed up at him. The skies were gray, and it wouldn't be long before it started to rain. It was as if the very nature around us mourned for Lord Hokage. I bid Kakashi farewell to meet with Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke for the funeral. We stood in a pathway, awaiting Sasuke. We turned as we heard the foot steps. He stopped just ahead of us, and we quickly followed after. We all stood in respect for him, either gazing down, or gazing at the monument.

The rain started to fall. I looked up at the sky as the elders of the village began the ceremony. "We are here to honor and remember, not only the Third Hokage, but all those who sacrificed themselves in this battle so that our village would survive." Everyone lined up to lay flowers for the Hokage. I could hear the subtle weeping of Konohamaru. And it wouldn't be far before I started to weep. The man offered his village to me, offered to let me stay in this village as an outsider. The man who accepted me for who I was, even if that was the host of a tailed beast. He's the man who saved me from a life of pain. The rain stopped. My hand twitched as Sasuke reached over and grasped it, running his thumb over my knuckles. I sighed out and gazed upwards. The skies began to clear and the sunk shone over us. I smiled lightly as the warmth enveloped me.

"Wow, even in death, the man brings us so much sunshine." I comment, earning a strew of agreements from the people around me. We all began to disperse. I stood at the stair way with Squad Seven, waiting for Naruto to join us. "Should we get ramen?" I suggest, looking over my shoulder at my squad.

"I second that!" Naruto immediately agreed. Sasuke just smirked at the boy before Sakura agreed.

"Well, we should celebrate Ren's first successful mission as squad leader." Kakashi hummed, rubbing his chin.

"And I'm not even a Chunin!" I giggle, wrapping my arms around Naruto and Sasuke's arms. We all started to laugh and headed to Ichiraku's.

~*****~

Later that night, I sat at my window again, sighing out as I drowned in my own thoughts. A familiar figure strode down the road, his body hunched slightly, and his hands stuffed in his pockets. That weird feeling bubbled up in my belly as I opened my window. "Shikamaru." I called, staring down at him. He froze and looked up at me, his eyebrow raised in surprise. "Where're you off to?" I lean out the window slightly, cocking my head.

"J-Just taking a stroll." He said casually, rubbing the back of his head. "Wanna come along?"

"I-If you don't mind." I stutter, closing my window and racing out of the house. Kakashi yet again said nothing. I stopped by Shikamaru and offered a smile. He returned in and we started walking. I don't think we had a destination in mind, but we both ended up at our secret spot.

We sat in the damp grass, staring up at the dark sky. We remained silent as the elephant between us grew larger and larger. I opened my mouth to speak a few times, but I couldn't figure out what to say. Luckily, Shikamaru broke the silence. "You know... I'm sorry... About what I did." He said gently, rubbing the back of his head. "The whole... kiss...."

A flush crawled up my neck as I reached up and touched my lips again, smiling fondly at the memory. "It's okay...." I said after a beat of silence. I looked over at him, and his face was red. "I liked it." He inhaled sharply, bringing his fist to his lips as he looked away.

"Jeez, do you even know what I meant by it?" He questioned aloud, still refusing to meet my gaze.

"It means... you like me... more than a friend... right?" I ask, pulling my knees up to my chest. Shikamaru meets my gaze, shuffles a bit, then goes back to rubbing the back of his head. He nods after a moment and pulls his knees up to his chest. I let out a soft breath and smile. "Good... Cause... I think I may like you more than a friend too...." I admit, biting my lip as the flush comes back harder. "But..."

"But?" He hums, raising an eyebrow.

"Is it... possible to like more than one person?" I question. He nods and I grasp the fabric above my heart. "Then... there's someone else I think I like too." Shikamaru just sighs lightly and chuckles.

"That's normal. It'd make my life a hell of a lot easier if you didn't, but no matter who you chose, I'd support you. No matter what." He reaches over and grasps my hand lightly. I flush and look over at him.

"Thank you, Shikamaru." I lean over and press a kiss to his cheek before getting up. "I think I'm gonna go home now. I didn't realize how tired I was."

"Alright. I'm gonna sit here for a while." Shikamaru waved slightly as I started to leave.

I gazed down at the dirt path, feeling a bit guilty. I sighed out and swerved my gaze upwards and onto the starry sky above. 'Sasuke... and Shikamaru...' I sigh outwardly as both their faces cross through my mind. I'd have to ask Ino about this....

~*****~

Ino sat at the edge of her bed, gaping after I dropped the huge bomb on her. "You like two guys?! Who?! When?!" She basically screamed, before clamping her hands over her mouth, as I snuck in moments before.

"It kinda just happened, Ino.... I need advice." I mumbled, picking at the frayed edges of Ino's bed cover.

"Well, who are they?" She questioned, cocking her head.

A heavier flush crawled up my neck as I lowered my head. "S.... Sasuke.... and Shikamaru...." I admit quietly.

She remained silent for a moment, not believing a word I was saying. "Jeez, and here I thought it was Lee and Kiba or something." She sighed, placing her palm against her chest. I hummed out in confusion.

"You're not mad?!"

"Why would I be? It's obvious Sasuke really likes you. And Shikamaru? He's liked you since our first academy day."

"Eh?!" I flinch backwards, panicking. "That long?!"

Ino threw her pillow at me. "You seriously just noticed?!" She leapt towards me and started tugging on my short hair. The door opened quickly, and Ino's father, Inoichi. He just stared at us in utter confusion.

"Hey Mr. Yamanaka!" I cheer, completely avoiding Ino's anger.

He just slowly backed out and closed the door. "Seriously Ren, you're way too dense. You need lessons in the subtle art of romance!" She cheered, lifting me up and shoving me to sit on her bed.

"You mean like Icha Icha-" I try to say, but she grabs the book and tosses it in the garbage. I scream in agony.

"Shut up. That's not romance. That's just trash. Now let's start! Lesson number one: Knowing your crush!" I groan out in agony as Ino started rambling through the entire night.