Taryn didn’t look up when she heard footsteps behind her. She was staring at the gravestone in front of her.
Her father was buried next to his first and second wife. She suddenly realized that she didn’t really know either one of them.
She wasn’t even sure why she was here.
To see with her own eyes that it was true perhaps.
Gaara came to stand next to her, staring at the gravestone too. For a long time they didn’t speak.
“Kankuro told you,” Taryn stated after a while.
It took a moment longer before he answered. “I have always known that father feared me. Just as I knew he was after every assault. You weren’t the first he asked and you certainly weren’t the last.”
“I know,” Taryn said softly, “I’m sorry.”
“Why should you be sorry?” Gaara asked, “what would you have done?”
Taryn sighed. “I don’t know… something.”
“Why would you even do that?”
Taryn stared at him as if it were obvious. “Because you’re my brother. I love you. I would never hurt you.”
Gaara looked at her stunned. She really meant it.

“You were never loved. No one loves you… even your own sister…”

Lies.
All lies.
And he had believed them.
How could he not?
“Were you ever going to tell me?” he asked. But he knew the answer already. Of course not. “Next time…” he said.
“Next time I’ll do the exact same thing,” Taryn said.
“Why?” Gaara asked.
“To keep you safe,” Taryn said.
“I don’t need protection,” her brother said.
“I don’t care,” she answered him, “I’d protect you. Even if you don’t want me to.”
"To protect someone precious to you,” Gaara muttered, “I see. Is it that simple?”
Taryn stared at him confused. “What do you mean?”
But he didn’t answer. “That man,” he said instead, “what is he to you? This… Kakashi?”
Taryn blinked. “What?”
“I saw you with him in town. He is… someone important to you?”
For a moment she didn’t know how to answer. Was he? Yes… but… “We’re… friends,” she said softly.
“Friends?” Gaara questioned. He sighed. “It must be nice to have friends.”
Taryn swallowed and for a moment thought of Hayate. “Yeah,” she said, “it is.” 

*** 

“You are not serious,” Taryn said. She stared at her brother in disbelieve.
“Of course I am,” Kankuro said, “you are the oldest child and the strongest shinobi. You should take the position.”
"That is exactly why I shouldn’t be stuck in an office,” Taryn said, “I am of more use when I’m being just that, A shinobi. Besides, I’m a half-blood and I was banished once.”
“That was because of father,” Kankuro cast at her.
“Yes, but that can never be publicly announced now, can it. And either way, my criminal record won’t exactly make people trust me. I’m not fit to be the next Kazekage.”
“You’re kidding, right.” Kankuro said, “you were back for five minutes and you already acted like you owned the place. Ordering everyone around. And people listen to you.”
“I’m not doing it Kankuro. You do it.”
“I’m only a Genin.” He sighed. “There’s none else suitable for the position.”
Taryn rubbed a hand across her face. “I… I can’t do it.”
“Taryn,” Kankuro said in a reasoning tone, “we need a new Kazekage. As long as the village is leaderless we are a target for other villages.”
“We are currently at peace,” Taryn said, “an attack won’t come that easily.”
“We have a quarrel with Sound thanks to Orochimaru,” Kankuro said, “have you forgotten?” Taryn narrowed her eyes. “Orochimaru,” she growled..  
“So will you do it?”
“The council will never allow it,” Taryn said.
“They will have no choice,” her  brother pointed out.
Taryn shook her head. ”No… I’ll tell you how it’s going to be. I’ll accept the position, but I have two conditions.” She looked at him seriously. “One. It will be a position only in name. The council can deal with the desk duties and I’ll have the final word. That way I can still go on missions.”
Kankuro nodded slowly. “That shouldn’t be a problem. At least I don’t think so.”
“Two,” Taryn said, “it’s only temporarily. I’ll quit as soon as someone else is found.” She held her brother’s gaze for a long time. “It’s this way or not at all.”
Kankuro shook his head. “Are you always this difficult?”
Taryn smiled. “You better get used to it.”
“We can always banish you again,” Kankuro said deviously.
“Not if I’m Kazekage,” Taryn said content. She stuck her nose up and smirked at him.
“You’re evil,” he glared.
“Yeah. I know.”
Kankuro shook his head. It was good to have her home. 

*** 

Taryn growled as she entered the village. The mission had been a heavy one. She had taken several injuries that needed to be treated. Her comrades looked just as beat, but the mission had been a success.
Taryn dragged herself to the office to let the council know of her return. Her injuries could wait a moment loner. They were annoying, but nothing life threatening.
She found the council gathered in the conference room and wondered about their expressions. She cleared her throat to make them acknowledge her.
“Taryn-sama you have returned.”
“I have. What is going on? Why is the council meeting?”
“A letter came from Konoha,” one of them said and handed her a scroll.
“Orochimaru,” Taryn said while reading, “so the brat went to see him already huh.”
“Four sound ninja came to get the boy,” someone told her, “we have already assembled a team to aid Konoha in retrieving him.”
“Who went?” Taryn asked.
The council exchanged glances. “Kankuro, Temari and Gaara,” they  answered.
“You what?!” Taryn growled in a low voice. “You sent my siblings after them? Genin? What were you thinking?”
“It was all we could do at the moment. We had no one else available. If you had been here to assign the mission yourself instead of going off…”
“I am here now,” Taryn cut him off with an angry look, “I will follow them right a way.”
“You will not,” one of the council members countered, “you may not like it, but you chose to take on the duty of Kazekage. We can not afford to loose another Kazekage so soon. Besides that,. You are inured…”
“My injuries can wait.”
“We can not let you do this.”
“No?” Taryn growled, “just try and stop me then.” She turned around and walked out of the room.
If she hurried she might be able to catch up with them.
Taryn narrowed her eyes. Stupid Sasuke. She had better things to do than chase after the brat. Even if she could catch up before he had reached Orochimaru, she knew there was no way of convincing him to go back. His heart was set on revenge and he would do whatever to reach his goal. She had warned Kakashi about this. But she knew she couldn’t blame it all on him. It had been her responsibility too. If she had only been a day sooner, she might have been able to prevent Orochimaru from marking him. Wasn’t that what she had promised Itachi? “Orochimaru,” she growled, her voice dripping with hate. She remembered the days when she followed him around. It hadn’t been of her own free will. He had marked her too and she had despised him from the start. He had always known that. It had only amused him. He had known her true intentions from the very beginning, but she’d had nowhere else to go. Until she fled back to Konoha. Until he had decided to use her as a vessel.
Like he wanted Sasuke for a vessel now.

“He wants Sharingan. He’ll want Byakugan next…”

She remembered Itachi’s words. It seemed like such a long time ago.
She shook off the thought and increased her speed.

When she came at a riverbank she stopped and kneeled. A small puddle of red fluid was in front of her. Taryn dipped her fingers in it and smelled. ‘Blood. But whose?’ There had been a fight here.
Carefully she looked around, but saw nothing. ‘They went through the river huh. Upstream or down?’
She activated her Byakugan. There was chakra activity not far from where she was. Quickly she hurried towards it.
When she came closer she recognized the chakra as Kankuro’s. He was defending that kid from the Inuzuki clan, Kiba. He was in pretty bad shape as was his dog. She saw how the sound ninja launched for her brother, but at the last moment Kankuro switched position with his puppet.
The sound ninja was under the control of Orochimaru’s curse mark and looked like a monster. Also, it seemed as if it had been slit in half.
Taryn stared at it with a horrid expression and couldn’t help but touch her own cursemark briefly.
Taryn left the fight to Kankuro, who seemed in perfect control, and kneeled beside Kiba. “You alright kid?”
Kiba stared at her. “You…”
"Yes. Me,” she “said.
The boy closed his eyes and leaned back against a rock. Taryn eyed him concerned. He needed medical attention as soon as possible.
Kankuro glanced over his shoulder and smirked. “Hey sis. I wondered how long it would take you.”
“Keep your eyes on the fight, will you,” she bit at him.
“These friend f yours?” Kankuro grinned.
“No,” she answered him.
“So you don’t mind if I beat them up?”
“Go right ahead.”
Kiba opened his eyes again and gasped in pain. He turned to Kankuro and the sound ninja. Suddenly his eyes went wide. “Watch out!” he yelled, “he’s going to fuse with you!”
Taryn watched as  Kankuro switched with his puppet again. “Don’t worry about my brother,” she said, “he won’t be taken down so lightly.”
“Your brother?” Kiba asked confused. He looked at Kankuro again. The two halves of the sound ninja fused together again. “You can’t beat him fighting head on,” Kiba said, “we need to retreat for now.”
Kankuro smirked. “What? Back down now? And let them think me a coward?” He bumped one of his puppets into the enemy, shoving it directly into another puppet, which was hollow inside. Once the enemy was trapped, he pierced the puppet and killed the sound ninja. Blood dripped form the puppet. “Finished,” Kankuro smirked. He turned to Taryn. “Who did you run into?” he asked when he noticed her injuries.
Taryn glared at him. “I came straight from a mission.”
Kankuro shook his head. “You’re an idiot. We have everything under control.”
“I don’t care,” Taryn said, “I have a responsibility too.”
Kankuro sighed.
“Where are the others?” Taryn asked.
“Temari and Gaara are up ahead. You go. I’ll take this one back to Konoha.” He nodded at Kiba. Taryn nodded. “Take care,” she said and hurried in the direction he had pointed out.

It didn’t take her long to find Temari. She and Shikamaru were fighting Tayuya, a female sound ninja and a genjutsu user. She arrived the moment Temari cut down the entire forest with a wind attack.
Taryn smirked. Her sister had never been very subtle. “Don’t overdo it, Temari,” Taryn called. Her sister turned to her. “You’re one to talk,” she  answered, “go on ahead. I’m fine.”
Taryn gave a nod and jumped on the ground.
“Taryn!” Temari called, “did you see Kankuro?”
”He’s fine,” Taryn assured her. She glanced towards Shikamaru who had a worried face.
“The others?” he asked softly.
Taryn hesitated a moment. “I only saw the dog kid. He was alive when I left,” she said and disappeared down the road.

Taryn didn’t look up when Itachi came to stand behind her. For a moment they stood there in silence. “Orochimaru  is leaving Akatsuki,” he  said.
Taryn nodded. “I know.”
“I want you to go with him,” Itachi said.
Slowly Taryn turned to him. “Say what?”
“I want you to go with him,” Itachi repeated calmly.
“No,” Taryn answered him curtly.
“Taryn please.”
”Why?” she growled, “is this the same as when you chased me out of Konoha?”
It was quiet for a moment. “No,” Itachi finally said, “it’s not.”
“What then?” Taryn demanded. This time she was going to get a reason from him. This time she wouldn’t let him just chase her away.
Itachi brushed away her hair and let his fingers rest on the mark in her neck. “When Orochimaru leaves, the others won’t let you stay here. They won’t trust you anymore. Not as long as you have that cursemark.”
Taryn snorted. “I’m not that easy a target.” 
“Go with him, Taryn.”
“I don’t want to go with him I hate his guts.” 
A small smirk crawled around Itachi’s lips. “You should still go. He marked you because you are useful to him. He won’t harm you.”
“I’m not concerned about that,” Taryn growled, “I just don’t want to go with him.”
“I need you to do something for me,” Itachi told her.
Taryn stared at him. “What do you mean?”
“Orochimaru wants Sharingan,” Itachi said, “he has already tried to take it from me.”
“I know that.” Taryn answered.
“He’ll want Byakugan next,” Itachi continued.
Taryn grinned. “He’s not going to get it. Besides, he wants Sharingan more. He knows he can never take it from you.”
“I’m not the only Sharingan user,” Itachi said.
Taryn frowned. “Kakashi?... But…”
“No,” Itachi cut her off, “not him. His Sharingan is not original. It is useless to Orochimaru. He wants an Uchiha Sharingan.”
Taryn thought for a long time. “Then who?”
Itachi sighed. “Sasuke,” he said.
“Sasuke?” Taryn asked, your kid brother? But he’s dead. You killed your entire clan.” 
Itachi didn’t answer her. “Itachi,” Taryn demanded.
“I killed my entire clan,” Itachi said, “except for Sasuke.”
”Why?” Taryn asked.
Itachi smiled as if she should know the answer. “He’ll try to get Sasuke’s Sharingan when it awakens. He can’t get it.”
“Why would you care?” Taryn asked, “you’re not making sense.”
“I have my reasons,” he answered, “I can’t leave here, but you can. Go with Orochimaru and find out his plans. He can not get his hands on the Sharingan. Promise me Taryn.”
Taryn stared at him uncertain. “I… do not understand.”
“You don’t need to understand. Promise me.”
Taryn nodded. “Alright… I promise…”

How much further could they be? How many more enemies would she have to face before getting to Sasuke? And what would she do when she found him?
Taryn pushed away the thoughts for later. Right now she had to focus on what was ahead. She knew Gaara was close when she saw sand flying around. That was good. At least he was still alive.
She increased her speed even more. She was surprised when she did not only find Gaara, but Lee as well. So Tsunade had been able to heal him. She was happy about that.
She wasn’t so happy anymore when she recognized their opponent.
“Kimimaro.” She paled.
Kimimaro turned his head towards her. His face was as emotionless as ever. “Taryn,” he said in a toneless voice, “it’s been a while.”
Taryn stared at him. Last time she had seen him, he had been on one of Kabuto’s examining tables. His body had been destroyed and only tubes and wires had kept him alive. He had become unsuitable as a vessel. That was when Orochimaru had decided to use her instead. She had ran away that day and had ended up back in Konoha. Kabuto must have been able to heal him then.
“You know this freak?” Gaara asked her.
“I know him,” Taryn said, “he can take out and re-grow his bones as he pleases and use them as weapons.”
“So we have noticed,” Gaara said. His eyes were still fixed on Kimimaro. He stretched his hand towards him and sand locked around Kimimaro. Gaara closed his fist. “Imploding Sand Funeral.” “You got him!” Lee said.
“No,” Taryn said.
“Not just yet,” Gaara agreed.
They watched as Kimimaro broke free from the jutsu. His body was covered in markings. ‘He activated the cursemark,’ Taryn thought. That was not good. Kimimaro was a dangerous enough opponent without that.
“I underestimated you,” Kimimaro said, “but your sand won’t hold me twice.”
“Maybe this will,” Taryn said as she lifted her fan. “Ryoki!”
A blazing hot wind flew across the clearing.
Kimimaro chuckled at her. “Ah Taryn. You always did have a temper didn’t you. But don’t you know? My bones don’t burn.” Before she could react, he shot one of his bones at her. It pierced her shoulder and pinned her to the ground.
Taryn groaned in pain. She couldn’t move.
Lee charged at him and high-kicked him in the neck. “I’m here too!” he yelled.
Kimimaro turned around and flung him away, giving Taryn the opportunity to pull out the bone and crawl to her feet again.
Kimimaro turned back to Gaara. “This sand is a nuisance. You’re the first to go… Gaara.” He reached back and pulled out his spine. Lee stared at it in horror. Kimimaro whipped his spine at Gaara. A trickle of blood leaked form his mouth. “Heh,” Kimimaro said, “I guess my time is running short.”
´So he hasn’t fully healed?’ Taryn thought, ‘or is this because of the fight with Gaara?’
Gaara pulled up a sandshield to block the attack. Kimimaro stared at Gaara emotionless. “Very solid,” he complimented. “I pulled together the densest minerals in the soil,” Gaara told him, “I used my chakra to apply pressure and kneaded them into the sand… This move of yours… it’s kekkei genkai yes?”
“It is of the Kaguya clan,” Kimimaro said, “a power I alone possess.”
“So you’re the last of your clan. That means your clan dies out today.”
“Indeed it may be so,” Kimimaro said, “my body is ravaged with illness… my days on earth… are numbered. And yet… I will not be extinguished. I carried out my part. I am an arm of Lord Orochimaru’s ambition. For that, I shall remain forever in his heart.”
“Orochimaru brainwashed you,” Gaara said, “how sad.” He made a single sign and the ground turned into quicksand.
Taryn watched her brother concerned. She knew he was almost out of chakra. She didn’t have much left herself. Ryoki had taken its toll on her and her earlier wounds made it worse. But she couldn’t leave them behind. She and Lee watched as Kimimaro was slowly buried into the ground.
“You did it,” Lee gasped as soon as Kimimaro was under, but Taryn wasn’t so sure.
He proved her right when bones suddenly stated to break through the earth in rapid speed. Lee gasped as they headed towards him. Sand suddenly lifted him in the air, out of the bones’ reach. He looked aside.
Next to him, Gaara and Taryn were on another cloud of sand, safely above the ground.
“You saved me,” Lee said, “I never imagined you could do something like that.”
“This is the same sand I’m always throwing around,” Gaara said, “it is just in how you use it.” He glanced at Taryn who was holding her shoulder. “Are you alright?” he asked.
“I’ll live,” she said.
Gaara sighed. Sweat was dripping form his forehead. The fight had taken a lot out of him. “He was a tough opponent,” he panted, “but that should be the  end of him. He’ll never get out of that.”
All three of them jumped when suddenly Kimimaro came out of one of the spikes. “I’m not brainwashed,” he said, “he’s the only one who truly understands. You know nothing!”
One of his bones turned into a large spike and he stuck it at Gaara. It happened so fast that no one could react. A mere inch away from Gaara, the attack suddenly stopped. Lee gasped. Kimimaro had stopped moving.
“He’s dead,” Lee gasped. They waited a moment to be sure, but it was true. Kimimaro was dead.
Gaara slowly let the sand slide to the side. Exhausted, he let himself down to the ground and leaned against a tree.
Lee sat down next to him. He looked at Taryn concerned. “Your shoulder,” he said.
“It will be fine,” Taryn answered.
Gaara sighed. “You came straight from a mission, didn’t you. You’ll get yourself killed that way one day.”
“I’ll worry about that on that day then,” she answered. She looked around with her Byakugan. “They went that way,” Gaara motioned, “Naruto and Sasuke.” Taryn looked at him. “That’s who you are looking for, right?” he asked.
Taryn looked in the direction he had pointed out. “Yeah,” she sighed and took a step.
“Taryn…” Gaara said.
She looked over her shoulder. “You stay here,” she said.
“I just need a minute,” he told her.
“No,” Taryn said firmly, “you’re out of chakra and you’re exhausted. You’re staying here.” “You’re injured,” Gaara pointed out, “and you used up a lot of chakra too with that attack.”
“You heard me,” Taryn said.
“Stubborn girl,” Gaara muttered.
Taryn glared at him. “You’re staying here,” she said, “and that’s an order.”
Gaara smirked at her and closed his eyes. “Alright,” he said.
Taryn nodded and turned to leave. She bit her lip to hold back a groan of pain. Gaara had been right. She wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer, but she had to. She had a promise to keep.

The boys were silent for a long time. Then Gaara spoke. “He had me.”
Lee shook his head. “That is not true. My master always says a big part of skill is luck.”
“You mean that meddlesome trainer?”
“He wasn’t meddling!” Lee flew up, “he just knew I wasn’t strong enough. Don’t talk about him that way.”
“You’re the same then,” Gaara said softly, “when you feel the honor of your idol under scrutiny, you become enraged as if it were your own honor being questioned. The more precious someone is to you… the harder you fight for them.”
”Like your sister, you mean?” Lee asked.
Gaara thought for a moment. “Yeah,” he said, “just like that.”