"Pri- Lea? Are you okay?"

I stared into the retreating backs of the medical ninjas and nodded, swallowing. My mind was racing and the only thing I could come up with was questions. More and more questions. What had happened back there? It was supposed to be a simple wind attack that was made a bit stronger from my fire. The most it should have done was give her enough wounds that she won't be able to get up. Not almost kill her.

And my hands. I stared at them, aware that Mami was looking at me with concern. What the hell had happened to my hands?

"Hey, you." I looked up at the jonin. "They already called the next two. You two need to be off the field."

I didn't answer. Instead, I patted Mami and we headed to the exit.

"The human world looks so weird," Mami said, her head titling as she took in the sights.

"What did you expect it look like?" I asked.

"I don't know. There's not much trees as there is in my land. And the air smells weird."

I looked up at the roaring crowd. "That's the smell of bloodlust. Don't worry. I don't like it either."

"Lea-chan!" Naruto came barging in through the exit, all grins. He jumped up and down excitedly before me.

"You won! You were so cool!"

"You're next?" I asked.

"We're next," came Neji, as he walked up behind Naruto. I noticed both the stiff brown haired boy and the excited blond hair boy were curious about Mami. Naruto was staring intently at her, which made the Spheonix uncomfortable. She gave Naruto a look of disgust.

"Guys, this is Mami. Mami, these are my friends," I introduced.

Mami lifted her head haughtily. "Let's go, Lea. I do not intend on speaking to your idiot friends."

"She must be referring to Naruto," Neji said. "It could never be me. Idiot? Ha!"

"She can talk!?" was all Naruto said. I chuckled at his wide-eyed awe. He didn't even notice he had been dissed.

Naruto stretched a hand out to touch Mami's lines and she drew back with a hiss. "Don't you dare touch my head, you inferior creature! These lines are symbolic. What do you think is going to happen if I let a dumb monkey touch them?"

"She's so smart!" Naruto exclaimed in awe.

"And rude," Neji added.

Mami drew herself up, regally. "I am not rude and of course I'm smart. Miss Lea would never have anything less as her right hand. I'm surprised she even keeps you around."

I raised a brow at that. Since when did she add the 'miss'? Right hand?

It seemed to finally hit Naruto that she was insulting him. "What did you say? Lea's my friend, ya puss. Of course she'll keep me around. That's what friends do!"

"P-p-puss?! What did you call me? A puss!?"

Naruto grinned smugly, crossing his arms. "That's right, puss! That's what I'll be calling you from now on."

"How rude! You-!"

"Hey, hey," I interrupted. Their argument was beginning to get on my nerves. "Don't you two have a fight to get to?" I asked.

"That's right!" Naruto shouted. "Cheer me on, Lea-chan!" And he ran off.

"Although he'll be losing. That idiot." Neji said these words as he passed me, coolly walking onto the field although he was late.

It reminded me of Sasuke. Why did guys have to act so cool?

Mami bowed her head in shame. "I apologize, Miss Lea. I don't know what came over me. Those are your friends and I should have treated them accordingly."

I sighed. Why did she have to be so stuffy and formal? I reached out and rubbed her head. She purred under my touch.

"I don't really care, to be perfectly honest. My friends can handle themselves. Even against a Spheonix."

She grinned and we headed through the tunnel leading to the audience.

"I don't doubt your choice in friendship," she said. I smiled a small smile. More and more, I could see her losing her reverent speech and speaking to me informally, like a friend would. I liked that. I didn't like anyone speaking to me like I was a queen.

"Neither do I," I said.

"Before I forget, there's a ritual I didn't tell you about."

I stopped and looked at her with a frown. She looked as sheepish as a cat could be. "What ritual?"

"There's a ritual we go through with the Ten Tails every time one comes along."

"Again I ask, what ritual?"

"The Rite of Protection." She was rubbing her paw into the ground nervously. I think it's because I was staring at her so intently. "It's something my people do with the Ten Tails so that, whoever he or she chooses to be his or her protector, will be able to contact her and travel between worlds without being summoned."

I sighed. "Why do I need to do this?"

"It's tradition, milady."

I sighed again. Thinking about it was too much trouble, so imagine actually doing it.

"I decline," I stated as I walked away.

She scurried up beside me, horrified. "You can't just decline!"

"Can't I? Is this compulsory? Are you going to force me to do it?"

"Well, no ... and no ... but ..."

"But nothing. I don't feel like doing it." I shrugged as if it can't be helped.

"It's really for your own good, milady -"

"Lea," I corrected.

"Lea. Its tradition. My people will be devastated to hear this."

"Don't worry. I have a knack for breaking tradition so I won't feel guilty." Mami hung her head.

I did feel a little guilty but the feeling rose and died just as quickly. I could just imagine her going back to her people and relaying what I had just said. They probably won't be too pleased about it.

I said no words of consolation, however. I couldn't be bothered. So instead, I said, "If you don't want my friends and practically every other person in the audience staring at you and whispering and wondering just what the hell you are, I suggest you go back now."

Mami swished her tail with confidence. "That's just fine, milady," she said. "I'm used to the attention by now, since back in my land the guys follow me around like lost puppies." She snickered at her joke but I just rolled my eyes.

"Well this isn't your land. The people in this land don't take well to things that are different," I muttered. That had come out a little too bitter at the end. Luckily, Mami didn't pick up on it which I was grateful for. She didn't have to know my every problem.

Mami licked her paw daintily. "You just don't want to face all the chaos when all the attention is on me, right?"

I let out a short, disbelieving laugh. How had she come to that conclusion? "Oh please, I couldn't care less."

"Face it," she purred. "You want the attention to yourself." Mami swished her tail as she gave me a feline smirk.

I raised a brow at her. "Is that how you speak to your queen? What are they teaching you?"

"I-I'm sorry, milady!" Mami bowed her head and I resisted the urge to burst out laughing. "I totally overstepped my place. I shouldn't have spoken to you like we were equals. Please forgive me!"

Oh the theatrics, I thought with a roll of my eyes. I'll never get used to this.

"Whatever. I'm sending you back." I raised my fingers to my lips and she disappeared before she could reply.

I turned in the direction of the audience, intending on getting to my friends. They were probably wondering what was taking me so long. I also didn't want to miss Naruto's fight.

I tried hurrying along but slowly, my steps faltered. Had I used too much chakra? Was I going to pass out? I was sick and tired of my body collapsing any time it wanted! My eyes grew blurry and I stopped altogether, leaning on the wall for support.

What was happening to me?

My body slid down against the wall and my head lolled backwards. My eyes rolled up into my head and back. I wasn't surprised when the darkness finally descended.

This time, it felt like it lasted a moment. When my eyes opened I felt much better. I wasn't dizzy and my body didn't feel as if it weighed a ton. I got up, brushing my clothes off. I had no idea what had happened to me but at least now it was over.

I headed out into the audience.

//

Unfortunately, I had missed Naruto's fight. I guess I had passed out longer that I thought I did.

I took the seat beside Sakura, who jumped up when she saw me.

"Lea! Where have you been?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah, your fight ended a long time ago!" Ino added, leaning over Sakura to look intently on me.

I shrugged, refusing to look her in the eye. "I had to take care of something. It's nothing to worry about." I pointed to the field. "What's happening?"

Sakura's face lighted up with excitement. "Sasuke finally showed up!" she exclaimed. I frowned and narrowed my eyes. Yep, there he was with Kakashi standing beside him. They were saying something to Naruto but that wasn't what was on my mind right now. All I could think about was our little spat.

I rolled my eyes and leaned back in the chair. "Why don't they begin and stop the chattering?" I complained. I put my feet up on the back of the chair in front of me. The guy sitting in the chair gave me a scathing look.

I rose my brow. "What?" I asked, daring him to say something. "You have something to say?"

I cocked my head at him and he quickly shook his head before settling back down in his seat. Sakura gave me a weird look.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

I shrugged. Just seeing Sasuke made me angry again and I was just itching to take that anger out on something. "Whatever it is, it isn't your concern," I told her rather rudely.

Ino burst out laughing. She patted her hand companionably on my thigh with a grin. "Lea, Lea, Lea. Have I ever told you how much I love your attitude? Especially when you aim it at Billboard Brow!" She jerked a thumb at Sakura, who was turning red, as she continued laughing.

"What did you say, Ino-pig?!" Sakura roared, getting angry.

The shouting started and I tuned them out.

I stared at field. Naruto was finally coming off and the battle was starting.

Wait...

It was Sasuke against Gaara?

Why did that make me feel so awkward? Just looking at the two facing each other made me want to crawl under my bedsheets and never come back out.

"When did you get that tattoo, Lea?" came Sakura's voice.

I looked at her. I hadn't even noticed they had stopped arguing and now both was looking at me curiously.

"What?" I asked.

She pointed to my wrists. "That tattoo. When did you get it?"

I looked down at my inner wrist with a frown. When did I get it indeed? I traced the pattern. It was a circle that had a fiery edge and in the centre something that looked like a drop of water. I was confused. How had this appeared?

"Wooooooo! Go Sasuke-kun!!" Ino bellowed her cheer. I looked up from the tattoo, forgetting it completely when I saw Gaara and Sasuke getting ready to fight.

They stared at each other and the crowd went wild, shouting Sasuke's name. Wow, they must really love him. The girls were almost falling over in the chairs in their excitement, which, unfortunately, included Sakura and Ino.

I sighed. No doubt this was going to be a long and exciting fight. They were both extremely strong, I knew. But nothing, not even the prospect of watching an awesome fight, was going to come in the way of me and my sleep. My lack of sleep was finally catching up with me, so I snuggled further down in my chair, my feet still resting on the one in front of me and closed my eyes.