Stand in the Rain >private<

Ryko nodded but looked worried. He understood why it would be good to teach them but he didn't want them to get killed or hurt by Itachi.

Zeke nodded. "Sure," he said. He opened the door of the house for Rei. "I'll go get her," he said.

Tashio smiled looking up when he heard the door.

Kiari frowned a little. "He is alright now but he had appendicitis and had to get it removed. I was with him before I came to see Rei."

Kasa nodded and followed.

Gaara wasn't surprised when Orien came in but he watched Kasa with caution. "What's this?" he asked.

Ryko nodded. "Thanks," he said a little encouraged that Kakashi would be there to help.

Tashio smiled. "It's no problem. I love watching them," he said.

Zeke headed for the market. His mom usually shopped this time of day so she'd be there. Sure enough he spotted his mom Hanako.

Kiari nodded. "Me too," she said. "Do you want to visit him before you leave?" It had been a while since the three of them were together. Even though they were a team they hadn't felt like much of one lately. And she couldn't go on missions with the risk of her having a tailed beast let along her being pregnant.

Gaara nodded. "I will have that looked into," he said. "Yes I heard about that. I've sent for Temari and Kankuro. I'm just waiting for them and then we'll go investigate it."

"Do you have any ideas for a plan that might work?" Ryko asked. He didn't trust himself to come up with anything.

Tashio smiled. "I'm glad we could," he said. "With Gaara as Kazekage now we aren't a target of the sand Anbu now. Our names were cleared."

Zeke spotted Hanako at one of the stalls. "Hi mom, Rei said she wanted to see you," Zeke said. "She's at home."

Hanako smiled seeing Zeke. "Alright I just need to purchase these vegetables then I'm done shopping and I'll come over," she said and went to pay.

Kiari nodded and led the way to Shigure's room which wasn't far. She walked into the room.

"I'm concerned too but we won't let them have the wind tails," Gaara said trying to reassure her. "It's risky for you to come on the investigation so I want you to stay with the council, specifcially Ebizo. They will hide you."

Ryko nodded. "Alright," he said.

Tashio nodded.

Hanako followed Zeke back. Zeke opened the door and walked in with his mother.

Kiari went over to Shigure and gently pushed him back down. "Haru is fine," she said. "Or will be."

Gaara nodded. "I will," he promised then looked at Temari and Kankuro. "Orien do you want an escort to the council chambers first before we go?" he asked.

"I want to go see if Rei can heal my arm. I'm useless right now in a fight," Ryko said.

Zeke walked in with Hanako. She put her bag of produce down and smiled seeing the babies and picked up Tenshi.

Kiari frowned and walked over to see what had happened. "He should be fine but I need Suzaku to come fix it. Mimikyu can you go get Suzaku," she said. She grabbed some gauze and put it against the wound with pressure to help slow it. "Sorry, but don't move," she said knowing her touching it probably hurt.

Gaara nodded and motioned for his siblings to follow. He headed up stairs the council chambers were just a floor above his office.

"Well this is unexpected," Yunoshi said spotting Hitojichi. "Why are you hear?" he asked him cooly.

Ryko hesitated tho. “...if I fail to protect Rei I’m not sure I can take that,” he said.

“Well we did kind of scare you,” Kiari admitted keeping the pressure on the wound.

Suzaku was in the lab.

Hanako exchanged a worried glance with Tashio. They didn’t know Kazuki well since they’d been in the leaf so long but they didn’t like it still.

“I hope he doesn’t fall into their hands,” Tashio said. “How did you find that out?”

Gaara got to the chambers were 3 of the elders were waiting. “Stay with them they’ll hide you,” he said to Orien.

“Like is tell you anything,” Yunoshi scoffed.

Ryko nodded. "Tell me as soon as you come up with a plan. I should go see Rei," he said.

Kiari still felt bad.

"He's down the hall in the lab on the left," The nurse said.

Tashio nodded. "I see that's not good they already have quite a few then," he said.

Zeke nodded.

Gaara then turned to his siblings and headed out to find out what was going on with the Akatsuki.

"That doesn't matter to me anymore," Yunoshi said knowing Itachi was going to go after Rei.

"Thanks," Ryko said and headed off to find Rei.

Suzaku was talking to someone about a lab result he was near the door to the lab.

"She go hurt pretty bad but she should be okay," Kiari said still keeping pressure on the wound.

Hanako and Tashio exchanged glances at that news. "That's not good," Tashio said. "It won't be easy if he finds you. Do you have a plan?"

Gaara headed towards Ristuko's house figuring they should start there.

Kasa had been given guards and a jounin to question her and find out what was going on.

Yunoshi frowned. "Just cut to the point already. What are you getting at," he asked not sure what he meant about Hato.

Ryko headed for Zeke and Rei's house. He figured Rei wouldn't stay in the hospital knowing her and at least zeke might know where she was.

Suzaku looked up. "Hi Mimikyu," he said smiling at her. "Is there something you needed?"

Kiari nodded. "Me to."

Tashio nodded. "If we can help at all let us know, we aren't leaf shinobi but we both were shinobi back in the sand. We can help fight if you need us too," he said.

Hanako nodded in agreement.

Zeke looked at Rei.

Kasa stayed quiet as they questioned her she couldn't speak because of the curse even if she'd wanted to. That was one protection Yunoshi had put on it that if she was interrogated it wouldn't let her speak.

Gaara spotted Yunoshi with a few others and Ristuko tied up. "What's going on here," he asked frowning.

"Orien?" Kazuki said letting the wind tails carry his voice. He was missing her but he could at least still talk to her.

"Look I don't really care about you," Yunoshi said. "You're the one who came over and started being all cryptic. I have work to do here."

Akiko smiled seeing Gaara. "Ah so the Kazekage himself has come instead. You're not who we came to see," she said. "Though you'd make an interesting gift as you're a jinchurki."

Suzaku frowned and grabbed a kit from a shelf in the lab and headed to shigure’s room. “What happened?” He asked mimikyu as he walked.

“Shigure you okay?” Kiari asked. Her hands were still on the wound to slow the bleeding.

“I will be. I’m at the house now just waiting. But it’s putting me on edge I’m worried,” Kazuki said. “Are you safe somewhere they can’t get you?”

Gaara glared at them. “Get out of the sand. As kazekage I can tell you that the sand won’t tolerate you being here,” he said ignoring Akiko.

Akiko sighed. “Harsh not even giving is a chance,” she said. “Well we can’t leave until we got what we came for. Though if you value the village what about her? I’ll kill her if you attack us,” she said pointing at Ristuko.

“Hato?” Yunoshi asked frowning. He wasn’t sure what had just happened. He would let Akiko handle Gaara for the moment.