A Hidden Kindness Pt3 (Complete)

Chapter 22

Authors note: we're coming to the end!

Once more Melody's team were back at the Sand village, greeting them at the gates were Gaara, Temari and Kankuro.
"I know where you're going." Kaiya teased, Yaya punched her lightly in the arm as Clay rolled his eyes, Melody waved at the siblings.
"Hey you guys!" She said, they nodded to her as Yaya stopped in front of Kankuro. Kaiya chuckled and began having a quiet conversation with Temari, as Clay and Gaara stood silently. Melody glanced between Kankuro and Yaya before backing up slowly.
"Well... I have like... have a mission? Yeah. Bye." She awkwardly took off leaving the two behind, as the others followed Melody.
"So Yaya."
"Yeah?" She said all too quickly, Kankuro chuckled.
"Did you wanna go out? For like a lunch?" He asked, Yaya blushed and nodded as she slipped her hand through Kankuro's arm and off they went.

"So explain to me one last time, your ninja hasn't been seen for a few days." Clay said, Temari nodded, Melody sighed.
"Well. We'd best get to it."
"Melody." Gaara began, she glanced back at him, "every time someone goes to find them, they come back with no memory of ever searching for the mission ninja." He explained, Melody nodded thoughtfully.
"Memory wipes. Cool. Shouldn't be a problem for me." She said, Clay scoffed and Kaiya giggled.
"Okay we've got this, you two can head back." She said, Temari and Gaara nodded. Melody bit into her thumb and created hand signs.
"Summoning jutsu!" She yelled, Luna and Faolan appeared as Temari pulled out something belonging to the missing ninja. The two pups sniffed before running off together, looking for missing ninja.
"Shouldn't be too hard." Melody said, Kaiya nodded and they kept running forward until they heard a howl. They all nodded and changed direction heading to the wolves.

Once they arrived the two pups were tackling each other and panting excitedly, Melody sighed as the others chuckled.
"Alright knock it off, what did you find." She said as she sat down, the two pups bounded over and jumped onto her.
"Well, it's very scary up ahead." Luna said, Faolan barked.
"I could have gone but I needed to look after Luna." He whined, Melody patted them both and nodded.
"Did you find the missing ninja?" She asked, the two nodded.
"In that scary cave up there." Luna answered, everyone glanced up to a cave and Melody nodded.
"Alright, you two well done you can go back now. Thank you." She said and the two pups disappeared in a puff of smoke as Melody stood up.
"So what now?" Clay asked, Melody stuck out her tongue in concentration.
"Memory wipe...whoever goes in, will need to get as far as they can but if they forget and come back out I'll have to read their thoughts. See what I can pick up." She said, Temari raised her eyebrow.
"Oh. So you can read minds." She said, Clay snorted.
"It's hit and miss." He laughed, Melody scowled.
"It hurts alright, I haven't quite got full control over it yet." She huffed, Gaara walked forward, Melody watched him before her eyes widened and she reached for him, the sand surrounded her hand and everyone stopped as Gaara turned to her wide eyed. Melody's expression didn't change, there was worry in her eyes but not for her, for him. Gaara blinked and the sand retreated from her. Clay lowered his hand from his kunai pouch.
"You can't go in there Gaara you don't need to lose your memory." She said softly, Gaara fully turned to her as she gave him a smile. "No offence or anything like you're a great fighter but... like me- we just aren't the best people to go." She stammered, Gaara nodded slowly in understanding. Kaiya sighed.
"Well I have nothing worrying about me. I'll go." She hopped off and Temari's eyes widened.
"Wait Kaiya!" She said however she was already gone. Melody and Clay glanced at her.
"What's wrong with Kaiya going?" Clay asked, Temari swallowed hard.
"The person we're saving is..." She trailed off and Gaara sighed.
"Baki."
Melody and Clay's eyes widened in realization.
"Oh damn." Melody said looking back at the cave entrance.

Kaiya wrapped her arm around herself as the other hand held up a make shift lantern. She shivered as she walked through the darkness. She had no idea what she was walking into, she stopped as the cave opened in two directions, causing her to raise her eyebrow.
"Huh..." She stared at the two directions and sighed to herself. "One of these has got to be the trap... and the other might lead me to the missing ninja. But which one do I go down?" She said out loud to herself. She stepped closer to both entrances and tried to listen for any sign of life, but she couldn't hear a thing. She took a step back and began to examine the two cave openings. She let out a huff and a puff.
"Well I guess I might as well just pick one." She muttered, and headed down the one on the right. She kept on walking until she found herself facing the exit of the cave. She raised her eyebrow feeling very confused. She turned on her heels and ehaded back to where she was. She stared at them, folding her arms.
"Clearly there's some sort of jutsu at play here." She said, she placed her fingers together and closed her eyes. "Release." She opened her eyes and went down the right one. She continued walking until she found herself back at the exit of the cave. Kaiya's jaw dropped and she turned back around and ran down the tunnel until she came to the two openings again. She stared at them long and hard and then she let out a chuckle and a sigh.
"The weird thing is I don't remember which one I chose." She licked her lips and tapped her foot. "That's a good jutsu. And a surprisingly good way to turn a difficult maze into an impossible one I suppose. If you cant remember which wrong turns you took then how are you ever supposed to find the right way?" She asked herself, she sat down staring down them both. "The answers simple, she thought. Bread crumbs." She stood up again and dusted herself off. She went into her pocket and blushed. She didn't have breadcrumbs. She kunai to mark the walls as she walked down the right one. At least that way she'd know which paths shed tried before and how many times.

Before she knew it the walls of the caves were covered in lines but eventually she found herself walking the path that must be the right one. She'd managed to work out that each wrong turn sent her back to the start and wiped her memory. Finally she was getting somewhere, marking up the wall was helping her find her path. If she found a wall without markings it meant it was the right way to go.
"What a weird place this is." She muttered, she didn't know how long she had been there but she was getting hungry. Though she felt important, as she knew if this was Melody she would have lost it ages ago. Eventually she finally found a door and pushed it open, there was the missing ninja.
"Looks like I found you." She said smiling however her smile faltered as she brought up the lantern, and saw the face of the missing ninja. "No. It's you?" She whimpered, she slowly placed the lantern down and untied the restraints, and Baki lowered down, gripping his sides. Kaiya didn't say a word as she helped him to his feet and put his arm around her shoulder as she led them both out of the cave. She could not believe this, why didn't the others tell her? She chewed on her lip and then it hit her, had she have known would she have then saved him? She sighed and shook her head.
"Of course I would... it was my mission. To help the sand village, our friends." She thought to herself, she couldn't look at him. Not after what he did.
"Even if it is him, I'm saving." She closed her eyes and inhale deeply before opening her eyes. She continued forward heading towards the sunlight.

Kaiya had arrived out of the cave with Baki leaning on her for support.
"They're back!" Temari exclaimed, as Clay sighed in relief, as Kaiya squinted in the bright sun.
"She took her time." Clay muttered, Melody nudged him.
"You were still worried." She mused, causing Clay to scoff and look away as Temari and Kankuro ran forward ad took Baki from her and she took a step to the side, her eyes lowered.
"Thank you for saving Baki." Temari whispered, her eyes darting over to a noticeably quiet Kaiya.
"You were gone for so long what happened?" Kankuro asked, Kaiya shook her head not looking up.
"To be honest, I'm not even sure. There was a whole maze going on." She explained slowly. Melody nodded slowly and Baki turned to Kaiya he took a step forward. Kaiya raised an eyebrow as Clay folded his arms.
"Kaiya Gekko..." Baki began, Melody bit her lip as Gaara stared at her, confusion written across his face she slowly shook her head in response. Kaiya lowered her head, Baki bowed his head.
"Miss Gekko, I would like to formally say-" He was cut off with Kaiya raising her hand it trembled along with her body.
"I have not met with you since my brother's death. I have seen the sand siblings since that day and Yaya and Melody seem to be awfully close with the Sand village." She glared up at Baki. "But know this, I will never be over my brother's death, I know Yugao grieves because she cannot avenge her beloved. As for me. Even though our mission was to save you." She drew her sword and Baki stood still as Melody, Gaara and Kankuro's eyes widened in shock. "Know that I- I forgive you." She lowered her sword a small smile gracing her lips. "It's okay Baki... it was Kabuto and Orochimaru..." She shrugged her shoulders and placed her sword away. She wiped away her tears and took Melody's hand.
"It's a brand new start for everyone right? So don't worry about it, just never let your past actions define who you are now." She said, Baki bowed to her.
"You are very wise for your age Kaiya, and I know your brother would be very proud of you." He said, Kaiya blushed and squeezed Melody's hand.
"Well. We should be heading home now. See you around." She said and Clay and Melody nodded, they waved goodbye to the sand ninja after a successful mission they went home for some much-needed rest.

Once they had returned, Clay had promptly disappeared again. He had returned to the man who had been assigning him separate missions and he was getting ready to go when the shadow reappeared.
"You would benefit from being in the Akatsuki. Your powers are more suited to the shadows and most of all he will ask you to spy, whereas you will have the upper hand." The shadow said, Clay scoffed but he went to his window and glanced out, he could see Melody with Kaiya laughing together. His teeth gritted together before he turned.
"Y0u might be right. I'll think about it." He said and the shadow disappeared.

Winter here!
Wattpad, needs to stop bolding all my paragraphs
Love