T H E L O S T Y U N A

New Assignment

Hey guys! Just a reminder that if you skipped the Prologue, you should really go back and read it. It's kind of really important ^~^. Thanks for reading! xx

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The air was quiet, with nothing but the wind to keep me company as I ran through the warm sand. My feet caused dust clouds to billow behind me due to my speed, and I silently looked over my shoulder to make sure that I wasn't being followed.

I hope nothing bad has happened.

Currently, I was making my way back to the village from being deployed out on a reconnaissance mission. We were to patrol the bordering villages to ensure that no enemy ninja were hidden amongst them. It would be all too easy for a skilled assassins to take advantage of a smaller village with no shinobi protection, so we needed to start keeping a closer eye on our neighbors. Everything was going smoothly with no signs of the enemy when a messenger hawk swooped down from the sky, giving me an urgent summons to report back immediately for a new mission. With a confused expression, I bid my unit farewell. They continued on without me as I back tracked towards the village. Luckily, I wasn't too far.

Jumping over the Suna Border, I quickly made my way to the Kage Building. The cloth covering my face flapped in the wind as I squinted my eyes at the sand, landing on the roof without a sound. The Anbu on patrol nodded to me in recognition as I took a deep breath, feeling a bit apprehensive as I realized what I had to do now, or rather, who I had to see now. 

Well, here goes nothing.

Without another moment to spare, I reluctantly made a hand sign and teleported into the Kazekage's office. Immediately I was greeted by three sets of eyes, causing my stomach to lurch.

God, its like a family reunion in here.

Gaara, the Kazekage, sat with his hands folded behind his desk while his two siblings, Temari and Kankuro, stood in front of him. They all turned their attention to me as I spawned behind the duo. Temari smirked at me and placed a hand on her hip as Kankuro gave me a confused expression and Gaara remained stoic.

I allowed my eyes to scan over everyone briefly, silently assessing the situation. As my gaze landed on the Kazekage, our eyes locked and suddenly I was thankful for the mask covering my face.

Gaara...

It had been so long since I'd been this close to the Kazekage. Sure, he gave me almost all of my missions, but never during a face to face encounter. Usually he sent Temari or some other Jonin in his stead, although I wasn't sure why. In fact, the last time I stood in front of Gaara was right before the trio departed for the Chunin Exams all that time ago...

I grimaced and shook my head to disperse those thoughts.

Not now.

"Why is there a member of the Stealth Anbu unit in my office?" Gaara asked after a moment, lifting his brow at his sister as he removed his gaze from the tattoo on my arm. The deepness of his voice caught me off guard and once again I was thankful for the mask that shrouded my face. He sounded so calm, so professional, much less monotone and menacing than I remembered.

"Because you need some added protection, Gaara," Temari said with a roll of her eyes. "You think you're invincible or something because of Shukaku, but trust me, an extra pair of eyes is always good."

"You summoned an Anbu member to watch over me?" He asked incredulously.

"Now, don't take it like that bro," Kankuro said defensively. "She did it because she's worried about you. You're working yourself ragged, always watching your back, never taking breaks. You need an assistant to keep the edge off."