Ojos Asi [[private -- nyrax]]

A broad smile extended over Xerion's face. "You're the one person however I have the most trouble predicting. You switch between love and other mixed emotions of loyalty and honor. It gives me quite a bit of effort to predict you. I suppose that's why you interest me so much." He shrugged, leaning against the wall, looking through a clear glass wall, connected to the one he was in that Kaliegh was sleeping in.

"Risks is part of what I do and who I am. I fought hard for the powers I have, but now that I do have them, everything else is fairly easy. I rarely fight and I'm not used for combat. I suppose you could consider this a truce." He looked at Shino, staring into the eyes behind the dark shades. "Youki is a hard opponent to face. I've never seen him fall in battle. Not once. He's strong and cunning. His body is able to sustain lethal damage. I don't know when or how, but I suspect he called his own truce with Orochimaru at some point. Not to mention the obvious. Tsunade once thought very highly of Youki."

Shino just gave the tiniest of chuckles. "I just always do what I feel is right, while my love for Aaliyah is my strongest emotion it does not blind me to everything else and the other risks that you and Kaliegh have taken with us", he said as he nodded towards Xerion. "You have my gratitude for all the things that you've done, and I plan on helping you in any way I can", he said seriously.

Shino listened a little more and hung his head a little. "I can't help but fear and wonder as to what truce we'd have to make to destroy such a man", he said under his breath.

Xerion sighed. "I honestly can't say. Much of Youki's files and information background was deleted or destroyed when the Third Hokage assumed power after the Fourth had died. The Third had a weak point for Youki because Jiriya favored him and because of that, it lead to Tsunade's favor of him as well. I can't really say all he learned from his interaction with the Sanin, or with what he knows from being so high up and having as much power as he did when he was sane. All I really know now is that he wants revenge, and all things considered... I don't really blame him for that."

Shino gave a nod. "Yes, but with his reasons aside I also can't let him get away with what he's doing. So many people have been hurt, even if some of them have deserved it there are many who have had nothing to do with Youki's suffering", he said honestly as he looked towards Xerion once again. "He's done too much for the sake of his revenge to simply let me forgive and step out of his way. You know that as well", he said with a weak chuckle once again. "We all do", he added.

Xerion laughed. "If you knew the complete truth of what Konoha did to him, I can't say what you'd do with it. When I first found out, I actually almost abandoned the village and sided with him as Sani and Suki have. I don't agree with him though, and it had to do with my own reasons. If I was ever freed from him, I doubt I would return to Konoha. Why would I, considering it has nothing to offer me." He said, sincerely.

"I don't like Konoha itself, or the practices it uses. Being against something for as long as I have, you see a lot of evil. I'm part of that. Keep in mind that you want to punish Youki for all the crimes he's committed. Crimes he's been able to commit through my information, through Kaliegh's assaults, and through Lillian's medical jutsu. We're all part of this Shino. You want to blame him for it all, but he's not the only murder in the world."

"The only direction that I have left to move towards is forward", Shino said honestly with a shrug. "I don't know what evil Konoha has done or what it will do, the only thing that I can do is be the best I can be and hope that I'm able to change it one day", he said as he looked towards Xerion. "They've put Aaliyah through hell, and that's enough to make me mad, but it can't let me forsake the whole village either. If I don't try, than I have no excuse for the way that Konoha is"

"You have a way about you I can't explain. Maybe it's best that you lead Konoha in a time like this." He said, grinning at him. "Though, I get the impression that much like myself being a leader doesn't really interest you. At least, not a leader of a village anyway. Such needless action and power bores me." He watched the sun light up the sky in a wide extension of colors and clouds with it's decent. "I'm glad I told you. Just keep in mind what I told you. I will try to keep you alive, but that guarantees nothing. It has a lot to do with your will power and will to live, which I don't think you have a problem with. You should live just fine assuming your heart doesn't over take reason."

Shino gave a tiny shrug once again. "A position like Hokage I have no interest in, however if I could stop what seems to be happening in this village it's one that I'd never refuse to take", he admitted as he looked towards Xerion. "All this was caused by actions that people thought would be in the best interest of the people.......seems like such an obvious mistake in retrospect", he remarked as he glanced towards Xerion again. "Keep yourself alive as well, enough people have died for this as it is"

Xerion grinned. "I do not die with ease." He said honestly, shrugging his shoulders. "I may be a bitch when it comes to pain, but I have a will to survive and can make it through anything as long as I don't pass out. I lived through the same surgery twice after all." He said, walking to the glass wall that separated him from Kaliegh. He moved his hand and her morphine allowance increased and she was injected with more of it.

From this, it seemed he didn't need to use people where his music played and that he still maintained control of all of his surroundings.

"Fair enough", Shino said to Xerion's response. He did not know the next time that they would see each other or what the consequences would be, but Shino would continue to move forward and deal with anything that came his way. He had to, there was no other choice. "Unless there's something else you need to tell me I should probably go", he said as he moved up and away from the wall. "Like I said, anything you need me to do I'll do my best to get it done"

This time, Xerion laughed. "You worry too much, Shino. You seem to think that everything will come to you with time." He walked over and rested his hand on his head, despite them being the same age. "You have a lot to learn. You should go see Kiba tomorrow. I will send you more word then. It may take me all day, I don't know yet. Youki hasn't told me when tomorrow he will arrive to speak with me. I want you to keep Akiko with you and stay as far from the hospital as you can. She isn't on his mind now, but if he sees her, he might just change his mind."

Shino didn't say anything about hand placement, despite the fact that he found it strange. As much as Shino felt like he was suffering he knew that Xerion was most likely going through a much harder time. "Very well", Shino said as he heard all of Xerion's instructions. "It will be done and I shall await to hear word from you", Shino said before turning and simply making his way out of the hospital, donning on a different disguise than before so no one knew that it was him.

Xerion waited about an hour after Shino left and he picked up the makeshift flute he made. He went over to the window and started to play the song once more. The piece of paper he'd sent Shino that was a note refolded itself into the crane he had fly there, levitated in the air and burned into nothing, not even leaving ashes. Then, he removed the justu slowly from everyone in the hospital until no one was still under the spell.

The next day.....

Shino leaned up against a tree, the sunlight barely coming across his features as he leaned into the shade of the tree's leaves. He looked up, seeing the unaffected blue sky that was above him. He gave a soft, silent sigh before turning to see Kiba doing something similar, the only difference was that his fingers were moving, nails rubbing against skin. "You doing okay?", Shino asked simply, wondering how Kiba was dealing with all of this.

Kiba glanced over at his longtime teammate. "Oh you know, I've been better. I'm feeling better than usual though so yeah. I'm good", he said as he let out a tiny yawn and glanced around the area. They'd be leaving soon.

Akiko walked over to Shino. "Why are we all the way out here?" She asked, looking around the rather expansive collection of trees. They weren't far from the village, maybe one or two miles, but they were still at a distance. "I don't think it's safe for us to be leaving so soon after the attack. What if they need us?" She leaned against the tree that Shino was leaning against.

"And I wanted to go see my brother and sister today. Sakura told me that Xerion's awake. Can we go see later, Kiba-kun?"

Shino glanced over at Akiko who was beginning to ask the questions that he knew were coming. "Tsunade herself recommended that we take this trip. If she thought that it wasn't safe for us she wouldn't have had us do it", Shino said in his perfectly normal voice. He glanced up at the sky one more time before turning back to her once again. "Don't worry, we'll be fine", he said before turning to Kiba who began talking.

"Don't worry Akiko, if possible we'll go see your siblings later. Right now we just have to stick to our orders and if we can we'll go visit them tonight", Kiba said with a smile towards Akiko. They couldn't let her suspect, otherwise she'd be able to slip away from them. Kiba was certain she'd get there if she tried hard enough.

Akiko sighed. "Why would she do that? It doesn't sound like her. Besides, Sakura said I can go to the hospital whenever I want. She likes having me around." However, she did know better than to do something stupid and go against her orders. There was something weird about this, but she wasn't going to question things. Taking Kiba's hand she started to walk with them. She was quiet for a few minutes, but it looked like she wanted to ask something.

"Is Aaliyah waiting for us?" She asked suddenly, smiling at Shino. "That would explain why we were told to go and why you're so insistent on us getting there so fast.'

Kiba took Akiko's hand into his own, a little worried that she was beginning to question every single detail about the day. She was sharp, and that was the problem in the case. Kiba wished that just for today she'd take his word for everything this time around. He didn't want to see her hurt, whether she was a shinobi or not. At her question, he glanced over at Shino.

Shino just kept walking, his head straight forward as Akiko asked if Aaliyah would be there. God how he missed her, more than he could ever fully describe. It felt like years since they last saw one another. "No, she won't be there", he said simply.

Akiko looked up at Kiba when he took her hand. He was being sweet. Since this morning when Shino came over he had been affectionate. Granted, he was always affectionate with her, but it made her wonder if something was wrong. Then, Shino's reaction made her bite her lip. Was... something wrong with Aaliyah and they just didn't want to tell her? Did Youki find out and they just wanted her to be away from the village so they wouldn't see her body?

No... They would never do that to her. Kiba was also a horrible liar when it came to things like that. "I miss her." Akiko added as they walked through the woods. "Do you think she'll come and see us soon? She usually shows up when we least expect it."

Shino gave a tiny sigh as Akiko continued to ask questions about Aaliyah. It's not that he was mad or disappointed with her, but he just didn't know the answer to her questions. That was what scared him, just not knowing anything. "I don't know, but I miss her too Akiko", he said as he looked over at the girl. Even with his sunglasses on Akiko would have no doubt that Shino was being completely sincere. He missed her more than anything. "I can only hope she'll be back soon. I just wanna hug her again"

Akiko glanced up at Shino and studied his face, despite the fact she couldn't see it. Sighing, she took his hand and held his too. She was standing between the two of them, holding their hands. "Don't worry, Shino-kun. I know Aaliyah loves you and if she could be here, she would! It's just a matter of time. I doubt she'll finish her mission because she wants to be with you." As they walked a breeze blew past them, scattering some of Akiko's hair in her face. "She'll be back before you know it!"

Shino gained a tiny smile at Akiko's words. It was hard to be so full of hope sometimes, and yet it was exactly what he needed to be. Shino didn't have any control of what was going to come in the future, the best that he could do was have hope, and pray that Aaliyah would return to him in safety. "Yeah I know, I just miss her while she's gone", he admitted as he glanced over at Akiko. "Thanks though"

Akiko smiled at him, having the feeling he was smiling too. "If it helps you at all, I miss her too. A lot." Her eyes wandered the area as if she was walking. "Your welcome, Shino-kun." While looking around, she slowed down. "I... feel like we're being watched." She whispered, tightening her grip on Kiba's hand considerably. She didn't like this feeling and she knew that something was off. "Are you sure that Tsunade-sama wanted us to come out here?"

Kiba felt Akiko's grip tighten. Shino didn't respond to Akiko, knowing that when she sensed something that she was usually right. Kiba glanced around the area before taking a few deep whiffs of the air, trying to see if it was a scent that he recognized. If it was any of the siblings it'd be obvious, after all he and Shino were close to them for quite some time when they were undercover. The scent returned to his nose and he recognized it immediately. "You can come out now Cyon"

Cyon lingered in the trees until Kiba recognized his scent. Then, he jumped down about ten feet from them. "I'm impressed. You're skills are improving." He said it in a teasing way, but kept his distance from them to appear less threatening.

Akiko let go of Shino's hand to move closer to Kiba. One of her hands was gripped inside Kiba's and the other was holding his arm. She was beside and a little behind him. "Why are you here?"

"You shouldn't come this far North. Youki uses this route to get into Konoha." He warned.