A Little More Than This (Discontinued)

Chapter 43

The trip was silent. The only sound was the sound of feet tapping against wood as the small group of three powered through the forest, attempting to reach the Sand village.

"Why hasn't Mei caught up with us yet?" Sakura asked, looking back at Kakashi. "Probably got caught up in something, she'll turn up eventually" Kakashi replied, waving his hand as if he was trying to fan her worries away. She nodded and continued to leap through the trees, only stopping a few minutes later at the edge of the forest and looking out at the desert.

"Well, it's not gonna get any smaller by you looking at it" Naruto sighed, leaping off into the desert and leading the way to the Sand Village.

__________________________________

"So, why white hair?" Lee suddenly asked, speaking up after a long and slightly awkward silence. "Kakashi said it look good, so I tried it out" Mei replied with a quick shrug, checking her watch.

"Even with your stamina we'll not make it to the Sand Village with enough time to spare, I'll have to send a summons ahead to tell the others to met up in another area" Mei explained, gesturing to Gai and Lee when she mentioned Stamina. "Where will we meet up then?" Tenten asked, chuckling lightly at Gai and Lee's livid faces, a clear sign that they were about to blow.

"Don't, despite what you think you're not superhuman and you can still become tired easily. We're gonna meet up with them at the Akatsuki Base front" Mei snapped as Lee was about to shout at her and proclaim that he was invincible. Neji smirked a little and rolled his eyes at the two spandex-clad ninja.

Mei bit her thumb, causing it to bleed and quickly summoned her summons. After the cloud faded away a small white dragon, around the size of a child's fist, with a long thick whiskers and a red ribbon tied around his neck and reaching past his tail. He stood on his hind legs and looked around, flashing his pearly white and jagged teeth at each member of the group.

"What i' it?" he growled, his voice rough and deep. "Hello to you too Hikaru, I need you to deliver a message to Hatake Kakashi, he's a fair ways ahead and is nearing the Sand Village" Mei replied happily, ignoring his clear grumpiness. "Whatever" Hikaru grumbled taking the slip of paper Mei held out to him and slipping it into the ribbon around his neck.

He sent one last grumpy look at the ninja group and disappeared into a cloud of smoke. "Well that's settled, we'll have to cross a small portion of desert nonetheless but not all of it. Follow me" Mei chirped, smiling happily at the group. Gai nodded and waited for her to take off first and lead the way before following her.

His team followed in close suit, but not before looking at each other with raised eyebrows.

___________________________________

Sakura sat on the floor, wiping the sweat from her forehead as Konkuro's breathing finally evened out. She sighed loudly and beamed up at the assisting medical ninja.

"Thank you, go take a break" she instructed, standing up and pulling her hair from a ponytail. She walked from the room just in time to see a little white dragon appear in Kakashi's hair, Kakashi and Naruto had been waiting in a corridor for her to finish alongside an elderly woman by the name of Chiyo.

"My name i' Hikaru and I need 'omething from you" the dragon proclaimed loudly, startling Kakashi, who had not noticed the dragon. "What is it?" Chiyo asked, looking up impatiently. "Bru'h my whi'ker' plea'e" Hikaru demanded jumping over to Chiyo. She quickly rubbed them and a slip of paper appeared in his mouth.

"For kaka'hi goodbye Chiyo-'ama" he sang placing the note in the old woman's hand and disappearing. Chiyo handed the note to Kakashi before turning grumpily away.

'Meet Team Gai and I at the Akatsuki Base. The base is located West of the village, a fair way into the forest, follow the river bed West if you go past a big-ass rock you've gone too far. Team Gai and I will be waiting for you, unless we run into something. I'll be the one with white hair

- Mei'

Kakashi sighed a little, and crumpled the note. "Well be meeting Team Gai at a fixed point, as soon as Sakura has rested up a little we'll leave" Kakashi announced. "Is Mei with them?" Naruto asked, looking hopeful. "Yes, she'll look different from what you recognise though" Kakashi replied.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, tilting his head in confusion. "She's got a bit of a past with The Akatsuki, it would probably be in our best interests to not let them see her" Kakashi explained stretching his arms above his head.

'that and I don't think she's ready for them yet'

___________________________________

Team Gai and Mei were tracking their way through the desert, finally losing sight of the tree line behind them.

"So how much longer Mei?" Lee asked, looking around with a ditzy smile on his face. "We'll see the tree line in a minute then we could run for it" Mei replied calmly. "Or you could stick around, get a few bloody beatings and lay dead in a pile" a rough a cruel voice called out, causing Mei to stop and gulp.

"Bloody Leaf Shinobi, always getting in the way and messing up everything we work for. Can't you just lay off for more then one second?" the voice continued, making the group to turn and stare at the man it belonged to.

Kisame Hoshigaki stood, his sword, Samehada, slung over his shoulder and his hand resting lazily on it. He looked over the group and found that most of them where staring at him in hatred but one. A young looking dark skinned woman with long white hair and Her eyes.

"You" Kisame barked, pointing his blue finger at Mei, "Why do you have her eyes? No one should have her eyes". Mei only fidgeted nervously, kicking a dust pile lightly and avoiding his eye.

Truthfully she was close to tears, never had Kisame ever growled or barked at her, he'd never shown any form of anger at her either. The Force of his voice almost made her want to run away, because the only time he ever spoke like that was when he was furious and it never ended well for the opposite party.

"ANSWER GODDAMN IT!" Kisame bellowed, causing Mei to jump and stutter out a pathetic excuse, "I-I d-dunno wh-who you're talking a-about". Lee jumped in front, trying to shield Mei from anymore yelling and began to yell back.

"That is no way to speak to a woman!" He yelled, causing a glare from Mei to be aimed at him despite him trying to help. "I'll speak to you scum however I want. You killed her and so I'll get even, I'll kill you" Kisame yelled back, shifting Samehada so it stood in front of him.

He created a few handsigns and Mei watched as he blasted water at the group. Acting on instinct she jumped forward and made a set of handsigns, setting up a barrier of earth and shielding the three members.

"I'll handle this, you'll only help if I need it. Please just stay safe" Mei pleaded, letting the wall fall and jumping onto the wave of water. Gai nodded and ushered his students away.

(Picture is what Mei looks like under the Transformation Jutsu)