Ino raised her perfectly plucked eyebrows slightly, but had been traveling with Kankaro and Yami too long to ask any questions.  She knew the answer would come soon, but not so soon as to alert the others as to what they were talking about.

Yami studied Mieko in silence as they traveled to where Shikamaru's group was waiting for them.  Mieko seemed to be normal height, possibly a little shorter than Yami remembered Lee being.  Her long black hair was currently loose around her waist, but, Yami noticed, there was a hair tie always around her wrist in case she needed to pull her hair back into the ponytail Yami had remembered seeing in the picture.  Mieko's ninja headband lay loosely around her neck, and her hazel eyes could be thought of as piercing. 'Maybe that's why Mieko has an aura of authority about her' Yami thought suddenly, 'Unless, it has more to do with those bandages that always seem to cover her legs.  What's the point of wearing shorts if your legs are always covered anyway?  Mieko's gotten really tan since that picture too, thought she still wears the same tight white tank top with the fishnet t-shirt underneath it.  That didn't change any...'

"hey! Yaouri's little sister!  Wake up." Mieko's teasing voice interrupted Yami's thoughts, "You're supposed to be leading us to the ninja that needs our medical team.  Don't space out while staring at me.  It's getting creepy."

Yami startled and looked again into Mieko's piercing hazel eyes. "Sorry Mieko.  My name's Yami, by the way, and I'd appreciate it if you used that name." Mieko simply nodded her understanding and Yami focused her keen eyesight and exceptional hearing on finding Shikamaru's group.

Neji watched carefully as Yami approached them, trying to guide her as best he could while taking the lead of his own group, bringing them closer to Yami and Ino.  At least, he thought that's who Yami had said it was that would be coming with them.  Neji had decided against telling his teammates anything more than that Yami and one other would be traveling with Mieko to find them.  He had wanted to see the reactions on their faces as Temari realized it wasn't Kankaro and as Choji and Shikamaru reunited with their old teammate.

After what seemed like hours, Ino finally spotted Choji. "At last!" She said, grateful the silence wouldn't last too much longer.  As she looked, Ino recognized first Choji, then Temari by her fan, then Neji by his commanding presence, and, finally, Shikamaru in the back among the shadows. Ino's eyes danced at seeing her old teammates and watchedd as they picked her and Yami out of the crowd they were traveling in.

Choji, Shikamaru noticed with amuzement, found Ino first with an excited exclamation, followed closely by Temari's grunt of displeasure at not seeing her brother. "Hey Yami, Ino." Shikamaru broke the uncomfortable silence that followed. "Yami," Shikamaru went on only after seeing he'd been acknowledged, "What do you need to tell us that we don't already know?  I take it Kankaro and Tenten went on ahead?  Where's Itchi?"

Yami relaxed as she told Shikamaru that Tenten was taking Ithci ahead so the vets could take a look at her as soon as possible. "Temari," Yami stiffened in a way that was new to everybody except Mieko - she'd seen Yaouri do this millions of times while they'd trained together. "Kankaro asked me to tell you" Yami's voice turned to sound exactly like Kankaro's, '"tell Tem that I'll talk to her when we get in the village'" Yami's voice returned to normal, "so..." Yami relaxed and smiled, "I've now let you know!"

Mieko shook her head at the startled expressions on everybody's faces. "I take it this is the first time Yami's done this?" Mieko asked in serious amusement.  Yami marveled at how Mieko could sound amused and serious at the same time.

When the other ninjas Yami was traveling acknowledged Mieko's statement as correct, Mieko continued, "May I suggest you get used to it? This is one of the few things I know about the Nekozumi family's jutsu.  They take on the same voice as when they heard the message and deliver it exactly as it was said.  It really makes them excellent messinger ninjas as they never get the message wrong or put voice inflections in the wrong place. Temari of the Sand?" Mieko turned to look at the one who seemed the most shocked, and continued after recieveing a confirming nod, "That is exactly what Kankaro of the Sand said and how he said it.  Yami," Mieko's voice softened, remembering how frightened Yaouri had been the first time she'd relayed a message in the same manner, "Don't worry about this.  It's a true talent that runs only in the Nekozumi women.  Yaouri could do it too, though she didn't start until she was nearly sixteen."

This statement drew Yami up to her full height, Mieko had no way of knowing how old Yami really was, but to know she'd gained a skill that her older sister hadn't gotten until she was much older made Yami feel proud of herself. "Thank you Mieko." Yami said seriously. "Now that we've met up, let me properly introduce you to Temari of the Sand, Akimichi Choji, Hyuga Neji, and Naara Shikamaru." Each ninja came forward and slightly inclined their head as they were introduced, Shikamaru cringing slightly at the movement when it became his turn.

"So, it's the Naara clan that needs our medics?" Mieko could hardly contain her excitement at this idea. "We'll be glad to do all we can for a fellow shadow-jutsu user." Mieko bowed deeply in front of Shikamaru. "Is there anything else we can do for you Naara Shikamaru?"