---18---

Kasumi's POV

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I sat wrapped up in this huge winter coat, a bit like Hinata's but like thirty sizes too big and what made it worse was that it was bright yellow... I sat listening the others have fun climbing trees. Kakashi Sensei sat beside me, shouting out the odd bit of advice to the others. I huffed when I heard Naruto cheer.

'WHOOO! I got a centimetre higher than the last two go's!' he cheered.

'Are you feeling cold, Kasumi?' Kakashi Sensei asked me. I gritted my teeth.

'Nope, I'm boiling hot if anything! Can I take the stupid coat off and train now Sensei?' I begged.

'No, Kasumi. You've still got hypothermia and you're....umm....unable to see at the moment,' Kakashi struggled, trying to pick the right words. Smooth Sensei, smooth...

'I can't see, so what! It's not fair. Let me try Sensei! Please?' I begged, this time getting to my knees and pulling a sad face.

'No Kasumi, just watch the others, I mean listen to the others,' Kakashi sighed, giving up. 'Okay, why don't we go back and leave the others to train? Stay with me,' Kakashi advised. I stood up and walked on ahead.

'I don't need help! I know where to go and where I'm going Sensei! Just because I'm bl-' I was gonna finish my sentence but I found myself in a tree bark. Yup, I'd just walked into a tree... Smooth Kasumi, smooth...

'I meant to do that!' I insisted, stumbling away from the tree, and walking on ahead. I heard Kakashi sigh behind me. I carried on walking, each step I took, my surroundings began to become clearer, and soon, I pretty much saw what everyone else could've seen if they were with me now. I soon noticed that Kakashi wasn't behind me. I stopped for a second, then I heard him shuffling along with his crutches.

'Gomen Kasumi, I was just watching the others,' he called. I nodded and carried on.

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'QUIT EATING LIKE THAT, YOU'RE ONLY GONNA HURL IT BACK UP!' Sakura yelled at Sasuke and Naruto who might've been eating just a little too much a little too fast.

'No...I wanna eat,' Sasuke stammered.

'Yeah, because even if we make ourselves sick to become stronger, then so be it,' Naruto said. I sighed, getting their attention.

'You know I think you're getting the wrong idea. To become stronger, you have to work hard and take what life throws at you, food only does part of the job,' I said, taking a mouthful of ramen. There was an awkward silence, I huffed.

'Well, it is true though, isn't it?' I asked, aiming the question at Sensei.

'Yes, it is true, how would you know that at such a young age, Kasumi?' he asked.

I shrugged.

'Experience I guess,' I said grinning and tucking in again. I heard Sakura get up from the table and walk across the room.

'Um, Tsunami-sama? Why is this picture torn?' she asked. 'Little Inari was looking at it the whole time we were eating dinner. And there's someone's face missing from the photo, is that deliberate?'

Awkard silence, drop dead silence. The tension was so think you could've cut it with that freak butcher Zabuza's over-sized meat knife...

'It was a picture of Inari's father...' Tsunami started.

'Our whole village called him a hero...' Tazuna begun. I flinched as Inari, Tazuna's grandson, got up from the table and ran out, slamming the door behind him. Tsunami turned to her father, angry and sadness in her eyes.

'Father! I've told you time and time again never to mention that in front of my son! Inari!' she growled, running after Inari.

'What makes Inari so angry?' Sakura asked sadly.

'Sounds like there's a story there,' Kakashi wondered out loud.

'Hai. The man in the photo was not Inari's father from birth, but they were so close that they might as well have been. Inari had been so happy, so full of love and laughter back then, but that all changed...after what happened to his father...' Tazuna began. I closed my eyes sadly, listening to what Tazuna had to say. I could picture what was going on as he began his heart-breaking story...

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It was almost as if I was standing in the flash back. Inari was standing on a pier, struggling against two boys holding him back. Another boy stood a few feet in front of him, holding a small snow, white dog.

'No! Give him back! Poochie's my dog!' Inari struggled.

The ugly mean boy laughed and pulled a face.

'No he's my dog now, and I'm gonna call him Shooting Star!'

'No! Please, give him back! He's my dog and he's not called Shooting Star, he's my Poochie!'

'SHUT UP!' the mean boy yelled and tossed the little dog over the side of the pier and into the deep water below.

My eyes widened and I tried to move but my feet were somehow glued to the floor.

'No! Poochie!' Inari screamed. 'You can't just let him drown!'

'If you care about him so much why don't you go on in after him?'

Inari stood frozen, looking at the poor dog. I knew he couldn't swim, you could tell by the way he hesitated...

'Well!? Off you go!' the mean boy laughed kicking Inari in the back, sending him forward.

'ARGH!' Inari cried as he fell.

'Inari!' I yelled, but it was no use, I was in a flash-back, I was only imagining this in my head, I couldn't been seen or heard, just like I couldn't see...

I watched helplessly as Inari struggled to stay afloat, getting swept away by the current. Then all of a sudden, after his near death experience, Poochie learnt the art of 'doggy paddle'. I glared at the dog, cursing. The scene changed to darkness and then I found myself sitting beside a sleeping Inari, a fire blazing before us.

'Are you awake there, son?' a voice asked, and I looked up, noticing a guy sitting cooking fish.

Inari opened his eyes lazily and I sighed with relief.

'Don't worry kid, I let those punks who were picking on you have it good,' the man grinned, handing him a fish.

'Did you rescue me?' Inari asked, reluctantly taking a bite into the fish.

'You've had it pretty rough, huh? Even your own dog let you down. From where I come from, dogs are man's best friend, loyal as ever. Well, I guess you can't be too hard on him, poor dog,' the man said taking a bite of his own fish.

'I-If I had been stronger, I could've saved him...' Inari sniffled.

'Don't worry son, anyone would've been scared, but if you love something or if there is anyone precious to you, reach out and protect it with both arms! Even at the risk of your own life,'

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I listened to Tazuna, smiling, as he retold some of his fondest memories. But then darkness and silence fell upon everyone, as what was once fond memories, turned into a living nightmare...

'After Kaiza (Inari's father) saved the village, Gato soon came to town and when he found out about Kaiza the hero of our village, he became threatened and scared that he'd be overthrown by Kaiza. So Gato had Kaiza...put to death, in front of the e-entire city....only for Inari to witness his father's brutal death too....'

We all gasped, and I heard Tazuna sniffle, poor guy, poor Tsunami, poor Inari. I tried to imagine what it would be like to lose Mom or Dad, it was hard and nearly brought me to tears too.

'Since then, Inari has changed, and Tsunami, along with everyone else in the village too.' Tazuna finished. We sat in silence for a moment, trying to take everything in. Then Naruto stood up and ran out, obviously falling on the way because I heard a loud thud and an 'Oomfph!'

'What are you doing Naruto?' I asked him.

'Don't even think about training anymore today, it'll probably kill you. Go and get some rest first,' Kakashi advised. I heard him pick himself up and walk out of the house.

'I'm gonna prove to Inari that there are still heroes in the world!' my brother said. I smiled to myself. Oh Naruto...

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I followed Kakashi Sensei and Sakura outside. Naruto had been out all night and we set off to find him. Sasuke had disappeared off on some walk so I was left with Sakura and Kaka-Sensei.

'Where'd he go?' I asked.

'Im not sure but it's not good for him to be pushing himself beyond his limit, he missed breakfast again,' Kakashi sighed.

I suddenly heard a noise from the trees above, way before the others did and I leapt back.

'Kasumi!?' Sensei gasped. Something sharp and pointy had landed in the exact place I had just been standing. A kunai.

'Naruto!' Sakura cried, relieved. 'Woah, you can climb all the way up there!?'

'Hehehe! Woohoo! Look how high I am!' Naruto cheered.

'Naruto, be careful, you nearly hit Kasumi with your kunai, you know she can't see! It's lucky that she heard you or she could've had some nasty injuries,' Kakashi lectured.

'Its okay Sensei, that kunai would never be able to hit me,' I grinned.

'I wouldn't be too cocky about that Kasumi-chan,' Sakura started. I rolled my blind eyes at her.

Suddenly I heard the others gasp and I heard Naruto cry out. He must be pretty high up and he might have been falling...

'No Naruto!' Sakura squealed.

'If he falls from that height he'll...' Kakashi gasped.

'PSYCH!' Naruto laughed. He obviously wasn't falling anymore.

'Naruto you BAKA!' Sakura yelled. 'You almost gave me a heart-attack! Grrr!'

'Whaaa!' Naruto cried again. 'AAAARRRGGHHHH!'

This time, I don't think he was faking the fall.

I performed a desperate bunch of hand sighs and placed my palms on the floor, creating a deep, mushy puddle of thick mud, to try and cushion his fall. Sakura screamed again and Kakashi flinched. Suddenly they stopped.

'Why can't you be more careful, Loser!?' my boyfriend criticised. I sighed with relief.

'Yay for Sasuke! He saved the day!' Sakura cheered. I sighed and turned to leave.

'I'm going back, see you guys there!' I waved, but no one seemed to hear, they were fussing over Naruto, lecturing him on being so reckless. I laughed to myself and left.

-------Later at dinner--------

Naruto and Sasuke came in just in time for dinner, helping each other along. Their steps were heavy so you could tell that they were both exhausted.

'Sp you're both back, hmm?' Tazuna asked.

'Hehe, we both, w-we both...' Naruto struggled.

'Made it to the top of the tree,' Sasuke finished for him.

'Well don't wear yourselves out, you too Father,' Tsunami laughed.

We began eating and it was pretty nice until Inari had a little outburst.

'WHY DO YOU WEAR YOURSELF OUT TRYING?! NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY, YOU'RE NO MATCH FOR GATO AND HIS MEN!! YOU ACT AND TALK ALL TOUGH BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'LL ONLY GET KILLED!!!'

'Shut up! I'm not gonna lose! I won't die yet!' Naruto growled.

'STOP TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T AND NEVER WILL BE ABLE TO DO!IT ANGERE ME TO SEE YOU TRY! THIS ISN'T YOUR TOWN YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, OR ABOUT ME AND LIFE ! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE LONELY AND TO SUFFER!!' Inari roared back. Dead silence.

'So, you think that it's okay to act like the whole world is against you and get sympathy off of everyone around you? It takes a really big man to sit around and cry! YOU BIG BABY!' Naruto growled.

'Naruto, that was too far!' Sakura yelled as my brother got up and left.

'Shut up, Sakura,' I hissed, following my brother.

'Kasumi,' Sasuke called but I ignored him. I ignored everyone, blocking out their voices and listens to the sound of Naruto's footsteps, he was heading outside...

I followed him as he went outside, we didn't stop to put our sandals on, we just headed out into the woods.

'Why ate you following me?' he asked, not angrily, but in hope for some comfort. He'd stopped by a lake and was waiting for my answer. I knew he was only a few feet in front of me, so I rushed forward and pulled him into a huge hug. He gasped and tensed, surprised like he had been the first time I'd offered him help, but soon, I felt him put his arms around me and hug me back. I smiled.

'Why did you lose it with Inari?' I whispered, not really expecting an answer.

'He said that I didn't know what it's like to feel pain, and loneliness, to suffer...but he's the one who has no idea,' he began. 'I don't know how you're here sis, I'm sorry, but the truth is, Mom and Dad...'

'Yeah?'

'They're dead...' He sighed. My eyes widened. What!? No! How could this be?! The masked man had given me three years to bring him the Nine Tails, and if I'd failed, he'd kill my parents and destroy my home, my village. I'd only been here for a few weeks, how could my parents be dead already? I'd barely began my mission to find the Nine tails, let alone bring it back to the masked man...

'They've been gone along time. After I was born, I think. I never knew them, I never had anyone...I don't have anyone, Kasumi. I-I'm alone...' He stammered. I hugged him tighter.

'No, not anymore, as long as I'm here, you will NEVER be alone, Naruto,' I vowed.

'Kasumi?' He asked. 'Do you really, really mean that?'

'I really, really mean it. I swear on the scars that blind me, the scars that will forever remain on my face, I promise, brother, I promise...'