I wake up with a start... or at least... I think I wake up. I'd quite obviously passed out next to the shoreline, so why is it I'm suddenly sitting in the middle of a hallway, and especially one that, for some reason, looks just so familiar to me? Shaking my head to try and jog my memory, nothing comes to me except a sharp pain to my left temple. I must be thinking things, I tell myself.

So, then, am I dreaming? Is this a pain-induced hallucination? My arm feels like it's still on fire and I resent ever trying to attempt to learn the Fireball Jutsu all on my own; I resent being so stubborn and secretive about it that I'd lied to my teammates and Sensei about where I'd been going – it'd probably been too obvious with the cylinder-shaped lump under the flap of my qipao that it wasn't to go into the forest and stargaze before bed. Now, I wish that were what I'd been doing instead of this.

Groaning, I carefully swing my body into a sitting position, my head still aching as if it'd been struck. Maybe I'd hit it when I'd fallen? I touch a hand to where it aches, feeling for any such lump or scrape or gouging, but there's nothing – no blood, either. My arm, on the other hand, I can't bring myself to look at it a second time without my legs tingling from the unpleasantness.

"Gross, gross, gross, gross..." I grimace with a shudder, just thinking about it.

The tatami flooring beneath me is surprisingly soft. I'd been so used to the rough and uncomfortableness of Makara-sensei's cabin for so long, but when I'd moved into my new home, I didn't expect to be on floors of this kind again – but it's strange how cushioned they are. I finally swivel my body onto my knees and rise, carefully cradling my forearms in a way that neither of them would touch the other.

The hall I now stand in seems almost endless, open door upon open door upon open door stretching as far down and behind me as I can see with my own two eyes. I don't bother to try and find an ending to them; it's unrealistic. But at least, by this deduction, I know that this is a dream. Thank goodness. The only issue now is just how do I wake from it? I should be back at the pond, writhing in pain, if I'm being frank. I'd rather be there, because being here stresses the aching point inside my skull.

I know this place, I find myself insisting. I recognize it, from s-somewhere. I grit my teeth in frustration, silently cursing my ruined memory.

Shuffling further down the hallway, I end up coming across a single door that's left closed, unlike all of the others I've come across. From behind the rice paper frames, there's a small glow of blue light that immediately entrances me, almost like a moth to a lamp light. But it's not the only thing coming from the room. Somehow... I can sense a presence. And then, there's a murmur – a woman's voice.

"Ah, so you can feel me," the mysterious voice says, and I automatically step away from the door, frightened. Knowing I'm injured, if it comes down to some kind of fight, I wouldn't do well to survive in it. "Please don't be afraid," the woman inside suddenly says, almost pleadingly. "Please don't be afraid of me."

"Who are you?" I ask it through the closed door, still cradling my arms. "Where am I?"

"I am both someone you know," she says, "and someone you have forgotten. For now, I cannot tell you more – this is something we agreed to let you discover on your own."

"W-Who is we?" When I make to open the door, the light disappears. "H-Hey!" I bang on it sharply. "Who is we?! Who are you?!" Backing away from the door, I extend my dominant left leg –

"It's time to wake up, Kari."

-- and kick it off its track and into the... empty... room?

My heart pounds almost aggressively in my ears as I step inside, every fibre of my being on edge and wary for what I might've discovered, but it's completely empty – no light, and no woman.

"What the heck," I pant, and I raise my hands protectively in front of me. "Where am I?!" I shout. "Let me out of here!"

A chill sweeps down the nape of my neck; I end up shivering so badly I leap into the air, but I turn on the spot in the same time, and nearly faint at what I now see.

"You need to wake up, Kari."

A beautiful woman, dressed in a long gown and composed of light, herself, has appeared in the room. I can't make out any discerning features – is she anyone that I know? She has long hair, and a thin face; she's rather short for an adult, too. I end up stumbling back from her in the same moment that she'd reached out toward me, and she then draws it back.

"Who are you?" I ask again, more softly. I make out the shadow of a smile on her glowing face, thin and almost... forced.

"A memory," she answers. "Not for long, I hope. If I tell you, it will hurt you."

So she's not an enemy, I realize, still squinting at her, uncertain.

"But I want to know. Please, tell me who you are?"

And her smile widens. When she moves toward me, I don't move; I don't flinch. I let her raise her hand to brush against my cheek, and then, to press her lips against my forehead. My whole body tenses. This is... chakra? I... I know this chakra? How do I know this chakra?

She draws back again, smiling only inches from my face now. "Goodbye, Kari. For now."

This time, I know I've awakened for sure because I've opened my eyes in time to realize my lower half has been submerged in the pond. It must've been when I'd fainted. Some kind of plant tickles my leg, and with an ache through my bones, I pull them out, back onto the grass, sighing.

It's... blurry. Whatever happened, w-whatever I'd just seen, it's almost like it'd been just a dream. The woman made of light... her purpose? Her reason? Had she been the one to... to bring me wherever I'd gone? That place had been so familiar, but not.

I wince when my forearms begin to prick, blistering and welting from the effect of my Jutsu, like lightning bolts have replaced my nerves. I want to grab them, hold them, comfort the pain tearing through them, but even the lightest brushing of my fingertips against my skin has me tearing up, unable to take it. When I try to stand, I only end up collapsing backwards onto my backside, a sob escaping me.

Oh, it hurts, I'm thinking, over and over through my thoughts. My head buzzing and eyes blurry, I look all around me. Thankfully – er, perhaps – it's now morning, so the sun of dawn has brightened the clearing, reflecting on the water's surface to provide more of a glow than anything else. Across the pond sits a patch of long-growing plants, with its head shaped like a small lily pad.

"Gotu kola," I realize, thankful for its appearance. It's a plant that doesn't grow anywhere near the Land of Snow because it's technically a water plant. I suppose that deciding to train with this Fire scroll in the Land of Waves is probably for the best; if it weren't for this injury, I would've really rather continued to practice getting a hand on it before we go home.

Maybe it grows near that small lake where we did the bell test, I wonder, awhile forcing myself onto my feet.

Avoiding any contact with my arms, I shuffle uncomfortably to the opposite side of the shore, shoulders stiffened. Upon reaching the gotu kola, I quickly pluck them, minding as much strain on my arms as possible, and ridding them of their roots. It's only the above-ground part of the plant that works, so I shove a handful into my mouth to mash them up into a thick paste before spitting them evenly onto my burns.

"Ahh..." I sigh again in relief. "It h-hurts, but it's not as painful," I note aloud. And then it dawns on me that I've been gone from the others for the entire evening. Panic washes over me and briefly drowns out the pain when I scramble onto my feet, kicking up bits of the earth on my hurry back toward Mister Tazuna's home.

When it finally comes into view, my throat tightens. A light is on inside; from the kitchen, I think. Does that mean someone's just getting up? I wonder, finally reaching the front door. I carefully twist the handle so as not to alarm them, and I'm blinded by the artificial light that floods my vision. Blinking quickly to adjust to it, my worst fear is realized when I spot Kakashi-sensei sitting at the table, an orange-covered book in his one hand, chin in his other palm.

"G-Good morning, Kakashi-sensei," I stutter, shutting the door behind me. I slide further into the kitchen, my arms tucked behind me, clasped tightly, and hidden from his view. Keeping them hidden underneath the table, I slide onto the chair across from him. "What... are you doing up so early?"

"Oh, just doing some light reading," he answers, turning to the next page, "and, waiting for you." I feel myself beginning to sweat, so I decide on a risky attempt to draw any attention away from me and onto anything else. "Where have you been all night?"

"O-Oh, just a little more training," I say, almost too quickly, and I internally curse myself for being such a terrible liar. "What's your book about?"

Kakashi-sensei chuckles. "Nothing that someone of your age should be worrying over," he replies. I frown at his response.

"C'mon, Sensei, I'm just curious," I mumble. "What's so bad about it?"

Sighing, he holds the book up just long enough for me to read the words covering the synopsis and – "Ew, that's disgusting!" I exclaim, almost too loudly. "What kind of book is that? It's so... vulgar! Who would write a book about people kissing a-and..." I can't bring myself to repeat any of the other words I'd seen.

"Disgusting," he repeats, almost sadly.

"Wait a minute, I've seen those books around the village before!" People with red faces and flustered responses when they were caught wearing them – I never knew what they were about, but now it makes sense! "I'm sorry to tell you this, Kakashi-sensei, but you are a pervert."

He sighs again and puts the book away.

"So that's what you're up to, trying to distract me from those arms of yours."

"M-My arms?" I accidentally repeat with a stutter. Will he get mad that I'd tried practicing the Jutsu without supervision? He doesn't even know about the scrolls. But I won't be able to hide them anyway. Even if I bandage them, there's obviously going to be some suspicion from him.

So, rather than lie or disregard him, I sigh, and raise my arms onto the table carefully. Leaning further over the table, his one visible eyebrow raised, he examines my injuries, a bit of red peeking out from under the layer of green from the plant salve. Eventually, Kakashi-sensei sighs at me.

"And this is why I had the four of you practice chakra control. Clearly, you haven't gotten it, after all."

"But I made it to the top!" I argue, possibly a little too loudly. With my next words, I decide to whisper. "I made it to the top, Kakashi-sensei – you said if we did, we could master any Jutsu!"

"Then you definitely haven't learned anything if you thought it'd happen just like that," he says. Reaching behind him and into one of his packs, he suddenly pulls out a small vial filled with white fluid and slides it to me from over the table. "Liquid bromelain. I always keep it handy, though I haven't had to use it for a long time – it should help with the pain from the burns without any side effects."

Gingerly, I take it from his fingers.

"Drink up," he says. "It's all I have on me, though, but I'm sure you can always have some of that willow bark you're so good at making." My stomach seems to curdle at the thought of having to – our Sensei must've gone through some extra suffering through the medicine I'd made for him; my carelessness is his coincidental payback. "There's nothing we can do about the burn, itself, but this, at least, should help until we get back to the village."

I nod. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

"In the meantime," he goes on, "you should get some sleep before everyone has to be up in a couple of hours; you'll need all the rest you can."

"I really don't think I'm going to be all that useful today, Sensei," I remind him, shrugging with both arms.

"Maybe not, but there's still opportunities to learn, and that's something I think you could use lots of."

Admitting the day's defeat, I uncap the vial and chug back the bromelain, my tongue and throat burning as it goes down. It's like a pineapple, I realize, crossing over to the sink to wash it down with a glass of water. Thanking Kakashi-sensei one last time, I return to my sleeper's bag in our shared room, tiptoeing across the floor between Sasuke and Sakura, and slipping under the top layer, leaving my arms to rest on top of it. Despite having already slept for several hours at the bank of the pond, I'm still so exhausted, and my eyelids feel as heavy as my arms do.

I hadn't even realized I'd passed out until I hear a shriek from my right that scares me back into consciousness. The first thing I notice is how much brighter the room is from when I'd lied down – several hours must have passed since then. The next thing my tired brain registers is Sakura hovering over me from her sleeper's bag, her eyes wide and lips parted in horror.

"Sakura," I mumble, and I rub my eyes on the back of my hands, "what's the matter?"

"What the heck is on your arms?!" she exclaims, gesturing at them sharply.

I end up yawning before I can properly answer, "It's... a medicine plant," I explain, still almost fully asleep. "I burned myself last night; it's supposed to soothe it..."

"Burn? What burn? There's nothing on there except for this green mush."

Her words have my eyes flying open in shock. "What burn?" I sit up quickly, my arms falling flat in front of me. My lips part in absolute confusion when I discover – "They're gone," I breathe. "How are they gone?"

"How did you burn yourself, Kari?" she asks me, her voice dropping a couple of octaves. "And how is it you're healed already if it just happened?"

"I... was trying to practice a Ninjutsu and I screwed up," I explain, still slightly bitter from the event. "I put this stuff on, and Kakashi-sensei gave me something for the pain, but that was only two hours ago, so... there's no way it would work that fast, even if they could."

"How strange," she says, a hand on her chin. Then, she drops it, and on her face is a frown. "Are you... really okay? I..." I'm surprised when she suddenly looks away from me. "I feel weird asking you... and talking to you... ever since the day of the graduation exam."

"Huh?" I blink at her. "W-Why? D-Did I do something to upset you?"

"Well... you got really mad at a bunch of us... and then, we got put on the same team together." I nod, urging her to continue. "A-And I'll admit! I wasn't really happy about it!" I deflate a little at her words. "But... I know you're close with Naruto, somehow. You were just... being his friend. I just wanted to say... I-I'm sorry, if I've made you feel uncomfortable. I was still mad."

In my mind, I can only feel my own frustration bubbling, wanting to come out in words I wouldn't normally use on a person. Not on a stranger, not on Makara-sensei, and now, not on my friends and teammates. I decide not to sugar coat them, this time.

"Well, since we're talking about our feelings," I start, "what you and the other girls almost did to him because of a misunderstanding... I wasn't happy about that, either. It was childish, and you could've really hurt him. You and everyone else in that class may have known him a lot longer than I have, but I'm more than sure I know him better than all of you. You all treated him terribly, and this was just in the couple of months that I've been here. So, whatever you and everyone else did before I arrived? I don't want to hear about it; I don't want apologies for that, especially when they're not for me to receive – they'd be for Naruto.

"He's a good person, Sakura. He's someone who can use a good chastising sometimes, sure, and maybe even a good smack to bring him back in line, but he's a way better person than you and the others give him credit for. I-I'm not used to having friends, or people I'm close to – Naruto is the first person I met that I became friends with. I cherish him more than anything I know or anything I own. So, thank you, for apologizing to me. You need to apologize to him, too."

I stand up, surprised to find all the pain from my arms gone when I use them to steady myself, and cross over to the doorway.

"But... if you or anyone else treats him badly for an unnecessary reason, and this includes Sasuke—" who, I've just realized, is not in the room with us "—there won't be any forgiveness."

The kitchen is occupied by the others when Sakura and I leave the room for it, save for Naruto. She doesn't say a word to me about it, nor does she make much eye contact – I worry that I've frightened her more than I meant to.

Fear is a healthy thing to have, Kari, I can hear Makara-sensei telling me in the back of my head. I refrain from snorting on my way into my seat.

Having made a detour to the sink to rinse off the salve, I note that Tsunami has just finished cooking breakfast when I join the others – she sets a plate down with several slices of toast on it, next to an assortment of spreads and condiments. A pot of tea, a plate of steaming fish, a bowl of couscous and a bowl of fruit I don't recognize are already there waiting for them. When I sit, I try to avoid Kakashi-sensei's knowing eye – why is it your skin isn't flaked and charred anymore? Why is it pink and scarred? I'm sure is what he'd like to ask.

I, for one, would love to know, too.

"Here," Tsunami says, upon setting them down. I smile gratefully at her before pulling three slices onto my own plate and grabbing the butter knife next to it for the marmalade.

"Naruto's not here?" Mister Tazuna notes, looking down the table. "Looks like he was out all night again."

"I worry he's used too much of his energy again," I mumble, frowning toward Kakashi-sensei, who only shrugs at me.

"Well, I certainly hope he's okay," Tsunami says. "A child spending the night in the woods alone..."

"There's nothing to worry about," Kakashi-sensei assures her. "Naruto's a goofy kid, but he's also a full-fledged Ninja. He can handle himself."

"Kari's right," Sasuke says, looking down at his laced together fingers. "Naruto's such a loser; he's probably lying dead out there."

I set my knife down against my plate and it clinks loudly, prompting him to look my way.

"He's dedicated," I say. "There's nothing wrong with that. He's not dead. Don't joke like that."

Too much confrontation and I shrivel up like a raisin in the sun – except when it comes to Naruto. I don't back down, I won't, not from those mothers from the end of the exam, not from Sakura, and certainly not from Sasuke. I don't care who. After knowing Naruto for Naruto, regardless of what I'd learned is sealed inside him... I refuse to let anyone talk down at or about him.

After a minute long staring competition between Sasuke and myself, I silently declare myself the winner when he pushes himself away from the table and out of his chair.

"Sasuke?" Sakura calls after him. He pauses at the door to slip his sandals on.

"I'm going for a walk," he says, and he leaves the house. Sakura frowns.

"But we just started eating...?" Well, that may have been true, but Sasuke had most definitely been the one to just finish. All that remains on his plate is a few crumbs and the bread crusts. Sakura's eye twitches. "That was fast."

A walk, huh? That's quite the likely story. While not for long at all, I'd like to think I know Sasuke well enough to guess that the moment he heard Naruto had been out all night training, he probably took off to do so, too. After what I'd done at the pond behind Mister Tazuna's home, I should be doing the same exact thing.

By some mysterious miracle, my injuries had been reduced to lumpy pink patches of scar tissue staining my pale skin. How, it still frightens me. It's almost similar to when I'd been cut on my face in the beginning of my journey – the wound hadn't been deep at all, but Kakashi-sensei had reacted in a way that I still vividly think about, even three days later. At least that one didn't scar me. But why did it seem like such an issue?

Stretching my arms out all around me, I lead the way with Sakura and Kakashi-sensei with me into the clearing within the forest we'd done our training, searching high and low for Naruto and Sasuke, but the moment I step into the patch of sunlit grass in front of me, a kunai is flung down at my feet. I'm immediately pulling out my own, eyes wide and arm thrown out at an unprepared Sakura to protect her – is it Zabuza? Or that tracker? Or both?! Covering my eyes to block my eyes from the sun and look up to the trees, I force them to adjust to the light quickly before I'm able to take a breath of relief.

Grinning cheekily, his body stretched out along the length of one of the branches, it's Naruto. Since we've practiced yesterday, in between his initial markings with the kunai Kakashi-sensei had lent him and his most recent slice, there's a meter-long space with absolutely no knife carvings whatsoever.

"Whoa," Sakura breathes; I gape in awe, unable to do the same. "Naruto can climb that high now using his chakra? That's great!"

"What do you think?" he calls down to us. "High enough for ya?" He pushes himself onto his feet and places his hands on his hips cockily. And, once he had, I only sigh at him, coming to bet that he won't be up there much longer. But, at the last second, Naruto places his hands together to refocus his chakra to dangle upside-down like Kakashi-sensei had earlier in our lessons.

"Ha, just kidding!" he jeers with a cackle. My hands fall at my sides, my lungs having deflated all at once, leaving me dizzy and clenching my teeth. "You guys really fell for it!"

"We were worried about you, Naruto!" Sakura screeches at him, fists raised at him.

"That wasn't funny, at all!" I add, furious. "What if you'd actually fallen?!"

"Why do I think this is going to end badly?" Kakashi-sensei wonders aloud, and almost as if on cue, jinxed by his words, Naruto loses his foot. Completely out of nowhere, Sasuke suddenly emerges from the trees, and grabs Naruto by his ankle with his feet planted firmly on the underneath of the branch.

"You really are a total loser, Naruto," he says with a roll of his eyes.

"Eh? Sasuke?!" Naruto growls at him. Sakura squeals in delight; I sigh in relief and plop down in the grass.

"If I'm still sane by the time I finish their training, it'll be a miracle," I hear our Sensei say, and I nod, several times.

"You and me both, Sensei," I mumble.

"Now they're both late. I wouldn't have expected that from Sasuke."

Sakura had been sulking. We never returned to Mister Tazuna's home for lunch, and we'd even decided to postpone dinner so we could eat together, in case they'd finished late. I'd been hoping they'd come back earlier, but since it's already eleven after eight, over three hours later than the normal eating time...

"At least they're dedicated," I remind myself from earlier with a grumble, sliding my chin into my palm. Not only am I starving, but I'm also worried about them. They already didn't get much rest or food into them as they should've – I push myself up out of my chair rather abruptly, startling the others, about to run out and check on them, when both Naruto and Sasuke burst into the house, supporting each other.

"What have you been up to?" Mister Tazuna asks them. "You look like something the cat dragged in."

"We... we both made it," Naruto pants, looking out at us. "We climbed all the way to the top!"

"Good!" Kakashi-sensei says, giving them his one-eyed smile. "Now, we move on – starting tomorrow, you're both bodyguards for Mister Tazuna."

"Alright!" Launching his fist through the air causes them to lose their balance, Naruto sends the both of them toppling over to the ground. Sasuke audibly glowers at him in response.

"You are such a loser!" he shouts.

I share a laugh with everyone around the table. Everyone, except for Inari. For the past several days we've been here, all he's done is glare down at his half-eaten plate. He barely says a word while we're here now, opting to be silent in our presence. Knowing what we know about his father and his feelings toward us being here, I only worry more and more about him.

Tsunami has sent Naruto and Sasuke to wash themselves up in the meanwhile, and it's only a few minutes later that they're rushing back down the hallway, shoving and pushing at each other in order to be the first one to make it to the table. They end up sitting at the same time, Sasuke next to Inari, and Naruto between Kakashi-sensei and myself.

We don't wait another second to start eating, and in no time, our delicious meal is devoured.

"In a few days, the bridge will be finished," Mister Tazuna tells us, sticking the last of his cubed salmon into his mouth. "I have you to thank for that."

"You've all done great, but you've still got to be careful," Tsunami reminds us.

"I..." Mister Tazuna sighs. "I've been meaning to ask you this, but I haven't had the chance until now." He shuts his eyes. "Why did you stay and protect me even after you found out I lied to bring you here?"

""Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage, but under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive"," Kakashi-sensei says, folding his arms over his chest. That was a quote from the First Hokage."

"... b-but why?" comes a small voice from the end of the table. Looking to Inari, I'm shocked to find tears rolling down his face.

"Wha'djya say?" Naruto asks, and Inari slams his hands down on top of his tears.

"All of this stupid training is just a waste of time!" he barks, glaring at him. "Gatō's got a whole army! They'll beat you down and they'll destroy you! These cool things you all say, they don't mean anything! No matter what you do, the strong always win and the w-weak always lose!"

"Just speak for yourself," Naruto says, looking away from him. "It won't be like that for me, got that?"

"Why don't you be quiet!? Just looking at you makes me sick! You don't know anything about this country; you're just butting in! Always laughing and playing around, you don't know what it's like to suffer and be treated like dirt!"

I can see it in his face before he even speaks – something's been set off in Naruto, no doubt about it. Of course, Inari most definitely isn't the only one to know of pain. Mister Tazuna and Tsunami lost Kaiza, too. Sasuke lost his clan. Naruto lost his parents. And I don't know about Sakura and Kakashi-sensei, but I'm sure there's something that's been taken from them, too. Pain is universal in this world, that's all I know.

"Listen to yourself, whining and complaining like some sorry little victim," I'm surprised to hear Naruto say at him. Inari gasps. "You can whimper all day for all I care. You're nothing but a coward."

"Naruto, you went too far!" Sakura chastises him when Inari does whimper. Grumbling, Naruto pushes himself away from the table and stalks out of the kitchen.

"Naruto..." I'm sighing now, slumping further into my chair.

I... can't even bring myself to disagree with his words. I might've said something like it, too, albeit much less abrasively. With it being much too obvious that no one ever sat down properly with him to talk about Kaiza's death, it's clear that Inari doesn't know what to do with all of his emotions and negativities toward anybody in a position of strength like a Ninja is.

Me, well, I'd been raised by a hard, no-nonsense woman. Makara-sensei was rarely soft and unguarded with her feelings in front of me. While she tried teaching me to be the same, because one day I'd have to be, I can still admit to being a touchy-feeling, soft kind of person. It's not easy for me to not be emotional. But I'd been taught to have a mental and emotional capacity in order to deal with those emotions. Inari wasn't.

I sigh once more, my eyes following after Inari as he runs out of the kitchen in the opposite direction.

Following dinner, I'd offered to clean up the dishes as a thanks to Tsunami for cooking it. The others, as far as I know, have gone off to rest and relax before bed, despite Sakura offering to help me clean. And as I finish the last bowl and set it to drip dry on the dishrack, I'm thinking that maybe I should've accepted her offer – I nearly forgot how much I hate doing dishes.

When I'm done, it's already after ten in the evening. My teammates and Kakashi-sensei are already in their sleeper bags, Naruto snoring up a storm and Sakura murmuring something with a creepy giggle. Stifling a laugh, I'm about to join them, when I see a small figure sitting out on the deck through the side door to Mister Tazuna's home. Moving closer to it, I realize it's Inari, as I'd thought.

Carefully and quietly, I push open the screen door, wearing a thin smile for him when he turns around, the skin under his dark eyes puffy and red.

"Hi," I say, letting the door swing close behind me. "It's a little late for you to be out here all alone, isn't it?"

Turning back to the water, he wraps his arms around his legs, hiding his face in his knees.

"So?" I hear his muffled response.

"May I join you, then?" And he shrugs, a slight movement. I lower myself onto the edge of the deck, my legs dangling over water's surface. A small wave ripples and brushes up against my toes. I flinch from the cold of it.

Inari sitting out here and looking out at the water – it only reminds me of how I sit on the roof of my new home and look up at the stars. Back in the Hidden Snow, we scarcely saw them – instead, the sky was always bright with the aurora lights that danced in the dark. In the Hidden Leaf, I'd been surprised at how bright they were when I first saw them. Somehow, they seem even more so in the Land of Waves. I wonder why.

"Um..." I palm at my thighs, rubbing away the anxious sweat that'd gathered in them. "I know... Naruto's a little outspoken. He's not good at holding back, even with me, but... he doesn't hate you, if you're thinking that." When Inari doesn't say anything, I keep speaking.

"Your grandfather told us what happened," I say quietly. "To your father, I mean." I catch his back stiffen. "You know, Naruto didn't grow up with his father, or his mother. Ever since I moved to his village, I've seen what unkindness people have given him and tried giving to him. People are terrible to other people – I never considered that would be a possibility. But Naruto didn't have many friends, either."

With all of this, it looks like I've caught some of his interest – he's looked up at me from the space between his hat and his arm.

"This isn't about me in the slightest, but... I didn't have my parents raising me, either. My grandmother did. Now, all three of them are gone. At the very least, my grandmother made sure I knew love, e-even if her version of it was extremely stale..." I chuckle wryly at this. "Naruto never knew love from anyone in his family; he's always been alone. I feel guilty... whenever I tell him stories about her, because he's never known such a wonderful feeling like being loved by a family member, but even still, he's never cried or given up on anything that's been thrown his way." I smile out at the sea, my eyes settling on the moon being reflected off the water. "He's so strong! I suppose I really admire him for that."

I lean back now, my hands holding me up.

"All he's ever wanted is to be respected by everyone. It's his dream. I know he'd do anything, anything, to achieve that dream. He'll never talk about it with anyone, even me, probably, but... I know he must be tired of being sad. I know I was. I know he wants things to be different.

"We're all kids, and we're all still learning about everything – you, especially, Inari, since you're even younger than us. But like your father did, Naruto knows what it means to be brave and strong, not only for his own sake, but now, for others. He's probably the only one who really knows what you're going through, Inari."

I glance down at him to find his head slightly turned to me, his little eyes watching my face. I make my smile a little brighter for him.

"I know that what Naruto said earlier to you was quite harsh. But you know what?" And I pat his head through his bucket hat, him flinching slightly when I do. "He's definitely said those same words to himself hundreds of times."

By the time we've all woken up and eaten breakfast, Naruto's the only one of us who hasn't, still unconscious from having worked himself too hard all day yesterday.

"Alright, then," Kakashi-sensei says, "we leave that one in your hands. Naruto's pushed his body to the limit, overdoing it, as usual. He might now be able to move today at all."

"What about you?" Tsunami says, pointing at him. "You're still recovering, yourself."

"Why, do I look wobbly?" he inquires with a smile. "I'll be okay."

"C'mon," Mister Tazuna interrupts, motioning for us to follow along. "Let's go!"

As we leave, I can feel Tsunami's stare on our backs. I know she's worried – worried about her father, worried that that Gatō will make an appearance. The possibility of Zabuza and that Tracker Ninja returning is a much scarier thought, though I'm sure she's scared about that, too.

When I look back at the house, I find Tsunami with her hands clasped together, bowed toward the ground in prayer.

"Wha – what is this?!" Mister Tazuna gasps, nearly falling into me when he stumbles backwards from shock. Looking around him, my own lips part in horror at the several dead bodies now lying on the unfinished bridge. "What happened?! Someone was here; someone got to them!"

"Could it be?" Kakashi-sensei says aloud. Just then, in the corner of my eye, a wisp of thick fog floats by.

"Sensei!" I announce, gesturing at it. "The fog!"

"Sasuke! Sakura! Kari! Get ready."

We all stand back-to-back, Mister Tazuna in the middle of our battle formation, and take out a kunai each. I grit my own teeth, my body trembling slightly – fear? Anticipation? I want to help make Zabuza pay, if only somehow. With the tree-and-chakra training we'd done, I might now be able to use my Taijutsu on him this time.

Might being the very, very key word here.

"Kakashi-sensei, it's Zabuza, isn't it?" Sakura asks. "This is his Hidden Mist Jutsu."

"Sorry I kept you waiting, Kakashi," an unfortunately familiar voice calls from within the fog. "I see you've still got those brats with you. And that one's still shaking? Pitiful."

Several Water Clones of Zabuza appear around us from nearly every angle, wielding their swords over their shoulders. For some reason, I'm plagued with a strange sense of deja-vu. How did I even know they were Water Clones? Sasuke chuckles.

"I'm trembling with excitement," he corrects him.

"Go on, Sasuke," Kakashi-sensei says, smiling back at him. As one of Zabuza's clones swings its blade, it only takes Sasuke a second to dispatch them all back into liquid.

"Oh, so you could see they were Water Clones, huh?" I look ahead after Sasuke to find the real Zabuza standing next to that masked boy from the other day. "The brat's improving – looks like you've got a rival, Haku."

"So it seems," the boy, Haku, agrees, hidden by his mask.

"Well, well, I had it right." Kakashi-sensei sets his shoulders back. "It was all just an act."

"An act?" Mister Tazuna repeats, sounding shocked.

"And a cute little mask," Kakashi-sensei adds. Sakura shrieks, surprised.

"Big phony," Sasuke says.

"So, being a Tracker Ninja was a lie, after all," I realize aloud. Our Sensei nods.

"They look pretty chummy to me. I'd say they've been pulling scams like that for a long time."

"He's got some nerve facing us after pulling that trick!" Sakura says through gritted teeth.

"And hiding behind a mask – who does he think he's fooling?" I deadpan at our own masked team leader.

"Speak for yourself, Sensei," I grumble.

"That's it – I'm taking him out," Sasuke interrupts. "Who does he think he's fooling, hiding behind that mask like some sort of clown?"

"Sasuke, you're so cool!" Sakura gushes. I send her a look of exasperation.

In a blink of an eye, Haku appears in front of Sasuke in a whirl of wind. Sasuke, with his kunai still brandished, stops Haku's rotation in time for it to meet one of his own senbon.

They're both so fast, I think.

"Sakura, Kari, cover Mister Tazuna!" Kakashi-sensei orders. "And stay close to me." Nodding quickly, we jump on either side of our bridge-builder, ready to go. "Let Sasuke handle this."

"We want the bridge builder," Haku says, fending Sasuke's kunai almost too easily, "not you. If you back down, I won't have to kill you."

"Save it," Sasuke says, smirking while deflecting Haku's weapon.

"You're making a mistake," Haku says, and I'm shocked to catch a hint of concern in his tone. "You won't be able to keep up with my speed!" When Sasuke continues to refuse, I hear Haku sigh. "I've already gained two key advantages."

"Yeah?" Sasuke challenges. "And what are they?"

"First, we're surrounded by water. Second, I've blocked one of your hands; therefore, you only have one free hand to defend yourself." I'm stunned when Haku starts making single-handed hand signs.

Is that even a thing?! I'm yelling in my thoughts now. Making hand signs with only one hand?!

"Secret Jutsu: A Thousand Needles of Death."

From the ground surrounding our feet, the water from Zabuza's clones form into crystalized senbon needles, just as the name of the Jutsu suggests, once Haku has stamped his foot into the ground.

"Sasuke!" Sakura shouts from beside me. Kakashi-sensei gasps, while Sasuke has placed his only free hand in a sign just as similar.

Haku jumps away to avoid the volley, and Sasuke, the same, both high into the air above the bridge. Reaching into his pack, Sasuke flings several shuriken at Haku, who slides back even further.

"You're not as fast as you think!" he shouts at him. "From this point on, you'll be the one defending against my attacks."

They split apart from each other, spinning on their heels, but Sasuke is just slightly faster, able to block Haku's left arm and throw a kunai at him, forcing him to bend out of the way. Sasuke must've expected to have to dodge like that and launches his foot at him as a follow-through. It connects with his mask-covered jaw and sends Haku flying backwards before a trembling Zabuza.

"Thought you were quicker, huh?" Sasuke says. "Now, what else are you wrong about?"

"You made a big mistake offending these Ninja and calling them "brats"," Kakashi-sensei calls to Zabuza. "That's just guaranteed to bring out Sasuke's attitude, and he's the best young fighter of the Hidden Leaf Village." He motions to his right. "And Sakura here is our sharpest mind.

"Kari is our very own Taijutsu prodigy," he adds, gesturing at me, and my heart instantly swells, my face burning with pride. "And last, but not least, our Number One, Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja, is Naruto Uzumaki."

With our Sensei's comment fresh in my mind, I decide to keep a closer eye on Haku, who's pushed himself onto his knees. I'm being counted on. To protect Mister Tazuna and my team; to fight and win when I need to. I won't disappoint them.

"Haku, if we keep going like this, we'll be the victims instead of them," Zabuza says, chuckling almost mischievously. "Get on with it!"

Haku, now on his feet, suddenly starts glowing with a blue light. I narrow my eyes at it, nervous.

"Just... what is that?" I wonder aloud, cautiously taking several steps toward Sasuke, finally joining him at his side.

"I... I'm sorry it's come to this," I just barely catch Haku say, and he hunches forward, his head hung toward the ground.

"Yeah," Sasuke says. "It's... so cold."

I watch, my eyes wide and in focus as Haku starts forming more and more hand signs. One thing I notice is the reversal of one of the hand signs, the one for "tiger" – his index and middle finger have swapped positions. An odd chill abruptly fills the air, and within me, almost like... a physical premonition? A... foreboding? It confuses me, almost like those footsteps in the forest back home the night of Mizuki's betrayal. It's chakra. And a lot of it.

"Secret Jutsu!" From the remaining water, large slabs of ice begin to take their shape around us over our heads, steadily increasing in number and dropping toward the ground like a dome. "Crystal Ice Mirrors!" I'm about to brace myself for an attack when I'm suddenly shoved far away from Sasuke by Sasuke, and out of bounds of the strange ice dome.

"Why did you do that?!" I shout at him, terrified.

"What is that?" I head Kakashi-sensei shout. "How does it work?!"

From outside of the ice dome where I watch, frozen, Haku steps backward, and into one of the slabs of ice, appearing to appear on the inside of it –

"Like a mirror," I realize, gulping. Desperate, I try forcing my body between the ice slabs, but there's no give, and no room for me to even start forcing my way back inside with Sasuke.

"Now, we'll begin," Haku says, his voice almost echoing from within the dome. "I'll show you what speed really means."

"Damn it!" I shout, quickly backing away from the ice mirrors. Channeling my strength into my legs, I rush at them, maneuvering myself into a corkscrew before slamming my heel into the slab. A foreign pain bursts through all the bones of my chosen leg and I collapse backwards, falling onto my other knee. "Sasuke!"

As I'd feared, he can't react in time to avoid Haku's barrage of senbon. They appear from all within the dome, at all angles, and Sasuke tries to avoid it, he does, but there's just too many, and they reach him before he can get high enough into the air! I grimace when he cries out in pain, my lips trembling in horror when Sasuke's forced to cover his head with his hands. The kunai from before flies out of his grip, clattering along the ground until it joins me on the opposite side of the ice mirror dome.

"Sasuke!" Sakura yells from a little ways behind me. I swallow the stone from my throat and look down at Sasuke's kunai before taking it into my own hands, gripping it tightly. With Haku's attention on an injured Sasuke, and Sakura effectively protecting Mister Tazuna, and Kakashi-sensei being evenly occupied by Zabuza... what I can... what only I can do... is take my place where I'm most needed to help my team.

Forcing myself to my feet, I run back to the others.

"You've got good aim, right, Sakura?" I call, stowing Sasuke's kunai into my pouch after weighing it in my hand carefully. "I never really had a chance to perfect doing this yet, but... I need to help Sasuke, so there's no need for a good mark on it."

"What do you want to do?" she asks me, nodding. I pat the pouch; it only takes a moment for her to realize after this. She turns to Mister Tazuna. "Forgive me, but I'll have to leave for a moment," she says.

"I understand," Mister Tazuna says, looking between us. "Go, now!"

Without another word, I perform the three hand signs necessary, focusing my chakra to flood my entire body before executing the Transformation Jutsu.

"Naruto and Sasuke aren't the only ones who can pull off an awesome joint attack!" I shout.

I've turned myself into a kunai and entrusted myself to Sakura before I land on the ground. I can feel her hand around me, my poorly-transformed, kunai-shaped self, and sense her running forward before I'm released from her grasp and flung through the space of two of the ice mirrors.

In the split second that passes once my kunai self passes through my mark, Haku grabs me, having stuck an arm out of one of the mirrors. I release the Transformation Jutsu, now grinning when I've latched onto his arm, my feet planted on either side of his mirrors to prevent him from retreating back inside the safety of it.

He sure can put up a good fight! I think, annoyed.

"Kari!" I hear Sasuke shout.

My smirk grows even wider when, suddenly, two shuriken whizz past my head and rebound harshly off Haku's mask. It catches him off-guard, giving me the perfect opportunity when he'd briefly stopped paying attention to me, to wrench him fully out of the mirror. Somewhat dangling through the air, a grunt escapes me when I've kicked him in his side and down to the ground, and I join him a second later. Taking out my own kunai, I point it down at Haku before looking to Sasuke, who's still in the exact same position as he'd been when I'd entered the ice mirror dome.

"Wait, then who threw those shuriken?" I say, confused. And then, I see it – him, actually. I never thought I could possibly be happier to see my best friend.

In the corner of my eye, Haku's own leg extends to land his own return hit on me, but I'm able to dodge him, only barely, almost miscalculating just how long his legs are compared to mine. I land next to Sasuke, who seems to be stuck in a wince from his injuries and watch Haku shakily pull himself back up to his feet.

""Number One, Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja"," I hear Haku seethe as I begin pulling the less deep senbon from Sasuke body.

From outside the dome, he chuckles. "Naruto Uzumaki is here – believe it!"

Updated June 4th, 2021 | 8,219 words