Just now, she promised to never show her face again, as long they let her sleep. There was a knock at the door, but the girl wasn't having it. She pulled the blanket over her head to block out the sound of the knock and the ray of light that struck from between the window panels and at her face.
They knocked, again. Surely, they would get tired, soon. Her bed was solace from the judgemental eyes of the villagers. A promise was a promise. Such luck to have, to be hated enough that people let her sleep.
Or so she thought.
KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCK!
They knocked more, and with no sign of stopping, their knock went rampant, one after another. The girl threw off her blanket and sat up. As she snarled toward the noise, she took a few heavy breaths.
"What do you want?! People are trying to sleep!"
The knock kept on, even as her steps matched the loudness of them and she opened the door. When she opened the door, the man's hand reached toward her head and knocked on that, as if her head was the door.
"Hello?! Fu?! Are you there?! Why do you always take forever to open the door? Are you in there?"
"Yoro!" Fu swatted his hand away from her forehead like a fly. "What do you want at this time of morning?!"
He leaned to match her height to observe her face. "It's twelve."
She mouthed a silent oh.
Yoru held his hands up. "What gives?"
'"So what if I sleep all morning? It's not like I have class. Or parents. Or friends, even."
"Doesn't mean you should just let yourself waste away in your hut."
"Hey, some people would like if I did that."
He rolled his eyes as he straightened back up. "An eleven-year-old shouldn't be a hermit. Did you forget that Lord Shibuki had assigned you a task while he's in the Leaf Village?"
"Uhhh…" Her eyes bugged out as she looked down and scratched her head. "Is he back?"
"Not yet."
"Then - I could do it now? Just let me eat and - "
"I'll meet you at the Ninja Center."
"Okie-dokie."
After Yoro left, her stomach growled. She peeked into her fridge. Empty. She groaned and let the door shut on its own as she stood.
"Just my luck… oh, wait!"
She opened a cabinet and found a few apples. It was Shibuki who got her food, so she ran low while he was gone on a democracy trip the past several days.
After she left the house, she sucked in her cheeks and gazed back at it She lived on the outskirt, and where she needed to be was on the other side of the Takigakure. Her hut was actually near the main entrance of the village. If she could focus her ears, she could hear the thrash of the waterfall. It was one of the elements that hid her village, the other were ridges that almost scraped the sky.
Yoro and Kegon hated coming all the way to her hut. It was out of the way, and the only one who could easily access her home was herself.
Green, glittery chakra appeared at her lower-back, and out popped two insect wings. With a slow ascend, she flew up toward the roots of the colossal Holy Tree that hid them, only so she could fly over the village and avoid any interaction with the people down there.
She saw each building, every person walking by, each kid at play, even the Shinto shrine under near the lake that surrounded the trunk of Holy Tree. Further beyond, right by Shibuki's residence, was the top of the ninja center. She landed on a ceiling patio and walked down the stairs.
"Kegon? Yoro? I'm heeere!"
"Why don't you ever just walk like a normal person?" Someone out of breath asked.
In the corner, at an obscure corner, a sweaty, out of breath Yoro sat.
Fu chortled. "Did you just get here?"
"No!" He struggled to say.
"Where's Kegon at?"
"I guess he got tired of waiting and went ahead to the cavern system below. Come on."
"The cavern system?! But I hate caves! No way. They're cramped and dark!"
"If you don't, I'll have to tell Lord Shibuki."
She let out a groan, "Okay, okay, you win." She followed him out of the building. It was beyond an abundant amount of foliage and groves. Hidden a distance away from the village.
"What's going on in the cavern system?"
"Something is blocking a stream and it's causing a balance issue between our water sources."
"And how exactly am I supposed to help with that?"
"Some of the caves are… well, they're vertical. Only someone who can fly can go up and down them."
She gawked her mouth, "You're making me fly into a dangerous place like that?"
"We will be there to make sure nothing happens."
She wanted to appreciate him and say thanks, but she felt that the only reason they wanted to protect her was to keep the Seven-Tails in the seal. If she were to die, it would be released and wreak havoc on the village. As such was the story of the last jinchuruki.
"Yeah, wonder why."
"It's not like that and you know it."
For glimpsed at Yoro and saw his intense stare ahead. He was sincere.
She followed him through thick foliage until they finally entered the cave. Dozens of little streams carved into the ground, going in and out of the cave.
"I didn't know there was a back entrance," she said.
"The cave system is a labyrinth. There are actually several entrances that we keep secret, but for some reason, the water in this section is gone. In the middle of the passage is another cave that goes up. We want you to fly up there and check it out."
"How long is the tunnel going upward?"
"I have no idea, actually."
"Oh, great! Goodie!" Just when she felt lucky she could fly, she felt just as unlucky to be put on a mission because she could fly.
Eventually, they arrived at a large hole in the cave that was several yards deep. Fu could barely see puddles of water in it.
"This is the water-cave? Where would the water go?"
He fastened a rope to a huge rock, "Small cracks let the water leak out into and around the village, that's why the soil around the foliage was so damp. For some reason, the water stopped coming into the cave."
Once he threw the rope down the tunnel, he handed her a flashlight. "Be careful going down, and watch your step."
She popped her wings out and was about to descend, but he placed a hand on her shoulder. "And take this."
With his other hand, he handed her a thin headset. "It's a short-distance radio so I can talk to you. Press the button on the side to toggle it on and off."
She placed it on. Once Yoro placed his on, he nodded.
With a deep breath, her wings fluttered. Carefully, she descended until her sandals made contact with the ground. But with a single step, she yelped as she slipped on her ass.
"Fu?! I'm coming down!"
"Wait, don't!"
And like that, Yoro's feet slipped off the wet cave and he face-planted into the wall. Fu clamped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from ejecting a huge laugh that would echo throughout the cave.
"Oh. Well, that hurt," he said with his face against the wall.
Yoro managed to keep hold of the rope, but instead of using the cave's wall as leverage to hop down, he climbed down the rope. It took more time but Yoro was easily embarrassed.
Fu applied chakra to her feet and stood up. She had taught herself how to tree-walk, it was the same concept. The chakra made her feet "sticky," so that way she didn't slip on the cave's wet floor. Once she straightened her back, she rubbed her behind to soothe it from her slip.
Yoru did the same thing with his chakra and walked to Fu.
"You ready? How's your face?" She giggled.
"It's fine," he said through his teeth.
She began to walk through the tunnel while he used his flashlight to lead the way.
"I hope you realize how important you, Fu."
"No one would be able to walk up the cave because it was so slippery. I get it."
"No, I mean to the village. The shinobi of the village and the elders know how important your role is. Not many people could handle the mantle of Jinchuruki."
"I guess." She frowned. She was lucky to have such a role, but it was also unlucky because some people stared at her like a monster. "I just wish I had some friends."
"Go back to the academy, Fu. You may be surprised. The last host wasn't shunned away, just give it time, and you'll make more friends than you can count."
"But what if they're mean to me, again? The students are jerks, and the teacher doesn't believe in 'teaching a weapon how to fight."
"Just give it another shot. I'd wager that once you're a ninja, you'd get missions."
"...Maybe."
He shined his flashlight up to a cave, not as enormous as the one they're in. In fact, she barely had enough room to fly up it. Her pupils dilated at the thought of going up there.
"That cave? I.. I don't know about this. I wouldn't have a lot of wing room."
"You can do it, I believe in you. What would happen if someone found the entrance? They would walk right into our village, and next thing we would know, we're being attacked out of nowhere."
She groaned at the horrible way that was said, but he was right. She got out her flashlight and aimed it up.
"Wish me luck?"
"I'll be here if you need me. Remember, the side button turns on the radio."
"You were supposed to say 'good luck," she mumbled.
She pressed the earpiece button before her wings buzzed and fluttered. Like a magical elevator, she started to ascend up. In regular, outside areas with lots of room, it was better to circle and loop around as she levitated upwards, but there wasn't enough space in the vertical, cavern corridor.
"You alright, Fu?" Yoro asked through the headset.
"As alright as I can be in a terrifying, vertical tunnel. I can't see the top." After a long moment, she saw something. The tunnel wasn't straight up, it started to angle upward. "Uh, Yoro?"
"Yeah? What is it?"
"The cave, it started to curve."
"Can you go up it?"
"I… I think so." With great caution, she flew close the bottom of the curve so her wings wouldn't touch the top. "I can barely fit but I'm going."
Fu looked at the bottom and the top of the angled cave. The sleek, slippery surfaces reflected the flashlight. However, she saw how the sides were closing in, and what they led to.
"Can't we just make a new water system to fill up the cave?"
"Why do you ask?"
"There's only one way to go, and I'm pretty sure it's where the water came from."
"Why can't you go up it?"
"Because... not only is it sideways, but I would have to crawl through it. It's that small."
Silence.
"Yoro?"
"You need to do this."
"But what if it gets even smaller?! It's not like a rescue team would show up for me! And I doubt they would want to.'
"If anything like that happens, I will personally risk my life to come to save you, no matter what."
She whined like a little puppy. "But, how would I see? I need a hand for the flashlight."
"You're going to need to either use one hand or do without."
"No, no, please. Don't do this to me," she whined louder.
"I'll treat you to some food when this is done, how does that sound?"
"You're just going to make Kegon pay." His silence told her she was right, but she sighed. "Fine."
"Be sure to apply chakra to your hands and knees so you'll stick better. Does it still angle up?"
"Yeah, it does, but barely."
After she stuffed the flashlight in her short's pockets, she came closer to the tunnel. It wasn't angled up like the cave behind her, but inclined that she would still fall. Without a sliver of light, she wasn't able to see in the cramped cave.
She funneled chakra to her feet so she could push herself in, and caught herself with the chakra at her hands, feeling for a suitable rock to grab. The knees were a little tricky to funnel chakra toward, but she did her best. If Yoro was small enough, he'd be able to easily do this part.
"I'm crawling up it. Keep talking to me. Please."
"Sure."
"How did you and Kegon meet?"
"We met at the academy, and were on the same team."
The academy was a small building, one teacher, and a few students.
"Who else was on your team?"
"It was Shibuki, we never had an official fourth member."
"Oh."
"You would make a great ninja, Fu."
"No, I wouldn't. I would make a great stay-home, errand girl. Shibuki wouldn't let me leave for missions."
"I'm sure we could convince him."
"You think so?"
"Yes."
She smiled in the dark, "I hope so."
"I think I hear Kegon coming."
"Be sure to tell him how much I hate him."
Her leg slipped and she let out a yelp.
"What's wrong?!"
"I- Yoro, I can't do this! I can't see and I have no idea where I'm going!"
"Don't panic, you'll-
She tried to reach for another rock, but she grabbed too tight, and she fell downward. She screamed and screeched as she tried to claw for leverage. Her headset came off her ear, and she could feel the cavern scrape against her skin.
Tears fell on her cheeks as she grabbed onto the cave for dear life. Time slowed down for her as she tried to claw her hand down into the cavern.
Upcoming events played out in her mind.
She would be shot out of this tunnel. In a desperate attempt, she would try to fly, but because of the short amount of space in the angle cave, she would hit the ceiling and fall down.
Then, she would get flung off the angled cave, and her body would forcefully hit the wall of the cave, and she would be knocked unconscious. Yoro may try to catch her, but even if he managed to do so, she would fall to her death.
And then - the monster would be unleashed.
She shut her eyes as tight as she could. Deep breaths, happy thoughts. Shibuki wouldn't want to see her dead.
With luck, she managed to hold onto a steady rock lump. She was too shook to place the earpiece back in to talk to Yoro. In fact, there was no thought of the sort.
Instead, she grabbed the flashlight from her side and shimmered it up ahead. Maybe she didn't fall as far as she thought. So far away, she made out what the end of the tunnel was. Ice. Or, rather, solid water, like the Watercutting Sword.
After she took note of rocks she could climb and hold onto, she placed the flashlight back to her side, and with some careful precision, she climbed deeper. Her sweat dripped onto the wall, but finally, she arrived.
There was no doubt about it. It was the Watercutting technique. It's not limited to just the sword, but only a master could do something of this caliber. So, the culprit had to be from within the village.
She placed the earpiece back in.
"Yoro? I found the problem."
No answer.
"Yoro? Yoooorooo~!"
She heard the headset click on from the other side.
"Hello, Fu," a man with a deep voice said. Not Kegon and definitely not Yoro.
"Who is this?"
"Aw, you've forgotten my voice from the time I've been away?"
Fu mind raced as she thought. Her eyes widened at the realization.
"Master Suien?"
"There you go! I sure hope you aren't all up in that scary, cramped cave by yourself, Fu! I sure would hate for you to be up there when the jutsu wears off soon. It was a trap meant for the jonin, after all. I wouldn't dare hurt someone as important as the jinchuuriki."
"...It's going to wear off?"
The headset on the other line went dead.
She shimmered the flashlight back to the jutsu, only to see it drip. As it absolutely bursted, she wasn't able to properly process the turn of events. She was flung around the tunnel and she sped down the cave. The rocks slipperiness were intensified.
Her eyes shut. She was too afraid, and so, she imagined she was somewhere else. Brief images of red grass that swayed in the wind came to her mind, along with the sensation of warmth and security.
And tiredness.
She awoke to the sight of soft, flowing water that fell down in the vertical shaft. All around her, there was some green, sticky substance that stuck her to the roof of the angled roof, above where she had to climb into the tunnel.
The cocoon was comfortable, to say the least. She pulled on it, saw it was webbing, made of strong chakra. Something like the Seven-tails power. Either she was able to channel its chakra in her moment of extreme distress, or it didn't want to see a girl be killed so miserably.
Either way, it was lucky.
She had no idea how long she was out, but she needed to get back to the village. If Suien was there and had done something to Yoro, Kegon, and her, then he must be after something. Her best guess was the Hero's Water, which was used by Shibuki's father, Hisen to demonstrate grand power and protect the village. Although, it led to his death.
The current issue was, how would she get down? Even if the cave was filled with water down there, if she let herself fall from this height, it would still hurt. May even be fatal.
She was overthinking. There wasn't enough water falling to stop her from descending down with her wings. However, before she was able to put that plan into action, she had noticed the webbing had traveled all the way down.
The Seven-Tails did that for her.
It made an easy ladder to go back down. It was a good gift because she felt absolutely drained, and she still had to swim.
The water was chilled to the touch. She took a deep breath and swam back. At the end at the cave, she was careful to look for any intruders Suien may have brought with him. Drenched in cold water, she ragged out her clothes in what ways she could. If only she knew a technique to dry herself.
Suien was a jonin that deserted the village after he wasn't made the leader. After the first time he drank the Hero's Water, Hisen was aged fast and Suien sought after leadership. He was also Shibuki's teacher and even tried to coerce her into fleeing with him.
Stress lines appeared on her forehead. Even if the majority of the village hated her, she never wished them harm.
With soft steps, she arrived out of the cave and to an early Sun. So, it had been an entire evening and night since she first went into the cave. Would that mean Shibuki was back? Did that mean everything was alright?
If that were the case, then no one had come for Fu, after all. Both options were bad news. Well, there was only one way to find out. The life of a hermit didn't sound too bad.
As she was about to sprout her wings, she decided she should just walk, like a normal person. She didn't want to be seen, either by the villagers or the enemy.
It seemed her fix on the water stream inside the cave had already drained some water out in the foliage. She expected to see Suien and henchmen, but not a single soul was spotted, even at the Head Residence and the Ninja Center.
She continued to walk to the next house, who the owner was an old man named Senji. He was the leader before Hisen and was a sort of guide to Shibuki, and even sometimes looked after Fu.
However, before she peeked around the corner of the house, she heard someone stretch. There were three people. She kept quiet and listened to the conversation right in front of Senji's house.
However, she didn't recognize any of the voices. There were two boys and one girl, each of them a little bit older than her. Old enough to be a genin. Of course, Fu didn't know too many people personally.
"Grandpa!" One of the boys shouted.
Suddenly, she heard a hacking cough. Senji's cough. In a hurry, she looked around the corner.
"Is he alright?" She asked. Immediately, she realized the strangers were not Takigakure ninjas, but rather their headbands were the insignia of the leaf. "Wait, why are foreigners here?!"
"It's okay, Fu. They are allies," Senji heaved. She saw a stream of blood from his lip. He must've fought. He had splints on his arm and leg, along with red bandages on his head.
As she walked closer, her eyes were full of sorrow and guilt. "Did Suien did this?"
"I'm glad you're alright, Fu. I was really worried when our enemy had said they have gotten rid of you."
"You were? But, Kegon and Yoro are.."
"We found them together last night, both of them were poisoned and won't be able to help us against Suien."
"Then... I can help. I can."
"Thanks, but no thanks!" The blonde haired boy said. "The last thing we need is a kid getting in our way!"
She scowled at him, as did the girl on his team. "Naruto, you idiot! Just because you're a ninja doesn't mean you're an adult!"
The girl gave Fu a smile and a nod, which she returned.
"Wha- Sakura, what do you mean?!" Naruto tried to ask.
Fu helped Senji up. "Did you take food pills?"
"Indeed, I just did. When the fight begins, I won't be able to help much, though."
"Right," the yet named boy said.
"Where did Shibuki go?" Naruto grumbled.
"Please, don't criticize our leader," Senji pleaded.
"What's your problem with Shibuki?" Fu furrowed an eyebrow at him. She hated how outspoken the boy was.
"Why is it that everyone doesn't have a problem with that coward?"
"We feel sorry for Lord Shibuki," Senji said. "He may be cowardly, but he's also very kind. Besides, he never wanted to lead our village. He just inherited the post from his father."
"Yeah, yeah. He's still a big wuss."
"Please, he suffers enough. That's why we leave him alone."
"But he should do his duty!"
The other boy pulled Naruto way, "Let it go."
"But-"
"Come on. We need to get ready."
Shibuki walked toward them as he hung as his head, but then gave the team of ninjas a glare. Or, more so, the jerk Naruto. "So what are you going to do?"
Naruto gaped his mouth but snarled at him, "What are we gonna do?!"
Before he could act more up, his other teammate with the black hair grabbed him. As they squabble in the background, Fu came up to Shibuki.
"I'm glad you're okay…it turned out it was Suien who clogged up the cave, but I fixed it."
Shibuki rubbed his forehead. "I don't know what I would have done if you had gotten hurt from that. I'm deeply sorry. I knew I shouldn't have let you go up there, would have been better to just put up a wall in the cave."
Senji whistled at the boys. "We will hide inside the Holy Tree. Miss Sakura will guide us while you two fight the enemy."
Fu looked to Senji. "Can I help?"
Senji looked to Shibuki, who nodded back.
"You can. Go to the infirmary, guard Yoro and Kegon with your life," Shibuki demanded.
"You put them there?! That's right next to the Tree!"
"It's in the tree we'll hide the others villagers, but Kegon and Yoro would be more than safe with you there."
She placed her stare away. "I'll do as you say, then."
With a low profile on her way to the hospital, she pondered how people did this every day of their lives. Her feet already ached.
The nurse sneered at Fu as she entered the room.
"Shibuki ordered me to guard them," Fu said.
The nurse turned her attention back to them. Her silent expression said it all, that her presence there brought more danger than protection, but she wouldn't go against the word of Lord Shibuki.
"Is… there any way I could help?"
She looked at Fu another time but slowly shook her head sideways. People avoided conversation with her at all cost, it's as if some didn't even know how to talk. With her offer denied, she opted to look out of the window and to the Holy Tree.
Even since she woke up in the cave, there was something different in her perception. Before she even saw the three Leaf genin, she knew they were there. Then, she knew Shibuki was about to talk up to them.
And yet, even now, something spoke to her.
She snapped her head toward her feet. Between it, a beetle. The sensation it gave off, it transmitted what it saw to her, like telepathy, pheromones, or something similar to the Wave Transmission Technique.
But not just that beetles on the floor. Others, such as the ones in the tree.
And Suien - in the Sanctuary hidden inside the Holy Tree, he held a little girl by her arm and threatened her neck with a kunai!
Fu pushed the window opened, and without so much of a goodbye, darted into the air. She flew up and toward the skylight of the Sanctuary. Her main goal was for him to relinquish the girl, the second was to hold him off until help arrived!
Just as Suein looked over his shoulder, Fu darted into the Sanctuary, grappled him, and pushed him over. Not only was the girl freed, but he only let go of the knife for her to pick up!
His cheek was smashed to the wooden floor as he looked to see Fu sat on his back, kunai at his neck. With a twisted smile, one she remembered quite well, he looked at her.
"Ah, Fu! These villagers, do they still look at you the same?"
With an intense stare, her pupils grew a size bigger. All the other villagers, even the ones who threatened or, said she should just leave, were there.
She looked down to hide her eyes away from them. "Yes, they do."
His eyes trembled. "Wasn't I right? They would never see you for a real person, not like me!"
None of the villagers spoke. Some trembled or had damp eyes, some looked away. Others even had a pale face at the circumstance that Fu might betray them, while the rest fidgeted at the idea.
But not one looked Fu in the eye as she looked around.
"You're right. You're absolutely right."
His smile grew wider. "So, would you like me to take you on as a pupil?"
"She's going to do it," one of the villagers whispered to another.
"That monster…"
Fu's bangs dangled as she looked at the knife at her neck. It was a crossroad. As she heard more whispers among the villagers, she smiled.
And with a pitiful, damp face, she smiled through her tears.
"Why would I prove them right? I'd rather prove them wrong and show them that I'm not what the monster they think I am!"
Suien eye was enraged and his smile vanished.
The little girl whose neck was about to be cut just a moment ago spoke up. "I'm sorry-"
In a flash, Suien elbowed Fu in the face and knocked her away. Even though she rushed to get up, he punched her face with his palm and push her to the wall. She tried to slice him at his abdomen or anywhere but wasn't able to. When she tried to stab his arm, he twisted her wrist and made her drop the kunai.
"I'm a Jonin! You're not even a genin, you're just a lousy monster! How could you ever even dream of going against me?!"
She bit his palm. In a reflex, he pulled away. "You bit me?!"
Her wings buzzed out of her back and she darted at him, again. This time, she grappled his arm and used her wings as an advantage. She looked around to make sure she didn't hit any of the villagers and pushed him into the wall.
However, after a few pushes, he countered it by turning around and forced her to the wall. Even began to punch her head. All awhile, she looked at the villagers stare. Now, they would stare into her eyes as they hoped she won.
As she was flung away and to the wall, Suien picked up his knife. As he was about to stab her with it, a familiar face held his arm from doing so.
"You, again," Suien grumbled at Naruto.
The girl Fu saved crouched to her, "Are you alright?"
Blood dripped down and around her forehead, but Fu smiled and gave a thumb-ups. "Peachy."
Suien maneuvered his arm out of Naruto's hands but failed to land a successful blow on him.
"I've only kept them alive to lure out Shibuki, but now I'm pissed!"
"You don't scare us! We have Lord Shibuki!" One of the kids said.
Suien cackled another time. "Your Lord is a coward! He ditched you lot and took the Hero's Water to protect himself!"
As Suien threw his knife at one of the kids, Naruto stepped in front of it, lodging it into his back. With a painful whence, Naruto fell to the ground. Suien growled and came closer to Naruto.
"Hey!" Shibuki appeared at the door frame that led deeper into the tree. In his hand, as an hourglass-shape bottle of water.
Suien turned around and smiled as he mocked him. "After all the times I called your name, you finally came! Lord Shibuki!"
Shibuki looked puzzled on what to do and took a step toward Suien.
The other boy, Naruto's teammate stood at the skylight. "What are you doing, ShibukI?!"
"What does it look like? I'm giving him the Hero's Water. What else can I do?"
With curled eyebrows, Fu peered at Shibuki. After Suien pounded her noggin, her migraine made it hard to see. But even she knew that once Suien got what he wanted, he would just kill them all, anyway.
"But… why?" Fu asked.
"I'll figure something out," Shibuki assured them.
"Yes! Give it!" Suien held his hand out for it.
"No! First, let everyone go!"
Suien chuckled, "Ha! What happened, you're like a whole new person! The water is another fake, is that it?"
Shibuki shook his head sideways, even shook up the bottle to show the glow of the Hero's Water. "I assure you, this is the real thing."
"Put it down, right there."
"You need to promise not to kill anyone."
Suien grinned and bowed. "Of course, after all - we used to be master and disciple."
With that, Shibuki placed the bottle on the ground, which Suien plucked up. Everyone was horrified to watch him take out the cork and guzzled the water down. With a pleased sigh, he placed the cork back in.
"This! This is power! Ah-ha! It was real!" His body inflated like a balloon and his chakra was enraged. However, within a moment, his body was back to a normal human shape, just before he grabbed Shibuki by the throat!
"Don't worry, you will have all these friendly faces in the afterlife!"
"You promised!"
Suien's twisted smile was overruled by confusion as Shibuki twisted his wrist.
"Wh- you drank it, too!?"
Shibuki pried his hands away from his throat and threw him out of skylight, out of the sanctuary. Shibuki followed him out, so they may fight without further endangering the villagers.
As Naruto sat up, he was delighted. "I knew he had it in him."
Fu rolled her eyes but looked at his offering hand up.
"You did really good handling him… for a kid."
She scrunched up her upper lip and nose to show him a disgusted look. "You're a kid, too, dummy."
"Yeah, but I'm a ninja."
She swiped his hand away.
"Hey, I'm trying to help you up!"
"Leave her alone!" The young girl said before she kneeled with Fu. "Thank you for saving me."
Before she could reply, the girl wrapped her arms around Fu's neck. She grinned. It was such an odd feeling to be hugged. "It's not like I could let something happen to anyone here."
There was a large thrash outside, which Naruto stood up to. "Guess I should go help."
Fu nodded, but before he left, she grabbed him by the sleeve. Even as more blood dripped all overhead, she put on a smile. "Thank you. It was lucky you were here."
He nodded as he adjusted his headband. "No problem. I couldn't let an allied village get trashed by some jerk. Hey - what are you guys doing!? Get her some help!"
With that, he left through the skylight.
As she laid her head back on the wall, Fu felt tired. Really tired. She wanted her bed.
"I promised that if they let me sleep, I would never show my face again."
'But, please don't let me sleep,' she thought.
More of the villagers started to aid her.
"Stay awake!" One of them said. "There's no way you don't have a concussion!"
"Let us help."
"I have some bandages for her head," a villager offered to the closer one.
It would be tragic to go into a coma right when she gained the trust of the villagers. However, her light headlessness had gotten to her.
"We should bring her to the hospital, they'll have to let her stay there after she protected us!"
Her dizziness, it started to take over. She drifted off, and again dreamed of the red grass plain.
If you're wondering about Reconstruction, see my bio.
I hate doing notes at the end but it's necessary. The story follows along the New Chunin Exams anime filler that Fu's team goes on, right before she gets captured. However, this story would be about what would happen if she survived that encounter. I was going to summarise the filler at the beginning of the chapter after it would take place. If people want me to re-write it in my own way, I will, though. Just say so in a view that I should rewrite the filler. Don't wanna, though.
Please review what you liked and what I could work on!