Okay I don't own anything. I made this for fun and to give others something to read and maybe inspire them to write too. I hope the spelling and stuff okay. I checked it and my buddy BeckaBean went over it too.

If you leave a negative comment please say it nicely a give me the reason why so I can improve my writing.

A young girl sat alone in a meadow, the night air held a freezing chill but the child paid it no mind. She was playing with a blade of grass gently running her finger up and down the smooth surface. All the flowers had closed up for the night and were no longer their for the child to awe, leaving the grass to play with.

"I wonder when Daddy will be back?" she pondered aloud to herself as she stroked the blade the wrong way cutting her small finger. She didn't cry, simply winced and watched as a small drop of blood fell to a white flower tainting the outside.

She laid back onto the grassy bed and looked at the stars.

"I wish I may I wish I might have the wish I wish tonight, I wish Mommy, Daddy, and Hiro would come back and get me." The little girl broke out into tears and cried herself to sleep, like the last two nights she's spent alone.

(Fist person and time skip)

I jolted from my sleep and peered out my window. The sky was still dark and nowhere near time to get up; yet I can't sleep. I pushed myself up and walked to my dresser. I pulled out my dark blue cloak and put my boots on. I grabbed my glasses and hopped out of my window. I just need a little fresh air.

I walked through the town hiding in the shadows, watching where I step to avoid unnecessary noises for the sleeping people to hear. I finally made it to the wall surrounding the village. I made a few hand sings and a water stream flew from the ground under me lifting me into the air high enough to where I could get a top the ledge. I jumped off the top and landed with a little thud. I continued my walk into the forest and watched the little animals scurry when they heard me coming their way. It was calming and gave me a since of belonging.

I reached the meadow and fell to the ground and tucked my hands behind my head. I sneezed when the wind blew a petal under my nose. I let out a giggle and took a deep breath of the fresh air. It's like I'm taken back to the days I spent here alone as a child. The odd, cold feeling of abandonment this place holds gives me a since of knowing there had been care and love before to make the feeling swell up in the first place. I watched a star fall from the sky and made a quick wish. To find something to pull me from this pit of lost hope.

It's been 14 years since I was left here. I was just 6 at the time and hadn't known they weren't coming back. I was too innocent to care about the heavy packs on their backs showing it wasn't a short little trip but an 'I'm leaving for good' pack. I suppose a child would have slowed them down, I guess my worth wasn't much to them.

I listened to the wind as it howled to the people. It told of a long never ending journey around the world, it is old and wise yet few take time to listen to its song of old. I heard an intake of air different from my own. I didn't tense up or show any sign I knew someone was there. I waited to see how long they'd stay.

It had been a good half hour and I finally sighed and spoke.

"How long are you going to watch me like that, its kind of creepy." I looked to see Izumo come out of the brush. He smiled and walked toward me.

"You know you're not suppose to leave the village at night without a reason." He said with fake authority.

"You know as well as I know that the Hokage herself gave me permission to stalk around all I want." I turned to face him as he lied down next to me.

"Still it's awfully dangerous to be out here by yourself." He propped his hand behind his head and closed his eyes.

"I can take care of myself, besides you're the one who needs protecting." I said with a sly tone.

"From what?" He shot up a bit and looked at me as I giggled.

"From the Hokage and Kotestu. Honestly how my times have you been injured delivering papers to her office?" I started to clench my sides and gasp for air from laughter.

"You may be right." He gave up arguing and laid back down.

Izumo, Kotestu and I were close. We stuck together from the moment we were assigned to pick up some documents from the land of greens. At first we tolerated each other and focused on the mission but things began to change as it went on….

"You're so slow pick up the pace." Kotestu said pausing at the top of the hill. I was limping up the hill with a sore possibly, broken, ankle from landing funny a few hours earlier.

"I'm trying but it hurts." I looked at Sensei and Izumo who were at the top now as well. I sighed and bit my tongue as I jogged up the hill as the pain intensified.

"Heta don't push yourself too hard." Takai Sensei said throwing me on his back piggyback style as we continued to move at a faster rate.

"Thanks Sensei. I didn't mean to slow you down." I leaned against his back and thought about how kind he has always been to me.

Takai was the fist person to every treat me to a meal. He was also my first and current crush; the way his auburn hair flipped out a bit at the end right above his shoulders or the way his shirts always showed his large muscles. Then there's his beautiful green eyes that sparkly in the sun. He's 23 and I'm 15. He was out of my age range for sure. He thinks of me as a kid sister when I see him as role model and focal point of my affection. But I can still dream and like him no matter how old he is.

"How dose your foot feel Heta." Izumo asked walking close to Sensei as he looked at my swollen foot.

"It hurts but I'll live." I blew some hair out of my face and lifted my nose in digest at having to be polite to the rest of the group. Then I felt like we were being watched. I brushed it off but keep on guard.

"Hey look there's the office." Kotestu yelled with joy. I felt myself lowered down to the ground.

"You guys wait here I'll be back in a second and then we can go home." Takai said patting my head making me blush.

Takai ran off leaving me with these… I can't even describe them properly. I laid down and looked at the clouds avoiding the boy's eyes at all costs. I don't have anything against them in general I just don't like anyone I don't know. After I was left in that felid I've had trust issues. Takai was the first to break through my wall and the only one I currently trust. He did tell me to be more social but that's too much of risk. Izumo and Kotestu can just put up with me and get through this mission without becoming my friends.

"So what do you do for fun Heta?" Kotestu asked leaning against a tree. Great small talk; I ignore him and close my eyes. "Hey I'm talking to you."

"I know, I simply chose not to answer." I felt the feeling of being watched intensify.

"That's just rude you little snot." Kotestu started to walk towards me; I looked as Izumo's face filled with horror at the brawl about to go down with Kotestu and I.

"Guys lets not argue were on a mission and that's uncalled for." Izumo darted in front of me facing Kotestu. "Besides Heta isn't in any condition to fight with you."

He had a point and the air became tense and full of an awkward silence. I think Izumo may be the first person my age to stand up for me…. that's nice of him.

"*Dark laughter* Awe looks like a group fight, here let me help you work it out." I looked and saw Takai Sensei, but with a different voice and eye color. Instead of the sea foam green I love they were blood red with no pupil at all. I stiffened and my breath hitched.

"What have you done with Takai." I yelled at the figure trying to stand only to fall and have Izumo catch me letting me lean on him, my face heated in anger and embarrassment.

"I am Takai Sensei what are talking about dear Heta?", 'Takai' move forward toward me. "Now why don't you boys run along and leave me Heta alone for a little one on one match."

I wouldn't blame them if they left me after the way I treated them the whole time giving them short snotty answers or ignoring them all to together. I deserve to be left to fight someone I can't hurt real or fake.

"No way Bub." Kotestu said tossing a blade to Izumo and taking the other one of his back for himself.

"Yeah, you'll have to go through us first imposter." Izumo did a hand sign and I felt like I was falling asleep. "Sorry Heta you don't need to see this." He said laying me against the tree….

When I woke I saw Izumo draped over me cuts and blood littering his body. Pain was written all over his face.

"W-what are you doing?" I stuttered a bit and looked at the scorched trees and kuni littering the forest. "What h-happened?" I started to recall what had happened, Izumo must have put me under a Gen Justsu.

"Just stay clam." Izumo said rolling off me, passing out. I checked his vitals and they looked good, but he's beat pretty badly. I need to get back to the Leaf a.s.a.p.

I looked and saw the real Takai over top of Kotestu with a Kuni to his throat. I didn't think I just ran and pushed Takai out of the way and quickly looked over Kotestu. He wasn't burned as bad as Izumo but he need to go to the hospital too.

"Takai Sensei what are you doing we need to get them to the Leaf a.s.a.p." I said with a little anger at his slow movements.

"Had a Change of heart Heta?" He said eyeing my movements.

"Huh?"

"I thought you didn't care about these two from the way you acted earlier." He stalked toward Kotestu and me, I stood in front of him since Sensei is acting weird.

"Sensei what's wrong with you? You're acting weird." I started to shake a bit seeing the person who I though I knew best act mentally deranged.

"Oh, Little Heta can't you see they're in our way." He touched my hair gently twirling it in his fingers. "These two must die. They're the only ones who know where alive, so if we get rid of them you and me could be together and no one would chase after us. They would think we all died together. We wouldn't have to talk to anyone else ever again. Doesn't that sound nice? Just the two of us forever?" He breathed in my ear. I felt my heart pound at the idea, but my head was screaming a different story. "Well Heta, what do you say."

"I-I-I umm" I tried to make up my mind.

"Now Heta do you need more convincing? You really don't want to fight me do you. Even if you could win you're ankles in bad shape giving me an advantage."

I looked at Izumo and Kotestu and felt myself swallow my feelings for Takai. I pulled away from him and closed my eyes.

"That sounds lovely and all but I won't sit here and let you kill them. They've helped me even after I was such an ass to them the whole time. So I owe them this much." I made a couple signs and made a water wall around both boys.

"Awe to bad I was hoping to jump your bones latter, not break them." I watched his eyes turn red again and he came at me. I took out my Kuni and tossed it at him, he simply dodged it with easy though several at me. I took out another Kuni and deflected a few taking the rest.

"Heta why are holding back?" He laughed and few a smoke bomb to the ground.

I took out my scroll and bit finger quickly sliding it across the paper, summoning my kusarigama (Like a small scythe with a chain connecting to it). I held the chain in one hand and my blade in the other…I have to get serious. I need to get him close enough so I can knock him out, but how. A thought crossed my mind and I quickly dashed out of the smoke away from the boys, I ignored the pain of my ankle and pushed on harder.

"Running away are we?" Takai yelled cashing after me, perfect.

"Not quite." I said turning on my good foot and slinging my smoke bomb to the ground, I then got behind him and knocked him out. I sighed in relief that it worked when hands creep around me holding a Kuni to my throat.

"Did you really think it would be that easy to take me out my Love." He whispered in my ear and pressed the blade to my throat drawing a drop of blood. "I tell you what, I'll give you one more chance to run away with me." His other hand steadily moved toward my thighs. I started to rethink the offer for a moment then remembered my reason for fighting.

"No, why don't you just kill me leave Izumo and Kotestu alone. They'll think it was something different when they wake up. Besides they'll probably die on their own if you leave them be." I whimpered out feeling my strength leave me.

"You're not going to kill anyone as long as we're around." I looked through blurry eyes and saw Izumo.. and Kotestu barely able to stand trying to fight.

"Guys get out of hear, I'll be fine just save yourselves." I screamed trying to get out of Takai's grasp.

"Heta?" I saw Izumo mumble. Then I saw the pure look of anger in Kotestu's eyes.

"We're not going to leave you." Kotestu erupts and charges at Takai when I get set down gently. I look at the confusion on Kotestu's and Izumo's face.

"You guys all pass." I looked at Takai as he took something out of his eyes and readjusted his voice.

"You had on contacts?" Izumo said in his weak voice.

"Yep, this whole thing was a mission from The Hokage to see if you guys could work as a team and you pass." He went and picked up Izumo and Kotestu putting one on each shoulder and then picked me up bridal style. I simply closed my eyes and drifted to sleep to the sound of my Sensei's heart beat.

(End memory)

"Heta what are you thinking about?" Izumo asked pulling me from my thoughts.

"Our first mission." I said sighing. "I never did thank you and Kotestu for you know… sticking up for me even when I was such a jerk."

"That's not that big of deal. You didn't try to run away with Takai Sensei even though you loved him, so it's cool." I could sense a hint of sadness to his tone and in his eyes.

"Still I need to tell Kotestu too. I really didn't think you guys would help me, why did you do it?" I asked rolling over to face him better.

"Well, at the time I was just trying to do what was right. I know you'll probably dislike my reason but… I felt sorry for you." My heart rate intensified and shock covered my face. " I had seen you around the village and every time I saw you, you were alone walking in the shadows. Back then I thought you just liked being alone but when I saw you out Takai and how happy you were, I saw you just needed someone to be kind to you. So when we went on the mission together I was thrilled. I could finally try to befriend you. I thought you would just open up and be all buddy, buddy right away, but I was wrong. You were father gone than I thought, so I just tried to get you attention and show kindness."

I started to tear up, "Why, why didn't you try be my friend sooner?"

"Well, I was afraid of how you'd react to someone so forward." He moved closer and gave me his hanky.

"So, what about Kotestu?" I tired to change the subject.

"Well he was more moved by my determination to make you my friend it became his goal too." He grinned at me and looked to the stars. "Why did you not run away with Takai?"

"Well, that's a question my head can answer but my heart at the time was so confused." I closed my eyes and took a breath, "I wanted to leave with Takai so bad, but I couldn't kill you guys to do it. I wanted to go off on an adventure and be swept away by the man that had shown mw there's still good in the world. But the man who was bribing me to go wasn't the same as the Takai I knew and know. He was wanting to spill innocent blood, and he was even trying to provoke me with his body and logic. But every time I thought of giving in, the image of you hovering over me protecting me from a blast came to mind. Then I think of how badly I wanted to take you and Kotestu to the hospital and how you guys stood up for me. I just wanted so badly to return the sacrifice you both gave me." I looked to Izumo and watched as he took in air.

"Well, so my kindness paid off in the end." He said pulling me toward him.

"Yeah I guess it did." I smiled and watched Izumo's smile turn to a smirk.

"Hey, there was one more reason why I wanted to make you my friend."

"What would that be?" I turned toward him and was caught in a kiss.

"I kind of liked you, but now I really love you. I hope you can accept my feeling even though you may still like Takai." I watched him become all red and shy.

"Well, I kind of got over Takai when I meet someone else I liked closer to my age." I smiled kissing him with all my might. I watched as we pulled away the trees behind him move.

"Kotestu, Takai get out of hear." I shouted shaking my fist at the trees. I heard to swift jumps and then we were alone again. "Any way want to go to sleep?"

"Yeah." He pulled up to him and we closed our eyes.

I guess this meadow can hold good memories too. Maybe I should be happy my parents left me behind to a life with people who care.

Stella approved

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