Well, we meet again people of the interconnected nets. I don't really have very much to say this time other than to apologize for the lateness of this chapter, I was busy over the weekend.

Also this chapter is more of a transition rather than a super important, incredibly informative chapter.

Enjoy, or not, it's really up to you...


Naruto

The next morning…

It takes me several minutes to discover why I feel so uncomfortable when I wake up, several agonizing minutes of trying to become self-aware.

Only then do I realize that it's because I'd fallen asleep in a chair with a backrest that ended halfway up my back, leaving the rest to fall back, my head lolling back and giving me a crick that I can't get out.

I almost try to get up before I realize that I'm also being used as a pillow. Hinata fell asleep next to me, using my chest as a headrest instead of leaning back like I had made the mistake of doing.

I yawn and look over to the hospital bed where Kenshin is resting, hooked up to several machines after we had brought him in. He'd been in surgery for two hours, and Suzume had literally paced a rut into the floor in her worry.

Kaien had left for a few minutes to get Kenshin's parents, and when he came back they seemed incredibly worried.

They'd still tried to tell us that it wasn't our fault that Kenshin was injured, but none of us would listen. It was our fault, it still is our fault, and will always be our fault that Kenshin was in critical condition.

It was the fact that it wouldn't have happened if we'd just left when he told us, or if I wasn't so useless.

At least Suzume or Hinata had some kind of ability they could use if they'd really needed to in the end.

Suzume could wield a Bo-staff almost as well as her grandfather, and even had a personal summon that changed into a similar staff, though seemingly made of diamond instead.

Hinata could use her clan's Gentle Fist style, especially after we'd started encouraging her. She'd learned a lesser form of the clan's most useful technique, and created her own defensive technique instead of using the Kaiten that she'd told us about.

And then there's me…

The only member of our group that has no special abilities. Sure I can throw kunai and shuriken pretty well, and perform the academy Jutsu with reasonable proficiency, but…

It's not enough if I want to be the one that protects my friends next time.

Hinata shifts beside me, and then sits up, stretching like a cat.

"Morning Hinata-chan."I say, and she blinks her eyes open, obviously not having remembered that we had stayed with Kenshin in the hospital.

"So it really happened… I was hoping it was just a dream, and that I'd wake up to Hanabi demanding we spar so she can try to beat me again."She says, and looks dejectedly at where Kenshin and Suzume are still sleeping.

"Our parents are probably worried out of their minds right now, we never told them that we were here."She says a minute later

"I'm sure someone told them. Kenshin needed us more."I tell her

Of course, he wouldn't have needed us at all if I'd just made the three of us leave when he'd said to…

"Should we wake them? It's almost noon, and Kenshin doesn't like missing breakfast."I say, and we both look over to the bed

"Let's leave them, we can bring some food back for them."Hinata says, and so we get up off of the chair.

We walk around the hospital until we find the little cafeteria and kitchen. We grab what food we can carry before they notice us and scramble back to Kenshin's room as quickly as we can.

"Watch this."I tell Hinata, putting my share of our food down on the rolling table next to the bed. I pick up and apple and then pull my arm back and throw it at Kenshin's head as hard as possible.

Before Hinata can yelp or attempt to intercept it, Kenshin's hand flashes upwards, stopping the apple inches from his face, and then he takes a bite out of it.

"This is a surprisingly good tasting pillow, or did you finally run out, Naruto?"Kenshin comments before opening his eyes and turning his head towards me.

"It doesn't seem fair without your sword."I respond

"First of all, it's called a Zanpakuto, which I've told you a million times before. Second of all, where is my Zanpakuto?"He retorts

"Here."Hinata says, handing the sheathed blade to him

"Much better."He says, placing on the bed next to him.

"I will never understand you."I comment, shaking my head at him

"Coming from you, that's quite rich."He responds

"And to think, I was worried that you wouldn't make it. Maybe I was praying for the wrong thing."I reply jokingly

"You know just as well as I do that without me to cheat off of you'd never pass the academy."Kenshin retorts, and Hinata finally snaps, bursting into a giggling fit

"Is it really so hard for a girl to get some sleep around you people?"

And now Suzume is awake.

"Oh no, we woke the she-devil from her hibernation!"I exclaim in mock terror, until Suzume picks her head up off of Kenshin's chest, her expression one of murderous rage.

I hide safely behind Hinata until she stops glaring at me.

"Aww, is Naru-chan scared of the big bad Suzume-chan?"Kenshin mocks, and I glare at him the same way Suzume glared at me

"Sorry Naruto, I've almost died once this week, your glare has no effect on me anymore."He says, and I turn away

"Gosh darn it."I say, snapping my fingers

"Golly gee, that's an old phrase."Hinata interjects, and we give her what must have been the strangest look

"Holy Hinata, Kenshin! We're turning into a bad movie."I say several moments later, and we finally break, all collapsing into a laughing fit on the ground or the bed, holding our sides.

"So this is where you all were last night."A voice says from the doorway, and we all struggle to look, only to freeze, our blood running cold when we see our parents, or in Suzume's case, her grandfather.

They all seem somewhere between incredibly irritated and mildly amused.

"Would anyone care to explain why you kids didn't come home last night? And why Kenshin is in a hospital bed?"Hiashi Hyuga asks, and he seems to be directing his disapproving look straight at me

My mother gives me the same look, and my father is nowhere to be seen, probably running the village like every other day.

"Well…"I start

"You see…"Suzume continues

"And then…"Hinata concludes

They just continue to stare at us.

"I believe that answers our questions, very eloquently put you three."Hiruzen Sarutobi comments, and finally both Hiashi and my mother have to crack a smile, however fleeting in the former's case

"However, if someone could provide us with some form of detailed report on this matter, it would be exceptionally helpful."Hiruzen continues

"Well, it all started with us celebrating my birthday, which was yesterday by the way…"Kenshin begins, and starts telling the whole story of what happened, though his telling us to flee is noticeably absent, and thankfully so are the confessions we all made at the end.

"Well, that is quite…something…"Hiruzen comments, at a loss for words

"It still doesn't explain why none of you sent a message about not coming home."My mother says pointedly

"That is probably our fault, Kushina-san."A new voice says from the hallway, and then in step Kenshin's parents, making the hospital room seem increasingly smaller by the second.

"We probably made it seem like we would inform you of what was happening, but as soon as the hospital closed it slipped from our minds. For that I apologize for any worry that we caused."His mother explains

My mother still seems to want to argue about this, but holds her tongue, as does Hiashi, which is equally as surprising.

"Even so, I believe it is time for them to go home. Hinata, we are leaving now."Hiashi says instead, and Hinata meekly nods, still very shy around her father

"Bye everyone."She says, and then both Hyuga walk out the door

"We need to go too, Naruto. You have chores to do."My mother says, and then takes my shoulder and steers me out of the room before I can protest.

"Bye guys!"I yell back, and I get a similar response

Once we're out of the hospital my mother stops and rounds on me.

"Do you have any idea how worried your father and I were last night?!"She demands angrily

"Oh please, I bet you didn't even notice I was missing until Hikari pointed it out to you."I retort

She always gets like this when I decide to do something without her explicit permission. She finds some excuse to yell at me, like pretending that she cares.

"Don't you take that tone with me young man! I am your mother and you will show some respect!"She yells, her hair starting to glow and separate into nine segments around her head

"No, you've never given me any respect or trust, why should I give you any?"I reply, wresting out of her grip

Before she can grab me again I sprint away from her and down several alleys in the confusing web of the restaurant district of town.

I don't stop until I'm gasping for breath, and by then I'm on top of the Stone Faces, having made several confusing loops that took several hours to complete, until my mother gave up trying to chase me down.

The benefits of spending as much time away from home as possible.

"Well, what do we have here?"A voice muses from behind me, almost shocking me off the monument

I whip around to see a strange man wearing a striped hat that shades his eyes, a green haori, and geta sandals standing there, fixing me with an analytical gaze.

"You're Naruto Uzumaki right? You're friends with my favorite nephew."He says

My mind whirls trying to think of who this guy is. Kenshin has never mentioned an uncle like this guy, and I really don't have any other male friends so…

"I'm not surprised he's never mentioned me, he doesn't actually know who I am. My brother has made certain of that, but I've always been around in one way or another. If you get the chance, tell Kenshin to look under that one special rock he found in the garden, he'll know the one."The man says

"How do I-"

"Know if you can trust me? You don't, and that's just the way of the world we live in. Another interesting part of it is that if you meet enough people, you start to be able to read them like a book. Kenshin is starting to be able to do that, something I'm proud to have helped him with, indirectly though it may have been. You however are a particularly good read, and the main reason why I'm here."He interrupts, only managing to confuse me more

"I can tell from your birth marks that you're the son of a former Jinchuriki Host, I can tell from your chakra levels that you contain residual tailed beast chakra, and I can even tell that your level is control is average at best. Your posture says that your normally high confidence has recently taken a blow; your eyes tell me that you had trouble sleeping last night, probably from nightmares, and your reactions are telling me that everything I'm reading is absolutely true. Now answer this question for me, why?"He says, as if he'd practiced every word and knew every reaction that I would have

"Why? Because my best friend almost died because I'm useless. Have you ever had that feeling, because it's not a pleasant one!"I respond

"And if you had the chance to become just as strong he is, just as good as he's going to be and more, what would you be willing to give up?"The man asks, his left eye finally becoming visible underneath the brim of his hat.


Well, that was that. To everyone who got the Batman reference, good for you, get yourself a virtual treat of your choice.

Yes, the Tamura Clan is an extremely messed up family.

The next chapter is a time-skip where things start picking up a bit, so there's something to possibly look forward to.


My quote this time is something I learned in my two year Hiatus:

"Never stop doing your best just because someone doesn't give you credit."


Until next time

~Divine Justice