Caution: Please be advised that this chapter contains violence and other adult themes. Thank you for reading at your maturity level.


"I already said that I don't know where he is."

"Momochi-san, I was told you were the last person to be in contact with Shon before his capture."

"Exactly." Zabuza replied bluntly.

Kyonjin frowned, "Yes…so you are telling me that Shon did not communicate any of his plans to you?"

"He's the kind of a person who does things without planning first," Zabuza answered, knowing it was a downright lie, "Even if he knew what the hell he was doing, he wouldn't tell me."

The Mizukage evaluated Zabuza from his desk, his lips pursed in aggravation. Eventually he sighed, "Fair enough…"

He sensed that maybe Zabuza did know something, but there was no way to be sure if Shon was alive currently. Despite Hayago's report and the evidence gathered showing a high death toll, it seemed suspicious that Shon had not been spotted. Zabuza was not going to be the one to provide him with proof one way or the other.

Without warning, Rama entered the office, bowing swiftly before speaking, "Mizukage-sama, both of the trackers that Hayago deployed to follow the Kaguya survivors were just found dead beyond the village limits! Hayago is investigating it now, but he believes they may intend to enter Mist for revenge."

"Is that so?" Kyonjin was not pleased, "Send word to border patrols to keep watch for them. All available C-group jounin are to report to Hayago immediately. They won't set foot in Kirigakure on my watch…"

"Yes, sir!" Rama nodded and quickly left to contact Hayago.

The Mizukage turned back to Zabuza, "Should the last of those brutes enter the village, I expect you to help wipe them out. Until then, I leave it to you to discover what happened to Kaguya Shon. If he is alive, I expect you to return him to village…if he refuses, kill him."

"Yes, Mizukage-sama."

"Very good, you are dismissed."

Zabuza gladly took his leave.

It just never ended. Rebels trying to enter the village? Kill them. Former ally trying to abandon Mist during a war? Make sure he dies too. Kyonjin expected him to mop up after just about everything.

From his point of view, Shon was more or less harmless, 'He's a hippie. He's going to sit around, smoke, and admire nature if he has free time.' The likelihood of the last of the Kaguya surviving, he believed, was damn near close to zero. With Abe Higashikuni guarding the outer limits of the village, they were likely to sustain terrible causalities if they came too close.

Kyonjin just wanted to keep him busy to prevent him from plotting an uprising. Too bad that wasn't going to stop him.

It was meaningless drivel like this that made Zabuza weigh the pros and cons of leaving Mist.

He mulled it over again as he passed through the office district, entering a forested area within the city limits. It was a training ground he used whenever there was a chance he would be on call for a mission. As much as he hated Kyonjin, he had to be available or risk the contempt of the village leader once again.

Zabuza let the Seversword sit idly beside the trunk of an oak. He relaxed before proceeding with Chin Na forms, letting muscle memory take over while his thoughts roamed.

With Kyonjin being a controlling, socially inept leader, it made sense to accuse him of manipulating the Chief Medic and other gifted shinobi with or without Kekkei Genkai. 'He has the Chief sealing all of his problems away, and blood limit turncoats at his beck and call…he never has to get his hands dirty again…'

It was rumored that Kyonjin had a Kekkei Genkai himself, however it was still unconfirmed. The last time he had entered battle was…no one really knew. What was certain was that Kyonjin was powerful, but was even more so a great coward. He had no allies, which was the reason he dissolved the Seven Swords for fear of being outnumbered. 'He never would have been a match for us, and he knew it.'

Zabuza concluded that Kyonjin lacked the ambition that others, like himself, possessed. Nearly all of his actions were dictated by fear. It was a strange thing that he had come to power in the first place.

The Mizukage had also served as his personal critique, though Zabuza hated to admit. Many times he had been told by his superiors that though he desired to be the strongest, he did not have a legitimate reason.

"Caring only for yourself is not a purpose, Zabuza." Shon had told him. He couldn't stand it when people told him he had no purpose. Was seeing others fuck up in Mist not reason enough? He could do it better, in his humble opinion.

Shon had also mentioned that nearly all of the current members of the Swords had plenty to live for, even the young prodigy, Mangetsu. They all had some kind of genuine motivation.

"Zabuza, you may want to change the Mist village, but you just don't know how to care for it."

'Damn that hippie.' It was completely true, and he had never denied it. The action of caring was something Zabuza was sure he had not done, even scarcely before his parents had been killed when he was small.

Zabuza paused, shifting his stance before continuing with his forms.

He did consider that being alone, as he had been for all of his life, did limit his understanding of people. As acute as his perception was, his cynical attitude often kept him from seeing that thing people called "the bright side".

'I have no patience for that shit.' No worthwhile person had turned up yet. Life was not a positive or fair experience; it was brutal and mathematically supported. On the average people were liars, cowards, and egomaniacs. That was just how it was. Then again, he was a homegrown Mist shinobi who had never really gotten out to see the world.

The Water Country's fight culture was all he knew.

'So fuck it.' He thought, 'I don't need anyone.'

Zabuza had learned some things. His former comrades from the Swords had moved on. They had reasons to do so. Where he had gotten stuck, this "limbo" of servitude to the Mizukage, was not where he wanted to be. Additionally, Kyonjin's paranoid behavior had taught him that continuously killing did not get one ahead in life. It just made you look bad.

If he ever hoped to get out of his current situation, he needed to do something. It had to be soon.

Exhaling, Zabuza ended his forms and then retrieved the Seversword. The snapping of twigs caught his attention.

Passing by a few meters ahead were the Kaguya stragglers. They did not even notice Zabuza staring from his place in the underbrush. The group moved quickly, having entered the village undetected, or at least they had been able to kill whoever was in their way.

It was then Zabuza had a twinge of that "caring" thing. It was more like a "help the village because I can" or "might as well" sort of feeling. He took off in silence, ready to alert Mist to the threat.


The work day dragged on sluggishly. Kuina had only briefly spoken to Kyonjin before returning to her duties at the hospital, and he had been terribly moody, 'Though…he isn't the most cheerful man in Mist, that's for sure…'

She had only requested a low level mission, possibly with genin who were interested in beginning medic training. He had flat-out rejected her request and sent her on her way. Rather than take offense to her speedy discharge from his office, Kuina stopped by the post office to drop off her reply to her father.

"It could take a while to get it to the coast…" The courier admitted contritely, "But we will deliver it for you, Arashino-san."

She thanked the mail attendant before crossing the main intersection back to the hospital. The village had an odd buzz about it. Earlier she had crossed paths with Hayago but he had been too busy to chat, 'Something tells me it has to do with Kyonjin-sama's nasty mood before…everyone is restless…'

Three new patients were whisked into the lobby as Kuina entered, and she stopped at the white board to look over the chart. There was no doubt her interns would take care of the injured shinobi who had come in. Other than that, the chart scheduled a few routine operations, one of which she would oversee that evening. It looked like a very manageable chart today.

"First things first…" She muttered, picking up her clip board, "Check A-wing, find Taki, confirm the date of that clinical trial…and then…" She scratched her head, then set off down the hallway scribbling notes to herself.

After an uneventful trip up and down the length of the A-wing and reprimanding Taki, her useless subordinate, she had reached the lobby again. Kuina glanced at the digital clock on the front desk: 10:00AM. 'Gosh…my sleep routine must be waaaay off…'

It was then Nago appeared, taking long strides from the sliding doors with Sashayma tucked in her arms. Kuina made eye contact with her and slowly set her clipboard down. Nago was silent.

Kuina stretched her arms and took the trembling girl from Nago, her expression wracked with concern, "Nago…" The question in her eyes went unacknowledged by the other kunoichi.

"Please take care of her." Her friend said, and then she promptly rushed out.

The Chief Medic sat the quaking girl down on a gurney, taking in her disheveled appearance. She held Sashayma gently by the shoulders and spoke softly, "Sashayma, what on earth happened?"

"That man…Iori…" The girl managed to speak between sobs, "He did it just so…Nago w-would…fight him." She inhaled sharply, "I t-tried t-to get him off of me…b-but he attacked me w-when my shift ended…"

Kuina stared dumbly at her friend. The disbelief of the situation rooted her to the spot. How could something like this happen to one of her closest friends? 'That man actually thinks he can get away with assaulting someone? And only to infuriate Nago, no less!'

"Okay…" She said quietly, holding the girl for a moment.

Sashayma continued to weep while Kuina shouted orders to a nearby nurse. When she spotted Guo she practically shrieked his name while waving him over. The young man quickly determined what was going on even without his superior's explanation.

"I'll have her examined and taken care of right away." Guo said, motioning for Sashayma to stay on the gurney so that he could relocate her.

"Kuina! Please!" Sashayma reached out and held onto the Chief Medic's arm, "Stop Nago before they f-fight! She won't listen to anyone else!"

Kuina nodded gravely, "I will."

It had already begun. She needed only to follow civilians on the street who were watching the scuffle from a distance. The irate woman exchanged furious blows with the Hunter-nin captain atop a vacant building. Fighting for Sashayma's honor would lure Nago to use her most powerful techniques. Pipelines along the street had raised and burst; evidence that jutsu were being used.

"Back! Get back, all of you!" Kuina warned onlookers to stay as far away as possible from the fight. She leapt up to a fire escape and ascended, hoping the combatants would not notice her.

Nago's water clones circled Iori on the rooftop, stalling in preparation for a powerful water jutsu. With no warning, Iori summoned from a scroll, and he lashed out with a barbed-wire whip that shredded each replication. He laughed, charging towards the kunoichi as he swung, but ran headlong into a flying-kick.

Most of the man's front teeth were knocked out, and as his whip coiled down Nago dodged it, rolling in a whirlwind of dark hair. She hurled a storm of shuriken a fraction too late, only hitting a substitute, and by the time she stood again Iori landed a brutal kick on her flank.

From an adjacent rooftop, Kuina watched in horror as Nago was flung from the top of the tall building.

As if his counter was not enough, Iori completed another technique, his words slurred with blood, "Suiton: Mizurampa!"

The violent water jutsu blasted the kunoichi downward, whirling through six awnings, several clotheslines, a small billboard, and then finally the concrete.

Screaming, Kuina tackled Iori from behind, plunging him down a slanted roof on the left. They fell a long way, but the remaining clotheslines and wires slowed their descent, and they landed on their feet on the sidewalk below.

All of her training with Kamisori kicked into overdrive, and Kuina dove into close-quarters with the brute, fueled entirely by rage.

Dizzy, Iori managed to gain his footing and block her swift strikes, although one punch broke his guard and finally sent him tumbling. He fell, slipping on garments that had drifted down onto the street. Kuina leapt with a kunai in hand, intending to jam it in his forehead.

He tumbled away, swinging the whip again and snared Kuina's forearms in the hooked barbs. She howled in excruciation, realizing that the metal was heated and was burning into her flesh.

On reflex she produced a chakra chain from her body and hurled it, snagging her enemy's feet. Iori tripped again, his ankles hog-tied, and his chakra siphoned away as Kuina wriggled free from the hideous barbed-whip. Before he could swing again a water clone landed a relentless pile-drive on his stomach, and his wail of agony followed before the replication splashed away.

They separated, dragging themselves to their feet while forming hand signs. Kuina kept Iori ensnared in her chain, and when they did launch water techniques at each other Iori's jutsu pittered out, lacking energy. She connected solidly with a Water Dragon Blast and watched as he flew into a newsstand and crushed it, released from her chain.

Absorbing it back into her body Kuina fell to her knees, whimpering. Her arms bled and burned. She hastily healed herself, knowing that her opponent may or may not have been down for the count. Across the way she saw Yagura rush across the street, and he seemed to be aware that Iori was at fault.

The young jinchuriki pummeled the beaten man with his staff.

'That'll keep him down…' Kuina's thoughts slowly flowed again, and she stood on wobbly legs before finding the place where Nago had fallen.

Nago lay crumpled on a shattered section of sidewalk. Kuina kneeled beside her and brushed the hair from her face, "Nago!"

The woman's eyes fluttered, barely capable of responding. A few of her fingers twitched.

Kuina looked over her friend, checking her neck first and then proceeded downward. It was just as bad as she had feared.

The woman's back had been broken in several places.

"Shit!" Kuina hissed, feeling the hot tears begin to roll down her cheeks. What an absolute waste it had been, letting that man goad them into action!

Upon further inspection Kuina found evidence of internal injuries, but miraculously Nago opened her eyes and began to speak.

"Sashayma?"

"It's me, Kuina. I promise Sashayma will be okay."

Kuina focused on the internal injuries first, precision-pointing a green beam of chakra into her friend's abdomen. The damage was extensive, and sensing the area more thoroughly Kuina began to panic, realizing that no amount of her own energy could undo the numerous injuries Nago had. The woman was slipping away.

"No…not today you don't…" Kuina cried, wiping her eyes on her shoulder as she worked, trying to see what she was doing.

"I…can't believe…we'll spend…our entire lives…fighting." Nago rasped, her eyes staring upward.

"You won't!" Kuina objected, "There's more in store for you! Don't get all transcendental on me!"

"There's nothing…in store…"

"Nago!"

People on the street gathered, one of whom happened to be a doctor. He asked Kuina to let him stay and honor the fallen kunoichi. Another man said a blessing as Nago died, bowing his head solemnly. Women watched with disturbed expressions, considering that the senseless act of violence reflected all too clearly what was thought of their sex in Mist.

Kuina stood again. Her head felt foggy and seemed to float above her shoulders. Her friends had suffered so much in such a short span of time. The town clock on the corner read 10:34. The doctor marked it as the time of death.

Shaking, Kuina turned to look over at the ruined newsstand where Yagura stood. He had beaten Iori into complete submission. They locked eyes. Her pain was communicated instantly to the young man and his gaze strayed to the fallen woman across the road. She had passed. 'This man will be tried severely for his actions.' Yagura thought to himself. He was surprised when Kuina called out to him.

"Yagura, hit him."

He gave the Chief Medic a confused look. He then kicked the kneeling man in the gut, watching him crumple over once again.

Aggression surged in the kunoichi, and she closed the distance between her and the scoundrel. She looked briefly at Yagura, "You don't hit hard enough!"

Her fists came down on the crippled Black Ops captain, savagely thrashing the pathetic man in front of the crowd that had gathered. Yagura merely watched, thinking that it was best to let her proceed to make an example of the man.

By the time Hayago had appeared to restrain her, Iori was beaten beyond recognition. Kuina's hands were sticky with blood, and she looked at Hayago with wild eyes. He stared into them, and his deep voice retrieved her from her rage, "Enough Kuina, this isn't who you are."

She eventually became still again, letting Hayago lead her away from the scene by her upper arm. The captain barked orders at gathering chunin, one of whom helped Yagura drag Iori to the administration building for investigation.

Hayago sat Kuina down on a bench and then Guo appeared, and after a brief exchange with Hayago he began to heal the Chief Medic. She covered her face with her hands as she cried, "What are you doing here?"

"I was sent here to help! Your friend is going to be okay."

"No…but I…let Nago die. I couldn't do what Sashayma asked me…" She wept.

Guo's chakra swept over her arms again, mending the wire gashes that had not completely healed, despite her earlier effort. He ran his fingers over the cuts on her cheek, sealing them with care. Guo took a seat beside her on the bench and continued to look for wounds. He was just as upset as his superior.

"Senpai," He said, "None of this is your fault, you know."

Through clouded vision Kuina watched as the good doctor and other civilians carefully moved Nago's body. Hayago walked with them, leading the way to the hospital.

When he could find no more injuries Guo patted Kuina's back, helping her settle down. A short time later she got a hold of herself, "Guo?"

"Yes?"

"Go to the hospital and ask Hayago to meet me at the Mizukage's office."

"Are you sure you want to go there?"

"Yes, there's no way I am letting that degenerate try to beg Kyonjin-sama for mercy."


Kyonjin's hollering reverberated off the walls in the Administration Building.

"I have a report from Momochi-san indicating that what remains of the Kaguya clan is attacking our village at this very moment! Were you aware of that?" The Mizukage loomed over Iori, who was on his knees and being restrained by Yagura, "NO. Of course you weren't! You have been suspended from missions for weeks, you walk around drunk in broad daylight, and now you are responsible for the baseless rape and killing of women!"

The whole room flinched.

"YOU ARE THROUGH! You've had a third, and fourth chance already, Iori, yet you are no better than those rebel scum!" Kyonjin gestured for the door, "Get him out of my sight!"

Two guards toted Iori out while Yagura, Hayago and Kuina remained in the office, waiting for the Mizukage to catch his breath. He slammed his hands on the hard wood of his desk, muttering furiously, and then reached into a drawer to get his cigarettes.

Kyonjin looked back to the shinobi who were scrutinizing him. He smirked as he spoke, "We are under attack, you know. And that? That was supposed to be one of Mist's elite?" He lit a cigarette in one practiced motion and began to suck the smoke down. He closed his eyes and exhaled, at last able to calm down.

"Iori was an incompetent, selfish captain from day one." Hayago observed, "This incident could have been prevented."

"Indeed it could have been prevented…" Kyonjin agreed, "The loss of a kunoichi like Nago will affect this village. Our female shinobi are so few and so valuable…something like this can never happen again."

"I want Iori punished to the greatest extent possible." Kuina added, her wrath still pricking at the edge of her calm façade.

The Mizukage smoked the cig down to its filter and then lit another. He took a drag before saying, "All in due course, Kuina. Process first, punishment later. He will pay dearly for this; I will see to it myself."

It had been the first thing Kyonjin had said in a long while that she was happy with.

"Now, I would appreciate it if you return to the hospital to look after yourself and your patients." He nodded at Kuina, and then looked to the men, "I expect both of you to help Zabuza crush the last of the Kaguya near the gate."

"Understood." Hayago affirmed.

The two were kind enough to drop Kuina off at the hospital before going to squash the last of the rebellion. Kuina trudged into the building, 'And…here I am again…' She walked up to the front desk and checked the clipboard. Sashayma's room number was most recently added.

A jounin popped into the lobby to inform people to stay indoors until "the threat was neutralized". She then tottered off down the corridor, numb, and entered the room she had looked up. There she found Sashayma crying again and a nurse was with her, holding a tissue box for her.

"It's alright. I'll stay with her for now." Kuina offered.

"Are you sure you'll be alright, ma'am?"

"Positive."

The nurse nodded and then left the room. Kuina sat down on the rolling chair and held the box for her friend. Sashayma knew how it had ended.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you."

Sashayma dabbed at her eyes. Her face was scarlet; her lips dry and cracked from the tears.

"It happened to you too, Kuina."


"Thank you for promptly locating and exterminating the Kaguya, Momochi-san." Kyonjin felt a great deal of relief that something had actually been accomplished, "I have one last task for you."

"What might that be?"

"If you will follow Hayago to the disciplinary hold, I need you to execute a former Black Ops captain of mine. Beheading will suffice, and the area has been marked off for you and a witness."

Zabuza was, for once, surprised, "Right now? Which one?"

"Iori."

That was less surprising.

"What did he do?"

"Assault and murder of kunoichi, among other things." Kyonjin replied, "I would appreciate it if you rid our village of him."

Even in his book, such a thing was unacceptable. The fucker's time had come.

"Consider it done."


Kuina laid in bed for days without eating or drinking. Even though Iori had quickly been brought to justice, living with the pain seemed much harder than dying in consequence.

Kamisori went to great lengths to get food and water in her system, however she barely cooperated. Sitting upright in bed she withered, even with her pet hamster keeping her company. She would only be her normal, balanced self for a short while before reverting back into her depressed, contemplative state.

"I should have been there for my friends." She lamented, "If I had known they were being harassed for a week before all of this, I would have intervened."

"You can't change it." Kamisori pointed out, "They did not come to you for help when they should have. You did what you could, so none of this is on you."

He sat on the edge of the bed, spoon-feeding her small amounts of oatmeal. Very slowly, her strength and will began to return. Talking, he supposed, was the only way she was going to deal with the trauma.

Each at different times, Guo, Hayago and even Utakata had stopped by to cheer her up. For once Kamisori was glad that they cared greatly for Kuina, knowing that as friends they would find a way to help her recover.

Guo had assured her that he was looking after Sashayma, who was also steadily improving. He then invited Kuina to attend a genin seminar that was coming up, "I was hoping that you would stop by and explain the role of medic nin and their work. You said you always wanted to do something like that…"

"I would like to go." Kuina affirmed.

On his way out of the apartment, Guo thanked Kamisori, "Initially I thought you were trouble, but…you turned out to be just who she needed."

"I appreciate it." He thanked the medic, who he decided was not so bad himself.

Gradually, Kuina showed signs of improvement. She would bathe herself and move around the apartment. She thanked Kamisori for his patience. With time she was fully functioning once again, and scheduling her shifts at the hospital. Business seemed to resume as usual, but the memory of what had happened lingered in the back of her mind.

One night over dinner Kamisori sat across from Kuina at the table, over a meal she had cooked, and nearly bored a hole into her head with his sapphire gaze.

"Um…" She was a bit unsettled, "Is there anything you want to tell me, Sori?"

"I want to ask you something."

"Ah, well, go ahead."

"Has this incident made you give up on your optimism?"

She frowned slightly, "Will you stop dating me if I say yes?"

"I won't do such a thing."

Kuina sighed, "Truthfully…I think it has. It's been a wakeup call. I have been playing the fool thinking that life is so sweet here in Mist. There's just…no way to secure happiness in this village."

"But I make you happy, don't I?"

"Yes, of course you do!" Kuina responded, sticking her chopsticks vertically into her bowl of rice, "But…I might…lose you too."

Kamisori's expression softened, "No you won't, Kuina."

Her brows furrowed and her mouth quivered with grief. She stared down at the dishes on the table, her eyes not seeing for the moment. The inner conflict was bubbling up again. He hated to see her so sad, and more so, to see her struggle to contain the pain while putting on a brave face.

Kamisori reached across the table and ever so gently lifted her chin. Their eyes met.

"I wasn't going to ask you so soon…"

"Ask me what?" Kuina wondered, snapping back to reality and fiddling with her chopsticks.

"What I was going to ask you in a month or so…or when you were feeling most optimistic."

Kuina rested her chin on her hands, her elbows propped up on the table, "Well, you can always give it a try…"

"I want you to marry me."

There was a silence.

Kuina's mouth formed a small o-shape and she then sucked wind through it in shock. She blinked twice very hard, confirming consciousness, and then she nodded slowly.

"Yes. Oh yeah…WOW…that would cheer me up."

Kamisori gave her a small smile, "You are sure?"

The optimism flooded back.

"I am." She grinned at him, "Even if it is a bit on the early side, I…I really couldn't be with anyone else."

Kamisori smiled back genuinely as he leaned over the table and kissed her forehead, "Neither could I."