"The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering."
Why did Jiraiya even bring her here if he was going to be gone for so long? It's been longer than a week since he left, and Ruby has finished all but a couple of the books.
Her life has been a routine of training with Tenten, either with her team or by herself, and staying with Yoru while she keeps the shop. Not just because Yoru made dinner for Ruby each night, but because she felt like she belongs there. Made her miss Azami, a bit.
Karin, the owner of the shop, should return any day now. She's been traveling the country lin search for raw materials and unique, exotic weapons, hoping it would bring her shop better income. Tenten would probably buy each of them if they're unique enough.
Tenten and her team were still out for a recent mission, so Ruby didn't have to wake up early to train with them. After she showered and dressed, she walked out of the hotel room. Ruby could feel that the usual cool morning air has already surrendered to the sun. That's what she gets for oversleeping.
"Well, about time you get up."
Ruby looked to the side of the hotel's entrance and saw Jiraiya leaned against a wall. He appeared out of nowhere and acted like Ruby was supposed to meet him there at a certain time. At least he didn't barge into her room, again.
"Me?! About time you got back! I've almost finished all those books!" Ruby shouted with frustration, like an angry daughter that yelled at her dad.
Jiraiya grew a snarky grin. "Really? Do you like reading that much?"
"No, I just had nothing to do," Ruby said in a calmer but still irritated tone. Jiraiya waved her to follow.
Truthfully, it was Ruby's drive and determination that pushed her to do so. She needed to be stronger, to save her beloved ones. Strange, at first she just wanted to go back to her old life. But now she wanted to help settle things here, first. That is what she was tasked with by that man.
"I know it may seem like I dropped you off at a boarding school but I had to investigate something really important," he sincerely said.
"Is it something to do with those people that after the Tailed-Beast? Akatsuki, I think?" She overheard their name, but she doesn't know who they were, exactly. Just they include criminals like Itachi, and they want Tailed-Beasts.
Jiraiya sincerity went a little at ease to his usual comedic, happy tone. "Oh, you know about that? It was supposed to be a secret."
As the two walked down the main road of the village, she observed the Hokage Rock. Specifically, Tsunade's head. The powerful, fierce woman that she couldn't help but compare herself to. Ruby sadly glanced up at the man.
"Is that all you came and talked to me about? You're supposed to be training me. I'm tired of looking so... weak."
"You've said you read almost all of those books?"
Ruby nodded.
"Then I think you're ready."
"Ready?"
"You'll see." Jiraiya made a slight wave before he disappeared into smoke.
Ruby folded her arms as she angrily glared at where he once was. After she made a irritated grown, she marched down the main strip.
Once she walked farther down the road, she saw something amazing. It was white, fluffy, and multiple times bigger than any normal dog. It was huge. Naturally, she felt possessed to get a closer look at it. Unlike last time, there wasn't a river to fall in. The dog was just standing there as it looked inside a meat shop. There is no way this is just a stray. Kakashi has, like, ninja dogs. What if this is one of them?
Ruby observed carefully as she looked from the corner but as soon a boy with brown hair came out of the shop, she stepped back for cover. It is a ninja dog! The guy in the leather jacket had a Leaf headband on!
As she took a deep breath, Ruby built up the courage to ask the boy an exceptionally important question. 'Hi, can I pet your dog?' Not like it's a date, which she accidentally asked Naruto to. However, as soon she stepped from the wall, the boy and dog confronted her and made her froze.
"Akamaru said you were spying on him," the boy strictly said.
Ruby was out of words. She only stuttered as she wanted to explain that she just loves dogs and wanted to pet his.
"I've never seen you before. Who are you?" He asked.
"Uh, I'm Ruby. I just, you know."
"Know what?" He relaxed his shoulders and arms. At this point, he looked more confused.
"I wanted to pet your dog," She has made this a hundred times worse than she needed to.
"Oh. Is that all?" The boy happy said. "I don't mind at all, but it'll be up to Akamaru. That's his name."
He had a friendly enough smile but the dog eyed her down. Of course, any dog with a duty would be skeptical of anything. But look at her! She's just over five feet tall and barely a hundred pounds!
Well, hopefully. Damn cookies...
She made a soft fist, one that didn't threaten at all, and held it out in front of her. On all fours, Akamaru was as tall as her chest. Hell, if he could stand on two legs like a human, he would probably be taller than a full grown man.
Akamaru kept his eyes peered at her as he took a step closer. He leaned down and took a few sniffs of her hand before he relaxed his eyes and mouth and started to lick her hand like a puppy.
"I think that's a yes, you may pet him," the boy said.
Amazed, Ruby then made a huge smile as she rubbed the dog's head It exceeded to her petting him all over his huge neck. She leaned down some to reach farther down his side.
"Aw, who's a good ninja dog?" She asked in an immensely, cheerful tone. Akamaru was pleased with this, even licked Ruby's face.
"I'm Kiba Inuzuka, by the way. You've already met my friend here."
"Ruby Rose," she said as she stood up.
"How long have you been in the Leaf Village? You definitely don't smell familiar."
Smell?
Smell?
She thought she found a fellow dog lover aside from Kakashi, but it turned out to be a weirdo. At least it was a friendly weirdo, which is okay because she was a weirdo, too.
"Not long, around ten days."
"Wait a minute, I've heard of you! Yeah! Before Naruto left on his last mission, he asked if I've seen a person just like you! How do you know him?"
She wouldn't have thought Naruto looked for her to fill that spot, especially when there are skilled ninja right here in the village. Without her notice, she started to play with her hand. "He helped save my friend, Matsuri. And then when he saved Gaara, I went with him."
He chuckled, "It seems just like yesterday he painted the Hokage Rock with graffiti."
"Uh, what?" Ruby quickly asked.
"Yeah! He pulled all kinds of pranks when we were kids and always got in trouble. But he kept doing it no matter what people said."
"I'd believe it," she said with a smile.
Ruby's in a foreign world but she has never been alone like Naruto. In the back of her mind, she asked herself if she didn't want to like him because, once she's done in this world, she'll be gone. How could she do that to him?
"He's come a long way since the academy, though. I'm glad I can call him a friend," Kiba said. That made Ruby's smile more genuine. He has made friends despite his status and what others thought.
"Anyways, Akamaru and I need to get going."
"I'll smell you around, Kiba."
Kiba made a smile and waved as they walked opposites ways on the main road.
Ruby walked into Karin's Emporium, Yoru just finished a broom swept of the floorboard. Even though she swept it every day but it still looked dusty and dirty.
"Hey, any customers today?"
"Is there ever? Still, when we do get a customer, they usually buy a lot of things, so it usually evens out."
"Azami's shop back in Sunagakure got a lot of customers, but then again, she was the only weapon shop in town. She's the one that gave me this belt."
Yoru took a look at the silver rose belt around Ruby's waist. "It does go pretty well with your outfit and your eyes. Hey, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure. What do you need?"
"Nekena isn't feeling well so she's still in bed. Do you mind watching her and the shop while I go get some medicine?"
"Of course. I just hope there aren't any customers."
"Thanks. I won't be long."
Once she left, Ruby walked down the hallway and cracked the door open. Nekena was sleeping beautifully on the bed. After she closed the door and walked back to the front counter, she sat on the stool behind the counter. But once she looked up, she nearly jumped out of her skin. In the same, shadowy, subtle corner with the broom, a figure with a mask similar to Yoru's stood.
Ruby rubbed her eyes, and sure enough, they were gone. She rushed as fast as she could to Nekena, but even as she saw her asleep in the same position, her breath didn't calm down. Once she returned to behind the counter, she placed head down on the counter.
"Couldn't I have just bought the medicine?" Ruby cried to herself. As she frowned down to the floor, she heard the door open. She didn't notice how much time has passed.
Yoru walked in with a brown paper bag. "Alright, thank you so much, Ruby."
"It's no problem." Not like she's terribly freaked out or anything, but it's not the first time she's seen a random person. First that red-haired kid and now this?
"Could you take the medicine and some juice to Nekena while I get dinner started?"
"Absolutely." Ruby took the bottle of purple liquid medicine and the container of juice from the bag. It felt nice that Yoru asked her for stuff like she was part of a family.
Ruby slowly opened the door and saw that Nekena sat up on the bed.
"Heeeey, how's it going?"
"Blah," Nekena muttered. She looked like she just woke up from a thousand year nap! Ruby could use one of those, herself.
"Blah? I'm sowwie," Ruby said in a child-friendly tone. "But guess what I got for you? A cup of juicy-juice!"
Nekena loved the hell out of this stuff. Too bad they don't have a strawberry flavor or Ruby would be all over it.
Just because she drank an entire carton of it yesterday, doesn't mean she's all over it.
"Yay," Nekena said in the most pitiful voice ever conceded. Ruby handed her the cup, which was secretly dosed with the liquid medicine. She wasn't sure if the child is as good as medicine as she is with vegetables.
Ruby sat next to Nekena as she drank the cup, and giggled when Nekena smacked her tongue to the root of her mouth.
"All done?" Ruby asked.
"Yep, thank you."
"Thank your mom. She's the one who got it for you."
"Thank you, mom," she lazily said.
Ruby laughed. "Thank her when she can hear you, silly."
Nekena then handed Ruby the empty, glass cup, and pushed her head up to her arm. Although she was taken by surprise, Ruby grew a smirk. Good thing the first kid she's actually been around was Nekena. Might be her fault she might actually want a daughter someday.
Someday. Definitely not today or anytime soon.
Ruby leaned her head back. She really didn't want to disturb Nekena's sleep, so she opted to just rest her eyes.
While they ate dinner, Nekena mentioned she dreamed of Ruby as her older sister. It was a nice remark, but she already had a sister. One she admired dearly.
But hours later, as the moon made it's approach, Ruby entered her hotel room in hopes to get a long rest before whatever Jiraiya had planned for her. But as Neji would say, fate had other ideas.
As soon she took her cloak off, there was a soft knock at her door. Jiraiya supposedly rented the hotel for an entire month so the nice manager lady had no reason to bother her. She expected it was just a room neighbor or a lost person in search of a specific room.
Honestly, when she did open the door, she didn't recognize Naruto without the headband or track jacket.
"Hey, Kakashi Sensei said I could find you here so I asked the nice managing lady downstairs."
Ruby stared at him. 'Crap, I forgot I accidentally asked him out on a date. Should I talk about it? Do I just forget I ever said it and play coy? No. It's too late. I've been staring at him for too long and now he's taken notice.'
"Hi! Would you like to come in?" Ruby asked highly and nervously.
'Why did you invite him in?! Fine, fine. It's just to be polite. It's not like he will actually come in.'' She mentally yelled at herself as she faked a cheeky smile.
"Sure, why not?"
'Shit,' Ruby said to herself as she kept up her fake smile. She closed the door as he came in.
"Oh, wow."
"Oh, no…" Ruby softly whispered is mortification.
Approximately ten empty cookie packs were around the floor. She could feel the great anxiety sank in.
"Cookie addict much?" Naruto asked as he picked up an empty pack. "Not that I can say much. I'm the exact same with ramen. If I were in the village, I would have eaten more than this in just a week."
"Yep! This past week! Can't help myself!" They were from last night.
"Speaking of ramen, let's go to Ichiraku's."
She immediately deemed this the end of her life but she quickly sought a way out of this. Ruby made a confused look. "Wait, right now? Isn't it a bit late?"
It was only eight, and she last ate around three when Yoru woke her and Nekena up for early dinner.
"Nah, it's never too late. Ever since I've come back to Konohagakure, I've only had it twice and I've been holding out since you asked me to show you it."
Ruby observed his whiskers as he stood a foot in front of her. She wondered if the facial hair would cover them up? Not that they're bad or anything, she was just curious.
"I mean, I guess you have a point," Ruby said as she folded her arms and gave him a jokingly irritated look. If he liked ramen as much as she likes cookies or strawberries and didn't eat them because she asked him out, then she should probably go, after all.
'"Let me just get my cloak and we'll be out."
Ruby stirred her chopsticks in the bowl, around the carrots left mid-sea in the broth of ramen. She patiently watched the Naruto eat his second bowl.
"You know, eating is one of the things that replenish chakra," he said before strands of ramen. Naruto didn't seem bothered at all that she stared at him as he ate.
Perhaps, from being a Jinchuuriki, he liked someone look at him in a way that isn't just out of distaste. Ruby had already noticed some disgusted glances from people she doesn't even know. Naruto probably doesn't even know them, either. But with each disgusted glance he got, she gave one back to the assholes.
Ruby is just glad he didn't mention the word 'date,' although, at this point, she probably wouldn't even deny it. She's was having fun.
"Hey, Naruto, where do you buy your supplies?"
After he ate the current strand of ramen noodles, he answered. "Karin's Emporium. She gives me a discount because I once helped her out by wearing a poster on my back while I beat up bandits. And then I saved her when she left to get raw materials for weapons."
Of course, Naruto would have done that. No wonder he's on the discount list. Ruby hasn't met Karin herself as she left before she came to the store but this boy helped Karin's business. She heard from Yoru that it was passed down to her from her late father, and she had trouble for a while, but some ninja genin helped her out.
It had become dreadfully late but the two still talked and walked randomly through the streets. Naruto seemed lively despite coming from such a long mission. Maybe because he looked forward to this night.
"So have you managed to make chakra, yet?" As he saw Ruby's sorrow, Naruto switched to an arrogant tone, "I mean, I could show you the clone technique? It's not a shadow clone but it's still useful."
"Clone Technique? Jiraiya mentioned that, and I also read it in a book," Ruby said with regret. How lame can she sound? "They're not tangible, just used to try and trick an opponent. I doubt I'd pull it off as well you could."
He nervously scratched his cheek. "Actually, I'm completely terrible at that technique."
"What? What do you mean?" She asked, puzzled on how he could be great at an advanced version but terrible at the supplementary version? Sure, Jiraiya said it was his worse technique at the academy but he managed to make it his best.
He made a waved as if to shoo her away. "Ah, it's nothing."
"Fine, whatever you say. I had a question."
"Yeah?"
"Where are we? There aren't any lights this way." She glared at the lamp posts. There wasn't anything familiar about it. Just that it was an unfamiliar, dark street.
"I have no idea."
They both glanced to the side. On the wall, there was an insignia Ruby has never seen before.
"Let's turn back."
It was obvious his lively mood had vanished onced he saw the symbol.
"What's with that horrified look on your face?"
"This was the Uchiha compound. You remember what Chiyo talked about when we faced Itachi?"
Ruby felt chills go down her spine, "Yeah, I do. Let's turn back."
They walked back down the street, and Ruby could feel a silent dread. Naruto quietly stared off into space with a worried expression.
"Something the matter?" She hoped she date didn't go sour.
She asked herself if she actually thought of this as a date.
"Sorry, I was just thinking."
"I do that a lot, staring off into space. Most of it bad. So if you want someone to talk to, I'm here, y'know?"
However, he didn't hear her as he went back to stare at his racing feet. Ruby sadly frowned at being ignored. He was fine until they came to that ghost town.
"I know where we are, now!" Naruto said with a sudden cheerful tone. Ruby scanned the street above, it was one by the hotel. Amazingly, despite not even wanting to come out tonight she didn't want this night to be over.
Ruby stopped and stared at the moon. It glowed marvelously, like a soft nightlight in a pitch dark room, or a void. She liked to think of the moon as hope for her as it wished her the fortune in life.
Naruto stopped and looked back at her. "Ruby?"
"What do you think the moon is?"
He grew confused but walked closer to the girl so they could stare at the moon from the same angle.
"I think the moon is… another chance."
Ruby jerked her attention to Naruto, who had such a soft, warm smile. The moonlight made his face appear pale, much like her own.
"I was always surrounded by millions of faces, but I was also... alone. But then I looked up at the moon and saw how lonely it was. Until the stars appeared from the darkness. Then, I begin to make friends. And then, even more friends. I made friends no matter where I went. Those are my stars."
"And one is missing?" What if he had a friend in the Uchiha clan and that's why he's upset?
Naruto grin flatlined as he looked down at her. Her pale skin matched the moon's white glow but her silver eyes twinkled like beach water on a sunny day.
"Yeah, but I think I've found my moon," he said faintly, unable to be heard by Ruby.
"What did you say?"
Their eyes met briefly as she redirected her attention back to him. He was noticeably taller than her, at least by a few inches.
"Nothing, let's get you home!" Naruto excitedly said as he made a one-eighty turn to lead the way. Ruby made an irritated grunt but followed.
Not that she could say much. She enjoyed her solitude, too, but come on.
Outside the hotel, Ruby stepped up the concrete steps and looked back to Naruto. Of course, he'd need to get home to but he had yet to make his leave.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" She asked.
"Yeah. I don't have a mission yet, so I might do some training in the morning."
"Meet me at Karin's around three?" Ruby asked as she took a step closer to him, to the step above him.
"Yeah, why not?"
Ruby wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him farewell hug. Their cheeks mashed against the others. Thanks to these steps, she actually felt tall.
It wasn't the first time they hugged, so Naruto wasn't as surprised. Actually, he seemed to be expecting it.
Under her cloak, she could feel his hands wrap around her waist. If it was anyone else, she would have shooed them away. The last person she hugged was Matsuri, and that didn't end well. Despite almost getting them killed, Naruto wouldn't be so bold to try and kiss her without a warning.
At least he was a boy, unlike Matsuri. She doesn't remember everything about her old life but she knew that she definitely didn't swing that way.
A moment passed and they departed. It was hard to believe she didn't want the night to end as it was a night she almost didn't go to. Although it might not have been a real date, Ruby was glad to a have a great person as a friend.
"See you later," he said as he turned to leave.
"Bye," she said, as he turned to enter the hotel.
After she got to her hotel room and dressed in her pajamas of a white tank top and black shorts, she didn't immediately fall asleep when she walked into her hotel room. Instead, she sat crisscrossed with her sketchbook opened. The words 'Red like Roses' were written down. She tried to mouth words out as if they belonged to a song.
Ruby turned off the light. Out of the window was the clear view of the moon. Usually, she would shut the blinds of the window but she wanted to stare at the moon as she slept, to remember what Naruto said about it. She can't deny he's been strongly on her mind.
'Another Chance,' he called it. That's basically her entire life. Ruby kept her gaze on the room as she slowly passed out.
Not much later, she woke up in a huge sweat and sat straight up as first consciousness. She pushed off her blanket and swore the moon was... off. Out of the ordinary, somehow.
Was it a nightmare? A memory of how she once felt? Why the hell hasn't she had a dream since she's come here?
She finally opted to close the window and hide the outside with the curtains. After she felt her forehead, she realized it was a bit cool. Maybe she had a small fever and broke it. That would sure explain the sweating and the sudden anxiety.
The next morning, after she walked out of the hotel, she looked to the side where Jiraiya was yesterday morning. He wasn't there, just someone reading a book. Figures that "you're ready" business from Jiraiya was nonsense.
Just as she was about to step down, she remembered who read books like that. She walked over to the reading man, who donned the Leaf-Ninja outfit, and pulled the book down.
"Kakashi?"
He hazily looked at the girl before he peered down back to his book, "Oh. Hey there, Ruby."
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the hospital?"
"I was admitted to leaving this morning, so since I had some free time, I'd figured I would help you with your training for a day or two," he stated while he read. Ruby couldn't tell if he was just rude or just very interested in his book.
"Help me? How are you going to help me?" Somehow, she knew this was Jiraiya's doing.
He closed his book and placed it in his pocket. "Well, with all the reading and exercise you've been doing, I think you're ready to use chakra."
Ruby wanted to doubt what he said was true, to be in disbelief. But he was so sure of himself. He's not one to give someone false hope. Like on their mission, he knew Ruby could help someway, and she did.
She followed Kakashi through some woods and eventually stood before a memorial stone in a medium sized clearing. There was a river as the dense woods engulfed the plain of grass in the shape of a horseshoe.
"I trained Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto here four years ago, and it's where we'll be training at today," Kakashi said as Ruby observed the names of the memorial stone. She knows all about what a martyr is, as her mother's name would have been on a stone like this.
"Sasuke?" Ruby inquired. Naruto never mentioned him and he definitely wasn't there at the Gaara Rescue mission. She didn't want to ask about someone who died, but the only Uchiha she could see was 'Obito Uchiha.'
"You wouldn't find him on that stone, if that's why you were looking," Kakashi stated. Was it really that obvious? "Besides being the fourth member of Team Seven, Sasuke left almost three years ago to… train."
Ruby heard how loosely he said 'train,' but she didn't want to push anything. "Oh, I bet Naruto and Sakura miss him."
He made a sad eye, "Yeah, they do. Let's start, shall we?"
"Sure."
"These will be the hand signs you'll be using." He made the dog, boar, and ram hand seals. "And once you do that, think of what you want to be."
Kakashi then puffed in a huge burst of smoke before he appeared as... herself. If that didn't make her sick to her stomach after her fight during the rescue mission, nothing would.
"You couldn't have transformed into something else?" Ruby asked with faint annoyance.
After he bursted into more smoke, Kakashi was back to normal. He chuckled, "Sorry about that. Now you try."
As she did the hand seals. She thought of Matsuri.
But, nothing. She flexed her muscles and relaxed them, just like how the book suggested, but nothing came. Why is she so helpless?
"Hm," Kakashi voiced. "Say, Ruby. Have you ever meditated?"
"Meditated?" She swayed her eyes away to avoid eye contact. She felt like a failure. All the work put in and she couldn't do anything.
"Meditation. It's to practice your consciousness. Relaxation, compassion, patience. To clear your mind of doubt."
"Like monks? I've heard of that."
He sat by the water. "I want you to you to sit on the bank of the river, crisscrossed, with your eyes closed."
Ruby sat to his side. Close to his lap, he made the tiger seal. "I want you to do the tiger hand sign like this. That way your arms won't get exhausted."
She mimicked his hands and arms. "Okay..."
"And, for as long as it takes, you will close your eyes and stay in that position, clearing your mind."
Ruby leaned her head back and groaned, "Can't I go back to reading?"
He chuckled as he stood up, "No, I don't think so. What I do think is that you have a lot of anxiety and frustration in your mind."
At least it's not running around the entire village ten times or walking in the desert. She can't deny that what Kakashi is saying is false. It's definitely not. She's in a land she doesn't belong to and has basically been surfing the waves or piggybacked on other people's shoulders.
Kakashi offered her a little piece of tan paper. "Oh, and another thing. Keep this between your fingers."
"What's this?"
"You'll see."
Minutes have passed, and Ruby has opened her eyes more times she could count. She was already restless, and it hasn't even been twenty minutes.
Her thoughts kept racing about her mother, and the small details of her old life. In her mind, she imagined Gaara, Matsuri, Naruto, Jiraiya, Azami, Chiyo, and all the other friends she's made. Like a daydream, she imagined herself as who she wished she was.
Only, this Ruby wore a battle skirt along with a long, red cloak. Ruby smiled at the thought.
She opened her eyes to take a secret peek at the flowing water. Except, instead of the water, Kakashi's face stared right at her. She unsealed her fingers in fright. "Really? Why?!"
Kakashi managed to nab the paper slip she accidentally threw up in the air, "I saw you weren't relaxed so I wanted to help you out some more."
"Well, thanks. Being scared like that is bound to help!" Ruby shrieked before she irritatedly groaned and leaned back. Above, the slow, white dumplings in the sky calmed her down. "I wonder if I've always been this disquiet."
"I think I know what can help you. When you close your eyes, imagine a puddle and try to see deep within it," Kakashi exclaimed as he walked around Ruby. He crouched to hand her the slip.
"I'll try it."
Kakashi disappeared, although Ruby was sure he was still around. She crossed legs, placed the paper in between her index fingers, and closed her eyes.
Blackness. No, voidness. The absence of light or anything at all. Like how Kakashi said, she imagined a puddle. She drew the puddle within her mind, like the one she saw the rose foliage and Jiraiya snuck up on her on.
Those colors in her throw up were vibrant, unusual, and didn't belong in her stomach, or her mind. Without those unusual colors, there was only the puddle. In that void, she wept into her knees in and onto the ground. A single tear dropped to the non-existent floor, she could see it dividing.
Her third day in this world, she saw a magnificent rose garden on the side of a river. The rose in the river, much like her memories, the petals scattered as an eternity shattered. But in that river, she saw herself for the first time. Saw herself in the puddle.
Hours have passed without Ruby notice. Even with the sun's warm glow on her, she remained. It was only the sound of the soft, flowing water and the gentle rustle of the leaves. There was nothing to worry about, and she felt relaxed.
Depression, anxiety, stress, guiltiness, hopelessness. Only the sense of comfort and a mind clearing out.
And an inevitable sneeze. So much for concentration.
Ruby sneezed loudly. Her eyes opened, but as the bright sun noticed her, she narrowed them. She quickly got to her feet.
"Going so soon? It's only been a few hours," Kakashi said as she stood by her bag.
"I know, but I usually keep Yoru at Karin's Emporium company while she works. No one really ever shops there."
Kakashi made a curious eye, "Yoru at Karin's Emporium, huh? And you stay there all evening?"
"Yeah, reading mostly. She lets me eat dinner with her and her daughter." She didn't want to mention she was actually meeting up with Naruto later today.
"Home-cooked meals? Well, have fun then," Kakashi joyfully said as Ruby placed her bag strap around her neck.
"Will you help tomorrow?"
Kakashi hummed a thought, "Maybe. Come here and do as exactly as you did today and I'll come see your progress. Keep that paper nice and straight, though. Place it in a book."
"Gotcha." She took out a book from her bag and placed it between pages. As she started to walk away, Kakashi raised his hand as his own goodbye wave.
After she ran all the way to the weapons store, Ruby saw Naruto outside of the exterior.
"It's only noon. You're not stalking me, are you?" Ruby asked in a joking tone.
"Uh, yeah," He scratched his cheek. About today, I got a mission."
"Oh," was all Ruby could mutter. "When will you be back?"
"I think I'll only be gone for a few days, at most."
That's not too bad. Not like a few weeks. "I'll see you then."
"Yeah, definitely."
With a slight frown, Ruby watched him walk around the corner before she walked into the store. As soon she closed the entrance and turned around, she was startled to see Yoru with a devious smirk.
"Oooh! That's him, isn't it?"
Figures Yoru would be nosy like any mother would, even if she wasn't Ruby's. "I said he was just a friend!"
"Sure, so how was the date?"
Ruby rubbed her arm with her hand as she swayed her eyes away, "It wasn't a date."
"Okay, sure. He's just a friend. But before you know it, you have a lil' Nekena of your own!"
Flabbergasted, Ruby mouth gaped, which made Yoru made a chuckle. "I'm just teasing, come on."
Ruby remained with the same expression before she made an irritated groan.
Yoru merely smirked at her as she walked away. "You up for lunch? I think I got something that might make you forgive me!"
It better be strawberries. They are the only thing better than cookies.
Nekena must be still sick in the back room, but Ruby opted to just sit behind the counter for now. She'll go say hello when lunch is ready. As she heard chops from the kitchen, she really hoped Yoru was cutting the heads off strawberries. She had asked what her favorite fruit was and must have gone and got some.
As the front door opened, she put on a smile like she would at Azami's shop, but it went to an utter stare when she realized it was Kakashi.
"Hey, Ruby. Just thought I'd swing by the store after you mentioned it. Where may I find Yoru?"
Before Ruby could answer, Yoru came in with a container filled with dozens and dozens of huge, fresh strawberries.
"Right here, how may I help you?" Yoru walked around the corner and looked at him. "Oh, Kakashi!"
"Yoru. It's been awhile."
Ruby was confused. Did they know each other? Is that why she hurried and brush her hair? Why did she even have a hairbrush in the kitchen?
"I heard you were in the hospital but seeing you here, you must be feeling well?" Yoru asked.
"All better. Ruby mentioned she has been hanging around here, and I needed to supplies so I figured I'd drop by."
Yoru made an envious smile, "Oh, of course! What kind of mission are you going on?"
"One of those kind. I'm leaving tomorrow."
"I see. Well, I'll certainly ring what you need up," Yoru smiled. "You still have the same measurements?"
Kakashi chuckled as he scratched his cheek. Must have been where Naruto got that nervous habit from.
Yoru made a 'clearing the throat because she just noticed Ruby eyeing them both,' and looked away from Kakashi. Ruby made an irritated expression as she took the big bowl of fruits to the back room.
Honestly, Ruby could hardly wait until she could tease Yoru like how she teased her about Naruto so she wanted to return the favor. She couldn't really blame Yoru, though. She's only twenty and has a kid.
She cracked the door and saw Nekena was soundly asleep. Ruby felt she should just leave the child at peace, but noticed she was having difficulty breathing. Once she got closer, she saw Nekena was shivering.
Ruby immediately placed a hand on her warm forehead and then walked immediately to the bathroom. After she turned on the faucet for hot water, she got a rag from under the sink. She placed the folded, warm rag on Nekena's forehead.
After, she placed another blanket over Nekena. As she did that, Nekena reached her hand up. The young girl still appeared asleep.
Ruby opted to place her hand on Nekena's, which she immediately grabbed. Is this what it was like to have a baby sister? It calmed the child down, at least. And that she had a free hand to eat a strawberry, which was everything Ruby thought it would be. Tastefully sweet, ripe, and not at all sour.
The next day, Ruby awoke awfully early. It wasn't by choice, rather her body just chose to. She never did have good sleeping habits. As the blue horizon withdrew, she sat at the edge of the river with the paper slip in her fingers.
Like before, Ruby imagined the puddle and saw herself in it.
She frowned as the water rippled. Ruby imagined the moon. It glowed magnificently behind her. Her scythe, one much different from the one she has now appeared like a crescent moon.
It rippled once more and made that image disappear.
"Do you see the puddle?" A familiar voice asked. Kakashi's. Justt how long has she been here?
Without a break in her concentration, she spoke softly. "I do"
"What do you see?"
"I see me." A silent moment passed as she looked deeper into the puddle.
"Now imagine the reflection, not as water but as yourself. Then reach in."
The reflection in the puddle twisted in dimension until it came to one shape Ruby could make sense of.
In her mind, she could see herself reaching out. There were still ripples, but as Ruby mentally touched the reflection, she could see the divided streams of water as it rushed in several directions.
She pushed through the water and reached for herself. Either she was helping herself out of the lake, or maybe the reflection was helping her out of it, as she felt she has been drowning the entire time.
Suddenly, Ruby felt herself become soaked. Concentration broken, she freaked out as she thought she had fallen into the water. But she still saw on the grass.
"Well, well," Kakashi said with an impressed tone.
"What? I thought I fell into the river." She unfolded her fingers and realized the paper slip was wet. "Did I accidentally put it in the water?"
"Nope. That little piece of paper reacts to the tiniest bit of chakra in special ways. You have a water nature chakra."
It took a minute to process, but Ruby jumped to her feet. "I did it!" She cheered as she held her hands together and crumpled the paper. She felt successful. Accomplished. Ecstatic.
"You might need some training in producing it."
Honestly, she never felt so happy. Ruby felt dizzy and out of breath after she jumped up so suddenly.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out."
"Hey! So what was that flirting with Yoru yesterday?!" Ruby asked loudly.
Kakashi then made a wave above his head and poofed out of existence.
"Really? It was a shadow clone?! That bastard!"
She looked at the wet, crumpled paper in her hand, and smiled as she let it drop. Once she picked up her bag, the crumpled paper turned into mud as she walked away.
