Hi guys, thanks for the reviews. Sorry this is more of a filler chapter but Ringo really needed to gain some perspective. As you probably start to find out that things are really winding up and things are stirring in the darkness. Enjoy! And a teaser, the next chapter is The Mission to Ginkaku Mine and we will see how Noriko and Ringo cope with being partnered. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 9: The Hard Truth

Souta was true to his word. Two weeks after the atrocity that was the training camp I was sent a letter saying I was withdrawn from the summer Chuunin exams and to return to my previous Jounin teacher for training.

Misaka-sensei was disgusted with me though. She punished me by putting me on lockdown in the village for two more weeks while she went on a solo mission. Natsuko was the only one particularly happy about this as it meant she saw me more. She was also too young to see how lost I was behind my shaky smile.

I was also during this time in the midst of my self-pity I almost set fire to all my trade scrolls inside my cave archive upon the realisation that I was likely never to enter Konoha as anything other than an enemy for the foreseeable future. It meant Danzo got to keep his shadow throne for longer, Sasuke would be under the thumb of Orochimaru and Konoha will practically be destroyed. I supposed that the only thing that was in my favour is that I hadn't messed up the timeline so that there would be a happy ending to this story. Just one that was paved in ruin.

When I reflect on this period of time I find that I'm infinitely grateful that my grudging reluctance to destroy my life's work prevented me from setting my katon or I'm pretty sure my story would have ended a lot differently.

That and of course the earthquake.

Lying lethargically on the tatami mat in the living room I stared up at the wooden slats above my head counting the amount of whorls in the wood and absently mused how much force I would need to effectively send the roof collapsing on top of me if I only used one chopstick.

Natsuko in comparison to my dour mood was happily humming as she braided my bicolour hair into a bird nest facsimile. I couldn't be bothered to care about how much effort it was going to take to fix it.

Maybe I'll just cut it?

Meiko waddled into the room from the shop and stopped upon seeing Natsuko and I in the living room, she tutted exasperated.

'Natsu, darling what are you doing to your sisters hair?'

'Fixing it,' she said happily and continued what she was doing with no care whatsoever. Meiko just sighed and went to detangle a now whining Natsuko from my hair but caught my expression and paused.

'Are you still moping?' she asked curiously.

I gave her a sour look.

'Now don't give me that look young lady. It amazes me you can care so much about those exams but not one whit about your hair!' she cried out perplexed reaching down and succeeded in extracting Natsuko with no small amount of fuss.

'Okaa- its not just some exams. It was my entire future!' I exclaimed turning on my side and propping myself up on my elbow to give her an appropriately disbelieving look.

Meiko was obviously not impressed though and it was her turn to give me a sour look. She just braced a whining Natsuko against her hip and sighed.

'Now you're just being dramatic. If I'm not mistaken there are more exams that take place later on in the year. Just take those ones.'

I gritted my teeth. Of course what Meiko was saying was true enough but I couldn't very well tell her it was the Konoha part of the equation that I was interested in not the Chuunin exams.

Or could I?

In a quiet voice I replied her, 'But I really wanted to go this year to Konoha.'

That startled Meiko a bit and gave me a curious look. There was a slight pause but she seemed to come to a decision and shushed a fussing and neglected Natsuko.

'Ringo, I'm going to take Natsu-chan to Otou-san and then we are going to have tea together ok?'

I closed my eyes and lay back against the floor while grunting my affirmative. I had nothing better to do anyway.

I could hear her footsteps trail away and then the muffled voices of Shingo and Meiko as they talked. I opened my eyes to look back up at the whorls and blinked rapidly as they began to blur with the water filling my eyes.

Damn it.

I refused to cry anymore over this. I wiped the back of my hand over my eyes then rested my entire arm over them sighing.

'Ringo-chan?'

I peered at Meiko from under my arm acknowledging her presence but replaced my arm. I heard her shift behind me and seemingly was picking up where Natsuko left off but only in reverse.

'Konoha…' she mused trailing off, 'It's been a while since I've been to Fire Country.'

'Me too,' I whispered.

A lifetime it seems.

'I'm starting to get a picture here that this isn't completely about a promotion,' Meiko supposed correctly still gently pulling and untangling the clumsy but tight braids Natsuko had enthusiastically put into my bleached and brittle hair.

'Yeah…' I affirmed.

Meiko just hummed.

'I just… I just wanted to go. If only just to see it,' I continued feeling the tightness in my chest slowly loosen as I finally began telling the truth. Meiko hummed and finished unbraiding my hair. She then picked up a comb and began to detangle the knots I had amassed, she tutted at the fragility of the strands.

'So brittle… It's just a shame you do this to your hair. While brown is a lovely colour your black hair was so rich and full! Why I remember when you first wandered out of those bushes all those years ago. Tiny and frail with this dark hair and pale skin – but with such bright eyes! I'd never seen such bright eyes,' she smiled, 'I just knew we had to take care of you.'

I bit my lip and shifted awkwardly. This wasn't really making me feel better.

'We couldn't find your family- we did try though- but the war had just ended and so we just assumed…' Meiko sighed, 'I suppose its not all that surprising that you'd be curious, I'd be too don't get me wrong, but it seems that going back to Fire Country is perhaps something you've been wanting for a while.'

I put my arm back to my side and sighed. I lifted my chin to look backwards and saw the upside-down expression of Meiko as she very carefully brushed my hair.

'Did you perhaps…' Meiko bit her lip, 'did you hope to find your birth family?'

I didn't reply but something in my expression seemed to confirm something with her. She finished brushing my hair and gently grabbed my shoulder.

'How about some tea?'

With my hair neatened and tucked carefully into my plum coloured bandana I was dressed casually in one of the few dresses I owned as Meiko and I walked to the teahouse.

When we got there we were sat in one of the available booths and ordered our favourites. I also asked if I could have some mochi to curb my sweet tooth.

We sat in comfortable silence and I stirred my green tea then took a bite of mochi. Meiko laughed suddenly.

'What?'

'It's just you happen to like very different things,' Meiko gestured to my bitter tea and sweet mochi. I shrugged.

I like what I like.

'They both taste good.'

'Even when they don't match?'

'I suppose.'

Meiko just hummed and took a sip of her own ginger and white tea.

'So what now?' she suddenly says as she placed her cup down.

'What do you mean?'

'Do you still want to be a ninja?'

I spluttered my tea to the disapproval of the teahouse matron who gave me a sharp look.

'Of course!' I said shocked.

'Oh?'

'I can't not be a kunoichi? I suppose I'll just keep training with Misaka-sensei- when she comes back of course...' I replied bemused grabbing a napkin and mopping up my spilt tea. I frowned as I noticed it had gotten into the mochi.

'So you wont go back to your team? That Hiroto-kun was a darling...' Meiko sighed.

'…umm I don't think that's an option.'

She tilted her head curious.

'Well… I kinda messed up,' I admitted.

'Is this part of the reason you are no longer going to the Chuunin exams?' she deduced.

'Yeah… so I don't think we'll ever be a team again.'

'What a shame. It could have been really good for you,' she said absently and grabbed one of my mochi and nibbled on it.

'What do you mean "good" for me?' I asked feeling a bit miffed. Meiko gave me a droll look.

'Well dear… you are a bit of a loner.'

'What's wrong with that?'

'No one can live in a bubble, it just doesn't work that way. That's why I thought having this team was a wonderful idea. That and you could meet people your own age.'

I pursed my lips.

Funny you should be talking about people my own age.

'Not only that Ringo-chan but you… well… lets just say you know your own mind and perhaps… that is not always the best thing,' Meiko continued carefully.

Before I could reply though there was a sudden rumbling and the teacups on our table rattled lightly before stilling.

'Oh goodness! Was that an earthquake?' Meiko wondered peering around with the other teahouse patrons that were similarly surprised. I sat heavily back against my booth though and didn't respond.

Wow… this is actually earth shattering stuff. Literally.

'You think I'm too opinionated?' I asked incredulous. I had no idea that Meiko had any issue with me at all. Meiko turned back to our conversation and sighed. The cups rattled again but more lightly this time with the aftershocks and Meiko and grabbed her cup as if it would escape off its saucer.

'Not like that dear, not at all… It's just you're very independent,' she amended before admitting something, 'It's been an experience being your mother Ringo. I've spent most of your life simply watching you, as you seem to already know where to step and what you're doing. It wasn't until Natsuko came along I realised how strange that was. It was then I learnt that it's not a mother's job just to merely watch her child grow up but to teach them how to grow.'

'What do you mean?'

'Ringo-chan, I don't know what you experienced before you came to our family but at four years old you had the eyes of child that grew up too quickly. It was like you had experienced so much life without us and were simply waiting for your body to catch up. But, I don't think anyone was there to guide you through it so I think you lack a few things every adult knows,' she paused and then exhaled sharply and pointed one finger up, 'One: you're not perfect.'

I flinched and withdrew from her.

'Hey! A little harsh,' I mentioned hurt.

'I'm saying this because you need to hear it,' she said bluntly and raised a second finger, 'Two: I am not perfect either.'

'Ok, I get what you're trying to say. People aren't perfect. I already know that,' I huffed annoyed.

'Then you really should stop expecting them to act perfectly.'

I opened my mouth to retort but my words failed me.

'It's not that simple,' I defended.

'Of course not,' she huffed.

'Then what is the point? We were talking about how I'm apparently stubborn and headstrong and don't work well in a team. How's being perfect got to do with any of this.'

It feels unnecessarily mean.

'Mhmm well you've already got Three so I'll say Four,' she replied and raised a third and fourth finger, 'Stop pretending that you are perfect.'

I raised my hands in blatant exasperation.

'I'm not!'

'Well you're certainly not pretending with me,' she replied unimpressed with my behaviour. I rubbed the bridge of my nose as a headache started to appear.

'In opposed to what? I've been pretending with other people? My team?' I snorted, 'Believe me I don't think I pretended at all to be perfect.'

'How so?'

'Well they weren't all that impressed with me.'

'So you think they would have liked you if you had acted perfect?'

'Well- yeah?' I was a bit confused, 'I mean I wasn't looking for them to like me.'

'What did you want then?'

'To be a good team of course.'

'…so you wanted to be a good team… but they didn't need to like you?'

Well, when she put it that way it was sort of in opposition to each other. I fiddled with my teacup with one hand and rested my head on my other upturned one with my elbow on the table.

'I might have miscalculated…' I admitted.

'I think you just look to far forward to take notice of what is happening in front of you,' Meiko mused and sipped lightly at her tea and frowned when she noticed it was cold. I took this time to stare at my adopted mother who I had always though of some sort of kind-hearted albeit airheaded older sister. I felt ashamed that I had assumed that she was a sidenote in my life when perhaps she was a neglected part of my foundation.

'Okaa-san… I think this is the deepest conversation we've ever had,' I stated giving her a hesitant smile.

'Mhmm… It's rare that you sit still enough to have tea with your mama. I miss out on a lot when you go off 'ninja'ing,' she said smiling back.

'Aa- sorry,' I apologised and gave her a shamefaced look.

'No, no I didn't mean to chastise. It's just now you're turning into a young lady and young ladies need there mama's. How else are you suppose to know about boys? Certainly not from your father,' she laughed at my disgusted look.

'Now is most definitely not the time for boys. I still need to find out how to get my team back.'

'Oh?' she stated surprised, 'Are you going to try to rejoin your team?'

'Yeah,' I said decisively, 'I refuse to let stupid false impressions and petty arguments break up our team.'

I gulped down the rest of my now tepid tea and stood to leave but paused in thought.

'Umm…' I gave her a complicated look, 'How do you reckon I could go about it?'

Meiko tittered lightly, 'Remind them that you're not perfect. And imperfect people make mistakes.'

I left the teahouse with purpose.

Now, to find Souta-sempai.

I jumped to the rooftops and started to building hop but a wolf whistle below reminded me of my current outfit. I quickly dropped to the ground with a red face and instead chose to sprint home to change out of my dress before I went to find Souta.

I took the window to avoid being caught by Shingo or Natsuko and pulled on my black leggings and shirt and on a whim my purple apron skirt to replace my dress. I was putting on my chainmail sleeves as I jumped out of my window and was surprised to land directly in front of Fuuni Noriko who was just as startled to see me but she swiftly regained her composure.

'Noriko?' I asked confused.

What on Earth is she doing in a civilian village?

'Himura,' she said blankly and then to further my surprise she handed me a mission scroll. I took it automatically and scrambled for something to say.

Should I apologise?

'Ah… I-' I started but was interrupted.

'Mou, not enough time! Just follow me,' she said and jumped to the nearest rooftop and started heading south. I decided to follow immediately.

'At around 0800 hours an earthquake hit as you probably noticed. It was mild but it was apparently enough to damage the structural integrity of the larger mines in the area. There are immediate orders for anyone in village to be dispatched for emergency aid,' she informed me.

I was still lagging in my understanding.

'We're going on a mission?'

She gave me a droll look.

'You are a shinobi are you not?'

I growled, 'I got that! I just wanted to know why us.'

'You were in the village and I was in the village. It's simple. We are capable shinobi and equipped to go. So we were partnered.'

'…and do they not know our history?' I asked.

'No, and it shouldn't matter' she replied, 'besides I volunteered us.'

I was gobsmacked.

'You?'

'Yes, me.'

'But why? You hate me. I punched you in the face!'

She shot me a scowl at that. I could still see the traces of a bruise around her eye.

'Irrelevant. We are shinobi and right now we have a mission.'

I opened my mouth to apologise but she interrupted me again.

'Now if you've had enough, our contingent to the mine is waiting at the edge of the forest.'

…I'll apologise later…

The crackling of the fire and the whisper of shifting papers accompanied the old man seated in seiza in front of his traditional desk. The rigidity and poise the man was one of the only indications to the military history he could claim, that and the myriad of bandages hiding aged battle wounds.

At present he was enjoying seeing the fruits of his labour presented on parchment. It seemed that everything was now financially secure for the coming Chunnin Exams thanks to his efforts.

Hiruzen has no idea how perilous we would stand without our roots.

It wasn't until he noticed an addendum in his missive from Suna that he was reminded of an issue that kept cropping up at unfortunate times.

It seems it was not just coincidence with fluctuations in the market that kept causing him losses. It seems like there truly was a new syndicate playing the market game if the snake himself smelled a rat.

Well, its not like this hasn't happened and been resolved before.

He pulled a cord that wrung a bell situated well below the basement level of his house. It meant that the ROOT captain on duty would arrive post-haste.

'I think its time to find this rat,' he murmured decisively as a masked shinobi flickered into his office stirring the papers only lightly.

xo