A/N: Part Three! Weeeee! Hope you enjoy.

Can you guess what's going on in this town? Where are the children?! It's not what you think. ;)

Part Four will be the final chapter in the 'Senpai' series.

Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto, but maybe if I can just have Obito?

Rosse stared at the place where Zetsu was just moments ago and blinked.

Zetsu…ditched me? He ditched me in this backwater town?! Rosse screamed out in frustration and pounded on the dirt in front of her, stabbing it with her kunai. I can't believe this! He actually did this to me! What is it that I'm supposed to learn here?! This is unbelievable!

Wrrrrr~

She breathed heavily out through her mouth at the sound of her stomach growling and dislodged her kunai from the ground, standing to her full height. That's right – I haven't eaten in two days. I…I need to go get some food before I can properly assess this…situation. Rosse dusted herself off and tucked her weapon into the fox-skin pouch wrapped around her thigh. Lifting up her shirt, she tore the bottom half evenly to leave her toned abdomen exposed and wrapped the scrap of cloth around the upper part of her face to hide her senjutsu markings. The girl smoothed down her hair and picked out the stray straw strands before heading out of the barn and expanding her senchakra. Okay…so the main town doesn't seem too far from here. If I run, it'll only take me a minute or so, but I don't really wanna draw any attention to myself more than I have to. Obito has to come back for me some time. He can't just leave me here. Rosse coated her feet with a minimal amount of chakra to keep rocks from lodging themselves into her skin as she walked, a natural reaction after her time in the wilds. The trees down the dirt path were sparse and the underbrush wilting from lack of water, if she had to guess, wind brushing her cheeks pleasantly.

What am I supposed to learn here anyway? I don't understand what his reasoning could be. Is there a shinobi here? Someone who can take me under their wing? Is…is Tsunade here or something? Does he want me to get my eyes fixed?! She shuddered at the thought. I don't need my eyes. I'm just fine without them. He has to know that. So what is it that's so special about this place?

Rosse trudged into town, leaning towards the edges of the road as to stay out of the dwellers' way. They were mostly elderly folk, she noticed, wrinkled and stern-faced like they had been working their whole life. And perhaps they had. She frowned as one of the younger men in hunter's gear directed his focus on her suddenly and began to weave through the crowd towards her. She stiffened imperceptibly and held back the intense urge to break his wrist when he grabbed her roughly by the arm and pulled her to face him.

"What's a little girl like you doing here, hm? Haven't seen you around. Lost?" His voice was gravelly and accusing and Rosse was just a bit confused at his treatment of her. What, are children not allowed here? Is this guy the police or something?

"Yes, sir." She answered in the sweetest voice she could manage. "I'm blind, so I can't get around well." He quirked a brow at her and lifted her arm a bit more, scanning her body with suspicious eyes.

"You're quite fit for some blind peasant." His fingers tightened on her forearm, almost to the point of bruising and she couldn't quite keep the annoyance off her face.

Suddenly, a large hand landed on her shoulder from behind and belatedly, she realized that she hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings. A man stood at her backside, frowning deeply at the other in front of her.

"She's with me, Genji. She lives in the woods." He said, his voice much deeper and sterner as he glared. Genji scoffed, dropping her arm.

"She'll go back to where she came from if she knows what's good for her, Kazuki." Genji warned with another glance towards Rosse before he stalked off. The man behind her, Kazuki, removed his hand from her shoulder and bent down to her height. He smiled, and straightaway, the stressed lines of his face curved cheerfully.

"Sorry about that!" He chirped, his tone much lighter and disarming than before. "It's a bit tense around here, as you can see. Why don't you come with me and we can chat somewhere else?" Rosse immediately brushed his chakra with hers, gauging it's level to be no more than a regular civilian's and grazed over his rather skinny figure before nodding and taking the hand he offered. What's up with this place? They strolled some few minutes towards the other side of town, where the residential area seemed to be and turned down a bystreet, entering a rather small house from a side door. Inside, an older woman sat knitting, but as soon as she turned and laid eyes on Rosse, she bolted up from her chair.

"A child?!" She hissed in seeming disbelief. "Where did you get this?" Kazuki shushed the woman, and ushered Rosse towards the table, pulling out a seat for her. The girl sat down cautiously, actively scanning the room for threats. Well, they're both underweight and have civilian chakra levels…I can take them, if need be. Kazuki sat down next to her and gave her a calculating stare.

"On the street, Mibi-baa-chan. Where she really came from is something we have yet to learn." He said slowly and Rosse scrunched her eyebrows beneath the cloth. He wants to know about me. But…he could be working with that other guy.

"My guardian is away for a little while. He told me to stay here until he comes back." She told them, twisting the truth a bit. Kazuki sighed, rubbing his forehead with bony fingers.

"So, it's safe to say he either didn't know better or he abandoned you."

"What? Why would you say that?" Ro leaned forward in her chair, her heartbeat picking up just a bit. Obito had to come back for her sometime. She still had things to reinvent and that test to create a miniature sun and who was going to hang up all her artwork?! She still had to introduce herself to the nations! Kaa-san wouldn't let him leave me here. The woman Mibi tensed across the rickety table.

"This town is…" He sighed. "Never mind." He turned to Mibi. "We can't let her back out on the streets, baa-chan…"

"Well, she certainly can't stay here." She snapped, gaunt face pinching in displeasure.

"She can't be more than 8 or 9!" Kazuki argued. "I won't allow…can you, in good conscious, send her back where…?" Rosse observed their stiff body language and the way his speech patterns alluded to something unknown – something bad, she guessed, bad enough to make Mibi reconsider. The woman's eyes softened and she gripped her yarn with a hard gulp. "We'll just have to make it so they have no opportunity." The man stood abruptly and approached a large vase resting on top of a corner table – and promptly tipped it over. The ceramic piece wobbled and fell to the floor, shattering into pieces loudly as Mibi shrieked in outrage.

Rosse was frozen in shock. What the hell?! Kazuki turned to her. "I hope you're strong." What…does that even mean? Seconds later, there was a knock on the wooden door and Kazuki went to answer it, revealing more men in hunter's garbs.

"Is everything alright?" The taller one asked, eyes zeroing in on Rosse. "A child."

"Yes." Kazuki shifted a bit so their view of her was blocked. "She tried to steal baa-chan's vase, but ended up knocking it over. She'll be working in the fields until she can pay it off. I trust that isn't a problem?"

The tall man looked a bit disgruntled as he responded, "I'm sure you know there are faster ways for her to-"

"No." Kazuki interrupted firmly, much to the man's displeasure. "Not yet." The man nodded slowly before backing away, sending one last glance over his shoulder at Rosse before leaving with his partner. Kazuki sighed as he closed the door and faced them again. "What's your name?" He asked tiredly.

Now isn't that a loaded question? I can't give them my real name – Yuupika, or Rosse. He could be deceiving me into letting my guard down. Her senjutsu drifted to inspect the flower pot just outside the window, where bright camilias waved in the breeze. "Tsubaki." She replied. Kazuki nodded.

"Honey?" Rosse whipped around to see a tall, oval-faced woman leanining on the door frame, holding her – oh. She's…

"Yuri-chan! You shouldn't be up out of bed!" The man zipped over to her, sandals crunching the ceramic shards and hands fretting over her frame. She laughed, like tinkering waterfalls and sweet rain.

"I'm fine, darling. The baby is fine." She patted her swolled stomach gently and turned to Rosse with a smile. "I heard such a commotion out here, is this little one the cause?"

Rosse tipped her head in greeting. "I'm Tsubaki. Pleased to meet you." Yuri hid a giggle behind a dainty hand.

"So polite, too. I suppose you're also the one who made this mess." She pointed down towards the broken vase on the floor and Rosse was glad that she didn't get a chance to answer because it probably would have been something harsh.

"No, that was me." Kazuki interjected, scratching his wild hair. Yuri cocked her head with a confused expression, small lips pursing. "They were going to…I couldn't let it happen, so…I did this." The woman nodded in understanding, although Rosse was still confused as ever.

"She'll be working in the fields then?" Kazuki nodded.

"What is going on here?" Rosse finally asked, standing to her feet. The adults in the room all looked away from her, mouths pressing into thin lines. What the hell? What could they be hiding? I deserve to know!

"You said you're waiting for your guardian, right?" Mibi inquired gingerly and Ro nodded. What about it? Why does that matter? "Well, this is the only way you'll survive until he comes back." The old woman's spine straightened and her eyes flashed like hardened steel. "We're looking out for you." What…?

Night fell fast and cold settled into the house, so Kazuki set down blankets and a straw-fulled pillow for her near the fireplace that he lit and told her to get a good rest after cleaning the vase shards.

"Why?" She asked, curling up in the rough fabric and privately reveling in the feel of a cushioned couch after months of hard dirt and tree branches. It didn't even matter that it felt like just a bunch of uneven lumps, her body willingly sank into it.

"It'll be a long day." He whispered as he stoked the fire with another piece of wood. "They won't go easy on you because you're young."

"Who?"

He grimaced and stood, calling back lowly as he walked away, "The Kawatake Gang."

She stared into the reflective water of the stream as it trickled down south, studying the mud caked on her face and arms and the small chip in her front baby tooth that had started to wiggle. Clouded eyes stared back at her and lean muscles flexed as they came up and splashed the relection with a clenched fist, distorting the girl that was there. She felt along the moss bandage on her chest with wet fingers and breathed a heavy breath. She felt dirty and hungry and angry, but the mud smeared over her body masked her scent and she was only feeling so worn because her wound took so much energy to heal. Damn shinobi's advanced healing, for just this once. She fingered the fox-skin pouch on her bruised thigh and gripped a dull, stone kunai that she had fashioned from a particularly large rock on the bay of this same stream and tucked it into her hair for easy access. She took another deep breath.

And then she screamed with all the fire in her soul, so loud that her sensitive ears rang and it echoed throughout the jungle like an enraged battlecry, the birds taking off in flight and chirping day insects overpowered into silence. There was a moment of all quiet before a roar as full and tall as the mountains answered, the shaking of trees and paws pounding on the dirt sending vibrations like a thousand thunder claps back to her. She tensed and fell into stance as the object of her anger came closer, snarling back at the tiger that burst through the underbrush as it snarled at her and the sinew underneath it's sweaty coat drew tight in preparation. Slitted, predatory eyes addressed her in fury and cautiousness alike, even though the small girl stood low above four feet. The tiger growled harshly, claws digging into the ground as it bent at the joints to lunge. She willed chakra to surge through her body, soaking herself to the bone in it.

Rosse gripped the spear in her hand, and with one last bellow that promised wrath and vengeance, she charged.

When morning came, Rosse awoke to the chirping of birds outside and the call of a rooster and she slowly stretched out. So, today is the day that I begin working in the fields. Is this what I'm supposed to do? Help these people? I don't really understand… She reached into the pouch on her thigh and fingered the gem of the necklace Kakuzu gave her all those years ago. It's original cord was lost after an incident with a tiger in the jungle, but she fastened it onto a strip of leather and kept it safe in her pocket once she retrieved the jewel from the belly of the beast. Rosse pressed a palm to the fading scar that she knew was on her chest, where the tiger's claw had just barely grazed her and ripped off the keepsake. I would do anything to keep this thing safe.

Is this what I'm supposed to learn here? The value of human life? Obito is always so damn cryptic.

"Tsubaki?" Rosse activated her senchakra at the sound of Kazuki's voice and sat up in her makeshift bed. "Oh, you're awake. Good. We leave here in 30 minutes, so be ready." The girl nodded in understanding and slipped off the couch, making her sheets with ease of practice. The fields today…I wonder what we'll do out there. She made her way through the small building towards where she saw Mibi leave an area filled with steam, which she deduced was a bathroom. She stepped into it, eyebrows raising at the set of small clothes on the wooden counter by the sink that immediately caught her attention. Baggy pants, a sleeveless tee and even undergarments. They looked to be slightly bigger than she was, but…where did they come from? Whose were these? What happened to the kid they belonged to? Ro frowned, but shook her head of those thoughts, deigning to ask later as she stepped into the shower and turned the knob with no markings on it. She was expecting cold water, as she was used to by now, but was pleasantly surprised when it came out hot, relaxing her sore body. How odd. You'd think resources around this kind of town would be scarce. Heated water is a commodity… She decided to ask about that later as well as she washed herself with generic soap and eased the tangles out of her hair.

When light broke the darkness of the sky and sent pale green rays billowing over the clouds, Ro accompanied Kazuki and Mibi in the morning traffic of bodies towards the west side of town, earning a plethora of perplexed and shocked stares along the way. Rosse had never been all that ashamed of her body or age, but the way the adults and elderly alike eyed her, she felt as though there were a hundred hands crawling up her skin and her cheeks were flushed. Nearly 37 years of acceptance and encouragement had not prepared her for this. The gangsmen in hunter's garb ushering everyone along the road paid avid attention to her and every small twitch she made. Kawatake, hm…? So, this bandit gang runs this town, it looks like. But why is everyone so skittish around them?

A rolling field of towering corn and wheat came into view and Kazuki rested a firm hand on her shoulder as he collected two large baskets from a man who looked just about ready to kick the bucket, then guided her down one of the isles near the center. They walked without any words for a few minutes as she marveled at the sheer size of the place with the range of her senjutsu before he stopped her and turned towards the stalk.

"Are you really blind, Tsubaki?" He asked as he picked his first ear of corn. Why…the curiosity about such a thing?

"I am." Ro affirmed with a sharp nod after a moment of consternation.

"It doesn't seem like it. The way you interact with outside forces suggests you can see perfectly well, even through that blindfold." Kazuki accused on a light note, sending a loaded glance towards her. She huffed.

"My four other senses can guide me around just fine, thank you. I don't need sight."

The man's cheeks swirled with a bit of chakra. "Then show me your eyes."

Rosse bit her lip and blushed with the tide of her anger. She wasn't particularly shy about the dull and unfocused look in her orbs whenever she opened her lids to look at them, but she had only ever shown them to her family. Towards a stranger, even one who had housed and fed her, it just seemed…well, it made her chest stir uncomfortably. Embarrasment. The girl realized with a start. I'm embarrassed of my eyes. They make me look dumb. She groaned and slowly reached towards the tidy knot mixed in with her long hair, pulling strands as she loosened it and deactivating her senjutsu. This is no time for self-esteem issues! These stupid hormones! This stupid tiny body! The cloth fell onto her hand and she turned her face in his direction, reading the vibrations in the air that told her of his screwed expression.

"I see." He uttered and she wasted no time in securing the scrap back around her head. "You have sharp senses then."

"I guess." She murmured as she picked an ear of corn. I wish I were 30 again. Rosse quickly steered to another topic. "So, who are the Kawatake?" Kazuki sighed, the skin around his eyes crinkling tiredly.

"They run this town," He began and Ro hummed to herself at the confirmation of her initial assumptions. "They've been here for about twenty years now, since I was young. It all started with this one man…a defected chunin from Kumogakure." Rosse froze mid-pick, though Kazuki didn't seem to notice. His gaze was far away. "He was just a teen when he arrived, but he easily overpowered all of us. Things changed drastically to what they are now and he won't let anyone leave. We can't just run anyway, our whole livelihood is here. Where else would we go? None of us have any money. This town used to be peaceful – but…"

Rosse jerked back into movement, forcing herself to continue labor as thoughts whirled violently around in her head. A chunin?! From Kumo?! What would he be doing all the way over here? In this town? I can't go back until I learn my lesson? About what?! I couldn't possibly…Obito couldn't possibly want me to…there's just no way that…

"His name is Jungo Kawatake. Overtime, as he recruited bandits, they became known as the Kawatake gang. They run this town. There's no getting out. You better hope your guardian comes back for you soon, Tsubaki, or else you'll be stuck here too."

"Hey, no talking! Get back to work!" A guard shouted from down the isle, glaring with all his murderous intent at the child who's limbs shook with uncertainty.

The baskets filled high with corn were collected when the sun began to set and the trek back to the small house in the residential area was long, as Kazuki and Mibi did not have stamina like Rosse. However, she had to keep a steady flow of chakra in her system to prevent sunburn, so she was worn and unsteady just the same. Yuri greeted them at the door, the smell of freshly cooked food wafting out of the humble structure.

"You all must be tired," She smiled like sunshine. "Stew is on the table."

Kazuki kissed the woman tenderly, a slim hand caressing her baby bump. "Thank you, dear."

Ro trudged inside after the others, following them towards the dining room where she had sat at just the day prior to see four steaming bowls set neatly out with silverware and glasses of water. Dinner was a quiet affair, and Rosse only half-heartedly listened to the adults as they made idle chat and talked of their days, Kazuki inquiring every so often about the child in Yuri's stomach.

"Did he kick today?" He would ask, and, "Do you think he can hear us?" was a favorite, and when he finished with his stew, he scooted closer towards Yuri and rubbed her bump in leisure circles, cooing quietly at it as she listened to a story Mibi was telling. "Oh!" He exclaimed suddenly and the old woman fell silent. "I can feel him, right here." His hand pressed just a little more into the flesh covered by a thin dress. "It's daddy, little buddy! It's daddy." Yuri smiled softly, her eyes full of love and warmth as she played with the man's messy hair. Mibi stared contently at the two, pride in her wizened features and suddenly, Rosse felt so out of place, stifled by an atmosphere that was foreign to her, but she wanted desperately to be a part of. This kind of affection and closeness was not something that she had ever experienced. The joy that an unborn child brought, the elation and anxious wonderment whilst waiting for it come out into the world…Rosse briefly wondered why she herself never had a child in her last life. She was busy beyond belief, but…maybe she could have made some time? Surely, if the feeling was something like this…

She slept restlessly that night.

Mornings were always the hardest, Rosse soon came to realize, as they always woke up early, before her chakra was fully restored and set out to immediately get to work. Picking the corn was menial work, easy by all means, but for the 10 hours that she repeatedly did the same thing whilst circulating her chakra, her arms and legs ached something fierce and her system was tired out. Now she understood why shinobi deigned to buy sunblock. Keeping a steady and minimal flow was hard work for all but the ones with absolute perfect control and even then, the usage for hours on end was exhausting. It had occurred to her on the fifth day that Obito had sent her out into this hick town to perform d-ranks. To serve her time like the rest of them did and do the stupid, tedious tasks that needed to get done by somebody or else order would descend into chaos. Ro wasn't the most patient person in the world, but she learned to think of it as a training excerise (Rock Lee style!), to increase her reserves, her chakra control, and give just bit more mass to her muscles.

"You're such a hard worker, Tsubaki-chan!" Yuri praised her in the afternoons and the girl had trouble responding sometimes, but when she did, it was mostly the same thing.

"I do what has to be done." The pretty woman would look a bit miffed at that, but continue to praise her all the same while fluttering around the three of them worriedly.

"This is so hard!" Rosse complained on the afternoon of the tenth day as she fiddled with the yarn. Mibi had explained the process of knitting just fine to her, but for whatever reason, Rosse could not pick up the knack for it, no matter what. She pouted childishly, blowing air into her cheeks and crossing her arms.

"You look like a chipmunk, keep your back straight." The woman reprimanded. On rest days, which happened after 100 hours of work, Mibi liked to spend her time knitting and sewing clothes. The way she poised herself as she did and the nimble motions of her fingers made Rosse think that perhaps, she had not always been in this rundown place. The city of Chachubi. No so much a city anymore though, as the constant travel and wars of shinobi had ripped the area of it's past splendor.

"Where did you learn this stuff anyway?" Ro asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Mibi beamed proudly. "When I was young, I was to grow up to be a seamstress. I learned to make all sorts of clothes, weave the finest silks into beautiful yukatas and kimono. My work was far beyond what my mother and teacher had ever imagined. My natural talent would have made me famous in all the elemental nations." She boasted and Rosse cocked her head.

"Well, what happened?"

Her grin faltered a bit and settled into something nostalgic, bittersweet like lemon tea. "Life happened, Tsubaki. I always meant to get back into the art, but then I had Yuri, and well…" She hesitated. "I am content with what I do now, preparing for the child in her stomach."

"So, all these clothes are for him?"

"Well, yes." She chuckled. "I cannot accurately predict how he will grow, but if I make all sizes of clothes for him, it won't matter. I won't be around forever anyway."

Rosse frowned.

Seventeen days and Rosse realized that she wasn't returning from work anymore as tired as she remembered and she had more energy to help Yuri clean the kitchen and the dishes afterwards.

"You know, I'm thinking once the baby comes, I'll get one of those new, fancy dishwashers." She giggled, like she was telling a secret as she scrubbed a plate.

Rosse perked up. "Oh, yeah?" She hadn't seen any of her inventions in town when she really thought about it, but it hadn't struck her until that moment that people dreamed about having technology that she disregarded so easily. Besides the time spent in Obito's hellish dimension and the time spent in the wilds, she had lived around "advanced" technology all her life.

"Yeah." She sighed dreamily. "It'd make life so much easier and I'd have more time to tend to the baby! If only it weren't so expensive, though!" Her technology was expensive? "I'll have to put in a request with the boss." She murmured rather quietly. And that struck Rosse's interest.

"The boss?" She inquired without missing a beat. "You mean Jungo Kawatake?" Yuri eyed her warily, but nodded. "You need his permission?" She hesitated.

"Well-"

"Yuri-chan." Kazuki called in a firm tone from the door and the woman shrunk back into herself. "Tsubaki, why don't you help Mibi-baa-chan get ready for bed." His suggestion was a command in everything but wording and Rosse's lips pressed into a thin line as she set down her drying rag and complied. It seems I am missing quite a few pieces of this puzzle.

Rosse tried to ask more about the subject, but after that incident, Yuri didn't let anything slip, not even the most harmless information like the man's shoe size. Not that she would know it, Rosse certainly didn't expect her too, but she wouldn't budge regardless. She wondered about it often as she worked, silent next to Kazuki, asking herself what could she have possibly missed. She analyzed the information that she had already gathered in her head, piecing it together in all the different manner of ways that she could think of, trying to make sense of the situation. This town was run by bandits and a missing nin from Kumo, but nobody was living in poverty, per say, like she would have expected. They always had food on the table, heated water, electricity, wood for the fire…it almost seemed as if Chachubi was a heavily militaristic town, guarded at all times and upheld by a strict set of rules. There was a system here. It was orderly, if a bit dull. Was this what Kumo was like? It was always described as militaristic, but the government and economy there was never explained. Even if it was, there was one puzzle piece with no matching holes, that just didn't fit in with the rest.

Where were the children?

"Do you ever wish you could leave this town?" Ro asked, cuddled into her blanket as they sat around the fire. The three adults in the room sat in contemplation for a while, the crackling flame in front of them illuminating the room and casting shadows that danced along the walls.

"Sometimes." Kazuki sighed. "The way things work here...it's not horrible, but..." He ran a hand down his face and the dullness in his eyes spoke louder than his words ever could. Rosse observed them like they were an open storybook, they way Yuri leaned into his shoulder and Mibi patted his knee, how their chakras all relayed various degrees of distress and helplessness. It was the same throughout the whole village, every callous hand and weak body radiating anxiety and strain. The girl was nonplussed in the worst way, because she felt for them in this stifling environment that they could not seem to escape from. They shouldn't have to feel that they needed to escape!

"You are strong, Tsubaki. So full of exuberance and defiance. That's why you need to leave - go as far away as you can." His mien became pained. "You should never have come here."

Ro had nothing to answer in the silence. The twenty fourth day came to a close.

Twenty seven days in and old man Jin, who handed out all the baskets in the mornings, collapsed off the side of his chair, startling everyone in the immediate vicinity. Oh my god… There was quiet for a moment suspended in time before people started to cheer.

Ro almost choked on air, listening to the cries of joy resound through the crowded street as the Kawatake gang members hoisted up him up, shaking their heads when they found no pulse. Kazuki was crying tears of delight and many congratulated him as he hugged Mibi, leaving Rosse utterly confused and just a bit terrified. Someone just died! Why were these people celebrating so profusely?! Nobody paid her any mind for once as she weaved through the bodies, trying her hardest to make it to the fields. Rosse shivered, and for a moment, she wished she was back in the wilds.

On the four week mark, a new presence entered into her range. This chakra signature…it's stronger than mine! Her head whipped around towards the source of it to see a man with long hair and bulging muscles at the entrance to the field, smiling…at her. Her whole body tensed as he seemed to eye her up and down with interest, smile never faltering, then proceeded to walk towards her. Rosse's mind was perfectly blank and the rushing of blood in her ears made everything else almost inaudible. Her stomach seized in panic, the panic of finally being caught, of not having a chance to run, of the probability of civilians being hurt if they were to fight, the probability of her even surviving such a thing… He was huge! He was a chunin!

He approached must faster than Rosse thought he should have, his steps silent and strides confident. His eyes were a swimming mixture of amusement and consideration, even as Ro couldn't move a single muscle in her body mid-pick and he stared at her for just a moment longer before tapping Kazuki's shoulder. The man turned around and exclaimed his surprise, catching the attention of everyone else down the quiet isle. Immediately, they all lowered into a bow.

"Kawatake-sama!" Kazuki addressed him when the tall man, much taller than anyone else, much taller than Rosse was comfortable with, rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Congratulations, Kazuki-kun. I wish happy times upon you and your family. Never forget Jin-kun's sacrifice." His voice was deep and calming, his smile friendly. He looked as harmless as any other man – not the villain Rosse had envisioned in her head. Kazuki bowed once again.

"Of course, Kawatake-sama. Thank you very much, sir."

"Hm." Jungo Kawatake sent once last glance in her direction, still stiff as a wooden board, before walking off. Rosse let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"He has a commanding presence, does he not?" Kazuki commented in a whisper, turning back to his stalk. "What a surprise that he was here, though…"

A surprise, it was indeed. Ro numbly nodded as the man's wide back disappeared from view and resumed her work.

When the next rest day came, two guards showed up at the door.

"Kawatake-sama wishes to speak with the child." Rosse tensed like cat dropped in cold water as soon as those words come out of the man's mouth.

"With…Tsubaki?" Kazuki repeated, hand clenching the doorknob deathly tight.

"The child." The man said and Kazuki nodded robotically, shifting so that they could see inside the house and to the couch that she was resting on. The girl looked up, lost and feeling just a bit more scared than she wanted to admit to herself and Kazuki urged her with a hand, eyes flashing in apology.

"Go on, Tsubaki-chan. I'll see you when you get back." He's…letting them take me?

Rosse stood on jelly legs, her body moving faster than her frantic brain and approached the guards, resisting the urge to run when they grabbed hold of her shoulders. Kazuki's mouth set into a panicked frown and his gaze followed her down the street as the two men at her sides escorted her, catching the interests of the folk walking around. Some of them seemed pleased, others seemed mildly entertained, and many were outraged. She walked on without thought or awareness, coming up blank on plans and escape tactics.

I could always just run right now. Escape and never come back, go east to the border of Hi no Kuni and just keep going until I get caught by patrol or make it to the Leaf village. I could leave right now and never ever come back. Tempation coursed like a lovely wine through her veins. I could meet Naruto and become apart of his life and help save the world from there, aid him however he needs on his journey. He's still a young boy who needs affection, I can give that to him. I can go. I can make it if I go right now.

But the faces of her beloved family flashed through her mind, the sound of their laughs and the memories of better times and Rosse – Yuupika – could not bring herself to do it. She couldn't run away now or she would likely never see them again. Whatever it was that Obito needed her to learn out here, she would do it. She would face it if only to be with the people she loved. Leave the plot to it's own devices – she was sure that she already made a difference.

With that in mind, she marched into Kawatake's office and sat down on the chair in front of his desk with a purpose. Even though his sharp eyes made her nervous, she wanted to see her family again and get another cord for her necklace and release new products and demand a break from training so she could go relax and tour around the elemental nations that she had always longed to see. She'd get through this.

"Miss Tsubaki." He addressed her and she nearly shuddered at the fact that he already knew her name. By all means, he shouldn't. "You seem much different from the last time we met." Her cheeks flamed in a blush, but she made sure her tongue didn't stutter.

"I was different the last time we met, Mr. Kawatake."

"Ho?" He raised a brow at her. "Well, that's good. Now, answer me this – what's a little kunoichi like you doing in a village like Chachubi?"

"I could ask the same of you." Yuu held her ground, stuffing her hands between her knees to keep them from fidgeting. She sorely hoped that he couldn't sense the extent of her anxiousness. Jungo rested his head on his immensely large hand.

"Bit of a spitfire, are you? As you can see, I run a successful village here."

"Y-You're holding these people hostage." Yuupika blushed even harder at her blunder.

"Hostage?" He chuckled lightly. "No, I'm keeping them alive. Before me, this village was barely on it's own two feet. And now look at where we are – providing 13% of corn outgoing to Iwa. Isn't that an accomplishment?"

"The people hate it here." She said, raising her voice a bit on accident. His eyes narrowed marginally.

"Perhaps. But they are well provided for. There is a roof over every head. There is food on every table. There is wood for every fireplace." Jungo spoke in deliberate tones and Yuu bit her lip in rising frustration.

"So what? Living is not living if you're not happy. That's just existing."

"So you say, but no one wants to die. They will bear this 'existing' if it means they keep their lives. If they really wanted to, the villagers could leave. There is nothing holding them here. But they are well provided for in Chachubi and they know this. They may not have physical money, but there is value in the system here. It keeps them alive. Where else could they go for such security?"

"Where are the children?"

Jungo Kawatake's heavy gaze became a glare and Yuupika felt an odd sense of déjà vu, her mind flipping back to the time when she confronted Sasori in such a setting. "I called you here, Miss Tsubaki, to offer you a place in my ranks. It is a time very few and far between that I come across a shinobi that has no place to go. Of course, there are those that stop by here from time to time and stay in the business area of town, but no one has stayed quite as long as you have. It's almost as if your intentions are to stay."

Yuupika swallowed hard and licked her swolled bottom lip. "I have no intentions of staying here. My guardian told me to wait in this location until he comes back for me."

"Your guardian?" He laughed. "You mean the man with the funny mask?" Yuupika's heart nearly stopped. He…knows Obito? "He's not coming back, my dear. He said specifically to me, and I quote, 'You will never see me again,'. And you know, something about the way he sounded, I believe him. So, what do you say? Will you stay in Chachubi? Join my forces? You have already experienced the quality of life that will be rewarded to you."

Yuu had to turn her face down to hide the intense emotion showing there, the hot, hot betrayal and disbelief that she felt. No. He wouldn't. He wouldn't do that to me. He wouldn't treat me like shit this whole time and drop me in the middle of nowhere to rot just because I learned under some stupid snake. He's not that petty. Obito is my senpai. He still loves me. He invested a great amount of time into me, he wouldn't just abandon me. I know what he looks like. He wouldn't just do that to me…right? She struggled to keep her breathing even.

I should have just run.

"Now, now, it's nothing to be upset about."

"What…" She strained against the tightness in her throat and fought back the raging in her head. I still need answers. "What happened to the children?" Her senchakra revealed the slight scowl on his face.

"The children are none of your concern. Answer the question."

"I won't join you." Yuupika told him, looking back up. The cloth around her eyes was wet in the wake of a few stray tears, but she didn't let it bother her. "What you're doing here is evil. These people are miserable, you're…you're basically strong-arming them into staying! If they had money, they could start new in another town, but you've made that impossible for them!"

"Evil?" He guffawed like her words were the funniest joke in the world. "How naïve. There is no such thing as good and evil. Those are just empty words used to justify an individual's actions. By a government standpoint, the society I have created here is perfect. There is no fighting, stealing, cheating, lying, or murdering. Everyone is well cared for. Do you see my quarters?" He waved his hand in a grand sweep. "I do not live lavishly. I take only what I need and nothing else. Everyday, I calculate numbers, process shipments and distribute goods equally among my people. I left my home village to get away from the indiscriminate slaughter and underhanded lifestyle that shinobi live. Would you consider me evil compared to them? I, who takes good care of my people through honest work, compared to they, who cheat, steal, and kill for a living? My people may not have the luxury of choice, but they will never be in need for as long as they live. If they harbor desires, they need only ask. Tell me, Miss Tsubaki, who is really evil?"

Yuupika was at a loss for words. In a way, he was right - he truly was not evil. Jungo Kawatake had made her think. Is that what you wish me to learn Obito? This harsh truth? When she finally collected herself, her voice was much quieter.

"I wish to stay in Chachubi until my guardian returns for me."

The man sighed, his plump lips settling into a slight frown. "Very well." With a crisp snap of his fingers, the doors behind Yuu opened and two guards came to stand at her sides, hands on her shoulders. "However, I'd like you to remember this, Miss Tsubaki – every action has it's consequences."