A/N: That's right I changed the summary of this story for a third time. Finally found one I was actually pleased with. Shouldn't change again…hopefully.

Anyway thanks to beta snugglejong for getting this back to me so soon so you all get to have a Christmas present from us to you! I hope everyone has a Happy Holidays! Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty: Foolishness of Love

"Lady Niho appeared to have been in league with the bandits. When she proved to be a threat to another on our team, she was taken out as a hostile," Kakashi reported to Lord Kyo, keeping his head lowered enough as to not appear proud of the act, but not so low that it appeared he was ashamed. It was no secret in any of the Elemental Lands that interfering with a shinobi's mission, even if you were the shinobi yourself, was a punishable offense. And to attack a shinobi was an offence punishable by death. Nagisa had every right to kill Lady Niho when she pulled a knife out on Naruto. Perhaps a bit drastic, but still well within her rights.

Kakashi watched Kyo's face twist from poorly concealed pain to acceptance. Instead of becoming irrational in the wake of his daughter's death, Kyo stood up from his seat and bowed his head to Kakashi.

"I see. Thank you for being truthful. I had a fear that Niho was plotting something, but never entertained the idea that she would do something so foolish." The merchant let out a powerful huff as he sat back down behind his elaborate desk. "Greed was always one of her greatest weaknesses, but she never had the intelligence to temper it. I apologize for the mistakes of my daughter, Hatake-san."

Kakashi bowed at the waist.

"There is nothing to apologize for. My team and I shall return to Konoha and make our report then."

"Before you go…" Kyo motioned for Motshubi, who came forward with practiced speed and, bowing at the waist, held out a platter with a small bag. Kyo took the bag and opened it. Kakashi saw the flash of coin before Kyo tightened the purse strings. He replaced it on the platter and with another motion of Kyo's hand, Motshubi brought it before Kakashi. "For the need of force… exceeding what was thought needed."

Kakashi bowed a second time before the bag disappeared into one of his pockets.

"Konoha thanks Lord Kyo for his generosity and understanding. Let us know if there is anything else you need."

"Yes, thank you."

Recognizing a dismissal when he heard one, Kakashi quickly left the room. He did not need to stay to know that Kyo was quick to dismiss Motshubi for the man was a surprisingly hard walking. Nor did Kakashi need to stay in order to know Kyo was now shedding his grief in the privacy of his own office. Even when unshed, it was impossible to miss the rolling grief swelling inside Kyo. Not with Kakashi's sensitive nose, at least.

Breathing out of said nose heavily, Kakashi walked out of the manor and to his waiting genin. There was a level of tension not felt for quite a while as Nagisa was all but ostracized from the group with body language alone. Deciding to try to quell whatever unrest was obviously building in his team, Kakashi plopped his hand on top of Nagisa's head and gave it a good ruffle. The testy look he received in turn allowed him to chuckle.

"Come along, team. Our mission here is done."

"Well, I'll leave it up to you guys this time. Since we're no longer on such a restricted time schedule, would you guys like to hurry back or take a leisurely stroll? You did well on this mission so I'm willing to let you take a break on the way back. No doubt they'll already have another mission for us once we get back."

"More like you don't want to get back and fill out paperwork, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura muttered under her breath. It was still possible for the jonin to hear, but Kakashi pretended otherwise.

"We gotta hurry and get back! Pervy Sage might leave without me if we don't get back soon!" Naruto shouted, going so far as to start to run down the main road, but he was quickly clotheslined by Kakashi grabbing the back of his jacket.

"Lord Jiraiya won't leave you, Naruto, so just calm down. We can start to head back, but if the pace is too slow for you lot, then we can speed it up. Formation M—"

"Excuse me!" Each member of Team Seven looked up as the shouted request was quickly followed by a yelp. A man, young enough to be Kakashi's junior by a couple years, peeled himself from the traffic that made up Miangong's main street. "E-Excuse me, Shinobi-san!"

Kakashi turned to face the newcomer, confusion and curiosity tempered by a natural state of paranoia. The man made it to Team Seven and proceeded to bend in on himself, panting heavily while he leaned on his bent knees.

"S-sorry, Shinobi-san!" he gagged out before taking a ridiculously deep breath and pushing himself upright. "I heard you were in town a-and our Caravan Master was hoping to have a word with you!" Nagisa glanced at Kakashi, feeling a bit edgy due to the man's flustered behavior. His constant fidgeting didn't help her either. The man was as jumpy as a rabbit.

"I'm afraid we're currently on another mission and can't accept another without approval from the Village. If you—"

"N-No no that's just the thing, though! We're on our way to Konohagakure and Master was wondering if you could join us, just as an extra deterrent or something, and he wanted to talk to you and he mentioned something about paying extra but then I'm not the Caravan Master so I don't even know if I can actually mention it but—ahh! I'm sorry! I-If you could please just come talk to Master Tanjiro, he can explain everything!"

Kakashi stood still for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and nodding.

"Very well. Please, lead the way."

"Ah? But Kakashi-sensei! We have to get back to the Village now!" Naruto whined, looking quite torn between following after the already departing adults and the road that continued to lead back home.

"Come along, my little genin, a civilian is in desperate need of our help," Kakashi called back in a sing-song manner.

"I found them, Master Tanjiro!" Nagisa slinked behind the rest of her team as they walked into the middle of a caravan. The large carts made up a circle with a group of men and women in the middle. A middle-aged man, starting to show signs of age with wrinkles and peppering of gray hair, looked away from the group. Built to last but smaller than some of the ox-like men wandering around, Master Tanjiro pulled away with a quick word to the others. They were dispersed and moving around the caravan before Team Seven made it to the man.

"Ah, the Konoha shinobi. Good job catching them in time, Kunii."

"T-Thank you, Master Tanjiro!" Kunii's face turned a brilliant shade of red before he ran off to join an elder woman. Tanjiro's weathered face had a light smile on it as he watched the younger man run off.

"Good kid. He's going to be our next healer after Old Lady Masaki leaves us. I think it'll be good for him, give him some confidence." Tanjiro stared off after the boy for a second longer before shaking his head and turning back to Kakashi.

"Thanks for coming," he said. "I know it's not normal for a team to accept a mission without first going through your Village, but it was an opportunity and I thought I'd try at least. One can never be too careful."

"Kunii-san said something about you wishing for a guard?" Kakashi prompted. "Are you expecting trouble on your way to Konoha, Tanjiro-san?"

"No, no. Not at all. Nothing more than the normal bandits, if even them. My caravan is usually large enough to not get itself in trouble, but I've heard rumor of a growing bandit group that's starting to prey on main roads. Most likely nothing to fear, but I like to play it safe. My wares seem to make it places a lot more often when I do. A few shinobi should ward off any unpleasant sort." Tanjiro smiled down at the children behind Kakashi. "Even greenhorns such as yourselves."

Naruto had only just taken in a breath to argue when Tanjiro cut him off with a nonchalant wave of his hand and a smile.

"Don't even try and deny it, kid. I've been around shinobi enough to recognize genin when I see them. And don't think of it as an insult. We all have to start somewhere, even shinobi." Tanjiro looked away from Naruto to Kakashi with an easy smile still in place. "So what do you say, Jonin-san? Shall you take on the mission?"

Nagisa was watching Kakashi's contemplating face when she felt it.

Someone was staring her down.

With a practiced ease, Nagisa took stock of who was around her. They were being stared at by many, but none with the intensity she was feeling. Most were just glancing with the normal curiosity or hesitation that came with not living in a Hidden Village. Nagisa found the watcher when she glanced to one of the carts.

He was obviously a teenager. Brunette hair pulled into a high ponytail while the sides were shaved neatly. He was tall and had long limbs that spoke of an even greater height to come as he continued to grow; broad shoulders not yet filled out. He was dressed in a pair of knee-length shorts with a kimono shirt. His brown eyes were all but burning into Nagisa and the moment they made eye contact, a bright smile was plastered on his face.

Nagisa frowned.

"I suppose it can't hurt. We're not in a hurry to begin with and it's always good to keep our merchants happy. We'll be happy to travel with you to Konoha, Tanjiro-san."

"Fantastic. We'll be leaving within the hour, if that is fine?"

"Perfect."

Nagisa turned away from the staring boy and gave Kakashi her full attention.

"…Are we going to talk about it?" Sakura finally asked. She didn't look at either Sasuke or Naruto, who sat on either side of her. Instead, all three continued to watch the caravan buzz around them like an active hive. It was a first for all three of them to be around a caravan of such size. Merchants packing up their carts, teenagers getting ox and horses ready, and mothers snatching up children before safely depositing them in with the other precious cargo; each member of the caravan knowing what needed to be done before they set out.

"What's there to talk about?" Sasuke snapped out, causing Sakura to spare him a glance.

The boy had been positively frothing at the mouth since their reuniting in the caves. Even now, he was hunched over his laced hands, doing more glaring than watching those that hustled around them. Sakura had a sneaking suspicion he was the reason for their being left alone more so than their hitai-ate. Most civilians gave shinobi a wide berth; doubly so when one of those shinobi didn't appear to be in a pleasant mood.

"Well I mean… she just… she just killed Niho without any hesitation. That's… that's strange, right?"

"Not for Nagisa," Naruto whispered, suddenly appearing as if he didn't want attention, something that was so at odds with how he acted any other minute of any given day. He didn't look to the others, instead keeping his eyes focused on said girl as she weaved in and out of the crowd. Any not educated in the shinobi arts would think she was simply curious about what was going on. The genin knew better. She was doing recon, shifting through the throngs of people and taking notes on both the members of the caravan and the caravan itself.

"I… I suppose you're right," Sakura admitted, finding herself also watching Nagisa. It was like watching a cat prowl through an open field. Waiting for any signs of prey to appear. "I mean… how many have we seen her k… kill since we met her?" The unspoken 'how many do we not know about' hung between the three like the Executioner's blade. Sakura felt Sasuke stiffen with barely-contained agitation; a cobra poised to strike at the smallest hint of provocation.

Sakura's fingers clenched at her green leggings, suddenly feeling sick. All the deaths she had seen at Nagisa's hand flashed before her eyes; the bandits on the bridge and the Oto-Nin and now Niho. Not once had she shown any sign of hesitation in taking something that should be considered precious. Not even Kakashi-sensei took life like she did.

Was… was she that different from them? Was she really that far away from Team Seven that she continued to stick out like a sore thumb on an otherwise functioning hand? Her presence, it was too hard to ignore. She had only been with them for perhaps three months and already, Sakura could see what her presence was doing. For some, like Naruto, it was good. The boy was starting to use his head more, such as with his sudden interest in Sealing. And he wasn't as… annoying as he used to be. Not so loud and finally, finally able to stand still for longer than a minute. Like his focus was getting better, somehow - still not as great as anyone in their classes had been, still at the bottom rung, but… better.

But then there was Sasuke. Not even the blind could miss how the boy seemed to be thrumming with a growing anger. Every day it got stronger and stronger, to the point that Sakura was beginning to worry it would soon burn him alive from the inside out.

And then… there was her. No longer necessary because there was someone else to take her place. Someone else to keep the boys in line, keeping them focused on missions. Sakura hated her for it sometimes. Other times she could only hope that Nagisa would do what she couldn't: keep them protected, protected from the dangers that Sakura no longer thought she could stand up against. And how could she when even her own sensei was telling her she was weak?

Sakura took in a shaky breath and forced on a strained smile.

"I guess she's just that strange huh?"

"No, not strange. Just… different," Naruto rebutted with a strong conviction lacing his words, something else that had changed in the blond. He never would have disagreed with Sakura six months ago. Said girl watched Naruto stand up then and, after giving himself a good shake like a wet dog, trotted over to where Nagisa was. Sakura could practically see him shed off his somber attitude and return to the boisterous Naruto she was so familiar with.

"No." Sasuke stood up from his spot on the log. Sakura could see the vibrations of his shoulders as the boy literally shook with whatever emotion he was barely keeping contained. His fingers dug into his palms hard enough to draw blood. "She's just that much stronger than us."

Sakura choked on unformed words, feeling so very small as Sasuke left her alone on the log.

'Wha… what's happening?' she whimpered internally. Her own hands shook with repressed emotions. 'We were supposed to be getting closer…we're supposed to be coming together as a team but…' Sakura watched Sasuke's back as he went towards what was slowly becoming the front of the caravan. 'It's like he's becoming… consumed by something…' Sakura ducked her head into her chest and took a deep breath. She couldn't afford to fall apart right now, couldn't let her emotions get the best of her. They had a mission and there were a lot of people looking to her to be strong. She could do that. She could be strong just like them.

Her head raised high enough to glance once more at Nagisa.

The predatory stare she had leveled at Sasuke almost broke what little fortitude Sakura had gathered.

"What is wrong?" Nagisa demanded of the sunny boy standing next to her. His outer appearance spoke of excitement and joy, but the undertone of his ever present sorrow surfacing had her at attention. Her eyes flicked to Sasuke, who was all but radiating enough rage to kill through the bond. Their sudden change in emotions corresponding so close to each other had her suspicious.

Naruto's wide-eyed shock was quickly covered by a blinding smile. He scratched nervously at the back of his head while saying, "Nothing!"

Nagisa's eyes went lidded, but she didn't question the boy anymore. Instead she went back to walking through the caravan. Naruto tailed after her, his head snapping this way and that as he tried to take in as much as possible.

"We move out in five!" Tanjiro's voice echoed out, causing the already high level of activity to suddenly increase tenfold. Nagisa tapped Naruto on the shoulder and together the two jumped up onto one of the cart's tops in order to get out of the swarm's way.

Neither were surprised when Kakashi appeared next to them.

"We're going to be taking positions. I'll be taking up the rear. Sasuke and Nagisa will go to the front while I want you to stay near the middle, Naruto. Sakura will be your mirror. Understood?"

"Sure thing, Kakashi-sensei!"

"Yes."

"Good! Take position." Nagisa glanced once more to Naruto, who was already thrumming with energy both excitable and nervous. Huffing through her nose, Nagisa sent a wave of calm through the bond. Naruto sent her a grateful smile before bouncing off to get in position. Nagisa's nose twitched before she glanced to the front of the caravan, or more specifically, the boy already there.

"Move out!"

Nagisa flashed to his side.

"Hello."

Nagisa glanced away from the tree lining and to the boy now walking beside her. As she had suspected upon hearing someone approach, it was the same male that had been staring at her earlier. Her eyes raked over the boy as he fell into stride with her, taking in his well-off clothing and relatively clean appearance.

"I'm Katsugya. May I know you're name?" Nagisa blinked once, slowly, before turning back to look forward.

"I am Momochi Nagisa of the Nara Clan."

"Nara Clan? I've heard of them." That wasn't surprising. If anyone knew anything about Konoha, then the names of the more prominent shinobi clans was basic knowledge. "Though… I wouldn't place you as a member of a Konoha Clan."

Nagisa didn't make another comment. She was busy watching one of the horses, whose ears were swinging back and forth nervously while his head was raised high. Her eyes followed his, trying to see what had spooked him. The cart driver had the horse moving on and calming down in a few more strides, but that didn't stop Nagisa from double-checking the area.

"I'm from here. Born in Salhoroot, actually. Were you born in Konoha?"

Nagisa eyed the boy, finding his sudden interest in her suspicious. But no one around them seemed to find his words alarming, in fact, a few of the other caravan travelers seemed to be finding amusement in something. Even Sasuke, still brooding over something or other, didn't appear to find the boy's presence suspicious or a threat.

"…No," she finally answered.

"Didn't think so. We don't see many of them but from what I have seen of those from the Land of Water, I would guess you were from there, no?"

Nagisa neither confirmed nor denied. She did however, grasp the male's wrist in a death vice when his hand came out of nowhere and grasped one of her sidebangs. He didn't appear to notice the pain and smiled at her.

"Your hair is a huge give away. And it's so beautiful I can't help but want to touch it."

"Don't." He laughed.

"Whatever you wish." Nagisa only released his hand when Katsugya let go of her hair. "Anyway, I find it pretty cool that you're not from around here. I've never been out of the Land of Fire before. Granted, I've been all over this nation, but never passed the borders. Master Tanjiro doesn't like to leave here anymore. Though, he used to quite a bit when he was younger, or so he says. He used to do a lot of trading with the Land of Wind. Do you miss your home?"

"…No."

"That's good, I guess. I mean it's not like a certain place has to be home, does it?" Katsugya smiled down at Nagisa before boasting, "I plan on seeing the entirety of the Elemental Nations one day. I would like to have a Caravan that goes to all of the Hidden Villages. Just imagine all the merchandise I could show the rest of the world! Like candied beetles to Kirigakure or Konoha's excellent wood work to Kumogakure. That would be a lot of fun, don't you think?"

"It would allow too many opportunities for infiltration."

Nagisa eyed Katsugya as he laughed again. She didn't say anything funny.

"That's why Master Tanjiro stopped leaving the Land of Fire. Too many suspicious shinobi!"

"I think that boy has a crush on Nagisa." Sakura jerked harshly when Naruto let out a noise that reminded her of the death throes of a chicken. Eyes wide, she turned to the stammering blond.

"D-Don't say stuff like that Sakura!" Naruto shouted, irking the girl something fierce.

"And why not?" she snapped.

"Because it's not true!"

"Oh? You think you're so smart with this kind of stuff? Well what do you call that?"

Naruto's head whipped towards Nagisa. A tall boy with brown hair was walking beside her, sure. And he was a lot closer to her person than Nagisa usually allowed strangers. But then that was probably because the boy was pointing to a couple of children on the back of a cart playing with a kendama. Nagisa's normally blank expression was showing barely hidden signs of interest. Naruto couldn't make out her words, but whatever she said had the boy laughing.

Naruto was running towards them the second the stranger had the gall to try and touch her hair.

"Nagisa!" Said girl looked away from where she had slapped Katsugya's hand away from her head.

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Switch places with me! I uh—I wanna be in the front for a while!"

Nagisa perked up one of her brows and spared a look to the back of the caravan.

"But Kakashi-sensei said I was to lead with Sasuke."

"Please?" Nagisa struggled for a moment before nodding and falling back to walk near Sakura.

Naruto heaved a sigh of relief before spinning on the boy. He puffed out his chest and straightened out his back in hopes of giving himself a few more inches that the boy had on him.

"You leave Nagisa alone! She's on a mission and doesn't need you distracting her!" he said.

The calculating look the older boy gave Naruto had him bristling from head to toe.

With a smile more teeth than lip, he said, "Oh? Distracting her, am I? Well, perhaps it's because there's finally something for her to pay attention to."

Naruto sputtered. He jammed his pointer finger at the boy and screeched, "You're not even worth the energy it takes to fart!" The boy let out a snort.

"But you just said I was distracting her. Obviously Nagisa-chan thinks I'm worth more than that." Naruto let out a frustrated yell which turned into a literal scream and flailing of arms when the boy walked passed him and dared pat him on the head. "Don't worry, little boy. I'll be taking good care of Nagisa-chan." He winked over his shoulder at the red-faced Naruto. "I don't think I'm going to be able to let a catch like that go from my nets."

Naruto never got the chance to retaliate. An oh-so-very scary, presence was suddenly behind him, excreting enough energy to make every hair on his body stand on end. Quaking in his sandals, Naruto turned around and gave a shaky smile up to the smiling jonin.

"H-Hey Kakashi-sensei!"

"Naruto," the gray-haired man hummed back just as cheerfully. Naruto's blood ran cold. "I didn't realize I told you to come to the front."

"Uhh…"

"How forgetful of me. I could have sworn I told you to take up the middle position."

"Kakashi-sensei, I had to—"

"Not listen?"

"No, Nagisa—"

"Be insubordinate?"

"No! Kakashi-sensei—"

"Do you know what happens to those who can't follow orders, Naruto?"

"But Kakashi—"

"They run laps. Lots and lots of laps. With weights. Very heavy weights. Weights heavy enough to crush tiny genin. If you wanted me to up your training, Naruto, all you had to do was ask. I'll be sure to remember this at our next training session." Kakashi was still smiling like an angel and somehow exuding enough chakra with killing intent that Naruto was sweating bullets. "Now I suggest you get back in position, Naruto! Wouldn't want those laps to double, now would we?"

Naruto couldn't run fast enough.

"Would you like something to eat?" Katsugya held out a seaweed-wrapped onigiri, a smile on his face. "I made them myself. They have plum filling."

Nagisa's nose twitched ever so slightly.

Seemingly from nowhere, Naruto launched himself over one of the caravans and landed in front of the two.

"Ha! Obviously you don't know anything about Nagisa! She hates fruits!" Katsugya cocked an eyebrow up at the boy.

"Does she? That's not good. You need to have a balanced diet or you can't be at your very best. But then, I don't see how that bar could possibly be better than fresh onigiri." Nagisa glanced down at her food bar before glancing back up. Naruto's eyes narrowed dangerously as he walked backwards so that he could continue to keep a glare on Katsugya.

"This is an Akimichi Food Bar. A shinobi can survive in the field for ten days without eating anything else."

"Ah, that's quite impressive. But it looks quite bland." Nagisa was confused as to why the boy was suddenly in her personal space and the fact he was a civilian was the only reason she didn't forcefully remove him from her bubble. Naruto let out a strange noise of strangulation when Katsugya's teeth chomped down on her bar. He was quick to pull away, letting out a hum as he chewed thoughtfully. "Mah, not bad, not bad!"

Nagisa glanced down at her now half-eaten bar before the noises Naruto was making made her look his way. She was seconds away from giving him the Heimlich due to his purple complexion and inability to breathe.

"You—you—you can't just eat someone else's food!" Naruto screeched at such a volume that Nagisa flinched. Katsugya just gave the blond a toothy grin.

"But I just did." Katsugya turned back to Nagisa and propped out his bottom lip. "Uh-oh. I took too big a bite, didn't I? Here, you can have a bite of mine now." Nagisa's nose twitched. "Come on. If you don't, I'll feel just awful."

"There is no—" Naruto, in all his orange glory, appeared between them and scarfed Katsugya's onigiri down in a single bite. Nagisa's eyes went wide as she watched the boy turn on Katsugya with cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk.

"Ha! 'Ow 'ageha an'!" Katsugya's face twisted in disgust before he was blasting Naruto with a cheeky smile.

"Oh, now that all my food is gone, I guess we'll just have to share, won't we, Nagisa?" Said girl huffed and handed the bar over before pulling out another. If the older boy was that hungry, then she supposed as one of the shinobi in charge of making sure they were okay, she could spare a bar. "Oh? I was thinking we could just share this one."

Naruto proceeded to make another strangulation noise, but before he could do much else, Kakashi appeared behind him.

"Naruto," he chirped cheerfully, eye up in a stereotypical smile for him. "You're not at your post." Even Nagisa felt sweat break out on her neck when Kakashi let his chakra become just a tad too oppressive with unspoken threats. Naruto was all but leaking.

"Uh… yeah! That's right! I'll get right to it!" And with speed befitting a shinobi, he scurried off. Kakashi let his chakra swallow back into his body before turning his attention to Nagisa.

"Everything going fine up here?"

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei."

"Good!" Nagisa glanced ahead, once more falling into the rhythm of traveling with the caravan.

"He's pretty loud for a shinobi," Katsugya commented while taking another bite from the energy bar and breaking the silence. "In both voice and clothing." The brunette looked thoughtful for a moment before giving her a sideways smile. "Practically the exact opposite of you." Nagisa took a bite out of her freshly unwrapped bar and chewed. "I like that, you know."

Nagisa eyed the boy with a bland look.

He laughed.

"What? I do! Truly." Katsugya danced forward and stood in front of her. Nagisa frowned lightly when he began to walk backwards so that he could continue to face her. "It's how nature intended it. For the male to strut about in order to garner the female's attention. After all, the woman has the final say in any couple. And a girl like you probably has a hundred suitors lining up." Katsugya shook his head, causing his ponytail to flop about wildly. He threw his arms wide and began to walk in an over-exaggerated manner. "What do you think? Do I stand out enough to catch a pretty girl's eye?"

Nagisa side-stepped Katsugya as he stumbled and fell. She glanced over her shoulder and to the young teen now struggling back to his feet, face flushed lightly around the cheeks.

"I guess I need to work on my strut, eh?"

Nagisa glanced to the forest edge, searching for any signs of bandits or other shinobi.

"Guess I'll have to put in a lot of work." Nagisa followed Katsugya out of the corner of her eye as he danced around her back and came up on her other side. "So what kind of things do you like to do, Nagisa-chan?" Round brows furrowed between her eyes. "Come on. I'd love to know what kind of things you're interested in."

"Why?"

"Because."

"That is not an answer."

"But it is." Nagisa felt the familiar tug of a frown at the corner of her lips, the pulling becoming a bit stronger when Katsugya chuckled. "Please?"

"I do not see how this is necessary."

"That's because it's not, silly. I'm asking because I want to know, not because I need to." Nagisa continued to frown.

"Fine. I enjoy sparring."

"Oh? Sparring? That's certainly not something I would expect, though I guess it's not surprising. You enjoy being a shinobi, then?"

"…Yes."

"That's fantastic!" Nagisa jerked lightly from the sudden boldness of the boy's voice. She watched him intently, searching for the reason for the sudden change in his demeanor. Walking with more energy, the older boy said, "It's amazing that you're doing what you enjoy. So many people are dissatisfied with what they're doing with their life and that's just sad. I know sometimes it's important, because it's the only thing they can do, but still. I guess I just see it as such a good thing when people are doing something they enjoy. And you get to do it every day."

Nagisa almost missed a step when Katsugya hit her with a smile on par with one of Naruto's. It lit his entire face up and his black eyes seemed to glow with his seemingly random excitement.

"You'll have to show me some moves sometime."

"You are not a shinobi," Nagisa stated firmly. Katsugya only laughed.

"I know! But if you enjoy doing something, you have to share it with people you also enjoy. Like how Master Tanjiro shows me how to become a Caravan Master. It's a lot of work and can be really stressful, but he loves doing what he does. And… I would like it a lot if you would show me things you enjoyed. And I can show you things I enjoy."

Nagisa found she could only blink up Katsugya. She was floundering in this strange, strange, strange social interaction she had no idea how to get out of or even navigate. Nagisa could only be internally grateful that Katsugya didn't appear to expect her to say anything more, for he changed the topic and began to blabber on about the caravan, the conversation carried on by his excitement more so than Nagisa's participation.

Nagisa glanced up at Konoha's northern gates, the massive doors rising up into the sky. Shinobi were posted around the wall, ever watchful as those on the ground began to go through the caravan's carts and checked travel papers.

Kakashi was speaking with a Yamanaka at the check-in station while Master Tanjiro spoke with a clan-less shinobi. Nagisa hung back with the rest of her team, who were watching the proceedings with little interest. She wasn't sure why, but the bonds keeping her in touch with them were sending aggravation from the boys and dismay from Sakura. She tried to send over any sense of calm she could, finding her own irritation building with each second they were broadcasting their own.

She was almost grateful for Katsugya appearing from the crowd. The older boy all but strutted up to her, showing off his earlier prance. She felt more than saw Naruto's mood sour even more with Katsugya's presence.

"Thanks for taking care of the caravan, Nagisa-chan," the teenager smiled, his posture lax and open as he gave her a lazy smile.

"It was a mission," Nagisa replied offhandedly. She was too busy trying to figure out why her team was so… well, cranky she supposed. Katsugya let out a chuckle before leaning forward. The motion caused Nagisa to turn her eyes on him as he invaded her personal bubble.

"The caravan will only be here for a short while. Our final destination is actually the other side of the Land of Fire, so I'm afraid I'll be too busy to see you again before we leave." Nagisa frowned, not understanding why they would be seeing each other again. Was Tanjiro planning on hiring their team again? "On the way back, I'll have to look you up so we can maybe get something to eat together. You can show me a really good place, yeah?"

"Dango shops," Nagisa offered in hopes the boy wouldn't look her back up. She despised babysitting jobs. It was rather common for foreigners to be accompanied by shinobi of varying levels due to the sheer size of Konoha. Nothing like a diplomat getting lost in the red lantern district once to make it a common practice to have a guide.

A moment of silence passed before Katsugya was throwing back his head and laughing without restriction. Nagisa frowned, not understanding what she had said that was so funny. She just wanted him to leave. This boy was confusing and needy.

"Call me crazy, but I think I might be in love with you, Nagisa-chan."

Nagisa was glad when Sakura and Naruto both exploded into squawks of either outrage or shock. She had no idea what to do to navigate the new social interaction she had just found herself in. Katsugya, either oblivious or uncaring to the tension his words had caused, continued to smile while saying, "You're just my type! And I always knew I'd end up with a strong woman. And what is stronger than a shinobi? Next time, I'll have to meet your clan."

And with surprising speed for a civilian, Katsugya leaned in and placed his lips on the left corner of Nagisa's mouth. If Nagisa had thought the noises made by Naruto loud before, then his next one was deafening. Nagisa only had time to blink before Naruto was in between her and the smirking Katsugya.

"You don't get to do that with her!" Naruto thundered with all the wrath of the gods.

"But I just did, short stack. And it can't be taken back now." Katsugya looked away from the fuming Naruto and gave Nagisa a saucy wink. "Till next time, Nagisa-chan." And with that Katsugya turned around and started to walk off with a new swagger to his step and a bright smile on his face.

Nagisa glanced to Naruto and took in his pouting bottom lip and furrowed brow. It was so easy to spot his unhappy mood, even without the bond. Really, the boy looked close to popping a blood vessel.

She decided to fix whatever Katsugya had done to make his mood so vile.

The boy's hand was warm and dry in her own.

"Come." Bright blue eyes were blown wide.

"Huh?"

"I want to show you something." Nagisa didn't bother waiting for the rest of her team and proceeded to drag Naruto away. The boy scrambled to keep up with her and stumbled quite a few times before he was finally able to match her pace. She dragged him all the way to the Nara Compound and burst through the front door with enough force to cause Yoshino to come rushing their way.

"Wha—Nagisa! What's wrong?"

"I'm home," Nagisa called back in a louder-than-normal voice, shoes flying off her feet under the work of deft hands.

"H-Hi, Yoshino-oba!" Naruto yelped while getting man-handled to Nagisa's room.

"Was that Nagisa?" Shikaku asked, peeking around the corner. Yoshino's mouth worked open and closed before she let out a mighty sigh and shook her head.

"Girl will be the death of me, I swear," she muttered before turning back to her chores.

"…Is that a yes?"

Nagisa flung Naruto onto her bed before scurrying to her windowsill and grabbing something. Naruto hadn't the slightest as to what it was until his own hands were full of a potted cactus. He let out a small yelp as Nagisa bounced on the bed, legs folding up underneath her before she was dangerously close to knocking their heads together.

"Tell me about it."

"Wh—what? What's going on, Nagisa?" Naruto finally managed to yell.

Said girl gave no signs of comprehending his bruised ego at being manhandled like a child. Instead, she pointed to the plant she had forced in his hands and said again, "Tell me about it."

"The cactus?"

"Yes."

"Why? And did you really need to drag me like that just for some questions about a plant?"

"You enjoy taking care of plants." Naruto found Nagisa's face so very, very close to his own. This close, he could practically count her eyelashes and could clearly see the different shades of pink that made up her eyes. Her breath was warm against his lips as she leaned in to nonexistent room. "I want to hear you talk about things you enjoy. And you enjoy plants."

Naruto's mind somehow came to a grinding halt while also going through a million thoughts a second. His mouth opened and closed, trying to say something, trying to do something in this strange situation he found himself in. Nagisa wanted to talk about plants. He just wanted to keep looking at her lips. Katsugya putting his lips so close to the ones in front of him flashed in his mind's eye a hundred times, only they were replaced with someone else's. Nagisa wanted to share in an activity he really enjoyed. He couldn't stop thinking about how hot his body was feeling. Nagisa had put him on her bed. It was a really comfy bed.

"Oi!"

Naruto's mind was given the kick-start it needed to reboot itself in the form of Shikamaru's palm slapping against the hitai-ate covering his forehead.

"Why are you so close?"

"I didn't get that close!" Naruto shouted, barely stopping the cactus from falling on his face.

"You didn't move away, either!" Naruto scowled at the brunette as the young Nara pulled Nagisa off her bed and began to check her over for some weird reason. "What did that idiot do to you?"

"We were talking about plants." Shikamaru froze in place while his face dropped into a deadpan expression.

"…You were talking about plants."

"Yes."

"…" The sigh Shikamaru let out sounded like it came from Atlas himself. "You're killing me, Nagisa."

"How am I doing that? I have not used any weapons or jutsu against you or—"

"Oh, never mind. Welcome home."

"I'm home." Naruto rubbed at the sore spot on his forehead now, still glaring at Shikamaru. The boy lost his exasperated expression for a more aggravated one when he returned Naruto's glare.

"Welcome home, dope."

"Some welcome, jerk."

And if Naruto felt a fuzzy warmth in his gut, it definitely didn't make him forgive Shikamaru for hitting him.

The house was built with the same integrity as some of the older clan houses in Konoha. Sturdy and meant to last against the battle of time. Nestled in the middle of a small island and surrounded by thin trees that looked like bare bones stretching towards the sky, the house was safely hidden away from the world.

Sozen made short work of leaving the trees and reaching the wrap-around porch. He slid the shoji door open and snuck into the quiet hall. The air smelled heavily of women: a mixture of perfumes and other beauty products, while also heavily fragranced with the tantalizing base scent of female. It was only a trained nose that could pick up the sharper spice of male musk. Snores and rustling bed sheets were the only noises he could pick up outside of the kitchen.

It was one of the easiest things he had done in years, sneaking through the house. He could count on one hand the number of people awake before the crack of dawn and they were all hidden away in the kitchen. There was no one to dodge or misdirect as he made it to his destination: the room tucked in the middle of the house.

It was decorated with a level of class mixed with Spartan utility. A futon rolled out made up of thick cushions to fight off the ever present wet of the island and chill that was starting to take over the world as fall settled in. Tasteful tapestries were tactfully placed about. A dresser was settled in one corner. A vanity with a large mirror was placed between two of the tapestries.

Sozen headed for the vanity. He plucked through the drawers, maneuvering makeup and other products around. His fingers slid along the edges, checking for false bottoms and finding nothing until the bottom drawer on the left. It was child's play to prop it open.

His eyebrows furrowed behind his white mask. Gloved fingertips traced the items inside while a whirling mind tried to make heads or tails out of what he was seeing: items that would have blended into the other drawers if not seen by an expert eye. But what set them apart from the other items in the vanity were what the pieces were made of.

'This is… bone.' Perhaps by itself not a strange thing, but due to its hidden place Sozen felt something a bit more… morbid about the bone's original owner.

Sozen flash-stepped across the room, sticking himself above the door as it was opened.

A woman, hobbled by time and a failing body, scuttled into the room. Her bent form was wrapped in a simple blue kimono, thick in hopes of keeping out the chill. Sozen fell down behind her, as silent as a shadow, when he saw her freeze as her eyes landed on the vanity. It was only when he allowed her to notice him that she did. Eyes blown wide and now breathing like a finished race horse, the woman scrambled as quick as her crippled body could.

Sozen gave her a moment to catch her breath, part of him wondering if she would die from shock. It didn't appear that would be the case when the woman pinned him with a fierce glare.

"I knew this would happen," she croaked out in a voice as rough as sandpaper. She put a gnarled hand up against her rapidly beating heart. With enough venom to choke a horse, the woman continued with, "I told her, I told her that this would happen. I had hoped she would have learned her lesson the first time but no, she had to keep getting involved with shinobi."

"You know why I'm here," he said then. For a woman that he could kill with a simple push, she certainly had enough gall to send him a glare that threatened plenty of pain.

"Because that fool of a woman couldn't let things lie." Sozen took a step forward and allowed just the smallest of killing intent burst from his body.

"Continue." It was easy to see the fearful sweat start to pour from the crone's body, even from his position. He could also practically hear the blood pounding through her veins at a life-threatening tempo.

"Is this my death sentence? That's why they sent you, isn't it? To finish us all for that woman's mistakes? Why should I say anything when there is no reason for me to be on trial? When have shinobi ever listened to civilians?" Sozen took a step forward.

"I did not come here seeking death. I came here for answers. But if death is the only way I can get the answers I seek…"

"Well you'll get nothing if you kill me. I am the only one who has lived long enough to know anything."

"Then I suggest you keep talking." The woman looked angry enough to spit instead of speak. Sozen gave her time.

"That girl. Everything is because of that girl and Kumiko's inability to let her go. I told her to just forget about her. She was bad luck." The woman shuffled closer to him and sat down on one of the plush cushions near the vanity. "Any bastard of a shinobi is bad luck." Sozen remained standing, allowing himself to slowly blend in with their surroundings as the woman's anger built on itself.

"I warned Kumiko the day he arrived. She was just a young woman herself and she was instantly overcome with him. Foolishness. Shinobi are Messengers of Death and one doesn't greet Death unless they are ready to die. But did she listen to me? Of course not! She let herself be pulled in and believed his honeyed words." The woman let out a bitter bark of laughter while motioning towards the vanity. "He made her gifts with his curse and she thought it a courtship. She didn't see the truth like I did. No, those are not gifts of love, but gifts from a shinigami: Beacons for Death. And of course, she chose one of Death's more demonic minions.

"Foolish girl thought she had him tamed. As if anyone could tame one of them." she emitted another vicious laugh. "She thought I didn't notice the marks. The bruises and the cuts. No, Kumiko was a twit for believing herself safe from him. A shinobi can kill in many ways, ways that we normal folk can't even comprehend.

"And she got what she deserved in the end. He left and never came back and left her with another Gift. At least she started to listen to me after the birth." The woman smacked her lips with distaste, features twisting into something ugly. "Though she didn't listen to me right away. She should have sent the gift back to Death. It was so obvious the girl had been touched. She may have had her mother's coloring, but only the blind and foolish could ignore the Marks of Death. And it only became more obvious the older she got." An uncontrollable shiver. "How she haunted this place. How she perverted this home with her presence, as if times hadn't been hard enough. A once great kaburenjo turned into a house of sin and all because of shinobi and their wars.

"At least Kumiko listened to my wisdom and didn't name it. That is the only reason we all weren't slaughtered. We refused to acknowledge it and Death was able to come and take back his gift without taking us all.

"But that was the only wisdom that got through that twit's thick skull. Death came again, preying on that woman's earlier weakness. Seven years we were free from Death's presence, but He came back. I thought we were perhaps free from them after those abominations were all slayed, but no. Shinobi came here again less than three months ago. They spoke of how they could return her back to us. How she had become a Messenger of Death herself. Strong, they called her. But I'm no fool! I knew what strong means to a shinigami. It means blood and misery! That creature left two dead when she was taken back to Death and we were lucky it was so few! But did Kumiko listen to me? No!

"She fell for their honeyed words again! They promised gold for her help in reclaiming the girl. And she accepted! How many times had I told her that one didn't listen to the promises of demons? How many times did I tell her that the words of Death were always a double-edged blade? That one does not look at Death as an equal? He places gifts and promises out in this world like sweets before a child. And like a child, she took those treats and now look at her! Dead, no doubt!"

The crone looked to Sozen, but he gave no confirmation either way. She came dangerously close to spitting this time and Sozen believed it was only them being inside that saved him from seeing that.

"Whatever. Perhaps now our luck will change. Perhaps we can get this whore house back into a proper kaburenjo now that those who court Death are gone. It is a shame we lost the others, though. But it can't be helped. There is never just one loss when they come."

The woman continued to spit out curses and insult shinobi, but Sozen tuned her out. She may be a vile woman, but she had answered more questions than Sozen could have hoped. Even if her words were poisoned with bias and hate, there were still facts he could pluck from the garbage. The woman fell silent as Sozen walked across the room and plucked the hair comb and necklace from the drawer.

He let out a deep breath through his nose to quell a swell of liquid hate in his stomach and Sozen turned back to the glaring woman.

"The girl's name is Momochi Nagisa. A name gifted to her from one of the shinigami you hate so much." The woman actually did spit this time and quickly made a sign of prayer and protection, as if that would stop his blade. "And she is strong. Stronger than I would have thought possible after being born into such a barren place like this. Despite all your attempts, she has turned into a promising child that will go on to do great things now that she is in a place of abundance."

Sozen allowed his chakra to pour out and his killer intent rage through the room with controlled precision. The archaic stench of piss filled the air before the woman bent forward and hurled up her breakfast.

"I do not believe this will be a problem, but allow me to say it anyway: you will never see Nagisa again. If you or yours come looking for her, you will find me instead. And I will be more than pleased to become one of your shinigami. Let this be your one and only warning."

The woman couldn't answer him due to her choking on her own bile. Sozen decided to leave it at that and left. He had enough time swimming amongst the bottom feeders for one day.

Running, she had to keep running. But there was nowhere to go. The hounds were close. She could feel them behind her. Hot breath on her ankles. Snarls ripping through the mist.

She had to keep running, had to get away.

Sand.

They were close enough to get her she could just tell. Close enough to feel their teeth on her flesh.

Where was Haku?

Where was her Master?

Screaming, so much screaming.

"What are you doing here?"

Why couldn't she get away? Why couldn't she run any further? Why was there sand everywhere?

"Go away. I don't want guests."

Gold. Gold orbs floating above her head.

The snarling was gone, their teeth no longer there. A storm of sand, tiny beads that beat into her body and cut her deeper than any tooth.

"Did you not hear me? I said be gone!"

Nagisa woke with a scream clenched behind her aching teeth. Her breath came in and out in powerful gasps and bursts. She all but leapt out of her bed, throwing off her sweat-soaked clothes and stumbled to her door. Her blunt nails tore at skin that felt as if she had been in the Land of Wind for days, caked and cracked.

Blindly, chakra shooting out spastically, Nagisa stumbled into the bathroom and filled the tub with shaking hands. It was only halfway full when she clamored in, throwing handfuls of water over her body in hopes of removing the fell of sand. Raw, she felt so raw. With arms quaking, Nagisa pulled her knees into her heaving chest and buried her nose between the two appendages.

Her uncontrollable sobs were only just picked up by the boy slumped against the bathroom door.

Breathing deeply through his nose, Shikamaru reached out for the bond. He could feel her chakra, wild and rampant like a stormy sea. Unsure at first, Shikamaru tried to soothe the raging waters of her chakra with light strokes. When his actions were swallowed by the waves, he was forced to do bigger motions. Wave after wave of his own chakra, he threw into the bond. He imagined the passing clouds of white, big and fluffy, and pushed them at her. He imagined the warmth of the sun tempered by the shadow of tree and beaconed her to join him in the quiet.

For an entire hour, Shikamaru sat outside the bathroom. It was a mix of irritation that it took him so long, and relief that it finally worked when he heard the water go down the drain. Nagisa came out of the bathroom a few minutes later. Hair dripping but body wrapped up appropriately in a clean towel, she stared up at him. Shikamaru ignored the burn of his cheeks and grabbed her hand. It was cold from sitting in the water long after the heat had left.

"Come on," he coaxed. It was easy enough to lead her back to his room. Harder to get her to change into one of his old shirts and a pair of somewhat clean shorts. Pathetically easy to get her to lie down in his bed. Extremely hard to get her to move over enough for him to get comfy beside her, her cold body pressed up against his and quick to steal his warmth.

He didn't care.

"…Have you told Ino's dad that you're still having nightmares?" he finally dared ask when her body was finally at a normal temperature.

Shikamaru was sure she was going to ignore him before her voice, so soft he almost couldn't make out her words, whispered into the dark, "Not a dream."