A/N: Buildup chapter, for sure. If you thought we were done with intense stuff happening, you ain't ready. Sorry about the delay between uploads, by the way. As I'm sure any fans of the story know by now, I'm a very busy person. Regardless, the chapter is here, and I hope you enjoy! :)


An audience gathering outside one's home was never a good sign. Suchiru opened his door to find not only the Hidden Stone that his brother had been leading, but also two of Horusuta's Hidden Rain team. Of course the man had greeted whoever was at his door in a very grumpy fashion, but when the older of the Stone-nin asked if he was truly Suchiru, he felt like a bad omen had walked up to his doorstep. The group, in all honesty, came off as a little worrying, and made him feel like he was going to be jumped. Of course, the jounin frowned at the group, his halfway-finished cigar burning and letting smoke trail up into the air; the aroma coming from inside his home reeked of tobacco.

"Yeah, I'm Suchiru. Who want's to know?"

"We do, Uncle."

"U-Uncle?!"

"Yes. I'm Suzushi, the twins behind me are Ikari and Kisu. We're all siblings, and we were raised by Uncle Boseki...who told us to come see you before he died in the attack on the Hidden Stone." The words delivered were cold and harsh, and the leader of the trio glared a bit. "So, 'Uncle Suchiru,' if you could let us inside so we can catch up, that would be great."

His jaw slacked a little at what he was hearing, so much so that his cigar visibly dipped downwards. He adjusted his small, triangular-shaped glasses to get a better look at them, but couldn't really place a finger on them. "Hm," he hummed aloud before blowing smoke from his nose. His small, beady eyes shifted to the two Rain-nin, and a lazy finger was pointed at them. "And you two, what're you fools doing here."

"We came to collect Horusuta-sensei. Our village hasn't heard back from her since the attack, and she needs to report back to them alive."

Upon mention, the door found itself opening a bit more, and a stoic kunoichi in nothing but a tank top and sweatpants was standing there. She folded her arms, both of which were mechanical, and her short messy hair looked more unruly than usual...plus her face existed, there wasn't just a gas mask permanently wedged to her head. Her eyes were narrow, yet sharp and focused, almost carrying a bit of a calm and lazy air to them; her face, overall, matched her eyes. Sharp, yet smooth. She had a small beauty mark on her left cheek as well, and...hickies on her neck. She had no shame in displaying them, looking at her students with nose upturned.

"What..."

Baransu didn't really care what condition his sensei was in, but seeing her so casual made him...feel a little weird. Sogeki had turned a little red in the face upon seeing the love bites, and averted her gaze altogether, prompting her team mate to speak.

"We came because there hasn't been word from you in over a week. Come home so our superiors stop pressuring us about your whereabouts."

"You accuse me of hiding..."

"N-No sensei, nothing like th-"

"You did."

She looked emotionless as any kunoichi worth their salt could appear, but her rushed words and usual short sentences made it clear she was not happy being found like this. A single blink of the eyes from her made the two twitch, and she clicked her tongue.

"Go on. I'll catch up," she said, already walking back inside the house. The door was still wide open, and both her students watched as she shuffled around for her shinobi gear. Once finding her normal Rain-nin attire, she began taking off her sweatpants in plain view. Being slightly on the perverted side, Baransu tried to sneak a small peak, but the combined efforts of Suchiru blocking his view with the door and Sogeki slapping the back of his head disrupted his attempts. He earned respective glares from both sides, and got grabbed by the arm from the kunoichi as she started walking away as instructed, taking him with her. It didn't take long for Horusuta to get ready, for it was moments later when she was at the door and walking out, gas mask in her hand. She turned to the shinobi who she had become quite fond of over the past few months, and pecked him on the cheek with a kiss before hurrying after her team, placing the gas mask on. Just like that, three people around Suchiru had vanished in the mist, and he brought his attention to the remaining three guests. Odd, they seemed to stare back at him with an equal amount of dislike.

"...well, if you wanna talk, get in here. I'm gonna need to start from the beginning."


"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I said I would like to go to Mount Komori to further develop my skillset, Lord Chojuro."

The requests began getting weirder and weirder, and they piled up with each passing day. Chojuro was only sorting through some documents and wracking his brain for ways to deal with the damn Hidden Abyss, all before he was presented with this question. It had become common now to send dependable shinobi out of the village on quick recon missions based on even rumors alone, this is the level of desperation they had reached. But, it seemed he couldn't even do that in peace without some shinobi of his asking for absurd requests; this one, coming from Tanken of all people, really threw the Mizukage off.

"...Mount Komori..."

Some things needed to be seen rather than heard. Without hesitation, the hunter-nin bit his thumb hard enough to break the skin, went through a series of hand signs that Chojuro found to be a little familiar, and then slammed his hand down onto the office floor. Smoke filled up the center of the room, but when it cleared, Tanken was stood with his arm stuck out to the side, and a sizable bat was hanging from his forearm. This animal had a scar on it's face, and it's small, red eyes were focused on the Mizukage's curious mug. To make things even more odd, it appeared the bat had a short sword strapped to it's back, though the handle was closer to it's feet than anywhere else.

"I managed to dig up an old scroll that was written with brail, of all things. As it turns out, this scroll was a contract for Bat Summoning...but, you already knew that."

"I pieced it together, yes..."

"I have had the scroll for some time, yet never opened it. I heard it was a gift from my parents, but I will not delve into that just yet." Tanken gestured to the creature hanging from his arm. "This is Oto, and he claims it has been a very long time since a bat had been summoned by a shinobi. It did not take long for a contract to be made."

All the Mizukage responded with was a slow nod, his focus going from the jounin to the large animal. This was getting more and more strange by the second, and Chojuro was no fool, he understood just where this was going.

Oto, to the surprise of the experienced village leader, cleared it's throat. "That bein' said," it spoke in a gruff, smoker-esc voice, "I'd like the kid to come back home with me for a bit. He's eager to learn, and I'm bettin' he'll be able to handle-"

"Sage training," Chojuro finished. He blinked in a slight stupor, and gestured with his hand to the only other human in the room. "Is...this true?"

"Yes, Lord Chojuro. I believe this will help us further fight the Hidden Abyss Village in the future. I am not certain as to how long this journey will be, but the moment I am ready, I will return ready to continue the fight."

Sage training...there hasn't been a sage in this village for decades. In fact, if Chojuro could remember his teachings from history courses when he was just a child going through the shinobi academy here, the last time a proper sage lived in this village was during the era of the Third Mizukage. That seemed like forever ago, but the fact that it has been that long since a true sage lived in the Hidden Mist was a little troubling. Had the training been that gruesome? Was it really that difficult to attain such an ability and master it? As far as Chojuro knew, there were few shinobi in existence that had mastered sage training and found the ability to harness a transformation called 'sage mode' during battle. The Seventh Hokage was one of them, and before him was the Toad Sage Jiraiya, yet there were rumors that the man had not perfected the technique. Before that, all Chojuro could really recall was the First Hokage. Yes...the journey was far from easy, and for only heavy-hitters like those mentioned to have obtained such power was...well...it didn't exactly inspire confidence. Chojuro could already feel his eyes becoming half-lidded.

"Do you truly believe you can do this, Tanken?"

"Yes, sir. Without question."

"...then, I will allow it," he stated, holding up a finger. "My only request is that you send me updates on your progress, so that I may know when you are ready for any upcoming assignments. Is that clear?"

Odd, Chojuro could swear he just saw Tanken smile behind the new one-handed sign he was making in front of his face. Was he excited?

"Yes, sir. I'll depart right away."

And he certainly did. Again, the room burst with a puff of smoke in the center, and Chojuro mumbled while half-heartedly waving away the fumes with a single hand. Sage training was such a stretch, and even Chojuro doubted that Tanken could do it...but if that hunter-nin was anything, he was persistent. The man was blind, after all, and he climbed his way through the shinobi rankings to get where he was now. Surely, this wouldn't be that much more difficult to a man used to challenges. A finger scratched at Chojuro's cheek, and he wondered how long it would take before he could actually see a true sage ready at his disposal. With such power, there would be a significant advantage on the side of the Allied Nations, and if that technique was in the hands of one as skilled at infiltration and tracking as Tanken, then it was all the more effective.

It had only been fifteen minutes of solitude and contemplation about the utilization of a sage when there was a knock at the door, and a cloaked man had let himself in. This was that strange chuunin that had come from the Hidden Sand, the one that wore Western steel plate armor and carried a weapon that he believed was called a 'broadsword.' The man looked like a fool walking about with such thick metal surrounding his body, but who knows? Perhaps those fools out in the west knew something that the shinobi didn't...after all, they were all still alive and flourishing out there, from what Chojuro could tell. The armored man approached with documents in hand, and offered them to the Mizukage. Of course, Chojuro took what he was being given and looked over the transfer papers. It took a slight adjustment of Chojuro's glasses to realize that, yes, this handwriting was absolutely horrendous. It was akin to a child going crazy with a marker...clearly, Kyofu was not the kind of man who worried about intricate skills in life such as handwriting.

"Is it official," he asked Chojuro.

"Yes, this seems to be fine. You are officially a shinobi of the Hidden Mist, welcome Kyofu."

The armored shinobi gave a goofy smile and bowed, placing a fist over his chest. "What would you have my first mission be?"

That question, combined with the odd gesture, quickly earned him a low-brow stare; it was then that Kyofu figured out Chojuro was rather quick to annoy with...stupid questions.

"Don't be so hasty. If you're going to be one of us, you first need the proper forehead protector and a proper tour of the village." Chojuro slipped the papers into a drawer of his desk, and folded his hands in front of his face. "Go to the bottom floor and tell them I requested you receive both of these things. Understood?"

"Got it."

"...'Got it'...?"

Kyofu stood upright, smile wriggled up into something less recognizable and some sweat forming on his forehead.

"Oh, uh...yes, sir..."

"Much better. Dismissed."

That was all he needed to say. Kyofu turned about-face and walked as fast as his legs could carry him out of the office, not wanting to instigate the Mizukage with small things that Gaara had never paid any mind. It left the village head staring at the door, half-glowering as he began to second guess his decision to allow Kyofu into the village. The man was definitely awkward to speak with on a professional level, and Chojuro could only hope that this didn't translate to his talents on the field.

It hadn't even been ten minutes since then before a kunoichi had let herself in. She was another heavy-hitter in his village, the Rinnegan-bearing Tenshi. She was garbed in something other than her usual shinobi attire, something more akin to a traditional robe. Chojuro didn't know what, exactly, but he did know that whatever it was, it had to be related to something involving her clan. More importantly, the robe looked expensive, fancy, something required for a very big event...again, Chojuro started putting the pieces together for this next bit of news.

The kunoichi that stood before him gave off an aura of authority that one would find intimidating, her purple eyes glistening with a mysterious power. Her hands found themselves neatly placed one on top of the other in front of her, and she gave her village leader a deep bow of respect; this was how Chojuro knew he wasn't going to like what he was going to hear.

"I'll be leaving for my inauguration as the new head of the Kyofu Clan soon, Lord Chojuro," she stated without so much as a stutter. She stood upright and smiled at the man, hoping that he would be receptive to the news. Unfortunately, all she heard in response was:

"Really? Can't this be postponed?"

"No! Absolutely not! It won't even take long, sir! It's only a three day trip, to and from!"

"Why can't you just...mmmmm..."

What the man would have liked to say was 'why can't you just do it here in the Mist,' but demanding someone forsake tradition, heritage, the identity of their own people just for the sake of convenience was not only rude, but going to paint him in a very bad light with...the new head of the clan. He massaged the bridge of his nose, pushing the goggles upwards while he did so. A three day trip to and from the destination. That wasn't too bad.

"...you won't be going alone, I hope."

"Of course not sir. I'll be bringing along some of my clan's finest shinobi to escort me...but, eh...that's somewhat related to why I came to see you, sir."

"Eh?" The man stopped touching his face and glanced up at her, brow lifted. "What do you mean?"

"I, um...I would like to request if one additional party could join me on this trip."


On a distant island from the Hidden Mist's main village, Sakana was sat on the shoreline with a multitude of chopped down or scratched up trees behind her. She was sat with her legs apart with one foot dipped in the water, and the other close enough for her to rest her elbow on a knee. She was covered in sweat, bruises, small cuts that had only drips of blood, and her whole body swelled up and down with the heavy panting she was letting out. She had just finished training with five of the seven swordsmen, and a devilish grin found itself curling the corner of her mouth upwards. She had been told that the bloodlust she felt in her childhood days when she fought was something long lost, she doesn't allow herself to enter such a mindless killing state, which is both good and bad. Yes, she had been told that sometimes, thinking too much about your current situation in a battle will make your actions slower, and thus, will make the chances of survival steeper. By focusing only on killing, on blood, as her father had instructed her to do, she could become a true animal in a fight, and the fear it imposed on enemies as well as the bewildering strength it allowed her to muster made such a tactic all the more impressive. One must not lose themselves to the bloodlust, but instead harness it when it was needed most.

She was staring down at a single hand of her's, fingers twitching and forearm shaking with adrenaline. The fingers closed up into a tight fist, and she rolled it over to look at the knuckles she had busted open when slamming them against one of the swordsmen. That troubling smile grew a bit wider, but then thinned out into something more normal, akin to a cocky smirk. It truly had been some time since she allowed rage and bloodlust to take the wheel, but in a fight with the odds stacked against her, she found that she became less concerned with her immediate danger and was much, much more dangerous. She still had it.

The training itself ended a while ago, and now the kunoichi was simply basking in the quiet solitude that the island provided. It was nice here, the air was fresh and the sounds of construction were not present. Birds could be heard somewhere further into the forest, though admittedly, they were far more quiet now than before Sakana and the swordsmen had began destroying this section of the woods. Without any reason to hold back, Sakana took in a deep breath and let out a very satisfying 'phew' that would've been considered rude anywhere else, save for a training ground. She let herself fall back onto the grass and spread her arms out to the sides, shutting her eye as the fatigue from the long sparring session began to take it's hold of her. She was closer, so much closer, to becoming a swordsman. This had been the closest she ever was, and she wasn't the only one to acknowledge this. Since childhood, she had been training to become one of them, aiming to make a name for herself and use weapons that she crafted that were of a similar caliber to what the Seven Swordsmen wielded. To imagine being so close to a dream...and at the same time, she was also far from being the brat she once was as a child. The Hoshigaki had grown into her own woman, taking on an identity all her own that she wouldn't change for the world. She wished deep down that right now, her mother could see just what she was becoming...

The soft whirring of a motorboat was in the distance, though it started to become louder. The presence of it made Sakana sit upright and scratch her disheveled hair, groaning and wondering just who this was and if they were looking for her. The answer, she soon discovered, was Tenshi. And yes, the next head of the Kyofu Clan had been seeking out the Hoshigaki. The boat drew closer, and the Tenshi stood up while the vehicle slowed, smiling wide and waving. Of course, Sakana smiled back and returned the wave, though her's was a little less energetic due to the fatigue she felt. The boat finally pulled up to shore, and the orange-haired kunoichi was...mortified when she saw Sakana in such a state.

"S-Sakana! You look like you were fighting for your life! What happened?!"

To her complete and utter surprise, the Hoshigaki responded with loud, boisterous laughter. "Ahhh...I just finished some really good training, that's all. What brings you out here?"

Ah...well, that made it seem a little better. Tenshi felt her nerves calm; she shut off the borrowed motor boat and stepped onto the water's surface, walking herself over. The robes were on full display, and the fancy attire made Sakana stand up out of respect; she knew this was going to be something important.

"Well, I'm going to depart soon, but I wanted you to come along," Tenshi muttered, twirling a lock of her hair as she bashfully looked away. "I understand you're very busy, and I can see you're just getting back into really intense training, but I got permission from Chojuro for you to come with me, so long as you agree to be my 'bodyguard' to make it official. I would very much like it if you could-"

"Say no more, of course I'll come."

The response was very chirpy, very pleasant, and Sakana even threw in a warming smile to top it all off. Of course, Tenshi began to glow like a lit candle from the desired answer, even offering the kunoichi a bow.

"Thank you, Sakana. I just thought it would be nice if we could spend my final moments together, before I become unavailable."

"Oh come on, you make it sound like you're going to die or something. I'll still visit the compound and check up on you, we can have tea and all that. Not too much will change, right?"

"Well, perhaps. To be honest, I don't exactly know. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Is Tsuyo coming, too?"

Tenshi only shook her head. "He's out on a recon mission...and..."

Her focus somewhat trailed off after that, and again, her hair was being twirled around with a finger. Sakana was more than aware of what such a statement meant. 'Recon missions' were the norm now, as all five nations were desperate for any source of information that could lead to the Hidden Abyss location. As a result, even the shakiest of rumors were to be investigated; the more shaky, the more shinobi would be dispatched in the event of a trap. There were mumblings of some shinobi being ambushed and killed on such missions, as the Abyss-nin were raising the stakes and starting to openly assault shinobi who investigated particular areas. Neither kunoichi figured Tsuyo would be foolish enough to fall for such tricks. The man was far too smart to fall for such petty attempts at deception, for he was a master when it came to such matters; only natural for a genjutsu-specialist. And yet, who truly knew what would happen? After all, four major shinobi villages were made fools of during an attack from a small group of individuals. Anything could happen, anyone could die...such was also the norm in these times. Of course Tenshi would be worried for her husband-to-be, but the Hoshigaki remained unshaken by the possibility of her old teammate's death.

"He'll be fine," Sakana spoke, not leaving any room for Tenshi to believe she was lying. The kenjutsu-specialist had a face of stone, and gestured to Tenshi. "If I know anything about the man, it's that he's so smart that it's irritating. He's not going to get into any sort of trouble that he can't get out of. He's a hunter-nin, he can handle himself. Okay?"

"Y-Yes...thank you, Sakana." She seemed to mean her response to the calming words, but didn't get a chance to smile when Sakana's next question came.

"And what about Jiyuu? Is he coming?"

Such an inquiry actually made Tenshi shrivel in stature, her shoulders sagging in unison with her lowering head and averted gaze. "I, uh...um...Sakana, I don't think that's a good idea. I'd rather not ask him, to be fully honest with you."

"Why not?"

"...well...I mean..."

"..."

"...he's just not 'Jiyuu' anymore, is he...plus his mother had just passed. For me to ask him to embark on a mission with two people he despises..."

In all honesty, Sakana had been shocked to hear someone like Tenshi admit such a thing about her feelings towards Jiyuu; the Hoshigaki even lifted her brow for a moment before looking out to the distance, a vague silhouette of the main village's island in view through the mist. It had been how many people felt about the man, that it wasn't the same person who left all those years ago. People change with time, such a thing is normal, though how people change is greatly affected by the people one chooses to surround themselves with. A little asshole could become a nobleman if he was with the proper company, and an innocent child could become the most cold-hearted of killers if put through enough hell. Jiyuu was the latter, closed off from his own emotions and using his exterior self, his actions and cold words, as a shield to protect himself. Each emotionally-challenging situation that the man was presented with bolstered his own emotional defense, making it harder to reach him on a deeper level. Sakana had been like that once, but where Jiyuu locked his heart away with cold stares and complete indifference to the outside world, Sakana focused on a life full of nothing but blood, murder, battle and non-existent glory. Jiyuu had broken through her shell with years of trying...

...and to see Tenshi, probably one of the few people Jiyuu might have opened up to, be so hesitant to even speak with the man? It became apparent that something had to be done...and that was when the Hoshigaki got a drastic idea festering in her head. Perhaps not as drastic as she could potentially take things, but something just different enough that it may work.

She had to pull Jiyuu out of the abyss, regardless of what it took.


The world was grey to him. Cold, grey, full of muffled happy sounds that only registered as depressing in his mind. Jiyuu was sat alone on a park bench, just far enough away to hear less construction ambience than usual. He kept to himself, as one normally would when alone, but his eyes were shifting around the park to see who was doing what. Children playing with their parents happened to be a common theme, more so than the awkward first dates, the pets being walked, or the shinobi taking smoke breaks. Children's laughter was all over, and Jiyuu found himself hating it more and more by the second. A slight breeze blew by, and Jiyuu's new necklace swayed with it. Distant memories of him trying to choke down his mother's food, her training him how to properly throw a punch, them taking walks through the village when he was younger...

...he missed her...he missed her a lot. It felt like a piece of his mind, a part of his whole world, was gone. A void ate at him from the inside, gnawing and grinding away at his psyche. Despite how stoic he may have appeared on the outside, there was a battle going on in his own head, one between the depression that was threatening to consume him, and the stubborn anger at the world that told him this was how things were as a shinobi. There was no room for his heart, such a thing was deemed useless long ago when it was treated with little care by others.

Someone sat beside him on the bench, yet said nothing. He could see from his peripheral vision who it was, though he didn't bother addressing them, or turning to acknowledge them. It was clear she must have wanted something if she was being so direct with her approach, but what it was, he did not know.

"I...I'm sorry," Tenshi told him.

The apology only confused Jiyuu, and it was enough to get him to shift his gaze to her...but only that. The rest of his body was like a statue, as usual.

"For what."

"Um...I heard about your mother. I don't know what to say, other than I'm sorry."

"...thanks," he mumbled, already looking away from her. The presence of Tenshi, whether he wanted to admit it or not, was beginning to bother him on an emotional level he wasn't comfortable with. It was true she had matured in some time, and he had certainly tried to overlook what happened between them in the past, but it was quite difficult for the man. For her, for all the people in the villages, the past seven years had been eventful, things constantly changing for better or worse. Time, for them, left behind a path of fresh memories and events that they could always look back to...a proper journey, if you will. Jiyuu? He had been stuck in purgatory while all he did was train, kill, hunt...the only eventful thing in his past was finding Netsu. Seven years...and a single mission that wasn't even a week was all he could say was the truly impactful. His bonds that he forged would be important, yes...but the pain of old memories simmered in his mind with every passing day, for those were the only memories of home that were immediate to him. The pain of betrayal, even if it was from one teenager to another, was still the pain of betrayal to Jiyuu; it was this pain that made his heart hurt, made his psyche muddled, and made his fists tighten with constrained anger.

Oblivious to any of this because the man refused to open up, Tenshi brushed some hair behind her ear and looked out at the children playing. "...is there anything you would like to talk about?"

"..."

The lack of an answer prompted Tenshi to scoot closer to Jiyuu, even to the point where her arm was touching his own. "Jiyuu..." she whispered to him, voice soft and welcoming, like she spoke to a child. It did get the man to look at her again...and she was certainly beautiful. She had grown up well, matured into a wonderful lady on the outside, and perhaps had a heart of gold that was unmatched, yet Jiyuu could only see a trap. She was friendly, but getting into the venus flytrap would have the life squeezed out of you without hope for escape. He remained stone-faced, but the pain grew.

"You can tell me anything you want," she spoke in that same voice. Her eyelids were low, and her now-purple eyes were radiant. "That's why I'm here...for you."

"Shouldn't you be somewhere else," he grumbled, a slight knitting of the brow scrunching his face. "Maybe Tsuyo's lonely."

"He's out on a mission, reconnaissance to see if a rumor about the Hidden Abyss Village is true."

"Those rumors are never true..."

"Times are desperate...especially after we were attacked. I know Lord Chojuro wants to defeat the enemy fast, but..."

She trailed off into silence, still looking to the man who she sought to open up. It was his uncaring eyes focused on her that made her thoughts begin to trail off. He was anything but pleased to be in her presence.

"Please, Jiyuu. If there's anything on your mind, tell me. I want to help you."

"Help me? With what, getting over the death of a parent?" He sneered at her, and tore his gaze away from her, frowning at nothing. "As if you would know what that's like. How could you possibly help me when you couldn't even begin to understand..."

"..."

"All I want right now is to be alone."

"Being alone makes it worse. You should talk to someone who knows what it's like if...if you don't want to speak with me."

"Like who? Sakana?"

The response came out in a very bitter way, like Jiyuu had spat out something that was not to his particular taste. Of course the Hoshigaki was going to be brought up in this instance. Why wouldn't she? All pillars were being knocked out at this moment, all the people who he didn't care to think about were entering his space, either mentally or physically. Tsuyo, he disliked, and Tenshi, he didn't trust, but Sakana? He loathed her, the bitch who had taken his trust and turned it around on him when he needed her the most. And now she had the nerve to be polite to him, as if that would make things better...perhaps she was just looking to finish the job. The only reason Jiyuu didn't kill her was because she was a kunoichi of his village, and she seemed to be trusted...but in the event things went south with her, he would not hesitate to do what was needed. As Jiyuu made his thought clear on the girl, Tenshi seemed to tense up, almost as if she was taking the statement personally; he did not notice.

"She's the last person I want to think of right now," he mumbled.

"...why..."

"Why? Why? Because I used to believe that people were good naturally, I used to think that everyone was just a gem that needed a little polishing. Everybody had the capacity to be good and respectful towards one another, that's what I thought, and I figured the same was true with her. I put so much time into my bond with her, so much effort into making friends so she could see that there was more to life than just fighting and killing. And then she tried to..."

A slight motion made Jiyuu's words get stuck in his throat. A very, very slight quivering of Tenshi's lip, and some twitching of her brow suggested she was trying her hardest to keep herself calm, but inside, she didn't like what she was hearing in the slightest. Again, Jiyuu paid it no mind...but he decided that going into detail wasn't worth it. He lowered his gaze for a second, huffing through his nose with a small, frustrated shake of his head.

"Either way, it doesn't matter anymore. She showed me her true colors, what she thought of our friendship. I know she did what she did because of my eyes...it's always about my eyes."

"That's not true, Jiyuu, she-"

"Oh, come on already. It's obvious. That's why my parents trained me at such a young age: to protect myself from people who wanted to pluck these eyes from my head. Sakana? She only let me think I was breaking through, she lured me in like a damn hunter, and I fell for the bait without thinking, all for my eyes. The damn woman who killed my Ma, the bitch told me she was going to take my eyes before she left here...and then..."

The man was getting agitated to the point where his hands hand to clasp onto one another in a futile attempt to stop the shaking. Tenshi watched as the Hyuuga's Black Eye slowly faced her, eyes sharp and almost deranged as they shot through her.

"...and then there's you."

Of course, the kunoichi was unsure what he was implying, but the nervous sweat rolling down her face was a telltale sign that she had a clue. "What do you-"

"Someone like you, someone I thought had good morals, had no problem swapping from me to Tsuyo when he showed off his Sharingan. It must be nice getting to pick and choose between an Uchiha and a Hyuuga, huh..."

"..."

"Guh...I can't believe I actually liked you back then. So prim, so pretty, so perfect on the outside." Slowly, Jiyuu shook his head, anger festering more and more inside him. "But on the inside, you're as shallow as a puddle."

Enough was enough, and Tenshi made it quite clear with her body language that she was fed up with being spoken of with such a tongue. She stood up from the bench and folded her arms, something she typically didn't do in such a firm, closed-off manner. She was furious though, her gentle face now scrunched up in a glare to a degree Jiyuu had never seen or thought possible.

"Your problem is clear to me now."

Jiyuu met her halfway, standing up as well and getting close to the girl in a manner that one would do if they were looking to...fight. Never did he think he'd be so hostile with Tenshi, even in body language, but here he was ready to deck the kunoichi right in her perfect little face. Odd...he expected her to back off, get a little defensive, even attempt to douse the flames of his fury, but she was meeting him with equal opposition.

"The only problems I have are with people who stabbed me in the back."

"That's exactly the problem with you. You've been all alone for so long that you think the whole world is still against you, like anything bad that happened between you and us will happen again if you let your guard down."

"You talk like you know what the hell it's like...and you don't."

"Don't you DARE assume I don't know what it's like. You don't know what any of us have gone through in your time away, do you? Not how depressed your parents were, especially your own father, and how they blamed themselves for everything. How guilty Tsuyo and I felt after knowing you found out before we could tell you..." Her glare softened up a little, and she held her breath to prevent a small sob from breaking through. "...how close...Sakana came to killing herself over how she felt about what she did...and how she knew you must have felt." A tear was trying to form, and she quickly wiped at her eye before it could breach. The attention of the Hyuuga's Black Eye was completely her's at this point, and she could see he had backed off a few inches. He also wasn't shaking anymore...perhaps she was beginning to calm him down. But she wasn't done...this was all stuff he needed to hear, and there was more that needed to be said. "You...you keep going on about how the past doesn't matter, but you waste no time in sulking over it, or blaming it for why you're so miserable." Her finger found itself poking against his chest, and it elicited a light gasp from Jiyuu. "Kami, I can't believe I felt sorry for you. You're putting up so many barriers between you and your old self that I don't even know you anymore! It's ridiculous! You're even blaming yourself for Warai's sacrifice. Don't let her choice to die for you be in vain...you better honor her properly, and respect her decision to protect her damn kid who doesn't even know how to be kind and loving like you used to be."

The wind was blowing across the playground, and although Tenshi had tried to keep herself composed, her voice got progressively louder and louder. Neither of them bothered to look around at the families that had stopped what they were doing to watch on as that new head of the Kyofu Clan and that jinchuuriki-hating Jiyuu hashed it out. At this point, Jiyuu had completely lost any visible traces of anger, instead looking on at the trembling kunoichi with a solemn, stoic facade. Her words were stewing within him, yet they were not having any sort of effect that one could see. The kunoichi herself backed off from him, gripping her own folded arms harder and lowering her head to avoid looking at him.

"...I miss that Jiyuu...the one that would look at me the way nobody else did..."

That statement was definitely odd in the way it had been spoken. "What do you-"

"I'm leaving the village for my inauguration as head of the Kyofu Clan," she announced while lifting her head up, cutting the man off. She, too, was giving him a cold and emotionless look, trying to distance herself from the heartfelt rant she had just unleashed. "Sakana will be escorting me as extra security. I didn't ask for you to come along because of your mother, but I couldn't leave you alone in the state you were in. I wanted to tell you what you needed to hear...and what I wanted to say."

All that was expected was some sort of crude remark, a battalion of blithering rudeness in a petty attempt to make the Hyuuga's Black Eye seem more like the victim whole shoving Tenshi somewhere down on the social ladder. She was ready to hear what he felt, ready to see the man open up, even if it was in a negative context. She would reach him, regardless of how painful the method it required, and in his moment of weakness, she would reach out and take hold of the real Jiyuu, pulling him back out into the world of the living. She waited, and waited, but the moment never came. Jiyuu stood stiff, eyes once sharp and angry now dull and lifeless as they looked over Tenshi's prim, pretty, proper self. She was garbed in a beautiful dress with her hair silky smooth and her skin free of blemishes, save for the light freckles on her cheeks that she always had. She was radiant...and Jiyuu was a complete beast. His body built for combat, built to kill. An arm missing, replaced with a crude wooden construct that concealed another method to draw blood. His clothes, worn and weathered from surviving multiple battles and intense training sessions. His body, unwilling to move, and his face, unwilling to emote. Well...perhaps that last bit was a lie. Maybe he didn't mean for it to slip through, but for a brief moment, Tenshi could have sworn she saw Jiyuu's brow sag in what looked like...regret...even sadness. But it was quickly straightened back out. He didn't move towards her, he didn't retort...he only stared at the absolute inverted image of himself, and could only see someone that he could've been like had he not been cursed by...

...by fate. The fate of the Hyuuga...to always be internally conflicted.

"Fine," he spoke, though his voice was so low that it barely came out as a whisper. Wordlessly, the kunoichi watched Jiyuu plop back down onto the bench, a fist gently meeting his open hand as he ran his fingers along his knuckles, clear signs that he was uncomfortable, even a bit unsure of himself. "...go pack your bags, or whatever. Have a good time."

"...Jiyuu, I didn't mean to offend...I'm sorry, I just got a little upset."

"Just go already, please."

The kunoichi swallowed something in her throat, and looked away from Jiyuu. "...just try taking my advice, and speak with Sakana when she comes back. She might be able to help you deal with everything."

"..."

There really was no use in speaking with him now, she could see that. She had fully expected to fight the man in the park with the way things were going, but he had been the one to back down, and was clearly shoved even deeper into his own abyss than he had been before. She did not wish to stick around, believing she could only cause damage from here on out. With a small bow and a mumbled apology, Tenshi turned her back to the Hyuuga's Black Eye and left the park, her soft and gentle steps soon becoming a quick dash. She kept going until she was far enough away that Jiyuu, or anybody, would lose sight of her, and darted behind a tree. A hand fell over her heart, and Tenshi began to breath deep and heavy as she tried to collect herself.

Smoke puffed out around her body, and the transformation technique was discarded. Sakana stood there as she had before, flustered and unsure of whether or not she made things better or worse for herself. She would never tell Tenshi about this, obviously, but she had to do it. Deep down, the Hoshigaki knew that Jiyuu would never have spoken with the person who cut his arm off, not a word in his current state. Tenshi, at the very least, had a pleasing air about her that let people naturally open up to her. But things just got worse as Sakana started losing her cool, and she had said things that she would tell Jiyuu herself, but never Tenshi. The kunoichi began to bite her nail, and again, mused over the fact that she would not be sharing this little adventure with Tenshi. There was a thought that Jiyuu would probably turn around after this, maybe he would become the Jiyuu she always knew and it would be for the better. But then he would seek out Tenshi for thanks, and Tenshi would not know a thing about this...

"...but, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."

She nodded to herself in acceptance. This was the first step, and when she came back from the trip with Tenshi, all would be better. But that was all in the future. Now, she needed to go back to the Kyofu Clan compound and tell Tenshi that all her 'errands' were finished. They would be departing soon, and they had to hurry while there was still daylight.


Daylight was starting to weaken, and the orange light from a setting sun painted the mist in Chojuro's village. For once, the man was sitting in his chair, yet facing away from his desk. He had his feet kicked up on an open window sill, and the Mizukage watched as clouds and mist absorbed the orange light and shifted into numerous shapes. Sounds of construction had become the norm, but thankfully they were distant from his office. A soft breeze rolled through his open window, and the man let it roll across his face with a gentle hum of satisfaction. His goggles and earmuffs were off, the weight of them making itself known after having worked for hours on end today. A break was nice, a break was well-deserved, and a break he would have.

It had been around ten minutes though, so one could say he had been resting enough. His laptop pinged with a notification, and Chojuro glanced from his chair to see what it was.

An email, from the Hokage. Chojuro could feel his eyelids lowering with each word he could see with his back almost fully turned to the computer:

Hey, Chojuro.

I know you're probably busy dealing with village reconstruction, but we need to talk about something that we left on the table years ago. I know my sister-in-law probably contacted you earlier in the year, but it's starting to reach my office again. The threat of Jiyuu being targeted, and the Hidden Mist being attacked again as a result, is cause enough for Jiyuu to be transferred to the Hidden Leaf where he will be under my protection. The Hyuuga Clan are bringing it to my attention more aggressively now, that this isn't about just bringing a Hyuuga to the Leaf, but to keep his eyes from getting into the wrong hands. Please reply at your earliest convenience.

Naruto Uzumaki.

So, it came back around to Jiyuu, huh...

Chojuro could feel his face tighten with annoyance, and spun around in his chair with his fingers already meeting the keyboard, clacking away with a message that he believed didn't take much thought to send.

Naruto,

Out of all due respect, this is hardly a good time for Jiyuu to be shifted between villages. His mother just passed, and he is in mourning. He refuses to speak to anyone, and it may be some time before he's ready to do anything shinobi-related. In regards to his eyes, Jiyuu is quite capable of defending himself if need be. I doubt the Hidden Mist will be attacked again, considering the enemy had already left a mark that will never truly leave. We lost many people on that day...for them to attack a village that's on high alert would be foolish. I understand you speak on behalf of the Hyuuga because the issues within the clan are falling back to you, but the Hyuuga must realize that they are not top priority right now, defeating the Hidden Abyss village is. Please take into consideration all I have said, and pass the news along to your sister-in-law for me.

Chojuro.

The Mizukage hit 'send' with a satisfied nod of his head, and leaned back in his chair while stretching his arms over his head. He grunted, and prepared himself to get back to his break while the Hokage read the harshly-worded message that was essentially a professional middle finger of sorts, even if not directed towards the Hokage himself. At the very least, Chojuro believed it would keep the man busy for another ten minutes. Unfortunately, it wasn't even five before a response ping rang from the computer, causing the Mizukage to grunt and lean forward to read the newest email.

Chojuro,

I understand placing the Hidden Abyss situation above Jiyuu, because it's a way more important issue; in fact, I have my best man on the case, and I feel like I'll be getting some new intel from him soon. But still, the Hyuuga issue in my village is destabilizing how I run things here, and how willing the people are to listen to me. I only ask that you pass along the Hyuuga's request to Jiyuu. My sister-in-law, the clan head, only wishes for his safety and calls for his assistance in resolving tension in the clan.

Naruto.

"Tch, fine..."

Chojuro shut his laptop closed, and leaned back in his chair one final time, his gaze now focused on the ceiling above while his mind swirled with thoughts about how he was going to go about telling one of his own shinobi that he'd be better off in a village he's never been to, surrounded by people he doesn't like. He was asked to just pass along the request, after all, so maybe he wouldn't try that hard. He knew Jiyuu was in no condition to do much of anything right now, and would only deploy the man in the most dire of circumstances. The Mizukage clicked his tongue again, and shut his eyes to finish his break.


The mountainous region he had been sent to investigate held no answers, as expected. Tsuyo emerged from a cave at the foot of a large mountain, hood up and cloak flowing in the wind. Behind the hunter-nin mask he wore was the face of a clearly-disappointed man, one who believed he had come that much closer to actually finding the answers he sought about the Hidden Abyss. Once again, the sources were wrong, and he was sent out by Chojuro to hunt ghosts. Not a scrap of evidence had been discovered in this cave...for all Tsuyo knew, perhaps an Abyss-nin stopped by here to take a leak, and had been seen in the process. He was wasting his time with every second he stood there, knowing full and well that he could've been escorting his fiancee to her inauguration; she should have been on the road at this point, if he remembered correctly.

Tsuyo blitzed away from the cave, and soon found himself darting through a grassy plain on his way to the nearest town. The thought of going to the place his soon-to-be wife was traveling to had crossed his mind; surely it would be a pleasant surprise. But he also knew that Chojuro was expecting him and his intel, and that time was precious as any other commodity. The faster he could inform the Mizukage of yet another dead end, the faster they could tackle the next hunch. That's all these were, right? Hunches? Ghost chases? There was nothing to find, it was blindly running in a direction that one thought they heard a noise from. Nothing would be accomplished with such amateur tactics, but times were desperate. If Tsuyo was asked to do it, he would do it...and hopefully he would find the target he sought.

Right now, the only target he sought was a good meal. He had been so anxious inside that cave system expecting to be attacked by enemies that he worked up a killer appetite. Ten minutes of traveling at a high speed and the man finally found himself at a town he had passed earlier...though admittedly, it was a little out of the way; he only found it through one wrong turn while tracking down the location he was meant to investigate. A town by the name of Orochiasu, if he recalled correctly. It was once a place where trouble could be found lurking around every corner, and the threat of a knife getting stuck in your back and your money being taken while you bled out was ordinary. Funny...even during times of peace, the place had still been a hotspot for trouble, but time can do many things. The village that once lived in despair was now flourishing through legal means, and it's inhabitants were happy. As Tsuyo crossed the large wooden bridge to enter, he took note of how bright green moss and vines grew near the entrance...life, it seemed, was not afraid to exist here anymore.

The presence of a hunter-nin was putting some of the people on-edge, but Tsuyo paid them no mind; surely, he was a rarity in these parts so far from home. A few paces into the town and a restaurant found itself on his right, which he quickly entered. It wasn't a fancy restaurant, just a small humble establishment with some stools and only a few banners dropping down at face-height for privacy. The chef behind the counter looked bored, and the lack of full seats definitely had something to do with it. He perked up when he saw the hunter-nin enter his establishment, and even smiled when he saw them sit down.

"Ah, you're one of 'em fancy-dancy type ninja, huh? That weird mask says everythin'!"

"You guessed correctly," Tsuyo answer, lacking enthusiasm to speak in a stoic, cool voice; his response came out in a weary sigh.

"What'll it be, ninja?"

He didn't know, he didn't really care. Tsuyo was hungry enough to eat just about anything. He pointed at something on the billboard menu above the chef, and the old man grinned wider as he got to work. No wonder he seemed so pleased, Tsuyo accidentally pointed to one of the more expensive items on the menu. Kami...whatever, as long as it was good. Reaching into his cloak and pulling out a book was an automated response for Tsuyo when he had to wait, and he spared no time in pulling out a novel that he had just started, and soon got entranced. He was so entranced, even, that he failed to notice that someone else had entered the little shack of a restaurant and sat beside him.

The other man, draped in a black cloak of his own and with a bang of black, spiked hair covering his left eye, was lost in thought. He, too, just wrapped up a mission and was looking forward to eating something before he headed out once more; he would be returning home after this, a rare occurrence for him, and a chance to see his wife and daughter once again. And yet his thoughts only revolved around the target he had been tracking.

Tokage. Some welp who was certainly dangerous and was the right hand man of the Hidden Abyss leaders, but too cocky in his own abilities that he was easy to track if one knew where to look. The man had tracked Tokage out towards the Field of Dreams, an area full of blooming flowers, grassy knolls, and a canyon carved in the middle of it all with the destroyed God Tree left behind from the Fourth War. It was the battlefield where the climax of the largest battle in shinobi history would ever occur, and the dirt that was once stained with blood and tainted by evil energy now thrived with new life...a poetic turn of events. There was a cave that Tokage had gone into a few miles south of this location, but when Sasuke attempted to follow, he detected a very heavy, complex barrier seal protecting the cave, as well as a powerful genjutsu used to disguise the entrance as a stone surface. That had to be it, the key to all of this...but to approach alone was risky, even for a renowned shinobi. He would have to report his findings to Naruto right away, and forge a plan of action from there. But for now...

"I'll have omusubi," he spoke. This shinobi was calm and collect, like what Tsuyo had attempted to be, but he made it seem so...natural. Tsuyo paused in his reading when he heard the person speak.

"Ahhhh...you're one of 'em special ninja, I recognize ya! Sure, whatever ya want!"

'Special ninja'. Tsuyo was unsure if that term was derogatory or not, but the curiosity as to who was beside him was growing. He glanced over to the other person...and almost dropped his book. He fumbled with it, and quickly shoved the thing back under his cloak. The sudden antics got the older shinobi to look at him with a half-lidded stare, quiet in his analysis. He didn't say a word, and that was fine, because Tsuyo spoke without meaning to.

"S-Sasuke Uchiha?"

Of course, Sasuke didn't respond to this. Instead, he turned his attention to the chef and watched the man prepare his food, silently hoping this fan of his was going to remain quiet. He had a feeling that if masks could sweat, that hunter-nin beside him would be soaked right now. Speaking of which, that very same mask found itself being pulled off of the Mist-shinobi's face, and the bespectacled genin even threw his hood off. Sasuke looked again, but this time raised his only visible eyebrow...slightly. That face, that stupid face that was always portrayed as nothing but serious in bingo books was right there staring at him. The only reason Sasuke gave half of a damn about Tsuyo was simply because...well...he was also an Uchiha, and not a relative of his own. It was certainly a coincidence finding such a person in a town like this, and judging by the mask that he was wearing a moment ago, he was on-duty not too long before showing up here; he must have been investigating the Hidden Abyss, too.

"I see," he spoke. "You must be Tsuyo. I remember hearing about you."

"You h-heard of me?"

"It would be hard for me not to. An Uchiha in this day and age is hard to come by."

"I-I-I...uh..."

For some very odd reason, Tsuyo found it very difficult to speak. He felt like a kid again, and his face became flushed upon realizing it. The plates of food both men had ordered were placed in front of them, and Sasuke brought his attention to what he ordered. Eating was all he was focused on now, taking his time to savor the meal while he allowed his mind to be clear of thoughts. Tsuyo could see Sasuke was not that interested in speaking, and to be completely honest, he felt a little insulted. Here he was, another Uchiha just like Sasuke, yet he was being treated like he were any other shinobi. The nerve! But how could he really blame the man, when all Tsuyo could do was stutter like a fool. In truth, Tsuyo had been meaning to locate Sasuke in his own time, and request something that he hoped would be granted. But this was all too sudden, he was far from prepared for such a confrontation. Gah, Sasuke was halfway done with his food! This man was eating fast, he hated Tsuyo's presence that much?! Kami, Kami, Kami! Tsuyo swerved around in his seat and began wolfing down his own food in a manner so barbaric that it not only made Sasuke pause to stare at him, but even the chef began to sweat.

"H-Hey...slow down, you might choke on something," the old man spoke, but Tsuyo ignored him. He kept going until there was nothing left but small scraps of destruction on his plate, and he stuck a hand into his cloak before pulling out a large wad of money and slamming it on the counter.

"Th-Thanks for the food!"

He practically jumped away from the counter after that, stumbling into the street and bumping into someone who told him to watch where he was going in the rudest of ways possible. Tsuyo could feel his own fingers digging into the hunter-nin mask he held, and his other hand went to his unruly dirty-blonde hair. Of course he felt foolish, now that his mind was clearing up...he made himself look like a complete idiot, and in front of Sasuke Uchiha, of all people. He turned around and could see Sasuke was still eating, though the man was clearly going at his own pace. Like a creep, Tsuyo stood still and watched in the middle of the road without any clear thought in his heads other than calling himself a fool and wondering if he could ask Sasuke the question he had been meaning to bring up. He was mulling over this so much that Sasuke had enough time to finish his meal, pay the chef, and get off his seat. The moment Sasuke pushed aside the flaps of the entrance and left the shack, he made direct eye contact with the...peculiar hunter-nin once again. This time, he was even more stoic, his facial muscles not even twitching. He took a single step to the left, intending to walk away, but Tsuyo finally broke through his stupor with sheer desperation. It was now or never.

With the deepest of bows, Tsuyo shut his eyes and shouted his request by complete accident. "PLEASE TEACH ME THE SECRETS OF THE SHARINGAN!"

Anybody walking nearby of course stopped to look at him, but Tsuyo righted himself and made a stern, business-like expression; the redness of his entire face made it obvious he was trying to compose himself through sheer willpower alone. And what kind of a request was that, anyway? Teach this strange Mist-nin the secrets of the Sharingan? As if there was some sort of shortcut to unlocking it's true power? Sasuke's eyelid lowered, and Tsuyo felt himself become even more discouraged. The red in his face had gotten a little more intense, but the stress was leaving his body...in it's stead was only embarrassment, and Tsuyo started to resemble a nervous child on the playground more than anything, unsure of what would happen next.

"Prove yourself, and I'll think about it."

Think about it? That was practically a yes! Practically! Tsuyo adjusted his glasses at the remark, a little surprised to have heard such an answer. "Eh? P-Prove myself? How?"

"You'll need to figure it out on your own," Sasuke said, not wasting any more time as he started to walk away. "We'll keep in touch."

The Last Uchiha didn't wait around for Tsuyo's response, instead blurring out of the town as he started to run. If he were going to make it home in reasonable time, he had to pick up his pace. The intel he had was valuable, and finally, the first stone could be tossed at the Hidden Abyss. And yet...

Tsuyo Uchiha...the Hidden Mist's Blonde Uchiha, a genjutsu master who's skills are rumored to rival that of Shisui. But those are still rumors at the end of the day. I'll have to see for myself if he's really up to snuff. Once I get my findings back to Naruto in person, I'll have to decide what to do next. I can't afford to wait around any longer.


Afternoon sunlight graced the interior of a particular inn room, one granting privacy to two types of kunoichi. One was practically royalty, gracefully knelt at a table and eating food with elegant motions and polite, small bites; the food was wonderful, and she occasionally let out a soft moan from the sensational flavors. She was garbed in traditional robes that her clan passed down for her sacred ceremony of accepting the title of clan head, and it was complimented by her creamy smooth skin and soft cascading orange hair. Across from her was the complete opposite. Sat cross-legged at the same table, a blue-skinned woman scarfed down her own food like a savage animal who had just completed a successful hunt; the only polite thing she was doing was using utensils. She had complained about being hungry halfway through the trip, bashfully admitting to her company that she forgot to eat before departure, so she was a little 'enthusiastic' about the meal. Her body was solid muscle, bruised in some areas from training hours before departure and hands calloused from working a forge hammer and her own weapon. Her hair was a deep blue, but was wild and messy from a lack of proper care other than being shampooed in showers. She huffed and groaned while eating, and would chase full mouthfuls of food with a cup of water. She finished her meal in seconds, and audibly gulped down the last bit of food and water she had before letting out a loud 'phew' and scratching the back of her head, bashfully smirking.

"Man...the food around here's not too bad," she spoke, trying to gloss over the fact she inhaled her meal like a savage. The girl across from her chuckled in response, knowing full and well no disrespect was meant by her antics.

"I did ask the guard to only bring back the best he could around here."

Yes, they had stopped their journey because it would be unwise to travel at night during times like these. Tenshi and Sakana were occupying an inn of sorts in a nearby town for the night, and naturally, the guards Tenshi had brought with her on this pilgrimage (all ten of them) were stationed around the place; in fact, two were right outside her inn room's door. But inside the room, it was just two best friends, alone and free to discuss anything they wanted. This was Tenshi's personal request.

"I appreciate you taking me along, Tenshi. I really do."

The angel smiled a little more, stopping her eating to take a small sip of water. "I had a feeling you would like a small 'mission' like this. Being stuck in that village was just so...gloomy. Especially after all that happened."

Plenty did indeed happen. Sakana looked to her plate as thought of all the most recent events in the Mist floated in her head. Her father's betrayal, the Mist being partially destroyed...Warai-sensei's death. Her eyelid lowered, and she began to focus on small crumbs on her plate.

...but he's still having trouble handling it, on top of his own troubles...

"Is something wrong, Sakana?"

The Hoshigaki looked up from her plate to find Tenshi eyeing her, concerned. She considered lying to her friend and saying everything was fine, but it wasn't. There had been something very, very specific on her mind this whole time, something that was gnawing at her conscious and wouldn't leave her alone. But sometimes, it stretched beyond recent events, and it had caused her so much trouble that even sleep was becoming an issue.

"...I'm just thinking about Jiyuu, that's all."

"You know, you've been very quiet since we left the Hidden Mist. Has...has he been on your mind this whole time?"

No answer, but a bashful aversion of her gaze. Interesting.

"What were you thinking about in regards to Jiyuu, specifically?"

"He's just so secluded. He doesn't want to be around anyone."

Ah, so that's what this was about. Tenshi wiped her mouth with a napkin, and even moved with grace as she placed it down beside her plate; though her motions were a little slow, and the slight sagging of her brow made it clear she felt a little saddened by the topic. "...yes, well...we all seemed to play a part in causing that," she muttered. "I'll speak to him when we get back. I had been meaning to for a while, but I was just waiting for a good time. It...never came, really."

"...about that."

"Yes, Sakana?"

The words she wished to speak found themselves lodged in her throat, refusing to coming out. Sakana frowned at herself for being so nervous over something as basic as speaking, but if there was ever a time to admit something, it would be now. Clearing her throat, she kept her gaze away from her best friend.

"I used a transformation technique before we left to disguise myself as you, and while transformed, I went to talk with Jiyuu. It didn't go well."

Understandably, Tenshi was shocked. "What? Why would-"

"Because you're the only person he'll even bother responding to," Sakana interrupted, tone harsh. Her frown deepened a little as she spoke the truth, knowing full and well that there was nothing more painful to verbally share. She folded her arms beneath her bosom, and Tenshi could see Sakana's fingers dig into her arms. "He hates me the most, Tenshi. I want to speak with him so badly, but with everything that's happened, it's impossible."

"Why is he so against speaking with you? I know you mentioned something a long time ago about how you betrayed his trust before he left, but you never went into detail."

Again, the truth found itself stuck somewhere deep inside Sakana. She wanted so desperately to share her past with her best friend, even the mistakes she had made...but the number of horrid deeds done was piled high, and she had hoped to atone for her past. The removal of Jiyuu's arm was the final part of this pile, stacked right on top of everything else, yet the weight of such a burden on her conscious was making it hard to balance her thoughts, her feelings. She knew she could tell Tenshi, she could say anything she wanted...but after all this time, there was a reason for her to not say what happened. The act, no matter how barbaric, was still nowhere near as damaging as the message it had implied to Jiyuu, or the dread it flooded Sakana with. She swallowed something, and looked out the window of the inn room to the setting sun and it's soft sunlight landing on rooftops throughout the town.

"...the details don't matter, do they. I betrayed his trust, because it was something my asshole father told me to do. Now look where my loyalty to family's gotten me. No family willing to accept me, no friends who will talk to me alone except for you, and now I'm not even trusted in the village because I'm a Hoshigaki after half my clan rebelled." The pain Sakana felt was obvious, and her gilled cheeks flared as she spoke; the sadness inside wriggled it's way to the surface, and her eye screamed out for help as it looked to the distance. "...maybe it's not just about Jiyuu...maybe everything's finally gotten stacked so high that I can't handle the weight of it all anymore. I used to ignore it, Tenshi, and I used to not care what people thought of me. But I was a little brat, some kid who didn't know right from wrong because I was raised to kill, taught that death by my blade was going to bring honor to myself and the Hoshigaki. Had it not been for Jiyuu, I might have helped my father do what he did, but that little fool and his stupid smiles got to me. I thought that maybe, just maybe, there could be more to life than what my father told me. My mother was like that...friendly, outgoing, always wanted me to be the best I could be. By ignoring her and doing as father said, I dishonored her memory, and I had put up so many barriers between myself and the truth that it took a year of Jiyuu constantly pestering me to open up. But I did it at the worst possible time, only after I had...hurt Jiyuu."

Tenshi watched on silently. Sakana would unload now and then like this, but not to this degree. She uttered her friend's name, and watched Sakana pull in her knees while hugging them.

"...I'm happy you're my friend, but you need to understand that Tsuyo only got along with me because we were teammates. The only thing keeping us friends was Team One. The moment Jiyuu left and the team was disbanded, Tsuyo stopped speaking to me unless he was around you. He never really sought me out on his own, I would have to look for him. Even then, he never liked talking to me...I used to scare him, even after Jiyuu left and I was more open. Ketsui-sensei and Warai-sensei were more obsessed with finding Jiyuu than speaking to me, which I get, but Warai-sensei's time was only shared when I went over there...I'm sure you remember that."

"I do."

"The one thing I wanted to do was see Jiyuu come home safely. I wanted to let him know how sorry I was. But he came back with memories of what I did still fresh in his head...memories from what everybody did. We all moved on, we had to, but he was in stasis when he left. He had nothing to do out where he was except train, take odd-jobs, and remember what brought him there. That can do some bad things to someone's mind after some time. The worst part was, after Team One's first official mission when he came back, he started opening up. I thought that I could break through and get the real Jiyuu to come back to us...but now that his mother died, he's more secluded and quiet than ever. He doesn't want comfort...he's drowning in a stew of bad feelings, and he doesn't want to do anything about it." Sakana began to hug her legs tighter, and brought her face into her knees. The frown faded, and her obvious sadness was hidden behind her legs. "...I want to bring him back. I owe it to him for all he did for me, and to show him I'm sorry for doing what I did. But it all seems pointless...he looks at me like I'm an enemy, all the time...he's never letting his guard down around me now, like an abused animal, and my heart hurts like hell when I notice it. I...I don't know what to do..."

"Not for anything, Sakana, but you're making a very large mistake."

Sakana peered over her knees at the kunoichi across from her, who was flashing a sad smile; she was playing with her hair using a single finger, a gesture she only did when she was uncomfortable, which was understandable considering the topic.

"You're blaming yourself for Jiyuu's current state, but you said yourself that he's been through a lot. His mother passed, he was alone for years, and the thoughts of betrayal were stewing in his mind. Not just your betrayal, but everyone's," she spoke, her tone dying a little as she recalled being told by Tsuyo all those years ago that Jiyuu had found out about her own antics. Her sad smile wriggled, and fell apart. "...you have no right to shoulder all the blame. Tsuyo and I are partially responsible. I don't regret my choice, as I'm much happier with Tsuyo, but I was also influenced by elders in my clan to take certain actions with Jiyuu."

"Your pursued him for the eyes to be passed down in your clan."

"Yes, but like you, I was young and taught that it was for a noble cause. Of course, all children are told such things when questionable deeds are issued, all so there will be no arguments made. But my heart told me it was wrong when I was finally with him. From there, I knew anything I did was going to upset someone...and unfortunately, it happened to a boy who had to deal with so much more at the same exact time. Had I been allowed to think for myself, I would still be where I am now...but many adults will not look for alternate routes when a path is clear to them, no matter how morally unjust."

"..."

"We're similar, Sakana. And I'm glad we're friends for that reason."

"Why's that..."

"Because being a kunoichi is hard, but it's even harder being a kunoichi that's been groomed to follow a specific path in life. We both had to, and we both understand that not all paths are just, even if they're ones we're told to walk. Now that we're adults, it's up to us to properly teach the new generations how to decide for themselves what the best road to take is. And I know you'll be good at helping them, because you were strong enough to find your own path."

"..."

"Remember when we were being taught by Warai-sensei how to cook, and her own cooking was so terrible that you got frustrated with your own results?"

This little memory brought a smirk to Sakana's sappy mug. "...yeah, I do."

"Well just like back then, I'm willing to help you. I know you can help me shape the future generation into better people than we were...and I couldn't think of anyone more willing to give me a hand than you."

"Thank you, Tenshi..."

Outside the door, one of Tenshi's bodyguards stood with her back against the wall, and her eyes closed. There was some knuckle-dragger of a guard beside her, someone who didn't seem like his elevator reached the top floor. She glanced down the hall at a clock hung on the wall, noting the time.

6:30...five and a half hours before midnight. That's when I'll begin my true mission.