Sasuke enters the kitchen to Kakashi and Toru having a quiet conversation. The pair don't pause their conversation, Toru giving him a small wave, not really focussing on the pair, Sasuke heads towards the cabinet that holds the plates. Pulling three out on the basis that the older ninjas have already eaten, he starts putting food down on the plates.

It's been strange for Sasuke, these past few days – probably the same for Naruto, as well. After all, he's used to seeing Toru when he's not a mission, and to see the Uchiha on a mission… He's reminded that the older Uchiha is in fact a chūnin, and one that goes on missions frequently. Although he's not entirely sure what Toru's been doing recently, rarely seeing him despite knowing that the chūnin is around has been strange. Especially since Toru hasn't acted entirely like the Toru Sasuke knows.

Where Sasuke can normally count on Toru for support, the chūnin is quick to respond to anything that could be danger. There's something twisted around Toru's bones, something that chains him to danger. It's not directed at Sasuke, and he doubts it ever would be, but it exists. He's seen Toru this way a few times – on bad days, coming down after a mission.

Swallowing, Sasuke reminds himself that Toru has every reason to be on edge during a mission, especially based on past experiences. A hand ruffles his hair, and it's easy for Sasuke to tilt his head backwards, looking up with a scowl. From above, Toru grins down unrepentantly, and Sasuke recalls that even on a mission, Toru cannot be harsh, because gentleness is scrawled into his bones, along with a thousand other words that can never hope to describe the Uchiha.

"New plan for today, kiddos," Toru says easily as Naruto and Sakura enter the room, the former still rubbing sleep from his eyes despite having been sprayed with water earlier.

Immediately, Naruto perks up, bouncing on his toes, and Sasuke sighs. "What is it? What is it? What're we doing? Are we gonna go battle bad guys?"

"Learn how to breathe?" Sakura adds dryly, causing Naruto to shoot her a wounded expression.

"Not quite," Kakashi responds, (Sasuke is still unsure about his teacher, but Toru is here and Kakashi is maybe trying, so Sasuke will listen, although he's going to complain regardless; he still doesn't like him). "Gatō has been taken care of now and so have his belongings. However, there have been rumours of human trafficking, we've been given a hint about it all, so we're going to go see if we can find anyone."

"Are we leaving Tazuna-san unguarded?" Sakura asks, eyes flicking between the two older ninjas.

"Our summons will be keeping watch, but it's unlikely there will be any attacks," Toru says. "Gatō has been taken care of."

Sasuke pauses in eating, exchanging looks with his teammates. He can see curiosity on Sakura's face, Naruto appears a half-step away from being confused, (and he wants to know but also doesn't want to know; any similarities between Toru and ItAChI should be ignored). A second later, and he resumes eating, focus falling back onto his plate.

"How so?" Sakura asks, voice unable to hide her curiosity and also her hesitancy.

"I took them out," Toru says, voice bland and face impenetrable. Impenetrable, but a furrow of an eyebrow, a twist of a mouth, and Sasuke knows Toru is worried, fearful of the thoughts of his teammates. Connecting his gaze with Toru's, Sasuke doesn't bother to hide anything, letting Toru read him, letting Toru know that everything's alright. After all, they're both ninjas.

"Did you tell Tazuna?" Sasuke asks, not bothering to keep the derision out of his tone at the thought of the old man. Getting up, he starts washing his plate, knowing full-well that soon Tsunami will come downstairs and try to do all the washing up herself.

"He doesn't quite believe us, but yes, I have," Toru answers. "Now, are you three ready to go?"

Leaving his plate to dry with the others, Sasuke nods, adjusting his weapon pouch. His teammates stand beside him, and Kakashi nods. "Sasuke-kun, you're taking sweep position with me and we'll be talking about tracking. Toru-san has point. Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun, Toru-san will be testing your knowledge on various topics. And remember, if we say something, you listen to us."

"Hai!"

The ash sits in an empty field. Black and thick, laying heavy on the ground. The wind still smells like smoke, and even now, hours later, Toru can see embers glowing darkly, dying. Despite the silence of the field, the lack of birds and animals, grass grows green around the edges of the field, the trees rustle nearby in the wind. The juxtaposition between the dead and living has never been clearer, (and for a few moments, all he can think of is Uzushio with smoke on the wind and ash falling around him, the death surrounding him, the dying screaming, the injured continuing because the only other option is to die, the massacre that left blood behind and the pounding of his heart in his ears; Uzushio died, but she did not die peacefully, but she did die alone and hurting).

Kakashi glances at him, lightning-quick, and almost hidden. "Seals and fire," Toru says, acting as if he's explaining to the genins. The hum from Kakashi proves that Toru hasn't fooled him, (but Toru's fooling everyone about the important things, despite how much it hurts him, so such a small thing like this really doesn't matter). Pointing eastward, toward the broken-down cottages, he states, "We should check over there."

"What… What should we expect?" Naruto asks.

Toru leaves that question for Kakashi to answer, deciding it can be a learning experience for both parties. Approaching the buildings, he can already hear quiet mutterings. He's fairly certain that normally these people would already have been put to work, and are probably wondering why they haven't been.

"Sakura-chan," Toru calls quietly, the girl looks up at him. "Do you have your healing supplies?"

A worried expression crosses the genin's face, but she nods steadily. "Yes. If we need them, I can have them ready quickly."

Checking over the other two genins, Toru can see that they're worried, afraid of what they may see. It will be harsh, it will forcefully remove them from their naïve worlds, and it's likely they will understand trauma from a new perspective, have more nightmares of their own. But this is growing up as a ninja, and cannot be avoided. This world is harsh and it cannot afford to be otherwise. The best they can do is keep their eyes open and wide.

The door opens with a creak and wood groans beneath Toru's light steps as he steps off the porch and onto hard dirt, (no matter how often he sees people chained and ruined, lives drained from them, their worlds destroyed and empty, it still tugs on him, pulls on him, because their world is terrible and he is trying his best and yet there are still people being used as slaves). Burying anger in a heart that knows rage and anger far too well, Toru meets the eyes of these captured people. There are no platitudes to be offered here, he can give nothing because these people are too distrustful, (with reason), to take any of the hope he symbolises.

Maybe he's too jaded, but maybe he's just realistic, (he's a remnant of a village torn to shreds and lost to the world; he's owed this), because Naruto enters, blue eyes bright, blonde hair bright, smile big and hard – not faltering, but something strewn in hope; it's hard because hope is hard sometimes.

"You're going to be okay," he says, and there's nothing about him that says he's lying, nothing about that suggests he's being untruthful. Naruto fully believes in what he's saying; he isn't saying it to help them, but because he assumes it will be the truth, he assumes that everything will be alright now, (even as he is, Toru can't break that trust, can't destroy that nativity, can't bear himself to even consider the idea really). "We're going to get you out of here and you guys can go home."

A ragged cheer, because these people believe in Naruto, still can be hopeful. A quick look at Kakashi tells Toru that the older man is just as surprised as he is. Fixing a smile to his face, Toru drops down by the first person. "Give me a quick second," he says, pulling out a kunai. Sparing a half-second to send wind chakra down to the kunai, he then slices through the chains.

Lifting her arms, the woman looks him in the eyes. "Thank you," she says, even as she studies the cuffs around her wrists. "Thank you."

It's easy to let his eyes soften, to feel the warm beat of his heart. "We'll get you out of here," he promises. "Sasuke!" The boy quickly appears at his side, eyes a bit wide, a bit wild, but he's focussing. "Tell Naruto to start unpicking cuffs of whoever Kakashi-san releases, you'll do the same for me. Also, get Sakura-chan to see who's the most medical aid. Okay?"

"Yes," Sasuke replies, before glancing at the woman in front of him. "You're going to be okay," he says, echoing Naruto's words, but there's something certain there, not just blind faith and hope, but something much steadier.

"I know," the woman says, eyes glistening. "Thank you." Nodding his head, Sasuke goes to find his teammates and explain the plan. Meanwhile, Toru cuts through the next set of chains.

"You can go wait outside, if you'd prefer," he says, but the woman shakes her head, sitting down more comfortably instead.

"We'll wait for everyone first," she says decisively. She stares at him, like she's daring him to question her, but he offers her no words in return. He understands. Sometimes responsibility comes from leading people, sometimes it comes from being part of something terrible that you feel like caring still, that your heart becomes partially owned by those who suffer with you.

Toru moves on. There are more chains to cut, more people to care for. There's a ruined world for these people to explore, to mend themselves. These people have a chance to live again, to smile and laugh, to feel the sun, to live lives of their own rather than forced to do something they don't want to.

It's enough.

(It has to be enough; they will make it enough.)

Masuyo comes to Tomoe with a letter in hand, (they're alive, they're alive, they're alive). Glancing once around her, Tomoe takes the letter from Masuyo silently. Before opening it, she asks, "Is this from Ryuu?" Masuyo nods.

The letter is easy to open, only folded paper. The words scrawl across the letter, each letter carefully written, a slight slant to each word, the ends of each letter curling. It's neat, as Ryuu's letters always are; she doesn't tend to ruminate on why, (she knows why; it's because Ryuu is always trying to do better and help them, even when he never mentions it).

Once she's finished reading the letter, she passes it over to Masuyo, still open, an invitation. Masuyo reads the letter, faster than Tomoe, but still not as fast as someone who'd been reading all their life. "Huh," Masuyo says, a tone of interest in her voice. "I suppose it makes sense sending this letter to you, you're pretty much in control of Kakumau since Ryuu's so busy."

Clicking her tongue, Tomoe is hard pressed to disagree. She is fully aware that she may have the most control over Kakumau, second only to Ryuu. Still, those in Kakumau answer to Ryuu not her, their loyalty is to Ryuu. She's just a casual link to him. "He hasn't quite given us orders."

"No, he hasn't," Masuyo agrees, and that's all there is to it. Tomoe can't bring herself to be surprised. Ryuu never really gives orders, he asks, tells them to think about things, but he places emphasis on them having a choice. It's more than they've ever been given, (more than some of them really deserve), but he gives it without getting anything in return. If Ryuu ordered, perhaps she would consider not doing it, but with him only asking, she wants to do it.

(What more can you give, but loyalty, to the person who pulled you out of the gutter and into the world and continued to care for you? What more can you want but to matter? They would give Ryuu the world, even they thought he would want it. It would probably be better if Ryuu did have the world, but he doesn't; and yet, he is their world).

The letter picks at her mind, thoughts echo, clamber, trying to figure out what to do. Regardless of her questioning, Tomoe flicks open the lighter and watches the letter burn. "What do you think we should do?"

Masuyo sends her a look, which she doesn't think she honestly deserves, but deigns to respond anyway. "I think it's your decision, but Gatō is a name that's fairly well known in our, well, community. He does have quite a bit of power, although it doesn't touch us so much in Konoha. However, numerous other small towns around Hi no Kuni have been targeted. But… Ryuu doesn't just want us to deal with the power gap, which will be a problem all of its own."

"Consider, though," Raiden calls from somewhere nearby, having managed to figure out what the duo are discussing, "that rather than putting something to fill the power gap, we prove ourselves as already having that power and undermining Gatō's rule for some time?"

"Make it seem like we send the ninja to destroy it," Masuyo murmurs.

Staring at the ash pile on the ground, Tomoe hums in thought. It's a nice idea, one that gives them power that they have, but keeps Ryuu's identity hidden. "By making it seem like we have issues with Gatō it presents a reason for why we're doing what we do."

"And what are we doing?"

"What Ryuu wants," Tomoe says, a plan slowly gathering pieces and form. "We take in the people who are left in the dark due to Gatō's fall, those who didn't have a choice to work for him. We lend aid to those who are left wounded and hurt, although we'll need Ryuu's help because that's his funds and supplies we'd be using. Then, we start ruining this human trafficking business, find those taken and help them return home. In doing all that, we reveal our power and our sources. We also present ourselves as a 'good' force. We've dealt with our problems in Konoha, now it's time we put pressure elsewhere."

"There's Gatō's business to consider," Masuyo reminds her. "Although, Konoha will deal with most of that themselves."

"We take some of the business on board," Raiden says slowly. "After all, we can use his connections to shut down undesirable parts of the Underground or monitor sections."

"But what part of Gatō's business?" Tomoe asks. "And who?"

"Doesn't matter," Raiden says with a shrug. "Take it all and change it, bring it back to being about trade through our people. Give them jobs, get them lives, get them out of the gutters and off the streets, give them homes. And with running it… Honestly, you could get Katsuo from Unmei no Ken'o-sha, but you probably want someone you can be certain you can trust and isn't leading any of the gangs."

"Do you think age matters?" Tomoe says, as she starts going through the people she knows. "We can probably manage to hide ages for a bit, surely. Especially if we work with Kakumau to develop it."

"Yeah, if you have enough people advocating for that person, essentially using Kakumau as you said, you could avoid the age problems," Masuyo responds.

"Perfect," Tomoe grins, clapping her hands together. Above her, the sky is blue, the shadows warm. "Masuyo, Raiden, how do you guys feel about leading a business?"

"We don't know anything to do with running a business," Raiden chokes out after a few seconds, Masuyo a shocked statue beside him.

"Talk to Ryuu about it," Tomoe says decisively. "If I can lead Kakumau and sort out all that, you two can figure out how to run a business. You have the people and the help, you just need to do the numbers."

(Unnoticed and unknown by many, they will claw themselves up to matter. They know they matter now, believe it, know others believe it too. Now they just have to prove themselves worthy of it all.)

They arrive back at the village with little fanfare, except-

Except.

They arrive back at the village with people who had gone missing, who had been assumed dead, who had been taken. There are families reuniting, and people smiling and crying with happiness, (they are here, and alive, and there is nothing left to ask for).

Naruto is moving between people, checking if anyone needs water and food, his teammates beside him. Now that they're back, they're no longer quite sure what they should be doing. Kakashi and Toru had been quick to disappear, probably to do patrols and checks, and although he's certain they are close, without any directions, Naruto feels quite lost.

He's giving one man a glass of water when Tazuna comes up to him and his teammates, Inari trailing behind him. "Thank you," Tazuna says with a deep bow. "For everything that you've done. You've helped my village, my island, so much. I can never repay this debt."

"We were glad to help," Naruto replies, unsure what else there is to say. "We hardly could have done anything else."

"You are heroes in all of our eyes," Tazuna adds, eyes glistening with moisture behind his glasses. "Thank you."

"We don't need another hero!" Inari shouts suddenly, startling those around him. He stomps forward, anger etched into his face and body language. "Heroes don't exist! You can never be a hero!"

Naruto reels back, confused and hurt, irritation sizzling in his stomach, tight and acidic. Swallowing everything back, Naruto retorts, "Heroes do exist! They help people!"

Inari snarls back. "You're just a liar! Heroes can't do anything! All they can do is lie!" With this final shout, Inari spins around and runs off. A tight grip around his wrist is all that stops Naruto from following.

"I apologise for him," Tazuna says in the quiet that follows. "These past few years have been… hard on him. You are heroes in our eyes, that's all you need to know. I should go find my grandson."

"What did I do?" Naruto mutters to his teammates.

"That wasn't you, Naruto-kun," Kakashi replies, surprising the three genins. "That was a little boy who was hurt and so struck out, so others could hurt too."

"It's not right," Sasuke says. "You don't get a right to hurt others, just because you're hurt."

"It's not," Kakashi agrees. "But people don't always do what's right."

"Isn't there anything we could do to help him?" Sakura asks, frustration clear in her voice. She already knows the answer, but asks the questions anyway. Kakashi shakes his head, and she just sighs. "Let's go see who else needs our help then."

Rocking his weight back on his heels, Kakashi wonders if he dealt with that conversation properly. He's… vaguely aware that some people don't find civilians easy to work with, especially those that have been hurt and strike out aimlessly. Nonetheless, he's also aware that hurting people will not simply stop hurting; the path to getting better, to taking control of your own life, it's something only you can do. Or something along those lines.

Toru stands next to him, but doesn't say anything. The ANBU-chūnin is very strange, but… But. "Do you have any thoughts on how to deal with Tazuna-san's breach of contract and falsifying mission rankings?"

"Normally, it would be simple to apply a tariff to those using the bridge, but those here are so poor they couldn't afford it," Kakashi replies quietly, having thought over the problem a few times. "Since there's no daimyo here, Konoha can technically claim the land as part of Hi no Kuni through asking the people to employ Konoha ninjas only and opening stronger trade routes coming through these ports."

"Except, with being so close to Mizu no Kuni, it becomes more dangerous to claim such territory," Toru counters. "However, that's minor considering Kiri is probably much more focussed on its internal politics. With tariffs on the bridge – could we organise it so those entering are paying taxes? With the addition of setting up this town to depend on Konoha ninjas and supplying trade to Konoha both as a port town and through normal trade routes."

"And through this town employing Konoha ninjas, their influence will extend to the other towns and thus increase Konoha's influence further," Kakashi says. "It's a good plan. Now you just need to get Tazuna-san to agree."

"I need to?" Toru asks. "Why don't we get the genins to do it? Frame it as a learning experience." Kakashi laughs, and it sounds like it's been surprised out of him; he's quick to stop, but it happened, (and that's important, because for all that Toru sees Kakashi as a bad teacher – one who's now trying – he still sees Kakashi as a person, not necessarily a bad one, but one that hurts and struggles; it's always been one of Toru's faults – to see the good in someone, rather than focussing on anything else).

"Here, have some more," Tsunami says as she serves Sakura a second helping.

"Tsunami-san, I can't," Sakura replies, shaking her head. "You've definitely given me more than enough."

"I can," Naruto says cheerfully, leaning over the table to pick up Sakura's plate, now full with food once again. However, a pointed glance from Toru has the blonde-haired boy sighing, and splitting the serving into three – one for each genin. Tsunami muffles her laughter and places the pot back on the table.

Before silence can truly reign, Tazuna states, "Thank you, once again, for your help. Nami no Kuni is in your debt."

There's a shriek as Inari pushes his chair back, and a bang as it falls backwards. The table shudders, plates and bowls and glasses clattering as the boy slams his hands down on the table. "You're not heroes – none of you! Heroes don't exist! You don't deserve anyone's thanks!"

"Inari!" Tsunami shouts, eyebrows dipping down. The boy shoots one last glare at the ninjas before turning around and running off. Tsunami sighs. "I'm so sorry for him; this has all been hard on him."

Tazuna grunts and takes a long gulp of sake. "It's been hard on all of us," he grumps. "He just refuses to look at the world around him."

"He's a child!" Tsunami counters, aghast.

"He's a brat," Tazuna counters with a heavy sigh. "But we have all had troubles."

"Why… why is he like that?" Sakura asks in the silence that follows.

Sitting back in her seat, Tsunami carefully places her hands in her lap, eyes dropping downwards, (grief is something that isn't so much as born in Toru's bones as forms part of Toru's bones; he knows grief intimately, and he can see it here too). "Some time ago, Inari met a man called Kaiza," she begins slowly. "They… got along extremely well, to the point that Inari viewed Kaiza-san as a father figure. Kaiza-san was kind, gentle. He was a good man, held fast to his beliefs." A half-smile that quickly fades to grief and sorrow, and Tsunami continues, "We married, a year and a half after meeting each other. Kaiza-san become Inari's stepfather properly; Inari loved him, adored him in every way. Inari saw Kaiza-san as a role model. When Gatō came… Kaiza-san refused to let the people be subjected by him, and spoke out against Gatō, attempting to stop the businessman from controlling Nami no Kuni. Kaiza-san was executed in the village and Inari was scarred by the experience. Since then he's, well, you've seen how he is."

"So?" Sasuke says loudly, glancing at Toru, and then Naruto. "That's just one death."

"Pain is relative," Toru interjects smoothly, just stopping Tsunami from responding. "What we've experience, Sasuke, is different and personal to us, but – death hurts regardless. One family member, one entire clan – yes, there is more death, but it will always hurt. Pain is relative, subjective. We're stronger for what we've experienced, but a single death will still hurt us."

Frowning, Sasuke continues to eat slowly. A glance at Toru shows that the older Uchiha is still watching him. Not bothering to hide his grimace, Sasuke places his chopsticks down, the movement harsh and jerky; except, he's not sure who he's angry at, (Toru for expecting him to do this or himself for 'just one death' as if he, himself, wouldn't fall and shatter if Toru dies). "I… apologise," he murmurs, "for my words and the harm they have caused. I spoke without thinking."

A sad smile on Tsunami's face and the woman says, "That's okay. You're still young."

Whilst hiding a grimace, Sasuke nods and picks his chopsticks up again. He knows being young is no excuse, because age is just a number – experience is something else entirely. He knows better, and is better. Sometimes it seems mistakes just occur, words falling out of his mouth twisted by his tongue and brain, speaking without thinking – not something Sasuke has normally been accused of; and yet, it seems to be a flaw of his.

"Where would Inari-kun go?" Toru asks, as he stands up, picking up Inari's half-finished plate. "After all, I'm sure he's still hungry."

Tazuna peers over the top of his glasses at Toru. "He would be upstairs, in his room. Be kind to him."

Nodding, like such a thing is expected, (like such a thing is normal even though kindness is rare in their world, that being gentle is usually trained out of them whilst they're still toddlers – they are, after all, ninjas), Toru heads towards Inari's room. After knocking on the door, he enters regardless of Inari's response. The kid's sitting by the window, alone, shoulders hunched and he looks – forlorn, alone. Lonely, even if he refused to admit it, afraid of everything that has happened and everything that could happen.

"Are you here to yell at me too?" Inari asks, twisting to show Toru the scornful expression on his face. "To shout about how heroes exist?"

"Not quite, I'm here because you skipped out on half your dinner," Toru counters softly. "I'm guessing Naruto shouted at you?" Catching the confusion on Inari's face, he hastens to add, "The blonde-haired one."

Inari grunts, but takes the plate of food when Toru hands it over. Beside him, Toru sits down, crossing his legs and looks out the window. They're facing the ocean; all that can be seen is bits of forest greenery and behind that – ocean blue and mist, rolling in thick and heavy.

"Why don't you go away?" Inari says with an irritated glance sideways. "No one asked for you to come after me."

Toru shrugs. "Maybe I wanted to."

"Why?"

Humming, Toru traces the seal on the back of his left hand, the lines and patterns of the Absorption Seal, well-known and a symbol of past memories and a past life, where seals were his life. "Not sure," Toru says. "Maybe it's because you seem lonely, maybe because I dislike leaving you to your own devices when you don't seem happy. Maybe I just dislike seeing sad, grieving people and know you don't want to be left alone."

"You can't know that," Inari says. "I don't want company."

"Grief's… hard. It's easier, though, when you have someone to lean on. You learn to let these things go."

"What do you know of grief? You're just some teenager who thinks he's in the right!"

A child striking out at those around him to hide the pain is nothing Toru is unused to, (it takes him back to years ago, finding life just after disaster, finding comfort in living, learning love and learning how to comfort someone, learning how to take anger out of words, learning to see to the pain beneath). "I don't agree, but that's okay. We don't have to agree. You're thoughts and opinions – they're all valid, you know that right? You're allowed to believe heroes don't exist, no one else has the right to force your thoughts and opinions to change."

There's a pause, and Inari shifts, chopsticks held in one hand. "Do you think heroes exist?" He asks softly, (carefully, and very much afraid, but he's asking and that matters – he's trying, trying to understand).

Thinking, Toru carefully considers his words before speaking, tasting them on his tongue, feeling the echo in his mouth, the vibrations in his throat, (he has to be careful, kind and gentle, but unafraid; he is standing on glass and balancing, if he steps wrong, then he will fall and the glass will shatter – maybe irreparably). "I think we have different ideals of heroes," Toru says slowly, (words twist and fold on his tongue; he remembers a wish to be a hero; he remembers someone telling him that ninjas can't be heroes; he remembers Uzushio's Jakkaru is renowned as a hero). "Heroes… the word's a label, us giving people a description for their actions, labelling them because of their actions. Heroes are meant to be noble, brave, courageous, and – I suppose – everyone can be noble and brave and courageous."

"Are you saying everyone's a hero?" Inari asks, scrunching his nose. "'Cause that's dumb."

"Not quite; I'm suggesting that everyone could be a hero, that we have the qualities and ability to be a hero. If being a hero equates to doing good. Good is subjective. My good might not be the same as your good."

Nodding, Inari states, "So then you believe in heroes."

With a hum, the older boy looks out through the window, eyes fixed on the bits of ocean blue through the trees. "It's a nice idea, isn't it? That heroes are amazing people who will come and save us, who will survive and win against all the odds. It's just an idea, though. An ideal that people will believe in, a label people will apply to others. But that's just my personal opinion. I'm allowed that."

(Words and phrases and tangled, caught and entwined, and maybe Toru's words aren't precise like he wants them to be, but he's laid them out best he can. What he wants Inari to get from this is that their opinions differ, and that having different opinions is alright, that people can believe different things. Inari isn't broken, doesn't need to be fixed, he is who he is – and it isn't up to Toru to change that, it's up to Inari.)

"Am I allowed to believe heroes don't exist?"

"Yes," Toru replies, certain and sure. "But don't scorn other's beliefs or their sacrifices, dismissing them as heroic actions that won't work simply because you don't believe in heroes. That's not… you shouldn't do that. You wouldn't want me to tell you you're wrong and that everything you ever do will never amount to much; so, don't do it to others."

They sit in silence for a bit as Inari clears his plate of the remaining food. Once he's done, he puts the plate down, complete with chopsticks. "Do I have to apologise?"

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," Toru counters softly. "However, I feel as if your family deserves an apology – you did run off on them after all, and they do care about you, deeply."

Standing with a stretch, Toru stoops to pick up the plate and chopsticks. "Consider it. You don't have to do anything."

When he's at the door, Toru manages to catch Inari's mumbled, "Thanks," and closes the door behind with a smile. It might not be okay right now, but he thinks that with time it will be.

Team Kakashi finally finishes their C-rank mission. It didn't go like anyone expected, and everyone learns something. The village regains missing members and the aftermath of Gatō's business ending, along with his oppression of Nami no Kuni, do need to be dealt with. The people need to recover, an economy needs to regrow, and a large power gap in the Underground needs to be filled. Meanwhile, three genins, one jōnin, and one chūnin return to Konoha to continue their lives – Nami no Kuni remains behind them.

Don't think I have much to say here, so we'll see how it goes.

Sasuke sees Toru on a mission, for the first time, and sees the ninja rather than the family member he's come to know. Toru the ninja is dangerous and is ready to be dangerous at any moment if it becomes necessary. It reminds Sasuke, slightly, of Itachi. Meanwhile, Toru is nervous as to what the three genins will think, because this isn't what they're used to - they're not used to Toru killing everyone, because they've never seen him on a mission.

I was of the belief that the mission with Gato would be much more dangerous and brutal, realistically, then Gato just running a shipping business and taxing everyone on the island. Hence, I figured that I'd have Gato part of drug selling and all that, and human trafficking so he had people to look after the plants that create the drugs and all that.

Tomoe, Masuyo, and all that rest - the first kids who joined Kakumau. You can see here that they've really changed from when we first met them, and also that they've got a serious force behind them. This was also something I thought of when thinking about Gato, because if he had power and was corrupt, then there had to be something that filled that power gap when he was done. Not to mention Gato shipping industry would still go on and so forth; what would happen to it all if Gato was killed? Also, what about all those other places Gato had set up bases? Like Tazuna's village surely wasn't the only one impacted. Here you've got Kakumau setting up plans and putting people in place so that they have influence and control over who's filling that power gap and so forth.

Inari... Hmm. Inari doesn't need to be saved, and wouldn't just have a total personality flip and mentality shift from one conversation. I wanted to show that he didn't have to change, that no one could force him to, that he shouldn't have changed. So, Toru came in to show that, to prove that it was alright. Inari didn't have to believe in heroes because he was a hurting, isolated kid.

Anyway, yeah, that's pretty much all I have for you guys with this chapter. The next main plot point is the chunin exams, so I'll see if I can chuck in a filler chapter before we get there so you have some idea of the time between this mission and the chunin exams. I do have some plans I wish to put into place as well.