"Are you gonna be okay?" Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami, asked.

Kakashi sat up in the bed with a groan.

"I'll be fine." He scanned the room. Tsunami offered him a glass of water. A boy appeared in the doorway.
"Mom! The ninjas are back!" Inari marched into the room. "Can I run them off?"

Tsunami groaned.

"You will treat our guests with respect!" She snapped.

"Kakashi sensei!" Naruto was the first to walk in, Sakura and Sasuke were behind him. "You haven't died have you?"

Kakashi got up, struggling to stand.

"Any progress?" He asked, gathering his crutches.

"I made it all the way to the top!" Sakura exclaimed. She winced, clutching her side.

"What about you two?" Kakashi asked, turning to the boys.

They mumbled inaudible responses.

Kakashi blinked.

"What was that?"

"They couldn't even get halfway," Sakura teased.

"Are you kids hungry?" Tsunami asked.

"Yes please!" Sakura walked out with Tsunami and Inari. Naruto turned.

"I'm hungry too!" He followed after them.

Sasuke was staring at the floor.

Kakashi cocked his head.

"What is it?"

Sasuke met his eyes.

"Your sharingan, where did you get it?"

Kakashi sighed.

"Did you kill an Uchiha?"

"No."

Kakashi sat down on the edge of the bed.

"A friend of mine gave it to me. A long time ago."

Sasuke nodded.

"What do you say we get something to eat?"

The two of them left the room, following the hallway to the kitchen.

Naruto, Sakura, and Inari had joined Tazuna at the table.

Tsunami was making food.

"Hey kid," Naruto said. "Is Tazuna your dad?" Tazuna looked up.

"That's my grandson," he said. "His father was once a hero of this town."

Inari rose suddenly from his seat. He stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

"I told you not to mention that!" Tsunami shouted. Tazuna waved her off.

"What happened to his dad?" Sakura asked.

Tazuna sighed.

"He was killed by Gato."

X

Sakura found Inari near the forest. The sun was going down.

Naruto and Sasuke were trying to climb trees nearby. It'd been five days since they'd arrived.

"Hey there," Sakura said. Inari scowled at her.

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to talk," Sakura said. "Tazuna told me about your dad." Inari glared. "I just—"

Inari punched Sakura in the gut, right in her wound. She cried out and collapsed.

"Why you little!" She waved her arms at him and he ran away.

"Hey, Sakura!" Naruto called out from a nearby tree. "You okay down there?"

Sakura looked down at her stomach.

"I'm fine!" She called back.

She returned to the house.

X

Naruto looked up at Sasuke. He was a few branches higher in a nearby tree.

Sasuke hopped down, stretching.

"I'm going back to the house, Naruto." Sasuke walked away.

"I'm gonna keep climbing!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke waved his hand dismissively.

Naruto trained for a few hours before he collapsed on the ground.

It was morning when he awoke.

Someone was standing over him.

"You'll catch a cold out here," A woman was kneeling by him.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked as he sat up.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked.

"Training, obviously!"

She cocked her head at him. She eyed his headband.

"What are you training for?"

"So I can be useful," he said. She nodded, understanding. "If I'm not useful, I'm better off dead."

"Useful to who?" The woman asked.

Naruto blinked.

"Whoever needs me."

"Like a hero?"

Naruto's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, I gu—"

"Or like a tool." Her eyes sharpened, focusing on his.

"A tool?" Naruto furrowed his brow. "Who are you, anyway?"

The woman stood up.

"We'll likely meet again." She disappeared into the woods.

Naruto stared for a moment then shook his head. He got up and returned to the house.

"Zabuza is likely alive," Kakashi said.

"You gotta be kidding!" Tazuna shouted.

Naruto paused, he and Sasuke were eating.

"How?" He asked. "Didn't you make sure he was dead?"

Sakura walked into the kitchen, sitting down.

Kakashi sighed.

"I did. But a deathlike state can be replicated. Especially with those senbon that mercenary used."

"Is that why you guys are staying?" Tazuna asked.

Kakashi nodded.

Tazuna lowered his head.

"I'm truly in your debt. Even though I lied to you… You still…"

"It's our job," Kakashi said.

Sakura rose from the table, wincing. She collapsed.

"Are you okay?" Naruto ran to her side.

"It's her injury," Kakashi said. "Sakura, you need to rest."

The next day Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Tazuna set out for the bridge.

Sakura remained at the house.

Tsunami brought her water in the bedroom.

Sakura grumbled.

"You'll be alright," Tsunami said.

"I hate being useless," Sakura groaned. Tsunami sighed.

"You remind me of him, you know."

Sakura blinked.

"Who?"

"Inari's father." Tsunami left the room.

Sakura stared up at the ceiling.

She felt her side, wincing.

She cursed herself.

Someone screamed.

Sakura jumped up and rushed out of the room.

Two men had appeared in the house.

Tsunami was hiding behind the kitchen counter.

Inari was standing in front of the men, holding a kunai.

"Tazuna's daughter," One of the men said. "You're coming with us." They both drew their swords.