Answers We Seek
"AAHHH!" Robin slammed down her naginata into the ground, barely missing Naruto.
"Have to do better than that, Robin-chan!" Robin did not let his little taunt get to him, instead, she opted for using the momentum to the swing to flip herself over the naginata, pulling it out of the ground and attacking Naruto once again. Her leaned back, stopping himself from hitting the ground with his arm and avoided the blade. The second the blade had passed him, he kicked to the side, knocking the weapon out of her hands. Robin jumped back from her cousin and threw down a smoke bomb, blocking her from view. Naruto looked around for her, trying to find her before she released an attack on him.
"Kage Buyou no jutsu!" Naruto cringed when he heard that and was thrown forward as he was attacked from behind. "Thank Rock Lee for that move." Naruto stood up and glared at her.
"Fine, if you want to play rough . . . Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Robin jumped away from the ten other Narutos that had just appeared.
"Kaze no Yaiba!" A blade of wind slashed through five clones, as the rest had managed to get away from her. She leapt towards one kicking them upwards. "Konoha Senpuu!" The Naruto disappeared in a cloud of smoke. She spotted another and launched herself forward.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Twenty more clones appeared, each holding man shuriken. Robin narrowed her eyes, knowing what was coming next. "Naruto Ninpocho; Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki!" Shuriken came flying at her form all directions causing Robin to move her hands through seals quickly.
"Kawarimi no Jutsu!" The shuriken embedded themselves into a log. Robin jumped out from the tree she was in and spun around in the air, pulling out blades and launching them towards various clones. She landed on her feet and looked around, ready for the next attack.
"Uzumaki Naruto Rendan!" Robin looked in front of her, surprised. Four Narutos kicked and punched her up into the air, followed by the real Naruto kicking her head, sending her back to the ground. Robin laid on the ground with her eyes closed. Naruto smirked as he landed and dispelled the clones. "Robin-kun, I-" He was cut off when sand surrounded him quickly, threatening to devour him if he moved. Sand gently lifted up Robin as Gaara knelt beside her. Robin's eyes flashed open and there was an angry glint. The sand blocked the fist aimed at Gaara.
"Gaara." She bit out when she stood. "I wasn't hurt."
". . . gomen." Her eyes softened at his words and she sigh.
"I . . . .I am sorry that I worried you. I was just . . . mentally ending the battle." Naruto nodded.
"Hai. Robin-kun always does that after we train. It takes a minute for her to turn back to normal. Emotion wise. Especially if she loses." Robin smiled at Gaara.
"It was sweet that you were concerned for me. But I'm fine." Gaara blushed when Robin kissed his cheek.
"Oy, Naruto! I need a favor." The three looked back, surprised at the man's appearance.
Setsuko sat on top of the fourth's rock head, quietly waiting and watching. She watched the skin slowly being devoured by the night.
"Setsuko-neechan . . ." She looked back to see her younger cousin, Naruto.
"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Naruto smiled and sat next to her.
"Just came here to watch the view. You?" Setsuko turned back to the sky and watched as the stars began to shine high above the village. The cool night breeze ruffled their hair while the sun's last rays disappeared.
". . . to think." Naruto gazed up at her, trying to figure out what went on in her head.
". . . . . about what?" Setsuko smiled and shrugged.
". . . . about everything. What I missed, how much I missed, what will I do now that Orochimaru is gone, what can I do, those kind of things." Naruto nodded sadly.
"It . . . is depressing to think of things like that, ne?"
"Hai." The two cousins sat, letting the silence wash over them while they watched the sky. The moon was almost full, giving the two enough light to see. It gave everything an angelic glow to it.
"Setsuko . . ."
"Hai?"
". . . did Kakashi do something?" Setsuko smiled at him.
"You could say that."
"I'll kill him!" Setsuko chuckled at Naruto's protective behavior.
"Iie. It isn't like that."
"Then what is it like?" Setsuko looked back to the sky, watching the stars twinkle down at the village. "Well?" She looked back at her cousin and smiled again.
"He asked me to marry him."
". . . what did you say?" It was then that she realized how much she missed. Three years had changed him so much. Three years ago, Naruto would be hunting Kakashi by now. Demanding that Kakashi not bug her. Three years ago, Setsuko would be holding Naruto back, asking him not to hurt Kakashi. But instead, he waited for her to tell him more. Did Kakashi change that much also? How much did he change? How much did she change from what she remembered. How would these changes effect their relationship? All these questions. And the answers? She had no clue to any of them. It left a dull ache in her heart to know she missed so much.
". . ."
"What did you say, nee-chan?"
"I haven't answered him yet." She couldn't. How could she risk his safety. Just knowing her was dangerous. Even though Tsunade cleared her of all charges she still would be hunted. After all she did there were sure to be some private bounties on her head. And people would hunt her for merely revenge. Or perhaps to prove themselves, saying that if they beat her, they would be among the greatest. She dealt with glory seekers before her 'death'. Now that she was alive, she would have to deal with them again. But for all those reason, she still wanted to answer him. Yet is was something that she could not do. She could not put him in any extra danger.
"Why not?" Naruto asked bluntly, not caring if the matter was getting too personal for his older cousin. His naivety was still as strong as ever. Setsuko supposed that it would always be strong. It was one of that traits that made him so lovable. Atleast, in her opinion.
". . . I do not know anymore. At first I didn't because I was a S-class criminal, but Tsunade cleared me of all charges. I am now just a ninja of the leaf. Then I was mad that he told the Hokage of my memories. But I can't hate him for that. He was just trying to save my life. I would do the same. I have done many things to try and save his. I can't say only I can risk things for our . . . relationship."
"Do you love him?" Setsuko nodded with a warm smile on her face.
"I would do anything to make him happy." Naruto nodded. "I would die if it would make him happy. Just to see him smile is more than enough for me. It doesn't matter to me if the world is being destroyed, as long as he is smiling I don't care."
"Good. Then I guess I'll leave you two to talk." Setsuko looked back as Naruto got up. Kakashi stood there, watching her. The two stared at each other, letting silence fill the air. Naruto cast a smile over his shoulder before disappearing. Setsuko looked back over the village before speaking again.
". . . . I always was bad at sensing people."
"I know. That's why I got Naruto to let your guard down." She gave a glare down towards the Uzumaki Estate.
"My other cousins in on this?"
"No. I just asked Naruto to help me." She sighed and nodded, closing her eyes as he walked towards her. She heard him sit down but did not expect to be pulled back into his embrace.
"Kakashi?"
"I love you."
"Please, I have so many enemies. Wouldn't it be better and safer for you to take me out of your heart."
"No. It would hurt too much." Setsuko was silent as Kakashi hugged her from behind.
"After three years? You still care so much for me?" Kakashi's hold tightened, answering her question. No matter how far she ran, how high she flew, how long she ran, or how fast she ran, he would never let her go. It was a new concept to her, that kind of undying love. Setsuko reached up and grabbed his wrist, holding it tightly, refusing to let go herself. "Then promise me, promise that you'll hang onto me. That you'll keep me from falling into that cold, lonely life that I lived before I met you. Promise me you'll stop me from running away. That you'll never let me go."
"I promised myself that once I remembered. While you were gone I promised to never let you leave me again. I won't let you fall. I promise." Setsuko smiled to herself and let herself fall into his embrace.
