17- I am an Umatatsu!

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were just starting up the path into the Smoke village when they heard galloping hoof beats behind them. They jumped to the side of the road as Sharino rushed past with Isako on the bay horse with the Smoke head protector. The three Genin looked at each other, curious, then they stared at the trail of dust left by the horse. The horse itself was no longer visible.

"Who was that?" asked Naruto.

"Umatatsu Sharino and Umatatsu Isako. Isako appeared injured," said Sasuke. His sharp eyes had been much better at picking out the faces of the riders than Naruto's.

"But where did that horse come from?" asked Sakura. Neither of her team mates answered, because they had no more idea than she did.

---

Sharino arrived at the hospital and rushed inside, carrying her older sister in.

"A Doctor! Please!" she shouted. Several people came rushing at once, taking Isako to one of the hospital rooms. When Sharino tried to follow, she collapsed to her knees, utterly drained. She tried to stand again, but instead she fell forward, a nurse catching her just as she drifted into unconsciousness.

---

Some while later, Umatatsu Isamu arrived at the hospital with Kakashi's Genin in tow. A doctor met them at the door, explaining the condition Isako and Sharino had been in when they arrived.

"Luckily, we were able to treat Isako-san in time. She should make a complete recovery. Sharino-san was just suffering from exhaustion. She will need to rest for a while, but she will also been fine." Isamu's face showed overwhelming relief as he was shown through to see his daughters. Sharino still seemed to be sleeping when they arrived, so Isamu went through to see Isako, who had just regained consciousness. Naruto stayed outside Sharino's hospital room, staring through the window at her sleeping form.

He had been there quite a long time already when Kakashi appeared behind him.

"How is she?" he asked.

"The doctor said she's exhausted. She's just sleeping." Kakashi nodded. The Genin was still staring at Sharino. "She must have fought so hard for her village," he said.

"Yeah," Kakashi whispered.

Kakashi left Naruto there for a while. When he returned to the main entrance of the hospital, Genma was just entering.

"Gai and his team are looking to make sure there are none of the Missing-Nin still in the village, but it appears they are all either defeated or gone. I doubt they will return, with their leader dead," Genma said. Kakashi nodded.

Isamu appeared from one of the corridors, heading towards Sharino's room.

"Kakashi-san. Were any of your Ninja hurt?" he said. Kakashi shook his head.

"No. A few cuts and bruises, and some very tired Genin, but they should be fine." Isamu looked relieved, but there was still worry evident in his face.

"I should never have let them convince me. I should have kept Isako in the village," he said. Genma smiled.

"According to Maito Gai, she single-handedly fought a Jounin from the Hidden Waterfall village. She is not weak, to need protecting. You should be proud of her. Of both your daughters." Isamu smiled at him.

"I am, but at the same time I almost wish they were not so strong. Since Naomi, their mother, disappeared I had trouble with Isako. I did not know how to raise a daughter alone. When I found that I had another daughter in Sunagakure… It has almost been too much for me. Sometimes I believe she wishes she were still in the Sand village."

"Sharino is a member of the Umatatsu clan in heart as well as name," said Genma. "Over the past few days she has fought for this village and she has fought for her home, not just for her family's home. It is in her eyes that Kemurigakure is her heart's true home… even if it was not originally so. Also, I do not believe Umakaze, the Wind-Horse Summoning of the Smoke village, would so easily obey one whose heart lay elsewhere." Isamu looked into Genma's eyes and smiled.

"Thank you, Shiranui Genma. I believe you have repaid your debt to me and my family ten-fold." Genma bowed to Isamu and thanked him.

"I only wish your brother could still be here," he replied.

---

As Naruto stared into the room at Sharino, he saw her twitch. Slowly the young Jounin opened her eyes and sat up. Naruto entered hurriedly, amazed that she was awake so quickly, even though the doctors had said she would not wake up for at least a day. It was usually only him that surpassed everyone's expectations in such a way.

However, as he ran into the room and to her bedside, it was obvious that it had been an effort of will to regain consciousness.

"Isako," she croaked, looking at Naruto, but hardly registering him. Naruto, unsure as to how Sharino's sister was told her that he'd find out and ran from the room, heading back towards the hospital's entrance.

---

"Kakashi-sensei!" a young Genin voice shouted. A second later, the owner of the voice appeared, panting as he pointed back down the corridor towards Sharino's room. "Sharino Nee-chan is awake!" he said. Isamu smiled as he followed Naruto back to his daughter.

"You seem to have over-done it a little," said Isamu, smiling as he entered the room. Sharino smiled, sitting up weakly. She looked very tired and weak, very different from the Sharino that had told Nekoya he was too tired to fight. Seeing that her father was not worried, she knew that Isako was not dead. However, her wounds had not been trivial, so she asked after her.

"She will be fine," said Isamu. "The Medical Ninja are still with her, but they say you got her here in time." Sharino sighed with relief then asked about the Missing-Nin.

"Are they all gone?" she asked.

"The other team are out in the forest checking there are no more, but we believe they are all gone now," Kakashi told her. She looked drained, he thought. Like when he used the Sharingan for too long or if he used the Raikiri too many times in one day. Reiboshi had told him about the Asura summoning that they had performed. To do that and then summon as powerful an animal as Umakaze would wear almost anyone out. He was amazed at her chakra capacity. It rivaled his own, despite his advantage of years and experience.

Naruto sensed the tension between Sharino and her father as they looked at each other.

"I am sorry I did not tell you about the Sand ninja before," she said.

"It's all right," said Isamu, moving to her bedside and sitting on a chair that had been left there. "I know you did not mean to hide it from me. It's just that sometimes I feel like your loyalties still lie there. Especially when I see you still practising the Fuuton jutsu you learned from them." She smiled at him.

"The Wind country is not the only country allowed to use Fuuton techniques. I find them useful. Often more so than some of the techniques I have learned here. That is all. This is my home."

"I know that now, Sharino. You fought well today. I am very proud of you." Sharino looked up into her father's eyes, finally hearing those words that she had wanted to hear from him for so long. Her arms were up and around his neck before he knew what had hit him and Naruto smiled to see that the powerful young Kunoichi was still human after all. Isamu looked uncomfortable and unsure of what to do for a second, but then he smiled, returning the gesture and placing his arms around his daughter.

A few seconds later, Kakashi and Genma returned to the room. "The other team have returned," Genma told Isamu. "They say that although a few of the Missing-Nin did manage to escape, they are only a handful. I don't think they will be bothering you again." Isamu smiled gratefully.

"Where are they?" he asked

"They are preparing to return to Konoha. They were not given this as a mission officially, so if they do not return soon, Hokage-sama may worry about what has happened to them." Isamu nodded.

"Sharino, I will return shortly. I must say goodbye to Gai and his team." Sharino smiled.

"Of course. Thank them from me. They played a large part in saving Isako. Send them my fare-well, also." Isamu nodded and left.

"There was another Konoha team here?" Naruto asked in disbelief. Kakashi nodded. Sakura and Sasuke now appeared at the door to see Sharino as well, and Kakashi told them all to wait there where he went with Isamu to say goodbye to his Leaf comrades.

Gai and his team were standing in the street with Nekoya, who was asking Lee all about the battle, very disappointed that he had missed it.

"Ah! Kakashi!" said Gai, turning to him. "I see you also were able to defeat a number of enemies with your Genin. As expected of my eternal rival!" he said, winking and showing a grin full of white teeth.

"Huh?" said Kakashi, joining the group. "Did you say something?" Gai growled and turned away from him. 'You are too cool and annoying, Kakashi,' he thought.

"Thank you for all you have done here," said Isamu to the four of them. "We would not still be here if you had not." Gai smiled and nodded.

"It was our pleasure to help Konoha's allies in their struggle!" said Lee proudly.

"My daughters and I wish you a safe journey home," Isamu said. The green-clad Jounin and his three Genin smiled, accepting the wish, and saying their own good-byes before turning and walked off down the street, back on their way to Konoha.

Gai felt extremely proud of his team and all they had done. They had acquitted themselves excellently against some very powerful opponents. With the Chuunin exams rapidly approaching, he was sure, now, that they were ready. And, more importantly than that, he felt that all of them had learned something from this struggle in the Smoke. Perhaps even Neji. Only time would tell, of course, but he had a feeling that soon Neji would learn what Lee already knew. That self-belief was more important than genius.

---

Before he was told to leave her alone to rest, Naruto stole a few moments alone with Sharino. Despite her fatigue, she seemed content. He smiled at her.

"I'm glad that you and your father patched things up," he said. Sharino smiled.

"So am I. Thank you, Naruto-kun." Naruto blinked, confused.

"Huh? What did I do?" Sharino smiled, her smile still weak, but her eyes twinkled. She did not answer. She didn't tell him that watching him fight with all he had, just to prove that he was worth something to the world, had done more to help her than he could ever know. Seeing him fight when no one else expected anything from him reminded her of what was important… strength meant nothing without that determination and will. Instead of telling him what, instinctively, he already knew, she just smiled at him.

"One day they will acknowledge you. Even if they don't already." Naruto's face was thoughtful as he retreated, leaving the exhausted ninja to sleep.

---

The next morning, Sharino, walking with the help of crutches, her father, Reiboshi and Nekoya were all there to see Naruto and the remaining Konoha Ninja on their way home. They had all been tired, so Kakashi had decided that they would rest the night in the Smoke village before returning home.

"I am glad you came," said Nekoya, looking at Naruto as he said it. The two boys grinned at each other and Naruto chuckled.

"I, too, am very glad you came," said Sharino. "Thank you."

"When I'm Hokage, I'll make sure we stay allies forever!" said Naruto, one hand holding his forehead protector in affirmation. Sharino smiled at him and nodded.

"I hope we meet again, Naruto-kun," she said. Their good-byes said, the five Konoha Ninja started away from the Smoke village, heading back to Konoha.

As they walked away, Naruto started babbling, his excitement from the mission barely faded.

"When we get back to Konoha, I'm going to have Iruka-sensei buy me some Ramen," he said. "And then I'm going to train and train… and then and then, I'm going to… aaaahhhh!" he said, tripping over a tree branch that had strayed onto the path.

"Look where you're going, you total moron," said Sasuke.

Watching as they left, Sharino laughed lightheartedly at the spirited young boy.

"It's as you say, Reiboshi," she said, looking at her friend. Reiboshi smiled at her, nodding. He had been watching too.

"Boys will be boys."

The End