Hello – it's been a very long time, hasn't it? I've decided to pick this fanfiction back up. I won't be able to guarantee very fast updates, but I'll aim for one every 1-2 weeks.

On to another point: I hate the Land of Waves arc. I just do. Due to that, I've struggled with trying to figure out where to place Arashi and make the arc still… interesting. I apologize if any of the content is boring or if any of it feels rushed. We must get past it to get to other arcs and more development.

Chapter 7

Questionable Ethics

Fourteen-year-old Arashi would never have dreamed of doing something as unethical as testing a fuinjutsu on her unconscious superior. The thought of using her sensory abilities to keep track of the other people in the house so she would not be caught in the act would have been abhorrent. Her father taught her that it was their duty to uphold the dignity of those who came into their care. She took great pride in being a medic.

She had not been the same girl in a long time.

With an excited grin, she sat next to Kakashi, and monitored the effects of her new fuinjutsu. Like a snake, it coiled around his pathways. As her chakra pushed into his tenketsu, his chakra pushed back.

It might not have a quick effect, but over time he might develop a more stable system and a better chakra pool.

Arashi considered trying out the Fuin Shugotenshi on him but decided it would be best to stick to one for now. She knew from re-applying it to herself and Akio that it hurt. She assumed that both together would be even worse. Not only would that alert Kakashi to her less than ethical antics, but with how sensitive he was, she had concerns that it would hinder his recovery. It always took her days to feel right again and her life force was robust, especially in comparison to his.

It's better to keep things simple while I observe, anyway.

When Kakashi stirred into consciousness, he stared at Arashi for a full moment before drawling, "Nice to see you finally made it."

She picked at her scarf, sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Mah." His eye drifted to the ceiling. "Where's my team?"

"I have them on a watch rotation. They're all fine."

"Tazuna-san?"

"Peachy. Maybe a little drunk."

His hand found the canteen of water at his side. She averted her gaze and listened as he unscrewed the lid to take a few, deep drinks.

"So, what's the plan?" She asked.

She heard him place the canteen on the floor and pull his mask back into place. "Good question."

"Will we be leaving?"

"I'm not exactly in traveling condition."

"I have a giant bird. If you want to leave, it's no issue."

He remained silent for several moments with a thoughtful cast to his eye. "Were you nearby when I fought Zabuza?"

"Only at the end."

"I checked his pulse and didn't find one. What did you observe?"

"His signature went out."

"So, he died." His eye narrowed. "Are we sure?"

"In some cases, a temporary state of death can be induced, but I've only seen it done using medical ninjutsu."

"What about the boy?"

"From his voice and stature, he was very young. About the Genin's age. He has a Kekkei Genkai, judging from the icy wind that surrounded him. He combined water and wind into ice. I've never seen that before. Beyond that, I didn't pick up on any notable jutsu."

"That could be concerning."

"I agree."

"What about senbon and the neck?"

"Not a very effective way to kill someone."

"Agreed. Hmm."

The questions he was asking, and his thoughtfulness made her think of her mother when she had a feeling. They were more like premonitions.

"You're within your rights to take your squad and abandon this mission. By withholding information and intentionally requesting assistance with no opposing shinobi in the mix, he has already broken the agreement. "

Instead of addressing her statement, he inquired, "What do you know of the Land of Waves?"

"I've never been here before, never thought of it, and it looks pretty cut off from the rest of the world. I don't know much more, but I have a hunch you plan on staying."

His eye closed in an overly sweet smile. "I've been told you're sharp."

"Sharp? I don't know about that, but I think you have a good heart, ANBU-san. I just hope it doesn't get you or your squad killed."

"Speaking of my squad, would you care to get them?"

"Sure thing."

Arashi remained outside the door to give them privacy, but was sure to listen in. To say that she was displeased that Kakashi apparently intended to stay was an understatement, but it was not her mission and it was none of her business. Her role was to safeguard Naruto's seal, regardless of where that took her and what she had to do. If she could help them, she would. It was up to Kakashi to oversee everything else.

"What's wrong, Kakashi-Sensei?" she heard Naruto inquire.

"Hmmm. The Shinobi trackers who manage disposals are supposed to destroy the bodies of those they kill at once, right on the spot."

"So, what?" Sakura asked.

"Don't you get it?" Kakashi continued. "How did the kid in the mask dispose of Zabuza's corpse?"

He didn't.

"Huh? How should I know?" Sakura asked. "He took the body with him."

"Yes, he did, even though all he needed to take home as proof he'd made the kill was the head!" Kakashi explained. "And, there is a mystery surrounding the weapons that the hunter used to dispatch his prey."

Sasuke was the first to get it. "No way."

"Yes way!" Kakashi affirmed.

"What the hell nonsense are you all mumbling on about?" Tazuna demanded.

"That it's likely Zabuza is still alive." The Jounin replied.

A chorus of surprised exclamations erupted from the room. Arashi found herself grinning at the reaction, despite her soured mood.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Nauto yelled.

Sakura joined him, "But, Sensei, you checked to be sure Zabuza was dead, didn't you?"

"I made sure of it." Kakashi replied. "But a deathlike trance could have created a very convincing illusion of the real thing. Arashi confirmed that she has seen it done before, but under different circumstances. Those needles that shinobi used can be deadly, if they hit a vital spot. If not, the mortality rate is surprisingly low." He explained. "And, remember, they were originally designed as medical treatment tools. Shinobi hunters and all members of any village's corpse disposal squad must possess an intimate and thorough knowledge of human physiology. It would be simple for one of them to place a person into a near death state. First of all, the masked boy went to the trouble of lugging off Zabuza's heavy body. Secondly, the senbon he used as weapons, while potentially deadly, can also be used to inflict non-mortal injury. These two points suggest that the kid's objective was to give the illusion of killing Zabuza."

"Aren't you just complicating things by over thinking them?" Tazuna interjected. "Shinobi hunters are supposed to hunt outlaw shinobi, right?"

"Usually." Kakahsi drawled. "But, ignoring something this suspicious is a great first step to being caught completely unprepared. Preparation is a shinobi's most important skill."

Arashi nodded to herself, in agreement.

"Oh well! Regardless of whether Zabuza is dead or alive, there may still be other, even deadlier ninja in the service of your enemy, Gato."

"Sensei!" Sakura began, her voice dripping with concern. "You said preparation is a shinobi's most important skill, but right now you can't even move. Arashi-san said that she's done everything she can to help with your healing. What are you going to do?"

Kakashi chuckled. "I'm going to increase your training schedule!"

"What? Training!" Sakura's concern turned to frustration. "But, Kakashi-Sensei, what will a little extra training now matter with what we're up against? Our opponent is a ninja so powerful that even with your Sharingan, he almost beat you!"

"And when I was trapped, Sakura, think about who it was that rescued me. You three are all maturing." Kakashi complimented them. "Especially you, Naruto! You've grown the most."

It makes me happy to hear him say that.

"With that being said," Kakashi's voice became more serious. "The skills I will teach you now will be an interim thing only, to tide us over until I recover enough to take over."

"But, Sensei!" Sakura continued. "Even if Zabuza is alive, how can we just train without knowing when he might come back?"

"An excellent question, but once a person has been placed into a near death trance, it is quite some time before their body returns to its previous state of health and readiness, so we'll train while we're waiting." His replied. "Besides, I have a feeling that Arashi wouldn't mind letting us know if a Shinobi is heading our way."

Arashi had vivid memories and emptying the contents of her stomach into a trash can each time she woke from a medically induced state of temporary death. She rebounded quickly, but the two methods were different. I can see how it would take longer to recover this way.

"Could be fun!" Naruto exclaimed.

At that time, Tazuna's grandson entered the room. "It won't be fun for you."

"Inari, greet our guests properly!" Tsunami fussed at her son. "They're the ninja who brought your grandfather home!"

Naruto was ready to fight, but was cut off by Tazuna greeting his grandson, "Inari! Where have you been?"

"But, mom, they're all gonna die."

"Listen here, you little-" Naruto was taking the bait without any hesitation.

"No one can beat Gato and his men." The boy continued.

"You brat!" Naruto yelled at him.

"Pull yourself together, Naruto. He's just a little boy!" Sakura hissed at him while she held him back.

"Right. Pay attention, little guy. I'm a hero who'll someday become Hokage. This Gato guy doesn't stand a chance!"

"Hero? You're stupid." The boy shot back. "There's no such thing!"

Naruto squealed in anger.

"If you don't want to die, you should go home." Inari informed him as he made his way out of the room.

"Where are you off to, Inari?" Tazuna called after him.

"I'm going to watch the ocean from my room."

With that, the boy made his exit, slammed the door, and walked up to his room.

All that was said about his behavior was Tazuna's meek, "Please forgive him."

Such a brat.

"Here," she handed Kakashi a pair of crutches. "These should help."

"Did you bring these with you?"

"Yeah. I basically carry a medical supply store's worth of stuff with me." She pointed to the elaborate belt she wore, and the numerous scrolls attached to it. "I had this made to hold scrolls where I keep everything sealed. Daisuke says I'm a hoarder. Akio says it's good to be prepared."

"I see."

"Anyway," she cleared her throat. "How long does it usually take for you to be back in a good, functional state?"

"A week."

"That's, uh, very specific. Has this happened a lot?"

"Somewhat."

"I see." She made a mental note to record that information. "Feeling dizzy, nauseous, or off in any other way?"

"Stiff." He replied, flippantly.

"Fair enough." She felt a smile tug at her lips. "What do you want me to do?"

"Watch after Tazuna and his family while I train them."

"I'll do my best." She replied. "What are you going to train them to do?"

"Chakra control by climbing trees."

"With their feet?" She asked – it was a traditional method.

"Mhm."

"You'll have to tell me how Naruto and Sakura react when you tell them to do that."

She saw the outline of his mouth shift into a grin beneath his mask.

Once she had seen Team 7 off, she turned her attention to her new assignment. She found the bridge builder in the kitchen with his daughter and grandson.

"So, Tazuna-san, what kind of timeframe do you need to complete the bridge?"

"Well, it depends. If everyone keeps showing up, we don't die, and nothing goes sideways with the construction? A couple weeks? More? It all depends."

"Alright." She picked at the end of her scarf. "You're the main target, but your family isn't safe either."

Tsunami's shoulders stiffened, but she continued washing dishes. The grandson – Inari – peered at her, apprehensively. There was something about his attitude that she did not like.

"I know."

"We'll need to look after all of you. The last thing we need is a hostage situation."

Tazuna looked queasy. "You're right."

"Kakashi-san will be busy training his squad and recovering. That leaves it to me to look after you. I'll need you all to lay low here as much as possible." She continued. "The threat of a Jounin will probably keep them away from your home, for the most part, so I'll accompany you to the bridge when you need to work and if any errands have to be done. Keep those at a minimum and only for absolute necessities."

"Thank you." Tazuna said.

"I'm doing this for Kakashi-san. I'm nowhere near as skilled or reliable in a fight, so you will need to stay aware and cautious."

He nodded. "I understand."

"Good. I want us to all stay on the same page. If we can be careful and work cohesively, our chances for success increase, considerably. Tonight, we can speak more with Team 7 to see how their training is coming along."

"What are they doing?" Inari asked.

She shrugged. "Climbing trees."

"How's that supposed to help?" He demanded.

"Chakra control training. They're climbing those trees with their feet. There have been countless children soldiers and the better they know how to use their chakra, the better their jutsu. It all leads to being more effective, more aware of their bodies, and more confident in a battle." Arashi explained. "There's a science to chakra and jutsu, but you only ever really learn it by doing it."

"That's fascinating." Tsunami commented.

"I don't think it's gonna be enough." Inari spat.

His mother shot him a nasty look, but he ignored it.

She shrugged. "You better start praying it is."

In a huff, the boy left the room.

"Sorry about that." Tazuna apologized. "We've been through a lot."

"He's a kid." She replied. "And, I think I would like to go for a walk and get a good look at our surroundings. I haven't had an opportunity to do that yet."

"I'm not going to stop you."

She circled around their home to inspect the windows and each possible entry point. It was as secure as any standard civilian home, which meant it needed improvement. It was surrounded by water, which served as a deterrent to a burglar or thug, unless they were determined to reach it by boat or by approaching it on the pier. They would be noticeable, either way. Her concern was that a shinobi worth their salt would be able to approach on the water without worrying about a boat.

I would be able to sense a shinobi coming. Normal people are trickier – they don't stand out.

She sat down and let her feet dangle above the water. It was refreshing to be alone, even in their situation. It was not long lived.

"Hey!" Inari called out to her as he approached. "What would you do if we got attacked right now?"

"I would've already known they were coming. If it was just a normal person, I would kill them. If we were attacked by Shinobi, at this point right now, I would grab you, yell for your family to come outside, and we would evacuate." She explained.

"How would we escape?" He demanded.

"I have a trick or two up my sleeve." A giant bird. She had a giant bird up her sleeve.

"I want to know."

"You're demanding."

He huffed, petulantly. "You don't know what you'd do, do you?"

"Of course, I do. I've been doing nothing but planning and trying to look out for everyone since we got here, kid. It's just none of your business. If I have concerns, I will run it by your grandfather, or your mother and you will be expected to comply."

"And if I don't?"

"You'll probably die."

He clenched his fists. "I'm going to tell my grandpa that you're being mean to me!"

"Do you think that scares me? You have no idea how many times my little brother told on me over stuff way worse than this."

He seethed as hotheaded children do.

"Why don't you explain your concerns to me, Inari?" She prompted him. "If you're going to follow me and be rude, why not make it constructive?"

"We're all going to die and there's nothing you or your friends can do about it! Gato's going to kill us!"

"Geez – you're a ray a sunshine." She mumbled.

His expression had changed from angry to hysterical and his breathing was labored.

"I think it's time for you to cool down." She shoved him off the pier and into the water.

She waited for him to pop up above the surface to continue yelling at her – he did remind her a little of her brother – but he never came back up. Her stomach clenched.

Is he really going to drown?

She decided it was best to not wait for him to answer that. In a blur, she ripped off her belt full of scrolls and jumped in after him. It took a moment to find him, but she pulled him to the surface with her.

"You did that on purpose!" He shrieked at her.

"It was supposed to be funny!" She snapped back. "Why haven't they taught you how to swim? You literally live on the water!"

"I'm telling!"

She gritted her teeth and crawled to her hands and knees before she stood with him clenched to her side. "I don't care. What are they going to do? Tell me why you sink like a rock?"

Miffed, she carried him back to his house and tossed him onto the pier.

"You're mean." He hissed.

"Yes! I am!" She agreed. "So, you need to listen to me, or I'll get meaner!"

With a backwards glare, he stormed into the house. She returned to her seat and hoped that he would not make a habit of harassing her now that she nearly drowned him.

That kid needs to learn how to swim.

She sighed and pulled a scroll out of her belt to document the information she had for her new fuinjutsu.

I hope it helps him.

I apologize if this feels rushed or boring. It should improve once we get out of this arc.