Butterflies Chapter 94: The path I walk, a naruto fanfic

Butterflies

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 80 – The path I walk

A/N: Sorry for being so late with this, but I didn't mention it in the last chapter. I really want to thank Cabu for being my muse for the last chapter. I was trying to figure out some way to give Aya a little downtime, a way to just be a kid, not think about the consequences, do something stupid but creative. Then Cabu happened to mention her needing just that, and for some reason it clicked! And so, we all have Cabu to thank for that awesome chapter!

Seriously, thank you. I'm not sure that chapter would have come out so well without you ^_^

8-8

"Alright! That does it!" I announce, annoyed. "I need a party!" Everyone shares a looks, grinning.

"Aya-chan, that sounds divine." Ikoku says, linking her arm with mine. "We just need to get you a new kimono though. You don't need one, but I think you deserve it."

"Iki-chan, I couldn't agree with you more." I grin, enjoying her pleased blush at the new nickname. I think I've been hanging out with Saki too much – her nicknaming habit is wearing off on me.

"Oh no! Not another round of shopping! We just finished doing the shopping thing!" Tomi grouses, but Kin is quick to swat her.

"Are you saying I'm not worth it?" Kin demands, glaring at her.

"I never said that. I'm saying that I don't like shopping. Like at all. I want to spend time with you, but can we please do something else?" Tomi begs. "Like training? Or going to the blacksmith's? Or just stuffing our faces with junkfood?"

"Or shopping? My, my, Mi-chan, how sweet of you to offer when Aya clearly needs the love and support of her pack." Kin coos, sweet as honey. "Don't you guys agree?"

I'm laughing too much to get into it, but everyone else agrees wholeheartedly. Poor Hitomi deflates, obviously realising she already lost. "That's so sweet in fact, that I think we should get you a kimono too. I mean, seeing as you and Ryuuzetsu-chan are Aya's guards, it just wouldn't do if you were to dare seem sloppy. Don't you think?" Ouch, Kin. Just, ouch.

"But Kini-ki~iiiins…" Hitomi drawls in complaint. Kini-kins…? That's new. Then again, it's not like you can playfully shorten Kin. What'd you have left? 'N'?

"But nothing! Aya needs us, and you need to stop being such… a guy! An afternoon shopping won't kill you!" Kin isn't having it. At all.

"Yes, dear." We all giggle at poor Hitomi's expense.

8-8

"Hey, Ao-chan, out with the girls again?" Hiro-kun finds us en route to the clothing store we usually go to shop.

"Oh my Kami, Hiro-kun, your timing couldn't possibly be any more perfect!" Ao-chan announces, glomping him. They share a brief kiss, getting nothing but 'aww's from us. They are just too cute together! "Aya needs a party, so we're throwing one tonight. You need to be there."

"Sounds perfect, I was hoping to spend some time with you. You girls mind if I tag along? I'm no good at fashion and outfits, but I'm half decent at carrying bags?" He offers.

We don't even think about it. "Of course you can join us, Hiro-kun! You're part of the pack after all." Hitomi announces. "And this way I'll have someone to commiserate with."

"Kin refusing to let you beg off?" Hiro asks, smiling at the obviously glowing Kin. "Figures. I don't get why Ao-chan likes shopping so much either, but at least he doesn't ask me to try on all that girly stuff I'm sure Kin will bug you with."

"Why, Hiro-kun… what a lovely idea! We could see if one of those modern, frilly kimonos will suit Mi-chan." Kin absolutely loves that thought. And she only grins wider when Hitomi groans. "Next time, don't fight me." She sings sweetly, hugging her mate and kissing her cheek.

"Ouch… I'll shut up now." Hiro says, obviously feeling sorry for her.

"Please do."

8-8

After we all buy a new kimono for the night –even Hiro buys one, to show Ao-chan he's worth it– we head back to the den. Just in time for six Anbu in uniform to show up carrying three new patients in for us. I ask Asami to let everyone into the Uzumaki compound, and Tsu, Haku and I go with the new patients. It turns out that there was a really messed up mission gone bad, the fourth teammate didn't make it.

These three are still in critical condition and will likely need to be given ICU level care for at least a few weeks. Once they're settled into a hospital bed, I start scanning one, Haku's on another and Hana's on the third.

"Yua!" Hana barks.

"Inform Dragon, on it!" Yua announces, already seeing herself out.

"All non-medics, downstairs, now!"

"Tsu, I need you to go inform Senju-san. These three were brought straight from the field here. In fact, I'm sure that if Senju-san doesn't tend to at least this one, she'll never walk again. Go!" I order.

Tsu disappears without a second thought. In the meantime, I focus on my patient. Her spinal cord isn't just in tatters, it's all but obliterated near the lower end – thank Kami-sama! Had whatever injury been so much as ten centimetres higher, she'd already be dead.

That's above my skill level, so I focus on reattaching her arm. After that –seeing as the major blood loss channel is dealt with– I focus on the poison…

"I'm detecting Stone produced poison! Be alert!" I announce. The others nod. Stone has a nasty habit of making poisons that turn the victim's blood into poison to kill the medic trying to save their life.

By the time I neutralize the poison, Senju-san arrives with Tsu. "Senju-san, no time. I don't know the condition of the other two, but this one's spinal cord needs your immediate attention." I tell her. She comes over to me immediately, and I point to the place that needs her attention. While she's busy with that, I focus on the nerve damage from the lightning jutsu on her face and her neck.

8-8

It takes just over two hours for us to declare all three patients stable. They were THAT messed up. And Senju-san ended up tending to all three, as well.

Senju-san sighs, grateful but worn out. "We'll have to do a follow up on all three tomorrow, and likely every day for a few weeks until the swelling dies down. I… can't say for sure if they'll ever fully recover." She says, being completely honest.

"We'll figure it out, Senju-san." I say, hugging her. "Thank you for coming so quickly… I don't know if we could have stabilized all three without you."

"Don't thank me yet, Aya… these three have a rough road ahead of them. They might not be all that grateful they survived." She points out. Still, she hugs me back, obviously needing the hug as much as I do.

"We don't get to pick how they react, Senju-san. Only if we give up on them before they have the chance to." I say, squeezing her a little. "Now come on, I think you deserve a drink for saving three lives."

"Not turning that down." She says, a smile in her tone. She doesn't let go of me just yet though, and she sighs tiredly.

"Come on…" I demand, pulling back from her. "Midori, Yua and Ren can deal with the clean-up. Guys, all three patients are in induced comas. Now's the time for the IV drips, the feeding tubes and the catheters. Don't forget that you shouldn't shift them at all for at least twenty-four hours. And if anything happens, send someone to get us immediately. I want vital scans every fifteen minutes and updates every hour on the hour. Set up a rotation so that at least one person is here at all times on high alert with one non-medic Operative as a messenger, and once Hana sets up the monitoring seals, she is to be kicked out so she can deal with Tokara. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." They answer as one. I know they'll get it done as I ask, and I know they've been trained well enough to trust them blindly.

"Alright. Let's go, Senju-san. You need a drink, I need chocolate, and someone needs to make sure Katou-san isn't complaining she got left out."

8-8

In the Namiki family sitting room, at two in the afternoon, having Yasu-nee's ice cream sandwichs… life is good. No one asks why Senju-san and I were covered in blood when we arrived, the grateful look in our eyes announces it was a patient, and Haku's quiet smile tells them the patient(s) survived.

It's… gotten so common lately that Senju-san keeps a clean change of clothes here. "Senju-san… is there some reason why our… people are returning in pieces so often?" I demand.

"This is pretty common, Aya. It's just that they usually get taken to the hospital and most don't notice." She explains seriously. "I'm glad they were taken straight here. It shows just how much trust your people have earned within the ranks."

"Maybe, but… I think it's time for some changes. I want more Anbu medics. Stat. I'm taking those Mist Operatives anyway. I want at least ten new Anbu medic trainees from Konoha. And I'm not taking no for an answer. Either you order Dragon to comply, or I'm going to be giving her migraines until she bows to my demands. And I'm dead serious."

"Good. Then I don't have to ask." She says, smiling. "I was thinking the same thing. More Anbu medics won't solve the problem, but it will increase the chances of survival."

"Nn." I nod, agreeing fully. I still feel horrible that Parrot didn't make it, but at least he died instantly (according to the reports)… that's life in Anbu for you. You make strong bonds, but more often than not, your colleagues will die on you. "I was wondering. Wouldn't it make sense to have the members of Team Rho start training the others to up their skills to make sure they have a higher chance of survival?"

"… I've been pushing for that for a while now, but they're all afraid of Team Rho. You train with them all the time, so you're used to it, but… the others think they're nuts." Senju-san admits, sad but amused all the same.

"They are. But they're my kind of crazy." I point out. "And Tsu is taking to our crazy training quite nicely, might I add." Tsu beams beside me, happily munching on her ice cream sandwich.

"Nn. I was wondering though… Would you agree that it's time for Asami to take a trainee?" She asks.

"Not my call to make." I begin, thinking about that. "But, yes. I think she can handle it."

"… Hmm. I'll speak to Dragon and her about that. Oh, and I need you to start considering something." She says, downing her saucer of sake in one go. "I need you to take your own team. A first response cell."

"Hnn? Senju-san, I'm not ready for leading a team. And I certainly need more experience leading a team before I can consider the option." I shoot her down.

"Aya, you're not listening to me. And you certainly aren't paying attention to the respect you've earned, even in Anbu. Mei trusts you enough to train her people. I trust you enough to train our people. And you've already lead teams into impossible situations without batting an eyelash. I'm not saying you're taking a team, and I'm not foolish enough to order you to. I'm say you need to start considering it." She explains, downing another saucer of sake.

"Hnn…"

"I've read the reports on how Ryuuzetsu's training is coming along. I've seen how utterly devoted she and Hitomi are to you. And I know for a fact you've been training Hitomi as well. And that's not even taking into consideration how even the other Anbu medics look up to you. Even Hana doesn't have a problem taking orders from you, and she has five years more experience than you do."

"Okay, first of all, Tsu was skilled long before she came into my life. Second of all, Hitomi's a Namiki, of course I'm training her. Third of all, we're a pack, we're devoted to our pack. And Hana orders me around just as much as I order her around. It's how we are with each other. And she holds her own without me there. She's someone I can trust no matter which patient comes in." I point out. She just downs another saucer, smiling.

"Aya, I don't know why you fight me on things like this." She sounds even more amused than before. "Tell me. If I didn't trust you, would you be given so much leeway so often?"

"… That's…" I try to come up with something. Anything.

Nothing comes.

"I know that if you tell me something is going to get done, it's getting done swiftly, efficiently and ruthlessly." She says, pouring herself another saucer. "I know that if you are in the Council Chambers during a meeting, I don't have to worry about crowd control, because you don't tolerate people trying to tell me how to run Konoha. I know that if you are manning the desk outside my office, I don't have to worry about assassination attempts, because they'd never get past you so long as you're still breathing."

I take a bite of my ice cream sandwich, thinking about that. "You are a damn good kunoichi, Aya. And you are nothing if not loyal." She says, her tone sincere. "That's why I want you to take a team. So I'll know if I send you out on a mission, the mission will get done the same way you do everything else. And to boot, I know if I send you out on Rescue and Extraction, there's no way you'll give up so long as there's half a chance."

I hmm, thinking about that. "That's why I'm taking you on as my apprentice." I turn to her, shocked. "Not just you though. Fuu and Sakura as well. I've asked Jiraiya to take Naruto, Minori and Haruki as his. And he's agreed. I was hoping for Asami, but… she flatly refused. It seems she has someone here in Konoha that needs her more?"

I smirk at that. "Yuzuki." I murmur, feeling my heart swimming in tender emotions.

"I thought so." She says, smiling even as she downs another saucer of sake. "So anyway. Even if you don't take the team, I'm going to need you for one on one training every third afternoon, after lunch. It's a minimum of six hours each time. And I'm not going to go easy on you. We'll be working on your ninjutsu, genjutsu, medical jutsu, taijutsu… everything. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be giving Kakashi competition, and that's if I can't turn you into an even better shinobi than he is."

"Nn…" I nod, thinking about that. "Senju-san… would I be allowed to select my own team?"

"Of course."

"Even if one of the members is currently not an Operative?"

"Again, of course. You'd be an Anbu Captain, you can recruit people so long as Dragon approves." She tells me.

I smile, liking the sound of that. Anbu Captain. She's buttering me up for something, something big and bothersome. Still, I like the sound of that. "I'll talk to her today. If she approves of the fourth member I have in mind… I'm in."

"You want Ikoku." She doesn't ask. I grin even wider. "A tracking team with two medics and almost nothing but heavy hitters. Tell Dragon I said she'd better approve. That sounds like just the kind of team I'd need."

"I'll pass on the message." I say, just before I down the last of my ice cream sandwich and lick the remains off my fingers. "We won't be ready for the worst of the missions for a few years… not with two trainees…"

"I'm aware." She says, downing another saucer. "I don't need you to be. I need you to train your team until you know they can handle anything. Just like I'll be training you to make sure you can handle anything."

"Then I'm in, Senju-san. All in." I tell her, offering my arm to make it official. She grabs me by the elbow – I try to do the same, but her forearm's a lot longer than mine.

"Make me proud, Aya. That's an order." I smirk.

"Yes, ma'am."

8-8

"Hey, Aya, there's something I wanted to talk to you and Ryuuzetsu about?" Kashi-nii says, nodding in the direction of my office. Tsu and I share a look, before nodding and following him. Once in my office, he's the one to activate the seals as he asks us to have a seat.

"Ryuuzetsu." He begins, his tone serious. He sits down on the couch opposite us, his face serious and his eye studying her carefully. "I'd mentioned to Aya that Yasu-chan and I were discussing something for some time. We've come to a decision, and I think you should hear about it."

Tsu looks to me, nervous and uncertain. I smile, linking arms with her to let her know that I'm here.

"Aya's been trying to have you spend as much time with her wolves, to see if they'd consider you letting them sign with them. But I asked her to hold off until we'd made a decision. That decision has been made." He's just being dramatic to make her appreciate this more. I roll my eyes, but find that I'm smiling at the nervous hope shining in Tsu's eyes. "I want you to sign the Dog Summoning contract. To take a team and train them, so that you'll always have backup, no matter what situation comes up."

Tsu's in tears, shocked beyond words… but happy. And honoured. And oh so moved. She untangles herself from me, rushing around the coffee table and hugging Kash-nii, thanking him over and over and over again.

"… There's more." He says, petting her hair and obviously enjoying this moment with her. "We… need to know what you want." He's being vague, probably unsure how she'll take whatever he wants to discuss with her.

"What… do you mean?" She asks, pulling back a bit to study him.

"Remember in Sand, how you called me 'dad'… I didn't say anything, but… I…'ve been talking to Yasu-chan about… offering you the chance… the option, I should say… If you would want, that is…" Is he…? Is Kashi-nii offering what I think he's offering?

"You'd adopt me? For real? You and Yasu-san would be my parents?" Okay, now I'm in tears.

"If you want, yes." He says, meaning it. "I mean, you're already a Hatake, but… it would mean the world to Yasu-chan… and to me… if you would…?"

"… Oh, Kami…" She manages, trying to process it all in one go. "D-dad… th-thank you." She buries her face in his chest, squeezing him and refusing to let him go.

"Imouto-chan… would you mind calling Yasu-chan for me? She'll want to hear this." Kashi-nii asks. I nod, seeing myself out – after deactivating the seals, of course. I make my way into the kitchen, already having tracked Yasu-nee there, not that I needed to with the smell of lunch being prepared.

"Hey, Yasu-nee?" I call her as I enter the kitchen. She turns to me.

"Aya, sweetie, are you alright? Why are you crying?" She drops whatever she's doing, rushing to me and engulfing me in a hug.

"Your husband needs you in my office… and your daughter." I tell her, smiling through the tears. I look up, seeing the smile, and the tears in her eyes. "Go on, they need you." I shoo her, even though I don't want the hug to end. She takes off, obviously wanting nothing more than to be with her husband and… d-daughter.

"So he finally asked her." Mom sounds amused. She comes over to me, wrapping her arms around me, knowing how much I need a hug right now. I nod, knowing she doesn't need the confirmation. "Yasu's been giving him a hard time for weeks." I snort, amused. Of course she did, she'd have to. Kashi-nii isn't exactly equipped for emotional situations. I don't doubt Yasu-nee will have to teach him how to handle being a father, too. Especially the father of a girl.

I hope the baby ends up being a boy, because poor Kashi-nii won't be able to resist his daughter wrapping him around her little finger. And I'm certain Tsu is going to have the foundation set tomorrow at the latest, to have him as exactly that – wrapped around her little finger.

It's not exactly a secret, Yasu-nee wears the pants in their relationship. And he doesn't care. He spoils her, as she deserves. Not that I'm much better. I think I spoil her more than he does.

"By the way… your father wants to speak with you privately when he gets home." Mom says, squeezing me a little. I nod, not caring too much just yet. I'm too busy enjoying this hug. "Actually, now that I think about it… We all need to talk to you guys tonight. There's… something of an important announcement we want to make."

"Oh?" I'm all smiles, already suspecting what it might be. "I can't wait to hear the good news."

"You… know?" She stiffens a bit.

"Only suspicions, but if it's what I think it is, then I'm behind you all the way." I tell her, glad that the tension evaporates quickly. She hugs me a little tighter, the scent of her tears telling me that she's more than a little grateful. "If anyone tries to give you any grief, then you let me handle them, okay?"

"Thank you, baby."

8-8

For the first time ever, we're having a meeting in the visitors' sitting room. Chouza-san, Remi-san, Inoichi-san, Mariko-san, mom and daddy… they have an announcement for Shika-nii, Ino, Chouji and myself.

I'm the one to cast the privacy jutsu, knowing that the six of them likely have enough on their plate to worry with maintaining something like that. "Alright, we're all here." I say, smiling as I lock gazes with mom. She smiles a little, but she turns her gaze to Shika-nii, obviously more worried about him than me.

"Yes, we are." Daddy says. "As you know, the Yamanaka, Akimichi and Nara head families have always planned pregnancies together, to maintain the Ino-Shika-Chou formation through the generations."

That's all the confirmation I need. I move to mom's side, hugging her tightly to show my support.

"… Does… that mean, what I think it means?" Ino looks to her parents, excitement bubbling up within her.

Mariko-san takes a moment, having a silent exchange with her husband. "I think so, yes. We're not pregnant yet, but we are actively trying." Mariko-san admits, blushing at the implications. She's basically telling her daughter that she and her husband are regularly having sex with intention to conceive a child. I think that's sweet, but I'm weird – not a good basis to judge another's reaction.

"… I'm going to be a big sister!" Ino jumps over the table, glomping both her parents at the same time. "Oh, Kami! This is huge! Mom, you know I'm going to demand that we go shopping for baby clothes! And I want to be the medic monitoring you! You're the matriarch of our clan, after all, we can have you taking any risks. And I'm sooooooo going to be on your case to rest more to make sure you don't overdo it! And oh my Kami! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Slow down, Ino." Inoichi-san says, glowing with pride.

"Slow down? Daddy, I'm going to be a big sister! Even if mom isn't pregnant yet, I know at least three herbal teas that can help increase her chances, and we all know it's keeping from getting pregnant that's the challenge. Mom, seriously, congratulations!"

"Thank you, baby." Mariko-san says, tears in her eyes. "Having your support means the world to us."

I turn my attention to Shika-nii and Chouji. "Hey, I'm all for it! If you two want another baby, or another ten, I'm behind you all the way." Chouji speaks up. "I'll even bug Aya about her offering all the things Ino just mentioned." He winks to me, grinning. I blush, biting my lip a little and cursing the stupid butterflies making me lightheaded.

"Thank you, son. That…" Remi-san trails off, unable to continue. Instead she just rushes around the table to engulf him in a bear hug. "Thank you." She says, tears in her eyes.

"Aw man. Now everyone's going to expect some emotional response from me too. Troublesome." Shika-nii mutters, hoping to not have to be the odd one out. "Look, mom, dad, it's not my style to tell you how to live your life. I'll support you regardless. And I know Imouto-chan will too."

Daddy's the one to go hug him. Mom's kind of busy hugging me, after all. "Thank you." Daddy says, his words simple but the emotion behind it deep.

"Just don't blame me if I suddenly disappear when the mood swings start." Shika-nii teases.

"I can hear you, you know." Mom and I grind out as one. We are sooooo not impressed.

"I know, but honesty is the best policy." He tries, while also trying to escape before we really start getting on his case. Daddy's not letting him though.

"I'll be sure to tell Temari you think so." Mom threatens. Shika-nii mutters another 'troublesome'.

"Oh! Before it comes to that! Remi-san, Mariko-san, I'm going to want the two of you here more often. You know how we are about protecting the pack. And you've seen how I am with Yasu-nee. If you guys are willing to consider it, I'd prefer it if you moved in for the duration of the pregnancy." I all but demand. The two couples exchange looks with their spouse, shocked, but in a good way.

"We've… already discussed it with Zabuza. He's graciously offered us a few rooms in the Yuki compound." Mariko-san says, tears in her eyes. I can tell Ino's happy about that too, knowing that we'll be as protective of her mother as we are of everyone in our pack – especially expecting mothers.

Remi-san, unable to even form a word from the emotions overwhelming her, scoops me out of mom's embrace. She tries thanking me a few times, but… nothing I can make out – without guessing. "You don't have to thank me, Remi-san." I murmur, hugging her back. "I would never allow the mother of my future mate to go without. So, if you want this, you have the full support of the Namiki clan."

She kisses my brow and cheek over and over, still trying to say something and crying her heart out.

8-8

It takes a while for everyone to calm down. Mariko-san, Remi-san and mom especially. I'm not sure what they were expecting, but the overwhelming support definitely did them some good. I drop the privacy jutsu, and suggest that we all start getting ready for the concert. So much to celebrate!

"Hold on." Daddy interrupts before I leave. "I still need to speak to you and Shikamaru privately." He reminds me.

"Alright, if it's just the four of us, then we can sit in my office. It's a lot cosier." I suggest. Honestly, I'd completely forgotten about that. The flood of good news is… almost too much – in a good way.

With the others heading towards the family sitting room –and Mariko-san already discussing baby room, baby clothes, baby, baby, baby– I nudge my parents and brother into my office. I don't fight the goofy grin I find on my face, happy for the happiness that everyone is finding around me.

After I activate the seals, the four of us sit on the two couches. Daddy with me, mom with Shika-nii. I turn to daddy, questions in my eyes. "Alright, daddy, what's up?"

"Well. I've been discussing things with your mother, and she fully agrees with me." He begins. I blink, not understanding what he means or where this is going. "I want to start your training."

"… Daddy…? I don't understand." I admit, my confusion on plain display.

"Your Nara training." He clarifies.

My hands shoot up, covering my nose and mouth. I… don't even know how to respond to this. How to feel about this. How to… "D-daddy are you…?"

"You are my daughter, aren't you?" He asks rhetorically, laughter in his eyes and a teasing smirk on his lips. "Is it really so hard to believe I'd want my daughter to start learning everything I have to teach her?"

Tears come quickly. Thank Kami-sama I didn't start getting ready yet, because I'm seriously just going from one emotionally charged meeting into the next.

Daddy takes me into his arms, holding me tight. I eventually end up taking off my glasses, because they're just going to get messed up otherwise. I try, time and again, to thank him, to promise him I'll give my training my all, that I'm touched and honoured he'd even consider this.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I end up blubbering out.

8-8

Party time, once again! Everyone's here! Our usual out of uniform Operatives, Sarutobi-sensei and Yuhi-sensei, Konohamaru, everyone from our pack (that almost goes without saying), everyone. Even Kin's old teammates! They enjoyed themselves last time, so Kin made sure to invite them again.

"Good evening everyone!" I begin, trying to get everyone's attention. "Thank you all for coming." They all shout back saying how they wouldn't miss it for the world.

"I don't usually do this, as you know, but there's so many changes recently. Big things, little things…" I look to Miwako and Satsuma. "Changes that nearly break us." I look to mom and daddy. "Changes that forge us into the people we were meant to be."

Everyone is listening with rapt attention, their eyes glued to me as I speak. "Family bonds have been formed." I look to Kashi-nii and Yasu-nee, sitting on either side of Tsu. "Relationships have begun." I look to Tomi and Kin, then to Hana and Tokara. "Ties between clans have been strengthened." I look to Inoichi-san, Chouza-san and daddy.

"Plans have been made." I look to Senju-san and Fuu. "International ties have been forged." I look to Gaara, Temari and Terumi-san (who's mostly here because she figures there's no reason to fear us since we could have killed her and chose to prank her instead).

"We have so much to be thankful for. So many things to thank Kami-sama for. So much good, no matter how bad things sometimes seem."

"That's why tonight's concert is so important. I want us to come together, as one pack, one big family. To support each other, to build each other up. To offer strength to our packmates, when they feel they no longer have the strength to continue. So I want to start off tonight with a song that captures that so well. So, to help me along… let me introduce Namiki Hoshie, who will be playing the piano for us tonight. Imouto-chan, you ready?"

She doesn't answer, she starts playing. Sakiko right alongside her, tapping out a gentle, steady beat to help her keep the rhythm.

I smile, grateful for my little sisters.

"So tonight, we're starting off with Mariah Carey's Hero."

There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear

Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away
Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time
You'll find the way

8-8

End Chapter 80

8-8

A/N: So many changes, so, so many. So much happening, so much going on. And I won't lie, the bulk of it will take place during the timeskip, but! There are two last missions that Aya needs to take part in before I call this a wrap, and three major things that still have to happen. So this isn't the end just yet. Let's see just what our little Aya thinks of Chouji getting back into the saddle after months of recovery. Shall we?