Symone: A Naruto Side-Story - "The Heart Of Rain".
Chapter Four: An Issue Of Trust & The Story Of Hope.

Wandering alone, Symone had found the refuge she had needed for a while now, though her trust wasn't to be easily handed over. Her sweet young smile has been mostly erased by the recurring torture of her mind as it dwells upon the past. Her heart still rains, more-so than her native village as the past of Symone is known... but who is... Mikomi?

Be grateful you have pain... because without it in your life, you wouldn't experience happiness!

Morning comes as Symone wakes from her first night of comfortable slumber. She sits up, looking around with one eye as she rubs the other with her fist, looking for Mikomi as she spots him in the same spot he was last night, but with his head sleeping up against a tree. Symone stands up and walks over to Mikomi as he hears Symone's footsteps approaching. Mikomi wakes as he looks over to Symone. "I had a dream..." said Symone, talking to the now woken Mikomi. "A dream?" spoke Mikomi with his raspy voice. "It told me I can trust you... but I need to know the truth about you first before you take me as your student" spoke Symone as Mikomi replies, "Well, what is it you want to know?". "I'd like to know all the pain you suffered in your past... and I want to try to trust your eyes as you speak, to make sure you aren't lying to me so I can believe in you from this point" replied Symone as she blinks at Mikomi. "Well... it's not exactly an easy thing, but you told me about what happened to your parents and Brother last night... so I'll let you in on it, though I've never spoke of it before now, so please... be grateful" said Mikomi as Symone nods in satisfaction, knowing that she needs to hear this, though at the same time, hoping it doesn't hurt him deep inside when bringing it up... if it's true, that is. "Alright, Symone. If this will ease you at this point in your life, I'll tell you" said Mikomi as he begins to recollect his thoughts as he begins to speak. "It all started so suddenly... my life was fine... until that day...".

Mikomi - seen as a young child at the tender age of four is seen smiling and running around playfully with his big Sister. "Naha! You can't get me, Krista!" yells Mikomi to his big Sister. "Oh yes I can! You get over here, you!" had playfully yelled Krista as she grabs Mikomi, throwing him onto her shoulders. "Krista! This is fun! Go fast!" yells Mikomi as Krista starts running around the house they're in as she jokingly makes the sound of an airplane. "Okay, Mikomi! That's enough for play time, okay? I have to go make dinner for us now" said Krista as Mikomi's face becomes grumpy as he replies, "Aww! I don't want to eat! I want to play!". "Mikomi... don't you want to be strong and brave, just like how I told you our Father was?" said Krista. "Yeah...!" yelled Mikomi in response as Krista then says, "Well, if you want to be strong like how Father was, you need to eat! Okay, buddy?" as she lowers Mikomi from her shoulder, onto the couch as she playfully smiles, looking at Mikomi in the eyes. Mikomi stares back into her crystal green eyes that seemed to run in the family as Krista walked into the kitchen across the living room they were in. Mikomi puts the TV on, watching a silly cartoon.

About 30 minutes had passed as Krista yells from the kitchen, "Mikomi! Come get your dinner!". Mikomi gets up, eyeballing the TV as he walks into the kitchen, turning to his seat as he sits down at the edge of the table, seeing cubes of fried chicken in a delectable sauce. "Dinner looks good, Krista!" said Mikomi as Krista sits down after putting the pan in the sink. "Itadakimasu!(Note: Itadakimasu means 'Thank you for this meal', said before eating by traditional Japanese)" said Mikomi and Krista as they dig in. As Mikomi swallows a bite, Krista asks, "How is it, Mikomi? Good?". Mikomi replies, "Yes! It's really really good!" as he smiles cutely, looking to his big Sister who happens to be smiling back at him. Mikomi's face suddenly breaks into a blank stare towards his food as he plays with his fork. "...something wrong, Mikomi?" asks Krista as Mikomi replies, "I am thinking what it's like to have a Mom and Dad. All the other boys and girls in my school have them! Why don't I? They always look so happy and I just want to be happy..." with a cute tone in his voice as he continues using his fork as a play thing. "Mikomi... you're too young for me to tell you completely, but just know that they died for their country as heroes, okay? When you were born, Mother thought about you and took care of you every day, and Dad usually kept to himself, unless he was sharing his time with you" said Krista as Mikomi stares, listening attentively at his big Sister as she continues onwards, saying, "...did you know every night before he died, Dad sung you to sleep? One day, Mom and I walked in on Dad when he was singing to you... and man did he get embarassed!... so the next night, we waited for him to sing you to sleep... and me and Mom walked in and started singing along with him jokingly... and without a gleam in your eyes, you were out cold" Krista laughs as she spoke. Mikomi starts to smile as he looks to Krista. "Are you now like a Mommy?" spoke Mikomi in question as his Sister replies, "Well... I guess I am kinda!" replies Krista with a joyous smile on her face as she says, "I'm also a Sister, too! So you have double the love to give me, right?". Mikomi yells with happiness from his voice, "Right!". "What about a Daddy though?..." asks Mikomi as Krista replies, "Well... one day, there will be someone there for you who you'll look up to like a Father, and you'll love them strongly. As for now... just keep hoping that each day brings you closer to hope itself..."

Now, as Mikomi and Krista finish up dinner, they walk their dishes to the sink, dropping them in the soapy water to sit for a while. "I'm gonna head on into the shower, okay Mikomi? Stay down here and watch TV in the living room" said Krista as Mikomi replies, "Okay!". Krista walks up the stairs to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She looks into the mirror as she starts to cry a little, thinking about her Mother and Father, but quickly takes it off her mind as she undresses to go in to the shower. Revealing her tight body and big breasts, Krista walks into the cold shower as she rubs shampoo into her dark and gleamy black hair, then rinsing it as she begins thinking to herself... "It's been 16 years of great memories with you two... and these past 4 have been especially tough. I'm trying to put myself in your shoes, Mother... to take care of Mikomi. Father... I'm trying to learn to be a companion and a strict role model, while still being such a loving person like you were to keep him strong and youthful. I hope I'm pleasing you both...", flipping her wet hair back as she turns her head downwards.

Downstairs, Mikomi is seen watching a funny ninja cartoon as he started to become very sick. Mikomi tries to relax, laying himself across the couch he's on. Mikomi tries staring at the TV, but his eyes become blurry as a fever begins to rise; the sweat falling from his face. Mikomi then tries getting up, but he's too dizzy to do so as he falls on the carpet placed in the middle of the living room. Mikoni then slowly closes his eyes... passing out.

10 minutes passes as Krista walks down the stairs with a towel around her to check up on Mikomi. As she reaches right before the last step, she notices that her little Brother is on the floor. Krista runs to him and turns him over, feeling how hot his flesh had become, realizing he's running a tremendous fever as she places him on the couch, laying him down as she runs into the kitchen. Krista takes out two trays of ice cubes as she runs back into the living room. Krista starts taking out cubes as fast as possible, shaking terribly as she rubs as many pieces over his head and feet, placing another piece behind the small of his neck as she screams, "Mikomi! Mikomi! Please wake up! Please!". Krista then decides to lay all the ice cubes left in the trays on different parts of Mikomi's body as she starts to cry tears of worry and hurt. "Mikomi!" she screams. Suddenly, Mikomi jumps up, sitting up as fast as possible, scared and breathing heavily. "Mikomi?..." said Krista as suddenly, Mikomi holds his chest, screaming in terrible agony as his eyes closed. "MIKOMI!" yells Krista as her mouth widens in fear and shock as another disturbing scream is heard from Mikomi's tiny body, as suddenly... Krista's left arm gets sliced off, noticing it about 3 or 4 seconds afterwords as blood spouted from her shoulder as she screams horrifically. "MIKOMI! MIKOMI!" yells Krista in the up most pain. Mikomi looks to Krista, trying to move his body away from his Sister as she holds him down. "You're not leaving! Let me... help you!" said Krista as Mikomi falls to the floor on his stomach as he rolls over to his back, landing in the puddle of blood made by Krista's wound. Suddenly, a sharp pain triggers yet another scream of agony from Mikomi's mouth as a sound, somewhat like the wind is heard as Mikomi closed his eyes, hearing his Sister scream, and then stop after hearing a reflex of gagging. Mikomi, still with his eyes closed feels something wet falling over his face. Mikomi opens his eyes, looking to a pool of blood dripping down his entire body from head to toe. Mikomi looks away from himself as his attention is diverted by the sound of something rolling, looking by his feet as he see's his Sister's head detached from her body. Mikomi jumps up... looking at Krista's severed body as it lays standing up from the knee's as it slowly tips over, leaking blood from the spout of the neck as it lands upon the carpet. Mikomi screams terribly and cries, running out of his house as he passes out on the grass in front.

"After that... I was placed in a special military school for children who were alone like me up until the age of 12. I became a ninja for the Hidden Grass, and as soon as I graduated as a Genin... I tried to hightail it out of the country, but the Hidden Grass sent out a special squad to find me, but before they did... something terrible happened" said Mikomi, back in the present time as Symone looks up to him, very interested and saddened as she asks, "...something...terrible?". Mikomi replies, "Yes. I was at the top of my class in my school, but I was still only a Genin, and I had no control over what power was buried within me since I never told anyone, nor trained it. At the time, the Hidden Grass had bad relations with the Hidden Waterfall for a short time... and I accidently came across some Hidden Waterfall spies in the woods outside of the village. Actually... that place where I was is where we are right now". Symone looks around with her mouth slightly opened; her eyes rummaging the area as she asks, "What happened when you seen the spies?", cutely blinking into the gorgeous eyes of Mikomi as he replies, "Well... I'm about to get to that...".

Mikomi - now at the young age of 12 is seen running along the outskirts of the Hidden Grass. "I can't do this anymore! I can't live here! I have to escape my memories! I don't really remember 100, but I know what really happened that day my Sister died! I can't deal with looking at this country! Everything reminds me of her and how much I miss her!" thought Mikomi as he hears the rustling of tree's as if someone was there. Mikomi stops, hiding behind a tree as he becomes cautious. Suddenly, the voices of two men are heard. "Yes... Faru, we will assassinate that ninja, and we will bring his head back home to prove it!" one man says as the other man known as Faru as he replies, "Good... but first... we have company... Dro!", referring to the other man. "Ah, it seems you are indeed right. Shall I?" asks Dro as Faru gives him the okay in a nod. Mikomi heard them, realizing he has been noticed as he jumps up, revealing himself. Dro and Faru show themselves as they jumped from the tree they were in. "Little rats shouldn't be listening in on our conversations. What have you to say for yourself... boy?" said Dro as Faru laughs along side of him. "Shut it. You're after someone, and you won't let me live knowing that. I understand... so shut it and ready yourself to fight me!" Mikomi states as Dro replies, "Fine then! You're funeral!" as he dodges forward, side-to-side with a kunai in his hand. Mikomi's eyes glow brightly, shocked at Dro's speed as he takes out a kunai, running forward to meet with his foe as their kunai's connect, struggling over one another. Dro sends a kick to the gut of Mikomi, sending him back as he throws his kunai at Dro as he deflects it with his. Mikomi lands on two feet as suddenly Dro approaches at such great speeds, piercing Mikomi in the left arm, knocking him down from impact as blood leaks from the side of his all black, long-sleeved uniform. Mikomi unwraps bandages that were around his arms as he flings them forward, emitting multiple explosive tags on to Dro as they explode, only revealing a Kage Bunshin No Jutsu(Shadow Clone Technique) as the real Dro comes from behind, stabbing through the upper back of Mikomi as he falls on to the floor nearly immobilized. "Ahh.. finish this, Dro! Stop playing!" yells Faru from the sidelines as Dro yells back, "Alright, alright! Fine!" as he looks down at Mikomi. "Kid... I told you... it's your funeral!" as Dro takes the katana from his side out from within the sheath. "I... live a life full of those memories in this village... and now I leave... for what? For death? I can't live either way! I'm not some fucking tool to play around with! I won't let this asshole get the best of me!" thinks Mikomi, yelling to himself in his head as his heart starts to palpitate as he screams in terrible pain... just like that time when he was only a little Brother who loved his dear Sister. Dro looks to him as he yells, "NOW I'LL MAKE YOU TASTE YOUR OWN BLOOD IN HELL!" as he swings his katana down at Mikomi. "ASSHOLE!" screams Mikomi as he tilts his head back, looking away from his opponent as suddenly, Dro's hands and feet get severed and cut in pieces! Dro falls to the floor as just a screaming torso with a head. "DON'T FUCK WITH ME! WHY! WHY DID YOU DO IT?" yells Mikomi as the grotesque, agonizing scream is heard viciously from the voice of Dro as Faru yells, "Dro!... What did you do to him you little bastard?" as he runs towards Mikomi, lifting him up by his shirt as Mikomi passes out just at that moment, but suddenly, a kunai is thrown through the hand that was holding Mikomi up as Faru drops him. A man appears from a tree, landing gracefully upon the ground, walking towards the passed out kid, looking to him. Faru yells... "It's... It's you! You're Tsuchi... Tsuchi Bo!". "Looking to kill me...? Fool!" said the man known as Tsuchi Bo, tilting his head to the side with his hands placed behind his back in an old black and gray traditional chinese combat uniform. His blood red hair from the left side, completely folded over, covering his right eye and ear blows gently in the wind as his small, yet sharp black eyes look at Faru. "I'LL KILL YOU BASTARD!" yelled Faru as he ran forward towards Tsuchi, dodging Faru's thrown kunai with ease, running forward and kicking him back, breaking Faru's ribs as he landed against a tree. Quickly, Tsuchi runs at Faru, emitting a curved, yet wide katana as he sliced through the chest of Faru, killing him in a quick, yet bloody massacre as his last, final scream was heard terribly.

An hour passes since the incident that left Mikomi opening the old wounds of his mysterious bloodline-limit as he finally wakes. Mikomi gets up, slightly injured as Tsuchi speaks from behind him, getting frightened as he was unaware, staring at him as he quickly turned. "You're lucky I found you kid. Good thing I live out here or you'd be the guy I just cleaned from the tree I liked to sleep on" said Tsuchi as Mikomi replies, "Who are you?". "I'm Tsuchi Bo" he replies as Mikomi had heard of the mans name. "You're... a legend. I thought you left the Hidden Grass for good!" said Mikomi as Tsuchi replies, "Well... like you, I have pain back in the Hidden Grass, so I live quantly out here in the grasslands by myself". Mikomi widens his eyes as he asks, "How do you know... that's why I was leaving?". "I studied your article a few years ago when the incident that happened in your house occured. Now... I see what you did to that ninja, and I realize from those wounds your Sister had, you're the one who killed her... Mikomi" said Tsuchi as his eyes get even more wide. "Yeah..." replies Mikomi. Tsuchi then begins to speak with his words as honest and harsh as he can, sighing before readying a speech. "You think of yourself like a murderer, therefore you live like one. You think of yourself as someone unable to progress, therefore you don't progress. Take these stupid things away and open your eyes you fool. We are all ninja who know the pains of the real world. Stop binding yourselves by futile things as this. There are some ninja in the world who fight without allowing themselves to have emotions at all... now you try that, you selfish brat! Be grateful you have pain... because without it in your life, you wouldn't experience happiness! There's hope for you, but you need guidance, so you can turn away from your village, but don't turn away from your future!" said Tsuchi in a very brutal, realistic manner as Mikomi takes the verbal abuse, understanding and comprehending it. "I see... but let me ask you one thing... where in the hell am I gonna get the fucking guidance I need?" Mikomi yells to Tsuchi as suddenly, a group of 3 Jounin ninja fall down from a high tree top, landing on the ground by Tsuchi and Mikomi. The Jounin leader looks to Tsuchi with widened eyes as he says curiosly, "Tsuchi Bo-sama?". Tsuchi looks to them, as does Mikomi as the team leader speaks, "Tsuchi Bo-sama... we received orders to take this kid back to the Hidden Grass". Tsuchi responds, "Don't worry about it. Go back and tell everyone your mission is over without the kid. From this point on, this child will live out here with me as my student. Report that, and then leave us as we are. Understood?". "Y-Yes, sir! Let's go!" yelled the Jounin as they disperse, leaving Mikomi alone as he realizes... he may have a shot afterall for that guidence he needs.

10 years passes in the woods. Mikomi, now at an elite Jounin level(though... without his village, still technically a Genin) is seen training roughly with his teacher, Tsuchi Bo as they throw fists and shuriken at eachother with agility and speed that can barely ever be matched by most as they stop, breathing heavily in the woodlands they first met. "Great session... Mikomi" said Tsuchi as they smiled at one another, both falling onto the floor, tired beyond recognition!

Night sets, and the two are seen surrounding the burning fire they had made as they eat a duck they had hunted and cooked in the flames. "Mikomi... I'm quite old now... and any day could be my last. Age is catching up with me" said Tsuchi as Mikomi responds with anger in his voice, "Don't say such things, Tsuchi-Sensei!". "No no no, my boy... it's all okay. Just listen" said Tsuchi as Mikomi agreed using the look in his eyes. "I want to tell you... that during our struggles, we've bonded so much, that I now even think of you... like a son. I want you to know from the bottom of my heart... I truly love you, Mikomi. You're aware that my son died so many years ago to illness... and sometimes, I look at you and feel like his soul is inside you, and I look at the both of you, proud like a Father should be" said Tsuchi as Mikomi remembers something that his Sister had said... "Well... one day, there will be someone there for you who you'll look up to like a Father, and you'll love them strongly. As for now... just keep hoping that each day brings you closer to hope itself". Mikomi puts his head down, listening in on what more Tsuchi has to say. "I have no regrets in my life, except the regret that I couldn't save my son... but as soon as you walked in my life, Mikomi... I forgot all about that regret, because like I said... I seen my son in you. I want you to live a lengthy, strong life to help protect others and go on independant missions for what you believe is right like we have done all these years" said Tsuchi, as he goes to his sleeping bag, closing his eyes as he goes to bed as Mikomi just blankly stares to him with a tear rolling gracefully down his cheek. "...and you... you're like a Father to me... Tsuchi-sensei" said Mikomi as he walked to his own sleeping bag, resting to sleep.

It's the middle of the night in the woodlands. Tsuchi and Mikomi are both fast asleep, but Tsuchi wakes, hearing a noise in a near by tree that seemed quite suspicious. Suddenly, a strange voice is heard. "You... I finally found you!" the voice said as a man jumps from a tree, silently staring at Tsuchi. "Do I know you?" Tsuchi asks as the man replies, "No, but you knew my Father. You killed him. You're the one!". "Your... Father?" Tsuchi asked. "Yes, my Father! Faru Gora!" said the man as Tsuchi said hesitantly outloud, "Fa-ru?... Gora?" as he then quickly realizes... it was the man he killed to save Mikomi back when they first met. "But how?... how do you know?" asked Tsuchi as the man replied, "There were 3 ninja spies that day. You only saw 2. The third returned with the news... and since that day, I lived to find you... and murder you in cold blood like you did my Father!" as Mikomi wakes, hearing what the man had said as two kunai's were thrown directly into the chest and neck from behind as Tsuchi falls to the ground with a slight scream heard from his mouth as the man he was speaking to was just a Kage Bunshin. The true body of the man then appears from behind where Tsuchi was standing as he laughs. Mikomi's eyes glow in shock as he jumps up at the man, kicking him down as he gets thrown back about 40 feet. Mikomi runs to Tsuchi, holding him up by the head as he yelled, "Tsuchi! You'll be okay! I promise!", but Tsuchi replies depressingly in pain, "No... I-I'm gonna die anyway" he said as blood spurts from his throat as he screams in pain. "Tsuchi!" Mikomi yells again as suddenly Tsuchi begins to speak again. "I lived to this point... working to rid of my one regret, and once I did, my soul was able to die in peace, so I accept this fate" said Tsuchi as Mikomi yells, "NO! TSUCHI!". "Remember... you made my life worth the effort it took to keep my soul alive, and now... I part from this world" said Tsuchi as Mikomi speaks, "...but, Tsuchi... I don't want to live without you! You're like a Father to me! THIS IS ALL MY FAULT! I'M SORRY!" as tears roll from his eyes. "Mikomi... I am... your Father, since to me... you're my son. Live in peace, and use that curse you trained as a way to keep strength. I'll... watch you from heaven... my son" said Tsuchi as he closes his eyes, dying in the arms of Mikomi as he starts crying even more ferociously. Suddenly, the man that killed Tsuchi and was kicked back is heard laughing as he approaches Mikomi. "Hahaha! I finally killed the old fool! After all these years I'm finally free of my pain! How beautiful it was seeing him die in such a way! Haha!" said the man with a terrible laugh in his words as Mikomi gets up, laying Tsuchi to the ground as his eyes flare like an angered Gods. Mikomi screams as he starts throwing his hands side-to-side. "Huh?" said the man as suddenly, his body gets shredded into pieces by Mikomi's bloodline-limit as the mans screams could be heard for miles. "YOU... STUPID... SON OF A BITCH!" yells Mikomi as he takes the decapitated head of the man and begins punching it as he gets covered in blood. Finally... Mikomi stops beating on the mans dead face as he drops the head, crying hysterically... alone in the woodlands.

The next night... Mikomi is seen finishing up a grave he had marked and buried Tsuchi in as Mikomi is seen with a depressive look in his eyes as tears were rolling down his face, still covered in blood from the night before. "I won't let your death be in vane. I'll survive... Tsuchi. I pray to your soul you are rested peacefully and I'll continue believing you're still watching over me. I carry your son in my soul... just like you said, and I won't turn it into regret. We're together... so watch over us both now... okay?" said Mikomi over Tsuchi's grave as he looks down to the ground.

"That was 6 years ago, though it feels like yesterday, and blame myself every single day for what had happened. All the pain and torment I went through... I never wish on anyone else, and that is why I will care for those who are in trouble. It's why I decided to be strong and live. I beg of you, Symone... just trust in me" said Mikomi, back in present time as Symone is seen gently dropping a tear due to the story of Mikomi's life. "I... I don't know. It'll take some time, but believe me when I say... I want to trust you, Mikomi!" said Symone as she sniffles her stuffy nose, acting wise and as cute as always. "That's fine then, Symone. I will train you the way my sensei taught me, and you will become as strong as you desire, though right now... I'm gonna catch some shut eye. I was up all night watching over you. If you want, I cooked some duck over by the fire. Have some in the meantime.. okay?" Mikomi says as he lays to sleep by the tree his sensei always liked sleeping on. Symone looks to him, noticing that Tsuchi's grave was by a tree only a few yards away as she walks over to it, reading the marking Mikomi had placed over it that said "Rest In Peace Father". "If you didn't find him... he would have never found me. I hope I learn to trust this man you made into such a nice person... Tsuchi-san. Thank you for this gift" said Symone over Tsuchi's grave as she bows her head.

The story of Mikomi is revealed. The man with the mysterious bloodline-limit's story has been told, though the trust in Symone is still not perfect. Will her heart believe in this man who had such a similar past?

Follow your destiny. Emotion can be controlled, and destiny is what you make it, so keep strong... keep strong.