Sora: Ooo this chapter is the intense one right?

Um…yeah. This one and the one after, I think. Why?

Sora: I was just seeing if I could get away with telling the reader stuff. :D

Shigure: Sora, why'd you do that, you're just going to make the author mad!

Sora: I know.

grrrr……+

The boys approached their village an hour later…but, it was only a couple seconds later when they wished they hadn't. The tall gate, charred and brittle, crumbled before them to reveal the remains of their village. It had been burned. Almost to the ground. Only a few walls of their houses were still upright, but the fire was still working at them with all it's destructive power. Then, their Genin animal instincts kicked in-- In the case of an emergency—conceal existence, first. Emotion, later. They retreated toward the trees, remembering to take their baskets of fish with them, just incase they had a follower.

They listened to the few ghostly screams that came from the corners of the village. Enemy ninja had invaded. They could hear some of them approaching, so they ran deeper into the forest. Sora took the lead and brought them to a cave.

"Sora, this isn't right! We can't hide while our village is dying! We have to do something!" Shigure screamed.

"Shigure, we are Genin. Not Jounin. Not even Chunin. If the ninja out there managed to take down our entire village within a few hours, they must be incredibly strong. Face the facts-- we are up against an army of enemy Jounin…there is nothing we can do."

Shigure sighed in defeat and sat down on a rock in the cave. He closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fists. Shigure was not one to cry. Neither Sora, nor Yuri had ever seen Shigure cry. Because he never really became emotional, he would always keep those subtle emotions balled up inside of him. Although, this was no subtle emotion. Shigure could feel a mixture of anger and hate with fear and sadness bubbling up inside of him. He couldn't find a calm way to express how he felt, so he grabbed his knees and squeezed until he could feel the bones in his legs beginning to creak under the pressure. Sora could sense Shigure's pain. He walked up behind him and touched his shoulder. Shigure cringed. He was shaking.

"Shigure, I know you feel terrible right now…but just remember--"

"I know! You're here for me and you can help me if I need it! I know!…I know…" A tear fell from Shigure on the floor. "It's all over…everything…everyone …gone…" Shigure looked down. Hot tears were streaming down his face. An incredible sadness entered Sora and Yuri, but while Sora was comforting Shigure, Yuri was standing behind them. He had gone pale and he had an almost ill expression on his face. Sora glanced back at Yuri.

"Huh? Yuri…you look like you're going to be sick."

Shigure looked up. Just then, he started to remember what Sora had said-- "I'm not really supposed to tell you this, but…I think it's for the best. Yuri…he sometimes has these visions, sort of-- ok, that isn't the best way to put it, but…well, on occasion, he knows what's coming next."…Coming…next? So…Yuri knew…he knew this was going to happen. That's why he was acting so strange…he knew that the village was going to be destroyed.

Shigure also glanced back at Yuri with an almost angry-suspicious look. Sora caught on to Shigure's thoughts and walked up to Yuri, "Yuri…please…tell me the truth…" Sora brought himself to a whisper, "Did…you…know--" Suddenly, there was an explosion somewhere in the village that made them jump. They moved back farther in the cave. Sora and Shigure looked down at Yuri. He couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't going to lie again.

"I…I'm…sorry…I'm so sorry!" Yuri broke down. Tears cress-crossed his cheeks and he began to sweat. He crouched down against the wall of the cave and began to sob into his arms. Shigure had a look of anger and disbelief on his face. He turned away from his two best friends in an attempt to cool off. Sora knelt down to Yuri.

"Why didn't you tell us? You know we could have stopped this from happening."

Yuri shook his head violently, "No, we couldn't have! You should know the best-- if we had tried, we would have changed the future! I'm not allowed to do that, Sora!"

"Not…allowed?" Shigure began to calm down. He sat next to Sora in front of Yuri, "What do you mean 'not allowed'?"

Then Yuri had a painful expression on his face as if he had said too much. He could see the determination in Shigure's eyes, so he gave in.

"My family has an advanced bloodline. It's the power of perception. Apparently I inherited it and there are certain rules that come with it, ok…"

Shigure glanced at Sora. Yuri noticed the guilty look in their eyes, "Don't feel bad, Sora. I know that Shigure knows. I knew that you were going to end up telling him."

"I'm sorry, Yuri. I thought he should know."

"I understand, Sora. Don't worry about it."

Yuri glanced up at Shigure. It was only then that Shigure noticed a strange, misty glaze over Yuri's eyes, "Well, does that mean that you can tell us what's going to happen to us next?"

"No, Shigure, I can't," Yuri closed his eyes, "If I did, we would still have the percentage that we might change the future…that would disturb the peace of the cosmos."

"Oh…" Shigure looked sadly over to Sora. "So we can't even know if we'll make it out of this alive?" He glanced up at the cave entrance.

Yuri looked torn.

"No, Shigure…you can't know…I'm sorry." Tears stung Yuri's eyes once more.

End…Chapter Seven: Flames, Death, & Perception

Sora: I told you it was intense! And oh so sad! (sniffles)

Shut up, Sora! I can't stand it when my own characters give away the story +

Sora: What? I'm stating an opinion. (smiles)

(sigh) I know, I'm just really stressed out right now…

Shigure: Like I said. You're killing yourself writing this story!

I am not! I have to finish this! I am going to break my habit!

(cheers and applause in back round )