A/N: Hey, everybody! I am here! It's been a while again.

Happy Summer!

Classes are done until the Fall!

Please take this and be happy! But don't let me distract you if you're doing something important but yucky like finals.

DO YOUR WORK.

SANTA SEES YOU.

"Can you believe that shit?" Motsuki glanced over with daggers in her eyes. She clasped a the rim of a cup in her fingers - a bitter fruit juice blend she often got when she was in these kind of moods. She waited for the support rally to come about, but paused her lips' journey to the edge of the cup when silence greeted her instead. Her head rose along with a brow, and her eyes slowly slid over to her choice of company. "Hello?"

"I hear you," Banko spoke up. While he averted his eyes for the sake of keeping a hesitant air, Tashi simply maintained eye contact. The green haired male pressed his fingers through his hair, however, refraining from a direct answer, "but..."

"But what?"

Tashi's brow furrowed momentarily. Her quip. It was a lot sharper than the usual jovial mode she gave the. He studied their female companion's face. There was no mistaking it in such bright sunlight. Her eyes were more narrow and far colder than the chestnut colored hues had ever been. What was wrong with her? It was like she was trying to instigate something - but what else would happen? If Banko were allowed to continue speaking, he would cover up all of his opinions with an anti-conflict dusting: tiptoe around eggshells instead of stating the blatantly necessary.

"I'll tell you, "Tashi spoke up, settling his hands in his lap, "You're looking for us to tell you that you're right."

Motsuki's hand let the cup slam down in front of her between her feet, "Hell'd you say?"

Banko's chest made a flip at the sudden claim. With the way the two aleady behaved with each other, it was safe to assume the comment would set something off. His bright eyes shifted between them in a panic, hands waving as if praying to separate them, "Hey hey... Whoa..."

"No, Banko. On the contrary, she needs to hear this." The brunette's eyes became narrow and threatening, challenging his companion. Surely it would be feeding into some unconscious will for conflict, or it could be a possibility that she was simply playing this high and mighty role so that the two would hold back, and thus let things sway in her favor. Either way, Tashi was simply not keen on letting that happen. He would tell her the raw truth - just what was necessary. "You're seeking justification." He blatantly said again. "Do you honestly want me to sit here and lie to you by saying it's appropriate for a chunin to only take on local, low-level missions?"

Incredulously glaring, the brown eyed kunoichi turned to face him. The way her shoulder hunched forward and her elbow lied across her knee, "So what? You think I could do better, right? That I'm afraid of something?"

"I never accused you of being afraid," The male put simply, shrugging his shoulder with the utmost calm, "I'm saying it's inappropriate. If you were going to sit in the comfort of the village and hoard missions you're overqualified for instead of filling the role you're suited to, why did you become a chunin?" The dull gleam in his eye let off a subtle hint of frigidity - a dangerous feel that challenged her, daring her to spill, "Better yet. Why did you become a kunoichi?"

Her brown eyes widened significantly.

There was a quiet silence that wafted around with an uncomfortable chill from a sudden breeze.

Why did she become a ninja? It was a basic question. So why hadn't she an answer?

Her nose wrinkled deeply as she let loose a darkened glare and frustrated growl. Who was he to ask a question like that? Here in recent years they had gotten along - but it was clear to her now that his actions of belittling her still fed that raging superiority complex. "How about you shut the Hell up, huh?"

"You're afraid of dying." He stated blatantly. "You've felt its effects twice - and so close together. It's natural that you begin to question when you're next." He pushed up to his feet, standing with the female that had leaped up out of pure reaction.

"So what? A ninja can't do that either?" She stepped up to him, carelessly kicking over the cup of the drink that sat up in her way, "You just gonna keep feeding me that? What a ninja should and shouldn't do?" A smirk coiled onto her lips. Despite the very slight height difference, the way in which she peered up at him almost gave the illusion the altitude was working in her favor. Very little distance separated them, her voice growing quieter to fit the place, but much more coarse and dark than before, "How ya gonna tell me what a ninja's supposed to be afraid of, if you can't even step up to your mommy and daddy hn?" Her hands pressed to his chest, giving him a rough shove.

Tashi gained his footing without too much trouble nor delay. He stood back up in the same proximity, glancing down with a tranquility that could be described as eerie, "You're afraid you'll leave the village unprepared, and have your name carved in that stone." He blatant spoke, tipping his head up for his nose to reach for the air, "Who cares if I can't stand up to them? I was born into a lifestyle that I'm learning to navigate. You chose to be a ninja. Please. give me another excuse. I'm waiting for what nonsense you'll try to use as a crutch this time."

"Tsk." A bitter chuckle huffed for just a brief moment, "I don't even know why I asked you. Shouldn't you be scrubbing floors for daddy's love?"

Banko stepped up, finally seizing the moment to try ending the escalating feud before something worse took place. "Hey now... We don't need t'be throwing around harsh-"

"Oh, who asked you," Normally the comment would be taken with a playful roll off of the shoulders. This tie around with tensions running high, the chocolate-eyed girl shifted her attack to the approaching target, "You're a poor excuse for a shinobi - tottling behind Kioto here to make up for your shortcomings. Oh-so-typical."

An unfamiliar glint appeared in Banko's eye momentarily. He raised his hands to them both, but his gaze rested unwaveringly on Motsuki. "Look," He spoke sternly, strongly, and with a confidence that only one of the two others knew he harbored, "It's true. I'm no expert. But I won't let you put down what I do." He turned fully to her now, glowering down with a shocking intimidation, "If you think you're the only one with problems: You're not. If you think you're the only one afraid of something - You're not." He stepped a fraction of a step closer, almost as though his foot were hesitating for her sake, "But pushing your insecurities on me... forget that. At least I'm trying."

A jolt shot through her chest. It was slight... but she felt it. It wasn't painful - no, not for long. The real ache came in comprehension. She led this group. That's how it had always been. She was in good graces for her uncle. That's how it had always been. She clenched her fists tightly. Everything was changing - all because she was screwing up, right? No, everyone had a complaint because she was weak.

Feeling warmth seep into her face, she backed away. There was the stangest blur in her vision. She could feel something coming ,and she certainly wouldn't be there to let them see it. Not to let them see they got to her. She turned quickly on her heel, beginning to storm away.

"Ah," Guilt washed through Banko, his hand reaching out in a futile attempt to stop the fleeing girl, "Motsuki wait... I-"

"Screw off!"

As he moved to pursue, he could feel Tashi had clasped a hand on his shoulder.

"Tashi, we can't just let her-"

"Let it be," He spoke, watching her become more distant, "She's having her own struggle. But I know her type." He let his hand drop, falling back by his side as he turned to retake his seat.

"...Her type.. Tashi are you sure she can really just be lumped together with a type..?"

"She's stubborn," He offered a clean cut answer, his eyes now fixed further out to the gates that were further out in his field of vision, "If you let her feel she got her way, she'll never find the need to change. You have to be tough with her for her to understand the message..."

A gentler breeze came out to greet the males this time, stirring a few wayward leaves along the way.

"So then... What will happen now?" The grassy haired male shifted his gaze to his left, awaiting something hopeful from this ordeal as he took a seat at his side.

Tashi kept his gaze fixed, peering past his wind-stroked hair to watch the silhouettes that had just appeared up on the Leaf Village horizon, "We have no say in that. The choices she makes are her choices. We'll have to wait and see what that means."

The two remained there in silence for a moment.

Everything had happened so fast that day. They had nearly forgotten what they had gathered there for in the first place. Word had it that a couple of squads were supposedly returning from quite the important mission. They were only, as Motsuki had so-gracefully put it 'waiting to see what they look like'.

"It's the blonde guy again, "Banko spoke up, voice softer than prior to that day. He momentarily let his eyes lower to the pink juice that pooled on the ground. He wasn't staring, was he?

His eyes abruptly widened as he noticed a good portion of the color turn a dark red-like hue. "Ah..." He finally broke his gaze, letting his eyes wander up. A shadow... Someone had walked over it. So that's all it was. He was so on edge now, it was hard to say it like there was nothing wrong. He glanced up, seeing a male clad in white at his side.

"Tashi," The white-eyed male spoke with a sense of urgency despite harboring the tone of tire. The poor guy sounded a little exhausted, but he held his solemn countenance regardless.

Tashi's brow furrowed, his hands smoothing the robe-like clothing he wore as he rose to his feet, "Neji." The tone sounded far from confident. He didn't seem to be faltering this boy or anything... but it was clear he was bordering on the side of confusion as to why he was confronting him this way - and so suddenly. After all, Tashi had only seen this boy just enter the village with a rather... strange and full congregation of ninja. Hadn't he been one of the ones to return from this very 'important' mission? What was so urgent that he had to see with him right then?

"I have to speak with you in private," Neji replied promptly, wasting no time in getting right to the point. "It is of the utmost importance, but I ask that it stays confidential."

Tashi let a wary eye motion to Banko, but the latter ninja seemed more than fine with the situation. "No no," Banko spoke up, waving his hand off in assurance, "I understand if you need to go. Sounds real important."

Tashi only offered a nod, thanking him in that gesture as he and Neji took to making their way hastily down the Konoha streets.

Banko peered back only momentarily before letting his chin lower slowly back into his hands. His orange gaze once again became fixated on the puddle of juice left behind in the aftermath, "Take your time..."

A/N: So. Who had fun ripping their heart out? *Raises hand* Meeeee! I diddddd! ahem. Yeah... ;-; everything's falling apaaaaart.