Hello everyone! XD I apologize for making this craptastic fic so long, and I apologize if I'm annoying anyone. So...chapter eleven :3 I think this one's kinda lame, and kinda repetitive, but I hope you enjoy it, anyways!

Something went wrong last time I updated. Words jsut like XD dissappeared. so there would be incomplete sentences everywhere. Anyhow, I went back and fixed it, and I hope nothing oes wrong this time XDD So I apologize if anything really sounds wrong, or incomplete n.n;;

On an unrelated note:D that friend is writing a story using his Mist OC, Naoko! XD our fics kinda overlapp, so eventually, Naoko will be mentionned in this fic, and Kotone and Hiraku have both been mentionned in his. So, yeah! go check it out n.n :3 His penname is "Nobukane" and the sory is called "Tears" n.n

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, and Naoko, who I mentionned, belongs to Nobukane.

Kotone stayed sitting up on her knees, numbly, for a long moment, as her brain raced, trying to process what the heck hat just happened. She examined the burning red patch of skin at her wrist, frowning. He had hurt her before, certainly, but always during training, never out of anger, before. She stood, and plunked herself back down on her own mat, eyes closed in contemplation.

Had she been younger, and more foolish, she would have run after him, and given it right back, and then some. But no, not now.

Her training on strategy, and analysis of an opponent, which had been her favourite subject, had taught her better than to focus on the wound itself. It was his reasoning she was trying to unravel, and found herself completely stumped. Her partner did not behave that way. As many different ways as she tried to look at it, her conclusion was always the same. That was not the boy she'd trained with for so long. This was either some sort of bizarre test on their teacher's part, or Zabuza had completely lost his mind. As frightening as it was to admit, the second option seemed most likely.

A nervous, sick feeling settled itself in her stomach. He wasn't well. He wasn't rational, and she had let him wander off on his own.

But she resigned herself to staying put. She'd wait for him to cool off, and then certainly, he'd return, be coherent enough to actually make sense, and explain what had lead to the startlingly sudden aggression.

But as the minutes ticked by, and he showed no sign of returning, she grew increasingly worried, her mind flickering back to their first day, huddled against the many other, mostly now-deceased students, listening in fear and awe as their kage addressed them. She had taken his words to heart. As, apparently, had he, but in another way.

"Ninja are many things to our village. But above all else, shinobi are the villages main assets. Out strongest weapons."

Yes, she remembered now. That's what he had said. But it was another part of Mizukage Sama's speech that was disquieting her now.

"They will be your training partner, as well as other responsibilities. If you are sick- sick enough to miss training, a cold is no excuse- or if you're injured, it is your partner's job to tell us, and ensure that you get treated by our medic nin."

It was her responsibility to look after him, now. She got to her feet, and made her way back to the entrance, hoping that she's spot him. And if not, that the movement may ease her restless mind. She peered out of the thick door, into the cold, misty obscurity over the sea. The rain was falling harder now, pounding against the ocean, a dull roaring meeting her ears.

She turned, and checked their classrooms, and only returned to the dorm heavyhearted after hearing nothing from outside of the boy's change room. 'Where is he?' Kotone sighed, and began to pace back and forth between one end of their sleeping area, and the other, aware, but too busy to worry about, the eyes of the other children, that followed her. Most of them were frowning in annoyance. The four boys who had ventured out to the village returned some time later, soaking and shivering miserably.

"If you get lost, guess who's obligation it is to find you? Your teachers will have other things to worry about."

The dark haired nine year old bit her lip, fists clenching. There were two rules they had sworn to follow. To follow one, she would have to break the other. Kotone stood, taking a deep steady breath. "Excuse me?" There was no answer, and she inhaled again, to balance herself, turning to the boy closest to her. He seemed about her age, his face half covered by his curly brown hair. He sniffled, pulling a tissue from his pocket, clearly fighting some sort of cold, his eyes watery. She bit her lip, and tries again, more forcefully. "Excuse me!"

Silence. Every boy, and the two other females, stopped dead, and slowly turned to look at the panicked girl, blinking in surprise. They had been told on their first day no to speak to anyone outsode of their team. No one had dared break Mizukage sama's orders prior.

Kotone looked desperately from one pair to another, hearing several harsh whispers, of 'who the hell is that?' or something to that effect. Truly, it was only now that she was actually trying to communicate that she really saw any of them. They might as well all have been strangers, save perhaps the dark green haired boy, near the back, who's older sister was simply eyeing her calmly. She, unlike the others, looked almost... pleased.

"Please," At least she had their attention. "Has anyone seen my partner?" His name would been nothing to them, she realised. "He's a little bit shorter than I am... dark hair, dark eyes... probably frowning...Did any of you see him on your way back from the village? He's been gone more than an hour now, and in this weather, that can't be good."

It was a long time before the partner of the boy with the cold-who broke the silence with a violent coughing fit- answered her, his voice shaking and cracked. "Shut up."

"What? Please, I'm only trying to-"

"Shut up!" He was glaring now, as were most of the others. With the exception of the perplexed Hiraku, and the ever-serene Shinju. "You'll get us all in trouble. Keep your damn mouth shut! Before one of them hears you! Do you want us all to be punished?" The others behind him nodded their agreement.

"Fine!" Her eyes narrowed angrily. "Don't help me," She started for the exit with a frustrated groan, pulling the hood of her vest back over her head. "I'd do better by myself anyways." She decided, still thinking bitterly about their blatant indifference.

It was only when she left the shelter of the outcropping over the path to the academy that the storm hit her full force. Her feet splashed clumsily in the muddy ground, as she made her way back to the training area. It was the place they spent the most time, and if anywhere, she could be pretty sure that's where he'd have gone.

It was cold, and her now rain soaked clothing clung to her skin heavily. Her bare arms were throughly chilled, as she clasped each with the opposite hand, in a futile attempt to save some heat.

By the time she neared the practice ground, she was breathing irregularly, trying to ignore the scratchy, burning at the back of her throat, that was becoming more and more irritated as she ran. 'Damn it,' she cursed inwardly. 'That stupid jerk gave me his cold. He probably got his germs all over breakfast this morning.'

"Zabuza kun?" Kotone called, trying to be heard over the pounding rain, as she slowed down, her momentum carrying her a few jogging paces into the clearing, before she stopped, the boy nowhere in sight. She punched at the nearest birch tree in frustration, exhaling noisily. At this rate, she'd never find him, and had half a mind to pummel him if she ever did.

The rain had washed the paths clean, any hope of footprints long since lost. She frowned, thinking to herself that even the village's hunter nin would be hesitant to try tracking today. But a smile flashed across her face as something caught her eye. Proof the rain couldn't wash away.

The kunai was gone. He'd been here.

It wasn't much, but it was a start. Feeling encouraged, she took off again, to search the other places they frequented.

vvvvvvvvv

A coughing fit racked the girl's small frame, as she stumbled slightly in the rain-swept trail. Nothing. Two hours of searching have given absolutely nothing.

She was now shivering helplessly, looking very much like a drowned rat, the water had soaked right through her hood, and plastered her dark hair to her face. She continued on, whispering swear words to herself, wondering what it was she'd done to bring on this terrible luck. No sooner had this thought crossed her mind, something hard grazed her cheek. She squeaked, as another hit, then more, mostly stinging her arms. Hail? It was cold enough for freezing rain? She chuckled to herself bitterly. 'Wonderful,'

She covered her mouth, as she coughed again, grating her aching throat. Her chant as she'd searched had been several variations of 'I'll kill him. If he's alive when I find him, I'll freaking kill him.' But now, she had lost the energy for that spunk, and was now miserably pleading with Kami sama to let him turn up, so they could home, and get out of this blasted storm.

She trudged along the main road, still clutching her arms as her dripping hair sent streams of water trickling down her face. All her searching had left her with only one place to look. She knew it was a longshot, since her partner had let it slip that a jonin had found him wandering around a smaller village, along the southern coast, but maybe, just maybe, she'd find him along the road into Kirigakure no sato. Naturally, there wouldn't be any sadly nostalgic little hideaways from his days on the streets, there, as there were for her, but it was worth a shot. If nothing else, the hospital was located in the village. She could see if he had hurt himself, and been found somewhere. Usually, this would have upset her, but now, she was too cold and tired to be too affected by her thoughts.

Her feet and hands had growing numb, but as she plodded along the gravelly road, she found that a tingling burning sensation was creeping into her chilled skin. She sighed happily, thinking that finally, she had begun to warm up.

The coughing gradually got worse, and a horrible constriction had taken hold of her chest with each breath. It wasn't really painful, but she had constant awareness of it's presence. She looked down, to see that her once again deadened fingers, which were stuck in place clutching at the sides of her saturated jacket, had taken on a pale, and slightly blue tinge.

She halted in the middle of the muddy path, raindrops and hail beating down on her now stationary form mercilessly, as she inclined her head thoughtfully for a moment. She was going to the village, but...why? It took her a moment to remember, before she set off again, shaking her head wearily at her own stupidity.

The heavy stickiness in her chest grew worse, until a deep breath brought about a stabbing pain, and a rough coughing fit. She was trembling violently now, and was only half aware of the signpost she found. She was almost at the village. It would be stupid to turn back now. Where was back, again? She again found herself at a loss, for destination or purpose. She was headed along this path, that much she knew. But where it led and what she had been searching for escaped her, as another aching, wheezing cough shook her, whatever substance it was clogging her lungs refusing to budge at all.

Kotone finally staggered into the village, though that hardly registered to the half-conscious girl. She fell, hitting the pavement phlegmatically, feeling an odd sort of pain, as though she had stepped on a foot that was asleep, but it was universal throughout the rest of her as well. The fall tripped yet another agonizing bout of coughs. She got back to her feet, only to stumble again, this time only bothering to sit up. Her sandals were squishing , cold water running around her foot with each step. She drowsily pulled each off, with frost nipped fingers, leaving them haphazardly in the road. Her soaked sweater, as well, she removed.

Sleep consumed her hazy thoughts. To find a nice, quiet, cozy place, and just sleep. Looking around weakly, she spotting a small little corner in a nearby alley, between a brick wall, and a large metal box her foggy mind couldn't identify.

Finding herself unable to stand, she crawled her way over, wearily, smiling as she reached the spot, curling up between the metal and brick, hugging her knees to her tight, constricted, and aching chest. Kotone's eyes slid shut, and her already lethargic breathing slowed to a crawl, as the unconsciousness she had stopped trying to fight flooded her senses.

...sorry for the cheese XD -hit with a shoe- I'm sorry this is so lame XDD but anyways... I did alot of research on Hypothermia, but I think I may have screwed everything up. XD also, according to wikipedia XD Terminal burrowing ( looking for small closed spaces) and Paradoxical undressing ( um... undressing XD) happen with hypothermia. So...um... This is really weird, but the fact that she has her shoes off makes a difference in the next chapter n.n Yeah XDD I suck, I know. DX

So I hope you enjoyed it, please, please review, ( It makes me incredibly happy :'D )and have an awesome day :3