Chapter 8: The Sun Always Set

Konoha Graveyard, Konohagakure no Sato (1703 hours September 23 7 AK)

The evening breeze began to blow eastward, rustling the tree branches and causing the auburn leaves to fall from the low-hanging branches prematurely. It has not yet been two days into the Autumn Equinox, yet the world was showing signs of an early hibernation.

The leaves did not pile up to a great extent, but they made the atmosphere of the graveyard more melancholy then it was supposed to be. Yet, Suzu found the graveyard in autumn to be stunningly beautiful. Multi-colored leaves littered the ground everywhere, painting the Earth in a sea of vibrant marigold, crimson and vermilion. With the heavily driven wind, the leaves were lifted off the ground and appeared to dance around, like a group of pixies in the middle of an enchanted magic fountain.

Regardless of the scenic beauty of the graveyard, Suzu came here for more than admiring nature at its finest. No, she came here to find herself. It was the beginning of a long and arduous journey. To regain her past and to mold her future. This was but a stepping stone for the insightful young girl. She was uncertain what the truth may hold, but she was going to face it head first. She was strong. She knew she was strong. She worked so hard to become strong, and there was nothing that was going to hold her back…

Except for the Toad Sage.

Really, they should have arrived at the graveyard over an hour ago. But, the gallant Jiraiya insisted on taking a detour at the nearest bathhouse. He claimed it was for "research," and that he would only settle for a firsthand account of his subjects. Suzu had no choice but to go along with him on whatever escapade Jiraiya was planning.

She wasn't expecting his escapade to be spying at bathing women.

Taking cover behind a fence fixed with a convenient hole for viewing pleasures, Jiraiya "observed" his subjects in the most lecherous way imaginable. He subconsciously salivated as he jotted down notes pertaining to his topic, from bust size to the minute details of the nipples.

Suzu, being a sheltered, lonely, uncultured girl with a healthy imagination and a juvenile innocence that would make any child envious, couldn't help but feel curious about what exactly Jiraiya was staring at. There was a fierce struggle for 15 minutes between the 6 year old girl and the 45 year old man to see what exactly was behind that fence.

And their quarrel wasn't necessarily silent, either.

So, as Suzu watched the wind carry around the beautiful leaves majestically, Jiraiya was slowly recovering from the brutal beat down he received by the hands of those vixens. His face was black-eyes and bruises galore, with over-exaggerated bumps scattered all throughout. Jiraiya was very proud of his "sexy" appearance, but even he wouldn't want to go look in a mirror after what those women did to him.

Playing off her age and apparent naiveté, Suzu escaped without a scratch, further infuriating the Toad Sage.

"Ojou-chan," Jiraiya began with a sigh, catching Suzu's attention. "When you grow up, don't ever be like those women. Treat your men with love and respect, and he will never…ever have anything to fear from you." He gave this advice while rubbing all the bruises on his face. Jiraiya was really wishing for some ice right about now. His bruises flared with pain as he remembered his antics with his brutish teammate. He merely wanted to commend her well-endowed bosom, not be launched into the Hokage Monument from the other side of town…

"Hmm?" Suzu mumbled, earnestly confused about Jiraiya's advice.

"Errr, forget it…" Jiraiya grumbled.

'Then again, I probably shouldn't have brought the little girl with me while I was researching…' Jiraiya thought in hindsight. 'This experience perhaps scarred her for life… Nah, she should be just fine.' Jiraiya looked at Suzu once again. Outwardly she exuded an innocent, untainted demeanor. But if what his sensei said was true, then she was already dealing with a lot of mental complications as it was. 'Definitely. A child who would murder her own parents at such a tender age probably wouldn't be traumatized by something that would pale in comparison. But I'm not a Yamanaka. Gosh I really shouldn't be thinking about this…'

"Neh, Gama Sennin," Suzu called out to Jiraiya using the most polite way of referring to his "Toad Sage" title. "Where's my mom?"

"She's not too far from here." Jiraiya responded. "Here, I'll show you were she's at."

Jiraiya and Suzu walked along the sea of leaves, making small talk on trivial topics. While Suzu was enjoying herself around Jiraiya, Jiraiya was keeping a mental note of all of Suzu's tics. He paid close attention to the way she walked, how she carried herself when she talked, what muscles she used when she performed certain actions, whether or not she would be distracted by the happenings of the environment, anything really to know the girl better. In truth, this whole trip to the graveyard was a ruse by Jiraiya to study the girl more personally.

Although he could not hate the girl for what she did, his emotions got the best of him. He could not move on until he was certain of Suzu's true personality. He wanted to do a personal diagnostic of the girl who killed off his final living student. Ultimately, the best way for that goal to be accomplished was to observe her reaction to her mother's grave. Everything was prepared for that moment. That one moment will determine Suzu's true persona. From there, Jiraiya will make his final judgment.

After some walking, they reached a secluded plot of land, quite a distance away from the entrance of the graveyard. Shinobi who died in combat would have had their names engraved in a special memorial, but Shiina and Mumei were not given that luxury. They were to be buried in a fashion similar to most civilians in Konoha.

Jiraiya and Suzu stood in front of two graves. The graves were marked "Fujibayashi Shiina" and "Fujibayashi Mumei" respectively. Jiraiya was already here earlier today, paying his respects to a family that he felt at ease with. Shiina and Mumei were truly some precious people in his life, as precious as his prodigal protégé. He came as fast as he could when he first heard the news. Alas, he was an entire continent away, chasing rumors of a suspicious boy who strangely resembled his third student. As enticing as the rumors were, coming from a reliable source, the news of Shiina's death took precedence. Besides, while the rumor was credible, there was no definitive chance that the boy really was him…

Jiraiya eyed the small girl, examining every detail possible. A shinobi was supposed to look underneath the underneath, as he would preach his students; as was preached to him by his own sensei.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could find in the girl. She stood there, motionless, merely staring at the slab of concrete plastered on the ground. The tombstone was the only thing remaining in this world that proved that Shiina had once existed, and that she had died. He couldn't say Suzu was also evidence towards that fact. Shiina might have, but when she loved something, she did so blindly and haphazardly. She could not handle Minato's rejection when she confessed her love to him, and nearly killed herself using his gifted kunai. If it wasn't for Mumei, he was certain that Shiina would have been the first casualty of Team Jiraiya.

Jiraiya decided to see if he could elicit a response from Suzu. He placed a hand on her shoulder, which caused the little girl to jump, startled. That wasn't the response he wanted…Maybe she really was in deep thought.

"You know, back in her Academy days, your mom was known as 'Lil Miss Useless.'" Jiraiya recalled, laughing at the nickname. "Your mom was an absolute klutz at all things. She kept tripping too, as if there were pitfalls littered all over the place. Nobody ever thought that she was gonna get far in the shinobi world. She was horrendous in all of her subjects, a pretty bad athlete, and not the best kunoichi around. Trust me; she couldn't stiffen a limp noodle, even if she took off everything, HAHAHAHAH!"

Suzu just stood there, looking at the tombstone. Jiraiya wasn't sure whether or not she was actually listening, but he decided to continue anyways. Somehow, remembering all of the things that made Shiina who she was really uplifted the Toad Sage. It was soothing, to say the least.

"Out of a mere stroke of luck, she passed her Academy tests. Granted, she was dead last. But at least she was a shinobi. The stubborn girl wasn't satisfied though. When we had to introduce each other, she was literally crying her eyes off, begging me to find her something that she could be good at. Guess what I told her?"

Suzu did not respond. She was intently focused on the tombstone. He assumed she was trying really hard to remember what exactly happened to her. He continued anyways.

"Went up to her, looked her dead in the eyes, and told her 'Just gotta find something to make your own.' I even shrugged my shoulder too. Kinda badass. I was pretty sure I won style points with her, cuz she just looked at me like I was some sort of god. So she goes around, pokes her nose in all sorts of places, and finds out that she really enjoyed ninja tools. She loved toying with them, changing them up with her chakra, and enhancing their durability and attack power. She was actually pretty darn gifted with that."

"After finding what she was good at, she and her teammates eventually became Chuunin. It was time to give them the test of elemental affinity, like you would do with all recently promoted Chuunin. So I hand her a piece of chakra paper, not expecting much. I know, how could I? I'm a bad teacher kid, what could I tell ya? Anyways, imagine my surprise when the paper all of a sudden crinkled, doused, burned, and turned to dust? My jaw literally hit the dirt. Who would have thought that the dead last would have an elemental affinity for FOUR elements? Man, you would not hear this kind of stuff unless we were talking about the Rikudō Sennin…"

Jiraiya paused for a second, thinking about his own past. What he has been through. The things that he saw. That kid with the red hair in Amegakure. "…Anyways, the closest anyone got to her elemental prestige is that old coot in Iwa. I was proud of the girl. But she was super ecstatic. She finally found something she was truly good at."

He reached inside his satchel again. This time, he pulled out a red card. "After some time, she eventually created a new branch of ninjutsu. Called it 'Ninbukijutsu.' She then made her own style, the 'Igaguri School of Ninbukijutsu.' With that, your mom became a legend. Here Ojou-chan."

Jiraiya handed the red card to Suzu. "It's a card imbued with Katon. It was her idea to combine the power of her elemental affinities with the efficiency of her trust weapons using fūinjutsu. It made even sappy cards like these deadly. Careful; it's warm to the touch."

Suzu finally turned around to retrieve the card that Jiraiya was handing over. When they met eyes, what Jiraiya saw unnerved him a little bit. The innocence that once shined ever so brightly in her eyes was gone, replaced with a bland, solemn stare. A deathlike gaze, one that saw passed you. Those apathetic eyes…he knew them very well. He was accustomed to seeing them every day in the battlefield. But seeing them on a child…

She reached out and took the card from his hands, cradling it very affectionately. It was completely contradictory to her current demeanor. Or maybe she was cradling it for a more sinister reason?

"Neh, Gama Sennin…" Suzu said, speaking the first words since she arrived at the grave site. Jiraiya leaned in closer to hear what Suzu wanted to say. She smiled…No, smile wasn't the word for it. Rather, she grinned maliciously, coupled with those eyes.

"Have I…Have I gotten stronger?"

Hokage Monument, Konohagakure no Sato (1825 hours October 10, 7 AK)

'Happy Fucking Birthday…'

Naruto sat atop the highest point of the Yondaime's head, contemplating about his "crappy" life so far. It's been two weeks since the faithful decision by the Hokage to separate Naruto and Suzu from each other. Naruto has since been living the sweet life.

Or what would be the sweet life for someone ostracized by his fellow villagers for what appears to be no reason.

He was extremely happy to be out of that gods forsaken orphanage. Loneliness was the most difficult thing he had to go through during his time at Komatsuzaki Homes. It was even worse than the bullying and the name calling. Hell, it was even worse than being forced to live in a tool shack.

'Heh, that tool shack…'

He was secretly grateful for being placed in the tool shack. If any good were to come from that, it would be that adapting to life in a one room apartment was swimmingly easy. He wasn't nervous, didn't feel homesick, or anything of that sort. He just slipped into habit. It became second nature, really, to live alone.

The first couple of days were some of the happiest in Naruto's life. He was filled with excitement about his new place and just could not wait until he moved in. The Hokage even allocated one of his ANBU to assist in the moving process.

Naruto knew that all ANBU were supposed to be quiet and removed, as their profession demanded absolute proficiency in all things they do. But Dog seemed completely different from all the ANBU Naruto has met (And that's not many, considering that they need to be stealthy at all times). He couldn't tell from the mask, but Dog gave of the impression that he was concerned over Naruto's well-being. They had really nice conversations, especially about the Yondaime, who Naruto admired more than anything. Turns out that Dog really liked the Yondaime too. But when Naruto wanted to talk more in depth, Dog immediately silenced.

Not that he minded though. In actuality, Naruto was content that someone talked to him like he was a normal human being. Frankly, he felt really lucky. It was in such a short span of time, but Naruto made two friends outside of Hokage-jiji. Dog and Suzu.

Which brought Naruto today, sitting on the top of his most esteemed idol, spilling profanities at his own life.

He couldn't possibly forget that confrontation in the Hokage's office. He couldn't forget Suzu's words, or her appearance. And most importantly of them all, he could never forgive himself for his reaction.

Naruto lamented every fiber of his being for even reacting the way that he did. He promised her, as her best friend, that he would never judge Suzu. And then he went back on his word.

It disgusted him to no end. How he coward away from Suzu like a sniveling wimp when she began to change. What he should have done was hanged on to her; remind her constantly that he was there for her. Maybe even hug her.

That thought made Naruto blush. There was no way that Suzu would allow him to hug her. He was a guy, and she was a girl. That was a boundary, he was sure, that not even Suzu could ever cross.

Shaking his thoughts away, Naruto went back on track. He couldn't forgive himself for what he did, but that paled in comparison to his thoughts on Suzu's revelation.

That she killed her own parents.

Naruto had no words to describe what he felt when he learned of that inconvenient truth. The first thing that came into mind was what the bullies had called her when they were giving the two a beat down.

They had called her a murderer. 'Maybe there wasn't any lie in those claims…' Naruto shortly after the revelation.

Regret was what he felt today on his birthday. Powerful, seeping regret that threatened to shut him down as a person.

Naruto couldn't handle so much regret in his life.

He wondered what the Yondaime would do if he were in Naruto's shoes. The Yondaime, on this very day, selflessly sacrificed his life to defeat the dreadful Kyuubi no Kitsune. He was certain that the Yondaime lived a life without regret.

Maybe that's what Naruto should do from here on out. Maybe he should just live his life to the fullest. Never look back. Never give up…

'Dammit…I should have never gave up on Suzu.' Naruto thought, slamming his fist on the ground. 'She needed me, and I…ran away…'

He didn't understand why Hokage-jiji would separate his one true friend from him. Didn't he actually care? Maybe Suzu was right about the man. Maybe he was nothing but a big, fat liar.

"But sometimes a white lie is necessary to protect the ones you love." Naruto said out loud, in his best impersonation of the old man. He even closed his eyes in an elderly squint and crossed his arms together like a thinker would. Yeah, the old man would say something like that. He was always so cool and wise, and Naruto used to think of him as infallible.

But now he thought otherwise. No one is perfect in this world. If the Yondaime was perfect, he'd probably would have survived the Kyuubi attack unscathed. Maybe then Naruto wouldn't have lost his parents…

'Woah, when did I start thinking about that?' Naruto questioned. It never crossed his mind, but the question of Naruto's own parents was just as hazy as Suzu's memory. Hokage-jiji told him they were killed in the Kyuubi attack. But he never even mentioned their names. Could it be that…

'Gahh, this is so frustrating!' Naruto thought. Deep thought is not gonna solve anything. It won't change the fact that, once again, he'll be spending his birthday alone.

No Hokage-jiji. No Ichiraku's. No Dog. No Suzu.

His thoughts always trailed back to his closest friend. He wondered how she was doing. Hokage-jiji explicitly said that Suzu was to be kept in solitary confinement (whatever that was) until she was able to join the Academy. That meant that he wouldn't be able to see Suzu for the rest of the year!

Naruto sighed. He was living in his own apartment, and Suzu was all alone in gods-know-where, scared and frightened with Naruto by her side. Well, that was an exaggeration, since Naruto knew she could handle herself well. But he knew that she was lonely. She probably misses him, just like how he misses her.

'No!' Naruto stood from his spot, grabbing a fistful of dust. 'Enough of this bull!' He had enough of lamenting the past. He didn't want to regret anymore. He didn't want to think that he will never see his precious friend ever again. All these negative thoughts were just making him even more depressed. From that moment, Naruto decided to look on towards the future. Just like the Yondaime surely did. He vowed to change, to become someone respectable in the eyes of his friend. He wished to be a man that would never go back on his word. He knew that if he ever did so again, his precious people will only get hurt.

'Yeah, yeah! You know, maybe this could be my nindō! I kinda need to do that stupid class assignment anyways…'

That became his resolution. Today, on his 7th birthday, Naruto established his nindō. How he desired to live his life from this point on. A western gale blew passed Naruto as he opened his hands and released all of the dust into the setting sun. Today, he was a new person. He was to be the most reliable person he ever knew, the person anyone can come to if their life depended on it.

And as the afternoon sky slowly shifted from vermillion blanket to an indigo cover, the words sealing his pact were spoken from Naruto's mouth.

"Dattebayo!"

?, ? (? hours ? ?, ?)

"Where are you going?"

"…I cannot say…"

"Out for another mission then?"

"…"

"Again! Why are you doing this?"

"Because I must protect my village."

"And your village is more important than your own flesh and blood?"

"…"

"Do you not understand why you joined them? You were to keep tabs on them and report any useful intel to me!"

"…"

"And yet, you have not even spoken a word about them at all! No information regarding defensive structures, exposable leaks in the system, blind spots, nothing in the slightest! Have you no shame?"

"…The path which our family is heading will most certainly lead to our demise."

"And that path will most definitely be assured due to you unwillingness to cooperate!"

"…"

"…You've changed."

"I am still who I was before."

"No. You've changed ever since he died. You, the instrument who orchestrated his untimely death."

"…"

"You do not deny it?"

"I will be heading out now, Otou-sama."

"You are no son of mine! I could never helped conceived a child so…treacherous! The likes of you that do not appreciate the values that your family has instilled upon you since your birth do not deserve to share the same genetic makeup as I!"

"Do what you will of me. Your opinions are no longer any of my concern."

"Grrr…wretched brat!"

"I'm off."

"…"

"…"

"…Otou-sama…"

Undisclosed Location, Konohagakure no Sato (1825 hours October 10, 7 AK)

"Happy Birthday, Naruto."

Hiruzen had selected a closed-off portion of the Nara forests, with permission from Nara Shikaku, to build a small cabin that would house Suzu for the remainder of her confinement. She was not allowed to leave outside of 30 meters of the vicinity, effectively isolating her from the rest of the world. Following her visit to her mother's grave site, Suzu quietly obliged with Hiruzen's sentence. She could gain nothing from vocal opposition, and with her current record, it was highly doubtful that she could even convince anyone, anyways.

So she spent the rest of Naruto's birthday as she would any other day: alone in fetal position away at some corner of her cabin. There was no drive for her to do anything with her time, considering that she could not interact with anyone at all for the rest of year. It was an existence void of any true meaning, merely waiting for time to pass on. For when she would be able to see her Naruto-kun again.

On occasion, she would stare at the card the Gama Sennin gave to her. It was indeed warm to the touch, providing her with solace from the steadily changing autumn temperature. She considered his words very carefully as he spoke of her mother.

Ninbukijutsu…this style piqued her interest greatly. Using chakra to enhance the power of ninja tools was common practice. It was what allowed shinobi to have an upper-hand against opponents like samurai or against common thugs and bandits. However, implementing elemental chakra to a weapon was a skill only the most capable shinobi could attempt. Ninbukijutsu was, in effect, the refinement of the craft. Katas written by Shiina herself described in stunning detail which weapons were best affiliated with which elemental chakra. It contained instruction on the precision of chakra control mandated to perform this art, so not every shinobi with an elemental affinity could easily pick up the craft.

Staring into the warm, red card, Suzu made it her desire to learn the craft one day. With the untimely death of her mother in her own daughter's hands, Ninbukijutsu was unable to actually be completed. Suzu wanted to pick up where she left off and transform the art into something uniquely her own.

She would not neglect her kenjutsu as well. The tight, rigid schedule of the orphanage left no time in the day for Suzu to practice, and her beloved bokken was confiscated from her after she committed her act against the bullies. But the mundane and lengthy aspects of her regular day left a lot of time to be spent.

Several knocks on the door disrupted Suzu's thoughts. It was that time of day again.

Around 1830 hours, An ANBU agent would deliver Suzu's dinner to her. It may not be much, but Suzu looked forward every day to the presence of another human being, even if they wore a mask to cloak their identity.

Different ANBU were assigned to deliver her food each day, but two of the ANBU were regulars. Cat often assisted Suzu in her bokken training when Suzu wasn't moping around silently lamenting her life. Suzu saw Cat as a sort of big sister, who knew all of the right things to say concerning her training.

But it was Dog who had the closest relationship to Suzu. Suzu and the ANBU were to have a strictly formal relationship with each other. Nothing was supposed to go further than the typical delivering of food or assistance in daily activity, as in Cat's case. Yet Dog took their relationship a step further.

Dog was unlike the other ANBU who came to Suzu. Dog was kind and considerate, and often engaged in friendly chats with the little girl. He would always bring that small book with the orange cover, Make-Out Paradise or whatever was written in the cover, and Suzu would always be so interested in what exactly was the plot. She would always sneak a look, but Dog would just disappear and reappear elsewhere, always managing to catch whim of Suzu's movements before she could ever catch a glimpse. He would even read on the ceiling of the cabin, much to Suzu's surprise.

In short, Dog was really cool. He was pretty laidback and apathetic to a lot of things, but he was super cool.

And Dog was delivering today's dinner to Suzu.

"Good evening, Dog-chan," Suzu greeted, adding the "chan" honorific as a form of effeminate affection.

"Good evening, Suzu-chan." Dog replied. "I hope you like Katsudon (steamed rice with breaded pork cutlet and chicken). That's what's on the menu for today's dinner."

Suzu retrieved her food from Dog. "Thank you." She said with a bow. "Itadakimasu!"

She removed the wooden chopsticks that were stuck together and proceeded to eat her food. The food that the ANBU provide was actually really tasty, unlike the grotesque slop that the orphanage fed their children.

"Neh," Suzu asked all of a sudden.

"Hmm?" Dog replied, lowering the book he was so intently focused on.

"Do you know what 'dango' is?"

"Hmm? You don't know what dango is?"

Suzu innocently shook her head. Some of the girls back at the orphanage used talk about how tasty dango was. They mentioned that dango was extremely sweet and melts in the mouth. Suzu was very envious of the girls: she was smitten with all things sweet and delicious.

She never got the opportunity to try out different kinds of food in the orphanage. The monotonous schedule and underfunding due to the village's prioritized budget meant that the orphanage did not have a variety of dishes to serve. Suzu never went out of the orphanage to try out different restaurants or food shops, and she was not close enough with anyone to receive sweets from them. Whatever sweets she did get, she cherished and relished with everything she held in her heart. She still salivates when she thinks about the first time she had mochi.

"Well, dango are rice dumplings. Three to four dango are usually served with a skewer. There are many different types of dango; I can't really name them all." Dog thought for a moment. "Actually, I do have a comrade that loves dango. She's a bit…eccentric, for lack of a better word. I would introduce you, but as an ANBU I cannot disclose any information that may compromise my identity."

Suzu nodded. She understood completely. She was okay with that, though. The thought was what counts though, and she really appreciated Dog's concern towards her.

"Could you…could you sneak some dango for me next time?" Suzu asked.

"If I can manage it, then sure." Dog answered.

"Thank you very much."

Dog carried on with his book. With a clap of her hand, Suzu had finished her meal. It was silent in the cabin, with the ambiance of the forest at night echoing throughout the grove she was living in. Crickets chirping as twilight sank in and the leaves rustling on the trees as the evening breeze blew past. Now that dinner was over, Suzu had nothing else to do for the day. After a while, Dog would say his farewells and leave Suzu all alone. She didn't want that. Not today, not on his birthday.

"Neh, do you have to leave Dog-chan?"

Dog lowered his book. "Yes, Suzu-chan. I need to go back home and get some rest. This is my job, and rest is necessary to work efficiently."

"Do you find me boring?" Suzu asked honestly.

"No, why?"

"Because you're always reading that book, Dog-chan!" Suzu replied with a pout.

"Well Suzu-chan, I will have you know that this book is filled with adult material. It's not suitable for young children like yourself."

"Am I not suitable for you, Dog-chan?"

Dog nearly caught a coughing fit. That question came completely out of nowhere and Dog was unsure how to answer it. The obvious answer was no. But Suzu was an impressionable young girl. She might not take it well if he did not have any interest in her. But if he responded in the positive, that was grounds for accusing him of pedophilia. The last thing he wants to be accused of is pedophilia, with his future career plans at stake. So he decided to change the topic.

"Do you have any plans for the Academy, Suzu-chan?" Dog asked.

'The Academy, huh?' Suzu thought. She knew that she was going to be reunited with Naruto when she joins the Academy. But by that time, Naruto would be her sempai by several years. They would not even be able to graduate together. She would be alone all over again.

"No…" Suzu said quietly, placing her arms around her knees. "I want to be with Naruto-kun…"

"I'm certain that Naruto-kun has the same desire, Suzu-chan." Dog reassured her. "You two have a very close bond that cannot be broken by mere obstacles such as this."

"Do you think so?"

"You know," Dog said as if he just recalled something. "One of my closest friends used to have this saying: Those who break the rules and codes of the ninja world are called trash, but those who don't take care of their friends are lower than trash. Value your friendship with Naruto-kun, and that will undoubtedly allow you to grow stronger."

Suzu stared wide-eyed and in awe at Dog. 'So…cool…' She thought as he finished his monologue.

"Stay on your guard," Dog suddenly said in a very serious tone. "It appears that we have a guest."

Suzu was shocked by the change of atmosphere. Tension was building as Dog carefully removed a kunai from his pouch on his flak jacket and Suzu reached for her bokken. She knew she could not do much, but she did not want to go down unarmed.

"Peace Dog, it is merely me." A voice called out in the darkness of the night.

"Ah," Dog replied, recognizing the voice immediately. "Suzu-chan, can I have a word with you?"

Suzu was confused with Dog's request. As far as she was concerned, the tension did not dissipate and Dog unexpectedly asks for a conversation. She could not trust that voice, even if Dog held friendly relations with it. She clutched the hilt of her bokken tighter, but agreed to talk to Dog.

"Suzu-chan…" Dog said, kneeling over to reach her line of sight. It was weird for Suzu, facing eye to eye with a man that wore a mask. Oddly enough though, she felt as though she was peering into the man's very face. "Suzu-chan, I know this is going to be hard for you but…"

Suzu was bright enough to understand the hint.

"No…no…" she repeated, her eyes twitching in denial.

"I am retiring from ANBU, Suzu-chan. This was my last mission as 'Dog.'" Dog continued, regardless of the girl's breakdown.

"Please…please don't go…" Suzu pleaded. "W-what about the dango? What about reading that adult book of yours? What about bringing me food?"

"For all of those activities, with the sole exception of my book, he will be replacing me." Dog answered.

"But I don't want any replacements!" Suzu screamed. "I want you!"

"Suzu, I understand how you feel." Dog said calmly. "I have been through circumstances where my dear friends and comrades departed with me. However, I do not plan on staying in ANBU for the remainder of my life."

"But…but…"

"Mah, mah." Dog said, gently tapping her shoulders. "Neh, could you come over?"

"Yes, senpai." The voice responded. From the cloak of dusk came a silhouette. It too wore traditional ANBU uniform, but his mask was unlike any animal she had ever seen before.

"Dog-chan?" Suzu called out. Dog simply ignored her. "Dog-chan? Dog-chan!"

"I'm sorry Suzu. I enjoyed the short time that we spent together. I really do." Dog said with a hint of melancholy in his voice. He turned to the approaching shadow and addressed him as a superior officer would a recruit. "If you would, introduce yourself."

"Dog-chan, please…" Suzu continued to plead, getting on her knees and grabbing hold of his pants. "Don't leave me alone…again…"

"Very well then." The shadow affirmed. Suzu's pleas gradually quieted down as she realized the futility of her actions. Nonetheless she pestered until the very end with diminishing hope that Dog would change his mind. Once again, she was going to lose someone that she trusted, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"No…not again…"

"Good evening, Suzu-chan. If you desire, you can refer to me as 'Weasel.'"

Hey Y'all!

Thus begins the period of Suzu's isolation. Will she spark a friendship with Weasel, the "mysterious" new ANBU hired to care for her well-being, or will she cast him aside and ignore him like she did with all the others?

Suzu is rather socially inept. She's always been this way, even before she had killed her parents. Awkward when talking to people, unconcerned with the opinions of others, and generally tending to stick to herself, Suzu is incapable of forming genuine relationships. Those that she did form...well, life had its way of disagreeing.

With Dog's eventual departure, she's pretty much lost once again. So she may or may not take to Weasel's presence well. Who knows? I certainly do, and you'll just have to wait until next week to find out!

...Or maybe you have fantastic insight and can read my thoughts. Meaning you could probably guess what I am planning on coming up with. Which I reply: I fucking hate you (not really, but damn...you're good).

Now, recent events in the anime (not the manga) has led me to consider my stance on the Academy. I won't explain now, rather I'll explain in full detail at the appropriate Author's Note. Just know that this fan fiction will gradually stray from canon. Get excited for that.

Also, in coming Author's Notes, I'll be replying to any and all reviews. Look forward to that as well.

Update on story stats: 23 Reviews, 18 Favorites, 27 Followers, 1 Communities, and 1,796 Hits.

Until next time.

-Blackrazgriz 4/8/2014 11:18PM EST

NOTE (4/9/2014 7:42AM EST): Completely forgot to mention this in the Author's Note, but Shiina's nickname in this fan fiction "Lil Miss Useless" did not come out of nowhere. That is her unanimous nickname in the Tales of Symphonia speed running community, which I am a part of. She is literally that useless. You cannot rely on Sheena to do anything right, much less run through monsters when you are trying to avoid encounters... Don't let me get started on her abyssmal fighting style and stats...

NOTE (4/11/2014 5:21PM EST): Recent developments in the Naruto anime may have confirmed that Dog must have remained with the ANBU during night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre. Although it was mere snippets of the next episode, and as such nothing is absolute, my fan fiction will stay its course. Dog will still have retired on October 10, 7 AK and continued on with whatever endeavors he wished to pursue. I will make another note next week if the anime does indeed confirm Dog's stay with the ANBU.

NOTE (4/17/2014 11:44PM EST): With the release of Naruto Shippuden Episode 359, we received detailed information on the happenings of Uchiha Clan Massacre. I will incorporate that canon into my fan fiction, since I can easily make it work. Let's just say I'm a tad disappointed that I'll have to introduce Tobi a little earlier than originally planned. I was hoping to stray away from my usual writing style by not having Tobi be introduced so early in my fan fiction, but canon loves Tobi and...well...I love Tobi. He's a good boy. Dog is actually relieved from duty by order of the Sandaime Hokage and forced to become a Jounin Leader too. This occurs after the Uchiha Clan Massacre. My fan fiction will remain resolute on the fact that Dog retired from ANBU duties on Naruto's birthday, so no changes there. Also, interactions between Naruto and Sasuke during the episode has sparked my creative juices, so expect some interaction between Naruto, Sasuke, and Suzu in the coming weeks.