Chapter 20

Kimura slowly pushed himself up from the ground and stretched. He felt good in himself- no longer needed support and felt much stronger. He was pleased- they could continue with their journey now. Kimura wished to leave this house as soon as possible, as he was certain the assassin still lived- and didn't want to reward the Koiwai's kindness with danger and violence. He slowly glanced around. Of course there was the question of where his fledgling trainees had gotten to. He slowly walked out of his room to find Osaka asleep on the hallway floor. Two to go…unfortunately one of those two was Tomo, and there was no telling where that girl could end up.

"Well here goes nothing" he groaned to himself. A faint mewing caught his attention, and he leant down, finding himself face to face with the small cat Sakaki had rescued. "Come on kitty, lets go find your owner" said the man stepping outside. Just across from him, in the other room Jumbo sat slightly confused. Had that guy just said that to him?

---

Sakaki and Tomo sat on the ground together, panting, exhausted. Sakaki sat up, just about keeping up, while Tomo slumped down onto the ground. She gasped and looked up towards Sakaki.

"I think I'm dying" she gasped.

Sakaki sat, frozen, unsure whether the girl across from her was actually in any sort of danger, or if she was just over exaggerating. As though to answer her query Tomo promptly rolled over onto her stomach, belched once loudly and fell asleep. Sakaki sat still for a moment as Tomo's loud snores echoed across the forest before she finally stood up.

"Ooh Sakaki, I love it when you play dirty" muttered the girl as Sakaki slowly walked away. She paused for a moment. Best to ignore that probably. "Mmm, yes I can help you Mr Keeler."

As Tomo giggled slightly Sakaki decided the time was right to get as far away as possible. She really didn't like where the dream comments were going and so began at pace to walk away, taking large gulps of water. Finally at a long enough distance away from Tomo, she slumped to the ground. Sakaki sighed as she felt the weariness overcome her, eyes aching as she strained to keep them open. Desperate not to fall asleep in the wilderness where she was open to attack, she resisted closing her eyes for as long as possible. She finally succumbed and slipped into sleep. As Tomo snored and rolled around, Sakaki slept in a graceful silence.

---

Osaka sat with her head slumped on the table, slowly opening her eyes to notice the still imprisoned Keeler sat across from her. She looked at the man, blinked once and suddenly shot back in surprise. Keeler merely sat, waiting for the inevitable question.

"You? But how you here?" she spluttered, attempting and failing to create a proper sentence.

Still unmoving, Keeler finally spoke. "It would seem that your teacher is planning on leaving soon. As such he has had the courtesy to drag me out from that dark room and shove me down on this chair."

"Oh" replied Osaka.

"So then" said Keeler, tapping his fingers against the table, his hands still tightly bound. "You're training to become a ninja right?"

"Yeah" said Osaka nodding.

"I suppose that must be exciting huh?"

"I guess" replied Osaka, in a slightly unconfident tone. She looked slightly uneasy, a bit worried about something.

"You ok kid?" asked Keeler.

Osaka looked across at the man. She didn't know why he was asking all these questions. He was a prisoner- captured by them- so why was he talking to her so humanely? It almost didn't seem like an act. Then again she didn't have much to do until Kimura returned, and she could do with talking to someone…

"I just don't know…" she started.

"Know what?"

"I don't know if I'm ready to become a ninja- or if I ever will be."

Keeler moved back, surprised at her truthful response. He tried moving once. No current form of escape. "Why is that Miss…"

"Osaka" said Osaka cautiously. Everyone else called her that, better then to give her real name.

"So then Miss Osaka, what exactly is wrong?"

"I can't be a ninja" said Osaka, so glad to finally get her fears off her chest. "I'm weak and forgetful and just hold the team back."

"You seemed to do a good job helping your team defend themselves against me and those nitwits I was with."

"But I didn't really do anything did I? The others see it as their job to protect me" said Osaka lowering her head. "I'm useless. There are three of us- so I guess I really am a third wheel."

Keeler sat in silence for a few moments. He'd only started speaking to her to ease his own boredom. And here was the girl dismissing herself, despite her cheerful exterior having a deep problem. He paused. He had no idea what to say next. This wasn't exactly his thing.

"You had to do things to get here didn't you?"

She nodded, before placing her head back on the table. So tired. And she'd only woken up half an hour ago.

"Where there you go, you had to have something to get to this situation. You had to pass exams, impress your superior ninjas, your teachers. That's a lot more then a large bloody number of people will ever achieve."

Osaka opened her eyes and looked across at the man. She smiled faintly. "I guess that's true."

"And you care for your comrades don't you?"

"Oh yes" said Osaka suddenly sitting up. "Miss Sakaki's so kind and looks out for people and is well trained. Tomo's funny and always great to be around and she tries hard and helps me" said Osaka, speaking about her companions almost with reverence. "They're more then comrades, they are my friends" she said, now sounding more cheerful.

"Friends huh? You all like each other?"

Osaka nodded her head furiously. Well, about as furiously as Osaka could get, which wasn't a patch on Tomo or the small Yotsuba.

"Well you'd be surprised what you can do when you are with friends, when you're defending someone you truly care for" said Keeler. Osaka sat focused on the man. There appeared to be a tint of regretful nostalgia in the way he spoke. Something he'd lost a long time ago.

"What do you mean?" asked Osaka.

"Trust me kid. When the time comes that your friends are in danger, you will be able to help them. Even if you don't have faith in yourself, if someone precious to you is in danger, you will find something within you to help." By now Keeler had forgotten his situation, and for the first time in several years was able to talk from the heart. He no longer needed to worry about mercenary team mates, respect. He could finally just speak truthfully. And there was something else…a vague feeling. He liked this girl. Just like he liked that small girl who lived here- they didn't see him as scum, they saw him as something living.

He also felt a deep regret. The secrets he held were valuable, very valuable. So important he was targeted for death. As long as he remained with these people they would be attacked. But they'd also provide him with cover, increase his own chances of survival.

He was a bastard. But he'd accepted that fact a long time ago.

---

Kimura kicked his way through the bushes, the cat digging its claws into his head, the man having decided to rest the small cat on his head rather then carry it. He groaned. Boy, that one was coming back to bite him on the ass. By now sick and tired of thrusting his way through foliage, he was glad to arrive in the open. Only to notice the well maintained path that had been very close to him the whole journey.

"Very amusing" he said in an annoyed tone.

"Excuse me, are you talking to me?" asked a young person crouched down close to a bush.

"Oh no, not at all" said Kimura. Now he carried cat scratches, half of the forest's leaves and had interrupted a civilian. There was a time and place for stealth- and today he simply couldn't be bothered.

Crouched down on the floor, Haku slowly turned and glanced up at the person who had disturbed. Shocked, he immediately recognized Kimura, the man who'd almost killed his master, who talked to Zabuza disrespectfully. He gripped the herbs in his hands tightly. He would have killed the man where he stood if he had weapons. The herbs in his hands…treatment for Zabuza. He shook his head, he couldn't do that. His master wanted the pleasure, and deserved the honour, of killing this man.

"So what's a girl like you doing out here at a time like this?" asked Kimura.

"Oh, I'm just collecting some things to help a friend" replied Haku. He feigned surprise. "Wait, that headband- are you a ninja?" he asked.

"Why yes actually I am" said Kimura. "I'm a Jonin, a high level, well trained ninja" he said, trying to impress Haku. "In fact it's my job to train a group of younger ninja."

"My, how wonderful" replied Haku. "So where are they?"

"Heh." Kimura decided to skip that particular question. There was a time and place for admitting failures. This wasn't it. Time to hide his cover up. "Since it is a ninja's job to help people, I shall aid you in retrieving what you are searching for, so you can return to your friend."

"Oh…thanks" said Haku. Kimura had a look at what he was collecting, and helped the boy, picking up numerous herbs and plants and handing them to Haku. A few minutes past before Haku finally spoke.

"This should be enough. Thank you kind ninja."

"Oh it's no problem."

"Perhaps I shall see you again some day" said Haku slowly walking away. "Also, I'm not a girl."

"Garrgh!" exclaimed Kimura when Haku had disappeared. He'd only offered to help because he thought he was a cute girl. "Damn it! And why did I have to have those fantasies?!" he cried out, running through the forest, resuming his search. He came to a sudden stop, narrowly avoiding Sakaki.

"Ah Sakaki, how are you?" he called out.

"Oh…" said Sakaki glancing down. "I was able to get to the top of the tree like Osaka."

"Very good" said Kimura, handing Mayaa to a now delighted looking Sakaki. "I don't suppose you know where Tomo is do you?"

Sakaki paused, and then slowly raised a finger, pointing up. Kimura slowly looked up to find Tomo standing high above him on a branch. She grinned down at him.

"Watch this Kimura sensei, I'm just as good as you!" she said, walking onto the underside of the branch, hanging down from her feet.

Kimura ducked down slightly as loose change rained down on him from above. Tomo laughed nervously.

"I don't suppose you could make sure that money doesn't get lost could you?" asked Tomo coyly.

"Fine." Kimura leant down to pick up the various coins, when a faint yell and several obscenities caught his attention. He looked up to see a shaking Tomo about to fall from the tree. Idiot. She yelled out and began to fall. Kimura sighed, held out his arms and braced for impact. With a loud grunt from both parties, Tomo ended up in his arms.

"Hi there" said Kimura suggestively.

"Ugh, just let me down. And I hope you aren't touching my butt on purpose!"

"Would I do such a thing?" asked Kimura.

"Do you really want me to answer that question?" asked Tomo.

Kimura placed the girl back on the floor and carefully backed away out of striking distance.

"What is it Kimura sensei?" asked Sakaki.

"Well I'm fully healed, so we're continuing on with our journey. And congratulations on doing well at this training activity- and succeeding only four days after Osaka completed the task. Well come on, lets get going."

Tomo began to walk after Kimura, when Sakaki held out her arm, stopping the girl.

"What is it Sakaki?"

"We can't forget to say thank you to Mr Koiwai and Yotsuba."

"Got it!" said Tomo energetically.