I couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty, as I ate my lunch in front of Naruto, who was still tied to the log. I know its part of his punishment, but seriously? It was kinda harsh if I do say so myself. The guilt felt even heavier, when Naruto's growling stomach echoed through the woods, making us all stare at him.

"I'm okay!" he tried to reassure, "even if I don't eat! I'm..." but as he was going to finish his sentence, he stomach disagreed. Okay I couldn't take this anymore, if letting someone starve was the ninja way, then I don't want no part of it! But as I was just about to get up, someone already beat me to it.

"Here..." said Sasuke holding his food out to him. Well out of all the impossible things that I thought could never happen, Sasuke helping Naruto was definitely in the top five.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried "Sensei just said..."

"Don't worry, I don't sense him nearby" he assured, "if we're going to get the bells, all four of us need to work as a team..."

"Jeez, you just figured that out?"

He threw me a heated glare "if you're finished! Anyway as I was saying, Naruto is only gonna be trouble if he's hungry." Naruto looked a little shocked to say the least which made me laugh.

"Just take the food Naruto..." I softly ordered him, However Sakura too held her food out to him.

"Sakura-Chan?" Naruto breathed with his eyes twinkling like stars "Thanks..."

"Don't thank me, just hurry up and eat!" she ordered.

"But... But I..."

"I'm on a diet!" she then stopped herself "I mean... I eat less than Sasuke-kun and Tomoko shouldn't risk failing when she's already passed, So don't worry about it."

"But..." he hesitated and proceeded to try to move his hand, hinting that Sakura would have to feed him. Sakura pulled a face of utter disgust.

"Oh will you hurry up!" I hissed "Kakashi could come back at any second!"

Saskura's eyebrow twitched, she made it very clear that this were only to happen once and that's it. But either way I think Naruto was okay with that, as long as he got fed. Sakura, with still the disgusted look, held a rice ball up which Naruto happily ate. But the moment was cut short as a massive explosion erupted in front of us.

'This doesn't look good...'

"YOU FOUR!"

Kakashi appeared to us in a fit of rage, as if he was ready to shatter us into a million pieces. "You four broke the rules, Are you prepared for your punishment?" He made a symbol with his hands the sky swallowed up into darkness. Lighting struck the ground, thunder echoed in the air, leaving us all petrified. But something didn't make sense to me. He explained that the whole meaning of this test was teamwork? And now he's punishing us for doing that? Call me crazy but to me this wasn't fair!

"Any last words?"

Sasuke glared at him whilst Sakura coward in fear. It was only Naruto that could form a sentence "But... But... But... You said that's why everyone..."

"We're a four man team right?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah" Sakura cut in "we four are one!"

There was a long awkward silence "You four are one eh?" Kakashi jeered we all stared at him with a nervous glance.

"You pass!"

'Eh? Say what now?'

Everyone including me had a blank expression, so Kakashi repeated it again only more slowly.

"Pass?" Sakura mumbled "Why?"

I was blinded by the sun peeking through the darkness that Kakashi created, and couldn't help but shield my eyes slightly.

"You four are the first..." I heard him say "people I had previously were blockheads who just listened to what I said." He then stood up straight "Ninja need to think beyond normal" he quoted, "In the world of Ninjas, those who break the rules are called scum. But those who don't take care of their friends are worse than scum..."

'Friends?' I couldn't help but glance over a Sasuke, who in turn glanced back with his unemotional star,e making me look away and frown.

'I'm sorry Sensei... but me and Sasuke will never be friends... not ever again...'

"The test has ended" Kakashi announced giving us a thumbs up "team seven will start missions tomorrow!"

Everyone but me and Sasuke cheered, he was smirking but me, I was sort of lost in my own thoughts. I should be happy... ecstatic even! But I still feel as though something is missing in my life.

"Hey! I knew it was gonna end like this!"

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up to see Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke walking off "Hey!" Naruto yelled "UNTIE THE ROPE!"

"Chill out will you?" I told him standing up, very quickly I untied the rope.

"Finally free!" He cried jumping up and down. "Thank you Tomoko! How about some Ramen to celebrate?"

I smiled "That sounds great... but I'm afraid there's something I must do..."

"Huh? What's that?"

"I guess, I need to see an old friend..." and with that I started walking away.

"HEY GUYS WAIT UP!"

I turned around to see that knuckle head running towards us, honestly after today how can he still have so much energy?

"Hey Sakura-Chan? Wanna come eat some ramen with me?" Naruto asked.

"No!" she snapped making Naruto sigh dramatically.

"Naruto?" Kakashi spoke "wasn't Tomoko with you?"

That's what was missing where was she anyway?

"Er... she said she needed to visit an old friend, but I don't who she could be talking about. Is there anyone else from the mountain village living here?"

"No..." Kakashi answered "she and Haruo-san are the only ones."

"Hm..." Sakura pondered "I wonder who this person is?"

"It's not a person..."

Everyone turned to stare at me "We're near the village ranch aren't we? She's gone there..." and with that I walked away. I didn't particularly want to be bugged by annoying questions. I thought back to where Tomoko had gone and who she was going to see, I'm surprised that he's still alive. I guess Haruo wasn't lying when he told me that he was blessed with everlasting long life.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

An elderly woman appeared from the back of the small house, "Oh Tomoko-san!" she cheered "How are you?"

I smiled "I'm very well Yuuki" I answered.

"I don't need to question why you're here, although it has been a while..."

I glanced down "Yes, I'm sorry it's been a little crazy lately with me become a ninja and all... How is he?"

"Like any other old man" Yuuki answered "grumpy and stiff."

I laughed and Yuuki allowed me to go through the large patch of land, along the way I grabbed an apple and leaned against the fence of the paddock. Searching the field I gave a gentle whistle, it didn't take long for a beautiful white stallion to come galloping over.

Effortlessly I jumped over the fence and took a couple of steps closer, Kinosuke shook his long, elegant main back and fort, and slowed to a halt in front of me."Kinosuke... how are my friend?" I asked him.

Kinosuke gave me a snort "bored!" he answered, did I forget to mention that he could talk?

Kinosuke was actually a Shinobi horse, well the actual term is 'beadurincs friþhengest' (warrior horse). So to put it simply, he is a ver rare breed of stallion. All ninja animals know how to talk and its not rare for them to aid a ninja in battle. However, back in Yamakure, we are very reliable on horses, so all horses born on the Mountain plane and granted everlasting long life to protect and aid their chosen family. Kinosuke was my mother's horse, there isn't a day in my whole life where I can't imagine him not being apart of it. He doesn't particularly Like talking about his, but I imagine that he is older than me and Haruo combined.

"Well... you're the one who decided to retire" I answered.

"Yes don't remind me" he grumbled.

"Now Kinosuke, you know that we wouldn't mind if you decided to go back, Yamakure is your home."

Once again he snorted "no child, my home is wherever the Mori family dwells".

I chuckled at him "always the gentlemen".

"say, Tomoko-Chan?" He begam "Don't you usually come and see me with that boy?"

"Boy?"

"You know, the one with the dark eyes and hair, the Uchiha."

My expression turned cold "Kinosuke... Sasuke hasn't visited you in over three years remember?"

Kinosuke thought for a moment "ah yes, damn my memory is getting worse... do you still talk to the boy?"

I took interest in my shoes and began to stroke his nuzzle as he continued, "I remember when he first heard me talk, took him by surprise it did. But he always seemed a very polite and very determined little fellow..."

"Kinosuke..." I cut in "He died... remember?" In a way I wasn't lying, The Sasuke him and I both knew was gone, and I doubt that he was going to come back anytime soon.

"Oh yes... I forgot..." Kinosuke shook his mane, "I hate getting old, I need to stretch my legs, will you join me for a walk Tomoko-fréo?"

I smiled "Yes of course..."

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office a knock could be heard at the door.

"Come in" The ruler called. As the door opened the Hokage smiled "ah Kakashi... I hear that your group has passed?"

Kakashi bowed "yes Hokage-Sama"

"Very good" the Hokage mused "but, that's not why you're here?"

Kakashi stood up straight "No... It's... Mori Tomoko."

"What about her?"

"I'm worried about those vanbraces she wears" he explained "did you give them to her?"

The Hokage smoked his pipe "her mother gave them to her, but technically, she past them to Haruo, who past them to me to keep safe."

Kakashi looked down, he didn't like those vambraces one bit. He had never seen anything like it before, and anything he didn't fully understand, he was wary of it.

"Kakashi..." The Hokage called sternly "I don't know much about them things myself, but I do know is that they are probably older than this village. It's markings indicate it was forged in the ancient Mountain city, where the holy temple of Mitsuko dwells."

"Whether it's made from the place of Order or not, I still don't trust them" Kakashi stated firmly.

The Hokage sighed "Haruo explained that the vambraces were given to her for a reason. For now... just keep an eye on her. If the vambrace proves to be too dangerous, then take them away from her and bring it back to me."

Kakashi bowed and left the room, he couldn't help but think back when he very first met Tomoko. She was incredibly young back then, but he could never forget those forest green eyes.

"Kakashi-san" an ANBU troop called, making him turn around "a village has been set alight! It's about 20 yards from here!"

"What?" Kakashi demanded. Immediately he ordered his team to follow him, thinking how could an attack occur without them noticing? When they reached their desintation, through his ANBU mask, Kakashi stared in horror and the massive flames that engulfed the village.

"How horrible..." another ANBU troop breathed. It was then Kakashi noticed something coming towards them very quickly, so he ordered everyone to hide for a surprise attack. After a little while the unknown target appeared more clearly, it was a white coated horse, and riding it was a boy, with a girl tucked into his arm who looked no older than four!

The horse was now walking slowly so the children could stay balanced on him "Children..." the horse spoke "I don't think we're alone."

The girl became alerted, and began shaking, her chest started to heave in and out aggressively. I was clear that she was starting to have some form of panic attack.

The horse snorted the air, trying to catch our scent. "We should hurry, Haruo is getting weaker by the second..."

And sure enough the boy was only holding on to the reigns loosely with his head dipped low. With the little one getting progessingly worde, Kakashi ordered his troops to surround them. The horse reigned back in surprise making the children fall off.

the girl, screamed aloud and crawled over to her brother, attempting to shake him awake. Tears apparent on her face.

The horse regained his composure and blocked him from the children, "touch them and I'll kick you to death!"

"We are not your enemy" Kakashi told him, "we are ninja from the fire country."

"The fire country? You are from Konokagakure" the Horse stated "then what are you doing here?"

"We saw the smoke and came to inspect what was going on."

The horse whinnied "I don't have time for this! I have to get these children to the holy city! Where it's safe!"

Kakashi sighed "I'm afraid no one is there, we went there for our mission and the city was deserted."

The horse gazed at him in shock "How could this be?"

Kakashi walked over to him "I'm sorry, but at least let us help you, the safest place for them now is our village, it isn't too far."

The horse agreed and let him go towards the children, Kakashi bent down to their level. "It's alright..." he told them "we're going to take you somewhere safe..."

However, the girl was in too much of a panic stricken state and started shake violencely. She reached over to her brothers pocket, and pulled a knife out, aiming it directly at Kakashi.

"She has a weapon!" An ANBU troop yelled and immediately got prepared for a counter attack.

No!" Kakashi yelled stopping him, "for goodness sake stand down! can't you see she's just scared".

THe horse stepped forward "Tomoko calm down, these people want to help you".

She still aimed the knife high, but seemed to be froze on the spot.

"Tomoko?" Kakashi asked "your name is Tomoko, that's a pretty name". As he spoke he slowly stepped closer, the girl remained still. It finally hit him, here are these peoplestrath weapons and wearing very strange masks, any child would be afraid.

He slowly lifted his hand to his face, making his team question his actions. "Relax" he told his team, and carefully removed his mask.

Tomoko gasped, and seemed surprised to find a man under there. Granted he wore another one over his nose and mouth, but she could now make out his emotions through his one visable eye, and the creases that formed the shape of his mouth.

"See" drawed out in a pleasent tone, "nothing to be afraid of Tomoko-chan, now can you pleas give me the kunai knife?" Kakashi held out his hand, Tomoko was hesitant at first, but eventually placed it into his hand.

"Thank you" he told her and placed a hand on her shoulder, staring into her bright green eyes, "everything is going to be okay".