"WHAT!?"

I swear my eardrum just exploded, from the sudden volume change that came from a resounding shriek by Naruto, Sakura and Tazuna.

"W-what does that mean?" Naruto demanded as he shook both his fists in frustration, I was still recovering from the alarming screaming he did that nearly rendered me deaf!

Sakura too joined in "But you confirmed he was dead yourself Kakashi!"

While Kakashi didn't deny that he did indeed confirm Zabuza deceased, he did explain that he was probably in a near-death state.

"hmmm" I hummed thinking, "I did find his choice of weapon it a little weird to finish the job, needles have a low fatality rate unless it hits a critical part of the body."

"Agreed" said Kakashi, "it's mostly used in acupuncture healings and such." he continued to explain that hunter-nins are experts in the structure of the human body, making it easy for them to put someone in a near to death state.

I shook my head. "Okay so let me get this straight, he took the body, even when it was obvious that it way heavier than him and he used a weapon, that has low fatality rate…" I paused as I analysed the information in my head. "Wait… so that means…"

"Yes, from those two points, the goal of that boy wasn't to kill Zabuza, but to help him" Kakashi concluded.

"Maybe your overthinking things" Tazuna suggested, trying to make light of everthing. But Kakashi wasn't having it, once he had that weird feeling… he knew he had to prepare for it, before it would be too late. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Naruto shaking, whether it was from anticipation or fear, I couldn't tell.

"Sensei" spoke Sakura timidly, "how are you going to prepare for this before it's too late? You can't move for a while…"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her. I swear for a smart girl, she can say the most stupid things, Kakashi seemed to think this to, since he began to chuckle.

"I'm going to make you all go through some training" he stated.

"W-wait!" she spluttered "even if we train! It's not going to be very useful!" she then went on a tirade about how Kakashi, who was the famous Sharingan user, had difficulty to deal with Zabuza.

"Oh come off it Sakura, it's not as if we have a choice!" I snapped "Zabuza could attack when we least expect it… we need to be ready!"

"Sakura" spoke Kakashi is a soothing tone, "who saved me when I was in trouble? You four are growing rapidly, especially you Naruto."

I couldn't really find myself agreeing with what my sensei was saying, well about me anyway, I was knocked out for most it. Naruto was awesome though! I was so proud of him!

"You know your stuff, Kakashi-sensei! Now things are getting interesting!" He boasted.

"No there not" came a voice from behind us. We all turned around, to see a little boy standing there with a stony expression. He looked no older than eight, and his chocolate-brown hair peaked out of his large white fishermen's hat. His clothes also looked like a fishermen's with his cream t-shirt and green dungarees. I managed to catch his eye line, his eyes were carol black, like Sasuke's only less harsh.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked obnoxiously as he pointed his finger at him.

"Naruto!" I scolded "it's rude to point!"

The boy glanced in my direction again and we made eye contact for the second time, slowly I could see a slight shade of pink colouring his pale cheeks.

"Inari!" Tazuna mused and held out his arms "Where were you?"

Inari, immediately ran into the old man's arms "I'm home Gee-Chan!"

"Inari!" his mother said with warning "say hello to them! These ninja escorted your grandpa home!" but Tazuna told her it was nothing to worry about. Inari stared at us long and hard before turning to his mother saying...

"Mom, they're all going to die. There's no way a person can win against Gatoh."

If I was standing up, I probably would have collapsed in utter disbelief. Not only because he said that we'd all die, but by the fact that this kid said it so casually! And typical Naruto… wasn't impressed.

"What did you say? You brat!"

I couldn't help but shake my head, as he started his usual Naruto speech about becoming Hokage and a hero one day, blah! blah! blah! Don't get me wrong, I admired his determination, but when he feels the need to repeat it every other day, it can get really aggravating.

"A hero?" Inari scoffed "How stupid! There's no such thing as a hero!"

Naruto got even more ticked off and even went to the length of trying to grab the kid, thankfully Sakura managed to grab him first.

Inari turned his back and started walking to the door, only to stop and look over his shoulder "If you don't want to die, you should go home" and with that left the room. I watched as he left the room, but not before he replied to his grandpa, who asked where he was going, that he was going to watch the ocean.

"Sorry" Tazuna quickly cut in. "He's a little… he's not fond of new people". Sakura finally let go of Naruto, who was grumbling under his breath.

"Hey" I called catching his attention, "I know he was a little difficult but you didn't help matters!"

"But…"

"No buts!" I interjected firmly "go and say you're sorry!"

Naruto looked at me in disbelief "what?! No! he started it!"

"And I'm finishing it! At least go and talk to him!" With a huff Naruto left the room to find Inari.

"You have quite the gift Tomoko-san" spoke Tazuna.

I blinked a couple of times "what makes you say that?"

Tazuna smiled, "I get the feeling he doesn't get put in his place that often and actually listens to it".

Now that I think about it, when ever I tell Naruto off about something or informing him about a certain subject, he never questions it… weird.

"Everyone, can you please leave the room?" Kakashi suddenly asked. "Except Tomoko, I need to discuss something privately with her."

Everyone, especially Sasuke, threw us both a questioning glance. But none the less did what he asked.

After everyone walked out the room, there was a short silence between us…

"What happened to your arms?"

"Huh?" was all I said.

"Your arms?" Kakashi repeated "what happened to them, to have you bandage them up so thoroughly."

I shifted my eye sight to the floor. Even if I tried, I couldn't lie under his stern gaze "I-I don't really know. It was only after I took my vambraces off that I noticed the wounds."

"May I see?" he asked holding out his hands "don't worry I won't tell the others."

Hesitantly, I started unwrapping my left arm slowly, there was still specks of blood on the white cloth from where the wounds were still healing. Gently, Kakashi took a hold of my elbow and wrist, and carefully examined the puncture marks dotted around my arm.

After staring at it for a while he released my arm, "you said you noticed the marks after you took off the vambrace?"

I nodded, "I didn't even feel any pain when we were battling Zabuza."

Kakashi scratched his chin "would you mind his I had a look at you're Vambrace?"

I raised my eyebrow "what? Why?"

"You may not realise it, but you've started wearing the vambrace without the full knowledge of what they actually do."

"Of course I know!" I interrupted "they're supposed to protect me… sort of… I think."

"Tomoko" he said harshly, "I don't know how and I don't know why, but these vambraces are affecting your performance. Why do you think you became unconscious so easily?"

Ok now I was really confused, what's that got to do with anything?!

"it's because somehow, you're losing blood every time you're wearing them in battle" he informed. "Now we are not exactly near any well-equipped medical facilities to treat you for any possible anaemia, so because of that reason, its best you don't use them till I can fully decide if they are safe."

"But I'm fine!" I argued, "Sensei I beg you, don't take them away from me!"

But Kakashi stood his ground. "This isn't a punishment Tomoko, I'm only doing this because I'm concerned you weren't fully ready to handle something as odd as this."

I did understand why he was doing this. However, I was still in a huff, why can't he just trust me?

"Beside" he spoke "I need you fully focused on tracking down Zabuza."

I blinked a couple of times "say what?"

"You displayed a remarkable skill in wind reading. If it wasn't for you, we'd all be victims of Zabuza's first blow. I have the Sharingan and even I couldn't sense that as quickly as you did."

"But Sensei…" I breathed becoming very annoyed, "I'm not exactly the most experienced pipe rædestre (wind (female) reader), I could easily predict the enemies completely incorrect and kill us all."

"You demonstrated that you could apply wind reading in a high pressured situation" Kakashi assured me, "I know it won't be easy, and I'm not asking you to track down every movement that Zabuza makes, it's just a precaution so we are prepared for the worse whilst I recover."

"Fine…" I grumbled "but if I die I'm haunting you!"

Kakashi laughed, he obviously didn't realise I was being deadly serious.

Kakashi was true to his word, as soon as he finished talking to me, he ordered me to bring the vambrace to him, and I haven't seen them since. To say I was in a bad mood was an understatement...

I was livid! Granted, I probably should have learnt how to use them before using them on a mission. But how could I? even Haruo didn't know what they did.

Not having them on my arm, it felt like… a huge part of me was missing. It's indescribable, I don't know why but it is. I felt a connection with the vambrace as soon as I touched them, and they fitted me so perfectly, it was as if they were made for me.

"TOMOKO!"

"Huh?"

I looked up to see Sakura stare at me quizzically, "what's with you? You've stared out into space for ages."

I didn't answer, not because I didn't like her (and oh boy I didn't like her!), It was because I wasn't really talking to anyone.

"So Kakashi took your arm things?"

Now that caught my attention "arm things?" I repeated with a glare.

Sakura placed her hand on her forehead, as if she was thinking, "er… I mean, the vambrace that's it! Why… why did he take them away from you?"

I stared at her long and hard, contemplating whether I should tell her or not.

"he thinks they're affecting my health" I replied, "and because he doesn't know what they are."

"Your health?"

"Yeah" I confirmed, "he thinks there is a lot more to them than just a piece of armour."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Ninja and samurai, have been known to wear vambraces in the past. But I have to admit, I've never seen vambraces made of metal like that".

I stared forward and laced my fingers together, much like what Sasuke does. "That's probably due to the fact that they are very, very! Old! Hell I wouldn't be surprised if they were made before the first Hokage."

Sakura blinked in shock "you... really think they could be that old?!"

This time I looked at her with a smirk, "you fire folc (folk) always forget the little details of the ninja nation's history" I told her. "The dúnsæte were here long before your people came to these lands."

"What did you call me? And dúnsæte?" Sakura snapped thinking I was insulting her.

I couldn't help but laugh, "I didn't call you anything, and dúnsæte means mountain dwellers, or mountaineers if you want to use a more modern tongue."

"Now you're just speaking in riddles!"

At that statement, I rolled my eyes. "Sakura, we were having a some-what decent conversation, so don't ruin it now."

"Tomoko-Chan! Sakura-Chan!" we heard Naruto call as he entered the room suddenly. Frightened by his sudden arrival, Sakura couldn't help but get enraged and sock him one in the face.

"NARUTO! YOU NEVER BARG INTO A LADIES ROOM LIKE THAT!"

Naruto slowly got up "ow… well, Kakashi said to meet him outside."

In a huff, Sakura stormed off with Naruto following shortly after. Slowly I made my way to the hallway and once I stepped out into the hallway, I noticed Sasuke was there, following our teammates.

Surprisingly he stopped and looked at me with a curious face.

"What!?" I snapped.

Sasuke shrugged "nothing, it's just I haven't heard you talk like that in a long time."

"What are you talking about?" I asked getting more aggravated by the second.

Sasuke scoffed "these walls are as hollow as dead wood, I heard your entire conversation."

I raised an eyebrow "so I spoke a few words my native language, big deal!"

"all I was doing, was noting that, minus the time when you were explaining it to Naruto, you hadn't spoken like that since we met, no need to get snappy" he stated coolly.

"I said two words! And besides… why would I continue to speak a language in a place where no one understands it?" I shot at him, as I went to walk away, I couldn't help but mutter "dwæse" which meant stupid.

"I heard that!" he yelled.

'Damn! I should've never have taught him Mitsuko's language!'

Yep! The Mountain country as their very own language! because hey? I want my mountain people to be cool like the elves in lord of the rings… kind of… But how does Sasuke know it?

Anyway! Sorry for lack of updates! And sorry for the rubbish chapter