I was a mess as I walked through the streets of Khona, it felt surreal to be back in a happy and safe place. I have not been here in over a year. Itsuki and I were sent home for a break a month or so after the death of our team.

We were doing better so some got to come home for a week or so.

I stood outside the flower shop owned by the Yamanaka looking for someone in particular. The head needs to know I am back for a bit.

The smell of flowers was a welcome smell bringing peace into me for the first time in a long time, it smelled like home. There behind the desk sat the brown haired young women. Her brown eye's lifted to see me in shock. His wife.

"Is Inoichi back yet." Her eye's filled with worry and sadness and shook her head no.

"Inokei?" She stood. "It is so nice to see you." She walked around and gripped me in a hug. "Look at you you got taller." She sounded so sad. I gripped her tight, she felt like a mother in that moment.

My mother was some second or something, unsure, cousin of Inoichi. I know this women but not to well, I have not been hugged in so long. "The war is almost over yes?" She held my shoulders and leaned back her eye's filled with curiosity, I just shrugged.

I don't know.

"Head home." She wiped my long hair from my face with love making me finally feel something again in my cold heart. "Get clean, find new clothes." She stepped back at the mess of me. "I will cook something later." She smiled down on me kindly. "I am glad your home Kei."

"Me to." I smiled lightly up at her.

My home was a dusty mess. A real shower was amazing but it was strange and quiet as I stood on the warm, dry dirt path outside my home in my bare feet. My feet have been continuously wet for so damn long.

I walked towards the large courtyard in the middle of the main buildings just to see it again. Rocks, sand and a man made small river brought peace but a strange fear of the quiet, feeling on edge and unsettled.

I reached out to my long hair seeing if it was dry yet before I slid it up into the ponytail. I closed my eye's trying to calm down but I could not before I tried to pull up my black stretchy shorts that were way to small for me.

The shirt showing off my lower belly annoying me. I headed to my small home, slid on shoes, grabbed my wallet and moved to find some new clothing that actually fits me.

I outgrew them all.

I wanted to eat everything that I passed but she said she would cook, it would be rude to have a real meal right now and it was rare to be cooked for. I was craving a bag of chips, dango, any solid food really. Every new smell made me drool.

I looked around at the smiling faces, the scattered kids. I would be okay and then someone turns a corner or moved fast and my whole body reacts like they are about to fight me.

It was only the shopkeeper and I in here as I looked through rows of clothes, nice to see any color but dark blue, green and black. Itsuki walked in making me chuckle to myself as I followed him silently to the males section.

He was wearing a large shirt not made for him, hanging on him like a dress. "Ya you grew more then I did." I laughed making him jump and spin. It made me smile more. I am not the only one not use to this.

"Ya, nothing fit's." He pulled on the shirt with the Uchiha symbol. "Had to steal from my dad." His voice brought peace to my heart.

"Glad to be out of the dirty clothes they gave us." I sighed. "I don't even know what I want to wear, we have an option for once." I said as I walked off. I heard a small agreement noise and I left him to it. "It is eerie to be home, my home is empty." I spoke a little louder.

He made a noise. "There is many old lady's in mine." I smiled and looked at him. "They all just want to squeeze me." I laughed looking at him with love and I heard the older women chuckle.

We walked the town with our snacks and new clothes, he was never a talker but it was just nice to be home with my friend and teammate. We wound up at that place where we met our leader for the first time and just snacked on the pile. We bought to much.

We ate like we would never eat again but we have not had really anything like this in so long.

"I hate, that I hated him." I leaned forward, he just stared out at the town sitting with his legs half open. "I miss him now, that angry asshole." He did not speak. I leaned back sliding a leg under my ass and dug into the bag of chips beside us.

"I am glad we are home." He finally said making me nod.

It was nice running through the dew filled foggy morning of the empty training grounds. The smells of tree's over dirty men and the quiet chirp of birds over screams and yells.

I did have a panic every once in a while like someone was coming for me running alone but I know it was just the war and I was safe and alone.

I paused at some large short man chipping away at the KIA stone. I peered over him as he paused and not notice me making sure he spelt the name right. I ran over the list seeing so many names I recognized. People I met, fought along side and my team.

I felt so sad, backed up and continued on hoping to find the best route for a morning run to boost my speed.

"Oh." He said startled making me peer back staring at me shocked but I ran on.

I paused at this target place where you can try and hit targets in hard to see places. I peered around, stood in the slightly warn down spot of dirt and tried. We never actually were taught much, we just had to learn mid mission.

I bashed them off each other and wondered in. I got two out of five but the missing ones were not that far from the target. I should come back and train here. I could also stop by the library and learn something from a book.

Maybe even talk to a clan member and work on a new ability.

The village was silent as I walked around free. No worrying of going to far, running into a flanker or sneak trying to get information. I ended up along the dirt path where it splits to go up the cliff side or into an old burned down section of Khona that never got fixed.

I headed up.

I stepped up staring at the stars connecting them when I noticed a black shadow with the moon reflecting off his crazy light hair.

He did not move I only knew he knows I was here as that one eye looked up at me filled with anger. "Wow, looks like I am interrupting another peaceful moment." About to say, we got a break at the same time.

"Then leave." I did feel bad and still feel bad about the lake so I moved to leave him alone. I turned to walk back down as I felt like walking.

I paused, I have seen him around and don't know his name. "Hey, what.."

He was just gone. I barely saw him jump off the head but damn he had moved fast.

"Sorry." I sighed and moved to top of a piece of hair and sat down watching the quiet village. I moved my bangs out of my face. I feel like an asshole. "Sorry random guy."

He must hate me now.

The weapon shop was my favorite place, so many cool things to learn, new and sharp and pretty. I picked up a small sword and spun it around, it did not feel right. I found this long spiky chain with a scythe on the end.

But I stopped at the fist weapons, oh I like this.

I think I need something ranged. There is Senbon, with poison would be cool. That section is something else and I need to learn poison, what they do, antidotes. It's not a quick learn I only have a few day's and testing new skills mid battle could get you killed.

I did like the two sided Kunai more then the basic. The hole was in the middle and I spun it around my finger. I decided to try them out while keeping the normal. I liked that paralyze seal, got some good paper bombs and I was getting low on wire.

On the way out I picked up some Makibishi spikes.

It feels awesome to shop.

I walked to my favorite restaurant alone and ordered so much food, I am almost out of time and I will be going back in another wave of backup. I piled so much treats in my backpack to eat later and headed to the gate.

I stood around alone lost in a pile of ninja, there was a large amount of older Chunin chatting around. I stood there looking at them all wondering who was strong and if I could tell.

I did see that masked boy pass between some and then was gone from my view, there was a few my age but not many. Itsuki was suddenly standing next to me and we waited in silence feeling great to be next to him again. This time I was not afraid of going to war.

We stood there forever and I was confused when we were told to go home.

I passed the large table in the center of the compound where my self proclaimed grandpa sat next to a shogi board and a man with a known hairstyle, the shape of his face, he was a Nara. He was not my real grandpa as that one was dead but he was related in some way and the only one that cared for my mom and now me.

"Kei." The old man yelled. "Come, play with us." He patted beside him on the stone bench. "Are you not leaving?" He asked and I sat next to him.

"They told me to go home."

"Really?" The Nara rubbed his gray chin hair squinting at me, his mind running wild. "I wonder what that means." He had this glint like he already knew before he looked down and moved his piece.

"I am just glad to be here longer." They both nodded like they understood. I looked at the gray and balding man, somehow he still got what was left of his gray hair in a small ponytail.

"What is my move darling." He waved me to look at the game actually letting me play. I scanned the board in thought. I pointed and he moved his piece.

"Well if you are around longer, we can get to work on telepathy." I looked at him shocked, he wants to teach me? He then got beat by Nara making me smile. Hope that was not my fault as the old dark haired man laughed at his life long friend.

I tried to clear my mind but it was hard. I would think from one topic to another and it was hard not to think. I sighed not able to do telepathy it at all.

"That is the price of war and fear." He spoke softly, opening my eye's to look at him. "Your body and mind are always in fight or flight and you think more, faster and it is hard to not think, to take in all around you and find peace." I nodded. "Give sometime and you will get there, you will find your calm."

He slowly stood up looking in pain. "But learning to calm your mind mid battle is good for everything then just this jutsu." He sighed trying to stretch his back. "It is good to think but sometimes you need to just relax and the more you learn the more your body will respond to any attack naturally."

I nodded.

He rubbed my hair looking at me kindly. "I blame your hair color on your father." He smacked a small bang out of my face.

"Who." I started but he stopped me.

"I don't know, look for almost pink hair." He laughed and walked off leaving me at the peaceful bench to learn to calm down and find peace.

I stood in the massive pile of people in front of the red Hokage building as we stared up at the Third. He called out that the war was over, cheers erupting around me.

It was over?

I looked up at the cloudy sky and smiled. A few things flew into the air, I spotted a few hats, some scarfs or something. My eye's landed on a piece of cake that was flying through the crowd and watched it land on some man in a jacket who spun and growled looking for the culprit pulling it off his head, I just laughed.

It is over.

I stood in front of the third with two other chunin vested boys my age give or take. They looked serious and hardened by war. We have so many genin and chunin without any groups or teachers. I locked eye's with the male Hyuga and his milky eye's.

"Well look like we are finally sending out some missions." He smiled at us with his pipe in his mouth. "We have some people wanting to head back home now that the war is over. They are buying an escort to see if their town is safe and worth going home, protect them from any foreign Shinobi."

"Where we going?" The other one spoke, his voice dusky and deep making me peer around Hyuga, I eyed his spiky pink hair dropping all interest in him at all. He told us where this town was, it was a short run but a long walk and we will be walking.

I was always early thanks to my Sensei drilling it in me so I was at the gate first. I stood alone but there was a small group of four vested late teen looking ninja, pissed and annoyed. A few others ran to the box with two guards who then slowly opened the gate and shut it again.

So they are not mad at the gate. I found myself migrating to them for the drama they were chatting out. Some person they were waiting for was very late. They started slurring his name but they never said his name.

"And he is almost famous now, you would think he would be on time."

I started trying to place who it was, I was invested and I needed the mystery to come to an end. Sadly my team and our large group of eleven people all came. I walked out the gate looking back hoping to catch this famous ninja but it ended up being a mystery that had no end.

I had been so distracted I never got the names as this pink boy just chatted my ear off. I tried to blank and empty my mind while paying attention at the same time. Never knew how hard it was to rewire your brain.

Sometimes you just can't.

But I have to.

It was a few day's but we moved at a good pace, could eat more then soup and watching over the group at night was peaceful when I did not tense at every sound of animals. We never even ran into a bandit, something I heard used to be a big thing until we got into a ninja war and the only people I saw walking around was other leaf Shinobi.

The small town snuggled in the tree's was mostly all right, could use some love being dusty and old. I think the brave people who stayed were worried when they heard us as people were peeking out doors and windows trapped inside but started to come out when they saw who was here.

This ended up being how they all found out the war was even over, they were so excited they wanted to throw a party and invited us to stay for the night as hero's. Hyuga did not care but the pink boy really was excited about that and since he was leader, we are staying. They even gave us a room at the one floor inn for free.

They set up tables outside, some woman was yelling about what kind of food she was going to cook. I just sat on a roof, I could see the town with ease but I just watched the pretty sunset, the small crescent moon high in the sky.

They sounded joyous and excited and it really was contagious.

I was a mix between proud, to help people like this in the war, my team died for them. Then I felt like an ass as if it was not for the boy's I might have been able to help keep them alive or die with them. I also feel a little relief they pulled me away so I did not die and that makes me feel like a horrible person, something I could never voice.

A great shame.

"There you are." Mr pink landed in front of me so fast.

"What is your name again?" I looked up at him seriously.

"What? I have spent three day's with you." I nodded. "Talking about everything." I nodded again. "The war, my family." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Reili." He looked down on me annoyed.

I ran his name over quietly hoping to remember it this time.

"It is nice to be treated like a hero." He sighed sitting next to me.

"I don't know." I said softly, I am not a hero.

"I lost most in the war but the rest treat me like the 'not even a genin' I was before."

"I see why you love this then."

He smiled at me before he looked me over, blushed and looked at his feet confusing me as I stared at him, he looked away rubbing his neck.

"Do you know what you want?" I asked. His confused eye's looked my face over. "We grew up in this war, was taught to fight in a war that is over now. What do we do? Mission's like this? What kind of ones would you even want to do?"

"Well, I do the mission I am sent on, mission is first but you have a point." He looked up straightening his legs and leaning on his arms. "I don't know what kind I would want with a choice."

"I like tracking." We looked to Hygua who finally spoke standing behind us. "Did a bit of it, was my favorite." Reili patted beside him and the kid took a seat.

"Well, my favorite moment in the war was when I was gathering intel." I smiled. "It felt great to get away with it."

"Ya?" Mr pink smiled at the moon. "Ya, my favorite part was ambushing a team with many traps."

"Come." A women with lose clothing waved at us from the ground. "Come eat."

She stuffed our faces when this man in his late forties handed us each a cup and gave this smirky look to us, I sniffed it and I recognized the strong smell. "Is this alcohol?"

He laughed and eye glinted at me. "You are old enough to die in battle but to young to drink?" His laugh was heavy and kind. "Try it." He waved and walked off as I looked at my team and we all took a small sip.

It was strong and tasted so odd. Hyuga spit it out but Reili liked it and downed the drink.

"Future alcoholic here." I leaned in to Hyuga. He nodded handing his drink over to him, he smiled and downed that too. I sipped mine. It was not the worst thing I drank, I have drank from gross puddles when I needed water."

It was nice but Reiji was drunk about an hour in.

I had him leaning on me as I walked his drunk ass to the inn. "Your flower is falling queen." He mumbled. Pulling off the crown of flowers to look at that some girl made me before putting it back on, I kind of liked it.

"Having trouble." Hyuga stepped next to me.

"He is heavy."

"You are just weak physically." He pulled him to his shoulder.

"Ya, in my clan mind is focused on more then brute strength."

"Precision here." The door creaked open a little off it's hinges and he dropped him on the floor like a sack of potatoes.

"Rude." I gave a small smile as the drunk boy did not even notice, snoring already.

"He's fine." He walked over and pulled two futons off the shelf and tossed me one turning off the light. I sat on mine and just looked out the window into the dark night in this dark room.

"I love bunny's." I looked over at the slurring asleep boy. "I like to throw them."

"What?" I asked with a chuckle, he was talking in his sleep.

"Cuddle like a pillow." He mumbled again.

"Idiot." A quiet voice came from the dark making me laugh out loud for the first time in so long.