Disclaimer : Naruto series and all its characters do not belong to me

Edited and Proofread by RawMaterial

Chapter 9

"That wound is far too clean have been inflicted by any weapon belonging an Iwa-nin."

Standing at attention on the right side of the semi-circular wooden desk in the Hokage office was Shisui, dressed in standard konoha Jounin uniform. His face looked like it was carved out of granite, his eyes staring sightlessly forward. Sarutobi Hiruzen was discretely glancing at the messy dark haired male, as if expecting the younger ninja to snap and attack someone –possibly the Iwa-nin they had in their tender care- Since this meeting concerned Nagisa, it was easy to see that the younger man was high-strung, his back ramrod straight. And considering he was worried about this particular Uchiha, there'd be very few who could outrun him – much less a restrained prisoner. Still, if anyone actually did run, there was still the wrath of another ANBU captain to deal with, one that had far more experience and skill than Shisui in the art of tracking.

Currently, they were discussing the result of an autopsy belonging to one of Nagisa's deceased teammates. The thing that had stood out in the report was the blow that had cleanly separated the Genin's head from his body. The Sandaime didn't really want to even entertain the thought that Nagisa had turned against her allies any more than Shisui clearly did, but he had to scrutinize all possibilities when the safety of his village was threatened.

Although, judging from the gleam in that pupil-less brown eyes of the female T&I officer standing at attention in front of his desk, she was just baiting Shisui. Hiruzen himself would normally use this chance to enjoy the view presented by the Kunoichi – subtly of course – didn't dare do so at this time.

Alternatively he let his eyes stray to the various spots on both his desk and the surrounding floor where paperwork had been stacked haphazardly in an effort to present an organized front. This freed his mind to weigh the pro and cons of rescuing them from the furious Uchiha -who would undoubtedly spontaneously combust in the near future, if the further narrowing of his eyes were of any indication- versus escaping through the set of wide open windows behind him.

Admittedly, when he had set Itachi on Nagisa in an effort to befriend the little girl, he'd had several motives in mind when authorizing that particular action. As much as he wanted to, he really couldn't use the excuse of setting them up because of their similarily high intelligences – there were a few children of Nagisa's age who could entertain her. He'd hoped that Itachi's influence would both keep Nagisa loyal to Konoha in the future – ties to only her brother weren't enough – as well as helping her develop her own prodigal potential.

Although he'd allowed her to travel to Uzushio despite her status (if only amongst those in the know) he'd done so with the village's best interest in mind, no matter how much he told himself otherwise. The wizened Hokage was pretty sure that Nagisa had caught this or she'd at least thought of it before she'd asked his permission.

What he didn't anticipate, however, was Itachi developing a protective streak over her, or that Uchiha Shisui of all people would be introduced to her. If he thought deeper about who Uzumaki Nagisa actually was though, he could draw enough similarities between her and Itachi that would allow for a bond to form between the two, despite the threat she posed. And even though he wasn't Itachi, Shisui had often been lauded to be of equal skill to his cousin – someone qualified to watch over and aid Nagisa's budding skills.

"What are you trying to imply?" Shisui's tone was frigid as he glared at the Kunoichi, as if he was silently willing for her to go up in flames.

Across from the Hokage, the Kunoichi smirked. "Oh, you know . . . The brat's death could be attributed to the girl easily enough if you consider the weapon she possessed and the condition the enemy forces were found in. Ooh, or how about we look at how the girl came out of it with nary a scratch?"

A burst of sharp killing intent – cool, refined and deadly – flooded the room and caused several ANBU to flicker into existence, their weapons pointed at Shisui. Hiruzen merely waved them out with a negligent flick of his hand as he resisted the urge to sigh and bury his head in his hands. He monitored the pair of Jounin – or Jounin and Special Jounin in this case – standing before him with caution. He was the Hokage, yes . . . But he had a feeling that Shisui's ire was not completely directed at the Iwa-nin alone, or the female across them.

"Do you truly believe what you're implying, Mitarashi-san?" Crimson eyes dotted with three tomoes flared to life, spinning lazily as his eyes narrowed. "I'd think very carefully about what you say next. Because now, it sounds as if you're implying a Genin managed to lie to me."

The woman in question raised her hands in mock surrender, palm facing outwards. Her smirk returned to her face as she slightly bared her teeth at her questioner.

"It's not my intention to question your abilities, Shisui-kun. People know that you're a shinobi of high calibre – one of our best. However, you do share a close relationship with the subject in question and I'm sure that many people would agree with me when I say that that relationship may have clouded your judgement."

Shisui's stare didn't falter as he took a step towards the Kunoichi. His killing intent was flooding the room and the Hokage could feel his urge to strangle the woman. "Wonderful, so instead of the Genin's loyalty, you're questioning mine."

The Hokage repressed a wince as Shisui took another step towards the Special Jounin. Shisui's loyalty to the village was well known and to question it in the lights of recent events . . . such an action was foolhardy at best.

"Enough, Anko." His tone brooked no argument as he ordered her to move the metaphorical torch she'd been holding away from the growing powder keg that was Uchiha Shisui. Anko muttered a soft 'Kay' as the pair stepped away from each other.

"Hn." The trademark Uchiha grunt echoed around the room as Anko stuck her tongue out, causing the Uchiha to glance away, pointedly ignoring her.

A soft knock caught their attention, and upon ascertaining the identity of the perpetrator, Shisui's eyes returned to his normal onyx black. "You may enter." The door swung open softly, revealing a man with a red sleeveless jacket over standard konoha-nin uniform completed with hand-guards. He had long ash blonde hair that he tied into a high ponytail and a pair of pupil-less blue eyes almost reminiscence of Naruto's own, just less vibrant. His face was considered stern especially with his prominent jawline. In his hand was a clipboard he was occasionally glancing at with a slight frown.

"How is it, Inoichi?"

The man cleared his throat and returned the Hokage's stare impassively. "I have the medical results regarding one Uzumaki Nagisa's current mental state." Inoichi paused slightly, only continuing once Hiruzen had given him the barest of nods. "I'll be blunt. We've a situation on our hands, one similar to what happened to Hatake Kakashi."

The raven haired male standing on Hiruzen's right stiffened, his jaw clenched. "That said," Inoichi continued, casting a curious gaze at the Uchiha. "The two are not completely similar. Her emotional attachment to her team is there, but only barely. On the other hand, she doesn't seem to have an attachment to her team's sensei at all."

The blue-eyed male glanced briefly down at his clipboard, lips pursed in thought. That was actually the good news. "On one hand, we're lucky that she only personally witnessed one of her teammate's demise. However, we have confirmed that it was by her hand that he was killed, although it seems like it was an act of mercy. I gather that she'll be more stable after we inform her of Akiyama Hokuto's survival." His clipboard dropped down to his side. "That's all."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully, dismissing Mitarashi Anko with a look before levelling the Yamanaka with his stare. "Now that we can speak personally… This is all off the record of course, but what do you think, Inoichi?"

"With all due respect, Hiruzen. As a shinobi of the leaf, I'll give that she's got a ton of potential, possibly the most of her generation. Even with your concern over what she may become in the future. However, that concern, as of now, is already a moot point."

The Yamanaka patriarch's stare hardened, his posture tense. "She's properly reigned in now."

Relieve flooded the village leader's mind at that statement, but it came with no small amount of guilt. Something he was unaware of had happened to change her mind. But whatever it was, Hiruzen knew it had been something drastic, something he wouldn't wish on her as a grandfather.

"However, as a father…" Inoichi's eyes fell to his feet, an almost resigned expression in his face. "I think we should withdraw her from the force. The potential for her current instability to morph into something we can't control…it's high, I'll admit. I fear she may never fit in with those of her age group though, especially the civilians. And according to what my daughter has said of the girl, she didn't even fit in before."

A slight shuffle caught the attention of the two elder males as they turned to face the perpetrator, only to find that Shisui had turned his back to them, an action that could either be taken as one of trust…or disdain. The man was stiff-backed, both hands clenched into fists at his sides, shaking slightly as if his previous urge to strangle Anko had been shifted to them.

"I hope this is what you had wished for, and that you are properly satisfied, Sandaime-sama." Shisui's usual tenor voice was deeper than usual, almost a growl. "I will not be surprised if the Yondaime comes back from beyond the grave to personally kill every single one of us."

With that delivered, Uchiha Shisui vanished without much as a whisper of sound, leaving only a temporary after-image and a few fluttering leaves. The Hokage didn't say anything, and he didn't particuraly mind either. Shisui had been on the verge of losing his self-control in light of the situation, it was better for him to be gone for the time being.

Sarutobi Hiruzen let his shoulders slump slightly in exhaustion and rested his forehead against the cool wood of his desk. So caught up as he was, he never noticed the distressed expression that had appeared on Inoichi's face. He didn't notice when Inoichi disappeared in a similar fashion to the Uchiha, either.

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Red. The colour of blood. Why was there so much blood? Why couldn't she get it off of her?

Nagisa's mind flashed back to that scene in the clearing, when red had covered every surface that she could see. Crimson red had flowed freely, spilling from the broken bodies that had been scattered around – like a macabre art display. It really was such a haunting colour . . .

Perhaps, if she had listened to her feelings, none of this would have happened. Had it been fate? Or was the whole thing her fault? There was no such thing as a happy end that involved her, as far as she was concerned.

"Silly hatchling."

Silly? How was she being silly? Trouble seemed to flock to her in droves, no matter what she did.

"Only the strong and versatile will survive in our world."

Her dull eyes strayed to the barely perceivable mark that was inked on the inside of her wrist. The mark's edges were faintly glowing with a rich crimson.

"The fault does not lie with you, little dragon. You can't predict every single mishap, nor are you responsible for another's life. You should be concerned with yours and yours alone..."

This was the first time she had heard him speak clearly. His voice reminded her of the times she had heard the crash of thunder. She could almost picture it within her own mind. A being of great power standing upon a sandy shore as it spoke with her. She could hear the crash of the waves; she could feel the warmth of the sand beneath her feet.

Her eyes slid shut as she let the images of her fantasy overcome her, washing away the field of red. When she opened her eyes once more, she no longer found herself propped up on her bed within that white-washed room. Instead, she found herself exactly where she had been imagining she was. What startled her the most, however, was the long, whiskered face right before her.

Her breath hitched as she held the gaze of the serpentine being that was hovering above her. The creature's azure scales glistened in the fading light as its body writhed in the air; its body was so long that she couldn't tell exactly where it ended. She could see splashes of other colours dotting its body – varying shades of rich blue and royal purple littered its body.

She couldn't help but shiver as its head leaned down before her, examining her as if she was the strange on here.

A single name floated through her mind: Shinryū

A primordial sort of power enveloped his whole being like calm waves, causing the air around the serpentine body to shimmer in a deceptive peaceful way. Unwittingly when she gazed upon its majesty, she thought of the ocean depth and the raging storm. There was beauty in both elements, but they were also devastatingly deadly.

"Very well done, little dragon." When it spoke, large waves crashed onto to coast and the sound of howling wind intensified.

The dragon's jaws didn't move, yet she could hear its voice clearly. How?

Shinryū then huffed, his warm breath spilling over her. She could see the amusement in his eyes.

"It is as simple as projecting a thought into your mind. It's a much simpler way of communicating. I greatly prefer it over verbally speaking, there's less of a chance of miscommunication." The dragon's already thin black pupils contracted to needle like slits as it tilted its head to the side, his eyes burrowing into her soul. "However, I can see that will no longer work. Your thoughts are clouded, young one, and with something as trivial as guilt nonetheless."

Wait…Guilt… was trivial? Surprise washed over her at this statement and she tilted her head in an impersonation of Shinryū's. This was something that had been haunting her mind since her…accident. It was hard for her to understand how any of what she was feeling could be considered 'Trivial'.

Shinryū's head reared back slightly as his face took on a thoughtful look. His serpentine body shifted as he writhed about. A moment later, he lowered his head and stared directly into her eyes. Blue met crimson as the two silently clashed against each other.

"There's nothing eternal in the universe. Not even the gods could claim to have performed such a feat. Death is a natural occurrence in life; just another part of the cycle all living things must go through. And as I have already stated: you are not responsible for anyone's life other than your own."

Shinryū held her gaze as he spoke, his piercing eyes never straying, even as he finished his monologue. She could feel the air of expectation that he exuded, it hung in the air, a heavy cloud looming over the two. Other than the occasional crack of thunder overhead and the howl of the wind, silence dominated the beach.

"But, was I not responsible for my team's lives as our acting sentry? Looking at what happened, I would say I failed fairly miserably."

The entire situation was pathetic in her eyes. Despite all her hard work; despite her prodigy status, she'd been completely outclassed during her mission. Her seals hand done nothing, and what few ninjutsu she knew had had no effect either.

The enemy Jounin had been so far above her… Nagisa allowed herself to wallow in self-depreciation for a moments before tightening her gaze and returning Shinryū's gaze. Her hands twisted together frantically in her lap and belayed her calm nature.

"Do not forget, young one: Despite your mental maturity, you're still naught but a child. It seems to me as if both you and everyone around you has forgotten that. You're too young to have been introduced to the hunt – were you mine own hatchling, I would never have allowed you to stretch your wings as you are now."

Lightning flashed overhead, temporarily illuminating the darkened beach. Shinryū appeared much more menacing than he had previously; his lip curled upwards in a snarl as he glared at her.

"I can see it in your eyes," Shinryū's gaze softened as he saw the despair and pressure that bore down upon the young girl. "You believe yourself to be weak."

"It's a good thing if you're frustrated by the results that you've produced so far, young one. It means that you've fire within you. There's a large difference between having done your current best and being at your bodies absolute limit. So, I ask of you, Uzumaki Nagisa: Have you reached your limit? Is this your uttermost potential, the peak of your flight?"

Of course she knew what her own limits were, how dare that damned dragon insinuate otherwise! She was weak! No matter what she did, she wouldn't be able – Nagisa froze and her head snapped up from where she'd dropped her head. A throaty hum came from the dragon, as if it was rewarding her realization.

"Exactly. Limits are very real; there's only so much a mortal can do. However, very few mortals ever reach their true limits. Most remain frozen, paralyzed with the fear that emanates from their own minds. Just because you've reached your current limit, young one, does not mean that you cannot surpass it."

The tip of his snout came to rest against the side of her head, gently nuzzling her. His whip-like whiskers curled around her body, close, but not touch her either. Tentatively, she allowed herself to reach out and touch the side of his jaw, stroking its surprisingly smooth and sleek surface.

"You speak in riddles, Shinryū. Am I strong, or am I weak?"

The pitch of the wind racing across the beach rose from a low, keening howl into a high-pitched shriek at her statement. As if to emphasize the point, a bolt of light arced across the sky, leaving a jagged scar.

Shivering, Nagisa wrapped her arms around Shinryū and trusted him to shelter her from the encroaching storm.

"You are weak, Hatchling, but that does not mean you will always be so. You're currently stagnating as you waver upon the edge. You must break free of the notion that what other's expect of you is important. It is only after you discover what you wish to fight for that you shall truly gain the power to fulfil your potential."

Every word that Shinryū uttered pierced her heart with a ruthless finality. She would have fallen over if it hadn't been for the coils that she rested against. Although the dragon's words hurt and played upon some of her deeper fears, she could not fault him for what he'd said – He'd laid her heart out for her to see, it wasn't his fault it hurt.

"No human is inherently responsible for the life of another. It is only by choice that some assume that burden and it is the curse of that very burden that can cause so much pain to mortals. You can only honor the choices that the deceased have made and strive to live your life to the best of your abilities."

"T-That was very blunt…." She murmured meekly, averting her eyes from his all-knowing gaze. It took all of her willpower to prevent herself from squirming. "How do I know right from wrong though?"

"There are no such things as right and wrong in our world. They are both just a figurative your kind use to justify their actions. Will you condemn the thieves who kill in their desperation to feed their families? If so, are you not equally in the wrong for depriving a family of their sole means of survival with a flimsy of an excuse as 'I don't know'?"

The hand that had been slowly reaching around to touch the underside of Shinryū's jaw faltered at his question. She had no idea how to answer that. Just thinking about it caused her head to hurt. If there was no such thing as right and wrong, did that mean that there were no true villains or heroes? Or perhaps they were named either 'Hero' or 'Villain' depending on who you asked?

Finally, around them, the wind began to die down and become light, small breezes in comparison to the earlier hurricane that had ravaged the beach. The sound of the waves behind her gradually softened and the dark clouds overhead dispersed, allowing patches of sunlight to break through and illuminate the beach.

"That is for you to decide, little one. Now, rest… You have earned it."

Nagisa allowed her body against Shinryū – no small feat given the amount of tension that coursed through her body. His scales were surprisingly comfortable. Satisfied with her position, she closed her eyes and allowed her consciousness to fade away.

Even as the world turned dark, she caught Shinryū's muttered words:

"If it truly is you, the answer shall one day be clear before you."

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Shadows had already covered the village of Konoha and many of its inhabitants were comfortable in the realm of dreams when a shadowy figure broke from cover and raced up the sides of Konoha Hospital. The man stopped at an open window on the hospital's second floor and slipped into the room of a certain golden-haired child.

In comparison, the man's own spiked hair was a dazzling silver. A black half-mask covered his mouth and nose while a slanted Hitai-ate covered the man's left eye. His sole remaining eye flickered around the hospital room as he landed soundlessly upon the tiled floor.

The room was incredibly bare: whitewashed walls that seemed to suck the life out of the room, a pair of chairs rested near the window sill, and a single desk stood opposite the occupied bed. The only splash of colour seemed to belong to the little girl resting on the bed, a pillow keeping her propped up to allow for easier circulation.

He had only heard recently about the incident from someone a few hours ago and had trouble resisting his urge to check on his sensei's legacy. Technically he was breaking the law by visiting the girl this late at night – nobody was supposed to be bothering the patients at this time. That didn't really bother him though, he'd never really concerned himself with the hospital rules – they were more like guidelines anyway.

Besides, he was fairly certain both his sensei and his sensei's wife would have risen from their graves to murder him if he hadn't checked up on her. He'd already missed so much of the twins' lives, he really didn't have much of an excuse anymore now that he no longer was in ANBU.

The man ambled soundlessly over to the girl's beside, a black gloved hand hesitantly reaching out to gently ruffle the sleeping girl's hair. He eye-smiled as he watched over the girl, checking her body for any signs of injury. A sense of relief filled him when he couldn't find any signs of lasting harm upon her and he thought back to the concern the Hokage had brought up to him earlier that day.

He sunk down into one of the chairs, his eye never leaving the sleeping girl. She's attentive. Very attentive, he mused, his hand coming up to cup his chin. The way she notices things just isn't normal . . . in fact, the last person who showed similar traits…no, I don't think she'd ever do such a thing.

He was fairly sure that the sleeping girl would never go against Konoha. Well, he was sure she wouldn't as long as her brother was here. From what he'd observed, she loved her brother above all else while her brother seemed to love the village. That alone was a miracle, especially considering the way the twins had been treated all their lives.

Besides, it was harrowing for him to even consider that one of his sensei's children, one of the village's Hokage's children would ever turn against them. The political fallout would be disastrous, and that was ignoring the damage that a prodigy of her calibre would cause. And if she convinced her brother to side with her…

A shiver coursed through his body, causing his shoulders to shake at that thought. He didn't even want to think about what he'd have to do if such an event came to pass. He wasn't sure he'd be able to keep living with himself if it did.

"Kakashi-san."

The quiet call snapped him out of his ruminations and caused his body to stiffen. Realizing his gaze had fallen to the floor, he lifted his head up and met the girl's eyes. He recognized the emotion that was hiding within her dull, blue eyes. It was an emotion that he was intimately familiar with, an emotion that gazed back at him from the mirror every morning – guilt.

The two sat in silence, his one eye meeting her two. There was no need for words between them, he understood what was running through the girl's head, and he could tell she knew he knew.

With a resigned sigh, he rose from his chair and moved slowly to her bedside. He was careful to not startle her. Stopping at her side, he bent down and drew her into a stiff embrace, an uncomfortable silence surrounding them. He wasn't exactly experienced in situations like this, but he was fairly certain his intentions had gotten across.

"He told me it wasn't my fault." The girl's voice trembled as she spoke, a far cry from the stiff, cold tone she normally used. Despite how much her old tone tended to creep him out, Kakashi would have greatly preferred to hear that, rather than how she was now.

Uzumaki Nagisa was many things, but emotionally unstable was not one of them. It was unnerving to be honest.

He was only guessing, but it seemed as if Shisui had reached the girl before him. He was glad that Shisui had already spoken to her though, it certainly saved him from having to do so. He just hummed in agreement, ruffling her hair once more before leaning back. He eye-smiled as she sent him a dark glare.

"Is it really not my fault that they died?" Nagisa's eyes were hidden behind the hair that had fallen across her face, but by the way her voice wavered and broke, he assumed that she was crying.

"Well…" His voice trailed off as he gazed down at her bowed head. "Currently you're just a cute, little Genin, so you're not really responsible for the lives of your team…not yet at least. That responsibility would belong to your Jōnin sensei. If you consider –"

Kakashi was interrupted by a muffled sob as Nagisa fell forward, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her head in his chest. Letting out a mental sigh, Kakashi awkwardly patted her head before continuing.

"The enemy force you and your team encountered was made up of no less than five Jōnin ranked enemies. That'd be difficult for a standard Jōnin-Chūnin team to survive, let alone a squad of Genin. What you did was nothing short of a miracle."

He recalled what Shisui had told him about the meeting he'd had with the Hokage and had to forcibly restrain the killing intent that threatened to leak from him. Such a situation should never have happened, especially to a Genin as important as Nagisa.

Oh, sure they made sure to preach about one's birth right didn't matter in Konoha's Shinobi Corps, but at the end of the day, it did. Clan heirs, people with unique skills (Kekkei Genkai's) and people related to VIPs were much more important than the others in the corps. The fact that something like this had happened meant heads were going to roll; somehow, somewhere.

"You know," Kakashi began, still stroking the head of the sobbing girl that clung to him. Her hair felt rough beneath his fingers, as if it hadn't been washed in several days.

"Everyone's so used to thinking of you as a genius that we tend to forget that you're still just a child. You may be mentally mature, but your body is still that of a child, you still have your limits."

She pulled away from him at the word 'limits', her tear-streaked face lighting up in recognition. He made a mental note to mention it to the Hokage later before he continued on, ignoring the damp spot on his flak jacket.

"You've just got to wait for your body to catch up to your mind, ne?" He said, beginning to push her back down onto her bed; she needed to rest. Nagisa, however, seemed to have a different idea as she once again leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him.

"What do I need to do then? How can I get stronger?"

"Train."

Kakashi wasn't a cruel man – despite what others may say – he'd seen the ray of light in her eyes as she asked him that question. However, he knew that there are no short-cuts in their life and that it was better to nip any false hope in the bud – however much it may make her hate him at the moment.

Judging by the reports he'd been given to peruse, she already possessed a great deal of strength. What she seemed to lack was a way to apply that; hence why she needed to train.

"Maa, Nagisa-chan? Did you know that when you're assigned a Jōnin sensei, their responsibilities don't just include teaching? They're also responsible for the lives of those in their care. The same way that the border guards are responsible for keeping all of us safe…"

"As a Genin, you're not really all that responsible to what happens to your team – your Sensei is."

Blame was such an inane thing. People's energy would be much better served when being used to fix a problem, not deciding whose fault the problem was. Still…the fact that she was experiencing survivor's guilt just reassured him she wouldn't do anything to the village – as morbid of a way to be assured as it was.

The night of October Tenth briefly flickered to the forefront of his mind before he shoved it away. His own past had no place here.

He could feel her slump against him as the muscles in her shoulders relaxed and her ragged breathing slowed.

For someone who considered himself woefully inept at dealing with others, he considered the fact that he'd brought her some measure of comfort a personal success.

"But aren't we only responsible for our own lives? We've got to look out for ourselves because no one else will. Right Kakashi-san?"

"Tell me. What are you fighting for, Nagisa-chan?" Kakashi asked, placing one hand on the girl's shoulder to pull her shaking form away from his chest.

"Kakashi-san?" His grip tightened on her shoulder as he forced an eye-smile.

The girl was far too young to be experiencing something like this in his opinion – even if he was being hypocritical. Sitting there, shivering in the faint moonlight, she looked so small, so vulnerable, so fragile…

He took a deep, calming breath and closed his eye as he mulled over what to say. What would his sensei have done in this situation? He really was awful at dealing with children; actually, he was awful at dealing with people in general.

"Maa, I suppose you could put it that way," he whispered, almost hesitantly, afraid of sending the wrong message.

"However, to be a Shinobi means to walk side-by-side with death," He reached up and tapped the metal plate of his headband (eye-band?) "From the moment we put on these Hitai-ate, we leave behind our previous lives and enter a new world. A world in which the strong survive and the weak perish."

"It's because of this that we Shinobi live by a strict code of conduct. A code designed to maximize our short lives," He continued, noting how pale her face had become. What he was saying was harsh, but it was better for her to learn this now, rather than later when she was being lowered into the ground.

He then fixed his eye on Nagisa, pulling the bed's sheet up around her shoulders. Despite the fact that she was hanging onto his every word, she seemed to be shaking worse than ever. He sighed once more in his head, see Sensei, I really can't take care of children…

His eye hardened before softening as an unprecedented tone of warmth filled his voice. "It's because of this that those who breaks those rules are considered trash by others. However, those who abandon their comrades are considered worse than trash."

Kakashi then reached out and ruffled her hair one last time, hoping to convey all of his unspoken emotions in the simple gesture. "And Nagisa, despite what happened, you never abandoned your comrades."

"Now," he said, feeling utterly despicable for what he was about to do as he grasped his headband before flipping it up to reveal his left eye – he didn't really have any other choice though, she looked like death warmed over. His eyelid then opened, revealing a three-tomoed red eye that then spun to life, capturing the young girl's gaze.

"Sleep."

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Naruto first noted that his sister had appeared fairly withdrawn lately – even more than was normal for her. Her deep melancholy seemed to have started after she returned from her first mission outside the village – she still wouldn't tell him about it, he wasn't a child!

Kunai gripped in hand, the wooden targets arrayed before him seemed to fade away as his mind wandered. Although his sister hadn't told him about her mission, he could tell something had changed about her. Even now as he watched her from the corner of his eyes, she seemed different.

Head tilted to the side, Nagisa's blank eyes stared up into the sky, as if searching for something among the dancing clouds. And although she appeared relaxed, he could see the tension in her shoulders as her hands gripped the bark of the tree branch she lounged on.

She'd been acting like this constantly lately; always getting distracted by seemingly random things. Even now, as he watched her lips purse, he could sense something ugly in his sister. He had no idea what it was, but he didn't like it.

That did it! He was going to find some way to get her to talk to him. Hmm…maybe if he tri-

"You've been staring at those targets for quite a while, Nii-san. Have you perhaps forgotten how your arms work?"

His sister's soft, airy tone snapped him out of his reverie and he shot her a half-hearted glare as he caught sight of the small twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

Huffing and briefly sticking out his tongue, he spun in place, thrusting his right foot forward as he'd been taught and launched the kunai he held at the centre of the three targets. The kunai gleamed as it left his hand, glinting in the mid-afternoon sun. Elation quickly turned to disappointment as he watched the knife lodge itself in the bottom half of the target.

The pair were training – or relaxing in Nagisa's case – out in their usual training spot, an area deep within the heart of the village that served to seclude the twins from prying eyes. Unlike him, who was covered in sweat as he trained, Nagisa was perched on a tree branch, one of legs drawn up to her chest while her other dangled down.

Today she wore a simple, white sundress, her headband nowhere to be found on her person. Her attire wasn't particuraly suited for training and many may have mistaken for her a simple civilian if not for the kunai pouch strapped to her right leg.

Naruto wasn't exactly sure why his sister continued to follow him out here as she just spent the majority of her time reading in the tree's shade, but he wasn't complaining, it was nice to simply spend time together.

Shoulders slumped, he turned around once more to glare at his sister, one finger pointed at her accusingly.

"You messed me up! You're an evil Imouto!"

Amusement briefly flashed through his sister's eyes once more as she raised an eyebrow at his accusation. Her hand then blurred and a muffled whistle split the air as something flew by his head followed by the sound of metal slamming into the target boards behind him.

Naruto couldn't help but gape as he spun around once more – he was getting dizzy – and saw what his sister had done. Not only had she thrown three kunai simultaneously into the centres of his three targets, but he had barely been able to see her move! That was even better than that Teme in his class!

"That was awesome, Nagi-chan!" he exclaimed, spinning around to grin at his sister. He then grabbed his head as a wave of dizziness washed over him. He really needed to stop spinning.

"Hn," his sister grunted in a way that was disturbingly similar to a certain someone in his academy class, "it wasn't good enough."

"What are you talking about Nagi-chan?! That was completely badass, and I would know, 'ttebayo!"

"Where did you even learn that word? And I've had a lot of help…" The amusement faded from Nagisa's eyes as they returned to their blank state as she stared at him and her hand once more rested upon her propped up knee.

"Eh-heh…"He absentmindedly rubbed the back of his head as he averted his gaze. She may have been the younger twin, but she could be scary.

A sigh floated through the clearing as a small, wry smile appeared on Nagisa's face before she turned away once more to gaze up at the heavens.

Silence dominated the clearing as hesitated a minute, unsure if his sister was really letting him off the hook that easily. Sensing that nothing more was to come from that conversation, he shrugged his shoulder before sliding into the basic Taijutsu stance taught at the academy.

For a while, the only sound that could be heard was his own rough breathing as he jerkily worked through his katas. He didn't know how long it had been before he heard a sound he was very familiar with and it seemed to be coming from where his Imouto was resting.

What reason did she have to be crying in the middle of the day?

Glancing up, he saw that she'd drawn her legs up to her chest, wrapped her arms around her legs and had buried her head between her knees. Now that he was actively listening and watching for it, he could hear the muffled sobs that occasionally emanated from his sister. He could see that her entire body seemed to be trembling lightly.

"Ehh, Imouto, why are you crying?" His katas long since stopped, Naruto walked to the base of the tree and glanced up at his sister's shaking form. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't go comfort her – the tree had no low hanging branches and he had no idea how she'd managed to get up there.

"Go away, Naruto."

He swallowed at that. His sister rarely called him by his name, and when she did, he was usually in pretty big trouble. Still, Nagisa rarely cried and the fact that she was in the middle of the day for no reason was disturbing him. It was his duty to look after his little sister after all!

"No, Imouto. You're going to tell me what's wrong."

Naruto couldn't help but shiver as she stopped trembling and turned to glare at him with her reddened eyes. There was a silence between them – asides from Nagisa's occasional sniffles – before Nagisa grabbed the tree branch and swung herself down, landing with a muffled thump.

Um. He may have messed up. Naruto couldn't but help to think back to his academy class and draw connections between how his sister was acting and how the girl's in his class tended to react violently when like this.

Still…if it was for his sister. Closing his eyes, Naruto unconsciously tensed as his sister stalked towards him. Her bare feet made no sound and he couldn't sense where she was, his world shrouded in darkness as he waited for her punch.

"You're way too stubborn for your own good, Nii-san," Nagisa muttered, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder.

Well…he hadn't been expecting that reaction. Still, phase one of the 'Find out what's wrong with Imouto' plan complete! Now onto step two! Err, wait did his plan even have a step two? He couldn't remember now.

Resisting the urge to rub the back of his head once more, Naruto hugged his sister back before attempting to step away from her embrace. He mentally cursed as he found himself trapped. Damn, his sister was strong!

He then found himself released as she stepped backwards, using his jacket to wipe her face – aww, this was his favourite jacket. Oh well, they all looked the same anyways – before she slid down, resting her back against the smooth bark of the tree.

Hesitantly, he slid down next to her, their shoulders touching. She rested her head on his shoulder before speaking, her voice quiet and timid.

"I messed up, Nii-san. I messed up really badly."

"What happened?"

Although she made no sound and her head was bowed, he could still see the tears that dripped down her face. Reaching out once more, he hugged her tightly, pulling her into his chest. He wasn't really sure what to say, but he could let her know he was listening. She hadn't done anything too bad…right? Right?

"They're all dead… All of them, because I failed."

Naruto couldn't help but tighten his grip around her in shock. Well, he certainly wasn't expecting that. A quiet 'err' slipped out before he could help it and he was pretty sure his mouth was hanging open.

Nagisa squirmed out of his arms at that, an impassive mask sliding down over her face. She stared at him blankly as she hugged her knees.

"You know, Nagi-chan, Jiji once told me something about death," he said quietly, folding his arms as he stared back at her, "He once told me that when someone dies, that that was it. No 'game over', no second chances.

Still, he said that the best way we could honor them was to continue respecting their wishes and to honor their memories like they would want us to."

He couldn't help but smirk slightly at the stunned expression frozen on her face. Sure, he wasn't the most eloquent of people, but he could still parrot others! He then noticed that his sister still hadn't moved.

"Err, Nagi-chan, anybody home?" Naruto waved his hand in front of her face when she didn't move. He didn't break his sister…did he? He was pretty sure he couldn't get a new one, and he most certainly didn't want anyone besides Nagi-chan!

"Nii-san, is that actually you? When did you get so…so smart?" The stunned expression finally faded from Nagisa's face, but her eyes were still slightly widened and her mouth still hung open.

"I'm really not all that smart," he admitted sheepishly, rubbing his head as he averted his eyes, "It's like I told ya, Jiji's the one who said it, not me."

Well, at least she didn't seem to be crying anymore. Phase two of his 'Find out what's wrong with Imouto' plan complete! Wait…wasn't his plan finished? He'd already found out what was bothering her.

"Hey, Nii-san, do you think I'm foolish?" Nagisa made a vague gesture towards herself as she spoke, "This…this problem of mine has been bothering me ever since I got back, and yet, after listening to you for a mere few minutes I can't help but feel stupid…"

"You're not foolish, Nagi-chan! You're the smartest people I know!"

"The correct word is person, Nii-san, not people," A choked snicker escaped Nagisa as she corrected her brother. Scooting closer to him, she rested her head on his shoulder, hugging him tightly with one arm.

"Thanks, Nii-san," she whispered with a small sigh, "I may not get a second chance with my team… But now, now that I'm getting this chance to be here…it doesn't hurt as much."

Naruto mentally patted himself on the back as he smiled brightly at his sister, "No problem, Nagi-chan. After all, it's my duty as your wise, elder brother, dattebayo!"

"No! You're the stupid twin, Nii-san. I'm the one who's going to protect you."

"Aww…but Nagi-chan…"

"No buts! Now, where in Kami's name did you put my sandals?!"

Yes, Naruto thought as he listened to his sister rage at him, a mixture of fury and playfulness in her eyes, this is enough for now. He could still see the pain she tried to keep hidden from him and the rest of the world. He wasn't arrogant enough that he thought one talk would cure that, but for now it would have to do.

Yes, he thought once more, smiling brightly and sticking his tongue out at his sister as a sandal flew across the clearing, barely missing his head, this will just have to do.