I do not own Naruto as a game, Manga, Anime series or a character. All original characters are mine though :P

Hi no Ishi (The will of Fire) - Usagi Gaiden (Rabbit Tales)

Everything is falling apart! Tatsuko isn't even sure she can repair it any longer. How will our hero come to her rescue? Will there be a happy ending?

All underlined terms are explained at the end of the chapter.

~Yukikami Compound, Tatsuko age five.~
~Tsu's POV.~

"Tsu? Are you okay?" Hikaru asked. He's the only one that ever asks. Well, him and Tou-chan. I didn't answer though. No... why answer when he knows I'm not.
If the blood running from my nose isn't enough... then the senbon Sazumi shoved through my hand will be. This is what I get for trusting her... for trusting anyone.
I hate people.
"Tsu? Tou-san is talking to the elders. Do you want me to take you to Kenichi-sensei?" How could such a sweet little boy be born from such a person? That Sazumi brought such an angel into the world...
"i'm fine." I grabbed the senbon and pulled it out of my palm, tossing it away. This is the last time any person will ever be allowed close to me. No one can be trusted.
"Tsu... please?" He begged me with his eyes. He's worried, and trying not to cry.
"Fine."

Later that afternoon, Tou-chan came to visit me in the hospital. His eyes were angry. "The elders sided with her." Was all he would say about it, but his eyes didn't change. Kenichi-sensei explained some things to Tou-chan... things I didn't really care about understanding. After that we left, but we didn't head home.
Instead Tou-chan took us to one of the training grounds. Just him, Hikaru and me. We sat there for a while, no one saying anything. I just felt so... useless. The anger in Sazumi's eyes. The anger her body shook with. I didn't even try to defend myself when she punched me – I thought I did something wrong. But when she took out her senbon and tried to poke me in my eye... I raised my hand to tell her to stop, that I'd be a good girl. I looked away, praying that she wouldn't hurt me...
Hikaru had been the one to stop her. Well, almost stop her. She got distracted when he screamed for her to stop. So the senbon went right through my hand and through my nose. I don't even understand why it happened. I don't know what I did. I thought she loved me – just like Tou-chan loves me.
"Tou-chan... did I really kill Suipou-sama?" I don't even know who that is. And nothing comes up from Okaa-sama or Tobirama-sama when I ask. Just more and more suiton jutsu... and they only kinda sound like 'suipou'.
Tou-chan didn't answer. He just told me that he would be training me harder now. So that I could save myself and Hikaru if someone ever attacked me again. I was attacked? Isn't that what you do when sparring?
I've 'attacked' Hikaru a lot, but I know I never hurt him like this before. I remember once I hit him too hard and he got a bruise. He cried a bit, but he wasn't mad. Tou-chan wasn't mad either. So why is this 'attack' so different?
I don't understand.

~Uzugakure, Present day with Usagi and Aoba.~

'Get your head in the game! No time for a stroll down memory lane!' I chastised. Yukie was just about to cast her Great Breakthrough, so I blazed through my own handseals and we kicked the double doors open at the same time.
The second the wind picked up I unleashed the Katon – Endan I had prepared. The two met not even a meter in front of us, combining into what we called the Imperial Barbecue. I liked the name, because 'Karu came up with it. He's always too damn focused on food.
I mentally slapped myself again. Focusing on my doujutsu a little harder, I expanded my range. The heat from the Imperial Barbecue blinded my infrared, so all I had was sound to guide me.

The room must have been thirty meters long and half as wide, filled almost to the brim with shinobi. High leveled shinobi, might I add. The chakra I could sense off them was between chuunin and jounin levels!
'Seriously, who the fuck has this many ninja standing around?' Well, the conbi-jutsu just baked thirty of them, but that left sixty unaccounted for. It bothered me that their bodies just poofed out of existence though.
#Kage bunshin. High alert, user formidable!# I signed to my team, hoping that Aoba would follow suit – or at least be able to read the signs.
I settled into my 'battery stance', so that I could conjure up my suiton jutsu easier. I don't understand why, but spreading my feet apart and steeping low from the knees seems to make it easier to use suiton. Don't ask.
My hands were flashing through more handseals as I wordlessly focused on my Suiton – Tajuu Teppoudama no-jutsu. The enemies all converged on our location – which was the point – so everyone was prepared for the bloodbath.
Yukima and Touketsu were over on my right. Yukima with his swords unsheathed and already cutting through clones like a kid on a sugar rush in a pinata store, and Touketsu acting as his long range to stem the numbers of attackers.
Koritetsu and Yukimaru were over on my left. Koritetsu being the swordsman and Yukimaru on long range.
I sensed Aoba behind me, with Gan on his shoulder. I could tell from his determined chakra that he would not be sitting this out, so I just hoped that no enemy nins would be making it to his position.

There were sixteen clusters of bleeps in front of me – calling walking corpses bleeps makes it easier when they fall off the grid. Three of which were getting too close, so they were my current target. The first water bullet ripped through what I guessed was the leader of that cluster's skull. Luckily it didn't stop there and took out two of his followers. The second water bullet flew through another's chest, severing the arm of the bleep behind him mid bicep.
The third and fourth bullets were special. I gave them way too much chakra and shot them into the another two clusters that were getting too close. The second they were in the exact center of the cluster, via the leader's chest cavity-

BOOM!

I would have smirked – I really wanted to, seeing that that was my favorite jutsu – but that just alerted the other clusters to be more cautious. Well, it didn't matter. Another five or six rounds went off, exploding and essentially slaughtering the bleeps...
But no matter what I did, or anyone of my team did... #All clones?# Poofs of smoke was the only thing we were rewarded with. This is getting dangerous! We simply don't know who – or what as the case might well be – we were dealing with! Who the hell could make this many clones and not go catatonic from the effort?
#Too dangerous! Flee!# I signed to my team. I know they understood, but they were flatly refusing. They would never abandon me, least of all when I needed them most. #Have plan. Go!# They still refused, and Yukie was to the point of slapping me if the tenseness in her neck was any indicator.
"Tsu! We. Fight!" Yukie ground out, never leaving my side. No! I'm not losing more people! Not again, not ever!
Fine... then I'd just have to step this up to the next level... I hate having to, but I will not let them risk their lives to keep me safe. I never should have summoned them!
#COVER FIRE!# I announced, praying they would just listen this time. I unsheathed my dual katanas, ready to unleash hell.

~Flashback, Tatsuko age 8, First ANBU team mission without Tatsuhi.~

"FALL BACK!" Inu shouted. He didn't have to, I was already way ahead of him. I had could sense the bleeps on my our tail, and Inu obviously didn't want to risk an altercation with them.
Too bad Iwa shinobi don't really care if you fight or flee.
We returned fire, doing our best to keep on the move. Neko was in the lead, Shirokuma at my side and Inu was taking up the rear to make sure we got out alright. The farther we went, the more we-

WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE!

~End Flashback.~

~Back in the real world.~

My breathing was ragged, as it always is with when I get a flashback like that. So that was definitely triggered from with me – or my memory bank at least. The thing is...
"A random trigger." I muttered. I've never had a random trigger before. It's always been triggered by my own queries, or by powerful emotion tied to it. That wasn't a genjutsu... it was a memory I can readily remember. Only... it wasn't triggered by the usual means...
What does that mean?
No one should be able to trigger one without intimate knowledge of the Living Library Fuuin. Knowledge that only a librarian would have. Or Hikaru, but it obviously can't be him.
After getting my breathing under control again, I took in the scene. Yukie and the others had formed a defensive barrier around me, with Aoba himself holding me up like I was an invalid. I wanted to get upset, my pride demanded that I tell them off for protecting me like that – I could defend myself, dammit!
I was going to! I was going to let them all have it! But my eyes met with Yukie's. Her eyes told me more than I wanted to hear. She's worried. They all were.
"One of them knows too much." I spoke as clear as I could. "They used a jutsu to enhance my fear, then somehow tripped a random trigger." That made no sense to Aoba, who just took it in stride. Yukie and the others though... they were a click South of freaking out! Not that I can blame them, seeing that I know what that could mean. If someone other than a Senju could trigger anything they wanted from the library... they could-
'No, no time to worry with it. I just need to deal with this and find out who is behind this whole mess.'
It was pointless. By the time I got my breathing under control and stood up, I was hit with another-

~Flashback, Yukikami Compound, Tsu age six.~

"PUT YOUR BACK INTO IT, UCHIHA!" Tou-chan wasn't running his team ragged – he was tearing them down. He wanted to bring them so far beyond what they could handle that they forgot they couldn't take any more. Said Uchiha looked like he was going to drop any second.
"KITSUNAGA, IF YOU DROP THAT SWORD, I'LL BREAK YOUR ARM!" Poor Kenta looked like he couldn't feel his fingers, but somehow he managed to hold on to the ninjato he was training with.
"KOHAKU, YOU WANNA DUAL WIELD? THEN YOU WORK TWICE AS HARD TO HOLD THEM!" I could have sworn he dark skinned samurai would pass out on his feet. Still, he persisted.
I still can't figure out how they survived that long against Tou-chan. Spar or no, Tou-chan doesn't go easy on anyone.

~End Flashback.~

Then another.

~Flashback, Cafe somewhere in Konoha, Tsu age six.~

"Uchiha, you suck. You know that?" I laughed when 'Karu announced that. Natsumi, Kenta and Yasei soon laughed too, once they figured out the joke.
"I do?" He was surprised. Leave it to that moron to not figure it out. He looked down at his confection – which Natsumi 'made' him order – finding it empty. "Oh, you ate it all."
"It's no fun if that's all you have to say." 'Karu gave in, ordering another one to replace the now empty glass.

~End flashback.~

Then another...

~Flashback, Forest of Death, Tsu age nine.~

"Can you stand?" Mikoto asked, no emotion in her voice at all. We'd been sparring for just under an hour, and she was at least as capable as Tou-chan. Honestly, I think I broke something. Maybe more than that.
"..." I got up anyway, keeping all emotion away from my face. A trembling hand doesn't count.
"Good. That is enough for today. You are going home, taking a shower and I am treating you to some ice cream." She was smiling. Even though I couldn't see her face, I heard it in her voice. "But first..." Her hands were already glowing green and she was coming closer to me, her attention on the angry bruises I felt forming on my leg and ribs.

Two hours later – I had enjoyed the soak in the tub way too much to end it early – I was being spoiled with a banana split supreme! Apparently I had impressed her enough for her to splurge on the most expensive treat the cafe had, and I deserved every spoonful of it!
"You remind me so much of Emi-chan." She eventually said. Her voice wavered a bit when she said Okaa-sama's name.

~End flashback.~

And... another...

~Flashback, Senju District, Night of the Kyuubi attack.~

A familiar voice was singing something. I don't understand what. I just know it hurts! Everything hurts! My short finger I like sucking on hurts. That little thing on my face hurts. And no matter how hard I cry, no one will make the pain go away, no one will pick me up.
I feel a light, somewhere where I can't see. It's not bright, but it hurts. There's a-

/"Hold it off until Yondaime-sama gets here!" A bright light filled my world, and something hurt me. I felt my skin burn, my eyes burned. Everything hurt. Someone was saying something, grabbing me as I fell... only for us to both get hit again by that painful light from the big kitty./

The pain got worse. And worse. And worse. I cried harder. But no one came.

/A big frog appeared, with a man with yellow hair on its head. I felt so happy to see him. I knew he would save us, he would stop the pain of my family, of my friends.
Only the man seemed so sad. He was holding something in his hands, a baby, just like me. Only this baby was smaller and he was sleeping.
A bright flash was fired off from the big kitty again, and I could hear people crying. So many people were crying and disappearing in the red and white light the kitty was throwing around.
Here comes another one, it's coming right at me! There's a girl I know next to me. No, two girls. I grab them and throw them away, "Ai, Raiko! Take care of everyone!" I shout out, then the light hits me. Pain hits me./

Worserer. The pain won't stop, the light keeps hurting me. Who are these people I keep seeing? What is happening? I don't understand.

/ "What are you doing? The Kyuubi is running rampant and you start a fight now?" I shouted. My voice is so deep, I can feel it rumbling in my chest and my head.
"Aww, Senju-teme doesn't want to play?" A man said. His black hair is long and spikey, his eyes are red with weird black dots in them. Three dots in each eye. He seems angry. So angry. Even though his voice is playful, his eyes are angry.
"PLAY? You aren't here to play!" I told him. I wish he was here to play though, it would help ease the pain. I'm tired of pain, I want the pain to stop.
"Oh? Aren't I? I could have sworn-" More pain, this time in my belly. I looked down and see a red. I like colors, like that soft thing Tou-chan let's me crawl on when we go play outside. It's pointy, but soft. It's not the same color as this though. No, this is like... that light from the kitty. That light that keeps giving me more and more pain. This is like that.
Only it doesn't hurt as much. This pain is less painful./

What am I seeing? Who was that? He didn't seem very nice. What does everyone want to hurt me? Why is the kitty hurting me? Tou-chan let me play with a puppy once, with black hair and a funny thing over his eye. He was nice. He didn't hurt me.
Why is everyone hurting me? Am I bad?

~End flashback.~

"... yukie..." I managed after having to relive the Senju massacre once again. The problem with the Living Library Fuuin... was that it automatically records every vital memory of any who bare the Senju clan seal up until mere seconds before their brain stops functioning.
Yeah... that means just shy of ten minutes after a beheading. And longer with liver punctures. To know exactly how it feels to die a thousand times over. That is my fate. That is why I would sooner welcome death than fear it – it would literally set me free from this burden. Well, both burdens technically.
"Tsu." Yukie was holding me up – one of my arms was draped over her shoulder. There were still a few dozen bleeps surrounding us, but their numbers were thinning out. Which did me no good, because I couldn't even stand on my own...
"... what was it for...?" Training all my life like tomorrow would never come. I could have been the strongest kunoichi that ever lived if I had kept at it at the pace Tou-chan taught me to excel. "... the training... the fighting... everything... why...?"
"Fear." Was all Yukie said. And she was right. Tou-chan feared for my safety, so taught me to be stronger than those who would hurt me. I feared for my heart, so I trained instead of playing with other kids my age. And I am just a kid – even now. I'm only ten... err, twelve. I shouldn't...
"EYES FRONT!" A familiar voice announced. I focused, noticing the kunai flying right at me. Yukie was already moving to take the blade in her arm – as opposed to my neck. I tried to focus, to cast a jutsu... anything.
I couldn't-

~Flashback, Tsu and Yukie, age seven.~

"Wind." Tsu said, holding up her right hand. "Water." Her left hand raised to the same level. Then she clapped her hands together, her fingers lacing together. "Ice."
"I understand, Yukie. But how do I make ice without wind?" I sucked at futon. Badly. My suiton was alright, but the Yukikami would never accept me if I couldn't use hyouton! I need to-
"Tsu. Focus." Yukie nudged my arm, trying to calm me down. "No. Wind. No. Ice." She shook her head from side to side, showing that there was no way to do it. I had to master wind before I could even attempt ice. Great.

~End Flashback~

~Flashback, Tsu and Hikaru, the next day.~

"You look like your dog just died." Karu teased, poking my nose with his chopsticks.
"How would you feel-"
"Just because Tsu can't use ice, doesn't mean that she's not strong." Karu interrupted my would be rant. "You still have sound, water and fire."
A tear broke out before I could stop it. "... you don't get it. how can i call myself a yukikami if i can't-"
"You're the one that doesn't get it." Karu just sat there, picking at his rice. "You are Yukikami AND Senju. You can choose which path to follow, or you can let life choose for you." When did he get so smart?
"I. Am. A. Yukikami." I said. Why does remind me that I'm a Senju? I've never even met another Senju! Well, not one that's still alive.

~End Flashback.~

~Flashback, Tsu and Kiba age seven, Kiba's birthday party.~

"Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to yoooooooooooooo!" Kiba was staring at his cake. It wasn't the biggest, or the prettiest, but he was proud of it. He helped his mother bake it – and it looked it. The top was unlevel, the icing looked like someone was licking it and the candles were all in weird places. Weird, as in he stuck them in the side of the cake, saying that the wax wouldn't drop on the cake that way.
Still, he couldn't be prouder of himself. And from the smile on Tsume-san's face, she felt the same way. "Make a wish, pup." She said, offering him a lopsided grin. I rolled my eyes, never understanding this tradition. Wishes don't come true, it's a proven fact. Often someone would overhear you and act like they didn't know a thing when they give you exactly what you wished for.
"I wish I was as strong as Tsu and Karu!" Kiba announced, blowing his candles – and spraying spit on the cake.
"Ew! I'm not eating that!" I complained, wiping at a wet spot I felt on my forehead. Karu was already jumping up saying he'd eat my piece then. "Pig." Everyone laughed at the three of us. Well, not exactly a lot of 'everyone'. Tou-chan, Tsume-san, Hiashi-san, Kiba, Hinata, Karu and me. That was it. Kiba's sister couldn't make it, since she was sent out on a mission last minute.
Still, there were smiles on the grown ups faces as they watched us arguing. Kiba and 'Karu were arguing who was getting the biggest piece, Hinata was just being her usual quiet self... and I simply refused anything that looked even remotely moist! Eww! The last thing I need is cooties before my shift starts!

~End Flashback.~

Fuck! That one was so intense that I actually felt the drop of spit that hit me! 'I'm useless! This is my mission, and I can't even fucking stand up!' I wanted to say it, I really did. But I couldn't.
Only, when my eyes finally focused again... "... kiba... you were... supposed... to keep... far... away..." I was gasping at every pause, trying as hard as I could to keep my cool... but...
I was on my back, Yukie laying over me protectively... and Kiba on top of her, a trail of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. I didn't even have to guess to know what happened with the kunai that nearly hit me. 'No... not again!'
His lips curled up into a smile. "Keh, and leave you have all the fun?" He made to get up, already reaching to pull out the kunai that his his shoulder blade. I don't know how he kept his voice so even – any other genin would have been freaking out! "Hinata! Any clue where they are?" She's here too? NO!
"Get out of here! You're both going against orders! I'll have you-"
"Shut up!" Kiba barked, Akamaru joining in too. "You might outrank me, but I do NOT let my friends die!" There was anger in his eyes... and compassion. How the hell did can he feel them both at once...?
I looked around, trying to figure out how much of the battle I missed. Of my Usagi team, only Yukie was left – the others must have used up all the energy they had protecting me. Aoba was still going strong, taking on six bleeps on his own. Hinata was on his flank, doing what she could to back him up, but leaving the actual fighting to him.
And the bleeps were all be decimated. There were only the last si- scratch that, four left that Aoba was cleaning up now. How long was I out?

After everything was said and done, I was the only one to take any actual damage. Well, the only damage that Hinata couldn't heal.
I managed to dislocated my shoulder and had three broken bones in one foot. I could still walk and, after Yukie helped pop my should back in place, I was able to fight. Though Hinata and Kiba both refused to accept that.
"Nice try, little miss overachiever. You ain't going nowhere!" Kiba snatched me up, holding me piggy back style. I wanted to fume... but a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach stopped me – I blame puberty! Fucking hormonal bullshit.
"Hinata, scan the area. We need to know about the others, and if there are any more enemies around." Aoba instructed. Well, dammit if he wasn't good at what he did.
Minutes crawled by as Hinata scanned everything with her doujutsu. I wish I could control mine as well a she could hers.
"The three ANBU already took out the others. All clones." I guess the severity of the situation helped mask her stutter. I'll have to tease her about that later.
"So where is the clone factory?" And who the hell can make that many Kage Bunshin? What the fuck? Over a hundred! And not one of them is the actual person!
"Not in the building." Someone strong enough to churn out a hundred shadow clones, well informed about my being the librarian and how to use that... and smart enough to not actually be in this building, but knew we'd be here. This isn't good. What if this place is booby trapped?
"Hinata, check for explosive tags, or trip wires." I told her, hoping we'd know before it was too late. Only, my eyes caught Yukie's... and there was... joy there?
"I. Tired. I. Go." She said, making a single handseal and poofing back to her home.

"What the fuck?" Then I started scanning the others' eyes... finding the exact same sentiment there! "Okay, spill it! What the hell is going on?"
Aoba found his tongue first. "Who do you know that can make shadow clones?" He asked.
"Kakashi, Ebisu, Hikaru, Saru-ji-chan... and me. Why?" I wasn't that good with them, I could only make three before becoming light headed. Well, closer to thirty when under Sanbi's influence.
"Hinata, can you find him? You should know his signature best." Was all he said, not even hiding his smile. What the fuck is he so happy about? And why is Hinata blushing?
Everything was silent as she started scanning more intently now. If my guess was right, she was scanning the surrounding area now. I could sense Willow, Kage and Uzu making their way towards us, questions in their eyes.

"What's the situation, taichou?" Willow asked.
"I don't know, and no one seems to want to explain." I groused, pinching Kiba for good measure. He didn't seem to mind – oddly enough.
"There!" Hinata pointed at something – it was just a wall as far as I could tell. We were about to head that way – not that I was in any position to argue, seeing that SOMEONE was refusing to let me walk. I could tell my team was getting curious, but the murderous look I gave them staved off any verbal questions... I could still see them signing things amongst themselves.

'I'm never going to live this down... am I.'

Leaving the main building behind, Hinata led us to a cave entrance a few hundred meters away. I argued most of the way there. Telling, ordering, begging... Kiba only held me tighter every time. I could already tell that knocking him out was the only way to salvage my pride... yet I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Once we entered the cave, I started asking what the hell was going on. No one would answer me. Jeez, so much for respecting a superior officer! ANBU buntaichou only meant something in ANBU these days...

Five minutes into the cave, we got to a large cavern. There were again dozens, if not another hundred shinobi strewn about with kunai and swords drawn! I was already going through handseals, selecting the best spots to blow up the bigger groups.
"STAND DOWN!" Aoba called out. I was about to chew him out for attempting to order me around... when...
'What the...' The bleeps poofed out of existence.
"Did it work?" A voice called out from deeper in the cavern. I activated my doujutsu, to see what the fuck was going on. None of this was making any damn sense!
"LIKE A CHARM! SHE MIGHT STILL WANT TO KILL YOU THOUGH!" Aoba answered the voice. Seriously, what the hell?
"Nah! She'll love me for it!" I could follow the voice this time. It still sounded like it was coming from the same spot... but the owner was throwing his voice. There were four people high up in the cavern, looking down at us. They were too far away for me to see much detail – let alone if I was in battle mode, I wouldn't have ever looked that far away.
"who... are you...?" I didn't even know for sure I had said that out loud, until Kiba chuckled.
"Let's go find out." He said, dashing for the wall.

I was half panicked – did he want to kill me? Could he already climb walls with my added weight? Not that I'm heavy! It's just... a few pounds more than he's used to. Just a few!
When we got to the edge, I finally noticed that Hinata was the only one tagging along. Aoba, Uzu, Kage, Willow... they were staying behind. I didn't understand.
Then Kiba and Hinata started climbing the walls using the tree climbing exercise. When did this happen? We were going up at the same speed they could run on regular – flat – ground. Then we reached the top. I had to deactivate my doujutsu, because something was messing with the soundwaves.
There were four shinobi. Konoha hitai-ate, with the leader's covering his left eye. He had a gray mask covering the lower part of his face, white hair and an eye smile. The next also had white hair, no irises – just the pupils were visible. The next was a blond, blue eyes and had a goofy smile that made me want to slap him. The last was a blond haired, blue eyed girl.

I was now face to face with Kakashi and his team. Each smiling goofier than the last.

Tears were spilling before I could hope to stop it. Emotional training – all of it – was shot straight to hell. Kiba reached back and unhooked my Usagi mask, handing it to Aoba.
I felt numb. Like swimming under a frozen lake, numb. My eyes wouldn't move from Hikaru, scanning every inch to make sure he was okay. I felt my body moving closer towards them, not sure if I was walking or not. I just... was. It was like a dream when all you could do was observe. That's how it felt.
I couldn't decide if I was relieved they were alright, pissed off that they put me through that... anything. I couldn't even breathe as I made my way to my little brother – I was afraid it was a mirage, a genjutsu... something. I didn't want to dispel it.
"... 'karu...?" My voice was hoarse, my throat was dry. I didn't even have the energy to wipe away my tears.
"Yeah, Tsu. It's me. You're boneheaded, annoying, cooties having little brother." He smiled, even as sympathy played across his face. He knew what he had put me through. "If it helps, it was his idea." He nodded at Naruto, who only smiled wider.
I jumped at him, no longer caring about risks. I just wanted to hold him. Emotions – taboo though they were – welled up within me, blinding what was left of my logic. All I had left was the hope that this was real.
My arms wrapped around him, sobs wracking my body rendering me incapable of putting up a defense if this was a trap. I couldn't even see anymore – tears blurring everything in the low light.
The logical part of me was screeching that this was a trap, that my little brother was dead and the enemy was going to kill me next. And I couldn't care less.

I cried. And with every tear I held onto him a little tighter, refusing to let him go. My hands gripping his shirt – I'm amazed I didn't rip it. And I... just... cried.

End Chapter 30

A/N: Much shorter than my quota. MUCH! But this is the right place to end this chapter. I hope everyone enjoys the 'threads lay bare' of Tatsuko - she isn't the easiest person to make emotional with everything she's been through!
Coming up though is a trilogy of chapters which are intended to be released at once: 'My name is Tsu', 'I'm coming home.', and the final chapter of this arc 'Lay straight, ye winding road'

For those who are following this story - which I assume anyone who reads chapter 30 of any story is - there is an update/warning on my profile page about the speed of updating. Read if you find interesting, otherwise don't worry.

RedRangerBelt! I love you girl! I hope this chapter, and more importantly the upcoming chapters, offer you the answers that must be bugging you! Yes, I know more questions will come, that's what I love about you :D

For those who think I overpowered Tsu/Tatsuko... well, maybe I did. Still, I think her emotional state balances that out a bit.

Omake: Eye of the beholder!

"Give me one good reason!" Tatsuko was pissed. Well, truly, honestly pissed! How the hell could Yuuna demand such a thing from her?
"Stop being such a baby, Nee-chan. It won't kill you!" Yuuna countered, obviously not expecting this strong a reaction.
"Won't kill you! Me I'm not so sure about..." The blond studied the... thing... in front of her.
"Nee-chan, you're overreacting." Yuuna opined. Probably the only person alive that can say they've said that and walked away.
"Am not!" ... "okay, maybe a little..." Yuuna smiled, already tasting victory.
"Kiba would love it." That made sense, but then... anything with a pulse would. In her opinion at least.
"Why this one? Don't you want-"
"Nee-chan promised me we could go shopping for anything I wanted. And I want this!" Tatsuko would have to start choosing her words with greater care...

They both looked at the dress once more. One more enthused than the other. Spaghetti straps, formfitting above the waist, fluffy below, everywhere pink... they both agreed it was the epitome of girly-ness. Only one of them liked that.
"We aren't leaving until you try it on, Nee-chan!" Yuuna threatened, knowing that she could well entertain herself in a store like that for days on end. A fact that made the Senju's eye twitch.
'I'm soooooo getting you back for this...'