A Hatred That Will Never Bloom Into Friendship

She groggily opens her eyes, and before she got all her bearings, she already knew where she was. Lying in a bed, in the hospital. But how she got there was a different question.

She sits up and a sharp pain shoots through her right arm. She winces and looks down at her battered body under the sheets. Half of her body was wrapped in bandages, from her thighs to her shoulders.

Naria sighs and recounts what had happened, and frankly, it was something she never saw coming.

Yasu had a partner in all of this. And he was just as powerful as Yasu, maybe even more. This made everything that much worse.

The door slowly opens on her left, and Kakashi's head pops in.

"So, I see your finally awake," he says, walking fully into the room. He closes the door behind him.

"Yeah. How long was I out for?" She looks out the window as she asks the question, staring out at the bright overhead sun.

Kakashi thinks it over a moment. "Almost eleven hours."

"So, I take it your the one who found me in the clearing?"

He nods. He then walks over to the wall beside her bed and leans against it, crossing his arms. "What exactly happened?" He was all seriousness.

She falters, now knowing where to begin. Even though she knew she could trust him, she couldn't confide in him just yet.

"Sorry, but I have to talk with the Hokage first," she blurts out. She flings the covers off of her and hops off the bed, ignoring the pain shooting though her.

Kakashi doesn't take his eyes off of her as she fumbles to put her clothes on. "The Hokage has called a meeting with all of the jounin this morning to take place this afternoon."

"What?" She hesitates in putting on one of her shoes. Damn it, she needed to talk with him now. But that couldn't be helped now. She finishes putting on her shoes, and turns to Kakashi. "Well... we both should be on our way then."

Kakashi scrutinizes her for a bit more before answering, "Right."

~~*~~

"Morning, Kimina."

"Morning, mom." I sniff the air. "Mmm. It smells really good. What all you make?"

"All your favorites."

I walk up to the kitchen table, and the enticing aromas made my mouth water. A bowl of strawberries and bananas were placed next to two stacks tall stacks of pancakes. There was also a nice plate of scrambled eggs, sausages, and wheat toast.

I take a nice gulp of orange juice before sitting down. "Well, this looks like it should be enough."

"Enough?" My mother's eyebrows rise. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about something. You see..." My voice trails off.

"Hmm?" My mom follows my gaze behind her, at the entrance way. "Who is this, Kimina?"

I stand up and go to step beside him. "This is Rakuyo. His one of my squad nine teammates. He's going through a rough time,"--Rakuyo shudders--"right now, and he needed somewhere to stay for the time being, and I said he could stay here."

She scrutinizes Rakuyo, then turns back to me. She sighs. "Kimina, I really wish you would've talked this over with me first."

I knew she was going to say that. The typical mother that she was.

She continues. "But I guess its okay."

I smile. "Thanks, mom."

Rakuyo says and does nothing. He just stands next to me, expression blank and eyes sorrowful. Just like when we first met.

~~*~~

All the jounin were sitting on the floor in a room at the Hokage's building, in front of the Third himself and the Village Elders, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.

Naria was seated beside Kakashi, with Anko on the the other side of him. Farther down their row, she spotted Kurenai and Asuma.

Sarutobi clears his throat, calling everyone's attention, and he doesn't waste time in delivering some grave news. "Now first I want to tell you all that Hayate Gekkou was killed last night."

Naria's mouth drops open. "What?"

Surprised murmurs and outbursts mill through the room, but one catches her full attention, specifically because of the name that was mentioned.

"This is probably the work of Orochimaru!" Anko proclaims, her eyes narrowed into slits.

Kakashi eyes her. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Hayate may have been on the trail of a Sound village spy named Kabuto. We don't know for sure..."

Raidou Namiashi cuts him off, staring intently at the Hokage. "I say we cancel the rest of the exams, and go after Orochimaru."

Sarutobi shakes his head. "No, that is not an option. He appeared to Anko and told us not to cancel the exams. There are two things we know. He holds a strong grudge against the Leaf, and his power is very great. I suspect he is waiting around for a perfect opportunity to plot against us..."

Another jounin speaks up, and the conversation takes a turn towards alliances to the Leaf, but Naria was deep in her own thoughts and the discussion was lost on her.

All she could think of was the Hokage's last statement... I suspect he is waiting around...

Her eyes open wide in sudden realization. She didn't know if it was exactly right, but it fit into all the questions she had.

"In any case,"--the Third continues--"until we have more information, this is all just a speculation." Those words were blatantly true, Naria contemplates. "And besides, I have complete faith in each of you. When the time comes, we will gather the strengths of this village and fight back if we must."

Each jounin nods their heads.

And with that the meeting was adjourned. Naria waits around until the room clears out, and when it does she steps up to where the Hokage was sited. Both of the Village Elders had also left.

"Yes, Naria?"

"Sir, there is something I want to discuss with you." She takes a small breath. "About Orochimaru..."

He looks intently at her, his wise gaze unblinkingly.

"Yasu, one of the Brothers of Treachery is also here in the village."

"Yes, Anko told me as much."

"But after we fought then, we won. Yasu and his brothers were killed. But somehow he has come back to life.I couldn't fathom how he had done it, bit I think I figured it out. I believe Orochimaru gave Yasu his life back."

"For what reason though?"

"I don't know why Yasu, but I do know that he is after my students, especially Kimina. He hasn't executed an attack on any of them yet though. He's waiting for some perfect chance. And coincidentally, Orochimaru is too." As I speak my thoughts aloud, I start to believe them even more. "Yasu and Orochimaru, I think, are working together in all of this. Maybe not in specific details, but Orochimaru is the reason Yasi is breathing again."

The Hokage thinks his over. "This may be a possible consequence. Very grave, but possible."

"Yasu isn't alone either. He has someone with him, someone with consequential power as well."

"There is nothing we can do at this time. We just have to keep our eyes open, and our guard up at all times. Especially you, Naria. Keep a close eye on your team, and be ready with whatever is to come."

"Yes," I reply automatically.