It had been two weeks since the squads returned from the Island of Eternal Frost. Just like after the mission to the Country of the Eternal Hunt, the squads were given a couple of weeks leave from group missions. Individual missions were still dealt out, but the majority of those were extremely basic escort jobs. The messenger hawks often came and found the young Genins while they were enjoying their time off for those individual missions. While the Coalition's renown increased, more and more Hidden Villages began to send their own representatives to join them. The newcomers, however were still in the beginning stages of becoming Coalition Representatives. The two established squads had already proved themselves twice over and would become examples to those who would follow.

The western winds had brought on a heavy downpour to the Inc Village. It was nice and cool, a very crisp rain. The moisture brought on an array of fresh green smells to the air. Thankful for this, Akane went for a walk. She and Kami had used the majority of the past three days catching up on rest and sleep. It appeared that their adventure to Akane's homeland island immediately following the Frost Island had taken it's toll on the young ninja. Only today did she finally feel herself, fully energized and evened out. She had purchased a new eyepatch at her home and made minor alterations to her daily uniform. Far more deadly things had occurred as well, but neither Kami or Akane would speak to anyone about it.
With an umbrella in hand, she strolled through the empty streets until reaching the tallest tree in the village, the one she had unofficially claimed to herself. At the base, Akane closed it and leaned the handle against the bark. Under the protection of the layers of leaves, she wouldn't need it. Swiftly and with great ease, she jumped from one branch to the next, eventually stopping on her usual perch in the thick of foliage. Finally feeling alone, Akane was able to release her emotions without anyone seeing. Any noise she made would be masked by the downpour around her.

There was another noise, not as masked by the sounds of the rain. It was a rythmic "thud... thud..." of an axe hitting a tree. She could tell from the lack of vibrations that it wasn't HER tree, not the one she was sitting in, but close by. Someone was cutting down a tree. That someone was Oita. Things had been quiet with Akane and Kami off on their own... mission. He'd gotten some work done, but he still needed some wood for his puppets. Sometimes he had to get it himself, which was a perfect time to build muscles.

Hinji was on his way back from the shops, deciding that if he was going to be going on any more missions he was going to have to stock up on his summons cards. Lucky for him, his hat acted like an umbrella and kept the water off his body. Despite this, he was clutching the untreated paper and supplies close to his chest, like a mother holding a baby to keep it safe from harm. His foot steps were hurried as he wanted to get them into the safety of their apartments and out of this potentially ruinous rain.

Kami stood on the roof of the greenhouse, navigating the wood frame to prevent from stepping on the glass panes. Thunder and lightning had persisted through the storm, but it didn't bother her. She opened and freed panels closed shut by debris and time. The goal was to open the plants up to the healthy natural rain while the weather was wet. She loved the rain and so long as the temperature was nice, she didn't mind it a bit. Since her recent cold though, she was probably a fool, but she knew enough remedies that she had straightened herself out well enough.

"HEY!" shouted a voice from up in the tree Oita was chopping. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Oita stopped his axe swings and looked up at the top of the tree. "Chopping a tree down for wood." he said simply, putting his axe on his shoulder "I need it to make my puppets."

"Don't you need a permit for that?" asked the young girl's voice.

"I have one." Oita said, reaching into a pocket of his backpack "Why are you up a tree?" He didn't recognize her. He had thought it would be a squirrel, since Kami dealt with talking ones regularly. Turns out it was a little girl.

The figure bounced from one branch to the other, heading Oita's way. Finally, she landed lightly on the ground and snatched his paper. While she skimmed, it gave him time to look at her. She was young, probably around ten. Her hair was a light, sea form color and pulled back with a bandana around her head. Her cheeks and arms were painted with freckles and she had bright, yellow colored eyes. "Looks legit to me. Carry on good sir." she said with a bow, handing him the paper.

Kano looked out from under the safety of the canopy and grimaced. He hated the rain...absolutely hated it. All it ever did was put out fires....

El roared from inside his room. A bit of chakra shook the house as he let out his frustration. For El, who was so often in a good mood, to be angry at something was a new experience. The remains of his shattered guitar lay spread about him, each piece placed where it should go. The instruction scroll for the repair jutsu lay rolled out next to him. For days he had tried fixing his guitar. He'd found replacement materials, carved, shaped, meticulously for two weeks replaced every piece that had been lost and still his guitar lay in shambles. All he could think of was disappointing Akane. She had so diligently salvaged the shattered pieces and he could not so much as put them back together.

"Wait." Oita said, raising a hand towards the figure that had bounced in front of him with such speed "You are related to Akane Tokushima, correct?" The hair was a pretty big clue, as was the fact she was in the tree and the bright eyes certainly distinguished the family.

She turned around and flatly said, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Akane, from the village of the Quills." Oita said gently "You share remarkably similar traits as her, and a fondness for trees." He waved a hand towards the girl, taking in the hair, the posture, the eyes, the proximity to a tree "You are related to my team mate?"

"Uhh... bye crazy man." she said with a wave, not really wanting to stick around a guy with an axe.

"Alright. I was just wondering if you were going to be staying over my house, since all three of us live in the same home. If you are not related to her, then pay no mind." Oita nodded to the girl, then turned back to his chopping of the tree. Strange. Perhaps all people from that village, or close by, shared those traits.

A moment later, she was behind him again. "Saaay- you wouldn't be the puppeteer, would you mister?"

"I'm afraid I am currently lacking in puppets, but I am, most likely, the puppeteer." Oita said, chopping hard into the tree and not looking at the girl "Are you related to Akane?"

"If you tell anyone I told you, she would kill me." the girl said with a guilty smile. She looked so much...softer than Akane. Innocent, gentle and kind....almost the polar opposite. "Please please please don't tell her you saw me out here."

Kano sighed and slumped back against the wall of the shop he had just exited before the rain started in. He thought about going back inside, but decided that if he did that, he'd wind up spending much more than he could afford. He wished the rain would cease, even if it were just briefly...

Hinji spotted Kano standing outside the shop. He paused for a second before walking over, next to Kano. "Seems we chose a bad time to go pick up supplies." he said matter-of-factually.

Kami was busy catching up on work she'd missed while she was gone and then sick. The rain watered the plants and therefor diminished her work slightly. Currently she was busy tending the plants she had brought back from the Frost village.

El sat in his floor, painstakingly piecing together the broken shards of his guitar. He used chakra to hold them together for now, trying desperately to preform the jutsu again. The guitar needed to be as close to it's former shape in order to work and for the hundredth time in the last two weeks, he prepared himself for yet another failure.

Oita raised an eyebrow at the girl. She was similar in many ways to Akane, but much nicer in some other respects. "Well, first of all, where are you staying? I hope it's not in a tree. And... why would she be angry if I found you out here?"

"I don't know about you, but it wasn't raining when I started." Kano told him with a smirk. He looked at his friend and shook his head. "Can't stand the rain..."

She had been dry in the tree, but now that she was on the ground, the girl was becoming completely drenched. "I don't think she wants anyone to that know she is hiding her sister in your shed."

Oita paused, then sighed and placed a hand over his eyes, frowning slightly. "You're in my shed?" he asked softly, sounding as if he was annoyed at that fact.

"Yes...no!" she corrected herself when Oita looked mad. "Umm... kinda. Please don't be upset! Akane means well."

"You're moving in." Oita said flatly "I'll find a room for you. But you're not living in the shed. It's unhygienic."

"Really?" her face brightened, "YOU MEAN IT?!" Without warning, she leapt into his arms with a hug, "Thank you! Thank you! You're wonderful!"

"No, I knew it was going to rain, but did not expect it to rain as soon as it did." Hinji said, "I am in desperate need of refilling my cards." he said as he gestured to the alarming amount of empty space on his hat, "And I used my scroll on the beastman outside the city and need to redo that one."

"What was in that scroll anyway? I was wondering about that." Kano told him, looking at him curiously. "And I take it your own battle went well, right? We didn't get much time to speak about them."

Hinji grimaced, "It did not go as well as it should have and were it not for Tsu sensei I would have died. The scroll brings forth a massive swarm of a ravenous and carnivorous scarab beetles. They ate him." he said bluntly.

Kano couldn't help the shiver that ran its way up his spine. Whether it was the chill of the rain, or how bluntly Hinji had spoken of his jutsu's power, he'd never tell. "You must tell me, was the bear really a ninja animal?"

Oita was standing there, looking a little shocked and quite awkward. He hadn't really been hugged by people voluntarily before "Yes... well..." He coughed into his hand, a little uncertain what to do "If you want, you can move your items into the living room for now. I will be up there as soon as I have taken down this tree."

"You're the best! Oh- but don't tell your sensei. Akane thinks she will get in trouble for bringing me here. Oh, my name is Rin by the way."

"I am Oita." he replied with a small nod. He wasn't sure why Akane would get in trouble for bringing her hear... but he might use this to get some leverage over Akane.

"What is your favorite food?" Rin asked suddenly, seeming very excited about sleeping in Oita's living room.

"I... ummm... Onagi..." Oita said, blinking in confusion at her excitement. What was up with this girl? She seemed excited about everything...

"Okay! Well, I'll leave you to your work then." Rin said with a wave.

"I don't think so in the sense of Kami's squirrel ninjas, bit it was quite a potent fighter." Hinji explained, "Though that could have been a part of the beast master's own jutsu."

"El got lucky as well. Did he tell you what happened in his own fight?" Kano asked him curiously. He didn't know if he should if El hadn't said something to Hinji about it.

Hinji shook his head, "No, he has been to busy with his instrument to converse. I did hear about him being cursed by the summoner."

"The curse mark came from his opponent. The beastman bit a sizable chunk from his shoulder and left it behind." Kano explained to him, figuring El wouldn't mind that much being told of the tale. "At the cusp of their battle, an avalanche swept in and crushed them both beneath the snow. El was lucky that I came along and had enough chakra left to melt the snow."

Hinji nodded as Kano explained what happened. "How did your fight go?" he asked, figuring it had to have gone well since he was able to save El.

"From what I can gather from both your and El's tales, my own battle paled in comparison truly." Kano admitted sheepishly. He rubbed the back of his head and smirked. "My foe was an honorable man who actually came from the Frost Village. We engaged in battle for a while, however we came to a stalemate. Then he used what he referred to as his trump card. The avalanche that buried El and his opponent, continued to roll even down to our battleground as well." He sighed, closing his eyes as he remembered the battle. "He unleashed a snow style jutsu called the White Fang Avalanche. It transformed the snow into a pack of wolves that rushed down upon me. Using the last of my chakra, I unleashed a powerful blast of fire that vaporized the snow entirely. Then I passed out."

"Seems like you were very well matched against your opponent." Hinji said, "It is a good thing too, if your fight had not gone so well you could both be dead now."

Kano shook his head. "I defeated his jutsu, but he had the opportunity and the means to defeat me in full. He still had all his weapons and the strength to use them, while I was unconscious before him." He sighed and looked at his comrade. "Hinji, he allowed me to live."

Hinji pondered this for a bit, "I don't know if that could be taken as an insult or a compliment."

"At first I believed it an insult. Until I spoke with the man." Kano explained with a nod. "He was an honorable man, though misguided into assisting the others. He let me live because I bested his greatest jutsu."

"So as a reward for besting him, he let you live. He does sound like an honorable man, but does that atone for his actions against his own people?" Hinji asked.

"His reasons were more than capable for that. In my opinion at least." Kano told him with a shrug. He smiled as he thought of D'var and couldn't help but wonder where the man had gone. "He promised me a rematch one day. I cannot wait to see how much he has improved his fighting style."

"Hopefully I will be there to witness the fight. It sounds like it would be very interesting." Hinji said as he continued to watch the rain fall.

Oita had been confusedly at work for quite a few minutes now. He gazed down at the cut tree trunk, running his fingers over the axe handle carefully. Rin was a strange person indeed. He hoped that having her in the house didn't produce any unpredicted troubles.

"What a wonderfully dreary day..." Kano noted as he stared at the gray clouds and the pouring rain. He sighed and looked at Hinji. "Alright...I've had it with this. I think I saw some umbrellas and other rain-wear inside. I bet they've got some stuff we could use to protect that gear of yours as well. Whatta say, my treat?"

Hinji was content to simply use his hat, but decided that protecting his purchases were more important. "After you." he said, gesturing towards the store.

Kano nodded and they headed inside the market stalls

"TIMBER!" Oita yelled into the rain, carefully pushing on the tree and stepping back as it collapsed over heavily. It wasn't an incredibly large tree, he needed to move it after all, but it was still a tree, so he had to be careful. He went up to the top, starting to 'skin' it of the branches to make it easier to transport. With that done, he tucked away his tools, attached two chakra strings to it, and dragged it back towards his home.

---

Ishiaki absolutely loved this sort of weather. He walked slowly through the street, reveling in the feel of the cool rain in the air. He had no agenda for today at all. The entirety of both squads were given the next few days off from missions, himself and Tsu included. It was nice to have some actual free time for a change, but truthfully he was at a loss for what to do at the moment. It did not take him long to veer towards The INC Greenhouse, it would seem he had discovered what to do today...

---

Akane was done sitting up in her tree and headed down. At the trunk, she grabbed her umbrella and opened it, keeping her dry even though she had gotten somewhat damp from being up in a tree. She thought she had seen a flash of lightning in the distance and was worried thunder was on it's way.

---

Kano and Hinji exited the store and he opened up his umbrella, pleased that it was quite capable of shielding from the rain. "At least I didn't waste my money..." He told his comrade with a wide smirk.

Hinji opened his umbrella to keep himself protected from the rain. "I'm glad you see it that way." He said, it was pretty pricey though.

"Hey, enjoy that case, my friend. I'm gonna head over and see if Kami's done work yet. I'll catch you back at the apartment, alright?" Kano asked him with a smile.

"Alright." Hinji said. With that he set off back to the apartment. He hadn't seen El all day and was wondering how he was doing on his guitar.

---

---

Kano walked with Kami from the greenhouse. He was shirtless, while she wore his vest as though it were a dress.

Kami walked arm in arm with Kano, perhaps looking odd in so much red.

Kano kept the umbrella above her, letting some rain hit him on the side as they walked. He hated the idea of getting wet, but for her...

"I feel strange wearing red." Kami said as they walked. "I keep catching it out of the corner of my eye."

"It looks very good on you though." Kano told her as they strolled towards her residence.

"I'm glad you like it." Kami said. "But I can't wait to get back in my dress."

"Do you only have the one?" Kano asked her curiously. It seemed like a silly question to him really, why would she have just the one?

"I have a couple, but this one is my favorite." She lifted the wet garment.

"I'm kinda partial to the one you're wearing now." Kano told her with a smirk

Kami smiled. "Maybe... maybe I'll buy some red fabric and make something just for you..."

Kano felt his face flush and he turned his face away. "I...I think that would be nice..."

Kami frowned when she realized they were nearly to Oita's house. "Would you like to come in for a while?" She asked him as they got close.

"I would." Kano told her with a smile. "I will have to take my bags back to the apartment before we go for dinner though. So I can stay a little while, if you want."

"Oh I forgot about dinner!" Kami exclaimed. "Go, go take your bags back and come meet me back here. I can't believe I forgot!"

"No no. I will walk you home first, Kami." Kano told her with a shake of his head.

"Alright." Kami said, squeezing his hand in her's.

Kano smiled and squeezed her hand back. "Where would you like to have dinner, by the way?" He asked her curiously as they moved closer to Oita's.

"Why not let me treat for once and we can go to that barbecue place you want to try?" Kami asked.

"Because it would not be proper for you to pay..." Kano told her, and then remembered all of his purchases today. Honestly, he would be lucky if he had enough left to pay for himself...

"Let me." Kami begged him. "I have more money than I know what to do with. Let me spend some of it on you."

"I would prefer that you do not..." Kano told her and then sighed, "But I am afraid that I do not have any other choice." He frowned and held up his bags. "I have whittled away my funds on restocking my supplies."

"Good." Kami said happily. "Not that you don't have any money left but maybe you'll learn to let me help a little."

"Like I said, I do not have much choice really..." Kano told her with a sigh. "I would very much prefer to pay for you, though. I do not know if I can get used to that being switched."

"On my village we all help each other." Kami said. "This is me helping you. Get used to it." She kissed his arm and slipped onto Oita's porch out of the rain. "I'll not be long."

Kano stepped up after her and shook the water from the umbrella. He grabbed the doorknob and opened the door to Oita's House. "After you, Kaminari."

Kami smiled and slipped into the house.

Akane stormed out in a huff of wind from Oita's house. Her fists were clenched and her teeth were grit tight together. Gusts swirled around her ankles, unable to stop the chakra from leaking out.

Kami who had not yet changed clothes made her apologies to Kano as she headed out after Akane. "Akane, stop!"

Akane's arm was brought up to her face for a moment before she spun around. "What?!" she snapped, having every right to be furious.

"I'm sorry." Kami said, "But you are being ridiculous. I'm sorry I said that in front of Oita, but she's safe here. You have to let her make her own decisions. I know this thing with Oita is silly and looks bad, but... you haven't even asked how she feels about the academy."

"I don't care! I don't want her in the academy. She doesn't NEED this life!" At least, not like Akane did. Akane was doing this for revenge, after that- what was there? Rin didn't need to be thrust into this life of death and violence unnecessarily.

Kami stood there, unable to understand why Akane was so adamant. "What if he gets his hands on her again?" She asked Akane. "How will she be able to defend herself?"

Akane hadn't thought of that, but she wasn't going to submit to Rin following in her footsteps, "He won't!" she shouted, "I will find someplace safe for her."

"You can't guarantee that Akane." Kami said coming closer. She lowered her voice, coming close enough so they could speak intimately. "She's eleven... how much longer till his dirty mind becomes fixated on spoiling her?" Kami took Akane's hand with a tightness that regretted loosing a measure of her innocence to him herself. "Akane... if you want to protect her, let her join the academy and let Oita stay close. We can all protect her and she can learn to protect herself."

Akane tensed her hand in Kami's. She no doubt felt it. "I don't want her to deal with the stuff we do, Kami. I just want her to be a kid. The sort I never had the chance to be. Rin doesn't need this."

"She does if we have an enemy out there like Washitori." Kami told her. "She'll get to play and make friends with kids her own age. If you want her to have a chance to be a kid, don't ostracize her from the rest of them. She'll never fit in with non-ninja children and the academy students won't understand why she isn't attending. She can be a kid while she learns how to take care of herself... not to mention, what friends she makes can help to protect her. Her teachers, her sensei... If you want her to be safe and have a chance at a real childhood, let her go to the academy. She'll have people to protect keep watch over her while we're off on missions. Washitor won't be able to get within a mile of her."

As Kami spoke, Akane's chin tensed up and her eye grew watery. She was right. Taking her hand back, Akane turned around and brought a hand up to her face, covering her nose, mouth and chin from shame as she teared up. What made this so hard was what Akane knew her mother would say. She didn't like that Akane wanted to become a ninja and she surely wouldn't like little Rin to become one either.

But it was hard not to when there were people out there who would gladly hurt her, if only to see Akane suffer. "He can't use her against you if she becomes a ninja." Kami said. "At least not as easily as he could now."

Akane didn't speak. She was still trying to compose herself. Rin was her responsibility and it would destroy her completely if anything happened to her little sister. Rin was all the family she had. After a moment to get herself together, she turned around and kept her gaze somewhat away from Kami's eyes. "Ishiaki is upset with me, I doubt he'll let her stay..."

"Ishiaki is not upset with you at all." Kami said. "He was only mad that we... we forced him to lie to the council. He's not mad Akane and he's eager to meet Rin."

Akane let that sink in as she stood there. Kami was right... in just about every aspect, she was right. "I'll talk to her." she said finally, "But whatever is going on with her and Oita needs to stop. I can't help but think he might take advantage and I refuse to let it get to that point. Oita needs to be mature enough to realize what he is doing isn't right. She is too young to even know what a romantic relationship is."

"Oita fears for his own health too much than to try anything with Rin." Kami said. "He knows you'd kill him for even thinking that. They're just friends. If she wants to call him her boyfriend whats the harm in it? All they'll be doing is spending time together."

"It's not fair to Rin to do that. He needs to tell her 'no'." Akane said stubbornly.

"You're over reacting." Kami told her. "Let it be. They're only friends."

"I just... I'm....I want to make the right choice." she said, sounding very defeated and worn out.

"It's not your choice to make." Kami said softly. "There's no harm in it... Oita would never hurt her..." She took Akane's hand. "She's part of our family now... we'll take care of her."

Akane wrapped her arms around her friend suddenly. It was so wonderful to hear that she wasn't alone in this anymore. For years, Akane stayed up for nights on end, guarding the door and windows of the small hut in the jungle, praying to the gods Washitori wouldn't arrive.

Kami was a little surprised that Akane even knew how to show emotion in public. She hugged her in return, tightly, but not crushingly. It was a very large step for Akane and she didn't wish to ruin it with words.

As if realizing what she was doing, Akane let go and backed off almost as fast as she had gone into it. Clearing her throat, she suddenly felt awkward as hell.

Kami was smiling like an idiot though. "I have a dinner with Kano to change for." She said. "How about you go talk to Rin?"

"Going on a date before our date?" Akane asked with a sniffle, changing the subject off of herself.

Kami shrugged a little. "It's just dinner." She said. "He's letting me pay for once."

"Uhhuh... it's a dinner date." Akane retorted as they headed back.

"Then it's a dinner date." Kami said as if it didn't matter. "But I have to give him his vest back..." She looked down at herself, clad and tightly bound in his vest as if it were a dress. If not for the strip of cloth up the center she'd be very exposed.

"Yeah... whats up with that?" Akane asked.

"I was soaked from the rain." Kami told her. "He was worried I would get sick again..."

"Ah... well let's get back so Rin doesn't decide to make Kano her boyfriend too."

Kami smiled "Good idea." She said, "You don't know what my people do to a man with two Kon'yaku." She laughed as she said it, hand still in Akane's as they headed back to the house.

After a few steps, Akane removed her hand from Kami's, finding it a bit embarrassing now that the drama had died down.
Oita's House