Uzumaki

Ten

After ten months we are relieved by a six-man squad and able to return to the Leaf.

After reporting to the third Hokage we are released. I return to an empty home and I realize both Kushina and Minato must be on missions.

I grab a small bag and make my way to the hot spring baths. After a long shower, I join Eiji for dinner.

We figure by then his family would be informed about their son's death so we can leave the scroll with his remains.

A housemaid opens the door and we ask to speak to Rykos parents. She nods and rushes off only to return seconds later.

"The masters are not receiving visitors at the moment."

We tell her we understand and leave the scroll for Rykos' parents, "It was all we could recover from that day. We are sorry for your loss." Eiji and I bow before leaving.

Eiji and I take off and head to a training grounds. Eiji wants help practicing new Earth Jutsus.

We trained for hours before calling it a day.

"Should we stop and get something to eat? My guardians aren't home and my grandmother is helping at the hospital tonight. I'm not a huge fan of cooking," I state and he agrees.

We clear up the training grounds when Eiji calls me, I notice a familiar chakra approaching us.

"Mrs. Watanabe! How can we help you?" She falls to her knees sobbing.

"Thank you! Thank you for bringing my son back to me," I approach her and rest my hand on her shoulder.

"I know what it's like to want to have something to mourn over. May putting him to rest soothe a bit of your pain, we are truly sorry for your loss," her husband rushes in a few seconds later, and after a few apologies and thank yous Eiji and I walk away.

"You think it's enough? Pieces of their child?" Eiji asks after we have been walking for a while.

"It's never enough. When you lose someone dear there's never enough. You just bare the loss as best you can and you move on," I say softly.

"Is that why you fight in the war?" I stop and look at him.

"I fight because everything was taken from me. My people were allies not co-conspirators of the war. And everyone got together and burned my people to the ground. I fight to stop them," I say coldly.

"Will you ever stop? If all nations were involved how will you know when it's been enough? How do you know if you got them all? Or if you got the right ones?"

I stop, "I suppose I don't. I'd have to figure that part out, "I start raking my brain on how to do that.

"And then what? If the war ends before you can kill them all are you going to go rogue and hunt them down? Is this a life quest you'll give up your life for?"

"I can't be killed that easily," I retort.

"There is more than one way to die Yuki. Living with no meaning is usually the worst way to go. And it seems you've lost all meaning to life," he responds sadly.

"Everyone I love is dead Eiji. My home was burned to the ground and I was chased down the streets like a stray dog. There's nothing left but anger," I respond.

"That is because you can't see past your rage Yuki. There's more to life than tragedy. It's why we all fight, for a chance at the good to blossom," he speaks softly.

I stop to look at him, "I've never thought about what happens after. I imagine I'll die at war," I trail off.

"But you can't be killed that easily." He finishes off my words.