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“I see.”
“Itachi is here as well.” Rei said.
“He’s here to?” Tsunade asked even though she knew already.
“Yes. Umm…I know it isn’t really important but…”
“Yes what is it Rei?” Tsunade looked at her.
“Well if it isn’t to much trouble I’d like to know how many lives were lost on Konoha’s side?”
“Huuh…we don’t know for sure yet. You have information on the other countries right?”
“Yes. All of them are here.” Rei handed the Hokage an envelope with information on all the countries. “I hope this will help.”
“Yes we’ll need this information soon. You can go for now, but don’t leave the village quite yet Rei!”
“Yes Tsunade-sama!”
Rei walked out the door of the Hokage’s office and waiting there was Seiji.
“Uhh… What are you doing here?”
“Your like a friend of mom’s right?”
“Yeah, I am.” She looked confused.
“…”
“Did you need something? Cause I have things to get working on.” She said softly.
“I was wondering what my mom was like.”
“What she was like?”
“Yeah, when she was young.”
“HEY! MOVE!” A ninja yelled.
“Oh sorry!” Rei pushed Seiji out of the way. “Come on let’s walk and talk.” She was still speaking softly.
Seiji nodded.
“So you wanted to know about your mom when she was young. Well… let’s see…” She said as she walked.
“It’s just everyone says she was so great and that she would never lie.”
“But…she never said anything about Sasuke or Itachi…right?”
“Uh-huh.” He nodded.
“Well she was and still is a good person, my best friend too. But there are true horrors in her past mine too. Did she tell you about…”
“Yeah she did, and I get that, but what about this Sasuke person? He’s like mom’s twin right?”
“Yes, he is. Seiji you look…”
“A lot like him, right?” He finished the sentence. “Yeah that’s all I hear about him and that he was strong.”
“Sasuke…he never liked me much.”
“Why not?”
“I suppose it’s because of Itachi.”
“So you knew him well?”
“Yeah I guess, but…” *Sakura you haven’t said a thing about Sasuke since…*
“Seiji you have strong pride in your blood!” She grinned at him.
“Huh?”
“You should be proud to have Uchiha and Hyuga blood running through your veins!”
“Really no ones ever said that before.”
“It’s true!”

“Hey watch it Ino!”
“Uh…I know that voice.” Rei turned and saw Shikamaru helping Ino and her parents rebuild the shop.
“Look at you working so hard!” Rei teased as she grabbed the front of the board he was lifting.
“Rei what are you doing here?”
“I’m helping you what’s it look like!” She smiled.
“Humph! You know that’s not what I meant!”
“Thanks Shikamaru!” Ino’s dad called down to him.
He waved as he started to walk with Rei and Seiji.
“I know that this is a though time, but aren’t you happy to see me?”
“Ahh…man…”* you know that I am*
“Miss Rei?”
“Oh Seiji what is it?”
“How do you and Shika-sensei know each other?”
“We’re old friends…that is your mom, dad, Rei, and I.” Shika answered.
“Oh.”
“Anyway shouldn’t you be helping out?”
“There’s no one to help, mom’s helping Shizune-sama and dad is helping repair the main gate.”
“I see…”
“Shikamaru…” Rei whispered in his ear. “This is the second war to start up again. At this rate all the countries will be at war by the end of the month.”
“Is that really the facts or are you guessing?”
“Well…”
“Hey what are you two whispering about?”
“Oh nothing!” They answered together.
“What ever!”

“Yo!”
“AHHH!”
“Did I scare you?”
“Kakashi don’t you ever get tired of that?” Shika asked.
“Nope, never!”
“Man…”
“Shouldn’t you all be helping out with repairs?”
Rei turned around completely.
“Oh is that Rei?”
“Hi Kakashi-san.” She gave a small wave and smile.
“Anyway Kakashi shouldn’t you be helping to?”
“I’m headed to the Hokage.”
“Then get going!”
“Alright, alright don’t get your underwear in a knot!”
And with that he disappeared.
“Hey Rei, Shikamaru!” Sakura called as she walked up to them.
“Hi mom!”
“Oh hello Seiji-kun! Where’s your sister?”
“She went to help Rika and Risa.”
“I see and why don’t you go find Yutaro and help out with him?”
“I couldn’t find him earlier.”
“I just saw him go that way; if you hurry you might be able to catch… up… to… him…”
“BYE MOM SEE YA!” He was already 20 feet away.
“Well…”
“Sakura what was it that you wanted?”
“Was it…important?” Shika asked.
“Yeah…” She looked down.

“Hey Yutaro!”
“Seiji what are you doing here?”
“I came to see if you needed any help.”
“Well I don’t…”
“But I do!” Kira’s voice rang out like a bell.
“Kira what do you need help with?” Seiji asked.
“Well I need to help at the back gate! So you two can come too!”
“Fine let’s go.” Yutaro sighed.
“Kay!” Kira smiled.

“So you think this is Orochimaru’s doing?”
“Yes Tsunade-sama.” Shizune answered.
*knock, knock!*
“Come in!” Tsunade called.
Sakura and Shikamaru stepped inside.
“Hokage-sama.” They bowed to her.
“What is it?” She raised her eyebrow.
“The number of lives lost has been confirmed.” Sakura said.
“I see. Is Rei staying with you?”
“I don’t know for sure.”
“As soon as you see her tell her the number.”
“Yes Hokage-sama.”
“Hokage-sama…”
“Shikamaru?”
“How long, do you think it will take to get back on our feet?”
“That remains to be seen.”
“…”
“Hokage-sama?” Shizune whispered almost to herself.
“Shizune go check if everyone at the hospital is doing alright!”
“Yes.” She left.
Tsunade turned in her chair to face the window. She looked out over the village.
“A lot of damage was done to the village itself but the number of lives lost was not nearly as serious. I am not saying that the ninja who died were expendable but…none the less we have to move on.”
“Tsunade-sama…”
“You both understand what I’m saying right?”
“Yes.” they answered together.
“Then let’s all get to work we must get back on our feet and stand tall!”

“Seiji can you bring me a board please!”
“Oh sure Mr. Moto.”
Seiji handed him a board from a pile of wood.
“Thanks! It’s good to see you kids doing your part to help out!”
“It’s our village to so we have to help!” Kira called.
“I see…”
“She’s right we all have to do something it just wouldn’t feel right not to!” Yutaro added.
“Mmhmm…”

“I see so you spoke with the Hokage then?”
“Yes, I also gave her the information I’ve been gathering.”
“Good.”
“Itachi…”
“Hmmm?” He looked up.
“Do you think we can still prevent another war?”
“At this point we can only hope…but I don’t think a war is avoidable now.”
“It’s to bad all the young genin in Konoha and the other countries to…”
“It can’t be helped…” Itachi looked up at the sky.
Rei looked up too. “Either way we’ll fight on Konoha’s behalf right?” Rei asked.
“Yes.” Itachi turned his gaze to her.
“Good, because there are people here I want to protect.” She smiled remembering old times.
“Is that so?”
“Yes it is. Itachi…will you go see Sakura…or…”
“No I won’t, but you should go stay with her.”
“But…”
“You know that I can’t stay there and that she doesn’t want me there either…”
“I know…” She looked up at the sky again.
*I bet Shikamaru is looking at the clouds now too.*
She was right he was looking at the clouds. Laying in the grass on his back.
*Asuma-sensei…* the wind brushed over his face.
*I hope you, and the Third are at peace…knowing that everyone in the village you both loved has inherited the Will of Fire...even the new genin.*

“Papa!”
“Ai…”
Neji jumped down from the wall that he was working on.
“I brought lunch for everyone! See!”
She pulled open her bag reveling several lunch boxes.
“How nice everyone take a break for lunch!”
The men all jumped down and each took a box.
“Oh this is good!” One said.
“Yummy.”
“Delicious!”
“Thank you Ai.”
“Rika, Risa and I made them so I don’t deserve all the credit!”
“I see.”

“All right we’re done here you three can head home! Thanks for the help!”
“No problem!” Seiji called.
“See you!” Kira said in her sing-song voice.
“Bye!” Yutaro waved.
Once they were far away from everyone, Kira grabbed Yutaro’s hand.
“Huh?”
“Yutaro-kun, Seiji-kun…do you think that there is going to be a war?”
“Uh Kira…” Yutaro looked at her.
“Kira don’t think about it.” Seiji said.
“But…”
“He’s right, for now be happy that there isn’t a war.” Yutaro smiled. Something he hardly ever did. But when he does smile it’s so cute!

“Mom, I’m home!” Seiji called.
He walked around and couldn’t find her. “Mom, hey mom!”
“She’s not here no one is.”
“Ai what do mean no one is here?”
“I don’t know for sure but…” She pulled a note from her pocket. “This was on the table.”
“What does it say?”
She handed him the note.

Dear Ai, Seiji
Your father and I had some things to take care of
so we won’t be home tell late. If you two need anything
Hinata is home. We love you. Oh, and go to bed early
just we’re not home does mean we won’t know if you
stay up late.
Love
Mom & dad!
“Well I guess it’s just us tonight.”
“Hmmm… but mom has never just left a note before.” Ai sighed.
“Are you worried?”
“A little I guess.”
“Well I need a shower so I’ll be upstairs.”
“Alright…”
Seiji went upstairs to take his shower. Ai went and finished up some chores.

“Itachi are you sure that’s what you heard?” Sakura asked.
“Yes that’s why we came in the first place, but…”
“When we got here it didn’t matter anymore.” Rei finished.
“But if that info is right we are headed for another war!” Neji quickly added.
“Even if it’s incorrect it could still result in war.” Shikamaru sighed.
“Even though this information still isn’t going to help the village much not with all the damage.” Rei sighed.
“That’s not true, if they know about the plans they can prepare them selves.” Itachi corrected her.
“But even still…”
“We have to tell Hokage-sama about this.” Neji said.
“That’s what I intended on you doing.” Itachi said mockingly.
“Err…every damn time I…”
“Neji!” Sakura stopped him. “If we’re fighting with each other there’s no way we can fight a war!”
“Man…what a drag…”
“It can’t be helped you know…” Rei said to Shika.
“We have to get home.” Sakura looked to Neji.
He nodded.
“Fine then.” Itachi looked at Rei. “Rei is going with you Sakura.”
“Uhh…” She turned and looked at her.
“But…”
Itachi looked her in the eye and she nodded to him. Sakura nodded to Rei. Rei followed them home.

“Oh mom your home!”
“Seiji I thought you would have been in bed!”
“Well I was going to but Ai-chan was worried about you. So she asked me to wait for you to come home.”
“Still you should…”
“That’s good of you to watch out for your sister.” Neji interrupted Sakura. “Now you can go to bed.”
Neji looked at his wife, she nodded.
“Ok…”
“Good night Seiji-kun!”
“Night mom, I love you.”
Seiji and Neji disappeared up the stairs.
“He’s a good kid, so kind hearted just like…”
“Sakura…?” Rei put a hand on her friends shoulder.
“I’m fine…I think I’m going to go to bed now too.”
“Ok then I’ll have Neji show me where to sleep.”
“Good night Rei.”
“Night…”