So anyway. Zabuza was taken out by a hunter nin, blah blah blah. Kakashi passed out, blah blah blah. We went to Tazuna's house to rest, blah blah blah. And Kakashi told us that Zabuza was still alive. Yay.

And now, I am met with a new dilemma. This is yet the greatest challenge I have ever faced. So great, that I don't think Kurama can fix it. So challenging, that it could ruin my life forever!

This could end me.

Someone might come and kill me if I don't overcome this challenge.

'What?' I asked Kurama angrily. 'I'm trying to come up with a solution to this challenge!'

Kurama huffed.

'Um, Tell me how to keep the henge on when I sleep,' I stated.

Kurama judged.

'Please, tell me how to keep the henge on when I sleep,' I asked saying please louder than the rest of my statement.

Kurama told me acting like he was deep in thought.

'TELL ME NOW OR ELSE YOU LOSE A CLAW!' I roared. Kurama yelped and I grinned in satisfaction.

Yup, I definitely need to stop hanging around that person. He rubs off on me too much.

he started.

I raised an eyebrow skeptically. 'Uh huh. How am I supposed to trust the Fox who sleeps 99% of the time to stay awake and keep a henge on me all night?'

he said sounding hurt.

'Sorry Foxy, but I got to go and do some 'training' with Kakashi sensei.' I told Mr. Foxy inside me.

Time to go 'train' with Kakashi sensei. Woohoo. Fun. *insert eyeroll*

...

"We're supposed to climb a tree with out hands?!" I questioned loudly like the idiot Naruto was.

"YEAH!" Sakura yelled. "The idiot has a point for once. How are we supposed to climb a tree without our hands sensei?"

Kakashi sighed and hung his head. Really, I don't blame him. The number one Kunoichi didn't know that ninja could walk on things by using chakra control. The idiot.

"There is no way such a thing is possible," Sasuke inputted.

Sasuke too? I'm surrounded by idiots. The person trying to be an idiot is surrounded by idiots. That's situational irony for ya.

Kakashi then demonstrated how to walk up a tree using chakra control. I then, acted like I was totally amazed.

"That is totally cool, believe it!" I screamed and then internally smacked myself 100 times over.

Kakashi sensei then threw kunai in front of each of us. "Now you guys try. I want you to mark your progress with that kunai in front of you."

I picked up the kunai and added a lot of chakra into my feet and stepped onto the tree. The tree cracked underneath my foot and I quickly marked my 'progress' before going down.

"Hey guys," Sakura yelled. I looked up to see her on one of the lower tree branches. "This is actually pretty easy!"

Sasuke grunted like a typical Uchiha does when they're frustrated and I began to fawn over Sakura, telling her how 'cool' and 'awesome' she was.

I turned back to my tree and got back to failing. I decided to make progress with Sasuke so there wouldn't be any suspicion.

When I finally got bored of following Sasuke, because he was making like no progress whatsoever, I decided to ask Sakura for some 'advice' on tree climbing so I could get an excuse to speed up my progress.

"Hey Sakura?" I asked quietly. "Can you give me some advice so I can beat Sasuke over there?"

"Um sure," She said.

"And whisper it in my ear so Sasuke doesn't hear you," I told her. She gave me a look and was about to deny me, but saw Kakashi eyeing her. She finally obliged and whispered it in my ear.

"Wow, thank's Sakura!" I yelled at I got back to my tree and made another 4 feet of progress.

"What did she tell you?" Sasuke demanded. Man, he's better than most Uchiha, but he has the one thing that they all have. Pride.

"Why don't you go ask her?" I teased.

"No way," He said quickly and then turned back to his tree. "I don't need help from idiot's like you guys, I can do this on my own."

"Okie Dokie then," I chirped. I quickly put my hand over my mouth. Oh no.

Sasuke gave me a weird look. "What was that?" He questioned.

"What was what?" I asked trying to play it off. Shoot, he heard. I began to cuss rapidly in my brain.

"With your voice," he said pointing at me. "What was wrong with it?"

Shiz Nuggets and Gram crackers. This is bad. I can't believe I messed up like this!

"Puberty!" I blurted out before I had time to think. 'Kurama, kill me now.'

Kurama snickered.

"Puberty?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow.

My face began to heat up. "What? Jealous I'm going through it before you?" I said trying to sound all high and mighty. 'Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid.'

"Uh, no," Sasuke said with a bored tone. He looked at me like I grew an extra head.

"Stop looking at me weird, idiot," I said, my face as red as a tomato. I wiggled my eyebrows and forced a smile. "You are jealous, aren't you? I'm becoming a man before you do."

"HN!" Sasuke grunted with horror.

"Yeah, whatever you say," I told him waving my hand. Thank God. Lead him off my trail.

(Was going to end it here, but I'm going to be gone all next week so I thought I would make this extra long)

...

"You're quite the pretty girl, aren't you?" I heard a voice question, waking me from my slumber.

I groaned and began to crack open my eyes. "You're quite the pretty boy, aren't you." I retorted before I could think properly.

The pretty boy looked taken aback for a moment before smiling. "Yes, I'm told I look a little bit too much like my mother."

"Eh, I'm a healthy mix of both," I told him. Why do I feel so at ease next to him? And why am I not freaking out at the fact that he saw me in girl form?

"I was surprised that you knew my gender," Pretty boy said sheepishly. "I'm usually mistaken for a girl."

"That's okay pretty boy," I told him. "I'm always seen as a boy."

"Haku," he said.

"What?" I questioned.

"The names Haku," He said sheepishly. "I think it sounds better than 'pretty boy'"

"The names Naruko," I laughed and then scooched over next to him. "So what ya doing, Haku?"

"I'm picking herbs to help heal someone important to me who was wounded," he said with a small smile. "He took me in as a kid, the first to call me a boy, and gave me a purpose." Haku got a distant look in his eyes. "I will do anything in my power to protect my precious person." He turned to me. "Do you have anyone precious to you?"

I picked a small dandelion and let the white cotton around it blow away in the wind. "Yes, and I will do anything in my power to make sure that they're safe."

"Good," he said as he stood carrying the now full basket. "I believe that you have the power to do just that. You have the resolve, Naruko."

"I think you do too," I said with a smile.

He began to walk away, but turned around before he was out of earshot. "Thank you Naruko, your the first one in a while to make me feel this way."

He turned around again without another word and walked into the distance.

A tear rolled down my cheek. 'What is this feeling?' I questioned myself holding my clothes right above my heart. More tears rolled down my cheeks. 'What is this deep feeling inside me that feels warm and fuzzy?'

I wiped my tears away, but more came. 'I'm such a crybaby. Crying over something so simple.'

I stood up and dusted myself off. My tears finally came to a halt, but the feeling never left.

What is this feeling?

{July 7, 2018}