After some time the two arrived back at the lighthouse, and while in Saisei the two peered through a window that was pointed in the direction they'd escaped in.

  "W-We got away s-somehow."

  "What would've happened if they caught us?" Hitomi asked.

  "I-I dunno, but I d-don't trust them."

  "Why not?"

  "Because they're s-strangers."

  "Hmmm, am I a stranger?" She asked, looking at him with curious eyes.

  "W-well, yes."

  With nothing left planned for the day the two explored the lighthouse at their leisure. It was definitely abandoned, but the large light at the top still shined as brightly as ever. He didn't bring it up, but Ooyama figured it was that light that led Hitomi to Amegakure in the first place. She must've been on some kind of boat, and saw the light in the distance. That was his guess anyway.

  For dinner Hitomi insisted on showing Ooyama how to fish. The two stepped outside the lighthouse, and made their way to a nearby dock. Hours flew by as Hitomi instructed Ooyama on the various kinds of fish that lived inside the Kage sea. While she spoke, Ooyama carefully considered where he'd go next.

  Since Kuda did not give him any details he assumed it was not worth worrying about it just yet. Still, he thought about Hitomi; if Kuda was willing to kill Endou she might be willing to kill Hitomi too.

  Even though he didn't know the girl very well he didn't want someone else dying because of him. Ooyama tightened his grip on the fishing rod; afterwards, something began to tug on the other end.

  "Wow you got one!" Hitomi yelled. "Come on, go ahead and pull!"

  Saisei pulled back as hard as he could, but it wasn't enough. He was being pulled closer, and closer toward the water.

  Ooyama closed his eyes as he felt Saisei begin to plunge over the dock. He didn't feel it but reaching over his shoulder from behind him was Hitomi grabbing the fishing pole.

  "Don't give up now!" She said struggling. Her face was pressed against Saisei's back as she pulled as hard as she could.

  "We're almost...there!" Hitomi yelled as a ginormous fish came leaping out of the water landing on the dock right before them.

  Hitomi grabbed Saisei, hugging him, and rocking him back, and forth.

  "We did it!" She yelled, "see? It's not that hard, fishing's really easy!" Hitomi proclaimed.

  "??'? ??? ???."

  "Huh? Whaddya mean it's too big? There's no such thing!" She said, throwing her arms into the air. "Come on. Let's head back inside and cook this thing up!" Hitomi said.

  And for the second time that day Ooyama, and Hitomi sat inside the lighthouse together.

  "Hey Ryu, do you think we can stay here forever?"

  "I-It's not that I wouldn't mind, b-but.." Saisei turned its head looking away. "I have something I need to do."

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  It was true. Kuda said he'd be allowed to leave the clan if, and only if he represented the Kusakyu in the Mock Exams, but he didn't know a thing about what the Mock Exams were, or where to start in them. He didn't want to go back to Kusakyu Castle so he'd have to look into it tomorrow.

  "T-Then let me help you."

  "I-It's not exactly a two-person thing... I think."

  Ooyama could see Hitomi's eyes drop to the floor.

  "B-But afterwards I won't have a-anything holding me b-back anymore so s-so maybe..."

  What was he saying? He'd barely known the girl for a day, and he already had friends, the kind that would listen to him no matter what he said.

  "We can stay together?" Hitomi finished for him.

  "I-If you're still here t-then s-sure, b-but I'm not counting on it." He lied.

  "Then it's a deal!" She replied with a smile.

  Hitomi had just finished eating. She stretched her legs before laying down on the ground. She’d gathered a small assortment of supplies, long bush leaves, paper and she was using them as a blanket and pillow.

  "W-What are you doing?"

  "Oh, it's getting late so I'm going to sleep."

  "I-In here?" Ooyama asked fearfully.

  The girl didn't even respond; she was already fast asleep, her head resting delicately on the pillow.

  "?? ????."

  Ooyama uncomfortably laid down as well, and after some time he finally managed to drift to sleep.

  ----------------------------------------

  The next thing Ooyama saw was Kusakyu castle, but he was 50 feet above it, and he was falling. Fast.

  "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep," he screamed as he plummeted toward the ground, but just before he could hit it he felt the cold embrace of his older sister. She'd caught him.

  "Talk about a new record Kuda." Shusei said with a bright smile.

  There were over a dozen members of the Kusakyu clan relaxing in the courtyard, many of which were drinking vast amounts of alcohol.

  "Think I can do 100 yams?"

  The boy cried, and sniveled as he desperately tried to pull away from his younger sister.

  "Hey Kuda, I'm going long!" Shusei said, dropping his alcohol.

  "Hahahaha, you're on. Remember, head first Yams!"

  Shusei bolted out of the courtyard, and all the way down into Jiraigen territory. Kuda tightly gripped Ooyama with one hand before tossing the toddler far up, and over the castle.

  "I got him!" Shusei cried. He was still running, but at this point he was in front of the Norigami family house.

  While Ooyama flew through the air he looked up at the sun. It looked like it had been replaced with a dark black eye, and it blinked at him. Before Ooyama could think about what was happening he finally lost momentum going up, and started to build it going down. He had gone over a large portion of the castle, and started to fall down, and toward a tree.

  Ooyama's left arm smacked into the tree, crushing it on impact, but Shusei still caught him as his body continued to fall.

  "Gotcha, ya little rugrat."

  Ooyama was sobbing so hard, he couldn't believe the pain he was in. After a few more moments the boy had passed out, but that didn't stop Shusei from tossing the child back to Kuda.

  "Heads up Kuda, coming your way!"

  ----------------------------------------

  Ooyama woke up in a cold sweat. He was still inside Saisei, and across from him sleeping was Hitomi. He took a deep breath, and brought his arms up to his knees, and pulled them in like a lost, and frightened child. Although that nightmare was a very real, and scary memory from his past, the most striking part about it was the eye in place of the sun that was looking down at him.

  Hitomi had started to wake up as well. She gently rubbed her eyes, and looked at Saisei with a sad distant look.

  "W-What?' Ooyama asked.

  "Hmm, you’re awake! Good morning!"

  Before the two could do much else they heard a noise coming from the front of the lighthouse by the door. Alerted, Ooyama moved Saisei up, and into a fighting position, and Hitomi moved over to his side.

  "Walf! Walf! Walf!"

  It was a small puppy about a foot long. It's tail was pointed up, and it was sitting poised to attack.

  "Awwwe, it's a cute doggie! At least we won't have to look far for dinner-"

  Before Hitomi could finish, Ooyama had taken control of Saisei, and was bolting in the opposite direction heading toward the stairs.

  "What are you-" Looking at how Ooyama moved Saisei Hitomi could tell that he was frightened

  "Stop that." Hitomi said, tackling the puppet to the ground.

  "Ouch," she rubbed her head, "it's okay, I'll take care of it for you," Hitomi said.

  And just as Hitomi started to walk toward the puppy, someone new appeared.

  "HA! There you are, you squatters! Wait, is that a puppet?"

  The voice came from a tall girl with long bright orange hair. She wore a jacket the same color as Ooyama's hair, and bright white shorts with fishnets on her right leg, and a shinobi pouch on the other which also held her headband wrapped around her thigh.

  The dog ran up to her, and crawled up her leg all the way up until it was situated on the girl's shoulder.

  "My name is Rui Inuzuka! And I'm... uh, almost a genin." She said scratching her head seemingly unsure of herself.

  "Walf! Walf!"