HOME | DD

Description
The weather couldn't have fit the mood any better as Aiko knelt humbly in front of a marble headstone. The name on the tombstone read, "Katsuo Minami," a name that Aiko had said many times back when she was younger in a variety of irritated tones. Memories flooded her mind, replaying different missions and various pranks they had either pulled together or he had on her. He was knuckle head; a downright no-good, empty-headed doofus . . . But he had a big heart; one of the biggest Aiko had ever seen.

He would be the first to show up when he was needed, whether it be for a mission or if a friend was in need. So it wasn't a surprise when he came looking for her after Aiko's father had been framed for murder and banished from Konoha. He was the only one who came for her . . . Not even her other old teammate, Yuuto Hashimoto, even entertained the thought of convincing her to come back. But that's why he's alive and Katsuo isn't.

It wasn't by her hand that he's gone. They were ambushed by mysterious ninjas in masks, not Anbu as far as Aiko and Katsuo could tell; and they were beaten- badly.

"You were always a fool," Aiko said quietly to herself, "but you were such a good friend. You were the only one that believed me . . . You stood by me when the rest of the village was against me. I can't thank you enough for that, Katsuo." She sniffled and wiped away a tear that trickled down her cheek. "I wish there could've something more I could've done to save you . . . I wish it could've been me instead of you."

"Over dramatic as usual," she could hear Katsuo's voice say. "I don't know what you're blubbering about. The way everything turned out, I say it went exactly according to plan."

"Except you're dead," Aiko replied with another sniffle. "I don't think that was a part of the plan."

"Eh, that was just a bump on the road. You're back in the village, aren't you?" Katsuo's voice returned with a smile.

"Ten years later," Aiko grumbled.

"Better ten years later than never again. This village needs you, Red. You have a lot of potential to do a lot of good for these people, and helping them accomplish what needs to be done with this war. You need to take the past as it is and turn it into a learning experience rather than an unnecessary load on her back. If you do, you'll be holding yourself back."

She sniffled again and brushed her wet bangs from her eyes. "For being such an empty-headed idiot . . . You have a lot more wisdom than any sixteen-year-old I've ever met."

"Heh. Not every sixteen-year-old can be as awesome as me," Katsuo's voice replied with a proud snort.

"You're still how I remember you." Aiko smiled and chuckled. "You would've been an amazing Shinobi."

Kastuo's voice chuckled again. "That's why you need to live on for me, Red. Be better than you were yesterday, and learn from the past. You've got a lot going for you now, so don't throw all that away again. Keep moving forward and keep your head held high. You've got a lot of us cheering for you on the other side."

Aiko's fingers traced the writing on the headstone and smiled softly. "I will . . . For you, and my parents. I'll make you guys proud."

"Good. Now get out of here before you catch a cold, Ice Princess. I'll still be here even after the storm."

"Thank you, Katsuo. Rest well, my friend."

Whether that was her imagination or an actual visitation of her old teammate, it was exactly what she needed to hear. She was at peace and was finally ready to officially come back to Konoha and help with this war.

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

Aiko Yukimura, Katsuo Minami, and art all belong to me

Description
The weather couldn't have fit the mood any better as Aiko knelt humbly in front of a marble headstone. The name on the tombstone read, "Katsuo Minami," a name that Aiko had said many times back when she was younger in a variety of irritated tones. Memories flooded her mind, replaying different missions and various pranks they had either pulled together or he had on her. He was knuckle head; a downright no-good, empty-headed doofus . . . But he had a big heart; one of the biggest Aiko had ever seen.

He would be the first to show up when he was needed, whether it be for a mission or if a friend was in need. So it wasn't a surprise when he came looking for her after Aiko's father had been framed for murder and banished from Konoha. He was the only one who came for her . . . Not even her other old teammate, Yuuto Hashimoto, even entertained the thought of convincing her to come back. But that's why he's alive and Katsuo isn't.

It wasn't by her hand that he's gone. They were ambushed by mysterious ninjas in masks, not Anbu as far as Aiko and Katsuo could tell; and they were beaten- badly.

"You were always a fool," Aiko said quietly to herself, "but you were such a good friend. You were the only one that believed me . . . You stood by me when the rest of the village was against me. I can't thank you enough for that, Katsuo." She sniffled and wiped away a tear that trickled down her cheek. "I wish there could've something more I could've done to save you . . . I wish it could've been me instead of you."

"Over dramatic as usual," she could hear Katsuo's voice say. "I don't know what you're blubbering about. The way everything turned out, I say it went exactly according to plan."

"Except you're dead," Aiko replied with another sniffle. "I don't think that was a part of the plan."

"Eh, that was just a bump on the road. You're back in the village, aren't you?" Katsuo's voice returned with a smile.

"Ten years later," Aiko grumbled.

"Better ten years later than never again. This village needs you, Red. You have a lot of potential to do a lot of good for these people, and helping them accomplish what needs to be done with this war. You need to take the past as it is and turn it into a learning experience rather than an unnecessary load on her back. If you do, you'll be holding yourself back."

She sniffled again and brushed her wet bangs from her eyes. "For being such an empty-headed idiot . . . You have a lot more wisdom than any sixteen-year-old I've ever met."

"Heh. Not every sixteen-year-old can be as awesome as me," Katsuo's voice replied with a proud snort.

"You're still how I remember you." Aiko smiled and chuckled. "You would've been an amazing Shinobi."

Kastuo's voice chuckled again. "That's why you need to live on for me, Red. Be better than you were yesterday, and learn from the past. You've got a lot going for you now, so don't throw all that away again. Keep moving forward and keep your head held high. You've got a lot of us cheering for you on the other side."

Aiko's fingers traced the writing on the headstone and smiled softly. "I will . . . For you, and my parents. I'll make you guys proud."

"Good. Now get out of here before you catch a cold, Ice Princess. I'll still be here even after the storm."

"Thank you, Katsuo. Rest well, my friend."

Whether that was her imagination or an actual visitation of her old teammate, it was exactly what she needed to hear. She was at peace and was finally ready to officially come back to Konoha and help with this war.

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

Aiko Yukimura, Katsuo Minami, and art all belong to me