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Description
It had taken Kumo almost all day to return to the Village in his tired state. The sun was setting in the west when he had finally managed to return to his apartment. He closed the door behind him and stripped off his jacket hanging it by the door. The shoulder was damp with tears from Tenten crying into his shoulder after he gave her the news about Nenshō. He explained everything to her. The incident with the prisoner, his secret revealed to the Hyūga’s, and Nenshō’s reasoning for killing Hiashi to save him.
It had taken awhile to calm her down but he eventually managed to wipe her tears away. She didn’t seem to be too angry once he had explained how Nenshō was trying to help him. But time would only tell.
A knock came at the door. “It’s me.” It was Ino’s voice. “Can I come in?” she said.
“The door’s unlocked.” Said Kumo not moving off his bed. Ino opened the door and stepped in hanging up her coat and moving to sit beside him.
“I talked to Tenten.” She explained. “She’s a little shook up but she said you explained everything to her… how are you doing?”
Kumo shrugged. “As well as I can be.” He said lighting his pipe and drawing in the smoke.
“Listen Kumo… don’t take this the wrong way… but I’m happy Nenshō did what he did… If you had to leave like you were going too… well I don’t know if I’d have been able to take it as well as Tenten. I know I’m sounding selfish but I glad you didn’t have to leave.”
She put her arms around him squeezing him. “I wish I could thank him right now… you don’t have to wear those goggles anymore. Hinata has already been appointed to head of her clan and she’s outlawed the curse seal as her fist decree.”
Ino grabbed the draw strings of his skullcap pulling them back and letting the leather cap and brass goggles fall away from his face. “Come outside.” She said taking his hand and leading him to the balcony facing the setting sun. He looked over the village bathed in a golden light he had never witnessed before though the tinted lenses or his Byakugan.
“You’ve never been able to look at the village like this before now.” Said Ino. “And now… because of Nenshō… you can see your home. Not through a Byakugan or through tinted glass but just see it as it really is and not be afraid.”
Kumo smiled and turned to see the color of the sun setting over Konoha for the first time. He reached over and took Ino’s hand.

……………………….

No stars shone over the Land of Waves tonight. Nenshō was hardly surprised it was raining after spending over six months in this county. He ignored the water washing over him and trudged through the muddy road. He knew there were worse things ahead than simple wet clothes and muddy boots. He was easily able to ignore the cold and keep moving. He had entered the country an hour ago and he planned to be out of it in another hour. It wasn’t the best idea coming here; The Land of Waves was almost one of the places the Leaf and the Mist would look for him. But he needed to come here even if it just took a moment of his time. He turned off the road and took the narrow path through the woods, it was a poorly kept and traveled path bit it had become all too familiar to him and Kumo when they were in the country. The trees separated forming into the clearing where the wooden headstone and sword waited for him.
“It’s been awhile.” He said to the grave. “It’s been a little over a year since we returned your sword to you Zabuza… and I don’t think even you would believe how much stronger I’ve gotten since then, how much things have changed since then.”
Nenshō stepped forward and tentatively touched the swords hilt slowly wrapping his fingers around the wet and rusted hilt. “But despite that Zabuza… I still don’t know if I’ve earned the right to wield this blade. But I’ve come to a crossroads and right now I think the only way to tell if I’ve earned this blade is to take it and see for myself… and if I haven’t earned it then I’ll keep working till none may wield it but me.”
Nenshō tightened his grip on the blade and pulled it from the soaked earth. He smirked to himself, the blade seemed lighter than before.

Description
It had taken Kumo almost all day to return to the Village in his tired state. The sun was setting in the west when he had finally managed to return to his apartment. He closed the door behind him and stripped off his jacket hanging it by the door. The shoulder was damp with tears from Tenten crying into his shoulder after he gave her the news about Nenshō. He explained everything to her. The incident with the prisoner, his secret revealed to the Hyūga’s, and Nenshō’s reasoning for killing Hiashi to save him.
It had taken awhile to calm her down but he eventually managed to wipe her tears away. She didn’t seem to be too angry once he had explained how Nenshō was trying to help him. But time would only tell.
A knock came at the door. “It’s me.” It was Ino’s voice. “Can I come in?” she said.
“The door’s unlocked.” Said Kumo not moving off his bed. Ino opened the door and stepped in hanging up her coat and moving to sit beside him.
“I talked to Tenten.” She explained. “She’s a little shook up but she said you explained everything to her… how are you doing?”
Kumo shrugged. “As well as I can be.” He said lighting his pipe and drawing in the smoke.
“Listen Kumo… don’t take this the wrong way… but I’m happy Nenshō did what he did… If you had to leave like you were going too… well I don’t know if I’d have been able to take it as well as Tenten. I know I’m sounding selfish but I glad you didn’t have to leave.”
She put her arms around him squeezing him. “I wish I could thank him right now… you don’t have to wear those goggles anymore. Hinata has already been appointed to head of her clan and she’s outlawed the curse seal as her fist decree.”
Ino grabbed the draw strings of his skullcap pulling them back and letting the leather cap and brass goggles fall away from his face. “Come outside.” She said taking his hand and leading him to the balcony facing the setting sun. He looked over the village bathed in a golden light he had never witnessed before though the tinted lenses or his Byakugan.
“You’ve never been able to look at the village like this before now.” Said Ino. “And now… because of Nenshō… you can see your home. Not through a Byakugan or through tinted glass but just see it as it really is and not be afraid.”
Kumo smiled and turned to see the color of the sun setting over Konoha for the first time. He reached over and took Ino’s hand.

……………………….

No stars shone over the Land of Waves tonight. Nenshō was hardly surprised it was raining after spending over six months in this county. He ignored the water washing over him and trudged through the muddy road. He knew there were worse things ahead than simple wet clothes and muddy boots. He was easily able to ignore the cold and keep moving. He had entered the country an hour ago and he planned to be out of it in another hour. It wasn’t the best idea coming here; The Land of Waves was almost one of the places the Leaf and the Mist would look for him. But he needed to come here even if it just took a moment of his time. He turned off the road and took the narrow path through the woods, it was a poorly kept and traveled path bit it had become all too familiar to him and Kumo when they were in the country. The trees separated forming into the clearing where the wooden headstone and sword waited for him.
“It’s been awhile.” He said to the grave. “It’s been a little over a year since we returned your sword to you Zabuza… and I don’t think even you would believe how much stronger I’ve gotten since then, how much things have changed since then.”
Nenshō stepped forward and tentatively touched the swords hilt slowly wrapping his fingers around the wet and rusted hilt. “But despite that Zabuza… I still don’t know if I’ve earned the right to wield this blade. But I’ve come to a crossroads and right now I think the only way to tell if I’ve earned this blade is to take it and see for myself… and if I haven’t earned it then I’ll keep working till none may wield it but me.”
Nenshō tightened his grip on the blade and pulled it from the soaked earth. He smirked to himself, the blade seemed lighter than before.