36 - Momentary Peace

"Water, huh?"

Yamato told Kakashi about Fuyuka's chakra affinity, so now she was training in Bleach time. Still, she wasn't against fancy powers, so that's alright.

"To start with, see if you can make the water move or take shape," Kakashi said, half focused on his Icha Icha book. Fuyuka stood on a small river's surface because all cool ninja can stand on water easily.

The blue haired girl concentrated, not entirely sure how to channel her chakra due to the fact she's not using any particular jutsu. However, to Kakashi's mild surprise, a small blob of water lifted from the river and actually began taking form.

With a pop, a water cat appeared on top of the water. It meowed, before deforming and splashing back into the river.

"Well," the silver haired jonin said slowly. "It's progress, though I doubt a cat can do much in actual battle."

"I had to visualize something, I just went for what I know best," Fuyuka argued, walking back to land before she fell into the river. "The other option was a Bleach character."

Kakashi sweat dropped slightly. "Well... keep summoning cats, then. Once you can manipulate the water with ease, we can work on forming actual jutsu."

"Fuyuka!"

The blue haired girl looked up from her peaceful Bleach break, eyes landing on a familiar trio. "Oh, Mitsuka, Terasu."

Mitsuka Sora had let her hazel hair grow slightly longer, just enough for a high half ponytail, with a dark lavender-blue shirt dress with white cloud patterns because the Akatsuki uniform is actually emo plagiarism.

Terasu Shiomiru's (Fuyuka's brain noted that he was currently 16, meaning it was two years until he dies. Shut up, brain.) light green hair remained as it was before, while he was dressed in a more casual-looking version of the chunin uniform.

"Are you seriously ignoring me?" Ah, yes, magician wannabe, Naku Sora. He had actually cut his hair, just slightly, while he was dressed in a shirt and trousers with a darker version of the pattern on Mitsuka's, along with his signature Magician Wannabe™ cape.

"Yes, I am," Fuyuka replied, an undertone of mocking in her voice.

"He got mad in... that's sixteen seconds," Terasu said to Mitsuka, who frowned. "I believe I win the bet."

"What do you mean bet?!" Naku whipped around, glaring at his green haired teammate, who only smiled innocently.

The four did some basic catching up- Mitsuka had mastered Stormwind Armament, while all three had made general improvements. Fuyuka introduced her mastery at making water cats.

"You know," Mitsuka offered. "Once you can actually use water style jutsu, we can work on some wind-water combos."

"Sure," the blue haired girl replied with a small nod.

After meeting Team Haruka, the girl decided to go hang out at the Shadow Star base, play some games on the computer that used to be Miyabi's for medical reasons but she doesn't use anymore, and give Katsume more card game PTSD via Exploding Kittens.

"Fuyuka!" Kogane greeted as the blue haired girl walked into the room. "What's been up recently? How's mom doing?"

"It's not looking good, mom isn't healing enough," Fuyuka replied, before summing up her recent missions and water release training.

"Water, that's new," Yamiki commented. "I'm fire. Kogane, lightning. Katsume and dad are earth, and mom's wind."

"I know I'm awesome," Fuyuka decided, nodding sagely and earning a subtle eye roll from Katsume.

The siblings ended up playing Exploding Kittens, with Fuyuka reclaiming her throne as the queen of somehow hogging all six defuse cards while everyone explodes.

"Fuyuka." The girl looked up at Hokuro, who sat at his desk on the opposite end of the room. Since he got Shadow Star-ed before she was born, she didn't really know her father well. "Huh?"

"You should drop by more often. And tell Miyabi to keep herself healthy."

"Sure."

Next, she went to see Shigetsu and her mom.

Like before, the blond appeared perfectly fine, but he wasn't.

"Hey," the blue haired girl greeted with a nod, earning a beam from Miyabi. "Oh, Fuyuka. How have you been?"

The girl summed up her recent missions and activities again, before taking a seat on another chair nearby. "Has there been any progress? On the healing?"

Miyabi looked around, checking that Yozora wasn't present. "I... I don't think I can do it. I've been working for over two years, healing daily, but he's only getting worse. This is beyond my scope of skill. If it weren't for his Tsuyoku abilities and daily healing from me, he would have died long ago, and I'm sure every day is painful now."

Fuyuka's student was smart, he was far too realistic to actually believe Shigetsu would live, but he still remained optimistic. It's like if he admitted it was hopeless, he would be giving up on a chance.

"Yozora knows, I'm certain," Fuyuka said quietly. "But..."

"I know." Miyabi fell silent, healing light flickering to life on her hands as she held them over Shigetsu. Fuyuka sat there for a few more minutes, before standing up and quietly leaving the room. Man, this was too serious. She needed a break.

She found that break by taking Kuro and Kyuketsu out to a river and making water cats. The former stayed away, while the latter tried to sniff the water cats and freaked out when they spilled water all over his white fur.

The blue haired chunin chuckled as Kyuketsu began hissing at everything around him, causing Kuro to calmly bat the other cat with a paw, before backing away as Kyuketsu began shaking off the water.

"Hey, Fuyuka."

The blue haired girl glanced up. "Oh, Ino. Yo."

"It's been a while, huh." The blonde sat beside Fuyuka, her eyes facing down. "Asuma-sensei told me not to lose to Sakura. And I won't, but... it's still hard to lose someone."

"Never thought you were the sentimental type," Fuyuka commented. "Do you want to pet my cats? It's the most therapeutic ever, apart from Bleach."

Ino smiled softly as Kuro trotted up to her with a meow. "Thanks, Fuyuka. I appreciate it, really."

The blue haired girl just nodded. "You're welcome."

The blonde giggled as Kyuketsu resumed shaking his fur, splashing Kuro and earning a loud growl from the black cat. She gestured to the Night Star hair clip in Fuyuka's hair, smiling teasingly as she copied the other girl's words. "Never thought you were the sentimental type."

"Shut up."