SICK || A Naruto FanFiction

13. The Truth

Ken glanced around with a frown.

"Why is this place so impoverished?" She whispered.

Sasuke shrugged, when Naruto piped up: "Gato's control on the land is stopping the trade and growth of economy."

Sasuke choked, looking at Naruto as if he had grown two heads. Ken stared at him admiringly.

"What?" Naruto looked surprised at their reactions. "I have ears, and Kakashi-sensei and Tazuna we're talking about it earlier."

Nonetheless, Ken's heart broke at the sight of the children on the streets, not even bothering to beg, knowing no one had money and if they did, they wouldn't waste it on strangers.

Sasuke stopped walking abruptly, grabbing something behind Ken.

"Gah! Let go of me!" A little girl hissed, trying in vain to wriggle her wrist out of Sasuke's grip, her other hand in her pocket.

Sasuke stared at the girl blankly. "Give my friend her wallet back."

The girl's cheeks turned rosy, and she desperately tried to free herself once more. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said roughly.

Ken stared at her. She took in her brown hair, darkened by dirt and mud. Her face, smudged and dirty. Her rough, calloused hands. Her wide eyes.

Ken's gaze softened. "Please, I'd like my wallet back."

The girl grumbled, handing over the wallet. "It probably doesn't have anything worth the trouble anyways." She muttered, though everyone knew she believed it to be a lie.

"Here." Ken gently handed the girl a handful of coins.

"W-what?"

"There's some money. Just, don't waste it, alright?" Ken smiled, though it couldn't be seen with her mask on, the girl understood through the kindness in the stranger's chocolate eyes.

"Th-Thank you." She stammered. "I'm Marnie. I'm sorry I tried to steal from you." Marnie bowed lowly.

"I'm Ken." She grinned. "And it's okay."

Marnie nodded gratefully, and ran off. Ken watched her go, her eyes lighting up when the she ran to a little boy that looked strikingly alike to her. Most likely her little brother. The boy cheered and together they ran into a nearby house.

Sasuke looked at her questioningly. "Why did you do that?"

Naruto grinned. He knew exactly what his best friend was going to say.

"Because." Ken continued walking, her heart full. "She needs it more than I ever would."

::

"Climb the tree." Kakashi smiled.

Naruto stared at him. "We know how to climb trees." He chided lightly. "It's okay if you never learned, but we know how."

Kakashi shook his head. "What about climbing a tree without hands?"

Ken groaned, throwing her head back. The tree climbing exercise. Something she had never mastered.

She easily got past the simple chakra control exercises in the academy, but every time she attempted climbing a tree on her own time, her chakra would fluctuate and she would fall.

Sasuke seemed interested, and so did Naruto, to Ken's dismay.

"Collect chakra into your feet. Keep it even as you take each step." Kakashi instructed, pointing to the gaggle of trees in front of them.