I follow the guards down to our room, making sure they don't hurt Kotetsu. One of them fumbles around at the door and finally gets it open. "Izumo!" Asuma-sensei appears at the end of the corridor, "How is he doing?" He asks, his feet not making the slightest noise as he walks towards me. "Could be better." I answer as the guards walk out of the room. I go to walk in and feel a hand pull me back. "He could be worse though Izumo." Asuma-sensei gruffs before walking off. I watch as he walks off into the night. I walk into the room that Kotetsu and I have shared for years. Tsunade granted it to us when we were kicked out of home for being so annoying. Kotetsu lies still on the mat and lets out a painful groan. "Shhh Kotetsu, I'm here buddy, I'll look after you." I sit down beside him. "Izumo? You still alive?" He whispers, I can hear the pain in his voice. "Yeah, it's me, I'm fine, don't you worry." I pull the covers up over him to keep him warm. He groans in pain again. "Just try and get some rest." I lie down next to him and close my eyes. The sound of his uneasy breathing making me weary of just how close he was to death. Just a few minutes later had I arrived and he wouldn't have made it.

Morning breaks and I'm still awake. Kotetsu's uneasy breathing and occasional coughing up blood making me to worried to sleep. The door slides open and Tsunade walks in. "Long night Izumo?" I nod. It must be blatantly obvious I didn't sleep. I look in the mirror. I'm a mess. "Maybe you should get some rest…" I look at her, "I will look after Kotetsu, just try and get some sleep." I get up and walk into the other room. If I don't obey Tsunade who knows what will happen.