Last Chapter: Feelings
Ayami and Naruto made there way through the silent streets of the Leaf. It was five in the morning, and Tsunade should be getting up. She leaned on Naruto's shoulder, nervous. Naruto wrapped his arm around her waist.
Naruto was deep in thought. I need to know if she loves me . . . He looked around and spied an alleyway.
Naruto pulled her off into an alleyway off the main street. "Naruto?" she questioned. Fear started to bubble up in her. What does he want? Ayami looked at him, fear in her eyes.
"Ayami . . ." he was struggling for words. "I . . . I . . ." he couldn't say it. I love you Ayami Hyuga! "IloveyouAyamiHyuga!!!!!!!!!" he shouted in one word.
Ayami stared at him dumbfounded. He . . . he loves me? He loves someone like me? "B-b-b-b-but!!!!!" Ayami stuttered. Naruto covered her mouth. "I don't care if you host a demon! I do too!!!!!!" he finally got it out. Ayami was dazed. He doesn't like me; he loves me for me, not my demon . . .
She felt Naruto's lips connect with hers. She's a good kisser . . . Naruto took notice of. It seemed like an eternity before they broke apart with heavy blushes. "N-Naruto . . ." Ayami muttered, dazed. "Let's see the Granny . . ."
Naruto smiled at her. "Whatever you want, Aya . . ." He saw her eyes drooping. "I think you need a cup of coffee to keep you awake . . ." Ayami yawned. "Yeah, me too . . ." They walked into a 24 hour coffee place, which was almost empty. She growled dangerously at two women who were whispering behind her back.
Ayami sat down in a booth while Naruto ordered. She tried to calm her nerves, before her eyes showed her wolf side. Ayami almost killed someone when the next words she heard came from a customer. "Looks like the wolf found herself a fox . . . how touching . . ." The man sniggered.
Ayami slowly turned to the man and locked eyes with him. Anyone could feel the killing intent coming from the enraged girl. Her eyes held rage she had never felt before. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles cracked and her fingernails pierced her skin.
She got up slowly from her seat, and began walking toward the man, her Cursed Seal spreading dangerously. Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder, and guided her out before the man summoned the ANBU Black-Ops.
They didn't meet anyone else on there entire walk. Ayami threw the empty cup out and walked in. Shizune was shocked to have been asked if the Old Lady was busy, normally, Ayami would barge right in, and call her Old Lady or Granny, but she had a sad look in her eyes.
Shizune also noticed that Naruto's arm was firmly wrapped around the girl's waist, and she smiled.
"I'm sorry, but she's in a meeting," she said.
As soon as she said 'meeting', the same ANBU White-Coat from the hospital walked out. Ayami locked eyes with the ANBU, who stared unblinkingly through the cat mask. She vanished in a wisp of leaves that littered the floor.
Tsunade walked out, followed closely by Rin, her expression turned from agitated, to worry and consoling as she saw Ayami.
"Come on in," she said with a reassuring smile, but worry was evident. She walked behind her desk and sat down, gazing at Ayami and Naruto, who sat in the two chairs opposite of the Hokage, that the ANBU must have sat in earlier. Rin stood next to Tsunade, whose look of worry was stronger then Tsunade's.
They sat in deafening silence for a little while with Ayami's gaze fixed on her lap, not sure how to start before Tsunade broke the silence. "Ayami, what's wrong?"
Tsunade had a very worried expression on her face. She cared about Ayami, almost like a daughter. The look wasn't one of safety, but one that looked like how a mother would look if her daughter was hurt.
Ayami looked up and met her eyes and Tsunade let out a gasp of surprise. Rin even looked away. Ayami had a look of sadness and hopelessness in her eyes that she had never seen before. Tears started to make their way into her lavender eyes.
"Its . . . it's about the Eight-Tails . . ." she gulped. Tsunade went wide-eyed and looked at Naruto, who nodded. "It's alright, Naruto saved me."
"Saved you?" Tsunade was confused.
"Well . . . I was about to jump off the Hokage Monument . . ." Ayami said sadly.
Tsunade gasped at the statement. Rin looked like she was about to kill Ayami. Ayami wasn't the one to consider suicide. She knew that she was having a hard time dealing with Airo's death; she must've felt completely responsible for it.
"Ayami, no one blames you for Airo, It's okay. Just don't consider something like that again." She said.
Ayami looked at Tsunade and Rin with a sad smile. "I guess that's half of it . . ."
Rin was listening to the whole conversation sadly; she knew how hard it would be to get this out, but they cared for her. It would shock her to see her pupil give up so easily.
Tsunade had a very good feeling that this would be stressful. She reached for the hidden sake bottle.
". . . it . . . it's the seal . . ." Ayami was trying her best to hold back her tears. She didn't want to look weak in front of Naruto, Tsunade, and Rin. "The seal is weakening and the Eight-Tails will be able to escape . . ."
The next sound was the sound of breaking glass a "WHAAAAT?!?!!?". The sake bottle Rin was holding shattered, cutting her hand.
"It seems . . . Orochimaru abused my seal . . . so it's weakening." Ayami mumbled sadly.
"I'll kill him . . ." Rin mumbled a little louder then expected, earning a small smile from Ayami and Naruto.
Sudden realization also hit her as she realized why Ayami was about to jump off a cliff. "You were going to take her with you . . ." Tsunade said.
"Yeah . . . she told me she would kill all of those precious to me . . ." Ayami looked over to Naruto. "I can't let that happen . . . even if I die."
"Well . . . honestly I'm not too sure what we could do. I'll have to do some research and contact Jiraiya about this." Tsunade responded. "But honestly that was a very powerful seal that was placed on you and I don't know if we con fix it without summoning another death god."
"NO! That won't happen!" Ayami yelled.
"I didn't really plan on it, Ayami, now get out and let me do my research!" she yelled.
"Thanks, Granny!" Naruto said, standing up.
"Thanks, Lady Hokage." Ayami muttered and left. Tsunade and Rin were stunned at everything, including calling Tsunade Lady Hokage. Then they both got very serious looks on their faces, and they pulled books out from the book shelf.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
-With Ayami and Naruto-
They walked out of the Tower, and back into town. The Village was finally coming alive. Ayami was still growling dangerously at anyone who started glaring at her and Naruto.
"Yo, Aya, you want to get dinner?" he asked quietly.
Ayami's very faint blush spread across her nose. "Sure . . ." she turned around. "I'll go home and change, meet me at Ichiraku's at seven."
Naruto kissed her cheek. The very faint blush turned from pink to red. "See ya, Aya," with that, she walked home.
Naruto headed home, unknown to him, a cloaked figure was behind him.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
-With Ayami-
Ayami didn't know why, but after she left Naruto, a feeling of dread bubbled up from the pit of her stomach, and it was getting worse. She had it since she left the Hokage Monument, but she had no clue what it was.
Ayami was thinking of turning around, and walking Naruto home, but then she wouldn't have time to get ready herself. She racked her brain all the way to her apartment, but the feeling wouldn't leave. Something was wrong, she knew it.
When she reached her door and pulled out her keys when something flew at her head. If it wasn't for her shinobi skills, the kunai that was sticking out of her door would've been in her head.
Ayami whipped around and looked around. There was no one there. When she looked back at the kunai, there was a note attached.
Dear demon brat,
I have the fox and your friends. Come to your old academy at nine and make sure you're alone. Make no mistake; I will kill them if you don't show up.
Have yourself and the Eight-Tails prepared.
A/N: Konichiwa! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!
Next Chapter: The Waiting and the Surprise