Chapter 25

Adonn thinks fast and uses a shadow clone to separate from Jinzunochi. He forms a bunch of hand signs. "Water Style: Water Wall" a large body of water shoots from his mouth and forms a large geyser of water just under the fire. It manages to put the fire out completely and Aylana and the girl pass out. Jinzunochi rushes Adonn with the sword and sets off a couple more explosives. The explosion masked his advance towards the girls. He grabbed his partner who has massive burn marks on her entire left side of her body and backs away from Aylana quickly. He then turns to the group.

"It's been fun but I think we've had enough for now" said Jinzunochi. "Expect to see us next time." He then disappears in a giant explosion.

Menma immediately rushes to the aid of the kids. He sees the stab wound in his chest as the kid is breathing heavily.

Sairana finally wakes up and slowly sits up.

"SAIRANA, COME QUICK" said Menma. Sairana looks over and sees the kid with the stab wound. She picks herself up and makes her way to the kid.

"Menma, keep his head leveled" said Sairana. She takes out a kunai and cuts the kid's shirt open. She then gently places her hand over the wound. Green chakra then emits from her hand.

Adonn goes to Aylana who is on the ground with part of her clothes burned up and burn marks all over her body. He goes to check for a pulse. As he touches Aylana's skin, she screams in pain.

"Careful sensei, my whole body is in pain right now" said Aylana.

"What the hell were you thinking?" said Adonn. "You could have died."

"Don't worry; I wasn't in that form long enough"

"It was enough to damage you however."

"I'll survive"

Adonn looks over at Menma and Sairana. "If only that were the case for them." He turns back to Aylana and does some hand signs. "Water Style: Healing Bed" water gathers under Aylana and forms a small platform under her. It then gently lifts her in the air.

"This should help speed up the healing process" said Adonn. "It will be quite relaxing. Think of it as a hot spring of sorts." He walks over to Menma and Sairana as Aylana floats right behind him. "How is he?"

"Not good" said Sairana. "His vitals are fading fast. At the rate it's going, he's going to die."

Menma closes his eyes in frustration. Adonn makes another healing bed for the kid. Sairana puts the kid on the water bed and gets on herself. She keeps her hand on the wound and the green chakra remains active. Menma picks up the other kid.

"Let's go the town can't be far now" said Adonn

The make their way down the path. The path takes them to a large hill. Menma get to the top of a small hill and sees the town just at the bottom.

"There it is" says Menma.

The group slowly makes their way down and enters the town. The town appears to be pretty run down with people looking dirty and unruly. The stores looked vacant with barely any people or items in them. Everyone looks miserable like they were just waiting for death to take them. The kids in the village even looked miserable. When the group walked through the town, the villagers look on in shock. Suddenly, a villager walks up to them.

"Um excuse me" said the villager. "Are you guys ninja from the leaf also?"

"Also?" said Menma.

"Well yes, we come to return this kid we saved from some thugs" said Adonn.

The villager looked at the two kids. "Hey, those are Murzo's kids; you manage to rescue them from Gato."

"Yes we did but this one needs serious medical treatment." Adonn points to the kid on the healing bed. "Is there a doctor we can take him to?"

"Yes of course, right this way."

The villager leads them to a small building with the hospital logo on it. The group walks in heading straight to the back where the doctor's office was. The doctor was looking over some paperwork when he sees the group walk in.

"Excuse me Doctor" said the villager. "I have a patient in critical condition. Can you check him out?"

"Of course" said the doctor. Adonn gently sets the kid down of the bed and dispels the jutsu. The doctor examines the kid. He gets a look of dread in his eyes. "What happened to him?"

"We were attacked by two of Gato's men" said Adonn. "They managed to stab the kid as well as take down one of our teammates."

"It must have been something if both you and that leaf Jonin ran into complications coming here."

"Leaf Jonin?"

"Yeah our bridge builder, Tazuna, hired some ninja from the leaf to be bodyguards for him as he finishes building the bridge. However, he had a run in with one of Gato's elite men and was taken out of commission. He's been bed ridden ever since."

"That must suck" said Menma.

The doctor looks at the stabbed boy again. He then looks at his hand.

"Those monsters" said the doctor. "To put their father through such torture is unnerving."

"Maybe you should call the boys' father here" said Adonn "I'm sure he would be happy to see his kids back.

The doctor got a look of deep depression in his eyes. "I wish that were possible"

"I should probably go" said the villager as he leaves the office.

"What do you mean?" said Adonn.

"He's dead" said the doctor.

Menma and the others look at the doctor in shock.

"Dead?" said Menma.

"Committed suicide a couple days ago" said the doctor. "He couldn't take it anymore. His wife being killed by Gato's men, the thought of never seeing his kids again, not the mention being sent the fingers of his son every week since his disappearance…it was just too much."

Menma looks at the kid's bandaged hand. "So that's what that is." He grits his teeth.

The doctor turns to Adonn. "You guys should wait in the waiting room. I'll take care of him."

Adonn and the others leave. Aylana is placed on the couch in the waiting room by Adonn. Time passes, Menma is pacing back and forth. Sairana is sitting calmly on the couch next to Aylana. Adonn is leaning against the wall with his eyes closed deep in thought. He takes a deep breath.

"Well we've gone way beyond the scope of protocol regarding our mission now" said Adonn.

"Is that really important right now?!" yelled Menma.

"I suppose not."

"Sensei" said Sairana. "What are we going to do?"

"…Well technically we are supposed to return to the leaf village" said Adonn. He looks at Aylana. "But we can't leave with Aylana in this condition. The best option we have for now is to stay here and wait for Aylana to recover at least." Adonn walks over to the door leading to the doctor room. "I'll be right back."

Menma keeps pacing and starts getting frustrated.

"Menma you need to calm down" said Sairana.

"How can I" said Menma. "You heard what happened to that kid's father right? And you see the state of this town. How the hell can these kids survive here?"

"I know but what can we do?" Sairana sighs. "Gato has powerful people on his side."

"We can ambush them. Get the jump on them before they can sense us and take them out."

"That's being reckless Menma there are too many factors to consider."

"I am considering the factors. Right now that girl is injured. Sensei could probably take on that rogue ninja by himself and we can double team the girl. We take them out quickly and head straight for Gato."

Sairana stands up and walks up to Menma. "Menma, you aren't taking all the factors of the situation into consideration."

"It's enough to go on to strike at them. I already have their scent if we could just—"

"STOP IT MENMA" Sairana activated her Sharingan. "Did you not learn your lesson on acting on impulse? Do you not remember the Savvier incident?"

Menma's eyes turn red. "You know damn well I remember that incident all too well. And this is nothing like that."

"It's exactly like that. The impulse you are feeling right now, the mindset you are in at the moment, the fact that you are so bloodthirsty right now, what's the difference?!"

"The difference is that this isn't a comrade of ours nor does this person belong to the leaf. I'm not the same kid I was back then."

"Then stop acting like one!"

Menma clenches his fist then storms out the hospital. Adonn returns.

"Well things are still up in the air but…" said Adonn. He looks around and sees that Menma is not there. "Where's Menma?"

"Left" said Sairana. "He is shook up about the whole situation."

"I guess he would be." Adonn forms the water bed and lifts Aylana up gently. "The kids' house isn't far from he can go there and stay until Aylana's recovered."

"Um…" Sairana looks at the door. "I think I should go get Menma first."

"That's fine. The house is two blocks down, make a left and is the third house on the left."

"Got it." Sairana gets up and heads outside to find Menma.