Chapter Sixteen - Monsters

"Itachi, you scared me to death! I thought I was being kidnapped and taken to Orochimaru!" Aiko yelled, crossing her arms as she glared at the Uchiha.

"This is not the time," the Uchiha scolded her, sharingan shining in his eyes. "We must escape whilst the Village is busy with the invasion."

Aiko's eyes widened as a violent wind swept through the treetops they were concealing themselves within. Several trees crashed in the distance, fallen by whatever battle was currently taking place, much too close for comfort.

"What is that?" she demanded, looking to Itachi for answers.

"The one tail has been unleashed. It appears that Uzumaki Naruto is fighting him," Itachi informed her, jumping after her as she began jumping through the treetops towards the fight. "What are you doing?"

"It's still my mission to gather information on them. This could be my last chance!" she cried, halting as Gaara's one tail form came into view.

Naruto was on a tree branch, his body covered in injuries as he stood with Sasuke at his side. His eyes grew fierce as he looked towards the one tail, gathering an insane amount of chakra, so much so that it was visible to her eyes.

"This… this chakra," Aiko gasped, feeling suffocated in the malicious chakra that produced an inconceivable number of kage bunshin.

All this time she had been reminding herself that the boy with the whiskered cheeks was a devil-in-disguise, but now there was no doubt. Aiko watched Naruto's onslaught, shielding her eyes as a giant wind made her stab a kunai into the tree to keep her in place. Right in front of her stood the one tail in its complete and final form. Meeting it was a boss level summon. Aiko could hardly believe her eyes, finding them narrowing as she thought of that malicious-natured chakra. Before she knew it, the source of that chakra was in front of her, the nine-tailed fox making its appearance. Then, once more, the chakra enveloped Naruto. Aiko could only watch as two beasts clashed, their bodies falling with the sand as the form of the one-tail fell, Naruto delivering the final blow to his opponent.

"Aiko, either we leave now, or I will not hesitate to knock you out and carry you away," Itachi warned, eyes fixed on the aftermath of the battle, sure it would bring shinobi running.

"I know. Let's go," she agreed.

Itachi flicked his eyes to her, finding her complacency suspicious. However, one look was able to tell him she would follow him willingly. With a nod, the two Akatsuki members dashed off, heading away from the half-destroyed Village that was Konohagakure.

XxX

Aiko sat on the roof of the motel they were staying at, blank-faced as she rested her head on her knee.

"Fancy a spar?" Kisame grinned, lifting Samehada with enthusiasm.

"I can't," Aiko sighed, thinking a spar was exactly what she needed. "Itachi knocked my sword from my hand when he kidnapped me and we both know how a spar between my chakra-crafted paper sword turns out when you use Samehada."

"I knew I was missing something when he told me to come out here," Kisame grumbled, placing his sword on his back and opting to sit down.

"What are you doing?" Aiko questioned, watching as the shark began to look slightly uncomfortable.

"Well, we can't spar… so…"

"What?" Aiko snorted. "Are you going to give me a pep-talk?"

"How about you talk, I listen," the shark grumbled, flashing his sharp teeth in warning.

Aiko just rolled her eyes.

"You know how they call you a tailed beast, but without the tail?"

"What, you're talking to me now?" Kisame joked, enjoying her silent promise of death."Yeah, what of it?"

"Why do they call you that?"

"Well for starters my chakra reserves could rival one of them, combine that with my ability to fuse with Samehada, who in itself is a sentient being that stores chakra and you've got a whole lot of similarities," Kisame pointed out, wondering where this was going.

"But Samehada couldn't really act on its own will could it? The sword is incomplete without a swordsman," she asked, eyeing him up as she waited for his answer.

"What is this really about, kid?" Kisame's eyes narrowed, not one for beating around the bush.

"Uzumaki Naruto," she declared, eyes narrowed.

"I see…"

"You do?"

"You're growing up, you're releasing… certain chemicals," the shark stated awkwardly.

"Chemicals?" Aiko frowned. "I don't think…"

"Those chemicals mean you attract a mate."

"Oh, my Kami."

"And that nine tails is definitely strong so I'm sure you'd consider him as adequate."

"Oh, my Kami, please stop."

"Of course, some sharks have more than one mate…"

"Oh Kami, please stop before I decide to impale myself on Samehada," Aiko shouted, jamming her hands over her ears. "I am not crushing on the nine tails jinchuriki!"

"Then what's the problem?" Kisame growled, his face turning slightly purple.

"He got to me, okay!" she shouted back. "Gaara was blood thirsty! Gaara would trap people in sand and crush them to death, but Naruto… curse that demon-fox! That enthusiastic kid act is convincing."

"That's because it's not an act," Kisame explained. "He is a kid, but he's a tailed beast too, and once the beast breaks free, there will be no reasoning with it."

And that chakra… Aiko flashed back to the molevelant chakra that enveloped Naruto, fuelling him with rage and anger, only a slither of what the true beast was capable of. It was all the reminder she needed to realise that the beast called for blood, and would destroy the world in an instant if it could.

"I was starting to question oji-san when I met Naruto. I couldn't see how he could be a threat to the world, but I was wrong. Once that chakra takes control he could even defeat Gaara."

Aiko had to clench her fist, hiding the fact that it was shaking slightly.

"Then it's a good thing we'll be collecting them up, right?" Kisame smirked, shaking his head at his student's theatrics.

"But how? That power…"

"We've got our own power. It's them who should be afraid of us," Kisame told her. "Got it?"

"Right," she smiled, her grin widening as the tension in the air lifted. "So… sharks, huh?"

"Shut it, kid," Kisame snapped, his skin turning purple again.

"What? You don't want to finish the birds and the bees? What's the shark version? The octopi and the squids?" she giggled, clutching her stomach.

"How about my sword in your face," Kisame blinked, his whole body turning bright purple as an expression of pure horror crossed his face.

"Kisame? Are you okay?" Aiko panicked, wondering if it was healthy for a shark to turn that colour.

"Never again," the shark murmured.

"What?"

"We will never speak of this. Ever. Again."

Aiko gulped, squeaking out a quick 'yes' before the shark left the roof. Kisame just thanked Kami that the girl hadn't yet lost enough innocence to understand the concept of an innuendo.

XxX

The Power of Youth continued… Being Kakashi Hatake

"Gai… people are staring," Aiko whispered, looking at the jonin with her one uncovered eye as they walked through Konohagakure.

Aiko let out a yelp as she was pulled into a side alley, caught unaware. She really didn't have a clue how Naruto's Jonin-sensei saw anything with only half of his vision.

"I've been most foolish," Gai sighed, his eyes welling up with tears. "Please forgive me my student for I have failed you in the art of disguise!"

Aiko panicked as the grown man began to cry. She patted him on the back, finding herself locked in his embrace.

"Too tight!" she gasped, feeling relieved as he released her to give her a bleary-eyed thumbs up.

"Now listen closely for I am about to give you all the information you need to know to be Hatake Kakashi."

Aiko blinked, finding herself standing in front of a presentation board with an array of photos of Kakashi in front of her.

"Kakashi is a cool guy." Gai began pointing to a picture of the Jonin leaning against a tree trunk, a book in his hands.

"Err, Gai? Is he reading…" Aiko quickly cut off as Gai slammed a hand to her mouth.

"A cool guy," he continued as if nothing had happened. "As expected of someone chosen to be my eternal rival."

Guy then proceeded to explain the mannerisms of the Jonin, Aiko's eyes growing white and slanted with every detail.

"So… he's emotionally stunted, always late, acts as if he can't hear you, comes out with ridiculous excuses and is an outright pervert," Aiko concluded.

"Very much a cool guy," Gai winked, giving her a thumbs up as she face-palmed. "Now, time to put what you've learnt to the test!"

Aiko found herself shoved back on to the streets of Konohagakure. With a deep breath, she tucked her hands in her pockets, leaning back as she strolled through the Village. She followed Gai's directions, jumping on the roof of a tall building and ducking through the window.

"Yo!" she greeted, holding up a palm to the room.

It was then that she realised she was in a meeting between several high ranking Jonin and the Hokage himself. Internally, Aiko sweat-dropped, finding all eyes focussed on her.

"You're late, Kakashi," Gai grinned, causing all eyes to be drawn to him.

They were probably wondering if he'd lost it - if he could lose it more than he already had.

"Well, there was this kid who got stuck in a tree," she attempted as one of the Jonin let out a snort.

"Then by all means," the Hokage announced, eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come join us?"

Aiko looked towards the room that might as well have been full of vipers.

"Mm… no. I'd best be getting back to Sasuke," Aiko shrugged, turning to leave when she found her exit cut off by ANBU.

With a whimper, Aiko jumped into the room, slouching into place next to Gai before sighing and drawing out the censored version of Icha Icha (censored being about 90% of the content blacked out by Gai). She used the book as a shield between herself and her enemies.

"Kakashi, since you have so much free time on your hands I have a mission for you."

Aiko could only think what terror the Hokage would put her through after this.

"With so many of our genin participating in the Chunin exams we have an excess amount of D-ranks stacking up. I'm sure a Jonin of your capability could deal with them adequately and take the pressure off for us," the Hokage informed her as he sucked on his pipe with a faint smile on his lips.

"I don't think…"

"A most youthful idea!" Gai nodded, his fist catching fire as he held it out. "I too will help Kakashi with this important task."

Aiko sweat-dropped. She shifted on her feet, giving Gai a blank stare.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" she said in her best monotone to honour Itachi.

"So cool!" Gai shrieked.

"Guess I better head out then," she drauled, dramatically throwing up a handful of leaves as she shushinned away.

"Wait for me, my eternal rival!" Gai yelled, following after her.

The room was left in silence as the Jonin turned back to their Hokage.

"Is this really okay, Hokage-sama?" Genma questioned, his senbon flicking from one side to another in his mouth.

"I see no problems with Hatake undertaking our D-ranks during this period," the Hokage acknowledged.

"Of course, Hokage-sama," the Jonin chorused, each of them sweat-dropping as the poor Ame genin was used as free labour and would probably end up spending the Chunin exams in the hospital, courtesy of Maito Gai.

A/N: Well that was anti-climatic, am-I-right? I'm very surprised all responses thought Danzo had gotten her! So the chapter after this is the last I've written in terms of Part I. I have actually started Part II, but obviously there is a lot of content to cover. All I can say is, it's darker but still (hopefully) funny - you know, until everyone dies.