Happy Holidays! As my gift to all ya'll, another chapter, I hope you enjoy it. It took me a little while with school ending and getting busier (and my health acting up again), but now things should be better! Little bit shorter than my previous few, but I wanted to get this out to you all who have waited so patiently.

Also, to everyone that read the previous chapter before I changed the AN, you can find my picture of Ai and Abel with a google search of Rykaspar to bring up my deviantart page. (Since links are garbage here). Or does this work after removing the spaces? rykaspar. deviantart. com


Silver Streams

It's Our World, They Can Never Have It

Ai blinked back into the real world. She was so cold, but now, now she's almost unbearably warm, swaddled in so many blankets it's nearly laughable. At least it might be, if she knew where she was and her last memories weren't of someone stuffing a cloth over her face and the biting cold chewing its way into her bones.

The little girl began to struggle, trying to get out of the cloth that is now feeling too restrictive.

"Slow down," a voice says softly. "You had a pretty bad turn there; you need to stay calm and rest." Ai looks over to the speaker, he's young, dressed in navy blue and an olive-green vest, he has scruffy brown hair and dark eyes. Most notably, he looks tired.

Strong breeze, guiding the leaf. Fanning the flame. Solitary oak. Tall. Strong.

"And concerned," she supposed, rubbing her ear on her shoulder.

Blinking at him, she asked, "Where am I?" Her voice sounded surprisingly worn out.

The young man gave a small shrug. "Some border inn that I don't know the name of. It was the first place I found and you needed immediate attention." He studied her; head titled a little to the side. "What's your name?"

"Ai," she replied softly, shifting her arms about enough to grab the blankets and tug them tighter to her chin.

"That's a nice name, I like it," the man smiled gently. "I'm Hayate. Can you tell me where you are from, Ai? Do you know what your town is called? I'd like to get you back, if I can."

She chewed on her lip. "The place I'm originally from didn't have a name, just a couple of connected buildings. But when we got here, they took us to Ku- Kumogakure," she stumbled a little over the word, still unused to it. Hayate leant back in the chair he'd been sitting in.

"I see." His brow furrowed. "Do you remember what happened? How you got out in the snow?"

"It was night, and I was sleeping at Yugito's home. She was away. I heard a noise and then someone shoved a cloth into my face," Ai began to sniffle. "The next thing I remember is waking up in the cold. I was outside in the snow, but no one was around anywhere. I got so tired."

He nodded. "I found you out there. Half frozen. I thought it best to get you somewhere safe and warm."

"Can you get me back to Yugito?" The young man, Hayate, gave her a sad smile.

"I don't think I can. I'm sorry. You see, Cloud doesn't like me or my people very much."

"Oh," Ai looked away from him. "I don't think they liked me much either. They were worried I'd get them sick."

That seemed to interest him. "Sick? How?"

"They said there was something wrong with my chakra coils. That," Ai bit her lip, recalling the what she'd heard as she'd come out of anesthesia, "that, 'Natural Chakra seems to be concentrating in them in unusually high amounts. It's appears that is the reason behind the deterioration, and loss, of their equipment. Even the metal items we removed from inside the girl weren't spared. The nonorganic objects have been destroyed quicker, but we believe they will die soon as well. It won't be a quick death for any of them."'

Hayate raised a brow. "That was pretty impressive. Did they tell you all that?"

Ai shook her head. "They thought I was still asleep. I heard the doctor talking to someone, I don't know who."

"They were obviously wrong about what was going to happen though."

At those words, Ai saddened. "Just about me, Naoki and the others still died. They put me out on the streets after I got better, but no one would come near or help me. Even if I wasn't contagious, everyone acted like I still was. Yugito and B would talk to me, and they never got sick."

"B?" His eyes almost blinked. "To clarify something, do you mean Killer B? And Yugito Nii?"

Ai perked up. "Do you know them?"

Hayate smiled at that. "Not personally. They're, um, famous."

"Really?" Hayate nodded. "Is it because B liked to sing?"

At that Hayate laughed. "No, but I have heard that. They're both very talented fighters. My people keep track of that."

"Oh." She said, before that seemed to click. "B was teaching me to hold a sword! He said I showed potential." The girl practically preened.

"Was he? Did Yugito teach you anything?"

At that Ai wormed her arms and upper body out of the blankets. Hayate let her this time, watching as she cupped her hands together. Light began to shine through the gaps of her fingers. She pulled her hands away, letting the light float in front of her. "She also gave me my name!"

"Your name?"

Ai nodded. "I didn't have one before I met her. Only numbers."

"Numbers…?"

She nodded again. "The adults had names, but the children only had numbers."

"I see," Hayate said slowly, turning what she said over in his mind. "Ai, I can't get you back to Yugito, but would you be willing to come with me? Back to my home? I promise you'll be well cared for there."

She chewed on her lip again, considering his offer. "Can I learn how to use a sword there too?"

Hayate smiled and nodded. "You're in luck." He pointed over to the wall. Not far from his foot, a sword leaned, glaringly obvious against the flowery wallpaper. Ai brightened.

"All right."

"It's agreed on then. As soon as you're strong enough, we'll go to Konoha."

Something sparked to life inside her and cawing birds flew across her vision.

Ai's eyes snapped open, feeling for all the world, she had just blinked for a very long time. She wasn't sure how much time has passed, but the feathers still drifted about her. Now, though, they floated a foot away, as if they were blocked by an invisible barrier.

It doesn't take her long to realize there was a pressure on her shoulder, looking over revealed it to be Aoba's hand. His chakra, warmly blending itself with hers.

"You good?"

"Yeah." Ai stood and Aoba released her shoulder. She dropped her hand to the hilt of her hidden Tsukikage.

Dotted about their section of the stadium were other ninja that had fought off the genjutsu, included among them were Kurenai and Asuma.

Only moments after recognizing them, all hell broke loose.

Dozens of Sound ninja, who had been hiding in the crowd disguised as civilians began their assault.

※※※※※

Kankuro had just settled Gaara's arm around his shoulder – and God, please, he hoped he didn't get murdered – when a movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention.

A form, small from this distance, tumbled over the edge of the stadium. The flash of gold hair, told him who it probably was. Her arm latched onto the vertical support of the railing to keep her from completing her descent. Fire gushed out of the seating area above her.

He watched as her chakra-coated feet slipped on the wall of the arena, before adhering once more.

Guilt washed over him as he watched the pathetically half-trained civilian that interacted too much with ninja, nearly fall.

Two grey and purpled-clothed ninja appeared above her. Sound ninja, obviously. One hung off the railing, grabbing at her. "What the hell are they doing?" he thought, watching. Other than down, she had no way to get away.

He heard a shout and something silver dropped from above landing on the reaching ninja.

Metal and gleaming bright in the sun, a large cat-shaped skeleton dropped onto the Sound ninja's back. Claws biting deep. Transfixed, he stared as the mouth of the cat latched onto his shoulder.

Red sprayed everywhere. Spattering across the wall of the arena, flinging up high into the air.

The cat removed its mouth, without having to reopen it and with a harsh push of its back legs, it both climbed onto the top of the railing and sent the now armless ninja to the dirt, dozens of feet below.

The second Sound ninja followed the first as a dark-haired kunoichi flung him over the edge, completely unopposed.

Blue and green slid to the ground, grabbing onto her arm hooked around the railing post and reaching down to haul Ai back into the stadium seating as the other Leaf ninja disappeared back into the fray, letting the gore-splattered cat guard the two.

It made a blood-curdling shriek as another Sound ninja made a move on the pair, only to find himself encased in the metal cat. He didn't see what happened as they tumbled further into the building, but he did hear a scream cut short.

As the cat lunged, the ninja helping Ai managed to grab onto the back of her shirt and was in the process of hauling her up when another Sound ninja appeared.

Half-way up, and in a better position to defend them both, Ai threw her left arm up at the attacking ninja. Five metal spears surged out of her sleeve, punching holes through the man, and kept on going. The heads of the spears curled inwards, facing the body it had just perforated, and coming together, reforming into a large skeletal snake. The tails finished joining after having passed fully through the enemy ninja.

Ai moved her hand to the side and the snake shot off to find a new victim.

He recalled seeing her use chakra strings to gather papers after she fell. It was a simple trick if you possessed the talent, but he hadn't realized she was skilled in puppetry as well.

The Leaf ninja finished hauling her back up and she disappeared into the building above.

"Kankuro!" His name being shouted brought his attention back to Baki. "Get Gaara out of here! Now!" He nodded before darting off, his sister following closely. After they cleared the wall, Temari spoke up.

"What got you so distracted?" she asked, tone slightly accusatory.

"Nothing," he snapped at her a bit harsher than he meant, he took a firmer grip on Gaara and sped up. He knew his sister wasn't convinced, but they had bigger things to worry about, and now wasn't a good time to start up a row.

※※※※※

After her harrowing near-fall to her death, Ai made sure to keep either a Leaf ninja, Abel, or Seth between her and any enemy. It wasn't too hard of a task to accomplish, Abel already wanted to defend her and Seth just wanted to kill Sound ninja. However, after they had attempted to grab her, Aoba, while still full-out fighting, seemed to be orbiting around her. He'd dart off, but he'd be back in her sight soon after disappearing. Despite that, there were a few Sound ninja that still attempted to break past, only to be permanently stopped by one, or a combination of, the three.

It was fast, dirty, and soon a lull fell over the stadium as the initial numbers dwindled and the remaining became more cautious. The leaf ninja formed loose groups to best protect and defend each other, the sleeping civilians, and the few sleeping Leaf-nin caught in the jutsu.

The immediate sounds of groans from the injured were drowned out by an echoing bang, a pillar of smoke billowed up outside the wall of the stadium. The noise heralded the second wave of enemies, they swooped in, renewing the battle. Now, however, the grey and purple was interspersed with shades of brown. Their headbands indicated them to be Sand shinobi. They at least didn't seem interested in kidnapping.

That didn't stop them from trying to kill, harm, or maim her however.

One Sand ninja made the mistake of getting too close to her, probably comparing her to their own puppet users. Though, she did play the part, twitching and drumming the fingers of her left hand in time to Night on Bald Mountain. Between that and her two metal companions, it was enough to make her look like she was one.

She understood the premise of puppetry and, sure, she used chakra strings. They were useful for sleight of hand tricks and when you felt just too lazy to get up to grab something on the other side of the room. Of course, you ran the risk of having that object crash into your face, but despite the hazard, it was a handy skill. However, she was sure she'd have no talent for actual puppetry jutsu, unless hurling the puppet at the enemy counted towards the mastery of the jutsu.

The sand ninja that made it through the gauntlet, with the aid of a few of his comrades, was undoubtedly surprised when he got close to her and found something sliding into his gut.

Moon Shadow, shimmering near invisibly and hilt held firmly in her right hand, slipped smoothly in one side and out the other. The ninja faltered as the blade pierced him, coming to a halt. A moment later Abel was on the man's back. She pulled away from the pair, taking her blood slicked sword with her and let Abel finish the job.

Ai was wiping the blood of the Sand ninja off her blade and onto her pants leg when Seth let out a rattling hiss, calling her attention to him. She looked up to him and noticed he was staring out at the other section of stadium seating. Following his line of sight, Ai spotted a black robed figure, back against the guard railing. Seth picked up on his humming hiss, vibrating his whole body. Silver hair, glasses and a smug, smarmy grin entered her mind.

A chill washed over her and rage welled up. Her vision began to tunnel on the figure.

Kabuto.

It was Kabuto over there.

Seth's vibrations became more violent and with them Ai could practically taste how good it would feel to see him bleeding. Her chakra coiled tight, burning white-hot in her stomach as it prepared itself for a strike. Tsukikage hummed in her grip. She had to get over there.

Little else was on her mind as she turned and darted to the back of the seating area, headed for the hallway connecting the buildings. She barely heard Aoba call her name, crying out for her to stop.

And a swelling Rage. Rage.

She ran through the halls, which, gratefully, the fighting had remained largely out of so the way was mostly hazard free.

Mostly because apparently a Sound ninja thought following after her was a good idea. Which she didn't know until she felt someone grab her from behind. Sadly, for him, Seth had followed them both. Ai felt metal brush her back as Seth closed his vice-like jaws over her assailant's back. He gurgled as Seth's foot long fangs bit deep, the sound indicating the high probability that a lung had been pierced. Ai didn't hang around to wait, the moment the enemy's grip loosened she broke out and continued sprinting through the hallway. She could hear the cracking of bone following her as Seth unrelentingly closed his jaws around the Sound ninja's chest.

Ai passed by the doorway that would have led her to the VIP seating area, not slowing until she reached the further entrance to the eastern viewing building. She paused long enough to regain her breath before carefully entering. The fighting here wasn't any less than in the western building.

There was, however, an Anbu member down front flanked by four Sound-nin.

Her whole body shook and shivered uncontrollably as she stared at him. Ai had never felt such strong hatred before, but this world just kept taking and taking and taking. It wasn't fair and she was so sick of it. She just wanted to see someone hurt as much as she was.

Pressure was pushing on her head, pressing on her ears, pinching into her brain.

Whispered words, hissing long and continuously. A completely nonsensical jumble she couldn't understand.

And that stupid voice wouldn't ever shut up.

Ai could feel her chakra pushing out. Roiling and twisting, pressing burning molten hot on the inside of her skin.

The masked face turned towards her. The black holes for eyes meeting hers.

The entire atmosphere of the seating area turned to frozen glass.

"Hello Ai."

Her chakra erupted, breaking her tenuous control.

※※※※※

A groan echoed over the stadium and the tiled roof beneath their feet vibrated.

"Aaaaah," Orochimaru sighed out, "that must be Ai." The Third's eyes widened.

"So, you're after her as well."

"She has much potential." His grin was feral. "But you were always so worried that she was a Cloud spy, that you didn't bother gaining her allegiance. It works out better for me this way," he chuckled.

"Is she one of your experiments after all?"

Orochimaru laughed darkly. "Oh yes. I didn't do the work myself, sadly, which may be part of why she seems so unstable, but I'm sure I can fix that. Given time. She is quite special though, you see I found a place whose technology far outstrips ours. Unfortunately, it doesn't possess chakra in the same way as ours does, leaving me unable to attend to the details of the experiments myself.

"The people there, though, were more than willing to listen to me. I would give them many means to defeat their enemies and in payment, they were to give me theirs. Ai carries that wonderful edification in her mind. Their knowledge was installed into her and the other children like a computer. They were to exchange her and the others for my wisdom." Orochimaru's face turned sour and he scowled unpleasantly.

"Something must have spooked them, they changed their minds and I barely caught wind of their plan to destroy their creations. I attempted to summon them to me and when none came through I realized I had been too late. What I hadn't known, however, was that there had been others with her, with Ai, it threw off the summons, dropping them in the Land of Lightning.

"Even worse, I learned later that the natural energy of the world opposed them. Destroying those that passed through. Eating away their bodies and the technology that had come with them in a matter of days. I never expected that one had survived, let alone that I would find her in this village of all places." Orochimaru chuckled again, his voice gaining passion as he spoke. "Then, to make it all the sweeter, this world has seen fit to grant such powers. Powers so rare, so delectable. To think the Cloud Village didn't even realize what they threw to the wayside and in only a few short hours she will be mine. Along with all that has survived within her."

Orochimaru's eyes shone maniacally as he imagined the power he could gain from her. So many delightful gifts all wrapped up in one neat package.

Hiruzen Sarutobi straightened his back. "You are correct. I feared she was another plot by the Cloud Village and I let that foolishly blind me to her for a long time, but you are wrong about one thing." His old student narrowed his eyes at him. "She will never side with you. I may not have her loyalty, but there are others in this village who have worked hard to gain her trust and acceptance. And it is you who is responsible for her brother's death. She knows this, and Ai Gekko will never side with you simply because it was from your orders that she lost what she loved most."

The smile he received held far too many teeth to be friendly. "I'd say 'We'll see about that,' but you won't be around to see it!"

※※※※※

"Now, now," Kabuto held up his hands, looking around as the stadium shook, the pillars, the seats, the walls, and rails, blurred just slightly around the edges. "There's no need to be upset. Not with me, anyway."

Ai felt the muscles in her body clench painfully, she took a deep, shaky breath to help them relax. It was released just as unsteadily. Tsukikage, which had been near singing as it vibrated, quieted. Everything around her calmed as she continued to breathe.

She couldn't lose control.

A hush fell over the stadium as it stopped humming and shaking.

The mask face turned back to her and Ai had to breathe carefully once more as a wave of nausea washed over and through her body. Another presence appeared behind her, joining with the other Leaf ninja nearby.

"That was… quite impressive." Kabuto's voice was only minimally muffled behind the porcelain. Despite the clarity, he slowly moved his hand to his face, grabbing the mask, and just as slowly removed it. The whole time his dark eyes never left her glacial blue ones. "I look forward to seeing that potential blossom." Ai didn't respond. Not because she didn't have a few nasty things to say to him, but because she was afraid that once she opened her mouth she wouldn't be able to stop what might come out. Kabuto didn't seem bothered by her silence. "Things don't have to be this way between us, Ai. I know we didn't get started off on the right foot, but this whole time, I've wanted to help you. You have such talent. This village will destroy you to get at it, and when it has what it wants, it will throw rest of you away." Ai felt her jaw clench. She hated him.

But… he was probably right. Those blank white masks flashed in her mind. Her eyes drifted away from Kabuto's.

If only…

"You don't have to be scared, Ai. Your life deserves to be your own. Come with me, you'll be safe and free."

Heat burned its way up her throat. "Safe?" she ground out bitterly, shaking her head. "Free?" She looked back up, meeting his eyes. She could feel them, drawing nearer. "Nowhere is safe. And freedom won't be found with you."

"You know that isn't the case. I've seen what you can do. I respect that and I've only wanted your respect in return –"

"No!" she barked, cutting him off. "You demanded my attention. Clamoring for it like a petulant child! Well, now you have it. All of it." Kabuto seemed to understand what that statement could entail. He dodged to the side, grabbing one of the Sound ninja by him and twisting their positions about. "Staring at the ceiling in the dark. Same old empty feeling in your heart." Abel, who had just shot up over the edge of the railing, closed his mouth on the masked Sound-nin that Kabuto had put in his place. Spinning jaw-blades didn't even leave him enough time to scream.

Hell broke its chains as other Sound ninja engaged the Leaf ninja once again.

"Love comes slow and it goes so fast."

With an impressive sense for danger, Kabuto then dodged Seth, who flew past the traitor and lodged himself into another Sound ninja. He slowed, coming to a stop a number of feet from the pair of silver skeletons. He turned face to Ai.

"You see her when you fall asleep, but never to touch and never to keep." Ai met his eyes. She could feel his welling rage at her. A kind smiling face of a woman flashed in her mind. Then it was dead and covered in blood. "'Cause you loved her too much and you dive too deep. Maybe one day, you'll understand why everything you touch surely dies."

Shaking, and with a shout, Kabuto ran at her, his hand igniting with a blue glow. He only had one more step to go to strike her, when he jerked to a stop, hand raised in the air, shaking. She continued to stare into his eyes.

"And we run, with a lonely heart. And we run, for this killing love."

Kabuto took a few deep breaths. His hand stopped shaking.

"You almost had me. I'm impressed, Ai."

She grimaced and let her left hand relax. The small hole Tsukikage's tip had made in Kabuto's robe widened as the blade dropped, having only done damage to the fabric.

"You would die to see me dead?" He asked her, backing off and lowering his own hand.

"Yes," Ai answered. "What do I have left?"

"I understand Ai, I do. It's obvious that you know that, just as you know that you're in danger in this village. Orochimaru offers your asylum with him."

"Asylum," she murmured, eyes drifted down to the concreate steps.

"Sanctuary. Protection." He reiterated.

She looked back up at him. "I know what asylum means." He gave her a small shrug, spreading his hands. She could feel the Leaf shinobi behind her. The quick and brutal fight had taken only moments. Their presence was heavy, weighted, and judging as they obviously awaited her reply.

"He wants to help you, Ai," Kabuto's voice gentled, taking on a calming tone. "Stop all those voices in your head. He can make it better for you. All you need to do is come with me."

She remembered what Kakashi had told her, Orochimaru would keep her as an experiment. Ai could feel a phantom pinching at the nape of her neck, her hand twitched, wanting to rub at it. Eight. It was always eight.

She'd already had enough experimentation in her life already.

Heat climbed up her throat. Pressure built in her head again. Turning into static white noise.

"You can take my heart." Kabuto's stance relaxed.

"Ai," Aoba pleaded behind her.

"You can take my breath." Kabuto stepped forward, but paused at her next words. "When you pry it from my cold, dead chest!" Her voice rose in volume ending in a shout. The traitor across the way clenched his fists and fully straightened his spine.

"This is the only time I will offer you a chance to change your mind. Come with me, Ai. I can tell you who really killed Haya–"

"Don't you dare speak his name!" she screeched, rage rising up. She rushed at him, flipping Tsukikage before her, into her right, and more dominant, hand. The blade shimmered iridescently at the excess of chakra running through it.

There was a shout behind her.

※※※※※

"Ai, stop!" Aoba yelled. She'd fallen hook, line, and sinker for her own trick. Get the target to rush in blindly, preferably while angry, and get themselves brutally killed. Or in her case, kidnapped. He could feel the cold calculation radiating off Kabuto.

Aoba could also see the change in the traitor's stance and feel the preparation of his chakra for a blow. Knowing what he did about the slime ball, he was sure it was meant to incapacitate.

He couldn't let her do it. He shot forward.

Overtaking Ai was a joke. He grabbed her wrist, the one holding her sword aloft and thrust his other arm before her chest, pulling her right arm across his. The moment his hand came in contact with the skin of her wrist he felt her rage – screaming, fire and fury, burning molten chakra – and knew immediately what Ibiki had been talking about in the Hokage's office.

Something disconnected. Split and slid out of place. He felt the chakra turn to him. Rage. Rage.

Aoba did the first thing that came to his mind.

Before the chakra could get to him, he dove past her fury. Reaching out for the second strongest emotion he could feel within her.

Her sadness.

He grabbed it and pulled it forward. Past the anger, making it the strongest emotion.

The chakra froze. Then pulled back, spiraling away.

Aoba pulled himself out of her mind.

Ai had tears running down her face.

The sword slipped from loose fingers. The clatter it made as it hit the ground was deafening in the quiet.

Kabuto made a disgusted sound, hopping back, feet landing on the railing.

Releasing Ai, Aoba slid in front of her.

"Do you honestly think she's worth your effort?" The ash-haired boy asked. "You're wasting your time, one way or another, she will be leaving this village."

"You're the one wasting their time," he retorted. "She isn't going anywhere."

Kabuto's face twisted into an ugly sneer and his hands twitched, chakra flooding the appendages. He opened his mouth to say something, but a blood-splattered cat lunged at him, forcing Kabuto away. Seth entered the fray, forcing the traitor to dodge back over the edge, where he vanished. Aoba could hear the echoing clatter of the two from below, which dimmed as Abel returned. The cat's whole body shivered as he circled the pair.

Aoba turned around, placing his hands on Ai's shoulders. He almost said something trite, like 'It'll be okay,' but he managed to hold his tongue. It wouldn't be okay and he didn't want to lie to the girl. He already felt guilty for forcing her loss of Hayate back into the forefront. The tears still slid silently down her cheeks. She almost seemed lost.

With a soft sigh, he lent down and picked up her sword, which had reappeared as her chakra dissipated from it. He almost lunged to catch Ai as she suddenly dropped to sit on the stairs. He looked away, giving her some small privacy.

Glancing around, he watched Guy mop up the remaining enemies that continued to fight. The battle seemed to be mostly winding down. At least in their area.

Abel's metal claws clacked on the concreate as the cat paced around, his blood covered head swiveling in search for any opponents. Or maybe for anything he felt like sinking his teeth into, hell if he knew.

Kakashi and Guy flashed by, both dropping over the edge of the railing. Aoba could still hear the ruckus that was Seth down below. At least he assumed it was Seth, he was pretty sure no one else sounded like pots and pans tumbling down stairs when they fought.

A displacement of air heralded Kurenai's arrival. She met his eyes, asking without words if he was good. Aoba nodded in response, but glanced down in the same movement to Ai. She'd put her face in her knees so he couldn't if she was still crying, but with how he pulled her emotions, it wouldn't surprise him. He scratched the back of his head. Comforting teenage girls is not his strongest skill. Far from being on the list, in fact. Kurenai responded to his plea by crouching down and rubbing Ai's back.

The sound of the barrier on top of the Kage viewing box breaking caught his attention. Two groups of shadows darted away, a brief exchange of jutsu has the Anbu pursuit falling back. He glanced back to Kurenai, her eyes tell him that she'll stay with Ai if he wants to go check on the Hokage. Which he does, he very much does, but Ai is his responsibility and barring a change in the Hokage's orders, will continue to be his. Instead, he waits with the two women, watching as shadows flicker past and up to check on their leader.

It doesn't take long for the news to make it down to him.

The Third Hokage is dead.

But at least he managed to repel Orochimaru.

Ninja begin to come and go, medics carting the injured away and others reporting for sections of the village most likely. Across the seating box, Aoba spots Kakashi being, what can only be described as, frantically spoken to by an Anbu. Aoba isn't close enough to hear and he doesn't care mostly, he just wants the all clear to be given so he can take Ai back to her place and hopefully not get ambushed on the way there.

Sure, they had been told to expect something during the final exam, but this whole thing had turned into one giant clus–

His train of thought cut off as his hindbrain alerted him to the fact that he was being watched. Aoba feigned a stretch – though it feels unbelievably good – to afford himself a look around. He sights the perpetrators as three Anbu on top of the VIP building.

The nice thing about sunglasses is they hide direct line of sight, and not turning his face to directly stare at them means they can't tell he's spotted them. The three are gathered together and occasionally send not-surreptitious-enough glances their way. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he leisurely takes a few steps to put himself between their sight and Ai. Kurenai meets his eyes. She's out of their view as well.

"They've been looking for the last few minutes," she reported quietly. Kurenai had a better position to have noticed before him, so he isn't surprised that she already knew.

"Have you figured out a reason why?" He asked, though Aoba can already hazard a guess; neither of them have the faintest clue.

"No," she confirmed.

"They always watch," Ai muttered to her knees. "Neighbors, people on the street, the white masks."

Aoba blinked behind his glasses and raised an eyebrow to Kurenai. She returned his look with small shrug.

Kakashi is suddenly by his side. "Why don't you take Ai back." He said it like it was a suggestion, but Aoba has been around long enough to know when it's not.

"Has the all clear been given?" He'd still like to know that.

"Not yet, but moving her is probably more important." Aoba nodded his agreement, no sense arguing an order he already wanted to do, but now he is super curious as to the conversation that Anbu had with Kakashi. He looked back to Kurenai, who stands up and places a hand on his arm.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll come with you." Her tone says he doesn't have a choice, apparently the kunoichi is attached already. He nods and she's off to the now forested roof of the Kage box.

Sensing his wild curiosity, or perhaps just relaying some needed information, Kakashi turned to Aoba. "I'm not going to get into the details, but apparently a few things were said by Orochimaru that puts some interesting light on Ai. The Anbu that were there for the conversation have been told to keep it to themselves, but we both know it won't stay that way for long."

"So, out of sight, out of mind?" Aoba smirked. "That seems a little cliché for you, Kakashi."

"Yeah," he shrugged, "well either way, we'll try it out. See if it works." Despite the lackluster plan, Aoba nodded his agreement and turned to Ai.

"Let's get out of here."

Ai took a full five seconds to respond. She didn't say anything only got up and moved, glassy-eyed, towards the exit. Aoba followed after her.

They were met by Kurenai, appearing with a Body Flicker, once they exited the building. She easily fell into step with them.

There was one thing Aoba was wondering, however.

"What about your students?"

His inquiry was met with a sigh. "I have no clue where Shino is, he hasn't been found, but Kiba and Hinata are both in the arena's infirmary. According to the medics, Hinata was brought in with a relapse of the injury she suffered during the second stage and Kiba was found passed out in a hallway with Akamaru. He came to before I left and I explained the situation."

Aoba nodded, accepting the information and turning his attention more fully to his surroundings. The roads and buildings weren't in the best shape anymore, numerous cracks and fissures dominated the pathway. For the most part the injured and dead had been carted away already, and the trio made it back to Ai's apartment without any hassle, but they all paused a few feet from the door which was thrown wide open. Aoba put a hand on Ai's shoulder, not that she needed the encouragement to stop, she already had. Looking over, he met Kurenai's eyes and then moved forward on his own.

The open door leaves a wide gap to slide through, but he does so carefully. He doesn't want to bush it or make any other noise to alert anyone inside. With a thought that is second nature, Aoba spreads both his mental sense and his chakra sense, searching for sign of someone still here. He doesn't pick up anything, but he still gave the apartment a thorough search, which only reveals that it has been utterly trashed and if he was more of a betting man, he'd put his money on the trashers being Sound ninja searching for Ai. With a sigh, he goes back to front door and gestures the girls to enter.

Upon seeing her wrecked apartment, Ai only fisted her hands, which told Aoba she was still under the effects of his emotion-pull. It might take her a day to fully shake it off.

"It's not too bad," he said. "It doesn't look like they broke anything, so I guess they weren't complete asses, just tossed the place."

Kurenai muttered something unflattering under her breath before she spoke. "We'll help you clean up."

The job took a few careful prods from Kurenai to get Ai to continue to help, she'd have moments when she'd stop moving and stare at nothing. Partway through, Abel showed up, herding a discontent Seth, to which Ai stopped long enough to seal him away after an apparently one-sided conversation from the cat.

Eventually, they managed to get the place back to being somewhat how it used to look, allowing Kurenai to leave. After the older woman was gone, Ai shuffled herself off to her room, followed closely by Abel.

Aoba slid his hands under his glasses, rubbing at his face and eyes, all the while suppressing the growing groan of frustration.


Song Credits:

White Blank Page – Mumford and Sons

Let her go – Passenger (but I prefer Within Temptation's cover)

And We Run – Within Temptation

The Resistance - Skillet