O Hai Thar. It's been awhile... this chapter was mostly written, just a few scenes missing (that gave me trouble) soon after the last, but then as I delayed to write more (I had a spot in mind I wanted to stop at) I just got more and more busy with school and work (mostly school).

I've also found it interesting that the more time that passed the more anxious I became at posting a new chapter. Lots of things happen/ are revealed and I kept thinking "what if it's all garbage?" But I hate to disappoint those who were waiting so... Feel free to read this monstrosity of words at your leisure... I'm not sure when the next one will get up here. (It's so shy)

Also many thanks to those who reviewed, favorite'd, and alerted my story. Each and every one means a lot to me. Seriously.


Silver Streams

Everything's Slipping... Away

Ai woke up the next day feeling exhausted, physically and emotionally. As she rubbed at her neck, she walked the short hallway into the front room of the apartment. A body was sprawled on the couch sleeping, arm draped over his eyes, blanket half off. Her breath hitched as she looked at the form laying in Hayate's favorite late-night after-mission pose.

Elation filled her.

Maybe he'd just had to pretend he was dead for the sake of the invasion. The village didn't want Sound to know he'd survived and gave them information on the forthcoming assault. Ai took a step forward.

And caught sight of black hair.

Despondency flooded rapidly in.

"How could I be so stupid," Ai berated internally. "His body shape is completely different and his skin more tan. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." Tears burned as they filled her eyes, so she bit her lip, hoping to distract herself from the gnawing pit of depression growing inside her.

Food.

Food sounded good.

She should definitely cook something.

Adjusting her weight and stance, Ai changed her walk to the more silent steps ninja preferred as she passed him by and went into the adjoining kitchen.

She had neglected her stock of ingredients, letting food waste away which left her with very little choice on what to make. All she did was set rice to cook and water to boil, maintaining her quiet walk. Preparing food and cleaning out the refrigerator, while trying not to make too much noise proved to be a good diversion.

It at least settled her distressed emotions back into that vaguely numb feeling.

When Ai returned to the other room with food and tea, Aoba was sitting up, sunglasses replaced, but head down and rubbing his thumbs into his temples. "What are you still doing here?" she asked, putting the food on the table. Her question came out a bit more rude sounding than she intended, but too late now.

"Until someone actually bothers to come and give me the all-clear, I'll be here," he explained, leaning back on the couch, while turning his head to the side so he could look at her. Ai, turned away to set the table for two. He put his elbow on the back of the couch. "You're technically still a target for possible kidnapping and there may still be Sand or Sound ninja hiding within the village." Ai responded by humming. The dark-haired ninja watched as Abel came out from the bedroom and curled up on the ground before him like a family dog. Ai had cleaned him before going to sleep last night and he had been returned to his shining silver. "Not that I'd want to try to kidnap you."

"I'm going to eat before it gets cold," she stated as she sat down at the table, serving herself tea, "but you can do whatever you want." Ai knew she was being fairly passive-aggressive about her current state of affairs, but she couldn't find it in her to be anything else.

In the end, Aoba stood up and joined her for the simple breakfast.

Afterwards, however, he got more and more antsy as the day began to wear on. While at first, he was content to watch her set up her micro-forge in the kitchen, obviously melting and pouring molten metal into molds was not his ideal way to pass time. He apparently wasn't designed to play house arrest with a fourteen-year-old girl. Aoba finally broke a few hours past noon.

"We've been forgotten," he snapped, jolting to his feet. Ai looked up to him, anticipating more to come. He didn't disappoint. "I'm going out to get information. You stay here," he stated as he walked to the door. He half turned to face her when he was part-way out the door. "Activate the seals while I'm away," was his last demand before he closed the door harder than needed. She sighed, but did as he told her, stripping off her thick leather gloves to press a bare hand on the door.

Activating them didn't take much, a gentle push of the strangely liquid sensation down her arm had them lighting up. She could feel them turn on and Ai could have sworn she felt Hayate's chakra trickle through the house. He'd been the one that had put them up. Most ninja had some form of protection in their homes. She'd been told that they were "standard, but with a few personal touches to keep anyone wanting in, guessing."

Fingers still lingering on the door, she stood there lost in the sensation of his chakra, real or imaginary. Did seals hold onto their creator's chakra? Was his only there because he'd done the majority of the activating? Would hers eventually push what was left of his away?

Maybe she was just going insane.

"More insane," she corrected herself because surely this wasn't how sanity felt.

Metal nudged at her upper thigh and Ai turned to Abel. A wash of you're not alone rolled over her from him. There is still us. Her throat tightened and she gave him a weak smile as she crouched to his empty-eye level.

"What would happen to you if I died," she asked, tracing her fingers along the side of his jaw. Abel twitched his head, but had no answer. She often wondered. The three of them were so tied together, Ai could be blindfolded in the pitch-black, spun until she threw up, and still be able to point in Seth or Abel's direction. Or so she assumed, such a trial had not been performed.

Ai trailed her fingers across his smooth scalp as she went back to her micro-forge.

She smiled as she remembered Hayate coining the term. He'd dubbed it such because it was "microscopic compared to a real forge." He'd been nice enough to let her have her fun though, even when he wasn't thrilled that she'd somehow made a four-foot snake, made of multiple smaller snakes, behind his back, especially when said snake had grown since then. Ai could almost see him leaning in the doorframe of the kitchen, arms folded across his chest watching her.

"How many times have I told you to at least open the windows," Hayate's face bordered on disapproving, but the mirth in his eyes said otherwise. "Being smoked out of my house isn't in my plans for the day."

"Sorry! Sorry!" Ai rushed to help him by opening another window. The house wasn't that full of smoke, maybe a little hazy, but not bad. "But aren't these dragonflies cute?"

"Adorable," he deadpanned, mussing her hair as he passed.

Ai shook herself back, but those dark claws were already digging in again. She did her best to ignore them and got back to pouring molds.

Aoba did not come back.

※※※※※

Heavy pounding on the door jolted Ai out of her concentrated state of metal assembly. She was decently sure Aoba wouldn't beat on the door to get her attention.

"Unless I wasn't paying attention and he's been knocking for ten minutes," she thought distractedly. Another heavy pound on the door got her to stand up. Before she got there, she heard a heavy slap-thud outside of something being dropped and a voice shouted. "I'm your land lord not your maid, next time your box fills up that much I'm tossing it out!"

When Ai finally opened the door, after disabling the protective seals, and looked out, she only caught a brief glimpse of the land lord's back disappearing around the corner. On the door mat at her feet was a disorganized pile of mail. Ai tilted her head as she wondered just how long it had been since she'd even bothered to check the mail.

She crouched down, straightening the mail into a stack before taking it up into her arms. As she stood, a niggling sensation began to tickle the back of her neck, causing her to look up.

Across the way on the rooftop of the building stood a cloaked figure but standing out in stark contrast to his black robe was a blank white mask. The mask tilted as she spotted him, letting her know that whoever was behind that mask was definitely watching her.

Fear surged up, clenching her throat tight and sending her heart racing.

It was growing dark, the three white masks almost seemed to luminesce in the fading light. She stumbled away. A small cat, Abel, shot forward from behind, unseen and unheard, bit into one of their legs. He let out a shout and all of them produced blades.

One of the masks, strangely equine-like, came towards her, so fast she didn't see him move. The form was just suddenly in front of her. Its hand grabbed onto her shirt and began to pull. Ai screamed, screwing her eyes shut.

There was a sound like a melon exploding. Porcelain shattered. Bits of the mask and liquid, uncomfortably warm, pelted her face and body.

The hand jerked, pulling her to the ground before going limp.

Her clothes instantaneously began to drink the tepid dampness spreading across the grass.

A ring of steel on steel echoed through the air. Dark pressure washed over her, infusing the air with dread. The clanging continued for an agonizing eternity but lasted only seconds before everything was silent.

"Are you all right?" A voice asked, calm, friendly, and masculine. Ai began to open her eyes, the warm liquid on her face cooling, sticky and itchy. She knew what she could expect to see. "Ah, wait, let's…" the man rushed out before trailing off. Hands slipped under her armpits and the movement she felt as he picked her up was momentarily dizzying. As her eyes opened fully he slid between Ai and the grisly scene that was undoubtedly there.

He was handsome, in a way, Ai supposed. Dark hair, with a pair of matching dark eyes and poking out from underneath wisps of bangs was a Konoha headband, clearly stating his occupation. He was older than her, a young teenager perhaps and despite being a ninja, he had somehow maintained a pale and flawless complexion.

"Oh," her rescuer gasped, looking down, she followed his gaze and watched as he pulled out a cloth and a canteen. He wetted it before looking back up at her. He gave her a soft smile and reached up, touching the cold, damp cloth to her face, cleaning away the still drying blood.

As he worked Ai finally noticed a second person wandering to and fro in the background. He was harder to see in the almost set darkness for he too had dark hair and he wore equally dark clothing. She could however, from time to time, catch something white flashing on his back as he moved.

"There," the first proclaimed, no longer wiping at her face. "That's better right?" She nodded, whispering a 'thank you' to the stranger. He gave her a bigger grin in response. "I'm always willing to help a lady in need." His smile slipped a bit. "Which, speaking of need, do you know why they attacked you?"

Ai shook her head. "I've never seen so much green before, Hayate said I could go to the park. I was just looking." Her helper turned his head just enough to catch sight of his companion. Now that she should see his face, Ai could see he too sported a ninja headband. She could also tell he was younger than the first boy, but still older than her. She barely caught the younger boy's minute shake of his head. The older one's gaze returned to her.

"What's your name?" he asked kindly.

"Ai," she answered, straightening up. She was proud of her name.

The boy smiled again, this time it reached his eyes. "I'm Shisui Uchiha," he introduced, twitching his chin towards his companion he added, "and that's my cousin, Itachi."

Instinctually her resting chakra jolted into action, flooding her body beside adrenaline. Ai stumbled back, slamming the door shut and pressing her back against it. The seals crackled back into action as her chakra poured into them. Clutching the mail she'd retrieved to her chest Ai could feel her heart pounding, the beats echoing in every part of her body.

Abel dashed forward, eyes locked on the door, his teeth intermittently whirred as he snapped his jaws. Beneath the skin of her arms, she felt Seth stir restlessly to life, reacting to her panicked emotions and her racing mind.

Why was the mask here? She hadn't done anything wrong, had she?

Her breath hitched as another thought struck her. Why had she seen him? Abel had told her when she was being watched, but she'd never been able to spot the masked people before. After a while they had stopped, or gotten good enough to hide from Abel, but obviously this one had wanted to be seen. Why? A message? A warning? A threat?

This felt like someone was saying 'I'm watching you.'

And this time she didn't have any of her guardians to keep her safe.

A solid knock on the door had Ai nearly tripping over herself to get away. Her chakra began to boil uncomfortably in her stomach.

"Ai," a voice called through the wood. "It's me, Aoba. I need you to open to door, Ai."

The blonde stared at it uncertainly. Was it him? Voice manipulation was a common enough trick among ninja. Hell, you didn't need to be a ninja to imitate other people. She could feel her whole body trembling violently.

"Ai, please open the door. You're having a panic attack, I can feel your chakra and emotions going crazy. I want to help you," the voice, could it be Aoba, reasoned calmly. She couldn't be sure, though. She had no way to be sure it was him on the other side. She didn't want them to take her.

She was so worked up, Ai never even noticed Abel glancing back at her and before she could stop him, he nudged his nose-less face against the wood of the door and the seals powered down. Ai froze in shock from his action and the cat shuffled-hopped backwards to her side as the door opened.

In the frame was, in fact, Aoba, his hands held up empty. She didn't stare at him long, her eyes darted up to the now vacant spot the blank-masked ninja had been. "What's wrong, Ai?" he asked gently. "I felt your chakra practically screaming from a block away." When she didn't answer, Aoba took in her body language and twitched in the desire to turn around and follow her line of sight. Instead he reached to the side slowly and closed the door, blocking whatever it was she was staring at. He could feel her chakra swirling in agitation, rolling around her in a defensive maelstrom.

Even with the door shut, her eyes remained trained on the spot.

"I can't help you if you don't talk to me, Ai."

It took a few seconds before she spoke. "There was someone out there, watching me." Her chakra pulled tighter to her but began to slowly calm.

"It was probably an Anbu," Aoba prevaricated, "you're still a target. The village doesn't want you to be kidnapped." This time his words drew her gaze to him. It was an odd look though, as if she was turning his words over in her mind. Had she picked up on his slight falsehood? Abel chattered his teeth at her and Ai looked down to the cat.

Aoba swore, catching Ai's attention.

"Look, the invasion has put everyone on edge and it's stirring up some nasty dregs. Questions are being asked, that's where I was yesterday, why I didn't get back," he divulged. That was part of what he sat, incredibly uncomfortably, through anyway. He did not want to be in the middle of the council, Shikaku Nara, and Danzo Shimura arguing it out ever again. He also wanted to tell her more, but he'd been very firmly instructed to keep his 'god-damned gossiping mouth' shut. Quote proudly brought to you by one Shikaku Nara.

"So… what? They think I'm a spy again?"

"That was being discussed, yes."

"Oh." Her chakra went lax from its curled knot of tension and Aoba felt a flash of her displeasure before she hid it. Ai turned away, tossing the mail haphazardly onto the table she passed on her way to the couch. Abel trailed behind.

"I'm on your side in this," he tried to reassure, but Ai either didn't care or just chose to not respond. She sat down and started working on what appeared to be a metal bird, about the same size of a crow. "What's that?" he asked.

"A bird," Ai replied, not looking at him.

He bit back his instinct to snap 'I can see that.' "It looks, um… half decayed," he settled on instead. Which it did. The bird had the skeletal structure of its head, ribs, and feet exposed, while its tail, back, and wings, one of which Ai was putting together, had the 'bones' showing, but still sported feathers.

"Feathers don't have the collagen and calcium of bones, thus, no bone structure, so in order for it to fly I had to compromise on appearance."

"Ah," Aoba breathed out, finding his own place to sit and stretch out his legs. "Is it, uh, going to be like the others?" Ai's hands slowed at his question but didn't stop.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "Abel and Seth are… special. I made hundreds of dragonflies, but not one of them is like those two."

"They aren't? You're controlling them, then?"

Ai's nose wrinkled in distaste. "I ask. I harmonized my chakra to match them and ask them to show me what I want to see."

"Ask?" Aoba tapped his fingers on his thigh, thinking. "I suppose that works," he murmured. "It's more efficient to coax and guide your chakra into action than to force it. Sounds like you know how to do at least one real jutsu."

"Don't act so surprised," Ai groused at him.

"I'm not." He put his hands up in mock defense from her side-eye glare. "There are a few ninja in this village that think you might be somewhat capable."

"I thought I was 'too emotionally unstable?'"

"Well, you are that," he conceded, "but emotion isn't a bad thing, as much as many ninja like to rag on it. In T and I, Cypher, and other Intelligence divisions, emotions are our rice and eggs. They give insight into other people, why they might behave a certain way or do a specific thing.

"Not only that, but there are many recorded incidents," he paused momentarily, "maybe 'occasions' is a better word, either way, there are many shinobi who have experienced an increase of power while executing a jutsu or have managed to bring forth an extra boost of chakra due to a strong emotional response. Which, let me emphasize, may scrape up chakra from the bottom of the barrel, but it may also tap into your life reserves. As you should undoubtedly, and obviously, know, is incredibly life-threatening.

"A big issue being your emotional chakra outburst, is this. And the fact that it tends to blow things up… but I'm not saying you need to shut your emotions away, just stabilize them. We're not fully blaming you, or anyone else, either. You needed training that you didn't get. This situation could have been handled much better, yes, but we were all ignorant, and apparently chose to disregard the information you had willingly given upon your arrival in the village."

"You know about that?" Ai questioned quietly, her hands stilling and finally looking at Aoba. He could feel her emotions jittery and dissonant. A mild sense of despair developing in their midst.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked instead. She didn't say anything, for or against, so he took the silence as acceptance. "Do you believe all of it?"

Ai stared at her hands as she fiddled with a piece of metal. "I don't know what to believe anymore," she told him. "All I know is where I spent my first seven years was somewhere very different. Hayate would tell me that there was no way to actually verify it, that there were a lot of other possibilities, so I should just let it go." Her shoulders slumped and Aoba could feel her emotions going flat. "I'm tired."

He wasn't sure if she said that to him or herself, but he spoke anyway. "The Third Hokage's funeral is tomorrow, so I won't be around," he stated. "You can get plenty of rest then. I don't suppose I have to tell you to not go out, right?"

"Yeah," she sighed. Aoba frowned, not feeling even a ripple in her emotions.

※※※※※

Kakashi stepped out from the trees and what he saw caused him to stop. Sitting before the Memorial Stone in the barely there light of dawn, was Ai. The only thing he was truly surprised over was that she hadn't been there before now.

"Don't you dare look out your window, Darling, everything's on fire. The war outside our door keeps raging on," she sang softly, head bowed. "Just close your eyes, you'll be all right, come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound." He felt bad intruding, but it was a memorial for a reason, and no one could fully expect privacy. Which she seemed to understand for she looked over at him a moment later, picking up on his unobscured chakra signature most likely.

Her eyes were red-ringed, blood-shot, and had decently dark bags under them. By the time Kakashi stopped just a little behind her, she had already turned back forward, pulled up her legs, and rested her chin on her knees. They both remained silent for a long while before he broke that silence.

"Shouldn't you be with Aoba?" He knew that Aoba would leave for the funeral today, but it was barely dawn, which meant Ai must have somehow snuck out. An impressive feat for her, sneaking past a well-trained ninja.

Apparently, however, she decided his question wasn't worth an answer, instead replying with, "It's like life is some sort of cosmic joke. I suppose I should have expected it, we'd been talking about it, a month before he…." She trailed off. He knew she meant before Hayate had died, but the rest, Kakashi wasn't so certain what she was speaking about and she must have known that because she changed the topic. "I got the mail yesterday, the first time I looked at it in," she shook her head, "I don't even know how long. This was in it." She pulled out a manila envelope that had been between her body and her legs and tossed it to his feet.

Stamped on the front was Konoha's official seal, which meant it was governmental business. He crouched to pick it up and opened the flap. Inside were a number of papers. He glanced through them and what he saw must have been devastating to Ai. It was the finalization of Ai's adoption into Hayate's family, the papers that said the request had been put through, signed by the late Hokage.

"I suppose that makes me Ai Gekko now," she said, adding under her breath, "some family." Kakashi let the sheets slide back in; he closed the envelope back up before he tossed it to land beside her.

"The wheel keeps turning," he replied.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." She didn't seem too thrilled with his words of wisdom. "The sun must set to rise. There is no rose without a thorn. Blah blah, the world keeps spinning. I get it."

Kakashi's brow furrowed and his visible eye narrowed. Ai was sounding especially testy today. He tried a repeat of his earlier question, but this time worded differently. "Why did you sneak out?"

She shifted onto her hip, changing her position to lay her arms and then her head onto the raised platform of the memorial.

"I decided I didn't care." Her answer caused him to frown behind his mask. It was a statement that had numerous red flags accompanying it. However, before he worked out what to say or do next, he noticed her breathing even out and he blinked. Had she actually fallen asleep? With dark circles like the ones she had under her eyes, he supposed it was possible. Kakashi sighed. He might as well let her rest, she'd probably been awake all night.

He tucked his hands into his pocket, staring at her back. How had she snuck past Aoba, he was a better ninja than that. Or at least theoretically he was. Though, now that he thought about it, where was her cat guard? Kakashi glanced about but couldn't distinguish hide nor hair, or metal plate in the cat's case, of Abel being around.

"I guess I can do double duty while I'm here," he thought, turning his attention back to the memorial and losing himself to his own thoughts.

It took a few drops of rain to pull him back out some time later. The threatening grey clouds on the horizon had rolled in and opened up. As the rain began to fall more heavily he took a few steps forward, picking up the envelope Ai had left on the flagstone foundation of the monument.

She might not care now, but she'd regret it later if she let the papers get soaked. He flicked the cumulated water off with two shakes of his hand before tucking the envelop safely in his robe between two layers of clothing. Just as he finished, he felt Yugao's presence arrive.

He could hear the sound of her sandals scuffing the grass as she stepped forward, a bouquet of white flowers in her arms. She knelt down, setting them on the stone, not too far from Ai. He turned around, taking a few steps. "Better make it quick, the Hokage's funeral has started already."

"Paying your respects to Obito?" She sent back at him. "Why don't you just come here earlier, instead of making excuses for always being late."

"I've been here since dawn," he told her. "Being here makes me think of the past, and my mistakes. And I've made plenty of mistakes." He heard Yugao let out a breath.

"How long has Ai been here?" she asked.

"Longer than me, which is saying something, but I don't know for how much."

"Ai," he heard her say softly. Kakashi turned enough to glance over his shoulder at the pair. Yugao's hand was on Ai's back, gently rubbing back and forth. Ai soon stirred, sitting up and rubbing at an eye with the back of her hand.

"Yugao?" she asked sleepily.

The purple-haired kunoichi smiled at the blonde. "Sorry I was away for so long."

"Iss'okay," Ai slurred. She moved, wrapping her arms around the older woman's neck. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right, Ai," Yugao whispered, rubbing the girl's back. "Come on, let's get up." Ai let go and Yugao helped her unsteadily to her feet, which were likely numb from the few hours of sitting awkwardly on her hip. She kept an arm around Ai's shoulder.

"Where're we going?" She asked, leaning into Yugao.

"First, we're going to get you an umbrella," she told the girl. "Then I'll be attending what's left of the Hokage's funeral. You wait outside for me, okay?" Ai nodded.

※※※※※

Kakashi vanished soon after they began to make their way from the Memorial Stone, Yugao, however stayed and walked with her towards the Hokage Tower. At some point, Ai wasn't paying attention to notice if they'd actually stopped somewhere, Yugao produced an umbrella, cutting off the pouring rain, not that Ai was sure it mattered anymore, they were both thoroughly water-logged.

Yugao left her with the umbrella outside the wall surrounding the tower and she found an empty bench in the plaza to watch as people walked about but gave them no particular thought.

"Bye Iruka-sensei, see ya later!"

Her head jerked back up at the shout. Running from the large gate before the tower was Naruto, standing just outside was the target of his cry, Iruka. The brown-haired ninja returned his wave of farewell, which faltered slightly when he noticed her.

Once his old student was gone, he made his way over to Ai, who was just now noticing that it had stopped raining at some point.

"I'm glad to see you're out, Ai," Iruka said as he arrived. She lowered the umbrella, pulling it closed. "It's been awhile."

"I suppose so," she murmured, putting the point of the umbrella on the ground and twirling it. He sat down on the bench beside her. She didn't bother to even try and fake eye contact with Iruka, but she could feel him watching her.

"I hear Aoba's been teaching you," he finally said. Ai nodded. "You know, we should get together for lunch, you can tell me about what you've been learning. I'd like to hear about your progress. Do you have any place you'd like to go in mind?"

She shook her head. "No."

"How about you meet me at Ichiraku Ramen in a few hours?"

"You'll have to pass it by Aoba," Ai said, grudgingly. "I can barely sneeze without his approval."

"I imagine it's very difficult," Iruka began, but Ai decided to drop the rest of the bomb.

"He might be upset," she glanced at Iruka from her peripheral sight. "I kind of snuck out."

"Ah. Why did you…" he started, "actually, why don't you tell me about it over lunch."

"Okay," she agreed as Yugao appeared. The two exchanged a few pleasantries, that Ai paid no attention to, before the two women left, walking back to the apartment building.

"I'll probably be sent on missions again soon," Yugao told her as they parted, "but I'll try to visit as often as I can and I'll definitely be by tomorrow."

After Ai got back inside she went to her room, changing out of her soaked clothes. Abel was there, sitting statue still where she had left him. Over her shirt she pulled on her jacket, tugging the front to get it to sit better. As she left, Abel got up and followed her to the couch to wait for Aoba with her.

He arrived only a few minutes later and he was furious.

"I can't believe you did that!" he snapped the moment he came through the door, which closed with a solid bang. "I told you not to go out and what's the first thing you did?"

"Sneak out."

"Sneak out! After I told you not to leave. After you promised!"

"I didn't promise," Ai quibbled. The look Aoba shot her was quelling even through his sunglasses.

"I looked all over for you! Where did you go?"

"The Memorial Stone."

That took the wind out of his sails.

He reached up, rubbing at his temples. Aoba sighed after a moment, dropping his arms.

"Ai, you have to work with us," his tone was near pleading, which caught her attention more fully. "For Hayate's sake, if no one else's. I know, you're discontent, sadly there's not much I can tell you that will help. Hell, I don't even know much, but I do know this; if you start acting out now, things will only get worse for you. I told you yesterday, the invasion ruffled feathers and it's gotten some people extra vigilant."

"Why do you even care what happens?"

"Because I'm not a cold-hearted bastard. People are allowed to care about things, sometimes even other people. And there are times I even like you, when you're not acting the petulant brat. Just because you're obnoxious sometimes, I don't think you should be put –" Aoba snapped his jaw shut. He took a breath in through his nose, before letting it out of his mouth. "Hayate was a very well-respected ninja in this village, and if he vouched for you then there is no reason to not believe him."

Ai looked away, she could feel the exhaustion rolling in again and she no longer had it in her to argue. She really wished Hayate was here. She felt so exposed without him.

"How bad is it?" she asked. Ai wasn't sure how much he even knew, but surely, he knew the way the wind was blowing.

"Just… don't do anything stupid and then I'm sure it will all work out." Aoba pulled out and sat down in a chair at the table. "Iruka talked to me, he said he wanted to have lunch and catch up with you. I was tempted to say no, just because of your behavior," he lent back. "but it might be good for you to reconnect, so I agreed. I'll walk you there and he'll walk you back." He reached into his top, pulling out a manila envelope. "Kakashi gave me this to return to you." It hit the table top with a fwap. "Don't misplace it, it's important."

Staring at it Ai could feel her eyes beginning to burn.

"Tell me one thing; how did you manage to sneak past me?" Aoba set his elbow on the table and rested his cheek onto his fist.

"I didn't," she replied, watching he brows furrow. "I did what any good teenager does. I went out the window."

"We're three stories up."

"You've been teaching me to tree-climb. The wall wasn't much different."

He snorted, closing his eyes behind his glasses. "I am never having children if this is what I have to deal with." He continued to mutter. "Can't climb a tree, but she can descend a building." He looked back at her, "I know I felt your chakra in you room, though. At least before it suddenly vanished."

"You did." Ai stated. "Or you thought you did, anyway. Abel's signature is close enough to mine that –"

"He faked your signature," Aoba breathed out in awe, looking to the cat.

Abel turned his face to the man and tilted his head slightly as if to say problem?

"That is… quite impressive. But obviously not infallible."

"I'm sure he's capable of improvement," Ai murmured, setting her elbow on the arm of the couch and resting her cheek on her fist.

The silence lasted only a bit as Aoba fingered a bag containing multiple small yellow rocks sitting on the table. "What is this?"

"Sulfur," he gave her an odd look that said 'why?' She responded with, "You can find it at hot springs, you know."

"You and your rocks."

Ai shrugged, but stood up and began to tidy the apartment. She had left a lot of stuff laying around. She busied herself with the cleaning until Aoba reminded her of her lunch with Iruka.

She should leave it clean.

He walked her over to the ramen place, which she had never been to before. They were the first to arrive, so he waited with her until Iruka showed up moments later. With a muttered 'good luck,' Aoba left. Ai wasn't sure if he meant that for Iruka or her, but either way it seemed sarcastic.

"Guess he's still a bit upset about earlier," she thought, entering the stand.

"How's the training going?" Iruka asked as they settled onto stools.

"Aoba thinks I'm stubborn," she answered. Iruka grinned.

"Well, you kind of are." Ai just shrugged.

"Welcome!" The owner, or so Ai assumed, said. "I haven't seen you here before, this your first time?" Ai answered with a soft 'yes,' and the owner continued jubilantly. "What can I get you? Your first bowl is on the house!" She blinked at him. That was awfully nice, if a little weird.

"Uh, miso, I guess."

"Excellent!" He turned to Iruka and took his order as well, before turning around to his stove.

Iruka returned to their conversation once the owner was done with them. "What have you been learning?"

"He's been teaching me how to climb trees."

"How's that going."

"I have yet to successfully do it. I have, however, used the technique to slide down a wall."

"Ah, I see. So, that's how you got away from him."

"He didn't seem too happy with my progress."

Iruka chuckled. "I can't imagine why." He opened his mouth to say more, but before he could speak an orange blur collided with his back.

"Hey, hey, hey, Iruka-sensei! Sorry I'm late," the orange-wearing ninja said, clambering onto the stool on the other side of Iruka. "I was getting back into my training, ya know?"

"That's fine, Naruto," Iruka assured the boy, then turned to the girl beside him. "Ai, this is Naruto."

"We've met," she desultorily stated. "Sort of."

"Oh, hey! I remember you from the exam! Sorry, I shouted at you."

He was still shouting at her. "All is forgiven." Iruka expression said he picked up on the insincerity of her words, but Naruto seemed to take it as face-value.

"Great!" Naruto stared longingly as Iruka and Ai's ramen was delivered. "Can I get a ramen here too!" He half asked, half demanded. Naruto returned his attention back to her. "Are you okay after what happened during that elimination round?" Ai stiffened at his words. Remembering the hospital. Then the last time she'd seen Hayate. "It seemed pretty scary, whatever it was."

"I'm alive, yes."

Naruto deflated, obviously picking up on her mood now.

"Oh," he breathed out. "I'm sorry. Iruka-sensei told me what happened." Ai felt heat suffuse her body. Did he really need to tell Naruto that? What was the point, he wasn't a part of this. He should have left the annoying boy out of it. "I didn't mean to upset you," Naruto finally whispered. She couldn't even grind out a fake 'It's fine' to appease him. "I bet you're really sad," he continued. "I am too. A lot of good people got hurt and died. That hurt and sadness carves you up from the inside and it's terrible," his tone firmed, "but you know what I think? I think it leaves behind just a bit more room for love, that you can hold just that much more joy.

"I know it hurts so bad now, that you don't think you can possibly take anymore, but I'm pretty sure, he, Hayate, your brother, wouldn't want you to give up. He'd want you to continue, to obtain your dreams. He left you his hope and his love. I know I can't say I knew him at all, but I'd like to get to know him better, by getting to know you. I want to be your friend, Ai, and learn all I can about you. About your hopes and your dreams. That way we can stand together. And we're all stronger if we're together, right?"

Ai fisted her hands, nails scratching against the wood countertop as she curled her fingers in. It was so quiet in her mind for once, as if that voice had gone completely silent in order for her to absorb Naruto's words. Her throat constricted and she longed but…

How could he know? How could he understand how much it hurt inside? To know your brother had died and you couldn't do a thing to protect him.

Nine shadows lash and crash behind bars. Hurt, sadness, loneliness. Just Wait I'll Become Hokage! Hope, warmth, sunlight, bright and clear.

I wish I was brave enough to love you.

Ai jerked back from the counter, her stool skidding as she stood. She could feel the panic and fear in her welling. She had to leave. Without a word, and ignoring Iruka calling her name, Ai turned and walked away as fast as she could without running and crashing into all the pedestrians that filled the streets.

Her feet carried her forward, on and on. The stone road passing below her shoes. She watched the stones, stared at them, at their mismatched nature, their different colors and shapes. Ai wasn't sure how long or to where she walked, she only stopped when her feet halted and no longer desired to take another step.

The street was quiet now. She could hear the distant sound of civilization a few roads away, but here, here was quiet. Dragging her eyes from her booted feet, Ai looked up, blinking at the large stone entranceway and two massive stone walls stretching in opposite directions as far as she could see on either side. They blocked this section of the village off from the rest. The empty gateway stared uninvitingly down at her.

On the front of the beam glowering from on high, worn and having long lost its previous glory, was the Uchiha crest. The red, almost pink and the white, nearly the same grey as the stone it was carved into.

She'd walked all the way to the Uchiha clan grounds.

Ai had only been inside once, after Shisui had pushed her in a river and they'd stopped here to get dry clothes, since it had been closer than Hayate's.

It was so quiet here now. Empty and sad with no life living within.

Honestly, it had been the first place she'd thought to go when Aoba asked if she knew a way to trigger an episode, but she'd been afraid of what that would have brought about, so she went with her second idea. The graveyard. As she stood in front of the empty archway leading to a desolate ghost town, she was glad she'd followed that instinct, for while it was empty of people, it was not empty of chakra.

She could feel it, even as she stood outside. It was a dark cloud, pushing at an unseen metaphorical barrier that kept it contained inside the Uchiha district. Not a perfect barrier, obviously, since she could still feel it leaking out.

Within, sounding far away in the distance, she could almost hear something inside, calling, crying, begging.

It felt so familiar that she unconsciously took a few steps closer before her brain caught up and stopped her.

Ai glanced around, checking for anyone nearby. There wasn't a single soul. The street outside the district hadn't been a bustling road before the massacre, but after it seemed no one wanted near. With the creepy feeling she was picking up, Ai could understand why.

A feeling of 'is this wise' washed over her and Ai looked down to find Abel joining her, his shoulder blades juddering briefly against his ribs. The cat crossed in front of her before circling around, his ribs bumping one by one on the back of her leg before he settled on her right.

Was it wise?

A part of her screamed that no, it was not wise. It was a stupid, stupid idea to even entertain the notion she was currently toying with.

Then there was another part of her which was morbidly fascinated with the thought of what might be there. What she might feel.

She touched the top of Abel's skull with the tips of her fingers, scratching her fingernails against the metal.

Turning back to the entranceway, Ai stared into the compound as she felt something else roll out. A sharp, fierce desire pulled at her from within.

She stepped forward, bracing herself for the onslaught. As she passed through the gate, everything she felt dissipated, leaving Ai standing just inside, confused. Abel's nails clacked on the concrete, the only sound in the quiet. He looked around in perplexity, his head swaying from side-to-side, but unlike her, he was crouched low, ready for whatever might come.

"That was… anticlimactic," she thought.

Abel swiveled his head around to look up at her.

Leave, came the strong impression.

"I just…" she murmured, glancing about. Then it came again, the bizarre sensation of something calling to her from further within. Not her name, it was simply something familiar, tugging at her, begging to abate her curiosity. Ai stepped forward, moving to the feeling, ignoring the nagging 'don't do it,' in the back of her mind.

Abel rattled his dislike.

"It's fine," Ai defended, patting at her upper side. The weapon she'd put under her coat was still there. "I just want to find the source, then we'll leave."

Finding the originating point proved more difficult than she expected. She felt the impression in a straight line, which had her running into dead ends or discovering a house blocking the way. After many twists and turns through the maze-like district, she found the spot.

Once there, the feeling shrank, narrowing down to a fine point that pulled her attention to the wall beside her. It was an Uchiha crest, exactly like all the others running along the wall, except for one aspect. A hole pierced in the center, cracks radiating out, created from the many years of exposure to the elements.

She stepped towards it. Anger, despair, and resignation drifted from the spot.

Ai reached up to finger the spot. She touched it and her stomach wrenched. Fear washed over her and Ai wanted more than anything in that one moment to pull away, but her hand felt stuck to the stone.

Obsessed, obsessed, obsessed. Worthless compulsion that enslaves, leading to fear. There is no hope left.

Gasping, Ai fell back, hitting the ground, hard. Pain lanced up her hip.

Pain. Screaming. Fear. Begging. Why? Why? Why me? The feelings poured in, drowning her. Hundreds of voices screaming in pain, anguish, and terror. Every cry was a knife cut, sharp and fast. Lingering behind on her. Something rose up from them. A dark serenity.

Resolute, firm.

This must be done.

Ai was pulled back to awareness, her face was flat against the rock pathway and pain radiated all over her. She rolled to her front her stomach riotous and heaves racking her body. Putting her hands under her, she pushed up, but stopped halfway up.

Her hands.

They were covered with blood.

Panic. Terror.

Blood was everywhere. Dripping down the walls. Seeping across the ground. It rained through the air. Red was everywhere she looked. Everywhere.

A hard jerk yanked Ai back to herself once more, slamming her into reality.

Abel clattered around her, creating a racket. Once he had her attention, he stopped, pleading for calmness.

Tears unceasingly ran down her face, stinging as the fell. She was in pain, her hands covered in scratches from…

It was then Ai realized she was outside the district. Abel hummed his body. He had dragged her out, that's how she'd gotten the scratches on her hands and face. The cat clacked his claws in worry, creeping even closer to her.

She threw her arms around him, his metal cold against her face. "I'm sorry. Thank you," she nearly blubbered. "Let's go back."

Abel nudged his head under her arm and gave her support as she stood up on shaking legs. It took her longer than she'd ever admit to anyone. All the while her hip throbbed painfully and her knees felt like they had been replaced with bricks, but Abel's cold metal felt good on her torn hands, which were burning.

As she walked back to her apartment complex, the people in the streets that spotted her gave her strange looks and a wide birth around her. Between Abel actually being with her and her beat up appearance, she wasn't surprised by their behavior. She'd avoid herself if such a thing were physically possible.

The only bright side was that Aoba was not at the apartment when she did arrive, which gave her the privacy to clean out the scratches she had everywhere and to inspect the impressive bruise forming on her hip. Instead of waiting around for the lecture she'd no doubt be getting for her beat-up appearance and vanishing act on Iruka, she fell on her bed, completely exhausted, and drifted off. Which only resulted in her snapping awake some point in the night after a nightmare filled with blood and fire. Topping off the night terror-sundae was the screaming, which she was sure she could still hear even while awake.

The next day, when she finally left her room, wasn't much better.

"You really should set the wards at night, or at least lock the damn door if you're going to be obstinate," Aoba scolded from the front room the moment he heard her leave hers.

"Why bother," she retorted back as she exited the small hallway, "Abel will make a mess of them before they can get to me."

Aoba's lips pursed but changed the topic upon seeing her. "What happened to you?" he asked brusquely.

"I tripped," Ai snapped, moving past to the kitchen. Aoba's jaw tightened at her response, letting her know he didn't buy her words in the slightest. However, once again, he changed the topic.

"Don't bother eating, we're going to see Inoichi today."

"'Don't bother eating?' This coming from the man who harangued me about how 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day' just a few days ago?"

"It's a little late for breakfast, don't you think?" He didn't let her reply and continued with, "Inoichi has a talent for making people sick if they have a meal before seeing him."

"Why?" she bit out.

"Because you've been moping about for days now, which tells me you're not improving from the pull I did on you. That means there's a good chance something went wrong and it'd be better for Inoichi to fix it than for me to try, possibly making it worse."

"Fine, whatever" Ai growled, changing course for the door. It wasn't like she had much of an appetite anyway.

"You're going out like that?"

She turned, folding her arms across her chest. "Is there a problem with what I'm wearing?" Ai wore a pair of black pants and a white shirt that had hydrangeas flowing from left to right.

"No, but do you ever bother brushing your hair?"

"Not when people nag me about it." Ai turned away, running a hand through her hair. It wasn't like it was tangled, it just didn't like to stay in place.

"You're rather tempestuous today."

She chose to ignore him, not feeling up to keeping the argument going and yanked open the front door. Abel darted through first, springing off the railing in his ascent the roof. Ai exited next, shortly followed by Aoba. Once clear she shut the door and deliberately locked it in his view.

The pair walked the few blocks to the main road, turning south. It was late enough in the day that the road was fairly busy, however the people in the street shuffled quickly out of their way and a number of them even put their heads together, whispering as they passed.

"Do you think it's true?" she heard, those words just loud enough to catch.

Aoba's body shifted as he took in the rising tension in the air. "People sure are acting a little apprehensive today," he murmured.

"They were pretty edgy yesterday on my way back. Abel was with me, so I guess I upset the locals."

He kept his face pointed forward, ignoring the people. "I'm not sure that's it…" The way he trailed off left Ai believing he was in thought.

"I thought she was weird before, always talking to herself, but did you hear…?"

"Sayuri has a friend, who knows a guy, who knows a ninja, that told her…"

"…she's carrying some sort of disease."

"…she thinks she's from another planet."

"…she's unstable."

"…she's dangerous."

Ai could feel the apprehension building in her with every word.

Have you heard, there's a rumor in St. Pertersburg? Have you heard, what they're saying on the street?

"She's a failed experiment."

"She's a spy, did you know that?"

"I heard she works for the that new village, the one that invaded."

"Her chakra makes things explode and she can't even control it."

"She was a friend of that Uchiha boy, the one who killed his clan."

"How can they let someone like that loose in the village?"

"The left coming up, take it." Aoba hissed under his breath.

Ai glanced in the direction he told her, finding the spot. She swerved off the main road, taking the street Aoba mentioned. Once out of the heavily trafficked view of the road, he grabbed just above her elbow and yanked her down another turn on the right and then continued to pull her down different streets and alleys, coming to a halt on a deserted stretch of road. She immediately rounded on him.

"How do they know all that? They're not supposed to know that!"

"I don't know, but none of it points to anything good." Fear began to fill Ai and she wrapped her arms around herself as her body began to shake. "We'll get this worked out, Ai. Please don't panic, that won't help anything. We're still going to go to Inoichi, we'll just take the back –"

Itachi.

Ai's head swiveled to where she heard Abel call to her.

"What?"

Abel wove out of the underbrush, coming up to her. His head rose and he nosed her hand. An image of two figures walked together, cloaked and hats hiding their faces, flashed through her mind.

"What is he doing here?"

Abel's body shivered, telling her he didn't know, but he didn't think it was good.

And that they were headed in this direction.

"What is it?" Aoba questioned, interrupted her stare-off with Abel. She looked to the taller man.

"Abel says that Itachi is here." Aoba straightened, looking down the road. "And that he's with someone else. That they're coming this way."

Aoba's hand went up into his hair, scratching at his scalp. "That's not a good thing."

"You should go alert somebody. The Anbu, or whoever." His gaze turned back to her. "I knew Itachi before… before. I can probably delay him."

"And if you can't?"

"And if I can?"

"I can't just leave you."

"Whoever I tell, probably won't believe me." Aoba shifted, looking back down the road. "And that's if I could even get to wherever it is I'd need to go." She could tell Aoba knew she was right by the change in his stance. He looked back down at her, his hands came up to land on her shoulders and his eyes locked with hers.

"Delay," he emphasized, "do not engage." He let go of her, taking a few steps back. "And don't do anything stupid, either." Aoba vanished in a body flicker, leaves kicking up in its wake.

Ai bit at her lip. Maybe this could work out in her favor.

Abel rattled himself at that thought.

"Bushes," she told him. "Go." Abel stared at her before slipping back into the forest besides the road. Glancing about, Ai spotted a bench a little way away. She went to sit herself on it to wait.

From how Abel had reacted, it shouldn't be too long. She tilted her head up, looking to the sky. She'd only been there a minute when she heard Abel's rattled warning from behind her.

"I sense there's something in the wind, that feels like tragedy's at hand." Ai sang quietly to herself as she watched a metal bird gliding about in the sky, "and though I'd like the stand by him, can't shake this feeling that I have, the worst is just around the bend." As she finished the last note, two figures rounded the bend of trees to her left. The pair wore long black and red cloaks and straw hats partially concealing their features.

Once they got closer, Ai stood, tucking her hands into her pockets and the two halted. She studied them for a moment before speaking. "Hello, Itachi. It's been a long time, huh?" Ai smiled at him.

His hand went up, grabbing onto the edge of his hat, which he pulled off of his head, revealing part of his face. He next popped open the top few snaps of his cloak, letting the rest of his face show. She felt his eyes, red with the Sharingan active, search her. "Ai," he said lowly, leaving a short pause before continuing in a somewhat harder tone, "you shouldn't be here."

"Why? Am I not allowed to visit an old friend?"

"You know what I am. If you are seen with me, it will only become more difficult for you here."

Ai looked away, letting out a quiet, mirthless laugh. "More difficult?" She looked back into his red eyes. "Hayate is dead."

Itachi's eyes closed slowly and his companion shifted. "Is she really a friend of yours, Itachi?" He shifted again, removing his own hat from his head, revealing dark blue hair, a slashed mist headband, and his livid skin coloration. "Kisame Hoshigaki," he smiled, showing off his sharp, shark-like teeth in an unsettling manner. Ai turned her eyes from Itachi at his companion's introduction, meeting Kisame's bizarre white eyes.

The sound of crashing waves filled her ears, loud and roaring. There's a hunger, slowly growing. Chasing shadows, but never knowing. Keep on running farther, faster. And keep on searching for this haunting, has an answer. And I know you will find me, for I am breathing only for this.

Kisame's grin held more grimace now and the rapid blinks suggested she had spoken the words she'd heard aloud. It probably wasn't a good thing, but it was too late now. What did it matter if another stranger thought her crazy.

So, go ahead, spread the word, tell a friend, tell them the tale!

"Ai," Itachi let her name out in a sigh, she turned, meeting his red eyes once more. "I am sorry for your loss."

She scoffed. "They've come back, the masks. I'll be lucky if I follow Hayate soon."

"Is that why you are here? You want help? You know there is nothing I can do. Not without you making very difficult decisions first."

Ai couldn't feel anything yet, how long did it take to alert the Anbu? How long did she have? Hopefully enough. "I have walked there," she confessed, "down the empty streets, devoid of life, but filled with chakra." Ai closed her eyes and she could see the walls, the paint of the fans faded year by year. Time slowly working its way across everything. "I desired to know, to learn for myself."

"Ai," Itachi's tone was warning.

"I hear the screams," Ai brought her hands to her head and as she spoke the sounds and emotions came to her, fresh, as if she was there, "the crying, the wails. And above all 'Why?'" she cried, "'God, why me?'" She took in a shuddering breath, opening her eyes, looking at Itachi. He controlled his face so well. He was much more open all those years ago. Ai felt tears sliding down her cheeks.

"You need to stop, Ai," he commanded. "What you are doing is dangerous."

"I know." She felt her heart squeeze and her throat constrict. She blinked, taking another deep breath before meeting his eyes, which burned with well-controlled emotions. "I'm sorry. You're right. I have to make some very difficult decisions." She watched as realization dawned in his eyes. "And I'm making them."

"You're delaying us."

"I'm sorry," she repeated, tears still falling.

Itachi's partner, Kisame, moved. His hand rose and he drew the large sword from his back. "Some friend," he commented, flashing his sharp, white teeth at her. "I'll make it easy on you, step aside, and you might not even get that hurt."

"They think I'm crazy, but they don't know the feeling. They're all around me, circling like vultures. They wanna break me and wash away my colors."

"All right then," he murmured. He only made it a few steps before Abel burst from the undergrowth. Kisame reacted with impressive reflexes for a man so large, bringing his sword up to bear in time to set it between him and Abel's spinning saw blade teeth. His teeth clamped down, shredding parts of the cloth the sword was wrapped in. Sparks flared up where Abel's top teeth hit the opposite way against the strange scale-like blades of Kisame's weapon.

The livid-skinned man studied the metal cat for a moment, then hefted his sword up, bringing Abel's not so inconsiderable weight with it. He brought them both down again, Abel meeting the metal railing separating the walkway from the canal. With a great clang and splash Abel was off, vanishing under the water. Kisame swung his sword in a surprisingly elegant arc between her and him, bringing it back bear. Ai stared at it as it wiggled and gurgled.

"Well, I'll admit, I wasn't expecting to find a puppeteer in Leaf, usually your kind stick to Sand."

"I cannot stop this sickness taking over. It takes control and drags me into nowhere. I know you're watching, I can feel you out there."

Kisame moved forward at her once more. This time Ai lifted her arms and channeled chakra into them. She felt the seals she had painted on her skin flare to life and rocketing from her sleeves came dozens of small metal snakes. Once more Kisame moved his sword, deflecting most of the small serpents, one slipped past and latched onto his cloak at the shoulder. His lack of response let her know that the fangs hadn't pierced the fabric fully. Not that she was expecting them to, they were meant more as a distraction, and irritation, than anything else.

When the stream of snakes ended, Kisame lowered his sword, grabbed onto the one at his shoulder and pulled it free, tossing it to the ground with the rest. He no longer looked amused. "Any other tricks up your sleeve?" he growled, treading through the scattered metal snakes.

Ai raised her arms, letting the sleeves of her forearm pool at her elbow. It showed off the inked seals, but nothing else. "I'm afraid not."

"Time to put you out of your misery then."

The third time he came at her proved as successful as the other two. This time, however, the attack, which was honestly more delay tactics than anything else for Ai knew she wouldn't win this fight if she'd been training her chakra since she was a baby, came from two directions.

Abel burst from the canal, springing off and over the railing, to only receive Kisame's sword in his spinning mouth once more. It sent the cat skeleton back at the railing, yet unlike before Abel latched his long-clawed toes around the railing and held himself tight in place, refusing to release the scaled blade.

From behind him, Seth had hooked his many segments together as he lunged at the large man. Kisame's sword, currently in Abel's mouth, could not be swung down to deflect the incoming metal snake. Seth wrapped himself around Kisame's left leg and continued up to his right wrist, making the moving of his sword even more difficult and temporarily holding him still.

This would probably be the last move she could make, Kisame was ridiculously strong, Ai could practically taste his salt water chakra suffusing the air as his agitation with her delays increased. She couldn't even call them attacks against him, the only reason they'd succeeded was because he was under the incorrect assumption that she was a puppet user and most likely hadn't suspected her bizarre postponing tactics.

What she was going to do now though, that was an attack.

She slipped her hand into her jacket, along her left side, and under her arm, where she tightened her hand onto the grip of her weapon. Flipping of the leather strap that held it in place, she drew it, turning off the safety as she did so and leveling it at the livid-colored – and livid-tempered at this point – man.

She saw confusion enter his white eyes, which wasn't surprising. Ai had never seen a gun anywhere in Ninja Land – not that she'd ever traveled very much – but she didn't imagine anyone would know what it was.

Between her face and her actions, he was quick to catch on to the fact it was a weapon and as she squeezed the trigger he began to put real effort into getting away. Ai squeeze thrice, each pull echoing a thunderous roar, as Kisame used Abel's position to aid him. Pulling away would have been harder, but he pulled himself towards the metal cat teething his sword. Two bullets whizzed past, while the third tore a swath through the shoulder of his cloak, splitting the fabric and grazing across his skin.

Rage entered his features, he was done playing. It took him only a second to shatter his way through the metal creatures holding him. Abel, ripped from the railing, was slammed back on to it, before receiving another to the stone walking path, finally dislodging the cat with a sound like someone dropping a crate of kunai. He clattered away, attempting to get back up, but his fibula had been shattered and that would require time to fix. Seth was simply powered through, the strength of Kisame's muscles snapped the snake like a ribbon, which he threw from himself.

As this happened, Ai turned her sight from the large man and met Itachi's eyes. With Kisame distracted, she saw his eyes sadden, he knew, just as she knew, what was coming. Kisame wouldn't take her actual attack laying down. She lowered the gun, the precious powder she'd been able to make, spent.

She felt bad, guilty, for doing this in front of him, but she'd rather die than end up in the clutches of Orochimaru or whoever those blank masked men belonged to.

Though, she had to wonder. What would happen to her? Despite what she told people, despite what Hayate had insisted. Ai was positive she wasn't from this world. Would she be in their afterlife? Hers? Were they the same? Or was there simply none for her? Did whatever Death God there was not even know she existed?

Even so, she wanted this.

Kisame turned to her and Ai closed her eyes.

"A thrill of hope," she whispered her voice shaking, "the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new glorious morn." Her voice grew stronger as Kisame's footsteps grew closer. "Fall on your knees. O hear the angels' voices. O night divine, O night, O night divine."

She heard his sword whistle through the air as he brought it down on her. Ai involuntarily flinched as it clattered against something that was not her flesh. Her eyes shot open, meeting the broad, green covered back of a shinobi. They traveled up, finding dark hair, and chestnut brown eyes gazing at her from the side.

A strange sense of both disappointment and relief filled her.

"You did well in delaying them, Ai," Asuma spoke as he held Kisame's blade up with a pair of chakra knives. "Now you need to leave." He turned his attention to his opponent.

"Let us handle this from here," another, softer voice said calmly. Ai turned to see Kurenai, who gave her a soft smile.

She dropped her eyes away from the dark-haired woman, and with a sigh, walked away from the four combatants, tucking the gun back into its kunai-turned-gun holster.

"Seth," she said, lacing her tone with command as she moved to the bench she'd originally been sitting in. She could guess Asuma would probably be furious and Kurenai disappointed with her for not leaving and getting to safety, but Ai couldn't bring herself to care. There was nothing either of them could do about her staying and she half hoped Kisame would make a move on her if he got a chance. If he was even half a well-trained ninja, Ai was sure he was still aware of her and her actions, along with those of her 'puppets.'

Ai settled onto the concrete bench watching as Abel finally pulled himself up off the ground, his broken bone melding back together and his badly dented ribs reforming to the correct position. He skulked back to her, the first few steps with a limp as he fixed himself, rattling his body with a reprimand for her actions. She rolled her eyes away from the cat, which only further upset him.

Seth, who had pieced himself back together as Abel had repaired and returned to her side, came to her as well, slithering along the ground sedately, his usual bloodlust absent. He slipped under the bench, rustling into the bushes behind her.

Making sure she showed the most disregard and insolence she could, Ai rested her upper arms and elbows on the top of the bench, sliding down and leaning back until the corner of the top bit into her back painfully and rolling her head back to stare up into the sky. Above them, with lazy flaps, circled a silver bird.

The fight continued, to which Ai paid little attention. However, when water exploded, showering her, she looked back down at the fight. Kakashi had arrived and with an impressive use of water jutsu had cancelled out one of Kisame's. Another Kakashi stood on the water of the canal with Itachi and Kurenai.

In an exchange of words, she learned that Kisame's bizarre-o sword was named Samehada. Which Ai thought was odd, though accurate, it did have an uncanny resemblance to shark skin. If turned into a weapon she supposed.

The Kakashi on the walkway vanished and the fight erupted again. This time between those on the canal. When the water erupted in an explosion, Asuma called out and dove over the railing to join the two fighting Itachi.

Once the other man was gone, Kisame turned his gaze to her, revealing his sharp teeth in a sadistic grin. "Looks like it's just you and me." Ai shifted slightly trying to give off her best nonverbal 'come at me bro.'

Abel stepped between them and Ai could hear his claws flex into the concrete. The tall missing-nin looked at the cat, studying its defensive stance. "Color me impressed at how quickly you could reattach your chakra strings." His eyes moved back to her. "There's not many that could do it that quick, and out of sight. Especially after Samehada severed them."

Ai tilted her head and said in a sing-song tone. "I've got no strings to hold me down, to make me fret, or make me frown. I had strings, but now I'm…" Abel whirred his teeth, short and fast. "Free."

"Not even a little fear?"

"Death would be a release."

"I bet it would," Kisame murmured under his breath.

A heavy grunt followed by a splash, pursued shortly by both Kurenai and Asuma shouting at Kakashi, caught their attentions. Ai heard Kisame hiss out a breath of air between his teeth before he vanished, reappearing by Itachi's side.

Shortly thereafter came the revelation that the two missing-nin were here for Naruto. Kakashi then told them part of what he knew, that they were a part of an organization called the Akatsuki. Kisame ran towards them after an order from Itachi, only to be halted by Guy showing up, pushing the ex-Mist-nin back.

"I'm the Leaf's Fiercest Beast of Battle! Might Guy!"

"More like Mighty-stupid-lookin'-Guy," Kisame heckled. Ai couldn't stop the short huff of laughter.

After Kakashi collapsed, Ai could only guess it had to deal with the Sharingan, Guy gave a few orders to his fellow ninja in preparation for the next round of fighting. While Kisame seemed ready for another bout, Itachi, however, ordered a retreat.

"That's too bad, it was getting fun," he responded to his companion. His look turned to Ai and he bared his sharp teeth in a mockery of a grin. "See ya around, little pup. You and I still have things to settle."

With that the pair vanished.

"What a creep," Ai muttered, watching the water ripple from the force behind their body flickers.

The three ninja, plus the unconscious Kakashi had barely returned to the walkway when a squad of Anbu appeared. They held a quick and quiet conversation that Ai could not hear, and didn't have much interest in hearing, before the four darted off. A few moments later more ninja flooded the scene and things began to turn hectic.

Ai had taken to studying the material of her boots before anyone deemed approaching her. His sandaled feet invaded her vision first, followed by the edges of a black leather trench coat as it settled in place.

She looked up to Ibiki.

Who's steely face said he was anything but happy to see her.

"Come with me."


Credits

Safe & Sound – Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars

Brave Enough – Lindsey Sterling & Christina Perri

A Rumor in St. Petersburg – Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty

Sally's Song – Danny Elfman

For You Only – Trading Yesterday

Slipping – Neil Patrick Harris (Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog) Watch it.

My Demons – Starset

O' Holy Night – Adolphe Adam (I like Lexi Walker's performance)

I've got no strings – Pinocchio