Chapter 9

Asuma looked for the two in Kakashi's apartment, the Ramen Shops, by the river... They were nowhere to be found. The last place he could think of was the training center. Asuma made his way there, opened the doors and was welcomed by two Kunai flying at his head. Quickly he ducked and looked at where they had come from. He saw Kakashi and Aki, both breathing heavily and looking at him in shock.

"Ah, sorry." Aki said to Asuma smiling.

"Not a problem," Asuma said scratching his head. Kakashi looked exhausted, as did Aki. Were they sparring? They had to have been. They must be equal considering on how tired they both appear.

"The Hokage needs to see you," Asuma said to Kakashi. He nodded his head in understanding. Aki noticed that Asuma was not acting like himself, but she quickly brushed it off her mind.

They left for the Hokage's office. As soon as they reached the building, Kakashi went on ahead. Asuma took Aki aside and brought her to a separate room and asked her if she would stay there.

"Why?" she asked confused.

"The Hokage needs to talk with Kakashi about an important mission. We can't have outside ears listening. I hope you understand." That, she did understand.

"Should I leave? I don't want to take up this room. I could go and get some breakfast."

"Kakashi shouldn't be long. You should wait for him." And so, she waited. And waited. But after sitting in that room for about an hour, she grew impatient, and hungry. When she tried to leave, there were two ninja standing outside her door.

"Please wait inside. Kakashi will be back soon." They closed the door for her, leaving her standing there, unbelieving that they were not allowing her to leave.

'This isn't right. What is going on? Why are they guarding me? Where is Kakashi?' With an uneasy feeling growing in the pit of her stomach, she climbed out the window and climbed up the side of the building to the Hokage's office window. Kneeling on a ledge under his window, she listened intently being thankful she is able to hide herself well.

She could recognize the voices inside. Nevins, Kakashi, Asuma, Hayate, and the Hokage were all inside. She could feel the tension.

"Don't get me wrong. Takamori is still a threat to this village," she heard Nevins say, "and I've agreed to help you deal with him, but keeping an eye on Aki is more important."

"Is she really as dangerous as you say?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, she is." Nevins replied.

'Dangerous? He thinks I'm dangerous? Why?'

Nevins continued: "Asuma said he found you in some 'training center'?" Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"Did she do anything?"

"Ah, actually, I tested her skills. We were just finishing up when Asuma came."

Aki's heart practically stopped. 'Tested my skills? Is that all he was doing? All this time? Was everything a lie? Why is he talking about me so…impersonally so…distant? ' she thought to herself, starting to shake.

"And?" Nevins demanded.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Kakashi said, remembering all that happened. Then he remembered when she took the second bell from him. Not exactly taking it from him, but rather, it falling directly into her hands. How he felt something brush against his leg, but she had never moved. Kakashi explained this to them.

"That's the secret that Ryuuchi perfected. She formed a seal on the string binding the bell to your pants and made it snap. You're lucky it wasn't your whole leg. Did she do anything else?"

"No, just usual seals, defense, offense. I had seen and copied most of them before, so they weren't new to me."

"If you had seen them most of them, you shouldn't be this exhausted." Asuma pointed out.

"Ah…she's fast. Really fast. I can't tell where she is hiding most of the time. The element of surprise is certainly on her side."

"That makes it even worse. In reference to power, she is more of a threat then Takamori…she was a ticking time bomb…waiting to explode, and when the time comes, no one will even be able to get to her in time." Nevins bluntly stated.

'Nani. I don't understand…What is going on?' Aki though to herself, starting to panic.

"Kakashi, keep an eye on her. Stay by her side if you need to." the Hokage ordered.

"Hai"

'I shouldn't be here. I don't belong here. I have to get out of this village before it's too late.' She started to climb back down when suddenly someone shouted up at her from the room she was supposed to be in.

Kakashi and Nevins were quickly at the window with the other Ninja climbing up the building toward her.

'I can't let them catch me! I can't…trust them!' Deciding, she quickly pushed herself off the building, back first, falling to the ground, meeting Kakashi's eyes His eyes grew round in shock that she just jumped. His heart skipped a beat, knowing that she was going to die is she kept falling. About to jump out the window and catch her before she hit the ground, there was suddenly water below her. In a matter of a second, it had made a form of a huge cylinder about 12 feet in diameter and 20 feet tall directly below her. She splashed down in it, sinking, kneeling once she reached the bottom. The water suddenly lost form and cascaded down over her, flooding everything nearby.

Knowing that she was going to run, Kakashi quickly made his way down to her. But as soon as he reached the spot where she had been, she was gone.

Kakashi tried to chase after her. He was frantic again. He was losing her again. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, searching for her, thoughts clouded his mind 'Why? Why run now? Don't hide from me, please! Stop! Trust me! I won't hurt you!' But all the questions and pleadings he made in his head did no good. She was gone.