Chapter 11

Ibiki had interrogated Takamori for two days. He wasn't saying one word. They had even drugged him, but he still remained silent. Seeing that they weren't going to get any information out of him, they pushed forward his execution day. He was going to be put to death that day.

Takamori was hanging limply between two poles, which his wrists were strapped to. His hair, no longer neatly tied back, was hanging down around his face. He was still buzzing from the drug that Ibiki had given him. He couldn't see straight, and was drifting in and out of consciousness.

He could tell they were in some large building and there were several Ninja there. Of them, there was Kakashi, Hayate, Nevins, Ibiki, Asuma, and the Hokage.

"Do you have anything you want to say?" The Hokage asked the prisoner, who slowly lifted his head. Takamori looked at the Hokage through half open eyes, saying nothing. Slowly, he lowered his head back down.

"Very well, then." The Hokage motioned to a ninja standing close to him. The ninja stepped forward with three Kunai in his hands. He raised his hand, aiming to throw the weapons at Takamori's chest. Quickly, he threw them, the Kunai slicing through the air. They came to an abrupt stop about an inch from Takamori's chest before falling to the ground at his feet.

"He's using some technique! Use a sword!" Nevins yelled to the Ninja while removing a sword from a wall close to him. They were all in the training center, with an ample supply of weapons for them to use. They were using this building due to the security and lack of windows. They didn't want any children to witness at too young an age, the death of someone. Nevins quickly tossed the sword to the Ninja. The Ninja looked for approval from the Hokage, who nodded slightly.

The Ninja quickly turned on his heel and jumped toward Takamori. Again, his attempts were stopped. Only this time, there was no special technique stopping him, it was a person.

It was Aki. She had a hold of his wrist with her left hand and had a Kunai at his throat with her right hand. Everyone gasped. Kakashi took some steps forward toward her but stopped when he heard her speak.

"Step back…" she ordered the ninja in front of her.

Not sure he could trust her, the ninja stayed as he was. Everyone was in shock. Kakashi's mind was full of questions he wanted to ask right then and there: 'Why was she threatening the Ninja trying to end the life of the man she feared? What happened to her? Where the hell has she been? Did she have any idea what she had put him through?'

Seeing that the Ninja wasn't going to move, she slowly retracted the Kunai from his throat and let go of his wrist and stepped back toward Takamori, which in turn, the ninja took a couple of steps back himself.

"Aki…" Kakashi finally stated. However, before he could find the words to say, Takamori started to speak.

"…Why are you here?" Takamori asked in a deep, raspy voice, raising his head to look at her through half open, drugged eyes.

"To save you." Aki answered, never turning to look at him. She continued to look at the ninja in front of her.

"Why?"

"Because…I remembered something someone once told me…"

"…"

"…but I can't remember it exactly. I want you to explain it to me." Aki said. Turning around to face him, she continued. "I want you to tell me about a Seal. A Seal that can not only seals memories but create and replace them with new ones." Takamori stared her in the eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nevins demanded stepping forward to her. "You can't trust anything he says! Why would you ask for his input? Aki, come with me. You've been gone for quite a few days. You're tired, you're not thinking straight." Nevins reached out his hand and placed it on Aki's shoulder. She didn't move an inch, just kept returning Takamori's stare.

Irritated, Nevins stepped in between her and Takamori, cutting off their contact. He placed both hands on her shoulders. "Aki, you need rest."

"I need answers." She quickly stated. Nevins, however, wasn't going to accept that. He grabbed her wrists and started to pull her along behind him. She quickly smacked away his hand.

"…Aki…what the hell are you thinking?"

"I am thinking that if you do not allow me to ask him some questions, that I may take him with me to someplace…safer than here."

"Safer? He killed your father. He's after you. You think that you are safe with him? Alone?"

"I will be with her." A voice said from behind them all. It was Jin.

"Jin, where the hell have YOU been?" Nevins demanded, turning quickly to face him.

"With her…for the past two days." He replied pointing to Aki. "She was quite a mess when I finally found her. We started getting to thinking…we thought of something that only Takamori should know the answer to. We need to talk to him. Please, give us some time with him…alone." He directed to the Hokage, bowing.

"Ibiki has already interrogated him. Takamori didn't budge." Asuma stated.

"His approach was wrong." Aki stated flatly, returning her stare back to Takamori.

"How long will you need?" the Hokage asked.

"…One hour, no more."

"I will allow it. I will have guards placed nearby incase he tries anything."

"I'm staying." Kakashi broke in. Everyone looked at him in surprise…all except those who knew how he felt about her.

"That would be preferable." The Hokage said.

Everyone exited the building except Kakashi, Jin and Aki. She quickly released Takamori from his restraints causing him to collapse onto the floor. He lay there for a couple of minutes before pulling himself to a sitting position. Kakashi was eyeing him, protecting Aki, ready for the prisoner's attack.

Slowly, she lowered herself to her knees, waiting for him to begin his explanation.