At the Gates

Ayame arrived at the gates. There was no one there. She looked up to the sky and stared at it peacefully, trying not to think about anything. Then she heard a shout:

-Ooooooooy!

She turned around and there he was: The Kyubi. The child( well, now a teenager) smiled at her. She wished with every strength she had to kill him right there. "YOU WERE GUILTY FOR THE FOURTH´S DEATH,BASTARD!". But her chakra was normal, friendly as most of the times. She smiled and said:

-You must be Naruto-kun!

-And you must be Ayame-chan, the one who left us and has now come back!

-Child…you know of my past?

-Are,are, Kakashi-sensei told us about you, told us to be careful with you and so on…

-Then, shouldn't you be careful and not be alone with me like this?

-Ah? Ah well, to tell ya the truth, I really don´t think you are gonna mess up!

-No? And why is that young man?

-Because you came back! I have a friend whom I wish to get back too one day. You were in darkness, but you pulled it out, nee-chan! You are a living proof that the same can happen to him! So, for that I admire you…actually, you give me some hope towards his return.

-Baka.

-What!

-You are talking about Sasuke…

-You know Sasuke?

-…

-DO YOU?

-Well, I´ve heard of him- she smiled ironically – but he´s not coming back Naruto-kun.—Ayame felt a bit of pain in Naruto´s will,and rejoiced. But she had to make the boy whom she hated trust and care for her.

-Yeah! WHY? WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT´S SO DIFFERENT FROM HIM?

-Well-she tought about it—nothing I think.

-Haha!Then he can come back nee-chan!

She smiled and put her hand over his head:

-True Naruto-kun.I advise you to keep fighting!

He smiled.

-Naruto-kuuun! –a girl waved, running towards them.

-Sakura-chan!-he said- this is Ayame Nee-chan!

The girl whose hair had the colours of a Sakura leaf smiled at her:

-It´s very nice to know you Ayame-san! I´m Tsunade´s apprentice, Sakura.

-It´s very nice to meet you Sakura!Your hair is just great.

-Really?Oh,thankyou!

-Starting a party without me?-said a voice from nowhere.

Kakashi Sensei appeared in front of them.

-Ayame-chan, long time no see.

-Indeed Kakashi.

-So, are you with us…for real?

-Yes.

-So, let´s go.Naruto,Sakura go ahead,we´ll catch up.

-OK!-said the two.

-Ayame, for your sake you better help us and show Konoha your true will to protect the village.Understand?

-Yes….Do you think I hate you Kakashi?

-No.- he felt no abnormality on her chakra.

She put her hand over his shoulder:

-Then trust on me.I will not disappoint Konoha again…and I hold no grudge over Obito-kun.Now, let´s go…

During their way to the country of the Scisor, Kakashi watched every step Ayame took. But she seemed really innocent.Once they stopped to rest at a tea house, he asked her:

-So, Ayame-chan, what is your secret?

-My secret?—she tought:"This must be a trick.Be stable!"

-Yes! How do you remain that beautiful, and get to be a pre-Sanin?You should have some scars by now.

Sakura whispered to Naruto:

-Narutooo…is Kakashi sensei hitting on Ayame-chan?

-I think he will become the next great Ero-sennin…¬¬-said Naruto.

She laughed:

-Well, my mother is pretty yet, she´s a Sannin, right? It must be on the genes!

Naruto stood up and yelled:

-OBAA-CHAN HAS A DAUGHTER!THAT MEAN WOMAN?

Ayame laughed:

-Yes, but please don´t tell everyone at the village, ok?

-Ok…but that´s just wrong!-said Naruto sitting down again.—Obaa-chan, a daughter!Who is your father!

Ayame laughed:

-Well, he´s a big man…that´s pretty much what I can tell…Haven´t seen him in a long time.

-Do you have any idea of where he is now, Ayame-chan?- asked Sakura

-I don´t know. He left when I was young. Still, I wait for his return…who knows, maybe someday…

-That´s so sad—said Sakura

-Well-said Kakashi sensei- it´s late and tomorrow we settle negotiations with the land lord of the Scisor Country. So, we should all sleep now, huh? Good night everyone.

"Great…the father-who-left story was a success" thought Ayame-chan with herself,feeling great pity at Sakura´s chakra.

Late at night, one of her eyes opened. She saw Kakashi sleeping with his body against the wall, just like her, on the other side of the room, and Naruto and Sakura sleeping in sleeping bags in the middle.

She lifted her arm protection bandage. A small symbol appeared.

It was a beautiful end of afternoon. There were only her and her sensei at the Dojo:

-Ayame,… you´ve been numb for a long time already…try to look around you. Your friends love you, Tori loves you so much…don´t you think it is time to do goodness, to get out of the purgatory?

-…

-Well, as your sensei, I can only hope you come back to life one day…--suddenly he grabbed her arm and Ayame felt an extreme pressure in it. When she was able to fight so he would let it go, she saw there was a small symbol in it:

-ARE YOU SENILE?WHAT IS THIS? TAKE IT OFF!

-I can´t Ayame-he said seriously- it´s a seal and not even I can take it back now…

-WHAT? YOU FREAKIN´GAVE ME A SEAL! WHAT WERE IN YOUR MIND?

-Don not worry my dear, this seal does not make you less powerful, nor bonds you to anything, nor makes you stronger. It is a special kind of seal.

-Special?-asked Ayame looking at the symbol

-Yes..look at it.-the symbol was made of one small beautiful curveous line, interrupted by a small dot and another curveous line- it is a symbol of Life Ayame.A life giver.

-Life giver?That´s it, you´ve lost it.

He laughed:

-Maybe!

-What does it do after all?

-Well, you won't find much use in it… this symbol allows you to give your life to whomever needs. However, you must love the person you are giving your life deeply, so that you would trade your life for that person´s.It can be a love seal too then…I´m such a geanious…

-Silly man..that will never happen! TAKE IT OFF!

-Wow, making that seal really took off my energy…I must rest for a while…

-Then you´ll take it off?

-I´m not sure if I´ll be able to…check with me a few days from now, ok?

-FINE! But this seal is stupid, you know I would never do something as stupid as give my life to someone else.My life is MINE! Stupid old man!

-An old man can only hope.-said her sensei quietly with a small ironic smile.

-Three days later, I left…and forgot about the stupid seal…I should have waited longer to go old man…you had to take that off from me…-Ayame mumbled to herself.—Useless symbol…

-What does that seal do?-suddenly, Kakashi was right next to her.But she did not show any surprise:

-It is..quite private if you don´t mind.

-Actually, I do.I´d appreciate if you told me the truth,Ayame.

-It´s a strength enhancer.

-Seems like one of Orochimaru´s Seals…

-Not that kind of seal, Kakahsi-san.It only works when I´m about to die..it´s as if someone performed extreme CPR on me.

-Humm…seems a symbol a parent would have given to you.

-Indeed.

-Good then.Humm the sun is rising.We should wake up the kids and head to the castle.

-Sure.