Hellooooo! The update is here and I should warn you - THIS IS IT - By that I mean: this is when Sasuke leaves ):
*cries*
I never liked the part when Sasuke leaves . So darn sad. Anyways, it's here. Yes, he will be leaving and only meeting his sister again in a distant future. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the next chapter will be the last before I enter the Shippuden series ok? So yeah, times skips coming soon! :p (I might get a few flashbacks in there every now and then)
So, thanks for the reviews ~ MitsukiCHANandNarutoKUN (You're adorable *-* sorry if I took a while to update! :p); El Frijolero (It's here! lol.. sorry if I took too long ;x); MeganAllard (voce ainda nao leu o cap 07 mocinha! :p)
So... Let's get to it, shall we? Enjoy!
Chapter Eight
Ami grabbed hold of both Naruto and Sasuke before jumping out of the flaming boat. They swam towards the port, trying their best to avoid further confrontation.
"Hey, how's your shoulder?" Naruto whispered.
"Fine. It's the least of our worries right now." Ami said, wincing slightly whenever she felt a slight tinge of pain.
"Those Ame ninja, you mean." Sasuke stated.
"Those wimps? We can handle them." Naruto grinned.
"Yeah, but what if they're headed towards Idate?" Sakura said, worriedly.
"Woah! He might be in danger!" Naruto said suddenly. Ami smirked at his realisation.
"Of course he's in danger, that's exactly what I'm-" Naruto began waving his arms around and suddenly went under the water. Sakura rolled her eyes, completely annoyed by the blond. "Knock it off Naruto! Now's not the time for games!"
"He's not joking. Our little friends have returned." Sasuke said, irritably, just before diving after Naruto.
"Let the games begin." Ami sighed towards Sakura, before following her brother.
The three enemy ninja were dragging Naruto further down and were ready to fight. One created water clones, which proceeded to grab hold of Ami, Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto kicked his kidnappers in the head and stomach and created a few clones of his own. The enemy bragged about how water clones had the upper hand and Naruto's clones were simply useless. Naruto paid no attention to the ninja's words and focused on his clones.
Not too further down, a group of Naruto's huddled together with their hands sticking out in front of them. The others watched, with confused expressions. Not a moment later, Naruto's clones had a small ball of chakra in their hands. The ball grew bigger and bigger, swirling uncontrollably. It soon became so big, that it created a whirlpool, which got rid of the water clones easily.
The downfall was that Ami, Sasuke and Sakura found themselves swirling along with the enemy. Sasuke managed to regain control and grabbed his sister, who was reaching her no-breathing-limit. Naruto grabbed Sakura and swam to the surface. Once they'd reached land, Sasuke didn't allow anyone time to rest. He continued walking, stating they had no time to waste. Ami took a few deep breaths before following.
x.x
Ami was glad to finally have spotted Idate. He was lying on the ground and there was someone hovering above him. Ami didn't pay much attention to what the stranger looked like, although she did notice he carried an umbrella. Idate looked injured so Ami didn't waste any time to run towards them, Sharingan ready for action. Sakura quickly ran towards Idate.
"Are you responsible for those Ame ninja?" Naruto demanded, once he was close enough to the stranger standing above Idate.
"Apparently they weren't quite up to the job. In a contest of genin, it appears Konoha genin are stronger. But no matter how strong, they are no match for me." The stranger said, arrogantly.
"I guess we'll have to find out." Ami smirked.
Naruto and Sasuke charged forward. Naruto kicked the shinobi. Sasuke followed but the man managed to jump up, avoiding contact. Whilst still up in the air, he waved his umbrella and used his signature technique. The team and Idate were immediately showered with senbon.
"Just what I expected. No more of a challenge than Idate, really." He stated, observing their condition.
He then attacked them with more senbon. Sasuke and Naruto stepped forward, receiving them all in their forearms, shoulders and chest.
"Senbon that deliver a deadly poison. No matter how strong you may be, you already have one foot in the grave." He smirked. The man took one last look at the children before leaving.
Naruto tried to stand but the poison really seemed to be taking action.
"He is going to pay." Naruto said, gritting his teeth.
"Here, take this." Sakura ordered, handing them all pills. "Lady Tsunade gave them to be just before we left the village."
"We can't leave him out here in the rain." Ami said, looking down at Idate. Sakura had given him one of the pills and was now waiting for him to come around.
"We should go somewhere warm." Sasuke stated, as he picked himself up.
x.x
Sasuke lit a fire, before sitting down to rest. Ami had successfully found a cave not too far from where they were. It seemed inhabited and safe enough for them to stick around for a while. It didn't take long for Idate to regain his senses.
"Hey... How are you feeling?" Sakura asked, happy to see him awake.
"Where is he?" Idate struggled. "What happened to Aoi?"
"He's gone." Sasuke muttered.
"So his name is Aoi...Do you know each other from somewhere?" Ami wondered.
"He was a Sensei I knew back in my Konoha days." Idate sighed.
"Wait, you're from Konoha?" Naruto asked, completely shocked.
"After he betrayed Konoha, he became a jounin in Amegakure." Idate continued.
They all wanted to know more but Sakura was insisting Idate rest a while longer. He was still weak from his injuries. Nevertheless, Idate proceeded to explain his story. He told them about how Aoi had told him there was other ways to pass a Chunnin exam. He'd have to do whatever Aoi asked him to. Aoi had asked Idate to get him the Scroll of Sealing and the Legendary Blade of the Thunder Spirit, which had once belonged to the Second Hokage. Aoi then told him he could be a Chunnin in the Amegakure. Aoi wanted to bring the objects as gifts and said Konoha would never forgive Idate for stealing such precious items.
"I never saw Konoha again after that day. Nothing I do goes right and I've never been of any use to anyone, but even so, even though Jirocho knew I was no good, he still trusted me and put his faith in me. Now look what I've done!" Idate clutched his pocket knife. "I'd be better off dead!"
"Stop it!" Naruto shouted. "You idiot! You just said you've still got one person who believes in you. One person is enough, that's all anyone needs. Don't even think of quitting! Who says this race is over?"
Ami was surprised, to say the least, at how mature Naruto could be in these situations. She'd definitely have to remember to praise him later. Sakura tried to get Naruto to stop at some point, but was held back by Sasuke, who was quite amused by the situation.
"You would quit now? Now that you've finally got the chance to show them that Jirocho was right to believe in you? Come on! Show them what you've got!" Naruto demanded.
Idate began to grow confident and it showed. Ami couldn't hide just how happy she was to see it.
"I'll do it, but I'm going to need your help." Idate stated.
"Alright! Let's kick some Wasabi butt!" Ami shouted joyfully.
"It's Wagarashi, by the way." Idate smiled, ruffling Ami's bangs.
x.x
They ran like never before. Naruto carried Idate all the way and soon they made it. They stopped at the bottom of a very long staircase.
"All the way up there?" Naruto whined.
"Yup." Idate nodded.
"That's pretty high. How many steps are there anyway?" Naruto continued whining.
"Not sure... But I guess this is why they call these steps The Spirit Breaker." Idate sighed.
"Oh they do, do they?" Naruto smirked. "Piece of cake! Just hang on!"
Ami, Sasuke and Sakura finally caught up as soon as Naruto started running once again.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Ami frowned.
"How does he do it?" Sakura said, breathlessly.
"Well no one ever accused him of not having energy." Sasuke stated.
Ami tried her best to keep up with Sasuke and Sakura, but it was starting to get to her. She stopped for a few seconds once she was finally half way. Though she managed to get up in time to see Idate running on his own two feet again.
"When we get home, I'm taking a whole week off." Ami stated breathlessly. Sakura giggled.
Ami had to quickly regain her strength once again as they reached the bridge. Idate was supposed to cross it but he'd been rudely interrupted by that Aoi person. Naruto was already on the scene, seeing as he'd run ahead just behind Idate. Sasuke soon interrupted whatever Aoi was saying by throwing kunai towards him.
"Guys! Perfect timing!" Naruto grinned.
"Don't sweat it, Naruto. Just sit back and leave this clown to me." Sasuke said, arrogant as ever.
"It doesn't matter how many of you there are. You'll never defeat me. I'm Aoi of Amegakure and I wield the blade of the Thunder Spirit!" Aoi said, possibly competing in an arrogance competition with Sasuke.
"Is that so?" Sasuke smirked, activating his Sharingan. "Your blade against my Chidori. Let's find out which one is stronger!"
Sasuke ran towards Aoi at full speed. He perfectly aimed at Aoi's blade but the energy from that blade managed to defeat Chidori. Sasuke fell back but quickly got back on his feet. He then ran towards him with a kunai in hand, attacking and defending the best he could.
"So it's true. I've always heard that the last of the Uchiha clan was a hopeless loser, unworthy of his family name." Aoi smirked.
Sasuke froze slightly at those words and was knocked down.
"Just so you know..." Ami activated her Sharingan. "He isn't the only Uchiha around here and when you mess with my family, you're messing with me!"
Ami dashed towards him, small fireballs swirling around her. They grew stronger and more violent as her Sharingan attempted to change. She felt a hint of pain from her eyes and decided to stop forcing the Mangekyou for now. She attempted the same move as her brother, knowing she wouldn't be distracted by harsh words.
"They never mentioned a baby girl survived." Aoi smirked. "I wonder why."
Aoi energized the blade and attacked Ami. She grabbed hold of it, feeling the electric shocks rush through her body. She managed to hold on longer than Aoi had hoped and kicked him in the stomach.
"How?" Aoi demanded angrily. Ami wasn't entirely sure herself. But she soon felt her insides burning terribly and fell to her knees in pain.
"Get out while you still can!" Idate begged.
"Not a chance." Sakura said, fully determined. "We're not abandoning you, Idate! We promised we'd protect you!"
Sasuke slowly picked himself up just as Ami had fallen.
"Take it back." He muttered angrily.
"What are you talking about?" Aoi sighed, completely uninterested.
"I'm warning you! Don't mess with me!" Sasuke shouted. "I'm Sasuke of Konoha, the last of the Uchiha!"
"Oh really? What am I, your pet?" Ami muttered.
She clenched her arms, knees, stomach... Everywhere was burning. Naruto came to her side and said something. She couldn't understand what he was saying to her, or perhaps she couldn't hear. She remembered Idate appearing behind Naruto and both had a worried expression on their faces. She just hoped no one would die on this mission. It was the last thing she thought of before she felt nothing.
x.x
Ami started to come to her senses. She could hear someone screaming. She then felt someone shaking her.
"Get up! He's done for!" Naruto said eagerly.
"W-what?" Ami asked, still a little groggily.
Ami, Naruto and Idate used the remaining rope from the bridge to get to the other side, by swinging. Ami wasn't too fond of the idea, especially knowing they were up much higher than she'd liked to be. But, without much trouble, they managed to swing over and climb up. Ami looked back on Sakura and Sasuke. He was unconscious again.
"He'll be fine. Let's go." Naruto said.
The opponent was half way to the finish line when Idate showed up. Ami and Naruto stopped to watch.
"He'll make it. He's super fast." Ami grinned.
"Hey... How are you feeling?" Naruto asked, a little worried.
"A bit queasy, but I'll manage." Ami smiled.
"It's nice to see you smiling more, by the way." Naruto laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head.
Surely enough, Idate made it to the finish line in first place, much to the opponent's surprise. Needless to say, he was extremely out of breath afterwards! The Wagarashi attempted to make Idate withdraw from the race, because Naruto had carried him for a small part. But it had been a failed attempt.
"I can't thank you guys enough." Idate smiled, as they were saying their goodbyes.
"I've come to collect the wounded." Morino Ibiki appeared, completely out of nowhere, much to Idate's surprise. "Where is the wounded?"
"He's right here." Naruto and Ami said in unison, pointing towards Sasuke.
"Well bring him up." Ibiki ordered.
"He's scary." Ami whispered to Naruto.
They waved goodbye and were finally on their way home. Ami sat by her brother, who was in a very foul mood.
"Does it hurt?" Sakura asked eventually.
"No, it doesn't." Sasuke muttered.
"Don't worry; we'll get you healed once you get back to the village." Sakura chirped, before walking off.
"Sure."
"You did pretty well during this mission." Ami said, eventually. Sasuke said nothing in return. "And I'm not just saying that because I'm your adorable sister. It's because you really did good. I'm looking forward to going on more missions with you."
Sasuke spent the entire ride home in complete silence. Ami knew he was frustrated about getting injured. She just hoped it wouldn't get to him.
x.x
Ami decided to get something to eat before heading back to the Hospital to visit her brother. She would probably bring him a little something too, despite the nurses being completely against her brining him treats. She wasn't one to obey the Hospital rules anyway, so it didn't really bother her much. Once she entered the barbeque shop, she spotted something rather interesting. Her curious side wouldn't allow her to keep quiet at a time like this.
"No way! You're a chunnin?" She gasped.
Shikamaru was eating lunch with his teammates, Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Chouji and his Sensei, Sarutobi Asuma.
"He sure is!" Ino chirped, excitedly. "And congratulations to you too, on your very first mission and all."
"Thanks! So tell me Shikamaru, does this mean you're capable of leading a team now?" Ami said, still staring at the grand green vest the Nara was wearing.
"I guess." He replied lazily. Ami rolled her eyes.
"I actually thought you'd be more excited." She sighed.
She waved Squad Ten goodbye and proceeded to order her food. She didn't want to leave Sasuke alone for too long.
Ami was halfway towards the Hospital when two ANBU stopped her. She looked up at them and sighed.
"It wasn't me." She stated.
"Lady Tsunade would like to see you." The one wearing a Cat mask said.
"But I was going to go visit my brother at the-"
"Now." He ordered.
Ami groaned internally and followed the two ANBU towards the Hokage Tower.
The ANBU let her in, without even knocking on the door first. She really couldn't understand people who barged in without knocking. Hokage could've been busy with something important and they wouldn't even know.
"Ami, it's good to see you're well." Tsunade smiled. Kakashi, Genma, Kotetsu and Izumo were also in the room. Ami looked around, wondering why Tsunade would've called her over. "Sakura reported me on your mission."
"Do I get to do another one?" Ami asked, practically anticipating a 'yes'.
"I think you've earned yourself a break." Tsunade laughed. "Besides, I'd much rather hear about how you handled yourself."
"Okay, I guess. I still have a lot to learn." Ami shrugged.
"Well I'm curious to know how you managed to grab hold of the Thunder Spirit blade and not get hurt." Tsunade stated, now sounding much more serious.
"Technically, I did get hurt but-"
"But not immediately, which is rather strange." Tsunade said.
"I'm sorry, Hokage, but I have no idea how or why that happened. It just did." Ami sighed.
"You're obviously ready for lightning natured training." Kakashi stated, suddenly. Tsunade smiled slightly.
"Well, get to it as soon as you can." Tsunade nodded. "You can go visit your brother now."
Ami smiled and ran out of the room, her bags of food flying behind her.
"We still have no sign of Kei." Genma stated.
"He'll keep coming back to see her until he's finished whatever he's started." Kakashi sighed.
"Make sure you catch him next time." Tsunade ordered.
x.x
Ami happily skipped into Sasuke's room. She had to make sure to avoid the nurses, otherwise they might make her get a check up and also leave all her food behind. She knocked twice on his door before opening it. She was prepared to see him frown and say that she didn't have to knock every single time. Only, the room was completely empty once she walked in. The only traces of there once being people was a small plate and a half cut apple. She felt uneasy.
Ami let the bag of food set under Sasuke's bed and ran out of the room. Something inside her mind was telling her to keep running and so she did. She ran and ran until she reached the roof. That's when she saw Kakashi having a slight word with Sasuke, Naruto breathing heavily, Sakura looking terrified and the place surrounded by water.
"Sasuke... Are you okay?" Ami called out.
"Go home." He ordered. Ami stared at him confused.
"They got into a fight." Sakura said suddenly.
"Sasuke... Just tell me what's wrong." Ami sighed, walking towards him.
"I said go home! You worthless child." He spat angrily.
Everyone stared at Ami, half expecting her to pounce on him. However her reaction was completely different. She stood still, did nothing and said nothing. Sasuke grunted and leapt over the fence, running off.
Kakashi wasn't entirely sure what to do. Naruto was still frowning in his corner, Sakura was now crying and Ami was still frozen in the same position with the same expression. She looked completely blank.
"I assume it was you who taught him that technique. You don't think he's a little young for it? He could've killed Sasuke. I know you want to protect him from the Akatsuki but to entrust him with a jutsu like that." Kakashi said suddenly.
"Well that's rich coming from you. Teaching the Chidori to someone like Sasuke... I knew he was a hothead but I never expected him to use it on his teammate." Jiraiya stated, appearing out of nowhere.
Ami decided she didn't feel like listening to anything else and walked off, without saying a word. Sakura felt like calling out to her but let her leave. Her brother's words were echoing through her mind as she walked across the village. Cheerful voices were heard all around but they didn't feel comforting. She maintained the blank expression until she reached Shikamaru's favourite spot to watch clouds. Realising he wasn't around, she let her body drop onto the grass and stared up at the sky.
"Uchiha? Why are you crying?" A voice called out. Ami didn't pay much attention to it. "Hello? Are you listening to me?"
Ami's blank face turned to find Sasuke's former classmate, Inuzuka Kiba, staring at her. His dog, Akamaru, barked twice before jumping off Kiba's head and slowly walking towards her. She returned her gaze towards the clouds, still not answering.
"I've never seen you or your brother cry before. Everyone always talk about how emotionally strong you both are." Kiba continued, feeling the sudden need to be comforting. "But I guess if you are then you must be really upset... Just so you know, I'm all ears!"
Ami stood without saying anything and walked off. Kiba frowned at being ignored and concluded she was just as weird as Sasuke.
She spotted Shikamaru and his team on her way home and silently hoped they wouldn't notice her. It wasn't exactly hard for her not to be noticed, if she didn't have her Sharingan activated, there wasn't anything special to call attention. She didn't wear clothes with bright colours and she was tiny. Ironically enough, Ino did see her and was able to tell that she'd been crying.
"Are you okay?" Shikamaru asked, sounding less lazy than usual. When she ignored him, he grabbed hold of her arm. "What's wrong?"
"Why are you crying?" Ino asked, bumping into Shikamaru.
Ami refused to answer any one of their questions and Shikamaru soon gave in. He allowed her to continue her way home but said he'd stop by in the evening. Even Asuma seemed genuinely worried. The Uchiha siblings never cried after their families funeral.
x.x
Ami had intended on meditating but once she sat down, all alone, she broke down. Her heart ached from the painful words. Sasuke was all she had in the world and now not even he wanted her. What had she done? Was this something recent or was it something that had been building up all these years?
"Why are you crying, little one?" Kei's voice appeared.
"Kei?" She asked, not entirely sure if it was her mind playing tricks on her.
"It's me... What happened?" He asked, kneeling beside her.
Ami explained everything. She mentioned how Sasuke had grown extremely distant and cold ever since the chunnin exams, how she felt completely useless on her first mission and what he called her not too long ago. Kei listened carefully, muttering a few curse words under his breath every now and then.
"Finish teaching me." Ami said suddenly. "Teach me how to master the Mangekyou. Then no one will have the courage to call me worthless ever again."
Kei smirked at her determination. All the pain she was feeling would only help.
"I should warn you... Once you've mastered it, I won't come back and this time I really mean it." Kei said, almost regretfully.
"I understand." Ami nodded.
"And you must never tell how you learnt this. Not even Sasuke."
"Especially not Sasuke." Ami smirked.
Making good use of the meditation spot, Kei taught her how to transform all her pain into power. It was in fact, slightly harder than she'd expected it to be. Forcing her memories in such way consumed too much chakra. Kei had to give her some of his from time to time. The burning sensation from her eyes didn't die down for a second. He kept assuring her it was normal and safe. It was already after dark when she felt the burning disappear.
"All that pain is like chakra. Focus it all at once." Kei said, calmly.
She did as she was told. She soon felt recharged, much stronger than she'd ever felt. She slowly opened her eyes and her Sharingan spiralled. She knew it was different.
"The format is similar to Shisui's." Kei muttered.
"Shisui... The name sounds quite familiar." Ami wondered.
"Well never mind that... Go rest little one. I'll leave in the morning."
x.x
Ami was fast asleep when Sasuke got home. He stared at her sleeping form for a few minutes. His own words echoed through his mind. What was he thinking? She was the only thing that mattered to him in the entire world and he'd just pushed her away. For some reason, he felt as though she'd never forgive him. He ran downstairs and found the notepad lying on the kitchen counter.
I can't tell you where I am but I am perfectly fine. I don't want you to come after me because your place is in Konoha. I want you to officially take my place in Squad Seven. I know you're capable. Don't stay in this house alone, we've both outgrown this place. There's enough money saved for you to get a place for yourself in town. Stay close to Naruto and Kakashi. Once I'm strong enough, I'll come for you and we'll finally get revenge on Itachi. Keep training and grow up strong. We'll meet again someday.
I love you and I'm sorry.
He set the note on her bedside table and stared at her for a few moments once again. He felt someone's presence just outside the door and spun round.
"Get out." Sasuke whispered angrily.
"I'm keeping an eye on her... Seeing as you are incapable of doing so." Kei muttered.
"I don't trust you. I want you out of this house and out of her life. I'm warning you-"
"No need for temper, Sasuke." Kei smirked. "I don't plan on staying past tomorrow."
Sasuke walked out of his sister's room, closing the door behind him.
"I am curious to know why you suddenly don't trust me." Kei said, following Sasuke downstairs.
"You asked not to see Kakashi or anyone. You surely must have something to hide." Sasuke frowned.
"It's not like that." Kei smiled.
"I don't care. If I find out you stayed, you'll be dealing with me."
Kei watched Sasuke leave the house. He sighed to himself. Ami won't be too pleased in the morning.
x.x
Ami's alarm sounded at precisely nine in the morning. She groaned into her pillow and moved her
hand around until she found the silencing button. She slowly picked herself up and went to wash up. She changed into a pair of black shorts, a white shirt and a black hoodie, with the Uchiha symbol on the back. She frowned at her tired reflection.
"I look like sh-"
"Good morning!" Kei shouted, just outside the door. Ami sighed and opened it. She wasn't looking forward to bidding him farewell just yet, but it seemed as though he was ready to leave. "Get yourself some breakfast, kiddo. I'll be leaving very soon."
Ami silently led Kei towards the training grounds. Once in the very middle, she stopped.
"We're not sparring." Kei laughed.
"I know. Head south from here, no one will know." She mumbled.
Kei gave her a very tight hug before walking off. Ami had cried enough the previous night and was determined to not cry now.
"You're just going to get stronger from now on. Be safe... We might meet again along the way."
She didn't wait for him to leave before turning around and heading back home.
Ami violently threw herself back on her bed. She'd managed to hit her bedside table, knocking over her alarm clock. Seeing as she didn't like having things out of place, she got up once again and grabbed the clock. That's when she saw it.
x.x
Ami desperately ran straight into Tsunade's office. The only person inside was her personal assistant, Shizune.
"You scared me! W-what is it you need?" She asked, slightly worried.
"Tsunade. Where is she?" Ami asked, trying her best to regain her composure.
"She's at the Hospital treating – Hey! Wait!"
As soon as Ami had heard the word 'Hospital', she'd run out of the room. Tsunade had to hear of this soon and she had to send someone after her brother. She'd go alone but she had no clue where to start looking. Ami knew the nurses would give her a hard time about bothering the Hokage while she was working, so she decided to check every window.
Luckily enough, she found Tsunade staring out the window of the fourth floor. The Hokage was startled to suddenly see the young Uchiha trying to get in.
"There are doors for a reason." Tsunade said, slightly irritated by the sudden surprise.
"Read this." Ami said, breathlessly. She noticed the two people in the room were Genma and Raido. They seemed completely out of energy. "What happened to you two?"
"Enemies." Genma mumbled.
"Strong ones." Raido added.
Tsunade finished reading and turned back towards the window. Ami anxiously waited for her to say something.
"I know." She muttered.
"What do you mean-"
"I'm already aware that Sasuke left the village. I have been since around four in the morning. Shikamaru rounded up a team to go retrieve him." Tsunade stated.
"And you're telling me this, now? It wouldn't be difficult to send someone to let me know that my brother is missing! Which way did they go?" Ami demanded, extremely furious.
"You are going to stay in the village. Shikamaru is in charge of this mission. If he wanted you to tag along, then he would've called you."
Genma and Raido felt extremely awkward in that room. Ami was gradually losing her temper and no one really liked it when Uchiha's lost their temper.
"I can't believe him! He's my brother! I have every right to go after him!" Ami was shaking in fury by now. Her eyes were slowly spiralling into a dark red colour.
"Lady Tsunade..." Genma said, worriedly.
"You will tell me where he is!" Ami demanded.
Tsunade grabbed hold of the girl as she jumped towards her. Genma and Raido were in complete shock by the scene. No Konoha Shinobi would ever dare to willingly attack the Hokage and yet, here stood Uchiha Ami, ready to kill. Tsunade, however, didn't seem angry. She understood Ami's sudden anger and desperation. The girl slowly began to calm down and soon broke down into tears.
"Please..." She begged.
"Go home, Ami. Shikamaru can handle the situation." Tsunade said quietly.
Ami took the chance to leave when Gai came rushing into the room, asking about Rock Lee's surgery. There wasn't a chance she was going home. She couldn't sit back and wait for Shikamaru to return.
The chunnin that was supposed to be guarding the gates seemed to be a lot more interested in his pack of cards. Ami smirked. She crawled past the chunnin and only got back on two feet once she was outside. She then dashed off. She was able to get a trail with the assistance of her Sharingan.
x.x
"Show yourself!" A boy handling a puppet ordered. Ami complied, not wanting to cause any trouble. He pointed towards her forehead. "You're from Konoha."
"Yes... Where are you three from?" She asked.
"Suna." The girl answered. "Your Hokage asked for our assistance."
"What's your name?" The puppet boy asked, smirking.
"Uchiha Ami."
The boy with red hair finally turned towards her. Ami had seen him before, she was certain.
"Uchiha eh? What a coincidence, we're supposed to go after one. I'm Temari, this is Gaara and-"
"I'm Kankuro!" The puppet boy interrupted.
"Wait, you three know where my brother is?" Ami asked, slightly surprised.
"Well... Not exactly. We know where we can find the team that's gone to retrieve him." Temari wondered.
"Perfect. Would you mind if I tag along?" Ami smirked.
"Not at all!" Kankuro grinned.
The three Suna shinobi were much faster than she'd expected. After hours and hours of running, the red haired boy, also known as Gaara, came to a halt.
"Found them?" Temari whispred.
"This is where we split up." Gaara ordered.
"Who takes the stowaway?" Kankuro asked, smirking towards Ami.
"As leader for this mission, I will." Gaara stated, taking off. Ami took one look at the other two before following the strange boy.
"You have a Sharingan, right?" Gaara asked suddenly, offering her half of his snack.
Gaara had decided it would be best to take a few minutes to rest. He wasn't entirely sure what his follower was capable of, so making sure her energy was a full capacity was essential. Besides that, she looked rather hungry. Ami, despite usually being the intelligent one, completely forgot to pack extra snacks for her mission. She'd left in such a hurry... She was quite glad when Gaara offered her some of his.
"Yeah... Do you want me to activate it?" Ami wondered as she accepted the food gratefully.
"Just make sure you're prepared to attack." He nodded.
"I remember you now! You were there when Konoha was attacked." Ami said.
Gaara sighed. He didn't seem too fond of the subject.
"I'm sorry about that and about hurting your brother." He muttered.
"You're the Kazekage's son?" Ami asked, eyes wide.
"Yes."
"Right well... I owe you a punch or two, but I'll consider us even once you've rescued my brother." She smirked.
x.x
Gaara used his sand to get Rock Lee to the ground safely. In order to avoid the enemy attacking any further, Ami blocked him with a giant fireball. The enemy didn't waste time on attacking them.
"Get behind me." Gaara ordered.
Ami did as she was told and stood behind Gaara and kept a close eye on Rock Lee. Not a second later, the enemy attacked them with what seemed to be bones. Ami didn't pay much attention to the conversation between Gaara and Lee. They seemed to know each other reasonably well.
"I want you both to stay behind me while I fight him." Gaara ordred.
Lee frowned slightly.
The enemy mocked Gaara, about having limited sand, but he was soon proven wrong when Gaara revealed his little secret. Gaara had been using the earth around them to feed his sand and create a bigger amount.
"He has Sasuke's eyes." Gaara said, suddenly.
"No he doesn't. Sasuke's eyes are dark like mine and-"
"No... I mean the emotion in them. Always wanting to prove they are worthy." Gaara muttered.
Ami was about to question his conclusion but her attention was drawn towards the enemy breaking through Gaara's sand barrier. After the enemy mocked Gaara once again, the Kazekage's son got serious. He formed a few hand signs and created a sand Tsunami. He then made the ground shake slightly, making Ami and Lee cling onto each other.
"Please tell me he's dead." Ami mumbled.
"Why won't he give up?" Gaara sighed.
"What? He's still holding up?" Lee said, exasperated.
Gaara's next move was a sand coffin. Ami was surprised to see how well the boy could manipulate sand. He was definitely someone she'd like to keep as a friend for life. But once again, the enemy managed to escape. Gaara was starting to lose his patience.
"Let me help." Ami offered.
"No. Save your energy because once I'm done here, you still need to go after Sasuke and I get the feeling you wish to go alone."
"Naruto's gone after him too." Lee stated.
Ami nodded and allowed Gaara to continue his fight. She was actually quite happy to know that he'd taken her feelings into consideration.
The enemy suddenly managed to pass through Gaara's sand, attacking him. The Suna ninja ended up far away from the other two.
"I'll handle this." Lee stated, before Ami could run towards them.
Lee ended up on the ground but thankfully still alive. Before Ami could think, black flames surrounded the four of them. Unfortunately, she still wasn't used to the power of the Mangekyou and they died down quicker than she'd hoped. The enemy smirked and focused his attention on Gaara once again. He removed his spine, much to Ami's disgust, and used it as a weapon. He attempted to attack Gaara once again but the sand boy used his ultimate defence. The enemy's bones began to break away once trapped inside Gaara's sand. Gaara then began to sink the enemy to the ground.
"It's amazing that he still has chakra!" Lee exclaimed.
"Is he dead?" Ami asked, curiously.
Gaara silently observed the ground below him. He didn't seem too convinced and he was right. A series of large bones popped out suddenly and spread everywhere. Gaara quickly saved Ami and Lee and kept all hovering high above the ground. The enemy soon appeared behind Gaara, claiming he wasn't a pawn. Ami rolled her eyes at his persistence.
The strange bone-manipulator yelled in anger and frustration and attempted to stab Gaara through the head. Ami screamed in despair. Gaara waited for his life to end but it never happened. Instead, the enemy fell limp to the ground.
Gaara successfully got them all back on firm ground and rested against a tree.
"Forget what I said earlier. We're definitely even." Ami smiled.
"Go find him and do not get yourself killed. If there are any enemies around, make sure you plan ahead." Gaara said, breathlessly.
Ami nodded and ran off. Adrenaline was pumping. There was no way she'd let Sasuke leave.
x.x
"You sent genin after Sasuke? With all due respect, Hokage, but have you completely lost your mind?"
Kakashi leaned against Tsunade's desk, mentally hoping his body wouldn't give in from all the sudden stress. What had the woman been thinking? She couldn't send genin after a group of dangerous shinobi!
"I have a backup plan, Kakashi. Besides, you know very well that I can't send out jounin in our current situation."
"But they're genin and-"
"They are Konoha Shinobi, Kakashi. They can manage." Tsunade assured.
Kakashi didn't seem at all convinced. He groaned internally and began walking out of Tsunade's office.
"Where are you going? You've been assigned to another mission!" She bellowed.
"I know... I just have a few errands to run." Kakashi waved.
Cat stopped by Kakashi's window, letting himself in immediately.
"We managed to track him during the first hundred miles but he disappeared. It was completely out of nowhere!" Cat stated.
"Was Ami with him?" Kakashi asked.
"She followed him towards the training grounds but he went on alone afterwards."
"Are you sure you can't track him?" Kakashi wondered.
"Unfortunately, I'm positive. There's no doubt he's a shinobi and Fox said he noticed a Sharingan. Perhaps the man was being honest about being another Uchiha survivor."
Kakashi nodded. With that out of his mind, all he had to do now was make sure Ami wouldn't go after Sasuke.
"Where is she now?"
"Ami? Well... I don't know." Cat responded, slightly taken aback by the question.
Kakashi groaned. If she were in the village, ANBU would've spotted her somewhere by now. Unless she was still in shock by Sasuke's words. Perhaps there was a chance she was crying in her room.
"Cat... If you're not doing anything right now, patrol the compound. Let me know if she gets in or out." Kakashi ordered.
Despite no longer being in ANBU, Kakashi enjoyed still having a sense of command with his former teammates. Cat was definitely someone he could rely on for whatever reason. With Ami out of his mind, he had to think about where he could find Sasuke. There's no doubt Naruto is one of the genin in the retrieval squad... He needed trackers. He summoned his trusty ninja dogs into the room.
"Okay guys, I need you to find Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Understood?"
"Yes Sir!" Pakkun barked.
"Kakashi sensei!" Sakura called out, desperately running towards him.
"I already know and I'm taking care of it." Kakashi assured.
"Yeah but you should know that-"
Sakura was interrupted by the ANBU shinobi appearing before them.
"Reporting in, Sir!" Kakashi nodded for Cat to continue. "I... I don't think you're going to enjoy this piece of news, but Uchiha Ami isn't in her home. She isn't in the village at all."
"That's what I was going to tell you! I have no idea whether or not she knew where to go but she went after them. I saw her leave the village, but I didn't think it was right to try to stop her. Even if I did, she probably would've knocked me out and gone anyway. I'm sorry Kakashi! I really am!" Sakura cried.
"I'll let you know if anything changes." Cat stated, before disappearing.
Kakashi took a deep breath and continued heading towards the gates. He should've known from the start that Ami would've gone.
x.x
Ami could hear loud bangs everywhere. She was, however, very glad that someone – most likely Sasuke – was using fire style jutsu's. The huge flames were telling her exactly where to go. As she got closer, she grew uneasy. She wasn't sure what was happening but it wasn't something good. There was something about the air around her.
She finally reached a place she'd never been before. Though, she knew it was known as the Valley of the End. She recognized the two statues on each side of the waterfall. One was the first Hokage and the other was her ancestor, Uchiha Madara.
She was suddenly caught by surprise by the extremely large fireball that Sasuke had formed. Despite not wanting to, she retreated back slightly, avoiding the heat. As she got closer once again she saw Naruto down.
"He feels strange." Ami muttered.
x.x
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Kakashi asked as he finally reached Pakkun.
"Positive. I've also picked up Uchiha Ami's scent." Pakkun stated.
Kakashi was definitely thankful he made Pakkun memorize their scents as soon as he met them all. It was possibly one of the best things he's done for them. The next best thing would be to stop the fight between Sasuke and Naruto, which he was certain was either happening or about to.
x.x
Naruto slowly got up and suddenly punched Sasuke in the face. Ami began running again but froze once she realised Naruto growing a tail. Was she seeing things? He couldn't possibly grow a tail out of nowhere.
"Kyuubi!" She gasped to herself.
How could she have forgotten about the demon stuck inside him? She hesitated slightly, completely unsure whether or not it was safe to appear before them at a time like this. Both boys continued their fight, destroying parts of the valley. Ami then noticed Sasuke changing form. That surely wasn't something she'd seen before. Could that be why he'd been so distant and strange? Could that be the result of something that happened during or after the chunnin exams? She had to know and she wasn't going to allow Sasuke to leave the village without explaining. But she still had her intelligence. She knew too well that she couldn't simply interrupt their fight now; otherwise she'd get caught in the middle.
The following acts to catch her attention included Naruto flying Sasuke into a wall, smoke everywhere and Sasuke transforming into a horrendous monster. She could sense Naruto's chakra also getting stronger. She feared more tails would start appearing. That had to be something that could calm him down somehow.
-Flashback-
"You're too quiet little one... Don't be sad that I'm leaving. You still have your brother and your friends." Kei smiled.
"Something tells me I'm losing my brother." Ami mumbled.
"Well don't let him get away! Simple as that."
Ami opened the gates that led to the training grounds, reluctantly. She didn't know how to say goodbye officially. She didn't really want to. Kei knew she wouldn't stick around too long. In fact, he was quite surprised she offered to walk with him all the way here.
"You know... There is something I could tell you." Kei wondered. "It's about the Mangekyou."
"What about it?" Ami asked, a little more lively.
"Although it's not entirely certain... I'm just guessing. The only one that can fully know of its capabilities will be you. But I do believe you'd be able to control strong urges." Ami stared at him, not understanding what he was meaning. "You gained this power by focusing your pain and transforming it into power. To do such a thing requires a strong mind. Therefore, I've come to the conclusion that your Mangekyou might include the genjutsu of mind control."
"So you're saying I could make anyone do whatever I wish?" Ami said, already thinking of a way to make Sasuke publically apologize to her.
"More or less... But like I said, I can't be entirely sure of what you're capable of."
-End Flashback-
"That's it!" She shouted suddenly.
At that very moment, Naruto and Sasuke attacked each other, causing water to splash everywhere. Sasuke had used his Chidori against Naruto's Rasengan. She noticed that as they clashed, a dark ball of chakra formed around them. That was it, she wasn't going to stand around and do nothing.
"What did you do?" Ami demanded. Sasuke turned to face her. Naruto was on the ground. "Why isn't he moving?"
"Go home." Sasuke ordered.
"Don't talk to me like that! You are going to give up on whatever crazy idea you've got your mind set on, and you're going to do that now!" She shouted.
Her eyes spiralled into action once Sasuke turned his back on her to continue his way. Without even realising, she made black flames appear just before him, blocking his path. He spun round quickly, just as infuriated as he had been a while ago.
"How?" He bellowed. "I demand to know how you learnt that!"
"Stick around and I might teach you." She smirked.
Sasuke groaned loudly and ran towards her, grabbing her violently by the neck. He threw her aside, making her crash into the rocks. The black flames had already died down and her Mangekyou faded back into a normal Sharingan. Quickly forming hand signs, she sent a great fireball in his direction. Sasuke dodged it easily and armed himself with a Chidori.
"I told you to go home." He gritted.
"I'm not leaving here without you." Ami said, breathlessly. She was already feeling the Mangekyou drain her.
"Suite yourself."
Sasuke charged with his Chidori. Ami knew she couldn't dodge it. She still needed to get used to the new power. Sasuke hit her perfectly in the stomach. It was the same sensation she'd felt whilst being attacked by the Thunder Blade. The energy ran through her easily and the burning sensation came afterwards. Sasuke managed to escape before she hit the ground.
x.x
"It's raining. Won't it wash away the scent?" Kakashi wondered.
"It doesn't matter, we're close enough." Pakkun assured.
Kakashi leapt towards the Valley of the End, which had its scenery slightly altered. No doubt whatever battle went on, it was pretty intense. He soon spotted Naruto lying on his back and Ami slumped against a rock.
"I'm too late." He thought to himself.
"How did it come to this?" Pakkun sighed, running towards Naruto.
Lying forgotten, next to Naruto, was a Konoha headband. Pakkun took a good sniff at it and nodded sadly.
"It's Sasuke's."
Kakashi's mind was blank. If only he could've arrived sooner. Obviously he'd been too nice with Sasuke during their pep talk. He should've been stricter. Three of his four students practically grew up without an adult figure in their lives and even though they think they're fine without one, they need Kakashi to be that strict adult from time to time.
Kakashi struggled slightly, but managed to carry his two students in his arms. Luckily for him, neither of them was heavy. In fact, Kakashi thought they were both quite small for their age.
"Kind of ironic isn't it? Sasuke and Naruto battling here." Pakkun stated.
"Yeah." Kakashi muttered.
Everything was still too overwhelming for him. Why would Sasuke willingly choose to leave his friends and only family behind and why would he dream of attacking them? Noting made sense to him at that moment. Kakashi looked up towards the sky.
"The storm is finally clearing."
"With all that rain, I won't be able to follow Sasuke's scent. But making sure these two get back alive is much more important than finding Sasuke right now." Pakkun said.
Kakashi silently agreed and began making his way back.
x.x
Naruto slowly started regaining his senses, though he still wasn't strong enough to walk. He opened his eyes slowly, allowing them to adjust to the light.
"Kakashi Sensei... Where's Sasuke?" He whispered.
Kakashi didn't know how to reply but figured his silence was enough of an answer. Naruto didn't really need to hear the truth; it would only hurt much more.
One of Konoha's medical groups, which Tsunade dispatched beforehand, reached Kakashi, Pakkun and the two children. They didn't waste time on asking questions and reporting. Naruto heard every word, even though he looked as though he was in another world. The other medical groups had already reached the others. Some had received emergency medical treatment on the scene before being transferred. They had all been wounded, though Shikamaru only suffered minor injuries. This only made Naruto feel worse. Everyone came out, fully determined to bring Sasuke back, and now they're returning without him. How would Sakura feel once they got back? Or worse, how would Ami cope from now on? Ami...
"What happened to her?" Naruto asked, staring the motionless Uchiha.
"I'm still not sure what exactly happened." Kakashi sighed.
x.x
Tsunade looked through her books. She was glad to know everything she needed was there. She was certain she'd be able to heal Akimichi Chouji without much trouble.
"I'm going to need more deer antler!" She ordered.
x.x
Inuzuka Kiba winced every time he tried to lean forward to get a better look at Akamaru.
"Well sis? What do you think? Is he going to be okay?" Kiba asked, worriedly.
Inuzuka Hana, Kiba's older sister and vet, examined Akamaru from head to paw. The poor pup whined every now and then, making Kiba more anxious.
"Well, one thing's sure – no long walks for him, for a while." Hana stated.
"Can't you do anything about it? You're a vet!" Kiba begged.
"Not a magician! It takes time. But relax his life isn't in danger." Hana sighed. Kiba groaned and winced from the sudden pain that surged through him. "No long walks for you, any time soon, either."
"I got it, don't worry." Kiba chuckled.
x.x
Neji lay in the centre of a large diagram in a special and isolated room. The med-nin group were working extremely hard on healing his injuries.
"We've been at it for almost three hours, time for you to take over." One med-nin said to another.
"We're using the boy's own hair as a conductor, so focus on that. Try to accelerate the growth rate of the injured cells! As for the chakra control, just think of threading a needle!" Shizune ordered.
"Yes ma'am!"
Surely enough, Neji's injuries slowly began to heal as though they were being sown together. The young Hyuuga would feel the urge to twist and turn every now and then but the diagram kept him in place.
x.x
Shikamaru sat outside, in the waiting room, drumming his fingers impatiently. He looked down at his bandaged index finger and frowned. Temari sat opposite him, legs crossed.
"No point in making yourself crazy." She said eventually. "Don't you remember you psychological training? With every mission, comes sacrifice."
"Training and reality are two different things. I thought I knew about missions. I thought I knew what it meant to be a Shinobi... Now, after this mission, my first as a squad leader, only one thing's clear... I'm just not cut out to be a Shinobi." Shikamaru said after a while, frowning.
"All you men, with such fragile egos." Temari sighed.
"I thought all I had to do was depend on everybody else... Some leader. I should've done more but I didn't have the strength. It's all my fault!" Shikamaru stated.
"What? Are you afraid you might get hurt?" Temari mocked.
Shikamaru stared at her for a while before retreating. He wasn't about to start a fight with her, after all. He pretended not to notice his father standing in the corner.
"Shikamaru... A girl disrespects you like that and you just walk away?" He sighed.
"You bet I do! Arguing isn't exactly my style; it's what girls like to do." He spat.
"Well, what are you? Not a man, that's for sure. As far as I can see, you're nothing but a coward. You think that if you quit, the missions will stop? Someone has to do it. Your comrades will be sent out again and they'll face the same risks. Some of them might not make it! Ones you might've saved, if you'd been there to lead them. How are you going to feel then? You've got a chance to learn from your mistakes. You shouldn't be trying to run away... You should be training to become a better leader. The choice is simple. You're either a leader or a coward. Which one are you?" Shikaku lectured.
Tsunade opened the door before Shikamaru could think of an answer. Temari looked towards her, silently hoping to hear good news.
"He's going to be just fine!" Tsunade smiled. "The antidote worked. The extermination of cells, caused by the pills affects, has been rested." She sighed and took a seat where Shikamaru once was. "I couldn't have done it without your help, Shikaku. The Nara Clan's sacred medicine guide was invaluable!"
Shizune came running down the hallway, calling for Tsunade like crazy. They all expected bad news to come from her.
"Hyuuga Neji is safe! His condition has stabilized!" She grinned.
Shikamaru slowly felt lighter as the good news kept pouring in. Perhaps he hadn't done as badly as he was claiming. Although he knew there was still much to learn.
"There's more! Hatake Kakashi has returned with Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Ami and they've already been examined. Both their injuries are serious but not life threatening. They're going to be okay." Shizune stated, unable to hide her happiness.
and he's gone *cries* so like I said.. we're heading into shippuden years - Will anyone ever really know who Kei is? You know I could be really evil and just make him an OC right? muahahah
Yeah... Not telling :p (muahaha again)
Until next time! xoxo!