Leaves in the Wind

Chapter Six: Flushed

The hunt for Kekemoro Suien had been on for only one night and discord had already struck. After five minutes of strict worrying over Iruka, Kakashi and Amaya had calmed down and settled for leaning against the base of the tree nearest their incapacitated friend. Amaya was too worried to find sleep of her own, so instead she decided to play as company for Kakashi. The dawn was not coming in its usual dazzling display of pyrotechnics but instead, as a vague, grey mist that shifted and skipped around the forest trees.

The hunter nin's eyes drooped closed for an instant, and then jerked back awake. Her worry for her companions had become too much to displace. Iruka's awakening from the nightmare had been near disturbing. Amaya shifted on the dewy grass, attempting to find comfort in the wet forest. "Kakashi-kun," her voice rang at its usual tone, soft and curious, "may I ask you a question?"

"Ne?" The Jounin's eyes were closed, arms crossed across his chest and head leaned back against the tree. He seemed oddly relaxed. "What is it?"

"Well," Amaya's gaze drifted to Iruka, who lay flat on his back with arms to the sides. She blinked wearily, trying to nudge off her desire to sleep. "When you were speaking to the Hokage, you'd convinced him to choose Iruka-kun by claiming he possessed a certain quality you desired, correct?"

"Naturally."

"Uh..." Amaya let out a deep breath. "What is it? I don't mean it in a rude way, I just want to know. What is it you were speaking of?"

"That's two questions, Amaya-chan." Kakashi smiled through the cloth mask he wore. It lent him a detached value that, in combination with his easy confidence and obvious strength, made him seem as though he was nearly god-like in nature. It intimidated her.

"That first question didn't count, Kakashi-kun. I was merely asking if you wouldn't mind answering a question." Her voice gained a cross tone.

"Yes, yes." Kakashi yawned and shifted. "I wanted Iruka on our team because…" He paused, searching for the right words.

Amaya waited patiently, and then urged him to respond. "Because why?"

"Because I wanted to hear all about how Ebiki-san is secretly a closet pervert."

"That's not true." Amaya nudged him with her elbow, but she couldn't help but grin.

Kakashi opened his eye to look at her. "Oh? Then why is it?"

"I don't know, is it some type of talent? Skill or attribute?" She'd shifted so she could make direct eye contact with him. "I have a right to know, Kakashi-san."

The Jounin stared back at her blankly for a long moment. The waterfall girl was getting a bit feisty. Kakashi found he liked that. "Fine, Amaya-san." He lifted a hand in the air as a declaration of truth. "It's because I trust him."

There was silence between the two and Amaya relaxed again, eyeing the Chuunin. "Because you trust him?"

"Yes." Kakashi tucked his arms again, closing his eye. "I do."

The other Jounin nodded slowly. "I see."

"Yukio!" Iruka's screech pierced their ears and they turned, seeing the man suddenly sitting up with bewildered eyes. Iruka was clutching his right arm and panting heavily. Understanding slowly returned to his body language as the tension melted and the deep brown orbs turned upon the two Jounin. "O-oh, I-I'm sorry…did I wake you?"

"Yu…ki…o?" Amaya mumbled, watching Iruka carefully.

"No, we were just talking." Kakashi sighed, sitting up slightly. "Lie down, Iruka-san."

Iruka murmured something; the name he'd shouted came up again. After a moment of self-contemplation he complied with Kakashi's order, lying down in the grass. He stared up through the mist, an equally obscured expression returning to his eyes. "Fevers always bring…such memories…"

Amaya scooted over to Iruka and picked up the damp cloth that had been dropped on the ground with his movement. She poured water onto it and then rang it out a bit, placing it on his head. "Who's Yukio?"

"Old friend." He offered her a weak smile. "Ahh, as we all know. I'm useless right now."

"No you aren't." She shook her head. "There couldn't have been a better time to be useless, Iruka-kun." Amaya laughed light-heartedly. "Just as long as you're prepared by the time Suien-sen-" a pause, "Kekemoro Suien is lured in."

"I understand…" Iruka grimaced, shutting his eyes. "My canteen- quickly."

Amaya reached over to Iruka's bag. She produced the requested canteen and handed it to him. "Here."

"Th-thanks…" She watched him drink, sputtering while he did so and gasping. His condition, unluckily for them, appeared to be rapidly worsening.

"I-Iruka-kun?" Amaya placed a hand on his back and patted. "Do you feel sick?"

"I'm all right, Amaya-chan…it's just a…simple fever." Iruka's smile wavered.

"You need to sleep then," But Amaya knew he'd only have another nightmare. "Or at least lie down and close your eyes."

The Chuunin was now staring blankly at the ground. He hadn't heard her words.

"Iruka-kun?" Amaya stroked his hair and turned his face toward her. "Say something."

"I'm fine…" Glossed over brown eyes were staring back at her, and the frown she saw grew deeper. "I'm just tired."

"Kakashi-kun," The nin looked over to her partner. "We should go back to Konoha and request medical assistance. This is more serious than I thought."

"Mm…" Kakashi's eye switched over to her.

"No…" Iruka murmured.

"Yes," Kakashi nodded. "You'll only be a burden in this condition."

Iruka craned his head, peering over his shoulder at Kakashi. "What….happened to…'There couldn't have been a better time to be useless'?" Why was he fighting what he'd been trying to do since he'd been given that damn scroll? He should go back to Konoha…

"But…" Amaya seemed helpless. "I know I said that, but your condition is only worsening. If it progresses at this rate-"

"And if you bring me back to Konoha, you risk the chance of boring Suien. If he becomes bored with you, what…what… would keep him from vanishing without a trace?" Silence befell them as they weighed options.

"Hey, Amaya-chan," Kakashi spoke. "Let's wait until noon to see his condition. If it's better, we won't turn back."

"Thank you, Kakashi-san; as I said it's just a simple-"

Iruka was knocked forward as Kakashi hit the back of his neck. Amaya caught the sensei and held him in her arms, looking up at Kakashi. "But you're not going to get any better if you spend your time arguing," the Jounin took his hand back.

---

Iruka opened his eyes and immediately regretted the action. As far as he knew, he'd had a completely dreamless, undisturbed sleep. After at least a month of anxiety induced insomnia and a week of pains waking him in the middle of the night, it had been a heavenly slumber. True…it was initiated when Kakashi had hit a nerve cluster, but instead of the usual anger, he only felt gratitude.

"Guess I don't know when to shut up…" Iruka glanced to his left. Well, there was Kakashi with that infamous Icha Icha in hand -oh, how Iruka longed to shred the book to pieces….- yet no Amaya was to be seen.

How long had he been out? A quick assessment of the world around him gave the answer of ten hours.

"G'morn -or should I say- afternoon, Iruka-san." Kakashi didn't look up from his book, only turned the page. "Amaya-chan is scouting the area near the stream. She'll be back soon."

"Ahh…." Iruka squinted at Kakashi for a moment as his vision cleared. "Mm." He suddenly felt rather awkward…

Kakashi appeared in front of Iruka and pulled off his glove, placing the back of his hand to the man's forehead. "Ah, your fever is gone. Good."

The red cheeked sensei laughed, grinning broadly. "Normally, I'd be scolding you for knocking ME out, but I'll let it go with a stern warning this time."

Kakashi grinned, taking his hand back and pulling on the glove. "I'll keep that in mind."

"No movement from Kekemoro Suien yet?"

"Nope. Amaya-chan is growing restless, but I believe we shouldn't worry until nightfall."

"Mmn." Iruka propped himself up against the nearest tree, fixing Kakashi with a thoughtful eye. "She should remember that 'patience is a ninja's greatest weapon'."

Kakashi nodded, sitting back as well. "She's been anxious the entire time." He placed his hands behind his head, grinning. "As her team, we'll do the relaxing for her!" He laid back on the grass, holding up the orange-red book to read.

Iruka laughed lightly, lifting a hand to rub at a sore spot in his neck. Umber eyes flickered around the forest. Empty but for passing animals in the underbrush. "How long has Ama-"

"Yo!" Leaves fluttered downward, a swirling aura around a blackclad ninja that dropped from the treetops before Iruka. Amaya lifted her head and rose to a full stand, bright voice speaking through her mask. "Afternoon, Iruka-kun, are you feeling better?"

"Oh! Hello. Yes, yes…I'm fine. Find anything?"

"No…" The cheer faded away with that word.

Iruka flashed a grin to her. "If you possess patience, you possess all the time in the world."

"Don't get suckered into his pace." Kakashi handed her Icha Icha Paradise. "Here, read this. It'll keep your mind off things."

Amaya took it in her hands and stared at it curiously. It was promptly snatched away by Iruka, whose many years with ninja children enabled him to swipe offending objects from ANYONE, anywhere at anytime. "Why don't we just talk instead?" He aimed the book at Kakashi's head, remotely disappointed when the Jounin expectedly snatched it from the air.

"O…okay…" Amaya watched as Kakashi tucked the book away in his kunai pouch.

"Or," Iruka began, "we could throw shuriken at Kakashi-san and see if we can hit him."

Kakashi lifted a kunai and flipped it through his fingers. The ninja gained a sarcastic smile.

Amaya shook her head. "Oh, no, let's not." The three settled down, though Iruka continued to stand in attempt to stretch his muscles. Silence befell them.

Iruka noted Amaya's mounting discomfort. The sensei attempted to redirect her attention. "Would you mind telling me about Takigakure?"

She smiled and nodded, thankful for his effort. "Taki is a very lovely village. The entirety of the land is surrounded in water."

"Are there waterfalls?" Kakashi asked sarcastically.

"Plenty of them."

"What of your villagers? What are they like?" The Chuunin perked up. "Your academy?"

"They're all very kind. Taki is a relatively peaceful village. We keep out visitors." She drew in sand with her finger. "Our academy is small. We don't have much need for Shinobi, but we do have them for self-defense."

Iruka nodded. "I see. But you keep relations with Konoha open for occasions like this."

"Of course," she nodded. "Naturally, we'd help more if we could…"

"It's better for your people if you don't. To be a great nation is to leave all safety behind and open yourself to everything; pure or corrupted."

She nodded with a smile. "You understand."

"Yes. Kakashi-san and I live in a great nation. To not understand would be a disgrace." The Chuunin plopped down next to Kakashi. "Why don't we play a game, Amaya-chan?"

Kakashi pulled out his book and began to read.

"What game?"

"'Nani, Dare'; A question game I use with my students." Iruka pointed at Amaya. "Since there are three people, Amaya-chan, you begin with 'What', Kakashi-san you begin with 'who' and I start with 'why'. I ask a simple question about 'why' you do or prefer something. You answer. You turn to Kakashi-san and you ask a question, 'what'. He answers. He will ask me 'who' and I answer. Then our roles will switch. It's simple and straight forward." He laughed. "The original intention of the game is to answer truthfully, but the Academy version consists of trying to exaggerate the truth as far as you can without getting caught. We'll try the first. Sound alright?"

"Nani, Dare…" Amaya nodded. "Fine." Amaya pointed at Kakashi. "I'll start easy then. What is your favorite food?"

"Broiled saury with salt and miso soup with eggplant." Kakashi turned the page. "Iruka-san, who was your top student last year?"

"Hmm…Uchiha Sasuke, although Naruto…Alright, Sasuke-kun." He hated to admit it, but Naruto had been, according to class rank, the worst while Sasuke had surpassed all his peers easily. "Why must you avoid being punctual?"

"Aren't you supposed to ask her a 'why' question?" Kakashi pointed to Amaya.

"My apologies. I couldn't resist." Iruka laughed. "Amaya-chan, why are you a ninja?"

A frown flickered across Amaya's face, but it quickly relented. "I lost my parents when I was very young, and I was taken in by a Taki shinobi. I admired him, so I followed his path." She faltered. "Ah, what kind of question do I ask now?"

"Who."

"Kakashi-kun, who would you rather fight, me or Iruka?"

Kakashi laughed and shrugged. "Both."

"That doesn't count!"

"Iruka-san, why did you buy 'Romance in the Night' yesterday?" An amused grin from the silver-haired Jounin.

Iruka flushed. "I wasn't paying attention and I just picked it up. The vendor is an old friend of mine and he can be pretty pushy so I…Amaya-chan, what do you do for leisure?"

Amaya's laughter was cut off and she blushed, though they couldn't tell through her mask. "Oh, well, I sew sometimes. Kakashi-kun, why do you always act so impartial?"

The Jounin shrugged. "Because I am. What day of the week is it, Iruka-san?"

"Heeeey," Amaya poked him in the side. "You're not really into this game are you?"

"No, it's fun." Kakashi glanced up from the book with his congenial grin.

"Haha, actually, I'm not sure I can answer that one. Friday or Saturday? Okay. We'll just skip order and toss out a 'who', 'what', or 'why'. Whichever you choose and to whomever you choose, but don't gang up on one person. Kakashi-san, why do you read 'romance' novels?"

The Jounin snapped the book shut and tapped it on his chin as he thought. "They're good writing, I suppose."

Amaya snorted.

Kakashi raised an eye brow at her. "Well, how would you know, have you read them?"

"No, but you're not supposed to ask a 'how' question."

"Ok, ok, fine." Kakashi shifted to a more practical approach to the game. "Amaya-chan, why were you chosen to hunt Suien?"

Apparently, this was an uncomfortable question for Amaya. The game was growing a bit more personal. "Suien was my sensei. I know him best…"

"Understandable." Iruka raised a brow at the copy-nin. "Kakashi, why do you where a mask?"

Kakashi opened his book back up and began to read. "This game is for children."

"Isn't that what I said in the beginning?" The Chuunin teacher's gaze was stuck to Kakashi. "Children are more perceptive and intelligent than I'm guessing either of you are willing to admit. They've been able to keep this game up for hours." His gaze narrowed slightly and his voice was a bare whisper. "Were you ever a child at all?"

"Iruka-san, I've been a Jounin since 13 years of age." Kakashi turned the page, frowning slightly.

"Thirteen?" Amaya gasped. "When did you pass the Chuunin exam?!"

"Six."

"So I heard." Iruka sighed. He stood suddenly, scratching at the base of his pony-tail. "I'm going back to that stream to bathe. If I see anything, I'll send a doppelganger."

"Ok," the girl said softly, pulling her feet to the side.

Kakashi raised a hand as farewell.

Iruka vanished among the trees.

---

The water was cool, not cold -thank god- and Iruka immediately sank down to his neck, sliding his hair band off and tossing it, watching it land on top of his clothing on the river's bank. He'd made preparations in case of an ambush, but he couldn't see it happening, not now.

A bird flew overhead, chirping loudly. Iruka cringed, ducking underwater once.

Damn birds…

The river lazily flowed along its path. It had been a few days since it last rained in the area, so it remained tame. Wind picked up, brushing through the trees.

The shifting made Iruka uneasy at first, but he slowly settled down in the water. He trailed around, drawing random parts of random seals in the water. A cheerful humming started up and he ducked under again. Iruka came back up for breath and shook the hair out of his eyes. Did the sun really drop this quickly? He peered around. No, a cloud didn't cross under the light. Then why was- Iruka froze when something cold and sharp pressed against the back of his neck.

"Don't move, Chuunin," a rough voice demanded of him.

"Why, what a lovely afternoon to meet you, Kekemoro-san." Iruka remained calm.

"You have personality," someone crouched down on the rock behind Iruka. The reflection in the river was too blurred to see. "I like that," he whispered.

"Most people tend to disagree. They see me as rather dull." He smiled ruefully.

A low chuckle in his ear and the knife slipped around the back of his neck to under Iruka's chin.

"Should I be afraid?"

"It depends on how much you value your life."

Iruka flinched. "You seem to be fond of games, Kekemoro-san."

The kunai drove the rest of the way through the neck. Iruka disappeared in a poof of mist. Suien smirked and stood up. He wore Taki's Jounin uniform sans the vest. His brown hair was long, falling just short of the shoulders. "Come out… Umino-san."

"You know that's not how it's played, Suien-kun!" Iruka dived out of a tree, heel about to drive into Suien, three kunai falling with him.

The kunai struck ground as Suien jumped to the side. Shuriken whizzed through the air.

The doppelganger poofed. Another rushed out from the line of trees, throwing a single kunai at the man. "Waiting to attack while a man is bathing. Seems a little sloppy."

Suien jumped to the side, but the shuriken immediately split into three. His eyes widened as they struck him, slicing through his body with stiff precision. The man gasped, staggering to the side. Suien's body turned to water and splashed to the ground.

Iruka patiently waited. "I'm well aware of the fact that you outclass me." He laughed lightly, in a nearly patronizing manner. "But patience can mean everything."

In response, the voice seemed to come from all angles. "I will not wait all day."

"I know." The ninja appeared on a low branch just in view of the river. "How long have you been watching us? Closely?"

"And what good would that information do you now?"

Iruka shrugged. "Satiate my curiosity?" Ah, great…Kakashi was beginning to influence HIM too…

"Yeeeees," Iruka's left arm was suddenly wrapped around his back and shoved upwards. A foot planted on his back and the tree limb bounced. "Four hours."

"Hnnh!" The Chuunin turned his head and smiled weakly. "That's embarrassing." He vanished in a plume of smoke.

In his place was a note tacked to the tree branch by a kunai, with the words 'Should you be reading this, I have successfully stalled you long enough to have dressed and subsequently, made it back to my team. My apologies. Umino Iruka.'

"Damn... Bastard Chuunin."

---

"KAKASHI! AMAYA!"

Iruka landed with a loud thud, clutching his healing arm. He was gasping for air and flinching with every breath he took. "S…Suien! River!" Deep inhale. "Suien is at the river!"

"What?" Kakashi leapt to his feet.

Amaya gasped and looked around. "Bastard! How long has he-"

"Ooooh," once again the deep voice came from all around them. "You certainly like to ask that question."

At this moment in time, Umino Iruka disregarded modesty and ushered a loud, disgruntled, "Shit."

"So you've finally come for me, Amaya-chan." A low chuckle made a crescendo into laughter. "It's been some time, ne?"

Amaya shifted, producing a kunai knife. "Come out, Suien-sensei! I don't have time for your games!"

"You've grown so much…" Wind blew through the trees. This made the team's eyes glance about suspiciously. If Suien was going to change location, now would be the time. "You used to have all the time in the world for our little games, child."

Amaya growled as the three shinobi backed up against one another, weapons drawn and ready for an attack from any angle. Three kunai zipped through the air and they scattered, leaping into the trees and concealing their positions. If Suien wanted to play like that, they would.

Prrrrukk!

A raven's nearby call caused Iruka's concealment jutsu to falter for a moment and he dropped down a branch, quickly putting another up in its place.

Prrruukk!

Again it faltered.

"Gottcha." A kunai slashed at Iruka's back and the Chuunin let out an involuntary cry of pain. When he flipped around, Suien was gone.

Disappointment briefly flickered in the forefront of Iruka's mind. He'd thought somehow…perhaps in some twisted way, however vague, these birds were connected with Suien. Or rather, connected to someone connected to…damn it… He scanned the area around him wearily, searching for traces of an aura. Nothing. He shouldn't have expected to find much, not when his comrades and his enemy were trying so hard to stay hidden.

He'd lay some more traps and send out another set of doppelgangers but his chakara reserves wouldn't last too much longer into the game if he did; because a game this was.

He'd throw a shuriken at the next bird that dared squawk.

A flock of birds suddenly began to screech and take flight. Amaya's pained shout hit his ears and a figure crashed out of the trees to the ground. Suien leapt down upon her vulnerable form, but exploded in a fit of water when Kakashi leapt out and sliced the man across the stomach.

"Amaya-chan, are you ok?" Kakashi stood over her protectively, keeping guard as she stood back up.

Amaya took in a deep breath and nodded, now having air back in her lungs. A twig snapped and both Kakashi and Amaya tossed their weapons in that direction, hitting only a falling log.

Suien shot out on their left side, throwing his arm at Amaya with full force. She turned, kunai meeting his with equal force. A glaring clash of metallic sound shot from the weapons as they collided. The missing nin leapt back into the trees before Kakashi could react.

A flash of red forced Iruka to stop in mid-decent, concealment gone and chakara suddenly, inexplicably drained. He felt the wind knocked out of him by an invisible force. He began falling-

And stopped.

Right before he hit the ground he'd desperately grabbed onto a thin branch and using this, he propelled himself upward. Prrrukk! went the raven, wherever the hell it was.

Iruka was angry. So angry and confused, in fact, that in a single flowing motion, he expelled a kunai from behind that had once been aimed at his heart and proceeded to shoot a dozen of his own knives in every direction, screaming at no one in particular. A few seconds later, it occurred to him that this was not the wisest of ideas…

Amaya gasped, flipping her hand through the air to knock down the kunai directed towards her and Kakashi. "Iruka-kun! What are you doing?!"

Kakashi turned, flipping a shuriken towards Iruka. It whizzed by his ear and made a quick landing on something behind the sensei. Blood splatter landed on his neck, but with a turn, it revealed nothing. This man was fast.

"Fly."

Iruka flipped, vanishing from view. He'd heard it. Surely…he'd heard it…He'd heard that whisper. The goddamned voice that had been haunting his thoughts for the past two days -and probably week; he didn't know. Another croak from the raven nearby. He raced toward it, momentarily forgetting about the battle they were in. Momentarily forgetting his comrades. The bird consumed his mind.

For just that instant, he became obsessed, and anything that got in his way of killing the fowl would fall to him.

"Shit," Kakashi watched Iruka. "Something's wrong."

"Go after him. I'll keep on Suien." Amaya flipped up into the trees as Kakashi dashed after his comrade.

The Chuunin was tearing through the trees faster than he should have been capable. He would propel himself upwards then immediately fall to a lower branch, and his head would constantly lift to the foliage above. If he weren't going in the opposite direction, he could have been looking for Suien.

Kakashi picked up his speed upon spotting the Chuunin. He flipped down the branches and then grabbed Iruka's arm. "What are you doing?" he quickly demanded. A brief stinging sensation in his arm made him flinch. Blood trickled down his arm, and a matching liquid dripped from a kunai in Iruka's hand.

Iruka took advantage of his comrade's momentary shock, and jerked his arm free, glancing back a moment before he continued his chase. The eyes he turned on Kakashi were feverish and shaded. He gave the Jounin a half smile.

He was gone.

Kakashi gave his arm one look before leaping after Iruka again. Suien probably used some sort of genjutsu on Iruka to get him in this state. "Iruka-san!" He tried to catch the Chuunin's attention. He appeared ahead of Iruka, sweeping out the Chuunin's legs, knocking him out of the tree to the ground and then nailing a knee square in his chest to pin him in place. Kakashi caught the thrown shuriken out of the air and pocketed it. "Hey, pay attention."

"Get OFF, Kakashi!"

Kakashi pinned down Iruka's flailing hands and leaned forward, peering into Iruka's face. He pushed a small trickle of chakra- what should have been enough to break a genjutsu, "Kai," but Iruka still fought wildly without direction. It was so unlike him. Everything was so wrong. "What are you doing running away like that?" It should have been a plan. Iruka should have been acting on a plan- and Kakashi should have been able to decipher it by now. But it wasn't there.

There was no plan.

Iruka thrashed wildly. "GET OFF!"

"Don't make me knock you out, Iruka-san," the Jounin threatened.

He got a hiss in response to that. "And leave me undefended?"

"I can handle your slack," Kakashi muttered, knowing Iruka was beside himself.

"I'm not crazy, Kakashi. Now let me GO."

Kakashi gave him one good knock upside the head and Iruka stilled. This was not good. This was not good at all. Now he had one partner down and he'd left Amaya on her own. She'd be fine, he knew that, but now what was he supposed to do with Iruka? The Jounin lifted his knee and stood up.

"…dom…." Iruka whispered, soft and pained.

Kakashi lifted Iruka and started back to Amaya. He would conceal the body until he handled Suien, then he'd come back for Iruka. Hopefully the Chuunin wouldn't cause any more trouble before then.

---

Amaya threw her arms in front of her, taking the hits full force. Suien's blows made her dig her toes into the ground as she slid backwards. The girl swept at an opening, but her opponent danced back, throwing shuriken as he did so.

She side-stepped, dodging the weapons. Her hands snapped together. "Bunshin no jutsu." Her body split into three images and surrounded the missing nin. "Which one am I now, Sensei?"

"Simple." The Jounin grinned maliciously and twirled around, slinging a kunai at her head. "You're always behind me!"

Amaya shouted as the knife dug into her arm as she attempted to dodge. Suien skidded forward, landing a blow across the face knocking the mask to the side. "Amaya, Amaya, Amaya-chan. What are you wearing that for, child?" He appeared behind her and wrenched her arm upward.

"AH!" She cringed as she was forced forward.

Suien leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "You don't honestly think you have the heart to kill your sensei, now do you?"

Amaya growled lowly, shifting her foot to the side. Her free hand rammed over her shoulder, driving a kunai solidly into Suien's shoulder, but the man didn't flinch. "Traitor!"

Suien chuckled lowly, letting go of his former student. Amaya staggered forward and turned to face him. "What nerve you have." He stepped towards her, yanking the kunai from his shoulder as he did so. It glinted in the light.

Amaya threw her arms in front of her and formed a quick series of seals. "Suiton, Suishouha!" Water leapt up around the hunter-nin. Amaya shot her hands forward and the water roared ahead, enveloping Suien and thrashing through the woods. The massive wave charged through the trees, splashing up into the air and back down to the earth with such force it broke branches and threatened to uproot the forest in its wake.

The water subsided, leveling out with the land and soaking into the earth. Amaya was left standing alone, breathing heavily with arms dangling at her sides. That had taken a lot of chakara to pull off; it was finally taking its toll on her body. "Uhn-?" a presence suddenly appeared behind her and she whipped around, flipping her kunai out, ready to slice up the offender.

Kakashi gripped her wrist and he stared down at her. "Shh, shh. It's just me."

Amaya wrenched her arm free and skidded backward. "How do I know you're not Suien!" she exclaimed heatedly, gasping for oxygen.

He pointed over his shoulder to the Chuunin stretched out on the ground.

Her eyes switched over to her teammate and then back at Kakashi. Maybe she trusted him too easily, but it would not have mattered. With her short nod of approval, her eyes closed and she slumped forward.

Kakashi caught her limp body in his arms. He looked up and around at the devastation of Amaya's attack. This girl was stronger than she had originally hinted.

Unfortunately, Kekemoro Suien was no where to be found.