We managed to flee until we lost our pursuers, then headed back to the village. The trio were rather quiet the whole time, and they kept giving us stern looks when we arrived, except Tenten who was giving a somewhat relieved expression.
Neji finally put me down, Tenten resumed carrying Susumu on her back, then Gai-sensei hit Daisuke and Lee's heads together because they kept arguing over small things, he then dropped them. We all look up at Gai-sensei, he seemed to have a very serious expression, which is very unlike him. But he didn't scare me as much as Komaru-sensei would when he's angry..
"Gai-sensei!" Lee spoke up.
"Shush Lee. I need to have a word with you lot." Gai-sensei replied, folding his arms. I was still thinking 'Not as scary as Komaru-sensei.'
"Hey! If it's about us leaving, we were only trying to get Komaru-sensei back!" Daisuke shouted as he stood up.
"I understand.. your intentions... however, leaving the village without-"
"Tsunade wouldn't let us leave! You think we're just gonna sit around while Komaru-sensei is probably-"
Gai-sensei cleared his throat very loudly. "Guidance." We all blink towards him. "I know it is wrong to leave without the Hokage's permission, but! When a friend is in trouble, then you must act!" He raised his voice. "And that is when you come to me!"
"... What're you trying to say?" Daisuke asked.
Gai-sensei gave a thumbs up to Daisuke's face. "If you had've come to me first, I would have helped you lot! But because you left the village on your own accord, without telling anyone, you are in serious trouble! It's lucky, that word didn't get to the Hokage about this.."
"She.. doesn't know?" I asked, standing up. Gai-sensei shook his head.
"Well if she doesn't know, how did you know where we were?" Daisuke asked.
"How do I know?" Gai-sensei turned to Lee, then pointed at him. "Because my most youthful student didn't turn up to training this morning!" Lee lowered his head shamefully.
"I.. I-I am sorry Gai-sensei!" Lee bowed on his hands and knees. "I will punish myself!"
"That, will not be necessary." Gai-sensei said, a slight smirk on his face. Lee lifted his head just enough to glimpse at Gai-sensei. "Because you have a good reason to not have turned up! You were helping my other most youthful student!" Suddenly, I was being pressed into Gai-sensei's chest, with his arm, around me, that I didn't even notice, it made my eyes widen. Gai-sensei chuckled loudly.
Daisuke glared at Gai-sensei before taking my hand and pulling me away. "I meant, how did you know we were.. at Orochimaru's-"
"I have knowledge! I'm not a simpleton such as yourself, blondie!" Gai-sensei laughed as he ruffled Daisuke's hair. "I've known that guy.. Komaru has been captured by Orochimaru. We learned of this weeks ago."
We all gasp. "What?!"
"We... have been sending top quality ninjas to find him, but none have had any results. When I heard from a certain uncle of a certain letter.. I knew exactly where you four had gone." Gai-sensei hinted towards me, which caused all eyes to fall on me.
"Setsuki! Did you leave a letter for Takashi?" Daisuke questioned.
"I-I wrote I was away on a mission! I didn't say anything about where we were going!" I exclaim.
"Then... how.."
"Takashi is smarter than you all think. He's not a simpleton, like you blondie." Gai-sensei ruffled Daisuke's hair, again. Daisuke's hair fell over his eyes, he wasn't happy.
"G-GAI-SENSEI!" Tenten shrieked. We all turn to her, startled. "This guy! He stopped breathing!" Tenten gestured to Susumu. My eyes widen again.
"We have to get him to hospital!" Lee spoke up. We quickly agreed and rushed off. I didn't have time to pay attention to the noises my stomach was making.
Susumu was taken straight to the emergency room, whereas we (Daisuke and I) forced Lee into the waiting room so he could get his wounds looked at, and at the same time, I was going to get Daisuke looked at too.
"Uh, Rock Lee?" The nurse called as she stood by the examination room door, looking at her clipboard. Lee shied away from that direction, I frowned, grabbed his arm, forced him to stand, then turned to Daisuke who looked at me blankly.
"Come on Daisuke-kun." I said. He blinked.
"I'll be fine, I'll wait here." He said. I shook my head, grabbed his wrist and pulled him up too. "Woah! Hey! What're you-"
"You're getting looked at too!"
Daisuke frowned for a moment, then he looked at me with a slight smirk. "Fine, but as long as you get looked at too, Setsuki!"
I didn't think there was anything wrong with me, but I nodded, and dragged them both to the room. The nurse smiled and held the door open for us. "Which one of you is Rock Lee?" She asked, as she closed the door. Lee immediately pointed at Daisuke.
"What!" Daisuke squeaked, he then blushed of embarrassment of his high pitched voice.
"Well then, Rock Lee, please come sit down." The nurse placed her hands on Daisuke's shoulders and pushed him down onto the examination stretcher lightly. I frown, hit Lee over the back of the head, getting a high pitched 'Ow!' from him. I walked over to the stretcher.
"Daisuke-kun. Get off the stretcher." I ordered. The nurse looked at me strangely.
"Does that mean I don't have to be examined!?" Daisuke smiled as he sat up.
"... As a matter of fact.. Excuse me miss." I smile innocently at the nurse, she smiled back.
"Yes?"
"Would you mind looking at my friend Daisuke-kun here?" I asked, in a very polite voice. She smiled back and looked down at Daisuke.
"Hey! No!" Daisuke got up, but then I pinned him back down onto the stretcher. "N-No! Off! Setsuki, please!"
Lee was laughing quite loudly in the background. "I promise I will get checked up too if you do, Daisuke-kun." I said, Daisuke contemplated it for a moment, but frowned and laid there. The nurse lifted his shirt off, revealing a few minor cuts, bruises and scratches, not to mention... Daisuke-kun has a very nice... set of abs..
I caught myself staring, and mentally slap myself. Daisuke noticed and grinned quite smugly.
"Do you.. like it Setsuki?" He asked, giving me some sort of seductive look, but I didn't understand how he meant that.
"Um.. what?" I pretended I didn't hear him. He gestured to his stomach. I just gave him a blank expression. "... What?"
Daisuke died a little inside. "D-Don't worry.." He whined. The nurse cleaned up each scratch and gave him a few small bandaids. She turned to Lee.
"Okay, Rock Lee, you're next."
Lee sighed and pouted as he walked over to the stretcher obediently. Daisuke waited by the wall where Lee was standing previously. I remained standing by the stretcher. The nurse almost gasped at the wound on his stomach. She noticed him cringing as he laid down on his back.
"Please turn to your side." She instructed, Lee obeyed. She examined his back and gasped again. "Goodness! These are some deep wounds! I.. don't think they're deep enough to hurt any organs though, he should be okay after some rest." She explained, then professionally bandaged his wounds. Lee sat up, unable to put the top half of his suit back from from the bandages, I caught myself staring at him too... Lee also happened to notice.
"Uh.. Setsuki-san?"
"... What?" I played the same trick as Daisuke. Lee scratched his chin, then shook his head and stood up. I watched his muscular back as he walked over to Daisuke who was glaring.
"Alright Setsuki.. it your turn.." Daisuke mentioned. I nodded and sat on the bed, both Lee and Daisuke seemed to become eager as they stared at me. The nurse turned them them and bowed politely.
"Would you two gentlemen kindly leave to give her some privacy?" She asked politely, both their jaws dropped to the ground. "... Please?" They both whined and left the room. After the door closed behind them I took my shirt off and allowed her to examine me, but she couldn't see anything wrong. The nurse gave me a raspberry flavoured lollipop for being such a good patient.
I joined the two boys outside who were threatening each other.. with their biceps. They were flexing at each other, both trying to make their muscles seem bigger than the other, but to me they were the same size. I scratched my head and approached them.
"Um.. Komaru-sensei's muscles are bigger than both of yours put together!" I exclaim, making them both jump. I smile at them and hand my lollipop to Daisuke, he returned a blank, but questioning expression. "Could you please unwrap this for me?" I asked, I couldn't get it open, I always struggled with them. Daisuke smirked and put his hand on the wrapper, about to untwist it, when Lee snatched it.
"Allow me, Setsuki-san!" Lee exclaimed, he unwrapped it with ease. Daisuke's eye twitched. Lee handed it back to me, and I smiled at him.
"Thank you Lee-san!" I said, then put it in my mouth. Lee smiled back and rubbed the back of his head while chuckling quietly. Daisuke was fuming.
"Setsuki-chan asked me to do that!"
"Well I was more capable, than you, simpleton-kun." Lee almost mimicked Gai-sensei's tone from before. Daisuke glared.
"What was.. that?"
"I said, Simple..ton..kun.." Lee mocked.
"THAT DOES IT!" Daisuke tackled Lee to the ground. I didn't really care, I was too busy enjoying the taste of my lollipop.
"I'm gonna go see how Susumu-kun is going.. see ya!" I started to speed walk away, they kept calling out for me to wait up. But I didn't.
"ROCK LEE!" An angry nurse shouted, I stopped at the screaming of Lee. I turn to see her twisting his arm backwards behind his back, Lee crouching and whimpering. "I TOLD YOU TO GET INTO A ROOM AND REST! NOT GET INTO FIGHTS! YOU NEED TO REST!"
I actually started to laugh at the sight, I couldn't believe it.
"I-I'M TERRIBLY SORRY!" Lee cried back, but she ended up dragging him away, and Daisuke realized I hadn't left yet, and he sped over to me. We went to visit Susumu together.
Gai-sensei and Tenten were sitting in the waiting room just outside the emergency room, apparently Neji had somewhere to be.
"How is he?" I ask. Gai-sensei looked up at me and sighed.
"We've had no news yet. But Setsuki, I am sure he'll be fine!" Gai-sensei gave me a thumbs up for support, it cheered me up a little. Daisuke was staring at the doors for a moment, then he faced me.
"Hey, that bastard can get through my beatings, he can get through this, 'kay?" He said, petting me on the shoulder. I smirk a little at his remark, then give a slow nod. I was almost down to the stick of the lollipop so I crunched what was left of it, swallowed it, then just gnawed on the stick.
Daisuke just stared at it, it was annoying me.
"You're supposed to suck it Setsuki. Not crunch it off." Daisuke said. I blink.
"But.. there wasn't much of it. I normally just crunch off the last of it." I explain. Tenten was giving Daisuke the most foul look I've ever seen, and Gai-sensei had his head buried in his hand. I hesitantly grab the stick and take it out of my mouth. Daisuke grabbed it and threw it in the bin for me, I frowned, there was still a little bit of flavour on it.. Daisuke gave me a proud grin.
Minutes later the red light above the emergency room turned green, and the doors opened. A medical nin came out, wiping sweat from his forehead. We all stared at him.
"Uh... do any of you know a person named Hatake Kakashi?"
We all kinda nodded in sync. "Kakashi.. Kakashi.." Gai-sensei started to chuckle.
"Could.. someone go and fetch him for us?"
"Why?" Tenten asked.
".. B.. Because.. he is the only one who can fix this.."
"We'll do it!" I exclaim.
"We?" Daisuke asked, his expression showing excitement.
"Yup! Lets go Tenten!" I called. Tenten smiled sweetly and stood up to join me. Daisuke went and sobbed in the corner for some reason.
So Tenten and I began our hunt for Kakashi-sensei. But do you think we could find him? No.
"Where on Earth could he be?!" She questioned.
"... OHH! LETS GO FIND NARUTO-KUN!" I shouted.
"D.. do ya have to yell?" She grumbled, covering her eyes. I nodded, and took her hand and ran as fast as I could to Ichirakus.
"I'm sorry Setsuki, Naruto just left about 10 minutes ago." Teuchi said. I nod understanding, then thought he was headed home, so I dragged Tenten to Naruto's house. But he wasn't home.
"How is waiting at Naruto's house going to help us find Kakashi-sensei?" Tenten asked.
"Naruto-kun would know where Kakashi-sensei is!" I exclaimed.
"... You sure about that?"
"Positive!" We saw Naruto approaching us as he was headed home.
"Uhh.. I haven't seen Kakashi-sensei all day.. why?" Naruto asked.
Tenten frowned at me, I nervously shrug at her. "Uh, we need to find him!" I said.
"Yeah, but why?"
"I dunno, some medical nin wants him!"
"Uh.. Okay, I can help you look, dattebayo!" Naruto offered. I grinned. "I'll get my shadow clones to help!" Naruto summoned about 10 shadow clones, and they all dispersed into the village. The three of us stuck together and looked.
We bumped into Kiba and Ino, the two people I don't like. I frowned at them.
"What's all the commotion with the clones?" Ino asked.
"We're trying to find Kakashi-sensei." Tenten said.
"Why?" Kiba asked.
"Because a puppy is dying! We need Kakashi-sensei to help it!" I exclaim, Kiba's eyes widened.
"WHAT!?" Both Tenten and Naruto gave me strange looks. "I'LL HELP YA LOOK FOR KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Kiba exclaimed. I put my hands on my hips feeling proud. Ino didn't seem too convinced though. Kiba zoomed off with Akamaru, trying to pick up Kakashi-sensei's scent. Ino just rolled her eyes and walked back inside, grumbling to herself. We had to chase after Kiba, in case he finds Kakashi.
However Kiba's nose was useless. He wasn't able to pick up Kakashi's scent anywhere, but he refused to give up, he wanted to prove he could be useful. I kept staring at Akamaru who was glaring at me. I kinda really wanted to pet him, but he didn't look friendly. Uncle Takashi always said not to pet a dog unless it's tamed and friendly.
"Surely he has to be around somewhere.." Tenten mentioned.
"Is he on a mission or something perhaps?" Kiba suggested.
"Why don't we go ask Lady Tsunade?" Tenten asked, her eyes glowing with happiness.
"She scares me!" Kiba exclaimed.
"Yeah! Granny Tsunade scares me too!" Naruto concurred. Tenten frowned and hit them both over the head.
"Lady Tsunade is not scary, and be polite when saying her name!" Tenten gushed. We all stared at each other with blank expressions.
"... Hey Naruto, have any of your clones found him yet?" Tenten finally asked.
"Uhh.. no." Naruto replied.
"We're not gonna find him standing around here!" I mention.
"I know what to do!" Naruto exclaims. We all face him with questioning looks. "We.. will go get Sakura-chan! If anyone knows where Kakashi-sensei is, it has to be Sakura!" He got all mushy in the face, giving pathetic grins.
"Huh. No. I'll smell him out!" Kiba stated. He kept sniffing, but Akamaru didn't seem as enthusiastic as Kiba.
"You can't though! You're nose isn't that good." I said. Kiba glared at me.
"You shut your mouth! I can! You watch me!" Kiba growled.
"Hey woah, chill guys. There's no need to fight!" Tenten said, waving her arms between us. There were sparks between Kiba's eyes and mine.
"She started it!" Kiba huffed, poking me on the shoulder rather hard. With his sharp nails it hurt.
"Hey!" I poke him back harder on his chest. We glared at each other, he hit me, I hit him back harder. He then punched me, so I punched him in the face, a little too hard, it sent him flying down the street. Akamaru growled at me. Tenten frowned. Naruto was grinning.
"Yeah! That's what happens when you mess with Ame-chan!" He cheered. I felt proud. Tenten glared at Naruto.
"Fang over Fang!" I felt a huge impact on my stomach, followed quickly by another, I went flying down the other side of the street, and crashed through one of the wooden walls. I crash into a building, it hurt. I stood up slowly, rubbing my back, then glared at Kiba who was standing with his hands on his hips victoriously.
I thought this was a good time to try out my new jutsu I've been experimenting with. I did a few hand signs. "Water Style: Great Water Snake Jutsu!" I extend my arm, a huge gush of water sprung from my arm and took the form of a giant snake, which got bigger and bigger as it bolted towards Kiba, it bit down hard on Kiba, and kept going, until it smashed into a huge building, all the water impacting him, pushing him further into the wall, creating a dint in the wall. I run back to Tenten and Naruto, grinning to myself. It finally worked! Next step was to make it as powerful as a jet!
Kiba whimpered quietly, trying to cover up all the pain he was in. He then run back towards me, a kunai in his hand, I draw a kunai too. As soon as Kiba leaped at me Tenten suddenly stepped forward, grabbed both our heads and bashed them together.
"OWWWW!" He both cradle ourselves on the ground cringing in pain, holding our heads.
"STOP FIGHTING!" Tenten roared. We both whimpered, she was scarier than I thought, apparently Kiba thought so too, we both clung to each other for our lives, Tenten looked like she was going to murder us. Akamaru stood beside Tenten, and lifted his hind leg. Our eyes widened.
"A-AKAMARU! DON'T-"
"EWWW! GROSS!" Tenten kicked Akamaru so hard, he went flying into the air whining, and probably halfway across the village. Both Kiba and I gulped in fear. Even Naruto backed off. Tenten was on fire.
We continued to walk through the village, in silence this time. Both Kiba and I had massive lumps on our heads, and we kept glaring at each other as we walked.
The sun was slowly starting to set, and we still had no sign of Kakashi-sensei anywhere.
"Where the hell is he?!" Naruto finally broke the silence.
We just happened to walk by his apartment. The door slowly opened, and out came the Copy Ninja. Kakashi-sensei shut the door behind him and fiddled around with his keys and locked the door. We all frowned. He turned and saw us glaring at him, he sweatdropped.
"Uh... something wrong?" He asked, blinking.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" We all shouted at once, at the top of our lungs. Kakashi-sensei leaned backwards.
"... Me? .. I've uh.. I've been doing things.." He saw our glares become even more intense. "You don't think I've been sitting inside all day reading the new edition of Icha-Icha do you?" He seemed shifty about his sentence, he refused to make eye contact.
"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" We shout. After noticing his hands behind his back, he got suspicious.
"W-What? I wasn't! I.. uh... was about to take care of this dog that came smashing through my window.." Kakashi-sensei brought his arm forward, holding a beaten up Akamaru.
"Akamaru!" Kiba stepped forward and grabbed Akamaru, hugging him tightly.
"You need to come with us now, Kakashi-sensei." I said. Kakashi-sensei seemed reluctant, he was about to think of an excuse, to escape.
"Yeah! There's a puppy in danger and we need you!" Kiba shouted. Tenten frowned, hit me over the head again.
"Ow!" Right on my other lump. I rub my head, cringing in pain.
"A.. puppy? Take it to the vet." Kakashi-sensei said.
"It's not a puppy, Kakashi-sensei. Setsuki's teammate is in hospital, and the doctor guy asked us to find you to help him or something." Tenten said. Kiba turned to me.
"What! So.. there's no puppy?" Kiba asked. I laugh nervously and stand behind Tenten. Kiba glared at me. "Lame.." Kiba turned and walked away to get Akamaru treated.
We dragged Kakashi-sensei to the hospital, much against his will, and the medical nins weren't proud of how long we took. Kakashi went into the emergency room where Susumu still was, Gai-sensei was still sitting there with Daisuke, having a good chat, which I found rather strange, but good at the same time. Daisuke was bonding with Gai-sensei!
Suddenly Gai-sensei punched Daisuke to the ground after Daisuke seemed to ask a question.
"OW! DAMMIT! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Daisuke stood up rubbing his cheek. Gai-sensei stood up tall and pointed down at him.
"You fool! You cannot expect something like that to happen! You must be more of a man! You must prove yourself!"
"How?!"
Gai-sensei pulled out another green suit and held it out to Daisuke, who turned pale at the sight of it. "If you wear this, you will become stronger, AND you can make yourself into more of a man! It all starts with youth!"
Daisuke frowned, and gave a disgusted look at it. I smile and walk over.
"Do it Daisuke-kun! You should wear it!" I exclaim. Tenten frowned, but Daisuke seemed to be more convinced after looking at me.
"Are... you sure? You.. you won't laugh at me, will you?"
"Laugh? Why would I laugh?" I took the suit from Gai-sensei and held it out to Daisuke. "They're brilliant!"
Daisuke hesitantly took it. "Fine..."
"And don't forget these!" Gai-sensei interrupted, pulling out a pair of orange leg warmers. I sometimes feel like his jonin jacket is a closet, rather than a jacket.
"Too far." Daisuke rejected. Gai-sensei put them in Daisuke's hand.
"Now go home. It's getting late." Gai-sensei said, pointing to the door.
"What about Susumu?" I asked.
"He's stable. Nothing to worry about." Gai-sensei gave us a thumbs up, reassuring us. So Daisuke decided that he needed to escort me home, so he did. It was there I was faced with an angry uncle. I wasn't gonna hear the end of this lecture..