Chapter 71

When Tekuno finally arrived at Tsunade's office, we had to explain to her that Lee was coming instead of Susumu, and after some negotiations and a bottle of sake, she agreed.
She explained about our mission, it was basically what Tekuno-sensei said to us, but she didn't tell us the name of the old village, she just referred to it as ruins.
We left on our way, I forgot to get new shoes, so I was going on this mission with only one shoe on. But I'm sure it wont bother me.

During our journey there, we had encountered a trap, multiple paper bombs caused us to separate from each other.
I was running around trying to find someone. I found the ruins Tsunade was talking about. I tensed at the surroundings. I know them. They were so familiar, like they were a part of me. I couldn't remember exactly, but my heart was racing, and I felt nervous.
The sight and smells, I know them. The sounds of particular birds. I know them. I know this place.. As I came out of the forest-like area, I saw them. The collapsed buildings, the water tower. My breathing sped up, I felt like I was losing air. My heart beat started to hurt. My eyes started to sting. My lip started to quiver as I slowly got closer.
On top of a pile of stone, was a figure. I squinted my eyes to try and see. The person knew I was there, they turned to face me. I recognised the black coat. I stopped in my tracks. Kei.
His icy blue eyes glared down at me.
"What are you doing here?" He growled. I was speechless. Of all people.. I got into stance, though my body was trembling, and I don't think it was out of fear. "Don't bother messing with us.. kid."
I stepped forward, my legs felt sort of numb. I fought the tears that were trying to break through. I had to shake off this strange sensation, so I could fight properly.
"You're not even worth my time. Kill her." He said. Two bulky guys jumped out of no where, and attacked me. Kei vanished. I tried punching one, but it hurt my wrist so much. It was like they were made of steel!
"I think a fly touched me!" He mocked. I growled slightly, then I used my water snake jutsu on them, but it didn't do much. I had to get away, I had to regain my strength, since I was still trembling. One swung a punch, and I threw a smoke bomb. It was enough to allow me to escape. I sat in a nearby tree, staring at the two men, making sure they didn't know where I was.
They started bickering, and one of them punched the other out of rage. The other one punched back. Kei appeared out of no where and grounded them both at once. That man is scarily strong. He shouted at them for fighting, and pointed in my direction, as if pointed at the very tree I was in. They both looked in my direction. My heart skipped a beat, how did he know!? I had to get away.
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" Lee came out of no where and attacked those three. Kei easily caught his foot, as if expecting it. Lee continued to attack, over and over. My eyes were wide. He took down one of the bulky men, and proceeded to attack the other one. Kei merely stood there watching.
Lee took down both of the tough guys, and continued to attack Kei. As skilled as Lee was, he was no match for Kei's taijutsu. Kei's attacks were deadly and I was scared for Lee's safety.
Suddenly a huge kick from Kei, and Lee was sent flying backwards and smashed into the tree that I was in, causing a huge hole in it. Lee grunted in pain, he was out of breath, and up close I could see the bruises and cuts on his body, just from that fight.
Kei appeared out of no where in front of him. He seemed focused on Lee, perhaps he's forgotten about me! Nows my chance, I felt like I had gotten a grip on myself.
Kei drew a kunai. "Time to die." He threw it, Lee only barely managed to dodge it, but quickly fell to the ground in pain. Kei drew another kunai, I jumped down just in the nick of time, catching his wrist. "I was wondering when you planned on revealing yourself." He said. Lee looked up in surprise.
"S.. Setsuki..."
I tried to throw Kei, but he took his wrist back easily. "You lot are pathetic."
"W-What're you doing here?!" I questioned.
".. I'm here to destroy this place.. there will be no evidence of any village ever being here!" He said, he then put his hand in a jutsu sign, and muttered something under his breath. Suddenly the half of the remains of the buildings exploded, breaking to nothing at all. My eyes widened, I felt a pain in my heart.
"Stop it!" I cried, punching him. He didn't seem affected at all. He muttered the word again, more buildings exploded. The entire area went up in smoke and flames. "Stop it! Stop it!"
I grabbed his arm, and pulled it out of the jutsu sign, he kicked me hard, it hurt a lot, but I pulled through it, gritting my teeth.
"This place means a lot to you, doesn't it?" He said, I couldn't tell his expression, because of his mask.
"Stop destroying it!" I cried. He said the word again, more explosions. There would soon be nothing left at all.
"Pitiful." He simply said, before vanishing. A few more explosions sounded, and the ground shook. I fell to my knees, tears running down my face in terror.
Kei landed beside the two goons from earlier, and told them to finish us.
They came rushing over. Lee was getting back on his feet, ready for another round. Kei disappeared completely after that. One came directly for me. Lee kicked him out of aim, so he attacked the tree instead. I looked up at Lee, now using all his strength to hold back the other one. He gritted his teeth, and almost hissed as he spoke.
"S-Setsuki.. I will.. protect you.."
I stared up at him, so shocked and terrified. He was struggling, but he wasn't giving up.
"Aww, look, two little love rats. Think you're tough, don't cha?"
Lee growled under his breath, and managed to lift the big guy off his feet. "I will not.. allow you.. to hurt Setsuki-chan!" He threw the guy a fair way, then stood there panting, watching as the guy tumbled as he landed. The other one had got to his feet by now.
"I guess its true what they say. A cornered rat will bite." He snickered. I turned quickly, he was right behind me, aiming a huge punch. I raised my arms to block, but Lee quickly dived in front of me, and took the hit. The sound of his cry started to agitate me. I clenched a fist. I felt a heavy, boiling feeling in my stomach, something I've never felt before. I glared up at the person, I had a huge urge to really hurt this guy. I growled deeply, under my breath. Lee stumbled back onto his feet, standing in front of me.
I stood up too, carefully, my rib was aching from Kei's kick. I don't know what this tight feeling was, but I needed to unleash it. I roared as I built up strength in my arm, and punched the guy straight in the gut. He grunted and stumbled backwards a few steps.
"That was different.. from earlier.." He grumbled. Lee looked at me in surprise.
"Setsuki... chan..."
"Lee-san.. I'll.. handle it.." I said, almost in a growl. The guy recovered from cringing, and came running. I stood my ground, stomped my foot into the soil building up a huge punch. As soon as he was close enough, I ducked his kick, and drove my fist straight into his side, I felt a rib cage break in my knuckles, I don't know why.. but it felt good..
I then jumped up, and swung my foot, aiming for his head. "Leaf hurricane!" I smashed my heel into his face, I felt his nose crack on impact, he flew.
"S-Setsuki.. chan.." Lee was still whimpering my name, staring wide eyed with disbelief.
I ran at top speed to this guy, and just repeatedly hit him with punches over and over, I wasn't showing any mercy.
The guy finally collapsed, stopped moving, he was bleeding everywhere. I stood there, staring down at him. Then I finally realised, I had done this. His blood was on my hands. I looked down at my palms, sweaty and covered in blood. They were shaking. That tight, boiling feeling my gut was gone.
Lee limped over to me, and put his hand on my shoulder. I quickly looked at him, worried. Worried about both him, and what I had just done. I had killed someone with just my bare hands...
"Setsuki-chan.. it is okay.." He said. I felt calmed, hearing his voice, and those words. He had the most worried expression, possibly matching mine.
"I-I don't.. know what came over me.." I said, almost whimpering pathetically.
"Do not.. worry about it.." Lee was in pain, but trying to hide it. Each breath he took was painful, the injury he sustained from Kei in his rib, was hurting him badly. I could tell from his voice. "You only.. lost your temper.. it is understandable.." He explained, his grip on my shoulder tightened. I put my arm around his waist, and slowly helped him to sit down again.
"L-Lee..."
If only I had've helped out sooner, Lee might not have been hit so badly.. I felt terrible, I watched him take on these 3 strong opponents, and did nothing to help.
Lee grabbed my hand, he could see my thoughts through my expression. He gripped it tightly, once I looked back at his face, he shook his head slowly, the corner of his lips were curved, he was giving the softest smile.
"Set..suki.. chan.. you.. did great.." He said. His grip tightened even more. I put my hand over his, trying to comfort him. I was worried, I was panicking. His eyes slowly closed, but he kept breathing.
"L-Lee!" It was no good, he was out. Unconscious. It was then I felt a cold, sharp point touch the back of my neck. I tensed in fear. I had forgotten about the other one.
"I don't like getting pushed around by a couple of kids. Your time is up." He snickered. He was going to stab that kunai right through my neck. I gulped, my whole life flashed before my eyes.
"You could try that, but it wouldn't be very smart of you.." A very familiar voice said. The voice itself made my heart jump. The guy grunted, the kunai pulled back from my neck and dropped on the ground. Then there was a thud, where the guy fell over. I dared look over my shoulder. The guy's eyes were rolled half way back into his skull, it made my stomach churn, so I turned my attention to the other person. I couldn't believe my eyes.
He was standing there, cleaning a syringe with a cloth, wiping blood from it, he had stabbed that syringe into that guy's neck and killed him with whatever substance that was. His glasses reflected in the light, making his eyes impossible to see.
"You had me worried, Setsuki.." He said. I whimpered, I stood up, ready to give him the biggest hug of my life.