Kakashi’s POV:
“You’re refusing all treatment? You’re going to let the cancer kill you?” I asked, not knowing if I was incredibly mad or depressed.
She nodded. “Yes, I am, un.”
The anger was starting to win. “Why?!”
“Ai, we can cure you with the right medications and the right application of medical jutsu! You could even do it yourself!” Tsunade said.
Ai chuckled. “I know I could, Lady Tsunade, un. I’m not going to be a waste of your chakra, un.”
“Ai, you’re an idiot! If you can be healed, why not get healed?” I asked, the anger winning out.
She looked me dead in the eyes. “Do you want Naruto to be killed, un? The other Jinchuuriki, un? For one as strong as me be controlled by your enemies, un?” I froze. “I didn’t think so, un. There are no other options, un.”
I didn’t want to lose another friend. An idea slowly dawned on me. “So work for us. Be a mole for the Leaf Village. Let them do what they want, and help us bring them down.”
She looked off to the side. “They’ll kill Naruto, un. And the other two Jinchuuriki, un. And then they’ll put the demons inside of me, un.”
Tsunade’s jaw dropped. “What?”
Ai filled her in on her ability to house all nine Biju quickly, then turned to look at me. “If I do this, I’m going to need incentive, un.”
I thought about it. “What do you want?”
She looked at her ring, playing with it as she thought. “My name on the K.I.A. stone if I’m killed for my actions, un.”
I looked at her, surprised, as did Tsunade. “I’ll…see what I can do…”
She nodded, then started coughing, much worse than she had all day. Tsunade’s hand glowed with medic chakra, and she put her hand on her back, over her lungs. Ai’s coughing slowly stopped, but I thought I saw blood on her lips.
“Ai, we need to start your treatment now if it’s going to work at all,” Tsunade said.
Ai sighed. “As you wish, Lady Tsunade, un.”
They walked to her room, and someone knocked on the door again. I opened the door and saw Iruka. “Iruka, can I help you?”
“I just wanted to see how Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura did with your test.”
I smiled. “They all passed, Iruka. Team seven starts its first missions tomorrow.”
He smiled as well and left, and I turned to see Ai leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, her head down, and her eyes closed. “Go get some sleep, un. I’ll make sure your team has a mission by the time you wake up, un.”
“Aren’t you going to sleep?”
She chuckled. “Of course I am, un. I just wake up before you do, un,” she said. “Like…three hours before you do, un.”
I was about to say something in return, but she disappeared. I sighed and walked towards my room, but Tsunade stopped me. “Make sure she doesn’t overdo it,” was all she said, and left. I got dressed for bed and quickly fell asleep.
Morning:
“Kakashi, wake up, un. The team’s waiting for you, un.”
