"Ami!" I hear called behind me after I've been running for a while. I glance behind me and see Lee running at me.
"Lee?!" I yell startled, but don't slow down at all, "How are you here?"
"I had the surgery as soon as you left. I departed once I had woken up. I feel incredible, Ami." He tells me enthusiastically.
"Should you really be here? You just got out of surgery." I scold him.
"I am perfectly fine. I even have my medicine to take for later." He proudly holds up a bottle. It's sake. I just sigh. We run full speed through the forest, at speeds only the two of us could handle. I direct us towards where I see Naruto and someone fighting. Just as he's about to be hit, Lee intercepts the hit dramatically.
"Konoha's beautiful green wild beast has been resurrected. I am Rock Lee!" Lee exclaims as I join him, facing down the bone guy.
"Naruto, where is Sasuke?" I ask, looking around and seeing the empty container.
"Ami, Lee, you made it, how?" Naruto asks us in confusion.
"Naruto, you have to go get Sasuke, leave this guy to us." Lee tells him confidently. Looks like another delay.
Naruto runs off towards where Sasuke must have gone, after warning us about bone guys attacks. I focus on the bone guy in front of us. If I remember, he's dying of some disease, but he's still crazy strong.
Lee and I work in tandem to fight Kimimaru, who's name I learned after Lee and him spoke a little while we fought. We are both impressive in speed together, and while Lee uses his strength, I use the Gentle Fist and add the use of my fans, doing my micro blade attacks when Lee is stepping back to set up his next attack.
"You're both fast, I commend that. But you, Lee, you're too linear. And you girl, are not strong enough to break my bones." Kimimaru informs us. He's very serious as he speaks to us. We fight a bit more before Lee calls out suddenly to stop.
"Please wait, I must take my medicine." Lee calls a halt to the fight, taking out the sake.
"Lee, wait, don't!" I call out, but it's too late. He chugged the whole thing down. It was horrible the first time this happened when Guy took us out to celebrate our one year as a team together.
"Why would I wait *hiccup* Ami, I needed to take it." Lee slurs, the sake instantly taking affect. "Now let's get this guy." He takes an all new fighting stance. He's in Drunken Fist mode. Probably for the best, he's crazy strong in this mode. I take my fans and change their angle, turning them vertically. I focus and sharpen the wind chakra around them, keeping it focused on the blade instead of going for range.
"Yeah Lee, let's get this guy." I say with a smirk. We both charge, both of us taking completely different approaches than we were before. While Lee is more unpredictable, I am more precise. Kimimaru can't fight both of us this way, so when he would block one of us, the other gets the hit in. My sharpened blades can cut clean through his bones now, so he has to create more to keep himself safe, but he is struggling to make them fast enough. Lee is fast, and since Kimimaru is getting overwhelmed with the both of us, Lee is landing hard hits against him on his actual body after I cut away the bones. Eventually, Lee sobers up, but we still are at the advantage. Suddenly, sand flies between us, blocking Kimimaru's next hit on Lee. I turn to see Gaara standing there, staring threateningly at Kimimaru.
"Why are you here, Gaara?" I ask him skeptically. I know why he's there, but I want Lee to hear it.
"I am here..." Gaara says in his deep, growly voice, "As an ally of Konoha."
Lee turns to him slowly while I keep an eye on Kimimaru. I watch as Lee stares hard at the Sand ninja who nearly destroyed his life.
"You're moving slower. You fought better when you were against me." Gaara says quietly to Lee.
"Thanks in no small part to you." Lee says, then gives him a smile, "But I don't hold grudges. Even if I did go through quite the hassle because of you."
"I see." Gaara replies, turning to the enemy, "I owe Konoha a large debt. I will handle this guy, you move on."
"No, I will stay as well. Ami, you go on. Sasuke will need his friend. We can more than handle this guy, you are too important to stay here." Lee tells me.
"Thank you." I tell them sincerely, "Be safe, I'll see you both soon." I take off at full speed, noticing Gaara's sand blocking an attack for me so I can pass. I'm about 20 minutes behind Naruto thanks to the delay in fighting, so I run at max speed again. I'm exhausted, I've spent almost the whole day running and fighting, however when I look up at the sky, I can see a storm starting, and it doesn't look natural. I look ahead with by Byakugan, ready to jump in when I see them. Rain starts to fall as I see an explosion of chakra about 5 kilometers away. I look ahead, seeing both boys striking each other and falling. I lock onto my mark on Naruto, and teleport to him after he lands on the ground.
"Ami." Sasuke breaths out, standing above Naruto's body. "Not you... Not you too." He says tiredly, then his body spasms in pain and he collapses for a moment. "Are you here to take me back too?" He asks weakly.
"Naruto... did he give you anything before you fought?" I ask him urgently. He nods, and pulls out the scroll. I take out my other one and hand it to him as well. "These are both the same info, this one is the original. Sasuke, listen very carefully to me, ok?" I say, and he nods, sensing the seriousness of what I'm saying. "I found evidence. Evidence about the Uchiha massacre. It was not Itachi acting as a rogue. He was ordered to destroy the clan, but Danzo Shimura. He is a corrupt village elder, who has caused many of the world's problems, and this scroll proves that the Third Hokage tried to have a peaceful solution to the Uchiha's uprising."
"What? I don't understand." He gasps out in exhaustion. I have my eyes activated, and can see that Kakashi is about 10 minutes away.
"The scroll Naruto gave you explains most of it, we don't have a lot of time. I need you to understand first though. Itachi was the tool, the weapon used, but the real person who deserves your anger, who deserves your vengeance you are so set on having, is Danzo. Itachi was cast aside and branded a rogue when he acted on orders from Danzo. Itachi deserves justice." I say quickly but firmly.
"My brother... was used?" He asks with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"Yes. Now, Sasuke, this is important. If you still choose to go to Orochimaru, to gain his power, do not let him steal your body. If you go to him, learn, train, grow, but do so with the right target in your mind. But don't, under any circumstances, tell anyone that you know the truth. For your own safety." I tell him as sincerely and firmly as I can, so he understands I am telling him the truth.
"Why tell me this now?" Sasuke asks weakly, standing back up, "I'm weakened right now. You could take me back right now. Why let me go?"
"Would you come back willingly?" I ask him softly, with a pleading tone. I can see in his eyes, no, he won't.
"If what you say is true... than why would I go back to be in the same village where he is? Where this Danzo is, watching me?" He points out angrily. "Would you?"
"No, I wouldn't. Which is why I'm not going to stop you. Sasuke..." I say, choking up slightly with emotions, "You are going to hurt a lot of people by leaving. But, if this is worth it to you, then go. Now. I will not stop you. But you must promise me that you understand my words. I risked a lot to get this information. Don't waste it." I tell him with a glare.
The next thing Sasuke did threw me off guard so much I didn't know how to react. He leaned in quickly, placing his lips on my own. I just froze there, startled, not knowing how to respond to this sudden change. He pulled back after a second, "Ami, I believe you. You are my oldest friend, and I care about you more than anyone. Ami, I lo-"
I cut him off from finishing what he was going to say by putting my hand gently over his mouth, "Sasuke, whatever you are about to say, please don't. You are about to leave, I won't hear it. When you return to Konoha again, I will listen to your words. Until then, you need to leave now if you are going to go. Backup is two minutes away." I don't necessarily want to hear what he was about to say. I am still an adult in my mind, and he's about 13 right now, so I never put any types of feelings towards him, or anyone else at this point.
He stares at me for a second longer, emotions passing over his eyes, then nods in response as acceptance. He turns, one final look at Naruto, and runs away. I move to sit next to Naruto, starting to put pressure on his wound, but I can see it is already healing itself slowly. That's how Kakashi and Pakkun found me, my hands on Naruto's still open chest wound and a frustrated look in my eyes.
"Naruto! Ami, what happened." Kakashi says, stepping over to me and picking up Naruto gently.
"I got here too late. Naruto was laying here bleeding, I couldn't leave him. He needs immediate medical attention." I tell him sadly. He looks at me for only a moment longer, before I sharpen my eyes at him. "We need to get him back to the village." I say firmly. He nods, and we start to run back home. Medics meet up with us halfway, but by then Naruto's already pretty much healed, thanks to the fox. They give us an update on everyone on the team.
"Currently, everyone is on their way to the hospital to receive treatment. Shikamaru Nara and Shino Aburame have only minor injuries and exhaustion. Neji Hyuga has a larger wound, but it is not life threatening. Kiba Inozuka and Choji Akimichi have greater wounds, and both are in treatment. Neither are in critical condition, but are greatly wounded."
"Ami Hyuga, please allow us to examine your wounds. Our reports tell us you were in at least two separate battles today." Another medic says to me. I can feel the soldier pills and adrenaline wearing off now that my mission, my real mission is complete. I can feel every move of my body slowing down, and when the medic asks me to stop, my body listens for me. I see black around my vision, exhaustion and pain taking over, particularly from Kimimaru's fight, and the last thing I see is the ground rushing up to me as I fall from the tree I was on. I vaguely feel myself get caught before I lose consciousness.