Currently at the Hidden Leaf Village in Tsunade’s office. Tsunade, Jiraiya, Naruto, Sakura and Ayame were gathered around a map of the area know as the Hidden Sound Village.
“If my calculations are correct, then Orochimaru-sama’s layer is right about here.” Ayame said pointing to a spot on the map,“Of course I couldn’t be sure unless I made the trip myself.”
“That is out of the question.” Tsunade said.
“But Grandma Tsunade why can’t she come?!” Naruto demanded.
“Naruto, if Ayame came with you she would be in constant danger. It would be safer if she stayed here in the village where we can protect her and the scroll.” Jiraiya said.
“But Pervy-Sage!!!” Naruto complained.
“No buts!” Tsunade said slamming her fist down, “Naruto, and Sakura I need to speak to you two alone. Jiraiya you can stay if you want. Shizune please show Ayame to her new home and around the village.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
After being shown her new apartment, Ayame followed the young medical ninja around the village. While they walked a young woman with bleach blonde hair and dressed in purple approached them followed by two other girls.
“Hey Shizune! What’s up?” Ino asked.
“Not much, I’m just showing Ayame Hattori around the village.”
Ino turned her attention to Ayame and smiled.
“Hi! I’m Ino! This is Hinata and this is Ten Ten!” She said pointing to the two other girls, “We know all about you and how you are in danger! Don’t worry though, Hinata, Ten Ten and I will take you shopping and get you some new clothes, so maybe you can blend in easier. Oh, and if you take off that head band it will be less obvious who you are and where you come from.”
Ayame reach up her hand and covered her head band.
“Ummm.... Blend in? Wait....How do you...?”
“Well, while you were talking to Lady Tsunade, Naruto told Shikamaru about you, who told Choji, who told Asuma, who told Kurenai, who told Kakashi, who told Gai, who told Lee, who told Neji, who told Hinata, who told Kiba, who told Shino, who told Ten Ten, who told me!” She replied gasping for air
afterwards.
“.....Wow....My head hurts....”
“Now enough chit chat! Let’s go!” She said dragging Ayame away.
“But I uh.....” Ayame said desperately looking at Shizune.
“Go on! You’ll have fun!” Shizune encouraged.
“You look perfect!” Ino said with a smile.
“I look like you.... Only with black hair....” Ayame said frowning.
“Exactly! By looking like the prettiest girl in the village, no on will recognize you!”
“Wont people notice when there are two people who look like Ino?” Ten Ten questioned.
“I-I agree with Ten Ten...” Hinata said in her usual quite voice.
“I’d like to see you guys come up with a better idea!”
“Well I think that.....” Ayame started to say.
“You should try this on!” Ten Ten said shoving clothes into Ayame’s arms.
“Ok...”
They had been shopping for hours. Ayame wanted to leave. She had only purchased two pairs of pajamas and some food so far. The girls were determined to change Ayame’s look.
When she came out of the changing room she look like Ten Ten only her outfit was blue.
“Perfect!” Ten Ten said.
“That’s your outfit only in blue!” Ino said.
“Well at least she looks sorta different!”
“At least when she was dressed like me she had style!”
“Oh! You did not just diss my clothes!”
“Oh, I did!”
“Um.....Guys?” Hinata mumbled.
“WHAT?!” They shouted together.
“I think that we should let Ayame decide what she wants to do... If she wore her old clothes Orochimaru might not expect that...I mean he’s probably expecting her to change her appearance.... Besides, I heard that the Anbu Black Ops are going to be watching her. There are at least three watching us now.”
“Oooo! She’s good! How do you know that?” Ayame asked.
“I used my Byakugan.”
“Sweet!”
“Hinata is right...” Ino sighed.
“Yeah... What do you think you should do Ayame?” Ten Ten asked.
“These Anbu guys are pretty strong right?”
“Yeah...” Ino replied.
“Well, then I should be ok if I wear my own clothes.”
“Ok.”
Ayame went back into the changing room to get her clothes back on and return the clothes she tried on.
“Where to next?” She asked walking back to the group.
“Well, I guess we could-” Ino started to say.
“Hey, Ino.” Shikamaru said walking up to the group of girls.
“What do you want Shikamaru?!”
“You’re Ayame aren’t you?” he said turning to Ayame, “I’m Shikamaru Nara.”
“Yes, I’m Ayame Hattori. Pleased to meet you Shikamaru-kun.”
“Yeah, well-”
“Don’t ignore your teammate when she asks you a question!!” Ino shouted
rapidly waving her arms, “What is you want?!”
“Don’t shout....I was just about to tell you... Sheesh woman are such a drag...” Shikamaru sighed.
“Well? Get on with it.”
“As I was trying to say, the Hokage wants to see you Ayame and she asked me to escort you.”
“Why does she want to see Ayame?” Hinata asked.
“Who knows....I’m just suppost to find her and escort her there.”
“You to should, go then. You wouldn’t want to keep Lady Hokage waiting.”
“I’ll take your stuff to your house for you, Ayame.” Ino said.
“Thanks. I’ll see you guys around! I had a great time shopping with you.”
Ayame said smiling.
She turn away from the group of girls and followed Shikamaru.
“This is such a drag....” Shikamaru sighed.
“I’m sorry....
“It’s not your fault. I was ordered to do this by the Hokage and whatever she says goes.”
A few minutes later they arrived. Ayame knocked on the door.
“Come in!” Tsunade shouted from inside.
Ayame opened the door and walked in followed by Shikamaru.
“Thank you Shikamaru, you may leave.”
Shikamaru bowed and left the room.
“So, did you enjoy your tour around the village?”
“Yes. This is a wonderful village and I’m very grateful.”
Tsunade nodded.
“Alright, let’s get down to business. If you are going to stay here, you
should probably try to blend in a little.”
“What do you mean?”
“Really, I want you to trade in your Sound head band in for a Leaf one. So, I’m going to test your skills”
“Ok....But...”
Her face turned red.
“What is it?”
“I mainly only know medical jutsu...But don’t worry! I do know the basic stuff and chidori.”
“Well, you’re in luck. I happen to be a medical ninja myself. Show me what you’ve got.”
“Ok.”
After showing Tsunade all her regular jutsu (like clones and substitution) it was time to show her Chidori.
*Flash Back*
“Ok! I think I got it this time!” Ayame said excitedly.
She moved her hand in rapid hand motions and held her right hand down.
“Chidori!”
Chakara started to form in her hand chirping and twisting around. She ran towards a large bolder and hit it with her hand causing it to shatter. The chakara then stopped.
“I did it!”she said jumping up in the air pumping her fist.
“Nice job.” Sasuke said.
“Thanks!”
*Present*
Ayame took a deep breath. She moved her hands in that familiar series of motions and held her hand down.
“Chidori.”
She aloud as the chakara formed in her hand, she held it for a few seconds and let the chakara then fizzle out.
“Nice.” Tsunade complimented.
“Thanks....But I’m almost out of chakara and will not be about to show you any medical jutsu....”
Tsunade handed her a pill.
“This will replenish your chakara long enough for you to show me your medical jutsu.”
Ayame rolled the pill in her hand. She put it in her mouth and swallowed. Her strength returned almost immediately.
After showing her the basic medical jutsu with animals it was time for the human test.
Tsunade pulled out a kunai.
*Flashback*
“Here,” Kabuto said handing Ayame a kunai.
“What am I suppost to do with this?” she asked.
“I want you to cut yourself with it, fairly deep. Then I want you to heal yourself.”
“Why?”
“I’ve learned that people learn medical jutsu better when it’s preformed on themselves.”
“Ok....”
“If you cannot do I’ll be here to finish the healing job for you.”
She grasped onto the kunai and held it against her left arm, closed her eyes and cut. The pain came instantly, causing her to gasp out in pain and surprise. She became pale as she pulled the kunai dripping with her blood away from her arm. Blood slowly poured out of the gash. Her eyes grew wide and she started to shake, causing the kunai to fall from her hand, clanging as it hit the ground.
“Ayame, you need to calm down. Take a deep breath, let it out and summon the chakara to you hand like we practiced.”
She did as he said. She took a deep breath, let it out and summoned the
chakara to her right hand. She brought it to the wound and started to heal it. A few minutes later the cut was gone leaving a small scar in it’s place.
“You need to practice more. With a real patient you cannot leave any scars.”
*Present*
Ayame fingered the scar on her arm. She closed her eyes and held out her right hand waiting for the cold metal of the kunai to be placed in her hand. When the cold didn’t come she opened her eyes to see Tsunade cutting her own arm.
“What are you doing Tsunade-Sama?!”
“That scar on your arm is from when you first worked on healing humans
correct? Well, I don’t agree with Kabuto’s methods. Sure it may be better to work on yourself, but it puts more stress on the students and can traumatize them. Normally if someone is hurt and in the infirmary I would take my student or students down to work on them. Lately though, it seems my ninjas have been more careful. Which is a good thing. So, you’ll have to work with me.” She said grinning.
Ayame took a deep breath, sent chakara to her hand. It glowed bright with chakara as she raised her hand and placed it over Tsunade’s arm, healing the cut almost instantly. She had improved much since her first time, leaving the skin scar free. She moved her hand away and stopped the flow of chakara.
Tsunade looked at her and felt it, making sure it had healed all the way.
“I’m impressed. I officially give you permission to act as a Leaf konochi”
She tossed Ayame a Leaf ninja headband.
“Thanks....” she said as she caught it. She examined it and frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“....It’s just that....”
“What?”
“It’s blue.”
“So?”
“Blue doesn’t go with my purple outfit! Why else would the Sound Village headbands be purple?”
“Because Orochimaru like purple?”
“...Well yes, but it’s because he told me I could choose what ever color I wanted for the Sound Village, so I choose purple. Plus, Kabuto looks nice in purple.”
“Well that’s too bad, because here they are blue. So, just wear it!!!”
“......Fine.....Thanks for all the trouble....” She said bowing.
“You’re welcome. You may go.”
Ayame waved and walked out the door only to be ambushed!
“Ayame!” Naruto said happily ambushing her with a hug.
When he backed away he noticed the headband in her hand.
“You’re a Leaf ninja now? Cool!”
“Yeah.”
“Shikamaru told me you were here, so I came to walk you home!”
“Thank you.”
They left the building and started walking down the road.
“Naruto-kun?”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“The two years I was with Sasuke were kinda nice... I finally had someone who had gone threw the same thing has me. His family being killed off and my village being killed off.” She started to wipe tears out of her eyes, “Please Naruto-kun....When you see Sasuke...Can you ask him if he misses me? Even a little? Because I miss him...”
“Ayame...”
“Heh...Look at me. I’m a mess....” she said giggling and smiling slightly, “I must be more tired than I thought.”
Naruto gathered her into a hug and let her cry on his shoulder.
“Everything I once knew is a lie!” She sobbed.
“Thanks for walking me home, Naruto-kun. You’re a great friend.”
“It’s no trouble at all. Tomorrow I have a training exercise, but afterwards if you want maybe we can hang out....Maybe get some ramen?”
“I’d like that.”
“See you then. Well, goodnight Ayame.”
“Goodnight Naruto-kun.”
*Hokage's office*
Tsunade sighed as she finished the last of the paper work that was stacked on her desk. It had been a long day. She now not only had to deal with the Sasuke issue and the Akatsuki, but now she had this scroll and Ayame to worry about. She had assigned Anbu Black Ops to watch her at all times, to make sure she wasn’t kidnapped. The main thing was that the girl and the scroll were separated and Orochimaru couldn’t complete his plan without both.
She now had the task of putting the scroll in a safe place. She drank a glass of sake and thought.
“Where would be the best place to hide the scroll.....”
She knew it had to be near her and in a place no one would think of. It had to be good.... She drank another glass. With Shizune? No......It would cause the girl too much worry.
She drank another glass. How ‘bout in a safe? No...That’s too obvious.
Tsunade finished off the bottle.
No one told her that she would get this much stress when she took on the job of Hokage.....She thought as she went for another bottle. Wait, she got it. The perfect spot no one would think of, it was close to her and it was a place no one would ever think too look. Yes, Tsunade was a genius. She picked up the scroll and walked out of her office.
Early the next morning before the sun rose Ayame climbed up the highest tree in the Leaf Village located near the gate. She climbed up fairly high and sat on a branch, leaning against the trunk. Ayame wanted to watch the sun rise over the trees, but ended up nodding off.
Suddenly she felt someone shaking her.
“Hey! Hattori-san!”???? said.
“Hnnn??” She muttered opening her eyes to see a person with a white and red tiger mask. He had strands of light brown hair hanging over the mask and was dressed in a grey uniform.
Before she could scream or react in anyway the guy covered her mouth with one hand and with his other held his pointer finger in front of the mouth area of his mask
“Shhh....I’m not going to hurt you. I’m a member of the Anbu Black Ops.” he whispered.
He removed his hand from her mouth.
“WHAT ARE YOU-”
He put his hand back over her mouth muffling the rest of her words.
“Please lower your voice. Ok?”
She nodded.
“Alright. I’m going to remove my hand and I want you to whisper. Ok?”
She nodded again. He removed his hand.
“What are you doing?” She demanded in a whisper.
“As you may or may not know, Lady Tsunade asked us to watch you. Well, we saw you leave your house this morning and followed you. After you climbed the tree we decided it wasn’t the best place for you to be. You shouldn’t hang out around the gate, especially when it’s still dark. Anyways, when you fell asleep I was elected to wake you up and tell you to got home.”
A slightly peeved Ayame nodded and said, “....Fine. I’ll go home. You Abu guys are sooo annoying....”
“Hey, we’re protecting you from Orochimaru. You should be grateful!”
“Protecting me? I’ll thank you once you actually save me!”
She shifted her weight to one side causing herself to become unbalanced. She fell from the branch she was precariously perched on. She screamed. The Anbu jumped into action catching her.
“I think some thanks are in order.” he teased setting her down.
“........Thanks.....”
“By the way, I’m Rai Kabau, if you ever need me or you just want to talk, call out my name. I have the morning shift so, anywhere between sunrise and sunset I’ll be there.”
“Thanks....”
“We should go Hattori-san.”
“Ok. Oh, and stop calling me Hattori-san. Call me Ayame.”
“If you insist Ayame-san.”
“......It’s a start...”
“Do you have something wrong with the honorfic san or something?”
“I feel it’s too formal. If you’re going to be with me all this time then you need to be less formal.”
“Ayame-chan?”
“That’s better!”
He laughed.
“I should take you home now.”
“I guess.....”
They started towards Ayame’s apartment.
“So, Rai-kun...how old are you?”
“16.”
“I’m 15.”
“I know.”
She gave him a questioning look.
“I read your file.”
“Oh....”
A few minutes later they arrived at Ayame’s apartment.
“Ayame-chan?”
“Yeah?”
“From now on whenever you go out you should have someone with you. If you need someone and cannot find anyone ask for one of us, we’ll go with you.”
“Why?”
“We’re watching you, but if someone were to get right next to you to attack, then we wouldn’t be able to react fast enough, since we are suppost to be hidden. If you have for example, Naruto with you, he could react instantly.”
“Oh... Ok....”
*Outside the Leaf Village*
A few minutes earlier when Ayame had fallen asleep in the tree, Kabuto was on his way to the village and was almost there. He could see the gate from where he was. He had received a tip that a young lady with black hair was traveling with two Leaf ninjas. One was old with white hair and the other younger with blonde hair and in an obnoxious orange and black outfit. The younger one had to be Naruto, which meant the older one was Jiriaya. Which meant somehow Ayame had met up with them and must be at the Leaf Village.
Kabuto stopped. Something shiny caught his eye and was glinting from a tree near the gate. He couldn’t tell what it was from the ground, so he climbed a tree up to equal height as the shine. He stopped to see what it was.
He couldn’t believe his eyes! There was Ayame in that tree asleep and alone. The shine was coming off her new Leaf headband. It was perfect, he could grab the girl now and then get her to tell him where the scroll is. If he was lucky he would be back to Orochimaru by sunrise tomorrow!
His luck then ran out as an Anbu Black Op officer approached her. He would have to wait and plan, Obviously Tsunade had planned the brat’s protection well. With the Anbu Black Ops guarding her, she would be almost untouchable. Almost.....It was time to Kabuto to use his old Anbu Black Ops disguise.
