Awesome fanart of Ashley and the elements by emerden101  -->

Thanks so much, I love getting fanart! xD

Third Person’s POV

Shikamaru sits on the ground at the edge of the arena, his back leaning against a wall. He taps his foot on the ground absentmindedly, head tilted back and eyes locked on the screens at the opposite side of the stadium. He watches as numerous pairs of Grass Jonin race through the large forest, searching for the competitors scattered throughout. The Jonin had all been dispatched early this morning, one out of each pair carrying a newly created Warp Scroll. The sky was swiftly darkening now, and the lights on top of the stadium had been turned on, burning brightly.

Shikamaru had been regretting his decision to lazily drop out of the Tournament ever since that red haired girl had summoned the monstrous Centipede. Waiting here and not knowing exactly how his teammates were doing was absolute torture, and possessing such a logical and analytical mind wasn’t helping either. The young Nara had probably mulled over every single worst case scenario at least three times during the day, and there were a lot that came to mind…

Shikamaru’s head snaps up as a large cloud of white smoke suddenly appears in the centre of the stadium, causing the murmuring audience to fall silent. Shikamaru feels his heart rate pick up slightly, finding himself leaning forwards with anxiousness. Was this his team? Were they finally back?

The dark haired boy sighs deeply however, able to see that it was not his fellow Leaf Ninja that had arrived. As the smoke clears, the audience begins cheering and clapping wildly, clearly relieved to see the three Mist Ninja back safely.

Shikamaru runs a hand down his face, regarding the Mist Ninja gravely as the audience abruptly quietens down, soft gasps escaping some of their mouths. Despite being quite skilled, the Mist Ninja hadn’t escaped the Centipede’s attack unscathed. Kneeling on one knee, a hard faced Fuisuke props his teammate Shin up, supporting the male’s weight. With multiple burns to his skin and his clothes burned away in some places, Shin flops limply over Fuisuke’s knee, his eyes closed. Blood trickles from his mouth, with more of the red liquid crusting around some of his painful looking burns.

The Mist Ninja, though having fought to stay alive in the chaos, was dead. Tanzaki’s ruby eyes waver momentarily, her hands clenching into fists as she stares down at her deceased teammate. The two other Mist Ninja, who hadn’t participated in the final round, sprint over to their teammates, eyes filled with disbelief.

Shikamaru hangs his head and closes his eyes, as a small number of people in the audience begin snivelling, probably having never seen someone die before. It wasn’t like Shin had been the only casualty though. As well as Nobu, the Stone Ninja, Tozoku’s Centipede had killed the Waterfall Village’s Irazen with a stray fireball. Shikamaru had seen the awful event take place on the screen. As Irazen and Ita had been passing one of the small, rocky mountains in the area, a huge fireball had suddenly slammed into Irazen and engulfed her, before the impact of the blast caused the mountain to collapse.

Poor Ita wasn’t able to save her pink haired teammate, dropping to her knees and crying when she realised that there was nothing she could have done. Shikamaru had felt so bad for the young girl, seeing the tears streaming down her face. Watching a teammate die, and in such a horrible way, would be hard on anyone….

“What a drag….” the Nara mumbles regretfully, shaking his head. “This was just supposed to be a friendly competition……How did it get so out of hand?....”

Hearing the loud poof sound as another cloud of smoke suddenly appears in the arena, Shikamaru slowly raises his head, hoping he’s not going to be looking at another dead body. His eyes widen however, when he finds himself staring at his four teammates, with Kyoku keeping a tight hold on the rope binding Tozoku. The red haired girl scowls as the crowd’s relieved cheers turn to loud boos and hisses, with some people even resorting to throwing things at her.

Neji regards the crowd wearily, swaying slightly. His previously white robes were torn and covered in dirt, his hair looking slightly dishevelled. Shikamaru wasn’t surprised to see that the Hyuga looked tired however, considering the amount of chakra he’d used against the Centipede. He’d never admit it to Neji, but Shikamaru had been quite impressed with his endurance.

Kyoku gives the crowd a closed eye smile, waving one hand merrily as she tugs on the rope in her other hand, pulling Tozoku back down into a sitting position. The girl squeaks as she lands heavily on her butt, having been trying to dodge the objects being flung at her. It didn’t seem like Kyoku particularly wanted the girl to evade the projectiles however….

Shikamaru slides his back against the wall, pushing himself to his feet as he glances over at Kakashi, his breath catching in his throat momentarily. While Kakashi himself seemed to be fine, as always, it was the blood covered blonde in his arms that had caught Shikamaru’s attention. While he’d witnessed what had happened to Ashley on the screen, her wounds sure looked a lot worse in person.

Shikamaru pushes away from the wall and jogs over to the Leaf Ninja, trying to keep a calm look on his face. Inside though, his mind was whirring with all sorts of negative thoughts. Surely Ashley wasn’t going to be another one of Tozoku’s victims?.....

“Shikamaru!” Kakashi greets, spotting the dark haired boy jogging towards them. “Good to see you. How have you been?”

Shikamaru pauses in front of the silver haired man, giving him an incredulous look. Trust Kakashi to seem jolly when his former student was half dead in his arms….Shaking his head, Shikamaru ignores the older Jonin’s seemingly nonchalant tone, assuming the man is trying to remain positive for Ashley’s sake.

“This has been the most troublesome day of my life” Shikamaru sighs raggedly, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I’m just glad that you’re all finally back.”

“D-Doesn’t sound like….Like you had m-much faith i-in us…” Ashley jokes weakly, sending a tiny smirk Shikamaru’s way. The boy raises his eyes to the blonde’s injured form, unable to keep from cringing. Though she had a bandage around her middle, Shikamaru could imagine how serious the wound hidden beneath it. Not to mention that about seventy percent of her body was stained red. He sincerely hoped she’d taken a plasma pill or something to help with the blood loss, or she was going to be in some serious trouble.

“I knew you’d all be back” Shikamaru replies quietly, giving Ashley a half hearted smile. “It was just such a boring drag waiting for you all day.”

Ashley chuckles quietly to herself, before turning her head towards Kakashi’s chest and closing her eyes. As Shikamaru’s eyes widen, Kakashi narrows his down at his old student, seeing how laboured her breathing seems to be. He needed to get her to a hospital, and fast.

“You!” a furious voice spits, catching everyone’s attention and making them look up. To their surprise, they see a fuming Tanzaki glaring over at the Leaf Ninja, her red eyes blazing with fury, despite being filled with unshed tears.

“You killed Shin!” the tiny Mist Ninja growls dangerously, uncharacteristically emotional for once. Fuisuke hands Shin’s body to one of his teammates, taking up a place behind Tanzaki and placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Well……” the blue haired female hisses, her voice low. She reaches behind her, eyes zeroing in on their target. “We have a saying in the Mist Village…..”

Fuisuke’s eyes darken at this, before he places his hands together, an action that causes all of the Leaf Ninja to take up defensive positions. Surely they wouldn’t be stupid enough to attack right here? The Grass Jonin would stop them in an instant.

“An eye for an eye……” Fuisuke drawls in a low, dangerous voice, as Tanzaki pulls out two kunai knives.

“And a life for a life!” she snarls, suddenly leaping forwards with Fuisuke performing a swift set of hand signs. Just as Shikamaru places his hands together, and Kakashi bends his knees, Tanzaki expertly dodges around them, barely even paying the two males any attention. Clearly she wasn’t interested in them.

“Ahhhhhhhhh!” Tozoku screams in terror, her eyes widening as she realises that the Mist Ninja are after her. Kyoku, an unusually dark look in her eyes, releases the rope in her hand and places a foot on Tozoku’s back, before roughly shoving the girl forwards. She lands on her face with a thump, icy cold water suddenly appearing around her legs and binding them together, rendering her incapable of running away.

Fuisuke grins coldly beneath his mask, holding Tozoku captive as Tanzaki suddenly leaps for the girl, aiming to stab her to death. An incredibly painful and messy way to go….

Before Tanzaki can attack the girl however, another cloud of smoke suddenly appears, before a large rock shoots up out of the ground, shielding Tozoku from the angry Mist Ninja. Flipping backwards, Tanzaki growls with irritation, her head whipping to the side to see who had stopped her.

Stepping out of the smoke, a solemn Ita appears, her face tear stained and marked with dirt. She holds her hands together in a hand sign, her eyes dull and brimming with tears.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Tanzaki demands to know, brandishing her Kunai at the orange haired girl. “Get in my way again, and I’ll kill you as well.”

“You’re not going to kill that girl” Ita informs Tanzaki icily, her brows furrowing as her blue eyes land on the trembling red head. “Not until I’ve had a chance to first! This is for Irazen!”

That said, the large rock suddenly shoots up into air, before abruptly rocketing back down towards Tozoku. Ita, though normally not an overly violent person, was looking forward to crushing Tozoku’s head with the rock. She’d get revenge for her team leader. Despite being very strict, Irazen had been a valuable asset to the Waterfall Village, and Ita was going to miss her.

Just as Fuisuke leaps forwards to aide Tanzaki in attacking Ita, a huge shuriken suddenly flies into the stadium. Fuisuke, having quick reaction time, is able to leap over the weapon, narrowly managing to avoid its razor sharp blades.

“Hey!” an angry voice barks, just as Tien, Kein and Chirin leap into the arena, running to defend their fellow Waterfall Ninja.

“You wanna fight Ita” Tien warns, landing in front of the orange haired Kunoichi and raising her hand, “You gotta fight all of us!”

That said, a third Mist Ninja bounds over, just as Tien’s Shuriken comes back, the black haired girl catching it easily in her raised hand.

Ignoring the commotion for a moment, Kakashi leans back and glances at Kyoku, who seems very interested to see who’s going to win the fight.

“Why did you push her Kyoku?” the silver haired man asks, nodding his head to the whimpering Tozoku, who has tears in her eyes. Kyoku stares at Kakashi for a moment, before smiling cheekily and shrugging a shoulder.

“Well, we’re not allowed to kill her” the blue haired woman explains coolly. “But that doesn’t mean we have to help if they want to kill her.”

Kakashi blinks a few times, raising an eyebrow as Kyoku tilts her head and gives him a closed eye smile, seemingly satisfied with her bizarre logic. Kakashi can’t help grinning behind his mask however. Kyoku might seem like she’s kind, but there was a devious mind hiding behind that calm exterior.

“Everyone please stop!” Areki shouts pleadingly into his microphone, just as all of the Mist and Waterfall Ninja freeze in place, their eyes wide with surprise.

“What’s going on?!” Chirin demands to know, uncomfortable in her frozen position. Why did she have to freeze when she was only balancing on one foot?....

“You all need to stop being so annoying and calm down” Shikamaru sighs, kneeling down on one knee, his hands held together. “You can’t all be trying to kill each other. She’s already done enough damage…..”

“You little brat….” the third Mist Ninja snarls, narrowing his eyes at the uncaring Shikamaru. “She killed our teammate!”

“And ours!” Ita barks indignantly, brows knitted together. Shikamaru sighs again, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face. It was difficult capturing so many people at once, especially when some of them were struggling to get free…..

“She indirectly killed a few people” Shikamaru agrees, before turning his head and looking over at Ashley, causing all of the Mist and Waterfall Ninja to do the same. “But she saved everyone by killing the Centipede. We need to get her to a hospital and we can’t do that with all of you fighting like this! You’re just going to increase the chaos!”

“We have to leave her to the Grass Village” Neji speaks up, catching everyone’s attention. “I’m sure the Village leaders will confer with each other one what will be deemed as appropriate punishment for this psychotic girl. Right now, the majority of us need to get to the hospital…..So shut up and back off!”

Shikamaru watches as their words seem to sink in with the conflicted Ninja, before he releases a slow breath and pulls his hands apart, cancelling the Shadow Possession Jutsu. As the seven Ninja are freed, they glance between each other awkwardly, before the three Mist Shinobi bound back over to their fourth teammate and Shin’s body.

“We need to get Shin embalmed” Tanzaki murmurs to her three male teammates, as she gently places a hand on Shin’s head. “Then we can take him back to the Mist Village and bury him in his homeland…..”

“We….We can’t even retrieve Irazen’s body….” Ita says softly, her eyes filling with tears again, only for Chirin to wrap her arms around the taller girl and give her a hug, snivelling sadly. Kein places a hand on Ita’s shoulder, as a furious Tien turns to face Tozoku, causing the girl to flinch.

“I hope you rot in hell you stupid bitch!” she screams, kicking dirt in Tozoku’s direction, before spitting at her. As Tozoku’s lower lip trembles, the two pairs of Grass Ninja that had found the Leaf and Mist Ninja march over, roughly grabbing the red head by her shoulders.

“Tozoku Rinosuke” the only female begins, frowning angrily, “In the name of the Grass Village, you are under arrest for the murders of four people and the grievous bodily harm of multiple others. You’re coming with us.”

“No!” Tozoku shrieks, as she is sharply tugged across the ground by the rope Kyoku had tied her with. “I can’t go to prison! I’m innocent! I-It was self defence, I swear! Ashley attacked me and I responded! Help, help!”

Everyone in the crowd rises to their feet, raising their arms above their head and clapping enthusiastically. They all cheer and whistle, staring at the writhing, screaming Tozoku as she is dragged off to prison for holding.

“K-Kakashi Sensei?” a soft, sleepy voice asks, barely audible over the crowd. The silver head man glances down, only to see Ashley peeking at him through a partially opened eye. “D-Did Ne….Neji……Our f-flag?....I want…I want to w-win….”

Grinning to himself, Kakashi raises his head and glances between the other two rescued teams.

“Did any of you manage to keep your flags?” he inquires, earning a few strange looks from the others. Ita’s shoulders slump slightly, as she closes her eyes and shakes her head.

“No….” she sighs. “Irazen was the one carrying our flag…..”

“Insensitive asshole” Tien mutters, casting Kakashi a dirty look from the corner of her eye. Expertly ignoring her, the silver haired Jonin looks to the Mist Ninja, raising his eyebrow in a silent question.

“No” Tanzaki responds, as Fuisuke suddenly notices the burns adorning his teammate’s arms and legs. “It was destroyed when I was fighting that insect.”

Nodding his head, Kakashi glances back down at Ashley, finding her to be half asleep.

“We won” he informs the girl simply, to which she grins, a brief sparkle appearing in her visible eye.

“Damn s-straight we won” she chuckles, before reclosing her eyes and lapsing into silence.

“Are you going to come back to the hotel with us Kakashi Sensei?” Neji asks the silver haired man, watching as he seats himself in the chair beside Ashley’s hospital bed. “Kyoku and I are going back, seeing as we’ve already been cleared by the Medics.”

“We just need a good night sleep” the blue haired woman adds, smiling at the worried look on Kakashi’s face. “Neji’s chakra level is pretty low, but a good sleep will recharge his energy.”

Kakashi sits forward in his seat, arms folded across the edge of Ashley’s bed. Seeing as Ashley was considered a victim of the Fighting Tournament, she’d been admitted to a hospital room immediately, as had any other contestants that had been injured. The Medics had said that Ashley’s situation was critical, and since it was dangerous that she’d fallen unconscious, she was going to have surgery performed on her very soon.

Kakashi’s eyes narrow at the tiny circle of blood beginning to seep through Ashley’s white hospital blanket. Her wound, though slightly healed, had been bleeding constantly, and Kakashi could only imagine how much of the red liquid she’d already lost. Despite her skin usually being quite pale, a trait she’d inherited from her Uchiha Father, Ashley’s skin had faded to a sickly white due to the blood loss and fatigue. Her breathing was heavy, but very laboured, as if she were struggling to get enough air. A fine sheen of sweat had formed on the girl’s brow, and her arms were trembling. Kakashi had never seen any of his students in such a state. Ashley looked terrible, and though he was trying to hide his feelings, Kakashi was scared. Ashley may be sarcastic and difficult to handle at times, but she was a true Leaf Village Ninja at heart and Kakashi couldn’t lose another student. Yes, though Sasuke was still alive somewhere, his betrayal had caused him to become somewhat dead to Kakashi.

“Uh….” Kakashi mutters hoarsely, before clearing his throat and glancing up. “No, I’m….I’m going to stay here with Ashley…..She’ll be going into surgery soon and I probably won’t be able to sleep until I know she’s alright anyway…..You guys go ahead though.”

Neji sends the unconscious Ashley a troubled look, before crossing his arms and briefly closing his eyes.

“She’s stubborn” he states flatly. “She’ll pull through just fine. Good night.”

Kyoku smiles at Neji’s back as she follows him, before pausing beside Kakashi and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Remember to take care of yourself as well Kakashi” the blue haired woman says softly, giving the man a tiny smile as he nods in response. Kyoku then turns away and strolls from the room, following Neji back to the hotel they’d all stayed at for the last two nights. It seemed like they’d been here at the Grass Village for a lot longer than three days….

Kakashi listens to Kyoku’s retreating footsteps, before leaning back in his chair and running a hand down his face, sighing quietly. How he wished they were all back at the Leaf Village….While he had faith that the Grass Village Medical Ninja were very well qualified, he’d just feel a whole lot better about the situation if Lady Tsunade and Sakura were looking after Ashley.

Kakashi sits silently beside Ashley’s bed for another half an hour, when a sudden flurry of movement in the doorway causes his head to snap up. Three female nurses rush into the room, one of them pushing a solid looking gurney ahead of her.

“This is the girl” a blonde nurse explains hurriedly, rushing over to the far side of Ashley’s bed. “She has a very serious laceration to her middle, and has been bleeding continuously for an unknown amount of time. Her chakra is incredibly low as well…..”

“We’re going to need to give her new blood to make up for the severe blood loss” a pink haired nurse adds, politely gesturing for Kakashi to get out of the way. He does so obligingly, watching as the three nurses carefully transfer his student from her bed, to the metal gurney. A pained look crosses the unconscious girl’s face as a thick blanket is placed over her, before two of the nurses hurriedly push her from the room.

“Wait!” Kakashi calls, holding out an arm and managing to get the pink haired nurse to stop. “When will she be out of surgery? Will she be alright? What’s going to happen to her?”

The pink haired nurse tilts her head, a troubled look flashing across her face as she purses her lips and regards Kakashi seriously.

“We don’t yet know quite how long this girl’s surgery will be” she admits, looking down at a clipboard in her hands. “It will depend on complications and exactly how much damage has been dealt to her internal organs……As I’m sure you’re aware, she has lost a lot of blood, and her wounds are rather intense, so I can’t honestly tell you that she’s going to be okay. I….I’m sorry sir, but I really have to get to the emergency room. Your student will be returned to this room after her surgery…..Assuming she survives of course…..Umm….Well, goodbye!”

Kakashi watches helplessly as the nurse flits hurriedly from the room, running a hand through his hair as he sinks back down into the uncomfortable plastic chair beside the hospital bed. If she survived the surgery? What a thing for a nurse to tell him!

“Her name is Ashley….” Kakashi murmurs pointedly, solemnly glancing out of the window and staring at the colourful lights throughout the Grass Village.

Ashley’s POV

“...What…..What’s going on?” I wonder out loud, leaning on my hands and knees for some reason. Lifting my head to look around, I can’t help shivering at the icy chill in the air. Why is it so cold in here? And wait, where is here anyway?

As I push myself to my feet, I involuntarily cry out in pain, immediately pressing my hand to my stomach, having felt a sharp jolt in my mid section. I scrunch one eye closed and bite my lip as I straighten up, the pain already beginning to ebb away.

Letting out a sigh, I drop my arm and glance around, wanting to know where exactly I am and how I got here in the first place. As I turn around, I suddenly freeze with fright, my eyes flying wide open as a small squeak escapes my mouth. Having turned around, I’d come face to face with two glowing red eyes, focused right on me.

After a few seconds, I shake my head and let out a shaky laugh, recognising the face before me. How had I not realised where I was? Apart from when I lived with Orochimaru, I’d never been inside a cold, dark place with such a creepy atmosphere before.

“Hakuba” I greet the Ten Tails, taking a couple of tentative steps back from the steel bars of his prison. “Long time no see.”

I pause awkwardly, as Hakuba continues to silently stare at me, his red eyes wide and focused. He’s sitting on all fours, his head leaning forwards as his tails flick lazily behind him. If I thought Hakuba had any sense of humour, I’d assume he’s challenging me to a staring contest….But I don’t think that’s what he’s going for here….

“Uh….Hakuba?” I ask cautiously, furrowing my brows. “Is….Is something wrong?”

My frown begins to deepen as the strange beast keeps on staring intently at me, his wide eyes unblinking and bright in the darkness.

Before I can say anything else however, I am suddenly hit with a wave of nauseating pain, causing me to drop heavily to my knees, my hands clutching at my stomach. Though it feels as if I’m being stabbed repeatedly, when I look down, my stomach seems fine. There aren’t any wounds or signs of blood or anything.

“What’s…..What’s going on?” I exhale sharply, tilting my head back to look at Hakuba. “Why am I in so much pain? And why am I here?”

Hakuba remains silent, though he slowly begins tilting his head to the side, his eyes really beginning to creep me out. I cough hoarsely, feeling like there’s a thick lump in my throat. Leaning on my knees and one hand, I grit my teeth together and clench the hand I’m leaning on into a fist.

What’s happening here? Why am I feeling so crappy all of the sudden? It’s like I’m back in that forest, getting attacked by Peikirin and Tozoku’s crazy Summons again.

I gasp out loud as my arm suddenly seems to lose all strength and collapses beneath me, causing me to crash to the cold floor. I groan in pain as I lie motionless on the ground, squeezing my eyes closed and wishing the pain would go away. I’ve had enough pain to last me for awhile now.

“So you didn’t kill her” a deep voice suddenly speaks up, almost making me jump. Struggling to turn my head due to my sudden fatigue, I look up at Hakuba, who has now hooded his eyes, though he’s still staring at me. At least he’s blinking now.

“Wh-Who are you talking about?” I question, to which the beast rolls his eyes in exasperation.

“The girl who was trying to kill you” he reiterates. “The one with the red hair. I must say, it surprised me that you did not kill her. You must hate her for what she’s done to you.”

I frown in confusion at Hakuba, slowly and shakily pushing myself up into a sitting position.

“I promised Lady Tsunade I w-wouldn’t kill anyone” I mutter, sounding more like I’m talking to myself. “And…And I have to prove to you that I c-can overcome hate…..Anyway, I o-only hate her because she put m-my friends in danger.”

“Oh how noble” Hakuba scoffs sarcastically, smirking at me and revealing his sharp, gleaming teeth. “You even went so far as to plead with your Sensei to not kill that other girl. The one who doesn’t like Wolves.”

“……Same answer as b-before” I sigh, pursing my lips and narrowing my eyes up at Hakuba. He’s pretty tricky and hard to understand sometimes, so I’m not really sure just what he’s aiming to do here. I have a feeling he’s trying to trip me up somehow, just so he has an excuse to do something horrible to me.

“…………” Hakuba studies me for a few moments, eyes no doubt picking up on the strained look on my face. “Why did you almost kill yourself to save them? If you die, I die after all. It was stupid. I even tried to talk you out of it, to save yourself the effort. The old Ashley would never have made such a sacrifice……Look at you, writhing in pain like a little worm…..”

“They would have done th-the same for me” I tell Hakuba pointedly, not liking the way he’s wrinkling his nose at me. “Kakashi Sensei protected me f-from Peikirin and her clones when I w-was really injured. Why wouldn’t I risk m-my life to save people who’d try to save me?......”

I trail off, looking down at my hands through narrowed eyes, my brows still furrowed. Hakuba was right. The old me would never have made such a selfless move….I’m getting soft…..

“Maybe I’m not the same person I used to be Hakuba” I say seriously, looking back up at the seemingly conflicted Demon. We stare at each other for a while, before I let out a low groan, which causes Hakuba to sigh.

“You know you’re unconscious right now…..Don’t you?” he questions, sighing again as I give him a questioning look. “Of course you don’t realise………You’re currently undergoing life saving surgery…..To save your life.”

“I know what life saving means Hakuba” I growl, an anime vein appearing on my forehead. “I may be in pain, but I’m not stupid.”

“……Right” Hakuba responds flatly, clearly not believing me at all. Before I can snap at him however, something comes to mind.

“Wait……If I’m so weak that I’m unconscious and undergoing life saving surgery…..” Here I glance up and give Hakuba a suspicious look. “Why aren’t you trying to take over my body? This is the perfect chance. And not to mention a once in a lifetime one, because I assure you, this won’t happen ever again.”

“You’re complaining?” Hakuba asks lowly, his eyes suddenly beginning to glow brighter, as black chakra starts to seep through the steel bars. “Perhaps I should take advantage of your helplessness then?”

I scowl as the chakra flows thickly around me, steam rising from it. Why does he always have to be so confrontational?

“I’m not complaining” I explain carefully, “I’m just…..curious. You always used to say that you’d take over my body as soon as a chance provided itself. Well…..Why aren’t you taking advantage of the situation?”

Hakuba seems to pause here, tilting his head down to look at the floor in thought. The seeping chakra stops as well, instead retracting slowly back into Hakuba’s prison, his brilliant eyes losing their bright glow.

“Perhaps I am also not the same as my old self” he murmurs after a minute of silent. Heaving a heavy sigh, as if seriously troubled over something, Hakuba rises to his feet and turns his back on me, retreating back into the shadows.

“Perhaps……Even an entity as old as I needs something to believe in….”

Third Person’s POV

“Ahh….I feel so well rested” Kyoku sighs dreamily, stretching her arms up above her head as she strolls down the street, the sun shining brightly in the blue sky. “How are you today Neji? You used up a lot of chakra yesterday.”

“I’m fine” is Neji’s short reply, the young male walking alongside Kyoku. “My muscles are a little tense, but nothing to worry about…..How do you suppose Kakashi Sensei is doing?”

Kyoku smiles to herself, gazing ahead through hooded blue eyes.

“Knowing him, he’s been awake all night” she chuckles. “He seemed quite worried about Ashley.”

“Understandable” Neji says with a nod. “If it were Tenten, Lee or myself in that situation, Guy Sensei would be the exact same way…..Although he’d probably be crying or annoying the hospital staff somehow.”

“He’s a very positive and enthusiastic man” Kyoku grins with amusement, an image of the green clad man with a bowl cut flashing through her mind. She didn’t know Guy particularly well, but she’d met him on occasion whenever he ever came to talk to Kakashi. Well, more like challenge him to some sort of competition. And besides, Kyoku had been one of the top ANBU Black Ops of the Leaf Village. She knew about everyone.

Kyoku suddenly pauses, a small shop catching her eye. Reaching out, Kyoku gently grabs onto Neji’s sleeve and gives it a light tug, causing him to pause in his walking and turn around.

“I’ll bet Kakashi hasn’t had any breakfast yet” the blue haired woman says with a tiny smile, pointing towards the shop.

Kakashi paces back and forth along the wall, switching his tired gaze between the window and the sleeping Ashley, safely back in her bed. And she was alive as well, which had been a huge relief to Kakashi. He’d almost wanted to cry he was so glad she would live, but having a reputation to keep up, he’d managed to beat down the urge for tears.

Kakashi pauses in his pacing and stares at Ashley for a moment, noting how her breathing seemed a lot more normal now, and her skin had regained most of its colour. Running a hand through his hair, the weary Kakashi lowers himself down into the plastic chair beside the bed, and lets out a loud yawn.

The surgery had taken all night, and Ashley had only been back in the room for about two hours. The Medics had had a lot of trouble stabilizing Ashley and healing her insides, seeing as they’d been slashed by Peikirin’s sword as well. Blood transfusions had been a little hectic too, seeing as they seemed to be running low on any B plus type blood, and the Medics had been a little hesitant when it came to using it. In the end, they’d decided to use it, but Kakashi suspected it was only because the Grass Village was already going to have problems with the Villages of the dead contestants, and they didn’t want the Leaf angry at them as well.

“Good morning Kakashi” a cool voice suddenly greets, causing the silver haired Jonin to turn around. Upon seeing Kyoku and Neji entering the room, Kakashi raises his hand in a weary wave, secretly glad to have a little company. His mind wasn’t the best company to have when it was swimming with all sorts of possibilities for a negative outcome.

Neji walks around to the other side of Ashley’s bed, peering down at the girl and activating his Byakugan. He was interested to see how strong her chakra was today. Analysing the pale blue aura circulating through her system, Neji’s lips pull up into a tiny, almost invisible, smile. Though not back to perfect, Ashley’s chakra was quite well restored.

“You look tired” Kyoku comments softly, standing behind Kakashi and placing her hand on top of his head. Kakashi’s eye widens slightly, his body freezing as Kyoku gently drags her fingers back through his soft hair. She hadn’t done that to him for years…..It was just a habit that she’d had, whenever he was stressed out. She liked his hair because it was silky as she’d often described it, and to be honest, it was quite relaxing for Kakashi when she did it. He couldn’t help being completely shocked that she was running her fingers through his hair right now, but he sure wasn’t going to stop her from doing it.

After repeating the action a few times, Kyoku freezes as well, her eyes widening with realisation. A red blush dusts itself across her nose and cheeks as she quickly pulls her arm back, mentally berating herself for touching Kakashi’s hair. What had she been thinking?! She wasn’t dating Kakashi anymore! He was probably completely freaked out, but he’d be too polite to say anything to her.

Resisting the urge to facepalm, Kyoku tries to regain her cool, pulling up another plastic chair beside Kakashi. She turns her head away, holding up a large container filled with something.

“Here” she says softly, the blush still clear on her face. “You haven’t eaten breakfast yet, right?”

Kakashi blinks, looking from Kyoku down to the large container sitting on her outstretched palm. Why had she suddenly stopped? Why wasn’t she looking at him?.....And what the heck was she handing him?

Kakashi reaches out and picks up the container, enjoying the warmth radiating from it. He sets the container in his lap, puzzled as to just what Kyoku had bought for him.

“What’s this?” he finally questions, brows furrowed as he stares down at the container.

“It’s Miso Soup……With Eggplant” Kyoku replies quietly, slightly turning her head to glance at Kakashi. His head snaps up at that, eyes managing to spot the red tinting the blue haired woman’s cheeks, before she turns her head away, tiny smile in place.

“You remembered my favourite food?” Kakashi asks slowly, to which Kyoku nods, trying not to show just how awkward she feels inside. Did she seem super creepy now? Like an ex girlfriend that just couldn’t let go of the hope that her man would come back to her? Oh how she hoped not…..

“Of course” Kyoku chuckles humourlessly, wanting someone to change the subject. Maybe she should have just bought him some rice or something, so he wouldn’t think she was crazy?....

Kakashi shakes his head, smiling to himself as he looks down and opens the container. He couldn’t believe Kyoku had remembered his favourite food after so long, though he knew she had a great memory, so he shouldn’t be surprised.

Closing his eyes, Kakashi takes a deep breath in through his nose, sighing dreamily when the delicious scent reaches him. Miso soup with Eggplant. Nothing was better.

After snapping the lid of the container closed again, Kakashi settles back in his chair, to which Neji grow an anime vein.

“Aren’t you going to eat it?” the Hyuga questions irritably. “It’s going to get cold.”

“Maybe later” is Kakashi’s cool reply, to which Kyoku can’t help laughing to herself. The silver haired man was probably hungry, but no doubt he just didn’t want to pull down his mask in front of everyone. He was stubborn like that sometimes.

“….Whatever” Neji sighs, before crossing his arms and nodding his head towards Ashley. “What happened here last night? Her chakra seems to be almost fully replenished.”

“I see they’ve connected Ashley to a heart monitor” Kyoku comments, glancing over at the beeping machine. “Were there problems with her heart?”

Kakashi looks over at Ashley, seeing the peaceful look on her face as she breathes in and out slowly, clearly in a deep sleep. She’d been sedated during her surgery of course, and obviously the sedation wasn’t anywhere close to wearing off. Kakashi only hoped her Tailed Beast wouldn’t try to take advantage of the moment…

“I’m not sure if she had any heart problems or not” Kakashi eventually admits. “I think they’ve just got Ashley hooked up to the machine to make sure her heart stays strong while she’s recovering. The Medics worked on healing her internal organs for quite awhile, but I was told closing the open wound through her mid section was the most difficult part of the operation. She’s been stitched closed; however one of the nurses told me that she’s probably going to have scars.”

“I have a feeling she won’t really care about having scars” Neji says dryly, to which Kakashi nods, amusement in his visible eye. It was true. Ashley didn’t care much for appearances. She’d probably like the fact that she’d have a scar or two.

“She had to have a few blood transfusions as well” Kakashi continues explaining. “You could probably tell, but she’d lost a dangerous amount of blood. The nurse said that it was a miracle she didn’t die from blood loss…..Anyway, it’s going to take some time for her to fully recover. Her internal organs were pretty badly damaged. Lady Tsunade’s going to have to give Ashley some time off. Speaking of which…..”

Kakashi lifts his head, his eye flicking between Neji and Kyoku.

“I think the two of you and Shikamaru should head back to the Leaf Village today” he tells the two Ninja. “Lady Tsunade will no doubt be anxious to hear a full report of the situation, and Ashley won’t be allowed to travel for awhile. I’ll stay here with her until she’s well enough to leave. Even if I have to carry her back or something.”

Kyoku and Neji stare at Kakashi for a few moments, before exchanging a look with each other. The blue haired woman nods at Neji, to which he shrugs a shoulder.

“We’re both ready to leave straight away if you think that would be best” the Hyuga informs Kakashi, who sighs with relief. At least he wasn’t going to have to argue his point…

“I agree with you about reporting to Lady Tsunade anyway” Kyoku adds softly. “She may not show it, but I’m sure she’s been worried about us all.”

“Wait…..Where is Shikamaru anyway?” Kakashi questions, having completely forgotten about the young Nara.

“Sleeping” Neji states flatly, an unimpressed look on his face. “He slept right through our alarm this morning, and I couldn’t be bothered waking him up.”

Kakashi sweat drops at his, seeing that despite how stone faced Neji is, there is clear amusement in his pale eyes. Obviously the Hyuga had a very well hidden mischievous side to him….

“I’m sure Shikamaru will want to check on Ashley before you guys leave….” Kakashi trails off, as Neji rolls his eyes.

“That’s what he gets for being lazy” the seemingly heartless male replies, smirking to himself.