Aimi Uzumaki

chapter 23

~Aimi's POV~

"Look who's awake." I said as I stopped healing him. Kakashi stared at me and I smiled. "Hey guys! He's waking up!"

Tazuna, Naruto-nii, Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna's daughter Tsunami all walked into the room. Sakura knelt down next to me and looked down on Kakashi.

"Are you alright, sensei?" Tsunami asked him.

"Yeah, I just can't move for a week or so. Probably less thanks to Aimi's healing ability." He informed.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei! Your sharingan is great and all, but if it puts that much strain on the body, maybe it's not worth it." Sakura implied.

'Something is not right, hunter-nins are supposed to deal with the body on the spot.' My eyebrows furrowed. 'But that boy took the body with him. And the place he hit was the neck, where it has less muscle which makes it easier to hit the acupuncture points. Those pressure points can put you in a near death state, and when you take them out--' My eyes widened.

"Aimi?" Kakashi's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Kakashi-sensei, don't you find it strange that the assassin didn't work on Zabuza's body on the spot?" I asked him and his eye narrowed.

"Yes, I agree." Kakashi said and I helped him sit up. "And did you see the weapon he used to take him down?"

"Senbon needles. The area where the boy threw the needles at were at the neck, where it has less muscle which makes it easier to hit the acupuncture points. Those pressure points can put you in a near death state, and when you take them out, it can leave you numb for about a week." I explained.

"What are you saying?" Sakura asked curiously.

"You tell them." I said.

"Fine." He looked at the genins. "Zabuza isn't dead."

"What the hell do you mean!?" Naruto yelled.

"But Kakashi-sensei! You checked and said he had no pulse!" Sakura screamed.

"His heart did stop, but it was a near death state, to simulate death." Kakashi stated. "The weapon the assassin was using is called a senbon. Unless it hits a vital organ, it has a low probability of killing your opponent."

"It's even an item used by doctors in acupuncture therapy." I added.

"The tracker wasn't there to kill Zabuza, he was there to save him." Kakashi concluded.

"Aren't you thinking too much?" Tazuna asked. "Hunter-nins are supposed to kill missing-nins."

"No, with all the suspicions we will prepare before it's too late. That's a shinobi rule." Kakashi said. "Plus whether Zabuza is dead or alive... there's no assurances that Gatou hasn't hired an even stronger shinobi."

"Sensei, what do you mean preparing before it's too late? You can barely move." Sakura said and Kakashi chuckled.

"I can still train you." He said.

Sakura went off on how last minute training isn't going to make us stronger.

"Sakura, who saved me while I was struggling? You guys are growing rapidly. Especially you, Naruto. You've improved the most." Kakashi said.

"So you've noticed, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said enthusiastically. "Things are going to get better. Believe it!"

"I don't believe it and nothing will be good!" A voice yelled from behind nii-san. There stood a young boy with green overalls and a white fisher's hat.

"Who the hell are you!?" Nii-san yelled.

"Inari! Where were you!?" Tazuna exclaimed with open arms and Inari ran into giving him a hug.

"Inari, that was very rude! These people brought your grandpa to safety." Tsunami scolded.

"It's okay, I'm rude to them too." Tazuna laughed.

"Mom, they are going to die."

"What did you say, you little brat!?" Naruto yelled at him.

"There's no way you can win against Gatou."

"Do you know what a super ninja is!? I'm a super ninja only a lot better. I'm going to be Hokage. This Gatou guy is no match for a real hero like me!" Naruto yelled.

"There's no such thing as a hero! You're just full of stupid ideas!" Inari yelled.

"WHAT!?" Naruto yelled on the verge of pummeling Inari, but Sakura grabbed him by the arm.

"Stop it!" She yelled at him.

"If you don't want to die, you should leave." Inari said and began walking away.

"Where are you going Inari?" Tazuna asked him.

"To look at the ocean from my room." He said and left.

"Sorry..." Tazuna apologized.

I stood up and helped Kakashi to his feet. I stretched before smiling at the others.

"Well? What are we waiting for? Let's go train!"