The White Flash

The Demon's Memento

            It was four days before Ayumi woke up. Apparently, whatever she activated had overloaded her chakra network, so when it left her body needed to get used to running with her usual chakra level again. According to Sakura, Kohei had healed Sasuke, Hiro, Kakashi, and her after their battles. Hiro was alright, his wounds were deep but none were too serious; Sasuke had "died" during his fight with Haku before Kohei got to him; Naruto seemed to have healed on his own, though when he even got to the bridge was unknown to her; and Kakashi took over in her fight with Zabuza. Although, it seemed the Gato man had appeared before Kakashi ended the swordsman and instead he died after fighting through waves of mercenaries and killing Gato.

Ayumi laid in their shared room, tucked securely into her blanket she looked at the ceiling. Both Sasuke and Hiro were in similar states with Kohei napping near the right wall with Waddles-san sleeping soundly on the side of his head. Naruto and Sakura were both guarding Tazuna as he worked on the bridge. She turned her head to Onimaru, that leaned against the left wall. The blade was shorter than it was before the mission, now only a little taller than herself, and cracks still ran like veins down the metal. She sat up. "I'm going to train," she informed the others as she pushed the blankets off.

"Yu-chan, Kakashi-sensei said to rest."

"I've been resting for four days," she reminded. "I've had enough." Just then the door slid open a crack. "I'm-"

"Yu..." She froze, her head turning slowly to see Kakashi peering through the crack. "You're staying in bed today."

"I'm staying in bed today," she echoed pulling the blankets back over herself. The door slid shut. Ayumi frowned and glared at the boring ceiling. She couldn't stay locked up anymore. She had to move. "I'm going to take a bath!" She announced once again throwing her blankets off.

"Can't you just stay put for once, idiot?" Sasuke grumbled, rolling so his back was facing her.

"I stink."

"Yu-chan, didn't you already take a bath today?" Hiro asked propping himself up on his elbows.

Ayumi looked at him, "I really stink. One bath isn't enough to take care of all of the dirt I got in places unseen." Lowering her head slightly she closed her eyes and grabbed her shirt over her heart, "alas, I fear there may be dirt in places that it will never be removed." She threw her hand in the air, "but I will not let that stop me from trying to get clean!" Ayumi stood with determination, "this is a war of soap." She ventured towards the left wall as she babbled. "There are only those who win and those who remain grimy for the remainder of their years on this good planet Earth-"

"Hey, idiot, you don't need a sword to take a bath," Sasuke pointed out. Ayumi paused, her hand close to Onimaru's hilt. In a swift movement she snatched Onimaru from the wall and her kunai pouch from the floor and ran for the door.

"Papa! I'm going to take a bath," she shouted down the corridor. She sprinted into the bath down the hall and slammed the door shut, hoping she managed to do so without Kakashi seeing what she had in her possession. Considering the fact there were no heavier footsteps coming after her, her escape was a success. Ayumi snickered and attached her kunai pouch onto her leg. She picked up Onimaru and paused. It was far lighter. Before she needed both hands to lift it, she had assumed it was adrenaline during the fight-like it was before.

"It is a sword that adapts to its user..."

It was starting. Ayumi turned towards the window that was near the bath. Sliding it open she set Onimaru outside, snickering as she followed. "Too easy."

"What's too easy?"

"SHIT!" Her foot slid and she tumbled onto the dock. Kakashi leaned next to the window, Icha Icha book in hand. Ayumi rolled into a criss-cross, rubbing the back of her head. "With the amount of head injuries I have received this week, I think my IQ has gone from close to Shikun to Uchiha-kun."