The Lost Princess Returns (Sequel to The Lost Princess, Kiba Inuzuka Love Story)

Chapter 33

Ayumi's P. O. V:

The next morning, I was cantering Setsuna through the village after my usual morning ride. I'd gone out after spending the morning in the hospital with Naruto and Sai, to see how my teammate was doing.

I'd brought Sai my chocolate chip cookies and he said they were ok. I can't tell if he likes them or not.

As Setsuna was cantering through the village, I pull her up short as an explosion rocks out. "What the?!" I exclaim, my eyes snapping up to the Hokage tower. I sense an intense chakra surge coming from there as well. And it feels like Sora's. "That explosion came from the Hokage tower!" I turn my horse toward it, clicking my tongue as I snap the reins. "Hyah!"

Setsuna whinnies as I send her galloping for the Hokage tower. I get there just in time to see Sora about to attack Asuma.

I dig my heels into Setsuna's sides to urge her to go faster. Setsuna skids to a sharp halt before Sora and rears up, hooves scraping the sky, as she whinnies shrilly.

"What the—?!" Asuma exclaims as Sora falls back with a gasp. Setsuna's hooves slam back on the ground. She snorts and tosses her head but makes no other move. "Setsuna?! Ayumi!"

Just then, I see a barrage of shuriken come flying for Sora. I hold up my arm toward the incoming weapons as I face them and say, "Diamond Style: Diamond Imprisonment Wave!" Diamond coats all of the shuriken in the blink of an eye, and they shatter almost instantly.

I look back at the gray haired monk on the floor who stares up at me with shock in his features. I ask, "Are you okay... Sora?"

Naruto jumps down beside the mare just then, as Sora snaps at me, "Ayumi...! You jerk! What're you doing, sticking your nose in this?!"

"I was just in the area when I heard a commotion," I tell him calmly.

Naruto adds, "We're here to help you, Sora. It's like you said before. "As long as I'm here, I have no choice," right?"

I then whip my head to the figure sitting atop the wall beside me, and glare. "You jerk! Why did you attack Sora?!" But the figure vanishes the second my gaze finds him.

Asuma mutters, "The Foundation...?!"

Yamato comes running out with Tsunade and Shizune. He exclaims, "Sora...!" Yamato then notices me on Setsuna's back and Naruto beside us as I turn my horse to face him. "Naruto, Ayumi?"

I answer, "We're okay."

Sora gets to his feet and trains his glare on the Sarutobi, "You betrayed your comrades... and my father..." Asuma sighs through his nose as he closes his eyes solemnly. "I'll avenge my father!"

Sora runs for the Sarutobi, right arm pulled back.

Tsunade calls, "Sora!"

"Wait!!" Naruto and exclaim but a stinging wind rises in the air. We all throw up our arms to shield our faces as Setsuna whickers and turns her head in the opposite way of the wind. When we look back, the gray haired monk had vanished into thin air.

"That idiot!" I scream, my eyes turning to angry, animated white triangles as I hold up clenched fists. "We came all this way to save his sorry little ass, and this is the thanks we get?! Why, the next time I see that son of a bitch, I'm gonna—"

"Now's not the time for threats, Ayumi," Tsunade interrupts me, causing my angry look to partially fade and my arms to lower as I glance in her direction. "What's more important is that we have to find Sora."

                       🗡🗡🗡

The next morning, I go to look for Sora. As I do, I bump into Shikamaru and Choji. The Akimichi is running around ahead of us while calling the young monk's name.