Hatake✔️

37

It's tough to see a grown man cry.

My ears are ringing and I can't seem to get what everyone is yelling about.

Shizune pulls me up out of my seat. She walks me to the door and sits me down outside on a bench.

The hallway feels cold and clammy.

"... I'll tell her. You just sit here. I'll get Asuma to come over." She says and leaves.

I lean my head back on the wall. The door to the room I was in opens and slams closed.

A man walks past and glances at me.

The door opens again this time closing softer.

"Can you hear me?" A man asks.

I turn to face him. He is from the Huga clan.

"Yes." I reply.

"I've been tasked with checking your hand. Can I?" He says.

He unzips a bag and grabs some gauze.

I look down at my hand and it looks broken.

"Looks like it'll need to be stabilized. Here too." He says dabbing the soaked gauze on my hand.

I nod and he looks back at me.

"I need to set this. I'll be quick." He says.

I look away and he pushes the bones back into their place.

"Looks much better." He says and keeps wiping the blood off of it.

"Have something to eat. Here." He says and sets something in my free hand.

"Thanks." I say.

He nods and smiles at me.

"Are you alright?" Asuma says jogging over.

"Minor injury to her hand." The medic says.

"Akari... what happened?" Asuma asks.

The medic looks to me and presses his lips into a line before speaking.

"Well... the interrogation went poorly on our side— Akari was being truthful and relaxed.
There was so much violence and gore that it made watching difficult to stomach.
One of our associates got too close to Akari and she grabbed him. He broke her hand and we had to stop the investigation. It then went worse when they started to argue amongst themselves.
Inoichi had to finish the investigation." The medic says.

Asuma takes a small step back.

I don't try to look at his face. I don't want to see him scared of me.

"She's bandaged up. It'll take about a week to be stable enough." The medic says.

"Alright. Akari come with me." Asuma says quietly.

I follow him to another room in an adjacent building.

I sit in what I guess is an office.

Asuma is now whispering to someone just out of my hearing.

The main door swings open and Lady Hokage stomps in.

"Asuma!" She yells.

"Yes my lady?" He replies.

"Inoichi has transcribed enough for me to decide to put Akari in custody." She says. 

My stomach drops.

"Sorry." A shinobi says as he grabs my arm.

I drag my feet and keep my head down as I walk through town.

My cell is just a slab of concrete, two walls made of stone, and two made of bars.

I lay on the floor and face the wall.

I don't turn around until a light clicking starts bothering me. The sound is close.

I sit up and see a medical ninja at the bars.

"Hello." They say.

"What?" I ask.

"I was told to make sure your hand is still alright." He says.

"By who?" I ask.

"Kakashi." He replies with a smile.

I stand and walk to the bars.

He motions for me to hold my hand out.

I do and he tugs and tucks the bandage.

"Looks alright. But be careful with it." He says.

I sit and rest my back on the stone wall and lean my head to the left on the cold bars.

I watch the people walking down and around the hallways.

I wait for a long time then I get another visitor.

"Guy?" I question.

"Akari." He says not in his usual manner.

"I bring a message to you." He says and slides a piece of paper through the bars.

I quickly open it and then hold it to my chest.

It reads:

Akari my love,

I will always fight for you
Wait patiently

Yours truly,
Kakashi

"He's been causing quite the stir out there."Guy says.

"What's gonna happen to me?" I say.

"Kakashi is pushing against the removal of you. There are many allies but some do not wish to go against the hokage." Guy says.

"She wants to kick me out?" I ask.

He swallows.

"She wants to turn you in for a bounty." He says.

I sit there and think.

Guy crouches down to meet my eyes.

"I believe you. But once your memories get transcribed... I worry." He says.

"Guy. Thank you. I don't want you to feel obligated to defend me." I say.

"If my eternal rival wants to protect you then so shall I." He says and gives me a thumbs up.

He leaves and I'm alone again.

I curl up in the corner and close my eyes.

A loud sound wakes me up, the cell door is open.

I can see from the tiny window that it's nightfall now.

I don't recognize the person at the door.

"You're being transferred." He says and motions for me to get up.

I follow him.

The hallways are empty.

We leave the small jail and he takes me outside.

My heart quickens when no one else is outside.

My eyes flicker back to him.

The man pulls me by the elbow when I stop walking.

Something feels weird.

I'm somewhere I've never been before. This is still in the leaf?

"Thanks I'll take her the rest." I hear.

I look up and see Tiger.

I wait until the first man leaves to speak.

"Tiger?!" I say.

"Shh." He replies.