Nightfall came around when they all started to move again.

"Akamaru," Kiba breathed as Akamaru barked in his face.

"For an old guy, he kicked out butts," Naruto groaned. " Hinata, are you feeling all right?"

" Uh, yeah," Hinata answered.

" Where is Sazanami?" Aceso asked as she glanced around them, the other three gasped.

"Could he have gone after Gosunkugi?" Naruto suspected.

"What are we just sitting here for?" Kiba demanded as he jumped to his feet. " I'm not letting him beat us to the draw." The five took off back toward the town.

" Ugh, come on," Naruto groaned as they got to the middle of the bare town. " Where did that old guy go?" Akamaru barked, they looked over to a trail that led further into the mountains.

" What do you think?" Kiba asked. " Figured he skipped town by now?"

"Going after Gosunkugi," Hinata added. Akamaru started to bark, he took off leading the way.

"We're counting on you, Akamaru," Aceso said as they followed. Akamaru led them over to a ditch, down below Gosunkugi and Sazanami were battling.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted. Many Narutos appeared. " Gosunkugi we're placing you under arrest!"

"Retreat!" Gosunkugi cried as he turned away, he and his men made a getaway.

" Not so fast!" Naruto denied as he jumped down.

" Wait," a voice said, he turned to Sazanami. " Don't go. It'll be the death of you." He fell to his knees, before faceplanting into the ground.

" Old guy?" Naruto gasped as he ran over. " You alive? Hey! Sazanami!"

" Don't you go after him," Sazanami warned. " He's too strong for you four." They took Sazanami up to an abandoned building, they burned some light as Aceso patched the guy up.

" How could such a tough old coot get beaten?" Naruto asked as Aceso put her stuff away.

" Think about it," Kiba began. " Gosunkugi isn't just another thief. He's a shinobi, same as us."

"A shinobi, huh?" Aceso repeated. Hinata then put a finger to her lips, they all nodded before she flew the flame out. The wall shattered.

" Sazanami!" a man shouted as he began to charge, then stopped. " Huh?" Naruto let out a cry as he jumped from the rafter and kicked the man in the face. Kiba landed a punch in his stomach, before kneeing him under the chin.

"So are you one of Gosunkugi's goons?" Naruto asked. " I remember you. You were at that tavern. Yeah, sitting at the table!" The man grunted before running away from them.

" Man, what was that guy's problem, anyway?" Kiba asked.

" What's this?" Aceso asked as she picked up a poster, it was another wanted poster.

" A wanted flier?" Kiba asked as the two looked at it.

" What a dummy, none of us even look like Gosunkugi," Naruto stated.

" Naw man, it's somebody else," Kiba revealed.

" A fugitive who calls himself Tokichi," Aceso said as she scanned the paper. " Is a murderer known to have killed a family of three. He has a bird-shaped birthmark on his chest."

" A bird-shaped birthmark?" Hinata repeated. " It couldn't be-"

"What is it, Hinata?" Aceso asked.

" His face is covered with scars, so I can't tell," Hinata began to explain, she glanced at Sazanami. " But he has a birthmark--shaped like a bird." They looked at the man, he indeed had that exact birthmark.

" So there's a bounty on the bounty hunter?" Aceso gathered.

" Man, could get this mission get any weirder?" Naruto complained. " What's going on?" They used the rest of the night to get some rest. They all soon woke up to the sound of birds chirping, the sun shining, and Sazanami trying to move.

" Where do you think you're going, old man?" Naruto asked. Sazanami started to draw his sword, Naruto put the sword right back in the pouch. " Just take it easy and go back to sleep."

" Let me go," Sazanamo ordered as the two struggled against each other. " Don't try to stop me. Gosunkugi will be mine."

" And how do you plan on doing that in your weakened condition?" Aceso asked. " You're not in any shape to fight." He gasped when he saw Kiba holding up the wanted poster, Akamaru barked. " Late last night, we were attacked by another bounty hunter. Care to explain why one bounty hunter is trying to nab another bounty hunter?"

" This is my business, not yours," Sazanami said, he tried to get up, but he stopped, grabbing his arm as blood seeped through the bandages.

" Your injury again," Hinata noted. Aceso got up and went over to tend to him.

" Get back!" Sazanami huffed as he tried to shove her away.

" Stay still, don't move," Aceso advised before tending to the injury.

" I never committed any crime," Sazanami denied.

" Ok, then, how do you figure this wanted flyer with your picture on it?" Naruto asked.

" Gosunkugi was the one who did it," Sazanami answered. " He killed a totally innocent family of three, and he did it just to steal some money." They all gasped.

" Wh-What are you talking about?" Naruto stammered. " What happened?

" Long ago I lived in a tiny village, sandwiched between two great nations," Sazanami began to explain. " I was a swordsmith. I was poor, but for me, it was a very pleasant life. Until the day of the festival. I was walking along, on my way to deliver a sword that had been ordered. And I was hurrying, so I could get to the festival. When suddenly--For some reason, the door was already open." He explained the screaming and parts of the scene. " I told everyone what had happened. But no matter what I said, the villagers wouldn't believe me. Saying I was the only person who hadn't shown up at the festival. And the wounds found at the scene were from a very unique blade. A blacksmith can make any kind of weapon--so they thought it was me. My own village had sent out warnings about me. Mine was among other wanted posters. There was even one for the man who killed that family. I made a vow to capture Gosunkugi with my own two hands. Once I clear my name, I will return to my village. I needed information about the killer. Anything. So despite the bounty on my own head, I became a bounty hunter."

"And that's what you meant when you said we were standing in your way," Kiba said as Aceso finished up.

" The only way I can prove my innocence is to capture the real culprit myself," Sazanami explained. " Then I can finally return home. The five all remained silent. " Please, step aside and leave him to me. "

"Hey, you're talking to a ninja here, buddy," Naruto reminded him. " When we get a mission, we see it all the way through. Even if the worst were to happen, we won't let him get away." He got to his feet to head out. " Let's go." They silently got up and followed out, Aceso stayed behind.

" Our mission is to capture Gosunkugi, they never specified how, so if you wish to join and capture him, you may," Aceso told him. He looked up at her. " You should join us, we can defend off the others as you capture Gosunkugi, it's your innocence you're trying to prove."

" Let's go little sister!" Naruto called.

" Please consider," Aceso requested before heading out. They waited for her up by where the rock passage started. They soon came across another post station.

" The Land of Stone, post station two," Hinata reported. " Everything in this town, politics, economy, military, it's all ministered by monks."

" Aw, man," Naruto breathed as he looked around. " This whole place is nothing but temples!"

" A lot friendlier post station than the last one," Aceso noted.

" The head temple, the big one on that mountain, it's called the OK Temple," Hinata informed.

" Hey, Hinata, what's that bell?" Naruto asked.

" That was created as a tourist attraction to get people to visit the temple," Hinata answered. " It's the Golden Bell."

" That's dumb," Kiba stated. " Look at that thing. It's practically screaming come steal me."

" Wait, a second," Naruto said as they came to a stop and looked at the bell. " I bet Gosunkugi is after the bell."

" You're most likely right," Aceso said as Kiba and Hinata looked at each other, nodding in agreement.

" I just know Gosunkugi's going to steal that bell, but I wonder how he's gonna pull it off," Naruto wondered. Akamaru let out a small whine, he sniffed a bit, then Kiba sniffed as well.

" Naruto," Kiba whispered as they stopped.

" Hm?" Naruto asked as he turned around. They looked over to a hole in the wall, they walked over, and the closer they got, the more the saw on destroyed that section of the post station. The four looked at each other after crossing the hole and then charged. Quickly getting ambushed by men.

" You--You're Gosunkugi's men!" Naruto gasped.

" They're trying to box us in," Kiba noted as they prepared to fight. " Surround us."

" Just like they did against Sazanami," Hinata recalled. " Byakugan! There's more of them! Watch out!" They jumped up as weaponry shot at them from below, they got deflected easily.

" What? Sazanami!" Naruto gasped.

" You came!" Aceso gasped as they landed.

" I can handle these guys," Sazanami assured as he deflected more attacks.

" All right!" Naruto cheered. " Let's go!" They all fought against attackers. Aceso kicked one away from her. Soon they well all back to back, as the men had them surrounded.

" So, what are you doing here anyway?" Naruto asked.

" I just came to settle the score," Sazanami admitted.

" Yes, but your wound is still-" Hinata began.

" Don't worry," Sazanami assured. " The doc says it's nothing to worry about anymore" Aceso doesn't recall giving him the clear. " And I won't be in your way. I just want to get him first. Think of it as a competition instead, doc."

" Sounds fun," Naruto laughed. " I accept your challenge."

" We can't start your little race surrounded like this," Kiba pointed out.

" I still sense nails underground," Hinata reported. " He's waiting for the right moment to strike."

" I will have him," Sazanami declared.

" The bell," Aceso noted. " It reached the top."

" Darn it," Sazanami hissed. " Is he-" He ran forward and sliced down at one of the men, they disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

" The nails underground have stopped moving," Hinata reported. " The Jutsu must've worn off."

" What?" Kiba gasped.

" Aw, man," Naruto complained. " We fell for it." Two more of the guys fell and turned into clouds of smoke.

" Gives new meaning to the phrase nailed down, doesn't it?" Kiba asked. They looked up at the golden bell, it had been taken off the ropes.

" He's gotta be up by the bell," Aceso noted.

" Let's go," Naruto urged.

" Hold on," Sazanami warned. " We've gotta be careful. Don't forget that the bounty hunter from last night is also trying to get Gosunkugi."

"Don't worry about him," Naruto smirked. " We'll get your man first, and no one will stand in our way."

" All of us could always just work with Sazanami," Aceso suggested.

" Nah," Naruto and Sazanamo disagreed.

" Come on!" Naruto urged. By the time they got to the top, the bell workers had been taken out.

" How awful," Hinata said sadly.

" That guy is a monster," Naruto growled.

" Unforgiveable," Kiba said, Aceso nodded in agreement. They stepped out to get surrounded by more men.

" Where the heck is Gosunkugi?" Naruto demanded.

" He's gonna get away if we stall too much, Naruto," Aceso informed.

" There isn't enough time to come up with any kind of plan," Naruto said. " We have to do this in one shot."

" Right," they all agreed. Each of them attacked their opponent. Aceso's eyes glowed green, the man stopped moving, she then released her Jutsu and kicked him, sending him flying.

" Great, so where's Gosunkugi hiding?" Naruto asked. Akamaru started barking, they turned to look.

" That way!" Kiba informed as Akamaryu led them. Seconds later they stood on a roof, down below the bell was sliding down a rope towards a little boat on the river. On the boat stood Gosunkugi.

" That's him alright," Sazanami declared.

" He's all ours now!" Naruto declared. The four jumped on the ropes, Kiba, Naruto, and Hinata all slid down as Aceso did a Jutsu and put her hands on the rope. The bell stopped sliding down and started to go back up.

" Come on, you wanna clear your name, don't ya?" Aceso asked Sazanami. " So start acting like a bounty hunter and show him what you're made of!" Gosunkugi looked back as the bell went back up.

" You little brat!" Gosunkugu growled as the others got closer to him. He held up his hands, and opened his mouth, releasing nails.

" Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted. All the clones got hit. " Special delivery!" Naruto appeared close to Gosunkugi out of the smoke. He threw a punch, sending the man off, everyone hopped over the bell as it went right up to Aceso.

" Too slow," Gosunkugi said. He threw some nails, the rope broke and they all fell. The bell was falling right towards the water, as Gosunkugi landed on the boat. Aceso did another Jutsu and her rope went around the hole of the bell. She fell right into the water as the Gosunkugi backed up the boat so that the bell in.

" He's getting away," Naruto breathed as they resurfaced. The man laughed as he sped away.

" You're forgetting something," Sazanami interrupted. " Me!" He leaped out of the water, ready to strike. He got Gosunkugi on his back.

" Wait!" Gosunkugi held up his hand. " Please, just hold on. Please I beg you!" Sazanami struck centimeters from the guy's face.

" I'm not cold-blooded like you are," Sazanami said. " And besides, if I killed you, I wouldn't be able to prove my innocence."

"Well, guess we lost the competition," Naruto admitted happily.

" Sure did," Kiba smiled. Akamaru happily barked. Suddenly chains appeared around Sazanami and the bell.

" Fugitive Sazanami, AKA Tokichi, you've hereby been apprehended," the bounty hunter declared as he held the end of the chain. " And you, fugitive Gosunkugi, your crime spree is over as well! There are countless charges against you, so I'll be turning you over to the government for your punishment."

" Oh man," Naruto breathed.

" His wound," Aceso noticed as it started to bleed again.

" Darn it!" Kiba huffed. " We can't help. The authorities have got him now." They went back to Sazanami's home village, they waited around to hear things out.

" You murder!" a villager yelled.

" Bring back the family you killed!" another shouted.

"We'll treat you the same way you treated them!" The Leaf Ninja hid on the side, in the forest. The bounty hunter slammed his weapon into the ground.

" You've got a lot of nerve!" the bounty hunter shouted. " How dare you put up these wanted posters without a real investigation!" He held up the bounty poster, he crumbled it angrily. Sazanami looked up in slight hope.

" Sazanami was not the culprit of this crime," a man said as he held up a wanted poster of Gosunkugi. " No. It was this man." Everyone was in shock. " The infamous thief Gosunkugi was apprehended and had confessed, And the sword he used has been seized. Therefore villager Tokichi is acquitted on all counts."

" What do you have to say, jerks?" the bounty hunter demanded. " You made me track down some innocent guy for nothing. What are you going to do?"

" Why are you helping me?" Tokichi asked.

" It all started with some sob story I overheard," the bounty answered. " To a bounty hunter like me, the truth shouldn't have made any difference. Even so, I had to find out for myself. I needed to make sure you were really the horrible criminal these posters said you were."

"You," Tokichi breathed.

" I got a name, you know," the man informed. " Gatsu. You and I are bounty hunters. We're part of the same trade now."

" Gatsu," Tokichi repeated.

" Tokichi, we are so sorry," a man apologized as they untied him.

" Please forgive us, Tokichi."

" Let's go," Naruto breathed.

" Yeah," Hinata breathed as the others nodded. They took off leaving Tokichi in good hands. On the walk home, Naruto started to giggle.

" What is it, big brother?" Aceso asked.

" You know, after all this time away, I'm kind of homesick," Naruto admitted. " I guess I miss the good old Leaf Village more than I thought I would."

" Oh, yeah?" Kiba asked. " Well, a failed mission's still a failed mission. The Fifth Hokage's gonna chew you out." Akamaru whimpered. Naruto hung his head in shame.

" Forget what I said, I don't want to go home," Naruto said. They all laughed happily.

*****

The Fifth Hokage definitely chewed them out for failing the mission, mainly Naruto. But in spite of failing it, Aceso did find a few safe spots, Tokichi's village and the Land of Stone's post station Two. She was now just leaving the surgery room with a few others.

" We're really going to miss having you around," one of the medics said.

" I won't be gone, only two years," Aceso said. " I'll be back before you know, besides you'll have Sakura and plenty more."

" Still won't be the same," the medic disagreed. " None of them were raised in this building." Aceso laughed lightly.

" I think you will appreciate the silence from absence more than you think," Aceso said.

" You're probably right," the medic laughed in agreement. They turned the corner to run into Kakashi.

" Kakashi," the medic greeted, he nodded before walking away.

" Is everything alright?" Aceso asked as she looked at him.

" So you're really going away for two years?"Kakashi asked. There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"At Lady Hokage's request, I'm furthering my medical skills," Aceso informed. " But yes for two years." They stopped in the laundry room, so Aceso could grab the wet clothes and sheets. They then made their way to the roof.

"You should probably touch up some other training," Kakashi advised. " You're going to be alone for the most part."

" That is good advice," Aceso agreed.

" Stating that, I should teach you a few things," Kakashi said.

"Oh?" Aceso asked. He started to walk with her up to the roof, where she will begin a round of laundry.

"Before you leave, you have to learn the Evil Sealing Jutsu, it'll seal away curse marks."

"Do you think I would run into Sasuke?" Aceso asked.

"Him or any of Orochimaru's followers or human experiments," Kakashi answered honestly. " I will also teach you other sealing techniques, we will figure out your chakra nature."

"Chakra nature?" Aceso asked.

" I will save the explanation for when we come to it," Kakashi assured. " You should probably touch upon your taijutsu." He opened the door for her. " I'm sure Gai or Rock Lee would be more than happy to help." On the rooftop, they saw Lee practicing kicks. He looked over at them, his face broke out in a smile, and ran up to them. " I'll see you later, you can discuss it with him." Kakashi quickly disappeared.

" Discuss what?" Lee asked as he blinked.

"Oh, uh, I'm sure you uh heard," Aceso managed out as her cheeks turned a little red. He looked at her blankly. " Well, I was wondering...when you're aren't uh--" Lee's eyes wondered away from hers. 

"I know you are going away for two years," Lee said as he took the basket from her hands.

" Well, Kakashi says I need to touch upon my taijutsu...and I was wondering..." Aceso began.

" Yes!" Lee answered as he dropped the basket. He turned around and hugged her, she was spinning around her. "I will gladly help you touch upon it!" He put her back down. " We shall start today, Red Rose!" He bopped her nose. " Anything for you." Hearts can't skip a beat but sure did feel like it. This boy was doing something to her heart and she hasn't decided if she liked it or not.

" How about in an hour?" Aceso asked.

" Why wait?" Lee asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"These sheets won't hang themselves," Aceso said as she picked up the basket. Lee reached into his leg warmers. " What are you doing?" He took off his leg weights and gently put them on the ground. Aceso was relieved he didn't just drop them as normal. Lee then disappeared and reappeared, he was going so fast, that Aceso couldn't keep up.

" So how about we get to training?" Lee asked as he put the weights back on. Aceso looked down to see her basket filled with folded sheets, she then looked to see all the wet ones she had were hanging up.

" So fast," Aceso breathed as she opened the door, she put the basket down inside the building.

"So?" Lee asked as he held out a hand. She looked up at him. Even in the sun, she swore she could see a pair of angel wings pop out on Lee.

"Ready," Aceso smiled as she grabbed it. Without warning Lee took off, Aceso was sure that her feet barely touched the ground. Everyone stepped aside as the two ran through the village. " Slow down! I can't keep up with you!"

" I'm just excited to help you!" Lee laughed as his eyes closed as he smiled. Aceso blinked, the angel wings appeared on him again, and this time a little halo formed on top of his head. Aceso let out a small laugh as Lee picked up speed towards the training grounds.