The next morning Aceso woke up to the sound of her alarm going off at 6 a.m. she reached back, just for her hand to ram into someone, she looked over her shoulder to see nothing but green in front of her.

"Gai-sensei?" Aceso grumbled softly. He always used to comfort her after a nightmare, but that was years ago. She lifted her head to see that it was Lee, he was flat on his back, arms sprawled out, one arm hanging off the bed, the other above her head. She was still on her side and snuggled into his side, her cheeks grew pink. "Lee." She shoved him. He slowly opened his eyes, his arm rose up and he slapped the alarm to silence. He closed his eyes resorting back to snoring. Aceso groaned, she got off the bed, she headed up to the bathroom to freshen up. When she came back out in her doctor's clothes, Lee was in the center of her bed, cuddling up against her pillow and snoring even louder. She shook her head and went to work. A few hours later, she saw lightning strike the Hokage building, and water-style users putting out the fire. She quickly headed over, she was now helping Sakura, Shizune, Tonton, and Tsunade with the wet books.

"All these important documents are soaked," Shizune sighed.

"We'll have to put them in the sun to dry," Tsunade said.

"We'll take them outside and get started," Sakura offered.

"Thank you," Tsunade said. Tonton oinked as Sakura and Aceso left the office with their piles of reports.

"Good morning you two," Kurenai greeted them.

"Good morning, Kurenai Sensei," they both greeted.

"Is she in there?" Kurenai asked.

"Yes," Aceso answered. Kurenai walked in, closing the door behind her, the girls started towards the outside, but they got stopped by Tsunade's voice.

"So, you're serious about this?" Tsunade asked. "You really want to resign as Leader of Squad 8?" Sakura and Aceso both looked at each other."

"Yes, Ma'am," Kurenai confirmed. They stood close to the wall, to get a better listen.

"Think carefully about this," Tsunade advised. "Kiba, Shino, Hinata...you're the one who recommended they take the Chunnin Exam, despite their lack of experience. Don't you care about what happens to them?"

" Despite my commitment to them, I am responsible for the current situation and therefore must accept full blame," Kurenai explained. 

"The incident was unfortunate, but it wasn't your fault," Tsunade denied. 

"It's my fault. I'm the one who allowed Yakumo to become the way she is," Kurenai explained.

"I'd say that the only reason she's done so well up to this point is because of your influence on her," Tsunade argued. "Where is she now? What's her status?"

"A three-man squad consisting of two Medical Ninja and one Anbu Black Ops member is keeping a 24-hour watch over her in a mountain villa just outside of Satomi Hill," Shizune explained.

"The situation's been handled, isn't that enough?" Tsunade asked.

"No," Kurenai denied. "I must be held accountable for my actions."

Sakura and Aceso slowly and silently walked away to go dry the reports. The girls set up tables, they laid out the reports to let them dry in the sun, then Naruto came running up to them.

"Brother Naruto!" Aceso exclaimed happily.

"Oh, hey, Sakura and little sister!" Naruto greeted running up to them.

"What are you doing here?" Aceso asked.

" I don't know if either of you heard, but Kurenai is quitting Squad 8, so I came to see if I could convince Grandma Tsunade to try and talk her out of it," Naruto answered.

"Don't think you'll have any luck," Sakura said. "You can try."

"Oh, don't worry. I know the place where she keeps her booze hidden, so all I gotta do is threaten to tell Shizune and she'll be putty in my hands," Naruto explained.

"But you never know, she might have had a good reason for wanting to quit the squad," Sakura said as she looked down.

"Like what?" Naruto asked. "Wait, a minute! You two know something, don't you?" Both girls exclaimed in a panic as their eyes went wide. " I can see it in both of your eyes! You know something!"

"What are you talkin' about?" Sakura panicked as she waved her hand to dismiss Naruto's suspicion. " We don't know anything!"

"Come on you two, tell me! I know you both know!" Naruto urged.

"No way!" Aceso denied. 

"What do you think? We stand around with our ear against a door listening to important conversations!" Sakura growled.

"You didn't!" Naruto exclaimed in shock. "You two were eavesdropping at the door?"

"Aah!" Sakura screamed.

"Shh!" Aceso demanded as she put her hand over Naruto's mouth. "Don't talk so loud, you idiot! Someone will hear you!" They pulled Naruto off to the side, into the trees to tell him everything.

"Yakumo?" Naruto repeated.

" Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's who she said," Sakura answered. They explained what they heard even more.

"That explains what was going on earlier," Naruto said. "Sounds just like those four people...And what did you say her name was again? I forgot."

"Yakumo," Sakura answered.

"I remember having to make medicine for her, but I've never been to the villa or have met her," Aceso explained. 

"Yakumo, right, Thanks, Sakura and Aceso," Naruto thanked them before running off.

"Remember, if someone asks, you didn't hear any of this from us, okay?" Sakura called out.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Naruto agreed. That night during Aceso's night shift an Anbu member dropped Naruto off at the hospital. At that moment, she and Sakura stood in his hospital room trying to wake up. Sakura was smashing a pan and a stick together.

"Oh, hey, Sakura, little sister," Naruto greeted when he looked at them. "Um, question: Where am I?"

"The hospital," Aceso answered.

"And how the heck did I wind up lyin' in bed?" Naruto asked.

"An Anbu person brought you here," Aceso answered. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Wait, I know!" Naruto exclaimed. "Kurenai Sensei got stabbed and my heart was pulled outta my chest! No, that's not it. Where's that girl? You know, Yakumo?"

"Ugh," Sakura sighed. "You don't remember any of it, do you? You got caught red-handed breaking into a safe house in the mountains, you idiot!"

"Eh?" Naruto asked.

"The Anbu Black Ops got you," Aceso said softly. "You should be counting your lucky stars you're even alive right now!"

"Oh, that's right!" Naruto suddenly lit up. "But that dream I had...it felt like it really happened. Maybe Yakumo's the one they're guardin' in that villa or something'."

"What in the world are you blabbing about?" Sakura demanded. She held up a syringe. "I'm gonna give you a shot if you don't start making sense soon." 

"I can't just sit here doing' nothin'!" Naruto argued. He opened the window and jolted out. 

"Get back here, Naruto!" Sakura yelled as she ran to the window.

"The medicine hasn't worn off, yet!" Aceso added as she appeared beside Sakura.

"He can be such a pest sometimes," Sakura sighed.

 "Not a pest," Aceso denied. "More like always in a hurry." Aceso cleaned up the room while Sakura went to go dry more papers.

"Hey, O-kiddo," a voice boomed as there was a loud knock on the door. Aceso looked back to see Gai-sensei, and she lit up.

"Good morning, Papa," Aceso greeted with a smile.

"Say, how about me and you go on a moring marathon?" Gai suggested as he stretched out the door. "To rid our bodies of the purities that could have built up overnight."

"Right now?" Aceso asked.

"Yes, right now, we can do some bonding like in the old days," Gai answered.

"Ok," Aceso agreed. When she was younger and when Gai didn't have a team, he would always have her get up and do a morning run with him. 

"Slowing down are we?" Gai asked as he dropped his pace to run by her.

"Sorry, Papa," Aceso panted as she started to pick the pace back up.

"No, need to apologize," Gai-sensei laughed. "Nothing brings me more joy than watching my kid give it their all."

"I thought you saw Lee as your son," Aceso recalled. 

"Both of you are my kids," Gai laughed as the pace got picked up even more. 

"Both of us?" Aceso asked.

"That's right!" Gai confirmed. "That would make you seem-"

"But I don't see Lee in that way," Aceso denied before Gai could even finish his sentence. "I'm pretty sure I never will." 

"Then what do you see him as?" Gai asked. "You two do seem to enjoy each other's company. If Lee isn't going off about his Taijutsu and his other daily subjects, it's you."

"Really?" Aceso lit up as her cheeks turned pink.

"I see what it is," Gai laughed a bit harder than previously.

"You do?" Aceso gulped.

"You like Lee, don't ya?" Gai-sensei asked.

"Papa," Aceso turned red.

"As a crush," Gai added.

"Papa!" Aceso turned redder, and Gai laughed even harder. "You can't say anything!"

"You have my word," Gai guaranteed as he held up a thumb and his teeth shined as he smiled. 

"Thank you," Aceso said in relief. 

"So you see Lee more as a future potential lover," Gai said.

"Papa!" Aceso exclaimed. "Not so loud!" He laughed even harder. Aceso couldn't help, but break out into laughter as well.

"Don't forget you swore off lovers till the age of 16," Gai-sensei brought up.

"Oh, I recall," Aceso laughed as they started to race each other. After their morning run, they got sent off to the villa Yakumo was located. She got sent off with squad 8 and Sakura. A girl named Yakumo may have been kidnapped. Sakura suddenly stopped, and they looked back to see her flat on the ground.

"Ow," Sakura groaned as she rubbed her head.

"Are you okay? Did you trip on a root or something?" Gai asked.

"Ugh!" Sakura grunted as she looked back. "What in the world?" She pulled a sleeping Naruto out of a bush.

"Naruto?" Hinata gasped as they all stood around him.

"Leave it to Naruto to fall asleep in the bushes," Kiba said. Akamaru barked, he leaped out of Kiba's jacket, and he then peed on Naruto's face. Kiba started laughing. " Nice, Akamaru!" Sakura stifled a laugh as Akamaru barked, but Naruto still didn't budge,

" Wait, a second, I think he's under a Genjutsu!" Sakura said. They all gasped, Sakura walked over to him, and she knelt down. "Release!" She tapped his head. Naruto groaned a little, slowly coming back around.

"Huh...? Sakura?" Naruto asked. He sat up, touched his cheek, and licked it. "That's salty! W-What the heck is on my face? And what's goin' on, did I just fall asleep again?

"Could you please stop babbling?" Sakura complained.

"Apparently, somebody used genjutsu on you," Shino brought up.

"Genjutsu..."Naruto repeated.

"Can you recall who?" Aceso asked.

"Ahh!" Naruto started screaming. "The last thing I remember was chasin' Kurenai Sensei toward that villa on Satomi Hill! She wouldn't even stop and listen to me!"

"The Villar on Satomi Hill?" Gai asked. "Naruto, was Kurenai traveling there by herself?"

"Yeah, probably," Naruto nodded. Gai gasped.

"She has no idea what she's getting herself into," Gai grunted. "Kurenai's in danger!" They all gasped, they charged toward the villa in a hurry. Hinata let out a gasp.

"Hey, what's the matter, Hinata?" Kiba asked.

"Did you see something?" Shino asked.

"Somebody is attacking that villa right this very minute!" Hinata reported as she jumped to the front. "There are four out front and four inside."

" I wonder if two of the people inside might be Kurenai and Yakumo!" Gai said,

"Most likely," Aceso nodded in agreement. 

"Yeah, I bet you're right about that!" Naruto agreed. Pretty soon they were back on the ground, Naruto took the lead, and they soon got stopped by a man coming out of the ground.

"If it's a fight you want, then okay!" Naruto gave in as everyone stopped.

"No, Naruto!" Hinata called out.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Sakura demanded. They all watched Naruto get trapped in the genjutsu, Shino went to go help out Naruto.

"Your genjutsu doesn't work on insects," Shino said as he appeared behind the man. His bugs took over the man's body and the genjutsu disappeared, the man soon disappeared as well. "He's gone." Akamaru sniffed the ground, he sounds growled and started to bark.

" Got him!" Kiba smirked. "He can run and hide, but he can't hide his scent!" He held up a sign. "Man-Beast Clone!" Two Kiba appeared. "Fang over fang!" He and Akamaru spun into one bullet, driving the man out from underground. " See you later!" Aceso jumped up, tying the man up in her ropes, and Gai jumped readying his attack.

"Hyaah!" Gai battled and cried. "Severe Leaf Hurricane!" He got close to the man, he struck the tied-up man to the ground. He bounced a bit, before landing on the ground, Gai landed giving a thumbs up. "Your half-baked Genjutsu is useless against a well-trained ninja!"

"Stop it!" Naruto struggled. "Let go of me, you overgrown weed!"

"Oh, good grief," Sakura sighed as she walked over. "Hey, Naruto...!"

"Get off me!" Naruto struggled as Sakuraplaced her hands on him.

"Release!" Sakura cried. Naruto slowly snapped back out of the genjutsu he looked up at an angry Sakura as they all gathered back around him.

"Oh, good morning Sakura," Naruto greeted. He sat up. "Is breakfast ready?"

"Why do you always rush in like that, you idiot?" Sakura demanded.

"That's right! Yakumo and Kurenai-sensei!" Naruto panicked. He got up and started running off, they all sighed making faces of defeat. They followed Naruto into the villa. "Kurenai-sensei!" They ran into the find four ninjas on the ground knocked out.

"Who are these guys?" Aceso asked. Sakura walked over putting her hands on two of them.

"They're all unconscious, caught in a genjutsu, from the looks of it," Sakura reported.

"Kurenai sensei!" Naruto gasped as he ran over to a fallen canvas. "You? Uh, Kurenai Sensei! Hello!" He picked up anything he could find. " Whoa! I don't get it! What's going on> She's not here!"

"Byakugan!" Hinata said. She let out a gasp.

"What is it Hinata?" Aceso asked.

"Kurenai Sensei has gone," Hinata reported as pointed at the curtains. 

"Huh?" They asked looking out the partial open spot. Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata went after Kurenai and Yakumo, while Aceso took all opponents. She grouped them into a pile behind the bushes, all of them snoring. Shortly, the others returned with Yakumo and an injured Kurenai.

"I can take a look at both of them," Sakura said in more of a question. Aceso nodded, Sakura wanted to show off some of her training, so Sakura was to take over for this part.

"They kind of sound like Lee," Aceso noted.

"They've been like that the whole time," Gai laughed.

"I don't think they'll be waking up from that genjutsu for quite a while," Hinata suspected. 

"Fine. So much the better for us," Gai said. "Huh? Look! Is that? They looked over to see Sakura walking out with Kurenai-sensei. They gasped and ran over to her.

"Kurenai-sensei!" Kiba called out.

"Ah, there you are!" Gai greeted as he walked up. "Good to see you're all right after all."

"Oh. yes..." Kurenai breathed

"Can't you see she's not all right?" Sakura snapped.

"Eh!" Gai sweated to a stop.

"It's alright Sakura, " Aceso smiled. "If someone is badly injured, it's best to stay calm, to not further than worry state of others or the injured."

"Sorry," Sakura hung her head. "Even though I treated the wound, we must get her back to the village."

" I'll be all right," Kurenai assured. "I'm more concerned about Yakumo's condition."

"Yes," Gai agreed. "Especially when our enemies might return at any moment. And there still remains the question of what became of the three ninjas we assigned to protect Yakumo. All right! I'll take care of things here! The rest of you take Kurenai and Yakumo back to the village. Organize a backup unit."

" They're masters of Genjutsu. You gonna be all right alone?" Kurenai asked. 

"Are you kidding?" Gai asked taken back. "With this finely tuned lethal weapon of a body? You think I can't handle their Genjutsi tricks? I can handle them, Jutsu wait and see." He gave a thumbs up and shined his teeth, they all looked at him blankly. "Heh, heh! Get it? Jutsu wait and see? Huh?" Gai continued to laugh as they heard dogs howling.

"Oh, boy..."Sakura sweated.

' That was the worst dad joke I've heard in a long time,' Aceso thought to herself in a sweat.

" Kiba, will you make sure Kurenai-sensei gets back to the village all right?" Sakura requested. Kiba looked away.

"It's all right, I can get back on my own," Kurenai assured.

"Is there something bothering you, Kiba?" Aceso asked.

"There's something I need to know," Kiba admitted as he looked at his former sensei. "Kurenai sensei, I want the truth. This Yakumoi business, everything that's been going on lately, does it have anything to do with why you quit our squad?" Kurenai let out a sigh.

"Long ago The Kurama Clan was a mighty force in the village," Kurenai began to explain. "For generations, they were known and respected throughout the Leaf as masters in the art of genjutsu. But some years ago, their powers began to wane. They produced fewer and fewer Chunin and Jonin. They were a clan in decline until a bright star, full of promise, was born...Yakumo...The third Hokage recognized there were great powers lying dormant in Yakumo. So he agreed to put her under my personal supervision." She explains how she had to take away Yakumo's powers. She was trembling in anger and sadness.

"But why did you do it?" Kiba demanded.

" I don't know," Kurenai admitted.  "Maybe because I use Genjutsu, too. Maybe because I was jealous of those great powers lying dormant in her."

"You were jealous?" Kiba asked in disbelief.

"Hm..."Shino sounded.

"One master of Genjutsu is enough of any village," Kuerani said.

" No way. I can't believe you that you'd really--" Kiba began.

"Believe it!" Kurenai ordered. "And now you know why I quit. Someone capable of that doesn't deserve to lead your squad." Team 8 went and sat to the side while Aceso and Sakura stayed with Kurenai.