One morning Aceso walked into find Sakura sitting beside Sai's bed peeling apples and Naruto asleep.

"Morning," Aceso greeted. "How are you feeling Sai?"

"Well, thank you," Sai answered looking up from his book.

"Can you believe Sai?" Sakura asked as Aceso went over to check on Naruto. "Sneaking out like that before his injuries had healed. And what where did it get him? Right-back in the hospital." Sai started laughing.

"It says here, that's what friends do," Sai said. "They rush to each other's aid in times of crisis."

"Huh?" Sakura asked looking up. "You're reading manga now? Oh boy. You're acting really random these days, Sai."

"I think he's acting fine," Aceso disagreed as she started to finish up.

"Here," Sakura said holding a plate up of peeled and cut apples for Sai. He stared at them. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

"It also says, when a woman feeds you, it's a sure sign that she likes you," Sai brought up. "It's not like I'm testing you, or anything."

"For goodness sake," Sakura groaned looking away. "Give me a break, will you?

"Ahh, Sakura," Naruto smiled in his sleep.

"Huh?" Sakura asked. Aceso looked up to see him hugging his pillow.

"I'm already stuffed," Naruto said. Sakura began shaking. " I couldn't eat another bite, really. Oh, well, if you insist, Sakura. Ok. For you maybe I can--" She turned around.

"I hope you choke on it!" Sakura growled shoving the apple in his mouth. Naruto started to choke on it.

"Hey, guys," Kakashi greeted opening the door. "Huh?" Kakashi looked over to see Aceso taking an apple out of Naruto's mouth.

"The manner in which Sakura fed Naruto that apple--" Sai thought about it as Naruto gasped for air. "It must mean that she--"

"Aaaah, help me!" Sakura cried out in defeat. "Why do I have to be on a team with these morons?" She crashed an apple with her hands.

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked. 

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Aceso answered as Naruto started to finally regain himself. She took a seat next to him on the bed.

"So," Kakashi laughed. "I hear you guys did all right for yourselves while I was gone."

"Speaking of which, where were you, anyway, dad?" Aceso asked. 

"Eh, nowhere special," Kakashi answered. The door opened again.

"Asuma-sensei," Sakura greeted. They looked over at him.

" I thought you'd be here," Asuma said. " I need to talk to you, Kakashi."

"Really?" Kakashi asked.

" I mean, if you've got a minute," Asuma said putting a hand behind his head. " Oh, Naruto, Sai. I brought a get-well present." He helped up a basket of apples.

"No! No! No!" Naruto cried out in a panic, he then put his forward. " I don't even want to see another apple." 

"Huh?" Asuma asked. He then took Kakashi out to talk. Soon Naruto started to undo the bandages on his legs. 

"What do you think you're doing, Naruto?" Aceso asked. 

" I don't have time to b lying around here in a hospital bed," Naruto answered. "I've got to get back to my training. The clocks ticking."

"Well, that maybe, but you're still not--" Sakura began. He took off the final bandage seeing on bruised up his legs were.

"You don't have to say it," Naruto said. "I'm still not strong enough. But that's why. That's my whole point. I have to make myself strong enough to master this power of mine so that I can use it to protect people, not hurt them. So something like this or worse doesn't happen again." He touched Aceso's face, his finger landing on her eye.

"Naruto," Sakura breathed.

"Woah," Kakashi breathed stepping in. "Hold your horses." They looked over at him. " For right now, healing those injuries is your training."

"Oh, come on sensei," Naruto pleaded.

"Listen up," Kakashi ordered. "And this goes especially for you, Naruto. The next phase of your training will be so severe, so intense, that if you leave this hospital before you're ready you'll wish you hadn't." Naruto gulped.

"I was only--Ok, ok," Naruto gave in. "I understand."

"Aceso," Kakashi called on.

"Yes?" Aceso asked.

"I have some things to take care of, so I leave their supervision to you," Kakashi said. 

"You can count on me," Aceso smiled at him.

"Just make sure they don't overdo it," Kakashi ordered. "You know what I mean. See ya." He waved, opened the door, and stepped out. 

"He's so slick, the way he does that," Sakura grumbled. Aceso looked back at Naruto, thoughts swarmed her mind, Naruto wanted to get out of the hospital faster. But even with his fast healing skills, it still wasn't fast enough to his liking. 

"Why are you looking at me that?" Naruto asked nervously. 

"You got me thinking about medicine," Aceso admitted. 

"I'm dying am I?" Naruto exclaimed in a panic.

"No," Aceso laughed closing her eyes. 

That night Sai and Naruto got some sleep, allowing Aceso to leave the hospital. She arrived at her home, immediately going to her bookshelf. She started to pull out a couple of books plus with chakra patch slip. Lee wasn't going to be home for a few nights due to a mission, which meant she could be up late without him dragging her to bed.

"Instead of chakra patches, let's try healing patches," Aceso said to herself as she put everything down at her table. She sat down, starting to put together her next idea.

"Doctor Mastuba," a voice echoed in the room as her door opened. She looked over to see Lady Tsunade walking into the room.

"Lady Tsunade?" Aceso asked in confusion. "What are you doing here so late?"

"Never mind that, what happened to your wall?" Tsunade asked staring at the curtain.

"There was an accident, no worries," Aceso answered. "It was years ago." 

"What are you doing?" Tsunade asked walking over to the table.

"Naruto got me thinking about medicine," Aceso answered. "I am going to try to make healing patches just like I have chakra patches."

"Healing patches?" Tsunade asked.

 Aceso started to open the books. "The chakra patch works to give more chakra, and with more chakra your body heals faster. This healing patch will touch on bruises, burns, and cuts whether deep or shallow. It won't be able to fix severed legs or anything like that...mainly just to patch someone when a medical ninja is out of reach." 

"Hmm," Tsunade smiled. "There is something I need to speak to you about."

"Hm?" Aceso asked.

"The Raikage has asked to send some of your special supplies over," Tsunade informed. "I have two people going to take them to a rendezvous point tomorrow...are you sure this is smart?"

"You said you wanted our nations to grow closer," Aceso brought up. "I have gained the trust of the Raikage, I will not break it."

"Still," Tsunade frowned. 

"The stronger our bonds with other villages the better for the future," Aceso said. "Kankuro once said to me that all of us have to get stronger for what is coming our way." Aceso stared at the window. "We all share a common enemy. The Akatsuki." 

Tsunade observed Aceso before speaking more. "Kakashi just reported that two individuals have been hitting up places from the Akatsuki."

"Hmm," Aceso frowned. "It seems to be that we are running out of time."

"Do you have any more notes on the Akatsuki?" Tsunade asked.

"I should have a little pad filled with notes," Aceso said walking over to her bookshelf. "Do you need it?"

"No," Tsunade answered. "Not yet. Make a copy before you leave."

******

The next day, Aceso was leaving a market with Sakura. 

"Got everything you need?" Aceso asked. 

"Yup," Sakura confirmed.

"What do you plan on doing with all this?" Aceso asked. 

" I am going to make some of my own special Sakura food pills," Sakura answered.

"Thinking of Naruto?" Aceso asked as they made their way through the village.

"Yeah, knowing Naruto and the way he pushes himself, he's going to need them," Sakura answered. They smiled at a couple of kids gathered around a game. "That idiot doesn't understand willpower isn't enough anymore. If he's not physically ready for it, this training could have the reverse effect of what's intended."

"On top of that, because of his special abilities, he's always in danger of pushing it to the limit anyway," Aceso said. 

"We just got to do whatever we can to help him," Sakura smiled at her. It started pouring, and they both looked up at the sky. "Lady Tsunade said you were working on something."

"Yeah," Aceso smiled. " I got the idea from Naruto a little."

"He had a say in medicine?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

"No," Aceso shook her head. "You always talk about his highly recuperative abilities, they just take of surface wounds. But still, it's what got me thinking." 

"You always seem to wow me with whatever you create," Sakura complimented. " I can't wait to see how it turns out."

****

The next day, Aceso was still at her kitchen table working on the medic tool. The door opened, and she looked up to see Sakura walking in.

"Ready for a break?" Sakura asked holding a basket of food pills.

"A break sounds delightful," Aceso smiled. The two girls made their way to where Naruto was training. They saw a ton of Narutos on a wooden beam, all facing a waterfall.

"Look at that," Aceso smiled. 

"Guess he's doing all right," Sakura smiled. "He might not need my food pills after all, huh?

"Don't be so sure," Sai said. They looked back to see him next to a tree.

"Oh, Sai," Sakura greeted.

"We didn't see you," Aceso said. "How long have you been there?"

"Before you got here," Sai answered. "You two didn't notice?"

"Our apologies," Aceso said bowing her head.

"You're kidding," Sakura said. "I really had no idea. I swear, it's like you're invisible. "

"Oh, well, uh, I'm sorry," Sai apologized. "Like I was saying though, he's certainly got his work cut out for him. From what I've observed so far, Naruto hasn't much skill, yet he has to sustain absolute focus while using Shadow Clones nearly to his limit. It really is amazing. The degree of fatigue must be extraordinarily compared to that of normal training." They looked back at Naruto.

"Yeah, you're right," Sakura agreed. 

"That's--that's what it says in this book anyway," Sai said pulling it out. 

"You don't have to hide it, you know?" Sakura smiled.

"But weren't you fed up with my turning to books for everything?" Sai asked. Sakura's face fell. " I thought so."

"Sorry, that's not what I meant," Sakura laughed. "It's totally fine. You were only reading up on it again because you were worried about a friend, right? In the end, when all else fails, that's what books are for. Turns out you do have a nice side, huh?"

" A nice side?" Sai asked. 

"Come on, we don't want to interrupt his training," Sakura said. "Let's head back." She set a basic on a stump, and she put a note inside

"You guys go on ahead," Aceso said.

"But Naruto's training," Sai said.

"I need to speak with Dad," Aceso said walking away.

" All right," Sakura said. "Come on, Sai" They made their way back to the busier sections of the village as Aceso grabbed the basket and made her way to Kakashi.

"Guess they made a pretty good team during my absence," Kakashi noted when she walked up to him.

"Guess they did," Aceso agreed as Kakashi sat up.

"Well, that's certainly encouraging," Kakashi said as she sat next to him. "Is everything alright?"

"I know I told Naruto no about the chakra patches during training, but I didn't know it was this intense," Aceso said. "So I brought some. And I think Captain Yamato might need it too." They looked over at Yamato, he was breathing heavily. 

"You are training hard as well, right?" Kakashi asked closing his book.

"I've been focusing on medicine mainly, but I will be getting back into physically soon," Aceso answered. "Getting stronger is something we all should strive towards."

"So, you stop picking up so many shifts?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah," Aceso answered. "Besides, I'm working on a new medicine."

"And these?" Kakashi asked looking at the basket.

"Sakura made some food pills for Naruto so he can train hard," Aceso answered. "Speaking of which I should probably leave before I interrupt the training." She stood up.

"Kid," Kakashi said. She looked back at him. "You seem to be healing, keep at it."

"You too," Aceso smiled lightly at him before making her way back to her home. 

*****
Two days later, Aceso was in the Hokage office dropping off papers, she was a bit tired from being up all night, she hasn't quite got the medicine down yet. As she was about to leave when someone from the Fire Temple came in, he was distraught, he told them everything.

"I see," Tsunade said. "They even got Chiriku."

" I was out on patrol when the temple was hit," the monk said. "By the time I got back, they were all--"

"It has to be the Akatsuki," Shizune said. "They're probably scouring every inch of the Land of Fire, hunting down all of the Jinchuriki. And finally, they've returned."

"And here they are going to stay," Tsunade said. " We have 20 news platoons ready. Tell them they're a go. Aceso can you grab the notepad you have on the Akatsuki."

"Yes, ma'am," Aceso nodded. She ran home, grabbed it, then came back. She stood on the roof of the Hokage building with 20 platoons, Tsunade, and a few others.

"That's all I have to say," Tsunade said. "If anyone has any questions, now's the time." Asuma raised his hand. "Asuma."

"Chiriku is one of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve," Asuma brought up. "They would have had to get past him. Was he not there or something?" Tsunade lowered her head, glancing at the monk.

"Lord Chiriku faced the two Akatsuki all on his own," the monk said. "They cut him down." Asuma's eyes went wide. 

"For the pride of the Hidden Lead Village, and above all, the safety of the Land of Fire, we must not allow them to roam free," Tsunade said. " I want to learn what their motives are, but be warned, these enemies are formidable. Do not allow them to leave the Land of Fire. If you cannot detain them, they are to be slain. That's it. You have your orders. Go!" They all took off.

"I hope everything I gave them is going to be enough information," Aceso said. "The people they are about to face...they are highly formidable. Hidan prays to a guy named Jashin while the other...Kakuzu...his hands tend to extend, a bunch of wire-like items to help keep it attached to his body." She then spent the rest of the day at the hospital. She got home, she walked in to find Lee in the kitchen with a rice ball in his mouth and pouring tea.

"How was work?" Lee asked looking at her.

"Good," Aceso answered. "Your mission?"

"A few problems, but solved and succeeded," He answered walking over with two cups of tea. He held one out for her.

"Thank you," Aceso said as she took it.

"You working on something new?" Lee asked looking at the table.

"Yeah, it's proven to be more challenging than I would like, but the better the challenge the better the result," Aceso answered walking over to the table.

"I have faith you have it down tomorrow," Lee said giving a thumbs-up as he sat at the table with her. She put her tea down, to work on it more. "Sleep first."

"I'm not tired," Aceso denied. 

"Don't stay up too late," Lee said, he knew he wasn't going to be able to convince her. She looked back at the window to see a shooting star shoot past the beautiful moon. Lee went to bed, and a few hours later Aceso herself ended up falling asleep at the table.