23 Chapter 23 : The Solution

Well, I'm sort of sick and didn't feel too hot. I didn't want the quality or anything to suffer, so I just let a day go. It really hits me hard when I don't feel like writing. lol. Esketit.

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Aya was really abut to die. For the past few days, she had loathed and set up a base outside Kenji's operating room. Tsunade had sympathized with Aya, becoming instant buddies. She vowed to figure out a solution. No matter the cost. Finally Aya heard the signs of satisfaction beyond the door. Tsunade immediately emerged, tired but still functioning, she said, "I think I have a solution. He really torn himself up though, just like every other male in my life, reckless."

A vein pulse from the side of her forehead. Aya loved this woman. She hadn't had a friend in some time. She planned on furthering her friendship, but Kenji came first, always.

"What is it?" Aya's curiosity played its hand.

"So imagine his eyes have two doors. One being the sharingan activation and the other is the byakugan. He easily stepped through the sharingan door when he was younger, leaving the byakugan to lock even more, until the day he broke it down. From what I've seen, it's like he's all the way through the sharingan door with his leg stuck in the other one. He's stuck. Both are causing interference on each side. For the fix, Half of the effort will be put on him I'm afraid. The other half, I can do, but I'll need to remove his eyes for a while. I don't want to mess up, so it'll be time consuming." Tsunade smiled. She needed a reason to return home. To quit smothering herself in alcohol and gambling.

Aya became hesitant at the remark of eye removal, but she knew it was inevitable. "Ok, anything to help him recover." Aya stood by with respect.

"Don't do that." Tsunade thumped her forehead which threw Aya off balance. The Leaf is so weird. Aya thought.

"I still have it in me, so I'm going to remove them right now after preparation to give him some time to wake up. I'll start first thing tomorrow."

"Thank you." Aya unconsciously hugged her.

"Hey!" Tsunade held her hands above her head in an upright position.

"Sorry." Aya laughed. She laughed. Tsunade felt warm. It was the first time she'd ever heard it.

"Good. Now go get some fresh air or something. I have work to do."

Aya nodded. She turned her back to the exit but threw her head around for one last glance. "I'll be back." She whispered.

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While coasting through the streets of the Hidden Leaf, Aya felt a presence. A presence that meant death. She stopped in her tracks. When she stopped, the feeling was gone. She scurried the other way, just in case, the Hokage needed to know this. He valued Aya's imput on many things already. And she wasn't crazy. In her trance of destination fever, she found two kids eating at a peculiar place. Some kind of ramen shop, Aya guessed. She pulled back the flaps to reveal a counter, seating around four people. Sasuke was seated in the corner, trying to ignore a blabbering Rei. And she had no idea. Aya cringed.

"Hi there kids." She said.

Rei turned. "Miss Aya!" She hugged Aya from her seat. Stretching her arms in order to do so. The two women had gotten along well in the last few days. Apart from them, Sasuke was less emo. Probably just excited to meet Kenji. And Kakashi seemed more determined than ever to do....something. Who knows. Aya socialized with the kids for a minute, then informed the Hokage of her premonition. He figured something like this would happen eventually. He tightened his jonin around the village, just in case.

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Later that day... Kakashi made his usual trip to the wall of shinobi. He often stared and contemplated his teammates, who's names were present. Aya joined him. Most people left Kakashi alone when he was seen her, but Aya was in the dark. She managed to open him up. He fumbled over his story while Aya listened. If she never helped him in the past, he wouldn't be here today, to keep the memory of Obito and Rin alive. The conversation ended with Aya embracing the copy ninja. Aya always had a way with people's feelings. She often wondered herself were she found the skill.

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The next day, Tsunade informed everyone about the success of Kenji's eye removal, and two days later, he woke up. The realization of his blind self was a shock. Thrashing and screaming, Tsunade and Aya managed to calm him down. Team 7 was informed after, they sped to his room. Aya hugged him. Murdering words of love into his ear, but he reciprocated little emotion back.

Instead, he asked "Where's my necklace?"

Tsunade glanced to Aya.

Aya reached into her pocket. "I have it, but Are you sure you-"

"Yes."

She latched the chain around the blind boy's neck. He clasped it in his hand. Sorrow still filled his heart.

"When can I leave?"

Tsunade spoke up. "The cut on your back and head hasn't fully healed, and do you really want to leave when you can't see?"

"Yes."

After Kenji's response, Team 7 strolled into the room. There was a silence, a sort of heartwarming silence, but hinted with tension.

Aya took the initiative. "Kenji I've spoken with the Hokage and he has allowed us to stay here." She couldn't help but smile. "The three people that just came in are your new teammates." She looked at them. Kakashi stepped forward.

"I'm Kakashi Hatake. I'm the jonin in charge of team 7." He grabbed Kenji's hand and lightly shook it.

"Nice to meet you." Kenji just wanted to leave.

Sasuke couldn't wait. He jumped in front of his sensei, who smiled under his mask.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I'm your cousin." He smiled, which was rare.

Even Kenji was shocked. He assumed the massacre killed off his entire clan. While hiding his own excitement, he repeated himself. "Nice to meet you." Sasuke hugged him, completely bypassing his handshake. Kenji accepted it. Maybe this could be good.

Rei was hesitant, but she approached the boy and introduced herself. "I'm Rei Namikaze."

Kenji couldn't see her, but he felt her chakra. He didn't have his eyes, but his eyes were still connected in a way. The chakra he felt was amazing, so nice, so warm, he lost himself in it. Until he dug deeper. The chakra buried underneath made him hold his breath. His arms shook. What the hell is this?! He thought. In his daze, Rei became annoyed.

"Are you going to shake my hand?"

Kenji wiped the bead from his cheek. "Uh... sorry...Kenji...a... Nice... to meet you. " He quickly shook her hand and released. Rei's confusion was interrupted by a whining boy.

"Can I please leave?"

Tsunade looked at everyone. Her healing persona fought her, but she grumbled. "I guess."

"Will someone help me?"

Aya wanted to, but before she could, Rei volunteered. Kenji opened his mouth for a rebuttal. Rei said, "No buts." Kenji knew Aya had taught her that.

Rei led Kenji through the village, recieving many looks, which both were used to by now.

"So why'd you act like that? I'm not stupid, you know." Rei stayed straight. WIth Kenji's arm around her. Kenji wore a tank top, that was actually really comfortable. The imperfections on his torso poked out beyond the material. Rei glanced at them, but felt like she wasn't ready to ask about them yet.

"I don't know If I can tell you. I need to speak to the Hokage first."

"Right now?"

"No, Can you bring me somewhere I can be alone for a minute?"

Rei eyed him. "Sure I guess."

She didn't like where this was going.

She led him to the top of the Hokage monument. They stopped upon the fourth's head. Kenji could feel the breeze and sunset bearing down on him. He grimaced and slowly lowered himself to a sitting position.

"Can you wait somewhere?" He whispered.

"Sure." Rei gave the impression that she walked away. Kenji could feel her stop around twenty yards away, focusing her hearing, but he didn't care. He couldn't hold it anymore. Now was his time to grieve. Kenji placed his hand on his forearm, and he rubbed the pink scar given to him by Hansuke. He grieved for his team, but he also yearned to murder everyone how was responsible. When he located them all. The tears rolled down. His Mist necklace clanged and drooped to his face. Hansuke grieved for hours. Rei listened the entire time, feeling something for herself. Just how much has he experienced? Is this the reality of being a ninja? She had so many questions. She found herself wanting to know about her new teammate, like her life depended on it.

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Note : I figured out a plan. We'll be visiting the perspective of the Mist here soon. I just wanted to get a few character interactions in first. Then, we'll be on to the next portion of the story. This...THIS is ONLY THE BEGINNING! lol.