Chapter 4: Shedding Skin

I can't believe it. This is some great never ending nightmare. Just as I think I'll wake up the nightmare only becomes worse. Even when I'm in the biggest pain this nightmare still becomes worse. Why is this happening? Why that even when I'm awake this endless nightmare continues. I messed up. I really messed up this time. Once again I've betrayed someone. Once again they pay for my mistakes. My fear.

Dosu had told me and Zaku to stay hidden and only attack with long distance weapons from afar. I was positioned in a tree and Zaku was positioned on the opposite side in the bushes. I was shaking. This would be the first I actually am in live combat with rival ninjas if there were any. For the most I was calm until Dosu made his attack.

The royal vehicle turned into a blob, black as night and engulfed half my partner. It was not this part that sent the fear through me. It was when it combusted into fiery flames that threatened to burn my partner. Of all things, why did it have to be fire? The way it suddenly exploded. The way how the temperature instantly sky rocketed in the area. The way how flames upon flesh would smell. It reminds me so much of that day. I felt like I was going to pass out in the tree.

I did not, although I might as well have. After that my body became paralyzed. It would hurt even to try and move an inch. Not even my voice would work. I looked on like audiences watching a tragic play unfold in front of their eyes, reaching out to help the protagonist but know they cannot help. The protagonist would have to suffer whatever fate the play has in mind for him. My bandaged ally would be the sufferer.

At first I thought he died right after the explosion. His body looked so shattered after the blast as it slumped down beneath a tree. Then those two kunoichi appeared. I think their names were Sune, the one in pale blue, and Kumori, the one in black. When Dosu regained his composure and attacked. I cheered him on in my being. He signaled for me and still I couldn't move. Why? Why did I have to be there like a damn prop for a play? He needed my help and I failed him. Zaku soon joined in the scrap because I could not do anything.

All four of them fought with such power and force. It felt like two opposing forces of nature against one another. I thought we would win. At first it looked bleak when Zaku got caught in that shadow blob thing, but he somehow managed to break free. Then the gray smoke engulfed the area. In that thick smoke the first one to appear out of it was the girl with long brown hair. Her dark clothed friend came sliding out on the floor right after. She rose to her feet quickly, but soon lost balance. Then she grasped both of her ears as if someone stuck a knife into both eardrums. Her eyes welded with tears and she soon dropped to her knees. Sune came to the aid and consolation of her friend. She didn't become a statue like me...

"What's wrong? Are you ok? Come on answer me!" the green eyed kunoichi yelled to her friend. Kumori only kept her eyes close trying to hold back tears. "It hurts! It hurts! Sune it hurts!" was the only response the black haired whispered. She soon fell face down onto her elbows trying to pick herself back up. Could that have happened to me? It didn't, but it should have. Yet Dosu would be the one with the far worse fate.

Then the gray smoke cleared revealing both Dosu and Sune. The last two, glaring at each other as if the two were mortal enemies for decades beyond their years. Sune would be the one to have his number. First it was that damn giant four edged blade. It went sailing like a boomerang. I wanted to scream out to him. To warn him. My throat had sealed shut down. I could have hardly breathed. Then the fire again. The shuriken created more flames with those bombs. A cold sweat came down my face just by looking at the flames.

Through the flames I saw my bandaged ally, guarding himself. Then...then...the damn thing slit him right down the middle. The damn bitch separated his eyes from each other. Then his nose split in half along with his mouth and the rest of his body. Blood spurted out like a water balloon that was just popped. His eye looked so surprised. He only saw his fate at the last second. The two halves of his body waved good bye to each other just as the shuriken continued its path through more explosives. The chain reaction set more of those orange bombs. His body was completely destroyed. Dosu was no more.

It's my entire fault. This would not have happened if I was only friggin braver. The giant weapon finally makes a stop in the ground right next to Sune. She looks up at her handy work. Small burning parts of flesh rain down. They never touch the ground though. The flesh burns into nothing before it even lands. A true teammate would have jumped in regardless and claimed vengeance for their comrade. Hell any moral person would have stepped in. I just stay perched in my safe are like the damn coward I am.

The girl in light pale blue looks around to see if anyone else is around. I dare not move unless I want to end up like Dosu. Dammit I should be the one disintegrated from existence not him. "Mummy bastard. I hope you suffered ten times what you did to Kumori." the girl angrily spoke. There is only wrath in her voice. She then picks up the giant shuriken and folds in back into one blade. After, she goes to her prone friend, who is still grasping her ears. She seems to be in better shape. She is on her knees now, but still holding her ears. Well I guess not that good. She just spat up her breakfast. "It's ok Kumori. Come on let's catch up with the others. We'll fix you and you'll be as good as new. She hoisted the injured girl and the black blade onto her back and sprinted off into the forest opposite of me.

I land onto the ruined ground where chaos ensued. My first instinct is to search for my last teammate. It only took a few minutes to find him. He isn't in that much good shape either. His body looks battered and smashed. It is as if a gang had beaten him with bats for more than ten minutes. Even after all of that Zaku wouldn't stay down. "Where are those kunoichi freaks?" he manages to gargle out. I try to contain him on the ground, but he just pushes me aside looking for his enemies.

He shakily moves out into the open with me behind. I can feel the question he's going to ask. He continues across the open road to the other side of the forest. "Where the hell are they?" he speaks out to the wind looking for an answer. I should give him an explanation. "They're gone. You were knocked out after that explosion. Dosu carried you to safety after." I struggled to say his name. Zaku turned back to face me. His face knotted in disappointment from our departed ally saving him again. His face then contorts into an agitated state. "So where is that one eyed, queer, freak?" he asks. The question I knew was coming. I wish he didn't ask.

I stand in silence under his gaze. I can't look him in the eye. I can only stare off at the past battlefield from the bushes. My face must have slipped into its non caring features. The one that is usually my expression to make sure nobody can read me. He asked the question more sternly this time. I don't want to answer him. Reliving the events in my mind is hard enough. I don't want to let those words roll out of my mouth. Yet I have to.

"The two kunoichi escaped." I began taking a deep breath. "I think Dosu managed to cripple one of them, but the other one was too much for him. He put up a struggle, but he's gone now...for good." It's so hard to say it. I didn't let one tear flow down my face at all. It is weird I feel sad, but I can't even cry for the ninja's poor soul. I still can't look Zaku in the eye. "Well to bad I guess. Come on we need to go and get that artifact." the dark haired boy said. He didn't even make any comments about our companion. Well it's no worse than me. I watched him die and did nothing...

"Maybe we shouldn't go after them just as yet." I managed to squeak out. After what I've seen today I rather not just charge in against those two demons at the moment. Zaku made some type of rude gruff. "Coward. You stay here then. I'm going to finish this mission." The shinobi began to make his stride away from me. "Wait..." I pipe out. Come on girl show some back bone. He cut me off before I can finish though. "No. There's no waiting. Waiting gets you killed. Dosu waiting for you to do something got him killed." he responded with growing anger in his tone. That remark cut me deep.

He began to walk away again. I can't let him go. He's digging his own grave if he plans on fighting those two and god knows what other jounin or chunnin or whatever could be lying in wait. I have to tell him something to keep him here. "You'll end up just like Dosu if you try and fight them. You're not as strong as them. They'll beat you down like a dog in the street." I didn't mean to say such harsh words or sound cynical about it. At this time though that is probably the only thing that would stop him. I had to. Even if it meant my own safety. I can't let anyone else die.

If I look into his eyes, I probably would have seen the glare that could have matched an enraged bear. I did not look into his pupils though. My mind is still else where. Still on how I betrayed yet another person. It didn't take Zaku long to get my attention. I felt his knee collide with my stomach, adjusting a few ribs and moving my intestines around. Both my arms grasped my stomach, trying to relieve the pain as my body began to scrunch up to the side of a tree. It wouldn't be over so easily though. I just chucked a rock at the hornet's nest known as Zaku and I'm going to pay for it. It's ok though. I deserve it.

"I'm no dog! Got that! I'm not as weak as that freak that was our partner either. Just because he was too stupid to pull himself out of things he can't handle, does not give you any damn right to compare us!" his voice thundered all around. I still can't look at him, but I can hear him seething, huffing and puffing. His hand clasps my uniform. So violently he pulls me to my feet. It felt like some great rope was tied around me and a group of men all pulled at once. I'm on my tip toes as he shortens the distance between our faces. I turn my head away from his. I still can't look him in the eyes. His breath, ravaged and torn, began into his next rant.

"You have no right either. You watched as he was torn to pieces, safe in your little perch. So don't you tell me what I can and can't do! I don't need some stupid spineless girl trying to tell me what to do. If I did then I'd end up like that ghoul of a teammate we had." the dark haired shinobi continued to roar. I could swear any minute he would tear my head off. I almost wish he did. His words tore at me more than any death could. "Take that look off your face and look at me!" his hand began to shake me roughly. Sorry Zaku. I don't deserve to. Just finish your punishment because I won't look and my expression won't change. His fingers try to move head to his eyes, but it's no avail. This is one thing he cannot do.

I guess he figured this out to. His peach fingers release their grasp from my cheek. They were replaced by five knuckles that have probably laid ruin to many in the past. I heard the loud thud across my face and next I know I'm on the ground letting the red water trickle out my mouth. It hurt, but not as much as these feelings tearing at my soul inside. "And people say I'm cruel. You just killed our partner and you feel no remorse. I've done many things, but I never did that. Do whatever you want. I'm going to finish this mission on my own." he replied more calmly, probably happy over his abuse upon me.

I wish he'd stop his damn talk. His words dig at a depth that no sea creature could ever reach. What hurt me more is that...he's right. I feel grief, but not for the boy that just died. Grief for my own folly. Grief that yet again I let down those around me. Grief that my mistake has ruined someone else. For the boy though, I could not shed a tear. This fact even shredded me more inside. Why is this? Why am I so?

I kept on pondering these thoughts as I hear Zaku's footsteps slowly fade and the trickling blood from deep within me. It began to make a small pool under my body. I look around the ground. Not for too much if a reason, I just felt I should move my sight away from my own blood. My own disgrace.

There's more blood about. A much larger lake of the red water. Zaku must have really hit me good. The blood didn't stop at the lake though. It trailed off in small trails more into the forest. Wait a second.

"Zaku!" I screamed out, pulling myself to my feet. He stopped his movement and leered at me over his shoulder. He did not make a move to return though. "There's a trail over here." I replied and began to walk along side the globs of scarlet liquid. If Zaku wants to follow then he can. If he doesn't well then screw him. If this is what I think it is, what I hope it is, well then...

My luck Zaku did follow me. He did not make any approach to beside me, but kept a pace behind mine. Further we headed following this blood. My heart fluttered only praying for the best. Although with this much blood about the best can't be too good. We come across a tan pouch on the floor also bloodied a bit. I recognize this pouch. It's Dosu's! Now where is the ninja it belonged to?

My legs begin a small jog, searching to find what I'm hoping to find. Thank goodness. The dark haired shinobi and I finally came across our target. There's Dosu, much worse for the wear, but alive. We couldn't see his face. His back is turned to us. He continues to walk slowly and warily into the forest. Every few seconds his body would shake with such a spasm that it will send chills through me for many nights. Blood damped his robe and pants, dripping from the fabric and wounds that neither Zaku nor I can see. Bandages unraveled from his body, falling to land soaked with blood, burnt black, or still burning.

"Dosu..." I managed to squeak out. He didn't hear me. He didn't even notice us. Hell he's not even noticing that his bandages are coming off. I don't know why, but the sight of him like this is not even weird, but scary. I don't know the guy, but from what I've seen from him I he's always observant. To see him like this, shuddering every few seconds as if his body will fall apart. It just makes my heart want to fall apart. What's worse is that I'm the cause for his suffering, which makes me sick to my stomach. The mangled boy falls to his knees. He quickly and unnaturally fidgets back to his feet and continues on to a destination I know not.

"Yo freak." Zaku said a little bit louder than I with his voice slightly breaking. He's just as disturbed as I am by this. He does not turn back to face us. His hand wipes his face, discarding more bandages to the floor. His hair is slightly uncovered now. From what I can see it's as only a little bit lighter than mine. As you continue on some strands though, his hair gets lighter and lighter. Some strands may even be even an auburn color. The same hand then makes its way back to his face, covering it. "Don't go after the other ninja." the one eyed boy's voice came out hoarse, trying to maintain its normal sound.

The dark haired ninja would not hear of this a second time. Whatever slight pity he had for our teammate at first was washed away. He pushes me aside and makes his approach towards the injured youth. Clutching his shoulder tightly Zaku was about to spin him around. Dosu's other hand firmly grasps Zaku's arm. The boy's head cocked over his shoulder, revealing his eye. It isn't the eye that we've been seeing though. It's the eye that lay hidden behind his white dressings.

I think both Zaku and I have the same feelings flowing through us at this moment. That glare from Dosu's eye. It felt like it could melt my being. Any ANBU ninja would have trembled by this look. Dangerous malice is what peered back at us. A hate that is becoming uncaged with each passing second. Zaku released his shoulder and backed away from him. A smart move on his part. "Leave me alone!" he shouted with as much ferocity that Zaku had used against me before. His marred head turns back away from us. He began to breathe in and out, trying to calm himself down. He then began in a slightly more calm tone "Do either of you have my ninja pouch?" "Yes..." I said. It's the only word I can get out at the moment. "Open it and give me the bandages inside there." I did as he asked.

"We need to have a chat, but for now just do what I ask. Zaku. Set up camp for us for the night. Kin patrol and make sure no one is around. Just give me about an hour to myself. I'll bring dinner. I hope one of you can cook. I'll explain everything else later." his voice is calm, but rapid. He then continues his journey to only kami knows where. His body continues pulsing as if trying to tear itself away from his being.

I try to be prepared for anything, but nothing could have prepared me for that sight. The way how his body tremors so quickly and so abnormally. That other eye of his. His calm, observing nature destroyed. It struck terror into my blood, although I tried my best not to show it. I don't know if I accomplished that. Zaku though regained his composure after a few seconds. Although within those few seconds it was the first time I had ever seen the brat with a fearful look.

----------

Well camp is set up. I just need to wait for those other two fools to return. How do I get myself into these situations? I've been on quite a few different teams, but this one has to be the most bothersome. If this wasn't for Lord Orochimaru, I'd flip those two off and be on my way. Luckily it is for him. I'd fight off a whole village for him. Sadly that means I have to put with those two idiots also.

I lay my head back on the dirt looking up at the sky. Only a sky fading into night stares back down at me. How is it that I have a scared cat on my team? She herself is a mystery. Did she want that wrapped queer to die? Maybe she did. She didn't show no remorse when his corpse was supposedly turned into a two thousand piece jig saw puzzle. Yet she's the first to go looking for him too. Just what the hell is her angle? And that weird eyed queer is just as mysterious.

This Dosu. I'll give him credit. He sure can size us up quickly. If he sent me to patrol for any enemies around, he knew well I would have went off and searched this whole land until I found those two kunoichi. Kin would probably keep her distance. All cowards do.

What is up with his body though? His body spasms so strangely today. It is more than just eerie. It's definitely too unnatural. I've twisted and contorted my set of limbs in the past, but this far more horrific. To add to the gruesome tale he didn't even seem to notice it. It's just like some breeze was passing by to him. And that eye. What the hell was that? I've never seen anything like it. They say blue is supposed to be a calm color yet I think today I see that blue can be violent. The pupil was an icy blue. The type of blue that you can only stare at for so long before you get chills. Surrounding the pupil was a dark blue. A blue that I've only seen on winter nights when the moon's aura was at full, radiating the ground.

I have to admit, the feelings I got this day I haven't known for years. I haven't known since I used to get beaten in alley ways. These feelings weren't even for a second though. They won't happen again either. Maybe he should have just done that earlier during the fight. That would have scared those two girls off. That also leads to another question. How was I able to escape that black goop?

Now that I look at my hands, no longer wrapped in the cloth, free to the air, these things in them. Did these two things get me out? How did they? There too many questions that can't be answered right now. Why couldn't things just be straight forward? I don't want things simple, but complexities just seem to keep adding up now. Psychopathic teammates, enemy kunoichi that are on their time of the month, and we still haven't even gotten close to our objective. Ohh well that's enough thinking for now. I might as well stare up at the sky for now. The sun or moon won't greet me right now, but peace is peace right. Wrong.

That spineless girl had to come back now.

Although by her appearance no person would have ever said so. Her cameo skirt seemed to be drenched with blood. I know I didn't cause all that damage from before. Ahh Jeez, please don't tell me she's some depressed cutter too? Great two teammates bleeding half to death. The only healing I know how to do is to put a band aid on a scrape. I have no friggin either how to treat this? My face must have been contorted in disarray. "What's wrong with you?" she asked, pushing the jungle of hair that usually covers half her face to the side. She still had that uncaring look on her face. I gulped down some air and asked my question.

"Where'd all the blood come from?"

"Some stray soldier. I found while on my rounds. I decided to interrogate him as to any possible places that carriage could have gone."

"You being covered in blood don't seem to fit with interrogation."

"Well when he didn't talk I had to use some other means."

"Like what? An an axe?"

She grins at my comment. I'm really not trying to be sarcastic at the moment. It looks like butchery just occurred. "In the sound village some of my training also consisted of torture and interrogation." she replies with a little sense of pride in her. Well isn't that ironic? This coward tortures people. She's afraid yet she makes others fear her. That's pretty sick and twisted. Then again every time I look at my hands I can't really think I'm that far off either.

Her face then slips back into that uncaring expression. "Where's Dosu?" she asks. Ohh yea him. It's been almost two hours now. He should be back. We both gave each other a nod and began to return to where we had last seen him. The two of us traveled further down the path in silence and slightly wary. We didn't know what we would find. Perhaps he died. Maybe his body finally ripped itself to pieces. Our question is answered when we came to a clearing with a small lake. Many of his dressings were left by the waters edge, bloodied and burnt. His robe is also left there with not as much of the red liquid as previous covering it. He probably washed some of it out. That weird fur of his also lay besides the robe. Surprisingly that's the cleanest thing of his attire right now. You would think that he'd spend more time on the robe.

----------

Just at waist deep in the lake is where he stands. His nature is much calmer than before. There were no rapid involuntary movements. No evil eye or anything of the sorts. His body is wrapped up just as it used to be, although the bandages are not around his whole body like I thought. His head wrapped the way it usually is down to his neck. The rest of his body though isn't fully in bandages. It's mostly the right part of his body that is bandaged. Most of the right side of the boy's chest was wrapped with almost his entire right arm. The only part that isn't wrapped is his fingers. I probably never noticed it because he usually wore a black glove and that metal thing on his arm. Ohh and also the fact his sleeves are like three times the length of his arms. His other arm had only had one circling of bands on it, similar to where Zaku keeps that purple ribbon tied on his arm. His ribs also only have one band on it, revealing his toned abs.

Actually the parts of him that aren't covered like a burn victim are quite muscular and toned. His posture is fully upright and not in his usually hunched over demeanor. This pushes his chest out, emphasizing more his physique. I must say he would probably be quite the hunk if he'd drop the bandages. I wonder if Zaku is also this toned.

His eye caught mine and he let out a grunt from his mouth. I guess I may have been eyeing Dosu for a bit too long so I turn away. I hope I'm not blushing. I have to keep my mind focused. This is no time for whimsical teen urges, especially all that has happened...

Dosu steps out of the lake, gathering his clothing and tossing it back on. Soon enough our companion is back to his normal hunched over state, only his eye revealing how tired he looks. In one of his hands is a line of fish for dinner. "Well I'll head back up to camp. Why don't you two wash up? You both look like you could use one." the long sleeved boy tells us both as he walks pass us. His body not creating erratic movements anymore. I think...well I hope he's back to normal.

Author Person: Much respect and thanks to those of you who have reviewed my story (and even greater thanks to those who've reviewed twice.). It started out as one large chapter, but I tried to reduce it down. All the other stuff may go into another chapter if I like it. Either that or maybe I'll redo this chapter over. That's about it. Oh yea. I don't bite. You guys can review. Praise me, flame me, make me smile, make me cry, ask questions, give me information. Do you want chapters longer? Shorter? Are they ok the way they are? Too much action? Not enough action? I can't say I will change everything you guys ask or that i'll reply asap. I will reply though and I'll try to be flexible. Ohh and I'm only up to where Naruto is in the U.S. (that's like episode 50). Don't give away any spoilers now. I do have an idea what is to happen to these three sound nin in the future. The other details that come before their time I'm just waiting for on tv. Gives more of a challenge when something comes up and I have to rethink some things. Other than that hopefully you'll enjoy it. Be back probably around chapter 6 or 7.