What a past two months! I haven't written anything in so long that my readers are probably disappointed in me. Fear not, I have finally sat down to create the next chapter. I also received advice from wonderful reviewers about my reference materials and I will be checking out my Naruto books for misspellings and names. It is surprising when even the most simple anime files book based on manga has name malfunctions! Apparently I do too! LOL! XD On with the story!
Chapter 9
Permanent Sunset: I am here for you….
One week has passed…Lee and Naruto never returned from their mission. She is now frightened for their well being. Now she must control her emotions to help the people of the burrow…Hinata…
Temari guarded the entrance from the boys who were waiting patiently in the cavern hall. Kiba sat with Akamaru's head in his lap, Shikamaru and Choji each leaned against a wall opposite each other, staring at the ground. Shino had been pacing like crazy for the past half hour, an action that he rarely did since he almost never shows emotion. Gaara waited patiently, nearest to his sister. He stood before her, not saying a word and arms crossed.
Inside the hospital wing the remaining girls were tending to Hinata. She had finally calmed down enough in the past week to where Sakura could fully examine her injuries. Tenten served as an assistant to Sakura and Ino was strictly a comforter for Hinata since she wasn't allowed to lift or do anything strenuous. Hinata was sound asleep during the entire exam, it was better that way. She had been unconscious for the days that passed and the girls did not want her to wake up with another male in her face, causing another panic attack. Sakura spent most of the exam time on Hinata's wrists, ankles, and lower abdomen.
"What is this?"
"What is what? Ino asked curiously.
Sakura studied the little piece of fragment. "I just pulled this from Hinata's birth canal. It looks like a piece of wood or…metal even."
Ino stood up from her seat next to Hinata's table. "Metal?" She went to Sakura's side and studied the little piece.
Tenten's curiosity got the better of her and she wandered over from the medical supply bags to have a look. "Strange…do you guys remember her mumbling anything when she was hysterical? Maybe she said something about this."
Ino thought for a moment. "We did hear her say something about an iron b-………"
It was exactly what the girls thought, a piece of iron. Sakura took a deep breath and dropped her head slightly. "I can't believe this happened…. They stuck her with this. Now I understand why she is so afraid of the boys…" She took the iron piece and placed it in a towel lying on Hinata's table. "Let's finish the exam and get her cleaned up. She hasn't been washed in weeks; it will make her more comfortable."
Another hour had passed…
"Girls, I think we should wait on her cleanup until tomorrow. I have news for you and the boys. Let's cover Hinata and I'll meet you in the hall." Sakura looked so sad as she said, "The exam is over."
Quietly, Ino and Tenten left the medical wing. They passed by Temari and were instantly facing the concerned looks of the boys. Ino spoke up, "Sakura is coming out here with news for all of us."
The boys tensed up. Kiba shifted Akamaru's head and stood up next to Shino. Choji, Shikamaru, and Gaara stood in a line against the wall opposite the entrance. Sakura had finally emerged from the wing, carrying a small towel in her hand. It was folded up.
Sakura cleared her throat and stared at all the anxious faces. "I don't know where to begin…"
"Start with her wrists and ankles or something…" Kiba said. "Are they terribly wounded?"
"Thankfully no, but they had a lot of rust particles in the infected areas. The girls and I were able to fully clean them out. Whatever chains the enemy used, were brittle and falling apart." Sakura paused, thinking for a moment. "There were several contusions all over her body. They beat the hell out of her, fracturing a few ribs. Those are now stable and hopefully they will heal correctly without having to worry about surgery in the future. Last…her internal exam…" Sakura now glanced at the floor trying to find a way to tell her friends. "When I looked at her lower abdominals and her birth canal I found a fragment inside of her." Sakura opened the towel she held to reveal to everyone the little piece of iron.
Shino and Kiba were dumbfounded. "What is…" Kiba asked.
"Iron." Sakura said, close to tears.
"Iron?!" Shino repeated. "How?"
"They did the most horrible things to her, I can't tell you why they used iron bars on her. But that isn't the worst part of my exam." Sakura said. Clearly she was crying now and squeezing the towel roughly. She tried to compose herself somewhat, but failed to do so. "Hinata's internal injuries along her canal were so …severe…"
Sakura broke down and dropped to her knees, Ino behind her in an instant holding her shoulders and gently massaging. "Tell us, Sakura…"
The boys glanced at each other, wondering what could be more terrible than having an iron bar forced in an area it does not belong. Tenten and Temari kneeled, joining Ino in supporting Sakura.
"I'm sorry…" Sakura said. "Just give me a second…" She wiped her eyes on her shirt collar and prepared herself for her final statement. "When I looked at the birth canal I saw massive scar tissue and several burn marks, suggesting the iron was at an extremely hot temperature when inserted in her. Meaning that while they were injuring her, they were closing the wounds with the heat at the same time, like cauterizing."
The boys were in a state of shock. Shino and Kiba sat on the floor next to each other in disbelief. Kiba raised a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. Shino lifted his knees up and rested his arms on them. They didn't want to hear anymore but Sakura went on.
"This next piece of information will hurt Hinata the most."
"There's more?" Kiba looked up, becoming angrier by the second.
Sakura glanced at him. "Yes." She wiped her eyes again and took a deep breath. "It is likely, due to severe injury to her uterus, Hinata will never be able to have children."
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Several days have passed again and a lone figure sat in a cell, heavily chained to the point of discomfort. His wounds were dressed and properly cared for by his guards. Every time "They" came to see him, he would spit at them, curse at them, and try anything to make their job more difficult. But they ignored his comments and continued with their business of force feeding him and changing the bandages on him. He wanted to know who his guards were, but they constantly wore dark masks over their faces and long black coats resembling the old ANBU black ops attire. They never spoke to him until….today…
November 26th, 11:30 at night, 30 minutes before Lee's 17th birthday…
A man dressed in complete black outfit with a hood hiding his face entered the cell followed by one of the guards. The man had raised a gloved hand at the guard in a stop motion. "Bring me a chair and my timer from my office, so I can talk to our guest properly."
Lee looked up at the two men. "This guy must be the leader if he's making demands so easily."
"Yes master." The guard bowed at his leader and exited the room. Shortly thereafter he returned with a steel chair and a red seat cushion. He reached into his pocket and handed the tiny sand filled timer to his master.
Lee sat there waiting, wondering why this person would want to talk to him. He watched as the leader sat down and crossed one leg over the other and draped an arm over the back of the chair. His cloak was open and partially touched the floor. The timer was set on his knee and he rested a hand on top of it. Finally, he spoke to Lee.
"Welcome honored guest. I'll bet you are wondering why you have been brought here and why my subordinates are treating you so well. It is beca…"
"I know why I am here!! You don't have to play games with me!" Lee shouted, meaning to interrupt the man. "It would have better to have killed me when you had the chance! I don't want anything to do with you or join your…"
"YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!! In twenty minutes you will be clouded over and a slave like the others. I look forward to watching your eyes darken at the stroke of midnight and that happy-go-lucky personality change to the heart of a killer's. I left you alive for your talents, nothing more. Let me tell you one thing, if you should die in battle against enemy ranks, I will not think twice about it. You are here to serve me, give your life for me.…."
Lee sat silently after listening to this lunatic's monologue. Truly there was nothing he could do. Even if he tried to escape now, he couldn't get out of the spell's grasp. He may hurt someone dear to him….no….he will hurt someone on his soon to be master's orders. There was no "cure" for this…
Ten minutes remain…..the grains were passing quickly.
The leader shifted in his chair and waited, his face still hidden under his hood. He watched Lee intently and looked at the little timer again. "You should be feeling a burning sensation in about…..oh now."
Lee looked at him in confusion. Burning? Instantly, Lee shut his eyes as they were beginning to feel like they were filled with salt water. His tears began to flow steadily, trying to force out the intruding particles that weren't there. "….ahh…nnnnngg…" Lee moaned in pain. "My eyes…burn….stop!" He struggled against his chains trying to free his hands so he could rub away the sensations on his face.
The leader stood from his chair and wandered over to the teenager in pain, forcing his head up with his timer free hand. "By the way, I thought I would show you something spectacular before you lose your sense of self completely. But only if you are able to force open your eyes long enough to see."
Lee pushed himself to look, forcing himself to open at least one eye. If there was dispel or a cure for the clouded elites, then maybe he could get some type of clue to who this leader was and stop him. "Keep your eye open Lee, push yourself!! I know I can hold out!"
"Very good…now for your reward," said the leader. He dropped the timer to the floor and continued to support Lee's head. Now with his new free hand he reached up to his hood and pushed it back. Dark black shoulder length hair spilled out and fell around his pale white face.
Lee's eyes were both open now, the size of dinner plates as the expression would say. He was blank for words…only managing… "It can't….it…No, You! We thought you…"
"Were dead? Oh no, I'm very much alive and enjoying my time as the caster of this genjutsu."
"Why? Of all people…why was it him? A genjutsu? How could he hold chakra long enough and this powerful without becoming depleted? He developed so much in the last three and a half years…I'm no match for him now." Lee stared at his abductor. His eyes were getting dark and his mind felt cold. "I'm sorry…to all my friends…for allowing a former comrade…to…"
"5….4…3…2…1… Happy Birthday…Rock Lee…"
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The woods were damp; trees leaves had covered his face entirely. He had been on a rampage for days, destroying everything in his path. When he became physically tired, he collapsed and fell out of the tree in which he had been perched. An indent in the ground surrounded his body. Naruto looked completely untouched after his ordeal in the village, his wounds healed over on their own accord, as usual. When awoken, he wondered where he was and began to wander trying to remember what occurred a few days prior. He, himself didn't even know how many days had passed.
It was still dark…and then it hit him.
"I was in the village trying to…rescue someone. Hinata!" He looked around at the broken and twisted trees of the forest. "How did I get…" Naruto scratched his head and decided it would be best to go back to the burrow, perhaps the others managed to get back safely. He leapt for the nearest tree and forced chakra to his feet for a speed boost. He was grateful that Sakura had taught him that. Shortly he began to recognize the area and determine that he was twelve miles from the burrow. If he ran nonstop, he should make it back in two hours, but a person could only go so fast.
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Evening on the following "day"… Kiba and Ino stayed in the hospital wing to keep watch over Hinata. Technically, Kiba was watching both girls while the others stayed in the main living quarters with the remaining children. One last candle stayed lit…
"How is your stomach feeling Ino?"
"Better than it was last night. I've been getting nauseous lately."
"That's a normal part of pregnancy." Kiba said.
"Yeah I know…but it's my least favorite part right now. Ugh…" Ino made a disgusted face. "I'm close to the middle of my second trimester, I thought it would have gone away by now."
"For some women it does, others….not so much." Kiba rubbed her back gently. "Oh, not to change the subject but Hinata woke up for a few minutes this morning. I was about to turn off a lantern when I saw her glancing at me. I think I may have frightened her again."
"Who wouldn't be afraid of a dog-boy?" Ino joked.
"I'm no dog-boy…" Kiba said defensively. "I'm just hoping that mine and Shino's relationship with her is restored otherwise team eight cannot exist. I refuse to accept anyone else."
"You still refer to yourselves as team eight? Kiba, I never realized you were so sentimental." Ino chuckled and then she realized that laughing was making her stomach bounce slightly. "Oh shit…Kiba I think I need a bucket or something…" Ino held her stomach and hunched over the side of her table.
"Damn girl, you are just having problems every second of the day." Kiba left Ino's bedside and went to get an empty bucket. He found one lying in the corner of the hospital wing and he quickly grabbed it and brought it to her. She gratefully took it from him and held it before her.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't mean to gross you out or anything." She held the bucket tightly.
"Hey no biggie, I have an iron stomach and working in a vet's office desensitizes you." Kiba sat on the table next to her. "Maybe the nausea will go away."
"I hope so. My stomach can't take anymore days of crackers and water alone," she said.
"I don't blame you…but it's the only food that Choji found in the Konoha labs. I guess the elites kept it for the women they were planning to keep. Or at least the pregnant ones they actually cared about." Kiba pulled the furs up and around Ino's shoulders.
"Let's not talk about them right now…I'm stressed as it is. My belly and all…"
"Speaking of that, are you beginning to show yet?" Kiba asked her.
"I'm not sure, probably."
"Lay down on the table, I'll check you out." He motioned for her to lie on her back.
"No, that won't be…" she started.
"Just humor me okay?" he motioned again.
"Okay fine." Ino put the bucket down on the floor. "You're lucky my nausea is subsiding."
Ino stretched out on the table and pulled the furs off herself. Kiba stood on the side of her and gently pushed her shirt up to her breasts, not exposing anything he shouldn't. Then he lowered her shorts a little bit, about six inches below her navel. His hands touched her abdomen and she flinched a little. His hands were cold.
"Sorry," he said and he continued his procedure. He touched her lower belly, pressing in with his index and middle fingers. "I can feel a slight swelling."
Ino squirmed a little under his touch; she had been so much more sensitive these past weeks. Her heart started racing. Kiba was more caring than he once was. He had just turned 16 this past July, and his maturity level was that of a twenty-five year old. His fierce eyes have softened and he dropped the attitude a few notches, but not enough to change completely. He was still…himself.
He seemed to be touching her along her panty line now, feeling for the bottom of her uterus. His fingers were warming up against her skin and it sent a small current up her spine.
"Oh shit…am I actually enjoying this? No…couldn't be, he's just a friend…a friend who is coming closer to touching my…." Ino shifted a little. She was becoming more flushed by the second, thankfully there was only one candle lit and wasn't enough light to see her embarrassment. It felt so good though, so good that she didn't even notice that her own hands were wandering down her belly and touching his.
"Um…Ino?"
Instantly she pulled her hands away and sat up quickly. "Yes?" her face redder than ever.
"Are you feeling okay? That was not like….you." Kiba's face was red as well. His hands now sat on her legs after she jerked herself up.
"I'm fine…are you?" she asked innocently.
"Uh…yeah," he said.
"I'm sorry….it's just I've been feeling alone lately, with this pregnancy and all. Vulnerable I guess. I know who the father of this baby is, and that scares me somewhat." Ino said. She touched her belly. "If this spell is ever broken and things go back to way they once were, if Kakashi sensei is normal once again…will he be there for this child?"
"I can assume you plan on keeping it then?" Kiba asked her. "It's a personal question, I know, but…I would really like to know for sure."
"I've decided to keep it when it's born. I don't place blame with Kakashi sensei for what happened." Ino felt like she could confide in Kiba, he seemed particularly interested in her tonight.
Kiba seemed relieved. "I'm glad you decided to keep it. I was worried about you rejecting it when it was born."
"Why would I do that?" she asked, mildly irritated and crossing her arms.
"Take it easy, I didn't mean to offend you. I was going to refer to women who are raped and sometimes decide to have an abortion or something. Sorry for being so concerned for your well being." Kiba took a seat next to her with his back facing her. He let out a small sigh.
Ino felt somewhat ridiculous for being harsh. When she thought about it, she was happy to hear it from Kiba that he was very concerned about her. She turned to him and touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just…."
But Ino did not get a chance to finish her sentence. Kiba had turned around and grabbed her hand which was on his shoulder. He watched her reaction intently and when she did nothing but give him a surprised expression, he rushed in to lock lips with her. Her eyes widened and she didn't move. He had caught her off guard. She didn't fight him and he got exactly what he wanted, for her to kiss back. Ino tried to be a little more daring and brought him into a hug while they kissed. Arms were running up and down each other's back.
Minutes passed and their actions were becoming more heated. Ino managed to undo the clasps on his mesh shirt and it dangled down his muscular arms. He had begun working on her clothes as well, exposing her chest and midriff.
In between kisses Ino asked, "Is this….okay? To be doing this….while…pregnant?"
Kiba stopped his advances for a second, "Yeah…women can have sex during pregnancy, the question is Will they have the sexual drive for it? Get my theory?"
"Well yes…"
"Good, then back to business." Kiba's enthusiasm was showing now.
To be continued…
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I'm so evil! Leaving the story at a part like this! I'll try to have the next part up as soon as I can. This chapter was a bit longer than the last chapter. Please take the time to leave me some constructive criticism, if you like. See you next time!
