Chapter 10
Devon rolled over the next morning to see the clock turn to 7 AM. He stretched and slowly rose from his hospital bed. He stood up and saw that his wounds were gone for the most part. He was just starting to put his shirt on when he heard the door open. He turned and felt someone hug him tightly and kiss his chest. He smiled as he removed his shirt from his head. "Hi Hatori-chan. I've missed you." Hatori Miharu wiped the tears from her eyes and began beating on his chest. "Don't you ever do that again! I was worried sick about you! Some people told me you'd died, others said you'd went rogue, I just didn't know what to think anymore…" Her tears began again as he grabbed her hands. He embraced her and then wiped her tears away while holding her chin in his hand. "I told you I'd come back to you. I would never just leave you like that. You know I love you." She smiled again and he followed suite, feeling better about her improved mood. He dried his chest off with a towel and started putting on his clothes again. She stood and watched. When he finished, he turned and struck a kabuki pose. "what do you think? Too flashy?" he joked. She erupted in laughter. "Not at all, not at all. As a matter of fact, that's very in this season!" she replied in her fashion critic's imitation. They both laughed for a while until Neji knocked and entered. "Oh, hello Hatori. How are you today?" She turned and bowed. "Just fine, Neji-san." She may not have like honorifics, but she knew to give respect where it was earned. "I was hoping to get a moment of Devon's time before he went to the stadium for his match." "That's fine. I've got to go find a seat anyway. I want a good view of my boyfriend becoming a Chunin!" As Hatori walked out, she turned around and flashed Devon a winning smile then left. Neji waited until she was down the hall and closed the door.
"Now that we have some time, I just wanted to go over some of the events of your training with you." Devon nodded and they both took seats. Devon proceeded to tell Neji everything about his training with Gaara and Manako. He could tell something was wrong because his teacher looked worried and he never really showed any emotion. "Sensei, what's going on? Why does everyone keep asking me about Fuusha-san but no one will say why? I think I have a right to know why everyone's treating me like a rescued child." Neji sighed. "No one can tell you why by order of the Hokage. It has been deemed a classified matter and no one can discuss it until the Hokage says otherwise. Not even you can know the details of the deliberations." "No offense sensei but I think if anyone should know, it should be me." With that, Devon stood up and started to walk out of the room. "You won't have time." Devon stopped at the door handle as Neji's voice cut him off. "The Hokage's at the stadium already and your match is first. You don't have time to discuss these matters. It can wait until after the tournament." It still surprised Devon that his teacher could almost read his mind. It also didn't help his nerves that he did it with ghost white eyes. Devon exhaled and turned to face his teacher. "Sensei, when the matches are over, will you go with me to speak with the Hokage about this?" Neji stood up and walked towards the door. "Of course, but right now you have a match you need to get to." He opened the door and they left the hospital.
When they arrived at the stadium, the matches were just about to begin. Neji and Devon parted ways as Devon made his way to the stadium floor. On his way through the tunnel, Devon had to avoid the kunai and shuriken being stared in his direction from the other participants. He couldn't blame them for the previous showing he'd made during his preliminary match. But he didn't care at this point. He was trying to concentrate on his upcoming match. Just as he reached the end of the tunnel, he heard someone call his name. He turned to see Sumaia running down the tunnel with Naruto behind him. Devon was more than relieved to see Sumaia up and running. "Hey, almost missed you. How have you been? Heard you had a rougher time in the hospital than me!" Sumaia grinned as Naruto slapped him in the back of the head. "Sumaia, that's not very nice now is it?" Sumaia stared at the ground while rubbing the growing knot on his cranium. Devon just grinned. "That's okay. I'm just glad to see that you're out of yours. How's your training been going lately?" Sumaia stopped rubbing his head and smiled. "Great! Sensei's taught me a few new moves! And I should be able to get back to missions in no time! During my downtime, my teammates have been helping me by sparring constantly. But I'd like to spar with you sometime after the matches are over." Devon got an evil gleam in his eye and grinned. "That's fine. But just know that I've changed. It'll be…interesting to say the very least." He put his hood over his head and stepped out onto the stadium grounds, leaving Sumaia looking puzzled and Naruto looking concerned. "Come on Sensei, we've gotta get seats!" Sumaia started dragging Naruto away while Naruto kept going over the same thought he had been since Devon was found. "What happened to him out there?"