Chapter 12: An unwanted gift
I was looking forward to writing this chapter . It going to be pretty crazy so you better hold onto your seats folks cause this could be a bumpy ride lol.
(Start chapter)
"You really think that sand can hurt me?" Matsuri said swishing her shuriken right through the string of sand. "How pathetic do you think I am?"
"I was going easy on you," Gaara said. "You were never very apt at fighting. Your defence was terrible while your attacks were hard."
"Oh are you keeping tabs about me?" Matsuri said with a chuckle. "I flattered." She spun around and spun her shuriken at Gaara's head but Gaara dodged it gracefully.
"Don't flatter yourself," Gaara said swinging his leg low underneath Matsuri's feet. "I keep tabs in my mind about everyone."
"You are so sexy when you're angry," Matsuri said with a sweet smile as she high kicked then tried an uppercut to Gaara's head but Gaara dodged it as well and punched her right in the gut sending her flying across the room. She quickly wiped blood that had spurted to her lips away. "Wow, if I wasn't about to kill you this would be quite the turn on."
"For you maybe," Gaara said falling into a fighting stance. "Oh and for future reference, when you show off skin it doesn't make you look any hotter." He lunged forward punching and kicking in a well coordinated pattern. "It just makes you look like a wanton for hire."
"Oh you think that comment was slick don't you?" Matsuri said with a chuckle. "Things would have been so much easier if you had just submitted to me in the first place."
"Your body does not attract me as much as you seem to think it does," Gaara said with a chuckle. "You were always way to skinny for your own good."
"Men all over search to even talk to me," Matsuri said.
"I just think that my children should be born without defects is all," Gaara said with a chuckle.
"I don't like kids anyways," Matsuri said as a punch landed right on her jaw sending her flying towards another wall. "Noisy little brats who couldn't care less what goes on in this world. I hate even looking at them let alone having them for myself."
"I guess we differ on that as well," Gaara said falling into another fighting stance.
(Back with Hinata and Tenten)
"Do you really think that Gaara would leave me for her?" Hinata said quietly sitting on the bed beside Tenten. "I just don't understand. He would never do that to me and if he did want to be with her then he would tell me."
"It does seem a little fishy doesn't it," Tenten said. "So where's your stuff? We should unpack you in here."
"Oh shit," I said remembering that all my things were in a bag in Gaara's bedroom. I had totally forgotten.
"It's at Gaara's isn't it?" Tenten asked rolling her eyes.
"I really don't want to go back there Tenten," I said worriedly.
"Come on," Tenten said grabbing my wrist. "I will go up there with you and we'll grab Neji on the way."
"I don't want him to make any trouble," I said.
"He won't make any trouble," Tenten said walking out of our apartment then knocking on Neji's door. "He just might be useful when we're there."
"What is it?" Neji asked opening the door his hair dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his hips. Tenten nearly fainted when she saw this but I didn't much care for I had lived in the same compound as him for years and years.
"I forgot my stuff at Gaara's and Tenten suggested that you should come with us to get the stuff back," I said. "If you're not busy that is."
"No I will be out in a minute," Neji said shutting the door lightly. Tenten had finally recovered from what she had seen and was now leaning against the wall when Neji opened the door pulling a black t-shirt on. I could tell Tenten went bright red. I couldn't help but chuckle for Neji almost looked grundgy for his long raven hair was all scruffy and wild and he wore jeans with the knees torn out. It was definitely a weird look for Neji.
"Is my cousin going emo?" I asked with a chuckle.
"Hmm?" Neji asked confused.
"Nothing," I said chuckling under my breath. When I was a stripper I had seen many kinds of people.
We then started walking up the stairs towards Gaara's room and I finally felt strong again. I finally felt like I could stand because I had my friends beside me even if I was still in love with Gaara. He hurt me and not the other way around. I would get my stuff and move back in with Tenten then I would send a letter saying I needed fewer hours for I was pregnant. I would never be able to tell him face to face.
"What's that noise?" Neji asked hearing a crashing sound coming from Gaara's room.
"I don't know but it doesn't sound good," I said so I bolted to his door s fast as possible unlocking it by pressing the certain amount of chakra then watching as the door swung open. I was never more surprised then at the very moment for Gaara was breathing in heavily his arms in a defensive stance with thick red blood flowing down his forehead. On the other side of the room Matsuri was huffing loudly with bruises all along her jaw line and blood splattered on her shirt. She looked really annoyed when we showed up.
"What are you doing here?" Gaara asked quickly and Matsuri took a stab at Gaara in the midst of the confusion but Gaara dodged it easily, spun around her and punched her heavily in the back sending her flying in the other direction. Matsuri stood up slowly wiping blood away from her lips onto her sleeve, her leg muscles tensing heavily. I knew that Gaara had won this fight.
"And again she shows up," Matsuri said annoyed.
"I came to get my stuff," I said breathlessly.
"Hinata get out of here now!" Gaara said angrily as he fell into a fighting stance.
That's when something occurred to me. This wasn't just a spar or anything of the sort. This was a fight to the death and Gaara was losing blood quickly, his Kazekage robes covered in the thick red flow.
"No," I said walking beside him and falling into the gentle-fist fighting stance. "You really think I would leave and let you die so easily?"
"And you say I'm too quick to judge," Gaara said with a chuckle. "Who said anything about me dying?"
"Well the blood says a lot Gaara," I said. "Let me handle her now for I have been dieing to wring that pretty little neck of hers." Gaara looked at me surprised then back at Matsuri and stood up.
"You have my faith Hinata," Gaara said stepping back. Neji and Tenten were stunned. What the hell was going on?
"So you think that you can protect him from me?" Matsuri laughed. "You really are a fool Hinata. My body may seem weak but it is far from and you wouldn't stand a chance. At least not in your condition. I read it on your medical files."
"How did you get into my medical files?" I asked confused hoping that she wasn't going to say anything about it.
"Well the locks didn't pose much of a challenge," Matsuri said with a chuckle. "I read everything there is to know about you and might I add that you are not much of a challenge at all. You'd have better chances of surviving by sending your cousin to fight me…"
I couldn't take it anymore. Her words hurt more then daggers for that is the reason why I left in the first place. I was weak and stupid, but now I was a different girl and if I died fighting her then I knew I died an honourable death. I put my hand on my lower stomach.
"Don't worry San," I whispered lightly. "Byakugan!" I yelled activating my bloodline trait. Immediately my eyes became intense.
"For awhile there I thought you didn't even have the ability you were so weak," Matsuri chuckled louder. "This should be fun indeed."
I then quickly pivoted my feet and spun around her before she even noticed and began punching her quickly as many times as my small frame could handle. I wanted her to feel like I did when she tried to kiss Gaara. I wanted her to feel the physical pain that is equal to the pain that I had suffered emotionally. She didn't deserve to laugh carefree and happy. She would feel the extent of my chakra. I pivoted again punching her on the other side adding more and more chakra to each punch. Her face had an expression of surprise and pain on it but I would never give up fighting her. She was everything I hated. She was everything I despised. One of us could not live while the other is still living.
"What is going on?" Neji asked trying to glue all the pieces of the puzzle together.
"Your eyes are lying upon the shinobi of 10,000 demons," Gaara said wiping some of the blood away from his forehead.
Tenten ran over to Gaara quickly for he was losing way too much blood. She applied glowing green medical chakra to his forehead letting the flesh mend itself but it looked eerie that blood was dripping down the symbol on Gaara's forehead.
"She cannot fight in this condition!" Neji said worriedly watching as I spun around fighting with all the strength I had not letting her touch me for she would feel my pain before this was over.
"What do you mean by condition?" Gaara said raising a none existent eyebrow. "Is Hinata sick?"
"Not exactly," Tenten said looking away from Gaara.
"Damn it all," Matsuri said angrily and before I knew it I was held up against the wall by my neck gasping for air. "Your weak little punches do nothing to me but I could do some good long term defects on your precious San, was that her name?"
I put my arms around my stomach guarding as best I could. If she was going to hurt anyone then it would be me. I smiled when I saw a little flicker beside Matsuri and before Matsuri knew it I was rubbing my irritated neck crouched on the floor and she was the one pinned up against the wall by her neck this time.
"Don't you ever, ever put a hand on my cousin," Neji said his hand already balled in a fist ready to punch her out at the first chance he could.
Tenten walked over to me applying chakra first to my neck so that it wouldn't be bruised and then to my stomach just in case anything happened to the embryo. We weren't going to take any chances.
"And I thought Gaara was sexy when he was angry," Matsuri said with a smile even though she was the one pressed up against the wall. "You are so much sexier."
"Can I kill her yet?" Neji asked angrily his mood changing from bad to worse for his eyes suddenly activated out of anger. "She's getting on my nerves."
"No," Gaara said calmly. "Tie her up with chakra sealed rope." Gaara grabbed a long cord of rope that was hanging by the door which he sealed with chakra then threw it to Neji who caught it easily. Neji let go for a second then pushed her down to the ground so he could tie her hands behind her back then down lower to tie her feet together.
"So much for the alleged shinobi of 10,000 demons," Neji said letting his byakugan disappear. "I am really starting to get annoyed by these shinobi who think they can take on an entire country by themselves."
"You've improved Niisan," I said standing up.
"So have you I see," Neji said. "But you restrained something."
"You saw that didn't you," Hinata said scratching the back of her head. "I wanted her to feel my pain and then maybe she would understand but I didn't want to clog up all those chakra marks. I thought maybe she would have learned…"
"You did good Hinata," Neji said hugging me tightly. I was happy again. I had my best-friend and my cousin who was more like a best-friend as well for he knew much more about what I had to go through then anyone else. I was so glad I had him with me.
"You really think this is the end don't you?" Matsuri asked. "That was hardly even the beginning. My true abilities don't show until nightfall for they don't call me the shinobi of 10,000 demons for nothing. Oh and looks like my luck just keeps getting better and better. Nightfall will be here soon."
I looked out the window and saw that the sun was already three quarters past the horizon. That's when I felt inside that this surely wasn't over yet.
"Damn it all," I said angrily. "Neji, watch over her and don't look away for one second for the next minute and a half. This is important."
"Why don't I just kill her and then this would all be over?" Neji asked.
"Because she has hurt no civilians that we know of so far," I said.
"But she threatened the Kazekage!" Neji said frustrated.
"And she will be punished for it appropriately," I retorted. "Neji-niisan, I know how you feel towards her but this is not our time to become murderers."
"But…" Neji stopped in mid sentence, fear was seen in his pale eyes and that's when I knew something was wrong. That is when my eyes saw the fierce red of eyes above Neji's shoulder. Eyes so full of hate and rage. Eyes full of power. I looked down and noticed that his hands were restrained behind his back and that a shiny black kunai was pressing against his pale throat lightly.
"You should have killed me when you had the chance," Matsuri said with a chuckle in her sweet twinkling voice except there was something more shrill and hateful about her voice. Just looking into the red eyes and you were instantly afraid.
"But how?" Neji asked lightly his eyes activating into byakugan so he could see the ropes undone behind him.
"There is one weakness in your knots," Matsuri said with a chuckle. "The chakra wasn't enough to restrain me."
"L-let him go," I said lightly hating how my voice was cracking out. Her eyes had struck fear to my very core.
"Why would I let him go?" Matsuri asked. "His strength is amazing." She looked at Neji with a mischievous smile. "Maybe I should steal it all for myself or maybe I could toy with your mind…" She nibbled lightly on his ear which made him stand up really straight.
"Your business is not with Hyuuga-sama," Gaara said with a sneer. "If it's my life you came for then take it and leave. Don't get anyone else involved in this."
"Oh but I can't do that," Matsuri said. "I was never actually going to kill you Gaara and if I do then my master would quite angry with me."
"What are you talking about?" Tenten asked confused.
"You have more anger in your eyes towards me then fear," Matsuri said her eyes turning to Tenten. "You show a power that you don't even possess. You could be noble or just stupid. Maybe I might see that anger fly if I do this." She licked Neji's cheek with a wink. I could see Tenten flinch but she didn't move from her spot.
I looked up into Neji's eyes seeking answers to why he did not try an escape and found one. He was so fearful right now. He was shaking like a leaf as if he was a deer wanting to run away into the forest as soon as possible. That stuck fear into my own heart. Neji was never scared ever.
"Then what do you want Matsuri?" Gaara asked coldly. He was talking in that voice that he always used when acting professional.
Matsuri let her arms slip away from Neji slowly. "And I was having so much fun too. But I must complete the mission." She started walking over to Gaara, her fingertips filled with red chakra. "How long has it been since the Shukaku was extracted Gaara? 6-7 years?"
"Why does it matter?" Gaara asked when Matsuri latched her fingers to his sides, Gaara's eyes widening.
"Ah I underestimated you Gaara," Matsuri said with a smile. "You will much chakra in your body. Maybe my master was right about you."
Gaara leaned back against the wall and that's when I noticed she was sucking his precious chakra out of his body leaving him weak and defenceless.
"When the Shukaku was removed he became very enraged Gaara," Matsuri said. "Very enraged indeed waiting for the time when he could take his anger out on this little town f yours. I have a special little gift for you but your body has to be weak for this gift to take over."
"No," Gaara said struggling to get away from her but he was already too weak. "Matsuri please don't do this. Your life will be endangered if he comes out. Everyone in this entire village with die!"
"Exactly my master's point," Matsuri said with a chuckle. "If I die then I know I have done my mission right Gaara. Orochimaru must succeed if he wants the leaf village to fall." That name was the name that had plagued all of our hearts. The man we believed to be dead but how could he still be alive?
"Matsuri, I beg you to reconsider," Gaara said starting to fall towards the floor but Matsuri held him up. "I would rather die."
"I don't have a choice in the matter," Matsuri said and I watched horrified as Gaara's body becoming even paler, his eyelids shutting lightly. "That's enough energy."
"Hinata…I…am…sorry…" Gaara said weakly.
"Aww how touching," Matsuri said with a chuckle. "I guess I could let you say goodbye or maybe I should kill Hinata in front of your very eyes."
"You would die before you had the chance," Neji said his eyes suddenly fierce after letting the fear disappear.
"Gaara…" I said lightly the tears falling down my cheeks steadily now. I didn't want to cry. I wanted to stand on my own and be strong but how could I when the one I loved was dieing on the floor. Matsuri stood back a bit and I took my chances. I bolted from my spot with all the energy I possessed and put my arms around Gaara my face buried in his shoulder.
"Good…bye…Hinata…" Gaara said lightly as the struggled to keep himself conscious.
"Don't say that," I said looking up into his half closed aquamarine eyes. That's when I did something I knew was a long shot but I had too try. I pressed my fingers to his sides as inconspicuous as I could and pushed my own chakra into his veins. I could see his eyes widening with the sudden strength that entered his body. "Sh," I said lightly. "You must keep your mind straight." I pushed nearly half my chakra into him hoping that maybe it would be enough to keep him sane. I could already feel the strain of my energy depleting but I must not show Matsuri what I had done. I had to make sure Gaara was ok.
"I don't deserve your sympathy," Gaara said lightly into my ear.
"I became upset," I said lightly. "I thought that maybe I had lost you to her. It was such a terrifying thought that it made me jump to conclusions."
"You had all the right to think what you did," Gaara said. "I would have too. No please stop giving me your chakra or you will get hurt." Already three quarters of my chakra was absorbed into him and I felt the world around me spinning lightly. I stopped pressing chakra into him.
"Alright, that's enough goodbyes," Matsuri said putting her hand on my shoulder to pull me away. I quickly put my arms around Gaara's neck and kissed him with as much love as I could wishing that maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't be the last kiss. I was then pulled off and I stumbled back right into Neji. My body felt limp but I must not show Matsuri that I had suddenly become weak no matter what.
"To bad it's not her lips that will be your last kiss," Matsuri said with a chuckle leaning down to Gaara with a smirk. I wish I could just slap her right across the face but even if I had the chance to I didn't have enough energy to do so. I watched in disgust as her lips pressed against Gaara's lustfully slipping her tongue in his mouth. I could tell Gaara was repulsing from her but his body all the sudden froze up.
"It's over…" Neji said looking at Gaara with new found fear.
Gaara's aquamarine eyes shut and reopened bright red like the red that burned in Matsuri's own eyes. A deathly red.
"The gift has been bestowed," Matsuri said stepping back from Gaara. She pressed her fingers together in a specific symbol and disappeared probably far away.
"Gaara…?" I asked lightly and that's when I felt my body collapse to the floor.
"…Blood…" Gaara's voice said filled with so much want and hate. A voice that struck you to your very core making you tremble with fear. He was gone forever and yet his body still remained human instead of the monster that I remembered back when he had transformed. "Damn this human body."
"Gaara!" Neji said running at Gaara with a kunai in hand. "Fight him Gaara!"
"Gaara is gone," said the same demonic voice coming from the body of Gaara. "Call me the Shukaku or sand demon if you prefer but it doesn't really matter does it if you are my next prey."
"Hinata, you must get up," Tenten said putting her hands around me to drag me to my feet. "Think of the baby. We must get out."
I pushed myself up with all the force and will power I had with the thought only of the child that I held within me. I must protect this baby no matter what. If I could die to save this child if I would but for this baby to live I must survive. With Tenten's help we got out into the hall and I could tell that Tenten was shivering for Neji was in there fighting this demon alone. I struggled down the stairs away from the fight that was now going on in Gaara's apartment. Neji-niisan…
"Hey?" Kiba said a little confused as he saw Tenten holding me up as best as possible and Tenten had blotches of Gaara's blood on her from when she had healed him. Kiba looked shocked at the site before him and that's when I noticed the girl who he had his arm around her shoulders. What intense eyes she had possessed. They were not normal eyes but eyes of power like my byakugan and Sasuke's sharingan.
"You must get out of the building as quickly as possible," Tenten said as convincing as possible. "The ninja has attacked and it is too late."
"Gaara is dead?" Kiba asked surprised.
"No," Tenten said. "But the Shukaku has returned."
(End chapter)
Hinata is going to protect the baby with all he being . I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Also I posted this chapter a little early cause I felt bad that I left you all on such a cliffie lol . But then again I think I just left you on another cliffie…