Chapter 14
Permanent Sunset: Cries of Hurt
Ino collapsed into Gaara's chest, a temporary relief. Her belly was cramping and the blood seeped out of her. She still ached though…
Kiba glanced down at the crying infant in his arms and felt a sudden warmth wash over him. He had done something that none of his friends had ever accomplished, not even Sakura even with all of her medical training. He delivered a child into the world and he couldn't help but smile. Kiba held the child close to his warm body; with a sharp claw he separated child from mother. The stack of clean towels lay nearby and he took one to wrap the babe in.
"Kiba…"
"What is it?" He never took his eyes off the child.
"Something's not right," Shikamaru said. "Ino shouldn't be hurting this much anymore."
He was right. Ino was still crying and squirming around in agony.
"Shit…okay, Shikamaru, take the kid and stand aside."
"What? No way, I'm no good with kids…"
"Just take the kid!!"
Kiba pretty much forced the infant into the reluctant ninja's arms. Immediately the dog-nin retook his place at Ino's legs. He picked up the umbilical cord which was still attached to the mother and gave a very gentle tug. Normally the afterbirth just slides out easily, but there was a problem-it wouldn't budge.
"It's not shaking loose. I have another idea that may help. Give me a hand Gaara." Kiba grasped onto Ino's hands and pulled her up into a sitting position. "Now you get up and kneel in front of her. We're gonna use gravity to get this thing out."
Gaara did as he was asked and got up; his back was really stiff for sitting like that for hours. He knelt down in front of Ino and wrapped his arm around her waist and mid back, supporting her on her knees. Her chin rested on his shoulder and she curled her arms around his neck instinctively. She let out another moan of pain. Gaara was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the situation but still managed to carry on.
Kiba positioned himself behind the girl in pain and reached for the cord once again, tugging on it with a little more force. Ino let out a gasp and whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut and burying them in Gaara's shirt.
"It's not releasing, Ino try giving it another push."
She shook her head no and muffled a cry into the sand shinobi's shirt.
"Come on girl, you have to." Kiba rubbed her lower back to try and comfort her.
She let her face shy away from the offending shirt and slowly looked over her shoulder at her lover. Softly she spoke, "It hurts…please make it stop…"
Kiba glanced at her sympathetically, "I'm doing my best, but you need to cooperate with me. Now try again."
Tears fell down her cheeks and she sunk her face back into Gaara, beginning to bear down against the intense pain. Gaara could feel how hard she was working; her stomach was straining and heaving against his. The muscles in her arms clenched and she was actually biting at his clothing. He had never seen a person in so much agony before, not even those who were crushed by his jutsu's in the past.
Kiba crouched close to the ground to look between her legs; he could see something finally emerging from her body. "That a girl, keep it up!" He reached both hands under her, encouraging her to spread her knees further apart. The object pushed its way through her birth canal and Kiba squint his eyes. "What the hell?"
"What is it?" Shikamaru asked, trying his best to console a crying infant. He saw Kiba reaching under his teammate with both hands. "Kiba?"
The dog-nin gasped. "Oh god…it's a twin! But this one is really small." The newborn slipped from Ino's body easily and Kiba inspected the child. "It's another little boy. But he's not crying, something is wrong with him." Instantly Kiba flipped the baby over onto its belly and began to vigorously rub the infant's back. "C'mon…c'mon!!" He used one finger to clear out the baby's mouth, removing any obstructions.
Ten minutes had passed and there was no response from the baby. Sadness had stricken the group once again. It was clear to them that this child never had a fighting chance. Ino was hurting the most and she had cried herself to an unconscious state. Her body limply fell into Gaara and he gently laid her onto the floor.
Kiba placed the stillborn child in another towel and covered the baby's face. He carried the little boy to one of the medical tables close to Tenten's body.
Shikamaru sighed and looked at the infant in his arms who was now sleeping. The tiny hands had curled around one of his fingers. The shadow-nin couldn't help but smile and spoke to the babe, "Man…your turning me into a softie."
Kiba continued his work with Ino, starting with cleanup and removal of both placentas. There was no need for her to be awake anymore. "Look after the kid until Ino wakes up bro."
Shikamaru nodded. "Whatever."
--
After several hours in the hospital wing, Gaara deemed it necessary to tell the others the news. He received several gasps and "How is she doing?" from them. There was also the matter of what they were going to do in the next few days. Ino and Hinata could not be left alone and their final battle must take place within the week, otherwise they could never defeat the permanent sunset and will succumb to death.
Plans were made to have a final meeting the following morning. After Gaara's review of the situation, Sakura seemed to have regained control of her emotions and rushed to the hospital wing to be with Ino. She caught Kiba by surprise when she offered to assist him.
Shikamaru gladly accepted Sakura's help and handed off the newborn to her. The baby would be better off in a female's hands according to the shadow-nin. She held the baby and checked him over, listening to his breathing and looking at his body for any injuries during the birth. The baby was two months early and smaller than he should be, but with proper care he would survive. After the once over, Sakura let her maternal instincts take over. She lay with the baby on a pile of furs, next to Ino, waiting for her friend to wake up. Ino looked so peaceful in her sleep. Kiba had done an excellent job in looking after her and even pulled a few extra furs for her comfort and modesty.
The baby yawned and stirred a little bit, letting his tiny eyes open just a little. Sakura touched his head and pushed the soft hairs away from his eyes. "He has light colored hair, just like Ino. He's going to be a heart breaker when he grows up I bet." Sakura giggled.
--
Morning…it is snowing again.
Ino awoke from a very pleasant dream of better times back in Konoha. She didn't want to wake up…
She blinked and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her body ached and legs felt like jello. She noticed that Sakura was lying beside her with a little bundle in her arms; tiny hands reaching for the pink haired girl's shirt.
"Could this be? My…"
Ino reached for the little bundle and pulled down the side of the cloth revealing the sweet little face of an infant. Her heart was about to burst, this was her baby! In all of her excitement, Ino rolled onto her side letting out a grunt from the aches that followed. It didn't matter…she needed to hold her baby. Ino gently lifted Sakura's arm and placed it on the floor. Then she scooped the little bundle up and brought it close to her body. The baby peeked through squinting eyelids at his mother and made a gurgling sound.
"My baby..."
She smiled at her new son and touched his little fingers. The baby responded to her touch and opened his mouth making little nibbling gestures.
"He hasn't eaten anything yet…"
She wasn't exactly sure how to do this, but it was all about a mother's instinct. Ino pulled herself into a seated position against the wall, layering some of the furs behind her for support. She cradled the baby against her chest in one arm and lifted her shirt off over her head with the other. She draped one fur over herself to hide the baby and her exposed breasts.
"I really hope there's something in them now."
Gently she grasped her left breast, closest to the baby's head and squeezed. After a few gentle squeezes, a light colored fluid dripped out of the nipple.
"Thank goodness…"
She let the baby settle near her breast and she helped guide the nipple to his mouth. At first he wouldn't latch on and needed extra coaxing. Eventually he did and peacefully began bonding with mommy. It was mildly painful at first because she had filled up and her breasts were swollen throughout the birth. She pushed the aches aside and awed at the fact that she was now a mother.
"Hey."
Ino glanced at the hospital wing's entryway and saw Kiba standing there, Akamaru at his side.
"How are we doing?" her lover asked.
"I'm much better than yesterday that's for sure."
"How's the kid?"
"Shhhh…Sakura's still asleep." Ino made a gesture for him to come over.
Kiba crossed the hospital wing, telling Akamaru to stay by the entryway. He adjusted some of the furs aside and sat next to Ino. She rolled her eyes when he lifted the fur from her shoulders to look at the infant who was still latched onto her.
"At least his appetite is normal."
"Yeah right, you just wanted to gawk at my boobs."
"Who am I to deny that?" he chuckled. "But seriously, what are you going to call him?"
"I'm not really sure yet. I was hoping that maybe you could help me decide that."
Sakura just could not sleep any longer, there was too much noise coming from those two and she sat up.
"Mornin' Sakura."
Sakura glared at her blond friend and rubbed her eyes. "Uhhhhh…can't you guys be more quiet?" She yawned and stretched out her arms.
"Well, it doesn't matter anyways. You were going to be woken up in a few minutes by me. Gaara is calling a meeting for everyone to attend," Kiba said. "So we have to get up as soon as Ino is finished here and go to Shikamaru's chamber."
"Alright, I'll get a head start to Shikamaru's quarters then." Sakura dragged herself to her feet and left the hospital wing, Akamaru following her out.
Kiba turned his attention to his blond lover once again. "So about your clothes…your shorts are completely ruined…"
--
The room was silent…
The group patiently waited for the others to arrive. A stoic looking Gaara leaned against the cavern wall, Shikamaru his mirror image on opposite side of room. Temari kneeled by her lover's side, gently wiping her giant iron fan with a cloth. It was filthy from her last battle. Shino stood in a corner with his hands in his pockets. Choji comfortably seated himself on a fur pile with his feet up on an empty box. Naruto sat on the floor with a frightened Hinata curled up against him. She was tightly wrapped in a fur, hiding her face from the others.
Moments later, Sakura joined the group and seated herself next to Naruto, quietly asking him how Hinata was doing. Akamaru lay at Gaara's feet, hoping to get his head scratched but gave a distinctive whine when it never came. The sand-nin glanced at Sakura as if expecting her to let him know the whereabouts of Kiba and Ino.
Sakura saw the former Kazekage staring at her, "Oh, their on their way…sorry."
Gaara peered outside the chamber into the cavern hall and nodded.
Seconds afterwards, Kiba appeared in the doorway guiding a clammy looking Ino. She was bundled up in furs and looking very cheerful despite her appearance. Choji and Shikamaru smiled at her, both wanted to greet her and ask about her health.
Everyone seemed at edge with excitement for her and she knew what they wanted to see. Carefully she lowered the top layer of her furs to reveal the newborn. The baby was asleep, content after his first breakfast. Choji seemed particularly interested in the new addition and invited his teammate to sit next to him so he could get a closer look. He loved kids. After what happened to the main chamber and all the children inside, he had become depressed. This changed when Ino let him hold her son.
"Have you named him yet?" Choji asked.
"No. I still haven't found the right name yet."
After everyone got their chance to see the new baby, Gaara started the meeting.
"I think its time we have left the burrow for good now that enemy pinpointed our location."
"Gaara, where will go?" Temari was confused. There was nowhere for them to go except… "No! We can't go back there! We are heavily outnumbered and…"
"We have no choice! Temari, I have a week and two days left…"
He was right, the last time the group planned an attack it was postponed due the attack on the burrow and then Ino's complications.
"Actually…" Shikamaru spoke up. "Our calendar isn't completely accurate. We never had one to begin with. If you have been counting days, I'd say you may be off a couple."
"So your saying that we may have even less time?"
"Or more time…possibly."
Gaara sighed. "The instant I turn seventeen, I will be a deadly weapon once again."
Shivers traveled down Temari's spine. She did not want to have to deal with all that torment again. "When do we leave then?"
"The day after tomorrow. We have to take care of some things here and destroy all evidence that people resided in these caverns. Tomorrow, we will hold a proper funeral for our fallen and all of the little ones. Shikamaru has hatched a plan for our departure and what we'll do once we get to Konoha. "
Shikamaru removed himself from the wall and pocketed his hands. "Right…after we finish with tomorrow's business we will take only what we need to survive. When we reach the border of the city, Naruto and Kiba will take Hinata and Ino into hiding. Find an abandoned house and keep them out of harm's way."
Naruto and Kiba looked at each other and nodded.
"Next, we split into two teams… Choji, Temari and I will be squad one and Gaara, Sakura, and Shino will be squad two. From the front gate the two teams will split, team one will take the western side of the city and team two the eastern. It's likely that we will run into some of the elites or our old sensei for that matter. Each squad is capable of long and short range attacks. We have good chances of sneaking past as many elites as possible because of the sheer size of the city."
"How will we locate the leader? We don't know where he's staying." Naruto asked.
"We'll have to take an elite hostage and make him spill. Also, splitting up will cover more ground. We may stumble upon him eventually." Shikamaru crossed his arms. "This is gonna be such a pain… anyways, once we scout the entire city for their leader, we'll gather information on how to handle him."
Gaara took the lead again and dismissed the group, "Everyone try to get some rest. We have much to do…and little time."
The group dispersed from the room. Sakura, Kiba and Ino returned to the hospital wing, Akamaru behind them. Gaara returned to his own quarters. Shino and Choji stayed in the back chamber with Naruto and Hinata while Shikamaru left for his own chamber, Temari in tow.
--
Another building has collapsed…a sign that something great has happened…an omen…
"My lord, your subordinates have returned from their mission."
"Baki, let them in."
"Yes my lord."
Lord Sasuke waited patiently for his elites to make entrance. Kakashi, Neji, and Rock Lee…
All three bowed to their master and kneeled, waiting for their next set of orders.
"I trust your mission was successful?"
"Not completely my Lord." Neji spoke up. "There were some minor complications, but all of the young ones are eliminated. We could not retrieve the Yamanaka."
"What of the ninja who protected the location?"
"My lord, we managed to finish off one of them; a useless female with no particular talent or bloodline trait."
"Good…I believe your mission will execute a counter attack from our enemies. I want you three to take a squadron and post elites all over the city. I sense our little friends will be arriving in the next few days. Also, I will need an escort. I wish to move to the arena by tomorrow night…I have plans for my genjutsu…"
"Yes my lord."
Neji bowed his head in respect and lead the other elites out of the office.
Lord Sasuke smiled maniacally to himself, "Things are getting interesting…"
To be continued…
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Forgive me; it's been a week or so since my update! Send me your comments and opinions if you like, I'll post the next chapter as soon as possible! Happy reading!