Eyes of the Broken Soul
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor am I affiliated in any way with Naruto. I just like the show and mangas so I wrote this fanfic.
Beta reader: Kiiroi Senko! XD
AN: Hey everyone. Sorry for the very late update. Things have been moving slowly lately, VERY slowly, but I guess that happens from time to time. I have been very busy as well, so finding time to write has also been a bit more difficult.
Anyway, enough of that. Here's the next chapter.
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Chapter 37 - Return to Home
"Whew! If I knew it would be this hot outside, I would have rather opted for something else other than guard duty today."
An annoyed sigh sputtered out of the mouth of a tired chunin while he turned to face his lazy companion as the youngster voiced out his protest of their current 'unfavorable' working conditions. The man couldn't help but shake his head dismally as the new recruit into the ranks of chunin continued to rant distastefully, before finally releasing an exasperated breath of annoyance.
"You know, this is a job, not a pastime. If you don't like it, then maybe you should have considered another career choice other than that of becoming a shinobi. We have a duty to protect Konoha and at this moment, that duty entails guarding this gate and making sure no-one threatens the safety of this village."
The young recruit simply slouched in his seat as the two continued to watch over the massive gates that gave entry into Konoha. The village had since grown into its usual midday rush of bustling stores and frantically shuffling feet as its people set about their daily work, but the streets around the entrance always remained quiet even during the most busy of times, mostly because there were fewer stalls that lined among its borders.
Of course, this meant that things often became very quiet for the guards watching over the entrance to the village, and for a young recruit, boredom was an enemy with no bounds and one far more persistent than any shinobi.
"Yeah, yeah, I know all that already!" The young man sighed again, doing little to hide his restlessness.
"It's just that, when I signed up to become a ninja I thought... I dunno, well I guess I just imagined that things would be more exciting. Watching over a giant wooden gate and waiting for nothing to happen all day long is just not what I had in mind."
The older man tried his best to hide his amused laughter, but even still a brief snicker escaped his lips, gaining him a scowl of disapproval from his young counterpart.
"Hehehe, I'm sorry, but its just that you sound so much like I once did when I was younger. Unfortunately the truth of the matter is that not everyone gets the excitement and adventure we are looking for. Some of us are blessed with missions that see us traveling the world and seeing the different countries, while others are stuck with guard duty for days on end. It is just the way life works, but don't stress about it too much. You'll get your chance, you just need to be a bit more patient."
Seeing the look of disappointment on the young man's face following his crushing blow of truth, the man leaned back into his chair and thought about what he could do or say to ease the situation. After all, he didn't feel like living with a sulking recruit for the next few days.
That would be worse than absolute silence…
"Well, if it makes you feel better, our job doesn't always lack excitement..." He teased, gaining the youngster's attention once more.
"Why, I heard that just the other day, two shinobi were found dead at the Eastern Gate. Apparently an intruder managed to infiltrate the village and they were his first victims."
The older chunin couldn't help but smile inwardly as his companion's expression quickly changed to a look of both excitement and fear mixed at the same time. The bait had landed its prey and he would definitely have fun with this one.
"R... really, they were found d-d... dead?"
"Yup, dead as door nails." The man replied nonchalantly, as if it were a daily occurrence that didn't bother him in the slightest.
"They say that there wasn't even a single wound on their body or a single drop of blood on the floor beneath them. It was as if their souls were sucked clean out of them, leaving nothing left but a lifeless corpse behind. Of course those are the rumors, but who knows, maybe we'll have just as much excitement over here someday."
"Yeah... maybe..." The recruit gulped nervously.
Of course, by now the young man's excitement had faded away altogether and the tension was clearly visible on his expression. The fresh chunin leaned back into his chair without a single word to follow, instead averting his attention back towards the colossal wooden gates that creaked and swayed in the soft breeze, as if searching for a hidden danger that may reveal itself at a moment's notice.
'Ha, he fell for that like a ton of bricks! Talk about being careful of what you wish for. Maybe now he'll stop complaining and keep those eyes peeled, out of fear if not for any other reason. Peace at last...'
The older man's thoughts, however, were very quickly squashed into dust when a large crash suddenly erupted from just outside the village gates, shaking the very walls of the booth around them and almost sending the two from their chairs. Both chunin immediately shot up from their sitting positions and ran out to see what the commotion was, only to notice the massive form of a large creature landing just along the dusty path that winded up to the village.
"W... what is that?!?!?!" The young recruit stammered in shock, before backing away from the massive beast. "It... It's a monster!!! We're being attacked!!!! AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!"
With that, the older chunin could only watch as his younger counterpart quickly took flight, screaming frantically as he ran down the dusty village pathway and into the distance. He couldn't help but shake his head disappointingly at the blatant lack of bravery he was witnessing.
'Man, he screams like a girl. Maybe I shouldn't have filled his head with all that nonsense about people having their souls ripped from their bodies...'
The man then turned his attention back to the village gates, peering through them to see two figures leaping down from the top of the giant amphibian that now inhabited the pathway, before landing on the ground in front of it. He could see what looked like a small bundle in the arms of the taller figure, but his attention was quickly averted as the white haired man spoke to the larger creature that looked down to him.
"Alright that is far enough Gamaken, we'll take it from here. Thanks for the lift."
The massive toad nodded at the gesture of gratitude, before vanishing in a massive plume of smoke, covering the entire area in its blanket of thick dust. Once the white cloud of smog had cleared, the chunin could more clearly make out the features of the new arrivals as they turned to approach the village walls and he immediately recognize the toad legendary sannin that walked beside an almost equally recognizable Iruka. The man bowed respectfully as the two shinobi entered through the wooden gates and passed beside him, before speaking up to address them formally.
"Lord Jiraiya-sama, I welcome you back to Konoha, although I must admit I wasn't expecting your arrival today." He then turned his attention to the bundle in the man's arms, his eyes immediately being drawn to the locks of dirtied blond hair that met his gaze along with the bloodied body of their owner.
The golden trails of markings that could be seen shimmering through the blood and dirt only held the man's attention for a brief moment before his eyes fell onto the whiskered face that identified the subject of his curiosity. The toad sannin that stood before him simply sighed in despondence as he noticed the man's shift in attention, before explaining their situation as well as the current condition of his patient.
"Look, we're kinda in a hurry here, so I will have to fill out the arrival forms later. As you can see, I have a boy here who is in desperate need of medical attention, so I need to get to the hospital as soon as possible."
Jiraiya had hoped that the man would not have recognized the small figure in his arms, but the hesitant response he received dashed any hopes of a smooth transition and he knew things would only get harder for Naruto the more time they wasted.
"I am sorry, but it is against procedure to allow entry without proper documentation. I need to be sure that everything is in order before I can let you pass, even if it is an emergency."
There it was, the ignorance, the hatred, everything that worked to destroy the young life that fought so desperately against its cruelty and the threat that now sought to claim him. Jiraiya knew it was coming the moment he saw the look in the man's eyes, the same coldness that spoke of an inherent hatred that seemed to cling so desperately to the people of his own village.
It was all there, right in the very eyes of the chunin that now barred their advance, but it didn't make it an easier to swallow the cold truth that stood right in front of him. He had heard how hard it had been for Naruto from both Iruka and the Sandaime, but seeing the indifferent cruelty with his own two eyes, directed towards the boy he was supposed to protect and whose battered from he now held closely in his arms, made it that much more real and sickeningly palpable.
"You mean that you need to be sure that this boy doesn't make it to where he is going, am I right?" He finally responded, somewhat coldly.
The chunin quickly withdrew from his position beside the new arrivals as the toad sage released a large amount of killing intent, before shaking his head nervously in denial.
"N-n... no sir..." He stammered uneasily. "... that was not my intention at all, but if I don't follow procedure I could be removed from service. Our laws clearly state that anyone entering or exiting the village must show the relevant documentation. I will need to hold you for a few minutes until everything is in order and you have been cleared for entry."
Iruka simply huffed in complete frustration while Jiraiya growled in disapproval and the amount of killing intent released from both of them caused Naruto to shuffle slightly in discomfort. They didn't have time to waste at this point and the boy's condition was growing worse by the second.
"It disheartens me to think that procedure comes before the life of a child." The sannin sneered angrily, before stepping forward once more.
"If that is the case, then this world we live in has grown far darker than I could have imagined. Look, if you want to try and stop us, then go right ahead and test your luck, but I for one will not stand here and wait for this boy to die. I will take full responsibility for my actions and inform the Hokage of the situation personally, so as to not cause you any 'personal' problems, but if you try to get in my way I can't promise that you'll live to report for duty ever again."
With that, the two adults continued on their way, leaving the chunin gawking at their backs as they disappeared down the same streets that his companion had just recently taken to. He didn't even bother to stop them, because he knew that he would not be left standing after such an encounter with an angry sannin and he did not want to push his luck.
--
As Iruka and Jiraiya continued to make there way down the dusty paths in a desperate dash for Konoha's hospital, a sudden cry of pain brought both men to an immediate halt. Iruka quickly shot around to face the source of the anguished groan and approached Naruto carefully, watching as the boy began to writhe in Jiraiya's arms while the sannin himself continued to watch helplessly.
"Naruto, what's wrong?"
Naruto's two small blue eyes immediately popped open in response, as if to address the voice that called out to him, even though he could no longer see the face of its owner. The panic in those fear-filled eyes was almost too much for Iruka to bear, but what frightened him more was the way Naruto's body was beginning to convulse even more violently, while the boy strained a heavy cough.
"Dad... It... hurts... so much. I... can't breath..." Iruka tore his gaze away from his son and looked up to Jiraiya with a panicked expression, whose gaze had already risen up to meet him.
"I... I don't understand, I thought the jutsu Anko used would neutralize the affects of the poison for a while still. What's happening?"
The sannin simply allowed his eyes to falter, before looking back down to the boy in his arms as Naruto let out another pained cry. It hurt him to see the boy in so much agony.
"It's Naruto. His unusually high metabolism is increasing the rate at which the poison is affecting his cells. His airways are beginning to constrict as a symptom and his nervous system is already being attacked directly, which would explain the pain and the difficulty he is having breathing. We need to get moving before his organs begin to fail altogether."
Iruka simply nodded his head glumly, before the two made a sprint for the hospital again, both trying their best to ignore the sporadic groans coming from Naruto while focusing on their goal at hand.
It was only moments later when the two finally came bursting through the doors of the resident village hospital, although it felt like an eternity for both men. Once they were inside, Iruka rushed up to the reception desk, while Jiraiya stood back with their fragile cargo in hand.
"I have a boy who is in need of immediate medical attention here! Get a doctor right now!" Iruka ordered, doing little to hide the desperation in his voice.
The woman behind the desk simply looked over the chunin's shoulder, taking a quick glance at the patient in question and causing Iruka to swallow a heavy grunt, before looking back to the scarred man with a unsympathetic expression.
"I'm afraid all of our medical staff are currently preoccupied at this point in time, so if you'd please take a seat in the waiting area, I'll get to you as soon as a doctor becomes available."
Iruka narrowed his eyes dangerously at the disheartening show of remorselessness. This had happened to them before, the first two times they had brought Naruto into the hospital, and they were always made to wait longer than would normally be expected of any other patients, no doubt a result of the boy's status.
But this time was different, this time they didn't have a single moment to lose and this time Iruka's anger and frustration had gone far beyond its breaking point.
"NO!!! I WILL NOT WAIT ANY MORE!!!"
The man quickly brought his arm up into the air before a small blue glow began to radiate of the tip of his palm, as if water flowing from the base of his hands. Iruka then brought it down with all the fury that had embedded itself in his heart, completely demolishing the entire desk in a single blow and causing its shattered remains to burst across the room.
The resounding crash immediately drew the attention of everyone present and the woman behind the once solid piece of furniture quickly backed away from the newly formed destruction, before looking back up to the wrath filled eyes that continued to stare her down with all their new found malice.
"I am going through now to find a doctor myself, but if my son dies because of this, I swear to Kami I'm going to come back and kill you myself. Consider that a promise..." Iruka then turned on his heals and made his way down the hospital hallway while Jiraiya followed closely with Naruto in his arms.
--
"Someone, I need help!!!! This boy is injured and he needs attention!!!!"
As Iruka continued to search the hospital desperately for anyone to come to his aid, his cries for assistance continued to fall on deaf ears. Anyone he approached would either claim to be too busy to see to them, or they would simply deny being able to help altogether, claiming that there was nothing that could be done for Naruto's injuries.
Doctors and nurses both would all turn their backs away as the two approached them, none of them willing to help the boy whose life hung precariously in the balance, while Naruto's breaths began to shorten dangerously as his strength continued to slip away from his small broken body.
After a few more desperate and futile attempts, a frustrated and defeated Iruka finally slammed both of his balled fists into the side of the nearest wall, eliciting a heavy crunch as they sank into the concrete that withstood their anguished wrath.
"Why... why won't they help? Why can't I just save my son...?"
The man heard two heavy steps fall behind him soon afterwards and turned to see Jiraiya facing him with a solemn expression. The sannin motioned his head down towards the bundle he was carrying, before speaking in a soft, almost hopeless tone.
"He.... he won't last much longer. You need to be with him, for as long as you can..." Iruka then turned his gaze down to the boy bellow before creeping closer and placing his hand on Naruto's arm.
The tears began to stroll down his face as he felt the cool touch of Naruto's skin against his fingertips, before the boy shuffled under the soothing contact and the sudden spurt of emotions that came with it. Naruto didn't need to see to know who it was that had touched him and he couldn't help the frown that suddenly crept up into his dirtied, mottled face.
"D... dad, I'm sorry, I tried... to keep my... promise..."
Iruka placed his finger over Naruto's lips as the boy desperately tried to speak, silencing his efforts as they appeared in the form of strained whispers, before running his fingers through the blond's hair. It was all he could do to comfort him and it was enough to at least allow the boy some form of relief.
"Sssshhhhh... don't talk, everything is going to be fine. You did the best you could, so just relax and let us take care of you."
Naruto smiled weakly in response, before reaching out with his small hand and searching for that of his father's as best as he could. Iruka quickly grabbed it into his own and squeezed it tightly, watching with tear-filled eyes as Naruto's smile slowly faded away again, as if to confirm the hopelessness of his situation.
"It's alright, dad, y... you don't... have to.. lie to me, I already know. I'm just glad I... I got to see you again. I'm so... glad I got to feel you again. I... love you... so... so much."
"No, don't talk like that Naruto!" Iruka burst out in return. "Don't give up yet! Please... I can't... I'm not strong enough to lose you as well. I already lost everything else I loved. I'm just not strong enough...."
The chunin quickly looked up once more, searching desperately for any other glimmer of hope, but instead he only found the icy figures of the numerous backs that had turned to them, coldly denying them any chance of aid. Iruka clenched his teeth bitterly as his anger boiled up even more, threatening to give way at any moment now.
'I'm going to kill them all. I swear to god I'll kill every single last damned one of them...'
"I'll help..."
Iruka was quickly jolted from his deteriorating thoughts as a reluctant voice suddenly called out to them from a distance, alerting the attention of both sannin and chunin as they turned to face its owner. There, standing in the middle of the hallway, was a young man dressed in a typical doctor's uniform, with a white coat falling around his body and a stethoscope hanging around his neck. He was also holding what looked to be a pile of notes in his hand.
The somewhat slender frame that stood before them quickly readjusted his glasses, pushing them up to the bridge of his nose before running his fingers through his dark brown hair and reiterating his previous announcement, bringing with it the promise of hope as the firmly voiced words fell of his lips once more.
"My name is Dr. Mikomi. Bring the boy and follow me as quickly as possible. I'll take a look at him."
Both men felt their hearts rise into their throats as the kind offer of help was finally given to them in the form of an unlikely young man, but they were not about to waste their time thinking on the matter for too long.
Before they knew what was happening, both Jiraiya and Iruka were already making their way through the hospital, closely following Dr. Mikomi's heels as their feet carried them towards their goal as if by will alone.
Naruto was fading in and out of consciousness through most of their journey as they stumbled down the clean hallways and into an unoccupied I.C. room, before Jiraiya placed him down gently onto the available hospital bed that occupied its centre.
The sannin was silently hoping that Naruto would remain awake for as long as possible, because he knew that it was the best way to stand a fighting chance against the grip of death that now held onto him.
As long as he was awake, there was still hope...
After taking a step back and moving out of the way, their new found rescuer quickly took the older man's place and leaned over the battered form that rested beneath his gaze, analyzing his wounds while making a quick diagnostics of his condition as he removed the bandages that Kurenai had dressed his shoulder with.
"It looks like he has sustained multiple fractures and burn marks, in addition to the cuts and bruises that have covered his body, but his shoulder wound is the most concerning problem at this point in time. I will have to close it quickly before he loses any more blood than he already has. We may also need a blood transfusion to replace some of the blood he's already lost."
The young man was just about to get to work when Iruka interrupted him, halting the doctor in his tracks.
"Wait, I'm afraid that isn't our biggest problem at the moment. He was also infected with a highly lethal poison administered through a wound with a kunai. We got him back here as quickly as possible, but it looks like things are already taking a turn for the worst."
Dr. Mikomi nodded his head in understanding, before placing his hands just above Naruto's body and focusing his chakra to the edge of his palms. After a few brief moments, the soft blue glow of chakra began to emanate from his hands, before running over Naruto's chest.
"I'll run a diagnostics jutsu and try to get an idea of how far the poison has spread. We'll proceed from there once we know just how much damage has already been done."
He then moved his hands closer to Naruto's prone form, allowing the glow of his chakra to envelope the small body beneath him. Just as the blue hue came in contact with Naruto's skin, the golden markings that covered his body immediately lit up in reaction, before flashing in defense of their owner while the resounding pulse pushed the stunned doctor back on his feet, as if warding him away.
"Gaaaahhh!!!"
Naruto cried out in agony once more as the seals on his body continued to glow warmly along the outlines of his skin, as if being burned by their attempts to protect him, while squirming on top of the bed that he lay on. Iruka quickly ran up to his side as he continued to tremble violently, before grabbing a hold of his hand once more to calm him down again.
"Naruto, it's alright, I'm here..." The boy's shuffling slowly began to die down as the soothing comfort of his father's hold began to bathe him in its warmth, before finally calming. After a few moments, the soft glow of his markings began to dissipate altogether, before only the golden outlines remained.
Naruto's breathing immediately calmed thereafter while the white hot trace of tears began to trickle down his face and onto the sheets below him, a result of his pain mixed in with his fear. It was all he could do to hold onto what little comfort was provided to him by Iruka and it was all that was keeping him from breaking apart on the spot.
A recovering Mikomi, quickly stood up to the side of the bed again soon afterwards before looking up to Iruka, who had since moved to meet his gaze.
"What... what was that? I've never seen anything quite like that before and believe me when I say I have seen a lot of strange things in my time here." It was the only thing the man could think of asking at the time and the Iruka was somewhat glad for that fact, at least for now.
"It's... hard to explain, but what I can say is that Naruto's body is trying to protect him from harm. I guess the markings that cover him react to any external chakra source that it doesn't recognize, so when you tried to run your chakra through his body, it responded by forcing it back out again and pushing you away."
Iruka then turned his gaze back towards his son, before squeezing the boy's hand gently as Naruto continued to groan in pain. He knew that they would need to suppress the seals that covered his body before they could do anything to help him otherwise there would be no way for them to proceed.
"Hey kiddo, listen, I need you to try and dispel the seals on your body. Do you think you can try and force them back for me?"
Naruo just nodded his head numbly before closing his eyes and squeezing them tightly. After a few moments, he began to wince slightly as he focused what little chakra he had left and pushed it throughout his body. All three men watched as the golden trails slowly melted away soon afterwards until there was no trace left of them.
Once they were gone completely, Naruto let out a deep, exhausted breath, before his body collapsed in on itself from exhaustion, causing him to fall limp on the hospital bed. Iruka quickly ran his hand over the boy's head in panic before placing his ear against the his chest, listening for any signs of life. An irregular heartbeat immediately confirmed the blond's condition while allowing the chunin a brief, but short lived, sigh of relief.
"He fell unconscious, no doubt from exhaustion, but at least he's still breathing. I think it's safe to continue now."
Mikomi nodded his head and place his hands over Naruto's chest once more, allowing the soft glow of his chakra to envelope the boy's body, only this time with no ill reactions to meet his attempts. A few more seconds passed before the young man removed his hands again, before rubbing the base of his chin and closing his eyes thought.
"The poison has already spread to most of his body." He sighed disdainfully, before opening his eyes again and facing his two guests.
"It is a highly aggressive toxin that attacks the nervous system and causes it to falter before shutting it down completely, effectively killing its victim while causing sever amounts of pain in the process as the nerve endings fire off constantly. However, at the same time, it is also a very slow working poison... at least relative to the fast killing salves that most shinobi use. Whoever did this to him, it's obvious they wanted this boy to suffer for as long as possible and they were seemingly quite confident that he would die."
Iruka and Jiraiya both sunk their heads dismally as the man reported his findings. It was hard enough to know that Naruto was in so much pain and that they could do nothing to ease it, but what hurt the most was the fact that it may have already been to late to stop it from claiming him.
"Is there... anything you can do...?"
Dr. Mikomi let out a deep sigh at Jiraiya's question, before turning to face Naruto once more. His eyes slowly wondered over the blood, dirt and other marks that covered his body, while an innate desire began to awaken in his soul. He knew he had to help, that much was certain to him, but the problems posed by the poison's spread itself would be difficult to work around.
"Removing the poison is all but impossible at this point in time." He finally sighed, causing both Iruka and Jiraiya to stiffen somewhat.
"Although there are advanced techniques in existence that can be used to draw it out directly from the body, it is simply too far beyond my skills to do so. Only a medical nin of extremely high caliber can perform such a technique without risk to the patient and there is only one shinobi from Konoha who was known to have such skill. Unfortunately she is not with us at this point in time..."
Mikomi then pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose once more, betraying a nervous habit as he continued to analyze the wound around Naruto's shoulder.
"Luckily, there is still a way we can proceed..." The doctor finally continued, giving Iruka and Jiraiya some much needed hope in light of their panic..
"There are still some trace amounts of the poison left around the area of the wound where it was administered, so I should be able to draw some of it out directly from there and use a sample to create an antidote. It will be cutting it close and we don't have much time, but I think we can make it if we hurry. However, I won't be able to do it alone and seeing as how there are no medical staff who will readily aid us, I will need your assistance in this matter."
Iruka immediately jumped up to his feet and moved to attention, while Jiraiya approached the bed as well, all three ready for the task that now lay ahead of them. It would be a long, arduous struggle with no sure promise of success, but neither one of them would give up until there was nothing left in their power to save the boy whose life now lay in their hands.
"Alright then..." Iruka announced firmly, confirming his readiness to help. "... just tell us what we need to do..."
Mikomi let out a deep breath in preparation for what was about to take place, before turning to face the scarred chunin that stood opposite from him.
"You'll need to hold the boy down while I remove the poison from his wound, in case he wakes up during the extraction process. It can be quite painful and although he is unconscious, there is still a chance his body will react violently to the procedure."
The young man then turned to face Jiraiya, who was waiting patently for his given task.
"Once I've drawn out the poison, I will continue to heal most of his major wounds while you prepare everything we need for an antidote. I trust you have some medical knowledge that we can count on?" Jiraiya nodded his head at the question, to which Mikomi returned the gesture in kind.
"Good, that will come in handy. I'll need you to do exactly what I say and follow my instructions carefully. Any mistakes could mean the difference between life and death at this point in time. Once we are done with that, I'll administer the antidote intravenously to be sure that it acts quickly."
'Hopefully, he will remain strong and stay with us throughout this ordeal.' Mikomi mused quietly to himself, before shaking off his thoughts.
"Alright, if everyone is ready, lets get started..."
--
About half an hour had passed since the start of the operation and the stress of their ordeal had already begun to take its toll on both Iruka and even Jiraiya. Both men were bordering on physical and emotional exhaustion, having barely rested from there search for the missing children or their rescue efforts, and the only thing that kept them going was shear determination and a desire to succeed.
They had already since drawn out the traces of poison from Naruto's wound, a trying ordeal by any account, and were now in the process of making an antidote using an analysis of its compounds. Most of Naruto's major wounds had been healed as well and were no longer an immediate threat, although he had lost a lot of blood already. The only real threat that remained for them to deal with was the poison itself and time was now running out for the three men and their young patient.
Iruka was currently sitting next to the bed on which Naruto quietly lay, while running his fingers over the boy's arm in an attempt to grasp any form of hope or that he could through their contact. What frightened him was the fact that Naruto never stirred once under his touch, instead remaining completely still with only his heavy, rasped breathing betraying any signs of life.
"Please.... just wait a little bit longer. Just hang in there as long as you can..."
A small shuffle quickly drew the chunin's attention to the end of the room, where Jiraiya and Dr. Mikomi were currently concocting an antidote to be administered. There was nothing much he could do to help, with his lack of medical expertise, so Iruka was resigned to simply providing what comfort he could for his son while doing his best to keep him from slipping away even further.
It was a commonly accepted belief that when someone was unconscious, trapped in a coma, or even when they were on the verge of death itself, that they could still subconsciously hear the voices of their loved ones when spoken to and that the hope given by such interaction would often be enough to keep them alive and going strong in times of adversity.
Iruka was not one to argue with such beliefs and at Mikomi's advice, he was offering what little he could to his son in the form of his own soft, kind voice, whispering words of hope into Naruto's ear while gently caressing him with the warmth of his own heart. Naruto seemed to respond positively, because for a while he never flinched or shook and there were no signs of pain that could be easily seen on his otherwise tattered form.
"That's it, just a little longer. It will all be over soon..."
Unfortunately, the peace was short lived and soon Naruto's body began to shake violently once more. Iruka immediately jumped up in panic as he watched Naruto begin to writhe on the spot before turning for help.
"Dr. Mikomi! Something's wrong!"
Soon the young man was right at his side, already checking on Naruto's condition as the boy continued to convulse erratically. Widening eyes quickly alerted Iruka to the man's distress, but the words that followed cut into his heart like a twisted blade.
"Shit! He's going into cardiac arrest! Move back!"
Iruka felt his heart freeze in his chest as the surreal and horrifying words that fell from Mikomi's lips hit him square in the chest. Time seemed to come to a complete standstill thereafter and it was almost as though he was watching the events unfold before him through a glass portal looking into another reality.
The scarred chunin could only stand there stiffly as he watched Mikomi begin to perform CPR in an attempt to revive his son, using his hands to pump the blood from the boy's heart to the rest of his body before placing his fingers around his ribcage, bathing them in a soft blue light.
"Clear!"
Iruka visibly flinched when a sudden jolt was sent through Naruto's body, causing it to lift slightly from the bed he lay on before flopping back down into a motionless heap, a failed attempt at bringing him back to life. The chunin didn't even notice the tears that began to stream down his face as he continued to watch in stunned silence, and only a firm hand falling on his shoulder from Jiraiya managed to bring him back from his bewildered trance.
"Iruka, snap out of it. You can't lose it now... not yet. Naruto needs you..." the stunned man slowly and numbly turned to face his older counterpart who simply nodded in response in an effort to reassure him, before the chunin willfully shook himself awake again. He then turned to see Naruto again, only to witness Mikomi repeat the same procedure he had performed only a few seconds before.
"One. Two. Three. Four. Five. ...... Clear!!!" Another pulse of chakra was sent through the small body once more, only once again the same result was returned in kind. Naruto simply sank back down into the bed as another failed attempt to revive him was spent, while hopelessness began to fill the hearts of everyone watching.
After a few more desperate attempts to revive the boy, Mikomi finally sank his shoulders in defeat, before stepping back from the bed and wiping the base of his forehead from the sweat that had gathered. Both Iruka and Jiraiya could only watch strenuously as his gaze lifted to meet them, his expression filled with the easily recognizable signs of defeat, followed by the heavy words that stung them to the core.
"I... I'm sorry, it's too late..."
"No..." Iruka gulped, before stepping forward to the side of the bed. "No... this isn't right. This can't be right! There must be something more..."
"I did everything I could..." Mikomi cut him off. "... but we were simply too late in our efforts. He's gone now and there is nothing more we can do for him. I'm sorry."
The young man then walked to the end of the room, picking up a clipboard with a sheet of paper attached to it from the table standing against the far wall before sighing regrettably and pulling out a pen to scribe with. Iruka simply walked up to Naruto's motionless body in the silence that followed, before placing his hand on the boy's cold, lifeless arm.
The scarred chunin simply continued to shake his head in disbelief, while the faint glimmer of water began to rundown the sides of his cheeks once more. He squeezed Naruto's arm, hoping for a response, for any sign of life even of only a little, but there was nothing. Not even a single tingle of emotion remained.
"No... Naruto, you can't leave, not now." He whispered gently, as if only the boy could hear him. "You always gave everything to protect others, to save those around you, but I was never able to keep you from harm. I could never protect you when you needed me the most."
The tears that streamed down the chunin's face were now in full flow and Iruka did little to hold them back as he continued to squeeze Naruto's arm, as if willing the young blond to come back to him. Mikomi and Jiraiya both watched dishearteningly as the man continued to whisper words of remorse, neither one knowing what to do or how to ease the pain.
"Please..." Iruka continued. "... you once gave your own life to try and save me, just like you did with Lee. Let me give you some of mine this time. Please just take what you need and wake up so I can see your smile again. I need you to wake up..."
Mikomi simply shook his head in dismay as the scene continued to unfold in front of his eyes, before turning to write on the sheet of paper in his hand. He would have make a record of Naruto's case, even if no-one else would care to take note it.
"Alright, the time of death is twelve thirty. The cause of death.... cardiac arrest due to internal poisoning and failure of the nervous system...."
Suddenly, Iruka's eyes widened in shock as he felt the small traces of an unexpected will flowing into his body, before he quickly turned to face Dr. Mikomi, who was now jotting down notes onto his board. It was as if a small glimmer of hope was being sent to him in answer to his prayers as he felt his heart begin to fill with a foreign energy that he knew was not his own.
"Wait! He's still alive! We need to help him now!" The chunin shouted desperately, causing the other two in the room to turn and face him in surprise. He was just about to continue when a stern voice interrupted him, halting him in his excitement.
"Enough... Iruka..." The said chunin quickly turned to the one that addressed him, only to see Jiraiya staring back at him with a pained expression.
"look, I know it's hard to accept, but he's gone now. I'm upset as well and I know how you must feel, but we have to let him go..."
"No! You don't understand!" Iruka cut him off. "I can feel him Jiraiya, I am not imagining this! He's alive and if we don't do something about it quickly we are going to lose him again!"
Both men continued to stare one another down for a brief moment before Jiraiya finally nodded his head. The sheer will he saw In Iruka's eyes spoke clearly of his determination and confidence in his assessment and he could not deny the man his chance at saving his son if there was even the slightest glimmer of hope to light their path.
"Alright..." He finally sighed, before turning to Mikomi. "You heard the man, lets give this one more shot."
Mikomi put down the clipboard at Jiraiya's request and trudged over to the bed that held Naruto once more. The man inhaled one last desperate breath and placed both of his hands over the boy's chest, before releasing his anguished tension through a heavy sigh.
"Fine... one last time, but I can only do so much..."
With that, the doctor began to perform the same procedure once more, pumping the blood from Naruto's heart to the rest of his body, before sending another jolt of chakra through his chest in an attempt to jump-start his own heartbeat again. Iruka and Jiraiya both watched with nervous anxiety as this continued for a few mintutes, before all hope almost seemed lost again.
Mikomi was just about to give up altogether when suddenly, in what seemed to be a miracle in motion, Naruto's chest lifted in a tight, wheezed strain. Soon afterwards, the scant sounds of a rasped breath whispered across the air, drawing it into the boy's lungs as they filled with life-giving oxygen once more.
To say the doctor was stunned was an understatement, but he recovered quickly and placed his hand on Naruto's neck to feel for a pulse, being delightfully rewarded with the barely present stream of life that now flowed in a steady, rhythmic beat passed his fingers once again.
"He's... alive! My god... I didn't actually think..."
"Naruto!!!"
Iruka's joyous cry interrupted Mikomi's aimless babbling before he could even find the words to describe his shock and soon the chunin was kneeling next the bed, holding onto the boy's arm as he continued to watch the rise and fall of his chest.
The sound of Naruto's breathing was like music to his ears and even Jiraiya couldn't help the wide smile that crept up onto his old face. Mikomi, however, wasted little time in the exuberance that followed, despite the relief provided to them, and quickly moved to retrieve the antidote that they had prepared. After all, alive or not, there was still the risk of poison to deal with.
He then moved up to the I.V. stand next to Naruto's bed and placed a drip into the boy's arm, fastening it down with a carefully paled bandage and ensuring that it would not come out despite his shuffling. Once that was done, he injected the contents of the antidote directly into the drip, allowing it to be administered into the bloodstream for immediate effect.
"That should do it. The poison will be broken up into harmless proteins by the antidote and will be cleared out altogether within a few minutes. His life is no longer in danger."
Mikomi then sank down into the nearest chair, releasing an breath he didn't know he was even holding. He couldn't help the tired smile that suddenly screamed across his face or the chuckled laughter that left his lips. Whether it was from stress, or simply the invigorating reward of saving a young life, it didn't really matter anymore.
After a few moments of relief, the young man looked up once more and readjusted his glasses to straiten them out again. They had become suspiciously misty, so he quickly wiped them with a handkerchief from his pocket, before allowing himself to take in the scene that now met his tired, weary gaze.
Iruka was currently sitting next to the bed, holding onto Naruto's arm like a lifeline while running his other free hand through his soft blond hair. Jiraiya, on the other hand, was content to simply lean against the wall nearest to the window, closing his eyes as if to provide some rest following the events that had just occurred, although the doctor could see that he was still as alert as ever.
After a few minutes of silence following, Iruka finally spoke up again, tearing his eyes away from boy in front of them and focusing them on the very doctor whose heroic actions had saved the life of his son.
"Thank you, you don't know how much this means to me. You could have left us and abandoned Naruto just like everyone else did, but instead you came to save him. I can't thank you enough and I will always be in your debt." Mikomi waved off the show of gratitude as if it was nothing to him, instead opting to smile earnestly in response.
"There is no need for your thanks." He announced genuinely.
"I'm afraid that most of those who work in this hospital have forgotten what it is exactly that they are here for. Saving lives is not a gift that we give to those who we think deserve it, nor is it our right to decide who should die and who should live. It is our duty as doctors and nurses to help anyone who comes through those doors, no matter who they are, because that is the vow we took under oath of the Hokage himself. If I left that boy to die, I would not only be forgoing my duties as a doctor, but I would be betraying the very oath I swore to this village and in doing so, I would be betraying Konoha itself."
Iruka bowed his head gratefully in respect to the man's words. He was grateful that there were still those who were noble and chivalrous in their actions, regardless of whether it was only an action based on duty or simply the kindness of an caring heart. There were a few more moments of silence that followed afterwards before he spoke once more, this time in a near whisper.
"Do you... when do you think he'll wake up?"
"I'm not sure." Mikomi responded tiredly. "The antidote should work immediately, but it may be a while before he recovers from his exhaustion and his other wounds. His body underwent a lot of stress, both from the poison and from his injuries, so it may be a few hours, or maybe even days, before he recovers completely."
The young doctor then averted his gaze back over to the small form lying in front of him, before smiling softly as he watched the small signs of life continue to meet his gaze in what could only be described as a miraculous sight.
"It was a miracle that he came back to us." He sighed. "He should be dead right now, that much is certain, but somehow... somehow he has managed to defy the odds. A miracle is the only way I can truly describe it and believe me when I say us medical types aren't ones to believe in such things." Iruka quickly shifted his gaze to share in the young man's view, before his own smile appeared as well.
"No, it wasn't just a miracle. It was Naruto. He did this for himself as well."
Mikomi nodded his head in understanding, as if he already knew of what Iruka spoke. The young man then leaned back into his chair and allowed his eyes rest at last, while his thoughts wandered on the strange phenomenon that was Naruto. He couldn't help the knowing smile that emanated off his lips and the thoughts that followed.
'Yes, that is right isn't it? This isn't the first time a miracle has followed in this boy's wake. I would see that miracle when he wakes up again and perhaps... perhaps she would want to see him as well...'
--
AN: Well, it wasn't an 'action packed' chapter, but I did add suspense to it in a different way. Hope you enjoyed reading it though. The next one is much brighter, with more light hearted interactions between the returning kids as well as some of the adults. You can say goodbye to this arc after that and hello to a brand new phase in my story.
The battle become more epic and the adventures that much grander as well! ^ ^
Credits:
Writer - Me of course!!! XD
Beta - Kiiroi Senko.