And I'm back from the dead. Amazingly. I made myself not write any other fiction till I got this finished. And I had such an awesome creative muse this month I have 2 chapters ready. I'm going to go over it a few more times because I keep reading over old published spelling/grammar mistakes and it's killing me. I'll post it asap.
It was late afternoon when Kayla woke up. After escaping the death grip Kayla held her in Rose tried to pry the contents of the dream from her, without success. The fear and panic of the dream still clung to her mind like an infection, lingering after the fact. Legs still under the light covers, she leaned against the headboard and breathed deeply trying to focus on the real world, as dismal as it was in her current situation.
Rose left her to calm down, returning with hot bowls of chicken soup for both of them. Placing Kayla's on the bedside table Rose sat on the edge of the bed with her own. "It's what my mother did whenever I was upset"
Kayla forced a small smile and took the bowl, she wasn't sure if she could stomach anything but the thought was nice.
"It's not your fault you know," Rose remarked in between spoonfuls of soup. Kayla jumped at the statement, almost spilling her own soup. "I'm not gonna let you blame yourself for this."
Kayla glared into the soup, "I've been preparing for this for years. I failed."
Rose sighed, "Maybe now you can stop preparing and actually be able to live your life."
Kayla looked at her as though she was speaking another language.
Rolling her eyes Rose continued, "You have been so focused on a single purpose. That's not what life is. You haven't let go of watching the anime in the orphanage. That life doesn't matter anymore we had nothing there, but we change everything by being here."
"Not everything," Kayla scowled into her soup.
"So what, you couldn't go toe-to-toe with an S-Rank criminal. You and Kankuro shouldn't have run after them on your own." Rose scolded
Kayla's scowl shifted to Rose, "What were we just supposed to let them take him?"
"You should have waited for back-up!" Rose shouted at her. "Missions teams are four for a reason. You ran in unprepared and now neither of you will be any help in getting him back!"
Kayla looked down into her lap, her soup sat untouched, "who would we have called to help? Is there anyone in this Village I can trust to have my back?"
"Maybe if you actually tried to get to know people in the village, instead of hiding all the time, you'd know." Rose explained in exasperation
"The sand village isn't like the leaf village. People here are cruel and harsh. They don't change easily." Kayla muttered bitterly.
"Have you given them any reason to?" Rose prodded, "They changed for Gaara, but he had to put in the effort. To show them he was trustworthy."
Kayla scowled.
Silence stretched, Kayla refusing to admit maybe her sister had a point, and Rose trying not to argue and stress Kayla out any more. Suddenly a thought struck her and she grinned from ear to ear. "Kayla," Rose began with a smirk, "is it true what that old lady said about you and Gaara?"
Kayla turned the colour of her hair, looking anywhere but her sister, "that is none of anyone's business."
Rose laughed slapping Kayla's shoulder, ignoring the hiss of pain, "Nice one! That's what I mean by living!"
"Rose. I know I gave you a hard time over Shikamaru but sex isn't everything." Kayla muttered, scowling. Feeling her face heat hotter than ever.
"No! You've had feelings for Gaara forever. You finally acted on it instead of hiding behind some stupid sense of duty or fear of losing him."
"Yeah, and look where that got me. I did lose him. And the Shukaku managed to get one final joke in and poison me. I can't even go after him. There's no way they'll let me stay in the village when all this settles down."
"So you can come stay with me if that happens" Rose brushed aside her worries as if they were nothing.
Kayla didn't reply. Staying with Rose may have been an option when they were younger but too much had changed. She didn't think she could handle watching her be all lovey dovey with Shikamaru when she had lost her chance at happiness. She turned in her bed, needing to get out and work out everything she was feeling. Her feet touched the floor. Pain burned through her veins. She took a deep breath, determined to move. She would not be stuck in bed during such a moment of crisis. Trying to stand was almost impossible, she gritted her teeth to avoid crying out. Whatever Shukaku was doing to her was destroying her from the inside out. She managed to perch precariously on her feet, holding the headboard beside her to keep up.
Rose looked on in sympathetic worry, her sister was stubborn, but not invincible.
Kayla waited for the pain to subside as it had that morning and the previous day. It didn't. It was only getting worse. Her knees buckled.
Rose caught her just before she hit the ground, "looks like you're not going anywhere."
Being bedridden didn't suit her, she stayed silent, ashamed of her weakness. She ignored Rose for the most part, staring at the opposite wall dejectedly.
It didn't stop Rose, who told her all of what she missed since they had last seen each other. How well she was getting along with Shikamaru's mother, the changes to the village and the ninja in it, how her training was going. She was used to filling the silence left by her antisocial sister. Although usually the silence was accompanied by anger, the only thing Kayla felt was despair. Rose wished she could distract her from the situation she was in.
As antisocial and violent as she was, as stubborn and rude as she could be, Rose wanted her to be happy, but by the looks of it that wasn't going to happen for a very long time.
Rose brought her food and helped her around as much as she could. Temari came by to tell them she was stationed at a watch post, the elders were more worried about an attack from a neighbouring nation than saving Gaara. Kayla couldn't even look at her, to be so weak in front of someone she respected was almost as painful as Shukaku's chakra tearing through her system.
Her waking moments were filled with pain. Her sleep filled with terror. For three days Rose watched Kayla shake in her sleep till she woke in a cold sweat only to be flattened by the painful chakra coursing through her body. Eri stayed at the end of her bed. Lying on her feet. On the third day Eri stood suddenly whining loudly. Kayla's shaking had stopped. Rose panicked at the bedside and leaned over her sister, she wasn't breathing. "Help!"
Kayla stood at the bloody oasis again. Flesh trees looming over the blood filled pool. The bone throne stood in front of her but this time it was occupied. A small child sat, staring at her calmly, waiting. The child's eyes gleamed gold with star pupils and black sclera, its long sand colored hair with purple streaks spiked backwards leaving pointed ears just visible. Long sharp nails adorned small hands folded in its lap and small feet kicking lazily over the bloody sand. As Kayla stared, the child smiled showing pointed teeth.
"He's gone." The demon child spoke in an eerie voice, "It's just you and me now." A harsh wind blew in spraying the red sand past her face. She squeezed her eyes shut.
When she opened her eyes the oasis changed. The sand was soft and white, the water a crystal blue, palm trees shifted as a light breeze swept by. The child sat in the sand, building a sand castle where the bone throne once stood, but she didn't look like Shukaku anymore. Smooth red hair hung just past her shoulders, she looked up at Kayla and smiled playfully showing her pale blue eyes.
Kankuro and Kina were on their way to Kayla's room when they heard Rose call for help. Decked out in full battle gear they burst through the door seeing the panicking leaf ninja standing at Kayla's side and Eri standing at his owner's feet, whining.
"She stopped breathing," Rose stammered, still in a panic.
Kina pushed past the leaf ninja, making a few quick hand signs, finishing with a lightning release seal making her hands crackles with electricity. Placing one hand on the upper right portion of Kayla's chest and one on the lower left, the charge released causing Kayla's body to jump.
Kayla coughed and gasped. Trying to get her bearings and seeing the three standing over her. The last dream had her shaken and the looks on their faces did little to calm her nerves. Rose hugged her, squeezing her tightly. "Holy crap you scared me." Rose pulled away looking Kayla over. "You stopped breathing! I thought you were dead! How do you feel? Do you need a doctor?"
Kayla managed to escape the death grip, "I'm… fine." Physically she felt better. The chakra tearing through her system was gone. She knew it had to mean Shukaku was no longer functioning, which meant Gaara was gone too. The thought tore a hole through her chest. And the lingering image of the demon child left her scared and confused. "I think Gaara's-"
Kankuro's face darkened, "don't you dare give up on him."
Kayla flinched, unprepared to deal with the aggression in her current state. Rose noticed the uncharacteristic abashment immediately and glared at Kankuro.
"We're going to get Gaara, you should get ready." Kankuro ordered gruffly, seemingly more aggravated by her submissive attitude.
"She's not going anywhere!" Rose fumed, "she almost died! We don't even know how damaged her system is from this."
"Everyone is going. He's our Kazekage. You should be there. No matter the outcome." Kankuro continued, almost ignoring Rose's presence entirely.
Kayla looked away, staring dejectedly at the wall, "Shukaku should have finished what he started."
Kankuro barged past Rose taking Kayla by the shirtfront, just as he had with Gaara all those years ago in the forest of death. Eri growled. Kankuro ignored him. "Quit feeling so sorry for yourself. You don't get to give up when he never gave up on you. You have been a selfish brat since the day I met you but at least you had the power to make my little brother happy."
Kayla glared at him, then pushed his hand aside to break his grip. "Rose."
Her sister pushed past Kankuro to be beside her.
"Help me get ready" Kayla said calmly.
"Kayla, you don't have to-"
"Rose," her voice held more of its usual aggression again, " I'm going. So you can either help me or get out of my way." she turned to place her feet on the floor, stiffness causing her to move slowly.
Rose didn't like it. She didn't think Kayla could make the trip. But she was too stubborn to be talked out of it now that she had made up her mind. Rose wrapped her arm around Kayla's torso, supporting her under her arms. She dressed in her battle gear, but left her tetsubo, fearing it would be useless anyways.
Kankuro nodded, pleased with the outcome. "I've already sent a replacement team to relieve Temari. She should be on her way now"
It still took several hours for Temari to make it back from border patrol. They bickered like they normally did. It seemed to Kayla that neither was worried but the pace they set said otherwise. With Temari's team, Kankuro, Kina, Kayla, Rose and Lord Ebizo all gathered they set off hoping to catch up to their leaf village allies as soon as possible. Talk was minimal, everyone focused on the mission ahead of them. Kankuro and Temari set a hard pace. Kayla and Rose stayed to the back of the group. Kayla trying not to let it show how much it took out of her. Rose watching her like a hawk ready to intervene should her sister's step falter.
Kina slowed her pace to travel beside the two girls. She wore red battle paint similar to Kankuro's marking her as a puppeteer but it looked like she was wearing her puppet as armor. Carved skeletal wooden pieces linked by chakra threads were placed strategically around her body topped with a helmet that resembled a large cat skull.
Rose smiled at her, after all she had saved Kayla. "That was an interesting jutsu you used before, I didn't think the sand village had strong medical ninjutsu."
Kina smiled back, "I occasionally work with the interrogation unit. We get in trouble if people die prematurely so we sometimes have to restart their hearts."
Rose gaped at the puppeteer. Kayla couldn't help but laugh at Kina's innocent smile, it seemed entirely fitting in her mind that she was brought back with a torture technique.
The humor didn't last. Kayla could barely keep pace with the group, the thought of what they would find was almost as crippling as her injuries. Just as Kankuro called for a stop she lost her footing, and would have tumbled into the grass had Rose and Kina not caught her. As it was she sat back in the grass unable to continue standing. She hoped the ensuing argument would take long enough for her to catch her breath.
"Why'd you stop us Kankuro," Temari asked, panting heavily.
Kankuro turned to face her, "We should all rest for a while."
"Do what?! What are you talking about Kankuro? We don't have time to just sit here and take a load off!" She yelled, her stress bubbling through to the surface. Kayla felt it too. She worried about slowing the group down. But it looked like everyone was worn out.
"Now don't be so impatient. It's not like you to lose your cool sis." He motioned to the team behind them.
"I'm so sorry we can't keep up Temari," Matsuri said gasping for breath.
"A few more minutes, then we'll be able to start running again." Maki said from the ground.
"Please let us catch our breath." One of the men pleaded.
"No Discipline! You people call yourselves Shinobi!" Temari raged, ready to ream out the exhausted team.
"You're asking the impossible." Kankuro reasoned simply.
"What?" Temari said in shock.
"Look at them, will ya? They took turns on border guard duty 24 hours a day. Then the second they get back to the village they're called to run out here as fast as they can. No matter how disciplined these ninja might be you can't force them to do more than they're able." Kankuro explained calmly, his brush with death tempering his own urgency to help his brother.
"No! We can keep going. We can't just give into our own weaknesses when Lord Gaara is in trouble" Matsuri shouted pulling herself up and trying to rally her comrades.
"We must do everything in our power for the sake of the Kazekage" one of the men said standing back up ready to go.
"That's right! To protect our dear Kazekage." the other girl stated with a hardened expression.
"Lady Temari, We're ready whenever you are!" another said stepping forward.
"Alright then, that's the passion I want!" Temari smiled triumphantly. Ready to run everyone to the bone. Kina and Rose were ready to help Kayla back onto her feet but stopped when Ebizo spoke.
"Now, now. Let's not get too fired up." Ebizo interjected, stopping the group.
"Lord Ebizo, what do you mean?" Temari questioned in surprise. Disappointment taking over her face.
"Remember, a good ninja never loses his composure under any circumstances. When those two forgot that and recklessly chased after an enemy, they nearly got themselves killed didn't they?" Ebizo continued, motioning to Kankuro and Kayla. Kankuro chuckled sheepishly while Kayla frowned from the back of the group. "Look at yourselves, all worked up. You don't even realize where we are do you?" Ebizo continued calmly.
"What are you talking about?" Temari countered upset by the time they were wasting.
"Well for example over there." Ebizou motioned to a crater nearby.
"Look at that!" Matsuri exclaimed.
"It appears to be the aftermath of a battle between the Akatsuki and Leaf ninja." Ebizo continued calmly, keeping the younger generation in check.
"But that means…" Temari started. The strategist in her waking up once more.
"Indeed. It is safe to assume we've already passed into the territory controlled by the Akatsuki. There's no telling what kind of dangerous traps are out there waiting for us. All of us must make our way through this area with extreme caution. If the 9 of you were to just go rushing in especially in your worn out condition, you would be annihilated in no time at all." Ebizo finished his explanation to the collective gasps of Temari's team. "It'll be fine. It fact while you rest I can tell you a story about the old days," Ebizo settled everyone in the grass. He regaled them with the story of the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, and the panic that nearly tore the village apart. Rose and Kina sat in the grass with the others, listening intently. Kayla propped herself back, zoning out slightly and looked up at the clouds. It wouldn't be long before they found the criminals responsible for Gaara's death. She would avenge him, even if it killed her.
After Ebizo finished his story it seemed to have the desired effect. Everyone had caught their breath and seemed, if possible, even more determined. They set out again, mindful of their surroundings but setting a fast pace.
As they ran they were joined by more sand jonin. Kankuro wasn't exaggerating when he said everyone was going. As the group expanded Kayla and Rose stuck close to Kankuro, Temari and Kina. They broke through the edge of a forest into a grassy field.
Using her sensory training Rose found the leaf ninjas and pointed the group in the right direction. They could see them on the horizon, all huddled as a group. Rose's throat caught. She could sense her leaf allies, but no Kazekage and it looked like Chiyo's chakra was fading fast too. She glanced at Kayla, whose face was stony. She seemed prepared for the worst already.
The group sprinted the last hundred meters with what must have been a hundred Sand ninja. Naruto was just pulling Gaara up to sit. The Sand shinobi surrounded the group.
Gaara was alive.
Everything seemed to fade away. Kayla could see them talking, the crowd cheering, crying, laughing but it all sounded fuzzy and distant. Rose was holding her steady, smiling brightly. Kayla needed the support, the relief of the situation nearly took her off her feet. Numbly she staggered forward, tears streaming down her face. Once she was in front of him she fell to her knees and pressed her forehead into the ground. "I'm so sorry" she cried, surprising everyone around her.
Gaara's eyes widened in shock, he grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her up to face him. He took one look at her tear streaked face and forced his rigid muscles to pull her into a hug. "Don't be stupid, you have nothing to be sorry for."
I actually got reviews last chapter, and for old chapters, I'm just in awe. Even though I'm insanely slow to write this I really, truly appreciate them. Thank you so much Crystal and Alyce DreamEater for reviewing last chapter I kept the notifications in my Inbox to bask in the Dopamine and inspire me. and thank you kaia for reviewing chapter 5? and Smile like me for reviewing chapter 6? that tickled me. See you all super soon with the next chapter! Like I said it's already written, just need to edit.