Posting a bunch of chapters, my bad. There's only three more.
On with the show!
Chapter 53
Sheeva stared at the door to Tsunade's apartment. Her eyes looked up, brows furrowed as she wondered if she was even home to begin with. She'd knocked, but there hadn't been an answer. She was about to knock again when the door opened, and Tsunade peered through the crack in the door, stopped by the chain.
"Yeah, what do you want? Oh. It's you." She muttered. Sheeva scowled and crossed her arms.
"Do you always have to greet me so?" She asked, shifting her weight on her legs. Tsunade closed the door, released the chain and opened it again. She smirked.
"Didn't think you were so sensitive, girl. What do you want? Did Mayuri say anything yet?" She asked. Sheeva chuckled.
"Apparently you haven't heard. Though how you missed such an explosion..." She shook her head, reminding herself she needed Tsunade on their good side. "Anyway, he blew himself up. He did tell me, I have to die first in hopes of getting Naomi out." She growled, shaking her head and rubbing her forehead. Tsunade's eyes widened, and then she gave a cold stare.
"Hmm." She moved aside and invited Sheeva in with a gesture of her arm. Sheeva accepted, kicked off her shoes, and set them down as she entered. Tsunade sat down at her table, folding her fingers in front of her mouth. Sheeva sat down and lied back in the chair.
"Any idiot could have told you that you'd have to die first." Tsunade started. Sheeva snorted, smirking.
"Of course. He just confirmed what we already know. I am... ready to die." She admitted. As Tsunade looked up at Sheeva and into her eyes, she could see her fierce determination. It surprised her, slightly, that an almost 18-year-old kid would make such a statement, let alone so truthfully. They stared at each other for a few minutes, thinking. Tsunade's eyes light up as she thought of a possibility.
"Just because you have to die doesn't mean you have to stay dead." She suggested. Sheeva blinked, confused.
There's no way… life after death? I hadn't even thought of it. It's not possible. Once you're dead, you're dead. There's no coming back.
"It won't work." She stated skeptically, crossing her arms. It was Tsunade's turn to chuckle and sneer.
"You underestimate the power of medical ninja. If we can kill, we can surely resurrect. Besides, I haven't paid you back for returning Mayuri to me." She stated, amused. Sheeva was floored.
"We were hoping that you'd teach Eva a few things." Sheeva started, remembering one of the other things that she'd come here for. Tsunade smiled.
"Sakura can teach her. I've taught her everything that I know." She dismissed the matter. Her train of thought crashed when the clock rang, signaling that it was almost 8. She faked a yawn, and stretched.
"You should go. Contemplate on what I've told you. If you want, we'll see what we can do. That is, if you're prepared to die." She stated, standing up and walking over to the front door, opening it. Sheeva stood, and paused before she walked out.
"Like I told Mayuri, there are worse things than death. I'll be back tomorrow. We'll talk then." She agreed, putting on her shoes and walking out again. As soon as she shut the door, Tsunade rushed to her study, pulling out as many notebooks as she had, searching for any jutsu to remove a demon.
Konoha's streets glimmered, the setting sun's rays radiating the many hues of dark yellow walls and red, blue, and green roof tops. The wind picked up, blowing warm gusts at Sheeva's front as she took her time walking back to the hotel that the sand team was staying in.
Kiba and Eva looked up from a book that they had found in the hokage's library on the history of Konoha.
"What did you talk to Tsunade about?" Eva asked. Sheeva smiled, and sat down on the bed across from them.
"Her thoughts in regards to removing Naomi. I need to talk to her more tomorrow, I don't know enough at the moment." She lied, not wanting them to worry.
Eva and Kiba nodded, buying her bait. They turned to a page in the book, and turned it to her.
"Naruto had a demon, and he had to die, it seems." Kiba mentioned, not giving Sheeva time to take it and read it herself. She nodded slowly.
"So did Gaara." She admitted. Eva looked at her, confused. Kiba knew, from the book he'd read years ago on the Kazekage of Suna. Sheeva had known from the conversation she'd had with Gaara.
"Gaara had a demon, too. But it was removed, by the original Akatsuki. It seems that I'll probably have to die too. In that case, I am ready. Nothing to fear, right?" She said, trying to get them to see it from her point of view.
They were stunned, from hearing her admit that she wasn't afraid of death. They began to protest.
"We're trying to keep you alive, Sheeva!" Kiba blurted. Sheeva heaved a sigh. At least hear me out.
"Tsunade brought up a pretty good point. 'If we can kill, we can surely resurrect', she said. Oh, she wants you to train under Sakura, by the way. I asked if she'd take you, but she refused." Sheeva explained. Kiba chuckled.
"Huh, she's got a good idea." He smiled, but then frowned.
"What if it doesn't work?" He asked. Sheeva thought for a bit. The thought of failure had been swimming around in her brain ever since her talk with Tsunade.
"Then I'll fight my way through hell." She stated boldly. It was the only answer she could think of.
Eva yawned, and lied back on the bed that Kiba and Eva were sitting on, pushing him off playfully with her foot. He had little time to react, and fell to the floor, startled. Sheeva laughed a little, and reached out a hand to help him up. He growled and took it, slightly embarrassed.
"You going to be okay by yourself, Eva? Not going to need to share the bed, are we?" Sheeva asked. Eva smirked.
"I'll be fine. I've… got to get used to it." She rolled over on her side, and faced the window, pulling the quilt up to her neck. Sheeva shrugged, and curled into Kiba, hugging him tightly.
"Good night, you two. It'll work itself out." She said, trying to reassure them. Kiba nodded, and pecked her forehead. He looked out the window, staring at the darkening sky as it began to rain. Lightning struck, and thunder shook the room as a storm hit.
A few minutes later, Eva slinked into their bed, trembling with fear at the storm. She'd spent most of her stormy nights alone, and didn't want to deal with it anymore.
Sheeva stirred, and turned around, hugging Eva, patting her back.
Is this going to become a norm? Kiba asked Sheeva. Sheeva chuckled.
I hope not, but I really don't mind at this moment. We should savor whatever moments we've got. She told him. Kiba nodded slightly, took a deep breath, and took her hand, hugging Eva a little bit too.
Not much to say here.
