This chapter includes:
Hospital Besieged: The Evil Hand Revealed!
I sighed in boredom, still thinking about my upcoming match. I still had no idea how I was gonna beat Dosu in the round. Hmm...Do you think I'd get in trouble for bringing ear plugs? I shook my head.
"That's stupid.." I mumbled, walking down the street. Maybe I could use my magic to cover my ears when he attacks. I shook my head again. "No, I could go berserk..." I slammed into something, making me squeal as I fell on my butt on the ground.
The person turned around. "T-Tessa?" I rubbed my head and looked up, seeing a familiar face.
"Hey Hinata." I smiled softly. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." She gave a soft smile as I pushed myself up to a stand. "How are you feeling?" I asked. She nodded slightly.
"Better than before." She replied in her soft voice. I smiled bigger. She was soooo adorable.
"That's good." I grinned. "Where are you headed?"
"K-Kurenai sensei was hoping Kiba and I could help Shino train for his match." I nodded.
"That's good. I wish I could train with my team, but I don't know where everyone went." I groaned. Hinata looked at me concerned.
"W-What about Naruto-kun?" She asked, touching her index fingers together nervously. I giggled, making her look up at me, her face burning red.
"Naruto is training with some guy named Jiraiya, but we call him Pervy Sage." I waved my hand. "Who knows what they're doing." Hinata nodded, slightly less concerned. "Anyway, I gotta get going, but, good luck on training." I waved at her, a smile spread across my face.
"B-Bye Tessa-chan!" She smiled, before turning around and walking towards the training field.
I groaned again, putting my hand against my head.
"Guess I'll just have to wing it." I muttered. "Boy, I really hope that works. I got nothin."
I made my way back up to the hospital, hands in my pockets. I heard a certain someone was in there, and I just had to see the damage. Not only that, but I wanted to make sure he was okay. Tying my hair back into a ponytail, except the two thick strands on the side of my face, I looked up at the building. It was white, but it felt so...gloomy.
I guess that's just how hospitals are. I closed my eyes, a sigh escaping my lips before putting my hands back in my pockets and strolling in through the front doors. I talked to the nurse who told me which room to go to, and started my way up the stairs, taking my time. When I finally got to the room, I peeked my head in.
Inside sat Shikamaru, a board sitting in front of him. I leaned over slightly, more inside the room to see it was a Shogi board. Pieces were all over it, as if he were playing an invisible opponent. I quietly snuck in behind him, about to poke him in the ribs.
"You're not sneaky." He spoke monotonously, making me jump and squeal, crashing to the floor. His head snapped around to look at me crumpled on the floor, a small smirk showing on his face.
"No fair! I am too sneaky!" I huffed, crossing my arms across my chest as I laid on the floor on my back.
"If you were, I wouldn't have noticed you." He turned back towards his Shogi board, moving another piece. I groaned as I sat up, pushing myself to a stand.
"If it were anyone besides you, I totally would've scared them." I pouted, looking away. I caught Shikamaru glancing at me with an eyebrow raised, but he turned back to his game, not before I saw the slightest shade of pink though. I walked closer, standing right behind him and looking over his shoulder. It was silent for a moment, before he groaned.
"What?" He asked, looking up at me.
"Aren't you supposed to play with someone else? And like, not by yourself?" I asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Do you see anyone else here?" I smirked and pointed at Naruto lying in the hospital bed. Shikamaru sighed, his hand ran down his face. "Naruto couldn't beat me in Shogi if I was blindfolded." He replied.
"Me either." I confessed. He turned to look up at me again. "I mean, obviously I wouldn't be able to beat you, but I've also never played Shogi." He hm'd, turning back to his board. I then noticed the little tiny hourglass filled with green sand next to the board. Clearly Shika was timing himself.
"Maybe I'll show you sometime." I smirked and slid past him, leaning against the wall and looking directly at him, my arms crossed.
"Why Shika, are you asking me on a date?" I raised my eyebrow, a smirk planted on my face. Shikamaru took a quick and sharp inhale, almost like a gasp, and started coughing, choking on the sudden air he took in.
"W-W-What?" He stuttered through the coughs, his face turning red. I giggled, plopping my ass on the floor, still leaning against the wall.
"I'm kidding, Shikamaru." I stuck out my tongue, a smile still on my face. He regained himself, the coughing stopping, but his face still bright red.
"You're such a drag." He looked away, avoiding my eyes. He continued to play Shogi on his own, the wood pieces clacking with every move. I leaned forward, closely observing the gameplay, watching the wooden pieces like my life depended on it. I looked back up at Shikamaru to see his face concentrating boredly, before I sat up and put my head on one hand.
"Did those hurt?" I asked seriously, pointing at the earrings in his ears. He looked up for a moment at my voice.
"Hm?" He saw my hand pointing at his ears. "No. I don't remember when I got them, but it was pretty easy." He looked at me. "Thinking about it?" He asked. I nodded, pulling back one thick strand of my hair and putting it behind my ear.
"Thinking up here." I pointed to the top of my ear. "One for sure, maybe two. I'm just worried about my hair getting caught in it." I looked away nervously. Shikamaru chuckled.
"That, you'll need a few ice cubes to numb that." He smirked. I groaned, rubbing the top of my ear without even thinking about it. Shikamaru moved another Shogi piece, then looked to Naruto lying quietly in the bed. "Man, is he ever gonna wake up?" I shrugged, pulling my hair back in front of my ear.
"As long as he wakes up in time for the Chunin Exam, I don't think he cares." I ran my hair through my index and thumb. "Besides, it's not like he's missing anything."
"How can you stand to have so much hair?" Shikamaru suddenly asked. I looked up at him, still playing with my hair.
"What do you mean?" I asked. Shikamaru moved another piece, not looking at me.
"Isn't your hair too thick or heavy for you? How can you fight with it so easy?" I shrugged, watching his fingers play with a dead Shogi piece.
"I dunno. I just do. Ever since I could remember, I've had long hair, and I couldn't imagine cutting it." I answered, looking back down at the strand of hair in my hand. Shikamaru groaned, looking at Naruto yet again.
"I'm beginning to think the kid croaked." I looked over at Naruto, placing two fingers on his neck. I felt a steady heartbeat, beating strong.
"Nope. Still alive." Shikamaru sighed loudly. I chuckled.
"What was that sigh for? You want him dead?" Before Shikamaru could respond, Naruto started moving, making me look at him. One eye opened, peeking at both Shikamaru and I.
"So..you decided to wake up, huh?" Shika asked.
"Where am I? What is this?" Naruto looked at the window in confusion.
"The hospital." I answered, looking at Naruto with some concern.
"They said you've been out cold like this for 3 days straight." Shikamaru added.
"3 days?" Naruto asked blankly. I looked back at Shikamaru for a second before Naruto shouted, and getting up. "3 DAYS STRAIGHT?!" Naruto shoved me as he got up, making me hit my arm hard on the wall and making me cry out. Naruto stood up on the bed, hands balled into fists and looking at Shikamaru while ignoring my pain.
"Uhh yeah, more or less!" Shika answered, worry on his face.
"Shikamaru, when does the final competition begin?!" Naruto asked urgently.
"Uhhh, tomorrow."
"WHAT?!" Naruto leaned forward, grabbing the front of Shikamaru's jacket and yanking him forward. "ARE YOU CRAZY?! WHY THE HECK DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP SOONER?! I CAN'T BE LYING AROUND HERE AT A TIME LIKE THIS, I'VE GOTTA BE GETTING READY! AND PERVY SAGE! WHERE IS PERVY SAGE?! THAT OLD COOT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SUPERVISING MY TRAINING!"
"H-Hey, calm down kid, get a grip! I don't know what you're talking about!" I growled, rubbing my arm from hitting the wall, and leaned forward, an anime vein popping out of my head. I hit Naruto over the head with my fist.
"KNOCK IT OFF NARUTO!" I shouted, grabbing him by the front of the shirt and pulling him close. "LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU SUPPOSED TO BE RESTING, AND BESIDES, THIS IS A HOSPITAL SO STOP SHOUTING!" I yelled in his face, annoyed.
"B-But you're shouting!" Naruto cried, anime tears falling down his face. Shikamaru groaned, eyebrow twitching.
"Would you guys knock it off? You're giving me such a headache, I liked you better in a coma." He glared at Naruto. "Now listen, you don't wanna be freaking out the day before a competition." He said, still looking at Naruto whom I was holding by the front of his shirt. "Resting can be the best thing!" I smirked, hm'ing at Naruto.
"Yeah, so sit your ass down." I added, annoyance in my voice, shoving him back onto his bed. Naruto was quiet for a moment, making Shikamaru look at him in concern.
"Are you okay? Is something wrong?" There was a growl filling the room then, Naruto turning back with anime tears down his face.
"Yeah. I'm really starving." I giggled, looking back at him.
"What a surprise, it has been 3 days."
"Oh, well is that all." Shikamaru sighed. "Man, stop scaring me like that." His eyes lit up, and he bent down. "Oh, look at this." He picked up a basket that I didn't see before, setting it on Naruto's bed. I gasped, looking at Shikamaru in betrayal.
"Shika, you had those down there this whole time and didn't tell me before?!" I pouted, my fingers interlocked together. He looked at me in surprise, but I didn't care, instead immediately grabbing an apple and biting right into it with a loud crunch. I smiled, feeling content with my apple until I realized I was being stared at. I froze, my eyes flickering between Shikamaru and Naruto, before gulping down the bite I took. "What? I'm hungry too. And besides, apples are good!" I defended myself, looking away. I could feel a slight heat rising in my cheeks as I tried to avoid both of their gazes.
"Anyway.." Shikamaru said slowly, looking back at Naruto. "I went through all the trouble of getting this stuff for Choji, and then the doctors told me he couldn't have it." I nodded, not even listening as I took another bite of the apple in my hand. Maybe Shikamaru will let me cut up the pineapple so we can eat that too. Oooohhh, and the grapes...
"...he ate one short rib too many." I heard Shikamaru say. My head popped up at the name as Naruto laughed.
"Short rib?" I asked. "Barbecue? Are we going?" I asked hopefully, looking at the two boys. Shikamaru sweat dropped.
"You're not even listening, are you?" He asked. I chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of my head.
"Sorry, I skipped breakfast this morning." I laughed.
"Here." Shikamaru tossed one of the other apples at Naruto, who caught it and started rubbing it on his shirt.
"Oh wow, this looks delicious." He started to open his mouth to take a bite when he froze, looking at Shikamaru and I.
"What? What is it now?" Shikamaru asked warily, giving Naruto a hesitant look. Naruto started responding as I glanced back at Shikamaru's Shogi board. Somehow in all the commotion, it was still sitting where it was, nothing knocked over. I stopped eating my apple however, seeing that the sand in the tiny hourglass had stopped. I furrowed my eyebrows, tuning Naruto and Shikamaru out as I looked at the door. I sensed a dangerous chakra coming closer, making me feel anxious. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong.
"Tessa?" Naruto's voice interrupted my thoughts. "What's up?" He asked curiously.
"Something's wrong." I spoke, my eyebrows furrowed. I looked at Naruto and Shikamaru with panic in my eyes, before quickly turning around, rushing to the door.
"Huh?" Shikamaru asked seriously.
"Hey, wait, Tessa!" I ran down the hallway and down the stairs, trying to hurry to where the chakra was at.
Oh no. Lee. I recognized the chakra then, making the hair on the back of my neck stick up. Gotta hurry. I ignored the running footsteps behind me of Naruto and Shikamaru, focusing on my target and hurrying.
"In here!" Without even thinking, I slammed the door open, focusing my magic without even thinking and covering Lee's body in the magic, protecting him from the sand crawling over his body. A familiar red haired boy stood between Lee and I, his hands on his head. "Get the hell away from him." I spoke dangerously, ready to protect Lee if I needed to. I needed him to leave now, for I could already feel a slow bloodlust building up in me. My left hand was balled into a fist, my right aimed at the shield around Lee. "Now!" I added, venom in my words. Gaara turned around, his eyes narrowed at me. He raised his hand at me, the sand already crawling towards my feet.
I glared down at the sand, the anger not even wavering as it started to wrap around my feet and legs. I swiped my left hand down, coating my legs in my magic shield. Before Gaara could even clench his hand closed, he froze, his hand slightly shaking as he struggled to move.
"I can't move..my body.." I let out a silent sigh, letting the shield on my legs disappear, but still focusing on the one around Lee. I heard a yell behind me, and before I moved, a fist went past my face, slamming right into Gaara's and knocking him back.
"Ahh!" I heard Shikamaru shout. Naruto ignored him, glaring at Gaara.
"What the heck do you think you're doing in here, you rat?!" He shouted. I looked over to see Shikamaru groan, his hand rubbing his cheek.
"Hey man, go easy! I'm using my Shadow Possession Jutsu, so when you're bashing him, you're bashing me too! You got it?!"
"Oh, sorry Shikamaru." Naruto apologized in a softer voice. I let out a soft groan at the evil feeling building up inside of me.
"I can't hold it anymore." I said out loud. "If I do, it'll be the Forest of Death all over again." I looked at Shikamaru and Naruto. Shikamaru nodded, the memory clearly revealing on his face, and made Gaara step back away from Lee, pulling his sand back with him. I let go of the shield, making it dissipate, and fell to my knees, leaning forward and trying to push the darkness inside me back.
"Tessa?" Naruto asked, worry lacing his words.
"Don't worry about me." I spoke, closing my eyes and looking down. I could feel the darkness receding as I concentrated, taking a deep breath and letting it out. I looked up seeing Gaara looking at me with suspicious eyes, his face cracked and dripping sand. His sand armor. Naruto walked back towards Shikamaru, as did I, both of us turning to Gaara.
"Out with it." He growled. "What were you trying to pull?"
"Isn't it obvious, Naruto?" I growled as well. "He was going to kill Lee." I narrowed my eyes dangerously at Gaara, clenching my right hand. I'm real tempted to take his head clean off with my magic, but that'd be it, and I'd be raging all over the hospital. "While he's helpless in a hospital bed, no less. How cowardly."
"You already beat him once in the competition." Shikamaru acknowledged, a stony expression on his face. "What's your problem, wasn't that enough for you? Do you have some kind personal grudge against him or something?" He added.
Gaara's expression didn't change, it being emotionless as ever.
"You say it's cowardly that I wanted to kill him in his state." Gaara looked at me. His eyes then slid to Shikamaru. "I did beat him in the competition, and I have nothing against him. It's nothing that complicated, I simply want to kill him, that's all. " This response clearly shook Shikamaru and Naruto, their faces plastered with shock.
"Then you're clearly a psycho." I responded back, ignoring the looks Naruto and Shikamaru were giving. I could tell that Gaara was creeping out Shikamaru, but there was no way he was gonna show that. Truth be told, he was creeping me out too. What kind of person wanted to kill someone just because? No reason, just because. A cold blooded murderer. Maybe that's the kind of person Gaara is, but then if so, why is he even participating in the Chunin Exams? Wouldn't his teacher realize that he's dangerous to the competition, and pull him from it?
Even in a competition like this, where it's supposed to bring villages together, why would killing your combatant be allowed? Wouldn't that make other villages not want to work with us? Not be friendly with us?
"If you don't stay out of my way, I'll have to kill you 3 as well." Gaara's cold voice spoke, him emotionlessly looking between the 3 of us. I narrowed my eyes, before getting in front of the boys, making sure to stay out of the way of Shikamaru's shadow.
"Oh yeah? Try it." I snarled, my hand itching to grab a kunai.
"Hey, take it easy." Shikamaru warned me, his hand on my shoulder. He turned back to look at Gaara, giving a blank stare. I could tell he was thinking to try to figure a way out of this mess. With Lee, Naruto, Shikamaru and I all getting out alive. Shika finally spoke up.
"Yeah, yeah, we watched your last match against Lee. We know you're tough. But you know, we have a few little tricks up our sleeves as well. We were holding back during the competition, there are things you haven't seen yet." He bluffed. "On top of that, hey, it's 3 against 1, so don't be a fool, okay?" He gave me a nod, then looked back at Gaara. "Not only that, but Tessa here is pretty tough. You haven't seen anything yet. Not from her. " I felt a little thankful that Shika was saying that, but now was not the time. Not only that, but while he's right, I could be a lot messier, and a lot bloodier if it came down to really using my full power. "Take my advice and go, quietly." Gaara practically ignored every single thing he said.
"I'll say it once more. You get in my way, I'll kill you." I looked back at Shikamaru, nodding, and walking forward. Reaching into my pouch, I pulled out a kunai, raising it.
"If that's the case, you're too dangerous to be in this village, making it our priority to take you down." I held it up to Gaara's neck, leaving enough room to make sure it didn't cut him for Shikamaru's sake.
"If you do that, you will kill your friend over there." Gaara's eyes flickered to Shikamaru behind me.
"Not if he lets go. And if he does, do you think your sand is fast enough to block this kunai before I slit your throat?" I asked calmly, trying to not let Gaara's dead stare get under my skin.
"Tess, come on, this guy fights like he's a demon or something, there's no way you'd be able to get him that easy." Shikamaru spoke nervously, making me snap my head back at him, giving him a warning look to shut up.
"He can act like a demon if he wants to," Naruto replied to Shikamaru. "but ya know what, I got the real thing inside of me!" I let a smirk spread across my face, giving a brave face to a glaring Gaara staring into my soul.
"As do I." I could feel Naruto's frustration behind me, him unable to do anything about the dangerous red head standing in front of me.
"A demon, huh?" He asked, still no emotion in his voice. "In both of you?" He closed his eyes. "My demon is as real as yours is." His eyes opened as he stared back at Naruto. "From my birth, my upbringing was not what most people would consider a happy one." My eyes narrowed at him.
Get in line, buddy.
"To ensure I became the strongest of shinobi, my father had cast his ninjutsu on me, infusing my unborn self with a sand spirit. I destroyed the life of a woman who gave birth to me." I didn't let my facial expression give away my surprise. His mother died giving birth to him? Because of his demon? Could that have been what happened to my mother? "I was born a monster." Gaara added, looking between Naruto and I. "It's name is Shukaku, and it's the living incarnation of an old monk of the sand village who'd been sealed up in a jar of tea."
"Yeah? Some kind of demonic Jutsu? But to use it on a baby? Before it's even born? Man, that's creepy." My eyes betrayed me in front of Gaara for split moment, going back to Shikamaru, feeling hurt. That could've been both Naruto and I. Maybe it was, and we just had a different upbringing. I don't remember anything as a baby, for obvious reasons, but what if what Gaara was saying happened to both Naruto and I as well? "Gee. What a swell guy your dad must've been. He really must have loved you a lot." Shikamaru said sarcastically.
"Shikamaru!" I snapped, looking back at him, the kunai barely touching Gaara's neck, an uncomfortable look appearing on Shika's face.
"You speak of love?" Gaara asked, ignoring me. It's like I wasn't even holding the kunai to his throat. "Don't measure me by your standards. Love. Family. The only emotional ties I have to my family are the ones I'd like to wrap around their necks." My eyes widened at this statement, a gasp leaving my lips, my hand with the kunai faltering slightly. What? That's insane. What kind of person would want to kill their family? I'd kill to get mine back. To find out who they were. Or are.
"Given life by the death of my mother, was brought into being and nurtured as the salvation of the village. I was the kazekage child." I narrowed my eyes at Gaara, my left hand reaching back for a second kunai. No wonder he could do whatever with his teammates, he's the child of the Kazekage. But would the Kazekage go to such lengths to ensure that his village would be powerful? "My father taught me the innermost secrets of the shinobi. He pampered and protected me and left me to myself. For a time, I thought that was love."
I knew what he meant. Growing up with Orochimaru, I thought everything he did to me, treating me like he did, experimenting on me, helping me train, helping me get stronger...I thought that was love. But I knew it was wrong. I left, because I was tired of being hurt. While I was terrified, because he was all I knew, I knew that something was wrong with the situation I was in. But I thought it was love.
Gaara's eyes suddenly widened, a sick grin on his face.
"In the six years since I became 6 years old, my father tried to destroy me more times than I can count." His voice finally holding emotion.
"Hmph. You just finished saying how your father pampered and protected you. So which is it?" Shikamaru asked, an accusatory tone in his voice.
"Those who get to be too strong, are apt to become feared. The Jutsu that gave me birth had unbalanced something in my mind. Even the fools in my village finally realized I had emotional problems." I scoffed.
"You could say that." I gripped both kunai in both of my hands tighter.
"My father, the Kazekage," Gaara ignored me. "had created me as his ultimate weapon. But I eventually became a threat to the very village I was meant to save. By the time I was 6, I became a figure of terror to the villagers. To them, I was a relic of the past that they wished would disappear. So you see, I had failed at the one purpose for which I was given life. What then was left for me in this existence?" My eyes widened again, a person from the past immediately popping up in my head.
Haku.
Poor Haku thought the same way. Of course, I didn't know Haku that well, but Naruto had told me a little bit about Haku, clearly glad to have at least met him.
"I live solely for myself." Gaara's voice invaded my thoughts. "I love only myself." My eyes flickered up to the kanji on his head at the mention of this. "As it was the death of my mother that first gave me life, now it is the death of others that sustains me, that makes me almost happy to be alive. And there's no end to it, as long as there are still people to kill in this great, wide, crowded world. I will never disappear."
I could feel my heart pumping faster, the fear starting to catch up with me. This guy is a dangerous psycho. If he got loose, if he left here alive, he would kill everyone, no matter alliances, villages, civilians. He was a danger to everyone and everything. I could start to feel the adrenaline kick in, helping my heart beat harder.
"Hey, where you goin?" I heard Shikamaru ask. "What's wrong?" We all stopped when the silence was interrupted by the sound of sand. I turned my head in time to see that the sand covered the window, hiding the shadow that connected Shikamaru and Gaara.
"Tess!" I heard Shikamaru yell. Before I could react, I felt a cold hand grip my throat, making me gasp as it lifted me up, the kunai in my hands dropping. I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to fight the hand holding me, as it slowly squeezed tighter and tighter. I opened my eyes to see Gaara's eyes staring into mine, his face in a sickening grin. I gasped for breath, kicking to try to make him let go but his sand was blocking my kicks.
"Let her go!" Shikamaru yelled behind me. I heard shuffling, but I ignored it, reaching down into my weapons pouch to grab another kunai. Sand interrupted me, wrapping around my arm and stopping me.
I started to feel lightheaded, the life being squeezed out of me by this psycho.
Yes...let the darkness overtake you...let ME overtake you..
"N-No.." I wheezed, trying desperately to make Gaara let go.
A hand suddenly gripped Gaara's tightly, making him let go of me, and me dropping to the floor on my knees, coughing and wheezing for breath.
"That's enough, save it till tomorrow!" A familiar voice yelled. "And if I catch you trying to kill someone else before the exam, Lord Hokage will know, and you will be expunged from this village." It said sternly, and without hesitation.
"Tessa!" I felt hands on my shoulder as I wheezed, desperately trying to get air back in my lungs. My hair fell over my face, hiding it from everyone in the room as I panted for breath. The ponytail must have been cut by the sand or something. Footsteps walked past me, before I heard his voice.
"All the same, I will kill you. Just you wait. I'll kill you all." The footsteps faded away, and I felt someone pull me into a hug.
"You're okay!" Naruto shouted in my ear. I forced back the tears that were coming to my eyes. He almost killed me. And Itama almost got out. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to see Guy standing over me, a serious but thankful look on his face, probably that we showed up to Lee's room just in time.
"Are you alright?" He asked seriously. I nodded, still trying to fill my lungs, gently pushing Naruto back away from me to have some space. Everything felt really claustrophobic suddenly. Shikamaru knelt in front of me, examining my neck.
"You'll be a little bruised, but otherwise, you look fine. Well, you look like some psycho tried to kill you but-"
"Shikamaru." I panted, leaning my hands on the floor, trying to control my breathing.
"Y-Yeah?" He asked nervously.
"Shut up." He gave a worried look, before looking down and nodding.
"Right."