Chapter 11: Ashes of the dawn
"How do you feel? Can you talk?"
I heard Jiraya's voice. I wasn't looking at him. My eyes were closed. I was so tired. I wanted to sleep. But then I will dream. I don't want to dream anymore…
"What… happened… where am I…"
"You are in the highest security level of Konoha's hospital. You've been here for… a long time."
"Where.. Moon-moon… he was here… why can't I feel him… "
"I am just here. You are tired so I watch. I will watch so that you don't sleep again!"
I heard the energetic voice of my ninken close to me. His voice was strange. Deeper. I don't know how to explain it. I tried to move my hand towards him, but I was so tired that it would move. Then I felt his head forcing its way under my hand so that I could pet him.
So fluffy… so comforting… but was his head always this big?
"You were in a coma for a long time. The Kyuubi was repelled but many people died. What happened that night is one of the highest secrets Konoha possesses. One I know you know. So I came to talk with you as soon as I heard you were awake."
"Clan...Safe…? Long… how… long… "
Speaking was way out of my strength. My throat was on fire and I just wanted to sleep. A dreamless sleep. But I felt that something was wrong. My body wasn't responding well but what I felt was… Disconnected. Like this wasn't my body. Like Moon-moon head. It was too big.
Jiraya didn't answer at first. My senses were slowly going back so I smelled conflicting emotions. And wariness.
"Four years. Shinji, you were in a coma for four years… "
WHAT. WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! NO NO NO YOU DON'T! YOU'RE LYING THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! YOU'RE LYING YOUR LIEING YUR LYYNG YURLYYNG….
I wasn't even sure I said anything out loud. I just heard the constant beeping noise becoming more intense.
"Shinji? SHINJI! MEDIC!" The sanin shouted. I felt his hands on my body. Close to my heart.
Wait… Was my heart always... This... Below?
The noise became even more erratic.
Then the beeping noise became constant, and I felt… Calm. At last.
"I NEED ASSISTANCE! QUICKLY!"
Darkness came, again. Calm at last. So calm… No dreams… So calm…