Chapter 2: Posies:
"Dead! Bring out your dead!" the old man called, pushing a wheel barrel. It was full of bodies, ashen-faced and cold. The village seemed gray, and was covered in a thick white fog.
Tsunade could hear the horrific calls from below her lab. People were dieing every minute – babies and old people first. All of the medic nins, including herself, are trying as hard as they can to find a cure. There has been no luck.
"Any new reports?" Tsunade asked tiredly as two Jounin entered her office.
"No, not really. Although, people have begun to carry flowers in their pockets because the smell of the dead is so sickening."
"How many have died? What are their names?"
"Ma'am, we truly don't know all of their names. There have been fifty already that have died, including my eldest daughter's son. We have to stop this disease!"
"I know…" Tsunade looked out of her window to the deserted streets below. "You are dismissed." The door shut behind them.
"So…the second verse has begun."
Tsunade spun around, glaring at the little girl in front of her. She picked up the phone to call security, but there was only static. "W-What is this? Is this your doing! What the heck do you want!"
"I have already told you…I want to play a game. Tell everyone in the town to meet in front of the hospital this afternoon."
"Why?"
"Ring around the rosie…a pocket full of posies…" the girl disappeared gradually.
"WAIT!" Tsunade sat back in her chair, defeated. "Why is this happening? What does that girl want? I just know she is the cause of all this! And it is all happening according to that song…next was ashes, ashes, right? What could that mean…"
(&)
"Oi! Kiba!" Naruto yelled.
"Hey!"
Shino just nodded at Naruto, who was followed by Sakura and Sasuke.
"Where's Hinata?" Sakura asked worriedly.
"She…" Kiba hung his head.
"No…no way! Not Hinata-chan!" Naruto yelled in disbelief.
"It's true," Shino told them. "Ino, Neji, and Lee, also."
Sakura looked down. Why was this happening?
"The Hokage sent out messages to everybody to meet in front of the hospital this afternoon," Sasuke stated. "I wonder what for?"
"Well, we'll just have to go and find out!" Naruto exclaimed, throwing his fist into the air.
"Yo!" Shikamaru and Temari walked up to the group.
"Hey," Temari said.
"OMG! Is it true that you two are dating!" Sakura squealed.
Temari blushed and nodded, while Shikamaru sorta looked away while muttering, "How troublesome…"
"Did you hear how many people have died?" Sakura asked, ruining the brighter mood.
Temari nodded. "Shikamaru's really worried about his teammate…um…Ino-san, was it?"
Sakura nodded and the group walked along the streets. "We should get going to the hospital," Kiba stated. Everyone nodded and walked glumly towards the hospital, dragging their feet.
When they got to the hospital, all of Konoha was crowded about, hundreds of people side by side standing quietly. Tsunade stood in front of them all on the hospital steps. "Quiet!" she called. Everyone became more silent than they were before. "Um…two days ago, when the disease first started, a girl appeared to me. She said…"
"I want to play…a game," a voice from behind her cut her off. Tsunade paled and turned around. Sure enough, there was the girl. The girl moved forward, and Tsunade backed out of her way.
"I want to play a game with you. All of you," the girl said coldly. "I want to play…ring around the rosie." Whispers filled the area.
"Stop it! Stop the disease!" someone called from the crowd.
"Yeah!" cheers joined the one voice until everyone was in an uproar.
"Quiet," the little girl requested. "Only I can stop the disease, because…I was the on who started it." She smiled evilly as gasps echoed throughout the crowd.
A woman sat on the steps and begged, "Please stop this curse! Why us? Why my daughter!" she cried until she was pulled back from the crowd.
(&)
In the back…
"So…this girl was the one who started it?" Naruto asked, eyes narrowed. "I'll kill her…"
"Achoo!" Temari sneezed. "Achoo!"
Shikamaru turned towards her. "Hey, are you okay?" Temari turned over her arm. There was a little pinkish blob sitting there, surrounded by a white ring. Suddenly, everything went dark as she collapsed into her boyfriend's arms.
Everyone looked back at the stage. The little girl spoke again.
"I will stop this disease if one person can prove something to me. I want proof that love exists. I want this proof set before me as the ultimate sacrifice. I want it in three days. Who will…volunteer…to prove to me that love does exist?" the girl asked coldly, smiling.
Shikamaru glared, looking at the girl he loved in his arms. Slowly he raised his hand. "I! I will prove that love exists!" the crowd looked at him, along with the little girl.
"Very well, then. I will come back in three days time, and by then you will have the ultimate sacrifice," she told him, fading again into the dark shadows.
Shikamaru already knew what the girl wanted, and he was prepared to give it…for Temari.