Author's Notes: I ended up adding a bit to the end of chapter 11, after realizing I missed something. Also, this chapter tends to jump slightly, and I might add another section to it later on, but for now it's complete. Two more chapters, and then this story will be done.
Chapter 12
Senjo was pacing frantically in the waiting room she and Kankuro had been shown to. They had seen Temari briefly through the crowd of med-nins, but she had followed a Leaf Chuunin into another room. The whereabouts and condition of the others was still unknown. "I can't stand this waiting," the redhead repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"Will you sit down?" the puppeteer said, looking up from one of Karasu's arms. He was trying to fix the elbow joint, but his concentration kept breaking.
"Aren't you worried about your brother?"
"Gaara can handle himself," he replied with a derisive laugh. "Besides, if my opponent was easy, I doubt the Sound had anyone formidable on their team. You didn't seem any worse after dealing with Kuro. Now let me work in peace!"
"Do it outside," Gaara told him as he walked into the room. "No one is in the gardens out back."
"What, you want some alone time with your new girlfriend?" Senjo blushed, but Gaara glared at him, and Kankuro knew he could at least tease the female redhead later. "Sure, sure, I'm going," he added in an amused tone. He and Karasu walked out, the puppet closing the door behind it. Senjo ceased her pacing and looked at the younger boy, who had his arms folded and was leaning against the wall. He seemed to be staring out the small window in the room, like he had something on his mind.
"So, was there something you wanted to talk about?"
"No. I just didn't want to deal with any of Kankuro's comments."
"Oh." There was silence as she kicked at the floor like she'd found a rock. "We saw Temari earlier, if you were wondering. She seemed okay."
"So only the Hajinos have failed to arrive. Was a team sent to look for them?"
"I let one of the med-nins who brought me here know, but they were busy with a few emergencies. It seems the Genin squad they sent out came back with some serious injuries. And… And they still haven't found Naruto." Gaara looked at her, then sighed.
"He'll come back," he said, pushing away from the wall.
"How do you know?"
"He hasn't become Hokage yet. Naruto won't die until he does." Senjo nodded and sighed as well. "The Hajinos will also be back."
"Because Kurai hasn't beaten you yet?" Gaara paused at the door to the room, turning back with a smirk.
"Yes."
Konoha Hospital was in a frenzy of activity when Kohaku and Kurai arrived. Taking her brother into the treatment room, the med-nins shouted orders to one another as they shut the door. She had been checked over in the forest, and with no injuries aside from bruises and scrapes, Kohaku had been deemed unimportant as far as treatment. "You can wait out here or in the gardens out back," a nurse said as she came out of the room. "When your teammate is given a room, someone will find you."
"Thank you," the Sand ninja replied, bowing slightly. She wanted to get outside as fast as possible, away from all the doctors, away from the smells and sights, and away from everything that reminded her of when she had been forced to stay in the hospital. She hated them, hated the fact that her brother was now injured enough to require treatment, and that Senjo was still out there. Tansei and Makoto were bad enough, but Kuro? Kohaku knew she could handle herself against the egotistical jackass, but her friend… No, she couldn't think like that. She had told Kurai that Senjo would be all right, and she needed to start convincing herself of that too. And what of the other team? Had they run into any intense opposition in their search for the Leaf Genins? The questions swirled through Kohaku's brain faster and faster until she was running just to try and clear her head. Dashing through the halls, not paying attention to anything, she nearly collided with a blonde girl, and skidded to a stop. "Temari?"
"Kohaku?"
"Are you all right? What are you doing here? Where's Senjo? Are Kankuro and Gaara okay?" Everything seemed to come out in a jumble, and the brunette paused to catch her breath. Temari's eyebrow quirked, and she frowned slightly.
"I'm fine, and I saw Senjo with Kankuro maybe an hour ago. I came in with the Chuunin who was leading the mission to find Sasuke." She paused, looking away for a moment. "And since when do you care about Gaara and if he's hurt?" The question caught Kohaku slightly off-guard, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. She normally didn't care about the desert child, so why had she asked about his condition? The fight must've taken a bit out of her if she couldn't figure out a rational explanation.
"I- I just wanted to make sure we didn't have any other injuries from the mission. Having Kurai injured was worse enough."
"I agree. So where were you going?"
"Nowhere, actually. Where were you headed?"
"Shikamaru, the Chuunin, asked me to find out the condition of one of his team. You can come with me if you want."
"Since when do you take orders?" Kohaku teased as they began walking down the halls. She was feeling a little better, and talking to the older girl was helping get her emotions under control. Passing med-nins, nurses, and doctors, the two Sand ninjas found themselves approaching a door with a red light over the top. An emergency treatment room, if Kohaku remembered correctly. As they got closer, both girls could feel an incredible amount of chakra behind the door, pressing against their chests like a weight. The hair on the back of their necks was standing on end, and Kohaku repressed a shiver. She wasn't trained in the medical arts, but she knew enough to realize that someone had been injured severely for this amount of chakra to be used. Not wanting to go in, they waited for a little while before a med-nin walked out of the door, closing it quickly and slumping to the floor. It took him a few minutes before realizing they were there.
"What do you need?" he asked, voice strained. He was very low on chakra, but still sounded annoyed and defensive.
"Nara Shikamaru asked me to check on the condition of Hyuuga Neji," Temari said. Kohaku's heart leapt into her throat before falling into the pit of her stomach. Neji was behind that door? What had happened that he'd been injured that horribly?
"Tell Shikamaru that Shizune-san is doing everything she can, but it's still too early to tell what will happen." The blonde nodded and turned around.
"Thank you." Kohaku followed, her mind now racing with new questions: What had happened to Neji? Would he be all right? Was he the only one to suffer such injuries? Had the Sound sent elite troops out to find Sasuke, or had their regular shinobi been enough to deal with Genins? Had they ambushed Sasuke and dragged him away, or was the team just assembled as an after-thought to find him? How many people had Orochimaru dispatched to bring the Sharingan to him? Had Tansei's team been the only one? Had he been the one to injure Neji? She turned and slammed her fist into the wall, startling Temari and a doctor who was walking past.
"Damnit, why did this have to happen?" she yelled to no one in particular.
"Kohaku, what's gotten into you?" Temari demanded, watching as the girl shook her fist to loosen it up. A dent was in the wall, and it was a surprise that Kohaku hadn't broken anything, her hand included. It wasn't like her to get emotional after a mission. Had something happened in the forest?
"I can't stand all this backstabbing and vengeance-talk. We are ninjas, not politicians! We fight for our villages, our teammates, and ourselves. Lately though, I can't even tell who my allies are supposed to be."
"They are who you trust with your life," the blonde said calmly. "Whether they're from the same village or not, allies are whoever you know will watch your back and come to your aid."
"Even if you trust them, sometimes people turn on you."
"Tansei was deranged, Kohaku. You could not have anticipated that. No one could have." She knew the history between the missing-nin and the younger girl, if only because it had been the talk of the village for a week or so after the attack.
"That's what I mean. I trusted him, and he turned on me. He joined forces with Orochimaru. They all did."
"You fought him? Is that what happened?" The shock was in her voice, and her eyes were wide as Kohaku nodded. "Is he-"
"He's dead. I made sure of it. He wasn't going to get away again. Not after what he did." Her voice was even, the emotions starting to slip away. What did it matter what she felt? During a fight she didn't need them, and there was no real reason to have them afterward. Senjo had them, and she knew Kurai only tried to bury his. Temari too, seemed to have someone to show her emotions too, and Kohaku smiled dryly.
"What's so funny?"
"So who's this Shikamaru that you're doing favors for him? I've never known you to follow someone else's orders unless you wanted to." Temari blushed for a moment, and they began walking again.
"He intrigues me. During the Chuunin exam, he had me beat, yet he surrendered to me. For all that he's pessimistic, lazy, and a little egotistical, he amuses me. Isn't there someone who intrigues you?" She received a blush in response, and Kohaku bit her lip and turned her head away.
"Maybe."
"The Hyuuga boy?"
"What makes you say that?" Temari grinned broadly, turning down another hallway. She needed to get back to Shikamaru and let him know what was happening.
"You only get emotional when you're trying to hide your feelings. You should talk to him once he's out of treatment."
"What makes you think he'll pull through?" The blonde winked and walked off.
"He's stubborn, just like a few Sand shinobi I know. I'll see you later, Kohaku."
"Sure Temari." When she was alone, Kohaku punched the wall again, though not as hard this time. Her arm began aching, and she knew the muscles were still tired from her overuse of them earlier. So she rested her head against the wall, arms up on either side, and stared at the floor.
The pain seemed to flash into existence the moment he was conscious, but Kurai grit his teeth and refused to scream. Gradually it subsided until only his shoulder, leg, and head were throbbing. "Kurai-kun?" a soft voice asked as he opened his eyes. It was bright, white, and he felt slightly cushioned. Where was he? Certainly not outside anymore, and that voice didn't belong to Kohaku. When his vision came into focus, he realized he was in a hospital room, and Senjo was sitting next to him.
"You're okay!" he yelled, sitting up and seeing the world spin. When she gently pushed him back down, he asked: "Where's Kohaku?"
"Last I heard, she was looking for me. Temari said she'd let her know I was okay, so she should be back soon. You seemed to have the worst injuries." Senjo paused, and her eyes darkened. "So where is that bitch?"
"Dead by my own hand. She was too dangerous to be allowed to live."
"And Tansei?"
"He's only so much ash in the forest." When she nodded, he licked his dry lips and took her hand. "And Kuro?"
"He's no longer a threat." Kurai couldn't keep the surprise off his face, and he chuckled softly.
"I didn't think you'd be able to kill him."
"I didn't." She saw the smile vanish, the eyes narrow, and knew a scathing comment wasn't too far off. "I broke him, all right? I used my nightmare technique and showed Kuro something so horrible that his mind snapped. He can't speak, reason, fight, or use any techniques. I beat him my own way."
"You should have killed him, because that's what I'm going to do when I see him." He shifted, wincing as a sharp pain sliced through his shoulder, and reached up to feel bandages wrapped around the wound.
"I took my revenge, Kurai-kun. Let it go."
"I can't!" he shouted, trying to sit up again. "He hurt you. That night we took you to the hospital, it wasn't because of a training gone wrong. Kuro attacked you, hurt you, humiliated you-"
"How do you know what happened that night?" Senjo demanded with wide eyes. "Only Kohaku knew, and she-"
"Makoto told me," he interrupted, voice softer than she ever thought it could be. "She was the one who put the idea in Kuro's head. He and Tansei were twisted by her words, and that's why he- That's why he forced himself on you." His eyes held such emotion that Senjo only wanted to wrap her arms around him and tell him everything would be okay. Instead, she stroked his hair with her free hand and squeezed the hand she was already holding.
"He tried, but Kohaku stopped him. I've never seen her so angry, so ruthless. It reminded me of your father a little. She wanted to kill Kuro, but I think she knew it was up to me to finish things. That's why I didn't want you killing Tansei that night. Just as you would've been mad if someone got to Makoto first, it was Kohaku who needed to face her own past."
"She seemed different when we faced him," he mused. "Her eyes were like-"
"Yours?" Kurai shook his head slowly, sinking back onto the pillow. He was tired, which meant he'd probably used too much chakra in the fights.
"I don't know what Tansei said to her before I got there, but she took charge of everything. During the fight she didn't let up on him, but she was so calm about it, like it was a training session. And after he was dead, she kept staring at the rock cocoon we'd trapped him in. Then she said something about the screams of your worst enemy making the most beautiful music."
"Music?" Senjo was confused, and a bit unnerved. She'd originally been thinking that Kohaku was just showing her brother how much she'd grown since the whole thing started, but now… Had Tansei tried to break her, and succeeded on some level? Kurai's eyes fluttered closed, and she ran her hand lightly down his face. "When we get home, the nightmare will be over, and then we can all get on with our lives."
Kohaku caught sight of a lone, pink-haired figure sitting in the hallway as she tried to find Kurai's room. "Sakura?" she called out, trying to be as quiet as she could.
"Kohaku?" came the reply as she lifted her head. "Did your village send your team too? I'd heard that Gaara and the others were here, but I didn't know you were."
"We were sent, but we weren't much help," the older girl said dryly as she walked over and sat next to her.
"Was your team hurt at all?"
"Just Kurai, although I was worried about Senjo before Temari said she was all right. You remember that boy I told you about when we first met?"
"Tansei?" Sakura's eyes widened, and she was silent for a moment. "You saw him? He came back? What happened?"
"He and his team ended up joining the Sound village. They had come under orders to further guide Sasuke to their home." Now she was silent, staring down at her arms for a minute. "We took care of them."
"That's good. I'm still waiting for Naruto to come back with…" Her shoulders slumped, and her head dropped down again. "With Sasuke-kun."
"Sakura… I'm sorry."
"You were right, Kohaku." the girl continued softly. "That Sasuke would hurt me. But I wish he'd fought me and left me broken. I wish he would've had to resort to violence before I left him alone. I wish that he would've been forced to kill me. Anything would have been better than what really happened!" Tears fell from her eyes as her hands clenched on her knees. "I told him I loved him. That if he stayed, I'd make sure he was happy. I would've done anything to see him smile. And then I said that if he couldn't stay, to take me with him."
"Take you with him where? We were told the Sound kidnapped him."
"No," Sakura said as the tears fell faster. "Sasuke-kun - He went with them willingly! He thinks Orochimaru will give him the power to kill his brother." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and frowned. "Ninja aren't supposed to cry. It's one of our first lessons. You must think-"
"That we're still very much alike," Kohaku interrupted, smiling slightly. "I cried after my attack. For the pain, the humiliation, for letting my team down, and for the boy I had loved. We're ninja, but we're human too." They sat in silence, hearing nurses and doctors rushing by down the main halls.
"Kohaku, do you think Sasuke-kun will change under Orochimaru? You know, if he gets there before Naruto can stop him. I know he promised me he'd bring him back, but I'm just-"
"Just preparing for the worst?" When she nodded, Kohaku sighed. "Do you want the truth?" Another nod. "He won't be the same when you next see him, but he's not exactly the same as Orochimaru. Sasuke wants one thing, and he'll do whatever it takes to get it. He's determined, but not insane." Suddenly a Leaf Chuunin skidded around the corner, and Sakura stood up as he ran over.
"Iruka-sensei, what's wrong?"
"They just brought Naruto in!" he said, trying to catch his breath.
"Naruto…" Sakura felt a soft push, and realized Kohaku had a hand on her back.
"Go be with your teammate," the Sand girl told her as Sakura nodded and followed her former teacher.
"You do not know the depth of Uchiha Sasuke's determination," a voice said from a few feet behind her.
"And you do, Gaara?" the redhead stepped closer as she turned around. He had his arms folded across his chest and a blank look on his face as he leaned against the wall. Seeing him was a bit of a surprise, but so was her reaction to the situation. Instead of feeling repulsed or angry at him, she felt… Nothing.
"I fought him-"
"So have I."
"Then you know how alike we are."
"Just as you and Uzumaki Naruto are alike?" She asked, a smile on her face before she could stop it.
"I see Senjo has been trying to change your opinion of me." While the words were true, part of this had nothing to do with her teammate. With her father and Kurai away, it had been a time for her to figure out where she stood with everything. Daichi's words the day Kurai had scarred him still came back to her every so often, and she had started to think that her little brother had been right about a great many things. Between that, the Kazekage, Temari, and Senjo's increasingly good view of him, should she still hate him? Well, the truth was probably a good place to start.
"Truthfully Gaara, I never had an opinion of you. I followed my clan's way of thinking without ever wondering if there was another side of the story." Kohaku paused a moment, not quite sure how to say what was on her mind. "But if Daichi looks up to you, Senjo thinks of you as a possible friend, and Temari says you've changed, then I'm willing to say you can't be all bad." Gaara quirked an eyebrow, one hand coming up to brush against the symbol on his forehead. He seemed like he didn't quite believe her, and Kohaku knew she wouldn't believe herself if the situation were reversed. Too many years spent having people fear and hate him, her family especially. She couldn't promise miracles, but at least for everyone she cared about, she'd give it a try.
"Time will tell if your words are true. Now as you told that girl, shouldn't you be with your teammates?"
"If only to make sure that Kurai's done being an ass." They went their separate ways, and the hall was silent once more.
Kohaku walked into Kurai's room and sighed in relief when she saw Senjo. "I knew you'd be okay," she said as they both looked over.
"Kohaku-chan!" the redhead yelled as she ran to her teammate and hugged her. But when the brunette didn't return the gesture, Senjo looked at her and pulled away.
"Did he hurt you?" Kohaku asked, her voice low as she placed her hands on Senjo's shoulders, and made eye contact with her.
"He tried," Senjo hesitantly replied with a shake of her head. "But I got even."
"Good." Her eyes shifted to Kurai, and she was glad to see he had no apparent debilitating injuries. "Thank you."
"For what?" he asked.
"Distracting Tansei long enough for me to figure out a plan. I wouldn't have been able to beat his technique on my own."
"So I noticed. That's two you owe me." There was silence for a few moments, and then came a knock on the door. Senjo opened it, and Kankuro walked in.
"We were going to brief each other on what happened. If you want to come, follow me to the room."
"I'll pass," Kurai replied, "Used up too much chakra."
"We'll we be right behind you," Kohaku told him as Kankuro shrugged and walked out.
"I'll catch up," Senjo said.
"Sure." When Kohaku was out of earshot, Kurai sighed heavily and frowned.
"I told you she's acting odd."
"I'll talk to her, Kurai-kun. We'll be back soon."
"Not like I'm going anywhere." He sank back against the pillows and stared out the window. "Senjo," he called out before she had left the room.
"Yes?"
"Just…Just make sure Kohaku's okay."
"I will, don't worry."
"There's no way Kurai can make the trip home right now," Senjo explained to the other Sand ninjas. "So it might be better if you three took Kuro and report back to the Kazekage." They were sitting in a room of the hospital meant for conferences, and so far all they knew was that it would be a day or so until Kurai was released.
"What about you, Kohaku?" Temari asked as she crossed her legs and leaned back into her chair.
"I'm not sure yet," the brunette replied. "More than likely I'll wait to return with Kurai and Senjo. I'd rather not deal with my father by myself."
"Then we'll be leaving in the morning," Gaara told them, nodding his head as he left the room.
"I have to meet someone, so I'll see you all later," Temari excused herself. Kankuro waved a hand as he followed his sister, but they turned different directions out in the hall. Kohaku was betting she was meeting that Leaf Chuunin she'd talked about earlier, and she felt slightly jealous.
"Looks like we'll be getting dinner by ourselves," Senjo said with a laugh.
"Looks that way." The other girl seemed preoccupied by something, and Senjo was starting to worry again.
"Kohaku, are you all right? You haven't said much since we met up. There something on your mind?"
"No." The redhead frowned and moved to sit next to her teammate.
"Want to talk about what happened?"
"There's nothing to talk about. We all had to face our pasts, and we overcame them." Kohaku stood and went to the large window that overlooked the garden of the hospital. "We failed, you know. I heard that Sasuke made it to the Sound village."
"So even Naruto couldn't stop him?"
"Naruto was brought back half-dead. Some nurses were talking about it when I was on my way to meet you earlier, and they said he must've gotten into a pretty heated fight from the condition he was in."
"With who? If he could defeat the Shukaku, who could stand up to him?"
"You're forgetting that he summoned Gamabunta for that fight. What if he went solo this time?"
"But Kyuubi-"
"Demon spirits aren't the be all and end all, Senjo! Face it, we all failed today. There's a first time for everything."
"Kohaku, you're acting strange. What's wrong? You're starting to sound like Kurai." Senjo watched her head whip around, eyes narrowing in a glare. This wasn't the Kohaku she knew; not this girl who only seemed focused on the downside of things.
"Don't ever say that again." The words were whispered harshly, and it was obvious she was trying not to shout. "I'm tired of being lumped together with him. All I do is try and fix the messes he gets himself and us into. Right now I'm glad he's injured. At least I'll have some peace and quiet for a day or so."
"He's your brother! How can you say that?" the redhead yelled, walking over to her, a look of shock on her face.
"Because it's the truth," Kohaku replied with a shrug.
"Kohaku, what the hell happened out in the forest with Tansei? What did he say to you? Why are you suddenly thinking like this?" Silence followed the questions, and then Kohaku faced her once more. This time, her eyes were softer, and she seemed so much younger. Senjo remembered the last time she'd seen that look: It had been after her attack, when the doctors had told her she'd probably never be able to use her arms again.
"I saw myself like I'd been the night he broke me. I felt for him what I had felt back then. Only, it wasn't something he had done, but my own mind. He kept saying we'd be together, and I would never feel pain again. He offered me what I had wanted so desperately two years ago."
"And?" Senjo prompted, not sure what to expect.
"And I almost agreed to it! But the thought just made me sick, that after all he'd done, I still wanted him. So I had to bury my emotions as deep as I could. Every time I began thinking of joining Tansei, I had to do or say something to ground myself. And right before we killed him, right before I burned him alive, do you know what I was thinking?" She dropped her head, and Senjo placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"What were you thinking?"
"I kept thinking "I'm sorry. Please forgive me." I wanted to show him mercy!" She covered her face with her hands, and all Senjo saw was the red of her armguards for a few moments. "So I did the only thing that made sense. I became a mix between Tansei and Kurai: Cold, logical, detached, and slightly sadistic."
"You became the perfect ninja." The arms dropped, and a wry smile was on the brunette's face. Not surprisingly, she had not been crying, but Senjo was sure she had thought about allowing herself to.
"There are no perfect ninjas. Sooner or later you crack, die, or settle down and leave that life behind. No one can stay like that forever."
"Kurai-" Kohaku's hands her on her shoulders, and she stopped speaking and met her eyes. This was the girl she knew, the one who was concerned for her team above all else. She had been worried that something had happened to take away her friend, but for now, she was right in front of her.
"No one," she repeated, smiling for real. "Now let's go grab dinner. I'm starved."
There were sometimes unforeseen advantages to being a ninja, Kohaku realized as she made her way through the halls. So far no one had noticed her, and she hoped to keep it that way until she found her target. She knew this floor was for critical patients, or at least that's what the nurses she'd followed up here had said. With a little luck, Hyuuga Neji would be here. She'd overheard one of the med-nins say he'd pulled through the procedure all right, and more than likely he'd been moved here to recover. Suddenly a door at the end of the hall opened, and a girl walked out with her hands clasped in front of her, like she was praying. She had short dark-blue hair, a beige jacket, and dark pants. When she turned, Kohaku saw the white eyes, and silently cheered at her good luck. The girl glanced down the hall for a moment, then walked the opposite way and disappeared around a corner. The Sand girl quickly ran to the door she'd just left, pausing only long enough to make sure no one was in the room. When she was sure that she wouldn't be seen, Kohaku opened the door and slipped in, closing it behind her.
She had been prepared for almost anything thanks to her stay in the hospital back home, but the sight of Neji lying motionless on the bed made her chest tighten. She didn't know why she felt this way, but this wasn't something she could fight. It was a mixture of concern and a little bit of lust she couldn't explain. Neji had been the first Leaf ninja to not treat her as an enemy, so was that why she felt like this? No, it didn't make much sense as she turned it over in her mind. There had been something about him, something she couldn't quite put her finger on, that made her sense that he was slightly like her. Perhaps it was just her hormones betraying her, but it didn't really matter in the long run.
A machine was beeping softly on the far side of the bed. "Must be a heart monitor." The sheets were pulled up to his chest, and she could see bandages on his left shoulder beneath the loose clothes he wore. Though she knew his hair was long, seeing it lying around his face seemed to soften his features, and she reached out tentatively to touch his cheek. He didn't move, and she was at the same time grateful and a little disappointed. Hopefully he was past the worst, and now he would just need time and work to mend all the way. Stepping closer to the bed, she smiled down at him, smoothing his hair from his eyes without even thinking. What she saw on his forehead caused her to pause, and she stared at the mark in surprise and curiosity. It was a green X at the center of two thinner green lines. She'd never seen anything like it, and her hand came up to trace the marks.
"E-Excuse me!" a soft voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Kohaku spun around to see the girl who'd left the room earlier standing in the doorway. Oh, she was in deep trouble now, and there was nowhere to run. "What- What are you doing?" The girl seemed unsure of herself, like she wanted to be intimidating, but just couldn't.
"I'm sorry," Kohaku said, backing away from the bed with her hands up. "I didn't mean any harm. I just… I just wanted to see him." The girl walked over to the bed, taking a look at Neji before staring at her again. "Is he your brother?"
"Brother?" She looked puzzled for a moment, then said "Oh" in a small voice. "No, he's my cousin. I'm Hyuuga Hinata."
"I'm Hajino Kohaku. I'm sorry, Hinata, I meant no disrespect or harm. I just didn't think the nurses would let me in here."
"They probably wouldn't have," she said, her head down. Kohaku quirked an eyebrow and stared at her. What was with this girl? She seemed very hesitant, very insecure. If she was also a Hyuuga, she must be beneath Neji in clan rank. "I- I was here visiting one of my teammates when I heard about Neji, so I came up right away when I knew he'd been moved. I'm sure my family will be here soon."
"I should go then. Thank you, Hinata, for not thinking ill of me."
"Does he...Umm..." she started to ask.
"Does he what?"
"Does he...Mean something...To you?"" she whispered, pressing her fingers together. She had a smile on her face, but for some reason she seemed sad.
"What do you mean?"
"I saw the way you were looking at him. I- I feel the same way about someone." Now Kohaku was very confused. This girl was a Genin, the forehead protector proved that, but she just didn't seem to be a ninja. She was shy, quiet, and seemingly afraid of even speaking. And yet she could talk to a stranger about her feelings, and expect a reply? Unless… Unless she somehow could tell that Kohaku had truly meant no harm, and could discern her feelings. Was the Byakugan that powerful, that one only had to look at someone to know what they were feeling or thinking? There was something she hadn't thought of.
"How do you know how I feel?" Hinata's head stayed bowed for a moment, but then she lifted it and met the other girl's eyes dead on.
"I just do," she said quietly, as if it made perfect sense. "Please, I'll keep watch, if you want to stay a little longer."
"I- I really can't stay too long. My teammates will start to wonder where I am. But I can stay-" She glanced over at Neji again, and swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. "I can stay a few minutes more. Thank you." Hinata smiled shyly and stood by the door while Kohaku sat in the chair by the bed and touched Neji's cheek again. "I didn't come of my own will, or at least not entirely. But I swear, I want to help Sakura no matter what. Her enemies will be mine, and her goals will be mine. I will help her find Sasuke, and I will make him see what he was willing to walk away from." Standing up, Kohaku took a deep breath and pulled off one of her armguards. "We both have marks that make us different, but that doesn't mean we're weaker. I will grow stronger, and return here to make good on my words. Maybe then… Maybe then we can be friends, like you said." Folding up the red cloth, she left it on the chair, then slipped past Hinata.
"Did you say what you needed to?" she asked.
"Yes. Goodbye, Hyuuga Hinata. I hope to see you again one day."
"I'll make sure to tell Neji when you next arrive." Kohaku ran down the hall, her one armguard clutched in her hand. No more hiding, no more hurting, no more useless fighting. It was time to face the world, scars and all.
Senjo paused in front of the half-open door, wondering what she was going to say. She had heard the story so many times; how Naruto alone had found Sasuke, tried to bring him back, and ended up fighting him. But he'd lost, and the rival he considered a friend was now a missing-nin. What could she say to someone who had lost so much? Opening the door, she saw him sitting up, bandages covering almost every part of him. "Naruto?" she said softly. He turned his head, and a smile brightened his face. The orange rays of the setting sun gave him a healthy tan, and showed off the markings on his face.
"Senjo? What are you doing here? Couldn't wait to see my new technique?" His voice was cheery, but his eyes still held such sadness. He was trying so hard to not let anyone see how bothered he was by what had happened. She didn't want to upset him, but she needed to know what had happened. She might be able to find out what Orochimaru's plan was, or at least get something useful.
"Well with the way you were going on about it before, who wouldn't be curious as to see what it is?" She smiled, but knew it looked forced. "But it seems I'll have to wait a little longer to find out, huh?" Naruto nodded and looked out the window, sighing.
"I couldn't keep my promise," he said, more to himself.
"What promise?" She sat on the chair next to his bed, hands in her lap.
"I promised Sakura-chan that I would bring Sasuke back. When I had to tell her that I would try again, she just said that it was okay. She didn't seem to believe me, but I swore I'd find him. I won't go back on my promises. That's-"
"You're way of the ninja?" They both smiled for real, and sat in silence as the sun sank lower on the horizon.
"So what are you really doing here?" He wasn't upset, but sounded tired.
"We were asked to come help by the Hokage. Gaara's team is here too."
"So they helped everyone else?" Senjo felt useless at that point. Instead of being able to help her friends in Konoha, she'd spent all her time and energy fighting someone who should not have been as much trouble as he'd been. Kuro's power had doubled under Orochimaru, so what would become of Sasuke?
"Yes. All the others have been treated, and they're expected to recover completely." He closed his eyes and nodded, leaning back against the pillows. This was not the Naruto she knew. But the cheerful, smiling blonde boy she'd met was now trying to rationalize why all this was happening. Perhaps she could ease his worries. "Naruto… Would you- Can I- May I see what happened?"
"Why?"
"Because I want to help. My team was supposed to go after Sasuke directly, but we became sidetracked by former members of our village." He opened his eyes wide and sat up again, instantly alert.
"They joined Orochimaru?"
"Yes. He gave them seals of power, like Sasuke's, and they became his ninjas."
"Didn't anyone try to stop them before they left? What about their friends?"
"They didn't have any," she whispered, hanging her head. "They were a team of Genins that we graduated with, when we were all friends." She frowned as she thought momentarily of Kuro. "Well, we at least knew them for quite a while. Anyway, before they left the village, they all did things that would've gotten them in a lot of trouble had they stayed. One night, they just up and left, and our searches turned up nothing. We didn't know where they'd gone until this afternoon."
"Did Orochimaru make your friends turn against you?" She shook her head, fists clenching in her lap.
"No. They did that all on their own."
"Sasuke… Sasuke turned his back on us. He told me he couldn't get stronger if he stayed in Konoha. When he said he considered me his best friend, I thought that he might change his mind. But then he said that there was meaning in defeating me, and I got angry at him. That he was just going to leave everything and everyone behind just because he thought Orochimaru could give him power. We fought, and I gave it everything I had." He was silent, staring down at his bandaged hands like he couldn't quite remember how they'd gotten that way. "I can't really tell you what happened, because I don't know. Maybe if you look, you can tell me." Senjo sat up, looking into his eyes and seeing once more the sadness he was trying to hide.
"If that's what you want." He nodded once, his jaw set. She formed the seals, took a deep breath, and placed her hands on his temples. "Ninpou: Oboe tansa." (Memory Probe Technique). She didn't bother with surface emotions, but plunged straight into the actual scene, hearing the words exchanged between the two boys, feeling the anger rise, and watching as Sasuke was willing to do whatever it took for power. As the fight progressed, Senjo felt something at the back of her head, like a pressure she hadn't paid any attention too. It grew steadily, beating against the cage of her mind, desperately wanting release. The moment she realized what it was, the scene shifted, and Senjo found she was watching the fight from outside Naruto's body. The red chakra surrounded him, forming itself into tails, into a shield, into… The Kyuubi. The world went red, and she was thrown back into her own mind so violently that she tumbled out of the chair.
"Senjo!" Naruto called out, reaching for her. A hand was suddenly under her arm, lifting her to her feet.
"Very sloppy, Tanamari Senjo," Gaara's voice said from behind her. "Haven't you realized that there are some things people should never see?" He was staring at her, and Naruto was looking back and forth between the two of them. "Uzumaki Naruto. It's been a while."
"So it has, Gaara," Their voices were deadpan and flat, and Senjo was suddenly worried that something would happen to cause a fight. Her stomach twisted into a knot as the desert child raised his hand, and Naruto did the same. But when Gaara dropped his hand and bowed his head slightly, she breathed out a heavy sigh of relief and stepped back. Naruto gave a victory sign and laughed.
"Trying to be Hokage before your time?" Gaara continued. "You had everyone worried, including Senjo."
"Well, I had to do what was right," Naruto replied with a grin.
"I'll leave you two to play catch-up," Senjo said as she smiled and left the room. She walked down the hall, taking slow breaths to calm her racing heart. What she had seen before the Kyuubi had kicked her out had not been pleasant. Kurai and Kohaku would want to hear about what had happened. Just then she yawned, realizing for the first time how tired she was. "It can wait till morning. All I want now is a soft bed and pillow. Besides, it's not like they're going anywhere anytime soon."
Kurai woke with a start, remnants of the dream he'd had passing before his eyes like phantoms. Someone stirred next to him, and he looked up expecting to see Senjo. Instead, Kohaku turned tired eyes up at him from where she sat in the chair "Where's Senjo?"
"She's visiting Naruto. Partially to say hi, but she also wants to find out what happened between him and Sasuke."
"He still owes me a rematch," Kurai said as he turned his head and sighed in annoyance.
"Who, Sasuke?" She shrugged and gave a derisive chuckle. "When I see him next, he'll be lucky if he can walk anywhere after."
"What makes you think you'll see him again? From what Makoto and Tansei kept saying, he'll probably be experimented on to death."
"Do you really think Orochimaru will waste the Sharingan on experiments? From what Senjo was saying, he's had his eyes on the Uchiha bloodline for a while."
"She never said anything about it to me." Kohaku stared at him, brushing her bangs out of her face and readjusting her forehead protector.
"And when the hell was the last time you talked to her? Both mother and Naiteki-san said you've been avoiding her lately. I don't know what you learned on that little training expedition, but you better unlearn it." He whipped his head back around.
"What's that-"
"How did you beat Makoto?" She was all business again, and the sudden topic shift caught him off-guard.
"I snapped her neck."
"What trick did she have up her sleeve?"
"Why does-"
"Answer the question." Even in the dark of the room, he could see how serious she was. But did it matter what trick Makoto had used? She was dead, after all.
"She'd made a clone of me using my blood from years ago and a forbidden technique. I had to kill the duplicate before dealing with her." He paused, not sure he wanted to admit what he'd done. "I had to think of a new technique to stop it."
"We both know that isn't true," Kohaku whispered.
"What are you talking about?" he demanded.
"You talk in your sleep."
"I do not!" She frowned slightly, one eyebrow raised.
"Fine, then you talk when you're unconscious and having a nightmare. You were dreaming about your fight with Makoto. I heard everything you said." He vaguely remembered seeing her in his dreams, hearing the taunts of the clone she'd made. But just like in reality, he'd called up the earth to kill his duplicate.
"And what did I say that made you think I'm lying?"
"Take a wild guess." Now Kurai was mad, and he sat up and grabbed her arm. But the moment his fingers wrapped around the scars, he jerked his hand back.
"Where are your armguards? Why did you take them off?"
"One is going to Sakura, and the other I left with Hyuuga Neji. As to why, it's because I no longer need to wear them." The shock was written plainly across her brother's face, and she sighed. "When I got out of the hospital, you gave me those armguards. You told me it was so that no one would pity me. I never told you that I found out the real reason."
"What reason is that?" His voice came out much softer that he'd wanted, and he silently cursed himself.
"You felt guilty about my injuries, that you hadn't been there to help me. My scars reflected your inability to protect not only your teammate, but your family. You couldn't stand the sight of them; that's why you wanted them covered. That's also when you stopped trying to mimic Gaara's attacks. You scarred Daichi that day because you didn't want him going down a path you'd blocked for yourself." Kohaku took a deep breath, not sure how he would respond to her next question. "The attack you used on your clone was your version of Sabaku kyuu (Desert Coffin), wasn't it?"
"You still remember me copying that?"
"Father threatened to beat you within an inch of your life when he found out. You accepted that you could only use techniques the clan or you yourself created. Daichi believes that this is what holds us back. If the Hajino Clan is to survive, we must learn from the desert child and ourselves." Silence enveloped the room for a few minutes.
"You've given this a lot of thought, haven't you?" She smiled, pushing him back onto the bed until his head was on the pillow again.
"If you mean to say-"
"I meant what I said. You know, all day I've had nothing but girls trying to tell me things. Between you and Senjo, I feel like I'm back in school."
"Well, did you learn anything?"
"I learned that you two are bitchy after a major fight." He received a punch to his shoulder that sent waves of pain traveling down his arm. "That's my bad arm!" he hissed.
"I know," she replied with a wicked grin. "I was being-"
"A bitch?" They both chuckled, and Kurai yawned. "I need more rest, I guess. You should get some sleep too." Kohaku stretched and yawned as well.
"Maybe you're right." She curled on her side on the chair and closed her eyes. A few minutes later, her deep breathing signaled she was asleep. Kurai smiled slightly and draped his vest over her.
"Thanks Kohaku. Looks like I have some thinking to do." When Senjo entered the room a little later, the twins were sleeping peacefully, and she crept into a chair on the other side of Kurai.
"Finally, a night of peace," she whispered, closing her eyes.