Chapter 12: The Price of Power

With Hiromi's help, I made it back to the hospital at exactly 11:57 PM. The receptionist gave me a rather hard glare, but gave it up when she couldn't find the right spot to focus on. Unfortunately, the lobby was where I had to say goodbye to Hiromi for the evening.

Lying back on the hospital bed, my eyes wandering the blank ceiling, my thoughts once again began to wander where they would. This time, however, they stopped cold on a smiling face with pearl-white eyes like mine.

I still don't know how it is I feel about her, exactly, and that's bothering me even more than the attack or my ankle. What was it Shikamaru-sensei said, again? It was right after that one time I was pestering him for proof about something, I can't recall quite what…

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"Shien, how do you know gravity exists? You can't see, hear, smell, taste, feel or sense it."

"Sensei… I know because whenever I jump, I come back down. Also, whenever I throw a ball into the air, it'll hit the ground again. What does that have to do with anything?"

"You've been asking me about something that nobody has direct proof for. Like gravity, we only know it is there because of its effects on other things. Remember this, Shien. When you cannot see something directly, that doesn't mean you can't observe it. You just have to look at what's being affected."

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That's right. Since I can't observe my own base feelings with enough accuracy to be worth calling observation, I have to take a step back and check out what is being directly affected by those feelings. What could I observe, though? By definition, I'm the only one who feels what I feel. Ah, well. Maybe sleeping on it will help, and I could use the rest.

My dreams that night were strange, frightening things, filled with an unexplained sense of rage and fear. I felt confined by my own skin, and wanted nothing more than to crawl out of it and into the freedom of the forests. Above all, I had the sense of a red glare, infusing me with power but always staying at my back, never showing itself to me directly.

It took a second when my mind came back to wakefulness to realize that the red light I was seeing wasn't that dream again, but the sun shining directly into my face through the open window of my hospital room. It took me another second to realize that I was not alone in the room, but I managed to keep the fact that I was awake somewhat hidden from the two who were there.

"Neji, I need you to do me a favor and take a look at Shien's right ankle through your Byakugan. Tell me if you see anything unusual."

"Yes, Sakura. It won't be a problem. Hmmm… looks fine to me. Nothing wrong at all."

"That's what's so strange. When he came in last night, the receptionist reported that he was limping so badly that he needed your daughter's shoulder more than that leg. I've known her for a while, and trust her opinions. However, I come up here to check on it, and nothing is wrong. That, and Shien was so soundly asleep that my examination didn't even make him twitch."

"That's… unusual. The only other person who I've ever heard of healing like that is Naruto, and that's because of the Kyuubi healing him."

"I know, and I'm concerned here. Please, give his chakra paths a good long scan. Write down what you find, if anything. If what I suspect is true, then his father will want to know. In any case, don't tell Shien about it. One way or another, he does not need to know until we decide what we want to do. I have to see to my other patients, now, so I will talk to you later." Footsteps led out of the room.

"Neji-sensei, what's going on?" I said, opening my eyes and sitting up. "You had to know I was awake before I even knew it, so why did you let that conversation go on?"

"Because, Shien, I am not a believer in concealing knowledge from anyone. Sakura has to deal with this daily, and many would react… badly to this kind of knowledge. I think you are made of somewhat tougher material, if you wish to know what the point of the conversation was."

It took me less than a second to make my choice. "Without knowing everything I can, I lose the ability to make the best choices possible. Even if the knowledge would drive me to the edge of insanity, I would still seek it. What was that about?"

He smiled at that. In all probability, he knew what I was going to say well before he'd even asked the question. "Let's start with this. During times of high emotional stress or desperation, have you ever experienced a major surge of strength?"

I thought for a minute. "Now that you mention it, yes. One time in particular, at the last Chuunin Exam tournament. It helped me create and empower the Hougen Rasengan I threw to rescue Hiromi-chan."

He nodded, the smile staying in his eyes. "Now, besides that, your stamina and recovery rates, both physical and chakra-based, have always registered well above the norm, correct?"

"Yes, they have. Sakura-san was commenting about it the last time she looked at my spine, and I can currently sprint from the Shrine of the Fallen Heroes to the office building fairly easily."

"Then I believe Sakura's fears to be justified. Who else do you know has increased regeneration plus that kind of stamina, along with major boosts of power under stress?"

"Just my dad."

"What gives him the ability?"

"The Kyuube within him… you're not saying I have a demon within me, are you?"

"That's what I'm here to find out. There are several possibilities, ranging from that to your father's body simply adapting the abilities himself and passing them down through the next generation, all the way through the Kyuube having made a dormant clone of himself in you. You being awake and able to mold chakra will help my scan significantly, though, so let's get started."

It didn't take long, only about ten minutes. Whatever I proved or disproved, I couldn't read off of Neji's expression. Possibly because he didn't yet know anything for certain, himself. All I could read from him was that something, in fact, was out of the ordinary. He said it himself not long after, so it's a moot point.

Once again, he left me alone with my thoughts. This time, however, he had given me a much better set of ideas to think about, though no less critical. What could it be, that had everyone so concerned? A demon being sealed within me was an impossibility, since they have to be PLACED there by someone, and no such process has ever been done to me. In addition, I still had to find a way to finish my personal soul-search.

I don't know. Maybe I'm thinking too hard, but it's not something I can just let go of right now. All of it. At this rate, I'll be headed back out on missions, soon, and I won't have time to space out and think while on patrol. The pieces of all the puzzles lie before me… so why can't I just assemble the clues and find the answers?

Interlude Twelve: Physical Adaptation of Shinobi

It is not strange that a shinobi's body tends to be far more adaptable to extreme circumstances over time. This is due in part to the nature of their training, since a ninja may often find himself in said extreme circumstances without a way to safely escape.

What is somewhat more curious is that, when subjected to these stresses or more unique ones, some shinobi have shown an ability to adapt at a genetic level to the change. One example in particular is Hatake Kakashi, wielder of the Sharingan Eye. Note that he is not an Uchiha, and was thus not born with the capability. How he acquired it is a mystery, but over the years he has caused the eye to evolve, thought impossible in one not of the Uchiha blood. Other such cases have been shown, and the traits are occasionally passed down to their children, almost in direct opposition to standard evolutionary theory.

Or is it? One theory popular in the scientific community at the moment holds that this level of adaptation is a form of Bloodline Limit. Specifically, it is one that has yet to manifest, and is still defining itself. These theories hold that this is why bloodlines tend to be quite well adapted to where they first emerge. For example, the Hyuuga clan's Byakugan is particularly well suited to the dense forests of Konoha, allowing them to see unobstructed despite the obstacles.

Noting this, it is theoretically possible to shape the manifestation of an emerging bloodline. However, since the only way to tell the bloodline is emerging is by watching it finish, this remains a moot point.