A/N: Did you all have a nice Christmas? I hope you got all you wished for and had a wonderful day! :) I have neglected my studies to get this up because I want to see if we can reach 100 reviews before New Year, to start off the year brilliantly. Do you think we can? I hope we can achieve it! xD I got over 500 reviews in the original, so anything's possible! :')
The wonderful reviewers: MyutsuChey3X (hehe, soon ;) I'm glad your sisters okay and my parents tell me the same -.- we have wonderful fanfic-filled lives! :D) narutonarutolove (you'll see ;)), Mirani (thank you so much :)) Rez Ball Kicks Grass (Thank you! :D), Bella (Thank you! :)), Naruto-Lover (Thank you! :)), Crimson (Thank you! :D)
Eien no Shasai
(The Edited Version)
Chapter 20;
Kizutsukeru
Hurt
Sometimes it's not the outer wounds that hurt the most, but the ones inside that carry the sting.
-x-
"Neji!" Tenten cried as she rushed towards them. "Are you both okay?" She had been startled when he acted and pulled Kari to her senses. Thank goodness he did though, Tenten dreaded to think what could have happened. She was also rather touched that Neji was attempting to comfort Kari, usually he was nothing short of an iceberg. "I have some first aid just in case," Tenten said, pulling some bandages and disinfectant out of her pouch.
"Kari let go and let me check your wounds," Neji commanded and Tenten shot him a look at his usual harsh tone. The boy frowned when Kari showed no intention of letting go and seemed fully intent on ignoring him. "Kari," he repeated sternly. Her arms loosened just a little and that was all he needed to unhook them from around his waist. He barely had time to enjoy the fact he wasn't being squeezed any-more when Tenten swore.
"Neji! Her arms!"
He couldn't fathom what could possibly be wrong with her upper limbs if she could squeeze him that tight and glanced down to see what the drama was about. He almost flinched when he saw the long cuts on both arms from shoulder to palm. With gentle hands he checked the cuts carefully, relieved the major veins and arteries seemed mostly intact. She wasn't going to bleed to death in the next few minutes. Taking hold of the alcohol and taking out his water bottle, he cleansed her right arm, ignoring the cringes she made and the reflex of trying to snatch her arm back. Once clean, he started to wrap gently and firmly, ceasing the blood loss. About half way through her left arm, Tenten swore again.
"What now?" Neji asked.
"Her left side, there's an open wound between each rib starting from there." Tenten motioned to the specific rib. "Kari-chan you should've fought back!" Kari's head tilted if possible even further down. Neji took hold of her chin and lifted her face, ready to demand why she didn't protect herself.
But he couldn't get the words out.
"Neji... is she crying...?" Tenten murmured.
Blood.
Kari's bloodshot eyes were leaking thick drops of crimson, leaving jagged trails across her face. Cradling her face in his hands, Neji inspected her eyes looking for a cut, some sort of wound... she couldn't possibly... could she?
"G-gomen," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes on her bandaged arm and leaving red smears across it. Momentarily forgetting the mystery of her crying blood, Neji snatched her arm down to stop her dirtying the bandage any-more and instead cleaned her face with a piece of cloth that he had brought to clean his weapons (and hadn't used yet so was perfectly clean). He felt reassured when her face was clean from blood and instead focused on bandaging her torso, unravelling the bandages already there. Luckily, the wound was below her chest enough so that Neji would not have to embarrass himself.
"Now then, what happened?" Neji said, fixing her shirt over her freshly wrapped bandages. Her face immediately tightened and Neji dreaded the tears again, but she instead just shuffled back into his arms for comfort.
"Help the rookies see to Lee?" Neji said glancing at Tenten. She was irritated by his dismissal but went begrudgingly nevertheless.
"I don't know," she murmured into his chest. "I.. I was scared."
"Aa." That was understandable.
"I just felt..." she curled tighter into him and he combed through her hair with his fingers, trying to tame the mess it was.
"Yes?" he prompted.
"...Monstrous," she whispered. "I wanted to hurt them so badly... I... Was I going to kill them Neji?"
"I don't know," he replied. Her blood-lust had been tangible in the air, stronger than the Uchiha's. "But I stopped you."
"What if you weren't here though?" she cried looking up into his eyes. They were still rimmed red and were moist again, threatening tears. "What would I have done if you didn't stop me?"
"I did," he stated and irritably started to unravel the bandages again as he spotted the kunai wound in her leg. "That's all that matters."
Her stress died down again and she was left looking tired and upset. Once he finished with her thigh he allowed her head back on his chest and rested his chin on top, still trying to untangle the golden knots.
"You aren't a bad person. You did it to protect your team," he reasoned.
"And Lee-senpai."
"You shouldn't be ashamed of being upset," he said and she blushed, embarrassed he had seen through her. "You don't cry unless it's necessary."
"Arigatou Neji-senpai."
"For?"
"Being here," she said and closed her stinging eyes, feeling safe so close to him. She smiled lightly when he grunted in acknowledgement, his cheek against her half-tamed locks. He knew she was still terribly upset. Her façade of strength couldn't fool his eyes, not when he could read her body language. Not when he could feel the thundering pace of her heart against his.
-x-
"Naruto-kun! Wake up! You need to cheer up Okaasan!" Kita demanded paw patting Naruto's cheek in frustration and then retracting to avoid the drool. "Naruto-kun! Wake up now!"
"What should we do with him?" Chouji said squinting at the snoring blonde.
"Troublesome... Let's kick him awake," Shikamaru grumbled.
"Can I do it?" Chouji asked hopefully as Kita resorted to climbing on Naruto's chest and jumping up and down, trying to wake him up.
-x-
"What was I…?" Sasuke asked, gripping his shaking hand and staring at it in horror. "Kari…?" he asked, looking round at her again.
"They're bandaging her injuries Sasuke-kun, she... she should be fine," Sakura said, putting a hand on his shoulder trying to reassure him. He was really shaken and he wouldn't allow her comfort like Kari did with her senpai. Her eyes stung despite herself, wishing he would accept her if she had the courage to embrace him.
-x-
"GAAA!" Naruto shrieked when a shocking pain slammed into the top of the head. He sat up glancing for the enemy and then leapt onto his front crawling and looking around. "Everyone get down! Where is he, dattebayou?"
"He finally woke up..." Shikamaru sighed while Chouji twirled his waking up stick. Kita sighed and sat between the two, watching Naruto's shenanigans with distaste. He should be cheering up her Okaasan, not goofing off!
"Naruto?" Sakura asked glancing around at the crawling idiot with a large bump on his head.
"You sure are one of a kind, just looking at you gets on my nerves," Shikamaru grumbled while Chouji poked the tender lump on Naruto's head with the end of his stick.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto suddenly squealed getting up and barrelling over to her and Sasuke. "Sakura-chan your hair!"
"Oh I fancied an image change," Sakura lied, fingering her short locks. "I like it longer but you know in this forest it can get in the way."
"I see!" Naruto cried, completely buying into the story. "By the way..." he glanced around and up to Shikamaru and Chouji's unimpressed faces. "Why are you here?"
"Explaining to you is a waste of my time," Shikamaru groaned closing his eyes and leaning back into more of a slouch.
"Everyone came to save us," Sakura said gently over Tenten's shrieks of 'LEEEEEEEEE!' as she woke up her team-mate. As Tenten dissolved into scolding whispers now Lee was awake, Naruto rushed over excitedly.
"Oh! It's Gejimayu!"
The next thing he knew, Sakura's fist had flew into his face sending him flying several feet through the air.
"Don't you dare be rude to Lee-san!" Sakura shrieked shrilly as Naruto crumpled to the ground in a bruised heap.
"Clueless," Shikamaru scoffed.
"He's the type of person who could never become a main character in a story," Chouji mused with a sigh.
"Lee-san, arigatou," Sakura said turning to the green-clad boy with a smile. "Thanks to you I have awakened. I feel like I've become a little stronger."
"S-Sakura-san! It looks like I need more training!" Lee's eyes watered but he quickly wiped them on his bandaged arm. "Sasuke-kun, you indeed live up to the reputation of the Uchiha clan. You and Kari-hime drove the Oto-nin away; she couldn't have done it all alone. You show great power and potential. While I... I lost terribly," Lee said sadly, his eyes dropping to the ground in shame.
Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise. Has the enemy really been that strong? He cast a glance in Kari's direction and had seen the Hyuuga bandage her. Perhaps they were strong, Kari's not exactly a pushover.
"Sakura-san, the lotus of Konoha blooms twice. The next time we meet, I promise I will be a stronger ninja!" Lee declared with a bright smile. Sakura returned it, feeling content.
-x-
"Kari, I can't stay with you for the remainder of the exam. My team has a scroll to acquire," Neji stated and she nodded face hidden in his shirt. "We must leave soon." He frowned as the arms tightened again.
"Really?" she said quietly and he sighed quietly. He wasn't used to having someone latched onto him.
"You are a shinobi. You are strong," he reasoned. "So no more tears."
"I didn't cry in the first place," she huffed, trying to deny her bruised pride.
"Don't you lie to me," he scolded, left arm sliding underneath her legs and hoisting her up. She giggled lightly and pressed her forehead against his cheek. "And stop being so touchy, you're starting to remind me of Lee."
"You care really Neji-senpai," she said softly. "Arigato for... you know."
"Aa," he agreed heading over to the Uchiha. He frowned when Sakura left with Ino to make her hair more presentable. Neji couldn't help but continue disliking the Uchiha, but now he was intrigued due to his power. He set Kari down and she immediately averted her eyes from her team-mate, tugging on the grass to avoid looking at him. "Uchiha." Contrasting dark eyes glared into his white. "Look after her." The Uchiha had the nerve to look away arrogantly. "And Kari."
"Hai?"
"Now that Lee is awake we will leave," Neji explained but faltered slightly when those big puppy-dog eyes turned on him expressing a feeling of being abandoned more clearly than a large neon sign. "Make sure you take care of yourself, recklessness could lead to further damage and infection and your fever has yet to break so watch your health."
"Okay," she agreed, still giving him the look of an abandoned puppy.
"Stop looking at me like that. You'll see me at the tower," he grumbled and she smiled and nodded.
"You take care of yourself and Lee-senpai and Tenten-senpai and I'll see you there," she said eagerly and he nodded in approval. "But I'm going to have a nap first." His eye twitched and he poked her in the side of the head.
"You need to be alert! Have you learnt nothing from my lessons? What have I told you about being prepared!" he scolded and she whined holding the injury.
"Neji-senpaiiii!"
Sasuke watched the exchange curiously, amazed at how the arrogant, stoic boy had managed to completely turn Kari's mood from terror and depression into her usual affectionate happiness. He felt like he didn't belong watching the social exchange and frowned looking away as Neji held her hands away from returning the gesture, grip gentle so not to hurt her cuts.
"I will see you on the other side," he stated getting ready to stand but she flung her arms around his neck before he could, holding him in place.
"Neji! Let's go!" Tenten called, Lee's arm around her shoulder.
"I have to leave," Neji said waiting for her to detach herself.
"I'll miss you, arigato again," she said and he nodded, still waiting to be released. "Be safe, Neji."
"Aa," he consented and she pulled away slightly only to touch his nose with hers for a moment. His pale skin immediately flushed a bright pink and he left without another word, mortified at the breach of boundaries.
"Kuku! Hyuuga's all blush brightly!" Kari sniggered under her breath, clapping her hands with mischievous glee.
"Quiet!" Neji hissed to Tenten's girly giggle as he stormed off into the forest his face still burning. Tenten chose not to provoke a fight and ignored lee's questions as to why Neji was in one of his moods. The last thing they needed was a youthful speech.
Her grin faded once her senpai's were all out of sight and she suddenly looked pale and tired again. Sasuke frowned at the mood-change and tried to think of something to say to break to awkward silence.
"You're close," he blurted out.
"Sort of," she replied with a shrug. "He's softened a bit with time."
"Hn."
"Maybe there's hope for you too, ne?" she teased and he scowled darkly at her, not at all amused. But his irritation weakened when he saw how hazy her eyes were and how there was still blood left on her clothes and tinting her hair. "Do you remember... that dream?"
"Aa," he confirmed. He could still feel that emptiness as her fingers slipped from his as she was pulled out of sight by the black goo.
"Why was it me who had to get covered in goo?" she mumbled tugging on the grass again. "Stupid goo..." His eyes narrowed noticing she was starting to sway. "Who knows what was in that stuff? There could have been mouldy vegetables in there for all I know and..."
"Kari," Sasuke interrupted. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Eh? I'm not being called baka?" she asked sounding sleepy. "Hai, I'm fine... why do you ask?"
"Are you sure?" he asked as her eyes became heavier.
"Yeah," she said with a soft smile before slumping forward in a dead faint.
"Baka!" Sasuke cried in alarm and Kita skidded to their side pawing at the ground frantically.
"Okaasan? Okaasan!"
"Kari-chan!" Naruto cried in alarm, Chouji's beefy hand stopping him from rushing over.
"It's just her fever," Sakura said appearing on Sasuke's other side and pressing a hand behind Kari's bangs. "Yours broke in the middle of the night Sasuke-kun, but Kari-chan is still sick." She pulled out her canteen and placed it down next to Sasuke. "I'll get rid of Ino and the others and try to keep Naruto quiet." Sakura immediately went to her rival and began the process of making them leave, even pink locks brushing along her neck.
"Baka," Sasuke said frustrated as he pulled her closer to him so her side was against him. He wet the cloth Sakura had left and placed it against her forehead as Kita paced around them worriedly. "Why didn't you just say you were hurt?"
"Okaasan," Kita whined resting a paw on Kari's bandaged thigh in concern. Sasuke stopped his grumbling so not to upset the young cub and focused on trying to make Kari comfortable. He respected how determined she was but hated the fact she took things too far. Why wouldn't she admit she was hurting? Frustrated, he didn't notice his exhaustion creeping up on him and fell asleep with his cheek resting on her head.
"Kawaii," Ino sighed looking at the two. "I wish I could be as cute and bold as Kari-chan. Even last year's top rookie Hyuuga Neji seems really fond of her!" Ino pouted at the unfairness of it all and wondered when an attractive man would start to notice her.
"They're not usually so kawaii, they squabble quite a bit," Sakura chuckled as she looked at the two curled up. "She has no interest in Sasuke-kun even though they live together. She thinks he's an arrogant jerk because he picks on Naruto."
"She's a tough kunoichi," Ino said in approval. "Are you sure there's nothing going on though? She's in the perfect position to win his heart!"
"Definitely not," Sakura said with a frown as she imagined Sasuke's disdain, Kari's horrified disgust, Naruto's enormous tantrum and Kakashi sharpening his kunai with that murderous overprotective glint in his visible eye.
"I'll take your word for it," Ino said simply. "Well, ja."
"Finally," Shikamaru grumbled trudging through the bushes with mumbles of 'troublesome'.
"Ne, Sakura-chan?" Naruto said looking down. Confused by his odd behaviour she raised an eyebrow. She hadn't seen him so down in a while. "Kari-chan's okay, ne?"
"Yeah," she said her features softening at his worry. Kari was his best friend, of course he noticed her pain. "She'll be fine."
-x-
She wasn't fine.
Sasuke slept through the entire day, annoyed he had fallen asleep at all. Kari on the other hand had sunk back into her coma like slumber and only woke two days later later after a worried Naruto fretted she was dying and had slapped her awake with frantic hands and tearful yells.
"Headache," Kari grunted, small hand slamming into Naruto's mouth and holding it closed. "Quiet talking or no talking at all." Naruto nodded, but before she took her hand away his stomach decided to produce noise on behalf of his mouth in a loud growl. Irritated, Kari decided to put her hands over his stomach instead, hoping to muffle the gurgling groans.
"Food?" Sakura asked happily, keeping her voice a little lower for Kari's sake.
"YATTA!" Naruto cheered and then slammed his hands over his mouth as Kari glared at him. He apologised by carrying her on his back as they moved location, Sasuke stubbornly refusing to lean on Sakura.
-x-
"Kage Bunshin! Fish catching version!" Naruto said in his bright green boxers as he frowned in concentration and summoned his clones. "KYAA!" he squealed as he jumped into the cold river, the silver fish immediately darting away from the splashing giants.
Kari laid at the shore on her front drawing patterns in the water with her fingertips. She felt awful and just wanted to curl into a ball and sleep, only to be told she wasn't allowed to do such a thing until their time was up because she could pass out for a whole week for all they knew. Sasuke had taken to nudging her sharply with his foot or with a stick every time she began to doze.
As Sasuke impaled the fish Naruto scared out of the water Kari's vision began to haze as she thought about how it was too hot in Konoha in the middle of the summer and if she were any less dignified she would strip out of her clothes and jump into the river. It was too hot...
"Wake up," Sasuke grunted nudging her in her sore ribs. Temper already thin from sickness, injuries and a weird mark on her neck she couldn't wash off she kicked the back of Sasuke's legs and watched with satisfaction as he fell face first into the water, much to Naruto's guffaw's of delight. Kari sighed, now annoyed at the noise as Sasuke's angry mutters joined Naruto's loud laughter and debated running off to join another team. Hinata and Shino were quiet, maybe Team 8 was the one for her.
"Kaashan!" Kita's muffled voice cried as she swam over propelled by her wagging tail more than her little legs. "Look fish!" She got out of the water with a fish in a mouth and shook her coat, immediately fluffing up to almost twice her usual size.
"My good, clever Kita-chan," Kari praised in delight. Why couldn't everyone have lovely voices like her Kita?
"Move around more, I want more fish for preservation purposes," Sasuke said sitting on the bank. "That isn't enough usuratonkashi."
"It's tiring! You're wet now, you do it dattebayo!" Naruto shrieked.
"Sasuke-kun! I could use a Katon jutsu!" Sakura called and Sasuke huffed in irritation as he stood.
"Must I do everything myself?" he complained and picking Kari up and tossing her over his shoulder he carried her over to Sakura who checked her over and placed a flannel back on her forehead, mint green eyes wide with concern.
"Kari-chan, do you feel worse?" Sakura asked and Kari shrugged shuffling away from the heat of the fire.
"It's been four days since the second exam begun," Sasuke stated watching the flames dance."The second exam began at around 7am. We only have 25 to 26 hours left."
"A lot of teams might have already finished." Sakura added. Naruto grinned as he waited impatiently for the fish to finish cooking, not paying the slightest bit of attention to the conversation around him.
"On top of that we have to consider that Kari's in poor health. That gives us a big disadvantage. Kakashi wasn't kidding when he said it would be more difficult with four people." Sasuke said looking at her while she scowled in offence. Her stomach turned and the smell of the cooking fish and she covered her nose with her hand.
"The fish are done," Sakura announced and Naruto immediately snatched the biggest. Kari sacrificed hers to Kita, her face taking a green tint.
"It may be possible that there are no more Heaven scrolls…" Sakura said sadly, half-heartedly taking a bite out of her fish.
"What do you mean Sakura?" Sasuke asked.
"Four out of the allotted five days for the exam have already passed. That means we used eighty percent of the time for the exam already. Total participants 82; or 27 teams. There are only 13 heaven scrolls and only 13 earth scrolls and one extra and I overheard an examiner say it was an earth scroll, so only 13 teams can pass. On top of that, you remember right, Sasuke-kun? That Orochimaru guy burnt our Scroll of Heaven. When he did that, only 12 teams could pass. Also, there's no guarantee that the other scrolls are safe." Sakura explained.
"After we split up from the other Konoha guys, we used two days to recuperate," Sasuke shot an accusing look at Kari who scowled at him in return/ "We'll need to increase the distance we make today, the next enemy we meet could be our last chance…" Sasuke said, he paused for a moment, then sighed aggravated looking back at Kari. "Eat the rest of mine, you'll just pass out while we're running, you've hardly been able to need to keep your strength up," Sasuke stated waving the remaining piece of his fish in her face.
"S-sick..." she managed to get out before she took off into the trees, hands held tightly over her mouth.
"I'll bring her back," Sasuke relented finishing his fish and picking up his canteen. "After her stomach's settled we'll try and get her to eat some fruit or something." Naruto opened his mouth to protest but Sasuke cut him off. "Just watch the scroll, I'll be back soon."
-x-
"Baka Sasuke," Kari grumbled as she trudged across the overgrown grass. "Baka sakana."
As she stumbled over a tree root her stomach finally gave in and the stomach acid and water rushed up her throat and out onto the forest floor.
"Ughh," she grumbled hoarsely. "Baka subete."
"Kari," Sasuke said holding her hair away from her face and checking her temperature. "Shimatta you're burning." He steadied her holding her to stop her sways. "If I carry you let me know if you're going to be sick," he said and hoisted her clumsily into his arms. She curled up and continued to grumble about things being stupid. "I'll get you some water, come on," he said and dodging the bile on the grass he headed to the nearby fresh water source.
"I'm fine..." she protested trying to push him away and get him to put her down.
"You're not. You just have to last one more day and you can see a doctor," he said ignoring her weak shoves. "Just one more day."
"No... baka ishi."
A small smirk appeared despite himself as Sasuke listened to Kari's vendetta against stupid doctors in their stupid hospitals. She was worse than him with the place of healing.
-x-
"Ano sa, ano sa!" Naruto whispered suddenly, picking up the scroll, Kita jumped on top of his head for a better view. "I have a good idea and it doesn't require us to fight, dattebayo!"
"Eh?" Sakura said in surprise as Naruto emptied his pouch, letting three scrolls clatter to the ground. "Are you going to…?"
"Yep, I have a lot of scrolls with me; a ninja techniques manual, a poison manual and a note-taking one. I figured Kari-chan might need them too. If we edit these to make them look like the Tenno scroll…"
"Matte!" Sakura cried. "Even if you do that, we don't know what's written inside. If the examiner takes a look inside, she'll find out right away! Baka!" Sakura scolded as Kita nodded in agreement.
"These probably have some sort of passwords on them and you won't know what the password is unless you get both scrolls. In other words, we need the password to pass, something like that! So…?" Naruto cried.
"But it's naughty!" Kita scolded.
"We don't know what's inside, so there's no point in making a fake!" Sakura pointed out. "Geez, I thought you were going to say something better as you were so confident. You didn't think enough."
"But what if we can predict the contents? This Tsuchino scroll…" Naruto began.
"Are you planning to…?" Sakura gasped.
"We'll try opening this scroll dattebayo—!"
"IIE!" Sakura shrieked, Kita jumping up as she went to smack Naruto in the head. The wolf landed on his bump, safe and unharmed. "Did you forget the rules, baka? She told us not look inside the scroll until we get to the tower!"
"Demo! We're in trouble at this rate!" Naruto whined, his eyes watering, trying to put his hands over his sore patch, but he only succeeded in pressing Kita down onto his head. Sakura went to reply, but couldn't think of a good answer. Both their eyes travelled to the scroll as Kita watched them both, hoping her Okaasan and Sasuke would get back before something bad happened. Naruto picked up the scroll, Sakura watching, but not stopping him this time.
"No, no, no! Bad Naruto-kun!" Kita cried, jumping off his head. Sakura grabbed her and held her firmly and despite Kita's wriggling, she couldn't break free. "No, no! People will be mad!" Naruto looked back at Sakura, who only nodded. He held the scroll with trembling hands, a drop of sweat hitting the 'Earth' kanji. Naruto's thumb slid under the end and slowly began to lift it up...
-x-
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