Ryu: Ok, people ready?
: It's time to have some fun.
Mech: Uh-oh, she's ready.
Sanosuke: She looks even scarier than before.
Ryu: Don't know…don't really care either.
Gaara: Hey! I'm back from vac…WHAT THE HELL?
Ryu: Yay! You're back!
Gaara: I…have…a KID?
Flonne: Awwww…you make a cute daddy!
Gaara: Sabaku!
Ryu: Gaara-kun! Be nice!
Mech: This is just getting even weirder!
Squall: …Whatever…
Chapter 5: Heart of Danger
NO!
My mind stopped thinking. I stood for a moment, unable to move. I was staring at a sight that I could never have imagined, even in my darkest dreams. Shaking off the paralysis, I started moving forward slowly, disbelief written on my face.
It was Nami. She hung, at least 5 feet from the ground, wires cutting into her wrists. Blood dripped from her fingers, as the wires had broken skin. Another wire hung around her throat, a bit of slack in it. She was unconscious, head hanging down, but I noticed the muscles in her arms still taut. Even in unconsciousness, she held herself up. As I watched, one of the muscles twitched. A thought raced through my mind.
She's losing. If she stops holding on, she'll die!
Shaking off the last of my paralysis, I moved up into the trees. I sliced the wire attaching her throat to the branch above, then cut the ones holding her wrists. She fell to the ground.
I jumped down and pulled her shoulders onto my lap. As her hair fell back, my eyes widened. Her face was bruised, an eye swollen. She had a cut down one cheek. Blood seeped from it, slowly, painting a trail down her face, showing me a little of what had happened. Her hair was disheveled, and one of the ever-present kunai that were constantly in her hair was missing. Someone had beaten the hell out of her, but she was still alive. Looking over the rest of her, there were a few cuts and bruises, but nothing as acute as her face. As I looked down at her, something moved in the brush next to me. I looked, and saw a badger gnawing on something. Lowering Nami from my lap, I moved over, kunai ready, and saw the most disgusting and freaky thing I had ever seen.
It was a man, or at least, most of one. He was completely unmarked, except for a huge hole, right about where his heart would have been. I looked past him. About three feet away lay little bits of tissue and heart. Something among them caught my eye. It was a scrunched up piece of metal. I recognized what it had been. A senbon needle. I looked at the man, then the tissue, then back at Nami. Stooping, I picked up the remains of the needle.
Then I saw the hitae, and something inside me snapped. It was one of the renegade nin we had been sent to exterminate. I moved back to Nami and looked at her again. Rage built.
"They will PAY"
I picked Nami up and put her on my back. I looked around for any signs of a trail, and found some disturbed branches. I followed the path the bastards had so graciously left me, screaming in my rage.
"I WILL MAKE YOU PAY"
As I came upon another clearing, I saw two figures dressed completely in black. They seemed to be waiting for me. I set Nami down, and turned to them.
"You are the ones responsible, aren't you? You did this, DIDN'T YOU"
"Yeah, so what?" one of them leered. "What's a little worm like you gonna do about it"
"I will kill you," I growled, as a strange change began to envelope me. I began to stretch, growing almost to adult height, my hair turning pure black.
"Shit man, look at his eyes! He has the Byukugan too!" one of the nin shouts. "The veins are popping out all over his face"
"I will not stop until I rip you apart. There won't be anything left for the coroner to identify when I get done with you!" I screamed as I charged the first guy. I moved so fast, there was no time for him to react.
I hit him in the jaw with an uppercut punch that sent him flying. Before he could land, I was there, ready to hit him again, and again, and again. I lost myself in the rage, letting my body take control. A strange female voice in my head whispered with glee. "It's been a long time since I tasted blood. Let's enjoy this!" it said, as I licked my opponents blood from my hand.
The other ninja grabbed his fallen comrade and started to run. I went to chase after them, but someone grabbed my arm. Seemingly drawn by my shout, everyone else was there. Suisaiga held my arm, looking into my eyes. Ikari had picked up Nami, eyes sad, helpless as he held her close.
"We can catch them later. We need to get her to the hospital. This game is seeming to be less fun than we first thought." he said, as he pulled me away.
"Game?" I asked, confused.
"Never mind, we need to get back," he insisted.
"You're right," I said, then I collapsed.
I woke up surrounded by white. Voices, fuzzy at first, cleared.
"He'll be fine. He just pushed himself too hard." A soft female voice spoke.
A familiar voice responded. "That's good," said Naruto. "But what about her"
"She's going to need rest." The voice's demeanor changed. "She ran herself out of chakra, in addition to being hurt. Until her wounds heal, I wouldn't recommend her training. Her wrists are badly injured"
My eyes focused. Naruto, Tenten, and Neji were standing next to my bed, talking to one of the med nins. Suddenly, there was commotion in the hallway.
"I don't GIVE a damn if there are other patients to see, I have a CERTAIN one to attend to!" a voice in the hallway stormed.
The door slammed open, and Hinata stood in the doorway. Seeing me, she rushed over, nearly shoving Naruto into the bed next to me.
"Riso, are you ok?" She began bustling around, checking everything to make sure I wasn't badly hurt. When she was satisfied, she sat on the bed and hugged me. "I was so worried about you, I came as soon as I heard"
My mind struggled to remember the mission. Suddenly, a thought made me sit straight up. I turned to my mom.
"Mom, where's Nami?" I grabbed her arm. "Is she ok"
Hinata looked over at Naruto. "Nami's hurt"
Naruto and the med nin looked down. "Yeah, she was caught alone"
Hinata stood up quickly. "Where is she"
Naruto pointed to the other bed, where Tenten and Neji had moved. Both Hinata and I looked over. My eyes widened.
Nami lay there, eyes closed. Her hair was down, spilling off the bed and puddling on the floor. Bandages were wrapped around her wrists and throat. Another bandage covered one eye and her opposite cheek. Her breathing was steady, but fitful. Ikari was sleeping, his head on his arms, arms on the bed, holding Nami's hand.
"How long have we been here?" I asked.
"Only about 20 minutes. Everyone else has refused to go home until they hear how you two are doing." He motioned to Ikari. "He's refusing to go home at all"
The door opened again. Gaara stood there, Ryuko, Suisaiga, and Kama looking in around him.
"Gaara. What brings you here"
"Just checking on Ikari." He looked over at his son, taking in the sight. Then he smiled. "Well, he looks ok."
He turned to Hinata. "Please make sure he eats. I have the feeling he won't be home until she gets released. I hope you don't mind, but I don't want to disturb him." He glanced at his son again, and walked out of the room.
Ryuko, Kama, and Suisaiga came to my bed, worry clouding their features.
"How are you? Are you feeling ok?" Kama asked.
I nodded, and moved out of bed. "I'm fine. I just pushed myself too hard"
"Understandable. But," Suisaiga looked over at Nami. "What made you snap so hard"
Naruto looked over. "Yes. Please give me a report"
I looked over at Nami. "They strung her up by her wrists, with WIRE. There was another wire around her throat." Everyone's eyes widened. "She was holding herself up even though she was unconscious. They beat the hell out of her, and left her there to DIE"
Naruto looked down. Hinata put a hand to her mouth.
"I shouldn't have sent you. If I'd known…" Naruto stumbled over his words.
"Oh, I think the problem was that one trapped Ikari, then went after her." I pulled the senbon out of a pocket. "Not like they escaped unscathed." I held the mashed piece of metal up. "I found this amid the remains of one of the nin's heart. She blew a hole in his chest as big as my head." People's eyes widened again. Then, Tenten laughed. Hard. She doubled over, tears streaming down her cheeks. Neji looked down at his daughter, a smile of pride spreading slowly across his face.
"That's my girl!" said Tenten. She walked over to me. "May I have that? I think I'm going to have it turned into a choker for her."
I handed the chunk of metal over to my aunt. Then, I looked over at Nami again. Tenten's laughter had woken Ikari. We explained how I found her again. His eyes widened when he was told how she had been strung up, but a smile lit his face when I told him how she killed one of the nins.
"Well, at least she got her share in," Ikari smiled. "If only"
"If only what?" I asked.
"They were ready for us. They had set a pit trap, and I was hopelessly entangled in some kind of web. She went to find you guys to help, then I heard an explosion. Then I didn't hear anything else until I heard you. Damn it"
"Hey, don't beat yourself over the head with it man. It could have been any of us. I'm just glad Riso has such a crappy sense of direction." Kama said, with a wry little smile.
Everybody was ushered out as visiting hours ended, and it was just Nami and me left in the room. I got up, wincing from the pain as I caused over stressed muscles to function. I walked over to Nami's bed and stroked her hair.
"I will kill the ones responsible for this, I swear it." Suddenly, I heard a voice in my head. It was a female voice, low and sensual.
"So, little one, do you desire revenge? Do you feel in your heart the stirrings of a fiery rage? Can you muster the courage to do what must be done in order to destroy your enemies"
"Of course! I'm ready for anything, anytime!" I shouted in my head.
"Then come to me, and together we shall make this body strong"
I closed my eyes as I felt an embrace from behind.
And then I passed out.
Mech: You can stop glomping me now.
: But you're so cuddly.
Ryu: I don't need to hear that…ESPECIALLY since you are…just…a…muse…in…the…mind…of…a…PYCHOPATHIC PUTZ!
Mech: Help! She's wrapping her tails around me!
Gaara: Why does this sound extremely perverted?
Ryu: evil grin 'Cuz it is… Grabs video camera Do you know how much I could sell this for?
Sanosuke: Get a #ing room!
Kyo: Visions of Kagura running through head Hey! Get off him! I'm coming to save you Mech!
Squall: Whatever…
: Uses a tail to fling Kyo Stay outta this! He's mine. sticks out tongue
Gaara: Rolls his eyes Oh yeah, big bad demon my $$! Turns to Kyo And you let yourself be tossed around by her!
Mech: Passes out from loss of blood due to nosebleed
Ryu: Well, since the author is currently incapacitated right now, I suppose it's up to me to say Please Review!