Chapter 9
"I can't believe I actually trusted you with my student!" Neji yelled at the top of his voice. Gaara just stood in the Hokage's office staring right back into that blank glare of Neji's. "I should have never left him alone with you!" He then directed his attention to Naruto standing beside Gaara. "And you! This is just as much your fault as it is his! What were you thinking even suggesting taking Devon to him?! I just knew he wouldn't be safe in the hands of a monster!"
Gaara suppressed his demon's urges to strangle Neji for his insolence and got in Neji's face. "I've already explained that the disappearance of your student was not my fault. I have had everyone in my village searching for him for three days now. He could be anywhere by now." Neji was infuriated. "Yes, including on his way to heaven courtesy of you! How do we know that you didn't lose control of your own demon and kill Devon in the process?!" Gaara felt Shukaku struggling to get free when the Hokage interrupted.
"Enough of this! Neji, we all understand how much your student means to you and we're still doing all we can to find him. But right now is not the time to blame one another. We need to be focusing on the other threat to our village." Neji took one last look at Gaara and lowered his head. "I apologize. I should have taken my own advice and kept control of myself. I didn't mean to ..." Gaara turned away. "Yes you did. But I don't blame you for it."
"Okay. Now, are you certain it was him Gaara? It could not have been anyone else?" the Hokage continued. Gaara focused his attention to the Hokage. "I'm positive. The name he used translates to Windmill Eye. It can't be anyone else." The Hokage leaned back in the chair. "If it really is him, we need to figure out what he's planning and what part Devon plays in all this. Why would he come back after all this time? Why now?" The Hokage leaned forward against the desk when there was a knock on the door. An Anbu nearly ripped the door off its hinges when she rushed in. The Hokage stood up. "I thought I told you no interrupt…" "They found him! They found Devon! Come quick!" Everyone turned with wide eyes of hope and rushed out of the room. The Anbu member led the way to the hospital as he explained more. "A couple of Anbu found him at the entry road to the village. He was in unconscious and in critical condition. Sakura and Shizune are there now with a team of medical ninjas doing what they can."
Everyone rushed upstairs to his room and saw Sakura, Shizune and four other medical ninjas standing over Devon. Shizune pushed them all back out of the room. "I'll update you in a moment, but for right now I need you all to stay out here." She went back in and closed the door behind her. The Hokage, Neji, Gaara, and Naruto paced up and down the waiting room for 3 hours before Shizune came back out. Shizune walked over to them and wiped her brow.
"It was close. He had multiple broken bones, a detached retina, and stab wounds from kunai. He lost a lot of blood, but we were able to heal most of his wounds. It will still take some time to completely heal his injuries, but for now he is stable." Neji started to walk forward, but Shizune stopped him. "He's in no condition to talk to anyone right now. I'll let you know when he can have visitors." Neji nodded and stepped back as Shizune went back into the room. The Hokage and Gaara turned to Neji. "We have to prepare everything for tomorrow's exam. Keep us updated." Neji nodded his head and they left. Naruto stayed with Neji in the waiting room for what seemed like 10 hours. Finally, the door opened again and Shizune, Sakura and the medical ninjas walked out of the room. Neji and Naruto stood up as Sakura came over to them. "He's up and alert. We were able to heal him, but he still needs to rest before tomorrow. We'll go tell the Hokage. You can see him now." Naruto left with Sakura. "Say, after all that you have to be hungry. How about we take a trip to the ramen shop after we tell the Hokage?" "That's fine as long as you buy this time. You nearly ate up my whole paycheck last time!"
Neji walked into Devon's room to see him lying there wrapped in bandages staring out the window. "It's good to see you again. How are you feeling?" Devon just continued to stare out the window. Neji pulled up a chair and sat by his student. He lowered his head. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to see that you are alright. They told me about your condition before. Who did that to you? Was it…" Devon turned over and stared at his sensei. "It was my other half. So in a way, I did this to myself." Neji's eyes widened. "You performed the Spirit Release jutsu?! What happened? Did you defeat him?" Devon started to answer as Shikamaru walked in. "Well, well. There he is. How are you?" Devon just looked blankly up at Shikamaru and blinked. "Let me guess, that's about the 25th time today you've been asked that question? Anyway, I'm just here to ask if you think you are up to tomorrow's exam. No one would blame you if you dropped out."
Devon grinned eerily at Shikamaru. "We'll be there. Nothing can stop us that easily." Shikamaru and Neji glanced at each other as Devon turned back over and went to sleep in anticipation of tomorrow.