"I can't believe Soma did that to me… let alone thought of that?" Katara said in disbelief. "Would you do that?" Neji asked. "Well… yeah I would," Katara admitted. "She hangs around you too much," Neji noted. "Can we not talk about this right now?" Katara said. "I'm sorry," Neji said, hugging her closely. Katara gently ran her fingers through his hair. "You have… flawless hair," she commented.
"Why thank you?" Neji said, questioningly. Katara laughed slightly, "it's a compliment," she said. "I wasn't sure of that when you said it," he said. "What kind of shampoo do you use? Do you iron it?" Katara asked. "Uh… well…" Neji said, he had no idea how to answer those questions. "I have split ends," Katara sighed. "You have lovely hair," Neji said. "You're just saying that," Katara said. "No I'm not," Neji confirmed.
"Your nose is cute," Katara said. "Yours is cuter," Neji remarked. "I like your shirt," Katara said. "I like yours," Neji said. "Your turn," Katara stated. "I like your shoes," Neji said. "We're wearing the same ones?" Katara said, questioningly. "Yours seem nicer," Neji said, "I also like… your eyes." "I like yours too… and your forehead protector," Katara said.
"I like your hands," Neji said. "I like your hips," Katara said. "Yeah, 'cause I have nice… curves?" Neji responded, not even sure if he was saying the right thing. "I like your… uh… hmm…" Neji said, there was something he wanted to say… but he wasn't sure if Katara would take it as an offence or not. "Trouble?" Katara asked. "No… just thinking," Neji said. Katara smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. Neji started to turn a crimson red at her touch.
Katara grasped his hand, still smiling. Neji slowly lifted his hand, entwined with hers, bringing her hand towards his lips. That's when they heard, an ear piercing scream that briefly made Katara's heart stop in fear… of what might be happening to her sister.
"What happened?" Troah exclaimed, running into the hall. "How the hell would I know!" Katara yelled, frantically running to her room as Soma screamed again. The screams were of pain, and lots of it. "SOMA!" Katara screamed, scared about how she might find her sister as the screams stopped. Neji suddenly stopped, pulling Katara to a stop as well.
"Let me go!" Katara yelled. "Troah you go first," Neji said, keeping a firm hold on Katara. Troah nodded, "Katara, the key," he said. "Let me go Neji, I can go in on my own! She's my sister!" Katara yelled, struggling. "That's why you shouldn't be the first in," Neji said, "give Troah the key." Katara reluctantly gave the key to Troah, knowing that Neji was right.
Troah slowly opened the door with the key and walked in, looking around. His face went pale as he spotted Soma, on the bed, twitching. There were fresh burns all over her body. Her breathing was laboured, her eyes half closed. "She's… alive…" Troah said, not daring to mention her state.
"You probably shouldn't go in… I don't like how Troah said that," Neji said. Katara ignored him and walked calmly in. She was a lot calmer now, no longer freaking out. She didn't even seem bothered by Soma's twitching. "What should we do?" Troah asked.
"Damp cloths for the burns… the twitching… will stop, I think," Katara said, approaching her. "You think? This has never happened before?" Troah asked. "She's had nightmares… but nothing like this," Katara said. Katara held Soma's head tightly in between her hands. "What are you doing?" Troah asked. "Stopping her from moving," she replied simply.
Soma's twitching stopped momentarily after the cloths were placed over her burns. It was replaced by heavy coughing, Katara allowed her to roll overlong enough for her to throw up into a bucket Troah had fetched. "She'll be okay now… right?" Troah asked, stroking her hair. "I don't know… you guys should go to bed… I'll look after her," Katara said, standing up and leading them to the door.
"You handled that pretty calmly compared to earlier," Neji remarked. "Earlier I thought Soma was dying horribly… that's what it sounded like anyway… she seems fine now," Katara said, still just as calm. "That was still pretty serious… are you okay?" he asked. Katara looked at him, forcing a smile, "I'm fine." "You're sure?" Neji asked. "Yes! Good night Neji," Katara said.
"K-Katara?" Soma said, weakly. "I've never seen you do that before," Katara said, grabbing Soma's arm. Soma winced in pain from the burns. "It's a long story," she said, slowly. "I deserve explanation after you nearly gave me a heart attack," Katara said. "This… started shortly after we were put on our team with Anko-sensei… do you remember… that mission we took in the Village Hidden in the Grass… where there was this sacred tomb that no one is to enter," Soma asked. "Yeah I… Soma you didn't," Katara said.
"I couldn't help myself, I sacred forbidden tomb… it was calling my name," Soma said. Katara sighed and shook her head, part of her not surprised in the least. "Well… it was there that I met… the Thunder Dragon… and it took hold of me… strengthening the Thunder/Lightning jutsu's that I already had and giving me new ones… a.k.a The Lightning Spear and the Summoning Thunder Dragon.
"The Dragon itself… is something like that of a nightmare. A jet black body with eyes that…" Soma shuddered, "it's a scary thought. It's dangerous… very dangerous… It can easily destroy a village or something like it… on top of that… I have no control over it. It hurts me… and tortures me… and wants me to use it… but I don't… and that's why it's killing me."
"It's that powerful! WOW! Aside from that… what is the absolute extent of it's powers? I mean really… if it can do that easily… how powerful is it really?" Katara asked, looking very interested. "I'd rather not think about it Katara…" Soma said. "Wait… is this the secret you were going to tell the person you marry?" Katara asked. Soma nodded, "I thought it would be only fair that they knew that I was slowly dying," she said.
"Soma… I'm sorry… why don't we just go to bed," Katara said. "Good idea… night," Soma said, going beneath her covers again. "Night," Katara said, lying down on her bed.
Katara waited until she was sure Soma was asleep before she crept out of the room. 'He'll want to know about this,' she thought. She knew he was here, she could sense his charka. She walked semi-quickly down the halls.
Troah watched her, 'where is she going this late at night?' he thought, 'something… isn't right… with that girl.'
"I was wondering when you would come," a dark voice came as Katara left Coffee Bean. The man who had spoken and raven black hair and red eyes. They were the only things that were distinguishable in the dark. "I'm sorry if I kept you waiting," Katara said, "but I have some interesting information.
"About?" the man asked. "The Thunder Dragon…" Katara said, smiling. A small smirk came to the man's face, "what about it?" "My… 'sister' has it… and it's twice as powerful as we all thought," Katara said, "according to her, it can destroy a town easily." "Interesting… so how do we get it, I highly doubt she'd come to us and give it up willingly," the man said. "Leave that… to me," Katara said.