Chapter Two
"Gai-senseeeeeeeei?!" cried Tenten. The burning sensation in her thighs erupted with each branch she leapt to, and if her overzealous teacher didn't allow for them to take a break soon, the chances of her face-planting into a tree trunk would become a very likely possibility. "Gai-sensei?! Could we please rest for a bit?! My legs are killing me!"
"Tenten," laughed Lee. "You lack discipline. Pain is your body telling you that you need to train more."
"Say that again, Lee," threatened Tenten. "And a stray kunai will find itself in the back of your head."
He laughed, "But you always hit 100 out of 100 targets, Tenten!"
Her eyes narrowed, "Exactly." She stole a look at the dark-haired jounin who led their team, "Gai-sensei? Can you hear me?"
Gai sighed, "Neji?"
The boy's extraordinary eyes scanned the area, "This is as good a spot as any."
"Very well," said Gai as he landed safely on the ground. He surveyed the clearing, "We'll stop here for a 15 minute break."
Tenten was already sitting on the ground and peeling off her gloves. "Only 15 minutes?!" she took out a handkerchief and started wiping the back of her neck. She glanced over at her teammate who was taking a drink from a water canteen. "Neji," she whispered as she tilted her head for him to approach closer.
He walked to her side and handed her the bottle, "What is it?"
"Have you noticed Gai-sensei acting strangely today?" she asked softly.
"Distracted perhaps."
"This mission is very important, Tenten," said Lee just loud enough for the three of them to hear. "I am sure his attitude is due to him taking it very seriously."
Tenten frowned while taking a swig of water and watched Gai walk to the edge of the clearing and pull out a map from his vest pocket. Usually the man pushed his team to their limits, but he would always offer them words of encouragement and the occasional rest-stop. Today, however, he seemed to be more determined than ever. "He's been moody since he returned from that S-ranked mission a while ago," she said softly.
Neji considered her observation, "That sounds about right."
"Maybe something bad happened?" asked Tenten as she looked between the two boys. "Have either of you heard anything about the mission?"
"It was S-ranked, Tenten. Only those who were involved in the mission are allowed to know that information," replied Lee.
"I can confirm he was injured," said Neji nonchalantly.
Tenten was taken aback, "How do you know that?"
"Aside from various lacerations and a mended rib that looked to have healed poorly before being properly treated, he has been favoring his right foot since he returned. I am able to see with my byakugan that he sustained serious burns – probably from an electrical discharge based on the burn patterns and the fact that he is highly resistant to fire due to his chakra nature."
Lee nodded, "I could tell Gai-sensei was favoring his foot too, but I did not know why."
Tenten looked between the two. She hadn't noticed Gai was walking any differently than usual, but she suspected that was because both Lee and Neji were more taijutsu based than she and were trained to analyze their opponent's stance or gait in order to find any weakness. "He's been injured on a mission before – but that's never slowed him down. Why is this any different?"
"Maybe he was not the only one who was wounded?" asked Lee.
"Or the mission was a failure," stated Neji coolly.
The hair visibly stood on the back of Lee's neck, "Neji, Gai-sensei would never fail at a mission!"
"I didn't mean anything by it," said Neji who raised his palm in a gesture of peace. "But something might have happened outside of his control."
Tenten crossed her arms in contemplation, "Was he the only one assigned to the mission?"
"Again, it was an S-ranked mission, Tenten. We have no way of knowing," said Lee.
"Ugh, you two are no good at gossip," sighed Tenten in frustration.
Lee shrugged, "You could always ask him. He said if we have any team concerns that we should bring it to his attention immediately."
Tenten looked between Lee and Neji and seeing no argument in either of their expressions she stepped forward. "Gai-sensei?" she called.
The jounin's eyes didn't leave the map, "Yes, Tenten?"
She placed her hands on her hips in defiance, "You have been moody since we left Konoha, and you've been pushing us like a slave driver - eh, at least, more than usual." She looked to her comrades behind her before returning her stare to the back of Gai's head. "So, we want to know if there is something wrong." Tenten's resolve began to crumble seconds after she was finished talking. She was expecting for Gai to spin around with this hands in the air and tears streaming down his face, all the while blurting out some overemotional apology for having worried his precious students. But instead, his only reaction was the slight drop of his shoulders and a long, deep sigh.
"I'm sorry to have worried you three," he said as he lowered the map. "I'm on edge because I was in the middle of something important back at Konoha and I had to leave suddenly because of this mission. Though my duty as a shinobi of Konoha and being your sensei are two of the most important things in my life, I had made a promise and it bothers me greatly not being able to keep it." He turned to Tenten and the look in his expression made her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. She had only seen that expression on her usually jovial sensei once before, and that was when they had learned the severity of Lee's injuries after he had been examined by Tsunade for the first time.
"Someone got hurt, didn't they?" asked Tenten softly as her teammates moved to either side of her.
"That is correct," answered Gai as he tried in futility to fold the map neatly. "A friend and comrade of mine put herself in harm's way to protect me from a blow that should have killed me. It nearly cost her her life, and I promised I would be there to offer my support during her rehabilitation." He grunted in frustration before shoving the now crumbled map into a vest pocket.
Gai's words were not lost to his teammates. "Her?" the three asked in unison.
Their sensei looked confused by their question, "Yes, 'her'. She is a woman after all."
Two sets of brown eyes and one set of white eyes looked at each other incredulously. The three genin knew Maito Gai had friends who were women - or at least "acquaintances" that were of the feminine persuasion like Kurenai and Anko, but he had never spoken of them in a direct and concerned manner before. In addition, for someone to put themselves in the way of a killing blow at nearly the cost of their own life told the three students that this woman must have been a very close friend of their teacher's. And if she was as important to Gai as she appeared to be, then they should be concerned for her too.
"Is she going to be alright?" asked Tenten gently.
Gai wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his arm, "Tsunade-sama has assured me that she would recover. But I would feel more comfortable if I saw it with my own eyes."
"If the Hokage-sama says she will be fine, then she will be," said Neji calmly. "When it comes to medical prowess, The Fifth is unmatched in this world." But the man who always appeared to be looking forward continued to stare solemnly at the ground; the Hyuuga's words falling on deft ears. He had made a promise and his students new their sensei was a man of his word. If he couldn't come through on his promise, they feared what his self-imposed punishment would ultimately be.
Tenten quickly stepped forward and took the map from Gai's pocket before he could protest. "Neji, use your byakugan and see if Taga Pass is open."
"Right," said Neji as the veins began to bulge on the sides of his face.
Tenten unfolded the map delicately and surveyed their route. "Lee, go refresh our water canteens. We'll need them to be full if we want to avoid having to take as many rest stops."
"Roger!" saluted Lee as he grabbed the containers and ran to find a fresh spring.
Gai looked down at his pupil, a bit surprised at her ability to take command so easily. "Tenten?" he asked softly.
The girl smiled, "It's okay, Gai-sensei. We'll try to get you back home as soon as possible." She gave him a wink and a small thumbs-up, "A promise is a promise."
Glad to see he had been able to teach his students more than just taijutsu, a grin crept over the jounin's face. "Thank you very much," he said gratefully.
"Tsunade said you failed the endurance test."
Hani covered her mouth and swallowed her food before speaking, "I was able to run the full distance, but the test results showed that the scar tissue was making my heart work harder than it needs to." She took a piece of sweet potato from her lunch with her chopsticks. "It's nothing, Grandma. You know Tsunade, she's just being overly cautious."
The white-haired, outwardly youthful-appearing woman who sat on the end of Hani's bed leaned back against the footboard. "A heart attack is hardly nothing," she said in a soft, musical voice.
Hani nearly choked on her food. "Damn that Tsunade," she coughed. "I told her not to tell you!"
The older woman closed her eyes and smiled as she reached behind her and took the clipboard from the end of Hani's bed. "She didn't have to. You forget I have been a doctor for many decades, Little One."
Knowing she didn't have a leg to stand on, Hani held her tongue as her grandmother looked over the paperwork.
A young nurse leaned in through the doorway of Hani's room, "Madame Tenmei-sama? Your patient is early. I told her to wait for you while you finished up here."
"Ah, she is always early. Thank you," smiled the white-haired woman. She returned her attention to the clipboard. "They will be discharging you tomorrow with strict instructions to return for treatment."
Hani nodded in understanding.
"Shizune is very talented," praised Tenmei after reading the report further. "I feel better knowing you are in her hands for those treatments."
"Good," said Hani. She looked down at her chest and lightly rubbed the pink, healing scar tissue. "While she is at it, I'll ask her to take care of this too."
Tenmei placed her elbow on the top of the footboard and gracefully rested her head on a closed fist. "She will likely not do anything for it."
Hani's shot her grandmother a confused look, "Why on earth not?"
"For one, it would be considered cosmetic, and there is a strict rule that medical-nin are not to use resources for cosmetic reasons." After noticing the downward look on her granddaughter's face, Tenmei quickly offered some hope. "However, there is no policy against a medic-nin doing it in their own free time and at the cost of the patient. You could always ask Shizune, and if she is willing, she is one of the most skillful people available for the job, besides Tsunade."
Hani rubbed the tender flesh over her chest again, "What about you, Grandma? Would you be willing?"
Tenmei pursed her lips as she took a long breath through her nose. The truth of the matter was that there was nothing that could be done, save using some forbidden jutsu, for the scar tissue on Hani's chest and back. If the wound was still fresh, then possibly. But after a few weeks worth of healing, it was far too late to do anything about it now. However, the scar tissue on her heart was a different matter - that organic material was very different from a person's skin and it could potentially be manipulated with a chakra scalpel and other therapy. But cutting away at scar tissue on the skin would only leave more scarring. Though it could be decreased some, it could never be returned to a pristine condition.
"I'm afraid my chakra control isn't what it used to be. I wouldn't feel comfortable with something so important to you," said Tenmei not able to bring herself to tell her granddaughter the truth.
Hani traced a finger over the thick line between her breasts one last time, "There isn't anything that can be done for it is there, Grandma?"
Tenmei lifted her head off her hand slightly in surprise. "Was I that obvious?" she asked with a small, proud grin. "Or have you gotten that much better at reading people?"
"I guess the latter," chuckled Hani. "Though, you stating that your chakra control is subpar - you couldn't have honestly thought I would fall for that one, did you?"
"Haha!" laughed Tenmei lightly. "I suppose I can't use the 'old woman' excuse for everything, can I?" Her smile widened, "How did you learn to read people so well, Little One?"
Hani gave her a good-humored smile, "From you, of course."
Tenmei's smile widened, "That's true. However, with all of my experience in reading the behaviors and hidden intentions of people, there is one thing I haven't been able to figure out."
Hani placed her chopsticks on the side of her plate, "Oh? What would that be?"
Placing her head back on her hand, Tenmei asked her next question carefully, "Why did you step in front of the sword to protect that man?" She nodded at her granddaughter's mortified expression, "Yes, Tsunade did indeed tell me that as well."
"I," said Hani with a moment of consideration for her answer. "I didn't want for the mission to be a failure. It's our clan's laws that we must do everything within our power to ensure that a mission does not fail."
The older woman nodded, "That's true. But by the point in which you were stabbed, the mission was already over. There would have been no failure if you had let the jounin get stabbed instead of you."
Feeling the unwavering, purple gaze of her grandmother, Hani fought the need to fidget nervously. She knew that every uneven breath she took, every idle motion of her body, speaking in a tone a bit higher or lower than normal, or even the direction her eyes looked when she spoke would be a glaring tell her grandmother would pick up on immediately. Lying to this woman was nearly impossible and could only be done by someone who made no uncalculated movements, and was able to devoid themselves of all emotion.
When Hani was a child, she would always confess when she was in trouble. She learned early that her grandmother would be lenient if she told the truth - using positive reinforcement to encourage her to be honest again in the future. By the time Hani was 12, she had already been taught extensively on how to identify another person's tells. With that knowledge, she has been able to modify her own technique and be able to pass a lie to just about anyone. But never in her entire lifetime, has she been able to tell a lie to her grandmother. All the woman need do was ask the question and regardless of what the person said, Tenmei would already have her answer. Hani was simply grateful that her grandmother had asked her an open-ended question that left her room for interpretation.
"I guess I was being a reckless fool," she said looking down at her hands as she ran the fingers of one over the other.
Tenmei tilted her head, "Interesting."
"I knew that if we didn't get the sword away from the samurai, then we were both dead." She sighed in defeat, "And I played the odds - I hoped that he wouldn't hit me in a vital area, and I would be able to use my crystal technique to secure the sword away from him so my partner could finish him off." She frowned, "I rolled the dice and luck didn't favor me." She noticed the slight narrowing of her grandmother's eyes. "And even though the mission turned out to be a complete farce, if my partner and I were both killed, no one would have been the wiser. If at least one of us survived, then the story of what happened would be shared, and our reputation wouldn't be ruined."
The older woman watched her for a moment before looking down at the clipboard. "I suppose that is an acceptable answer," she said with a smile. "I'll be sure to inform Tsunade that she has nothing further to worry about."
Hani resisted the urge to sigh in relief at Tenmei's response. She hadn't lied to her grandmother - only told her part of the truth. And Hani knew her grandmother was aware of that fact. But the older woman was satisfied with her answer ... for now. And fortunately Tsunade knew all too well Tenmei's ability to identify lies and would believe whatever the elderly woman told her.
Tenmei stood and placed the clipboard back on the foot of the bed, "Be sure to eat the rest of your meal, Little One. Your body has been through a great deal, and needs the nourishment." She leaned forward and placed a light kiss on Hani's forehead, "I will be back to pick you up tomorrow and help you get settled back into your apartment."
"Yes, Grandma," smiled Hani as she took the hand that lovingly caressed her cheek.
Tenmei grinned, "That's a good dear." She stroked the side of Hani's face with her thumb one last time before turning to leave. "By the way, those white lilies are beautiful," said Tenmei as she indicated the flowers next to Hani's window.
"Oh, yes they are," smiled Hani a bit awkwardly. "I'm not sure who brought them, though. They were here when I woke up after the endurance test."
"Lilium candidum," said Tenmei softly. "They represent chastity and purity. Either an innocent gift, or one of the purest feelings." She looked at her granddaughter, "A shame you do not know who gifted them to you. I'm sure it would mean a great deal to them to hear your thanks." She smiled again before bowing her head slightly, "Good afternoon, Little One."
"Bye Grandma," grinned Hani, grateful her grandmother chose not to hang around to further analyze the presence of flowers in her room. It wasn't until both her room and the hall outside of her door had grown quiet before she stepped out of her bed. She cringed at the chills that were sent up her feet from the cold tiled floors of the hospital. Standing fully erect, Hani stretched her hands high above her head, ignoring the pop of protest from her left shoulder - the one her mother had dislocated so long ago that had always been a bit too loose since that incident. She then bent forward, bringing her head as far forward as she could. She could tell her muscles had tightened since she had become injured by Oda. Bringing her forehead to her knees had only ever been limited by her overly-abundant bosom, but now the muscles on the back of her legs were unrelenting. She twisted and turned - using the window's sill as a dancer's barre to bring her legs up one at a time and work on unraveling her muscles.
The hospital outfit she wore, with it's simple cotton, short-cropped pants, and loose, v-neck, long-sleeved shirt, was hideous. And the rough material made her skin itch. But it offered a fair amount of freedom with her movements. And despite her small frame, her bust required her shirt to be two sizes too large in order for it to accommodate her "special needs". As a result, her arms were practically swimming in their sleeves; but the added length helped keep her hands warm amidst the drafty hospital.
After a few minutes into her usual routine, Hani glanced over at the flowers again. Only this time, instead of seeing a simple bouquet, she looked at them with the eye her Grandmother might have. To Hani, one who had only received flowers from people who knew her under an assumed identity, never thought to look further into the meaning of what those flowers meant. They were never meant for her - just a person whom she pretended to be.
She was aware of and had been taught about hanakotoba, the language of flowers, but she had never had a reason to think too much about it. She was watchful of the flowers she received that may have represented hostility like yellow roses, or orange lilies. But she never gave much thought to the other flowers she received.
Usually she would be gifted roses - red, white, pink. Even a yellow tulip, or red camellia. But she could safely say, this was the first time she had ever received white lilies. And this was the first time that Hani, as herself, had been given a bouquet as well.
She smiled thoughtfully as she leaned into the flowers and smelled lightly at their scent. She knew with all certainty that it was Gai who had brought those flowers for her. And given that fact, Hani also suspected that Gai had gone into the local flower shop and was talked into buying whichever flowers were about to pass their shelf life. Hani also guessed that the concept of flowers having hidden meanings was more than likely entirely foreign to him. So any potential meaning the flowers might have was probably unintended.
Carefully, Hani brought a finger to one of the petals and stroked its fuzzy, top layer gently. Strangely, it reminded her of him and the soft, tender parts of his body that was relatively hairless, like the inside of his arms, the space between his collarbones, and the area just below his ears where it had been her lips that discovered that smoothness.
Hani closed her eyes and sighed in shame as she thought back on the night the two of them had first shared a bed, if only briefly. She didn't regret having been with him intimately. That part she had actually thoroughly enjoyed. Their physical chemistry was ridiculous and she had never been brought to such a height of ecstasy with another man. On their return home, she yearned - almost itched, to experience it again. The times he would carry her to their next stop left her weakened. Not from the exertion of the trip, but from being so close to him; smelling his scent and feeling the rippling muscles under her as she wrapped her arms and legs around his neck and waist.
The morning they spent together before returning to Konoha left her aching more than she could bear. She wanted to touch him and for him to do the same to her. She loved hearing Gai, the strongest man she had ever met, illicit such strong reactions to her every touch. A gasp here; a faint growl there. It was like petting a wild beast that was on the brink of tackling it's tamer out of hunger. She had never felt more in control and she had become drunk on that power. Feeling him quake under her and try to rein in his passion to keep from hurting her only fueled her desires more. She had never been with a man who was so attentive - so thoughtful of her needs and wants. Even the man she had lost her virginity to, though a family friend and someone Hani was very fond of, didn't seem to be as attuned to her as Gai was. And though Hani's mind and spirit were willing amidst the shared warmth of the inn's worn-out bed, her injured body simply wasn't.
No, her regret of their first night together was due to how she had reacted. She had fled from him. Escaped from his warmth and ran out into the cold night where the autumn wind stung her tear-streaked cheeks. She had been terrified of the feelings that were welling up inside of her in that moment. Gai had ruined her. His damnable bowl haircut, caterpillar eyebrows, and annoying sparkling smile had wormed it's way into some recess of her heart and lit the parts she thought to be dead like they were dry kindling. It had always been easy for her to shut out the idea of any romance in her life given her history with men. Her experiences with Nishin alone would be excuse enough for her to turn away from men for the rest of her life. Even Konoha treated her as less than a human. To the village authority she was a trained spy, and a killer. A tool used as a means to an end.
But Gai had treated her like she was a person - someone who had needs, wants, and dreams. Before, Hani believed she would continue through life as a kunoichi, using seduction until menopause would force her into retirement. She then figured she would live out the rest of her life trying to assimilate back into society and pretend that she wasn't a husk of a person who was incapable of feeling. It wasn't much of an existence, but it was one that was expected of ninja who were trained killers. Ones whose eyes stare straight through your core and have lost all traces of an inner light.
The first night Gai and Hani had spent together, Hani realized that she didn't want for any other man to touch her ever again. Like finding out you have been eating a dish prepared the wrong way for years, or worn the most comfortable shirt you have in your entire life; why on earth would you want anything else? If your state of mind in every sexual experience with a man was, 'Just get through this'. Why would you want for anything differently when you finally have an experience that made you think, 'God, I hope this never ends'? That is why Gai corrupted her - brining her to panic and ultimately flee the scene. Every encounter with another man from this point forward would be absolute torture, because she knew it could be so much better if only she was with him.
Hani patted the petal lightly and observed how fast it sprung back. Perhaps it wasn't as near its shelf life as she had suspected? If that was the case, then it's possible the flower shop had too many white lilies in stock, and they were pushing to sell them to make room for other flowers. It was, after all, also the flower one would place on tombstones to symbolize rebirth. So there was never any shortage of white lilies in a shinobi village. Hani brought her finger up to her chin in consideration. The flower shop was owned by the Yamanakas. A clan who knew their flowers well - so much so, their clan symbol was the bush clover flower. Hani would occasionally visit the shop to drop off a few rare flowers plucked from the Hachi clan garden that the shop had commissioned. And though she never purchased flowers there, the employees did seem to be very knowledgeable on which flowers were best suited for the occasion. So, it's possible they did help Gai pick these flowers out. 'Either an innocent gift, or one of the purest feelings'. Her grandmother's words rang in her ears, bringing her cheeks to blush.
Hani covered her face and stood up as she shook her head out of bewilderment. She cursed inwardly at the faint fluttering in her stomach. 'I'm not some child,' she thought. 'Why am I acting so silly? Gai probably just bought the flowers because they were on sale, and that's all.' She took a long breath, steadying her nerves. "Don't read too much into it, Hani," she whispered to herself. But after a few silent moments, she dropped her hands slowly. "Speaking of which," she said softly. "I haven't seen him all day."
Normally Gai was in the hospital 10 minutes before visitation to pester the staff into letting him in early. After visiting Hani for a hour he would leave to train. He would then return again in the evening and plead with the staff to let him stay just a bit longer past visitation. When he visited they would talk about simple things like Gai's team, or life at the academy when he was young. Or Gai would come into her room and plop down on the visitor's chair and pout about losing some challenge he had with the Copy-Ninja Kakashi Hatake.
But they didn't just talk about Gai, they would also discuss different aspects about her life. Gai was interested in learning about her and would ask questions about her interests, hobbies, childhood, etc. When he would ask her to tell him more about herself, she'd often respond with, "Oh, you don't want to hear about that." To which he would enthusiastically insist that he was, in fact, very interested. It was so foreign to her to be able to share her life with someone else so openly. She had been use to pretending to be someone else for so long, she had to stop herself from getting fiction mixed up with fact when recalling different facets of her life.
Hani noted Gai sidestepped questions about her past while working at Nishin's brothel. Which was probably for the best. It wasn't something she liked to talk about, and she couldn't imagine it was something Gai would want to hear about either. He knew that she had a history there and he had a general idea on what went on, and that was probably more information than he wanted to know.
Hani sat on the edge of her bed and looked out her window. 'I hope he's alright,' she thought. 'Could he have been called away on a mission?' It was certainly possible, but who could she ask that would be safe?
In response, there was a faint knock on her door causing Hani to jump slightly. "Come in," she said, knowing it wasn't Gai. When that man knocked on a door, he did it so hard, the acorns that had dropped from the tree that door was made of shuddered.
"Good afternoon, Hani-san," came a polite voice.
Hani turned to see a tall, brunette kunoichi coming through the doorway. "Good afternoon, Shizune-san. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Shizune, who was carrying a hefty stack of files sat them down on the end table roughly before slumping down on the edge of her bed. "Phew," she sided. "What a busy day it has been. Tsunade-sama has given me most of her workload." She brushed a hand through her hair to fix a few stray strands, "I'm here for your first treatment."
Hani looked at the woman thoughtfully. Though she had never known Shizune well, they had crossed paths a few times as children and she had always been kind to Hani. She was sweet, loyal, and talented; but quick to complain. "I'm sorry to be a trouble, Shizune-san. Would you like to hide out here for a while to relax? I'm not in any rush to start the treatment."
"Oh, bless you," sighed Shizune as she leaned against Hani's footboard and covered her eyes with the crook of her arm.
"Do you want some tea biscuits?" asked Hani as she handed Shizune the tin her grandmother had brought her. "There are a couple left - my grandma made them and she's an amazing cook."
Shizune smiled gratefully and took a proffered cookie, "Bless you again."
"My pleasure," smiled Hani. In all honesty, her motives were not entirely unselfish. She didn't want the one to be performing her chakra heart surgery to be frazzled and emaciated. "So, Shizune, is this treatment dangerous?" she asked cautiously.
"Oh, absolutely," said Shizune as she munched on a biscuit. "If the chakra scalpel is a little too much one way or the other, it will destroy the valve all together causing a massive heart attack. You'd be dead in about two minutes." She waved dismissively, "But you'll be fine. That would only happen if the one doing the treatment doesn't know what they're doing."
Hani's eyes were already twice their normal size by now at Shizune's deadpan response. A weak "Oh," was all she managed to say.
Suddenly noticing the blonde's distress, Shizune quickly swallowed her food and interjected her next statement, "You'll be perfectly fine. I've done this procedure a number of times and the scarring on your valve is very superficial. We scheduled 5 treatments, but I'm pretty confident I could fix it in 3, if not 2."
"Oh, thank goodness," said Hani a bit more relieved.
Shizune patted her on the knee, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."
"I appreciate it," said Hani with a small bow. She considered her next question and how to word it very carefully, "Shizune, I wanted to be sure Maito Gai had all of the facts straight for the report on our mission, but I haven't see him today. Did he get assigned a mission?"
"Yes, he did. Tsunade-sama wanted him and his team to find a missing courier ninja. They could be gone for days. I'm sure Tsunade-sama won't mind the report being a bit late given the circumstances."
Hani sighed in relief.
"Well, we might as well get started," said Shizune who stood and brushed off any crumbs from her clothes.
"What do you need me to do?" asked Hani.
"Lie down and make yourself comfortable. This will probably take around 15 minutes."
Hani pulled up the blankets of her bed and pulled them up to her waist. She then laid back against her pillow and willed her limbs to not shake from anxiety.
Shizune noticed her uneasiness, "Would you like a mild sedative?"
"Oh, I don't think that's necessary," said Hani with a small smile. "I just need to relax."
"Okay, but it's extremely important that you don't move suddenly. This procedure is a bit like trying to clip the wings of a fairy dancing on the head of a pin."
Hani wanted more than anything to tell the brunette kunoichi that she wasn't helping, but she thought better of it. "My grandmother said she had confidence in you, so I will too."
Shizune froze, "Madame Tenmei-sama said that?" She grinned brightly, "I'm so glad!"
Hani closed her eyes and chuckled lightly at her renewed enthusiasm. After a few moments, she heard Shizune speak, "I will begin." And with that, Hani felt a warm palm press gently on her sternum, and the tingling sensation of Shizune's chakra creeping into her system. It was an odd sensation - not exactly unpleasant, but definitely not good either. If Hani had to compare it to anything, it felt as if a spider had crawled its way into one of her heart's valves and was twiddling away at some chore. The thought of that imagery would have made Hani shudder if wasn't for the fear that such a reaction might come at the expense of her life.
It wasn't until 14 minutes had passed and Hani had finally adjusted to the treatment that something happened. Shizune was just in the process of dissipating her chakra when Hani felt a sensation in her chest like her heart had dropped to the pit of her stomach. It was so sudden and startling that the wind was knocked out of her. "Guh!"
"Hani!" called Shizune as she roared her healing chakra back into the woman out of fear of a second heart attack.
For just a flash, Hani's perception was in a different place. Where she had originally been lying on a hospital bed, she was now floating in a pool of murky water. The sky was gray, with a roaring, angry storm that stretched from one horizon to the next. Hani only had a moment to see her surroundings before a dark, necrotic hand reached up from the water at her side, wrapped itself around her chest and wrenched her down into the water in one quick stroke. The next instant, Hani came to in her room, screaming and pushing Shizune's arm off of her, and rolling off the bed to the floor.
"Hani!" called Shizune as she hurried around the bed to the frantic woman. "It's alright, it's alright!"
Scared and confused, Hani's eyes searched wildly around the room, then shifted to the startled hospital staff that rushed the doorway.
"Is everything alright?" shouted one of the orderlies.
"Yes, everything is fine. Sorry to startle you," said Shizune in a calm tone. She knelt down to Hani and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You're okay, Hani. You're safe. You just had a really strong heart palpitation - your heart skipped a beat and that made you black out for a second, but it's okay."
Trembling, Hani looked up at the dark eyes of the kunoichi who knelt next to her.
The nightmares had returned.
