Normal
"Speech"
Thought
Kyuubi
Warning: I do not own Naruto. Rated "M" for language and adult themes.
Chapter 49: Very little time
Sakura turned Myra over to assess the damage. There was no sign of bleeding or trauma, it looked like a minor bump on the head and surface scratches. Myra was breathing normally, but she was unresponsive to any stimuli.
Poe hopped to the other side of Myra. "How is she?"
Sakura jumped slightly at the sound of Poe's voice in her mind. "She is bumped and bruised, but she seems to be ok. I think Myra has a concussion."
"The unfortunate thing is, Child, it is more than a concussion. It is not something that you can heal." Poe tilted her head.
"What can I do for her?" Sakura pleaded.
"I do not know if anything can be done. Myra is lost. She must find herself and return on her own." Poe looked over to the edge of the forest near the lake and took flight. The raven disappeared in the tree tops.
"Lost? Lost where?" Sakura seemed shocked.
"Don't fret about it now Sakura, we need to get Naruto and Myra back to the village. Naruto should come around in a few minutes. He isn't as hurt as Myra is." Rai was upset, but still staying calm.
"Poe said Myra was lost, what does that mean?" Sakura asked tentatively.
Rai scooped up his daughter's limp body. "I will get Myra back to the hospital. You bring Naruto and the kids."
"Rai-sama, please tell me. I want to know how I can help."
"Myra's spirit has been separated from her body. I'm not going to lie to you, it doesn't look good. I just hope when Naruto wakes up we can find out what happened."
0 - 0 - 0
"Wake up Brat!"
"What did you do?"
"That isn't important, you need to wake up."
"You attacked her! Why!? Why would you do that? Do you really hate everything that much?"
"It was an accident Naruto. I didn't mean to harm her."
The cage came into focus. Standing behind the gates was a sad looking Fox demon. "I didn't want to hurt Myra." The great beast turned away from the bars and sulked at the very back of his cage.
Naruto stood on the other side of the bars, eyes wide with shock and confusion. "Then what the HELL happened?"
"I touched her." There was resounding regret in the Fox's tone.
"Touched her? More like you slammed her across the clearing. She was unconscious, for all I know she could be dead! And here I am stuck with YOU! I wish I never met you!"
"I have caused you pain and misery, and I do not regret it. You are my prison, and it is my duty as your captive to torment you."
"FUCK YOU!"
"I deserve that."
Naruto stood before the cage dumb struck. "Who are you? And what have you done with the Fox?"
A large vain began to bulge over the Fox's eye. "Do not make me explain everything. You just need to wake up."
Naruto's eye popped open. His eyes focused on a concerned looking Sakura. Naruto sat up and regretted doing it so fast.
"Don't move so quickly. How do you feel?" Sakura was calm, but Naruto knew her well enough to know, something was wrong.
"Where is she?" Naruto looked around.
Sakura looked away from Naruto. "Rai-sensei has taken Myra back to the village. We are to finish packing and head back."
Naruto hung his head. "It's bad isn't it?"
"Don't think about it now, let's get back to the village and we can worry about it then." Sakura stood up.
Naruto grabbed her wrist. "Don't lie to me Sakura."
Sakura didn't smile. "It's not good Naruto."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Myra opened her eyes and immediately closed them again. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the intense sunlight beaming down on her. She allowed her eyes to re adjust to the blinding light. When Myra's vision came into focus, she was lying in on a hard stone surface. She shook her head to clear out the cob webs and focus on what had happened.
The Ravenheart girl looked around and did not recognize her surroundings. She was at the base of a Shinto temple she had never seen before. "Where am I?" She thought, not expecting an answer.
Standing at the top of the steps was a woman dressed in a blood red kimono. She was statuesque, with long black hair, and very violet eyes. "We are at the Uchiha family shrine, Myra. We are here so I may show you."
"Show me what?" Myra was standing up.
"It is time for you to know."
Myra walked the last remaining stairs to stand next to the woman. "I hate this cryptic bullshit."
"Truth be told, I did not care for it much either. Life is a journey, not a destination." The woman shrugged.
"You sound like Poe." Myra crossed her arms.
"It should sound like Rhyme. It is something she told me a long time ago." The woman put a hand on Myra shoulder. There was a warm familiar sensation that tingled through Myra.
"Am I dead?" Myra looked a tad frightened.
"No, dear child, but you are in the Ethereal. And here you must stay until I have told you all I need to tell. I do not have much time." The woman gestured to enter the temple.
"Who are you?" Myra tilted her head.
"I am Miyako Uchiha. Or, I should say, I am the remnant of Miyako Uchiha, placed within you to give you the tools you will need to do what you must. Come, we must enter the temple." They started walking.
"Gramma?" The Ravenheart girl raised an eyebrow.
"Great grandmother actually." Miyako pushed open the door. "Come, we have much to discuss, and very little time."
Myra stood outside the doors of the temple, hesitant to go in. "Are you sure I'm not dead?"
"For the last time, you are not dead. If you must know, you are very much unconscious. If Fox had not given me the nudge I needed, I would not be able to speak with you." Miyako pulled Myra inside the temple.
"Nudge? That was a nudge? Felt more like a bus." Myra rubbed the back of her head. They were standing in the main temple. Miyako put her hands together as if praying and bowed. She stayed that way until Myra got the idea and did the same. The both stood up together.
"It was more like he allowed me the energy needed to warn you." The woman walked farther into the temple.
Myra followed. "Warn me about what?"
Miyako stopped walking and gazed at the floor. "I must warn you of the Old One. He is going to try and do what he failed to do eighty years ago."
"Ok… Who is this… Old One?" Myra raised an eyebrow.
Miyako took a deep breath before she turned to Myra. "His name is Madera and he was consumed by Power and Greed. He was a co-founder of Konoha, the founder of the great Uchiha clan and the master mind of the Uchiha massacre. He was supposedly defeated at the Valley of the End, but it was not so.
"Madera survived using a jutsu that forced his spirit into another. Early on, he found that the only a blood relative could contain his spirit for any length of time. Madera has forced his will upon Uchiha after Uchiha using the body until nothing was left.
"The body that currently contains Madera is dying. He is in need of another body and he will need it soon. Originally, the Uchiha massacre was to serve two purposes. One: Madera's sick and twisted way of weeding out those he thought inferior. Two: Revenge on the family that abandoned him. Madera created the unrest in the Uchiha family. Madera whispered to council the notions the family had to be stopped to avoid open civil war.
"He even went as far as to pick Itachi to be the instrument of his evil plot. Itachi was supposed to be Madera's next victim. However, Itachi had other plans. It was Itachi that spared Sasuke in the hopes that he would one day rid the world of Madera's evil. Itachi wasn't able to warn Sasuke until it was too late. The last male Uchiha almost fell victim to Madera's evil darkness, but something kept Madera at bay.
"You did well to fan the flames of hope within Sasuke, but in doing so you have made Madera aware of you. You are in grave danger Myra. Madera will stop at nothing to have you. Stay close to Naruto, the Fox, and Sasuke."
"Hold it! Why does this Madera person want me?"
"Think girl! Besides the fact that you have Uchiha blood running in your veins, you have a power which he has always coveted. Your will is strong, but his is stronger. He could take possession of you. Or, he would only have to wait but nine months. Madera has waited more than twenty years for a new body, what's another nine months."
"That's just gross... On several levels." Myra looked disgusted.
"There is more."
"MORE! I don't know if I can handle more." Myra slouched and put her head in her hand.
"The Fox... How is he?" There was a sad look in Miyako's eyes.
"I don't know. Wouldn't you need to ask him that question?" Myra turned head to look away.
"He was not always a vicious demon. He was once a benevolent protector of humanity. But he was betrayed by humanity and he now despises the life he once protected." Miyako hung her head.
"Let me guess... Madera." Myra groused.
Miyako turned towards the alter of the shrine. "Not entirely. I betrayed him. I led him to Madera, who used his Mangekyo Sharingan to take control of Fox. The Fox became corrupted by Madera's sinister wants and desires.
"I did not want to believe the Fox could do such evil, nor did I ever wish to witness that evil. So I left my family and my home for the safety of a new life. I never forgot my promise to the Fox and I hope he will forgive me for my betrayal."
Myra looked at Miyako with raised eyebrows. "You and the Fox were lovers?"
Miyako smiled wistfully. "I was in love with the man the Fox was. He had become human to learn the human condition and understand what he was protecting. To be human is to understand humanity. We fell in love and here in the Ethereal is where we consummated that love, forever binding us together."
"So what I feel for Naruto is a lie?" Myra looked very angry.
"No, your feelings are very real. Yes they are amplified because I am a part of you and the Fox is a part of Naruto, but they are real and genuine." Miyako clutched at her heart and started to fall. Myra stood up and rushed over to Miyako. The woman in red clutched onto Myra.
"There is not much time left Myra, you must help Naruto and the Fox become whole. They must reconcile their differences. Only as one can they hope to defeat Madera. And only with Sasuke can he even attempt to try." There was flicker in the dreamscape and Myra could feel her own consciousness coming closer.
Mirako pulled Myra closer to her. "I will not be able to help you again. My purpose was to warn you and guide you from afar. Have Sasuke teach you the ways of Sharingan, it will keep you from Madera's grasp."
Myra started to cry. "No… Don't go yet, I'm not ready for this."
Miyako put her hand on Myra's cheek. "You must be ready. Stay safe my daughter and keep those you love safe."
The woman in the red kimono faded into bright sparkles that floated around Myra for a moment. One by one, the twinkle of lights were absorbed into Myra. Myra clutch at her own heart and understood. Miyako had always been there watching and guiding her. Myra shut her eyes and took a deep breath.
When Myra opened her eyes they focused on the darkness of the sterile room. There was no light in the room, except for the pale moonlight casting shadows on white walls. The beeping of the monitor assaulted her ears. Myra took another deep breath and slowly sat up.
0 – 0 – 0
The nurse's station in the ICU ward at night was usually calm and nothing happened. Ino yawned and stretched to get the kink out her back. It had been a long three weeks for everyone. Sakura had been taking extra duty at the hospital to keep an eye on the sleeping Myra. The hardest hit had been Naruto. He would come in everyday after training alone, stay with Myra for a few hours, then leave. The only time Naruto hadn't come to visit was when he was on a mission for a few days.
Rai-sensei had brought Sephie and Gaara, who seemed inseparable in the last few weeks, to visit every few days. The only person Ino couldn't place was the old woman. She seemed familiar, but every time Ino had tried to get a good look at the woman, her face would become lost in the crowd.
Ino pick up the clip board and went to check on the few patients in the ward. Myra was the last room on the left. As Ino got closer to the room, something felt strange. The blonde girl quickened her pace when she heard the shrill single note of Myra's monitor. Her heart had stopped. Ino rushed into the private room to find the window open, and Myra gone.