Time Out!
I awoke stiff, the lids of my eyes stuck so tight that they shuffled open struggling to focus the light. The blaring colours of white and grey meld to form an indistinct world, their intensity hurting the muscle around my eyes as I darted my view from left to right. Even though the air settled within the room with a calm cooling, the pain of this gust narrowed my vision and momentarily stung the pupils of my eyes. Still the room hung around me like the hangman's noose, I wanted to see where I was, I needed to know, this struggle filled my aching chest with panic as I drew a breath. I trifled with the irritation in my throat, refusing to cough the annoyance away, not willing to let my awareness alert the bodies I could see move in my unfocused sight. Moments, only seconds; pulled the wagon of time into an eternity, the horsemen of fear driving my pulse down a road of phantom horrors as the gauntlet extended forever onward to my approaching Time snuffed Out.
"Argies?" Hinata stopped tapping her fingers once she realised he was awake, calling out his name so that everyone knew that the worry was over.
He looked at her, his vision once again clear, and he caught the worry on her face. The worry that was in everyone's posture, instead of reassurance the room held a sense of peril that did not fill him with ease and his momentary calm on hearing her voice returned to anxiety. A foreboding withdrawn atmosphere; they were not sitting by his bed side but instead away from him, on the far wall, standing by the window, looking out, looking down, looking away from Argies, not in conversation, all with a mourning sorrowful mood. Coughing, he quickly counts how many were there, not trusting his mind to be able to construct the correct number. 'Kiba, Shino, Hinata. Team 8. Tenten, Shikimaru, Fuma, Taka. Genjuu?' His eyebrows lifted, alert to this new detail, Genjuu was in a bed next to him, unconscious. Nobody said anything until it suddenly dawned on him…
"Sasuke" Argies just manages to croak "What did I do?" His face turns from worry to guilt as he tries to pull the blankets off himself to get up, but on moving he realises just how weak he is. He feels his gut knot and his body cramp to the sudden movement, but a hand settles him back down.
"Stop worrying" The voice says with frustrated anger "Everyone is fine, you didn't do anything" Shikamaru says from behind gritted teeth, lowering his face and voice so that only Argies can hear.
"But…"Argies protests even as his muscles strain and cut off his words.
"You didn't do anything." Shikamaru reiterates his mood grim.
The door to Argies ward suddenly opened, the room was too large for a hospital and Argies began to understand why his fellow friends were so tense.
"Next!" The voice called from outside the room and Sasuke entered handing a card to the next to be interrogated; Shino.
…
"What happened in the forests" The arms and hands of the interrogator were the only part of him that Shino could see, but he stared forward to where his eyes were anyway.
Shino's dark glasses gleamed, the blinding light from the overhead lamp flashed off his lenses and scattered fragments of clues across the room. "Our comrade Argies was injured, how do I know this, he is currently incapacitated and confided to bed" He didn't let on that Argies had attack them, or their possible prohibited game of bukijutsu and ninjutsu combined.
"Explain, how was he injured" The tattoo's on the man's bare arms are new to me, I cannot identify who they are from, perhaps someone from the prison sector.
"There are things we do and do not in the Aburame clan, they upset the Kikaichu(parasitic bugs)." A catalogue of these strange symbols on his arm may lead me closer to finding out who he is, however, right now it is important I appear to be paying attention to what he says and not who he is. "It is my assumption that Argies did something to upset his 'bugs'"
"Upset his bugs, and what 'bugs' are these?" The man was probing, hoping that I revealed more then what he knew, a weak tactic; inexperienced.
"'Bugs a metaphor, an explanation or deeper meaning expressed through the use of a single and direct comparison" I adjusted my glasses, we were describing the same events but were 'adjusting' our explanation using our own characteristics. This protected our deception from discovery and confused the details, however, I suspect there is more to their reasons for interrogating us. It is unusual for them keep us this long for a standard debriefing of accidental injury.
"I know what a metaphor is!" My interrogator slammed his hands down on the wooden table, my bugs didn't like that "What I mean is what does your metaphor mean?" his tone has changed, he knows about my bugs, I see.
"All ninja have different constraints, it is my reasoning that Argies sustained injuries because he did not know or substitute for his constraints during bukijutsu training" My explanation would use the description of bugs, Kiba animals, Shikimaru the consequences of hard work, Hinata weaker clans… we were using a construction of truth, yet, we presented it from the viewpoint of experience not a script.
"What were you doing in the forest when Argies succumbed to this condition?" It was decided that we would respond with the same reply to this question of interrogation, the wisdom of anthroposophy (human behaviour) explained by Shikimaru; people generalised their thought in particular of phrases and events.
"We were holding a tournament of bukijutsu, we wanted to see who was the best" My mind wanted my arms to fold to the deception in my words, but that was another telling behaviour of a liar. Our Buki-ninjutsu contest was never offered to use by the lessons of The Bow Staff, we did not know if this is the reason for our scrutiny.
The questions continued, I tallied them and answered while thinking back on what really happened in the forests.
…
With Kiba struck down, Tenten and Fuma burnt by Argies jutsu, he spoke but it was not the Argies they thought they knew… not anymore.
"You will singe before me" The voice gargled but it was not Argie's voice. "You will cry for mercy but I will not offer it" It stared out from behind his eyes, pointing with his finger at Fuma and Tenten. "I will suck the chakra from your body until there is none left" It speed forward at an incredible pace, a blinding flash of fury directed at Tenten and Fuma. Knocking aside Tenten it turned to look at Fuma, ready to devour his soul. When without warning…
A Kunai scarred a line down Argies outstretched arm, "No!" It moaned lashing a hand over the grievous cut, blood pouring out the wound like water. Sasuke appeared in the direction of the attack, but the monster that was Argies look at him like looking into the darkness; it could not see him. Turning back to Fuma it received another cut from the Guan Dao he had quickly unsealed. Striking Argies across the chest before Shoved him away with the wood of his weapon, Fuma was unwilling to kill it, he did not want a dead friend.
The creature in Argies snarled as blood poured out of its open wounds, flaring up its chakra even more before enabling its self to rapidly heal. It bit at the air, spit flinging from its open mouth, glaring at Tenten Kiba and Fuma.
"It can only see what has been in its blood" Fuma made the assumption while swinging around the monster, directing himself and the monster away. "And its attraction is exclusive to me" He held his weapon out between him and the beast, arguing with his silver lips and heavy tongue for the hope that a philosophy could fill his predicament. "As the early bird wakes to feast upon the biggest worm, I the worm hope it is not his day" The comrade that was Argies, lashed at the end of Fuma's Guan Dao.
"If it can only see what comes into contact with its blood…" Sasuke picked his kunai off the ground "Then this should allow it to see me" He wiped the kunai off on the back of his hand, watching curiously with Sharingan eyes as the blood misted off finding its way to Argies. Instantly there was a reaction.
"Augh!" It sung with satisfaction, a calm ecstasy overwhelmed it, than it attacked! "Chakra!" The birds of the forests all left their nests to the screech in that voice, that depravity for… "More!"
Sasuke gave the beast no time to react, already running once he realised he could be seen. He had been told to retreat to Shikamaru, so he did. "Do you really think you can hold him?" He offered up his words like a memento of encouragement "'Cause I still think ninja wire would work better" He half grinned.
"Ya, and ninja wire would probably rip his skin to shreds" Shikamaru pressed his fingers into a rat seal "He looks like the kind of creep that would struggle just to make us watch the blood ooze out" The hunger that possessed Argies ran blindly into the Nara's trap, but Shikamaru didn't complete his jutsu until it was fully in the grasp of the shadow's strength. "Shadow possession complete!" He shouted, Argies face contorted with confused anger only a kunai's length away from Shikamaru's pensive concentration.
"Seems like a waste of a chakra, I hardly ever get to use my ninja wire" Sasuke sulked, or at least that was what it sounded like from Shikamaru's point of view as he battled to hold back the beast.
"Can't… hold, he's too strong" Shikamaru's voice strained as well as his forehead "His strength is amazing, Genjuu?" Genjuu was a shallow distance away but he could hear the struggle.
"*Whispers*" The appeal to Genjuu's jutsu, the sound as the fog escaped his whispers. They were ghostly echoes of an unspoken language, which sent shivers down both Sasuke and Shikamaru's turned backs.
A fog collected and came around Argies like a cloud of grey.
"His still going to break free, even with Genjuu, troublesome" Shikamaru was able to ease his breath, but his hands shook and it becoming apparent that his jutsu would break.
Shino came into view out of the forest "Can't we do something more?" his high collar hiding the worry in his voice.
"There may be something I can do" It was Genjuu, speaking with a smile that stretched far beyond the borders of ecstatic despite the struggle in his words. "No not me, the Shades" he stretched his words into an elated wail.
The beast surrounded by clouds, growled at the meat in front of it, the choice cuts he was unable to reach, the feasts that teased the already hungering desire.
"I don't see the problem" Kiba walked over from behind Argies. "Let's just whack him on the back of the head while he can't move" He picked up Akamaru who barked in agreement.
"If we hit him just right, he will lose consciousness without memory loss!" Tenten approved, pressing her hand into a fist ready to do the task right then. "No point in holding him forever, I would only be returning the favour" She had a few minor marks on her check and arms from the knock she received earlier.
"Wait hnn…" Hinata also gathered, but she had nothing to object "Ok, let's hit him" She held her hands together and looked down, submitting to the obvious solution.
Sasuke struck Argies on the back of the head before anyone could add anything more. "What? I don't understand" He hit him again "He can't be knocked out in this state" he said flatly as if it were a fact.
"Really?" Tenten's disbelieve manifest in the cock of her head "Your probably not doing it right, let me show you exactly how to hit someone without causing permanent brain damage" She unsealed a thin wooded pole. Lifting it up she tapped in where she would strike, the point between the neck and skull on the back of the head. Bringing it down she struck Argies with a single powerful slam, shattering the soft cane staff "No? That should have done it" She bit a finger, puzzled.
"Maybe I could…"
"Stop it, you're going to kill him!" Hinata immediate shrunk, he voice still echoed in the distance while everyone looked at her, she did not know where her sudden outburst came from.
In the meantime…
Genjuu pressed his hands together forming a seal, holding it on his lips "Sleepers Arrow!" He whispered loud enough to be heard, an arrow forming in-between his hands. "Fooo" He shot with a buff of breath, the instant the arrow hit, the body of both Argies and Genjuu fell.
Fuma caught his fellow team mate "Where is Taka?" as he spoke Taka came down from the sky, her winds spreading wide as she settled down into a soft landing. "His abilities have weakened him again, too long has he held the candle that the wax has melted away and the wick burns him" He placed Genjuu gently down on the ground.
"I observed from above" Taka's words were cold and detached; she settled her them on her team mate. "The battle was not well and my wings and I could find no weakness in Argies attack, none that once exploited would leave him unharmed" She spoke with a conflicted tone "I am sorry for abandoning you to the battle" but what they said was an apology.
"Apologies from metal to strike to air to wind and sky, you cannot apologise to me Taka" Taka gasped at the sharp meaning of Fuma's words "For you have done nothing wrong" He smiled sheepishly.
"What, you" She knocked the back of her hand to Fuma's gut but muffled her laugher "We should not be joking when Genjuu is so injured, who knows how many days the sickness will take him"
"I would rather have you in the sky advising us in battle from where you are strongest, and Genjuu away in the unseen where he is strong" Fuma looked down on his companion, listening to the others debate on what to do with Argies.
"What was that?" Kiba asked exasperated, still unable to accept the sudden change in Argies personality.
Fuma got up from his kneeled position next to Genjuu "Argies has spoken about this before, that his absorption of chakra possesses his mind in an uncontrollable and maddening manner" He sealed away his weapon, wiping the blood off it as he did. "I had thought that he had learnt to control it, but I have seen it now worse than I saw it before"
"I see…" Shino took comfort from this explanation, understanding Argies like no one else there could "His abilities are much the same as the Kikaichu of my clan's jutsu. Why do I say this, because I also absorb Chakra although I do this throw the capacity of my parasitic bugs" He kneeled down to study Argies closer "If the bugs are not feed properly they react violently, but it is not their fault and I believe this is also not Argies fault"
"What are we going to do about this" Kiba addressed the problem; always able to see and say what the problem, everyone else circumvents, is "He will be accused of disloyalty to his comrades if this story leaked, he would never be allowed into the field again"
Looking down on Argies, Shikamaru stated plainly "We hid it" Looking up he placed his hands into a thinking seal, while looking to each of them wondering 'how could they help'
"And if they find out." Sasuke's voice stretched everyone's necks, they all worried about that possibility. "Our ninja files will be permanently marked as traitors"
Tenten wrung her hands, also feeling the pressure of this sudden scenario tempt her loyalty to an impersonal friend; but a leaf ninja none the less. "If it happens again people will know what the truth is" She felt guilty for it but remained defiant despite that guilt, her life as a ninja was at risk too… everyone's.
"Tenten" Shikamaru uncurled his hands from seal to address the problem; his planning over. "We don't abandon Leaf ninja, not like this when we can prevent it"
Kiba took away the pressure from Tenten, arguing his own doubts. "Hey, I'm as loyal to the Leaf as the next guy, but this is… bad, it could destroy everything" He stroked Akumaru who hung out of his jacket with a worry on his panting face.
"Kiba!" Hinata reprimanded her team mate, suddenly finding the strength to talk in defence of her friend. "What if Akumauru got sick and started attacking everyone." Kiba looked down on Akumaru, seemingly checking to see if he was showing any signs of sickness; the thought alone shaking him. "You would do whatever you needed to do to stop them putting him down; cause his a part of you. This jutsu, whatever it is, is a part of Argies"
Kiba scratched at his check, not knowing where this new Hinata had come from but submitted to the comparison of the situation she provided. "Ya but… your right"
Shikamaru added his own sentiment, sighing. "People often see the Nara clans jutsu as an unholy technique, because it's dark and has a mysterious origin, but it's my jutsu, my clans jutsu. I won't be a ninja without it." He looked to everyone else in the group, hoping they were moved enough to add on.
Taka spread her wings and added her own sympathy "You would think the advantage of flight would make me a value to any team, yet it's because I can fly that they don't want me, because no strategies have been formed around a ninja who has such abilities" She brought her wings around herself, the feeling of rejection being refreshed in her mind because she revealed it to them "Yet I too would not be a ninja without them"
Tenten opened her mouth to speak, seeking redemption from her earlier weakness "I guess if Gai sensei wasn't a Taijutsu specialist, he wouldn't have been interested in a ninja without ninjutsu abilities" she placed her hands on top of each other and rested them on her laps, looking at the ninja around her with hopeful atonement "My ninjutsu is my sealing arts, without them I would be nothing, I wouldn't be a ninja anymore"
"Great, now what?" Sasuke said without any love for the idea, knowing he couldn't back out of something the others were willing for. "We can't hand him in like this, he would just wake up in the same state and our innocent training accident would be revealed as treachery"
"I could…" Hinata offered but broke from her words with nervousness as her confidence departed. "hnn"
Shino stepped forward. "My bugs could drain his excess chakra, however, I would need Hinata to tell me when his physical and spiritual energies have returned to normal" he stretched out his arms at Argies, his sleeves buzzing, waited for Hinata's assist.
"Right!" She confirmed and stood next to him "Byakugan" Her eyes widened and veins budged as she looked at Argies "His chakra networks are white hot" her small voice worried.
"I'm guessing we wouldn't be able to claim it was any normal training accident"
"Arf Arf"
…
"I don't believe them, lying in front of me, but why?" She glared through the glass at Shino as the interrogation proceeded.
"But My Lady, they aren't lying directly to you… they don't even know we are here" Shizune hugged Tonton closer to her, not feeling comfortable with spying on their own shinobi.
"Why would they lie to protect him, could he be threatening them in some way" Shizune tried to voice an objection but the Hokage's words continued to cut her off "No that can't be it, not when his unconscious"
"Perhaps lady Hokage" Tensue submitted "It is some form of higher puppet jutsu that we are unaware of… although how he could use that in his comatose state is beyond my knowledge"
"My lady this is enough!" Shizune scolded, putting down her pig. "How can you be so untrusting of your own ninja?" She questioned while wagging a finger both in thought and disbelief of the Hokage's actions.
"I distrust because I must Shizune." She declared without anger or shouting, but instead solemnly and duty bound. "The ninja of this Village relies on me to make such choices and to take certain tasks underfoot, meaning I cannot fault their loyalty by failing to scrutinise their allegiance. How would it look if I did not at least suspect a traitor when our enemies or allies announce them? After all this village has a past that failed in its suspicions and the Uchiha clan suffered extraordinarily because of it"
"But my Lady… I suppose you are right." Shizune submitted "It would make my analysis of mission duties easier in future if I know which ninja to trust, but wouldn't this mostly be a problem of Elite ninja"
"Yes that's right" The Hokage concurred, folding her arms as she thought out loud. "Ninja such as Gaidra Erito who deal with Diplomacy and elite Anbu training could easily deal a threatening blow to the Villlage, but genin and Chunin are taught the latest ninjutsu's and develop misleading friendships with the next generation of Leaf Shinobi." Her voice turned cold and sharp "We can't allow our Village to raise turncoats, seeding the Leaf with betrayal"
"And you fear Argies to be one of these?" Shizune question as Tonton oinked "Do you really think he could do it, from his academy reports all his teachers remark on his great loyalty."
The Hokage smirked "That's what they said of Uchiha Itachi" Tsunada turned to Tensue who sparked a glare of admiration, for Shino's intellect, as Shino left the interrogation room. "Tensue, I have a special assignment for you"
…
Shino came in through the door handing a ninja ID card over to Hinata, her card "The questions aren't really tough, why do I say this, because the interrogator isn't very experienced" The process was controlled using the Ninja ID. No ninja wanted to lose their card, which was why confiscating it discouraged shinobi from simple avoiding the interrogation by leaving; that and the possible punishment and suspicion of a ninja who evades such things.
I had heard the reason for this system being developed was that a certain copycat ninja would always show up late for his interrogations, like a pet owner who had a dog who really didn't appreciate the vet; Kakashi Hatake.
Shino walked over to the group that was around my bedside discussing two messages in one. After I woke up I told them the way they were behaving was very unnatural and suspicious, so we began to discuss normal things while secretly trying to figure out why they were so suspicious of us.
We spoke about many different things, but using hand seals we said something totally different. We didn't know if anyone was watching us, although even if they were it was hard to read a hand seal. It was taught to use by the Academy, to send messages through symbolic language. It made it a neat way of saying a whole sentence with three figures, yet in such an obscure string of figures that no one unrelated to the conversation could understand. It was a kind of, 'if you knew what it was you wouldn't need to ask' kind of conversation.
"Sorry about this Shino," I consoled Shino as he approached. "I guess the Leaf needs to be strict but I didn't expect them to keep you guys this long" I said but signed 'What did you learn' with my hands forming a series of shapes meaning 'a monkey throwing stones' which was roughly used to speak about many things but in this instance; how a monkey learns to throw stones after you throw stones at it.
Shino came in closer, relying on the concealment of our circle to hid our hidden messages. "Don't worry about it Argies" he said but signed 'I have news' pulling up his long sleeves slightly to reveal the single symbol of bird, which could mean message among other things.
"Hmm, I love you guys" I did not know if I meant that or if it was just a cover by this point, I had mixed feelings. The fact that they were so willing to cover for me and also that they saw me as too weak to help myself. I signed 'What?' again using a monkey seal which generally meant ignorance or sometimes learning.
"It amazes me how easily you show your affection" Shino said but signed, 'The Interrogator is from the seals department' symbolising with the hand seal of ram for interrogator which almost always meant the head of attack or main. The collection of his hand seals were, 'ram writing dragon'.
"We all need to do some training together sometime" Everyone just looked at Kiba, shocked, after what happened in our bukijutsu training I couldn't believe he would even suggest something like that, even as a cover message. He signed, 'seals?' using the symbol of writing which in this instance could only mean seals in connection to the symbol of dragon which meant leader or power, in this instance Dragon meant department seeing as the ram had to be from a department.
"Shikamaru has a game in development" I stopped speaking when Shikamaru shook his head, it seemed this might not be the best time to mention a game that could possibly bring us into further trouble. I signed, 'I don't know anything about seals' I used the monkey again, seemed I enjoyed that symbol, this time in connection to the symbol of writing and ox which weren't the fasters of learners.
"Shikamaru, what is wrong with your game?" Fuma asked with genuine interest to Shikamaru's shaking head, but signed 'It could be chance' with the symbol of a hare and running horse which meant luck or in this case a lack of luck.
"I think I know… what is wrong with Shikimaru's game. He's too embarrassed that I beat him at it" I almost broke our cover by saying what I meant to sign.
"Hey!" Shikimaru shot back before I could even sign something
'I believe I know what it is' I eventually concluded. My monkey symbol was on fire today, I guess it was partly because my hands were too tired to form the other seals in quick succession.
"How about we just do normal training" Tenten seemed adamant about this training thing regardless of the disaster I caused, maybe she just really wanted to beat us. She signed 'What?!' using my favourite symbol in the process.
"I want to fight Sasuke the most, a spar would be nice, how about every month?" I decided why not have two conversations at once and mean it, no point in writing a false message over a real one. I signed, 'The Hokage is suspicious of my abilities' I used the Dragon symbol again but this time without any writing symbol, hoping that they understood exactly who the dragon is.
"I don't know, it seems troublesome" Shikamaru said with a flat tone even as Sasuke jumped at my announcement, I wonder why… was it because I was a terrible chakra sucking monster? Shikamaru signed casually, 'It could be because you are a traitor' which sent confused monkey symbols flying everywhere.
"What! I mean what's so troublesome about sparing" There was no need for Kiba to sign what he was thinking, the colour draining from his face related his shock perfectly clear.
"It would seem that sparing is in our future, however, I hope that it does not end with us in another interrogation hospital conversation" Shino's joke was taken well by everyone else but him, he didn't quit catch the humour in his own statement as he signed, 'We should discuss this later when our symbols can't confuse our understanding'. The collection of his symbols said, 'Together, dog, sunset, writing, confused(ox) monkey' which could be read as 'together, bark, tomorrow, communication, not understanding'
"I know, being a ninja is a confusing world" I voiced on both the behalf of our hidden and verbal conversation "but I hope when next we join for training, there will be a pleasant outcome."
…
I woke in the middle of the night, the sudden bouts of vomit-less vomit kept waking me up. Hospitals always seemed so glamorous in the movies, in books and on get well cards. Yet you came to the hospital when you were seriously ill, injured or nearing death, so why is it that writers think that being ill is so perfect for picnics and tea parties.
My body needed sleep more than usual, the cost of over exhaustion and running my chakra networks with more power than they were able to maintain. My arms and legs still felt heavy and cramped painfully when I moved them. They hurt when I straightened them, yet when I left them crocked they became stiff and locked up hurting too. I hadn't eaten anything in three days, they were feeding me through a drip which basically contained sugar water and a vitamin B solution. There was no need to go to the bathroom, not that I could, because I had a catheter up my penis and very little traveling through my intestines. The worst was the nausea; that sickening queasiness that you are about to throw up at any second, yet somehow it manages to surprise you when you eventually do. That bilious and relentless anti-High, I was tired of it; I felt that if I could just throw up maybe the constant agony of it would just leave me… it never did.
I was lucky that I had company, even if he was unconscious Genjuu who didn't talk anyway when awake, he made the room feel less empty. At times I could just listen to his breathing and find reassurance in it. Now I was awake and there was nothing to do but think.
After the interrogation we were moved into the hospital, which was when all the terribly sharp and uncomfortable instruments were shoved up places you didn't want them to go. While they manipulated my body, cause I couldn't really move it to protest or offer assistance in my care, I wondered why I was being treated so well when I was the focus of so much mistrust. In addition, no one ever told me what happened to Genjuu, I guess it will just have to be something I asked him. No one visited, which I couldn't imagine changing anything soon considering I attacked them. No one asked how I managed to destroy my body so well, which I guessed was a good thing because it wasn't like I could escape that question at the moment.
While I wondered about all these things I heard a knock on the door, I could guess and tell that it was probably two in the morning. "Come in" I said so weakly I thought that something dead had said it, before I realised it was me. "Cough*, uhm come in" I cleared my sore throat, it had been a while since I talked, or even had something to drink that wasn't pumped into me via a drip.
I heard his crutches like a sinister sound out of a scary movie, but I knew who it was even though I couldn't see so well in the dim light "Lee child" I called.
"Argies" He limped placing a knee up on the bed so that it supported his body as he reach out a hand to shake my shoulder. "I have come to talk with my ninja pal so that we might extend the power of youth and heal our bodies" He said in all seriousness and despite how it sounded I felt warmed by his compassion and took a breath in, taking in his enthusiasm.
"Arr Lee child, I've missed you so much" I wanted to lift a hand so I could offer my own rattle of his shoulder, but I could feel the drip's jiggle under my flesh as I shifted my arm around within my blanket; its needle scraping at my flesh causing my to tear. "hoo" I shuddered to the pain "How is your… operation coming along" I asked, not knowing how to term such a thing.
"That is why I am here" He held a fist in front of his face as he bit his lip with a mixed set of anguish and determination. "The Lady Hokage tells me that if I choose the surgery I may die, and I do not know if I could live a life without being a ninja." He closed his eyes and held his fist up a little longer, long enough for me to place a hand on it and open his eyes.
"Have you spoken to Gai about this yet?" Even if I was his friend, this sounded like something life changing, something he should speak to someone very close about.
"No, that is why I am here" He said again. "Lady Tsunada says she wants to study the subject further before I commit to the surgery, the medics have told me in order to bring the fragments of my bone closer to the surface, that I should undergo special training. But" he paused and I could sympathise with the crack in his voice. "But I don't want the surgery"
"That is your choice Lee, you do not have to be able to be a ninja, you could still work as a spy" The thought was ludicrous but I had to offer something, a handicapped civilian would hardly be considered a threat and in theory it could work but still.
"No, that is not why I don't want the surgery" He looked at me deeply, staring at me for a moment. "No, I don't want the surgery until you tell me that you want to train with me again" His voice broke again, which was common with Lee but more touching now than ever.
"Lee I… I never rejected the thought, I know I said some harsh things before I left the Village, but you have always been…" my voice wavered, feeling the emotion and commitment in my words "I will train with you again" and then it dawned on me. "Lee..."
"That is Fantastic Argies!" His voice light up along with is face, before returning to a mute seriousness "What is it Argies, why do you look so surprised"
"Not surprised Lee" I corrected in a daze of brilliance "I think I just had a Eureka moment"
"Well, tell me what it is Argies" He blinked "The suspense is unbearable" He bounced in place which in return bounced my bed up and down making all the squeaky joints well… squeak.
"I don't know if it will help you during the surgery" I quizzed the thought in my own mind as I said it out loud "but after you will be able to use ninjutsus, you will be able to use chakra… well no, maybe I was wrong.. hmm"
"Whaaat!" Lee pressed move of his weight onto my bed.
"Ha, ok Lee I think my Eureka moment was just a farce" He leaned in further and I couldn't risk the bed tipping over, so I killed the suspense. "I was thinking of linking you to my chakra stream, it an ability I haven't been able to test but one I know will defiantly work"
"Linking our chakra?" He paused in thought, reminding me of Naruto for a second before. "Fantastic, I will be joined with the great Argies Chunin of the Leaf"
"Ha ha, is that what they are calling me" I sighed and decided this wasn't such a great idea "Listen Lee, this will not help you at all, I don't even know what it will do to you because you have a damaged chakra networks. The only person I would be helping is me"
He thought on this for a few moments, "Then I must do it, to help my friends is the biggest expression of the power of youth" He wiped a bandaged arm across his face, tears of youth power streaming down his face as he struck a boastfully proud pose.
"I… ok but if it does anything bad I'm cutting the connection" I lifted my other hand out from the blanket, moving my fingers over my palm a few times finding it difficult to activate the chakra breeze technique but eventually generating the stream. "Ok now" I suddenly felt a wave of light headedness but it soon left "Now I need something sharp for a few drops of blood"
"Blood?" He handed me a kunai and offered an arm, deceptively still ninja ready despite his injuries.
"Don't worry it's my blood" I pressed my thumb against its tip and let my blood add to the flow of the chakra stream leaving my hand, lashing the stream under my control. I had limited control over the chakra breeze without my blood in it. "Now where would you like this connection to be?" Not that it really mattered.
"Uhm… the thumbs up!" He brightened shooting up a thumb with a charming smile. "My symbol of commitment"
"Ha, thumbs up hey" I chuckled feeling a little older then I was because of Lee's youth power.
His smile turned serious again "You shouldn't laugh at the thumbs up, it is a commitment of honour and seriousness"
I wiped a cheerful tear from my eye "Ha Seriousness" I instantly lost my laughter and continued the ritual, seriousness indeed. Lifting a shaky hand I placing it on his thumps up, I opened a chakra stream in it. Now controlling my stream I joined it to his. "Agh, there we go" the streams slowly dimmed until they died completely, or so it seemed, they simply became so thin that they could no longer be seen. I took a breath in and bizarrely felt, looser? I did it again. "Wow, it's like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders" if not the most generic thing to say.
"I too feel better" Lee voiced enthusiastically, moving more briskly. "I am sorry Argies but I have to go and see the medical ninja and find when my training will be ready" He hobbled to the door and he did look slightly better.
"Lee just remember the thumbs up, that is where we are connected" I offered if ever in the future my connection to him turned deadly, it would allow him to break the connection as long as he remembered where it was.
"Yes Argies, the thumbs up, my promise to you that I will survive the surgery"
…
That morning another visitor passed my way.
"Kiba!" I shouted as he passed by the door way, hopefully just lost and not on his way to someone else here in the Hospital.
"Argies, you're out for a stroll too?" He jested.
"Ha ha very funny, get over here" I waved my arm in feeling slightly better.
"Boy you look terrible!" Kiba backed away as he got closer to my bed side, grabbing a nearby bucket he turned it upside down and used it as a seat.
"Well thanks, just when I was about to tell you how I'm feeling better" The drips didn't help much to curve your body's natural desire to be filled with something, that hunger made my stomach growl just then… Loudly
"Ha…" Kiba's ears perked as he grinned wide enough to let his fangs show "Want Akumaru and I to get some wing pops for you or something?" Akumaru pocked out of Kiba's jacket on the mention of wing pops.
"Arf! Rrruf" his barks echoing around the hospital's white walls, floors and corridors.
"Akumaru!" Kiba scold in a hushed whisper "I told you not while we're in the hospital, we are going to get so caught" I couldn't help chuckle along to the scene, from behind it must have looked like Kiba was talking to his belly.
"I would have surmised that they would let a tracking ninja take his hound anywhere" Fuma didn't have this problem however, already being introduced to Akumaru. "The ninja with a tool would be foolish to leave it behind when venturing along any journey" he offered his wisdom, popping his words with meaning and humour.
"Hey Akumaru isn't a tool" Kiba turned around, not quit offended but holding a hint of annoyance for it "His a ninja"
"Hmm" Fuma appeared to reconsider, placing a hand to his chin "Then maybe when Argies chooses teams for future missions, he should consider selecting Akumaru and leaving the master behind" Fuma was trying hard not to break his face with a smile, but with a nudge from Taka his mute expression broke into a grin.
"Hey!" Akumaru whined questioningly to his master's objection, my thought was that he was thinking of that possibility himself.
"Good to see you are livelier" Fuma said tilting his head to Taka "From the days before, and how is Genjuu? Have you been watching over him as he rested?" Taka whispered in his ear as he talked. I considered who I should address not knowing where this message was from but decided it was a team consideration anyway.
"Actually I have been watching over him, he makes surprisingly good company when his asleep" The joy in my voice was taken over rather poorly from the stare I received from Taka. "Is something the matter?"
Fuma talked for Taka "'When he is a sleep', what are you implying, Genjuu is a great person even when his awake" I blinked up at Fuma and from the corner of my eye I saw Kiba scratching his check.
"Hmm" I hummed "Is that a display of camaraderie or affection for Genjuu" I teased despite the possible offence directed at both Genjuu and Taka.
Taka walked towards me, anger in her steps she whispered in my ear while Kiba battered away the feathers irritating his nose "You should know it was Genjuu alone who was able to whelm you, you have him to thank for it to even be possible for us to lie for you" I pressed back away from her, the threat of my present condition reminding me how vulnerable I was.
"I meant no offense Taka" Her words hit home as she lean out "It seems of late all I can do is hurt people" that old familiar pain of regret returned but no I will not accept it "but after our three day adventure learning bukijutsu, I feel I know all of you better and in the future that will aid us when it comes to ninja missions" Even though I shunned away the hurt, my eyes teared, so I whipped them away with the bandage around my left wrist.
"Hey it's ok buddy" Kiba pattered me on the back as I leaned down to the pain "it's all over now"
"Where's my bucket?" I said through strained vocals
"What?" Kiba puzzled
"Where's my bucket!"
"What bucket?"
"Bucket you idiot!" Taka shouted, shocking Kiba even more that she spoke out loud; regardless the fact that he heard her voice before.
"Blargh*!" I directed at Kiba the closest side of my bed "Barf*, heave*, spew*, vomit*, vomit*"
"Aaaaagh!" Kiba screamed falling back, my bucket tilting under his weight, quickly he grabbed it lifting it up to shield his face.
"Blarggh*!" I could hear the sound reverberate off the inside of the bucket, I shut my eyes to the violent wrenching, my throat expanding so that more could come out "Vomitless-vomit*! Blargh*!" I took a deep breath after it was over, wiping the saliva from my mouth the bodies automatic reaction to contraction. "It's over, you can come out from Hiding"
"Are you sure" Kiba poked his head out from the side of the bucket "You're not going to try and throw chunks at me again?"
"Sigh*" I let go of my uneasy breath, the nausea had subsided for now "It was only vomit-less vomit kiba, don't be so worried"
Putting the bucket down cautiously, he stood up "Why did you have to aim it at me!" His voice was heavy with complaint and I could hear the whine leave both Akumaru and his voice.
"I'm sorry" I offered leaning back into my bed "It's just that you're standing where my bucket is, as you can see I haven't been able to fill it up yet… barf-less barf" I joked but he didn't look totally happy by the flat joy in my voice.
Suddenly….
"I see my friends have arrived" An extra voice crept in though room
"Genjuu!"
…
With Genjuu up and another day passed, we decided to start the morning by getting out of bed and checking on Lee. Genjuu looked fine, no complaints of pain or any lasting effects to the strain of over using his abilities; he just looked slightly paler for some reason. After we got directions to Lee's room from the information desk, we found and empty room with no Lee in side.
"Ergh, Nurse?" I leaned over slightly, grabbing hold of Genjuu and the armrest along the wall, it was still hard to move without feeling a pinch from tender muscles and nerves. "Do you know where we might be able to find the patient Rock Lee?" I asked while hesitating with my tone, feeling like I was doing some impromptu pee pee dance, hoping that I didn't suddenly scream out in pain and frighten the man away.
"Rock Lee is in the medical training hall, down three corridors and to your left" The nurse, although polite, seemed to be in quite a hurry to get back to work so I didn't press for any more information.
"Thank you" I said as he left, turning to Genjuu who was at my side, I said "Seems like Rock Lee found that medic after all" even though I knew he didn't have a clue what I was on about. I was trying my best to encourage him to talk, I knew why Taka didn't speak but I wasn't quite sure Genjuu had similar reasons.
On our way down the corridors a delicate voice called out my name "Argies!" Hinata's softly chirped my name, turned my head.
"Hinata, agh" I managed to say as I kinked my neck, forgetting that I couldn't turn to the right.
"Oh Argies you shouldn't be up" Hinata hurried to place an arm under my shoulder so that I wasn't leaning all my weight on poor Genjuu who couldn't say no.
"No I need to be up" I looked at her "We're going to see Lee training" I half smiled.
Finding our way to the medical training hall, we walled inside through the red door Torii that surrounded the entrance. The Torii symbolised a gateway in both the literal and figurative. It meant that we were walking on sacred ground, the sacred area of the medical ninja perhaps or maybe as in training is sacred to the Ninja Village as a whole. Everything inside was marvellous, the red gilded designs on the ceiling and hooked around wooden frames that decorated the walls. Large wooden pillars, also red, patched with green inked seals, Green marble flooring with white veins, large windows letting in the morning light and birds sitting on trees adding scenery to the manmade marvel.
In this collection of sights I saw a green ninja practising Bukijutsu with no one. Fighting the air, he stood there without his crutches as the wind blew by fluttering seals that hung between two pillars.
"How is Lee able to fight like that…" I asked out of astonishment "without his crutches. In the wind fighting the breeze indoors…" I looked again, the pray seals that hung between the two pillars were still fluttering but there was no breeze. Hinata and Genjuu didn't seem to notice this curious phenomenon, my weight distracting them. Hinata's face was especially strained under my sweaty arm pit, I hadn't showered in four days. "I see some benches over there, I'm sure you two would like to get rid of me"
"Hnn" Hinata instantly began tapping her fingers together even while my arm was over her shoulder for support. "No…" Her voice descended before looking away with a scarlet face.
Although Genjuu said nothing he also voiced something of Hinata's denial "emh emh" he denied with his mouth closed.
Still we made our way to the benches and I soon found myself sitting down watching Lee fight the wind with Hinata and Genjuu at my side, keeping a far distance away from me and my permeating aroma.
Lee soon spotted us as he practised his strikes against his invisible opponent. He rushed over immediately "It's unbelievable!" He jumped with excitement "This place is filled with the power of youth" He did a spinning leaf Hurricane Kick just for the heck of it "I feel at full strength once again"
"This is your special training before the surgery?!" I said sceptically. "That's ergh, pretty amazing Lee, I wish I could join you" Even with the rooms unique vibe, I still couldn't move without feeling the fibres of my muscles pop and rub against each other like a rash had developed between them. I felt bruised and somehow blistered internally; there was no way I was risking injury no matter how much I wanted to spar with Lee. "Genjuu and Hinata can join you" But that didn't mean I couldn't put pressure on the other guys.
They looked at me with very snappy remarks in their eyes, but when looking at Lee they could not deny the eager excitement on his face.
Grabbing bamboo swords from a wall mounted wooden rack, Hinata and Genjuu began the free for all match with Lee.
Lee was actually quite good with a bamboo sword. He didn't really have much practise during the Bukijutsu demonstration, having to fight with his crutches, but now he was a master at it. Genjuu and Hinata who first started off by attacking each other, were now battling to hold Lee off together. Genjuu stood to the side of Lee which meant Lee had to turn from Hinata to Genjuu and back again, in order to block and strike. He enjoyed it, being able to move faster than they were able to take advantage of his turned back; it was almost as if he was battling them in turns.
One tap here, turn, another tap there, block here, block there, strike here, strike there. I started moving in my seat along to the combination moves he explored into every hit, adding in taijutsu, I felt compelled to react in my seat with counter moves as if I were in the action.
Then my body reminded me why I was seated, through the complaint of my abs and lower back. All my twisting movements as I jabbed bought a crack of pain across my shoulders and around my body. I winced winking my eye to the left sided pain, and I noticed something. There between the pillars, was a plain cloths boy clutching the seal that hung there.
Finding Lee's crutches Argies made his way over to this boy while the others trained. Getting closer he begins to hear an unfamiliar melody in the air, the plain cloths boy was singing to the seal and it responding by glowing a subtle blue.
"What are you doing" Argies asked. Interest and wonder in his raised eyebrows as he rests himself on Lee's crutches, relaxing himself from the strife of walking, the arduous journey up the mountain to gaze upon the reward that is the view; the victory of a lived contesting against hesitation insight of one's fulfilment.
…Curiosity is my muse; that 'if' of 'what' that becomes my 'how'.
"It is an empowerment ninjutsu" The boy holding the seal broke away from singing to explain. "I use it to magnify the strength of my pray seals" His voice and posture were nerves; his explanation was given because of request not because of his willingness to speak.
Argies notices the boy's shy nature and as a response he tries to lighten his tone even though his words burn raw in his sore throat. "Well that is very interesting and a very powerful ninjutsu" He pointed, leaning a hand over the top of a crutch, at Lee "I haven't seen my friend over there this healthy in a long time"
Argies smiles cheery to the Singing ninjutsu user, however the boy does not respond to his complement. Instead he continues to sing softly, now feeling infringed upon by Argies.
Unperturbed Argies continues, hoping his tough journey was not without a view. "You know, you could make a very strong ninja with a technique like that" his tone lightened, he hoped most fiercely that surfacing on the boy would break to reveal a character of opportunity.
The boy turns from the seal, optimism escaping his voice "Really?" A very hopeful look on his face lingered before seeming to vanishing, he continue empowering the seal.
"My names Argies" He offered his name to me while I stood there, singing to a scroll, I felt like such an idiot holding the scroll in my hand. 'What should I do, should I shake his hand, should I ignore him. No!' I hesitated between holding the scroll and leaning over to shake the hand he couldn't extend out because he was a cripple.
"My name is Amoroto" I offered after failing to do either, mumbling my words. 'Now his going to think I'm a wimp! What is he still doing here, can't he tell I'm useless.'
"Did you know I'm a Chunin Amomoto, a higher rank ninja, so when I say you could make a strong ninja I really mean it" 'Oh no he pronounced my name wrong, now his always going to call me that, quick I better say something before he continues.' "Do you have any previous ninja training Amomotto"
"Yes I actually graduated during Lee's year even though I'm younger then all my peers" 'Oh no, what am I doing, I didn't tell him that's not my name… Now his always going to call me that. Aah!'
"Wow that's exceptional Amommoto" 'Agh it's getting worse, I think he can sense that name his using isn't a real name and now he thinks I just have a really weird name. No what am I going to do.'
"I'm also quite an exceptional ninja" I boasted to Amonnoto, what an unusual name, I closed my eyes pointing at myself in spite of my arrogance. 'Hey, I did something amazing, I figure I'm allowed to boast about it' "I completed the Chunin exam's Forest Of Death without the use of a single ninjutsu" when I opened my eyes I could see Amonoto in the distance.
"I'm sorry, I can't handle this…!" He said to the medical ninja at a desk monitoring Lee
"Wait what?" I said to myself, my voice not extending as it should have to what I saw. "Amoneoto wait!"
There was Amnoroto, papers scattering and objects falling over in his wake, running at full speed away from me.
"What? Hmm… What?"
Hinata walked over to me, seeing me as the source of Armnoto's sudden flight "Argies, what did you say to him!" She placed her hands on her hips and began wagging a finger in my face.
"But I…" my face instantly reddened, I guessed as the only person able to speak she had to reprimand me. I was mortified, shy Hinata was scolding me. "I didn't do anything!" I look past her at Lee, collapsed on the floor.
"No but's Argies, you don't treat people like that"
"What, but…"
…
Disclaimer:
All The characters created by the Author of Naruto belong solely to Masashi Kishimoto every other character belongs to I and those Authors that have lent me their characters.
Do not replicate or reproduce any of my works or the works of the artists that have lent me their ideas, original characters, writings.
All content is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without express written consent from the author. Naruto Belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.