V9 Ch 6
Daiya's Death
Daiya's mind fell into a dark world where his spirit was moving through mist and colors. He didn't know where he was, or what was going on. Last thing he knew, he was watching his sister fly away on the back of Akaihi. Had he lost the fight against the Field Coordinators? Daiya's spirit soared high into an unknown realm. His head turned to search the area for any signs of familiarity. Where am I? What is this place?
The clouds around him started to move. He saw a dirt path leading into the mountains. Daiya heard a wind chime off into the distance. His eyes noticed there weren't any signs of life here. There was no wind, despite the clouds flowing around the area. Daiya began to move his feet forward. He stopped to turn around to look at the area where he had unexpectedly shown up. The clouds parted some more to reveal a wide open area of sea among the clouds. His mouth fell open. "Where… Where am I? This isn't the Mist Village."
A gust of unexplained air moved down the path and hit Daiya on the back. He shrunk to shield himself. Once it stopped he lifted his body again, to turn around. There was a person standing with his head downcast, wearing a bamboo hat, with long navy and yellow robes. Daiya went to a defensive stance. "Who are you?" There was no answer. He tried to emit an electrical charge to prove his point, but nothing came. He looked down at his hands, trying to figure out what was wrong. Daiya's hair didn't spark as it usually did. Soon he started to hear a flute playing in the area along with the chime.
The individual turned around. He waited until the boy soon got the notion to follow him. As he made his way up the path, he could sense Daiya looking around the area. The grass and plants were dark in this area. It wasn't until they were halfway to the top of the summit, did colors start to appear in the plant life. The man with the hidden face finally decided to speak to the boy. "Are you afraid of where you are?"
Daiya tensed, not knowing what to think of the man finally choosing to speak. "No..," he answered softly. He felt strange – as if the place he was in was a mystery to him and familiar all the same. The closer they became, the more a Japanese style house started to appear. Daiya looked up to see statues of various animals along the path. One of them resembled a phoenix carved out of stone. "Onari," he said softly as he passed it.
The man stopped in front of the house. "What was it you spoke when we were near the phoenix statue?" He turned around to lift his head slowly so Daiya could see his mouth and chin. His long black hair cascaded down his shoulders.
Daiya shrunk back. For some reason, he felt as if he were a child in front of the oldest person in the known universe. "Onari is my sister. She summons a phoenix she uses when fighting. Why is that important?" He saw the man smile under the hat. "Who are you?"
The man with long back hair took off his bamboo hat to look at the boy in front of him. His yellow eyes saw many things. "The phoenix is a symbol that my clan has protected and fought over for generations. Once a long time ago, a man died willingly to protect his daughter. In doing so, she gained the phoenix sooner than anticipated. By doing this, he had saved her life, but also made her a target."
"Then what he did had consequences with it," Daiya said to-the-point. He wondered why he was being told a story such as this. Daiya saw the man nod slowly as if he were fatigued with that very same thought. "What importance does this have?"
The man sat down on the edge of a statue that resembled his father. "Might I ask what you think of the man who had done such a thing?" He rested his hands on his legs, his eyes looking down for a moment while the boy figured out his answer.
"The father wanted to protect his child. In that moment, there is not going to be a rational solution if someone's life is in danger. Despite the consequences it had, the daughter survived. She gains courage and strength the father gave her for his decision," Daiya said once he had looked up. The man was smiling at him softly, his eyes kind and understanding.
"I am glad to hear you say that, Daiya. It's nice to know that what I did wasn't perceived as an ill omen upon Onari," he said. Daiya's eyes were going wide. "I'm sorry to have tricked you from the beginning. I needed to know that detail first, before I decide the fate you hold."
"Fate?" Daiya didn't like where this was going. "What are you talking about? What is this place," he started to shout amongst the silence.
"This is the home I made for my family once they left the living world. It is small as of yet, but I had hoped to make it larger before anyone else arrived. I am Sashizo, Onari's father. You have left the world of the living to arrive here: Land of the Dead." Sashizo watched Daiya turn around several times, his head moving frantically to see if what he was saying was true. "You have died at the Chunin Exams, Daiya. It seems your heart wasn't able to bear the hardships put on it. Onari has prayed and guaranteed that you would return to Urea and I, and not to the Eimino clan."
Daiya's bottom lip quivered. "Why… Why did she do that for me," he said covering his face with his hand. He was dead. There was no turning back. Faces started to sift through his mind. "I want to go back to my family. I want to be back with…," his words stopped.
Sashizo saw what the transition was doing to the boy. He rose to walk towards the child adopted by his daughter. Sashizo placed his hands upon the boy's shoulders. "Your fate rests with those whose care you are under. In our world, time is not the same as yours. Whereas you are here for what may seem a long time, in their world it is a fraction of that. Right now, they are fighting to get you back. What happens, is going to be your decision as much as, theirs."
Daiya was led inside the house by Sashizo. He took off his ninja sandals to step onto the wooden flooring of the hall. As his last foot stepped down, there was a large echo in the house. He wondered why that had happened. "Why did it echo like that?"
Sashizo turned around slightly to smile. "It means that your spirit has made its print upon my home. Your spirit will not be allowed to be taken to another part of the spirit world."
"You mean that if I go back to the mortal world, and I die again, for good, that I can only return here. I cannot return to the Eimino clan, or to anyone affiliated with them," Daiya connected.
"That is correct. Your spirit wouldn't be safe with the Eimino clan. If you think you had it bad living with the woman who gave birth to you, try angry spirits. You're seen as an abomination to them," Sashizo said. "I wouldn't worry about what they think of you, anyway. It only matters what Urea and I think. You're welcome to stay here with us, when you choose," he said as he led Daiya down the hall.
Daiya noticed the pictures on the walls moved as if he were looking through windows to another world. He stopped to see a woman sitting on the floor of a small hut playing with a child. The child was chasing birds made out of light and watching them soar into the rafters. "They're real. The birds of light Onari spoke of, are real."
"Yes, Urea used to entertain our daughter with them when the weather was bad outside. It was hard travelling with her. Onari, as you call her, was scared of the thunderstorms due to the fact we managed to catch them outside every time," Sashizo said. He pressed on.
Daiya was soon led to the end of the long hall to a set of double Shoji screens. The doors opened automatically. Sashizo stepped through them to the other side. Daiya took a deep breath. He soon stepped through them, too. He whirled around to look back at the doors. They were still there, but the area they were in, was different. They weren't inside. Instead, Daiya and Sashizo were standing in a circular garden with a bamboo fence around it. He walked to the fence. Daiya gasped. Over the edge of the fence was a world of stars.
Sashizo touched a tall stone formation that was in the center of the garden. The entire garden started to move through the stars. "Urea would like to meet you. She's always adding to Onari's room. You can call it a hobby of hers."
Daiya only stared at the man as the garden continued to move through the open space.
*****************
Yanagi sat on the bench outside of the operating room with her head clasped by her hands. Her eyes were wide, breathing unstable. Her boyfriend was in there. Everything she wanted, was falling apart. Daiya had lost against his opponent- his heart. Yanagi's tears fell hard onto the floor. The Medic-nin from the Mist Village were trying to save his life. "Please, please hurry," she said in the open air. "Please," Yanagi begged.
She folded her arms on her legs as her body bent to cover her sorrows. Genin were not supposed to cry, but Yanagi was weak in that area. She loved Daiya to the extent of her entire being. He was everything to her. Her soul was wrapped around his so tightly that when something happened to him, it hit her the same ways. Yanagi had wanted Daiya to stay back in Konoha – to not participate in the exams, but he was determined to let his team go through. Ryu hadn't been able to go to the Chunin exams in the past due to his team working problems. Saori had also never been. She supposed Daiya didn't want to seem as the weakest link in his team, but now was proving to be just that.
Yanagi felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to gasp slightly with tears in her eyes as a guy with messy black hair and yellow eyes crouched in front of her. Who was this person? Yanagi tensed a little until he smiled at her. Tear streaks were flowing down her face until he spoke.
"I met Daiya in the first trial. I'm Hashano, Ano for short. As hard as it is, don't focus on what's going on in there. If you do, it's going to stress you out more," Ano said as he kept his yellow eyes on her. "If he's going to survive this, he's going to need someone to bring him back." The girl was looking at him quizzically. "Call him."
Yanagi opened her mouth, but Ano quickly put his finger to her lips. She blushed at the touch. Yanagi saw him shake his head at her gently.
"Not with your voice. Call him a different way," Ano said. "If you're the woman he loves and you love him in return, your soul can call him." Ano reached for the girl's hand to place it over her heart. "Isn't this what ties you to him?"
Yanagi looked down at where Ano had placed her hand. She turned her head to look up at him. Ano rose slowly. He left without another word, headed back to the Chunin exams. Call Daiya with my heart? Is… that possible? Yanagi closed her eyes. She didn't know where Daiya was in there. I want you to come back, Daiya. Wherever you are, hear me. Please, hear me.
Daiya saw another shoji screen appearing out of the stars. This door wasn't an ordinary rice paper door. He saw detailed paintings upon it. It depicted the legend of the four celestial gods. As the garden came near it, the doors opened. Sashizo directed him to step through.
Daiya entered the room slowly, his body tense and not knowing what to expect. His head looked up to see a massive ceiling, unlike any he had ever seen.
Birds of light were fluttering high into the rafters, their wings beating softly as they dipped in space. Off to the sides of the room were various large trees. He saw a cherry tree with a swing hanging from it. Another tree resembled a maple with a small pond under it. The room was brightly colored and displayed silks hanging from rods that were suspended in air. Daiya moved gently through the silks, trying not to disturb them. His fingertips brushed past a few of them.
In the middle of the silk curtains sat a woman with long brown hair. She was humming softly to herself, while sewing a doll. Daiya stopped behind the woman not knowing if he should speak or not. He turned his eyes to notice Sashizo was not with him.
Urea stitched the red kimono onto the doll with grace, not missing a target as she sat on her knees. She sensed the boy had arrived in her daughter's room. "Sit, Daiya. I wish to speak with you," Urea said in a gentle motherly tone.
Daiya walked around the woman, his eyes never leaving her form. The woman had dark eyes, unlike her daughter. Urea wore her bangs long just like Sashizo and Onari. Her face was small, resembling a baby face. Urea's lips were adequate and plump with red paint. She was mysterious and intriguing. He sat quietly until he was given further instructions.
Urea finished stitching the kimono until she knew Daiya had eased some. She lifted her dark eyes to look over his form. "My daughter has taken a liking to you," she said as the boy blushed. "It's strange that she would seek refuge in you – the boy who is seen as a threat to the Eimino clan."
Daiya tilted his head. "A threat?" He didn't understand. He watched Urea lift a cup onto a table that wasn't there a moment ago. She poured tea into the cup, rotated it a few times, then handed it to him. Daiya looked into the cup to see his sister tackling him onto his bed. His eyes softened. Onari was running out of his room with him chasing her down the hall. She was squealing as she turned a corner to run straight into Sasuke. The man went flying backwards as Onari scurried over him to get past before Daiya grabbed her. Daiya couldn't help but smile. His finger stroked the side of the cup.
Urea leaned slightly forward. She saw how fond he was of his life back in the mortal world. "It is strange that you are the son of our enemy and our daughter is she who he seeks," Urea said interrupting his thoughts. "The one who sired you was not able to have children with his clan, as his father had hoped. Instead, he took with a woman who was not of his clan – of his superiority in the lightening country. To do such a thing, to have a child by that woman, condemns your existence to his clan. Regardless, he could not claim you if his mindset had been different."
Daiya lifted his eyes. "I don't care who that man is. I have a father now. He wanted me when no one else was willing to give me a chance," he said as the cup showed Sasuke sitting on a bench somewhere with his chin rested against his hands. "Is this showing me what is happening now?"
"The cup prefers to show happy times when hope is lost, or uncertain. However, it is showing you the present to help you make a decision. Your father is worried about you, as well as, others that you know." Urea lifted her hand as if she were massaging something in the air. The tea flowed out of the cup to move above the table. It started to form a girl with a bob hair cut. The girl was sitting somewhere with her eyes closed and her hand over her chest.
Daiya almost threw himself at the image, as if he could grab it. "Yanagi!" He looked at Urea sadly, his emotions starting to show.
Urea moved her eyes to see a breeze of wind trickle through the window in the room. With the wind came a sweet scent. The scent lingered in the room for a moment before she heard a small faint voice calling. Urea closed her eyes. "Someone is calling for you," she said softly.
Daiya got up to run to the window. He looked out amongst the stars – there was nothing there. However, he could hear Yanagi's voice on the wind. "Yanagi! Yanagi where are you?"
Urea stood behind the boy who was now frantically trying to escape the room. "In order to go back, you have to become the leaf that flows with the breeze." Daiya turned around to stare at her strangely. "How do you suppose you are able to hear her where you are?"
Daiya's eyes drifted down to the floor. "I can't… This is the land of the dead. Yanagi's back in the mortal world. It's… not her voice that I'm hearing," he said as it dawned on him. Daiya ran past Urea through the silk curtains to the front of the room. He moved aside the shoji screen to stare into the abyss of stars. "Yanagi!" Daiya looked behind him wildly before he heard Yanagi's voice in front of him again. He closed his eyes and leapt for the wind calling his name.
*****************
The medic-nin kept concentrating as his assistant focused her chakra on the boy's lungs. "It's almost in place," he said as the heart of another was moved into position. The other medic-nin in the room were trying to keep the boy's organs functioning. "How is he doing so far," he asked his assistant who was monitoring the shallow breathing.
"His brain isn't getting enough oxygen," she answered. "That fight took a lot of his resources. I'm afraid he's nonresponsive. We'll know enough details once his body reacts to the heart."
"What if his body rejects the heart he's given," another medic-nin asked. "What then? This is starting to take its toll on his body. You can see it in the pale color of his skin."
The woman placed the heart inside the cavity of the boy's chest. She started to move her hands over each artery and vein to connect it. After some time of quiet deliberation, the heart was connected to the boy. "It's in place. What are your orders, Doctor?"
The head medic-nin walked over. His eyes looked over the boy's body. The man moved his large hand down to the boy's chest. "A medic helps those in need, whether they are from his own village, or not. This child's life has been cut short. We will help him as much as we can." The man thumped his fingers on the heart to get the blood flow started. The heart didn't respond. He thumped the heart harder, his breath holding. Everyone waited. Within what seemed to be minutes, the heart started to pump. "Close him up. We'll know soon enough if his body rejects it."
Shikamaru Nara stood on the outskirts of the Leaf Village waiting. His dark eyes scanned the horizon as a lone woman with long white hair came walking up the path wearing a hat to conceal her face. He knew why she was here, but the sight of her presence would cause an uproar with the village. "You know better than to be out here, Izumi. There's still a price on your head for deserting your village."
Izumi lifted her head to look at the Jounin with her lavender eyes. "My son is in a coma, Shikamaru Nara," she said his surname with stress upon the syllables. "I won't stand down. I'll fight everyone in that village or another if I have to in order to get medicine," she said to the utmost seriousness of her voice. "Let me pass. I have to go to him."
Shikamaru stood his ground. He knew as any husband did, that a wife was there strictly for the sake of the children. Her mind was clouded by the thoughts that had brought her there. "I can't let you go in just yet. An ANBU has returned to the village with news of those in the Chuunin exam. Onari has fled the exam on Akaihi after fighting the field coordinators to protect her brother." He watched her eyes close trying to regain her thoughts. Also, Daiya is in the operating room at this moment. An unfortunate boy's heart is going to be placed inside of his body."
Izumi tried to run past Shiakmaru but as always, he had already activated his Shadow possession jutsu against her. She swore as his form moved quickly to stop her. Izumi's legs were forced to remain where they were. Only her mouth and eyes were able to move. "Let go of me right this instant," she said angrily, her voice displaying a mother's worry and fear. "I'm not going to lose both of them!" She tried to push herself to break the jutsu, but it was near impossible for her hands to meet. The basket of plant leaves she had gathered dangled on her wrist.
Shikamaru kept his voice low, "Izumi," he waited until she looked up at him. "He died the moment he tried to emit an electrical charge. His body just fell to the ground. The medic-nin were upon him and he was determined dead on sight."
Izumi's eyes widened. She practically screamed as she tried to fight the Jounin. Soon her body was let go by the jutsu. She slumped to the ground. Shikamaru crouched in front of her. "He's dead… There's nothing left for him," she said in disbelief. "Everything we have done, wasn't enough to save him," she said in a whisper.
Shikamaru reached up to place his hand on her shoulder. "Hope isn't lost yet. They were quick to revive him for a short amount of time. We can only hope that his body doesn't reject the heart he's given," he said seriously. "If it's rejected, he won't have a chance. Those closest to him are grieving for him. Please don't add to that pile, Izumi."
Izumi shook her head. "I'm sorry, Shikamaru. I adopted the boy as his mother. He and I are bonded to each other. Daiya's no different than Takeru." Izumi opened her mouth as tears escaped her eyes. "I won't go to the village. I'll stay here, waiting for you to tell me what's going on. I promise I won't go to the village," she said again until Shikamaru stood.
Shikamaru closed his eyes as he flicked his cigarette. "It wouldn't do Takeru any favors to see his mother slaughtered by Mist-nin," he told her. "I know it's difficult to accept everything that has happened. First Takeru, now Daiya. Try to be strong for them."
Idai stood over his best friend watching his lungs breathe slowly. There were bandages all around his chest where his ribs had been forced open. Idai lifted his hand slowly to caress Daiya's face. "Are you still in there?" His eyes were sad as he saw the breath fog the mask his best friend was wearing. Sasuke was not back yet. Idai wondered where he could have gone in a time like this. He saw the door to the room open slowly. Visitors were being limited to a few at a time to decrease infection. "He came out of the operating room a little while ago, Saori."
Saori walked over to the bed slowly. Her blue eyes drifted from Daiya's face to his chest. She leaned towards him to make sure he was really in front of her. "Is… is he going to be alright?"
Idai looked at her sadly. "They don't know. The doctor wants to speak to Sasuke-sensei. He wouldn't tell me anything when they came in. I don't know where Daiya is in there. His body seems to be stuck," Idai said for a latter lack of words.
Saori signaled to Idai with her finger over her mouth. She opened her back pocket to take out a scroll. "I snuck Ryu in," she said as she opened the scroll on the floor. "You're not aware how good Ryu is at Genjutsu and scroll sealing."
Idai watched as Saori formed hand seals over the scroll. The marks in the scroll were in a strange fashion. Instead of being written right to left, up and down, the scroll markings were in a circle with Ryu's name in the middle. "How the heck is Ryu going to come out of that? It's impossible to seal a person. It's only for tools."
Saori winked at Idai as she bit her thumb. She closed her eyes concentrating. In her mind, she saw the stars moving in the heavens with shooting stars falling. The clouds parted to reveal a shadowed form of Ryu standing in the middle. Saori called upon Shogai to send Ryu back to their plane.
Idai watched as the markings in the scroll started to glow in light. The symbols swirled until they caused him to hold his head to keep from getting dizzy. A mass of a black shadow formed out of the scroll until it started to shape into Ryu's form. Ryu's color came back, but he appeared to be translucent, despite the way the older boy was looking around the room. "He's not really here," Idai said in disbelief.
"Not entirely, no," Ryu said. "I'm actually still at the Chunin exams, in a secluded area with Shogai next to me. He's helping me sort of 'see' the room and what's going on without physically being here. There are a lot of worried students who want to know about Daiya's progress," he said as he looked over the boy.
"So you're saying you're not worried about him at all," Idai said as he caught onto how Ryu's eyes were softening at certain parts overlooking his friend.
"I am worried. I'll admit I'm more worried than you want to know, Idai. I'm fond of his bullish behavior. It gives a spark to my boring training days," Ryu said as he met Idai's eyes. "I can't stay long. It's using a lot of my chakra to do this. Is Daiya going to be alright?"
Idai glanced back at his friend lying in the bed. "We don't know. The doctor won't talk to me. He wants to relate everything to Sasuke sensei when he comes back. I have no idea where he went. He doesn't know Daiya's out of surgery."
Ryu sensed that if the doctor wasn't going to confide in Idai, then matters were only going to be discussed with next of kin. From the looks of it, Daiya was suspended in existence. "I'll see if I can't find him. I have to go. The exams are still continuing. You and Saori need to come back," he said as his form burst into blue pieces of light.
Saori rolled the scroll up. She looked at Idai. "Well you heard him. We have to continue with the exam. Daiya will still be here when we get back," she said as she reached across to touch his arm.
"How do we know that, Saori? He could go under again while we're out there. The moment he was pronounced dead, I-," Idai shut his eyes. He gritted his teeth to stop his mouth from expelling his emotions.
Saori moved around the bed to turn Idai's face towards her. "Yanagi knows you love Daiya. Daiya knows it, too. He has to fight for himself as much as we fight for him. Yanagi is grieving enough for everyone right now. We need to go comfort her. She's not strong enough to come see him right now."
Idai suddenly grabbed Saori hard to hide his vocal sadness on her shoulder. He shut his eyes tightly, his fingers digging into her skin. When they had left the village, he had wanted to give Daiya a sense of hope that he could accomplish anything. He hadn't meant for it to be the last moments they would spend together. However, that's what had happened. Takeru
Saori was a bit shaken with how emotional Idai was, but she supposed his feelings for his friend were true. Idai loved him as a brother – as Takeru, or Ryu did. She let his emotions flow before the nurse came in to tell them their time was up. They walked out together trying their best not to glance back.
The heavens moved past them as the sky showed its endless veil. Onari's black hair swayed behind her, tips of flame flickering off. She didn't know what had possessed her to get involved in Daiya's fight, but the sheer turmoil of seeing her brother hurt, caused a reaction from her that she could not take back. Akaihi glanced up at her as she stood with the wind blowing past her. They were free from the chains that had bonded them to the leaf village. But now where was she to go?
Akaihi opened his mouth making noises at Onari. He wondered what she was thinking. Even if, for the moment, they were free to do what they wanted how would she live her life? Was Onari giving up on everything that had happened to her? He wanted badly to express his concerns of her actions, but right now, he chose to remain quiet. It wasn't the right time to divulge anything to her. Focusing his eyes back to the sky, he let himself enjoy the time he had with her.
Onari closed her eyes holding her arms out a little to her sides palms open as if she were letting the wind claim her. "It's wrong to cage a bird," she said out of nowhere, her voice showing the same calm, humble attitude Takeru once displayed in his reasoning. Her head turned to see smaller birds flying as high as they were. The clouds parted to reveal the sea. They had left the mist village and water country faster than anticipated. "Akaihi, you can slow down. There's no rush." She walked around the phoenix's back, her ninja sandals digging in.
Onari lifted each of her legs taking the sandals off. For what had seemed to be ages, she felt the softness of the phoenix feathers between her toes. Turning around, she faced forward again, her eyes looking at all of the white clouds around her. In her heart, was sadness, happiness, and uncertainty. Memories with Takeru and Daiya went through her mind. "If the wind allows, we'll meet them again, right," she asked the phoenix.
Akaihi lifted his feathers, his answer to her question. Right now, Daiya was battling his body. He didn't have the heart to tell her what had happened. The less Onari knew right now, the more she could focus on harnessing her abilities. One day, you will see them again. I'm sure of it.
Onari looked out at the open air with fondness, her fingers playing with the wind as it went past them. She started to sing a sweet song to her brother and the love of her life that she had left. "With the wind, I dance around you~ like small children's voices harvested in play~. No more can I be tamed. For I am the fire that burns night and day~. Keep me there for us to see~ Where we cross and where we flow~ Your smile – to me- is more than you know~. A fight I'll wane till you can run~ together with me~ laughing and playing in the summer's sun~. Free as a bird with wings of radiating red~ I'll be there to kiss you sweetly on your forehead. A lover's kiss for all to see~"
Onari was satisfied with letting her true self show. She hadn't the heart to show Daiya or Takeru what they had really meant to her. When she had spoken to Daiya for the last time, she had tried to convey that she cared about him. Onari frowned at her seriousness. "I have a terrible way with words," she said sighing, letting her head slump forward.
Akaihi couldn't agree more. Now that…you probably get from your mother. He frowned at the corners of his mouth. We need to focus on that with other training that you need to endure, my daughter. For now, I'll allow you to remember what's holding you together. He soared even higher, his form getting closer to the sky.
"Hey, I think he's coming around," Ryu said as he leaned over the bed. Sasuke pushed him out of the way roughly. Ryu topped over the side of the bed hitting the hospital floor hard. "Ow, you jerk!"
Sasuke bent down watching as Daiya's eyes started to lift slowly. His son was unsure where he was. Placing his head gently on the boy's head, Sasuke rubbed his hair warmheartedly. "Hey Lightening Bug," he said with a soft voice. "It looks like your spark is still strong."
Daiya focused on his father's eyes. His fingers curled a little trying to grasp onto the reality that was in front of him. The dream he had had seemed so real. He had met two people whose faces he could barely remember. The room with colorful tapestries and silks….The woman sitting sewing a doll for a child. Who was the little girl? He tried to remember what had happened. The Field Coordinators chasing him around the cage. He had dodged and fought back. Right before the pain in his chest increased, he had seen a face. The yellow eyes drew his attention once more. "I love you, Daiya. Don't forget that," she had said. He tried to sit up abruptly. "On-ari," he said hoarsely.
Sasuke forced him back down into the bed.
"He doesn't remember what happened," Ryu said watching Sasuke place his hand on Daiya's forehead.
"Calm down, Dai. Calm down," Sasuke emphasized again. "We can't have you passing out after you just woke up."
"On-ari," Daiya tried to tell them. He had to tell his sister that her life wasn't what she had thought all these years. The people he had met were so loving and kind to him. They wanted her to have everything they couldn't give her when they were alive.
"Daiya, don't you remember? She fled the Chuunin exams after the Jounin were trying to stop her from going rogue," Ryu said leaning over the side rail so he could be seen better. "Didn't work very well, did it," he said with a smile his eyes closing. "That 'Firebird' nickname stuck."
"Ryu, I'm only going to say this once: It's not the time," Sasuke said his dark eyes becoming so threatening that Ryu poofed beside him only to appear near the doorway. All he saw was the door being swung open in a rush before a tall form of colors went ducking and rolling out of the door. "He always expects an attack," Sasuke said blandly.
Daiya weakly laughed. "I miss-ed him," he admitted. The afterlife wasn't much fun without a tall turkey to keep you company. He wondered if what he remembered was true. And if it was, was Ryu allowed to visit?
Sasuke turned back to his oldest adopted son. "You need to rest. I'll still be in the room, but your body needs to heal," he said as he walked over to lower the screen over the window. "Rest, Daiya," he said again until the boy closed his eyes. Sasuke exhaled. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but once he found out Daiya's condition when he was being taken away, it had pulled at his heart strings. I can only imagine what your mother is doing right now. I just hope Shikamaru managed to stop her from acting rashly.
Gin Akimichi ran down the road, her long brown hair shifting as she rounded the corner. She was headed straight to the Hyuuga compound, her panting showed she wasn't used to running all over Konoha trying to find her team members. It can't be true! It can't be, but Shikamaru sensei said he found out everything from an ANBU that was sent back.
Gin ran into the Hyuuga compound, her exhaustion getting the best of her. She tripped over her feet landing straight in the grass, her hands out in front. Gin panted, sweat dripping from her forehead. Her fingers clenched the blades of grass, ripping them out of the soil. She lifted her body, sitting back on her legs. Her eyes stared at the ground. Shaking her head, Gin refused to believe what she had been told.
Kandai walked out on the porch with Areku, Ichigo running around the outside of the house happily. Neji wouldn't permit Ichigo to come inside the house. The puppy wagged her tail once she saw Areku. Kandai turned his head, stopping his conversation with Areku as Ichigo barked running off. He followed his eyes to see Ichigo going straight to Gin. "Hey, what are you doing sitting in the grass, Gin? You could have come in," he said walking to the other end of the porch.
"Shikamaru sensei came to my house to tell me about the Chuunin exams," she said her hands going over each other. She watched as Areku Inuzuka walked off the porch to pet Ichigo. Kandai was overlooking her trying to figure out why her anxiety was arising. "It's bad you guys. Onari has fled the exams on the back of Akaihi." Areku looked up, his body bent forward with his hand outstretched as Ichigo licked his fingers from the food he had had as a snack. "And Daiya Uchiha died. He was admitted to the hospital shortly after they brought him back. I don't know anything else."
Kandai looked at Gin sadly. "Onari fled the exam? Where has she gone? What reason did she have to leave?"
Areku stood up, Ichigo now sitting wagging her tail next to his feet. "It's worse than that. She'll be hunted down and brought back against her will. A ninja cannot evade the village." He turned to look at Kandai. Onari was one of his friends. He had trained with her when she had first come to the village. "I'm sorry, Kandai," he said sincerely.
"I'm not sure. Shikamaru sensei said that the ANBU was limited on what he could tell us. I hope Onari isn't in some kind of trouble," Gin said before she was silenced by Neji Hyuuga making his presence known. "Good afternoon, Mr. Hyuuga," she said quietly.
Neji stood with his arms by his side, his authority silencing the youth around him. "Who's in trouble?" Neji had heard the last part of the conversation as he was walking towards the entrance to his house. Ten Ten was happily humming to herself moving about behind him as she cleaned up the snack tray she had left out for Areku and Kandai.
Gin was afraid to answer Neji. He was quite a serious man, his silver eyes overlooking the kids as they stood near each other. Her fingers clenched her kimono, her eyes gently rising to see if Kandai was going to tell him.
"Onari," Areku said as he picked Ichigo up. The puppy wagged her tail barking at him for his attention. Areku silenced her by putting his finger on her nose to calm down. "Not now, Ich." Ichigo play growled at him, not agreeing. "She's left the Mist Village," he continued waiting for anyone else to add anything.
Neji turned his head looking out at the sky as if he could squint or use Byakugan to find her whereabouts. He sighed. There was a lot of aggression planted in that girl. "Are you sure she isn't returning by her own methods," he asked fearing the decision Onari had made.
"Shikamaru sensei said that it might be because she was avoiding being taken in for interfering with the field coordinators," Gin said softly. "Daiya was fighting them for hitting Masaru. Masaru tried to warn Idai while he was having his battle. I don't know anything else," she said abruptly looking away as Neji's eyes fixated on her.
"There's more to it than that. There has to be more to it than that," Kandai said breaking the silence that was lingering outside the Hyuuga house. "Onari had other reasons on her mind," he said looking at each of them.
Kiba knocked on the door, the pile of students waiting outside the hospital room. He was told to enter by Sasuke. Opening the door, he stuck his head through to make sure Daiya was awake. "Hey, how's it going? You've got a ton of people out here wanting to see you," he said with a toothy grin. "Question is, would it be alright with your old man," he said giving Sasuke a new name.
Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "Old man? Kiba, if that's your idea of a joke, I'll knock the hell out of you." He heard Daiya laugh. It was the same scenario over and over with Kiba. The man thought he was funny at time. Sasuke had to prove otherwise. "It's Daiya's choice who he wants to see."
Kiba opened the door a little more, but stood in the entrance way so no one could look, or get past. The students were announcing who should enter first. Kiba turned around. "You guys quit it. If you're going to be this rowdy, no one's going in!" He turned back around to look at Daiya. "Let's see, there's my team, Sasuke's, and some guy named Ano from one of the competing teams that wants to see you."
Daiya was surprised Ano from the Fang Country was outside. "Ano," he said questioningly. He remembered who he was in great detail. If it hadn't of been for the older boy, Daiya would still be stuck in that box.
Kiba waved Hashano 'Ano' Maeno through the crowd of students. "Ryu, get out of his way. Daiya called for him first," he said from the doorway.
Ryu narrowed his eyes at the boy who was close to his age. "Why the hell does he get to go first? He's not on his team, or anything," he said angrily. Saori pulled his arm, then violently tugged him backwards to where he was forced to sit down.
"Because he's who Daiya asked for," Kiba said. "You're acting like a child," he commented as he moved aside for Ano to go through. Kiba closed the door. The kids started complaining about the order of students to go in next. "I'll decide who goes in next. The calmest person is allowed to enter. And right now, that's none of you!"
Ano bowed low as he greeted the Jounin in the room with Daiya. He had learned in the hall from listening to the students that this man was Daiya's father. He stood back up before he walked over to the bed. Daiya was looking up at him, his breathing soft and deep. He appeared to be better now that he had gotten out of surgery. "You scared a lot of us back there," he said about the fighting between Daiya and the Jounin. "I was expecting to get a pretty good electrical show, but you blacked out on us." Ano was trying to keep the soft smile, but truth was, he had been worried when he had seen Daiya unconscious.
Daiya lifted hand up trying to grab onto Ano's clothing. His arm hovered halfway, his fingers outstretched. In a sense, Ano reminded him of Takeru. The boy was sincere and had a bit of quirky humor to him like Ryu. "Thank you," he said gently.
Ano grabbed Daiya's hand, interlacing his fingers as he pulled the boy's arm up in a strong grip. "We're friends now, so I'm allowed to worry. Just keep resting and I'll see you again before you leave alright? I've got to go back to the exams. I'm getting close to beating the pants off the finalists," he said with a huge grin. "And it's pissing Dayu, our team leader, off."
"I can't imagine why," Sasuke said much to the boy's confession.
Ano laughed heartedly. He had forgotten Sasuke was sitting in the chair near the window. The man was so quiet, it was eerie. Ano reached his other hand up ruffling Daiya's hair. He bent down, letting Daiya see the yellows of his eyes. "Behave yourself, Daiya. Don't cause too much trouble. I'd hate for your dad to have to come after you." Ano stood back up holding his hand up.
"You're coming back," Daiya asked afraid that Ano was going to not keep his promise.
"Yeah, I'll come back. No one's going to stop me. Not even that temperamental guy out there with the face mask," Ano said as he turned around. He opened the door with a click and was gone.
"Seems Ryu got a little jealous of him coming in," Sasuke commented.
The door opened again. Daiya turned his gaze back to the entrance to see Idai walk through. Idai had to duck under Kiba's arm. Daiya could hear Ryu mouthing off about why he wasn't next. "He is jealous," he said quietly. Before he could greet Idai, Idai practically threw himself at him. Daiya tensed a little at his best friend hugging him so hard, but he relaxed in time. "Idai, I'm okay," he reassured, his hand lifting to his back.
Idai closed his eyes just holding onto Daiya. "Don't you ever do that again," he said with such sternness and authority that it made Sasuke turn his head. "I'm not playing, Daiya. NEVER." He met Daiya's gaze with his orange eyes.
Soon Idai left once he was reassured that Daiya was going to be alright. Ryu, Saori, and Yanagi managed to get past Kiba with a trick of their own. He watched them burst into the room with Kiba trying to tackle them as he whirled around. Ryu shut the door quickly locking it. Daiya tilted his head. Yanagi came rushing at him in a whirl of pink hair and sobs.
Saori put her arms around her team mate's neck, kissing the side of his head. "Aw, you're blushing," she giggled as Yanagi gave him affection from the other side. "It's our payback for what you put us through. No more scaring us, Daiya," she said as she pinched his cheek.
Ryu clenched his fists at the girls hogging his friend all to themselves. He jumped on the bed, crawled over Daiya much to the surprise of everyone and hugged him so hard that Daiya struggled to breathe. Saori told him to let go because he was trying to kill him. Ryu loosened his hold, but remained on the bed with Sasuke warning him about his actions.
"Ryu,…?" Daiya lifted his hand touching his friend's arm. He didn't mind the attention, but he didn't understand why Ryu was acting this way. Normally he was carefree, laid back, and nothing bothered him. He saw Saori smile at him gently. She knew what was going on, he supposed. "Saori, why is he..?"
Ryu let go of Daiya abruptly, jumping off the bed. He was out of the room in an instant, moving quickly away from Kiba, Masaru, and Idai. Ryu walked down the hall leaving the hospital with his head downcast.
"Dad, why did he-," Daiya started.
Sasuke stood from the chair, his hands on his knees. "You two keep him company for me. I'll be right back." He opened the door softly, then left.
Saori hugged Daiya again happily to see him awake. "Daiya, when we get back to the village, let's train even harder! We'll climb cliffs, explore the river, run up the trees and see who can get the highest," she gleamed.
Yanagi opened her mouth laughing. "Saori, why don't we just have a party?" She kissed her boyfriend's cheek tenderly. "I missed you so much, Lightening Bug," she said rubbing her nose on his skin.
Sasuke found Ryu hiding with his back leaning against a tree near the hospital. Ryu's arm was over his eyes, shielding anyone from viewing them. He inhaled deeply closing his eyes before he walked carefully to Kakashi's son. "Ryu," he said in a quiet voice. Ryu didn't look up, or acknowledge him in any way. Sasuke leaned back, his hands in his pockets. The sky was moving overhead, the clouds hanging above the Mist Village as if a lady passing the floor with her kimono. "It's alright to show you care," he finally said, his thoughts dwindling on his other son back home. "If not now, then when is another opportunity going to present itself," he said closing his eyes.
Izumi Uchiha waited for any further news regarding her oldest son. She sat quietly in the room, her head lifted to stare at the ceiling. She had asked the hospital staff to remove Takeru from the room, so that he could be within her sight at all times, at home. He was lying in her bed, his form still. The shoji screen was open to the backyard, the sounds of birds coming through the room.
Izumi started to doubt her parenting abilities since both of her sons had been injured in a short amount of time. It was unlike any other experience she had had in her life. "It's funny, isn't it, Sasuke," she asked out loud. "We're both assassins by trade, but the one thing that injures us isn't a kunai, a shuriken, or any brand of weapon." She swallowed, her head moving to stare out at the garden. "Our family being destroyed is what hurts the most," she said closing her eyes. "I want so much right now, that I'm being selfish. I want both of them to run down the halls. I want… I want Onari to steal food off our plates, and-," Izumi laughed at a fond memory. "Try to force Takeru to take a bath with her."
Izumi's fingers held tightly to the stuffed bear Onari had given Takeru on a trip. The bear's head went back, its black eyes blankly shifted upwards. Its back was curved, arms dangling at its sides. The cat Onari had left behind had taken refuge upon Takeru's bed, its form curled up, tail twitching as it slept soundly. Soon the exams would be over. It felt lonely in the house without the rowdy behavior coming from the two boys chasing Onari. "It's too quiet, isn't it, Takeru? I bet you're not used to this sort of atmosphere anymore."
Upon the bed, the wind coming through the shoji screen entrance moved Takeru's bangs gently over his face. As the wind caressed his skin, the sheets upon the bed moved like a white sea. It was ending July, the birds welcoming the lesser hotter days of August when the winds would be cooler. As the wind blew again, the wind chime dinged outside, its gentle sound coming to his ears. Ever so softly, with the second ding of the chime moving with the wind, Takeru's fingers moved.