Aki's P.O.V.
The medical nin, who's name I learnt was Tadao, dutifully worked on my ears as I lay relaxed in the hospital bed.
As I began to start hearing commotion from the battle outside, I realised that Tadao was pretty good at his job.
Just before I was dragged forcibly off the field by a peeved medical nin, a swirl of leaves announced the arrival of the most anticipated contestant.
Sasuke Uchiha.
I stifled a giggle as he and Kakashi stood back-to-back with arms crossed, attempting to look intimidating and cool.
In truth, they looked more like a boy-band.
I was pondering how the wind seemed to instantly know when it was necessary to blow through Sasuke's duck-butt shaped hair in a dramatic way when his gaze interrupted my thoughts.
He took one look at my bedraggled state, flicked his strange hair and probably said something mocking whilst giving me a coy smirk.
He seemed pretty impressed with his insult as Kakashi merely sweatdropped.
I savoured every moment as I comically cupped my ear in an over-the-top way, displaying the blood that steadily trickled down the side of my face from my burst eardrums.
Sasuke stiffened and blushed, embarrassed that his one-liner was completely wasted.
"IF THAT WAS AN INSULT TOWARDS MY APPEARANCE, THEN YOU SHOULD SEE THE OTHER GUY," I yelled with a smirk.
With uncanny timing, Dosu was carried past us on a stretcher, his complexion still pale and his entire body shaking and twitching with the after-shock of my chakra.
Sweat poured off his cut skin and I rose my brows as I only just noticed that my roots had all but crushed his metal contraption beyond repair.
'I'm totally badass!' I praised.
I smiled viciously as Sasuke gaped and opened my mouth for a snarky comment but was cut short as Tadao clapped his hands over my ears again, causing me to yell out in pain as he dragged me out of the arena by my head.
The good Doctor had calmed down some once we made it off the arena floor and into the chambers beyond and walked behind me, still with his hands clasped firmly on my ears.
I sensed the monster before I saw it, he rounded the corner ahead of us and I stiffened at the deadly aura he was emitting.
Gaara didn't even glance at me, but I soon realised that his attention was on the two idiots that lurked in the shadows of the corridor.
'Shit.'
I urged Tadao to walk slightly quicker as he was too intent on my health to notice the imminent threat.
The bloodlust was so thick it was almost palpable and Gaara's expression made the blood in my veins turn to ice.
I froze.
He wasn't in control of his beast.
He'd probably kill these fools.
I gritted my teeth.
'No time, I have to do something.'
Leaning forward, I freed my head from my Doctor's firm grasp as I sped up my movements with what little chakra I had accumulated.
Sending the chakra to my hands, I spun and gave the medical nin a gentle shove, he flew backwards through the air and out of harm's way but I was already moving onto the idiots by the time my palm left his chest.
I was less gentle with the foreign ninja, using my chakra filled hands to slam both their heads sideways and into the walls of the corridor as I ran between them towards my target.
I wasn't as fast as I can usually get, so Gaara's sand was already swirling around him by the time I got anywhere near.
I couldn't recognise that face full of hatred and malice, the dead look in his eyes and the way he craved blood so strongly I could feel it through his chakra.
It made my chest ache to see him so consumed by that evil power.
I was almost by his side, but I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I could barely see anything in the steadily darkening corridor.
So I did what I usually do: close my eyes and follow my instincts.
I faintly saw a reddish hue to my chakra before my lids closed completely and I embraced the deadly ninja.
Sat dutifully on the makeshift hospital bed in one of the arena's underground chambers, I grew more and more anxious as I tried to remember the past few minutes.
As usual, I struggled to remember much of anything when my primal chakra took over.
My Doctor was acting normal enough and the two mentally challenged foreign ninja were recuperating with head bandages across the room.
So what happened?
"I'm going to get some water, try not to move too much until I get back," Tadao drawled as he stalked from the room, removing his gloves as he did so.
I was startled by his voice, only just realising this was the first I'd ever heard it since we'd met. It was steady and strong, with a certain mellow quality.
'Why was he wearing gloves?'
The blood was cleared from my head, my ears no longer clogged, yet the long, low hum of white noise vibrated through my skull.
My entire body felt numb still, a pleasant tingling was in the tips of my fingers as I enjoyed the effect of Tadao's painkiller jutsu.
Despite the soothing affect of Tadao's powers, the murderous intent that radiated from the battle above set me on edge.
I tried to relax and recuperate for my next battle, but I couldn't resist feeling the intense animosity that was so harsh to my sensitive abilities.
Nothing bad had happened, yet. I knew that much.
But the way Gaara had been acting lately, I had a terrible feeling about this competition.
I couldn't sit still a moment longer, forcing my aching limbs to push myself into a seated position, dangling my legs over the edge of the hospital bed.
I noticed it then, I noticed why Tadao had been wearing surgical gloves, why one of my arms didn't respond, why Tadao had used such a strong painkiller jutsu.
My left arm was covered in a thick, heavy cast. And that wasn't all.
It was difficult to discern through the strong pain killer jutsu, but I could deduce that 5 of my ribs, my collar bone and all the bones in my arm were broken.
I didn't take this damage during the fight with Dosu...
I brushed the collar of my kimono with my unbroken arm, feeling the rough texture of sand grains under my fingertips.
"Gaara.." I grunted, wincing as my ribs sent a stinging sensation throughout my body as I attempted to speak.
Closing my eyes and going with my instincts hadn't turned out as well as usual.
"I'm so stupid!" I rasped.
With the buzz in my head from my adrenaline rush gone I could think clearly now.
Running at someone consumed with the bloodlust of a tailed beast and unleashing a dangerous and unpredictable chakra from within myself was the stupidest idea I've ever had.
'Close my eyes and go with my instincts?! I'm a complete moron!'
And now I've got a heap of broken bones to show for it, and more battles coming up.
With my free hand I slapped myself across the face, 'maybe if I take a leaf out of byakko's book I might actually learn not to be a dumbass.'
Despite my slap, I began to feel unnaturally sleepy. I gazed at the feathers fluttering around the room, my lids relaxing.
'Must be a strong gen jutsu to reach all the way down here...' I pondered sluggishly.
'But I'm so tired... this bed is so soft... and I need to save my chakra for the next match... can't be bothered... releasing such... a pesky... jut...suuuuu~...'
Everything was black as the soft hospital bed sheets cradled me.
'I'm soooo relaxed...~'
I vaguely heard voices in the distance, but they didn't matter.
"...ster....aster... oh kami!... -hat happe--...body?!... RELEASE!!"
All of a sudden I was pulled from my blissful slumber into harsh lights and sharp colours.
I winced and rolled to my side, burying my head in the sheets,
"Five more minutes..." I mumbled, groggily.
"Master!" Byakko pleaded, shaking me gently,
"We've been attacked by enemy ninja! We have to go quickly!"