(Note: I know this story has been spotty with updates since 2012, but I can't live with myself without finishing it. I promise you readers, I will finish it,) (side note: this •——• means a scene shift)
Chapter 43
Sasuke laid me back down on ground as gently as he could. He gripped my hand tightly and smiled as reassuring as he could. The last thing I remember is screaming loud enough for the remaining birds in the area to be startled off.
•——•
I woke up with in pain. The events of the last few days flashed through my head. I shot straight up in my bed only to be groan and fall back down while holding my abdomen.
"Hima!" I heard someone yell. I turned my head over as they said, "you're awake!"
"Shikamaru?" I turned my head towards my friend. He had a few bumps and bruises, but otherwise he looked okay. "Is everyone alright?'
"You need to worry more about yourself," he sighed rubbing his head in a relieved manner. "Yeah, everyone is okay. Physically, at least. Naruto was injured, but you know how fast he heals. Out of everyone, you have the worst injuries."
"Oh, yeah I guess I overdid it huh?' I smiled at him. I sat up slowly with Shika's help.
"Yeah, but I have a feeling no matter what anyone tells you, that won't change." Shika looked at me with a serious face. "You.. had me worried. When you left Asuma-sensei and I, I had a bad feeling, and I was right. You came back injured and I was powerless to help you."
"Shikamaru." I smiled at him. "But I'm alright. I didn't die, so stop feeling like that. It was my own carelessness that got me this way. Your concern is very sweet thought.'
A light red hew lightly dusted his face as I smiled at him.
"The third hokage's funeral is tomorrow, and I don't know if you are well enough to come, but I figured I would tell you. I better get the nurse." He said walking into the hallway.
"The third Hokage is dead. I didn't expect him to lose." After a moment of silence, I pulled up my shirt and saw the bandages covering my abdomen. My mind briefly flashed back to the sand piercing me.
'Isobu? I'm assuming you helped heal me? That was no mere injury."
'Yes, but there's something else.' Isobu said.
'What's wrong?'
'When you were Chikako she struck you with metal balls from her puppet. After that fight you hadn't had time to get treated and have them removed. You told me to leave during that fight, so I didn't notice them for a while. However, after your fight with Kurama and Shukaku a few of them burst. Any normal poison I could have just flushed out, but I couldn't.'
'Have the medic nin noticed?'
'Yes, they took all of the pieces they could out when they patched you up.'
'But?'
'One of them is lodged near your spine, so they haven't taken it yet. It's full of poison that is slowly weakening you. Normally, that small amount would make you sick for a while, but it seems to be leaking into me as.'
'Meaning?'
'It's attacking my chakra, which means that I can't heal it. This is a chakra based poison, so the more chakra it infects the worse your condition will be.'
'And since you are in me, the effects will be 100 times worse. I... will die if it's not gotten rid of.'
I sat there with a shadow over my face. The Konoha medics would figure this out, they had to. Did they even know about the the poison's effects. I'm assuming they know about Isobu because of the Chunin exams. Did... did Chikako know what the poison would do? Out of the frying pan and into the fire, I guess.
"Himawari." Someone said opening the door. It was my father and a doctor.
"Hello Father. Come to deliver the bad news?" I asked. My father walked towards me and hugged me.
"Father!?" I asked shocked.
"I just got you back, I don't want to lose you again." My father was a stern man, but apparently even he could shed a tear.
"So let's talk about it." The doctor looked at the two of us in a way that said, 'I want to get this over with.'
"What's going to happen?" My father asked.
"Well, normally the base of this poison would cause the body to mirror pneumonia. Expect, high fever, coughing, chills, Feeling like you can't catch your breath, especially when you move around a lot, exhaustion, low appetite, sharp or stabby chest pain, fast breathing and heartbeat, and if left alone death." He took a breath. "I would recommend staying in the hospital or at home with a medic and I will prescribe some medication to combat the poison and ease the symptoms."
"Do you think anyone here can fix her?" My father asked.
"As much faith as I have in them, with the poison ball being in such a precarious spot and your daughter's... status as a... jinchuuriki, the risk is too high." He shifted his eyes obviously uncomfortable. "However, there is talk about fetching Tsunade, so don't lose hope."
•——•
It was a dark day in Konohagakure. Everyone in the village was dressed for Hiruzen Sarutobi's, the third Hokage, funeral. Even the sky seemed to agree. Overall the aura of the village was bleak.
Normally the doctors at the hospital wouldn't even think about letting someone in my condition move around, but this funeral was an exception, especially for a ninja. Straight after the funeral, I'd have
"Hima, it's time to go." My sister and I walked to the funeral service in silence. There could be no happy thoughts on a day like this.
We stood by our fellow academy year graduates. Hinata to my left and Naruto to my right. Eventually, the rain fell as if the heavens themselves wept for the old man. One by one every shinobi placed their white flower down. As I placed mine, I realized though I did not know him, I know he was a good man. He accepted me back into the village and trusted that I was still a member of Konoha.
•——•
My family moved me home. It's not like hey didn't trust the hospital to do their job, but that the hospital couldn't do anything for me anymore. Of course, all the machines I was hooked up to were moved to my bedroom at home with me, I still needed those. It's just now, I got to die in the comfort of my home.
"Of course, with my luck it's when I come home that all this kind of crap happens," I groaned, irritated. "First the Chunin exams, then Chikako, then the attack, and then Gaara. Now. I might actually die. Oh goodness gracious, I really am a failure."