It took quite some time for everyone to readjust from Mei's jutsu. There was some stretching, some complaining, and grumpy mumbling as well. Shino was resting against a tree during this, his eyes wanting to remain open, but also tugging at sleep. I sat beside him, watching with worry as Sakura checked me over for wounds. Under those heavy eyelids of his, Shino met my eyes. His hand slowly found its way to mine, and I held it for dear life, squeezing it tightly until his knuckles turned white.
“I'm sorry for my trouble, really,” I whispered, both to Shino and Sakura. Sakura must have thought I was only speaking to her, retorting almost immediately.
“Really, Hotaru,” she sighed, sitting up from her finished work, “You can't blame this on yourself.” She held out a hand, and, though I was reluctant to stand from Shino's side, I took it, accepting her help and standing to my feet. “You really stuck to it, and the two of you saved our butts.”
“I was weak,” I whispered, rolling my shoulders in a stretch. “Shino is the reason we're all okay.”
Sakura raised a pink eye brow, placing a hand on her hip. “Hotaru,” she grumbled, “from the looks of it, someone healed Shino. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to stand, let alone take out the enemy. I could still hear, Hotaru. We all could. If you are of the Gomi clan, then you should accept that quickly. We've made enemies with your so-called sisters, and that's not going to help our case. It's going to be even worse if we have so many injured teammates.”
Turning to Shino, who'd conked out during Sakura's speech, Sakura made it clear what she wanted me to do. I had to use this 'Vita Morsque' jutsu to heal the others. I'd be happy to, that is, if I knew how to control it. You see, when I was healing Shino, that was out of desperation. It came from need, not from skill. But if I was to heal Riko and Sora, then I'd have to master it. Which, as you may presume, I wasn't sure how to do. Taking a deep breath, I approached my injured comrades, placing a hand on Sora's chest.
Ever-so-calmly, I recalled the moment just minutes before, when I healed Shino's concussion. I focused myself on him, and it felt as though a little piece of me was leaving my body and transferring into his. I tried it once again, allowing a bit of myself to escape. Sure enough, a lump of warmth crawled down my arm and into Sora's chest. After it escaped me and joined him, his eyelids fluttered slightly, soon opening to peer up at me.
“Hotaru,” he whispered, his eyes growing wide. His sat up quickly, something he quickly regretted. Gasping, he gripped his forehead in one hand, the other squeezing my arm. “They brainwashed me, Hotaru,” he seethed through heavy pants. I quickly put my hand over-top his temple, doing my best to use the Vita Morsque to ease his pain.
Since I was sitting next to his makeshift bed, I quickly rested his head on my thigh. As soon as I did, his pain eased, and he allowed his arms to fall back by his sides. As I healed him, our eyes met. His were desperate, pleading with me. “Please, Hotaru,” he gasped, “believe me. They used a jutsu on my chakra. I didn't mean to-”
“I know, Sora. Riko fell victim as well,” I said, trying my best to calm him down. It isn't often that Sora acts ashamed, especially on this level. After he rested a bit, he seemed to settle down. When I asked him if he was feeling okay, he nodded 'yes'. Sakura came to check on him, and I made my way over to Riko.
Her brown hair had fallen loose from its ties, and surrounded her head gracefully as she lay on her back. Her skin was pale in the fading sunlight, and the way her chocolate brown eyes were so lightly closed made it appear as though she were simply napping. As I began to heal her, it began to feel like my stomach was filling with lead. Shivering, a sudden cold sweeping over my body, I doubled over, coughing fiercely.
Kokoko Sensei was immediately by my side, helping me to my feet.
But I couldn't stand.
No matter how hard I tried, my legs gave out beneath me every time.
Looking concerned, Kokoko Sensei called for Hinata, asking her shyly if she could check on my chakra's flow. Hinata nodded, activating her Byakugan and peering at me with pupil-less eyes. She approached me, laying a hand on my knee. “Her chakra level is dangerously low, and there seems to be a blockage here, in her knee. Don't have her use that jutsu for a while. She may accidentally drain all of her chakra.”
Behind Hinata, Jackie and Nathan appeared, both looking deeply concerned. “Kokoko,” Jackie whispered, gently pushing past Hinata. “I believe Hotaru needs to come with the two of us. Somewhere...private.”
Kokoko Sensei seemed to understand immediately, nodding swiftly and helping me into Nathan's arms, so that he may carry me to wherever the two ANBU planned to take me. In unison, they catapulted into the trees, swiftly hopping from branch to branch, until we reached a small creek not far from the camp. Nathan gently sat me down on the bank, and the chilly soil welcomed my skin with its soft touch. To clear my mind, I began playing with a charming little beetle that stumbled to get around the base of my sandals.
Jackie and Nathan took a seat on a square boulder a few feet away. Surprisingly, it was Nathan that first spoke. His purple eyes met mine, and he calmly brushed a strand of sky-blue hair from his pale, soft face.
“Hotaru, I hate to tell you this now...,” he said quietly, blushing a soft pink, “but your history is the sole reason why Jackie and I were sent on this mission with you. Seeing as you are now already mastering the Vita Morsque, we feel that it's time you know of its origins as well as its side effects.”
It was now Jackie's turn to speak. She leaned closer to me, twirling a dark purple strand of hair around her slim finger, her yellow eyes studying me. “When you were a baby, there was some trouble amongst the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Sand. You see, as much as it may shock you, you are of the Gomi family. It may be a secret now, but in the deserts, at the time, the Gomi were a feared clan. Especially your father and mother, Taiga and Kairi Gomi. They were the leaders of your clan, and, soon after your birth, fled into darkness, taking the scoll that we're currently searching for, the Scroll of the Dead, with them. Your clan created the scroll. They are the only ones who can control it.
“As the leaders, your parents were burdened with giving birth to two- and only two- heirs, you and your sister Saturn.”
I nodded, my chest like ice, and weighed the news in my head. I had always felt as though I didn't really belong with my parents. They were quiet and plain in appearance, so I often questioned their pasts. But for the most part I'd trusted them, had faith in their reasons. But something about what Jackie said was bothering me.
“But...Mei mentioned a third sister. Kyoko, I think.”
Nathan nodded, approaching me to lay a hand on my knee. As he did, a soft green glow surrounded it, and his healing began. “We knew that we had to keep a child, and you were newly born. Your parents' plans had been infiltrated, so, instead of causing mass death and destruction by beginning a battle, the Kazekage took you away and hid you where Taiga and Kairi could never find you. They left, leaving you in the village, and gave birth to Kyoko to take your place. Your current parents stood up, offering to raise you as their own daughter, so that you may become the kunoichi you are today.”
Silently, I bowed my head, taking in their words, which each filled me with both sorrow and relief, an odd mix that is sickening to the stomach.
I cleared my throat, my emerald eyes searching over Nathan as he finished healing my leg. “About this Kekkei Genkai-”
“Don't use it anymore. Not until we tell you to, okay?” Jackie commanded sternly, standing with Nathan. “It uses up chakra quickly, and needs to be used sparingly. Anyway, we're going to head back. You coming?”
Swallowing, I shook my head, staring into the water. “I'd like to stay on my own for a bit if that's okay,” I murmured, staring at my reflection.
There was a scratching noise as they left, jumping through the trees, and, as soon as I knew they were out of sight, I slid into the water, allowing its icy embrace to slide across every inch of my body. I had to clear my head, so I slid it under the water, tightly closing my eyes and holding my breath.
Lots of people would have been overwhelmed at the news. My life has been a lie, my family's a bunch of crooks, I was kidnapped by the Kazekage...
But I'm numb. You tell me someone passed away? Okay. Too bad. It's sad. I've been lied to? Okay. That's terrible. Kekkei Genkai? Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. I'm numb. My head is clear. Over thinking things leads to obsessing over them, which just worries you.
Okay.
There was a splashing sound above me, and, in alarm, I popped open my eyes. My gaze was met with the upside-down head of Shino, who'd stuck his spikey skull right down into the water. Shocked, I lept upward, surging out of the creek with a loud influx of breath.
“What the heck, Sunglasses?!” I screeched, flailing up onto the bank. He smiled pleasantly at my apparent shock, sitting patiently on his knees.
“You took too long.” He pointed at a red spot on his neck. “Expect for this, I'm healed.”
“Well isn't that just a whoop and a holler of joy!”
He didn't respond to my anger. Instead, he pulled of his over-sized olive green jacket, leaving himself in only his mesh undershirt. Ever-so-kindly, he place it around my soggy shoulders. The jacket was warm, and I slid my arms through it's long, thick sleeves. “You know, when you use that jutsu, your eyes turn light pink. It's kind of pretty.”
I blinked in surprise, looking up at him. He was being very...open. Smiling at me, giving me his jacket, so on, so on. But I was calm. He was open to me. Okay. I'll be open to him. “You have a tight bod.”
“What?”
“I mean, uh, you're eyes are really pretty, too. Why do you wear those glasses all the time, anyway?”
He smirked, shrugging lightly. “I always have. Everyone in the Aburame family does, pretty much.”
I glared at him, splashing my feet in the water playfully. Then... I had a bit of an idea. Shino was watching my feet as they tore up water from the stream. So, while he wasn't paying attention, I snatched his glasses and shoved them in the jacket's fat pocket.
“Hotaru...”
“You have pretty eyes.”
“Give them back.”
“No. You have really pretty e-”
All of the sudden, my lips stopped moving, my words stopped forming. It took a second, but I slowly realized that Shino's mouth was connected to mine. And we were embracing. And kissing.
Holy moly guacamole roly poly ravioli....
I closed my eyes and let his warmth sink into me. No more mission. No more psycopath sisters. No more Gomi. No more anything. Sunglasses was my warmth, and, if given time, I may let him become a part of me.