After another day of rest I head over to the Hyuga household to speak with Neji about breaking the connection with Orochimaru. I found him training with Lord Hyuga, I was always fascinated by how they fought with the gentle fist technique. The ability to kill someone with just a single touch...frightening. When they took notice of my presence they stopped.
"Mia, I see you're up and moving around again." Neji stated coming over to me.
"Yes, thank you for the concern. I see you have healed as well."
"Yes. But you didn't come here to just see how I was doing, right?" I frowned and placed a hand over the seal.
"Yes...I need the help of the Hyuga family." He looked at me surprised.
"Is this about the seal that Orochimaru put on you?" I gave a small nod. "What could we possibly help you with regarding that?"
"I never really told anyone about it, other than Gaara and the others. But when I was a child Orochimaru sealed a demonic wolf inside of me." Neji and Lord Hyuga looked at me stunned.
"I see..."
"...but that wasn't the real reason that he sealed Shei inside, he sealed him inside of me so I would survive his curse mark..."
"The curse mark...like what Sasuke has?" I nodded.
"Because of my eyes, because of the Osore...while I was gone...Shei finally accepted me, lending me his power. When I was unconscious he told me of a way to break the link between myself and Orochimaru."
"And that was with our help?" Lord Hyuga stated.
"Yes, Orochimaru's tie to me is through his chakra. If you could see that chakra thread and sever it...then I might be free of his control."
"You do realize it isn't as simple as that?" Neji muttered.
"I am willing to take whatever risks necessary. I can't keep worrying my friends and family anymore. I need him to go away for good."
"I see...Lord Hyuga, is it possible?" Neji asked looking at the Head of the Hyuga Clan.
"Yes, but only through a specific technique. There's no guarantee that you won't leave here unscathed from it. Do you still intend to go through this?" I nodded firmly.
"I have made this decision and I will see it through to the end."
"Very well. Come." I followed them to the very back of the Hyuga household. Hinata was standing there with her sister.
"Father, Neji, Mia..."
"Hinata, please take your sister and leave us."
"Y-yes sir..." The two vanished quickly into another room in the house.
"Please sit." I sat down in the middle of the room, Lord Hyuga standing behind me. Neji looked at me concerned.
"Is this going to hurt her?" He asked.
"I don't know. I have never tried this on a person like this before. But she has the resolve to see this through. I have to try and free her from his control." I shut my eyes.
"Thank you, Lord Hyuga." I whispered as he placed his hands on my shoulders.
"Neji, I am going to need your help." Lord Hyuga stated.
"How so?"
"Where the seal is, I need you to use your gentle fist directly in the center of it when I give you the word. Can you do that?"
"Yes sir." I moved my shirt to reveal the seal. I could feel a slight tingle in my shoulders as Lord Hyuga began his technique. This tingling turned to a sharp burning pain as it grew in intensity. I clenched my fists and teeth to keep from crying out in pain.
"You're doing good, Mia. Keep it up." Lord Hyuga muttered. "Get ready, Neji." I didn't want to see the attack coming. I simply breathed through my nose out through my mouth and waited in the darkness for the word to come. "Now!" I didn't have time to flinch or think of the attack as Neji slammed his hand into the seal.
I coughed out some blood and collapsed to the ground as Lord Hyuga released me. I felt my body start to spasm, nothing was in my control.
"What's happening?" Neji asked worried when he saw the state I was in.
"I was afraid of this...her body doesn't know how to handle the link being broken-" His voice cut out as my mind went blank.
Shei, what's happening?
I believe due to the link being severed your bodily functions that work with your mind are being thrown into disarray. I will try to stabilize it as best as I can.
What happens if it doesn't stabilize soon?
You could die...
And you would be released into the world?
No I would die with you, we are bound together as one now.
I'm sorry, Shei...
You don't need to apologize, I knew this was a possible outcome. Just relax and allow me to do my part to help.
I felt my mind buzzing, there was sparks of different colors. It was beautiful but terrifying as well, since I felt no pain whatsoever.
"-hat...ppe...is...alri...?" A voice spoke through the numbness.
"Sever...link..." Another voice.
"Is she going to be okay?" The voices were slowly getting clearer.
"She had a seizure, I expected something like this might have happened when the link was severed. She has had it with her, tied to her chakra for all these years to have it suddenly torn was enough to through her mind and body into chaos. I don't know what will happen, she chose this and I wasn't going to refuse her with the level of determination in her heart and conviction." Lord Hyuga's voice broke through.
"But she could die!" I heard the sharpness of Temari's voice spike through the void of darkness around me.
"Te..mari..." I forced the words out. Everything went quiet as I felt someone touch my forehead.
"She's burning up! What the hell was this link with Orochimaru doing to her body?"
"That I do not know, but it seems as if her chakra network is slowly stabilizing itself. Shei most likely is healing her body."
"How do you know that though?" Gaara's voice spoke firmly. I knew this couldn't have been easy for him to watch.
"Because I can see both of their chakras. Shei's is a pure black chakra, that blackness is spreading through out the chakra network and wherever it disappears from the stabilization of those networks is happening. Shei is saving her life and his."
He isn't wrong, I am saving myself as well. I know that is selfish, but...
Shei, it's not selfish to want to live. And even if it was...I guess that makes me selfish too, because I don't want to die yet. There's so much I want to experience and do.
Mia...
How long until my body is stabilized?
Give it some time, you won't be able to do anything if you force yourself. It will only slow your recovery process.
Will I regain consciousness soon?
Yes...but don't push yourself.
I won't. Thank you, Shei.
You have my strength and support, Mia. Rest easy, I will not let you die.
The haze slowly started to clear away as the heaviness of my body vanished. I struggled to open my eyes and when I finally could the brightness of the sun nearly made me shut them again.
"Mia!" Gaara's voice broke through the light and I turned my head to look at him. His face was scrunched up with concern as I took notice of everyone else in the room. Lord Hyuga, Neji, Lady Tsunade, Temari, Kankuro and Gaara. Everyone was looking at me concerned. Though they all show it in different ways.
"hey...guys..." I spoke quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. I thought they hadn't heard me and was trying to bring more strength into my voice when Lady Tsunade bent down next to me.
"Don't try to talk. I can tell it's very difficult for you." I frowned and went to move my hand to my chest.
"Was...it?" I muttered, looking at Lord Hyuga.
"It was a success. Neji and I have successfully severed the link between you and Orochimaru." I gave him a small smile.
"Thank...you..."
"You idiot..." Temari muttered and this made me look at her. She had tears in her eyes as she looked down at me. "What were you thinking?!" She cried at me.
"I'm...so..rry..." I coughed a little and felt the pain rise in my chest.
I told you to take it easy, you're not at all close to being completely recovered!
Okay...
"Temari, I think she gets it. Let's just get her somewhere to rest. She looks exhausted." Kankuro stated as he bent down to pick me up. I shook my head sharply.
"Kankuro, let me." Gaara said and I felt the sand underneath me gently bringing me up into the air and into his arms. It was uncomfortable but not at all painful.
"I'll go and find Kakashi, he'll want to make sure she's alright. We'll stop by later to make sure she's doing okay. For now, try your best to keep her fever down as best as you can." Lady Tsunade stated and vanished without hearing their reply.
"Let's go." Gaara stated himself and we vanished from the Hyuga household. "Mia..." I heard him whisper as my body faded back into the void of sleep.