Chapter 5 - The Spoils of Victory

The demon was watching his cousin's funeral. She wasn't killed by me, she commited suicide. He was standing outside of the graveyard thinking about the rest of his clan. He swore then and there he would kill me if it was the last thing he did. I heard him loud and clear because I was standing right behind him.
"Oh, a graveyard is a perfect place to die," I joked.
"Why would the prey seek out the hunter?" he asked as he turned around.
"Honestly, the hunter isn't that scary."
"You have no idea how scary I can be."
"You're just too damn proud to know when to shut up!"
The demon scratched his head. I took that as a sign that it was time to put my plan into action. I threw a kunai that cut right through his long hair. The little pink maggots started crawling out of his hair. I put my foot down to crush one of the stupid creatures and the demon screamed.
There was no bite to him after I got rid of his maggots. It was either the maggots or his hair. He was so weak that I only had to use Living Darkness Wolf Mother Juitsu. I have no idea how he defeated me before. I have no idea how he killed Itachi. The maggots must have been most of his power.
I rarely left hte body of a demon the way it was after I killed it. Usually it would be torn apart by mother or picked apart by screamer. This was one of those rare times when I didn't have time to wait for my pets to eat the demon. I discarded the dead body in a nearby empty casket and casually walked by the graveyard like nothing happened.
Empty caskets were often place outside of graveyards in the village of haunts. It was probably because there was much conflict in our village and alot of people died. If there was a person who died that really didn't have anybody to attend their funeral, then they could be dropped off in one of the empty caskets.
It was going to be a while before I fought the last demon so I decided to pay my dear boyfriend a visit. I hadn't been to the leaf village in about a year. Kiba would be happy to see me. I thought it would be better if my friends didn't know where I was going. Rene would get mad if she knew that she had missed a chance to see Neji.
It didn't take too long to get to the leaf village and it took less time to find Kiba. It took him longer to find me. He was hanging out with his best friends. I had to find a way to get rid of Naruto, Choji, and Shikamaru. That wasn't really hard to do.
My plan was to send mother out to steal Naruto's headband. Everyone except for Kiba would chase after her because mother's appearance would mean that I was nearby. The plan worked, well, it sort of worked. I got up to the part where everyone left but Kiba when it got messed up.
Kiba finally spotted me sitting on a fallen log not very far from where he was standing. What made that spot so terribly unromantic was the fact that it was the very spot where I had died the last time I came to the leaf village. The log I was sitting on was the same log I got stuck under. I was so excited to see Kiba that I ran over and hugged him.
"Did you miss me, Nia?" he asked.
"Just a little bit," I laughed.
"So are you back for good now?"
"Sorry, I don't mean to tease you. My mission is nearing it's end though. Truthfully I'll never really be back for good. My next mission deals directly with your clan so we'll be together alot."
"You said you mission was almost over the last time I saw you. That was over a year ago."
"This time I really mean it. I should be back in about a month."
"you'll be fourteen by then."
"I know......Kiba, do you want to know the real reason why I came to see you before my mission was over?"
"I would, very much."
"Uh..."
"Who are you?" ugh! Naruto was back.
I turned around and scowled at him. "Do you have short term memory loss of have you just lost it in the past year?"
"What in the world is that supposed to mean?"
"Is that supposed to be your name?" Shikamaru asked. I didn't really like him.
"Didn't Sasuke tell you why he left so suddenly? That would have refreshed your memory."
"Oh now I remember. You were that girl that passed out before."
"Actually I didn't pass out, I died. I'm not just 'that girl' either I'm Nia Uchiha."
Shikamaru looked like he was having an epiphany.
"I've heard my sister mention your name before."
"Your sister hasn't dropped dead and stayed like that for a day anytime this year, has she?"
"Actually she did something like that a while back. It was very troublesome, we had no idea what was wrong with her. She was perfectly fine the next day. How did you know about that?"
"I know she's a dark clone."
"Noone was supposed to know that. How did you find out?"
"It's not always about how I know, it's more like why I know. I know because she is my dark clone. I still can't believe you didn't make the connection when you heard my name. Nia Nara told me you were smart."
"He Nia, are you alright?' asked kiba. He looked worried.
"I'm fine, why do you ask?"
"Sasuke left to visit you in the hospital. What happened?"
"It wasn't bad, I'll show you later. I am thankful that he came becaue if he hadn't, I'd probably be dead. If I were you I would be less worried about me and more worried about my older brother. He was left alone to die in a hospital bed while everyone else worried about me."
"But he's evil!" Naruto screamed.
"You're wrong! The real Itachi isn't evil! The man you are thinking of is not my brother. You have never met my brother."
Allow me to explain. Itachi never enjoyed playing the bad guy so he asked me to teach him how to make a dark clone. Itachi finally had an opportunity to leave the bad guy business and get on with his life. There was one huge problem. The dark clone wanted to be the real and only Itachi. Also we have the problem that if the Akatsuki find out that Itachi is fooling them, they'll kill him. I had to explain that to Naruto also.
"Did Sasuke really leave because I was in the hospital?" I asked suddenly bewildered.
"that's what Naruto told us," Kiba answered.
"How ironic!"
"What's ironic about that?"
"I'm leaving tomorrow because he's no better off than Itachi was when we were brought to the hospital. I don't even know if he's alive or not."
After that alot of things happened. Shikamaru left to talk to his sister and Choji followed him. Naruto went to tell Sakura about Sasuke. Kiba and I went our seperate ways but we promised to meet again before the night was over. We had to. There was still something that he needed to do for me.
That night I was looking for a nice big tree to sleep in when I sensed someone's presence behind me. I didn't turn around because I knew who it was. I almost laughed when I felt his arms wrap around my waist. He was strong but what girl doesn't love a guy with some muscle. I still didn't turn my head but I tried to rest my head on his shoulder. He was too tall and my head wouldn't reach.
"I thought you were afraid of spiders, Nia," Kiba whispered.
"I'm not a kid anymore," I laughed.
"If you're goanna grow up, will you promise not to grow out of me?"
"I promise I'll never grow out of you."
"Is this why you went to the hospital?" he was feeling the three holes on my then gloveless hand.
"Yeah, I was lucky to only have three. I was only attacked once but Sasuke was attacked twice. I only saw his legs the first time. He had four on each leg."
"What is it?"
"It doesn't matter. Whatever juitsu the attacker used will never be used again. He was the only one who could use it and he's dead now."
"I just remembered, you never told me why you came."
"Oh, I don't know if I want to tell you now. You'll just laugh at me. I don't know why I brought it up"
"C'mon, I won't laugh at you, I promise. Just tell me."
"You only say that because you don't know what it is."
He let me break away from him and I sat down under a tree. If you haven't guessed yet, I wasn't feeling like my usual optomistic self. I wa only crying a little though. Kiba sat down next to me and tried to put his arm around me but I pushed him away.
"Gosh Nia, what is your problem?!!" Kiba exclaimed.
"I don't know just go away!" I sobbed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you. I only wanted to help. Please don't send me away. Just tell me why you came. I swear on my life that I won't laugh at you." (Rene said that if he were a good boyfriend, he would have dropped the subject to try and find a way to calm me down. I told her where she could take her lame dating tips.)
I didn't relpy.
"What is it? Do you not love me anymore?"
"KIBA!"
"Woah!"
I forgot all aobut being mad and buried my face in his chest. When I did, I nearly knocked him over. Okay, so I was crying my eyes out.
"Alright, I'll tell you," I said quietly.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," said Kiba. I didn't actually hear him say that.
"I came because I wanted to be with you and I wanted you to give me my first kiss."
"Well, why didn't you say that in the first place?"
"You're not laughing at me?"
"Why would I laugh at you?"
"Because you're a goofball."
"And you're not?"
I couldn't help but laugh. I was glad that my head could reach his shoulder. I didn't really like being short. My head didn't have time to get to his shoulder before he pulled me into a passionet kiss on the lips. I was actually shocked, I didn't think he would do it. However, shocked as I was, I did kiss him back.
We talked for a while but I don't remember what was said. We both fell asleep right there. In the morning I reluctantly left like I had planned to. I was in no hurry to see Sasuke and in even less a hurry to leave Kiba. I didn't even want to know what happened to Sasuke.
I came to find out that the others had made it just in time and Sasuke was alive. I also found out that the girl that Itachi was in love with was the corpse that brought him back to life. Itachi had gone to save her on the same day I went to the leaf village. Turns out that the girl he met was Rehsa Fairchild, Gonan's older sister.
Even though it had already been two days, Sasuke hadn't waken up yet. Even though Sasuke hadn't woken up yet, everyone was going to abandon him because Itachi and Resha were going to get married the next day! I thought it was a little early but they must have felt some deep connection when she brought him back to life. They understood when I refused to attend so I could stay with Sasuke.
Resha was a very interesting person. She didn't seem to have a personality except for that she agreed with everything Itachi said. Her eyes were often hidden behind her long, black hair which had a snow white feather hanging amoung it's strands. She was dressed alot like Gonan with a skirt instead of shorts. She also wore a faded apron with bloodstains on it.
The next day, the day of the wedding, I was left alone with a still sleeping Sasuke. It was kind of creepy sitting there with noone to talk to. I don't think it was because of the silence or the lonliness because I wasn't alone. Someone else had come to see Sasuke that day. I peeked around the other side of the bed and saw Gina staring straight at me.
"Gina, what are you doing here?" i asked.
"I came to see Daniel and I heard a nurse say that Sasuke was here," she whispered.
I stood straight up and sighed. Daniel was Gina's older brother. He had been bed ridden for a few years. He always brought it upon himself to take on other peoples' pain which was hurting him mentally and physically.
"How is he?" I asked dreading the answer.
"Well, I tried to act as happy as I was able and he seemed fine. He told me that you brought Itachi back from the village of naught and he wants to see you."
"Do you think you could keep an eye on Sasuke for me while I go see Daniel?'
"I won't even blink."
"Thank you, Gina."
I knew I could trust Gina to watch Sasuke and not leave until I returned. Those two always tended to play favorites. Gina's favorites were Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi was more used to her than Sasuke was and Gina was Itachi's favorite too. I was Daniel's one and only favorite. He always seemed to be a little more healthy when I was around.
As I turned the corner into Daniel's room I saw his face light up. He knew everything I was going to say but he wanted to hear me say it to him.
"Hello Daniel, are you doing alright today?" I asked cheerfully.
"Gina already told you that," he laughed.
"Rene and Gonan are close to finding a cure for your problem. Did you know that?"
"No, but what happens to me doesn't really matter. What really matters is what happens to everyone else."
"It would make everyone alot happier ir I could bring you home."
"Then maybe I do want to be cured."
"Gina said there was something you wanted to talk to me about."
"She told you I know about Itachi. I know about Sasuke too. Don't worry, he won't die."
"You haven't met Sasuke yet, have you?"
"No. When he wakes up can you bring him here so I can see him?"
"I think that might be possible."
"Good because I also want him to see me."
"Oh Daniel, just think, pretty soon you'll get to see places other than this dark, smelly hospital room."
"I'm more excited about spending more time with you, Nia."
"I should go. Sasuke still isn't very fond of Gina and I want to be there when he wakes up."
"Alright, see you later."
I gave Daniel a hug and went back to Sasuke's room. Gina was still there and she was trying not to blink.
"Is he waking up yet?" I asked.
"He's been stirring. I think he's going to wake up soon." Gina whispered.
"Tell me when he does."
I sat down in the chair that i had been sitting in and looked out the window. There wasn't much to see. It was the same place I had lived in since I was four. The only thing that ever changes is the people. Sasuke was stirring again. I didn't think that he would wake up so I continued to look out the window.
"Please don't kill me," Sasuke said weakly.
"Why would I kill my brother and best friend?" I asked.
"Oh Nia, it's you. I thought you were someone else."
"You thought I was the head surgeon who had come to stab your heart. Have you found out what she is also?"
"She's the last demon. I think they are planning something. The demon with the maggots is the head surgeon's youger brother. he didn't want to kill us, he wanted to send us to his sister."
"If they were planning anything, it won't be carried out. I killed the demon with the maggots a few days ago."
"How long did I sleep?'
"I don't know, but we need to leave this place as soon as possible. We can talk somewhere else."
I turned to Sasuke and he climbed out of bed. We made our way back to my house with Gina trailing behind. I don't think the demon brother and sister were planning anything toghether. I thought that the head surgeon was planning something by herself. Neither of us could have predicted the intensity of the challenge that waited in the month to come.

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