Red Mist (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter 16 - I Will Not Die

Akai laid in the hospital bed, her eyes shut and her breathing was slightly off even. Her torso was covered in bandages, and so was the majority of her body.

Beside of her bed, sat Ibiki Morino. The go to tough guy, who was currently taking a turn in making sure someone was beside of Akai at all times. The girl had crucial wounds, and she needed someone to make sure she was okay.

Nurses were in and out of the room, and it was currently three days after the preliminary part of the exam, but Akai had yet to awaken. For the last day and a half, Ibiki was the one by her side. Akito and Shin had told Ibiki they would watch her, that he could go home and take a break, but every time Ibiki would say no.

So they stopped asking, and just stayed in the room with him. Akito and Shin were sitting on her opposite side, involved in their own conversation. Until Akai opened her eyes and let a loud breath escape her lips.

"Akai, you're awake!" Shin said happily, looking at the girl. Akai nodded her head, and pushed herself up in the bed, whimpering slightly from the pain in her side.

"Hey, take it easy, brat. You took a sword to your gut." Ibiki said, rolling his eyes slightly at his student. Akai glanced over at Ibiki and stuck her tongue out.

"I'm fine, tashikani." She said, nodding her head as another jonin walked into the room.

"Morino, the Hokage is requesting you to speak about the next part of the chunin exam. He said that you are to come now, and that Akito and Shin are able to watch over Akai." The jonin said before he poofed away.

Ibiki sighed and stood up, nodding at his students before he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, as always. Akito looked at Akai and gave her a gentle smile.

"That was an amazing fight you had!" He said, giving the girl a smile. Akai smiled back at him, giving him a thumbs up.

"Thank you!" She said. "Same for you guys. I was on the tip of my toes the entire time you guys were fighting, tashikani!"

"Psh, I bet you knew Akito was going to win the whole time." Shin said, crossing his legs over each other.

"I did not!!" Akai said, laughing. "It's kind of pitiful that only one of Team Ibiki is continuing through though."

"Not really, at least one of us made it. There are entire teams who didn't make it out or through the preliminary rounds. At least one of us will." Shin said, pointing at Akito with a bright smile. Akito rolled his eyes slightly before he stood up.

"I'm hungry, do you want to go get food with me Shin? You can help me carry it." Akito said, before looking at Akai. "You should be okay by yourself. If not, you can yell for the nurses."

"I'll be fine, tashikani, go on." She said, shewing them away with her hand. Both of the boys left the room, and Akai had the room to herself for a little while. But all she could think about was Kisame, and how she still couldn't beat him. After all of these years, she couldn't beat him.

She had trained so hard, even before she became a Konoha ninja, so that she could beat her uncle; but for what? She would never be as strong as Kisame, at least not in her current state.

Akai sighed heavily as she glanced outside her window, tapping her fingers along her legs. She didn't snap out of it until she heard voices from the doorway of her room.

"Hey Akai, we're back!" Shin said happily, but Akito kept glancing back at the door. The boys took seats on either side of Akai, and they both got serious faces as they looked at her.

"That kid you fought, he's outside your room. The nurses asked what he was doing, and he said he wanted to check on you." Akito said quietly, and Akai's eyes widened slightly. What could Kisame want with her now? He already had beaten her, and left her when she needed him. What else could he possible want?