*Editing* Dying From The Inside Out. (A Kiba Inuzuka Love Story)

Chapter 16: Not So Reassuring

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL YOUR SISTER?!"

"If I did she'd hate me!"

"That's why we were hoping you told her," Eriina said simply, adjusting herself on the branch she was on, holding her head in frustration. "Look, we're trying to help you, okay? But you really have to show it, that you want to fix things, Inuzuka."

"I understand that, Yoshigo." Kiba, Atori, Eriina, Chouji, Shikamaru and Ino sat in a clearing in the Konoha forest.

"Explain it again?" Atori chirped, making everyone sigh.

"I told my sister Kaira and I were friends. One day, she saw me yelling-"

"You mean bullying," interrupted

For a moment, Kiba glared with extreme hate at the red head that had interrupted him. He knew he bullied her and she didn't have to be there every time to remind him.

"And assumed it was something Kaira had done. Where Kurasei Shizuka came into this, I have no idea," feeling quite depleted, Kiba slumped against the tree Eriina had taken ownership of with Ino.

"Was Kurasei around you were kids?"

"Vaguely, she was usually with Naruto, Kakashi Sensei or Medic Akane. One time she came in and taught our class about the other villages, it was really interesting," Ino admitted.

"Kurasei used to come and see Eri and I all the time," Atori intervened, watching a butterfly flutter past her. "She was so nice, she understood everything. But then..."

"Then?"

"Well, when Kaira came, and Kurasei saw us less and less."

"Was she paying more attention to Kaira or something?"

"No...she avoided Kaira at all costs."

Ino frowned for a moment, feeling a familiarity to that topic. Her eyes lightened up as she remembered. "Oh hey! Kurasei always acted weird around Kaira in classes!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well...every time Kaira would get close to her Kurasei would walk in the other direction quickly. Every time Kaira would near her because of a class activity, like exams and stuff, Kurasei would stare at her like she's wounded or dying. I guess I never really took much notice until now..."

Silence dropped onto the group, and the stared at the trees, the ground or the sky. Soon, Atori got up and followed the butterfly somewhere.

Kiba briefly mumbled that he was going to go and see Kaira again, and though Eriina was solemn about this she allowed him to. Choji ran out of food snd left for more, and that left Ino, Eriina and Shikamaru.

"Who is she exactly?"

"Who?"

"Kurasei Shizuka," Eriina clarified, jumping off the tree. "I want to check the library for anything on her," the red head began to wak away.

"We'll come to!" Ino said, pulling Shikamaru up. Eriina smiled minutely and nodded, but when she turned her face screwed up into a scowl.

It was Shikamaru she wanted to come with her, not Shikamaru and Ino.

~

"You're twisted words did seal my fate, this minute apology has come too late."

When Kiba heard Kaira reciting another line of this poem she had, he released her hands and pulled back. Every time she said those things his insides felt cold.

Quickly, he scribbled down the the words.

Those who forgive will always regret

The betrayal made and you'll never forget

You're twisted words did seal my fate

This minute apology has come to late

Saying what she said hurt him was an understatement. To be honest, when Kiba found out Kaira had actually gone, he was sad.

Immediately he got rid of those three girls- the ones whose names he can't remember -that followed him around to hurt Kaira. He had his hair cut nicer and started to train more.

This was so that maybe, if Kaira came back one day, she could see; he had changed.

~

Eriina could have reached over and punched Ino in the face, for no reason. Everytime she spoke to Shikamaru, said his name or even looked at him, an image of Eriina stabbing a death crystal into her would flash in her mind.

The red head was quite aware of what this feeling was, and it was very new to her. It wasn't very often that Eriina wasn't allowed something she wanted, so she had never felt the need to be envious...or jealous.

Shikamaru felt uncomfotable with Ino there too, and Eriina decided she just leave them before the fantasy in her eyes becomes real.

Their search was so far futile. Hardly anything spoke of Kurasei Shizuka. There were books who mentioned her, including the one about the death of the Fourth Hokage.

"That can't be right...she would have been just a baby," Shikamaru said, closing the book even more confused than before.

"I think she's a little older than she let's on, it's kinda weird," Ino frowned.

"What is it you children are looking for exactly?" The librarian, an old man, clearly older than Hiruzen Sarutobi hobbled over to the table the three sat at.

"Information," Eriina informed, "About Kurasei Shizuka."

The old mans blank expression did not leave his wrinkled face, he simply turned around to one of the bookshelves, reached up, took out the largest book there.

Heavily, he dropped it in front of Eriina; write on Shikamaru's hand.

Eyes as wide as plate, the boy nursed his hand as Eriina thanked the Librarian. "Page 210," he informed, before turning around and wobbling away.

Flipping through the pages, 210 came up. It was filled with writing and a few pictures, one in particular of Kurasei.

"Kurasei Shizuka..."

~

Mai Sensei stared at Kaira as she laid in her comatose state.

"It's the chakra ball then yes?" Akane asked, taking a syringe and filling it with a clear liquid.

"Unfortunately," she watched as Akane injected Kaira's arm with the liquid, and the beeping in the room slowed.

"It's like it's attacking her vitals and other parts of her body. In her stomach her chakra is not flowing, it's bouncing backwards and forwards. Sort of like the chakra ball. I believe it was in her stomach's network when she passed out and that's why that area is effected."

"Can you fix it?" Mai pierced Akane with her eyes, and the young nurse blinked innocently.

"No."

Mai's shoulder slumped, and she looked down at her Granddaughter. How disappointed her daughter would be to find out her plan to hide the ball from Kenju is failing.

Akane got Mai's attention, "Sensei, I know someone who can."

~

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