The Dragon Queen // (Under Revision)

Ache

Tsuyoi didn't know what to think. What to say. She felt frozen. Chizu...is finally going to die? But after what she just said...

Tsuyoi? What are you going to do? Natsukashii asked.

My greatest wish for a long time was to see that woman decomposing in a ditch somewhere....

But now how do you feel?

Tsuyoi exhaled, sending a flurry of vapor into the air. I don't have to hate her anymore. I wished she had time to tell me more, but...she doesn't have a lot of time left.

What do you mean?

Tsuyoi sighed. I mean...Chizu's not coming with us to Muranomachi.

Kashii gasped.

Tsuyoi walked to the palanquin and sat down on the dry earth next to it. She closed her eyes. She ached with untapped emotion. There was so much to sort through. My memories have been coming back to me ever since Naruto came here. But I can only remember Chizu being cruel and mean. Was she ever nice at all?

I'll try...to remember...but what has Naruto done to her?

Her chest squeezed and she gripped her shirt, wincing. A dull ache settled in, and she cleared her throat and titled her head back to look at the stars. 

"My world is falling apart."

********

He could hear everything, but he dare not open his eyes. His head hurt too bad. Naruto sat on the bed in the room he'd been staying in for the past five days, face in his hands. Ever since Tsuyoi had done her weird wa thing and connected them, he felt so tired all the time. Especially since he'd fought Yowai. He felt like he had a weight spread across his shoulders. All of Tsuyoi's thought were constantly ricocheting through his brain; all of her emotions, sadness, anger, even happiness. They were draining. He had wondered how she'd done it, until today when she had her strange breakdown. She wasn't handling it. And if she didn't get help soon, it was going to kill her on the inside.

Now he heard Chizu's voice in his head. He was listening in on Tsuyoi's conversation. He also realized that even though Tsuyoi had forged the bond between them, she had no idea what she'd done. She couldn't use the yuimaru like he could; wasn't as fine-tuned to it. Naruto could see what she was thinking and feeling, what she was seeing, what she was hearing. He'd never tried tasting what she eating. That seemed too weird.

Then something stood out in his headache.

Chizu's going to die.

Then a knock sounded at his door. "Naruto? Are you okay?" It was Sai. Naruto started. He had been spending so much time with Tsuyoi that he hadn't seen Sai much these past few days.

Naruto straightened up and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, Sai, I'm fine."

"It's time to leave."

Naruto felt himself tremble. Something big was coming, he could feel it.

"Alright." He heard Sai linger for a moment longer, then his footsteps shuffled away.

Naruto stood. What's a yojimbo? He thought, picking up his pack. Whatever it is, Tsuyoi seems to like the idea of it. He smiled when he thought of her. She was so crazy...but he still thought she was beautiful. He pictured her eyes, the look in them that made his chest sink, and frowned.

I'll hold on, Tsuyoi. I can handle it for a little bit longer.

"I want you to live, Tsuyoi."

Actually, I'll take it for as long as you need.