Desert Flower

Get Away

  I heard a loud explosion as the floor shook beneath my feet, and I raised my head to look in the direction of the arena. I hadn't a clue as to what was happening, but I didn't dare venture back out due to the massive levels of Chakra I was feeling. It'd be too dangerous.

  Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I was hoping for Naruto's victory in the least. Digging in my bag, I pulled out a pear and bit into it.

~

  "Sayuri!" Naruto came running up the hallway with a huge grin on his face. He looked rather beaten up, but his joy told me that he had won before his words could. "I beat Hyuga!"

  "Congratulations!"

  "Come on, let's watch the others!" The blond smiled, grabbing my sleeve to drag me back to the viewing area. Once there, however, instead of the next match beginning, nothing was happening in the arena, and the spectators were complaining. One of the contenders that were supposed to be fighting next had yet to show, but his disqualification had yet to be called.

  "Everyone! The candidate for the next battle has not arrived here! We'll briefly postpone this battle and start the following battle ahead of it." The Proctor declared after silencing the crowd, but as soon as they heard that, they were vocalizing their displeasure.

  "Oh, good." Naruto sighed with relief.

  "Hey! That means my match is one match closer!"

  "Then, on to the next pair! Kankuro and Shino Aburame! Come down!" The man in the arena called out.

  "Proctor! I abstain!" The boy with the puppet on his back shouted. "I abstain! Please advance the matches!" ....What was going on here?

  "Due to Kankuro's abstention, Shino Aburame wins by default." The blonde girl then unfurled a giant fan, sending out a gust of wind and riding down on it to the arena before Shikamaru was called down. The boy looked hesitant, but he didn't have much choice when Naruto enthusiastically knocked him into the arena.

  "C'mon! Shikamaru, fight hard!" Naruto cheered, but the boy just laid where he had landed down below with a rather bored expression. He didn't even move when the spectators were throwing food and trash at him to get the match started.

  It took Temari attacking to even get him to move, but after that, it was like a waiting game as Shikamaru took cover in the trees and shade. He didn't seem all that enthused or even into the fight, yet when he actually made his move, the match was over rather quickly.

  I couldn't quite understand why he had given up the fight, though, because he had had Temari trapped in his Jutsu and on the brink of victory when he forfeited. The boy was clearly some kind of genius with how he played the girl right into his trap, but he seriously lacked motivation.

  "Why the heck did he give up?!" Naruto hit his fists against the rail. "Is he an idiot? This ticks me off! I'm really gonna give him a lecture!"

  "Naruto!" I went to stop him, but the blond had already jumped down into the arena to have a word with Shikamaru. I hadn't a clue what they were saying to each other due to the distance, but by the end of it, Naruto was grinning.

  And again the crowd was waiting for the match between Sasuke and Gaara. However, like before, they were impatient and yelling and booing. From the sound of it, the only reason he had yet to be disqualified was due to the fact that the people really wanted to see Sasuke's fight. They were calling for the Uchiha, but no one seemed all that interested in Gaara.

  Did they not know much about the redheaded boy? Were they unaware of the high levels of Chakra stored within him? In all honesty, I worried for the Sasuke kid more than Gaara simply because I knew the redhead had massive amounts of Chakra from all the times he had let Kami-sama feed off him.

  Glancing back at Gaara, I saw him just standing there with that emotionless face, staring into the arena. He didn't seem irritated or bored, he just seemed like a blank slate with that void expression.

  And now that I thought about it....if Sasuke did show up, I wouldn't be able to watch the fight. I'd have to get as far away as I could to prevent Kami-sama's hunger from getting out of control. Swallowing, I took a step back from the rails and went ahead towards the exit. It was better to be safe than sorry.

  It was as I was going down the hallway that I heard the loud cheering. Picking up my pace, I went down the stairs two at a time. Sure, Kami-sama and I had made a deal, but that deal didn't keep the hunger at bay in the slightest bit. And honestly....I didn't think anything ever could unless I learned how to control it myself.

  But until then, I'd have to run from what caused the hunger to stir in the first place.

  How far would I need to go? Was I far enough already? Should I keep going? I remembered waking up after Kami-sama had taken control.... I didn't want that happening again, especially with innocent people here.

"Stop! Where do you think you're going?" Pausing, I saw a guard step out right in front of me. He wore a mask, so I couldn't see his face, but he raised his hand to keep me from leaving the arena.

  "I....I was just going out. To get some fresh air."

  "You're one of the contenders, are you not?"

  "I-I am, but-"

  "Get back to the spectating area."

  "Sir, please, I-"

  "You heard me, kid." The man's voice went dark, and he suddenly grabbed me by the front of my shirt. "Get your ass back where you're supposed to be."

  "I can't stay here." My voice was quiet as I paled. Gaara's chakra was always too much, and if I was here when he started building it up-

  "Why not?"

  "Please! I don't have time to explain! I-I need to get as far away as I ca-" I froze as I already smelled that delicious scent. "Let me go!" Becoming frantic, I tried to get the man to release me so that I could run. This Anbu shinobi hadn't a clue what was about to happen if he didn't let me go.

  "What, are you scared to fight?" He laughed. "You trying to get disqualified by running?"

  "N-No, I-"

  "If you're so terrified of fighting them, how about I help you?" Something was off about the man as he reached for my face, but the Chakra I felt was increasing, and my stomach growled. I didn't have time for this.

  Wriggling, I slid right out of my shirt and dropped to the floor. I hadn't even noticed when the man had picked me up. I was grateful for wearing an undershirt, and I bolted toward outside as the man shouted after me.

  I was so close. I could see outside the arena, I could hear the gentle breeze just beyond the doors as my stomach was clenching. The scent was becoming unbearable, and I was still too close. However, just as my foot hit the top step, the Anbu ninja grabbed the headband tied around my throat.

  Choking as I was yanked back, it was then that I was certain this Anbu was an impostor.

  "I didn't say you could leave, brat!" He growled, and I let out a cut-off shout as the headband went slack.

  'No. No, please, no!' I mentally screamed, but it was too late. The combination of the debilitating hunger and the security of the headband being ripped from me was too much.