Flames (A Naruto Fanfic Book 3)

Chapter 21

I sat on the cliff for a long time before someone found me. "Thinking of jumping?"

I scoffed. "That's an Uchiha trait, which I am not."

Minato sat in the grass beside me. "I'm not quite understanding what's going on."

I sighed. "That makes two of us."

He sat back on his hands. "You can talk to me, Chihiro."

I looked at him sadly. "All I know is the Uchiha are strange and don't understand boudaries."

He chuckled. "I don't just think it's them."

I frowned. "No one else invades my personal space like they do."

His expression matched mine. "What happened?" I stared at him. "With Shisui."

I rolled my eyes. "He kissed me... quite different than last time, though." He waited. "I was telling him I see him as my brother. He was trying to prove a point."

I felt his anger. "You said it was different."

I scrunched my face. "He put his tongue in my mouth."

Minato was clenching and relaxing his fists. "And Itachi?"

I sighed. "He would never do something like that. He just... gets too close sometimes. He just likes to see my reactions."

Minato stood. "I think I need to have a talk with them."

I glanced back at him as he was leaving. "Just don't kill them... they're still of some use." I rose and headed for the shop when I no longer felt his chakra. "Let's get this done..."

When I arrived, I cleared Makoto's office and began to mix some herbs along with other ingredients. I began to draw a diagram on the floor, and as I was finishing, Hinata came in with Neji. I looked him over. "The pain will be almost unbearable."

His eyes shone with determination. "I don't care about the pain."

I nodded and formed a barrier. "Then, this will take a full day, and after that, 3 more days to recover." He nodded as I placed the last stroke on my seal. "Then let's begin." I picked up my bowl of crushed ingredients. "I'll need some blood from both of you..."

Each held out a hand and sliced their palms cleanly. After enough blood flowed into the bowl, Hinata healed them both, and I cut my own, allowing our blood to mix. I then swiped my palm with a finger on the other hand and smeared the blood across Neji's forehead. It caused his cage seal to glow. "Lay in the middle..."

After I had my concoction mixed throughly, I poured it into five smaller bowls, set them in their places on the seal, and lit them on fire. I quickly put up a barrier. "Hinata..." She nodded and left the room.

I kneeled at Neji's head and put a hand on each temple. "Ready?" He nodded and closed his eyes. "Once I start, I can't stop til it's complete or you lose your eyes." He nodded again. "Prepare yourself..."

His screams died down to whimpers 2 hours into the process. Soon, I wondered if I had killed him as he fell silent and motionless. I was feeling exhausted halfway through. Probably should have eaten... As the seal started fading, I felt reassured. Careful, or he really will lose his eyes now...

Finally, it was finished, and I breathed a sigh of relief as the seal faded into the ground and the flames extinguished. Hinata came into the room, a worried look on her face, but she beamed when she saw the seal was gone. I smiled at her weakly before the world went black.

An annoying beeping noise woke me, but I quickly closed my eyes against blinding lights. A hospital... I hate hospitals...

If you would take better care of yourself, you wouldn't see them so often.

Hello, stupid fox. To what do I owe the pleasure?

He glared at me. You could have died.

I smirked at him. But I didn't. No worries, this won't be necessary now.

He rolled his eyes. Brat. I slowly opened my eyes, allowing them to adjust to the lights. I heard a gasp and then saw Hinata's face hovering over me. "Sensei..."

I smiled at her. "We did it."

She frowned. "At what cost?"

I shrugged. "I'm still breathing. Neji..."

She sighed. "Woke up about an hour after you finished, I had him leave before I got help."

I reached up and ruffled her hair. "Good girl, now, help me get out of here." She pulled away from me and shook her head. "Aw, come on, Hinata..."

Just as I said her name, the door opened, and two blondes walked in. "Sis! What happened?"

I scratched my cheek. "Oh, a little of this and that..." Naruto frowned, and I turned to Minato. "I want out."

He glared at me. "Whatever you were doing, you would have died if Hinata hadn't found you."

I feigned being apologetic. "I know."

He didn't fall for it. "Chihiro..."

I smiled up at him. "I'm fine now, though. All I need is rest."

He nodded. "And you'll get it here."

I pouted. "You really think I'll stay against my will?"

He frowned. "I'll have others watch over you."

I threw up my hands. "Really? I can sleep in my bed at your house. I won't escape, promise."

He looked skeptical. "You won't stay here, will you?"

I shook my head. "Nope, and if you try to make me, who knows where I'll end up." At the Uchiha's.

He sighed. "Fine, but you rest, no questions asked." I smiled and nodded, and he left the room.

I had already started pulling off lines and wires by the time he returned. "Really?"

I smiled devilishly. "Nothing was stopping me." He sighed and gestured that we were leaving. I got dressed quickly and silently followed him home. "Thanks, Minato."

He glanced at me. "Did I really have a choice?"

I smiled. "No, but you made it simple, at least." When we entered the house, I immediately went to my room and put on something to sleep in. Now, I sleep.