Bee-uty and the Beast 2: Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"Agh, you damned fool!" screamed Hidama at the short, round, middle-aged man who tended to her wounds. "You are suppose to heal me, not make my injuries worse with your snake-oils!" she screamed.

The doctor ignored the bead of sweat that was building on his brow as he gently bound the exposed wound that lined the woman from her ankle, to the highest point of her forehead, "I'm sorry Madam, but electrical burns are very hard to treat. And these are very bad."

"Then use your chakra to heal them already!" she yelled.

"I-I'm sorry, Madam, but I've already said that I'm not a chakra healer. I'm a surgeon."

Hidama sneered as she placed a clawed hand to his face and pushed him to the ground, "Then you are worthless to me!" She wrenched in her bed from the pain, "Damn that Iho to hell for doing this to me!" she cried.

The man groveled next to her. He had no idea what had happened to the soldiers of the army or the young lord he once served, but this woman had the entire fleet under her control. He feared for his life if he were to anger her further. "Madam, you must rest and let your body recover. The more you move, the longer it will take for your wounds to heal."

Without looking at him, Hidama pointed a clawed hand at the doctor. "Get him out of my sight and have him tend to the woman!" she yelled.

Silently and obediently, a set of samurai soldiers came forward and grabbed the arms of the man and carried him from the room. He didn't resist - at least the other patient he had been able to treat successfully thus far.

Hidama brought a shaky hand to her forehead and wiped at the sweat that had formed there from the excruciating pain. Even after 10 days, the pain still hadn't improved. "I need that woman alive," she said breathlessly. "She has the ability to heal me." Her head shot to the side and she glared at the man once known as Miyake. "If that doctor let's her die, throw him overboard. Do you understand?!"

The man nodded; his face emotionless, "Yes, My Queen."

Hani flipped the business card in her hand and read its text for what had to be the twentieth time.

Dr. Hiro Yamanaka, Specialist in Cognitive Therapy

Despite Hani's wishes, Shizune had handed her this card after her fit the day prior. "Dr. Hiro is an excellent therapist," she had said. "He specializes in nightmares - I think he could really help you."

"It's really not that serious," responded Hani. "Blacking out - it happened so suddenly that it startled me. I thought it was reality for a second." She let her eyes fall to the ground and spoke her next words softly, "That's why I overreacted."

Shizune brought her pencil to Hani's file and started jotting down notes. "Is this the first nightmare you've had recently?"

Hani looked between the dancing pencil and its author, "No, I've had a few before today - but who doesn't?"

"Have you had similar dreams since the incident?" asked Shizune as she brought the eraser to her chest and tapped on her sternum to indicate Hani's injury.

Hani folded her arms and sighed, "A few". She frowned and looked away at the sight of Shizune making more notes.

"Has anything helped you sleep, or have less nightmares?"

"No," she said flatly. "Some nights I have them, others I don't. I'm sure that going to bed having eaten spicy food would probably exacerbate them. But otherwise, there appears to be no rhyme or reason to them." It wasn't until after she had spoken that she allowed herself to acknowledge the truth that there was in fact something that had helped her sleep at night and it had been having Gai by her side.

"Well, it's not unusual for someone to have nightmares after an ordeal like what you've been through. I could prescribe you some medication to help you sleep at night, but I really do think it wouldn't hurt for you to see Dr. Hiro. He is a pioneer in his field and he's helped numerous shinobi suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder."

"PTSD? I don't think it's that serious, Shizune-san. I've had nightmares in the past, ones that hang around for a few weeks, but they always fade with time. I'm sure it will be the same in this case. And to be honest, I'm really not comfortable with the idea of a Yamanaka rooting around in my mind and airing my dirty laundry. There are things locked up in there that I'd like to keep that way."

Shizune chuckled, "I can understand that. Would you prefer the sleeping pills then? If you're confident the nightmares will improve on their own, the medication should help that along."

Hani looked at the ground and sighed as she considered the question. "Sure, I guess it couldn't hurt."

And there she sat today on the end of her hospital bed; her personal effects in a plastic bag by her side and the vase of lilies in her other hand.

"Good morning, Little One," grinned the matronly woman who gracefully passed the threshold of Hani's room donning a gorgeous teal kimono. "Have you been waiting long?"

Hani immediately shoved the business card in her bag, "Not at all, Grandma."

"Good," grinned Tenmei as she moved her cane to one hand and held out the other for Hani to rise and join her. "Let's get you home," she said with a gentle pat to her granddaughter's back.

"I'll be happy to get back to my apartment and wear some real clothes," sighed Hani in relief.

"Yes," chuckled Tenmei as she straightened the large, long-sleeved shirt Hani was wearing. "At the very least clothes that fit."

"Do you have any patients to see today, Grandma?" asked Hani as they walked slowly down the hall; the gentle "tok" of Tenmei's cane marking their pace in an audible cadence that echoed off the walls.

"Just one," smiled the older woman as she used the arm around Hani's shoulders to hug her tighter.

The corners of Hani's mouth turned upwards, "Thank you, Grandma."

Tenmei smiled at her and ran her hand gently over the back of Hani's hair, "Of course, Little One." She was about to speak again before a nurse called out to them both.

"Oh, excuse me!" came the high-pitched voice of the morning-shift nurse. "Sorry to bother you," huffed the young woman. "But Shizune-san asked me to be sure you got this prescription before you left the hospital."

Hani felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. "Oh, th-thank you," she said sheepishly as she took the little white baggy the woman held out.

"Read the directions on the bottle and if you have any questions, you be sure to ask Shizune-san," said the nurse in her best commanding voice.

"Yes, I understand," said Hani through gritted-teeth, trying not to sound too irritated.

"Okay, well - have a nice day!" beamed the nurse bright enough that both Hachi women winced in return.

As the nurse turned to leave, Hani hurriedly placed the medication in her bag before tying it closed again. "Ready to go?" she said a bit too quickly.

"What is that a prescription for?" asked Tenmei calmly.

Hani felt her stomach tighten, "Just a little something to help me sleep. That's all."

"Let me see it."

Hani instinctually pulled the bag away from her. "It's personal," she snapped.

Tenmei's eyebrows lifted ever-so-slightly and she stood and watched Hani silently for a single moment.

Just one long pause.

One painfully, agonizing pause.

Hani counted six dreadful heartbeats that throbbed in her ears in that moment as she stared up into her grandmother's eyes and watched the woman's pupils dilate and contract a number of times; like a camera lens zooming in on each detail the photographer found interesting on the subject before them. Tenmei was an extremely calculated woman and the only thing that relayed the mass of computations that went on in her head was the subtle movement that went on in her large, purple eyes.

Hani knew her reaction was probably uncalled for and she had immediately regretted it, but it was far too late to take it back now.

"I'm sorry, Hani. I didn't mean to pry," said Tenmei with a sweet smile.

Hani immediately noted how her grandmother had referred to her by her name, "No, I'm sorry Grandma. I shouldn't have been so rude." She looked down in shame, "I'm just antsy to get back to my apartment is all."

"I understand," said the older woman. She looped her arm around Hani's and led them both down the hall. "It's been a long time since I've seen your apartment," she said sweetly. "Do you still have that lovely view of the Hokage Mountain?"

"Oh, that was my last apartment," answered Hani. "I moved from there a few months ago."

"You did?" said Tenmei a bit surprised. "Where did you move to?"

Hani waited until they had cleared the exit door of the hospital before she answered, "Oak Ridge Apartments."

The sharp turn of Tenmei's head to look at her granddaughter in shock was the fastest Hani had seen the woman move in years, "I'm sorry, Little One, but I must not have heard you correctly. Did you say Oak Ridge Apartments?"

Already knowing what her grandmother was thinking, Hani answered cautiously, "That's correct."

"My goodness, Little One. Are you having money trouble? You should have told me. I would have been more than happy to help you if you were in need."

Hani patted the older woman's hand comfortingly, "No, Grandma. I've been busy enough with S-Ranked missions - you know how well those pay."

"Then why live at a place like Oak Ridge Apartments? It's not exactly located in a ... good part of town."

Hani shrugged, "It's not that bad, Grandma. Besides, my missions can take weeks or months to complete. There was no reason for me to live in a fancy, expensive place if I'm never there."

"If all you needed was climate-controlled storage, then I could have made room at the house."

Hani smiled sweetly, "Grandma - really, it's alright."

"...We shall see," replied the silver-haired woman.

The two ladies walked through Konoha, taking extra care to use backstreets so the locals wouldn't see Hani in such a fashion disaster. And after twenty minutes, they arrived at a sublet of town where the walls were covered in graffiti, the shops were rundown, and the roads littered with trash. It didn't take a Konohan citizen to know this area was reserved for the less fortunate. And though it wasn't a large neighborhood, it was without a doubt, one of the roughest in the village.

Tenmei stopped at the sidewalk cross-section. Her eyes looked to the garbage that lined the walkways. A few shops down, a man who probably hadn't bathed in a week, exited a door, turned and unzipped his pants to piss on the wall. She then looked up to the sound of a window opening on the second story of the nearby building and a woman dump a tub of dirty water out onto the street. "Quaint," said Tenmei as she eyed the water's contents that consisted of apple cores, cigarette butts, and brown lettuce.

"This way, Grandma," said Hani as she indicated a narrow alleyway. Hani traversed it cautiously, out of fear that she'd knock over one of the piles of trash that had been mounted on top of a too full garbage bin. She spared a glance over her shoulder to her grandmother and noticed the woman glide through the alleyway with an unimaginable grace - not brushing a single thread of her priceless kimono against a single hazard.

"Here we are," said Hani as they reached the end of the alleyway with its metal door and the number "33" labeling it. She handed her grandmother the lilies and then fumbled for her key in her bag. Just as she gotten hold of her keychain the side door next to them cracked open, releasing the smell of what had to be decade's worth of cigarette-smoke buildup.

"Who goes there?" came a hoarse voice.

"Oh, Mrs. Noriko, it's me, Hani Hachi - your neighbor."

The door opened and a short, squat woman with dirty gray hair and a terrible hunchback came into the doorway. "You're still alive? Heh, I thought you got killed-off in a mission 'er some'then."

Hani stole a glance at her grandmother, "Actually, I was just away on a mission and was injured."

"Hmm," grunted the older woman as she brought a crooked cigarette to her mouth.

"Mrs. Noriko, this is my grandmother, Madame Tenmei Ha-"

"I know who yer grandmother is," grunted the woman. She made a curt bow to Tenmei, "You helped birth my son over 20 years ago."

Tenmei smiled, "That's correct. How is Jun doing?"

The old woman both laughed and hacked at the same time, "Ha! Not living up to his name, thas fer damn sher. I'm surprised you even remember us."

Hani's grandmother smiled, "I never forget a face or a name, Mrs. Noriko." She noted Hani beginning to unlock her door. "What is your son doing these days?"

"Hell if I know. He fail'd his chuunin exams 6 times in a row. I think he's stuck as a genin pushing paper somewhere."

"I see." She looked to the sound of Hani opening her door. "Well, it has been pleasant seeing you again." She gave the woman a polite bow, "I wish you good health."

"Ya, you too, doc," coughed the old woman as she took a step back through her door and slammed it shut.

"She, uh ... mostly keeps to herself," shrugged Hani at the quiet, observant look her grandmother gave her.

"Indeed," grinned Tenmei as they entered Hani's apartment. But her smile soon faded at the sight of the room before her. Hani's elegant furniture, which was sparse, stood out in stark contrast against the peeling, paint-chipped walls. The ceiling of the room was mottled with brown and green stains. Being the bottom apartment of a two story building, Tenmei highly doubted the stains were from rainwater. The whole room smelled of mold and Tenmei feared for both of their safety with the front door closed. The only window in the whole apartment had 4 planters that acted as gravesites for what were probably orchids at one point in time. "I guess I was away for too long," sighed Hani as she took the lilies from her grandmother and sat her things down on a table near the kitchen and looked over the flower pots. "I didn't have anyone to water them."

"Orchids can be quite delicate and unforgiving," said Tenmei as she tried to absorb the scene around her.

"Would you like some tea?" asked Hani as she walked to her small kitchen and took a kettle to the sink.

Despite her fear of the water quality that would come out of a building in this state of dilapidation, Tenmei couldn't bring herself to be rude, "Certainly."

"I have some gyokuro green tea, if you'd like?" asked Hani over the sound of the rushing water.

Knowing gyokuro green tea was some of the highest grade tea one could obtain in Konoha, Tenmei felt it would be a sin to steep it in simple tap water. "Oh, nothing fancy, Little One. Just a sencha or bancha green tea will suffice." When Hani wasn't looking, she took out her handkerchief and laid it out across one of the seat's cushions and sat down on it gently, fearing too much activity would stir mold into the air.

After a few minutes, Hani presented her grandmother with a beautiful teacup on a matching saucer. Tenmei observed the drink and felt it was a fitting metaphor for the current situation, and she could no longer sit idly by, nor bear to bring the cup to her lips. "Hani," she said as she rested the drink on her lap. "I feel very selfish asking this of you..."

Hani's expression immediately turned to concern as she sat on the chair next to her grandmother. "What is it, grandma?"

"Well," sighed Tenmei. "You know I am getting on in years ... and my hip has been giving me more trouble, especially in these autumn months. We've been fortunate enough that this has been a warm fall, but on the colder, winter days my hip will simply lock-up out of the blue." She noted the growing worry in Hani's expression and continued, "I fear the hit to my reputation if I were to fall in the bath and be found there by Mr. Lin or even, heaven forbid, what would happen if there was no one around to help me for too long." She sighed, "I know you value your independence. But ... I would like to ask you if you'd be willing to move back into the house with me. It would give me peace of mind to know that someone would be there to watch over me and help me if I were in any trouble."

"My god, grandma," said Hani as she placed her cup on a side table. "I had no idea you were that worried about living by yourself. I may not be able to be there very much - it really depends on how often I'm on a mission."

"I understand, but having someone there occasionally is better than never at all."

Hani considered her grandmother's request for a few moments before answering, "Of course - of course I'll move in with you if you need me to."

Tenmei sighed in relief - the exact reasoning being lost on Hani. "I am very fortunate to have such a loving granddaughter." She placed her hand on Hani's, "If you'd like, you can stay in the west wing."

Hani's expression perked up, "The west wing? Really?"

"Yes, of course. It will need to be cleaned out as it's only been used for storage since your mother lived there, but I think it will do nicely for you. It has, after all, the nicest view in the house."

"Oh, I don't know about that, grandma. The view from your room on the east wing is beautiful too."

"This is true," nodded Tenmei. "I have always enjoyed the sunrise, but your mother preferred the sunset. Which do you prefer?"

Hani thought about the question for a moment before answering, "I think they're both beautiful, grandma."

Tenmei smiled in return.

"So, when would you like for me to move back in?" asked Hani. "In a week or two?"

Tenmei placed her own teacup on the side table and stood, "Immediately, I'll arrange some movers to be by tomorrow to collect your ..." she looked around and took a quick note of what would be safe to bring into her own house, "Things."

"Oh, tomorrow? So soon? Well, I suppose that would be alright ..." said Hani. She stopped as she realized the drawbacks of leaving her apartment under such a short notice, "I have a lease here - for another 9 months. I'll have to pay a large fee to break it early and I don't think my landlord would let me get off easy."

Tenmei gave her granddaughter a sweet grin, "You let me worry about him." She turned and walked towards the door, "Now, why don't you gather some things together and you can stay in the guestroom at the house."

Hani stood too, reeling slightly at how fast things were moving, "Alright, eh-if that's what you want, Grandma."

"Excellent," nodded Tenmei as she turned to leave. "I'll go speak with your landlord now." She stopped suddenly before exiting the apartment, "Oh, I almost forgot. You dropped this a while back," she said as she reached into her kimono sleeve and pulled out a white paper bag.

Hani's eyes grew larger as she looked quickly from the prescription bag, to the bag she had been carrying. It was still sitting on her table, bound shut, and there was no way it could have fallen out at any time. "Grandma!" she balked.

"I'm sorry, Hani, but you need to be more careful with your things," said Tenmei sweetly as she handed the bag to her. "Now, go get ready."

Mumbling various swear words under her breath, Hani snatched the proffered bag and huffed at the metal door as it closed behind her grandmother. She then walked over to her kitchen table and opened the plastic bag to take out her personal effects. It wasn't until the bag was empty that she realized the business card for the therapist was missing. She looked at the prescription bag, with its folded-over opening and cursed, "I swear, if that card is in there..." She took the paper bag and opened it slowly, hoping she was wrong. But much to her dread, tucked neatly away in the little white baggy lay the business card for Dr. Hiro Yamanaka. "DAMNIT!" growled Hani.

Crouched solemnly on the branch of a stout tree, Gai rolled his shoulders under his large cloak as the rain poured over him. For the past four days, they'd been scouring over the countryside looking for any trace of the missing courier. After 48 hours, Gai sent word to Tsunade that they had been unsuccessfully and that the village would need to send a tracking team. They were only able to send one: Kurenai Yuuhi's team, with an Inuzuka, Hyuuga, and an Aburame. The team was eager and determined to find the courier, but the weather quickly turned, making the scent hard to track for the Inuzuka, and the insects of the Aburame's did not want to venture too far from the protection of their hive. That left them with the two Hyuuga cousins. But even with the byakugan, looking for the missing messenger in such a broad area was like trying to find a needle in a hayfield.

The weather didn't help with Gai's mood either. Normally, he didn't mind the rain as long as he experienced it from a dry place. But being soaked to the core in cold rainwater, where his sandals squished when he walked and the waterlogged bodysuit and legwarmers clung to him uncomfortably and chafed his tender places; it did nothing but sour his mood further. It was partly due to his fire-based nature that made him adverse to being in the rain for too long, but the stormy weather made his body ache and his joints stiffen, and such things could be dangerous for him in his line of work.

"There you are," came a calm, feminine voice from his side. Gai turned to the red-eyed brunette who landed on the branch next to him. "I could barely see you sulking up here."

Gai turned to the woman, "I'm not sulking."

Kurenai chuckled softly as she shook some of the rain off her own cloak, "I have seen less brooding in oni statues on the rooftops of temples, Gai." When the only response she got back was a low grumble, she immediately changed the subject. "Hinata is currently on the move with Lee. Kiba and Shino have reported that they are still not turning up any scent." She shook her head, "I don't know, it's like this man just up and vanished."

"Tamaki village had five witnesses who reported seeing him a day before he went missing. Your team was able to pick up the scent from the inn he stayed at, but lost it shortly after leaving the village. He came out here, but somehow his scent has been lost or masked. Are there techniques that can fool an Inuzuka's nose?"

"I'm sure there is. And it's possible the courier, who was a special jounin that was trained in covering his tracks and moving covertly, has been able to hide himself from us."

Gai turned to give her a serious look, "Are you suggesting he defected?"

The woman held her hands up, "I'm only saying that it is possible. We've seen no signs of a struggle, no indication that he was ambushed, and no ninja village, rogue or otherwise, has made any claim to having captured or killed him." She sighed, "I don't know. But the Hokage-sama stated that if we don't find him by tomorrow, then we are to return home and she will send a hunting squad after him."

The muscles in Gai's jaw rolled as he considered the situation, "Did she state what he was expected to deliver?"

Kurenai shrugged, "Just that he was returning from an outpost in the Whirlpool Country."

"We have outposts all the way out there?" asked Gai a bit surprised.

"It would appear so - though I can't imagine what is out there that would require our attention."

Gai turned back to look out over the woods. He didn't pretend to know all the intricacies of war strategy, or the inner workings of Konoha and its intel system. But to have a base out in the middle of a sea next to some old ruins - he couldn't imagine what good that would do, nor what information a messenger from one of those outposts could possess to make him a target. Regardless, a comrade was missing and he wasn't about to write him off as a traitor so soon.

Gai's thoughts were immediately interrupted by the sound of Tenten's voice cutting through the sound of the rain-battered leaves, "GAI-SENSEI!" He didn't hesitate to spring from his perch and land on the ground in a dead sprint.

"Did they find something?" called Kurenai.

The ebon-haired jounin didn't reply. He could identify instantly the sound of distress in his student's voice, and he wasn't about to let questions or sore joints slow him down from getting to her side as fast as possible.

"GAI-SENSEI!" she called again.

Gai leapt from the ground to a nearby tree trunk and proceeded to use his chakra induced-feet to pinball from one branch to the next. "TENTEN!" he shouted as he spotted her a short distance away. At her side was Neji who was leaning on her and covering his eyes with one of his hands. "What happened?!" he said as he landed next to them. He quickly helped Neji sit on a nearby rock.

"Neji can't see!" said Tenten, her voice shaking with worry.

Gai frowned at the young Hyuuga and kneeled next to him. "Neji, let me see," he said as he took the boy's hand.

"I'm alright," said the genin who took his hand away and stared blankly through squinted eyes. "I think it's just eyestrain."

"Using the byakugan for four days, I'm not surprised," sighed Gai. "Can you see anything?"

"Yes, it's just ... very blurry." He winced as he pressed a hand to his temple, "And my head is killing me."

"Has this happened before?"

Neji sighed, "No, but I've heard of it happening to other Hyuugas."

"Gai-sensei? What should we do?" asked Tenten as she squatted next to her teacher.

As he thought about an answer to her question, Gai watched the boy in silence for a few moments. But he soon noticed a slight tremble in Neji's hands. And it was then it became clear - despite his outwardly calm demeanor, the boy was terrified.

"What happened?" asked Kurenai once she had finally caught up.

Gai stood up and turned to the jounin, "Neji has strained his eyes and needs to rest. Kurenai, would you please take him to the inn at the nearby village and ensure that he is taken care of?"

The woman looked from the boy, to Gai's serious expression. She had known the man since they were both small and had seen a myriad of silly looks the man had made in his lifetime. But the look he gave her in that moment was anything but silly and it struck a chord inside her. Gai's students meant the world to him and he was asking her to do a task that was very important to him. "Of course, Gai," she nodded. She walked to the boy's side and took his arm. "Let's get you some rest, Neji."

The boy didn't resist her motherly-tone and allowed her to lay his arm over her shoulder and wrap her own arm around his waist. "Thank you, Kurenai-sensei," he said softly. Before they left, Neji looked toward the larger of the two masses his eyes could make out, "I'm sorry, Gai-sensei."

Knowing the Hyuuga would spend the next few days beating himself up over this event, Gai was sure to speak with a kind voice, "An apology isn't necessary. You did your best and that's all I can ask for. Now get better - I need your eyes to watch over our team."

Neji grinned slightly and nodded before Kurenai took them both to the trees.

"I kept telling him to take a break," said Tenten who watched them go. "But he was being stubborn - it's not like I can make him drop the byakugan. Maybe if I knocked him out, but that just seemed a little excessive."

"You did good, Tenten," smiled Gai who placed a hand on her shoulder. "You were there for him when he needed you, and that's all we can ask of our teammates."

The girl looked up at him with worry in her eyes, "Is he going to be alright, Gai-sensei?"

He gave her shoulder a little squeeze, "I'm sure he will be. I think this eyestrain is the equivalent to twisting an ankle - he just needs to give it some time to recover."

Tenten sighed, "So what do we do next?"

Gai opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of a dog's howl off in the distance, followed shortly by a second."

"That's Kiba and Akamaru!" said Tenten a bit surprised.

"They must have found something. Let's go!" called Gai as he ran in the direction of the sound.

It didn't take them long before they arrived at the base of a rocky gulch. Kurenai's students, Kiba and Shino were propped against the wall trying to push a boulder as tall as Gai out from against the rocky outcropping. "Argh, ya bastard, move!" grunted Kiba.

Shino adjusted his sunglasses as he turned to Gai and Tenten, "It is good that you are here. We do not have the strength required to move such a large rock." He pointed to the stone. "We caught scent of the missing messenger and believe there to be a clue under here."

"Damnit!" growled Kiba who ignored the whine that came from the knee-high Akamaru as he continued to try to move the stone.

"Step aside, Inuzuka," chuckled Gai. "Before you herniate something." He walked over to the boulder and placed one hand on its side. With the planting of his feet and a little twist of his hips, the large stone flipped easily to the side. The eyebrows on both of the boys raised slightly at the ease Gai exhibited to move such a large amount of weight.

"I loosened it up for you," snorted Kiba under his breath.

"Gai-sensei!" called Lee as he landed next to the rest of his team. "We came as quickly as we could!" On his back was the third member of Kurenai's team, Hinata, who was blushing wildly.

"L-Lee-san, you can put me down now. I'm sorry I-I wasn't fast enough."

Lee immediately squatted and released the girls legs, "Of course, Hinata-san!" Once she was off, he popped back up to his full height in an instant, "Was something found?"

"It would seem so," said Shino who was now on all fours, examining what appeared to be the corpse of a man.

"Ah geezus," grunted Kiba who turned away from the scene as his eyes focused on the sight. With the body now being aired, he had to cover his nose to protect his senses from the putrid assault. "I thought I smelt decay, but I didn't think it was that bad," he said while trying not to wretch.

"Gai-sensei," said Tenten softly in shock.

Realizing how grotesque the scene was, Gai immediately held his cloaked arms out to shield Lee, Hinata, and Tenten's eyes from viewing the body. But he was too late.

Hinata turned away and held a hand up to her mouth, "Oh, my goodness."

"Lee, take Hinata away from here before she gets sick-" he looked at the boy and noticed him staring wide-eyed at the back of Gai's arm, a greenish hue highlighting his skin.

"I'll take her," said Kiba who was more than willing to exit the zone of stench. He took her arm and led his stunned teammate away upstream. "Come on, Hinata. Let's get some fresh air."

Still holding out his arms, Gai watched them go. "Lee, go with them. Make sure they're alright." He noticed the boy on the brink of hyperventilating. "Lee-!" was all Gai was able to say before the boy turned away and wretched. Gai winced at the sound and turned to pat him on the back. "It's alright, Lee - get the lead out."

"I am .. I am sorry, Gai-sensei," coughed Lee.

"It's alright. I know you've never seen anything like this before. Go walk with Kiba and Hinata."

A weak "sorry" was all Lee was able to manage before wiping his eyes with the back of his bandaged hands and walking shakily down the route the other genin had taken.

The jounin turned to his other student, "Tenten, are you alright."

She stood there, staring at the body before her. "It's horrible, Gai-sensei," she said softly.

Admiring her resolve, Gai placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright?"

She looked up at him as if being broken from a trance, "Oh, yes. It's ... it's repulsive, but I think I'm okay."

Gai patted her shoulder, "You can leave whenever you need to." He squatted next to the Aburame who seemed to have a morbid curiosity with the body. "You seem to be handling this pretty well, Shino."

Not taking his eyes from his examination, the boy adjusted his sunglasses and spoke plainly, "The Aburame are not the squeamish type, sensei."

"I suppose not," chuckled Gai. He looked over the remains of the body. It fit the description of their missing courier - black pants, chuunin vest, and red headband. But the remains had been so mangled from the falling rock that it was nearly impossible to get a positive ID on the man's face which was, unfortunately, covered in maggots that were rooting around in the nostrils, eye sockets and any other flesh that they had been able to bore into.

"I'm not a forensic specialist," frowned Gai. "But this man seems to have been dead for longer than five days."

"He has been dead for nine in a half days to be exact," said Shino flatly. When Gai gave him a questioning look, Shino pointed to a cluster of maggots. "These are approximately 12 hours away from hatching into adult flies. A fly's gestation period from start to finish is exactly 10 days."

"He was reported missing five day ago and you're saying he's been dead for almost twice that time? Are you certain of this?"

For the first time since the body was uncovered the boy turned away from it to look Gai in the eye, "Positive."

"Shit," said Gai breathlessly. "Do you see his bag anywhere? Something that may have carried his messages?"

Shino looked around the remains closely and noticed a small leather satchel that was mostly under the body. "This could be it," he said pointing it out.

Gai cringed, "Can we get it out?"

With a delicate hand, Shino reached in to test if the bag could be safely moved. It was in that instant that Tenten spotted the glint of something suspicious out of the corner of her eye. "DON'T TOUCH IT!" she shouted.

Gai had already grabbed the Aburame's arm before Tenten finished speaking. "What is it, Tenten?!"

She knelt down beside them and pointed, "Look - at trip wire!"

Gently, Gai and Shino pulled their hands away. "Well done, Tenten," he sighed in relief. "Do you think it's something you could disarm?"

She leaned down onto her hands and examined it from as many angles as she could manage, "I can disarm it, but not without disturbing the body."

"Then let's leave it for the cleanup team. They'll know what's safe to move on the body better than we would. I'm surprised it didn't trigger when I moved the boulder."

Tenten looked around the area closely. "It looks like it's only setup to trigger when the bag is moved."

"A trap indeed," sighed Gai. "Alright, let's send word to the Hokage-sama to let her know we've found the body."

"What should we do until they arrive?" asked Tenten as they stood.

"Until then, we guard him." He waved his hand over the area, "Or ... what's left of him at least."