A Hatred That Will Never Bloom Into Friendship

I stare, mouth agape, at the two names that were chosen to battle against each other.

Lloyd Yukohama
vs.
Sasuke Uchiha

Lloyd smirks. "Couldn't have picked a better opponent myself."

I glance at him. "Yeah... I guess so."

His green eyes glisten with anticipation. "This is going to be a nice little match for me."

'Yeah... but Sasuke of all people Lloyd had to be pinned against.' I sigh internally.

Naria sensei steps up and puts a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Good luck, Lloyd. And don't get too cocky down there. Never underestimate your opponent." 'Especially Uchiha.'

"Don't worry, Naria sensei. I've got this," Lloyd boasts. He turns to me. "Make sure you cheer nice and loud for me, okay?"

I look back at him and smirk, hiding the unease in my expression of this intended battle. "You know I'm jealous. With you going up against Sasuke like this and not me."

Lloyd laughs. "I bet. But don't worry though. I'll kick his ass for you too."

"Good luck out there, Sasuke," Naruto tells him. smiling.

Sasuke only smirks in response, and then turns towards the stairwell to his left.

Sakura frowns and hesitantly steps closer to Sasuke. She whispers tentative words. "Sa-Sasuke. Are... are you sure your up for this fight?" Her eyes dart to his neck for a brief moment.

His eyes go hard. "Don't worry about me, Sakura. I'll be fine."

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I just can't help but feel troubled about all of this," she admits warily.

He leans more towards her, and stares her right in her eyes. "I said don't worry about me," he repeats, malice dripping off his tone.

Sakura gasps silently and steps away from him without another word. Naruto looks at her with a confused expression.

Sasuke begins walking to the stairs again.

Kakashi clears his throat. "Hey, Sasuke..." he begins, following after him.

Lee steps out of Kakashi's way. He then balls his fists at his side and looks across the railing. 'So... I will be pitted against him.'

Gaara catches Lee's gaze and narrows his eyes back at him.

~~*~~

Rakuyo stares up at the building in front of him, his features unsettling. He sighs heavily, before taking small steps to the front entrance.

He walks in, and many heads turn to him as he enters, many of them sorrowful looking.

Rakuyo averts his gaze from theirs and walks past the waiting room to the front desk.

The woman sitting there smiles up at him, her dark hair pulled up in a ponytail. "Hi there. Can I help you?"

Rakuyo nods and gives the name of the person he was there to see.

The woman flips through some files for a second. "Oh, yes, here we go." She frowns. "Yes, she is down this hall to your right and is in the last door on the left."

Rakuyo walks down the hall, past rooms filled with sick little kids and hurt shinobi. He finally comes to the end of the hallway and faces the closed door on his left. He takes a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart.

He finally gets a hold of his nerves and and opens the door and steps inside.

He almost collapses at the sight of her. Her face wasn't even recognizable. Cuts and bruises cover every inch of her skin, and her right eye was swollen shut.

He walks slowly towards her, his mouth dropped open in shock.

She didn't look like she was breathing, but when he comes up beside her he could see her body rise up and down in very superficial breaths. The heart monitor beeps slowly, not that of a normal heart beat, but that of a dying one.

"Oh, um, who are you?" a voice asks from the doorway.

Rakuyo looks behind him at a older man. The doctor, he concludes.

"I'm... I'm her son..."

"Oh." The doctor steps more into the room. "Rakuyo Sesetsu, am I correct?"

Rakuyo nods. He then swallows hard, his mouth suddenly going dry. "What... what happened to her? A jounin... told me... she was attacked."

"Yes, it happened early yesterday morning. A passersby heard commotion coming from the home. When a few jounin investigated, there was just your mother left badly wounded and close to death."

"What... kind of commotion?"

"Um, the woman said she heard your mother screaming and a man's voice. Now I know about your father..."

"He's dead," Rakuyo says simply and with no emotion.

"Yes, and we still don't know who did this. There was no sign or clue of anything in your home. And your mother has not woken up since. I'm sorry to say though..." the doctor trails off.

Tears well up in Rakuyo's eyes. "What...?"

"There was a poison injected into her body when she was assaulted. We've tried everything we could, but nothing has worked and we are out of ideas. Her organs are slowly shutting down one by one, and it's a wonder she is even still breathing." Rakuyo flinches. "I'm so sorry to say this, son. But there is nothing else we can do for her. This poison is highly advanced and none of our medical personnel have been able to quell its effects."

He knew already, but he asks the question anyway. "So... what are you trying to say?"

"I am saying that this poison is moving very rapidly and I expect she only has a day more to live. I am so sorry."

Another day to live...

Rakuyo's legs give out from under him, and he collapses into the chair behind him. Tears fall down his cheeks, and he slowly breaks out into a sob.