*Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto! Masashi Kishimoto does. So read, vote, comment! I'll update three more next week!

*Karasu's pov*

Beep......beep.......beep........beep. I kept hearing the most annoying noise ever. My eyes felt so heavy, I couldn't open them. I groaned as I slowly forced my eyes to open. I blinked, once, twice, thrice before realization hit me. I'm in the hospital... how lovely. I mutter in my head.

I look around slowly and see tones of flowers, probably from Ino. A box of dangos, most likely from Choji and Shikamaru. I say some balloons and such saying get well, and some cards. I smiled lightly. I looked to the door as I heard it open. "Karasu/-chan!" Naruto yelled and Shikamaru sighed.

Naruto ran to me and hugged me. I sighed and just accepted my fate. Then Shikamaru messed up my hair. "Hey guys. Where's Mystic? And when can I leave?" I ask.

"I'll get the doctor." Shikamaru sighs walking out of the room muttering 'troublesome woman.'

"Mystic is with Kiba. She wasn't allowed to stay because she kept getting in the way of the Doctor, believe it. So Kiba had to come and get her. Though at first his mom and sister were called in but Mystic messed them up." Naruto laughs.

"Hah, that was expected. I hope she's alright." I say sighing.

A few minutes go by and Naruto and I just small talk. He told me that I was going up against Gaara, on Gaara's request. Somehow they actually let it happen. Naruto is going up against Neji, Sasuke is going up against Dosu, Shino was going up against Kankuro, and Shikamaru was going against Temari. Then whoever won those would go on to the next round, then so on and so forth. He also informed me about even if you won the fight it doesn't necessarily mean you get to become a chūnin. Which he complained about, but I understood why.

He also told me that Bushy Brows was still in the hospital. He was down that he probably wouldn't be a ninja again. Then Shikamaru and a doctor came in. "How are you feeling Karasu?" The Doctor asks.

"I'm feeling fine. Now, when can I get outta this hell?" I ask seriously. He chuckles, looks at his check board.

"You're free to leave when you want." He says. I jump out of the bed earning laughs from Naruto and Shikamaru.

"Boys, let's go visit Lee." I say with a smile.

"Hai!" They say. I change quickly in the bathroom then we head out to Lee's room. I had my gourd on my back but my katanas were at home. Dad had to take them when we came to the hospital.

We were talking about small things when we got to Lee's room. Gaara stood over him, his sand going around Lee. Naruto and Shikamaru freaked out. My water went up, cutting the sand off. I pushed Naruto and Shikamaru near Lee as I put a dome around them. "What do you think you're doing?" I ask calmly.

He then looked at me with the wild eyes he gets when Shukaku wants blood. I walked slowly over to him, I grabbed his head, water wrapped around my hands. I began healing his headache and calming him down. "Shh, Shukaku. We can go hunt later. For now leave." I say quietly and calmly as I pull away from him. He slowly nods and disappears.

I look over and Lee, Naruto and Shikamaru. Lee's still out but Naruto and Shikamaru are looking at me like I've grown another head. I take my water down and walk over to them. "How did you do that?(believe it!)" Naruto and Shikamaru both exclaim.

"Because, he and I aren't as different as we seem. I just know how to control myself. Now, move over so I can check on Lee." I say and they both nod. I walk over to Lee and sigh. I pull water out and it wraps around my hands. I glide my hands over his body and frown.

"What is it?" Shikamaru asks. I sigh and look at him.

"His injuries...are worse then I expected....he may not be able to pursue the life of a shinobi.." I say sadly. As annoying as he was, always wanting to fight every time he saw me, he was great company, and an excellent fighter. He kept me on my toes while fighting.

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asks again. Naruto grew quiet.

"His legs were crushed completely, some of his ribs and his arm ware broken..." I say sadly. "I could possibly heal his ribs and arm, but I have no experience in healing completely crushed bones.. he'll be lucky if he can walk again..." I say sadly. As I was explaining this Guy came in.

"He'll walk again Karasu. Don't worry. He's too youthful to give up being a ninja. He'll find a way." Guy says as he pats me back.

"Honestly I don't know what I'd do if he couldn't be a ninja anymore. After all, he is my rival. I'd be nothing without anyone to go against. Even if it is mostly one sided. He's the greatest at taijutsu, I'll never be able to defeat him in that. If he doesn't get better, who am I going to go up against? Who will be there when I'm training with taijutsu? Who will randomly challenge me at things? Nobody is like Lee, nobody could take his place." I say looking at him, a single tear drops from my face, on to his chest.

I ended up alone with Lee after fifteen minutes. Everyone else had to go train for the third exams. Shikamaru told me he was training with Asuma-sensei, Naruto told me Sasuke was training with dad so he was training with some other guy. So I have to find out who I'm going to train with. I sat beside Lee for a few more minutes until I heard him groan.

"Lee?" I ask calmly.

"Karasu." He mumbles peeking an eye at me.

"How are you feeling?" I ask as I stand next to him.

"Could be better." He says sighing.

"Do you want me to get you anything? Or the doctor?" I ask and he shakes his head no. I sigh.

"You know, your mask is gone right?" He asks a slight blush to his face. I nod in acknowledgment. "You're so....YOUTHFUL!" He shouts pulling me to a hug with his good hand.

"Geez, Lee. Even when you're seriously hurt you're still weird." I say sighing while awkwardly patting his back.

"Karasu?" He asks after breaking the hug. I 'hmm?' A response. "You know....you're my best friend." He says. My eyes widen slightly, then I smile brightly.

"Of course Lee. You're my best friend as well." I say smiling a closed eye, bright smile. Hakai, can we do anything to heal him? I ask her.

Not now. It'll take too much chakra to heal him completely. And you need to train for the last exam. After the exams, we can. She replies.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but visiting hours are over." A nurse says. I look at the clock, '9:00pm'. I sigh.

"I'll come back tomorrow after training, okay?" I ask him.

"Alright! So youthful!" He says smiling a fake smile.

I sigh and frown at him. "Don't worry Lee, you'll be able to train again. When you're better I challenge you to a taijutsu battle." I say seriously.

"You're on." He says grinning. I smile at him and give him a small hug. I then leave and go find Gaara.

I find him waiting in our secluded area. "It's about time." He says emotionlessly.

"I'm sorry." I say simply. He turns towards me then blushes madly and turns away. "I know. My mask." I say sighing.

"You look good without it... I didn't realize it earlier." He says in his monotoned voice. I nod as he says this. "Have you heard?" He asks out of nowhere.

"That we're going against each other?" I ask and he nods. "Yeah. I've heard." I say sighing.

"Ours is the second fight." He says seriously.

"I'll be sure to show up late so it's last. I want a chance to let everyone fight first." I say and he nods in understanding. "Why'd you try to kill Lee?" I ask out of the blue.

"Shukaku wanted his blood." He says plainly. I nod. We end up spending a few hours in silence. Occasionally talking but nothing major. We didn't even go out killing but that's okay.

"Well, I should get going Gaara." I say as I stand up. He stands up as well and pulls me into a hug. I sigh, I've gotten a lot of hugs lately... I think to myself. He doesn't let go, and this is awkward for me... I don't hug, not really anyway. I awkwardly pat his back. Then I hear it.. he broke down.

My eyes widened and we collapsed together. "I don't want to be known as a monster anymore. I don't want people to run from me anymore." He sobs in my arms. "I don't sleep because I'm afraid.. afraid that he will take over. I hardly eat, and I kill. I kill so much. And on a full moon I lose control." He sobs even more. "All my life everyone has been afraid of me. My own father has tried to assassinate me. My mother died, my siblings fear me. Everyone fears me Karasu. Why? Why did it have to be me? Why?! How can you be so kind? Why don't you show the anger I know you feel? Why are you always calm? Always the one to save everyone from what they're feeling, why?" He sobs even harder.

I sigh and pull Gaara closer to me. "If I'm not the one to save everyone else who will do it? I'm calm because that is the kind of person I am. If I let my anger get to me, then I lose control. I would lose myself to Hakai. I can't do that. I made a vow the day I found my father. 'I'd never lose myself again. No matter what.' Naruto, has inspired me to be kinder. I used to be completely emotionless, I used to be cold hearted, because that's all I ever knew. I don't see you as a monster Gaara. All I see is you, nothing and nobody else. I see a sad soul, with a kind heart. If only he would fight against his demon. You. You are not the monster, monsters are others who make one feel so low about someone else, that they believe their words. What I see is a hero. You may not have had a choice in becoming a Jinchuuri, but you did an amazing thing. You protected your village by taking in Shukaku. He may try to take over multiple times, but your will must be stronger then him. I believe in you Gaara. I believe you're not a monster. Gaara. You are my best friend. The only person, who knows the truth about who, and what I am. Some may know of Hakai, but none, know me." I say as I hug him tightly. He hugs me back, sobbing his eyes out. We sit there for a little while. "I must leave now. If you want, I will come to your hotel tonight." I say.

"Thank you Karasu." He says and nods. I smile and stand up. "Karasu?" He asks as I start to walk away. I turn to look at him. "You're my best friend as well." I smile brightly at this.

"We'll always be friends." I say.

"Forever?" He asks back. I nod my head.

"Yeah. Forever." I say.