Three Hours Later – Late Afternoon
Hieta stepped back into the bunker, the metal door groaning shut behind him. The air inside was cool and faintly metallic.
He dropped his satchel and set a small paper bag on the floor. Yugito was still on the cot, sitting cross-legged with her arms folded tight across her chest. She looked at him briefly, then turned away.
He said nothing. Just walked over to the table and opened the bag. The smell of sugar and fried dough began to spread—warm and sweet.
She didn't move, but her nose twitched.
Hieta crouched and laid the food out: three dango skewers, a box of chestnut mochi, and fried milk buns, still warm. He didn't look at her. Just let the smell speak for itself.
"I didn't ask for anything," Yugito muttered, not looking at him.
He picked up a bun and held it out—close enough to tempt, far enough to not push.
"You don't have to eat it," he said calmly.
Her stomach growled. She flinched slightly and turned her head, as if that could hide it. Still, she didn't move.
Then—suddenly—she reached for the bag, yanked it toward her, and pulled out a dango skewer. She bit into it, slow and stiff, like it meant nothing. But she didn't stop.
Hieta sat against the wall, watching quietly.
She finished the skewer, grabbed a bun, and tore off a piece. The tension in her face started to ease as she chewed. She didn't speak or look at him—but she kept eating.
When she was done, she pushed the bag away and wiped her hands on her pants.
Three Days Later – Evening
The bunker hadn't changed. Same cold walls. Same dripping vents. Same dull lights. But the air felt different now—lighter, like the tension had eased a little.
A crumpled paper bag sat on the table, nearly empty. Yugito had eaten more these past few days than she had in weeks. Not that she'd admit it had anything to do with him.
Hieta had kept coming and going. Sometimes he brought food. Sometimes a shirt. Once, an old book of Cloud Village folktales. She hadn't touched it—but she hadn't thrown it away either.
Tonight, he sat across from her on the floor, cross-legged. His eyes flicked toward the faint glow of his system screen. The Dead Zone Core was still active—20.2 meters. He hadn't turned it off since the day he took her.
Now, he was thinking about it.
Yugito noticed. She raised an eyebrow. "What's with that look? You planning something stupid again?"
He didn't answer right away. His fingers tapped lightly on his knee. Then: "I'm going to turn it off."
She frowned. "Turn what off?"
"The field," he said, gesturing vaguely. "The thing blocking your chakra."
Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"Because you're not going anywhere," he said calmly. "And because I want you to feel it again. Just a little. To remind you it's still there."
She stared at him, not sure if he was serious. "You think I won't kill you the second I get it back?"
"You might," he said. "But you won't succeed. Not yet."
She almost smirked. "Cocky bastard."
He didn't reply. Just closed his eyes and focused.
[ Chakra Interference Field: 20.2 meters (Active) ][ Command: Deactivate Field ]
He confirmed it silently.
The air shifted—barely noticeable, like a pressure had lifted. A faint hum disappeared. The puddle in the corner rippled slightly.
Yugito froze. Then she gasped—just a little—and placed her hand over her chest. Something stirred deep inside her. Her chakra. Faint, slow… but there.
Matatabi's presence stirred in the back of her mind, like a giant cat stretching after a long nap.
"It's… back," she whispered. Her eyes closed, trying to focus. A soft glow flickered at her fingertips, then sputtered out. She cursed under her breath. "It's weak. Like it's stuck."
"It'll take time," Hieta said. "Your chakra coils have been asleep for weeks. They need to warm up again. Like a muscle."
She glared at him. "You're the reason they shut down in the first place. Don't act like this is a favor."
"I'm not," he replied. "The Core didn't erase it. Just blocked it. The flow was dammed—not destroyed. Now the dam's lifted. The water has to move again."
Yugito clenched her jaw. She could feel he was right. Her chakra was there—but sluggish, heavy. She tried again. A blue flicker, then nothing. She growled in frustration and slammed her fist on the cot.
"Damn it."
Hieta stood but didn't come too close. "Push too fast and you'll hurt yourself. Let it come back naturally."
But something else was happening. Deeper than chakra.
Her body felt hot. Too hot. Her skin tingled, and her heart pounded hard in her chest. Her breaths came faster. She grabbed her shirt, trying to steady herself.
"What… the hell…" she whispered, shaking slightly.
She looked at Hieta. He stood still, calm, just watching.
She didn't understand what was happening. Her body was reacting on its own.
The return of her chakra hit harder than she expected—like a wave crashing in. Matatabi rumbled again in her head. Wild.
Instinctive. It twisted her emotions—anger, confusion… and something else.