I'm the biggest procrastinator I know! I'm sorry guys, it's been a while, but here's the next chapter as promised. PLEASE read the AN at the end! It's important!
I rested on one knee in the doorway to Otousan's room, watching the fight. I waited for my oppurtunity to strike. Though I did not want to injure my father, I didn't want him to hurt me or my cousins any longer. This needed to end, and when it did it was about time.
Naruto-kun was shrouded in the Kyuubi's chakra. Otousan had a demonic look in his pale eyes, one that I wasn't familiar with. It frightened me. My father had always been loving, but firm. Just never like this.
Naruto-kun was the first to strike after throwing Otousan into the wall at the far end of the hallway, which sent pieces of wood flying and forcing me to retreat back into Otousan's room. The fight had moved outside. I ran back to the doorway and peeked around the corner at Naruto-kun. He walked through the opening he made with Otousan's body like he was completely set to destroy him. He stepped into the coldness of the night and prepared for another attack, but I noticed something before he did.
"Naruto-kun! You're at a disadvantage here! You won't be able to see his attacks!" I came out from around the corner and gripped what was left of the frame tightly. My hands started to bleed but I was too focused on the fight to become aware of it. A reassuring voice replied to my advice.
"It's alright, Hinata-chan. You can be my eyes." His cool smirk sent a small shiver down my spine. I crept past the frame into the dark night and activated my Byakugan. This was my chance to aid my Naruto-kun in battle!
He was staring into the eyes of his friend's father. He knew there was something extremely wrong, that he recognized those eyes from somewhere. But where? He didn't know. He heard a soft voice call out to him from behind. It was Hinata, warning him of the night.
"It's alright Hinata-chan. You can be my eyes." He gave her a cool smile and thought to himself: Why the hell did I just say that? His smile soon faded as he turned back to face the enemy.
"Byakugan!" Her soft voice thrilled him and inspired his next attacks. He couldn't lose focus. If he did, Hinata could be destroyed. The thought fed his anger. He clenched his fist and teeth and lept forward with a full intent to kill.
He heard rustling and sighed heavily. What is it now, Kabuto?
"Obito-sama."
"Yes?" He looked up from his work at the eager snake.
"I'm going to get her. This Shi no Kage isn't putting up a good fight. The Kyuubi could easily take him. He has a strong will, and he's trying to break through the Edo Tensei."
Shit.
"I see. Don't deactivate the jutsu until you get her, or else they'll become suspicious and have time to retreat." He sighed again. You better do damn well, Kabuto-san. Orochimaru-sama wouldn't like it if you failed. Tch...
"I know. I'll be back with the Byakugan."
That particular fight was one of the hardest I had ever been through. It easily was an A ranked mission. I did NOT want to kill Otousan. But I had no choice... I stood by Naruto-kun's side and fought with him. Otousan was the first to strike, and when he did I was prepared. With my inherited Byakugan in full focus, I called out to my Naruto-kun.
"Naruto! To your left!" Naruto-kun instantly dodged his attack and played his usual rasengan comeback.
"Arigatou Hinata-chan!"
"Ah." I focused harder on Otousan. Something was wrong with him. I knew it wasn't him when I first saw him, but his chakra remained the same. The only thing different was his attitude and his eyes. They were filled to the brim with hatred.
We sparred against Otousan for quite some time until something strange happened. After Naruto-kun played his usual Rasengan, the look in Otousan's eyes started to soften. He fell back on the ground, defeated. Without thinking I immediately ran to him and knelt beside him to make sure he was okay.
"O-Otousan!" Tears formed in my eyes. "Otousan!"
"Heh...Hm." Otousan smiled and then started to flake away. It was then that I realized what was going on. It was a jutsu, but I didn't know which one. It was a damn good one at that.
"Otousan...please...don't leave me..." I hugged him tightly while he lay on the ground, flaking away.
"Goodbye, daughter."
"Otousan! No!" Naruto-kun's hand rested on my back as he spoke soft words.
"Hinata-chan. It's alright. If this is what I think it is, he was already dead to begin with." I nodded and wiped my tears away.
BANG!
"Wha-" I turned around quickly to see Naruto-kun being thrown into the side of the manor. "NARUTO!" I looked around quickly and found the sudden attacker - he was dressed in a cloak and I couldn't see his face, but his chakra felt familiar. I quickly activated my Byakugan and attempted an attack on the enemy. He dodged it and turned around to look at me. A smirk on a familiar snake's face.
"Kabuto!" My mood suddenly turned to anger at the sight. "You did this!" I clenched my fists and prepared for an attack. He lept towards me for a simple kunai attack, which I blocked. It seemed as though he was toying with me - like he didn't really want to kill me. Naruto ran at him screaming "KAAAABUUUTTOOOOO!" and tried for an attack, which ultimately sent Naruto-kun flying in the other direction. Kabuto sent a swarm of poisonous snakes towards me but I dodged them. The snakes retreated and he tried again. I didn't see an opening of defense for this attack. I knew it was going to end me, there was nothing I could do. There were too many snakes, even my rotation wouldn't block them all.
Thinking I was at the end of my shinobi life, I found myself thinking back on memories. Flashbacks. All those years of training with Otousan. I looked over at his body on the ground, which had almost completely disintegrated.
"Hinata-chan! You have to try harder!" He grabbed my hand and fixed my position for me.
"G-Gomen nasai, Otousan! I'm trying, I really am! I-I just c-can't..." I started to cry.
"Of course you can. You're my daughter, heir to the Hyuuga clan. You can do this. If you don't try, Hanabi will take your place. Now do you want that?" He slapped me when I said I'd rather become a normal shinobi.
"I am disappointed in you. Your training ends here. You will go to the academy tomorrow, and your little sister Hanabi will take your place. I'm done wasting time on you. Get up and go to your room."
I trembled at the memory. Even then I couldn't satisfy my father. Then, there was Naruto-kun..
"Heheheh! He'll fall for this one, I'm sure of it!" The little blonde boy in my class was trying to pull a prank on Iruka-sensei. Is he really that stupid?
"Hey kids, I'm here to teach class-" Plop.
"HAHAHAHAAHH! YOU FELL FOR IT!"
"NAAARRRUTOOOOO! GET OVER HEREEE!" I giggled. Iruka-sensei sure was mad that time. But I couldn't help admiring the little blonde boy. No one accepted him, so he caused trouble all the time.
I looked over at Naruto-kun, unconscious against a tree. Tears welled. I thought of Pain.
I had always loved Naruto-kun. Ever since the day I met him, I knew he was special. I gradually fell in love with him, every part of me wanted to be with him - but I was too shy to ever admit it. He didn't seem interested anyway, he was too busy trying to become the Hokage.
One day I forced myself to admit that I loved Naruto-kun. It happened to be in a fight with the enemy, the Akatsuki. Their leader Pain was attacking the village, and all I could do was watch them go at it. Until Naruto seemed helpless, laying on the ground with bars impaled into him. He couldn't move, and I saw Pain walk towards him. I couldn't just let my love die like that. So I did the most reckless thing I could think of - I ran out there and tried to stop Pain myself. And in the process I ended up confessing.
"Because, Naruto-kun...
... I love you!"
I shut my eyes tightly and silently wimpered. I thought to myself that the rest was up to Neji and Hanabi. I knew they would make it. They had to.
I hope you will join me in the next life, Naruto.
What happened next, I didn't know. I felt a warm body, and a trickle of blood. Chakra presence was strong in front of me. I thought maybe it was just myself, and the blood was from the snakes. But I couldn't feel a thing. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes. Naruto was in front of me. He was looking down, I couldn't see his face.
"N-Naruto..?" He lifted his head slightly and I could see blood trickling down his mouth and neck. There were snakes impaled through his chest.
"Hi...na...ta..." His eyes were squinted and a trickle of his blood ran down his lips and onto mine. He bent down and pressed his lips against mine for a moment. The snakes retracted and Naruto-kun fell forward onto me. I caught him and adjusted him so I could lay him carefully on the ground. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared down at the one person I had truly loved. I looked up at the sky and released all of my anger with a painful cry.
"NAARRRUTOOOOOO!" I wiped my tears from his face and kissed him, savouring his heartbeat as long as I could.
"Heh heh heh... Now it's just you and me. I suggest you don't put up a fight or you'll end up like your dead lover over there." The smirk on his face buried itself deep into my memory. My anger and hatred welled up in my throat and threatened me to get up. I stood and wiped Naruto's blood from my lips before turning around to face my enemy.
"Kabuto..." I glared into his soul and charged straight towards him. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I was doing something. Kabuto's devilish grin grew wider. When I reached him I extended my fist but his got to me first. Blood from my stomach forced itself out of my mouth. I felt my insides explode.
"Heh heh...looks like you lost, after all." Kabuto's laughter drilled into my soul. I screamed as he performed the procedure without an anesthetic. With my eyes guaged out, I couldn't cry, but if I could I would have. Hard. I closed my eyelids and felt around the ground. My hands found Naruto-kun's and I shook him gently.
"Naruto...Naruto please - wake up! Naruto!" I rested my hand on his chest and tried to cry. "Naruto..." My head exploded with pain and I knew it was the end of me. I shook Naruto-kun once more, and gave up hope. I found his hand with mine and held it with all the energy I had left. I kissed him over and over again before losing the last of what I had in me and slipping away to unconsciousness.
There is nothing more I can do as a shinobi. Everything I have lived for is for nothing.
I'm always doubting myself, even in my final moments. It is my only regret as a shinobi.
AN
I still haven't figured out yet if I want there to be a last chapter. If you guys are satisfied with this ending, I'll probably write the next chapter as an alternate ending (if you're more of a fan of happy endings.) So leave a review saying what you think! I hope I made you guys cry at some point. I imagined the entire thing in my head as if it were a real episode. to me it'd make a great filler arc, better than most that they have now, but eh. Oh well. Anyway, if I do write the next chapter it'll be short and pure NaruHina, no fighting. Let me know what you think.
~kaoru
-EDIT-
FUCK IT i'm going to write the next chapter, and yall are going to love it. End of story. be waiting for it.
if you want, follow me on twitter: kaorukasumi_
Rp account: thatmatsuri (matsuri from naruto)
~kaoru
