A/N: So I was rather bored, and decided to type, a fair amount actually. Anyway, here is Ch10, as always please ignore the scathing grammar mistakes and stupid mess I missed. I am slowly but surely starting to get just a tad bit better...yea probably not. I know things are moving a bit to fast, rather quickly if you will, but after the coming Time Skip in ch11 it will start to slow down a considerable amount. Anyway, enough of my yapping, enjoy guys!
Chapter 10- The Pain of Leaving
He sat upon the roof, too many questions and not enough answers to satisfy his mind. It had been almost a week since Ghost appeared and turned his world upside down and inside out. Hima was, according to medical science, still in a coma. Though Sakura had insisted that she was starting to come back around, noting she responded to some of the test she administered to her.
Ko had come around, even standing guard outside of Hima's room for a few nights. She had felt bad that she wasn't there to help them that day, practically begging Miyabi and Naruto for their forgiveness, but there was nothing to forgive really, she couldn't have predicted anything that had happened.
Even Mai stopped by to check on Hima, even bringing Yuki something to eat on occasions. They would talk, but it would be short conversations, neither one of them bringing up what had happened. They simply didn't want to relive it. Though Yuki was still grateful that Mai came out of the fight unharmed, something he wish would have been the case for Hima.
There was still the weight of what Miyabi had told him on his shoulders still. If what she was saying was true, then were they any differences between them and who ever held a tail beast inside of them?
FLASHBACK
He sat back in the chair next to Himas bed, Hinata had stood up and walked to the window, it was still dark outside, but the morning light was beginning to show on the horizon. Miyabi had decided to lean on the door, more so to keep Yuki from running out again, atleast this time she had Hinata to help her incase Yuki made a run for it.
Yuki was facing Miyabi, eyeing her closely, Miyabi was trying to get her thoughts together as precisely as she could. She dreaded this day worse than even having to face Ghost again, all she worked so hard to keep a secret from him was now shot to shit.
Finally she sighs, "Yuki, Hinata told you that ghost killed our parents then tried to kill you, but I managed to sneak away with you and made it to Konoha, right?"
Yuki nods, "Yea…"
"Well do you know why he killed our parents and tried to kill you? How he thought I was dead but I tricked him and when his back was turned I grabbed you up and ran for our lives? What I've fought so hard to keep secret for so long regarding what's inside you and I, not to mention Mai?"
Was Yuki ready to hear what she was going to say? Did he really want to know the reasons behind his life being turned upside down? "No…" he choked out.
Miyabi hung her head a bit, it was going to take all she could muster to recount what had happened, and all that very well might happen in the future.
"Yuki, around the time I was born the Land of Waves discovered an artifact hidden deep under the surface of one of the villages. Rather than make a public announcement about its findings for fear that it could be stolen, top officials ordered it to be hidden again, though where it was hidden was largely argued. That is until our parents came into play…" she paused for a moment. "The artifact had changed hands a few times, until it somehow ended up in our parent's hands. That's when those who knew of the artifact, a crystal if you will, learned that within was trapped different forms of chakra, though no one knew for sure why it was trapped there."
Yuki was lost, a crystal was the reason behind Ghost wanting them dead?
"Needless to say, someone ordered an experiment done. A shard from the crystal was to be implanted into a volunteer for the sole purpose of testing the effects of the chakra within the shard on the human chakra networks. The test was an overall success, the person who possessed the shard saw an increase of mental and physical capacity of up to fifty percent, and as time went on, that capacity grew, so another test was ordered…" Miyabi said as she clenched her fists.
"You...you were the next test…" Yuki finally realized.
"Yea…but instead of using a shard from the part of the crystal that contained the majority of chakra, they used a lesser shard, though the results were same, the shard dematerialized into my blood stream…what happened next surprised everyone. No one knew it, but the piece of a soul was trapped in that shard, that it became part of me. I was only 6 when the experiment was done to me, but by the next experiment, they had totally thrown the former test subject under the rug. I had far surpassed expectations, mainly because I inherited the powers of the soul that was trapped inside of me, but I still couldn't surpass physically and combatively the previous subject, but was told within time I would."
Even Hinata hadn't heard any of what Miyabi was talking about now, but she was all ears. Anything she could learn could prove to be helpful in the future.
"Then…the next experiment, taking two shards from the core of the crystal and fusing it with the subjects heart, though they realized that one of the subjects had a heart abnormality, they decided to use a lesser shard, the girl got the lesser shard, but the boy got the core shard…."she looked up at Yuki. "The shard attached to your heart almost killed you, but what they got out of the experiments was exactly what they wanted…A new weapon."
Yuki was speechless, before the lie he had lived for so long he was nothing more than an experiment? He and his sister were basically escaped lab rats, this made him feel lower then dirt, was there really a purpose in his life when he was born other than to be some mutated lab experiment?
"After some years, and with the two last experiments proving to be huge successes, new information about the crystal surfaced that drove the group that did the experiments into two sides. Ancient text was discovered and outlined how the completed core of the crystal could be used to wield power beyond what anyone could ever imagine. IF the right person had it in their hands they could rid the world of any wrong, but on the same token, if the wrong person had it in their hands…..they could end the world…"
"This is where Ghost comes into play…right?" asks Hinata from behind Yuki, noting he was just staring off into space.
Miyabi nods. "Hai, it was evening time at our house. My parents and the two of us were sitting down to dinner when it happened. What was a peaceful meal turned into pure hell in the blink of an eye. An explosion all but blew our home apart, I was pinned under a beam until my father was able to find me and lift if off of me. He had found Yuki, who was alive, and my mother….but she didn't survive the blast." She said as a tear rolled down her eye's. "That's when Ghost showed up and demanded that my father turn over Yuki. When he refused, he was cut almost in half, quicker than my eye's could pick up on it. That sent me into a blind rage, I can't recall what happened after that, but when I came back too, Ghost was now fighting someone who had him pinned down, if not for a moment. That gave me the chance I needed to grab Yuki and run, and run I did. I didn't stop until I had reached the Land of Fire. I was hurt bad and bleeding from spots, I was dehydrated and starving…."
"Yet you still gave those guards a run for their money." Hinata said with a smile.
Miyabi grinned at it too "Those two jackasses wouldn't even let me inside the gate until someone from the Hokage Tower was present, so when Hinata arrived, she saw firsthand what I was capable of doing. One of the guards was lying on his stomach clutching his…..well I'll let you decide on that one, and the other I had by the collar against the wall with a kunai to his throat. Hinata managed to talk me down out of my rage and took us both to the hospital. After a few nights and with you still in a coma, we decided that it was best to lock your memories deep within to protect you from the past. That's when Naruto sent a party to recover the bodies of our parents, and whatever else they could find that would be helpful. They learned who had helped us escape, Mai had appeared and kept asking about us, but she was turned away, she finally blurted out to one of them that she was the sole reason that we had escaped, though they didn't want to believe a girl so young would have been able to do that. Fast forward to present time, she found her way here to us, and so did Ghost…." she finished, taking a long breath of air, waiting on Yuki to react, but her sat motionless staring off into space.
A moment later he blinked, then lurched forward and vomited on the floor. Miyabi cringed just a little at hearing him vomiting. "Well, he's taking it better than I expected…" she said sarcastically.
It takes Yuki a moment to collect himself, as he lifts up, Hinata hands him a tissue to wipe his mouth which he takes. A second later he looks up at Miyabi. "This shard…..what did it do to me?"
"Well…do you know the meaning of your name?" she asks him.
"Of course I do!" he spat "There's two meanings, one is Happiness, the other is…"
"Snow…" she cuts him off. "You weren't named until after the experiment Yuki….the reason being is that the shard that they implanted into you held an ice type chakra. A day or so after the operation it became clear what your chakra affinity was due to the influence of the shard. So they finally named you Yuki."
Yuki was trying to think of another question to ask, but did he want to hear more? Did he want to know more about his life as a science experiment, or would he just rather go back to the lie he was living, which in reality, seemed a whole lot better than the life he was taken from.
"Look, I can understand if you hate me, I can understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore since I've kept your past from you and kept who you really were away from you, but I did it to protect you Yuki. I did it hoping and praying everyday that the past wouldn't come back to bite us, that you would live the rest of your life happy, without ever having to deal with what we both ran away from.
Was he really mad at Miyabi? No, how could he, she risked her life to provide him a life that was worth living, how could he have lived as a experiment? Miyabi had saved him, fought off the past as best she could.
"No…" Yuki stood, this made Miyabi straighten up. "How can I be mad at you? I would rather live this lie then live as an experiment. You've given me a fighting chance at having a life, you risked it all to see me live on happily." He clenches his fists. "I will not let Ghost take this life from me this time!
END FLASHBACK
He sighed, the path of life before him was going to be a long and hard one, that was for sure. He just hoped he could navigate it, along with anyone else who chose to walk it along with him.
He stared up at the clouds above, somewhere under this blue sky, someone was having the greatest time of their life, not a care in the world. Someone was being blessed with all that they could ever wish for, while he sat there contemplating his revenge.
He had a lot on his plate today, though sitting there was all he really wanted to do. HE had been so stressed out lately that he didn't know what he was going to do with himself once things started to calm down and get back to normal.
Though up on this roof, things were calm and peaceful. That is until someone else joined him, that's when he knew his peace and calm were over for the day. Appearing in a cloud of smoke and taking a seat next to him a familiar face, one that he came to admire over the past year or so.
Hanabi sat next to him, pulling her legs to her chest and looking up at the clouds along with Yuki. "How are you feeling Yuki?" she asked after a moment.
"I'm better off than your niece is if that's what you're asking." He says, trying not to sound bothered.
Hanabi laughs just a bit, "That's for sure, they are expecting her to wake up and time now. I'm sure you'll be relieved when she finally does wake up." She says as she turns to face him.
Yuki could never get past her eyes, they were pale, just like Hinata's, yet he always wondered if she could see right down into the depths of his soul. She always had this standoffish yet gentle side to her, he had only ever seen her mad once from the few times he and her interacted.
"Yea…" Yuki finally said, returning his gaze to the clouds, as did Hanabi.
"So….you ready to get this over with?" she asks him.
Truthfully, he wasn't, he didn't want to even think about what he was about to do, no more so what he was all but being forced to do. Without a second though, he forces himself to stand up. "Better go now before I change my mind…"
She smiles at him, but then takes his outreached hand. He lifts her to her feet as she straightens out her kimono. She then places a hand on his shoulder and looks him right in the eyes. "You'll do fine, I'll be right next to you, and so will Naruto. There's nothing at all to worry about, the council is on your side Yuki, especially since that guy screwed up and put my niece in such a state."
Before Yuki can say anything, they both disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Not far away from where Yuki and Hanabi had disappeared, Mai appeared in the light of day from the shadows. She had decided that it was in the best interest of everyone if she stuck close to him these past few days without any knowledge of it, just incase something happened, which was the last thing anyone wanted right now was there to be another attack.
Though she got the surprise of her life when she felt a gust of wind from behind her. She turned her head, very slowly, visibly shaking. To her relief it was just Miyabi.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK?!" Mai yelled as Miyabi started laughing at the expression on her face.
It took Miyabi a few seconds to compose herself, "Oh that expression was priceless Mai." After a few seconds and a bout of her clearing her throat. "But really, may I ask why you're spying on my brother?"
"I wasn't spying!" Mai spat. "I'm just keeping a close eye on him beyond the shadows."
"So spying."
Mai growled and clenched her fists. "I WASN'T SPYING DAMNIT!"
"Then why have you been following him around like a stalker for the past few days?" Miyabi asks, she knows full well why Mai has been following him around, she just wants to hear it with her own ears.
"Look, Yuki is Ghosts main target right? What makes you think Ghost won't try anything in broad daylight like he did last time, only this time Yuki was alone….well not really because I was here, but I don't want to lose the man I truly love…" she stopped and slamed both of her hands to her mouth, her face was turning bright red.
Miyabi thought she was going to die. "I KNEW IT!" she all but yelled. "Don't let Hima hear you say that Mai, she'd grind you to dust if you tried to come in between her and Yuki."
"I-i-i- I didn't mean it like that, I swear…I-i…" she stammered, but Miyabi knew it. Hell she was sure Hima could figure it out two. Mai had a definite crush on Yuki.
The blonde was still stammering when Miyabi broke her though train about how she could use the information against Mai to have just a little bit of fun with the girl. Finally she held her hand out and plopped it down on Mai's head.
"Mai, there's nothing wrong with it at all, things like this happen. Sometimes you just have to listen to your heart to do what's best for you." She leans down to Mai and begins to whisper. "Truthfully, theres a bunch of information I've been with-holding from Yuki about a certain "Clan Regeneration" law on the books here in Konoha…..who knows, you may get your wish after all." She says with a wink.
Mai blinks curiously for a moment, pondering what Miyabi had just told her. "R-Really?"
"Yup, you just have to give it time." She says followed by a sigh. "I'm sure that he won't like what Naruto is going to tell him, and believe me I don't like it either. Plus I can almost guarantee that you won't like what I'm about to tell you either….but…."
In the Council Meeting Room
"No! Hell no! I won't agree to it!" Yuki said as he slammed his fist on the table infront of him.
He was standing infront of the heads of every clan in the village, not to mention Naruto and Hanabi. Plus there were individuals of the civilian factor of the village present as well, though what they just told him their plans were and Yuki wanted no part in it.
"We feel that it's in the best interest of the village i…" one of them spoke, but was cut off by Naruto.
"We will not make Yuki feel as if he is a considerate threat to the village. It's his choice to make," Naruto cut in, very agitated by what the man had said. "Though, I must give you my opinion on this matter Yuki. Ghost attacked not only you, but my daughter, who also happens to be the girl you love, is she not?"
Yuki nodded, "She is, but what you're telling me to do is…"
"You value her well-being over anything else, am I correct?" Naruto pressed on.
"I do, bu…"
"All we ask is 3 years Yuki, 3 years out of your whole life. When it's all over with then the rest of your life is yours. I'm sure you don't want to drag Hima into this more then she already has been…"
Yuki wanted to say how much he hated Naruto right now for what they were considering, but that last part of what he said was echoing around in his ears.
"3 years…" Yuki repeated what he had heard earlier. "3 Years away training, 3 years away learning as much as I can about my inner powers…..3 years with Hima not knowing where I'm at?!" he shouted at the end letting everyone there know he was rather upset, no he was pissed.
"I have a plan for that actually." Naruto began, but Yuki threw up a hand.
"I swear if the words, "tell her you didn't make it and fake my death" leave your mouth I will leave this room and forcefully decline whatever you're planning!" he yelled.
"You watch your mouth in the presence of the Hokage!" one of the clan heads, an Aburame Yuki gathered, stood and scolded.
"Can it bug boy, he's obviously under a lot of stress right now, his actions and comments are nothing short of the typical response anyone would give in a situation like this I assure you." Said the man sitting next to Naruto, one Yuki recognized as an Uchiha.
"You're one to talk, traitor." The Aburame shouted.
"ENOUGH!" Naruto shouted as he spiked his chakra, causing the temperature in the room to drop a few degrees. "As if the situation isn't bad enough you have to argue? I understand his frustrations and how he is feeling right now, most of you should know for a fact that I found myself in his shoes once or twice before, but we will not….NOT….bring up another council members past in this room unless I feel it needs to be the topic of the meeting, do I make myself clear?"
A collective "Hai, Hokage-sama" filled the room.
Naruto was now rubbing his head, trying to alieve what seemed to be a headache.
"Yuki….I wasn't going to fake your death or anything like that to Hima. I was going to explain to her the sole reasoning behind you leaving and then tell her very carefully that you WILL be coming back…believe me if I could send her with you then I would, but with her current physical and medical state, that is not an option, and I feel the longer we wait to act, the less time we have before Ghost arrives again…"
What was he going to do? Three years he would be gone without Hima, 3 years Hima would be without him. He was sure that if what the Hokage had planned didn't kill him that Hima surely would when ever it as that he got back.
After a moment of serious consideration, and taking into account that Hima was in her current state due to his newly found situation and Ghost's interest in it, he very reluctantly agreed to it in his head, though there were a few stipulations he wanted granted first.
"Fine." He shouted. "I'll go along with it, under 3 conditions. If I can't get these conditions approved I won't do it!"
"Alright, what did you have in mind?" Naruto asked, knowing whole heartedly that there were bound to be a few of those requests he just couldn't promise to him.
"First, I want you to inform me when Hima wakes up, plus on top of that if anything dire happens to her I want you to inform me so I can return to her side. Second, you will not tell Hima where it is that I have gone, she will surely come to look for me. Third, I want Mai to keep an eye on her for me, I would feel safer if someone that shares my current…..condition…were to assure her safe being."
Naruto pondered the conditions for a moment, really, he couldn't agree more to those terms. "I agree to your conditions Yuki…" He continued to talk but Yuki had tuned him out. I was going to be really hard for him to go through with this, but if it meant that Hima would be safer in the long run then he could think of no better way.
Back on the roof
"ARE YOU GUYS CRAZY?! HIMA IS GOING TO FLIP WHEN SHE FINDS THIS OUT!" Mai yelled. She too was clearly upset at this news.
"Calm down Mai, it's only for 3 years. Besides, that's three years you don't have to worry about Ghost showing his ugly face here. Me and Yuki will be fine, and I promise we are going to come back." Miyabi said, trying to get Mai to calm herself.
"I still don't think it's a good idea!" she shouted.
Miyabi narrowed her gaze at Mai, which sent chills down her spine. "Mai, you're forgetting that the little Yuki learned about his powers before we made our escape to this village is now locked away in his mind right?" she asks, continuing when Mai nods her head. "3 years is the minimum it would take me to train him to harness the power that's inside of him, any longer and we risk Ghost finally finding out where we are, if not coming after one of you here and using you as a pawn to get to Yuki." She places a hand on Mai's shoulder. "Trust me, nothing will happen to him, hell." She started to grin. "It might even drive you and Hima to train harder to impress him once he returns...which is when we planned on telling him about a certain law I just mentioned to you."
What Miyabi had said burned into Mai's mind. There was a chance that Yuki would see her as more then a friend after all, it just pained her that she was being forced once again to be separated from him for such a long time, though she knew it was for the best. She just wondered how Hima would take it when she finally woke up and learned Yuki was gone.
"What about Hima?" Mai finally asked.
"Hima's a strong girl, in time she will come to understand that this decision was for the best, it's not like she won't see him ever again. I made sure Naruto would explain that to her when she finally did wake up." Miyabi sighed. "It's you that I'm worried about, Mai."
Mai was struck by what Miyabi said, now she confused, trying to figure out just why Miyabi would say that. "Me? Why are you worried about me?"
"I mean just look at you Mai, you are every boys dream aside from Hima! If looks could Kill Mai, you'd be locked up for slaying half the village by now!" Miyabi said with a genuine smile. "Guys are sure to be all over you with Yuki out of the picture, since you hung around him so much, guys tended to not bother you for fear they might cross the line with Yuki or something, but since we will be gone for a while…there's no stopping them."
Mai was blushing just as hard as she was moments ago now.
"But I'm sure you will have no problems brushing them away, though, you never know. You may find someone that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside just like Yuki does, hell, maybe even more then Yuki does." Miyabi said with a slight giggle.
Miyabi was trying to hold back from busting out laughing, Mai looked like she was thoroughly disgusted at that thought, she knew Mai had it set in her heart that Yuki was the one that she wanted, though Mai was late since Hima had staked her claim.
"Oh come on Mai, I'm just teasing you." She mused. "Or am I?" she said following it with a maniacal laugh.
Mai was losing her mind, thinking about all those weird guys coming up to her asking all kinds of personal questions that she really didn't have answers for she knew. She was so lost in her train of thought that she didn't realize she was swatting at Miyabi as if she was trying to swat someone away from her.
Miyabi looked on a bit dumbfounded, "Gee, I think I may have broken her mind…" she said, her facial expression as blank as a piece of paper.
Next day-3 P.M.
Yuki was standing beside her bed, captivated by her beauty. Even though she was in such a state, she still somehow managed to take his breath away. It's as if she gave off a light of her own that managed to brighten the room. She was still in a coma, and it pained Yuki beyond what words could describe that he wouldn't be there for her when she woke up, nor while she was recovering.
All the time he would miss away from her, missing just how strong she would get, he knew she would probably hate him, and he couldn't blame her, he hated himself right now for even agreeing to go along with the plans that were laid out for him, but if that meant she would be safer without him around for a while, then he knew it had to be the right thing to do, her safety was his top concern.
He lifted his hand from his side and placed it on her face, her warmth radiated into him, he wanted so bad to stay, it was tearing his heart apart. Tears were falling form his face now and splattering the ground beneath him.
"I know you can't hear me Hima, and I know you're gonna hate me for what I'm about to do….but I love you…" his sobs were now becoming audible. "I'll always love you….and I promise….I promise I will come back. So please…..please for the love of Kami wait for me…." He cries out, his hand still caressing her cheek.
After a moment he leans down and kisses her on her forehead. "I love you Hima….please take care of yourself….I'll be back as soon as I can…" he whispers to her.
After another moment of trying to think of a way out of this, maybe even a way that he could bring her with him, he forces himself to turn around. Now facing a tearful Hinata, and Miyabi who looked like she was fighting the tears back herself, she held a backpack in her hands along with one thrown over her shoulder.
Yuki turned his head away from them, wiping the tears from his face with the sleeve of his shirt, he reached out and grabbed the backpack from Miyabi and made his way to the door. "Come on MIyabi, I don't want to risk her waking up before I leave the village…."
"Yuki…" Hinata muttered. All too well she knew what her daughter was going to go through when she woke up, and she felt for Yuki also. She had begged her husband to come up with a better plan, but in the end he convinced her that there was no other plan, even going as far and promising that nothing was going to happen to Yuki.
The worst part about it is, she knew where they were going, but Hima was to be left in the dark about it, and Hinata was to play dumb and act like she doesn't know where they went, though Naruto knew he was going to be the focus of Hima's hate for a while, it still pained Hinata.
Miyabi had started to exit behind Yuki, but stopped when she way that Hinata herself was on the verge of a breakdown. "If you're worried about Yuki somehow giving up on Hima, or not coming home then don't. I'll make sure the little bonehead doesn't do anything stupid." She said smiling. "Take care of yourself and the little princess over there." she said with a uppity tone, then exits the room.
Hinata took a deep breath, trying to fight back turning into a tearful mess for her daughter. Yuki had a long road ahead of him and she hoped he took care of himself. Hima herself had a long road too, yet somehow she felt Hima's would last long then Yuki's, which worried her even more.
On their way to the gate, nothing was said. Yuki wasn't in a talkative mode, and neither was Miyabi. All those years of fighting to keep Yuki from his past was now swirling down the drain, and here they were again, running away from their problems, or so it felt.
As they reached the gates they were met by three people. Naruto, Sasuke, and Mai.
Yuki wondered why the Uchiha was present, but it didn't matter, nothing mattered at this point, his life was completely screwed up at the moment for him to give a damn. HE almost didn't notice Mai approaching him as he inwardly scolded himself.
The blonde stood before Yuki, noticing he still had tears welling up in his eyes. "Yuki….I…I wish there was something I could do! I know you feel helpless right now, and I know inside you're beating yourself up…and it's killing me because I know the source of your pain yet there's nothing I can do to help."
She was right, and Yuki knew it, though she was wrong about something. It took Yuki a second to conjure the words.
Lifting his head, he looks deep into Mai's eye's, "No, there is something you can do Mai…" he spoke softly.
He knew Naruto and Hinata would die to make sure that Hima was safe and sound while he was gone, but that wasn't enough for him. Mai was the closest thing to family he was going to have left in this village after he left, and it settled his heart if just a little that she would also be there to watch over Hima.
Mai had no idea what he was talking about, what did he have in mind? Was he going to ask her to join him on this trip? Her heart fluttered just thinking about it, but the chances of that were slim she knew. "Anything Yuki."
"Keep an eye on Hima for me…" he half sobbed out, emotion starting to leak out again.
Mai's heart sank, she was right, Yuki's heart was set on Hima and she was sure there was no room in it for her. Rather than let the disappointment show on her face. She simply nodded and tried to give him a reassuring smile. "Nothing will happen to Whiskers Yuki, I'll see to it"
Hearing Mai call Hima by her nickname made Yuki laugh just a little through his emotion, but it was quickly stifled. "Oh what the hell am I doing." he let out. "Hima's going to fucking kill me when I get back! How am I going to face her again, Mai?"
He was way to insecure about this, Mai was well aware of that. She could also agree with Yuki's last statement, Hima would very-well put Yuki within a inch of his life when he does return…that is if he returns.
Mai pushes all of her anxiety aside, and finds courage deep inside. She grabs up both of Yuki's hands into hers and looks into his eye's, seemingly staring right down into the depths of his soul. "You just make sure you come home…baka Yuki!"
Just as she is about to release his hands she leans forward and kisses him softly on his cheek. After she pulls away she starts to turn several shades of red, then disappears in a swirl of clouds and dust, leaving Yuki standing there bewildered. Mai had managed to break the despair in his mind, leaving it at a standstill.
A few feet away Miyabi sweetdropped, while Naruto looked on with a blank expression.
"I asked her to come and try to talk some sense into him, not try to get in between him and Hima…" Miyabi finally spoke.
"Why do I have a feeling that Hima may very well have to come to accept that old law we spoke about not too long ago…" said Naruto.
Just then a gust of wind from behind causes them to turn from Yuki. Ko stood there with an angry look on her face, and it was directed to Miyabi.
"This makes twice you've torn my squad apart!" she said stomping her left foot. "Damn you Miyabi!" she yelled.
"Ko, that's enough." Sasuke said, basically emotionless.
Miyabi knew if there was one person in the village that Ko was going to listen to other then Naruto it was Sasuke. SO it came to no surprise when she stiffened up and dropped the angry look.
"S-sorry sensei." She said, but then she raised her hand and pointed a finger at Miybai. "You just bring that gaki back here, do you know how much shit I'm going to have to deal with when you're gone? And don't act like I didn't see what Mai just did to the stone statue over there!" she yelled referring to Yuki, who still hadn't moved from the spot he stood before Mai.
Miyabi giggled a little as she turned and saw Yuki, "Don't worry Ko, you won't lose the little gaki from your squad." Then a thought came to mind, and she turns to Naruto. "She will be provided with a replacement until we return, right?"
Naruto nods. "Yea, Ko's squad will still be combat effective once Hima is healed and released for normal ops again. So I will have to provide then with another able body for missions and….well, whatever else." He looks up into the sky at the position of the sun, "Well, you guys should get going, don't want to prolong your return longer then you need to do you?"
"He's right, the longer we sit here getting all emotional the longer we will be gone…not to mention that much harder for us to be away…" Sasuke followed up Naruto.
Miyabi sighed, she turned and went over to Yuki and grabbed onto his shoulder. Snapping a few times infront of his face she manages to get him to come to just a little for her to guide him over to the others so that they can get read to depart, though he still was half out of it.
Naruto turns to Sasuke and extends his right hand. "Well, if anything comes up that you can't handle, you know just how to get into contact with me."
Sasuke smirked and takes Naruto's hand in his for a handshake, "Like there's ever going to be something I can't handle alone."
Naruto grins, "Well, that little side project you had planned better go through, I want results.."
Sasuke smiled now, "Don't doubt me one bit."
After a few moments Sasuke slings the backpack that was at his feet over his shoulder. Looking around he notices that Ko and Miyabi have each other in an embrace now.
"You take care of yourself Ko." Said Miyabi, trying hard to fight back a tear.
"You too, Miyabi…I'm sure Yuki will do his best to make sure nothing happens to you either." Says Ko, tears flowing unlike Miyabi.
Sasuke rolls his eyes which earns him a snicker from Naruto. He was beginning to take the first few steps of a long journey when a familiar presence causes him to freeze in place and turn around, fearful for what he would probably receive.
A pink blur closes the distance from the gate to him, and to everyones surprise, Sakura is now holding Sasuke up in the air with one arm by his collar, glaring at him.
"Planning on going somewhere?" she growled. Even Naruto was starting to back away now with his hands up infront of him.
Sasuke was now fearing for his life, the confidence he had just a few seconds ago was now cowering in the deepest parts of his soul. "Uhh…hi honey. I was….just going on a mission for…"
She draws her free hand back and releases it. Everyone was now watching, and when they saw this they were expecting Sasuke to be hit so hard that his skeletal system leaves his skin…or worse, if there was anything worse.
To their surprise she held her fist to the side of his face. "I know where you're going jerk! You were gonna leave Naruto to tell me you were gone, which would have made me worry worse! How do you think I would have felt knowing you up and left without saying goodbye to me or our daughter….AGAIN"
Sasuke was visibly shaking now." I-i-I" He lifted his arm and pointed at Naruto. "IT WAS HIS IDEA!"
Naruto's eyes went as wide as dinner plates now, "You sellout!"
Sakura's face darkened just a bit, she slowly lowered Sasuke to the ground before she turned her attention to the quickly retreating Naruto.
"Naruto…" she ground out, cracking her knuckles as she began to make her way to Naruto.
It took them nearly twenty minutes to finally get Sakura to calm down and finally get on their way. Yuki was still a bit in shock from what Mai had done, and Miyabi was trying to get as far away from Sakura as she could, so was Sasuke.
The three walked down the path until they were just a dot on the horizon, then they vanished.
Sakura sighed as she turned to Naruto, "Just what kind of mission did you give him?"
Naruto sighed and turned to face her. "I'm sending Miyabi and Yuki with Sasuke on an extended training mission. Sasuke is going to train Yuki any way he see's fit, and Miyabi Is going to help. Not to mention there is a little side mission I gave Sasuke…"
Side mission? She repeated in her head. "Ok, I don't want to know any more…just how long will they be gone…" she didn't even want to hear what he was going to say, because she knew what she was going to do.
"3 Years max…"
He hadn't had time to finish what he was going to say before Sakura punched him right between his eyes sending him flying backwards.
Ko watches with wide eyes as Sakura walks past her growling. Her killing intent off the charts. A few seconds later she walks over to Naruto to make sure that the village doesn't need to start looking for another Hokage, and thankfully they don't.
"…I may have miscalculated…." He mumbles, trying to regain control of himself.
Ko can't help but laugh and hold a hand out. "Come on Hokage-sama, let get you up and go get you checked out."
That night- Konoha Hospital
The beeping was beginning to echo through her mind, she could feel the pinch of a needle in her arm, and for the life of her she had never felt a headache this bad before. From what little brain activity she had right now she could tell she was in the hospital, and barely remember how she was put here.
That bastard really did a number on her, she knew she had a long way to go from all the pain she was feeling right now, plus the fact she knew that she was probably being pumped full of pain meds, that was going to make it that much worse when they start to ween her off of them.
Then she remembers the reason behind her receiving the injuries she did, and a simple thought floods her mind. YUKI! She screams out in her mind.
All of her senses flood back at once, her eye's pop open and she lifts up in the bed, ignoring the pain she was feeling. She needed to know if Yuki was ok, nothing mattered right now.
"Hima!" she heard a familiar voice call out, then felt someone next to her. Though she was still trying to get her eyes to adjust to the light, she knew it was her mothing standing next to her, trying her hardest to get Hima to lay back down.
"Hima you need to lay down, you are in no shape to be moving right now!" Hinata was almost begging her daughter to lie back down.
"Yuki…." Hima croaked. "Where's….Yuki!"
Hinata stopped for a moment and gave her daughter a worried look. Hima knew something bad had happened, "Honey, Yuki is okay…but.."
"But what…mother?" she managed to say, her voice was starting to come back to her now. "I want to see him! He needs to be here with me…"
Hima pauses when she sees a tear roll down her mother's cheek. Suddenly Hinata embraces her daughter, careful not to cause her any pain.
"Oh honey, I'm afraid that Yuki isn't in the village anymore…Your father sent him and his sister away for an extended mission…"
Hima felt her heart starting to tear. "He…he what?"
"Your father sent him on a mission Hima. Yuki won't be back for some time I'm afraid." Hinata says as she release her daughter. Eyeing her daughter, she knew Hima was feeling heart broken right now after hearing that, not only that but Naruto was in for a world of hurt when he finally showed up to see her.
Hima could feel it then, her heart fell in two. The pain in her chest now overweighed the rest of her injuries. All that she could envision was Yuki walking away from her, leaving her a crying wreck.
Hima fell backwards in the bed, taking a pillow from under her and covering her face with it, crying her eyes out now, she didn't care if anyone saw or heard her. The man she loved walked away from her, had he put up a fight to stay? NO! she screamed internally.
If he put up a fight the asshole would be here at my side now! She screamed again inside her head.
"Hima…" Hinata sobbed, placing a hand on Himas arm, but it ended up getting swatted away.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Hima screamed at the top of her lungs. "Just leave me alone mom! I don't want to talk right now, and I don't want to see dad ever again! He's just caused me the worst pain anyone could ever inflict on me!"
"Please Hima…" Hinata continued.
Hima throws the pillow off of her and tries to call fourth the Kyuubi's chakra but is unsuccessful, no matter how hard she tries she just can't reach deep enough to call it fourth. Instead she just glares at her mother. "I'm heartbroken right now…..please….leave…me…ALONE!" she ground out.
Hinata could tell Hima was in no mood to talk, so instead of pushing her daughter any further, she shyly nodded, stood and left the room.
Though she didn't go far, she stood beside the door, tears begin to roll down her face as she hears her daughter in the room crying, begging, pleading that what she had just heard her mother say was a lie, that it was just a cruel joke.
"YUKI!" Hima screams from inside the room.
These three years were going to the longest years Hinata ever had to endure, she knew it.