Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I would not be writing FANfiction.
"We're here." Shino told Hanabi.
"Where is everyone?" she scoured the area with her Byakugan. "Never mind, I see them. Everyone's spread out. Idiots, they should have stayed together."
"I'm going to help Shikamaru and Ino. You, go to Kiba's aid. I don't think his body will be able to hold much longer."
Hanabi glanced at Shino, confused. "What's wrong with Kiba? Shino, tell me. What is wrong with his body?"
Shino shook his head. "Don't ask questions. Just go now!" He darted in between trees and would have disappeared out of Hanabi's vision had she not have her bloodline-limit activated.
"Damn!" Hanabi exclaimed, darting in a different direction. She smiled a bit, thinking of her father's reaction if he had heard her use such 'unladylike' language. The smile quickly faded as she thought of Kiba.
"Dog-boy, you better not die on me or Hinata 'n' Shino'll kill me."
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Kankuro helped Temari onto her feet. "Man, sis, you've seriously got to lose weight," he groaned at her.
"Kankuro," he shivered at the tone of her voice. "If you want to die, I'd be happy to oblige that wish."
"Truce," he whimpered at her, hands held up in defeat.
"Anyways," Temari got serious, "we need a plan. Where is that Shikamaru when you need him?"
Kankuro got a considering look in his eyes. "Sis? I need you to distract 'Mr. Earth.' Preferably with your weasel."
"It's a bit too late for that isn't it." Their remaining opponent's voice came from behind the two. He was standing with his hands on his hips, grinning at them.
"Eh? Err…well, so long!" Kankuro released the smoke bomb that he had carefully concealed in his palm. Pulling Temari along with him, he quickly jumped away. When the two were finally out of the enemy's vision Temari shot Kankuro a glare.
"You didn't need to be so rough," she complained to him.
He pressed a palm onto her mouth. "Distract that guy. I need just the right moment to unleash the poison gas in Karasu. It's a new type; even more potent than the one I used to use. Best of all, there is no traces of it in the air."
Kankuro calmly tossed Temari a small bottle. "This protects you from the poison. I'm already immune, so you can drink it. Only about a quarter though, mind you, this is powerful stuff."
"Got it." Temari grinned at him before gulping down the liquid, cringing at the taste. "Ready? She bit her thumb and pressed it to the ground.
"Summoning! Kirikiri Mai! A ferret immediately appeared. It flew off, and after a few seconds, Temari turned to Kankuro.
"Three…two…one…" the forest was suddenly blown by a huge gust of wind. Trees were cut in half and flew in circles in the sky. The earthen wall that had formed was getting more and more cracks.
Mr. Earth snickered. "Just as I thought. The little girl's attacks stood no chance against my mighty earth defense. In fact, my offense is better than hers too."
He frowned when he started to feel slightly out of breath. 'Maybe I used too much chakra,' he chided himself.
Moments later, Mr. Earth fell to the ground. He felt fire rising in his bloodstreams and the pain paralyzed him. Then a voice from above his head spoke. He strained to see the owner of the voice, but his blurry vision wasn't helping.
"Well, 'Mari, you wanna finish him off?" Kankuro handed Temari a small kunai.
"It'll be my pleasure," she crouched down beside the prostrate figure. It was hard to believe that this nearly unconscious man had caused them so much trouble.
Temari whispered into his ear. "You know what? You're really lucky. If I knew where my friends are and if any of your comrades hurt them, you'd be in a lot more pain. As it is, I'm in a rush so I'll just finish it off quick." Kankuro gave an almost evil-looking smile.
"Bye bye Mr. Earth. It's time for sleep." She sang, plunging her kunai into his heart.
Kankuro nodded. "Come on, let's go find the others."
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Hanabi scoured the area with her Byakugan. She spotted a man, standing in a clear opening with no opponent facing him. Cocking an eyebrow, she searched further. Hiding behind a tree, she saw Kiba.
She headed towards him.
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"Hanabi? What're you d-doing h-here?" By then, Kiba's mind was already almost ceasing to function. He coughed a bit, covering his mouth even though it didn't matter. Old habits die hard, after all. When he removed his palm, it was covered in blood.
"Oh Kami help me. Kiba, are you alright?" Hanabi looked at his wounds, then back at his face. His coughing concerned her more than the wounds.
"I-I'm o-o-okay…" Kiba stuttered, neither of them believing his words.
"Kiba, you're losing too much blood. Your organs…they're not functioning properly. And your lungs have almost been blocked…and your heart…"
"H-Hanabi…f-fight…mo-more important…my f-father…b-beat…" Kiba was starting to have troubles talking. He couldn't breath.
Hanabi closed her eyes. She wouldn't let Kiba down, she couldn't. But seeing his labored breathing was scaring her. 'I am a chuunin of Konohagakure.' She thought to herself. 'I must complete my mission.'
Just as she was about to leave, a thought entered her mind and she voiced it. "Kiba, you mentioned your father. Is that man you were fighting your father?"
Kiba nodded weakly at her.
"But I didn't see any markings on his cheeks," Hanabi shot him a quizzical look.
He shook his head. "G-go," he rasped out at her.
The young Hyuuga didn't need any more encouraging. She was gone in a flash.
Kiba tried to call after her- he had one last question, but he couldn't gather enough breath to do so. 'Hinata? Are you truly dead? Please, I can't live without you.' He thought sadly, staring at the spot where Hanabi had recently occupied.
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Hanabi was quick to hide behind a tree. She could feel her heart beating furiously against her chest, nervousness, worry and anticipation mixing into one jumbled emotion.
'Kiba…' she shook her head. Now was definitely not the time to be distracted. She had to finish off this man, before Kiba got any worse. The more time she took, the more dangerous it would be for him.
'Shinobi rule 25. Shinobi rule 25.' She chanted in a silent mantra, focusing herself. 'I need to think of this man's weakness. If he is an Inuzuka, he'll be quite skilled in taijutsu. Most likely, he'll notice my eyes and avoid close combat.'
"I know you're there. You can come out now." Hanabi startled at the sound of a man's voice.
'Curses,' she thought, 'I was careless. Father would not be pleased.'
Hanabi retreated from her hiding spot, glaring furtively at Niguman(1). She considered what attack to use, but was interrupted by his talking.
'He sure likes to talk a lot…'
"I didn't expect they'd send a little girl as reinforcement. Come on, a little girl? Well, I guess I'll relieve you of the humiliation if you don't defeat me by killing." He started laughing heartily.
Her eyes narrowed. Hanabi reached into her pocket, pulling out two kunai. She twirled them around her finger, considering her choices.
'I could attack him straight on with weapons, or use my jutsus.'
Deftly, she tossed the two kunai at him. He jumped away with ease, still laughing.
"Is that all the poor widdle girly can do?"
The 'poor widdle girly' gave an inward smile. She pressed her hands together, forming multiple hand seals.
Kiba, who had limped over and was watching the battle, twitched when he found out that he didn't recognize the jutsu. 'Hanabi really is strong, probably more so than me and Hinata put together.' He sighed. Even if the young girl was known as the genius of the Hyuuga, only better than Neji because of the guidance he had given her, being upstaged was not at all pleasing.
Kiba sighed, and then winced as his injured body protested. 'S. I need to finish him off quick.'
Inside her head, Hanabi was doing a little victory dance. Kiba, she knew, was just to her right, and therefore, they were in a great position for attack. Niguman, who was oblivious to his son, would be unable to defend against both of them at once if they timed their moves properly.
"Aren't you gonna do anything?" Niguman gave her a feral smile, showing her his canines. They weren't nearly as sharp as Kiba's, but could cause a bit of fear in anyone who wasn't already used to the Inuzuka. And Hanabi was.
"I was just thinking about how lucky you are to be the first one to witness my newest jutsu, which I invented." She retorted.
Kiba grinned. Hanabi plus her own jutsu meant enemy going down.
"Hanabi no jutsu!(2)" The young girl cried, forming her last seal. Immediately, the area around Niguman erupted in fiery white fireworks, which the man cursed at when he saw that it was pure chakra, strong and visible. None of them were hitting him, which probably meant that the Hyuuga wasn't skilled enough to aim properly.
"Pathetic. None of them hit me," he yelled.
"Oh, but we're only getting to the good part," Hanabi held both of her palms out. She pulled her fingers into a fist, saying softly, "Hakke."
Niguman stiffened when he saw that the fireworks stopped exploding. They hovered mid-air, as if dangling on string. Suddenly, all of the rays shot for him.
"Damnit!" he cried, dodging the needle like chakra rays, but there were too many. Many hit his body, and he felt his insides erupt with pain.
"Who's the pathetic one now?" Hanabi asked him, eerily calm.
Niguman attempted to speak, ignoring the blood that had leaked from the corners of his mouth, but was cut off by a spiral of blue light, which was also laced with a golden glow.
"Hikari Tsuuga!(3)"
Kiba's father leapt away out of instinct, looking shocked. The jutsu cut through about ten trees before Kiba managed to stop it.
Niguman was turning pale as he saw his son's bloodied figure, swaying, but on his feet.
"I wasn't going to let the 'widdle girl' fight on her own, you know. I'm more decent than that." Kiba struggled to keep his voice steady, but it still wavered. Not to mention the fact that it sounded thin and not very confident at all.
The reply was a quiet chuckle.
"Sorry to interrupt the father-son moment, but I got things to do," the two men looked up at Hanabi, "You, Mr. I'm-so-confident-that-I'll-win-against-a-widdle-girl, are in my divination.
She was rewarded with a look of happiness and another of horror and fear.
"Hakke! Rokujuyon shou!(4)" Hanabi moved forward in an alarming speed, such that Kiba had to be impressed. Neji had obviously taught her well.
Niguman panicked, and he tried to stand, only to collapse onto his knees. Hanabi kicked him up, and proceeded to hit his chakra pores, sealing off his vital areas.
"Kiba," she shouted. The said boy nodded, sharpening his nails, ran, and in an instance, his entire hand had entered Niguman's chest. Mouth open in a silent scream, the man doubled forward. Kiba tugged his arm out, revealing a still beating heart.
"I told you I would make you pay. I told you I would kill you." With that, Kiba crumpled onto the floor, soaked with blood that was his and also, blood that did not belong to the dog-boy.
"Kiba! For Kami's sake, don't die on me now!" Hanabi dashed over, placing Kiba's head onto her lap. She cringed when she saw that her bare arms were already coated in the red liquid, even though she merely touched Kiba.
Feeling for his wrist, she searched for his pulse. Her curses were getting more vulgar when she couldn't feel his heartbeat.
"Kiba, don't die. You can't…Hinata is alive. She's waiting for you at home, has been for so long. You can't leave her now- she needs you. We all do. Kiba…" Hanabi felt herself sobbing, tears falling onto Kiba's limp body.
Fingers still wrapped around Kiba's wrist, she felt a slight change. Nearly shouting out in joy, Hanabi felt a weak pulse, too slow for comfort, but at least it was there.
His breathing was shallow and labored, sounding more like wheezes than proper breaths.
'Kiba…' Hanabi closed her eyes in anguish. 'What do I do now? Kiba, what would Hinata do now? What would she say if she knew I lied to you?'
(1) I ket forgetting to mention the meaning of 'Niguman.' Basically, 'nigu' means muscles and 'man' means strong. Well, now you know!
(2) It could be that Hanabi named her jutsu after herself, which people do. However, hanabi also means fireworks so the name works.
(3) Tsuuga is Kiba's spiral thingy he does and hikari means light. This attack is a stronger version of his original move.
(4) I forgot the name of Neji's attack so I just wrote the literal '64 strikes.' I'd love it if anyone could correct me (for some reason, search engines don't work on this computer so I can't do any research at all T-T)
Once again, a late update. I know I said in my other story that I would update quickly. But this time, I actually have reasonable excuses!
First, computer got this virus that couldn't be removed. It had to be reset, and as a result, I lost all my stories. (Trying to recover them now.)
Second, I was sick. Enough said.
Third: although this isn't as logical as the other excuses, it is enough for me. It was my sort-of birthday (It's on another calendar that's different than the one we usually use. It changes every year and repeats every 19 years if I'm correct. This year, there are two 'seventh month' so I get to celebrate my birthday 3 times! Yay! This is for people who wish they had more than 1 birthday every year. However, I only get presents once. But who cares! I get cake!)
Anyways, this is only half of what I wanted to post, but I figured that sooner beats longer.
And now, to leave you with questions:
Is Hinata really dead? What did Hanabi mean when she said she was lying?
Will Kiba die before he sees the possibly dead Hinata? Will they meet in Heaven or something?
Does Hanabi have a crush on Kiba?
Why hasn't Temari lost weight during the war? Is it because of that stone armor thingy she always wears that makes her so heavy?
Um...the last question really doesn't matter...yeah...
Review! They make me feel so unsleepy! (contrary to how I'm feeling right now)