Mwahahahahaaaa!!! Hear the cry of emichii's inner evil!! GYAAAHHH!!

Eh heh heh… Thankyou for all your reviews!! I'm glad that you all liked the last chapter!! Sweet, wasn't it? And everyone is freaking out at Hinata's disappearance, except of course, me!

There are people asking if I killed Hinata. Oh COME ON, get real!! You really think I would do that?? Even in my other super-angsty fanfic, no-one died. Anyway, speaking of Hinata, you wanna know what happened to her that morning?

Well, this chapter is entirely devoted to what happened that fateful morning. Let's all go to flash-back mode!! Yaayyy!

Don't own Naruto. Read and review!!

Chapter Eleven: Don't look for me

Sasuke stared at the scroll for a moment before he actually bent down and picked it up. He held it there in his hands. It felt so worn and the specks of blood on it still seemed fresh. It seemed to have Hinata's presence.

He knew it was stupid and foolish, but he did it anyway. There was no-one to see him or torment him about it. He stood there, still, just letting the sense of Hinata linger over him.

He tightened his grip on the scroll, with a scowl on his face. He was worried, yet also angry. Where the heck had Hinata gone? Dammit, that girl couldn't do anything without getting into trouble, could she?

Sasuke knew it was completely out of character for him to care this much. He knew before, but he had told himself over and over again, that he would never have any feelings of any sort for Hinata. Crap, he hated her, remember? He thought she was a weakling, a loser, a wimp- the worst of the worst!

But he couldn't stop this troubled feeling rising up in him.

What had happened to Hinata?

XxxFlashbackxxX Two hours earlier…

Hinata crept out of the cave quietly. The rain from the night before had stopped, and the sun was still slowly rising. The remains of last night's rain were over the grass and ground.

Hinata was feeling cheerful.

She didn't know why she was so happy. Maybe it was just because Sasuke had told her about his past. It had been such a carefully-guarded secret, yet he was willing to let her in on it. Hinata smiled brightly to herself.

Thinking back, her cheeks warmed when she recalled Sasuke hugging her.

Ahh man… she muttered in her mind, that was embarrassing…

She just stood there for a while, recollecting her thoughts. It's really weird… why am I starting to feel like this about Uchiha-kun?? It's not like I have a crush on him or anything… I like Naruto! B-but… Hinata's cheeks were bright red.

She shook her head, greatly flustered.

Hinata started to walk off to get some water from the stream near by.

Suddenly, she froze.

She couldn't move. It was a strange, scary, familiar tremor that ran throughout her entire body. It was like… someone was strangling here… someone's evil intent.

Her eyes widened. Her legs shook and she trembled violently. She couldn't stop her body shaking. She… she recognized this! This was… This could only be…

"-Jetsuuki!" She gasped out.

He materialized from the trees. "Hello, Miss Hyuuga. I'm so flattered you remember me,"

Hinata tried to sound brave and sure of herself, but her voice was weak and frightened. "Why are you here?" she managed to cry out.

Jetsuuki towered above her. She was close to him, but still couldn't see much of his face. He said in his smooth, confident tone, "I said I would come back and fight again. That's why I'm here. Last time, you disappointed me greatly, Miss Hyuuga. For someone who is called the Hyuuga heiress, the fight you put up was worse than pathetic."

Hinata said nothing. Memories of their last fight came flying back to her. She struggled to break away from the strong grip Jetsuuki's evil tremor had over her.

"It hasn't been that long since the fight, Miss Hyuuga. You haven't had much time to get stronger at all. In fact, it's virtually impossible for you to have gotten better. Actually, you could never get stronger ever!! Not in a million years, Miss Hyuuga. I can see that look you have in your eyes. No, Miss Hyuuga, you look as though you are resisting, but you should know by now, you can never improve."

Hinata let out a whimper.

Jetsuuki smirked and kept throwing the painful insults at her. "You've been pushed down over and over again. Why do you still try to get up? Haven't you learnt yet?? It's IMPOSSIBLE!! You will never get stronger!! You can't do anything!! You may have trained hard for the last couple of days, but you will never get better!! You… can't do anything, Miss Hyuuga…"

Sweat ran down Hinata's face. Her pale white/lavender eyes were wide and full of fear, regret, and hopelessness.

"Yes… you and I both know that you are a disgrace."

No… NO!! Hinata screamed out in her mind. No! I train hard… all the time… Even Uchiha-kun was pushed down over and over again… He was weak… but he still managed to get stronger!! Uchiha-kun didn't stop training or hoping for better things to come… And so, he got stronger!! He was weak, but now he is strong! He became one of the strongest young ninja in Konoha!! I have trained hard too… do you honestly believe that? Do you??

Hinata fought hard against herself. She could still feel the invisible bonds that Jetsuuki had been able to tie her with. She wasn't weak! She knew she was weaker than others, but she was still not totally useless!!

I believe I trained hard!! And I honestly believe… that even if it is just a little- even if it is just a tiny, miniscule little bit… I HAVE gotten stronger!! I don't want to be tied down anymore!! I WON'T be tied down!! Not by you, Jetsuuki… not by anyone!! NOOO!!

Hinata wasn't sure how, but she felt newfound power and strength just surging through her. Suddenly, she wasn't bound by anyone anymore. She could stare at Jetsuuki and not feel scared at all. The tremor had gone. She was no longer frozen still, she was no longer scared stiff.

"…Jetsuuki," Her voice was still a little timid, but there was strength behind it. "You want to see how much stronger I have become??" Hinata darted into the air, whipping weapons out, "Then I'll show you!!"

Hinata was gone. Disappeared into thin air.

Jetsuuki was not easily fooled. He was a top ninja, and very skillful. He turned around and said out loud to nothing, "You're right here, Miss Hyuuga."

Indeed, she was. But Hinata appeared with a flying kick into Jetsuuki's face. Quick as lighting, Jetsuuki shot out a hand and grabbed Hinata's ankle.

Hinata threw herself back towards the ground and back-flipped, with Jetsuuki still holding onto her foot. Jetsuuki seemed to hit the ground hard, but when Hinata looked at the ground, he was nowhere to be seen.

All of a sudden, there was the sound of a cut. Sshhhiik.

Then a small stream of blood burst forth into the air. Hinata stood shock still as the new cut appeared across her cheek.

"Aagh!" She let out a small cry.

She reached up and tried to stop the bleeding. But there was no time.

Jetsuuki bore down again, a heavy blow with his arm over her shoulder. Hinata went flying backwards to the ground. She groaned and quickly jumped up to her feet again. Jetsuuki was coming down on her from behind and she immediately jumped up and back-somersaulted with her legs sticking out, hooking him with a foot over his shoulder. Jetsuuki went flying into a tree.

Hinata stood there, chest puffing up and down. She wiped blood from her cheek, while watching Jetsuuki intently. He got up. He sauntered casually over to Hinata.

"You think you've gotten stronger? Well, Miss Hyuuga, just to be nice, I'll tell you that you have. You've managed to become a lot stronger than you were last time; but sadly, the truth is, that won't make a difference."

He advanced on Hinata, drawing out a very long kunai. He ran towards her now, so fast he looked like a blur.

"It won't make a difference!!" He shouted, as he attacked. "You will never be able to defeat me!!"

Hinata coughed out blood. She lay there on the ground, feeling the huge gash across her shoulders to its fullness. She was exhausted, unable to move. Jetsuuki stood triumphantly beside her.

Without warning, he suddenly kicked her at maximum power. Hinata cried out in pain. He dug the heel of his shoe into her stomach, deeper and harder.

"You really think getting a little stronger will help?? I'm telling you now; you won't even be able to cut me once!!" Jetsuuki said loudly.

Hinata gasped out. The pain was just about unbearable. It tore at her flesh, it enveloped her. Tears ran from her eyes. No… how could I? I should… I should be able to do more!!

I'm able to do much more!!

Hinata rose slowly to her feet, biting her lip, hiding the pain as best as she could. She stumbled and she was slow as she stood up.

Jetsuuki sent another kick at her. She fell back a few steps, winded. But she wouldn't go down. She was weakening and she was in so much pain. Blood dripped. But… she wasn't done yet.

"Byakugan!!" She yelled out.

Her all-seeing Hyuuga eyes helped her. Jetsuuki came at her again and again, but she managed to evade, only just. He moved at such alarming speeds she had never seen before.

Hinata coughed painfully, another torrent of blood flying out. Just then Jetsuuki came from behind her. She immediately grabbed his hand and his wrist and threw him over her shoulder.

Jetsuuki landed on the ground but pulled himself up to his feet. Before he could attack, or even guard himself, Hinata had yanked out a long kunai knife herself and was running towards him at tremendous speed.

At the last second, just as Hinata was about to strike, he jumped backwards and seemed to make Hinata miss. But Hinata jumped up herself and came down behind him, and in one swift moment cut his side.

Hinata wobbled on her feet. Jetsuuki just stood up straighter, even thought there was a gaping wound at his side and blood pouring out from it.

Jetsuuki held back the pain. Hinata's steps were unbalanced and weak. She opened her mouth a said, barely above a whisper:

"See… I have just cut you, Jetsuuki…"

She was happy yet completely winded at the same time. She could barely put one foot in front of the other.

Jetsuuki darted towards her and threw and arm around her neck. Hinata tried to struggle, but her normal futile attempts were even more pathetic this time. Her white-lavender eyes were being covered by heavy eyelids, though she tried to keep them open.

Jetsuuki tightened his arm around Hinata's throat. Hinata choked and more blood came from her mouth. Sweat, tears and blood ran down her face and mingled together. Her pale hands went up over Jetsuuki's arms and pulled and struggled in vain.

Jetsuuki's intention, however, wasn't to kill her. It may have just occurred to him in that instant, but he seemed to have plans for the Hyuuga heiress. Jetsuuki loosened his grip on Hinata, but Hinata didn't try to escape. She was already so weak she could barely lift a finger.

Jetsuuki kept the captured girl in his arms and slowly started to walk away.

Hinata suddenly blinked her eyes open. All of her movements were so slow and painful. I can't… move… I can barely do anything at all… everything is so slow… but…

The weight of the scroll was still in Hinata's pocket. It hung there, so she was unable to forget about it. She had promised to protect it with her life. But she was so weak right now… what could she do? Anyone could just take it off her.

Hinata's eyes hardened. I can't let anyone do that… I have to get it somewhere safe…

With fingers as heavy as lead and movements painfully slow, she managed to take the scroll out and hold in her bloody hands for a short moment. At last, with her feeble strength, she flung it towards the cave as hard as she could. Perhaps it would reach Sasuke.

Tears built up in her eyes.

Uchiha-kun… I have tried my best… But it seems I was still unable to defeat him… I'm not sure where I'm going, but I know my top priority is still the scroll that Lady Tsunade entrusted us with… the best way to keep it safe is to leave it with you… so please just take it and complete the ninja mission.

Don't look for me, Uchiha-kun…

Don't follow me or try to find me. I'm sorry… I have been burdening you and slowing you down all this time… So please just take that scroll… and complete the mission.

…Just please don't look for me…

Goodbye, Uchiha-kun.

Man!! And Sasuke slept through all that?? Thanks for reading chapter 11, everybody!! Read and review!!