Chapter 14: Promise
She stared at it in confusion.
"How did he know where it is and why did he give it to me?" she asked herself.
Raindrops fell onto the feather.
Raindrops fell onto her palm.
Raindrops fell everywhere.
But she didn't notice it.
She was too confused to notice it.
She looked up at Sasuke, questioning him with her look.
He remained silent.
"Why did you give this to me?" she asked hesitantly, staring into his star-shaped eyes.
He smiled.
"As a reminder."
"W-what do you mean?" she asked confused.
"To remind you of the future – and that nobody can escape it," he said.
She looked at her feet, trying to think of its meaning.
"And you are part of it too," she heard him say.
She noticed that his genjutsu was starting to weaken but still couldn't move her legs.
"I'm helping him to get to the future. I'm part of the future – his future? I'm part of his clan? But I'm a Hyuga, not an Uchiha. How is that possible?" she wondered.
She looked up to him when another thought crossed her mind.
"Why doesn't he kill me?"
He had to attack her if she wanted to defeat him.
"Why did you stop?" she asked but he was silent.
"Because -" his mind said but was interrupted all of a sudden.
"Kill me!" she shouted, surprised by her own death wish.
He looked at her quietly but she noticed a smile on his face.
Sakura heard her scream, causing her to fear the worst.
"Is that so?" he asked, only to be sure.
"Do it!" she urged him.
He deactivated his Mangekyo Sharingan, looking at her with his black eyes.
She saw him slowly moving his hand.
"Here it comes," she thought focusing her whole attention towards it.
Suddenly they heard a loud scream – Sakura's scream.
"Sasuke!" she screamed, dashing her chakra-charged fist towards him.
Sasuke managed to block her attack when he was hit with her other fist.
Sasuke fell to the ground but quickly stood up.
Sakura was out of breath but stood her ground.
Sasuke stepped closer to her.
"That was a mistake," he said.
"Betraying Konoha was a mistake," Sakura said, clenching her fist.
She charged but missed when he moved to the side.
"Now it's my turn," he said, trying to attack her from behind.
Suddenly his fist was stopped.
Hinata's eyes opened wide, seeing him back so fast.
It was Naruto!
"Now, Neji!" he shouted – before he was thrown to the ground.
Sasuke turned around – too late.
He got hit several times, each time one chakra hole blocked.
Sasuke managed to block his next attack and landed a hit in Neji's face, causing him to fall.
Neji stood up, seeing Sasuke charging.
He stepped to the side, Naruto appearing behind him, landing a direct hit into Sasuke's face. Naruto dashed another fist towards him but Sasuke blocked it.
Naruto clenched his teeth, eyes staring furiously at his rival.
Sakura stared at him in surprise.
"Naruto looks so…wild. I have never seen him like this…but I think I can understand him," she thought remembering her fight with Ino and how her rivalry made her stronger.
"I believe in you," she thought.
Meanwhile Sasuke was slowly gaining the upper hand, seeing that Naruto couldn't hold him back much longer.
He dashed his blade towards him but Naruto blocked with his hand, ignoring the cut that his move caused. Naruto clenched his teeth due to the pain but tightened his grip on the sharp blade, causing part of the blade to be covered in his blood.
"I won't let you escape - not now that you let your guard down," Naruto smiled.
Sasuke got apprehensive.
"Do it, Neji!" Naruto shouted.
Sasuke knew that Neji must be standing behind him.
"8 Trigrams Sky Palm!" he heard Neji say.
Sasuke sent his foot into Naruto's stomach, causing him to loosen his grip on his friend and quickly jumped to the side.
But the gust was so strong and covered such a large area that he still was thrown along with Naruto towards the ground.
Sasuke stood up but was faced with Neji hitting him with his palm on his chest.
He fell – but with a smile.
Before landing, he was replaced with a tree trunk.
Neji quickly turned around only to see a large fireball coming towards him.
He acted in last minute, using his rotation to block the dangerous fire.
His spinning slowed down and when he finally stopped spinning, he received a hard punch from Sasuke, sending him towards the ground.
Sakura saw him stepping closer to them and decided to act.
"Now to finish you off," Sasuke said, standing in position to use his Chidori.
His eyes opened wide in surprise – when he realized that he couldn't concentrate chakra into his hand.
"Nice job, Neji," Naruto said, breathing hard.
Neji smiled, both managing to stand up.
"You think only because I can't use my Chidori, you won?" he asked, causing Neji and Naruto look at him in confusion and apprehension.
Suddenly all heard footsteps – and they were approaching Sasuke.
It was Sakura.
"No matter how many times you knock me down, I will always stand up again. Naruto was always there to help me, to protect me. And I won't let you kill the ones who care about me," Sakura thought, remembering the time when Naruto saved her from being killed by his best friend.
"Die!" she screamed and threw a large boulder towards him.
Sasuke jumped to the side – and saw Sakura aiming a punch towards him.
He moved to the side when suddenly a kunai came dashing towards him.
He quickly ducked and took hold of her wrist.
Sakura tried to hit him with her other fist again but was thrown into the air before she could act.
She fell towards Naruto and Neji, throwing them back to the ground.
But they didn't remain there for long and were soon standing on their feet.
All three of them were out of breath and limited on chakra but wouldn't give up.
They were too determined to give up.
Sasuke stared at them, no expression visible.
But all of a sudden, he looked up.
And he saw Sai on an ink hawk, watching them.
Sakura noticed that Sasuke took out a kunai.
Sai noticed too but when he did, the Kunai was already flying towards him.
He had no other choice but to jump.
The tag on the kunai exploded, destroying the ink hawk.
They saw him falling.
"He's going to die!" Neji said.
But Sai didn't land.
They saw with relief that he was riding on an ink lion through the streets and hoped that he will find backup soon.
"He will be too late," they heard Sasuke say, focusing their attention towards him.
"I don't think so," Naruto said but had his doubts.
"Now to continue where I stopped," he said smiling, making all of them angrier.
But gradually Neji began smiling.
"How do you want to kill us if you don't have enough chakra – and if you can't use it?" he asked, causing Sakura and Naruto to look at him in surprise.
Sasuke looked at him coldly.
"Chidori is out of the question," Neji said smiling.
"Yes, I can't use Chidori…" he smiled.
Meanwhile Hinata tried desperately to fight his genjutsu that still imprisoned her feet.
"I have to get free…fast," she thought, hoping that the genjutsu will lose its effect as soon as possible.
"…but I don't need it," Sasuke said.
Neji's smile faded.
"I can kill you right now without even moving a finger," he smiled, activating his Sharingan.
Sakura, Naruto and Neji knew what he was getting at.
They knew he would use a genjutsu to kill them.
"I think it's time to face your future," he smiled.
Hinata stared at the scene in shock while trying to move her legs – and succeeded.
She clenched her hands to fists, ready to take a risk.
Sasuke smiled, seeing that he had them cornered – and seeing that they knew they had no chance to escape.
"Now you will understand me. Now you know what it means to lose everything at once," he said.
He activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Naruto and Sakura stared at him in anger and frustration – at their former teammate about to kill them.
Neji, though, was overwhelmed.
His Byakugan saw the power that lied behind his Sharingan.
"I…can't believe this! His chakra…is unbelievable!" he said, fear obvious in his voice.
"What is it?" Naruto asked, not taking his eyes off his friend.
"I thought he must have used up almost all of his reserves…but he is left with over half of his chakra and the worst thing is…that most of his chakra holes are still open," he said, staring at the Uchiha with wide eyes.
Naruto couldn't listen to Neji any longer and tried to stop his friend.
But he noticed that he couldn't even move.
"I…can't move!"
Neji and Sakura tried to move too but they were in the same condition.
They were all paralyzed.
Sasuke smiled at their pathetic attempt to escape his genjutsu.
Gradually Naruto realized that he had another chance – and remained absolutely still.
He just had to hope that he wouldn't die before he finished with his plan.
He closed his eyes, trying to take in as much as energy as possible.
Sasuke noticed that Naruto was unusually quiet, fearing that he found a way to escape his jutsu.
"Goodbye!" Sasuke said.
"Not now," Naruto thought, fearing his end.
"Amaterasu!"
Neji and Sakura closed their eyes in fear.
But suddenly they heard a scream – a familiar one.
It was Hinata!
Neji and Sakura opened their eyes – and saw Hinata's sleeve enclosed in a black flame, slowly spreading to the lower part of her body.
Naruto opened his eyes too but Hinata stopped him from panicking.
"Don't! Stay calm! Y-you…have to stay calm…o-or you'll die too," Hinata managed to say.
Naruto stared at her with wide eyes but didn't try to move at all but to finish his jutsu.
Neji and Sakura wanted to help but they could move only their upper part of their body.
Naruto closed his eyes, trying to take a lot of chakra in as soon as possible.
Hinata felt her skin start to burn, causing her to drop onto her knees.
"I-I won't let you kill them. I…will s-sacrifice myself…if I-I have to…" she thought, staring hard at Sasuke.
He looked at her surprised.
She didn't feel the rain anymore – only pain.
The rain couldn't rescue her and neither her friends.
Only the one who caused the fire could.
She began screaming due to the pain that was extending in the direction of the black fire.
"Stop! Stop!" she screamed but received no answer.
Sakura began crying and Neji began burning with anger and guilt.
Naruto couldn't stand her screaming but he was very close and couldn't stop now.
"Sasuke! For…t-the…future!" she screamed, more weakly though.
He stared at her with wide eyes.
"Future?"
She felt her energy fading.
"P-please look!" she thought.
She slowly extended her arm, her sight starting to blur. She closed her eyes due to the pain that was starting to extend to her back.
She unfolded her fist to a palm…and revealed the hawk's feather.
She finally dropped to the ground, the pain starting to take over.
He stared at her palm in surprise.
"She still…held the feather?" he thought confused.
Suddenly he smiled.
Hinata couldn't feel the ground anymore – it was as if she was floating in air.
"It's over!" she thought, sure that she was about to die.
But suddenly Sakura and Neji couldn't believe their eyes when they saw that the flames were vanishing.
"S-sakura! Look!"
She looked into the direction Neji was looking – and saw that Sasuke was extinguishing the flames with his eye.
Hinata felt the pain fade slowly.
She opened her eyes and saw that Sasuke was looking at her.
"He…is…rescuing me?" she thought confused.
Hinata managed with difficulty to stand up after the last flame went.
And to her surprise she saw that the feather was still in her palm – unharmed.
Naruto finished gathering chakra and opened his eyes – revealing the color yellow.
He noticed that Sasuke's genjutsu had no effect on them anymore.
"If I nod, we will start charging at him. Neji, you go first, followed by you, Sakura. And I'll come last," Naruto told them in a low voice, so that Sasuke wouldn't hear.
They stared at Sasuke, seeing that he was starting to feel tired.
Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan, his doujutsu starting to exhaust him.
He watched Hinata.
She was breathing hard and her legs were shaking under her but her determination kept her on her feet.
But what surprised Sasuke was that she didn't let go of the feather, despite being burned alive.
Her wounds were clearly visible – most of the damage on her arm, continuing on her shoulders and extending to the upper part of her back.
She took a step forward and immediately flinched – clearly a sign that her body was burning.
Her palm turned to a fist again, hiding the feather in her hand.
"Why is it so important to her? Did she finally understand the meaning?" Sasuke wondered, his black eyes trying to read her expression.
Naruto turned his eyes towards Neji and Sakura – and nodded.
Hinata stared at Sasuke, hoping that the fight was finally over – that he finally understood that some people care for the village – and for him.
He didn't move and just looked back.
Suddenly she saw Neji charging towards him, his palm charged with his remaining chakra. Sasuke managed to escape by stepping to the side - when suddenly Sakura dashed her fist towards him. He took her wrist but was hit with the other, sending him several meters far.
He stood up – and saw Naruto charging.
He quickly drew his sword and stabbed him into his chest.
But he hit just a clone.
Sasuke quickly turned around but was hit by a fist, sending him back to the ground.
Naruto grabbed his friend by his shirt and pulled him close to his face.
"Now you will pay!" Naruto shouted.
"For what – for trying to remove all corruption in this village?" Sasuke smiled, though out of breath.
"No! For betraying your friends and for trying to kill innocent people," Naruto said breathlessly.
"Shut up! You don't know what it means to see a life lost," Sasuke said, eyes staring hatefully at his friend.
"Since you still think so, I will see it now," Naruto said and took out a kunai.
Hinata, Neji and Sakura stared at him with wide eyes.
"He…wants to kill him?" Sakura thought shocked.
Naruto lifted the kunai.
"Y-you want to kill Sasuke?" Sakura asked, secretly not wanting Sasuke to die.
"He wanted to kill you! If you let him escape…then he'll kill us all and destroy the Konoha!" Naruto said, not taking his eyes off of his rival.
Sakura looked to the ground, knowing that it was an order from Konoha.
Hinata stepped closer to Naruto, her eyes staring at Naruto's furious expression.
"He…is so angry! He really wants to kill him – his eyes show it!" Hinata thought, feeling intimidated by his look.
Sakura and Neji stepped closer to him as well.
"Are you sure it's the right thing to do?" Neji asked.
"You're a jonin and Sasuke knocked you down several times! What do you think?" he answered angrily.
"Any last words?" Naruto asked, receiving a smile from Sasuke.
"You'll die with me!" he said.
"I don't care as long as Konoha is safe," Naruto said, concentrating chakra into the kunai to make sure that the wound will be fatal.
"If you stab me now, I'll kill you with my Chidori. I'll just direct it through the kunai and it'll be over for you," Saskue thought, ready for the attack.
Neji and Sakura watched in tension.
Naruto dashed the kunai forward…and was held back.
"Don't! Let him go!" a voice said.
Naruto turned around and saw Hinata holding his hand back.
"What are you doing? He's going to kill us if we don't!" Naruto said, his yellow eyes staring angrily at her.
"But…didn't you want to bring him back to the village? Your words must have had some influence on him. Killing him wouldn't make you better than him," she said, trying to prevent any deaths.
"You're making a mistake! He will kill us! Bringing him back won't prevent the village from being destroyed," Naruto said, still determined to kill his best friend.
"But he said you will die too!"
"So what! I just want the village to be safe," Naruto replied, starting to get impatient.
Sasuke saw his chance and punched Naruto, sending him to the ground.
He picked the kunai from the ground and went towards Naruto.
Suddenly his kunai was hit out of his hand…by Hinata.
He stared at her, not knowing if she was helping him or not.
Hinata's skin started burning again, causing her to drop onto her knees.
Neji and Sakura started attacking and forced him towards the edge of the building.
Suddenly Naruto dashed towards him with his Rasengan.
Sasuke was cornered but smiled.
He glanced at Hinata before he said his last words to Naruto.
"I will come back and next time, I won't run. I promise you that, Naruto."
He turned around and jumped from the building.
"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed.
All stared at the place he had stood in fear.
Suddenly a hawk flew high into the sky.
They noticed Sasuke on it.
His back was facing them but he knew they were watching.
"I will defeat you. I promise!" Naruto thought, watching him fly into the horizon.
The dark clouds were disappearing and a ray of sunshine was facing them.
Hinata looked into the sky, slowly unfolding her fist.
"I let you escape…just like last time. But I know that you can't run from future."
She glanced at the feather in her palm.
"And the future are your friends," she thought and smiled.