Chapter Thirty Four

Sound Ninja

How long has it been since Hinata felt such peace? Days? Months, years? Who knew. The only feeling that felt familiar was the pain, the constant searing pain she felt in her veins, deep inside her bloodstream. Navigating all through her system and leaving pain in its wake. Did Sasuke suffer like this? She wondered, if he did...she couldn't fathom how he could keep living. Curse seals, she was familiar with them- she had to be. This time though, she had no idea what type of curse she was branded with. Orochimaru was many things and if he wanted something he would achieve it any way he could.

Hinata had her bottom lip between her teeth, she bit harder as the waves of pain hit her, please, make it stop. She pleaded, then she felt a familiar presence; made her feel safe and sound. "Hinata." The voice was cool, their voice was not tainted with concern but she could feel they did. "Open your eyes." She shook her head no, if she did the tears she'd been holding back would break free. "Open them." With no other choice, Hinata fluttered her eyelids before fully opening them. They widen with recognition, "Sasuke?" The sides of his lips quirked up slightly. "You! Why?" Hinata stood up, forgetting about the pain she marched over to Sasuke and looked up at him. Her eyes demanding answers. "Why did you send me? You could have been here...wi-helping me." Hinata said, her head shaking with each word. She suddenly stopped and took a step back, "you're not real. Just a memory."

"I'm here."

"No...it's the curse mark, making me see things I want to see." Sasuke stayed put, he watched as a person he came to call a friend was suffering and it was because of him. The next news would most likely hurt her more.

With careful steps as to not scare Hinata, Sasuke stood behind her, his breath tickling the nape of her neck. "The world you know is gone." He saw her tense, saw her chest stop and she slowly turned around to face him. A million thoughts coursed through her mind, and still she couldn't not come to terms with his statement. "What do you mean?" Her eyes clashed with his own and without looking away he answered her. "You know what I mean." Her worried expression crumbled, eyebrows furrowed and her mouth opened in a silent sob. Her tears left tracks down her face, her hand came up to her mouth and muffled the sounds. Between her cries she managed to get out a few words.

"T-that means you're dead...and everyone else. Ho...how am I alive!" He offered her no hug, no consolation. Just his presence.

"Alternate timeline." Was his only response. His hand twitched to reach out to her, to comfort her but he would only do so if she wanted it. Her left hand came to rest in sasuke's chest, her fingers curled onto the fabric of his vest, she pulled. That was his cue, his arms wrapped around her torso and his chin rested on top of her head. "You're gone." He grunted, letting her know she was right. She buried her face in his chest, her cries wracking her body. "That was a hell of a fight." Hinata managed to giggle but it died out, " Are you praising me?"

"Hinata, I have to go." Her hands held onto him harder, "No. Let me go with you." She wanted to desperately go with him, be with the people she grew up with. "You know you can't. I won't apologize for what I did."

"I know." Hinata gazed up, her tears had stopped but her heart still felt heavy.

Naruto kept his eyes wide open, sleep wanted to take over but he had to stay awake. After he found Hinata and Sasuke he was left alone, in the darkness with no hint of what had occurred. As soon as nightfall descended he scouted an area that would work as shelter and a place to hide. He didn't want to be caught in the middle of something he wouldn't be able to escape. Now, he laid still, watching hinata's irregular breathing pattern, she was shaking and she kept mumbling random things. He rubbed his eyes with his palms, he closed his eyes for a moment then jerked awake. I have to stay awake. Trying to keep himself awake, Naruto took a piece of cloth and tapped Hinata's sweating forehead, she moved her head to the side and Naruto noticed some type of bruise on her neck. Blinking he noticed it wasn't a bruise it was three tomoe's shaped in a spiral. "What the?"

"What a look out you are." Naruto straightened up and turned around, his hand going to his weapons pouch. He glared at the three man team, two males and one female. His blue eyes roamed each person and he caught the symbol carved on their headbands. Sound ninja. "You! All of you have something to do with what happened to my friends. That voice said you'd come. Why?" Naruto spoke, his eyes on them and his kunai ready to activate any traps.

Deeper in the woods was Neji Hyuga, and his two teammates, TenTen and Lee, they were in a semi circle facing each other. TenTen looked around as she sipped her cannister of water, Lee was ready to take on anything and be ready for the next test. Neji mildly chuckled, "We meet back here in an hour, sharp." He threw a Kunai in front of him, Tenten nodded and Lee crouched ready to move. All three of them scouted their own areas, they were aware that if they found themselves against anyone that they would not engage, Neji hoped Lee would not do anything stupid. So far everything had been running smoothly, he'd seen about two different groups and mentally mapped out their location. There was one team in particular he wanted to see, team seven, he needed to know how his dear cousin was doing, maybe got herself killed already. That thought scared him a little. As he looked around he felt something, he came to halt and analyzed the feeling. Something was wrong, the only thing he could think of was Hinata. Some force guided him towards her, his mind screamed for him to stop and turn around but his body moved on its own accord. His heart raced with tension, what have you gotten yourself into?

"Neji!" Neji turned his head, TenTen was right beside him with a worried expression on her face, "I found you...Lee, he's in trouble." Neji made a face but continued forward, "What did that fool do this time."

"Protecting Naruto." He said nothing, he would deal with him after he knew why he was protecting the fox's vessel.

Naruto laid paralyzed beside Lee, the sound ninja were relentless in their attacks, he thought he could take them on once Lee showed up but that was proven wrong. Let me out child.

The nine tails called out to him. Naruto grinded his teeth, out of all the things available he didn't want to rely on the nine tails chakra. It's the only way to help them. Naruto relented as more of his friends showed up, he knew they were watching, he could feel them. All of rookie nine were present, all of his friends were there to help him and his teammates. He looked over at Sasuke and Hinata, both were shaking and sweat ran down their faces. Don't worry. I got this. Naruto felt the nine tails chakra seep into his own, restoring his energy. As the chakra settled in, the sound ninja were unaware of what was happening. The female ninja made her way towards Sasuke and Hinata but before she could reach them someone jumped between them. "Another one, how many are there going to be?" The female said annoyingly, she looked over at the girl standing in front, she had long pink hair. "Such beautiful hair. It would be a shame if it were cut off." Sakura stood her ground, threats were nothing new to her but she did jerk in fright at the idea of her hair getting chopped off. "Stand aside. You can't win this."

"No, but with help we will." Sakura was left speechless, the rookie nine stood with her, all of them ready to fight alongside each other.

Neji came face to face with a disturbing scene. Lee was unconscious and beside him was Sakura trying to tend to his wounds. Clearly she did not know what she was doing, her finger shook every time she touched him. Her long hair was now short and layer, Ino covered for her as her teammates tried stopping the sound ninja from getting close to Sasuke. He furrowed his eyebrows, his white orbs scanned the scene. After finding who he was looking for, something inside him broke. Hinata was on the floor clutching her head and shaking, Sasuke has awaken and a purple aura surrounded his being. Neji panicked as the purple aura surrounded his cousin and her eyes opened. There was something different about her, cold and distant. She stood up and stood next to Sasuke, his eyes captured as Naruto stood up then walked beside his two teammates, a red orange aura surrounding him, he was feral and bloodthirsty. Team seven looked deadly, the rest of the teams stared in amazement and shuddered at emotions radiating from their friends.

Authors note. Hey guys. Usually I post the chapter super early but I was caught up on work, don't think I forgot to post. Also hoped you enjoy this chapter, since I'm not good at writing battles I will try my hardest on the next chapter to deliver that. And thank you so much for those lovely reviews! Alright till next update, have a happy monday. Adios