All of my readers and followers are amazing! Everyone who reviews are amazing, but a few that I would like to personally thank: 24AbbyS, KibaChow, Muffinman and several others who provide great critique and helpful comments! I know I didn't get everyone in that, but those were just a few. Thank you! Sorry for the late-ness. -_o so...busy.
The days in Konoha were beginning to cool down as the heat from the summer seemed to say farewell. Early fall had reached them, although the sun still offered mild temperatures. Things were very quiet; missions had slowed down to a more normal rate. There was little to no talk throughout the streets of Kabuto who had tried twice to steal the Byakugan unsuccessfully.
Although the villagers were quiet, up inside the Hokage building things were bustling. Kabuto's specific whereabouts were unknown; the ANBU had lost track of him after they caught wind of him recovering in an underground hideout in the Village of the Hidden Sound. Being proactive, Tsunade formed a special team to track Kabuto down. This special team consisted of Nara Shikamaru, Inuzuka Kiba, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke.
This entire operation was meant to be done in secrecy as there was fear of a spy in the village. Many ninja were unaware of the team which was good; the fewer people who knew the better chance they had of finding the wanted man. There was a secret meeting that was called to order in the library of the Hokage Building to ensure complete privacy. No one was permitted in the library during this time which meant Hyuuga Hinata was to lock the door after it had begun.
They sat at a round table in the back far away from Hinata's listening ears. She had resumed her duties in the library which was helpful. Hinata had a full schedule of training with Team Kurenai early in the morning, working and then ending the day with an intense training session with her Father. It was refreshing to be back in the normal swing of things after an extended period of disarray.
Her eyes would occasionally wander over towards the table full of the elite ninja. Kiba's gaze met hers and he grinned while throwing up a thumbs up. Her cheeks grew warm and she smiled gently. Naruto was fidgeting in his chair, Shikamaru was resting his chin on an open palm, and Sasuke sat still with his arms crossed. She chewed on her lip as she looked back to the work in front of her. It had been several weeks since she had spoken to Sasuke. The last time was when she had helped him get home after drinking too much. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of his arms around her, but she brushed it off, trying to concentrate.
It was odd; even though Naruto was just several feet from her in the library, her thoughts were filled the quiet Uchiha who had been basically ignoring her ever since. His walls were back up blocking everything and everyone out.
Tsunade had yet to call the meeting to order as she was digging around in the classified documents closet. Naruto squirmed a bit in excitement and then elbowed the quiet man next to him.
"Oy, Sasuke, ya nervous?" Naruto asked with a playful grin. Sasuke, who sat with his arms folded firmly across his chest, ignored him. It was his first real taste at being a real ninja; in Team Seven they had simple missions that on occasion put them in danger. This was what he had been waiting for—something complex and outside the normal boundaries of escorting someone or delivering something.
Tsunade appeared with several scrolls in her arms. She stopped and handed each man one of their own before she sat down with one herself. Naruto's usual grin had disappeared as the seriousness of the meeting began. The Hokage broke the seal on the scroll and then rolled it open. Her eyes glanced up at them.
"We will begin. Please no interruptions." She said firmly. "You may now break the seal on the scrolls. These documents contain classified information over Kabuto, his abilities, and some background details…although you are all relatively familiar with him. Because there were rumors of a spy in the village, this is why we are below ground. If this information gets into the wrong hands, it will ruin everything."
As she spoke, Sasuke held up his hands to break the seal. He rolled it open and studied the text before him. Naruto, Kiba and Shikamaru had followed suit.
"As you know, you have all been chosen for a special team. Nara Shikamaru, you are the leader of this group because of your outstanding leadership and strategic skills. Inuzuka Kiba, you have been chosen to help with the scouting and tracking process. Uchiha Sasuke, you have been chosen because you are the most familiar with Kabuto and his instincts. And Naruto, this will be a great mission for you to participate in before things get even busier around here." She said.
Naruto nodded slowly. Sasuke felt the urge to roll his eyes. Tsunade was getting ready to retire. Even though her special jutsus made her look no older than 30, she was up there in age. Naruto would be Hokage by the end of the year. Sasuke wasn't sure if it was jealousy that caused his stomach to feel uneasy, but it was certainly leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
Sasuke had no aspirations for becoming Hokage. He had thought of it once before, simply for a laugh, but he came to the conclusion that it would be a waste for him. The Hokage had to be damn near perfect. He qualified in the fact that he could be a good leader when he felt like it and his skills as a ninja were excellent, however, Sasuke wasn't approachable, empathetic, and his interests were not in favor for the Village.
"Kabuto is under a certain spell; one that I have been researching for quite some time." Tsunade said, her honey eyes lowering to look at her notes. "The problem with this spell is it was created by Orochimaru and is rather stubborn."
"So? We just gotta snap him out of it." Naruto interrupted. She shot him a glare.
"It's not that simple. It is not a genjutsu like you've read of. It is in the same family of the curse mark that Sasuke had gotten. Once Orochimaru perished, it went away. However, this is different. If my thoughts are correct, the only way to free Kabuto of this spell is through intense cleansing jutsus—"
"Or to kill him." Sasuke said. Everyone turned to look at him and Naruto frowned.
"It's not his fault he is this way, Sasuke." He protested. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and brushed some hair from his eyes.
"How many times has he tried to kill you? He has injured several Leaf ninja including the Hyuugas. No good can come from that and it isn't likely that he would survive the cleansing jutsus anyway." Sasuke said dryly. Kiba leaned back in his chair and scoffed at the Uchiha.
"You think you're tough shit just 'cause you got promoted to a Chuunin, huh?" Kiba disliked Sasuke; partly because of his awful attitude about everything and partly because he had heard of Hinata helping him back to his apartment. Sasuke could tell Kiba was hot headed, just like Naruto, and he wasn't in the mood to pour gasoline on the flames.
"No, I just know who we're dealing with. I've defeated Kabuto as a Genin. I don't need a rank to define that." His words were slightly bitter. Kiba just laughed.
"So you think you're better than me!?"
Hinata could hear Kiba's loud voice as it echoed in the basement. She frowned and her eyes looked over to rest on Sasuke, who sat calmly, while Kiba rattled off insults. Tsunade had had enough of their bickering. She slammed a fist into the table which sent a crack through the wood and startled Kiba enough to sit up straight and close his mouth.
"That…is…enough. You are all adults and Konoha ninja for crying out loud. You were chosen because of your abilities and I figured you would all be competent to follow out this mission."
There was a long pause between them before Tsunade regained her composure. They were all still kids at heart, but this was strict business. It was a little more serious than the typical mission. Lives, as usual, were in danger but it was more personal than that.
"Your mission is to head to the north border. There is a possibility that Kabuto has moved on, but a close ally said they may have spotted him on the outskirts. Capture him and make sure he's alive when you get back." Tsunade said as she rubbed her temples. "Any questions?"
Shikamaru, who had been silent the entire time, sat up and rested his hands on his knees. Sasuke closed his eyes with a frown. He had figured that the Nara would be the leader this time around. He had never personally worked with him, but word spread like wildfire about him after their mission to retrieve Sasuke from the Sound Four. Shikamaru was brilliant not just in his own abilities, but coming up with ways to advance them within seconds and outsmarting the enemy.
"And if Kabuto resists?" It was a silly question, but the fact that it would be very difficult to bring him back alive without a fight was interesting enough. Tsunade pursed her lips before folding her hands again.
"Do what you need to do. Instructions and maps are provided in those scrolls. I am counting on you. We know he wants the Byakugan for himself, as we've seen with Neji and Hinata." She paused trying to decipher the blank look on Sasuke's face. "He wants to reincarnate Orochimaru. There is a scroll he is searching for with special instructions, left by Orochimaru himself. However it possesses a type of chakra only visible to those with the Byakugan or the Sharingan."
It was obvious why Hinata was not a part of this mission, but Sasuke had the last two of the three Sharingan. Shikamaru frowned and narrowed his eyes.
"Tsunade-sama… not to undermine this mission, but aren't you worried about the Sharingan?" Shikamaru was never one to sit back and follow orders just because they were given to him. He ran on logic and, even as powerful as Sasuke was, there was a major risk in this mission. A soft smirk tugged at her lips.
"The only thing I worry about is being dealt a bad hand when the stakes are high." Tsunade rolled up her scroll and picked it up. "You leave in one hour. You're dismissed."
Hinata heard those words, and stood up to quickly jog to the top of the stairs to unlock the door. Even though she hadn't heard much of the details for the mission, she assumed that it was for the retrieval of Kabuto.
As Hinata fumbled with the key, she felt that familiar irate presence behind her, just waiting. Her cheeks grew warm but much to her relief, the key made its way into the key hole and the door was finally open. All the tension in the library seemed to pour out as she tried to stand out of the way. The stairwell was already cramped enough as it was, and as he continued upward through the door, he was close enough that she could catch his scent.
Her lavender eyes watched him almost longingly walk down the hallway. Truth be told, she still missed him. Hinata had stopped trying to figure out why. It was like missing an old friend, but they never really were friends to begin with.
"Hey! Hinata!" A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts as Naruto and Kiba ascended the stairs. As expected, the blush returned on her cheeks as Naruto looked her way.
"G-Good morning, Naruto-kun… Kiba-kun." She mumbled and smiled gently.
"We're gonna go get some ramen before we go. Wanna come?" Naruto asked, his mouth already watering at that thought. Kiba smirked and crossed his arms.
"Say good-bye to your girlfriend or eat ramen? This idiot goes with ramen."
"H-Hey! I was gonna say good-bye to Sakura-chan." Naruto stammered and scratched the back of his head. Hinata felt her stomach turn. Naruto-kun… and Sakura. It was a secret that wasn't worth sharing because it was already known throughout the village. Even though Hinata also knew, she had hoped it wasn't completely true.
"Uh-huh. Well, I gotta give Akamaru a bath before we head out. He smells like piss and shit from training earlier." Kiba said before turning to Hinata. "Hey, keep Shino in line for me. He listens to you."
"Please be careful…" Hinata's voice was quiet with concern. Kiba chuckled and turned to walk away.
"I'll be fine." He waved good-bye which left Naruto and Hinata alone. Usually this was a dream come true; it was very rare that she was in the presence of the Uzumaki without anyone else there to watch her act like a complete idiot. Naruto turned and grinned.
"Oh, I was gonna ask ya. Sakura-chan mentioned the Hyuugas make some kind of ointment for sore chakra points." Naruto rubbed up and down his arms, especially focusing on his wrists. "I've been training so much with Sasuke lately… and I think I'm getting old."
He flashed his trademark grin at her. Hinata put her entire being into returning a smile and then nodded.
"Y-Yes. I can have some for you by the time you leave."
"Awesome. Thanks, Hinata! See ya then." He threw up a hand to say good-bye and then sprinted off down the hallway. Hinata watched him go with a heavy heart. Naruto falling for Sakura was always on her mind, even as a younger girl. It often fell back on her being too modest or even too quiet, but as with most of the problems in her life, Hinata found it easier to ignore or forget.
Hinata had never really experienced a broken heart before… at least not with a boy. There were plenty of heart aches in hopes that he would somehow come to love her, but this stung differently. It didn't hurt as much as she originally thought it would; it was more of a dull ache deep in her chest. She didn't cry though—she knew her priorities.
The fall breeze flew through Konoha as Sasuke walked onward home. The smell of the sweets from the vendors crept up his nose and he curled his lip in slight disgust. He disliked sweets. Well, that was 98% true. The tea that Hinata had made him almost a year ago was sweet and he remembered taking a liking to it.
His walk was the same every day. He would cut through the forest from the training grounds and then enter the market street from a back alley way. It was easier and he avoided the large late morning crowd by doing this. However today he wasn't coming back from intense training with Naruto, he was on his way to pack. Sasuke had finally been assigned a mission and if he was just a little kid, he might have been giddy with excitement.
The mission he took with Hinata before he had gotten injured wasn't a real mission to him. Although in hindsight it was a success and granted him his Chuunin promotion, it was also a disaster. The explosion still felt fresh. Every so often his back would tighten up in the morning from the lingering nerve damage, but Tsunade had said it was harmless. In fact, she had said it's all a part of the life of a ninja, Uchiha. Those aches and pains will only worsen each morning and then you'll finally get it. He had rolled his eyes at her for treating him like a child.
This mission was to tie up loose ends. His past life with Orochimaru was over with. It served its purpose and he reaped all the benefits from it long ago. Kabuto was still clinging for dear life on that as if he had nothing else to live for. Mostly it was the strange spell that circulated through Kabuto's brain. Sasuke wasn't interested in 'fixing' the problem but more or less ending it.
He was slightly compassionate when it came to innocence and Naruto had been right to say that it wasn't Kabuto's fault, but it had become a broken record in his mind. His past decisions, or even so called mistakes, were behind him and the last thing this world needed was Orochimaru reincarnated. One might say that it was Sasuke's self-conscious trying to avoid his past—he had known from the beginning it was the wrong thing to do but his desperation to feel his brother's blood on his hand was like a drug.
As Sasuke walked, someone who came in the opposite direction caught his attention. The man stood tall, walked as if the ground was lighter than air, and his light eyes stared straight into Sasuke's. Sasuke recognized him right off the bat and he could feel his blood beginning boil.
Hiashi Hyuuga. The name to him was like nails on a chalkboard even though there were no personal matters between the two. Sasuke always figured it was the Uchiha vs Hyuuga mentality. Another small reason that he resented the older man so much was the way he treated his clan. It was no secret that he had his daughters train until they simply could no longer stand. Not to mention the decisions that surrounded Neji's father were often whispered about still to this day.
It felt like an eternity as Sasuke walked. His steps didn't falter; his eyes stared right into Hiashi's as if it was a threat. Hiashi seemed unfazed by the dark and angry eyes that pierced him. Much to Sasuke's surprise, the old Hyuuga man stopped.
"Uchiha Sasuke." His words were as dry as a desert. Sasuke's expression remained blank as he, too, stopped.
"Hyuuga Hiashi," replied Sasuke. There was an awkward pause as the two stood before each other. The lone Uchiha up against a former Hyuuga lord; it was almost reminiscent. Hiashi's gaze never broke from him. There was something to be said, like a thank you for saving Hinata, but the pride seemed to swallow up the words at his tongue. Sasuke frowned and crossed his arms.
"I know what Kabuto seeks." Hiashi suddenly said. Sasuke raised his eyebrow then shifted his weight as he waited for him to continue. "Ni Bijon."
"Ni Bijon… Two visions?" Sasuke asked thoughtfully. It sounded strangely familiar, although he knew that it was never taught at the Academy. Hiashi nodded.
"One eye is the Sharingan. One eye is the Byakugan. It was a rare Kekkei Genkai from the Toku, a very small clan that flourished for a short time." Hiashi said. Sasuke had never heard of the Toku, but there were many clans that were wiped out from disease and war so it was probable.
"I was under the impression that he was after either the Byakugan or the Sharingan to find a reincarnation scroll." Sasuke said. Hiashi smirked gently.
"Kabuto has many plans according to my sources. They all act in order." Hiashi said. "First, acquire the Byakugan, find the scroll, then get the Sharingan."
"Your sources?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
"The Hyuugas don't need to go through the Hokage to investigate our own matters. The threat upon my clan warrants that." He said as the breeze tossed his long hair. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the complete arrogance before him.
"The Ni Bijon occurred naturally when one from the Uchiha clan and the Hyuuga clan married and of course had children. Soon it became its own clan, but…" Hiashi's voice trailed off. "Ironically, the entire clan was wiped out."
"Ironically?"
"Ni Bijon… meaning two visions. In a way, it could predict the future." Hiashi said, lowering his voice as a few people walked by. Sasuke's heart skipped a beat although he remained blank. Predict the future… Sasuke closed his eyes and thought for a moment. His stomach churned and he suddenly remembered why the Kekkei Genkai sounded so familiar. He recalled seeing one fairly old scroll of it back when he snooped through the Uchiha trunk in the library.
"The Sharingan possesses the ability to predict movements and essentially copy its foe. The Byakugan can see far away into the distance. With the altering of perception and reality, you combine the two, and the wielder of the Ni Bijon can sense the future. It is ironic that they could not predict their own downfall."
"Kabuto wants to see the future." Sasuke suddenly said. Hiashi's shoulders tensed and then nodded.
"The Ni Bijon was eliminated for several reasons; the anatomy and skill it took to master it could have led to war. It was a parasite and needed to be gone." Hiashi said. Sasuke's head was swirling with thoughts and theories. The Hyuuga seemed to speak of the Toku clan with distaste. Perhaps they were enemies at some point and killed off the clan. Sasuke finally shrugged and let his arms fall to his sides.
"There is no need to worry. He might get the Byakugan, but he won't get anywhere near the Sharingan." Sasuke pushed off his feet and continued to walk on. He certainly wasn't one to let others intimidate him, but the look of sheer hate from the pupil-less eyes caught him off guard as he walked by.
"There is no greater risk than underestimating your enemy," said Hiashi bitterly. Something inside Sasuke's brain exploded as a memory came rushing in. Everything slowed down and it was another episode of déjà vu.
The light around him faded and he saw those terrified eyes again. She was a young child, just like in his dream, standing in the darkness. It didn't make much sense to him, like his brain was missing several pieces of the puzzle. He tried to sprint towards her, but his legs were frozen. Sasuke had so many questions that he wanted answered. Maybe he could ask her why he felt the need to protect her. Everything was quiet as she approached him and she held up her small hand to him. W-Will you protect me? He stared at her astonished for a moment and he got the urge to reach out to her. As soon as his fingers touched hers, it was as if he was being thrown from a dream.
The light from the sun poured in on him and Hinata was gone. Everything came back to speed and he suddenly stopped to grasp what had just happened. It was nostalgic of the infamous genjutsu Itachi loved so much; the moment seemed to last for days even though it had been mere seconds. …Hinata? He quickly composed himself as he continued to walk.
"Just keep her safe." Sasuke mumbled as he slid his hands into his pockets. Hiashi's eyes narrowed, but the younger man didn't give him a chance to reply.
The memory was strange and he thought hard to try to think about what had just happened. Nothing more was revealed as he reached his loft, so he tried to just forget about it. Although Sasuke made damn sure to stay far away from the Hyuuga girl, she was the first thing on his mind in the morning and the last thing to think about before he passed out in a drunken state at night.
She was a curse. He missed having her around, but he never knew why. There was simply no reason for her to be running marathons in his thoughts. Hinata was nothing special—her voice was always so soft that he had to strain himself just to hear her words; she hid her body behind mountains of fabric and the wisps of hair around her face were also used to camouflage her somewhat chubby cheeks. She had the habit of hiding her pale pink lips with her thin fingers when she was uncomfortable.
Sasuke used continuous training and research of Kabuto to keep his concentration. in the right place. Even Naruto was growing wary of the long and tedious hours of combat. Had they had been younger it would have been Naruto's dream—to be a part of Sasuke's life and day-to-day training. However, Naruto had more responsibilities now and Sasuke seemed to subconsciously regret being absent for so long. Naruto would soon be Hokage and even had a close relationship with Sakura.
Naruto was…grown up and much to Sasuke's envy, Naruto was very successful. He was a Jounin and had led more missions than Sasuke could catch up to. Uchiha Sasuke was a feared name throughout the land but in Konoha, he was a former Rogue Ninja and now a simple Chuunin. It was his duty to keep the Uchiha name alive and in good light. He wouldn't disappoint. He couldn't- Not with the world watching so closely.
Hinata made sure she arrived in time to give Naruto his ointment. In fact, she arrived at the front gates earlier than Shikamaru, who was surprised to see her there. He walked lazily towards her and heaved a heavy sigh.
"Hinata… you know that this mission is secret. You shouldn't be here." He mumbled and then stopped to gaze up at the passing clouds. Hinata's cheeks grew warm and she nodded.
"I-I know…" Hinata stammered and held up a small brown sack for Shikamaru to see. "Naruto-kun asked for a special ointment a-and I wanted to make sure he got it before he left."
Shikamaru's expression remained strained, although since taking over Iruka's job at the Academy he had gotten slightly more motivated. It left a void in the classrooms with Shikamaru being gone for the mission, so Ten-ten and Lee were both chosen to fill in, although he was worried Lee might work his students to death before he returned.
"How is Neji?" Shikamaru's gaze returned to her. Her smile slowly faded as she stared down at her exposed toes.
"He's getting better I suppose… He can only see shadows and light in that eye." Hinata said gently. "But Tsunade-sama is working with him."
Much to their surprise, Naruto and Kiba arrived shortly with Akamaru at their heels. Shikamaru's lips curled into a long smirk as he crossed his arms.
"Naruto on time, eh? Maybe we aren't totally doomed when you become Hokage." He said, which caused Kiba to snicker. Naruto's eyebrow twitched and he crossed his arms.
"Say what you want, Shikamaru! I'll remember it when I get there." Naruto's expression tried to stay serious, but that grin spread across his face like a wildfire. Hinata chewed on her lip and held out the brown paper bag.
"Ah! Hinata, you're a life saver. Hopefully this will help." He said and took it from her. She nodded.
"T-Twice a day... I have plenty if you need it." She said as she watched Kiba and Shikamaru begin to discuss their route, and she stepped forward towards Naruto a bit.
"U-Um. There is also some special eye drops in there…for Sasuke-kun." She said quietly. Naruto looked into the bag curiously. "I know that sometimes… he suffers from headaches and eye aches from using his Sharingan too much. I-It should help."
"Yeah, that Sasuke never knows when to quit. I'll make sure he gets it." Naruto said and smiled at her. Hinata's cheeks flushed and she looked away. The ache in her chest wasn't as bad as before which was strange. I guess a broken heart isn't so bad…
"B-Be careful, Naruto-kun." She said and turned to pat Akamaru on the head then began to walk back into the village. Her heart stopped upon seeing Sasuke walking towards her and she seemed to be holding her breath. He didn't even acknowledge her as he walked past her. She turned and brought curled fingers to her lips.
"Sasuke-kun… please be careful." She said although her words got caught up in the breeze that swept through. Her long braid fluttered in the wind and suddenly the ache in her chest felt more noticeable than before. She longed for him to at least shout at her and to tell her she was a nuisance. It seemed to hurt more to know he would rather ignore her.
Sasuke did see her and he also heard her words of caution. He refused to acknowledge not only her but the strange feelings he felt earlier upon speaking with her father. When he returned to Konoha, he wasn't looking for friendship or for love. He wanted to get stronger and become the great ninja he knew he was. His plans were changing right before his eyes and it was difficult to comply.
Shikamaru yawned gently as all four of them gathered at the entrance. He glanced at Kiba, who was scratching his canine companion behind the ear. Naruto was making sure he had enough kunai in his pouch. Sasuke was standing awaiting orders.
"Alright. This mission could take a week. Or it could take several months. It all depends on how far Kabuto is and how willing he is, which I'm sure we all the answer to that. Are you equipped and ready?" Shikamaru asked. Each ninja responded accordingly. "Kiba will lead the way. He has a scent to go off of; it's a faint scent, but it's better than nothing. I will follow behind Kiba, then Naruto, and Sasuke, you bring up the rear."
Each nodded once again. Naruto scratched the back of his head as they began to walk from the gates.
"Man… I didn't get a chance to say good-bye to Sakura-chan. I hope we get this mission over with." He folded his arms behind his head and let out a defeated sigh. This prompted a slight groan from the Inuzuka.
"Great, now we're gonna hear you whine about it for the whole trip." Kiba mumbled as he ran a hand through his tangled hair. Naruto's lips formed a pout, but he was quiet until a voice rang out.
"Naruto!" Sakura cried out as she jogged past the gates. This caused the entire brigade to pause and she almost shoved Sasuke out of the way to jump into Naruto's arms.
"S-Sakura-chan!" He said. "You got my note?!"
"Yes… I'm sorry. I had a double-shift at the hospital… I'm glad I caught you before you left. Where are you going?!" She asked, pulling back from him gently.
"Ah, well… it's kind of confidential. Just know I'll be home as soon as I can." Naruto said, a hand brushing up against her cheek. He leaned down to plant a quick kiss on her lips and smiled. Sakura still looked disappointed, but she nodded, suddenly feeling embarrassed as everyone watched them.
Sasuke crossed his arms impatiently. She really was a typical girl, clinging onto anyone who would give her the time of day. He almost felt sorry for Naruto, but then remembered this was probably a dream come true for him. Naruto was getting everything he worked so hard for—the dream job and the dream girl.
He would admit it; Sasuke was jealous of Naruto. Not because of the girl in his arms but because Sasuke, too, worked very hard to achieve his goal. Right as he was about to watch his hard work pay off, Itachi died in his arms. He felt cheated and when he arrived back in Konoha he had to start all over.
The special team Tsunade had arranged continued on their way, mostly in silence. Sasuke had his Sharingan activated to keep tabs behind them. Had it have been any other mission, it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but they were trying to remain out of sight, out of mind. It would take a few days to reach the northern border to the Land of the Sound.
It would feel nostalgic to Sasuke because he hadn't been there in several years. Many people perceived the Village of the Hidden Sound to be a real village, but in reality it was just full of bandits, thieves and was the perfect brewing grounds for trouble. Orochimaru had several hideouts which were now abandoned. Kabuto would be stupid to be hiding in one, but they were required to check each of them.
At nightfall, Shikamaru stopped them and decided now was a good time to rest. They were at the half-way point to the border and the easy part was behind them. The closer they got to the Land of Sound, the more they ran at risk at running into thieves or other Rogue Ninja. They no longer had the secrecy and depths of the forests to work with, so they were forced to take up camp in a very small grove of trees off the path.
"This area is good." Shikamaru said as he set down his pack. Kiba didn't even bother to roll out his sleeping bag. Instead, he sprawled out the grass and used his canine companion as a furry pillow.
"Someone wake me up for guard duty later." His voice was muffled as he situated himself. Shikamaru let his hands rest on his hips and then sighed tiredly.
"I'll keep watch," Sasuke muttered. His red eyes seemed to glow eerily in the darkness of the night and he disappeared to perch upon a study branch in a tree. He leaned up against the trunk of the tree and settled himself down. His eyes burned and his head was throbbing due to the over-use of Sharingan.
For a few hours, Sasuke sat, his gaze going back and forth through the branches to the dark ground below. His mind wandered here and there. He wondered if his father would have been proud of him, but he was slightly torn. Would he have been proud that he had attempted to avenge his clan or would he have been proud of him for becoming a strong ninja? Would he have been proud at all?
Itachi reached greatness and he rarely saw his father's praise for his older brother. Sasuke wondered why it even mattered to him at this point. It was these moments in his life where he felt the most alone and the weakest. He had no one to let in to help clear the demons away, although he never allowed anyone to even come close either. Naruto was the closest to touching the cold heart in his chest. If Sasuke needed anything, it was friendship.
However, a friend wasn't always the answer for those solitary nights. Sometimes, a woman's touch is all that is needed. Sasuke refused to believe that philosophy although he would subconsciously pray for it. He could easily solve the problem to his lustful feelings, but faceless women never filled the void in his heart where he longed for love and companionship. No one knew these thoughts. No one would ever know these thoughts. They were locked up tight behind those walls he built and they were lost within the swirls of red within his eyes.
Something stirred down below which shook Sasuke out of his sleepy thoughts. His eyes glanced down to see Naruto walking up the trunk of the tree with his chakra-infused feet. He made sure to let out a yawn before the blonde-haired man could reach him.
"Pretty boring up here, huh?" Naruto asked as he stood on the branch and stared outwards into the sky. Sasuke was silent as he let his eyes close slowly. He hissed a bit as his pupils became dark again behind his eyelids which caused them to water painfully. Naruto frowned down at his old friend and then bent down.
"Here." He said while his elbows rested on his knees. Sasuke opened an eye lid to see a small bottle of clear liquid in front of him.
"What is it?" Sasuke muttered as he took it.
"They're special eye drops from Hinata. She thought you might need them later. Man, girls are smart!" Naruto said, standing back up. Sasuke frowned and stared at the bottle. She was too good. Even after weeks of ignoring her she still kept him in mind making sure that he was taken care of. Guilt wasn't something he felt often but it was bitter in his mouth. He made sure not to show it though.
He unscrewed the cap and the drops felt like heaven in his eyes. Instantly, the burning disappeared and the ache in his forehead dulled. These symptoms weren't new. He had dealt with them most his life, but lately they had become worse after daily rigorous training. Sasuke stood up and pocketed the small bottle.
"Sasuke," said Naruto. "Hinata isn't like Sakura-chan."
Sasuke shot Naruto a glare in the moonlight. Naruto's features weren't goofy and his eyebrows were furrowed forward. Naruto was serious with this conversation, but Sasuke didn't want to talk about girls with him, especially this particular girl.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Sasuke said as he massaged his temples. It helped the blood flow in his forehead which in turn eased the tension. Naruto frowned and his hands balled up into fists.
"C'mon. It's pretty obvious. You guys spent months down in that library and you saved her from Kabuto-"
"I would have done the same thing for anyone else." Sasuke snapped. That was partially a lie. He looked out for himself mainly but he wouldn't overlook saving someone's life if he had the opportunity. The wind came in to rustle the branches around them as a silence fell between them.
"Y'know, people used to ask me why I worked so hard to find you." Naruto's voice has gotten quiet. "They didn't understand why I fought all the battles, went the distance, and risked my life." Sasuke was quiet. It was something he knew had been coming for years and he realized that not only Naruto, but many other Konoha ninja, risked their lives just for him. His own selfish actions were almost cringe-worthy now.
"Even… Itachi asked me." Naruto paused to think back to when Itachi approached him. "You were like a brother to me. I mean, you are a brother to me. I'd like to think so, anyway." Naruto suddenly extended a fist right into Sasuke's arm. It was a playful punch, but nonetheless, Sasuke ignored it and turned away.
"So listen to me when I tell you that life doesn't have to be so… dark and gloomy. You just gotta let in the right people." Naruto said letting his hand rest on Sasuke's shoulders. His first thought was to just jumping off the tree right to his death. He really hated these talks since he never really had them growing up.
As much as he liked to talk shit to the man up there with him, Naruto was the closest thing to a good, good friend. He was the closest thing to… a brother. Sasuke was now old enough and mature enough to realize that. As a child, there were few things on his mind other than revenge, but now other things had surfaced. Sasuke turned around to face Naruto, who offered him a questionable smile.
"Who said my life was dark and gloomy?" Sasuke asked dryly which was followed by a tired smirk. He left it at that and then descended down the tree branches until his feet hit the ground firmly. Kiba was snoring away with a stream of drool pooling on Akamaru's stomach and Shikamaru seemed to be asleep as well.
Sasuke rolled out his sleeping bag and then curled inside. He was too tired to even think about what would be in store for them the next day. He fell asleep wondering if Hinata would be okay without him in Konoha.
The Land of Sound wasn't a very thriving place. It was very unstable and had little to no income that wasn't based on gang-related activity. The entire Village of the Hidden Sound had slowly fallen apart since Orochimaru's demise… not that there was much there to begin with. Sasuke never really thought much of it at the time, but the entire place was a mess to him now.
Shikamaru didn't want to bother with going into the village itself. If Kabuto was keen on reincarnating Orochimaru, then chances were that they still had henchmen under their command. It was strange what great power could make a man do. They all gathered in the safety of a small forest to decide their game plan. Shikamaru pulled out a scroll from his pack and re-read a few points.
"We are to check each hide-out that is in the vicinity." Shikamaru said. "There used to be eight total, but due to structural damage, only four are still habitable. So in other words, he is in one. It's just like hide and seek."
"The one we infiltrated a few years ago was destroyed and everything inside was taken." Naruto said quietly remembering the image of Orochimaru's dead corpse. Shikamaru glanced over at Kiba who seemed to be sniffing the air. He frowned in disappointment.
"It's sort of like back in the West. There is a scent, but after a few moments, it disappears." He grumbled. "It's impossible to know which scent is in which direction."
"Well, how about we split up? Each of us will go to a hide out and then bam... we find Kabuto." Naruto pondered aloud as he ran a hand through his tangled spikes. Shikamaru frowned and was silent for a moment.
"Too risky. We'll do groups of two; it might take longer, but it makes more sense doing it this way. We'll meet here in two hours. If you're not back within that time period, we will assume something is wrong."
It was settled. Sasuke and Naruto would head to a hideout a half mile from the eastern part of the village, while Kiba and Shikamaru went further north. Sasuke wasn't sure what they would find in the old hide-outs. It was likely that Kabuto was still continuing the work of Orochimaru's experiments in the numerous hide outs.
It didn't take them long to reach the old hideout which was actually one of the larger hide-outs that Sasuke remembered. Every place they has gone to was different but this one stuck out in his memory quite well. It was one of the first few months he was travelling with Orochimaru that they stayed here. It was here that Sasuke learned the full extent of the experiments.
The horrific memories flashed into his brain as they crept slowly down the old stone steps. Disfigured and screams for help still haunted him to this day. He always put on a tough exterior but it was always something he dwelled on in his own time.
"Sasuke." Naruto whispered as they stopped to the door. It was old and rotted which left it barely hanging on the hinges. Sasuke let his Sharingan come out for a bit before he slashed the door to pieces with his sword. Dust flew up around them and there was nothing but an eerie silence.
"This hide-out has a few different passages. Let's split up." Sasuke said firmly to Naruto, who nodded in agreement.
Sasuke walked slowly into the entrance and observed decay. The main room broke off into three separate hallways, and he remembered one led to a false floor, which would collapse with any sort of weight atop it.
"Naruto." He hissed and threw a kunai to land in front of him as he had begun to step forward down the wrong passageway. Naruto yelped and then jumped backwards as the kunai had seemed to set off several paper bombs that appeared on the walls. After the dust settled, Sasuke frowned and inspected the damage.
"Those were new." Sasuke said his grip tightening on the handle of the sword. Naruto cracked his knuckles and then glanced over to him. They both nodded and then began sprinting down the other two hallways.
Sasuke could feel his heart racing as he dodged several traps that he encountered; flaming kunai, venomous snakes and more paper bombs. Too easy. He knew these traps like the back of his hand; Kabuto had to have been expecting the Uchiha. Why make it simple?
Suddenly a gleam of light caught his eye as a senbon flew at him. He was able to jump and leap from the wall to avoid it. He stopped and glanced around carefully. Kabuto was known for his scalpels and senbon, so this was a good sign.
"Kabuto… I know you're here." Sasuke muttered. There was silence as he slowly gazed around at his surroundings. The only sound he could hear was a dripping of water in the distance and his own heart beating fast in his chest. He waited with his sword drawn and his Sharingan circling. Sasuke knew that Kabuto was waiting for him to walk right into his trap.
"Sasuke-kun… you're looking much better." That voice echoed in the distance as Kabuto appeared from around the corner. Kabuto had large bags under his eyes and was using the wall to support himself.
"You could have killed yourself." Sasuke said with little to no empathy. It was plain as day. The jutsus he used to basically be in two places at once was destroying his body. Even an experienced medical ninja knew that there was only so much wear and tear it could go through. Chakra channels weakened with age and using those heavy jutsus only sped up the process.
"Don't worry about me." He said with a slight chuckle. "I know what I am doing. I have much more time than you think." Kabuto reached into his pack and twirled a scalpel in fingers.
"I am after…more than just reincarnating Orochimaru-sama. When I bring him back, he will be even more powerful." Kabuto said as he took a step forward. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
"Ni Bijon won't do you any good. It's not natural." Sasuke said which caused Kabuto to laugh again.
"Sasuke-kun, please… seeing the future is just one of the benefits. It can also create a genjutsu to relive the past." His voice lowered gently as if he was hiding a secret. "I've always wondered…what happened to my family... my former self."
Sasuke didn't care. He just did not care. He knew Kabuto—it was all just a ruse. The only thing Kabuto cared about was Orochimaru; that spell had become a part of him now. There was nothing Tsunade could do even if she tried. He gritted his teeth and ran forward with his blade ready to slice. Kabuto jumped out of the way and met the blade with his scalpel. They both fought against the resistance and Kabuto smirked while he leaned in closer.
"You know, Sasuke-kun, I thought maybe you would have changed. Found yourself a nice girl, settled down, and let your life rot away. Orochimaru-sama was right. You are a man who is set in his ways." Kabuto's voice was as quiet was a whisper. "I know how much she means to you...deep down inside."
Sasuke grunted and pushed his blade away and the opportunity was there- he moved forward with his sword and felt it splice through Kabuto. There was a pause until he realized there was something wrong. Too easy... this is too easy.
Kabuto looked up to smile tiredly at Sasuke. His eyes were full of desperation; desperation to be free. Sasuke's Sharingan disappeared as he stared wide eyed at the man before him. For a split second, Sasuke was seeing the real Kabuto—the man behind the spell. He could feel the sadness and loneliness in his eyes… they looked much like his. Perhaps he was seeing things because a maniacal laugh escaped his lips as his glasses slipped down the bridge of his nose.
"… You're too late." Kabuto whispered. "She's mine." Kabuto revealed his shadow clone as he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sasuke could feel his knees buckle and he fell to the ground. His mind was racing and he couldn't physically keep up with his thoughts. She's in danger. I'm not there. There was a feeling of helplessness that washed over him. He hadn't felt this amount of panic since he stumbled upon his slain clan. Sasuke was several days away from Konoha. There would be no way he could make it in time.
Helplessness turned into anger. He gritted his teeth and his hands balled up into tight fists which then were slammed into the ground below him. It caused concrete and dirt to fly but that didn't stop him. Everything he had held near and dear to him was! cursed. What could he do? There had to be something he could do.
Hinata…!