Thanks for the reviews, favorites and follows. I'm not the best when it comes to battle and action scenes so bare with this chapter as things unfold... enjoy~
It was a never-ending sea of nothingness in the Land of the Sand as the two teams from Konoha sprinted through. The sun was usually their ally back home but now it was their enemy beating down on them with a dry and intense heat. Hinata had never been this far west. The books back at the Academy provided pictures and details of the area but it was pretty clear that this was all to see: barren land and heat waves that danced in front of them.
From their calculations earlier, it took a minimum of three days to reach the border. They managed to make it within two and a half by limiting their rest time. As younger ninja, it would have been harder, but each was more experienced and had learned to preserve energy well. But even as higher rank ninja, the heat was an issue as it began to wear them down faster than they thought.
Everyone in the group had at least an expectation as they had all been out in this part of the world. Hinata struggled silently, not letting it show. Now wasn't the time to give in to something as simple as the weather. There were more important matters at hand. There was a scroll to retrieve and protect.
"Kakashi-sensei…" called out Kiba from behind. "How much farther until we reach Suna?"
"We're getting closer." Kakashi grunted. They would be safer when they arrived and Gaara was expecting them.
Kabuto had farther to travel so if the math was added right, they would reach Suna before him. Everyone was prepared for a battle; those two and a half days were tense and Hinata was constantly checking with her Byakugan as they travelled. Shino's bugs had already adapted to the high temperatures and were fluttering by as they went. Even with Akamaru's heavy fur, the white color was repelling the hot sunshine to keep him from overheating.
Uchiha Sasuke thought back to his time in the Sand as they went. It was one of the first few times of coming into contact with Naruto and Sakura after those few years. The feeling he got was strange; one could visit a place and it would stay the same for years. The people were the ones that changed. Sasuke was no longer craving the darkness for power, but he also wasn't basking in the light. He was quite comfortable in the gray area. Sasuke was not good nor was he bad. He just was.
It wasn't until the sun began setting did Kakashi halt the brigade. Before them was an enormous canyon and down below sat the seemingly peaceful Hidden Village of the Sand. Hinata stopped just above the edge of the canyon and stared curiously at the buildings. It was odd how completely different the people lived their lives compared to them just by a change in climate and terrain.
"Well," Kakashi said as he extended his hand towards the village. "I know that Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura have been this way before."
There was a pause as each thought back to their time spent in the area. It was to retrieve the Uchiha who was still quite attached to Orochimaru. Naruto glanced over at his best friend who was ignoring everyone's gawking eyes at him. Sakura frowned and then looked back over to their sensei.
"Shino, Kiba, Hinata… welcome to Sunagakure." Kakashi said as his half-lidded eye joined in Team Kurenai's observations of the village. Kiba scratched his cheek where his stubble was beginning to grow and shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's get going… I am dying out here." He said with an irritated tone as his canine eyes watched an insect flutter around his face. Shino, who had been silent all day, lifted his finger up to let the Aburame bug land. Everyone turned to look at him awaiting his findings.
"Kabuto has not arrived yet." He said shortly. Sasuke lifted his arm to wipe sweat from his forehead and then let his hand rest lazily on the hilt of his sword.
"Knowing him, he'll wait until we do the dirty work of getting it out of the hands of Gaara. Then he will attack." He said. Kiba glanced over at the Uchiha and gave his eyes a small roll.
"Ch… we're putting our trust in a former enemy." He muttered. Sasuke looked to Kiba and much to everyone's surprise there was a hint of anger across his usual expressionless face.
"I was only an enemy because Konoha was constantly looking for trouble." Sasuke said thoroughly irritated by the heat and the lack of sleep. "What would you know? You barely stood a chance against the Sound Four and almost got yourself killed."
Hinata frowned and began to fidget as the two men began to bicker—more or less Kiba was poking a sleeping lion and would suffer the consequences.
"K-Kiba-kun…!" She tried to step forward, but Kiba ignored her completely.
"Do you ever think of anything but yourself!?" Kiba growled shielding his eyes as a gust of wind began to blow sand at them. Sasuke shrugged at that and looked away.
"You are wasting our time."
"That's enough." Kakashi said before Kiba could come back with anything else. "Sasuke is right—our time is very valuable at this point. But we need to work together in order for this mission to be a success."
Kakashi looked at each ninja before him and although they tried to hide it, he could see they were exhausted. Even though they were highly trained and experienced, they were still learning. They still had a long ways to go.
"Just remember our formations when Kabuto does show himself. Each of you has a specific part and the more organized we are the better." Kakashi said which warranted a nod from each ninja.
Off they went down the side of the canyon and Hinata could feel her heart beating fast within her chest. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of emotion and it felt never ending. Although Kabuto was on the hunt and they were in a completely different land, Hinata had never felt safer. She had Shino and Kiba with whom she knew as well as the back of her hand by her side; they were her brothers there to watch her back as she watched theirs.
Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Ninja, who was a student of Uzumaki Minato and the sensei to Team Seven—he was always there to protect the people around him even at the expense of himself. Haruno Sakura, an incredibly strong and advanced medical ninja, was a somewhat close acquaintance to Hinata and she trusted her with her life. Uzumaki Naruto was her first inspiration to become something better and the person to open her eyes to what true strength was. He was the future of Konoha and Hinata couldn't be happier for him to finally achieve his dream.
Then there was Uchiha Sasuke—the last of the Uchiha Clan. He was often times bitter and secretive with himself usually falling back into his old habits of pushing people away. Sasuke was selfish, cold and elusive but Hinata had come to accept that. She had found a way to touch that icy heart of his and in his own way he showed his feelings by becoming protective of her. Hinata might not be a princess any longer, but he still acted as her dark and silent knight.
As they approached the gates into the village, there were Suna ninja standing guard. Hinata recognized their forehead protectors and it was a relief to know they were allies. Kakashi led the group forward until they reached the main guard.
"Hatake Kakashi," The man said. "Temari-sama said to be expecting you."
"Yes… it took a few days, but we made it." Kakashi said hiding his exhaustion. "So far so good on your end?"
"We have several ninja hiding within the desert mountains watching… waiting." The guard said. "Nothing yet."
Hinata's gaze shifted over towards Sasuke and he had his Sharingan activated, looking past the guards and into the village in front of them. Sasuke was taking in every detail and every person that walked by. Even with the heat and exhaustion he was still able to focus completely on the task at hand. The rest of the team was struggling to remain emotionless as well. It had been a very tough and sleepless journey; she was anxious to be able to close her eyes without Shino having to wake her ten minutes later.
"Please, come. The Kazekage is anxious to see you."
They were led through the village which was quieting down as the sun had almost completely gone down. It provided a few rays, though, which was enough for Hinata to see the many buildings. They were built from the sturdy desert rocks and it looked like there hadn't been a drop of rain in the village for a century.
"Man, I haven't seen Gaara is a real long time!" Naruto said excitedly. "He did come for the Chuunin exams a few years ago."
"Yeah, that's when you took him to Ramen Ichiraku and practically force fed him the noodles." Sakura reminded him with a peeved tone. Naruto laughed while he scratched the back of his head.
"Oh yeah. I forgot about that. He was a good sport about it, though! I think."
Sasuke had to roll his eyes; Naruto force fed over-cooked noodles to someone of high political and didn't even see it as a problem. Of course Sasuke wasn't entirely aware of how close the pair had gotten over the years. Ever since rescuing and reviving the Sand lord, they remained good friends.
Hinata had never formally met Gaara. She remembered seeing him in passing during their own Chuunin Exams those many years ago. He was a terrifying and powerful person being controlled heavily by his emotions and the monster inside. She had her own worries at that time with Neji almost killing her. It was always a dark memory, but she truly believed he didn't mean it.
It wasn't long before they arrived at Suna's Kazekage Building which stood tall within the early night sky. The inside was just as impressive as the outside. Portraits of the former leaders adorned the walls and the marble floors were shiny in the dim lights as they walked through the hallways.
"This way." The guard said as he stopped at two large wooden doors. He knocked twice and a woman's voice hollered at them to come in. Both doors were pushed open and Hinata had to stand on her tip toes to see over Kiba's shoulder.
They all entered the large room and this gave Hinata a chance to move so she could easily see. It was interesting to finally see the Sand siblings up close. Gaara sat at the desk, his hair still that fiery red that she remembered. His eyes were light although the black that outlined them was an intimidating contrast. His expression was void of any emotion but she could see something stir when Naruto approached the desk.
"Gaara!" He said with a large grin. "It's been a while! Have ya built a ramen stand yet, like I told you?"
Even though there was no smile upon the Kazekage's face, it was clear to see he was taken aback by the question and unsure how to properly respond.
"… It is in the works." Gaara said rather sheepishly. Temari, who was standing to the side of the desk, smirked while crossing her arms.
"Naruto, you will never change." She said through a dry laugh. Temari's spiky blonde hair had remained the same and her signature fan was tied at her waist. Gaara's brother, Kankuro, stood on the other side. Hinata almost didn't recognize him without the paint on his face, but the slight arrogant look gave him away. Kakashi stepped forward and let his hands slip into his pockets.
"Suna is looking as good as ever." He said with a small smile hidden behind his mask. "As per wishes from Tsunade-sama, we would like to send a bird back to Konoha to keep them updated." Gaara nodded and then his eyes moved in the direction of where his sister stood.
"Temari." He said simply and she understood.
"Not a problem. I will get on that immediately. Gaara… we should let them rest. They have travelled a long way in a short amount of time." Temari said.
At the thought of sleep, Hinata couldn't help but yawn which she tried to mask with her hand. This caught the attention of the stoic red headed man. It caused her cheeks to tint out of embarrassment and she looked away. It wasn't like when Sasuke would stare at her which was usually because he had something to convey. Gaara seemed to stare out of curiosity and perhaps because his social skills still weren't the greatest.
"Hyuuga Hiashi," He said slowly after an uncomfortable few seconds. "I received word of his death."
Hinata wasn't sure what to do or say. She had come to terms with her father's passing as it was brought up in conversation more often than not. Hinata simply nodded and got the courage to return her gaze to his.
"We worked closely through letters with the goal of understanding Kabuto's motives." A pause. "I never met him. Sunagakure offers their sympathy to the Hyuuga clan."
"Thank you." Her voice was small. Hyuuga Hiashi might have been arrogant with high expectations, but he was also a high ranked ninja who represented the Hyuuga clan for at least twenty years. It was refreshing to know that he was well respected even in different nations. Gaara's gaze finally broke free from Hinata and she breathed a sigh of relief. Although the man had certainly gotten softer, she still found his behavior slightly off-putting.
"Be rest assured that the scroll is in safe hands for tonight." Gaara said. "We have rooms waiting for you at a hotel just across the road."
"Please, follow me." Temari said.
Sasuke could feel Gaara's eyes on him as they exited the room. He was sure it was curiosity as the last time they saw each other it was in vein. Sasuke never saw it as they were enemies but more or less promising ninja that would repel each other like oil and water. Their battle between each other had been destructive but he remembered how it was a nice way to test out his abilities with the curse mark.
Temari led them from the Hokage building and back into the night streets of Suna. She glanced over her shoulder at Sakura who was just slightly behind her.
"So, is Shikamaru staying out of trouble then?" She asked her voice tainted with a slight amused tone. Sakura smiled tiredly.
"Yes. He really is staying busy with his students—they have exams the next few weeks so that's why he isn't on this mission."
Hinata wondered if Shikamaru would ever settle down. He was always saying how he needed to get married to a good woman who knew how to cook well. Many girls had lined up to try to fill that part of his life, but it never seemed to fit. She could see why girls were attracted to him. Shikamaru had this strange charm that was in no way forced and in his own way he was handsome.
Many wondered the same for Hinata but it had mainly been her Father pushing for her to marry within the clan even after she had moved out. She always pictured herself getting married but it seemed odd to her that she was at that point in her life where she could get married. It was unlikely to happen in her eyes as her feelings had shifted within the last year or so.
The group was divided by gender, of course, into two rooms. Hinata could barely keep her eyes open. The entire team was running on six hours of sleep tops for two days so the thought of sleeping for an eternity seemed like a pleasant idea for her.
Sakura set her bag down next to her bed and then ran her hands through her pink hair. Sand began to sprinkle onto the floor and she scowled.
"Ugh, this sand is making my scalp itch." She mumbled and Hinata, who was already in the process of sitting on the bed, immediately felt her own scalp get itchy.
"The wind was awful… constantly blowing sand at us as we went." Hinata said undoing her long braid.
"Hey, let's sneak off to the bath house!" Sakura said with a glint in her light green eyes. Hinata frowned glancing down at the wonderful bed.
"B-But what if they—"Hinata tried to speak of the boys who might also be thinking the same. Sakura smirked and let her hands rest on her hips.
"I don't know about Kiba and Shino, but the guys I am always travelling with don't bathe for days. C'mon! We won't be long. I just need to get this grit and gross feeling off me."
Suna's bath houses were just down the road from the hotel and most were open all hours anyway for travelers such as themselves. Hinata was never fond of them because of the lack of privacy but a chill had come about in the air which made the idea of steamy water sound wonderful. With the hotness of the sun gone from the sky, the once unbearably hot desert was now giving them shivers as the two women walked hurriedly through the entrance of the bath house.
Sakura talked nonchalantly of her work at the hospital as she undressed in front of Hinata. She felt her cheeks grow insanely hot as she turned away. Sakura's body was well toned and womanly, which caused Hinata to glance down to her own. She pulled the towel away slowly with her back at Sakura and examined herself.
Hinata wasn't as toned as Sakura. She had wider hips and a little more fat on her body. Her pale skin was covered in bruises from rigorous training sessions. A frown adorned her pale pink lips and she quickly covered herself back up.
"Ready!?" Sakura asked with a smile to which she nodded. They were the only people at the bath house and even if there were others, the steam was thick enough to create some privacy.
With the towel tightly around her body, Hinata waited hesitantly for Sakura to turn her back before letting her feet slip into the hot and steamy water. There was no one else there to worry about so Hinata wasn't as concerned throwing the towel to the side.
"Ahhh… I'm so glad we decided to do this." Sakura said as she let her head dip back to get wet in the water.
"Y-Yes… I just hope I don't fall asleep." Hinata said with a slight laugh. Sakura let her body rest up against the wall.
"The hospital usually has crazy hours so I'm normally used to it, but I think the climate change is hard on us." Sakura thought aloud.
Hinata watched the sand from her hair cloud up in the water and she ran her fingers through it to make sure it was all out. The heat from the water was heaven on their muscles and for a while they sat in silence just enjoying themselves.
"Isn't it strange how things change?" Sakura pondered which caused Hinata's heavy eyelids to open slowly. She glanced over to the pink haired kuniochi next to her.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know… I guess it's just the last time we were here Naruto and I were searching high and low for Sasuke-kun. This time around he is on our side." Her voice was quiet. "I wish I could just let him go."
Hinata watched the steam swirl around them with a feeling of envy in her stomach. She remembered Sakura's love for him when they were younger, but Hinata never understood why. Even now that she had gotten closer to him, Sasuke wanted little to nothing to do with Sakura and still her love for him was there. Although, Hinata had little room to say anything since it had been the same scenario for her with Naruto.
"Sometimes… just knowing the one you love is happy is enough even if that means that you aren't apart of that happiness." Hinata managed to say without stuttering. Those words came out with such innocence, but Sakura felt as if they were meant to slap her in the face which they did.
Everyone knew of Hinata's love for the Uzumaki (except for Naruto, of course). Sakura had been hesitant to embrace their relationship mainly because of mixed feelings. There was always that one person that stuck out like a thorn in one's heart; there was always that one feeling that brought back nostalgic thoughts. Sakura felt selfish and almost jealous of the Hyuuga girl next to her. She thought that Hinata had no shame to feel in her life. Little did she know that both girls were envious of each other for completely different reasons.
"Do you love him?" Sakura asked looking over to the Hyuuga. "Do you love Naruto?"
Hinata was thankful the steam was there to hide her astonished expression. She had never been open about her feelings for Naruto with anyone. Kiba and Shino knew of her admiration of him, but neither of them pressed for any other details. Things felt different. Hinata sat in silence for a moment before choosing a response.
"N-No." She said truthfully. Sakura's face remained strained as her fingers trailed along the top of the water.
"Do you love Sasuke-kun?" Sakura whispered. Hinata felt her legs go numb in panic as that question swirled in her mind. Konoha was built on rumors, on scandals, on anything that would make the common person gasp in delight. Naturally with all the time Sasuke and Hinata spent together, the mission and the fact that he saved her life on more than one occasion, something was bound to spread.
Hinata opened her mouth but nothing came out which was fine… she didn't have a response anyway. Sakura smiled sadly and leaned back a bit more.
"It's okay if you do."
It was early; too early for everyone to be up for the day. Uchiha Sasuke rolled over onto his stomach and the sun had yet to show itself. The past few days had been uneventful and tiring. Luckily Sasuke was somewhat accustomed to traveling for long periods of time with little rest. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his dark hair.
The sound of Naruto snoring away next to him was almost as annoying as him talking when he was awake. He let his eyes roll into the Sharingan to inspect the room; Kakashi and Shino were also asleep a few feet away, but the mutt and mutt-man were gone. Sasuke let his arms push him up and he silently exited the room.
The halls were quiet; Suna wasn't exactly a place for tourists since there wasn't much to see. Orochimaru liked the time they spent in the Land of Sand. It was quiet and less traveled. Although Gaara was of some interest to Orochimaru, he wasn't at all bothered by the tailed-beast that was in his body. The tailed-beasts weren't on his agenda which was also why Naruto was never interesting to Orochimaru either.
Akatsuki was different but Sasuke rarely heard the man speak of the group. It was rumored that the beasts they collected turned against them which ultimately led to their fate. Sasuke didn't like rumors, though, because they were usually wrong. Sasuke slipped his Sharingan on in search of Kiba and detected them out behind the hotel.
"Akamaru… piss, shit and let's go." Kiba said through a yawn as he leaned up against the building.
The white-furred canine was sniffing around on the grounds trying to find a good place to do his business. Sasuke opened the door with a frown and let the door shut behind him. Kiba was clearly irritated to see the Uchiha as he crossed his arms.
"What do you want?" Kiba muttered. Sasuke took a few steps forward and his dark eyes looked up to the sky. The stars were bright and the moon was only a sliver as it shone. He didn't say anything; he really didn't know why he got the urge to seek out Kiba. Sasuke was answerless. Instead, they both watched Akamaru dig his nose into the sandy dirt. Even though he was a trained dog and essentially a ninja, Akamaru was also just your average dog on occasion that enjoyed bad smells and eating things he probably shouldn't.
"Why did you come back to Konoha?" Kiba asked suddenly and his tone was almost dripping with disdain. It didn't bother Sasuke, but it took him a moment to come up with a response.
"To better myself." At the beginning, it was mainly to pick up where he left off as a child—before Itachi murdered his clan. Sasuke's dream was to become a great ninja and be the highest rank he could be. It would have made his Father proud. Now that he looked back on the last year or so, he wasn't sure what was keeping him in Konoha. Sasuke could easily leave and make his name elsewhere. If he really wanted to, he could rise to fame and become a leader somewhere.
But there was something keeping him from doing any of that. There was something more that kept him in Konoha. Maybe it was remaining in his birth place or maybe it was because when Naruto got to be Hokage, he was essentially set on ranking up quicker. Deep down, Sasuke knew those weren't the reasons keeping him there.
Kiba's lips sported a slight scowl at Sasuke's response and he pushed himself off the building. He walked up towards the Uchiha with his arms stretched outwards.
"Word is going around." He said. "You and Hinata…"
Kiba stopped himself as the anger in him was rising. Sasuke's eyebrows rose at that statement, but as quick as the emotion had come to his face it vanished. He was silent.
"She's not just some chick. So if you're just going to play that whole bad boy image and tell her to piss off, then do it now." Kiba said with a growl behind the words. Sasuke was surprised on the inside but his expression remained blank.
"If you ask me," Kiba continued. "She deserves far better."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Sasuke finally said. Of course, Sasuke wasn't about to admit to having feelings for someone and he especially wasn't going to admit it to someone like Kiba. He wouldn't even admit it to himself. One day those feelings would be addressed but it certainly wasn't anytime soon.
Those canine eyes had locked into Sasuke's dark and unfazed eyes and for a split second he thought that Kiba might hit him. Sasuke would have welcomed it and ended the entire confrontation right then and there.
Kiba had several responses to throw back into the face of Sasuke and he felt his hands balling into tight fists at his side. His normal reaction would have been to throw a punch or two, but there were reasons why he didn't. They were on a very high profile mission and Kiba knew better, but he was also aware of the amount of power that the Uchiha had locked behind those eyes.
"Hinata has the worst taste…" Kiba muttered under his breath. "Come on, Akamaru."
The white dog whined slightly but obeyed his owner by following him inside the hotel. Sasuke remained outside for a while as the sun was slowly starting to light up the sky. It was times like these when his mind was free to wander. From family to present day, it all seemed murky in his brain and Sasuke tried not to think of those odd feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever Hinata was brought to mind.
Instead, Sasuke focused on the real issues and that was why they were in Suna. He had a feeling that the journey back home would be interesting. Kabuto was most likely waiting for them at the border.
The group was up waiting for him when he returned. They were to meet with Gaara back at the Kazekage Building to retrieve the scroll and then they would be heading back. Kiba ignored Sasuke and acted as if nothing had happened just a few hours prior.
"I dunno about you guys, but I slept like a rock." Naruto said with a yawn as they gathered in the main lobby. Shino's expression would have been priceless had it of not been hidden by his jacket.
"Yes, we heard." Shino said with a slightly exasperated tone. Naruto grinned apologetically while scratching the back of his head.
"Well… it wasn't much, but hopefully the small amount of rest we got will keep us focused." Kakashi said to the group of ninja before him. "Something tells me the trip back to Konoha will be a battle. But remember, Kabuto must not get ahold of this scroll."
They all nodded. Hinata could feel a pair of eyes on her and she turned slightly to see Sasuke standing just behind her. They hadn't spoken much since they left; both were focused on the mission at hand. She had gotten used to his icy gaze although it wasn't as piercing as it usually was. For some reason, Hinata felt content knowing that Sasuke was there and how easy it would be for her to lean back and rest her head against his chest.
As tired as she had been the night prior, sleep was inconsistent. Her thoughts kept going back to facing Kabuto, who ultimately had her father's eye in his head. She recalled Naruto's concerns of her going on this mission and she wondered if he was right. As strong as Hinata was, it would be an emotional battle she wasn't sure if she was prepared for.
"You're all awake." Temari's voice caused them all to look towards the door of the motel. She had a slight smirk with her hands resting on her hips. "Gaara is waiting if you are ready."
They followed the blonde haired Suna ninja back across the street over towards the Kazekage building. Hinata was surprised to see Gaara sitting the exact same way he had been when they left the night prior. She had heard that he didn't sleep much even with the tailed beast extracted from his body. It seemed everyone had a story, a loss and a reason to be fighting.
Kankuro stood next to him with a wooden box in his arms. Inside, as Gaara explained to them, was the reincarnation scroll that Kabuto was seeking. It had been found just along the border with help from a few Hyuuga who had left Konoha several years ago and resided in the Sand. Their guards that were scattered all along within the desert reported that morning that there was nothing out of the ordinary.
"He's at the border." Kakashi said. "I'm sure he's just waiting."
"It's a smart move. The border is far enough from Suna and Konoha." Sasuke spoke up which caused Temari to frown as she took her spot next to her brothers.
"Gaara… we should send reinforcements with them." She said. Gaara was silent.
"That won't be necessary." Kakashi said casually. "We've certainly got the best of the best from Konoha here."
Gaara crossed his arms across his chest and closed his eyes as he was clearly thinking of the situation. After a few short moments, he opened his eyes and leaned backwards in his chair.
"They will be fine." He said. "They have Naruto and the Uchiha." Naruto grinned and agreed enthusiastically. Kiba rolled his eyes clearly annoyed by the arrogance that was being tossed around.
"Oy… give me a break." He muttered under his breath and Shino stepped forward.
"If for whatever reason the battle gets out of hand, I will send forth a messenger." He said extending a finger as a bug crawled up to the tip. Kankuro opened the wooden box and allowed Kakashi to take the sacred scroll. It was old and worn but it didn't look any different from any other scroll Hinata had seen before.
"It is sealed, but knowing Kabuto he would be able to easily break it." Kankuro explained. Kakashi nodded and pocketed it away into his pack. He glanced back to his team with a half lidded eye.
"Well? Shall we head home?"
Hinata tried to stand tall but the thought of running into Kabuto was making her stomach churn with anxiety. She had let Neji and the entire clan down by not protecting her father. What if he was able to get ahold of the Sharingan? What if Sasuke was hurt?
"Let's go," Sasuke's firm voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned to look at him. His voice was quieter and mainly meant for her to hear. It was as if he could tell Hinata was uneasy and was silently reminding her to be strong. She nodded with a small smile.
The sun was up high in the sky as they ran through the desert. It was the same dry heat that they experienced coming in. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky to provide relief from the sun's rays. Their travels had been rather quiet except for the occasional check on their surroundings.
"Hinata. What do you see?" Kakashi asked over his shoulder as they stopped for a quick rest. Hinata put her hands together for the seals and wasted little time surveying the area. Just as Gaara had mentioned, there were Suna ninja within the sandy hills but now there were few and far between. They must be closer to the border.
"I don't see much of anything." She said checking once more.
"The border is just a few hours away." Sasuke reminded everyone.
"Team Kurenai… pay closer attention as we go." Kakashi said as he held up a hand to his forehead to block out the sun. "Expect the unexpected."
By midafternoon, the barren land began to slowly show signs of life. Some dead trees began to pop up along their travels and soon patches of grass. The heat wasn't as intense and a few fluffy clouds floated on by. Soon there were more and more trees as they returned to the forests they were so used to. The border itself was a bridge across a large rocky ravine which used to hold water at some point. The closer they got to the bridge, the more Hinata felt like throwing up, but she stood tall refusing to let the fear of facing her Father's killer deter her from the task at hand.
His death would be in vain if Kabuto got ahold of the scroll and reincarnated Orochimaru. A shudder was sent down her spine just thinking about it. In reality, Kabuto had two plans; bring that man back to life and acquire the Two Visions Kekkei Genkai.
Before getting any closer to the border, Kakashi stopped them once again and turned to look at his scouting ninja. Hinata's eyes were already at work as they had been for a while now. Kiba was silent trying to concentrate his nose as the breeze blew by innocently. Shino was listening to the buzzing within his body, but after a while it seemed clear there was no one there to greet them. Naruto began to get restless and he looked around.
"Well? Anything?" He asked to which Kiba frowned. His canine teeth sat slightly on his lip as he scratched his chin.
"… Not a damn thing. What the hell?"
"There is nothing." Hinata went on to say feeling the nerves slowly melt away. Maybe Kabuto wouldn't show himself and there would be no trouble.
"Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura's voice piped up curiously. "Wasn't it confirmed that he was on his way down here?"
"Yes." Kakashi said as he looked around cautiously. The birds were happily chirping in the trees that surrounded them. There was no more barren land that would have someone stick out like sore thumb. Even if Kabuto was hiding amongst the trees, he would have been detected. Sasuke, who had been silent, also took a look around. There is something not right about this. Did someone get ahold of Kabuto? Was he even still alive? It seemed unlikely but even the Uchiha, who was very sharp with these situations, was stumped.
"Well, let's keep going then." Naruto said as he was getting impatient. He glanced back at the team before jogging up towards the bridge.
"He's not here. Let's go home before he does end up showing his face." Naruto said and began to walk across the bridge. Shino looked upwards before a sense of panic filled the air.
"…Naruto, get off the bridge!"
Within seconds, a shadow was casted down on them and before anyone had a chance to comprehend it, a giant snake came crashing down upon the bridge. Naruto wasn't fast enough and it seemed he had gotten caught underneath the slithery creature.
His team knew better; the shadow clone disappeared with a puff of smoke and he was already in the process of calling forth more a few feet away. Sasuke recognized the snake. It wasn't the biggest that could have been called forth but it was big enough to cause significant damage to the bridge and the ravine.
The snake wasted little time as its body filled the ravine and then began shooting towards the Konoha ninja. Hinata jumped backwards just in time to miss it's giant head coming her way and it granted her enough time to activate her Byakugan. She scanned the area quickly looking and searching for that man.
"Alright, Akamaru! Are you ready!?" Kiba's voice called out and he got a loud bark in response. Before he even got a chance to begin his jutsu, another block out from the sun casted a shadow down below. Sasuke, who didn't have time to pause as the snake was on his heels as he ran, knew what was coming.
"Look out!" Kakashi called and another snake of the same size fell from the sky. On its back stood Kabuto and his lips were curled into a smirk.
"Welcome! I've been expecting you." Kabuto said as he pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
The Konoha ninja were in the process of trying to take care of the first snake. The ground shook from the huge amount of force from Sakura's fist which caused a crack to shoot throughout the earth towards the snake's path. It created a large obstacle for the snake as it uprooted trees and caused the snake to stop.
It instantly darted its way over in Sakura's direction and its head shot down at the ground in an effort to take care of her, but she managed to jump back. Naruto was at her side with several shadow clones with more than one Rasengan already initiated to send towards the snake.
The sound of the Chidori erupted through the air as an enhanced version turned into a large blade to slice it in half, but the snake wasn't fazed by these attacks which didn't surprise Sasuke. He brought his thumb up to his mouth to bite into it, but Naruto was a step ahead of him by calling forth the infamous toads.
There was utter chaos as each ninja was doing their best to dodge or attack the reptile. Hinata was doing her part as well by throwing chakra-infused shurikens and kunai knives but this type of enemy was not her forte. She excelled in close combat with enemies more her size. Shino had using his own bug clones to draw in the snake as bait which allowed Kiba a shot to attack, but now that there were two summons, the snake was focusing more upon the large toad with Naruto as its controls.
"Ahh," Gamabunta's booming voice caused the ground below to shake as he adjusted the pipe in his mouth. "Naruto. It's been a while."
"We've got problems here as you can see," Naruto said his eyes narrowing towards the first snake who didn't allow them much chatting time.
Gamabunta jumped upwards and unsheathed his sword before landing back onto the ground to begin the battle. This caused a whirlwind down to the team who were now faced with Kabuto and his snake steed.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura shouted as he leapt out the way of the snake's fangs. Hinata, who was crouched down on an uprooted tree, felt her stomach drop as she got a good look at Kabuto.
His right eye was pupil-less. The veins around it were pulsating. The stolen Byakugan was being used against them. Kabuto cackled as he jumped from the snake's head down below to meet Kakashi's kunai with his scalpel. The snake then proceeded to advance towards the idle ninja.
"Oy! Shino, Hinata! Gotta keep Kabuto away from Kakashi. He's got the scroll!" Kiba shouted towards them as he began forming signs with his hands. "I got this snake!"
Akamaru was ready to go as he ran towards his owner as the slithering reptile leaped into the air to come down upon them with an open jaw.
"Kiba-kun!" Hinata shouted as the ground and dirt around them exploded causing a cloud of smoke. Did he escape? For a split second she feared the worst and began to sprint towards the scene of the crash.
"Hinata!" Shino shouted warningly at her which caused her to stop. As the dust settled, she could see that Kiba and Akamaru had transformed into the Inuzuka clan's specialty, the double-headed wolf, just in time. It was on its back with its large and sharp claws holding back the snake by its fangs. Large growls erupted as the wolf managed to push the snake backwards before beginning its offense.
Hinata looked behind her to see the battles that had unfolded. Naruto and his toad summon had taken their fight farther and farther away to make sure that no one got squished, but from the looks of it, it was a struggle. And Kakashi was meeting each of Kabuto's blows with his kunai. She needed to help. This wasn't just a fight for their lives; it was a fight for all the lands. Orochimaru could not be brought back to life.
Suddenly, several kunai rained down on them and Sakura gasped loudly. The sound of paper bombs being activated caused them all to leap out of the way as the explosion caused dirt and tree limbs to fly. Sasuke glanced upwards and deflected a shuriken with his sword.
"It's a clone!" He called out and a second Kabuto was there to send several smaller snakes from the inside of his sleeves towards the Uchiha. Sasuke ducked and reached up with his blade to slice them in half. By the time he looked back, Shino was sending a wave of bugs towards the clone while Sakura was attempting to land fatal punches.
Sasuke could see the Byakugan that Kabuto had obtained and frowned. He glanced over towards Hinata who was busy launching chakra-infused shuriken towards the clone. She stopped to rest and felt his eyes on her. She turned to look at him and they both nodded as if they had some sort of agreement. The screech of the Chidori filled the air as Kakashi had Kabuto held up by the scruff of his shirt and the Chidroi danced wildly in his other hand.
"You've got what I want." Kabuto muttered with a sly smile. "Even if I can't get the scroll, you have the Sharingan." Kakashi, who had both eyes out and alert, just stared at the man with his red eye circling.
"Doesn't look like you're going to get what you want." He said with a gruff tone. Kabuto laughed out loud and stared into Kakashi's eyes. It was slightly off putting to see Kabuto with one pupil-less eye and more unsettling to know whom it had belonged to.
"I think this time you're wrong." Kabuto said. Kakashi wasted little time bringing his Chidori straight into his chest. Kabuto disappeared into a puff of smoke and Kakashi whipped around to dodge a blow behind him.
This time, Sasuke was there to send a giant fireball towards Kabuto which was easily avoidable. Kabuto smirked over in Sasuke's direction and jumped upwards to dodge the blade of his oncoming sword.
"Sasuke-kun… how is it being a pawn again? I feel as if you've gotten rusty." Kabuto said to which Sasuke responded with electricity as the sword turned into a large bolt of lightning. He jumped out of the way and back far enough that it gave them some space.
"I don't need to rely on Orochimaru to be relevant." Sasuke spat and let his sword slide back into the holder behind him. "I don't need him to be strong. You do."
Kabuto's smirk faded and he reached into his pack for another scalpel. It gleamed in the bright sunny sky above and the rumbles from the other battles behind them shook the ground. Kakashi was at Sasuke's side now as they stared him down.
"See all this trouble?" Kabuto said referencing the team's fight. Kakashi's eyes moved slightly to watch Gamabunta land hard creating an earthquake-like rumble and a plume of dust was heading their way. Hinata could feel her hair ruffle in the blast and she squinted her eyes to see with the Byakugan hiding behind a splintered tree trunk. Remember the plan… She could see Sasuke in the distance and then took a deep breath.
"This is trouble you've caused." Kakashi said as everything settled. The sound of a beast growling was too close for comfort as Kiba and Akamaru did their best to keep the second snake away from them.
"I just need a few things and then I'll be on my merry way." Kabuto said through a slight chuckle as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Sasuke was irritated enough that he was done with this conversation. He glanced over at Kakashi, who met his gaze, and there was a motionless nod shared.
Kabuto watched with amusement as Sasuke formed seals quickly and sending another fireball in his direction. Just as he was prepared to move, Kabuto heard Sasuke shout something. From the flames emerged a chakra-glowing Hyuuga Hinata with chakra lions surrounding her fists. Because of the chakra around her body, she was unharmed and instantly began to get into the routine of the Gentle Fist.
The gray-haired man narrowly ducked as the heat from the fireball began to ease, but now he had another problem. Hinata was very accurate and aiming for those vital spots within his body. With his Byakugan, Kabuto was able to move enough to avoid it. He smirked as she was so desperately trying to be as quick.
"Hinata-san… I've been meaning to tell you that I'm truly sorry for your loss." Kabuto's voice was dripping with sarcasm and humor as he moved swiftly. Hinata's eyes were narrowed, but she knew she wasn't in this battle alone. She just needed to distract him enough for the others.
She avoided Kabuto's gaze, refusing to look into her Father's eye. It would only cause her to lose concentration. Kabuto suddenly felt the vision in his Byakugan falter as a sharp pain shot through his head. It caused his quick reflexes to become sloppy giving her an opportunity to push forward. Hinata reached up with two fingers and his eyebrows furrowed almost in panic. She was barely able to make contact, but it was enough as those two fingers were close to his lungs. Although Kabuto pulled back enough for it to not be completely fatal, the damage had been done.
He fell to a knee as he coughed violently and blood splattered the ground below. This caught him off guard long enough for Kakashi to bite his thumb and slam his palm onto the ground. A crack splintered through the earth as Kabuto was coughing. The dirt below him crumbled as several dogs burst through to lock their jaws into Kabuto's flesh.
"Agh!" Kabuto was pinned in a kneeling position with blood trickling down his chin.
Hinata let the chakra at her fists disappear and her Byakugan retreated. A piercing headache ensued due to over-use and she tried her best not to let it show. There was a feeling of triumph, however, as it seemed Kabuto was finally under control.
Sasuke approached Kabuto who was now stuck in place and he extended his blade right at Kabuto's Byakugan. Through the pain and restriction, Kabuto managed to smirk. This only annoyed Sasuke, so he jerked his hand holding the sword upwards causing the pair of glasses to fly off. Kabuto watched in horror as they landed on the ground next to him as Sasuke had been dangerously close to slashing his face.
"There is nothing you can do." Sasuke said dryly. "Your plan did not work."
"He…" Kabuto tried to say. "Orochimaru-sama… can bring back… your family."
Sasuke rolled his Sharingan eyes. He had heard that story before, but he knew it wouldn't be the family he remembered. They wouldn't be the loving and caring people who raised him and most of what came from Kabuto's mouth was a lie anyhow. Sasuke let the tip of his blade rest just above the Byakugan causing the man to wince slightly.
"Hinata." Sasuke said suddenly. She was just a few feet away and was surprised he had called out to her. "An eye for eye?"
Hinata stared at the silver haired man unsure of how to react. For a moment, she simply stood there, but when Sasuke sent a glare her way, Hinata snapped out of it. She took a few steps forward until she was next to Sasuke and he lowered the sword. He reached into his pack and grabbed a kunai before offering it to her.
"Either way, he cannot have the Byakugan." Sasuke said hinting that even if she couldn't do it, he would. Hinata stared at the blade for a few seconds and she took it in her hand. She remembered when they were little and he was showing her all the different ninja tools so innocently. Back then a kunai was too big for her to hold but now it fit perfectly in her hand. It was somewhat ironic and even eerie that Hinata would be taking back what was stolen from her like this.
"He can bring him back too." Kabuto said through gritted teeth. She turned to look at the man that was kneeling on the ground with five to six vicious dogs holding him against his will. His lungs were filled with blood and soon he would die if he wasn't treated.
"Orochimaru-sama can bring your father back." He said again after a bloody cough. Her eyebrows furrowed and a sense of rage came over her.
"H-How dare you." Hinata said quietly. "How dare you!?" Men like him were a waste; they played with peoples' lives like they were toys. With the kunai tight in her hand, she angrily swiped it at his face. Instead of aiming for his eyes, there was a long cut across his face and blood trickled down his cheeks. He growled and strained against the dogs, who just clamped down even harder on him.
"I am not like you. I will not be like you." She said with a low whisper. Kabuto let his head roll forward almost in defeat and Hinata let the kunai fall from her hand. Sasuke was silent and he shared a glance with Kakashi.
"Don't worry." Kabuto's voice was quiet. "You'll meet the same fate as Hiashi."
Hinata slowly looked back down at the man and before she had time to realize what was happening, she felt someone push her back and she hit the ground. A snake had slithered its way through Kabuto's clothes and around the jaws of the dogs. It shot out at Kakashi who jumped backwards, but the snake wasn't after a vital spot. It latched on to the pack on Kakashi's leg ripping it open and the sacred scroll flew through the air.
Sasuke leaped forward towards the scroll and for a split second he thought he would make it in time. The snake slithered by with lightning fast speeds picking it up in his mouth. Hinata was up on her feet now taking in the scene. She happened to glance back to Kabuto to see the body turn into the same slime that was at the last battle when Konoha got infiltrated. The dogs looked around wildly and in search for the man that had escaped.
"Sasuke-kun!" Hinata said and he whipped around to see that Kabuto was gone. There was only one place he could be. With a kunai in hand, Sasuke threw it towards the escaping snake and it stabbed through its belly.
"Wait." Kakashi said to Sasuke. Within seconds, the snake had disappeared in a puff of smoke and there stood Kabuto with the scroll in hand. He reached down with a shaky hand and ripped the kunai from his stomach and immediately began applying healing chakra.
"… Its time." Several more snakes shot out from Kabuto's extended arm as a distraction. This gave him a chance to open the scroll and begin the tedious task of the twenty plus hand signs. Even as Hinata, Sasuke and Kakashi defeated the snakes, more and more came from Kabuto's pant legs.
"Sasuke!" Kakashi shouted as his Chidori slammed into a snake causing it to disappear. "We've got to stop him!"
Leaping backwards, Sasuke unsheathed his sword and began to sprint towards Kabuto. He dodged the next round of snakes and leapt up in the air with his blade drawn and ready. At the last second, Kabuto bit his thumb and there was a puff of smoke. Sasuke was shoved his blade forward hoping that he could make it time.
Sasuke felt it sink into flesh but until the puff of smoke cleared, he had no idea who he had stabbed. Something didn't feel right. With his Sharingan, he could see two people in front of him. Two different chakra flows and one was more familiar than he thought.
He could hear Kabuto laughing shrilly as he finally saw the outline of someone he knew. It certainly wasn't Orochimaru that was reincarnated. It was Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke's sword had pierced fatally through his stomach. Everything was going in slow motion as his heart beat was loud in his ears. The look he saw in his brother's Sharingan eyes was something he had never seen before.
Kabuto's plan all along wasn't to reincarnate Orochimaru. It was to bring back his brother for easy access to the Sharingan. Blood splattered from Itachi's mouth onto Sasuke's face and he was frozen in place. Move….! He was screaming at himself on the inside. MOVE YOUR LEGS!
"Congratulations, Sasuke." Kabuto said as he stood behind Itachi. He pulled back Itachi's head by his hair with the scalpel to his eye. "You finally got your revenge."