SNAP

Chapter 29

The only thing keeping him from slipping under—and Sasuke was very aware of it—was the curse mark. It abated the dizziness, the nausea, and even the weakness. All those things were there, but the chakra formed a kind of barrier which kept them at bay—pounding and pounding. The only thing that passed was the fire in his head, but he liked that. It created a rosy haze which obscured his vision. Easy to deal with.

Following the Shukaku was the easiest task they'd been allowed all day. Unfortunately it was heading toward the village. As a giant mass of traveling sand it easily squashed the forest fire, which made it possible to travel back to Konoha. Naruto followed slower than Sasuke would have liked, a little blurred and choked by the smoky fumes left behind. He did have to stop once, having to lean against a broken tree trunk as he wheezed into his collar. Sasuke scowled.

"Don't you do this," he snapped, grabbing Naruto by the jacket. He shook him upright. "We can't afford to stop even for a second, do you understand me?" Naruto gritted, batting Sasuke's hand away roughly.

"I can't help it!" He coughed a few times and spit. "I want to save Hinata too, but—"

"What about Hinata-sama?" Naruto winced and rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing wrong. Sasuke looked over his shoulder and tsked. Neji bounded in their path with Rock Lee at his side.

"I am glad you two are alright!" Lee saluted with a spark in his eye. "When I saw that thing I was certain—"

"What the hell is that?" Neji demanded, turning his head toward the Shukaku. It was a long distance away already, rocking the ground with every step it took. "Why is Hinata-sama not with you?" His jacket was smeared with soot, as well as his face and legs. He had obviously been doing some running around in the forest, braving the fires and animals in search of his cousin. When he did not find her he must have turned around, and they only just caught him making his way back to the tower. Lee looked no better.

"You have the Byakugan, don't you?" Sasuke asked critically. "Then you have to be able to see her." Naruto wiped soot from his chin and approached Sasuke.

"What do you mean?" he asked desperately. "You mean—Neji, is she alive?" At that question Neji's eyes darkened. Rather than argue, he thrust his eyes upon the Shukaku, who was still trampling the forest on its way to the village. "I can see chakra pathways inside of it. From what I can see there appears to be more than one, but at this distance . . . you're telling me Hinata-sama is part of that jumble of nodes?" He turned to Sasuke accusingly. "She is truly inside of that thing? How did this happen?" His voice was rising with every word. Sasuke heard the accusation in his tone and restrained himself from raising a fist.

"That's Gaara," Naruto said, pointing. Lee's eyes went wide.

"Gaa—you mean the Sand ninja from the tournament?" Neji's surprise wasn't nearly so obvious, but his fists tightened.

"So he can transform," he said with an edge. "I had thought there was something abnormal about him, but . . ." He looked at the Shukaku again. "Hinata-sama . . ."

"I don't have time for this," Sasuke gritted out, and left. The others followed at once. It was a task keeping up with him. That's why it was good having two others along, so when Naruto was just beginning to fall behind Lee was there to pull him along. The curse mark on Sasuke's neck was obviously his main source of energy, something Neji could have processed even without his Byakugan. It had nearly burned through the fabric of his collar, and radiated chakra as if it were a lump of hot coal sitting in a bed of tinder.

It bothered Neji enough to where he decided to draw back a bit to talk to Naruto. They weren't exactly out of earshot of Sasuke, but he was apparently too dead set to notice anything that wasn't happening in front of him. "Naruto, what happened at the tower?" he asked first, but Naruto recounted everything that had happened before it too. When he did things started to make sense, but at the same time not at all. Lee drew close as well so he could listen, and nodded every so often with his mouth and eyebrows set at fierce angles.

"And I . . ." Naruto narrowed his eyes at his palm as he went. "I can't use the Fox's chakra anymore." Neji and Lee seemed confused about this, so Naruto explained a little further. "Sometimes he just comes out, but not this time. Even when I try to call on him there's no answer, like there's a giant wall there. I don't really know how else to describe it." Then, absently, he touched his stomach where the seal mark was. Neji and Lee saw the distress in his face, heard it in his voice.

Neji focused on Sasuke again. "A cursed snake, a corrupted team, an assassination attempt . . . So far it seems like Sasuke's been the only one targeted. You and Hinata-sama just happened to be there. But then the snake allowed Sasuke to live. I'm worried about what we'll find at the village."

"I'm sure Guy-sensei is okay," Lee said. "But I would still like to find him."

"You can if you want," Neji replied, "but my main priority is Hinata-sama. I will do nothing else until she's safe—not even go to the estate's defense."

"No!" Lee saluted dramatically. "No matter what I will help you first! You have my word as a ninja and friend." Neji couldn't help grinning.

"Sure."

What they saw in the village is exactly like what they'd imagined at the first tournament. Raging fires, evacuations, battling jonins . . . The only difference were the giant snakes. The Shukaku had only just managed to trample upon the merchant's square. Everyone was already well aware of him at this point, and any jonin who was not already engaged in a fight—which was very few—tried to gain its attention. Some of the other Sand ninja jumped in to intercept when they saw this.

"Are they really protecting that thing?" Naruto asked in a fury. He turned to the others with a little more panic. "There's no way Sand can stand against Konoha, right?"

"With that thing rampaging on the loose it's hard to say," Neji remarked, glaring up at the Shukaku. "It's obvious why they brought Gaara to the village. The tournament was an ideal excuse."

Sasuke had been quiet for a while. Something about his posture drew all three pairs of eyes to him, and when they saw his trembling shoulders and tightening fists, they realized they should have been paying better attention. Even Neji. "There's something wrong with you, Uchiha," he said. "That chakra isn't normal. It's changing you."

"Yeah?" Sasuke let out a rough chuckle. "You can see that, huh? Well can you see that?" He motioned toward the Shukaku. "That thing will trample the village if something isn't done; and if something is done, what will happen to Hinata?

When the ground started to rumble they all looked across the market to find the source. It wasn't the Shukaku. A tower of white smoke appeared in a blast, causing ninjas to go flying across rooftops and shops to collapse. "What the heck?" Naruto cried.

"What the hell is that?" Sasuke growled.

Neji seemed to have to focus to believe what he was seeing. "I-It's a . . ."

"A frog?" Lee said.

Indeed it was a frog; one that would have towered over the Shukaku had it stood up on its legs. It was overwhelmingly massive, brown in color with streaks of black and yellow. The Shukaku laid eyes on it immediately and laughed. It was not Gaara's laugh. "Wait, who the hell is that?" Naruto asked, pointing to the frog's head. There was someone on top of it! The only thing more outrageous than his outfit was his hair, spiked every which way from Sunday and stark white. There was something aristocratic about his wardrobe, but his demeanor could only be described as silly. For all his cocky grins and dancing, he didn't seem too concerned about the monstrosity in front of him.

He introduced himself as the Sanin Jiriya.

"Jiriya?" Naruto echoed.

"One of the legendary Sanin," Neji said. He almost sounded awed. "One of the Hokage's former students."

"Amazing!" Lee cried.

"Are you for real?" Naruto was actually breathless. "Is he going to take down Gaara with that giant frog? What the—wait, Sasuke! Where are you going?"

There was a watch tower standing between the frog and the Shukaku, one of the only structures to be left standing in their wake. Sasuke landed on top of it, not facing the Shukaku, but Jiriya, who drew his brows together in puzzlement. "Well well, what have we here?" he said with a hint of curiosity. "Beat it kid, unless you wanna get yourself killed."

"Do I look like I'm playing around?" Sasuke replied.

Jiriya curled a finger to his chin and hummed. The frog leaned closer to the watch tower, allowing him to get a better look at the boy, and what he saw made his brow draw together. "You're part of Konoha, aren't you kid? Those markings don't look too good. Ran into a snake recently, huh? And that's some complexion you got there. Looks like you've been through a hell of a lot." He drew back. "Listen, you need to get outta here before you get yourself hurt. Go find your teacher and help the villagers evacuate if you don't want to get to safety—"

"Do I look like I care about this village?" Sasuke snapped. His right eye twitched and his head jerked. "What exactly has this village done for me? Who came to my family's rescue when they were being slaughtered? What form of grand training have I received since my brother let me live? What good is this useless place except to make her happy . . . no. Not even that. Not with her . . . father . . ." He chuckled again.

Strangely enough the Shukaku wasn't moving. The black diamond in its eye spun with wicked interest, and its pumpkin carved mouth was slightly agape—grinning. Jiriya looked at it. Then to Sasuke he said, "Look kid, if you don't want to move I'm afraid I'll have to make you."

"If you make a single move on this thing . . ." He cricked his neck, eyes pierced on Jiriya. "I'll kill you."

"Sasuke!" Kakashi flew in from over the frog's head and landed on the watch tower. His vest was slashed and his sleeves dirtied. In some parts there were splatters of blood on it, and even in his white hair. "There you guys are," he said. He brushed his sleeves lightly and folded his hands behind his back. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto cried, pointing furiously. "Took you long enough! Do you have any idea what we've been through? Hey, wait a minute." He glanced around wildly. "Where's Sakura-chan? Is she alright?"

"The academy is fine," Kakashi said. "Sakura's helping with the elementary school's evacuation." For Lee he said, "Guy is near the stadium fending off an invasion. I just came from there myself." Lee was appreciative of the news, and was relieved to know his sensei was all right.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto called. "Hinata's inside of that thing! Gaara dragged her into it and we can't get her out!" Kakashi had not been expecting that. His hands came from behind his back to hover at his sides.

"I see," he said. "So that's what's going on. Sasuke, come with me. We need to take care of those markings."

"No." He bared his teeth and braced his legs apart. "I need them." He was beyond sense now. His vision was nearly all shadow. People were nothing but shapes wrapped in beams of red and purple. His head was on fire. Every inch of his body was scorching, and the person in front of him—his sensei—did not look like a friend. All Sasuke could register was an obstacle; someone who was in his way. Words twisted through his ears, at first sounding like bubbles racing through water, and then . . .

Where did Kakashi go? Was it ever Kakashi? Cloaked in black, glaring over a collar that hid his mouth, Sasuke at first thought he might be looking at an older version of himself. But those eyes were very different; the eyes of a killer. They were the eyes of a proficient, and someone who had achieved power far beyond his own. That being said, they were still very familiar. "You . . ."

"Still crying, little brother?" said the phantom. "What have you been doing? I thought you were going to avenge the clan? Weren't you trying to kill me? I hope you don't expect to do it like this. You do remember what I told you, don't you? The power you have now is nothing. The power you need . . . You know how to get it."

Sasuke flew at him. "Shut up!" He threw an electrified fist and hit nothing but air. His foot slid, nearly causing him to fall off the watch tower. Before he knew what was happening both arms were behind his back and there was a knee in his spine. His cheek was mashed against the ground and he couldn't move. The chidori in his hand sizzled and sparked, biting at his fingertips. "Sasuke!" Itachi's voice was starting to change. "Snap out of it!"

Being pinned only heightened his anger. He opened his palm and let what bits of chakra he could detonate right in his hand. It numbed his whole arm, but gave him the leverage needed to kick himself free. When he was on his feet he attempted to rush the phantom. One step and his vision completely spun upside down. Every nerve in his head seemed to snap, and the only thing he was next aware of was plummeting.

Someone called out for him, and then there was a body crashing against his. When his back hit a surface and slid, shingles flew up around him. He tried to focus. The black void above him frightened him good for a seconds. There was a voice in his ear . . . Naruto? He blinked hard a few times. The whiskered face looming over him . . . yes, that was Naruto. Sasuke could process little, except for his friend's angry expression and the fist raised over him. It came down on his cheek, knocking his vision straight.

The Sharingan deactivated. "Wake up, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled. "You realize you just attacked your own sensei? I want to save Hinata too, but this isn't the way to do it!" Sasuke pushed Naruto off of him. With the Sharingan deactivated it seemed that every ailment that was knocking on his door suddenly burst through, all of them converging on his senses. Had he eaten anything earlier it would have come out onto the roof. Instead, he could only manage bile. Whatever happened after that he only remembered as a deep and terrible dream.

Hinata saw what was happening, but there was nothing she could do to help. This ninja or whatever he was . . . one with command over giant frogs, seemed determined to stop the Shukaku. That was good. She could see with her Byakugan that it had made its way to the village, and had already destroyed a good portion of it just by walking into it.

The fight between the frog and Shukaku was fierce. Hinata was surprised she didn't feel the impact of every blow made to and by the Shukaku. It must have been because the sand was absorbing it all, and didn't much affect the hollow bubble she had found herself in upon waking. So she went to find Gaara. He was easy to spot in the pitch blackness of the Shukaku, since he was the only source of chakra to be found in it. Once again, like a glowing star in an abyss. It was getting to him that proved a chore.

She had to wade and dig her way through layers upon layers of sand to get to his chamber, and almost ended up suffocating in the process. His air bubble was much smaller than hers. He was no longer the child he appeared as in the other world. That shocked her somewhat; convinced her that this really must be her world. The world where Sasuke was.

She could hear the grinding sands around them; smell the blood and water that had been soaked into it. Gaara's body was half hidden in a pillar of sand, jutting out as he had done earlier on the Shukaku's forehead.

He looked as if he were meditating, but upon closer inspection she could see he was asleep. "Gaara-san," she whispered hoarsely. "Gaara-san, please wake up. Gaara-san!" She dared to put her hands on his shoulders. When she shook him he gave no response. She tried raising her voice to him, pulled at his earlobe and tapped his cheek. Nothing worked. When she could think of nothing else, she took a step back and closed her eyes. "F . . . forgive me, Gaara-san!"

She slapped him. Hard. Sand particles even cracked from his face and went flying. Needless to say, it worked. When his eyes snapped wide open he did not look happy. "What the—"

"Eek! I'm sorry!"

The effect was similar to a bomb striking a shelter. Everything fell apart and tilted. Hinata's feet were drawn into the sand, followed swiftly by her knees and hips. Gaara was sucked in too, dragged down by the pillar that held him. For a few minutes that felt like an eternity she couldn't see, couldn't breathe, couldn't scream . . . Images flashed through her mind, quick and incomprehensible.

Finally when she could breathe again she opened her eyes, realizing in a burst of pure happiness that she was alive. The sand which had caved in on her chest only a few moments ago opened up to a flooding night sky. Clean air and moonlight overtook the oppressive darkness. The sand continued to dissolve until there was nothing left but a few clumps on her jacket. All around her lay the broken remains of Konoha's market.

Her Byakugan deactivated. It alleviated her headache instantly, leaving her in want for more fresh air. Gaara was next to her, laying so close his hand was almost touching hers. He was on his back staring up at the moon. "Konoha nin," he said wearily, "are interesting." Hinata rubbed her eyes, looking up into the sky too. "You said I am not alone."

"I . . . yes, I did say that." So that was a dream and wasn't a dream? Either way they both remembered it.

"I have a brother and sister," he reiterated tonelessly.

"You do." He closed his eyes.

"They're idiots."

Hinata smiled a little.

"And you . . ." He let his head drop towards Hinata. Blood ran from all corners of his face, some parts scraped raw by the sand. "You have the Uchiha."

"I have others too."

"But the Uchiha is the one you love."

Hinata blushed. It made the cool night air that much sharper.

"Why?" Gaara asked intensely. "I do not understand it."

"N . . . neither do I."

"And do you think you could ever love me?"

"Huh?" That startled her so bad she had to sit up. Her wide eyed confusion and speechlessness seemed enough of an answer for him. He looked away from her, closing his eyes as if to sleep. A crowd dropped in around them, interrupting Hinata from giving a proper answer. Naruto, Neji and Lee came to her side. Temari and Kankuro went to their unconscious brother.

"Hinata-sama," Neji said in a rush of wind, "are you alright? Were you injured?" He was quick to check for wounds, and didn't dare try to lift her to her feet until she said she was okay.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto cried, throwing his arms around her. "You're alive! I knew you were tough as nails!" Hinata felt her cheeks go a little pink. Just a little. Not really knowing what to do—she never did in these types of situations—she patted him on the back. "What happened?" he asked when they separated.

"The Shukaku has been defeated!" Lee cried in wonder. "I can't believe it! Did your cousin really do this, Neji?"

"Don't get too full of yourselves," Kankuro snorted. Temari was bending down examining Gaara.

"His jutsu must have been interrupted," she said. Kankuro shook his head.

"I'll be damned. Just how the hell . . . never mind. Come on, Temari. We need to Get Gaara back to Baki."

"Do you just expect to leave?" Neji demanded, looking vicious.

"Yeah," Kankuro said. "We are."

"With the Shukaku defeated," Temari said, "the plan has utterly failed."

"And so you'll be retreating back to your desert holes like the cowards you are?"

"Nii-san . . ." Hinata touched his shoulder. "Please." Neji pressed his lips in a hard line as he looked at her. After short consideration he said to the three siblings, "Get out of our village and don't come back."

"Hmph," Kankuro huffed.

"Look," Temari sighed, slinging Gaara's arm around her shoulders. "I know what we did and how you must feel about it, but thanks. However it seems . . ." She looked at Gaara's face with something like concern. "I'm glad things worked out this way."

Kankuro turned his back on them, taking hold of Gaara's other arm. "Yeah, later."

When they were gone Lee ran off in search of his sensei. Neji promised to follow after taking care of Hinata, but it already looked like the bulk of Sand was retreating from Konoha. Most of them caught sight of Temari and Kankuro carrying Gaara, which was probably a good a sign as any that it was time to head home. "That's what they get for placing all their hopes on a weirdo like that," Neji remarked in disgust.

"No, not a weirdo," Hinata said quietly, staring after them. "Just . . . a kid."

"Pah!" Naruto barked. "Sasuke never would have let them off the hook."

"Where is Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked Naruto. She clutched her hands to her abdomen. The first thing she had noticed when they dropped in was that he hadn't been with them. "Please, where is he?"

"Kakashi-sensei took him. He said he was going to take care of the curse mark and draw the poison from his system. It'll be alright, Hinata-chan. Kakashi-sensei may be a bit scatterbrained, but he always looks out for his students."

"Is that so?" Hinata smiled warmly, letting her hands fall to her sides. Her eyelids were already fluttering. "Thank goodness." And with that, she passed out in Neji's arms.