The Forest of Death
Hinata rubbed healing ointment on Naruto's scratches, wrapping a gargantuan leaf around it as a bandage. Thankfully he was healing quickly. Her eyes trailed to Sasuke, his wounds barely scabbing over; no sign of improvement. The mark Orochimaru gave him refused to fade, an ugly blemish branding the skin between his neck and shoulder. He and Naruto laid unconscious beside of her, their bodies marred with dry blood and slashes that made her heart quiver. Guilt was like a boulder on her chest as she sat between her two friends, her hands clasped together in pointless hope.
If her Byakugan avoided Orochimaru's path, they wouldn't be in this mess. No team and no scrolls. It was her fault and Hinata chastised herself for it. She was the tracker. A simple job: lead the way and avoid groups that had the same scroll as them. The tasks delegated to Sasuke and Naruto were also simple: they had the job of fighting off an ambush. With only three days to finish the mission, if the forest teeming with colossal beasts and creepy-crawlies wasn't enough, there were teams of genins out their for blood and killing wasn't against the rules.
They had a simple plan that was working perfectly, until Orochimaru ambushed them. Naruto and Sasuke paid the price for her error. She there was no point dwelling on the fact, pushing away the accusing thoughts.
The mossy cave was only a temporary haven. Hinata was well aware other teams would soon find them and it was her responsibility to protect Sasuke and Naruto. Her Byakugan still activated, Hinata shot up, her eyes darting to the entrance of the cave. She saw the Sound ninjas hiding behind the trees a few feet away. They had been crouched there for a while, spying on them unaware that she was watching them too with the Byakugan. There were three: a large masked man, the shorter one, and the girl. Waiting like predators watching their preys. Sounds ninjas tasked with a job from Orochimaru.
"You can do this," she whispered, giving herself motivation that Naruto normally did.
It didn't feel the same without his exuberance. Hinata closed her eyes, steadying her nerves. She had to for the sake of her team. Her mind drifted back to how Naruto saved her and Sasuke from Orochimaru's Killer Intent. How even after he was eaten, he ripped out of the snake and fought to save them. Courage amplified within her as she took her first steps outside the cave.
"The all-seeing, all-white eye," Dosu said, his fright thinly concealed, "we'll have to be careful around her."
"Look at h-her eyes," Ino stammered, "I've never seen Hinata look so scary!"
Team 10 hid behind the bushes, peering through the gaps in the leaves. They didn't exactly decide to waste time watching another battle secretly, but when Choji discovered Hinata alone with a seemingly dead Sasuke and sleeping Naruto, they just had to investigate what had happened. Ino gasped as Hinata rushed at Kin, his strikes vicious and sharp. The female Sound ninja bounced up, throwing a needle at Hinata, which she deflected with her Protective Eight Trigrams. Shikamaru watched in astonishment as Hinata dodged an punch from Zaku.
"She's a Hyuga alright," Shikamaru muttered, "I wouldn't wanna fight them."
Choji flinched as Zaku landed a hit on Hinata, flinging her body into the air.
"Do you think she can handle them?" Choji asked, "should we help her, Ino?"
"Why are you asking me?!"
Sweat dripped down her forehead as she watched Hinata weakly stand up. She remembered the quiet girl who always sat at the back of the class. Hinata Hyuga was the only girl Ino had no qualms with. Hinata kept to herself, come to think of it, Ino couldn't remember if she had ever talked to her even though they were in he same class.
"Let's not be too hasty," Shikamaru said, an analytical look in his eyes observing the Sound ninjas. "There's no guarantee we can beat them. We might be digging our own graves if we jump in the fight."
As Zaku and Kin prepared another attack, another figure entered the battle, swiftly deflecting the cluster of needles combined with Zaku's airwaves. Long hair and colourless eyes that matched Hinata. They fought side-by side, their attacks almost identical, but Neji's sheer power and tactics impressed Dosu far more than expected. In fact, Dosu took a step back from the fight, observing the new Hyuga's style.
"Thank y-you, Cousin Neji!" Hinata cried, wiping the trail of blood that dripped from her nose.
"This doesn't change anything, Neji stated, the same stony look on his face. Hinata's smile shrunk instantly.
Ino's jaw fell open and she choked the shocked gasp that almost shot out. She turned to Shikamaru, his voice a low hiss. "Hinata and that super strong guy are related?"
"If you weren't too busy gawking at Sasuke's body the whole time, you'd have known they have the same eyes."
Choji pulled out a crisp packet from his pocket. "Yeah Ino, even I knew that."
"Choji, are you seriously eating at a time like this It's not a freaking show!"
"But I'm hungry," he grumbled.
"Eat quietly, Choji. We can't risk getting caught," Shikamaru scolded.
A sudden explosion rocked the ground. Ino fell over Choji, who squashed Shikamaru. Sasuke woke up in an aura of violet flames, a sinister aura emitting from him. The battle seemingly paused at his entrance, afraid of the unexpected appearance. Hinata, though she thought she'd feel happy, was in fact just as afraid as the enemy. What happened to Sasuke? He approached her, and though he had the same eyes, the black marks on his skin were a sign he wasn't back to his old self. He stalked his way to the battle field, halting as he reached Hinata.
"Who did this to you?" Sasuke asked, his hand cupping her face. His thumb brushed over the ugly purple bruise near her eye.
Ino balled her fists so tight that her knuckles were white mountains. Sasuke and Hinata? When the hell did that happen?! It was already annoying that she competed against Sakura for the Uchiha's affection, but now she had another rival? Choji shuffled away from Ino, gulping at the waves of rage emanating from her. Shikamaru sighed. He'd never understand the female romantic obsession with the boy. He was more bothered by the strange black marks sketched across Sasuke's skin, and by the looks of the astonishment on the Sound ninja's faces, so were they.
Hinata winced at Sasuke's unexpected touch. His cold fingers didn't feel quite right on her face. In response, she flicked her eyes to the Sound Ninjas. Sasuke followed her gaze and he nodded in understanding, his hand slipping of the edge of her face. She gasped in horror as black marks streaked over Sasuke's entire body, wrapping around his like a snake.
"I can handle this alone, Sasuke. Go back to sleep," Neji said, expertly hiding the uneasiness he felt at the odd markings on the younger boy.
Sasuke walked past him without a word, but this wasn't his nonchalant attitude. An ominous aura emitted from him as he stalked towards Zaku.
The audacity the bastard had for hurting his team-mate while she was alone; to hurt Hinata while he was there. The image of her bruised skin was branded in his mind, and the measured control he possessed was no-existent. Rage fused with red-hot satisfaction at his desperate begging.
This wasn't the Sasuke she knew. He wasn't quickly finishing off his opponents, he was taking delight in torturing them. He was cruel. Like Orochimaru. Hinata was sure that whatever brought this change was because of the mark on near his neck. Was Orochimaru controlling him?
"Sasuke, stop!" Hinata yelled, panic in her voice.
It was plea Sasuke had no intention of taking heed of. The desire for revenge was the only thing that mattered, avenging Hinata's pain. A smirk found its way on his expression and Sasuke snapped the ninja's right arm off, bright red blood spurting from the wound. A ear-piercing scream slicing the air was proof of victory.
"Spare him and we'll give you the heaven scroll!" Dosu declared.
Sasuke hesitated and Hinata took advantage of the split-second opening, hauling his arm off the crippled genin. Zaku laid on the floor, his body soaked in the pool of his own blood, mourning the loss of his limb. Sasuke's vicious glare simmered to an irritated look as she pulled him away, her hands locked around his upper arm. Though he hated that she stopped him, he enjoyed the proximity of her face to his as she looked at him worriedly with pale eyes that contrasted with his obsidian orbs.
Although he wanted to tear Zaku's other arm off too, as he didn't know which limb he used to hurt Hinata, and shove a kunai up the Dosu's ass (a murderous inclination that surprised himself), the small shake of Hinata's head gave him a semblance of rationality. This was an opportunity that can't be foolishly ignored. The black marks etched on his skin receded to his surprise.
"Why d-did you do this?" Hinata asked, wishing her voice didn't sound so shaky.
"Orochimaru ordered us to kill Sasuke," Dosu replied, "we weren't told anything else."
"Leave the scroll there and piss off, assholes." Sasuke's glare was unabated, watching the Zaku hobble away, leaning on Kin while Dosu walked ahead with a rage barely controlled. He didn't know what Orochimaru's deal was with him, but right now he was too pissed off to care.
As the cacophony of the fight quietened, Naruto roused awake. He rubbed his eyes, glancing around the empty cavern. What the heck happened? Last thing he remembered was fighting Orochimaru. Naruto stumbled out of the cave, grinning as he saw Hinata and Sasuke stood outside. His grin quickly vanished as Hinata faced him, although her smile grew bigger as she saw him awake.
"Hinata, you're hurt!" Naruto cried, studying her with shock. His face so close hers that they were almost nose-nose. Hinata's blush concealed by the bruises on her cheeks.
Naruto gritted his teeth in anger. Something inside him raged at the sight of her, something that was difficult to restrain. Why was she hurt? Why wasn't he there to help her? Guilt extinguished the ferocious emotion that stirred inside him.
"Do you still have that healing ointment?"
"I used most of it on you and Sasuke. D-don't worry, I'll be okay."
"What happened?"
"The Sound ninjas attacked," Hinata replied, "and Cousin Neji helped fight them off."
"Thanks," Sasuke said to Neji, a courtesy empty of genuine gratitude.
"Don't flatter yourself. I couldn't care less if you were dead. I didn't want to be deprived the chance to defeat the Hyuga's biggest disgrace," Neji stated, his words icicles that tore straight into Hinata's chest.
"Hey, I get we're all competing against each other, but there's no need to be a jerk to Hinata!" Naruto retorted.
Hinata cowered behind Naruto, Neji's stare drilling into her head. How was she supposed to fight him when she could hardly look at him? Dread drowned her hopes as she realised her father was right all along.
Sasuke smirked, though his eyes were colder than Neji's disparagement. "Not if I beat you first."
"That's rather confident coming from a clan that was wiped out by a single person. Maybe the Sharingan isn't as superior as you think, Sasuke Uchiha."
Neji stressed on his clan name, a scornful grin plastered on his face. Something inside Sasuke splintered into a thousand pieces. His body lunged at the Hyuga, but Hinata grabbed the fabric of his shirt, pulling him back before he could take a step.
"It seems like your team doesn't do well without you. A pathetic excuse of a Hyuga and a loudmouth with a small brain," Neji continued, staring at Hinata and Naruto.
"I'm gonna make you regret saying that!" Naruto growled, infuriated more by Neji's taunting smirk, his eyes accepting the challenge.
"Next time we meet, I assure you it won't end well... for any of you." And with that, Neji disappeared into the thick, leafy canopies.
"We have an earth scroll now," Sasuke said, deliberately turning his back to Naruto and Hinata. Seeing Naruto with Hinata stirred a different kind of anger that still prickled the cursed mark.
The sounds of footsteps grew closer to Sasuke and then stopped. Naruto stood next to Sasuke, inspecting his appearance. The Uchiha made no effort to look at the blond. There was something odd about Sasuke, Naruto noticed. His stiff posture, his bloodied hands, and there was something in his eyes Naruto couldn't figure out. Instead of making a comment about his assumption that he knew Sasuke would brush off, Naruto glanced at the trees in the distance with a deep sigh.
"Back to square one," he mumbled.
"Looks like they didn't need our help after all," Shikamaru concluded, although there was no hint of relief in his composure.
"Good thing we didn't waste any chakra... now we can use it when someone comes after our butts," Choji muttered.
"Let's go," Ino simply said..
"Not jealous, are you?" Shikamaru teased.
Ino's death-glare was the only answer he needed. "I said let's go." She held a fist up threateningly, daring Shikamaru to make fun of her again.
"I see a group taking a break by the stream," Hinata announced, her Byakugan flaring, "it looks like they have the heaven scroll!"
The three leaped from the gargantuan branches of the forest. Hinata lead the way while Sasuke and Naruto were slightly behind. They reached the part of the forest where the trees were thinning. For the first time since the trial started, the refreshing sight of blue of the sky was seen, leaving behind the leafy ceiling. Amber rays of the evening sun beamed on them as they continued their run. The cool breeze was a welcoming feel after the suffocating scent of vegetation.
"How far, Hinata?" Naruto asked.
"Less than a kilometer. At this pace, we'll be there in 15 minutes!"
"Perfect," Sasuke replied, "we can plan an ambush."
Hinata suddenly let out a yelp, a sharp pain shooting down her leg. She collapsed in the branch, clutching her ankle.
Naruto stopped and knelt beside her as Sasuke stopped, glancing down at her. "Ocular jutsu takes a lot of chakra," he said, recalling the side-effects of his own Sharingan, "we should take a rest so you can get better."
"He's right," Naruto agreed, concern flashing in his cyan eyes. "You've done enough, let me and Sasuke handle this now."
Hinata shook her head vehemently. "No, it's nearly nightfall. If we take a break then that means we only have one more day left to get the scroll," she countered, her body shaking as she heaved herself back up. "We can't afford to lose more time and I'm the best tracker out of the three of us."
Sasuke's lips pressed together in a frown. "If you don't have the strength to fight then you'll be a liability."
Hinata's short locks brushed across her cheeks as she shook her head again. "I've been training with my Byakugan since I could walk, it doesn't take much chakra," she said confidently, "honestly, running takes more energy than the Byakugan."
"If that's the case," Naruto crouched in front of her," then I'll carry you."
"W-what?"
"Out of me and Sasuke, I'm the one who got my full strength back- no offense."
"Hn... none taken," Sasuke said in his usual nonchalance. Inwardly however, he was envious of how well Naruto recovered compared to him. What was his secret?
"I'll carry you on my back so you can use your Byakugan and tell me which direction to go!" Naruto cried, proud of his clever idea, "we won't be wasting any time and you'll be getting a good rest too!"
Hinata gave a small nod, red streaks colouring her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around Naruto. She bit back a squeal of surprise as he hoisted her on her back, his hands below her upper leg. She felt her vision dip in and out of darkness, leaning her entire weight on Naruto's back.
'This isn't the time to faint!' she scolded herself.
"Comfortable?" Naruto asked, looking at her sideways.
"Y-yes," she said quietly, grateful he couldn't see how bright her face burned red. "T-thank y-you."
As much as Sasuke despised it, Naruto was right. He was still lethargic from the curse mark's power no matter how hard he pretended to act unaffected. His breathing was heavier and his legs were protesting under his weight, pleading for a long sleep. Sasuke didn't dare use his Sharingan. He could feel his energy seeping though him, dispersing into the cool air of the forest. Sasuke absentmindedly rubbed the curse mark, flinching at the throbbing pain.
"Heh, try to keep up with us," Naruto joked as they continued jumping branch to branch.
The Uchiha shot a glare behind the blond's head at the jest, too mentally exhausted to formulate a snarky comeback.
Jealousy spun like a tornado inside Sasuke even though he agreed this was the best course of action to take if they were to complete the mission on time. As they continued their journey to the stream, Sasuke miserably failed to ignore the closeness of his team-mates. Hinata's blush was long gone as she held tightly to Naruto. Aside from shouting updates, the two were engrossed in their own conversations. He didn't like being the odd one out, especially if Hinata was there.
Sasuke pondered about Hinata, no longer surprised when his thoughts drifted to the Hyuga. Why did he liked it when she held his arm? A simple touch that other girls had done many times before her. Why did he listen to her wordless request to stop? Why was he prepared to sacrifice himself when Orochimaru attacked them? Was it perhaps because Hinata understood his silence, the unspoken words that were stuck in his mind?
Onyx eyes darkened as he reined in the ugly, green-eyed monster. He could not allow the inexplicable feelings he had for Hinata to jeopardise the mission. What exactly was it he felt for her? Love? Sasuke didn't believe in love. He loved Itachi and he ended up damning him to a life of living hell. Love was what the girls in his class claimed they felt for him. That so-called love was nothing but a deranged obsession over superficial things. Sasuke didn't bother to acknowledge the insipid declarations. The way they batted their eyes at him was repulsive, stupid attempts to flirt with him. The female attention would naturally swing towards good looks because that's how shallow those girls were.
Hinata's quiet demeanor was comfortable, and her gentle voice had the power to hush the demons that haunted him. There was a tranquility Sasuke felt whenever she was around him; a calmness that reminded him of his mother's caring personality. An image of Mikoto Uchiha flashed in his mind; her kind smile, and dark bluish hair he inherited from her.
Sasuke clenched his jaw tightly, refusing the tears entry to his waterline of his eyes. There was no point feeling sad when he promised to avenge her death.
A loud scream rippled in the air. Hinata's arms gripped tighter around Naruto's shoulders, wordlessly stopping him in his tracks. Her Byakugan scanned the environment below.
"What the hell was that sound!" Naruto asked, his voice scruffy with worry.
"Does it really matter? We need to get a move on," Sasuke said.
"Geez Saasuke, aren't you even a little bit curious?"
"No," he replied automatically, "Hinata?"
"There's girl over there, she's being attacked!"
"By who?" Naruto exclaimed.
"A bear."
Sasuke closed his eyes and scoffed. "A freaking bear? You gotta be kidding me."
"I think we should help her... she's all alone."
Sasuke immediately shook his head. "And by we you mean me, right?"
"Please? Naruto and I can't do much, and I feel really bad if we left her."
Sasuke's mind was firmly set on an irrevocable refusal, but Hinata's pleading eyes made him rethink his decision. Damn it.
"Fine, I'll make it quick."
A hollow-cheeked genin raced through the leaves, her lungs begging for air. A scream tore from her throat as she tried to outrun the beast. Karin Uzumaki realised it was futile to shout her team's names. They had never liked her in the first place, not a outcast like her. Tears flowed like rivers from her bright eyes, blurring her vision. The bear roared louder, it's claws sharper than any weapon she possessed in her tiny pocket.
She squeezed her eyes shut, gripping the earth scroll tighter. She desperately sought out a chakra signature of anyone nearby. Her heart leaped with hope as she sensed three signatures close by. The heavy thuds of the bear grew louder and louder until a sharp twinge of pain slashed her shoulder. Karin screamed again, her distress echoing off the trees. She collapsed, her legs too weak to continue the arduous escape. Her glasses fell off, landing on a patch of grass out of her reach as the earth scroll rolled away.
The blood trailing down her arm was as red as her hair. With a sniffle, Karin stared at her furry assailant, his monstrous paw raised above her, thick saliva dripping on her, the viscous texture splashing against her sweaty skin.
Karin bowed her head, accepting her fate with one final sob. This was her end. Alone, unwanted and unloved. She waited for the strike, the agony of death, the darkness to cloud her sight. But nothing came, except the wailing whine of the bear, sounds of its footsteps receding. She scrambled onto to her knees, picking up her glasses. She dared to take a peek and saw a shuriken embedded in the grass near her feet.
Karin looked at her savior, awe replacing her initial gratitude. She stood up and ran towards him, wrapping her arms around him.
Sasuke didn't know how to react at first, unsettled by the sudden action from the foreign girl. He felt her sob on his shoulder, growing more uncomfortable as Naruto and Hinata watched with surprise. He extricated his body away, but her grip around him was bizarrely strong for someone so thin and beaten up. With an exasperated sigh, he yanked her arms off him, insulted by her affection. However, Sasuke's glare was short-lived once he saw the crazed glaze in her eyes, red like the Sharingan, but as vibrant as the sun that was setting on the horizon.
"Sorry!" she blurted shyly.
Of course he'd be annoyed! Karin internally castigated herself for her thoughtless action. The bear's saliva on her reeked of a horrid odour, along with the sweat, blood and dirt. It wasn't her fault she was filthy, she didn't have a chance to wash herself since the trial began. Her team-mates always made her the look-out any time they rested, and though Karin loathed the unfairness of it all, she knew it was part and parcel of being an Uzumaki. No one cared about her plight.
But this boy from the Hidden Leaf did. He stepped in, saved her. Protected her from harm's way. A blush the same colour as her hair grew on her cheeks.
"Thanks for saving me!"
Sasuke shrugged, somewhat unsettled by the overzealous look in her eyes. "...You should thank Hinata."
"Hinata?"
Sasuke spotted a blue scroll from the corner of his eye, a look of displeasure crossing his face. So she had an earth scroll too? It would have made their task much easier if this pathetic kunoichi had the heaven scroll they needed.
A question pulled Karin attention away from the dark-haired boy.
"Hey, are you okay?" Naruto asked.
The identical symbols on their forehead protectors told her they were a team from the Hidden Leaf. A team that had survived so far. Karin noticed he carried an injured girl on his back. That must be Hinata. It was nice to know that there were some who cared about their team-mate, Karin thought ruefully.
Now that the threat of imminent death passed, Karin examined the team with a calm mind. It was a habit. Growing up knowing you were an outsider made her apprehensive.
The blond had a bright chakra, brightest one she had ever sensed. It was like a millions rays of sunshine, blinding and warm. But there was something strange about his chakra. His chakra was uneven... and felt agitating. A discordance as it crackled, as if something was ruining the harmony of the chakra.
And her handsome saviour was the most mysterious. Dark violet flames muddled with black flecks, the two distinct auras battling each other for dominance.
The girl's aura was almost the complete opposite: lavender-colored innocuous wisps. Gentle yet powerful, and unlike the others, her aura was controlled, swirling in a precise fashion that amazed Karin.
She gave a slow nod, adjusting her glasses to observe Hinata's weary appearance.
"Your hurt, aren't you?"
"A little."
"I can help you with your injuries, if you want."
"Really?"
"Bite me," Karin offered, sticking out her arm.
"What!" Hinata cried, mortified by the suggestion.
Sasuke blinked, wondering if her heard correctly.
"I guess it's the best way I can say thank you."
Hinata's bumps and bruises paled in comparison to Karin's colorful contusions. There were dozens of bite marks across the entire length of her arm, some clearly recent.
"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, equally disgusted. He was couldn't look at her battered and bloody arm longer than a second.
"I don't like it," she admitted, self-conscious of the permanent scars, "but it's the least I can do to help you after you saved me."
Hinata shook her head. "I-It's okay, I know I look hurt, but I feel much better!"
"Really? I guess I don't have to carry you anymore!" Naruto exclaimed, relieved that Hinata's strength finally returned. He hated seeing her hurt.
Hinata didn't like the idea of separating, but she also didn't want Karin to feel bad about her declining. To prove her point, she reluctantly released her hold around Naruto's shoulders as he eased her off. Hinata straightened her posture, giving a half-hearted smile.
"You're from the Village Hidden in the Grass," Sasuke said curiously, "where's your team?"
"I was supposed to protect this scroll while they find a heaven scroll," she replied, picking up the earth scroll she dropped earlier.
"What's your name?" Naruto piped in.
"I'm Karin," she said, deliberately not mentioning her clan name.
"That moody guy is Sasuke," he introduced, missing the way Sasuke's eye twitched in vexation, "you know she's Hinata, and I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"
The reveal of Naruto's clan rang loudly in her ears, blocking the momentary excitement that exploded inside her at Sasuke's name.
"U-Uzumaki?"
Karin spluttered out a odd sound, her ruby eyes wide in disbelief. The boy looked nothing like an Uzumaki. No red hair (everyone knew that was the sign of an Uzumaki!); he also had a slight tan compared to her, and calm blue eyes were completely unheard of in the clan from the stories her mother used to tell her. Was he being serious? On top of that, no Uzumaki proudly shouted their name to a complete stranger. But deep down, Karin felt a semblance of joy at the idea of family.
"You better remember it 'cause I'm gonna be hokage one day!"
"We getting late," Sasuke cut in impatiently, his eyes fixated on the darkening sky.
"He's right," Hinata agreed, glancing at Karin apologetically. "I hope meet again."
"See ya' later, Karin!" Naruto waved, "Stay safe, okay?"
"Wait! I'm Karin..." he voice trailed as the trio disappeared in the infinite trees. "...Uzumaki," she finished quietly to the silence.
Karin smiled. She wasn't alone.
A body of an unfortunate genin who met a cruel fate lay in the centre of the clearing. Team 8 explored the area. The stench of blood overwhelmed Kiba's sense of smell. Akamaru shivered, but it wasn't as bad as before. Shino pushed his shades up, examining the the sand scattered sporadically over the clearing. Sakura tripped over what she thought was a branch. She had never been more wrong.
It was an arm.
Kiba clamped his hand over her mouth just as a scream rushed out of her lungs.
"There were two..." she whispered, horrified, "there were two ninjas, not one!"
A decapitated head lay on the other side of the clearing, crushed legs on the opposite side. The corpse had been eviscerated, intestines leaking out of the crushed body, the bones of the skeleton sticking out of the skin. Blood was splatted on the grass, trees, even the leaves on the canopies was stained red. This wasn't a kill; it was an execution.
"They were from the Village Hidden in the Grass," Shino deduced, dusting his hand over the forehead protector of the dead body. He analysed the substance on his fingertips.
"What do you think happened, Shino?"
"The sand ..." he muttered, rubbing his fingers and watching the brown dust fall. "I'm certain it was the shinobi from Hidden Sand... I had a bad feeling about them. The bugs have been restless around them even since the Chunin Exams began."
"Same with Akamaru. He can sense chakra and that Gaara scares him. I've never seen him act like that before."
"Gaara?" Sakura repeated in fear, remembering her first encounter with the the creepy red-head. The huge gourd he carried must have been full of sand.
A weak wheeze caught their attention. They all looked at the genin they assumed was long gone. Shino crouched down to the genin, checking his pulse.
"Who did this to you?" he asked.
"...A m-monster," the boy heaved, uttering an ominous warning with his last breath, "he'll k...ill us all."
His hand went limp and Shino couldn't detect his pulse anymore. His eyes were still open, frozen in unspeakable horror.
"Shit, this ain't good," Kiba said, shaking his head as the danger of the situation dawned on him.
A swift thump on the head had Kiba crashing to the ground. Akamaru, used to Sakura's antics, jumped off Kiba's head just in time.
"What the hell, Sakura!"
"I told you we should have gone straight to the tower, but no, you wanted to take the long way, now for all we know we might end up dead too!"
"Unlikely," Shino interrupted, "my bugs tell me they moved on, half a mile away in the west direction. It seems they're heading to the tower as well. They were probably taking a detour too."
"I don't like this trial at all," Sakura muttered, "let's go before we run into more trouble."
"What's our plan?" Naruto asked.
"We make them think they're ambushing us. They're exhausted and they'll be overconfident. A perfect combination for failure," Sasuke said.
"So we'll walk right by them and make them think we don't know they're there?"
"Exactly. You and I will take them on." Sasuke He took another look from their vantage point, the shrubbery hiding them as he peered over the cliff edge. The camp that belonged to the ninjas of the Hidden Rain was beside the stream, but they left to find food. That was when he and Naruto would purposely make themselves seen.
"Hinata, your job is to secure the scroll. If they have the scroll with them, Naruto and I will take it from them and throw it to you. Don't worry about the others attacking you, Naruto and I will make sure they don't have a chance to even look at you."
"It's gonna be a piece of cake since the bell test with Kakashi-sensei was pretty much the same thing!" Naruto cried.
"I don't think they'll carry the scroll with them. It's too big of a risk," Hinata said, her eyebrows knitted in worry.
Sasuke considered her point, a deep look in his eyes as he thought hard. "If you can't see they have the scroll with them, then you head to their camp and find it there. They don't know that we know where they rested. With the Byakugan, I know you can do the job quickly. You'll be taking a defensive stance- don't join in with the fight until you have that scroll safe in your bag. Got it?"
Hinata nodded confidently.
"Would you look at that," Shigure drawled, "the punks from the Leaf Village have an earth scroll."
"Must be our lucky day," Baiu agreed, eating the last berry he picked. It wasn't much of a breakfast, but it'll do.
"After the shit we had yesterday, I think our fate's about to change." Midare gripped the stick of the umbrella on his back, readying himself. "Why are there only two?"
"Who cares? They have an earth scroll and no way can those two shrimps take on the three of us," the leader, Shigure said. He was the tallest one out of the three. He watched Naruto and Sasuke with his one good eye, the other one permanently closed due to a scar that stretched across his face.
"He's right. They'll never find out where were hid our scroll. It's a safe bet, we're going after them!" Baiu smirked.
Sasuke and Naruto spun back-to-back, preparing themselves for the inevitable attack. A shower of kunais attached with paper bombs streaked through the silence with a sharp buzz, indicating the arrival of new players. Hinata peered behind a large rock, her x-ray vision examing the enemies's pockets. Her presumption was correct: the Rain ninjas didn't have the heaven scroll. She withdrew, tracing her steps back to the riverside.
Her eyes examined the area. The rocks? Nothing hiding there. The river? Hinata cried with delight. The scroll was trapped in a bubble, hidden deep in the water. It would have been invisible to the naked eye, but her Byakugan could see through the camouflage. Hinata took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. She jumped into the cold water, tensing at the freezing temperature.
Sasuke and Naruto were relying on her. She could not let them down! Ignoring the sting of freezing water, Hinata swam further down, her hands only a few feet away from the heaven scroll.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan, not because he was worried. Not in the least. His sensei, Kakashi Hatake, was known as the notorious copy-ninja because of his Sharingan eye's ability to copy jutsus in a matter of seconds. Sasuke was a pure-blooded Uchiha with a Sharingan in both eyes and he was fully determined to copy techniques and use it to his advantage. What better opportunity than this battle? And with two ninjas deciding to take him on, Sasuke took pleasure in the chance to steal special jutsus from the Hidden Rain.
Naruto was usually irritated when others paid more attention to Sasuke, but instead he felt a surprising sense of pride for his team-mate. He focussed his attention to the ninja charging at him, the short stubby one.
His opponent threw the first punch, an attack Naruto easily dodged and countered with a powerful blow to the ribs. It was soon clear that he couldn't beat him in hand-to-hand combat. Baiu jumped away, his fingers entwined as he prepared for a long-range attack.
Naruto's deftness with a kunai knife was evident when his aim pierced the foe's palm as he was making hand-signs. He surprised himself at the power behind the shot, blinking in confusion at his own hands. He expected the knife to distract the enemy, not shoot straight through the his hand. Naruto cringed slightly as the gruesome gash as the Rain genin held it up, looking at Naruto in horror through the hole. A now disabled Baiu screamed at his injury, retreating from Naruto.
"Water Style: Rain Bullets!" Shigure said, swiftly performing the hands-signs.
Sasuke's red orbs watched the intricate hand-signs whilst dodging the umbrella thrown in his direction by Midare. He threw a barrage of shurikens, deflecting the attack. A pain surged from the curse mark, causing him to lose his footing. Sasuke toppled over, falling onto the ground, his hand automatically clutching the mark.
"Aren't you an Uchiha?" Midare taunted, "Hey Shigure, let's finish this kid off once and for all."
Sasuke gritted his teeth. The agony of the curse mark throbbed more than ever. Why the hell did it have to be such an inconvenience right now?!
He and Shigure tossed their umbrellas into the air. "Senbon Shower!"
"Sasuke!" Naruto cried. His hands formed a quick sign, summoning three shadow clones. But his clones were too slow to protect Sasuke, and the attack was firing from all sides!
"Protective Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palm!" Hinata yelled, leaping in front of Sasuke. She created a barrier, deflecting the metal needles with fine chakra shooting from her palms. Naruto cheered at her incredible timing.
"So your the third one," Shigure sneered, "little girl, you'll regret joining the fight."
Naruto and three shadow clones fought Midare. The Rain ninja struggled to keep up, being tactician off the group, he didn't expect the fight to take a turn like this. The blond's stamina was plain ridiculous. Hinata took on Shigure alone. He grunted in displeasure, taken aback by her ferocity in her jabs. Though he wasn't scared, not one bit. Her attacks were flimsy, and though her felt Hinata's prods, she not didn't land a direct hit on his body. He blocked her jabs with his umbrella, pushing her away.
"Is that the best-" Shigure paused, feeling a numbness in his arms spreading to the rest of his body. His knees gave in, falling to the ground, his hold on the umbrella loosening. "What the hell?"
"It's my family's jutsu: the Gentle Fist. I can block your tenketsu by touching it."
Shigure's eyes widened, his fear palpable. He looked around: Baiu was no where to be seen and Midare was taking a beating from the blond and his clones. It was painfully obvious they wouldn't win this battle with the genins from the Hidden Leaf.
"We don't have the scroll!" Shigure announced, his ego bruised at the surrender, "please let us go."
Naruto stopped mid-way of a punch, his shadow clones puffing out of existence. Hinata exchanged glances with Sasuke and Naruto, unsure whether to let him go. Sasuke hauled himself to his feet, giving her a curt nod. Midare stumbled away from Naruto, running to Shigure's side.
"If we see you again, we won't hesitate to kill you," Sasuke declared brusquely.
After Shigaru and Midare leaped into sanctuary of the nearby trees and were out of view, Hinata pulled out the two scrolls from her pocket, beaming with pride.
"We've done it!" Naruto cried in glee, swinging an arm around Sasuke's shoulder as he jumped up and down enthusiastically.
Sasuke relented, bringing his arm around Naruto, the edge of his mouth twitching upwards at Naruto's elation. Hinata grinned, joining in with the festivity as she threw an arm around both of them.
"This team hug isn't gonna be a thing, is it?" Sasuke quipped in spite of the wide smile on his face.
A/N: This chapter was unexpectedly long. I was originally 2K+ but then I had some other ideas. I don't enjoy long chapters myself, but hope you did! Although it's a long way away, I think you will really enjoy the chapter about the three year time-skip I've been writing. The answer the question of whether Hinata will be trained by Tsunade or not will be revealed in that chapter!
I hope you enjoyed this (ridiculously lengthy) chapter. I'd love to know your thoughts or constructive criticism. Please leave a review! You have no idea how much motivation it gives me!