Chapter 4. The Fall of Orochimaru
In what felt like an eternity, two years had passed. Now 16, Sasuke has become a competent killing machine, while Orochimaru was fast approaching his body's limits. He was going to take Sasuke's body for his own soon.
It started as a strange feeling, an uneasiness that wouldn't go away. Something was wrong but Hibiki despite her best efforts, couldn't see a thing. Her suspicions proved to be true when one day during her meanderings in the void world of the future, She spotted a pink-haired girl moving closer to the hideout. Accompanied by a Brown haired man with dead eyes and a weird twink with a shirt that exposed his stomach for some reason. Alongside them was also the orange boy of her nightmares. Upon opening her eyes she immediately informed Orochimaru and Sasuke of the coming group.
Sasuke didn't look surprised or concerned, and Orochimaru took on a mischievous smile.
"Well if we have guests coming, we should give them a warm welcoming." He sneered.
With that, Hibiki became even busier. She had to coordinate which facilities the subjects at Kusagakure needed to be moved to. After two days of rushed movement and relocating all of her belonging to the Takigakure hideout, she crashed and slept for two days.
The Takigakure hideout was smaller and newer than the other hideouts, the biggest difference was the lack of prisoners. The halls radiated a silence that both soothed and tormented Hibiki. The constant screams of Orochimaru's victims haunted Hibiki, but they also cleared her head of the incessant fears and guilts she had trapped inside.
Hibiki didn't know what happened between the orange boy and Sauke during their short reunion, and she didn't honestly care. Whatever the hell relationship they had was of no concern to her. Yes, it was because she didn't care and not because the orange bastard prevented her from knowing anything. She had told Orochimaru the meeting went as he expected, lying through her teeth. But she was used to lying by now, it was almost second nature to her.
A week or so later came the event she had been waiting for. Sitting in her room Hibiki laid back on her bed, anxiety making it hard to relax, hard to focus. A mix of excitement and fear for what was coming swirled chaotically inside. She took in deep breaths from her nose, and slowly exhaled through her mouth, riding her body through any doubts she may have. She tried to force herself to settle down to relax and sink into the bed. As she did her breathing, she slowly gained control and became less jumpy, but it wasn't nearly where she wanted to be. It would have to do, however. She took in another deep breath and closed her eyes.
She felt weightless as she separated from her physical form, entering the void. She walked along the river and found the current Sasuke. Her world was a little blurry, her anxiety making everything have a haze to it. She watched Sasuke as he and Orochimaru fought, and she saw Sasuke win. It was set in stone, no other possibilities showed themselves, it was time.
She fell back into her body and opened her eyes again and smiled slightly to herself. It was time. Slowly sitting up and shifting to the edge of the bed, she stood and walked to her dresser. She felt for the second drawer, opened it, and extracted some of its contents. Setting the clothing back on her bed, she began to change. Sliding her clothes off and carefully maneuvering into her new clothes. Her favorite long white dress she often wore would no longer work for her, not after today. She needed stronger clothes made of more durable cloth. She changed into what she knew was going to be easier to move in, easier to live in.
Once she zipped her hoodie up, she returned to her dresser, this time she moved the dresser. It scratched across the floor in a loud sour sound. She reached into the open space and removed the covering, taking the contents of the small hole she had carved into the wall. Inside was her pack that she had been preparing in secret since Sasuke's arrival three years prior. She strapped the pack on around her waist making sure it was secure before leaving her room. Closing the door behind her for the last time in what would probably be a long time.
Smiling ever so softly, her heart racing, she walked down the twisting halls, counting the tick marks on the wall as she moved. In a nearby room, 56 tick marks from her bedroom, she opened the door and found the desk that sat in the back corner of the room. She pulled open the top left desk drawer and extracted the paper from inside, thin bills of paper in thick stacks, hiding it in her pack. She closed the drawer and the door behind her as she left. She counted the tick marks back to her room, then she moved on to Sasuke's room. Once she reaches his door, she stops and knocks gently, like she always did.
"Enter." a voice called from within. The voice had slowly matured over the last two years, it was far more masculine than it was in his youth, and far colder as well. Fixing her smile, a bit to appear more friendly, she opened the door and stood before Sasuke waiting for his response.
Unknown to Hibiki, Sasuke smiled at the girl he's come to know. Her more feminine dresses traded for black capri pants, and a light green zip-up hoodie. She had a large travel pack resting on her hip. Hibiki was ready, and he knew why. She foresaw his intentions and planned to come along. Of course, she knew.
"I'll be outside, come find me when you are done." and with that, she left the door ajar after her. She slowly found her way to a back entrance of the hideout, and then she climbed a ladder up to a hatch. She twisted the wheel and popped it open, leading out into the real world. How long had it been since she was last outside? 9, 10 months? Orochimaru kept her safe but confined to the halls of the hideout. To her surprise and joy, it was drizzling outside, the icy cold water touched her skin in a refreshing welcome back to the real world.
Hibiki carefully navigated her way through the forest, tripping often but eventually finding a large rock nearby and taking a seat. She pulled some strong-binding cloth wrappings from her pack and began to work at her feet. She needed to be able to navigate the unknown and shoes made that harder for her. She needed to be able to tell the difference between the surface of the ground she walked on, to ensure she stayed on marked paths and going in the same direction. Her foot and ankle needed to be securely wrapped to keep from getting too hurt, but her toes and heel were free and open to the world. She worked carefully and slowly, ensuring a tight hold that didn't disrupt the flow of blood in her feet and ankle. Over the years she had practiced repeatedly, and now the practice paid off. After wrapping both feet she placed the remaining cloth back into her pack.
The cleansing drizzle had stopped, and she could feel the warmth of the sun begin to come out from behind the clouds and down through the trees. Birds chirped at one another above her, and all around her, the forest was alive with activity. The hideout felt like a deadland, nothing was alive, not even the living. Out here, however, everything hummed with life. As she waited for Sasuke she let herself sink into the tranquility of the environment.
As Sasuke started to exit he thought of Hibiki. She would be a useful tool but also a hindrance and extra weight. Hibiki had over the years become important to him, but he wasn't going to let anything get in the way of his revenge. The revenge he had been preparing for all these years. As much as he didn't want to abandon Hibiki, he would need to accept the fact he may have to at some point. Being blind, Hibiki would need someone to guide her, stay with her, and even carry her if they are running. But Hibiki knew this. There is little Hibiki doesn't know, she is full of valuable information that can be utilized.
Once outside Sasuke quickly locates Hibiki. Finding her not far off, sitting on a nearby boulder her eyes closed, and her posture relaxed. Sasuke slowly approached her,
"How far have you looked into," he asked. She opened her eyes and stared blankly in his direction.
"Only till now. Tell me what you want, and I'll tell you the location," she replied.
"Suigetsu," he commanded.
Sasuke watched her close her eyes and relax her body, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. A few minutes later she opened them again.
"Suigetsu was moved to the new eastern hideout it's near the border of Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire." she informed him.
Sasuke knelt in front of Hibiki, "Get on." he instructed. She stood from her rock and reached out blindly feeling for Sasuke and finding his back not far in front of her. She got on his back and Sasuke began running.
