Destinies Changed, Hearts Changed: Part II
A thin girl ran clumsily between large trees, tripping over the tree roots every now and then as she momentarily glanced behind once in a while. It was getting darker as the sun started to set and the sky became a dark pinkish, orange color, which darkened the forest and made it harder for her to spot her attacker. Stopping at a giant tree, she used it as support as she gasped for air.
"You can't keep stopping like that."
Hinata cast a glance over her shoulder as her white eyes widen and she jumped onto the tree's branches, now racing through the forest from above. Her eyes scanning the area around her as she stopped on a branch of another tree, distances away from the last area she paused at. She bent over, supporting herself with her hands on her knees as she in took large amounts of air.
//It stopped//
She looked around nervously
//That means…//
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something moving. Quickly she performed a set of seals with her hands. And jumped onto a higher branch.
"Byakugan!"
The sand slammed into the tree trunk where she had been standing in front, just seconds ago, ripping off some layers of bark, sending the pieces flying in all directions.
She flinched at the sight, //If-if that had been me. He wouldn't, would he?//
Shaking her head of the thoughts of a grotesque death of sand smashing her into the tree with pieces flying all around, she quickly jumped to another tree to avoid being pummeled by another attack from above. Her Byakugan, then sensed danger from behind and she leaped onto another tree.
//The attacks are getting faster and more unexpected//
She avoided a few more, the last one, barely grazing her but the wind of the attack threw her back, slamming her against a tree. She quickly channeled her chakra to her feet and grabbed onto the tree before she fell and jumped onto its branches.
Before she can recover and move, another attack of sand came straight at her, moving her hands, she activated a chakra shield, which dispersed the sand all over the place under contact. She was now surrounded by sand, which was lifting itself and molding into small needles. She knew what part this was and slid into her Gentle Fist stance.
//All right, all I need to do is hit each needle with my chakra and guard my vitals//
She eyed the needles all around her, waiting for the one that would start the command chain for all others. The first one to move was to her left as she leaped out and lashed at the needle, which under contact of her chakra displaced and fell lifelessly to the ground, almost instantly, all the other needles came at her.
//The attack strategy is different now//
After an hour of straight chakra use and an activated Byakugan, she fell to the ground along with all the sand, which had started to recede to one area. Panting heavily she gazed up to meet a boy about the same age. His red hair matched almost with the sunset, which had made his pale skin a bit orange-ish, making the black circles around his eyes and his blue eyes more prominent. Gaara walked towards her.
"That's enough."
He rarely spoke to her, and vice versa. Their whole communication system was set up in expressions. Over the past few weeks, she had learned from his eyes, whether he was sad, confused, or angry. It was mutual agreement not to pry into each other's business if the other had not brought it up in the first place.
She tried to stand, but fell back down with a gasp of surprise. He stood there and waited for her to regain her balance, doubtfully extending his hand to her.
//It's been at least one month// He observed as she pushed herself up, using his outstretched arm for support.
//She has been improving on her control, taijutsu, and speed// Unaware, she instantly grabbed his arm to avoid her fall.
//But she can barely stand afterwards recovering for her takes awhile// He took her other arm, steadying her as he slung her other arm over his shoulder, helping her stand and walk as they made their way to large tree which they had stopped by in the morning before her training exercise.
He set her down next to the tree as she leaned back onto it and closed her eyes. He then took a seat beside her and stared up at the darkening sky. It had taken them awhile to walk back here since she can barely move her legs. It was almost pitch black now, they had never bothered for a fire, and it might draw attention. He knew there had been ANBU squads out looking for her, as well as some of her friends and teammates. The Hyuuga Clan had been in disarray when they had found her missing, as much as his spying jutsu had told him. He smirked, but that was at least a week after she had left and approximately the time she had met him and he had taken the initiative to get her as far from them as possible, to not let them disturb her training. Of course, he didn't tell her about what he saw, but he knew she figured it out herself. He had actually taken some thoughts in that matter. That's how she changed him. She didn't want them dead; she just wanted them far away.
Turning to his right, he shifted his gaze onto the sleeping girl.
//So peaceful//
The moonlight cast an eerie light on her pale skin, accentuating its lack of color even more, making her glow along with the silvery reflections. Her dark blue hair, neglected by her loss of energy everyday, was sticking out in most directions. No longer straight, but a bit wavy. Her bangs were no longer short and straight, but now long and hanging over her face. He reached out carefully and brushed it aside, to get the full view of her face.
//Just like an angel// He smiled softly, dropping all disguises he had held in the day, //The angel and the demon// He laughed to himself. Life was ironic wasn't it?
He didn't know why, he just liked her company. It was calm. She made him calm. It had been weeks since he had a thirst for blood. True, his sand was a bit restless, but asserting a bit of his chakra to it made it secede.
She never insisted; she never demanded anything from him. He was the one who offered to help her train. Her thoughts and actions were always pure and simple. He touched her cheek gently, brushing away a bit of dirt; her eyes shut and lips slightly part as she breathed. And when she spoke it was melodious and soft, even when she was scared of him, and he knew when at certain points, she still held that politeness in her tone, not treating him any different just because he was different. For a moment there, he thought he might've been happy.
//Maybe-maybe, she can really help me find I'm looking for// He closed his eyes as he rested his hand on her cheek.
"G-Gaara?"
She watched as his eyes snapped open and he retracted his hand immediately from her face as if he was burned. He then lowered his head and gazed at his hands, which were on his lap now.
"Gomen nasai, Hinata." He hadn't meant to wake her up. He hadn't meant to touch her at all, but he had just had to, for some unknown reason. Just to make sure she was real, that the whole thing that was happening was real, and not some illusion.
//He looks like a small child that just got scolded, so helpless// She smiled inwardly, he was showing himself to her a lot more lately and she hoped that was a good thing. Stranded somewhere she had no idea was located, with a maniac killer with mood swings wouldn't be good, but he didn't seem like that anymore. He seemed more definite to her, like he had more control over his thoughts and actions. It was a very assuring thought for her, since he was her companion in this crucial journey. Her companion, she actually regarded him as that; someone she had barely known, to the person who now knows her the best. He knew her moods, and when she just needs to be alone.
"It's okay," She whispered back, hoping to make him feel better, "Did you need anything?"
He stared at her before shaking his head and standing up, "Iie," he stuck his hands back into his pockets, "I'll be right back; that's all." And disappeared into the darkness.
She knew he was lying, but in her exhausted state, all she could do was nod and close her eyes again, drifting back to sleep, which did not come so easy as the warmth of his hand was still in place on her cheek. It was strange, yet assuring to her at the same time. She didn't understand why he did that. She looked down at her own hands. They were clumsily bandaged. It was tough training for her and he did not cut her any slack like Kurenai-sensei had did. This was simply survival until dusk. But she was thankful for meeting him, at the time she did.
//If I hadn't run into him, I don't know how I would've gotten this training done// And she had to admit it would've been pretty useless just running away. She probably would've been dragged back to Konoha by now.
They had immediately traveled out of the Fire Country after he learned she ran away, to avoid squads that might be looking for her. Currently, she had no idea how far she was from home. Only thing she knew was that they weren't in the Fire Country or the Wind Country, he had avoided both.
She smiled to herself as she picked slightly at the bandages, enjoying the night and its quietness. She had always liked the moon, ever since she was younger; the night took away all her worries since people can't see well in the darkness, they could never see her weaknesses. She could just stare at it until she fell asleep.
He suddenly appeared before her. That wasn't a very long trip. She looked up at him, questioningly as he just stood there in front of her stoic as ever.
"Huh?" It was too dark to read his expression since he was still partly covered by shadows.
"They're here."
Two words. That's all she need to start her panic.
//No, no, not yet. I can't // She wasn't done yet //Why do they always ruin it for me?//
"A squad of three."
Shaking instantly as she blinked a few times, she then, opened her mouth, trying to form words at the same time regulate her breathing. But her panic had started her coughing. She moved her legs back as she leaned forward, her hands on the ground as she tried to hold in her coughs as the pain seared throughout her body and she started to choke.
The first time he was really helpless, he had no idea what to do with a girl that was going to suffocate soon. His eyes widen and he kneeled down next to her, gently patting her back, but at the same time covering her mouth to smother out her chokes and coughs, clearly showing he really had no idea what he was doing. He was trying to help her but at the same time cover up her coughs so they wouldn't be found. She had coughed up blood, which now stained his hand, a silvery red color in the moonlight.
She grabbed onto his shirt clumsily and shook her head, "Don't. Don't. They can't. No." She wasn't looking at him anymore, but into the darkness with a glazed look in her eyes, seemingly deaf to everything, and her breathing heavy, like the first time they had met. For the past few weeks, she hadn't had an attack like that before.
Her grip on his shirt momentarily tightened but then loosened as her head dropped onto his shoulder and her breathing slowly turned back to normal. He could sense them. They were coming closer.
//Shit// He looked over at her backpack, containing of all her stuff //Taking that would only slow me down// He already had his gourd to carry, and taking her pack would be more weight.
//I can't let them // He had no idea why, but that was the only thing she had ever asked from him through the past six weeks they've been training together. He wasn't going to let her down. He still needed his answers and she was the closest one to them.
He turned around and swiftly jumped into the protection of the darkness, blending into the shadows with her wrapped protectively in his arms.
//They can't have her. No// His eyes narrowed as his grasp on the unconscious girl tightened //I won't let them//
~End Part II~
