Eh. I updated. Very long chapter, at least for my standards. I took so long to update because I have trouble dealing with fight scenes...and this chapter is mostly fighting. But I finished! And the last two chapters will be put up quite soon, since Ive actually written half of it in my head already...

OH and I want to change the title. I chose 'A Girl Without Tears' simply because I couldnt think of anything better when I uploaded the first chapter >> and now Ive realized its pretty...dumb. Any suggestions?

A big thank you to Only Secret! YOU SEXY BEAST YOU. And also to those who left a review - you really made my day. Thank you.

Chapter 7

Kiba sprinted into the building, Akamaru growling by his side as he flung open door after door, searching for Hanabi. His heart thumped painfully inside him as he ran, trying to focus on his task at hand but –

But hope can be deadly. And Kiba was desperately hoping, allowing himself to dream of a possible future where he would know happiness again and life would be beautiful. Seeing Shino and Hinata had almost driven him to his knees because happiness can hurt, and right now he was so close to his happy ending that nothing could go wrong, all he had to do was find Hanabi-chan, right?

Then the smell of blood hit him and his head snapped back, mouth open, and he could practically taste it in the air, the heavy, metallic tang making him gag. The shrieking was growing louder, high pitched screams that stretched thin and cracked near the ends like broken glass.

Hope can be deadly, because it takes you to places so high it's impossible not to break when you fall.

Kiba turned the corner and stopped short.

Blood was running thickly down the walls. The hall was dark and at first Kiba could only make out a large shape that was twisting and throwing itself against the bloodied edifices, gleaming talons and gigantic wings beating furiously against the stone.

"...Hanabi-chan?"

A pair of glowing amber eyes appeared from the shadows as the beast paused to regard the Inuzuka, wings stilled for a moment. Cautiously, Kiba stepped forwards into the hall and Akamaru followed at his side, fur bristling menacingly. The beast drew back, deeper into the darkness, and he could hear the rustling of feathers and the screeching of talons clawing at stone.

"...Hanabi-chan...is that you?"

Suddenly it took flight, wings spread wide as it leaped into the air, into the light –

Kiba's eyes widened as Hanabi – was that Hanabi? - reared her head and screamed in anguish before turning in the air and lunging down towards him, talons outstretched, face contorted in indescribable fury. Kiba swore and dived to the side, barely managing to keep from being shredded apart. Akamaru leaped at her and howled when a feathered tail lashed out, whipping across his back.

"Hanabi-chan? Hanabi! IT'S ME! KIBA!" he shouted out, unable to tear his eyes away from the half-human, half-phoenix thrashing in front of him. Hanabi was slowly transforming completely into a phoenix, the swirling black marks that covered her skin pulsating painfully, golden feathers beginning to sprout along the back of her arms. Her feet were already curved into dangerously hooked talons and her wings nearly dwarfed her small body in a mass of crimson and gold feathers. She did not appear to recognize him, instead turning around and lunging once more for him, lips drawn back in a snarl.

Fuck it, how did she become like this -

"HANABI – stop! I don't want to – I can't –don't make me fight you – HANABI! STOP!"

But she ignored his pleas and Kiba could feel the updraft from her wings as she crashed down on him, eyes flashing dangerously -

----------------------------

"BYAKUGAN!"

Yumiko darted forwards and Hinata moved to meet her, their bodies clashing together painfully. Hinata struggled to form each stance, desperately trying to remember the moves she had been taught years ago. Yumiko drew back an arm and punched her in the stomach with a rock-hard fist and she doubled up, gasping for breath. Quickly she thrust her palm against Yumiko's thigh but her blow was unable to penetrate the shell Yumiko had formed around her body. Instead, she stumbled back as Yumiko lashed out with another fist – Yumiko was obviously was not a skilled fighter, but she was desperate as a woman determined to save the one she loved, and her bloodline served her well.

It seemed impossible to break through her natural defence. Hinata narrowed her eyes, focusing more chakra into the Byakugan and scanning Yumiko for any possible chinks in her armour while darting fluidly between Yumiko's blows. The rock-nin clawed at her face and Hinata managed to grab her wrist barely centimeters from her cheek, fingers splayed out in front of her. Pale eyes widened.

"Shino-kun!"

Shino ducked and spun away from the sharp jabs Keito was administering with brutal efficiency to his chest, searching for Hinata.

"Shino-kun - their joints are their weakness! Their armour is weaker there–" Hinata broke off with a soft cry as Yumiko kicked her from behind, sending her crumpling down to the ground. Shino paled and stepped towards her but was jerked back by Keito. He bit his lip, eyes narrowing into slits as he swung around, elbowing Keito to the side before directing all the beetles to the joints in his left hand. A second later Keito's fingers were blown off, shattered bone, rock and blood exploding from the palm. Keito screamed and clutched tightly at his injured hand, backing away momentarily and Shino turned back to help Hinata, only to find that she had already jerked off the ground in a swift kick upwards, sending Yumiko flying forwards onto her knees. She twisted around and pinned the rock-nin to the ground, chakra-enhanced palm placed threateningly at her legs, both women gasping for breath.

"Stay still, and I – I won't hurt you too much." Hinata panted softly.

Shino watched her, not knowing whether to be surprised or not. Somehow, she managed to be kind, even to the enemy, even after all she had gone through –

Hinata...is Hinata after all. She hasn't changed...

Yumiko hissed and struggled but Hinata held fast, allowing a little chakra to shoot out from her fingers into the crack in the armour at Yumiko's knees. She cried out and tried to jerk her other knee into Hinata's chest but it was too late – with a calm, serene expression, Hinata shattered the bone in her leg with a well placed chakra explosion from her fingers, rendering her unconscious.

...that much. Shino corrected himself wryly as she watched Hinata slowly stand up.

Hinata looked up towards Keito. "She's still alive." Her voice was quiet but firm. "If you want to save her, surrender –"

"You bitch." Keito spat out, and Shino immediately turned his gaze back onto the man, quietly reaching out to his beetles to prepare for another attack. "You can kill her if you want, I don't care about her, heh -"

Hinata stiffenedand Keito sneered,standing up shakily. He lifted a finger on his remaining hand and suddenly Shino was knocked forwards by a series of vicious blows to the head - he lifted both arms to block the stones that were levitating from the ground and flying towards him and Hinata, and Keito took that opportunity to thrust a shoulder into Shino's abdomen, shoving him forcefully into a courtyard wall. Shino blacked out for a few seconds as Keito stood up, but before he slid down to the ground Keito had pinned him to the wall with a rock-hard grip on his neck, slowly tightening his grasp around his throat until each breath was painful and Shino was choking, on the verge of losing consciousness once more –

"Thought your damn bugs could beat me, heh? You were always so quiet, lying there while your beloved comrade suffered- useless, pathetic!" Keito practically spat each word out between heavy breaths. "Filthy little vermin, thinking that you could actually defeat me, Iimura Keito, the legendary feudal warlord –"

Shino struggled to breathe. Joints. His joints are his weakness –

But he could not risk attacking with his beetles at such close proximity – he'd injure himself if he tried to blow off Keito's hand. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Hinata struggling to stand up, wincing in pain at the fresh bruises and cuts she'd received from the onslaught of rocks, and he gritted his teeth, enraged by the fact that Hinata had to be hurt again.

One hand slowly reached up and grabbed Keito by his hair, tugging his head backwards so his neck was exposed. Keito only smirked again in response. "You want to blow my hand off? Sure, if you want to blow your own head off as well – "

Too bad for Keito –

He'd never learned that it's always the quiet ones who are the deadliest.

In one swift movement Shino moved his hand downwards, fingers digging into the back of Keito's neck, searching for the multiple joints that made up his spinal cord. His other hand dug into the middle of Keito's back, feeling for the cracks between each ring of cartilage in the spine which translated into the vulnerable fragments in Keito's defence. The rock-nin had no time to cry out when a mass of black beetles dove in for the kill, burrowing into each point of weakness Shino guided them to with chakra-laced fingers.

Keito shattered.

He arched forwards as a series of small explosions erupted along his back and neck, methodically destroying his spine. His grip around Shino's neck slackened immediately and the bug-user dropped to the ground, exhausted and struggling to regain his breath as Keito began to disintegrate above him, jagged rock and shards of bone pelting down. He could feel fine cuts opening up all over his body but it hurt too much to move – his throat was raw and throbbing and his muscles ached at the brutal beating they had endured –

"Shino-kun!"

Hinata was by his side in a second, pulling him gently away and settling him against the wall.

A low sigh escaped his lips and he allowed himself to relax slightly, eyes closing briefly at her touch. Hinata smiled tiredly down at the man, calmly ignoring the fact that the bloodied, broken remains of Keito were scattered next to her. She settled down next to him, propping him up with a shoulder when he leaned lightly towards her warmth.

"Are you alright?" Try as he might he could not keep the weariness out of his voice. He quickly scanned over her body, reaching out a hand to stem the blood flowing from a gash in her thigh but Hinata kindly brushed him away, instead letting her own hand settle gently on top of his.

"Neh, Shino-kun - I'm not hurt too badly. You don't have to worry about me." She stroked her thumb over his knuckles as she leaned back next to him against the wall. "You should rest."

"...Aa."

They stayed still like that for a while, listening to the shrieking that still resounded through the empty courtyard. Hinata's brow furrowed – hopefully Kiba could calm Hanabi before it was too late and –

"Hinata."

"Yes, Shino-kun?"

Shino paused for a while before continuing. "What Keito said earlier...about me sitting by while you were hurt...all this time..."

"Don't worry about it, Shino-kun. I know that –"

"I tried, Hinata...I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault." She smiled at him reassuringly. "I understand."

Shino didn't say anything – couldn't say anything. Their fingers laced together for a fleeting moment before he picked himself off the ground, bending down to help her up.

"We should find Kiba and Hanabi."

Hinata nodded.

----------------------------------

Kiba leaped out of the way again as Hanabi bore down on him, dipping under her gigantic wings before rolling to the side, clutching at a gash on his shoulder.

What the HELL happened to her?

"Hanabi! Can't you recognize me?" He was shouting himself hoarse but she was completely oblivious to his pleas, choosing instead to close in on him with increasing precision, talons ripping closer and closer. Akamaru was yowling, multiple lacerations smearing a deep red across his coat, but Kiba could not bring himself to attack Hanabi.

I can't fight you, not like this –

He was dripping blood onto the ground and he knew it was only a matter of time before she managed to ensnare him and tear him to pieces. He had to think of a plan – but how? He had no experience with sealing procedures, and he sure as hell didn't know how to stop Hanabi before the transformation was complete. Even now the little traces that were left of Hanabi were disappearing, and a fully grown, wild phoenix was taking her place. Cursing, he hastily vaulted up just in time to escape a deadly slash from a claw, still refusing to attack and hurt her.

"HANABI!"

No –

He heard the thin, terrified cry moments before he saw Hinata and Shino at the open doorway to the hall. Shino was leaning against a distraught Hinata – both were in no position to defend themselves from Hanabi.

"RUN! Stay away from her! I can't deal with her AND protect you at the same time –"

But it was too late. Hanabi had spotted the pair and was now flying close to the ground, headed straight towards Hinata and Shino. Hinata seemed to be frozen in place; pale eyes wide as she watched what had become of her little sister tear through the air, a blur of gold and crimson.

Fuck.

In that instant, Kiba made his decision.

I'll be damned if I'm losing those two again. Ever. Even if it means -

"SOUTOUROU!"

Hanabi was flung to the side by the massive, double-headed wolf, screaming as their masses connected in a heavy blow that sent both crashing to the ground. The wolf immediately bounded onto his paws, both heads snarling at the feathered body lying on the ground. A moment of dreadful silence – a shudder ran through each wing as they stretched out, wide – and then she was soaring above them again, eyes flashing.

Oh god.

The transformation was complete.

Shino grabbed Hinata, retreating into the shadows and the silver wolf crouched down in front of them, four eyes never leaving the phoenix. The Feng-huan gave a wild, keening wail as her seven tails whipped through the air. Clawed paws pounded the stone, and the two beasts met halfway in the air, clashing together violently in a flurry of motion. Blood hit the walls and the wolf dropped down heavily, deep gashes appearing across its shoulders as the phoenix spiraled backwards, hitting the ceiling. Plaster and bits of wood came crashing down. Their fight was shaking the building to its very foundations.

"Kiba! Hanabi! Don't, oh please don't fight – "

The wolf turned one head to glance at Hinata while the other continued to follow the movements of the phoenix. A quiet, broken sob could be heard – and then they were at it again, ripping, tearing at each other, both sides sustaining heavy blood loss during each collision. Silver fur stained dark red, feathers were shredded off when the wolf clamped two powerful jaws on a wing, the phoenix responding by twisting around violently and clawing at his eyes –

I never thought it would ever come to this, Hanabi-chan.

The wolf tugged relentlessly downwards and the phoenix dropped to the ground, at once attacked by gleaming, jagged fangs. Screaming as blood spurted from countless bite marks, she lashed out with each tail, securing them around both necks until the wolf was forced to release her from his jaws and she flew jerkily upwards into relative safety.

Both sides were matched equally. The wolf was tiring, loss of blood weakening it step by bloodied step and the phoenix's movements were awkward as fatigue began to take over.

Kiba watched her warily, realizing that the only way to stop the phoenix from destroying them all would be to kill her –

The wolf froze momentarily, as if unsure of what to do. Then he shook himself furiously, ignoring the way he could feel each splinter in his heart as it began to break. He growled, a low, rumbling in his chest.

...So, I will kill you.

He needed to end this, before he collapsed from blood loss and she put Hinata or Shino in danger.

With a last, defiant howl, the wolf gathered the remnants of his strength and sprung high into the air, soaring above the phoenix, high, higher –

But I'm not letting you die alone.

The phoenix could not escape as he plummeted down on top of her, tails and wings entangling with his body as they crashed down into the ground, sending stone, debris and blood flying into the air around them, obscuring them from view.

"HANABI! KIBA-KUN!"

Hinata was shrieking, shrugging away from Shino's restraining arms to rush recklessly into the bloody haze. Shino followed her closely and for a while they were completely lost inside the choking miasma, searching frantically for Hanabi and Kiba.

When the dust finally cleared they found themselves standing at the edge of a large crater lined with smashed debris and bloodied feathers.

"Oh God. Shino-kun, are they –"

They lay in very center, the wolf sprawled across the inert form of the phoenix, battered body motionless.

Hinata made as if to run down to their bodies but Shino pulled her back immediately, eyes narrowing as he gazed intently at the transformation taking place. The wolf was shrinking, slowly morphing back into the broken forms of Kiba and Akamaru. Underneath them crushed wings and tails were slowly fading from view, feathers melting back into pale skin as Hanabi emerged, legs bent at an unnatural angle. An intricate, ink-black seal at her collarbone the only sign of the phoenix sealed inside her.

Hinata noticed with a dazed expression that Kiba had an arm slung over her shoulders, fingers resting on a grazed cheek.

-

Hope can be deadly, because it takes you to places so high it's impossible not to break when you fall.