Chapter 4. A Reunion Not Worth Bragging about

Time was a cruel thing, its passing fluctuated from person to person, and the experience of it was always changing. The World spun on its axis, and in turn, followed its course around the sun. The clock ticked as time passed and Hibiki swears it must have been decades since Sasuke first arrived.

But Eternity, however long it may be, does pass, and now the Uchiha boy is 16. Molded over the past 2 years to be a weapon under the exclusive use of Lord Orochimaru. Who in turn only degraded further, becoming a shell of his former self and a living corpse ready to start decaying. He even left a stench now, the smell of the dead. One that Hibiki was all too familiar with, and only made his presence nearly unbearable for her. With this, she knew that the day he would fall would be coming soon.

Before this final showdown she'd seen between the snake Man and the Uchiha Boy, there was something clouding her vision. A new event, recently bubbled to the surface as a possibility, and it grew more likely each day. That annoyingly caused the Battle to be delayed, and even had the possibility to change the flow of the river entirely. Only one man made her feel like this. The Orange menace that haunted her.

Seeing around him was a challenge as well, but with enough determination and a slight fever, she was able to track the Pink Haired girl. She would move to their location, Accompanied by a Brown haired man with dead eyes and a weird twink with a shirt that exposed his stomach for some reason. With the orange menace of course right beside them.

It was uncertain when exactly they would arrive, but the timeline looked like 2 weeks. Meaning she had 2 weeks to try and plan around the bastard. What should she do? Where should she move the prisoners that resided at the Kusagakure hideout? Where would she move to, and did she need to move her hidden stashes that had a long-standing home here?

It wasn't easy But with the aid of Nobuzo she created a plan of action, One almost equal in scale to the raid on the old Southern hideout. That had been a stressful time, and now it was repeating itself. Hibiki felt she never had a moment's rest.

After the Plan was complete and already underway did she inform Orochimaru and Sasuke of this change in plans. Sasuke of course 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 welcome." He sneered.

Moving to the Takigakure hideout was not as bad as it could have been, Nobuzo took care of moving her personal items and she had relocated her other items to a secure location in the Kusagakure that would still be accessible to her even if the whole place blew up. And only when she received word that the last inmate was secure in his new location was Hibiki able to relax, 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. It was ridiculous to move any prisoners here when she knew it would soon be abandoned. So 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. When reporting to Orochimaru she informed him that 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.

It wasn't long before Sasuke too showed up at the hideout, calm and collected the same as always. Hibiki stood in front of the room he would choose to be his room, as he approached the corner of his mouth twitched in what may have been a hint of a smile.

"Hibiki." he greeted, opening the door and entering. He walked over and sat on the bed and waited as Hibiki entered after him and shut the door.

"I'm going to guess the orange one isn't dead yet?" Hibiki sighed.

"Naruto is still alive and in good shape."

"Well fuck I was hoping that maybe he would at least be out of commission for a while but I guess that was unrealistic." She sighed.

A slight snort came from Sasuke, and then A moment of silence passed between them.

"I'm going to assume that we aren't going to be staying here long." She guessed.

"That's correct."

"And I'm going to assume that I may take whatever actions I see fit."

"Sure."

"Then I will see you soon Sasuke," she said as she left the room.

With that out of the way, Hibiki went on to place her plan of action into fruition.

First, she contacted Gegawa and had him do the work on his end and after that she sent Nobuzo away, freeing him from his binding to her.

"Won't they come for me?" he worried.

"Don't worry, everything is going to change soon, no one will come for you."

Nobuzo was hesitant at first but decided to believe her.

"Then I'll be taking my leave, Miss Hibiki. We probably won't see each other again," he said.

"I hope not." she smiled.

Not long after sending Nobuzo away did the event she had been waiting for finally arrive. 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, ridding her body of 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, opening 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 were 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 room used by Gegawa, 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 able to really be outside? 9, 10 months? The move here was so hectic, she was brought here so quickly and without rest she didn't get a chance to appreciate the outdoors. 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, 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 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.

…

It had just become June; the lands were hot and dry. Occasionally a soft drizzle fell over the land for a short burst of time. It took the two a full day to reach the border to the Land of Fire. They had rested under a nice tree before moving on. At the border to the land of rivers they sat at a Yatai to eat ramen.

"So Sasuke, out of all the prisoners from the failed underwater army experiment, Why Suigetsu?" Hibiki asked as she slurped her noodles.

"Why do you ask?" he replied.

"I know that Suigetsu isn't exactly the type to follow orders plainly, He's the type to usurp a leader once certain goals are met or run away when things are going downhill." Hibiki continued.

"You've already looked into him it seems," Sasuke replied.

"I thought it might be a good idea," she said.

"You're right, he's not one to be completely trusted, However, his abilities, including his combative abilities, will prove to be useful I'm sure. Besides, you could warn me of his movements, and if any are a liability to our mission."

"Of course, I can, but will I?" Hibiki teased.

"Who knows?" Sasuke played along.

The two finished their meal and took off again, it would take two days to cross over to the Land of Rivers, then another day and a half to reach the new eastern hideout. Sasuke moved as fast as he could, Hibiki wasn't heavy, so it wasn't too much of a bother to him to carry her, but he was happy he would soon have someone else to watch after her. Their conversations only took place while they ate and centered around the mission, discussing money, and costs. Otherwise, she stayed quiet and still as he moved, an appreciated action. Sasuke was not one for carrying other people, however, he made an exception this time out of pure need. As they reached the entrance of the hideout, he stopped in a clearing and let Hibiki off.

"Wait here, I'll get him," he ordered.

"Alright." she agreed.

The day was sunny and warm. Hibiki lifted her face so the sun could more directly touch it. Orochimaru's Hideouts were usually cool. Not cold, but far from warm. Being underground all the time, Hibiki forgets how much she loved the sun.

Her mind drifted to her home, to the long hot summer days and boring cold winter ones. She remembered the feeling of her mother's face, the shape of her nose and eyes, how her jaw was lined and how her ears were small. She could feel her mother's short soft hair, and the warm calming hand she clung to. Her mother had shown her so many things. In winter, when Hibiki was stuck inside most of the time, she did chores for her mother. She washed the dishes, swept, and dusted. The scarce furniture they had was in a fixated place, never moved. The creeks and the room's temperature navigated her. And soon her mother began to teach her to sew. While she needs someone to pick the right color string, Hibiki learned how to sew ripped clothing. In winter Hibiki would sometimes leave the house and go to the village nearby.

Nearby footsteps brought Hibiki from her train of thought and back to reality. Sitting still she listened to the steps slowly approach her.

"Hibiki let's go," Sasuke called.

She walked forward with her hand outstretched, feeling around for obstacles. She was able to quickly find Sasuke's arm. Holding on as he led her out of the forest and onto the road. They slowly approached the sound of splashing.

"He's enjoying his freedom." Hibiki snorted.

…

At a small puddle left by early afternoon rain, Suigetsu swam, happy to be free of his tank. The hot sun felt nice after being in the hideout for so long. He stretched his underused muscles and lounged in the water. When he heard walking and a snort, he turned and saw Sasuke approach with a faintly familiar face. As they got closer, he could see the pale lifeless hair of the girl from three years ago.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Suigetsu shouted, shocked. His voice cracked a little as he said this, causing him to blush as she laughed.

"Put some clothes on." Sasuke sighed in slight frustration. He didn't exactly want to be walking around with a blind girl and naked guy. Suigetsu gets out and puts on some clothes Sasuke had left for him nearby. He approached the two and said with an accusatory voice. "I thought I was the first one you asked to join your team?"

Sasuke looks at Hibiki for a moment then turns to Suigetsu, "She's a tool." he replied in an even matter-of-fact voice. Sasuke took Hibiki's hand and placed it on Suigetsu's forearm. "I need you to keep an eye on her for now."

"You mean I have to be a babysitter?" he complained

"Just do it." Sasuke retorted with annoyance. Suigetsu sighed, he didn't want to lead around a blind girl, but he also didn't want to fight an already irritated Sasuke. And one choice was safer than the other. Suigetsu looked at the girl, Hibiki, and she hadn't changed much. Her hair was shorter, now reaching her rib cage, it was loose and hanging off her shoulders. She let her bangs cover her face, hiding her eyes from others.

As they followed Sasuke, Hibiki smiled and said, "It's been awhile. How are you?"

"Oh, just great, being poked and prodded on a daily basis is just the best. You should try it sometime." Suigetsu frowned.

"Sorry to tell you but I'm not into that kind of thing. Besides, I did give you an out, so don't be bitter with me." she warned.

"Fine I guess, better now," he relented. "What did Sasuke mean by 'tool'? What's your use?"

"I can see the future," she easily answers, surprising herself.

"No way. HA! Even if you could see the future you can't SEE anything." He chuckled but stopped when he was punched in the ribs.

"I can see, but only through my visions. I guess you could say it's a trade-off, I can't see what's in front of me, but I can see where I need to be," she argued.

"Yeah, fine, alright. But being called a tool must suck. At least I can be an equal member of the team…. Or well more equal than you are."

Hibiki sighed, she had a sad look on her face. "I was a tool for Orochimaru too. I'm used to it. Everyone wants the ability to know the future. I would rather choose who uses me than be abducted and forced. Besides I'm vulnerable being blind, many can abduct me easily. I was safe with Orochimaru and now I'm with Sasuke. He uses me for my foresight, and I use him as a shield of sorts. I know the day will come when I will be abandoned by him when I am no longer worth the trouble. But by then I will have found a new shield." she explained.

"Well, you're definitely vulnerable. How the hell you get around is a wonder to me." he agrees with a smile. Feeling his ease and light atmosphere Hibiki relaxed. She smiles, smacking his shoulder. A laugh bubbled up in Suigetsu and was out before he could stop it. It was his first real laugh in what felt like forever.

Suigetsu looked over and saw Sasuke walking a little way in front of them. Taking the opportunity, Suigetsu quickened his pace, to catch up with him, somewhat dragging Hibiki along.

As the two spoke Hibiki fell into thought, she just said a lot to Suigetsu, a lot more than what she was planning to reveal. She felt warry, for some reason he brought ease to her that made her uncharacteristically honest. It was a bit unsettling, she would have to be more careful from now on, her newfound freedom has left her a bit vulnerable. She couldn't make the mistake of letting her lips be loose again.

The trio continued to walk along the road and then followed a trail that leads to the grave site up on a hill overlooking the Naruto bridge. At the summit of the hill, the wind whips Hibiki's hair around. She let go as Suigetsu ran up to the gravesite. With a closer inspection, he growled at the missing blade.

"Sasuke Sorry, but without the blade here, me joining you will have to wait," he said sourly.

"What will you do then?" Sasuke asked.

"What else? I'm going to look for it." Suigetsu replied. "The blade of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was passed down from generation to generation. That was the system. I aspired to become one of them and trained for it. Since Zabuza Senpai is gone I'm the one who should possess that Executioner's Blade."