Chapter 8. While in another place

So soft… Grass, a field? I sat up and opened my eyes, I was in a tall grass field, it stretched on and on. It was warm and the wind is blowing softly. Where am I? Is this a vision of the future? I stood and turned in a circle, spotting a small home in the distance, my home. I rushed to it, but it wasn't my home. Our home was far more decrypted. This house looked new, I took two steps up onto the porch, and I opened the door. Inside was a warm looking home, blurred pictures displayed. I felt calm. Where was I?

…

Hibiki awoke with a jolt. A hand rested on her shoulder, gently moving her. She was in the abyss again. Her sightless reality.

"Hibiki, wake up," Karin said, gently shaking Hibiki a little more. The fog of her dream cleared and Hibiki took a deep breath, slowly releasing it. She stood and stretched, sighing. Her neck hurt, stiff from the odd position she slept in.

"Come on Hibiki, We need to go." Karin smiled. Hibiki's hair was an absolute mess, sticking out in weird places. Karin giggled, and brushed Hibiki's hair with her fingers, taming it. Karin took Hibiki's hand and the two walked through the hall and out into the day. It was warm again today. At the edge of the beach stood Sasuke and Suigetsu, waiting for the girls to show.

Karin got Hibiki on her back and the small group started off back across the ocean.

Karin hung a little behind Sasuke and Suigetsu, the two boys walked in silence.

"How's your nose feeling?" Karin asked. Hibiki touched her nose with her hand.

"A little sore, but better. How does it look?" Hibiki smiled.

"Better than it did. But it will be bruised for a week at least." Karin answered

The group walked at an even pace, and after a few hours, they reached dry land again. On the road, Karin let Hibiki down, the two held hands again. As they walked little to no conversation happened. The only ones who spoke were Karin and Hibiki. Suigetsu listen in on their conversation.

"...But yeah it's been good lately, not too much going on. It's been nice, I've been able to experiment with scents. I made this really nasty one, it was so gross." Karin smiled. Hibiki laughed.

"Well, you could use it as a weapon!"

"I really could it was that bad!" Karin laughed.

Karin hadn't laughed or smiled so much since she last saw Hibiki. The girl's chakra is faint, but light, like air. Being with her made Karin feel lighter too. She didn't have anyone else she could feel so relaxed with.

"So what's new Hibiki? Anything exciting?" Karin asked.

Hibiki stayed silent, Karin's smile dropped and she turned her head to look at Hibiki. Her smile was gone, and all humor as well.

"Hibiki?" Karin asked. Hibiki stayed silent, her eyes far off, distant. What was she seeing? Karin stopped, leaning Hibiki against a tree on the side or the road.

Sasuke and Suigetsu stopped as well. Turing to see Karin feel Hibiki's forehead.

"What's wrong?" Suigetsu asked kneeling on Hibiki's other side. "Is she alright?"

"I'm not sure," Karin frowned. Sasuke slowly approached the three, and he too knelt down by Hibiki. He moved her bangs from her eyes, seeing that they took on a grey color. Sasuke didn't like this.

"Karin Get her on your back, we'll run for a while and stop at an inn At the border," Sasuke ordered. With Suigetsu's help, they put Hibiki back on Karin. They started running, Sasuke moving faster than Suigetsu or Karin could keep up with. Sasuke seemed worried.

How does he know what's going on? Suigetsu wondered. Suigetsu stuck close to Karin and Hibiki.

The group reached an inn as the sunset. Hibiki was still in her strange state. It had been at least 3 hours, was she ok?

Sasuke got them a room, and in the room helped Karin lay Hibiki in a futon. Sasuke's bland expression concerned Suigetsu even more.

Is Hibiki going to be left behind? He wondered. Karin went to get dinner while Sasuke excused himself. Suigetsu was alone with the unconscious girl. He gently felt her forehead again, she wasn't hot, no fever. Suigetsu gently pushed her bangs back with his hand. Showing her entire face.

Her eyes were open, but she wasn't awake. Her normally empty like brown eyes looked grey and like a dead man's eyes.

Suigetsu put his other hand on her chest, she was still breathing, slowly in and out. He felt her heartbeat. The rhythm steady, and unbeknownst to him, his heart began to match hers.

Karin opened the door and was NOT happy. She rushed Suigetsu before he noticed and kicked him across the room.

"Keep your nasty hands off Hibiki!" she yelled. "What kind of creep are you?" she demanded.

Suigetsu was confused at first but then his face burned from embarrassment. Turning red.

"No no no no no, it's not what you think Karin!" Suigetsu tried to defend himself. But Karin was not hearing it. She quickly threw him out, slamming the door behind him.

"Pervert!" she called through the door. Suigetsu leaned against the door and slowly slide down until he was sitting. His blush was still strong.

He knew what Karin must have thought she saw. Him touching the breast of an unresponsive Hibiki. He wasn't even thinking about where his hand was!

The feeling of her breast stung his hand. They were not big, smaller than Karins. But it was Hibiki's. Suigetsu quickly stood up and rushed out of the inn and into the nearest pond. Shoving his head in.

…

Once Karin had slammed the door and locked it she returned to Hibiki's side. She was the same still. Seemingly Lifeless. Karin ate her food, keeping an eye on Hibiki. As it grew later, Karin laid in her futon next to Hibiki and fell asleep.