Chapter 21: A Mistake

Konoha was a week's run from their location near Kumogakure. They could make it there faster, but the fight with Eight Tails had caused a lot of damage to everyone. Even Sasuke had to admit (non-verbally) he was sore, and his eyes needed more rest. The group needed to be in their best condition to take on Konoha. Thus, they decided to take the trip in increasing increments. Karin's back was still sore from when she was hit by the amaterasu, she wouldn't be able to carry much extra weight. Juugo was also in his childlike state, the size of a 12 year old at the oldest. Leaving Hibiki to Suigetsu.

As they prepared to leave Karin watched him talk with Hibiki. She knew he was definitely in love with Hibiki, much to her own disgust. While he isn't as affectionate when everyone else was around, his personality shifted when he was alone with Hibiki, Karin had listened in (accidently of coarse) on a few occasions. She noticed how he wasn't bitching about 'babysitting' Hibiki like he usually did. Of course, He still had a general attitude that matched his chakras stink.

It was early, the sun just on the verge of raising when the group stood outside the uncompleted hideout.

"We will stop at the border." Sasuke ordered as he took off. Karin and Juugo on his tail, with Suigetsu carrying Hibiki in the back of the formation. Hibiki fell asleep in his arms as they ran. She was still sickly even though her hearing had returned. Wanting her to get as much rest as possible, he kept her as still as he could while they moved.

They had reached the border as the sun set and stopped at the closest small inn. Karin laid out the futon for Hibiki once they got to the room, and Suigetsu placed her in it. Soon after Sasuke and Juugo went to the baths, with Karin making a stupid excuse to follow after them. Suigetsu watched Hibiki sleep, she was tense and uneasy.

Sighing he stood and opened a door leading out into a community area, an open aired garden in the center of the inn, sitting on the porch and relaxing. It was nearing the end of summer, fall just beginning to claim its first leaves. When was the last time he saw fall? He couldn't remember.

...

Hibiki didn't know how long she was asleep for, but she still felt like sleeping more. She woke up in a soft futon, she slowly sat up and listened around for the others. The room she was in however was silent. Hibiki stood and stretched, carefully maneuvering her way around. As she felt the cool breeze coming from behind her, she headed in that direction.

"Suigetsu?" Hibiki called behind him. He smiled at seeing her awake,

"Here." he called back. She walked forward and sat next to him. He took her hand in his, their fingers tangling. They both sighed a long-tired sigh. Hibiki gently squeezed Suigetsu's hand to get his attention.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing it just, everything is settling down now. Just It feels like the calm before the storm." she told him.

"Ug your right, can't I just stay here?" he groaned. "I don't really care about Konoha… but then again I don't want to miss anything…" he argued with himself.

"You didn't get enough action fighting the eight tails?" she teased.

"Are you kidding? He was a tough guy; I want a more evenly matched fight. Taken on leaf ninja will be three times easier to deal with. Plus, they're going to be less annoying, Man I don't want to hear a rap ever again, the mans ruined it."

"That bad huh?" she smiled at him.

"You're lucky you missed it," he joked.

They sat together for a few minutes feeling the wind cool as the sun disappeared, stripping the earth of warmth. Hibiki's head was still hot, a shadow of a fever lurking.

Suigetsu's water cool skin was soothing, she wanted to use his hand as a compress. Taking a deep breathe Hibiki turned her body so she was facing him.

"Suigetsu?"

"Yeah?" he answered.

"I, I've been thinking," she blushed to Suigetsu's amusement. "and I've decided to help you find the seven swords."

Suigetsu watched her for a moment, appreciating the real blush and soft smile she had. A show of true emotion. He couldn't help but smile like a fool. Thank god no one was nearby.

"So, your saying yes." he asked.

"Yes," she confirmed

"Good, now you don't have to worry about finding your next shield," he smiled.

"Well, you wouldn't be a shield right, more like a partner?" she blushed harder.

"That's even better," Suigetsu laughed, gripping her hand tighter.

"So where would we live, or I mean have the base?" Hibiki corrected herself.

"Off the top of my head, we could live in your old house, after fixing it a little." he tried to casually suggest.

"Why there?" she asked.

"Well your familiar with the town so you can walk around without getting lost, and its secluded…" he lists,

"I'd like that." she smiles.

"Me too." he sighed, shifting to face her.

Suigetsu lifted his other hand and cradled her face in it, she leaned her head into his palm. Suigetsu softly rubbed his thumb over her cheek, slowly back and forth. They leaned in slowly, the tip of their noses almost touching.

But the door opened as Sasuke, and Juugo entered the room, Karin following shortly after, a bump on her head and in a bad mood. Obviously, her attempt at getting to sneak peak of Sasuke had failed. Suigetsu and Hibiki simultaneously separated, Hibiki looking forward and Suigetsu returning to the room, Growling in frustration,

If this happens one more time, I'm killing them. He viciously thought

...

For the next leg of the journey they had to travel for two days. At first moving as fast as they could without straining themselves. Going through two more borders and into the Land of Fire. When the moon rose into the sky they stopped and made camp for a few hours before continuing on into the second day. To help keep the trip from becoming too straining, Sasuke let the group walk for a bit.

Hibiki and Karin spoke as they walked, and as noon set in Juugo pulled Hibiki away from Karin and moved her beside him falling behind the group so they could speak in private. Suigetsu looked back to see the two walking together, He frowned and turned forward.

"Hibiki your close with Sasuke right?" Juugo asked.

"Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"I'm beginning to worry. His sanity seems to be slipping." Juugo whispered. Hibiki frowned and nodded.

"Your right, he is in a pretty bad place. But as far as I can tell he isn't a harm to himself, so thats enough for now. If you want me to stop him I can't. No one can, we have to just go along with the ride right now. And help him when we can."

Juugo sighed in exhaustion. With his worrying was verified, he considered Sasuke's possible actions. After a few moments he looked up at Hibiki again.

"And what about you?"

"What about me?" she retorted.

"Are you ok? You lost your hearing before, and you haven't been sleeping well." he told her.

"How can you tell?" she asked

"You got purple bags under your eyes. You look like a walking corpse to be honest." he said.

"That bad huh," she frowned. Suigetsu must be worried if I look that bad, she thought absently.

"So, should we be watching you more closely, make sure you don't pass out?" he sarcastically asks.

"Maybe, I am straining myself. I'm not resting enough to compensate for the overuse of my precognition."

"What happens when you push too hard?" he wondered

"Well my precognition blurs, I won't be able to tell what's going on, and worse case I could slip into a coma and die." she explained

"Hibiki…." Juugo started.

"It's alight. I'm doing my best to keep some balance." she promised.

"Does Suigetsu know how bad you are?" he accused.

"He has suspicions I'm sure. But I'm scared to tell him, I don't want him to get in the way if I need to use my vision." she admitted.

"Tell Suigetsu, it will be worse if you don't." Juugo instructed her.

"You look like a kid but talk like an adult" Hibiki laughed, Juugo smiled and joined her.

"I'm going to walk with Suigetsu before he gets too jealous." Hibiki said as she parted with Juugo, calling out for Suigetsu.

"That's probably a good idea." he said to himself.

That night at the inn, Hibiki and Suigetsu sat on the deck together. Hibiki pulled her knees to her chest and began to tell Suigetsu about her talk with Juugo at noon. Hibiki listened to Suigetsu groan in exhaustion.

"Hibiki you are killing yourself; you need to stop. Just don't use it until you're sure it's safe." he told her.

"I wish I could but, Suigetsu so much is changing so fast recently. I have to make sure you are all safe." she shyly stated.

"We can handle ourselves." He reassured.

"I know you guys are strong but, I have to know, what if something like the fire happens again?" She worried.

"Hibiki…." Suigetsu started saying but paused. Hibiki looked like a zombie, she had dark purple circles under her eyes, and her face strained with worry and anxiety. Suigetsu wanted her to stop, but he knew she probably couldn't, not now, not while this anxious. The fight with eight tails screwed with everyone. Karin was hesitant around fire, Juugo was having a hard time being so small, and Sasuke, well Sasuke was by far the worst. He's always had this air to him, maybe it was Suigetsu's imagination, but the killer in him recognized Sasuke as a danger. Every day it seemed like he slipped a little deeper. Hibiki just said he was not of harm to himself… as long as it's not Hibiki or Juugo, or even Karin for that matter, then it didn't matter who he killed, who he hurt.

"You're not budging on this are you?" he said sullenly.

"Nope." Her voice confident.

"Fine but you're not using it long, you can't use it without one of us with you, and we will wake you up if the bleeding starts again." he caved.

"Yes sir." She teased.

Hibiki laid down after eating, Suigetsu glued to her side. She closed her eyes and relaxed. Over their time together, so much has changed. They all practically ignored each other when they started, but now it was different. Suigetsu and Karins arguing filled silences, like two kids arguing. Juugo was level headed, and evenly tempered, the exact opposite of when he transforms. He often played mother, breaking up fights, and scolding them for what they ate. Sasuke would stay mostly silent now, but before his fight with Itachi, he had joined in on the conversations. Their group of solitary people became a family, a broken, dysfunctional family, but a family all the same. Hibiki smiled at this.

Hibiki felt so responsible for everyone's lives. She used to only use her precognition to keep herself alive, but now she made sure everyone else stayed alive. The bastards grew on her. Hibiki then furrowed her brow. And was ambushed with so many new changes.

"Mother Fucker!" Hibiki screams, sitting upright.

"What the hell, Hibiki?" Suigetsu jumped at her sudden outburst.

"The eight tails got away! I am so stupid, how did I not see this!" she yelled at herself. Burying her face in her hands.

"The eight tails got away? What happened?" Karin asks as she moves to Hibiki's side, hugging her shoulders to try and calm her down.

"When Sasuke cut the tentacle to keep it from crushing you, the man made a clone. He tricked me."

"He tricked us." Juugo corrected.

"So where is he now?" Karin wondered.

"I don't know, I can't see. Its blurring." she cried out. Suigetsu slowly removed Hibiki's hands from her face, lowering them and holding them. She shook and gripped his hands.

"I'm so sorry, we risked so much for nothing!" she frowned.

Her head was throbbing again, she groaned in pain. Suigetsu helped her lay back again and felt her forehead. It was hot to the touch.

"She has a fever." Suigetsu told Karin. Karin nodded and searched Hibiki's bag finding some of her medication left over from before. She quickly gave some to Hibiki.

"This is a change," Sasuke sighed.

"Do we change course?" Suigetsu asked. "Find Madara?"

"No, we go to Konoha as planned. Madara will come to us." Sasuke stated.

The next two days Karin carried Hibiki on her back as they ran to Konoha. She was slept most of the time.

I should have stopped her, Now she's even more sick. Suigetsu thought as Karin called out,

"Incoming! Someone's here!"

They all stop, Hibiki woke up and was placed on her feet, Karin steadying her as Madara manifests a few feet away.

"It seems we have a problem." Madara stated.

"Hibiki told us." Sasuke said.

"So, what do you want us to do about it? It's not our business anymore." Suigetsu sneered, done with this guy's shit already.

"I disagree you will complete the job you were assigned. Though it won't be Eight Tails, I have decided to have you carry out a different mission." Madara said.

"And what if we decline?" Sasuke asked.

"Then we will battle it out here. And you will not be able to go to Konoha. Although it is a little late for you to go to Konoha. Your objective seems so futile now," Madara laughed.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke glared.

"Did the young crystal not see this. I'm surprised." he mocked.

"Konoha?" Hibiki asked. She thought through back, but her head throbbed when she did.

"What happened?" Hibiki demanded.

"The village of Konohagakure is no more young Crystal. Something your predecessors could have prevented. A shame really. Pain destroyed the village during his battle with Naruto." he told her.

"What? Naruto fought…" Hibiki questioned, her breath getting harder.

"It seems the new Kage is Donzo." He announces.

Madara moved closer to Sasuke, "There is a five kage summit soon. All the kage will be there including Danzo. Of course, the young Crystal should know all this." he mocked.

"I, my I…." Hibiki murmured confused.

"What are we going to do? The Leaf Village is no more. And if this Danzo, our target, is going to the Five Kage Summit, shouldn't we be heading there too?" Suigetsu guessed, gaining everyone's attention, "W-What? Am I wrong?" he pulled away.

Sasuke stood tall and announced "We, Taka, will take the Hokage's head at the Five Kage Summit. We're changing our destination."

"Sounds like a plan." Madara agreed.

"So, where is this Five Kage Summit taking place?" Sasuke asked Madara.

"This is becoming a really bothersome situation." Suigetsu complained.

"Why not ask the crystal. She has all the information you need." Madara laughed as he disappeared. Grabbing Hibiki they all moved to the ground below, Hibiki fell to her knees, and held her head between her hands.

"I need to see this for myself." she begged Sasuke.

"Hibiki you're sick." Karin worried.

"I'm fine, I need to look, I can do this." she quickly said.

"Fine." Sasuke agreed as he turned to run. Karin carried Hibiki as she murmured to herself. Suigetsu followed glaring at Sasuke.