Chapter 22 Tag Along

They went to the closest Inn they could find. Once in the room Hibiki ran to a wall and plopped down. Sitting up straight, she closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. The team followed after, surrounding Hibiki, watching her intently. At first, she seemed to struggle, she shook from her efforts. Suigetsu reached out to her but hesitated as she relaxed. She sat there for a minute, calm and still.

Then her nose dripped blood, large and fat drops fell in increasing speed from both nostrils. Her ears becoming full, her body convulsed.

As soon as it started, Suigetsu shook her.

"Stop Hibiki!" he begged. He watched her become pale, then her eye snapped open, she was using her Front vision.

"Aggggggg," she screams in frustration. Pushing Suigetsu out of the way she Quickly got a piece of paper and begins to work.

Her eye moved rapidly with her hand, she drew quickly and aggressively. Sasuke looked at the paper and sees her drawing a detailed map to the Kage summit, its exact location in the Land of Iron. She lifts her hand from the page shaking, before falling over, her eyes squeezed shut, her breathing labored. Suigetsu catches her, holding her close and feeling her head, her temperature had increased. Karin and Juugo got the futon out and Suigetsu laid Hibiki in it.

"She's getting too hot, Suigetsu use your clammy ass hand as a compress, for now, Juugo and I will go and get some supplies and stronger medication," Karin ordered, tying her hair in a ponytail and running out with Juugo on her heels.

Suigetsu did as Karin instructed and kept his hand on her forehead. He stared at Hibiki, guilt, worry, and fear filled him.

Surprisingly Sasuke brought over some water and a rag and helped clean her face and ears of blood, he glanced up to see Suigetsu glaring daggers.

"Even if I tried to stop her, Hibiki would have snuck out and looked by herself. It was the safer of the only two options." Sasuke told Suigetsu.

"Why didn't you use the damn Sharingan to stop her?" Suigetsu demanded.

"She's blind, visual genjutsu has no effect on her," Sasuke stated.

Sasuke finished cleaning her face, he put the bloody water and rag to the side and stood. He quietly walked over to look at the map Hibiki had made.

The maps detailed route would get them to the Land of Iron faster. A few days tops. Running on mostly flat terrain and away from areas where animals could cause problems. She even added locations of all the different villages route for the Kage's to their shared destination.

Hibiki seemed to think of everything Sasuke would have wanted.

...

After a few hours Hibiki woke up, her head throbbed and burned, she felt queasy and shaky. As she starts to sit up, a hand gently stops her, guiding her back down.

"I need to… get up." she struggled.

"You've done enough Hibiki," Suigetsu coldly orders.

"I have to go on, everything is moving and changing. That damn Madara did this on fucking purpose and I know it. I missed such a big event that changed so much. Everything has shifted, I can't let that happen again. I need to know." Hibiki begged.

"No," he stated, she stayed still and groaned. Suigetsu sighed in frustration, when Karin and Juugo returned and gave her the stronger medication, Karin had done an assessment of her condition. Noticing her fever was dangerously high, and Hibiki had Anemia. She lost too much blood, within the last few days and she wasn't making enough to compensate. She sighed in frustration, Hibiki was killing herself.

Hibiki had labored breathing as she slept, shaking slightly with each intake. Karin placed a cold compress to her forehead and wrote down things she needed. Standing and leaving. Sasuke left to check some locations Hibiki had marked on the map she drew, he wasn't sure why they were marked, and he couldn't ask her. Juugo sat with Suigetsu for a while before leaving to get food for everyone.

"Hibiki honey you're killing yourself. And you know it. Please stop." he said taking her hand and feeling her forehead.

"I hate this. I feel so anxious," Hibiki told him in a dry voice.

"I know." He told her, petting her head. "Do you want water?" he asked, she nodded, and he helped her sit up. After she had enough, he helped her back down. Hibiki's body felt so heavy, she couldn't even lift her head. She was useless.

"Right, now please rest. I won't leave you, so don't worry." Suigetsu soothed her. As she frowns at him, Suigetsu leaned over her and pressed his forehead against Hibiki's taking both her hands, one in each.

"You are a pain in my ass, you know that right." he teased, earning a small smile from her. She squeezes his hands. As she closed her eyes again, He brushed her hair away from her forehead and kissed her burning skin. It didn't take long for her to drift off.

…

Sasuke, Karin, and Juugo ate dinner silently at the small table. Suigetsu stayed next to Hibiki. When she woke up, she was fed and giving more of her stronger medication.

Karin took Hibiki's hand and smiled sadly at her, "Hibiki, I need to give you some blood. You've lost too much in such a short time. I need to use a needle to get the IV in. ok?" Karin told her, remembering her panic the last time a needle was put in her. She calmly nodded ever so slightly. Karin quickly gave her a blood transfusion, the color in her face returning as the bag drained into her body.

Hibiki had fallen asleep again before Karin was done.

"She looks better." Karin sighed in relief, standing and disposing of their trash.

…

It was late, the air felt still and Suigetsu snored next to her. Slowly she struggled to sit up, her body still too heavy. Finding Suigetsu on the floor next to her, she woke him. He was groggy and mostly asleep but was awake enough to help Hibiki move him into the futon with her. Once he was on it, he fell asleep again, his snoring returning.

Hibiki laid with him, gently caressing his face.

Soon after turning away from Suigetsu, she stayed in bed and faced who she knew was Sasuke.

"You're, here aren't you?" she asks. Sasuke reaches out and taps her head to show her his presence.

"Hibiki. What does young crystal mean?" Sasuke asked. Hibiki hesitated and sighed,

"I thought you'd come asking," she whispered. "Your pretty nosy Sasuke."

"Your hiding something important, aren't you?" Sasuke accused, "This isn't the time to be covering shit up."

Hibiki turned to lay on her back, under the blanket taking Suigetsu's hand, his cool skin was soothing to her burning body

"The name Omoikane," she flinched at the name, "is a cursed one. It brings nothing but hardship and death. The name cannot be spoken out loud without bringing danger. So Crystal is a way of regarding us without using the actual name. Not many people know about the nickname, so it can be used in general conversation." she whispered.

"Crystal is a stupid nickname I know, it comes from the first Hokage actually, He knew my great -grandmother and she was eccentric." she grimaced. "She hid in plain sight, presented herself as a fortune teller, a really bad one. She put on a show, calling to the spirits and making a bunch of bullshit noises, she had a crystal ball and everything. For some reason, she told the First Hokage who she was, the truth. He just started calling her 'the old crystal'." she continued.

"When Madara calls me 'Young crystal' he is implying that he knows I am very inexperienced. Which I am."

"My mother was the one to teach me, but she wasn't a clan member. My father was, and he died before I was old enough to learn. Those before me were taught how to completely control their visions. They still had weaknesses like blind spots but they were far more talented. I heard a rumor that some could even look into the past." she explained.

Sasuke pondered this for a moment before asking, "How much do you know of Madara's plans?"

"Very little. He is blurring my visions somehow, planning without planning, acting without acting. But to be honest I can easily look past it, I could push through his efforts, but I'm scared to." she confessed.

"Are you scared of Madara?" he wondered.

"Yes, I get that sick feeling whenever he's near."

Sasuke was quite before reaching out and placing his hand on her head.

"Hibiki you are no longer useful to me, and I would leave you here, but the others would strongly oppose. You are no longer a tool of Taka," he said before returning to his own bed.

Hibiki smiled as she turned to face Suigetsu, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Suigetsu woke up to find himself in the futon with Hibiki, she slept with her head buried in his chest. How the hell this happened was beyond Suigetsu, but he wasn't complaining. He felt her forehead, it was cooler, but still too hot. He carefully pulled away from Hibiki and stood up. Karin and Juugo slept still, but Sasuke wasn't in his bed. Stepping outside he found Sasuke standing in front of the inn, watching the sky as dawn began to lighten the sky.

He walked over and stood next to him.

"You know how to get to the Land of Iron now?" he asked

"Yes, it will be a fast trip thanks to Hibiki," he replied. Suigetsu nodded.

"Are you leaving her? Considering she can't do much right now." he asked.

"She is no longer a tool of Taka," he said.

"Don't you care? She's sick because of us, of you!" Suigetsu glared.

"I did it because I care. I'm trying to convince her she no longer has any ties to Taka, so she has no reason to use her precognition for us." Sasuke frowned. "She isn't stupid, she knows why I kicked her out." he finished. Suigetsu signed and returned inside to wake the others.

Sasuke and Hibiki had a different kind of relationship, one Suigetsu was both confused and jealous of.

…

Karin carried Hibiki on her back, she was still far too weak, She could barly move on her own. She needed to be stationary, but Sasuke was not stalling his plans, and Karin wasn't going to leave Hibiki behind. She had woken Hibiki and gave her more of the stronger medication as well as some food. Hibiki was pissed, she didn't like being doted on like this, but her arms didn't listen to her, and couldn't lift them high enough to feed herself.

The next 3 days were spent running, they moved along the path Hibiki had given them. She was awake for most of the trip but was still exhausted.

They crossed the ocean for a few miles the came to the Land of Iron. The air was icy, and a few feet of thick snow covered the ground. Flakes were still falling from the sky.

"Fuck it's cold." Suigetsu complained.

"Maybe if you wore sleeves you wouldn't be so cold, dumbass." Karin snapped.

"Well, this weather suits you, Karin, Icy weather for an Icy Bitch." Suigetsu retorted. They continued to bark insults at each other until they came to a small village. They stopped a few miles outside.

"Karin, leave Hibiki in the village," Sasuke ordered. She nodded and hurried to an inn in the village. It was a small 3 story building; Karin got a room on the second floor. It was small but warm and out of the wind. Karin worked quickly putting Hibiki in the futon and leaving all her medication with her.

"Alright Hibiki, this bottle is for your fever, take it with food, 3 drops in a glass of water, I've informed the Inn owner that you need help and paid a little extra to get her to help. So, don't move around on your own." Karin instructed. "Don't look for us, no matter how long it takes. I will come back Hibiki," Karin promised. Hibiki nods. As Karin left Hibiki to rejoin the group, Suigetsu snuck inside.

"Hibiki?" he asks. Hibiki struggled to sit up, she managed to slowly move, but it left her exhausted. She looked to his voice.

"Suigetsu, aren't you supposed to be with Sasuke?" she asked.

"Yeah, Juugo is using the animals to find a way inside the castle. I have some time," he said, sitting next to her.

"Why are you here?" she wondered.

"Well first to get your promise you won't use your precognition to check in on us." he frowned caressing her face.

"To be honest I probably wouldn't be able to see anything if I tried." Hibiki sighed.

"Still, we will be fine so don't worry," he demanded. He leaned over and kissed Hibiki's forehead. "I'll be back soon, and as much as it pains me to say it, listen to Karins instructions. I scared the owner with some mild threats and told him to make sure you are kept safe, even from yourself." he said, "Plus I got the bribe money," He added with a smiled. He laid Hibiki back in bed before standing and quickly leaving.

Once alone Hibiki touched her forehead. It was hot to the touch, her hands felt like ice on her. She hid her hands under the blanket as she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. She waited.

She could hear people outside, and downstairs. She listened to the people talk, trying to figure out what they were saying. There was laughing and cheerful chatter. Hibiki named each murmured voice, the mom, the dad, the younger brother, the big sister, the grandma, the aunt. She listens to them, imagining what they looked like and what they did.

The mom and dad were madly in love, the grandma was a gambling addict who played with her grandkids. The little brother was going in and out, playing with friends. The older sister had a secret boyfriend, and the aunt was having an affair with a neighbor's husband.

Hibiki imagined the smiles, the cries, their happy moment and their saddest moments. But this did nothing to help her anxiety, she turned over and over in the futon, never able to get to sleep...

I can't look, if I use my foresight right now, I could die

But they failed with Bee, nearly dying. What if...

No Suigetsu promised to return. He promised…

Suigetsu can only do so much, Juugo and Karin, even Sasuke had their limits.

What if

Don't even think about it!

What if… they.

Don't think about it!

What if Suigetsu never comes back?

Shaking in fear and anxiety, Hibiki turned onto her back and against her better judgment closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. Inside the river it was blurry, it was like Karin's vision without her glasses. But she was able to find the team using their voices to distinguish each blob from each other. Hibiki watched the team infiltrate the castle, watched them be betrayed by white Zetsu, she watched them fight with the terrifying Raikage….

Snapping her eyes open she stood, adrenaline filling her blood, and moved to the door but collapsed before she could take a step, as she fell, she vomited blood. The sounds in the room became distant.