Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Enjoy!
Chapter 8
Set-up
Kabuto said that you went rampage on the rogue, how come you aren't showing me that. Yin Guardian?
I believe Kurai was and still is the one she considers her savior. She is trying to force Kurai out of her world.
Give me... power!
Mitsu! This time... This time for sure, I won't let you down if you just..
Give me more power!
Tell me how to undo this or die.
"T-Teme! How did you unlock your armor?!" Sasuke's wounds had perished since the blue illumination, and he was now in possession of every crystal he once had. Yoroi knew though, that the person in front of him wasn't the Uchiha, it was the crystal that had taken over its master's psychic. The chakra within Sasuke was fierce, and it only grew fiercer.
"I told you, tell me how to undo this," The Yang Guardian reached for the sword that was tied to his waist, "or die." He pointed his edge at the pestilence. A clash between two blades triggered throughout the field. Yoroi was snapped back to reality from a crack the impact made on his glasses. Fast! A fresh wind went over Yoroi's bare skin as he stood his ground.
He gritted through his teeth. "Even my mask."
Their dominance feud ended as they both drew back. The Yang bearer leaped forward as Yoroi was landing on his feet, he swung his sword down his enemy's chest, making sure that the slash was heavy. The genin grunted over the gash and the several kicks landed on it. Sasuke appeared behind of him and landed the same treatment.
Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu
The blaze was more fiery than the last one. If I don't get out of here fast!- A mighty presence showered over him, a blade was placed on his scratched Adam's apple.
"Give me my Hime back."
This guy-
"I won't say it again," he raised his sword in the air, preparing for the final strike, "give me my Hime back."
"Y- you...!-"
Slash
The guardian of darkness made his way to his counterpart. He knelt down and laid the hands of negativity on his cold cheek. Mitsu. He carefully brought her fragile body on his back. He felt her soft cheek rest upon his shoulder, he lay a tender peck on her forehead. He flashed himself onto a roof and skipped from ceiling to ceiling until he reached the Konoha Hospital where he only needed to show the nurses the corpse he held onto.
After a long wait, a nurse finally came to inform that her injuries were severe, obviously, but that she wouldn't be discharged anytime soon.
"How long?"
"We are not sure, sir. Multiple rib fractures which causes a great difficulty in breathing. Her middle lobe was close to puncturing her left lung, and overall damage to her whole abdomen," the nurse saw Sasuke's hand turn into a slight fist,"the... doctors are undergoing an emergency surgery on her right now. She has lost an awful lot of chakra, and the doctors can't determine whether or not she'll be able to recover it."
Raven locks faced the nurse after she had finished her sentence. He turned his head over his shoulder, "treat her with cinnamon rolls when she wakes up."
When the Uchiha finally made it home with all the wounds that reappeared from his crystals effect wearing off, he found himself in his room with a first aid kit and a little bowl of fruit. He stripped himself and saw how light the damages actually were compared to the Hyuga's. Even when I was trying to protect her, she got this hurt.
A shower always helped with healing wounds, it was relaxing and refreshing. He would at times lose himself from the water drops clearing the dirt and dried blood off of his skin. He opened his obsidian eyes from the thought of the person he fought a long with today.
Hinata-sama hasn't been... feeling well... It started ever since she became a genin. She has been getting stronger, yes, but not for the right cause...
I thought Naruto would be her knight in shining armor but-
But?
I believe Kurai was and still is the one she considers her savior. She is trying to force Kurai out of her world.
If you found out that I was still alive, Mitsu, would you hate me? Or still remember the Kurai before that day?
He reached for the tap and turned it off slowly, enjoying the last bit of drops falling on his scalp. He found his towel and rested it on his head while he found another one to wrap around his waist.
I'm scared, Kurai-kun...
Don't worry, I'll get us home. Just don't let go of my hand.
H-Hai...
He walked out of the bathroom and collapsed on his head. He rolled onto his side and his eyes immediately fell on the three crystals he obtained from his victory.
Why did you let go?
The night was falling upon them, and Sasuke was nearly done with wrapping the last layer of bandage around his abdomen. He found himself with a picture of the future heiress pop into his mind again, this time in a younger version. He saw himself beside the little girl and a reflection of himself in a younger version, they had a distance from each other. The river was separating them. And he saw tears stream down her pale cheek.
What has gotten into me, lately? He took the 3 for a form of distraction and it worked, he could only think back to the person who beat the enemy who nearly killed the two of them.
"Give me my Hime back."
That wasn't me.
He thought back to he corpse laying beside him from the near-fatal blow she protected him from.
How did you get in the way of all this, Hyuga?
Sasuke lay the crystals back and went straight for the sweet mattress.
The sound of chirping birds were relaxing, but when a team member was late and it wasn't the sensei for once, it was bothersome. Kakashi scratched the back of his head as he had no clue what to do with his waiting students.
"Heh, Sasuke must have seen the greatness in my power and been too scared to show up!"
Slap!
"Baka Naruto! He is probably training elsewhere so he could concentrate!"
Naruto rubbed the cheek with his crush's fingermark on, "You said "probably", though."
"What did you say?!"
"Hai, hai. If Sasuke isn't here, then it's because he is still searching for his crystal."
"Shouldn't we help Sasuke-kun with it, then. If he didn't find it yesterday at the place he threw it away, somebody must have found it and taken it." Sakura was right in that. A part of him knew that he should take that into consideration, the other part knew that she just wanted to be near Sasuke. Poor guy.
"Are we dismissed for today, then?" Good question. Kakashi found no need to keep them when he had planned on discussing their first mission and what they could have done better.
"Yeah, you're dismissed for the day." In a split second as he turned to face them, a smoke ran through his eyes. "That idiot."
"Hm? Is there something wrong, Sakura?" The pink-haired nodded. She brought her cherry blossom sculpture out.
"I... have been thinking of what and why mine is a cherry blossom. And what it could mean regarding my specialties as a ninja. Sasuke-kun got his clan and Naruto got his jinchuuriki. And I was thinking-"
"What can you, a ninja who wasn't born into the clans of powerhouses do." Sakura nodded once again, this time feeling a little sidelined by how it was precisely mouthed.
"My parents are ninjas, yes, but I feel that they're very limited," she brought her crystal to her center and gave it a little squeeze, "Kakashi-sensei-"
"Don't worry. I know the feeling of coming from one of the many clans in Konoha." She saw a visible smile form from his mask.
She beamed with joy, her voice sounding restless. "So you will train me?"
"Of course."
Finally. Finally, I show Sasuke-kun that I'm not annoying, and he'll finally love me!
The eyes of vengeance flicked open from the sun's sharp gesture, it's entrance was pleasing, though.
As much as he wanted to stay longer in bed and pretend that reality was paused for a minute, Sasuke who made his way up, eyed the 2 teardrops on his desk flare up against each other, they beamed at the speed of a heartbeat.
It had been a while since he cooked a decent breakfast for himself. He filled a teakettle with water and set it on fire. He never was a fan of sweets, so he settled for a couple of riceballs and tea to sooth the grain.
Hearing the boiling water, Sasuke found his mini-basket with teabags, brought a cup and poured the hot water in. He smelled the sweet scent of caramel. He brought a plate and placed the freshly cooked riceballs on it. He thanked his body for being so balanced as he carried the stuff upstairs, knowing that he wouldn't bother coming back for more.
"What did you say?!" Hiruzen was left with dismay from the Anbu's reports on the rogue, Guru, who Team 8 captured on their mission.
"Yes, the kidnapping was a set up for the Guardians. His plans were to retrieve the Yin and Yang user. But according to him, the Yin user had an outburst and was taken control of by her crystal, which resulted in his defeat."
"Wait, you said 'she'?" The ANBU commander nodded. 4 poofs found their ways in Hiruzen's office. "You're a bit late." He said while fanning the smoke away from his face.
"Is it true, Hokage-sama?" The Sandaime gave the word to the ANBU that had yet to finish his report. The ANBU stepped aside so he had a full view of everyone in the room.
"Team 8 captured the leader of the rogues who kidnapped the son of a Konoha ambassador. It seems that the kidnapping was a mere set-up for their real intentions, they were ordered to find the Yin-Yang Guardian and find information on the scrolls. But we still don't know how he could be so certain that the Yin user would be in that assigned Team."
"Don't tell me... Is Hinata the Yin Guardian?!"
"It seems so. What he also told me was that she was in possession of the Yang crystal as well."
The Guardians and Third Hokage chord in the same tone. "WHAT?!"
Kurenai faced the floor, feeling a sense of disappointment from her side. That must be how Hinata unlocked her Armor...
Kakashi had a skeptic look on him as he couldn't find any other possible reason for why Sasuke couldn't find his crystal. Sakura was right, but at least they aren't in the hands of evil.
"Kakashi, what's the matter?" The White Fang eyed his long-time rival with concern in his eyes.
"Sasuke lost his crystal before the mission and he still hasn't found it." Another chore from the people occurred.
"An Uchiha and a Hyuga. What a combo."
Kurenai elbowed her lover, "this isn't funny."
"Furthermore, he said that their plan went as expected. He said that a greater threat would fall upon the Guardians." Hiruzen found himself inhaling the smoke that usually calmed him down in these cases. Their troubled situation only got worse when they were interrupted by two worn-out Hokage assistants who burst in. "Izumo, Kotetsu, what's wrong?!"
Taking no time to catch his breath, Kotetsu laid out, "Hokage-sama, we found a spy from Otogakure. But that's not our biggest concern. He was still alive when we found him, he refused to answer so we called the Yamanaka's. They found out that he was sent to eliminate and extract the chakra from the Yin Guardian who also bore the Yang crystal."
Izumo took over, "his main objective must be the scrolls and the 10 pure crystals, and now that the Chunnin Exams are right around the corner... It's a perfect timing."
"They are serious, this time. We have got to bring the Guardians in safety!" Kurenai said.
"We can't bring them all into safety at the same time." Kurenai glared at Kakashi. He was right, but she wish he wasn't.
"We still haven't found the culprit behind all this. Who sent all these people?!" The Sandaime couldn't access all this at one time. If something happened to the Yin Guardian and Yang crystal, the other Guardians are in grave danger.
"O-Orochimaru."
"OROCHIMARU?!"
"He got other targets, now." Izumo said.
"Already?" Izumo looked at his partner. His partner could only give him a silent permission.
"The next targets are the Guardians who are bound by hate."