"Seriously, what's up?" Hibiki asked as he leaned against the bed post.
Minako's eyes were glued to the window as she answered him, "Nothin' I'm fine..."
"I'm not an idiot." He replied.
Minako now looked at Hibiki as she looked into his eyes, suddenly feeling defeated she lowered her head. "I-I'm honestly fine... I'm just... remembering stuff I'd rather not..."
"You need help with some distractions?"
Minako looked at him, puzzled. "How would you 'distract' me?" She questioned him.
"Tell me something you remember that you absolutely love, that you wish you could re-live." Hibiki took a seat infront of Minako on the bed, with his legs crossed.
"S-something... I love?" She echoed.
Hibiki nodded.
Minako stopped to think. "I-I dunno..." She blushed, the only thing that came to mind was when Hibiki first kissed her.
"There has to be something. Everyone has something they can remember that makes them joyful."
Minako laughed. "You."
Hibiki raised an eyebrow and pointed at himself with confusion. "Why me?" He laughed.
"You know basically everything about me, right? Well, you are the only thing good that has happened to me since... I... did... that." She told him, lowering her head.
"What?" He asked and reached out lift her chin.
Minako searched his eyes. "D-do you not know?"
"Are you speaking about...Sho?" He whispered gently.
Minako nodded weakly. "I-I d-didn't mean to.. I-I just-" She lowered her head on Hibiki's shoulder as she tried to keep herself from crying.
"It's alright." Hibiki placed his hand on Minako head and leaned back against the wall. "Some things happen that you can't control."
'That's right...'
"Shut up.." Hibiki uttered under his breath and shut his eyes tightly, trying to rid of the voice once again.
Minako breathed out deeply as she cuddled closer to Hibiki. "B-but..." She sighed, giving up; there was no use fighting what had already happened.
"It's something that you'll have to forgive yourself of." Hibiki said and lifted her face slowly. "Just like I have to." He whispered and pushed his forehead against hers.
"What do you have to forgive yourself of?" She whispered gently, her hand reaching up to carress Hibiki's cheek.
"So many things." Hibiki breathed and rested his lips against hers. "I'm sorry." He murmured against her lips.
Minako let her eyes fall shut as she murmured, "For?"
"Allowing myself to do this." He replied and pressed harder against her lips as he held her face in his hands.
Minako pulled away for a moment. "I-I don't understand..."
"I'm afraid that you're going to get hurt later. I'm sorry because I'm kissing you; I don't want this to be in vain."
Minako shook her head. ''Stop worrying about what happens to me... if I die, it's only what I deserve...''
"You don't diserve it though, Minako! If anything, I deserve it." Hibiki turned his head away from Minako's gaze. "I should have never done anything to create these feelings."
Minako fowned. ''You can go and forget me if you like...'' Those words felt so natural to her, she had said them far too much, but why did her heart ache this time?
"I could not. Far too many times, various woman have tried to get to me, to change my heart and try and help me feel any sort of these feelings, yet you were able to do it without trying. I couldn't forget you." Hibiki stated and brought her face to his, locking lips once again. "I just feel like I'll end up hurting myself and others once again."
Minako choked on a sob as she held Hibiki close. "I-I'm glad... you don't want me gone... for some reason... it hurt..." She mumbled into his shoulder.
'Minako... I'm sorry, but you can not know the truth. And it hruts me.' Hibiki closed his eyes.
"So what does this mean?" Lira asked as her rubbed her eyes and sat forwards.
"It's your mission." Kokoro shrugged.
"No such thing as Koro Tiniko? Just a myth?" Lira let out a frustrated groan.
"Hibiki is a nice young man, he's burdened with such a great deal and stressed over various things, but being Koro Tiniko, definitely not. I know that Hotaka wants to create Koro Tiniko, and is using Hibiki..." Kokoro said.
"Wants to create Koro Tiniko? Hotaka?" Lira's face twisted in confusion.
"Hotaka is an unspoken name. He's known by everyone and feared, the mere mention of his name will bring trouble, but Hibiki is under his wing."
"And he's the one that is being dubbed as Koro Tiniko?" Lira gasped. "He's the one who all the villages are after!"
"You must understand, Lira. Hibiki is under Hotaka's control, and cannot be freed until Hotaka is killed."
"He's the one that we were sent to assinate yet he's been with us the entire time!" Lira sat back with widened eyes. "What do I do now?"
"Lira, listen. I love Hibiki as a son, and that is why you must help him."
"Daichi was right all along.." Lira began to panic.
"Lira!" Kokoro rested her hand on Lira's arm. "He has not been the one doing any of the harm. He has no wish to kill anyone, but he is under Hotaka's control. As a mom who loves Hibiki as a son, I ask you to assinate the true man behind it all - Hotaka."
Minako shifted her head on Hibiki's shoulder as she breathed out. ''C-can you stay here... for a little while?'' She whispered tiredly. ''And not let me fall asleep?''
"I can stay here as long as I can, but if Lira comes in to go to bed, I'll be moving to the living room; if you like you could come." Hibiki shrugged.
Minako shook her head. ''No... I wouldn't want to bother you...''
"Bother me?" Hibiki let out a laugh. "It bothers me that you think you bother me." Hibiki shook his head.
"Where is Hotaka?" Lira asked and breathed out.
"No one knows, but Hibiki does." Kokoro pursed her lips.
"Well, that gets me no where." Lira shrugged.
"You must get it out of him." Kokoro pleaded.
"I do? It's a bit weird coming from me!" Lira gasped.
"Trust me, he wants to be free, but he cannot do it himself. He needs help."
"And you think he'll just be like, 'Yeah, this is where he is!'?" Lira rolled her eyes and let out another exasperated sigh.
"Please, Lira. This is the fate of the mission!" Kokoro looked with deep sorrow into Lira's eyes, pleading desperately.
Lira let out another sigh and stood up. "I'll try." She whined and headed back towards the room Minako was in with Hibiki. She knocked once and opened the door to see Hibiki's arms around Minako and vice versa, their lips gently pressed together.
Minako blushed as the door opened. She lowered her head on his shoulder, holding him tight.
"Uh...H-Hibiki, can I speak with you for a moment?" Lira asked as a light blush tinted her cheeks. 'Great time to walk in...' She thought.
"Go ahead..." Hibiki asked and turned his head to face her.
"Privately...?" Lira asked.
Minako looked from Lira to Hibiki. ''I can go, I wont run off, I promise.'' She told him with a smile.
"Actually, would it be alright if we talk privately in here?" Lira asked nervously as she scratched her head.
Minako nodded. ''I guess...'' Minako turned to look at Hibiki. 'I can't imagine a life without him...' She thought.
Lira closed the door after Minako exitted and Lira quickly crossed the door to sit on the bed beside him.
"I know who you are." She whispered.
"Not this whole Koro Tiniko thing again..." Hibiki rolled his eyes.
"No! You're Hibiki Hiroshimo dubbed as Koro Tiniko as you are Hotaka's creation of the mythical man."
Hibiki narrowed his eyes at Lira. "Did Kokoro speak to you?"
"She's concerned about you; she wants to see your freedom from his bondage."
"She's going to be killed!" Hibiki hissed.
"I need to know where Hotaka's location is in order to help free you from him."
"You can do no such thing, Lira." Hibiki shook his head and stood up.
"No, listen!" Lira stood up with Hibiki and held his arm to make sure he wouldn't leave. "There are six of us together. We can work with each other and assinate Hotaka."
"There would be one less."
"What do you mean?" Lira asked, eyes full of confusion.
"I cannot go against my master, I'm weak." Hibiki pushed his hair back out of his face.
"Then we can do it."
"What if you can? What would happen after? What would I do, what would you do? How do you know what that might hold? I may be killed, I may become weak, or I may become more than any of you all together could handle."
"Please, lead us to his location. Kokoro pleads for your freedom."
"I'm sorry, but you are the only one who knows out of this group, and I would rather keep it that way."
"Then how am I suppose to turn the team back to our home village?"
"That's your job to do, not mine. You're the one who became to nosy."
"Kokoro was the one who brought it up."
Hibiki growled and turned his head away. "Idiot."
"Please, Hibiki! I'm going to have to tell the others."
"If you tell them, I'll kill you!" Hibiki turned his head back to face Lira.
"Y-you wouldn't dare hurt me, you don't want to."
"How would you know?" Hibiki moved immediately and threw Lira up against the wall, holding her by her shirt. The sound of her body hitting the wall must have made a louder noise then Hibiki had wanted because he heard footsteps coming immediately.
With a calming breath, Hibiki let Lira down and stood back.
Kokoro threw open the door, panicked and injured. ''H-Hibiki... h-he took her... Minako is gone!''
"What?" Hibiki said, his eyes widening.
"Hotaka; it was one of his suboardinates!"
"Hibiki, we must go get her!" Lira stated.
Hibiki growled. "Get the others and meet me outside immediately."
Lira nodded firmly and left to rally up the others.
"Are you sure it was him?" Hibiki asked for certain.
Kokoro panted and nodded. "You must go and get her, Hibiki!"
Hibiki let out another growl and exitted the room. "Sorry for coming here, Kokoro, and then leaving so soon." Hibiki pulled his backpack over his shoulder.
"That is the least of my worries." Kokoro mumbled.
Hibiki was met outside by the others and they immediately left the house's porch with another quick farewell to Kokoro.
"This is all your fault!" Daichi hissed, once again blaming Hibiki.
Hibiki snapped and stopped to pushed Daichi up against a tree.
"Say that one more time, Daichi and you'll be dead before the enemy can get to you!"
Daichi gulped with widened eyes as Hibiki let go and began to run again, the others following close behind.
"Knowing Hotaka - the cocky idiot - we won't have any troubles for a while. His location is a fair distance but if we keep at this speed we'll be there soon. When I say so, listen to my commands. He's a dangerous person, and his henchman are difficult to get past. I know the showcuts, but the slightest mistake will have you killed, alright? Once we get Minako, we get out of there as quickly as possible."
"What about Hotaka?" Lira whispered.
"Whose Hotaka?" Tamichi asked in confusion.
Lira rolled her eyes in response to Tamichi's outburst. Out of all the times he spoke, he had to repeat the name.
Hibiki looked back to glare at both Lira and Tamichi.
"Nothing will happen to Hotaka." Hibiki stated.
"We need to kill him, Hibiki!" Lira stated.
"Our mission is to get Minako back and kill Koro, Lira." Daichi said.
"There is no Koro." Lira replied.
"What are you talking about?" Daichi asked and glanced at Hibiki.
"He's a myth of the Mist Village, but Hotaka wanted to recreate the myth using Hibiki." Lira said.
"Lira!" Hibiki hissed.
"So I was right when I said Hibiki is Koro?" Daichi asked, still confused.
"No." Lira shook her head. "Hibiki is simply being controlled by Hotaka and our new mission is to free Minako and assinate Hotaka to free Hibiki."
Minako could feel her eyes slowly open. Her head was pounding and she felt stuck. She tried moving her limbs but they wouldn't respond.
'I'm tied up... bleeding and... alone? No. There is a scent in the air... it's almost like Hibiki's, but clearly isn't... Ugh... whatever injuries I have, are severe... It feels like I'm going to pass out... b-but what happened to get me here? ...Oh, right. Hibiki and Lira had to talk, when I went to the living room, a man cut my arm deeply to take me off guard, then things just went black... I'm too weak to even fight back against this rope... Hibiki... please tell me you are on your way...'
"I see you are awake." A voice came from the darkness, Minako couldn't tell if it was a man or woman, but it sounded more like a girl.
Minako winced as she attempted to speak. ''W-what d-do you think you're doing... l-let me-ugh...'' Minako winced again as she suddenly felt like she couldn't brethe. As her eyes adjusted more, she could see just how badly she had been hurt; her glowing eyes narrowed in the direction of the voice as her pink hair fell over her one eye.
"Don't worry girly." The voice said. "You learned too much from Hibiki, and therefore we must dispose of you." A figure stepped forth to reveal a tiny woman with a cocky attitude. "Besides, you're the least of Hibiki's worries now - do you really think he's going to come back for you? He knows where you are, but it's one less person he has to deal with."
Minako listened carefully. ''Clearly you don't b-believe that. If you really thought he wouldn't come, y-you would have kiled me already...'' Minako stated nervously.
"I'm not the one to do the honors, my dear. Hotaka is; I would be beheaded if I were to go ahead and do it myself." The girl chuckled. "Don't you think it's weird how Hibiki could so easily befriend you? Almost manipulate your mind? He spent time with the Kahsuo clan in order to learn that clan's specialties, and that's how he could so easily get to you. Now that he had you, getting rid of you was easily as pie; just allow you to be caught and then kill off the others." The girl snorted. "Dumb pig."
Minako's eyes widened. ''N-no... y-you're lying!'' She screamed, trying to fight against the rope as excrusiating pain shot through her. ''Ugh!'' She hissed as she felt some of her cuts bleeding again.
"Calm down!" A deep voice came as a door screeched open. "I told you to keep her calm! I don't want her to bleed to death before I get to torture her!"
"Yes, sorry, Hotaka!" The girl murmured.
"Minako Uma.. have I heard a lot about you! Interesting clan, interesting past, interesting experiences, and interesting how Hibiki has developed a love for you. This sort of thing can get in the way, you know, of achieving goals."
The girl avoided Minako's piercing gaze and growls at her as she continued to try to convince Minako that she was useless to Hibiki.
Minako felt something snap within her as her insanity took over. Pain seemed to no longer exsist as Minako struggled against the rope again. Before the girl could reach her, Minako's hands became free as she pounced at the girl, her teeth digging deep into her throat before pulling away. Minako turned towards Hotake, a smirk at her tainted lips.
"Would you like to know how it feels to have your eyes popped out?" She hissed in an amused tone; her whole being no longer herself.
Hotaka shrugged his shoulders and began to laugh. "She was worthless to me, anyways." He looked down at her writhering body. She was trying to scream, her eyes wide open, but nothing came out. Blood drenched her clothes and hair as she laid in it.
"Oh, Minako. You're strong, Hibiki was correct about that." He shook his head. "What're you going to do now?" He asked and cocked his head.
''You will do nothing.'' Minako's crazy self yelled as she charged toward Hotaka.
Hotaka chuckled as he narrowed his eyes at Minako. Before she could reach him, he immediately appeared on the other side of the room. With a grunt Minako turned and began to charge again.
"I pity you, girl." Hotaka said as he concentrated his chakra into the ground. Boulder's came up from the rock ground and formed around Minako's legs, keeping her still in the middle of the room.
Minako growled as she glared at Hotaka. ''So let me get this straight. Hibiki wanted nothing to do with me? He was just spying on me? Hmm... I pity you. There is much Hibiki still didn't know.'' Minako stated as she licked the scarlet from her lips.
Before Hotaka could speak, Minako formed several quick hand seals, at the last one she yelled, ''Wind style: Tornado cutter!''
A gust of wind seemed to appear from no where. It flew toward Hotaka and Minako's feet, cuting her free. She panted as she watched her jutsu fly toward Hotaka; she winced, her body was running on adrenaline and nothing else, she knew she would be done soon.
Hotaka quickly dodged Minako's attack and left the room, closing the door and locking the dead bolts. He chuckled through the slits in the door.
"And there is more to Hibiki that you do not know."
To make sure Minako wouldn't escape, Hotaka made an indestructible shield for the door and then he left Minako alone.
"Be very quite now." Hibiki whispered as he snuck down the side of the small towns wall.
The rest of the group followed quietly behind. Hibiki eventually reached the front gates and peered around the corner to see several of Hotaka's suboardinates guarding the gates.
"I'm going to go and distracted them, when they are not looking cross over to the otherside and keep following the door. I will meet you eventually and get you in." Hibiki quickly stepped out and began to walk through the front gates.
"Name." One of the guards yelled.
"Koro Tiniko." Hibiki replied.
"It's about time you're back. Did you succeed?" Another man said.
"What do you think?" Hibiki asked with a growl.
"Sorry." The men muttered all at once.
"I'm heading back to my quaters, don't bother me. I will report to Hotaka in the morning, but I need my hour of rest."
the men nodded and turned back to guarding the gate, just after the other four crossed over to the other side.
When Hibiki was out of site, he moved quickly to reach the secret gate section, only know to certain members of the small town. He stepped through the invisible barrier just in time to meet the other four and he quickly moved them through.
"So this is where you live?" Aichi whispered.
"I live that way." Hibiki pointed towards the right.
"I-I meant-"
"We have to be quick." Hibiki began to head to the left.
Minako pounded against the door over and over until her fists hurt. She fell to her knees as she coughed blood into her hand.
''G-guess I really can't... trust anyone... Mother... I want... to be with you...'' Minako breathed in deeply, her insanity no longer in her being, she fell onto her side, motionless.
"Koro? Is that you?" Hibiki's 'friend' Yuudai called out through the fog.
Hibiki immediately pushed the others behind a building and went to hug his friend.
"How'd it go, you know?" Yuudai asked.
Hibiki shrugged. "You shouldn't even need to ask."
"Well, I guess not." Yuudai scratched his head. "Anywho, did you hear? Hotaka totally captured that girl Minako you were talking about!"
"Idiot! You don't think I know that already? Think before you speak!"
"Right." Yuudai pursed his lips. "I guess you would've known about it." He laughed. "Well, I wonder how he's going to torture her. She's a mean one, you obviously know, but nothing compared to Hotaka!" Yuudai patted Hibiki on the shoulder.
"Congradulations with a successive mission, my good friend." Yuudai began to walk off to where he lived.
"If only I could get me some of Hotaka's job."
Hibiki growled under his breath and motioned for the others to follow him quietly. Daichi was itching to strangle Hibiki. All the things being said to him was driving him insane.
'You're getting by everyone else, but you won't get by me.' The voice in Hibiki's mind snickered.
Hibiki led the team to a dark tunnel leading down into the ground. He took a quick look around and began to head down.
"We'll have to work together down here." Hibiki whispered.
"How do we know you're not leading us to our death?" Daichi hissed.
"You'll just have to trust(italic)." Hibiki growled.
Without even stopping to look around the corner Hibiki jumped out and shoved two kunai into both the guards necks, not even allowing them to see who it was as they fell to the ground.
"Quick!" Hibiki said and began to run ahead.
As they ran past all the cells, the prisoners turned to see who was in the jail, but they had run past before they had a glimpse of anyone.
"The hall goes for a long time, but there are various rooms; some are cells and some are rooms with guards." Hibiki explained.
"There is surveillance, so we have to be quick before the guards come looking. We'll take it slow, but as soon as a guard see's you, show no mercy and kill them off."
Hibiki disappeared around the corner, keeping close to the darkness as possible; the four immediately followed.
Eventually the team made it to the end of the hall and ran down the hall to the right. At the end of the hall was the room Hibiki knew Minako was in. He reached for the door but his arm was shoved back by the barrier.
"No!" Hibiki hissed.
"Minako, are you in there?" Daichi asked curiously.
There was no reply from the other side, just silence.
"Th-that can't be a good sign..." Lira stated nervously.
"She's alive, I know that, but she's weak. It's sucking her chakra out of her so you have to move quickly." Hibiki told them.
"We?" Daichi asked.
Hibiki lowered his head. "I cannot go against Hotaka. I am useless against him, he controls me."
Daichi shook his head. "This is suicide."
Hibiki looked up, and tears threatened to fall, but he was refusing to let them go. "I've tried for years and years but no matter what I do I always lose. If you all work together, you can defeat him."
"How do we know for sure you're not leading us to our death as everyone seems to think was your initial mission?" Daichi asked.
"He raped my mother and cut her open from the navel to the ribs, he tortured her! You think that if I could have defeated him I would have long ago!" Hibiki was now in Daichi's face with full hatred.
Daichi stepped back and growled. "Fine."
"Look, I didn't want it to come to this but it has. Hibiki has learned a lot about mind manipulation himself. You have to really concentrate every second your around him, letting your guard down will allow easy manipulation. It's extremely subtle but it feels as if something is impressing on your mind; when you feel it, concentrate fully on it and follow it. It has no effect when you know what it's doing. The trick is to counter it while defending yourself from him. He specializes in ninjutsu and earth, thus the reason why a lot of this town is made of rocks and...earth." Hibiki ran his fingers through his hair."Taijutsu will probably be your best bet, he's a long-ranged combat fighter. Tijutsu takes him off guard and keeps making him move. If you keep close, the only thing he can use is weapons and mind manipulation, with few tricks. But you have to hurry and kill him quickly."
Hibiki began to lead them to Hotaka's main room, which was straight down the half and slightly to the right.
"I'll be waiting to Minako's cell. The barrier will be released as soon as he is killed." Hibiki stated.
"How do you know?" Lira asked.
"I'm hoping, just go. Work as a team and be careful."
Hibiki disappeared back down the hall and attempted to break Hotaka's barrier.
Lira sighed deeply. ''This wont be easy...''
Minako laid motionless in her cell. Her mind was hazy of thoughts and feelings she couldn't explain. A sudden scent reached her nose.
''H-Hibiki...'' she choked out.
She didn't know what emotion she was meant to feel; joy, or pain.
Weakly she pulled herself against a wall. She pulled a kunai into her hand, prepared for Hibiki.
In his office, Hotaka released the barrier on Minako's door; he already had a plan.
Minako watched in sheer horror as the glow to the door faded, her grip on the weapon tighted as much as her failing body would allow.
''I'm ready...'' She whispered.
AN: Long chapter! But things are gettin good! ^^
XxSoulNoteWritterxX