SasuHina Fanfic 2
Making sense so far? Again, I'm not a big fan of this couple, but I respect you if you absolutely adore them. I like writing about these two, actually. Enjoy! I hope you people are okay with my writing. I don't usually write, heheh ".
The day they Reunited
The walk was awkward. Other then the sound of their feet hitting against the dirt trail, and the occasional cricket from the insects, it was quiet.
Sasuke and Hinata just could not go into conversation. They had absolutely nothing in common, aside from the fact that both their families were massacred. And it didn't seem right to talk casually after all that's happened and seen.
A sound from the bushes startled Hinata. She jumped, and stepped away from its direction. Sasuke, holding the torch high in the air, stepped in front of her. Guard up, battle stance position, senses heightened, he was ready to fight.
After a while, something finally shuffled out of the bushes. Hinata held her breath, and Sasuke tensed up his stance. It took a moment for both of them to realize that it was just a fox. It's tail twitched, and its blue eyes sparkled in the torch light.
Sasuke could hear Hinata let out a sigh. "It w-was just a fox." She laughed nervously. Sasuke lowered his guard, and looked more relax.
He let the fox walk across to the other side of the path. What a relief.
They proceeded with their awkward walk. Hinata wished that another creature came by to ruin this unwanted tension. Desperately, she wanted this wall between her and this Uchiha boy to break down. Even just for this one moment.
"Y-you know?" she stammered. Her voice quivered slightly as she let the words out.
Sasuke turned to face her, expecting her to continue.
"That fox, he looked a lot like Naruto-kun." Her face brightened red. Why did she say that? Immediately, she regretted those words. She looked at her steps, hiding her eyes with her bangs.
A slight smile twitched the side of Sasuke's lips. Just for a moment. Looking up at the sky, he replied, "It did, didn't it?"
Hinata slowly looked up at him. An embarrassed smile crossed her face.
More awkwardness overcame the two. Hinata's brain frantically tried to look for something else to say so it would go away, but all that thinking gave her stress. So she gave up, and just let the silence take her.
It was quite nice, after a while. Nothing but the sound of crickets, and steps on gravel. A small stream could be heard as well, a few minutes away in the side of the trail.
With Sasuke, Hinata felt safe. This darkness seemed like nothing. The moon could barely be seen behind the clouds, but it still looked beautiful, and mysterious. She looked around some more, to observe the dark wonders. Her gazes fell upon the boy beside her. Actually, his eyes. Her own couldn't seem to separate from them. They were plain black, nothing special. So why couldn't she look away? Her heart seemed to have skipped a beat. And it felt like she stopped breathing. That was only for a moment though, since Sasuke's eyes moved to their side to look at her.
Immediately, she tore her gaze away from them. Her heart raced. What was happening to her? This feeling only occurs when she's around Naruto-kun.
"What were you looking at?" Sasuke's voice almost made her jump.
Hinata smiled embarrassedly and scrambled her thoughts to get out an answer.
She couldn't say, "I was admiring your eyes." That was too … wait, she was admiring his eyes? No, no. Come on, Hinata, think of something.
"I…" she started, her thoughts still scrambling in her head. She started to fiddle with her fingers
Sasuke sighed. This girl is odd … why did he even ask her that question in the first place? He usually wouldn't care. Why was he caring now? Damn it, this girl is making him confused.
Finally, an answer came to the girl's head.
"I was looking at fireflies." she said. Fireflies?
Sasuke turned to face his side where Hinata was supposedly looking. He stopped in his tracks. From behind him, Hinata was trying to hide her shocked expression.
No! There are no fireflies. It was almost fall, and it'd be too cold for them to be around. If only Hinata had come up with a more believable answer.
Her face went completely red, and her heart beat hard against her chest. She was sure the boy infront of her could hear it.
"Umm … I mean …" she trailed off as she caught the view of what Sasuke was looking at.
Fireflies.
Hinata's eyes grew wide with wonder. Fireflies in early fall.
They looked like neon-green dots floating gracefully back and forth. It was beautiful, especially in this darkness. Seeing them, she felt so warm, and welcome. She couldn't help but walk towards them. In awe, she stepped into the centre of where the fireflies were gathered. A soft smile appeared on her pale face. She lifted a hand up so one could land on it. Their green glow reflected off her silver eyes. At that moment, Hinata was the firefly princess.
Sasuke was in awe as well. Not just from the fact that there were fireflies, but from the view of Hinata standing with them. It looked like she herself was glowing in a beautiful green. And she looked so peaceful. That smile on her face made him feel like nothing was wrong with the world. The heaviness on his chest seemed to have disappeared. Was this relief? He wasn't certain, so he didn't smile. But his expression was much softer then it usually was.
A water droplet fell upon the torch light, which made a quick sizzling sound. Soon after, another droplet fell, this time on Sasuke's arm. Then another, then another. It was raining. Hinata frowned as she saw the green of the fireflies' light sink and fade away slowly. She put on her hood, and let her long hair drape down from the side.
Sasuke looked up and let the cold drops hit his face. It was refreshing. In a little while, it wasn't just raining. It was pouring.
He was quickly reminded of that day he and Naruto fought … that battle at the Valley of the End. And its outcome.
A flashback of Naruto's limp body on the floor came to him. How the rain hit his peaceful, but bruised face. And the pain of the cursed seal on his shoulder. How it shot through his entire body so quickly, he fell to his knees.
He flinched from the memory and dropped his torch. From behind him, Hinata did not notice. She was too busy thinking of something else.
The fire on the torch died out.
"Byakuugan!" Hinata called out as she activated her power. It was too dark to see anything with ordinary eyes, so this was necessary. She turned her head to face different directions, looking for shelter. It was obvious on her face when she discovered one. It was just beyond where the fireflies were. Beyond the side of the dirt road where they both stood, just into the trees.
"Sasuke-kun!" said Hinata as she pointed deeper into the woods. "Th-there's um, a cave just straight ahead that way. D-do you think we should … stay there until the rain let's up?" As always, she sounded unsure.
Sasuke nodded anyway, then stepped out of the dirt road into a dark space.
"Ah-choo!" sneezed the Hyuuga girl. She hugged her knees to keep herself warm.
The cave was anything but comfortable. It was dark, and the walls were cold and somewhat wet. It wasn't very big, but it had enough space to hold at least five people.
Sasuke sighed. "We'll have to stay here till morning. I don't think the rain will stop anytime soon."
Hinata looked at him in surprise. "W-won't they be looking for us?"
The Uchiha boy kept his eyes on the rain. He looked like he was studying its motion.
"They probably stayed at the village. Not all the buildings are ruined."
Hinata lowered her head. She hugged her knees tighter as if to block the pain in her chest.
Sasuke turned his head to face her. The poor girl. She now knew what it was like to lose a family. Almost her whole clan was slaughtered. The only person she had left was Neji. No, not just Neji, but Kiba and Shino too. Her teammates.
So maybe she wasn't entirely alone … it was just Sasuke.
The pain he'd been trying to neglect hit his chest again. He looked away from the sad girl next to him.
More silence filled both their ears. The continuous splutter of the rain made their situation less awkward.
Hinata finally mustered up some confidence to speak.
"S-Sasuke-kun?" she stuttered. "Aren't y-you cold?" she was shivering. Her jacket wasn't warm enough. Hugging her knees didn't seem to help.
"No." Sasuke replied bluntly. Though, his hands were shaking. That's why he kept them in his pockets
All the Uchiha had on was his blue shirt with his family symbol on it, and his white shorts. Not exactly cold-season material.
He looked down at the dirt.
"The cold is nothing." He said with a tone that suited the temperature.
Hinata sneezed again. She didn't know what else to say. So she kept her mouth shut. She lowered her head and buried her face in her knees.
Sasuke could see she was trying not to shiver. With a sigh, he stood up.
Looking out into the wet darkness, he said, "I'll go gather up some wood."
Hinata looked up at him. Her eyes looking confused.
"For fire?"
"Yeah."
"B-but everything's wet outside."
"That doesn't matter. My fireball jutsu's strong enough to burn anything."
" … okay." The timid girl replied with her usual hesitant voice. She lowered her head again.
"Just please … " she said, her voice sounding muffled. " … don't take too long." She hugged her knees tighter. The thought of being alone again. It was too much for her.
Sasuke looked at her with his plain black eyes, showing no emotion. But sympathy was hitting him once again. It wouldn't be easily noticed. His eyes were stern. They always were. It was hard to tell if he possessed any emotions at all.
With a nod, he left Hinata alone in the dark cave. She felt uneasy looking around. And surprisingly, she felt colder too. Her face stayed buried in her knees. Alone … she was alone again …
It felt like there was a lump in her throat that she could not swallow. Her eyes stung, and started to water. She was crying again. Letting out little hiccups and sobs. She just couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Father … Hanabi …" she muttered under her breath.
They were never really close to her, her father and sister. But she realized how much they meant to her when they passed. It was painful. And the thought of them led to the thought of the rest of her clan.
Her hands turned to fists. This feeling of devastation, and sorrow. Angst. It was not normal for her to feel such things.
"Kurenai-sensei …" The teacher who was like a mother to her. She was part of the reason Hinata was still alive today. Kurenai gave her life for her student.
Hinata continued to sit, with her head down, trembling. It wasn't from the cold anymore.
"I was too weak." She muttered. "I couldn't save any of them."
Her voice was shakier then usual. "All I've been doing is running away. I don't deserve to be here!"
With one of her fists, she hit the wall behind her, in an attempt to remove these negative feelings inside.
"Why can't I ever change?" her sobs were louder now. She's already been through this argument with herself the day the war happened.
But that didn't remove the burden she carried on her chest. Beating herself up wasn't enough.
Her strength wasn't enough.
Sasuke didn't seem to exist at that moment. No one did. She was alone, in a dark world. No one would come to save her. Not Naruto, not Kurenai-sensei, not anyone … it was just her.
"I'm alone … I'm alone …" she repeated in a hushed tone, through the lump in her throat. "I'm alone …" Every word that came out of her mouth became lighter and lighter, making her voice harder to hear. She started to rock gently back and forth.
"I'm alone …"
"You're not." Another voice interrupted. It was a deep, sad voice. But at the same time, it was strong and sure. Hinata stopped rocking and looked up at its direction, outside of the cave. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the sight.
Sasuke stepped into the cave, soaked from the cold rain, carrying a bunch of cleanly chopped logs on his shoulders.
He knelt down, and dropped them on the dirt floor as gently as he could.
"My whole clan was massacred." He said as he arranged the wet logs on the opposite side of the cave from where Hinata was sitting.
"By my brother, who I trusted, and looked up to." His back was to the Hyuuga girl, who was still trying to hold back her sobs.
"Everyone I knew and loved died. And I saw it happen." He was still arranging the logs. There must be a dozen of them.
He continued,
"I saw it happen with detail. I couldn't do anything." Another log arranged.
"So I vowed to be an avenger, and kill that man who made others suffer. Especially me." His voice turned colder and tenser at the last sentence.
Hinata kept looking at him with big eyes. Her ears straining to hear his reason for being the way he was.
Sasuke's bitterness was so obvious, her stomach started to feel uneasy.
The Uchiha boy turned to her, and shot her with eyes that surprised her. The eyes of an avenger. They were seemingly on fire.
She gripped her knees at the sight of them.
"I've had to spend my days alone. Carrying the burden of knowing I could not do anything to save my family. Knowing how I was too weak." He continued.
"And coming back to Konoha … I've had to relive that nightmare of a life. Even if it was just a few hours, the pain was immeasurable. And it would scar me for the rest of my life."
He stood up and looked down on Hinata. She was still letting out small sobs.
"You have your team mates, Neji, and Naruto. How could you say you were alone?" He walked to her side, and sat next to her. He closed his eyes in an attempt to block out painful memories.
"You haven't even suffered half of what I've been through."
He opened his eyes and quickly did his hand symbols to make his fireball jutsu. After a heavy intake of air, he lightly blew out a fire ball the size of one's fist. Blowing too much would harm him, and the girl he was with.
The Hyuuga girl watched as he did his jutsu to burn the logs. What he said seemed harsh but she guessed that was his way of comforting. It did feel a little foolish to say she was alone when she has people alive who care for her. Compared to Sasuke, her situation was nothing.
A small smile stretched her pale lips. Her hands weren't clutched into fists anymore. They were more relaxed.
She felt a little bit better now. Especially with the warmth of the fire Sasuke made. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket.
The Uchiha boy sighed as he let out his last breath for the jutsu. He leaned his back against the wall and let the fire's warmth overtake his cold, wet body. It was a comfort.
"We should sleep." He said as he curled himself up on the floor. His cheek rested on his arm so his head wouldn't touch the dirt floor.
"We'll start walking back tomorrow morning."
Closing his eyes, he realized how tired he was. Traveling from Orochimaru's hideout to Konoha, then to the hidden space in the forest and back. It took a lot out of him. In a short while, he fell sound asleep.
Hinata stayed the way she was. Back against the cave wall, knees hugged against her chest. She lowered her head and closed her eyes. Sleeping would be a temporary escape from the madness she'd been through.
Tomorrow would be a new day.
Hinata awoke first to a bright morning. The fire Sasuke made last night had died out. She stretched, and stepped out of the cave. Glittering droplets of water rolled off the leaves of the forest. The moisture made the morning air cool, and refreshing. The world was wonderful at that moment. Problems didn't exist.
She gathered up some fruit from a nearby tree. They would provide the energy needed for the rest of the walk back to camp.
As she entered the cave, Sasuke tossed. Was he dreaming? He turned to Hinata's direction. Slowly, she placed the fruit in front of him. So that when he awoke, he could just get them with the stretch of an arm.
She sat down, and paused as her eyes caught the sight of Sasuke's pale face. He looked much more serene. Almost gentle.
She hadn't realized that she was staring at the boy, until he opened his eyes and gave her a strange look after a series of blinks. He sat up, and stretched.
The girl immediately switched her gazes to the fruit. Her cheeks slightly shaded in red. Was she admiring his looks again?
Sasuke grabbed a fruit and examined it for a while before he took a bite. Probably worried that the fruit she'd taken was contaminated or something. But after a thought, he can tell she wouldn't do something that stupid.
Together, they ate a quiet, and awkward breakfast.
In a short while, they were ready to continue their journey. They would be at the refuge camp by noon at least.
Yet again, the walk wasn't very pleasant. Hinata constantly tried to find words to start a conversation, and Sasuke just didn't mind the silence and kept on walking without a stressful thought. He'd look at Hinata occasionally to check on her, because she seemed to be out of it most of the time. Her head was always down, and her pace wasn't a rush. It was steady, and slow.
From time to time, Hinata would catch Sasuke's gaze at her, and they'd stare at one another for a while, until one of them looked away. Both of them knew that between them, something was starting, but neither could tell what, or why.
Complete opposites, being drawn together like the positive and negative of a magnet. It was ludicrous.
Sasuke saw from the corner of his eye that Hinata was looking at him this time. Well, more staring, but her eyes were still on him. She stopped in her tracks and her silver eyes stayed on him. Almost like she was in shock. He stopped walking, too, and turned around to face her. Before he could say anything, he found himself on the ground with Hinata protectively on top of him. A small bomb exploded behind her, and particles of dirt flew everywhere.
Apparently, Hinata had jumped on the boy to save him from an attack.
Immediately, he sat up, and tenderly placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Are you okay?" he asked, sounding alert and worried. Hinata looked at him and nodded. At that, Sasuke pulled out his Kunai knife and stood up.
He activated his sharingan, and his senses were boosted up to an unnatural level.
Hinata hesitantly stood up. She wasn't sure what to do.
A deep, smooth laugh made her jump. It echoed through the forest, and made her stomach feel queasy.
"Orochimaru!" Sasuke exclaimed angrily as he saw a figure walk out of the shadows.
A pale man, with long black hair, and striking eyes that looked that of a snake, wearing a loose robe appeared. An eager smile stretched his lips.
"Here you are, Sasuke-kun. We've been looking all over for you." He said in a disappointed tone. "You shouldn't have left your clan." He was still walking towards the Uchiha boy, who was tense and ready to fight at any moment. He clenched his teeth as he replied, "My clan's dead."
The man who looked like a snake stopped an arm-stretch away from him. He frowned. "Why, you don't like your new family, Sasuke-kun?" he placed his hands on his hips and arched his back to look at the sky. It looked like he was stretching. After that, he looked at Sasuke with a new expression on his face. His smile had returned.
"Or did you simply miss your old family, who could not give you anything, and decided to come back?" Orochimaru said this with a taunting voice. He licked his lips. "You shouldn't have done that, Sasuke-kun. I'm not done with you."
"This family gave me more then you could ever offer!" Exclaimed Sasuke as he swung his kunai at Orochimaru, and missed.
"You just used me, and to think joining you would make me stronger." He swung again, and missed. His movements were so swift.
"It did, didn't it?" said Orochimaru.
At this, Sasuke gasped. How didn't he see it? Orochimaru had appeared behind him, and had placed the tip of Sasuke's own kunai on its owner's neck. One sudden move, and Sasuke's throat would gain a cut.
"That's why I didn't want you to leave." Orochimaru whispered in the boy's ear deviously.
Sasuke gritted his teeth and violently swung back around. His kunai knife missing his neck, and giving Orochimaru a small cut on his cheek instead.
He stepped back and waited for the man's next move. Instead of an attack, he touched his cheek gently, and looked up at Sasuke with a deceiving smile. The boy's eyes widened. Hinata screamed, "Sasuke-kun! Your back!"
An explosive note was stuck on the Uchiha boy's back, and in only mere seconds, it would explode. Immediately, he reached for it, and ripped the dangerous paper off his shirt. It was thrown opposite side from where Hinata was, but not far enough. Before Sasuke could dodge, it exploded, and the force of it pushed him hard, slamming his back against a tree.
He gasped out blood, and fell to the ground, face down, his body aching and bruised. In that moment, everything felt like a dream. He couldn't see properly, and Hinata's screams seemed far away.
He forced himself to stand, only getting as far as sitting up. He winced as Orochimaru lifted him from the ground by the collar.
"Ready to go back now?" asked the man. It took a while for Sasuke's sight to settle. Hinata was screaming out his name, but she wasn't running to him.
"Hi..nata…" he said weakly. A big man, wearing the same styled robe as Orochimaru, had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl. She was lifted high off the ground, making her unable to do anything reckless.
"We can persuade you to come back in interesting ways, Sasuke-kun."
Orochimaru's voice made Sasuke feel sick. He slowly tried to get out another kunai, but before his hand reached his pocket, Orochimaru had wrapped one arm around him, holding a deadly-sharp kunai knife against the Uchiha boy's neck with this free hand.
Sasuke smirked. "You wouldn't kill me. You still need me."
"I need your power, not necessarily you." Replied Orochimaru smugly. "So I could kill you here and now, then the girl later. Or…" He eyed the man that held Hinata, and in exchange, the man squeezed her, tight. "Augh!" she yelled out in pain. Sasuke widened his eyes in shock.
"…I could kill the girl now, in front of you, and take your life later."
Sasuke had never felt so helpless before. He felt too weak and was in far too much pain to fight back. What was he to do?
A burning feeling, even stronger then the pain he felt already, started to grow in him. It was strongest on his shoulder. His cursed seal was acting up.
Orochimaru smiled at him, looking satisfied, like he wanted the Uchiha boy to react in this manner.
Hinata's scream made this fire in the boy stronger. Despite the pain she was in, she saw black markings start to take over his whole left side.
"Sa…Sasuke-kun!" She gasped out, trying to reach him.
What happened next happened too fast for the girl to keep up. She found herself gasping on the floor, her arms wrapped around her abdominal area. Orochimaru had let go of Sasuke, and he was on the floor as well. The black markings on his skin started to draw back. Hinata crawled as fast as she could next to him. She helped him sit up.
"Sasuke-kun!" she exclaimed. He looked surprised. But not because of Hinata.
"Sasuke-kun?" she said unsurely. He didn't reply. She looked up at Orochimaru expecting he had done something. But Orochimaru paid no attention to the Uchiha boy. He was looking past them with a surprised look on his face. What was going on?
She turned her head, and her eyes grew wide.
"What do ya think you're doin', Orochimaru?" A raspy, strong voice called out.
"Naruto…" said Sasuke softly.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata echoed. Her feeling of despair melted into relief.
Orochimaru's shocked expression transitioned into a stern face. But his lips stretched into a smile.
"Naruto-kun, I see you're not dead. How intriguing." He remarked.
"Hmph. It'll take more than a stupid war to kill me." Said Naruto with a voice that showed his anger, and rage. His eyes had an intensity to them. Almost like they were on fire.
"Hah." Sasuke let out a small laugh only Hinata could hear. "Stubborn as always."
The big man ran towards Naruto. His arms stretched out, and were ready to grab him. Naruto readied himself. His hands in position to activate his shadow clone jutsu.
Suddenly, a bomb had exploded behind the big man. He tripped and fell, face flat on the ground. After that, he never got up. Naruto with his hands ready to do his special jutsu had disappeared into a puff of smoke. It was a replication.
The real Naruto walked up behind the big man, and placed his foot victoriously on his head as he folded his arms with pride.
Orochimaru laughed, and clapped his hands, almost like he was entertained. "Well done, Naruto-kun." He said sounding like he was mocking him.
The big man had puffed into smoke, and Naruto almost fell over from surprise. "A replication?" he said in disbelief.
The real big man appeared behind Orochimaru, looking irritated. Sasuke alertly stood up, but in the process, pain shot up from his spine, and he ended up on the floor again. Hinata looked at him in worry. Her hand was placed on his back in an attempt to calm him.
Naruto's gazes fell on him as well. An emotion shot through his body that he could not describe. Was he happy to see Sasuke? Or was he mad that he dared to show his face?
Orochimaru knelt down on one knee, lightly pinched Sasuke's chin, and gently lifted his head up to face him.
"You're strong, Sasuke-kun. But apparently, not strong enough, so you're not worth killing right now. I'll wait, and give you time. I'll wait for the day your anger burns with such intensity that it can be seen, and felt. If I have to, I'll take away anything or anyone that is precious to you." He leaned over closer to whisper in the boy's ear.
"Sooner or later, you will gain so much power that your body will not be able to control it. You will lose yourself and become so drunk that you will not realize what you are doing and end up killing anything that lives, and when that day comes…"
Orochimaru drew back slowly. His eyes locking with Sasuke's in an electric glare. "…that power, which you possess, will be mine." He stood up with a satisfying smile on his face. It sickened Sasuke to the pit of his stomach. He glared at Orochimaru. That was all he could do at that moment.
Orochimaru shot a look at Naruto. The boy flinched, and gritted his teeth.
"That goes for you, too, Naruto-kun." He said with a taunting voice.
A glance from him settled on the worried face of Hinata. "I'll wait." He said again, then finally walked away.
Hinata let out a sigh or relief as Orochimaru and his man disappeared behind the trees. Her guard was up, though. She jumped when Naruto called out, "Oi!" he ran beside Sasuke, and helped him up. Both of Sasuke's arms were around Naruto and Hinata for support. Hinata kept her face down. She was happy to see the bright face of Naruto, but she didn't know how to express that to him. Besides, he looked much to worried about Sasuke, and she knew he'd pay little attention to her at this time.
"You're so stupid, Sasuke. Putting Hinata-san in danger like that, and getting yourself beaten up by your own side." Said Naruto with an irritated voice.
Sasuke smirked despite his situation. "It's nice to see you, too, loser." He said sarcastically. "And I'm not on their side anymore."
"Hmph." Replied Naruto.
Sasuke turned to Hinata. Worry was visible on his face, which surprised the Hyuuga girl. "Are you alright, Hinata?"
She gave an unsure smile, and replied, "Y-yes, I'm fine. I might have broken a rib or two, but I'll live."
Sasuke nodded, and turned his head to face the road in front.
"M-more importantly," Hinata began. "N-Naruto-kun, how about you? Are you feeling alright?"
Naruto looked at her with a puzzled face. He smiled and answered, "Of course I am. Thanks for askin'."
Hinata nodded.
"Okay, let's get going!" exclaimed Naruto. "Ugh. Naruto, don't scream next to my ear, idiot." Complained Sasuke. "Hmph."
The three of them started walking. Well, Sasuke limping, but none the less, they all moved up the road towards the refuge camp.
On the way, Naruto bragged of how 'cool' he was fighting that big man, and saving Hinata and Sasuke. Hinata giggled at times, but Sasuke kept on rolling his eyes, or not responding at all. It was almost as if they were all friends, just taking a stroll in the forest, early in the morning. It was a good cover for now.
Underneath all that pride, Naruto felt an anger towards Sasuke. Things weren't good between them at all. Not after all these years. Especially, not after their last battle. Reality would settle on the three of them when they arrive at camp.
A horrifying sight displayed itself in front of the three. Hinata covered her mouth with her hands. Tears started to pool in her eyes. Naruto's jaw dropped. Sasuke's, too.
"What the hell happened?" asked the Uchiha boy. He let his arms drop from his companions' shoulders, and walked forward.
The refuge camp was like a replica of the Konoha village. There wasn't as much blood, or people, but it was still an unpleasant sight. Most of the tents looked like they were raided by a bear, and some were fortunately still standing. But stains of blood were dashed on them. A few bodies lay limp on the floor. Gashes found all over them.
Hinata ran into the Yellow tent where most of the villagers were held, hoping some of them had survived, despite their crisis. Naruto fell to his knees and started to punch the ground over and over. His fists started fading red.
"That bastard! He played us! DAMMIT!" shouted the yellow-haired boy angrily as he repeatedly inflicted the dirt ground with his fist.
Sasuke ignored his bruises, and walked slowly to the center of the camp. It felt like things were caving in on him. Like the world was falling apart. His heart started to beat at a faster pace. Sweat trickled down the side of his head, which started to throb. And his heart thudded the same beat.
Naruto's voice seemed to drift farther and farther away.
Hinata walked out of the tent, hands still covering her mouth. Tears were streaming down her pale face. Sasuke was the closest, so she slowly walked and stopped beside him.
"They're all dead." She murmured under her breath.
Naruto stood up. Fists clenched at his side.
Someone gasped. Only Hinata and Naruto looked back to see who it was.
The other villagers who went to burry their loved ones from their village had returned. Their faces all white with shocked, and despair.
"What's going on here?" Shouted Tsunade as she stomped in front. Her eyes widened. "Naruto?"
Then, as she turned her head to view the camp, her eyes turned from an expression of shock, to horror. Her face paled, and she felt her jaw drop.
"Not again…" she said with a regretful voice.
Hinata caught a movement from the corner of her eye, and felt a drift pass her.
"Sasuke-kun!" He fell on the dirt ground with a thud. His body was too tired to handle the emotions that stirred inside of him.
"Sasuke!" called out Naruto as he ran towards the Uchiha boy.
Sasuke was still conscious, but his body couldn't seem to move. He suddenly felt weak, and the voices of the people that hovered over him sounded distant. Hinata's face was the last thing he saw before everything blacked out.
Tsunade laid his body where Naruto was when he was unconscious. She frowned not being able to imagine how much pain this boy has gone through until he finally collapsed. Her hand gently brushed a hair off his sweaty forehead.
"Tsunade-baa-chan." Called Naruto from the entrance of the yellow tent.
"Why's he like that?"
Tsunade turned to face the blonde completely. His eyes having the same amount of pain as hers.
"He's been through a lot, Naruto." She replied.
Naruto walked and stood next to her, looking at Sasuke's limp body. His hands clenched into tight fists.
"It's not fair." He said through gritted teeth.
"When I woke up, everyone was fine. They explained to me everything that's happened, and the kids even played with me a bit before I set off."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. She turned away from him and set her gazes on Sasuke. She didn't know what to say.
Naruto continued. "They were just here. Right here!" he exclaimed his last sentence. "Just a few hours ago… and now," a lump seemed to have formed in his throat. He couldn't go on.
Tsunade closed her eyes. Pain was taking over her heart. It felt like acid churned in her stomach. Too much has happened.
"I'm sorry." Was all she could say in reply. Naruto didn't respond. After a moment, he exited the tent with a run. Tsunade didn't watch him leave.
The left-over villagers started another grave site just a few minutes away from their refuge camp. More holes were dug, more bodies buried. Many people complained, and many more had to continue mourning from last night.
Shikamaru looked at the bodies cautiously as they were lowered down to their graves. His eyes narrowed.
"Something doesn't look right." He said.
Shino stood beside him. He studied the bodies as well. "You're right." He replied as he knelt to gather something from the dirt. Shikamaru saw it was a small insect.
Shino nodded as if conversing with the insect. He turned to Shikamaru. "Not all the bodies are injured. Some aren't even bruised at all."
"Yeah, I noticed." Said Kiba as he joined the conversation. He moved slightly to the side to give room to Neji, who was also listening on their conversation.
"You can tell that the injured bodies were in a battle, definitely to save the camp or themselves. But some bodies don't even have a scratch, yet there they lay, dead." Shikamaru stated matter of factly. "What do you think, Neji?" He directed his question at the Hyuuga boy. He looked around, studying each body, and mourning face. Then turned back to his group with agitation clear in his eyes.
"I don't know if it's possible but…" he paused, thinking his theory through before saying it aloud. "…maybe for the uninjured people, their energies were absorbed somehow." His voice showed how unsure he was. It wasn't a realistic theory, but after all that's happened, anything seemed possible.
"By who? The same guy who started the massacre?" Kiba snarled. His hands balled into fists.
"Orochimaru." Said Shino with pure hate. "But Orochimaru takes power by switching bodies," stated Shikamaru. "How would he absorb them?"
"It's probably a new jutsu. It's possible." Replied Neji. "Then that would mean that…" Kiba paused, afraid of his own sentence. "…it would mean that Orochimaru's gotten stronger."
The group was silent for a few minutes. The thought of Orochimaru getting stronger was frightening.
"Wait," Neji broke the silence. "We're not sure if he's really absorbed their energies. It's just a theory."
"What's another possible reason? This seems the most logical." Replied Kiba.
"Maybe a poison?" said Shikamaru unsurely. "I would've caught its scent." Argued Kiba. "And besides, the poison wouldn't affect this many people in one night."
"What would be the point of poisoning these people anyway?" stated Shino coolly. "Orochimaru wouldn't kill unless he got something from it."
"So right now, the only theory possible is he absorbed the people's energy to gain power." Said Neji.
The group of boys pondered. "Hm…" started Kiba. "I guess that's what we'll have to settle with for now. Huh?" He caught a swift movement from the corner of his eye. Something of orange dashed by through the trees, deeper into the woods.
"Naruto?" Shikamaru said it for him. "I heard he's finally woken up." Said Shino. A smirk twitched the corner of the dog-boy's lips. "It's just impossible to kill that guy, isn't it?" he said sounding unsurprised. That changed as he caught the sight of Hinata. She was running after him, the boy she admired. He kept watching as she moved, and stumbled. He was about to run to her side and help her but then he felt a soft pressure on his shoulder that stopped him. Turning his head, he found that it was Shino's hand on his shoulder. The boy of the bugs shook his head in disapproval.
"She's finally out of her cocoon and ready to face the world with the beat of her wings. Just leave her be, Kiba." Preached Shino. Kiba opened his mouth to oppose the bug-boy, but no words came out. He sighed, exasperated and turned back to Hinata. She managed to get back on her feet and run – well more like waddle – after Naruto. He sighed again and shook his head.
As he watched her off, an unfamiliar feeling seemed to have washed over his body. The look of Hinata's worried face made him want to comfort her. He yearned to be there for her. Not wanting anymore unfamiliar emotions to rise, he looked away and got back to discussing with his group.
Hinata was unsure what to do. Her cheeks were wet with new tears, and they blurred her vision. Her pace slowed as she thought things through. Twigs broke under her feet as she walked. She looked down, her heart feeling heavy. Comfort, she needed comfort. Naruto was her only option right now. She needed him more then ever. It was unusual for her to feel such yearning because of her timid nature. She raised a hand to her mouth. Through her silent walk, she heard the soothing sound of running water. The river was close by. Aside from the river, she also heard thumping noises, and cussing.
"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" It was Naruto, punching the ground in anger.
Hinata slowed her pace even more, fear overcoming her heavy heart. She spotted him, and hid behind a tree.
"GAH!" exclaimed Naruto. Hinata jumped as she heard a huge splash of water. She looked to see what had happened. Her eyes grew wide to see that the boulder of which she had sat on was not there. In its place was a huge, dark spot of dirt, and Naruto was standing in it, panting.
Oh, how she longed to have her arms wrapped around him. To just take his pain away, not caring about her own problems. In her mind, that seemed possible, but as reality settled on her, she just couldn't muster up enough courage. She sat down, her back sliding against the bark of the tree.
"DAMMIT!" roared Naruto again. Hinata flinched. What could she do? Nothing seemed to be helpful at this point. Her mind scrambled. What would calm him? What could she say? She hugged her knees against her chest.
"What the hell do you want!?" Hinata gasped thinking the question was directed at her. It wasn't.
"My friends, my family, my neighbors… You took them all away, you bastard!" Naruto began to rant. But in a quieter voice now. "I couldn't save any of them, even though I was just there."
Hinata turned her head and walked from behind the tree surprised. Naruto's head was down. His shoulders were relaxed but his hands still clenched into fists.
"Naruto-kun." Said Hinata quietly, as she wiped her wet cheeks with her sleeve. She took a step forward and gasped as a twig snapped. The boy straightened up and looked back. His eyes were alarmed.
Hinata gasped again when she saw them. Red. They were red, with slits for pupils. Slowly, they faded back to blue as Naruto calmed down. His expression softened.
"Oh, Hinata-san, it's you."
"I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun." She managed to say. "Was I interrupting you?" Her voice was hesitant as usual. Naruto looked at the river for a moment before he answered. He looked at the Hyuuga girl and smiled. "Nah, I think I'm done." Hinata managed a smile. But it quickly faded. She looked away, her face slightly a shade of red.
"Ah, Hinata-san, what's wrong?" Asked Naruto with a bit of worry in his voice.
"You don't remember… I thought you were dying, and…" She trailed off, embarrassed to continue her sentence. She started fiddling with her fingers.
Naruto scratched his head, puzzled. "I was dying, and what?" he asked.
"I was with you…"
"You were?"
At that, Hinata felt like her heart was pierced by a needle. She looked down, her face still a slight shade of red. Her bangs covered her sad eyes.
"Never mind." She said with a softer voice then usual.
Naruto tilted his head in confusion. "You're acting weird, Hinata-san."
She didn't reply. Instead she turned and started walking away. "It's nothing." She said, trying to hide the pain in her voice. She kept on walking, but at a slow pace. The sound of the running water faded in the background.
"Hinata-san." Called Naruto. She stopped in her tracks. Her blood started to rush, as did the beating of her heart, just to the boy calling her name.
She turned to look at him, though she was afraid to meet his gaze. Surprise hit her as she saw the look on his face. It was serious, but somehow soft, and showed a sense of yearning. "You asked me not to leave you, didn't you?" his voice wasn't the usual hyper voice she was used to. It was gentler.
Hinata's face seemed to have grown warmer. She looked down in approval.
"I see." Naruto started to walk towards her. She took a slight step back, unsure of what to do. He wasn't sure what to do either. Hesitantly, he leaned over, his lips almost touching the timid girl's ear. "Thank you." He said. She held back a gasp of surprise from the feeling of his breath on her. Her whole body was warm this time. It affected her knees, and they started to shake slightly. Standing was becoming a chore.
Naruto leaned back smiling as if he didn't know what he had just done to her. She stared at him with surprised, silver eyes. After a few moments of silent gazing, her knees gave up on her and she staggered forward. Her head felt like it was spinning as well.
"Whoa!" Naruto caught her. He placed a hand on her forehead. "Wow, Hinata-san, you're really warm." All Hinata could manage was a slight nod. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest. His heart was steady. Her eyes opened again as she felt the sensation of being carried. She gasped in surprise. Naruto looked at her with a puzzled face.
"It's okay, I'll carry you to Tsunade-baa-chan. I think you might have a fever."
Hinata could feel his hand supporting her back and legs, suspending her from the ground. She wasn't used to being carried like this. She felt so weightless, and embarrassed. Her head spun as Naruto began to walk. She had to lean it against his shoulder. Her heart beat rapidly. She was sure that even the boy that carried her could hear it.
Sasuke was still unconscious on the bed of blankets. He was breathing evenly, but from the look on his face, it looked like he was having a nightmare. Tsunade watched over him in worry. She was surprised to hear someone come in from the tent entrance, and even more surprised to see that it was Naruto with Hinata in his arms. She would've smiled if she wasn't feeling so upset. The woman walked towards the couple.
"What's the matter?" she asked, her voice almost demanding. "I think Hinata-san might have a fever." Answered Naruto with his usual raspy voice. Hinata looked up at the blonde woman. Her eyes looked amused. Hinata looked away embarrassed. "Just carry her over here." She instructed Naruto. He gently placed her on a blanket on the floor. It was near Sasuke's bed. Hinata watched as the expression on Naruto's face changed. It became serious. "When will Sasuke be up?" he asked in a low raspy voice.
Tsunade looked at him with the same expression on her face. "Most likely, he'll wake up tonight." She started walking towards the exit of the tent. "You can talk to him at that time. Now, I need to go check on the others." She slipped out, and the tent was silent.
Hinata sat up, and looked around. Her face turned sad, and she could feel the tears about to come up again. This tent was full last time she was here. Just yesterday, actually. And now, it was completely empty. Aside from the presence of Naruto, Sasuke, and herself, it was completely deserted. Empty blankets were laid on the floor where injured villagers used to lay. It was heart-breaking.
Her knees still felt unstable, so she didn't bother to stand up. Instead, she rested her back against the blanket, and closed her eyes.
"Hinata-san?" said Naruto. Hinata quickly opened her eyes and sat up, alerted. "Y-yes, Naruto-kun?" She looked at him with her silver eyes. Her pale cheeks reddening.
"Will you be okay here?" he asked as he sat himself down, cross-legged, across from her.
"Y-yeah. I'll be fine." Hinata said with her usual hesitant, soft voice. She smiled embarrassedly.
"Okay." Replied Naruto. He grinned his toothy grin. To Hinata's surprise it quickly disappeared, and his face was serious again. Her face grew redder.
Gently, Naruto placed a hand on her cheek. Her heart raced.
"Na…Naruto-kun?" she said unsurely. Her voice was shaky. Slowly he leaned his face closer to hers. Hinata's breathing seemed to have stopped, and her heart beat hard against her chest. She felt her face burn. Her hands clutched tightly onto the blanket she was on.
Instinctively, she closed her eyes, waiting for what would happen next.
She tried not to shudder as Naruto caressed from her cheek to her forehead, lifting her bangs from it so it was bare. It took her a while to realize what he was doing.
She opened her eyes just as Naruto leaned in close enough so his forehead was touching her own. She closed her eyes almost immediately to help her suppress a gasp. Her eyes were shut tighter this time.
"You're warmer then when we came in, Hinata-san." He said finally. Then leaned back to his normal position. "And your face is redder then usual. You should definitely rest. Try sleeping." He stood up.
"Ah … okay." Said a shaky Hinata. She felt sweat starting to bead on her temple. He still doesn't get it, she thought.
With that, she rested her back against the blanket again. Naruto nodded, and gave one last glance at Sasuke, then walked away.
As soon as Naruto was out of the tent, the timid girl let out a big sigh of relief. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down, and rested her hand on her forehead, where Naruto's was. "How embarrassing…" She murmured to herself. "And I thought he was going to…" her face burned up again before she could say anymore. She shut her eyes tighter and curled herself up into a ball. She could still feel her heart thumping, harder and faster then it usually does.
After a while, she finally calmed down, and the tent was silent. She could hear the other villagers outside, complaining, mourning, walking back and forth, shouting statements or commands. She slowly opened her eyes.
In the process, she felt sadness overcome her heart again. She placed a hand on her chest. Her eyes felt like they would release tears again.
She turned, so she was facing Sasuke's side. After a brief look at his still body, she closed her eyes. A little rest wouldn't hurt. She'd wake up in mid-afternoon, or earlier. By then, she should feel much better.
"Power. You must gain power. You need to get stronger." These words echoed through the Uchiha boy's head. "You're too weak." It was his own voice telling this to him. "You're not strong enough."
Sasuke seemed to be standing in the middle of an abyss. There was no floor. Just waves of grayish lines all around him. It frightened him.
"You must be drunk with power. You must get stronger to kill Orochimaru and Itachi."
"No!" shouted Sasuke. "I've done enough. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore." He tightly covered his ears with his hands and closed his eyes.
"The others don't matter. Nothing matters. Especially if you are weak." Taunted his own voice.
"Stop it! That's not true!"
"The villagers hate you. Your best friend despises you. There was no point of you coming back to this village."
"No! That's not …" Sasuke trailed off, unsure of what to say. This voice was right. There was no point of him coming back…
"There's no point of being alive either. Especially if you are weak." Echoed the voice.
"Stop saying that." Said Sasuke weakly.
"You're not worth killing right now." It was Orochimaru's voice this time. Sasuke gasped and removed his hands from his ears. His eyes were wild.
"I'll wait for the day your anger burns with such intensity, that it can be seen."
"Shut up!" the boy shouted. He violently looked around him, trying to find the source of this voice.
"You will gain so much power that your body will not be able to control it."
"You're lying!" he exclaimed. "I'm in control of myself. I can control my power." He swiftly turned his head to his right, then to his left. More wavy gray lines.
"When that day comes,"
Sasuke was sure where this voice was coming from this time. He turned quickly to look behind him and gasped. It was himself in his demon form. The form that is made by his cursed seal. It looked just as shocked as him. Then it smirked, and slowly, it faded into Orochimaru's image.
"When that day comes," he repeated. "That power which you possess," the man reached a hand out in an attempt to grab the boy. Sasuke stepped back.
"will be mine." He finished. His lips stretched into a wide smile, and his eyes grew bigger. Sasuke fell back in fear. What he saw now was not Orochimaru. It was a giant snake. Its mouth wide open, ready to swallow the Uchiha boy. Its tongue waved around violently as it hissed.
Sasuke couldn't move. He stayed there on the floor, petrified. Before he could scream, the snake plunged forward with an open mouth, then everything went black. He felt numb again. His lungs seemed to have failed him, but he wasn't gasping. Darkness. That's all he could see. Nothing but darkness.
After a while, he realized that he was falling. No, not falling. His body felt much too light. He was gently drifting down. There was no floor. He'd be drifting down forever. His lids fell over his eyes, waiting.
"Sasuke-kun?" a soft voice echoed through his trance.
"Sasuke-kun?" it said again. This voice sounded familiar. He couldn't say who it was. It definitely wasn't Sakura. This voice was much softer.
"Sasuke-kun…" It called again. Sasuke didn't want to open his eyes, but felt like he had too. His lids felt heavy.
At first, everything was black. Then came the voice again, "Sasuke-kun?" The darkness seemed to have subsided a bit. Light was streaming in slowly.
"I'm here." Said Sasuke weakly. "I'm right here." He attempted to raise a heavy arm up, as if something would grab his hand and pull him out of this abyss. "Call my name again." He pleaded. "Please…" This voice sounded like that of an angel.
"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" This time with the voice came an image made from the streaming light, above the drifting Uchiha boy. After a few moments, the image became clear.
Hinata was hovering over him, glowing. Her long, dark hair waved behind her, as if she was drifting with him, too. Her face never looked so heavenly.
"Hinata…" he said weakly. He dropped his raised hand, and kept on looking at her angelic image.
"Wake up, Sasuke-kun. Wake up." The girl pleaded. She sounded worried.
"Wake up?" said Sasuke puzzled. He didn't feel like he was sleeping.
"Sasuke-kun, please, wake up." Pleaded Hinata again.
Follow her voice, thought the boy. Follow it.
As if he was in water, Sasuke straightened himself up and began kicking with his feet in an attempt to swim to this celestial maiden. A hand from her was stretched out, seemingly to reach him. He stretched out his hand as well, and kept on kicking. He was desperate now, to get out of this darkness, to be able to breathe.
Finally, he clutched onto Hinata's hand, and felt a tug into reality. Everything around him quickly faded to white.
The ceiling was yellow. Sasuke blinked a few times before he looked around some more. He turned his head to his side, and sure enough, Hinata was standing next to him, worry clear on her face. He switched his gazes to the ceiling. "What time is it?" He asked. The timid girl's face formed into a puzzled expression. "I-it's about 6 pm." She stammered.
"Oh." Replied Sasuke. Without thinking, he tried to sit himself up. As a result, an aching pain shot through his body. He fell back with a slump.
"Ah, Sasuke-kun, you shouldn't do that." Hinata said frantically. "Don't move. I'll go get Tsunade-sama." She turned around, towards the exit. A tug at her wrist stopped her. Slowly, she turned her head to see a pale arm stretched out towards her. Her eyes met his, and as usual, he had an unreadable expression on his face. He let go of her and looked away.
"Don't leave." He said softly, but unsurely.
Hinata's eyes widened in surprise. Hesitantly, she nodded and sat down on the blanket she had slept on.
Sasuke turned so that he wasn't facing Hinata at all. Why'd I do that?, he thought. Lately, Sasuke has noticed that the heavy feelings in his heart were relieved slightly around this girl. He had grabbed her wrist on impulse, without thinking, as if not wanting to be away from her.
"Sorry." He managed to say. "But … I need you to stay with me."
Hinata could feel her face grow warm. "N-no, it's fine."
Sasuke hadn't realized what he'd just said. The thought of Hinata misinterpreting it didn't cross his mind.
He couldn't figure out what was so special about this girl. She made him feel unfamiliar emotions. Sometimes she made him feel powerful. A new thought dawned on him. Is she the source of his strength? Will she be the one to help him gain power? He shook his head. That's ludicrous. She's just a girl. A weak, timid girl. There was nothing special about her. At least not her appearance. But she's a Hyuuga. He thought again. One of the strongest clans in Konoha. And she's survived this far. Maybe there's more to her then it seems. He sighed. Right now, she's his comfort. The only medicine that would make him feel better. And right now, he wanted her to stay with him.
"I had a dream..." said Hinata, interrupting the awkward atmosphere. Sasuke looked at her. "It wasn't a nightmare, but it was … scary." She continued. Her eyes looking at nothing in particular.
Couldn't be any scarier then mine, thought the Uchiha boy.
Hinata continued, "Everything was hazy. Green… like the fireflies from last night." She hugged her knees. "I saw… Naruto. But his eyes weren't the same. They looked like… a fox's." At this, Sasuke looked at the girl. Suddenly he was now interested in her story.
"I thought he was glaring at me, but he wasn't." she continued. "I turned around, and I saw the silhouette of a person. Their eyes were glowing red, and their long hair swayed in the breeze. After a little while, I realized it was you." This tugged the boy's interest even more.
"I thought you said this wasn't a nightmare." He said.
"Th-that was just the first part." She stuttered, looking at Sasuke with a rosy face. He couldn't help but feel like another ton was taken off his heart.
Hinata continued, "I was looking at you in my dream, and I was scared. You and Naruto were fighting it seems. I watched helplessly as he charged at you, and you charged at him. The setting was rocky. Dust flew everywhere as you both glided on air. Before you made contact with each other, the scene just changed into a brighter scene. It wasn't as green, but it still was…
"I felt a wind pass me. But I felt warm. I could see my hair flow in all directions, and I realized I was in mid-air."
She looked down.
"It was like I was being pulled up by a force." Saying that, she looked up slowly, and zoned out again. "After that, the scene simultaneously switched and I saw…" she fiddled with her fingers, trying to find the next word. "A jade stone."
Sasuke felt something from that sentence.
"It glowed the warmest green," continued Hinata. "And it was just so… beautiful. It made me feel pleasant, just looking at it. Like problems did not exist."
"I tried to reach for it, like this," she made a motion with her hands like cupping water in the air. "But then…" her hands curled into light fists. "…it was gone, and I woke up."
Sasuke tried to sit up. Flinching, he said, "Tell that to Tsunade. It doesn't sound like a normal dream." He finally sat up, pain still clear in his eyes.
"Sasuke-kun!" exclaimed Hinata as she suddenly stood in alert. "You shouldn't get up, I told you—"
"Tell Tsunade!" he interrupted. Hinata fell silent. "I'll be fine."
She wanted to say something but couldn't think of what. Feeling discouraged, she looked down. "Was that all you dreamt about?" asked Sasuke after a brief moment of silence.
The Hyuuga girl abruptly looked up. She nodded unsurely. "It s-seems short, but when I woke up, hours had passed."
"I see." replied the Uchiha boy. As swiftly as he could, he slid off the bed of blankets, trying to ignore how sore his body was.
"Sasuke-kun!" exclaimed Hinata with an alert tone. She ran to his side, and pressed a hand against his chest and back to support him. Even with Hinata holding him up, he still didn't look very stable. He staggered, trying to walk.
"This is nothing. Go tell Tsunade your dream." He took another awkward step.
Hinata acted as Sasuke's lean-on in their search for the woman, Tsunade. Usually, Sasuke would have felt uneasy with someone helping him, keeping his body from falling. But this time, for some reason, he felt comfortable with this girl walking with him. He was getting used to her company.
Tsunade was at what looked like a new grave sight dug up by the left-over Konoha villagers. Her face glistened with sweat, and patches of dirt were visible all over her body. She watched as the timid Hyuuga girl led the ever-so-great Uchiha boy, his arm around her shoulders for support. It was quite an interesting sight. She couldn't help but look surprised.
"I see Sasuke's woken up already." She said in her usual loud voice. "Um…" Hinata began. Tsunade looked down at her.
"What is it?" she asked. The timid girl kept her eyes on the floor. "I… that is… Um—"
"She has something to tell you. A dream she's had." Sasuke interrupted impatiently. Hinata nodded hesitantly in agreement. "Oh?"
With her usual nature, Hinata told Tsunade the images that came to her through a dream. "Can you interpret it?" asked Sasuke. He sat coolly on a rock, not looking at all like he has a sore body. Tsunade tapped her chin, and looked up into space. She noticed that the sky was getting darker. Evening was coming sooner than expected.
After a while of pondering, she replied, "I have a few theories. I've never interpreted dreams before."
"Anything is fine. I know that what Hinata had had was more then just a silly dream." said Sasuke.
Tsunade looked at him with a now serious expression. "Sasuke," she began in a deep, serious tone. "I'm not sure, but some kind of powerful energy, maybe chakra, will find its way to you. It'll turn you into a form, like your cursed seal is in full power."
"Cursed seal?" murmured Hinata to herself softly enough that no one heard her.
Tsunade continued, "Naruto will activate his red chakra, and he will be trying to stop you. Possibly slowing you down from… I don't know what exactly… Maybe from destroying all that is around you. Maybe from letting this overwhelming power take over your body."
Sasuke looked at Tsunade with concentrated eyes.
"Or maybe he's just trying to kill you before you kill everything else."
At this, the boy felt a gripping at his heart. He had agitated lines all over his face.
"As for this green stone, I'm guessing it's meant to calm you down, judging from its description. Or perhaps it is the power you all seek." continued the woman with a steady voice. "The very power that will cause you to go berserk." Her eyes narrowed as she said this.
"B-but…" Hinata stuttered lightly. Her voice was almost too soft to hear. "The feelings I got from it… it can't be dangerous—"
"Hinata," Tsunade cut her off. "My other theory is that only you are able to locate this stone." The woman turned her head to face the timid girl completely. "You were the one who dreamt of it, you are probably the only one who can navigate it. I've never heard of such a description from just looking at a gem."
Hinata's eyes widened in surprise. She touched her lips with a crooked finger for comfort, as she had done in her first battle with her cousin, Neji.
Tsunade let out a soft sigh. In her eyes, Sasuke could tell that she was making a painful decision. Regret was making itself clear on her as well.
"Sasuke, Hinata," said the fifth Hokage with a softer voice then usual. "Both of you, you are our only hope for this village to ever thrive again."
Hinata looked at the woman in confusion. Sasuke's hands tensed in his pockets.
"I want you to find that gem, that stone that makes all things pleasant, Hinata."
The timid girl widened her eyes in shock this time. Tsunade turned to Sasuke. "You. I want you, with a loyal heart, to absorb the power from this stone." This time, it was Sasuke's eyes that were surprised.
"I think that if you set aside your feelings of rage, and greed for power, then you will be able to control what this stone holds for you. If things start to get troublesome because of your own feelings, Naruto will be there to help with that."
Naruto… Sasuke had almost forgotten about him. He bent his head to look at the floor. "And if I gain this unknown power, am I to use against Orochimaru and his minions?" he asked with a low, deep voice.
"Yes." Replied Tsunade bluntly. "It'll be risky, but whatever opportunity presents itself, we must take hold of it." Her voice was louder this time. She stretched and stood up, her back facing the young pair.
"Right now, you both are tired. Naruto has just woken up. I can't have you all leaving right away in your current conditions."
She looked back with determined eyes, and continued, "I'll give you all a week to rest. In that time, you can decide whether you want to do this, and you may pack as much as you can carry. After the week is done, you may leave." After those words, she started walking towards the camp.
"Wait, Tsunade-sama!" called Hinata. Tsunade stopped in her tracks. "Why don't you come with us?" she asked with a shaky voice.
The fifth Hokage looked back with caring eyes. "The villagers need someone to protect them now. And I won't fail them this time." A slight smirk stretched her lips. Then she turned away and continued walking, leaving Hinata and Sasuke standing alone with unexplainable feelings,, and silence.
In a little while, Naruto appeared to them, and so did the other boys of Konoha.
