A/N: Hey guys! Well here is the next chapter.
Disclaimer:……
Chapter: 44
Hinata turned slowly, curious as to who would know her in thunder village. Her white eyes first saw the bright red hair and then moved down to the face of the person the voice belonged to.
"Kasumi-san?" Hinata asked.
"Hai, how are you Hinata-san!?" she exclaimed pulling the Hyuuga in to a tight embrace.
"Fine how are you." Hinata said her voice lacking any type of emotion.
"Uh oh what's wrong now?" Kasumi said examining Hinata's face closely.
"Nothing Kasumi-san I don't know what you mean." Hinata said trying to smile.
"It's that damn Kazekage again isn't it!?" Kasumi exclaimed. "I swear to God when I get my hands on him I'll…!"
"He was kidnapped." Jugo interjected.
"What?" Kasumi asked disbelievingly. "Well if he was able to get kidnapped so easily I say let him stay kidnapped. And Hinata should lose no sleep over him if he's THAT useless."
"He was kidnapped…" Karin said over the other girl's voice. "By the Akatsuki organization. We're on our way there right now and we plan on attempting to take him back. But there are only five of us and I honestly don't know if we'll make it."
Kasumi was struck speechless and her three other teammates who had remained silent until now, looked at each other in fear. Slowly the red head girl turned towards her teammates biting her lip and wringing her hands nervously.
"Well?" Kasumi asked almost weak.
"Where ever you go I go Ojou-sama." Yuki said bowing her head to the team's leader.
"Arigotou Yuki." Kasumi said slightly relieved.
"M-me to." Rikku said.
This time the red head was too chocked up for words and instead embraced her friend tightly. Slowly everyone turned towards Sora who stood there shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.
"What?" she cried a little defensive.
"Well?" Kasumi asked.
"Are you all nuts!?" Sora asked. "We would stand no chance in hell against those monsters! No offense to Hinata or her lover the Kazekage but I AM NOT willing to lose my life to save his!"
Her teammates simply stared at her and finally Sora's face broke into an exasperated expression.
"Be brave Onee-chan." Rikku whispered.
Sora shot a glare at her sister but she only stared back with soft eyes having the upmost faith in her twin. Finally the blue eyed girl sighed.
"Demo, if you are willing to go, Rikku-onee-chan then I guess I can to." Sora said grabbing her twin's hand.
"Alright then it's settled we'll be joining you on your mission!" Kasumi cried.
--Page Break--
"Put it back now!" Sasuke shouted as Suigetsu proceeded to shove more money into his pockets.
"C'mon Sasuke! What are the chances we will ever find the old snakes treasury again?" Suigetsu asked taking another handful.
"We don't have time for this Suigetsu." Sasuke sighed irritated.
"Yes we do!" Suigetsu insisted shoving more money into his pockets.
"I'll make you a deal, if we get the scrolls we need and still have time left you can come back here and take all the money you want. I'll even help you carry it out of here." Sasuke said.
"Hell no!" Suigetsu scoffed. "You're lying!"
"Have I ever lied to you?" Sasuke asked.
"Have you ever NOT lied to me?" Suigetsu countered.
Sasuke brooded for a few more moments before trying to persuade Suigetsu again.
"Look this time I SWEAR I'm not lying." Sasuke said.
Suigetsu stopped and turned towards his Uchiha partner before a huge maniacal grin spread across his face.
"Do you swear on the graves of your family?" he asked.
Sasuke's eyes flashed red and he ground his teeth to keep from lashing out at his partner. After taking a deep breath he was ready to speak again.
"Fine," he growled. "I swear on my families graves, BUT that's if we have time."
"Fine let's go." Suigetsu pouted, following after his companion.
After walking through a few more rooms the two boys came face to face with huge double doors. They both glanced at each other before pushing open the door. The rancid smell that hit Suigetsu's nose as he entered the room made him outwardly cringe and grab his nose.
"DAMN SASUKE!" He cried looking around the snake mans old bedroom where said mans pale corpse continued to rot on the floor at Suigetsu's feet. "Why the hell couldn't you have cleaned up?"
The boy with the coal black eyes shot him an impassive look before turning away from him and digging through the numerous scrolls and papers scattered on the floor.
"It's not my fault you're a baby." Sasuke finally said, just as Suigetsu bent over to prod the lifeless body.
"Ugh!" he groaned as a piece of bloody flesh rolled toward him. "How can you stand this it smells terrible!" he finished standing.
Sasuke remained quite as he stood and walked over to a large map on the wall. Finally he spoke after another moment of hesitation.
"It's the same smell on the night my clan was murdered." He all but whispered.
Suigetsu bit back his smart comment and walked over to Sasuke. Although they weren't close enough to be friends he still respected him. Without moving his head he reached his hand to his back where he ran his knuckles across the cool smooth metal of the former sword of Momochi Zabuza. This was his constant reminder of how much he owed the young Uchiha. Finally he was about to talk but Sasuke rose a hand to silence him and frowned. Suigetsu waited as the paler young man knocked on the top of the map. Instead of hearing the very dull thud of his knuckles meeting brick it created a louder echoing thud.
"What the hell…?" Suigetsu said confused as Sasuke took both his hands and grasped at the map.
With one quick jerk the large tapestry map came crashing to the floor. Suigetsu stepped back a bit as his heart sped up when the hollow metal door was revealed. It reminded him of his own prison that he used to be confined to. Sasuke ignored Suigetsu's sudden change in demeanor and tried to pull the door open.
"It's locked." Sasuke stated, when Suigetsu didn't reply he continued. "Come unlock it for me."
When Suigetsu still didn't answer him Sasuke turned and saw the young man standing their stock still his face unusually pale.
"Hey Suigetsu!" Sasuke snapped.
"Huh? What?" Suigetsu asked his attention turning back to his teammate.
"I said unlock the door for me!" Sasuke said exasperated.
"Oh right," Suigetsu said putting on a nervous smile. "Of course."
"Well?" Sasuke said reveling in Suigetsu's discomfort.
Slowly the young man approached the door, his arm became clear and fluent like water and he let it seep into a crack around the door. Sasuke watched as Suigetsu mustered up all of his concentration to unlock the door. When the door shook slightly from the relieved heavy pressure and Suigetsu's arm quickly slipped out through the same crack and materialized back to his side again. Sasuke reached up to pull on it again but still the door wouldn't budge.
"I still can't open it!" Sasuke growled at the still slightly fearful boy.
"Orochimaru put a seal on all the doors like these." He answered darkly before going into a set of semi familiar hand signs.
Then without any coaxing from either boy the door sprang open with a loud creak. Suigetsu took another step back in disbelief, he had only seen those hand signs once and he had been able to remember them. Without even a moment's hesitation Sasuke had leapt through the door into the black abyss. Suigetsu remained outside the small passage that was behind the door hoping beyond hope that Sasuke wouldn't care and continue his new adventure on his own. Sure enough the Uchiha reappeared in the entrance of the passage smirking down at the other ex sound ninja.
"Are you coming? Or would you rather be put down for a nap?" Sasuke said triumphantly.
Suigetsu's eyes narrowed and his hand went back unconsciously to rub the metal of Zabuza's sword. No way would he give up on a battle with the Uchiha even if it meant doing something that terrified him to no end.
"Ladies first." He answered victorious.
Sasuke's smirk vanished and turned back into the passage making sure Suigetsu followed him.
--Page Break--
"It's great we have more allies and everything but I don't think my bird can hold us all." Jugo stated a little nervous as what the extra female would do to him let alone Karin.
"That's okay!" Kasumi smiled. "I have a summon of my own!"
Reaching into her kunai pouch she searched for a scroll but came up empty handed. She quickly checked the next pocket in yet there was still no scroll.
"Where could it be?" Kasumi pouted.
"The last time you had it Ojou-sama you gave it to Sora-san for safe keeping." Yuki said in a monotone.
"Oh that's right! Sora if you please." Kasumi said as the other searched her pockets in doubt before producing the scroll with utter shock evident on her face.
"I didn't even remember I had that!" Sora claimed.
"Arigotou Yuki!" Kasumi smiled. "I don't know how we would survive without you!"
The dark haired girl nodded and bowed slightly as the red head began the seals for her summon. She finished and smiled in yet there was still no summoning animal to be found.
"Um?" Karin started, but quickly stopped in shock as a huge Tiger bounded towards them.
"And there he is." Sora said sighing.
"Um," Kasumi said nervously.
"What is it now?" Karin groaned. "We have to get going."
"My Tiger can only hold three people and as you can clearly see there are four of us." Kasumi said gesturing to her teammates. "I can't fly because I'm the one who summoned my tiger."
"Um how about Yuki?" Hinata suggested.
"I must follow Ojou-sama." Yuki answered stiffly.
"Sora?" Hinata offered.
The other girl paled and shook her head violently while the others continued to wait for her verbal answer.
"I-I can't." Sora stuttered.
"Why not?" Jugo sighed.
"I-I'm terrified o-o-of heights!" Sora squeaked grabbing onto her sister's arm.
"But your name means sky!" Karin cried.
"I-it's alright I-I'll go." Rikku said pulling away from her sister.
"So where are we headed anyway?" Kasumi asked as Yuki and Sora slid onto her tiger.
"Sound." Karin answered as Jugo began summoning again. "You know where it is?"
"Yes." Yuki answered for her mistress as the red head focused on climbing onto her tiger.
"Right well we'll meet you there then." Karin said awkwardly as Hinata and Jugo grabbed her hands to hoist her up onto the giant bird, Rikku sitting uncomfortably next to the Hyuuga and at a loss at what to really do.
--Page Break--
Suigetsu burst from the passage carrying the large chest the Uchiha had ordered him to take and quickly dropped it before backing as far away from the hole as possible.
"God you're such a baby." Sasuke's voice echoed somewhere off the metal walls in the passage as he slowly made his way out.
"You weren't the one who was locked in one of those infamous cells all their life!" Suigetsu snapped.
"Whatever." Sasuke said jumping out of the same passage holding another chest. "Search these for anything useful."
Suigetsu merely glared at his partner before picking up his chest and forcing it open. He coughed at all the dust that flew into his face. A spider scurried across his hand as his vision cleared and he caught a glimpse of the content in the box. Papers and scrolls littered the old moldy chest and Suigetsu scoffed disappointed. He searched the bottom and pulled out what looked like a half eaten piece of paper.
"Sasuke what exactly are we looking for?" Suigetsu asked bored.
"We're not LOOKING for anything, but if something interesting just so happens to catch your eye then take it." Sasuke said distracted.
Suigetsu made a face at Sasuke's back before digging back into the chest and examining the papers he pulled out.
"Art of the snake?" he read aloud. "Oh yeah that's really helpful. Oh or how about this one? Scroll about the magical art of origami. So what was that about finding something useful?"
"I was talking about something like THIS." Sasuke said chucking a large scroll at Suigetsu's head.
"Ow!" he cried as it hit its mark.
He stuck his tongue out at Sasuke before pulling open the scroll and freezing. At the top in slightly bolded characters it said Suigetsu Hozuki. He read more and his face soon flushed in anger and embarrassment.
"Did you read this?" he asked Sasuke.
"Read what?" Sasuke asked preoccupied with a folder filled with miscellaneous papers.
"THIS!" Suigetsu bit out, shoving the scroll in the Uchiha's face. "This! Did you read this!"
"Why is it important to you?" Sasuke teased.
"Did you read it or not!?" Suigetsu cried.
"Alright alright! Sheesh take a chill pill captain PMS and no I didn't read it I saw your name on it and gave it to you." Sasuke said.
Suigetsu narrowed his eyes at the black haired boy, he didn't trust him and he was about to say so when Sasuke gasped.
"What?" Suigetsu asked, tucking his important scroll in his kunai pouch before approaching the Uchiha.
When the dark haired teen didn't answer him he leaned over his shoulder and read the title of the scroll before gasping himself. Finally he found his voice.
"Do you really think that's the jutsu he used?" Suigetsu asked weakly.
"I don't know."Sasuke answered awed.
"Sasuke-kun, Suigetsu-baka?" Karin's voice echoed from the speakers on the sides of the room. "We've come to get you with a few uh…surprises. If you're not up in five minutes then we'll look for you."
"Oh crap." Sasuke muttered shoving scrolls and papers in a chest before tossing it to Suigetsu. "Fill it up with everything you found."
Suigetsu merely nodded shoving everything he could get his hands on fast enough until the only thing left was the forsaken scroll in Sasuke's hand.
"Should we take it?" Suigetsu asked.
"I don't know." Sasuke answered holding it as if it would explode any second.
"Uh Sasuke-kun, Suigetsu?" Karin's voice came out a little nervous. "You guys should hurry! We'll start down there in a minute if you don't come up."
However the two boys barely paid any attention to the young woman because their eyes were on the scroll.
"GUYS I MEAN IT!" Karin practically screamed over the intercom.
Sasuke chucked the scroll at Suigetsu who shoved it in the chest and both boys ran out of the room. Their feet echoed as they continued to run through the maze like fortress until the light from the moon was shining at the top of a flight of stairs.
"Alright who goes down to look?" an unfamiliar voice echoed down to the two boys.
"Well obviously Hinata her Byakugan would be useful." Karin said matter of factly.
"I-is she s-s-supposed to g-go alone?" Another soft unfamiliar voice said.
"Do you think this is the surprise Karin was talking about?" Suigetsu asked breathless just as they started up the flight of stairs.
"I don't know." Sasuke replied also breathless. "But I guess we'll find out."
Suigetsu nodded and they both sped up. However due to the momentum when they reached the top they couldn't stop Sasuke ran ahead of Suigetsu and gradually stopped. Unfortunately for Suigetsu he didn't notice the dark haired girl standing at the top of the stairs and crashed into her making them both crash to the ground. However Suigetsu also threw the chest he was holding and it hit Sasuke in the back of the head.
"Suigetsu you son of a…!" Sasuke said but was cut off.
"Well hello there…" Suigetsu said as smoothly as possible to the girl who lay sprawled on the ground only a few inches from him.
Without a word the stoic girl stood before pulling Suigetsu to his feet. Sasuke turned and glared furiously at Karin who stood there looking as if she was about to be reprimanded. However before either sound ninja could talk Hinata stepped in between them and picked up the chest.
"Give me that!" Sasuke gasped grabbing the chest violently from Hinata's hands.
"Please take it easy Uchiha-san." Hinata said, even though her eyes were dull even in the moonlight.
Sasuke's face became blank then creased slightly with worry before he turned his gaze to Karin.
"Did you find the Akatsuki?" Sasuke asked.
Karin shook her head and the Uchiha didn't miss the glance towards the Hyuuga who still stood there impassive. So that explained why she seemed so depressed. He was about to talk to the Hyuuga when a particularly loud pick up line reached his ears from the other side of the camp. He turned and glared at Suigetsu who was still trying to gage a reaction from the black haired girl.
"Your eyes there as green as emeralds." Suigetsu complemented.
"Thank you." She said in a monotone.
"And your hair it's so shiny and soft." He tried again.
"Thank you." She repeated.
"And your skin is…" Suigetsu tried once more.
"Suigetsu stop!" Karin cried frustrated. "I'm telling you now that she will only say thank you!"
"Well who are these people anyway?" Sasuke asked bitterly.
"Um well I guess I'll begin the introductions…" a red headed girl came up to the young Uchiha. "Hi I'm Kasumi and you are?" she held out her hand waiting for him to take it.
Sasuke scoffed and Kasumi's hand fell to her side, and for good measure she backed up a little.
"Like you don't know." He said smirking.
"I don't." Kasumi said. "That's why I asked you to introduce yourself."
"Oh burn man!" Suigetsu laughed, clutching his sides. "I think this is a start of a beautiful friendship." He finished draping an arm around Kasumi's shoulders.
"Uh yeah." She said awkwardly. "I'm Kasumi, you?"
"Suigetsu but that's not the point." Suigetsu said smiling kindly. "As my new friend I have a request."
"Alright…" Kasumi agreed and watched as he pointed to the black haired girl again.
"What's her name?" he asked.
"Oh!" she smiled. "Ne Yuki, Sora, Rikku introductions!
The dark haired girl walked towards them before bowing to the red head.
"Yes Ojou-sama." She then stood straight and turned to face Suigetsu. "Narumi Yuki (A/N: Does anyone recognize that last name?),it is nice meeting you Suigetsu-san."
"So your name is Yuki huh?" he flirted.
"Will you just stop and tell me why these people are here!" Sasuke cried his eyes turning red with the Sharingan.
"Oh so you're an Uchiha…" Kasumi said drifting off.
"Uchiha Sasuke to be more precise Ojou-sama." Yuki answered her.
"They are my friends Sasuke-san." Hinata said her eyes remaining fixed on the Uchiha. "They have decided to help us in our quest."
Sasuke scoffed and turned away only to be met with the happy face of one of the twins.
"Hello Sasuke-chan." She teased. "My names Sora."
"Chan?" Sasuke and Karin said in unison both equally annoyed.
"And this is Rikku." she said pulling the identical looking girl in front of her.
"H-hello U-Uchiha-s-san." She said bowing.
He was about to respond when he heard a slightly pained gasp come from behind him. They all turned in time to see Hinata fall to the ground on her knees and hold her wrist as a curious white light shone slightly through her pale fingers. Yuki made it to her first and knelt with her before prying her fingers from her wrist. The bracelet glowed bright white and Yuki only dared to ghost her fingers across it before gasping out in shock and pain.
"Hinata-san we must remove the bracelet." Yuki said her monotone ever present.
"No!" she gasped hiding her wrist from the other girls view.
"Onegai Hinata!" Kasumi cried. "It's hurting you!"
"I agree." Sasuke said.
"I promised Gaara I would never take it off and I will keep my promise." Hinata retorted.
"But if it causes this much pain…" Sora began.
"We'll take it off by force if we have to." Karin said.
"Wait you don't have to!" she said suddenly holding out her wrist for inspection. "See it's not burning me anymore!"
"Yuki." Kasumi commanded and almost immediately the dark haired girl clamped her hand around Hinata's wrist.
"She is correct Ojou-sama it is no longer burning." Yuki said.
"Well now that that's cleared up can we leave please?" Hinata said a little anxious.
"I agree with Hinata," Jugo said for the first time since the return of Sasuke and Suigetsu.
"Alright then we're off." Kasumi said getting on to a large tiger that appeared from the bushes. "Where are we headed?" she asked as Sora and Yuki also climbed on.
"Next our stop is the grass village." Hinata said pulling everyone up onto Jugo's bird quickly.
"Why grass village?" Kasumi asked.
"Because we have to check for the Akatsuki." Hinata answered.
"Well…" Kasumi began. "What if they are not there?"
"Then we move onto rain." Jugo answered for the Hyuuga.
"Then why don't we just split up?" Kasumi asked.
"What exactly do you mean?" Sasuke tested.
"Well why don't we go to Grass and you guys can go to rain. We'll cover more area that way and we can meet with each other on the border of grass and rain in two days?" Kasumi suggested.
"How do we know we can trust you?" Karin asked suddenly.
"Well we'll take one of you and you'll take one of us." Kasumi continued.
"I'll go!" Suigetsu offered immediately sliding off the bird and barely being able to fit on the Tiger with the three other girls.
Karin bit her lip and glanced at Sasuke who looked at her for a long few moments before nodding.
"Alright, then we'll keep this twin." Karin said gesturing to the shy girl who remained sitting next to Hinata.
"Deal, but no fighting the Akatsuki without us!" Sora chimed in.
"Same goes to you." Sasuke countered.
And with that the deal was sealed and with a few final goodbyes both groups were off heading in different directions. Karin looked down from the bird and watched the tiger disappear in the direction of the grass village.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, as he prepared to sleep.
"I'm watching them, what if something happens to Suigetsu?" Karin asked worriedly.
"Like you care." Jugo snorted.
"I do so care!" Karin said.
"Yeah if he doesn't come back you won't have someone to step all over." Jugo said rolling his eyes.
Karin was about to retort but was silenced by a quick look from Sasuke who had also silenced Jugo.
"Karin why do you miss him?" Sasuke asked.
"Well…" she began nervously. "We're a team and we've never been separated before, I'm just worried…"
"It's ok." Sasuke reassured, glaring at Jugo first to insure he wouldn't say anything.
Jugo held his hands up in surrender before he laid himself down and fell asleep. Sasuke turned back to Karin who was slightly teary.
"Get some sleep it will be better in the morning." And with that both of the sound ninja fell asleep.
Hinata glanced behind her to see Rikku lay down and within minutes she was breathing as deeply as the rest of them. Her pale fingers closed tightly around the abnormally warm bracelet and her tears would no longer be hidden. Tears dripped down her cheeks and off her chin landing with a soft thud on her jacket.
'What's wrong?' her demon asked in a motherly tone.
"He's dying!" Hinata barely chocked out, her throat clogged with sorrow.
The demon was silent and it made Hinata's heart ache even more.
"I don't know what to do!" she sobbed. "What if I don't make it in time?"
Still there was no answer and Hinata leapt to her feet as if it would make the demon speak to her.
"What should I do?" She cried. "Why won't you answer me?" she tried. "Please tell me what to do!" she begged. "Please…" she whispered. "Don't leave me."
She fell to her knees her cries slightly louder, feeling all alone in this cold dark night. Rikku had never been an outgoing person but when she heard Hinata yell into the night pleading for an answer to her grief a soft spot was hit and hit hard. Fighting back her own tears and a memory of a close friend who she had never helped in an identical situation she stood and slowly began to walk towards Hinata.
"H-hinata-san?" she asked quietly, realizing the girl couldn't hear her over her cries. "Hinata-san!" she called a little louder not expecting the girl to hear it and thoroughly shocked when she turned her head to meet Rikku's in surprise.
"Go away!" she hissed, her voice almost making Rikku flinch.
"Demo Hinata-san you need help" Rikku said.
"No!" She cried again. "I don't want you to see me like this."
Rikku stood there for a moment in a loss of what to do before a smile appeared on her face and she sat down. Hinata turned her head to yell at the girl again but was surprised when she was met with the back of the girls head.
"What are you doing?" Hinata asked incredulously.
"You said you didn't want me to see you like this so now I can't." Rikku answered, making Hinata laugh weakly.
"Alright you win Rikku." She sighed.
"So what's going on?" she asked still concerned.
"You remember when my bracelet turned all white and hot?" Hinata asked.
"Y-yeah?" Rikku said.
"Well that was because Gaara was getting assaulted with some foreign chakra, some very strong foreign chakra." Hinata said her voice holding a note of anger and resentment. "Gaara's chakra is different, warming instead of burning." She said fondly as she slipped the bracelet off. "There are times when it gets a little uncomfortable but never like this."
She then twisted her arm so Rikku could see her wrist, the other girl gasped at the large red burn that scarred her pale arm. The other girl gasped and gently touched her friend's wrist.
"He's dying and I just pray we make it there before it's too late." Hinata said.
Rikku sat in silence for a minute not knowing how to cheer up the Hyuuga when a question that had been bothering her finally surfaced.
"Who were you talking to about it before?" Rikku asked.
Hinata sat there silent not knowing if she should tell her about the demon residing within her. Taking a hand and wiping away the rest of her tears before turning around to face Rikku catching the other girl by surprise. However when she looked into the girls shocked green eyes she began to have second thoughts. She bit her lower lip and her eyes fell to her hands in her lap.
"Hinata-san what's wrong?" she asked.
"I was just going to show you something but…" she started.
"You had second thoughts because it's personal isn't it?" Rikku asked.
The Hyuuga only nodded and remained quite. Suddenly the other girl came up with an idea but her face turned very serious as she reached over and got her bag.
"I will show you something that will forever change your opinion about me if you tell me your secret first." Rikku said.
Hinata reluctantly nodded however she was reassured by the other girl's stoic expression. Slowly taking a deep breath she began to speak.
"About a year ago I was captured by the Akatsuki so I could be used for a few…experiments." Hinata said softly. "And while I was there they put something inside me."
"What was it?" Rikku asked softly and gently.
"A demon." Hinata revealed not noticing Rikku's eyes widen significantly.
"What does it look like?" she said her voice shaky and breathless.
Hinata was about to answer when she realized Rikku knew a lot more then she had told her. Rikku grew impatient waiting for the Hyuuga's answer and instead asked another question.
"Did it look like a cat?" Rikku asked stunning Hinata. "Does it use fire? Answer me!"
"It does…how did you know?" Hinata asked.
Ignoring her question Rikku only stared at her with sorrowful eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek. Without warning she hugged Hinata tightly and began crying hard.
"I won't let you down I promise!" she cried. "I'll listen this time and I'll be there… please Suki forgive me."
"Suki?" Hinata asked pulling away from Rikku.
The girl looked up stunned as if she didn't realize she had just called Hinata by the wrong name. Then a small watery smile broke out on her face and she took a deep breath as well.
"Well I guess I should start with the truth, my name isn't Rikku and my sister's name isn't Sora." She began.
"Then what is your name?" Hinata asked exasperated.
"Well my name is Aimi and my sister's name is Aya. And we're not twins." Rikku said. "We are actually two of six and we have two brothers."
"You mean you have five sisters?" Hinata asked astonished.
"Yup five identical sisters and two brothers who are twins." Rikku said.
"Where's the rest of your family?" Hinata asked.
"When my sister and I were around six years old our mother took us and our siblings to live in the rock village for a few weeks." She said softly. "We were street performers but my sister and I wanted to be ninja. So on the last day we went to see the Kage and he gladly adopted us. He…was a very kind old man. Our mother gave us away glad with two less mouths to feed and we trained to be ninja. One day we were sent on a mission to escort a very important delegate halfway to thunder and take one of our delegates back home. That's when we met Yuki who was originally from the rain village and a hired body guard and Kasumi daughter of the lord of the land of fire. And our delegate being brought to us by another girl named…Suki. When we went to go switch the delegates we were attacked by the Akatsuki. At first we thought they were after the delegates but they were really after Suki. She transformed into her demon, a cat like monster that controlled fire, and attacked, she must have been confused on who the enemy was and who the allies were because both of the delegates were killed in the crossfire. We tried to help her but the Akatsuki fooled Suki into believing that they could remove the demon from inside her and she could live normally. She went with the Akatsuki and we watched as they removed the demon from her, thus resulting in her death. That's when Kasumi made a deal; she said that we would go back to the thunder village and offer ourselves as faithful ninja in a replacement for their delegate. Kasumi had to leave her whole family behind and Yuki had to leave her older brother. Sora and I changed our names but we were able to stay together. Suki asked for help from us but we never tried to sit and understand, because of that…she went crazy and I blame myself." Rikku finished.
"Don't it's not your fault." Hinata reassured.
"I won't let the same happen to you Hinata-san!" she said suddenly. "I swear."
Hinata took a deep breath and smiled her heart felt slightly lighter. Rikku was about to put her pack away and go to sleep when the Hyuuga stopped her.
"Rikku-san?" she asked.
"Yes what is it Hinata-san?" she asked exhausted.
"You said you were going to show me something in your pack after I told you about my…problem." Hinata said.
"Oh right…" she mumbled blushing slightly before reaching into her bag and pulling out three books and thrusting them into Hinata's hands.
Hinata held the books closer to her face. And slowly the titles processed in her mind. Icha Icha paradise, where had she heard that before? Suddenly it all came back to her as she remembered back when she was twelve how Naruto had explained that these were written by his perverted sensei and how the stories were all about…
"Rikku-san!" Hinata gasped her own cheeks turning pink.
"I'm a closet pervert alright!" she said snatching the books away. "Don't tell anyone p-please?"
"Alright." Hinata answered giggling.
--Page Break--
Hinata awoke with the rise of the sun and she sat up, glancing around at her awakening companions.
"Are we here?" she asked groggily.
"Yeah." Sasuke said. "We're in a surrounding forest the gates are just a little over that way."
Hinata nodded and helped the Uchiha get everyone up when they were ready to go they all walked to the gate. When they didn't automatically open Karin thought she would knock when a gruff voice seemed to come from nowhere.
"Who are you and state your business."
"Um we're just traveling ninja and our friend here is hurt." She gestured to Rikku who was half asleep leaning against Hinata. "We were hoping we could see a doctor." She finished.
"Nice try." The voice said. "I am to believe that four leaf village ninja and a thunder village ninja were just wandering the forest together and then one of you got hurt. Take your pity party else where you are not welcome here."
"Excuse me?" Karin tried again, but there was no answer. "Excuse me? EXCUSE ME!"
"It's okay Karin," Sasuke reassured realizing they would no longer be spoken to. "Let's just go."
With that the five ninja retreated back into the forest. Rikku sat down lazily on a rock while Karin paced frantically and everyone else just stood there.
"What are we going to do?" Karin asked. "We can't search the village if we can't get in there!"
"Then I guess we'll just have to watch and observe from the outside." Jugo suggested.
So all day the ninja's would switch duties off relaxing our observing the gate from a perch in a tree. The sun was setting and it was once again Hinata's turn the Hyuuga jumped onto the branch and sat not really paying attention to the gate. Instead she played with her bracelet and let her thoughts wonder to her family back in Konoha and how worried they must be. Suddenly an all too familiar voice reached her ears.
"Let me in un! NOW!"
Quickly the Hyuuga activated her Byakugan hoping beyond hope that it was who she thought it was. Sure enough she watched as the gate opened to let in the tall blonde young man who wore the traditional black cloak with red clouds.
A/N: I know this took a long time to come out but it was really long! Okay here's a little contest. Whoever can guess who Yuki's brother is first will receive a prize of their choice (as long as I am capable of doing it!). He has been mentioned before and I even give a hint in this chapter! Anyway good luck and PLEASE REVIEW!