Previously: During a fight, with a info-seeking Ninja named Namahs, Naruto's body completely shut down on him. It turned out that overusing Kurama's power during the Fourth Shinobi War, and Naruto never recovered. Meanwhile, a shrine maiden named Cora ask for the Leaf Village's help to search for the Kuroryuukouseki, or Black Dragon Crystal, a jewel that can make anyone's wish come true...
Sakura leaves the village in search for the crystal, only to be confronted by Hinata...
Naruto: From Promises To Wishes
Chapter 4 - Tears and Sorrow
"Where are you going, Sakura?" Hinata asked coming from behind a big tree. "Hinata!" Sakura said, "How did you know I was out here?" "Did you eavesdrop around Kakashi-sensei's office?" Sakura couldn't play dumb anymore; she knew that Hinata saw her leaving using her Byakugan. "Hinata, please!" she began, "Let me pass! If what that shrine maiden is true, then the Kuroryuukouseki is the only thing that can save Naruto!" "How are you going to do that?" "It grants wishes, right? I'll bring it back here and wish for Naruto's health to be restored."
Hinata knew that what Sakura was saying was pure logic, but she played along anyway. "Suppose that the crystal does exist," she said, "what if something goes wrong, or your wish backfires?" "It's a risk that I'm willing to take!" Sakura said. "Even a risk, like that, Naruto wouldn't let you take it! You never think these things through! That's exactly what happened when you took Kiba, Sai, and Lee with you to talk to Naruto!"
Sakura then began to remember that day, a few years ago. She closed her eyes as she pictured the image in her mind.
"I hate people who lie to themselves." It was those same words that burned through her deceitful words; the words she said back then. Even if it were to bring him back home. Everytime Naruto went out to do something, he did it with confidence; Sakura just questioned her resolve. She took a deep breath and blew out all of the negativity. Opening her eyes, Sakura gave off a serious look.
"Hinata," she said, "Please move out of the way. Now, it's my turn to save Naruto. I don't want to do something I don't want to regret doing."
Using her Byakugan, Hinata noticed something different about Sakura. 'Her breathing... It's calmer...' she thought. 'The shaking of her body, the hesitation...They're all gone! That look she has in her eyes...her resolve...' Hinata didn't want to admit it, but the resolve that Sakura has now, was the same one Naruto had before... No matter what she would have said, it wouldn't stop her now. "You have that feeling," she said to Sakura, "...The same feeling I had when I tried to save Naruto from Pain. It's now believable that no one can stand in your way now. But...!" Hinata prepared herself as she went into her fighting stance. Sakura, a little surprised, continued to look at her. "I won't let you go chasing something that may not even exist!"
Sakura got into a fighting stance as well. "It looks like it has come down to this," she said. 'This must be how Naruto and Sasuke fought...'
Silence came between the two as the wind quietly blew...
[Konoha Hospital: Naruto's Room]
A knock came at the door. "Who is it?" Ino asked as Chouji, Tenten, and Rock Lee turned around. The door opened afterwards as Kakashi, Shikamaru, Temari, and the mysterious girl Cora, entered the room.
"We just came to see how our favorite patient was doing," Kakashi said. "Don't worry," Ino said, "He's been sleeping soundly." "Where's Sakura?" Temari said, "I thought she was watching Naruto..." "I took over so that she could get something to eat. Although, it was nearly a half an hour ago..." The young girl, Cora, walked forward and bowed her head. "I'm so sorry about your friend..." she said.
"You shouldn't worry about it," Tenten said, "Naruto has been doing this for years. We just never realized that his body would break down like this."
Shikamaru looked around with a questionable look. "Say," he began, "Have any of you seen Hinata? She was going to visit Naruto here." "Well," Chouji said, "No one came in for a while, and we came in a few minutes ago." "That reminds me," Lee began, "Didn't we happen to Sakura outside?" "Yeah," Tenten replied, "She looked like she was in a hurry to be somewhere." "Maybe she went home?" Kakashi asked, "It's almost dark and everything that's happen to today may have taken a toll on her..."
Shikamaru couldn't believe that Sakura would just go home, especially when it comes to Naruto. And Hinata, who has looked up to Naruto, didn't even show up... 'Something really has twisted my brain in knots...' he thought.
The wind continued to blow gently as the two girls, Hinata and Sakura, were waiting to see who would make the first move.
"I am not going to let you past, Sakura!" Hinata said, plainly. "Let's hold off until the last punch is thrown, Hinata!" Sakura said.
The sun came down behind the woods. However, a flash of light appeared in the sky. That gave the signal for both girls to fight. Sakura's superpowered punch met with Hinata's Gentle fist immediately. A gleam in their eye came next, forcing them to unleash a barrage of punches against each other. The force behind the punches caused the forest, itself, to blow. Among the barrages, Sakura landed a powerful blow to Hinata's cheek, while Hinata's Gentle Fist hit Sakura in the chest. The blows, they directed, knocked each other back and on to the ground.
Hinata wasted no time getting back up and lunging towards Sakura, who jumped into the air and climbed a tree. With the Byakugan user behind her, she jumped on to a nearby branch, performed a flare, firing multiple shuriken and kunai from a secret compartment from her boots. Catching that, Hinata threw a kunai of her own, with an explosive tag. The weapons collided, creating an explosion, forcing Hinata to close her eyes. Sakura came through the smoke, punching Hinata downward.
With both landing back on the ground, Hinata leaned against a tree. Sakura lunged in, trying to land a punch. Hinata ducked out of the way, making the punch it the tree causing it to shake. Getting into her stance, she rushed in hitting Sakura at all her chakra points. "Eight Trigrams: Two Palms!" she shouted, hitting the first two points, "Four Palms! Eight Palms! Sixteen Palms! Thirty-Two Palms! Sixty-Four Palms!"
Sakura, feeling every hit, managed to stay on her feet. She, then, grabbed Hinata's arm and throw her over her shoulder and on to the ground. She then tried a punch, but Hinata blocked it and kicked her in the shoulder. Forcing Sakura to back up, Hinata picked herself up. At the end, both girls ended up punching each other in the face. They both fell down to the ground and seconds later, they transformed into logs. The real Sakura and Hinata were still standing, looking at each other.
"I'm impressed," Sakura said smiling, "I didn't think you would use the Clone Jutsu and the Substitution Jutsu all at once." "Same here," Hinata said, "Now, I know that I can't use the Eight Trigrams technique on you! That means, I've have to fight you the old fashion way!" "By all means!"
Both of them got back into fighting stance...
Back at the village, it was nearly night outside. Kakashi was walking with Cora back to the office.
"Tell me something, Cora," Kakashi began, "Shikamaru told me that you're the one who saved Naruto from the bandit. How were you able to do it?" "My clan," Cora replied, "from the Village Hidden in Diamonds, has a special Kekkei Genkai...the Kagamigan, or Mirror Eye." "The Kagamigan?" "Unlike the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan, and the Hyuuga Clan's Byakugan, only the Kagamigan is only passed down to those who become Shrine Maidens."
"What makes your eye special from the others?" "When activated, the Kagamigan has the ability to repel Elemental-based jutsus. For example, Sasuke Uchiha's Chidori... It also has others features that are the clan's secret." 'I see...' Kakashi thought looking at her. 'She could have been a great help in finding Sasuke for us back then...'
"Kakashi-sensei!" a voice said. The two of them turned around to see Shikamaru running towards them. "Shikamaru?" Kakashi asked, "What's going on?" "I just went to Sakura and Hinata's houses; they aren't home." Cora started thinking afterwards. "No, it can't be!" she said. "What's the matter, Cora?" "Your students must be going after the Kuroryuukouseki!" Cora replied, "They don't the danger that will impore if they get their hands on it!"
"Shikamaru, have Tenten gather a few ninjas with her and have them meet in my office for briefing!" Kakashi replied. "Yes, sir!"
A loud sound shook the trees in the surrounding area.
Both Sakura and Hinata were up in the air, throwing fists as fast as they could. Every punch they had thrown had been blocked or missed. After colliding knees, they both landed on the ground again. Silence, once again, came between them as the wind picked up speed. Hinata went in first, using her Gentle Fist to attack Sakura's midsection. Sakura was able to defend, but the force of the blow knocked her back some. Recovering, she rushed in delivering a downward heel kick, in which Hinata blocked from above. Hinata backed up, realizing that both of them were exhausted.
Sakura was trying to catch her breath, while Hinata had a sorrowful look on her face. "Just why...?" she asked, "...Why did you make a promise like that to him?" That gained her opponent's attention. They both rushed in again, having their hands locked trying to break free. "Every since that day..." Hinata then said, "...when Sasuke left the village, why did you make him go through that hardship?!"
The question, itself, forced Sakura to lose focus as Hinata kicked in the gut. Sakura moved back holding on to her stomach. "Everytime it's about Sasuke..." Hinata continued, "It always about you, isn't it? Didn't you even think about how Naruto felt?!" Sakura, immediately, drop her guard and looked down. She was then punched in the face, then tackled to the ground, waiting for Hinata to deal the final blow.
"Naruto..." Sakura said. The voice was loud enough for Hinata to stop her assault. Her eyes widen when she saw tears run down Sakura's face; she had been crying. "It's all my fault..." she said, "Everything that's happened, is my fault." "Sakura..." Hinata breathed. "I can't think of one day, I wished to take back that promise. But, it was his devotion to friends that made push so far! Even when Kurama was removed from him, I still felt that I was the one that needed to save him! And still, I couldn't even to that!"
Hinata just stayed silence as Naruto's crush spilled every confession to her. "Please, Hinata!" Sakura pleaded her tears still streamed, "I need to do this for Naruto! Just once, I just want to say thank you!"
After hearing all of that, Hinata couldn't do anything to stop her now. She got off of Sakura and turned away from her. Sakura sat up and look at her.
"I'll go with you, Sakura," Hinata said. "What?" Hinata smiled and turned around to face Sakura. "You're not the only one who owes Naruto a debt of gratitude. I'm sorry for questioning you. You really do care about Naruto, don't you? That's why I'm coming with you..." Wiping away her tears, Sakura stood up and said, "Thank you, Hinata!"
Suddenly, something fell to the ground catching the girls' attention. "Who's there?!" Hinata shouted. Coming out of the shadows, the same ninja appeared before them. "Namahs!" "What are you doing here?!" Sakura shouted. "Be calm," Namahs replied, "I'm come to help you find the Kuroryuukouseki."
Sakura's eyes widen, as well as Hinata's. The mysterious Information-Seeking Ninja wanted to help them...
After an intense fight, Hinata and Sakura come across Namahs, the same bandit who attacked the village before, who wants to find the one jewel that may save Naruto's life. But can the girls really trust him? And can they find the Kuroryuukouseki before the others catch on completely?
A/N: Not a long chapter like last time! Next Chapter: Naruto takes a turn for the worst...! Please Review!