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Chapter 17

The snowy street was busy and loud as Kiba's hand pulled along, and I had to swerve to avoid several women laden with groceries. I couldn't help but relish the feel of the boy's fingers wrapped around my own, and clung to him as we ran. His feral grin made me smile back, and my heart soared as we jumped up as if to touch the sky, landing with a silent tap on one of the nearest building roofs. I leaned forward to stare out at the village, our hands slipping apart as I stepped up to balance on one of the thin metal beams that stretched across the street to the other side. I smiled to myself as Kiba's hands instinctively came up to hover around my ribs, to catch me if I lost my balance.

It was sweet, and I was flattered, even though he knew that I was a kunoichi, and didn't lose her balance very often. I know that I've known him for all of an hour, but I could tell that he was genuinely concerned for my welfare, and there was a natural chemistry between us that neither of us could ignore. I was drawn to his sweet, confidant and open nature, and I don't know what he liked about me, but I had something that drew him to me like a moth to flame.

I mean, sure, I had had a boyfriend before – only one, and he wasn't that great, but beggers cant be choosers – but I had never felt so…powerful, like I did with Sasuke and this new guy, Kiba.

With Sasuke, I felt strong and confident, but at the same time sad. His aura of anger and pain rubbed off on me, and I found myself sinking into the gloom that surrounded him. But a small part of me relished that darkness, and I dove into the blackness, knowing that if I stretched out my fingers I would feel the fabric of Sasuke's robe against my hand. It wasn't love that drew me in; it was the power, the need to stay by his side…the bond that pushed Sasuke's and my destinies together until they were hopelessly entangled.

Kiba made me feel so very different, and being around him took me back to the days when I first discovered how to project chakra to my hand. I remember the curiosity that plagued my entire being as I watched the blue, flickering glow surround my fingers, and the free feeling that filled me as I sat in the upper branches of the tall trees, watching the sun rise above the dark horizon. The warmth that bathed my skin and face as I sighed. Kiba's smile and awed glances at me made me feel like a beautiful wolf running through the snow, flakes of ice glittering and sparkling in my fur, and my body graceful and stunning as I ran. Nothing could match me, and even if that idea didn't enter my mind, it was shown unconsciously in the way I moved.

I was no longer the girl who tried so hard to get guys to notice her; I was no longer a weak person who let life wash over her in a wave, taking it all silently. That time was behind me. There was no room for hesitation in my life now…I would not sit by and allow life to pass me by. I was in control.

What was it that I enjoyed the most about meeting them? Was it just the fact that they – strong, handsome and (in Kiba's case) wild – took notice of me…an average girl with an attitude and no charm whatsoever?

Most likely.

I bent my knees slightly as I danced my way along the metal beam, feeling the icy air buffet against my skin and sent my hair blowing behind me, and Kiba grinned as he jostled the beam with his hands. I balanced with no trouble, and grinned at him as I used my chakra to allow me to swing upside-down, held only by the glowing tendrils of blue that radiated from the soles of my feet. Kiba laughed, and lightly darted out onto the metal pole, silently slipping under the pole so we were both hanging off by our feet, and laughed as two little kids stared up at us with wide mouths.

"Mommy, look at the ninja!"

"They're hanging like bats!"

The middle-age woman searching through her purse nodded absent-mindedly. "That's nice, kids…that's nice…"

I snorted, and covered my mouth as the woman looked up, shrieking as she clutched her chest. Kiba quickly held up his hands as if surrendering. "Sorry, ma'am, just surveying the area. Nothing to be afraid of."

The woman nodded, and tugged her children along, glancing back with anxious eyes. I giggled, and nudged him lightly, deepening my voice teasingly.

"Just surveying the area, ma'am..."

"Shut up!" Kiba scowled at my expression, and he tried to knock me off the beam with a light shove. I grinned, and inched down the metal as he advanced, and I laughed as his arm wrapped around my waist, trying to tug me from the pole. I concentrated my chakra, and sent a flare of it through the metal and to Kiba's feet, disrupting the chakra holding him to the pole. His dark eyes widened as he saw my evil grin of delight, and he suddenly was falling.

His hands instinctively grabbed onto me, and I struggled to keep my hold, but his weight proved too much for me to bear.

I yelled as we were both sent flying towards the ground, and saw a flash of dark green and spiky black hair before I landed on something muscled and slightly padded. I felt the object crumple to the ground, and heard murmurs of surprise all around me as I sat up, rubbing my head from where it collided with something hard. I shrieked when the thing beneath me shifted also, and I heard a low voice snap.

"You could've landed on any of us, but of course I'm the one who has the joy of being jumped on a daily basis…"

I rolled off of the object I suddenly recognized to be a boy my age, and he sat up with a groan. "Jeez, I swear, Ino, if it was you again, I'll–"

"Shikamaru, I'm all the way back here. I couldn't have been the one!" A loud voice called, and I saw a stocky blonde push her way to the front, her long pale blonde hair swept up into a glossy ponytail, one strip of blonde hair framing her classically beautiful face, two baby-blue eyes glaring at the boy who looked back to stare at her.

I looked around to see seven unfamiliar ninja staring at her with varied expressions. I saw a glimpse of a traditionally dressed girl with two large buns on either side of her head before Kiba was hovering over me.

"Oh man, are you okay? I'm so sorry!"

The one I fell on – Shikamaru – raised an eyebrow from his position on the ground beside me. "Oh yeah, sure, just ignore the one she practically crushed!"

I turned to him, and smiled apologetically, holding out a hand to help him up. "Hey, I'm so sorry for almost killing you…Kiba and I were just messing around up there and we fell…"

Kiba laughed nervously, and I rolled my eyes. Shikamaru glanced at my hand, and took it, allowing me to pull both of us to our feet. I was taller than both of the girls, and most of the boys were either my height or an inch shorter or taller. I looked around at the group curiously, and found that they were all staring at me unblinkingly. Kiba explained to them quickly Tsunade's orders, and then he turned to me.

"Everyone, this is Hikari."

I smiled, and glanced up, only to find that one boy in particular was inches away, peering at my face curiously. His cerulean-blue eyes were piercing, and I felt myself blushing as I felt the heat radiate off of his tan skin. He was dressed in a dark orange and black outfit, with his headband straps hanging over his shoulder.

Wait…

There was something very, very familiar about the way his blonde hair spiked up in the back…no…it couldn't be.

But it was.

I took a step back, and only had to raise my eyes slightly to keep our eyes connected. This was the boy from my dreams…the one who had been surrounded by the crimson flames, the one who had been in pain.

His voice was loud and obnoxious. "You're kinda familiar…have you ever been here before?"

I sighed. "No…"

Kiba laughed. "Tsunade thought the same thing!"

The boy grinned. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm going to be the next Hokage!"

The group in general winced at the volume of his voice, which caused several civilians to stop and stare at the boy for a moment before continuing down the street. A boy standing next to Naruto jumped forward.

I stared at him, and tried with all my might to hold in my laughter.

He was dressed in a bright green jumpsuit, with eye-wateringly bright yellow leg warmers, and a grin that was so wide that I could see all of his teeth, and yes I mean all of them. His eyebrows were thicker than anything I had ever seen, and they seemed to have a life of their own as he pumped his fist in the air.

"Such a youthful greeting, I must meet that standard! I am Rock Lee, and I hope that you shine with–"

"Jeez, Lee, enough already! Don't scare her!" The mousy haired girl with buns muttered, bonking him on the head with the large scroll she carried. Her widely spaced eyes were calm and bright, and she smiled confidently at me. She was a few inches taller than Hana was, so she still had to look up at me.

"I'm Tenten, nice to meet you! Don't worry, Lee doesn't usually dress like this…his other outfit got really ripped up on our last mission…" I laughed, and turned my gaze to the person beside her.

The boy immediately reminded me of Sasuke, but instead of having a dark, bitter anger beneath the emotionless façade, this boy had instead a peaceful acceptance, and even a visible affection as he watched Lee jump around. He caught me looking at him, and I couldn't help but stare as his pale, pupil-less eyes calmly analyzed me.

"I am Neji Hyuuga." My head tilted to the side, and I meant to say this in my head, but I must've been talking to myself.

"Okay, am I going crazy…or do both Hinata and this guy have no pupils?"

Naruto snorted with laughter, and the others chuckled as the pale-eyed one sighed.

"No, you're not crazy. Lady Hinata and I both have what's called the Byakugan, which allows us to see through material and sense chakra networks."

I thought for a moment. "So, technically, you could be seeing through my clothes right now…"

Kiba paled, and the rest of them laughed as the pale-eyed boy's cheeks darkened slightly, and he answered quickly and curtly. "Technically, yes, but of course I would never do such a thing."

"Haven't you ever thought about it? I mean, not with me, but with girls in general?" I asked, and laughed as his cheeks colored even more.

I decided to give the poor guy a break – I couldn't help but notice that he didn't give me as an adamant answer for that particular question as he did with the other one – and turned to the stocky blonde girl who eyed my hair with envy.

…one of my friends would be so jealous right now if she saw this. She has blonde hair too, but its straight, and though its really pretty…it's not as pretty as your waves.

This must be the friend that Hana – I mean, Sakura – was talking about. I smiled at her nervously as she bounced over to examine my hair.

"I'm Ino Yamanaka. Ugh, how long does it take you to do this?"

I couldn't very well tell her that it was natural, not when she was glaring daggers at my hair, so I scrambled for a number that would be enough to please her.

"Oh…I don't know…five hours, at the least. It's such a bother, with all the hair product and who knows what else…"

Shikamaru gave me the thumbs up behind Ino's back, and I sighed as Ino's face relaxed into a smug smile.

"Oh, I see. My hair only takes me two hours…but I think it turns out alright."

I smiled, and sighed as if envious. "You must be a miracle worker or something…it looks so natural…"

I hoped that she couldn't see how hard it was to sink back into the girly chat that I had taken part in before all of this, and how the words seemed to stick in my throat. They were so unnatural after all this time.

But I shouldn't have worried, because Ino cooed in delight, and hugged me tightly.

"Oh, you're so sweet!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, and gently pulled Ino off of me. "Okay, Ino…that's enough. I'm Shikamaru Nara."

"I'm Chouji Akimichi." The large, plump boy with long sandy-orange hair grunted, shoveling a handful of chips into his chubby cheeks. His face was good-natured, and he smiled happily at me. I smiled back, and Kiba coughed lightly.

"Anyway, I was wondering if all of you wanted to go out to lunch or something, just to settle Hikari in." Naruto and Chouji cheered, while the others nodded in resignation– except for Ino, Neji, and Tenten.

Neji shook his head, and Tenten glanced at him before shaking her head also. "I'm sorry, I cannot attend. I have to train."

"So do I." Tenten chirped, heaving the large scroll onto her back.

Kiba glanced at me. "Well, maybe Hikari would want to–"

Ino grabbed onto my arm. "She could come and go shopping with me! That'd be awesome!"

The horrifying panic that rushed through me must've been evident, because Neji spoke quickly.

"I would like to test her abilities. That way, Kiba, you could join the others at lunch."

Kiba looked hesitant, though I could see him glance at his stomach briefly before looking at me once more. I smiled, and gently disengaged myself from a disappointed Ino, and approached Neji.

"Sure. Neji and Tenten can keep an eye on me, Kiba, don't worry."

Kiba hesitated for a moment longer, and then smiled in relief. "Alright, I'll come get you when lunch is over, okay? Are you guys going to Field 43?"

"Yeah." Tenten said cheerfully, and the three of us set out, leaving the rest of the group behind as we rounded the nearest corner. I waited until we were out of sight, and then let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you so much, Neji. I thought I was a goner there…"

Neji quirked a small smirk, and Tenten laughed. "Ino can be a lot to handle at times, and unfortunately her skill as a kunoichi doesn't make up for it."

I smiled, and Tenten slowed so the two of us were walking side by side. Neji strode ahead of us, his long dark brown hair hanging down his back. Neji was also quite attractive, in a very elegant and refined way. Not like feral, scruffy Kiba or like dark, dangerous Sasuke. But I saw the way that Tenten's chocolate brown eyes gazed at his back, and those thoughts immediately scurried back to the recesses of my mind. Neji was already spoken for, and I knew just by looking at her that Tenten would not hesitate in pummeling me into the ground if I intruded on her territory.

I laughed at the thought, and Neji glanced back to see what I was laughing at, but I quickly quieted, and the two Konoha ninja gave each other puzzled looks before letting it go.

We reached the training fields, and Neji and Tenten immediately turned to me, only to find me staring out at the range of trees. There was something in the wind, something familiar and dark.

I let my face remain motionless, but my heart was pounding with fear and with confusion.

I don't know why I felt this way, but I had the feeling that Sasuke was somewhere nearby, his dark eyes watching me like they always did.

But Neji spoke to me, and I forced myself to turn away from the shadowy trees, letting my eyes scan once more before turning my back on them completely.

Sasuke let himself rest behind the shielding leaves of an overhanging branch, crouched low against the smooth wood that was shielded from the snow. He knew that ninja often came to these fields to train, and he had heard enough of their conversation to figure that they would come here. They couldn't sense him, none of them had felt his chakra in years, and he was especially careful about suppressing it.

She would come here.

Sasuke didn't know why he cared if she came here…but he hadn't been able to stop himself from following her here, to the one place in the world that he would rather die than return to, easily sneaking past the guards and evading the Anbu. This place had the ghosts of his past, and seeing that idiot of a teammate only intensified those feelings of bitter anger and resentment.

But it also allowed the truth to ingrain itself more deeply into Sasuke's already distorted soul.

Sasuke was alone. Sasuke was lonely. And it was all his fault.

Seeing that blonde idiot again was good though, it allowed him to see for himself that Naruto was indeed weak. Sasuke was so far past Naruto's skill level that it was almost comical. Sasuke would even be willing to bet that if she and Naruto were forced to fight, Sasuke's student would come out as the victor.

Because that's what he had taught her. To be merciless, to be ruthless. Don't hesitate. Don't give them a chance to fight back; don't give them a weakness to use against you.

Sasuke watched as that pompous Hyuuga and that girl that always followed him around – Tenten, was it? – made their way into the snow-covered clearing. And then he saw her.

Hikari was smiling slightly to herself, as if enjoying a personal joke. Her golden hair blew behind her, and her deep blue-gray eyes flickered around automatically, searching for any threat.

Her eyes locked on the spot where he was hidden, and he didn't dare breath as her eyes widened slightly, and her legs tensed.

Sasuke scowled, and molded himself to the branch. He didn't like the feeling that she could see him, that even though her eyes couldn't physically see him...she could sense him. She would wonder why he had even bothered to come, why he was ruining her chance at a perfect life, why he cared what happened to her, why he was afraid that she would want to stay.

Sasuke – as he knelt there in the cold, watching Hikari stare out into the shadowy forest where he was hidden – was wondering the same thing.