AUTHOR SAYS: HEY GUYS, 1 MORE DAYSUNTIL CHRISTMAS :) I HONESTLY HOPED I'D BE ABLE TO FINISH THIS BEFORE THEN BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S NOT THE CASE. I WASN'T LYING THOUGH, I WILL TRY TO UPDATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IF I DON'T UPDATE THAN IM SURE YOU GUYS WILL UNDERSTAND :)
ALSO: WOW...THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS...LIKE REALLY, ITS AMAZING THAT IM GETTING SO MANY AND IM HAPPY AS ABOUT IT.
R&R PLEASE - REALLY
Legend:
'Thoughts'
"Talking"
"Jutsu"
Previously...
Hinata was being lifted. She was on top of this Susanoo that had come fourth because of her left hand. She didn't know what this being looked like upfront, but by the looks her father and sister were giving her, it looked pretty bad. Susanoo's sword came crashing down and Temari managed to just miss it.
"Your done." Manda hissed, hitting Temari so hard in the stomach that she coughed out saliva.
"DAMMIT, TEMARI GET OUT OF THERE!." Shikamaru demanded, anxiously.
Temari pushed herself up with wobbly arms, "Don't go deciding things on your own." She said.
Chapter Twenty Five
Don't Fall
"Manda-sama?." Hinata murmured.
The snake looked at her, "What?."
"Please." She said, looking at him with teary eyes, "Don't interfere anymore."
Manda tensed. 'She's...crying." He thought.
"TEMARI! ARE YOU LISTENING! YOU HAVE NO CHANCE AGAINST THAT!." Shikamaru yelled, he was beginning to get frustrated.
Ino looked at her team mate. She'd never seen him look so flustered like that before. If it wasn't obvious before, it was very obvious now. You could see his feelings pouring out of him as he stared at the Sand Jounin, afraid, angry and terrified for her life. Ino walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Shikamaru glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"If anyone can come up with a way to stop this, it's you." She told him seriously.
Shikamaru calmed himself. Ino removed her hand as he started lowering himself to a seated positon. From there he cupped his hands together to form the shape of a circle and began to think. Ino knelt down beside him.
"Arigatou, Ino." Shikamaru whispered.
Ino just smiled.
"HANABI!." Hiashi shouted angrilly.
"WHAT THE HELL IS SHE THINKING!. Kiba yelled.
"We should help." Shino said.
"I'm in." Kankuro said.
"No." Kakashi said holding a hand up, "No one is to go over these rails."
"But..-"
"Right now Hinata is in a predicament that she can't control." He explained, "We can't make the situation any worse than what it is."
"Kakashi-sensei?." Naruto said.
Kakashi turned to him, "Can you get Sasuke to stop this?."
"I've tried." Naruto replied, "My clone is in some kind of genjutsu."
"Dammit." Kakashi muttered.
Hanabi landed before her sister, "Oneesan."
Hinata's Byakugan receeded, "Hanabi? NO! Get away from here."
"Not without you." She retorted, "Come oneesan, tousan and the others are waiting."
"Like I said before." Temari growled, "Don't go deciding on your own. This is nothing."
Behind her, Gaara's sand started forming. Temari turned to him and within seconds Gaara's form went from sand to a solid being. Temari raised a confused eye brow at him and was about to tell him to leave when his sand surrounded her. Temari clenched her teeth and amazingly she found herself on the stands beside Kankuro.
"What?." She muttered, "What are you doing?."
Gaara stared at her, harder than normally and she tensed, "If you continue with this battle, you'll die."
"He's right." Kankuro cut in, reaching out to place a hand on her trembling shoulder.
Hinata started descending from Susanoo. Manda caught her mid-way and helped her land. She reached for Hanabi and pulled her into a strong embrace. "Oneesan?." Hanabi whined, she wasn't used to such affection. In fact, she never let Hinata cuddle or ogle her, ever. Manda stared with contempt and self-loathing. He had no weakness among his species, that's why he was feared. So why the hell did he falter at the sight of her pathetic tears?
"Hinata." Hanabi whispered confusedly. Her sister stopped them from walking any further.
Hinata pulled her hand out of her sisters grasp gently and looked at her markings. This isn't what she wanted. She wanted to prove herself with her own power, show everyone what she was capable of, show Sasuke that she was fit to be his women. Yet in one easy swoop he'd not only made her feel weak and useless, but unworthy of the title Jounin. Did he have no faith in her ability afterall?
"All that training..." She whispered, "...and for what?."
Hanabi stared at her sister silently. She could sense Hinata's inner turmoil and decided not to retort or tease like she normally would, no, instead she chose to stand their and listen to her sister for the very first time.
"I don't understand him..." Hinata said, wiping at her free falling tears, "...I never wanted things to escalate this far. What was done to Temari-san was cruel."
Hinata looked to the stands and locked eyes with the injured Sand Jounin, "Gomen, Temari-san." She cried, "Gomen."
Temari's eyes widened, "Hinata." She said, their was pity in her voice.
Shikamaru's eyes finally opened. He stood and leaned over the railing, pushing Ino aside as he did, "Hinata! Are you capable of calling them off?."
Hinata looked up at him with a shake of her head. Shikamaru nodded, "Ok, Naruto." He called.
The blonde Hokage was beside him in a flash, "Yeah."
"There's a few ways this could go down. I need to know, are you prepared to do whatever it takes?." He asked.
"What is it?." Naruto asked.
"I did some thinking and I got a fair idea on how we could get rid of those things..." Shikamaru explained, looking at Susanoo and Manda, "...It's risky but It should work. That snake of Sasuke's is like any other summoned beast, so if Hinata were to figure out a way to send it back, we can breathe alittle better. However, it's that Susanoo that I'm more concerned about. I'm not to sure how it works but I'm guessing Sasuke might be visually linked with Susanoo, so it's movements are based on what Sasuke commands."
"Why don't we just go to his house and take him out?." Kiba growled. Akamaru growled beside him also.
"It's no use." Naruto said frustrated, "He put my clone under some genjutsu then took it out."
"What can we do?." Neji snapped, he was done sitting in the corner quietly. Even Hiashi began listening to this plan.
"I have confidence that the snake will follow Hinata's orders. Susanoo is a different case." He said, looking wearily at Naruto who didn't miss this look.
"What?." Naruto asked turning his nose up.
"This is where you come in." Shikamaru said, "I told you that Sasuke might be visually linked to Susanoo right?."
"So?." Naruto said.
"Your gonna go down there and break Sasuke's link. Hopefully that will make it disappear."
"That's too dangerous." Kakashi cut in. He wasn't liking where this plan was about to head.
"Ok so he goes down there." Neji snapped, "Then what?."
"He's going to kiss her." Shikamaru said simply.
Silence.
"WHAT!." Everyone screamed, all but Hiashi and Gaara. Gaara was interested however.
"What was that all about?." Hanabi asked outloud, she heard commotion from the stands.
"I'm so pitiful." Hinata whispered to herself. "All this time he made me believe I was strong."
"Don't be a hyprocrite." Hanabi pointed out, "You fought alongside that snake for a bit didn't you? And then that big thing over their showed up and now your feeling guilty?." Hanabi squeezed her sisters hand after grabbing it again, "Your not weak, maybe confused."
Manda suddenly hissed, "My orders won't change, girl."
"Leave." Hinata whispered. She felt, angry. 'Your right Hanabi.' She thought.
"What did you say?." Manda snapped.
Hinata raised a palm at him, "Gomen, Manda-sama. But please, leave."
"I can't do that." He insisted, his eyes slitted. He was in a state of anger now, most likely because he never thought of the day where he'd be wedged between the very two people he was contracted to fight for and protect. But if anything, he would always follow Sasuke, simply because that Uchiha was stronger than her and would kill him in a heartbeat.
"Hakke Kushou." Hinata ground out.
Manda was taken back slightly. His body slid back a few metres, "What the fuck are you...-"
"I said leave." She said seriously.
Manda twitched. This was certainly a side of her that he'd never seen before. "I told you..."
Hinata pulled her palm back and struck him again with the same jutsu. She did this four to five times before stopping, "Manda-sama, I respect you, I truly do..." She said and Manda noticed the veins around her eyes protruding even more so than normal. "...Think of what would happen, If I were to go blind."
'What?.' Hanabi thought, panicking.
Manda tensed. "She's cornered me.' He thought, slightly shocked.
Hinata continued, "If I go blind, Sasuke-kun won't be pleased. And all because you didn't obey me."
'She's been with him for too long.' Manda thought, straightening up. "What a cunning girl you are." He hissed, preparing to leave, "We're both bound to him, girl. He won't forgive disobedience so easily. Not even for you."
*POOF*
"He's...gone." Ino gasped.
Meanwhile...
Sasuke clutched at the side of his face, his eyes were beginning to bleed. He focused again. He couldn't hear anything Naruto and them were saying, nor could he read their lips, but he could visually see them and Hinata which mattered most. He was intrigued when she pushed Manda back and carried on doing so until the snake disappeared. Sasuke smirked inwardly, Hinata was definately his hime. His eyes went back to the stands. Naruto had just dived down to land beside Hinata.
"How did she..-"
Shikamaru cut Shino off, he looked at Naruto more seriously now, "Naruto."
Naruto's fists clenched, "I can't."
"If I'm right about Sasuke being visually linked, then our best shot of breaking it will be using you." Shikamaru snapped.
"No fucking way." Kiba barked.
"I agree." Neji said, "I can't allow that too happen."
"Their right Shikamaru." Kakashi said, "It'll further enrage Sasuke. He could turn Susanoo on all of us at a moment's notice."
"There's got to be another way." Ino put in, "A way that won't hurt Hinata."
"I've calcuted the best two options, either that or Naruto going over to Sasuke's house and starting a bloodbath." Shikamaru said, he was getting annoyed, "Trust me, Hokage-sama."
Naruto sweat-dropped. 'He's never called me Hokage before. He's serious.' He thought.
"Do it." Gaara piped in, "I will protect you, Naruto."
"As will I." Hiashi said, he didn't look at any of them but his Byakugan proved his word.
Naruto jumped onto the railing. Despite not wanting to test Shikamaru's theories, Naruto's gut told him one thing. He always believed and trusted in Shikamaru, and with Gaara and Hiashi watching his back, he knew this plan would fall through. He was their Hokage, so he was going to start acting like one starting now. Feelings be damned. He had to put everyone before himself. He dived from the railing and landed beside Hinata.
"Naruto?." Hinata questioned.
Naruto and the others noticed Susanoo's head turn. "Hanabi-chan, can you leave?."
Hanabi looked into his eyes and nodded. She just knew now wasn't a time to deal with the blonde, especially since this was the first time she'd seen him in serious Hokage mode.
"Hinata." Naruto whispered, walking closer to her.
Susanoo's shield rattled. It's sword started to raise.
"W-what?." Hinata took a step back, Naruto was in her personal space now, "What are you..-"
Naruto reached for the back of her head gently and pulled her into him. Hinata couldn't think or speak as Naruto pressed his lips gently to hers. Her Byakugan receeded, but she never closed her eyes. His lips didn't feel right and despite how angry she was with Sasuke, having another man kiss her was wrong. Naruto pulled her in much closer and she tried to push him. She bit his lip and stepped back. Horror was written on her face.
"It worked." He whispered somewhat sadly.
Hinata looked behind her. Susanoo was falling, scattering bit by bit and Hinata had to ask herself, why?.
'No. He couldn't have been watching, right?.' She thought. She suddenly had the urge to see Sasuke. Her heart twisted and as it did she took a step forward to slap Naruto. That slap was caught by Hiashi.
"Don't forget your place." Hiashi hissed.
Hinata yanked her hand away from him and with what little chakra she had left, she started bounding her way towards her home: The Uchiha compound.
"ONEESAN..!." Hanabi shouted.
Hinata ignored all their panicked voices.
Sasuke stood stiffly. His Mangekyou long since forgotten, deactivated. She was coming. Yes, she was coming to him. That image would forever stay ingrained in his mind, and that image was the reason why he took out half his bedroom wall with an angry punch. He could see outside easily, but that wasn't enough to sate him. He reached for his sword and took it from it's sheath. He was going to kill Naruto, once and for all.
Hinata saw the damage and landed just outside where she could see Sasuke standing. Their bedroom was ruined. "Sasuke-kun." She panted, she was almost out of chakra.
Sasuke was before her in the blink of an eye. "Hyuuga." He said coldly. He was devoid of any emotion.
Hinata blinked back her tears, hurt, "He just...I didn't want it." She stated truthfully.
Sasuke could see red and all he could hear was the loud drumming of his furious heart. Naruto had touched what was his and he would pay. Hinata threw her arms around Sasuke desperately. She didn't know how long she had before she blacked out, but she had too make these final moments count before her chakra ran out. "I LOVE SASUKE-KUN!." She cried out with a piercing scream, nothing mattered anymore, not her anger, nothing but him, "I LOVE SASUKE-KUN! ONLY SASUKE-KUN!."
Sasuke grabbed her roughly and slammed his lips to hers. She began to sink to her knees and he followed. He pulled her head back gently and connected their foreheads, Hinata's was sweaty. "I love Sasuke-kun." She whispered, she refused to give into the darkness and Sasuke noticed it.
"What do you want from me?." He hissed angrilly. His inner turmoil was killing him, eating at him but he didn't show it.
"Just...Sasuke-kun." Hinata said before her head fell to the side. She fell to the darkness.
Sasuke unleashed a full bodied Chidori as he held her. She had so much control over him and she didn't know it. Sasuke lifted her up gently and had them in their room within seconds. "Sasuke-kun." She whispered in her sleep.
Sasuke sat against the headboard of their bed and placed her between his legs, with her head directly over his heart. "I'm here, hime." He whispered, tightening his hold on her. "I'll always protect you." Sasuke stared at the wall straight aheard. To hell with all the damn consequences he may face, right now, he had to watch over his women.
Meanwhile...
"She's a fully fledged Jounin as of today." Shikamaru said.
"Yeah." Naruto said.
"How..-"
Kakashi cut Kankuro off, "Temari was forfeited. If it's not by the choice of the Jounin themselves, then by their appropriate village head. The Kazekage pulled her from the fight, which gave Hinata the pass."
"That Uchiha did all that just to make her pass? That's sick." Kankuro murmured. He was referring to Temari who was being tended too by Ino.
"No." Gaara cut in, "It's brilliant."
'He's good, I'll give him that.' Shikamaru thought, 'But I'm better.'
AUTHOR SAYS: SORRY I DIDN'T GIVE YOU GUYS WHAT YOU WANTED. I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO KILL TEMARI OFF, IF ANYTHING I QUITE LIKE HER ON NARUTO! HOPE THIS WAS OK. I GOT TOLD IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE :( HAHAHA BUT I THINK IT IS. HOPE YOU LIKED...YOLO!