LUCID – GREW WORSE
Outside the Heat Field
The scene was very different to what it was before. Gone are the chaotic beginnings of a base organised by an anxious Shikamaru and a distressed Kakashi. The situation here had changed entirely, with the Hokage and his assistant at the head of a large group of planners and thinkers. A team of medical shinobi are on hand ready for any situation that should arise. Members of the Hyuuga clan, present not only for Hinata's sake but for as their unique skillset. If there is a true advantage of the peace Naruto and Sasuke had brought to the world it is this mobility. The entire might of the Hidden Leaf has been mobilised for this purpose, to save Naruto and Hinata.
However, it was the greatest power at their disposal that was the story for them here. Sasuke left the barrier, running quickly from Maro's side to the side of his teacher and comrade. Sasuke held his hand out, prompting Shikamaru to immediately give him his radio, a line straight to the other Kage. Sakura came running, alongside several Hyuuga clansmen, eager to hear what Sasuke had to say.
"This is Uchiha Sasuke" he began, "I managed to get the location of the enemy's hideout from the burning rogue shinobi over there. It is to the east of the Hidden Rain".
He didn't stop to take in the looks of amazement from his fellow shinobi. Kakashi, Sakura, Shikamaru, they were familiar with the true extent of Sasuke's abilities but the others had no idea. They were blown away. Not only had the Uchiha managed to survive in that blazing heat, he had managed to conduct an interrogation on an enemy he couldn't even touch.
"We need to send all the best sensors and trackers to that area" Sasuke demanded, "I'm going at once".
Not waiting for a reply, he handed the radio back.
"I' am going too" Kakashi raised from his seat, passing all the vital information and equipment to his assistant, "Shikamaru, you are in charge here now".
"Yes sir, I will keep everything under control".
Sasuke began to run eastwards from the heat field. He didn't have time to wait for anyone else. He was one of the fastest people alive and he wasn't going to delay a single second to work in tandem, not when his sensory prowess was so far in excess of everyone else's. Someone was keeping up with him though, he could feel the familiar presence.
"Can you keep up with me sensei? Not many can".
Kakashi was doing just that, not falling a step behind Sasuke as sprinted towards the rain. "I'm not old enough to slow down yet".
Since Sasuke returned it had felt for a long time that he and Kakashi were distant from one another. It was hard to forgive someone for trying to kill both of your students. Still, he realised at that moment that while the woes of the past cannot be undone, neither can the joys. Hatake Kakashi was still his sensei.
In the Cave
What is love?
That is a big question, there is nobody who would argue that. The question itself would be debated thousands of times throughout history, having a unique meaning to each and every person who answered it; truly a question and answer that can define an identity.
In this situation, Naruto wasn't ready for such a question, he had never been a master of words. While he was often resolute about what it meant to be a Hokage, to be a shinobi there many philosophical questions he couldn't answer.
"What is love? That seems like a really big question" he said, resting his chin in his hand. His eyes skirted to the side of their sockets. "I'm not very good at answering big questions like that".
That wasn't how Hinata knew Naruto though. For the most important of life's questions, he may not have been able to beautifully express his feelings but he always knew them. Whether it was why to keep moving forward, why to never give up, what it means to be a shinobi or what a friend is, he always knew how he felt. She couldn't see this being any different.
"Please, I want to know what you have to say" she begged quietly.
"Hmm… remember the time we went to that town for a picnic?".
"Yeah, I remember it well".
Hinata smiled, she was being taken back to one of the happiest periods of her life.
"I remember watching you preparing a picnic. It was funny".
"Yeah but life back then was pretty stressful for both of us. I was working hard to become a Jonin. You were struggling with Hyuuga business".
"Yeah, it was a tough time".
Naruto was a hero of the village, when his closeness with Hinata became public it caused rumblings in the Hyuuga clan. A lot of people overreacted, treating the news as if it was the best thing that had ever happened to the clan. Others reacted badly, there would always be a few individuals in the village who had reservations about Naruto, especially given his affiliation with the nine-tails.
"Was the picnic good for you?".
"It was amazing".
That is exactly what Naruto had thought too. That is exactly what his understanding of love was.
"When we were apart life was difficult and hard" he explained. "But when were together it was like the stress didn't exist; like were floating. You're the only person who can make me feel like that Hinata. You're the only person who can take me to that truly happy place".
"… yeah, I know what you mean" Hinata replied. "It's the same for me".
Naruto took Hinata's hand in his own, squeezing tightly. "Bad things can happen in life you know, my parent's death, Neji's…".
"But sometimes" he continued, "Sometimes an angle comes into your life. An angel who makes it so you can keep going no matter how much bad stuff happens. That's what you are like for me".
"That sounds really nice… I like that…".
Naruto leaned in close, brushing a solitary strand of hair from Hinata's forehead. "I love you, Hinata". Just as he begun to feel the heat of her breath and his neck began to crane he felt the loss of strength in her hand gripping his. Pulling back and looking into her eyes he realised that she had fainted once again.
Unfortunately, he knew wasn't a child's story book. No kiss from prince charming would wake the sleeping beauty.
With a sigh, he released Hinata's hand and returned his attention to the barrier. One day they may share a kiss once again, unfortunately, it seemed this wouldn't be that day.
The Dream World, Hinata's Room
Hinata woke in the dream world, her vision blurry as she woke to the rising sun. The blur of the sun wasn't the only thing clouding her vision, vague remnants of the image she saw in the real world lingered. Naruto had something to her, she was certain of that. She had thought that he had been getting closer to her but that was all. She had lost consciousness.
Getting out of bed she walked over to the window, witnessing for the first time the beauty of her garden in the morning. Clearly Nikko was good at his job, the garden was littered with beautiful colours, with flowers positioned so that their petals could glow with the sun. She opened the window to take in the smell, expecting the smell of flowers, she was surprised to instead smell the toasting of bread. Breakfast was being prepared in the house.
Hinata got dressed into some casual attire forgetting that today was Friday and that she would normally have work on this day of the week. Heading downstairs she entered an open plan kitchen in which Nikko was preparing breakfast for her.
"Morning, need some breakfast" Nikko asked with a big smile.
"That sounds good, thank you" Hinata replied.
Having breakfast prepared for her was a novelty that Hinata wasn't used to. In the real world her family had never done such a thing for her and Naruto would never have time. As the Uzumaki was being groomed for the Hokage position, he would typically be busy from dawn until dusk and would have to fight for every moment of free time.
Hinata looked out the window into the rear garden. The rear garden was not so well kept as the front garden but was a wider, flatter grassy space. Her son was running around in the garden, cartwheeling and practicing his gymnastic skills. She speculated that perhaps he was practicing to become a shinobi, like his mother.
"What does he do during the day" she asked, her eyes not moving as she watched him in the garden.
"He goes to school, at least during the day" Nikko answered.
"Do you think I could take the day off work and take him to school?".
Nikko smiled, turning to look at his wife. She was transfixed with their son, not even noticing his gaze. "I don't think they were expecting you at work but I will phone them just in case" he answered. He shook his head, to him, only Hinata would consider going into work in her condition. "After that, I could take you somewhere you enjoyed going in the past, we could make a day of it".
"That would be nice".
After eating her breakfast, Hinata called in her son from the rear garden and took him to school.
Outside the School
Hinata's son immediately left his mother and ran into school to meet with his friends. He clearly had no trouble socialising as he began to play with the other children straight away. She found this to be a strange sensation, a sense of pride she had never felt before. She wondered if her parents ever felt this pride for her.
A hand tapped on Hinata's shoulder, starting her and causing her to turn around. It was Sai.
"We don't often see you on the school run, Hinata".
"No, I thought I would take the day off".
Hinata noticed after a few moments that she was naturally integrating with this world. She subconsciously knew that Sai was the parent of another child here and reacted with no surprise at all. Something was very different though, a subtlety about Sai; his eyes. Sai's eyes were different to the real world.
'That smile… those empty eyes… this is Sai without Naruto'.
"Hinata" a nearby voice called as a woman ran over. Tenten. "I've not seen you here before. You're normally so busy as the leader of the Sensing and Tracking Unit".
"I… I always try to do my best" the Hyuuga clanswoman replied.
Tenten gave her a playful shove. "Stop being so modest, you 'do your best', you're probably the best shinobi in the village. It must be cool for the little guy to be taken to school by such an elite shinobi".
Hinata hadn't thought of it like that. She wasn't used to the idea that she was a big deal. She had always considered Naruto the elite shinobi and strived to be like him. Chasing Naruto was like chasing light though, only one man could ever keep up with him.
"Life must be good for him" Sai sighed, snapping Hinata from her thoughts, "He is so talented himself".
"He is?".
"Oh sorry, you don't remember". Sai's inflections were forced, he had heard Hinata was ill but he genuinely didn't realise that she had forgotten her son. "Well yes, your son has always been the most talented member of the class".
"He's very popular, very smart" Tenten insisted, "He will surely become a great shinobi one day".
"I guess he takes after his parents" Sai said, "You guys are a true model family".
"Thank you" Hinata said with a bow.
'The way they are speaking makes me feel so… confident. Is this the happiness I've been missing my whole life?'.
A thought lingered though. It had lingered in the back of her mind ever since she saw Sai's smile.
'Sai's smile… Tenten's praise… they're both missing something… they're so… fake'.
The Dream World, A Lake
Hinata looked out over the lake, it was very picturesque. The lake glimmered with the golden reflection of the sun. The breeze wafted over its surface gently, leaving ripples where it caused slight disturbances. The water was as clear as glass, fish could be seen swimming close to the underside of the boat.
She couldn't recall seeing anything close to this in real life, in the other world, it was like something out of a book, or in a piece of art. Hinata had been all over the world. Even if she wasn't on the same level as Naruto, she was an elite shinobi. She had met many people, seen many things. She couldn't recall seeing anything like this though. It was like the accumulation of a million fantasies, the descriptions of beauty of a thousand people, they had all combined and manifested in one spot.
Looking down into the boat, the Hyuuga heiress glanced over the perfectly packed picnic that they had brought with them. This picnic is nothing like the one Naruto had prepared, it was beautifully wrapped, fantastically aromatic and she imagined, delightful to eat. Something about the picnic was wrong though, the appearance, the smell, the taste, she was certain that they were all afflicted by the same fault. It was so empty.
"We go on a boat trip like this quite often" Nikko explained, rhythmically stretching his arms forward and pulling them back once again. "We came to this lake once before and you really enjoyed it. And well… I know it's only a little rowing boat but…".
"No, no" Hinata said, "It's really nice". Whether this was the real world or not, she hated seeing people like Nikko talk themselves down because she knew that's just how she behaved in the other world.
She could just about make out the reflection of Nikko's red hair in the water. It was like the setting sun. Like it was signalling the end to something. 'If this were a dream, would I see my reflection? If this were a dream, would I be so… lucid?'.
Nikko leaned backward, picking up a wooden box from behind himself. He stretched his body so that he could pull the box around between himself and Hinata. It wasn't a heavy box but it was fairly large. Hinata could tell from the polished wooden finish that it was well maintained.
"Now, I'm a bit rusty" Nikko explained as he lifted an instrument from the box, "But, I'll give this a go".
It was a violin. Nikko was going to play the violin.
Hinata smiled, she didn't know that Nikko could play music, she hadn't asked him. She continued to take in the scenery as her husband prepared for his piece. As she looked into the water, she pictured this scenario taking place in the other world, whether such a thing would be possible. Upon careful consideration she was sure that it couldn't, Naruto would almost never have enough time off to visit a lake. Most of all, the would be Hokage would never have enough time to learn an instrument.
Nikko's piece was wonderful, matching the pure serenity of the grassy plains with the calmness of the water into one performance. As he played on Hinata relaxed, this environment was enough to make anyone forget their troubles, forget their bad dreams, forget the weight of the world pressing on their shoulders.
As Nikko finished, Hinata clapped her hands sincerely. "That was really nice Nikko, it was lovely". She looked into his eyes as he cheerfully accepted the praise, 'I've always loved the violin'.
"Thank you, you always did love that piece" Nikko returned.
Hinata sighed internally. How could he possibly know that? Had she been dreaming-up specific pieces of music? Had she heard that somewhere before, she certainly didn't recall it? 'Could this really be the real world?'.
She took a moment to resolve herself, then asked her husband the same question she had asked the man in the other world. "Nikko… what do you think love is".
"I don't have to think about it" he answered, "I know what love is".
The Hyuuga clanswoman had been hoping that Naruto would answer her question that way. "Then what is it?".
"Love revolves around common interests and common hobbies" he explained.
Common interests and common hobbies. Hinata hadn't ever thought about love this way before. She looked at herself and Naruto's pasts about the times they had spent together and what they had done with one another. 'Naruto and I… we don't have common hobbies or interests'.
"It's not some mystical force, it's a feeling you have for someone who understands you" the ex-shinobi said, "A relaxing feeling".
'Naruto and I… do we truly understand one another… is it possible to understand Naruto…'.
Uzumaki Naruto, the shinobi who grew up without any parents. The shinobi rejected by everyone who countered this rejection by accepting everyone. Someone who was considered dirt who would never go anywhere, who never gave up and reached the very top of the world. If that world was a story, it would be the story of Uzumaki Naruto, the hero of the hidden leaf. How then, could anybody possibly hope to understand him, such an enigma, such an existence.
"For example, we both enjoy pressing flowers, we both like to gout and eat zenzai together" Nikko said. Those were indeed things Hinata liked.
"Because of my lack of talent, we both understand the way the Hyuuga clan can shun people without talent".
The Hyuuga clan had initially been cold towards Hinata, according to Nikko. That is because she didn't appear to have any talent in her youth. It is only through her hard work and persistence that she was able to earn the respect of the clan and of the village. Nikko went through a similar situation. After asking Hinata to marry him, he was shunned and spurned by the Hyuuga clan who did not consider him good enough to marry Hinata. They both understood that cruel treatment, that elitist attitude.
"We both understand that hard work can help you pull through anything, we both believe in… in never giving up".
Hinata knew that was her ninja way but wasn't so sure of its origins anymore. Had she learnt that listen from Naruto? Had she originated the lesson? Had Nikko picked it up from her?
'Nikko understands how I felt back then… more so than Naruto…'.
To Hinata's surprise, Nikko had closed the distance between them. Without her even noticing, he had pressed his lips gently against hers and kissed her. It didn't feel right in her mind, like something was missing, just like that picnic. She did however, feel something she hadn't in a long time. She felt safety, she felt comfort. She didn't pull away, she hesitantly kissed Nikko in this moment of relaxation, considering that he may be right.
'Perhaps Nikko is right...'.
'Perhaps love revolves around comprehension and commonalities'.
'And I do feel truly… relaxed'.
It is at this moment that Hinata's condition grew worse.
It is at this moment that Hinata fainted.
The Cave
Hinata woke up in the cave with a slight gasp. She was confused, just a moment ago she had been with Nikko, she had been completely comfortable and relaxed. Now everyone she was feeling was hard, she felt such discomfort, such danger. It was like she had stumbled into a nightmare. A nightmare with only one guiding light.
She looked around at that guiding light. "Oh… hello Naruto". She looked down at the ground next to her head as she began to push herself upright. It was as if she was sad.
"Hinata, you seem a bit upset, are you alright?" Naruto asked, helping his girlfriend into a sitting position.
"It was just… a bit of an awkward moment to… you know… switch worlds" she answered, still sounding dejected.
"It doesn't matter when you switch out of that world, it isn't real Hinata".
"It all feels so real Naruto, it all feels so perfect".
The blonde shinobi rested his head in the palm of his hand. How could this world compare to a dream world? The incredible heat outside of his barrier was causing this place to appear worse and worse. If Hinata's vision wasn't clear, he could understand why she might mistake this cave for hell. Hell is certainly how it had started to appear for him.
"This world can be pretty great too, you know" Naruto explained.
"The people there all think I'm something amazing, like they do for you here" she replied.
"People in this world think you're amazing too Hinata".
"And I worked hard to get accepted, just like you".
Naruto's head was hurting, he had never imagined this would work against him. Hinata had adopted her ninja way, her philosophy of never giving up from him. From when she did that, it would be inevitable that she would compare herself to him. Naruto worked incredibly hard though, using clones he would work thousands of times harder than was possible for everyone else. He would always take that one extra step, put in that one extra minute of work to pursue his dream and look after his friends. Geniuses like Sasuke could reach the same level with less work but Hinata wasn't comparing herself to him, she was comparing herself to Naruto. In such comparison, it would always appear that she was slacking off.
"Hinata, you worked hard and got accepted in the real world too" Naruto said under his breath.
"The music, the garden, the school" Hinata replayed the day's events in her head. "My subordinates too… they all seem so… ideal".
"It's not perfect Hinata, it only appears that way to distract you".
Her perfect son. Neji's being alive. Her high position. The empty picnic. Tenten's praise. Sai's smile. That passionless kiss. To Hinata it felt like Naruto was bringing this all back to her. It felt like he was causing it.
"You have to hold on to the real world" Naruto insisted, taking Hinata's hand tightly in his own, "You have to hold on to the people who love you".
"The people who love me" she muttered, "Naruto, what are my hobbies and interests?".
"Hinata I…".
"Do you know?" she pressed.
"It wouldn't matter what I say. The dream world is tricking you to think like this…".
Hinata was horrified with how the truth appeared to her. Naruto had always seemed perfect but in this moment that illusion was shattered for her.
"You don't know" she said, "Naruto… you don't know, do you?".
"Do trivia questions matter" he asked, "Surely what matters is that I love you, right?".
"Love is confusing to understand, I'm not sure what it means anymore".
Naruto had never known Hinata speak like this to him before. Every word shook him to his very core. He had assumed that the two of them would never have these problems, that their feelings for one another were innocent and pure.
"You know I love you, don't you?".
As he is met with silence, Naruto cranes his neck and leans towards Hinata to give her a gentle kiss.
Like before though, she moves away. This time voluntarily creating a gap between them. "I guess that depends what love is, Naruto".
With those words, Hinata left a stake in Naruto's heart before departing to the other world.
Naruto didn't know what to do with himself. He flailed his arms around before his face, unsure where to put them. His frustration manifested itself; with a scream he lifted his fist into the air and slammed it down into the stony floor below. As blood flowed from his knuckles his vision grew blurry and his breath deep.
"Violin music…" he breathed out.
"Violin music…".
"Green grassy gardens…".
"Pressing flowers…".
"Dancing…".
"Ramen…".
"Zenzai…".
"Boats…".
"I don't know how to get through to you" Naruto whelped, a tear running down his cheek.
"But I really, really do love you, Hinata".
East of the Hidden Rain, The Rogue Shinobi Hideout
The rogues were well hidden, with the entrance to their hideout embedded at the back of a deep crevasse. The mountain was plain and natural, there would be no way to tell that someone was hiding at the back of it. Not unless you had supernatural senses of sight or smell, something that the search party had in droves.
Groups of rogue shinobi gathered near the entrance. They were all elite killers, prepared to tangle with the deadliest of shinobi in a life or death battle, or so they believed. They were willing to tangle with almost anybody, even some of the big names in the shinobi world. They would have battled the Ino-Shika-Cho, or even a few of the mist's revered swordsmen. They weren't prepared for what came through the entrance though.
Step by step, they heard the approaching feet.
In through the entrance came the man known throughout the lands as the 6th Hokage.
In through the entrance, came Hatake Kakashi.
The rogues all took a few steps back. The rogues originating from the Hidden Leaf knew of the Hokage's abilities, they had told the others of his prowess. This man was a General in the 4th great shinobi war, one of the four present in the final battle. This was the man who lead the most legendary team in the lands.
It would get worse still though.
Slipping in through the crevasse straight after Kakashi was someone even worse.
It was Uchiha Sasuke.
The rogues didn't step backwards this time, with their kunai's drawn they all stood, paralysed with fear. As Sasuke coughed, they all tightened their grip on their weapons, foolishly preparing themselves for a fight.
"Out of the two of us, the Hokage is the one you should be less afraid of" Sasuke explained, not bothering to draw his own weapon, "Do you really want to fight here?".
In an instant, all the rogues dropped their weapons.
One man at the back room stood up, turning to face the two intruders. He had known they would come, he had known there would be nothing that could be done to stop them, not these two.
Turning around, the man revealed his piercing black eyes, one half covered by his wavy jet-black hair. Peering out from behind that wavy hair was a head protector, the village identifier barely discernible through the black locks. The man was dressed differently from the others, not in the protective attire of his native village but in a blue shirt. His blue shirt's colour was folded neatly and the top two buttons were undone, revealing just the top of the red vest he wore underneath.
The confidence and aura this man exuded made his identity clear. This was Tetsuya.
"Most impressive, Uchiha Sasuke…".
Without giving Tetsuya time to finish his sentence, Sasuke had already arrived at his side, sword pressed to his throat. Where his best friend's safety was concerned, the Uchiha proved unwilling to play games.
"I suggest you be silent and consider some last words" Sasuke said.
"Killing me won't change anything, is that what the hidden leaf is all about" Tetsuya cackled at Sasuke's predicament, he enjoyed playing games with his adversary. "After all, the rain has experienced the leaf's kindness before".
"Sasuke, put it down" Kakashi demanded, "That is my decision as the Hokage".
Sasuke obeyed his teacher, lowering his sword. Tetsuya and a few others seemed dejected. It was like they wanted Sasuke to stab the leader, if only to prove them right. The leaf had a dark and bloody history, though they didn't want to remember it. Things were to be different under Kakashi's reign, Naruto and Sasuke were determined to make that so.
"Tell us Seta Tetsuya, how to do we stop the genjutsu". Kakashi approached Tetsuya, doing his best to maintain an intimidating voice and presence.
"The genjutsu cannot be stopped unless Hinata escapes or the caster is killed" Tetsuya explained, his shoulders sagging as he sighed. His complacency was unbecoming of his situation, he was in mortal danger with these two present but was acting as a king would on his own throne.
"Stop telling us what we already know" Sasuke barked, "Who is the caster?".
Tetsuya shook his head, "It wouldn't matter even if you did know. You're not killers, are you?".
"Try me".
"We have a very unique skillset here". The leader of the rogue shinobi was being very deliberate in his time-wasting. He revelled in his long-winded explanation. "We can do things nobody else can. We have to, if we are going to kill Uzumaki Naruto".
"Hurry up". Sasuke stepped right up to Tetsuya's face, reminding him of the potential damage that could be done.
"A middle man is being forced to cast the genjutsu" Tetsuya explained. "It's not one of us. So, you would have to kill this innocent middle-man to break the genjutsu".
"Who is the middle man?" Kakashi asked.
Tetsuya took a step backwards, calmly smiling as he looked around the intimidating Uchiha. He seemed to be ignorant of the power these two men had. He seemed like he was dancing in front of a pair of rebels. This was his domain, he was now the status quo and the Leaf shinobi were the ones battling for a revolution.
"I suppose you could call her a middle-woman" Tetsuya said as he gestured to his right.
It was a blanket, clearly from the way it was hovering it was propped up on a box or a cage.
The Hokage approached the blanket and tore it away, revealing what was hidden behind it. To their horror it was a cage. To their horror it was an innocent middle-woman.
Hyuuga Hanabi.
Kakashi sighed, "Sasuke, we can't kill Hanabi, no matter what happens".
Seta Tetsuya was laughing loudly while all this happened. "See, even Uchiha Sasuke is powerless to do anything. All he can do is stand by and wait for his friend to die".
An instant later, everyone in the hideout felt like the world was going to fall apart.
For the first time since the fight with Naruto, Sasuke was bringing his full power out. Chakra radiated from his body like light from the sun. The cave rocked with the enormity of his power and even Kakashi stepped back away from his student. With every step the entire world seemed to move, Kakashi was certain that Sakura and Shikamaru would be able to feel it where they were.
As Sasuke stepped towards him, Tetsuya laughed madly, crawling backwards out of instinct rather than choice. "So, this is the power… this is the power of order… this is what we were up against".
"You are all coming back to the heat field with us" Sasuke shouted, his voice so loud that nobody dared question it. "Kakashi, you take the leader, I will take the others".
The others all wondered how the Uchiha intended to capture them all by himself. They were soon enlightened. A blue concentration of chakra formed around Sasuke, morphing into a full-sized Susano and bursting through the rocks that entombed them. If anyone were nearby they would likely have been hit by the outward flying rocks.
Sasuke used clones and smaller Susanos to gather each of the rogues into the hands of his giant construct before flying back in the direction of the heat field.
Kakashi bound Tetsuya's hands with some rope he found before pushing him forwards, starting him running after Sasuke.
"I think you're underestimating the situation" Kakashi said, "What Sasuke showed you wasn't the power you should truly fear…".
"You should fear the bond between Naruto and Hinata… that is our true power here".