no-maybee-okay: Thank you and I'll stick with once a week :)
Chewie Cookies: Let's hope you're right. Thanks for reviewing.
Redsox31: You think? I wasn't sure if that was logical, but as for me, I can't really understand why Sakura still loves Sasuke, so I let Hanabi say my theory. Not sure if it was good, though.
Arymed: Thank you so much, I'm glad you like the characters. That's a really nice compliment, if you think that I developed my characters well.
So for you information, this chapter picks up the pace... Hope you won't be too sad.
I don't own Naruto.
-10-
"All this would be so much easier if Naruto had placed his freaking seals in every other country as well." Kiba complained as he wiped his sweat away. They had left Suna five days ago and were nearing the border of the Land of Winds.
"Unfortunately Konoha doesn't have an as outstanding relationship with all the countries as it does with Suna." Hanabi reminded him.
Hinata estimated that they could reach the Land of Lightning by tomorrow if they kept their pace. The day after that they would arrive in Kumo. Which meant that they were ahead of schedule, which was good because somehow she couldn't imagine it would be easy to coax the Raikage into agreeing to the contract.
"Maybe we should camp here for the night. Nights in the desert are very cold and we should have finished putting up the tents by then." Kankuro suggested
Within half an hour their tents were up and the fire was burning. "I don't think we need to concern ourselves about keeping watch. My traps are very effective and I don't think we have to worry as long as we are still in Kaze no Kuni."
Soon everyone had bundled up in their warm sleeping bags. Night had fallen and with it came the cold.
Hinata stared ahead and tried not to think of Naruto. The nights were the worst – during the day she could keep herself distracted. Everyone was around and the exhausting travel kept her longing at bay. In the night, she was bare to all her fears and negative thoughts, Naruto's presence alone was enough to make her insecurities shrivel, but he wasn't here.
"Can't sleep either?" Hanabi's voice caused Hinata to turn her head.
"No…You're missing Gaara?"
Hanabi shifted, "I can't believe I am saying that, but… yes." She groaned, "We're pathetic."
Hinata smiled, "I think it's only natural."
The brunette shrugged, "It's just…weird – but not necessarily in a bad way."
Her sister smiled and turned back again. Silence settled between them and the fatigue of the days travel set in and lulled them to sleep after a while.
…
"So what's that between you and Sakura?" Kiba popped himself up on his elbows and directed his questioning glance at Kankuro. Akamaru's ears perked up but otherwise the dog didn't move from his position under Kiba's head.
"Woman drives me crazy." Kankuro muttered and his frustrated look made his tent partner laugh out loud.
"I can tell."
"But seriously, I don't know." Kankuro said more earnestly. "I guess there is something between us but I have no idea how she feels about it."
"So why do you keep making her angry?"
"'Cause she's freaking hot when she's angry!"
Kiba laughed and found a more comfortable position by leaning against Akamaru. "I see."
"Yeah, but you know lately I would prefer a more civil way to communicate but every damn time I try I fuck up. I swear usually I'm good with woman but she hates my guts."
"I'm pretty sure that if she hated you, we could scratch you off several walls." Kiba remarked. "What happened yesterday? She didn't look mad but rather hurt."
"Yeah, I know. Like I told you, I fucked up bad. I told her that no man would find her attractive and something about her being too manly."
Kiba said nothing but it explained a lot. No wonder she had asked him about her ability to attract men.
Kankuro shrugged and lied down. "I don't even know why I said this stuff. I just saw her with this guy and flipped."
"Well, things like that happen. Don't worry too much about it."
The puppet master nodded in agreement. For a few moments the sound of the wind around them was the only thing to hear before Kankuro disrupted the serenity.
"Hey Kiba, you know Sakura longer than I do, right?"
Sleepily Kiba opened his left eyes and growled in agreement.
"Do you think she's still not over the Uchia?"
Unsure of how to answer Kiba stayed silent for a while. "At this point I guess that you know her better than I do. I can't tell you about her feelings for Sasuke. All I know is that the guy who gets her to move on from him is the one she's going to stick with."
Kankuro chuckled darkly. "I figured."
…
"Naruto, I insist that you go home now!" Tenten's chocolate brown orbs narrowed at the blond Hokage hunched over his paperwork.
"Sure as soon as I'm finished with this." He barely paid the brunette any mind.
"Naruto you've been working like a maniac for the past week. You even slept in the office twice. What is wrong?"
Naruto smiled at her. "Nothing but if I manage to get ahead of all the paperwork then I can spent more time with Hinata once she's back."
Tenten seemed a little reluctant to believe him. "Naruto, just so you know. Neji and I we are like your family and once you marry Hinata we will officially be so. If there is something else you can talk to me you know."
His heart stopped at the word family. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about it, but for him up until now the one person he called family was Hinata, at least for the living that was.
Tenten kept talking. "Hinata wouldn't want you to keep everything that bugs you to yourself."
Blue eyes locked with chocolate brown ones and he evaluated her intentions. Opening up to Hinata was easy; she didn't see his weaknesses as weaknesses just as hidden strengths, but allowing Tenten to see him vulnerable was something else. He chose his words carefully to ensure that he didn't expose too much of his inner turmoil.
"I just don't like coming home to an empty apartment anymore."
Tenten felt silent for a few moments. It made sense, she assumed. Naruto had been alone most of his life and since he lived with Hinata it was hard for him to go back to that lonely times. It only stirred up painful memories.
"If you'd like to then I'd like to invite you to dinner with Neji and me. You are welcomed to spend the evenings with us until Hinata comes back. She would never forgive me if I'd let you starve to death because you don't leave your office."
Naruto smiled gratefully but blocked. "I'm sure Neji wouldn't want me to impose on you."
"Ah don't worry about Mr.-Grumpy-Pants." She waved dismissingly. "Get up before you work yourself to death! I'll handle Neji"
Not even fifteen minutes later they arrived at of the main house on the Hyuga Clan compound.
"Neji, I'm back."
"Hello Tenten. How was your day at work?" Neji came through the door leading to the living room and smiled at her before he placed a soft kiss on her lips.
"Hey Neji." Naruto waved at him.
The Hyuga Head blinked at him in surprise. Then he turned to his girlfriend. "Tenten, what is Naruto doing here?"
"He's going to eat dinner here until Hinata comes back." Tenten declared happily in a tone that didn't allow any objections.
"Ah… I see."
"Don't worry Neji you won't even know that I'm here." Naruto exclaimed and hit his back in a friendly manner. "Now where is the kitchen? I'll help you make dinner."
"Oh joy!" Neji mumbled under his breath.
Tenten beamed brightly at him and gave him an encouraging kiss on his cheek.
"Hinata better come back quickly." Neji nagged. He was valuing the alone time with Tenten very much.
…
"I hate mountains!" Kankuro complained and breathed heavily. "I like the desert, the desert doesn't have mountains."
"I don't like either of them. But this is an especially shitty example for a mountain." Kiba agreed referring to the one dozen rock falls that had already passed them by. One of them had almost caused Kiba to fall off a cliff by jumping out of the way.
Akamaru grumbled in discomfort, the dust from the rock falls had settled over them and his sensitive nose was affected by it. Kiba ruffled his fur in understanding. For both of them, having one of their senses taken from them was a rather unpleasant feeling.
"Maybe we should check again. It's been sometime." Hanabi remarked and got ready to use her Byakugan. They had to lengthen the intervals in which they checked their surroundings because the smell was not the only thing affected by the dust. Hinata's eyes had already taken on a slight red undertone. They could deal with mist but the dirty dust that forced itself in their eyes was a different story.
Before she could attempt to activate her bloodline another huge rock fall interrupted her and they had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.
Kiba landed farthest ahead and sniffed the air carefully, his heightened senses picking up a distinct but unclear smell in the air. Next to him Akamaru's hackles went up and he growled deeply. "Be careful! Something is not right."
A low chuckle echoed in the air and the five of them got in defense position in a circle. Both Hyuga sisters activated their Byakugan simultaneously and Hinata gasped in shock.
"Orochimaru…" She whispered and immediately felt the two parties who couldn't see him tense.
"What the fuck? He's been hiding for so long to attack now?" Kiba asked quietly.
"I would not call it hiding. I prefer the term: waging out my options." The snake Sannin smiled widely. The dust settled slowly to reveal Kabuto standing left of him.
Hanabi tensed and gulped. She was the only one with no battle experience and going up against one of the Sannins, who was on par with Tsunade, didn't necessarily increase her confidence. Briefly Hinata found her hand and squeezed. She took as much confidence from her sister as she gave her.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu." Orochimaru bit his thumb and a giant snake hissed at the four Shinobi and the dog.
"Damn that is one big snake." Kiba stared at the giant creature.
"I have no puppet that could contain anything that big."
"You can't contain it. Akamaru and I will kill it. You better make sure Hinata and Hanabi are safe!"
Kankuro ginned, "As if I let any hot woman die."
Kiba smirked and broke out of the formation with Akamaru on his heels. "Gatsuga!"
Orochimaru smiled sinisterly at the remaining three and before either one of them could react he separated Kankuro from the two woman by summoning more snakes from the hem out of his sleeves. The puppet master tried to get back to them but Kabuto intercepted his attempt.
"I'm afraid I can't let you get in the way of Orochimaru-sama."
Kankuro clenched his jaw and summoned three of his puppets at once.
"I don't understand." Hanabi said loudly after seeing there was no way Kankuro could reach them. "Why attack us? You waited all these years, most people were starting to believe you were death. Why now? Why us?"
They needed more time, time to forge a plan. More time to get out of this alive. Hanabi wasn't a fool, there was no way that they could beat a Sannin. Maybe with Kiba and Kankuro, but not only the two of them.
"Isn't it obvious?" His sleazy black hair his one of his yellow glinted eyes. "I want Konoha's downfall."
"How will this help you achieve it? If anything it will make the alliance stronger just to take you down!" The brunette told him. Her Byakugan was frantically searching for a way out.
"Ah, I think you are forgetting one important detail! The Shinobi nations will never know it was me who killed all of you."
"They will figure it out."
"Old resentments that you seem to believe have been overcome will not allow any room for such an assumption."
"The Byakugan." Hinata whispered and a sudden wave of nausea filled her.
"What?" Hanabi furrowed her brows but didn't take her eyes off of the enemy.
"Were on Kumo territory…" Hinata felt like crying. How could she have been so stupid? She should have seen this coming. Orochimaru would take their eyes and make it seem like Kumo did it. It would stir a war. Even if Naruto refused to believe it, he would be powerless against the rage of the council or the Hyuga Clan.
"This time I'm here personally to ensure there are no mistakes."
"This time?" Hinata's breathing accelerated, she couldn't figure out how to get away.
Her answer was a sharp pain in her left leg and she cried out.
Hanabi whirled around and watched in horror as a white hand buried its fingernails in Hinata's leg. Orochimaru stood still unmoving but his hands were not visible. Her eyes darted to the ground and she saw the lines of his chakra running under the ground. She jumped in shock as she watched how the Snake Sannin split himself in half. "Mu, the Nindaime Tsuchikage had a very useful technique and I had a lot of time on my hand."
Hinata had meanwhile disabled the chakra in his arm but Orochimaru just peeled the hand of like a snake peeling her skin revealing a brand new one. It was then that both sisters understood just how hopeless their situation was.
…
Kiba panted as he braced himself from the impact of being sent flying in the stone wall. He and Akamaru had left various marks on the snake. But that damn thing was trashing around like crazy in pain and he had not always been fast enough to avoid the tail. "Akamaru we have to kill it now!"
The white dog barked in agreement and licked his wound. "We have to be careful! The venom could be deadly." Kiba casted a worried glance at his faithful dog. The giant Snake hissed at them and it was in that same moment that he heard a female voice cry out.
"Shit, Akamaru. We have to do it fast!" Staring into the wide mouth of the snake Kiba got an idea. Akamaru yelped and Kiba clenched his jaws. "I know it's risky, but it's the fastest way. We'll do it with the next hiss."
…
Kankuro cursed violently. Kabuto was moving like a snake and even with five puppets his movements were too unpredictable. He knew that the two women were facing off Orochimaru and Kiba was still trying to defeat the summoning. Maybe he was going at this the wrong way. All he had accomplished until now was to hinder Kabuto to touch him or anyone else. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Hinata hit the floor hard and he sent one of his puppets on the way to her. The wooden doll was stopped by Kabuto in the blink of an eye. Kankuro cursed again. He couldn't beat him like this. He needed a plan.
…
"Hinata!" Hanabi's scream was hear all over the battlefield, as she watched her sister being thrown to the floor by a powerful Jutsu she didn't even know existed. Both version of Orochimaru had barely moved.
The dark haired male chuckled darkly, and Hanabi gritted her teeth. He was clearly superior and he knew it. Relieved she watched Hinata get back up, although she was panting and a small trickled of blood ran down her forehead. Then again Hanabi wasn't doing much better; the scratch on her temple down to her cheek wasn't deep enough to draw blood. However it was only a matter of time before she'd be bleeding, too.
She suspected that they were only still alive because like a predator Orochimaru liked to play with his prey before finishing them off.
Her eyes fixated on her sister 'We have to get closer to him.' Hinata nodded slightly and drew a deep breath. Their only chance was to hit a few of his chakra points, but for that they needed to be closer, and it didn't help things that there were two Orochimarus. Even if he had split his power as well.
…
Kiba crashed his Gatsuga through the body of the snake. He had been worried that the venom could be a problem, when they would attack in the inside. But the fangs had neither grazed him nor Akamaru as they ripped the snake apart, jumping in trough the mouth of the summoning.
"Let's go, Akamaru!" He sprinted over to help Hinata and Hanabi, hoping Kankuro would somehow manage to deal with Kabuto.
"Kiba!" The relief was evident on Hanabi's face as she spotted him near her left side.
Orochimaru used her short moment of abstraction to launch a wide range attack at the younger Hyuga.
"Watch out!" Kiba yelled and was eternally grateful for her Byakugan. She could mostly make up for her inattentiveness. One of the kunais sliced her side, just around the area of her rib-cage. Hanabi pressed her hand to her side and suppressed a yelp. Considering the amount of the flying weapons she had been quite lucky.
"Where's Hinata?" Kiba was at her side a second later helping her steady herself.
Hanabi gestured behind her shoulder and his dark eyes widen. "What the hell! Why are there two of him?"
Hinata had meanwhile at least managed to get closer to Orochimaru. She still needed a few more meters to get to a range close enough to lay a hand on him. Her breathing was raged and she bit down the pain in her leg and her shoulder. Earlier a Fire Jutsu had burned the skin on her shoulders, she was glad the blood on her forehead had dried indicating that her wound wasn't very deep.
…
Kankuro smiled slightly. Everything was going according to plan; he only hoped it was good enough. He had rid himself of all but one puppet. In a way the fight reminded him of the one against Sasori and this time he would not be as helpless. This time he would win. This time Kabuto was the one using the poising just like Sasori, and that would be his own downfall.
He concentrated the faintest movements of his fingers on the puppet; he could not allow himself to make a mistake. He had only a few seconds, when Kabuto aimed his deadly attack directly on Kankuro. That was exactly what the puppet master had hoped and expected. Kankuro intercepted the attack and was careful to let the poison soak into the sharp nails of his puppet.
'Now I've got you!' Kankuro grinned inwardly. It would be tricky to land a hit on Kabuto but not impossible. Kankuro summoned another puppet. He had to distract Kabuto, if only for a moment. He had managed to land one or two hits on the Dragon Sanin, he needed only one more, one last hit.
There was one way to do it, but it would be risky and it would most likely hurt. He took a deep breath and braced himself. The puppet master faked a mistake and Kabuto took the bait. The attack came fast and the rocks crackled down on him from the brutal impact. He had only managed to get the second puppet in the way of the attack to keep most of the harm away from him. More importantly the first puppet hit its goal. Kabuto's neck was adored by four scratches. Kankuro could only hope that the poison was fast working. He got up from the ground and grimaced, most likely one of his ribs was broken.
Kabuto smiled as he saw Kabuto stagger. Fast working it was!
The next attacks came fast and hard, this time Kabuto used all of his puppets. Kabuto's movements got slower and sloppier. Only moments later, one of Kankuro's puppets tore through the chest of Orochimaru's discipline.
…
Kiba clutched his arm and helped Hinata up. After he had showed up her sister had begged him to help Hinata, since she was closer to success. Together they had somehow managed to land one single hit on the snake Sannin, while Hanabi did her best to evade the attacks Orochimaru's other half was throwing at her. Kiba had left Akamaru to protect her. The white dog was licking yet another wound while Hanabi's body was aching and she felt the giant bruise on her hip with every movement. The four of them faced both versions of Orochimaru.
Behind them Kankuro came to halt. He didn't look much better than the rest of them. And they all knew that their chances to survive this getting smaller by the minute.
"So, you managed to kill Kabuto?" Orochimaru's grins widen. "I am impressed I'll give you that, but I've had enough."
In horror they watched as both versions went through various hand signs. Kiba was not willing to let him get far with his plan and he had the distinct feeling it was better to stop him from going further and keep him from completing his Jutsu. Five steps - that was how far Kiba got, until her realized that he was frozen in place.
He twisted his head and saw that his teammates were in a similar position. "He sealed the ground to keep us in place." Hanabi deducted. "The ground is filled with chakra."
"We can cut the ropes of chakra but it will take some time!" Hinata told them, panic evident in her eyes. They wouldn't make it in time.
Above them swirls of dark clouds gathered and Hinata's breathing hitched when she realized tha ones that Jutsu was completed it would kill them all in one go.
The Hyuga sister concentrated all their chakra in the ground, working on resolving the chakra threads as soon as possible.
"That doesn't look good!" Kankuro yelled as he watched the dark sky intently.
The chakra was cut in the same moment Orochimaru launched his great attack. 'We won't make it in time.' Hanabi realized in shock. The jumped apart but the range of the attack was too big.
Something large threw a shadow on them.
"Akamaru, no!"
Hinata heard the desperation in her long-term teammate's voice. They all watched with horror stricken faces as the white dog intercepted the attack, before it could split in more than one thunderbolt and hit all of them simultaneously.
The guts-wrecking painful cry that shock the dog before he went down, made Hanabi's blood turn cold.
"Kiba stop!" She watched as her sister tried to stop her teammate from running to his fallen companion. It was like the world had gone still around them. It was awfully quiet; Hanabi didn't dare to take a breath. They all watched as Kiba fell down next to Akamaru and screamed in agony.
"What a brave dog. Too bad his sacrifice is in vain." Orochimaru's always-a-little-too-soft voice drew their attention back to him. He summoned another snake and the battle got more desperate on their side. Kiba's attacks, full of rage and pain were powerful but unfocused. None of the Hyuga sisters got close enough to hit Orochimaru and Kankuro had hit the wall of the mountain so brutally it had knocked him out. Blood stained the ground where he laid emotionlessly.
'We can't win. We are going to die.' Hanabi's eyes stung with tears but she bit them down.
"Hinata!" The brunette kneeled down next to her and helped her up.
"We're not gonna make it." Hinata whispered in a shaking voice. "He's only playing with us. He could end this anytime he wants to."
Suddenly the whole mountain trembled and when the dust settled Hanabi's eyes went wide.
"Bee-sama?" Hinata muttered in disbelief.
"Are you okay? I'll take care of this, aye." The big dark male gave them a reassuring smile and turned to his opponent.
Orochimaru clicked his tongue. "Things have just gotten more complicated."
What happened next, Hinata couldn't tell for the life of her. She kept her eyes on Kiba and stopped him from doing something rash that would get him killed. Her arms encircled his torso and she held him back with all her might. He fell on his knees and together they stumbled to where Akamaru laid.
Hanabi had stormed over to Kankuro. With relief she noted that he was still breathing, she tore away a part from her clothes and held in to the wound on his head. If she attempted to heal him now, she would pass out from lack of chakra before she even got close to the root of the wound.
So, tell me what you think.
For the record, I highly dislike writing battle scences, so I hope it wasn't too bad.