…yeah. I can't stop listening to "WORLD ORDER". The dancing… the DANCING D:

Summary: In everyone's eyes, Hinata has remained the same, even after so many years have gone by. She's still the same innocent, gentle, caring young woman. Even when the news of Naruto and Sakura hitting it off, the village felt incredibly sorry for the girl who had been in love for so long. But to Hinata, that was just what she had wanted everyone to see. Deep down, concealed behind her mask, Hinata is a completely different person. And only one person has been able to see behind the lies… and now he's more than determined to reveal the truth.

Pairing: Sasuke and Hinata

Rating: M to be safe

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the Dream Overseer concept

With Eyes That See the Bigger Picture

Episode 17

The air felt thin and lacking. Hinata found it hard to breathe as she strained to keep calm. Her eyes opened wide from the shock as she stood in the middle of a steaming space of hot spring. The smoke piled and kept rolling on all sides of the mountain walls, escaping towards the open ceiling above towards the grey skies. Still fully clothed, Hinata began to slush her way out of the water to dry off. How did I-?

"Well that doesn't look very promising." A radiant voice called out.

Oh. That explains everything now. Hinata frowned to herself as he continued to rinse out the sleeves of her pants. Anemone walked over to her side and sat on a nearby boulder. This time she was wearing a bulky red coat with tight-fitting black pants that only served to show how incredibly tiny she was to begin with. Her brown boots splashed at the nearby water puddle from the spring.

"Do you like hot springs by chance?" Anemone chirped, looking around, "I think they're interesting, but I don't personally find an interest in them. Soaking in hot water isn't my forte."

That didn't even make any sense. Hinata stopped to look at the young girl who was now swinging her legs back and forth. Her scowl only grew in annoyance, "Why are you here again? Shouldn't you be in your own dream?"

Anemone drew a grumpy face as she folded her arms. "Your dreams are much more fascinating. Mine are all really boring; I like it here. Why can't I hang around?"

"Because you're annoying me," Hinata replied sternly. It felt as if she suddenly received another sister. This time the sister was being a pest and a nosy brat though. "I don't even know what's going on in my dreams. I open my eyes standing in middle of some hot spring in the middle of who-knows-where. I don't need some loner hyperactive kid interfering with my train of thought."

Anemone puffed her chest, "I'm not some loner hyperactive kid! I have many friends, and they're all much cooler than you are!"

"Then why not visit their dreams?" Hinata asked as she slowly patted at her clothes to dry.

"Don't wanna. I'm already here. Let's go explore then." Anemone replied. She slid off the boulder and reached out to grab Hinata's left wrist. "Come on, it's been really boring lately! Holland is too busy with his daily activities to play with me."

Hinata followed after without much resistance, still trying to dry off herself along the way. Her mind suddenly stopped. She jerked back instantly snapping her hand.

"You said 'Holland'," she announced matter-of-factly, "Do you mean Keeper Holland?"

Anemone didn't even look back as she continued through the rough terrain, "What's a "Keeper"? I don't know of any Keepers. Holland is just an old friend of mine." She hopped over some rocks. "He's really sarcastic, and mean, and he pulls pranks on me all the time. But in reality, he's very stern and meticulous and oh-so boring."

Hinata jumped over a passing stream. "Why hang out with him then?"

"Because I like him," Anemone replied simply, "I like his company."

They continued walking until they reached an opening that overlooked a giant ledge, plummeting unknown lengths. Mist sneaked its way around the mountain area, clouding their height. In the horizon Hinata could only make out more mountains that started to even out into a rock road that blurred off. Beside them, near the edge of the cliff, began a sequence of flattened rock layers that descended. Anemone glanced at them and back to Hinata with a grin.

"Ready for some hopscotch?"

Hinata gripped Anemone tightly by the wrist. "Over my dead body."

"Geez, mom! You're no fun!" Anemone pouted before slipping out of the grip and with a big intake of breath, leaped off the edge of the cliff. Hinata's heart nearly broke as Anemone's first foot landed on the nearest rock sequence. She balanced herself upright and spun around. "Come on! I'm not sticking around here forever, waiting for you."

Hinata grimaced. Now I'm jumping on rocks over who-knows how many feet in the air all to chase some twelve-year-old. What the hell is wrong with me? The two continued forward. The rocks began to descend, contouring around the mountain wall as the mist began to thicken. Hinata shakily followed the blur of red in front of her finding it harder and harder to keep up.

And then, she lost her footing. Her heart dropped to her throat as she slid off the slippery pillar. Wind gushed at her ears as her voice let out a shrill scream of terror unlike she's ever heard before.

Water!

Hinata's lungs filled with water. Unable to make out where she was, Hinata desperately moved her hands around sluggishly realizing she was underwater. Which way is up? Which way to the surface?!

Hinata picked a direction and began swimming. She paddled through as best as she could, hopeful that the darkness would finally let out some sort of light. Her hand broke through the water as she let out a gasp on air. She glanced around in the dark, still unsure where she was now. The sky above was as black as the water aside from the few bundles of stars in the sky. Her heart was racing beyond hope. That kid is going to kill me!

"Do you like to swim a lot?" Anemone's voice rang in Hinata's ears. She glanced around, still unable to make out anything other than the stars. "The last time we were at a pier and this time we're in the middle of the ocean."

Hinata began to swim in some direction.

"Where are you going, silly?"

Hinata continued to ignore the girl.

"You could just walk on the water if you wanted to. That way you don't have to soak yourself to the bone." She felt Anemone's hand reach for her underarm as she was pulled upright. Hinata was shocked by the amount of strength that carried behind that pull. And yet, all she could do was focus on how easy it was for her to get out of the murky ocean only to place her feet plat on its surface.

Is this really everything that my subconscious is making up on the go?

"It is." Anemone chirped in, "Pretty neat, huh?"

Hinata frowned. What, you're reading my mind now?

"No. Your thoughts are writing themselves out." Anemone pointed her hand towards the sky.

Sure enough, all of Hinata's thoughts were being drawn out in thin white across the starry sky. "I've had enough." She finally said aloud, "This is getting ridiculous, Anemone. I don't know where I am, I don't know how got here, how to get out, where to go… it's like I'm on drugs from all of this insanity around me."

"Are you unhappy here?" Anemone's voice lowered.

"I'm dissatisfied if that's what you're asking," Hinata began, "I don't understand why you would choose to continue to be here in this mixed up world where nothing is still."

Anemone gave a small shrug, "I guess I'm just bored of being still elsewhere."

Hinata paused. If she's here as a child, where is she exactly in Reality? Hinata stared at the girl with stern intent, running her eyes up and down her posture. Anemone's eyes blinked vacantly. A small gust of wind breezed by, filling Hinata's lungs with a hint of sweet pea. Anemone brushed her hair aside idly, giving her a small smile. Only darkness lingered in her eyes.

Hinata's eyes slowly opened to the pale ceiling. Her breathing had normalized. She began to slowly sit up to the small light that escaped her window. It had barely broke dawn as not a single sound made outside of her closed door. She wrapped her nightgown closer to herself and began to slide off the bed. Slipping into a pair of slippers that the hospital had provided along with the bunny print nightgown, Hinata started to wander out of the room. It was as if some unknown force kept nudging her forward as she made her way down to room 909. She halted at the entrance to quietly press through, turning the knob as gently as she could.

The sleeping patient had remained, unmoving from before.

Her short, dark hair was parted slightly though. Yet her eyes remained shut and without any expression. This patient looked like she was in her mid-twenties. Her bone structure was cut clean and precise as he rosy cheeks hollowed slightly to indicate her prestige. Her lips were a thin line and slightly curved on the left end. Her breathing was even and barely audible. One would question whether she was still alive. The vase with flowers had been changed to a new set and continued to give the room a fresh scent. Hinata raised her hand to tug at the sleeve of the young woman's right sleeve.

"Hey," she began awkwardly, "Are you… is this…?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

A crisp voice cut through the warm atmosphere and suddenly the room got cold. Hinata jerked upwards to see Keeper Holland stand at the opened doorway. His expression was just as icy as his intent.

"I'm asking, what the hell are you doing here, visitor?" He began to glide towards Hinata as his robes brushed against the floor. He reached out and grasped her wrist harshly, squeezing so much that Hinata could feel her blood starting to cut off slightly. "This isn't a room for passing visitors."

Hinata clasped her other hand around Keeper Holland's wrist just the same and tried to release herself all the while changing her composure completely on the defensive. "You know Anemone. How do you two know each other?"

Keeper Holland's second hand rushed to Hinata's chin instantly. He gave a tight grasp and squeezed rather firmly. Hinata's breathing suddenly started to cut dry. Her heart dropped to the floor, her grip tensed under the pressure. Hinata tried to let out a cry too short to come out.

"No one outside of our village knows of Anemone's existence." Holland hissed in her ear, "It seems that you and your friends will have to bury it here."

In that same moment, a sharp kunai pierced through the air and hit the wall behind Hinata. He breathing suddenly opened as she dropped to her knees trying to catch herself. Keeper Holland released her to avoid the flying weapon as she darted to his right, landing right at the patient's side. He threw his robe back to pull out his own kunai with a large scroll behind his left leg, taking a stance. Naruto stood at the doorway, also ready for combat.

Hinata coughed up her breath as she searched for air. Her neck snapped in Naruto's direction as she tried to call out. Stop it!

"You are no longer visitors of this village, strangers." Keeper Holland announced, "It will be left up to me to rid you and your friends from this sacred land. You will not pose a threat here any longer."

"Us pose a threat?" Naruto replied in astonishment, "You were the one strangling my teammate just now. You made the first move to assault our village!"

"Naruto, quit it!" Hinata finally let out a loud gasp. The two men glanced in her direction automatically as Hinata attempted to rise to her feet. Grabbing onto the bed, she pulled herself up with much struggle, "Anemone, she… she…"

Keeper Holland's hand instantly darted in her direction before Naruto blocked the kunai from slashing through Hinata's face. And yet, Hinata continued to push forward. She pressed her hand against Naruto's back and shoved him aside to his surprise.

"Anemone said that you are stern… and oh-so boring," she stumbled over the syllables, "She said that you're too busy to pay attention to her anymore. She was keeping me company instead."

Naruto attempted to recover before storming back to Hinata's side and pulling her up to his face, "Are you fucking insane?! Do you know what Sasuke would do to me if he found out that I let you push me to the side to have your head decapitated by this freak?!"

Hinata could barely ignore him before turning back to Holland, still leaning towards him with full force, "She doesn't like the hot springs! And she thinks that you're mean when you pull pranks on her! Anemone, she… Anemone loves to explore new places! She's a bundle of energy and wants to be in dreams filled with vibrant colour and excitement!"

Hinata could barely catch her breath now.

"But why… why is she so young there? Why is she here like… like," Hinata released herself from Naruto's grip, "Why is she here like this now? Why is she not the same youthful kid now? Holland… why? I don't understand any of this…"

Keeper Holland remained silent at Hinata's attempted to fiasco. He waited until she redeemed herself with Naruto's help who was now holding her up by the waist so that she wouldn't fall over anymore. He traced his hand along the patient's bedside, still defensive in his posture. His eyes remained on the two without any sign of retreat.

"Anemone is special."

He let out one sentence before falling into silence again.

Hinata glared at Holland with annoyance, "She's… she's the apprentice. She's the perfect candidate - completely unsuspicious, just a tragic patient in a hospital among others. She dreams each day to train under the Overseer who dwells in the World of Dreams so that she can become his successor."

Naruto scratched his head unconsciously at their prolonged conversation. Keeper Holland kept silent as Hinata continued to ramble.

"She already knows so much about how dreams function. She can manipulate her appearance there so that no one in the real world can suspect her true identity in Reality. She is able to get around to other people's dreams and conceal herself among the nameless background while observing what people shape in their subconscious. She…"

"She's not the apprentice."

Holland finally cut her off. His eyes were dim as his hand continued to wander over the bed and against the young woman's hand.

"I'm the apprentice." Holland declared quietly as his other hand rose to his chest, "You're merely grasping at straws of an incomplete children's story. You have no idea what it means to be Overseer."

Hinata stared into his eyes intently.

"Then share."

And now my favourite part is about to begin :D