I hate college. Can it all end already and have life begin for once?

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 20

"So what relation is this Anemone character to you?" Sasuke inquired rather chillingly as the two pressed down the pathway, further away from the village.

Hinata looked stunned at his question before turning in his direction. "She's just someone I met in passing. Anemone is a little girl with a lot of potential. I just don't want to see her harmed in this whole ordeal."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to seem surprised, "I thought you said Anemone was some unconscious woman who was in need of help. Who is this little girl you're referring to now?"

"Well…" Hinata scratched at her forehead, "Anemone is a little girl and the unconscious woman at the same time… it's kind of hard to explain who she is really. In truth, I don't even know what she is exactly."

Sasuke did not reply to that. Instead, he focused on the growing bruise of Hinata's shoulder that she now wrapped in cloth. She had taken off her jacket from before and tore at the sleeve in order to cushion her injury. The frigid wind of the mountains only harmed her exposed body. And yet, Hinata continued to press forward. He would have said something. Done something. Even attempt to stop her. But Sasuke saw that there was something much greater pushing her stubbornly forward. And he knew no matter what he would have said or done, Hinata was too determined to budge.

Hinata glanced to her side in his direction. He did not seem any better either. Completely in shambles and covered in dirt, Sasuke had most likely been on the run for a long while. Not to mention how obvious it had become once he dropped the black cloak from before to reveal more scars and bruises. She wondered if they were fresh or simply old ones. But rather than telling him to stay with Sakura and the others, Hinata knew that no amount of persuasion would be enough to keep him from coming along. It was rather funny how the two of them seemed to resemble each other and yet differ so much.

So the two continued. And the wind cut through their skin harshly.

The sky above had turned darker by now. The clouds were still clear but were slowly changing to purple to match the bleak surrounding. The mountains contributed with the pale smoke coming off the reflective ice. As they approached closer, large pillars of ice begun narrowing the passageway and slowly overturning above their heads to form a cavern. The gushing sounds of the wind died down as silence filled their way. Hinata glanced over slightly to his direction.

"H-how are you doing?" She rather squeaked that one.

Sasuke refused to look her way, "I'm just a tad pissed."

Hinata's veins tightened, "What happened?"

He halted at the question. Hinata stopped as well a second later. "I don't know – you tell me. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you didn't trust me enough? Or that you decided that it was perfectly fine for you to dive headfirst into danger?"

This time Hinata's expression twisted in anger. "Maybe you need to get your head out of your ass. Have you ever considered what kind of jeopardy I could be putting our village in if I disclosed information outside of our designated party? You wanted me to break protocol because of your selfish reasons?"

"The hell with the damn protocol!" Sasuke raised his voice as it bounced against the cavern walls, "What do you think I would have done if I found out you were lying in some ditch in the middle of this whole-!"

His face met her fist.

In less than a second before he could even finish the sentence, Hinata had taken two steps to his side and landed a flat one to his left cheek. Sasuke rolled over on his rear as he scrambled to look back at her. Hinata stood over him, clutching her shoulder with her free hand as she hissed in pain.

"This isn't about you or me or us or whatever else the hell you make up!" Hinata screamed back, "Fuck! Your stupid face-!" She turned away from him, shaking off her hand and trying to massage her shoulder roughly. She gripped at the hand tighter hoping that the pain would subdue. Sasuke slid to his knees and continued upwards. He reached out to her but was met with a rough jerk as Hinata backed away. Her stare was cold.

"Ok, ok… I get it. Just let me see the damage." Sasuke sighed heavily as he pulled at her other arm. The bruise was slowly turning darker. He leaned forward slightly over her bent figure. His lips brushed over her neck sending a shock down her spine. Hinata glanced up for a second to meet the same lips again, this time against hers. She felt his hands snake around her waist to pull her towards him. Her entire self was pressed firmly to his rigid figure.

Hinata finally broke away. "S-stop it."

Sasuke leaned closer, not letting go of her waist, "Why?"

Her eyes glared at him a little, "I have to keep on going."

"Alright, I get it." Sasuke sighed heavily, "You need to go save some child woman."

His hand slid past her waist as Hinata turned to continue. He couldn't stop her now.

The cavern walls narrowed at each step they took. Below their feet the ice began to thin, as Hinata made out what appeared to be a channel of running water. Without realizing it at first, she finally recognized a similar gushing noise. Her pace quickened. The pathway curved slightly ahead and Hinata contoured around it. She halted at the sight.

Before them ran a rapid just after a large expanse of a cascade that emptied from an open ceiling of the cavern. Light escaping from the grey clouds above danced idly over the stream. Hinata's gaze focused on the two figured by the edge of the river. Her heart nearly stopped at the familiar blue.

Holland looked over his shoulder, refusing to part from Anemone's body. He had been kneeling over her, as she lay by the water, her hair slightly damp by the droplets that would bounce from the rapid. Hinata forced herself to move forward, limping as fast as she could to his side. Sasuke followed without question.

"H-how is she?" Hinata breathed out.

Holland's grip over Anemone's shoulder tightened. "She wasn't injured in the cross fire. Anemone will be alright."

Hinata bent at her knees to descend down to his eye level. She refused to let her eyes stray from Anemone's face. Reaching out, Hinata brushed her fingers against the woman's cheek. "She really… she really is that little girl anymore."

Holland sat in silence only to look up towards Sasuke in suspicion.

"I can't believe… believe that she's perfectly alright. Not amidst all of…" Hinata breathed out heavily before finishing the sentence.

"You've fallen in love too, it seems." A chilling laugh resonated against the cavern walls.

All three stiffened in an instant. Sasuke, the first to react, spun around at his waist to pinpoint the origin of the intruder. Just above them, over the opening cavern wall, stood a lanky figure with a hooded individual at his side. This man's face was uncovered for them to see as his familiar, deep green eyes pierced through the dim light.

His mouth cradled into a smile before continuing, "She's really outdone herself, that one. Such a unique individual, capable of swaying even the most cautious and defensive people. That woman is nothing more than a fraud that tames the soul to her bidding. You seem to have fallen under her influence too."

Hinata's jaw clenched. "Who are..?"

"Asher."

Her head snapped in Holland's direction that was now standing. Anemone remained on the ground at his side, covered in his blue shawl.

"If you've come to hunt down the Grim Reaper, I will not let you pass." Holland's voice was just as crisp, "Your mind is clouded in hate. You will not lay a finger on her physical body."

Asher frowned. "You're still pretending to be the duteous little student, Holland? But I guess that apprentice title has clearly gone to that pompous ego of yours. Just because she has chosen you to succeed her legacy doesn't place you on the same level of her greatness. You still have to live up to that. However…"

The man stepped forward to leap off the cliff's edge. He slid down the cavern walls gracefully as his companion followed straight behind. His landing on the opposing end of the stream was just as elegant. His face was now more morbid and dark.

"Unfortunately for you, I will not allow you to assume title of Grim Reaper. No one will ever hold that title except the Grim Reaper himself." Asher's voice began to rise, "I will free the sacred entity from the clutches of that woman's soul. The Grim Reaper will never be attached to another mortal being and the parasitic anomaly will cease to exist!"

Before Hinata could react, Asher had already moved from his spot. Her eyes barely blinked before she felt a presence over her head. Taking a deep breath, Hinata braced herself for the impact, tilting her head up to accept the blow. Her eyes widened as her heart dropped to the pits of her stomach.

A thin arm had been outstretched, it's palm halting at the entirety of Asher's face. His dark green eyes in-between the fingers met in horror with a pair of piercing ones of the same vibrant colour. Anemone's left hand tightened as she pulled him forward before sending a powerful blow to Asher's ribs with her right fist. The man's seemingly lifeless body was sent back across the rapid as it slid on the hard ground.

Hinata couldn't muster a single word. Sasuke barely managed to move to her side.

"A-Anemone!" Holland's surprise finally stunned everyone back to their senses.

The figure that stood before them was different now. This woman was now covered in a dark jacket whose ends extended in the back as it glided in the passing wind. Her loose fitting shorts stopped at her thighs and the boots below continued to cover her legs. Anemone's short hair settled back before she turned towards Holland. Her expression had been rather angry before softening at his sight. "It's been a very long time, old friend."

Holland's face twisted in frustration. "You don't need to strain yourself to be here, Anemone. I can take care of Asher. You will be safe. So please… stop extending dreams."

Asher, who had landed in a painful mess on the ground, had finally begun to rise to his feet. His companion rushed to his side, helping him at the forearm. He let out a loud laugh, "I can't believe it! I honestly can't begin to fathom it!"

His hands rose above his head, looking at the sky, "You actually forced us all into the land of dreams just so that you can save that pitiful woman?!"

Hinata's heart stopped again. "We… we're dreaming?"

Anemone looked in Hinata's direction. The image of the small child she once knew was nowhere in sight, as before Hinata stood an agile, young woman with a completely different demeanor now.

"That is now correct. I took the initiative to have you all enter Dreams. This plane," Anemone glanced over her shoulder towards Asher, "I am completely irrelevant in Reality. But if I'm here, if I'm the world of dreams, I have the power to shape how I want my life to be."

She stopped to look at Holland. "Can I trust you one last time to help me, old friend? I don't have much time left in the real world. My existence is quickly dying. But… I have just one last request. Before you take on the mantle of Overseer…"

"I understand," Holland nodded his head low. He took in a deep breath before looking back up with the same smile, "I will help you out in any way I can. Afterwards, I promise to end it for you and become Overseer. No more delaying."

Hinata gripped at Sasuke's shoulder to rise. He stood at her side to aid before Hinata broke from his embrace. "What are you talking about? Anemone… you're here, as yourself…"

Anemone turned towards Hinata. Her face was soft once more with a hint of a faint smile curving at her lips. "It is a pleasure to meet you in this form, Hinata. I had a lot of fun getting to know you from before. You really peaked my interest as an individual with an exceptional sensitivity to reality."

"Why… I don't understand why, Anemone…"

Anemone reached out towards Hinata's injured shoulder. "Thank you for all of the concern and worry you have shown for me in this very short time. I really do appreciate your existence. It is a shame I only managed to meet you so late in my life."

She let her hand slide past Hinata's shoulder as she stepped forward. Her gaze fixed on Asher who now stood before her, fully recovered. Holland glided to her right side, passing Hinata as well.

"I will not let my apprentice… or anyone else I deem worthy of life to be hurt by those who defy the cycle of life and death." Anemone spoke up enough for Asher to pick up, "Asher, you have used your gift of individuality to tamper with the existence of innocent bystanders; all for your selfish political agenda of extending the rule of your village. The people whose individuality you have corrupted with in the world of dreams will be restored to their Reality. You will not continue to live without a proper retribution."

She paused.

"I will see to it myself that I pass your soul into the afterlife."

Instantly, Anemone sped up to advance towards Asher. She dodged a kunai from his companion only to slide at their figure. She took a tight grip on their wrist, preparing to send a straight kick.

Her foot was blocked by Asher's quick response, pushing his companion aside and out of harm's way before returning the same kick to Anemone's face. The two were sent to the ground. Anemone flew across and crashed into one of the cavern walls. Holland rushed to her, appearing right in front of her defensively. Asher's companion dropped towards the dirt as well, their hood sliding off the head. Hinata couldn't keep up with their incredible speed her eyes barely managed to witness. She glanced at the face that uncovered from underneath the cloak.

Machi's light blonde hair whisked at her cheeks. Her appearance was much ragged now as she breathed heavily to catch herself. Holland's face remained stern without a single sign of shock.

"Wouldn't you be more surprised, old friend?" Asher let out a sneer, holding out his hands at his side in a shrug. "It seems that even the people who work under you don't believe that you and that fraud deserve to control the passage of time? Your human existence does not deem you worthy to govern the cycle of life and death."

"M-Machi…" Holland began, letting himself let loose a little, "You don't know what kind of person he is… Machi, what lies has that man told you?"

"I don't need to listen to someone who thinks that they are actually some kind of deity that is meant to become the next Grim Reaper." Machi hissed at him as she rose to her feet, "I will not be fooled by you or that woman anymore. I refuse to follow some delusional psychopath."

Anemone had now managed to stand straight. Her face was twisted in cold anger. "People like you have strayed from tradition. You do not understand what kind of thin line of reality and fantasy you walk on and what must be done to protect it."

She stepped past Holland. Extending her hand towards the sky, Anemone inhaled deeply. Suddenly, her clothes began to turn black from the boots up. Thin white swirls encircled around her hand as a long stick began to manifest at her palm. She reached back with her other hand to pull at her jacket's hood over her head. The manifestation slowly began to normalize as a long blade curved at the stick's end. Gripping it firmly and bringing down her arm, Anemone's green eyes turned a sharp red. The scythe that slid along with her hand barely touched ground.

"I will show what it means to be Overseer. What kind of burden of humanity you carry on your shoulders just to protect their insignificant existence. Those who meddle in the affairs of death will meet it with their own life. I will end anyone who tries to undo the balance of the two worlds."

Hinata couldn't feel her fingertips as they carved into the solid ground. Her heart raced, the thundering pounding deafening her ears. Her eyes widened in horror at the sight. She couldn't take her stare off of Anemone's shadow that began to snake towards the wall behind her. Extending upwards against the cavern wall, the shadow continued to exceed feats unknown. It stopped briskly before peeling off the surface. The darkness overlooked Anemone and Holland as it began to take shape. Thin, white bones connected at joints forming a rib cage. Arms extended from the forming shoulders. A large skull that emerged from the black, attached itself at the head of the body. The remainders of darkness fashioned against the creature to give it a long cloak just like Anemone's. Hinata's breathing stopped.

The creature opened its jaw ajar, releasing an ear-deafening roar. The cavern shook violently.

A grim silence overtook the atmosphere once the sound died down.

"Death is upon you."

Yikes.