Journey of the Three Failures

by Kurouga of the Ink and Snow

Uzumaki Naruto's defeat at the hands of Hyuuga Neji changed the course of history. Now an outcast Naruto, Hinata, and Lee must flee Konoha to become stronger, and ultimately save the very village which scorned them. Strong Naruto, Hinata, and Lee. Dark!Neji, Nice!Hanabi. Epic length. NaruHina. COMPLETE!

24. And the World Goes Mad

J3F\\\ Journey of the Three Failures

Chapter Twenty-Four

Yep, I'm still here!

To say the least, it kind of hurts when the parent you trust, love, and look up to more than anyone in the world, turns into a paranoid, verbally abusive jerk who might at any given moment start screaming at you over any minor, real, or imagined offense. I have no idea what's going on. For the last few months I've jumped between staying at home, with a friend, and with my less than reliable mom and sister. In a few weeks, though, I'm off to college a couple of states away, so at least I won't have to be near a certain grown man's mood swings.

On a lighter note – since the last update, I've graduated from high school! *swag* XD Passed all my AP tests, too (even Calculus. I couldn't believe it). So, pretty soon I'm off to school for engineering. Doesn't mean I won't have time for fanfiction, though ;)

Thanks for reviewing Omega the Darkness, alethiophile, Godschildtweety, Ascaisil, lil ramen lover, digitalflame192, freewolf17, KoreanGal5, RedRangerBelt, Universal Hope, jayley, Sir Nyan of Canterlot, THE-complete-zelda-fan, Malix2, Shizuka Taiyou, Mulleb, U. May, Chargone, chaosreaver, Veraozao, NarutoFanBoy4Life, chibigirl8, kitsutenshi, callumandcolour, Pikarch, Rachel, Allison, and the anon who signed M! You guys keep this story alive!

Some seem to have forgotten (understandable, as it was quite a while back) that the Sound Four, Ukon included, have had a prior appearance in the story. Chapters Ten and Eleven, they were guarding Jiraiya's prison during the first attempt to bust him out, and fought against Lee and Hinata.

Also, the Journey of the Three Failures fanfic video thing is nearly complete! About 187 drawings and counting, some detailed, some not, but I only need to finish the last ten seconds now. I plan to finish it before I go off to college, so check my YouTube (KuroHinata0321) within the next couple of weeks for a treat :D

Yeesh, well, you've been sitting on a cliffhanger long enough ^^; Here we go!

Oh, wait! Chapter songs – In the Middle of the Night (instrumental) for the battle, and A Demon's Fate, both by Within Temptation.

Disclaimer: I don't own NARUTO.

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Journey of the Three Failures

Twenty-Four: And the World Goes Mad

Hinata ヒナタ

The moon was rust red.

Overwhelming hatred and indescribable shock, smoke, ash, and blood thick on the air, and a rust red haze of mad fury hanging over it all – it was under these circumstances, under the round moon's bloody red eye, that eight beings armed with fang and claw had crossed paths. It alone would bear witness to the horrors to come.

Part One: Monster Fight

The solid coils of leg muscle poised beneath me bunched and sprang. The earth there buckled – and shattered stone sang as a ring of thick, powerfully clawed hands crashed down upon it. I was safe, high above the ground and their strikes.

Air hissed into my chest as a presence phased up into existence at my back with a hum of swiftness. Twisting in the air – my arm flung around in front of my face to bear the slam of raking claws. For a moment he and I were locked, wicked claw to sputtering flesh, eyes ecstatic to eyes outraged, and then I was shooting backwards, hurled by the sheer wild power loaded in Haritsu's blow.

Ground met my side hard, and I was tumbling, breaking earth at each bounce, limbs splaying as my body flopped along. Barely did my eyes detect the blur of speed that preceded Brother Harumaru's open hand smashing against my cheek. I was not thrown far before another caught my arm in a grasp reinforced by digging claws, and with a groaning of tendons the path of my body was pulled into an arc, momentum redirected to plow my back down into crunching earth.

The sadistic sneer cast down at me by this subduer was swept from his face as my breath ablaze surged upward, and he jumped away with an angry hiss, a patch of snowy fur singed. I sprang to my feet, energy rolling into my mouth even as I sprang in pursuit. A bolt of crimson lanced from my maw – and another figure, screeching to a halt at his side, spat a jet of water, glowing with power and whitened with intensity, without so much as a single seal.

My eyes grew.

The compacted bursts of elemental fury collided explosively, shrouding the lot of us in whipping steam and wind, but I only braced my feet and raised an arm against this battery as my unblinking eyes sprang to life. No sooner had my sight penetrated the swirling mist than my hand snapped outward – her claws lodged heavily into my side – and, my grasp on her wrist the only barrier to her shuddering intent to split my stomach wide, we came eye to eye. My grip tightened.

"HIYUKI–?"

For my complacency, I paid dearly. The blow of her free hand was blinding across my skull, claws tearing out great clumps of short hair, savaging my ear. I yowled in outrage, head whirring, and this kind Onee-san delivered a stunning foot to my breast and swung herself aside so that, as another's two feet drove into my back, she was not in my path. Thrown, I finally lost hold of her arm.

Sh-shimatta…! Pain – real, screaming pain, breaking through to me. Their blows weren't just landing: they were hurting. Rarely in this form was the threshold so much as approached.

Horo-chan, blitzing in on all fours. My strong body, buckling under force and folding up around the steely shoulder in my gut.

Suddenly it was clear. In this fight, I was far from invulnerable.

I stumbled – stumbled! – rolled back, dug the claws of spread toes into the earth, and caught a forearm on my own, arresting a slash even as my free arm was drawn back, claws splayed to rake. I swung.

As I did so, my hand curled smoothly into a fist.

That was it, then. I was thinking, and they were not. They could not; they were wholly wild. I had control that they didn't. And because of this control, no matter how barely, I was thinking, and recognizing, and remembering.

By Okaa-sama's five tails.

This would be the death of me.

The punch threw her backwards with a delicious crack, and I set after her as she reeled, only to be swiftly occupied with fending off another's rushing attack. Rapidly I parried blows, and struck with a palm to push him away so that I might briefly engage another. I lunged at them in turn, fought to push each back to keep them from closing in. Horo had recovered, and at an opportune moment leapt at me; I could only maneuver so that razor claws grazed rather than maimed as I swatted aside another's strike. I twisted, kicked her off, shoved the one before me, flung an elbow back into a face.

I had speed, and strength, and for whatever it was worth, the advantage of thought over these less experienced beasts. It was possible, perhaps even likely, that any one of them I could best individually – but they were in all seven, and I one, and however wild in their moves they were coordinating as a pack, united by shared killer's intent.

'So kill them before you are killed…'

I ignored Okaa-sama, teeth gritted as I deflected as many blows as I could. Without warning, a white-hot influx of rage surged up within me and seared through my veins; my power spiked, and Haritsu yowled as his ribcage crunched beneath my shin. He darted away, barely escaping the swing of my claws.

'Wh-what do you think you're doing? !'

'Hush, fool, it's the only way!' The Gobi's hand was on me, forcing me into a rage, driving darkness into my heart. Never had she been so forceful. She wanted to make me a berserker – to strip away the control I'd learned – to plunge me over that edge herself, and it was terrifying.

'Stop!' I pulled a blow, and with a mental heave of vigor broke from her hold. The mother of Ookami was arrested in her attempts, and I felt her regard me with something akin to shock at the fury I directed toward her. 'They may be bound to the Ookami by the marks, but they're Hyuuga as well! I deal with this MY way!'

'Foolish pup!' she growled, dismayed beneath her wrath. 'Fine! You're on your own!' And her presence evaporated with a smarting snarl, leaving me as I had been – alone, against seven berserkers after my head.

Four were directly around me, and we danced. One or two would back off, poised, baying or snarling, as I drove one way or another, lunged, leapt, hands and feet flashing against my foes, and would jump in before I might push for the upper hand. Someone was always attacking my back. Fully powerful strikes were made impossible to prepare, and the quick hits that repelled them could hardly make one flinch. A string of rapid, speeding blows clashed between Haritsu and I, sparks flying from our claws, and amid this bloody exchange I shifted, fending his intent strikes with one arm as the other caught Hireiki's smashing attack – high strike and low blocked in turn, the ground shaking at my rooted feet – I swung a backfist for Haritsu and hit air, and flying in with a vault of the hands, a third attacker's rushing shin kick hacked my feet from under me.

I was tossed head over heels, and upside-down in the air when someone's snapping kick to the gut sent me sailing a great distance. I bounced, I rolled several times, and I slid to my feet, gasping lowly and hunched over. My body was facing away from them, toward the dying town and rusty moon, as I came lurching to a halt, my head low and feet sliding forward.

They were charging from behind. I flexed my hand and ground down, resolved not to move another inch. With feet spread in a crouch for balance, my upper body wound forward and down, bending along the back, until fingers of one hand brushed the earth.

I snapped around. The back of my open hand produced a splitting shockwave on connection with quick Haritsu's cheek, setting his jaw slack, his tongue lolling, and his eyes showing black sclera alone as his barreling momentum crashed to a forcible halt.

"ENOUGH!" I roared. The boy spun rapidly several quick times as he was launched away as if by a cannon, before his limbs splayed and he crashed down, crumpled, shooting well past the others in the blink of an eye. His form punched through a house that promptly felled itself in his wake, and from the rocky valley's edges a BOOM issued before, at once, an explosion of dust and debris erupted in the distance.

Though their eyes didn't leave me, tails and ears dipped uncertainly as three of the snarling rushers were caught cold in their tracks. From the same motion as the whirling strike I was drawing back my arm, feet shifting, claws drawing blood from the palm of my hand. Slicing, black energy streamed into the air as my arm began to move forward…

…To be caught by the wiry strength of Horo, who had vanished to with great speed fling her weight into my arm, locking it in both of her own with my forearm pressed against her side. Her collision with my right arm was dragging me back, beginning to pull me off-balance. Eyes narrowing on her, I growled and lifted my left hand to strike with claws – and found left arm snagged by Harumaru as he came racing by.

The two were passing me on either side; my heels were dragging back, my feet lifting from the earth as tendons in my arms stretched and creaked. I blinked, fangs parting.

Mirror images of one another, their feet touched down. Artfully they made one hop further, adjusted their steel grips on my arms, and with tremendous combined power hurled me away.

I zipped backwards, dust whipping from the earth inches below my heels at the speed with which my body passed. A patch of houses raced up to meet me, and I broke through an uncertain number of walls in the blink of an eye before one, made of sturdier stuff, crackled but held with a solid impact that crushed the wind from my lungs. Barely had I managed to lose my breath before Hireiki's shoulder bludgeoned with malice against my breastbone. My mouth was flung wide, and a yell of pain and outrage tore bloody from my throat as my bones creaked and the wall behind me crackled further at my back – and with unreal speed Hireiki blurred aside as charging Hiyuki's swinging fist connected squarely with my face, sending me through the wall and clean out of the building's other side.

My back met ground roughly, and we slid together into the open, her clawed hands locking at my shoulders. Her sneer was vicious as, with the fervor of the predator upon prey, she lunged for my throat and bit savagely – but into my hand which had snapped to at the last moment cover my neck. She growled, glowering eyes thoughtless, mad but for frenzied malevolence, as she increased the pressure exerted by her jaw; one eye shut, I hissed through clenched teeth as she saw to it that my fingers burned. My teeth parted. There was anger in my eyes, I knew, and hers as well – anger at all that had been done.

"Hi…yuki…!"

My hand's skin was shredded as I yanked her upward by the teeth so intently fastened to it. Then, with a clear shot of her torso, I unleashed a roar of force that sent her flying with an angry screech, blasting her backwards into the air at breakneck speed.

She glanced a roof and flipped sharply once, hands and feet sliding as they latched onto the structure. I swung mangled hand, and she leapt upward the very instant that my blood came alive with berserk power, a screeching ribbon of searing black that shot through her former perch, tearing over the roof with the crack of shattering tile and wood. Black-and-white eyes, crazed with excitement and fear, were trained on me as she hovered at the peak of her leap, a silhouette before the blood moon with stained fangs bared and hair splayed wildly, fur dancing in the wind and rotten air – watching raptly as I prepared to swing my hand back again.

One of the others dropped down before me in a blur, grinning hugely into my face – and slammed his hand into my abdomen. I grunted, knocked double and back a few feet, and spun outside a slashing lunge, ducking and extending my leg as I whirled to cut his feet from under him; a sharp palm to the chest sent his back smacking into the dirt. I dropped, hands meeting earth, and kicked back my feet to meet the shins of a charging foe; this one tripped, and I gathered myself to surge upward, striking my shoulders roughly into his torso while he was above me, and grab his arm to hurl him into Horo's rapidly approaching form, sending them tumbling away.

One twitch of my ears – a sound behind, like a knife speeding through air with a whistle of ferocity – I jerked aside, and Hiyuki's hand clipped my ribcage as a sturdy spear of claws. She screeched in delight as she watched my blood fly – and blurred from existence as my elbow swung back for her head. I stumbled, blinked – another was upon me, claws blazing a black to sear the air. Our scuffle rang out in the angry tones of clashing claws. I struck out.

My fist met an afterimage, and passed over the shoulder of a different foe–

As said new foe slammed a bruising fist into my stomach.

"Gh…!"

This coordination… I ducked my head, sickness welling in my chest, and threw a slash for the offender. The flashing strike caught his fur as he blurred in retreat, and as two light feet met my back a pair of hands reached forward, one passing by either side of my head.

My eyes grew wide.

She wrenched with her entire body scarcely an instant after my own hands snapped up within the circle of her hold, arms made a splint against the sinister force meant to snap my neck.

I yelled, and the elbow I threw sharply back met wiry muscle, loosening the knees that straddled me long enough for me to reach back, grab her by the neck, and fling her off. Almost immediately another blurring form shot my, and pain flashed across my face as I was sent spinning on heel.

A mere diversion, it would seem: my gaze snapped forward, and I knocked Hiyuki's forearm strongly with my own, repelling a savage strike. She growled as she tore briefly against my defense, and I returned the vocalization along with her attacks. As I threw two successive strikes she snagged my right wrist in one hand, my left in her other – pressed forward and flung my arms wide with a shove of her own, sneered toothily straight into my face – and vanished.

WHAM!

She had broken up my defense, unbalanced me, occupied my line of sight… and vanished in effectively the same instant that a brother, no doubt having charged to lunge full-force from directly behind her, sledged a tremendous shoulder smash dead into my stomach.

I cried aloud. My breath was gone before I could comprehend in a strident bark of pain. My eyes twitched, unable to shut, as understanding began to dawn.

Th-th… they're…

And then, from behind, another shoulder came cracking into the small of my back, crushing me to a violent halt between two flattening blows and driving out whatever may have been left in my lungs. My body itself seemed to groan in protest, the pressure so immense that I feared it would break. The searing stillness of this blinding moment was shattered – as one, the two vanished – and lingering force broke to fling me into the air, spinning end over end. My sprawling feet above me as I turned backwards, my punished form bent and broken in the air, I blinked once, winced, and heaved from my mouth a profuse surge of inky blood.

…S-soul Linked…?

The ground met me with a resounding thud, first the base of my neck and then, with a boneless flop, the rest of my wrecked body as it fell flat, and I lay unmoving but to tremble, mouth agape and limbs splayed awry, the supremest pain felt in silence as I tried to remember how to breathe. The very state was unthinkable, even startling; somehow this powerful form was overcome with pain.

I curled and uncurled my fingers experimentally, flexed my hind paws, and with a grunt of defiance pressed a palm to the ground, shakily starting to push myself up. I coughed and raised my head, blinking blearily at a pair of clawed feet before me; my gaze climbed to Hiyuki's hate-filled face, and I scowled. The others had encircled me with her, hooting and baying with their lust for destruction, but held in check at her unspoken command. My teeth ground. My voice was ragged.

"H-Hiyu…ki…"

She quirked an eyebrow, and Harumaru jumped to ram his knee into my throbbing back as he dropped, knocking me down again. As he pinned me my arm was grasped in a large hand and wrenched with a crack to an unnatural position, and I screamed.

"D-damn it," I managed in a second, my voice carried on panting gasps as I tried to raise my head. "Don't you … don't you recognize me, Hiyuki–? !"

In a violent motion Harumaru crackled the earth with my skull; then I was being lifted by my hair, and shoved into Hiyuki's arms.

A wisp of hot breath played over my fur. My eyes widened.

"No– ack!"

And two voracious fangs were buried in my neck.

---

Naruto ナルト

"Lee."

"I know!"

Something was coming, fast. The swordsman burst ahead of our already sprinting group and the Sound Four, who were in front to lead us. Legs coiled as he spun once in the air, and his twin swords came unsheathed in a flash to strike out against the dark figure that blurred toward us, bursting from the shadows.

They collided with a clang, steel meeting the strike of blazing black claws.

The wolf flipped back and landed gracefully, lifting his head. "You?"

"Kurogiba-san? Where–?"

"The brat's in trouble, right?" Sakon demanded.

The flame familiar was evidently surprised, but contemplated the Sound deserters for scarcely a moment. "Yes. Quickly!" he barked, and turned to light off again. Our team raced in pursuit.

I sent chakra to my legs and leapt to draw level with him before keeping pace with his rapid strides.

"Wolf…" I began. I glanced at the full moon above, and then back to Kurogiba. This didn't make any sense. Who could they possibly have encountered that could challenge Hinata in the state she was in now? "What's happening?"

His eyes were trained ahead. His answer briefly stopped my heart.

"They're killing her."

---

Hinata ヒナタ

"Stop th-this…!"

Dark and rich emotions were swirling enticingly inside of me; my words held no power. Power – they were taking away my pain, but they were taking my power, too, and relishing in the indulgence.

"Don't…"

I gasped, helpless as a fifth set of fangs found my upper arm, for my neck and shoulders were occupied. A sound of submission was drawn through my lips from the pit of my throat. This was a high unlike any I'd experienced under the vice of drink.

"Stop…"

In moments I would have nothing at all… no thoughts, no burdens… no past, no future, no pain, not even…

–"Neji-nii-chan!"

"Hina-chan!"–

My eyes snapped open, crystalline clarity sweeping over my being, as one bright corner of my heart called out in a voice that pierced through me like a bolt.

With sudden strength my hand clamped onto Hiyuki's neck, and she sputtered in surprise.

"Get. Off."

Power surged from my tenketsu in an explosion of crimson flame, and the cursed Hyuuga were repulsed with shrieks and yelps; my breath was alight to swat Hiyuki away as I released her. She rolled back, engulfed only momentarily before the flames parted and fell from her form, melting onto the grass about her. She flashed a maniacal grin, revealing fangs that dripped black, and plunged her hand up to the elbow through my gut.

I blinked, eyebrows high. My lips parted wetly, and I looked up from the limb to see a fist quite near my face.

CRAK!

The withdrawing of one hand came in conjunction with the strike of her other. I spun wildly in the air, sent shooting away, before my back crashed into a wall.

I wasn't fighting seven individuals here – I was fighting seven beasts with one mind, and one intention.

No, I thought as I braced myself, not even. A sole beast, with seven bodies that worked as one.

Haritsu's blow cracked into my cheek, hurling me through the wall and out the other side of the building; dust streamed in my wake as I slid to a stop in the dirt. Horo dropped from the sky with a screech of malice, landing on one foot on my stomach. My body seized, my head flung back in pain as the earth buckled for a wide radius about me. The girl sneered, and flowed into a backbend before springing away.

I growled and rolled, flinging my shin between the neck and shoulder of Hireiki as she lunged to attack my prone form from the side. I came to land shakily on my feet, and vaulted over Harumaru's low, rushing strike, my back rolling across his broad shoulders. My clawed hand dug for purchase on the scruff of his neck as we passed each other, and I planted my feet, heaved him over myself, and slammed him down on the other side so that his skull connected loudly with that of another charging foe. The two went sprawling, and I sent a vicious backfist into yet another's face.

"I don't want to fight you!" I yelled. "My blood is your own! Can't you see this? Wake UP!" Having spun to avoid a slashing lunge, I threw my foot into the attacker's jaw as he rounded on me again.

"Wake up!"

My fist blazed into a face, hook, backhand, hook, before my hindpaw kicked into his chest. My elbow snapped around in a lateral arc as I whirled, knocking another head.

"Wake up!"

My voice was breaking, rising in desperation with each repetition. Black spattered onto me as my fist met a nose with shattering force.

"Wake up!"

I turned, blood and water alike flecking from my face and chin.

"Wake–!"

CRUNCH…

A sadistic smile, alien and foul, crossed the sharpened features of a face made sickeningly foreign with hatred as Hiyuki's knuckles sank, leaden, into my throat.

The glimpse lasted an instant; then she was far away – my back was breaking through a window – body crashing over a counter with a flip, hitting a wall, thumping to the floor.

Shuddering, I curled on my side, writhed and wheezed uselessly, eyes round. Bloody teeth ground together, and I flopped over and pulled myself behind the bar counter, a hand's shivering fingers desperately cradling my burning neck. I couldn't breathe. My windpipe – I had to repair it before they got after me. Youki streamed from my hand, and I quieted my empty gasps as the beast's bodies collected themselves.

I shut my eyes, teeth clenched tightly as cartilage began to click into place. Faster. The beast's scouting limbs approached, intent on securing its prey.

I heaved a glob of blood, trying to clear a passage for air – nothing but pain. Not yet. My brows knitted together; my palms ran with sweat. The hunters were coming, hastening. I couldn't die here. Not here.

But the only way to stop such a feral beast was to lop off the head.

Eyes cracked open, my free hand slid forward, shivering fingers scrabbling to take firm hold of an intact glass mug on the floor. My eyes screwed shut.

A foot stepped into the far tavern door.

A last fleshy bit of obstruction, straining into position.

A predatory growl. He smelled my blood.

A moment of stillness.

I shoved to my feet, arm cocked back, and let fly. A ringing explosion of shattering glass and black blood as the mug connected squarely with his face and fluidly disintegrated against it, hurling him the few feet out of the tavern door.

I breathed sharply out of my mouth – spat blood – and was before him, good arm extended across my body. Before he could fall I lashed with all my strength, effectively banishing him from sight.

A plume of dust erupted in the distance, at the foot of the valley, and promptly a rockslide came tumbling down in its wake. He'd be out of the fight for a minute, at most. I turned, teeth bared, eyes locking on Hiyuki's smirking face.

The others were scattered, and as I bolted straight for her I passed many more swiftly than they could react. Hireiki came blurring into my path with a snarl – and my arm caught across her neck before I slammed her savagely to the ground. It wouldn't keep her down for long, I knew: nothing would. I glared into the leader's eyes. "Call this off!"

She only scoffed at the demand. I lunged, and she lunged, and I maneuvered at the last moment, grasping her arm and catching her midsection across the jerk of my knee; her feet rose from the earth at the blow, and I raised my arm to drop it fiercely against her back. She spewed blood, knocked sharply to her hands and knees.

"Do it!" I screamed, drawing back my fist, but before I could carry out the strike a strong hand grabbed my forearm behind me. The moment I turned a fist was crashing straight into my face. I staggered, spat out a dislodged molar, and hastily covered my face as five of the wild ones fell upon me in retaliation, beating and slashing away, forcing me to the ground and attempting to bury me under their cackling abuse.

With a roar I rose and shoved my arms out, knocking the lot of them away. I leapt with a flip to land behind Hiyuki, striking out with a vigorous sweep of my arm, but she ducked and jammed her elbow up into my gut. She threw me over herself and onto the ground.

Here was a problem – I was beaten, low on blood, and she had taken hardly a scratch and was teeming, overflowing with strength… Yet I sought to overpower her, and if she tired of this game she would kill me without a second thought.

Her foot rose up, and I caught a heel drop in crossed hands inches above my face. I sneered.

"Slaughter doesn't suit you, Hiyuki," I ground out steadily. "Who was it that put you up to destroying this place?"

When I shoved on her foot she stumbled back, giving me time to roll forward onto the balls of my feet and spring into a tight backwards flip. She caught my arm as I landed before her and struck back for her head.

"They were weak, weak! Just like you!" she hissed vehemently, punching me across the face.

"You know you don't mean that!" I spat, punching her back. "They were innocent people!" A blow to the jaw tossed her out on her back, and she glowered, ears and tail low as she began to stand again, panting for breath.

"Scum," she barked lowly. I held firm.

"I'm not going to lose you, Hiyuki – not you, or any of my family. Do you hear me…?"

She held my gaze. Yes – we could do this. I could break through. Somehow it would work. Hiyuki shut her eyes.

When they opened, there was a message in their depths – but not a message for me.

Tearing flesh – a guttural sound of pain. Blood spilled from my mouth.

I had flinched to the right, and that had probably only just saved my spine. Nonetheless, the clawed hand protruding from my lower ribcage, soaked in black but tinged an ironic red in the light of the blood moon, was plenty to contend with.

Mouth agape in disbelief, I met Hiyuki's eyes to find them brimming with dark laughter, relishing in my state. Pained, I withheld a cry as whoever had skewered me twisted and withdrew, and my knees splattered to the dirt made muddy with my own spilt life. My strength was ebbing. Another blow like this, and I would die. Die…

Hiyuki grasped my arm in a grip of iron.

"You know nothing."

She flung me into the air, high and far. I landed with a foot under me but toppled, failing to break the fall. Whimpering, I got to my hands and knees, pressed a hand to the gushing knot of pain. My heartbeat throbbed in my skull; dark spots washed across my sight.

Heal…! Kuso, heal–!

I didn't notice Haritsu until his foot met my side. I was thrown against Hireiki, who ran her claws across my back. I spun and staggered, blinking rapidly. Someone bit into the flesh of my forearm and tore; a bestial yowl broke into the air, in my voice. A punch to the gut, jostling other wounds. A heavy slash to the shoulder.

I'm… pathetic…

I staggered back, into someone: Hiyuki's arms wrapped around me, one hand clasping my shoulder and another coldly cradling my face. I yelped once; then I groaned and shut my eyes tightly, powerless as she stole my blood.

Scrambling about, trying to heal… letting h-her… a-ah…!

Her intoxicating fangs left my neck, and with a growl she threw me to the ground, sending me sliding on my back. She pounced, but before she could pin me I twisted with a yell, trying to reverse our positions. A fight she hadn't expected at this point, and we rolled again, grappling; I slashed her face fiercely with my claws, pulled back on her hair as she made a lunge for my throat, and raked desperately for her thigh with clawed toes, while she seized my hand, threw vicious knees at my gut, my groin, and batted her hand across my face with a crack, growling in fury all the while. The struggle couldn't have lasted. Ultimately it was she who wound up on top, as we had both known she would, knees straddling my sides and eyes madly intent as her hands wrung my throat.

The hands that fought to pry her fingers open, to no avail, fell slack; the kicking of my feet, subdued. The bloody face of the demon above me shone with excitement as she shrieked her triumph and tightened her throttling grip. My eyes shut as an assortment of dull pops and crackles issued painfully from beneath her hands.

You really don't… remember me anymore…

My mouth worked silently. A spurt of blood escaped my lips.

And you're going to kill me…

Free of conscious command, my chest heaved frantically, drawing on nothing at all.

No…

She bent, her lips meeting mine – tongue lapping for the blood that collected in my mouth.

No…

Muted sensations. The sky, blurring above me. Numb hands, falling to my sides.

I…

My heart, pounding with fretful determination in my breast.

I… will not die!

The creature above me was still smiling as I kicked up flexible legs, as my heels hooked across each other beneath her chin.

She blinked only once into my deadened stare.

My body snapped straight the only way it could. The back of her skull slammed into the earth beneath my feet.

WHAM…!

I saw a foot flail crookedly with the impact; I saw arms, bone straight, fingers splayed to odd angles and deathly rigid. For a split-second, a single, miniscule crack ran, skittered and jumped along from the earth beneath the head that housed two wide eyes, a gaping mouth, a nose that began to leak a rivulet of blood. Then, with a staggering jolt and decisive roar, the earth shattered all around us.

I disentangled myself from the pack leader, crawling to my feet. The deed was done. In the settling dust she convulsed, hands grasping at her head. Her hair and the fur of her fingers were already growing matted, slick with black blood, as she cried and keened, broken.

Broken, but not quite able to die.

Her pack – the coven that was hers, or at least that fell under her command in its true alpha's absence, was momentarily stunned to inaction as I wettened my fingers in the liquid heat running down my shoulder. My claws flexed.

"I love you, Onee-chan… so much."

The scythe of darkness flashed down, met her neck with a crack of finality. Billowing dust shrouded her form, and a shockwave whipped at my hair.

"MRAAAAAAAAAHHH–!"

Hireiki's cry was a force of shrieking despair, of outrage, of denial and fury and woe all bent and twisted up so suddenly into one to erupt from her bereft lips. I did not hear it all – no one ever would. I came to be behind her, one hand beneath her chin, another above her head, a sharp–

CRACK–!

–Like a whip, and the old Hyuuga prodigy crumpled at my feet.

"I've killed you…"

A blow cracked across my face. I turned my head and caught Haritsu's second strike as I reeled, and razor claws slipped through his bursting heart in a flash, out again before he could blink, and he too was dead before he hit the dirt.

"Iiiieeeee–!"

But my reach was greater than young Horo's, and my hand flicked out and her throat was clipped in two and the vessel of her twirled past me as it fell.

Hoshiro-nii-san was slow to react when I bit into his throat as he charged, and a prompt fist flat to the chest separated him from this vital component. I spat, and my tongue was twitching to dab new blood from my lips when I turned my head toward Harumaru's lunging form. I reached out abruptly, threw him over myself, and when he landed and whipped around to attack I opened my mouth with power in my chest and roared, and my searing voice struck and tore flesh from bone, quite thoroughly destroying him.

Then it was quiet.

And then, because the quiet terrified me, I screamed beneath the rust red moon until I had nothing left, and screamed some more.

---

Neji ネジ

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAHHH !"

"L-Lord Neji, what it it–?"

"MURDERER! Stop! Stooop!"

Fire drilled through my soul – a string of deaths, and each my own.

"What ails him?"

"Honorable Grandfather, he screams of a murderer–!"

Images, sensations flashed through my mind – I scrambled, ran into a wall – the room shook – slid to the floor, roared aloud and thrashed. Another, extinguished.

"AAAAHHH! Madwoman!"

"M'lord, be calm–!"

"AWAY from me!"

"Ack!"

A cry burst the ceiling above me with a torrent of force. I clutched at my heart, jerking double, and vomited copiously. I clawed at my scalp and bawled, kicked – a wall came down.

"No more – RUN, you fool– AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHH! CHIKUSHOOOOO!"

My hands were wild, overturning things, throwing things, breaking anything within reach as I howled and howled and howled.

"Look how he froths at the mouth…!" A vase smashed above him as he cowered.

"Be still, boy! Did I not foretell ruin at your hands?"

"They're all dead, you old fool, DEAD – DEEEEAAAAAD!"

"The first of the many, young lord. Just as well you had killed them yourself."

Eyes further widening, my face contorted, and I grabbed for my dresser and hurled it across the room, falling down as I did. The furniture burst upon his palm, leaving him unharmed, he and his stupid sagging expressionless face, that disapproval in his eyes accusing me – ME! He and the one with him turned to go, and I bristled where I sat.

–"You will drive this clan to Hell…"–

"Begone!" I hollered. "Demon– DEMON! You foresaw this! YOU! Huf…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

---

Twenty-Four, Part Two: Daybreak

Naruto ナルト

The sun was low in the sky when we can upon a town in ash and shambles. The place stank heavily of death despite the mildness of the autumn air, but permeating the aura of dashed life was a chill mist of recency; something hung in the stale air, in the unnatural stillness, to echo of recent activity, of normalcy, of the customary and routine passing of idle days that had been ground so instantly to a fateful halt. Twenty-four hours ago, no one had expected to die here – to die, much less to be killed – and now all lay slain.

All, but for one small creature, knelt amid the bodies of the fallen, back bent against the light of the morning sun as she cradled the head of a fair-skinned, brown-haired dame in protective arms; her gaze was lost in a pair of dull, blue-violet eyes that stared blankly skyward, frozen, as if forever beseeching the heavens above.

The state of the blue-haired, wolf-eared teen was alarming. She wore not a stitch, and streaks of more inky blood than anyone should rightly survive the loss of stood in harsh contrast to the watery, translucent pallor of her skin. Her body was littered with the evidence of painful and grievous wounds, pierced and slashed and gashed, and colorfully bruising pockmarks riddled her neck and shoulders. One of her hands had been savaged, the skin of the thing tattered. I had detected some manner of abnormality in the shape of her left arm, and with a moment's focus and a further sickening in my gut I realized the missing chunk of muscle and the raw flesh that had scabbed a glazed pink in its absence. Short blue hair hung messily in front of her eyes, but from what I could see her nose was messed up, her face and hair caked with dried blood. Pale grey, blue-tinged lips muttered fervently as she rocked with the precious bundle, repeating a soft name as the shaking fingers of her hand lovingly brushed the cheek of the very dead girl in her arms.

I flinched as a wail, sudden and anguished, cut miserably into the air. With the vocalization wide white eyes rose, unblinking, to the clouds; bloodshot, they spasmed in their sockets with no grip or focus to speak of as that gaping mouth bawled over and over. Then, as all life seemed to drain out of her, she crumpled smoothly, folding down over the beloved corpse and murmuring again.

We were… too late…

I had to do something – I had to, now, before my heart wrung itself apart and I would be no help to anyone.

"H…Hinata!"

The eyes that had seconds ago been doleful and bleak were suddenly murderous as they rose to meet my own. Upon noticing us the feeble creature, so small and so weak, became something fierce through the merest shifts in slouched posture, as if fury were a palpable entity she summoned and wrapped around her, braced against her battered form, and made it evident that whatever condition she was in, she would fight anyone or anything at any given moment, and would unfailingly give her adversary hell. I ground my teeth, eyes wide. I didn't bother looking to the others for help; they were no doubt as lost as I was.

Brow furrowed uneasily, I placed one foot forward, my hands out. Deep and savage, the roar of a wild thing bombarded the air, grating at my ears as it leapt from her throat. One of her hands came forward and planted itself in the dirt as she fired off unsteady growls, eyes glazed brightly with rage… and a protective hand still cradling a girl's corpse tightly to her chest.

"Stay BACK…"

"But…?" I was at a loss. She wasn't under the influence of the curse – even if she had been, she had long since learned to control it. Still, the way she looked at me… It was as if she didn't know me.

"Careful," Kurogiba advised quietly. "She's locked herself up. I can't tell what's going on in her head, but it's nothing good."

"Hinata," I tried, "you're wounded…"

A strange, fanged smile, mocking but none the lesser in its degree of edgy viciousness, crossed her lips at this. "Wounded? I'm wounded?" she said, her voice a throaty hiss. "I think they're wounded a lot worse."

Her demeanor was troubling. "What are you saying?"

My step forward faltered as she snarled in rage, smiles gone. "I said, stay away!" she warned, venom in her eyes. "You won't touch her, hear me? I'm not letting anyone else hurt her!"

"We're not here to hurt either of you!" I cried, but she chuckled a bitter, unbalanced laugh, hunched shoulders shaking as her wide eyes ran with tears she seemed oblivious to.

"You're wrong," she asserted with a sudden shake of her head. "Look what they did – look what they did to my dear, kind Onee-san! This bloody world made her into a monster that had to be KILLED!"

"She's mad…" I heard Kurenai breathe in horror. I clenched my teeth.

"Stop this, Hinata! There's nothing more you can–!"

My stepping forward this time was too much. Like a wounded animal she lashed out; I saw the arc of darkness spring from her claws, and heard the spurting blood before a line of pain seared across my midsection. "No!" I sputtered, eyes wide, flinging my arms out before the ones behind me could rush to my aid. If a group of people moved toward me – and thereby any closer to her – things would get out of hand in a hurry. "I'm good," I gasped, forcing the pain out of my voice and putting on a grin before I continued. "Just a scratch…" And with my hands open at my sides to show I meant no ill intent, I started forward again.

A flash of movement, and more of my blood spattered to the earth. I sucked in a breath. My arms remained open, my smile easy and wincing eyes fond as the held her glower. "I know you didn't mean to do that, Hinata."

Her eyes were all but unfamiliar, haunted and darkened as they were with distrust. Her lip curled to more fully display a set of dangerous fangs. Her voice was demonic, fully transformed. "I've killed Hiyuki. What makes you think I can't kill you…?"

"I love you, remember?" I said, panting lightly as wetness seeped from my wounds. They were a tad deeper than I'd first guessed. I grunted, and tore away my tattered waistcoat and shirt. "Threaten me all you like. Give me your best shot–," Five parallel slashes split themselves across my torso, sending a spray of crimson arcing up from my shoulder. I flinched, but my feet moved not an inch backwards, and with only this minor pause I continued forward. "I won't back down. I can't leave you like this, y'know?"

"Madman!" she screamed, breath rapid in panic. "Leave us! Come any closer, and I'll kill and eat you, you hear? Away, or I destroy you!"

"It's a chance I'll have to take," I said, stepping unguarded into another blow. I didn't pause when the blood spilled from my lips; I put one foot down in front of the other, even as each footfall was smeared with a print of red. "I know you've g-gone through something horrible here. So go on – if this is what you want, give me your pain. I'm pretty tough–,"

The burning broke across my right shin, the impact's ferocity toppling me. My knee hit the dirt beneath me. Sweating in pain, I reached out, dug my fingers into the dirt, and pulled myself forward. She began to rant.

"No matter how many tough words we say, we're still dancing around for the world's amusement, groveling when it sees fit – the greatest heights, then, then – BAM! – the harshest devastation! We're nothing, nothing, nothing at all but pawns in the grand scheme's fancy – but not me. No longer! I won't fall for it and be hurt again!" she raved, her eyes unfocused as she clutched her dear one closer still. "The cruel world won't hurt us, not anymore–!"

"Hinata–!"

"I won't let it–!"

"You're not getting off that easy! We've come too far for you to toss your marbles now–!"

I was two yards away, beginning to lunge, when she opened her mouth and doused me in flame.

"HAAAHH!" My determined cry collided with her roar, and I surged through the furious blast, a hand outstretched as the world went white in an explosion of pain.

My recollection of the next few moments is a murky and muddled one, at best. Wisps of fire, falling from my body; pain, everywhere pain. White eyes bright with stunned recognition, mortified, before we fall into each other's embrace. Her name on my lips as her body is wracked by sobs.

Welcome back…

---

Lee リー

"By the kami… We nearly lost two of our commanders today…"

Soon enough we had hunkered down in a quiet glade, away from the stench and horrors at Gunromachi. Kakashi and a couple of the other jounin who had accompanied us here were taking account of the town, reconnoitering and searching for survivors that even they knew they would not find. Tsunade was splitting her attentions between two patients, as the second of the two medics in our quickly assembled twelve-man team was, perhaps ironically, lying more or less incapacitated in her care. The old Sound Four lazed in the shade of a tree, denying any credit or thanks for alerting us the way they had. Gaara sat solemnly at my side, his brow wrinkled in concern. Hinata had been clothed in my tunic and the light, knee-length shorts that I typically wore over my more formfitting pants, and I felt bitter to know that a few garments and the hand she clasped were all that I could offer. I could not stay bitter, however, any more than I could linger selfishly on my own wishes – not while the blonde lay half-lucid in a coat of bandaging, charred flesh gradually reclaiming its proper tone. Had he not calmed her, she could well have gone berserk and attacked us all, and we probably would have been forced to kill her – to put her down, like some animal – and the tragedy would have been complete. As it was, he had brought her back to us, but our little han'you remained silent, pale under a new burden of shame and grief.

"I'm a quick heal, Baa-chan," Naruto replied groggily, ever the positive one. "You know that." Tsunade raised an eyebrow, staying focused on the slow work of helping Hinata regenerate a missing portion of forearm. Kurogiba lifted his head from where it rested beside his summoner's own.

"You could have killed yourself all the same," he admonished. "It's fortunate the pup was exhausted from the fight; any other way and you would be in pieces right now…"

"Kurogiba-san," I murmured, as the 'pup' in question tensed with guilt and silently turned her head to the side – toward me. I blushed and busied myself with watching damaged muscle tissue crawl to take form.

The wolf only shook his head. "Never was one to mince words… I don't understand you," he admitted, looking toward Naruto again. "Every time I think I do, something like this happens, and here we are… My own sister, my Summoner, and I couldn't do a thing, but you – you do something idiotic, and somehow get it to work. How is it that you're forever able to make such things happen?"

Naruto snickered. "It's a little something called 'love,' wolf," he said cheekily, causing him to roll his red eyes. All the same the Wolf of Fire grinned.

"Keep your 'love,' by all means. I've no use for such sentimental things," he quipped. He went on to add, "You're not bad for a fox-child," causing the blond to snigger again.

That is Naruto, for you… Incredible things are commonplace around him…

"And you don't hurt the people you love."

Silence overtook the glade as Hinata sat up, painstakingly, and shoved to her feet, facing the woods. Though she did not face us, her posture made it evident that the movement pained her.

"Why would anyone? It's unnatural…"

Kurogiba stood. "I once said to imagine what would happen if Orochimaru had ten, or twenty such weapons as the one you become under the great moon. He was experimenting, Pup. He learned of Gunromachi's loyalist ties and he set them loose, and we were unlucky enough to be close by. You did to them what had to be done! You chose survival – there's no blame in–!"

When Hinata turned, it was with such vehemence in her voice and intensity in her eyes, such pain wrought heavily across her face amidst conflicting emotion laid bare, splayed out for all to see as angry tears flecked from her cheeks, that her familiar was struck mute.

"What good is it if I can't protect anyone? !"

She hung her head, shivering as the tears flowed; her fists clenched until they popped. Her voice carried on, fraught with pain.

"Everything… every sacrifice… After a-all this, I slaughter my kinsmen, I injure my love… How the hell am I supposed to s-save…?" Her hand covered her face as she broke into sobs; then she turned, and lit off into the trees.

"Hinata…" Naruto said, standing. Ignoring Tsunade's halfhearted protests, he too had soon vanished, in pursuit. And thus, once more, the rest of us found ourselves upon that painful precipice at which all we could do was wait.

I shook my head, solemn. It was true; Naruto, salve to her soul that he was, was the best hope we could have for her now.

We will get through it, as always: Stronger than before…

---

Hinata ヒナタ

"A long time ago… she taught me how to make tea. On one of those dreary afternoons when I had no lessons scheduled with the tutors, and Father was busy with clan business, she reached out to me – me, a six-year-old heiress without a mother. I could talk to her… Somehow, at a time when I was too shy to talk to anyone straight, I could talk to this tall Onee-san who was as awkward as I was. I showed her how I looked after the garden. She made tea and sweet buns." A soft chuckle came out, barely a whisper of a laugh. "I remember it being the most wonderful tea… I asked her to teach me, and she was quietly delighted to. After that, we took turns, like; every week, we found some time to share a snack in the courtyard. Of course it was improper for one of the Main Household to prepare food, but we were young, I'd been deemed rather hopeless already, and Father and the rest had too many important things to deal with to apportion any more time to disapproving of me. Eventually Hanabi even started to join our lunch dates, and that couldn't have made him happy. It was too great for me to notice any of that, though – it couldn't have made me happier. It was our time when, just for a bit, we could forget we were Hyuuga and be family instead. But one day, loveable klutz that she was, Hiyuki tripped and spilled tea on my robe. An elder saw it happen…"

He knew I was aware of his presence. "And then…?"

I looked into the distant sky. "And then… while that elder, and Father, and Hanabi watched… while she screamed and begged me to stop… Father made me activate the mark on her forehead, again, and again, and again…" My mouth was dry. "And things were never the same."

---

He lingered by the trees a minute longer before he approached. It must have been reflex from a stronger time, for me to wipe the too-large sleeve over my eyes when I knew the steady tears would just keep coming. Bitterly I scowled at the ravaged valley below, and he just sat down beside me at the ledge and waited, patiently. I squeezed my knees tighter in my arms.

"…What have I done?"

I didn't look at him, but I felt that earnest, thoughtful expression of his in his voice. "You did all you could in a situation way beyond your control. You got beat pretty bad for your efforts, but you tried all the same. You tried to do right…"

I shook my head groggily, a soft hiccup catching in my throat. "I tried… I tried my hardest. I thought if I just kept pushing, then surely I'd break through. But…" I blinked, shivering. "But I couldn't. I couldn't do anything, and I…" My tongue held; I lowered my head. "I failed them…"

"They had ya' outnumbered. You didn't have a choice."

"You're wrong. All this training to control the curse, to control my demonic side, and when it came down to it, all I could find in me was the control to choose to become a monster. What's my resolve worth then? To fight a monster, I became one myself – my strength deserted me until I did. I don't know what it all means anymore…"

"Everything happens for a reason. Maybe this was…" He paused, softening his voice. "…To prepare you for something greater. To prepare you for what's to come."

"So that's it, then." I felt inquisitive eyes on me. "Back there, in the town… I shattered my own mind so that I felt nothing as I slew my own flesh and blood. It was that, or to enjoy butchering them like the fiend I was – so I killed my heart, and it drove me mad." I smiled wryly. "But then… you came in and pulled me back, didn't you?"

"Of course I did," he said, soft but ardent. "I'd never let go of you – you know that!"

"Oh." I paused, eyes narrowing. "But those words are a trap. If that's so, I wonder… would you let me remain a monster to destroy a threat to my life? If I lost myself, would you have me do something for which I could never forgive myself?"

As he was struck dumb, I finally met his eyes.

"Don't worry. That's a choice I'll not ask you to make."

Naruto slowly nodded his thanks, that thoughtful, troubled look crossing his face again. "I hate him, you know," he said after a terse silence. "I hate him for causing you so much pain…"

I had no need to ask to whom he referred.

"Not too long ago I told a girl to give up on her cousin before she got herself killed, and she told me that she wouldn't lose him, no matter what. I look at that same girl right now, and whatever doubts she's got in herself, I'm realizing that what I see is a person who might actually be able to back up those words." He paused for a moment, considering. "You've grown strong, Hinata. I can see that. And when the day comes, the true fight of your life will be the one I can't help you with; I know this now, and accept it. But when the day does come, and you're face-to-face with that bastard of a cousin, you'll know what to do all on your own. That's what I believe."

"But I couldn't save Hiyuki. How will I–?"

"You will. Gods, I can't believe I'm encouraging this. One way or another, you'll close the book on this bloodshed in your house, and you'll do it on your own terms."

"Naruto…"

He snuck a glance at me, and returned his eyes to the valley floor. "Don't get me wrong, though – I still hate 'im."

I smiled, barely, in spite of myself. "Hate… it's all around us, isn't it? Maybe there's no such thing as escaping it…" I pressed a hand over my heart. "His hate for me… I can feel it right now, right in here where I've got my love, and it's frightening. They were precious to him, Naruto, and I killed them all. His darkness, his thirst for my blood … it's boiling over inside him, and it's frightening," I repeated. "I'm scared out of my wits. No matter what he's done, I love him, but…"

My hand was shivering; a teardrop broke, slid down my cheek. I shut my eyes briefly.

"I'm scared," I admitted, my hand clasping above my heart. "When I fight him, what will I become? What will I do, confronted with this hatred…?"

His hand stroked mine between us, soothingly. Yes; for now, it was alright to be soothed, to accept the comfort of the arms that wrapped snugly around me.

"Only time will tell the answer to that, love. Even I don't know it."

---

Twenty-Four, Part Three: Spiral

Neji ネジ

It is dark, here where I am. Dark, and so, so cold.

I can't remember coming here. At one point there were voices around me, and along with them the occasional flash of a familiar face, but not anymore. They wanted me back, back from wherever here is, as far as I could ascertain. I would go if I could, for no matter how dark and burning cold this place becomes, there is no peace…

"Neji-sama!"

Out of the silence, that voice… sweet as nectar.

"Neji-sama!"

My name is made an endearment … I have to find her, to see her…

My eyes open to a field of light. Here I stand in a crisp cotton shift, warm and free, soft grass glowing with life under my bare feet. And…

"Neji-sama…!"

"Hiyuki," I say, turning. A soft smile crossing my face as I see her running, so slowly, toward my patch of sunshine, eyes loving. I spread my arms to embrace, my voice soft. "Hiyuki! Come, join me here!"

Everything is … so right.

Until she falls.

Her kind face shocked, confused as her foot twists beneath her. Then she is sailing past me, fading away as the sun dies and the world blackens, as abundant crimson streams in her wake from a back in shreds.

Ka-thump…

Left before me is a slovenly figure lazily hunched, one extended hand contorted into the claw that drips with blood.

And her visage rises from shadow, head cocked to the side, a feral grin on her face as Hinata's pale eyes meet mine.

"Guess who's next?"

My stunned, wide eyes narrow, trembling, in anguished rage.

"NO–!"

And I'm in the dank little room that stinks of stale blood, but in this world I am the one chained to the chair, beaten and bleeding, as a black-hooded figure strolls from the shadows.

"You can still be saved – I'll stop the bleeding if you answer my questions. Sound familiar?" And the little demon, damn her, she flicks back her hood, all smiles and chipper.

"That's a lie; I know it."

"You're probably right, there. You can't be saved."

I grimace. "Wh–what's the question?" I cry, tears running from my eyes. She grabs my chin, a thumb pushing up against my bruised cheek.

"Why did you kill them?"

It is asked simply. She shakes my head a little bit, toying. "Well?"

"I…? No! It wasn't me who killed them! It was you–!"

But she draws her hand back, just as I might have done, and the snarl of "Wrong answer!" is accentuated by a violent crack of skin on skin. She leans in close. "Don't lie to yourself. Wasn't it nice, being surrounded by all that mindless love and adoration?"

I'm growing incoherent. "No, n-no, that's not – that was – for the good of the clan–!"

And there is a hammer rising in her hand like a judge's gavel, and before it strikes I remember a similar scene, the ghost of the action, my victim's screams, and I know it's coming for my fingertips–

"AAAAAAHHH!"

My knee–

"AAGH!"

"So this is one of your favorite pastimes, huh? Lucky dog! You finally get to experience the other end of the bargain!" she remarks, chuckling as I gasp and sob in shock. "You've butchered so many now, Brother; what were those seven but a smidge on your hands? Besides, you're not even grieving comrades – you're grieving pets."

"No–!" A firm boot, lodged in the gut, and I choke on the word, losing my breath.

"Admit it! Better yet, admit it to her! You owe her that much."

"This is it…"

At that voice, lucidly clear, my gaze snaps to an unnoticed figure stepping from the corner of the room. Hiyuki steps closer to the light, eyes watery and weak, ghostly face pained as she shoots a pitiful glare, seething. "This is where you condemned me!"

"What? H…Hiyuki, it's me!"

"I know exactly wh-who you are, you – you bastard!"

"No!" I howl. Suddenly I can't stand that hate in her eyes a moment longer. "Get her out of here, dammit–!"

WHAP!

"You make demands of the interrogator? She stays. Face what you did, the true victory you won in here: you taught her to hate!"

"This is madness! Let me out–!" CRAK! "I'm no murderer – I don't belong here, not me!" SNAP! "Everything I've d-done–!" THA-WHAP! "–I've done f-for the greater good. I HAVE!" The disgust in her eyes, more torturous than the interrogator's blows– "If you're going to kill me, kill me already!"

The interrogator pauses to smirk, humored, and bends down to my level. "Oh? It's not for you, to pass on nameless and alone in some dark cell. To you we grant…"

She draws back–

"A traitor's death!"

–And her boot meets the chair high with a crack, knocking it back, but suddenly there is no chair; there is no floor, no room. There is only me, falling in open air, and this noose around my neck.

The fatal jolt hits, and I am abruptly on my feet in a sea of endless black, staggering in surprise. My eyes cast about, wild, seeking anything, as sweat pours down my face, my sides, my back. A way out – there has to be a way out.

"Oniiii-saaaaannn…"

Singsong but wicked, the drawn-out call echoes from three directions at once. My eyes are wide; my shoulders shudder. "Stop it…"

"Oh, Neji-niiii-saaann…"

"It's you, kuso! It's always been you!" I scream into the emptiness, hands thrown down. My eyes shut. "Of course you were there to take them away from me! YOU DEPRIVE ME OF EVERYTHING I LOVE!"

"Aw…" A mockery of pity. "Poor, poor Neji-nii-san. You should've seen it…" The demon materializes ten feet before me, face blank, white eyes as ice. "How hard they strove to impress you, that is."

"You're not real…" I whimper in a tiny voice, my throat aching.

"Your deeds are real," she says without amusement. "What does it matter, at this point?"

I'm grinding my teeth. She fades, and is at my side, so calm and unfeeling that it sickens me.

"You may have done the sentencing, but I am the one Fate sent to kill them, you see. I killed them… bathed in their blood… and I'll kill you, too…"

"Just one more thing for you to take away from me? !" I cry, lashing out, savage. She vanishes under my blow, and I gasp for air.

"That's right."

She's behind me, and I freeze as her arms snake over my shoulders.

"I'll kill you, and you and your overblown farce will be forgotten…"

Warm breath, rolling over my neck.

"Forgotten… Like the low-born scum you are."

Bared fangs – a snapping-sharp bite.

I scream.

---

With a violent jolt I was awake, eyes wide as they could be, and sat without moving, simply thirsting for more air. In a fit of franticness I tore an oxygen mask from my face with scrabbling hands. Eyes flashing about the room, I was at once aware that my head throbbed, my eyes hurt, my throat was raw and sore, and my muscles ached dreadfully. I was both freezing and damp with sweat. My eyes blinked rapidly. An IV rack had fallen with my waking jolt. My arm – I grasped and yanked out a tube, shivering and swearing under my breath. Then the blanket was thrown aside, and I swung my legs over the side of the bed and toppled to the floor.

A hand against my head, I shut my eyes and groaned with nausea and frustration. Gone, all gone… They're really gone…!

"Neji?"

What a despicable sight I must have been to Tenten at that moment. She stood frozen half into the doorway, a modest few flowers in one hand. These were dropped unceremoniously, and in a flash she was at my side, kneeling, trying to aid me. When I was sitting up well enough on my own strength, I spent a moment glowering at the floor tiles before I caught her gaze, noticed the cautious concern that emanated from her face. As if the eye contact was the trigger, she threw her arms around me.

"You're awake…!" She went on, about how my fever had been unthinkably high, how I had often wept and raved incoherently and thrashed in my sleep, how she had feared the sickness might never release me. Peering stoically over her shoulder, I surveyed the room; overlooked before were a few flowers, slumped and slightly wilted versions of the ones on the floor, in a vase on the bedside table.

"How long has it been?" I said sharply, and she flinched, her words broken short mid-sentence. She pulled away, eyes worried.

"Eight days… Ah," she began uncertainly as I gripped the side of the bed, pulling to my feet. "I don't think you should be out of bed just yet–," She caught and supported me as I lost balance. "Just relax, Neji, please? They said you were in shock. I'll call a nurse–,"

"Forget that. The status of the village," I demanded. She hesitated, and I slammed a fist loudly against the doorframe. "Report!"

She ducked her head. "Sir. Outcry from the incident at the last Orochimaru rally isn't dying down. The civilian populace isn't happy…" She stopped as I snorted.

"The civilians aren't happy?" I muttered. "Yes, their problems are most consequential. What exactly do they plan to do, whine in our ears?"

"Neji!" Tenten gasped. I realized a nurse had in fact been heading toward the room, drawn by the commotion; the woman pursed her lips and turned, sparing a cross look very briefly as she continued at a brisk step down the hall. I laughed a little, and Tenten frowned in confusion.

"Did I tell you to stop, chuunin?" I snapped. "Continue, if you so please! What of the rebels?"

Her brow furrowed. "That… The sabotage of their celebratory feast killed some twelve to eighteen percent of their population and incapacitated more. But, Ne… Sir, as you know shinobi are trained from their Academy days to gradually build up some degree of tolerance to poison…"

"…I'm aware. The point, Tenten."

"Very few of their soldiers perished, Neji. The deaths were children, the elderly, and civilians. Innocent people that NewKo was simply sheltering–!"

"A fair blow to morale, I'm sure…"

"Neji–!"

"Will you stop that?" I said, pushing her away. "'Neji, Neji!' We're at war, Tenten! Siding with our enemy is crime enough in itself."

"Try explaining that to a man who's lost his 'renegade' wife and infant son. I have. They don't buy it."

"These people cook for them, they farm, forge their weapons–,"

"And the children?"

"Continue."

"Word of their losses circulated as New Konoha released lists of the dead – they found their ways to family and friends in the main village, and what have you. The decision was made not to capitalize on the disarray caused by the sabotage."

"So New Oto passed by a perfectly good opportunity to strike down New Leaf … to avoid looking bad."

"What is wrong with you?" she cried, appalled. "They struck a blow. We struck one back. Isn't that enough for now? Both occasions caused New Oto's image to suffer–!"

"But the people can't do anything."

"Neji." Her voice was firm; her words, careful. "It's not only our civilians who are starting to have their doubts."

My face was incredulous, mouth open as I wheeled to face her squarely, an eyebrow high. Oh, she was not going here again. I really thought I'd broken her of the habit. My old teammate stared me down, even though I had a good few inches on her.

"The old you would never have stood for this, Neji. What happened to ruling by benevolence? Our own people fear us!"

"We will create the new world with or without their support. If we must reach it with fear, so be it."

"What kind of regime is it to be, if we build it with such a means?"

For all her bold talk, she jumped as I gave a harsh, high-pitched laugh. Then I turned and strode from the room. "Fantastic!" I cried, a restless hand combing through my hair. My voice dropped to an audible mutter. "She really is hopeless…"

"I'm right here, you know!" she said, following me down the hall. I heard a sound of frustration. "Where are you even going?"

"To see someone!"

"But–!"

I stopped – and, as she caught up, lashed a hand out and swept her against the wall. Her back met it with a thud, and she yelped as clawed nails protracted to frame her windpipe.

"Just – stop, stop with this, this talking, this whining, just – stop it. You can really be a real pain sometimes, you know that?" I said in her ear, my words rapid. My voice was high; I couldn't seem to find that balance to the levels and tones of my voice. I groaned in exasperation. "We're not far from the morgue, but I don't feel up to carrying you the distance either way."

"N-Neji…!"

"Do not utter my name," I said shortly, and pressed my lips fiercely to hers. I swallowed her muffled sound of surprise, devouring with forceful passion; I kissed her harder, and slowly she responded, let it happen. I pulled away with a smack. "Pathetic," I hissed, laughter in my eyes. "Do you like me that much?"

"S-s…sir," she whispered frantically, quite wary, I'd imagine, of the claws at her throat. "You're ill. You're not yourself."

"Who are you to tell me of myself?"

"Sir, while you were unconscious, I went to Lord Orochimaru. He told me what happened to – to your Chosen! I'm so sorry, sir! I know how much you cared about them!"

"I seek no pity from the likes of you," I growled, tense claws furrowing lightly. "You, who never even liked them? Never understood us? FXXX you! As if you could appreciate the depth of what we shared!"

"I can't understand your pain, but th-the death of a follower must be devastating…!"

"'Follower'?" I yelled, fuming. "Oh, I see. Followers, followers! So I led them there, did I? My leadership brought them to their deaths? !"

"Wh-what? No, that's not what I meant!"

"Don't lie to me, wench– I can see it in your eyes! You dare to accuse me while the murdering scum roams free? !"

"No! I'm not, I swear I'm not…!"

My breath calmed; I blinked several times, and came to see – to truly see – a tear-stained face, white with terror as beads of blood rolled from beneath the claws that had tightened at her neck.

She staggered a few quick steps down the hall as my hand fell away. Hunched over, gasping, she tried to stem the flow of blood with a hand. A small audience had formed, I realized – two nurses, a patient peeking from his room – all, utterly terrified. Of me. I bristled.

"Help her!" I roared, and turned from their fright. The lacerations were shallow; she would be fine. But I had to get away from there, away from the revulsion in their eyes, and there was still a person I needed to see.

---

Hanabi ハナビ

Why…

My pace was steady and rigorous as I worked at the chin-up bar, drawing breath in on the rise, pushing it out on the drop. Harumi counted my repetitions, somber, a stopwatch ticking away in her hand.

Whether it was you who planted the poison or not, you knew. That much is plain.

I didn't slow, refused to show weariness no matter how my arms burned. Sweat ran down my face, coated my sides.

And the only reason we know for certain that you knew … is that you bothered to protect Sakura and me.

The poisoning of the feast had killed Aoba-sensei and Suzume-sensei among the ranks of New Konoha's tokubetsu jounin. Though almost everyone to dine at the feast had been afflicted to some extent, some were lucky, whether by the fortune of a strong constitution, by their training in poison resistance, or by the concentration taken in; Anko-sensei was hardly affected, for instance, while Shikamaru had lain comatose under the nervous eye of medics for days before awakening, and Iruka-sensei and plenty of others remained bedridden even now. Still others had suffered their swift deaths within minutes of the poison's taking effect. By the third day though, deaths had – mercifully – all but completely ceased; and at this point, those not yet taken by the illness were almost certain to recover.

Surely… surely a truly wicked person would have left us to whatever had come, right? That's what part of me wants to believe. But then…

We'd progressed to sparring. I flattened Hitaka in moments, and faced Hikujaku.

Gennai, an old teammate of Inaho-san's, was among the ranks of the dead. I had watched Konohamaru grieve over Udon's body, tears running freely from eyes that quivered with excess of rage, a silent coldness settling in my gut at the blank stare that emanated from behind the cracked glasses of an Academy classmate I had never really gotten to know.

But the deaths of civilians, of men and women and elderly folk who had sought refuge in New Konoha, but most overwhelmingly of children – of kids my age and younger who had never touched a kunai knife, nor planned to – outnumbered shinobi casualties fifteen to one.

You are wicked. Even if you saved me – you knew what was to happen, and you let it happen. You chose to let dozens of innocents die.

In those frightening few days when Shikamaru's condition had been unstable, Anko had whipped New Konoha's chaos into order, seeing that those who could be saved were, that some semblance of a guard was maintained, and that an investigation got underway. I had given my report of the events in the hallway honestly but for omitting the kiss; it was easier to say I was overcome by the Sharingan straightaway than to admit to my undoing by such a simple trick. The core of Sasuke's actions was what mattered.

It was because of my testimony that the kill on sight order had been placed on his head.

I knew he wouldn't die, though. He was too curst crafty for that, never mind his outright strength. I had been the last to see him; he had fled New Konoha, and he wouldn't be coming back.

You've said that you owe it to Hatake Kakashi and Uzumaki Naruto to look out for Sakura. That much makes sense. But why me? Why not forget me, and save even one noncombatant instead?

Do you actually care about me?

Or did you not want to do Neji the favor of brushing off an inconvenience?

"M'lady, stop."

I was surging on the attack with a yell when a large arm slipped across my body, and Hiryuu half pushed, half tossed me to the dirt. I sat up, livid.

"That's enough," he said.

"There are hours of daylight left!"

"We're done until you can calm yourself," he shot back sternly. I was about to question him, incredulous, when I realized I had at some point in the spar turned palms to fists; Hikujaku sat back with a sigh, brushing the back of his hand over a patch of purple at the corner of his mouth. My hands were still balled tight now. I looked down, blushing hotly. Hiryuu continued, "You're angry. Some anger can be good – in moderation. If you can't focus, you're worthless."

I shook my head, exhaustion catching up to me, and looked over to Hikujaku again. "Gomen, Onii-san…"

"Nothing to fret, my little hellion," he assured me, winking. I looked up as Uncle spoke again.

"You're letting what's happened get to you, but it's been more than a week now. Rest up and get your head in order. Tomorrow I want you up to snuff and ready before dawn. Are we clear?"

Wincing under the beratement, I nodded. "Hai…"

---

Lee リー

There she is…

I nodded to the blonde beside me, and he nodded and fell back, slipping off the forest trail. I took a deep breath and put on a smile before I jogged forward, getting a bit closer before cupping a hand at my mouth. "Matte, Hinata-san!"

The half-demon glanced back, cocking her head to the side as I caught up to her. "Hi, Lee-kun. Is something wrong?"

"Iie, iie," I said, waving my hand. "I was simply hoping you would consider giving me the pleasure of a sparring match! It has been a while, has it not?"

"It sure has," she said, smiling meekly. "But I'm not really feeling up to it right now. I'm sorry; maybe another time."

"E-eeto…!" I said, coming to her side again as she continued to walk. "Then, why not join me for a bit of fishing? There is a stream just southeast of base… we could get Naruto-kun, as well! The days of the three of us just starting out on our own, fishing together for supper, feel as if they were ages gone. We could all enjoy a bit of time to reminisce; I am sure it would be quite enjoyable!"

"Perhaps… but Lee-kun, I'm on a patrol shift now."

"You have volunteered for quite a few solo patrol shifts in the last week," I observed. "There are plenty of shinobi at base who would be happy to fill in for you… Or, actually, forget fishing. If you are in the mood for work, we could join a hunting party. Your bow and arrows can do the work of five men in securing game, after all!"

"I can just as well shoot any game I encounter on patrol, and haul it to base when the shift is up."

"Then at least allow someone to join you on the route…?"

Her smile was the same soft, apologetic, endearing smile as she stopped to face me, eyes shut. It was hollow. "Lee-kun, I'm fine. Really! I'm sure Naruto-kun would be happy to take you up on that sparring match."

"Hinata-san…"

She continued on the path, leaving me behind. I sighed, and turned back to lift a hand in signal. You try.

Back on the path, Hinata tensed momentarily before with an overlarge burst of smoke Naruto appeared in front of her, arms crossed, and leaned forward so that they were almost nose-to-nose.

"You need to cheer up!" he announced bluntly.

I grimaced. That is… one way to go about it…

"A-ano…" Naruto put a finger to her lips, shushing.

"Watch this," he said, and vanished, Shadow Swapping up into the trees.

Hinata glared back at me, frazzled, and I shrugged. Then a purple-clad form dropped onto the scene, inches from crashing to the earth when he vanished – and fell from the treetops again.

"I can't stop falling!" he cried in mock dismay, pinwheeling his arms for extra effect as he repeated the process. I could not help it; in the first drop he had managed to startle me, and at the silliness of his antics I now laughed aloud.

Hinata, however, was less than humored; she mustered up a chuckle as if it took her a great effort to do so. Face pained beneath the fading smile, she walked past the determined spectacle Naruto was making of himself.

We watched her move on; then I ran up, catching the still-falling jinchuuriki in my arms as he quit his substitutions. We traded a glance, and I sighed and set him on his feet. "We tried…"

"Hey," Naruto said, pointing. Up ahead, Hinata had stopped again, but this arrival we had not expected.

"Tayuya-san," the girl said, patience thinning as she looked toward the one who stood in her path. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah," the former Sound-nin said crossly as her three companions stepped from the cover of the trees. "You are."

Hinata muttered something, shook her head, and started to move around the older girl. Tayuya stepped to the side, getting back in front of her, and shoved her in the chest.

"I'm still talking to you," the redhead snarled as he Hinata stumbled back in surprise.

"Lay off–!" Naruto began moving toward them, but stopped as I gripped his shoulder. He looked questioningly back at me, but I only continued to watch the scene unfold.

"I don't know what your issue is all of a sudden," Hinata said coldly, righting herself – only to be receive another shove, at the stomach.

"You been dragging your feet and feeling sorry for yourself nonstop for the last week. It's fXXXing pathetic," she said, poking the Hyuuga in the center of the chest. "If I see you mope for one more minute I think I'm gonna puke!"

Hinata didn't let herself be pushed back as one hand shoved roughly against her shoulder. "I'm sorry I'm not living up to your expectations," she said lowly. She was trying to keep a level head, but she was bristling; Naruto and I knew her well enough to tell. Tayuya continued the diatribe with repeated shoves and taunts, and Hinata raised her own arm, starting to make an effort to fend her physical aggressions away.

"You've got those dweeb friends of yours worried about you," Tayuya spat, jerking a thumb in our direction. "Or do you even care? Too busy wallowing around to notice?"

"I'll say it one more time. Keep your hands off me…"

"Or you'll what? Walk away with your tail between your legs?"

The shove of her hands was sudden and sharp; this time it was Tayuya who was sent staggering a few steps. "You will let me pass…" Hinata said firmly.

The older girl let her walk around her this time. Then, when Hinata fully turned her back, Tayuya slapped her hand against the han'you's tail. Hinata whirled with a squeak, face red with anger – and received the slap of an open hand sharply across her face.

Eyes momentarily unblinking, she righted herself and turned her head back to face the older girl; a bit of red collected at the corner of parted lips. "…You just slapped me."

Tayuya stood confrontationally close, hands on her hips. "Damned right I did. Whatcha' gonna do about it?"

SMACK!

The Oto girl nearly lost her footing at the force of the blow; reeling, she hissed and brought her hand to a bright outline of Hinata's open hand on her face. Then she grinned slyly. "Very good."

Hinata groaned as understanding seemed to dawn. "You guys…" But as she gave Tayuya a hand in getting up, she was smiling, too – a smile that was not hollow, or shameful, or laboriously wrought to her lips. Laughing aloud, Kidoumaru approached the two to clap one of his hands on Hinata's shoulder.

"She really got you, good, Tayuya!" he guffawed, and his teammate flashed him a rude gesture.

"Didn't think you would last so long without snapping," Sakon added, tossing a coin to Jiroubo, who caught it with a smirk. "Tayuya's quite good at getting under people's skin."

"What exactly just happened…?" Naruto asked, as he and walked up to join them.

"A bit of tough love?" I guessed, my eyes not leaving Hinata's smiling face. "We may have different ways of going about it, but it would seem Hinata-san has more friends looking out for her than we realized…"

Sakon snorted. "Don't get us wrong – she's the only shield we've got against Orochimaru. When someone like that gets in a slump, it makes you a bit nervous. You nice guys can handle the lovey-dovey stuff just fine, but sometimes all you need to wake up is a good slap in the face."

Hinata was apologizing. "You four are counting on me, I know. I'm sorry for showing such a pitiful face."

"About time you pulled it together," Tayuya said. "If you're going to be a leader, then lead."

When Hinata nodded, that fire was back in her eyes again. "Right."

How about that...

---

Hanabi ハナビ

I found him lying on his back, exhausted. He too, then, had been pushing himself in his training, and maybe more than was good.

"Konohamaru-kun?"

He was still a moment, and then sat up without facing me. "Hanabi," he acknowledged simply. "What do you want?"

I entered the room and sat a few feet from his side, not too close. This was something we both needed. I looked toward him and spoke.

"Would you… tell me about Udon-kun?"

He flinched and met my eyes, for a single instant fierce. Then he looked glumly to the side, and I turned myself a bit, away from him, so that he would not have to show me his tears.

And he began to talk to me.

---

Neji ネジ

"Lord Orochimaru! My Lord?" I hollered. My bare feet stumbled on the hall's sleek flooring. I staggered sideways, half-slumped against the wall, and gasped. The world was whirring; shapes and shadows took on strange forms about me, and I shut my eyes to the rolling jumble of confusion.

–"I'm afraid the others will be trying to surpass you again…"

"Then for my Lord Neji, I will simply grow stronger."–

Water leapt to my eyes. Why? Why would you confront her without my command? Were you hoping to impress me…?

I opened my eyes, gasped, coughed. I made an effort of wiping the chilled slick of beading sweat from my face, and shoved from the wall, lumbering on. "Orochimaru-sama…!"

When a hand met my shoulder from behind, I nearly knocked Kabuto's head off. "Whoa, there!" he said, hands waving as he backed up from his reflex of evasion. "Down, boy! Down! I'll tranquilize you if I have to."

I was breathing through my mouth at a feverish pitch, hunched shoulders heaving at each breath. "I'm not here to joke around…"

"So it would seem… You don't look so good, Neji-kun. Oh – I heard about your little band of pets. You have my condolences. Easy!" he added, cool smile unwavering as my eyes blazed with venom, and claws came unsheathed. "A tragedy, truly. No one could've anticipated that lot being wiped out in one fell swoop."

My neck throbbed; when I bared my teeth, they were fangs. "Where is Lord Orochimaru?"

The silver-haired man shrugged. "Not here – working in his laboratory. I might add that he specifically asked not to be disturbed…"

"The lab," I muttered, turning to go.

"Oi," he said. I paused. "I wasn't kidding about that tranquilizer."

A glower was shot over my shoulder. "As if you could stop me…"

He frowned, pushing up his glasses. "Lord Orochimaru is not to blame for this– I'm not saying anyone is. It was a simple trial of their destructive capabilities. We couldn't have known your pesky little cousin would turn up, let alone overpower them."

I ground my teeth. It was clear enough that he was impressed. "Where are they?"

He rocked once on his heels. "The… carcasses were burned, and the ashes buried by those Leaf loyalists. So no – no Reanimation for them."

Snarling at his matter-of-factness, I turned again.

"Wait!"

"What now?"

He pointed at me. "Don't tell me you walked all the way from the hospital in that?" he said, indicating the pale blue hospital gown that fell over matching breeches. He shook his head. "If you're going, at least put on some real clothes…? You look like a lunatic."

I glared a moment longer, and stalked off toward my office, my pace brisk.

---

Once the black turtleneck was pulled over my head, I grabbed my spare dark-grey flak jacket from the closet and slammed the door shut. I paused but a moment, blinking. Then I shrugged the jacket on, fastening up the zipper, and to the shinobi leaning casually against the wall, who had concealed himself behind the open door, said, "When did you get here?"

He ignored me, calm obsidian eyes burning with cold. "It doesn't feel good, does it?"

I looked away, adjusting my hitai-ate before a small, square mirror on the wall. "What are you blathering about now?'

"The truth. Having innocent blood on your hands."

I froze.

"So how do you like it, Hyuuga? The way it twists out your heart, scrapes and tears at your soul, as I'm sure you're finding, is simply divine."

"I d-don't know what you're talking about," I said hoarsely.

"Oh? But you do." It was said with the cruel certainty of fact. "The rally, too. I saw you waver…"

"Enough! Everything I do i-is–!"

"For the good of the village, right?" he scoffed, so harshly that I cringed. "Come on, white-eyes. You shatter illusions; it's what you do. So tell me – tell me how slowly breaking Tenten's heart benefits the village, if you'd be so kind. I think I'm missing it, mere illusionist that I am – not all of us can be all-seeing." I heard him push from the far wall, saw him step into view of the mirror behind me. His gaze was a condescending one, sidelong from across the room. "What's wrong? Is your resolve not as firm as you thought, now that you've had to bloody your own hands and see up close the suffering you sow?"

"You… Why the hell are you here?"

He strolled up to stand at my back, hands in his pockets. "Maybe I feel we're bonded in the guilt of our sins, the shifty double agent of the shadows and the Hokage's shining right-hand man though we are. Thanks to you, New Oto hates me. New Konoha hates me. What, then, have I become? You pegged the rally riot on me. You put the poisoning on my head. But even you can't lie the butchering of your twisted coven on my plate. There's only one to be blamed for that one."

"You said it yourself – you're forever estranged and scorned. Why should someone of my stature heed a word you say?" I countered, an uneven smile creeping across my face as I glared into the mirror. "The truth? The truth is what is seen, existing as it is perceived. I am an exemplary shinobi and upstanding citizen. I'm the staunch defender of the village. Hatred is doled out for the wicked. No one hates me."

"They wouldn't have to. You hate yourself."

My smile fell, and for several moments I stared into my own face, the face of a fool in uniform, and the indifferent face that peered over my shoulder.

Then a horrible sound was born of my throat as I wrenched about with the intent to slash him in two.

He was gone.

I stumbled and toppled out of the strike, crashing heavily down onto my side. My breath was frantic for a few moments. At last I shut my eyes and covered my face with a hand, lying on the floor of my office, grimacing mouth agape as I sobbed silently in tormented grief.

---

The late afternoon sky was bleak and unwelcoming, a dark, ragged curtain of grey that grumbled forbiddingly and cast a haunting pallor on the village as I trudged through its streets. I had neatened up, straightened my vest and washed my face; not a hair on my head was out of place, not a thread of the tape wrap on my arm or ankles out of line. Still in the mirror I had been frail and disheveled. No amount of effort would shake the slovenly look, and the longer I fretted with physical appearance, the worse the effect seemed to grow. So, with trudging step and disheveled soul, I wandered through a village I had always and was to forever call home, and found very quickly that something was amiss. What had happened to me I could not be sure, but as my eyes roamed I found myself seeing an alien place, strange and familiar, for the first time.

I knew the change was in me, for it was impossible that so much had been transformed in the short time I had been in the Hokage tower. Suddenly and inexplicably I was seeing things, unsettling things, and I didn't need the Byakugan to do it. This residential block, for instance, with broken bottles and miscellaneous refuse littering the roadside, with boards over windows and doors triply locked and overall buildings in disrepair; the clatter of a garbage can overturned, and the skeletal furred creature that hissed as it caught my eye upon it, kept hissing as it skulked back from the mouth of its alley. A bundle of rags was noted on a park bench, and I found as I approached that they moved with breath; when night fell, I doubted anyone would bother to fine him for missing curfew. It was not uncommon for me to take this route from the tower, I realized, but here and now this cursed hunger for detail would not leave me, and I lacked the power of dismissal.

I came upon the New Oto Ninja Academy, its yard neat as a military training ground's, its sign spelled out proudly in large, stern black kana, and absently recalled the mandatory enrollment statute that applied to New Oto children at the age of four. Two boys, the bigger one no older than six by my estimation, were huddled by a tree that had at one time sported a swingset. The smaller was visibly distraught, shivering in the sunless autumn air and looking down at the older, whose bruised face rested in the young one's lap. Catching sight of me at the gate, the small one let out an 'eep' and shook his battered friend's shoulder, and they scrambled to straighten, little hands rising to their foreheads in salute. "H-hail, comrade!"

It was at once on the verge of comical, and utterly not. "Please – don't get up," I said, waving. "A rain is on the way. What are you two doing out here?"

"Sir! W-we've been ordered to c-con-temp-plate our worthlessness, sir!" the small one squeaked, lip trembling on his dirty face. I raised an eyebrow, and the six-year-old picked up, a protective arm around him as the little one sniffled and shook. His left eye was swollen shut, his lip busted and turning color and a patch of dried blood under his nose.

"Tori still can't hit the target right," he said bitterly, nodding toward the kunai knife clasped in his friend's tiny, quivering hands. "I stood up for 'im, and sensei beat the hell outta' me."

I found myself oddly disconcerted by this child's challenging gaze. Not sure what to say, I nodded and left.

There had to be familiarity somewhere. There had to be – but everywhere I looked, it seemed I had never known a thing to begin with. I shook as I roved on, a spark of fervor in my step. What have you done to me, Uchiha? What manner of illusion is this?

–"The truth."–

"Kuso…!" I growled, breaking into a run. "Kuso!' People hurried from my path, but as I passed I saw the hate, the accusation in their eyes. Hushed whispers rang clear in my ears–

"What's wrong with him?"

"A shinobi…"

"Gods, just leave us alone."

"Look at him…"

"That's the young Lord Hyuuga…"

Stop looking at me! I nearly stumbled, but caught myself. Staggering into a shop wall, eyes half-shut, I rounded the corner and leaned into the structure, panting as my head ached.

"Death to Orochimaru! Death to all Sound!"

I looked up sharply. A ways down the street an old citizen with bedraggled, graying hair stood by an abandoned inn, hollering and ringing a cow bell in his hand. One eye was wide, the other narrowed, as he alternately blasphemed the Sound and begged for a morsel or coin for his supper. He was clearly mad. No matter the weight of his words, his voice was pitiful, ever mournful and despairing, with an unsteady twinge of panic. Propped against the broken down building was a tin bucket along with a sign of marker on torn and mildewed cardboard – 'STARVING,' it read, with numerous scratch-outs, 'HAVE NOT EATEN IN 4 DAYS.' This was a scrap of humanity overlooked by all, it would seem; the people who milled between shops to retrieve the week's rations spared him only a wide berth, coupled occasionally with a nervous glance, and one would hasten on the way if he hobbled out toward them, sometimes brandishing his bucket while still sputtering his profanities on the Sound. I scowled.

"Beggar!" I called, striding to him. "Cease this spectacle. What issue do you take with the Sound?"

His voice grew louder as he wailed in frustration. "The end is near – do you not see?" he yowled, pointing a shaking finger at my headband. "Bring the death of us all, you will – fire down upon our heads, ruin, the wrath of gods! I'm not going, no-ho sir, I'm not–!"

"Calm yourself!" I snapped. "I won't warn you again–!"

"The end will not wait – the lord of Snakes leads us on a march to assured-est destruction!"

"Lord Orochimaru leads us to glory," I scoffed, smirking at the foolishness of his notion. "In the new age our empire will know only prosperity and peace!"

"Death to New Sound, death to Old Sound, pox and rot on your New Age! Tear it down, tear it all down, quick to the roots!" he shrilled, glaring wildly at passerby and waving a fist in the air.

"I can have you rot behind bars for those treasonous words–,"

He actually shoved me with his bony arms, full in the chest. "Tyrant's dog!" he screeched. "Not enough for you, then, to starve and destroy us?"

"No one starves in this village, fool! The ration ensures it."

"Been mugged of my coupons for the month, I were!"

"Then you should have reported the incident, and filed an assistance ticket at the rations office–,"

"Who said I haven't?" he cried, spittle sailing on his words. "Three weeks done-gone, and not a scrap for my plate nor a word from you swine!"

"Don't blame me for your misfortunes," I snarled despite my surprise. "I will not be spoken to this way by some old fool. I am every minute working to protect this village and its people–!"

"Keep telling yourself that, laddie. For someone with such fancy eyes–," he waved his hand in my face, "–you don't see very far, do you?"

I swatted his hand down. "Enough!" I boomed, turning to take a few steps away.

"Enough?" he mocked, shuffling after me. "People depend on you, boy, and you're too busy traipsing around on high, stepping on us to care. Orochimaru's order don't give a damn about us lesser folk! All you bastards care about's your own dirty, wicked selves!"

My heart throbbed in my ears as heat surged into my skull; a cry, bestial, shook the street. Then the scruffy old man was dead on the ground, and my outstretched claws dripping with blood.

A woman shrieked. I turned in shock, and saw faces filled with terror and disgust, hate – and everywhere, everywhere, accusation.

"The shinobi's gone mad!" a man cried.

"H-he – he just killed that old beggar!"

"No!" I cried, "No, it was… I didn't mean…!" My voice was drowned in the shouts of protest. The people had been near to breaking, I realized, and were flying into a frenzy – one quite the opposite of the rapture they'd once been made to display for Lord Orochimaru. Everyone was waking up today, it seemed, all at once, and none too pleased with what was seen.

"Alright, that's enough!" I commanded of the crowd. "Return to your homes, immediately–!"

A rock met my shoulder. I was looking about in confusion for the thrower when another two struck my back, followed by the beggar's rusty tin bucket glancing over my head.

"Oi! Stop that!" An Oto-nin, rushing to the scene, was jumped and rapidly engulfed in a mass of angry bodies; he struck out, bewildered, but the civilians grabbed his arms and dragged him to the ground, power in the sheer number of them, beating him with fists and anything else at hand. Another, a New Oto man, barreled into the fray and cracked a head with his baton; the crowd faded back briefly from his swings and surged, capturing him as it had the other. His arms were pulled apart as he fought to join his hands in a seal – they knew better than to let him – and his scream rang out to cut to an end only as a man, rearing back, swung down the shinobi's own bludgeon with a crunch.

I couldn't help him; stones were pelting me by the dozen, and I fought to protect my bloodied face as they assailed me with rocks and words.

"Murderer!"

"Savage beast!"

"You traitor!"

My lip curled back from my fangs. A shockwave surged out, repelling a wave of stones as my chakra spiked and my skin whitened, and I growled like a fiend, the menace in my heart blazing bright from my eyes. They backed off as I lunged threateningly, claws spread and head low, gaze lashing about as I snarled in different directions. I turned my head to the side, and a final, monstrous roar shook them; at once I lunged, shoved strongly through the wall of bodies, and tore off down the street on all fours, grunting as stones sailed in my wake.

---

"Ugh…"

The first drizzle of rain was falling onto the gardens and courtyards as I turned off on the walkway, skulking deeper into the compound. I had just lifted my hand to rap on the doorframe when the assistant slid open the screen, white eyes widening as he looked me up and down. "By the dawn sun! What happened to you?"

"Let me in…"

He flinched back, but made no move. "What business could you have with our Honorable Grandfather, coming here in such an unkempt state?"

"Listen, you…"

"It's alright, Hatsuo," came a kindly old voice. "Let the young lord in."

He eyed me uncertainly, but let me pass. The old man smiled sadly as I entered the room.

"So, you've really slain the poor man. As I feared… but not injured too badly in the backlash, I should hope?"

I took a few breaths. "Are you telling me … that you foresaw all of this?"

He was preparing tea; two cups sat out on the low table, as if he had expected company. "I often feel that All-Seeing is such a misnomer, son. Sometimes one sees the crossing of paths, but rarely the outcome; a great crux in time might be sighted on the approach, while the conditions of its realization conceal themselves. It's really quite frustrating…"

"Grandfather…!"

"And then there are times when one puts out two cups for tea to be polite, even knowing the visitor that approaches will refuse to sit and drink with a poor old man…" He poured tea in one of the cups and set the kettle down, meeting my gaze. There was no accusation in him, in those peaceable old wrinkle-framed eyes; only a soft smile of knowing pity that tore at my patience all the more fiercely. He had no right to sit there, so calm and understanding. "Yes, my child. In these crossroads, one may be blessed with an elevated clarity… Then again, it may be occurring as a signal that my own time draws to a close," he mused, taking a sip of tea. "Yes – the slaughter at Gunromachi, your encounter with the beggar. I will not lie; I Saw it all.

"Don't you give me that look, now," he said before I could protest. "I foresee events; I do not decree them. To see my children fight pains me, as does knowing seven have met their premature end – but it is not my place to reveal these things whenever it strikes my fancy."

"So their lives weren't important enough? You could have warned me – I would never have let them go!"

He shook his head, smiling sadly. "But you're wrong, m'boy," he said cryptically. "In the life in which I try to alert you, to avert the bloody chain of events heralded by their deaths, you pay my warning no heed."

I ground my teeth. "That can't be right!"

"You once respected Destiny, did you not?" he reminded me after another sip. "It was set, as few things are. I may not have known the precise outcome until its occurrence, but from the moment Hyuuga Neji 'chose' them, those seven were destined to encounter young Lady Hinata in Gunromachi, to clash, and to die there. That is the truth."

I fell to my knees, growling as a fist slammed into the neat wood floor. "So what now? What the hell happens now?"

"Now…? Now you have lost those whom from which you thought yourself inseparable; now you have spurned others' problems as inconsequential, and witnessed the horror of their rage firsthand; now you have proclaimed yourself righteous and loved by all, and promptly brought all manner of wrath and loathing upon your head, and been chased through the streets just as a certain few young shinobi you scorned were once chased and hunted before you. Now you have opened your eyes, awakened from the fanciful delusions of things like glory and prosperity, and beheld the unadulterated truth all around you. Now, so full of anger, doubt, despair, and remorse, you have come upon your own crossroads, you see – a rare fork in your so often unflinching path. I can do no more for you; the choice you make in the coming hours will seal your doom or your salvation. I fear, however, that this may also be prescribed in stone…"

"Damnable old man…"

"And contemplate it though you might, you don't kill the Seer today. You have too much on your hands to deal with the clan's backlash just yet."

Scowling, I fled the man's presence, turning my back on that knowing, simple gaze. He called out after me, his tone pleasant.

"Choose doom, and you choose the clan's with your own! And in that case – well, our hope will reside, as ever, in she of pure spirit, and rightful blood!"

---

With a cloth and a pan of warm water, I dabbed dried blood from my face and hair. The choice I make, he'd said. The choice I make, the choice I make – what choice did I even have?

I winced, leaning closer to the mirror as I cleaned a gash at my hairline where a lucky rock had broken skin. Not a lamp was lit in my quarters, for my lamp had, eight days ago, been broken; rather a singular rectangle of light stretched from the window, splayed across the floor behind me. I preferred the dark, either way. Here, surely, I could enjoy but a moment's peace within asylum, encompassed in the semi-darkness and steady patter of pouring rain. I dipped the cloth again, briefly rubbing a smudge of color from its fabric.

The things I had seen … and the choice I would make. What could be the connection between them? What choices did I have?

The simplest approach to resolution would be to lay the blame on another, to let it be as fuel to my rage and ambition. The difficult approach would be to accept – to entertain the wild notion that I had played some part in the deaths of Hiyuki and the rest, to shoulder the pain it would bring about, and see where it brought me.

And the insightful path… that would be to forgive, I determined. To discard all manner of blame, and forgive where it could be found; to move on – to leave their demise utterly unavenged by the rightful fury it deserved – to let go of that and continue on through life with my eyes open, open to the horrors that would distract and poison my judgment, to leave me wavering and weak, stagnant in pursuit of my greatest purpose.

I swore through a scowl, hunched over the bowl. Was that my clarity at the crossroads? All the blasted good it would do. My coven was gone, and nothing I did would change that. I had nurtured and trained them with all of the best intentions, and the demon had annihilated them in cold blood. That was my truth – to hell with anyone who thought I needed another!

I cupped water in my hands and splashed it against my face with a clap, not caring that it fell onto my clothes and the floor.

And when I opened my eyes again, the face in the mirror was one that had been a torment in my nightmares for feverish days on end, white eyes fixed upon me with an intensity that pierced the darkness to plumb the very depths of my soul – depths that I myself dared not behold.

"You're a murderer, Nii-chan. You're sick. You destroy everything you love…"

Eyes widening in panic, teeth bared, I struck out at her with a yowl. The image shattered with a blinding flash and crash of thunder to collapse in so many lifeless pieces of glass, and I slumped strengthless to my knees and cradled my dripping hand in the semi-darkness, unblinking as spilled water ran from the edges of the nightstand against which I leaned.

---

I was unsure how it was that I came to be out under the onslaught of bitter cold grey autumn rain, shoes forgotten, my hair unkempt, wrapping tape hanging loosely about my forearm and bleeding hand, stumbling brokenly through puddles on the empty streets. I was sure of only one thing, and it was that I myself was thoroughly wretched. The truth was all around me, laughing, whispering, moaning in my ears – they were dead, and I their destroyer. The rain that stung my eyes was ignored as I turned my gaze skyward, the hand clasped at my heart tightening as I howled my agony in a long, doleful cry of lament.

"Help me," I breathed hoarsely, my form splattering to the mud. "Help me…!" My fingers combed through the muck, and with a sob my face was meeting the ground as I crumpled in anguish.

"Father…!" I whimpered, turning my head to the side, eyes shut tight. "Tell me what to do…"

The presence went unnoticed until he halted a sparse few yards away.

"Poor boy…"

Thunder cracked. I paused, eyes focusing on the pair of black sandals in front of me before I pushed slowly from the ground. My eyes travelled upward along the man with colorless skin, from his pale robes and thick obi to the welcoming hand that was calmly outstretched, to the grandiose smile that marked the only visible feature upon a face shrouded in shadow.

"M'lord…"

"Come, child; do not fear your vileness, but embrace it. Give me your soul. I alone can free you from this suffering…"

My eyes grew. They were watering, I knew, and my jaw fell as a tentative smile rose my muddy face. A trembling hand reached out, streaked with rain and red.

"Y-yes…"

Walking through life with my eyes open… was just too painful.

I clasped his hand, and the choice was set.

---

Twenty-Four, Part Four: The Path You Take

Hinata ヒナタ

"He hates me."

It was a statement of fact that I uttered into the damp predawn air as I slipped from a trance of meditation, nothing more. I opened my eyes, and beside me Naruto did the same.

"He's always hated you," the blonde pointed out, not needing to ask of whom I spoke. "Well, not always, but… you know."

"It's intensified. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but it has."

"And you're not troubled by this?" It was more nearly observation than question.

I shook my head, looking out into the pebble of light that blossomed on the horizon. "I'd lost hope long ago that our situation could be resolved in words. Now his hatred of me is as complete as my love for him. If I can defeat that enormous hatred at its purest, my victory will be absolute. Moving past Hiyuki and the other cursed ones… getting through all of this without feeling any resentment toward him… It's been painful, but it's also cleansed the heart and core of my resolve. Yes… We will fight," I stated. "There is no escaping it now; there's no force in the world that could hope to divert this violence. He will fight for my destruction, and I for his salvation. But I will show him the strength of my love with my own two fists, and see that this violence amongst fellow Hyuuga… is the last."

He smiled. "That's the determination I love." Then, "It's set now, y'know. The first of the year – just over two months from now, they figure, and preparations will be complete to charge on New Otogakure."

"I heard. It's almost hard to believe… But I can only be thankful that it's been set before Orochimaru will be ready to reincarnate himself…"

"That's right – your own deadline," he remarked. His gaze left the half-risen sun as he regarded me from the corner of his eye. "Our job is to beat the enemy, free prisoners, join with the resistance, and reconquer the village in the name of the Leaf. Pure and simple – by no means easy, but simple well enough. In two months, this army and its allies will be ready to do just that… but what about you? Will Hyuuga Hinata be ready…?"

I lifted my head, resolute. "I have to be, don't I? I'll make certain of it."

---

Hanabi ハナビ

The assembled audience was massive; the great hall was brimming to capacity. It was as the last were filing in that the object of the crowd's attention climbed the few steps of the stone dais at the head of the room, and then stood on his chair so that all could see him.

"Oh, Shikamaru…"

I turned my head at the murmur, quickly recognizing the chuunin who stood nearby. "Nara-san?"

Nara Yoshino shook her head. "When this conflict began, I just wanted him to be careful, to be safe. Now my baby, who'd never been passionate or enthusiastic about a thing in his life, is the leader of all this… My boy's leading the resistance. When did you become so strong?"

I looked to the Hakage again, who stood now before the hundreds who looked to him for guidance. "He's a brave individual at heart. No one could have expected it, but when people needed him, he rose to the occasion. A strategist took on leadership, and with some reluctance wound up commanding all the responsibilities that came with it. I don't believe that that fire in his eyes is going anywhere soon."

Behind me, Hiryuu spoke. "You must be proud, Yoshino-san."

She clasped her hand at her heart. Then we fell silent, for the Leaf Shadow had begun to address his people.

"In the last several days, we have seen our number suffer … an unthinkable loss…"

---

Naruto ナルト

"You are sure about this, then?" Lee asked, frowning.

"I'm sure," Hinata confirmed. "I've already cleared it with Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-sama, and the others. We've busted every Sound prison on record. Two months of diplomacy, supply consolidation, courier work, and other preparation isn't for me. And if I'm not needed here, I'm off to train."

---

Hanabi ハナビ

"I guess this is the part where a leader's supposed to say how everything's gonna work out just fine, and we'll pull through in the end. I won't," he said shortly, his gaze level and stern, sweeping across his listeners with a power to rival and redouble that of his projecting voice. "I won't be the type of leader who inspires by lying through his teeth; it's not my style. I can't tell you our glorious victory is a certainty when it's not. I won't tell you that their victories against us up to this point were flukes, and I won't waste your time calling our enemy cowardly or weak. That's not why we're here…"

---

Naruto ナルト

"Well, then – where Hinata goes, I go."

This declaration startled her. "Naruto-kun… you want to come with me? To Youkai no Kokudo?"

I grinned. "If the Domain of Demons is where you're headed, I'm all for it. Besides, it sounds like a wicked place to get stronger!"

"Hold it," a new voice interrupted, and I turned to see the Pervy Sage walking toward me, a frog on his shoulder. This one I'd never seen before; he was pale green in color and old, by the looks of him. Jiraiya continued. "Naruto, I'm afraid you've got … prior arrangements."

"Ero-sennin…?" I said, blinking as the old frog eyed me up and down, sizing me up.

---

Hanabi ハナビ

"Our enemy is decisive and ruthless – in light of recent events, that much is obvious. Before all this is over, more of us will die, meaning more of us will feel the pain of being left behind. From the beginning we have been the inferior power in this struggle; in manpower and resources, New Sound bests us on every account. They have at least four shinobi to our one, in the village alone; they have…" he paused with a shrug, "matching flak jackets, fine steel. But there's one thing we have that they don't, and it's the reason that, despite every advantage they may hold, they've failed for months on end to stamp us out as the vermin they'd liken us to."

---

Naruto ナルト

"Senjutsu?" I said, a skeptical eyebrow raised. "You're sending me to study Sage Arts with the toads on some mountain?"

"He doesn't look like much to me, Jiraiya-chan," the toad, whom Jiraiya had introduced as Master Fukasaku, croaked, a webbed hand stroking his short beard. I frowned. The toad didn't look like much himself.

"Trust me, Boss," Jiraiya said, before I could say as much, "He's proven himself time and again. He's ready, I assure you. And you, Naruto – training on Myobokuzen is a great privilege, one I've spent no small amount of time convincing the Master to consider extending to one so young," he added pointedly. "What I learned there is nothing to scoff at."

"Pervy Sage…" Finally I nodded.

---

Hanabi ハナビ

"We have unity! Kinship! Honor! And we have in us the spirit of dogged perseverance to keep the Sound from claiming victory in this war! Three heroes who lived by perseverance amassed their power, and then amassed an army. We've all heard of the loyalist entity moving on the outside. Help will come, and when it does, bet that it will arrive with a vengeance. But until it arrives, we stand strong! We hold our ground, so that their army has a village to return to – so that when we come face-to-face with our brothers in arms after so long a time, we can look them in the eye and say that we – with our power! – protected this place and held the jaws of tyranny at bay, as the people of the Hidden Leaf!"

---

Naruto ナルト

"Hyuuga-san."

Gaara had remained quiet throughout the discussion; now he spoke with certainty.

"Take me with you to the Land of Demons. I know it's a dangerous place, but if I bring Shukaku to the realm of its creation, I feel I just might be able to learn to connect with it… and a place wild and uninhabited by people would be an ideal setting to further my mastery of its power."

In an impassive face, his teal eyes were determined, even hopeful; Hinata smiled sadly, though, and shook her head. "What you say is true. One day, maybe – but unlike us, as the Sand's envoy you are needed here. Soon you'll be expected to return to your people, and assist in negotiations and the diplomatic process. Besides… this is a time I think I need to spend alone. Forgive me…"

Gaara nodded in understanding, whatever disappointment he felt hidden well. "Very well, then," he said, smiling. "After this war is won. Someday…"

I chuckled at Hinata's surprised face. Gaara had faith in her, alright – it was plenty clear in that look. She finally smirked and took the hand he offered to shake. "Sounds like a plan."

This settled, Gaara turned his head. "And you, Lee-san? Will you remain with the army?"

"Without you guys around?" Lee shook his head. "Guy-sensei has said … that I have learned all he has to teach me," he said, looking down momentarily and not a bit awed. "Even so, this is only a beginning. I will set off in search of powerful opponents to fight, to test my mettle and grow stronger still! When the time comes to return, I will be ready!"

---

Hanabi ハナビ

"The Sound sees in us a nuisance. They've driven us to living like fugitives, rats in our own land, and they ask us why we don't just give up. They thought to teach us a lesson – to remind us of our supposed inferiority before their might, and maybe they have."

He raised his arms, hands wide. "But what the Sound doesn't understand is that this place was born of the refusal to back down faced with overwhelming odds – and with a birth so valiant, I, for one, will not see it die anything less!" he cried, his fist striking his into the air.

The room erupted; a roar that I felt certain would echo in the farthest reaches of New Oto's land emerged from the throats of shinobi and civilian alike, the young and the old; it was the voice of a boy who had lost his best mate; it was the voice of Sakura and Kiba and Chouji, who with Shikamaru had dared to light the first spark of revolt; it was the voice of five Hyuuga, estranged from our clan; it was the voice of people uprooted from their homes, who had come here rather than see their children made into shinobi against their will; it was the voice of tokubetsu jounin who'd found themselves with the responsibility of defending this place as our strongest. It held the strength of a thousand, the righteous will of a people united before the test to come, and ready and willing, if need be, to fight to the last.

---

Naruto ナルト

I gave a determined smile, and Lee and Hinata couldn't help but wryly follow suit.

"So, we go our separate ways … for the last time."

There was nervousness in the air – the reluctance to separate again was present, sure, but of even greater weight was the unspoken fact that our journey was winding to a close. This time, when we met again it would be to return home – at the fore of an army – and face whatever was to be found there.

I dug from my pocket a diamond-shaped pendant to hold before the others. Chuckling, I shut my eyes and scratched my head with my free hand. "Well?"

"I still have mine as well," Lee affirmed, withdrawing his own pendant from his belt.

"Of course," Hinata held hers out, blushing lightly.

No more words were needed for us to hold the pieces together – revealing the simple kanji 'team' inscribed lightly in the completed hexagon – and, as one, snap it apart. To be united again, stronger than before.

"Just about a year even has gone by since three dropouts fled the Leaf…" I remarked, looking contemplatively into my fragment of the pendant. I flicked it into the air and caught it again. "Who'd've imagined…"

"I know what you mean," Lee said, nodding soberly. I turned.

"Hinat–,"

She had already ducked in to get a quick taste of my lips. After a heartbeat's pleasant surprise I let my eyelids shut, and happily reciprocated her affection. One more chaste, slow kiss, and we joined for several moments and held; when we parted she was smiling gently up at me, her eyes soft, wrapped in an aura of peace and warmth. "Keep me close to your heart?" she said tentatively, a hand's light fingers brushing over the center of my chest.

"Always," I answered fondly, the word a whisper of passion as one hand rose to caress a downy, lupine ear. I planted one more kiss, on her forehead. "For the bad dreams."

I wanted to stay there and hold her at least a little while longer, but it was time to go; Fukasaku was waiting. We separated, and I turned to where the old toad stood nearby.

"Let's go, then."

"Humph! Two months ain't much, but we'll see what we can do with you, lad. Take my hand."

"Right."

With a glance back at the party that had gathered to see us off – the jounin sensei, Granny Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya, Gaara, and the once-Sound four – I cocked a grin and lifted a hand in farewell. What I hadn't expected was their collective salute in return; and it goes without saying that I was more than a bit surprised when, beyond them, I found that the entire army stood at attention as far as I could see, and took up a silent salute. Lee and Hinata, picking up on the subtle falling of my jaw, slowly turned to see what I did. Hinata's eyes grew almost comically round; Lee's face flushed, and he bowed his head.

We are … no outcasts…

Not anymore.

I felt the transportation spell grasp me – and then I was off.

---

Neji ネジ

"She has resolved to fight me…"

Across from me on the rugged training ground, Orochimaru quirked an eyebrow at the offhanded remark, amusement in his gaze.

"Just as well that her commitment is so pure," I went on lightly, smiling. "She continues to train, to build up her strength, fueled by the hope that she'll, oh, break through to me."

"Kukuku… And your thoughts on this…?"

A smirk hung itself crookedly on my face as I lifted my hands and shrugged. "So be it. Let her come…"

I turned, my gaze sharp and my fangs bared as a snarling hiss tore, screeching, from my throat. Thirty meters away a massive hunk of stone shuddered and went up in a cloud of dust, fragments careening in all directions as the boom of its implosion shook the ground.

"Let her die."

---

ナルト / リー / ヒナタ \ ハナビ \ ネジ

End Chapter Twenty-Four

(wind blows)

Naruto: Ready… and… Draw!

Neji: Wolf Fang Fist!

Naruto: Foxfire!

Hanabi: Kamehameha!

Lee: Wind Scar!

Hinata: Blades of Blood!

KABOOM!

(cut to Neji, on the ground, X's for eyes)

Naruto: No one else picked a melee attack.

Hanabi: Baka.

(–static–)

Lee: So… Hanabi-san…?

Hanabi: Huh? What is it?

Lee: It appears that we are the only main characters who never walk on all fours.

Hanabi: Hey, you're right… Three out of five? Why is that?

Naruto: Four legs goooood, two legs baaaaaaaad! (is cuffed over the head by Hinata)

Neji: Hey, I'm not happy about being an insult to bipedal locomotion!

Hinata: What? Binocular vision?

Neji: No, I said–!

Lee: Binomial nomenclature?

Neji: Just forget it…

(–static–)

Naruto: We've faced grueling odds…

We've honed our skills…

We've accomplished impossible feats. And now…

Lee: Now the time has come… for the Wraith, the Warrior, and the Beast to return. Our home – what will we find within the walls? As we lead an army of Leaf, Mist, and Sand, rejoin with old friends, and launch ourselves into battle against the pure evil that unfolds, all hell will break loose. And then…

Hinata: And then…

Neji: So… you've arrived.

Hinata: The fight of my life…

Begins.

Naruto: Next time on Journey of the Three Failures – Chapter Twenty-Five: Toward the New Age! Prepare yourselves!

Another chapter down! Aaaawww yeah! :P Things are about to get intense.

"A Demon's Fate" should make plenty of sense as a chapter song now. Or, not even a chapter song, necessarily – just a Neji song XD He'll be fitting it pretty well for the next couple of chapters. But really, look at this song! Look at the lyrics! It's awesome. ^^

Here we go – how was the chapter? Goods, bads? The full moon brawl, the deaths of the Chosen? Le drama? The tragedy that is Neji and Tenten? Gosh, I'm sorry I'm being so mean to poor Tenten just to establish Neji's twistedness. Thoughts on Neji's exploration, the walk through the village, interactions in this chapter, the spiral to madness? I know a lot of you aren't crazy about Neji's and Hanabi's segments, so I'm sorry for such a Neji-centric chap after so long a wait. Here's a good question: anyone feeling sorry for him? Now that I've made the majority of readers hate J3F Neji, I'm guessing a few will feel for him and the rest will just hate him ten times worse. That's just my guess, though – let me know! Were any parts confusing? If so, I'll do my best to answer questions.

If you liked the chapter, review! If you didn't like the chapter, review! But especially if you enjoyed the chapter – come on, take a minute to drop a little feedback? Please? X3

Proofreading all-nighter complete! As always, thank you for reading! See you next time :)

Hinata0321