-flashbacks are written in italics with the "(f)" mark on the beginning and the end.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-o-o-o-

Chapter Five

Sasuke threw the kunai pouch inside his pack, a few provisions of food, and ointments. He was already wearing his complete Anbu gear and his katana slung behind his back. Grinding his teeth at the Hokage's refusal of letting him join on Hinata's retrieval mission, instead, he found himself assigned on a B-class mission with Sakura—much to Naruto's chagrin.

Something seems wrong. Sasuke could not just put his finger into it. He was not underestimating Kakashi, or any of the members that consist the retrieval unit, it was just because deep within him, he knew that Itachi would make them run in circles. The older Uchiha always have plans ahead of his plans, and he was very good on reading people's minds.

To make it short, every time you take a step, Uchiha Itachi would always be fifty steps ahead of you.

That's how good he was.

And Sasuke knew that if he was the one to go out there, he has the highest chance of catching up with the heiress. It was because just like his brother; he knows how a criminal's mind works, for he was also considered one a few years back.

If you want to catch a monster, you don't send out a man…you send out a monster too.

Zipping his bag close, Sasuke let out a resigned growl and grabbed his Anbu mask. The mask was shaped to look like a dog, with red and blue markings into it. The Uchiha stared at it for a few seconds—memories flooding inside his mind—and tied it around his head, covering his handsome face from view.

-o-

(f) "Twin lion's fist!" Hinata focused her chakra to flow into her palms and build there as she tried to recall the right stance for the technique. Digging her sturdy sandals into the earth, she eyed the wooden dummies in front of her, imagining that they were her enemies.

With a blur, she attacked.

A mask Anbu watched in curiosity as the heiress begun to massacre the wooden dummies in training ground seven. He was perched high in a large tree branch, dark hair flowing with the wind. He just came back from an escort mission and he decided to take a short cut on his way to report to the Hokage.

And he saw her.

Hinata Hyuga. The one who drew Naruto's face— which he may point out— oddly looks like an ugly cat with little hearts around it. He doesn't know the reason why he stopped, but when he saw her in a fighting stance, his curiosity roused up.

He was going to see what this Hyuga can do.

Her stance was strong but she was lacking of confidence. Every time she hit a target, she would falter for a second—as if she was not sure if she really wanted to harm the wooden dummy.

It's a wooden dummy for Kami's sake.

She was graceful and her movements fast. Her speed was something to be noted, for she was a blur of purple and blue every time she moved her hands and feet.

"Hinata-chan!"Someone called in an annoyingly familiar voice. "Dattebayo!"

The Uchiha above and the Hyuga below both snapped their heads to see the caller. Hinata's eyes widened and her cheeks suddenly flushed while Sasuke was just observant behind the mask.

Here comes the ugly cat.

"N-Naruto-kun…Ohayo."

The blonde grinned sheepishly, scratching his head as he approached the heiress. "Where's your team? Did you come here alone?"

"Hai. It's my day off…"

"Oh…"

The blue haired kunoichi began to look around; her calm demeanor has left her the moment the Uzumaki appeared on the training field. Sasuke can't help but be amused at how she was looking so flustered and at the same time helpless. "Are you with Sakura-chan?"

Naruto shook his head no. "Sakura-chan's training with Tsunade Baa-chan today, while Sasuke's away on a mission. That teme have been calling me cat face since the other day, I don't know what's gotten into him."

Sasuke saw Hinata's flushed face drained and turned pale. "Cat face? H-he did?"

"Yeah…he said I reminded him of some kind of drawing he saw a few days ago. Sasuke's weird." Naruto grinned again, as if the matter was way beyond his understanding. "So…since you're alone and I'm alone, why don't we get some ramen to eat?"

Hinata failed to answer, for she stood frozen on the spot.

"Hina-chan?." Naruto can't help but notice her pale cheeks. He was used to seeing her red cheeks all the time, so this colorless thing was somewhat new.

The girl suddenly fainted, dropping to the ground in a crumpled heap. Naruto on the other hand was alarmed. Not knowing what was wrong with Hinata, he started to panic as he picked the girl up.

Sasuke just smiled. (f)

-o-

Hinata licked her dry lips, giving it the much needed moisture it needs. The food bag was still hidden behind her, and Itachi seems to have forgotten all about it. He just sat there on his chair, flipping the pages from a small tattered book. They are alone now, for the other Akatsuki members left hours ago—much to Hinata's comfort. Squinting to get a closer look, Hinata recognized what kind of book it was, for she also has her own copy back in Konoha.

It's the binggo book.

Heavens…she needs water. Her throat was burning and Hinata never felt this thirsty all her life. A part of her wanted to ask for some, for they were generous enough to give her food, so why not ask for water? The only problem was, another part of her mind was afraid that the question might cause Itachi to remember about the food that he gave to her.

Her situation was actually ironic, for she was the only Hyuga to wield the element of water—the Hyuga clan uses wind-but her chakra was too unstable to produce even a few drops.

As she observed the older Uchiha, Hinata bit her lip and closed her eyes. She was starting to get dizzy and her vision was suddenly becoming blurry. Her hands shot to her temple to press the throbbing nerve there. Taking in slow but deep breathes, Hinata waited for the blurriness to go away.

When she opened her eyes again, she was startled when she came face to face with Itachi. He was studying her face, a small water container on his hand. Without a word, he uncorked the lid and pressed the container's small opening into her quivering lips.

How could he move so inaudibly? But Hinata did not have time to ponder on the matter as she felt the cool water ease the roughness inside her throat. Gulping the liquid greedily, she coughed when she swallowed too much, splattering them both with water.

"G-gomen…" She apologized.

"The food won't help your body if you just keep them behind you." He told her. Returning the lid on the water container, the sharingan user then placed it beside the heiress, and then he leaned forward, his hand grabbing the food bag Hinata was almost sitting upon. "Eat. Or do you want me to feed you myself?"

Hinata was about to act defiant or firm, but something in the Uchiha's eyes unnerved her. The moment she looked into his eyes—eyes that killed a lot of people, no doubt—she found herself wavering from her own conviction.

His aura was too overpowering.

"I…I'll eat."

-o-o-o-

Hatake Kakashi kneeled on the forest floor and took a pinch of dirt, rubbing the moist soil between his fingers; he looked around the clearing and frowned. Behind him, Kiba was sniffing the air, his canines showing just like the giant dog that was next to him. A little farther from behind, Shino Aburame was talking to Neji, discussing the trails and the things that they suddenly found confusing.

"Sensei." Neji called. "The trails…"

Kakashi stood; his hands crept to his pocket and he shook his head. "Yeah…no trace."

"They can't disappear in mid-air!" Kiba exclaimed impatiently. He was worried, and every time he was worried, he tends to say things out loud. Hinata might be in danger at this very moment and here they are, wasting precious time because they can't identify which bloody trail to follow.

It drives him nuts.

"Lets' get some help then." The famous copy ninja bit his thumb, performed the hand seals for a summoning jutsu then slammed his palm on the earth. The moment he did, there was a thick puff of smoke and his pack of ninja dogs appeared.

There were eight of them, all wearing dog clothes with written kanjis on their backs. When Kiba looked at the symbol and patched them together, he realized that they were syllables for the name Kakashi.

Crafty. The Inuzuka thought.

"Pakun." Kakashi gestured at one dog in particular. It was a small pug, sitting on top of another ninken. The dog tilted its head up, looking at his master and paying attention to what he was about to say. "I need you and the pack to help us look for the trail with this scent." Pulling a small purple cloth from his pocket, Kakashi let the dog grab it with his mouth.

"Smells nice." The pug commented. "Lilacs."

Kiba's ears perked up. "Hey…My nose and Akamaru's could do the job sensei."

"I know." Kakashi assured. Diverting his attention back to his Ninken pack, he asked. "So? Which way?"

"Left." Pakun's nose pointed at the direction.

"North." Said the other dog Pakun was sitting upon.

"West."

"North East." Answered the other.

Kakashi nodded, not minding his other companion's bewildered looks. "And where is your nose leading you Kiba-kun?"

"South." Kiba said, now keeping up with the real reason why Kakashi summoned his Ninken. Shaking his head, the Inuzuka sniffed again. "Crap. We've been tricked."

"Just as I thought…the trail has been tampered that even the sense of smell of my hunting Ninken and Kiba's can't exactly pinpoint which path Hinata's abductors took." The Hatake explained. "So right now…we better change our plans."

-o-o-o-

Hinata silently followed his abductors out of the cave-like hideout.

The heiress felt a little better after she ate the food and drank the water container empty. After a few minutes, she already found her strength to help her walk on her own without any help, though she tends to stagger every now and then, she could stand her own ground.

Itachi was with her, weirdly keeping a short distance from behind. The shark-like man named Kisame, was the one in front. Hinata wondered why he looked like that, it was like he was still on his sage mode—though why he chose not to return to his normal form escapes her—for all she knew, its chakra draining.

Kisame lolled his head to the side; his marble like eyes staring at the heiress. Taking note that she was not wearing her thick vest anymore, he gave her a sly grin. He never knew what goods her damn vest was hiding from his view until now. Looking at her form, he was satisfied that she did not disappoint his expectations.

Damn Itachi…always taking the first pick.

Itachi walked silently with his usual proud form. The back of the heiress was to him so his eyes landed on the long blue tresses which were unkempt, yet obviously well taken care of. The moment he was assigned with Kisame to kidnap the future Hyuga clan leader, he was expecting some spoiled, pampered brat that would tear his ears off with complains, cries and wails.

But he was wrong. The girl was brave, concerning the circumstances. He also noted that she was very polite and level headed. She was not the first person that they have abducted before, but she was the only one who did not cry her eyes out. If anything, she was very composed—faltering sometimes—but still.

"Zetsu." Kisame stopped without warning, resulting for Hinata to bump into him from behind.

In front of them, on the moist ground, a humanoid form emerged. Hinata silently compared the creature's body into white clay. When it emerged fully, there were two Venus flytrap-like extensions that were attached on both of his sides, enveloping the head and upper body like a shell.

Itachi stepped ahead of the Hyuga and the freaky-looking creature smiled at him. "Itachi-san…I got news." It spoke. "Hidan got his head chopped and Kakuzu's wounded."

Kisame guffawed. "Hidan's head got chopped?"

"But they did not die. " Itachi said and his face blank. "They can't die…in physical means. Did they have trouble on their job?"

"No, on the way to their job…to be exact. Kakuzu-san asked me to inform you that it would be a few days before they can catch up with you…They still need to heal." Zetsu answered. "They were interrupted by a group Konoha Shinobi."

At Zetsu's words, Hinata straightened up. Her ears suddenly ringing at the news concerning her fellow leaf nins. Taking a small step forward—for Itachi's much larger built was covering Zetsu from view— she waited for more information.

Maybe something about a retrieval unit? Something about her? Something about…Sasuke?

"But they managed to kill the third Hokage's son…" Zetsu added, his white colored face wrinkling at the sides as he grinned, all sharp teeth showing out. "Sarutobi Asuma."

Hinata's breathing stopped.

They killed Asuma-sensei?

-o-o-o-

Here ends the chapter.

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-crazygurl12