Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Caught part one The Goddess ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Her leg still hurt. The wound was almost healed. Just another couple of days and she could continue her training.

 

Hinata sat on a bench in the gardens to the back of her house. She had always thought of it as her bench. Whenever she needed a moment this was where she went.

 

Over the last week she had some time to think. Thankful to Tsunade's understanding and her embarrassment in admitting her blunder, the Hokage had given her two weeks off from any missions. The wonderful woman also promised to keep her injury a secret from her family, as long as she sought medical attention. She agreed. She didn't need her father thinking any less of her.

 

Her father, who wanted her to train with him every chance she got, let it slide this week since she requested time to study the Clans history and Justu's. Little did he know she already did. So she pretended to study to give her wound time to heal. Also, if gave her time to think about whether or not she was really going to look through the books her cousin gave her.

 

One of them was anatomy. She had studied that already, but this one focused on the reproductive system and the stages of the fetus. She had two books of sexual positions, one titled `spontaneous', two others were on oral, and the last one dealt with `self expression'.

 

The thought crossed her mind whether or not Neji ever read the books or kept them because they use to be his fathers. She couldn't imagine him reading books full of such material…or pictures.

 

Smiling, Hinata played with a purple flower on a bush that sat next to `her' bench. A small sharp pain ran through her leg as she leaned on it to get a better access to the flower.

 

How she managed to keep everybody from knowing about her leg was a miracle.

 

“Hinata” a familiar voice spoke not far from her place on her bench.

 

“Yes brother Neji” She didn't bother turning around to look at him.

 

“The Hokage wants to see you immediately”

 

“Yes, brother neji”

 

And he was gone just as quickly as he came.

 

Sighing, Hintat stood, her leg protecting such a movement, but she ignored it. Taking a step she suppressed the wince. Determined to keep her injury a secret she slowly, without a limp, made her way from the Hyuuga compound toward the Hokage tower.

 

Why would the Hokage want to see her?

 

#$%^&*()(*&^%$#%^&*

 

“Hinata, I appreciate you coming down where, especially when I gave you the next few days off, but this is a matter of importance.” The Hokage rested both of the elbows on her desk. Her fingers intertwined just under her eyes. No amusement. Just hard calculating eyes.

 

Whatever it was that Hinata was called for was indeed serious.

 

“I have received a report form a guard that was patrolling the walls. It seems Sakura has felt the premises. You may not know this, but not too long ago, Sasuke entered her camp, warning her of destruction that he himself was going to bestow upon the village.”

 

Confusion. Betrayal.

 

What was it that she felt.

 

Sadness.

 

Why was Sakura going into the forest alone?

 

Why else then to see Sasuke again?

 

Hinata's chest began to tighten.

 

Sakura may have betrayed them.

 

This news wouldn't be devastating to Naruto.

 

“Lady Hokage?” Hinata nearly gasped from the pain in her chest. “What would you like me to do?” There was a purpose in her coming here. Most likely to track down the pink haired, possibly missing nin.

 

“I need you, and another ninja, to track her down and bring her back. You need somebody with great inteligance so I am sending Shikimaru with you. The only chance you will have against her is for you to close the pathways of her charka. I would send Neji, but I need him somewhere else.”

 

“What about…” The words didn't want to leave her mouth. Excepting this mission was important, but felt almost as if she were betraying the person she admired the most. Naruto would be devastated if she went without him.

 

She was saving his sister from his brother, and he was being left in the dark.

 

“Naruto is not to know” Tsunade shook her head. “I understand the pain he will feel when he finds out, but he can not be aloud to go near them. His emotion will run to high, and we can't afford to loose Sakura. Her medical knowledge, not to mention the inner workings of our village, are all part of the important information we do not want the outside would to know about. If he keeps her, and she were to give up our secrets then we are at the mercy of whoever gains the infromation.”

 

“She'd never-” Hinata couldn't finish the sentence. The pain in her chest started to choke the wind out of her.

 

“She wouldn't have a choice agains Sasuke's sharingan.”

 

Hinata could only nod in understanding.

 

“Meet Shikimaru at the gate in fifteen minutes.”

 

#$&*(*&$#$*(*$#

 

She couldn't handle having the information. The amount of pain Sasuke must be in. She may not have understood his pain, but now at least she understood his reasons.

 

The real question is…

 

How long had he known?

 

The trees seemed to pass as if she were flying, and in a way she was. No doubt her leaving did not to unnoticed. She was probably being followed. The faster she found her target and left the better.

 

She knew where he was. How she knew, she had no idea, she just did.

 

It would take a good hour of running before she where to reach the area where she met him before. She couldn't imagine him being too far from that area. Besides she was trained in tracking elite ninja's, specifically to find Sasuke when the time came, so if she didn't find any obvious leads, there were many others that weren't visible.

 

The possible outcomes to the conversation ran through her head for that hour of running. How would he react to her presence after he had already warned her?

 

She didn't know exactly, but she doubts that he would kill her. Maybe one of his lackeys, but not him. He gave her the warning to save her. He could have passed her by but chose not to.

 

Reaching the area in which the campsite was set, she started her search. It wasn't hard to find footprints, or broken twigs, but that wasn't what she was looking for.

 

Not many people could see what she could. Part of her training as a medic nin was to search for faint chakra, or other kinds of energy, to heal. In doing so, she found out later that it applied to everyday life. If somebody sat in a chair, their chakra pattern was set in that chair for a good week.

 

The longer is set the fainter it got.

 

Being that it was faint to begin with didn't help.

 

Concentrating she frowned when nothing came into view. There was nothing. it had been too long.

 

Sighing, she leapt into a tree and started toward the steam that was not too far off. It was the reason why they stopped last time.

 

There, she found what she was looking for.

 

Taking her much needed drink of water, she smiled at the traces of chakra on the other side of the river.

 

From there, it didn't take long. It was hard to read and fallow, but she did her best. There were a few times when she had to backtrack just to make sure. After few minutes, the chakra started to fade into the surroundings.

 

One major problem with tracking like this was that the site soon faded. It didn't take long for hers to do that same.

 

It didn't matter anyway. She found them.

 

!@#$%^&*(

 

They were standing when she reached the edge of the small clearing. The sun had fully set, their campfire burning in the early night air.

 

When medic nin entered the clearing the first person she saw was Karin, the annoying red head that could sense chakra. She stood to the side of the fire with her arms crossed. Next to her stood Suigetsu, Orochimaru's water creature/human experiment that went right. On the other side of the fire sat the largest man of the group; Juugo. His eye, when not in his berserker state, were full of sadness and innocence the barer obviously didn't believe he deserved.

 

Through the fire, leaning against a tree, was the infamous Uchiha.

 

She heard Karin scoff before making a motion to begin the conversation, or the bitchfest.

 

“Leave” Sasuke ordered.

 

“Yeah bitch! Leave-”

 

“Karin, I think he meant us” Suigetsu's obvious confused, yet surprisingly confused, voice stopped her.

 

She turned to question her long time obsession, but his hard eyes were set on Sakura.

 

A different feeling took over the camp. One that even Karin feared resisting. The other members of team hawk disappeared, leaving the two ex teammates along.

 

“Is it true” the pink haired nin spoke; breaking the silence.

 

The Uchiha's eyes hardened even more. He did his best to keep the doubt out of his eyes, but sakura, who had known him better than anybody, could see it.

 

The question that ran through her mind, and clearly his; could he, would he, really kill the villagers?

 

“Is it true. Was it the elders?” Sakura tried again. Her body, full of confidence, seemed to challenge his. The kind of challenge wasn't obvious, but they could feel it flowing off her in waves.

 

His eyes never left her.

 

“Answer me” Sakura demanded.

 

Sasuke stood up from the tree. “Yes”

 

“And for that you are going to destroy the village?” Her voice, slowly filling with fury, carried across the fire, and all but attacked him where he stood.

 

It took a moment for him to answer.

 

It looked almost as if he were trying to convince himself of the statement he was abot to make. “The village will feel my hatred”

 

Sakura's body started to shake. “So you will kill us. You will kill us all. Tell me Sasuke, can you look into the eyes of a child then slaughter it. Are you really that heartless”

 

She thought she saw the doubt cross his face for a second.

 

“My heart was left behind with my clan.”

 

“Oh, so you killed it” She retored.

 

“The village killed it” His anger brewed under his cool façade.

 

“No, you killed it. You killed your brother. You killed Madara. You killed the last of you clan. The village is not to blame.”

 

“Don't talk about things you don't understand girl.” His teeth clenched.

 

“Things I don't understand?” She repeated, her eyes took on more of a sad look as she tried to stare down the Uchiha. “I don't understand the depth of your pain, but I understand pain, and so does most of the people in this world. You Uchiha, don't understand the pain. You are in pain, but you have yet to understand what it means.”

 

She could see his body lean forward as if he were going to attack. “The pain you should be feeling is not the pain of loosing your family, but the pain of their shame, and bringing disgrace to their name.”

 

He flinched, before standing up straighter, hostility still present. He made his way, very slowly around the fire toward her. “Is this why you came here? To lecture me on something you can't possible understand?” Hatred.

 

She took a step forward. “Yes” There was no real point in lying.

 

Sasuke drew his sword.

 

“Are you going to kill me Sasuke?” Her voice held no humor, no hate.

 

“You are in my way” Sasuke's glare deepened.

 

He stopped.

 

She still walked toward him.

 

“Would it ease your pain to kill me?” She took a few more steps.

 

“Nothing can ease my pain. I will merely share it with those who cause mine”

 

She was now standing so close to Sasuke, looking up at him, that only a few inches their lips would meet, but that was the last thing on their minds.

 

“Why didn't Itachi kill you Sasuke?” She asked as if she knew the answer already, just wanted him to hear him say it.

 

“He valued my life over the villages.”

 

She nodded. “He loved you”

 

Sasuke flinched at the word.

 

“And you are going to destroy what he gave his life, and his clans life to protect?”

 

“I value his life over the village.”

 

“My Sasuke, how weak you have become” She whispered; disappointment present in every word.

 

He grabbed her arm with his free hand, giving her bruises with his fingers. She didn't flinch.

 

“I'm sure that if Itachi knew what you were planning, he would have wished he killed you with his clan.”

 

His body froze. His heart raced. She could feel it through is hands. His gripped tightened.

 

“You forget Sasuke,” She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “He didn't kill his clan to save the village. He gave it to save the world. Every country would gave been brought into this war. Thousands, maybe millions would have died. He suffered so no one else had to”

 

“I suffered” He whispered angrily.

 

She could feel her bone strain at the pressure his grip was putting on it. She still didn't flinch. “Because you aloud yourself to” Her voice still in a soft whisper. She felt the tip of the sword touch her lower back. All he needed to do was push a little and it would pierce through her skin. “You succumbed to your pain. You forced yourself to feel loneliness, when we loved you. You left when power wouldn't just come to you. You chose to fallow the path a person you once hated gave you. You did it to yourself and now you are wallowing in self-pity.” She shook her head. He pressed the blade into her flesh. A small stream of blood flowed from the wound. She still didn't flinch.

 

“Did you come here to die, Sakura?” His harsh voice brushed across her ear.

 

“I came here to see how the mighty Uchiha clan has fallen.” She pulled back and looked up at him. “You can't beat Naruto the way you are now. You have no chance.”

 

“I'll kill him along with the rest of the traitorous village.”

 

“You can't beat him, because you already gave up” Her eyes hardened. “He has never, once in his life given up, you on the other hand, Uchiha, have done nothing but give up. You are weak. The only power you have is the power your brother gave you” Her voice turned unnecessarily harsh.

 

“Shut up Haruno”

 

Her hand rose slowly, pressing up against his cheek. He tried to flinch away, but she held it strong. “That was a lie. Before Orochimuru, you were strong. Before the curse, you were the man your family and brother hoped you would be. You were tricked, and tortured until you turned into this disgraceful monster before me”

 

His sword loosened. He smirked. “Run along home, I will be there to kill you soon enough”

 

She dropped her hand. “Why wait?”

 

He leaned in closer, his arrogant smirk widened. “Soon. I'll come for you first”

 

She smirked back. “I bet, no I know, he is watching right now, regretting his decision to keep you alive. I don't think he counted on your turning crazy.”

 

He pulled back, a sneer on his face.

 

She turned and started walking back toward the forest. “Nothing like a traitorous brother” She threw over her shoulder.

 

“He wasn't-”

 

She paused looking over her shoulder at him. “I wasn't talking about Itachi, but since we are on that subject.” She turned, giving him a stern look. One your mother give when you know there is no arguing with her. “There were other ways to handle the situation, and he was smart enough to know that. Killing your family wasn't necessary, and he did it anyway.” She turned and started to walk, not seeing his face turn into something resembling a cross between shock and pain. “Your brother was a traitor and you are a disgrace. Thus ends the legacy of the Uchiha.”

 

As she disappeared into the forest, the feel of Sasuke's gaze burned holes in her back. The pain she knew he felt at that moment weighted down on her, but she knew it was necessary. If he had to harbor the pain in order for the village to live, then so be it.

 

Sacrifices were often necessary to preserve peace.

 

She shook her head as she began to run.

 

$%^&*(&^%^&

 

“Did you have fun?” The board, yet slightly irritated voice of Shikimaru called to her from a nearby tree.

 

Stopping her run she looked down at the base of the tree across from her. Said man stood there, a cigarette in his mouth, eye closed. Sitting in a tree above him, on a thick branch, Hinata sat, eyeing her, worry in her eyes.

 

“You were the team sent after me?” She leapt down, standing a few feet in front of Shikimaru.

 

He looked up. “Troublesome.”

 

Sakura smirked.

 

“Sakura”

 

Sakura looked up at Hyuuga Heiress.

 

“Why did you leave?”

 

Taking a deep breath, Sakura spoke “I needed to give Sasuke a good scolding.”

 

Shikimaru smirked. “Were we right?”

 

“You mean you?” She crossed her arms. “Yes you were”

 

He nodded once, before pushing off the tree. “Then lets get back. We still have a good 45 minute run.” Putting the cigarette out on a leather strap on his fest he took out a pack and placed the half smoked cigarette inside. “And you have to explain why you went after Sasuke without telling Tsunade what we know”

 

She nodded.

 

“What do mean?” Hinata asked.

 

Guilt filled the pink haired ninja. She didn't like keeping secrets, especially from Hinata. If there was somebody who could keep a secret, besides Shikimaru, it was her, but she couldn't tell her. Not yet. “I'll explain later, Hinata. Its not safe to explain it now”

 

Taking a moment to think it over the girl smile and nodded.