In searching for Itachi, Naruto and the other Konoha shinobi ended up finding Sasuke.
"I FOUND HIM!" Naruto yelled as they jumped swiftly through the trees.
"Way to go, Naruto!" Kiba called, "Which way?"
"Follow me!" Naruto called as he charged forward. He knew his Shadow Clones knew where Sasuke was too, he figured they were probably surging towards him."Follow any Naruto you see!" Naruto called as he caught up to a couple of Narutos, "We're all going to the same place."
One of the Shadow Clones looked back to the original, "He's got some people with him."
Naruto grimaced and nodded, "Do we know who?"
"Can we get some descriptions?" Kiba asked.
"Two males and a female besides Sasuke." Naruto called, "One is real big, not fat but big. The other is thin but… something about him. Sharp teeth… he's carryin' a real big sword."
"Not just any sword." A clone interrupted, "Zabuza's sword."
"Zabuza?" Kakashi repeated, "He took it…? Then he must be…"
"Who is the girl?" Sakura demanded as she caught up to Naruto.
The original and the clones shrugged, "Funny colored hair, glasses, short-shorts… I think she has some sort of power though." Naruto said, "She said something before I saw Sasuke, she said, 'There are a bunch of people with identical chakra's all around us.' I think she can sense chakra."
"Like Byakugan?" Hinata asked.
"No," Naruto called back, "She didn't have white eyes or Sharingan…"
"How… how old is she? Really old?" Sakura asked non-chalantly.
Naruto grinned, "Maybe just a little bit older than Sasuke. She seemed real keen to keep up with him." He pursed his lips, "They all did."
Hinata caught up to the right of the original Naruto, "I…I'll stick by you, Naruto-kun." She said, not looking at him, her face bright red, "As will I." Yamato said, coming up to his left, "Okay?"
"Hai!" Naruto said.
"I wonder who that girl is…" Sakura said to no one in particular.
"As do I." Kakashi said, his only visible eye cool and calculating.
"I do as well." Shino said, "Sasuke would be unlikely to surround himself with weak people. Especially since we know he's after Uchiha Itachi."
"Then that must mean the people that Naruto described must be powerful." Kiba murmured. Akamaru barked and growled.
Kakashi nodded, "Naruto said the girl seems to be able to sense chakra. She must be the 'extremely talented chakra-sensing type shinobi'. I wonder if that's a bloodline limit or something else…"
"Something else?" Sakura repeated, "What do you mean?"
"Think about it, Sakura, where could Sasuke have dug up these people?" Shino asked, "They're probably not people from off the street. They must be people he had been in contact with before he killed Orochimaru. Therefore, they must have been in contact with Orochimaru himself."
"I see…" Sakura murmured, "Orochimaru was known for experimenting on people. Do… do you think these people are some of Orochimaru's experiments, Kakashi-sensei?"
"Yes…" Kakashi said softly, "And if they are, then we don't know what we could be dealing with. We have no idea of how powerful these people are and what they can do. Sasuke isn't stupid. He would choose people with specific abilities that would enable him to accomplish his goal – killing his brother, Itachi. If he plans to attack Itachi with only these three other people and himself then he must think they are powerful enough to do it. Besides that, we don't know what they'll be able to do in this situation that we are rapidly approaching."
"Jeez…" Kiba said with a grin, "You make them sound so scary!" He laughed, "Sasuke isn't the only person who has grown up and gotten more powerful, am I right, Shino?" The corners of Shino's mouth lifted slightly. "It's been three years since we've seen him," Kiba continued, "and even longer since he's actually seen us in battle. We'll show him something real special, right, Akamaru?"
Akamaru barked joyfully as they bounded forwards, closer to Sasuke.
Sakura looked back to see Sai following silently, "You okay back there?"
Sai looked up and gave her a fake smile, "Of course, Sakura."
She raised her eyebrows, "No need for such a fake smile."
Sai gave a genuine smile, "I apologize. It's still a little hard for me to show emotion so readily but…"
"But?"
"I remember when I saw Sasuke… after I lied to Orochimaru and Kabuto. I remember that Sasuke did some sort of genjutsu on me and…"
"You're not usually so hesitant." Sakura said.
Sai nodded, "I remember that while I didn't actually feel fear when Sasuke did that, my body showed signs of fear. Sweating… some trembling. I, instinctively, felt a fear of Sasuke because of the shear force of his power. I wonder just how powerful he has become since he left Konoha. I was told that he was strong before he left."
Sakura sighed, "I've been wondering that too."
"I think we all have." Kakashi said.
Ahead of them, Naruto, Hinata and Yamato sped forward, "Keep up!" Naruto called back to the lagging group, "Or meet us over there!" He nodded to one of the clones and the clone slowed his pace to allow Kakashi and the rest to catch up, "Lead them to us." Naruto called to his clone.
"Hai!"
All in agreement, the three sped up. They began to pass many Naruto clones, "He's moving!" Some said as they caught up, "Fast! Along with the other three!"
"Any idea of who they are?" Yamato asked a clone.
"No. No idea. Never seen them before in my life. Just the sword the sharp-toothed one is carrying."
"Hmm…" Yamato murmured, "Wasn't Kakashi-sempai saying something about him?"
"I'll ask him." Naruto said.
Alongside Kakashi a Naruto clone asked, "What were you going to say about the guy with the sharp teeth carrying Zabuza's sword?"
"Ah." Kakashi said, "Suigetsu… they called him the second coming of 'Zabuza the Devil'… which might explain why, if it's him, he took Zabuza's sword from off his grave."
"What else do you know?" the Naruto clone asked.
"Not much." Kakashi replied.
"He was one of the Hidden Mist's Houzuki Brothers." The original Naruto said to Yamato, "That's all Kakashi-sensei knows."
"Hmm…" Yamato murmured.
"Byakugan!" Hinata said, "There… I see them!"
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
"Hai!" Hinata nodded, "And the three others. They're being pursued by your clones, Naruto-kun. But they don't seem to be slowing."
"I'll slow them down…" Naruto growled, his teeth felt as though they were sharpening and there was a boiling heat in the pit of his stomach.
"Calm yourself, Naruto." Yamato said, touching his shoulder, "You're stronger than the Kyuubi."
Naruto breathed deeply, "Y-yes, Yamato-taichou."
"We're closing in." The Naruto clone told Kakashi and the others, "Hinata-kun sees them ahead."
"Yes!" Kiba crowed, "Go Hinata! Come on, guys! We can't lag behind Naruto and Hinata! Let's go, Akamaru!"
Up ahead, Hinata shuddered, "N-naruto-kun! Yamato-taichou! There… there's something else."
"What?" Yamato asked, "What else?"
"We… we're being watched… maybe… maybe followed. I… I can't get a hold of… him… of them…"
"Them?"
"Hai! There are… two… yes! Two! I…" She blinked rapidly, the sweat getting into her eyes, "I think it might be Akatsuki!"
Naruto grimaced, "Earlier a clone of Itachi approached me… one of my clones..."
"What?"
"He said he only wanted to talk but then he disappeared saying he had a very important matter to deal with."
"So they're in this forest along with Sasuke and his group… and us and our group." Yamato said, a slight grin playing on his lips.
"What's so funny?" Hinata asked.
"Sounds like a party…" Yamato said.
"Yea…" Naruto said, grinning, "This will be fun."
Hinata tried to grin but couldn't help feeling that something bad was going happen.
'Another chance…' Naruto thought, 'Another chance to talk to Sasuke… to convince him… to beat him into submission… if I have to.'
Suigetsu caught up to Sasuke, "Who're these shadow-clone guys who are running along side us?"
"One guy." Sasuke said, "A guy I used to know."
"Just some acquaintance?"
Sasuke's eyebrows rose slightly, "Three years ago… I called him my best friend."
A Naruto clone jumped down from above, "And since we're getting to know each other," He said just before Sasuke sent a Chidori-shock punch his way, causing him to disappear in a small cloud of smoke.
"What's your name?" Another Naruto clone said, jumping along side Karin.
She yelped and kicked him away, "Why are there so many!?" She screamed, "They're like… like… a lot!"
Suigetsu snickered, looking back at Karin, "What's the matter, Karin? Scared of some shadow clones?"
He turned forward just as three Naruto clones jumped in his face, "Karin. Thanks! And your name must be Suigetsu."
Suigetsu screamed. "Sweet Ninja Jesus!" He cried as Sasuke took out one of the clones.
The other two clones laughed and bounded away from Sasuke, "I've got two names! What's the big one's name, Sasuke?"
Sasuke ignored the taunting Naruto clones and kept moving forward, "Just because they're Shadow Clones doesn't mean they can't do you any harm." He said, "Naruto… he's got a way with Shadow Clones…"
"He must." Juugo said, "I've never seen anyone who could create so many Shadow Clones. There doesn't seem to be an end."
"Thanks." A Naruto clone said from beside him, "And you're right. There is no end. But enough about me. What's your name?"
Juugo's eyebrows rose, "Why do you want to know our names?"
"Maybe I know something about you if I know your name." The Naruto clone said honestly, "Like… what you can do… what your abilities might be. How to defeat you if I have to battle you. Things like that."
"Hmph…" Suigetsu said, "How'd you know my name? I didn't say it out loud."
"Your sword." The Naruto clone said, keeping up with Sasuke's group, "I'd met the man who wielded it – Zabuza of the Hidden Mists. I was there when the sword was placed near his grave."
The Naruto clone nodded towards Karin, "And I know she can sense chakra and all four of you had some contact with Orochimaru which means that all four of you might have been experimented on at some point."
"You know a lot." Juugo said.
"Except your name. Wanna tell me?"
Juugo grinned, his face covered with black marks.
"Cursed Seal." The Naruto clone said as Juugo lunged forward and shoved his fist through his chest.
The clone disappeared.
"Calm down." Sasuke commanded Juugo.
Immediately Juugo calmed and the marks vanished, "Keep your cool." Sasuke told them all, "He's trying to cause you to slip up so you would tell him something he doesn't know. And now he knows he's dealing with someone like you, J…" Sasuke stopped and almost smiled, "Almost got me, Naruto."
"I know it starts with a J…" Several Naruto clones sang from the shadows.
"What kind of name is KARIN?" Sakura grumbled.
"I'm not sure what it means…" Sai said, "It sounds like a normal girl name to me…"
"Hmph…" Sakura grimaced.
"If it makes you feel better, she's probably more pig-faced than you, Sakura." Sai said.
Sakura glared at Sai, "I'm going to choose to let you live, Sai!"
"Sasuke almost said the big one's name. Starts with a J." The Naruto clone said, "He's got a Cursed Seal. Not to mention the fact that Hinata senses some Akatsuki members. One of the other clones was approached by an Itachi clone earlier. It's probably him and Kisame."
"Seems like everyone was invited!" Kiba called. The Naruto clone laughed, "Let's break out the ramen and kick some ass!"
"Ah-whoooo!" Kiba, Akamaru and Naruto howled.
Sakura sighed, "Those guys…"
"It seems like they are too spirited for such a serious event." Sai said.
"They're nervous." Shino said, "They don't want to admit it, though."
Sasuke sighed, "Stop!"
The group jumped down to a clearing in the forest.
"Why're we stopping?" Suigetsu asked as several Naruto clones surrounded them.
"Because we'll never escape them by just running." Sasuke said, "Where's the original?"
"I'm right behind you."
Sasuke turned to see Naruto standing at the edge of the clearing. Behind him were Hinata and Yamato.
"Hyuuga Hinata? I'd have thought Sakura would be beside you."
"She's here." Naruto said.
"And you're the guy filling in for Kakashi, right? Is he sick or something?"
"He's here too." Yamato said.
"Who else is here?" Sasuke asked.
"You'll see." Naruto said.
"You're becoming a hinderence." Sasuke said, "Orochimaru stopped me from destroying you the last time we met. But he's not here to save you."
"Save me?" Naruto sneered.
"You'll not hinder me any longer, Naruto. I've given you several chances to stop this idiotic chase but you have made your choice known. So… in order to stop you, Naruto, I must kill you."
"You say it like it's gonna be easy." Naruto grinned, his eyes red.
"I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that, Sasuke." A voice said from the shadows.
Red eyes with that familiar mark!
"Itachi!" Sasuke and Naruto declared.
"Naruto-kun is the prize of the Akatsuki. The last Jinchuuriki. The Kyuubi. If you kill him, well, we don't know what could happen to the Kyuubi. Therefore, I cannot allow you to kill Naruto-kun." Itachi said calmly as he walked between Sasuke and Naruto.
"That's ok." Sasuke growled, "I'd much rather kill you."
Suddenly, Suigetsu flashed and a long, thin blade appeared in his hands, "Don't worry, Sasuke! I'll do it for you!"
"Wait!" Sasuke called, too late.
Suigetsu stabbed the blade through Itachi and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"A clone?"
"H-hinata…?" Naruto whispered.
Hinata had seen with her Byakugan that it was a regular clone – no chakra, no substance. Briefly she wondered why Uchiha Itachi would send out a simple diversion.
Then she saw the blade in Suigetsu's hand, she knew he would attack the Itachi clone. She knew it would disappear and the blade would find its way into the next figure, standing behind Itachi – Naruto!
Her legs moved of their own accord. She jumped in front of him and the blade pierced her skin and then went deeper.
Naruto saw a flash of dark hair, the smoke from Itachi's clone disappearing. He felt a scratch on his stomach.
A part of him felt relieved for a moment. When he realized the Itachi clone had disappeared he thought the blade would stab him!
But then… he realized Hinata was standing in front of him. The tip of the blade was poking out from her back – Suigetsu had stabbed completely through her body!
Hinata's breathing was labored. She wondered what had stopped Suigetsu from stabbing deeper.
She looked up to see Sasuke's hand on Suigetsu's – he had stopped the blade from going deeper and stabbing Naruto behind Hinata.
Sasuke grimaced at Hinata. She bent her head and coughed. Blood splattered on the blade and on Suigetsu and Sasuke's hands.
"What… what have you done?" Naruto said, looking from Suigetsu to Sasuke.
Sasuke's face tightened and he pulled the blade from Hinata's body.
She screamed and collapsed. Yamato moved to her side.
"Move!" Sasuke said. Karin and Juugo jumped up into the trees. Suigetsu stared at the girl on the floor.
"Move." Sasuke said, shoving Suigetsu.
He nodded and jumped into the trees.
"SASUKE!" Naruto roared, "SHE IS AN INNOCENT! SHE ONLY WANTED TO HELP YOU RETURN TO KONOHA!"
"No!" Sasuke said, turning his back to Naruto, "Hinata has no concern for me. She didn't jump in the way of the blade for my sake. She did it because people always seem to want to sacrifice themselves for you, Naruto. Don't blame me. Blame yourself." Sasuke jumped into the trees.
"I WON'T FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS, SUIGETSU!" Naruto screamed, "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!"
"Follow him!" Naruto yelled to his clones, "Don't lose sight of them!"
Several clones nodded and jumped into the trees after Sasuke.
"N-naruto-k-kun…?" Hinata whispered, her white eyes half-closed.
"Hinata…" Naruto murmured, kneeling beside her, "I'm… I'm so sorry! Why… why did you do that?" He asked, taking her hand in his.
Yamato stepped back, "Stay with her, Naruto. I'll get Sakura."
Hinata lifted her other hand to Naruto's face. Her fingers traced his whiskers, "I… I love you… Naruto-k-kun… I did it… because… I… love you."
Her fingers grew limp and her hand dropped to the ground.
"N-naruto…?"
"Hinata…" Naruto sobbed, "Don't… don't die, Hinata!"
"I'm sorry…" She whispered, "I… was too… scared… to tell you… for so long…"
"No, no." Naruto's tears dripped onto her face, "Save your strength."
"I love you." Hinata whispered so softly Naruto almost didn't hear her.
Naruto touched his forehead to hers and sobbed.
"Move!" Sakura said, appearing from the trees and shoving him away.
She hunched over Hinata's body.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto said between sobs, "Is… is it too late?"
"What?" Sakura said distractedly.
"Hinata!" Kiba called, landing nearby atop Akamaru, "Is she okay?"
"Hinata…" Shino murmured.
"Please, Sakura-chan! Is she going to be okay?" Naruto begged, "She has to be!"
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, "It must be a miracle! The blade didn't hit any vital organs! She's lost some blood and she's in shock but she should be okay! We have to get her to a hospital, though!" She said as she used her medical jutsu on Hinata's wound.
Naruto sobbed and buried his face in his hands.
"It… it's going to be okay, Naruto!" Kiba said, rubbing his eyes, "Didn't you hear Sakura?"
Shino cleared his throat.
Naruto nodded from behind his hands.
He uncovered his face and wiped his tears on his sleeves. He bent to Hinata's face and gently kissed her lips.
Sakura's eyes grew wide and Shino nodded slightly and turned away.
Kakashi coughed and Yamato suddenly engaged Sai in a conversation about the weather.
"Weather?" Sai asked, staring pointedly at Naruto and Hinata.
Kiba stood in shock, his jaw nearly touching the ground. Akamaru barked and nudged Kiba.
"We've got to take her to a hospital." Naruto said, picking Hinata up, "Where's the nearest one?"
"N-naruto…?" Hinata murmured, "You… you must not stop your mission... please…"
Naruto hugged her close to him and touched his cheek to hers, "I have to make sure you're going to be okay, Hinata." He said, "I have to know that when I return, you'll be waiting for me – safe and healthy. Free of stab-wounds."
Hinata closed her eyes and smiled, "I'll wait for forever, Naruto… if that's how long it takes."
"Where's the closest hospital?" Naruto asked again.
"She should go to Konoha Hospital." Sakura said.
Naruto nodded, "I'll take her. You follow the clones. They're still chasing after Sasuke." Naruto turned and walked a few steps, "Oh… and the big one – his name is Juugo."
Kakashi touched Naruto's shoulder, "Maybe someone should go with you. Akatsuki is still after you, Naruto."
Naruto shook his head, "I'll travel with some clones. Don't worry. I'll be back before you know it. I'll catch up with you."
Naruto nodded to the others and jumped into the trees, moving swiftly towards Konoha.
"Hinata." Naruto said as he sprang through the trees.
"Yes?" Hinata whispered, breathing slowly.
"I… think… I think I could fall in love with you!" Naruto declared, his cheeks burning red.
Hinata let out a laugh that ended in a groan, "Maybe… I shouldn't laugh."
"But…" Hinata said, "That's nice to know."
Naruto stopped and landed on a high branch.
"What… what's wrong? Why're you stopping?" Hinata asked.
Naruto smiled down at her, "Because…" He leaned down and kissed her.
Hinata's eyes grew wide and her limbs went rigid… for about a second!
She touched his cheek and kissed him back.
Thanks for reading! I really appreciate any reviews - I'm doing my best to become a better writer so I need all the help I can get.
Also: I know Suigetsu has Zabuza's sword so you're wondering why he used a long thin blade when he attacked Itachi - WELL, I figured he thought he would need a fast attack and in the manga, he's having a hard time handling Zabuza's big sword (that... didn't sound right.) so I think he would take that into account and use a faster blade for this particular attack. Um, I guess he's hiding it somewhere. Hah! So thats my explaination.
I listed this as 'in progress' but I don't know if I'll be adding more to this story. I might. I'm thinking it over. If I do, I probably won't continue in the line of how the chapters could continue. I'd probably do a sequal concerning Naruto and Hinata's relationship. Tell me if that's something you'd want.
Thanks again!