A/N; Hᴇʏ ɢᴜʏs, I'ᴍ sᴏʀʀʏ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏɴɢ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ɪ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ. Iᴛ ᴡᴀs ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ᴇxᴀᴍs ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ɴᴏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ғᴏᴄᴜs ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ. Exᴀᴍs ᴀʀᴇ ʜᴇᴄᴛɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅʀᴀɪɴs ᴍʏ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ! I'ᴍ sᴜʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ!
Bᴜᴛ ɪ'ᴍ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɴᴏᴡ!!! I'ʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs!
Tʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɴᴇᴡs ɪs ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴜʏs ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴜʟᴛ Mɪsᴀ sᴏᴏɴ!- ᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ᴀᴅᴜʟᴛ Sᴀsᴜᴋᴇ!
Tᴡᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ғᴏʀ Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ Sʜɪᴘᴘᴜᴅᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ Tᴡᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ "Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ" sᴇʀɪᴇs!
Hᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴅᴏ ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs!!
Aɴᴅ ʟᴀsᴛʟʏ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴏʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴀᴍʙʟɪɴɢ!!!!
Lᴏᴠᴇ ʏ"ᴀʟʟ >3
Misa rushed through the forest at the speed of lightening with every step she took an unsettling feeling washing over the girl. The truth was that she was afraid. She was really scared. She was afraid that by the time she reached her brother and Sasuke, the things that she feared the most had already happened which was why she was running at an extremely high speed listening to her sharp senses well and moving the direction where she could hear the most sounds coming out of.
Much to her surprise, Sasuke's name suddenly sounded odd, foreign and unfamiliar on her tongue; It worried her... Sasuke seemed like nothing but a stranger at this point. It was like there was no sign of him being in love with her even though he had told her such sweet and ripened words. Her warm copper eyes moved hesitantly in every direction searching for a trace of the Genins who were sent on the mission, a mission that could get everyone killed or some killed. Poor Misa was shaken... Shaken to the core... It was extremely hard for the girl to see someone who she was strongly attached to leave her. The reason to this was obviously because she hadn't felt any parental love or having someone loving her was rare. Sure Shikamaru's parents loved her and so did the late Hokage, but you guys, nothing could compare to the eternal love that the parents had for their child. Seeing Sasuke leave her like this was a total blow to her fragile heart yet she kept on going... going to protect her brother. If Sasuke took Naruto away from her life, Misa was sure to go crazy. She'd lose her mind since her dearest twin who was with her since her birth, loved her like a mother, protected her like a father and doted on her like a brother- he was her universe if Sasuke was her world. Naruto would always share a greater part in Misa's heart even though this would change in the future.
Misa was going to save her brother even if it meant sacrificing herself for him to live.
Naruto deserved to have happiness. He deserved the whole world. She wouldn't let him die so young.
Sasuke ruining himself was one thing... He did it on his own accord. He had chosen Orochimaru on his own... But Naruto- that poor boy didn't choose to die by the hand of his beloved friend who he considered someone like his own sibling.
The little Uzumaki was already in such a hurry. Had she been late for a minute she wouldn't have noticed the striking pale white eyes resembling the cold snow fluttering and blinking with hints of confusion present in them! Those eyes, those eyes were on of a kind. Those eyes could only belong to Hyuuga Neji.
Meanwhile deep in the forest Neji was on the verge of fainting due to the extreme blows he had received after fighting with a pawn ninja of Orochimaru who had arrived in Konoha in order to escort Sasuke away to their demon lord. He was tired. His body had never suffered so much pain even after the rigorous training he faced. This was the first time he was in such pain and felt exhausted. Frankly he actually wondered why he was fighting for an egoist person like Sasuke. He actually didn't care much about the boy. After all it had been Sasuke's choice to leave the village and go rogue. Yet here he was, once again swayed to the convincing words Naruto spout out. As he dropped down to the ground with his vision blurring all he could hope was that he'd survive until someone came as his savior. The wounds he had received were unbearable and the rotting, pungent smell of the blood of the pawn he had killed was getting worse. Everything seemed so unfortunate as he couldn't make head or tail of where he was at the moment.
Nevertheless even with his blurred vision, he managed to lightly see the silhouette of a young girl calling him. Even with his unfocused and obscure vision, he could see that the particular person was heavenly. An angelic voice was calling out to him with heavy sweetness laced in them and poured into his ears with love. His heart managed to pump lightly after seeing and hearing the smooth words of the angel he believed he was seeing. It wasn't till a few minutes later he realized that the particular angel was no one other than the Uzumaki twin, Misa. The girl's lips were moving so fast that Neji couldn't even catch up with what she was saying. The only word he heard was her calling his name so adorably.
Misa calling out his name made him wonder how could his name sound so gorgeous when she called out to him? It felt like her voice was filled with sugar.
"M-Misa?" Neji groaned croakily, his throat strangely in so much pain.
"Yes it's me. Neji, should I take you to Lady Tsunade?" Misa's eyes showed complete worry as her smooth little fingers ran over Neji's face rubbing over his little scratches and injuries while her right hand slipped under his long hair positioning Neji's head on her lap just so that Neji could rest easy, "Can I carry you to her?"
Upon hearing her words lightly, Neji's vision of an angel completely deflected. He was happy to hear that Misa was ready to give up on the reason she had run in to the forest in the first place but he would never want to be a burden in her path. He wasn't her first choice after all. Her mind was set on saving Naruto and saving Sasuke. He would come second or so he believed.
"Save Sasuke..." Neji whimpered quietly glancing up at Misa's brown orbs that seemed to hold an eternity of sadness and misery.
"How could I do that? I can't leave you here injured and hurt. You might be a bit heavy for me but I'll carry you to Lady Tsunade this instant," Misa pointed out worrying over the boy unnecessarily.
The Hyuuga didn't have much energy in his body. He already knew that if another hour passed by, death would be by his side. He wanted to live but he was a ninja. A ninja couldn't give up on his mission even if it meant that he had to sacrifice himself and Neji knew deep inside Misa's heart, the girl desperately wanted to save her brother and Sasuke. He couldn't be in their way.
"Don't- You don't have t-to save m-me. Save your brother and fr-friend instead," Neji spoke out coughing out blood scaring Misa even more.
"Please you are losing a lot of blood. It would be better for you to not speak," Misa mumbled trying her best to carry Neji.
Sadly, the boy was too heavy for a little girl like her. She couldn't leave Neji on his deathbed like this nor did she have the time to save her brother. Whatever happened, Misa firmly believed that she would never leave Neji alone. He had been kind to her. He had come to see her in hospital! They started off in the wrong foot but in her opinion Neji was really soft-hearted and kind. Seeing such a sweet person, a person prettier than any girls she had seen her age, Misa was not ready to leave him alone. Nevertheless, there was just one question lingering.
When did ever things go in the way Misa wanted it to go in?
Never.
This time would be no different.
"Stop it, Misa-," Neji tried to explain but his words were cut off by a frantic Misa who was worrying a bit too much and going overboard wondering what she could do to save the boy.
"Please don't die on me, Neji! I will somehow save you! Don't worry," Misa tried her best to cheer up the boy raising her fists in the air showing her extreme determination through her face filled and flushed with innocence.
The situation was totally unexpected. Misa hadn't expected to see Neji out in the woods injured and battered. To see the great Neji in such a state, easily proved how strong the men of Orochimaru were. Her brother was in complete danger and poor Neji was in danger. In addition to that problem, Misa couldn't help but hyperventilate silently. The technique Itachi had used on her was a great curse. She didn't have much stamina like before and she felt extremely weak. The girl hadn't regained her lost strength yet after interacting Sasuke's older brother.
On the other hand Neji was actually grateful to see that Misa cared a lot for him and refused to let go of the boy however he knew that the girl was kind to everyone. She wasn't giving him any special attention; well not that he wanted any. In fact he was happy that for once someone was trying to save him from his terrible fate. Neji in his opinion had always been an unlucky boy. He lost his father at a young and was an orphan. He was raised to serve the Hyuuga clan but even before he was able to do such a thing, he was going to die... Little Misa couldn't obviously do anything. She didn't have enough stamina to go to Tsunade nor did she have any healing techniques. It would be only right for him to send Misa away forcefully considering the fact that he didn't want her to see him die.
"Misa, listen to me," Neji spoke up after seeing that Misa subtly calmed down for a few minutes, "I don't want to be saved. Just let m-e be here in p-peace."
The girl's widened upon hearing the cruel confession. How could even Neji think of such a heartbreaking thing when here she was trying her best to think of a way to help him? Misa couldn't accept after seeing the blood and battered body, "How could you say such a thing? Please don't say such things. I can't leave you alone. You will die if I do-."
A loud crack echoed as Misa's head jerked to the side with a trickle of blood dripping from her freshly cut lower lip. The Uzumaki's little hand trembled lightly moving up to her cheek where she could feel the fresh blow Neji had given to her. For the first time in her life, Misa had been slapped. The girl had seen so many people getting slapped and had never experienced it firsthand. The only thing Misa could feel was pain and confusion. She hadn't done anything terrible. She hadn't done anything wrong to anyone so why would Neji slap her? With her brown orbs widening and drooping down like a little dog who had been scolded the girl stared at Neji with her palm covering the reddened part of her cheek. Neji was a chilling boy and the only emotion he held was anger.
"You slapped me.... Why are you so angry?" Misa murmured her eyes showing exactly how she was feeling.
"I won't die so easily. Go to where your brother is. Go save Naruto and Sasuke. Isn't that what you wanted in the first place?" Neji urged the girl continuously nevertheless Misa didn't back away easily either. She was hurt and confused yet indifferent to his responses continuously wanting to take Neji to safety.
"How could I do that when you are right in front of me injured?" Misa raised her tone gripping the boys long hair and giving it a harsh tug to make him understand, "You are so stubborn!"
"MISA!" Neji screamed from the top of his lungs followed by a series of coughing out blood before continuing, "You are a ninja now! You can't think like a little kid anymore! The mission is much more important than anything."
Misa blinked and looked at the boy with pitiful eyes. Neji had been taught the mission was more important than their life or their comrades' lives. Well, of course it was taught none other than the idiotic clan elders who were all about dignity and ego. While Neji was taught in that manner, Misa had been taught differently. She was taught that those who break the rules are scum but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. She couldn't simply leave Neji alone no matter what he said. Misa was aware that any major movements would force the boy to bleed out but the shrill sound of his labored breathing was painful to hear. It was more like the vision of seeing a fish struggling to breathe out in the open.
"Kakashi sensei taught us that the ones who break the rules are scum but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. I follow his words Neji. I won't leave you alone here," Misa let her fingers brush over Neji's wounded cheeks giving the boy a sense of warmth.
He did try protesting. He really did. He spouted out curses at her screaming that she wasn't his friend so she didn't really have to wait with him but in the end he just gave in. He gave in until a bright idea popped in his mind.
"What about your brother? What about Sasuke? Aren't you worse than scum if you leave them there?" Neji asked, slow and rough, closing his eyes for a moment already knowing that he had lured the girl into a tough position where she couldn't turn back to him.
Misa raised her eyebrows as the words hit her hard. The girl flinched, if possible growing even more overstrung. There was no way she could leave the boy alone however the burdening fact that her brother was in trouble with Sasuke wouldn't simply get over her mind.
Trying to add more fuel to the ongoing fire, Neji added with his voice lower; venomous, "If you just leave me here, you would be able to save two of your beloved comrades but if you stay here, you would lose two comrades and simply end up with an injured one."
Upon hearing the words, the rise and fall of Misa's chest increased rapidly even going as far as to cause a few beads of sweat to roll down her neck. She found it hard to breathe knowing that there was no other choice. Misa didn't have faith either; she didn't have any faith in the fact that she would be able to save her brother and bring back Sasuke to the village because she knew that was weak. She was extremely weak compared to the Uchiha and Naruto. They were born with power. Well Misa was born with it too but the girl's body found it hard to handle such enormous power. The sounds of rustling and Neji struggling to sit up caused Misa to snap out of her thoughts making her decision.
"Okay, Neji,"
Just hearing only two words from Misa, it haunted Neji. He expected the girl to protest a bit more however seeing how her bright eyes shifted and drooped down, the boy came to understand that the girl must have had an idea.
"Misa?"
There was no response but for Neji, Misa's silence only made his heart thump harder with desperation. His eyes followed her slow movements closely even fighting against the eyelids that were threatening to shut due to the weakened state of the body. He was sure startled when the girl suddenly summoned a little frog that wasn't even the size of his foot. It sure was tiny but still the Hyuuga was surprised to see how amazing the girl was. She was even able to summon even though it was an extremely hard technique that not many could master. Due to his failing senses, Neji couldn't exactly hear what Misa whispered to the frog. Nevertheless he was sure the frog was sent to Lady Tsunade as a messenger requesting immediate first-aid since he was badly hurt, on the verge of death and alone in the forest.
"Take care, Neji. Help is on the way," Misa showed her worried as the girl let the tip of the fingers brush against Neji's cheeks for the last time before turning her back and leaving just as the boy wanted her to leave.
Neji did wonder why his heart turned sour after seeing Misa leave him to go to Sasuke. It felt like heart wrenching and nerve-wracking to see her disappearing figure running through the woods. He was afraid for her well-being.
He sure was.
Nonetheless there was another reason Neji didn't want to see her leave.
He didn't want her to save Sasuke, instead Neji low-key wanted the girl to be with him. He didn't understand that type of emotion yet however he knew and realized what he had for was something more than the feeling of friendship.
Her fiery red hair...
Her big brown orbs...
Her perfectly shaped lip...
The button nose...
Her innocence...
Her generosity...
Her immense kindness...
He was attracted to all of those qualities and features of Uzumaki Misa. With Misa in his mind, Neji's eyes shut down against his will succumbing to the intense pain.
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Meanwhile Misa was rushing through the woods with a heavy heart. She was worried for Neji. Even though she had summoned a frog and sent him to Lady Tsunade, Misa was worried for what would happen during the few minutes she would leave him alone. The woods seemed larger and more gigantic than before actually scaring the girl who made sure to avoid the darker parts of the forest following the strong Chakra emitting out of Sasuke and Naruto. Misa could feel it. They were close much closer than she first expected. In a way she was glad that Sasuke and Naruto were together since Misa had faith in Naruto's abilities. He was a smooth talker. He did have the ability and could change the iron mind of Sasuke. While the above was a positive reason, the negative reason was that they were fighting in a much more serious manner than how they fought on the rooftop of the hospital. Even worse, Misa felt the fatigue spreading throughout her weak, tiny body but she kept on going forth with the hope of saving her brother and hopefully Sasuke. That was the only thing that made her go forth. Her poor soul ached at how she had been abandoned by Sasuke but in fact, he wasn't her priority at the moment. She was afraid of him hurting Naruto, he was the only blood relative she had. If not for him, she would be alone. It was true that there still would be Shikamaru and the others but none of them could adore her and cherish her like Naruto. Nobody could replace her brother who had been similar to a mother and a father since birth. From the day she had seen Sasuke raise his hand against Naruto she ahd feared the worst and she was right.
Naruto and Sasuke could never meet each other.
Sadly, it had already happened.
She could feel it.
Right now, they were engaging in a serious battle that could result in someone's death
Misa accelerated even more trying her best to reach her destination with her shaky hands of which her right hand was bleeding immensely due to her ripping of the IV back at the hospital. Her pajamas were torn and dirty with the beautiful white being painted with Neji's blood. The forest was strangely quite expect for the sounds of the little insects that wouldn't stop squawking and the inter clash of Chakra, Misa couldn't quite pinpoint whose Chakra it was. Upon reaching where she wanted to be most at, her heart dropped. Her body went cold. Her hands trembled with her lips quivering at the sight of Sasuke jumping from a great cliff. Had he jumped alone, Misa wouldn't have been this worried but Sasuke had jumped with Naruto grasping the boy upside down in his strong, sturdy yet lean arms causing Naruto's head to forcefully and intentionally hit the harsh ground. Naruto eventually fell into the water going unconscious due to harsh impact he received from his head hitting the ground.
Sasuke was so cruel.
He was so cruel to fight this harshly against his own friend who considering Sasuke as his own brother.
Misa's poor heart shut down when Sasuke's eyes slowly met with hers, sensing the girl was near him.
He was longer the boy she loved.
He was a devil who was bloodthirsty for power.
The raven black hair she loved so much had transformed to black hair that was painted with spots of red blood. She was unsure whether it was his own blood or whether it was her brother's.
The hypnotizing black of his eyes that she wanted to stare at all day was replaced with a distinct murderous red that had Misa shrinking away from the scene.
This meeting was the turning point of the Uchiha's and both the Uzumaki's relationship.