yayayayayayayayayayayay!
Part of my series
First story: True Friends Truly Believe /s/3953609/1/
Previous:Wheel of Change /s/4889297/1/
Disclaimer me own nothing
We are But Strands Within the Web of Life
Naruto huffed as he sat on the ground. Haruka smiled slightly at his pouting. They were working on some of the finer points of seals and the theory behind them and as always Naruto learns things by demonstration. Demonstration could tire even him out eventually. Haruka was about to suggest they switch to a new topic when both froze. A large amount of chakra was heading their way at an incredible speed. Make that several good-sized bits of chakra. Haruka and Naruto leaped up in union and away for cover. Neither wanted to get involved in whatever it was.
Haruka activated her kekkei genkai and looked in the direction of the fight that was zigzagging around the forest they were in. She was trying to get a fix on their allegiance.
"They won't stand still long enough." Naruto growled in frustration as he dampened his links to not distract either Hinata, who was on a very dangerous mission, Neji, or his aunt with his annoyance as she tried to see the hitae. "Wait, Konoha." Haruka sighed softly. She looked at Naruto. As he had started to learn more about strategy, she had started asking for his opinion more. "Opinion?" She could guess but she wanted to double check.
"Once it clears." She nodded to her pupil, quite pleased with his response. 6 months ago he would have charged the second she said Konoha. She turned her attention back to the fight as it suddenly took off in a new direction with vengeance. Haruka looked after the dust cloud for a moment before nodding to Naruto.
The two came out of hiding and into the former forest that had become a battleground.
"Let's see if they left anyone behind." Haruka nodded to Naruto's suggestion and activated a clan seal.
Clan seals were seals that the Namekaze applied directly in front of their eyes, making them only useful to those with their kekkei genkai. The seal she used to watch the fight from a distance earlier was one such seal, this was another. It allowed her to visually scan for small amounts of chakra.
Naruto was just lifting a kunai from a very holey tree when Haruka called him over.
"Found someone, alive." Naruto helped her push the falling branches away to reveal Shino. He was in bad shape, pale as the sand and breathing was shallow. Naruto looked to Haruka as she gave him a medical scan. "Way beyond my abilities, he needs a mednin now." She gazed at him a moment longer. "Is he Aburame?" Naruto looked at her in confusion, but nodded. He assumed she saw the bugs during her scan. She pursed her lips.
Haruka thought hard about the punctured lung as she finished her medscan. Heavy internal bleeding and the fractured ribcage wasn't helping. She paused as she detected a small trace of chakra crawling through his system. Naruto confirmed that he was indeed an Aburame. She might be able to send him to help.
"Onee-sensei?" She knelt beside Shino and pulled out her scroll of scrolls, which is what Naruto nicknamed her scroll where she stored everything. She used it alot, he had already made her promise to teach him how to make himself one of those. She pulled out a piece of paper with a seal written on it already.
"I can help him, continue looking for more survivors." Naruto nodded as she quickly placed the paper seal on Shino and, after a complicated series of hand signs that made Naruto's head spin, she activated it. Shino flared solid chakra for a moment before he literally poofed and was gone. Naruto just stared at the place where he had been.
"You vaporized him!" Haruka gave a good-natured look of annoyance. Naruto just stared in amazement, used to such looks from his sensei by now what with his version of asking questions.
"I did no such thing. I connected him with a seal connected with Aburame Shibi. In effect, I transformed him into a summoning creature for a brief moment. I'll explain further after we deal with the person you are trying to uncover." Indeed as they had talked Naruto had heard coughing and had started to move branches around.
A few minutes later they uncovered a half-conscious Kiba. Haruka started a scan as Naruto started to look for the Inuzuka's companion. Haruka sighed as she finished her jutsu and placed a small seal on Kiba's forehead and Kiba began to sit up.
"Careful I couldn't do much for your internal injuries, but the seal should reduce the pain. You need a mednin, not a half trained kunoichi turned into one." Haruka placed a hand on his shoulder to assist him. Kiba wasn't listening as he leaped trying to sit up.
"Where is Akamaru?" Haruka looked at him in confusion when Naruto called over.
"I found him. Onee-sensei, can you help?" Naruto came over carrying a pup half his size. Kiba tried to leap to his feet, unsuccessfully as Haruka stiffened the hand on his shoulder. She rose when she was sure Kiba would not try again after the wave of pain he endured for the first attempt.
"Coming. You stay put!" She gently took Akamaru, who whimpered and started a healing jutsu on the pup. "Mostly torn muscles, I can tone down the pain, but that is all I can do. It isn't life threatening." Naruto turned to Kiba as soon as the diagnosis was done. He had one more member of the team to locate.
"Kiba, where's Hina-chan?"
000
Lee gave a great shout of joy as he raced after Sakura. Shikamaru was bringing up the rear in their group and sighing the entire time. They were off to help a smaller village that had been struck by bandits. Shikamaru had the dual purpose of asking around to see if anyone had seen a blonde kid or an old white-haired sage, discreetly. Apparently Tsunade hadn't heard anything from Naruto or Jiraiya and she was getting worried.
Sakura took the trip in good humor. It felt good to be out of the hospital for a few days. She had left her cases in good hands. Besides, she hadn't been on any missions with her friends in a while so this should be fun. The mission wasn't terribly difficult. She was along to help the village's injured, Lee for protection and Shikamaru as leader and whatever other private mission she thought he had received. She smiled as Lee landed on the same branch as her briefly.
"We're going to show the village the spirit of Konoha!" He was in a pleasant mood. She had missed his exuberance. He was still under the care of Tsunade, one of her only friends whom she didn't doctor herself, thus she didn't see him as often as the rest of the group. They only saw each other on the weekly meetings between everyone, the last one of which Sakura had to miss due to an emergency in the hospital. The girls caught up with her later and gave her the update and joined her for dinner, but it wasn't the same.
Well, the girls minus Hinata. According to Kiba and Shino she was freaking out and needed some time to herself. She and Hoshi had wandered in the direction of Hokage Mountain and hadn't been seen for a few hours.
Sakura sighed. She hadn't gotten the chance to check up with the Hyuuga before her next mission. Team 8, which most had nicknamed the Team Shizen at this point due to each member having an animal companion, had left for a mission yesterday and shouldn't be back for a few more.
Sakura was so deep in thought about Hinata and her team that she didn't notice that the branch that was to be her next step wasn't sturdy. It broke upon her contact, snapping her out of her daydreams and into a full fall. She glanced about for a foot hold, but before she could locate one an arm circled her waist. Lee used his momentum to propel them towards a tree and then from there back up to where Shikamaru was standing. He gently set Sakura on her feet.
"Sakura-san? Are you alright?" She smiled slightly at Lee.
"Thanks Lee. I'm fine, just surprised. I haven't been that careless in a while." Shikamaru looked at Sakura in confusion, but it was Lee that asked what had happened. "I was simply thinking to much and lost track of what I was doing, that's all." Shikamaru studied her a moment then nodded.
As the three took off again Lee stayed closer to Sakura's side. She gave him a smile to show she was better but she knew he would ease off the watch for a little bit. In truth, she didn't mind too much.
There was a time when Lee's attention was too much for her to handle, even to the point where it was unwanted. She had since learned a way around that. Ten Ten had helped considerably, explaining how she and Neji had handled both Lee and Gai next to each other made Lee by himself seem tame. Sakura frowned at that. Lee's exuberance wasn't something she didn't like. In fact, since Naruto's departure, she had sought him out if only to get a little chaos in her life. The part she had a hard time working with was his goal of his interaction with her. She simply didn't see him in that light. She had finally decided to continue turning down his requests for dates without actually treating him as anything other then a good friend.
000
Haruka froze as Naruto asked Kiba the question. Her eyes immediately went to her student as he stared intently at Kiba. Kiba frowned slightly.
"She's going to get herself killed." Naruto reined in all his feelings on this matter with tremendous effort as he waited for Kiba to continue. "We had a pretty simple mission. Get scroll to Konoha. Problem, our knowledge that the scroll exists is apparently too much for the enemy. He's good. Got Shino in practically one hit. We were getting destroyed. Hinata said she would lead him away so I could try to get Shino back to Konoha. Hey! Where's Shino?" Kiba tried to get up again. Haruka placed a hand on his shoulder, stalling him.
"Shino is already back with his family. We have other things to worry about. We need to catch up with Hina." Kiba looked at her strangely but she ignored it. "They were heading in that direction, let's see if we can track them." Naruto looked that way.
"The line of destruction might help." Haruka shook her head. She had originally thought of that, however...
"Listen though. They ceased the large explosions some time ago. They aren't good strategy for pursuits no matter which position you hold." She bent down and picked up Akamaru. Standing the dog would probably come just above her knees at this point. "We'll have to carry both of them. Can you keep up with him on your back?" Naruto nodded and bent over so Kiba could get on his back. They didn't have a lot of time.
"She would look for an open spot near water, lake if possible." Haruka nodded to Kiba as they took off as the moon rose. It was just before midnight but the moon gave them some light. They had followed the trail for several minutes before it became clear that Hina was leading the pursuer on a merry chase in zigzags. Naruto growled in frustration, his concern for his mate getting the best of him.
"Can't we simply skip the zigging and zagging and go straight to where they are now?" Kiba growled back, almost as annoyed.
"Akamaru and I can only smell in one direction, the one they went." Haruka looked at the two of them.
"I have an idea." She turned and headed up the cliff they had been following for the last minute or two. "Can you tell me something about her, something that distinguishes her?" Kiba thought as Naruto answered.
"She's kind and resourceful. Determined-" Haruka nearly rolled her eyes.
"Something about her chakra. I can scan for chakra far away, but I need something other then the fact she's a human to pick up on. Especially since she doesn't want to be found, she may be suppressing her chakra." Kiba looked at her.
"What about a Kekkei Gekai?" Haruka looked at him and nodded.
"That would do nicely, I should recognize all the kekkei genkai from Konoha still. What family is she from?" Kiba looked at Naruto in confusion but answered anyway.
"Hyuuga Hinata is heir to the Hyuuga clan." Naruto had to spin to one side as Haruka stopped dead.
"Hinata?!? As in Hiashi's daughter?" Naruto and Kiba both nodded. Suddenly she exploded to the top of the cliff in one jump. "I could find Hinata anywhere."
Kiba watched in fascination as she activated her kekkei genkai and started to look at the horizon. He trusted Naruto completely. If Naruto trusted this person then he would but she was a puzzle. He had never seen her kekkei genkai before. Naruto seemed to know what she was doing but he wasn't at all sure. She had reacted to Hinata's name with concern and astonishment. Her fear over Hinata was real, but was that because she knew Hinata or Hiashi. She had called her Hina earlier, but now Kiba suspected that was because Naruto always referred to her as Hina-chan not because Haruka knew her name. Kiba was now certain that this person had actually thought Hina was Hinata's full name.
Haruka smiled and took off with a quick word over her shoulder.
"Found her."
They took off like a shot, Naruto following Haruka. He had allowed some of his mate's feelings back into his mind, though he was keeping a strict eye on his own emotions, he didn't want them to distract Hinata. She was frantic, exhausted but still determined.
Haruka paused briefly to set Akamaru down and motioned for Naruto to do the same with Kiba.
"We still have a fight on our hands." Naruto nodded as he practically dropped Kiba. Kiba sighed in aggravation but knew that Naruto would rather die than let Hinata die so he just had to wait, as infuriating as that was.
Haruka and Naruto entered the fight with a bang, both giving a strong kick to the enemy. Hinata's eyes became impossibly wide as she watched Naruto land in front of her in his good guy pose.
"Naruto-kun..."
000
Sakura sighed as she bandaged another villager. They had many injured and she was running out of consciousness. She would need sleep soon, but they kept coming. Just before she rose to go to the next person and steaming cup of cocoa appeared in her line of vision. She accepted it gratefully from Lee as he knelt next to her. He smiled brightly.
"You only drink coffee when you have life or death emergencies so I thought cocoa would be fine this time." Sakura nodded, happy for the heat and the sugar. He was right, coffee gave her a headache when she came off the caffeine high so she only drank it when it was necessary. These people were injured but for the most part alright. She let the heat from the cup spread through her hands. The temperature was starting to drop again. She couldn't believe it was the end of September already. Nights were starting to get chilly and it had to be close to 1 in the morning.
"Thank you Lee. I want to get to a few more before I pass out for a few hours." Lee nodded as Shikamaru came over. He knelt in front of them.
"How are they doing?" Sakura sighed tiredly.
"I have helped the life threatening and the elderly. The children are my next priority." Shikamaru nodded. He had taken a rough count and she had barely seen a fourth of the injured. They would be here a while. "If you two could do me a favor?" She received nods. "That woman over and that one over there. One is pregnant and the other might be. She refused treatment until the children are seen to and I won't get through them tonight. If her breathing changes drastically I need to know." Lee and Shikamaru nodded. She was doing so much the least they could do to help was keep an eye on two women. Sakura set down her empty mug and got up. After a quick stretch she continued to the next child. It was going to be an exhausting night.
000
They had been barely fighting for a few minutes when Haruka realized that whoever this was, they were very clever or at least well trained. Their tactics were not frontal assaults but rather diversion and counters. In the dark night it was becoming hard to keep track of everything. Haruka was concentrating on the opponents hands as Naruto charged with a rasengan. He was much better at large explosive attacks anyway. The man immediately went into a series of hand motions. Haruka recognized them.
"Shit!" She dashed forward. He must have recognized Naruto. She made a mental note to make sure this battle ended with his death or serious head injury. Naruto's whereabouts couldn't get out and her face should remain under the KIA list for a while yet.
"Youkai No Ami Osaete!" Haruka shoved Naruto out of the way just as a bright red net formed over his location. The man slammed his hand down in front of the net and a seal appeared in the ground. One too complicated for Naruto to understand. He did understand when Haruka screamed in pain and fell to the ground panting. Unfortunately he wasn't able to dodge the next one.
Naruto understood why Haruka had screamed a second later. For a brief moment an un-understandable amount of demon chakra flooded through his body before he felt his passenger divert it. Still the net drained an incredible amount of chakra from him at a constant rate and then sent it shooting back into his skin. He fought just to breath for a moment as Kyuubi withdrew as much as he could from Naruto's chakra system in an effort to decrease the amount of chakra cycling through the trap. It was like pins and forks and knives being driven into every inch of his body, inside and out. Naruto was drawn from his own pain when some lanced down Hinata's bond. Looking up he saw the man advancing on her with a whip around her ankle.
Haruka struggled against the net, but already knew that she couldn't get free. It used the magnitude of her bijuu's chakra against her, she couldn't overpower that. She also couldn't use her own chakra as that had been drawn away with Byaka's. Like Naruto, she had been absorbing Byaka's chakra and integrating it into her own system. Unlike Naruto, whose interaction with Kyuubi started a few years ago, Haruka had been integrating her chakra since she was a babe. She couldn't separate it anymore. At least not that fast. She looked at Hinata as the Hyuuga tried to back away from the man who had a whip around her ankle. Her shoulder looked dislocated and she had blood pouring from her side. Haruka threw herself against the net again as the man raised a kunai to attack.
Apparently Haruka wasn't the only one desperate. She heard Naruto in her mind before her ears registered his yell of frustration and fear. The chakra was swirling around him as he glared at the scene in front of him. Haruka could only watch as he watched his love come closer to death. His chakra was twisting and twirling in every effort to get free, to help her, to get to his mate.
The man smirked as he started running for his attack. Haruka heard him for a second before Naruto's voice overpowered it.
"Die!"
"HINATA!!!!!!!!!!!!" The man was suddenly blown backwards by an incredible force. Haruka spun her glance to Naruto to see his eyes had changed.
They were still bright blue but the pupil had turned a paler blue and he had black around the edges now. It looked like his eyes featured blue starbursts with black spiking inwards from the rim. He had activated the Kazegan. Haruka grinned slightly before realizing that the man wasn't out for the count and he was still determined to kill Hinata. Hinata, who had still been attached to the man when he had taken his flight via the whip around her ankle, had landed directly in front of Haruka.
"Hinata, you can use the Byakugan." Hinata looked at her in confusion as the man rose to attack again. Haruka ignored her confusion, they didn't have much time. "Focus on the seal in front of me!" Hinata looked at the seal in confusion. "Focus! Harder, Closer! You can do it! You must do it!" Hinata brought her hands together as she focused harder and harder, trying to ignore the threat coming at her back. Naruto shoved the man back for a second time before collapsing, exhausted between the net and his new kekkei genkai. Hinata looked closer and closer. "Hinata you have to see the chakra pathways in the seal. Can you see them?" Hinata kept going, closer and closer, more and more, harder and harder Until...
"I see them!" Haruka was focusing on the man charging behind her. Naruto wasn't going to be able to pull off another seal.
"Close the top most, upper left corner and bottom right corner NOW!" Hinata, having been trained to hit targets as named, immediately hit those points with a Juuken finger. The second she did the net over Haruka vanished. Haruka pulled Hinata into her chest and shoved the kunai she had into the chest of the man not a foot behind the Hyuuga.
They both just sat there panting as Hinata stared up frozen in fright and Haruka shaking from exhaustion. She still held Hinata close. The man looked down then at Haruka.
"Damn demons-" he fell to the side, dead.
000
Sakura gasped as she finished with another child. She had decided that this was the last one for the day. She was getting too tired and she couldn't afford to start making mistakes to tell her to stop. She faltered slightly as she stood, but she was fine. She had to check in with Shikamaru and Lee before sleeping. They, along with most of the camp people were in teh next clearing. This was mainly used for storage and she hadn't seen many people recently. She was heading across the camp when one of the children behind her screamed.
She spun around to see a group of twenty or more bandits swarming the camp. She rushed forward, punching the ground as she went. The resulting mini earthquake had the dual effect of putting the bandits off balance and alerting her teammates that they were needed, if they were close enough. She would need help. The majority of the adults in this area looked dead for her quick scan of the area, not that there had been many to begin with. She must have been really tired to miss the killings. She gritted her teeth. Berate yourself later you idiot!
She was doing pretty okay with the bandits, not having come across any real fighters yet when one of the kids she had been helping ran out of a nearby tent. She was carrying her younger brother and they were being chased by a bandit with a mean-looking knife.
By this time most of the bandits had fled this part of the camp, trying to not get caught by Sakura. One punch brought down the man chasing the two kids. The girl stopped next to Sakura and pulled on her sleeve. She had tears pouring down her face.
"You have to help Momma! You have to!" Sakura looked up to see the woman limp her way out of the tent, obviously looking for the two children.
"Sasami, Kiro where are you!" She barely made it out of the doorway when her legs collapsed. Sakura and Sasami caught the pregnant woman and gently lowered her to the ground. She had a knife wound in her side and was now unconscious.
"Momma! MOMMA!" Sasami was crying so hard that it started her brother crying too. Sakura looked at them. A few other kids came over. Most of them were orphans from what Sakura had been told. They hung out here, along with many of the other children so they wouldn't get underfoot in the main camp.
"Tsume-san?"
"Tsume-san, what's going on?"
Tsume-san?!?" Sakura realized that she had heard about this woman earlier. She was the woman who took care of any orphans the group came across. She babysat all the kids when their parents were needed elsewhere. But she always watched and cared for the orphans.
Sakura looked around. The bandits had fled the camp at this point, but she didn't think they were gone for good. She looked down at the half dozen or so children around her. She picked out one that seemed old enough and spoke to him.
"Sano, you and Sasami, I need your help." Both children looked at her. She knew from experience that children could grow up exceedingly fast when the situation required them to. This situation required them to. "The rest of the children need to go to the main camp and you need to get my teammates. If they were on the other side of camp they may not have heard the fight." The younger children, gripped Tsume's sleeve. Sakura was expecting Sasami to move them and was surprised when Kiro was the one who grabbed their arms. The four-year-old still had tears pouring down his face but he sniffed and looked at Sakura.
"Sakura-sensei stay with Momma?" Sakura nodded. She had already stated some healing. He nodded. "Momma need help. Sakura-sensei need help. Stop crying. Momma say that when sensei need help, we have to be grown and help." Sasami placed a hand on her brother's shoulder and nodded.
"Let's go Sano-kun." The two lifted the smallest of the children and started running towards the rest of the camp. Sakura smiled as she saw Kiro holding another child's hand as they ran. Kids were really amazing.
Sakura returned her focus to the woman in her arms. If nothing else she had to save the unborn child. It was almost to term. She gritted her teeth as she pulled more and more chakra out of reserve. She was tied to the woman for the moment. This was one reason she wanted the children out of the way, she couldnt' protect them in this state and this woman was dying. She could feel the tissue responding. She could do it. She had to do it.
She heard a rustle and turned and looked to see the missing bandits poke their heads out. They looked at her and grinned.
"Well, well, a cute little doctor. Shall we play doctor?" There were chuckles from the group as a dozen came out when they realized the two women were alone. Sakura couldn't move away from Tsume until she either finished what she was doing or severed the chakra link between them, the second option would definitely kill her patient.
She growled in the back of her throat but knew that she couldn't go any faster. The man took another step forward and suddenly he was flying to the left at a tremendous velocity.
"Yosh! Konoha's Green Beast arrives!"
000
The second Haruka released Naruto from the net, he swooped Hinata into his arms, mindful of her injuries. Haruka smiled as she went over to get Kiba and Akamaru.
Hinata was laughing as she felt Naruto's arms around her. They were real. They were His arms. She snuggled into his embrace further as he held her tightly. They calmed down as they just stood there holding each other. Haruka smiled when she returned. So did Kiba.
Then Naruto felt the impact of the day. Activating his kekkei genkai and then using it twice had drained him on top of the weird net. His legs started to give out and Hinata gently lowered him to the floor as Haruka hurried over.
Haruka scanned her student. Then Hinata. Both were tired and Hinata was still badly injured. Hinata however had another problem. Her chakra system was deteriorating much like her mothers had. In fact, it was moving faster!
"Naruto you need to rest. Since you didn't know how to use the Kazegan, you simply poured as much chakra into it and hoped something came out, little idiot. You used way too much chakra and it will be a few minutes before you can replenish it the normal way." Naruto nodded, smiling goofily. He had gathered as much. "Hinata-chan, would you come down to the river and help me gather some water for this idiot?" Hinata looked at Naruto in confusion. She had accepted this person as being a friend, since she did help them and all, but she didn't know who she was. Naruto simply smiled and nodded.
"Its okay Hina-chan. Onee-sensei is a friend!" She felt the encouragement through the bond and remembered how fondly Naruto would speak of his new sensei, who she now associated with this person. She nodded and rose. She glanced over at Kiba and Akamaru, both of whom were laying on the ground not far away.
"They passed out from exhaustion during the fight. They need to be home. The other member of your squad is already home." Hinata looked at Naruto's new sensei in masked confusion as they walked away from the clearing. She hadn't decided what to think of this person yet. "Hinata-chan, you are using Mui's chakra are you not?" Hinata stopped dead, dropping the pail she was carrying. Haruka looked back at her in confusion. "are you okay-"
"How do you know about her?" Haruka looked at Hinata. The Hyuuga's eyes were hard. She heard Mui awaken from her nap in reaction to her anxiety.
"What-?"
"How do you know about her!?!" Hinata dropped into a more defensive position as Haruka took a step towards her, confusion still on her face. "No one outside the Hyuuga council and clan head should know, so how do you? I know Naruto didn't tell you because he doesn't know yet. So how do you know?!?" Haruka's confusion cleared slightly.
"Aya-chan told me." Hinata's stance faltered slightly at the mention of her mother's name.
"My mother has been dead for eight years. You haven't been in the village in that time, Naruto said you hadn't been since the day of his birth." Haruka bent over and picked up Hinata's pail that had rolled towards her. She figured this would be quite a conversation.
"Aa, however, she told me before that, long before. Come, I'll explain as we gather water." Hinata frowned as she followed slowly.
"You don't look much older then Naruto. Why would she tell you?" Her anxiety was dimming as Mui came to the forefront and asked for an update. She had been sleeping since Hinata had used too much chakra the previous day to get the scroll. It contained the layout of several complexes run by that devious organization that kidnapped people and turned them into playthings. Mui had been supplementing Hinata's chakra since they couldn't exactly stop and rest. By sleeping the chakra was softer and could more easily flow through Hinata's body then when the Bijuu was awake. It was how Hinata still had energy after that last fight.
Hinata gave her a brief update on the last three hours. While this was going on Hinata started following Haruka again, who was quiet. Once Hinata was finished, Mui gave the woman a once over.
You can trust her
What!!!!!!
You can trust her. Just listen to her.
Just because she's a girl-
Hina I know what I'm doing. Just try.
Hinata looked at the woman. She didn't know what Mui and Naruto saw in her that was so trustworthy, but she would try.
000
Sakura looked up as Lee entered in his usual enthusiastic fashion. He faced the dozen odd men in front of him with flare unigue to him and his sensei.
"Sakura-san, I will protect you." Sakura looked up at Lee. He smiled and nodded. She saw Shikamaru off to one side watching the kids. Sakura smiled and focused on the woman, lnowing she could trust her friends. She kept one eye on Lee as he fought.
When she was finished with the healing, she motioned to Shikamaru. After making sure the children would stay put, he came over and picked up the woman. He carried her to the main camp, yelling over his shoulder for Lee.
Lee halted in his beating of one of the men, realizing that they were all out and nodded. He gathered them together and tied them to a pole. Glancing around to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, or anybody, he came over to where Sakura was still kneeling and picked her up.
"Lee? I can walk." Lee smiled.
"You are tired." Sakura frowned at him but conceded. She was exhausted. She leaned against his strong chest. His steady heartbeat was soothing.
"Lee." Lee looked ahead on the path. Her voice was tired and calm, but also searching. She was searching for something. She hid it well most of the time, but when she was tired he could se it.
"I will protect you, Sakura-san." He smiled "I had a dream a long time ago to prove that I could become a great shinobi without ninjutsu or genjutsu. I soon realized that that was not my dream. My dream to to help other people's dreams come." Lee walked towards the tent where they had placed their things.
"I started with my own dream, but I want to help everyone achieve their dreams. Naruto's, Neji's, Sasuke-san's, Ten Ten-chan's...and Sakura-san's. Sakura-san's dream was very important to me. You want to help people too. You saw how much your friends were doing and you wanted to help." Lee smiled softly as Sakura's eyes drooped shut. He didn't think she heard what he was saying, but he felt he had to say it anyway.
"You heal people so they can continue to work for their dream. Without that, many people's dreams would disappear" Lee set Sakura on the bed they had set up earlier. She sighed as she settled more comfortably.
"Sakura-san was an angel. Now Sakura-san is a person. A person that helps other people protect their own dreams. That person I want to protect." Lee smiled as he ducked out the doorway. He was content with what he had found.
Sakura opened her eyes and looked after him. She smiled and laid back down.
She closed her eyes and dreamed.
000
Haruka looked down at Hinata. They were still walking towards the water. They stopped at the bank of the river.
"Is Mui done?" Hinata looked up at her in confusion. "Talking. You should be careful not to space out when you are talking to her." Hinata frowned slightly, but nodded in response.
"Why did my mother tell you?" Haruka sighed.
"Her daughter." Haruka sat down on a rock on the bank of the river. Hinata knelt on a nearby stone. Haruka looked over the water as she picked up a small pebble and played with it.
"My name is Haruka I contain Byaka the seven tailed tiger. Everyone knew this. When Ayaka was young she was told about Mui. Eventually, she asked questions and learned that she couldn't speak with her in addition to not being able to survive childbirth. She was told Mui was evil. She was captured to protect others. We had been friend for quite some time at that point. She asked me about Mui without revealing that she contained her. I told her that the only bijuu humans needed to worry about were the sanbi and hachibi. Some time after she told me about Mui." Haruka tossed the pebble into the river.
"I'm a Namikaze. As the heir to the Hyuuuga clan you should know what that means." Hinata nodded. She had done research on the Namikaze some time back.
"She asked me to examine the seal. " Haruka was gazing over the water.
"I figured out pretty fast what the seal was designed to to. It used her life chakra to seal Mui completely. When a mother gives birth she gives a small amount of her life chakra to the child before the child is completely separated in order to start the child's chakra system. Because of the constant drain on the chakra system by this seal, the mother cannot survive this process. I told her this. She asked if there was anything I could do." Hinata was now looking at her, trying to control her emotions. She was hearing about her mother, from someone who knew her. Someone who talked to her. Someone who cared about her. Haruka took a shaking breath.
"I studied the seal for over a month before I understood it completely. There was nothing I could do. I could allow her to speak with Mui somewhat, but there was nothing else I could do for her. My modifications gave her a few years at best, but the seal had already done its damage. Maybe if it had been a few years earlier. But..." Haruka blinked away tears as she fisted her hands. She took a deep breath and looked at Hinata.
"I could, however help her daughter. The seal I developed was a binding seal, a seal that modified an original seal. That was the hope I could give her daughter. She would be able to talk to Mui and use Mui's chakra." Hinata looked up.
"But I didn't know about Mui until last year?" Haruka looked at her.
"A binding seal must be activated after the other seal is in place. Without me around, and your mother dying as you received the seal, it was probably never intentionally activated. You probably got hit with a large amount of chakra right on your seal at some point, activating the dormant seal." Hinata nodded. "That would have activated the binding seal and altered the seal on you. The original seal would attach itself to its host, making removal impossible, however when the seal was placed on you a small amount of the sealing chakra semi-activated the binding seal and stopped this process, meaning I can remove the seal from you." Hinata looked at her in confusion.
"Won't I die without Mui?" Haruka smiled slightly.
"I would replace it with the seal Naruto has, but there is a catch." Hinata looked at her. "Any other bijuu would be able to sense Mui's presence." Haruka knew Hinata hadn't told Naruto yet.
I'm not sure I'm ready
You would have more freedom
I do need to face him
We can wait
The people you are after now are strong and the Bijuu are being hunted
I won't do this without your agreement
There are many tough battles coming. You will need my strength.
I know.
Let's do it
Hinata nodded to Haruka, who had filled the water bottles and buckets and was picking them up to carry back to the mini camp.
"Would you send Naruto down here please. I would like to speak with him." Haruka nodded. She had gathered as much. Things of this magnitude are best done face-to-face.
"I'll send him as soon as I give him a impromptu bath to jump start him." Her voice floated merrily back as she rounded the corner.
000
"Oii Lookie who I found!" Hinata looked up at him as Naruto came down the path several minutes later. "Foxy says she knows you."
"Hoshi!" The fox was nestled in Naruto's arm. She had been worried about her. Hinata had left Hoshi in Shino care right before the battle and since Shino was gone she wasn't sure what had happened to the fox. After she gathered the fox into her arms and comforted them both as she looked back at Naruto. She threw herself at Naruto, knocking them over.
"I didn't think I would see you for another 6 months! Its you, you're here!" Naruto sat up with her in his lap. He simply held her close. He loved the scent of her hair, the touch of her fingers, the sound of her breath, the sight of her face. He loved her.
"Yeah, I'm here. And so are you. I missed you Hina-chan." He tipped her face up with his fingers. She moved forward of her own accord. Their kiss was barely a brush of the lips. It held the tenderness and their fear that this was dream to vanish in a moment's breath. Hinata sighed happily as she rested against him. She knew this was a brief moment they could have, but it was quickly ending.
"I need to tell you something." Naruto held her close smiling calmly. He practically exuded confidence and trust.
"That's what Onee-sensei said" Hinata smiled.
Bring him here. Just tell him to follow your bond and we'll tell him here and tell Youko after. That way we'll only have to deal with one at a time. Hinata looked up at Naruto.
"Trust me."
Naruto felt himself being pulled down her bond. He let himself be pulled and soon found himself in her mindscape.
He was floating. Everything was purple and blue. It looked like Hinata.
"Oi?" Hinata came up behind him. He 'swam' towards her. "I thought only people with bijuu had mindscapes?" He looked at her in confusion.
"You're right." Hinata turned Naruto to the right. "Naruto-kun, this is Mui, my Bijuu."
000
Haruka sighed as she drew the next line in the dirt. She really only had one option on getting these two home in time. This was different then what she did with Shino. She sent Shino to Shibi with a one time seal. It was given to her, in blood, by Shibi in return for a favor and could only be used once. This seal was different. She had to use a bond that no longer existed. She had once been bonded with the person, but like all her other bonds it had been severed. Furthermore, she wasn't sure she wanted him to be aware that she was alive either. Anonymity was her best defense at present.
She glanced over at Kiba. His breathing was ragged. The internal bleeding was probably getting worse and there was nothing more she could do. Akamaru lay whimpering next to his master as he too felt helpless. Actually, Hinata wasn't in great shape either. Mui was healing her, gradually. It would take time though, too much time, she needed medical attention. The change in seal would make her injuries worse since it would disrupt her chakra pathways preventing her from healing herself for a bit.
Haruka looked down towards the river. She knew Naruto would be fine. He had known Hinata was keeping something from him and was content to wait until she was ready to tell him. He would be perfectly fine with the news. Kyuubi on the other hand, she wasn't so sure about. Haruka was sure that Naruto would give him a good kick in the butt if he did anything to cause Hinata to be sad, but she still hoped it didn't come to that.
Sighing, she got back to her lines, she wanted to be done when the two of them returned.
000
"You are a jinchuuriki?" Hinata nodded. Naruto studied her a moment longer and finally decided that she hadn't been treated badly by the village, save her family, because of the fact he smiled widely. "That's great!" Hinata smiled she knew he would be okay with it. She had had a nagging fear that had been hard to ignore, but her logical side had won out in the end.
Hinata proceeded to explain Mui's brief history in her family, excluding how she came to the Hyuuga, and included how she found out and who knew now. Naruto nodded, frowning slightly as he thought about it. It did explain a few weird moments in their link.
Hinata went on to explain what she had been doing with Mui since she had found her. Naruto took a few moments to put all these pieces together in his mind before he nodded. This was becoming a lot of information. He finally decided that he would learn all he could now and review it during meditation later, since Hinata was becoming pale and Haruka wanted to send her home.
Then Hinata explained the fate the seal had given her. Naruto gritted his teeth in anger as she talked. This was something he wouldn't put off.
"I knew your family was stupidly serious but this..." Hinata stroked his cheek. He had pulled her onto his lap as she had talked and she could feel his chakra churning in anger. He looked at her worried eyes as she waited for him to come to terms with her life. He pulled her close, as if death were going to snatch her away any moment. She was so precious to him. She just let him hold her.
Mui picked up the dialogue here and explained how she had come to the Hyuuga. Naruto could see her point, but he didn't think Kyuubi would react with anger. More likely, their reunion would be 'I'm sorry' on repeat. He knew that would be fine.
Hinata looked down as he processed this last bit of news.
"We were going to tell you when you returned. But, Haruka-san had an idea though." Naruto looked at her, mind spinning.
"Onee-sensei is going to change your seal?" Hinata nodded.
"She's going to replace it with yours." Naruto smiled widely and sat up. He had pulled them back out of her mind when Mui was done. He picked her up and started down the path, Hoshi trailing after them. He was going to hold her close for as long as he could. When he returned to Konoha, he would hold her forever. He swore that no matter if he had to convince Kami himself, he was going to make her happy and whenever possible, close to him.
Tell him to send Youko down your bond Hinata smiled as she relayed the message. Naruto grinned as they returned to the clearing.
They waved to Haruka as Naruto shoved Kyuubi down their bond.
000
"Why'd the kit send me here?"
"Youko-sama..." He spun around, tails whipping about.
"It can't be?" He could see her though. She was sitting behind the cage bars. Her tail was unfurled behind her folded wings. She looked up at him with her endless blue eyes.
"Youko-sama." She bowed her head. He didn't have enough breath.
"Mui..."
"Youko-sama, I apologize for not greeting you properly."
"Mui you're..
"Inside Hinata. She is a Jinchuuriki."
"Why? How?"Mui looked at him sadly.
"I am sorry. When I feared your wrath I hid inside a human. A few generation later they trapped me here."
"Mui, I'm sorry. " He couldn't face her. He was the one who should be sorry, not her. "I should have found you. I shouldn't have gotten angry."
"Youko-sama, you had every right."
"Stop it."
"I shouldn't have asked so far above my station, Youko-sama."
"Stop it!"
"Youko-sama?"
"STOP!" Mui went quiet. She knew she had angered him again. "You shouldn't call me that. I'm Youko. You always call me Youko. I am not higher than you.
"Youko-sa-"
"Please Mui-dono. Please..." He curled down into a ball at the base of her cage. His shoulders were shaking as Mui watched in concern and shock. She glided forward and landed in front of him. He looked up at her slightly "Mui-dono, I love you." She gasped as he continued to shake and tears came down his face. "I never stopped. I've been looking for you. I need you. We can have kits, we can move, I don't care, just please. As long as your happy. I need to know you're alright." He was breaking down. Mui reached a wing out and laid it on his head. The familiar feathers calmed him like the eye in the middle of the storm of their lives.
"I love you, Youko. I always have. Knowing you are happy has always been enough." He looked up at her. "I wanted to give you little ones. I wanted to do something for you. I want to be useful."
"Mui...I shouldn't have reacted that way. I was afraid. I'm not strong enough. I didn't think I could protect young yet. They would get hurt, or worse. I couldn't handle that. I-...I just... Please... I'm sorry." Mui let the tears roll down her face as she bent her beak close and nuzzled his nose. She loved him. She still loved him. She will always love him.
Both of them froze as their bond, previously dormant, sprung back to life. He felt her worry, her fear, her hope and soothed them. She felt his terror, his helplessness, his need and comforted them.
They were one again.
000
Haruka set up the bond transfer similar to the one she had done with Gaara.
"You will need to shoo Kyuubi back to Naruto for this Hinata-chan." Hinata nodded as Haruka settled her on a stump. Naruto held her hands as he felt the Fox return to him. "All right, Hinata, Mui probably already knows what to do so this will only take a few minutes." Naruto looked at her.
"But Gaara's took a few hours?" Haruka smiled tolerantly at Naruto.
"Gaara's bijuu was fighting us not helping us, big difference." She lifted the seal off of Hinata's chest. Wrote the new one and released. The transfer went easy as pie. Naruto was still staring at the seal in shock when she handed Hinata a paper seal. "Listen Hinata, I added a binding seal to this seal so it will act as your original one until you are alone and ready to practice with Mui. Place this over your seal and activate. It will deactivate the addition and your seal would become identical to Naruto's. I did this mainly because I doubt you will be able to remain conscious right after you get home so it would be best to let your body heal before giving it something else to adjust to." Hinata nodded. They all stood and walked over towards Kiba. Haruka knelt on one side and motioned Naruto to the other side of the circle.
"Hinata there are a few things I need to tell you. First, rank-wise I am a Jounin. I am ordering you not to discuss me or Naruto with anyone except the Hokage. The seal I used on Kiba will prevent him from remembering us and Akamaru has promised to stay quiet until we return to Konoha. The Aburame was never conscious so he is unaware of any of this. " Hinata nodded in understanding. She had figured she would have to talk to Tsunade-sama before explaining what happened to anyone. She didn't want to add to Naruto's danger.
"I am giving you a scroll. Give it to Tsunade. No one can know what is in here, Hokage eyes only. But it does give her a brief update on his training and our ETA in Konoha. Do you understand. Remember, the shinobi world thinks I'm dead and Naruto has vanished. We need to stay that way." Hinata nodded. She understood, both the instructions and the danger.
"Alright we need to send you back now. Is your father in Konoha?" Hinata nodded again, a good deal more confused this time. "Good, can I assume you know what his chakra feels like?" Hinata nodded yet again, then stopped because her neck was getting sore. "Naruto do you?" Naruto thought for a moment. Then he remembered a night when they were fighting to help Hinata before he left. He remembered from that night. He nodded. "Good, now Hinata get in the center with Kiba, try not to step on any lines."
Hinata settled in the center. She was facing Haruka, who was kneeling just outside the lines. She knew Naruto was behind her in a similar position. She saw Haruka's eyes undergo a transformation, but decided to focus on other things.
"Now Hinata, you need to fill your thoughts with your father's chakra. Think of only him." Haruka was looking at her sternly. Hinata closed her eyes. She remembered back to a time when all she wanted to to be near her father. She remembered sparring with him. His face, his scent, his strength, she filled her thoughts with those memories.
Haruka activated the seal as Naruto did the same. Haruka was the main activator, but she needed Naruto to donate chakra. All three focused their thoughts on Hiashi.
Hinata could feel Naruto slipping away. She caught herself before she lost concentration and forced herself to refocuse on her father. She felt reality ripple as she tried to keep her thoughts within herself. Her grip on Hoshi, Akamaru and Kiba served as her anchor as she tried to lose herself in a world inside herself.
Otou-san, look at this!
That's very good Otome
Otou-san, I will make you proud of me
I am proud of you, Otome
I love my family
I love them
Otou-san, Itoko, Hanabi, Otou-san, Hanabi! ITOKO! "OTOU-SAN!"
Her cry rang throughout the courtyard. Neji spun around and raced forward in time to catch his cousin as she fell in midair. She had appeared directly behind him out of thin air. He saw Akamaru and Kiba next to her, and he heard Hanabi running with Konohamaru and Co. Hinata stirred slightly as he held her. She looked towards Neji as Hanabi came up.
"Onee-sama!" Breathing deeply to focus her scattering thoughts, she reached a shaking hand to Hanabi.
"Hanabi-chan. Listen to me all four of you." Her voice whispery as she struggled to keep her consciousness from floating off. She needed to be sure that nothing would jeopardize Naruto. Mui was trying to help, but she was too worn out as well. "Konohamaru, go and tell Tsunade-sama I am back. Hanabi, go find father. Moegi, please go to the Inuzuka and ask for a vet for Akamaru. Udon, please go to the Aburame's and make sure Shino is there." They didn't move in amazement. "Go." She fainted slightly back into Neji's arms as the four took off. Neji gathered her closer.
"Hinata-sama..." Hinata struggled to remain above the darkness threatening to pull her under.
"Itoko, I can't remain conscious." She lifted two scrolls and handed them to him. "Do not let anyone see them. I must personally give both to Tsunade-sama. Please keep them for me. Do not open them. Please, promise me Itoko." Neji took them. After staring at them a moment he nodded.
"I promise Hinata-sama." She smiled. She knew she could count on him.
"Tell anyone that asks that you found me as you rounded the corner-" She lost her consciousness at that. Neji pulled her tighter as her hand fell down to rest on the ground near them. He panicked for a brief moment before he saw her chest move as she breathed. He sat back and held her close as he waited for help to arrive.
Not surprisingly, Hiashi was the first. He rushed to his daughter's side immediately. Neji handed the heiress over without a word.
"Hinata-chan." Hiashi looked down at his daughter as the courtyard became full of chaos. Tsunade arrived at the same time as Inuzuka Hana and Konohamaru and Co. Hiashi scanned his daughter with his kekkei genkai as Tsunade scanned Kiba. Hana had Akamaru off pronto. Tsunade called for some of the men that had followed her to take Kiba to the hospital and then knelt in front of Hinata.
"Kiba is in serious condition." After a quick scan of the Hyuuga he added. "I need her at the hospital as well. Let's go!" All those in the clearing leaped for the hospital. Neji, despite his desire to stay near Hinata, heeded Hiashi's unvoiced request and stayed with the slower Hanabi and her friends. They all headed towards the hospital, but Hinata and Kiba needed to get there fast.
000
Sakura wiped her forehead as she finished the last patient. She had risen with the sun and had been working since. She smiled at Shikamaru and Lee as she walked over to them.
"All done!" Lee gave her a thumbs up and smiled. Shikamaru nodded. "Let's head home."
"Sakura-san, shouldn't you rest first?" Sakura shook her head.
"I feel that we should be home. I don't know, its just a feeling." Shikamaru shrugged but nodded. Who understood the minds of women. Lee turned and knelt.
"Sakura-san, let me carry you so you can rest." Sakura looked at him. She hated to appear weak like this. Eventually it was Shikamaru's firm nod that did it.
"Only part of the way, Lee."
000
Hinata woke to a white hospital room with the sun dancing in the window. She glanced over to see her father sitting staring at the opposite wall, which couldn't be any whiter then the one behind him.
"Otou-sama?" He jumped slightly and looked at her. She gazed tiredly back up at him. He smiled slightly and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Welcome back. You're in the hospital in Konoha." Hinata smiled at the hand. She needed the warmth, she knew separating from Naruto would be as hard as it had been the first time. She looked up at her father.
"Shino, Kiba, Akamaru, Hoshi?" Hiashi chuckled softly.
"All fine. Shino arrived late last night somehow. His father rushed him into the hospital." Hiashi didn't mention that both he and Kiba's mother had been nearly at his throat to know what the hell was going on. He didn't think she would appreciate their reactions.
"Kiba is in the next room. Both are still out but healing fine. They should awaken tomorrow. Akamaru will be off his feet for a few days but that is all. Hoshi will return as soon as your cousin does. She's been sticking to him like glue for some reason or another and seems relatively unharmed." Hinata giggled slightly at that image. Hiashi lost his smile. He bent his head forward and she felt the hand on her shoulder tremble.
"You were the one we were worried about. You over-strained your entire chakra system and you have internal bleeding. Sakura healed you before she went off to bed herself. You, daughter, are staying right here for a week." She smiled slightly at the mild threat as she made to sit up. Hiashi helped her up and then helped her take a drink of water. He was sitting back down when the door opened to reveal Neji and Tsunade.
Neji immediately went to Hinata's side, asking if she was all right. His hand on her shoulder across from her father. Tsunade, however, simply turned to Hiashi.
"I need to speak with your daughter, Hiashi." Hiashi nodded. Tsunade waited a moment before she realized he wasn't moving. "Alone, Hiashi." Neji, who had used this opportunity to slip the scrolls under Hinata's sheets, nodded to her. She smiled gratefullly to him for his help. He bowed his head briefly to Tsunade and left. Hiashi looked at Tsunade in slight anger.
"My daughter has been back 7 hours after being gone for four days. She is injured and tired. Surely a mission report can wait a little while." His voice was tense, as if he was holding his temper back by the skin of it's teeth. Tsunade kept a rein on her temper.
"I need to know if we must do any follow up. She must give me a brief report now." Hiashi gestured towards Hinata in aggravation.
"You can't know that without all the facts anyway, which requires a report, not a brief summary." Tsunade looked ready to retort back when Hinata spoke up.
"Otou-sama. I need to tell Tsunade-sama some things." Hiashi looked at his daughter. She had a hard look on, not at all like the one she had worn when she had looked at him a moment ago. This was Hinata the kunoichi. He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. A brief glance at Tsunade and he stood outside the room a moment, leaning back against the wall. His daughter was becoming a different person. She was growing up fast.
"Uncle." He looked up to see Neji standing down the hall. He was petting Hoshi on his shoulder as he looked at Hiashi. "Hanabi is downstairs. Maybe we should go get her so she can visit Hinata-sama when Tsnade-sama is done." Hiashi approached his nephew. Hoshi jumped lightly from Neji's shoulder to Hiashi's. He looked at her as she gave him a lick before returning to Neji.
"She's trying to tell you not to worry, I think." He looked at Neji. "Except for Hinata, we just guess at what Hoshi is up to, but she seems to be trying to cheer you up." Hoshi rubbed her head against Neji's cheek before curling around his neck and falling back into a light doze. Neji just sighed. He had gotten used to her being there and he couldn't remove her so he let her do what she would.
The two Hyuuga walked down to the lobby in amicable silence.
After Hiashi closed the door, Tsunade turned to Hinata.
"Neji said you needed to see me alone." Hinata looked at her. She wasn't sure the most tactful way to ask her next request. Finally she decided her tact left with her chakra.
"Please seal the room against any listeners, Tsunade-sama." Tsunade looked at her in confusion but complied. Once the room was sealed, Hinata pulled out the two scrolls. She looked at her Hokage in complete seriousness.
"This scroll is the one you sent us for originally. This scroll...this scroll is Naruto-kun's progress." Tsunade froze in taking the scroll. She looked at Hinata with level eyes as Hinata looked back at her. She nodded and took the scroll. Hinata continued, "The three of us passed out after the fight. We don't remember anything until we returned to Konoha." The way she stated it told Tsunade that she was giving her the cover story that Hinata would stick to. She nodded.
"Welcome Home. We thank the miracle that returned you."
After she left Neji, Hanabi, and Hiashi filed in. Hanabi started asking questions, but they realized quickly that Hinata was too tired. Ten Ten came by and, after saying hello to Hinata, she took Hanabi off to Konohamaru's. Hinata turned to Hiashi after her sister had gone.
"Otou-sama, you were right." Hiashi looked at his heir in confusion. "'Grown-ups need lots of secrets'"
As we grow older
The world becomes stranger
The patterns more complicated
Hi guys, I'm back. Oneshot. what do you think? on this one I wasn't sure. Sorry it took so long. I accidentally deleted some of it and couldn't redo it well. i was soo freakin pissed.
Title-heard it somewhere, don't rememer, no offense intended
Shizen-(1) nature; spontaneity; (2) naturally; spontaneously
Youkai No Ami Osaete-Demon's net restrain (or something along those lines)
Hinata quotes her father at the end from "Trust is Earned..."
End quote is "Home is where one starts from. As we grow older The world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated Of dead and living." by Eliot Thomas Stearns
Ja Ne
re-proofed, addeed 2,000 words yikes was this bad. author is very sorry
Next in Series: The Giving of Secret is a True Test /s/5255326/1/
Takaki is back! Neji is in trouble and Hinata's skills are put to the test! NarHin NejiTen