"Will the child survive?" The voice in the memory was muffled and distant, as if it was being heard from beneath a pool of water. She had been submerged in his memories, her own restlessness, and her sleep. Thus, the analogy was surprisingly apt.
"The child...perhaps...our future...most certainly," the second voice was clearly her village's leader. The man who had shaped her as a shinobi. The man who had broken her and rebuilt her from when she was a mere three year old child.
"Akahoshi-sama, when did this memory happen?" The young woman whispered to the distant, both emotionally and physically, 'Hoshikage'. The other presence, the one that defined her as much as her unique eyes or her status in the Village Hidden under the Stars, remained silent.
'I haven't been able to sleep since I arrived here. Get a hold of yourself, Hatsune Hinata,' the Genin of the Hoshigakure mentally berated herself. Hinata sat up in the hotel bed and sighed. It was difficult to sleep in this village, this Konoha. The air was too...light. Hinata had grown up in Hoshigakure. The village had always been protected by the thick sulfurous gases that filled the low-lying areas that surrounded the plateau Hoshigakure was built on. Hinata took a deep breath simply to enjoy the novelty of the action.
"Her eyes are too distinctive, Akahoshi-sama. They will be noticeable to anyone familiar with them," Shisō-sensei's voice filtered through the haze. Hinata knew this memory was one of her own.
"She can wear contact lenses around the village. No one will defy my authority to ask questions. Yotaka is working on a...method of protecting Hinata's...other secret," Akahoshi had said. Hinata had been six when she had heard this conversation. She hadn't understood at the time. Now, it was another painful reminder of her place.
Her role and duty.
Of her being less of a person and more of a tool.
The room suddenly felt oppressive. Hinata clambered out of the bed and quickly dressed. She grabbed her identity papers and hitai-ate, and slipped out of the hotel room. Shisō-sensei would be displeased by her leaving without permission so early in the morning. Hinata, uncharacteristically, found she wasn't worried. The prospect of anonymity was actually a thrilling mix of liberation and seclusion.
Hinata tied her hitai-ate around her forehead as she walked down the hall. She paused in front of a mirror and took in her appearance. Hinata straightened her kimono-style top. She had decided to wear her favorite top. It was a light lavender color with a subtle floral pattern. It was not the nicest top she owned, but it was her favorite. She had actually paid for this one. Hinata hated most of her other clothes. They were lovely, and occasionally she allowed herself to enjoy them. It was just that she didn't earn those clothes. Merchants back in Hoshigakure 'gifted' her practically anything she needed. They did not give Hinata these 'gifts' out of kindness. They gave them out of fear.
Fear of what Hinata was.
Fear of Akahoshi's displeasure if they offended his favorite 'instrument'.
Hinata looked away from her own reflection. Her eyes found their way to the floor, but she didn't focus on anything in the material world. Her hands found her way to her sternum, but not for comfort. She was hiding the seal that branded her as Hoshigakure's 'treasured' instrument. Hinata was retreating into her emotional shell. A suddenly influx of sympathy from the other presence inside her body made her feel slightly better.
'At least I'm never alone,' Hinata thought to herself. An image of Hokuto flashed in front of her eyes. Hokuto had always been her best, if only, friend. Hinata treasured Hokuto as the sister she never had. 'Thank you for including her.'
Hinata's constant companion was strangely silent. There was something or someone in Konoha that was making him nervous. Hinata wouldn't pressure him. She understood the desire to have some privacy; to have some sense of individuality. If Hinata could find a quiet and isolated place, preferably near some water, she would try to discover the whys.
Hinata decided to refocus on her appearance. Shisō-sensei had been adamant in reminding Hinata and her team that they represented Akahoshi and Hoshigakure in all their actions. The order and emphasis in Shisō-sensei's words had not been lost on the Star Village Genin. Hinata made sure her shuriken holster was full and secured tightly to her right leg. She smoothed a wrinkle in her black Capri pants.
A frown formed as checked her hair. She missed her long hair. Hokuto and Hinata had decided to grow their hair out once they made Genin. Hoshigakure's Academy had adopted a very strict dress code. Hinata and Hokuto growing their hair out was a celebration of their 'adulthood'.
Unfortunately, Akahoshi, Shisō, and Yotaka had cut off all Hinata's hair a few months ago. They had applied a second seal, this one on the back of her head. It had been a terribly degrading experience. Hinata had retreated to her small house, little more than a single room, and created a sphere of coral to hide in. She had refused to see or speak to anyone, even Hokuto, for three days.
"Now we really will be able to pass for sisters," Hokuto had said the moment Hinata had opened a gap in the coral sphere. "They gave us the same eye color."
"T-they did?" Hinata sniffled. Hokuto had helped Hinata to her feet. Hinata slowly walked to a mirror. She still wanted to cry about how her sensei and village leader manhandled her. Hinata had been so proud of her hair. She had also been proud of her eyes. They were hers and unlike anything in her home village. Hinata appraised her new 'eyes'. The seal Yokuta had applied had altered her eyes. They were no longer the pupil-less pale lavender eyes Hinata once had. Now, they were a dark purple with the slightest of pupils. Though, Hinata realized, her 'pupils' were little more than a faint outline. "I...I like the color. W-we can pass for sisters...when my hair comes back."
"I'm the big sister!" Hokuto declared.
"I-I think I'm older," Hinata pondered out loud.
"Ah, Hinata-chan, I always wanted to be a big sister...please?" Hokuto playfully whined.
"Fine...Onee-chan," Hinata echoed Hokuto's playful tone.
Hinata smiled at one of her favorite memories. She was feeling much better now. The Hoshigakure Genin took a final look in the mirror. Her hair was finally growing back enough to where Hinata wasn't embarrassed to be in public. It was already hard enough for her to interact with anyone but Hokuto. There were weeks when she had to be ordered to even interact with the rest of her Genin team. Shisō-sensei was especially difficult to be around.
Hinata shook her head. "Stop wasting time, Hinata," she whispered to herself. The urge to run away and retreat within her shells was bubbling forward. Hinata had come to the Konoha Chuunin Exams to take a step forward. She would prove she was a person and not a tool. Hinata looked at herself one last time in the mirror. She even smiled at her short hime-cut.
Hinata still missed her long hair though.
The first thing Hinata noticed was that the Land of Fire was warm. In fact, it was almost unbearably warm. The sun was only threatening to rise and the temperatures were equal to those of midday back home. In spite of the heat, Hinata put her arms inside of her voluminous sleeves. Hinata consciously wanted to keep her identification papers and other documents safe. Subconsciously, however, she was trying to put something between her and any strangers she might encounter. Hinata decided to just start walking. The hotel was the largest in Konoha, and only three buildings in the Hidden Village were larger. She was confident she could find her way back. A smile worked its way to Hinata's face as she came to a decision.
'I'm going to be spontaneous,' Hinata thought excitedly to herself. Her entire life had been rigidly controlled, and opportunities to indulge in whims were incredibly rare. She simply started walking with no destination in mind. Hinata simply allowed her feet to move in any direction they pleased. The streets were fairly empty by the standards of such a large village, but Hinata had never seen so many people out and about before sunrise.
"Even this is growth," Hinata said to herself. She was experiencing life in another part of the world. It was actually thrilling. Suddenly, the thrill of excitement was replaced by a thrill of worry.
"Would my little hime like some breakfast?" A woman's voice Hinata instinctively recognized, but tortuously couldn't place, asked. A little girl clinging to the woman's neck nodded shyly. "How about some cinnamon rolls? They are almost as sweet as you. Your father loves them."
"Oto-sama?" The girl asked.
Hinata had stopped in front of a bakery and was panting heavily. She hadn't been this scared since her first C-rank. Hinata nearly created a coral sphere to hide away. Shisō's adamant orders that she was not to reveal any of her abilities until the Chuunin Exam proper stayed her hands. Instead, she took off running from the small bakery. The delightful smells were calling forth a wonderful dream, or the horrifyingly threat of possible memories. Hinata simply ran in the opposite direction from the smells and ignored her protesting stomach.
Eventually, the smells ceased, and Hinata felt the cold comfort of serenity return. It was balancing on a razor's edge, but the small comfort was welcomed. Hinata leaned against a tree and took a deep breath.
'The trees are so odd here. I've never seen so many leaves. I miss the pines back home. They always smelled so nice,' Hinata recalled a pleasant memory from home to calm her racing nerves.
"I-I am uncomfortable here," Hinata's constant companion finally actively contacted Hinata.
"What is it, Bu-kun?" Hinata asked nervously. Anything that could make Bu-kun uncomfortable could not be a good thing.
"One of my brothers is here. The strongest and most dangerous. Ku...He is close," Bu-kun said with forced calm. Bu-kun's confession was making Hinata once again teeter on the edge of panic.
'Maybe this walk was a mistake,' Hinata thought and turned to head back to the hotel. Unfortunately, her blind flight from the bakery had taken her deep into the woods.
Hinata was horribly lost in a foreign village.
Hinata finally emerged from the unfamiliar forest. She was growing increasingly nervous because of her situation. Bu-kun was still remaining silent. It was almost if he was afraid of drawing his 'brother's' attention. The fear was causing Hinata to retreat inwardly. She felt her hands twitch in anticipation of creating a protective wall of coral.
'How can Bu-kun be afraid?' Hinata wondered to herself. She recalled the sheer power of her comrade. Hinata recalled every detail of her companion. Bu-kun appeared so...secure. Hinata's friend was so massive and overwhelmingly power that the concept of Bu-kun feeling fear was alien.
Bu-kun was Isobu, the three-tailed Bijū.
He could not be afraid. After all, if something could make Bu-kun afraid, what hope did Hinata have of facing the source? Hinata found herself retreating into her memories in an attempt to calm her racing nerves.
Hinata blinked as she found herself on her back. She did remember falling from her counter while she was trying to reach for some rice to cook. However, she couldn't comprehend why she was outside her home. After a moment, she realized she was underwater! In spite of herself, she screamed. Hinata knew that her lungs should be filling with water, but she wasn't choking. It was as if she was breathing pure air. The young girl shook nervously as she tried to stand. Hinata knew she was underwater. She could feel the warm water against her bare arms. Strangely, her clothes were still dry.
"I must have really hit my head..." Hinata whispered and ran a hand along the spot where her bruise should have been. Instead, Hinata was unharmed. The young woman decided that finding a way out of this genjutsu or dream was far more important. Hinata's first attempt to dispel the 'genjutsu' she was trapped in ended in failure. Hinata tried a few more times, but again, there was no reaction at all. "I don't have much of a choice," Hinata whispered to herself. She called upon the Star chakra and attempted to dispel the genjutsu. There was still no reaction. Hinata was now firmly convinced that she was in a dream. There was something fascinating about this dream. She had never had such a vivid dream in her life.
"I hope I can remember this tomorrow," Hinata whispered. In the distance, she saw a beautiful hill of what appeared to be rock. The hill was covered in brilliantly colored...flowers. At least, Hinata believed them to be flowers. They were unlike anything she had ever seen. The flower-like creations swayed along with the currents of the water. Hinata smiled at the rhythmic swaying. As she approached, she noticed a cave. The knowledge that this was a dream had made Hinata bold. She entered the cave while humming a tune. The tune, and her breath, fled from her lips as she entered the cave. Hinata was so overwhelmed by what she saw that she was unable to speak or even scream. A massive creature, one that dwarfed even the mighty bears of the great pine forests, turned its attention to Hinata. The massive being appeared to be covered in steel armor plates. There were numerous spikes rising from the armor. There was a segmented mass of pink flesh beneath the armor. However, the most striking feature was how human some of the creature's features were. His arms and hands were very human. Hinata wasn't sure how, but she instinctively recognized the undoubtedly powerful entity in front of her as male. She gathered her courage and looked the being in the face. The face was, like the hands, strangely human. A mass of armor above his eye looked like a mess of unruly hair. Around his mouth, there was more armor. This time however, the armor appeared to be an unkempt beard. It was almost as if the being was a young man trying to appear beyond his years.
"You are very small," the creature's voice boomed in the small cave.
"Y-You are very big," Hinata stammered. The creature laughed at Hinata's statement. Hinata was about to take offense to the very large armored turtle in her dream laughing at her. She quickly noticed that the very big, very strange turtle's single eye was alight with good humor. "W-What is your name?"
"My name? No one has ever asked for my name..." the turtle asked sadly.
"W-Well, I am...I-I would like to know it...my name is Hinata,"Hinata said politely and was proud she only sounded nervous instead of terrified.
"Well, Hinata-san...I am Isobu the Sanbi," Isobu said in greeting.
The memory of Hinata's first memory with Bu-kun warmed her heart. She was feeling much better. Unfortunately, she was still completely lost. Hinata cast a nervous look at a pair of civilians who appraised her warily. The Hoshigakure kunoichi caught a glimpse of the Hokage Monument in distance. Hinata was eager to get back to the hotel and speak with Hokuto. She headed directly towards the legendary monument and slipped into a nearby alley to avoid a large crowd waiting in front of a series of food stalls.
"Hehe, this'll work perfect!" Hinata heard a young man declare. At first, Hinata thought he was speaking to her. Hinata peered around a pile of discarded boxes and realized the boy's back was turned. The boy was wearing a bright orange, white, and blue jumpsuit. Instinctively, he whirled around and entered into a sloppy, almost brawler-styled, fighting stance. It wasn't perfect, but it was clearly something he was comfortable with.
It didn't help him look anything other than ridiculous. He hadn't let go of the two cages he was carrying. Hinata was on the verge of laughing when she felt Bu-kun coil within his seal.
The boy dropped the cages and a pair of panicked chickens fled the small alley. However, the two children stared silently at each other. They instinctively recognized the other as some form of kindred spirit.
"Hello," the boy said tentatively.
"H-hello," Hinata replied. The boy suddenly straightened. An undeniable sense of confidence quickly surrounded the young man. It shocked Hinata how quickly her perspective of the Konoha shinobi had changed.
The boy seemed to be thinking of something to say. His face brightened and he cleared his throat. "Uh, may I see your papers? I mean, you're a foreigner and all."
"Oh right..." Hinata fumbled for her identification. As she pulled them out, she felt the ninja looking her over. It was all making Hinata feel very self-conscious. She quickly handed them over.
"Hatsune Hinata of Hoshigakure..." the ninja read haltingly. "Cool, I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"
Hinata blinked. She hadn't expected a ninja to give up personal information so freely. "I-It is a pleasure to meet you."
"Thanks! Your village is one of the only ones I remember from Iruka-sensei's boring lessons! You guys have this star-thing, don't cha? I bet there are all sorts of awesome jutsu you guys know!"
Hinata wasn't sure how to react to Naruto's enthusiasm about her home village. On the one hand, she was proud that her village was well-known in Konoha. On the other, she couldn't give away any information about the Star chakra. It was her village's most sacred secret.
'I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell him...something,' Hinata thought to herself.
"We possess the power of the star," Hinata admitted.
"That is really cool," Naruto said approvingly. "So, what brings you to Konoha?"
"My Genin cell and I are here to take part in the Chuunin Exams," Hinata answered.
"Chuunin Exams?" Naruto asked in alarm. "When do they start?"
"In three days," Hinata responded a bit off balance.
"How can they start in three days without me knowing about them? I mean, I need to make Chuunin before I can be named the next Hokage!" Naruto babbled.
Hinata blinked in surprise. How could no one in Konoha mention the Chuunin Exams? "Your Jonin commander did not tell you?"
"Kakashi-sensei hasn't mentioned anything about it," Naruto sulked.
"I-I'm sure he'll mention something today," Hinata said to placate the Konoha ninja. Naruto flashed a soft lopsided grin. The Hoshigakure kunoichi felt a heat in her cheeks and quickly focused on something else. "Um...do you know where the Gouki Hotel is?"
"Oh yeah, Miss Izanami's place. Have you had her anpan?" Naruto asked.
"We don't have that in Hoshigakure. I've never had anpan before," the foreign girl admitted.
"You have to try it! So good." Naruto gestured wildly at the thought. "I can take you back to the hotel."
"I would be grateful, Naruto-san," Hinata said graciously and bowed.
Naruto flashed a wide grin. "Let's go. Let Uzumaki Naruto, the future Godaime Hokage, be your guide to the wonders of Konoha!"
"Thank you," Hinata said kindly.
Naruto beamed. 'I'll have my two Shadow Clones pick up the chickens later. It's not every day I get a shot at something like this!'
The two shinobi walked the streets of Konoha. Naruto spent most of the time pointing out the sights. Hinata had always considered herself adept at observation. Thus, she noticed several details. First, Naruto was just naturally friendly. His optimism amazed Hinata, especially in light of Hinata's second observation. The villagers were looking at Naruto and Hinata with an undisguised combination of shock, fear, disdain, and even a hint of revulsion. Hinata was all to familiar with those looks. They were the looks she received every day from the civilians of Hoshigakure.
"Hey, I bet your team is wondering where you are," Naruto said quickly. "Want to see a shortcut?"
He was visibly relieved when the foreign girl nodded. Naruto was hoping she hadn't seen the looks some of the villagers had been giving him. He really wanted to make a good impression with the Hoshigakure kunoichi. There were a ton of reasons for Naruto to make a solid impression. Naruto craved recognition, and if he could spread it to other villages, so much the better. It would be helpful in the long term, too. Naruto was going to be Hokage one day. So, it was a good idea to become friends with foreigners. He needed to show them how awesome he was!
The other reason was a bit selfish, but Naruto really wanted to impress a girl. He had been trying forever to get Sakura to like him. Unfortunately, Naruto hadn't had any luck with her. Naruto was stubborn, and part of him refused to give up on Sakura, but he realized it was probably a good idea to cut his losses and start over. Naruto wasn't sure if this talk with Hinata would go anywhere. Still, it would be a nice change of pace to talk with a girl that didn't hit him for something.
All Naruto's hopes would go down the drain if Hinata saw the villagers' crueler looks.
Naruto led Hinata through a small side street.
"Once we cross the next road, you'll be able to see Miss Izanami's place," Naruto announced with a wide grin.
"Thank you, Naruto-san," Hinata said gratefully. She had seen the looks of the villagers and the glares had brought up unpleasant memories of home.
"You're welcome," Naruto replied. The two continued for a while. Eventually, they turned a corner. "There it is! I'll walk you in. I've been wanting to visit Miss Izanami's place for a while now."
Hinata bowed. "Again, thank you for being my guide, Naruto-san..."
"Ah, don't mention it! Happy to give you a good impression of Konoha!" Naruto smiled broadly and rested his hands behind his head.
Hinata chewed her lip and decided to be very bold. "I-I have a better impression of you. I now know I am not alone and that there is another who is strong enough to endure those looks. I-I have to go...thank you Naruto-san."
Naruto's arms fell to his side and he barely managed to nod as Hinata dashed away. The world felt so overwhelming. Vaguely, Naruto remembered that he had to meet his team for training today. His earlier plans to demand Kakashi enter Team Seven in the Chuunin Exams were completely forgotten. Naruto could only think about 'not alone' and 'another'. There was no way there could be others like him. It was too unbelievable.
"I need to talk with Iruka-sensei," Naruto said to himself and bolted from the front door of the hotel.
Hinata stopped in front the exit of the stairwell and leaned against the wall. She had no idea what possessed her to make that confession.
"Bu-kun, was that really someone like me?" Hinata asked her Bijū companion.
"Yes, that child was a second Jinchūriki. He is like you," Isobu answered.
"Thank you," Hinata replied in only mild shock. She walked quickly out of the stairwell and back into her hotel room. Hinata hurried to the second bed and shook her roommate awake.
"Hokuto-chan...please wake up," Hinata pleaded.
Hokuto stirred and hummed. The second Hoshigakure kunoichi sat up. "What is it, Hina-chan?"
"I met a boy," Hinata blurted out.
Hokuto blinked twice. "A boy?" Hokuto asked in shock. "Shisō-sensei won't like that, but...tell me all about it!"
"I-It isn't like that!" Hinata said quickly. The Jinchūriki gripped the sides of her top tightly. Hinata was desperately trying to fight off the blush caused by Hokuto's insinuation. "He's like me."
Hinata's best friend yawned and blinked. "He likes you or is like you?"
"The second one," Hinata said hotly.
"Oh, sorry. I'm still sleepy," Hokuto apologized. She got out of bed and grabbed two glasses of water from the bathroom. "Are you really sure about that?"
"Bu-kun said so," Hinata answered with a nod.
"Wow, I thought you were the only one," Hokuto whispered. "What's he like?"
"Strong," Hinata said without hesitation.
Hokuto took a sip of the water. "Let me get ready. I want to hear all about this. We'll also need an excuse to throw at Shishō-sensei. But are you really sure?"
"Absolutely," Hinata responded with unshakable confidence. Hokuto was amazed at her friend's uncharacteristic confidence.
"I wonder if he'll be at the Chuunin Exams?" Hokuto pondered.
Hinata giggled. "Naruto-san was quite shocked when I mentioned the exams. I don't believe he was informed the Chuunin Exams were about to start."
"Ooooh, you're already using his given name," Hokuto gently teased. "But what kind of Jonin sensei doesn't mention the Chuunin Exams?"
"I don't know what kind of teachers Naruto-san has had in his life," Hinata answered neutrally.
"I bet his Jonin is lazy," Hokuto laughed. Hinata laughed with her.
'Even if the world turns against me, I will always have Hokuto-chan and Bu-kun,' Hinata thought proudly.
Iruka filed away a lesson plan as Naruto sat quietly on the edge of one of the first-row desks. The scarred teacher took a quick calming breath.
"Now, Naruto, could you start over and speak at a speed I can actually process?" Iruka asked.
"I met a girl," Naruto blurted out.
Iruka suddenly sprouted a proud, if amused, grin. "Good for you, Naruto! Is she a civilian or someone I taught?"
"She's from Hoshigakure," Naruto answered immediately. The Kyūbi's Jinchūriki was about to continue, but noticed Iruka's ever-widening smile. The gears in Naruto's head were turning and then everything suddenly clicked. "It's not like that! I didn't mean it that way! It's not like that!"
"I believe you, Naruto," Iruka said in a tone of voice that made it clear that Iruka clearly didn't believe Naruto.
"She's like me," Naruto stressed.
Iruka, being an perceptive individual, immediately caught Naruto's true meaning. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Well, not absolutely..." Naruto confessed. "I'm pretty sure though. She said: 'I have a better impression of you. I now know I am not alone and that there is another who is strong enough to endure those looks. I-I have to go...thank you Naruto-san,' right before she left."
"You remembered all that?" Iruka asked in surprise.
"I've only been saying it over and over in my head since she told me!" Naruto huffed.
Iruka made a placating gesture. "No need to get defensive."
"Sorry, I just don't know what I should do-ttebayo!" Naruto shouted in near panic.
Iruka knew that Naruto was distressed by the idea of a second Jinchūriki if the boy's verbal tic made a comeback. "When do you meet with the rest of Team Seven?"
"Technically, it was supposed to be twenty minutes ago," Naruto admitted.
"With how late Kakashi-sempai is, you'll still beat him by at least an hour," Iruka joked. Naruto laughed along with his sensei.
"Thanks, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said earnestly.
"You're welcome. Give me a second. I'll be right back," Iruka said. The teacher hurried out of the classroom. Naruto jumped off the desk and began to pace. He had a lot of nervous energy, more than usual even. The young man had never expected to meet another person like him. When Iruka came back, Naruto practically tackled him.
"What idea do you have, Iruka-sensei?"
"I'm going to talk with Hokage-sama," Iruka said quickly. "Tamotso-sensei will be covering my classes until I get back. Naruto, I need you to meet with your team. Once we have something figured out, I'll let you know."
"But what should I do?" Naruto asked.
"Treat her like you'd want people to treat you. If her life has been like yours, I think she'd appreciate it," Iruka responded. He noticed Naruto frown as the boy thought about his own life until recently.
"And...it will be useful to have friends in other villages when you're Hokage..." the teacher quickly added.
Naruto immediately brightened and his small frown morphed into an ear-to-ear grin. "I was telling myself that too!"
"That's the Naruto I'm used to," Iruka said as he patted Naruto on the head. "Now, go meet up with your team."
"Sure thing, Iruka-sensei! I wonder if Kakashi-sensei will enter Team Seven in the Chuunin Exams too?" Naruto shouted as he bolted for the door.
Iruka squawked. There was no way Naruto's team was ready for the Chuunin Exams! The teacher had known talking to the Hokage was important before, but this completely changed the equation!
Hinata and Hokuto were happily eating anpan in the hotel's dining room. Hokuto was in her usual clothing and proudly displaying her hitai-ate. Team Shisō was the first Hoshigakure team to participate in a foreign Chuunin Exam. The two Genin had been talking in a 'code' they had made up as young girls to plan for as many possibilities as they could think of.
Eventually, the conversation turned to lighter fare.
"You know, Hinata-chan, these trees are really weird," Hokuto said after contemplatively sipping on her tea.
"They smell wrong. I miss the pines back home," Hinata replied.
"I know! The air is all off too!" Hokuto spoke excitedly.
"Well, the sooner we all make Chuunin, the sooner we can go home," a male voice entered the conversation. Hokuto and Hinata turned to their teammate, Sumaru. The boy was widely considered the village's greatest prodigy. Hinata respected him for his work ethic and drive, but that same drive pushed Sumaru to be over-bearing at times.
"Sumaru-kun's right," Hokuto agreed. "I can't wait to be cleared to learn Wings!"
Hinata nodded, but didn't say anything. She was probably the only shinobi in Hoshigakure who did not like, or truly benefit, from the Star Training. Hinata's inability to truly benefit from the Star Training was a subject of discussion among her peers, including Sumaru. Hokuto was the only one outside of the village's leadership who knew the truth.
Hinata's status as a Jinchūriki conflicted with the Star's chakra. Akahoshi, Shisō, and Yotaka believed that the 'tailed beast' sealed inside Hinata was rejecting the Star's chakra. The leaders of Hoshigakure were correct, of course. Hinata fought the urge to frown at how her sensei, village head, and leader of the Star Training demeaned Isobu as an animal and not an intelligent being.
"Hinata...we need to think of something to tell Shisō-sensei about this morning," Sumaru suddenly said.
"This morning?" Hinata asked nervously. Sumaru gave her a look and Hinata's shoulders drooped. "I wanted to see what Konoha was like."
"We all want to see Konoha, but we need to do it as a team," Sumaru said firmly. "This is unknown territory."
"This is our ally's territory. We're guests," Hokuto pointed out.
"Konoha invited Suna, Kumo, and Getsugakure to these exams," Sumaru countered. "I trust you haven't forgotten our B-rank against Getsugakure?"
The girls grimaced as they recalled the border patrol mission that ended with a clash against Getsugakure. It had been a minor incident and no one had been seriously hurt. However, it was the young Genin's first real taste of shinobi combat.
"I was just excited," Hinata said in a halfhearted attempt to defend her actions.
"We all are, Hinata-chan," Hokuto verbally stepped in. "Let's let Sumaru-kun eat, and then we can go explore together."
Sumaru signaled for a server as he sat at the table. "I think it'll be fun...and it'll give us a chance to size up the competition!"
Sakura and Sasuke were both fuming as they waited on the bridge. It was bad enough that Kakashi was always late, but now Naruto was picking up their sensei's bad habits! Sakura groaned and managed to attract Sasuke's attention.
"I swear, if Naruto shows up reading an orange book, I'm going to punch him!" Sakura grumbled.
Sasuke chuckled. "I might hold him in place for you."
Sasuke's simple joke chased away all of Sakura's previous anger. A moment later, Sakura's annoyance flared again when Naruto aimlessly approached the bridge. Their blond-headed teammate had his nose buried in a book. Sasuke scoffed at the sight and Sakura leapt from her perch.
"Narutoooo!" Sakura drew out Naruto's name in annoyance. "What are you reading?"
"Oh hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto said warmly. "I'm reading a book I borrowed from Iruka-sensei on Konoha's allies."
That got Sasuke's attention. "Why are you reading that?"
"There is a Chuunin Exam taking place soon. I've seen a few foreign ninja around Konoha today, so I thought I'd learn about them," Naruto explained.
"The Chuunin Exams!" Sasuke exclaimed. "A chance for promotion and more power, and Kakashi hasn't mentioned anything about this?!"
"Does...does Kakashi-sensei not think we are ready? I-I mean we won against Gatō, Zabuza, and Haku..." Sakura added. She wasn't sure if she was truly ready, but she did believe in Naruto and Sasuke.
"Actually..." Kakashi's voice interrupted any response Naruto or Sasuke might have suggested. The Jonin jumped down onto the bridge and 'eye-smiled' at his charges. "Sakura hit the nail on the head. You have proven that you have incredible potential. Now, all of you will have to make the decision to join on your own."
Kakashi handed out the forms and patted Naruto on the head. "Good to be reading up on potential opponents. I hear you've taken a particular interest in Hoshigakure..."
Naruto sputtered incoherently as Kakashi disappeared. The Jinchūriki sighed as he looked between his book, the form, and Sakura. He made his choice. "Hey, Sakura-chan...I need to ask you something."
"No, I won't go out with you. I need to talk with my parents about the Chuunin Exams," Sakura said without even looking up.
"I wasn't going to ask that! I was going to ask something else." Naruto waved his arms comically.
"Huh, then what were you going to ask?" Sakura responded. She had failed to notice that Sasuke had slipped away.
"Uh, I was wondering if you had any tips for getting to know a girl?" Naruto asked.
Sakura shot Naruto a blank look. "Talk to her, find out her favorite places, and take her there."
"But she's from Hoshigakure," Naruto blurted out. Quickly, he realized what those words sounded like and covered his mouth with his right hand. Unfortunately, Naruto's book was still in that hand and he hit himself in the face.
"What?" Sakura gawked. Naruto quickly, and lamely, said goodbye before running away.
"Oh man, that was close," Naruto said to himself. He saw the look in Sakura's eyes. Naruto remembered that look from the Academy. It was the same look all girls seemed to get when some new bit of juicy gossip arrived. Naruto ducked around a corner and, literally, ran into Konohamaru and his group of friends.
"Hey boss, you really need to watch where you're going!" Konohamaru scoffed.
"Sorry, I was just running from Sakura-chan. She wants to interrogate me on the girl I met today," Naruto explained.
"You met a new girl today?" Udon asked in naked disbelief. The only girl the Konohamaru Corps had ever seen 'The Boss' talking with was Sakura.
"She's from Hoshigakure," Naruto admitted.
"I didn't know you could have a girlfriend or boyfriend from a different village," Moegi mused.
Naruto squawked. "I-I just met her! I don't enough about Hinata to ask her out yet!"
"Yet!" The Konohamaru Corps shouted. Naruto slapped his forehead.
'Why does everyone act like that?'
"NARUTOOOOO!"
"What is that? It has to be a Banshee!" Konohamaru covered his ears. Sakura stormed around the corner and she had a wild look in her eyes. "Oh god, it is a Banshee!"
"Naruto! Stop running. I just want to ask some questions!" Sakura grumbled.
"Run guys! She's going to ask about feelings!" Naruto panicked.
"Hey, what's wrong with feelings?" Moegi asked defensively. The young girl never got an answer because the boys had already taken off.
"Which way did they go?" Sakura asked in a huff. Moegi, annoyed at being left behind, pointed in the general direction of the Naruto, Udon, and Konohamaru generated dust storm. The girls took off after the boys. By some quirk of fate, Moegi and Sakura managed to catch up with the boys.
"Stop acting as if I'm going to hit you!" Sakura yelled at Naruto's retreating form. She wasn't planning on hitting Naruto, but this was getting ridiculous.
Naruto cast a quick glance over his shoulder and panicked when he realized Sakura was gaining on him. The last thing he needed was to be cornered and be interrogated by one of the biggest gossips in all of Konoha. Naruto knew Ino would find out within ten minutes and somehow, everyone in Konoha would think he was getting married to a girl he barely knew within the hour.
Fate evidently had a vested interest in advancing the rumors of Naruto 'meeting' a foreign girl. Naruto was not paying attention to what was around the corner. He ran straight into someone...again. The mystery person grabbed his wrists and instinctively tried to throw him. Naruto, acting equally on instinct, wrapped his leg around his 'attacker's' leg to regain some form of leverage. The awkward 'skirmish' caused the two people to fall to the ground in an entangled mess.
"Boss! You okay?" Konohamaru shouted in alarm.
Naruto opened his eyes and realized he was staring into a pair of dark purple eyes. Eyes that definitely belonged to a girl. "Oh crap, I'm really sorry!"
"It's alright Naruto-san. No one was hurt," Hinata accepted Naruto's apology.
"Uh, don't take this the wrong way, but you smell really good," Naruto said lamely. The least he could do was compliment a girl he nearly ran over.
Hinata blushed at the unexpected compliment. "T-Thank you."
"NARUTO! Stop doing...whatever it is you're doing!" Sakura shouted as she rounded the corner. She couldn't really see much. Unfortunately, what she could see looked shockingly like Naruto and an unfamiliar girl were about to kiss. The two foreign ninja looking at the scene with naked shock, and in the case of the boy, undisguised anger added a charged atmosphere to the whole situation.
'Oh, Ino-pig will love this gossip!' Sakura fought the urge to giggle maniacally.
Sakura's shout ripped Naruto and Hinata out of the daze they had found themselves in. Naruto shot up first and graciously helped Hinata to her feet.
"Sooo..." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, and Sakura-chan...may I introduce...Hatsune Hinata?"
"Uh, hi?" Moegi asked numbly. There was something familiar about this Hinata. 'Why do I get Hanabi-chan vibes off her?'
"And these are your teammates?" Naruto asked Hinata. The Hoshigakure Jinchūriki nodded shyly. Naruto seemed to be completely unfazed by how the current conversation had begun. "So, who wants a tour?"
Sasuke walked calmly towards his apartment when he heard someone grumbling around the corner. The last Uchiha immediately knew something was off. Sasuke was absolutely confident that the accent he heard was not an accent from the Land of Fire. He felt his entire body tense. The last time he had heard a truly foreign accent had been against Zabuza and the fake Hunter-nin named Haku. Sasuke felt his body tense and he steeled himself.
"It's too humid here," a girl's voice complained.
"At least we won't be here too long," a boy's voice grumbled.
Sasuke rounded the corner purposefully. He took in the two foreigners and confirmed they were shinobi. Their headbands identified the two as hailing from Suna. Konoha and Suna claimed to be allies. Sasuke, like all Uchiha, had no trust in long-term alliances.
The words of Sasuke's father Fugaku rang in Sasuke's mind. "Sasuke, only place your trust in a fellow Uchiha. No one else will ever deserve, earn, or honor your trust. The Clan is the heart of everything. We are blood. We are family."
The Suna ninja were also eying Sasuke warily. The Uchiha fought the urge to groan as he noticed the kunoichi giving him a subtle look-over. Girls seemed to be the same everywhere.
"You are here for the Chuunin Exams," Sasuke said evenly.
The boy scoffed and shook his head. His strange head gear flapped with the motion. "Don't act so tough. What are you going to do? Ask us for our papers?"
The kunoichi rolled her eyes at the posturing. "Kankuro, stop taunting the locals."
"I do need to see your papers," Sasuke ordered. "Even if you claim to be here for the Chuunin Exams."
"Well, lookie here. The natives are restless," Kankuro taunted.
"Ignore my brother, he's an idiot," the kunoichi breathed out the words in annoyance. "I'm Temari."
Temari handed her papers to Sasuke. Sasuke gave them a thorough look as a means to hide his annoyance. 'Yet another girl fawning over me. Yet another annoyance.'
"These are in order," Sasuke reported. He handed the passport back to Temari and turned his attention to Kankuro. "Your papers."
"How about no, tough guy?" Kankuro snarled. Sasuke closed his eyes, and when they reopened were the legendary Sharingan.
"So, that's how it's going to be!" Kankuro's snarl became a shout.
"That is enough, Kankuro," a cold voice interjected.
Kankuro's aggressive snarl became a panicked gulp. "G-Gaara."
Sasuke turned around to face the new voice. He couldn't hide his shock that someone had managed to sneak up on him like that. Sasuke couldn't afford to be so sloppy in the future. Gaara was a strange individual, even by Shinobi standards. He had a dead look in his eyes, a tattoo with the kanji for love above his left eye, and a massive gourd on his back.
Gaara took an appraising look at Sasuke. "What is your name, shinobi?"
"Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke said proudly, but quickly.
"I will test my existence against yours in the Exams," Gaara declared.
Sasuke's Sharingan took in the color and intensity of Gaara's chakra. It was malevolent. A realization was dawning on Sasuke.
'If I can survive these exams...I will finally begin to catch up with Itachi! This Gaara, when we fight, will force my Sharingan to fully mature!' Sasuke was filled with dark anticipation. In all likelihood, Sasuke would be forced to kill this Gaara but it would prepare him for his destiny.
"It will be a difficult test," Sasuke challenged. Gaara began shaking, and Sasuke recognized the reason. It was the same reason Sasuke was nearly shaking. They were both eagerly awaiting the chance to live. The two young men who had seen so much blood wanted to dance on the line between life and death.
"T-Tour?" Sumaru gawked. 'Who is this guy? Why is he so friendly with Hinata?'
"Yeah, why not? We're all allies, after all. Besides, it'll be at least a day before the exams start," Naruto explained calmly. "So, what are you interested in seeing?"
"Are you really a shinobi?" Sumaru asked in shock. "We are foreigners, even if our villages are allied."
Naruto looked at the other boy like he had lost his mind. "Of course I'm a shinobi. Sakura-chan over there is my teammate. Our third teammate is a bit of a loner and isn't here. We've completed some impressive missions."
'We've had mostly D-ranks and only one impressive mission,' Sakura thought.
"Besides, it's not like I'm going to sneak past Old Man Hokage, again, to get to the village's secrets," Naruto chided Sumaru, "just like you aren't going to talk about your village's techniques."
Hokuto sighed and new the two boys were going to continue their little contest as long as no one else jumped in. "It wouldn't hurt to take a tour. Hey, you're Sakura-san, right?"
Sakura nodded. "Yes, and you are?"
"I'm Hokuto." The Hoshigakure girl waved. "As us girls outnumber the boys, where's the nearest shopping area?"
Naruto groaned and suddenly thought the tour wasn't such a good idea after all. He cast a glance over to Hinata and wondered if he would get a chance to ask her the millions of questions bubbling in his head.
The next day, Team Seven met each other at the bridge. Naruto was bummed by the results of his 'tour'. He hadn't managed to talk to Hinata all that much. Naruto had watched her carefully, much to the annoyance of that Sumaru guy. However, what Naruto had seen really sold him on the idea that Hinata was like him. They had been at a small clothing shop and Hinata had repeatedly asked if the prices were accurate. Naruto remembered 'the bad old days' from when he was just starting the Academy. Shops used to overcharge him. That had ended really quickly when Old Man Hokage had personally blasted the shop owners.
Still, it was tough being reminded of those days.
Even his brilliant plan of distracting Hokuto and Sakura-chan with the Konohamaru Corps fell flat.
Naruto sighed and turned to Sasuke. The Jinchūriki noticed Sasuke was smirking more than usual. Naruto found himself returning the smile.
"So, you ran into some interesting characters, eh?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke nodded at his friend. "There are a lot of strong people here."
Sakura was quietly walking behind her teammates. She didn't share her teammates' enthusiasm at facing strong foreigners, but she wasn't going to let Sasuke-kun and Naruto down.
Team Seven finally arrived at the site of the Exam. They worked their way through the crowd. A pair of older Genin or young Chuunin were blocking the way. Sakura noticed that there was a genjutsu hovering over the door. As Naruto and Sasuke were about to fight the two armed shinobi, Sakura pooled her chakra. Naruto was shouting about 'letting the future Hokage in' and Sasuke was probably considering using his Sharingan.
"Sasuke-kun, Naruto, I'll handle this," Sakura said, much to Naruto and Sasuke's surprise. "Release!"
The genjutsu faded away and the boys turned to face Sakura in shock. Naruto had a huge grin on his face and flashed a thumbs-up. Sasuke nodded approvingly. The young woman smiled broadly.
"Come on guys! Naruto said enthusiastically. "We have an exam to dominate!"
'And I have some questions for you, Hatsune Hinata,' Naruto thought determinedly.
Author's Note: First off, Happy Birthday Gaiseric! Second, Yes, I have plot ADHD. I hope you all enjoy this (hopefully) pretty unique take on things. I really like this idea and I'll try to keep up with it as much as possible. To allay some other fears, I'd peg the next chapters of Misstep in the Right Direction and Unexpected Lord of Foxes at about 50% done each. I've also worked a bit on Prince Naruto? and everyone's favorite Sheogorrath-inspired mess Hanyou: The Musical!. Please read and review! The level of response dictates how quick I'll come back to this one! Thanks in advance awesome people!
And now for a quick fic rec: Trieo's Sister Lost. It is definitely a fic to keep an eye on! Trieo has crafted an incredible amount of original content!