Dangerous
By: Kibou32
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Summary: AU What if… Hiashi – knowing the troubles that laid ahead for his first daughter should she turn out to be unable to beat Neji when they become genin – decides to sell her off to an ANBU operative – not ROOT – and in the process changes things irrevocably?
A/N: Due to the reading of a good Shikamaru + Naruto story called "The Rubber band Odyssey" by antilogicgirl and a bit of another fanfiction in which Hinata turns out to be a damn good ninja.
Pairings: Hinata + FemNaruto + Shikamaru. (Because male Naruto with male Shikamaru is not something I think I'd probably be able to do the gay couple justice).
Warnings: Yes… the idea of Hinata and a girl Naruto is preposterous to those that are fans of that coupling, but what can I say… it rang in my head one time and it's been stuck in it ever since. So… mentions of threesomes with Naruto in the middle.
Part IHiashi withstood the glare of his Hokage – although a bit old to be doing this, he could still look intimidating to the younger male – and stayed steadfast in his decision. Having Hinata inducted into ANBU as a rookie – turning her into a little killer earlier than usual – at the tender age of five was a good thing disguised as a cruelty. Hyuuga children were taught much earlier than all the other children and sweet Hyuuga Hinata was the antithesis of what a Main House heir could be. And he wanted to spare Hinata the trouble of being marked with the Branch seal. Besides… he knew Hinata had potential. Potential that needed to be nurtured and cajoled into taking root in her and this took time he did not have, a heart he desperately tried to squash at the thought of sending his little girl away. But it was for the best. Under a different tutelage… Hinata would grow strong and beautiful. Under him and his damn family, the clan council, their hatred towards perceived weakness… she would suffer irreparably.
"Hiashi-sama… this bit of news is unsettling. As your Hokage I will tell you to reconsider, for the minute you sign these papers; Hyuuga Hinata will no longer be in your care." – The old Hokage said looking stern whilst inwardly sighing in deep regret over the child's wellbeing.
"It is what I want. Hokage-sama… I know you don't want a Hatake Kakashi in the making… but may I suggest… I know it's a bit cruel of me to abandon Hinata like this; but I think this is better in the long run."
"What is your suggestion Hiashi-sama?" – The Hokage said quietly not liking the feeling that was brought upon the look that he found in those blank eyes.
Hiashi looked uncertain for a minute as if to decide whether or not it'd be good or bad to do so, but he took his chances and rushed on after the Hokage gave the go ahead.
"I think Uzumaki Harumi should be inducted into ANBU too."
The Hokage looked angry for a second, but then reasoned that Hiashi used to be in pretty good terms with Yondaime Hokage. It was hard for the villagers to see that the Kyuubi vessel resembled the late Hokage. It wasn't so hard for a shrewd man like Hiashi to know who Uzumaki Naruto was really related to and why an kage-level illusion was needed to project to the world that the Yondaime's daughter was really a rambunctious hellion.
"I see… and what makes you think this would be a good idea. Why do you think that Harumi should go into ANBU too?"
"Even if the villagers and others that are too stupid to understand the precious jewel that we have in our possession is a treasure disguised as a pariah, once Harumi makes genin-hood; she'll be the target of some hard opponents. Opponents that once they make the right connections would not hesitate in harming her. If you get her settled in an environment with people who care, who treasure her and want to really teach her… if you saddle her next to a little girl who is in the same predicament she is… then she'll bond with her and through this little girl, she'll find a way to ground herself in Konoha."
The Sandaime Hokage reasoned the situation quietly. He understood what Hiashi was saying underneath it all. Train the little girl to get strong, show her how to care for others through companionship and she'll never betray Konoha. He nodded and watched as Hiashi signed the documents.
Promptly at one o'clock in the afternoon, Hyuuga Hinata took a walk with her father and never came back to Hyuuga compound.
:-:
Hinata learnt in those first three weeks that the training she was undergoing under the firm tutelage of Hyuuga Aimi – a member of the branch family – was something she needed. She was told that should she gain more of what Aimi thought were sound experience in what it meant to be a ninja, which was basically stamina, speed and smarts; she would meet her new roommate at the end of the month. Hinata was enthusiastic to say the least. Hinata thrived under the firm teachings of her taijutsu instructor, her tutor, everything. Only if she was able to meet the elusive blond girl who she caught sight of from afar, but never managed to meet.
She was told the blond girl was a little younger than her, almost five; but not quite. The girl that was coming to live with her had serious advantages over her, but that either way… they were about to become roommates and soon teammates in studies too. Hinata went on with her training. She hadn't really understood why her father had abandoned her to this branch family member – who ironically enough didn't have the bird caged seal – and left her on her own and estranged her from her little sibling and her cousin Neji. But she endured the training and decided that maybe it was for the best. Maybe her father didn't need her, but that didn't mean that somewhere out there; that sooner or later, she'd find the person who needed her the most and would cherish her the most out of anyone else in the world.
:-:_:-:
Three years later…
Hinata learnt earlier that day… jealousy. Her best friend in the whole wide world… Uzumaki Harumi had met Nara Shikamaru. The spontaneous blond had immediately gotten a hold of him and refused to let go. But Hinata was impervious at first. She refused to be thrown into a childish temper tantrum. And then Harumi had returned to Hinata after that and said…
"I want you to meet my new friend, Hinata."
Hinata knew then that she had not lost her best friend in the whole wide world yet. But she knew even as she knew that Harumi was a kind and caring individual that she shared the sentiment of that boy… things were about to turn up troublesome.
:-:
Shikamaru watched the Hyuuga girl talk to the Uzumaki boy and wondered about their relationship. It was only when they were about to learn how to swim that he noticed something strange. Naruto wasn't with them in the boy's locker room. He ran past the confused looks from his peers and back to the classroom to get the shock of his life. Naruto was with Hinata and for a second he thought the image of his new troublesome and energetic friend shimmered. He thought he saw the image of a girl wearing an orange one piece swimming suit instead of the orange swimming trousers. He thought he saw long blond hair tied into two ponytails at the side of the person's head instead of the short and spiky blond hair of his troublesome friend. And then he shook his head, muttered 'troublesome' and went back to the boy's locker room.
Over the days continuing that episode, Shikamaru concentrated on his new troublesome and energetic friend with an intensity that did not go unnoticed by his Academy Teacher… recently turned chunnin Umino Iruka.
After the exams came summer vacation, so Iruka sat to talk about his findings about his students to the ever concerned Hokage. He then ended on the note that of all of his concerns… the topic that topped all necessity was – besides Uchiha Sasuke's sudden loss of his family and clan – how much concentration Shikamaru centered on Hyuuga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto. The Hokage asked the young man before him what did he think of the relations between Naruto and Shikamaru. Iruka said that they were the worst pair of the class, for when Naruto wasn't goofing off; he was initiating fights with the homeless Uchiha Sasuke. They had the worst rivalry ever seen in mankind. Even worst was the fact that Shikamaru always agreed on whatever Naruto said to the Uchiha boy which made the rivalry between the two even worst.
Sandaime chuckled at that and decided he needed to pay a visit to the Nara's that evening. At least to be sure that young Shikamaru-kun wasn't being too weird.
:-:
The visit to the Nara household foretold a story that the Hokage hadn't thought of. Nara Shikamaru was as lazy as his father, but he was observant. And smart. When he asked to talk to the young boy alone only with his father to witness the conversation, he was sort of amazed to see the potential on the young boy. He was eight at the moment, but his observations and the conclusions coming from those observations were excruciatingly accurate.
He then told the boy he could run along and turned to the father.
"My son brought Uzumaki-chan to a sleepover the other day with the excuse to study for the finals. I noticed the amount of patience he had with her and wondered. Yoshino doesn't like Uzumaki-chan, but Shikamaru was willing to stand up to his mother for his new friend. And he's gotten as motivated as of late… it's really astounding." – Shikaku said nonchalantly looking to the side.
"And what would you have me do, Shikaku-san?" – the Hokage asked shrewdly.
"With all due respect… I noticed that both the Hyuuga girl and Uzumaki-chan have good skills. They are quite advanced in the chakra department and Shikamaru is not. I would suggest that in a year, Shikamaru be inducted into the same project that Hyuuga and Uzumaki are in."
The Hokage sighed and nodded in response. "It shall be done."
:-:
That summer, Shikamaru saw Naruto for what gender he really was. He had invited Naruto and Hinata along for a swim. Given the fact that they had to learn to blend in with their peers, the ANBU operatives that taught the two girls relented and let them have a few days off from training. Nine year old Hinata didn't get the chance to stop Shikamaru from completely finding out.
An enemy shinobi had entered the village unannounced. Hinata felt unsure and immediately began to search their surroundings for what she felt was wrong. Harumi also noticed that someone was decidedly making its way towards them, but even though they had been trained since they were four in being shinobi, they were still… at most high level genin. So they missed, the Mist ninja passed under their radar and tried to kidnap Hinata.
Shikamaru – who had never practiced his Kagemane at the most – quickly started the only ninja technique his father had taught him so far. So it was left to Harumi to go after the Mist ninja. But she was conflicted. They were three little wannabe ninja kids and the man was clearly a high level shinobi with experience. They needed back-up. Harumi attempted the forbidden technique that her – now gone on a long-term mission – teacher had taught her… kage-bunshin.
Shikamaru was shocked to see three clones being made by Harumi. One left to find help. The other two tried to help him – with the original – with the criminal in their midst. The elite ninja took advantage of the almost chakra-drained Harumi and got the girl – under the illusion of a boy – in the gut pushing her away. This sent her two clones puffing away into smoke that helped the ninja stowaway more than hindered him and dislodged the illusion on her.
Hinata – at this time was actively trying to think of a way to escape – but she knew that her only chance was to get her attacker in surprise. And the element of surprise is never a good position for her. That was more Harumi's element than hers. Nevertheless she activated her byakugan and looked at the man, found what she was looking for and gathered enough chakra to numb him. Went a bit overboard, but managed to get free in time to be 'rescued' by two chunnin and an elite jounin that went by the name of Mitarashi Anko.
:-:
Harumi had to be taken to the hospital. She was hurt and exhausted after such expenditure. Shikamaru was in some sort of a shock and seemed to not being able to get his eyes off the girl.
The Hokage sighed as he brought Nara Shikaku into the Hospital room that held Hinata, Harumi and Shikamaru. Then he decided right then and there to induct Shikamaru into the program one year earlier, if only to prevent the boy from taking matters into his own hands and revealing the truth about one Uzumaki Naruto.
:-:_:-:
Five years later.
Shikamaru at thirteen thought all girls were troublesome, with the exception of his two friends Hyuuga Hinata and Uzumaki Harumi. This was why he couldn't comprehend how one of his old childhood friends – Yamanaka Ino – could throw away a five year friendship with Haruno Sakura to pursue Uchiha Sasuke. It just baffled him. He sighed and also wondered about the girl that sat next to him looking tired and sleepy. Harumi was undergoing a different type of training lately. These days he saw less of her than he usually did. And he didn't like that. Hinata was as self-confident as always, but he could also see that if he didn't see Harumi as much as he used to then Hinata saw Harumi even less.
They were all learning different things this year. Just last year, Hinata got entered into the Intelligence and Interrogation sector of ANBU. He could see that she had flourished under the – dubious, because he really didn't like that woman – tutelage of Mitarashi Anko. And he had been told that as soon as they became genin, he was going into the Hunting and Capture division. But Harumi had begun her training into two different divisions at once since earlier this year and neither Shikamaru nor Hinata liked the strain it put on her. They also didn't know what the names of those divisions were which was due to the amount of secrecy and since in the eyes of all shinobi – even those in ANBU – they weren't shinobi yet until they graduated from the Academy, there was nothing they could do about the situation their friend was in.
In the meantime, due to the stress of being in two separate divisions in ANBU; school work for the ninja academy had been siphoned to her friend Hinata – whenever she could do her homework as well – and Shikamaru. But Harumi couldn't let them know. They'd probably be upset if she told them she was learning under two Sannin. One was the legendary medic Nin, Tsunade. And the other one was Jiraiya, with spy connections that went far and beyond.
Only because she had been at the wrong place at the wrong time! She likes the two old geezers, but they gave her hell!
Monday, Wednesday and Fridays were under the tutelage of the legendary Slug Sannin. She was being taught on speed, dodging, and medical ninjutsu. It was no wonder she was exhausted. She was smart, but she was also more of a… hands on learner rather than learning through books. She got bored easily and if her attention dawdled, the Slug Sannin beat her in a new one. So she was sore every single morning no matter how good and fast her system healed.
On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, she went under the tutelage of the Frog Hermit. He was perverted and sometimes scared her with his perverted comments, but so far she had learnt the most with him. The training almost seemed like playing games to her, but required cunning thought and if she didn't think before she acted, she'd get worse things than a beating. So the Gama Sannin was also a tough taskmaster.
And on Sundays, when she was supposed to be resting, she studied on what she had been given on the whole week. Which led to what – on the surface at least – turned up to be her worst mistake.
:-:
Mizuki had been eyeing the Kyuubi brat for awhile. The brat was smart, but not that smart and his grades had plummeted to the dead last position since early this year. So here was his chance. He would use the pretense of issuing an extra-credit make-up test and use the brat to steal the forbidden scroll, and then kill him before leaving the village.
What Mizuki didn't expect was to find – that night – in the darkness that the brat had caught on to the deception sooner than expected and had gotten the help of his two friends: Hyuuga Hinata and Nara Shikamaru. Then good old fashioned Iruka had come into the scene and he had almost managed to escape, if it hadn't been for the menace that was the brat.
:-:
"The way I see it, jiji. You have a choice." – Jiraiya said as he looked on to the village from his window post.
Tsunade looked angry but knew the gig was up. If she wanted to keep on teaching the girl… there was so much untapped potential it even made her really excited! Jiraiya looked at his ex-teammate carefully and sighed.
"What do you suggest Jiraiya?" – Sandaime Hokage asked as he looked at the proposed genin nominations for each of the teams.
"You keep those three on the same team and change the tutors." – He said with no ceremony whatsoever.
"Aburame Shino with Inuzuka Kiba is a good combination. If you put Inuzuka with Uchiha or worst with Akimichi, there will be trouble. It is best to combine the silent one with the over exuberant one." – Tsunade said settling more comfortably on the sofa at the Hokage's office.
"So who should be the jounin assigned to be the sensei of Nara Shikamaru, Uzumaki Harumi and Hyuuga Hinata in your opinion, Tsunade?" – The Hokage asked looking pensive but serious.
"Well… I think the Hatake brat would be a good leader." – She said looking serious.
"But what do we do about Sasuke?" – The Hokage asked worried. He was sure the counsel would not like that.
"Jiji… I have seen the brat and he seems unstable. To grant him a personal trainer with a developed sharingan is a risk and he may just turn traitor with the right incentive. If the council gives you a hard time for this… you should just say that Uchiha Sasuke could receive personal training for his sharingan if it develops and only when he makes the coveted chunnin post." – Jiraiya explained his ideas to the Hokage with impatience. Sandaime agreed at the thought.
"Very well… but who would take the kunoichi in each of the other two teams?"
"How about if you do this old man? Yuuhi Kurenai is an expert in genjutsu isn't she? She'd be good for Uchiha Sasuke because that would teach the little brat to respect his betters, she's a woman and that would show the little brat to not underestimate his female peers. As of the other one… it could be either Yamanaka Ino or Haruno Sakura. It could be better if you put Haruno in there though, since Yamanaka has a history of being a pushover."
"I will agree to these changes on two conditions." – the Sandaime said in a low tone of voice, and both Sannin stiffened knowing these two conditions were going to be a hassle to get out of.
"Name them." – Jiraiya said not liking the suspense.
"One: you both return to duty and to the village. Two: after the chunnin exams, either one of you will take my post. None of these conditions are negotiable."
Tsunade grimaced. She wasn't willing to do this. She still could not let go of the fact that Konoha had taken her precious people away from her, but agreed that if she wanted to keep close to the blond wonder, she had to make some allowances. And this would also help her with her assistance Shizune, who seemed to be losing her youth and had not married yet. The perfect exchange… Shizune deserved it. She had been loyal to her all these years, it was time Tsunade gave a little of it back to her apprentice.
Jiraiya didn't like the thought of returning to Konoha either, but he had less of any leeway Tsunade might have found in their old sensei. He would do so, but only because he owed it to the Yondaime to take care of his little daughter; and only due to that.
"Agreed. However… it would be better if no one outside this room knew about us for the time being, not until the chunnin examinations. I fear we may be entering war sooner than we thought." – Jiraiya said quietly,
Sasuke Sarutobi frowned and leaned back in to his chair.
"Do tell."