Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Naruto is owned by Viz Media and Masashi Kishimoto.
Author's Notes: I want to thank NightstoneAC197 for not only BETA reading but also for introducing me to the Naruto Universe. This is an AU. Please R&R.
It was just another ordinary day, just like any other day in the Leaf. Lady Tsunade sitting at her desk in the Hokage office.
"You know Lady Tsunade, it's a bit too early to start drinking." Shizune says. An eyebrow raises upon Tsunade's face "So?" "Well, don't you think that you're kind of overdoing it, considering that we just got here?" "No, not really. You should take in the consideration that it helps me relax my nerves Shizune." Tsunade looks out the window behind her. *sigh* "You're worried about them aren't you, Lady Tsunade?" "Worried about them is an understatement. Think about it, don't you find it a bit odd that we haven't heard from them in over two weeks?" "Well..yes I do.." "And considering the information that we recently received there's more to this than the usual C Rank Mission." "Well that's true.." "But who would have thought that it would have them ending up in Demon Country?" "Demon Country? It was just supposed to be a simple escort mission to the Wave Boarder, wasn't it?" "That's what we thought but from what information that I received late last night, they never made it to the Wave Country Boarder." Tsunade bites her lip and thinks to herself.. 'Where can they be?'
"Naruto behing you!" Hinata screams out. "I'm on it!" he yells back. "U..ZU..MA..KI BARRAGE!" A body lands on the ground with a sickening thud. "Is that all of them Hinata?" Kiba says as he and Akumaru lands down next to her. "Yes, I believe so." " My bugs tell me that there isn't anymore of the enemy in the area." " We should get back to Leaf before they decide to send more our way." Shikamaru says to the group. Everyone nods in agreement. "Hinata watch out!" Shino yells as a spider lands on her right hand. Hinata freezes as the spider bites down, piercing her skin. The venom begins it flow into her veins and Hinata collapses to the ground. *STOMP* "That should be the last spider as well.." Naruto exclaims squashing the bug into the ground. "Hinata!" Kiba says as he catches her. "This is bad guys.. Looks like it's already started to take effect. We got to get her back to Leaf and fast." Shino says as he looks in Shikamaru's driection. "Kiba! You and Akumaru go ahead of us with Hinata and get her back there as fast as you can! " "You got it." "We'll catch up at the hospital there. Shino, collect what is left of that spider so they can come up with an antidote." "Hinata…' was the only thought that passed through Naruto's mind.
As Kiba lands infront of the main gates leading into Leaf Village, Kotetsu and Izumo quickly stand to their feet. "What's the meaning of this Kiba? I nearly fell over in my chair!" Kotetsu says looking at the young Inuzuka. "I need to get Hinata to the hospital! She's seriously injured." "What the hell happened out there? Open the gates quickly!" Izumo yells out. The gates began to move, opening up to the village. Akamaru quickly dashes through the opening heading towards the hospital with the injured Hyuuga with Kiba right at his side.
"Somebody help!" Kiba cries out arriving at the hospital. "Somebody!" "Kiba, welcome back. What's got you all worked up? Hey wasn't Naruto and the others with you?" Kiba, turns around to a girl with light pink hair and green eyes. "Sakura, it's Hinata she got injured!" "What? Quickly bring her in here." Sakura says as she opens a door to an empty room. Akamaru and Kiba gently lay her in the bed, Sakura begins to do a medical scan on Hinata. "What is this? I don't get it." Sakura thinks to herself. "Well, is Hinata going to be ok?" Kiba asks. "Kiba I'm not going to lie to you. Honestly, I don't know what kind of poison this is, but I do know that it is a poison." Sakura looks down and begins to think. "Did you happen to capture the spider that did this?" she says looking up at Kiba. "Oh yeah. Naruto squished one and they put it in a jar." Sakura looks down to Hinata and begins to think, 'I really don't know how much a dead one will help us but if that's all we have to go on. I guess it will have to do.' "Kiba, please wait here while I go and get Lady Tsunade." She says to Kiba as she runs out of the room as Kiba nods in agreement. As the door to the hospital room closes with a thud, Akamaru begins to whine and nudges the young Inuzuka's hand. "What is it boy? You're worried about her too eh?" Kiba looks over at his teammate laying in the bed. 'What is this? Is her hand beginning to swell?'
"Leaf Village straight ahead!" Naruto says as he calls out to the rest of the team. The thoughts of Hinata getting injured weighed heavily upon his mind. "Naruto look out!" Shikamaru calls out to him. "Huh?" The sound of a *thud* was all you was able to hear when Naruto crashed into a trunk of a tree. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" he called out while covering his face with his hands. "You need to be a bit more careful." Shikamaru says to Naruto as he lands next to him. 'Man this is troublesome.' " Look Naruto, I know you're worried about Hinata right now. We are almost home but it will not be long before you can see her. Keep that in mind." Naruto looks down at the ground. "You're right. Let's go."
*knocking sounds on a door* "Um.. Lady Tsunade?" Sakura says as she opens the door to the Hokage room. "Ah Sakura, what is it?" she says looking up from her paperwork. "Well Kiba arrived at the hospital with Hinata. Um.." Tsunade smiles, "So they are back? Tell them that I expect a full report on what took them so long." "Well you see Lady Tsunade," Sakura looks down at the floor "Hinata got injured and I don't know what kind of spider bit her." "A spider?" Tsunade's face begins to pale. "Take me to her at once! Shizune!" "Yes mam!" as she stands to attention. "Your coming as well!"
"Look! It looks like Tsunade is running into the hospital with Sakura. I guess Kiba got here safe." Shikamaru says. "I'm going on ahead." Naruto calls out as he leaps ahead of the group.
The hospital door flies open as Naruto yells out, "Hinata!" The next thing that Naruto sees, is the back of a hand meeting his cheek as he flies back out of the door and against the wall. As he looks over at Shikamaru, Shino, and Kiba, they hold up score cards. "You've got to be kidding me! Just twenty-five points?" Shizune says looking out the door. "I could have sworn it was at least twenty-seven." The looks of disbelief fell upon Naruto's face. 'Man, and here I thought grandma Tsunade hit hard.." Shino shrugs, "He didn't bounce for the full thirty points." Naruto points his finger at Shino. "You're in this game too?" Shino adjusts his glasses, "Well Naruto. When we seen you run past Shizune. One of two things was going to happen. "Shino holds up a finger, "Either one, you was going be thrown back out the room." Then he holds up his second finger, "Or two, you was going to bounce off of the wall." Kiba starts to chuckle, "Man, you should see your face right now." "Why I outta.." Naruto says as he gets up off of the floor. "Quiet out there! Can't you see I'm trying to concentrate! This could be a life and death situation here!" Tsunade yells out of the room.
Seconds turn into minutes, minutes turned into hours. Finally the door that lead into Hinata's room opened. Tsunade and Shizune walk out into the hallway being met with a group of faces. Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba, Sakura, Shino, Kuranai, and Hiashi. "Lady Hokage, how bad is the condition of my daughter?" Hiashi Hyuga says with a slight worried tone. A slight sigh leaves Tsunade's lips, "In all of my years I've never seen anything like this before. I'm not giving up yet Lord Hiashi, I give you my word on that." "I hope you plan on keeping that promise Tsunade. Promises are not supposed to be easily broken nor taken lightly. I will be checking in on you and her status." Hiashi says back with anger in his eyes. "Oh, I almost forgot. IF she happens to recover from this, her days as a ninja will be over. I can not stand by while the heiress to the Hyuga family is constantly put in harms way. You do understand." Tsunade bites her lower lip and slowly nods. "Good, then we do understand each other after all. Good day Lady Hokage." Hiashi says as he leaves the hospital.
"Oh that man really gets my blood pumping sometimes." Shizune says as she clinched her fist. "You got that right."Naruto says in agreement with her as they both glare in the direction that Haishi just left. "You do realize that just because he has one, doesn't mean that he has to act like one." a voice says from behind them. Naruto quickly turns around to see Neji and Tenten walking up. "No kidding. I mean, geez, if my father would have treated me that way when I was growing up, could you have imagined how I would have turned out?" Tenten says with a frown upon her face. "Anyways, how is she doing? We just heard." Sakura looks down at the floor, "Lady Tsunade hasn't seen this kind of poison before. You can tell by the look on her face. I'm really worried." A frown begins to form on Neji's face. "She's currently doing the best she can and Shizune has left to gather various medicinal herbs for an antidote. Hopefully we can come up with a solution soon." A tear falls fron Tenten's face.
"Um Grandma Tsunade?" Naruto says weakly. "What is it? Can't you seen that I'm a bit busy here?" Tsunade says in a sharp tone. "Well yeah but this is one of the things that bit her. We thought that it might help you out on making an antidote." Tsunade's eyes go wide. "Naruto why didn't you show this to me sooner! Kiba retrieve Shizune. Sakura get my work station ready!" Kiba and Sakura take off. "Naruto, you may have just saved Hinata's life. Here take this voucher and go have some ramen on me." She says with a smile. "Thanks, but no thanks Grandma Tsunade I'm not very hungry. I'll just go back to my apartment and wait to hear how Hinata is doing." Naruto says as he turns around to leave the hospital. The look of shock and disbelief overcomes those who heard his words.