The first month in Konoha passed quickly. Hinata found a job in a little grocery store conveniently situated in the large, unavoidable marketplace. The market was the center of life in Konoha, everyone had to go there sooner or later, and every bit of news passed through eventually. Hinata cleaned, carried, helped, watched, listened, and paid attention. She felt almost cheerful, her goal clearly in her sight. She loved having a sense of purpose, something to drive towards.

The second month passed slower, as Hinata began to lose heart. No news came in, at least not regarding her targets.

The third month dragged on. Hinata felt jittery and upset. Little things began to set her off. The Konohites bothered her. Being in this place bothered her. She wanted to leave. Soon.

Hinata had gone nine months before receiving this lead. She had jumped at this lead because she hadn't had one in so long. She had been willing to come to Konoha because she was desperate, because she thought this would pay off. But it wasn't paying off. Maybe it was being in Konoha that made her skin itch, or maybe it was because she needed to do something. In many ways Hinata was a very patient person, but not with this.

At the start of the fourth month, Hinata was disheartened enough to be careless. And that's probably why when something actually happened, it took her by surprise.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

It was the middle of the night when the battle happened. Hinata had been sleeping, albeit not well. She was having a nightmare, and when she woke up she almost thought she hadn't. But the fire in her room was real enough to get her moving. She ran to her small bathroom, only to find it destroyed. Something had slashed into it, cut the sink and mirror in half. The fire was still going strong. No time to grab her contacts or put a genjutsu in place. Hinata grabbed a hooded sweatshirt and pulled the hood low over her face. Between it being night, the hood, and her bangs, hopefully no one would notice her distinctive eyes.

Hinata ran out of the building and joined the crowds of people watching the fight. It was dangerous to stick around, but if they had finally made their move she didn't want to miss it.

Two figures were battling in the middle of the main street. One was lobbing fireballs while the other skillfully dodged them. The fire magic user was a Hyuuga, with long dark brown hair loosely tied back and the famous white pupilless eyes. Hinata winced. One could easily confuse any Hyuuga for another, but Hinata knew this one. Hyuuga Neji was not someone easily forgotten.

It was only when his opponent unleashed what could only be described as a blade of wind that Hinata realized what was happening. They had made their move, just not the one she had expected. Damn. Damn!

"What's happening?"

"Why are they fighting?"

"How did a fujutsushi get that much power?"

"Everybody calm down! We need to get you all as far away from this fight as possible. Please follow me in an orderly fashion!"

"But what's going on?"

"Someone kidnapped the Hyuuga heiress. As you can see, we are in the process of apprehending the criminal."

Hinata froze, her eyes locked onto the wind magic user. Once again she cursed her own stupidity. She hadn't seen this coming. Not at all, not like this. It wasn't their usual pattern.

But, then again, Konoha wasn't exactly a normal city.

There was only one reason they would kidnap her. And that left Hinata only one option.

If she had only seen this coming … if she had only …

But she hadn't. And she had to deal with the here and now. Neji was in danger of being overpowered and soon. And the more time she wasted here, the greater chance of this all ending in death.

Besides, no way were all these people gonna get away unharmed unless she did something.

A couple of deep breaths.

A couple more.

Come on, you don't have time for this.

Now. Do it now.

The wind magic user let loose an attack headed right for the crowd.

NOW!

People gasped as the wind blade crashed against a wind barrier that had suddenly appeared around them. Even Hyuuga Neji was visibly startled, at least for a moment. But the most shocked was the fujutsushi. Rising up into the air, he searched the crowd for the source, certain that he would find the culprit. He didn't expect Hinata to attack from behind.

A wall of air hit him in the back, pushing him against a nearby wall. As he struggled against the pressure, Hinata was suddenly right beside Neji.

"Which way did they take her?" Hinata was careful to keep her eyes as hidden as they could be.

"Why should I tell you?" Neji's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Does it look like I'm on their side?" His attention was still on his currently subdued opponent, slowly freeing himself. "We don't have a lot of time. That won't hold him for long. I can reach her faster than you. Which way did they go?"

"… That way." He jerked his head left.

"Thank you. I'll come back and help once I've saved her. You just hold him here."

Hinata took off in the right direction, focusing her senses. She needed to find the place where the disturbances in the auras were the greatest. Unfortunately, there was disturbance everywhere at the moment. It took concentration.

Neji could hold the fujutsushi off for a while. She'd be back soon enough. Right now, she had to go stop a demon from freeing itself.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Fu-jutsu used to be considered the most powerful of the four. It summoned wind spirits the fastest and had the most varied powers. A Fu-jutsushi could fly, turn invisible, float objects, and so much more. But that was centuries ago. Before the wind magic users got too confident. Before the others began to hate them. Before the war. Before the destruction. Before the genocide.

Back then, Fu-jutsushi had their own country, their own castle.

Now the Chi-jutsushi ruled over a desert, and the remaining Fu-jutsushi were weak and bound in service to the other jutsushi.

One such clan was the Kazamaki clan, bound in service to the Hyuuga. They once drew strength from worshipping a demon, until the Hyuuga sealed it away. Anyone who tried to free it would be burnt to a crisp by intense fire. Unless, of course, one couldn't be burned by any fire.

The Hyuuga main branch was protected from all fire.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

AN: Sorry this took forever and is so short. Wasn't sure exactly how I wanted to do this. Also incredibly busy. I'll update sooner and longer next time I promise.