NARUTO THE SOARING LEAF

CHAPTER 2

CHANGES

The Depthless Warmth, The Heartless Cold

The EYES reflect Changes

To Save and To Kill

The Power to Change burned strongest in that One

And the Result was… the Rebirth

Of Legend

Fire Country

Kabuto had been Orochimaru's servant for a long time and he had been with the Snake Sannin longer than all of his servants. His servitude under the ruthless ninja was not without its dangers and most had not come form outside forces but from Orochimaru-Sama himself, for the Snake Sannin was know to be as cold blooded as his chosen Soul Summon. His survival had come from his exceptional ninja talents and his sharp, cunning mind. To serve as the right hand man of one of the ninja worlds most wanted criminal demanded no less than the willingness to place one's fate into said criminals hands and to serve as an extension of that person's will. He executed all of Orochimaru's commands without hesitation and he endeavored to be a valuable piece in all of Orochimaru's plans, because over the time, he had been serving him, Orochimaru's ambition, dream and goal had become his own. He had willingly brought himself into his current servitude and for better or for ill, he had cast his lot with Orochimaru.

He remembered the point when Orochimaru opened his mind to him and brought him into the midst of his plans and he knew then that he would not be discarded after that. It meant that he was included in them and his part to play was not as a pawn to be wasted but a supreme piece to help with the achievement of Orochimaru's godhood and with his Ascension, he could ascend as well and be a god too. He was always one to go after the main prize.

Ever since he had been revealed as a traitor to Konoha, he had given all of his power and knowledge to Orochimaru's dream and it had been well used. He had learned his medical ninjutsu from his adopted family and over the years, he had built on that knowledge it put him on equal footing with many ninja. He had developed techniques that gave him a unique edge in battle and the experiments he had done with and on behalf of Orochimaru had given him an in-depth look into the human body and he knew how to exploit that very well. He could attack any number of vital spots and guarantee extreme pain or death depending on how he felt. He counted himself as one of the greatest Medical Nin's of the age but there was another, someone who had put a fear into him that he could not deny let alone escape.

He was marching with Orochimaru's army to attack Konoha, in effort to turn the devastating looses they had suffered over the past few years. He had been worried when the Orochimaru told him to organize the remaining forces and to launch an attack on Konoha and when the march had started he was shocked when the orders were given to start a scorched earth policy. He had tried to keep his alarm to himself but Orochimaru's knowledge of the human psyche was uncanny and he had noticed his distress. There was a point when he had thought his master would punish him for his doubts but Orochimaru had forgiven him for his lack of faith. He realized that he could not doubt Orochimaru, at this point and he ceased his questioning and turned his analytical mind to improving their chances of crushing Konoha. Truth be told he knew that, that man would be waiting. Uzumaki Naruto had proved to be the single obstacle in all of Orochimaru's ambitions, starting with the retrieval of Orochimaru's intended vessel Uchiha Sasuke, that action had destroyed most of Orochimaru's short term plans and the loss of the Sharingan made the learning of all of the worlds Jutsu's all the more difficult for his master. That loss had been great but it did not compare to the crushing of his Village and the defeats handed to them, all through the hands of Uzumaki Naruto.

Kabuto shook his head to dispel any thoughts of the Blond haired ninja but the action did not give him the respite he desired because a new image came to his mind. The image of one of the strongest medical ninja he had ever encountered, a woman whose skills went far beyond her age and showed an understanding that not even the best had thought of at that age. She was 18 years old and already a Mistress of the Medical Nin arts and Kabuto knew that he would face her.

He was unsure about the outcome of the battle because he would be facing someone who had skills that frightened him. The truth laid bare was that he was afraid. Afraid of being defeated, of not realizing his and Orochimaru's dream, he was afraid of dying. Death was always a possibility but in this instance, it was almost a certainty. He had faced off against strong opponents and that he was marching to Konoha with Orochimaru was a testament to his skills and ingenuity but for the first, he was scared. Orochimaru would have his hands full fighting his own battles but what of him. For him Kakashi was not his rival, they had taken the measure of each other that time in the hospital room of Uchiha Sasuke and he had known then that he was not destined to fight Kakashi. Kakashi was a genius ninja who would not fall, so easily. Having trained under the Fourth Hokage, he had bolstered his own natural talents with the teachings of a Great Ninja. There was another student who had trained under the fourth and Kabuto knew that she had formed part of his fear but she was not the sure.

He had looked into the eyes of his destined enemy and he had seen death in those cold, cold, eyes. It was a promise and he knew that it was directed to him.

All that he was could be destroyed in an instant. A well aimed strike and he could die instantly. For someone to have so much power in the hands was mind boggling and it caused him consternation on an alarming level.

Those eyes promised death!

"Kabuto" the voice of the Snake Sannin intruded on his morbid thoughts. "Get ready soon we will act".

"Yes Orochimaru-Sama" Nothing more was added.

It is almost time. Fear was the mind killer…

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The Hidden Village in the Leaves

Konoha

The Hokage a short while ago had dismissed her and to tell the truth, Shizune was relieved she needed time to think. She had served as Tsunade-Sama's assistant ever since she had assumed office and in all that time her fieldwork had been severely limited.

She owed her loyalty to Tsunade more than anything else because without her she would have been lost. She would have not seen the world or learned all the skills she used to save lives. As a child she had been overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness and she would have struggled with those feelings had not Tsunade taken her under her wing. Being an apprentice of The Legendary Slug Sannin had helped her take her destiny into her own hands and to become a very good ninja. Although she had spent a long time away from the field she was still listed on the list of active, ninja's and she had done missions that were crucial to the Village. She was no slouch in a fight, but that was not where her passion lay. She loved her work as medic Nin, not delivering death like some of others but helping others to live. She had seen other medic Nin abuse their knowledge of biology and physiology to the detriment of mankind and she had strived to become the best Medic Nin she could be so that she could help anyone in need.

When Tsunade had taken an apprentice, she had been skeptical, but her skepticism was soon replaced when she had witnessed the apprentice's rapid growth and after the training, she had concluded that Haruno Sakura was one the best Medic Nin's she had encountered. The girl had a high level of Chakra control and she had taken to the training as a fish to water, but the one thing Shizune had noticed was that Sakura sort of fell into the profession of a Medic Nin. She did not have the underlying passion that drove one to strive to heal the hurts of others. It was said that some were born for certain professions but early in her life, Sakura had not shown an interest in Medicine. It was because of the Hokage that she became a Medic Nin and it only stood to reason that if the Hokage was not a Medic Nin then Haruno Sakura would not be one today. It was a calling that few answered and for those who did the benefits to their fellow man were unbelievable. The reality of the situation was that Sakura was a qualified Medical Nin and Konoha was strengthened because of that.

Shizune had counted Tsunade as the best Medic Nin in all the Shinobi countries but that had changed when she had witnessed a beautiful young woman perform a life saving operation in the field. They had been tasked with a reconnaissance mission to the Sound Village and she had taken with her a young woman who was said to be an expert in that field but when some of Orochimaru's forces and detected them, they had engaged the enemy. Shizune was holding her own, but next to that woman, it was as nothing. She was decimating the small army that guarded the Sound Villages borders. It was breathtaking to watch, the way she went through their attackers as if they were nothing. One of their teammates had been injured and it was then that Shizune witnessed the woman's great skills. The battle seemed to rage on all sides but she stood calm at its centre untouched by anything and she approached her fallen comrade and healed him from what Shizune had considered a fatal wound. All while a battle was being fought. After their return, she did not accept any awards or medals just an assurance that the patient would receive proper care. That was all that was needed.

A calling, a gift, to save lives was the ultimate gift and this woman astounded her. Shizune had reported to Hokage about this and Tsunade had been quiet for a while. The words exchanged shocked Shizune. Tsunade had admitted that she could not do such a thing and that for this woman to do it, it meant that she exceeded Tsunade in skill. The confession was not said with any negative emotions, it was a simple statement that acknowledged that in Konoha, a powerful young Medic Nin existed who even surpassed the Hokage.

The young woman's skills had excelled under the tutelage of a Medic Nin Mistress who Shizune knew from when she was younger. It did not take long for the young woman to be elevated to the status of Chief Medic Nin in the Konoha ranks, a position that had been held by the Hokage herself, for her to receive that honor had meant that she deserved it.

Shizune did not feel slighted in any way when that woman received that honor and so far she had held her position with such dedication that it had attracted some of the other ninja to join the ranks of the Medic Nin's of Konoha and overall it was one of the best things that happened to Konoha. That along with a certain blond haired Shinobi, just the thought of his smiling face brought a smile to her own, yes the Village Hidden in the Leaves was blessed.

The increased medical forces kept casualties at a minimum and that had helped in the war against the sound.

For now though it seemed that Orochimaru was mounting his final attack and The Chief Medic Nin had created a Jutsu that would help Konoha come out victorious. She had worked hard on it and from what Shizune saw it meant that the woman was a genius and a hard worker in her chosen field.

She would wait, she had her part to play and she would do it to the best of her abilities.

Those eyes, Shizune remembered those wide expressive eyes, they had held the warmth and hope of a woman who had come into her own and become a force not to be trifled with.

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Her kindness even that humble smile inspires peacefulness

She stood on a tree branch not really looking at anything on the outside world. She was in fact in the inner world of her memories. Remembering the days of her youth spent in the company of close friends and a good sensei. The years had been kind to her and she appreciated that. Becoming a Konichi and a qualified Medic Nin had been the start but that chapter had closed with the death of one who held her dear. Loss and pain can have different affects on people and although Kakashi had gone through the same experiences as she had but he did not leave. He was stronger, when they were younger and she had admired him for that, and when they grew up a bit that admiration had transformed into something else… something deeper.

The loss of Obito during the war had caused her to withdraw from those around and although Sensei had tried to get her out of her funk, she had been determined to stay miserable. It had not taken her long to decide to leave and with the war over, it was not necessary to for be on the frontlines. Sensei had agreed and she and she had said her goodbyes and gone on her way.

Her travels had taken her through many countries and on occasion, she would return to Konoha. The ones she recalled the best, were her Sensei's inauguration as the Hokage of Konoha and his wedding The visit she had liked to forget was the one in the aftermath of the Kyuubi's attack and the funeral of her beloved sensei.

Her meeting with Kakashi had been tense and without emotions. He had seen her departure as an abandonment of sorts of not only the Village, but of himself and the Sensei. She had grieved then in her own way and soon after, she had departed again. She was too restless and she knew it, very few things had tied her to Konoha and although she might have wanted more understanding from Kakashi, she did not see it as something to stay for. He had told her that all of his precious people were dead and that sealed the deal. There could never be anything between them and so another connection was cut.

It was a chance meeting, eight years ago, that brought her into contact with a group of ninja's from Konoha on a reconnaissance and there she met a young girl who reminded her of herself. She had finally made a connection with someone and she realised that it was worth it. Her return to Konoha was seen a positive and joining the ranks of active ninja was not as hard as she had imagined it would be.

The training she gave to her precious person, was in the Medic Nin arts and she had marvelled at the girls skills. In a short time, she had mastered what it took most people years to learn and at the end of three years, the girl had become a master. She acknowledged the girls change and she realised how difficult it was for one to struggle so long to achieve a goal against great hardships. She had run away from life and this girl had faced it head on. A lesson easily accepted for it was not spoken it was seen.

It all came to the girls eyes. Her bright expressive eyes held a depth of emotion shown through every hue.

She was brought out of her reminiscences by a figure alighting lightly on the tree branch she was on. Turning she took a good look at the figure standing lightly on the edge of the thin branch as if it was the most solid part of the tree, an act Rin knew she herself could not accomplish. The beautiful face of a young woman greeted her. She had long ebony hair blowing freely in the wind, a mature body that had curved and ripened in all the right places and the most striking feature about the woman were her eyes. A pale, soft lavender that could harden in an instant in.

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The heir to her Clan and the Chief Medic Nin of Konoha had finally arrived

Hyuuga Hinata

The Saving hand, The Gentle Fist

The Power to Change Destiny

Was held in her Eyes

The Partner of Legend

Next Chapter: Preparation