Disclaimer: Not gonna bother.
Chapter 3: Grudges of the Past
AN: And in record time comes the latest addition in the Tenkage storyline. As I have said before, don't expect all updates to be this fast. I've got to get back to work on My RK and Eva stories and finish those off. This chapter finally satisfies the Naruto fan's insatiable craving for action. And there will be action aplenty, as well as the return of an old villain. As to why this fic is called Tenkage, well…we'll get to that in a later chapter. A much later chapter. In a lot of good books, you don't find out until the middle why a book is called what it's called. Just be patient and the title will be self-explanatory…very self-explanatory.
Gate duty was perhaps the most loathed mission a ninja in the village could land. It was hour after hour of mind numbing drudgery. All you ever did was stand and watch and wait for somebody, anybody to try and enter the village. Of course, what really made it so maddening was that a person just couldn't do something to keep themselves occupied while there was no one there. Oh no, this was a ninja village and a ninja on duty has to always be alert. With these circumstances, it was no wonder that any ninja who landed gate duty for the day was exceptionally cross.
Thus, the guard's eyebrow twitched in irritation as he noticed to figures heading along the road toward the village. They wore broad basket hats and were enveloped in the thick cloaks used by people who were crazy enough to travel in winter. The chuunin on duty wanted to kill those two, more than anything else. What did they think they were doing? They were coming up to a gate, his gate, on a day when nobody should've had any business being out. They would have to answer questions, fill out forms. It was early evening and his shift would be over soon. Now it looked like he might be staying overtime. This just wasn't fair. It made the unfortunate shinobi almost want to put a kunai to his own throat.
As he watched them close in on the gate, the guard found his eyes drawn to the short figure. With his keen sight, he could easily spot the hilt of the sword that protruded over the traveler's right shoulder. The blade was obviously slung across his back, as most ninjas carried it. Of course, that didn't mean the boy, and apparently he was a boy, was a ninja. As short as he was, it would have been insane for him to try and wear a sword around his waist. Even taller samurai with exceptionally long swords did the same thing.
"State your business," the guard said flatly. The runt didn't give any indication that he had even heard the man. He did come to a stop though, which meant that he at least wasn't trying to force his way into the village.
"Of course," replied the taller traveler. The chuunin blinked in surprise. He had all but forgotten about the second person and probably wouldn't have given him a thought if he hadn't spoken. The taller person's voice gave the indication that he too was young. The young man went on to explain. "We are scouts from a merchant caravan in the next town over. Our headman suggested that we do some trading in Konohagakure while we were in the vicinity. He asked the two of us to investigate the venue before we came."
"And why would you need to do that?" asked the guard. He may have been bored, but he knew his business. Merchant caravans coming in and setting up a bazaar in the village were not unheard of. However, they usually only came for large events like holidays and festivals. This seemed an unusually random time of year for a caravan to come through. Sending scouts to ahead to investigate their next spot was a common practice among traveling merchants. However, this meant that such an excuse would be excellent cover for anyone trying to infiltrate the village.
"We would like to make sure that we offer wares not supplied by the local purveyors, both to attract the villagers' interest and to make sure we aren't in competition with the local vendors," replied the traveler cheerfully, "This is also a useful opportunity for us to see if any of the native products of this village might earn profit elsewhere."
The guard pondered the answer for a moment. The young man's reply had certainly been correct, but that didn't mean he was telling the truth. It was easy enough to know that much about merchant operations. However, the way the young man spoke and the way that he carried himself… His posture, manner, and speech all indicated that he was indeed merchant born. Also, none of the wards and seals on and around the gate detected a genjutsu of any kind, which meant the two weren't using a jutsu to disguise themselves. The guard sighed.
"Alright, just come with me and fill out a few forms and you can be your way." He stopped and looked back at the short traveler. "But what's with the sword."
"The fact that it is winter," replied the short lad, "Does not mean that there is no risk of attack. It makes sense to take certain precautions."
The guard nodded. "Alright then, follow me."
Hinata was exhausted as she headed home. Even though she had been able to see what she needed to do with her Byakugan, a whole day of trying had yet to yield any success in bursting the water balloon. After the misunderstanding with Kiba had been cleared up, he had let her practice for a while longer before putting an end to the session himself. Despite his reassurances that she was much farther along than he had been at this stage, Hinata couldn't help but feel depressed at her lack of results.
What was more, her hand was numb from channeling so much chakra through it. She could barely summon the strength to close her fingers. With a sigh, Hinata realized that she had a lot more training to do before she was ready to master this technique. Training… Why did that word make her uneasy all of a sudden? Hinata came to a stop on the road to the Hyuuga manor. Why did she feel like she had forgotten something important?
…OH NO! It hit Hinata like a ton of bricks. I was supposed to go home and train with father and Hanabi-chan this evening! She had been so occupied by Naruto's teaching her that she had completely forgotten about it.
Hinata broke into a run, or at least something that resembled a run. It was all she could do to keep from tripping and falling flat on her face. The training had taken more out of her than she had realized. She rushed through the front gate and into the entrance hall, kicking off her shoes as she dashed through the door.
By the time Hinata arrived at their family's main training hall, she was gasping for breath and sweating heavily. Frantically, she slid the door open and went into the hall.
"Father…" she gasped, before sinking to her knees.
Hyuuga Hiashi was seated at the far end of the training hall. There was a light sheen of sweat from earlier training across his face. However, his body was composed and his breathing even.
Not so for Hanabi. Hinata's younger sister had sunk to her knees in front of her father, gasping and sweating in much the same way that Hinata was. The only difference was that Hanabi's fatigue was due to the intense exercise she had obviously been going through before Hinata had arrived. As Hinata entered, Hanabi turned to regard her elder sibling.
"Hinata." Hiashi's voice was like steel, strong, powerful, but at the same time, cold. "Come here," he beckoned.
Swallowing her fear, Hinata did her best to compose herself as she walked towards her father. She knelt in front of him. His expression did not change. "Hinata, why are you so late?" he asked evenly.
"I am sorry father," replied Hinata, "I had forgotten about our training."
"Why did you forget?" Hiashi inquired, his voice still like iron.
"I was training on my own and lost track of time," replied Hinata.
Hiashi's eyebrow lifted. "What training was this?" he asked carefully.
Hinata hesitated. She knew better than to try and lie to her father. Even though she was afraid of his reaction, she knew she had to tell him the truth. "Naruto-kun was teaching me a new technique."
"I thought I had told you in the past not to associate with that boy," said Hiashi, his voice growing colder, "Such behavior reflects poorly on our clan."
"I-I…" Hinata struggled for an answer.
"Why did you disobey my order?" Hiashi's tone was getting dangerous, "Answer me, Hinata."
If anything, it made it even more impossible for Hinata to answer. Her mouth refused to move and her mind spun in circles as she tried to come up with a reason why she had disobeyed her father. The nature of the disobedience was unimportant in her mind. The fact that she had disobeyed him at all, in anything, was foremost in both her thoughts and her fears.
Hinata was ready to try and make herself as small as possible, when the memory of Naruto encouraging her in the chuunin exams came to mind. When Neji had said it was impossible for her to change herself, Naruto helped her to prove him wrong. Naruto had been right then. And just like she couldn't let Neji dictate who she was or what she could do, she had to show her father that she was capable of making her own decisions for herself.
Hiashi's eyes widened in surprise when Hinata's trembling began to lessen. "Well," he prodded.
"I don't understand why," Hinata said, her voice quiet, but even, "I never understood why everyone hates Naruto-kun. I never understood why you don't want me to see him, to talk with him, to be with him. I don't see what he did that was so wrong. I am sorry father, but I cannot obey such an order."
She met her father's eyes. Hiashi was stunned that she would talk back to him so blatantly. This was Hinata? This was the girl who had always been so meek, so timid? How did she become so bold? For a moment, emotions warred within him. Part of Hiashi felt proud that his daughter was finally starting to gain confidence in herself. But another, larger part was furious that this shy but polite girl was defying his will so blatantly. In the end, his anger won out.
Hinata recoiled as the back of her father's hand lashed against her cheek. The force of the slap knocked the weary girl onto her side. Hiashi stood over her, ice-cold fury pouring out of every inch of him. "Your disobedience will not be tolerated. Your actions threaten to bring shame to our family. If this course of action continues, I will have no choice but to have you sealed."
Hinata felt a chill permeate throughout her body. Fear gripped her in a fist so tight that for a brief moment, she even forgot to breath. Even Hanabi, who had been watching the entire exchange in quiet amazement, could not help but gasp at the ruthless proclamation. To threaten Hinata with the seal of the branch family…their father must have truly been angry.
"It is not for you to understand," growled Hiashi, "It is your duty as a member of this family to obey. You have no right to question my commands.
"You may have indeed gotten stronger since the time of the chuunin exams, but your overall performance is still an embarrassment to us all. And now you choose to sully our reputation further by associating with that…boy. Have you forgotten everything I have taught you about our clan?" Hiashi demanded.
Hinata finally managed to calm down enough to start breathing again. Shakily, she got back up on her knees and faced her father, looking pointedly at his feet. She felt the intense heat of her own anger filling her. What had Naruto done to deserve such treatment? Why was he singled out among all the other people in this village? He had never done anything to hurt Konoha. He loved this place. He cared enough that he wanted to become the Hokage.
"If this is what our clan stands for," replied Hinata, her voice low and angry, "Then I want no part of it."
Hanabi gaped at her sister. Is she trying to get consigned to the branch family? Questioning their father was one thing. Disobeying him was another. Outright defiance like this was akin to suicide!
And still Hinata wasn't finished. "Yes. I would shame this family. I would bring disgrace upon our name. I would gladly run the reputation of the Hyuuga clan into the ground if it meant doing the right thing."
Hiashi could no longer contain himself. A powerful kick launched Hinata across the room. Even as she gasped from the pain, she saw father following through with his attack, following her flight, with his hands in position to attack once he closed again. Chakra flared as the man activated his Byuakugan.
"No!" Her previous weariness forgotten, Hanabi shout to her feet and dashed after her father who was chasing down his still airborne daughter. Hanabi couldn't understand what was going on that was making her father behave so irrationally. But she couldn't sit by and watch as her family tore itself apart.
In all the times she could remember, Hanabi had always been seen as superior to her sister by the other members of their family. She had defeated Hinata in all of their sparing matches. She lasted longer in training. She learned the clan's techniques much more quickly. Everything Hinata could do, Hanabi could do better, faster, stronger. And yet, Hanabi knew the truth. She saw it in how her sister calmly accepted any taunts that Hanabi had ever thrown her way. She saw the truth in the compassion with which Hinata treated her whenever she injured herself. Hanabi knew that Hinata held back and took the brunt of the family's unreasonable anger for her sister's sake. Hanabi knew the truth. Hinata was strong.
And the man that was now attacking her sister with such ferocity was not her father. This wasn't the firm yet gentle man that had guided Hanabi through all of her lessons. This wasn't the father that they ate dinner with every night, who comforted Hanabi during her nightmares, who encouraged her even as he criticized her sister. What had happened to make him so angry?
Hinata hit the ground hard and skidded to a stop. Too tired from her earlier training and too stunned by her father's attack, she couldn't find the strength to move as she watched the man who had raised her advanced, murder in his eyes. Standing over her, Hiashi raised his hand, which began to glow with barely contained chakra. One strike and it would all be over. Hinata could only watch as the hand descended.
"Hiashi-sama! Stop!" A blur interposed itself between Hinata and her angry father. What happened next was too fast for Hinata to see. When they halted, she realized what had happened. Neji had sunk onto one knee to place himself within the arc of Hiashi's strike while moving between the man and his daughter. Neji's right hand had crossed in front of his body to catch Hiashi's arm and swing it out to the side, while at the same time, he struck with two fingers on his left, piercing one of Hiashi's tenketsu and disrupting the flow of chakra to his hand.
"Hiashi-sama," said Neji, "I also do not know why you dislike Naruto so. However, please do not direct you anger at your daughter. Hinata is doing what she believes is best."
Neji looked up into his uncle's eyes. "Having fought Naruto, I know that he is a fine person. He saved me from my anger and brought me out of darkness. I trust that what he is doing with Hinata-sama now is both in her and the clan's best interests."
The veins around Hiashi's eyes receded as he regarded his nephew. With but a thought, Hiashi could have activated the seal on Neji's forehead and brought the young man to his knees or even killed him. He knew that Neji knew this as well. And yet Neji did not show a trace of fear, only determination.
"What do you think you are doing?" Hiashi demanded.
"I am defending the future of this clan." Neji did not give an inch.
If Neji's behavior was shocking, then Hanabi's actions were downright unreal. The girl ducked behind Neji to help her sister up off the ground. As Hanabi partially supported Hinata's weight, she stared fearfully at her father. "I don't understand what is happening," Hanabi said quietly, "But you're scaring me, father."
Hiashi's gaze softened as he regarded his youngest and favorite daughter. Pulling away from Neji, Hiashi turned away. "Get out." His voice was low but his tone was like iron, telling the three behind him that he would allow no argument.
Neji and Hanabi supported Hinata jointly as they helped her from the room. Hinata cast a final glance over her shoulder to see her father sitting cross-legged on the floor, beginning his meditation.
The three of them went into one of the manor's common rooms. There, Neji and Hanabi helped Hinata settle into one of the couches in the room. "Are you alright, Hinata-sama?" asked Neji. Hinata gave him a small nod as Hanabi climbed up onto the couch next to her.
Neji kept his thoughts to himself. Neither Hinata nor Hanabi had anything to say. Hinata simply seemed stunned by the turn of events. She had never seen her father behave so violently. She sighed sadly. Getting to her feet, Hinata headed to the door. "I need to go for a walk," she said quietly. A moment later, she was gone. Hanabi decided to follow her elder sister.
Neji sighed as he watched them go. He wondered what it was that had enraged Hiashi so.
Naruto slumped into the snow covered ground, sweat pouring down his face. He knew he couldn't afford to stay for much longer. He didn't want another lecture from Tsunade after all. He was feeling restless for some reason. After training with Hinata all afternoon, Naruto couldn't stay still. So after dinner, he went out to his usual spot to do some training.
Looking up, Naruto simply watched the snow as it continued to fall. He sighed. He liked summer so much better. At least then, the sky was clear at night and he didn't have to worry about freezing himself half to death if h trained until he dropped. Naruto was so preoccupied with his thoughts, he was only barely aware of his surroundings.
"It appears that we have finally found our prey," the taller stranger remarked. His short companion nodded. He continued. "We could kill him now and Uzumaki would be none the wiser."
"Not yet," interjected his shorter companion, "I want to see how this plays out."
"Are you sure?" inquired the tall one.
"Yes," replied the shorter one, "I want to see what it is about Uzumaki that makes our master see him as so special."
The taller shrugged. "As you wish then."
The short one twitched and grinned. "Well, it appears that we'll be having additional company soon."
Naruto was distracted from his reverie by the sound of snow crunching underfoot. Looking up, he saw Hinata approaching. Following behind her was a girl who couldn't have been more than eight years old. Her black hair trailed down past her shoulders, draping over the thick winter jacket she wore. Her eyes were the same pearl white as Hinata's, marking her as another of the Hyuuga.
"What are you doing here Hinata?" asked Naruto, genuinely surprised by her appearance.
"F-father and I had a f-fight," replied Hinata, "I just wanted to get out for a while."
"Who is this?" asked Naruto, pointing to the girl behind Hinata.
Hinata stepped aside to give Naruto a clearer view. "This is Hanabi-chan, my sister."
"Oh," replied Naruto, not really knowing what to say.
"Onee-chan," said Hanabi, looking up at her sister, "Is this your boyfriend?"
"Huh!" Naruto was dumbstruck. Hinata felt her face go bright red as both teenagers tried to get their thoughts in order.
"W-w-well…um…" stammered a flustered Hinata, caught between wanting to say both no and yes. Naruto's mouth simply flapped up and down, unable to force a single word past his traitor lips. Both of them were completely flummoxed by young Hanabi's question. But they both returned to reality when they heard shrill giggles explode from within the girl.
"That was funny," she exclaimed as she watched them, "You two are too much." Hanabi nearly collapsed in the throes of her laughter.
Naruto had to stop himself from sighing in relief. Then he began to laugh to. "Heh! Good one Hanabi-chan."
Though Hinata was somewhat disappointed that Naruto considered the prospect of a relationship with her a joke, she couldn't help but laugh. Hanabi's little joke had indeed lifted her spirits. Hinata allowed herself to relax and laugh along with the other two.
"They seem to be enjoying themselves," commented the tall one amusedly.
"Shhhh." He was silenced by his shorter companion. "The show's just beginning." Amber eyes glinted with eagerness and an evil smirk crossed his face.
The three of them rested under the cover of a tree, talking softly. Little Hanabi was quite taken with Naruto and had begun to start clinging to his arm. Naruto blushed, unused to such a blatant display of affection. But he didn't appear to mind too much.
They talked about different things. Naruto spoke about his missions, usually with a slant to put him in a heroic light. Both Hinata and Hanabi couldn't help but giggle at Naruto's exaggerated account of his exploits.
He was currently midway into his retelling of the mission in the nation of Tea. "Anyway, after I saved that idiot Sasuke and Sakura-chan from those rain ninjas underwater and carried them both to shore, we found Idate right away. He was being attacked by this really mean and ugly ninja…what was his name again." Naruto stopped and pondered it for a moment. "Aoi…or something like that."
Naruto's running commentary was interrupted by a sharp whistling noise. Instinctively, he pulled Hanabi against himself and threw himself into Hinata at the same time, taking all three of them out of the way as a set of six senbon thudded into the trunk of tree behind them. A sharp laugh rang out across the field. Looking up from where he crouched over the two girls, Naruto could see that the wood of the tree was turning gray at the points where the needles hit. They're poisoned.
"Speak of the devil and you will hear the fluttering of his wings." A tall man was standing perched on one of the three, scratch that, two stumps in the center of the clearing. The man was clad in a black, skintight outfit. His head sported short, green hair and gleaming violet eyes. Over his forehead was the protector marked with the sign of the village of Hidden Rain. Finally, there was the umbrella he carried on his back. There was no mistaking the man.
"Aoi?" Naruto blinked in surprise.
"That's right," growled the green-haired jounin, "I am here to repay you for the kindness you showed me in Tea Country."
"Um…" Naruto's eyes were closed as he continued to process the information. "Aren't you dead?"
"No," replied Aoi, a manic gleam appearing in his eyes, "I survived. But thanks to you, I was expelled from Amagakure. However, I think they might forgive me if I bring back your head." The former rain ninja grinned insanely.
Naruto placed himself in front of Hinata and Hanabi, dropping into a fighting stance as he did so. "Bring it on loser!" Despite his outward confidence, Naruto was somewhat concerned. Damn, he thought, I'm low on chakra after all that extra training I did tonight. I've got one, maybe two Rasengans left in me. And that's not counting any extra tricks I might have to use. Looks like I'll have to fight smart for once.
Aoi leapt down from the stump and hurtled at them. "Hinata-chan, Hanabi-chan," Naruto shouted at the two girls, "Go get Kakashi-sensei or someone, anyone." He rushed Aoi, drawing a kunai as he did so.
Aoi reached up over his shoulder with his right hand. Grabbing the handle of his umbrella, he brought it over his shoulder, down and across his chest. As he and Naruto closed, Aoi whipped the umbrella in a powerful backhanded swing that would have had the potential to break Naruto's ribs. Naruto leapt up over the strike and into the air. His evasion was a mistake, however. As Aoi continued his swing, his left hand came about, revealing the three senbon he had drawn while Naruto's attention was focused on the umbrella. Without pause, he hurtled them at his helpless prey. Caught in midair, Naruto was unable to dodge as the venomous needles pierced his flesh.
But Aoi's cry of victory was cut short when Naruto disappeared in a burst of smoke, revealing the short stump he had left in his place. Aoi had only a second to register the fact of the Kawarimi before Naruto burst up out of the snow at Aoi's feet, kunai going for the green-haired ninja's throat.
But Aoi wasn't a jounin for nothing as his superbly swift reflexes revealed. Leaning back, he just barely avoided being grazed in the chin by Naruto's kunai. At the same time, he lashed out with a foot, kicking the unfortunate boy in the stomach and sending him flying back. Naruto landed on his back and rolled a couple of times before coming to a stop.
With a groan, Naruto got back on his feet. Damn-it! he thought angrily. Already his breathing was starting to get ragged. The ache from the kick he had just received also continued to plague him. Naruto realized that he was in the worst possible position for a fight of this caliber. His chakra was drained from his earlier training and his stamina wasn't what it used to be. Naruto was beginning to feel his limits. Without Kyuubi's power, he was terribly vulnerable. Where's that damn fox when I need him?
"Naruto-kun!" exclaimed Hinata, running up to his side, "Are you alright?" Hanabi came up behind her sister.
"Hinata-chan," hissed Naruto as they got close, "What are you doing here, I told you to go get help."
"But Naruto-kun," Hinata was dumbstruck.
"Please," begged Naruto, his eyes wide, "It would kill me if anything happened to you two. Please go and get help."
Hinata was shocked by the fear she saw in those eyes. She knew for a fact that even if he was at a disadvantage, Naruto would never let his fear of an enemy show. So what was the fear she saw in his eyes now?
Naruto continued to plea for her cooperation. "Please, Hinata-chan. I couldn't live with myself if you two get hurt." He hid his fear as he looked in Aoi's direction. "This bastard wants me. As long as I'm still here he'll let the two of you get away." Then Hinata realized that Naruto wasn't afraid of Aoi, he was afraid for them. He was afraid that she and Hanabi might get hurt in the fight.
"Yes!" shouted Aoi, a crazed look on his face as he began to saunter in their direction, "Run away! Run away just as you should do!" His mad eyes turned on Naruto specifically. "Just as you should have done," he snarled. Rage was beginning to replace the glee on his face, though this expression was just as insane as the last.
"Why didn't you run away!" demanded Aoi, "If you had ran away like you were supposed to, the mission wouldn't failed! I wouldn't have suffered!" He jabbed his umbrella in Naruto's direction. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Naruto pushed Hinata and Hanabi out of the way as Aoi closed for his next attack.
"Awfully irrational," commented the taller of the two observers, "Isn't he?"
"From what Kotaro garnered on this guy," remarked his companion, "He was a bit shaky to begin with. Losing to Uzumaki like he did must've shot his head straight to hell. He's completely lost it."
Aoi slung another trio of needles in Naruto's direction. Rather than dodge, Naruto crouched down and brought his arms up. Deflecting one needle with his forehead protector and the remaining two with the metal plates sewn into his gloves, the ones Hinata had given him, Naruto completely defended against the attack. His defense caught Aoi off guard.
Expecting Naruto to dodge, rather than block, Aoi had thrown a second trio of needles, each one on a different vector to catch the boy no matter which direction he chose to evade. However, Naruto's defense avoided the trap completely. The orange-clad ninja surged forward, driving his shoulder into Aoi's gut with all the strength he could manage. The former rain nin's feet plowed trenches through the snow as the blow forced him back. Even as he regained his stance, Aoi was again caught off guard as Naruto hurtled a double handful of shuriken after him.
Aoi opened his umbrella and held it up in front of him. A twist of his wrist set the shaft and the open top spinning. The whirling umbrella turned aside all eight shuriken. Aoi realized his error too late as Naruto's foot connected with his left cheek. Opening the umbrella had temporarily blocked Aoi's view of Naruto, enabling Naruto to dodge to and attack from his left. The vicious attack launched Aoi into the air and sent him flying over the snow.
A flick of the jounin's wrist sent the umbrella flying into the air. Shifting his weight, Aoi raised his arms over his head and planted his hands against the ground, turning his impromptu flight into a back handspring coming back up on his feet Aoi spotted the charging Naruto and brought his hands together to perform the necessary seals. "Jouro-Senbon!" Naruto came to a grinding halt as he realized the next attack was coming from over head. Naruto didn't need to look around to realize that the needles were coming at him from every direction.
Naruto grinned and performed his own seal. "Kage-Bunshin-Kakumau-no-jutsu!" The shadow clones appeared, but instead of attacking, they piled up on the real Naruto, creating a dome several bodies thick to protect the original body. The needles impacted with an explosion of snow and smoke as the shadow replicas dissipated from the damage they received. The smoke cleared to reveal that most of Naruto's shadow clones had been destroyed by the attack, but Naruto himself was uninjured.
"Well," remarked the short watcher dryly, "That was a clever trick. The same old technique used in a new way."
"Being a prankster has apparently instilled a sense of intuitive ingenuity," remarked the taller of the two, "By feeling the flow of battle he can alter old techniques to suit his needs, thus creating new ones on the fly. No wonder the master believes that this boy is capable of becoming the Hokage."
"And he's managed this much without using Kyuubi's power," added the shorter one, "Considering his state of fatigue he is doing exceptionally well."
"Well," commented the taller, "That stamina is what Uzumaki-san is famous for. No matter his state of injury and exhaustion he continues to stand and fight without hesitation. An attack that fails to put him into outright unconsciousness will not be able to keep him down; no matter how much pain it causes him."
"But if things keep up like this," remarked the shorter, "We're going to have to intervene. I don't want Uzumaki to steal our fun."
"I don't think we have to worry about that?" replied the other one.
Naruto got to his feet, dismissing his remaining shadow clones. Aoi caught his umbrella as it descended. "Why?" he demanded, "Why don't you run away?" Rage was clear across his face.
Naruto frowned. "As long as my friends need me, I won't give up."
"I despise people who don't give up, even when they can't win," growled Aoi.
Naruto blinked. "Huh," he said, "Can't win? What the heck are you talking about you jerk?" Naruto pointed at Aoi. "You're the one who can't win here. So why don't you run away?"
Aoi snarled. Naruto couldn't begin to describe him; the man was more like a rabid animal than a human. I can't keep this up much longer, he thought, I have to end this now!
Naruto brought his hands together in the sign. "I've had it with you, you freak!" he shouted, "I'm putting you down for good! Kage-Bunshin-no-jutsu!" The young ninja was enveloped with smoke. The smoke cleared to reveal Naruto and his double. "I'll take care of you now!"
The two Narutos split up and charged Aoi from opposite directions. Aoi grinned in amusement. "This is the best you can do. You should've run away when you could. I'm going to enjoy watching you die." The mad rain-nin put his umbrella away and took up two sets of three senbon. Without pausing, he flung three of the needles at each Naruto. The two of them dodged, coming back together in front of Aoi. Aoi laughed. "You're using your clone as a shield," he yelled as he took up more needles in each hand, "But it won't work!"
Flinging one handful of needles, he struck the Naruto in front. Predictably, the clone vanished in a burst of smoke. The real Naruto plowed through the smoke, coming within striking distance. But Aoi was ready for him. Punching forward, he rammed his other fistful of needles into Naruto's stomach.
Naruto gagged. A spurt of blood erupted from his mouth. "Die," growled Aoi.
To the rain-nin's surprise, Naruto met his eyes and grinned triumphantly. "You really are stupid, aren't you?" The shadow clone exploded into smoke. Sensing movement behind him, Aoi spun around, his eyes widening as the real Naruto thrust his Rasengan at Aoi's stomach.
"I see," observed the taller one, "He actually created two clones instead of just one and used the smoke to cover his flanking maneuver. He prepared a Rasengan and attacked from behind."
"True," agreed the smaller one, "And it seems he caught Aoi just as the fool ran out of needles." He chuckled. "But Uzumaki has forgotten that this particular ninja has a rather powerful trump card."
Naruto yelled as he closed with Aoi, preparing to shove his Rasengan into the mad ninja's gut. As focused as he was on his target, Naruto didn't see Aoi's right hand reach behind his back. A low hum filled the air. The next thing Naruto knew, a brilliant golden steak cut across his path of attack, cutting through the Rasengan with frightening ease. At the same time, a powerful electrical jolt surged through Naruto's body, throwing him away from Aoi.
With a cry of pain, Naruto landed on his back, the layer of snow doing little to cushion his impact. For a moment, he was too stunned to move and his vision swam. However, while Naruto was temporarily paralyzed, Aoi did nothing to attack. When he finally regained control of his body, Naruto forced himself into a sitting position. "Damn," he muttered. As his eyes cleared, Naruto felt his stomach drop at the sight in front of him. Aoi held an all too familiar weapon in his hand. "The Raijin sword," he gasped.
Aoi let out a maniacal laugh. "Yes, against the weapon of the Nidaime Hokage, there is no hope! Surrender to your despair and try to flee with your life! That will make it all the more satisfying when I use this blade to take your head!"
Naruto was still too shocked to retort. "But how…?" he muttered to himself, "It's broken. I broke it."
"Now run, little ninja!" yelled Aoi as he laughed, "Run so that I may play with you a little more!"
Naruto simply gritted his teeth and forced himself to his knees, though he was having trouble finding the strength to stand. Damn it! I can't create anymore chakra right now. It took Sasuke's Chidori just to crack that thing. How can I beat him now?
"If you won't run like a good little coward," said Aoi, cackling madly, "I'll just have to punish you."
Crap! Naruto realized he was out of options. With his chakra gone and Kyuubi silent, he was completely at Aoi's mercy.
"DIE!" Charging straight for Naruto, Aoi readied his sword for a backhanded slash that would take Naruto's head from his shoulders.
Two kunai flew past either side of Naruto's head. Aoi brought his charge to a halt and jumped back, deflecting both kunai with the Raijin as he did so. Naruto's view of the rain-nin was obscured as someone came between them. Looking up, Naruto found himself staring at Hinata's back.
"Hinata-chan." Naruto was in shock. He had been so focused on the battle that he had forgotten to check to see whether or not Hinata and her sister had escaped. Now he saw that Hinata had not chosen to run like he had asked. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.
"Hanabi-chan will go get help," replied Hinata, "But I can't let you fight alone, Naruto-kun."
"Hinata-chan." Naruto was speechless. He couldn't remember a time when someone would defend him so diligently. There had been that time in the forest, during the chuunin exam. And then there was the time when Tsunade had protected him from Orochimaru. But Naruto had been completely unconscious on both occasions. He couldn't help but feel relieved at the sight of her.
"Hinata-chan," he said softly, "Thank you." Hinata gasped at the remark. Naruto looked up at her. "But whatever you do, please don't die."
"I won't, Naruto-kun," Hinata promised as she activated her Byakugan. Following that, Hinata shifted into the traditional stance for Jyuuken. However, she led with her left hand rather than her right.
Hinata's attention was immediately drawn to the weapon in Aoi's hand. That's…
"Perhaps the tables have turned," observed the tall one.
"I doubt it," replied the short one, "That girl is even more fatigued than Uzumaki was when he began this battle. Furthermore, you'll notice that even though she's right handed (she wears her weapon holsters on that side), she is leading with her left hand."
"The right must have been strained from too much chakra molding," theorized the taller one, "Kotaro-kun did tell us that Uzumaki-san was teaching her the Rasengan."
"Still, it'll be interesting to watch," observed the shorter one, "From the expression on her face, it's apparent that she's realized the true nature of that sword, if you can actually call it that."
"I suppose we can watch a little while longer…"
Slowly, carefully, Hinata shuffled towards Aoi, attempting to get as close as she possibly could before she struck. I'm only going to have a few chances at this. I have so little chakra left, I can't afford to miss when I attack. Again she scooted closer. Aoi drew his arm back, sword poised to strike.
Closer… Hinata shifted again. Closer… Once again she decreased the distance between them. Aoi was grinning madly, but still waiting for her to make the first mover. Just a little more… Hinata took one last shuffling step.
NOW! Both ninjas exploded into motion at the same time. Hinata lunged at Aoi, two fingers on her left hand extended. Aoi struck with a side slash, which Hinata ducked under. The energy from the Raijin sword caused her hair to stand on end as it passed over her head. The strike past, Hinata once again lunged at Aoi, her fingers aiming for one of the tenketsu on his vulnerable arm. Aoi countered with a fierce kick. Thanks to the Byakugan, Hinata easily saw the attack coming and leaned back at the last moment to evade it, forcing her to abort her attack. Aoi brought the sword back around in a downward diagonal slash. Hinata slipped down and to the right while retreating a little further, avoiding the blade, but not the electrical jolt that came from it as it nearly touched her. Aoi thrust the blade at her chest. Hinata dodged left and struck with her left hand, snake-like at his extended arm. She clearly saw his tenketsu and would have closed it had the electrical charge from the sword's near miss not jolted her. As it was, the shock threw off Hinata's aim and her fingers instead struck off to the side of the chakra hole.
Aoi once again tried the back-handed side slash. Hinata jumped up, pulling her legs as high up as she could to try and avoid the attack. Luckily, she succeeded, receiving only a minor jolt for her troubles. In midair, the girl snapped off a kick at Aoi's face. The rain-nin easily avoided that. Landing, Hinata surged forward, almost to the point of running smack into her opponent. Once there, she launched into a flurry of left handed jabs and palm-strikes, alternating between aiming for Aoi's tenketsu and his inner organs. The rain-nin was hard pressed to avoid the furious attack and received several glancing blows from the palm-strikes, though any of Hinata's attacks on his tenketsu had yet to hit home.
If I can stay too close for him to use the sword, thought Hinata, Then I'll have the advantage, so long as I keep on the offensive.
Hinata realized too late how wrong her assessment was as tendrils of lighting sprung from the blade of the Raijin and wrapped around her. A scream escaped Hinata's lips as the electrical energy ran through her entire being, causing her muscles to spasm. Her consciousness began to waver. Aoi smirked. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the kunoichi flying away, to land in the snow in front of Naruto.
"Hinata-chan!" Naruto exclaimed. He tried to go forward to check on her, but found himself too weak to do so.
"She should have run," said Aoi, as he once again began to approach, "It would have made killing her so much more entertaining." His smirk became a grin. "Oh well, I can still have the pleasure of tracking down that other girl." He began to laugh madly.
Aoi stood over Hinata, looking down at her in contempt. Just as he was about to raise his sword to strike, Hinata lunged upwards with all her might, going straight from a prone to a full standing position in an instant. She slammed her right hand into the center of Aoi's chest, unleashing a chakra burst upon his defenseless insides.
The force of the blow caused Aoi to stagger backwards. The attack had grazed his heart and buffeted both of his lungs. After convulsion, Aoi coughed and a spurt of blood erupted from his mouth. He continued to stagger away from the panting Hyuuga girl, still holding her hand up after her fierce attack.
"That did it," observed the taller of the two figures, "Aoi-san is finished, I'm afraid."
"And I'm afraid that you're wrong," retorted his companion, "You notice she attacked with her right hand. Currently that hand is suffering from a chakra sprain (the chakra equivalent of a sprained wrist) due to her earlier training. That was why she was using only her left hand earlier on in the fight."
"I see," the taller one thumped his fist into the palm of his other hand, "Since the chakra flow in that hand was inhibited, she couldn't apply the attack to its full effect, despite its obvious accuracy."
The shorter one nodded. "Besides the initial pain, there is probably little debilitating damage suffered from the blow. If she hadn't forgotten that and used her left hand instead, she could very well have killed Aoi with that last shot." As he spoke they both saw Hinata gasp in pain and grasp her right wrist, cringing as she did so.
"Hinata-chan!" Naruto yelled, "Are you alright?"
She wasn't, but Hinata didn't want him to know that, not when she was fighting for his sake. "I-I'm all-alright Naruto-k-kun," she stammered, not able to completely keep the pain out of her voice.
In front of them, Aoi was bent over. The deactivated Raijin lay forgotten on the ground as Aoi continued to cough up blood. As both sides tried to overcome their respective injuries, a chill wind blew through the clearing. Finally, Aoi reached down and picked the Raijin up and out of the snow. Its blade once again burst into existence.
Standing upright, Aoi grinned madly. "You can't beat me little girl," he said, "And yet you don't give up. I hate people who don't give up."
Hinata grit her teeth, overcoming her pain and charged at Aoi once again. The mad shinobi apparently decided it would be safer to fight the fierce Hyuuga girl from a distance. A quick leap carried him out of her reach. As he did so, he put the Raijin away and drew the umbrella. Once again, he sent the parasol sailing into the air and made the necessary signs to initiate his attack. "Jouro-Senbon!" The spring-loaded launchers in the umbrella spewed hundreds of needles into the air. They circled around, attacking from every conceivable direction.
I only have one chance at this, thought Hinata, Please…let me do this right. Assuming the gentle fist stance, she began to rotate her body. As she did so, Hinata expelled chakra from all her body's tenketsu, simultaneously. "Kaiten!" A whirling dome of chakra burst from the girl, swirling around her. The rapidly spinning mass of chakra deflected every single one of the needles. When she was finished, Hinata stood at the center of a wide crater. The snow and ground around her was studded with the dozens of deflected needles.
Aoi growled in anger. He couldn't believe that the girl had defended against his unstoppable attack. He was beside himself with rage. Hinata, on the other hand, was filled with elation. I did it, she thought jubilantly, I finally did it… Her happiness was cut short when the world became dark around her. Not even aware of the fact, Hinata was consumed by the darkness of unconsciousness.
Aoi looked at her, shocked. Then, he began to laugh. Soon, the man was doubled over as peals of laughter burst out of his mouth. So consumed by his amusement was he that he forgot to catch the umbrella as it landed on the ground by his feet. The girl had indeed defended against his attack, only to knock herself out in the process. The irony was too rich for him to ignore (that is if one believed him to be capable of understanding irony anymore).
"Hinata-chan," whispered Naruto. Somewhere, he found hidden reserves of strength, which forced him to stand and stagger over to the unconscious form of the girl who had fought so hard for him. Gently, he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. Looking at Aoi, he glared at the rain-nin.
Aoi was taken aback by the intensity of the glare Naruto directed his way. "Trash such as you shouldn't be so defiant!" he yelled as he drew the Raijin again and began to move forward, not even bothering to pick up his dropped umbrella. Even before Aoi began his charge, he raised his sword triumphantly in the air.
"And that's game," remarked the shorter one, "It's impressive that she was able to master the Hakkeshou Kaiten under such duress."
"But it seems to have forcefully relieved her of the remainder of her chakra," remarked his friend, "She is fortunate that such a forceful depletion didn't kill her outright." The taller of the two smiled at his shorter companion. "It appears that the time for our intervention has come."
"Not just yet," retorted the shorter one, "There's just one more to go."
Naruto looked up at Aoi as he began his charge. Shit! I've got nothing left! He looked down at Hinata. But no matter what, I have to protect her. Without hesitation, Naruto wrapped Hinata in his arms and positioned himself over her to take the attack.
"DIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!" Aoi screamed madly as he bore down on them.
Suddenly, a powerful force slammed itself into the rain-jounin's gut. It was a palm slap accompanied by a burst of chakra that nearly pulverized his stomach and intestines. Staggering back and once again hacking up blood, Aoi gazed in shock at the latest arrival on the battlefield. He couldn't believe what was happening as the defiant, white eyes of Hyuuga Hanabi glared up at him.
Naruto, realizing that something was going on, looked up from Hinata. "Hanabi-chan," he whispered, "Not you too."
Hanabi looked back at the boy. "I am sorry Naruto-kun," she said softly, "But I couldn't leave you and Onee-chan alone. Please forgive me."
"Hanabi-chan," Naruto mumbled.
"Perhaps this will change the outcome of the fight," suggested the taller of the two, "She is in better condition than either Uzumaki-san or Hinata-dono. She can also use both hands. And from what Kotaro-kun has learned about her, she is rather strong."
"No," said his shorter companion flatly, "She can't win. In fact, she's pretty much already defeated."
"And why is that?" the other wanted to know.
"In terms of strength and stamina, she may very well be up to this fight," replied the shorter one, "But the girl lacks experience. The training she receives in that nice house of hers can't even begin to compare to a true life or death battle. Before the two of them can even begin the fight, she will most likely succumb to the mental strain of facing someone whose deliberate intent is to take her life." He grinned humorlessly. "Trust me, she's done for."
As Hanabi met those mad violent eyes, she couldn't even begin to describe the feeling of fear that overcame her. Her body was trembling like a leaf in the wind. What am I doing? her inner sensible self demanded, I'm not a ninja, not yet. I've never fought anyone to the death. What if I die? I have to protect Onee-chan and Naruto-kun. But what if I'm too weak? Various other thoughts thundered through her mind at an incredible pace. Her doubts combined with the powerful killing intent radiating from the man in front of her to become a force that all but completely paralyzed her.
"Even the little girl was too stupid to run," mumbled Aoi, grinning, "I'll show you what happens to little girls who don't do what they are supposed to." He began to attack. "WE PUNISH THEM!" Raising his sword above his head, he prepared to bring it down in an attack that would split Hanabi in two.
"HANABI-CHAN!" Naruto tried to lunge out in front of her to take the attack, but he was just too weak. No! This can't be happening. I can't fail my friends like this. I'm going to become the Hokage. I can't let them die! But there was nothing he could do as the Raijin began its merciless descent.
"Now?" asked the taller one.
The shorter one let out an abrupt laugh. "Yes. Now."
Hanabi closed her eyes as the sword came down, waiting for the pain that the glowing golden blade promised. She felt a strong gust of wind in front of her and heard the sound of the sword striking…something. But the pain she anticipated never arrived. Carefully, Hanabi began to pry open her eyes. Her vision was filled with swirling brown cloth. Looking up, Hanabi absorbed everything she could about the person who was her savior.
Naruto was equally stunned. In front of Hanabi, someone had stepped into the line of Aoi's attack, some one about as tall as he was (which you'll remember was comparatively short). The unknown person was clad in a brown cloak and wore a broad-brimmed basket hat. For a moment, Naruto wondered if this was one of the Akatsuki. But then he remembered that their members wore black cloaks with red clouds emblazoned on them. The plain brown cape that enshrouded this person was completely undecorated.
If his appearance was surprising, then his defense was even more so. Naruto couldn't believe that the strange guy was holding the mighty Raijin sword at bay with a Kendama, a wooden child's toy. Whoever it was had neatly caught the descending blade on the ball, which was currently set on the spike at the toy's top. Tough the sword flashed and sizzled angrily, not a single spark touched the hand that held the toy up as a defense.
Where did this guy come from? wondered Naruto, And so fast.
"How are you feeling, Uzumaki-san?" asked a voice right by Naruto's ear. Naruto yelped in surprise and fell over. Someone else, clad in an identical brown cloak and hat was kneeling right by him. Never mind the guy with the toy, thought Naruto, Where did this freak come from? A small part of his mind that the voice issuing from underneath that concealing hat sounded quite young; someone near his age, perhaps.
"Now now," consoled the young man, holding his arms out from under his coat in a placating expression, "There is nothing for you to be worried about." His tone was uncharacteristically cheerful.
Aoi, on the other hand, was all but completely unable to get over the shock at the fact that his attack had been stopped so easily. Before he could react, his new opponent flicked the wrist of his left hand, which held the kendama, upwards, disengaging with Aoi's sword. At the same moment, his right hand, fisted, snapped out from under his cloak, slamming into the rain-nin's stomach with the force of a cannonball. The powerful blow sent the mad jounin flying back across the field. His back slammed into one of the two remaining posts in the center of the clearing, smashing it into splinters. As Aoi tried to recover from the fearsome blow, his assailant advanced mercilessly. Behind him, Hanabi looked on in awe.
"Rakusho Aoi," said the calm, but rather young person.
"Who-who are you?" Aoi demanded, as he struggled to find his feet. From his position, he could see the small grin that the face under the hat wore.
"My name is irrelevant to you," replied his enemy, "I'm not going to bother introducing myself to a corpse. You'll find a few people who know me in Hell, though. Be sure to look them up." The boy's grin widened as he reached up and removed his hat with his free hand, revealing a head of snow-white hair. From the center of the boy's face glinted two eyes, amber in color with vertical pupils, not unlike those of a cat. He wore an expression most malicious.
"All that you need to know is this…" the boy explained, "Rakusho Aoi, we are here for your head." His grin widened, though his eyes did not carry the same madness that Aoi's did. "We can either do this the easy way or…" The boy's hand strayed to the hilt of the sword protruding out the back of the collar of his cloak. "…We can do this the fun way."
And cut!
AN: Another cliffhanger (god I love doing this). Oh well, you'll just have to wait until the next chapter to find out what the heck is going on. If you haven't figured it out already. If you have, or at least think you have, please keep this information to yourself. We don't want to spoil the fun after all. Last chapter I probably said too much regarding the Kyuubi's "condition." Of course, those who guessed got it right pretty much. That's what I get for practically daring you people to figure out what's going on. I gotta stop doing that, damn it. In the future, my beloved reviewers, if you happen to think that you have figured out my plot twists, please keep that information to yourself. Really, it's like blurting out the punch-line of a good joke before the person can finish telling it. I was kind of asking for it last chapter, though. Oh well, lets leave my griping behind and get on to the more important notes.
The fight sequences: I hope that the action sequences were satisfactory. Granted, there weren't that many jutsus flying around, but I think I pulled it off pretty well nonetheless. I wanted to set up a fight that would be believable for a guy like Naruto, but at the same time, clean and flowing. I hope nobody got too worked up about the commentary courtesy of our two mystery men.
To be honest, I'm sometimes (scratch that, frequently) annoyed by the inconsistencies between different fight sequences. For example, in his fight with Gaara, Sasuke totally kicks ass because he's gotten even faster than Rock Lee did. But then, in a few episodes down the road, he goes up against Itachi. In that fight, compared to his previous performance, Sasuke moves like a slug. And while the animators might have set that up to reinforce the impression of the rift in the level of skill between Sasuke and his older brother, they really had not excuse when it came to the occasional, albeit brief exchanges between Sasuke and Aoi.
The next really disappointing fight after that is the one between Naruto and Kimimaro. Naruto's all pumped up on Kyuubi's chakra and is in his uber-fox mode. But what does he do? The same thing he always does, makes a ton of shadow clones and throws them at the guy. In his way earlier fight with Haku, who was moving at near teleportation speed, Naruto foxed-out and was able to keep up with that motion. But that same difference was not conveyed in the fight with Kimimaro. That's just lousy animating if you ask me.
Okay, enough ranting. In this chapter we see the introduction of a new…okay, pseudo-new jutsu. Of course, I'm referring to Naruto's "Kage-Bunshin-Kakumau-no-jutsu." This translates roughly into "shadow-clone-shield technique." Or at least, I hope it does. On that note, Kakumau is the verb form of shield, in other words to protect or defend, rather than shield, aka that thing you wear in a battle. This refers to the fact that Naruto is directing his shadow clones to shield him from the attack.
The characters:
Hyuuga Hiashi: I'm sorry. I went a little overboard with him in this chapter. I wanted to create the impression of the stern but loving father, pushed a little too far. Like I said, I went a little overboard, since I also wanted to portray a rather well defined conflict between him and Hinata. Expect him to mellow out a little in later chapters.
Hyuuga Hanabi: What can I say, I just wanted sort of a cute sidekick (I guess you could call her that) for Hinata. She's pretty much there to add a little more fluff to the scenery.
Hyuuga Neji: And yet more fluff for you fluff lovers. I couldn't help it. I am always entertained by the notion of Neji and Hinata making up and becoming a happy pair of cousins (meant in a non incestual way).
Rakusho Aoi: What can I say? This two-bit villain from the series was just begging to be used as fodder for the introduction of my newest 'borrowed' characters. Though it didn't seem like it right at the beginning of the Tea Country mission arc, I thought Aoi seemed to be a bit loopy and off kilter as the story arc progressed. I just decided to push him all the way over the edge in this chapter. As for the Raijin sword being…well…unbroken, I'll explain that in the next chapter.
Our two disguised travelers: And the face under hat number one is…well, I'd hesitate to tell you, but anyone who's even remotely glanced at or watched a few minutes of Samurai Deeper Kyo know who this guy is. It's Sarutobi Sasuke, of course. Not that I introduce him by name in this chapter, but I figured I'd go ahead and say it. And before you readers tear me apart in the reviews; yes, I know that Uchiha Sasuke is supposed to be named after Sarutobi Sasuke and I'll get to that. Don't you worry. In terms of personality and appearance, he's the little Sasuke we know and love (or hate). However, his skills and abilities have been significantly tweaked to help him integrate better into the Naruto universe. Things may get to be a little confusing as there are now two Sasukes to keep track of. Just make sure you read carefully so you don't get mixed up. As for our second mystery man, you'll just have to wait and find out in the next chapter. Suffice to say, he is one of my (and perhaps the only one) borrowed characters who does not come from SDK. More on that later.
I would like to take this moment to apologize for being so monotonous in my reference to the two of them. I couldn't think of any other way to describe them except as the "taller one" and the "shorter one." Though I'm not sure I was properly clear on the fact, when I use the terms taller and shorter, I am referring to their size in respect to one another, meaning that the tall guy isn't some beanpole and the short (Sasuke) guy isn't some midget. Though you'll notice that in SDK, Sasuke is sometimes a bit touchy on the subject of his height.
And that's all for now folks. Stay tuned for the next chapter coming…whenever I get around to it.
