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 IV
Six months later…
Kurenai stepped out of the hospital. Her wounds were so extensive; she had been forced to stay at the hospital under that order and had fallen into a short coma sometime after she had been rescued and brought to Konoha. Only the Hokage and her still perfectly physically well students came to visit her. She was told by Sarutobi Asuma – that man came only at night for fear others would know that he was seeing her, which made her mad as hell sometimes – that Sakura hadn't recovered well. The emotional trauma of being used as a whore, her virginity taken by a tongue-less boy who used to be her enemy in a place where their enemies watched, being taken by many samurais, many of Gatou's lackeys… Kurenai hadn't wanted her to suffer for it, but she had thought that Gatou would take a liking to her instead of her pink-haired student. Apparently, the man was sick and liked men more than women.
Kakashi came a week after she woke up from her coma, which was roughly three months after being rescued and brought back to Konoha. He came in to report he had taken Uchiha Sasuke – genin – and Akimichi Chouji under his command for the time being. When she had asked about Sakura, he had hesitated.
Flashback…
"And Sakura? How is she?" – She had asked partly afraid for her health and partly curious of her status, had she recovered from her ordeal?
"Haruno Sakura fell into a coma shortly after coming here. Her mental wounds were something even my genin who's studying to be a medical ninja wasn't equipped to deal with. Harumi treated Sakura's most superficial wounds, for even if Harumi has a chakra well, she is still just a twelve year old girl. When we got here, the medics found out how extensive were the damage."
"Well? Go on, tell me what they said!" – She exclaimed after a long pronounced bout of silence.
"Sakura-san will never be able to bear children. She's barren."
Kurenai stumbled back on her pillows in shock. She felt tears gather in her eyes and couldn't stop them from falling down her cheeks.
"Her anus opening was torn asunder; she lost at least two to three front teeth on her upper maxillary bone and two front teeth on her mandible. All of the rest of her wounds have healed, but she's clearly blocking herself from reality since even though she's under a stable condition, her mind is gone. The doctors think it might be possible for her to come back to herself, but only after a long while of therapy." – Kakashi reported dutifully.
"Oh my God!" – Kurenai cried out.
Kakashi's face comically resembled a deer caught in the headlights. He seemed to want to flee, but he came to visit Kurenai because he needed to know what to do. The girl's parents were haunting him for answers, answers he could never supply to them. But he was sure that once their daughter regained some consciousness that they'd be taking her out of duty. What a true tragedy, first C-level mission outside of the village to encounter a criminal such as Gatou!
Finally Kurenai pulled herself together and asked about Sasuke's mentality.
"And Sasuke? How is he handling things?"
"Uchiha Sasuke seems to be okay, for the most part. He lost his arrogance long before we got to Wave Country. He seems to be angry at himself for being too weak to protect Sakura and you. But Harumi… well Harumi worked a little of her magic in him. He's more human now than whatever I have seen before. The shrink says Sasuke has learned to value life now more than ever."
Kurenai sighed in relief. At least the basket case wasn't a total loss.
"Akimichi Chouji is doing fine as well. He seemed to be feeling even more depressed with what happened with Sakura. But these three months working together with Shikamaru has made him realized it wasn't anyone's fault."
"So you've been working with five genin at once?" – She asked feeling wonder creep up on her tone of voice.
"Iie. As soon as Harumi came back to Konoha, she was whisked away by her medical sensei and I haven't seen her since."
"Her medical sensei? Who is it?" – she asked curious again.
"I'm not at a liberty to tell you, Kurenai." – was what he said in the end. She understood why later on when she caught sight of a woman she had only seen in history books and not ever in all her lifetime, until now.
End of Flashback.
Now here she stood wondering what she was going to do now. She shrugged her shoulders and decided to pay a visit to the Harunos, to see how Sakura was doing.
The visit turned out to be a disaster, Sakura's mother was the typical civilian mother, plump and without any education beyond attending her small groceries shop. The father was a mechanic and although much more of an educated man, he was gruff and did not want to hear excuses. As she made her way out of the Haruno's home, she thought she felt someone looking at her from above. She looked up and met weary green eyes, she smiled gently and Sakura closed the curtain without acknowledging her greeting.
She sighed.
:-:
Ino went to visit her friend for old time's sake. Sakura's mother wasn't in a very good mood and told her off. Ino wanted to tell her to behave, but she knew the shock of having her daughter raped, humiliated, and used like a piece of trash was something that took a lot to take in. But still… perhaps because Mrs. Haruno was a civilian did she not understand that Sakura was different now and that she did not need to be cuddled. She needed to get back to her job, to being a kunoichi, to get some self-respect back. Ino wished she could do something to get the mother to understand, but alas her mother didn't like Mrs. Haruno that much and she was alone in wanting to help her friend.
Three weeks later, she was surprised to find Sasuke coming up to her with a hesitant look on his face.
"Oh Sasuke-kun! I knew you would see the—" – She was stopped when he raised a hand in the universal sign 'Stop'.
"I didn't come to ask you out on a date. I came to ask about Sakura. Have you seen her?" – He asked.
She was stupefied. She didn't think her crush would ever care for Sakura. She looked at him blankly and then said…
"No. Her mom wouldn't let me see her whenever I went by her house. I was told that she was out of the comma and that she was back home by the doctors; but nothing else." – she looked at him wondering what was on his mind.
"Where does Sakura live?"
Ino showed him and watched with trepidation as he looked at the quaint little house, before turning away and leaving. She wondered why he looked at it first before leaving. Why did he want to see where Sakura lived but did not go visit her? Sasuke was a mystery she had no time to crack tonight.
:-:
Sasuke looked ridiculous. He hated the formal clothing. But something Harumi had told him the other day hit him hard. It wasn't like she said. He wasn't waiting for another teammate. Sakura had been a pain in the ass for the first few days they had had together, but she was smart and she did her best when they did their missions. That one C-level ruined it. But he knew then that there was more to Sakura and he knew she had pride. He wondered if what he was doing was fine, but he didn't dare turn back now. The whole town had seen him walking like this towards the civilian district number 2 where Sakura lived and he wasn't turning back now.
"Who is it?" – Came the voice of an older woman from inside the house.
"It's Uchiha Sasuke. I came to see my teammate Sakura." – There. At least he didn't sound as nervous as he felt.
The door opened to the sight of Sakura's mom, a plump woman with wide hips, wide belly and small breasts. Her hair was pink like her daughter's, but her eyes were brown. Sasuke thought it was a strange combination, but didn't say it out loud.
"You have some nerve coming here looking for my daughter, Uchiha-san!" – She hissed at him looking angry and weird. The lines around her mouth were more for laughter than anger, he noticed as he looked her straight in the eye. He wouldn't fear censor from her.
"I came to see Sakura. Whether you want to admit it or not, it was her decision to become a Kunoichi. Maybe it was based on the wrong side of things for her to choose to become a ninja, but still it was her decision. I understand Sakura more than you think I do, I know she's a smart person and that she's strong. I was just hoping to see her before you decide to take her out of the roster of duty. Save her the humiliation from becoming the first civilian girl to become kunoichi then to quit just as soon as it became too hard for her." – Then he gave her the care package he had bought and bowed goodbye.
:-:
Later at night, Sakura heard her parents discuss her future. Her father wanted to send her out of Konoha to become something out there. She didn't want to leave. Konoha was all she had ever known. Sasuke's words tumbled into her mind then and she sighed. She closed her eyes and determinedly decided to sneak out.
As she stood in front of the ninja academy, she realized it felt good to be outside on her own. The breeze was calming enough and she thought on one swing trying to think up a solution to her problems. She felt rather than saw that she was being watched, she tensed in preparation for a fight, but; she was shocked when the person who came upon her wasn't an enemy or a drunk civilian. It was Harumi. The girl she used to hate.
"You know it's dangerous at this time of the night." – Harumi chided gently.
Sakura thought it was a nice thing for her to say. It was true it was dangerous, but instead of telling her off and that she should be home, Harumi wasn't pitying her. She seemed to be caring about her state of mind, but didn't pity her. That meant a lot to Sakura, who had heard enough from her mother. They sat quietly side by side in the swings. The breeze was nice and it gave Sakura time to think and put her thoughts in order.
"My parents want me to move with them out of Konoha." – She said in a deadpan tone of voice.
Harumi nodded but didn't say a thing to her. Sakura was grateful for this.
"Sasuke came to see me, but my mother didn't let him through. Not even Ino managed to get into my house. I'm a bit disappointed my mom thinks I'm weak of mind."
Sakura sighed, rubbing her hands together to find some warmth in them. The air was chilly now.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you back there in Wave Country." – Harumi apologized softly.
Sakura snorted and said: "You're a human being. Oh God! I'm so sick of hearing people 'You're going to be okay' or 'I'm so sorry this happened to you'! I don't know what to do or what to say to my parents, to the shrink! I'm going mad!"
Harumi turned to Sakura and gently took her hand in hers.
"I can't heal you. You have to heal yourself. If you don't like how things are going, then do something about it. Everyone in this world has suffered at one point or another. I'm not telling you that with time it'll get easier, because I don't know if it will. But of one thing I'm certain, if you fall down; all you have to do is pick yourself up again. The rest don't matter, it's how you feel things that matter."
"And what do I do? I'm still a minor in the eyes of the law?!" – Sakura cried, her green eyes starting to fill with tears. The first tears after so long back from the whole ordeal.
Harumi sighed and then looked up to the starless sky.
"Well… if you want to continue working as a ninja… you glue your mind, your heart together. You make sure that the next time; you're strong enough that no one can take you down. If your parents don't want to let you, you could emancipate yourself from them. You like to read right, well then; there are laws that help genin do this."
Sakura looked at Harumi with gratitude and then smiled. It was tremulous at best, but it was a smile nonetheless.
:-:
Kurenai saw her team on a bright Monday morning. There was Chouji who seemed content and really glad to see her. Sasuke – who looked like he was blushing a bit – bowed to her and apologized for being such a nuisance when he didn't know anything about life really. And the biggest shock of all was Sakura who bowed to her and asked for more training to become stronger.
She could finally find some peace of mind. Her team was damaged around the edges, but there was a way to fix those damages.
They trained like crazy and then when the time for the chunnin exams came about and she was summoned, she wasn't sure as to whether or not let them enter. Because they had grown closer than ever, but there were still growing into their own unit. So she sat at the jounin lounge feeling conflicted about them. As Asuma and Kakashi entered the lounge, she settled somewhat.
"So… let's cut the crap. Are you guys entering your teams for the chunnin exams? They graduated not eight months ago." – Asuma said as he put the cigarette into the ground and snuffed it out with his boot.
Kurenai looked to the side and sighed.
"Considering how my team turned out… I'm unsure. I was thinking that they've gone through a lot. But if I under-estimate them… especially Sakura… they'll feel like I've abandoned them."
Asuma sighed.
"My team is controversial at best. Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino work well, and well Ino has changed a lot since they became genins. But I don't think they're ready for it yet."
"Team 7 is entering the chunnin exams."
Kurenai looked at Kakashi pleadingly and he sighed.
"Harumi has grown into her medical skills so much, to hold her back would be a setback instead of a safety net. Hinata and Shikamaru are very well grounded – I've trained them to the bone after all – and they're a good team. If you want my opinion… you should all stop coddling them so much. I'm not saying that you shouldn't guide them, but if we always underestimate them… how are they supposed to grow?"
Asuma looked into space considering what his friend had told him. He was sure that the boys were okay and that they would do great in the exam, but Ino… in spite of the fact that she had grown a bit after Sakura's trauma became known to her… was she ready for the emotional drawbacks of the exam? He would have to trust that she'd come out alright in the end.
Kurenai sighed and nodded. She had only been a little skeptic at letting her team participate in the exams due to the past C-level mission gone wrong, but Kakashi was right. If she coddled them too much, they could turn against her instead of moving ahead as they had been lately.
:-:
"Well now… of the three rookie teams, would the three jounin senseis come forth?" – The Sandaime said.
Iruka sat nervously beside him jotting down all of the teams that had been entered so far.
"I, Sarutobi Asuma; state that Team 10 consisting of Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Yamanaka Ino are ready to take the chunnin exams."
Iruka wanted to protest, but held his tongue.
"I, Hatake Kakashi; state that Team 7 consisting of Hyuuga Hinata, Nara Shikamaru and Uzumaki Harumi aka Naruto are ready to take the chunnin exams."
There was a bit of a scuffle as Maito Gai jumped in front of Kakashi and said…
"I don't think you should do this my eternal rival!" – He said seriously.
"If you bothered to take a look at how many missions my minions have managed to engage in and complete satisfactorily, then you'll see why I have nominated them for the chunnin exams; Gai." – Kakashi stated in his bored tone.
"ORDER!" – The Hokage said when the whole room erupted into chaos.
"I, Yuuhi Kurenai; nominate Team 8 for the chunnin exams." – Kurenai said before she wouldn't be able to get in a word edgewise.
There was silence.
It was Iruka who cried out against the idea.
"They are not ready! None of them are."
The room's environment turned icy frost. Kurenai turned her red eyes to the chunnin and said…
"It is true that not two months ago, my team was facing a potential loss due to one of my genin being injured in our first C-level mission. But I know my genin and if I say they are ready for it, then I think they are."
Iruka blushed at the reprimand, but stood firm.
"How about this?" – Kakashi said before a fight between the kunoichi and the chunnin could erupt.
"You have a suggestion, Kakashi-kun?" – Sandaime said.
Kakashi inwardly cringed at the '-kun'.
"Yes. If Umino-sensei believes that the rookie genin aren't ready for it, why doesn't he conduct a brief examination? If the genin don't find a way to defeat his test, then they won't enter. If they do, Umino-sensei will reconsider his opinion."
"And apologize." – Kurenai mumbled although all the men near her acknowledged her statement with a brief snicker.
"Is that okay Iruka-kun?" – Sandaime said.
Iruka looked a little lost for a second, but nodded in the end.
:-:
Iruka took a look at Sasuke and sent him a brief genjutsu of his brother. Sasuke responded in hatred for a few minutes before recovering himself and getting away from the illusion. Iruka smiled convinced that he was getting better. When he put his teammate Sakura in a horrifying version of a rape, he was surprised to see her immediately releasing the illusion and saying… "You won't get me like that sensei. I'm stronger now."
Using a brief trap, he tried to tie Shikamaru to a tree but found himself trapped with Kagemane for a second, before he kawarimi'd himself away from him.
By the time he made it to the Hokage Tower, he grudgingly agreed that he was wrong. Kurenai forgave him because she was sure he was doing it thinking of the genin's well-being rather than wanting to hold them back just because he could.
"You owe me lunch, however." – She said as she sauntered away leaving him blushing and in despair.
:-:
Harumi entered the Academy building two days before the exams were supposed to begin. She had been called – as Hinata and Shikamaru had been – to the top roof of the main Academy's building by Morino Ibiki. She wondered what was going to happen.
"Uzumaki Harumi, presenting herself for duty, Sir!" – She said as she saluted.
Ibiki smiled at her wickedly. Shikamaru and Hinata winced as they saw this.
"You're late brat. But since I know of your training with Tsunade-sama takes longer than anything else… I'll let it go just this once."
Harumi grinned.
"Why are we here, Ibiki-san?" – Hinata said.
"All this time, you've been training with your respective ANBU instructors. But so far, you have never gone to an ANBU mission nor have you presented the ANBU's regulation exam. Therefore… this is your chance. Intelligence has informed me that there is a new village joining us. You may have noticed them walking around with headbands that have music notes as the insignia for which village are they from."
At the three nods, he went on.
"This new village is called Sound. It is located somewhere in Rice Country. Recently, there has been some looting and fights between factions of the Country's lords. They haven't gotten to a good resolution yet. Sources say that a big bad ass ninja talked with the current governing lord and 'asked' to be able to build a hidden village inside."
Hinata looked puzzled, but Shikamaru caught on quick.
"Who is it by the way?" – He asked.
"Well… many of you have noticed that my partner, Mitarashi Anko has a curse seal on the base of her neck. This was given to her by an S-class missing ninja called Orochimaru."
"The Snake Sannin?!" – Shikamaru said coughing in the end for having caught his own saliva going into the wrong tube.
"Yes. Recently, she's been receiving these small twinges of pain. It makes us believe that he's inside the village once again."
"Are you asking us to kill him?" – Harumi said looking bored but both her teammates knew she was anything but.
"No. As advanced genin you are, you wouldn't be able to put a dent into this guy. I want you to spy on this one guy we're sure is leaking information to him."
"What is his name?" – Hinata asked.
"Yakushi Kabuto."
:-:
Shikamaru walked in between his two teammates sighing. This was the one time he regretted being an ANBU rookie.
"Well… I've something I wanted to tell you guys." – He said in the end of a long bout of silence.
Hinata and Harumi stopped walking and looked back at him.
"My ANBU instructor has told me that I'll be on duty after a month."
Hinata looked pensive to the side and she said confirming what he had already suspected.
"My instructor has also told me the same. After the chunnin exams, I'm becoming an ANBU officially."
Harumi looked upset for a second before grinning sloppily at them.
"Unless Shikamaru moves out of his house soon, we're going to be missing each other for a while."
Shikamaru sighed as he said: "Yeah. It's been troublesome being at home now, but as to now I've not met the required amount of money to buy myself an apartment."
Harumi looked decidedly as if she had something to tell them that they knew not of. Hinata looked crossed at the idea whilst Shikamaru looked intrigued.
"I have a house of my own."
Even if this was true, it was clearly not what they were expecting.
"WHAT?!" – Were the two hisses coming from both Hinata and Shikamaru?
Harumi laughed happily.
"I'll show you!"
:-:
The house as it turned out was actually a mansion. Shikamaru looked at the living room and the spacious kitchen. Hinata browsed through the large library and Harumi wisely kept her mouth shut. It wasn't until someone came in on them.
"…" – Shikamaru looked at the guy in front of him and just pointed.
Haku smiled softly. His short hair was spiked upwards; he wore a light grey kimono and soft sandals. His brown eyes were happy and glistening and Shikamaru noticed something else.
"You have been adopted into a clan." – He stated but it seems as if he were asking instead of just saying it.
"Yes. I'm Namikaze Haku now." – said a low voice.
Hinata was visually startled at his soft melodious voice. She turned to Harumi and pointed shakily at her.
"You… you fixed him?!"
"Yup!"
"Namikaze?!" – Shikamaru said in the end sputtering out the name as it clicked in his head.
"Yup!" – was Harumi's ongoing response.
"We're going to become a clan!" – Hinata said surprised but happy as well when she jumped Harumi and hugged her fiercely.
Shikamaru felt his legs weren't up to holding him upright before he was engulfed in a warm hug by his other two friends.