It was a little more than a day later when the ship reached the harbor of the Snow Country proper, thankfully without any further interruptions. Kurenai was still deep asleep, however, and had been much of the night. Hinata hadn't left her bedside for an instant. But she was slowly regaining some color in her cheeks, and they knew she'd pull through. She was their sensei, after all. Nothing could stop her, or so they naively thought in the way that only young people could think of their mentors, incorrectly believing them to be infallible and indestructible.
The rest of the team was in remarkably good shape, all things considered. Naruto didn't even have a scratch, though his uniform was torn and ripped from Fubuki's ice birds. Fortunately after previous troubles with his uniform he'd made a note to always pack at least a few duplicates away when on a mission. Hinata's head injury had been nothing worse than a nasty bruise, some healing ointment was applied, and she bid it farewell the very next day, though the area was still sensitive whenever she touched it or shook her head, so she made certain to be especially slow and careful in her movements for the time being. Shino also managed to escape without many injuries, and he'd taken a chance back on the ship to dig into his emergencies supplies and re-arm himself for their next, inevitable encounter with the Snow ninja. He didn't intend to be caught off-guard a second time. It was only a pity that Kurenai hadn't taught them many fire jutsu, they would've been very handy about now.
Team Eight left the filming crew to organize their stuff into the heavy trucks that would carry it the rest of the way, when they took off in the late afternoon. By then, they'd hoped, the storm clouds overhead would have cleared, and the going would be easier, since any additional snowfall would have to be cleared from the roads. Hopefully by then Kurenai would be well enough to travel.
But now Team Eight had to finish the mission without her. And to do that, they needed answers. Fortunately, for his sake, Sandayuu felt the same way they did. Deceiving them would accomplish nothing at this point, and might even do more damage in the long run. It was a wise decision on his part, not least of which because at this point Naruto was on the verge of pounding the answers out of him by force, and Shino and Hinata were of such a like mind they wouldn't have stopped him if they did. So the three of them, Sandayuu himself, and the film's producer and director now sat down at the harbor inn's back room. Some tea had been poured, but no one had touched a drop.
"You knew about this, didn't you?" began Shino, after a moment's thought. "You know that the actress was someone more than she appeared to be. You knew... that is why you really wanted protection, wasn't it?"
"Hai," he replied morosely. He still felt deeply responsible for what had happened to Kurenai.
"You must have known what would happen. That the Snow ninja would be after her. Why didn't you warn us?" Shino pressed on.
"I didn't know for certain they would strike, I was hoping they'd forgotten about her... thought her gone..." he fidgeted nervously. "If I warned you, you might tell her I knew of her secret... she would know. This was the only way I could get Princess Koyuki back to the country of her birth... back to her destiny..." he trailed off.
"So her real name is Kazahana Koyuki?" asked Hinata curiously.
He nodded. "Fujikaze Yukie was a fake name," said Sandayuu. "Adopted to keep her safe after her father was overthrown ten years ago, when she was only a child. But she was, and still is, the heiress of the Snow Country. I haven't seen her in almost nine years... I am not surprised she doesn't remember me... didn't remember me," he amended weakly.
Naruto's wrinkled his nose, something didn't smell quite right to him. "You're not an ordinary manager then, are you?"
"No. I am also from the Snow Country. I served at the side of the previous ruler, Kazahana Sousetsu. Back when things were peaceful... before... before the incident..." he began more slowly, "Sousetsu's younger brother, Dotou, hired some mercenary missing-nin, revolted, and seized power. Against the Snow Ninjas and their special armor, the palace guard were helpless. The beautiful Kazahana castle was burnt to the ground, and we were certain we'd lost the Damiyo and the Princess both..."
"... but you didn't."
All eyes snapped to the doorway at once. Leaning on the frame, wrapped in a heavy blanket, but standing on her own two feet and looking considerably better, was Yuuhi Kurenai. Naruto and Hinata were on their feet almost at once, arms wrapped around their sensei, almost clinging to her before she managed to assure them that yes, she was okay, she would live, etc. and that if they could get her some hot tea and a comfy seat, she'd be that much better off. Naturally, she'd had both things before she could bat her ruby eyes. Shino was much more reserved in his greetings, but even he stood and offered Kurenai a seat to rest in, and she could tell that all of her students had been truly worried about her well-being.
Settling into her seat and taking a moment to sip her tea, letting the warmth fill her body, Kurenai started again.
"Princess Kazahana Koyuki, heir to the throne of the Snow Country... wasn't killed in the fire, of course. She was rescued by a team of Konoha shinobi..." she began, and let her own story unfold.
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... the castle was ablaze, the fire dancing in the falling snowflakes, casting an eerie, burnt orange glow over the landscape. Cold wind whipped at Kurenai's exposed face as she stumbled in the snow, falling forward, catching herself with her arms at the last moment. An action she regretted, as a sharp pain went right up her left arm, right where she landed on her elbow.
However, she was thankful she had fallen when a flurry of arrows flew over her head, and she ducked it down, gray hair disheveled and tangled as she stood back up after the volley had passed, her eyes open, searching for her comrades. Immediately, she heard the clash of metal on metal, and ran towards it, finding Kobaru and Nomaru in a fight with some Snow shinobi, including a pink-haired girl who couldn't have been older than she was, and a big, heavyset teen with a thick brow, who was hurling some kunai at her teammates.
Kobaru-sensei stumbled in the snow, his leg bleeding from a kunai jammed into his knee. But he was still big and strong with plenty of power left, and his next blow caught his attacker off-guard and sent them hurtling through the air to slam into a nearby tree.
"Kurenai! Get the girl and go! Nomaru! Go with her! NOW!"
As one, three newly made genins scrambled, stumbling through the snow, dodging under kunai and flaming arrows being hurled through the darkness. And then, that laughter. Kurenai glanced up, one arm around the young Princess to protect her, and spotted Kobaru-sensei's opponent, a lanky, thin man with pale hair and a feral expression.
And then the feral man turned to her, and grinned, and she turned and ran, unable to stop, her legs carrying her. But the Princess stumbled, and she went down with her. As she did, she caught a flash of light in the fire. It glinted off of an amethyst gemstone hanging from her neck. It was beautiful... and it must've been worth a fortune...
... Princess Koyuki certainly valued it. She clung to it in her hand as they stood and again took off, running towards the river. Mattai was there to greet them, apparently none-the-worse for wear, with a skiff and a pole ready to move them down-river and towards the coast, where they could catch a ship back to the Fire Country...
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"... we couldn't win against the Snow ninja back then, not with only a three-man reconnaissance team and their jounin-sensei. We had to retreat. The life of the Princess was our mission. From there, I lost track of her. She'd only been one mission of many, after all," she said with a shrug. "And she'd survived."
"Survived and did well for herself," added Sandayuu, tears starting to stream down his cheeks as he remembered all the hardships he, the Princess, and the Snow Country had gone through. "I found her when she was on the stage... I recognized her instantly."
Realization hit.
"Of course," said Shino, his mind buzzing with activity as pieces fell into place, like a jigsaw puzzle he could finally see the image for. "You were the one who wrote and organized this whole movie venture. The Unlucky Princess was a means to lure her back to the Snow Country without her realizing it... you plan to have her... use her," he amended, "Use her to incite a rebellion to overthrow this Kazahana Datou."
"You've been using us?" asked the assistant director, righteous anger evident in his tone and his stance. Beside him, the elder director didn't seem phased at all, none could truly say what he was thinking. Perhaps he'd even been in on the plan with Sandayuu.
"He would have used you all... and me as well," came a voice from the door, and again all eyes turned to see Princess Koyuki standing there, her expression dull, drained of emotion. She could have been discussing the weather rather than how casually she'd been manipulated by one she called a friend.
"This was for the sake of the Snow Country," Sandayuu replied quickly.
Koyuki sighed heavily, having expected that. "It would've been better if I'd died that day."
"Please don't say that, your highness," said Sandayuu. "To us, the fact that you are alive is our only hope!"
"The Princess you knew is long since dead," she replied coldly. "She died with her father. I shed my last tears for her years ago. And you," she added, her voice dropping in volume. The air in the room seemed to follow suit. "You are worse than an evil bastard, Sandayuu, you are an imbecile. You cannot defeat Datou, and I will -never- help you in this foolish endeavor to get yourself killed. You can't win, so just give u-..."
A palm came down on the table with enough force to make the whole room shudder, or so it seemed, and all eyes riveted to the blonde boy in green who'd slammed his hand down and stood angrily. Naruto's other hand was clenched into a fist and shaking violently.
"Don't you dare say 'give up' so easily!" said Naruto darkly. "That old man is risking his life for his people and his dream, and you're just standing there like a spoiled brat! I won't -ever- forgive you for something like that!"
Two sets of harsh blue eyes met as Princess and Shinobi stared one another down. However, the former quickly found herself outmatched when eyes of pale white, reflective black, and encompassing ruby added themselves to his. To everyone's surprise, it was the director who then spoke up and broke the stare down, saying "Because you didn't give up, you'll be able to see a dream... because you're able to see a dream, the future will come."
"Final Act, Scene Three," Shino quoted right back. "End of the first movie."
A smile spread across the director's wrinkled face, impressed by Shino's memory. "This would make an interesting turn of events... it would be a shame not to take advantage of this. Think about it... a real Princess for once. It's too great an opportunity to pass up!"
Koyuki huffed and spun on her heel, stalking out angrily. "It's just a stupid movie," she muttered under her breath.
"You can't run and hide anymore, Fujikaze Yukie," stated Kurenai, turning in her seat, and deliberately using her false name to get a reaction. She got it. Her words froze Koyuki in her steps. Despite the heavy blanket and disheveled hair, the genjutsu kunoichi looked as regal as a Princess herself. "Dotou knows you're alive. He'll hunt you down to the ends of the Earth and beyond if he has to. You've only one option now if you want to live."
"Knock his lights out!" added Naruto, fist in the air. "Believe it!"
Koyuki's mouth opened, but in her shock and outrage, she could think of no suitable argument for this, and after a moment snapped it shut and stormed out of the room.
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In the end, Team Eight agreed to complete the mission, since technically, despite leaving out numerous facts, Sandayuu was still their client, and he hadn't strictly speaking lied about their job or it's dangers. And now that they had more information, not just about their client but their enemy, they stood a better chance of success. So the mission, to get Koyuki safely to the capitol of the Snow Country, continued. Kurenai would've vastly preferred one more team in a support function, like Asuma and his Ino-Shika-Chou team. Alas, they would have to make do without Shikamaru's muttering, Ino's whining, and Chouji's snacking.
Although if Naruto had found he disliked Koyuki before, he positively hated her now. She was even less like Princess Fuun than he'd imagined, she was spoiled and selfish and cold and heartless, and she had virtually no redeeming features. If it hadn't been for Sandayuu's pleading, and the chance to help an old man see his dream, he would've told the Princess to go drown herself in sake and gone back to Konoha. Although that was if he could convince Kurenai and his teammates to go with him. He'd never abandon Shino or Hinata. They were practically family.
The caravan set out sometime in the early afternoon. It was snowing lightly and a considerable nuisance, but the storm showed no signs of getting any better anytime soon, so they decided to press on rather than simply wait it out. Storms in the Snow Country could last for days, after all. Fortunately, the going up the mountain passes seemed relatively easy, no snow slides or the like stood in their way. Their plan was to climb the mountain passes, along the roads, slip underneath a wide tunnel/cave in the middle of their route, and reach a small village on the other side where more of Sandayuu's comrades could be found. They'd be relatively safe there.
Team Eight, however, had the unfortunate job of guard duty, regardless of the weather, and so they'd had to set themselves up at the front, back, and middle of the caravan in case Rouga and his Snow buddies got anxious for another attack. Shino was up front, riding atop of one of the wagons, and thoroughly miserable, shivering under his blanket, his kikai colony sluggish and slow in the weather, practically refusing to leave the warm confines of his body for the outside world. Hinata was in the far back, her Byakugan periodically active to scan for enemies from the rear, and equally chilled down to the bone, her lips quivering and blue. Naruto took up an unfixed position in the middle, confident that if an attack came from either end he'd be able to send a small horde of Kage Bunshin down to help his teammates. Of them all, he alone didn't feel the cold's bite so sharply, but that almost made him feel that much worse with guilt for not being able to relieve his teammates burden.
Kurenai sat at the front with Shino, though she'd only managed to get this far simply because she was Team Eight's jounin sensei. Even Hinata, the most docile and quiet of them, had insisted that Kurenai stay out of danger and keep inside of the caravan so she wouldn't risk catching ill. Naruto had backed her up, and come dangerously close to suggesting they tie her down to keep her out of trouble, such as she'd once had to do to keep him in the hospital to properly heal.
Fortunately, no attack came that day, and they reached the ice tunnels without incident.
But that was where the real trouble began.
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Thankful for a chance to climb into one of the vehicles with Sandayuu and be shielded from the cold air, Team Eight was resting comfortably as the vehicles made their way through the ice caverns towards the other side. There was virtually no danger for them in here. However, as they passed through, they saw a wonderful sight... the rock caves, frozen in slick ice from condensation, which reflected the light from the trailers in a beautiful display of color. Hinata and Naruto spent most of the trip with their faces pressed up against the glass, wanting to see it better.
"It's amazing," said Hinata. "But why are we traveling under the mountain... wouldn't it be safer to travel above in case of a cave-in?"
"This place used to be a railway station," replied Sandayuu.
"Railway?"
"It's old technology," explained Kurenai. "Steam would propel a great engine train and whatever carts were behind it along a metal track... which must be below us."
Sandayuu nodded. "Frozen solid, I'm afraid, from years of neglect. Right below us. The old Snow Country used to benefit greatly from old technology. Our Damiyo, Kazahana Sousetsu, was something of an expert on the subject. He did a lot of research to advance the effects of the machines and to improve them. And the Snow Country prospered because of it... until the incident, of course."
Naruto peered out the window and looked down, but he couldn't see it. That was a great pity, as it sounded fantastic. He'd have given anything to see one of the "trains" that Kurenai and Sandayuu was describing. It sounded downright amazing. And this from a boy who had a nine-tailed fox sealed away inside of his belly.
However, all too soon, their trip through the cave ended and they reached the other side. Bundling up, the shinobi team climbed out as the filming crew began to set up for the day's recording, unfurling wire and setting up remote cameras and the like in strategic positions. The movie had seemingly evolved since it started, and now they were working on the spur of the moment, something that their current Director seemingly excelled at. However, almost immediately, a problem had arisen with the star of the film.
"Director-sama! It's Yukie-san! She's done a runner again!"
Naruto slapped his forehead angrily. Honestly, that spoiled Princess...!
He was about to turn around and make all possible haste down the cave when Shino came into view, holding up a hand. "There is no need to be concerned," he stated. "I anticipated something of this nature would occur."
A fox-like grin spread over Naruto's face as he realized Shino's ploy. He should've known really, it was standard practice for Team Eight. Shino had laid one of his colony, one of the females, onto Koyuki sometime during their voyage. The males in his system could track the female by scent over considerable distance. Princess Koyuki could run all she wanted, but she couldn't hide from a tracker team like them.
Or so they thought.
Unfortunately, even Team Eight had it's limits, and they soon reached them at the other end of the tunnel where Koyuki had given them the slip. For one, Shino's bugs had only limited sense of smell under even the best of circumstances, and they simply couldn't track with the legendary capabilities of the Bikouchuu or the like. Usually this wouldn't be a problem, by now Kurenai or Hinata would've picked up Koyuki's trail, but with the snow still falling it was already being obliterated from view, vanishing into a world of pure white.
"No choice then, we do this the old-fashioned way," stated Kurenai, adjusting the radio in her ear. "I will stay here in case she comes back, the three of you split up, go separate ways, and radio the instant you spot her or trouble. If it's an enemy, don't engage alone," she added.
"Roger!"
"Alright!"
"Understood!"
As one, blurs of pale blue, creamy white, and dark green vanishes into the snowy wilderness. Kurenai folded her arms across her chest, though it was much a gesture to keep warm as it was of waiting. She didn't like the Snow Country any more than the Princess did, right now.
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As it turned out, it was Hinata who caught up to Koyuki this time. Apparently she'd taken a bad tumble sometime during her escape into the wilderness, and sprained her ankle. By the time the Hyuuga Heiress had found her, she was face-first in the snow, unconscious. She'd quickly radioed for back-up, and then moved in closer to see if there was anything she could do while she waited for Naruto and Shino to arrive.
Seeing Koyuki like this felt so alien to her, even now. First she'd been an idol, not just as a character but as an actress, a woman who'd known what she'd wanted to do and done it with all the confidence and grace the Hyuuga failure had lacked. Then that happy illusion had shattered when she'd met her in person, and seen she was in her own way as miserable and trapped as she herself felt on occasion. But now, seeing her like this, unconscious, vulnerable, helpless even... she couldn't help but pity her, a little. Gently, she reached out a hand and smoothed back a long black strand of hair out of her face. Would she ever look that beautiful, she wondered. Even now, even when she'd been drunk and a mess and worse, she always looked so incredibly beautiful.
Footsteps falling in the snow were muffled but she heard them anyway, but was relived to see the familiar green and blonde image of Naruto making his way towards them. Shino followed a bit further back.
"Good job, Hinata," Naruto said with one of his trademark smiles. He seemed to have been unconsciously picking up a few habits from his training partners Gai and Lee, as the wattage on the smile nearly blinded Hinata. That, or maybe because it was simple praise from the one she cared for.
Either way, it didn't seem so cold out anymore.
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Ultimately it had fallen to Naruto to carry Koyuki as they made their way back to the tunnels and the rest of the film crew. As the heavy muscle of their team he was best qualified, and Shino and Hinata were just as qualified to make sure no danger came after him while he was relatively encumbered and unable to fight properly. Still, if worse came to worse, he was their fastest runner, and thus could get the spoiled Princess/actress to safety the best.
He didn't like it much though. She was heavy -and- she was insufferably depressing.
"Just leave me be," she mumbled, apparently too weak to even argue much as she simply let Naruto carry her.
"We cannot do that," said Shino, trailing alongside her. "It is our mission to watch over you."
"We don't want to see you get hurt," added Hinata quietly.
A heavy sigh from the Princess, who seemed resigned to her unpleasant fate, knowing there was little way she could escape Team Eight's superior tracking abilities. No matter where she went, it seemed there was no way to escape her destiny.
She said as much.
And that just ticked off Naruto even more, who gave a low growl beneath her. Now she was starting to sound just like Hinata's cousin Neji, and all he'd said during the Chuunin exams. "That's garbage," he spat. "You make your own destiny in this world. You should never give up fighting for what you really want, no matter how tough it is. Even if you get hurt. Even if you die," he added firmly. "Some day, I am going to be Hokage. Some day Hinata is going to become the best Kunoichi in all of Konoha." Hinata blushed profusely at that, though she was grateful she had been walking behind Naruto, and he couldn't see it. "And some day Shino is finally going to crack a smile and laugh his head off!" he added, with more than a little of his usual mischief. Hinata giggled at that behind her hands. Shino quirked an eyebrow from behind his sunglasses but said nothing either way.
"These are -our- dreams. And nobody's going to get in the way. And yeah, it's hard sometimes. Really hard. But if you don't give up, and keep on believing in your dreams then they -will- come true."
Koyuki lifted her head, but her eyes were still cold and dead. "Kid... you watch too many movies."
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Author's Notes:
What exactly -are- Shino's dream and aspirations? Damn you Kishimoto, give the guy some background!