Chapter 7: Annoying Troubles


Neji was currently on the floor doing his usual meditation in the mornings. It had been two days since he had left the Hokage's tower in order to investigate what the Hyuuga elders were up to. So far things in the Hyuuga compound were chaotic. Apparently the Hokage's suspicion of war could be coming true. His eyebrows turned into a knot as they came together when he frowned.

"Hanabi-sama, what are you doing?"

Jumping down from the roof, the young Hyuuga stared at Neji with worry. Her lips formed a frown, and she had shuffled her feet together. "Neji-nii-san...is it true?" she said almost in a whisper. "Ane-ue... is dead?"

The now nine year old Hyuuga Hanabi bit her bottom lip – afraid of her cousin's response. "I-It's not true right?"

Usually the young child would put on a tough act just like how Neji's uncle Hiashi had taught her. Still in times when anything that concerned on Hinata, Hanabi would drop that tough facade and worry about her elder sister. It was true that the two didn't get along thanks to the Hyuuga Council, but Hanabi respected her sister even when the elders badmouthed Hinata. Neji stared at the young girl with his usual stoic poker face, and when he turned his attention to the tree instead, he could sense her flinch.

"Hanabi-sama should not worry," said Neji as he closed his eyes once more trying to meditate. "I am sure Hinata-sama is alright."

He heard her footsteps come closer, and knew that she had was next to him. He dared not look at her though. He did not want to see the young girls expression.

"So you know she's alive Neji-nii-san."

He sat quietly on the floor. Perhaps she would be gone if he ignored her questions.

"Where is she?" questioned Hanabi.

"I do not know."

"Does Tenten-san or Lee-san know?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite."

"Then why shouldn't I worry then?" whined the young girl, now sitting on the ground next to her cousin. Her knees were together, and she gave a pout. "You said she was fine! If you said that then she must be alive!"

"..."

"Neji-nii-san!"

He did not respond to her questioning. Perhaps it would have been better to not try to cheer up his younger cousin. Still, he had to give her some sort of faith that her sister was still alive. She was just stuck on some stupid book that sucked her in. All thanks to Shikamaru who was not paying attention to Hinata. Thanks to him, the Hyuuga compound was in chaos. His lips formed a frown.

"What if Ane-ue left the village and got herself married?" pondered the girl as her chin was cupped in her hands.

His frowned deepened. "Hanabi-sama, I do not believe Hinata-sama would do such thing. She is thirteen, not yet for a suitable marriage contract or anything with marrying another person."

"Maybe she fell in love with ..."

Quickly Neji interrupted the girl, and finally he turned his attention to the nine year old. "Hanabi-sama, who has been telling you these old women tales?"

The dark haired girl pouted. "Muyu-san tells them to Ayako-san when doing the laundry. She says that Ane-ue might just ditch everyone of this clan in order to find true love."

Neji sighed and massaged his forehead. Women these days had nothing to do, but tell fake tales to each other. "No Hanabi-sama, I do not believe Hinata-sama will do such a thing. At all."

"Well I do hope I get to have a brother-in-law that has character. I mean maybe that Naruto guy you fought with!"

If Neji could get any paler then Hanabi was witnessing such event. He dreaded the thought of ever being related to such guy. Sure, Naruto had beaten him, but to have him in the Hyuuga compound was not a pleasing thought. To have him being married off to Hinata-sama? Let the world end before he would witness such thing.

"Let that thought be buried in a dark abyss Hanabi-sama..."

"Why? What's wrong with him?"

He sighed once more. "Let that thought be buried… "

At the same time, Tsunade wished that she could bury these elderly Hyuuga in front of her. No one would miss them. I mean they're so anal about everything! I'm sure if I sent them flying with a punch no one would really care. Heck I bet the Konoha council will finally be at peace without these guys around. I'm sure I'd be off the hook with Mitokado and Utatane – those two aren't that well with the Hyuuga elders right now.

The blond leader's eye twitched, as she was once more being scolded like a child. Her hands gripped tightly to her chair handles. She forced a smile at the gang of Hyuuga elders demanding for answers. "Hahaha," finally laughed Tsunade unable to deal with so many people at once. "I think that's enough. There is no way I am breaking off the alliance with Suna."

"But the last time...!"

The twelve Hyuuga council members, excluding Hiashi Hyuuga, narrowed their eyes at their Hokage. One scoffed out loud, which irritated the Fifth.

Tsunade groaned. "I do not believe Suna had anything to do with this!"

"So then why hasn't Hinata come back home?"

Tsunade just wanted to scream out in anger in front of them, but she was the Hokage, and she had to keep her cool – at least with these pests. Instead the rubbed the side of her head gently. "Suna is investigating the scene and are looking everywhere for your heiress."

She could have sworn she heard a small 'hmph' from one of the elders. She bit back her rude comment she was going to make at that particular person. Grinding her teeth together, she continued. "As hard as it seems, I received news from the Kazekage and so far nothing had been found. Now, please leave my office, and once I find any information on Hinata I will let you know."

Reluctantly they obeyed the Fifth, and headed out the door. Giving a sigh of relief, she took a glance at her assistant who looked a bit hesitant to speak up. Tsunade eyes Shizune warily. "What's wrong this time?"

"Me? What?" squeaked Shizune holding the book tightly.

"You want to say something, so say it!" cried out Tsunade not in the mood to be lied with.

"Y-Yes!" cried out Shizune obeying her master. "A-Apparently Hyuuga Hinata is engaged to some prince in the book!"

Tsunade banged her fist on her table. "And this just happened recently?"

"N-No...It happened about … two days ago?" said a meek assistant as she held the book even tighter than before. "I-I was busy preparing the others for the missions, that I had forgotten to read the book and what was going on. I..." Shizune paled at the sight before her. "I'm sorry Tsunade-sama!"

"Give me that damn book!" hissed out the pig tailed blond woman giving Shizune one scary glare. "I'll read it myself!"

Handing the book to her old teacher, Shizune gave a small sigh. Suddenly she realized something and decided to speak up, but stopped once her master was heavily concentrated on the book before her. A small frown appeared in Shizune's lips. "Hokage-sama, I do believe the ANBU team that you wanted arrived from their individual mission. I'll go get them now."

Tsunade had not said anything once her trustworthy assistant left the room. Her brown orbs was focused on the book, and began to read some of the lines:

"...the Xingese Prince stared at the ground with great focus. He opened his eyes showing his black orbs with suspicion. This country is strange...It does not feel right.

Minutes later he pushed the thought away as he continued his way to the automail shop. There he saw the young girl from another land that was supposed to play off as his fiancée, finally awaken. The pink hair maiden gave a glare at the prince before asking the full metal alchemist's automail mechanic, for a room to excuse the clan heir and herself.

'I'm sure Hinata would like to take a rest, away from the noise.'

The automail mechanic eagerly nodded. 'Of course we'll use the spare room next to mine, I'll take the two of you there.'

The rosetta maiden nodded at the automail mechanic with much appreciation. 'Thanks.'

'Hey! What about us?' questioned the full metal alchemist as he pointed as his armored bodiless brother, and himself.

The rosetta maiden shrugged her shoulders, giving off a small smirk. 'Outside with the dogs?'

Without a moment to waste the young girls walked away from the full metal alchemist and his friends."

Tsunade couldn't help to smirk as she read the next lines. Somehow, Tsunade felt proud as she read those lines. That's my girl!

"Tsunade-sama?"

The Hokage closed the book, and placed it aside where her important papers were at. Her eyes were focused on the three ANBU before her. Rooster, Monkey, and the Cat stood still as they awaited for their orders. None of them talked as the Hokage cleared her throat. "You three are chosen to for a special mission."

Shizune was now next to her ex-teacher with her pet pig in her arms. The assistant did not talk, and only observed her Hokage as she gave orders to the three ANBU before her.

"I need you three to babysit three current teams that are away."

Shizune's knees weaken almost falling to the floor as Tsunade finished that sentence. The assistant eyed her Hokage with slight annoyance. An ANBU's job was not to do such a low rank mission, what was Tsunade thinking? Wait – was she even thinking at all?

Rooster rubbed the back of their neck. "Babysit?"

"More like look out for these teams, and report back on how they are doing," explained Tsunade leaning back in her chair, as her index finger tapped her desk. "If they get in trouble do not hesitate to help out."

The three ANBU ninja nodded.

"Very well then, Rooster you will be heading where Kurenai's team is currently at. Monkey you will head to the boarder of the Fire and Wind countries. Cat you'll go to the capital. Shizune will give you more background information." Tsunade's brown orbs landed on the book next to the damn papers she hated to much. "You three are dismissed. Shizune accompany them, and explain everything else."

The assistant nodded her head,and walked out of the office with Rooster, Monkey, and Cat in toe. Tsunade immediately gabbed the book, and began to read. If her assistant would not do the reading, then she might as well take that role. Her lips frowned as she began to read the book. Apparently Sakura was having trouble mastering some taijutsu moves when sparring with that Full Metal Alchemist character.

Well … once she came back from that damned book, Sakura's training will be hellish. Once she came back …

Hopefully it would be soon.


For some reason, I received a very erm … demanding PM about how this person is 'mad/aggravating/raging/ect' about the whole Ling x Hinata, and it should be Al x Hinata or NaruHina. I'm sorry if the whole engagement disappointed anybody, but right now its mainly for comic relief, will they be a couple? Who knows. But I will answer this: there will not be NaruHina. At all. I have thought about Al and Hinata together, but … I sadly decided against it. So Hinata will either be with no one or someone that is not Al or Naruto. At this point … its a bit hazy.

Don't get me wrong. I like NaruHina or AlHina, just … not here. So please don't send such … annoying PM's how this story should go like this or that. Go write one if you want to have a NaruHina or AlHina, I'm not stopping you guys. I'd probably read it too – if I have the time.

Another thing I want to add, someone ( I don't remember who, but you know who you are ), said that Ed is a 'winter baby' and thus the timeline is a bit screwed once they meet Ling because he is supposed to be almost sixteen at this point. If I remember correctly, it was not mentioned in the manga, probably in the 2003 anime – which I am not writing. If he indeed is a 'winter baby' in the manga, then sorry to say, I'll be changing his birthday to more summer-ish month. For me, winter babies are more … calm and cutsey. Edward doesn't really fit that category. Lol. Sorry.

Last thing, I'll be taking a break after the next chapter is up – a two to three month break. I'm trying to finish up REHEARSAL which is a Samurai Champloo fanfic I have. I have everything on a document, so all I need to do is … write it. Not to mention I'm craving to continue DAYDREAMER (another EdSaku romance), so if you like crime/adventure/romance you can read this to make up for the break. I'm continuing writing DAYDREAMER when I finish a chapter of REHEARSAL. But I will finish this 'saga' this year. I will!