Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If you recognize anything or anyone from the anime, I'm just borrowing. If you don't recognize it, then it's mine because I made it up. Set during the time-skip/pre-Shippuuden.

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Chapter 7

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That evening, Hinata and her new friends lay chatting until late at night, comfortably sprawled over their beds. When she was sure they were all asleep, Hinata stepped onto the balcony and scanned the other bungalows. She made a particular note that Miyako and Mieko were both laying down quietly before leaping down onto the sand and walking under the moonlight.

Though she had been away from home for less than a week, it felt like a month. So many strange and new things had happened to her. Hinata wondered how her comrades in Konoha were doing, if Hanabi was practicing the footwork they had worked on during their last training session, if Kakashi-sensei had returned from his mission, if Kiba and Shino missed having her with them.

The moonlight illuminated the stretch of golden-white sand and the gentle, foamy waves that lapped against the shore. Hinata gazed out at the peaceful water and sighed wistfully. It was the kind of perfect night and scene that would be wonderful to share with someone special. She glanced up at the brilliant moon and smiled with a little blush. It reminded her of Naruto-kun's wide grin. A sparkle in the water caught her wandering eye. Was it a dolphin? Hinata activated her Byakugan.

It wasn't a dolphin. It was a boat! Hinata unconsciously walked closer to the water's edge. It looked like a woman, and she seemed to be having difficulties with the oars. It was late enough that the tide was coming in. A large wave rocked the boat forward and the woman panicked as she lost one of the oars.

Hinata ran toward her.

"Are you all right?" Hinata exclaimed.

The woman looked up fearfully. Hinata could make out three life forms in the boat: the one woman and two smaller ones. As Hinata quickly closed the gap, the woman's desperate sob was audible even from that distance.

"Miss! Are you hurt?" Hinata sprinted to the boat, hoping that no one was watching her from the bungalow. Running on water is a difficult thing to explain.

"Wh-Who are you?" the woman asked fearfully, clutching a large basket to her chest.

"I'm Hinata. I'm one of the contestants…You are hurt!"

Even in the dark, Hinata's Byakugan registered the woman's bruises and her twisted ankle. Hinata fetched the lost oar and quickly climbed into the boat.

The woman watched her carefully as Hinata rowed them to shore. Two small cries sounded from the basket and the woman quickly bent to comfort them.

"What happened?" Hinata asked between swift strokes.

"I…Please. I need to find Megumi-san. She will surely help me," the woman sobbed.

Hinata nodded. The woman was in no condition for explanations at the moment.

Kairu crept out of the room and looked around. Where could Hinata have gotten to?

"Hinata?" she called softly. "Hinata!" She wandered down the beach while keeping an eye out for a lone figure in the sand. A few minutes later she could discern a shape in the distance. Kairu sighed in relief and jogged lightly. It seemed to be larger than Hinata, though. Kairu frowned. It looked like there was some sort of struggle going on. Kairu sprinted forward. If anyone was attacking her friend, there would be hell to pay!

"Hinata!"

The woman's head snapped up and she tried to leap to her feet, but Hinata held her down.

"I need to finish healing your ankle before we go any farther!"

"Kairu…Kairu-chan!"

Kairu skidded to a halt. "Kaoru-neesan! What are you doing here?"

The babies began crying again.

Hinata stood and helped Kaoru to her feet.

The woman leaned heavily on Hinata, but then looked down in surprise. "My ankle…You really did heal it!"

"Kairu-chan, we need to get her to Megumi-san."

Although Kairu was bursting with worry, she nodded and took her nephews in her arms as the three women made their way toward the bungalow where Megumi slept.

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"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune burst into the Hokage's office. Tsunade jerked up violently, a memo plastered to her cheek. She'd fallen asleep face-down on her desk again.

"Wha-? Whasit?" she slurred. The Fourth Hokage shook her head to clear it. "What?"

"There's been a secret coup in Earth Country!"

"What?!"

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Shikamaru yawned loudly. This was the worst. It was one thing to get sent on difficult missions. It went beyond troublesome to be woken up in the middle of the night to get sent on difficult missions. His father, Shikaku, yawned beside him. On his other side stood Chouii with his father, Chouza. The two were munching on their midnight snacks. Ino's father, Yamamanka Inoichi was leaning against a wall. Shino stood so still that Shikamaru briefly wondered if he was sleeping on his feet. No one would be able to tell with those sunglasses.

Kiba wandered in sleepily a few minutes later. He was almost through the door when Lee and Gai-sensei blew past him in a rush of youthful glory, only slightly diminished by the matching green kitty nightcaps on their heads. Disturbing. Shikamaru decided never to think of it again. Neji stepped in after them, perfectly poised and stoic.

A few minutes later, Tsunade entered the room, followed by her assistant.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice."

Chouji tried to surreptitiously nudge his best friend, who had managed to fall asleep on his feet in that matter of minutes. Shikamaru grunted, but rubbed his eyes and looked up balefully at Tsunade's weary expression.

"The third daughter of the feudal lord of the Land of Islands recently married the son of the Land of Earth's feudal lord, his heir to be precise. It was a love match and the couple just had twin boys a number of months ago. A year ago, the feudal lord became ill. While this circumstance is lamentable, it is not why I have called you today.

The problem is that there have been some recent difficulties with the Land of Earth, a secret coup, to be exact. The reason you are standing in my office is because of a man named Jishin Nusumaru. He is the younger cousin of the feudal lord. Apparently, sometime in the last month he concocted a plan to dispose of Jishin Takasamaru-sama and his family in order to seize control of Earth country.

Takasamaru-sama arrived here an hour ago seeking aid. He and his wife were separated during their forced flight from Earth country. They made plans to meet at a certain place at a certain time. If he was unable to make it on time, she was to return to her homeland as soon as possible. While on the way to their rendezvous point, he was waylaid by a contingent of Earth soldiers and wasn't able to make it to the meeting point by the set time. He believed that Nusumaru would send a force after his wife. Takasamaru attempted to sneak back into Earth Country to speak with the Commander of the Military forces, Yarita-san, who is his close personal friend, but he was unable to get in undetected.

Those not in league with the usurper believe the false tale that Takasamaru-sama's wife drugged and nearly killed him before kidnapping the two babies and fleeing home to Island Country. The military higher ups, according to Takasamaru-sama's trustworthy personal informant, see this as a direct challenge by Island Country and are amassing a fleet to imprison the wife and collect the babies, who are the heirs to the kingdom.

The fleet left the northeast shores of Earth Country two days ago. It will probably take them another two days to reach Island Country. Island Country is a very peaceful place because it is so small and isolated. There is no military presence. If we do not stop them…"

I am sending you all to intercept the enemy force. You are to protect Takasamaru-sama and his family. Earth Country is one of the 5 Great Powers. If it falls into the hands of one such as Nusumaru, it can only have negative effects for all."

"When you say fleet," Shikamaru inquired carefully, "what exactly do you mean?"

"Hundreds of Earth Country soldiers have been sent. It is safe to assume that there are a fair number of shinobi as well. This is an extremely important diplomatic and military mission. That being said, you had better all come back alive, got it?"

There was a general round of, "Understood."

"Hokage-sama?" Chouji asked as the others turned to file out of the room. "What about Hinata?"

"Hinata?" Tsunade's brow furrowed in confusion. "What about her?"

"She's on a mission to Island Country, isn't she? I remember she left about a week ago."

Tsunade blanched imperceptibly. She had completely forgotten that connection.

"Hinata-sama is in Island Country right now?" Neji demanded.

"Yeah," Chouji informed him. "How come you didn't know that? You're her cousin, aren't you?"

"I knew she left on a mission, but I did not hear the specific details."

"I doubt Hinata's mission will overlap with this one in any way," Tsunade explained. "If you do happen to run into her, inform her of what is going on and tell her to switch her priorities to this mission. This constitutes a national emergency for Island Country. But, like I said, it's very unlikely that you'll run into her."

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