DISCLAIMER: I IN NO WAY OWN NARUTO!

Just thought I'd throw that in there for any of you lawyers out there trying to fund your christmas trip to aruba...

Chapter 8: Out and About

"I'm telling you, more than my mother saw the Kyuubi. Hundreds saw it at one point in time, just not her alone." Said Himawari to Rika as she brushed her blue tinted black hair out of the way. Rika combing through Himawari's mothers journals.

It had been a few hours since Himawari had awoken, though the orange glow had disappeared, Himawari still had not left the bed. Though Yuki was surprised that she opened up like she did to them. It's as if they were old friends really, the way she talks to them and jokes.

Once things settled down, she explained how she was well aware of her surroundings thanks to Kurama, which lead her into explaining how he was inside of her. She went into profusely thanking Yuki and the others for their help getting her back to her village, and shared in the sad loss of Miyabi.

Rika had explained to her how she was related somehow and someway, so the two became basically like friends. Mai and Ayame on the other hand were still a bit standoffish of her. The fact that they woke up to the orange glow filling the room still creeped Mai out a bit.

"Ok, ok, you're right, I missed this entry I guess." Rika said rubbing the back of her head as she read the journal.

Himawari sticks her tongue out at Rika, then laughs. "Believe me….I read those, well, up to when my brother was born anyway. My mother kept her recent ones in her room, the older ones I had to plead for basically."

"Sounds kinda creeperish if you ask me…" muttered Yuki. "Anyway, where's Ko at?" he asks as he looks over at Mai.

"She was asked to lead a team of anbu to recover your mother's body and anything else of value…" said Mai in a low voice.

"What? How do they expect to do that? They more than likely already buried her in an unmarked grave…" started Himawari, but was cut off my Yuki.

"No, Raito is notorious for dishonoring their enemies. They don't even waste time burying them, they leave the bodies for the vultures." He said, feeling his emotion spike again.

Hear that, Ayame started to tear up. "I want mommy back…", then she breaks out into sobbing.

Mai hugs Ayame, once again trying to sooth the young child. Rika and Himawari can only look on, deep down knowing the hurt and anguish both Yuki and Ayame are feeling.

For a few moments, there's silence. Suddenly Himawari swings her feet out of the bed, and stands, much to the surprise of everyone. "Come on guys, lets go check the village out. I know you've never seen it and I wanna see all that's changed."

"Hima, my father said we can't let anyone know your identity." Said Rika as she stood up trying to stop Hima as she strolled towards the door.

Himawari only looked back at the others, "Rika, I've been missing for a very long time. Plus I haven't aged a bit, I'm pretty sure no one will recognize me. By now I'm pretty sure everyone's forgot about me…..or dead."

The others sweat dropped at that, even Ayame. "Well, that's one way of thinking of it…" thought Yuki.

"Even so Hima, you have nothing to wear but that hospital gown." Yuki stated.

Himawari just smiles and rolls up her right sleeve. She pulses her chakra and reveals a small tattoo. Holding her hands over it she softly says "Kai". She is instantly covered in a puff of smoke.

After the smoke clears, Himawari is fully clothed. She had on an off yellow hoodie type top with a light pink undershirt, black pants with bandage tied around one of her legs. The long hair straight down behind her, a little tuff of hair off to the side sticking straight up. She also had on sandals that to Yuki looked brand new. Tied to her left side was a weapons pouch, on her right was a scroll.

Everyone was now shocked at what they had seen. They all wondered the same thing, was that a jutsu?

Himawari looked at them and frowned a bit, she was wondering why there were all staring. "Too much?"

"Uhhh, how'd you do that? Is that a jutsu or something?" asked Mai, visually stunned.

Himawari smiled and pointed to the tattoo. "It's a seal. It allows me to store things in it, such as clothing. Basically I can seal anything into it, once I release the seal what I seal reappears, the same as it was when I sealed it."

Silence, awkward silence enveloped them once again.

Rika finally broke that silence, "Well, you guys have fun going out. I can't stand all the attention I get when I go out."

"Your no fun," said Himawari as she latched onto Yuki's arm, "You'll come with me, right Yuki?" she asked with a smile.

Yuki started to blush a bit, then turned to Mai. He could see his death written all over her face.

"Me and Ayame will stay here." She snorted, turning her head, obviously mad. Though Himawari couldn't catch onto it, Ayame and Yuki did. Rika looked like she was about to burst out laughing.

"Come on Yuki, everything will be fine." Himawari said happily as she started to drag Yuki towards the door.

"Wait!" shouted Rika, which made Himawari and Yuki turn back just as Yuki's weapons pouch hit him in the chest. "Not saying you'll need it, but take it in case something happens."

Yuki nods, then ties his pouch to his side, making sure his kunai set Mai got him was still inside before he turns to Himawari and nods.

Seconds later Himawari is leading Yuki out of the door and down a hallway by his hand. Though she was sleeping for a very long time, she still knew the mansion like the back of her hand. Nothing about the mansion had changed except its inhabitants.

Moments later and countless doorways and halls passed, Himawari stops in a vacant passageway. Yuki looks around for door but can't see any close by, though he notices Himawari has her eye's closed.

"Now let's see if this still works…" she mumbled.

"Huh? If what wor…."

A feeling of weightlessness hit him for just an instant. His eye's only registered black for a few seconds, and he was now physically sick at his stomach. Just as he started to dry heave his vision came back, and to his surprise they were now standing over the village, but off in the distance he could see a mansion.

"How the…did we just Shunshin?" he asked. The side effects he was feeling were explained. It was common for loss of sight and upset stomach for those who are new to shunshining.

"Yup," Himawari said smiling wide, looking over the village. "Right now we are standing atop the Kage Monument. The same exact spot my father use to take me to as a child and tell me stories of his child hood."

Yuki picked up on it in an instant. A single tear rolled off of Himawari's face and glimmered in the sunlight before splashing down to the rock below.

"I just hope that they were at peace when they finally passed on….all of them." Himawari muttered, still looking over the village. "So much has changed since then…"

Yuki walks up beside her and looks out, Konoha truly was an awe inspiring place. Though he knew nothing of it. Though as if right on que, Himawari takes his hand again and walks towards the edge they stood near.

Peering over it, Yuki hesitated. They had to be more than a few hundred feet up, what was Himawari doing?

His fears were then confirmed. Himawari jumped off the ledge, pulling Yuki with her. With the ground fast approaching, Yuki managed to maneuver himself so his feet would land first and then forced all the chakra he could under him.

Hope this works… he thought to himself as he closed his eyes.

Seconds later, he heard the sound of shoes hitting concrete. Opening his eyes he noticed Himawari standing in front of him.

"What took you so long?" she mused.

He was going to scold her for being so careless as he began to stand up, but once again she had his hand and was guiding him out of the alleyway they had landed in.

"Himawari, do you even know where you're going?" asked Yuki as they found their way into a street crowded with people.

Himawari turned and put a finger over her mouth, "Just call me Hima for now, helps hide who I really am."

"Well Hima, do you know where it is your going?" he asked, trying to figure out where she was in a hurry to.

"You'll see." Was all she said, still keeping up her hurried pace.

For more than half an hour, Himawari guides Yuki through many village centers and street. All of which are crowded with men, women, and children. Not to mention all of the ninja making their presence known. Some of which weren't even Konoha ninja.

Himawari stops in one of the most crowded parts of the village and catches her breath. Yuki joins in, noting that Himawari hasn't taken her eyes off of him since they stopped, but he doesn't acknowledge her gaze yet.

Himawari backs against the nearby wall and looks over the crowd. "So much has changed, I barely recognize anything, at least the street layout is still the same." She said

"Was there ever this many people?" asked Yuki, seeing people take note of them now but minding their own business.

She shook her head. "No, though time changes many things."

After a few minutes of standing there resting, they begin to leave, but something catches Himawari's eyes. Yuki notices her take a more serious expression and start to walk towards a gathering crowd. This can't be good…Yuki though as he started to follow Himawari.

As they got closer, they could hear the sounds of a struggle. Himawari started to push her way into the crowd, Yuki close behind her. Once through, they see an older man pushing around a young girl. Not only does this infuriate Himawari, but it pisses Yuki off. If there's one thing he can't stand, its pushing around a girl.

He goes to move to stop the man but Himawari holds her arm out to stop him. What happens next stumps him. Himawari looks at him, then he hears her voice in her head.

'No, let me handle this.' He could hear her say.

'Hima? Am I just imagine this, or can I hear your thoughts?'

'I'll explain later, I promise. Just keep an eye out for any ninja approaching us.' He could hear her say as she turned her attention to the man and began to approach him.

"You dare defy me girl? I'll teach you how to show proper respect!" the man yelled as he raised his fist at the girl who was on the ground. Just as he was about to deal another blow to the girl, he felt someone grab his fist. He turned around, only to be met by the white eyes and raised vein's of the Byakugan.

"I think you've had your fun, don't you think?" seethed Himawari. Yuki feeling her killing intent from where he was standing.

The man just stared at her. "Ah, a Hyuuga, don't you think you're out of place helping a civilian girl?"

"You're a ninja?" she asked, more like demanded to know from the tone of her voice.

"Hai, Konoha Chunin, what's it to ya?" asked the man, as he snatched his hand out of Himawari's grasp and turns to fully face her.

Himawari balls up her fists now, causing her knuckles to crack. Seconds later she drops down into the jyuken. "All I need is 32…" she muttered, then she moved.

Most couldn't see it, but Yuki did. Using only her fingertips, and moving faster than normal eyes could see, she jabbed tenketsu points. First hitting spots in the man's side, then his arms, then finally in his shins.

As she slides to a halt in front of the man, still in her jyuken stance, the man falls to his knee's, arm's limp at his side.

Himawari steps up to the man and crabs his collar and pulls his face to hers. "Let me catch you raising your fist to anyone again other than the enemy and I'll permanently shut your chakra network down."

Tossing the man back, she turns and walks towards Yuki, though she hasn't dropped her Byakugan.

Just as Himawari is a few feet away from the man, he manipulates his chakra and pulses it through himself, releasing the effects of Himawari's jyuken. In the blink of an eye he is to his feet with a tanto raised above his head, rushing Himawari.

Though Himawari doesn't pay the man any mind, Yuki can do no such thing. Reaching for his blade, he grabs it out of his pouch as his legs start carry him for Himawari.

The man starts to bring his blade down just as Yuki is side by side with Himawari.

A loud metal against metal sound echo's through the crowd and street, off of buildings and down alleyways.

Yuki managed to pulse enough chakra to change the kunai into its blade form and stopped the tanto inches from the top of Himawari's head.

She turns around, now with two swirling orbs of chakra on the fingertips she used to shut his tenketsu points off, jabbing past Yuki and into the man's abdomen.

A blast of wind overtakes Yuki as the man is propelled at speed backwards and collides with a few people in the crown, earning them a few gasps.

Dropping her Byakugan, Himawari grabs Yuki's hand and starts pulling him away before he has a chance to put his blade back. "Come on, Anbu will be here any second!"

The two burst through the crowd as Yuki can feel new chakra signatures appear behind them where the fight happened. Himawari can sense it too and starts running faster, to the point she is knocking people over.

Moments later, they stop. Having ran down a few streets and then cutting down the alley way there were now in, both were once again catching their breath. Once again Yuki notices Himawari hasn't taken her eyes off of him since they stopped.

"I think it's a good idea to go back, those Anbu are probably gonna be looking for u…"he started but Himawari cut him off.

Pushing Yuki against the wall she lands a kiss on his lips, causing him a moment of speechlessness as he looks into her eyes, trying to come up with words.

"That's my reward for all you've done for me…Yuki" she said with a blush.

Yuki is still struggling trying to find words to say, which makes Himawari giggle. She grabs his hand into hers and starts for the open street again.

"Come on, Yuki. There's still much to see."

The Mitsukage was pissed. Staring out his window, he was contemplating his next course of action to take after receiving news he had never expected.

Moments earlier his aid had informed him that Konoha ANBU had infiltrated a camp set up to excavate anything worth salvaging from the destroyed Asato house. What's more, the body of Asato Miyabi was taken, along with her already recovered katana, and a fortune's worth of ryu and gold.

"No doubt Konoha is planning an offensive against up…" he spoke out loud. "What better time than now to write an old friend for some assistance…"

The man turned to his desk, finding pen and paper, he begins writing. "Konoha will grovel at my feet…no…the world will grovel." He said with a sinister smile.