Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto
Italic – Thinking
{ } - scene change
[ ] - time change
I'm ashamed of myself for the long wait. I'M SORRY!
{Hyuga Compound, Hinata's room}
It was midnight and Ash still couldn't fall asleep. Hinata had fallen asleep hours ago so he was alone in the room with no one to talk to. He was going to go out for a walk in the village when he remembered his deal with Hinata's father. The deal was that for him to sleep in Hinata's room he was to look after her and (quote from Hiashi) "Not try anything". He still didn't get it considering he was a fox. Then again, he would never get humans, they're strange creatures to him.
After a couple minutes of wonder what to do, he decided he would take a walk. But to get past the deal part he would make a clone to watch over Hinata.
'Shadow Clone Jutsu.' *puff* (1) "I need you to watch over Hinata while I go take a walk. I can't sleep."
The clone nodded and walked over to where Hinata was sleeping. He lied down next to her and watched the door while the original walked out to take a walk.
{Near The Forest}
Ash had somehow made his way over to the area with the forest that Naruto sleeps in. He was about to walk back to the Compound when he felt a new chakra signature. It wasn't one he felt before, and it definitely wasn't one that seemed nice. Ash had a bad feeling about so he went to check on Naruto and to see this 'new chakra signature'.
When he got there, he found out his instinct was correct. What he saw was a out-cold Naruto and a man dressed in a black cloak with red clouds on it. He had Naruto over his shoulder, and it looked like he hadn't sensed him yet, but Ash knew to be careful. Ash crawled over to the man carrying Naruto and tried to attack him from behind, but a sword came out and hit him in the stomach. Ash was caught off guard so he was sent flying back and hit a tree very hard with his back. Ash moaned from the pain and passed out.
{Flashback}
[Earlier at night]
The party had just ended and Ash was walking next to Hinata to her room. After they got there they said night and neither of them had said a thing since. He thought back on the question that Hiashi had asked Naruto and Hinata about them dating.
'Naruto, are you dating my daughter?'
Even though Naruto had said they were just friends, the look in his and her eyes said differently. He knew they thought of each other as boy/girlfriend but they didn't know the other did. Ash decided to change that.
"Hinata?"
"Ya?"
"Do you like Naruto?"
"Of course I like him."
"No. I mean like like him."
"Um."
Ash couldn't see Hinata but he knew she was blushing. OK, that confirmed his suspicion even more and he was 100% sure with Naruto so that didn't need to be tested.
"Hinata?"
"Yes?" Hinata mentally sighed, happy that he drowned the question.
"I'll protect Naruto if he ever needs my help."
There was a few seconds of silent before Hinata said a soft "Thank you."
They didn't speak after that and Hinata soon fell asleep.
'That will be one promise I won't break, Hinata.'
{End Flashback}
Ash came back to realty and ran towards the man bearing his teeth, looking like he was going to try to bite him. Sadly Ash's 'up and personal' plan didn't work. He switched to offense, starting with the move we all know.
"Fire Style: Spike Fire-wheel!"
Ash curled up into a ball, his spiky fur lit on fire, and rolled to his still unknown opponent. He thought his move would work, but it turned out his opponent was a Water Style user.
"Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Jutsu!"
The cloaked figure shot out a small water shark that was aimed for Ash. He was too close to dodge so the water shark put out the fire and pushed him back a good five feet.
'Since he's a water user I can't use my fire Jutsus. I'll have to use my lightning Jutsus instead.'
Ash got up from the ground, soaked from the water shark. He started doing some seals and then his spiky fur started to glow. He shouted "Lightning Style: Needle Spike!" It looked like Ash's fur was coming off his body to strict his opponent but really, the lightning that was on his fur turned needle like and shot off to pierce his opponent.
The man grabbed his sword and held it up to block the attack. Ash smirked, thinking he would get zapped because of the electricity, so he was surprised to see the sword absorbed the attack. Before he knew what was happening, the man charged up to him and swung his sword down to him. Ash was about to be finished when his body moved back and dodged the attack. He looked back and saw that his shadow was connected to someone else's. He followed the shadows to a man holding a 'rat' sign.
He had scar on the top side of his head to his forehead, and one from his cheek to his nose. Both on the right side. He had a small goatee and black hair that was tied into a spiky ponytail on the back. His ears were pierced and was wearing a meshed under shirt with a flat jacket over it, and had a deer skin coat on with hand guards. Ash could tell by his appearance and his Jutsu that he was part of the Nara clan. After Ash dodged the attack the man released the Jutsu and looked like he was going to attack the opponent, but Ash beat him to it. Ash ran straight up to him but instead of attacking him, he grabbed Naruto, threw him on his back, and took off into the forest.
Ash took Naruto to a safe place in the woods and made a shadow clone to watch him. After that he went back to the area were the fight was going on to see that the cloaked man was gone and the man who saved him was still there. He walked over to him and turned his head pointing to the direction he laid Naruto in. The man understood that he was trying to lead him and followed him. Ash lead the man to where Naruto was in the forest. Ash knew that from the man's Jutsu and clothes he was from Konoha so he could be trusted, but he still wouldn't let his guard down encase something happened.
Once Ash reached the place Naruto was he had his clone dispel before the man could see it. He wasn't going to say anything until Naruto wakes up and the dude talks first. The first one happened quicker then he thought it would. Naruto woke up right after he thought that and the dude also talked too.
"Thank you for helping Naruto, fox. If you hadn't helped, I don't want to think what would have happened."
"Ash, what happened? All I remember is a man in a cloak put some rage to my face and then I blacked-out. How did I get here?"
"I carried you here. This dude and I fought off the cloaked man."
"My name is Nara Shikaku."
"Like I care?"
"What were you doing here anyway?"
"I was taking a walk because I couldn't sleep. I was about to go back when I sensed that man's chakra and went to check it out. Next thing I know I was fighting him to protect this little nut."
"I take offense to that!"
"Like I care?"
"What are you doing in Konoha?"
"One of our summoners lives here. I was spending the night at their house."
"You are a summoning?"
"Yes."
"Who is your summoner?"
"One of this village's kids."
"Which one?"
"A girl."
"Which girl?"
Yawn "Look, I'm too tired for this. I'm going get some sleep."
Ash started his way back to the Hyuga Compound to get some sleep. He would try to figure out who the cloaked man was tomorrow. He was too tired to try right now.
{Hyuga Compound}
'Does he really think I can't sense him?' Sigh
Ash walked past the Hyuga Compound to try to lose the person following him. He walked down the street and took a left. He started to walk a little faster than took a right. After that he went into a run. He took another right and then a left. It left him in an ally that had a little hole in the ground. Ash dove into the hole and hide his chakra signature. He heard the man following him land next to the hole. Ash guessed that it was the man he fought the weird cloaked guy with.
'What was him name again? Oh right, Nara Shikaku I think.'
After looking around for him Shikaku left, probably to look for him again.
"Heh, idiot."
Ash took back off to Hinata's house when his shadow clone's memories came to him. He saw that Hinata was kidnapped by a shinobi of Kumogakure. Once he got this information he took off to the house faster than he had ever run before.
{Hyuga Compound}
Ash got to the compound in time to see the shinobi that kidnapped Hinata. He didn't even think before he lunged at the attacker, teeth aimed at his neck. He was able to sink his teeth into the shinobi's neck before he got thrown off. As soon as he hit the ground he got right back up and jumped on the man from behind. The force of the jump made the shinobi fall forward and hit his head on the ground, and the hit made him pass-out.
Hinata was waking up and saw Ash standing next to the man who tried to kidnap her. The man was still breathing so he was just passed-out. Ash was still standing next to the man's neck, ready to attack if he tried to get up.
About this time everyone heard the fight and went to check it out. What they saw when they got there was a surprise to all of them. Ash was standing next to a pass-out man, and Hinata was half inside a bag. It only took them a couple of seconds to figure out what had happened and that Ash had saved Hinata. Hiashi saw the site and ran to pick up his daughter and see if she was hurt.
"Are you hurt Hinata?"
"No. Ash saved me from the man who tried to take me."
Hiashi looked over to see Ash still standing over the man; teeth bared and ready to attack if provoked.
"Ash."
Ash turned from the man to look at Hiashi with Hinata in his arms. He sighed with relief when he saw that Hinata wasn't hurt.
"Hiashi, I think this man was after the Byakugan. What will you do with him?"
"I'll take him to the Hokage and he'll sort this out. You can stay when ever you like. You have earned my respect."
Ash was taken back a little by this new information, but he did earn it. He did save Hinata from most likely getting killed.
What was bugging him was how this man was able to get into Konoha and the Hyuga Compound so easily. It wasn't like Konoha to get fooled and infiltrated so easily. Something was out-of-place here... THAT HITAI-ATE! He was from Kumogakure and from what he had heard they and Konoha were suppose to sign a peace treaty. So that was how he got in. He must have been the one that was signing the treaty with them and used it to get into Konoha and steal the Byakugan.
"Hiashi, this man is from Kumogakure. Aren't you guys suppose to sign a peace treaty with them?"
"Yes. I see where you're going with this. I'll tell the Hokage immediately. Do you mind watching Hinata while I go?"
"In case you forgot, I'm sleeping here tonight."
"That's right."
Hiashi set Hinata and she ran over to hug Ash. He started blushing from the hug and Hiashi couldn't help but snicker at his situation.
He walked over and tied up the shinobi from Kumo. He took one more look at Hinata and Ash before he went off to tell the Hokage about what just happened.
{Hinata's Room}
Hinata had fallen asleep almost as soon her father left. Luckily Ash had caught her and brought her to her room. He laid her down on her futon and lied next to her. He stayed up as long as he could before he drifted to dream land. Before he fell asleep he looked at Hinata and thought, 'I'm glade to finally have a friend.' He fell asleep with a smile on his face, dreaming happily.
(1) Yes Ash knows the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Don't like it, sue me. Not really. He read about it and decided to learn it. Lame reason but it's the best I got!
Happy ending! For now that is...
Now I have a question for you guys. Remember how in the last chapter Naruto said he had an idea for a training exercise that could help Ash and Hinata work together? I CAN'T THINK OF ONE! The only ways that I think of take place in off-limits places. So give me some ideas on an exercise and it may appear in the story! I'll be sure to give you create though. Here are some rules for the exercise:
1. It can't be in off-limits places
2. It has to be in Konoha/Fire Country
3. No one can die but they can get hurt
If it follows those rules it can be accepted. So start thinking of ideas people! The sooner I get one, the sooner the next chapter gets written!
See you next chapter! ^..^
