A/N:
Hey everyone, Cren here. So, figured I'd bring everyone up to speed on what's going on. Right now, I'm unsure on if I have a job or not, will be finding out today after I go to work for my last day or if it's just a forced week of absence, but on top of that, I'm looking to possibly get in as a ATC (Air Traffic Controller). While that may put a damper on our writing schedule, we will be continuing the story to the best of our abilities, if that falls through, I will be looking for a new job, while still writing.
With that out of the way, I am disappointed with the way things are looking with our numbers. While I know that the story will eventually get to a point that it can't be ignored, it appears that the same number of people come to see the story on a chapter by chapter basis. While there isn't anything we can honestly do about it, it's still a sad thing to see. If you guys enjoy the story and want to help out, suggest it to your friends or people you know, we'd really appreciate the help guys (not to say that your continued support isn't appreciated).
On that note, before I let you guys go, I do want to mention that this chapter contains a flashback to the future (present) day and if you don't really recall what happened in the other flash and want to connect the dots, I'd suggest refreshing yourself on Ch.1's future-flash. This will be the last of these, as we've stated before, seeing how it's a continuation of the first, but as we stated at the beginning, this flash was planned and we opted to get it in over all the others.
With that being said, I hope you guys enjoy and we look forward to hearing back from you. You know, follows, favorites, reviews, the works.
-Crenshinibon
Inherent Demons - Book One - Arc Three
Chapter 9
Dusting Away the Sand
Present Day...
Several seconds passed as Hinata dove into the foliage, chasing after her husband, when a sudden rustling from the opposite end revealed Naruto emerging from the shadows, lithely jumping atop the compound's outer wall; he stood in a hunched manner, surveying the area before slowly taking his first cautious steps across the tiled surface. The bright, full orb above him illuminated the area before him, though, through the same process, elongated the many shadows the plagued the area. The blond hanyō continued to creep across the wall, stopping every so often at a sudden break of a branch or rustle of the leaves to ensure he was still alone. As he came around the bend back towards the compounds tall main structure, he stopped suddenly as he focused on one of the shadows, his enhanced eyesight easily piercing the darkness; yet, he continued to stare at it, almost anticipating that something was going to jump out of the shade at any given moment...
'Look at you! A being of immense power… jumping at the sight of his own lowly shadow,' growled the fox spirit within the man's mind; the sudden statement startled the already on edge blond, causing him to jump slightly until he realized that it was only the fox, and his shaky head waved side to side as he aligned his vision, and elicited a slight incoherent whimper at the realization; he placed a hand over his rapidly beating heart as he attempted to regain control of his quickened breathing. 'Pathetic.' The sharp sound skewered his worry, but served to jar him enough to attract balance.
After regaining some semblance of composure, Naruto shook his head, shaking away his overactive imagination and the fox's comment, though in the back of his mind, he knew that Kurama spoke the truth... He felt Kurama's growing annoyance at being pushed off, but for the moment, the fox kept his silence, watching as Naruto warily crossed the distance to his final destination. With a final look around, Naruto glanced up at the second roof and, expending barely an effort, hopped up onto the tilted ledge, leaning slightly against it.
Naruto turned his head slightly as he beheld his beloved village, getting a grand sight of its enormity due to his elevation. His precise vision, two slitted, trembled blue eyes, wandered from building to building… each served a individual purpose, a home, a store, a restaurant; for Naruto, each one had a much more significant importance to him. It was not until he'd been pushed that he realized how firmly he'd adopted the meaning of each. Insignificant things never seemed so significant… or so worth protecting; the more he wanted to protect them, the more fragile they seemed to be, chipping away in his scarred palm. Away, one such building was his favorite place to eat ramen, Ichiraku, where many of his best memories had taken place. Another had the perfect spot where he and Shikamaru would go to cloud gaze for hours on end…
As his gaze continued to wander through the village that was his life, he vision eventually fell across the Hokage's tower, where he spent most of his time... or used to. The mountain looming behind the tower called Naruto's attention, the likeness of the previous six Kage's heads carved into the rock with his own head still concealed under a stark white coat, under development; his eyes however, fell upon two faces in particular, the ones of the Yondaime and the Rokudaime. "Otō-san... Baa-chan... I'm sorry..."
'Enough with your senseless bumbling!' Kurama mentally shouted. 'If I had known that you would become so useless, I would have taken your body long ago and been done with it!'
Naruto gradually lowered himself into a crouched posture before leaning back onto the roof, angling himself towards the illustrious moon above. "...You're right...," he finally said, sadness marring his features. The blatant admittance set the spirit back, shocking him by the drastic change in the personality that he had dealt with for so long.
'That's it? That's all you have to say?!' Naruto could feel the fox's mounting frustration, and he really couldn't blame him. He just sighed…
"What else is there to say...? No matter how hard I try... I can't beat him, and because of my lack of power... the people I care for die..." Naruto slowly swung his remaining arm around, laying his forearm across his eyes, encasing them in darkness. "There's nothing I can do..."
'So, this is your answer? Do nothing?' he growled, fuming at the uncharacteristic answer.
"What else can I do!?" Naruto shouted into the air, slamming his tails into the tiles in frustration, cracking several of the hard surfaces. "I've done everything I could! Tried everything I could and nothing works! Even..." Naruto stopped as the memory of the horrible day flashed through his mind, unable to utter a word in remembrance.
'You're worthless,' Kurama scoffed, cutting off his connection to the man as he ventured into the depths of Naruto's mind. As he did so, the spirit roughly slammed his hand into the nearby wall upon manifesting his form, venting his irritations out onto the inanimate object. He hated feeling helpless, limited in his capabilities, trapped within a box of limitations; never had he been faced with such a dilemma. To make matters worse, the emotions of the man he had steadily grown to respect, who had fallen so far from his pinnacle of triumph, only acted to mirror his own. They were one and the same, but the stigmatic facsimile that was reflected so, did nonetheless vex him...
Naruto roughly rubbed at his eyes, clearing the moisture that had built up from his recollection of the terrible memory, before laying his arm to rest at his side against the cold surface beneath. "How could something like this happen?" he rhetorically questioned.
"Because we never expected such a problem to manifest from within," answered a familiarly labored voice, surprising Naruto who never detected the presence of another nearby. As he shot up into a sitting position, quickly turning to view the intruder, he quickly relaxed upon seeing the red-haired, former jinchūriki of Shukaku. Waving heavily as he walked were his white, Kage robes, accented in a representative royal blue; though he did not wear the entire traditional uniform, as he was missing the sash, the robe parted around his midsection, showing glimpses of a simple, black, lightweight under-armor, strung together with an identically colored cord that wrapped the waist and strung up the middle to lattice over the shirt underneath. His basic, casually low-baring geta sandals mysteriously muted his steps, that, somehow, finally drew attention to the metallic band around his neck that glinted the engraved hourglass symbol of Sunagakure.
"Hey, Gaara, long time no see," Naruto said with as much joy as he could muster, though it served little to fool the perceptive Kazekage.
"There's no need to hide your true emotions, Naruto," Gaara remarked, crossing the threshold to his old friend by slow, measured footsteps.
"Heh... I guess you're right...," the blond admitted, turning back to his view of the village, and the remaining afterglow.
"Are you and Kurama not getting along?" Gaara questioned. As he neared, he knelt with a covered hand overlaying his knee, next to the sitting Hokage, enjoying the same view he was granted.
"It's not so much getting along... he's just upset and he has every right to be... I've failed everyone..." Naruto said. Falling back heavily, he let out a laden sigh whilst simultaneously closing his eyes. He let his head hit the hard tiles, ignoring the small crack behind his ear and crinkling his eyelids to a point.
The Kazekage shook his head. "We face an enemy that no one could have expected, with power far beyond anything we were prepared for. You did your best, that is all that we could have asked for." With a light smile, he turned towards his distressed companion, "Is that not what you told me to believe?" At once, he received a sharp growl and sighed, letting go of the smile.
"My best wasn't enough, and... now..." The two gazed on in silence, over their own views, for several seconds, one living in the past while the other looked on towards a better future. Gaara closed his eyes, pondering the best way to reach through to the blond who had changed him all those years ago.
"Life is filled with hardships, some more difficult than others, but we must persevere to overcome them; you, of all people, should know this." Gaara opened his eyes, turning his head to look down at the Kyūbi no hanyō. "Many obstacles have stood in your path, including myself, and each one you faced with determination and zeal, overcoming them no matter the odds. This new threat, while more terrible than anything you've ever faced, you do not have to take on alone. And you must not."
Naruto looked up at the man as he continued on. "You have friends who will help pick you up when you fall and stand by you if only you would allow us." Gaara extended out his hand towards his friend, a smile on his face.
Naruto continued staring at Kage's smiling visage before dropping his gaze to the extended hand. A part of him wanted to reach for that hand, to believe everything that Gaara had said, but he knew in his heart that it just wouldn't be enough. Slowly, he turned his head away, returning his somber gaze to the village before him.
Gaara's smile slowly died as the hanyō rejected his help before doing the same as the blond, resigning himself to simply be there for moral support. "I understand that times are difficult, my friend, but if nothing else, you should know that we are all here for you and we will help you in any way that we can; we care about you." Naruto nodded half-heartedly in acknowledgment, but continued to stare absently at the village.
As the two stared down over the village, the appearance of a form touching down on the opposite side of the roof drew the former jinchūriki's attention. "Hinata-san," he greeted, "it is good to see you after all this time."
The mention of Hinata's name did little to distract Naruto from his internal thoughts, though he did offer a sidelong glance to note her approach.
"Good morning, Kazekage-dono, it is good it see you as well," she returned, a smile present on her alabaster cheeks.
"Please, Gaara is fine. There is no need for such formality, especially from the honorable Lady Hinata." He returned the address happily, hoping that perhaps she would prove more effective in encouraging the depressed Hokage.
Hinata giggled lightly, "I am honored… very well, Gaara-san." Hinata looked away from the Kazekage to view her husband, aware that he seemed to be ignoring her; with a embedded motion she shifted a stream of illuminated hair behind her ear, away from her focused eyes. Walking past Gaara, she managed a slight bow as she did, and moved up next to the whiskered man and slid down to a seat to his left, sliding her arm around his.
"Is everything alright, Naruto-kun? You had me worried," she asked, affectionately kissing his imperceptibly furred arm; rubbing her fingers against his forearm she noted that he still kept it receded, despite the chilled temperature of the nigh morning.
"Yea... I'm fine...," he replied without looking at her, wallowing in a dank regret he visualized in the night's shadows.
Through the link that connected them, Hinata was able to discern his personal thoughts and feelings—especially those that concerned her. "It's alright, Naruto-kun, I don't blame you for what happened. I'm just happy you're okay now," she assured him, nuzzling her cheek into his arm affectionately; she slowly lifted several of her tails around, softly shielding what she could of him from the breeze that blew through. In the distance, several chimes sounded, perking his ears once again; like a pinprick, she felt the worried jolt.
"Did something happen?" Gaara inquired, lifting Hinata's eyes to his own, ringed gaze. "I was in the area at the time… it was actually the sound of the blast that led me here."
"He had a... nightmare," she offered, continuing to hold onto the man's arm, hoping that her presence and assurances would help to ease him back into a state of normalcy. Gradually, the tenseness of his muscles began to relax and he opened his hand, inviting her own to its grasp, to which she happily accepted.
"I'm sorry, Hinata...," Naruto finally managed after he had relaxed and drew himself from his personal thoughts. With a tired swivel, he turned his head towards his wife, only then becoming aware that she had on a white robe covering her.
"There's no need, Naruto-kun, you weren't thinking clearly," she stated, squeezing onto his hand. Naruto returned the loving squeeze and lightly laid his head atop of hers, her ears brushing against the back of his head. Slowly, a smile began to return to his face as he fell further into the comforting embrace, her very presence slowly chipping away at the doubts that had plagued him earlier. Gaara watched the gradual change in his friend and smiled approvingly, knowing that he was in good hands.
As the excitement of events began to diminish, Naruto opened his mouth impossibly wide, emitting a loud yawn as fatigue creeped its way into his body.
"I think it's time we head back to bed," Hinata said with a light giggle, bringing a slight chuckle from her beloved.
"It's probably for the best," Gaara added, drawing the couple's attention. "Matsuri would like it if I slept more, but after many years of not being able to, it is a hard habit to break."
"I can only imagine," Naruto stated, recalling when he had first met the man. "Now that you mention it, how are things on that front?"
"If you're referring to Shukaku, it has been... different, since we were... reconnected, but there have not been any major issues of note; if you're referring to Matsuri..." Gaara fell silent, unsure of what exactly he should say about his wife, still growing used to such small talk after so many years. "She's fine."
"...That's it?" Naruto pressed, earning a sharp nudge in his side by Hinata's elbow. "That's great!" he added, realizing how he had sounded. Gaara nodded in response, ending the conversation.
"I will see you two later," he stated as a gust began to blow, turning his around his body his robes that particlized into sand that was scattered to the wind as it encased him, depleting his presence in the fading gust and leaving the couple alone.
With the departure of their guest, the two untangled from one another and made their way back towards their bedroom, Hinata affectionately hugging the man's arm the entire way. After crossing back through the garden, the couple stopped outside of their room, their eyes drawn to the destroyed door that laid in pieces on the ground. In lieu of his missing right arm, Naruto scratched the back of his head in a sheepish manner with his tails, eliciting an amused giggle from his partner. Maneuvering their way around the obstruction, the two entered the room, separating as they walked towards opposite sides of their bed.
Though Hinata had a much easier time, with her side of the room remaining fairly neat and organized, Naruto stepped around and over loose articles of clothing or documents that had been strewn about the room in his escape; several empty ramen cups now also littered the floor, having been knocked off the desk that lined the wall that he found himself against earlier that morning. Making a mental note to clean up in the morning, Naruto went to remove his clothes, only to realize, with a dumbly hung head, that he had been running around the entire time in his underwear.
Hinata did her best to stifle the giggle that threatened its way out so as not to embarrass the blond further—who only now also realized that Gaara had made no mention of his attire during their conversation—but, the effort proved too much, bringing a crimson blush to his face. After she removed her robe, revealing a large shirt of his that stopped just below her waist, she promptly returned to the warmth of the bed covers, awaiting her husband's arrival. Getting over his embarrassment, Naruto slid into the bed with her, staring at the ceiling as he tried to sort through the morning's events as he rolled his shoulders, getting comfortable.
Not wanting him to return to his aloof mind-state once he settled, she slid over to him lifting and moving her upper body over his. Their clear eyes locked together, gazing deep into one another's as she leaned forward, pressing her soft, luscious lips against his own, their eyes simultaneously closing. After a few seconds, Hinata pulled back, breaking the kiss and bringing their eyes open once again.
"How much did you hear?" Naruto questioned, wondering just how long his wife had been listening to his conversation before making an appearance.
"Everything… After I jumped over the wall, I saw you coming over the other side, so I made my way around and grabbed a robe before finding a spot on the roof close enough to hear everything," she explained; as she finished, she moved down slightly and laid her head on his bare chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his powerful heart.
"…" His silence stood, but it posed his question nonetheless.
"I agree with Gaara-san and... to a certain extent, Kurama-san," she said drowsily, the sound of his heart slowly lulling her to sleep. "We are all here for you, Naruto-kun, you don't have to face this menace alone... but, doing nothing and letting the past hold you in fear isn't the way someone should live their life." She raised her arms, draping them around his muscled neck as she relaxed more into the position atop of her husband whilst lifting her head slightly to gaze at his cerulean orbs. "You've changed so much since we were kids and have faced all of your problems head on, no matter the cost… except this one; I'm not saying that I want you to rush in needlessly... but, this has had a great effect on you... and I worry."
With his arm casually laid across her bare back, Naruto wiggled one of his tails out from under the covers, sliding it under and cupping her chin as he craned his neck. She leaned forward slightly into the effort, connecting their lips together once more, though she could tell that he was more into it this time than before.
"I'm sorry, Hinata... I'll try not to worry you, but, with everything that's happened... I—," he stopped as she slid one of her hands up the side of his head and pressed her finger softly against his lips, subduing his speech.
"I know, my love..." She laid her head back down, her eyes growing heavy as sleep began to take her once more. "Things will get better... You'll see...," she managed, fading into the realm of slumber. With a heavy sigh, Naruto grabbed the blanket and pulled it up her back, stopping at her neck line. With her covered, he returned his vision to the ceiling above, forcing his eyes shut as he attempted to follow her into the realm of rest.
"I really hope you're right... Hinata-chan..."
Nine years ago...
He stared at the two elders, knowing full well what they were going to ask him. In truth, he had though about it, but he knew he wasn't suited for the job; he just wasn't the kind of guy to sit around and do paperwork, not when there was perfectly good "research" to be done.
"Before you ask, the answer is no," Jiraiya stated, looking down one of the more devastated districts. While all had been affected, in truth, the destruction was probably for the better. People busily occupied themselves as they tried to restore the place to its former glory, toiling for what they were worth; amidst it all sat the most peculiar old man; he was almost like a statue, unmoving against the fumes of saw dust and the hustle and bustle of bodies. Even stranger was the fact that he was on a broken bench, sitting tilted at an angle and seemed not in the least bit bothered. Jiraiya continued to stare at the strange sight, pondering what could possibly be the man's motive to sit in such a way.
"You were a student of the Sandaime, you are the most qualified person for the job," Mitokado Homura pressed, the male elder and one of Hiruzen's long time friends. He busied himself with a moderated step forth that lead to him insisting on a piece of paper with his wrinkled hand's press.
Jiraiya shook his head, both at the the proposal and the crinkled shrub that resolutely sat on the bench, over there, outside. "That may be, but there is another more qualified than even I!"
"And who might that be?" questioned Utatane Koharu, Homura's female counterpart.
With a flourish, the Toad Sage turned to the two elders, glancing back and forth between the two, ensuring that he had their full attention before his grand reveal. "Tsunade," he said, hoping the name would have the desired effect. To his dismay, all he got for his efforts, was a concerned glance between the elders, which tempted him to indignantly frown.
"We haven't heard any word about Tsunade's whereabouts, nor are we sure that she would even accept after being gone such a long time…," Koharu replied, shaking her head as she did.
"Let me worry about that, I'll look for her... but on one condition." He grinned as he thought about the future prospect, causing both elders a great deal of unease at what one of the Sannin had planned.
…
After his "impromptu" meeting with the two elders, the Toad Sage made his way out from the Hokage's Tower and down amongst the busy streets, recalling the many fond memories of his youthful days in the village while he whistled. The tall, thick-maned man would have stood out as an oddity as he slowly ambled through the streets, but in Konoha such sights were commonplace, and some even, it seemed, remembered the boy he once was all those years ago.. He smiled as he went, happy with the way the village had prospered and persevered since his departure and even more so since the attack of that slippery Orochimaru and his lackeys. Bringing himself from his chaste reminiscence, he focused on the task at hand, noting he was approaching the destination he sought, denoting it by the ostentatiously flared sign… Without the slightest amount of hesitation, and garnished with the equally flared swagger of the Legendary Jiraiya, he swept through the open door and into a scene that took on a very different tone. While the outside showed copious amounts of life, the inside seemed almost lifeless with barely a few people present throughout its body; however, the lack of life didn't alarm him, with the restaurant being one of the best places to eat in the entire village, life would spring forth later in the day when the villagers sought relaxation after a long day of rebuilding. It still was befitting of his radical charm, it would seem.
"Jiraiya-san!" shouted a familiar female voice. Its sound piloted his focus sharply left, and right then his eyes popped right to the woman hurriedly discarding her working humble clipboard as she bolted from the restaurant's kitchen. Though he was sad to see she had opted not to wear one of her more "alluring" outfits—instead wearing a more traditional shortened kimono—he was nonetheless happy to see the beautiful girl.
"Hey, Yukano, long time nO SEE!" Jiraiya said, his voice dialing in pitch as the girl threw herself at the old pervert, wrapping him in a constricting hug.
"How have you been, you old pervert? It's been so long," she said with a coy smile on her face as she crushed the man in her vice grip. Despite the mounting pressure growing on his sides, he didn't mind as she pressed her chest roughly against his own—though he was intelligent enough not to say it. Though it would seem, sadly, that all good things must come to an end. Soon, the pressure slowly became too much for even the famed Toad Sage to handle.
"I'd be... doing better... if you weren't... crushing me...," Jiraiya managed as the woman squeezed the life out of him. Quickly realizing how powerfully she was hugging the man, she quickly let go.
"I'm so sorry!" she yelled, his cheeks turning crimson in embarrassment as Jiraiya took in a much needed heavy breath.
"It's fine, I had forgotten how strong you were! Being a ban-OW!" he shouted as Yukano promptly slammed her foot down on his own uncovered foot, stopping him before he said anything further. Feeling the stares at her back, Yukano quickly turned around and waved at all the faces, assuring them that everything was alright, returning them to previous activities.
"You can't say that in public!" the woman angrily scolded, glaring at the still recovering Sannin.
"Sorry, it's been so long that I just forgot," he bashfully admitted, wiggling his toes to ensure that nothing was broken from the sudden stomp.
"Hmph!" she huffed, turning away from the man in a pout. "Then maybe you should stop in once in awhile instead of waiting seven years!"
"But, I've been busy...," he stated in disbelief, craning his neck forward while hunching slightly over.
"That's no excuse!" She tilted her head back and closed her eyes in mock ignorance, attempting to make the man feel bad for his negligence. Knowing that he wasn't going to win the argument against the woman, he simply left it at that. "Anyway," she started suddenly, turning back towards the man, "is this business or pleasure?" She lifted her eye in curiosity.
"If only it was pleasure," he replied with a quick scan of the woman and casually freeing his eyes to wander about the restaurant. "Unfortunately, this is business." A sigh accompanied his finished statement, eliciting a rolling of the eyes from his female counterpart.
"Of course, the infamous Jiraiya and his 'research.'" She raised her hands and bent two fingers in pseudo-quotations as she said the term. "I don't want to catch you trying that around here, you understand?"
The Toad Sage lifted his right hand and curled his fingers around his chin, resting his elbow atop of his other hand that was firmly entrenched against his side. "I can try, but I promise nothing," he said after several seconds of heavy thought.
"I suppose that's all I'm going to get out of you...," Yukano sighed before turning once more around, and without much event made to walk towards the back rooms. Jiraiya followed, attempting to keep his eyes firmly fixed above the young woman's shoulders, but gradually, his gaze fell further and further. Soon enough, the old man was back to his ways, watching the gentle and alluring sway of her hips with each step, the short kimono stopping mid thigh only enhancing the temptation.
Reaching the back wall, Yukano walked down a few doors before sliding the door open, revealing a empty room. "Take a seat and I'll fetch Aeron, he's been in the kitchen prepping for tonight. Is there anything you want in the meantime?"
"Sake would be lovely," he stated, walking past the woman and towards the lone table.
"Why'd I even bother?" she said aloud, closing the door after getting her answer, leaving the man by his lonesome. In truth, he appreciated being left alone for the moment as he thought about all that had transpired in such a short amount of time: Finding Naruto, his god-son, and training him, the invasion of his home, the death of his mentor, the proposal of becoming Hokage and now the search of one of his teammates for the very job he declined? Even worse, the troubling news that he had discovered in his time away sat on his shoulders, only adding onto the heavy weight. Not to let his absent mind wander too far beyond him, he quickly let the strapped scroll fall from his back, flipping it around his shoulder and down by the edge of the booth to lean; he had enough to weigh, and for that, he needed to sit into his sake. He grinned.
With a sigh, he sat down, cross legged, and leaned back slightly, starting at the smooth, wooden ceiling, awaiting the much needed drink. After what felt like an eternity, the door burst open, startling the man as the blue-dressed owner made his way in with a small plate with two bocchan dango in one hand while skillfully holding two sake bottles in his other.
"Sorry it took so long, had a few things to finish up," Aeron apologized, setting the plate down in the middle of the table before placing the individual bottles at each respective seat. With the placements done, Aeron crossed his feet and dropped suddenly, his legs bending outwards until he rested his rump comfortably against the wood floor, sitting in a similarly relaxed, cross legged fashion. "It's been awhile, old friend."
"It has. I would have come sooner, but I've been busy until recently." The two men stared at each other before simultaneously removing their respective cups from the sake bottles, both pouring a glass.
"How are you holding up?" Aeron questioned as he watched the sage lift the cup to his lips, taking a sip of the hot liquid.
Knowing what he was referring to, he took another sip. "Death is a natural part of our lives as shinobi. While I am saddened by his passing and angered that he died at the hands of one of his own students... I am content knowing that he died defending what he loved the most."
Aeron nodded his approval, not only for the sage's wording, but also knowing that his friend was properly dealing with his grief. Not wanting to stay on the particularly sorrowful topic, Aeron was quick to suggest an alternative. "Did your self-imposed mission prove fruitful?"
"It did, but at the same time, I wish it hadn't," he admitted. "Following Orochimaru led me to a group called 'Akatsuki.' From what I could find out, they intend to capture, then use the Tailed Beasts for some nefarious purpose, more than likely to control the Great Nations."
"Is that why you returned, then?" Aeron lifted a inquiring eyebrow, knowing that Naruto had received training from the sage since his return to the village.
"Yes, but also to warn you of the incoming danger and to ask a favor. I'll be taking him under my wing, but I won't be able to watch over him the entire time, if it's possible...," he stopped, seeing the knowing look on Aeron's face.
"You don't have to ask. Of course, I'll look after Naruto whenever you're not around, but I don't see you just up and vanishing so soon after returning," he chuckled. Jiraiya smiled at the notion, but kept silent, knowing that the boy was in good hands.
"In that regard, however, comes a problem," Aeron stated, growing suddenly serious as he grabbed his cup and quickly downed it, pouring himself another. "I'm not sure how much you know, but Naruto tapped into the Kyūbi's chakra more than I think he planned."
"I had heard that, to some extent. Do you know what happened?" Jiraiya pressed, narrowing his wizened, snowy brow.
"From what I could gather, from both Kakashi and Naruto himself, Naruto had the upper hand against his opponent, Hyūga Neji." He crossed his arms as he went further on into detail. "Long story short, things got turned around quickly and Neji closed all of Naruto's tenketsu, which prompted the release of the Kyūbi's chakra into a two-tailed cloak."
"—Hmm, the seal the Yondaime placed on Naruto should have slowly weakened over time to allow him control over the Kyūbi's chakra, but not at that rate," Jiraiya stated, earning a nod in response.
"…From what Kakashi told me, this is the second occasion that the Kyūbi's chakra has been involuntarily released in such a way, with this last being the worst. My only guess is that the seal has weakened far quicker than expected, or the bijū managed to 'crack' the seal, allowing it to force more chakra into his body that he is prepared for." Aeron brought his cup back to his lips and took a sip. "I wouldn't really be able to tell until I got a look at the seal," he said with a shrug.
"When I removed the Gogyō Fūin that Orochimaru had placed on Naruto near the beginning of his training, I didn't notice any flaws in the seal, but I did sense that it had weakened greatly from what it was when it was originally placed." Aeron curiously looked at the old sage.
"Gogyō Fūin? What seal was originally placed on Naruto?" the younger man inquired.
"Hakke no Fūin Shiki." The answer elicited a high pitched whistle from his younger companion, who nearly rolled back off his cushion in surprise.
"That's a high quality seal, the Yondaime must have been one hell of a guy to pull that off," Aeron remarked, absently scratching his head as he thought further into their dilemma.
"He was...," the Sannin sadly added. The two men sat in a moment of silence for the dead before bringing their respective cups to their lips and drinking the still hot, salient liquid inside that offered one final wisp of its steam to greet the ingestion.
"I don't think we need to do anything, at the moment," Aeron began while pouring himself another cup, "but, we do need to keep an eye on him in case the seal should weaken further. Worse case scenario, we're going to have to add onto the Hakke no Fūin Shiki and suppress the bijū's chakra..."
The two men stared at one another, knowing that neither one liked the idea of putting the blond into such a predicament, but if it was for his health and the safety of those around him...
"Anyway," Jiraiya began suddenly, deigning to change the seriousness of their discussion, "I should probably go find that kid and head out." As he finished, Jiraiya poured another cup and quickly drank it before getting up in one smooth motion.
"Head out? Where are you going?" Aeron inquired. "You're taking Naruto with you?"
The Toad Sage nodded. "I bringing him along to find an old friend, she's being asked to take up the mantle of Hokage." Jiraiya started towards the door, but the sudden pressure of a hand grabbing his arm stopped him, bringing his focus back to still sitting man.
"If you're taking Naruto, I'd suggest taking Hinata with you also, for his sake," Aeron stated with a finality that invoked a curious look from Jiraiya.
Sasuke continued on walking, needing the mindless activity to distract his bodily function as he sorted through the mental turmoil. He tried to envision the blond for what he was—just another dopey kid who didn't know when to shut his mouth or give up—but, every time he tried, the image of him cloaked in the powerful aura quickly overrode what he tried to hold onto.
As much as he tried to deny it, to others and himself, he was worried about him, this random nobody, who shared nothing in common with him except the knowledge of pain; but, not only that he realized. Despite his lack of natural talent, Naruto had managed to keep up with even his own efforts, marking the whiskered youth as his rival from the amazing growth that he had witnessed through the many missions that the team had accomplished together. Against anything he might say to others, that annoying kid had managed to carve a niche in his otherwise vengeance-driven heart.
Seeing his 'friend' shrouded in the malignant aura frightened him, not only for Naruto's safety, but for his own; the look of pure hatred, the feeling of terrible dread, it was frightening... but, powerful.
With that thought, a scowl grew across his face. Naruto had this monster, this power, sleeping within him the entire time and never once thought to use it until now? No, he realized, Naruto had used it before. Those eyes he saw at the Chūnin exams were the same that Naruto had when he had stopped Orochimaru from killing him. The enraged Uchiha clenched his hands tightly as he continued his march, hearing footsteps and a voice calling him, but he disregarded the nuisance, focusing on the source of his anger.
Why did someone like Naruto have to have that kind of power? Why couldn't someone worthy have it, someone who would put it to use? 'Why couldn't I have that power?!' he mentally declared, knowing that if he had that kind of strength, he would make his brother pay for all the pain and misery that he had forced him to suffer...
"S-Sasuke-k-kun?..." Sakura managed, feeling the fury radiating from Sasuke's being. She took a few hesitant steps back, unsure of how to proceed with the typically volatile Uchiha. Slowly, she reached forward, taking slow, shaky steps back towards him. "Sas-uke-kun?..." she called, lightly touching her fingers against his shoulder.
Faster than she could react, Sasuke suddenly turned, swinging his arm through the air. Before she knew what was happening, the back of Sasuke's hand slapped across her cheek, inflaming the smooth flesh of her skin and sending her flying to the ground. As Sasuke continued on with the rotation, completing his turn, he took a threatening step towards the pink-haired kunoichi, who laid helpless on the ground, looking up at the enraged visage of her crush.
"S-Sasu-ke-kun... p-please... stop...," she weakly cried through the sobs, as she watched him draw closer. He stopped suddenly, overwhelming shock crossing his previously infuriated features as he stared down at the young girl.
"S-Sakura?" he questioned, bringing his throbbing hand up to his eyes before looking at the glowing red mark on her cheek. Slowly, he backed away from her in utter disbelief at what he had done; he had pushed her away of course, but never had he hit the girl in his blind rage. Unable to deal with what he had done, Sasuke did the only thing he could do. He turned and ran.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted after him as she scrambled into a sitting position, knowing that she would be unable to catch the crafty boy. Bringing a delicate hand up, she gingerly rubbed at the sting of her cheek, staring down the road where Sasuke had vanished. "Why won't you let me in?...," she whispered longingly into the wind, spilling tears of both sadness and fear in a trickle down her flushed face.
A cool morning breeze wafted into the room as Tenten diligently read through the book of "Advanced Sealing Arts" that her sensei, Maito Gai, had brought for her at her request. Though she had experience in Fūinjutsu, some of the things she read went beyond her wildest dreams of what it could accomplish. After having read through one-third of the book, she opted for a break, softly closing together the stiff covers between her hands, laying it rest on her lap. She looked around the room, which never changed except for where a single chair would rest upon each new visitor's departure. Gradually, she shifted her gaze over to the sleeping Hyūga and a slight smile grew to see him recovering. After Naruto's visit the day before, Neji had awoken from his slumber, dazed and confused as to what happened and where he was. Shortly thereafter, he had returned to sleep and had yet to awaken, but it was still good to know that he was doing better.
With the thought of Hyūga on her mind, she was happy to hear that Hinata had been released—if only being told by Naruto's loud voice echoing throughout the building at his excitement. She shook her head at his amusing antics, unable to believe that a guy like that could have beaten someone like Neji, but the proof was all too evident to see.
Eventually, she shifted her vision to the tall stack of manuals, tomes and scrolls that rested atop the end table between them. The tower consisted primarily of Fūinjutsu books that she had asked Gai to bring her, but for reasons she could not explain, her mentor had chosen to grab several that brought some level of confusion to the young woman.
"The Expecting Mother: Your Child and You," one of them read in fanciful golden lettering. "The Magic of Vegetable Gyoza," said another, and ironically, the image of a chubby looking kid stuffing his face with said gyoza was depicted on the cover... and also... "78 Useful Lower-body Conditioning Routines …" — "Written and published independently by Maito Gai." The bewildering assortment of titles conjured a spectacular image of the wildly grinning, bushy-browed Green Beast before her mind's eye, and though she cringed in distaste, shaking her head, one thing stuck... "Is he calling me fat?"
Before Tenten could travel further along the road of thought, a knock at the door drew her from her musings. "Come in," she said, loud enough for them to hear, but soft enough so as to not wake Neji. Slowly, the door opened, revealing a man whom she had not expected to see, robed entirely in white, suitably so.
"H-Hyūga-sama?" she questioned, but quickly recovered from her initial shock. "Good morning."
"Good morning," he returned, looking at the girl. "Have we met?"
"N-No, I'm on the same team as Neji, my name is Tenten," she stated nervously. True to Neji's description, the Hyūga leader was an intimidating figure to behold with an air of regality about him.
"I see. It is nice to meet you, Tenten," he offered, his blank look barely showing a smile as he very slightly leaned forward and bowed his head. To return the courtesy, she returned the bow as best she could given her predicament.
With the greeting done, Hiashi slowly looked about the room, taking in the plain surroundings with a look of disapproval; even if Neji was a member of the Branch House, he deserved better than this. As he continued to survey the room, his eyes fell upon the tall stack of readings. Curiously, he gazed at their titles, finding most of them to be those on Fūinjutsu, impressing him slightly that the girl showed an interest in the complicated art. As he continued reading, several titles had an eyebrow raised at her choice of literature, to which Tenten—who witnessed the entire event—clenched her eyes shut in embarrassment.
Finishing his perusal of the books, Hiashi focused his attention on the sleeping Hyūga boy, who still bared marks from his fight. Tenten noticed a sadness creep across his face as he stared at the slumbering Neji, a sadness that seemed to be caused by a deeper problem than injuries from a battle.
"Has he awoken?" he asked; his eyes never left Neji's still stolid expression that rose and fell, just as the rest of him. He'd survived, it seemed…
"He woke up sometime yesterday afternoon, but he's been asleep since then... as far as I am aware," she explained, earning a nod.
"I am awake," Neji stated, startling the room's other occupants as he opened his eyes, staring back at the Hyūga leader, who had only momentarily shifted his sights. Looking down, Neji gazed at the respirator, fogging with each breath, and lifted a hand from under thin sheet to remove the cumbersome thing, laying it down next to him. "Good morning, Hiashi-sama," Neji half-heartedly greeted.
"Good morning, Neji," he returned. "There is something that I would like to discuss."
"I see," he simply stated, his blank features never faulting as Hiashi turned to Tenten.
"Alone." He continued to stare at the girl when she made no attempt to move, her expression one of bewilderment. "Would you be so kind as to leave us?" he stated with a more expectant tone when she continued to sit in her bed. Her look of bewilderment gradually changed to one of disbelief.
"I'm paralyzed from the waist down...," she stated. "I can't move..."
Neji slowly blinked and leaned further back into the pillows as an expression of shock became plastered across the clan leader's face. "I see...," he remarked in embarrassment, swiftly looking away from the girl.
"Hiashi-sama, if it's all the same, I do not mind if Tenten hears what you have to say," he evenly stated, catching both Hiashi and Tenten off guard.
"Very well," Hiashi said, raising a hand to his mouth and clearing his throat. Gesticulating, the clan patriarch made to speak; however, Neji spoke first—
Situating himself against the bed's frame pressed against the large cushion, he began, "Please… take a seat."
Greyed eyes flickered, and the transition to the man lowering himself into the sturdy lacquer seat came to relieve the extracted guest's held breath. Tenten had been removed so quickly from the mutual focus the two clansmen set on one another, just as quickly as her teammate's uncle had complied… she was taken aback, surprised. 'Neji…' With that, her eyes drifted back to him, watching his level, aphotic look inside of the room that had both curtains drawn, allowing no superfluous light source, save the dim hospital overhead.
"Neji."
"…"
Hiashi's brow fell, "I am sorry." He watched for Neji, but only saw emptiness; "You have been through much… it is only fair that you know why."
"Indeed," he said, nodding—though he seemed at lost for breath.
There was silence once more, or a form of it, because it was kept rhythmic by the far off bated creaking; they could focus on it enough to discern that it was a dilapidated service trolley. Occupied in their minds, still they could find an abundance of space to dabble with the aspects of their situation.
A new sound, of a soft material shuffling ruffled Neji's eyebrow, as he looked half-heartedly down to find his uncle retrieving something from the confines of his robe. The hand that he hadn't watched enter, exited the robe bearing a small parcel. "This is from your father."
"…" Neji rose through a slow inhalation. "I see…"
The Hyūga placed the envelope at the foot of the bed, and then after a pause nudged it forth slightly. "I—"
"I am not sure if I desire to know," Neji said suddenly, which invited a confused stare by his audience. He looked up, having spared the parcel a glance; "Thank you, Oji-sama; I will take care of it."
Hiashi's eyes were closed, showing his concentration… he sat, with both palms now pressed flatly against his covered knees. "What is it that happened with my daughter, Neji?"
"Fate preserved her." Neji looked down to his left, staring at his own heart monitor's flimsy leg.
"What part is it that you played," the man issued, leaning forth.
"Kyōsha." Neji returned his stare, coughing once, before the risen liquid weakened his eyes with bloodshot fixture.
A heavy breath, and another.
"What's happened to you, Neji…"
Neji raised a weak, shaking hand. "Regardless… it is my responsibility."
Again.
"I am sorry, Neji."
"…"
…
Time had passed, and the head of the Hyūga had departed, and since his roommate had fallen back into sleep, conflicted and reflective. Whiteness—his eyes, what they watched, the bogart he kept on his own feelings, in a bleached void. 'I believe that I am as well…'
The two elders sat across from one another, staring down at the blank piece of paper that laid atop of the simple table between them. Homura slowly reached forward and grabbed the pen that rested next to it, eventually bringing its inked tip to press against the thin surface.
"Hatake Kakashi?" he questioned, earning a nod from his female counterpart, writing the name with her approval.
"Sarutobi Asuma?" Koharu asked as Homura moved the pen below the first name.
"He may be Hiruzen's son, but do you think he is ready for the position?" Homura inquired, looking up from the paper at Koharu's crinkled features.
"With a little time, I feel that he could fill the shoes left by his father," she stated with certainty, eliciting Homura to write the name down.
"Nara Shikaku?"
"Ah yes, Shikaku, an excellent choice." Homura smiled at the response, writing the name down beneath the two others.
"Is there anyone else?" Homura asked, lifting his gaze from the paper. A sudden knock on the door brought both elders' respective vision to the door, which slowly opened to reveal a form that they hadn't expected to see.
"I will submit myself for the position."
Hinata was excited, after being cooped up in that room for so long, it felt amazing to be outside again—even moreso with her crush walking beside her. "It feels so good," she happily remarked as she walked with a bright smile on her face.
"Hehe," Naruto chuckled, happy to see his friend rejuvenated by the outdoor air. In truth, he was ecstatic that she was discharged so soon, he found that he missed her company. After he had left Aeron's restaurant, he had traveled around the village, using his shadow clones to help in whatever reconstruction effort was still underway. Through the use of his clones, several projects had finished far sooner than their projected dates, including the heavily damaged Sutezuni district, which had seemed oddly familiar to him; during his time there, an old man sitting at an angle on a nearby broken bench, seemed to be watching him, though Naruto hadn't the faintest idea why.
After a restful night, the first thing Naruto did was visit Hinata, only to find out that she was being discharged earlier than expected. Now, he had his closest friend back, and he couldn't be happier. The two continued their walk, happy in each other's company and passed the time with idle conversation, content with going wherever their feet took them. In their aimless wandering, the two wound up in an area that Naruto was all too familiar with.
"Hey, Hinata, are you hungry?" Naruto suddenly asked, his eyes glued to the Ichiraku stand further up the road.
"S-Sure," Hinata replied haltingly, searching for a clue as to why he would ask such a question so randomly.
"It's settled then, we're going to eat at Ichiraku!" he happily shouted, grabbing the surprised Hyūga's hand. The second he did, he determinately marched towards the small building, leading Hinata along, who stared at their enclosed hands with a steadily growing blush, seemingly oblivious to the scenic wherewithal around her. As the couple drew closer to the building, a familiar silver-haired Jōnin appeared before them setting Naruto back a step by his sudden appearance.
"Yo," Kakashi simply greeted, creasing his eye into a happy indicator of a smile.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto returned, "what are you doing here?"
"I came to let you know that Jiraiya-sama was looking for you, he has a mission for you," the Jōnin explained, watching as Naruto's eyes brightened greatly.
"He does?!" Naruto gasped, leaning up and towards his teacher, waiting for more details. Kakashi mentally shook his head at the boy's antics, unable to believe how happy he could get over something as simple as a mission.
"You're going to be heading out to look for an old friend of his, you'll probably be gone for several days. I'd suggest...," Kakashi attempted to finish, until realizing that the blond was no longer there. Turning his head, Kakashi caught the image of the orange-clad youngster running at full speed, dragging along a helpless Hinata behind him. Unable to withhold the chuckle any longer, his shoulders bobbed slightly in his laughter at his student's amusing antics.
…
Hinata held on for dear life as Naruto practically dragged her in a bee-line towards his apartment, watching the buildings rush by in a blur. Before she knew it, Naruto came to an abrupt halt outside his door, though momentum carried her on, right into the unprepared blond's side. The two went crashing onto the ground with Hinata sprawled atop him, from which they quickly recovered, both sporting a light blush from the encounter. With a quick search through his pockets, Naruto deftly retrieved his keys, shifting them through his fingers and then shortly jabbed forth into the near hole, turning and unlocking the door with a click; in the same motion he opened it and then proceeded inside, but not before grabbing ahold of her hand once more, quickly leading her through the small apartment and into the restricted confines of his room.
From the moment she entered, Hinata was shocked to find the state of Naruto's living conditions. The floor was literally covered in an assortment of items: dirty dishes, clothes, empty food containers, scrolls, a variety of ninja tools and nearly everything else had found its way to clutter the floor. Naruto deftly moved around the small room, filling a backpack he had grabbed as he went, snatching up necessary items for the trip.
After watching Naruto for a little while, her eyes drifted around to the rest of Naruto's small bedroom. Directly in front of her sat a dresser with a standing mirror sitting in the corner; to her left was a bookcase with a picture and an alarm close on top with his unmade bed next to it with the single plant in the room tucked into the corner. The single window was opposite the dresser, overlooking the bed, with another closed bookcase by that and a wooden door directly across the bed leading out to a railing.
Hinata took a few, short steps forwards right before reaching the clutter on the floor to get a better look out of the window. While gazing out the window at the beautiful, sunshiny day, her vision was irresistibly drawn to the picture resting atop the bookcase. It was a picture of Team Seven, with a gravity defying, silver-haired Kakashi standing behind Sakura, with Sasuke on the right and Naruto to the left. Kakashi had a respective hand on each boy's head as Naruto glared at the young Uchiha while Sasuke returned the look with an annoyed stare.
A smile graced her soft lips while Naruto continued to fumble around his room, filling his pack as he went, oblivious to everything else around him. "Naruto-kun," Hinata softly called, only to have it fall on deaf ears.
"Naruto-kun," she repeated a little louder, still with no indication that the blonde had heard a single word. Hinata surveyed the floor and picked her steps carefully, moving herself closer to the busy boy. Once within arms reach, Hinata put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to drop the kunai that was in his hand in surprise as he turned to look at his female counterpart.
"Oh, Hinata, I forgot you were here," Naruto remarked with a chuckle, "what's up?"
Hinata couldn't help but giggle softly at her crush, "I was wondering if there was anything you would like me to help you with," she replied with an affectionate smile.
Naruto blinked several times before letting his gaze drift around the room. "Umm..." He tried to think of anything he could use help with before returning his vision back on the girl. "I'm almost finished, but I appreciate the offer," he answered with a bright smile.
"Alright, I'll wait for you in the kitchen," she stated, picking her way once again through the clutter to get back to the door leading out of his bedroom. Naruto watched as Hinata left the room, unable to keep his gaze off the gentle sway of her hips as she left. As the door closed and he was left alone, he continued to stare at a singular spot on the closed door, his mind still holding onto the image. After realizing what was coursing through his mind, a deep red blush blossomed on his cheeks as he busied himself once again to fill his pack to distract himself from future thoughts.
Hinata walked through the little hallway separating the bedroom and kitchen to end up at her destination. To her immediate left was the front door, while directly opposite from her current position was the fridge. To her right sat a completely stuffed trashcan and next to that was a sink and a counter pressed into the corner, decorated with a simple rice cooker… both looking new and unused. Opposite of the counter was a lone plant and set in the middle of the room was a table with a single chair set at it.
Surprisingly, the only clutter out of the whole disaster appeared to be located on the table, which was littered with... more trash... She glanced towards the trash can and then back at the table, letting out a resigned sigh. Making her way to the trash can, she wrapped her arms around it and picked it up, proceeding the container to the designated disposal area she noticed on her way up in an attempt to help Naruto live in a remotely clean environment.
'It's hard to believe Naruto can live in such filth... although, he hasn't had anyone to teach him otherwise...' Hinata immediately stopped in her tracks as she ran that particular thought in her head repeatedly. 'He hasn't had anyone to teach him...' She felt her eyes start to tear up, remembering just how much Naruto had missed out growing up with no one to care for him.
Resolving to fix that problem, the young Hyūga quickly traveled the remaining distance to the disposal area, promptly pulled the lid off and emptied the can of its contents, turned sharply on her right foot and returned the way she had come in a very fluid manner. Walking back into Naruto's apartment, she quickly placed the can back in its proper spot and began tossing everything she considered trash into the empty trash can. Once done, she walked over to the window and opened it, letting in some fresh air. Inhaling a deep breath of the clean air, she turned and started to began walk back towards Naruto's room, turning the corner to run into the very person was about to go check on.
Naruto had just finished packing his bag and was on his way out to meet Hinata when the two crashed into each other. Hinata quickly wrapped her arms around him as the blonde threw his arms out, managing to catch himself on the door frame, stopping the two from tumbling on the floor. The Hyūga girl continued to hug her crush as he looked at her, a very confused look gracing his features.
"Hinata?" Naruto questioned, unsure of what was going on as he pushed himself back into an upright position. Hinata looked up at the blonde, and the look he received told him that something was upsetting her, where instead of a usual smile, he was met by a frown marring her beautiful face.
"I'm so sorry, Naruto-kun," Hinata muttered as she buried her head into his chest, finding that at that moment, she needed his support.
"Sorry for what?" he pressed, confused as to what triggered this sudden change in his friend. Hinata spoke into his chest, causing each word to become muffled and hard to hear.
"For everything that you've gone through... growing up without things that I take for granted... there's just so much I wish I could do to help yo—," she stopped short as Naruto wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him.
"It's alright, Hinata..." he softly told her with a bittersweet smile, "If I didn't grow up the way I did... I may have been a completely different person and I never would have created the family that I have now. There's Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, all my friends, Ero-Sennin, Oni-san and Ne-chan, but most importantly... you," Naruto looked down at the mop of midnight blue hair pressed into his chest, his last statement causing Hinata to tilt her head back and look into his love filled eyes.
Oblivious to their surroundings, neither one of them heard a particular Sannin come through the opened window to find the scene of young love. Being the man he was, he grinned mischievously and silently crept over to the lovebirds. "So, I'm not missing anything am I?" Jiraiya lewdly commented, startling both kids, causing them to immediately separate, Hinata all but ran to the window in hopes that the cool air would help her reddened cheek while Naruto glared at the old pervert angrily.
"What's with you and giving me a heart attack, Ero-sennin!?" Naruto shouted.
"I told you to quit calling me that!" Jiraiya snapped back.
"How the hell are you even in here, you didn't come through the front door?!"
Jiraiya gave a playful smirk before pointing back over his shoulder. "The window was open, so I came in," he casually answered. "Which reminds me, Hinata, wasn't it?" the sudden question bringing Hinata from her thoughts as she turned towards the Toad Sage.
"Yes?" she hesitantly replied.
"You're coming with us on our endeavor to find the next Hokage, I already have it arranged," the sage informed her.
"This is awesome! This will be our first mission together!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly, causing Hinata to blush lightly.
"Alright you two, if your quite done, lets head on out," Jiraiya barked, opened the door and proceeded outside. "First, we'll stop by the Hyūga compound so Hinata can get what she needs, then we're out of here!"
"Yosh!" Naruto followed closely behind, stopping long enough at the door to glance over at Hinata.
"You coming?" Hinata looked at the blond, smiling slightly as she nodded her head, the three making their way through the busy streets to their destination… Letting the other two walk a measure ahead, Naruto slowed to a boxed pace, sliding his way through the dusted street.
The whiskered boy, who still sported the same messy hair, took pause with a shifted glance up to the features of his friends, walled by the rest, filing rows of veritable passersby; he was excited. Brandishing his grin like a sun-shined saber, he reached into his jumper's pocket, retrieving his dusted headband—the leaf symbol still proudly emblazoned, bordered and decorated by the few and spotted nicks the metal had endured, mostly, though, it was still covered in the dust it had accumulated over his stay. With a extended thumb, he brushed over the heart-felt symbol, before whipping the hitai-ate up around his forehead, securing it tightly and letting the uncovered mark be presented upwards to the sun he took to run beneath, dashing.
A/N: So much going on, so much to take in, things are really getting juicy now. Let us know what you think, guys and gals, and... REVIEW!
Next time: | The conclusion of Arc Three! |
Chapter 10 - The Beginnings of a Journey
-soulfistx-
Hey, I'm interjecting here. If you guys don't know what Neji's talking about in Japanese, it's a Shogi reference. Shoutout to anyone who can understand it and explain it in a review! Talk to you all on Wednesday!
Hint: Even if you think you get it, you may not! It has meaning on multiple levels, and in order to totally appreciate the line, you need to critically think. Good luck!