The sky was a dull grey as it sent unwanted rain down on them in constant droves, churning up the mud and splashing water into their faces. It was late at night as it had a better chance of The Shan being asleep or less concentrated. The plan was to survey the perimeter and keep on the lookout for members, before sneaking down into the bunker and giving them a fight. For Hinata, the former was as simple as breathing. She turned on her Byakugan- veins bulging- and searched their surroundings. It only took a few seconds to see there was nobody top side but there was someone guarding the steps into the bunker. She relayed the information to the small group they had.
"There's no one above ground on watch, but there are two guards waiting on the steps."
Their team for the mission consisted of seven Mist Shinobi, all of which hadn't even introduced themselves, Sasuke, and herself. Everyone had been briefed on the plan, and Hinata was confident they could pull it off if all went well.
Sasuke was wearing his usual dark, fitted attire and cloak making him nearly invisible in the creeping darkness. His visible eye was burnt red and stared beadily towards the bunker. The Sharingan made him look menacing and evil, but Hinata knew that he was none of those things- at least around her- now that they had become good friends. If she looked closely, under his bangs, she could see the faint purple glow of his Rinnegan. Hinata knew that the piercing eye was incredibly powerful and was said to be wielded by Gods throughout legend.
"Ok, we need to move them before we go in," a Shinobi stated to the left of her.
She turned her lavender eyes back to the bunker and surveyed it once again. Based on the top half of the bunker, it was old and falling apart. Chunks of brown rubble littered the floor, leaving parts of the walls uneven. Metal poles stuck up out of the ground around the bunker as if to protect it. Grass grew on the very top, like in the Mist, and also the field below it. There were no animals or insects in sight, the only noise being the hard patter of the undying rain.
Her hair clung to her face in clumps, so she had to shake her head every now and again. It was freezing for her in her outfit. She made a mental note to change clothes when they reached the Sand; surely they would have decent ninja attire. Then again, it wasn't cold in the Sand.
Beside her, Sasuke picked out a kunai from a pouch and began running his chakra into it. The grey kunai glowed a brilliant blue colour, and sharpened greatly. Throwing the knife swiftly, it slammed into a tree away from them and went all the way through, seconds later it toppled down and she could hear the echo of the branches snapping. A diversion.
They all layed in waiting for any sign of movement. Hinata watched through the walls as the two guards slowly walked up the steps to check out the noise. When they appeared to the others there was a collective sigh. The members closed in on the collapsed tree, taking it in.
"Must've been the wind or a lightning strike?" she heard one of them say. They both wore red matching red outfits with an embroidered 'S' on the chest.
"Yeah, probably," the other agreed, "Hang on, what's a-"
The guard was cut off from his revelation when Sasuke appeared from thin air in front of them in the blink of an eye. She hadn't even seen him move beside her. With a quick glance, one dropped to the floor asleep. Before the other could do anything about his fellow members predicament, Sasuke was behind him holding his mouth shut so he couldn't shout out to everyone else. Next, Sasuke dragged him back to their hiding spot.
With another small ocular genjutsu, the man fell into a zombie like state. His eyes stayed open.
"Is this the hideout for 'The Shan'?" Sasuke asked. Ah, so that's what the genjutsu did differently.
"Yes." The mans voice was dull and flat as if he was insanely bored at something.
"How many members are there?"
"There are eighty members, but most are out on missions,"
"Who is the leader?"
"He calls himself Shan. I do not know his real name."
"His abilities?" Sasuke checked.
After a tense silence it was clear the man wouldn't respond.
"He doesn't know, shame," Sasuke finished, as he put the man into a dream world like his friend. This time the man closed his eyes and relaxed into the muddy ground.
"At least we got some information," Hinata told him.
"Hn"
"Can you check the bunker, Lady Hyūga," asked a woman behind her.
"I already checked, there looked to be thirty chakra signatures that I could make out. Some are above average, some are below. There was one small space where I couldn't see," she replied. She disliked when someone blocked her eyesight.
"Thirties fine," Sasuke said, "Is everyone ready?"
A collection of nods was all they needed to see before they made there way towards the steps. Along the way, a ninja pulled the member lying near the tree to a random hiding place just in case.
The steps were easier to see due to lamps hanging in the bunker below them. Up close, she could see graffiti and more cracks running along the walls. They came to a stop by a heavy steel door that was designed to keep people and over things out.
Hinata looked at the mechanism and noticed something, "Can you check the guards to see if they have a key of any sorts, please?" she said to anyone. At the question, a woman with white hair and black glasses padded back up the steps and came back down a minute after with a weird looking object.
The supposed key was square with three different sized poles sticking out of it like it was reaching door something. She took it off of the woman and inserted it correctly into the bunker door's lock system. They heard mechanical noises coming from the other side before it stopped with a 'clunk!'
With the door open, she watched as Sasuke pushed the heavy door forward and made it swing out of their way granting them access to the bunker. It was bright enough to see inside so they didn't have to make any man made light. Low voices could be heard, but none sounded alert. Thank the sage no one heard the door open; it was loud enough.
"Which way?" Sasuke said, looking from left to right.
She searched through the halls to find the correct way down. Smaller rooms came off of the halls for sleeping and extra storage. She easily found the right way. "Follow me."
The air was so thin and dusty in the bunker that Hinata almost sneezed endangering the mission. They kept their footsteps as light as possible so the echos weren't travelling down to the members of the group. If she was just with the seven Mist ninja she would have been skeptical about winning, even after training for the past three months, but with Sasuke with her she knew they could do it.
She ran her palm along the walls as they closed in on the destination. She pulled away quickly however, when it came back with a brushed layer of white chalk.
They came to a stop by a balcony overlooking the main chamber of the bunker. A set of stairs was the only thing separating their two groups. Hinata peaked out over the balcony to see a large collection of people moving around. Before, she could only see their chakra signatures and nothing else, but being in range she could see much more. A condensed few were drawing up plans to something, while others sorted through paperwork, money, and food.
Hinata turned her back to The Shan and slid down the wall to sit down and address the others.
"W-what now?" she whispered, quietly enough so that only the eight of them could hear her.
No one responded for a few moments, and Sasuke knelt down next to her. The others soon followed suit.
"We need to identify the leader so we can talk to him," a male Mist shinobi whispered back. He had long, curly brown hair with green hawk-like eyes.
"How do we do that?" the younger woman asked. She was sweating profusely and Hinata couldn't blame her.
"By asking," Sasuke said next to her. It wasn't a suggestion, but a definitive answer.
"Y-you're just going to confront them yourself?" That was crazy even if he could bring them all down by himself.
"Yes. I tell him or her about the Mizukage's offer and see what they say."
"What if it goes wrong?" a man asked again.
"That's when you come in. We have the element of suprise, use that. Go for the other members while I go for the leader."
Hinata looked towards the roof of the bunker thinking. She didn't like the plan Sasuke had come up with all by himself, but he would go through with it anyway. As stupid as it sounded she just didn't want him to get hurt.
"OK, we have your back," someone responded.
"Mhmm," Sasuke mumbled back.
Hinata watched as Sasuke rose to his full height- he was taller than her- and clicked his tongue. His Sharingan spun off probably to avoid mass panic. He then walked off down the steps and turned into the court. The voices carried on, not knowing Sasuke was watching them. She refocused her Byakugan on the image behind her. Sasuke's chakra pathways were far more powerful and bigger than everyone else's. For that, she was happy.
"Uchiha Sasuke," a voice echoed out. The voice sounded depressed and belonged to a single man. At the sound, one chakra signature spiked amidst the others.
Sasuke didn't reply to his name being spoken out of the blue. The other members had undoubtedly stopped what they were doing to turn and look at him.
"I hadn't known it was you till a yesterday when you stopped the hunter I hired," he continued on, "The ones hiding on the balcony can come out now."
Hinata gasped at the man's impossible prediction. They didn't move from their spot until Sasuke told them it was OK. Reluctantly, she made her way down the steps into the main chamber of the bunker. The others followed behind, alert and armed. The members of The Shan were watching Sasuke and them with growing discontent.
What caught her eye was the man standing in the middle of the room with his hands behind his back. His jet black hair was tied up in a bun and had a gold needle sticking through it. He donned fire red clothing and had a missing tooth that was around his neck displayed proudly.
"Come to kill me and stamp out The Shan, I'm assuming?" he frowned.
"No," was the short reply.
"No? Hmm, then why come all the way here?"
"The Mizukage wants to offer you and your group a chance," Sasuke spoke, "The Shan was created to end poverty was it not?"
"It was. After the Blood Mist fiasco and then the endless wars, the Mist was left with many homeless, and poor people," the man revealed. She was responsible for at least one of those reasons. "What is this offer you spoke off?"
Sasuke stayed silent for a brief moment before raising him voice again. "The Mizukage would like for The Shan to become a faction operating under her orders so that you can help to stop poverty and other such things legally. Your members will be given places to stay and a good pay while you make Kirigakure and the world a better place."
There it was. The chance The Mizukage had told Sasuke about. It was a fair and noble chance that she would personally take, and Hinata believed it could work.
The members around them stared wide eyed at Sasuke before smiling as if all their problems had been solved. Soon some even began chuckling and patting each other on the backs. Avoiding a fight seemed more of a rising possibility by the second.
The leader shushed the members laughing away and turned to confront Sasuke again.
"This is indeed a remarkable offer," he smiled, "It would allow The Shan to make a change for the better without breaking any laws anymore."
"Then your answer is yes?" Sasuke questioned.
"It is. Though I do have a condition."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow prompting the man to carry on.
"I would like Mei to fight me so that I can see if she is worthy of The Shan's help and respect."
Hinata froze. Sasuke started chuckling lightly.
"And if she refuses your duel?"
"Then I won't help her as she wouldn't be serious of our cause," the man said causing the members to scoff in denial, "Even if that decision is unfavourable to everyone else."
"I can't promise she will agree, but if you come back with us I can try to persuade her," Sasuke agreed. Hinata gasped again.
"Let us be off then. What shall I do about everyone here?"
The Mist woman to Hinata's right spoke up next before Sasuke could.
"It would be best to have them stay here until The Mizukage sends for them. Too many people would likely cause distress to the people."
The man considered her for a moment then hesitantly agreed to her statement. With a quick command to his loyal subjects, they left for the surface once again.
"The name's Subaki Shan by the way," the man- Subaki- stated to them as they climbed up the final set of steps and into the night. So that was where the organisation got their name.
None of the others seemed very interested in what Subaki told them- especially Sasuke- but she was intrigued.
Subaki told her the story of how he was in The Third Great Ninja War, was raised in the Blood Mist time period, made to kill his own friends, and also served in The Fourth Great Ninja War like her. He saw what damage it did to the Mist Village and other such Hidden Villages and wanted to make a change so he started The Shan as they knew today.
It was still raining by the time they reached the Mist again. It placed everyone in a sour mood but Subaki, who looked eager to fight The Mizukage. The guards and patrolling ninjas had all been briefed on the offer for The Shan, so none stopped or slowed them down knowing it to be a matter of importance.
The Mizukage tower soon came into view along with The Mizukage herself standing outside watching them with a small smile. Her usually wild brown hair was soaked and as a result, looked even longer. It was almost down to her thighs. Hinata had been thinking about growing her hair out once again now that she had a better grip on her fighting situations.
Subaki clapped his hands together once in anticipation, before returning them behind his back.
"I take it everything went well," The Mizukage said when they met with her. Two Anbu were planted on either side of her, one with a Crocodile mask and the other a familiar Dragon mask.
"Almost," Sasuke slid out of the way giving free reign to Subaki. "He would like to challenge you for his respect before The Shan works for you. With it though, he agrees to help end poverty among other things. The members also seemed satisfied with your offer."
The Mizukage looked startled, to say the least, at Sasuke's words. Dragon and Crocodile took a step closer to the Mizukage.
"Challenge me?"
"Indeed, Lady Mizukage," Subaki stepped forward.
"Is this challenge a fight?"
"It is if you agree."
"And if I win then the Mist shall have The Shan's support?"
Subaki nodded.
"Then it's settled, I agree to your terms," Mei responded, startling everyone. The two Anbu visibly tensed up at the thought of their Village leader fighting. They attempted to dissuade her to no avail.
"Excellent," Subaki clapped.
"We shall go to a field nearby. It will give us more ground to move on. This way." Subaki obliged and followed her as she walked off. She and Sasuke followed further behind.
They came to a stop twenty minutes later at a large, green grassy field. The middle of the land was scorched and as a result, left no life standing. The field was surrounded by trees and bushes all shaking in the rain. Hinata watched from a good distance away with Sasuke and the Anbu. Mei had made sure that Sasuke started the duel off and step in if anything got out of hand.
On the way there, her hand had somehow become intertwined with Sasuke's but she didn't mind one bit.
"There will be no killing blows," Mei spoke, "The fight ends when one of us surrenders or can no longer carry on, deal?"
"Of course. I have no desire to die today when there are people to help."
Subaki's black hair that was once tied up in a neat bun was now dripping down his neck. The rain was still in full force so much so that you wouldn't be able to tell if someone was crying.
"Are you ready?" Sasuke asked beside her. The two opponents made brief eye contact and nodded. "BEGIN!"
And they were off. The Anbu restrained themselves from intervening as Mei leapt cat like at Subaki. She had withdrawn a kunai to defend against Subaki's hooked blade waving around in figure eights multiple times before they collided. Hinata's grip tightened as her lips parted ever so slightly at the sight. The two were sure to keep eye contact as if to threaten each other. She was sure she could see uncertainty in The Shan's leader's eyes.
Subaki, not gaining any ground, ran his weapon down the kunai and span backwards, holding the blade out for defence. Mei charged at him with the kunai upheld going for a foreswing and followed it with a backswing. Subaki dodged the first and met the second with his hooked blade. Despite being pounded by rainwater, neither blinked once.
The weight of Mei's blow sent him sprawling back, back, back... but not far enough to knock the blade free of his hands. It was a battle of attrition.
Striking. The arcing shot from Subaki tore through the deep blue fabric at the midmidsection. It just missed the flesh behind it by an inch. Mei didn't give it a second thought as she brang up her shin to batter her opponent.
Subaki staggered from the hit. Mei swung. Her kunai missed, not close enough to eat through fabric. He smirked at his luck of the dodge. Hinata had to admit it was impressive, though not as much as the Uchiha prodigy next to her. The sight of his smirk only made Mei more determined.
Swing. Swing. Swing. The first two missed badly, but the third, a vertical chop off the one before it, found skin. The chakra laced kunai left a small trail of thick, red blood on Subaki's cheek. The fighter wiped it away with the back of his hand, wincing. This time it was Mei's turn to grin.
Far apart now, The Mizukage threw her chosen weapon at the man with precision accuracy. Subaki's eyes threatened to widen before he deflected it with the flat of his hooked blade. With a sharp 'Clang!' the kunai dropped to the floor.
"Impressive," Subaki allowed to slip out, "Shall we step it up a notch?" Mei only smiled at him like she did at Sasuke when they first saw her. The man lodged the blade into the muddy ground and weaved a sign. Mei followed suit.
Finishing first, The Mizukage shouted, "Lava Style: Carpet Fountain!" She faced the dreary, grey sky and shot forth a geyser of smoking hot magma from her mouth. It reached an acceptable height before spreading out and falling down across the field, leaving them out of its reach.
Subaki instantly forgot his previous plan and moved to make another set of signs. His palms clutched one another as he shouted in return, "Earth Style: Womping Wall!" Four equally sized walls rose up around him and finally a earth roof boxed him in. The Kage level Lava Style jutsu crashed down on the cube and smoke rose up.
Moments later, the box's top piece blasted upwards freeing Subaki of the dreaded Lava. Three of the walls fell back into the ground with the remaining one still in front of him. He launched a fist at part of the wall and bricks shot off towards The Mizukage.
Mei, who was busy wiping her lips which were covered in lava- somehow it didn't burn her, looked to face the projectiles before letting a new element that Hinata hadn't seen before, pass through her mouth. What looked like steam, floated through the air and the bricks suddenly started to melt mid flight!
"Earth Style, huh?" Mei smiled, allowing the steam to leave for the sky, "Water Style: Cascading Current!"
From behind her, a giant pillar of water formed itself from the endless torrential rain. At another hand sign from Mei, the pillar surged forward at a serious looking Subaki. The wave covered her opponent, knocking down the rest of his earth wall with ease, making the lava inert. The rushing sound of waves filled Hinata's ears as she observed. Next to her, the Anbu seemed to relax. She looked to Sasuke who was watching the fight with calm disinterest.
Due to the loud crashing sounds, Hinata couldn't hear what The Mizukage said next. The waves, that were originally hitting Subaki from every direction, formed a sphere of water around him, trapping him inside of it. Mei had her arm thrust into it up to her upper arm. She kept a straight face with a concerned eyebrow raised at her prisoner.
A hesitant nod from him was all it took for Mei to release the Water jutsu.
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu," a voice said beside her. She turned to see Sasuke looking distant as if bad memories had infected him. Water Prison jutsu? Was that the techniques name?
Voilent coughing from Subaki tore her from her thoughts and she refocused her attention. Subaki was lying on his back drenched in even more water than before. The rain still wasn't letting up.
The Mizukage's hand appeared above the man and Subaki willingly took it to pull himself up.
"Have I won your respect, Mr...?"
"Shan. Subaki Shan," he coughed, "And yes Lady Mizukage, you have. I'd be happy to help your cause and so would The Shan."
"Thank you. I shall send a messenger to your members," Mei tapped her foot.
Hinata, Sasuke, and the Anbu joined them next. She acknowledged them with a quick nod.
"Please, let met," Subaki insisted, "I'd like to tell them if you'd let me. It will be easier coming from me."
Mei considered his point. "Very well. Please meet me by the tower with the others to get settled it."
"You fought well, Mr Shan. Maybe we could spar more often?"
"It would be my pleasure. I shall leave now," Subaki finished and strolled off, his hands clasped behind his back yet again.
They watched as he left the field whistling to himself.
"Sasuke, Hinata," she addressed them, "You have my thanks. With your departure soon, I'd like to let you know I'm grateful for your help."
"O-oh, thank you Lady Mizukage," she bowed overwhelmed. Sasuke simply nodded once.
Mei smiled at them. "Get some rest, you deserve it."
So they did. They got back to the apartment ten minutes later. Hinata gave Sasuke a quick 'goodnight' before changing into sleeping clothes and drifting off to sleep.
Morning.
"Come on, Sasuke-kun!"
Hinata led her tired friend down the early morning streets against his will.
"Where are we going, Hyūga?"
"You'll see."
The few people walking around glanced at them as they passed by hand in hand. It brought a short flush to her cheeks, but she ignored it.
It was dawn in the Mist and the rain had finally finished its onslaught against them leaving almost clear skies if it weren't for the ever present mist. Maruu was still resting at their home so Hinata thought it was the best time to go out.
She ran past many shops, stalls, and houses before finding the one she had been looking for.
The restaurant was open and many people sat inside preferring the warm interior to the wet chairs outside. She set her lavender orbs on the sign above. 'Mist Fish' it read in blue and red letters. Stickers of the stereotypical type fish were plastered on the glass panes.
"Ah," he said behind her.
Hinata had made sure it was a Saturday before coming, and just hoped that the couple was still in the Mist for the time being.
Her prayers were answered when she saw the familiar Yoto and Irimi sitting enjoying their morning meal.
"Look! They're still here!"
"Hn. Why are we here?"
"I wanted to catch up with them. They were really nice to us, Sasuke-kun."
"I suppose," he sighed. She rolled her eyes playfully at his disinterest.
"Let's go."
She slipped her hand, regretfully, out of Sasuke's embrace and ran on ahead. The door ringed her arrival as she stepped inside. Nobody bothered looking towards the sound apart from the young woman on the counter. She asked her what she'd like but she replied saying she was just here visiting someone.
Sasuke joined up behind her afterwards. The waitress looked him up and down with delight and smiled brightly. Hinata knew that most girls found Sasuke aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but she hadn't ever really thought about it as much as her classmates in the Leaf. Now though...
She moved Sasuke along to the table that sat the Married Sailors.
Irimi was the first to notice them, facing their way. A smile crept onto her face and she waved frantically, capturing Yoto's attention. He got up out of his chair, rising steadily to greet them.
"Hinata, Sasuke! Good to see you. Still around I see," Yoto clapped Sasuke on his shoulder making him grunt. Hinata smiled happily back at them both.
"Good too see you too," she replied, "We still have another two weeks before we leave Kirigakure, so we thought we'd come visit, right Sasuke-kun?"
"Mhmm," he mumbled, taking a spare seat.
"Please sit," Yoto ushered her into a seat too, and soon they all found themselves sat around the table eating delicious fish they had bought for them.
"So you mentioned leaving soon, Hinata?" Irimi addressed her.
"Yes, two weeks then to the Sand Village."
"Did you need a boat ride by any chance?" Yoto lauged.
"Oh no that's fine, you don't have too," she said waving her hands frantically. Sasuke perked up at her denial.
"Rubbish," Yoto cheered, "We were getting bored of this place anyway"
"That's so kind of you! We can pay this time, we have more ryo"
"Ah! Who doesn't love a little pay, right?" Yoto winked at her, "A discount for you though"
"I-I don't know what to say," she stuttered. Yoto really was a nice man.
"Aha! You're welcome," he turned to Sasuke, "So how did your trip fair?"
"Fine," he replied pushing the fish around his plate.
"Is he still moody?" Yoto asked.
"Most of the time," she said, grinning when Sasuke looked at her. He dismissed her with a sharp exhale of breath, blowing his bangs outwards.
They sat and talked like that for another hour or two, sharing stories and revealing secrets. Irimi told them that they lived on a small island alone when they weren't running the boat, and how is was always tranquil, which Hinata liked. Yoto divulged the best places and ways to catch fish even after Irimi's scolding. Sasuke predictably didn't say much. She told them of her life and clan back in the Leaf. She also told them why her eyes were pupiless after Irimi's fair question.
Eventually though, they excused themselves- or Sasuke did for the both of them- and left them behind. Outside was a lot brighter since when they entered and she could only guess how long they chatted for.
Hinata's mind went to Maruu who was still at their apartment and she quickly hurried them home. Maruu had only just recently agreed to leave with them if they promised to train her soon and that Sasuke carry her whenever she asked. They had laughed and agreed to her terms, though Sasuke took some time debating carrying her.
"Shall we see what Maruu wants to do today since it's free?" she checked walking through the front door.
"Yeah, that's fine," he cracked his neck loudly.
Hinata smiled. She felt truly happy.