~Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Naruto or any character based off Naruto~

There isn't going to be an appearance made by Sasuke, sorry. I know this doesn't follow the main storyline, but I figured with all the other fanfics out there that do just that, this could go into a whole new direction for some originality. As for time slot, the 'Nightmare Gaze' chapter should hint sometime after the 'Invasion of Pein' Arch. Naruto should be 16 while the OCs are 16 (Asamoya/Michiyo) and 17 (Kokugan) to help clear things up.

Now for Chapter eleven. Please enjoy, looking forward to reading reviews.

"_" = Speech

'_' = Thoughts

:_: = Location

Almost Home:

Late at night Kokugan and Asamoya are the only ones awake. Kokugan is standing guard at the door way to the lower deck of the boat while Asamoya is telling her story to the sleeping bodies that surround her. "..and along with my Kekkei Genkai, I have a rare trait that gives me a great amount of strength. My gramps and I are the only of my clan still alive with this trait. Maybe when we return to the village, you can meet my family. What do you.." Asamoya turns over slightly to notice that she's been talking to thin air. Calmly she smiles and lays back down to notice Kokugan is still standing post. Unable to fall asleep even with her story she calls to him. "Kokugan."

Standing post he doesn't move to the call of his name. "Yes, Asamoya?" Kokugan says with a settle tone.

"Um.." Unsure how to ask she sits herself up just enough to get a full view of him. "..would you mind if you could just use sleep gaze on me?" Asamoya says with her restless voice.

"Now why would I do that? Your not my opponent and you also not of any threat to me to use it on you." Kokugan says without hesitation.

"I know.." Asamoya begins to explain. "..it's just I'm so tired and I can't sleep. Also, I don't think you really want to keep using your chakra keeping me from the boat's rocking. The longer I rest, the less chakra you'll have to use because of me." She pleas for a solution to her seasickness.

Kokugan turning his head to look at her as if the hood he wears wasn't blocking his vision of her. "Are you sure about this?" Asamoya nods her and mumbles. Taking her mumble as a yes, Kokugan turns around and walks to her removing his shades. Removing his right glove he lifts her face with his bare hand. Staring into her eyes he calmly speaks "Just this once. Sleep Gaze." He says gently as he looks into her eyes. Soon after her body collapses and she's asleep. Kokugan picks her up from the rug and releases his jutsu. He then sets her in her bed.

Half awake Hinata just witnessed Kokugan's first act of kindness towards another person. 'Look at him. He eased her suffering by using the same jutsu he used on me. So it appears he does have a heart somewhere in there. Poor Kokugan, what have you been through to make possibly the kindest person into something that wont let himself feel anything?' Noticing Kokugan had just turned his attention to her, Hinata pretends she's fully asleep out of fear. 'Why is he looking at me?'

'This girl. Her suffering. Her desires to make herself known as a person worthy.' Kokugan lost in thought stares at Hinata's sleeping body. 'But her father.'

: Weeks ago:

"You ungrateful bastard! You think just because you possess the Tekio Suru and Shinime, you can win the right of honor in this clan?" A dark heavily robed figure spoke. "If it wasn't for that dojutsu or that thing you carry with you, we would have banished you long ago."

"We know your strong Kokugan." Another dark figure spoke amongst four other robed figures that surround the heavily robed figure. "We just think that.."

"Don't encourage him!" Scolded a second figure. "He isn't even that strong. It took him til the age of eleven to perfect his drain barrier when he should of been perfected by the age of eight."

"He lacks discipline. Something that would be suspected by someone who's fa.." The third figure spoke before getting cut off by the heavily robed figure.

"Don't speak of that person if you take pride in your ability to speak fellow councilman." The Heavily robed figure says with authority as he pulls out a rod from within the sleeve of his robes.

"You wouldn't dare threaten a fellow councilman by punishing me for such a law?" The third figure asked in surprise.

"I would. Just ask Kokugan. He's my blood and he still paid the price for breaking this law." Causing his fellow councilman to rethink his choice of words, the heavily robed figure continued. "We have laws that demand to be followed, not broken. Thus, reason for punishment."

"So why am I here?" Questioned Kokugan as he is set to one knee in front of his superiors. "I already told you, I had to what was best."

"By doing this 'what was best' you put this village in even more risk." Spoke the second figure. "Their will be even more trouble coming just because you did what was best!" The figure spoke in a harsh manner.

"Because of you. I had to speak with other clan heads outside our village." The Heavily robed figure spoke. "I managed to make arrangements with a clan from the Fire Country, Konohakagure, the Hyuuga Clan. He said his village has the ability to assist with our situation but in return for helping us, he requested that we assist him with a mission of his own."

"You will travel to Konoha and gather help along with the Hyuuga Heiress Hinata." The forth figure spoke. Handing over a mission scroll to Kokugan, she continues. "We were forced with no other choice but to request that you take up this mission. You and your team will set out immediately. You will bring only those you see fit for this mission along with the girl as your secondary mission."

Taking the scroll from the figure, Kokugan slips it up his sleeve. "I accept." Standing up he bows to the five figures in front of him before turning around. As he walks off his movement is halted by the heavily robed figure's last words.

"Remember this Kokugan, if you complete this mission, the council may rethink your role within the clan. But if you fail, your left hand with it's markings will be set to waste." The heavily robed figure said coldly.

:Present:

'My mission is too important.' Holding his left hand as he continues to look upon Hinata. 'I can't let little things like this effect me. I've trained too hard for too long. When I'm done with my mission, the council will have no choice but to appreciate my abilities and consider letting me take my place in the clan with pride and honor. I can't..will not fail!' Allowing his emotions to build he clenches his fists and punches the bedpost nearby.

'Oh no! What happened?' Panicked from the hard slamming of his fist Hinata bravely peaks through one eye to see what was going on. She noticed nobody was around except her friends who were all asleep. 'Where did he go?' Trying to look around without moving her head she spots him slowly walking back to his post. She watches as he proceeds outside and closes the door behind him. Soon after she hears his voice with rage yelling and cursing into the night. 'Kokugan! What happened to you? I have to know.' After a few moments of listening to Kokugan's shouting, it becomes silent and she eventually falls back to sleep.

:Two Days Later:

"Hey guys!" Michiyo calls out from one side of the boat. "Hurry! You gotta see this." Happily she grins her biggest grin.

"Oh holy mother of jutsu!" Naruto astonished at the sight. "How the hell did you reel that in?" Giving Michiyo's fish a look of a glutton who's sitting in buffet restaurant.

"It was easy." She winks to Naruto. "I'm just too strong to be getting puny anchovies, so I got this bad boy here." She now taunts Naruto by pointing out the difference between both their catches that day.

"What!" Naruto enraged by her teasing. "I'm not weak, I just happen to be on the wrong side of the boat." He attempts to make an excuse for his poor catch that's no bigger then the hook he caught it on.

"Wow Michiyo. You must of been a fisher or something back at the village." Sakura says with praise as she ignores Naruto's idiot-ness.

"Or something is right Sakura." Michiyo hands her the fish. "I really like your cooking and I want to taste this guy after you've taken care of him." Michiyo says almost licking her lips.

"Sure thing. One jumbo fish fillet coming up." Sakura carries Michiyo's catch that happens to be half her size down into the kitchen below deck.

"Sakura." Kokugan catching her attention as he calls to her from the front of the boat. "Better prep and serve that fish soon. Today was the day we were suppose to blindfold you three."

"Oh yea, that's right." Michiyo holding a finger to her mouth as she recalls his words from five days ago.

"I'll give you half a day longer before the blindfolds are on." Kokugan turns his head. This will be our last supper on this boat, so make it good. After this your not going to be cooking again until we make port at Land of Claw." Sakura nods as she vanishes below deck. "Michiyo."

Michiyo looks up from teasing Naruto with her grins. "Yes Kokugan?"

"Check on Asamoya from me please. Make sure she doesn't roll out of bed again waking her up." Kokugan orders her.

"You got it!" Michiyo says with enthusiasm before running off with a last second shot at Naruto. "Bye weakling, maybe you'll get fish bigger then your thumbnail this time." Letting out a giggle her laugh fades with the shutting of the door leading below deck.

Seeing Naruto in a state of rage from Michiyo's taunting Hinata speaks in hope to calm him down. "Hey, N-Naruto-kun." Getting his attention Hinata begins to blush as she turns her head away avoiding his stare. "Maybe you'll get a f-fish that will put her's t-to shame." She tries to make the best of things. "L-like the saying goes, th-there's plenty of f-fish in the sea." Giving a faint laugh Hinata nearly blows up with her red face from having to say much in one shot to him since the journey started.

"You know what?" Naruto's grand smile returns to his face. "Your right Hinata. I can do this and Michiyo wont know what hit her when I catch a fish bigger then this boat." Giving himself a hardy laugh he runs off the his fishing spot and casts his rod as Hinata's face regains it's proper color.

'That's good, you show Michiyo you wont take her teasing by proving your just as good as she is.' Hinata smiling from the effect her words had on Naruto. She then turns to Kokugan as he continues to stare into the empty sea ahead of them. 'Kokugan, your almost home. What ever happened to you must of happened there. I must find out why do you act the way you do. There's has to be a way we can help but we can't help if you won't let us know what's wrong.' Hinata's face overcomes with concern as it falls turning her gaze to the floor below her.