One of the things that I love about anime is that anything can happen. At times it can be completely serious. Other times I'm laughing my ass off at the insanity of it all. Giant robots, hot alien girls, kick ass fighting, hot girls, cross dressing, crazy relationships, very hot girls, magic, sword fighting, and did I mention the girls? Create an anime that is a mix of Love Hina, Neon Genesis/Gundam Wing, Ranma ½, Record of Lodoss War, and the Slayers and I'll be in pure heaven! Sigh, as if that will ever happen. I still have my troublesome dreams at least. But, your not here for this little rant, oh no. you want to know what the hell is going on with Hinata and Naruto. What is going on? Will Naruto be able to carry out his mission and turn a Hyuga over to the Cloud? Will Hinata hate Naruto for what he did to her brother? Will Kakashi ever stop reading porn? (Kakashi: HELL NO!) Let's begin.
It was bright and early the next morning after the preliminaries and in several parts of the village people were busy. This is very understandable considering the size of the village. However, some of these people are more important than others. These people were getting ready for the third and final part of the chunin exam.
In training field five, Neji and Tenten had just stared their training. They each had their own motives for Neji becoming stronger. Tenten wanted to help Neji so that he could avenge Lee. She had heard what had happened and despised Naruto for what he had done. Lee might never be a shinobi again. Sadly, Neji didn't fell the same. He didn't care what happened to his weaker and more inferior teammate. His desire to crush Naruto rested purely on his defiance to save Hinata's life. He had wanted to kill her for words and he had protected her. Now, Neji would kill him. It was fate.
In a different training field, Shino and Kiba were training as well. Shino had watched all the fights and felt that his best chances of winning rested on him increasing his stamina. Kiba was distracted most of the time. He had been worrying about Hinata ever since he had heard about her being disowned by her father. After he was done he planned on visiting her at the hospital to try and cheer her up. Unknown to him, she wasn't there.
The Sand team, at the moment, was getting ready for breakfast. They were very confidant in their skills and that extra practice was unnecessary. Temari cooked the meal while Kankuro joked about food poisoning. Gaara simply glared at them. He had more important things on his mind. Like that red chakra he had seen in Naruto's fight. Also, he had somehow caused Lee's leg and arm to explode just by snapping his fingers. There was also the Uchiha to worry about. His eyes were like his, fueled by hate. And what of Haku, his first opponent? How strong was he?
"Gaara, would you like sugar in your coffee," asked Temari. Gaara blinked and became aware that his sister was standing next to him about to pour coffee into his mug.
"No," was all he said as Temari filled his mug and left it be.
In a training field of their own, were Isaribi and Kin.
"So are you sure this will help," asked Kin. All she knew were genjutsus and throwing senbon.
"Yes," said Isaribi. "My chakra control is fine so my medical jutsus are fine. I know a couple of water based jutsus as well and taijutsu is not a real problem. However, my genjutsu defense needs improvement. I need to be ready for anything."
"Alright," replied the former Sound-nin. "Let's begin."
Thing were very much the same with Haku and Zaku.
"I need to improve on my offence and increase my chakra amount," said Haku. "You have a higher amount than I do so I will under you care." Haku gave Zaku a warm grin that sent shivers down his spine.
"Don't do that," said a blushing Zaku. "Do you realize how girly you look when you do that? It's embarrassing."
"Oh, I'm very sorry," said Haku as he got on his hands and knees to beg for forgiveness. People walking by, who didn't know Haku's gender, gave Zaku angry glares for picking on a girl.
With Orochimaru, he was getting ready. However it wasn't to get Sasuke or for his invasion. He was changing into a black suit that made him look like Michael Jackson with long hair.
"Tonight we party," he said as he got out of his room. His followers sighed as they followed their crazy leader who was humming 'Beat It".
That's it. The next chance I get I'm hauling ass away from this fucker. I joined up because I wanted acceptance, but this jackass is just too weird. Three guesses whose thoughts those were.
Ino and Sakura had entered the hospital to check up on Sasuke. Sadly, he wasn't there. And they had brought him flowers. Instead, they decided to check up on Lee and Hinata.
"Have you heard," said the nurse. "That Lee boy might never be able to be a shinobi again. It's so tragic." Both girls were shocked at this. The nurse continued. "Last night he tried to do some pushups, but his teammate came in and stopped him. Told him to rust up and not to put to much stress on his body. What a thoughtful young man."
"I can't believe someone like Neji Hyuga would visit Lee," said Ino. From what she remembered from his match, he was anything but kind. Maybe he did have a sweet side.
"No," replied the nurse, "he wasn't a Hyuga. It was some blond kid with a large sword on his back." Now the girls were confused. Naruto, the boy who did this, visited Lee. Why? When they got to the room Lee was in his bed, staring at the ceiling. On the table next to him were flowers and a card. On the card was a hand drawing of Naruto sticking out his tongue.
"Hi Lee," said Sakura. "So how are you doing?"
"I am doing every well on this youthful day," said Lee loudly.
"So Naruto was here," asked Ino. At that, Lee's face light up.
"Yes he was. He came in and told me to stop training for now. I ignored him until he hit me over the head and then placed my youthful self back into bed. Then we had the most youthful conversation. He offered to come with him to Mist. He said that they could use more people like me around there. I politely refused of course. I told him that it would have been a betrayal to my youthful teammates and my very youthful sensei. He told me he understood and started to walk out. Before he left, he wished me the best and asked that when I got better for another spar."
"But the doctors," started Sakura, but Lee interrupted her.
"Anything is possible. Right now, it may seem like I may never get better. But I will not give up." His face fell and began to clench his blanket. "He took my best moves and shook them off like they were nothing. I-I want to get stronger and face him again. I don't care if I lose or die. I just want one more fight with him." With that, he began to cry. "How did he get that strength? How is he so much better?"
"He has a demon inside of him," said Ino. "He cheated. He talks about hard work but he has a demon to fuel him." Lee shook his head.
"No. When we fought, he fought me with his power. The demon may have healed his injuries on the second Lotus, but not the first. I was next to him when that red chakra appeared and it was different from his regular chakra. That was all him in that fight." Lee continued to cry for a bit more then feel asleep. The girls placed their flowers in a vase and left to find Hinata. When they got to the room that she was assigned to, she was gone like Sasuke.
With Sasuke, he was training with Kakashi in the mountains. I would say more, but he's a prick and I don't like him. So, moving on.
Sai, well he's… is doing what ever Sai likes to do.
Naruto was watching Hinata while she was asleep. He knew she was fine now, but they where in the Forest of Death. It was much more dangerous than anywhere else in the forest. Besides, he couldn't sleep. He was happy with himself for bringing down the Hyuga clan. Sure, they were alive, but their pride was destroyed. He remembered how he used tear gas to blind all of the residents in the compound. After that, they were easy pickings.
"You enjoyed that," said Heero. Naruto didn't turn around. For a while now he had been hearing Heero's voice and seeing his image. Damn ghost didn't know ho to get to hell and stay there. He was an annoyance that Naruto did his best to ignore. "We all want power. We are so much alike. Willing to sell out people we claim to care about to get what we want. We don't care who we hurt."
Naruto moved his eyes to where the image of Heero was. He stood there with half of his body missing. Blood looked like it was still pouring out of him.
"Go back to hell," said Naruto as he swung his arm threw the image of Heero. The phantom faded away like it was never there. After all, it wasn't.
Hinata slowly began to stir out of her slumber. She was dressed in a hospital gown with a thin blanket over her. At first she was shocked at her surroundings. Franticly, she began to take in her surroundings. She was in a den inside a tree and Naruto was in the back of it. Little did they know that the location they were at was the same place where the Sound trio had fought Sakura, Team 10, and Lee. Naruto walked up to her and gave her a grin.
"Good morning," he said in a very warm voice. "I hope you slept well."
"N-N-Naruto, w-why am I-I here?" It was a fair question. After all, how often are you kidnapped and taken to the middle of the forest? I haven't.
"I'm here to train you like I once promised," replied Naruto. "I promised you that I would help you get strong and I will keep my word. Then the last thing binding me here will be gone." He said this casually, like he was talking about the weather. Hinata just looked down.
"I-It's too late. M-My father will d-d-disown me. N-Nothing can c-change that."
"Maybe. But, we are doing this. And the first step is to see what is holding you back. I have an idea, but I would just like to make sure." As soon as he said that, his right hand began to glow red. He moved so that he was facing Hinata and placed his hand on her head.
Suddenly, Hinata was no longer in the forest. She was sitting in a rose bush maze. All of the roses looked dead and there were no leaves on the bushes. The ground was cold and when the wind blew she became colder. She got up and went to one of the roses and touched it. Images flashed in her head. She saw her brother laughing at her when she messed up during her training of the Gentle Fist. She then let go of the flower and the images stopped. She then walked down to another flower and touched it as well. Like before, images appeared in her head. This time the elders were shouting at her for her weakness. Her brother, sister, and father were there as well, casting anger glances at her.
Naruto was in his soul room. His arms were crossed and he was looking down in the water that covered the floor. What he had done was send them to their own soul rooms. For him, each lever and pipeline connected to a different memory. As he looked down, he could watch Hinata as she went looking at her past.
"This is cruel."
"Be silent."
"No matter how much that girl looks, odds are she will not find a happy memory. She is in the garden of her soul and the weeds of pain have gown strong. Her soul is nothing but a barren wasteland. Just take her to Cloud or put her out of her misery."
"I might. But first, I want to keep my promise. I have never gone back on my word before and I will not start now. So shut up or I will punish you." The great Kyuubi winced in fear. Over the years the boy had discovered how to control things in his soul room and only changed things to torment the kitsune.
Naruto continued to watch Hinata for sometime. Time passed differently in the soul rooms than it did in the real world. To them, it felt like three hours when it had only been three seconds. Eventual, Hinata couldn't take anymore painful memories and just curled up into a ball.
"She's done. I now know for sure what her problem is."
"Kit, when will you give up this act of not caring? How much longer will you hold back these tears?" He lifted his paw out of the water and then placed it back in again. "It is getting on my nerves." Naruto didn't answer him. He simple faded away, leaving the fox alone.
Naruto removed his hand from Hinata and she found herself back in the forest again. Tears streamed down her eyes. Why had he done that to her? It was bad enough the first time; the second time tore her heart in two.
"Well, congratulations. The first part is done. I know what the problem is."
"I-I lack c-confidence."
"No Hinata that is not the problem." Hinata looked up at Naruto wondering what he meant. "Confidence is only a branch on the tree of problems that you have. Now, you must discover the root of your problems on our own." Naruto walked away to the back of the tree den and came back with some clothing. "But this on and come out side." He then exited the den and waited.
Naruto waited about ten minutes before Hinata finally came out. He had given her his spare outfit. The tight black shirt helped show off her developing figure, which was very nice in his opinion. At lest she had breasts, unlike Pinky and they were bigger than that Ino girl. The dark pants seemed a bit loose, but seemed to fit well enough.
"O.K. now that that is done, I will tell you what to do."
Flashback:
"Naruto," said Zabuza, getting the attention of Naruto after his third day of training. "I will give you an important test. I want to see if you lack what is needed of all shinobi. You have one month to train and then we shall fight. I will not hold back at all and you must come at me like you want to take my life. During the fight, I will see if you have what is needed. If you do not, I will end your life."
"Yes Zabuza-sensei," replied the six year old Naruto.
End Flashback
"Hinata, you have one month to discover for your self what you are missing. At the end on the month, it is do or die. If you haven't discovered the problem, I will kill you myself." Hinata brought her hands to her face. Naruto then began to smile. "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll figure it out. And don't think I'm just going to leave you out there all alone. There is a variation of the Gentle Fist that I have never been able to master. That will be your training while you think about what you lack."
"I-I don't understand."
"You will, don't worry. This jutsu is called Protection of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. I attempted to create a different type of defense based on the Kaiten and the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. I will only show you once so please pay attention."
Naruto got into the stance and gathered chakra into his palms. He then began to move them around his body; however he couldn't reach all the way around. There were holes in this jutsu. After a minute, he stopped.
"I hope you can see the problem. I lack the flexibility to use the jutsu. I tried to fix the problem, but in the end gave up. So I decided to create the Burning Fist. Still, maybe you can complete my unfinished work."
"I-I don't think I can."
"We'll find out in a month. A little hint before you start, use water."
With that, the month of training began. Following Naruto's advice, Hinata got up each day and went to a river to train. On some days, he would watch her to see how she was progressing. The rest of the time, he trained on his own and did other little thing. On one day, he sent two letters out to the Mist village. One was for the Mizukage to inform him of Kin and Zaku. The other was for Shigure with a personal request. He used courier-nin to get the messages to his village without others checking them.
About a week into the training, Hinata had asked Naruto why he had killed Heero. Naruto told her to sit down and she complied. He then told her about the Kyuubi and the reason he was always alone. This shocked her. She had been told lies her whole life by everyone in the village, but didn't understand what the Kyuubi had to do with his disappearance. He then went on to tell her about Heero and the councils deal and how he had been set up. By the time he was down, Hinata was in tears.
"I-I had blamed myself f-for that," she said in between her sobs. "I-I thought I h-had chased you a-away." At that she began to cry louder. She was quitted when Naruto embraced her in a hug.
"Don't say that," he said as he gently rubbed her back. "Heero just made you feel that way to bring you down. You were never the reason I left." Hinata's face went red. Suddenly, a question came to her mind. She wanted to know the answer to this question so badly.
"W-Was I the reason y-you came back?" Naruto closed his eyes for a moment. Hinata felt her heart slow down a bit.
"In a way, yes." After those words were said, Hinata fainted. "What the hell? I guess she must be tiered."
"Kit, your and idiot."
The next week, Naruto noticed Hinata training harder than ever. One day, Naruto had an odd visitor appear at the campsite. Naruto was making dinner when he felt a presence behind him.
"What do you want, Gaara?" He then turned to face the red head.
"I want to know why you didn't finish off your opponent. He lost, you should have killed him."
"I do things differently. I only kill those who I hate, are assigned to, and those who have reached their peak. He was none of these. I was given the option of killing him and I declined. I don't hate him and he can become stronger than he is now."
"I see." With that Gaara began to walk away. Then, Naruto called out to him.
"Gaara, do you have anyone precious to you?" Gaara turned around and moved back towards him.
"No. I live only for myself and kill for myself. Others make you weak."
"It must have been hard for you," said Naruto. "Living alone with a pain no one but people like us can understand. The pain of being alone and the pain of seeing each day what others have and what we have been denied in life."
"Are those what your eyes tell you," asked Gaara. He remembered what he had said during his fight with Lee about his eye's having the power of observation.
"Yes, and they tell me that you have also been betrayed by one you once held dear. But there are people who are trying to reach out to you. You just can't see it. Can you honestly tell me that no one has ever tried to communicate you?"
Gaara began to think. There were times when his sibling tried to talk to him, but his glares always silenced them. Then there was Baki, who would try to start a conversation with him at times. He recalled one time and decided to share.
"Before we came here, my father walked to have some kind of talk with my siblings. I was excluded from it. Later, Baki told me my father had given them the talk. I was confused. Baki asked if I wanted to know more but I felt it was unimportant."
Naruto's eyes grew wide and a smile came to his face.
"Your father never gave you the Talk. As in the birds and the bees?" Gaara shook his head. "Sit down all I tell you the same way my sensei told me."
Twenty minutes later…
"That sounds unpleasant," said Gaara.
"I have seen the dirty deed down a couple of times and it seems people enjoy it."
"Is there no pain or blood?"
"Well, sometimes there is. I guess it depends on what the partners like. So, tell me, is there a girl you like?"
"No."
"A guy then?"
"No, I don't like anyone."
"My red headed friend, life is much more pleasurable my you have the girls of your dreams next to you."
"Girls?"
"I mean girl, girl. As in one." At this Naruto was blushing at his mistake.
"Whatever, I going. Thank you for this…talk. It was interesting." With that, Gaara left.
"Where is Hinata," wondered Naruto. Getting up he went to the area where she usually trained. When he got there, he found her passed out due to chakra depletion. He sighed as he picked her up and gave her a piggy back ride as they walked back to camp.
"N-Naruto," said Hinata in her sleep, "love you." Naruto blushed.
That night he had a strange dream. He was in a boat sitting across from Hinata. They were drifting down a long river that went nowhere. On the banks of this river was the Kyuubi. He suddenly began to sing.
"There you see her
Sitting there across the way
She don't got a lot to say
But there's something about her
And you don't know why
But you're dying to try
You wanna kiss the girl
Yes, you want her
Look at her, you know you do
Possible she wants you too
There is one way to ask her
It don't take a word
Not a single word
Go on and kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
My oh my
Look like the boy too shy
Ain't gonna kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Ain't that sad?
Ain't it a shame?
Too bad, he gonna miss the girl
Now's your moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Boy you better do it soon
No time will be better
She don't say a word
And she won't say a word
Until you kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Don't be scared
You got the mood prepared
Go on and kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Don't stop now
Don't try to hide it how
You want to kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Float along
And listen to the song
The song say kiss the girl
Sha la la la la
The music play
Do what the music say
You got to kiss the girl
You've got to kiss the girl
You wanna kiss the girl
You've gotta kiss the girl
Go on and kiss the girl"
"What are you doing," asked Naruto as he glared at the Kyuubi.
"Trying to get you in better touch with your feeling Kit. Maybe it's time you two sang."
"Don't you dare. I'm warning you." Naruto's face looked like he was ready to kill. Kyuubi ignored him.
Kyuubi:
Can
you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The
world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living
things
Naruto:
So many things to tell her
But how to
make her see
The truth about my past? Impossible!
She'd turn
away from me
Hinata:
He's holding back, he's hiding
But
what, I can't decide
Why won't he be the shinobi I know he is
The
shinobi I see inside?
All three of them:
Can you feel the
love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once,
in perfect harmony
With all its living things
Can you feel the
love tonight?
You needn't look too far
Stealing through the
night's uncertainties
Love is where they are
At that point, Naruto felt his dream body lean over to give dream Hinata a kiss. Just before their lips touched (Kyuubi is chanting 'Do it and then let the best part commence!') he woke he. (Kyuubi: SHIT!) Naruto then began to meditate and was soon in his soul room with an angry look that caused the fox to take a gulp.
"Fox, it's time for a punishment session."
"Fine, fine. How long Mr. Jailor?"
"Until the exam ends."
"WHAT? THAT'S UNFAIR!"
Suddenly music began to play in the soul room. It was the 'I Love You' song. As it began to play, the Tellatubbies appeared in Kyuubi's cage and began to hug him.
"IT BURNS. I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY"
It was to late. Naruto had already left.
It was now the morning of the last part of the chunin exam. The sun was just starting to rise. Hinata stood before Naruto, but at a distance. She looked scared.
"Judging by that look in your eyes, you didn't figure it out." Hinata nodded. "Then I will tell you before you die. What you lack is a will of your own. You let others tell you what to do and never stick up for your self." Naruto grabs the handle of the sword. "Because of this, you are useless. I told the truth when I told you that you are the reason I came back. However, it wasn't for the reasons you think. I came back to kidnap you and hand you over to the Cloud." Hinata gasped at this. She then began to bite her thumb. "However, I cannot do this as you are now. You are as useless to them as well as to your clan. I tried to help you so I could install in you so glimmer of hope and well as fulfill my promise to you. Killing you now will be much kinder. Do not move and I will make this painless."
Naruto then charged at Hinata and drew his blade. At the moment, things began to slow down for the both of them.
Hinata found herself back in her soul room. The flowers were still dead. For a moment she wondered why she was here. Then she saw a rose that wasn't dead. She then reached out and touched it. She saw herself at the age of five. She was hugging Naruto with tears in her eyes. She told him that her father praised her and it was all thanks to him.
"Hinata, you did this yourself," said the smiling Naruto. "You worked hard and despite what everyone said, you proved them wrong. I was just glad I helped."
Hinata let go of the rose.
"I worked so hard for those few words. I pushed myself and didn't let other tell me to stop because I was too weak. Why did I stop? Why didn't I keep going?" She began to remember all of the things that others said to put her down and how she listened. She remembered following everything others said to her. "No more. I will stand on my own two feet and live MY LIFE! I DON'T NEED MY FATHER TO TELL ME I HAVE WORTH AND I DON'T NEED A CLAN THAT PLACES VALUE ON BRUTE SRTENGHT ALONE! I AM HINATA HYUGA AND NOT JUST ANOTHER HYUGA! With that she awoke in the real world with fire in her eyes.
Naruto found himself looking at himself, Hinata, and Heero playing. He was standing at the edge of the playground.
Those were happier times. Back when I didn't hate anyone. All I wanted was to smile and make others smile. I wanted them to be happy, not kill them and cause them pain. How far have I gone down this path? I want to go back! I have killed people. I have cause people to suffer. I have let go of ideals like innocence. No, I can't go back. That time is past. I can never go back. I still have things to do on the path I am on now. Kisame, we have unfinished business, you and I. But, maybe…no this dream has ended for me. Goodbye, my past.
Naruto awoke in the real world and began to swing his sword. However, the blade was stopped as Hinata shouted, "Protection of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms". The blade was stopped and Naruto was sent backwards and starred at Hinata in awe. She stopped her jutsu and charged at Naruto.
"I WILL LIVE," she shouted. However, before any palm thrusts could take place, she felt a knee dig into her gut. She quickly lost conciseness and Naruto caught her before she fell to the ground.
"Then live you shall, Hinata. I faced the same thing with my sensei. The thing that all shinobi need is the will to continue and live as your own. No one is alike in this world. We are each a different kind of weapon and are forged differently. That is what my sensei showed me that day six years ago. I have fulfilled my promise to you. I have no more reasons to return to this village. I am now free. Thank you."
At that, Naruto began to carry Hinata out of the forest. This day was far from over.
Well, there you go. Next time will start the beginning of the finals. Unlike other people, I will have Naruto fight until the end. So hold on to your hats and wigs because this story is just getting started. Please read and review.