"Guys," Hinata said. "What am I going to do?" She was lying between Neji and Tenten in their bed.
"I'm really lost for advice this time, imouto (younger sister)," Neji said.
"Let's see," Tenten said. "She won't allow an exam. Are you sure that something is really wrong with him?"
"Yes," Hinata said. "I can't make this up."
"Have you used the jutsus yet?"
"There's no point. He doesn't remember anything so I won't where to start looking."
"This is nothing more than a puzzle. Gather all the information you can and piece together any missing pieces through research. Remember you have to exhaust all your options."
"You're right. I have to keeping trying. He needs me." She stood up, walked over Tenten, and then hopped off the bed. "Thanks, Tenten." She ran out the room.
"You're welcome!"
"Tenten," Neji said. "I'm impressed."
"Hey, she's my little sister too."
"TENTEN!" a voice called. "Come get your screaming baby!"
"That also means Hanabi's your sister as well," Neji chuckled.
"I know. Coming!"
"Shizune," Tsunade said relaxing in the hot springs with a cup of tea. "We need to wrap up this case."
"Agreed," the subordinate said rubbing her piglet's head. "How do you suppose we do that?"
"We need to be done with him."
"Well, we have no facts to convict him. Then again, we have nothing to let him go." Shizune twisted on her lounge chair snuggling with her pet. "This is so hard."
"Now, Shizune." Tsunade said with a grin creeping across her lips. "Who said we were going to take this to court?"
Shizune gasped. "You're not planning to become a vigilante, are you?"
"We'll lock him up and have the ANBU take him at night."
"How on earth are you going to pull this off?"
"You know he's known for attacking me out of nowhere. It's my word against his reputation. I win."
"Lady Tsunade, I want no part of this. Please, reconsider! You're drunk. You must be to be thinking this way. You've gone mad!"
"I'm far from drunk." She shot a glance at the younger woman. "I haven't drank all day."
"What about Hinata's investigation? If she finds something useful to prove his innocence, then we have to go to court."
"That's simple. I'll appease Hinata's investigation. It'll be long enough for her to develop stronger feelings for Sasuke. That way if she tries to testify against me, no one will believe her because of my status and her personal interest and bias."
"What if the jury finds him not guilty?" Shizune snapped. "Stop while you're ahead!"
"Shizune, shut up! Someone will hear you. The jury will find him guilty. I will handpick the jury."
"You've really thought this through. Milady, please don't go through with this. What if this doesn't work?"
"Shizune, this plan will work, and this is your mission as well. I suggest you keep quiet. Soon after my little trip with Hinata, Sasuke Uchiha will be dead. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Milady."
"Now, let's go. Hinata should be here in the next hours or so."
The ladies gathered themselves and strolled back into the office. Unbeknownst to them, unwanted ears heard every single word of Tsunade's plan.
The hokage was dragging her prisoner to the basement in handcuffs.
"Lady, can you slow down?" Sasuke said.
"I want to get this over with as quickly as possible." She opened the door to Sasuke's cell like room.
Inside, Hinata waited for Tsunade to take her seat. Then, she took hers. "Good afternoon, Lady Tsunade."
"Hello. Shall we proceed?" she said.
"Yes," Hinata said. "Sasuke, have a seat on the bed."
He jumped onto the bed and held out his shackled wrists. Tsunade sighed. She pulled out the key from her pocket and freed him. "You're welcome."
"Now," Hinata said. "Before we begin this part of the investigation, I have must make sure we agree on some things. Lady Tsunade, you do agree that the Kinen Rosuto no Jutsu (Lost Memory Technique) and Sujigaki no Jutsu (Synopsis Technique) are reliable techniques, right?"
"That's correct," Tsunade said. "Let's perform the techniques, Hinata. I haven't got all night."
"Let's?" Sasuke said. "She'll be there too?"
"It's for your own good. If Lady Tsunade sees what I see firsthand, then there's no question to whether or not I'm truthful when I make the report."
"Listen, Uchiha," Tsunade said. "I don't want to be in your head either, but that's what Hinata wants. She's in charge of your investigation until I take over again."
"Shit."
"Alright," Hinata said. "Let's just move on and begin."
The ladies brought their hands together and initiated a flurry of hand signs. "Rosuto no Jutsu!" With that, both Tsunade and Hinata fell to their knees. Their souls, in the form of specters, appeared in a glittery glow above the bodies.
"What the hell is that!" Sasuke pointed in terror. When he received no answer, he look to the floor and saw the hokage and Hinata unconscious. "Aw shit."
The specters flew into Sasuke's body, giving him a painful jolt.
The boy's eyes went black and dark. He then slipped into a deep, heavy unconsciousness.
Sasuke's memory lane was anything but a walk in the park. The air was thick and hard to inhaled. A dense fog surrounded everything. Any object that succeeded to protrude from the fog was a shade of grey. There was one long, cracked pavement for the two kunoichis to travel.
Tsunade and Hinata were nothing more than ghosts wandering a befuddled mind.
"Hinata," Tsunade said. "We'd better find something useful."
"Lady Tsunade," Hinata retorted. "Patience is the key."
"I've been patient for years! I want answers so I can move on and execute that bastard."
"Execute?"
"I meant prosecute."
"I hope so. Let's worry about the truth than selfish desires."
"Hypocrite." She rolled her eyes. "You have your own personal reasons for this, but never mind that. Where the hell is that memory vault?"
"It has to be up ahead. With only one way to get there, it'll be hard to miss—Ow!"
"What happened?"
The fog was dissipating on cue. Hinata's sudden injury was the result of walking into a large metal door. Hinata rubbed her aching head and stepped back to get a good look of the door. "Lady Tsunade," she said. "Do you think this is it?"
"Well, we're on memory lane and there's a vault. I don't know," the older woman sassed.
"Lady Tsuande, just open the fucking door."
"Bitch." Tsuande yanked on the rusty handle and the door creaked open.
A bright light shined and consumed the women.
Dinner was quiet for the Hyuuga family except for the Rei's laughing and squealing. There was none of Hanabi's scathing jabs or any of Tenten's reprimands with Neji's soothing words. Hiashi decided to end the silence.
"Why so serious?" Hiashi said peering at Neji, Tenten, and Hanabi. "You should take a lesson from little Rei." He tickled the baby's chin, and she giggled and flailed happily. "Isn't that right, my little granddaughter?"
"You do know she's not really your granddaughter," Neji said.
"Allow me to explain how she is." Hiashi folded his hands under his chin. "I practically your ass, but I didn't wipe your ass. You're basically a brother to Hinata and Hanabi. That make's you my son. Since you're my son, Tenten's my daughter-in-law. Now, if I'm correct, when my son and daughter-in-law have a baby, the baby is my grandchild. Therefore, little Rei here is my granddaughter whether you like it or not."
"Hn."
"Now, what's wrong with all of you?"
"I think I speak for all of us when I say we're worried about Hinata," Tenten said.
"Oh?" Hiashi said. "This morning you were full of confidence in her. What happened?"
"Something's not right," Neji admitted. "Tenten made the point earlier that Lady Hokage didn't want Sasuke to have an examination. However, later today, Lady Hokage agreed to search through his memories with Hinata. It just seems out of character. She's not a doctor or a psychologist. So, if she suddenly had a change of heart, shouldn't she get an expert's opinion for a better case?"
"That's very true," Hiashi said. "A hokage's role is complex but with perks. Tsunade doesn't need an expert's opinion for people to believe her story. She's been part of this village for a long time. Her grandfather is the First Hokage, and the Second Hokage is her granduncle. She has status. Everyone will believe her due to her beloved relatives."
"Why all of a sudden a change of heart?" Tenten said. "Nothing's adding up!"
"I may know," Hananbi piped in quietly. "She's gonna kill him."
"Hanabi," Neji said. "This isn't a time to be messing around."
"It's true! I heard her say it. She was talking to Shizune-san. She said after Hinata's done with this part of the investigation, Sasuke will be dead. She's gonna stage it so it looks like she was being attacked and had no choice but to kill. I heard everything." She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
Everyone stared at Hanabi in disbelief. The cynical teen never cries or seems to care about what others do. Neji and Tenten tried to console her, but they were at a loss for words.
"Hana," her father said. "Why does this bother you so much? You don't care for Sasuke at all."
"Forget him! I don't care! Tsunade wants to toy with Hinata's feeling to make everything she ever found out about this investigation unreliable and one-sided. I'm the only person who gets to fuck with Hinata's feelings. That's why I'm so angry. It's not right!"
"I knew you didn't care," Tenten sighed.
"Typical Hanabi," Neji said.
"I've heard a lot of shit this last year and a half," Hiashi. "I don't know what's going on with this investigation, and I don't know what Lady Tsunade has planned. What I do know is that she's toying with family, and we don't take kindly to that. It appears that have a mission."
"When you mess with one Hyuuga," Neji said.
"You mess with all of us." Hanabi smiled.
"Looks like I'm part of this too," Tenten said.
Hiashi nodded. "We're going to save that boy. You all know that if you get involved, you will face severe punishment. We're hindering an investigation and housing a fugitive. We could be exiled from the clan and the village, and we'll be branded as S ranked criminals."
"I'm in!" Hanabi said and put her hand out. "I get to be a criminal!"
"I'm in this," Tenten said, putting her hold on Hanabi's.
Neji and Hiashi simply added their hands to the pile. Rei leaned in her chair and reached for the pile of hands.
"Aww!" Tenten said. "Looks like our baby Hyuuga wants help us out."
"We have ourselves a family mission." Hiashi smiled. "We begin before dawn. Understood?"
Everyone nodded.
Finally, another update.