Dragonheart
Chapter 11
Moonlight poured over the land, covering it in a light sheet of pale color. The Grass Country always looked better at night, the lucent beams making the dark green hum with a soft luminance. It was the prettiest sight any of the shinobi from Konoha had seen in a long while. At the moment however, none of them could truly be bothered to appreciate it. They all had something far more serious on their minds.
Neji continued to tend to the fire as the rest of them huddled around it. From time to time their vision would shift towards the heap of a human being that was Uzumaki Naruto, laying unconscious just a few feet from their source of warmth. Sakura sat at his side, keeping him safe and tending to what little needs he had in that state. The medical ninja had discovered that most of Naruto's less serious injuries were healing themselves at an alarming rate, while the more serious of them were still healing quickly. She could do very little except sit there and stroke his head of fluffy blond hair.
Yakusho had not been as lucky as Naruto had been. His body was currently bandaged in every visible spot, the bandages held against a special salve that Sakura had applied after tending to his burnt flesh with her medicinal technique. It had been difficult to carry him from the Earth Country to their current camp on the border, especially since he was the only one capable of carrying his sword. Both he and Katai had to remind the group that anyone trying to carry a Dragon Fang other than a Ryumoto would be severely burned. Not wanting anymore injuries on hand, they were forced to wait until Yakusho was strong enough to carry the sword before they could leave. He simply refused to go on without it.
The fire crackled as Neji poked it with a stick, trying to keep it burning longer. A sense of unease filtered through the camp, making it difficult for anyone to enjoy their body's need to sleep. They were all still too shocked from the day's earlier events. It was now well into the night, yet none of them could find the serenity of slumber in the mess of fear that had swallowed them. To accentuate the point almost, Tenten recoiled into Neji's body when she accidentally stole a look at Naruto, who chose that moment to stir in his deep state of sleep. The Hyuuga held the young woman close to him as he continued to poke at the fire.
Eventually it was late enough that none of them could stay awake even if they tried. Slipping into their tents the shinobi attempted to find some uncomfortable form of sleep amongst the shifting grass and pale moonlight. Sakura could not doze off, keeping herself glued to Naruto's side. She would not find any form of rest that night until she was certain he was alright.
Despite her devotion, Sakura was also scared. She had seen the destructive power that Naruto was capable of, a power that was beyond her worst nightmares. She had pictured so many things in her fifteen years, from horrible monsters that lived under her mattress to ninjas slipping into her home at night and murdering her entire family. None of those things came close to what she had seen Naruto become. The form of the four-tailed fox-creature sent shivers up her spine even now. She could remember all too clearly the sense of malevolent energy that radiated from the beast, the sense of dread and impending death that had threatened to swallow her up. She knew when she saw him in that form that he could have easily killed all of them and kept going. For a moment she was reminded of what had happened to Hinata when she fought Orochimaru's chimaera. She decided firmly that what Naruto had become was far more terrifying.
"Sakura?"
The pink-headed girl leapt with fright as she heard her name. Upon returning to her senses she turned in the direction it had come from to see Naruto with his eyes barely opened, struggling to sit up.
"Naruto!" she gasped. "Take it easy, you still haven't fully healed.
She helped her teammate sit up on the cool grass and pressed her hand to his forehead. She was relieved to find that he had not developed any fever or other serious conditions from what injuries he had received. It was silly of her to worry about him like that, seeing as how he was the most resilient and indestructible person she'd ever met. She still couldn't waive her training and medical instincts, and thus went for the whole package when taking care of her patients.
"What happened?" he muttered. "The last thing I remember was…shinobi from Iwagakure attacked me…"
"Attacked you?" Sakura furrowed her brow. "But the Granite Corps. attacked us while you went ahead…"
"There were…a bunch of them waiting in ambush," he continued as if she weren't there. "They captured me and…the rest is blank."
Sakura was almost able to piece together the remaining events from that information alone. Naruto was never the most level-headed of shinobi, nor was he all that stable. He certainly wasn't the kind to break under torture either. The only explanation she could think of involved Genjutsu. As to how Naruto had become the creature that had threatened to kill all of them…
"Sakura, what happened? How did I get here?"
She froze at those words. Sakura took a few moments to look at Naruto as she considered what it was she would tell him. Could she bring herself to tell her closest ally that he had turned on them, become a ferocious monster, and came close to murdering them all? She didn't even want to think of what that would do to him. Everyone had been through enough in the last day. She didn't need to add to it by torturing Naruto.
"We found you on our way out of the clearing," Sakura lied. "They'd abandoned you I guess…you must have put up an amazing fight."
"I…I guess I must have," Naruto chuckled.
She made sure he was alright before forcing him to rest again. She had never truly lied to Naruto before. She'd hurt him (both physically and mentally), berated him and played tricks on him, but never before had she outright lied to him. It was a weight her conscience would simply not get used to. She decided that something would have to be done about it later. After realizing Naruto had fallen asleep again while she was thinking, she decided it was high time she too got some sleep. Noiselessly she slipped into her tent to unwind and get some rest.
The next morning was hectic for those in the camp. All were surprised to see Naruto on his feet, especially Tenten. The girl had to clamp her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from screaming in fright when he hastily greeted her. Neji remained composed as always, while Shikamaru simply avoided contact with him as much as possible. Overall not much had changed, except for the odd stares that the blond would receive when he wasn't looking.
Yakusho's wounds for the most part had cleared up. Sakura was amazed that someone other than Naruto could heal as quickly as Yakusho had. When she said that, Katai pointed out that the dragon blood and chakra that all Ryumoto had made them quite durable and caused them to heal more quickly than regular people. He was still not anywhere close to Naruto in terms of recovery, but he was able to move. That alone would shave time off their trip.
Breakfast was eaten with some haste that morning. Everyone seemed eager to get back on the road to home. More importantly, everyone seemed eager to have an excuse to distance themselves from Naruto. Sakura became worried about it and brought Neji aside for guidance. He assured her it would only be temporary. Fear was natural, but everyone who had come to know Naruto over the last few years was his friend. They would not abandon him simply because of what he had become. He also made a note to not discuss Naruto's status as a jinchuuriki with anyone else. It was supposed to be a well guarded secret in the village. If they wanted answers, they would have to ask Naruto or the Hokage themselves. Sakura decided it would be best if she let it go, and did so.
The next day and a half was uneventful. As Neji said, the others began to warm up to Naruto again and engage him in idle conversation. The messy-haired young man still kept his distance from Katai, who in turn spent most of his time catching up with Yakusho. On occasion the thin suitor would break off and talk to the others in the group, especially Sakura. She found him charming in a way, a way she realized she shouldn't. Not only was he someone else's fiancé, but he was also about to marry Hinata. That act alone would interfere with both the pale-eyed girl's life and Naruto's. Despite all of that he remained a rather pleasant person to be around, which made him all the more difficult for Naruto to deal with.
They arrived at the gates of Konoha with weary expressions on their faces. The journey had been long and the battles hectic, but they were finally home once more. Tenten made a loud announcement that the very first thing she was going to do was get a long, hot bath. The others chuckled at her antics as they filed in through the gate and spent some time talking to the guards. Sakura took this moment to grab Naruto by the arm and drag him away from the rest of the group, deep into the village. She offered no explanation for her actions and simply continued to pull him along despite his protests. When Shikamaru asked what she was up to, she replied that she was going to file the mission report for him. That was enough to make the Chuunin not even care if she was lying or not. Anything was better than having to see that old bag.
"So what are you going to do now?" Yakusho asked Katai.
"I think introducing myself to the Hokage would be a good first step," the suitor smiled. "Then I suppose I should find the head of the Hyuuga clan and introduce myself there."
"I can show you to the Hokage's office," Neji said. "Sakura and Naruto should be headed in that direction."
"Neji, are you sure?" Tenten whimpered.
"I'm certain," he smiled. "Just relax."
"I await your lead," Katai smirked. "Are you coming Yakusho?"
"Sorry, but I've got other things to take care of first," the dragon ninja shrugged. "Later."
Yakusho took to the rooftops suddenly, running off to do whatever it was he wanted to do. Katai sighed and watched his friend run off before allowing Neji to lead him through the village towards the Hokage's tower. Shikamaru and Tenten shrugged their shoulders in unison and took their separate ways through the streets of Konoha.
Tsunade was in heaven. The last few days had been torture on her. Paperwork had come down on her like a brick after all the time she'd spent trying to cheer Hinata up. The girl was miserably sad, her mood only brightening at the concept of Naruto's return. Tsunade had been berated by Shizune for nearly an hour for skipping out on her duties to help the girl. On top of it all, both the Hyuuga and village elders were pushing her as hard as they could for whatever it was they wanted. A speedy marriage, tightening security…things she would either already have under control or would try and fight against. Despite it all, she was in pure rapturous heaven at the moment, a sigh of bliss passing her lips as her white-haired teammate dug his fingers into her back.
Jiraiya hadn't massaged her in years. She could not in fact remember the last time she'd let him do it. Even with all the negative things she had to say about him, she realized that to be a master pervert meant one had to have very agile and adept fingers. Jiraiya was proving this fact more than ever as he worked out every knot he could find, making the Hokage butter in his grasp.
"A little to the left," she managed to moan. "I'd forgotten how magical your fingers are, Jiraiya…"
"They're more than happy to oblige," the perverted old man grinned. He considered himself very lucky to not be half-dead or airborne at this point, and wasn't about to push that luck either.
She shrugged him off her shoulders and turned to the sake that was sitting on her desk. They had been drinking a bit when she'd suddenly just had the urge to be massaged. Now that she'd gotten what she wanted, she decided it was probably time to give Jiraiya what he wanted. Nothing pleased the old lecher more than to see her drunk. She didn't exactly know why, though she could come up with plenty of theories as to how she acted when she was wasted. Shizune had never bothered to comment on her drunken behavior, stating that it was better she didn't know. From the way Jiraiya smirked as he rose his glass with her, she guessed she must have been a pretty fun drunk.
"So why are you relaxing?" Jiraiya asked. "Shouldn't you be doing work or something?"
"Screw work."
"Now that's not an attitude for the Hokage to have."
"I'll tell you what a not-suitable-for-Hokage attitude is," she snorted. "C'mere you."
She would never admit that she was a lightweight, but Tsunade could not hold her liquor at all. It took pretty much one glass of Jiraiya's favorite drink to have her brain malfunction on her. Were she able to use her better judgment at the moment, she would stop herself from drawing the old man closer to her with the intent to nibble on his ear. Sadly her better judgment had taken a hike along with her reason, and she did exactly what she wouldn't have done if she were sober.
Thankfully the forces of the world were not about to allow the perverted Sannin to enjoy his scheme. The very moment Tsunade would have done something that would haunt her later the door to her office burst wide open. The shock of the moment, coupled with Naruto's form being thrown head first into the small room, brought her back to sobriety rapidly. Shaking the cobwebs out of her head Tsunade stood up from her desk and peered at the prone form of Jiraiya's star pupil, who was currently collapsed on his shoulders at the foot of her desk. His eyes spiraled as he lay there, his disembodiment from the situation brought on by the harsh assault of his teammate. Tsunade turned her eyes from the disheveled young man to her apprentice harshly as she tried to ignore whatever it had been she was doing previously.
"What the hell did you do that for?"
Sakura slammed the door to the office quite forcefully, making the male Sannin jump. He had taken extra precaution to move away from Tsunade when this had begun so as to not let on what he'd been trying to do. He imagined that the two shinobi before him knew him well enough to have figured it out though. While he was busy musing to himself, Sakura strode up to the desk and slammed her fist down on it, her gaze capturing both the Hokage and her delinquent partner at the same time.
"You have some explaining to do."
"What do you mean 'explaining'?" Jiraiya asked.
"Yeah, what do you mean Sakura?" Naruto groaned as he righted himself.
The pink-haired medic ignored her partner's prodding as she continued to stare down her and Naruto's mentors. Her jaw quivered as she summoned both the words and the courage to use those words in front of the blond.
"You're going to explain to me why Naruto turned into a four-tailed demon and tried to kill us all!"
Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he stood up. Tsunade's eyes followed suit with Jiraiya's own beating her there by a mere fraction of a second. The Hokage swirled around and stared at the senior man with the same gaze that Sakura was using, leaving both men bewildered.
"What are you talking about Sakura?" Naruto trembled. "What're you saying?"
"I'm sorry Naruto," she said, turning to place her hands on her friend's shoulders. "I lied to you earlier…because I didn't know how to tell you. You…you…"
It was at that moment that Sakura realized she still couldn't look into those blue pools and tell him the truth. She turned her head with shame back to the two legendary ninja in the room, her look pleading for answers. Tsunade fixated on Jiraiya, making it clear that he was the one that had what Sakura was after.
"What's she talking about Ero-sennin?" Naruto shuddered.
"Alright, you've pried it from me," the old man sighed. "But I'm warning everyone here. This information isn't for the general public…nor is it for prying eyes and ears."
The last part of his sentence was said with peculiar emphasis. His gaze also shifted to one of the many windows in the office and did not falter. He continued to look at it for several more moments wordlessly before something shifted on the shingles of the outside, turning its body in to face the others inside.
"Since when do I count as either 'general public' or 'prying eyes and ears'?" Ryumoto Yakusho muttered.
Everyone but Jiraiya was shocked to see him there. None of them had picked up on his presence or had detected him approaching, including Tsunade. It was an odd show of stealth for the man who took pleasure in mostly beating things in the face until they fell. The hazel-eyed woman made a mental note of the situation.
"Those classifications are entirely up to Naruto," Jiraiya stated. "If he wants to you to hear this…"
"He can stay," Naruto affirmed. "Now…tell me what the hell is going on."
Yakusho took a seat on the windowsill, paying strict attention to what was about to be said by the Sannin. Naruto was on the proverbial edge of his seat, desperate for answers to the truth that had been revealed to him. Jiraiya said nothing at first, choosing instead to remove the red vest that he always took with him.
"There have only been two times in my life where I've nearly died," the old man confessed. "The first time was when I was about your age. Tsunade caught me peeking in on the girl's bath and very nearly beat me to death."
"He's not kidding," she giggled. Tsunade was tickled by the memory. She truly hadn't meant to kill him, but almost had. Knowing she could have if she wanted to was one of the few things she knew she could hold over his head.
"What about the second time?" Naruto shivered.
"The second time I almost died…was the first time you tapped into enough of the Kyuubi's power to grow a fourth tail."
Jiraiya opened up his shirt as he finished his words. The sight that greeted the four other people in the room drew a united gasp from them. A gigantic scar adorned Jiraiya's toned body, coming down from his left shoulder and past his abdomen. It was massive, denoting that the wound could very likely have taken his life. Naruto froze on the spot, his hands trembling as what his sensei was saying slowly sunk in.
"Whenever you become enraged, you subconsciously draw on the Kyuubi's power," Jiraiya explained to his student. "The Kyuubi is a being that thrives on pain and suffering. It uses your rage and weakness to exert control over you. The more of its power you draw on and for each tail you grow, the more powerful you become. However…once you grow your fourth tail you lose control and become a monster. You seemingly can't tell friend from foe and just…try to kill everything in sight."
The blond didn't say anything or move from his spot. He simply stood there and stared at his teacher, letting the ill news settle in the pit of his stomach. He quivered and tried to speak, but could not find the words to do so. Because of his silence, Jiraiya saw fit to continue as he pulled his shirt back on.
"Afterwards you remember nothing of the event. In my opinion, your mind is cut off from the world when it happens. Either way…the power you wield in that form is incredibly destructive. You could easily kill anyone using it…even your own friends. Which begs the question as to how Sakura and the others are still alive."
"That would be my doing," Yakusho pointed out.
Tsunade and Jiraiya both shot the young dragon ninja a peculiar gaze. Tsunade's was of intrigue whilst Jiraiya's was of utter shock. He approached the young man slowly and looked him over before speaking again.
"How?"
"He used some sort of jutsu that turned him into a dragon," Sakura interrupted.
"He did what?" came the unanimous reaction. Jiraiya turned again to focus his gaze on Yakusho.
"So you've developed that much of your clan's abilities?"
"You seem so interested all of a sudden," Yakusho glared. "May I ask why?"
"If you can beat Naruto when he uses that power…then you're perhaps the most amazing thing in this world," Jiraiya stated with no hint of a lie in his voice.
"Don't give me so much credit," Yakusho rubbed the back of his head. "I had to use my most powerful attack, and even then all it did was burn him a little and knock him unconscious. I took more damage than he did…and if I hadn't knocked him out, I'd be dead."
"Still…even being able to do something like that is…"
"What about Hinata?" Naruto's sudden intrusion on the conversation brought everyone's attention to him.
"What do you mean?" Jiraiya turned his attention to his student.
"I mean, what's going to happen to her? Could something like this happen to her too?"
An awkward silence fell over the room. Naruto's question went unanswered in fear of the results it would bring. Tsunade hid her face in what appeared to be shame, avoiding as much of the situation as she could while stuck in the office.
"Well? What's going to happen to her?"
"There's no way we can tell what's going to happen," Tsunade slumped back into her chair. "There's simply no way I can say it will or won't happen."
"Which means in all likelihood it could," Yakusho translated snidely.
In all his life, Naruto had never looked as down or saddened as he did at that moment. Sakura placed her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. He quickly shrugged her consolation off, turning his face to look down at his hands as if they had done something wrong.
"What have I done?" he mused. "What have I become?"
"Stop that, please," Sakura begged.
"The only thing an attitude like that will do is make things worse," Jiraiya remarked sagely. "It's best for you to not put the blame on yourself. Rather, you should put your vast amount of energy towards not losing yourself to the Kyuubi."
"Words to live by," Yakusho slid back onto the shingles outside the office window. "If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere else to be."
The only thing that announced Yakusho's retreat from the office was the rushing of wind that followed his departure. In a flash he was gone, leaving the other four in the room together. The quiet continued for a moment longer between them before a sharp knock sounded at the door. One of the two large doors opened and the head of one of the guards peeked inside.
"Hokage-sama," he said, "Nara Shikamaru is here to see you. He's got someone with him who he says is important."
"Send him in," Tsunade sighed. She waited a moment for the guard's head to slip back through the door before she drew Naruto close.
"You should go find Hinata and talk to her about this. Something strange happened to her while you were gone…I think it's connected."
Naruto agreed absently before turning around to head out of the room. Sakura looked confused, but followed despite her hesitation. As the two of them exited the round office, Shikamaru and Katai entered it. The blond and the suitor traded glances momentarily, a soft smile playing across the features of the longer-haired teenager's face. That smile only made Naruto want to see Hinata more. He picked up the pace suddenly and left Sakura behind him, wondering what had driven him to move so quickly.
Hyuuga Hinata was busy moving through the shopping district of Konoha. She didn't know exactly what had driven her to come here. She was never really one for public places, and she didn't do all that much shopping either. Most of what she had in life was given to her by her family. She had realized over the last week or so that if she was going to separate herself from them and grow up at all, she would need to start acting like she was independent. It was one thing to say you wanted nothing to do with them and to move out. It was another thing entirely to do so and take responsibility for yourself.
Over the last few days Hinata had felt an increasing urge to taste the freedom she had thrust upon herself. When she originally left the Hyuuga estate to live with Naruto, she had done it to avoid the horrors her family was putting her through. Now that Naruto would be returning with the man who was supposed to marry her, the pale-eyed girl realized that she had squandered her chance to taste life outside the iron grip of her clan. When that had become apparent to her she began to take more time to experience the wonderful life Konoha had to offer her.
So there she was, in the middle of the shopping district, staring at a case of wedding rings. Her raven hair tumbled down her shoulders as she slowly turned her head to absorb the glitter of each and every band through the window, her pupil-less gaze wandering over each and every masterpiece with careful inspection. She had no idea why she had chosen to window shop, or why she had chosen to start with the ring store. All she knew was that each and every one of the rings she was looking at would look fantastic on her finger. Why she was even entertaining that line of thinking was beyond her. She didn't want to get married. So why was it that she was admiring wedding rings?
Perhaps it was because she was slowly resigning herself to her fate? Or was it because she had found herself fantasizing more and more about what could not be? She'd had many dreams of marriage when she'd been younger. That was before she'd become a shinobi. Once you made that decision, life and your view of it changed. She couldn't go around with dreams of the perfect life when she'd made her decision to fight. Instead she learned about the darker things, like murder, deceit and spying. She'd learned how to take life, so she also had to learn how to respect it. She stood there in front of the case of rings, wondering if she would truly ever come back to that point in her life when everything was just a fairy tale and she could live in bliss.
"Of all places, I didn't expect to find you here."
Hinata's head turned in the direction of that sweet voice she'd memorized years before. There was no misplacing that dragging tone that tugged at her heart strings and brought her up with a smile.
"Naruto-kun!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his full-bodied frame. "When did you get back!?"
"Just a little while ago," he laughed, squeezing her body firmly. "So what exactly is it you're doing here?"
Hinata turned away from Naruto and looked back at the display case. She ran her index finger down the glass and sighed, her vision drifting between the gem-studded bands.
"Just thinking about what one of these would look like is all," she confessed.
"Why would you be doing something like that?" Naruto ran his hand over her shoulder and drew himself closer to her.
"I don't exactly know. There are a lot of reasons I could be here for…I just can't seem to find the right one."
Naruto placed a finger on Hinata's chin and used it to turn her face towards him. He looked down at her with concern. "Is everything okay?"
"You mean besides the usual?" she tried to joke. "Something happened a few days ago. I'm still…kind of creeped out by it."
"What is it Hinata?"
So she explained the vision she had had several days ago involving Naruto, the Kyuubi and the beast's prison. She was intensely descriptive, giving Naruto no room for error in realizing the picture she was painting for him. He knew every nook and cranny she spoke of, as it was all a part of his mental mindscape. As she told him what she had seen, he felt a small jolt of familiarity prickle the back of his head. It was as though he could recall feeling or seeing just what she had at some point, but could not drag up the memory.
"Hinata, there's something I need to tell you." Naruto fidgeted in his spot, looking for anyone who may have been eavesdropping. "Look, when I was out at the Earth Country…"
"Ah, Naruto…there you are!" Katai rounded the corner, calling out to the blond man who had escorted him to the village.
"Ack! K-Katai!" Naruto jumped.
"Figures I wouldn't have to go more than a few minutes without seeing you again. Who's that hiding behind your shoulder?"
Naruto turned his head to see Hinata cowering behind him. The moment he uttered the name "Katai" she had leapt behind him. Having been called out however, she slowly peeked out from behind her lover, her cheeks wearing a faint blush.
"I am Hyuuga Hinata," she said quietly.
"Ah! At last, we meet." Katai took her hand and in his, offering a deep smile. "I was worried that I wouldn't get to meet you until the wedding."
"A-Ah! I…um…" Hinata found herself befuddled by his chivalrous attitude.
"Have I been too forward? I can tone it down if you'd like…I was just raised this way, it doesn't mean I'm bound to it."
"N-No, it's nothing like that," she said. "It's just…this is sudden. I didn't a-actually know you were here yet and…it's just…"
"I think what she's trying to say is she's a bit surprised." Naruto came to her rescue, wearing a fake smile. "She probably expected to meet you more formally. After all…"
"Ah, say no more," Katai smirked. "I'm sorry I startled you. I am Kongouseki Katai of the Earth Country. It still is very good to finally meet you face to face."
"L-likewise," she whimpered. Naruto could tell she was as uneasy as he was with the situation, so he attempted to lighten it in the only way he could.
"So, who feels like some food?" he called out. "I'm thinking ramen at Ichiraku's!"
Katai's eyes widened as his upper lip began to tremble. Something about him looked horribly unstable at that point. Naruto tilted his head like a puppy listening to a loud noise, whilst Hinata looked between her lover and fiancé awkwardly. Finally Katai lowered his head to Hinata's level and sidled up beside her, his eyes flat as he whispered into her ear.
"Did he say…ramen?"
A loud crash echoed through the air as another set of tables and fruit were sent into the air. Thanks to his most recent injury, Jiyumaru had come to the conclusion that catching Zurui was not going to be as easy as he had thought it would be. The pesky raccoon was keeping himself out of Jiyumaru's grasp by mere centimeters, dodging him with uncanny agility and causing the ANBU member to consistently ruin the afternoon meals of many civilians. To make matters worse, the lecherous summon would taunt the poor man by peeking under skirts or jumping on bosoms as he ran away. Jiyumaru would inevitably receive the punishment for the actions as Zurui's summoner, something he found to be entirely unfair given the circumstances. After his fifth attempt that day, as well as his twentieth lump on the head, Jiyumaru was about ready to never use his summoning technique ever again.
He had given up for the day. Chasing down the perverted creature took a lot of his energy and the damage he incurred from it sapped his stamina. He found it all too troubling that a fully trained member of ANBU could kill someone before anyone could blink an eye, yet he couldn't capture a measly raccoon. It was embarrassing, and word of it had already gone through the higher ups in Konoha thanks to the debacle at the ramen shop a while back. Were he not as good as he was at everything else, he'd be the laughing stock of ANBU.
"I'd love to see them catch Zurui," he muttered.
"You know, they say talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity." It was Yakusho, who was currently reclining on the wall next to Jiyumaru.
"Gah! When did you get there?"
"Around the fourth table of the day. I didn't think old ladies could hit that hard, did you?"
"Oh shut up." The vein on Jiyumaru's head popped in his mild fit of rage.
"Well enough about that…Blades, there's something I wanted to ask you."
"What's that Yakusho?" Jiyumaru's anger was replaced by intrigue suddenly as he stood up. Yakusho on the other hand looked hesitant, looking back and forth down the street before cleaning his ear with his pinky, attempting to look as inconspicuous as possible.
"Train me how to fight with my sword."
"Say what?" Jiyumaru was taken aback by Yakusho's words.
"I said train me," he repeated. "Do you have something stuck in your ears?"
"No, it's not that. I'm just utterly surprised you'd ask me such a thing."
"You're the best swordfighter in this crazy town. I've been relying too much on my ninjutsu lately…sooner or later it's going to cost me. I figured I'd be better safe than sorry, you know?"
"Is that just another way of admitting you need help?"
"Don't push your luck, Blades." The Dragon Ninja growled defensively before reclining on the wall again. "So will you?"
"Sure, why the hell not? Better than chasing that stupid raccoon anyway."
"You know, someday he's gonna get you in real trouble."
"I'll take my chances. So, shall we begin?"
"What, now?" Yakusho looked surprised at Jiyumaru's eagerness.
"Yes, now. There a problem with that?"
"Not a problem at all," Yakusho smirked as he lifted the Dragon Fang from his side.
Were there a just and loving God, or some other divine force that moved the lives of humanity, it would not allow what was happening now to occur. An event such as what was going on must have been prophesied as the end of times. As it was, Old Man Ichiraku and Hinata were both staring in shock and horror, their eyes white from the inability to fathom what they were witnessing. Hinata's head frantically moved back and forth in an attempt to wash out the images, only to be greeted by them anew each time she did so. A loud clang caused her to stop her fidgeting for a moment while her lips trembled.
"MORE PLEASE!"
Katai and Naruto both slammed their fifth bowl of ramen down at the exact same moment. The denizens of the restaurant were having a hard time coming to terms with the terrifying fact that there was, in this crazy world of theirs, another person who ate as much and loved ramen as much as Naruto did. One would assume that the two of them merely being within shouting distance of each other would cause some sort of paradox or space/time shift. Alas, they were both allowed to exist at the same moment and were thusly allowed to provide Ichiraku's with a scene unlike any other. The two combatants stared lightning betwixt each other as they moved onto bowl six of their unofficial eating contest.
"I…I didn't think it was possible for anyone else to love ramen as much as Naruto!" Ayame stirred the pots of noodles relentlessly, sweat and fear furrowing her brow.
"Yes, I know…but just think of the profits!" Teuchi traded the white shock in his eyes for rolling currency as he dreamed of the things he could do and buy with the money that both Katai and Naruto would bring him.
"That's great for you, but I have to pay for it!" Tears flooded down Hinata's cheeks as she sat between her lover and suitor, knowing that there was probably no fortune large enough to feed them both.
Another set of ramen made it to them courtesy of the hard work and sweat of Ichiraku Ayame. The two boys barely said anything as they dove into their meal again, pulling hot noodles through their teeth with loud noises and shoveling the additives with no fear of choking. They were equal fighters in this arena, both using every trick they had in a glorious battle for the masses. The spectators continued to watch in mute fascination as the skirmish went on another two bowls before the two gladiators gave their surrender. Distended bellies full of ramen signaled the defeat of the champions and the end of the fight. Hinata was the one presented with the prize, nearly wailing as she was informed how much the meal would cost her.
"That's incredible," Katai groaned. "I've never…urp…met someone who can eat ramen like that."
"Neither have I." Naruto groaned and rubbed the slight bulge in his stomach with a giant grin plastered on his face. "You sure do love ramen."
"It's like a scene from some horror movie," Hinata tried to joke. "Only…it involves more ramen and less screaming girls."
"Hey, the screaming girls are the best part of horror movies," Naruto chided.
"No, looking at the screaming girls is the best part of horror movies." Katai flashed a quirky grin at Naruto as the two fell into chuckles.
"Ugh, you two are deplorable!" Ayame teased. "And in front of Hinata, of all people!"
"I'm sure Hinata is mature enough to not be offended," Katai smiled.
"I'm not sure I'm mature enough to put up with you both, who are you kidding?" Hinata sobbed. She was still partially lamenting the bill.
"Ah, harsh Hinata-chan." Naruto grimaced, holding his heart like he'd been stabbed. The action produced another fit of laughter from the group.
"I think that's everything though. We should get going." Katai stood up from his seat before reaching into his pocket. "I suppose I should pay, shouldn't I?"
"You don't have to…" Hinata said with a shifty glance.
"I'm starting to get the feeling you'd rather it if I did." Katai's face twisted to avoid laughing once more as he paid for the entire meal. The amount he put out to pay for their meal even made Hinata cringe slightly, though he seemed rather unaffected by it. Together the three stood up and bid the denizens of Ichiraku's farewell, leaving Teuchi begging them to buy just one more bowl.
The awkwardness returned nearly instantly as they left the restaurant. Without the peace-bringing powers of ramen, Hinata and Naruto were instantly aware of the fact that they were standing next to the man who was causing them untold grief. Reality dictated that that assessment was a tad harsh. It was not Katai that had set up this wedding, it had been the Hyuuga elders. Still, he was a part of it, and as such it made it that much harder to deal with him.
"You two sure have gone quiet." Katai turned his head around, smiling at them from in front. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Naruto and Hinata froze on the spot. Katai stopped a few feet ahead of them, turning around to face them both. It was obvious at this point that something was fishy. Naruto looked between himself and Hinata, then back up at the gaze he was receiving from the Iwa-nin. It took him a few seconds to put two and two together, the equation causing him to growl some.
"How long have you known?"
"Shikamaru explained it to me while you were unconscious." Katai rubbed his head slowly, avoiding Naruto's eyes. "I've been wondering when the best time to bring it up with you was."
"You've known all this time, and you're still going to go through with it?!" Naruto growled even louder this time, becoming extremely angry.
"Naruto, please stop." Hinata tugged at his arm, her face saddened by his outburst.
"I wish you could understand my circumstances the way I do," Katai huffed. "You seem to be blind to my half of this…though I suppose I can't blame you for that. Were I in your shoes, I would be upset as well."
"Upset isn't the half of it. You're trying to take away the woman I love."
"I am not trying to do anything like that." Katai appeared wounded by Naruto's callous words. "I only mean to do what is best for my people and my country. Can you not see that?"
"Don't preach to me you asshole!"
Without warning Naruto drew back his fist and threw a punch at the man from the Earth Country, leaving Hinata standing in shock. His hand connected with the side of Katai's face, sending the poor young man into the dirt. The Tsuchikage's apprentice stood slowly and unthreateningly, wiping blood from his lip as he looked back at them.
"You didn't…you could have easily stopped that. You could have…"
"But I didn't," Katai emphasized. "I do not wish to fight you Naruto. I have no wish to bring you or anyone of this village harm."
"Naruto-kun…please understand." Hinata tugged on his arm faintly, begging him to look her in the eyes. "This isn't about hurting you."
"What are you talking about?" He finally turned to look the girl in the eyes, wondering why she looked so defeated.
"Naruto-kun…I love you. Nothing can ever change that. But…Katai is right. This is more than just about our personal feelings. This is the first time since before you or I were born that the nations of Earth and Fire have a chance for peace."
"Hinata…wh-what're you saying?" Naruto gulped.
"It would seem our paths are destined to be full of turmoil," Katai sighed. "But I cannot simply say to you I will not marry Hinata. Just as you cannot give up, I cannot. I will not simply throw away what little chance my country has at restoring itself."
"C-Can't you just accept it? It's hard enough as it is…" Hinata was nearly in tears.
"Hinata…y-you can't be…"
"N-Nothing we do is going to change it Naruto!" she shouted, tears streaming down her face. "I've tried. You've tried. Even the Hokage has tried! My father is at his wits end! Nothing we do will change it…j-just…why can't you accept it's for the best and see what good will come of it?"
Hinata had given in. She was tired of running from her fate and she was tired of the tension. She was sick to death of all the horrid feelings that had filled her since it had been announced. There was good that would come from the union, and she chose that instead of forcing herself to cry herself to sleep almost every night, she would go with it. It had broken her heart to do it, but that had been the decision she'd come to.
"Y-you…you can't be serious Hinata," Naruto whimpered.
"G-Gomen nasai, Naruto-kun…" she shivered. "Please…forgive me."
Katai looked more apologetic to Naruto than anyone in his entire life had. His face had turned into a concerned frown as he looked at the jinchuuriki, offering his hand idly as a gesture of comfort. Naruto instead suppressed every tear that threatened to break through his eye and turned away from them. Thoughts of anger, betrayal and sadness flowed through his mind. In order to escape them, he escaped Hinata and Katai. Wordlessly he leapt into the trees and made his away apart from them, leaving them to each other.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata cried out desperately.
"I'm sorry," Katai apologized. "I can go after him if you'd…"
"N-No. He needs…some time. I've let him down…I don't think even I'll ever get over that."
With no one else to turn to, Hinata buried herself in Katai's chest as she began to cry in earnest, sobbing openly against the man from the Earth Country.
Naruto eventually found a secluded spot to rest his wearied mind. It was a place in the forest he remembered all too well from his younger days. As he slumped down, he came to the realization that he had found his way to the same spot in which Iruka had told him he was a graduate. It was here that he had become a shinobi. Naruto sighed deeply as the memory replayed in his head. He really didn't feel very ninja-like at all right now.
He was aware that someone had followed him. It wasn't Hinata though. He would be able to sense the Kyuubi's chakra within her. It wasn't Katai either. He was a lot more serene than the person who had followed him. He heard the soft clomping of geta on grass as the figure approached, sitting down next to him.
"You seem distraught Naruto," Neji offered. "Is something troubling you?"
"A lot is troubling me."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I wish I didn't have to. It's Hinata and Katai." Naruto pressed a palm to his face, trying to block out the image he dreaded.
"I don't quite follow yet." Neji looked about idly and picked up a stick, which he began running through the dirt.
"Hinata has…she's…she's decided to just let the wedding go through."
Neji nearly dropped the stick he was using. "Are you serious?"
"She said…she said that she loves me…but that the wedding is about more than just her and my feelings."
"So she feels about it the same way that Katai does."
"What did you say?!" Naruto shouted.
"Katai does not wish to marry at this point in his life either. However…he is willing to do more than what it takes to make sure the Earth Country is restored to its former glory. So that its people can live happy, healthy lives. I'm sure Hinata wants that same kind of peace."
"When did he…?"
"If you paid more attention to Katai as a person rather than as an obstacle, you'd have learned a lot about him." Neji relaxed against the tree, drawing things randomly in the dirt with his stick. "You'd have learned a great deal about the Earth Country too."
"She's just giving up, Neji…" Naruto quivered, on the verge of tears. "How can she just do that?"
"Naruto…there are things in life that one cannot readily explain. You fight against insurmountable odds on a day to day basis, and you never give up. Sometimes in life though…you have to give up. There's nothing wrong with admitting you're beaten."
"How can you say things like that?" Naruto snapped.
"Having the strength to accept the things you cannot change is part of becoming a shinobi, as well as part of becoming a man. It's not as easy as saying you won't ever give up…you may simply have to come to terms with the fact that this may be what's best for everyone."
Neji stopped his rant purposely, eyes staring down into the dirt. His hand trembled at the Curse Seal of the Hyuuga Clan he had subconsciously drawn in the soil. He quickly scratched it out with the stick and stood on his feet.
"I wish there were more I could tell you Naruto," he sighed. "Hinata wants you to be happy. I imagine you want Hinata to be happy as well. But don't attempt to push what cannot be pushed…you will only incur pain from it."
Neji gave the young blond an encouraging pat on the shoulder before leaving him. Naruto spent the next few hours staring into the moonlight in contemplation, something he had never truly done before.
Hinata trudged through the streets of Konoha aimlessly. She had spent a good while crying in Katai's arms before the tears had gone away. When she had finally stopped, he insisted that she go back to her home and get some rest. He was going to be staying at the visitor's center, where he would most likely be until the wedding. Hinata sighed and began her trek then. It was only as she was walking that she realized she would most likely no longer be welcome in Naruto's home. With no place left to go, the raven-haired girl wandered.
Night slowly approached as she walked amongst the dwindling crowds. As she did she saw families and friends pass her by. Happy couples with and without children, laughing and enjoying the town together. She wondered if she could find the same happiness that they had, especially without Naruto. It had not been until it was announced that she would take a suitor that Hinata had truly began to have these kinds of thoughts. Part of her wished she'd had them sooner, so she could have appreciated what she'd had with Naruto all that much more. That would all be over though. The wedding was going to happen in about two weeks, which only gave her so much time to prepare the important things.
Hinata rounded another bend to discover she recognized where she was. Her subconscious drew her through the alleyways and dirt roads to a place her heart recalled. Her feet shuffled across the ground on their own accord, following the directions of her soul. She turned the last bend and gasped, feeling something fill up in the pit of her heart.
She was standing before the Hyuuga compound. Her old home, the place she lived before she had sworn off her family for the turmoil they had put her through. Inside were her bed and her things, the koi pond and countless gardens full of flowers. She could almost smell the lovely sent of those flowers in full bloom as she sat upon the grass in her kimono. They were fond memories she had tossed aside when she had left the first time.
Waiting for her out front were her father and Neji. They had waited each and every night for her return, despite how happy she had been with Naruto. Hinata knew that despite how the rest of the clan treated her, her cousin and father would always be there for her. They truly did care about her, even though their pasts did not speak kindly of it.
"Neji-niisan, Tou-san," she whimpered as she stood there, trembling.
"Hinata…I'm sorry." Hiashi looked withdrawn, saddened that those were the best words he could come up with.
"D-Don't be…you tried your hardest, I know you did."
"Are you going to come inside Hinata-sama?" Neji asked. "Your bed has been kept tidy and warm, the way you like it."
Hinata didn't know what to say. Instead of forming words she ran up to her real family and clung to them, holding onto her father especially tight as he reached down to stroke her hair.
"Come…there's much to discuss."
The three members of the Hyuuga clan slipped inside their compound, letting the moonlight cover their tracks. The stars in the sky twinkled with the hope of a new day coming.
"You're sure about this?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Sounds pretty crappy to me. These were the right directions, right?"
"How would I know if they're right or not. I've never been here before."
"Control yourself. Don't forget why we're here."
"How could I? Don't go overdoing things now…remember what happened last time."
"I would trust you to never bring that up again."
"Not my fault. Ah here we are…this is the right road."
Two figures stood, enshrouded by the darkness, barely given form by the twinkles of moonlight. They were traveling down a dirt road into the Fire Country with nothing but a few personal belongings. The map they carried was well detailed, with a large circled area containing the location of Konohagakure.
"Then let's keep moving. I don't want to be late."
"Neither do I. You know what happens when we're late."
"Don't remind me. Let's move."
Soundlessly they continue their journey down the dirt road at midnight. Soundlessly they moved towards Konoha.
I won't lie. I almost cried while writing this chapter. It's a sad one, I'll give it that. Chapter 12 will be along sooner or later…and I'm going to put more than just my all into it, you can count on that.