Hah, I hope you all are in for a doozie, because that's what this is.

Enjoy~~

….

The ballroom was filled with noise bouncing off of every wall. People were chatting, drinking, and using their silverware. The clinks of forks and the chimes of crystal glasses seemed to be nonstop, and laughter was heard throughout. The noise would have seemed unbearable if you weren't also making some as well.

Naruto sat there, no food in front of him, nothing to cut into, and no reason to make any noise.

He huffed. Sulking his shoulders in as he watched the crowd. They kept talking and laughing, messing with whatever food was on their plate. It was for a few minutes after he started staring that he realized something. Everyone in the room aside from him, Hinata, Tsunade and Hiashi, had all been served food.

But no one was eating it.

People were cutting their steaks or preparing their lobster and chopping their chicken, but no one was eating it.

"Hey, Hinata?" He asked, turning his head towards her.

"Hm?"

"Why is no one eating, I mean they all have their food already." He wondered, feeling how empty his own stomach was.

"Because they do not eat until the head table is served, which is us. We haven't received our food yet as ours is to be the most freshly made." She explained.

"Oh, that's… interesting." He replied, not really understanding why they couldn't have been served first.

"It's just a sign of respect." She told him.

They we're interrupted by plates being put down on top of the ones they already had placed in front of them, each with a different meal on them. They were sat at the same time by four different servers. The plates were hot and the food was steaming. Everything looked extremely fresh.

Naruto noticed that as soon as their plates were sat the noise in the room exploded with people eating. The thought of the situation made him slightly laugh.

He ate his meal and within the first bite he knew that this was the most savory food he has ever eaten. The potatoes were light, the steak was so tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The other side was carrots, and although he didn't care for carrots, even they were sweet and soft and cooked so well.

He glanced over at Hinata who was eating her meal rather daintily, holding her hair back with one hand as she took bites.

He wondered if she ate like this for every meal.

He wondered what she would think if she knew that he had bread with jam on it for full dinner meals sometimes. Growing up, he couldn't afford more than that. Nowadays it wasn't that he couldn't afford different food, he was just so used to eating it that it was habitual almost. He shook his thoughts.

He focused on the tables in front of him. They were all running up and down the room, while their table was angled towards all the others. He had a clear view of just about every face. Sasuke and Sakura were sitting at the table closest to them, a few seats down the lines. They were sitting next to each other and Sakura was talking, but Naruto noticed that Sasuke didn't seem to be listening. It wasn't unusual for her to talk and Sasuke to seem like he wasn't listening, but truthfully he always was.

But this time it looked like he truly wasn't listening.

Naruto remembered Kurama's words to him, to watch Sasuke. He began to get a feeling that he couldn't shake. Kurama was right to be wary, especially after all the strange things he's been saying.

Naruto decided to stay on alert.

He turned his head slightly towards Hinata, not taking his eyes off of Sasuke.

"Hinata." He said, almost as a whisper. She turned her head to look at him. "Don't… just don't go somewhere by yourself tonight." He asked of her, knowing it sounded out of place.

Someone started walking towards them, from behind Naruto.

"What? What do you mean by that?" Hinata asked him. She lifted her head to greet the passerby. He nodded his head.

"Princess." The man said in acknowledgement.

"Danzo." She said in the same tone. He stopped to talk with the king on the other side of Hinata.

Naruto continued. "I just have a feeling I can't shake."

Naruto saw Sasuke glance their direction, but not at him, at something else. Sasuke started to get up. Naruto looked over at Hinata, seeing if that was what he was looking at.

Naruto's eyes caught attention to the conversation happening behind Hinata. Whoever this Danzo guy was, he was speaking softly to the king, bent over near his ear. Naruto watched as the king reacted to the words he was saying, talking equally as quiet. He saw Danzo's hand approach the king's shoulder, as if to rest it there.

Then his hand position changed. Naruto could see something catch the light, something shiny.

Something like metal.

Hinata was confused as he started off behind her, not hearing what she was saying. She kept saying his name but he wasn't paying attention. When his eyes widened, she finally turned to see what he was looking at.

As she turned he heard him yell.

"King Hiashi!" he yelled, trying to warn him. His head turned slightly, but it was too late.

Danzo had stabbed him in the neck, almost as if to make a show of it.

The scream or agony that he let out was just as bad as the scream from Hinata when her father's own blood spattered on her face. The king grabbed his neck, trying to stop the bleeding. He was yelling commands that Naruto didn't understand, and he was cursing the man standing behind him. Tsunade got up from her chair, charging with a fist towards Danzo.

Danzo took his arm, the arm that was always bandaged and slung in his shirt, and put it up almost as if to block her attack.

But as soon as she was inches away from him her fist just stopped. She was stuck in that one pose, punching at an invisible force blocking her from him. Danzo seemed to tighten the muscles in his arm, and she was sent flying across the room, hitting the wall.

The king was getting quieter and quieter with his yelling. He started to sway in his chair before completely falling over onto the table, dead or unconscious no one knew, but he was still bleeding. Blood was dripping from him onto everything that surrounded.

Naruto scanned the room in every direction, trying to find Sasuke. All the guests we in a commotion, yelling and screaming as they tried to flee the room. Danzo held his arm towards the center of the room with his fingers spread. When he closed his fist all the doors in the room closed, even the windows did. Naruto decided he didn't have time to worry about if Sasuke was playing a part in this or not.

He needed to get Hinata out of there.

Naruto grabbed Hinata's arm as Danzo turned his attention to Tsunade, watching as she stumbled to her feet. He tried to pull Hinata away, but she was too in shock to move. Naruto grabbed her behind her chest and under her legs, picking her up and trying to get out of the situation.

"Where are you going?" Danzo yelled out. Naruto could only assume it was directed towards them.

He ran a good fifteen feet before he felt it. It was like the weight of the world was being pressed up his body. He couldn't move.

He could feel it getting stronger as Danzo approached him, wanting the princess for his next life to take. Even if that wasn't the case, he was not letting this man anywhere near her.

He was frustrated. Frustrated and mad about what this man was doing. The King, Tsunade, and now he even wanted to kill Hinata.

He refused to let that happen.

"Come on Kurama, you better not be taking a nap now!" Naruto yelled at the fox, trying to build strength.

Ha! There's no way in hell I'd be napping tonight!" Kurama yelled back.

The warmth from Naruto broke Hinata out of shock for a moment. She realized it wasn't his normal body temperature that was doing it, his entire body was getting hotter and hotter by the second. She didn't know why she couldn't move, but the warmth felt safe.

Naruto started grunting as he started moving. Steps at a time, then soon he was running against it.

'What?! He shouldn't be able to move at all, let alone run!" Danzo thought as he tried to increase his own power.

All the guests were in the back of the room, standing against the doors of every exit. Some were prying at them, others were watching everything happen, trembling with fear and shock.

Hinata looked up at Naruto's face. His eyes seemed to be darker, almost red, and the marks on his cheeks we're more pronounced.

She hadn't a clue what was going on.

Naruto didn't have a plan as to where they were going. They were stories off the ground if he tried to break through a window, and he didn't have anything to break the fall with this time. All the doors were locked shut and were surrounded by people. He didn't want to waste the time beating down the door and then putting everyone else in danger because he and the princess were near them. The guards working for the night were locked out, as they were stationed outside the room. He was hoping they'd figure out the doors in the meantime.

For now, head on seemed like his best option.

He stopped his running, and closed his eyes. He placed Hinata on the ground, and she seemed to fall under her own weight. Naruto didn't blame her for it. He bent down to be eye level with her, putting a hand on her face. He could feel her shaking.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked quietly, almost like she was about to cry.

Naruto smiled at her, opening his eyes to look at her face. He saw Hinata's eyes widen. He had expected that.

"Yo-your eyes a-" She started.

"Don't worry about me." He told her, getting up from the ground to face Danzo. He seemed to be almost waiting for him, standing next to the king.

Naruto started walking towards him, and Hinata could see a feint orange aura coming from him, growing with every step.

"I've been wanting to kill you for a long time, fox brat." Danzo told him with a smirk.

Naruto just kept walking.

"But I'd never had imagined that you would have mastered its power." Danzo commented. "But that shouldn't change a thing."

"Danzo held up his arm, pushing him down into the ground. Naruto fell to his knees, making a dent in the flooring below, but it was a matter of seconds before he was back up and walking at the same pace. He was close enough for Danzo to feel the anger from him.

'Why isn't it working?! Is he really this strong?' Danzo thought in his head. Danzo threw up a barrier around him as Naruto got closer.

Naruto started to run. He needed the momentum for this to work.

He punched at Danzo, the same way that Tsunade did. Danzo held his barrier with his arms crossed in front of him. Naruto was halted in midair, but kept pushing towards him.

He started yelling, building more strength in his punch. The orange aura flared up, increasing the force of his punch. Danzo was being pushed into the flooring of the building as it gave way to the pressure.

Then it cracked. Naruto broke through it. His punch landed square on Danzo's face, sending flying backwards into the same wall that Tsunade was pushed into. The wall caved in around him, breaking through to the next room.

The doors of the room unlocked as Danzo laid on the ground. The storm of people leaving the room made the floor shake as they stampeded out of the room.

Naruto knew that was enough to do it for now. People were able to escape, and he had knocked Danzo out, if only for the time being. He panted as Kurama's power flickered down, not wanting to use too much for no reason. His eyes turned back to their normal color and his check markings set back on his skin like normal.

Just one punch was good enough for now.

Guards came rushing into the room, some going to the king that laid on the table, others to Danzo, and a few over to Hinata.

He noticed that Sasuke was there too, but he was over at the King, not Hinata. Naruto was thankful for that. He didn't even have any proof that Sasuke was doing anything bad, but he still wanted to be safe.

Tsunade limped over to him, holding her shoulder. Naruto watched the commotion as the guards removed the rubble from the wall off of Danzo.

"Naruto." Tsunade said. "Take the princess somewhere safe for now, we'll come find you when we know she's safe coming back. We don't know how many people Danzo has influenced that work in the castle and could be a threat."

"Shouldn't she go with someone else? I don't think that I'm the best for protecting her in-" he started

"You're the one that hit Danzo, I couldn't even do it." Tsunade told him. She turned her head to Hinata, who was being helped up off the ground where Naruto left her. Naruto turned his head to look as well

"I don't think anyone else could."

"…Right." Naruto replied. "What about her sister?" He asked.

"She's already been evacuated and is in hiding as we speak." Tsunade responded. She left to go tell other people orders about the situation.

Naruto walked over to the group of soldiers hoarded around Hinata. He broke through them, telling them to leave.

"Hinata, Hinata come on we have to go." He told her, trying to get her to look at him. She just kept staring off.

"Hinata, listen to me, we have to go, okay?" He told her, speaking softly.

Hinata didn't move her eyes, but she shook her head softly, agreeing with him.

…

He carried her for the most part, she was moving too slowly in her state. Her arms were around his neck, and he took every back alley way he could. His jacket was on top of her so she wouldn't be as cold, but it also helped that it was off of Naruto, it made it easier for him to move. He went up the stairs, opening the door into his apartment building.

He observed the room before he brought Hinata in. He knew it was too late for someone to be working at the desk, but he didn't want any surprises.

He walked swiftly and quietly down the hallway, escorting Hinata behind him. No one was out, no one should know. He turned the key to door and opened it, looking around the room as well, just to be safe. He gestured for her to enter. HE closed the door and locked it after her.

"Alright you should be safe here with me. No one will think you're hidden in some apartment, it'll be-" He started, turning towards her. But he stopped once he saw her standing there.

Her face was pale, much paler than it normally is. The blood stains on her face were like black holes through her skin. The stare of her eyes was lifeless. Her hair was knotted and the bottom of her dress was stained in blood, as was the sleeve that was facing her father.

Naruto walked towards her carefully, grabbing her hand. "Hinata?"

No response.

"… Come on, let's go sit down." He said, moving her gently to the couch he owned. "I know it's not the nicest thing you've probably ever sat on… but it comfortable enough." He tried to joke, but got nowhere with it.

He sat her down on the couch, grabbing the blanket from behind her and draping it over her shoulders. He turned to go and make sure the windows were locked, but something tugged at his sleeve. He stared down at it and saw Hinata's hand was holding onto him.

"Hinata… I… I'll be right back, I promise." He told her before she would let go.

He walked over to the windows in his apartments, latching them down. The bathrooms, the kitchens, and his bedrooms. HE checked the front door one more time before returning to Hinata.

He sat down next to her and could see she was shaking. Instinctively he wanted to put his arms around her, but didn't know if that would be more harmful or helpful.

She moved her head to be on his chest, resting it there. She wasn't crying, she wasn't making noise, she was completely still.

"Hinata…" He said softly to her, embracing his arms around her, holding her to his chest. His hand was on the top of her head, softly stroking it down. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you now." He told her. He was damned if he couldn't do that.

It seemed almost instantly that she grabbed at his vest, pulling her face into it. Her body just collapsed into his, and he held her up with his own. Her soft sobs were painful to hear, but he knew they were necessary.

Her cries got louder, and her tears were soaking through his vest. He kept strong, letting her cry. He occasional could hear words she was saying, but none of them made sense. They all revolved around her father.

She gathered herself back together after an hour, lifting her head off of Naruto's chest. He didn't move his arms off of her, and she didn't want him to. She sat there in silence for a while, staring off again before she spoke.

"I never trusted him." She said quietly, not moving her head.

"The man?" Naruto asked, matching her volume. Hinata nodded her head slowly.

"He's always been there, beside father, influencing his decisions. Father trusted him to an extent but now… father…" She started. She held her breath, trying to hold back more tears. It worked for the time being.

Naruto looked at her, unable to comprehend what she had been through in one night. Sure the man was the king of their nation, but he was also Hinata's father. Her mother was already dead, and to add her father on top of it just seemed so heavy. He never knew his parents, so he couldn't ever miss them. He wouldn't know where to start while trying to sympathize with her.

He noticed the blood that was on her face still, as well as on her dress. He thought that would be a good place to start.

"Come on, we need to get you cleaned up."

…..

Whoaaaaa longer than normal chapter! I think this is the longest one yet. Lots happened! Lots of drama and some world building is coming up soon, how lovely!

You're in for a wild ride my friends, so make sure to favorite and follow and review so I know to keep writing it!