A/N: Finally, another chapter! I'm really liking how things are shaping up – this arc is firing up my imagination in a way that the last one didn't. I hope it does the same for you. Next chapter Naruto and his squad will reach Ame, and Hinata will meet a character who has yet to make his debut in this story.
Please, please review! It will encourage me to spend less time on work and more on writing. Until next time!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Chapter 29
Hinata wanted to move, but her feet were riveted to the ground. A desperate voice in her head was telling her to flee now, before Tsunade finished closing the distance between them. From somewhere behind Hinata, Jiraiya let out a whimper of pain. Clearly Hinata couldn't count on being rescued by him. And still Tsunade advanced, her brow creased thunderously, lightning practically shooting from her eyes. She stopped mere inches from Hinata, looming aggressively overhead.
Stay calm, Hinata thought. She's only trying to intimidate you.
The truthful part of her mind answered, Well, she's doing a damn good job!
Her fists quivered, but Hinata stood her ground. Tsunade peered down at Hinata. "You're too young to fall in with lecherous old men. Can't you find a nice boy your own age to play with?"
Hinata kept silent, tilting her head down as if embarrassed. But underneath the hood, her byakugan was activated, and she watched Tsunade through the thin fabric of her disguise.
Tsunade crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "What, are you mute or just stupid? Out with it, girl! What did he offer you to get you to follow him to a place like this?"
Hinata froze. It was amazing, really, how quickly anger erased fear. She raised her head, throwing back the hood and exposing not only her Hyuuga eyes, but her seal as well. She locked eyes with the legendary sannin. "What did he offer me?" Hinata repeated softly. Her voice fell to a whisper, charged with feverish yet controlled emotion. "Freedom."
Tsunade took a step back, while Shizune sprang forward to protect her sensei in case Hinata was preparing to attack. "It's all right, Shizune," Tsunade said, her eyes never leaving Hinata's. "Pull that hood back down, girl. You don't want anyone in this town to get a glimpse of that seal on your forehead."
"There's no one around for a hundred meters in any direction," Hinata retorted, her anger filling her with strength. "They're still running away."
"Cover it anyway," Tsunade ordered. "I don't want to look at it."
Hinata complied, but not before muttering, "None of us do. But that doesn't make a difference to the Uchiha."
With her enhanced peripheral vision, Hinata saw Jiraiya approaching from behind. Tsunade shifted her attention to him, dismissing Hinata completely. "You shouldn't have brought her here, Jiraiya. Leave now, while I'm still being nice."
"Come on, Tsunade. At least hear us out." Jiraiya glanced at Hinata, then away. "The poor girl has been through hell. Can't you give her a few minutes? We're not your enemies, after all!"
"I'd say you are," Tsunade shot back. "Anyone who puts me in danger is an enemy, and this surely counts. What were you thinking, smuggling a Hyuuga out of the village? There's bound to be a team tracking her down as we speak. I want no part of it."
Jiraiya shook his head patiently. "Not at all. I replaced her with an agent of Kumo – one of the Fukumen clan. The Uchiha won't discover that Hinata's gone until the invasion begins, and then they'll have bigger things to worry about than a single runaway."
Tsunade frowned. "You're still obsessed with your foolish crusade? Sarutobi's dead, Jiraiya. Let go of the past, and move on."
Jiraiya barked a laugh that had no humor in it. "You think I can't let go of the past? Which one of us still can't stand the sight of blood? Tell me when you've forgotten Dan and Nawaki, Tsunade, and I'll stop my so-called 'foolish crusade' immediately."
Tsunade flushed an angry red.
"This isn't about the past for me," Jiraiya went on. "Sensei is gone, and nothing I do can change that. I can't resurrect the clan heads, and I can't help the living reunite with their departed loved ones. But what I'm doing isn't revenge on behalf of the dead – I'm fighting for Konoha's future, for the thousands of people who might not have a future if things stay the way they are. It's a good fight… the only one worth fighting. And we need you, Tsunade."
Hinata didn't need her byakugan to see the older kunoichi flinch. It gave Hinata hope, but then Tsunade shook her head violently, her hair whipping back and forth. "No. What you need is to realize that it's done. Over. Madara's won. Anything you do will only cause more bloodshed; can't you see that?"
Through the wooden wall to Hinata's left, she saw a flash of movement with her byakugan. After sharpening her focus, Hinata realized that there were several figures in uniforms cautiously approaching the gambling den from the street outside.
"Jiraiya," she spoke up sharply, "we have company. Five of them, moving to block the exits."
The Toad Hermit sighed. "Looks like the party's over. We should take our leave before they get a look at our faces. Listen Tsunade, meet us tonight at my safe house downtown, near the factory. We'll talk then."
Tsunade snorted rudely. "Forget that. I'm leaving here and putting some serious distance between myself and this town. Don't follow me, or I'll break a few of your bones next time."
"Please, Tsunade." Jiraiya held out his hands, entreating. "Give me thirty minutes tonight. For old times' sake, if not for me. I won't ask you to join our cause, not if you don't want to."
The men were getting closer, readying kunai and lead-tipped batons. This close, Hinata could tell they were shinobi – they moved with cautious assurance and grace, and each carried enough weapons for a small armory.
Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya, then down at the ground. "Whatever you think I can give you… you're wrong. I'm not the person you remember."
"I know you too well to believe that," Jiraiya answered solemnly. "Your soul is weary, bruised – but not broken. There is more to you than this." He swept his arm around, gesturing to the gambling tables, the dim, cracked lights, and the dusty countertop of the bar.
Hinata almost jumped as Tsunade abruptly turned away, shutting out Jiraiya as firmly as if she had shut a door in his face. A second passed in silence, stretching until Hinata thought the tension would drive her insane. Finally, Tsunade spoke.
"I'll draw them off. These shinobi are probably after me to settle my debt, anyway. Wait until they follow me, and then get out of here."
With no other warning, Tsunade walked away toward the front door, where the shinobi were waiting. Hinata hoped they didn't get in Tsunade's way – after seeing how easily Tsunade had handled Jiraiya, Hinata didn't think shinobi working security in Tanzaku Town stood much of a chance.
Since Tsunade was walking away from them, all Jiraiya saw was the back of her head. But with her byakugan, Hinata saw a little more. She saw the single tear making its way slowly down Tsunade's cheek.
A second later Tsunade disappeared, moving with such speed that Hinata couldn't track her even with the byakugan. The shouts that went up in her absence signaled that the lurking shinobi had decided to chase her.
Shizune had not followed Tsunade – instead, she was still staring at Jiraiya, her eyes burning with something akin to hope.
"I'll get her to the safe house tonight," Shizune said suddenly, catching Hinata off-guard. "She has a good heart, but she tries not to listen to it to avoid getting hurt again. I know you can change her mind. I feel it."
Then she was gone, off in pursuit of her mentor.
Now they were the only two left in the bar. Jiraiya gave Hinata an encouraging smile. "That went better than I expected. But I have a feeling that the rest will be up to you."
oOoOo
Naruto listlessly pushed some rice around in his bowl with his chopsticks, the memory of that day souring his appetite. He'd known that this mission was a long shot, and that tensions within the village might get worse before they got better. But he hadn't expected things to go south even before they'd left the village, for Kami's sake! Naruto shuddered, remembering how the mission he'd planned around harmony and cooperation had turned out to be anything but.
The morning of the mission, General Fugaku met Naruto, Akemi, and Takeshi at the Hokage's Tower, and together they set out for Konoha's main gate. Awaiting them was the second team that Naruto had chosen, led by Might Guy, the famous Green Beast of Konoha. Naruto had done his research before choosing another jonin, and he couldn't wait to see Guy in action. As for Guy's genin, Naruto already felt like he knew what to expect from them. Lee had impressed Naruto already, both with his strength and his determination to protect his friends. Neji and Tenten were still unknown variables, but Naruto was willing to be optimistic.
The two genin squads sized each other up silently, not wanting to be the first to speak. Strangely, General Fugaku was staring just as intently at Guy. A sneer curled his lip, and his voice dripped with scorn when he spoke.
"Might Guy, hm? An interesting choice, although given how much you stand out from the crowd, I guess it's no surprise that Naruto picked you."
Guy gave a deep bow that seemed to Naruto to be laden with irony. "I'm honored to have been chosen for such an important mission," Guy said. "But I do wonder what I can contribute. It seems this is to be a diplomatic mission, and diplomacy is far too confusing for a simple man like me." His smile was open, bright, humble, and – Naruto felt sure – completely false.
General Fugaku's answering smile was pure venom. "I'm certain we can find something for you to do. Meeting with village leaders always generates mountains of paperwork; perhaps you can carry them for us?"
Naruto winced internally. He didn't know what Fugaku's issue was with Guy, but it was clear that there was one. It was also clear that this mission was not starting off on the right foot.
Guy laughed brightly, a deep belly laugh that shook his sides. "Excellent - that sounds like something even I couldn't mess up! I can understand you not wanting to carry all that around yourself – that leg of yours must make heavy lifting even more of a burden."
The lines around Fugaku's mouth tightened, and for a second he glanced down at his missing leg. The prosthesis he was wearing had been specifically designed to withstand high-speed motion in rocky terrain, and it was grafted directly onto the flesh so that it wouldn't break under the shock and strain of battle. The result was constant pain, as Naruto noticed every time Fugaku failed to hold back a grimace. Guy was surely playing with fire, to taunt the General about his missing leg.
Fugaku's face once more became an impenetrable mask. "I'll try to keep up," he said acidly. "Now let's go over mission parameters. There is only one rule – follow your orders. That goes for you, Guy, and double for your genin. We will not hesitate to punish you for any failure in your duties. Is that understood?"
Guy performed a perfect military salute in parody of an officer of the Konoha Military Police. "Sir, yes sir!"
"Your levity worries me," Fugaku said with a sigh. "Perhaps you need a reminder of the gravity of our mission." Without any other warning, he activated Guy's seal.
Naruto lurched forward, but the damage had already been done. The seal on Guy's forehead glowed brightly, delivering unbearable pain to its victim. Naruto noticed Neji put a hand on Lee's shoulder, stopping the younger boy from leaping to his sensei's side. Lee's hands were curled into fists that were shaking with suppressed rage.
As for Guy, he didn't make a sound. A vein in his neck bulged, the only sign that he was being tortured. At that moment, Naruto felt as though he was seeing with new eyes. He knew the reasons for keeping the seals – he could recite them in his sleep, and he knew that the Uchiha couldn't trust many of the shinobi who had once plotted to kill them.
But here, now, none of those reasons could justify General Fugaku activating Guy's seal. As Naruto watched Fugaku continue to inflict pain on Guy, he saw the emotionless mask slip. There was only one possible conclusion from the unholy light in the General's eyes: Fugaku was enjoying this. That was the deciding factor for Naruto. He respected Fugaku's strength, and he had learned a lot from the man, but he wasn't going to let his petty revenge ruin Naruto's dream of a Konoha at peace with itself.
"Stop!" Naruto commanded, approaching Fugaku with every intention of disrupting the torture jutsu himself if his order wasn't obeyed. Fugaku turned to Naruto with a look of utter surprise – it was the same look shared by the five genin watching him. The only one who didn't look surprised was Guy, as the only discernible emotion in his face was relief at the sudden cessation of pain. Fugaku looked at Naruto with disbelieving eyes.
"I beg your pardon?"
Naruto couldn't back down now, so he gathered his courage. "I told you to stop, General. Guy did nothing wrong, so your punishment is misplaced."
"I think you overstep yourself, boy," Fugaku hissed.
"Not if I understood my orders from Madara correctly," Naruto said immediately. "You're here to advise, but I'm the one in charge of this mission. And I'm telling you right now that I won't stand for you activating a shinobi's seal unless they are guilty of treason. I will consider any further punishment as a direct act of insubordination, and respond accordingly. Is that understood?"
Fugaku's iron self-control resurfaced, and he inclined his head a fraction of an inch. "Yes. You're in charge, boy. But I have to say, I thought I trained you better than this. If you're too soft to do what's necessary, the world will chew you up and spit you out. Madara will hear of this when we return to Konoha."
"Of course," Naruto agreed. "Now if there's nothing further, perhaps we should get going. Arguing isn't going to get us any closer to Ame."
Fugaku set off toward the main gate without another word, leaving Naruto with the uncomfortable feeling that he'd just made an enemy. And with the possible exception of Madara himself, Naruto didn't think he could have picked a worst person to piss off.
As the remaining seven shinobi began to follow Fugaku, most still shocked from the tense confrontation, Naruto became increasingly conscious of Might Guy's gaze. The spandex-clad jonin was watching him with the strangest expression on his face, as if Naruto was a puzzle he was itching to figure out.
Naruto had definitely not made things easier for himself by countermanding Fugaku's order. Pulling rank on the General in front of the Sealed shinobi was a humiliation for the older man, and not one he was likely to forget. So far on their journey Fugaku hadn't spoken to Naruto except in terse sentences.
Part of Naruto wished that he could have picked a Sealed jonin who wasn't so clearly a bitter enemy of Fugaku's, but another part realized that this kind of conflict was unavoidable. Fugaku and Guy had once been on opposite sides of a battlefield, and getting them to work together would not be easy. They both had scars from the past, physical and emotional. The healing process would be long and difficult, but so was anything worth pursuing. Naruto's determination didn't wane, even though he had a new appreciation for just how difficult his job was going to be.
As bad as Guy and Fugaku were – and they circled each other like wolves, just waiting for an opening – the genin were little better. Naruto had hoped that coming to Guy's aid might win him a little goodwill, but that didn't seem to be the case. Following Neji's lead, Guy's team kept to themselves and spoke only when spoken to. Akemi and Takeshi were also keeping a low profile, because they didn't want to get caught up in the tension between Naruto and Fugaku. So the first day of the mission was one of the worst days Naruto could remember, filled with uncomfortable silences and covert glances.
Naruto put aside his bowl from dinner and stood up, stretching his legs. Akemi and Takeshi were beside him, stretched out on their bedrolls. The genin of Team Guy were huddled several feet away, their cold aloofness making the short distance seem a much wider gulf. Naruto caught Lee looking over at him a few times, and each time he thought the boy with the bushy eyebrows would say something. But every time, Lee looked away.
Guy and General Fugaku were both out of the campsite, scouting in opposite directions. As he scanned the area, Naruto realized that this was a perfect opportunity to approach his problem head-on. Both jonin were away, so it was possible to get the genin talking without the adults overhearing. One step at a time – even if General Fugaku was unwilling to give up his deep-seated anger, Naruto felt sure he could win over shinobi his own age.
In the absence of any better ideas, Naruto decided for the blunt approach. He got up from his seat, ignoring the curious glances from Akemi and Takeshi, and walked over to where Team Guy was sitting. Tenten was playing idly with a kunai, twirling it around her fingers in a dance that was as beautiful as it was deadly. When she sensed Naruto's approach the knife stilled, then fell from her hand.
"Hey guys," Naruto said, trying for a brightness that he didn't feel. "Mind if I grab a seat?"
"You are our captain," Neji replied coldly. "You may sit anywhere you please."
"Well, then… don't mind if I do!" Naruto plunked himself down in between Tenten and Lee's bedrolls. Then he waved over Akemi and Takeshi, who were watching him with varying degrees of amusement. "Come on, guys, there's plenty of room for all of us!"
Soon enough all six genin were arranged in a tight circle, and Naruto had everyone's attention. He took a deep breath, wondering how to begin.
"You already know I picked you for this mission," Naruto said finally. "I picked you because I've seen you in action, and I think I can count on you to handle yourselves in a tough situation."
Akemi snorted, drawing a swift glare from Naruto and a soft jab in the ribs from Takeshi. Naruto was pleased to see a flash of anger in Tenten's eyes, suggesting that the other kunoichi didn't appreciate being looked down on. Naruto hoped that Akemi's scorn would goad the other shinobi into showing exactly how strong they really were, after which Akemi would realize their true potential as allies.
"Don't mind Akemi," Naruto said. "She gets a little… competitive sometimes, but that's a good thing when we know who our real enemies are."
Akemi threw a punch that stopped short just before Naruto's nose. "Don't you talk about me like I'm not even here! Just because you're supposedly in charge doesn't mean I can't kick your ass, so you'd best watch it!"
Naruto blinked, looking down cross-eyed at the finger now pointing threateningly towards his face. "I got it, yikes!"
When he determined that no further attack was forthcoming, Naruto continued. "There's another reason I picked this team, and I thought it best to tell you directly. Akemi and Takeshi already know. Here it is: I want to get rid of the seals for good."
The responses to this declaration were not quite what he'd been hoping. Tenten watched him with wary disbelief, and Neji's face was blank except for a slight ironic twist to his mouth. Lee at least looked marginally hopeful.
"I know that there's still a lot of bad blood between Sealed shinobi and the Uchiha," Naruto said. Understatement of the century, that. "But somewhere the cycle of hatred has to end. Konoha needs to be whole again, otherwise it can never be strong. I want this mission to be the first step towards proving that Sealed shinobi are every bit as dependable as the Uchiha. Can I count on your help?"
Lee and Tenten both looked to Neji to respond. When he did, it was disappointingly bland. "You can always count on us to serve the village faithfully."
Go slow, Naruto reminded himself. Konoha wasn't built in a day, and it won't be rebuilt that quickly, either. All you can do now is try to demonstrate your sincerity.
"I'm glad to hear that," he said, "and I get that you might not trust me yet. You have no reason to, and that's fine. But I can promise you this: I will never activate your seals. Never, not even if one of you tries to kill me. I'm going to treat you as if the seals didn't exist, because in my vision of Konoha, they don't."
At this point it seemed that Neji couldn't control himself any longer. His chin jutted out aggressively, and his eyes rose to meet Naruto's. "What a nice vision it must be. All of us skipping around together, hand-in-hand. Somehow I doubt that General Fugaku shares your sentiments."
"I'm sure he doesn't," Naruto replied coolly. "The older people get, the harder it is for them to change. But Konoha needs to change, and I'm going to change it. You can help me, or you can come along for the ride. But no matter what you do, you'll never be my enemy. I just want to make that clear, before we get any deeper into this mission."
There was a tense silence in which no one was really sure what to say next. But Naruto noticed something that cheered him up. While they had been talking, Hinamaru had left Takeshi's side and stealthily approached Tenten. Now the irrepressible hound was nuzzling up against Tenten's side, and the deadly kunoichi was scratching the puppy's head, seemingly without even realizing it. It wasn't exactly what he'd call a victory, but the sight made Naruto feel that perhaps hope wasn't lost.
The two teams eyed each other warily, separated by a bloody past and a sea of terrible memories. This is just the beginning, Naruto thought. They'll get along if I have to drag them every step of the way!
Rock Lee broke the silence suddenly by swatting Tenten's hand away from Hinamaru. "I want to say hello!" Hinamaru extended one paw solemnly for Rock Lee to shake, which he did with exaggerated politeness. Naruto laughed out loud, his heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks.
"His name is Hinamaru," Takeshi said, "and he likes it when you scratch his ears."
oOoOo
Later that night, Hinata waited with Jiraiya in the safe house. It wasn't really a house, more of an abandoned warehouse, with boxes of unidentifiable junk and rat traps in every corner. It seemed that Jiraiya hadn't been to Tanzaku Town in quite a while, because the whole place seemed to be coated in a film of dust an inch thick. Jiraiya had set her to work cleaning it by using a Water jutsu he'd taught her; Hinata ended up making a miniature ocean in the middle of the warehouse before she got the hang of it. At least the dust was gone, but it took a long time for Hinata to dry out the floor with repeated use of a low-level Fire jutsu.
While Hinata was wreaking havoc on the warehouse, Jiraiya told her more about Tsunade. Hinata felt pity for the woman, once she heard the full story about Nawaki and Dan. It was a harsh thing, to lose everyone you loved. But Hinata still couldn't agree with Tsunade's decision to retreat from the world. Hinata hadn't fallen apart when her family died, in part because Hanabi was counting on her. If Hinata had half of Tsunade's strength or knowledge, she wouldn't waste it in a back-alley casino with a bottle of sake.
The night wore on, and Hinata began to despair of meeting with Tsunade. Perhaps Shizune had been unable to persuade her, and even now the Slug Sannin was making tracks for another town where she could spend money she didn't have. But whenever she asked Jiraiya, he only said, "patience."
Almost an hour before midnight, Jiraiya picked up his head and looked around, suddenly alert.
"What is it?" Hinata asked. Jiraiya only smiled.
There was a crash, and the front door swung inward. Tsunade strode in, wearing what Hinata now believed must be her customary scowl. Shizune followed, giving Hinata and Jiraiya a thumbs up that Tsunade couldn't see.
"Let's get this over with," Tsunade sighed. "Tell me what you came here to tell me, so I can refuse and go on my way."
"You're smarter than that," Jiraiya shot back. "You know you're the only medical specialist alive with chakra control delicate enough to probe the seal without killing its bearer."
"Of course I know that," Tsunade huffed, "but I hoped that you would know not to insult my intelligence by asking for my help. You think I want to make an enemy of Madara? Even supposing I could do something about the seal, once he got his hands on the girl and tortured her into giving up my name, my life wouldn't be worth a single ryou. He'd come after me personally, if only to ensure that his foolproof system stays foolproof. I'd prefer not to sign my own death warrant, thank you very much."
Jiraiya sent Hinata a look that was so fiercely protective it made her feel like nothing could hurt her. "He's not going to get that chance, Tsunade. I'll make sure of that."
"You're not in a position to be making those promises, Jiraiya. Madara is beyond our knowledge – Kami, we don't even know if he's human! He's lived for over seventy years without aging, and he took down Sarutobi without blinking an eye! Fighting him is suicide, and helping his enemies is the same."
Jiraiya had a mulish look that Hinata recognized from their time on the road – it meant that he was not going to budge. "If you knew what I was going to ask already, why did you even bother coming here? It's because deep down, you know you want to help!"
Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "I came because I owe you that much. And besides, I have some advice for the girl."
Tsunade turned to Hinata, who caught her breath, surprised at being so suddenly addressed. "Listen, girl. Maybe you haven't realized it yet, but this is your chance. If you really have a spy from Kumo taking your place, then you have the chance at a new life. If you're smart, you'll take it. The Uchiha don't look twice at servants, so you could grow old on the outside, maybe start a family, and not have to worry about them activating your seal. I'll even put you in touch with one of my contacts, someone who can cover up your seal with cosmetic surgery. What do you think?"
Hinata had been growing angrier by the second as she listened to Tsunade's speech, and now she was truly livid. "What do I think? I think if you say another word, I'm going to kill you! How dare you even dream of telling me to run away? Do you know how much I've been through, how hard I've had to work to get this chance?"
Tsunade drew herself up to her full height. "Be careful, girl."
"I'm done being careful! I was careful for over half my life, from the moment my father and grandfather were cut down right in front of me. I kept my head down, and I closed my eyes to the suffering of everyone I loved. Now I have the chance to save them – my sister and grandmother, my cousins, my friends… and you would have me leave them behind? You make me sick."
Hinata drew a deep breath, propelled forward by the momentum of her fury. "What would Dan say if he could see you turning your back on the village? What would Nawaki say if he knew you had the power to change things for the better, but you didn't even try? You're a coward, and you shame the memory of the people who loved you."
Hinata stopped, feeling deflated somehow. Tsunade stood there, her whole body shaking with repressed emotion. "Are you done?" she asked in a clipped, dangerous tone.
"Yes, I'm done. I don't even know why Jiraiya brought us here. Someone like you can't possibly be strong enough to help Konoha, even if you could be bothered to. I wish you a long life together with your cowardice."
Hinata stalked toward the door, so angry that there were spots at the edge of her vision.
"Stop. Right. There." Tsunade's voice trembled with rage. "You have made a very serious mistake, girl. You've assumed that I'm the kind of person who will exercise restraint because you're a child. Unfortunately for you, you've managed to really piss me off. Outside. Now."
Tsunade disappeared with a crack, leaving Hinata to reflect that she'd just provoked a grudge match with one of the world's most powerful shinobi. Shizune came forward, looking frightened.
"I've never seen her that angry," Shizune whispered. "I'm afraid of what she's going to do. I don't think you should go out there."
"I've only seen her like this once before," Jiraiya answered, looking awed, "and believe me, staying in here would only make it worse. Hinata brought this on, and now she's got to face the music."
Jiraiya looked at Hinata and gave a weak chuckle. "It was nice knowing you."
oOoOo
The next time Fugaku and Guy went scouting and left the genin in charge of the camp, Naruto decided to have them all spar together. He paired Akemi with Tenten and Takeshi with Lee, and himself with Neji, guessing that those pairings would be the least mis-matched. "This is the best way for us to figure out each others' strengths," Naruto explained. "If we get into any trouble in Ame, we need to be able to rely on each other. That means we have to get a sense of how everybody else fights."
Naruto wasn't sure about any of the other genin, but he was looking forward to this. Neji was as cold and aloof as the first time they'd met, and Naruto hoped a proper fight would get the Hyuuga's blood pumping a bit. It was clear as day that Neji had a lot of anger locked up inside him, and Naruto wanted him to tap into that anger.
The genin divided the central clearing of their campsite into three areas, marking off rough boundaries with their kunai. Then Naruto gave the signal to begin. From the very beginning, it was clear that something was off.
Neji was skilled at taijutsu, and no mistake. But if he was fighting at the top of his ability, then Naruto would eat his shirt. Neji was staying on the defensive, but it was more than that. Neji was fighting to lose, deliberately not going all out. Naruto started leaving obvious openings, but Neji didn't take them. His blocks had perfect form, but they were slow and uninspired. This wasn't the shinobi that Naruto had expected from the way Lee and Tenten looked up to him. Each time Naruto landed a blow, Neji acknowledged the hit with a nod and kept fighting in the same lackluster way.
Naruto signaled for a halt, trying hard to hide his disgust, and looked at the other two bouts. It was the same story. Akemi was wiping the floor with Tenten, not even bothering to activate her sharingan. Naruto had seen the way Tenten had toyed with her knife earlier, but now she wasn't using edged weapons at all, only retreating before Akemi's assault and launching occasional weak counterattacks with her fists and feet.
Lee's match made Naruto even angrier, because he had already seen Lee in action. The boy with the bowl cut had floored three Uchiha cadets, one of whom was chuunin-level, in less time than it took to blink. Now he was barely keeping Takeshi at bay, and the half-blood Inuzuka clearly wasn't fighting at his full ability.
Naruto looked back at Neji, wondering what was going on. Why would they consciously hold back? Maybe to keep Uchiha from knowing the full extent of their abilities? But Naruto didn't think that was likely. No… from the defiant look on Neji's face, it seemed that this was merely a strategy meant to prove that Team Guy wasn't going to cooperate with Naruto or his goals. This refusal to fight was a sign of rebellion, but one that Naruto could hardly punish them for. Not that he would have anyway – the only kind of punishment Naruto ever wanted to dish out was a well-deserved ass-kicking, and that would only happen when his opponent was capable of fighting back.
Something had to be done about this. This pathetic excuse for sparring would stop, and stop now, or Naruto would know the reason why. Neji called out to Naruto: "Are you tired already? We can take a break, if you'd like."
Naruto smiled sweetly at his opponent. "Oh, I'm good for now. I'll let you know when I get tired." As he dropped into a ready stance, he drew on some of the Kyuubi's chakra. He felt the familiar rush as raw power flowed through his veins. This time when Naruto lunged, Neji's block was far too slow. Naruto darted in, enjoying the slight look of shock on Neji's face as he experienced a fraction of Naruto's true speed. Naruto's punch would have landed flush on Neji's jaw, but at the last second Naruto opened his hand and left a stinging slap on Neji's cheek.
The Hyuuga's pale face flushed with embarrassment at the humiliating tactic. "You were a little slow there," Naruto taunted. "Next time you might want to use those fancy eyes of yours."
Come on, you bastard, Naruto crowed triumphantly. Let's see what you've got!
But all Neji said was, "Impressive. You are far faster than I had imagined."
Naruto shook his head. So Neji wasn't quite pissed off enough yet, huh? He knew how to fix that. Naruto poured on even more speed, circling Neji and darting in for quick strikes. He evaded Neji's blocks with ease, and each time he slapped Neji in the face before retreating. With each strike Naruto thought Neji would lash out, but the Hyuuga bore it patiently. In fact, it was Naruto who was starting to lose his cool. It was getting harder and harder not to really punch the smug bastard in the face, and finally Naruto stopped his slap short and swept his right leg, sending Neji crashing to the dirt.
"Have you had enough?" Naruto demanded. "Or are you going to start trying now?"
Neji picked himself up and carefully brushed some of the dirt off his flak jacket. "You do seem to be beating me fairly easily. Perhaps I should train before we spar again."
Neji's carefully neutral tone was so infuriating that Naruto entertained a brief vision of sending him flying back into the nearest tree. But then he had a better idea.
A burst of speed brought Naruto close to Neji. He reached out and gripped the other boy's arm, causing the Hyuuga to tense. Naruto leaned in until their noses were practically touching. "Is this all you've got?" he hissed through clenched teeth. "Pathetic. Hinata was worth ten of you. No wonder the Hyuuga clan has a Main and Branch family, so that trash like you won't weaken the bloodline."
Something flashed in Neji's eyes, something dark and raw. Neji moved quicker than Naruto would have believed possible, disabling the arm keeping hold of him with one jyuuken strike and sending a follow-up jab into Naruto's stomach. There was an immediate explosion of agony from his midsection, which spread until it seemed to Naruto that all his existence was consumed by pain. He knew without doubt that at least one of his vital organs had ruptured, maybe more.
Naruto couldn't move his left arm, but his fingers still tightened convulsively, keeping Neji close. Naruto acted with the speed of much practice, retreating from the outside world to access the outer level of his mindscape. He drew deeply from the well of the Kyuubi's chakra, sending it directly to repair the damage to his organs. Just as he'd thought, his liver was ruptured and his kidneys and stomach were badly damaged. If Neji had struck closer to the heart, Naruto would have died instantly.
As it was, Naruto was able to fix the integrity of his organs and accelerate their healing, but at the cost of almost all of the Kyuubi's chakra that he could safely draw on without needing to manifest one of the Kyuubi's tails. Even as the pain began to recede, Naruto was cursing like a sailor. It'll take me months to siphon off enough power to replace what I've lost! Still, on second reflection, Naruto decided that he preferred a depleted chakra well to death.
Once Naruto finished directing the healing chakra to his organs, he left his mindscape. Only a second had passed, and Neji was still standing less than a foot away, Naruto's immobilized arm keeping him fixed in place. The Hyuuga boy looked horrified, no doubt still trying to come to terms with what he'd been goaded into doing.
Naruto swiveled to make sure that his near-death experience had gone unnoticed by his teammates. Luckily, they were still engaged in their bouts with Lee and Tenten. With the Kyuubi's chakra busily working to repair Naruto's organs, nothing remained of Neji's attack but the memory of it – well, that and the pain, which was excruciating. Neji watched Naruto, probably waiting for him to collapse and cough up blood. Well then, Naruto was about to disappoint him.
Naruto leaned in again, gritting his teeth. "Now that's more like it!" Neji's eyebrows widened slowly. "I'm tired of this crap," Naruto went on. "You lead them. Tell them to stop holding back. They won't be punished for it – you have my word."
Neji stared back at him, his white eyes wide as saucers. Finally, he stepped away, letting Naruto's arm fall back to his side. "Lee, Tenten," Neji called out.
The other two bouts came to a halt as they turned to their teammate. "No more games," Neji said quietly, yet firmly. "Show them what you've got."
Tenten hesitated, until Akemi gave a scornful snort.
"Oh, that does it!" Tenten snapped, reaching into her belt pouch with one hand. She pulled out a scroll that spread in the air and disappeared with a puff of smoke, revealing a matched set of beautiful katana. Tenten snatched them out of the air, and gestured to Akemi. "You swing that sword like a butcher. Let me teach you a thing or two."
Naruto couldn't keep the grin off his face as Akemi charged. This was what he'd hoped for! Akemi and Tenten crossed blades with a furious clanging of steel. They exchanged a flurry of blows too swift for Naruto to follow, but a second later Akemi's katana went soaring through the air. At the same time, Tenten reversed one of her blades and cracked Akemi across the jaw with the hilt.
Takeshi started forward, crying out, "Akemi!" But somehow Rock Lee appeared in his path, one hand outstretched. He bowed his head, saying politely, "I believe I am your opponent."
Takeshi emitted a growl from deep within his throat, and snarled, "Get out of my way."
Akemi picked herself up, wiping away a trickle of blood with the back of her hand. Tenten retrieved Akemi's fallen sword and tossed it across the clearing. Akemi caught it with an angry snarl. Her irises began to swirl, fading and then resolving into the two-teardrop shape of her sharingan. "So that's how you want to play it, huh? Fine – let's go another round. Takeshi, if you take one more step towards me I'll stab you myself. Focus on eyebrow guy, and let me fight my own battles."
Takeshi sighed. "As you wish." He regarded Lee with curiosity. "So what skills have you been hiding?"
In answer, Rock Lee extended his hands. A pair of concealed weights fell from his sleeves, landing with such force that the ground shook. He kicked his legs, one after another, and two ankle weights went flying toward a nearby tree. The trunk splintered from the impact, sending chunks of bark in every direction.
Takeshi grinned with anticipation, crouching a little lower and bringing his claws up in a guard position. "I think this is going to be fun."
Naruto felt a rush of exhilaration when Lee sprang into motion, becoming a green blur impossible to track with the naked eye. Rather than watch his teammates' new bouts, Naruto turned back to Neji. The Hyuuga warrior had split his attention between the practice bouts and Naruto, the set lines of his face showing a tightly restrained fury. "Are you satisfied?"
"Not quite," Naruto replied, feeling the adrenaline begin to kick in. His left arm still hung limp against his side, a victim of Neji's earlier jyuuken strike, but that was an appropriate handicap since Naruto was now going to fight with the sharingan. "I think you owe me a rematch. Don't hold back this time."
Neji assumed the jyuuken stance. "I think it's too late for that."
oOoOo
Hinata's anger was alive and well, but now the strength it had lent her was sapped by cold fear. Tsunade radiated so much killing intent that Hinata could barely stand, let alone fight. Hinata had lashed out against someone much stronger – now she would have to experience the backlash. "You'll regret talking about Dan and Nawaki," Tsunade promised grimly. "I'd say I'm going to teach you a lesson, but you have to be alive to benefit from a lesson."
Tsunade punched the paved street, and Hinata knew immediately that she was in trouble. That single punch created a shockwave that tore through the ground, obliterating everything in its path. That would have included Hinata, but at the last second she threw off the effect of Tsunade's killing intent and jumped clear of the oncoming attack.
Tsunade attacked again, sending shockwave after shockwave at Hinata and turning the street next to Jiraiya's safe house into a scene from an apocalyptic nightmare. Safely out of the way, Jiraiya turned to Shizune and whispered, "I don't think the two of you are going to be welcomed back here any time soon." Tonton oinked in seeming agreement.
Meanwhile, Hinata continued to dodge for her life. She stayed in constant motion while using her byakugan to track Tsunade's position. Now that she was fighting in earnest, Hinata found that her anger was quickly subsuming her fear. She began to work her way closer to Tsunade, determined not to let this woman keep her on the defensive.
Hinata waited for the right moment, when Tsunade lunged forward to close the distance. Hinata focused her chakra, then released it from all of her chakra points simultaneously. Combined with a furious clockwise rotation, her chakra formed a semi-solid barrier that repelled attacks in all directions. It was a high-level Hyuuga technique called Heavenly Rotation that Jiraiya had taught her while they were on the road. For someone incapable of using jyuuken style, Jiraiya was very well informed about Hyuuga clan techniques.
This time it reversed the flow of Tsunade's last attack, sending chunks of stone and pavement back at Tsunade. The Slug Sannin was forced to back up, before she came within range of Hinata's attack.
That was when Hinata stopper her rotation and charged. She closed the distance and threw herself recklessly at Tsunade. She only needed to land one blow, which would disable her opponent instantly. Unfortunately, it soon became clear Tsunade was one of the Legendary Sannin for a reason. She handled Hinata's attacks with contemptuous ease, and hit Hinata with a casual backhand slap that cracked a rib and sent her flying into a pile of rubble thirty feet away.
Hinata forced herself to her feet. The pain faded to nothing compared to her anger, but even in the grip of such strong emotion Hinata knew that it was hopeless. She couldn't hope to beat Tsunade, just as she couldn't hope to beat the Uchiha. That's what it all came down to, in the end. In a world of powerful shinobi, she was a mere blip on the periphery, a small girl who couldn't change anything.
With that realization came a kind of calm certainty, a trance-like state that Hinata embraced. She drew her kunai and walked forward, one deliberate step at a time.
"I hate the Uchiha," Hinata said calmly, locking eyes with Tsunade. "They've enslaved the entire village. They torture suspected traitors and execute them on a whim. They thrive on the suffering of others. But as much as I hate them, I think you're worse than they are. You do nothing, and have the arrogance to believe that you're not picking a side. You think you're staying out of this conflict? You might as well be wielding Madara's knife."
Hinata drew her kunai shallowly across her forehead, directly through the seal. She felt no pain whatsoever, only a tickling sensation as blood began to drip down her face. At the sight of the blood, Tsunade froze. Her hands started to tremble, a tiny motion that was still visible to Hinata's byakugan.
Hinata continued to walk forward, slowly, inexorably, her face streaked with red. "You don't get to avoid this fight. If you don't remove my seal, you kill me every bit as surely as if you stabbed me in the heart. I won't let you keep pretending that you can keep your hands clean. You either fight Madara, or you help him. There is no middle ground. So go ahead and do it – kill me yourself. Don't take the coward's way out." Hinata held out her kunai, hilt first.
Tsunade's hand spasmed, then shot forward. She grabbed the weapon, unable to look away from the crimson sheen on the blade. Then, with a sudden, spontaneous motion, Tsunade lashed out. The hilt of the kunai hit Hinata in the head. She slumped unconscious to the ground.
Tsunade stood over Hinata's motionless form, clutching the bloody kunai in a white-knuckle grip. Jiraiya approached her slowly, the Toad Sannin's steps careful and deliberate. "You didn't kill her," he said thoughtfully. "I thought you were going to, for a second there."
Tsunade made no reply. "I'm not asking you to fight with me on the front lines," Jiraiya said at last. "If it wasn't for the seal, I'd never have sought you out. You've lost enough to our way of life. But please, Tsunade – look at that girl. Look at how far she's come, how much of herself she's given. Her entire life has been taken from her, and still all she wants is for her people to be free. It's in your power to give her that chance."
Tsunade's hands spasmed again, and the bloody dagger slipped from her grip, falling point-first onto the street. She spoke with her back to Jiraiya, her voice a hollow, broken whisper. "I'm scared."
Jiraiya knew she wasn't talking about the blood. "I am, too," he whispered. "So is Hinata, but she fights through it every day. It's not only her. The children of the clan heads are alive, too. Sensei was right about the Will of Fire, Tsunade. The next generation is growing, and they will outshine us at our brightest. For them, for their sake, I won't let my fear overwhelm me."
Tsunade picked up the dagger, examining it closely. Her eyes narrowed. Jiraiya held his breath, waiting.
Tsunade wiped the blade on her shirt, and blood smeared messily onto the fabric. Then she brought the kunai to her palm, and drew it across in a shallow slice. She clenched her fist. Tsunade's face was ghastly pale, and tears flowed freely from her eyes.
"I'll remove her seal. For Dan, and for Nawaki. For sensei, who would give his life a thousand times if it meant freeing his people. For a little girl who's stronger than I ever was. But that's it, Jiraiya. That's all I can give."
Jiraiya rested his hand on her shoulder. "That's all I ask."
