Guardian
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
XxXxXxXxX
-Last chapter-
"Naruto…I think that Neji saved her…".
"From."
Tsunade sighed as she realized that Naruto had come to the same conclusion as her. There was nothing left really, but to get it out in the open.
"I think a Hyuuga tried to take advantage of her…"
XxXxXxXxX
Rest before the test
Tsunade was very glad now that she had moved Naruto into a sealed room. The feeling in the air was palpable it was so strong to her senses. Rage was all she felt, pure unbridled rage was emitting from the blond in front of her. He sat in his bed glaring holes in the wall across from him at the information he had just been given. Tsunade wasn't a person easily shaken, but the person that it was coming from was what made her afraid. Afraid of what he might do.
"Naruto calm down please."
His attention snapped to her like a bullet as he heard her remark. He looked at her with rage as his lip curled in a snarl. "What the fuck do you mean calm down?! Someone tried to rapemy Hinata-chan. You expect me to just lay back and take that?!"
"There's nothing you can do about it Naruto" Tsunade cried out.
"Bullshit. I'll get the information I need out of one of them if I have to rip it from them from-" Naruto gasped in pain as he felt his wounds stretch from him trying to stand up. He collapsed back down in his bed breathing hard and grasping at his chest.
Tsunade just let out a sigh as she walked over to bed and waved some healing chakra over his chest and pressed her fingers in to some points on his body to calm him down. "Naruto I understand how you feel, but there's nothing you can do in this condition. Not just that, but we have to have evidence on who did this. We can't just beat the shit out of every Hyuuga no matter how good of an idea that sounds."
Naruto chuckled a little from the joke as his body relaxed from the pain and he calmed down some. "Wait. What do you mean you need proof? What about Hin-"
"She won't tell me." Tsunade spoke out.
'What? Why wouldn't Hinata talk?' "I don't understand, why wouldn't Hinata talk?"
Tsunade let out another annoyed sigh as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Sometimes something like that can be so traumatizing that the victim refuses to talk about. However" At this point Tsunade looked directly in Naruto's eyes with a look that told him how serious she was being. "I am betting that she is trying to protect Neji."
Naruto frowned in thought. "Yeah that would make sense. If it was a Hyuuga then I guess he would have the power to end Neji's life right now. So the only people that can tell me anything is Hinata or Neji…and Neji is in a coma…"
"Correct."
"So what do we do Tsunade-sama?" He asked her seriously. She cocked an eyebrow as she realized that just maybe Katsu managed to teach the boy some respect.
"For now nothing I suppose." She raised her hand as Naruto looked about to protest. "You have to focus on healing and getting ready to take the test Naruto. The best thing to do now would get you to become the Guardian, and then you will have the power to truly do something about this. During this time I think you should try to bring it up with Hinata maybe you can get better results."
"Yeah…" Naruto began to lose himself in thought. How did all of this happen? In reality he just wanted to go and kill all of those Hyuuga right now, but…what good would that accomplish in the end if he ended up being arrested for it. Still though…why hadn't Hinata said anything to him yet? Was she ashamed of it? He had to figure out just what the hell happened.
"Anyway Naruto rest up and get ready for your test." Tsunade was about to walk out of the room, but before she did she turned around on a final thought. "By the way I suggest you try to keep your return a secret, after I place you in the Guardian test they will want it done as soon as possible."
"Hai"
As Tsunade opened the door to exit she ran right into the person entering. Hinata was walking back to the room after looking cleaned up. "G-gomen Hokage-sama. I checked on Neji-nii-san and everything is fine and I went home and cleaned up. I was just coming back…"
'Damn shes quick…' "That's fine Hinata he's waiting for you." Tsunade spoke with a smile before exiting as Hinata walked in she saw Naruto there deep in thought till he heard her close the door. When he looked up he gave her a smile, but she could tell it wasn't one of his true smiles.
XxXxXxXxX
-One week later Hospital-
She hated it.
Hinata had never felt so depressed in her entire life. It had been a week and Naruto was still acting that same way as he did when she first walked in after that first night. He was acting like everything was alright, but she could tell. She could always tell when something was bothering him.
She would ask him what was bothering him, if she had done anything wrong, and he would give her those fake smiles that hurt her so much inside and tell her that everything was fine or that she hadn't done anything wrong. She was starting to go to Neji's room more often than before, not to check on him, but to just let out her emotions somewhere alone.
She was starting to be convinced it was something that she had done, but she couldn't think of anything. He was happy that she had chosen him to stay with right? That she was not married to Diachi and still in the clan? Or was he mad at her for that?
She would catch him in deep thought often with a scowl on his face. She would ask curiously, but he would just blow it off and focus his attention back on her. He would sometimes have nightmares at night as he held her. She could hear him mumbling her name as he slept, but he didn't give away anything else.
Today was the day he would finally be able to go home on bed rest. He was still recovering, but he wanted to get out of the hospital so he decided to wait the rest of it out in his own apartment with Hinata. She herself was worried about him moving around, but he had been moving around the room in the hospital with some difficulty. She hoped maybe he would be more willing to talk to her about it at his place.
Currently Hinata was walking down the hallways of the hospital to Naruto room so they could walk together. When she walked up to the door she noticed the lack of a guard and was immediately concerned. Inside all she saw was Shizune inside cleaning the room and Naruto no where to be seen. Shizune smiled at her.
"Hello Hinata-chan. If you're looking for Naruto he was begging to get out of here. He said that he wants you to meet him at Ichiraku for a date."
Hinata blushed a little at the idea of a date and muttered and arigato before proceeding for the exit of the Hospital. There she hesitated for a moment looking around outside before she left and hurried down the streets. She never saw the figure in the shadows looking at her.
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-Streets of Konoha-
Hachiro Hyuuga couldn't believe how lucky he had gotten. He was Diachi's direct cousin and right hand man in the group of Hyuuga main house kids that were grouped together. Diachi had told them all about that little bitch Hinata that screwed up his becoming head of the clan. None of their friends ever liked her much. She was just always so timid and weak looking, nothing like how a Hyuuga should act.
After she refused Diachi though they made a pact in the group. Make her life a living hell and they had been doing just that, starting up small instigations against her with the drunks, spreading rumors of her and the fox, and even using the curse seal on her in public. A few months ago Diachi said that he had done something enough to her that he doubted they would be seeing her face in public ever again. He didn't elaborate, but it didn't really matter to them. She was dealt with.
Now though here she was again out in the public view. People were giving her some dirty sneers and some looked sympathetic for the girl. This was a perfect chance for him to exact some more pay back for what she did. She was rushing hurriedly through the streets and looking around with an almost fearful look in her eyes in the middle of a large plaza. This was his chance to shine in his cousins eyes.
He brought his hands up and started to form the seal for the curse with it. When he was about to pump the chakra necessary for it to activate he felt something unexpected. His eyes widened as he saw the hand wrapped tightly around his.
Glancing to his left he saw that there was a man standing next to him wearing a large tan cloak with a hood covering his whole face in shadows. How did he sneak up on him? Why couldn't he even sense him? How dare he touch a member of the main branch?
"Let me g-"
Hachiro never got any further as he had to muffle a small scream as the fist around his fingers tightened instantly snapping the index and middle finger. The man still held his grip tight as he pulled him closer. He could now see cerulean colored eyes looking at him with fury.
"Now you listen to me you little shit. I want you to let every one of your little main house buddies that like to torture Hinata know that I am coming for you. And when I find the one that touched her, I guarantee he will wish he was dead. Oh and if I ever see you try this stunt again I will do more than break your fingers."
Naruto released his hand and walked calmly out of the shadowy alley they had just been inside his mission accomplished. The easiest way for him to see what Hinata had dealt with in the past few months was to try and see it for himself. Obviously he was right about the Hyuuga took the actions she made against them in the council meeting.
Naruto just glided through the crowd like a ghost, never even being noticed as he walked along towards Ichiraku. Outside of it he noticed a rather distraught looking Hinata standing outside of the small restaurant looking around for him. He called out to her as he neared her.
"Hey Hinata-chan! Sorry I guess I'm not as fast as I thought I would be." She just looked at him worriedly and muttered an "It's alright" before they stepped in for their meal.
XxXxXxXxX
-Hokage Council Chamber 1 week later-
Hiashi had been not been having a good week so far. Hanabi barely acknowledged him this morning at breakfast, the work they had been stacking on top of him this week had been tremendous and to top it all off there had been a few reports earlier in the week of main branch members having their fingers broken in half by a mysterious guy in a cloak with cerulean eyes.
"Naruto…" he thought.
Now here he was in the council chambers as the rest of the elders and clan leaders mingled with each other as he waited in his seat. Most seemed to have a cheerful mood about them, he could only guess that Tsunade had done her job well in keeping Naruto's return a secret. Hiashi noticed however that all of the shinobi clan leaders seemed to expect what was going to be announced.
'Children must have told them' he thought 'I wonder how the civilian families will take this though'
The doors to the room burst open as three figures made their way inside. Tsunade walked to her seat in the center with Jiraiya to her right and Shizune to her left. Immediately the room fell silent as they saw just how serious the look in her eyes was. Each member took their respected seat around the room.
"We are here to discuss a grave matter councilman." Tsunade took a deep breath and let it out before beginning "The fifth Guardian of Konoha Katsu Arai has fallen in battle." There were startled gasps around the room as people looked at the Hokage shocked. Chat broke out quickly among the clans that didn't have sons or daughters that knew Naruto at a personal level. As soon as Tsunade raised her hand though they all quieted down.
"He fell fighting the Akatsuki outside a number of miles from here on the same night that we all felt the Kyuubi's chakra return." The murmuring amongst everyone reached new heights as the group were discussing just what they were here to do. A man at the end of one of the tables raised his hand.
"Yes Kumade-san?"
The man in question stood up and looked directly at the Hokage. "Does this mean that the Uzumaki boy was captured by Akatsuki and the Kyuubi released?"
Deciding against all rational thought Tsunade decided that the best approach to this would be to just say it bluntly. "Yes the Kyuubi was released-"
"We must prepare for his return!" Yelled an elderly civilian man down one side of the table. Immediately he was met with shouts of agreement and people calling for preparation for evacuation.
"SHUT UP!"
Tsunade's yell immediately quieted down the loud group. Tsunade was standing up from her chair with a vein throbbing on her temple from being interrupted. Everyone sat down back in their seats in fear.
"I never said Katsu fell to Akatsuki. Katsu died using the same seal that the Fourth used on Kyuubi. The Kyuubi is gone gentlemen…for good."
The group sat completely still for a while with smiles slowly growing on their face. Then it all exploded as one cheered out and the rest started to follow till plans for a celebration were starting to be made.
Hiashi just sat there thinking. He already knew everything that was going to be said in this meeting, so his mind was wandering elsewhere. Back to his daughter and Naruto mostly. He had heard about some of the attacks on Hinata after she had been banished, but there was just nothing he could do about it without some solid proof. Something that just wasn't in supply. What he needed was a way to deal some sort of punishment.
"YOU SAID HE WAS DEAD!"
Hiashi was brought back into the fight by the man sitting next to him practically yelling in his ear. Focusing back on the situation at hand he saw the anger in most of the councilmen's eyes.
"You said the Kyuubi was dead!"
SLAM
Tsunade's fist connected with the desk in front of her chair, splitting the large table in half, a furious scowl written across her face as she walked into the center of the room.
"How many times must I tell you idiots that Naruto is not Kyuubi!" She spoke quietly to the group, but there was enough ice in her voice to chill everyone down to the bone, even those on Naruto's side. "Katsu ripped out the weakened Kyuubi's soul and forever put it into the Death God stomach."
"How do we know that's true! And why would the Shiki Fuujin work this time and not for the Fourth!" Yells of agreement were thrown out as the questioned Tsunade.
"The Kyuubi was weakened from being inside of Naruto. When Katsu used the seal the Kyuubi was weak enough for the Death God to take him. There is no seal present on Naruto anymore."
Much of the group was quiet after hearing the story, but it was very apparent that most of them still had their doubts about the whole thing. It was easy for a person like Hiashi to read that many of them still believed Naruto was still a part of the Kyuubi.
Hiashi just sighed as he went back to his thinking as the groups started arguing back and forth. Many arguing that he might still have some of the Kyuubi inside of him, others that Naruto was not experienced enough to be Guardian, or that he wasn't strong enough to even be considered. Every single argument was being constantly shot down and countered by Tsunade and Jiraiya. Until a single statement caught his ear.
"Katsu may have chosen him, but we still have to find an adequate test for the boy."
Inspiration struck Hiashi as he finally had his idea on how to get a little pay back.
XxXxXxXxX
-Naruto's Apartment-
He was sitting on the corner of the roof to his apartment. It wasn't anywhere near as comfortable or calming as his normal thinking spot atop the Hokage monument, but he wasn't too sure he could manage much better without too much risk. His cloak covering his whole body, lest someone walking by notice him and report it to the community. He didn't really mind though, he just wanted to think some.
Things had been somewhat traumatic for him lately. Things between him and Hinata weren't going to well and he could tell. He also knew it was his fault, but he just didn't know how to approach the subject. What was he supposed to do? Walk up to her and say "Hey so Tsunade told me you almost got raped while I was gone."
No things were just complicated with that. He kept pushing her away and telling her things were fine, but he could tell she didn't believe it. He may have been good at fooling everyone about his emotions, but Hinata was the one person that could always read him like a book. A fact he was grateful for on some levels. He was going to have to do something though, or things would just get worse between them.
He had followed her several times now out of the house when she had left for work. He was grateful to see that it wasn't as bad as what he had to deal with as a child, but it was still traumatizing for him to see it. People glaring and muttering curses under their breath at her. He could barely stand it. A couple of the times he had seen some Hyuuga and broken about six more fingers till it looked like they finally got the hint. Now all the ones he saw looked around almost fearful of doing anything around Hinata. It hurt him to see her treated that way.
"Where there is love there is pain."
Naruto didn't even turn around to the voice. "Hai Kakashi-sensei I suppose that is true. You make that up?"
"No. Just a proverb I heard a long time ago." The man in question walked over to the same ledge Naruto was sitting on and sat down right next to him to watch the sunset on the monument. The two just sat in a comfortable silence for a while.
"I'm not sure what to do…" Naruto spoke sullenly.
Kakashi just sighed as he scratched his head some. "I don't really know Naruto." Naruto just sweat dropped some at the response as Kakashi started to stand up. "I came here to tell you that your test will be in a week at the stadium. They wouldn't allow it to be done in private, so expect the whole village to be there."
"Great just what I needed right now."
He felt pressure on his shoulder as Kakashi put a comforting hand there. "Just go with what your instinct tells you to do, but never bottle it up." Before Naruto could respond Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Naruto stayed up there just a few more minutes before he decided he should go back inside. He was about to walk back inside before a thought struck him. 'I am going to have to fight in a week, I should probably train some.' With that thought he decided he would just do some chakra control by walking down the wall straight to his bedroom. What he saw through the window surprised him.
Hinata was sitting against the wall on the bed with her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She was crying into them. His heart broke at that sight and knowledge that he was causing this. Silently he crawled inside and walked over to the bed. He sat down on it slowly and she noticed the pressure change on the matress.
She gasped quickly as her head shot up. She looked at Naruto with wide puffy eyes before she started to try and mumble a quick apology and attempted to get up from the bed. She was surprised when she felt two strong arms wrap against her and pull her back against his chest.
"I'm sorry Hina-chan. Please don't leave." He whispered into her ear from behind. She turned around in his grip and wrapped her arms around him as she buried her head into his chest. He lead her back to the bed and sat them down on it.
"Please…please tell me what I did." She sobbed as she looked up into his eyes. "What did I do to make you mad at me?" Naruto tried his best to keep his composure and not say what it was, this wasn't exactly how he wanted to bring up the situation, but he just couldn't. He held her tightly against him as he spoke.
"Why haven't you told me what happened to Neji yet?"
He felt her body stiffen under him and her gasp. Her breathing became ragged as she thought about what to say. He just kept trying to soothe her as he stroked her hair gently. "Tsunade told me what happened, but she told me you wouldn't tell her about the incident. I don't hate you for it just please tell me."
"I c-cant." He heard her sob into his shirt.
"Please tell me. It's ok" She just kept mumbling "I can't" over and over again to him.
"Is it because he will hurt Neji if you do? Or because you think I will go do something right now?" He asked her calmly.
"Both…" He heard her speak just barely above a whisper. His heart was out to her. He couldn't help but feel a little angry that she wouldn't tell him, but he knew that he would just go running off if she did tell him. Still he just had to find out.
"Hinata will you promise to tell me if I become Guardian?"
Hinata was quiet for a few minutes as she thought over the proposal. Sure he would have the power to do something about what happened, but that didn't mean that he could stop them from hurting Neji.
"Fine, but you have to promise me something before I tell you." She spoke as she looked him in the eyes.
"Deal."
Naruto smiled down to her and she smiled back with her eyes still puffy. Even like that she still looked beautiful to him. He slowly leaned down and kissed her with as much passion as he could muster at the moment. They kissed for a few moments before she broke it off with a content sigh before she rested her head on his chest and fell asleep blissfully.
XxXxXxXxX
-One week later-
Naruto looked on at the new array of photos that he had just finished putting on his dresser. Yesterday was the day he finally went to Katsu's house after being reminded by Hinata. He berated himself some for forgetting, but in the end he was sure he would have remembered. He hoped.
Katsu's apartment was nothing glamorous. Naruto could only assume because he felt that he never needed anything all by himself. It was a small one bedroom and bath apartment. Everything was very plain and in neat order except for a small desk with a number of scrolls and seals on it. However there were three things there that Naruto was beginning to treasure.
Next to Katsu's bed on a small stand were three pictures. The first picture looked to be taken when the Katsu had just graduated from the academy with Arashi. It was a picture of Katsu and Arashi both showing off their brand new forehead protectors. Naruto smiled a little as he saw how the two acted together.
The second photo was different it had three people in it. Katsu was standing on the far left. He looked to be a couple years older and currently wearing a chunnin jacket. In the middle stood his father also wearing a chunnin jacket. On the right was what attracted his attention to this photo though. On the right was a small girl standing close to his father. She had long light brown hair that reached down to the small of her back. Her eyes were a light shade of sea foam green and her cheeks were stained red from embarrassment apparently. It was his mother.
The third photo was an older one, likely taken a short time before the Kyuubi ever came. Katsu stood there with a bright smile on his face as stood there. Next to him was Arashi with his arm wrapped around the waist of a very pregnant Hitomi. She stood leaning on Arashi with a smile on her face as one of her hands rested on her belly.
Naruto was happy he found the pictures. When he went all he was really expecting was to grab whatever it was that Katsu had prepared for him. He had come out with three pictures of his father and the chest that Katsu had prepared for him. The chest was a finely engraved wood that had a golden lock on it.
"Naruto-kun we need to get going." Naruto heard Hinata call from down the hall.
Naruto set the chest on his bed as he prepared to leave. Today was finally the day he could take off most of the bandages from his body. He would still need some on his torso, but he was tired of the ones wrapped around his face. Slowly he took them off as he heard Hinata coming down the hall.
"Narut-" Crash
XxXxXxXxX
-Konoha Stadium-
Naruto stood in the one of the shadowed the hallway that lead into the stadium. The stadium was obviously full from the noise he could hear. His body was tense with anticipation and still stiff from the disuse in the past few weeks, but he could get over that quickly. He winced a little as he leaned too far to the right and stretched a cut near his ribs, but he would be fine.
All he was focused on was two things. This test and exactly what everyone is going to think the moment he comes out of this hallway. He always loved to get attention, and he was sure as hell this would get some.
"Ladies and gentlemen I present to you our Godaime Hokage and the people the testers to the challenger!" echoed down the hallway as an announcer roared into his microphone. Naruto watched as several people made their way onto the field walking behind a regal looking Tsunade. His eyes only focused on one though as a feral grin stretched across his face.
"Hyuuga Diachi…"
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And there you go. We are about to start the test that can set the future for Naruto. Sorry for the wait and I appreciate and suggestions.
Concerning my other story. The demon Shinobi of Konoha….all I can say is….wow…. The reactions to that were beyond my wildest expectations. I am so excited about writing that now its unbelievable. Heres and example of the reaction the story got.
Guardian Chapters: 28 reviews: 425 views: 116438 c2's : 25 fav's : 197
Kitsune Memories Chapters: 7 reviews: 222 views: 31822 c2's: 29 favs: 144
The Demon Shinobi: Chapters 1 Reviews: 96 views: 4702 c2's: 46 favs: 76
So yeah I was really surprised to get that big of a reaction with just a prologue. And while I want to answer all the questions I got here, it seems somewhat inappropriate to do so. So I will answer some questions in that story with the next chapter. Anyway peace!
