(Well, this is Chapter 36. I sent this to my beta over a month ago but some things have happened and he's been really busy, so I looked this over and did the work myself. The good news I have Chapter 37 already written, and I figured I'd post this to give the readers something new, since I normally update this story once a month.)
Chapter 36 Death of a Snake
Flashback
I lie next to Naruto, the two of us having just made love. We're both covered by the blankets of his bed, and as I lie there I can't help but feel loved.
"Hina-hime, can I ask you something?" Naruto asks with nervous quiver in his voice.
"Go ahead Naruto."
Having been around Jiraiya for 4 years I've learned a lot about the kinkier side of love making. While there are some things I absolutely will not do, there are others that if he wants to try them I'll experiment, but I'm not going to bring it up. I'm happy as long as he is, and I try to put that feeling into it when the two of us make love. The fact that it feels so good with him is an absolute bonus…
"Um, I heard from Sakura-san that the first time a woman is with a man it's supposed to hurt even bleed a little." He says with a flush of embarrassment.
"And…?" I ask curiously, knowing what he's getting at but wanting him to vocalize it.
"Did…Did Jiraiya ever put his hands on you!?" Naruto blurts out, equal parts fear and anger in his voice.
He thinks that Jiraiya had sex with me while I was gone?
"Naruto…no, he didn't." I explain, shaking my head.
"Then…were you…r…raped?" He asks in a low whisper.
"No Naruto, I was a virgin when I came to your bed."
"But…" He stammers, and I smile at him.
"I said I was virgin, I'd never had sex before, but that doesn't mean that I necessarily had to have my hymen in tact."
"W-what happened to it?" He asks, still blushing.
"Tsunade-sensei broke it for me with a chakra scalpel. I didn't want you thinking that you were hurting me our first time, and I wanted it to feel good when I did it with you."
"Oh…"
"Did it bother you that much that it didn't hurt me the first time we made love?"
"No…" He answers, his tone telling me that it did indeed bother him. "I just thought that…"
"That Jiraiya had his way with me?"
"Yeah, I mean he's a big pervert, and you seem to know what you're doing…"
I shake my head slowly.
"Jiraiya-sensei tried to 'teach' me like that once, and Tsunade-sensei beat the crap out of him for it. Afterward she gave me some books to read and broke my hymen at my request. If I knew it was going to bother you I wouldn't have done it."
"No! It doesn't bother me! I'm actually kinda happy you enjoy it too, I just couldn't stand the thought of that old geezer having his way with you under a pretense like training you for me."
"It's okay Naru-kun." I say with a smile. "I've never done this with anyone else, I promise."
He smiles, kissing me lovingly.
"Thank you Hina-hime."
"I love you Naru-kun."
"I love you too Hina-hime."
Present
"Hinata…?" Naruto's whispered voice pulls me from the memory, and I blink the memory away, refocusing on the present.
I quickly realize that I'm in the waiting area around the Hokage summit, listening to the five Kage deliberate creating a unified shinobi government.
"Is something wrong Hinata?" He mutters, and I quickly shake my head.
"No, I was just remembering something."
He nods in acceptance, looking into the chamber. The silence that has fallen over the five Kage and their moderator palpable.
"He's already given up any claim to leadership, what could you possibly have to ask him?" The Mizukage irately demands.
The Moderator, Mifune, looks at the woman with a mix of annoyance and disgust in his gaze.
"The appointment of leader is mine to make." He says matter of factly. "That means my questions are important, as are your acts of impatience attempting to rush me through this important decision."
Minato nods acquiescence, giving his permission to Mifune to ask his question.
"What you said earlier, about not desiring the position of leader and the reasons why, were you being truthful?"
Minato nods solemnly, his eyes gaining a far seeing expression.
"To be honest I never even wanted the position of Hokage." Minato says coolly. "I only took the position because Sarutobi asked me. I never even considered the position an option before that. I only want to rid the world of Akatsuki and create peace between the five nations."
"Oh? What if there can be no peace between you without an outside threat for you all to focus on?" Mifune asks curiously.
Minato shakes his head slowly.
"I truly and honestly believe that we can work past our differences and forge a lasting peace." Minato responds with a sincere voice.
Mifune looks at him a moment, taking in this new information along with everything that's happened. Mifune's eyes pan around the table, slowly analyzing each of the five Kage sitting at the table. After a moment he steeples his hands, his elbows on the table he closes his eyes, sighing as he relaxes into the chair, as though the enormity of his decision was weighing on him, and now that he's made a decision the weight is no longer present.
"I've made my decision." He says with his eyes closed, his hands steepled in front of his face.
"Well, what is it?" The Raikage asks in impatience, his fist smacking the table, the impact resonating in the chamber.
Looking at the five of them, I can only assume that Mifune will choose the Tsuchikage to be their leader. The Raikage has had two incidents where he's shown that he has a short temper. Mifune obviously doesn't like the female Mizukage, thinking that's she's impatient for speaking up and he probably just doesn't like women in general. Gaara is my age, so Mifune probably thinks he's far too young to lead an alliance of five nations. Minato would be perfect, however he's already given up his claim to lead the alliance, so that only leaves the elderly Tsuchikage…
"I choose Minato Namikaze, Hokage of Konoha as the most suitable leader."
The reaction is immediate. Almost in unison both the Mizukage and the Raikage stand up, both of their faces contorting in outrage.
"How could you choose the Hokage?" The Raikage demands in anger. "Are you stupid?!"
Minato sighs, sinking in the chair while Gaara merely nods approvingly, his face otherwise set in a calm mask, his fingers interlaced in front of his face, concealing part of his expression. The Tsuchikage is the only one who doesn't outwardly respond, his face apparently somehow chiseled from stone with his arms crossed over his chest. Mifune separates his hands, holding them up and asking for calm.
"Please calm down and take your seats." He says in a stern voice.
Both the Mizukage and the Raikage sit down, both of their expressions still very much outraged at Mifune's choice.
"The Hokage withdrew his bid for the position. How could he be the one you choose!?" The Raikage demands from Mifune, clearly unhappy with the decision.
"In my country there is a proverb: 'Only those who do not desire leadership are suited for it.'"
The Mizukage scowls in disgust.
"What is that garbage supposed to mean?" The Mizukage demands.
Mifune shoots the woman a look of disgust.
"It means that those who desire leadership have their own goals in mind when they pursue the position. Only those who understand how much work and responsibility it is not just to their peers but to the people they lead are willing to do what is morally correct and best for the whole." Mifune finishes explaining.
Wow…that's deep…
Minato sits up in his chair, his face becoming a carefully neutral mask as Mifune continues speaking.
"Of you five…" Mifune begins. "Only three of you have not had emotional outbursts ill suited for a leader." He continues. "Those three are the Kage's of Tsuchi, Kaze, and Ho, and those three likely see the logic in my choice."
Both the Mizukage and the Raikage look around at their peers, seeing the other three Kage all calm and understanding, not a flicker of anger or outrage in their eyes.
"If either of you two were in my position…" Mifune begins, speaking to the Raikage and the Mizukage. "And you were to choose a leader, would you choose someone who has shown you that they can't control their emotions, or would you choose someone who knows his limitations and exhibits wisdom?"
After that the Mizukage and the Raikage are silent, contemplating the logic behind Mifune's words. It's then that the door to the room opens, and a samurai in full armor strides into the room. He walks straight to Mifune, leaning down he begins to speak, and with chakra in my ears I strain to listen.
"…Orochimaru…" I hear the samurai whisper.
Orochimaru?
I turn to Naruto, leaning in close I make sure to keep my voice low.
"I think Orochimaru is here." I whisper to Naruto, who blinks in surprise a moment, and then nods his understanding.
BOOM!
The building shakes, and my hands flash to the wall to brace myself as Naruto and the other bodyguard shinobi all brace themselves for a moment as the building's movement stops. The Kage all grip the table as the building shifts, and the samurai manages to keep on his feet in spite of the weight of the armor. Once the building has settled, Mifune stands up, looking at each of the five Kage in turn.
"The rogue Orochimaru is here." Mifune explains for them all.
The five Kage all blink in surprise, the name Orochimaru so well known among the shinobi world. Minato is the first to stand, resolution coming to his face.
"I'll handle this. Naruto, Hinata!" He calls to both of us.
Both Naruto and I move without thinking, and in a moment we're at his side. At this the eight other bodyguards appear near their Kage, a myriad mix of shinobi standing up to protect their respective Kage. The Raikage looks at me and blinks in outrage, his temper flaring as his eyes burn with anger.
"You dare bring your Jinchuriki here!?" He demands in outrage.
"Hinata has the Rinnegan." Minato says matter of factly, and I clench my fists in surprise. "She isn't just a Jinchuriki anymore."
The four Kage look surprised, the bodyguards looking to their comrades curiously. Even the young Gaara, as the Kazekage is aware of the legends of the Sage of Six Paths and his legendary dojutsu.
"We're going." Minato says matter of factly.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Both Naruto and I agree in unison.
On the bottom level of the tower, in the lobby samurai have massed to repel the attackers. There are fifty samurai in the room, all of them wearing full armor with weapons drawn. There are six attackers in the room, and I recognize all six of them. Four of them hardly look human, and I recognize the four shinobi from the day Orochimaru attacked Konoha, the same four shinobi who created the barrier that imprisoned Minato and the Third Hokage along with Orochimaru as they did battle. However I only recognize those four because their hair colors and the fact that one of them has six arms. Other than that, none of them look completely human anymore. Their skin has all taken on a teal like tint, and I can see the chakra flowing in their systems. They all have unnatural looking chakra networks that look to be too bright and bristling with chakra. The woman has horns sticking out of her head, while one of them has two heads right next to each other on a single body. The third has six arms with a third eye open on his forehead. The fourth one is large and bulky, his hair down to his shoulders. These four shinobi tear through the samurai, making it look like child's play as they bash and cut through the samurai, the samurai's swords striking their flesh but not piercing their chakra enhanced skin. Standing back near the door, both Orochimaru and Kabuto stand with their arms crossed, watching the carnage with smiles on their faces. Most of the fifty samurai are dead, and those that are left are wounded, unable to stand as blood seeps from their bodies.
Suddenly tagged kunai fly from above, a wave of the knives coming down and stabbing into the floor around the four shinobi. The six of them look up, the massacre coming to a halt with the sudden arrival of the kunai. They all register surprise for a split second as they take in Naruto in his flash mode and me in Sage mode, the two of us standing with our feet attached to the ceiling. We stand with our arms hanging above our heads, each of us having thrown the kunai to allow the Yellow Flash to do his work. As if on cue, a yellow blur appears out of nowhere, a line of light appearing through both of the heads of the two headed man. I blink and see Minato standing there, a kunai in hand, the blade dripping red with the blood of the two headed man as the top halves of their skulls separate, sliding off and landing with barely audible thud, and Minato is already gone. The five remaining sets of eyes look to try and locate him, and the six armed man is next. Out of nowhere his body is sliced into cutlets, his six arms falling to the ground along with head, which is now in over eight pieces. The largest of them all raises his arms, getting ready to do something when Naruto disappears in a blur, four flash mode shadow clones appearing around the large man and kicking him into the air. Then a fifth Naruto appears from above, his heel driving into the fat man's skull with a sickening squish.
"Naruto Uzumaki Barrage!" Naruto yells out, the strange fat shinobi's body going limp.
The fat shinobi lands face first, his skull caved in the shape of Naruto's heel. The last remaining shinobi, a kunoichi holds a flute. She raises her hands as if to use it, and she looks down only to see two stubs where her hands should be. Minato appears in a flash, holding what looks like a flute with two human hands still attached. Minato grins, a smile as he holds up the flute with her hands still attached, as if to say 'look what I got.'
"RAAAAAAH!" She roars in rage, her scream cut short as her head suddenly falls from her shoulders, hitting the ground with a thud.
It's then that the Minato holding the flute and hands disappears in a puff of smoke, the entire fight from the second the kunai land to the last of the four shinobi dead is only a matter of seconds. Orochimaru watches as his subordinates fall one by one. After the four of them are dead Naruto and I both drop and land near Minato, facing Orochimaru as the Snake Sannin laughs heartily.
"HAHAHAHA! As to be expected of the Hokage and his brat!" Orochimaru throws his head back and laughs with Kabuto at his side.
Glancing to Minato I see that his chakra network is at roughly 75% of its normal capacity. It's no wonder that he's expended a significant amount of chakra. Using not only the Flying Thunder God but the Shadow Clone Jutsu, both being chakra intensive jutsu, any non-Jinchuriki shinobi would have to expend a fraction of their chakra to fight like that. As we stand there the now dead bodies begin to change. Their skin reverts to more human color, and the horns and other oddities about them disappear as they slowly become human looking again.
Standing next to Minato his face is set in an expression of anger, his eyes burning with rage at the sight of the Sannin in front of him.
"Hinata…is that really Orochimaru?" He asks in a low whisper.
With the Rinnegan I can see that the man standing near the door isn't an imposter. His chakra supply is massive, and his system is almost inhuman.
"It is him." I confirm for my Hokage.
Minato turns his attention to Orochimaru, the anger never once faltering in his eyes.
"I watched you die." Minato growls.
Orochimaru laughs again.
"Ku-ku-ku, from what I'm told you actually killed me."
"Then how are you alive? No normal human could've survived having their head cut in half." Minato responds.
Orochimaru's grin only seems to get wider.
"It's all thanks to Kabuto here…" Orochimaru grins. "If not for him I wouldn't be standing here right now."
Minato's muscles tense, and Orochimaru doesn't waste time. He slams his right palm on the ground, and I quickly bite my thumb, drawing blood as my hands come together, forming the sequence like its second nature.
"SUMMONING JUTSU!" Both Orochimaru and I yell out at the same time.
The building explodes as both Orochimaru and I use our respective summoning techniques. A giant smoke cloud fills the area, knocking over the tower and possibly killing the other four Kage and their bodyguards. Standing atop Gamabunta, Naruto and Minato stand next to me. Looking out in front of me where Orochimaru and Kabuto once stood the smoke begins to clear, and I see a giant purple and black snake with both Kabuto and Orochimaru standing atop it.
For a few moments everything is silent as the smoke from the summons clears, and I nervously look around to see the four Kage along with their bodyguards and Mifune and some of his samurai on the ground outside the tower. None of them look particulary happy, and I push the thought aside, focusing on Orochimaru and his right hand.
"It's been a long time, Fourth Hokage…" Gamabunta speaks in greeting to Minato.
Minato nods a greeting, a slight smile coming to his face.
"Hinata is the one who summoned you today Gamabunta, not me." Minato clarifies.
"I know that." Gamabunta says matter of factly before he looks across the relatively small open space to the giant snake. "I haven't seen that face in a while…"
"Today is the last day you see it." Minato predicts matter of factly. "You both ready?" He asks Naruto and me.
"I'm ready." Naruto says, still in flash mode.
"As am I." I answer, the natural energy of the Sage Mode filling me.
"Orochimaru! What are you doing summoning me?!" The snake demands angrily.
"I apologize Manda-sama." Kabuto says, naming the giant snake. "I promise you'll get your sacrifices just as soon as the battle is over."
"I better! You know I want 100 human sacrifices for my services!"
"You'll get them." Orochimaru says angrily.
"I better!" Manda repeats himself, glaring toward Gamabunta.
Gamabunta reaches back, grasping the hilt of his knife as he slowly draws the blade.
"It's about time I made myself a snake skin wallet." Gamabunta grins.
"I'll handle Orochimaru, you two handle Kabuto." Minato orders.
"Do you think that's wise Minato-sama?" I ask in a whisper.
"Don't worry. I'm not the Hokage for nothing." Minato says with a grin.
Minato leaps from Gamabunta's head, heading straight for Orochimaru as the two summons lunge at one another. Naruto and I both leap from the head of the toad, aiming for Kabuto as Manda lunges for Gamabunta, the snake aiming for Gamabunta's head as Gamabunta raises the blade and plants it directly in Manda's mouth.
"Accursed toad!" Manda growls around the sword.
Kabuto leaps toward us, specifically for Naruto. Kabuto's hands glow with chakra as Naruto and he meet mid air. Their momentum causes the two of them to spin in the air as they grab hold of one another. Kabuto attacks, throwing hard punches with his right hand while holding onto Naruto with his left. Naruto shunts his blows away using his free left hand. Naruto's hand moving in a blur of motion as he deflects Kabuto's punches making the silver haired Sound ninja looking like a genin as he totally outclasses Kabuto in the short exchange.
As the two of them fight, I quickly make a shadow clone to kill my forward momentum and head down to the ground, away from the conflict. Landing on the ground as I watch as both Kabuto and Naruto continue their melee. At the same time Manda releases Gamabunta's blade and then snaps at the toad elder's head. Gamabunta narrowly avoiding the snap as Manda lunges through the attack, kicking up a light breeze and ground as the snake lands behind Gamabunta, knocking down trees and portions of the landscape surrounding the tower.
"Die!" Kabuto growls, throwing a punch and connecting squarely with Naruto's chest, and Naruto's foot shoots out, impacting Kabuto's chest and sending him flying toward the ground.
Kabuto lands on his hands and knees. Looking up as Naruto begins to fall. My hands come together, forming the sequence of hand signs in a blur. All around Kabuto the ground turns black as an impromptu swamp forms around Kabuto, the swamp pulling Kabuto down. His head spins around, finding me standing there with my hands together in the last sign in the sequence, controlling the jutsu as it pulls at his body. Kabuto grins as Naruto lands on the ground, the two summons clashing again with a roar. Suddenly Kabuto plunges into the swamp, going with the pull of the jutsu rather than fighting it.
What the?
With the Sage mode I can feel his chakra moving through the ground like a launched kunai. I jump back as his hand emerges from the ground, grasping me by toes, taking hold I feel a stabbing pain in my feet. Kabuto's body readily follows his arm, emerging from the ground, and I can't help but grin as my foot impacts his face, freeing his grip from my foot. Pushing off of Kabuto's face I land on my one good foot, using both hands to keep from planting my foot on the ground. I can feel the sage chakra begin to reverse the damage caused by Kabuto. The Sage Mode's accelerated healing one of the many benefits of the Sage form. Kabuto lands on his hands and feet, a grin coming to his face.
"You're good." He says, his expression never once faltering.
"Don't get cocky!" Naruto says from behind him.
There are fifteen simultaneous pops as fifteen shadow clones emerge around Kabuto. The clones are all in flash mode, and as one they descend on Kabuto, hands flying toward Kabuto in a barrage. The clones keep hitting him again and again, and I watch for nearly thirty seconds as the clones deliver a beating. As one the fifteen shadow clones disappear and the real Naruto walks up to the now prone Kabuto, picking Kabuto up by the collar and glaring at the silver haired shinobi.
"You're despicable for helping Orochimaru." Naruto spits.
Kabuto manages a grin.
"One down…" He smiles.
Naruto opens his mouth to say something when Kabuto's right hand lances out, striking Naruto directly in his chest, his hand glowing with a powerful chakra scalpel. Naruto releases Kabuto, stumbling backward he clutches at his chest, coughing. Kabuto lands on his feet, looking at Naruto it's obvious he thinks he's won, and in a moment I'm behind him, my hands clasped directly over his ears.
"Survive this." I growl, and twist his head like a grape on a vine.
His neck snaps, and I watch as his body goes limp, the life leaving his eyes. I drop him immediately, rushing to Naruto I see that he's on his back, his Flash Mode flickering off as I kneel down, looking him over.
"You'll be all right…" I assure him, my hands coming together to perform a standard medical analysis jutsu. I quickly check his pulse and his vitals, finding them both strong.
"The flash mode saved me." He says in a winded voice. "It kept him from reaching my heart, though I think he nicked my lungs."
Using the analysis jutsu I can see that his lungs aren't that badly damaged. Using a healing jutsu I begin to mend the damage done to him by Kabuto.
"My chakra is low." Naruto says, shaking his head. "You'll have to be the one to help dad. I don't think I've got much left."
"I don't want to leave you."
"I'll be fine." He insists.
I open my mouth to argue, but seeing the resolution in his eyes I know that there's no changing his mind. Nodding solemnly I stand up, looking away from Naruto toward Minato and Orochimaru. I see the two of them standing ten feet apart from one another, Minato breathing lightly while Orochimaru doesn't even look winded.
"You're not as young as you used to be, Minato…and thanks to my new body I'm as strong as I've ever been."
Minato clasps his hands together, forming a simple hand sign.
"I'm the Hokage of Konoha. I won't lose to a monster like you."
Orochimaru grin's confidently, and then Minato's body begins to crackle with electricity. Standing there I watch as lightning element chakra jumps across Minato's skin. Minato extends his hand, chakra beginning to swirl as the electricity swirls in his hand. In a second clouds form in the sky overhead and I look up to see lightning flash from cloud to cloud.
No way… He's manipulating the local weather? Could he have made a jutsu strong enough to actually do that?
Watching the technique form it looks a lot like the Rasengan, but imbued with powerful lightning chakra. I watch as a bolt of lightning flashes down, impacting the sphere forming in Minato's hand. With the bolt of lightning a storm of electricity flashes from the sphere, ten foot long bolts of lightning swirling out from the sphere. Somehow the lightning never touches Minato, and I can't even begin to fathom how he can control the swirling chakra. Minato raises the ball into the air, holding it above his head the lightning seems to intensify, the light glowing from the sphere getting brighter and the heat from the lightning making the air even hotter.
"That's rather new…" Orochimaru comments, snakes slithering out of his sleeves.
"Now you die Orochimaru." Minato says coolly, hurling the sphere toward Minato like a shuriken.
The sphere somehow stays solid, flying through the air toward Orochimaru with the intent to burn the Sannin alive. Orochimaru jumps to the aside, the storm of lightning localized around the sphere barely avoiding him as the lightning burns and fries the snakes that had left the safety of Orochimaru's sleeves. Minato bends his fingertips in, his open palm still pointed in the direction of the sphere. I watch as the sphere lazily turns right in the air, turning in a lazy angle aimed directly toward Orochimaru. Orochimaru's eyes go wide as the sphere seemingly chases him, and he rockets up into the air, snakes propelling him into the air to avoid the Rai-Rasengan. The snakes quickly break contact from Orochimaru as the lightning burns them, Orochimaru smart enough to know that electricity is conducted by living flesh. Orochimaru floats in the air a moment, watching as the sphere turns upward, chasing after Orochimaru like a living creature. Watching this happening with the Rinnegan, I can see a normally invisible tether of chakra connecting Minato to the Rai-Rasengan.
That must be how he's controlling it. He somehow sends signals to the sphere and changes its direction mid air. It's a brilliant move and a way to ensure your opponent has a difficult time avoiding your attack. The only problem is I doubt he can move while he's using it.
It's then that the ground shakes, the two giant summoned animals clashing. The 3 of us stumble, and watching the battle I see the Rai-Rasengan wobble in mid air. Orochimaru's eyes go wide in opportunity, his tongue lashing out lightning-quick, wrapping around Minato's throat in a choke hold. Orochimaru grins as his tongue connects with Minato, and I can see the reasoning behind the move.
If Minato hits him with his jutsu now the lightning will surely kill him, but it will also kill Minato at the same time. He's hoping that Minato won't risk killing himself in front of his son in order to get Minato to call off his attack.
"I've got you now." Orochimaru says around his extended tongue. "Hit me with that jutsu now if you dare."
Minato gains a solemn expression, his eyes looking toward me and then his son lying on the ground behind me.
Oh no…
I can see it in his eyes, the calm acceptance of death that you see in the eyes of terminally ill hospital patients. Watching this all as the Rai-Rasengan turns I'm struck by all the memories I've shared with Minato and his family. I remember smiling happily sitting with them when I was younger, living with the Namikaze family I truly felt like I finally had a normal, loving family. Watching the man responsible for all of that about to die right in front of my eyes, I don't even think.
I start to move as Orochimaru's eyes go wide. It's obvious that the snake Sannin doesn't believe what he's seeing.
"No…" I hear Naruto weakly whisper.
The ball of lightning impacts Orochimaru, the snake screaming in pain as lightning courses through his body as though he was struck by a bolt of lightning himself. Watching the storm ravage him, I can see the current travel down his tongue, looking to go to ground. My hand grasps Orochimaru's slimy tongue 3 feet from Minato, and time seems to slow to crawl. I see Minato's eyes go wide in recognition, his lips mouthing the word 'no' as the world goes silent. I smile at the man, somehow unafraid of what may happen, in spite of everything I haven't done yet I somehow don't feel like I have any regrets, that I would do anything differently if given another chance.
"HINATAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Naruto's panicked scream is the last thing I hear before the world goes black.
Somehow I don't feel any pain or smell burnt flesh as my eyes open and my senses come back to me. Taking in my surroundings I immediately recognize the Hyuga Dojo from the family home. I'm lying on the ground near the door, and across the dojo, against the far wall I see two people in white Hyuga robes sitting calmly.
"Where…?" I whisper, looking myself up and down as I stand up, finding that I'm still dressed in my normal clothes, save the 'Sage' haori.
Looking across the dojo I walk forward, my footsteps nearly soundless against the dojo's padded floor.
As I close on the two figures sitting against the wall, I recognize one as my grandmother Hibana. She sits next to a man with long dark hair, the both of them sitting in a meditative pose. The two of them are pictures of Hyuga main branch family members, a seemingly unflappable calm over the two of them. My eyes focus on the man, and for a moment I think that it's Hizashi, but I quickly take in his unmarred forehead, and it's then I remember that Hizashi was my father's twin.
With that realization I literally forget to breathe, staring in awe at my father and my grandmother, and it's then that yet another and just as deep realization dawns on me.
I must be dead…
"…." I try to speak, but my voice won't come.
"It's much too early for you to be here child…" Hibana speaks solemnly, and at the sound of her voice I remember to breathe again.
I can't help but look at the man sitting next to Hibana, the words coming without any thought.
"Are you…?" I whisper, and the stoic faced man nods once, a softness coming to his eyes.
"I am your father Hinata…" He speaks, a slight smile coming to his face.
Tears begin to form in my eyes, and I can do nothing to hold them back at meeting my father for the first time. For moment I do nothing but cry, the tears coming unbidden as I quickly look away from them, burying my face in my hands to hide what my grandmother would undoubtedly call an 'emotional outburst.' I sniffle, trying to bring my emotions under control when my grandmother speaks again.
"You've grown to be a beautiful woman Hinata." Hibana says with a smile.
I sniffle again, rubbing my eyes I manage to look my grandmother in the eyes, trying my best to smile appreciatively.
"It's all because of your training, Hibana-sama." I manage to croak. "Though, I no longer have any right to the Main House anymore Hibana-sama." I continue, somehow finding my voice and bowing before my grandmother, seeking her forgiveness for failing her.
"Have you left the clan in capable hands?" Hibana asks coolly, and I nod solemnly.
"Neji-onii-chan is a powerful and capable shinobi."
"Then raise your head Hinata." Hibana bids me. "You haven't failed me."
I stand up, opening my mouth to argue, but Hibana cuts me off.
"I believed that if you were to succeed the clan, you would gain the happiness and respect that you were denied in your childhood. But now I can see that you've found all of those things on your own."
I open my mouth to say something, when a deep, feral voice echoes throughout the dojo.
"NO!" It roars in defiance, and I feel something tug at my body, but looking around I don't see anything there.
"It appears as though our time together is at an end." Hibana says solemnly.
"Hinata…" A familiar voice whispers in my ears, a voice I recognize almost as easily as my own.
Naruto…?
"Next time I see you I want you to look more like me and have lots of stories about a long and happy life."
I open my mouth to say something, to tell her everything that's happened, to say something to my father, but the words don't come.
"I will…" I manage to speak, feeling the invisible force tugging on me harder with each passing second.
Looking at Hiiashi, I can't help but feel tears at the corners of my eyes.
"I love you, father…" I whisper, not knowing what else to say.
The man nods, tears forming in his eyes as he looks away.
"Good bye…" He whispers.
The next thing I know I feel like my lungs are empty and I'm suffocating. I open my mouth and inhale, trying to fill the void with as much air as humanly possible. The second the air fills I taste the smell of burnt flesh on my lips and in my lungs I cough, opening my eyes I see that I'm lying on my back, surrounded not only by Minato and Naruto but also Gaara, Kankuro and Temari. I cough again and again, turning my head from left to right to see my things lying on the ground near my body, my haori, backpack and the Sage scroll. Looking up I see Naruto's hands aglow with a healing jutsu, both Gaara and Minato standing with their hands on his shoulders, a flow of chakra flowing from both of the Kage into him, giving him the necessary energy to perform a medical ninjutsu. Looking around at all of them I see their faces set in expressions of relief, and from that I can tell exactly what happened.
I…died…
I feel something draped over my body, and I look down to see it's the white long sleeved long robe of the Hokage that Minato normally wears. I can feel the grass against my back and neck, as though my clothes are no longer there.
Am I naked?
"What happened?" I manage to speak, and Minato smiles, both he and Gaara removing their hands from Naruto's back as Naruto's hands stop glowing.
"You saved my life." Minato says in thanks. "And you nearly died doing it."
Naruto takes hold of my left hand, grasping it gingerly in both of his hands.
"Don't do that again…" He pleads with me, tear stains on his cheeks.
"All right." I agree with him, and then I turn my head toward Minato. "Is Orochimaru dead?"
"Yes." Minato says with a nod. "His body took the brunt of the attack." He finishes, pointing to my right past my feet.
I follow his finger to see a charred burnt hunk of meet that looks like a human body, still smoldering. Obviously the source of the noxious stench.
"Do you think you can stand?" Minato asks.
"I think so…" I hesitantly agree.
Grabbing ahold of the robe that covers my body I begin to stand. I move slowly, making sure to wiggle my toes and move my fingers to make sure that my limbs still function. Naruto puts one hand on my back and another under my arm, helping me to stand up. As I move I feel minor spikes of pain from all over my body, my body protesting the movement, but I push the pain aside.
"Your clothes got ravaged by the electricity…" Naruto whispers and I look toward my pack, making sure to hold the Hokage's robe in place.
"I have a change in my bag…"
Naruto nods and it's then that the blonde haired kunoichi Temari steps forward. She un-slings her fan and opens it, wedging it into the ground and forming a crude changing curtain. Both Naruto and Minato step away, Gaara and Kankuro both flanking Temari's fan as I move behind it. Fortunately the other Kage and their bodyguards are on the opposite side of the fan, and with Gaara and Kankuro's accessories they form a rather effective changing curtain.
"I'll help you change…" Temari says gently, and I gladly accept the girl's assistance.
With her help I'm able to get changed without incident, feeling a lot better to get a complete set of clothes on my body. Once I'm dressed in my shirt and pants, I pick up the Sage haori and find that it isn't that ravaged, fortunately. Unfortunately I don't have another copy of the jacket I normally wear, so instead I'm wearing the fishnet shirt I normally wear under the haori. The shirt has a patch of solid black fabric over my breasts and stopping just above my belly button. My back is fully exposed in the shirt, and I can't help but feel naked as I slip the haori on. Temari steps back, nodding satisfactorily at my now presentable appearance. The three sand shinobi gather up their things. Kankuro putting his puppet back on his back while Gaara straps his gourd back into place. Temari is the last to return her fan to the sash around her waist.
It's then that Mifune approaches Minato, a cynical expression on his face.
"I'm glad that the criminal is dead." Mifune says sarcastically. "But there's the matter of my building…"
"My village will deal with the cost." Minato explains.
"That hardly matters." The Raikage growls in annoyance. "What matters is our meeting." He continues, pointing toward me. "That girl has the same dojutsu as the Sage of Six Paths!"
"Hinata recently acquired the Rinnegan." Minato argues. "I didn't want to bring it up at the meeting since we have better things to do other than squabble amongst ourselves."
"Her presence drastically changes things! This meeting was called under the intention that the remaining Jinchuriki would remain in their home villages!" The Raikage continues.
"Raikage-sama, what exactly does her presence here change?" Gaara speaks up in an even voice. "Had Hokage-sama chosen a different bodyguard we would all be unaware of Konoha's possession of the Rinnegan and it wouldn't have mattered."
"All that matters is that she's here now!" The Raikage argues. "As long as Konoha has the Rinnegan it gives them a shinobi with unparalleled abilities."
"I believe you dislike the choice for leader of the Alliance, and you're using this issue as an excuse to prevent an alliance from forming." Gaara says matter of factly.
The Raikage growls in anger, his hands balling into fists.
"How dare you accuse me of anything you brat…" He growls, and Gaara's face remains a calm mask in face of the Raikage's anger.
"The truth is an ugly thing isn't it?" Gaara jabs.
The Raikage growls in anger, lightning jumping across his body as the Raikage prepares to attack Gaara.
For the Will's sake…
"ENOUGH!" I yell as loud as I can.
I move without thinking. A wind blows through the area, lightning flashing overhead as a low rumble resonates through the ground. Water condenses into a ring at waist level as I hold up my right hand with my palm toward the sky. A fire ignites in my palm.
"All this bickering is useless! While you argue amongst yourselves those responsible for the deaths of so many people roam free!"
The fifteen of them all stare at me, and they unconsciously take a step back at seeing someone manipulate the six elemental forms of chakra at the same time. Looking into their eyes I can see the visage of man with long spiky hair flowing backward wearing a high collared cloak. What stands out, other than the eyes of the silhouette is a necklace with six red magatama on it.
What in the world…?
Three hours later the five Kage along with all of their bodyguards have moved to another building. Now the five Kage sit in a sealed room, and not even a moderator is present. I, along with Naruto, Temari, Kankuro and all the other Kage bodyguards have been moved into a waiting room with samurai guarding the door. The two samurai watch us all like hawks eying their meal, and for some reason they seem to watch me more than anyone else.
The room we're in has seating around the walls, and seats in a square shape in the center of the room. Most of the other bodyguards stand near the walls, watching the rest of the room with at least their backs to a wall, preventing someone from sneaking up behind them. Currently Naruto and I sit next to each other perpendicular to the door with our backs to the wall. Temari and Kankuro both stand near us, talking to us about what happened when Gaara was kidnapped by Akatsuki.
"So Gaara allowed himself to be taken by Akatsuki because they threatened the village." Temari explains. "They took him away and Konoha sent Naruto, Shino, and a woman named Haruka. The three of them worked to bring him back. He actually had the Shukaku extracted from him, and one of our village's elders sacrificed herself to revive him. Ever since he hasn't had the Shukaku in him anymore. He's finally been able to sleep like a normal person." Temari finishes explaining.
"That's an amazing story." I concede.
"Without the reinforcements from Konoha it's very unlikely that Gaara would be alive today."
"I'm just glad I could help." Naruto says with a grin.
I glance around the room, seeing the myriad of bodyguards all keeping to their village loyalties. Other than Temari and Kankuro, I haven't spoken to anyone else in the room that isn't from Konoha.
Well, what do you expect? We were all brought here to protect our Kage, and yet now we're in a situation where we can't even monitor the conversation. For all we know one of them could somehow cast a genjutsu over the others and manipulate the outcome of the meeting for their own ends.
I wonder if Minato will still be the leader of the alliance when they emerge from that room. I doubt it. He's said that he doesn't want the responsibility, though he may be the only one who's acceptable among the five of them…
Temari then sits down quietly next to me, a curious expression on her face.
"So, what's it like to have the power of the Sage of Six Paths?" The blonde Suna kunoichi asks.
I glance at the woman, looking for the right words.
"It's…a unique experience…"
"You had a dojutsu before didn't you?" Temari asks, and I nod.
"Yes, I had the Byakugan before."
"Well, what's more powerful? The Rinnegan or the Byakugan?"
"Well…" I begin, thinking about it. "Based on visual ability, the Byakugan is better. It grants a three hundred and sixty degree view around the user. It also grants some degree of distanced sight and the ability to see through solid objects. However the Rinnegan is far more capable, and ultimately better, though I've had to make some adjustments, especially to my fighting style." I explain.
"I wonder how long before they finish?" Kankuro asks curiously, the only one of the four of us still standing.
"You can't rush things like this." Temari reminds her brother. "Meetings like this tend to take time no matter who is involved."
"Tell me about it." Naruto mutters under his breath, looking around at the other bodyguard shinobi.
While he may trust Temari and Kankuro, it's blatantly obvious that Naruto doesn't trust any of the other bodyguards as far as a newborn baby could throw him.
Thinking about trust I can't help but think of Sasuke, and how much trust Naruto, Shino and I all placed in him when we simply allowed him to leave.
He's gone off to destroy Akatsuki. I wonder where he is right now. I wonder if Akatsuki will come back to Konoha while I'm away…
I mentally shake my head, banishing the thoughts the second after I think them.
I can't think like that! Akatsuki wants me, not the village. So if anything they won't try anything while I'm gone, I hope…
Naruto and I are now on our way back to Konoha. We have our packs on our backs and we're moving through the forest at a run. Minato was chosen as the leader of the Alliance, and Naruto and I are under orders to return to Konoha and tell the council the good news. We've been traveling for over a day now, and we should be returning to the village anytime now…
I see a swirl of chakra appear ahead, and I quickly come to a stop, motioning for Naruto to stop as well. Out of the swirl of chakra a man emerges. He's wearing an Akatsuki cloak and has dark hair. He wears an orange swirl pattern mask with a hole over his right eye.
Oh no…MORE Akatsuki!?
Both Naruto and I glare at him, and I can't help but brings my hands together, forming a hand sign. Naruto jumps forward, a Rasengan forming in his hand. He thrusts the attack straight for the Akatsuki member, and I watch as the Rasengan, and Naruto himself passes right through the Akatsuki member, landing on his feet behind the Akatsuki member. He turns, the Rasengan still in his hand, his eyes wide in shock at what just happened.
How is that even possible? He passed right through him! It isn't an illusion, I can see that he's really a person, so how is it possible for him to allow an entire human being to pass through him like that?
"Ah, ah, ah!" The man says, wagging his finger in displeasure. "That's no way to greet a guest. I come to talk to you and that's how you greet me?"
"What do you want?" I demand, and I can almost see him grin behind the mask.
"I came to warn you about Sasuke." He says without preamble.
"What do we need to be warned about!?" Naruto demands from behind the masked man.
"Sasuke is going to do what Pain failed to do." The masked man explains, and my eyebrow flinches at the mention of the man whose eyes now reside in my sockets. "He's going to burn Konoha to the ground."
My mouth drops open in surprise.
No way…
"You're lying! There's no way Sasuke would ever do that!" Naruto argues.
"Believe me or not. It doesn't change the fact that he's going to burn Konoha to cinders." The man says.
"Why would he do that? He left us to destroy Akatsuki, not burn Konoha!" I argue.
"Revenge is all he knows." The man counters. "It's what drives him, all he thinks about. It's in his blood."
"Bullshit!" Naruto disagrees.
"Believe me or not, it won't change the truth. Sasuke has gone to Konoha to burn it to the ground."
"Why tell us any of this? We're enemies. You want me dead!"
"I want to see what is truly superior." The man responds.
Naruto raises an eyebrow in questioning.
"You mean between the Sharingan and the Rinnegan?" Naruto asks.
"No…" He answers. "I want to see what is truly superior, the Senju or the Uchiha."
"Senju?" Naruto asks curiously. "None of us are related to that clan."
The man shakes his head slowly.
"Long ago, before Konoha was founded there were two ninja clans who were constantly at war with each other. Those two clans were the Senju, and the Uchiha. In a time of war, when one side of a conflict would hire the Senju, the other would hire the Uchiha. Decades passed like that, until finally the man who would become the First Hokage, Hirashima Senju came to the Uchiha leadership with an offer of peace. The Uchiha leadership opposed the idea, but the clan as a whole wanted to end the bloody fighting against them. So, the two clans declared peace, and with all the clans that the two had beaten they formed Konoha." He finishes explaining.
"What does how Konoha being founded have to do with any of this?"
"Before the Senju and Uchiha, there was the Sage of Six Paths…" He begins, his one visible eye looking to me, and the eyes in my sockets. "Before the Sage died he had two sons, an older son and a younger son. On his death bed he called both sons to his side. It was then that he chose one of them to carry on his dream of creating world peace. Before he chose he asked both of them how they believed peace should be achieved. The elder son rightly believed that power was the true key to peace. The younger son foolishly said that love was the key, and the Sage in the greatest mistake he ever made, chose his younger son to carry on his legacy. Feeling rightfully bitter and envious at his younger sibling, the elder son attacked him, beginning a war between them." The man finishes.
What is this freak? Some kind of shinobi historian?
"What does all of that have to do with this?" Naruto demands and I can swear the man grins behind that mask.
"The elder son's descendents would become the Uchiha clan, and the younger child's descendents would become the Senju." The man drops the bomb. "The Senju and the Uchiha are fated to be at war with one another."
He looks toward me, and I suddenly want to put my back to a wall, a kunai in hand.
"The younger son's desire is in you Hinata." He explains. "Sasuke is the embodiment of the older son's ideals. You and Sasuke are fated to fight."
"Fate is what we make it!" Naruto argues, and the man chuckles, shaking his head in contempt.
"You're a teenager. You hardly have any worldly experience. How can you presume to lecture someone several generations your senior?"
What does that mean?
"We'll make Sasuke see the truth!" I argue, and again the man shakes his head.
"His eyes were closed until he met me. Now they're open, they're open and he finally sees the truth of the world."
"They're open to your truth, nothing more."
"You cannot deny the feud between the Senju and the Uchiha. The ideals both clans stand for cannot co exist. Sasuke sees that now, why can't you two?"
"The idea of ruling through force is wrong!" Naruto speaks up.
"Spoken just like a true Senju." He says mockingly.
He looks straight at me, a serious tone coming to his voice.
"BOTH the Uchiha and Hyuga were born from the elder son of the Sage, if anyone should see that the Senju's rule by love is wrong, that it shuns those who are different or strange, it's you, Jinchuriki-san."
"Until people try to understand one another you're right." I agree with him. "However I cannot envision a world ruled by force and fear."
The man shakes his head in contempt.
"You're far too weak willed, just like Nagato." He says with venom in his voice.
"Nagato was a strong person! He was convicted to his ideals."
"He was misguided." The man says matter of factly. "Now you bear his eyes, the successor to both the will and power of the Sage. What will you do? Will you follow the same path as the Sage: become a priest and preach peace, or will you follow Nagato's path: use the power inherent in the Rinnegan to subjugate the world?"
Thinking about it, I can't agree with either path. While I don't disagree with the Sage's choice of preaching peace, it will never materialize true peace in a single lifetime. As far as the second choice, it's exactly the same thing as the Uchiha ideal, subjugating the world through force and fear.
"I'm going to follow my own path!" I declare. "I'll create a world where shinobi are no longer needed, where people can live without fear of war or conflict."
The man scoffs, shaking his head slowly.
"My thoughts exactly…" Naruto murmurs in agreement.
"You're nothing but an idealistic fool." He responds.
I glare at the man in challenge.
"Then let's prove who's right!"
The man raises his right hand, his pointer finger extend.
"Ah, ah, ah!" He says, wagging his finger. "I'm not the one you'll be fighting. If you wish to put an end to this blood feud, Sasuke has gone to Konoha, to exterminate it."
The man disappears in a swirl of chakra, and I see Naruto standing there, looking surprised at his sudden disappearance. Both he and I quickly look around, searching for some sign of the masked man and finding none.
"We need to get going." Naruto says, and I nod my agreement.
Both Naruto and I take off, heading for Konoha as fast I can move. We bound through the trees, moving as fast I can.
"I'll take off my weights." Naruto says, his hands moving to his legs. "I can get there much faster without them."
"You shouldn't remove them yet Naru-kun." I argue. "If you get there before I do you might be able to fight Sasuke, but you'll stand a much better chance if we're together."
"I guess so." He reluctantly agrees.
Together the two of us keep going, bounding from tree to tree as fast as we can run. We keep going for another hour, and then I spot smoke in the distance.
"Naruto look!" I call out, pointing toward the rising column of smoke in the sky.
"I'm going on ahead." He says with no room for argument. "I'll try and hold Sasuke off until you arrive. Don't be late."
He releases his weights in a well practiced motion. His body then flashes gold and his eyes glow, his body going into flash mode. He disappears in a blur.
Naruto's weights sail to the ground, impacting with loud thuds. I curse myself under my breath, pumping chakra into my legs, willing myself to move faster.
I only hope I'm not too late…