A/N: Hey everyone, its Dragoon Tidus! We're at fifty chapters now! We've had a long journey together. I started this story a year an a half ago, and when I did, I never imagined it would be as popular as you all have made it. Thank you to all the fans, the reviewers and of course, to each and every single one of you who has read this story. On a side note, my birthday is the 28th of September, and I'll be uploading a chapter that day for sure. So look out for it. Anyway, enough idle banter. Here's a new chapter!

Chapter Fifty: Homecoming

Neji circled his opponent, eyes locked on each other. Neji's memory had surfaced a particular time in his life when he had faced an opponent similar to this. During his first Chuunin exam, he had faced Dosu, a Shinobi with a sound attack that targeted the opponent's eardrum and inner ear. Neji had formed chakra barriers in his ears now. His opponent was hunched low to the ground, but he was still in fighting condition. Neji spread his arms wide and he hunched low.

"Secret Hyuga Taijutsu: Eight Gates Assault!"

Neji lunged at his opponent. With his Byakugan he could see the Eight Inner Gates, the power limiters that held a Shinobi's chakra in check. Neji gasped and he backed off. The Shinobi's chakra had skyrocketed.

"What the hell are you? You opened all eight of the Gates! Not even Lee can do that."

His opponent shook his head.

"I don't know who this Lee is, but my Eight Gates Sound Wave will grind this mountain into dust, and Konoha will lose a Jounin. My own life is a small price to pay for eliminating Neji Hyuga, rookie Jounin."

The Shinobi began to weave seals at a rapid pace. He had Neji backed into a corner. There was nothing Neji could do to stop him except kill him. Father, forgive me, but I must kill him to save us all. Neji prayed silently to his father and he dashed forward and he slammed his fist hard into the Shinobi's chest. Neji pumped as much Chakra as he could into his body. The Sound Shinobi stopped his seals instantly and he coughed up a large cloud of blood. He dropped to his knees and he fell over, dead. Neji then hurried to his team's side. The two boys on the team were not seriously injured, but they would need treatment.

Hanabi opened her eyes and she looked up at her cousin with a weak smile.

"Did I do good Neji?"

Neji threw his arms around her and he hugged her as a cousin, not as a sensei. Hanabi hugged him back weakly and Neji let her go.

"You were incredible. You used the Rotation. You're a fast learner Hanabi. Let's get you all back to the village so we can report to Gaa- I mean the Kazekage. Can you help me rouse the others?"

Hanabi nodded and she stood up on her feet and she winced.

"Those senbon really hurt. Hey, Koharu, wake up. Its over, we won."

The boy opened his eyes and he winced.

"The hell happened to me?"

Hanabi explained the situation to him and he nodded.

"Sorry. Guess I need more training."

Hanabi nodded and she stood up once the other boy, whose name was Koruma, was awake. Neji then gave the order to march back to the village.


Hinata and Naruto had left the scene shortly before Neji had left. On Gamabunta's great back the journey to Sunagakure took less than an hour. Hinata was resting her body on Naruto. The heat of the desert combined with Rise sapping her energy took a great toll on her body. When they had reached the village, Hinata rushed to the well in the center of the village and she took a long drink of water.

"I'll be glad to go back home. I can't believe there's an entire Shinobi village in the middle of the desert."

Naruto laughed as if she had just said a funny joke. Naruto hugged her and they walked hand in hand back to the room they were staying in. Neji and his team arrived to give their report to Gaara not long after. Naruto and Hinata surprised Neji by joining in the report. Hanabi was pleased to see her sister and Naruto. Gaara listened to their report with rapt attention.

"So… Sound Shinobi are active again. With Orochimaru dead, who could be leading them? I have a feeling I know that answer, but we'll need solid proof before we can act. Neji, you have done well, but you must be careful. Your name is becoming about as well known as Kakashi's. You make a lot of enemies this way, so I want you to be careful, because I value your worth as both a Shinobi and a friend. I believe that is all there is to say, so to you all, I would like to make an announcement to you, my friends and family. Matsuri and I are to be married. Would you mind asking Tsunade if we can be married in Konoha? There's not much to see here, and we want it to be special."

Naruto grinned and he nodded.

"Like Tsunade would say no. All of us here know that Tsunade would be more than glad to let you and Matsuri be wed in Konoha."

Gaara looked over at his friend and he smiled.

"You're probably correct on that. Anyway, you're all dismissed. Naruto, if you could give them all a lift I'd appreciate it. We'll send Arrow to the village once the wedding date is made official."

Everyone saluted the Kazekage and all of them left the room. Hanabi stood by her sister's side and she whispered.

"I have something to tell you when we get home."

Hinata nodded as Hanabi took her place at Neji's side. When they had left the village walls, Naruto bit his thumb and he summoned Gamabunta once more. He staggered with the effort it took to summon the Boss Toad. He wiped his forehead and he sighed as he climbed onto his summoned toad's back. Gamabunta shifted nervously when the other four people sat on his back.

"Naruto, you owe me big for using me as a taxi service."

Naruto patted Gamabunta's head and he whispered so only Hinata could hear him.

"We'll make it up to you big guy. A nice Fly Pie will suffice right?"

Hinata giggled gently and she burst out into laughter as Gamabunta hopped into the air. The trip back was uneventful, yet Hanabi talked to Hinata about her mission. Hinata had seen most of the mission with her Byakugan, but Naruto listened carefully as well. Neji then looked up from his daze.

"Hanabi, you're a natural. But you can't be so reckless. You could get killed easily. Just keep a level head and you'll be a Chuunin in no time. As for these two…"

Neji shook his head and he closed his eyes, refusing to say anything further. Neji was like Gai with Lee. Hanabi was his favorite student, so he focused most of his time on her. Koharu and Koruma were very weak compared to Hanabi, and they needed extensive training before the Chuunin Exam.

After a few hours, the party reached the gates of Konoha. Once the six people had disembarked from the great toad's back, Gamabunta disappeared in a puff of white smoke. Neji then turned to his team.

"First things first, we're going to report to the Hokage. Then we're going to the hospital. We need to get these two patched up. And Hanabi, you need to have those senbon wounds examined and treated. They could be coated in poison. Naruto, I assume you'll be coming with us?"

Naruto nodded and he looked at Hinata. She seemed to be faring better now that she was home. The color had returned to her cheeks and she was cheery again. The traveling party marched through the city and they reached the Hokage Residence. Naruto pushed the doors open and they stood before Tsunade once more. Tsunade took their report and she sat with her back against the chair.

"So… Sound Shinobi are active once more. Who could be directing them now that Orochimaru is dead? Could it be Kabuto? Madara? It could be anyone. As Gaara said, we don't have enough information to go on. We'll use some time to analyze the situation. Very well, you may leave Team Neji. I need to speak with Naruto and Hinata alone."

Neji and his team saluted to Tsunade and then Tsunade rose from her chair and she crossed to the window.

"Hinata, how long until you are due?"

Hinata looked shocked as she counted the number of months that had gone by.

"About seven months to go. Why do you ask?"

Naruto took Hinata's hand and he stroked her fingers gently. Tsunade then turned and smiled.

"I was just curious. I never had the chance to be a mother. It must be nice to have children."

Naruto then looked over at her and he swallowed hard. Tsunade had tears in her eyes for the first time since Dan had died.

"Naruto, we're not letting Madara take Syaoran, Lyndis or Rise. We'll do everything we can to protect you all. So go home and relax. Hanabi will be along later. You two did a great service today, bringing that ring to Gaara. And tell him he can have the wedding here. Dismissed."

Tsunade then turned to the window once more and Naruto and Hinata left the room. Naruto knew Tsunade was in pain. He felt bad for her, but he didn't know anything he could do at the moment. They returned home and they ate a dinner with Kushina. However, an uneasy silence hung over the Uzumaki household. It wasn't until Hanabi returned after 9PM that the mood lightened. Her leg was bandaged, but otherwise she was her usual giddy self. Kushina then brought out ice cream for them all to eat.

"To a successful mission."

They all said and they ate their ice cream. They turned in for the night shortly after.


Deep in the Sound Country, a hooded man sat in a chair, his back to the person he was talking to.

"I want you to go after the Eight Tales."

The nodded and he grinned, shouldering his swords.

"With pleasure. Maybe I can even get my revenge."

The man left his presence. His white hair and sharp pointed teeth flashed menacingly in the sunlight, and then he was gone.

TO BE CONTINUED..