Chapter 20: Our Enemies

Hinata

'Sleep just isn't coming.'

Hinata sighed, listening to her heartbeat in stillness of the room.

It must be after midnight, the last time she looked at Naruto's alarm clock it was shortly after 10:30 pm.

Naruto's gentle snores breakthrough the quiet of his bedroom every once in a while and a smile curves up her lips that at least one of them is getting enough rest. What was supposed to have been just one night together had quickly become two, then three, and eventually the days had run together more and more that soon a majority of her belongings were here at Naruto's then at the compound.

'You won't be able to perform at your best if you're drowsy. No matter how easy or difficult the opponent is.' Father's reminder scolds her internally. He'd often used to ensure an attendant had properly prepared her a filling dinner and freshly watched linens the night before a major mission or event.

But her match wasn't set until the afternoon, whereas Naruto's was one of the firsts that would start off the day.

They both hoped there wouldn't be any interruptions this time, not with so many shinobi and guards on higher alert for who came and went from the stadium and nearby facilities.

It didn't matter how much security was around though, the Akatsuki would still find a way to enter.

'Who will they target first?' She wonders.

Naruto? Gaara? Or another jinchūruki among the 3 man teams?

"Can't sleep?" Naruto questions, rolling over to face her. Azure eyes regard her warmly and Hinata breathes in the comforting scents of oak and mint citrus on him as he wraps her into his arms.

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to wake you." Hinata whispers, Naruto shaking his head as he lets out a chuckle.

He ruffles at her already messy dark locks, smiling into the curve of her neck.

"We're going to do great! And everyone is on alert if one of them shows up." He reiterates.

And Hinata feels herself relax, nodding into his chest. In spite of the confidence of his words, she can hear his heart beating fast in her ears…

She drifts off listening to it, stirred awake by the beginnings of sunlight filtering through his blinds. It takes a good minute or so to shift herself out of Naruto's arms, giggling when he immediately pulls her back in.

"Naruto, we both need to get ready!" She hums, wrinkling her nose at his yawn and sleepy smile.

"Some mornings Naruto can be so lazy, especially after a day of meetings or checking in with each business at the start of the month! Though when he can, he makes breakfast for Boruto and himself before they go off to the Academy and office respectively." Her older counterpart once told her in describing their typical morning routines in getting Boruto and Himawari ready. Some things about Naruto aren't going to ever change, no matter his age.

Picturing their future children's faces makes her stomach flip, missing the light patter of their footsteps when they tried and failed to be quiet against the wood flooring or just how they liked to bury themselves into her or Naruto's lap when they felt cold or simply wanted their attention.

Being a Papa and Mama for that short time had taught them so much...

"Mama, make sure you and Papa buy a big house together soon! One that has lots of rooms for big brother and I!" Himawari declares, Boruto nodding his agreement beside her.

"Right because then we'll be born faster that way, you know!" Boruto chimes in happily, neither taking note of their flustered expressions.

That wasn't how it worked, but neither she nor Naruto had told them that!

Father is waiting for her in the garden when she finally returns back to the manor to properly get ready, arching a brow silently at her state of dress.

Her clothes must be more crumpled than she thought, not even ironing them out seemed to have helped then.

And Hinata feels herself stiffen despite how closer they've become, cheeks growing hot. She could handle Hanabi's teasing, Neji's look of unease, and even the light giggles/whispers of the attendants at seeing the fresh love bites to her skin that become visible at the worst times…

But Father usually keeps his emotions tightly locked up, stoic expression giving nothing away.

"You spend more nights at his apartment than here nowadays." Hiashi notes as Hinata settles beside him.

Hinata curls her toes into a patch of grass still fresh with dew, letting the statement hang in the air for a moment.

The sky slowly becomes clearer overhead, a blend of amber and golden yellows that promises a warm day after a spell of icy drizzles and cloudy afternoons as winter's last sendoff.

"Naruto has nobody there when he comes back each night. I…I like to be there to greet him. To discuss our day." She remarks.

Like a couple; a family.

Hiashi's stare moves from the koi pond back to her, pearl orbs softening. "I didn't know Boruto and Himawari already knew about Naruto holding the Nine Tailed Fox. I asked Hima about it more once when she was discussing with me her favorite stuffed animals, said she wanted a Kurama one to add to her collection to match the one in Papa's belly. I'm sure at some point you and Naruto will tell them about your childhood days so they don't learn it from a textbook or a classmate…"

Hinata blinks, recalling the nights Boruto snuck out to watch them train, to learn the same jutsus and skills his Papa had yet to teach him. It isn't just her and Naruto who miss Boruto and Himawari's presence from time to time, Hanabi having shown her the framed photograph Father keeps in his office of the duo to the small trinkets and drawings they left behind he's boxed away before having been shooed out by him catching them.

"They're still so young, I don't think Naruto and I wanted to upset or make them worry about Naruto's safety by telling them too early that it confused them. Perhaps they already knew before we even told them though if all the Tailed beasts have stuffed animal versions." She determines.

And they haven't reached those days of peace yet, not when the Akatsuki is still very much active.

Hiashi agrees with her sentiment, straightening up to head inside. "Good luck in your match today, I'll be watching from the stands. I'm sure you and Naruto will do fine, which reminds me as much as I hate to ask…you two are being safe, right?"

His eyes harden a bit then, seeming to take on darker hues of lilac.

"W-We are!" Hinata sputters out, whole face resembling a cherry as she watches him head inside completely stunned.

'Father knew.'

-X-

Sai

'So, they already live together?' Sai considered, watching from the trees as Hinata stepped out of Naruto's apartment into the sunlight. She headed back in the direction of the Hyuga manor, straightening out her hair and clothes along the way. She pauses for a fleeting second just before she turns the corner and Sai feels his stomach tense when byakugan eyes fall straight upon him.

Danzo told him to stay on the defensive, to avoid any unnecessary fights for now until he gave him the signal. They're expected meet time is in less than an hour, keeping him waiting could result in a punishment much worse than him simply burning his art or tossing away the last items he had belonging to Shin...

He puts on what he believes is a placating smile, but Hinata doesn't return his grin. Her eyes are a warning and he decides he's gathered enough for now, taking back to the trees.

The ink bugs he had slipped through the crevices of Naruto's door last night had gathered more than he imagined he would get, scouring over books, scrolls, and photographs.

Behind Naruto's jovial moods and silliness lied a seriousness he had yet to fully witness.

'They already have kids? If so, where are they?' Sai questioned himself, gazing back over just one the many pictures his ink animals had found of a boy and girl who had mix of Naruto and Hinata's features. From how old they appeared, Naruto and Hinata would've had them at implausible ages to make sense. He was sure as well that Danzo hadn't known about the pair having children or even that Naruto seemed to be gradually mastering control of the Nine Tailed Fox telling by bouts of training at seeing him shrouded in crimson.

But there was more to Naruto and Hinata than just their apparent strength, a knowing of sorts on on events before they had even occurred.

How?

'I have no way of explaining such a theory to Danzo, but they have information on shinobi that I'm not even sure the Anbu or Hokage fully know about.' Sai determined, halted in his movement at seeing a flash of blond hair abruptly block his path.

Naruto.

No, or perhaps this is just a clone.

Either way his eyes don't hold any friendliness for him, cobalt orbs narrowed with suspicion.

"Why are you watching Hinata and I?"

-X-

Sasuke

"You've gotten stronger little brother."

Itachi's compliment does nothing to make him feel better though, he's nowhere near his power and abilities despite all the efforts he and Anko have done to improve on his strength and speed. He blocks all his attacks with ease, matching him fist for fist and blow for blow with each barrage of fire and lightning cackling through the fields and scorching the earth in their wake.

Scarlet eyes of the sharingan have been trained and used far more than his own, seen so much through war and deaths at his own hand...

Sasuke grits at his teeth, tightening up his fingers at the urge to pierce the ground with a chidori awakening anyone in the vicinity. No, there's no point in wasting anymore chakra or wearing out his already sore muscles.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke questions him once more.

This had been the last thing he expected to return back to from the Haruno household.

It hadn't just been his mind playing tricks on him when he saw Itachi outside in the remnants of their garden/backyard, ending him effectively having to track and chase down his location before he went on the move again. Moonlight creates long shadows on his figure, showcasing same dark hair and unavoidable ruby eyes…

"You know the answer to that question already." Itachi regards him, walking past him inside to the place he once called home.

However, he can no longer call Konoha or anywhere really his 'home' these days.

Sasuke glares intensely at him, practically burning a hole into his back, they haven't seen each other in years after all. Not since he struck Orochimaru down and revealed to him the truth about the night of their family's massacre.

He gestures for him to sit across from him at the table, as if this is all just a normal drop in for him.

Itachi glances around the room absently, even the darkness he can tell the compound has changed since his last visit. The kitchen is clean, no longer holding blankets of webs in the corners or pockets of dust along the cabinets. A box of sweets with the name Anko messily scratched across it sit by the sink, the name of his sensei he imagines.

Across the table lay scattered medical textbooks and scrolls, a woman's lab coat hanging off one of the chairs…

Upon closer inspection he makes out the name stitched into the top pocket in blue cursive: Sakura.

'Ah, the one who Naruto's older counterpart mentioned…'

The woman who hopefully was bringing Sasuke peace, who could make Konoha truly feel like a home again to Sasuke.

"I don't plan to stay for long. I'm sure you're aware of the Akatsuki's plans to capture all of the jinchūruki, correct?" Itachi elaborates.

Sasuke nods, eyes narrowed. "You didn't come here to tell me about things I already know. Are you concerned Orochimaru will be resurrected? About the Akatsuki and how they may want to recruit me in their goals to capture all the tailed beasts? Or is it that we aren't the only Uchiha still alive?"

"…How long have you known these matters?" Itachi asks, a tinge of curiosity in his voice.

Sasuke merely shrugs, keeping his tone neutral. "Sakura and I have been investigating into the photos of all missing nin and wanted shinobi over the last years. Obito, he used to be on Kakashi-sensei's team however his body was never recovered from that mission. There's growing evidence he's still alive and working with other criminals to complete some type of twisted goal."

Itachi smiles faintly, of course Sasuke had done his research. He had to be one step ahead of the enemy when it wasn't just Naruto they wanted.

He feels his throat tighten abruptly before he can speak once more, a burning sensation envelops his lungs and he clenches his teeth together to fight off a coming coughing fit to no avail.

They came more and more often now, especially at night…

The metallic taste of blood splashes on his tongue, watching as Sasuke moves to get him water.

"Drink." He orders when he finally can take a proper breath.

If it was years ago, he might've imagined Sasuke would lace the water with poison or some drug to paralyze him in place.

But his obsidian eyes no longer hold the hatred he once wished him to have, to kill him as punishment for his sins.

"If you die, I won't have any real family left; I've told you that before." Sasuke states as if having read his thoughts, balling his fists against the table. Why wasn't Itachi taking better care of himself? He most likely let opportunities pass of visiting with healers or even getting medicine that could help with this illness.

A silence comes over them, Itachi leaning back in his seat highlighting the beads of sweat to his forehead, the remnants of blood still smeared across his lips.

"Why do you still care about me after what I did to Mother and Father? I put you through psychological damage and nearly made you into a monster like me…"

Sasuke scowls, eyes flashing scarlet and Itachi briefly wonders if he's about to attempt a genjutsu or another mix of a fire and lightning attack until he sighs.

"If Sakura and I worked to create a pill that could cure you, would you take it?" He instead asks.

Itachi only smiles, moving to stand. He's overstayed his welcome.

He reaches his hand out across the table to give one final affectionate tap to Sasuke's forehead before he goes as his crows slowly encompass him. The anger in Sasuke's expression twists back into a stoic mask, good...he shouldn't waste any feelings of sadness on him.

"I don't deserve to live little brother."

It's a soft murmur, weary and resigned.

And then he's gone, scattered leaves left in his wake.

Sasuke frowns, staring at the now empty seat across from him; he hadn't even finished his water.

"That isn't true." He mutters into the air.

He wakes before his alarm the next day, taking in the clear sky and mild chill to the air. It was mornings like this Itachi used to scramble up a tomato and omelette mix to get his mind off him departing for a mission or leaving him behind to train with their fellow clansmen...

'Stop. Those days are over.' He reminds himself, shaking the memories away. But it's hard not to recall the way Itachi prepared breakfast and quick bentos for him when his own preparations taste so sour or dry in comparison.

He needs to finish getting ready, forget about last night for now. Itachi only came to give him warnings he already knew, but he'll find him again to finish everything he keeps leaving unsaid.

Sakura greets him outside his door, green eyes bright and eager and the twisting of his stomach briefly lifts.

"Ready to go?" She questions, lightly bumping their shoulders at his nod in return.

Naruto walks a few feet ahead of them with Hinata, catching his gaze as they all meet up at the registration desk.

"Moron, don't lose before we face each other. It would be embarrassing to be knocked out as one of the first matches of the day." Sasuke notes after signing in, Naruto scoffing at even the idea.

"Same to you bastard!"

His first opponent is going to be their newest team member: Sai.

'All I know about him is that he uses ink to attack. I have to be ready for any type of creation he makes.' Sasuke considers.

But more so than that, he knows there is something Sai has been keeping from them all...

He can feel his obsidian eyes resting upon him as soon as he enters the locker room, Sai expressionless as usual before a faint grin etches up his lips when he finally decides to meet his gaze.

"I'm looking forward to our upcoming match."

-X-

Naruto

"Those scheduled for 9:00 am rounds please head to your assigned arena now!" An announcement buzzes overhead.

'This is it! Time to put everything I've learned to the test!' Naruto beams, pumping himself up. The essay/quiz test from yesterday hadn't been nearly as stressful as from years ago, the knowing he, Sakura, and Sasuke were doing this as a team the key answer to moving forward.

But now it's time for the one on one matches, each of them broken off into the mini stadiums of A, B, and C specially built for the exams with Suna's help.

"Isn't that you?" Kiba questions Naruto with a nudge, jolting him from his thoughts.

Right.

The name of his opponent isn't one he recognizes from any past missions he's gone on or seen around the village, a short statured man who simply goes by the name Daijiro.

His icy blue eyes regard him carefully and he wonders briefly what exactly he is trying to keep hidden from the proctors as his stare drifts to the growing crowds.

'So this is the boy they want me to gather information on? Hard to believe a kid like this is harboring one of the strongest tailed beasts.' Daijiro notes to himself.

Deidara and Sasori are surely watching him from somewhere in the shadows, this will be a perfect opportunity for them to learn any and all weaknesses the boy has and prove his worth to the organization.

"Naruto Uzumaki. The boy to be on the lookout for; a rising star in Konoha." He murmurs, just loud enough for Naruto to hear him.

'Is he a spy? Perhaps a low ranked missing nin or part of a mercenary group who wants to gain a name for himself.' Naruto considered.

Whoever he was working with or under was watching from the stands.

"If you're working with the Akatsuki or some other terrorist group as their spy/scout just know I or one of my allies will stop you." He warns and a flicker of uncertainty passes in his gaze before he scowls.

As soon as the whistle blows for them to begin he launches a fist into the ground, creating a wave of mud.

"You're bluffing! You know nothing about the Akatsuki and the goals they have for a peaceful world!" He hisses, poising his fingers up to bury him in a barrage of spikes.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!"

Naruto maneuvers out of the way of the torrent and Daijiro grins victoriously at seeing a mud spike seemingly pierce into his back, frowning when said Naruto only pops into a cloud.

'A clone.'

And too late does he look up to see a vortex of wind that quickly tosses him airborne, concentrated shots of air bullets mixed with the pellets of rock he's dredged up dig and tear immediately into his skin from all sides. He finishes him off with a rasengan just as he's tumbling back down, crushing him straight into the ground.

'A mix of air bullets and a vacuum wave technique. I underestimated him, misjudged how skilled he truly was…' Daijiro laments, clenching his teeth at the taste of blood upon his tongue as the pain quickly courses throughout his body. He's losing consciousness, head pounding as he strains to keep his eyes open.

Dark eyes rest upon him from the stands, annoyance and impatience mounting that he's been eliminated so easily.

Deidara will finish him off.

-X-

Hinata

"You aren't going anywhere." Hinata repeats quietly to avoid a scene. Most of the crowd is too captivated by the scene below, unaware this man has slipped in.

It's him, the explosive clay artist.

A sharp gentle fist to his arms as he had gotten up to leave at seeing Daijiro's failure to even last against the jinchūruki for them to learn something keeps him in place for now, halting the forming of the clay bombs the mouths in the palms of his hand had been working on.

"How…How do you know I am, hm?" Deidara questions her as his eyes narrow. He couldn't recall any Hyuga member ever looking into his background. He's out of the Akatsuki's formal gear even back in his old blue and gray kimono he hasn't worn in years, nobody within Konoha should know who he is yet.

"You're in the Akatsuki. I know your next target is supposed to be Gaara." Hinata answers back calmly.

His eyes flicker to Gaara and Naruto's presence below before back to her, scoffing as he opens his regular mouth revealing the beginnings of a white clay figure.

'This girl doesn't know who she's dealing with. I'll give her a taste of the wonders of my explosive art!'

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A new voice interrupts them from behind and Deidara looks up to see jade and blood red eyes respectively watching him.

Deidara pauses, chewing back down the unfinished mold. 'I've seen those eyes before…'

On Itachi.

Sakura cracks her fists, nodding distinctly to Hinata to assess she's okay before eyeing Sasuke.

"Let's take this as far as possible from the stadium." Sakura determines, feeling Kakashi-sensei's gaze upon them to their left to follow from a distance.

This time and moving forward, they would include him in all plans they had.

Deidara doesn't object, at least not yet when he can't keep his gaze off of Sasuke. His anger festers with each passing second, Sasuke's cool expression only making his ire rise.

"You! You're related to him, aren't you?! That same look of indifference; I can never forget or forgive anyone who looks down on my art!" He spits out once they're deep enough in the forest to avoid civilians becoming caught in the cross hairs of a direct explosion.

Sasuke arches a brow, he's never met this man before…

'But Itachi has.' He realizes, speculating on what exactly his brother could've done to infuriate this man so badly. He hadn't mentioned this man during his visit last night.

"Do you know where Itachi has gone off to right now?" He questions him, leaping out the way when he spits out a clay bomb at him in response.

"I have nothing to say to someone who disrespects my work!" He snaps, cursing that his hands and arms are still immobile to him; useless with his chakra pathways still disrupted.

He should stand down for now, without backup he truly is putting himself into danger.

Sakura slams a fist into his chest, supposedly knocking the breath out of him before he can attempt to escape into the canopy of trees while Sasuke launches a chidori current to the ground.

"Tell us everything you know!" She growls, bristling that he can even still move.

Still Deidara refuses to answer and Sasuke forces her to step back as they take in his skin suddenly becoming ashen, pulling her fully out of the way of the incoming blast when Deidara's body rapidly starts to swell.

A flash of white hot heat covers them, Hinata scoping the area with her byakugan as soon as the brightness fades.

'I don't sense his chakra presence anymore.' Hinata frowns, only the aftershocks of the ground rumbling below to the crackling of trees now laden with ash or completely gone leaving only burnt earth in its place. Even despite trying to paralyze him he had created a clay version of him to be on reserve to switch in.

'No, he got away...'

"He'll be back; I'll finish him off then." Sasuke states at Hinata's disappointed look and she follows his line of sight to a patch of red staining the grass. The smell of blood becoming prominent when she and Sakura move to get a closer look.

"Whoever his partner was seems to have stayed back, none of the clones I left behind are picking up any bombs or further attacks to the stadium." Naruto notes.

'I'll force the answers out of him on Itachi's current location the next time we meet.' Sasuke decides, ignoring Kakashi's stare at knowing where his thoughts are spiraling towards.

"Don't touch it yet until we secure that the rest of this area is clear." Kakashi orders them all, stepping ahead of them to block off the scene.

Deidara's severed arm doesn't twitch or blow up though and whether Kakashi likes it or not, Sasuke will face off with Deidara again to get answers.

-X-

Kakashi

'A truly reckless idea.' Kakashi sighs.

The resulting explosion could've easily killed two of his pupils right before his eyes, both unafraid of the consequences of their actions.

But this tactic had worked on some level, baiting the Akatsuki to finally come out of hiding by watching the opening rounds of the exams. One of their strongest members had been heavily injured it appeared at least and neither Gaara or Naruto had been taken thankfully.

Though he feels no relief even as he mulls over these facts to himself, only a cold, stifling tightness to his chest making his heart work twice as hard. The explosion created a series of mini earthquakes, civilians and shinobi alike glancing at each other with panicked expressions. Those that haven't outright ran from the stadium look around in alarm for any other possible hidden bombs left behind despite a full sweep of everywhere.

'Obito, what are you going to do next because of this?'

And not just Obito, but Danzo as well.

The Root's leader was beginning to take more and more of a keen interest in Sasuke in particular, seeing him at times from the shadows merely watching them spar or observing him enjoy a quick lunch with Sakura amid the food stands.

Sasuke had surely taken notice of his increasing presence, however he had yet to say anything on the manner.

That didn't mean he wouldn't eventually.

Though it wouldn't be easy to take him down...

Because despite Danzo's appearance to a regular civilian as a passionate old man, he knows that beneath those bandages and use of a cane he's still a formidable opponent if worst comes to worst.

'I will do what's best for Konoha at the end of the day! You all may not agree with my methods, but they get answers. They'll prevent another war from breaking out in our territory.' The ending points of his speech boom again once more in his thoughts.

The only people that seemed swayed by his words were the same elders around his age, the ones who had been on the front lines with him during the second and third shinobi world wars...

His gaze roams back to his students all okay, all except for one.

'Where is Sai?'

And then his gaze twists to the sky, white and black ink bird circling overhead.

He's just been observing, keeping his distance to not become part of the action unless absolutely necessary.

'By Danzo's orders?'

"What's going on Kakashi?! Are we going to need to put the exams on hold again?" Gai questions, meeting him midway in reporting back to Tsunade and the rest of the other village heads.

Kakashi shakes his head. "Let's not be hasty, the rest of the matches can continue on."

Though at seeing thin veiny cracks now lining the pillars to the spooked expressions of the remaining contenders and those who were just watching, he can't be sure what the final decision will be.

And he steps further ahead of Gai at seeing a familiar figure moving first to get to the group, intercepting him just as he reaches the corner to the stairs.

"Danzo, what exactly are you planning? Don't make this situation even worse than it already is." Kakashi states.

He barely gives him a passing glance, eye focused only on reaching to Lady Tsunade and the others just a few steps away. "Is that a threat? Because of your students actions, innocent civilian could've been killed today. I have never fully understood why you were allowed to take both the Uchiha and the our village's tailed beast both onto your team knowing your own unstable history."

Kakashi's eye crinkles, saying nothing briefly.

"Despite all your actions Lord Third still saw you as his rival and friend." He counters.

A sneer crosses Danzo's face then, Hiruzen was weak until the very end; too compassionate and forgiving for his own good.

The mistakes he made are what put Konoha in this situation, the mistakes he'll have to fix...

He catches the faint glimmer of Kakashi's blade rising up as it catches the sunlight, his intimidation slowly becoming real.

"I'll ask again. Just what are you planning? The exams have been interrupted enough."

Danzo peers from his tanto to Sasuke and Naruto below, their attention becoming focused on Sai and the slow drizzle of his ink birds falling and scoping the area. If only he had been Hokage instead of Hiruzen, those two wouldn't even be there and none of this chaos would've happened...

But he can't give Sai the signal yet, not when he's barely reviewed over what exactly Naruto and Hinata know about him.

He turns his gaze back to Kakashi, loosening the bandages around his arm and eyes. The copycat ninja isn't the only one who knows how the wield the sharingan's capabilities.

"I'm doing what I have to protect Konoha."

-x-

So, are you guys new readers or old readers having trouble differentiating between past and future Naruto and Hinata from the earlier chapters? I did go back and edit them, but it still feels like people are getting confused and frustrated by it which is why I'm asking again since their future selves will make small appearances once more before the story ends. I have no problems going back if it will help improve the reading flow.

Spring Break season gives me a bit more time to write! Anyways, do you guys have a favorite villain character from the series? I have to say I liked Obito's stent when he was 'Tobi' and Hidan as a close second for how much he upped the stakes. The exams aren't over yet, but it marks an alert that reaches everyone no matter what side they're on!

Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!