So, I know this hasn't been updated in god knows how long. I had adopted the story in my senior year and once I got to college, it was kinda hard to keep up with it. I had moved over to AO3, and it took me a while to figure out my groove. A lot of main stories got pushed to the side due to week long or month-long events, big bangs and my usual summer job interning at a theatre that took up so much time, I learned not to do any sort of writing event. I had pushed this story to the back of my mind, but when I got back into reading sasuhina again, I realised I wanted to finish this. So, here we are. Pretty much everyone asked for it to stay here on so here it'll stay. I was also looking back at the picture I had used as inspiration, drawn by AiraEve on deviantart, which was just called Hinata and Sakura, I realised that Hinata's jacket wasn't sleeveless with her wearing arm warmers, there were slits in the jacket at the top. I might change her outfit slightly when they return back to Konoha. This was the one chapter I was missing and I doubt sunhex still has it, so let's just keep going. Anyway, let's continue and just a heads up for those who remember sunhex's version, Sasuke and Hinata won't confess their feeling here. I finally figured out the situation that causes that confession and it'll come after this. Enjoy.
Third person POV
The three genin followed their sensei into the woods not far from the house. It was a slow walk with Kakashi on his crutches, but the eventually arrived, surrounded by trees. They watched their sensei lean on his crutches, waiting for instruction.
"Right, before we start, let's go over chakra, the natural source of a ninja's power."
"Why do we need to learn about catra?" Naruto asked, not seeing Sasuke roll his eyes or hear Hinata let out a small groan.
"It's chakra." Kakashi-sensei said, with a sigh of his own before nodding to Hinata. "Would you care to explain?"
Hinata nodded, giving the short version, about how it had two forms that mixed and with the help of signs, was released as a jutsu.
"What does that have to do with our training now? We know how to use the jutsu." Naruto asked.
"No, you have barely scratched the surface of it. One of the biggest leading things in the death of a ninja is depleted chakra, because they over did it. You use too much, you could get killed. Use too little and your jutsu won't even work. You need to learn how to control and balance your chakra. I'm going to teach you to control it until it's second nature."
"Cool, how?" Naruto asked.
Kakashi pointed to the tree he was standing in front of. "By climbing a tree."
"Huh?" Naruto and Sasuke asked, Hinata looking like she understood.
"With our feet only, correct?" she asked.
"How do you know that?" Naruto asked, turning to her, causing her to jump and blush.
"M-my family's technique. We're taught charka control the moment we can ever produce it."
"So, it's so easy a kid can do it?" Sasuke scoffed.
"Not really. The feet are the hardest part of the body to produce chakra from."
"Exactly. Even the most advance ninja would have trouble doing this. But enough talk, focus the chakra to the soles of your feet and use these kunai," he handed the three of them the blades, "to mark your place on the tree. The idea is to get to the very top. A running start also helps. Have at it."
The three nodded and closed their eyes, focusing the chakra to their feet. Naruto was the first to open his eyes and with his usual smile took off towards a tree. He only made it two steps before he fell off and hit his head, leaving him moaning and groaning in pain.
Sasuke was next and got a good deal up, but then he felt his foot start to crack into the tree. He marked his place and jumped off the tree, landing safely.
'They were right, this isn't easy. Too much chakra and you break through the tree. Not enough and you slip off like Naruto. But if the balance is perfect then…'
He looked around and wasn't disappointed by the sight of Hinata, pushing her hair behind her ear as she sat on the branch of a tree, high above them.
'Then it isn't a problem.'
"Very good Hinata!" Kakashi-sensei called from the ground before turning to his male students. "See, this is the level of control and maintenance I was talking about. Honestly, if I had to choose between the three of you of how'd be Hokage, I'd choose Hinata. And I guess the Hyuuga is a better family than the Uchiha after all."
"S-sensei! That w-was uncalled for!" Hinata yelled from her perch, feeling worse when she saw the looks on the boys' faces.
'Looks like they're motivated. Both Naruto and Sasuke have more chakra within and once they master it, achieving their goals won't be as hard as they seem.'
"Alright, first I'll match Sasuke and then I'll head straight to the top! Believe it!" Naruto said, pumping himself up.
No one – except maybe Kakashi – seemed to notice Inari hiding behind a tree, watching them. he turned, walking away, with his mind on the man in the picture. "What a waste of time. They don't know what they're dealing with."
It was hours later and Kakashi looked up from his book to see his students panting. Hinata had reached the top of her tree, not that it didn't take a while. Sasuke had gotten a good distance up but nowhere near Hinata's first try. Naruto however, hadn't gotten very far up his tree. It was obviously frustrating him as he glared up at the marks of his progress. He watched Naruto get up and walk towards Hinata, who was concerned with pulling her hair up from sticking to her neck that she didn't notice Naruto until he kneeled in front of her. He also noticed Sasuke glancing at them, looking put out. He couldn't help but laugh to himself a bit. Seemed like someone was a little jealous.
Hinata had shed her jacket, though she kept her knees close to her chest to hide how tight her shirt was on her. She was reminded how much she wanted to her sister. With the running start they had after they passed, finding her clothes had been pushed to the back of her mind.
"Hinata?" she looked up to see Naruto, leaning in and using his hand to block his mouth. "I need a bit of advice. How are you so good at this?"
"I told you, my family's secret techniques deals with knowing chakra and how it works and how we can turn it against a person."
Naruto looked distracted at that statement. "Against them? How?"
Hinata gestured for his hand. He looked apprehensive but he handed her his hand. Using two fingers and being as gentle as she could, she blocked of a chakra point.
"Ow! Why does my hand feel so weird?"
"Because I blocked off a chakra point. That's what I mean when I say turn it against a person."
"Could you do that to Zabuza?"
"With extreme luck, but we'd also have his brute strength and giant sword to worry about."
Naruto puffed up. "Well, that's why we have me around."
"You have to learn the technique first." She pointed out, unblocking the chakra point. No point making things harder for him.
"Well excuse me Ms. Sass. Now help me."
She explained it to Naruto, seeing the understanding filling his eyes. "Got it?"
"Yeah! Thanks, Hinata. Also, let's not tell Sasuke about this."
"I'll control the urge to go running to him." Hinata said, slightly sarcastically. With the ease she felt with her team, it was easy to come out of her shell.
Naruto childishly stuck his tongue out at her, happy to know his actions wouldn't land him with any wounds. Most of the other girls in his class wouldn't think twice about hitting him. Hinata was different, and now he had help to get this down.
"Hey?" he turned to see Sasuke, looking embarrassed and put out. "What did you ask Hinata exactly?"
Oh, this was too good to pass up. "I'll tell you, if you say I'm the greatest and apologize for calling me a loser."
"Never mind." The other boy snapped turning back to his tree.
Kakashi looked at his students and let out a sigh. He had a feeling getting silence and complete concentration would be impossible with this team.
The next day, Hinata was with Tazuna on guard duty, while the boys continued with training. Hinata stifled a yawn behind her hand. She'd gotten up very early.
"Apologies for getting you up so early." Tazuna said with sarcasm. "Where's the kid with the attitude and the kid with no brain?"
"Sasuke and Naruto," she stressed, surprisingly powerful for a girl still feeling dead on her feet, "are training."
"Too hard for you?"
For a second, Hinata felt a rush of hot anger go through her, at the thought of being looking down at. She put up with it from her father and everyone else in her family, she didn't need someone who didn't know her to think the same.
"Relax, I'm joking. I do remember that fight with the assassin."
"I finished the training. I've done it before, so it didn't take me long to complete. They'll be joining us once they manage that too."
Tazuna let out a small scoff and Hinata had to control her anger. She was changing. She was still shy, would rather hide than be heard but she felt bolder at times, ready to make herself be heard.
"Tazuna, I need to talk with you." a worker said, his helmet in hand, looking the slightest bit nervous.
"What is it Giichi?"
"Look, I've given this a lot of thought but…I want off the project."
"What? Not you too!"
'Too? Does that mean this isn't the first person who's quit?' Hinata thought.
"You and I have been friends for a long time and I want to believe in what this bridge can do, but pushing our luck. It's only a matter of time before Gato sets his sights on us and I'm not just talking about you getting assassinated, I mean all of us! If you die, this bridge will never finish. Let's just drop it and forget this ever happened. We could get out with our lives!"
Hinata gaze went to Tazuna who's face went stony with silence as his friend went on his monologue. Once he was done, Tazuna finally spoke, the same looking staying on his face.
"Not a chance. This is our bridge. Our town, everyone in this village helped make this bridge, believing in it bringing our poor land back to life with resources."
"But at the risk of our lives?"
The silence was tense before Tazuna turned away. "It's the end of the day. Giichi, don't bother coming in tomorrow."
Hinata watched as Tazuna went to announce the end of the work day. It seemed too early, but Hinata had a feeling Tazuna wasn't in the mood to be around anyone else coming to tell him they quit.
"We need to get ingredients for dinner. If we don't, my daughter will have my head." Tazuna announced, once they finally had their bags.
Once they entered the marketplace, Hinata got a better look at life within the Land of the Waves. Children living in the streets, thieves, men begging for work. The store that they went into was a generous term for it. Most of the stalls were empty and the ones that weren't, weren't even full. There was also the incident with a pickpocket who went a little far east than Hinata's bag and earned a knee to the lower region.
Tazuna couldn't stop laughing. "Oh, the look on his face, that was incredible."
"That was embarrassing. Is it truly this bad? We have our fair share of pickpockets and such, but the proceed with the caution that they could be stealing from a ninja."
"It worse, I can assure you of that."
Hinata moved to ask how when something grabbed the back of her pants. she let out a screech, ready to attack again when she saw it was a little girl. Her hair was short, like most of the boys her age and her clothes were dirty and ragged.
"Please?" she asked, hands outstretched.
Hinata pulled out her uneaten onigiri, watching the girl's face light up at the sight of it.
"Thank you!" she cried before dashing off into the crowds.
"It's been like this ever since Gato showed up. Adults became cowards. That's why the bridge is important, as a sign of bravery, to restore their spirit and bring hope back to the people again. The bridge will do all that and more."
"Then…let's make sure to keep you safe, so you can bring that hope back."
Hinata watched in shocked horror at the rate the boys were eating. She knew they were competitive, but at this rate, they were going to be sick. Tazuna and his family didn't seem to notice, or they were ignoring it.
"I want seconds!" they announced before turning pale and vomiting.
"You do realise that overeating isn't helping." Kakashi-sensei stated.
"I'll eat." Sasuke said.
"I have to eat more than him if I want to get stronger, even if it means enduring it all." Naruto said, the glares between the boys getting worse.
"Or, you can try and remember Iruka-sensei's illuminating lesson on what happens with solider pills and purging to get faster." Hinata reminded, calming sipping her soup, watching the boys turn paler than before and shoving their plates away.
"I see your sensei is truly terrifying." Kakashi commented. Hinata only responded with a smile before mentioning they should clean up their mess. Sometimes scare tactics worked rather well, especially with stubborn boys.
Tea was given and Hinata even offered the ninja Dashi flower tea, warning them they wouldn't get another until they completed the training. Hinata offered to help with the dished, but was waved off. Hinata picked up her cup, planning on going back to her seat when a photo hanging on the wall caught her attention.
"I hope I'm not overstepping, but the person missing from this photo? Inari was staring at it throughout dinner."
"That was my husband." Tsunami answered slowly.
"Used to be called a hero in this town."
Inari suddenly stood up and ran out of the room, his mother after him, not before she reprimanded her father.
"I take it, there's a story behind this?"
"It was the start of it all, what Gato did to this country. Inari's real father was a man I hope rots wherever he is, but the man in that picture, who made my grandson smile and brought light back to my daughter, he was the true thing and it's thanks to Gato that Inari and this town will never be the same."
He told them the story of Kaiza, how he saved Inari from drowning, how he became part of their family, how he became a hero be risking his life during a flood. How he brought hope to the Land of Waves. How when Gato came and took over, how he didn't give up, even when it killed him. How Gato made an example of him, cutting off his limbs and still setting up a public execution. How after that, the word bravery was lost.
Naruto sat there in silence, remembering Inari's words when they first met him. Remembering how he was crying looking at what he now knew was his dad's picture. Naruto had to believe in himself to get himself this far. If Inari needed to get far, he needed something he could believe in. he got up, heading for the door when the affects of the low chakra caught up to him and he went crashing down to the floor.
"Naruto!"
"You shouldn't be moving yet; you've been training all day."
"I've got to prove to him." He announced, pushing himself up on shaking arms and legs, ignoring Hinata's help. "I'm going to prove to him that heroes do exist."
Hinata quietly walked into the room Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei were sharing.
"Sasuke?" she called. "Sasuke."
From under his blanket, Sasuke let out a sleepy moan. He was still sore from training. "What?"
"Naruto never came back from training last night. I'm helping Tsunami with breakfast and it's still best if Kakashi-sensei only really has to move two times. Do you think you can go look for him?"
"What am I? his babysitter?" he groaned.
"Please?"
Sasuke groaned again, sitting up, running his hand through his hair when he heard Hinata let out a squeak. He looked up only to see her back turned to him. "What?"
"Nothing. I'm going to help with the breakfast. We're almost done so hurry up." She dashed out of the room before he could say much else. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it on and got ready. The early morning sun was shining down through the trees as he continued to where he knew they'd been training. He passed a girl, no guy, just with feminine features on his way over. There was something about him that seemed…familiar. His attention was pulled to Naruto, who seemed to be having a crisis. Honestly, Sasuke was still too tired to be bothered. He slammed his fist into Naruto's head, ready with his usual comebacks and dragging him back to the house. Once they ate, it was back to training. They were getting better, so much so that when Kakashi and Hinata came to check up on them, Naruto felt the need to show off, by scaring them. he got his karma when he lost concentration and almost fell if Sasuke didn't grab him.
It should have been a happy moment when they came back late, with news that they had finally reached the tops of their trees and were ready to join on bodyguard duty the next day. But with Inari still trying to talk them out of dealing with Gato and Naruto yelling at him, the house felt a bit tense.
Hinata found Naruto looking a bit sorry for himself in a corner of the house. He looked confused at the sight of her so she lifted the two tea glasses in her hand.
"I did promise you'd get more once you mastered it."
"Are you sure you want to give it to me? You always tell me not to yell at him."
"You look guilty." She said, sitting next to him and handing him a cup. "Makes me think you regret how you said it at least."
"What did you want me to do? I get the kid is hurt from his dad, but we're here to make sure that doesn't happen. Can't he have a bit of faith?"
"When a person's trust in something is shaken, it's hard to gain it back. Just ask my father."
Naruto frowned in his tea, still remembering the stern voice he heard the day they met Mitsuki. "Your dad seems like an ass."
Hinata gave a small shrug. "to him, I'm completely useless, a waste of an heiress. My trust in him has completely died, even if I do still keep trying to grasp on. It's easy for some to just give up on trusting, at least until they see a reason to trust again. So, try and keep your promise on showing him a hero. Who knows, maybe he'd surprise you."
"You know, back at the academy, you were so quiet. Half the time, I forgot you were there. You're way more confident."
Hinata knocked her leg against his. "well, hard not to have a bit of confidence with Konoha's best ninja around."
Naruto puffed up. "And don't you forget it. And I won't forget. I had to believe in my own heroes until I met a few. So, I'll make sure he doesn't have to make up his own."
And here we are, obviously way different from what sunhex's version would have been, and no sudden relationship between Sasuke and Hinata, though it's coming. I cut down on a lot of the backstories, mostly cause you guys already know those stories and it's just easier to help move the chapter along. IDK when the next chapter will be out, the quarantine has been eating away my will to write, but I don't have any big events so hopefully not a huge wait. Leave a review!