Chapter 13

The next morning after doing one last check on Kakashi, Hinata got ready to leave on her adventure. He didn't have any early meetings today so she let him sleep in, even though he had asked her to wake him up before leaving. In lieu of a goodbye she left him a note and dropped a kiss on his cheek before heading out.

Reflecting on the party last night she doubted anyone would be up and about before 10 AM today.

Hinata and the Rabbit Anbu waited at the front of the building for their ride. Ryoko and his sister Rukia arrived right on time at 7 AM with a carriage. After they loaded their small travel bags onto the back they started off on their journey deep into the mountains. The Anbu opted to ride out in the front with the driver instead of sitting in the coach.

It was nice to have another girl on this adventure with her. Rukia was close to her in age so they found plenty to talk about along the way.

Ryoko and Rukia were both so kind but she couldn't help but wonder if they knew what their father was up to and of the coup that was brewing in Kirigakure. "Are you not missing any work while you go off this weekend?" She directed the question at Ryoko.

He had been staring out the window so he looked at her in surprise, "Umm not really, our father still handles clan matters… so we are more or less just carrying around honorary titles" he joked and she smiled back. The mist continued to thicken around them as they got higher in elevation and deeper into the mountains. The atmosphere turned chilly and ominous.

"Are you okay?" Ryoko asked, noticing her shiver.

"A-ano… yes, it's just very ominous looking outside. I am not used to this. How does the driver know to stay on track?" she asked nervously looking at the road they were travelling on. It was a very narrow and winding path along the mountains, if they were to fall off there was a very steep drop down which wasn't even fully visible because of the mist. She gulped.

"Experience," Ryoko said with a smile. "Don't be nervous, we make this journey every few months or so. These are not heavily travelled roads so as long as we go slow it is okay".

After a few more hours had passed they arrived at a small sized village. It had a tiny grocery store, a few businesses and a few people bustling around. They stopped a bit further down from the town at a restaurant for lunch. Getting off the carriage she realized that the restaurant was built into a carved cave on the mountain and some of the establishment continued on into a large tree nearby. It was almost like a tree house.

This was all so charming but she felt the smile slip off her face wishing Kakashi was here. It had only been a few hours but she missed him. Shaking her head she climbed the steps to the restaurant. The steps were even carved naturally out of tree roots and compacted soil! Seeing as how she was charmed by the tree house, Ryoko requested a table up there to her delight. The group was soon seated and from this vantage point there was a stunning view of the mountains. If the mist was less dense the view would be even more spectacular she was sure.

Being in the middle of a rainforest like this was very interesting. There were a lot of unique plants and animals to look at and surprisingly Rukia turned out to be quite informed about the flora and the fauna. Throughout the day they had chatted about plants and she learned a lot about the medicinal properties of plants native to Kirigakure.

"Can you eat with the mask on?" Ryoko was asking the Rabbit Anbu.

"I'll manage" the Anbu said simply.

After getting some coffee for their table they all placed their orders with the waitress. Ryoko ordered pasta, Rukia ordered a salad and Hinata and the Rabbit both ordered club sandwiches. They had a very enjoyable lunch and Hinata even got to sample salsa that was local to this region.

On her way out she purchased a colorful parka that had been knitted by a local seamstress and a few bottles of that delicious salsa. With the parka on she finally felt some of the chill that had been clinging to her dissipate.

.

.

After that pit stop they reached their destination in an hour or so. Getting out of the carriage Hinata was able to observe the Kawazaiwa compound and it was cleverly hidden away in a densely forested area. According to Rukia there was great hiking paths nearby so they made plans to go check that out later in the afternoon. Hinata grabbed her luggage and followed the two siblings closely behind as they led her into the house.

This was a typical traditional home built ages ago, so it wasn't a very modern place. Everything had an ancestral and important feel to it. Hinata wondered how his family had managed to move into a position of such power when they had originated hidden away in these mountains. The colors of the wood in the house were dark, however that was broken up by lighter colored sliding walls. This seemed to have been a bustling house ages ago but now it was quiet and empty.

"Do you not have much family living here anymore?" she asked.

"No, most of our family has now moved to the Capital. It doesn't really make sense to live here so remotely cut off from modern amenities and civilization. But we come here together as a clan for family holidays a couple times a year. Our grandparents live here year round as you'll see, they love it here too much to move... or are too stubborn to leave we don't know. You will get to meet them for dinner" Rukia said happily.

After a quick tour of the house, Hinata was shown into a room that was small but cozy. It had a traditional tatami sleeping mat with some linen and pillows. The three of them took some time in the afternoon to unpack their luggage and rest. Afterwards they went on a small hike. Hinata informed the Anbu where she would be and that they would return within 2 hours and the Rabbit nodded in understanding.

As they started their hike Rukia and Ryoko took great pleasure in showing her the densely forested lands they had grown up playing in. This was remote but she could see that it was a very whimsical and magical place to grow up in. "Was it fun… growing up here?".

"Uhh…" Rukia hesitated looking at her brother, "for Ryoko it was. He enjoyed training in these woods and he likes being close to nature. He is a bit of a recluse. But for me… it was less than ideal" she said smiling in a self deprecating sort of way.

Ryoko came to his sister's defense, "Growing up... there weren't many children around, so Rukia and I only had each other to play with. She didn't want to always play the games I wanted to play like cops and robbers or to train in combat. And looking back I guess I wasn't that nice because I almost never agreed to play tea party or house with her" he said looking at his sister sheepishly.

"Yes" Rukia said archly, "so you can imagine how lonely I was. When I was around 11 we moved to the city and it was then I actually met some of my now closest friends and they changed my life. Not that I didn't like playing cops and robbers with you Ryoko, but it was nice to have some other friends too" she finished nudging her brother.

Hinata could understand that. Despite the different clans in Konoha they were still very closely situated to each other and because of that they could all intermingle frequently. Growing up she had been around a range of people which had been good for her development. Being intrinsically introverted Hinata didn't need people around. But having had different people influence her as she grew up had allowed her to get out of her own head and grow emotionally as a person.

"Anyway if we head up this pathway to the top there is a very beautiful view point. Our mother used to bring us here for picnics all the time" Rukia murmured.

As they went a bit further up they came upon a series of suspension bridges built into the tall trees.

"Wow" she breathed out.

"Yep… these bridges are a network system across the mountains. You will find them scattered throughout. Here let's get on" Rukia went up a series of stairs getting on to the suspension bridges.

"This is so cool" Hinata marvelled as they got onto the bridges. Walking like this they had a totally different vantage point of the forest. From up here they were among these huge trees and they were able to observe branches and leaves as well as the animals residing in them.

After 15 more minutes they arrived at their intended location. It wasn't a very large clearing, but the best part about it seemed to be that it was hidden away like a secret alcove. Looking out you could see miles and miles of the gorgeous green scenery and there was a scenic river that ran below.

"When the mist is thick all the viewpoints are useless, but we lucked out today with only an overcast" Ryoko looked up at the sky.

"Do you have many nice days here? It seems like such a waste being this close to the ocean and not getting beach weather?"

"Oh… we do" Rukia replied, "It's just more frequent in the summer months than anything else. That's why the summer is usually the tourist season here. Hinata... you have to come back sometime. There are so many beautiful islands around that we can take you to when the weather is nice".

Hinata agreed enthusiastically that she would definitely have to come back in the summer perhaps with her sister.

"So Hinata" Rukia started again after a brief silence, "are you nervous to be marrying Kakashi-san? Isn't he much older than you?".

They had all been sitting relaxed on nearby rocks at this point but Hinata's back stiffened at the question. She hadn't really thought about this because… well they weren't really engaged!

"Umm…well… he's not that much older than me all things considered. I mean some of the men who have proposed to me in the past have been even older than that".

"Yes... I get what you mean. That is the case for me too. I keep putting off marriage but… our parents are starting to get impatient with the two of us. I mean Ryoko here, he is almost 26...I have no idea how he has gotten away with waiting this long".

"What do you mean?" Ryoko asked indignantly, looking at his sister.

"Well… you are no spring chicken brother. You are 25 and I'm sure as you know Hinata… in our parents' generations, they would have been married with kids by now."

"Do you have anyone you are considering?" Hinata asked Ryoko with a mischievous smile and oddly he seemed slightly flustered.

"Umm… no, not really. I've been stalling my parents for a while now...but you know I think I'm coming around to the idea. I think I will start looking now" he said lightly and turned to look off into the distance.

"Thank god, I can't wait to have a sister," Rukia cried happily.

"Well whoever she is, she would be lucky to join your family" Hinata said smiling at the siblings.

After staying at the view point for a bit longer they headed back. There weren't a lot of servants out here so when Hinata found out that Rukia would be helping cook their dinner she happily joined in. She was surprised to see Ryoko joining in as well. Even though he didn't do much of the cooking he lingered around helping cut things and taste testing. In her clan men didn't enter the kitchen so this was a refreshing change.

"Usually we come out here with our parents, and our mother takes over this kitchen. In the city our house is fully staffed so this is one of the only times we get to eat her cooking and because of that coming out here is a really special treat for us". Hinata had to smile at that, she was slowly coming to love this getaway with the Kawazaiwa siblings.

After assembling fried rice, devilled chicken, udon noodles, soup, grilled meats and vegetables they set out the table for dinner.

During dinner she got to meet Ryoko's grandparents as well as a few caretakers and other elderly members of the clan that resided here. Her Anbu teammate joined them as well, but true to his profession the Rabbit stayed quiet.

Hinata was surprised to find that Ryoko's grandpa could still recall many stories about her own grandfather as the two had been good friends. He had many funny stories to tell her about Hiashi and Hizashi growing up. As having only known her father as the serious man he was today it was bizarre for Hinata to hear about what a rascal he had been growing up. And Ryoko's grandmother was a very sweet lady. She indulged in listening to her husband talk and Hinata could sense he was the more boisterous one out of the two, but the grandmother was a firecracker in her own rights.

"Why don't you marry this handsome grandson of mine?" the older woman abruptly threw out at one point to which Hinata turned a bright orange color. She turned to look at Ryoko to find that he was giving his grandmother a fond but exasperated look. Rukia snickering loudly and Ryoko threw her a dark look too, "Don't worry Hinata, my grandmother is always trying to marry me off. Obaa-san, Hinata is already engaged to be married but I will find a girl soon I promise" he said smiling.

"Finally…" she sighed, "Ryoko, it is my fondest wish to see you married before I die".

"Come on, Obaa-san don't talk like that," he said in a bursque way that highlighted his discomfort in thinking about his grandparents' mortality.

The rest of the dinner passed light heartedly and after cleaning up Hinata and Rukia went to the nearby hot spring to enjoy a nice long soak.

According to Rukia these mountains were known for these spectacular natural hot springs as well as their healing properties. She had passed much of the afternoon and evening not thinking about Kakashi but as she sat in the hot spring she couldn't help but wish again that he was here with her. He would have loved this… but perhaps Kakashi had explored these mountains himself in the past.

It wasn't until much later that night Hinata was able to do some of the reconnaissance work she had planned. The Rabbit had been investigating on his own for much of the day, however he had been careful not to go into obviously off limit spaces like the study. After the house had quieted in the middle of the night Hinata ensured that everyone was asleep and made her way to the study of the house.

Due to her Byakugan it was almost unfair how easy this was for her. Tsunade-sama had been right when she'd said this dojutsu was made for espionage. Before long she was at the front of the house where the study was located.

The house was quiet but the weather outside had turned a bit stormy throughout the night. Upon entering the study she realized that this was a space that wasn't being utilized much anymore. There were scatterings of dust here and there settled over books and documents.

Since Ryoko's grandfather was retired perhaps it was just his father who now used these rooms. Regardless wanting to be diligent, Hinta looked around the room with a critical eye. The space was filled with many documents, books and scrolls. It wasn't very tidy.

She first carefully observed the room for hidden passageways. Afterwards It took her a bit of time to review all the documents and to sift through the paperwork that was sitting on the desk by herself. Usually Kakashi would take half the room and he went through correspondence of this nature because he had a knack for weeding out what wasn't important from what was. After a careful analysis she realized there was nothing suspicious in the paperwork so she moved onto the bookshelf.

It was a typical bookshelf filled with books and scrolls that were expected to be owned by the nobility. When she was just about to give up looking through the bottom shelf she noticed a random small red book covered in dust. Hinata carefully picked up the book and examined it.

Her breath caught as she realized on the cover there was that symbol they had found back in Kirigakure, a circle with a swirl pattern inside and a line drawn across it. The interesting thing was though that this book was quite ancient. Upon closer inspection you could tell that the paper and the binding was from a long time ago. But what really chilled her blood was that inside the book there was a strategy laid out. First to perform a coup and destabilize Kirigakure from the inside but then it went onto lay out a detailed plan of how to take down the other four shinobi nations as well.

She exhaled shakily as she closed the book and glanced nervously around the study. Should she copy this work down or should she take this book with her? Would they have enough proof without this actual book, plus it would take forever to copy the whole book down. After some internal deliberation she decided to take the book with her. Just as she was about to leave she did a thorough glance around the study ensuring that everything was in place. She took out some of the powder Shinobi carried from her pocket and spread it in areas where she may have disturbed the dust.

Perfect she thought with one last glance and left.

With the book tucked into her pocket she continued to examine some of the other rooms of the house but was not able to find anything else of significance. So after an hour or so she returned back to her room to sleep.