Chapter 4 – The demonstration
Naruto was not sure that there was a need to escort Hinata and Hanabi to their rooms, but he did it anyway. To be honest he was not sure that there was a need for him to be on protective duty on this mission at all. Perhaps he should just focus on the intelligence-gathering part. Yes, the people here were strong. But they also seemed honourable. He was grateful for that, because if they meant harm to the Hyuugas Naruto was not sure he could stop them by himself. He had held his own against that Goku guy; but if two or three of them were that strong and joined together, Naruto would be flattened. Luckily these Saiyans did not seem to care about anything besides eating and fighting. Oh, and studying, for some reason. Naruto shuddered at the thought. He remembered Chi-Chi explaining that some people on this continent got paid for studying, claiming that Gohan was going to be such a scholar. Gohan seemed like a decent guy. But what sane person would willingly want to study for a living? Only nutcases like Orochimaru would do that.
Even Kurama thought he could relax and that Kakashi was being too paranoid. There was no sign that the Saiyans had any hidden agenda. There did not seem to be any relation with the Otsutsuki. And all the questions Naruto asked were answered honestly and without hesitation. Gohan had mentioned that not many people on the continent knew about their alien heritage, so it was refreshing for him to be open enough to discuss their biology and their history. Naruto was beginning to think that the Hyuugas would be safe here on Fire Mountain or when they were accompanied by the Saiyans. Naruto would best be able to accomplish his mission by sticking close to the elder Hyuugas as they journeyed further into the continent. That way he could provide protection for them and get to discover a bit more about this strange realm.
But he was oddly reluctant to leave the girls by themselves. He enjoyed their company too much. He had not seen Hinata in forever, and he had forgotten how calming her presence was. She also seemed more relaxed around him than she had ever been. He had seen more of her facial expressions during these last two weeks at sea than he had ever seen her display before; and he realised that he had never really paid that much attention to Hinata. Now he was becoming very aware of her presence. Rooms felt warmer when she entered them and colder when she left. How had he never noticed that before? And he had no idea that Hanabi was so mischievous and outspoken. Whenever he had seen her, he just thought of her as a smaller Hinata, but that was not the case. She had Ino's audacity, Naruto's playfulness, and Sasuke's stealth. Combine that with the air of confidence and dignity that she seemed to have inherited from Neji, and no one ever suspected her of being so devious.
"Ne-sama, do you think she's his girlfriend?" Hanabi was asking with a pout on her face as the three of them walked towards their rooms.
Hinata blinked at the question, not seeming to care much for the answer either way. That was good, Naruto thought with relief. Wait, what? He frowned at his thoughts. Why was that good?
"They both said that they were not together," Hinata responded mildly, letting her hair down out of its bun as they walked. "Why do you ask?"
Now that he had determined Hinata's indifference, Naruto was not that interested in this conversation. His mind was on his fight with Goku. He was trying to think of moves he should have used but became distracted by the way Hinata's heavy dark hair unravelled and settled in the middle of her back. She ran her fingers through the strands lightly and he wondered if keeping her hair pinned up was uncomfortable. He had the sudden urge to offer to massage her scalp before he shook himself, surprised at his thoughts.
"Then, if not her, do you think Gohan-kun has a girlfriend? Will you ask him for me, ne-sama?" Hanabi looked as though she was teasing, but there was a slight blush on her face to indicate that she was semi-serious.
"Hanabi. You're too young to be thinking about these things," Hinata paused in her walk, with the strictest look that Naruto had ever seen on her face. "Besides, Gohan-kun is very shy. You're going to make him uncomfortable."
"He's not that shy," Hanabi disagreed with a sly gleam in her eye, "You two had a lot to say to each other, ne-sama. Maybe you just don't want me to steal him from you?"
Naruto felt an odd sense of panic at Hanabi's words. Was Hinata interested in Gohan? That would just be…what? Wrong? But why? They seemed to have similar temperaments. It might be a good match. But why did the thought disturb him so much?
"Don't be silly, Hanabi," Hinata chided with a slight roll of her eyes, immediately soothing Naruto's nerves.
"Right. I forgot you have a type…" Hanabi trailed off with a smirk that she tried to keep hidden.
And the panic was back. Naruto could feel his brow furrowing. Hinata had a type? Did that mean she already had someone she liked? Was Hinata already seeing someone? No. Surely someone would have told him about it.
"Hanabi!" Hinata turned red, and her mouth dropped open in disbelief as she looked at her sister through narrowed eyes. Even Hanabi looked slightly guilty as she caught the look of betrayal on Hinata's face. "I do not have a type. Honestly, you're as bad as father. I'm perfectly content with my life the way it is, and I don't need anyone trying to set me up."
Hanabi threw her an apologetic glance, but Naruto was disturbed by how upset Hinata looked. Did people try to set her up often? At least she was stubborn enough to fight against that sort of manipulation. Hinata was always had more backbone than people expected.
"Yeah," Naruto agreed, feeling slightly comforted by Hinata's words. "What would Hinata want with a skinny guy like that anyway?"
Both girls looked up at him in surprise and Naruto felt himself flush at their scrutiny. What? Why were they looking at him like that? But before he could get to the bottom of it, Neji rounded a corner and called out to them.
"Hinata-sama," his usually calm voice sounded concerned. "Your father and Hideki-sama wish for you to have a match with Gohan-kun. This is so that Videl-san can see a demonstration of your fighting style. I'm to begin training her in the Gentle Fist."
This statement was met with shocked silence among the remaining three. Even Naruto was surprised. Shinobi clans did not usually train outsiders. Although it was not that important to keep the Jyuuken secret due to its dependence on the Byakugan, Naruto still found it strange that Videl would be taken on as a student. Hanabi looked just as surprised and confused as he did. But Hinata's expression hardened, and an understanding passed between her and Neji.
"They insisted that you be her tutor?" Hinata asked, with an edge to her tone. She seemed to be asking a different question.
"Yes. I tried to suggest you, but they were clear," Neji's voice was bitter, "You will be too busy attending events on behalf of the clan, escorted by Gohan-kun. While it seems I must spend the remainder of this trip in the company of Videl-san."
Another look passed between them. Naruto was steadily becoming more confused. Hanabi looked from one to the other, uncharacteristically quiet.
"Is it as we suspected, Neji nii-san?" Hinata asked.
"I believe so, Hinata-sama."
Hinata's face looked troubled, and her eyebrows were drawn together in disapproval as she stared at the ground. Then she straightened up and her posture became regal. Naruto felt himself hypnotised by the determination in her lilac eyes.
"Very well. Give me a minute to change into my mission gear, Neji nii-san. I will come and find you," Hinata bowed her head slightly and then left to her room.
Neji turned back the way he had come without another word. Hanabi exchanged a look with Naruto, who shrugged in confusion. Without needing to discuss it, they both followed after Neji. Neither of them wanted to miss this fight. Naruto was curious to see if Gohan fought the same way his father did. He was certain Goku had been holding back his strength, just as Naruto had. Would Gohan hold back too? How would Hinata fare in a fight against such brute strength? Hanabi kept up a constant stream of questions as they walked: "Why would father agree to train Videl?"; "What is it that you and ne-sama suspect?"; "Why do you two look so serious?". But Neji merely brushed off her questions.
They followed Neji outside the palace, to a wide-open field where the fight could take place uninterrupted. From what Naruto knew of his fight with Goku, he was glad there was a lot of space and not too many things that could be destroyed. It was not that late, but the sun had already set. Although the moon was shining a bright light on the open field, Hinata would have the advantage in the dark with her Byakugan. Still, Naruto had no idea whether these Saiyans had improved eyesight or not.
Ko was setting up a few stools and a table for the Ox King, Hiashi and Hideki, who were standing at the edge of the training field in conversation. After it was set up, Ichika brought them some tea and both she and Ko retreated to the palace. Videl was leaning against a tree on the other edge of the field with her arms folded. She seemed to want to be far apart from the other three. Naruto thought Gohan was nice enough, but he was not sure he liked this blunt girl with the sharp eyes. She kept looking at him like she suspected him of something nefarious. Naruto had never seen a girl more unhappy to be in a dress, but she pulled it off with grace and beauty despite her distaste. Naruto was not sure if he found Videl attractive or not. She was definitely pretty, but her scowl was off-putting. Right now, there was a confused frown on Videl's face, as though she were worried about something, but was unsure whether her worry was valid. Neji headed over to Videl, so Hanabi and Naruto followed.
"Where's Gohan-kun?" Hanabi asked, looking around for her new crush.
"He only brought dinner clothes, so he went to change into something more comfortable," Videl replied, her frown slipping away as she spoke of her friend. "He shouldn't be long. I can sense him heading back here."
Videl was nice enough to Hanabi. She was downright pleasant to Gohan. And she was polite and attentive to Hinata and Neji. So, it was only Naruto and the elder Hyuugas that brought a scowl to her face. It seemed that they were the three she trusted least.
"So, you can sense energy too, huh?" Naruto could not help asking, "That's a handy skill. What made you want to learn the Gentle Fist?"
She frowned at him as though trying to determine his motives for asking these questions. Naruto frowned right back at her. Yes, she was right to suspect him. He was here to find out about their military strength. But it was just a fact-finding mission. Konoha would never do anything with the knowledge. They just needed to know enough to prepare themselves in case this continent ever had ambitions to start a war. Surely she could understand that? There was no need to make him feel like a criminal. Naruto pushed down the childish urge he felt to get all up in her face.
"On this continent there are lots of different schools of martial arts. If you want to become a true master, you need to learn as many fighting styles as you can," Videl explained once she decided there was no harm in his question. "In a few years I'm going to have to face my current master in a tournament. But we use all the same techniques, and I was hoping to learn a new style that would give me the advantage in the fight. I had no idea you guys were so stingy with your techniques."
Naruto felt himself bristle, and again resisted the urge to start an argument.
"Hey! That's because our techniques need to be kept a surprise in battle. We don't fight for fun like you guys do. We fight with our lives on the line, ya know?"
"Whatever," Videl said dismissively, making Naruto grit his teeth. Then she turned to Neji with her eyes apologetic. "I just wanted to learn. I didn't intend to cause any trouble. And I certainly didn't want to become a nuisance to you, Neji."
Damnit. Why was she being so nice to Neji and so mean to him? Maybe I'm too used to being seen as the hero of the great war, Naruto mused. It's been a while since someone's worked on my nerves this much. Mostly people just tried to suck up to him. He had not faced this level of animosity in a long time. Naruto was not sure whether he found it refreshing or irritating.
"If any trouble occurs it will not be because of you, but because the elders are scheming something," Neji reassured her. "Don't concern yourself with me. I really don't mind training you."
"That's good to know. I thought maybe you were pretending not to mind in front of the elders," she smiled at him good-naturedly. "Gohan warned me that old clans are manipulative. I guess I just wasn't expecting the consequences of my actions to fall on Gohan. Or on you, Neji."
Naruto had no idea what consequences they were talking about, but he hoped that they would not impact Hinata and Hanabi either. Videl straightened up and looked off to the left. Not a second later Gohan appeared, wearing a bright orange gi. This energy sensing really was a useful technique. Naruto made a note to try and learn it while he was here. If he could learn how to fly too, then he would consider this trip worth his while. And if he could get himself an orange gi like this one he would be even happier. It was good to see other people appreciate orange as much as him.
Gohan smiled brightly as he waved at the four of them near the tree before approaching the elders and his grandfather. Naruto could not hear what they were saying, but it was of no consequence. Hinata approached from the other end of the palace wearing her new purple gear. It looked good on her. It hugged all the right places, making Naruto aware of the womanly shape Hinata had hidden for so many years. He shook his head to wipe those thoughts away. Hinata was far too sweet to be thought of like that. Naruto felt slightly ashamed of himself and focused his attention on the battle ahead. Hinata walked up to Gohan and the elders, standing with her back straight and her expression obedient, as though she were merely doing a duty. It upset Naruto to see her so meek when he knew of her inner strength.
"How come Hinata can wear that while I'm stuck in this?" Videl grumbled, fingering the fabric of her dress.
Naruto was not paying attention, but he decided that she looked like Kurotsuchi out of the corner of his eye. With a similar red dress, similar short black hair, and a similar bad attitude, he could imagine that she would get along well with the Tsuchikage's granddaughter.
"But you look so good in it," Hanabi commended her. "Very fashionable. What do you usually wear?"
"Just regular shorts and a t-shirt, I guess."
Hanabi pulled her nose up in disgust, causing Videl to laugh.
"I should introduce you to my friend Erasa," Videl shook her head in disapproval. "She loves fashion too. She'll take you around to all the shopping malls."
Hanabi's eyes sparkled at that idea, and clearly wanted to ask more, but was shushed by Neji.
"It's starting," he said.
Gohan and Hinata walked towards the centre of the clearing and bowed respectfully to each other. Neither of them seemed particularly eager for this fight, but he could see that they were both taking it seriously. Naruto felt conflicted. He had faith in Hinata's strength. But these Saiyans were monsters. Gohan's constant easy-going expression suddenly turned into a mask of concentration, and Naruto suddenly worried that Hinata might get hurt.
They each took up a fighting stance. Hinata with one foot behind the other and her weight on her back leg to give her forward momentum. Her palms were raised outwards in the traditional Gentle Fist stance and her Byakugan was already activated. Gohan with his feet a bit wider apart, and his weight more evenly distributed. He had one arm protecting his centre and the other in line with his sight. They stared at each other, sizing up their opponent and searching for weaknesses.
"I've never seen such a graceful stance before," Videl breathed from beside Naruto, and her eyes were sparkling with appreciation as she admired Hinata.
"I've rarely seen such a flawless stance before," Neji commented with a frown. "Perhaps the Sharingan could spot an opening, but I think Hinata-sama will have to create one."
"I'm just glad I get to see Gohan-kun's perfect muscles," Hanabi added with a nod of appreciation, narrowing her eyes at Naruto. "And you thought he was skinny, Naruto-nii."
Naruto had to admit that Gohan was less slight than he had previously thought. While Naruto would still insist that he was a bit broader, the definition in Gohan's muscles spoke to years of intense training.
"Hmmph, I've got more muscles than that," Naruto answered, turning his nose up as all three of the other spectators sniggered. "Anyway, Videl, would you say Gohan's on the same level as his father?"
Videl looked up at him in surprise, seeming to consider the question seriously. She even stopped frowning at him, for which he was grateful.
"I'd say Goku's on a higher level, even though Gohan recently unlocked massive reserves of strength. But from what others have told me, that's only because Gohan stopped training for seven years, just when he managed to surpass his father," she answered, and Naruto was surprised at the large gap of inactivity. "Gohan's started training again for the last few months or so, but he still lacks Goku's experience. Gohan's at his peak level of physical strength but he's a bit out of practice when it comes to skill. Still, even Goku says that Gohan has the potential to outclass him."
Naruto was disturbed by the information, and then decided to act on it, even if it made Hinata think that he was underestimating her.
"Hinata!" He called out across the grass. "This guy's super strong. The only way you'll land a hit is if you attack him with the intent to kill."
Hinata gave no indication that she heard him. Her eyes were squarely locked onto Gohan, eyeing him like the significant threat he was. But her soft voice echoed all the way to where Naruto was standing.
"Are you sure, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, sounding uncertain. "I could significantly damage his internal organs."
Beside Naruto, Videl shuffled her feet as though she were worried about Gohan. But she said nothing, trusting her friend to know his own strength.
"He's right," Gohan answered in his calm voice, keeping his eye equally on Hinata. "I'm only going to use about ten percent of my strength. If I think you can handle it, I'll pump it up a bit more. But I can repair any damage you may cause with a sensu bean. So, don't hold back."
Naruto had no idea what a sensu bean was, but he was grateful that Gohan was not going to be using his true strength in this fight.
"Alright," Hinata agreed. And without warning, she rushed forwards, aiming her palm at Gohan's chest.
Gohan was taken aback by her speed but managed to dodge with a slight movement to the left. He looked at her palm curiously as she launched the attack and Naruto wondered if he could sense the chakra in her fingertips.
Hinata attacked mercilessly as Gohan dodged her. Her movements flowed from one form to the other; never allowing Gohan the chance to re-evaluate his decisions. After another missed thrust, she brought her right arm back around to tap him on his back. Gohan escaped that blow with little difficulty, becoming accustomed to her speed and adjusting his accordingly. Naruto knew he was faster than this and that he was allowing Hinata a fair fight.
As Gohan agilely dodged the rebound attack he aimed an open palm blow at the opening she left at her side. Naruto frowned. It was not like Hinata to leave such a vulnerability open. He realised that it was a trap at the same moment that Gohan did. The two fingers of Hinata's left palm came speeding at his wrist. Gohan's quick footwork allowed him to twist away, but it seemed as though she had nicked him.
They both spun away from each other so that they were now standing where the other had started. The two of them dropped into their stances and stared each other down once more. It was as though the match were restarting, but with their positions switched. Gohan's defensive stance was marred a bit as he shook his wrist, looking at it in surprise.
"I see I'm going to need a bit more than ten percent," he smiled at Hinata, acknowledging her strength. She returned his smile in appreciation of his respect.
Naruto felt an inexplicable well of irritation. Why were those two smiling at each other so much? Wasn't this a fight? As if they could hear his thoughts, Naruto noticed Gohan's eyebrows pull downwards as he became serious once more. Hanabi swooned beside him. Videl had no expression on her face as her eyes followed their movements eagerly. Neji was keeping up a constant stream of commentary for Videl, explaining the flow of Hinata's movements and the purpose of each of her attacks. Naruto was only listening with half an ear. He was too intent on the fight.
"…didn't hit. Why does it look like his wrist hurts?" Videl asked quietly without looking at Neji.
"The Gentle Fist technique works by sending our chakra into our opponents. Even a small touch is more painful than the normal blow of a fist," Neji explained in a whisper, so that he did not disrupt the fighters. "With the Byakugan Hinata-sama can see the Tenketsu, the points that control the flow of chakra. If she can close some of his Tenketsu, she can redirect the flow of his chakra, or stop it altogether."
Videl looked doubtful, and Naruto agreed with her. From his fight with Goku, he knew that these Saiyans had an enormous amount of energy. He turned his attention back to the fight as Gohan looked ready to make his move.
Gohan raised his palm in front of himself and tensed up. He let out a shout as he shot a powerful gust of wind towards Hinata. But she was ready for him, her eyes easily allowing her to see where he was gathering his ki so she could follow his intention. She bent her knees a bit lower and shot her own wave of air to meet his.
"Hakke Kusho!" she cried, as she drove into Gohan's wave with her own, sending both attacks spiralling upwards to create a massive hole in one of the clouds that had covered the moon.
"Hey," Gohan paused with a surprised smile. "We finally found a technique we have in common."
Videl groaned loudly and complained under her breath about Gohan's lack of attention.
Hinata giggled at his lack of composure and rushed towards Gohan while he was distracted. He still managed to dodge her by dropping down and retaliating with a sweeping kick, making her handspring away from him. After she had gotten a nick on his wrist, Gohan seemed to realise that he should dodge her attacks instead of deflecting them. But then a strange expression crossed his face. Naruto almost thought he looked curious. When Hinata attacked him next, he still dodged, but Hinata twisted gracefully around him before sliding into a stance Naruto recognised easily. She landed two hits on Gohan's arm before he even saw it coming. Naruto thought that Gohan would protect himself against further attack, but Hinata landed all sixty-four of her blows, closing all his Tenketsu.
She finished her attack with a flourish, and then jumped away from him. Hinata landed a distance away, keeping up a defensive stance, and watching Gohan like a snake. It seemed she was not going to underestimate her opponent. And it was just as well, because Gohan barely seemed as affected as he should be.
He cringed in pain at the blows but recovered his composure after a few seconds. Gohan stood staring at his hands with a frown. With a sense of wonder, Gohan closed his fists, seeming to tense up. He looked up at Hinata, clearly impressed.
"What's happening?" Videl asked, clenching her fists anxiously. "Did she get his internal organs?"
"Don't worry. Hinata-sama is merely testing his strength, not aiming for damage. That last attack was meant to close all his Tenketsu," Neji explained calmly. Gohan-kun should not be able to mould his chakra – or gather his ki, as you call it."
"Tch, you'd be surprised by what Gohan can do," Videl smirked, "He probably let himself get hit on purpose to grasp the trick behind her attack. Sometimes he can be just as reckless as his father."
So that was why Gohan's expression had been so curious. Naruto shook his head. These Saiyans had no sense of caution. Naruto had no doubt that Gohan would be able to overcome the attack if he were using his full power. Even Naruto could manage to unblock his Tenketsu using Kurama's power. And these Saiyans had equally enormous reserves of energy. If Gohan wanted to win this fight, he would need to show more power than he was currently displaying. Naruto watched eagerly. Perhaps he would finally see what they were truly capable of.
"Wow, this is great, Videl," Gohan commented, looking towards Videl, who shook her head in disapproval at Gohan letting his guard down once again. "If you can master this, it'll definitely work against Krillin."
Videl sighed exasperatedly at her friend. "Pay attention, Gohan."
Gohan looked startled at her words. He jumped and turned back to Hinata as though only just remembering he was still in a fight.
"Right," he said, his face becoming serious once more.
Despite her rapt attention, Hinata could not hide the small smile on her face as she noticed Gohan's inattentiveness. Naruto frowned. She probably thought it was cute. Naruto thought it was irritating and disrespectful and he crossed his arms in disapproval.
"Gohan-kun has such a carefree spirit," Neji marvelled with a rare smile pulling at his lips. "It reminds me of someone else I know."
Naruto frowned. Who was he talking about? Naruto was sure he didn't know anyone from Konoha who was as goofy as Gohan. No one he knew would get distracted in the middle of a fight like that.
"Yes, it's a pity he's not ne-sama's type," Hanabi giggled with a hand over her mouth. "Ne-sama has very specific tastes."
Neji surreptitiously elbowed her in the ribs with a stern expression. But all she did in return was smile up at him innocently.
Naruto narrowed his eyes at the two of them. Did they know something he didn't? There Hanabi went talking about Hinata's type again. Did Hinata really have a type? Did she already have a boyfriend? And why did it bother him so much that she might?
A yell drew Naruto's attention back to the fight. Gohan had his arms bent in front of him, his fists and biceps taut. His feet were wider apart than before, and a wind started to form around him. Naruto watched in amazement as the energy coming off Gohan became palpable and tactile. A white glow was starting to shine around him, but it flickered in and out. He seemed to be trying to force his Tenketsu to open with raw power, but it was not enough. Gohan screamed even louder, throwing his head back, as the energy around him started to turn yellow. The dark clearing lit up as though it were daytime.
Videl seemed unsurprised and used the tree as support for her back. Hanabi had to brace herself against Neji at the force of the wind coming off Gohan now. Hinata had her arms up to protect her eyes, as shards of rock and dirt flew at her face. Naruto could feel Kurama stirring and taking notice at the mass amount of energy coming from Gohan. Naruto could not be sure, but it felt roughly equivalent to his own strength when he reached four tails.
With a final shout Gohan's energy pulsed and shot forward, pushing Hinata slightly backwards. Naruto caught sight of Hiashi and Hideki exchanging pleased glances. When he looked back at Gohan, it was as though a stranger stood in his place. Now Gohan had spiky yellow hair and chilling blue eyes. He was frowning and looked more deadly than Naruto had ever seen him.
"Amazing," Neji's eyes were wide.
Naruto was not as surprised as the others. He was expecting a massive boost in power in order for Gohan to open his Tenketsu. He was just not expecting the change in appearance. Hanabi, however, was nearly hugging herself in glee as she looked up from where she was sheltered behind Neji's arm.
"He's perfect," she cooed. "He might just be ne-sama's type after all."
Both Naruto and Videl glared down at Hanabi at that. But all she did was smirk mischievously and hide behind Neji, as if he could protect her from their wrath. Naruto caught Videl's eye, and an understanding passed between them. How strange. At the beginning of the night Naruto thought Gohan was nice and Videl was irritating; but now he couldn't stand Gohan, while he and Videl seemed to be of one mind. They were equally disturbed by the idea of Gohan and Hinata becoming close. Videl looked away from him and turned back to the fight with a stony expression.
Gohan maintained that form for a few seconds, flexing his ki as though to test that it was all working properly. Then he let the transformation go, and his hair and eyes turned onyx once more. His serious expression became jovial, and he raised his hand in apology, knowing that he had caught them all by surprise. Everything around them seemed to be darker than before with the absence of that bright yellow energy. Hinata had never let her guard down, observing each of Gohan's movements with her Byakugan.
"My turn," Gohan grinned at Hinata, before becoming serious once more.
A small ball of light appeared in his hand.
Hinata's eyes widened, and she dodged to the right, barely avoiding the blast which left a small black smudge on the earth behind her.
"What was all that?" Neji demanded of Videl as Gohan continued firing blasts at Hinata, who avoided them like a dancer. "The transformation, and those blasts. Can you do that as well?"
"The transformation is called Super Saiyan," Videl explained, her eyes still on the fight. "It's in his genes. Only Saiyans can do it. It multiplies their strength exponentially. But those blasts are something all the ki-based warriors here can do. We draw out our ki and form balls of energy. I only managed to shoot my first ki-blast a couple weeks ago. It requires a lot more energy than flying; though flying still takes up more concentration."
So, this Super Saiyan transformation must be the bloodline limit Kakashi was talking about, Naruto thought. But the ki blasts were not that unique. The ones Gohan was shooting were similar to, but less powerful than, his Rasengan.
"What will happen to ne-sama if she gets hit with one of those ki-blasts?" Hanabi asked, displaying a touching degree of concern as she watched her sister ducking and diving.
"Don't worry," Videl reassured her with a smile. "It will only singe her. Gohan's not putting that much power or speed into them. If he wanted to, he could blow a hole through this planet at his strongest."
All three of them gaped at her in disbelief. But it was hard to argue when her voice and eyes displayed such certainty.
They were drawn back to the fight as Hinata, tired of running around defensively, took on a stance that Naruto had only seen once before. This was the original technique she had created when she was younger. Indeed, the thin, sharp threads of chakra that she emitted from her palms sliced through Gohan's energy balls with ease. Naruto could not help noticing the surprised look on Hiashi and Hideki's faces. Did they really not know that Hinata had created this technique? Even Hanabi looked surprised, though Neji seemed to have witnessed it before.
"Neji nii-san, what is this?" Hanabi asked in amazement as she moved forward and activated her Byakugan to get a better look. Videl also turned to listen.
"Hinata-sama's original technique," Neji answered with a tinge of admiration in his voice. "It's not as strong as the Kaiten in defence, but it is more flexible, as she can also use it to attack."
Naruto ignored Neji explaining to Hanabi and Videl exactly how the technique worked, and instead focused on the fight, which was increasing in intensity. Gohan would throw energy balls. Hinata would cut through them with her left palm and use her right palm to slice right back at him. Now Gohan was the one on the defensive. Hinata was steadily edging closer to him, trying to get back within range to use her Gentle Fist.
Gohan, noticing this, moved so quickly that even Naruto had trouble following. He disappeared and reappeared behind Hinata, aiming a chop at the back of her neck. Hinata was too slow to stop him. She turned and managed to lessen the impact of the blow, but she was still knocked to the ground. Naruto clenched his fists at seeing her taken down. Gohan did not relax his attack, aiming another open palm blow at her. He had learned, as Hinata had, that his opponent could not be underestimated.
He was right to think so. Hinata rolled out of the way of his fists. She windmilled her way back to her feet, trying to trip Gohan up in the process, and making him have to jump to dodge her legs. On her feet once more she took the Gentle Step stance that always mesmerised Naruto. Hinata launched herself at Gohan with her Twin Lion Fists shining brightly in the clearing. Now it was a battle of pure Taijutsu, the likes of which Naruto had not seen since the war. The two lunged at each other in a flurry of arms and legs. Neither of them managed to land a blow, but Naruto could see that Gohan had the upper hand. He was faster and had the advantage of height and momentum. Hinata was more fluid and graceful in her defence. But Gohan was holding back and was obviously reluctant to hit her. It was giving her the freedom to attack, and she did so relentlessly. Then, when her foot was about to make contact with his face, his reflexes caused him to react too quickly. He threw up a guard that stopped her momentum and instinctively jabbed at her stomach with double fists, sending her flying towards the tree next to theirs with a surprised shout.
Naruto and Neji had just started to move to catch her, when Gohan got there first. Moving faster than he had during the entire fight so far, Gohan appeared behind Hinata and caught her just before she hit the tree. His back made a deep indent in the trunk.
"I'm so sorry, Hinata," Gohan apologised sheepishly, dropping Hinata to the ground.
Hinata, in a move that surprised Naruto, planted her Twin Lion Fists into his stomach as soon as her feet touched the ground. Gohan doubled over in pain, coughing and groaning.
"I forgive you, Gohan-kun," she said with quiet innocence as he narrowed his eyes at her.
Gohan pouted at her in complaint, but she chuckled at his expression, causing him to smile in comradery.
"Who knew you could be so underhanded, Hinata?" Gohan chuckled, straightening up and rubbing his stomach.
"You should not have let your guard down, Gohan-kun," Hinata panted, finally showing how much the fight had affected her. "In the shinobi world, the strong often lose to the vigilant."
Seeing them get along so well left a sour taste in Naruto's mouth. Why was Hinata smiling so much? What happened to the shy girl who rarely opened her mouth? And why did it upset him so much? Videl, too, was frowning at them, though it was obvious that she agreed with Hinata's assessment of Gohan's fighting. But Hiashi and Hideki could not hide how pleased they were at the chemistry between Gohan and Hinata. Neji noticed this as well and it caused him to scowl.
"I think that's a good place to end," Hiashi called across the field, and Hinata's smile faded almost immediately, as she straightened up at her father's voice. "I hope that was a sufficient demonstration, Videl-san?"
Next to him Videl nodded. But Naruto could already see that this fight had disturbed her far more than it had enlightened her. The elders and Neji confirmed that she could begin her training tomorrow, and after that she would have to come up with a different schedule, as she still had to attend school during the week. Then the Ox-king and the Hyuuga elders left, discussing the fight among themselves.
The four of them walked over to Hinata and Gohan at the tree next to theirs. To Naruto's relief, they did not seem to prefer to be too near each other. Hinata came to stand with Hanabi, who looked up at her in loving concern. Hinata stroked her hair with a reassuring but exhausted smile and Hanabi crawled under her sister's arm, lending her support. Gohan, on the other hand, made his way over to Videl with a sheepish expression on his face.
Videl stared at him with an expression torn between amusement and exasperation.
"I know. I know," Gohan admitted with a guilty chuckle, "If I wasn't so strong and fast, I would have been totally outclassed."
"Seriously, Gohan," Videl shook her head with a fond smile. Then she turned to Hinata. "Your skill was amazing, Hinata. It really inspired me. I can't wait to start training."
"Th-thank you, Videl-san," Hinata was slightly shy once more as she flushed at the compliment.
Naruto was happy for her. Despite how strong she was and how much she had grown, in many ways she was still trying to be acknowledged in Konoha. Videl had no idea how much Hinata appreciated someone acknowledging her strength. Maybe Videl wasn't so bad after all. Speaking of Videl, she turned to Gohan with mischief in her eyes.
"Ready to go, Gohan? Do you think you can fly home, or do you need me to get you a sensu for that wound to your Saiyan pride?" Videl taunted, with one of her eyebrows raised in amusement.
"I'm never going to live this down, am I?" Gohan asked sulkily, and Videl laughed.
Her laughter was infectious and even the three Hyuugas joined in. Naruto couldn't help grinning at how relentlessly she teased him.
"Come on," Gohan's eyes softened as he watched her laugh. "I've still got to fly home with you."
"You don't need to do that, Gohan. I can make it on my own."
Naruto could hear the pride and stubbornness in her voice. It was clear that she did not like to be looked down on or underestimated.
"I know you can," Gohan waved his hands defensively. "But it's late and it's dark and my mom would kill me if she knew I let you fly home alone."
There was a sparkle of amusement in Videl's eyes as she nodded in agreement, and Naruto could finally make up his mind that she was indeed pretty. The two of them waved goodbye, with Videl promising to see Neji in the morning, before they took off into the sky. Naruto could not help feeling awed at the sight.
"Hey Neji, wouldn't you love to fly like that?" Naruto asked, grinning like a loon. "Maybe you can get Videl to teach you? Then you can teach me."
Neji did not answer, but Hanabi sighed sleepily. "Maybe Gohan-kun will take me flying one day."
Hinata shook her head in disapproval at her little sister. She looked like she could use some rest too after that battle. Naruto gave her a once over to see if she was hurt in any way. Hinata caught him looking and flushed at his inspection.
Naruto looked away quickly, cringing. He hoped she didn't think he was ogling her. Hinata was suddenly shy as she wished them all a good night and headed for her room, immediately followed by Hanabi. Naruto quickly became frustrated once more. Why could Hinata relax and smile so much with Gohan, but she sometimes had trouble looking Naruto in the eye? He frowned after her, feeling bereft at her absence.
A/N: This story is primarily a romance focusing on the interactions between the characters of the two universes. So please don't crucify me if you don't agree with the differences in power and fighting styles between the two fandoms. The point of this demonstration was to show Videl what the Gentle Fist looks like, so obviously Gohan is trying to lower his power to give Hinata a fair fight. He's only using about 12% of his base form. That being said, I think I suck at fight scenes, so please let me know what you thought?
Also, I was on leave at start of this story, but I'm going back to work this week so the pace of my updates will be slowing down. I'll be churning out about a chapter a week. More if I can manage. Please review to keep me motivated. I will be finishing this story, but the pace all depends on how motivated I am. Even though I have an outline, this story seems to be writing itself, so I'm just as curious to see where it ends up.