Chapter 9: Interlude
It's silent when Naruto finally awakens, blue eyes open to the sight of a plain white ceiling and a single white light swinging back and forth like a pendulum. When had he fallen asleep? The last thing he remembered was Kakashi carrying him after a fainting spell.
Naruto sits up, touching his forehead and feeling for any head wounds.
'Impossible, Kurama would have healed any problems if I had them.' it is only then that he realizes someone is in the room with him. Faster than Kakashi could react Naruto holds a kunai to the older man's throat breathing hard. Luckily Kakashi stops the blade just before it hits something vital. Naruto drops the kunai in a panic.
"Kakashi-sensei! You scared me." Naruto says pulling back and sitting on the hospital bed. Kakashi doesn't show it but he's relieved he caught the blade in time. Naruto was seriously fast, too fast.
It's worrying.
The blonde slips on his shoes and prepares to jump out the window to avoid the coming conversation. He's halfway out when Kakashi calls to him.
"Stay, we need to talk about something important." Kakashi says, it's a tone Naruto knows all too well. He heard it in wave and he was hearing it all over again now. Naruto turns to face the white haired jounin.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto mutters. Kakashi sighs through his mask, taking a moment to catch his breath before the hard conversation begins.
"You need someone to train you for the final exam and you only have a month."
"You're offering?" Naruto asks folding his arms. Kakashi is hesitant to break his heart, the whole thing with Orochimaru reminds him that Sasuke has no idea how to use his Sharingan nor even a signature move. He'd been ordered to teach but he didn't want to leave Naruto alone.
"Your silence has me worried Kakashi-sensei but don't worry about it. You should probably just focus on Sasuke."
"But I don't want to." Kakashi says focusing his single eye on Naruto. The blonde sits up suddenly uncomfortable with the attention.
"You were ordered to, It wouldn't be wise to go against it, the council-"
"Shouldn't have as much power as they do."
"I can take care of myself." Naruto says with a frown. "You don't have to step on any toes for me. I'm fine, always have been."
Kakashi sighs again. He knew the blonde would be difficult to convince, how would he get his student to trust him if he couldn't even do this one simple thing.
"At least let me walk you out of the hospital and find you a teacher."
"Why do you feel guilty Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asks tilting his head. "Did something happen?"
'I was supposed to be looking after you three but I couldn't even sense Orochimaru.' Kakashi thinks. Once the Hokage had informed the remaining jounin of what happened during the second exam Kakashi had felt his heart drop to his stomach.
Of course, the mad scientist would be coming for the last Uchiha and the Jinchuuriki of the nine tails. But he couldn't let Naruto know how worried he was. Call it stubborn pride but Naruto couldn't know how scared he was.
"The situation is no longer the same. You know what this exam means to Konoha."
"Oh, so this is about Konoha." Naruto smirks. Watching Kakashi stutter and sputter was the funniest thing in the world. "I'm kidding, Kakashi-sensei. I know."
Naruto approaches the jounin more seriously, stopping at the visitor's chair where Kakashi sits.
"It's fine, Kakashi-sensei. Train Sasuke, he needs it. Truthfully I worry about him you know." Naruto confesses. Kakashi holds a hand to his face.
"So do I, I worry what he could become." the jounin says. "Thank you for keeping your eyes on him."
"He's my teammate, It would be heartless if I didn't." Naruto laughs. "Didn't you say you were going to walk me out?"
There are only a few whispers from the doctors and patients when Naruto walks through the hallways of the hospital. The snide glares cease at the sight of the jounin beside him resting a protective hand on his shoulder.
"I'll see you later Kakashi-sensei." Naruto says vanishing in a colorless shushin. Kakashi doesn't have much to say to himself when the blonde is gone.
'He passed.' Kakashi thinks letting his feet carry him to a familiar grave stone, he needed to pay his respects.
Orochimaru is waiting on the bridge by the time Kabuto leaps into sight, landing in a crouch he bows. The pale haired man looks up to notice the scowl across Orochimaru's face as he leans against the railings which could only mean one thing.
Something went wrong somewhere in the plan.
Kabuto pushes his glasses up his nose with a sigh.
"What happened?" he asks, keeping his tone even. One could never know how Orochimaru would react to even a little snark.
"The cursed seal failed to activate." Orochimaru says, balling his fists. He turns to Kabuto to see the expression on his right hand man's face. The medic nin looks just as surprised as he is. Kabuto narrows his eyes.
"It's never failed like that ever, not even in the testing stages. There must be some new variable." The man says.
"I know that." Orochimaru snaps, Kabuto frowns folding his arms. He knew better than to engage when the Sannin got like this.
"The solution seems simple enough, we catch him and we try again." Kabuto says once again nudging his glasses up his nose. He looks out into the open landscape snorting at the people going on and about with their lives. Orochimaru follows his line of sight and scoffs.
"They're so used to peace here, you wouldn't think this was one of the great ninja villages." the Sannin says. Kabuto notices the longing in his voice, this used to be the other man's home after all.
"You're hesitant to destroy it?" he asks, knowing the question was a slippery slope to annoying Orochimaru. The Sannin chuckles.
"Is it really that obvious?"
"Not to anyone else." Kabuto says softly. "Why go through with this then? We got away with posing as a very legitimate ninja village we could have continued that way."
"I don't expect you to understand." Orochimaru retorts with a smirk Kabuto knew he was using to hide the fact that he didn't understand either.
"We need Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru says after the silence that falls between them.
"Naruto-kun's influence may have had something to do with the seal failing. We need to separate them."
"I suspected as much, Sasuke-kun cares for him, that could be a problem." Orochimaru says stretching.
"Loyalties are easily bent, I'm sure Naruto-kun has his fair share of distrust in the citizens of Konohagakure." Kabuto says smirking. "He may not desire strength but a home, a family..." Kabuto trials off.
"I suppose we all want that same thing. Observe Sasuke, I need to rethink some things." Orochimaru orders turning back to the peaceful scene in front of him.
Kabuto sighs, vanishing in s swirl of leaves and leaving Orochimaru to think deeply about the situation.
Even if he did want to be happy, he needed a new body to do it, to continue his life's work. He closes his eyes for a moment letting the image of a white snake fill his mind. He opens his eyes again letting the sunlight wash over him.
No second thoughts now.
On the other side of Konoha, a man with long white hair steps through the large gates after being away for a very long time. Jiraiya the Sannin places a hand in his pocket and pulls out the summons scroll he'd received from the Hokage.
Orochimaru was back and he was in Konoha. Jiraiya frowns as he walks through the city of Konoha breathing deeply. This place hadn't changed in the least bit since he left to travel all those years ago.
'It's amazing how it looks like nothing happened.' Jiraiya thinks recalling the Kyuubi incident. He grimaces, remembering the screams, rushing through Konoha searching for Minato, for Sarutobi only to have come too late.
Jiraiya sighs, wondering what Naruto would look like right now. If he would be a spitting image of his father, with his mother's disposition. A bright young thing with the will of fire burning brightly within.
Or could he have been twisted from the callous nature of the villagers?
Jiraiya shakes the thought out of his head, no son of Minato and Kushina could grow up to hate Konohagakure, the village his parents gave their life for. It just wasn't possible. He smiles to himself. Maybe he would pay the young man visit.
In how wandering Naruto finds himself stopping at the Yamanaka flower shop, deciding to visit Ino he steps in to see the girl minding the front desk. Her head perks up on seeing Naruto, she waves.
"Naruto-kun what a surprise, you basically passed out after the whole thing." she says with a small laugh. Naruto groans feeling his face heat up from the embarrassment.
"You saw that?"
"I'm pretty sure everyone saw that." Ino informs him causing his face to burn brighter. He puts his hands up to hide his flush causing Ino to laugh even harder.
"Don't worry, I'm sure no one thought anything about it, well other than pushing too hard."
"So how does it feel to be a winner Ino?" Naruto asks after taking a seat beside the girl and looking at the flower arrangement Ino prunes as they talk.
"Not as fulfilling as I thought it would be." Ino confesses as she snaps off a dying stem before it could spread to the other flowers. "I had to beat out my own friend for what? A gaggle of old men?"
"Don't let Hokage-sama hear that." Naruto smirks.
"Oh let him!" Ino says before both of them burst into a fit of giggles. "It's good to have you back Naruto."
"Likewise Ino, I hate how splintered the rookies are. We should have each other's back. I mean all made it to the preliminaries. Beat out tons of genin, people twice our age we should be out celebrating."
"You know what you're right." Ino says snipping another dying leaf. Naruto watches the lone leaf fall onto the pruning tray with the other dead leaves and branches. He looks back at Ino who's looking back at him with a soft smile. The kind you get when you've finished considering something. "We should be celebrating. We did do something amazing. All of us, even those of us who didn't make it to the finals."
The bell tinkles informing the two of them that someone had stepped into the flower shop. Ino sits up.
"Irasshaimase!" she calls cheerfully to the customer who turns out to be Sakura. The pink haired girl waves on seeing Ino and Naruto.
"Hi guys, I was just coming to pick up some flowers for Lee." Sakura says. Naruto nods. He was in such a hurry to run from the hospital that he forgot to pay a visit to his friends. Thank goodness he was at the flower shop.
"We should all go, I want to see Shino-kun too. I should probably pick something up." Naruto mutters blushing. He notices the two girls staring at him and stares back quizzically.
"What."
"Nothing." Sakura and Ino reply in unison. Naruto continues to stare back. He narrows his eyes in suspicion. They knew something and they weren't telling him.
"I'll take a white rose for Lee and some chameleon flowers for Shino-kun." Naruto says after a few moments.
"Chameleon flowers, what an unusual taste." Ino remarks as she goes to wrap the flowers up.
"Shino-kun really likes them." Naruto says stretching his hands over his head as he hops off his seat.
Ino hands him the flowers and informs her mom that she's clocking off work to go to the hospital. Flowers in hand Sakura, Ino, and Naruto head to Konoha's hospital.
It's easy to remember why Naruto wanted to leave as soon as he steps through the doors of the hospital. Eyes fall on him again, some glaring, some looking on in curiosity. He lets Sakura and Ino do the talking while he hangs behind staring at the floor and squeezing his fists, breathing in and out to remain calm.
"Their rooms are just past the veteran's ward." Ino says cheerfully, the receptionist glares as soon as Naruto locks eyes with her. He scoffs under his breath.
"What are we waiting for?" He says, trying not the acknowledge the cold feeling that crept up his spine.
The veteran's ward was his least favorite part of his least favorite building in Konoha. All the ninja that survived the Kyuubi attack rested there and whether he liked it or not, Naruto was always forced to acknowledge what Kurama-kun had done.
Whether he was under control or not. They hated the fox and by extension, they hated Naruto as well.
Gone were the days Naruto would try to argue with the assertion, nothing would convince them. And he didn't want to keep trying.
"Are you alright Naruto-kun? You kinda zoned out there." Ino says snapping her fingers in his face. Naruto nods.
"Sorry, I'm just a little bit tired." He says feeling the pinpricks of killing intent focused on him. Nothing would ever match Kurama's though. They pass the veteran's ward with little fanfare and Naruto feels like he could finally breathe again.
"Hi Lee!" Sakura and Ino greet cheerfully. Naruto comes in not too long after with a patient smile on his face. Stepping into his hospital room they find Tenten in the visitors' seat right next to him. Sakura places the flower by his bed as Tenten waves them in.
"My Joyful friends! It's so good to see you!" Lee cries boisterously, Tenten looks like she's about to strap him to the bed to stop him from leaping out of it.
"Lee the nurses said you'll sprain something again! Can you believe he tried to train as soon as he woke up?!" she says trying to wrestle the taijutsu user down onto the bed.
"I can believe it." Naruto says, flicking Lee's forehead the way he did to Sasuke's. Lee pauses his hysterics to stare up at Naruto. A large smile finds its way unto his face and soon Naruto is smiling too.
"A gentleman like yourself shouldn't be giving these ladies such a hassle Lee should he?" Naruto asks. Lee shakes his head. Naruto stands back up from where he was leaning over the other boy.
"Good, you have to heal before you can train harder you know." Naruto says placing his hands on his waist. "I'll only fight you if you're fully healed."
Lee yells, pumping his fist in the air with all the strength and enthusiasm Naruto had come to expect from him.
"I'll rest so well I'll be a new man, and if I can't do that I'll run 1000 laps around Konoha and if I can't do that then 2000 laps! And if I can't do that..."
"Naruto you've riled him up again!" Tenten growls, once again trying to hold the boy down. Naruto laughs, it's freeing being able to laugh in the building he hated so much. Friends make anything possible.
"They do, don't they?" Suzumebachi says from within his mind. Naruto's surprised to hear her voice.
'Hello, sleepy head.' Naruto greets looking back at his friends, Lee had finally calmed down and was now talking excitedly to Sakura and Ino. Tenten finally got the much needed peace she wanted and took the opportunity to lay her head on the hospital bed and nap.
Naruto places Lee's flower next to Sakura's.
"Good to see you Lee." Naruto says. Ino inspects Naruto who's heading towards the door.
"Give my regards to Shino, Naruto-kun we'll catch up soon." the blonde girl says. Naruto nods giving one last wave before he heads to the other room where his friend was waiting.
Unsurprisingly Shino was awake, beetles crawling all over him, only stopping to see that Naruto had come through the door before he continues as he was.
"Hi." Naruto says kindly, stepping quietly into the room and closing the sliding doors behind him. Shino lets go of the beetles as Naruto approaches the bed. Underneath the sterile smells of the hospital, the room smells like plant life, not in the way Ino's flower shop does. Like dense forests and life creeping about and leaves with things living in them.
It's cozy, he guesses.
The Kikaichu fly across the room but it doesn't disturb the blonde even as they land in his hair or on his nose. It was all part of his precious person.
"Naruto-kun, I trust you won your match." Shino says, laying back on the hospital bed with a bit of a strain.
"I told you I would, didn't I?" Naruto says placing the flowers on the bed. The small white bundle of flowers catches his attention but Shino knows by now Naruto wouldn't miss a chance to show he cared, no matter how aloof the blonde pretended to be.
They sit in silence for a moment, Shino knows what Naruto wants to say before he says it. He places his hand in the blonde's allowing Naruto to squeeze his hand.
"It's not your fault." Shino says. Naruto nods but the Aburame knows the blonde won't believe it and until Shino's better, he won't forgive himself either.
"They were after my team and then I dragged you into it." Naruto says. Shino shakes his head.
"They would have done it to any of our comrades, I just happened to draw the shortest straw." Shino says. A beetle buzzes by Naruto's ear, the blonde offers a hand to it. The small insect perches on his fingers.
"You're right, the exams were life and death. I chose this." Naruto mutters.
"We chose this." Shino reminds. "I must admit it brings me pride to have won such a rude, tactless opponent."
Naruto laughs.
"I agree. Seeing his arms pop off, very satisfying." Naruto says, his eyes grow sad as he looks at the Aburame wrapped in bandages. "Seeing you hurt, not as much."
"That damage isn't extensive I'll heal." Shino says. Naruto wants to yell that isn't the point. How was he supposed to protect his precious people in situations where he literally could not interfere? How could he stop blaming himself?
"It's not your job to keep everyone safe." Shino says. "It's impossible to do so, your logical mind tells you this."
"I know that." Naruto says running a hand through his hair. "Are you in pain?" Shino shakes his head.
"Naruto-kun I'm fine." Shino says, there's something akin to amusement in his voice, by now it's clear he's going to be fine but Naruto can't help but worry still. Naruto smiles.
"Right." He climbs onto the bed, sitting beside Shino rather than on the provided visitor's chair. "God I hate hospitals."
"So do I."
"I could have healed you." Naruto retorts.
"I'd rather you saved it for something else, let the body do what it does." Shino says. A beetle flies out of his ear caked in dry blood. "My internal structure is not exactly normal Naruto-kun. Being a member of my clan comes with certain physiological implications."
"It's the chakra isn't it?"
"I suppose It must be the same for all vessels." Shino says pushing his glasses up his nose. Naruto lays down facing the bland white ceiling.
"When are you being discharged?"
"Soon, my clan deems it best to recover at home, the hospital is not equipped and we have special healers." Shino says, Naruto guessed as much. Clans like the Akimichi, Inuzuka, and Aburame with certain changes would likely have some sort of special treatment bay within their clan compounds. A regular hospital probably wouldn't cut it.
Naruto wonders if it's okay for him to stay.
"Stay as long as you like." Shino says as if reading his mind. A beetle buzzes over Naruto's nose, the blonde laughs softly. Inhaling the scent of the room once more.
"You smell like..." Naruto doesn't finish and Shino assumes it's because the blonde can't quite put into words what he smells like. Shino understands though, Naruto told him once when they were still in the academy that Hinata-chan smelled like dry root and salves from all the time she spent making them.
"You don't smell like bugs Shino-kun." a young Naruto had said to him after a cursory sniff. Of course, being at the age they were Naruto had even less words to use. So the blonde smells him again.
"What do I smell like?" Shino asks curiously.
"Moss." Naruto replies scrunching up his nose. "I like it." the blonde falls back unto the academy grass while Shino is left to ponder his words.
The Aburame remembers the memory fondly, he wonders if his smell has changed now that he's grown up. Does he smell like the places he's been to? The people he's met.
"You're not thinking about that are you?" Naruto asks.
"How can I not?"
Amidst their discussion, Naruto forgets neither Ino nor Sakura has joined them within the room.
Shino and Naruto say their goodbyes as the clan members discharge Shino from the hospital as quietly as they came in. Naruto leans against the door frame, deciding to head back to Lee's room to see if the girls were still there.
"Hello again, Naruto-kun." Lee says now alone within his own room.
"Hi Lee, I wanted to see you before I left." Naruto says. He sits beside the other boy with the intent to ask him a question.
"Hey Lee, if you had that chance to use chakra just like everyone else would you take it?" Naruto asks gently. Lee turns to him confused. Why would the blond ask such a thing? The dark haired boy considers it for only a moment before he answers.
"I don't think I would." Lee answers honestly. Naruto's eyes widen only slightly. He's only half surprised.
"You'd be like everyone else." Naruto says.
"I didn't get as strong as I am by being like everyone else." Lee says soberly. He smiles to himself. "There are times when the thing that makes you special feels like a curse. I used to pray to be just like the rest of the kids at the academy, it wasn't fair that my chakra systems were messed up, that I had to work twice as hard." Naruto lets him speak seeing a bit of himself in the other boy.
How many times had he secretly wished that he wasn't a vessel for a bijuu, that he had a mom and dad like everyone else?
Lee smiles and continues.
"Now I've surpassed most of if not all of the people who told me I'd never be a ninja. All through my own hard work." Lee flashes Naruto a bright smile with a good guy pose.
"Indeed you have." Naruto says. "It probably means nothing coming from me but I'm pretty proud of you."
Lee beams brightly.
"Naruto-kun, of course it means a lot."
Naruto doesn't feel so glum passing by the veteran's ward anymore. He goes down the steps head held high. Kurama-kun was and still is one of his greatest blessings. A friend, a brother, a father, his precious person. Nothing would change that.
Sometimes it was hard to remember that not all of Konoha hated him for his birth and those were the people he cared about the most, not the people that blamed a newborn for a tragedy. Hinata was right, blaming a child was really pathetic.
Elsewhere across the village, the Hokage is in a secret meeting with one of his former students. Jiraiya sits in the Hokage's office nursing a saucer of sake before his mentor. Sarutobi for once is looking his age. The old man smokes a pipe as he stares out the windows wistfully.
"Why did you call me back Jiji?" Jiraiya asks. "I was in the middle of some very important work don't you know?"
"You mean writing smut."
"Smut even you seem to be a fan of." Jiraiya retorts pointing to an open drawer with a copy of Icha, Icha. Sarutobi grumbles, shutting the drawer immediately as Jiraiya cackles.
"It's Orochimaru." Sarutobi says, it's enough to kill the atmosphere in the room. "I think he's here for Sasuke."
"The last Uchiha? Not surprising." Jiraiya huffs, he takes another sip of sake. "He's always had a thing for the dojutsu."
"There's something else." Sarutobi says. He rubs his eyes pulling at wrinkles that line his face tiredly. Taking the pipe from his mouth he quenches the flames within. "Naruto."
"Minato's son? What of him."
"I'm worried about him." Sarutobi says. "He's nothing like his parents. I fear the village might have changed him in more ways than I predicted."
"He hasn't got a few screws loose has he?" Jiraiya jokes but underneath his smile is concern. A jinchuuriki not loyal to anyone was a ticking time bomb and this was Minato and Kushina's child.
"It's not that, I'll need you to train him. Not because he isn't strong in fact I fear he might be tapping into things I have no knowledge of. No, I need you to train him to keep an eye on him and to foster a connection to this village and it's people."
"Doesn't he have a jounin sensei to do that?" Jiraiya asks with an eyebrow raised.
"Kakashi has to manage Sasuke as the only other person in Konohagakure with the Sharingan." Sarutobi says. "It's a mess."
"You know what old man? As a favor to you, I'll do it. Maybe I'll teach him the Rasengan while I'm at it. That'll definitely foster some type of connection."
"Thank you Jiraiya. Wonderful timing since he'll need someone to train him for the Chūnin finals."
Jiraiya sits up in surprise, nearly spilling his drink over the table.
"Kid's made it to the final on his first try? As expected." the man grins widely. Sarutobi hopes his former student would be able to separate Minato's visage from his son's.
Naruto sneezes on his way home, wondering if someone was talking about him as he leaps from building to building.
"You know what they say." Suzumebachi tells him as he moves. "You must be tired." she says. Naruto only nods, not really in the mood to talk. All he has is the overwhelming urge to lay down, not to sleep but because he had no other way to get the type of rest that would cure this fatigue.
Kurama still hadn't said anything and Naruto understands that it's because he also has to recover. They still hadn't started working on nature chakra yet so Kurama would have to do it the old fashioned way.
"I overworked you guys, all of you." Naruto says finally getting to his door. A clone opens it up and immediately expels itself out of existence.
"It's our job Naruto-kun." Suzumebachi says to him. "Tsubaki tells me it's the most fun he's had in a while."
"I can hear them." Naruto says with a small smile. "I'm glad." Naruto takes off the kimono jacket and folds it neatly into a drawer. His shoes go next and soon Naruto is ready to shower.
He collapses into the bed already making plans even when he knows his brain needs to rest. It's not long before he's closing his eyes and descending into the mindscape.
Naruto goes through the dark space within himself eventually meeting Suzumebachi fluttering around, she comes to rest on his shoulder happy to be present with him once more. Naruto smiles, patting her hair much to her delight.
He continues up the path eventually reaching the barrier that separated him from the Kyuubi. No matter what he did, the mindscape where Kurama was held wouldn't bend to his will. He couldn't make it more comfortable for the fox he held dear.
"Kurama-kun." Naruto calls gently, large red eyes fill the cage letting him know the fox was now awake.
"Naruto-kun how I've missed your face." the fox says barring giant teeth in some semblance of a smile.
"Hi, Kurama-kun." Naruto says letting the wave of ease wash over him. He was here now, he was safe. "Took quite a nap didn't you." Suzumebachi giggles.
"This is the most we've done in a while Naruto-kun." Kurama says to the boy, the fox rests it's large head on it's paws letting his nine giant tails sway behind him. "I'm looking forward to teaching you about Nature chakra."
Naruto nods.
"I think I'm going to spend some time here, I feel...strange." he confesses. Suzumebachi and Kurama trade looks of worry for their charge.
"I don't think it's anything bad." Naruto says slipping through the gaps in the barrier to rest in Kurama's fur.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Suzumebachi asks flying over to him and Kurama. Naruto shakes his head.
"I'm okay for now I think."
"For now." Suzumebachi asks incredulously. She comes to rest on Kurama's head, making herself comfortable too.
The three of them end up joining Kurama for another nap within the mindscape.
Across Konoha, Sasuke makes a visit to a place he thought he'd never visit again. He walks up the overgrown path to the sacred ground where the Uchiha clan had been lain to rest after their deaths. Sasuke clenches his fists, holding up the lantern that lights his path.
Soon he comes to the haka, the traditional family tombstones that line the burial plot. Grabbing a stick of incense he takes out his offering.
Laying the bowl of rice on his parent's haka, he lights the incense stick allowing the fragrance to surround him. Sasuke sinks to his knees willing himself not to cry but fails as the first signs of tears come to his eyes.
"Tou-san, Kaa-san, I did it." Sasuke says, wiping his tears and hoping his family could hear him in the afterlife. "I made it to the finals. Just like I promised I'm getting stronger every day. I can feel it."
He stays at the graves for a while just talking, letting out the feelings he kept close to his heart, and paying his respects.
When he's done, he wipes his tears and renews his vows to make Itachi pay for the death of their family. Only this time he's considering not doing it alone.
Within the Hyuuga compound, It was rare to see Hinata out and about within the main branch household walking so surely. The servants whisper around her wondering if she had finally snapped.
Her father had summoned her to speak with him after her victory in the Chūnin exams not even moments after she'd gotten home.
Hinata moves walking past bowing servants and remarks of "Hinata-sama." as she did until she finally enters the chashitsu where her father, sister and Neji sat waiting for her. The sliding doors shut behind her but for once Hinata is not afraid to sit opposite the man she called father.
"Good evening father." Hinata says, her voice is calm and steady as she sits seiza style on the cushion of the tatami with her posture rigid. Hanabi seems like she wants to say something but in the presence of their father, keeps her mouth shut.
"So you passed the preliminaries, I must admit I wasn't expecting such a performance but I expect you to continue and maybe we'll see about-" He notices Hinata isn't listening to his words as she sits, her eyes are closed in thought. Neji and Hanabi look between the both of them. First at Hiashi then at Hinata.
Hiashi places the teacup back unto the low table.
"Hinata." He calls impatiently, the girl opens her pale eyes, staring back at him refusing to break eye contact.
"I'm moving out." Hinata says, everyone at the table turns to her in surprise. Hiashi gasps, loudly in disbelief while Hanabi's eyes widen in fear.
Her sister wouldn't leave her behind would she? Even though Hanabi knew as clan heiress she was treated considerably better than Hinata was, Hinata was still the only one who showed her any kindness. If her elder sister left now, what would she have? Their distant father? The servants who despite appearances wished Hinata was still in the running to be clan heiress because she would change things?
Neji also stares, never in all his years did he think she would want to leave the Hyuuga compound. Move to the branch house maybe, but not completely out of the clan compound.
"Out of the question!" Hiashi spits glaring.
"I'm not a-asking for p-permission." Hinata says with a shrug. "I was just p-politely informing you."
Hiashi pales, mouth hanging open as he gapes like a fish at Hinata's words, he stares at the girl who looks so much like her mother, and now he would lose her too.
Hinata runs a hand through her hair to calm herself down. This was a lot for her too, leaving her childhood home.
"Hinata think about this." Hiashi says in an even tone, trying to convince her to stay, maybe they could still fix this, repair their relationship. He never intended to let it get this far.
What had he done?
"I h-have. For years. I've t-thought about leaving this h-house, leaving a f-father who said he didn't c-care whether I lived or died. S-Someone who could say that to their own daughter is n-no father of mine." despite the soft tone, her words cut deep.
Hiashi has nothing to say for himself, he could only stare down at his lap never thinking the day would come where he would have to answer for his behavior towards his older daughter.
Hinata turns to her sister whose shoulders are trembling in sadness as she tries to keep it together.
"H-Hanabi, you're always welcome to visit. I'll never a-abandon you imouto. I just c-can't stay in this h-house anymore. The Chūnin exams made me realize I never really had to put up with this. My h-heart, my k-kindness was only ever a liability here." Hinata takes a deep breath. "There are no good memories in this house."
Hinata stands, bowing in respect to her father, she heads to the sliding door, stepping through it. She looks back at Neji who hadn't said anything during the affair.
"You might want to consider doing the same Neji." she says closing the doors once more. Hanabi leaves next running after her sister. Neji is about to leave too when Hiashi stops him.
"There's something we should discuss."
The next day the rookie twelve comes to help Hinata move into her new apartment at the centre of Konoha's ninja district something she was able to afford with her position as a genin and a lot of saving.
"Y-You guys didn't have to." Hinata says playing with her fingers as Kiba and Naruto haul boxes of books and pressed flowers. Chouji brought snacks, Shikamaru brought his company and even Sasuke could be seen mounting a shelf.
"Nonsense Hinata-chan." Ino says pulling in a few bags of soil with Tenten and Sakura's help. Hinata wanted to have a balcony garden, something Naruto intended to help with.
Lee couldn't help much since he was still in crutches and Shino also brought his presence. Neji also surprises her by lending his assistance moving things from the main branch household to the new apartment.
"I only regret I could not be of more assistance!" Lee says with comically exaggerated tears streaming down his face.
"You're doing great Lee." Naruto calls from the balcony where he's arranging the flower pots Hinata would use.
"Agreed." Shino says. He and Sasuke seemed to have come to an unspoken truce not to approach each other during the get together. Naruto notices and hopes they would be able to patch up their friendship. They were comrades for Kami sake.
"Neji-niisan there's someone I would like you to meet." Hinata says dragging her cousin over to Naruto.
"Hinata-chan, we've met actually." Naruto says with a small laugh.
"Remember that favor I asked for during the Chūnin exams." Hinata asks. Naruto nods. She turns to her cousin.
"Neji-niisan I would like you to remove your headband for Naruto-kun." she says. Neji turns to her with surprised eyes wondering why she would ask such a thing. Seeing his hesitation, she holds his hand. "P-Please trust me."
Neji nods, reaching behind and untying the headband to reveal the seal across his forehead.
"That doesn't look right!" Suzumebachi says within Naruto's head.
'You're telling me.' Naruto thinks. It's then he understands what Hinata is asking him to do. He nods.
"Yes of course Hinata-chan." Naruto says. The girl claps in excitement.
"I'll leave you to it." She says without stuttering, Neji notices it's happening less and less now and soon she'd stop stuttering altogether.
"Have a seat." Naruto says inviting him to sit on the floor with him. Neji does so sinking to his knees curiously. What exactly was Naruto going to do?
"Do I have permission to touch you?" Naruto says sitting crosslegged on the floor. Neji blinks.
"Of course." he nearly stammers, thrown off guard by the question. Naruto leans forward pressing his fingers against the large 'x' marking the seal.
"It'll turn his eyes to ashes when he dies but it's also a punishment seal." Kurama says from within Naruto.
"Why is this on you?" Naruto asks, running his fingers over the intricacies of the seal on Neji's forehead.
"Failsafe, many people want our dojutsu, this prevents that." Neji says curtly, uncomfortable with having to explain such a thing to a stranger.
"That doesn't answer the question Neji-san, Hinata-chan doesn't have one. Why is this on you?" Naruto asks.
"The Hyuuga clan is divided into the main branch and the lower branch members. All lower branch members have this seal." Neji says. "It was simply fated that I should serve the main branch just as my father did before me."
Naruto pulls back, sitting back on the cushion.
"It's inhumane." Naruto says, "I hate that you just justified it."
"It's fated."
"Nothing's fated Neji." Naruto says. "All around you are people who were sure they were on one path and shifted dramatically to another. You've already met people who've changed their own fates." he guides Neji's face to the rest of the rookie twelve conversing with each other just outside the room.
"Lee with his condition would you say he was fated to be a ninja?" Naruto asks.
"No, but-"
"You said yourself that Hinata-chan was fated to lose to you in the Chūnin exams but didn't. In doing so she changed her fate." Naruto reminds. Neji's eyes fall to the floor.
"Haruno Sakura, the only ninja here from a civilian family. Would you say it was her fate to make it to the Chūnin exams or even to ninja status?"
Neji is silent.
"No, right?" Naruto says. "Yet here she is. Even I was destined to be a monster." Neji gasps.
During the Chūnin exams, he'd observed the blonde, his carefree demeanor, his smile, the way he extended his hands to friends and strangers alike. Who would ever look at that and see a monster?
The blonde lifts his shirt to show Neji his own seal. The Hyuuga's pale irises widen in surprise at the sight of the seal.
Naruto lifts Neji's chin to gaze into his blue eyes.
"So I ask you now, would you like to change your fate?" Naruto says. Neji nods. Naruto smiles. "Close your eyes."
"Soten Kisshun." once the fairies are out of the clip they immediately know what to do. Now recognizing a seal when they saw one. They make short work of the Hyuuga branch seal and return to the clip after smothering Naruto in hugs.
"Hinata-chan we're going to need a mirror!" Naruto yells helping Neji stand. Hinata rushes over with a hand mirror, holding it up to Neji so he could see his own face.
His forehead now lays bare, free of the seal that plagued his life. Neji touches the space where the seal once rested, not once did he ever think this day would come.
How Ironic that Hinata, the main branch member he once respected the least would be the one to facilitate the removal of his seal.
"You, my friend, are no longer a caged bird." Naruto says. The blonde leans forward playfully. "Yeah, freedom looks good on you. Don't you think so too Hinata-chan?"
"Very good on him."
Neji tackles Naruto in a hug, not surprising the blonde who expected such a reaction.
Neji cries, he doesn't expect to but both Naruto and Hinata knew it would come to that after Naruto removed the seal. The two friends exchange looks over Neji's shoulder. Eventually, the long haired brunette is pulling away from Naruto to bow to Hinata.
"Hinata-sama! After everything I did to you, all the words I said...I've never met anyone as kind as you. Hiashi-sama doesn't deserve such a daughter. The Hyuuga clan would be lucky to have you as clan head."
"Neji-niisan, I'm just g-glad you're finally free." Hinata says embracing him warmly. They pull apart and Naruto decides it's time to leave them to have their moment.
"What was that about?" Sasuke asks as Naruto comes to sit beside him leaning his back against the wall.
"Neji and Hinata-chan just needed to sort some things out." Naruto replies. "Oh, by the way, thank you for coming Sasuke. I really appreciate it." Naruto says picking some debris off Sasuke's hair. The dark haired boy blushes fiercely.
Naruto laughs.
"Don't be shy!" Naruto continues to laughs as Sasuke grows increasingly flustered. "But seriously Sasuke, I'm really happy you made it."
"Naruto-kun we need your help with the pots of soil!" Ino calls from the balcony. Naruto sits up, jumping to his feet. He winks at Sasuke.
"Duty calls."
After a lovely cookout courtesy of Chouji, Naruto, and surprisingly Sasuke (The only members of the Rookie twelve who knew how to cook for themselves.) Operation helping Hinata move-in was successfully accomplished.
"Bye Hinata-chan." Ino says hugging the other girl. Sakura is next, wishing the girl a happy housewarming.
Tenten leaves soon after to help at her parent's shop but not before dropping a catalog of great kunoichi bargains.
Shikamaru and Chouji leave soon after, wishing Hinata well and also dropping a line for the Akimichi family restaurant that happened to be within the ninja district.
Kiba leaves soon after, hugging Hinata and Naruto. Akamaru yips happily, licking Hinata and Naruto's faces.
Sasuke leaves after making Naruto promise to train with him later. He hands Hinata an oil painting of flowers she absolutely loved.
Neji volunteers to walk Lee back to the hospital and gives both Naruto and Hinata a parting hug. Lee does so as well, vowing to help Hinata with the next housewarming party he was invited to.
"Thank you Naruto-kun." Hinata says as she, Naruto and Shino rest on the new couch and stare up at the ceiling. Finally, she was present in a house that felt like home.
"I'd thank Ino, she's the one who really got everyone to show up." Naruto says resting his head on Shino's shoulder.
"For the f-first time e-ever I'm sure I made the right choice." Hinata says also laying her head on Naruto's shoulder.
"Today was a good day, there's no where else I'd rather have been." Shino says.
"You couldn't keep me away." Naruto says.
"Nor me." Shino adds. Hinata grins, it's a great feeling being loved.
"You aren't wearing your headband." Lee says walking on his crutches. It's only then that Neji realizes that he's had it clutched loosely in his hand the whole walk to the hospital. "I don't think I've ever seen you without it. You look good, happier. I'm happy." Lee continues.
Neji recalls what Naruto had said to him earlier.
"Freedom looks good on you." Naruto had said, Neji remembered the smile on the blonde's face as he did. His heart flutters a tiny bit from the memory of it.
"Naruto removed my seal." Neji says. Lee gasps, happy for him. The taijutsu master nods.
"I'm happy he was able to help. He offered to help me you know." Lee says.
"With what?"
"To fix my chakra coils, I turned him down." Lee says. Neji pauses, allowing Lee to walk ahead of him.
"Why?" Neji asked, he thought Lee would have jumped at the chance to be able to use chakra after all the years without it. All the ridicule and humiliation. "Why would you turn him down?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Lee retorts. "I'm happy as I am Neji. The qualities you're born with only define so much. We are not our pasts."
Neji mulls over Lee's words and then Naruto's words and finally Hinata's words. He didn't want to be anywhere kindness was a liability either.
"You're strong Lee, I'm sorry I've never said it before." Neji says.
"Water under the bridge my friend!" Lee yells joyously. "Let's race to the hospital!" Neji is about to tell him why that would be a terrible Idea but decides he likes seeing the other boy happy.
Lee runs with Neji following slowly behind him down the path until they reach the hospital doors.
As he watches Lee be fawned over by the nurses Neji discovers all this while that he'd been chasing the wrong thing. Hinata understood and he thought she was weak when really she had the strongest heart of all.
He decides he's done chasing approval from the Hyuuga family.
A/N: Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed it, so I have a question for my readers, should Naruto have bee/hornet chakra wings like Fuu's beetle wings or Chouji's butterfly wings. I have a few ideas for it.
Let me know.
Word List
Irasshaimase- Used to welcome people into a store
Haka- Japanese grave stones for storing cremation, unlike western tombstones, these tend to vertical in length.
Chashitsu-Tea rooms found in japanese style homes.
Imouto- Little sister.