Chapter 11: A Change of Seasons
A/N: It's great to be back writing this story!
"August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time."
― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
Naruto
Naruto designates July as the cruelest month to be departing Konoha.
Warm sunlight slides through his blinds, not caring that it feels like he just barely fell asleep an hour ago, heat warming and burning at his face until he finally has to crack open his eyes.
Cicadas buzz from somewhere nearby his window, sticky film of sweat covering his skin as he sits himself up. The sound of footsteps and chatter comes from his neighbors down the hall getting their kids ready for the day to the businessmen running late heading for the financial district.
He and Pervy-Sage should've left in late spring like Hinata did with her Father did he realizes as he tears off his pajamas, when at least the weather and surrounding forests were cooler. Before they left, he had often managed to sneak in long evenings into twilight with Hinata stirring memories of the old days when they trained together in the woods with the new desires of wondering just how strong they'll be when they see each other again.
This separation feels more like the world testing his patience, if he's truly ready for an actual relationship when he and Hinata are so different.
"Maybe we'll cross paths in our travels. Jiraiya never likes to stay in once place after all!" Hinata mentions teasingly as they watch the evening sky give way to night. Hiashi attempts to keep an eye on her more often since her reveal of having a red thread, having twice as many guards than usual around her at the markets or going to and from visiting with her teams.
Though if anything, all of this just makes the challenge of finding alone time more fun; exhilarating.
He would never think to check this deep into the woods, to believe she'd go onto trails rarely touched by civilian or shinobi.
"Ehh, Pervy-Sage is always saying woman are one of the 3 vices I have to avoid in addition to alcohol and excessive spending when it comes to my training." Naruto grunts.
Hinata pauses and he knows what's running through her thoughts before she even says it.
"Ah, but doesn't he do all 3 of those all the time?"
Naruto nods, smirk rising up. "Exactly!"
He sits up slightly as if about to share a secret, gesturing for Hinata to lean in. "Do you think your Old Man ever participates in any of those vices in secret?"
They both go silent for a minute picturing Hiashi behaving anything like Jiraiya during his moments of pervertedness or Jiraiya acting anything like the strict and cold Hyuga Elders before they fall into a fit of laughs, Hinata shaking her head through her giggling.
"No way! You know my Father is too stuffy!"
Naruto grins, her laughter melodious. It used to be that Hinata was so afraid to openly laugh around him, so used to keeping her emotions under lock and key from the way her clan operates. These etiquette lessons her and her sister got ingrained into them on proper behavior between sparring sessions are said to make the 'perfect well-rounded Hyuga' by the time they're adults supposedly.
He pokes at her side and she squeals gently at his tickling, swatting his fingers away affectionately before she rests and lets them curl with her own.
'I don't want this day to end, for tomorrow to come when Hinata leaves.' He sighs.
Naruto glances to her again as he takes in her relaxed expression, sees the rise of stars reflected in her opalescent eyes. She's without her usual puffy jacket again today with how warm it gets as soon as the sun is out, in a simple light blue kimono top with black training gear pants.
The part of him that's probably spent too much time around Pervy-Sage is giddy, soaking in her cream skin and growing body while the more nervous, realistic side of him worries how Hinata might think of him if she knew of such dirty thoughts.
'Or maybe she looks at me this way too?' Naruto considers, observing the splash of red to her cheeks when he unzips his jacket to create a makeshift pillow for them to lay their heads on.
It's been nearly a month now since the invasion, about the same amount of time since Sasuke's defection he realizes in taking in how Hinata's hair now skirts at her collarbone.
'Has she ever looked so calm?' Naruto wonders, Hiashi and her clan in general have a way of sucking out Hinata's happiness.
And now she will soon have to spend 24-7 around her Father for who knows how long?
But at least they don't have to think about clan duties or the thought of travel in this meadow that runs into a nearby bog, grass beneath them shades of bright greens to dull yellows. Hinata beams as she rolls herself closer to him, clover and reeds weaving into her hair. She smells of the mud and pine they raced through to get here, heartbeat rising to match his own.
"I think I might like it here more than the grove! It's like we have a private expanse of earth for just the two of us." She murmurs over a passing breeze.
Naruto rests her slowly against his side, fingers playing with the ends of her violet locks.
"It won't be the last time we find a private spot like this, you know! At some point our paths will cross and we'll find some excuse to catch up and see what the other's been up to!" He promises, pumping a fist into the air.
Hinata slowly sits up, lips accidentally or maybe purposefully brushing at his cheek.
"When we meet again because surely Jiraiya will get that itch to travel often for his err 'research', let's have a sparring match. Perhaps he won't say no if it's for the purposes of training!"
She's right, Pervy-Sage is known as a wandering toad hermit for a reason no matter what excuse he gives for it.
Ugh, but now it's so humid and it rains practically every afternoon, Jiraiya waking him one particularly dry morning midway into July demanding it's time. Maybe he told him weeks ago that this was the day they were going to leave, but he could've swore he would've marked it on his calendar...
"Come on Kid, get up! We're leaving later on this afternoon!" Jiraiya demands, roughly tossing off his bedsheets.
"Huh? What? Can't we at least eat some food first before we go?" He questions between yawns.
Jiraiya grunts at his slowness before nodding, gesturing towards his backpack he uses for missions and a pile of clothes he hopes are clean.
"Fine, but we're only making stops for supplies and you can get eat a quick meal with your team if we manage to catch them before we head out for real." He instructs.
Naruto whoops at that, heading to his bathroom to change.
5 minutes later they're both within the marketplaces of Konoha, smell of familiar spices fill the air, peppers and herbs he's seen Teuchi use at Ichiraku's. Silver scales of fish caught from the Naka river are hung up beside baskets filled with fruits and vegetables while vendors selling various weaponry polish them to give them a shine in the morning light.
A busty brunette promoting some type of new fragrance for genjutsu or some type of sake maybe instantly catches Jiraiya's eye, twisting him in the exact opposite direction of where they should be going.
"You're Lord Jiraiya, right? The author of the infamous Makeout Paradise series?! Oh, you just have to try out our new sandalwood cologne! It's perfect for the strong and outdoorsy type like you!" The woman purrs, introducing herself as Kayuki.
"Ah, you should sample some of our fresh wine too that Miyami just got from up north!" She beams, pressing her chest into his arm to fully seal him in, winking outside of Jiraiya's view at her coworkers as they beckon him forward.
"Wow, how did you get all these muscles?! Aimi, come check them out!" Miyami gushes.
Another customer/sucker won over!
Jiraiya instantly beams in surprise at his supposed strength just from her looking him over, for these women to actually know his series and Naruto knows he's most definitely lost him.
"Pervy-Sage, we're supposed to be picking up medicine from the pharmacy and on-the-go bentos from the convenience store, you know!" Naruto snaps before he can get too far, scowling as he gets caught up in the scent of iris and vanilla wafted into his nose.
He surely can't be that impressed by those smells, right?
Jiraiya half looks back at him, silly grin lighting his now flushed cheeks. "You got that covered Kid! I'm going to see what Miss Kayuki and her friends are selling here! Be right back!"
Naruto rolls his eyes, weighing how long a 'be right back' can mean from his expression as he gets led away to a nearby bar.
Minutes? Hours? A whole day?
"Looks like some things never change." A familiar voice mentions dryly from behind him.
He turns to see Sakura approaching donned in navy blue scrubs, studying as Jiraiya gets further encircled by a group of women clearly more interested in his wallet than his poor attempts at flirting.
'Where's that serious side Lady Tsunade mentioned?' She wonders. It's hard to connect his name to title of Sannin when that is what she normally sees the man doing in his spare time.
"Ah, don't say it like that Sakura; this could help him get new ideas for his next installment in the Make Out series!" Kakashi chimes out from beside her despite her eye roll and Naruto feels his grin return.
Looks like his team found him first!
Kakashi & Sakura
"Sasuke left on his own Sakura." Naruto sighs into his omurice, flicking with bits of egg and sauce. It's the one subject he wished to avoid, but that's impossible when his presence still lingers like a ghost over them all.
Sakura watches him, stomach twisting.
Kakashi wisely says nothing, gaze focused on his tea and rice porridge.
This brunch idea is quickly starting to feel like a terrible idea.
Hearing that note of impatience in his tone, of pity makes a knot wrap around Sakura's chest; squeezing causing her to suck in a breath. She glances to Kakashi-sensei hoping he'll add in something, but he silently focuses on whatever latest chapter he's on in his Make Out book, pretending to not hear any of this.
He had his suspicions after all of Sasuke's defection, so much extra monitoring and advice given to him all for naught.
'Don't blame Naruto!' Her thoughts hiss before she heads into a dark spiral, pushing the thought away.
Yes, she knows that Sasuke left of his own volition. The ache is there every morning; the reminder still laced around her finger now just an invisible thread that throbs and gives her a migraine every time she attempts to look at it to determine whatever current direction Sasuke is.
"So you're not joining the Retrieval Squad then?" Sakura clarifies to be sure.
Naruto shakes his head, cobalt eyes softening and she nearly tells him to stop looking at her likes she's glass about to shatter.
"I want to focus on my own training especially in learning about my own clan's abilities and seeing lands outside Konoha. I've really only been to the Land of Waves and that was months ago." He relates.
"That's...understandable. Still had to ask though!" She mentions, injecting faux cheer into her tone.
Naruto points to the black wasp buzzing around her ear that she hasn't bothered to shoo away, the one he's been leaning away from since they all sat down.
"So uhh, it's true then you're working with Shino and the Aburame clan?" He asks carefully.
Sakura nods, mood immediately brightening.
"Our insects would need to get used to you by living on you, interacting and feeding upon your chakra. Is that something you can handle?" Shibi questions, brows furrowed together in uncertainty.
Sakura doesn't blame him, fear, ignorance, and disgust is all this clan often sees of their signature techniques no matter how effective. Kurenai-sensei told her to pick genjutsu training or this, not wanting her to burn out. Too many lies about headaches and sleep finally caught up with her.
'Pick which one you feel will most help you in achieving your goals in the future.' Her words echo up from the back of her mind.
She had wavered with an answer at the time, not wanting to hurt her feelings, but Kurenai simply smiled.
"Seems like you've already made a decision in both heart and mind. It's fine with me; honest."
And so, here she is.
He asked her to come here right after her shift at the hospital ended, figure a striking split between darkness and moonlight. Beside them fireflies dance, neon greens and yellows seeming to watch her every move, ready to protect their master if need be.
A woman with a high ponytail approaches, maybe his wife? She wears dark square sunglasses and a tan overcoat covers her frame.
"Shino tells me you're interested in learning from us? Why when you already are studying under the tutelage of Madam Fifth? It's rare for girls your age to even be interested in insects." She asks, straight to the point.
'Be brave; be honest.' Sakura reminds herself.
"When I watched Shino's match with Ino back during the chunin exams, I realized they're so many ways to utilize your clan's insects. The nano-technology insects you're working on can be useful in cleaning out dead tissue for our wound care team at the hospital and can assist in operations or even help in taking images. I want to use them for this reason and in the battlefield for attack and healing." She explains in a rush.
Shoma's brows furrow. "And this has nothing to do with Sasuke Uchiha having defected from the village?"
Sakura barely hides her back stiffening. "It...It can also help me with tracking him yes, but not just him; any target for an assignment."
"Shoma, don't be too hard on her." Shibi whispers and Sakura bites her lip as they step to the side, hears the mutterings of 'red thread', 'broken' and 'Sasuke'.
No, please don't let them think of her as broken girl without Sasuke. The rumors and whispers behind her back are bad enough to be known as the girl whose red thread willingly left the village. It makes her look un-dateable and unlovable, that something is so wrong with her that her red thread left her at such an early age...
Her heartbeat pounds loud in her ears, awaiting their decision.
Shoma walks straight up to her a moment later, looks at her directly in a way that reminds her so much so of Lady Tsunade even if her eyes are currently covered with shades.
"Wasps. How would you like to start with them?" She inquires and Sakura resists a shiver.
Why not the beetles first? Or the ants? Insects that can't sting or bite her so painfully if riled up?
No, it's fine she can handle it; will handle it.
"Okay, I accept."
"Yeah, but how did you hear about that?! I mean, I haven't exactly been spreading the news around." Sakura muses.
And she'd been hiding the worse stings with longer sleeved clothes, her body unaccustomed to sharing/balancing her chakra like this that some nights she lays awake restless. It requires the preciseness she uses at the hospital for procedures blending with ensuring she has enough in reserve to feed the growing swarm.
Naruto shrugs. "Hinata told me, you know."
'Ah ha! That's one thing confirmed!' Sakura grin widens, glad for a change of subject.
Sakura grins in a way then making Naruto squirm.
"What's with that look, you know?! I didn't say something off; did I?" He frowns.
Sakura shakes her head, smirk staying in place.
"Nothing, just got a confirmation on your match is all." She supplies.
Naruto blinks, trying to figure out how she jumped to such a conclusion making Sakura groan lightly.
"Hinata is your red thread! Come on, don't play dumb!" She grunts when Naruto still looks lost.
He bristles. "All I said was Hinata told me, you know! They're on the same team!"
But Sakura ignores his excuse, sipping at her juice.
Now she and Ino don't need to keep playing a guessing game on who Naruto's red thread is. It feels obvious it was the Hyuga heiress in retrospect, though now it's basically officially confirmed.
"Hinata is your red thread, good! I'm glad that solves that mystery! No need to lie about it!" Sakura remarks, pleased to see his cheeks burn red.
It's the girl whose always been attracted to him, won't try to immediately sever their thread.
Kakashi looks up from his book with mild interest at this new topic. So many romances novels he's read outside the Make Out Paradise series have a central theme around one's Red Thread. The most popular clichés/tropes for said stories typically involve forbidden lovers who choose their Red Thread over a match made by family or those separated by distance/war following their thread to find their way back to each other.
'Sort of like these two.' He muses, eye crinkling in amusement.
It's rare for Naruto to show shyness, for once he's tongue-tied and nervous.
"...Ugh, if I say yes you're not going to blabber it to Ino or any other gossipy civilian; are you?" He questions slowly.
"We won't if you give us some details." Kakashi chuckles, Sakura agreeing readily with a giggle.
Naruto stays silent, it's not exactly a topic he wants to bring up. Hyuga officials and guards wander the streets sometimes blatantly searching for him at Ichiraku's or the convenience store by his apartment.
They're just waiting for him to slip up one day and reveal he's Hinata's match, he isn't sure what Hiashi will do with the news once he gets that inevitable confirmation...
"I personally just want to know if you two are doing okay. We won't spread gossip." Kakashi mentions assuredly at Naruto's frowning.
Naruto shrugs then, saying nothing for a long minute.
"We're fine; I just miss spending time with her, you know." He finally says.
Kakashi nods. He doesn't know from experience, but the longer the distance one is from one's match, the more the longing persists and grows with each passing day. Sure, it can easily be ignored if one keeps themselves busy, though it's akin (at least from what Asuma has said) to ignoring a bruise or trying not to scratch at a mosquito bite.
Sakura leans her head against her palm, turns her focus towards the civilian passing by.
"Lucky you can at least track her if you wanted to." She grumbles quietly under her breath, not loud enough for Naruto to catch.
But Naruto can sense her mood shifting backwards, returning towards finishing his omurice before it gets cold.
Kakashi doesn't miss the way Sakura balls her hands into her lap, that knot of envy in her voice that at least Naruto can see where his thread match is, all she has are memories.
A pair of wasps land on her knuckle and Sakura manages a weak smile in silent communication, taking a sip of her drink.
"Sorry, I'm really happy for you guys! Ino's going to want to know about all your secret rendezvous' locations though eventually!" Sakura teases and Naruto snorts gently, managing a light laugh.
"Those are our secrets alone, you know!"
Kakashi turns his gaze skyward trying to find a way to salvage the conversation off the undercurrent of sourness, a bundle of steel gray clouds hovers in the distance, smell of rain picking up. He shouldn't have become an instructor knowing how damaged his own past is, he couldn't stop Sasuke from leaving and now they're officially down a team member. Lady Tsunade will eventually get them a replacement, but who knows how long that could take?
He glances to the empty 3rd seat, where Sasuke should've been.
'No, it's no use no matter how we try to ignore it; our team is truly fractured for now.'
Shikamaru & Temari
"I err, thought you didn't like me." Shikamaru frowns, trying to find the right words to say to figure out why Temari's here and not with any other squadron.
"You thought incorrectly." She snarks back.
Well she could at least give him some type of hint to her reasoning since he keeps picking all the wrong things to say apparently. It doesn't help when Temari's gaze starts to harden like ice, one that could easily rival his Mom's that he can't seem to figure out this answer.
Crap.
"Ugh, it's not about like or hate obviously. Suna needs the ryo and this is a way to make amends with Konoha after the invasion, for not fully realizing all of Orochimaru's true intentions until it was too late. Besides, you need team members for this retrieval mission; don't you? You're not in a position to say no from the way Konoha's shinobi forces currently are." She scoffs impatiently at Shikamaru's lack of response.
'But you picked my squad though out of all the other options?' He sighs, seeming to further her ire.
Is it because of their red threads? Does she feel an inevitable pull towards him even when trying to ignore or go against it?
He didn't think anyone from Suna would want to help Konoha after the invasion fiasco, and yet here Temari is offering her services. Her brothers got assigned to units to aid in Orochimaru and Kabuto's capture while his is one set to go after Sasuke specifically along with Orochimaru's remaining bodyguards. He hadn't thought the Sand Siblings would want to be split up...
So once again he falls back to the same question: why did she pick his team?
'It really can't be because of our red threads, right? I know even mentioning said subject gets one a glare and rise of her fan.' Shikamaru ponders.
Temari meanwhile observes him silently, ignores the way her stomach twists seeing his look of concentration.
Genius that he is, there's some subject matters Shikamaru truly is clueless about.
"You could stand to be a bit nicer to him if you're joining his team." Kankuro remarks, looking over the latest notes collected since Sasuke Uchiha's defection from Konoha. Blurry photos lay scattered at the table of what may or may not be Sasuke leaping through snow-capped trees, blending with crowds of merchants.
Temari scoffs, tying up a bundle of kunai and sandwiches she bought earlier in the day.
"If he's truly my red thread then he's not going to mind my personality." She mentions, refusing to meet either of her brother's gazes.
Kankuro snickers. "Come on Sis; admit it! You're just curious to know more about him. You wouldn't pick his team and head back to Konoha to help if you weren't."
"You guys are coming too!" She counters, voice too high and defiant for Kankuro's grin not to widen.
His teasing gets him a shuriken sent his way, casually avoiding it as it lands in the wall beside him.
"Heh, even your aim is off when you're thinking about him!" He howls in laughter.
Temari glares, eyes narrowing, hating the way she feels her cheeks warming unclipping her fan from her back. "My aim won't be off if I blow you out the window!"
"Enough you two. We should get an early night in. It's going to take a few days to get back to Konoha. We need to be polite and make amends for our role in the invasion and the damage we caused to their village." Gaara instructs, wall of sand put up between them.
Kankuro bristles and Temari feels her shoulders droop.
Strange for their younger brother of all the people to scold them...
But then, Naruto's words truly spoke to him. He's already started and planned meetings with Suna's advisors and managers within the financial, health, construction, and even tourism companies to help Suna's income and improve relations with the neighboring regions.
"Can't believe Gaara has a point." Kankuro grumbles with a half smile, stretching and heading for his room.
Temari does the same, heading upstairs to finish packing.
A patch of moonlight slides across her bed, poking her head out to take in the vast sea of desert hills in the distance.
The moon makes the sand shine a reddish-gold, it's a sight only those used to living in or near the Land of Wind are get to see.
And now it would soon be replaced forests and greenery.
Goosebumps ghost her skin as a wind blows in from the south, swallowing before settling back into bed.
Absently she gazes at her finger again, red thread shining westward.
Towards him.
Temari smiles a bit, deciding to ease some of his confusion considering he's not going to get this on his own.
"Is it that bad to have me on the team?" She asks slowly.
Shikamaru shakes his head quickly. "No! That's not what I said at all!"
Kiba nudges him, sharp toothed grin etching his lips. This is even more entertaining that watching Naruto and Hinata fluster over each other when trying to secretly meet up, at least they have the excuse of Hinata's overbearing family.
"Oh stop being all embarrassed and formally accept her into the team already!" He snickers.
Choji nods between munches of his chips. Neji, thankfully at least doesn't seem to care, focus on the mountains in the distance.
None of his other rescue team members are going to save him from this.
"Alright, Alright. Yes, we need the help. This squad's specific purpose is to track down Sasuke Uchiha's whereabouts." Shikamaru explains.
Temari smirks. "I did read the mission debriefing you know."
Right, of course she did.
Shikamaru coughs, clearing his voice.
"Well then you know Lady Tsunade has asked us to properly start this retrieval mission now in part due to confirmed sightings of Sasuke Uchiha within the regions of Yukigakure and Yugakure. Past teams have tried to make contact over the last few weeks unsuccessfully related to issues regarding the weather to dealing with Orochimaru's bodyguards, and Kabuto." He reviews.
The Land of Hot Water and Snow. He hasn't been able to figure out the connection as to why those two regions are where he's been most frequently seen besides their somewhat closeness to Otogakure.
He worries about the rumors he's heard of civilian and shinobi alike going missing from said regions only to turn up weeks later, bodies decomposing, all missing their hearts...
Neji turns, finally giving this conversation his full attention.
"Those remaining bodyguards of Orochimaru will be constantly prowling about. One specializes with using her flute and the other can split his body into two. We can't rush into anything without finding ways to counter their abilities; especially when they tap into using their curse seal's power."
At this he gives a pointed look to Kiba who scowls.
"Hey, why are you looking at me that way?!" He snaps, Akamaru barking his agreement.
Shikamaru steps between them before Kiba turns this into more than verbal spat, studying the woods ahead before looking to Temari.
"This...This is my first mission as a captain. Only a select few of us were made chunin by Lady Tsunade and it feels strange she picked me of all people to be leader." He admits.
He who used to skip class just to sleep or watch the clouds drift by and now...and now other people's lives are in his hands...
Temari shrugs, slapping at his back none too gently.
"You really are modest! Did you forget you won your match back during the chunin exams at least before the invasion started?!"
Shikamaru frowns. He hadn't, though that didn't mean he felt any more worthy of holding this position just yet.
"As captain you need to ensure your teammates trust you, have the confidence to believe your plans will get the job done. I believe in you Shikamaru, Madam Fifth chose you for a reason."
His Father's words calm the rush of his thoughts, nodding to Temari with a small grin.
"I trust you. I've seen what you can do." She smiles back.
Hinata
"Much of the gentle fist style involves the use of our hands and eyes. I want you to be able to still fight and function should either of those ever be dampened or weakened. In addition, we'll improve in the use of your nature affinities of lightning and fire." Hiashi explains.
Hinata opens her eyes then stopping her meditating, takes in her Father's calm expression.
"Ah, by using my legs for example and practicing with my other senses you mean?" She asks to clarify.
Hiashi nods, removing a cloth from his sleeves.
"We will practice with the loss of sight first. While it is the most important sense our clan uses, we should always have the ability to fight and protect ourselves without it." He explains.
She accepts the cloth tentatively, wrapping it around her face until her vision is completely dark.
She moves herself to a standing position, not a second later feeling her Father's sharp jab into her right arm.
Her dominant side first then.
Listening for his coming palm strikes is difficult, near impossible, clumsily managing to divert two of his strikes before he's completely takes out her left arm next.
"Too slow Hinata. You need to listen for the change in the air, use your legs as well." Hiashi relates sharply.
'Easier said than done.' Hinata wants to snap back, concentrating for the change in the breeze like he stated.
The rustle of one foot getting closer, she steps back and ducks low, sweeping her right foot underneath.
It barely catches his leg, but it's enough to make Hiashi stumble some, Hinata taking the chance.
"Eight Trigrams: Sixteen Palms!"
And like practiced she channels as much flames as she can muster to her fingertips, feels the warmth of it sparking up.
She manages to pierce at his left shoulder and underneath once before he pins her completely to the ground, nodding to himself.
"Better. But you're going to need much more work in your speed; you can remove your blindfold now." Hiashi instructs.
Father is nothing like Naruto when they spar or even her sessions with Team 8 she needs to realize, a constant parry of attacks with little room for error.
Hinata catches her breath, studying in surprise his switch to healing at her injuries.
'I didn't know he even knew Medical ninjutsu.' She wonders in a bit of awe.
"Everyone learns the basics in medicine Hinata. I practiced a bit more though on the subject after my brother's death." Hiashi explains at her questioning look.
Hinata reddens, looking away. Talking about Uncle Hizashi is supposed to be a forbidden topic, for him to bring it up so freely...
"If we're to train and learn from each other Hinata, we need to be honest and open. For me, that means listening to what you have to say regarding your red thread and for you to take my advice in stride." Hiashi starts.
Hinata slowly turns to look back at him, before turning her gaze skyward. It's sometime after noon, sun slowly dipping westward in a blaze of reds and golds.
"You want me to come right out and tell you who my red thread is?" She asks directly.
Hiashi pauses at her boldness, clearing his throat. Like most old clans of Konoha, theirs has ignored the red thread match for generations to keep the kekkai genkai within their clan as pure as possible. Hinata clearly is matched with someone outside their clan, someone she won't break her thread for no matter what he says he's sure.
"Naruto. It's Naruto. I'm sure you expected that though from Ko's reports or from one of the bodyguards with how they were always following him around the village. I liked him even before my 13th birthday." She breathes out.
Konoha's jinchuriki. Of all the people for Hinata to be matched too...
"It's dangerous...knowing that he-" Hiashi attempts to choose his words carefully.
"I know Father; we both know." Hinata whispers, interrupting him a tightness to her voice.
Hiashi feels his shoulders sag, gazing at his eldest's eyes only to see them turning stormy, icing over done with this conversation.
Hinata assumes the worst of him and he can't blame her after how cruel his prior training sessions were for both her and Hanabi. He outright told Kurenai she could do what she wants with her no matter how dangerous the mission, he's sure his words that day have never been far from her thoughts.
Especially on that fateful night she learned Naruto is her match, the countdown until this very moment between them now.
"We'll pick up again in one hour, before the moon starts to rise." Hiashi decides after a period of silence.
He'll have to use this trip for more than just training, to understand how his eldest thinks and the choices she'll make moving forward for herself and her ties to the clan.
Hinata nods, standing up to wash her face at the river and partially to put some distance between them.
"Fine."
Naruto & Jiraiya
"So you remember all that darkness that built up in you during your fight with Gaara? We're going to learn to control that!" Jiraiya exclaims with the eagerness of a child.
They've officially set out on the road (this time truly get more than few feet), actually managed to travel far enough away from Konoha in these past 3 days to head west towards the Land of Rivers, passing through a series of rolling low mountains the colors of greens and golds and hidden away caverns that hold waters deep shades of aquamarine blue.
Naruto cocks his head in confusion, skeptical.
He knows where that anger came from, a deep rooted hatred that pushed up at the thought of losing Hinata, of being reminded how alone he was before her...
"How?" He asks.
Jiraiya points at his stomach then, where his seal lies.
"It's going to be a bit tricky. The thing about having a red thread on top of having that seal is that can mess with your emotions and fast; you'll need to not lose your mind to the fox's words." He explains.
Naruto manages a weak smile. "I can do that, you know!"
But deep in the back of his mind he swears he hears the fox's laugh, a deep rumble goading him to go ahead, that this time he'll truly escape from his seal.
Jiraiya scoffs, ruffles up his hair much to his annoyance.
"You don't need to talk big Kid, this is going to take practice and a lot of it! Even more than your rasengan training." He explains.
They'll have to start from the very, very basics.
He pulls open his sleeves letting a pair of scrolls clatter to the ground before him.
"We'll start over again with the very basics of Fūinjutsu by having you practice sealing some small to medium sedentary objects since it's been awhile, then we'll move on to trapping small animals like birds and fish, before finally we progress to using Gerotora."
Naruto gazes over the intricate designs, scrolls with fine calligraphy of black ink that still look new even from the passing years.
"Who's Gerotora?" He asks as he gets to work following the instructions for sealing a stone.
Sealing marks wrap around the rock, Naruto concentrating on the center.
He's moving too slow, he can feel it in Jiraiya's eyes.
"Seal!" He announces, slamming a palm to the center only for the rock, poofed away in white smog into the scroll below.
'I should be better at this by now! Maybe I should try using the adamantine chains again.' Naruto struggles.
He moves on to a second rock Jiraiya pushes towards him, erupts two chains forth coiling around the boulder keeping it in place before it can tumble into the nearby river.
"How's that, you know?!" Naruto chimes out to him.
Jiraiya merely shrugs, half-smile marring his face.
This is going to take awhile.
Hours later Jiraiya watches the change in the foliage as the sun goes down, the once bright shades of green along the forest trails they took to find a place to set up camp have become mixed with the golden yellows and sharp reds that signal autumn's looming presence.
It feels like he never has enough time in any one season before it's gone...
He sighs, glancing to his shoulder where Naruto sleeps away, light snores filling the air.
"He isn't ever going to be ready Jiraiya. It's risking yourself." Gerotora scoffs at Naruto's dozing figure. It was a waste of time to summon him here, to a boy who can barely seal the fauna surrounding them.
Jiraiya chuckles, he's still a cynic and skeptic even all these years later.
"Now, now. Minato entrusted me to you for a reason. Naruto needs to get better control of his tailed beast somehow and to do that we need access to "key" on your scroll. We can leave things as they are if he's going to have to eventually take on his old friend and the Akatsuki."
Gerotora says nothing for a moment, looking between them both.
"It's suicidal and you know it; you're going to endanger your life and that kid's." He finally grunts.
But he'll acquiesce to whatever Jiraiya has in mind, though he doubts Naruto can, if ever gain control of the fox demon's power no matter how slowly he releases it's chakra. For his own safety, the seal should be restrengthened.
"Have some faith. I plan to start implementing you into the lesson plans tomorrow. You'll get formally introduced then." Jiraiya reviews, gazing back at Naruto again with a light grin.
Naruto can be a quick learner when motivated at least he knows, he can create enough clones to cover this entire forest and study from morning to nightfall if there's the promise of some prize or power for him.
But none of that will matter if he doesn't learn to control that fox; fast.
-x-
Welcome back to Red Thread Everyone! Hope you're ready for all the exciting developments and drama to come for everyone! Yeah, I don't have much to add to this section right now, lol.
I will say, please don't expect Naruto to chase after Sasuke like he did in canon or particularly care about what Sasuke's up to right now. He cares in this story yes, but not as much as Sakura who will play more of a role in that factor without going into further detail. I hope I didn't portray Naruto as too cold/uncaring about Sasuke, they're on separate paths right now bound to eventually intersect at a later point.
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!