::I know I screwed up on the previous chapter… I couldn't remember Shizune's name and left it 'temporarily' blank and forgot about it. --' I fixed it the next day, though! I still can't believe I did that… Also, my laptop has been malfunctioning and I haven't been able to get online for some time now. Gomen.
Review responses this chapter!
DragonSoul: My new beta! Thank-you ever so much for helping me out.
Asagao: If you say so, what I said is what I'd heard from Prof. Havens.
Double Negative: I'm glad you approve, I wasn't originally planning on a Hinata/Naruto pairing, but I believe the story is shaped by the characters and I didn't make up the characters.
Aharah Musici: You are one dedicated reviewer! And if you think the new techniques I've introduced thus far open new horizons, just wait. .
Lady Light: Thank-you for reviewing!
Hikaru chan: If DragonSoul and Falcon-Rider should experience sudden and horrible deaths you may take their place as beta.
Cookie6: Will do—or did.
GentleWaterSoul: I'm updating! I'm updating!
Falcon-Rider: Close second for beta! I just might alternate chapters between you and DragonSoul, who knows.
Wormkaizer: There will be more NaruHina scenes, just taking this slowly so Naruto can get a clue.
Dalcacris: What's your favorite pairing then??? And AU stands for alternate universe, where a different chain of events has occurred than the original.
Mahina: Yes… Owie, I know…
Skunktrain: You've been ranked as fourth in line to beta, I believe. Probably not going to happen, but who knows.
Etherelithic: Fifth in line! Sorry, but first come first served.
Xoni Newcomer: Thankies! And yes, I made a booboo…
Gopu: Thankies! .
SilverKnight7: I can't wait to post either! .
Daniel of Lorien: Love your name!! ::ahem:: I just had to throw in that Naru/Hina bit, I am a hopeless romantic.
Luna: Your fav AU? Really? Awesome! As for the Sound/Sand battle confusion, this chapter should help clarify that for you.
C.M. Aeris Queen of Insanity: Thankies!
Zsych: Yes, Byakugan and Hyuuga are practically synonymous, but they can't always marry within the clan or they'll get cross-eyed as well!
Zsych: Glad you like the scheme. Your idea makes me grin, I'll probably use it once I get to a fitting moment. .
Selene: I think there are enough Naru/Hina fics out there. To be honest this one almost wasn't.
Done!::
The group did not receive their anticipated welcome home. The great gates to the village had hasty repairs and smoke still hung in the air. They raced to the Hokage's office to find the building in a shambles and one side partially collapsed. The academy wasn't much better off. "What happened? It looks like an attack," Naruto said to no one in particular. Passersby seemed too preoccupied to answer, but a spiky brown head separated itself from a gaggle of students and Naruto grinned.
Konohamaru grinned at Naruto. "Glad to see you back, Naruto ni-san! Sound nins attacked three days ago, an all-out war. We beat them back though!" The genin practically glowed with pride. A band-aid on his chin partially concealed a thin cut going up towards his lip. Hinata and Tsunade eyed the mark with such intensity that Konohamaru started to blush. "Uh, I better get back now or Sensei will make me do extra laps." He ran back towards a group of genin and students who seemed to be repairing the ninja academy.
"We should visit the Hokage and find out what happened," Jiraiya said quietly to Tsunade and Shizumi. He patted Naruto on the shoulder. "Naruto, why don't you and Hinata visit home and then see what you can do to help out." Naruto and Hinata nodded and the three adults vanished.
Naruto immediately set out towards the Hyuuga complex, but stopped when he noticed Hinata had hung back. "Hinata-chan?"
She was looking down the street at something unseen. "I'm just a little nervous about going home, that's all." Naruto waited for her to catch up and then wrapped his arms around her in a fierce hug. Hinata gasped and went rigid, her cheeks turning pink, but she almost immediately calmed and raised her arms to hold him back. Her cooling face rested on Naruto's chest and she had an odd thought that made her chuckle.
Naruto was confused, were his hugs amusing? "What's so funny?"
Hinata stepped away and looked up at him. "You're taller than when we started out." She walked on, leaving Naruto to ponder this as he watched her walk away. He was taller. How much taller? It hadn't occurred to him to notice where he stood compared to anyone else, but judging from his hazy memory he had grown at least a couple inches—probably more. That's not natural… We've only been gone a couple months.
The two nins found the area around the compound relatively unscathed. What damage had been done was already repaired and it seemed most of the clan was out in the village helping others. Neji looked towards the main entrance and felt brief pleasant surprise, then resentment. They choose now to return? If they're as weak as before I'm going to pound them! He left the pile of supplies he'd been gathering and came over. "No one is home, they're all out helping," he said grimly.
Hinata looked at Neji out of the corner of her eye and then looked back at the front door to her house. "Mother must still be around. We'll just drop our bags off then come out to help," she said quietly, but without the usually up-turn in tone that gave her speech the feel of a question. Neji blinked as Naruto and Hinata went in. His cousin had just brushed off his criticism like a normal person! Turning back to the stack of wood in the yard, Neji let himself show a small smile.
"I guess training on the road helped…"
Hinata slowly opened the door to her mother's bedroom and froze. Her mother was lying flat on her back, eyes closed, face still. "M-mother?" Hinata said quietly. Naruto shifted nervously behind her, this was to be his first time seeing his adoptive parent. A pale eye opened and Hinata let out a sigh, opening the door wide. "Mother, this is Naruto. We just got back from training with Jiraiya-sensei."
The pale woman's face tensed and Hinata could tell she was trying to rise. She helped her sit up as Naruto knelt at the bedside. Hyuuga Tae smiled and raised a hand to stroke Naruto's cheeks, the back of her fingers brushing against his whisker marks. "You have kind eyes, but they're such a mischievous blue. I hear that you've made quite a bit of trouble for your retainers in the past, but perhaps you are growing up under our roof?"
Naruto tried to keep himself from leaning into her caress. These were a mother's hands, his mother's hands. The soft expression in her eyes held no fear, and Naruto realized she had no fear because she had no regrets. There was such a thing as a guilt-free Hyuuga. Her hand began to drift down to her side, and he caught it in both of his own. Her callous-free hands were not meant for fighting, but she had a fighting spirit.
"M-Mother, I have done my best to become a great ninja—"
"And you will be Hokage some day? I have no doubt." She chuckled weakly and closed her eyes. "You will not be the fifth, but in the future you will be ready." She raised her other arm and patted Hinata's hand on her shoulder. "I can feel a change in you, too, Daughter. I think you're rubbing off on each other." Hinata turned a little pink, but her smile was open instead of hidden. "Now why don't you two take this letter to the Council at the administration building and leave me to rest?" Hinata lowered her mother back down and picked up the scroll lying at her side.
Naruto reluctantly let his adoptive mother's hand go and rose to his feet. Hinata opened the door and he turned to follow when Tae called to him. "Naruto, a moment please…" Hinata shut the door and Naruto knelt once more. "Child, the main branch of the Hyuuga clan is proud and powerful. I fear my husband is rather stubborn about not seeming too soft emotionally, but he really does love all his children. His own father stressed strength above all else, as did his before him, but there are other arts in the Hyuuga clan as close to us as our gentle fist. It is a style of jutsu passed down solely among the women of the clan in recent generations. I believe you are a Hyuuga in your soul, and may learn the Seals of Metal the fastest. This is very important, and I must stress that you do not speak of these jutsu seals to anyone until you have them mastered."
His excitement at learning yet another secret technique faded quickly. "Why aren't you teaching Hinata or Hanabi? Do they already know these special seals?"
She shook her head. "No, Hanabi feels as her father does, that jutsu are not important skills for a Hyuuga. Hinata has no stomach for these kinds of techniques, has she made any mention of trying to become a medic nin?"
Naruto took in this information seriously. "I understand. Hinata has started her medic training—actually she has learned most of what Tsunade can teach her in theory, hasn't had much hands-on training of course."
Tae looked surprised a moment, then she smiled. "She has? That's good…" Her eyes drifted closed and Naruto realized she had fallen asleep. He awkwardly got up and tiptoed out of the room to find Hinata and report to Neji for repair duty.
-------
Tsunade gave Jiraiya a killing look. The senior council members wanted him to be Hokage, what was he waiting for? A written invitation, perhaps? Peeking privileges? "I can't accept, I'd make a horrible Hokage! Nope, Don't have the patience for it, never have." Five jaws fell to the floor. Shizune, Kakashi, and the two counselors were stunned, but Tsunade reacted promptly. She smacked the white-hared senin in the back of the head, flipping him over onto his back.
"You idiot!" she cried. Jiraiya moaned from the floor and twitched. The council members present sighed. Not everyone had believed Jiraiya would accept, but all had hoped to have one of the Three as Hokage. Jiraiya sat up and massaged his nose.
"Why don't you do it if you like the post so much?" he asked in a nasal tone.
After a pause, Tsunade blinked. Then she smiled and chuckled. "Me? As you said, who would want to be Hokage?" The spirit of the council members had fallen to a new low. What were they going to do?
Shizune arched a skeptical eyebrow. "What about Uzumaki Naruto? He seemed pretty sure Hokage was a desirable office." Tsunade looked down, emotions warring in her eyes. She shook her head.
The female council representative turned to Kakashi. "We understand that you haven't taken up a new team after Team 7, and they're all chuunin—with the Uchiha pending on jounin I believe. Hatake Kakashi, will you take up the title of Hokage?"
Kakashi's uncovered eye looked over those assembled. "It has come to this…" he said quietly, shifting on his feet so he leaned on the wall. Closing his eye and leaning his head back he said, "Sure. Of course once a more qualified leaf nin arises who will accept the responsibility I will gladly hand it over." He vanished, presumable to the Hokage's office to start organizing things again. The village wasn't in a state of chaos, but its political and economic relationships with the rest of the world were teetering on the edge of a kunai.
The counselors took their leave and Jiraiya sat on the roof edge facing Tsunade. "Why didn't you accept?" he asked.
Tsunade glared at him. "You know that the Hokage is destined to die for the village. I'm not up to dying for people I don't know." She started to walk away, Shizune got up to follow.
"They would have wanted you to accept, you know," Jiraiya said. Tsunade didn't even pause. With a sigh Jiraiya looked out over the rooftops of Konoha, his gaze briefly lingering on the great wall. Eventually his gaze went beyond the wall to the forest. Sasuke had resisted the pull on his heaven seal, and had killed one of Orochimaru's famous four in the process. Jiraiya still worried however.
He decided to stop by the Hokage's office first. Then pop in at the Hyuuga main house before heading out again. There was something he had to confirm.
-------Two weeks later.
Naruto sat on a tree stump in a very familiar setting. His team had trained here since they were genin. Usually he looked forward to the days when he got to work with Sakura and—though he'd never admit it—Sasuke. Today was different, however, because while it was a B-rank mission, Sasuke was going to be the one in charge. Sasuke had been promoted into the jounin ranks just two days before, and yesterday Naruto had been told his next assignment was to be with Sasuke and Sakura. Kakashi was now Hokage, and therefore ineligible for assignments. Naruto did figure out that it was Jiraiya who had convinced ol' Cyclops to get them together again.
Sasuke showed up first. He wore a black body suit, cargo shorts, and green vest. It was very Sasuke, especially with the half-angry half-bored expression. The Uchiha jumped down from a tree branch and landed next to Naruto's throne. "Naruto," he said, and he folded his arms and leaned against a tree to wait.
Sasuke wasn't quite sure why Naruto was being trusted with this mission, but he knew it had something to do with Kakashi being the new Hokage. That, and the strange changes that had occurred to Naruto in the past weeks. Whatever the Hyuugas and Jiraiya had done, they had made the hopeless 'Dobe' into something with an iota of skill. Sasuke still didn't think Naruto was worth his time, of course. Despite their past sparring matches, Sasuke had succeeded in ridding himself completely of Orochimaru's seal. If they fought right now, he would win. His lip twitched, attempting to smile.
Naruto now wore orange pants and a white t-shirt with his chuunin vest, not as loud as when he wore all orange, but still an eyesore. Sasuke was still suspicious of the subtle insight Naruto now used when they were together. Then a pink streak entered the area and Naruto shot to his feet. Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto's eager, "SAKURA-CHAN!!!" rang through the clearing.
Sakura huffed and began to bicker with Naruto about volume control when on a mission when Sasuke could sense the final member of their team on approach. Shikamaru strolled out of the trees looking bored as ever. Sasuke detached himself from his tree and came out into the light. "Shut-up, you two. Our mission is simple; while all the other teams are busy taking care of business, we are to pursue Konoha's interests…"
-------
Hinata sat panting on the floor, her byakugan fading. Hiashi straightened and felt his rage well up again. She was holding back on him. He didn't know what she knew, but there was something about her movements that reminded him of his grandfather's style. Growing up there had been much talk about his father's and grandfather's different attitudes towards fighting, had Hinata unlocked something? He couldn't tell because she hadn't tired anything new. As she got to her feet, Hiashi held out a hand to stop her. "Hinata, you will not improve if you do not employ all your skills. You traveled with one of the legendary senin for weeks and learned nothing?"
She gulped. "I-I did learn, Father. I just…" Then her entire presence shifted. As he watched she changed between his little Hinata, to someone other. Her face became blank instead of panicked. Her body relaxed into position instead of tensing up, and the position she took was not automatically defensive. In fact, it wasn't a part of the gentle fist at all.
Hiashi took up his own position, hope warming his limbs. Hinata, if only I could preserve this moment under glass. This is the day you showed me whose daughter you are. She dove in and instead of jabbing at him aiming for chakra centers, Hiashi found himself blocking nervous and circulatory points. How did she learn such advanced anatomy so quickly? Then when he didn't have the time to strike back, his hands busily striking down moves from a less-familiar style, Hinata's confidence grew.
Her hands moved faster, and her kick almost hit Hiashi merely because of his surprise. Then she twisted an arm behind her back as she succeeded in catching his wrist and poked him in the left shoulder. Hiashi was shocked to feel the main vein of his left arm shut down. He immediately stopped and took a step back, his right hand countering the effect by pressing the correct spot. It wasn't a system of fighting he was able to use to his advantage against on others, but on his own body he was a master.
Hinata let her guard down a moment and Hiashi attacked again. Hinata smacked his hand away and barely managed to block his next few attacks. Her old style and confidence were gone, and Hiashi sent her to the floor with a kick.
He looked down at her. "That was well done, Hinata, but you lost your nerve and the fight."
Hinata sat up, and instead of looking ashamed or embarrassed, she smiled and got to her feet. With a bow, she left the training room. Hiashi looked at the windows and nodded at the sunlight. She was ready for another go at the chuunin exams. They were only a week away.
As Hinata left, her closing toughts were, And I didn't even have to use the skills Jiraiya-sensei taught me. I wonder how father would react if I used it on him? Or Neji? Or Hanabi? Suddenly she couldn't wait to spar with any of them again.
------
Naruto stared straight ahead, his mind and body focused on one thing. His teammates were surprised at his speed, pulling up side-by-side with Sasuke. They needed to get their knowledge to the Hokage now! They had been gathering information and Sakura had made a startling discovery. Now it was a race to Konoha, their enemies close behind. Naruto glimpsed at the sun. We're not going to make it! No! We must make it, for Hinako! His new nickname for Hinata had taken over her full name in his thoughts on this trip, but he remembered to say Hinata-chan aloud.
The gates of the village were dead ahead. They paused just long enough for the guards to know it was them, then scaled the surface and jumped over the top. They landed on the other side and continued running. The anbu outside the Hokage's office stopped them. Sasuke reached out to the doorknob. "We need to speak to the Hokage immediately."
The anbu relented and the team went through. The four-man team stood in front of Kakashi's desk as he finished some paperwork. "You're back so soon?" he drawled.
Sasuke opened his mouth to answer, but Naruto beat him to the punch line. Leaning forward and slamming his hands on the desk, Naruto said, "Orochimaru has made an alliance with the Sand village and they plan to attack the exams!" Kakashi sighed. Orochimaru's initial attack had been mostly missing nin, but no one from the Sound village. The first strike had been as much a test as a softening up of their forces. The more seriously injured nins from the first wave a few weeks ago were just beginning to get back into shape thanks to Tsunade's skills. This attack strategy showed more of a military mind than ninja.
Kakashi leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his vest. He'd never taken up the robes of Hokage. "Then we'll just have to be more careful. Sand and Sound nin are already in the village to take part in the exam, along with civilians and lords come to watch the tournament. Since the first test has already begun, Orochimaru must have a specific time in mind. Find out when it is."
That wasn't what Naruto had wanted to hear. He had wanted Konoha's main force assembled and briefed to scour the forests and town. He had wanted the exam to be delayed. Shikamaru could tell Naruto was going to start shouting at Kakashi. The boy was just too casual with authority.
It was a real surprise to everyone when Naruto just stood tall with his mouth clamped shut and nodded. "Then I'll be back." He left via the window.
There was a stunned silence in the room until Sakura said, "He has done better, as the third had hoped. It still feels like someone took the real Naruto away."
Kakashi shrugged. "Maybe he's just growing up."
Shikamaru looked up. "Scary thought."
