Staggering into camp, Naruto sat down hard.
For a third day straight, he had put his entire effort into learning the Underworld Swamp jutsu, making the resultant mire and muck larger, deeper, and wetter each successive session.
Leaning back against a tree, he scratched his back on the bark a moment, wriggled around to find the most comfortable position, and then closed his eyes.
"Looks like you've been working hard again. That's a miracle. I don't remember you working that hard before Hinata came." Jiraiya stood above Naruto, smiling at his obvious exaggeration. "Never knew you were such a ladies man!" The older shinobi had just come back from town.
Naruto set his jaw, but didn't answer or open his eyes.
He knew the best way to deal with his master's teasing.
"You've kept you hair short. You bathe frequently, and use soap. And your teeth look a whole lot brighter. Hmmm, it's Autumn, but you'd think Spring is in the air."
The young ninja sneered, but still didn't answer. His efforts at grooming had not been voluntary, and that damn hermit knew that.
"Yes, when the village begins having its Harvest Dances this year, I think that I will assign you to take Hinata. A ninja should be skilled in social matters as well, and there is a great deal of coordination and endurance involved in dancing. Not to mention, quite a bit of finesse is needed in slow dancing…."
Naruto's eyes popped open.
"WHAT?!!"
Jiraiya chuckled. He held out a Popsicle to his pupil, saving another one for Hinata.
"I could mention it to Tsunade, I suppose. She would probably make it official. I see no reason we couldn't start dancing practice after supper every evening."
"Shit!" Naruto said, scowling. "I don't need to practice dancing with Hinata. I need to learn how to dance with the Death God, like Sautobi and the Fourth did!" He bit the top of his Popsicle off, then chewed on it savagely. "No, if I don't get stronger, I'll be dancing with Itachi and Kisame, and they'll be leading."
Jiraiya's face became very serious. So much so, that Naruto froze with the Popsicle in his mouth, which led to his tongue freezing.
"That's what we need to discuss before I leave." Jiraiya looked across the camp area and spotted Hinata. "I'll be back after I give this to Hinata."
Watching his sensei walk away, Naruto began to tense up.
He always knew what he was working towards, but his life here had actually be relatively carefree in its own way.
When Jiraiya returned, he sat next to his student.
"I've already explained to Hinata that I will be gone for a few days. It could be as long as a week, or a week and a few days." Jiraiya scratched the side of his chest. "You're going to be in charge of the lessons while I'm gone. The two of you should be safe enough during that time. But, the time is coming near when The Nine will be become a very big part in your life, one way or another."
"Are you going to speak with Granny Tsunade and the elders? The clan leaders?" Naruto pulled his Popsicle apart into two single pops.
"No." The Sennin shook his head. "It's time for me to make my rounds again, visiting my informants. I need to know if there has been any rumor about what those criminals might be planning, or when precisely they might be apt to move. I also want to do some research, trying to find out what Akatsuki members meant when they talked about the moon becoming the sun. I have some suspicions in that regard."
"What?" Naruto sat up straighter.
"I think they are talking about a Blood Moon, when the Moon is as red as the Sun. There are a number of prophecies regarding such an occurrence, and for all we know they might be planning on some form of holy war, or manipulation of the masses through a false messiah."
"Huh?" Naruto's scrunched up his face, just as he was prone to do as a child.
"There will be a day during this year, when a Blood Moon eclipse will take place. In fact, two will occur in different months this year, with a solar eclipse taking place some time in between them. That combination of events is very rare, and has shown up in some ancient writings that claim a leader will arise, who will conquer all who stand before him."
"Where would Kyuubi come in?" Naruto asked.
"I have no idea," Jiraiya answered. "But, that is not the only prophecy. 'The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome Day of Reckoning comes' is one saying I have come across. Another is 'And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.' Those are from antiquated texts, available at very few libraries. But, anything that men may have told me, men may have told someone else."
"And we don't know if any of that nonsense means anything, right?" Naruto looked uncomfortable. He did not like the sound of any Day of Reckoning, or the breaking of any seal powerful enough to cause natural catastrophes.
"Right." Jiraiya nodded. "Let's hope not. The outcomes in those old tales and prophecies are usually rather grim." He laughed, his countenance brightening up considerably. "I don't want anything interfering with my research."
"Stupid old lecher," Naruto said, shaking his head.
"Uh huh. That reminds me. There's a talk that is long overdue, seeing that you will be here with Hinata, alone." Jiraiya stretched, then rubbed his nose.
"What? About my being responsible and all that, because I will be the senior member of our group?" Naruto scowled.
Responsibility didn't usually equate with fun.
"Something like that. I don't know what Kakashi got around to teaching you. Hmmm, I presume you do know where babies come from." Jiraiya kept a straight face.
"WHAT?!!" Naruto stood up.
"Haven't heard about that yet? At your age? Well…… hmmmmmm…… I guess I have time to go over the Birds and the Bees stuff before I leave tonight. First---" The older ninja was interrupted.
"I KNOW WHERE BABIES COME FROM, ERO-SENNIN!!!"
Naruto cringed, then immediately looked to see if Hinata was anywhere within earshot.
"Really? Good. That will save me some work. If Hinata doesn't know, then you can tell her." This time, Jiraiya did chuckle. "I'll let her know----"
"DON'T YOU DARE!"
Naruto had instinctively begun to form a spinning ball of chakra in his palm.
"Oh? You're right. She should hear it from someone who knows what it all means. I'll talk with her before I go, then she can check to see how much you know." Jiraiya caught a large clod of dirt that his apprentice threw at him.
Naruto just stood glowering.
"All joking aside, Naruto. Tsunade expected me to be a chaperon, even though my reputation has been unfairly besmirched, and despite the fact that she didn't think either of you were likely to experiment with things on a whim. So, you need to be on your best behavior. Hinata might feel uncomfortable, even if you don't." Jiraiya's face was rather stern.
"Shit! OK. So, I won't bathe on the same days that she does…… I'll use my latrine only…… and I won't comment on the laundry lines.
Jiraiya stared at Naruto for a while, watching his face and body movements. He did not look like someone having guilty thoughts. The young man's isolation from girls his own age… thanks in part to the villager's suspicion of the two of them… might work to his credit now, even though it was a matter that had always concerned the older warrior.
"Good," the Sennin said, certain that he had made his point. "There are two more things I need to say before I leave. One----"
"You're really running away with woman at the scroll shop!" Naruto grinned.
That woman was bigger than the two of them put together, and hairier too.
Jiraiya scowled, then opened his mouth, interrupted again.
"Or that guy at the Post Office!" Naruto started whistling.
The effeminate man in question had taken an unnatural liking to the older shinobi.
"I think I will need to share some interesting stories with Hinata some day," Jiraiya said. "About some of your experiences with the young ladies in town. Starting with the Printer's youngest daughter."
Naruto suddenly stopped laughing.
For a moment, he actually looked ready to shout again.
"Very funny!" The young ninja griped.
"It was. Or, the whole village thought so!" Jiraiya chuckled.
The girl had told Naruto that she couldn't go on a date with him, but knew a framer's daughter who might. When Naruto showed up at the farm house, there was a pig waiting. A bunch of girls had fixed it up with lipstick, rouge, and perfume.
"Or there was the girl…."
"OK. What were the two things?" Naruto had a very sour look on his face.
"One…." Jiraiya stopped, giving Naruto a chance to interrupt him again. Naruto gave him the finger. "Tsunade has made no mention of Hinata being recalled back to Konoha. Given that, she might be in some kind of danger if Akatsuki makes some move on you while she's still here. As such, it may be time for her to hear about Kyuubi. I will do that if you like. Or, you can have the honors. I will leave that up to you."
Naruto sat back down. He looked over at Jiraiya, an uneasy look on his face. Hinata might well leave on her own after hearing the truth.
Then, who knows who else might find here the truth from her…
"And number two?" Naruto asked, his voice somewhat flat.
"I wasn't kidding about the dancing. Well, at least about the two of you being more visible down in town. Not about practicing. That will be up to the two of you." Jiraiya watched as Naruto's face changed yet again.
"You…… you…….. you…."
"If you don't want to take Hinata, I can always inquire about the pig…." Jiraiya began walking towards his hut, ready to gather up his things and leave under the cover of darkness. "Later!"
"Stupid…… ugly…… scruffy…… bastard…… of…… a…."
"I'll miss you too, idiot! Remember what I told you." Jiraiya waved his arm, then slowly faded into the night.
Not long after his teacher had left, Naruto went to find Hinata, to see what Jiraiya might have told her.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata waved, seeing him approach. "Have you come to help with dinner?"
"Of course," Naruto answered. "Once the plates are full, I'll help clean them, naturally." He looked over the rough cook bench Hinata had, taking note of the types of food stuffs she had selected. "Be sure you make enough for three!"
"What? Hasn't Master Jiraiya left already?" Hinata looked around, but saw no sign of anyone else.
"Sure. What makes you think he hasn't?" Naruto reached over to swipe a carrot, but was smacked on the wrist by Hinata.
"I swear, Naruto-kun. You're nothing but a stomach on legs. I'm only making enough for two." Hinata narrowed her eyes, then blushed, hearing how bossy she sounded.
"Geez, girl." Naruto shook his head. "You have to eat too. You're a growing girl." He walked over to her, then put his hand at the level of the top of her head. "Tsk tsk tsk," Then he raised his hand to mark his own height. "At least I hope so…."
Hinata just stood there speechless.
After Naruto got most of the mischief out of his system, he lent a hand getting the fire ready.
"Naruto-kun, our sensei told me that you would fill me in on all the details when he left. Why did he leave? And what else did the two of you talk about?" Hinata looked up from the skewers she was filling with various meats.
"Ummm…." Naruto stopped a moment, trying to decide what to tell his companion. "Well…."
"I would like the truth, Naruto-kun. I think I have earned that much." Hinata began working on a grilling sauce.
"That old pervert has gone off to do some real research this time. It's a long story, and I'd rather save it for tomorrow…. uhhh…. at breakfast time." Naruto wanted to think things over tonight, deciding whether or not to tell Hinata about Kyuubi.
He could mention Akatsuki either way, without saying what they were after.
Hinata stopped a moment, looking Naruto in the eyes, wondering what he was holding back, and hoping he wouldn't try to hide anything from her.
"OK," she said. "What else were you talking about. I heard you scream a number of times."
"You did…. I see…. well…." Naruto began to sweat. He could tell Hinata something they talked about, without telling her everything! Right? Name your poison. "He said that I was in charge, of course. And that the lessons would be my responsibility." He then turned his attention to adding wood to the blaze.
"And what else?" Hinata asked sagely.
"He shared a Popsicle with me." Naruto nodded his head, smiling.
"Me too, Naruto-kun." Hinata said. "What else?"
"Well… you see…." Naruto sighed, scratching his head. "He said that we…. I mean you and I…. when the village held its…. you know." He cursed, knowing he sounded like a moron.
"No, I don't know." Hinata stopped slicing her stack of vegetables.
"Dances!" There. He had gotten it out.
Enough said.
"What about dances, Naruto-kun?" Hinata's eyes looked like they were glowing, reflecting the fire.
Naruto stuck out his lower lip and closed his eyes.
"NARUTO-KUN! " Hinata shouted, knowing that such a method usually paid dividends.
"They have stupid dances in the stupid village, OK? And our stupid master had the stupid idea that we should attend them. But, it's all stupid." Naruto looked away from Hinata.
"We're supposed to go to dances?" Hinata put her hands together on her chest. "Really? You're going to take me to dances?" She never went to dances. Most of the time, no one ever asked her. When someone did, it was never the one she had always wanted to go with.
"If…… I…… have…… to…."
"Oh! You have to!!!" Hinata chopped one carrot too hard, send both ends shooting off beyond the firelight. "Ummm…. I mean…. ummm…. you'll have to take me if…. ummm…. our sensei tells you to."
"Yeh. Right. Sure. Can we change the subject?" Naruto griped.
"OK, Naruto-kun. What else did he talk about with you?" Hinata was blushing, thinking about her good fortune. She didn't mind Naruto's attitude one bit.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
"That's not important right now, Hinata. Let me give you a hand preparing the food. It's the least I can do, seeing how hard you are working." Naruto put on his biggest smile.
"What else, Naruto-kun?" Hinata narrowed her eyes.
"Well…"
"NARUTO-KUN!!! " Hinata bit her lip. What would Kurenai-sensei think if she saw her acting this way?
"He asked me if I knew where babies came from. I told him I already knew that. Then, he said if you didn't know, I should tell you." Naruto tried to sound nonchalant, but was sweating heavily, not knowing what he would do if by some miracle Hinata was still clueless about the subject.
"Wh…. Wh…. Wh…" Hinata couldn't get the word out.
"Where do they come from? Sheesh! I thought you'd know!" Naruto clenched his fist. His heart skipped a beat.
"Wh…. Wh…. Why?" Hinata looked pale.
"Because you're a girl, of course. And girls are supposed to know these things. Especially at your age." Naruto hung his head. "OK. Let's get started. Asuma-sensei once said that---"
"No! I meant, why did Jiraiya-sensei ask you…. well…. why did the subject…. ummm…." Hinata spoke in a terrible rush.
"Oh…." Naruto breathed a long sigh of relief. He mopped at his forehead with his sleeve. "I guess it's because he was our chaperon out here…. and you know…. there will only be the two of us out here…." he swallowed hard. "He just wanted to make sure…. you know…."
Hinata made one of her characteristic squeaking noises when she realized she had just slid the leafy end of the carrots into the stew, after pushing the good bits into the compost bag.
The white-eyed girl didn't dare ask if there had been anything else discussed.
When dinner was finally served, the two shin obi sat as far away from one another as was physically possible at the ring of large stones they used as stools.
Hinata kept looking down at her food, glancing over at Naruto every so often, only to look down at her food as soon as she could.
Naruto felt as if he was going to explode. The only sound at the campsite was the crackling of the wood in the fire. The silence was really getting on his nerves. Hearing the sound of a rabbit being caught by some predator, he grinned.
"You know, Hinata…. our teacher did tell me one other thing…."
"H-H-He….ummm…. d-d-did?" Hinata bit into the wooden skewer instead of the meat.
"Yes. He told me to protect you. Since he wasn't here with us." Naruto made it a point to look off into the forest, twitching every so lightly. He jumped purposefully, hearing a branch fall. "B-B-But…. I'll remember to redo the seals every night…."
"S-S-Seals?" Hinata put her plate down.
"Oh! Did I say seals? Hah! It's nothing to worry about, Hinata. Just eat your dinner." He looked back out into the woods again.
"Naruto-kun? What aren't you telling me?" Hinata began to sound a bit worried.
"Trust me. It isn't anything to worry about. Even if the stories are all true, there hasn't be one around these mountains for a few years. Are you going to finish that bread?" Naruto fought hard to keep from grinning.
"One…. What?" Hinata took a drink of water, her hand trembling ever so slightly.
Naruto didn't answer.
He looked around the clearing, hen straightened his shoulders.
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata began twiddling her fingers.
Naruto picked up his skewer…. shivered a bit…. then put it back down without taking a bite.
"Naruto-kun…. please…." Hinata got up and moved one stone closer to Naruto.
"OK. You dragged it out of me, Hinata. You may wish you hadn't. Like I said…. probably…. nothing will happen while our master is gone." He rubbed his head, then moved one stone closer to Hinata. "The man was from the village we visit. He used to visit these mountains, prospecting. " He looked off into the forest again. "Have you ever noticed that few people walk about the town, late at night, even though there are plenty of streetlights?"
"N-N-No…." Hinata had never visited the town late at night. She didn't know that Naruto never had, either.
"One night, at a late hour, the man was hurrying down from this very mountain, when he perceived a woman crouching by the river, all alone, and weeping bitterly. Fearing that she intended to drown herself, he stopped to offer her any assistance or consolation in his power.
She appeared to be a slight and graceful person, handsomely dressed; and her hair was arranged like that of a young girl of good family.'
Naruto paused. "A lot like you, Hinata," he said.
Hinata smiled, momentarily forgetting her unease.
"He walked over to the woman. 'O-jochu, honorable maiden, please do not cry like that! Tell me what the trouble is; and if there be any way I can be of assistance, I shall be glad to help you.'
He really meant what he said; for he was a very kind man. But she continued to weep, hiding her face from him with one of her long sleeves.
'O-jochu,' he said again, as gently as he could, 'please, please listen to me! This is no place for a young lady at night! Do not cry, I implore you! Only tell me how I may be of some help to you!'
Slowly she rose up, but turned her back to him, and continued to moan and sob behind her sleeve.
He laid his hand lightly upon her shoulder, and pleaded. 'O-jochu, honorable maiden…. O-jochu!…. O-jochu!... listen to me, just for one little moment!... O-jochu!…. O-jochu!'
Then that honorable maiden turned round, and dropped her sleeve, and stroked her face with her hand. The man was horrified to see that she had no eyes or nose or mouth. She was one of the creatures of legend who could take on the faces of those they killed. She began to moan terribly.
That poor miner screamed and ran away. Down from the mountain he ran, falling and stumbling, running as if his very life depended on it."
Naruto stopped for a moment, then took a deep breath. He looked around again, then clenched his fists, looking more determined.
Hinata moved one stone closer.
"He ran. Then he ran more. He never stopped running. Ahead of him, he saw a light. He thought he must be coming close to one of the houses that used to stand outside the village walls. But, he realized that what he saw was actually a lantern, so far away that it looked like the gleam of a firefly; and he made for it. He knew there would be safety in numbers.
It proved to be the hand lamp of an itinerant salesman who had set down his stand by the
road-side. But, any light and any human companionship was good after that experience.
The frightened and exhausted man flung himself down at the feet of the old soba-seller, crying
out, 'It was awful… awful… so awful….'
Naruto moved another stone closer.
'Get up! Get up!' The salesman spoke in rough terms, taken aback. 'Here! what is the
matter with you? Did someone hurt you?'
'No…. nobody hurt me,' the miner panted. "But…. it was awful… so awful….'
'Something scared you?" queried the peddler, unsympathetically. 'Robbers?
No…. not robbers…. not robbers," gasped the terrified man. "I saw... I saw a woman…. over by the river….and she showed me…. no, it's too awful, I cannot tell you what she showed me….'
Hinata moved over to the stone next to Naruto's.
'Ah! Was it anything like THIS that she showed you?' cried the salesman, stroking his own face.
His face became as smooth as an egg…. then, the light went out!'
At that moment, Naruto acted quickly. First, he used an illusionary technique to make his face seem smooth and featureless. Then he used a wind jutsu to blow out the campfire.
"EEK!" It sounded as if Hinata had fallen backward off of her stone.
Naruto said nothing, even though he wanted to laugh so badly. Walking slowly, he dragged one foot in exaggerated fashion. Then, he began to moan.
"N-N-NARUTO-KUN!!! "
"Squeaking like a mouse again, Hinata?" Naruto began laughing, louder and louder.
A roar of fire could be heard. It wasn't in the fire pit, but at Naruto's feet. In the sudden explosion of light, he saw Hinata standing on her rock, hands held in the position of the last seal for Katon, Karyuu Endan.
"Geez, Hinata!" Naruto used his sleeved to put out his pants cuff, which had caught fire. "That last part was just a joke. I didn't actually think you'd believe that I was one of those things. Like I told you, there hasn't been a report of one in years."
Hinata's determined look faded.
"Naruto-kun…. don't tease me that way…. it's not funny. I'll have nightmares. My father used to tell my sister and I stories, and ---"
"It frightened you out of a few year's growth? Mmmm Hmmm, I can see that!"
Hinata narrowed her eyes. She started more hand seals, then stopped.
"OK. I'm sorry I frightened you. If you want to get some sleep, I'll sit by your cabin door tonight. But, after that, each night after this we should probably take turns on watch." Naruto sounded very serious. "The explosive seals Jiraiya and I have set up should make enough noise to let us know if something is coming."
There were no explosive seals.
"The joke isn't funny any more, Naruto-kun." Hinata shook her head. "Actually, it wasn't ever funny!"
Naruto rubbed his chin, making himself look worried. He made a big show of trying to smile.
"You're right, Hinata. It was all a joke. Just a joke. Hah hah hah!"
Another large branch fell in the forest.
Hinata swallowed hard. She was almost entirely certain that Naruto was joking.
Almost.
Whether or not there might be some kind of ghosts or demons roaming the mountains was an important issue for sure, but something else actually took precedent in Hinata's thoughts.
Why was Naruto teasing her like this?
Was he doing it because he resented her, and couldn't do or say anything too nasty or straightforward without being punished by Jiraiya? Might it be because she was the only one here, his age, and he had some inherent need to play tricks on someone? Might he have accepted her as his training buddy, and this was simply his way of showing her that she was one of the boys?
Or….
Could this mean that he actually liked her?
It was something to think about, maybe even dream about. It wasn't wise to get her hopes up too much, but Naruto's behavior towards her had certainly changed. He had been glad to see her during her visit, the day she had brought food and stories at Tsunade's prompting. But, when she had come to stay, he had been rude and resentful. Gradually, he began helping her and looking out for her. Then, there was the whole business with the necklace.
She still didn't know what to make of that.
In any case, he wasn't ignoring her. After the years she had spent estranged from her father, she still found herself starved for attention, even though she was part of the household again. So, even negative attention was better than none at all.
It would be interesting to see how he acted around her, now that their sensei was absent….
She hoped that he would open up to her more, as there were still some questions that she wanted the answers to. Why were he and the Legendary Sennin training together? Why out here? Was it for privacy? Was it for their safety, or the safety of everyone else? What had Naruto working so very hard, his very nature, or some secret goal?
It must be something important, if the Hokage gave it so much attention.
Tsunade might want to look after Naruto out of her personal feelings too, but she always seemed to put the greater good first.
There was also the matter of Naruto's personality. No matter how up or cheerful he appeared in the best of times, there always seemed to be something dark holding him back some.
She had learned to see the subtle and not so subtle changes in his eyes, voice, and actions.
When the two of them were finished eating, and had cleaned everything up and put the uncooked food away, Hinata stood staring up at the sky, looking like a stone statue in the middle of the clearing.
Naruto watched her for a while, wondering what she was doing, determined not to interrupt.
After a while, his curiosity got the best of him.
He wandered over and stood next to her, waiting to see if she would say anything.
"Naruto-kun…… so you ever look at the stars at night?" Hinata's voice was quiet and wistful.
"Huh? Well, they're always up there, right? And when I look at the sky, I can't help but see them." Naruto scratched his head, realizing he had not answered entirely truthfully. "I mean…… I don't look at them much any more…… but…… I…… I used to look at them a lot as a child."
"Really?" Hinata turned to look at him, seeing him only as a vague shadow. She wondered how he had felt, looking at those stars. The star-filled sky used to be a haven of sorts for her, after her mother had died.
"Yeh…." Naruto looked up, searching for particular stars and constellations. The sky was cloudless, perfect for stargazing.
But, his thoughts were hazy, going back to days he didn't really want to remember.
"Ummm…… why, Naruto-kun? I used to look at the stars, too…."
Naruto was quiet for a while. Hinata did not speak either, wondering if she had crossed some unknown line.
"When I was very young…." Naruto spoke somewhat flatly, one hand hooked around his belt, grabbing harder than need be. "I had no one to talk to. All of the adults shunned me, quietly at best. They would pull their children away from me, physically if need be." He sighed. "I would sneak out through the orphanage window… climb up the water spout to the roof… then look up at the sky."
Hinata remained quiet.
"I used to imagine the stars were people, before I could make out the constellations. I talked to them. I told them how much I hurt. I asked them where my father and mother were. I shared my dreams and secrets with them. Silly, huh?" Naruto put his hands behind his back.
He was doing the same thing now, he realized.
With the silent girl at his side.
"No, Naruto-kun. At least I don't think so." Hinata ran her hand through her hair, remembering how much she had wished that she could have had long ebony locks like her mother. "When my mother was alive, she used to take me outside, then tell me tales about the sky, stars, and moon. I was so sad on the nights she was too busy, or when the clouds were out."
It was Naruto's turn to remain quiet. He could hear the echoes of sadness in Hinata's voice, knowing that he would once again learn something about her past.
She was not simply a shy weird girl growing up in the lap of luxury, as he once had mistakenly believed.
"When my mother died…." Hinata shook her head, trying to erase her memories of a certain snowy morning. "I used to sit on the railing of her balcony, looking at the sky, wondering if she was up there looking down at me. I couldn't understand why she had gone, unless she liked the sky better than me."
Naruto wondered what it must feel like, to actually know one's parents, and to lose one.
"I still watched the Yowatashi Boshi, the passing night stars. I wondered if there were people up there, and whether they were happier than me. I kept thinking about the stories my mother told me. When I saw the constellation shaped like the tsuzumi drum, I wished I could bang on that drum, calling some deity to help me and protect me. When I saw the patterns that looked like Oni chasing young girls into the night, I would run into my mother's room, and hide under her old blanket……one which still had her smell on it. When…."
Hinata's voice caught in her throat.
The memory was obviously hard for her still, years later.
"When I looked at the star groups that were said to be a family standing together, I cried myself to sleep on the balcony."
After that, both stood looking upward for a while, leaving the other to his or her private thoughts.
Naruto reflected on how difficult a life many shinobi had. His own life would be fit for a tragic novel or ballad. Sasuke's life had been scarred beyond belief. There were any number of young shinobi who died themselves, or who had lost at least one parent in the wars that made up their every day life.
It wasn't as if he had never come to realize that Hinata's life was full of hardships. After hearing the tales of the Main and Branch families from Neji, he knew that Hinata had been faced with some difficult times. Still, part of him had always assumed that her life must be good overall, because she had a father and a sister, things he would have given anything to have.
But, the aching in her voice matched one he had often heard inside himself. Despite having family, friends, and instructors who cared about her, she was still lonely in some ways.
The same went for him. Iruka, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and the other people in his world had made his life a whole lot better. But, he still felt as if something were missing.
What he lacked was family. But, was that all?
He looked over at the small silent girl. All of this made her efforts seem all the more remarkable. She tried so very hard, without ever giving up or taking time to complain. He had come across her from time to time, as a child and recently, finding her …… head against a tree…… tears running down her face.
He had taken it as a sign of weakness then.
Now, he knew better.
The only difference between the two of them was that she cried on the outside.
What other girl worked as hard as she did?
Certainly not Sakura, at least not before she found her calling with Tsunade and Shizune. In school, she had always gotten by because she was bright. As part of Team Seven, she had the best chakra control, and was the tops at Genjutsu, but she never trained hard like he and Sasuke had. No, she had spent her time pining away for that Uchiha bastard or moaning about her lack of obvious talents.
Ino hadn't been much better. She too was a Sasuke groupie, and showed more enthusiasm for fighting with the Wide Forehead Girl than she did with her training. Always complaining that Shikamaru and Choji showed no spirit or dedication, she had been no better herself. She had a special talent passed down from her father, but not a great deal more.
Sure, she could have shown as much growth as Sakura had, but he hadn't been around Konoha enough to notice one way or another.
Ten Ten was a different story. Her talents for Taijutsu were strong, and she worked hard at that. But, not being great at Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, she spent more time helping Neji and Lee train than she spent on herself.
He had never stumbled across her training alone, like he had with Hinata.
He remembered one day when he had approached the training posts, finding countless bloody handprints there. They were of such a size and height, that they had to be Hinata's. Not because younger shinobi couldn't have left similar marks, but because he had seen her jump behind a tree when he was on the way in and she was on the way out.
She was working hard now, too…. almost as hard as he was. He knew what his own driving force was.
What had Hinata trying as hard as she did?
When the strong cold gusts of wind began descending down from the snow-capped mountain to far above them, it was time for the two ninjas to turn in for the night.
As Naruto neared his own cabin, he stopped, smiling. All of his personal discoveries were set aside for later. He remembered something, and his trickster nature surged to the forefront. Hinata's reaction to the kwaidan had been priceless. At the punch line for his ghost story, she had fallen off of her stone perch, sounding like a chipmunk grasped by an owl's talon.
Maybe he could do that one better!
Waiting a number of hours, he crept back outside into the chill night air. The forest was strangely quiet, and any sound would carry in remarkable fashion. First, he made his way to the outside of Hinata's cabin. There, he began moaning, increasing the volume and intensity every so often. Then, he ran back over to his hut, then threw a kunei with and explosive seal as far as he could. That was followed by two more. The explosions echoed throughout the darkness.
"HINATA!… WAKE UP! " He shouted at the top of his lungs. "GET OUT OF THE CABIN!… RUN TO THE VILLAGE!…HURRY!!! "
Then, he ran from one place to another, using various noisy jutsus against nonexistent foes. Finally, he made a gut-wrenching noise.
"NOOOOOOO-O-O-O-O-O-O-OO-O-O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o---urk! "
He stood watching Hinata's cabin door. She must be inside, quaking under her covers. He'd yell fpr her to stop, if he saw her run off into the night as he had instructed.
"Naruto-kun!" The voice came from behind him. The white-eyed girl had left the building when he had his attention elsewhere. "Are you OK?!"
Hinata had her weapons pouch slung over one shoulder. There was a kunei in each hand. Naruto was the one who nearly jumped out of his skin.
In the lack of light, Hinata's face seemed featureless.
''Sure…. you see…. I…."
Hinata stood ready, her eyes looking this way and that. From the look on her face, she had clearly used Byaukugan.
"I sense nothing, Naruto-kun. Is the danger over?"
Naruto kicked at a small rotting log. He looked over at Hinata, then at the dark canopy of leaves over their head. He had been caught, big time.
"About that, Hinata…… well….. there really wasn't any danger… I was just…." He shrugged, trying to put on a friendly smile.
Hinata just stood there, waiting.
"It was a joke, Hinata."
"Aren't jokes supposed to be funny, Naruto-kun?" Hinata's voice was a touch waspish, not surprising considering that she was awakened from a sound sleep… had run outside in her night clothes… and was freezing her tush off in the damp cold air.
"Yes…." Naruto stuck his chin out.
Righteous indignation began building up inappropriately.
"They are probably best saved for when people are awake, too." She began walking back to her abode. "I don't think this kind of thing was what our teacher had in mind." She froze a moment, realizing just how she was dressed. With a slight stutter, she added her final thought. "Remember the story of the boy who cried wolf."
Naruto scowled, then nodded his head. "Fox, actually!"
"Naruto-kun?"
He shook his head. "Never mind, Hinata. I'm sorry. I never thought you'd come outside in your pajamas." A shaft of moonlight had moved to highlight Hinata.
Hinata squeaked, and then took off running.
"At least they're not pink!" Naruto yelled after her. That had turned out to be fun at the end, after all.
As Naruto later fell asleep under a tall stack of blankets, he thought about Hinata's reaction. No, not the way she had run off after he mentioned her pajamas. The way she responded when she had thought he was actually in danger.
While he had expected her to be frightened, she had rushed outside, ready to defend herself.
No.
Ready to help him.
Remarkable.