Hinata sat on the roof of the Village Archives, watching her breath form small clouds in the chill night air.
Shivering, she pulled her coat tighter against her, sneezing when some of the long hairs in the collar tickled her nose.
For a moment, she contemplated returning home and getting a heavier coat. But, while it might keep her warmer, her movement would be severely hampered. Not only that, she would be forced to vacate her post.
"Now I'm being silly," she spoke up at the moon.
She didn't really have a post.
Tsunade had taken time to speak with her briefly, despite her busy schedule, and the number of important people coming and going to meet with her.
On the way to the Hokage's cluttered and lived-in office, Hinata had passed by her father, as well as the parents of Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino. They had all been called into service, a true testimony to the critical nature of Akatssuki, Naruto, Kyuubi, and Konoha's safety.
'Hokage…… may I…… may I see Naruto?' she had asked Tsunade. Standing tall, her chin held up, her voice had been strong and vibrant, even if her habit of stuttering had recurred.
'No, I'm afraid you cannot,' the Hokage had answered. 'But, if you want to keep a watch on his location, I can tell you where that is. I suppose it can't hurt to have another pair of eyes keeping a look-out.' She had looked so tired, and so drained, hat Hinata's heart had gone out to her.
Hinata had thanked Tsunade, exchanged brief words with her father, then come straight to the building. It was a plain and simple design, but was one of the tallest in Konoha, and gave her a wonderful view of the city. But, she didn't care about that. She had selected her spot based on one fact.
The view she wanted was down below, directly beneath her vantage point.
There were no guards in sight, but Hinata knew there were shinobi around. The chains and lock on the large door below wouldn't keep out a band of thieves, much less a group of invading ninjas. They merely discouraged any bystanders from wandering into a situation that could get them killed.
One way in. One way out. One place to watch.
That made the task simpler for everyone.
Eyes on the door below her, Hinata thought back to her time with Naruto. When she had arrived in the other village, he had seemed displeased, as if she were interrupting his routine. That had left her feeling somewhat crestfallen, but she made an effort to understand his position.
Despite her initial disappointment, there were glimpses of the boy that she had remembered watching so single-mindedly. During a rainstorm, they had shared some time together, and had even fallen asleep under the same blanket.
Blanket.
Yes, a warm blanket would have been rather useful now.
Eagerness is a good thing.
But, it shouldn't be the only thing!
She had been rather eager when she started off her new life as Jiraiya's junior apprentice. It had been a wonderful opportunity, not just because she would get to be near the boy she had a crush on.
However, not everything had gone as she might have imagined it, especially her first foray from camp with her new sensei. The Sennin's idea of research had left her stunned, as had his comments to Naruto, and Naruto's frank admission.
"What? You don't think she looks like a girl? Hmmm. You definitely need to get out more."
"No!" That's not what I mean. I think Hinata is very cute, but that's not the…."
That simple statement had left her somewhat hopeful, but not everything was to be smooth sailing.
"Fair's fair! I did the Guy stuff. Hinata can do all the Girl stuff. Huh! Cooking. Cleaning the cabins. Maybe gathering some flowers. Oh yeh! The laundry too…"
Naruto's behavior had left her feeling self-conscious and depressed, but it had also served a useful purpose. She had begun to stand up for herself.
Hinata smiled, remembering the feeling of power she had experienced when Naruto was immobilized , and when she held the pair of scissors in her hand.
"I don't know if I can do this well enough, Naruto-kun. I'm just a girl. All those things you've said have... up... up...upset me, and I… I… I…c-c-can't think straight."
She had purposefully fumbled the scissors, then dropped them. Naruto had been hating life at that moment. But, much to her relief, he had not been hating her.
Maybe he had been testing her. Perhaps his attitude towards her had gradually changed. Whatever the truth, Hinata thought back to the training exercise with the buckets of water, and Naruto's final solution to the inequities that had her finishing second to him morning after morning..
"Wonder what that stupid Sennin would do if we both ran into camp at the same time?"
His kindness to her grew even more beyond that. She bowed her head and smiled, thinking back to the business about the Hokage necklace. She might never master Rasengan, and may never win that jewelry. But, in her heart of hearts, she felt that she had won something much more valuable.
"Yes. Fair's fair. Three years. That's the time it took Yondaime to master Rasengan. If you can conquer the jutsu in that amount of time, then this necklace will be yours."
Tears came to her eyes again, briefly. When it came down to it, Naruto was very sweet.
Sometimes.
Hinata clenched her fists, before shaking her head. There were definitely times when he was not so sweet!
The kwaidan had been unexpected and unwelcome. He had used an illusionary technique to make his face seem smooth and featureless, then used a jutsu to blow out the campfire. She had squeaked, then fallen over.
Just the same, while she hadn't enjoyed his teasing, she did treasure the fact that he was willing to open up his heart to her enough to want to tease her.
That bit of trickery, however, had been followed by a moment of sharing, as the two of them spent time together watching the stars. She looked up at the sky above the city, sighing.
What she wouldn't give to have him sitting next to her now.
Of course, with Naruto, things can change so quickly as to leave her head spinning. That insufferable prankster had then fooled her, making it seem as if he were under attack, causing her to run outside in her pajamas.
Her pajamas!!!
If that had been the most drastic thing that had happened, she would have been much happier. Instead, she learned a closely guarded secret, and found out about an organization of criminals who had designs on the source of that secret.
"The Fourth sealed Kyuubi behind the navel of a baby. The damn demon is still there today, ruining the life of a boy who never asked for such a burden. Making that boy a target for men who want the demon, as well as those who hate the beast. Yes, Hinata. I am Yondaime's legacy. The Nine-Tailed Fox lays sealed within me."
Her world had threatened to fall apart around her, but she had proven strong, thanks to her feelings for Naruto. Not only did she accept his words as the truth, and try to find a way to accept him without reservations, she also tried to tease him for a change.
"Nine Tails might be a girl…."
Her unexpected playfulness seemed to impress Naruto, as much as her acceptance had. Maybe even more! What could have been a tragedy, had turned out to be a momentous event. Maybe even a turning point.
"Hinata, did I ever tell you that you were someone I could like?"
Everything was not peaches and cream, however. If only they had been. She liked peaches.
Like any love struck fool, she had things that she needed to come to terms with. Someone may seem perfect from a distance……but, as soon as you get up close, it's easy to see the blemishes. For a while there, she hadn't know if she would survive his obsession with ramen.
Funny how things go sometimes, especially around a certain enthusiastic Hokage-to-be.
Once again, something that had the potential to be troublesome had turned around to become something special. She could almost relive the visceral thrill she had experienced when the chefs were all brought forth for their farewell bows, and she had received the loudest ovation of all.
Then, an opportunity arose for her to have a chance at something she had come to want very much.
"What were you going to say, Hinata? Is there a prize you might like?"
Her own bravery had surprised her, and had earned her the chance to hold Naruto's hand on the walk back to camp. Looking down at that hand, Hinata sighed.
So many things had happened.
She could only wonder what else might had happened if she had been able to stay in that situation with Naruto and Jiraiya for just a short while longer.
They had come so close to connecting at the Dance. But, she couldn't say spending more time together would have eased the frightful worry that Akatsuki caused him. Even so, she might have been able to share things with him that made both of their lives seem better.
"There's nothing wrong with enjoying oneself now and again, right? Life can pass you by real quickly. There are plenty of things people do that they regret. But, there are more things that they let slip by, that they regret even more."
Yes. That was very true. At least she had a chance to share some wonderful moments.
"You're more than I could have guessed, Hinata. More than I have any right to know. There's no one I'd rather be with at this dance."
Memory of those words had Hinata closing her eyes and puckering her lips. She imagined what it might be like to kiss someone.
She pictured herself kissing Naruto.
"Life would be so wonderful if…… if…… if……"
Hinata coughed repeatedly.
Her voluntary watch duty had sounded so easy, until she remembered to factor in the weather, and the fact that she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. Her rumbling stomach reminded Hinata that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. And, of course, once she told herself that she wouldn't leave her perch, her body decided to test her.
Where was the nearest rest room? How long would it take her to get there? Would anything happen while she was gone?
Sighing, she stood, admitting that she really didn't serve a purpose there. If she left, things would probably be just the same when she got back. And, as she had been told, the coming eclipse might not even be the one that Akatsuki was interested in.
"Old habits die hard, huh?"
Hinata spun around, seeing a large figure squatting on the top of one of the massive brick chimneys. The voice gave his identity away, as did the outline of his large bushy hairdo and the scroll case on his back.
It was Jiraiya.
"M-M-Master…." Hinata bit her lip. He had gotten up there without her knowing it. If the Sennin had been a member of The Nine, she would be dead now. "Yes….. I……"
"I need to get back down there," her teacher said. "The young troublemaker has been moaning and complaining like there's no tomorrow." Jiraiya chuckled, hearing Hinata's squeak at his choice of words. "But, he's doing fine. For himself, that is. For you……well…… Gai seems to be pushing him to write poetry for you…… that will probably make Naruto forget about you altogether!"
Hinata folded her arms across her chest, a gesture she had seen Naruto use any number of times when Jiraiya was trying to get his goat.
The Sennin began chuckling.
"Don't worry, Hinata. When I get down there, I'll set the boy straight. With advice from me…… the world's greatest expert on women…… everything will be alright!"
Hinata jerked. Her foot twisting, she dislodged a large ceramic roof tile, then started to slide towards the edge of the roof.
Jiraiya caught her by her coat hood.
"Are you going down now?" Hinata asked, somewhat petulantly. Her motives couldn't have been more transparent.
"Oh, I might be able to stay a little bit longer, seeing that you want company." Laughing, he took out a large screw-top bottle of hot tea and two cups. Filling one, he passed it to Hinata.
"If Kakashi is going to get him to put on the stuff the apothecary made up, I won't want to be down there any longer than I have to." He poured himself a cup. "Besides, he is well guarded where he is. I'd rather be up here, ready to move in any direction necessary."
There was no trace of humor left in the older shinobi's voice.
Hinata could tell that Jiraiya was worried.
There was a subtle noise, a series of very faint clicking noises moving across the roof in their direction.
Hinata moved quickly, using Byakugan.
"It's OK, Hinata. I suspect I know who's coming. I don't know if you've had the pleasure of meeting him before." Jiraiya chuckled, rummaging around in his pocket. Nodding his head, he took out a pork bone he had saved from dinner.
"It's a…." Hinata's talent had identified to location of the newcomer.
It wasn't human.
"Wise and wonderful creature willing to grace you both with his presence" a deep voice said. "Is that bone supposed to be for me, Jiraiya. If so, the stereotype is rather demeaning!"
It was Pakkun. Moonlight reflected off of his forehead protector when he turned to sniff out the food.
"Well, if you don't want it…." Jiraiya made as if he were about to throw the bone off of the roof.
"Wait!" Pakkun ran up quickly, and he too dislodged a roof tile. It slid off the building, breaking into numerous pieces when it hit at the feet of a man walking the street below.
"Girls and dogs…." Jiraiya sighed, scratching his head. "Hyuuga Hinata, this is Pakkun." Jiraiya held the bone out to Pakkun, who took it in his mouth, then placed it on the roof. "He's one of Kakashi's associates, summoned to keep a nose out tonight."
The pug dog walked over to Hinata and sniffed. "Ahhhh! This girl uses a shampoo nicer than the one the pink-haired girl and I both use!" Pakkun chuckled. "Do you mind letting me know what type it is?"
"Well…… I…… ummm…." Even though Hinata had spoken with the frogs that she had summoned, the idea of a talking dog still had her a bit taken aback.
"I'll let you touch my foot pad…… it's soft…" Pakkun held up his paw to Hinata, who finally told the dog what he wanted to know.
"Well, Hinata. What do you think of our canine---" Jiraiya stopped. He stood up.
"Something is happening!"
Hinata stood as well even though she hadn't sensed anything. Worried, but very much alert, she scanned the area around her. It was a matter of coincidence that she was looking in the direction of the door when something blew right through it.
"Shit! This is bad!" Jiraiya recognized the likely scenario, as soon as he saw that the figure down below was Naruto, surrounded by incredible amounts of writing red chakra. "It looks like they can summon Kyuubi while it's still in Naruto!"
"Naruto-kun!"
Hinata saw him flash up to one of the roof tops across the avenue.
"Hinata. Pakkun. Follow him as best you can, in case he makes his way out of the village.. Do not try to confront him on your own. Leave whatever trail you can. This will be difficult at night." Jiraiya shouted a code word to the concealed jounin in the area. "I will try to stop him."
The words were merely a euphemism.
The Sennin realized he likely had to kill his pupil.
Hinata swallowed hard, realizing what lengths her sensei would go to. Moreover, she knew that such lengths were not only justified, but necessary.
Jiraiya flashed away in one direction, while Hinata moved in another direction. Pakkun ran along the roof top, trying to keep an eye on the unfolding drama.
Naruto sensed the approaching shinobi, instinctively knowing where his greatest threats lay. When the jewel at his chest flashed a bright blue light, he was frozen in place briefly.
Ripping the necklace off from around his throat, he tossed it to the roof top, then moved too quick for his attackers to hit. Jiraiya's attack tore all of the tiles off of three adjacent buildings, causing them to fly skyward as Naruto moved from one point to another before vanishing into the dark. Chimneys burst apart like giant grenades, but too late to stop the fleeing form.
"NARUTO-KUN!!!" Hinata had already made it to the damaged building where Naruto had been. She picked up the discarded necklace.
Now she needed to follow him as best she could.
The white-eyed girl jumped again and again as she ran across the spines of successive edifices. "Pakkun, to me!"
The young ninja could hear Jiraiya curse somewhere behind her, then pass along orders for the jounin to roust certain elements of the Leaf. Loud whistles were blown, signaling the watch tower to send out louder blasts from a siren, alerting the ANBU squads that something was going on.
There was no time to wait, hoping that someone else might take the lead.
Hinata ran as fast as she could, deviating from her original course when she caught sight of Pakkun. The two of them raced beyond the Great wall of Konoha, headed for who knows where.
"Are there any enemy shinobi moving to meet Naruto," Hinata called out to the dog leading the way.
"No. Not unless some of the ANBU I am sensing are working for the other side." Pakkun used the moonlight to his advantage, finding a path along the tall trees outside of the village. "ANBU are converging on his position. If we are lucky, they may slow him down.
Hinata didn't have much hope for that.
She had never seen Naruto surrounded by so much chakra, or taking the bestial form she had gotten sight of.
"There are growing numbers following us," Pakkun reported. "We are not in this alone. Good." He snuffled some, then howled. "That stuff the boy is wearing smells bad!" Cursing in a language Hinata didn't understand, the pug added one more salient point. "Despite that, if we stop too long, it may take too long to pick up the tail again."
That was the last thing the dog said for a while.
Hinata bit her lip. She had been thinking of waiting for Jiraiya, since it might be best that he go with Pakkun. But, she had to strike while the iron was hot. Pakkun needed to trail Naruto. Someone needed to stay with the dog.
Streaking along through the night, well aware that any missed step could send her crashing to the ground below, Hinata moved at a furious pace.
Eventually, they passed out of the forest and began running along the ground.
It would be hard for the others to follow them at night. Hinata had to operate under the assumption that she and Pakkun might be Konoha's only hope, as unlikely as that would seem.
The situation was too grave, to take any chances!
Naruto was keeping off of the main roads, but seemed to have found a well-established if lightly traveled path. If he kept moving in that direction, he would end up in the high country.
There was no way to know just what they were heading towards. It could be a ravine. A castle stronghold. A cave in the mountains. A smoky tavern in one of the sleepy towns. A pier along one of the rivers.
Anything.
Hinata also knew that Akatsuki members could readily be heading in her direction, planning on capturing Naruto in the open, then bringing them back with him to some secret location.
By the sound of Jiraiya's exclamation, Naruto was probably under someone else's influence. But, that did not necessarily mean that he would deliver himself to their doorstep readily, or that they would trust him to do so.
As she ran, she became more and more grateful that her Jiraiya had put so much emphasis on endurance training.
It was paying off now.
Big time!
As the miles gradually moved beneath her feet, the rhythm of her running soothed her frazzled nerves. Knowing how important her actions might end up being, she told herself a cautionary tale as she ran.
Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by a wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King of the Sea. His power was immense, for he was the ruler of all sea creatures both great and small, and in his keeping were the Jewels of the Ebb and Flow of the Tide.
The thought of a dragon had her wondering where exactly Yamata No Orcochi might have been sealed away. She hoped that it wasn't anywhere along Naruto's path. If it were, that would mean that it was somewhere near her path.
Chances are, it would not be anywhere near this precinct, or even in this nation for that matter.
Still, it was an important point to consider. If Kyuubi was being called towards some certain destination, would the other two beasts be on the move too?
The story had also mentioned jewels.
That had Hinata wondering why Naruto had thrown away his necklace, and why the jewel had flashed.
She would give that more thought later.
The Jewel of the Ebbing Tide when thrown into the ocean caused the sea to recede from the land, and the Jewel of the Flowing Tide made the waves to rise mountains high and to flow in upon the shore like a tidal wave.
The Palace of Rin Jin was at the bottom of the sea, and was so beautiful that no one has ever seen anything like it even in dreams. The walls were of coral, the roof of jadestone and chrysoprase, and the floors were of the finest mother-of-pearl. But the Dragon King, in spite of his wide-spreading Kingdom, his beautiful Palace and all its wonders, and his power which none disputed throughout the whole sea, was not at all happy, for he reigned alone.
Hinata quickened her pace some, keeping a close watch on Pakkun's running form. She was worried about the dog, wondering just how far the stubby-legged creature could run at this pace.
If she had to, she would carry him….
As long as her own short legs could keep her going.
Thinking about the Dragon King…… and how he had reigned alone for so long….. Hinata vowed to push herself to her limit.
She had been alone too long herself. Just when it seemed that her dreams had finally come true, and Naruto seemed on the verge of opening up to her, he had been taken away and placed under guard.
A lot of good that did!
The description of the palace under the sea had her realize a fact that she had learned the hard way.
Wealth and privilege only counted for so much.
She had not been a princess, but had grown up the daughter of one of the greatest families in the village. Originally the Hyuuga heir, she once had the promise of great power and prestige waiting for her.
Back then, however, she had no aptitude for training. A small and timid girl, she did not have the attitude that her younger sister would be found to have. That sad fact left her kingdom crumbling around her.
She had not wanted to be shinobi back then. Her life had ended, or so it had felt. Discarded, and practically unwanted, she had stumbled off to her new world numb, and even less confident than before.
How things change.
Theses days, she wanted to be a ninja, having found her true calling……and a new sense of self esteem that she might never have found, even if she had remained her father's successor.
Hinata knew that she didn't have to stay a warrior any longer, now that she and her father had reconciled. However, much of what she wanted in life now revolved around her profession. She wanted to be a jounin like Kurenai. She wanted to teach what she had learned…… especially if she could be given a team with someone shy, confused, or hurting.
But, for that to happen, she needed to survive, and the village needed to remain standing.
They had to be successful.
They had to be.
At last he thought that if he married he would not only be happier, but also more powerful. So he decided to take a wife. Calling all his fish retainers together, he chose several of them as ambassadors to go through the sea and seek for a young Dragon Princess who would be his bride.
At last they returned to the Palace bringing with them a lovely young dragon. Her scales were of glittering green like the wings of summer beetles, her eyes threw out glances of fire, and she was dressed in gorgeous robes. All the jewels of the sea worked in with embroidery adorned them.
"Wait!" Hinata shouted to Pakkun. "There are some traveling peddlers ahead. We should tell them to call out for the shinobi who follow, and pass along the direction we've chosen." She veered towards box-like wagons, barely lit by hanging lanterns an tall pole-like torches.
"Right! But, we need to be quick about it…." Pakkun stood still, not wanting to wander away from the scent he was following.
After a few words with the shocked but patriotic peddlers, Hinata rejoined Pakkun, and they both resumed the chase.
Behind them, the peddlers began waving their great torches in huge sweeping arcs, shouting at the top of their voice. Those that had horns or other instruments amongst their wares or personal possessions got them out as well.
What would Jiraiya and the other Leaf ninjas think about that, she wondered.
As Hinata flashed along, a shadowy figure underneath moon and gibbous clouds, her thoughts drifted to other things that she hoped for in her life.
The ambassadors had brought a Dragon Princess for the King. His loneliness ended. A new life opened up before him.
She wanted something similar.
While her desire to be a ninja was strong, there was something she wanted even more. She wanted to be a wife. She wanted to be a mother. Maybe she was too young to be worried about that, but there was no doubt what her greatest wish was.
As she ran past the occasional hut and farmsides, some with cheery fires lit inside, Hinata pictured her own cozy home. In it, she would raising black-haired and white-eyed daughters, as well as blonde-haired and blue-eyed sons.
Or, so she dreamed.
First though, to have any chance of that fantasy becoming real, she had to survive this mission.
So did Naruto.
The King fell in love with her at once, and the wedding ceremony was celebrated with great splendor. Every living thing in the sea, from the great whales down to the little shrimps, came in shoals to offer their congratulations to the bride and bridegroom and to wish them a long and prosperous life. Never had there been such an assemblage or such gay festivities in the Fish-World before. The train of bearers who carried the bride's possessions to her new home seemed to reach across the waves from one end of the sea to the other. Each fish carried a phosphorescent lantern and was dressed in ceremonial robes, gleaming blue and pink and silver; and the waves as they rose and fell and broke that night seemed to be rolling masses of white and green fire, for the phosphorus shone with double brilliancy in honor of the event.
"He's left the trail. He's headed uphill. It looks like it could be Mount Izumo or Mount Ashinazuchi. Mount Kushinada and Mount Tenazuchi are just beyond those. There are plenty of caves in those areas."
Pakkun sounded breathless, and slowly hobbled to a stop.
Hinata bent down and scooped him up.
"You get to touch the paw twice! Soft! Soft!"
"Can you follow the scent, if he makes it into a cave?" Hinata began to get worried.
It could take days to search even a single mountain peak, cave by cave in the day time, if there were a large squad of shinobi searching.
But, at night, with every moment counting….
"Yes. Unless someone takes note that we are coming, and clouds the trail."
Hinata abruptly stumbled over something unseen, hitting the ground hard. She cradled the dog and rolled on her shoulder, ending back on her feet in one smooth motion. The accident was not without consequence, however.
Her ankle throbbed with a tremendous growing pain.
That wouldn't stop her. Not for a moment. Her special person needed her.
This would not be a repeat of her early days as a ninja. There would be no running off into the woods alone, ashamed of her performance during training missions with Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino. There would be no standing by the wooden posts for hours, head bowed.
This would not be a carbon copy of her days as a child. There would be no crawling underneath her bed, or hiding in a closet, after performing poorly in a session with her father. There would be no clinging to her mother's skirt when the tasks given to her seemed too hard.
There were so many people depending on her, even if they didn't realize they were doing so.
Naruto. Tsunade. Jiraiya. Her father. Hanabi. Neji. Kurenai. Her friends. All of their hopes and dreams could very well rest on her small shoulders. So too might the lives of the kindly neighbor woman who brought her apples when she sat crying by her father's fence…… the man who raised birds, and his daughter who had spent hours with Hinata, getting those birds to talk…… the crippled woman who worked so long and hard to make Hinata's coats especially for her…… the family retainer who had always disobeyed orders and brought letters to her from Hanabi….
Which of them would have thought that she would be the one rushing towards world-altering events?
If she had been asked herself, she would have said Naruto. Barring him, she might have mentioned Neji because of his tremendous skills, or Shikamaru because of his success as a team leader. Kiba would have come to mind, because of his selfless determination, or Lee, given his indomitable spirit.
She never would have named herself, not even after naming Ino and Sakura.
What might all those people say, if they knew who their fate rested with?
What would they be feeling, if they realized that Hyuuga Hinata was the one rushing to save them all? What should she herself be feeling? Was her new confidence justified, or was she just fooling herself?
Was her pushing ahead like this on her own a sign of maturity, or recklessness? If she stopped and waited for others, would that be cleverness, or cowardice?
How could she be certain, either way?
Ah.
There were more important questions to ask.
What would Naruto do?
Why?
What would he want her to do?
For what reason?
Yes.
Now for a time the Dragon King and his bride lived very happily. They loved each other dearly, and the bridegroom day after day took delight in showing his bride all the wonders and treasures of his coral Palace, and she was never tired of wandering with him through its vast halls and gardens. Life seemed to them both like a long summer's day.
Two months passed in this happy way, and then the Dragon Queen fell ill and was obliged to stay in bed. The King was sorely troubled when he saw his precious bride so ill, and at once sent for the fish doctor to come and give her some medicine. He gave special orders to the servants to nurse her carefully and to wait upon her with diligence, but in spite of all the nurses' assiduous care and the medicine that the doctor prescribed, the young Queen showed no signs of recovery, but grew daily worse.
Then the Dragon King interviewed the doctor and blamed him for not curing the Queen. The doctor was alarmed at Rin Jin's evident displeasure, and excused his want of skill by saying that although he knew the right kind of medicine to give the invalid, it was impossible to find it in the sea.
As they ran amongst trees again, Hinata had Pakkun scamper along on his own for a stretch, while she wound explosive kunei and began throwing them at the towering growths.
Small fireballs of light flashed briefly into view, then faded back into nothingness. Brief echoes sounded in the chill and motionless air.
Hopefully some of the other pursuers would see the flashes of light or be able to zero in on the area of the explosions. Hinata kept her fingers crossed. Just as important, she hoped that there weren't any enemy forces prowling the mountainsides. If there were, they would now know that someone was coming.
Having done what she could think of doing at the spur of the moment, Hinata picked up a grateful Pakkun and ran as she directed him.
Every so often, the scent grew to faint to follow from a height, and the chase slowed as the pug snuffled and sniffed along the moss and dirt of the forest floor.
"Do you mean to tell me that you can't get the medicine here?" asked the Dragon King.
"It is just as you say!" said the doctor.
"Tell me what it is you want for the Queen?" demanded Rin Jin.
"I want the liver of a live monkey!" answered the doctor.
"The liver of a live monkey! Of course that will be most difficult to get," said the King.
"If we could only get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would soon recover," said the doctor.
"Very well, that decides it; we MUST get it somehow or other. But where are we most likely to find a monkey?" asked the King.
Then the doctor told the Dragon King that some distance to the south there was a Monkey Island where a great many monkeys lived.
"If only you could capture one of these monkeys?" said the doctor.
"How can any of my people capture a monkey?" said the Dragon King, greatly puzzled. "The monkeys live on dry land, while we live in the water; and out of our element we are quite powerless! I don't see what we can do!"
"That has been my difficulty too," said the doctor. "But amongst your innumerable servants you surely can find one who can go on shore for that express purpose!"
Hinata came to a stop.
She couldn't help herself.
Her lungs felt like they were on fire, and she began to feel dizzy. She had to put Pakkun down. Reaching into her pouch, she took out some of her medicinal cream and smeared it on her swollen ankle.
After taking a quick swallow of water, and pouring some on Pakkun's tongue, she bean running again.
"There are a fair number of people following in our direction. They are making up ground, now. Your methods seem to have worked. It might be best that you rest here. You have done well for one your size. Jiraiya can carry me, or one of Kakashi's fellow jounin."
Hinata didn't slow down.
The Dragon King and his doctor had been faced with a difficult task. Maybe an impossible task.
The same was true for her, and she would give it her all. For Naruto. For herself. For everyone.
Size had nothing to do with anything.
Pakkun should know that….
"Something must be done," said the King, and calling his chief steward he consulted him on the matter.
The chief steward thought for some time, and then, as if struck by a sudden thought, said joyfully:
"I know what we must do! There is the kurage, the jelly fish. He is certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to walk on land with his four legs like a tortoise. Let us send him to the Island of Monkeys to catch one."
The jelly fish was then summoned to the King's presence, and was told by His Majesty what was required of him. On being told of the unexpected mission which was to be entrusted to him, he looked very troubled, and said that he had never been to the island in question, and as he had never had any experience in catching monkeys he was afraid that he would not be able to get one.
"Well," said the chief steward, "if you depend on your strength or dexterity you will never catch a monkey. The only way is to play a trick on one!"
"How can I play a trick on a monkey? I don't know how to do it," said the perplexed jelly fish.
"This is what you must do," said the wily chief steward. "When you approach the Island of Monkeys and meet some of them, you must try to get very friendly with one. Tell him that you are a servant of the Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and see the Dragon King's Palace. Try and describe to him as vividly as you can the grandeur of the Palace and the wonders of the sea so as to arouse his curiosity and make him long to see it all!"
"But how am I to get the monkey here? You know monkeys don't swim?" said the reluctant jelly fish.
"You must carry him on your back. What is the use of your shell if you can't do that!" said the chief steward.
"Won't he be very heavy?" queried kurage again.
"You mustn't mind that, for you are working for the Dragon King," replied the chief steward.
"I will do my best then," said the jelly fish.
At one point, Hinata came very close to running of the edge of a very narrow plank bridge before she realized just what she was running on.
The night time chase was treacherous, but she only had two options. Run as fast and as hard as she could, or just give up. Like the jellyfish in the story, she did not have the liberty to complain and give up.
But, she also knew that her heart and skill alone would not see her through. Her adversaries would be far more powerful than she was.
Fortune would play a big role.
She prayed that Fate would be on her side.
If not, maybe it would be on Naruto's side. Thinking about him, she actually smiled, despite her near exhaustion and the pain she fought through.
There was no other person on earth who had a greater talent of stepping into trouble than Naruto. She remembered the chuunin exams, when he told a crowd of more seasoned ninjas that he was not going to lose to any of them.
But, something else balanced out his ability to put his foot in things. It was his ability to get that foot back out again, often ending up with results far better than anyone had a right to expect.
She hoped that this would not be an exception!
The jellyfish swam away from the Palace and started off towards the Monkey Island. Swimming swiftly he reached his destination in a few hours, and landed by a convenient wave upon the shore.
On looking round he saw not far away a big pine-tree with drooping branches and on one of those branches was just what he was looking for—a live monkey.
"I'm in luck!" thought the jelly fish. "Now I must flatter the creature and try to entice him to come back with me to the Palace, and my part will be done!"
So the jelly fish slowly walked towards the pine-tree. In those ancient days the jelly fish had four legs and a hard shell like a tortoise. When he got to the pine-tree he raised his voice and said:
"How do you do, Mr. Monkey? Isn't it a lovely day?"
"A very fine day," answered the monkey from the tree. "I have never seen you in this part of the world before. Where have you come from and what is your name?"
"My name is kurage or jelly fish. I am one of the servants of the Dragon King. I have heard so much of your beautiful island that I have come on purpose to see it," answered the jelly fish.
"I am very glad to see you," said the monkey.
"By the bye," said the jelly fish, "have you ever seen the Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea where I live?"
"I have often heard of it, but I have never seen it!" answered the monkey.
"To the left. Take that trail to the left. Be careful, I have been by here before. There are large spars of rock rising out of the ground, everywhere."
Pakkun's warning was well placed. On a number of occasions, Hinata came very close to running into rocks that were situated along stretches of the path that did not see the moon's light. Large and narrow, they almost looked like ghastly corpse's hands reaching out from the rough and uneven ground.
"I'm going up, then. To the tree tops. Is that scent strong enough to follow from the up there?" Hinata jumped from branch to branch, restricting her leaps towards those parts of trees that she could visualize with a fair degree of certainty.
"We'll see," Pakkun said.
"Then you ought most surely to come. It is a great pity for you to go through life without seeing it. The beauty of the Palace is beyond all description—it is certainly to my mind the most lovely place in the world," said the jelly fish.
"Is it so beautiful as all that?" asked the monkey in astonishment.
Then the jelly fish saw his chance, and went on describing to the best of his ability the beauty and grandeur of the Sea King's Palace, and the wonders of the garden with its curious trees of white, pink and red coral, and the still more curious fruits like great jewels hanging on the branches. The monkey grew more and more interested, and as he listened he came down the tree step by step so as not to lose a word of the wonderful story.
"I have got him at last!" thought the jelly fish, but aloud he said:
"Mr. Monkey. I must now go back. As you have never seen the Palace of the Dragon King, won't you avail yourself of this splendid opportunity by coming with me? I shall then be able to act as guide and show you all the sights of the sea, which will be even more wonderful to you—a land-lubber."
"I should love to go," said the monkey, "but how am I to cross the water! I can't swim, as you surely know!"
"There is no difficulty about that. I can carry you on my back."
"That will be troubling you too much," said the monkey.
"I can do it quite easily. I am stronger than I look, so you needn't hesitate," said the jelly fish, and taking the monkey on his back he stepped into the sea.
Leaves battered Hinata's face again and again, whenever she moved through certain types of trees.
In others, great showers of evergreen needles covered her clothing, sometimes falling down the collar of her shirt, causing her back to itch.
Occasional disgruntled night animals skittered quickly out of her way.
She wondered if Naruto had any conscious knowledge of what he was doing. It would be terrible, knowing what he was doing, if he had no control over his own body. It would be even worse, realizing just who he was running towards.
Hinata thought back to something she had heard Jiraiya say on a number of occasions, after she had discovered Naruto's secret.
The Sennin had referred to Akatsuki as the 'monkey on Naruto's back.'
She hoped beyond all hope, that Naruto's monkey would not get the best of him, the way the primate in the story eventually got the better of the jellyfish.
Her arms beginning to ache terribly, she slowed to a halt one more time, balancing precariously on a thin and flexing tree limb. Inspiration hit her.
She could carry a dog on her back!
Well, not exactly on her back, but close enough.
The hood on her coat was large enough for Pakkun to sit in. Once he was in place, and his paws were resting on the top of Hinata's head, the white-eyed girl began moving through the shadowy canopy again.
As she sped along, the young shinobi thought about what her monkey had been. Yes. It had been her shyness, and her lack of confidence. That, and her secret unrequited feelings for Naruto.
Bit by bit, she had conquered her insecurities. Because of him. Even now, she headed towards something she had never faced before.
Naruto always helped her raise the bar, whether he knew it or not.
In the past, she had routinely been forced to contemplate the idea of death and sacrifice for a cause. All of her friends had to deal with that subject any time they went on a mission. But, they were always part of a team, and the duty never called for certain death.
Aside from Pakkun, she was alone now. If the other Leaf pursuers didn't catch up with her, she might need to enter Akatsuki's stronghold on her own, lest it be impossible to trace Naruto's precise location in the quickest possible time.
What could she do against a single member of that organization, much less all Nine?
Nothing, or next to nothing!
But….
Hinata knew that she didn't necessarily have to kill every Akatsuki member, or even any Akatsuki member.
She simply needed to find a way to defeat their plan.
Right! Simple!
Hinata swallowed hard, almost causing herself to choke.
A new fear was the monkey on her back.
The simplest way to defeat Akatsuki's plan---if that plan required Naruto---would be to defeat Naruto.
No.
Not defeat him. Kill him.
That would be a daunting task, even if he wasn't the entire world to her.
"Naruto-kun…."
"Keep very still, Mr. monkey," said the jelly fish. "You mustn't fall into the sea; I am responsible for your safe arrival at the King's Palace."
"Please don't go so fast, or I am sure I shall fall off," said the monkey.
Thus they went along, the jelly fish skimming through the waves with the monkey sitting on his back. When they were about half-way, the jelly fish, who knew very little of anatomy, began to wonder if the monkey had his liver with him or not!
"Mr. Monkey, tell me, have you such a thing as a liver with you?"
The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question, and asked what the jelly fish wanted with a liver.
"That is the most important thing of all," said the stupid jelly fish, "so as soon as I recollected it, I asked you if you had yours with you?"
"Why is my liver so important to you?" asked the monkey.
"Oh! you will learn the reason later," said the jelly fish.
The monkey grew more and more curious and suspicious, and urged the jelly fish to tell him for what his liver was wanted, and ended up by appealing to his hearer's feelings by saying that he was very troubled at what he had been told.
Then the jelly fish, seeing how anxious the monkey looked, was sorry for him, and told him everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen ill, and how the doctor had said that only the liver of a live monkey would cure her, and how the Dragon King had sent him to find one.
Hinata had been somewhat like the jellyfish herself.
She had been soft and spineless, like the creature ended up at the end of the story. But, in a reverse of that tale, she had added a firm core and a figurative shell to her back, rather than lost those things..
Thanks to Naruto.
Hinata was also kind hearted to a fault, as the jellyfish had been. That trait hadn't changed in her. She couldn't let that stand in the way of her duty.
There was one way she could not afford to be like the jellyfish. She couldn't afford to be reckless like he had been. The unfortunate creature had not been clever enough to deal with the monkey.
She was not clever enough to match wits with Akatsuki.
Fortunately, she wasn't arrogant enough to believe she could get by on trickery. But, that wasn't all. She couldn't be so foolish as to walk into the simplest trap.
It might be better to wait for Jiraiya after all…… or anyone else who was a better tactician than she was. A more skilled shinobi might be more adept at avoiding any tricks that Akatsuki had waiting.
Yes, that might be wise.
But, she would not wait here. It might be possible to get close enough to the enemy's hideaway, then wait for back-up there. That way, if it looked as if she had need to speed ahead on her own, she still could.
This was so nerve-wracking.
One wrong step could ruin everything. But, hesitation could prove everyone's undoing.
"Now I have done as I was told, and as soon as we arrive at the Palace the doctor will want your liver, so I feel sorry for you!" said the silly jelly fish.
The poor monkey was horrified when he learnt all this, and very angry at the trick played upon him. He trembled with fear at the thought of what was in store for him.
But the monkey was a clever animal, and he thought it the wisest plan not to show any sign of the fear he felt, so he tried to calm himself and to think of some way by which he might escape.
"The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out! Why I shall die!" thought the monkey. At last a bright thought struck him, so he said quite cheerfully to the jelly fish:
"What a pity it was, Mr. Jelly Fish, that you did not speak of this before we left the island!"
"If I had told why I wanted you to accompany me you would certainly have refused to come," answered the jelly fish.
"You are quite mistaken," said the monkey. "Monkeys can very well spare a liver or two, especially when it is wanted for the Dragon Queen of the Sea. If I had only guessed of what you were in need. I should have presented you with one without waiting to be asked. I have several livers. But the greatest pity is, that as you did not speak in time, I have left all my livers hanging on the pine-tree."
"Have you left your liver behind you?" asked the jelly fish.
"Yes," said the cunning monkey, "during the daytime I usually leave my liver hanging up on the branch of a tree, as it is very much in the way when I am climbing about from tree to tree. To-day, listening to your interesting conversation, I quite forgot it, and left it behind when I came off with you. If only you had spoken in time I should have remembered it, and should have brought it along with me!"
"Stop a moment. Put me down. I've lost the scent. Let's find out why…."
Hinata put the pug down, and stood by as he ran about sniffing the ground. With every second, the beat of her heart sounded louder. With every passing moment, a small part of her started trying to find reasons to wait a little longer and let someone else do this.
No!
That was the way she had been once.
Not any more.
"Ahhh…." There was a splashing noise. "Yes…. he chose to run along the stream here for a while…. animal instinct at work…." The dog ran along a flat and shallow stretch of water, most of which was impossible to see. Moonlight shone off of small patches, making them look like the coils of a large black snake.
When Pakkun jumped back on dry land and shook, he sprayed a fair amount of water on Hinata's pants legs.
"Well. At least I won't get your hood too wet," the dog said, by way of an apology. "Run up ahead to the next clearing. I'll see if I can pick up anything there."
Fortunately, Pakkun picked up Naruto's trail again.
Running, Hinata again tried to leave all hesitation behind.
The jelly fish was very disappointed when he heard this, for he believed every word the monkey said. The monkey was of no good without a liver. Finally the jelly fish stopped and told the monkey so.
"Well," said the monkey, "that is soon remedied. I am really sorry to think of all your trouble; but if you will only take me back to the place where you found me, I shall soon be able to get my liver."
The jelly fish did not at all like the idea of going all the way back to the island again; but the monkey assured him that if he would be so kind as to take him back he would get his very best liver, and bring it with him the next time. Thus persuaded, the jelly fish turned his course towards the Monkey Island once more.
No sooner had the jelly fish reached the shore than the sly monkey landed, and getting up into the pine-tree where the jelly fish had first seen him, he cut several capers amongst the branches with joy at being safe home again, and then looking down at the jelly fish said:
"So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present my compliments to the Dragon King on your return!"
The jelly fish wondered at this speech and the mocking tone in which it was uttered. Then he asked the monkey if it wasn't his intention to come with him at once after getting his liver.
The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn't afford to lose his liver: it was too precious.
"But remember your promise!" pleaded the jelly fish, now very discouraged.
"That promise was false, and anyhow it is now broken!" answered the monkey. Then he began to jeer at the jelly fish and told him that he had been deceiving him the whole time; that he had no wish to lose his life, which he certainly would have done had he gone on to the Sea King's Palace to the old doctor waiting for him, instead of persuading the jelly fish to return under false pretenses.
"Of course, I won't GIVE you my liver, but come and get it if you can!" added the monkey mockingly from the tree.
Yes.
Akatsuki definitely wouldn't hand over Naruto, or make it easy for him to leave.
Hinata would just have to deal with that simple fact when she was faced with it. If she managed to get that far.
But, there was another fact she had to consider.
Naruto may not want to come back with her, even if she did somehow manage to make it to his side undetected.
If Jiraiya was correct, and he was somehow under the power of a summoning because of Kyuubi's presence, then she might also be at odds with Naruto, or at least the demon fox's preempted will.
She had never been able to defeat him when sparring, even though she went full out, and he was holding back.
Still, she had to push onward. No matter what she might face.
It was her Ninja way.
There was nothing for the jelly fish to do now but to repent of his stupidity, and to return to the Dragon King of the Sea and to confess his failure, so he started sadly and slowly to swim back. The last thing he heard as he glided away, leaving the island behind him, was the monkey laughing at him.
Meanwhile the Dragon King, the doctor, the chief steward, and all the servants were waiting impatiently for the return of the jelly fish. When they caught sight of him approaching the Palace, they hailed him with delight. They began to thank him profusely for all the trouble he had taken in going to Monkey Island, and then they asked him where the monkey was.
Now the day of reckoning had come for the jelly fish. He quaked all over as he told his story. How he had brought the monkey halfway over the sea, and then had stupidly let out the secret of his commission; how the monkey had deceived him by making him believe that he had left his liver behind him.
The Dragon King's wrath was great, and he at once gave orders that the jelly fish was to be severely punished. The punishment was a horrible one. All the bones were to be drawn out from his living body, and he was to be beaten with sticks.
The poor jelly fish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words, cried out for pardon. But the Dragon King's order had to be obeyed. The servants of the Palace forthwith each brought out a stick and surrounded the jelly fish, and after pulling out his bones they beat him to a flat pulp, and then took him out beyond the Palace gates and threw him into the water. Here he was left to suffer and repent his foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his new state of bonelessness.
From this story it is evident that in former times the jelly fish once had a shell and bones something like a tortoise, but, ever since the Dragon King's sentence was carried out on the ancestor of the jelly fishes, his descendants have all been soft and boneless just as you see them to-day thrown up by the waves high upon the shores.
The punishment the jellyfish received was rather drastic.
But, he had been given a very important task. The sad part of the story was the fact that he had succeeded at first, but turned back. Lack of good judgment did him in more than a sense of compassion did.
Hinata's task was even more important.
On so many different levels.
The Dragon King sent someone else to find a cure for the one he loved. Hinata would be looking to help her precious one herself. The jellyfish's failure may or may not have cost the Dragon Queen of the Sea her life. If Hinata and her cohorts failed, countless lives would be lost.
She shivered, picturing a group of nine monkeys waving to her after their success, speaking in a facetious manner:
'So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present my compliments to the Hokage on your return!'
Needing to take a short break again, Hinata stopped and placed her arms on a large slab of cold dark rock, breathing in short ragged gasps.
Taking the necklace out of her pouch, she held it out into the moonlight, wanting to see it again.
"What will that do?" Pakkun asked, peering down over her hair.
"I don't know," Hinata answered. "But, Naruto threw it away for some reason. In his current state, that must mean it would somehow hinder him, or defeat the effect of the power that calls him."
"Don't lose it then!" The pug sat back down in Hinata's hood.
Hinata did not intend to. It might be the only thing that could help Naruto. She would see if she could get it to him.
But, what if the gemstone did nothing? By bringing it close enough to him to see whether or not the jewel had an effect, she would lose the element of surprise needed to disable or kill Naruto.
She kept coming back to that point again and again. There was no escaping it.
Maybe she wasn't the one for the task after all.
Would love stay her hand?
No.
When she had accepted her forehead protector after passing the genin exams, she had promised herself to do her very best to protect the Leaf. She had not lived up to that promise. She hadn't been capable of doing so back then.
Now she could. Even if it meant killing the boy who meant so much to her. It's what Naruto would expect of her. It's what he would want her to do.
So.
If the jewel did nothing right away?
She would strike.
"We need to move now. And quickly!" Pakkun sounded a bit anxious.
"Why?" Hinata listened, but heard nothing.
"We have a large number of people closing in from the way we came. But, we have an even larger number descending from the heights above us."
"OK!"
As best she could, Hinata began to run once more. The physical, mental, and emotional exertion had taken its toll. Her first instinct was to head back towards her fellow shinobi. But, that was the old Hinata reacting.
She ran towards the approaching forces, knowing they must be an enemy. If she could somehow manage to get past them, she would leave them behind her as she continued after Naruto..
Everything that followed was surreal to the extreme.
In filtered moonlight, which slanted through the high boughs and branches of towering cedars and pines, a vicious battle unfolded. The two forces met individually and in small groups, dealing death to men and women whose faces they never got good glimpses of.
Weapons flew unseen, making characteristic sounds as they struck bodies and pierced flesh. Justus followed jutsus, filling the night with a symphony of destruction.
Ninata and Pakkun had no way to judge how the battle was going. Following the pug's instructions, and making good use of her Byakugan, Hinata moved from concealment to concealment, just missing her own encounter with enemy ninjas.
"There are caves ahead," Pakkun said quietly. "I can see bats against the moon. I can smell guano. The trail leads in that direction."
Following a number of close calls, Hinata and Pakkun found themselves at the mouth of a huge cave. The initial portion was pitch black, but she could make out wavering specks of light deep inside.
Torches.
Fortunately, the points of light were not growing larger. They were stationery. She couldn't tell if they were mounted on the cave wall, or carried by a group of men.
Before stepping into the depths, Hinata thought instantaneously about the myth of Amaterasu, who fled and hid into the cave called the Iwayado, after witnessing a violent act by her brother Suasano.
As she, the incarnation of the sun, disappeared into the cave, darkness covered the world and demons ruled the earth.
Darkness threatened to cover her world, now that Naruto had entered this cave. Demons might very well be set to ravage the world.
The fact that Suasano was said to have defeated Yamata No Orochi in some legends had her wondering about the power of coincidence. How many myths and legends might somehow be based on true stories? The sword that Orochimaru could call forth bore the same name as the weapon that Susano was said to have found upon cutting the great dragon into pieces.
But, if the bits of prophecy were true, the dragon was quite intact.
All the gods and goddesses in turn had tried to coax Amaterasu out of the cave, but she refused them all. Finally, the kami of merriment, Ama No Uzume hatched a plan. She placed a large bronze mirror on a tree, facing Amaterasu's cave. Then Uzume clothed herself in flowers and leaves and overturned a washtub, and began to dance on it, drumming the tub with her feet. Finally, Uzume shed the leaves and flowers and danced naked.
All the male gods roared with laughter, and Amaterasu became curious. When she peeked outside from her long stay in the dark, a ray of light called "dawn" escaped and Amaterasu was dazzled by her own reflection in the mirror. The god Ameno Tajikarawo pulled her from the cave and it was sealed with a holy shirukume rope.
Surrounded by the merriment, Amaterasu's depression disappeared and she agreed to return her light to the world. Uzume was from then on known as the kami of dawn as well as mirth.
Hinata blushed, thinking that she would dance naked, if that's what it took to get Naruto out safely. But, no matter what happened, she would never… ever… tell anyone that!
"Hurry." Pakkun jumped down from Hinata's hood when they were a fair bit into the cave. "Find a place to hide if you can. There are more shinobi coming. From inside this cave."
Using her white-eye skills to the utmost, Hinata found a narrow crevice in the side of the cave wall. Wedging herself in there and casting a genjutsu technique, she waited, trying not to shiver with anxiety. She could smell Pakkun's wet fur from up close, hoping no one else would pick up that odor.
Holding her breath a moment, she heard the sound of men running past her, out into the night.
"Alright! The boy has been inside for a while now. We have company outside. They were not invited. Block the opening."
Hinata never saw the man calling out the order, or the men who followed his orders. Rock dust and small fragments of stone rained down on her head, soon after a series of enormous explosions rang out.
By the sound of things, she guessed that the cave mouth was destroyed, sealed by huge mounds of rock
There would be no way for her to get out the way she came in. There would be no way for Jiraiya and the other Leaf shinobi to get past the blockage.
She and Pakkun were on their own now.