War of Love

Chapter 2: Alliance

On the trunk of a tree, lines and curves were carved in. Each movement was smooth and continuous and soon the leaf emblem was completed. The person responsible, however, was standing several feet away. Shin lowered his arms and his eyes turned a milky gray once more. Hinata clapped and walked over.

"That was impressive, Shin-kun."

"Well, I've been practicing," Shin replied. "I'm getting better at control these days."

That was certainly true. For two weeks after his fight with Kisame, Shin had been constantly training with his bloodline limit. Though Hinata still didn't know what exactly it was, it seemed as if Shin could affect things by using his chakra. It was entirely possible that his eyes saw things no one else did.

"Maybe I should keep marking these trees," Shin joked. "That's supposed to be Akamaru's job anyways."

Hinata giggled and shook her head. "That's not very nice, Shin-kun."

"Well, he isn't here, so does it really matter?"

With the time Hinata had spent with Shin these past two weeks, she was finally beginning to see the shape of his personality. As Shin stretched and put away his knife, he did so in a slow fashion. At times Hinata wondered if there wasn't something wrong with his eyes.

"Shall we begin our training now?" Shin asked.

Hinata nodded and got up. The little wood-carving had been a warm-up for Shin. Now he would begin fighting, but not since their first sparring match had he used his bloodline limit on her. At times like this, Hinata was glad. She knew fully well that Shin's powers let him kill from a distance. With his inability to completely control his powers, he might accidentally injure her. Shin was far too careful to let something like that happen so he avoided the risk for now.

Both shinobis assumed stances and began immediately. This time, instead of running away, Shin met Hinata's attacks head on. Though his speed was nowhere close to Hinata's, the young man proved himself capable of dodging her attacks. He made it a point to stay close to her while avoiding any strikes. Several thrusts came at him but Shin went under and aimed a kick at her legs. Hinata stepped over the move and brought her elbow down on Shin's back. The move might have knocked him out if it connected but Shin twisted around and caught it with both hands. Using the leverage, the young man lifted himself and aimed another kick at Hinata's head. His opponent wouldn't let him strike so easily though and Hinata spun around, shaking Shin off. Though he landed on his feet, it was less than soft and Shin took two steps to regain his balance. In that time Hinata came charging at him.

A stroke of the hand managed to touch Shin but he quickly kicked the ground and slid backwards. Though his shoulder ached, Hinata had only managed to partially seal that point. It wouldn't really affect him in this fight. This time Shin took the initiative and launched a fury of attacks. But by now Hinata was warmed up and her movements were getting faster and faster. Shin continued fighting but was now forced to fall back. Instead of avoiding her blows Shin began actively blocking them. However, always at the last moment, he shifted the angle to avoid being hit in any of the chakra spots. Taking a chance, Shin didn't block the next blow and instead launched his own strike. It connected just before Hinata would have knocked him out and pushed her back.

Shin then went low and struck his open palm against Hinata's chest. This threw her back even more and he jumped into the air to finish the strike. However, before he could land a blow, Hinata spun in mid-air and threw chakra all around her. The Kaiten threw Shin back and he crashed into a tree. Shin stood but didn't bother continuing the fight. His Taijutsu was still not powerful enough to defeat Hinata head on.

"Impressive as always, Hinata-hime."

"You've gotten better too," Hinata replied. "Maybe next time you'll win."

Shin chuckled. "That day will be long in coming, Hinata-hime."

The two sat down again and Hinata opened the lunchbox she had brought along. She handed Shin a sandwich and picked one out for herself.

"You seem distracted of late," Shin said as he moved next to her. "Is something bothering you?"

Hinata stared at her sandwich for a bit before taking a small bit. It was true that something was disturbing her, but she wasn't sure if it was right to tell Shin. Finally she decided to share a little bit.

"Naruto and the others are going on a mission soon. And I can't go with them."

The sound of munching stopped for a few seconds before resuming.

"Let me guess. It's because I'm here."

Hinata reluctantly nodded.

"Right. Probably your father's doing again. So you're worried about Naruto."

The second nod was even more reluctant.

"Well, I've seen him train a few times. I wouldn't worry too much about that young man. Unless there's something about this mission that sets it apart."

Shin let one eye regard Hinata and began processing her reactions. There was something she wasn't telling him and it had to be dire indeed. After eating a bit more Shin finished his sandwich and reached for another. If nothing else, the Hyuuga family employed superb cooks. Throughout the meal Shin used the silence to consider the present situation. Since Hinata still apparently didn't trust him, he had to earn that trust. But a few minutes later he was proved wrong.

"I was supposed to go with them for this."

There had to be much more than just that. Even if he didn't care too much for Naruto, Shin knew not to underestimate someone like him. The mission had to A-rank, otherwise Hinata wouldn't be so worried. Also, why else would a member of the Hyuuga clan be going along anyways? He'd have to check it out later.

"Don't worry so much. Have some confidence in that kid."

Hinata smiled back at Shin. "I do, but, well…"

The trailing off was another signal to Shin. Perhaps it really was something important. Making up his mind, Shin stood up.

"Why don't you spend some time with Naruto?" he suggested. "Don't worry, I won't mind. You seem to need some assurance and he's the only one that can give it."

Hinata looked at Shin in surprised and remained speechless.

"I'll take the basket back to the house," Shin continued. "You have to reach for the things you want, Hinata-hime."

Before she could say anything else Shin had disappeared into the trees. Even with spending so much time with him these past two weeks, Hinata still couldn't discern his motives. But she was glad that Shin apparently was willing to help. For now Hinata was willing to accept his assistance.

Since Shin had taken care of the basket, Hinata was free to go search for Naruto. She returned to Konoha and quickly checked the usual places. Naruto was nowhere to be found. Feeling a bit uneasy, Hinata continued her search and ran about the town. Still he was no where to be seen. Had Naruto and the others already left?

"Hey, Hinata!"

Turning around, Hinata brightened at the sight of Kiba and Shino.

"Kiba-kun! Shino-kun! Have you two seen Naruto-kun?"

"Eh? He's preparing for the mission. In fact, we were just about to go see him. Want to come?"

Hinata nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Kiba-kun."

The young man smiled back and scratched his head as Akamaru ran up to Hinata. She patted him and the rather large dog licked her hand.

"Hehe. You're excited about the mission too, aren't you, Akamaru?"

"A pity you will not be joining us," Shino said as they started walking.

Hinata nodded.

"Yeah, and I heard it's all because of that guy," Kiba began. "What right does he have to keep you from going?"

"It really isn't Shin-kun's fault," Hinata replied. "He actually is pretty nice."

"He is a shinobi from a different village," Shino stated. "Even if Hidden Waterfall is preparing to sign a treaty with us, we can't be too careful."

Hinata didn't bother saying anything else. No one outside of the Hyuuga family knew of the arrangement and no one could know until it was finalized. The three arrived at a rather large house and entered. Inside several other shinobis were laying out equipment and preparing backpacks. Neji, TenTen, and Rock Lee were among the ninjas present while Naruto and Sakura were working on the other side of the room.

"It won't be the same without you," Kiba muttered. "It would be nice if all the Rookie Nine were reunited."

With a sad nod Hinata agreed. And even if she did go along, there was no guarantee the reunion would go well.

"So who are the ones accompanying us from Sand?" Kiba asked.

"Temari and Kankuro. They're also bringing several chuunins. Our militaries aren't sparing any expenses with this operation."

Hinata nodded. "This is important. I wish I could be there to help you guys."

"Who knows," Kiba said with a smile. "Maybe things will work themselves out."

Hinata sighed. "I don't think there are real miracles here, Kiba-kun. But I will wish for one."

Office of the Hokage+

Shin waited for several minutes before he was admitted. The office of the Hokage was a mess and he wondered how her assistants managed to do anything. It was a wonder the Hokage herself could find anything that she might need.

"Sentoki Shin," Tsunade began. "I read the message that you brought and I'm intrigued."

Shin shrugged. "It's my father's message, Hokage-sama. Not mine."

"Do you wish to see the contents?"

"Does it affect me in any way?"

Tsunade grinned. "I'd say so."

A flick of the wrist and the sheet of paper flew towards Shin. He caught it and skimmed over it.

"Interesting. This explains why Hinata-hime was so agitated."

"I'd say so. How did the Hidden Waterfall find out about the mission?"

"Even if I knew, I could not tell you."

Tsunade shrugged. "True enough. But if your father knew about this mission, why would he request a representative of Hidden Waterfall accompany it knowing that you were the only one eligible since you're here?"

"I don't know. Perhaps he is trying to test me."

"Test you? This mission is of utmost importance to our village. It is not a place or time for your family to 'test' you."

"It's likely my father also wants to see Orochimaru dead," Shin stated. "Hidden Leaf isn't the only place that's had trouble with him."

"Oh? Why would Orochimaru be interested in Hidden Waterfall?"

Shin shrugged. "If you want to know more, I'm sure my father will supply the details. But I'm afraid I cannot say any more."

Tsunade sighed. "Very well then. I'll accept the fact that you have a responsibility to your village and your clan, but I can't allow an unknown to endanger this mission."

"Endanger the mission?"

"You are an unknown," Tsunade said, pointing at Shin. "I do not know your motives nor do what you'll do if I let you go. Therefore I cannot take the risk."

"But if I don't know, you're down one member of the team."

Tsunade hesitated and regarded Shin. Had Hinata said something? Shin smiled in response.

"Hinata-hime said she was supposed to go with Naruto on a mission. She sounded rather worried so I assumed it had to be dangerous. Since my father mentioned a specific mission in that message, I assumed that that was the only one of sufficient danger that even Hinata-hime would be worried. So I guessed."

"Very good, Sentoki," Tsunade said. "I find it hard to believe that you're still just a chuunin."

"There are reasons for that," Shin muttered, though Tsunade barely caught it.

"So what would you have me do?" Tsunade asked, ignoring Shin's statement.

"Let me act as the representative of Hidden Waterfall, and prove what kind of ally we can be."

After a few seconds of looking Shin over, Tsunade focused on his eyes. They were still the milky grayish color but a slight gleam penetrated all that. Shin wasn't just some random name given to him. The young man really did have a heart.

"I suppose you'll want Hyuuga Hinata to go with you, despite the fact that she'll be in danger."

"A shinobi must accept danger as a part of everyday life. It would be dishonorable to try to shield her from it. Nor would she want that."

Tsunade chuckled and nodded. "You're a very interesting person, Sentoki. I look forward to seeing how you integrate yourself into Hidden Leaf. Now get going. The ones taking part in the mission will leave tomorrow with or without you."

With a bow Shin walked out of the room. As Tsunade watched, she noticed a heaviness in his steps. Shin certainly wasn't like Naruto, who liked to charge into things head-on. Perhaps he would be an asset to the mission after all.

Gathering+

"Umm, Naruto-kun?"

"Huh? Oh, hey Hinata-chan. What's up?"

"I'm sorry I can't come with you on this mission," Hinata said softly.

Naruto gave her his customary smile and shook his head. "Stop worrying about it, Hinata-chan. It's not like you had a choice in the matter. It'll be dangerous whether you come with us or not, though it'd be nice if we had another Hyuuga with us."

Hinata smiled at the compliment. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"So who is this Shin guy anyways?" Naruto said, diverting the conversation. "I mean, since he's showed up, he's been around you a lot. Is something going on!"

"Oh no!" Hinata's face started reddening immediately.

"Haha, there is something, isn't there! Well good for you, Hinata! It's always good to have someone that you care about and cares for you."

"Umm, well, it's not really like that."

"Oh? So why is he always hanging around with you? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I'm kind of curious."

"Umm, well, he's from Hidden Waterfall. You know that already. And, well, he's here because of a family thing."

"Oh? Is something wrong?"

"Umm, not exactly."

"Well, if you have trouble, remember, I'm here."

"Thanks, Naruto-kun."

"Hey Naruto, get those kunais over here!" Sakura yelled over to her comrade.

"Yeah, yeah. Jeez, what a slave driver," Naruto said, winking to Hinata.

The young woman giggled as Naruto got back to work. She would miss them once they left tomorrow. If only she could go with them. But no, her father had forbid it because Shin was here. Though she knew it wasn't Shin's fault, she couldn't help but think what would have happened if he hadn't shown up.

The sound of the doors opening again caught everyone's attention. To Hinata's surprise, Shin walked in with a backpack. He looked around and everyone stared back at him.

"So, am I in the right place?" he said aloud.

Kakashi walked over and looked down at the young shinobi.

"So where are you supposed to be?" he asked.

"I presume you're Hatake Kakashi?"

A nod. Shin then handed him a paper with Tsunade's signature.

"I'm here to assist you on the mission."

Silence overcame the room upon those words coming out of Shin's mouth.

"And at the request of the Hokage, Hinata-hime is to rejoin the team."

Shin flashed a smile over to Hinata and the young woman could only stare in response. What Shin had managed to pull off was nothing short of amazing in her opinion. Not only had he circumvented her father for himself, he had taken her along. Not that many people would dare such a thing.

"Well, I guess things are in order," Kahashi said. "Everyone, this is Sentoki Shin of Hidden Waterfall. He'll be joining us for the mission."

"Yo." Shin waved to the others.

The first person to respond was also the one standing closest to the door. "A pleasure to meet you, Shin-san."

"The pleasure's mine. And who would you be?"

"My name is Rock Lee."

The two shook hands as Shin studied his new comrade. A man that moved with grace, Rock Lee was quite obviously a taijutsu specialist.

"No need to be so formal," Shin said with a smile. "We are comrades now."

"Very well, Shin-kun," Lee replied. "But may I ask, why is Hidden Waterfall involved with our mission?"

"I see words spread fast. We also have our history with Orochimaru," Shin answered. "Perhaps I'll tell you someday."

Lee nodded and accepted that. "Then as you are our newest comrade, I should introduce you to everyone."

The two walked over to Lee's teammates first.

"I've heard much about you from Neji-san," Lee said, "so I presume you two know each other."

Shin nodded. "Yeah, you could say that."

"And this is TenTen, another teammate of mine."

TenTen waved at the newcomer. She had also heard quite a bit about Shin from Neji, though her boyfriend hadn't exactly been subtle about how he felt about the newcomer. At the moment, the glare that Neji gave Shin was proof enough.

"It'll be a pleasure to work with all of you," Shin said. He ignored Neji's look and simply waited for Lee to continue the introductions.

"That man over there is Gai-sensei," Lee pointed out. "He was our jounin-sensei before we became chuunins and has stayed with us ever since. He's the greatest."

Another Taijutsu user, Shin noted. "Indeed. How many jounins are accompanying the team?"

"About a dozen from Konoha," Lee replied. "Sand is also sending reinforcements, though you're the only one from Hidden Waterfall."

Shin chuckled. "Well, what do you expect? Hidden Waterfall is small compared to Konoha."

"I see. Well then, we still gladly accept your help. Ah, this is Shino-kun and Kiba-kun. They were teammates of Hinata-san, who is over there with Naruto-kun and Sakura-san."

Shin nodded and the other two chuunins returned it. Obviously Kiba had spread the word too. The dog growled at Shin but didn't approach.

"Kiba and I have met," Shin said. "Isn't that right?"

"Yeah," Kiba muttered. "I'd still like to know how you sensed us."

A shrug. "My senses can detect many things, Kiba-san. It's part of my gift and my curse."

The three Leaf shinobis exchanged looks but didn't question. Lee and Shin moved on to the next group of ninjas.

"This is Ino-san, Shikamaru-kun, and Choji-kun. They were also part of the same team. Shikamaru was the first to become a chuunin out of his class."

"Hmph. I don't know why they bothered making me one. It was rather troublesome right away."

"You were a chuunin," Ino snapped. "What did you expect? Of course you had to do more work than us!"

"You must have impressed the people at the test if you became a chuunin first," Shin said. "I look forward to seeing your talents on the battlefield."

Shin then glanced over at Choji. The chuunin had a bag of chips in his hands and was munching away. It would be interesting to see what kind of abilities he had. But as all of them were chuunins, their talent had to have been impressive. Looks can certainly be deceiving.

"Lee-kun, a question," Shin said. "I'm getting the impression that there's more to this mission than just going after Orochimaru. What else is going on?"

"You do not know?"

"I was just added to the team," Shin replied. "I still don't know all of the details as of yet."

"I see. Then I should tell you, to stress the importance of this mission. Have you heard of the Rookie Nine?"

Shin nodded. "Hinata mentioned that she is one of them."

"Rightly so. About two and a half years ago, nine rookies from the academy were all allowed to take the chuunin test by their jounin senseis. You have met all of them, save one. Uchiha Sasuke-kun."

"Uchiha. Of the Uchiha-clan?"

Lee nodded. "The number one rookie out of his class at the Ninja Academy. He is one of the last surviving members of that clan and is extremely powerful. However, Orochimaru lured him away from Hidden Leaf. At that time, Shikamaru led his first mission as a chuunin and took most of the other rookies with him. I myself followed later and we fought a great battle against Orochimaru's elite guards. With the help of Sand's shinobis, we prevailed, but Sasuke got away and joined Orochimaru. But Sasuke is in great danger because of his rash actions and this is as much a rescue mission as one to defeat Sound."

"But isn't Sasuke a traitor for leaving Konoha?"

"Perhaps, but he is also a friend and we do not abandon friends, especially not to a fate as damned as his if he remains under Orochimaru's grasp."

"I'm not sure I understand," Shin said.

"That is not something for me to say," Lee replied. "Perhaps if you talk to Naruto, he will inform you of the details. However, the issue is one of great importance to Sasuke's teammates, Sakura-san and Naruto-kun."

"I see. Thanks for the tour, Lee-kun."

"Of course, Shin-kun. If you need anything, just let me know and I'll try to help you."

"Thanks."

Once Lee had walked off Shin made his way over to join Hinata, Naruto, and Sakura.

"Well, I guess things worked out," he said. "Though I'm probably going to get hell from your father once we get back."

"You really didn't have to do that," Hinata said.

Shin scratched his head. "Actually, it wasn't me that did that. I just used an opportunity that presented itself. Apparently my father knew about the mission and he thought it would be a good opportunity for Hidden Waterfall to settle with Orochimaru."

"Hmm? So you guys have had trouble with him too?" Naruto asked.

"Of course. I was very young when they fought, and apparently Orochimaru used some kind of forbidden technique. It took my father, two of my brothers, and my oldest sister to defeat him because of that technique. But they weren't able to kill him so he and his comrades got away."

"His comrades?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah. Apparently Orochimaru attacked with some kind of organization. But I'm afraid I don't know anything more."

Naruto stared at Shin for several seconds, saying nothing. He knew that Orochimaru was part of the Akatsuki and that organization was collecting demons from across the world. Did Hidden Waterfall have one as well? That would be the likeliest motive, and if Shin's family had managed to beat off the organization then they were truly fearsome.

"So, mind telling me what this mission is really about?" Shin asked, interrupting Naruto's thoughts.

The young man looked back and forth between Sakura and Naruto. These two seemed to have the most at stake in this mission, as Sasuke was their former comrade.

"We're to defeat Orochimaru," Naruto stated bluntly.

"Oh? I thought you were going to rescue your friend too."

Silence again answered him. This really was a sensitive issue for these two.

"Trust me when I say I can help with the mission," Shin said, "but I don't want to accidentally do something that will jeopardize your mission. Nor do I want you to do something stupid that might hurt our teammates."

"Not going to happen," Naruto shot back. "I know what my priorities are, and the lives of my friends are highest."

Shin smiled. "Good answer. I would have said the same thing myself."

Shin extended his hand and Naruto took it. Hinata looked proudly at the two ninjas, glad that a confrontation hadn't erupted.

"So I heard you're staying with Hinata-chan," Naruto said. "What's up with that? Are you two going out or something?"

"Naruto!" Sakura interrupted. "It's not exactly polite to ask questions like that."

"Hehe. Sorry, Hinata-chan. I didn't mean to embarrass you like that," Naruto said.

Hinata shook her reddened face and looked away. With a smile Shin patted her shoulders.

"It's nothing like that," he said. "Hinata-hime and I are old friends. As Hidden Leaf and Hidden Waterfall are preparing to sign a treaty of alliance, I was sent as a sign of goodwill, almost."

"Wow, your family must really trust you."

A solemn smile came over Shin's face. He shrugged but said nothing in response.

"So how long are you going to stay?" Naruto asked. "It's been a while since I've fought someone new. And if you really do have a bloodline limit, it might be fun."

Shin chuckled. "Believe me, you don't want me to use my bloodline limit. I can't control it well enough to use it in a mock duel."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"I guess it's a matter of training. If I misuse my power, I could end up killing a lot of people."

"Wow. That's a scary bloodline," Sakura commented. "But when we face Sound, we'll need all the advantages we've got. Are you going to use it then?"

"If I have no choice, then I will most certainly use it. Especially to protect those I care about."

Hinata blushed again but her thoughts drifted to the dangers Shin had mentioned. After his fight with Kisame, he had suffered from internal bleeding. What kind of bloodline would kill its own user?

"So," Shin said as he pulled up a chair and sat down. "Mind telling me about the situation? I don't really like going into a situation blind."

"We're going to save Sasuke," Naruto said, his eyes full of determination. "This mission isn't just about defeating Orochimaru, we're also going to save Sasuke."

"Sasuke," Shin muttered. "Who exactly is he?"

"He's the last of the rookie nine," Hinata answered instead of the others. "Uchiha Sasuke-kun."

"Uchiha. Of that family." Shin leaned forward against the chair and sighed. "I've heard of another Uchiha, though this one was with Orochimaru."

"Huh? What?"

All three of the chuunins leaned in and waited for Shin to continue.

"Apparently there was an Uchiha with the organization that Orochimaru attacked with. He nearly killed my oldest brother in their duel. What a dangerous man he must be. If your Sasuke is anything alike, then this battle will be troublesome."

The organization that Orochimaru was a part of. Naruto knew fully well what that organization was. He also knew who the other Uchiha was.

"It's been over two years," he said. "Sasuke might indeed have become more powerful."

Shin sighed. "Very well then. But keep in mind that we have different priorities. My orders are to ensure that Orochimaru dies. Yours is to save your friend. I don't think those two will conflict."

Naruto and Sakura exchanged looks. There was another reason why they were moving out now. If they were too late, Naruto wasn't sure if he could let Shin or the others kill Orochimaru. Or perhaps that decision would be made for him.

"I'm sure we all want the same thing," Sakura finally said. "To protect those that are important to us."

"Well then, I think I'll get the rest of my stuff," Shin said. "It's been a pleasure getting to know all of you. I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto-kun, Sakura-san."

When he had disappeared, Hinata let out a sigh.

"Well, he's certainly an interesting person," Naruto said. "I wonder what's really going on though."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"He managed to get you back onto the team, managed to get on the team himself, and talks about Orochimaru and this organization like he knows something. He has to be up to something."

"That's not very nice, Naruto-kun," Hinata replied. "Shin-kun has been trying to help."

"Well, we'll see how things go down when we get to Sound. I wonder why the old lady Tsunade let him join the team."

"Naruto!" Before Naruto could react, a fist connected with his face and sent him crashing into a pole.
Shin glanced over nervously at Sakura and made a mental note not to get her mad.

The chuunin turned the corner and stood in the shadows of the alley. He took out the envelope and opened it slowly. A blank piece of paper was inside but Shin saw the writing as clearly as if it was written with black ink. He glanced over it and memorized the message. Once that was done, Shin twisted the paper and it fell apart into filaments. His orders were set. Now all that remained was to watch and wait.

End of Chapter 2

I'm having a bit of trouble writing certain aspects of this, but I hope that will change by the time I get to the next chapter. Anyways, enjoy.

Z98