Hinata giggled, putting her hand to her mouth.
She knew that this was in effect, a very serious situation, one that was by no means resolved. Still, she couldn't help herself. Jiraiya had been lifted high in the air by Kyuubi's tongue, and then unceremoniously dropped on his rump.
Who would ever have imagined the legendary demon doing something like that? Only Naruto could dream up such a stunt! A mood like that couldn't last forever. Her father's words brought her back down to earth.
"Two problems, then." Her father's voice was horribly harsh.
She knew that the nine-tailed demon would be problem number one. That no doubt left Naruto as problem number two. Why did her father have to see things that way. Why couldn't he just be happy that his daughter was safe? Because he was not just a father. He was a clan leader. Was it always going to be 'either or'?
"Yes, but not the way you mean." Tsunade's voice carried a touch of disapproval.
Hinata wasn't surprised by the disapproval in the Hokage's voice. She knew that Naruto had not acted in the best interests of the Leaf. As a loyal ninja, she knew that in her head. But, her heart was still that of a young woman. He had come to rescue her! What girl wouldn't want that? She was certain that he must have had some kind of trick in mind, one that would have protected the village if he failed.
"Indeed. I won't say that I am extremely proud of my pupil…" Jiraiya's tone of voice said just the opposite. "But, you were in the cavern. I remember you being close to death before that thing over there saved your life. You should take a moment to think who was in control of the beast. You should realize just what choice he was faced with, especially after the way he was treated by a certain clan chief."
Hinata brought her hands up to her chest. Naruto had saved her father! He had done that, despite the way he had been treated at her coming of age celebration. She hadn't thought that her heart could swell any larger with pride for him. It just did. She remembered the fable about the bursting bullfrog. She hoped that her heart didn't follow suit.
Hinata's father didn't reply. Instead, the Frog Hermit continued. "You should also remember why he came here, essentially against orders."
Jiraiya's implication was quite clear. He had come for her. She was certain of that before, but it was nice to have things confirmed. No matter what it took, she would find some way to return the favor.
This time her father did speak, grabbing hold of the last part of the Jiraiya's remark. "That is exactly what I'm talking about. The boy is reckless. He has been poorly raised, having no parents. We all remember his earlier antics. They were shameful then, but could be dangerous now. Especially with that beast under his control."
Hinata felt tears coming to her eyes. Naruto had never asked to grow up without parents. He had never asked to have that demon standing before them imprisoned in his belly. Besides, how could he speak that way about parents, without feeling the slightest bit of shame or hypocrisy? He had washed his hands of his eldest daughter, because her martial skills did not meet with his approval, and because she lacked the boldness and decisiveness that he felt a clan leader should have. That kind of thing was commonplace in the older families, where war and death were long time traditions. But, those same families used to care for the orphans of ninjas who gave their life in battle. Where had he and the other families been when Naruto needed support?
She loved her father dearly, but couldn't help but feel lost and frustrated again. What would it take to finally have her father open up his eyes and see who the world the way that she and her peers saw it? Things change. People change. She was as good an example of that as anyone!
"It is not his fault that he has no parents." Kakashi walked over and spoke up. He placed a book back inside his weapons bag. "He was the second sacrifice. The Fourth gave his life for Konoha. The boy has done the same, but in a different way. He was never given a chance to refuse that burden. Too many people act to make that burden heavier, when we should all be acting to make it lighter."
Hinata nodded. She felt a great deal of gratitude towards the masked ninja. He had been Naruto's teacher. It sounded like he must also be his friend. It was true. Too few people had made any effort to help Naruto when he was younger. She knew. She had been watching. He had turned out to be so wonderful, just the same. But it was more than that. He had truly blossomed when he finally had friends, his 'precious ones' as he called them. That hadn't stopped his quest to become stronger and be recognized. It had made him work even harder, so he could help protect the ones that he cared about.
She knew what it was like to feel alone and unwanted. It had been Kurenai who showed her kindness and tried to bring her out from her shell. Even when she had become friendly with her teammates, it was hard for her to feel that she mattered. But, when she stood on the floor of the fighting area, in the tower housing the chuunin exams, it had been Naruto's shout of encouragement that had changed her world, when others had counseled her to forfeit the contest.
She could never repay him for that, despite the fact that he didn't think he had done anything remarkable. If he had burdens, she wanted to carry some of the weight.
"But…." Hr father seemingly annoyed that a mere jounin would speak to him that way. It wouldn't matter to him, the fact that Hatake Kakashi had made a very good argument. She realized the sacrifice a clan leader must sometimes make for his clan. But, why did he have to be so prideful. The family would not crumble into dust if he acted like Hyuuga Hiashi the man instead of Hyuuga Hiashi the rank and position.
"Sarutobi was a great man," Kakashi continued. "He taught Jiraiya and the Hokage, who are also a credit to Konoha. Jiraiya taught Yondaime, another man of legendary proportion. He in turn taught me, and I have done my best to serve the village. All the attitude and loyalty that had been passed on to me, I passed on to that boy you speak of. Jiraiya has since done the same."
The Copy Ninja had barely finished his last word, before the Hokage spoke up. Her face was somewhat scary. Hinata was glad that Tsunade wasn't talking to her.
"We have had this talk before, Hiashi. Now is notthe time for this. You know my respect for that young man." Tsunade said. "I would not be surprised if he indeed was Hokage some day."
Hinata smiled. It was good to see that Naruto had won Tsunade's respect. He had fought hard for so many years, wanting to gain everyone's attention. She also remembered that he had been instrumental in bringing her back to Konoha. That was another story that she needed to hear in great detail. And, she had heard mention about a Naruto Bridge. There were certainly a fair number of things that Naruto could tell her, if he was given a chance. Something other than fables! But, her heart fell. She remembered her father's words at the ceremony. She had also heard that he had made formal petition to the Hokage. Might today's actions help change all that? Or, had they simply made things worse?
"I do not wish to hear Uzumaki Naruto disparaged." That voice was weary, but intense. "Not by anyone."
It was Gaara! The boy with the strange eyes was being supported by his brother and sister. Hinata gasped. Sand began seeping through cracks in the rocky terrain. It surrounded Gaara. Small streamers of sand were also swirling around her father's feet.
Did that bode trouble? She shivered. There were a number of memories that she had great trouble dealing with. One had to do with the moment when she had first seen what Gaara's sand coffin attack was capable of doing. She, Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino had come very close to experiencing that terror first hand. She had felt terribly frightened, hiding behind those bushes!
But, he was an ally now. Even a friend. Thanks to a special young man with a penchant for talking too loudly and an endless appetite for ramen. It never ceased to amaze her what clear eyes and a good heart could accomplish.
"Uzumaki Naruto has true courage. He cares for those precious to him. Those people are very fortunate to have such a friend. Those who open their hearts to his words often have miraculous results. Hyuuga Neji should be more than enough proof of that." Gaara put a hand to his head, but easily managed to control his temper. "I am proof as well."
"Yeh. I made the mistake of thinking he was an idiot once. It was an easy mistake to make…." Kankurou stepped up, giving sideways glances to Kyuubi's hulking form.
Kyuubi snorted, nearly knocking the Sand ninja to the ground.
"Well it was!" Kanakurou managed a crooked smile. "It is a mistake that many people seem to make. That's a shame, considering what he has accomplished. My brother is correct. And, he is my brother now, not just my sibling. We owe that to Uzumaki Naruto."
Hinata looked over at the strangely garbed young man. He was an enigma of sorts, as she had never had a chance to get to know him before today's fighting. He had been very brave in battle, and had saved her life on a number of occasions. He seemed to like NarutoThat was good enough for her.
"The same goes for me." Temari looked like she was uncomfortable, speaking to a clan leader in that fashion. "I am not the easiest person to get along with. I am very critical of people, and it takes me a while to accept them, faults and all. Naruto may have more faults then anyone I have ever met…."
There was another snort. The skirt-like portion of Temari's robe was blown upward, exposing simple underwear. Jiraiya's chuckling could be heard, until Tsunade punched him in the gut. Hinata felt the blood going to her face. Had that been Naruto's doing, or the demon's? The timing suggested the former. Of all the nerve!
"Like I said…" Temari was blushing. She struck out at a laughing Kankurou, but he had wisely kept out of range. "He may have a lot of faults, but at least most of his mistakes come from trying. It's easy to just sit back, or to follow someone else's choices. I know that from personal experience." She shook her hair. "But for all his mistakes and personality quirks…"
Nine Tails snorted again. Temari's skirt did its thing again. Jiraiya caught Tsunade's fist. Hinata looked up at Kyuubi. Her jaw was clenched. For a moment, she worried that Naruto might actually be interested in Temari, just as Kankurou had joked earlier.
Part of her wondered why Naruto had never done anything like that to her.
'Maybe I could start wearing skirts….'
Where had that thought come from! Hinata was scandalized. She knew just who to blame. But, someone else acted before she could. Temari was clenched her fists, and then unfolded her fan. After walking over to the fox demon, she hit the monster hard on the snout. Hinata's first impulse was to feel sorry for Naruto. She even thought about walking over and kissing him on the nose. But, soon enough, she grinned. That had been entirely justified.
'Would that method work on a certain ninja, if and when he got his body back?'
Hinata grinned. Part of her was already trying to think of ways to see Naruto, whether he came back to Konoha after the partial destruction of Akatsuki, or went off to train with Jiraiya again. It would be against her father's wishes, but she was willing to risk it.
"What my irritable and easily distracted sister was trying to say…" Kankurou ducked behind Gaara. "…Was that despite his flaws, Naruto is one of the finest people we know. It may not be easy getting past his personality…." Kankurou ducked down some more, when the Kyuubi's eye turned in his direction. "But, it is well worth the effort."
Temari nodded.
Hinata looked over at her father. He looked rather annoyed, as if he felt he was being talked down to. He must consider this all to be a stain on his honor, being spoken to in an abrupt manner by the Hokage, and then treated in this fashion in front of her. Instead of learning from the situation, he would probably find reasons to store up even more resentment.
"He may be a dumb ass… but he is often right, in the long run…."
Hinata turned to see who had spoken. She knew that voice. She had seen him in the cavern. It was Uchiha Sasuke. By the look of his clothing, and given the way he was walking, he must have taken part in some difficult fights. Surprised to see him walk up in this situation, she brought a hand to her mouth.
Tsuande's face was unreadable. Jiraiya had a wary expression, his hands poised to work a seal. Kakashi exposed his sharingan eye, a look of uncharacteristic hope on his visible face. Gaara, Kankurou, and Temari stood close to one another, their posture rigid.
Hinata nervously looked at her father, Tsunade, and Jiraiya. Would they attack, given the golden opportunity to capture the missing ninja? What might Kyuubi do in that situation? How was Naruto feeling?
"I have made my mistakes, too. That is common knowledge. No doubt I have figured in many a meeting of the elders. I may have been cursed by most people in my home village." Sasuke threw off his Sound forehead protector. "I knew what I did was wrong. I didn't care. No one could make me change my mind, not even Naruto, who risked his life for the village, and for friendship…"
Kakashi walked over to stand next to the dark-haired and bloody ninja. Hinata wondered what she would have felt like, if Kiba or Shino had done what Sasuke did. How would Kurenai have felt? Would she welcome a wayward student back the way that the Copy Ninja did? More importantly, how would the village treat someone who did what the dark-haired boy had done? Would they treat Naruto the same way, even though the day had seen some terrible tragedies averted?
"But…" Sasuke grimaced, finding it difficult to speak about the things that he had done and the choices that he had made. "He saved me again today, even though it placed everything at risk. That was stupid. It was just like him. But, he succeeded, where no one else would have." That had him scowling. It was still hard to think of the power Naruto had at his disposal. "And… maybe too late… he helped me see…." He faltered. It looked as if he was about to collapse. Kakashi put a hand on his arm and squeezed.
"What is it you are trying to tell us?" Tsunade asked.
"There can be no…." Her father's comment was cut short when the Hokage raised her hand.
"I know what I did was wrong. I have many crimes to answer for, not the least of which was becoming a missing ninja." Sasuke hung his head. "I am willing to face my punishment. It is the right thing to do. As some big idiot once said, it is his Ninja Way." Sasuke looked up at the fox demon. "All I could think about was killing my brother. I couldn't forget what he had done, and what that had cost me. I think many of you have heard me say I was an avenger. I also wanted his approval, if not his acceptance." Sasuke looked over at Kakashi. "Becoming stronger was all that mattered. Even to the point that…." The young ninja stopped a moment, as if he couldn't believe some of the choices he made. "Even to the point of indenturing myself to the man I knew was planning to take over my body. I was arrogant enough to think that I could grow stronger, and avoid that end."
Hinata felt a tremendous upwelling of pride for Naruto at that moment. He had also wanted to get stronger. But, he never did anything that put the village at risk. Ooops.
Well, not until he came out to rescue her… walked into an obvious trap… one set by some of the worst criminals around… with the Demiurge on the verge of crossing over. Other than that…
She bit her lip and closed her eyes. Just what was she setting herself up for?
"But, I finally managed to see things from a different angle, when I was busy fighting my brother and Naruto was fighting to save everybody." Sasuke sounded dejected. "That monster was coming to this world, and I did nothing to try and stop it. My priorities…."
Hinata trembled, finally coming to a realization of how much danger everyone had been in. Her mind had known it all along, but now her heart was catching up.
During her captivity, she wanted nothing more than to get out of that cave. Now, hearing that Naruto had somehow turned things around, she wished that she could have been in the cavern to see events unfolding. No maybe not. She bit her lip and trembled. She could hear the Demiurge's roar in her memory. If she was lucky, she might forget what that sounded like, and how that enormous questing claw looked. Sniffing, she frowned. If she washed her coat enough times, maybe she could get rid of the incomprehensible creature's horrid stench. Then again, it was actually a moot point. Her coat might better be classified a rag after all the abuse it had seen.
'Maybe Naruto can help me shop for another one. I wonder what he would think looked cute….'
Hinata's daydream was wiped away by a harsh observation from her sire. "Yet another problem," he said with a fierce voice. "This one's fate should be clear." He glared at Sasuke. Then he looked up at Kyuubi. "The other decision should be straightforward as well. The good of Konoha should always come first!"
Hinata knew there were valid reasons for his feelings towards Sasuke. But, he had always spoken poorly of the Uchiha clan. She wondered if he felt a sense of jealousy. While many people wished to possess the secret of Byakugan, Orochimaru went after Sasuke and the Uchiha blood limit, not Neji or some other Hyuuga youth. Maybe he simply saw Itachi and Sasuke as examples of the entire clan.
"I agree. As Hokage, it is my job to decide what is best for the village. You have a great responsibility, Hyuuga Hiashi; but, do not forget the weight that the Hokage carries. Do not place yourself too high. The fact that your clan exists at all rests on the selfless act of Yondaime. It was his decision to place the demon inside the boy. If the Fourth were standing here alive now, what would you say to him?"
Hinata nibbled on one finger. Her father looked s if he had been dealt a physical blow.
The truth of that statement was unavoidable. The censure in Tsunade's voice was a near palpable thing. She stopped biting. This was no time for childish habits. While the resolution of this whole affair might be adult business, she wasn't certain they all had their hearts in the right place. Intent on doing the right thing for Konoha, would they forget the enormous debt they owed Naruto?
Hinata decided to act. It wasn't as if any of them should be surprised. She told them that she would not allow them to hurt her boy friend. She wouldn't. Her choice of actions might be a bit dramatic… and that was nothing like her… but she would do whatever she could. She fidgeted with her fingers some, but stopped. She clenched her fists. She looked up at the demon's eye again.
It winked!
Naruto had been watching her! Hinata blushed. She hoped she looked presentable.
Right. Like that mattered now. She twiddled her fingers again, looked up at Kyuubi, and then down at her shoes. She straightened her shoulders and bit her lip, deciding to walk over to the demon's paw. She rubbed it gently and then stepped back, swallowing hard. Just how much control did Naruto have on the monstrous creature?
"Hinata! Come back over here." Naturally her father would object. "Please." There was a sense of urgency in that last word. It had her heart beating louder in her ears. It was nice to know that her father really did care in his way. But, that wouldn't change her mind in any way.
Hesitating, she took a moment to wipe some dried blood off of her face and moved the Leaf forehead protector at her neck to a more comfortable location, before climbing up on the paw. It was so warm. Warm, and softer than she ever would have imagined.
Saying a short prayer, she began climbing. It wasn't easy, but she would not give up. At one point, she slid back down the demon's forearm, landing hard on her back, head resting on the great forefoot. That was embarrassing! Of course, the Hokage had to be watching when she did it. And her father. Not to mention Naruto's master. And her friends. Great. How could it be worse than that?
"Hyuuga Hinata! That is hardly a dignified position!" Her father sounded even more perturbed than before, if that was possible. "Enough. Come here!"
That was how things could get worse. Her father could treat her like a baby in front of her elders and her peers. She shook her head, clearing it of such matters. There was something more important on her mind.
"Naruto-kun…"
She climbed back on again. She could do this. So far, the fox demon hadn't made any threatening sounds or movements, and it hadn't shaken her off like she was a flea or something. Bit by bit, she made her way to the demon's head, almost falling off of the great beast's ruff. She took a brief rest at the withers, amazed at the panoply of sights she could see from that height.
Somehow, even though she was uncertain of the dangers that she faced, Hinata felt safer than she ever had before. It was as if there wasn't a single thing to worry about. For that brief moment, surveying the area from that vantage point, she felt free. Rubbing a swollen area just below her jaw, Hinata looked up at the mountain. She had cursed it … the land around it… the cell beneath it… and the cavern within it. But now, it looked so majestic, so beautiful. It was amazing, the difference that a positive outcome could have on one's senses.
When she stood just above one ear, she saw Naruto's sensei waving both arms. "Hey, how's the view up there?" The great man was actually smiling. That made her smile in return. Her first meeting with the Frog hermit had not been a good one, seeing that he had told her and Naruto that they shouldn't see each other any more. But, his warning proved prophetic.
Looking down again, she saw Temari give her a big thumb's up. Next to her, Kankouro slapped his forehead, but smiled. Gaara grinned. That had Kankouro elbowing his sister and pointing. Kakashi saluted her with his book. Her father was a different story. His look would have made molten lead seem cold. It also had her ducking behind one gigantic ear.
Hinata couldn't explain the impulse that came over her next. Maybe it was the fact that she had always wanted a pet, but her father never thought that a dog or a cat was dignified for the Hyuuga heir. While she was still the heir, that is. Standing there, she began rubbing that ear. As she did so, she leaned over and looked below. Tsunade walked over, directly under one of Kyuubi's eyes. She looked as if she was fighting a smile. She shook her head, either at the sight of a young girl scratching the Kyuubi's ear, or the fact that Naruto and the great beast had somehow changed positions. Hinata grinned sheepishly, but didn't stop at her rubbing.
"We have things to discuss here," the Hokage said. "Not the least of which is determining how to reverse things."
Hinata stopped scratching for a moment. She swallowed hard. Was it possible to change things back again? Just what had happened to Naruto and Nine Tails? Add one more thing to the list of stories she wanted to hear.
"Why don't you go out for a run or something. Stay away from the new troops, as they would get the wrong impression. Come back when the sun begins to set." The Hokage waved her arm.
Hinata let out a little squeak, glad that no one could have heard it. Well, no one except Kyuubi and Naruto. She played with her fingers again. Should she get off? What would happen to her if the demon took off running? Well, she had come this far. There was only one way to find out! She was forced to admit to herself that her bravado didn't come entirely from courage. She had a lot of faith in Naruto. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. Right?
Her father spoke up with loud objections. That had her all the more determined to stay put. So did her friends' reactions. They were nodding, whistling, or calling out words of encouragement. Smiling at their reactions, she was caught off guard when Kyuubi stood up slowly. The enormous demon had stepped perilously close to her father. Huge streamers of slobber just barely missed him. Hinata covered her mouth. She had actually smiled. It was a good thing that her father had put his arms over his face in anticipation. He couldn't possibly have seen her. At least she hoped that he hadn't.
Coming close to losing her balance, Hinata decided to sit down. She would need to grab onto some hairs, hoping that it didn't cause the great fox to throw her off. Maybe if she could tie them around her, or thread them through the eyelets of her coat, that would keep her from falling off. As it turned out, the demon took care of things for her. A number of hairs extended across her lap and legs, forming a secure cocoon, without causing her any discomfort. Soon, she felt snug and warm.
An unexpected shout of glee came from her, the moment that Kyuubi began his run. She wasn't scared! She was exhilarated. The faster the demon ran, the more alive she felt. What a wonderful experience! Once again, she had so much to thank Naruto for.
Mountains gave way to forests. Forests gave way to plains. As the sun sat just right in the azure sky, huge sparkles danced across the ocean looming ahead. Kyuubi ran fast through the surf, the resultant spray plastering Hinata's hair against her head. She didn't care if she were wet or cold. It was all so amazing. Nothing in her dreams had ever compared to this. The oyster divers whose boat capsized weren't in as good a mood as Hinata. Neither were the men tossing nets off of larger craft, or the cormorant fishers watching their birds go frantic.
When Kyuubi cut back towards the plains, Hinata began seeing more and more farms and orchards pass by. Men and women fell off of great ladders. Trees seemed to jump out of the ground, their massive roots still clinging to huge balls of soil. Animals of all sorts went wild, trying to break down long well kept fences. Hinata felt a little guilty, enjoying herself while minor catastrophes littered their wake.
Passing through the forests, Hinata began noticing a number of familiar sites. They were not too far from Konoha now. Soon, the landmarks were too numerous for her liking. If she didn't miss her guess, the demon was heading for her home village! Things had been so much fun up to that point, that she never stopped to think that there might be a real chance that something could go wrong. She beat her fists against Nine Tail's fur, but she had no illusion that her actions would amount to much. It was the best that she could do. She shouted, her voice lost in the wind of their passage.
Hinata clenched her fists and hoped with all her heart that Naruto was completely in control. If he was, this might all be his idea of a practical joke. Hmmmpppfff! Some joke. She would have words for him later, if that were the case. But, if Kyuubi was in control, she might be witness to horrors that she had only heard in family stories.
She saw the great wall of Konoha. Before there was even time for the observation towers to get the word out, or for the huge sirens to warn the populace, the demon jumped over the barrier, landing with a dancer's grace and ease. But, not before growing smaller in size! Hinata almost bit her lip clean through when she felt Kyuubi start to shrink beneath her. For a moment, she was sure she was in a dream. She even pinched herself.
The nine-tailed fox stopped to stare at one of the ramen restaurants for a moment. That had Hinata grumbling. If Naruto was responsible for this, he was probably in even bigger trouble than he was before. She could imagine what the Hokage or Tsunade might say. Closing her eyes, she pictured what kind of response her father would make.
Kyuubi turned and kicked sand all over the building. Maybe Naruto had a grudge with the shop owner. Maybe he wasn't in complete control after all. If there was some struggle for control going on, she should offer Naruto encouragement some way. While Kyuubi stood stationary for a moment, she wiggled out of her enclosure and carefully made her way over to the front of one giant ear.
"Naruto-kun! Show him who's boss."
Hinata had to hold on for dear life, when everything shook violently for a moment. Soon after that, Kyuubi hung its head and things settled down. At least, things were calm on the demon's end. People were flooding the streets. Others were running, tripping, screaming, or crawling, trying to reach cover. Shinobi were jumping from roof top to roof top. The sirens finally came to life.
Feeling silly, Hinata stood tall and waved to everyone, making certain to face in all directions. Some people waved back. Making it a point to smile, she tried to make out the detail on the faces of her fellow villagers. Some looked curious, while many looked shocked, frightened, or enraged. Someone called out her name. She had been recognized. Wonderful. No doubt her father would be getting a fair number of irate visitors.
She fell hard to her rump and grabbed for the nearest hairs when Kyuubi began moving again. It looked like the giant fox had chosen one of the paths that would get them out of the village as soon as possible.
'Naruto-kun must be in complete control now!'
The Nine Tails walked down street at a slow pace looking straight ahead and making no abrupt movements. As they passed by the hospital, Hinata saw Sakura walking out. Her arms were full of scrolls. The pink-haired girl dropped each and everyone when she caught sight of the demon.
Hinata thought of something. "Sakura!" The shouting was hard on her throat, but she wanted to reassure her frightened friend, and had some important information to pass along. "Sasuke-kun surrendered. The Hokage has him in custody. Naruto is OK. He's controlling the Nine Tails." She wasn't certain that Naruto's old teammate even knew that he had gone into danger. The situation that they all had faced probably wasn't common knowledge. Tsunade may not have thought to mention it to her pupil.
Sakura put her hand to her mouth. She leaned hard against the door frame. Then, almost timidly, she waved back.
The sightseeing tour continued. Passing through one of the training areas, they happened upon Rock Lee. When the boy with the bushy eyebrows saw Kyuubi, he took up a fighting stance, as if he were ready to take the fox on single-handedly. That had Hinata giggling.
There was no doubt whatsoever that Naruto was in control. The great fox walked over to one of the training posts and kicked it repeatedly. The carved tree flew out of the ground, just missing Lee. The demon then walked over to the largest tree in the vicinity and began kicking that. It yipped once after the first kick, twice after the second, three times after the third, and so forth and so on. Lee just stood there, mouth open, when they left.
Walking through the adjacent patch of wood, Kyuubi began snuffing at the ground. He walked over to a clearing. Looking down, Hinata saw Ten Ten. She was seated on a bench, leaning over as if she were about to kiss someone. It was Neji!
"Neji!" Hinata waved her arms when her cousin looked up.
Ten Ten fell off the wooden bench, banging her hard against one post. Neji just stared.
He didn't move when a ball bounced off of his head. Hinata was wondering where the ball came from, until Akamaru ran into sight. He was soon followed by Kiba. The dog stood its ground growling. Kiba did too. When they saw Hinata, the two of them rubbed at their eyes. Seeing that, Hinata laughed, then covered her mouth.
Wait! What was going on? The ground was soon fast approaching.
Hinata found herself rolling in the dirt, spitting out leaves and moss. The demon had shrunk down to the size of Akamaru. Walking over to the errant ball, he picked it up in his mouth, and then walked it over to Kiba. The boy held out his hand, mouth open. Nine Tails let the ball go. The ball rolled off when her teammate never made an effort to grasp it.
"Don't ask…" Hinata said when Kiba slowly looked in her direction. "It's a very long story."
When Kyuubi began growing again, Hinata said a quick hello to Neji and Ten Ten, waving off their questions. She needed to get back on board if she didn't want to get stranded here, or have to do a lot of climbing again.
Akamaru was still barking and growling. That stopped when the demon reached the size of a small house. At that point, the dog ran yelping behind his master. When they left that area, Hinata noticed that numerous shinobi were tracking their every move, including members of the ANBU squad. She looked to see if she could make out Kurenai or any of the jounin that she knew. No such luck,
So far, no one had attacked or made any effort to block their path. Looking closely, Hinata could see that some of the more senior ninja carried rather large looking scrolls. She could only begin to imagine what might be on those. Back on the main avenue, Kyuubi walked slowly again, his tongue lolling out. Children came running, pointing at the great beast. None of them had been born back when the monster had visited the village in earnest. This was a great wonder to them. Parents hurried to pull them back.
Not everyone was as calm as the children had been. A fair number of people were running and screaming. Here and there, people fell, or collided with one another. Hinata somehow felt it was her duty to keep things as orderly as possible. She shouted until her throat hurt.
"It's OK. He won't hurt anyone. Uzumaki Naruto is in control." Maybe she shouldn't have said that. At the mention of Naruto's name, some people began shaking their fists or speaking with angry voices. That made Hinata angry, knowing what she did. "Naruto-kun just helped save the entire world, using the power of this beast. You owe them your thanks!" They passed beyond sight of the largest crowds.
At one point, Hinata recognized more of her friends. Shikamaru was wearing his chuunin vest and was directing the actions of a group of genin. Choji was near him, a huge bag of food in his arms. No doubt he had been heading home from the snack emporium when the sirens went off. He was waving to a number of younger ninjas, but refused to put down his bag.
"Shikamaru! Choji!" Hinata shouted again, without thinking.
"Hinata?" Shikamaru looked around at ground level. He looked upwards when Choji pointed. "Hinata?" He took a few steps backward, almost tripping over one of the genin. He stopped and shook his head. "That thing is well beyond bothersome!"
Someone reached out and took hold of Shikamaru's arm. It was Ino. When she saw Kyuubi, she turned as white as a sheet. She smacked Shikamaru hard on the head, as if she expected him to do something about the demon single-handedly. Hinata smiled. She doubted that the Shadow Bind would have much effect on Nine Tails.
"I wonder how much that thing eats?" Choji had opened a bag of chips and was stuffing them into his mouth as fast as he could.
"Shikamaru, I saw Temari during battle. She misses you. I think there is something important that she wants to tell you." Hinata's throat was raw from all her yelling. She had reacted automatically, feeling a bond with Temari after the time they had just spent together. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized her mistake.
Ino's posture was clear evidence of her sudden displeasure. She put her hands on her hips began staring Shikamaru down. Apparently, she had forgotten all about the monster.
Choji opened a bag of pork rinds, and then walked out and offered it to Kyuubi. The fox shook its head, and then yipped. Hinata was speechless. Before she knew it, the demon was moving quickly again. The youma ran faster and faster, and then leaped over the great wall. Hinata saw the reason why. The sun was beginning to set. It was time to head back. It was just as well. She couldn't begin to fathom the amount of fall-out that would follow that quick visit.
The countryside flashed by again. The light from the setting sun painted the land with breathtaking and beautiful colors. Hinata wished that Naruto was sitting by her side at that moment.
"Naruto-kun…."
She ran her hand across Kyuubi's hair. After a relatively short period of time, Mount Monado came into sight again. Great tents had been set up, enough to house the large forces that had come from various principalities. Huge bonfires dotted the mountainside. Moving torchelight pinpointed the location of individual soldiers.
Skirting the encampments, Kyuubi walked over to where Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Hinata's father were sitting and talking. Temari and the others were nowhere to be seen.
"Well, it's about time you got back. I thought you might have gone rotten and headed off to Konoha to get your revenge or something!" Tsuande's comment had Hinata's hands twitching.
"We all thought that you might want to stay in that body, or something. That wouldn't surprise anyone, seeing how funny looking you are in human form." Jiraiya laughed. "We think that we've figured out how to turn you back again. There's a danger involved. It might kill the two of you. Worse, it might split you into the two separate entities."
"I still say it's too big a risk." Her father was in a very sour mood. He didn't even bother looking in his daughter's direction.
"I know. Your thinking that is one of the reasons I'm all for it!" Jiraiya laughed. Her father's look of anger didn't seem to bother the hermit one bit. He probably enjoyed it.
"We should all get some sleep. Each of us is exhausted, and we don't want to make any mistakes." Tsunade left to turn in for the night. She turned back, looking as if she wanted to say something. She didn't. Ignoring some jibe from Jiraiya, she continued on her way.
Hinata slid back down to the ground. Before she went to find out where her sleeping place would be, she walked back in front of Kyuubi and hugged the great nose.
"Good night, Naruto-kun. Sweet dreams."