Chapter 3
Tsunade was silently escorted to the metal door in the underground base of ANBU Ops. Two tall brunette males followed her steps closely, dismissing fellow agents on their way.
Once they reached their destination, two ANBU closed the metal door and one of them, with short hair, performed sealing prior to a complicated sequence of Chakra-cumulating hand signs.
Hokage sat at the simple wooden desk at the centre of the room without windows. Both ANBU kneeled before their leader.
Tsunade with a heavy heart took out the single scroll she had sealed on her body. The order had the insignia of the Hyuuga clan. Reluctantly, Hokage opened the scroll and read its contents. She had curses on the tip of her tongue. What a ridiculous and disgraceful order…
Her amber eyes landed on both kneeling shinobi, her most trusted ones.
"Is it safe?", she asked as she did every single time.
"Of course, Hokage-sama.", was the usual reply.
"Remove your masks then, Hawk, Blackbird." Tsunade ordered.
Shinobi stood up and revealed their identities. In the full black uniforms stood Sasuke Uchiha and Neji Hyuuga.
The three regarded themselves for a few moments and then Uchiha sighed.
"Will you tell us what this is?" he focused his gaze on the scroll.
"I cannot."
"Why not, Tsunade-sama? I can clearly see the seal of the Hyuuga council. It concerns Hinata-sama, doesn't it?" said Neji, crossing his arms. She felt black cold eyes piercing her through, putting pressure of sorts on her. She would not succumb to it.
She sighed heavily and closed the scroll resealing it once again.
What should she do?
Hinata's behaviour on the day before on the meeting with Kages was most interesting and intriguing. She seemed to prepare for the battle against her clan's council on her own.
Later on the same day, the Head of the Nara clan paid Tsunade a visit. Shikaku looked like he aged a couple of years since Tsunade had seen him last time...
"Hokage-sama, thank you for agreeing to such a late audience," Shikaku secured the Hokage's office after closing the door.
"I can't very well ignore the request for an urgent meeting of the most prominent strategist in our village. What is it Shikaku?"
"I found it strange and disturbing when the first thing in the morning I found Hiashi Hyuuga at my doorstep."
"I heard of it.", she admitted.
"You did? Was it the Hyuuga-hime who told you?" he asked, already answering to himself. All she had to do was to nod, "I see. That explains several things then."
"What did he want?"
"Hyuuga-dono came with a request for counselling. He was collected, as always, however, I found it strange for him to arrive without escort and without a notice. Once we sat, he gave me this." Shikaku gave their Hokage a piece of paper. A note was clearly written in haste but elegantly. It said:
'Contact Hokage through Nara. I agreed to the order, but what our council wishes is Shimura Danzo's ambition and must be prevented at all costs. Be cautious. Every step is watched. Allies?'
Tsunade looked at Shikaku with a frown.
"I had many questions before I finished reading it as well," he said, "Then, Hyuuga-dono started explaining. This was a note from the Hyuuga-hime. He said that she believes the Hyuuga council works inside the clan against its interest, as well as against the village. He then confessed that he had forbidden his clansmen from the Branch House to say a word about the war, Hinata-sama's connection to its end as well as the Resurrection Act. He admitted that his council became very cunning and very dangerous and he does not know what their goal is. He cannot show that he is against them in order to keep his family safe and to make sure they will not remove him as the Head."
"They plan to coup the ruler of their clan?" Tsunade was pissed.
"He is not sure. He said that he does not trust his council with anything at this point. It looks like the Hyuuga clan became dangerous, Hokage-sama."
"Not the clan, Shikaku. The council.", corrected Tsunade and looked at Hinata's note once again, "Shimura Danzo's ambition. How does she know about him?" murmured the blond,
"What Sasuke Uchiha confessed during one of his trial seatings was that it was upon Danzo's influence that Itachi Uchiha was appointed as the double agent for the village and for the Uchiha clan. And because the Uchiha clan was ostracized at the time, by, what an irony, the Konoha council, they grew restless and plotted the coup. Itachi Uchiha was the tool to wipe out the Uchiha clan and the threat of their rebellion. Sasuke saw to it to make the man posthumously cleared of all the charges, and Danzo's crimes were brought to light. That damn rat collected Sharingans like trophies. Hinata wasn't there on this seating… Does that mean that the Hyuuga council wants to collect Sharingans as well? Or do they want to overrule the village? Do they even know of Hinata and Sasuke's upcoming investiture for Hokage post?"
"I do not know, Hokage-sama. Forgive me. But, there is more."
"More?"
"Yes. And I think it will prove to be helpful to ask her how she managed to do that."
"I don't understand."
"After the festival, when Shikamaru came back home late after midnight, he gave me another piece of parchment. He rubbed his forehead, murmured about something being troublesome, but was very serious. It said only 'the sacred Nara forest'. When I asked him to explain all he said was Tenshi.
"Tenshi… Angel… Hinata."
"That's right, Hokage-sama."
"Hinata wants access to the sacred Nara forest… but why? What is this girl planning?"
"We do not dwell on another clan's problems, but when the outsider of our clan requests such a bold favor, we cannot ignore them. Besides, it was Angel of Konoha, the woman who next Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha made the war end and resurrected my sorry ass. If she needs an entry to the forest, we will not object, but it cannot be made hastily and without caution. More importantly, as Hokage, you can be granted the entrance as well. The Hyuuga council may be devious and untrustworthy, but even they must respect the sacred grounds. They are not gods."
"Which means, I can meet with Hinata without causing any distress and suspicions," she marveled and then her features hardened as she gave an order: "Arrange it, Shikaku. I will have Neji deliver your message to Hinata."
"I would suggest something else, Hokage-sama. Hyuuga-hime mentions to watch every step. We cannot dismiss the possibility all of us are spied on. I will have Inoichi to help me with this."
"You think the Yamanaka can be trusted with this?"
"Of course, Tsunade-sama. Please remember that his sorry ass was also resurrected. Besides, the Hyuuga-hime seems to be desperate for allies."
"Be careful when you approach her, Shikaku. I don't know what happened, but Hinata is very suspicious. Everyone throws themselves to help her, Kages included, but she rejects all the help, politely and adamantly."
"I see. Thank you for sharing this. We need to keep in mind that she wasn't here to witness our cooperation. It is highly probable, she still thinks all the people keep to themselves and that clan matter is for the clan to solve only."
"This is exactly what she seems to think," agreed Tsunade, reminding herself of the conversation with Hinata earlier that day.
"I also think that she feels pressured and overwhelmed," added Nara leader wisely.
"Even if she does not show it?"
"Tsunade-sama, the Hyuugas are known for their reserved nature."
"But Hinata never hid what she thought and felt. She was always so easy to read."
"Perhaps. Until then she didn't have several secrets to keep hidden, though," the man and the woman exchanged a look of significance.
"Right, for example, how she managed to release herself from Infinite Tsukuyomi when all other people in the world, safe for Naruto and Sasuke, were trapped into it," said Tsunade.
"Or how she was able to release others, when the cocoons of the Tree were sucking out any Chakra they encountered," added Shikaku.
"That too, and also, what happened to her during those four years she was training with White Divine Tigers," suggested Tsunade.
"Not to mention, how she knew of the scheming of the Hyuuga clan as well as what she plans to do with all this circus," said Nara.
"Ah, yes. The Hyuuga council wants her to be the Head, not knowing about her becoming a Hokage with Sasuke within three months. The world is curious about the Angel of Konoha, adding a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders and a lot of strain on our border guards, not to mention that she is carrying Naruto's legacy and is oblivious to the ticking bomb in the flesh of the last Uchiha."
"Where lies the limit of her sanity?" mused Shikaku, leaving this and many other issues without neither resolve nor answer.""
Tsunade had severe difficulties in sleeping that night.
Soon, after taking care of most priorities on that day, she directed her steps to the ANBU base she was at that moment.
Shortly before leaving, the Hyuuga messenger gave her the scroll of S-class confidency, which she just read in the secure presence of her ANBU captains.
It was the order from the Hyuuga council to make the list of medics, trustworthy and skilled enough to perform the very delicate in nature and in confidence examination of Hinata Hyuuga's virtue and reproduction capacities. The council made sure to inform Hokage of the suspense of the Heiress in her duties and to vouch for relieving her from all shinobi responsibilities due to impending courting procedures.
Tsunade felt her guts boil in anger and twist in nervousness at the same time.
What in fucking hell was going there?
How was she to tell Neji, who was Hinata's coming-from-dead guardian that his dear cousin was to be treated as the brooding mare?
How was she to tell Sasuke that the only person that connected them all to Naruto was neglected by her own clan and was most probably to be used as a pawn in their political games or to be removed from the clan, in the wedlock or in the coffin, whichever came first?
Now Tsunade had her eyes opened.
It was obvious for everyone who had more or less experience with the political games of the Hyuuga, that the council never wanted Hinata to be the Head, but was trying to use her absence as means to remove her completely from the clan. Preferably, as she could read in the scroll, by marrying her off to some clan and branding her, or by disowning her and branding her. In all cases branding meant death.
Hiashi was to be damned for not revealing to his fucking clan that if Hinata was to be hurt, the God will make the apocalipse on this earth. That was Naruto's and God's promise.
But why? Why would the Hyuuga council remove her? What did they know? What did they fear?
Tsunade was truly at loss. She felt her hair grow grey from all this stress. She was too old for this.
"Hokage-sama," Neji said, looking at the Hokage from close. The blond blinked quickly and regained her composure.
What was she to say to them?
When the twenty-one-year old Hyuuga straightened up, all of them witnessed him wince visibly.
"What is it Neji?" asked Tsunade, seeing him touch his ribs.
"The council and Hiashi-sama made me, Hanabi-sama, and two other clansmen spar Hinata-sama to assess her new abilities. It's nothing, Hokage-sama," he explained and dismissed the pain.
Instantly, Tsunade was on her feet and ordered him to roll up his gear.
Even Sasuke, who was silent until then, hissed when he saw the giant dark bruise on Neji's left side.
"Quite large this nothing," murmured Tsunade and lit her hand with green, healing Chakra.
The sound of the heavy air intake made her look at the long-haired Hyuuga.
He was shocked.
"She didn't touch me…" he said in disbelief.
"She must have struck you very hard to inflict such a bruise." noted Sasuke coming closer. He activated his Sharingan for a short while, but saw nothing out of ordinary, "How does she fight?" he asked.
Neji hissed again, when Tsunade started working on the next section, but thought a bit before answering.
"Hinata-sama is very collected and focused when fighting. She is also very flexible and seems to know when the hit will be placed so she mostly does a lot of dodging. Her Junken is lightly applied, but the strength focused in those hits is tremendous. I am sure she was very careful during all the spars inside the compound, not displaying her full capabilities and missing most targets on us. She is very beautiful and seems kind, but there is something in her stance that makes you wary of her. She makes a deadly combination.
"Hn," was all he said.
Sasuke looked at Tsunade carefully.
He knew she would not reveal anything for the time being. She would need to spill the beans when he becomes the fucking Hokage, but he cannot wait that long.
He knew then that he needed to pay a visit soon to a certain Hyuuga, who seemed to have more secrets than hair on this pretty head of hers.