A/N: Hello, True Believers! For those of you who enjoyed Chapter 15, titled Chain Fic, CH1, Seg 6, you should enjoy this chapter.
That's right folks, I've returned to my second home in Naruto Fanfiction for this chapter!!
Now, for those of you who would like to see the complete first chapter of the "Chain Fic" from Chapter 15, do a search for either Binding Clockwork or The Hivemind, those being the fic title and "Author(s)" repectively.
Me and my cohorts managed to finish Chapter 2, though we had some minor disagreements. Chapter 3, however, exploded in our faces as two of our authors up and quit on us. If you guys like this chapter, I'll talk to Vesvius B, about getting Chapter 2 posted in it's entirety.
Now, because I didn't want to be stuck with doing the finale of every chapter, I suggested staggering the order each rotation, meaning if you were first in Chapter 1, you were last in Chapter 2. As such, I was moved up to position 5.
So here it is, Binding Clockwork, Chapter 2, Segment 5, Enjoy!
Night had fallen on Konoha. There would be a few hours yet before the exodus began.
Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino were walking along the exterior of the Inuzuka compound. Many things on the mind of the two teammates that had known each other since their early childhoods at holiday dinners at each other's familial compounds or at Danzou-otooji's estate.
Kiba sighed, "Are we doing the right thing?"
Shino quirked an eyebrow. For the first time since he could remember, Kiba was thinking things through. Not even his defeat by Uzumaki had done that for him. He remained silent as they continued their stroll.
"I mean... With everything that's happened... The invasion, the mission, Naruto..." Kiba listed off, "Danzou-otooji dying and now this?"
"From our current standpoint, logically... No..." Shino responded after a moment, "We have to trust that those above us know more about the current situation that we do."
"This will crush Hinata..." said Kiba clenching his fist. "And Naruto... He's already lost too much... Can we really abandon them?"
Ever since the Oto/Suna Invasion and, later, the "Sasuke and Sakura Retrieval" Mission, the remnants of the Rookie 9- as well as Team Gai, forming the Konoha 10- had become much closer. They all readily agreed that Naruto was a big part of this change and had a special place in each of their hearts. In the end, "the dead last" had beaten them all, and was suffering for it greatly. However, the bonds formed by Team Shikamaru were the strongest of them all. Shikamaru, Chouji, Neji, Rock Lee, and Kiba had formed a tenuous friendship that had been put to the test in defense of the final member of the ill-fated mission.
"Blood runs thicker than water, Kiba, you know this..." Shino reminded him, "Personal feelings aside, we must do what those above us would task to us."
"It just doesn't seem right..." Kiba replied. "I can't help but feel that this is all gonna blow up in our faces somehow..."
Shino paused in mid-step. Kiba looked at him questioningly.
"You've changed." said Shino, "If my Kikaichu hadn't already confirmed who you were, I would have thought you an imposter."
"After THAT mission..." Kiba looked down in sadness. He needn't say more.
It was Shino's turn to clench his fist. A soft buzzing sound was the only external sign of his annoyance. Because he had been outside the village with his father, to re-train the colonies lost in his fight with the puppet user, Kankuro, he had not been there for "The Mission". He had not been there when their comrades lie dying. He had not been there when his best friend had been seriously hurt. He had not been there when he had been needed most. Though logically he knew there was no fault in this that belonged to himself or his clan, the pangs of guilt ate away at him anyways. Emotions, to quote another comrade, were just 'Troublesome'.
"They're hiding things from us..." Shino said after a moment of silence.
"Wha-Who?" asked Kiba perplexed.
"My father, your mother and our clansmen," said Shino, "Of everyone in either of our clans, you are the only one I feel I can fully trust. Danzou-otooji's suicide seemed suspicious with the timing of when your sister began setting about her task of destroying the necessary records, and our clan's decision to leave. Father thinks I've been introvertive and withdrawn with everything that has happened. In truth, I have been investigating."
"Why?" Kiba held an expression of confusion on his feral features.
"Because even though clan loyalty comes first and foremost... Blind loyalty is an even greater folly," said Shino, "Otooji wasn't the man we thought him to be... However, he did love Konoha. I think he'd be disappointed in our clan's decisions to leave Konoha. I haven't been able to find much, though. People both within our clan and outside of it have been quiet about the whole thing. It's hard to tell who you can trust."
"So what are we going to do?" asked Kiba, it was obvious Shino had thought everything out well before hand. That's how it had always been. Shino was the brains... The cool, levelheaded, logical one. Kiba had been the brawn... The headstrong, hotheaded, emotional one. It's what made them an excellent team. It was Hinata, however, that really kept their dynamic in tune. Kiba and Shino's styles and views often contrasted with on another, and Hinata's innate kindness and hatred of conflict had forced her to play mediator on several occasions.
Shino may have been the brains and Kiba, the brawn of Team 8, but Hinata was truly their heart. It pained them both to abandon the girl they had both come to cherish as a little sister.
"I have an idea..." Shino said cryptically.
Naruto lay asleep in his hospital bed as a shadowy figure entered the room.
His visitor stared at him for a moment before sighing.
"Things are so messed up right now..." the shadow said, "None of us really know what's going on anymore... All the stuff with our parents and you... Danzou-Otooji dying and Shika getting arrested. That's just the beginning..."
The figure paced around the room silently for a minute. "I can't really say any more, even if you can't hear me, but you'll find out soon enough. I just came by to ask you a favor..." The shadow sighed again, "I know we wrote it down in the scroll, but I'll feel better if I asked you anyway... Look after Hinata-chan for us, all right? You're the only one that I know me and Shino can count on..."
The shadow then approached the bed, pulling out a scroll.
"See you around, Naruto... Sorry we couldn't do more for you..." he placed the scroll in Naruto's hand and then left.
"Hyuuga-san..." said a mysterious figure.
"Aburame-san..." greeted the Hyuuga evenly, "Why have you requested you meet with me?"
The Aburame withdrew two scrolls and tossed them to the Hyuuga's feet. "Matters of great important to the village."
"Why not go to your teammates or sensei?" asked Hyuuga, "Why me?"
"Kiba is involved and Kurenai-sensei is on a mission. You are the only one among the Hyuuga and the 'Konoha 10' capable and trustworthy enough to do these things for us," answered Aburame, "Though I disliked your tactics, the things you said that day about Hinata had some basis in truth. However, since that day, you've changed and your companionship with both of my teammates have made you approachable."
"I see..."
"Those two scrolls... One is for the Hokage, the other... For Hinata. It is important that both get those scrolls. However, ensure Hinata does not open hers until late tomorrow evening."
The Hyuuga quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"
"She worries enough about us as it is... And the events that have already been set in motion will only make her worry more. She does not need the added stress just yet," said the Aburame.
"What is the nature of this information?" asked the Hyuuga.
"Nothing I can divulge while exposed like this," said the Aburame, "It's enough to maintain my loyalty to the village, but not enough to betray my family. That is all I am willing to say on the matter."
"Very well, I will do as you ask," said the Hyuuga.
"I am most grateful..." said the Aburame, "Look after Hinata."
He slipped into the shadows as the Hyuuga nodded. A few moments later, the Hyuuga would set about the task entrusted to him by one of his peers.
A/N: In closing, this is most likely my final update for the approximately the next thirty days, though I will try to do so sooner. No promises. I'll try for one more before I leave for Warrior Training, but with my schedule today... Well, it probablly won't happen.
See you guys in a month and let me know what you thought of this exerpt.
Good? Bad? Ugly?