2
-Consequences-
Konoha – Uzumaki Clan District
The pillared architecture of a few humble buildings marks a sect of Konoha claimed by the Uzumaki, namely Uzumaki Kushina and her Kage husband, Namikaze Minato. The main house was deepest beyond the swirl crested gate, partially hidden behind some old maples and a lilac tree standing as a renewal of the clan that had all but vanished, still carried in spirit by the influential couple and the spiral patches on military uniforms. It was here the two raised a son, ordering the construction of a second building upon his domination of the chunin exams.
Closer to the northern perimeter sat the heir's subsequent home, a similarly styled wooden edifice of soft whites and rustic reds separated some ways from the original. It too was fastened with plentiful flora, with its own storage shed and a large open area mangled and scarred from years of training.
The sun was just making its way above the horizon, creeping with warm radiance toward a window of the younger assembly. Morning birds peeped busily outside the dimly lit room before they were interrupted by a harsh artificial buzzing. The alarm clock was eventually slapped, creating a vacuum of silence before the atmosphere dissolved to its previous tranquility.
Groaning, Naruto let his arm dangle off the side of the bed as he turned his face from the depths of his pillow. The natural morning melody lulled him in and out of consciousness, though it did little to ease the throbbing in his head. He finally attempted to stretch, choking on a yawn as the effort racked his skull with pain.
The hangover brought with it intense disorientation, though all the discomfort coursing through him must have been significantly dulled by his jinchuuriki healing factor. Still, the leftover agony was unwelcome.
What… the hell… Using a knuckle to rub the tears, he stretched cautiously. Naruto's faculties came to order in slow succession, bringing him the vaguest sense of a presence all but on top of him. For a moment he questioned whether or not he was truly awake.
Finally there was certain movement as a hand slid over the small of his back. The touch exploded through his chest with rippling adrenaline, though he remained still, uncertainty staying his already dulled reflexes.
This unknown guest curled gently, pushing closer to Naruto. They were so warm. Too warm, burning against his skin as they slid a leg up against his.
"Uhh…" He turned over with tentative confusion. What met him was a messy spray of pink that accompanied the flowery scent filling his nostrils. Two emeralds blinked open in a greyish daze, recoiling.
He rolled off the bed as the woman exclaimed in shock and hastily clutched a pillow to herself, though she still wore frilled undergarments. "Naruto! What are you doing here? Wait, where am I? Oh! My head…"
"Sakura?!" Naruto rose in a tangle of covers, utterly stunned. He noticed the shoes still on his feet, painstakingly untying the laces as he tried to make sense of the situation, "What are you doing here?"
"You're asking me?" Sakura huffed uncertainly, something between a giggle and a scoff as she settled on eyeing her equally baffled host. Upon closer inspection she understood, "Oh. This is your bed, and…"
"Yeah, I don't know, I…" Embarrassment welled up inside him. "Last night was the… party…"
"Oh, it was… What does that mean?"
"I… I don't really know." Dark circles were noticeable under her eyes and there was a subtle cringe she kept at bay behind them. The air of intoxication radiated from her as she rubbed her temples, heavy lidded and sweaty.
Naruto searched his memories, beginning with some vague feeling of pride and relief. His speech that launched the celebration. The acoustic coliseum, the many well-dressed guests. Kakashi had worn a bowtie he remembered. In fact, all of their sensei wore a formal accent of old-fashioned suits and gowns. So too did the staff providing hospitality. He never truly appreciated the extent to which Konoha had gone to ornament the celebration. Fancy wasn't his style, but he found himself enjoying the final product.
The concentration delt pain, and only the most useless aspects of early evening seemed to surface. How nervous he was to give the opening speech, the gut tickles that Hinata provoked as he arrived at her doorstep. Further concentration only yielded faded sounds and colors. Detailed memory seemed hidden, trapped beneath a wall of nauseating distortion.
Suddenly his blood ran cold as the deathly realization sunk its teeth, "Hinata is going to kill me."
Sakura blinked dazedly, still woozy but provoked by the notion. She spoke in a dreamy way, but the words she murmured at him felt impossible to comprehend. There must have been a miscommunication, did she not realize the danger this placed them in? He stammered for clarity.
"I said Hinata doesn't need to know… right?" she giggled evilly with that shaded look in her eye, sinking flat onto the mattress with an outstretched hand looking to tangle itself in his golden hair. He recoiled.
"Nope. No. No, no, no," Kicking his polished shoes off, Naruto scrambled to his feet still in his dress pants. A growing focus began to overwhelm him now as he snatched dark clothes from wooden drawers. A blue long sleeve, black pants. He shook his head nervously and grabbed two black sandals, stuffing everything under his arm. "No way. Last night was supposed to be the date. My date – with Hinata. This couldn't have happened. Something's wrong, I gotta get…"
Another thought surfaced in a pang of random memory, "Oh."
Sakura tilted her head inquisitively as he stopped and turned, dropping the items in a heap. Ignoring the way she was staring, he moved to a utilities closet and retrieved a white cloth before sheathing his exposed midsection in the wrappings scribed with the language of fuinjutsu formulas.
"Where ya goin'?" she asked, eyeing a flustered Naruto as he pushed his head through a mesh shirt. "Why don't you just stay here, with me? We can figure it out together."
He shook his head, refusing to look at the belligerent kunoichi, "I owe someone a visit. This was not supposed to happen, but at least I already know who's responsible."
Hanging from the rack was a weathered coat that he grabbed promptly, throwing his arms into the familiarly symbolic article. The trench coat was emblazoned with fire at the bottom and the Uzumaki swirl on the breast, all in Konoha scarlet against pitch black leather. The inspired child of his father's white cloak, it was Naruto's identifying garment. With the same crimson on the interior, he left the front open for access to his specialized belt.
Selecting his pants and sandals from the small pile, Naruto made to leave, opting to change elsewhere.
When Sakura tried to question him further he spun around with mounting annoyance, "We can talk about this some other time! For now, just…" There was a pause, he struggled. "You can stay until you feel better, but… You should probably go home."
The Uzumaki turned from her awkwardly, clenching his jaw as he searched for a proper departure. He couldn't find one, "Also, don't tell anyone about this. Please."
Disappearing in the blink of an eye, he left Sakura alone in the quiet bedroom.
·:·:·:·:·.·:·:·:·:·
This is a good spot.
From this vantage point, much of Konoha's critical routes were laid out. The Hokage tower was in view right below, and he could observe some of the noble clans like the Hyuga, Sarutobi and Uchiha. The general area of the Uzumaki was also discernable if one was familiar.
"Babe?" That voice was so small and smooth earlier. She stretched like a cat, arcing the length of her body. It was the nicest part about this morning, being around her adjacent yet uplifting attitude. "Ugh, you feel it, too?"
Kakashi grunted once and received a consoling pat.
He remembered specifically how his body ached in a way it ought not to. Something odd had also fogged his mind, "It seems we had something more than alcohol last night."
She cracked a concerned eye at him. There was disbelief in the brownish orchid orb, "Like what? I thought drugs were supposed to be fun."
"Maybe they would be if taken intentionally," Kakashi replied, rolling over. "Let's see what the damage is."
Rising to his feet, she watched him tremble and drop to a knee. He leaned over with some effort, pulling a small metal box from her nightstand. Crushing one of the white pills between his teeth, Kakashi stood slowly as the special mix of drugs and herbs quickly entered his system. He settled with his back against the mattress beside the snake user.
Anko raised her eyebrows and he shrugged, grinning through a wince, "Could be worse. The medical pills should be enough to help us recover."
He turned as Anko slid to the end of the bed to eat one as well. She chewed the bitter sphere lazily, waving her feet back and forth, "Eh, we'll live, just wish I could feel my toes. Pfft, and we only stuck to three drinks, for what? Why even be responsible?"
Kakashi's smile reached his tired dark eyes when she giggled. He shook his head attempting to resist the pain of laughter, "Hm, well it's possible we had more than that."
A heavy sigh left his chest, and she kept busy with his spiky, silver hair. Anko looked like she might fall back asleep with the way her heavy lids stayed shut. In the end he knew she was listening.
"I think we might be a couple unfortunate victims, Anko. I have a certain young ninja in mind. And knowing Naruto, this certain young ninja is going to need protection. Especially after, well, whatever this turns out to be."
He wiped his face, frustrated. Though the way she curled toward him softly made him feel better, "Idiot. Sabotaging their party… I better make sure this doesn't get out of hand. Konohamaru is probably fearing for his life. Maybe he's hiding and our jinchuuriki will have time to cool off before we settle this mess."
"Wait, you really think it was Konohamaru?" She smirked with disbelief, "No way that kid pulled this off. Sneaking something into all of our drinks without us knowing?"
"It could be," he said warily, raising his palms in response, "it could not. There isn't enough information yet."
Anko squinted in her skeptical way, a face she often wore when she challenged a thought. He adored it. "C'mon. You really believe that? Konohamaru versus, let's see, two, six… everyone?"
"You're right, it is difficult to believe but I can't say it's impossible. Although it would be harder for me to believe that someone other than the 'Honorable Grandson' thought it would be fun to prank one of Konoha's greatest military celebrations. Guess we're gonna find out, huh?"
Anko blinked, leaning on her hand as the pain gradually numbed and the medicine replenished her body with vital nutrients. She let her head fall to one side sleepily, "Well how exactly do you plan to do that, genius?"
"I'm going to find somewhere to wait, for a start, and I'm going to watch for a very angry jinchuuriki."
She flattened and stuck her tongue at him as he rose to get ready. Once dressed in his sweats and flak jacket, Kakashi donned his black mask before dashing from the shaded house.
From atop Tobirama's stony visage he kept his watch. It felt almost as if the giant busts of past Hokage watched along with him, their faces all cold and wise along the cliff-side. A quartet of rocky guardians forever charged with the Leaf's protection.
A very good spot.
The legendary jonin shadowed his eyes with a hand, focused on the hotspring's neighboring blocks due to the slight shifts he had noticed. Another blackish swath of movement confirmed his suspicion, forcing him into action.
Energizing his body with chakra, Kakashi burst forth with a shunshin, soaring over the rooftops to silently shadow the prodigal Uzumaki. He landed deftly, but before there was a chance to move on Naruto, the blonde in question appeared over him crouched atop a large turbine, squinting against the morning sun.
"Yo, sensei." Clearly on edge, he left no room for a reply, "I know why you're here so don't try to stop me. He needs to be taught a lesson, ya know."
Kakashi felt the heavy intent and remained placid. The boy inherited a hot temper from his mother that was only exacerbated by the monster sealed within him. Every so often it was better to interact with caution.
"He ruined it, Kakashi. All of our hard work! It was supposed to be a special night for everyone, do you realize how long we've been trying to get this fucking thing together? And it's been ruined. All because of that little shit!"
"I understand."
It was true, he was more than pissed off himself. It looked like Konohamaru couldn't even spare them this one night. The kid would get his, but until then the peace needed to be kept. Kakashi sighed behind his mask, leaning to one side as the agitated clone dropped down to stand face-to-face.
"Do you have proof that we can capitalize on?"
Anger flashed, but the youth merely offered a gesture of frustration. His sensei nodded, "Your feelings are valid Naruto, it definitely appears a certain person has tarnished the big night, but we don't know for sure who it was yet. Let's investigate it together. If it is Konohamaru, we can make sure he's punished properly. I promise."
"I know it was him," Naruto growled. "I caught him spying on me yesterday. I only let it go because there was so much going on, I had to focus! But now I realize that letting him off was a mistake. He didn't deserve the benefit of the doubt. Do you really think it's just a coincidence?"
"It may be a lead, but I don't think it's applicable when speaking of hard evidence." He stood with calm authority as those ocean blues burned at him. Naruto's anger needed to be snuffed under the heel of reason, and he felt confident he could succeed. After all, their relationship spanned most of the boy's life.
"I understand you're angry, but you know we need to follow the proper procedures. The Leaf adores you, but that won't stop the Military Police from taking you in for… well, a number of reasons considering your rank; on top of the fact that you are responsible for the Nine Tails."
His internal conflict was great, but at last the duplicate relented, hiding no frustration in his speech, "Fine, whatever, we'll do it your way. What's your plan exactly, where do we start?"
Kakashi gasped as the shadow clone dispelled in a wash of smoke.
Shit! The original must have found Konohamaru, this clone was just one of a potentially enormous search party. If he's serious I need to hurry!
Kakashi arrived atop the wall dividing Konoha's natural hot springs. The spring was empty, save for Konohamaru who bathed lazily in the rolling water, yet to notice their sudden appearance.
Soaking in the bubbling spring with obnoxious comfort, the smug Sarutobi beamed while bubbles roiled over his ears. Standing on the wet rock directly behind the teen was Konoha's jinchuuriki, frayed by a savage anger. Naruto spoke low, pronouncing the accusation with venom, "Ko-no-ha-ma-ru!"
He could almost see the bath freeze over as a chill visibly petrified the teenager. Konohamaru's head jerked up to witness a fist halt right above him.
A clap of power echoed over the spa as Kakashi strained against the force in his student's attack, breathing an internal sigh of relief as he managed to catch his wrist.
"Naruto! Calm down, think about what I told your clone. You're going to get yourself in trouble!"
A furious scowl met his eyes before the blonde swiftly escaped his senior's grasp, reappearing at his back in the same instance. "I don't care, Kakashi. Don't get in the way."
He grappled his pupil in a flash, though they shared an obvious restraint born of respect. Perfect. I can distract him, maybe get him to cool off before just the sight of Konohamaru makes him go berserk!
"I cannot allow you to be so reckless. I understand your anger, but if you attack him you'll only make things worse."
Reason seemed to find its way through Naruto's fog of rage, and some of it subsided visibly. The chunin howled, grabbing the nearest towel as he climbed out butt naked. The sight of him reignited his wrath instead. Kakashi cursed as his student's raw movement speed got the better of him and they raced through the streets of Konoha.
Atop the red shingled rooftops Kakashi located a spray of clones that zigged and zagged in search of the terrified Sarutobi. He bounded at breakneck speed, blocking the real one's path, "Think about what you're doing!"
The look on his face hardened but he spoke calmly, "I know what I'm doing."
Shivering behind the sign of a flower shop, the drenched prankster looked to the white haired jonin for salvation, "Help! He's going to kill me Kakashi-sensei!"
Placing himself between the young men, the experienced shinobi prepared for Naruto's teleportation jutsu.
"Just stay behind me, Konohamaru." He shot a killing glare back, adding, "And don't think I'm saving you. I'm only here to stop him from attracting the police…!"
"Kakashi!" the foxboy barked, nearly feral. He stood a few meters from them, displaying an animalistic crouch that signaled a forward assault, though a series of smoke blasts revealed several new copies that mirrored his infuriated state. "You can't stop me!"
"I will if I have to."
The masked jonin hopped, bringing his legs up as one of those clones attempted to seize him from underground. Kicking it in the face, he rebounded and produced shadow clones of his own, making for the enraged Uzumaki who slipped past and would've had his target if Kakashi had failed to predict the jagged double feint.
Naruto's movements normally devolved into straightforward displays of brute strength when the influence of the Kyuubi seeped out, replacing his strategy with power. Traces of this effect were beginning to show, but the experience of being his teacher proved highly beneficial.
While the superiors slashed at each other, Konohamaru made a shameless escape. Forcing a groan of mounting exasperation out of his rival, the chunin managed to duck out of sight with several clones in pursuit as sparks flew from the jonins' kunai. Though Kakashi was leagues beyond the whiskered ninja in experience, his student's pure skill provided immense difficulty.
Untouchably agile on his own, Naruto's constant use of the flying raijin made him impossible to catch. Coupled with his nigh peerless chakra pool, the limit to his use of the technique was left to the imagination as he often teleported between clones, special shuriken, and even some of his teammates whom he has previously marked.
"Stop Naruto!" Kakashi snapped, missing the Uzumaki by centimeters as they raced with alarming speed over and around a myriad of local obstacles. "Get ahold of yourself!"
A dark crimson started to bleed into Naruto's eyes as the pupils pinched into slits. The frayed aura was beginning to consume him, and he snarled in return, "We're going to handle this my way!"
"The Military Police will arrestyou, idiot! It doesn't matter if you're the Hokage's son! What do you plan to do, fight them all?"
The prodigy seemed to revel at the prospect of a greater challenge, "Let them come. It doesn't matter, as long as I teach Konohamaru not to fuck with me ever again."
The wrath in his fiendish gaze was building fast, "And I will teach him, Kakashi!"
It was a struggle when Naruto inherited the demon fox from his mother some years ago. Despite his father's genius sealing techniques, the process proved to be extremely taxing on the family. This transition challenged them as a unit and as individuals while they prepared for the necessary task of passing the burden of the bijuu from mother to son.
With so much at risk, Minato was apprehensive in the beginning; initially denying his son's argument for the sake of parenthood. But Naruto was insistent and the end of Kushina's second extended pregnancy drew closer and closer. The threat had to be answered either way, he knew that, but to place such a terrible responsibility on the back of his son…
It wasn't long before Minato surrendered to the truth. As a jinchuuriki, it was beyond dangerous for Kushina to have a child, and if they wanted more then the danger only increased exponentially. Each birth risked the safety of everyone in the village. The first one could be regarded as a miracle, a blessing that they got through unscathed, and if they were to ever have a third child they would once again put Konoha's citizens in jeopardy. The bijuu had to be bestowed upon the new generation, whether he liked it or not.
Wasting little time, Minato got to work pouring tirelessly over old scrolls, studying every last parcel for new or hidden information. He dug into any and all archives that their researchers had scavenged from the long extinct Uzumaki clan. It was an arduous, meticulous labor inventing a sealing jutsu that would be strong enough to not only keep the beast contained during its full transfer but also kill neither the previous nor future host in the process.
Once again, Minato delivered peerless intellect and skill unto the world when the inspired design of the Fuin Tenso manifested. With the first use of this technique, he drained the Nine Tails from his wife and funneled it into his fifteen-year-old son when the time came to have baby Ayama.
Of course this would not have been possible if not for the strength of both Kushina and Naruto. The training required to endure such an event was relentless, thorough, and unforgiving. Though their son had just been promoted to jonin, help was needed to ensure stability and balance in his development along the path of the jinchuuriki.
Jiraiya, often lost on reconnaissance for the Leaf, returned home to join Minato and Kakashi in Naruto's growth as the Kyuubi's handler. Since then he has done well managing such a powerful force, but not without some clear liabilities and the help of his prolific teammates. Already prone to his emotions, the hateful creature inside him only exacerbated the matriarchal temper in Naruto. This was something the young heir still sought to overcome with the support of his team and guidance of his superiors. Hatred was not so easily vanquished.
It hit him suddenly. If Naruto didn't fear the law, then maybe it wasn't the shallow threat of a vague entity that would dissuade him. Perhaps a deeper and more precise cut was in order.
Flushed with relief at this revelation, a chuckle escaped him. Kakashi relaxed with a sigh, telling Naruto that it was fine, "You can keep chasing Konohamaru. I will find Hinata."
The masked instructor put a hand in his pocket and departed, leaving the man confounded as he procured a romance novel from one of his pockets.
Fear struck Naruto in the chest and he blanched at the idea, grinding to a halt. "No! Don't say anything to Hinata, she cannot find out!"
Kakashi turned back toward him, "Then leave Konohamaru and come with me."
"I… but… he has to pay! He did something to us at the party – I even warned him not to do anything stupid! The little shit poisoned us, Kakashi. He needs to pay, and I need to be the one to make it happen."
Kakashi shrugged, continuing his departure. He threw a lazy hand in the air, "I'd prefer for this to just blow over, but if you're so insistent, then I'll have no choice…" He snapped his fingers as if the thought now struck him, "Let's meet in the middle. If you can persuade Hinata to agree with whatever you want to do to Konohamaru, I will back off."
Naruto's eyes were empty, fixated on some manner of potential consequence. His throat was dry, and he rasped just above a whisper, "She's gonna kill me…"
Kakashi sighed inwardly, thankful he avoided anything catastrophic. It had been a long time since that bubbling red chakra was unleashed, but when it was… well, there are scars that tell those stories. "What happened last night, it was really that bad, huh? Don't worry, we'll def–"
"Something didn't just happen, Kakashi…" the distraught soldier murmured. His eyes were locked onto something invisible. "I woke up and… Sakura. In bed. In my bed."
The revelation was an icy splash, soaking him in the reality of Naruto's dilemma. Oh no, he really is gonna kill Konohamaru… I'm surprised the Honorable Grandson is still breathing.
Kakashi met Naruto's worried gaze with confidence. "Agreed then, best not aggravate her with that information. Otherwise, you won't be the one I need to stop."
They shared a laugh more nervous than anything. Naruto looked up in resignation as Kakashi laid a hand on his shoulder, breathing a sigh of relief. It was times like these that fulfilled him as a sensei.
"Konohamaru will be punished. I'll make sure of it personally. But until then I need you to stay calm. Can you do that for now? Just until we can figure out the details of this whole situation?"
Naruto nodded, raising a hand sign to dispel the rogue clones. He turned toward the white-haired shinobi as guilt swathed over him. "Uh, Kakashi…"
He thought he saw a touch of malice cross that whiskered face before the blonde sighed with what appeared to be satisfaction. It quickly surrendered and Naruto continued uneasily, "I think I'm in trouble."
·:·:·:·:·.·:·:·:·:·
It was Sunday, the morning after Konoha's celebration of its jonin graduates, a time that might prompt one to think that an offer of reprieve would be in order. Maybe a small delay in the harsh duties of the village's defender or a gift of time for tranquil recovery. One would be wrong when dealing with the head of the Hyuga clan.
She stifled an angry growl as the footsteps approached, knowing what it meant. Her body ached. Sore, like her body had been forced through a keyhole. The door to her privacy slid open, and there stood her father. Hiashi's stoic complexion allowed for the taint of a scowl at her unconsciously distraught posture, "Get up. Did you forget that you agreed to assist with Hanabi's training?"
"I remember." Hinata posted on her forearm, arching herself to resist a venomous glare. She moved to a sitting position, heavy messy locks falling over her face as she resolved to stare at the far corner. Her throat was dry, and the words creaked out in a manner almost polite, "Must her training be done now? I'm sure she is equally–"
"Your sister is ready and waiting in the yard." His tone was even with clear disapproval as he moved his nose away. "I can smell the liquor on you… Get up. Fix yourself. We will await your participation."
Left with generous quiet, the heiress collapsed to her back as softly as she could, for her body hurt too much to go through the motion in a controlled manner.
Hinata huffed, staring at the dark ceiling with a grimace that hadn't left since she awoke, Ugh… What happened to me last night? I feel awful.
Exhaustedly, she made a trembling path to the bathroom where cupboards yielded the medicine she sought. Taking a dose, the kunoichi stepped into her shower and squeaked when the cold water shocked her system. Before long she adapted to the temperature and washed, feeling her body wake up as she dried herself and readied for training. She realized that she could not recall much of the previous night.
My head is so fuzzy, what happened last night? Maybe the boys can help me remember.
The hall was quiet as she slid her door closed, making her way toward the field where her sister and father waited. She sighed to steady herself as she ambled around a corner, focusing through the discomfort and willing negative thoughts away. Hiashi would hound her for being unfocused if she appeared distracted, tired, or uninterested.
Sunshine spilled into the hallway as the manicured yard came into view.
Hanabi was currently a chunin, but the talented girl yearned to climb the ranks. No one in her grade wanted it more it seemed, for she graduated the academy at the top of her class. The aspiring teenager was also friends with Uchiha Yume, a member of Team 3. She was promoted to jonin earlier in the year at the age of eighteen, talked about with reverence by her clan. Her association with the higher-ranking shinobi only pulled Hanabi's desire higher.
"I'm sorry," Hanabi whispered.
Hinata flashed her dojutsu, sighing silently as she regarded her younger sister with a shake of her head. Their father had not heard. To him, complaints on the field were impermissible and she didn't want to deal with anything more than she already had to.
Hinata shushed her patiently. Stifled, Hanabi nodded in a regretful way. Meeting her eyes when they lifted again, Hinata mouthed the words, 'It's okay' and 'Thank you.'
After a moment, Hiashi removed his long black garment and stepped out with a short greeting. He beckoned his eldest and she found her place across from him. They prepared to demonstrate whatever clan jutsu he had in mind or that which has been previously discussed. Sometimes the training involved weaponry or pure taijutsu, but most notably and most common were techniques of the Gentle Fist.
"Today we will go over the proper form of hidiohari, but also how to counter such a technique to further familiarize yourself with its power and delicacy." Hiashi closed his eyes briefly, opening them with a seamless exhale. "Despite its lethality and precise nature, it is merely the last steppingstone for the more elegant, final form of the jutsu… kanpekina sekkai."
Hanabi nodded, showing signs of excitement, "Gentle Fist: Perfect Incision… I'll definitely master it by the end of the year. It could help me cut through the jonin exam!"
Their father's hard eyes challenged her, "To do that in two months when Vicious Needle has yet to be perfected will be some feat, Hanabi."
She nodded coolly, accepting his point with practiced obedience. Finally, Hinata and Hiashi struck into their respective stances. "First, we will demonstrate hidiohari and its counter at combat speed."
The clan patriarch lunged in a single motion, quick as a snake with the tips of his fingers. Hinata moved like a waterfall, fluidly pushing the deadly fingertips away from her with crashing strength.
The aftershock blew Hanabi's hair back. Where their father's hand was misdirected sat a gaping, corkscrewing hole about one meter deep in the earth and rock. However, Hinata's counter also resulted in her repositioning. She had spun against the motion of his snapping arm, allowing herself to rotate in conjunction with his approach to slip behind him. A testament to her dexterity, she would have been able to kill him in that moment.
Hiashi exhaled, turning to his firstborn, "Excellent work Hinata."
She stifled a blush, wondering if he sounded surprised or not. She settled with a respectful nod, "Thank you, father."
"Good," the man continued, finding that Hanabi had observed the technique with her byakugan activated. "What did you see?"
"Your chakra flared and much of it was focused up through your forearm. Then your chakra surged from the tenketsu on your fingertips. There was also a twist of your wrist at the time of the release."
Hanabi seemed proud to analyze what she had seen. Hinata realized then just how old the little girl she grew up with had become. Like a true shinobi, she kept the sentiment to herself.
"Those tenketsu… Does your chakra not damage them coming out so fast? It looks like it would burn."
"Ah, now that is why I doubt you will successfully master both hidiohari and kanpekina sekkai by the end of this year," he commented, though not unkindly. Humor touched his features, "Perhaps the end of next year. Or maybe the year after that?"
Hinata felt it was safe to add, "When you train for high level ninjutsu it often takes multiple forms of mastery. You must have sufficient understanding of the mechanics of the jutsu, while also being able to physically perform it. You need to uphold the balance of stamina, chakra control, speed, and so on."
"So what's the difference then? Between these techniques? If one is perfect and one is not, why even stop at the jutsu that's lesser?"
Hiashi nodded approvingly, "You use a brush for your teeth, but do you use a broom? The techniques are both suited for a singular action, but they are still different, still specialized.
"However, one kills better than the other. As shinobi, that is the end goal in most cases and thus, kanpekina sekkai is the superior jutsu. It is an assassination technique, after all, meant to be quick and precise, and to leave nothing but a corpse past your fingertips."
Hanabi appeared to sober, giving another calm nod. It was easy to forget the necessity of killing during peacetime. Not often did the Leaf give assassination directives, especially to those outside of jonin rank or the specialized black operations of the ANBU.
After the intricacies of Vicious Needle were explored, Hanabi got to the physical portion of training. Repeatedly going through the motions against her sister to master the form and build speed. Their father watched quietly, giving insight and corrections when applicable.
Her focus was to master the control and precision of her movements while she tried to jab a target on her sister's ribs; a location that allowed hidiohari to effectively disrupt the bundle of tenketsu in a target's core. This would render them virtually unable to summon any useful amounts of chakra while simultaneously controlling a measure of internal damage.
It was not until the girls were gasping for air that a great earthy rumble reverberated through the area.
Hinata spun to a stop as the distant concussion caught their attention. She looked to Hanabi who straightened herself and wiped the dripping sweat from her face. The girl's eyes asked a question since her words had no room between shaky breaths.
Hinata grappled with her breath, turning with haste. "That… sounded familiar."
"Hinata no– Wait!"
She ignored her father as her body lunged forward, dashing from the compound and through the local neighborhoods. The sound was unique, as if tightly wound chakra suddenly burst in a twisted obliteration.
Skipping over fences and between yards, her chakra lit up as waves of it flooded to her telescopic eyes. Peering through solid objects with her dojutsu, she quickly located the source of commotion, "N-Naruto…? Konohamaru?"
Hinata bounded, gracefully weaving her way as she elevated to the rooftops. She was coming in hot, noting a boulder-sized crater that was carved in the ground as she rapidly approached the dirt intersection. Tracking the cluster of clones through houses and fences, relief hit her as she realized she would get there with enough time to defend Konohamaru.
Landing in a jarring halt of speed, Hinata spun toward the first Naruto's incoming trajectory. Her angry, veined eyes sent a shock through the clone as she anticipated his maneuver. Though it never came, her predictive grasp caught his wrist and she spun with his momentum, yanking him close. Partly owing this capture to his shocked state, her other palm smacked him hard in the center of the chest.
The clone rocketed toward a stone wall, nimbly landing on his feet to squat with a diffusion of kinetic energy. He flipped forward off the wall and reluctantly met his teammate's gaze as she rushed him.
"H-Hinata…!" The group of duplicated ninja all paused with stunned curiosity.
"What's going on, Naruto?" He flinched, stammering before she shouted over her shoulder, "Konohamaru! I can see you. I know you can hear. Get over here."
Her fierce white stare tracked the Sarutobi heir as he unwillingly joined the greatest threat to his life, clutching a wet towel to cover himself.
The clones suddenly burst into smoke. The Hyuga huffed, ignoring the background ache that pulsed with every beat of her heart, though it was much better since she had taken the medicine. The real Uzumaki quickly joined them with Kakashi in tow.
Hinata made note, returning her attention to the source of past frustration, "Konohamaru, what is this? What did you do this time?"
"M-Me?! How do you know I did anything?!"
"Naruto wouldn't be this angry for no reason. I saw the damage from his rasengan, too." A scowl tangled her features when he hesitated. "Look, I don't feel good after last night and I've been stuck training all morning with my father, so one of you needs to start talking right now."
The quarreling young men traded frightened, accusatory glances at one another. At once, both ninja began a testimony of innocence. Konohamaru exclaimed that he was blameless, swearing he was only minding his business when Naruto came to kill him.
Naruto retaliated, and something he said stuck out. Hinata made him clarify.
"I was saying that Konohamaru is the reason you don't feel good. He was the reason I was late to lunch yesterday. I knew he was up to something – I know he's the one who poisoned us last night. I guess I got carried away, but…"
She only nodded. "Is that so?"
Much of the color left Konohamaru's face.
Hinata stared at the ground and her hands eventually found themselves curled to her chest, "Konohamaru, you… is this true? Did you interfere with our celebration last night? Is that why I can't seem to remember anything? And this damn hangover…"
Sheet white, all the eyes around Konohamaru asked the trillion yen question. Hinata's revealed the hurts this caused, and the boy threw a single hand defensively, "Yo guys, c'mon eheh. You really think I could've got all of you? There's no way I could do whatever it is that ruined your night. You think I could get past all of you higher ups?
It was now that the masked teacher seemed to realize how bad the situation was as an aura of wrath radiated from the Hyuga. Her hands fell to her sides, balling into fists. Kakashi seemed to sweat – what if they both decided to end the boy?
Before anyone realized, the chunin's back was pressed against a wooden fence as Hinata approached him.
"I am going to give you one last chance to tell me the whole truth before I use that jutsu on you. The one Hanabi's been talking about." Konohamaru gulped heavily. She was so close to him she could have killed him with the poke of a finger.
However, he appeared to come to his senses as the words poured from him in a font of blubbering confession, "Yes. It was me- yes. I did it, I only wanted to prove that I'm strong too! I'm being left behind yo, even your sister seems to be ahead of me on every level! I just wanted to prove that I could pull off the greatest prank of all time on the strongest shinobi of all time…"
At some point his face began to leak, "I didn't mean to hurt anyone! I just thought that, well, Naruto's my biggest rival! And if I could succeed with this jutsu I'd be one step closer to being on your guys' level. I thought that –"
Hinata interrupted, "What jutsu?"
"Well, I… It's complicated."
He flinched as her voice whipped him, "Uncomplicate it!"
Konohamaru bumbled, elaborating on the inhibition genjutsu he concocted. So miniscule, the technique influenced its victims from within, stripping inhibitions in the process. Apparently the already drunken state of his victims allowed his foreign chakra to go mostly unnoticed, though the others may yet to expose differing accounts.
It turned out that the subtle illusion was distributed by touch, and Konohamaru used transformation to pose as a member of the hospitality staff. Somehow gaining access, his plan managed to work for the most part. At least on those currently chastising him.
Hinata looked to Kakashi for his opinion. He rubbed the back of his head guiltily, "I'm sorry Hinata, I don't know what to say. I guess I should have let Naruto kill him."
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry, look, I wanted to prank you guys, but I never wanted to ruin your night or anything. I thought it would be fun if everyone loosened up a bit. Especially certain people…"
Hinata turned toward the Uzumaki now, realizing that he too was somewhat pale. "Naruto?"
"I told you, Kakashi. Do I still get to kill him?" Hinata opened her mouth before three ninja in dark, lightly armored uniforms appeared. The Military Police.
The dark brunette in the center spoke first, "What's going on here? Several reports have been made in concordance with the use of ninjutsu and some sort of chase? Not to mention the damage we can see from here. Can someone explain?"
"It's my fault, sir."
All heads turned in Naruto's direction. Konohamaru was noticeably aghast.
"I'm responsible for the damage, it was my rasengan. I am prepared to pay for all reparations."
The Uchiha's brow furrowed, and the two shinobi winging him exchanged a similar look. "You? I have to say I wasn't expecting it to… Well then. Is there anything else we need to know, Kakashi?"
Hinata looked between the men as the officer produced a small notepad. Kakashi replied, "Seems to me a prank may have gotten out of control, otherwise you're looking at the worst of it. I can drop by later to give more of an explanation."
Naruto chuckled, ignoring the darting eyes of guilt Konohamaru fixed him with. "I got a little carried away officer, eheh… Do you need me to go in?"
"Oh, no! No Mr. Uzumaki, thank you for clarifying. I'm certain the word of an ex-ANBU and the Hokage's son will be enough for the department for now." The captain straightened his hat with a charming sheepishness, "If both of you have resolved whatever conflict was had here, then all we'll need is a statement at your convenience, Mr. Uzumaki. We look forward to you too, Kakashi. Other than that, just make sure this doesn't happen again."
"Of course, officer. There won't be a next time." The three policemen seemed to appreciate that. Naruto shot a warning glance at his would-be victim.
"Well, thank you for your time. You all have a good day." The captain turned, pausing on Konohamaru for a moment, "And you, put some clothes on."
As quickly as the Military Police arrived they were gone, leaving the small group alone at the intersection.
Kakashi chuckled, "I did not expect that to be so easy."
Naruto had turned his back to the three of them, apparently in thought. Hinata approached her troubled partner, "Hey, are you alright?"
"Huh? Oh, I guess. So long as Konohamaru cooperates." Konohamaru gulped. "I hope you have lots of missions lined up, you're gonna need the cash, ya know. Congratulations! You are now the primary beneficiary for the newly annual jonin ball. I hear next year is going to be even bigger."
The young ninja looked around uneasily, shivering with his back to the fence as he nodded. Naruto turned his back, "Let's go."
His companions hesitated, following shortly behind. Hinata realized she would need to return home soon, but she was still worried. "Where are you going now? What about Konohamaru?"
"I'll settle things at the Station." Naruto replied stiffly, sparing a glance. He pressed on as they collectively abandoned the scene. "If I stay here any longer I'll end up as the primary beneficiary for Konohamaru's medical bills."
"I guess I should be getting back home, too," Hinata added. "My father isn't going to be happy about me leaving in the middle of Hanabi's training."
The Uzumaki offered a small, shaky laugh. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."
Kakashi sighed, looking up from a romance novel in his hand, "Hiashi will be alright, I'll go with you to make sure of it. As for you, Naruto, there's still work to be done about that temper."
He nodded, "You're right, Kakashi-sensei."
Their teacher blinked, "To be honest, I'm proud of you. You managed to listen to me twice during your outburst. If it wasn't for those clones of yours we might have avoided the police altogether."
Naruto shrugged, "I figured they would show up. My clones may have seemed wild, but they missed on purpose."
At that note, Kakashi shared a hidden grin with his young colleagues.
As they separated, Hinata wished Naruto luck at the station, planning to reunite with him and Sasuke as soon as possible. Maybe the Uchiha could shed light on some details from the previous evening, and maybe Naruto could tell her what the hell was making him so nervous.
Happy Halloween! Thank you for reading.
-Kyzer-