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Konoha
Ten-ten had been enjoying her sleep when she heard knocking at her apartment door. At first she chose to dismiss it and enjoy the bliss of sleep. However when a sound triggered her once asleep senses, she sat up almost immediately. Someone was in her apartment. She let her hand snake it's way under her bed quickly and took a black taser she swiped from Hinata's stash of weapons. As she was about to get out of bed, Ten-ten heard the door knob twist and quickly buried herself within the sheets of her bed. Ten-ten listened as the door creaked open and footsteps enter her room. Alright you idiot, Ten-ten thought, I hope you've said your final prayers.
Feeling a warm hand on her, Ten-ten took that as her cue to taser the invader through the sheets.
"Ha!" Ten-ten shouted, throwing the cream sheets on the intruder and tasering him again for good measure. The intruder yelped in surprise, and when taken down, was shaking through the sheets.
"Now let's see, what do we have here," Ten-ten said, pulling the sheets in a dramatic manner. Her face paled, seeing a familiar blond, still shaking from the electric shocks in his body. Getting off Naruto, Ten-ten threw away the taser and started soothing Naruto.
"Naruto, I'm so sorry," Ten-ten apologized, "Please tell me you're okay?"
After a while, the shakes subsided and Ten-ten lead Naruto to her bed. Once his head hit the pillow, Naruto was out like a light. Ten-ten left him to rest, took a quick shower and dressed into a white tank top and faded jean dungarees. She returned to her room to find Naruto still knocked out and sighed. Ten-ten sat at the edge of the bed and shook Naruto gently, urging him to wake up. Hearing an annoyed groan from Naruto, she watched as the blonde's eyes fluttered open, taking in the view around him. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Are you okay?" Ten-ten asked.
"I feel as though I was struck by lightening," Naruto replied, stretching his muscles.
"That's probably because I tasered you. Sorry about that. Which reminds me, how did you get into my apartment?"
Scratching the back of his neck, Naruto laughed nervously, "I might have used the spare key you gave me"
"I never gave you any key"
"Um, remember that night Sasuke, you and I got..."
"You know what," Ten-ten cut in, "forget it, I don't even want to know. What are you doing here anyway?"
Naruto got out of the bed and exited the room, Ten-ten close behind. He went into the living-room and took a white envelope from the couch and handed it to Ten-ten.
"What's this?" Ten-ten asked, opening the envelope and pulling out a yellow manila folder.
"The reports you wanted," Naruto responded smugly, watching Ten-ten peruse through the documents. Shock was evident on her face, which turned into a puzzled stare.
"Naruto, how did you get these?"
"Well, today at breakfast we were talking about the wedding and my dad talked about how Jiraiya was going to miss it. We talked about it for a while until mom asked if my dad had any news on his health. As turns out my dad recently got a detailed medical report on Jiraiya's health since hearly once funded some sort of project on comatose patients. I just took the reports, made copies and voila"
Ten-ten stopped reading, asking what he was talking about.
"My dad said that our company invested in a research project on comatose patients. After a while, the project disbanded, save for a few doctors that remain doing their own research"
Ten-ten nodded and handed him her silver laptop which had been on the wooden table saying,
"You research on the project your dad was involved while I study these reports"
Naruto whined in protest, but obliged. Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Ten-ten and Naruto eyed each other, the silent question as to who should answer the door. Naruto won out, saying he couldn't be seen or else his fan-girls might find and torture him.
"Since when were you worried about fan-girls?" a puzzled Ten-ten asked.
"Since Sasuke's former fan-girls started targeting me"
Sighing in defeat, Ten-ten put the reports down and went to answer the door. Safe to say, she was surprised at what she found and once again joined Naruto, with a large doggie bag in hand. Ten-ten gave him a disapproving look, to which he replied
"What?"
Ten-ten eyes shifted from Naruto to the laptop -which was currently displaying an 'All You Can Eat Ramen' web page- and turned back to him with an accusing glare.
"Come on Ten, I was hungry"
"Weren't you the one going on about 'fan-girls after me' and what not"
"That's why I bought it in your name. See, no big deal"
"Huh. I'm having half of this and you're not going to do anything about it"
Naruto pouted, but complied in the end. After the 'All You Can Eat Ramen' breakfast, they settled back to their research.
"Hey Ten-ten," Naruto murmured, "apparently, Tsunade was a part of the leading doctors alongside Dr. Orochimaru in the research project. However, since they couldn't do much for the comatose patients, the project was discontinued.
Minutes into the silence, Ten-ten gasped hands to her mouth.
"What is it Ten-ten?"
"That's it, she put Jiraiya in an induced coma. That's what the injections are for. Induced comas are not temporary, that's why she's been secretly visiting him. We have to go"
Ten-ten ran to her room to grab her black pumps and Naruto's white sneakers. Returning to the sitting-room, she tossed Naruto's shoes in his direction and quickly pulled on her own.
"Wait," Naruto called out, "why are we rushing? Where are we going?"
"Professor Orochimaru is currently in the Sound village. But his assistant, Mr. Yakushi -who happens to be my supervisor- is here. He might know a thing about waking up a comatose patient"
Ten-ten threw a black beanie on Naruto's head, grabbed her purse and pulled Naruto in the direction of the door.
"Wait, why can't we get an ordinary doctor to wake him up?" Naruto asked. Ten-ten stopped and gave Naruto a worried look.
"She's administered a developed drug on him. We need someone who might have an insight on this matter. Plus, Mr Yakushi is planning on leaving Konoha this evening. We have to find him. Quickly"
Naruto nodded in agreement and followed Ten-ten out.
Izumi and Shisui
"I have to hand it to him, the guy is smart," Izumi muttered to Shisui. The duo had left their car at an inn and were strolling in the town. They caught up with the second driver and managed to get the details of Hinata's whereabouts. So to speak, both were surprised at their destination. The town of Onsen.
"I really loathe ghost towns," Izumi complained, flipping her brown her dramatically. Shisui shook his head and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. They decided to ditch their clothing that would identify them as part of the royal clan to avoid attention. Izumi wore a sleevless light brown qi pao styled top with dark skinny jeans while Shisui wore grey jeans and a plain grey t-shirt.
"Don't be disrespectful. This was where his journey ended. Show some remorse," Shisui chided. Izumi waved Shisui off and rubbed her arms. The town of course was nothing like a ghost town, but Izumi couldn't help the involuntary shiver she felt.
"According to the driver, we should be looking for a compound," Izumi said, "I don't see why you wanted to take a stroll into town"
"Just. Its weird how no noble family didn't take responsibility of this town"
"Probably because the ghosts would chase them out"
"Izumi!"
Izumi ignored Shisui and instead turn to see a group of people huddled around an old man's unadon stall. She caught the man saying,
"I tell you, it must be a sign"
"No one has seen Hyuuga eyes for over a decade," a plump grey-haired woman countered. The other shoppers agreed, with another woman saying
"Besides, have you seen the girl?"
The man shook his head.
"There, you saw a ghost," the woman concluded.
"What ghost?" Shisui asked, joining the conversation. The old-man spoke up
"She was no ghost. All flesh and blood. The other day I saw a girl with pearl white eyes. Hyuga eyes. It must be a sign that the Hyuga are returning"
The women started grumbling and claimed the man a 'blind fool'. They went about their business and left the old-man looking defeated.
"Say," Shisui began, "can you describe this girl?"
The old shop keeper gave a hopeful look and nodded. Shisui and Izumi listened as he gave his description, which pretty much described Hinata. They thanked him and walked in silence to a restaurant. Seated in a booth, they ordered drinks and waited for the waitress.
"She's here," Izumi said.
"Right, now we just have to find this compound. What's the plan?"
"Well, if she is a servant, then we'd have to buy her and release her from servitude. Have you heard anything from the manor?"
"Just that we should be home in time for the ball"
The drinks were delivered to their table and Izumi told the waitress to give them menus. She noticed a dark haired women guide a young man to the booth across from them. She took in his long brown hair and eyes, his aristocratic facial features, down to the black designer suit her wore. She didn't notice Shisui call for her attention until he snapped his fingers in her face.
"What!?" Izumi scowled.
"Focus. We have no time for your silly charades," Shisui scolded.
"But he is so fine," Izumi said, he voice laced with sass.
"No Izumi. We have to help out Sasuke here"
"When we find Hinata at whatever this compund is, you're going on your own with her to Konoha. I have business with destiny"
"No way. Hinata, you and me are ALL going. No man left behind"
Izumi was ready to protest when a deep rich voice said, "Excuse me"
The Uchihas turned to see the young man from the next booth addressing them.
"Yes," Izumi replied shyly. Shisui resisted the urge to face-palm himself and instead pinched the bridge of his nose.
"We couldn't help but over your conversation. How do you know Hinata?" the aristocrat asked.