More than the eyes see
-Morning after the ambush-
-Hiroaki is in transit-
Location: Outpost, 20 Km from Konoha
Anko woke up feeling the soreness and hurt from battle. She carefully pulled herself up and looked around the tent. She saw the bodies of Kenta and Soka on small mattresses similar to hers. She looked around in confusion before she began to remember the events that had transpired.
She remembered the battle, the blood, the screams from her sensei. She remembered running to help the injured Kenta and Soka. She remembered Hiro getting attacked before he could run to their aide. She remembered being subdued before she could even get a swipe at the Jonin. "Hiro! Where is he!" she practically screamed at the top of her lungs. Looking around the tent trying to see if their was any sign of him.
Only spotting the others, she forced herself up and tried to leave the tent. Before she could take a step forward an older man walked in supporting himself with a cane as he stepped through the tents flaps. "Calm down child. Everything is alright." He continued in and pointed at the bed telling her to get back in bed. "You're lucky to be alive. Shinobi from other villages wouldn't have bothered tying you up." He walked around the tent inspecting the other two injured in their beds.
"Please, do you know if Hiro is okay?" desperation oozing from her voice. Anko looked at the man with tears beginning to form.
The man stared at her for a few seconds before he answered. "That is not for you to know. You and the boy there will be heading back to Konoha this afternoon." He began walking out before he stopped at the entrance. Pulling out a paper from his jacket, he placed it on a small table. "This is your debrief of what happened. I suggest you learn it before you get back to the village." The man then hobbled out of the tent.
Anko stared at the entrance lost. "How are you feeling Anko-San?" Asked a tired sounding Soka.
"Soka-sensei...I'm fine. You?" She replied without bothering to look at the Chunin.
"I've had worse injuries." Soka pulled himself up stretching. "I'm sure Hiro-san is pulling through. The gaki is tough as-"
"He's only 6!" Anko screeched. "How could he be alright!?" She said with tears running down her face. "You're a Chunin in your 20s and you're barely alive!" She slammed her fist down on the table next to her bed.
Soka turned away from her and layed back down.
Afternoon
Location: Hyūga compound.
"Hiashi-sama, a messenger hawk has arrived for you from Hokage-sama." the branch memeber said as he walked into Hiashi's office. He went and layed down the message on the desk and promptly walked out.
Hiashi stopped looking over the papers on his desk and read the note. Rage lit itself in Hiashi. Anger spewed out as he broke his desk in an outburst. "Get me Hizash and the councili NOW! Tell him to meet me in the confrence room!" Hiashi stormed out of his office.
5 minutes later
"What's wrong Hiashi-kun?" Hizashi asked.
Hiashi looked at his brother with sad eyes and handed him the note.
Hizashi looked at him with concern and took the note and began to read.
To the Parents/ Legal Guardians of Hiroaki Hyūga,
Hiroaki has been reported as M.I.A/K.I.A in a Transport Mission. Hokage will be starting a meeting at 1500 hours. Your presence was requested.
Hiazashi crunched the paper and threw onto the rest of the council walked in and took their seats around the table.
"Why have you called this meeting Hiashi?" An elder Hyuuga spoke.
"Hiro-kun has been captured." Hiashi gritted through his teeth.
Murmurs began to spread through the room. There were several shouts that Hiroaki should have been branded from the very beginning. Others shouted that he should have been taken out since he was born.
"Enough! IT is done. HE is MY NEPHEW." Hiashi stood up over the table and smashed his fist into the table. "WE need to get him back before something happens to him.
The council murmured more among each other. Whispers heared suggested that maybe it was a blessing that Hiroaki was taken. He wouldn't be a burden on the Hyuga Clan anymore.
The Hyuga elders arose from the table. " Leave this be Hiashi. Hiroaki has been a drain on the resources of the Hyuga. We will no longer support any endeavors for the poor boy. If he survives a Hyūga no longer will he be." The elders continue their verdict.
"Searching for his father who you have refused to tell us his name, has cost us more than enough. We cannot afford to send any Hyuga after him now." The elders began walking and stopped infront of Hizashi and handed him legal documents.
"You could support Hiroaki when he was a child. You have a family now. A young son. You can't afford to support the boy and your family." The elders left leaving a furious Hiashi and a saddend Hizashi.
The brothers stood their quietly and waited for the rest of the elders to walk out.
What did they hand you Hizashi? Hiashi said as he sat down with a grim look on his face.
"Papers that relinquish Hiroaki from the Hyuga clan. It looks like its already been filed. They must have been informed by someone of Hiro-kuns capture." Hizashi looked at the papers in his hands with rising anger. "We can't let them do this Hiashi. Your the Clan Head for Kami's sake."
Responding in anger, Hiashi slammed his hands down on the table. "Don't you think I know that! I have other responsibilities too! If i try and help Hiro-kun, I can be putting you or my wife or this entire clan in jeopardy." Hiashi stood up and turned back to Hizashi. " Gather his things and set them in sealing scrolls."
"Where are you going?"
"If I can't help him through the clan anymore, I'm going to see that does not jeopardize his Shinobi growth." Hiashi said as he walked down the door.
-War Council-
The Hyūga brothers made their way inside the tower and bursted through the council chamber.
ANBU instantly surrounded the brothers before they could advanced any further into the chambers.
"Ah, Hiashi-san. We were waiting for you. ANBU stand down." The Sandaime Hokage commanded. The three ANBU disappeared back into the floor.
"I'm sorry you had to find out about your son this way." Homura said.
Hiashi looked at homura with anger. "He's my nephew. What kind of council is this if you can't even get that right"
"That's enough, Hiashi. Sit down. We have matters to discuss." The Hokage ordered.
Hiashi took his seat and looked at the people in front of him. Danzō Shimura, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane and Hiruzen Sarutobi. "What happened."
"His class and sensei were following a usual shipment to an outpost where they were separated from their Jōnin and Genin escort. On their way back to the village, they were ambushed by a band of criminals. Hiroaki was reported to have battled multiple enemy before being subdued by a missing-nin." Danzō read aloud from the paper in his hands.
"Normally, we wouldn't send out anyone to look for him, since we are at war and can't spare the men. The Hokage said. " But intelligence has gathered that Hiro is being sold to Iwa ninja."
"We cannot afford for that Kekkai Genkai to fall into enemy hands. We have begun preparations for an extraction. It will be ready to leave by tomorrow."
Hiashi was seething. How could the village fail him. How could the village more importantly fail Hiroaki, who he loved as a son. "Who is being sent on this mission?"
"Only the very best for your precious Clan." Orochimaru rose from the floor and have a wide smirk.
"Orochimaru is the only shinobi in Konoha capable of doing a mission deep in enemy lines." Hiruzen spoke to the room.
"Why would you agree to go Orochimaru?" Hiashi said.
"Kukukuku, no faith in me, Hiashi-kun? I'm hurt that you would even need to ask." Orochimaru have another sickly grin. "Hiro-kun is too valuable to the village. We need to retrieve him. At all cost." Orochimaru licked his lips and smiled.
"Hizashi-San, we will return your son." Koharu spoke to the quiet Hyūga.
Hizashi turned and looked at her. "He is my nephew as well. He is Haru-Chan's son."
Danzō took this opportunity to speak up. "If we may inquire. Who is the boy's father?"
Hiashi and Hizashi looked at each other for a moment. They set their gaze upon a clearly interested room. "It is a Clan secret." Hiashi responded.
"Secret? I take it then, that the boy's father is not another Hyuga, correct?" Danzo responded in the second of silence that had followed.
Hiashi stared at the council. Pulling out the pack of papers fromhis robes, he handed them to the Hokage.
The hokage read the papers in silence and and looked up at the Hyuga Head. " Are you sure? You know how this will look to the rest of the Shinobi families right?"
"The council does not care. They have always undermined efforts to help Hiroaki. All I can hope for is that the council does not push to have him branded. Also, if I could ask something of you Hokage-sama?"
"Ask." the Hokage replied with a stern voice.
"If you could hand this scroll to him if he does arrive back." Hiashi handed the Hokage a massive sealing scroll. "It will only open to his chakra." Hiashi walked out of the room.
The hokage handed his advisors the papers and let them read what he was handed.
"He will be destined to a destitue life without any proper help, Hiruzen. We need to take action." Koharu said.
"She's right, Hiruzen. He has a Kekkai Genkai. He should not be left out on the street. Let me take him in to Root. There we can give him the care and attention a genius of his caliber needs." Danzō replied.
"No. He shouldn't be put into ANBU. He had a home before. He still has family." Hiruzen replied.
Danzō looked at Orochimaru and made a small gesture that only he could see. "Orochimaru has been looking for an apprentice, correct?" Hiruzen nodded in Orochimaru's stead.
"Why not have Orochimaru take responsibility for the boy? By all accounts of the Academy, he is a Genius among the very gifted of Konoha students. With proper training and nurturing we can guide him to become as talented as Sakumo's son." Homura suggested.
"We still need to retrieve, Hiroaki-San. The decision to take him as an apprentice would be up to you, should you retrieve him." Hiruzen said aloud.
Orochimaru looked at Danzo, and saw the nod. "Kukukuku, I'll have to give Hiro-kun a test before I decide to take him."
The meeting continued for a few more minutes going over details of the rescue mission. As everyone began to leave only Danzo and Orochimaru stayed behind. Pulling out a small scroll he handed it to Orochimaru.
"He was captured apart of Roots Spy Ring. They should have been transported to Their interrogation outpost. Our informant has not reported in months. Only bring the boy back if it's necessary.
A/N: Apologies to everyone who has been waiting for an update! I have been incredibly busy with finals and moving out of my dorm. I have been writing this chapter since the second chapter. Through multiple rewrites I decided I liked this version the best. I will try to update by Wednesday. I have written half of the next chapter! Next update will refocus on Hiro's battle. As boring as this chapter felt to me, It was necessary to setup the plot points and circumstances for the next phase of this story which will cover the end of the war and the beginning of the next Hokage ascending into power. I had mentioned early on that I wanted to finish this story close to 20kish words of content. After reviewing my Sagas I had planned, I've decided to continue writing at least to where the show originally began. With how much timeline I'm covering per update I think this story will be pushing 100k words. With my break from school starting I should be able to update at least once a week.
Question: Should I write more per each update? I have been seeing that I usually can fit in 1-2k words per update but I can push them out much faster. Or should I write more per update like my first chapter but that would mean I'd update it maybe once every month?
