AAh I love the reviews! You guys left some good ones. I have a couple characters I'm now planning to add, as well as some great criticism that should help me out. Your rewards…. A Quick Update:P It's my reward too. I really have a blast writing this. On we go!
Warning: Naruto will not be super sweet to Hinata. Come to think of it, he's downright mean!
Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Destined To Be
Chapter 3: Abandon Ship!
The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and the day was warm. A perfect breeze blew from the west propelling the Konoha ship toward their destination. The majority of the crew was lazing about taking in the final part of their journey. Even the young princess stood at the stern, contemplating her future. Many described the heiress to be beautiful. She was not tall and her body had finally emerged to that of a woman's. Fair skin outlined by short, soft lavender hair, and the eyes many men fawned over. She was to be the wife of Uchiha Sasuke, the leader of the most powerful kingdom. Yet, she was not happy.
Princess Hinata had met the stoic young man only once when she was 12. Every member of her small clan praised the final Uchiha, and the women gushed over him. She had to admit he was handsome, but he held no warmth within. She had always dreamed of an unknown knight arriving to steal her away into unknown lands. The object of her dreams had always taken the shape of the same boy who had come to her rescue so long ago. Her father had crushed such dreams, insisting she marry a powerful leader. To return the Hyuuga clan to its role as the most prestigious, that was her duty.
Her entire life she had been pampered. Fighting was not in her nature. Her father had attempted to mold her into a prized fighter the Hyuugas were known for, but she showed little aptitude, and the focus was quickly turned to her younger sister. So she was raised by the wives of the great warriors. They taught her to be proper, how to act in formal events and to please the man she was appointed to. Now the Uchiha was that man. No… she was not happy.
"SEA MONSTER!"
Hinata jumped in freight. She quickly went to the side of the ship where the crew was frantically trying to catch a glimpse. There was indeed a sea monster. It was enormous. Nearly 20 feet out of the water, and the majority was submerged. While the crew frantically ran about grabbing weapons and manning their stations Hinata could only stare in shock. She had never seen anything like it. She immediately scolded herself for squinting at the beast for a better look and activated her rarely used bloodline limit.
"Byakugan!" Now the creature was plain to see. It was a frog! The largest frog she had ever seen, but a frog nonetheless. There was something else as well... another chakra signature far brighter than that of the frog's. It seemed somehow familiar. Just as she thought she could get a clear sight the frog submerged.
"It's underwater! Prepare for impact!" The voice yelled. Silence ensued for what seemed like an eternity. No one daring to move so much as a muscle, they eyed the sea dangerously. Suddenly a mountain of water erupted right next to the ship causing it to lurch dangerously. Hinata was thrown to the ground while many of the crew was thrown overboard. There was a rush to retrieve their fallen comrades, and no one seemed to notice the ominous shadow forming around the ship. It continued to get larger until someone decided to look up and discover its cause.
"ABANDON SHIP! SWIM FOR YOUR LIVES!" A wave of shrieks soon followed as everyone began to jump overboard. Hinata could only stand in fright as the large shape plummeted toward her.
"Princess! Look out!" She numbly felt herself roughly tossed into the water, but before she could reach the surface she was overtaken by the most terrible force she had ever felt. Water hit her like a ton of bricks and she was sent spiraling endlessly through the water. When the water had finally calmed she had no idea how deep she was, or which direction pointed to the surface. Her mind began to go black in hopelessness when something caught her eye. That chakra! Her Byakugan must still be active. The chakra bulleted toward her, and she soon lost consciousness just as the light became unbearable.
Steady thumping. Her body moved up and down in time with the thumps. She was cold, but there was warmth beneath her. She unconsciously cuddled closer seeking it. She gasped in shock as her hands met soft hair. Almost like fur. She caught sight of feet moving. She was being carried through a dark, damp corridor of stone. She suddenly became afraid and weakly fought the grip around her middle. It responded by gripping firmer. Trying to get a better look at her captor she could only see his back. A black sleeveless shirt over broad shoulders, and a head of wild blonde hair was all she could discern.
"W-who a-re you?" She struggled to speak, and her voice sounded weak even to her. He didn't answer. He didn't even turn his head to acknowledge her.
"W-where are you t-taking me?" Her voice was now louder. Again, there was no response. Fear overtook her and she began struggling in earnest. It was no use. He held her effortlessly, never breaking his long strides. A bare cell with iron bars soon came into view. 'No.'
"No!" She repeated out loud. "S-stop! Please No!" She pleaded as he fumbled with a set of large keys. With a loud squeak the cell was opened and she was dumped unceremoniously on the ground. She rushed to the door as it slammed in her face, and she finally saw the face of her captor. He was young. Perhaps, no older than herself, strange scar like markings stretched across his handsome face. Sensing her shock his eyes met hers for the first time. She gasped.
'Those eyes! No, it couldn't be him.' He stood briefly watching her as well mimicking her own thoughts, though his face showed its shock for only a moment. Finally he turned and made his way back down the corridor. Hinata suddenly found her voice.
"Wait! D-don't leave me here! Release me!" Naruto however had recovered himself. It didn't matter if it was the same girl he had rescued long ago. It was his master's orders that she was captured so he could reclaim his throne. Nothing was more important. He hadn't so much as batted his eye at the men that were drowned or crushed by his attack, so why should he care if some girl had seen him before.
"She has been confined?"
"Yes Master, the mission was a success." Naruto replied bowing.
"Well done Naruto. You shall be rewarded."
"Your praise is all the reward I require." Naruto replied automatically. Ino sat sulking in the corner. Naruto thought of flashing a cocky smile, but restrained it.
"See to the princess. She must remain at full health as to avoid suspicion." Naruto looked reluctant, but nodded his hear and left. Ino knew something was up and decided to follow him out. She watched him for several minutes as he gathered some food before becoming irritated.
"So aren't you going to gloat?" She asked irritably. No reply. She was about to get really angry when she noticed the thoughtful look on his face. "That expression doesn't really suite you. When you think it just looks like your hurting yourself."
"Eh? Whatever lets just get this over with." Ino was now really curious. He never let something like that slide. They arrived at the cell and saw that the princess was curled into a ball sobbing silently. Ino was immediately irked at her. She envied the princess for going through life with everything handed to her on a silver platter, while she was forced to work, fight, or steal for everything she had. Now she was crying when she hadn't even been mistreated.
"Oh would you quit crying already? It's really not becoming of a princess." Hinata spared Ino a glance before staring intently at Naruto as he unlocked the cell door. He set the dried fruit and bread on the floor with some water and left immediately. Ino was curious at his uncharacteristically stiff behavior. 'What's up with him? It's like he's still in mission mode.'
"Oi! Naruto! What the hell is wrong with you?" Hinata's eyes widened at the name, and Ino noticed it. 'There's no way Naruto could know a princess!' Naruto, however, was already halfway down the corridor. She jogged up next to him, but he pretended to take no notice.
"So that's why you're so serious. You've got a crush on the princess." She emphasized the title with venom in her voice. This got Naruto's attention.
"I do NOT care about her." He stated a little too heatedly.
"How the hell did she recognize your name? Your not suppose to let yourself be known around town, much less to the Hyuuga princess!" Naruto sighed.
"Remember when I had that information gathering mission in Konoha?"
"Yea, and you screwed it up helping some g-" Ino suddenly looked at Naruto as if he grew a second head much to his annoyance.
"Yep that'd be her." Ino couldn't think of anything else to say on the subject, which was a good thing, because Itachi was in the library. The next several hours passed as usual. Itachi reading, Naruto training, and Ino left thinking.
Ino was in her chambers staring at the ceiling when a single knock was heard. Immediately she knew it was her master. Quickly she jumped in front of the mirror checking her appearance before bidding him entry. This was a rare occurrence, and it always had her heart racing.
"Fetch the princess. She will dine with us tonight. See that she has adequate clothing." When Ino gave her bow he left. 'Why the hell do I have to do it? Why can't we just let her sit in the dungeons?' She thought broodingly.
Naruto came to the dining area at his master's summon, and took no notice of the princess sitting to the right of Itachi in his normal seat. Hinata sat completely terrified by the aura of power displayed from the man to her left. There was something so familiar about him, but she couldn't pinpoint it. When Naruto walked in she placed his full attention on him. They all began eating in silence until she couldn't take it any longer.
"Why h-have you captured me?" She asked tentatively toward Naruto. He made no reaction to her question, and simply kept on inhaling his food when Itachi spoke up.
"I am afraid it would not be wise to disclose our plans to you."
"A-are you going to h-hurt me?" She asked very quietly staring at her untouched food.
"Not if you give us your full cooperation." More silence ensued where Hinata took a few hesitant bites of her food. Finally she turned to Naruto.
"N-Naruto I-"
"Don't speak to me as if you know me!" He snapped immediately. Itachi raised a rare eyebrow at the outburst when he suddenly became stiff. Both of his servants immediately noticed his posture switch.
"What is it Master?" Ino asked immediately.
"We have been discovered. Naruto, Ino, make your escape through the corridors. Naruto. Take the princess. Do NOT let the enemy reclaim her!"
"Master! Let us meet them! We can surely-"
"No! Remember the plan. We will meet in Konoha." Itachi interrupted sternly.
"Yes Master." Naruto and Ino stated in unison before Naruto slung Hinata over his shoulder over his shoulder as he had before. They both took off running through the narrow maze of corridors. At one point they became separated, but Naruto wasn't worried. Ino knew the passageways better than any of them.
Naruto entered an opening in the passageways and nearly bumped straight into the backs of a large number of ninja. He slowly began to back into another corridor when Hinata finally managed to look at what was holding Naruto from his mad dash. What she saw madder her heart leap for joy, and she cried out for help. Every single ninja turned and were shocked to see the young man holding the princess. Naruto was shocked for a moment before forming a cocky grin.
"You want her? Come and get her!" He formed a familiar seal. "Kage Bushin No Justu!" Around 20 shadow clones instantly appeared and engaged the ninja. Naruto was debating whether or not to simply defeat the group judging by how well his clones were faring when suddenly a deafening noise erupted as if a thousand birds had suddenly found their way into the echoing corridors. The ninja all made a path when a blur shot out glowing brightly with chakra speeding through the path of his clones. They were all rendered to smoke almost immediately. The figure then stood up to his full height. Impassive face, white hair, and a forehead protector covering his left eye, Kakashi of the Sharingan was there.
"Release the princess and surrender peacefully." He dictated lazily.
"I don't think so! Why don't you just try and take her?" Naruto taunted. Suddenly Kakashi disappeared and a kunai was lodged into Naruto's chest, while Hinata was held snugly in his arms. Then Naruto puffed into smoke and Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow. 'Another Kage Bushin? Then that means…' Right on cue the Hinata in his arms returned to the cocky smile of Naruto who stuck his tongue out childishly before also being rendered to smoke.
"Quickly, we must follow him." Kakashi ordered. 'When did he perform the henge and make his escape? I will not underestimate that one again.'
Naruto was now running full sprint toward the exit. 'Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT! They brought the Copy Nin? This is just great. I need to get to the ocean!' He felt a deep rumbling in the rock at his feet coming from behind him. 'Great. Now what the hell is that?' Turning his head he nearly jumped out of his skin. Hinata on the other hand promptly fainted. There was a huge boulder rolling at them and gaining on them every second. A faint noise could also be heard…
"Roll, roll, roll, roll, roll…"
'OMG!' Naruto thought. 'It's a person?' No matter how sharp a turn Naruto would take the Ball of human mass would take every turn with him, and continued to gain on him. 'Damnit. No choice then…'
Naruto flew through a few hand seals and slammed his hands into the ground activating his Daton jutsu. Several pillars of stone began emerging from the ground in front of the human wrecking ball, but it just smashed straight through them. He poured more chakra into the jutsu and redoubled the amount of pillars, but it only slowed it by a slight margin. He caught sight of Hinata next to him and realized she would definitely not survive such an attack. A new wave of energy flowed through him, and he quickly summoned it all pouring it into the hard rock producing the largest and most solid pillar yet. A terrible crash was heard, and spider web sized fractures appeared in the stone. Naruto released the jutsu allowing the stone to crumble to the floor. A young man lay there clearly unconscious. After a few deep breaths Naruto threw Hinata once more over his shoulder and continued to the exit.
He was starting to get anxious. That meat tank forced him into unknown corridors. Then his sensitive ears picked it up. The sound of the sea! Nothing had ever sounded so sweet! He poured as much reserve chakra as he had into his summon and was able to get his favorite sea transport.
"Frogger! Quick get us to shore!" A simple croak in response and they were speeding through the sea, but not before a certain white haired jounin watched their escape.
"A frog summoner? I think I may be getting that new Icha Icha Paradise copy a little earlier than expected…"
I am loving how this is going. Not much Naru/Hina interaction in this chap, but their on the run together now And now Naruto's got Kakashi on his tail! I hope you all enjoyed that chap. Review and let me know who/what you want to see, or something I might have messed up on. SEE YOU ALL NEXT TIME!