Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me, I'm not getting paid, this is for entertainment purposes only (except "entertainers" usually get paid, so technically I suppose this can't even be considered "real" entertainment. It's volunteer work. Though I do consider reviews payment for services rendered... coughcough.)
Notes: In the tradition of Naruto, I'm timeskipping. By a BIT more than two and a half years. I like to call it a nod to the canon. You'll probably call it laziness, but it's not as if I'm leaving you completely in the dark here. Stuff happened. Taxes were no doubt paid. Some people died, though no one that actually mattered to the story. Consider yourself caught up. Yes, I'm totally serious. Enjoy.
WARNING: Before you begin reading this chapter, be aware that Part 4 has been revised, specifically Hiashi and Danzou's conversation, as well as a new ending scene featuring a certain Uchiha. If you can't figure out why Temari is here, you might want to read "Building Clan Uzumaki." Go on, I'll wait until you get back...
In Service to Sand
Part 5 of White Dog Night
A Naruto Fanfic by
Nate Grey (XMAN0123-at-aol-dot-com)
The problem with having a family, Temari decided as she carefully signed her name to the scroll, was their tendency to grow larger, and then expect you to just do things for each and every member upon demand, free of charge.
It was getting to be downright annoying.
Probably she should practice saying 'no' a few times while she was out here in the woods, forcefully, and without a hint of regret. She could definitely pull that off with Kankurou. Maybe with Gaara. If he wasn't actually looking at her. Or within twenty feet of her.
Maybe.
Sighing in frustration, she rolled up the scroll neatly before completing the task with the seal of the Godaime Kazekage. Only she and Kankurou had been given Gaara's seal to mark messages meant for his eyes only. Kankurou had probably never even used his, as he so rarely left Gaara or Suna these days. Temari, as the oldest sibling (and the only female) probably reminded Gaara more of a mother than a sister, and perhaps that was why he didn't seem to mind sending her far from Suna to do one thing or another on his behalf.
She took it in stride, since all the travel had gained her, and by extension, Suna, some loyal allies. Her thoughts turned briefly to Konoha, and summoned memories of Naruto, Shikamaru, and even Neji, who hated her with a passion, but would back her in a fight if the need ever arose. Temari no longer even pretended that she didn't like going there, and by now Gaara had surely figured it out. It was her home away from home, thanks largely to Naruto's hospitality, and despite the fact that she'd seen him just three days ago, she was already eager to get back and tell him all about her trip, assuming it went well.
"Alright, you know the drill, Takamaru," Temari said, turning to the large bird perched on a log beside her. "Take this straight to Gaara." She slipped the scroll into the small pack he wore on his back, making sure to give his head a few light strokes before he took to the air. When he was little more than a brown speck in the sky, she quickly packed up her things and started walking through the forest at a fairly rapid pace.
Takamaru had shown up in Konoha three days ago, bringing word from Gaara. That he had wanted her to do something was no real surprise, but it was what he wanted her to do that Temari still wasn't so sure about.
For years now, there had been talk of a "Woodland Woman of Konoha" roaming the area. This was odd, in that the woman had no allegiance to Konoha, and in fact generally ambushed and robbed ninja from any and every Hidden Village that she came across. However, the huge white beast she was always spotted with reportedly wore a Leaf headband around its neck. Gaara had only charged Temari with finding the woman because she'd recently attacked Sand-nin for the first time. Strangely, she had only taken things that the Sand-nin would barely miss at all, and left them mostly unharmed.
Temari was hesitant for three reasons. First, no one had been able to stop this woman, which was part of why she'd become so infamous. Second, the woman wasn't doing any real harm, just being a minor nuisance. Finally, Temari had a very strong feeling that this Woodland Woman was actually Hinata. Whether Gaara thought the same or not, she wasn't sure. He usually didn't pay all that much attention to people unless they got in his way, and true to her nature, Hinata never had. But from what Temari had heard around Konoha, Hinata had taken a white dog with her when she left, and no other Hidden Village had gained a Byakugan user since then. Hinata might not call herself a Leaf-nin anymore, but she was clearly incapable of betraying Konoha even now.
There were also Naruto's feelings to consider. Temari hadn't actually told him who she was looking for, in case the mission went bad, or it turned out to be someone else. She could always claim that Gaara had ordered her not to share the details (with Gaara, sharing information was always on a need-to-know basis, and rarely did anyone without his blood in them need to know), but that would leave her feeling guilty. On the other hand, if things went well, it would make for a great surprise for Naruto. But it was probably for the best that she hadn't said anything. If it really wasn't Hinata, then he'd never have to find out.
Temari absolutely hated fighting shinobi who kept animals around, and for good reason. They were nearly impossible to sneak up on, and you could never really depend on the animal to simply sit back and watch its master get attacked. And while taking on multiple opponents was nothing new for her, animals tended to be too unpredictable in battle.
Unfortunately, there was no avoiding it this time. The Woodland Woman supposedly never went anywhere without her faithful beast, and whether she was really clever or just paranoid, Temari was in for a tough fight either way.
Surprisingly enough, it didn't take her all that long to pick up the trail. If anything, it seemed as if the woman and her beast had been taking every opportunity to mark their territory. Anyone that wanted to find them easily could, and the trail must have been an open challenge for anyone who felt like testing their strength. It was a bold move, and one that only made Temari further question the wisdom of attacking the woman on her own turf. But it wasn't as if she could turn back now. Gaara was counting on her, and she wouldn't let him down without an excellent reason (like having both of her arms chewed off by the beast, for example).
It was an amazing stroke of good luck (at least, it seemed like one at the time) that Temari happened upon the Woodland Woman while she was in the middle of a nap. The description Gaara had gotten from the attacked Sand-nin matched the woman perfectly: long, blue-black hair, a tan coat, and beneath that, various pieces of outfits she'd stolen from her victims. She was curled up against the huge white beast, which looked more like an overgrown puppy to Temari, but it was still easily the biggest dog she'd ever seen, and definitely one of the largest animals she'd ever come across, period.
At this point, Temari reasoned that avoiding a fight was still possible. If she got any closer, the beast would probably smell her and alert the woman. Of course, that was only assuming they themselves weren't looking for a fight, because if they were, Temari's pride wasn't about to allow her to take a dive just to see what the woman would do afterwards.
She was still debating how to best announce her intentions when there was a thunderous crack just above her head. Reacting instantly, Temari rolled away from the tree she'd been hiding behind, barely avoiding three kunai that landed where she'd been crouching seconds ago. She cursed under her breath as an exact copy of the woman she'd been watching dropped gracefully out of the tree, wielding a sinister-looking white staff. There was no sign of the telltale Hyuuga eyes on this woman, though: her eyes were small, black, and beady, and there was no recognition in them that Temari could see.
"You know," Temari said slowly, "throwing kunai at someone isn't really a good way to introduce yourself. You might send the wrong impression."
Without a word, the woman drew herself to her full height, another kunai slipping from the sleeve of her coat and into her left hand.
"Okay, maybe that is the impression you want to send." Sighing, Temari quickly drew her fan from her back. She would've liked to turn around and check if the first woman (not to mention the dog) were still where she'd first spotted them, but she doubted it. They had probably just been a harmless distraction... but in case they weren't, she needed to be very much aware of her environment, which would be tricky if someone were throwing kunai at her.
But the woman didn't throw the kunai in her hand. Instead, she raised it in front of her face, and suddenly made a slashing motion.
Temari was already moving as she felt something nick her left shoulder. But at the same time, she felt similar sensations in her neck and both of her legs. Yet none of them felt even remotely like kunai, in that they were too small and didn't do much damage at all. They reminded her more of large bug bites, and seconds later, she could feel them starting to drip with tiny droplets of her blood.
The woman hadn't moved, though, and when she made that same slashing motion again, Temari didn't bother getting out of the way. Cuts opened up on her left cheek this time, but still bothered her no more than a few itches. Somehow, she got the distinct feeling that the woman was toying with her. And if there was one thing Temari couldn't stand, it was anyone underestimating her.
"You'd better start taking me seriously!" the Sand jounin yelled angrily, tightening her grip on her fan. "I never hold back when I've been insulted in battle!" With that, she opened her fan and swung it forward with her left hand, sending large gusts of chakra-fueled wind at her opponent. But with her right hand, she sent out a solid, blue blade of wind that bounced wildly between the gusts, making the attack even more difficult to dodge.
Amazingly, the woman made no move to get out of the way. Instead, she merely raised her left hand over her head. A huge white blur instantly shot out of the trees, and the woman was yanked bodily from the ground as it passed her, sailing neatly over Temari's attack.
The blur slowed down for a split second as it rebounded off of a tree, and Temari cursed under her breath as she got a better look: the dog had finally joined the fight. The woman was hanging onto the headband around the dog's neck as the canine practically flew from tree to tree at startling speeds, but from the calm look on her face, it was nothing she hadn't done before.
Realization came to Temari quickly, and sure enough, the dog was suddenly turning, fangs bared as it raced towards her. She managed to leap out of the animal's way... but not out of the woman's reach, as she felt the sharp tip of the staff graze the side of her arm, drawing blood. The woman threw a satisfied smirk over her shoulder just as she and the dog vanished into the cover of the trees again.
By now, Temari was convinced that the woman wasn't trying to kill her. That was too many times she'd been caught off guard, and the woman never took full advantage. But it was a bit difficult to accept that anyone would go to all this trouble to steal a few pieces of gear (and if that was all the woman wanted, it wasn't like Temari couldn't easily get more).
Temari began to scan the trees when she caught something truly odd. There was a long, white hair waving lazily on her arm, and it certainly hadn't grown there. She picked it off, and was surprised when the tip emerged red from her blood.
"What the hell? She's been throwing dog hairs at me?" Temari asked in disbelief. But her mind was already putting the pieces together: probably the hairs were hardened and guided by the woman's chakra, and while they didn't hurt, they were a bit distracting. And since Temari had never seen the woman pulling the hairs from the dog, they must have already been embedded in her coat. All she'd had to do was make it look like she was throwing kunai, when she was actually pulling and throwing... dog hair.
"Gaara's never going to believe this," Temari muttered, stuffing the hair into her sash for proof later on.
The woman reappeared seconds later, but without the dog. She made the slashing motion a third time, and Temari half-heartedly raised her fan to block. All of the cuts centered on her defending hand, and her fingers were slick with blood when she lowered it.
"Look, I'm tired of playing with you. Just tell me why you attacked those Sand-nin!" Temari shouted.
The woman's answer did not come in words. As if she knew Temari had figured out her trick, she drew a single, chakra-hardened dog hair, and used it to prick her finger. Keeping her eyes on Temari, she raised her hand, revealing the blood slipping slowly between her fingers.
Temari's eyes widened, because she had seen similar sights enough times in her life.
The woman was about to perform a summoning.
The idea was only shocking because she'd thought the woman was just teasing her until now. Now that she knew different, Temari wasn't about to be caught unaware again.
And that was when she remembered that her own fingers were already wet with blood from the woman's last attack.
"She wants me to summon with her," Temari whispered, growing angrier by the second. Had this woman been manipulating her from the start? How had this woman even known that she could summon, too?
It didn't really matter, she decided at once. Kamatari would bring this to a swift end, and then all her questions would be answered.
Smirking, Temari wiped her fingers along her fan, smearing her blood across the weapon. "Just remember you asked for this." She paused, wondering how her opponent would proceed.
The woman did not wipe her blood on a tattoo, nor did she pull out a weapon or a scroll. Instead, she merely held out her dripping fingers expectantly, her palm facing down.
In another blur of white, the dog returned, sliding just under the woman's outstretched fingers. When the dog skidded to a stop, Temari noticed with growing alarm that there was a red streak of blood going down the length of its back.
"Wait! He is the summon! But that doesn't make any sense!"
The dog threw back its head, letting out a howl that seemed to come from everywhere at once. His body exploded into a swirling vortex of silvery-white wind and deafening roars, drawing everything in the immediate area into its fury: trees, rocks, dirt, grass, and even the woman herself.
Temari was pulled roughly into the air before she could complete her own summoning, her fan ripped away from her fingers and lost in the powerful winds. Even then, she had no intention of losing this battle. Shutting her eyes tightly, she willed a substantial amount of chakra into her throat, and let it combine with her voice in a final, desperate plea.
"Kamatari! Come to me!"
Even if the roar of the wind prevented Kamatari from hearing her, Temari knew the weasel would still detect the buildup of her chakra, and the intent behind it. Now it was just a matter of whether or not Kamatari could still appear without her actually holding the fan.
She got her answer when something furry brushed against her cheek, wrapping firmly around her body. Temari dared to open her eyes, swallowing a gasp when she found the familiar white figure looming before her, surrounded by seven sickles giving off an eerie, pale blue light. "Kamatari," she breathed, more out of amazement than relief, "you came?"
The giant weasel gazed over its shoulder at her, the one good eye quivering with rage. At first, Temari thought the anger was directed at her, but then she noticed the way Kamatari's eye was shifting back and forth rapidly, taking in the various parts of her body that were stained with her blood. She felt the tail tighten ever so slightly around her waist, in a way that Temari knew was meant to convey the weasel's fierce desire to protect her. Unable to suppress the sudden surge of affection she felt for faithful companion, Temari smiled and gave the tail a brief stroke. "Thank you, Kamatari," she whispered. "I'll never doubt you again."
But Kamatari wasn't looking at Temari anymore. Now the weasel's steely gaze was trained solely on the tornado currently bearing down on them. Kamatari clearly had no intention of backing down from any threat, and certainly not one that dared to attack with its own element. At a mere gesture from the weasel, the seven sickles launched themselves at the approaching storm, each one vanishing into the tornado at a different point. And while the winds did not cease, they certainly weakened considerably, which was just the opportunity Kamatari had been looking for. After a giant sickle that easily dwarfed the others had appeared in its paws, Kamatari streaked forward, still clutching Temari with its tail.
Temari allowed herself a satisfied smirk, but it wouldn't last. For just as Kamatari was about to split the storm down the middle, something long and white shot out of the tornado, aimed directly at Temari. There was no way that Kamatari could complete the attack while keeping its summoner out of harm's way, nor could it move Temari completely out of the projectile's path without losing most of the attack's momentum.
Certain that they were on the verge of victory, Temari took the choice out of Kamatari's paws. Taking in a deep breath, she slipped out of the tail's grasp, twisting enough so that the projectile (which turned out to be that damned staff again) only struck a glancing blow on her left side. Oddly enough, though there was hardly any blood, Temari still felt like her side was on fire as she fell through the air. But she largely ignored the pain in favor of making sure she landed in a way that wouldn't worsen her wounds.
She never got the chance, as something crashed hard into her belly, driving the air out of her an instant before her back slammed into the ground. Stars swam before Temari's eyes, and a groan slipped from her lips as she suppressed the instinctive desire to shake her head, in case her neck was broken or close to it. The painful haze cleared just in time for her to look up and see the woman straddling her waist, raising a kunai high into the air.
The idea that this woman didn't intend to kill her was quickly forgotten as Temari lashed out desperately. All too late, she saw the woman flip the kunai before starting to bring it down so that the heavy handle would score a quick knockout upon impacting with the Sand jounin's forehead. But Temari's fist was already plowing into the woman's chin before that could happen, snapping her head back violently and sending a thin stream of red flying from her mouth. To her credit, instead of just collapsing to the ground, the woman managed to right herself, though there was a dazed look in her small, black eyes.
Eyes that, Temari noticed with growing shock, suddenly enlarged and lightened in color until they were a familiar milky lavender.
"Hinata?" she asked in disbelief. "It was you this whole time?"
The woman seemed to regain her senses at the sound of that name, but the look in her Hyuuga eyes was no less hostile than it had been mere seconds ago.
"You don't remember me?" Temari guessed slowly. They never had really spoken to each other, now that she thought about it. In fact, she could only remember aiming a superior glare at Hinata during the chuunin exam... and if Hinata did remember that, as Temari now suspected she did, no wonder there was tension between them.
"I remember you," the woman said quietly. "But you say that... as if I should be happy to see you."
Temari was already wracking her brain for a way to diffuse the situation. With any luck, Hinata had been out of the loop for a long time, so the chances of her knowing everything that happened after the second stage of the chuunin exam were pretty slim. "Oh. Well, you're not going to take that personally, are you? I mean, it was the chuunin exam. We weren't there to make friends, at least not during. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that the exam was designed to be fatal. Are you really so surprised that some of the people taking it were willing to kill?"
Hinata's knee dug into Temari's left side, drawing a pained hiss. "No. But there should always be a good reason for killing. And unlike your teammate, I don't believe that boredom or looking at someone a certain way are good reasons."
"Look, we've changed since then," Temari insisted, gritting her teeth. "Me more than him, but we have. You don't need to feel threatened by me. Like I told you, I only came here to find out why you attacked those Sand-nin. I was ordered to by the Kazekage." She certainly wasn't about to confirm that Gaara actually was the Kazekage now, if Hinata was already that set against him.
"Why should I believe you?" Hinata demanded.
"There's a scroll in my pack with the order. And if you let me up, I can give you even more proof that I'm not here to hurt you."
"I don't trust you enough for the latter, but we'll get to that in a minute."
Temari stiffened as the huge dog suddenly appeared over Hinata's shoulder. She had forgotten all about the battle, and wasn't sure which summon had finally beaten the other, or if they'd canceled each other out somehow. The beast looked pretty rattled at least, and there was a deep cut on one of its ears. The dog dropped Temari's pack on the ground, and Hinata grabbed it, never taking her eyes off of the Sand kunoichi she had pinned beneath her. She soon pulled out the scroll, reading it a few times before laying it to the side.
"You came here from Konoha," Hinata said, an unreadable expression on her face.
"Yeah," Temari agreed easily enough; that much had been in the scroll. "I told you, things have changed. I've been there for years."
"Then you know Hyuuga Hanabi?"
Temari couldn't help snorting. "Of course not, almost no one does. She never says more than two words to most people. I only know of her, and that's only because Neji-"
"You know Neji?" Hinata asked sharply.
Temari blinked a few times. "Sure. I was the one who certified him as a jounin."
For some reason, that seemed bother Hinata more than anything else. Her hands were shaking as she slowly stood up and moved away.
"I should have guessed he would..." She trailed off, closing her eyes tightly.
Temari almost decided this was a good time to get up, but as she started to move, the dog was suddenly in her face, growling softly enough that she knew he wouldn't bite in that instant, but loudly enough that she got the hint to stop moving. But then the dog sniffed her and let out a confused whine, quickly backing away from her.
Now Hinata was looking at her as well, though Temari couldn't imagine what the dog had smelled on her that might cause a problem. All the same, she managed to keep her mouth shut when Hinata leaned in to sniff her next. And from the way the missing-nin's pale eyes narrowed, she didn't like what she picked up, either.
"You smell like Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered angrily, her voice thick with emotion.
"I... what?" Temari asked, completely lost. "How could I-"
"That," Hinata interrupted, "is what I wish to know."
Temari looked between Hinata and the dog before the implication sunk in. "Oh, hey, wait. You don't think that I...?"
Hinata said nothing, but the look in her eyes was unmistakable.
"Look, you're getting the wrong idea," Temari said quickly. "If I smell like him, it's only because I lived with him."
This, if the way the dog started growling was any indicator, was not the best thing to say.
"No, wait! You don't understand! He asked me to! He was lonely, and he just wanted to be near someone! We didn't do anything, honest!"
"In case you've forgotten," Hinata snapped coldly, "I still have little reason to trust you. Especially now."
"There's a picture... in my pack. And three patches near the bottom."
Temari waited in silence as Hinata dug into the pack again. Soon enough, Hinata was staring at a photo, the hard look on her face fading somewhat. At the time the picture was taken, Temari had never really thought she'd find it useful for more than remembering a particularly loud and drunken celebration.
She hadn't drunken much, but in honor of their sensei Kakashi's promotion, Naruto and Sakura had, to the point where Temari was forced to hold them both up long enough for the picture to be taken. Even then, they both still had silly grins plastered on their faces. What would really get Hinata's attention, however, was the fact that Konohamaru had talked Hanabi into joining them, and so she sat beside Kakashi, equally embarrassed expressions on both of their faces (or at least on what could be seen of Kakashi's face, anyway).
Temari knew that Hinata wasn't stupid. It would only take her a few seconds to remember that Hanabi would never go anywhere with someone she didn't trust, and that Kakashi wouldn't have allowed his students to get drunk around anyone he saw as a threat.
The patches were what seemed to ease most of Hinata's fears, and this was not surprising. Naruto had made them himself, so they most probably still smelled like him as well. All three patches bore the words "Uzumaki Retrieval Project" around their borders (despite Temari's insistence that it sounded like Naruto was the one being retrieved, he was immensely proud of the name and stubbornly refused to change it). One patch simply had chibified versions of Sasuke and Hinata in front of the Konoha Leaf, while the other patches held either the Uchiha fan or Hinata's old flame symbol, surrounded by the familiar red swirl.
After several long moments, Hinata finally looked up, and asked the very same question that everyone (that is, Shikamaru, Sakura, Kurenai, and Kakashi) asked after seeing the patches for the first time.
"U.R.P.?"
"I didn't come up with the stupid name," Temari muttered. "He won't be talked out of it, either. I guess it's all too important to him or something." She paused, staring intently at Hinata's face. "I just thought you should know that he never forgot about you."
Hinata didn't say anything, although there was a slight blush in her cheeks that seemed entirely fitting, somehow.
"If you're still worried about me and Naruto, you can ask him yourself the next time you see him. And you are going to see him eventually, because now that I've found you, I'm not letting you out of my sight, and I don't plan on going the rest of my life without seeing him, either."
"No." Hinata swallowed hard and stood up. "I can't ever go back. After all the hunter-nin they've sent for me, I wouldn't be able to set foot inside the village. Even Naruto-kun couldn't-"
"And who said anything about taking you home?" Temari interrupted. "Not to your home, anyway. We're going to Suna. You still have to answer to the Kazekage for what you did."
Hinata shook her head. "I only stole what I needed to survive. That's what I've always done."
"So why did you attack me?"
A small smile appeared on Hinata's lips as she petted the dog's neck. "That was necessary, too. Akamaru told me you smelled strong. I wouldn't be good enough to survive out here if I didn't challenge the strongest people I came across. You're the first person that had a summon powerful enough to overwhelm him."
Temari smirked at her. "Flattery might have worked before you attacked me. Now, it's just annoying."
"I am being truthful," Hinata insisted. "But I cannot go with you. I will not align myself with another Hidden Village."
"I said I was taking you there, not recruiting you," Temari reminded her. "Anyway, Gaara hates people looking at him, and with your eyes, he'd just think you were looking all the time, so I wouldn't dare think of keeping you there for long."
"I will fight you again if I have to," Hinata said slowly, and Akamaru tensed at her side.
"Would you stop that?" Temari groaned in frustration. "I don't want to hurt you! I'm here to help you!"
"You would force me to go to Suna and stand before the Kazekage. How is that helping me?" Hinata demanded.
"Because if you don't go, you'll probably be declared an enemy of Suna, and the next time we met, I really would have to hurt you. But if you come with me willingly and present your case to the Kazekage, there's a good chance you won't be punished at all. He might even be able to help you return to Konoha one day."
"You have yet to give me a good enough reason why I should trust you or the Kazekage." With that, Hinata turned to walk away.
Before she had any real idea of what she was doing, Temari leapt to her feet and flung herself at Hinata's back. She was only inches away before a solid mass of white fur bumped her left side hard, and Temari swallowed a pained gasp as she hit the ground none too gently.
"No... I won't let it end like this..." Ignoring the pain and exhaustion gnawing at her body, Temari stood up again, slightly satisfied to see that Hinata was staring back at her in surprise. But then, she probably looked as tired as she felt. Yet it no longer mattered how much pushing herself this way would cost Temari later. All she knew was that she couldn't let Hinata walk away again.
"I don't care if you're afraid, or how good you are at running away. I made a promise to myself that I would always provide for the people I love. And right now, someone I love needs you, Hinata. So the only way you two are walking out of here... is if you're the only ones walking out. And I don't think you could kill me, even if you were trying."
"Are you sure you know me well enough to know that for certain?" Hinata asked, a dangerous edge to her voice.
"No. But Naruto does, and that's not all he knows." Gathering her chakra for one last attack, Temari bit her lip as the pain in her left side doubled. "He's also great at coming up with new uses for this jutsu!"
If Hinata was surprised to suddenly be surrounded by seven of Temari's Shadow Clones, she hid it well. "Go, Akamaru!" she shouted, even as the oversized dog launched himself at the two nearest clones, destroying them on impact. Hinata took out two more clones with one large swipe of her staff, only to find the remaining three clones doing something truly unexpected. They had all thrown themselves at Akamaru, but instead of simply vanishing when he struck them, in their passing three powerful gusts of wind rose up, whirling around the dog so furiously in a tight circle that he could barely even bark.
Hinata moved to help him, but an arm locked around her throat before she could take a second step.
"I won't let anyone break Naruto's heart twice," Temari growled in her ear. "Not even you. I'm your only way back to him, and you'll walk that path, even if I have to plant your feet every step the way."
"How are you going to do that, when you've already pushed yourself too far?" Hinata asked calmly. "You made one too many Shadow Clones."
Temari could not answer Hinata. Already she could feel her limbs going limp, and her legs gave out a few seconds later. She sagged against Hinata's back, but managed to grab a handful of dark hair as she slid to the ground. "Won't let you..." Temari murmured as darkness rolled over her.
"That was a very brave and foolish thing to do, you know," said a soft, familiar voice in Temari's ear. "You could have died."
"Well, I obviously didn't," Temari grunted, still a little groggy as she slowly opened her eyes. "How long was I out?"
"About a week, technically. At least, you were never conscious long enough to do more groan or take a few sips of water."
Temari took a moment to observe her surroundings. There was nothing but sand and sun for miles, save for the large shadow she was currently sitting in, and the overly warm body just behind her. She turned around to gaze uncertainly at Hinata.
"We're a couple of miles from Suna, I think," Hinata offered, seeing the question in her companion's eyes. "I've never been there, but Akamaru seems to think this is the way."
"Has he ever been there?" Temari asked, throwing a dubious glance at the huge dog currently acting as their shade.
"Well, no. But he can smell chakra and water. I figure Suna has to have both to survive, so..."
"Haven't you tried your Byakugan?"
Hinata sighed, apparently not surprised that Temari was familiar with her bloodline limit. "Yes, but there's a big sand dune in the way, and for some reason I can't look through or past it."
"We're going the right way," Temari confirmed at once. "That was built there on purpose."
"Because of me?" Hinata asked in shock.
"Not entirely, no. Suna's just beyond it, and that's all that matters. But we'll have to go straight over it. Any other way would just wear us out."
"Which is why it's there, right?"
"Among other reasons." Temari gazed at Hinata curiously. "So... why'd you change your mind?"
"You were willing to die to keep me with you. And at the very least, I know you're a friend of Naruto-kun. That's enough, for now. Besides, Akamaru has a good feeling about you... which is amazing, considering he usually takes someone attacking him very personally."
"He started it," Temari grumbled. This earned her a hard nudge to the shoulder, and when she glanced up, Akamaru poked his very cold and wet nose against her neck. "Yuck! What's he doing?" she shrieked, backing into Hinata.
Hinata laughed and pushed her forward. "It's just his way of keeping you cool. He's trying to apologize for earlier."
"I think I'd rather take my chances with the heat, thanks." Temari cringed as Akamaru's nose landed on her cheek this time. "Ewww..."
"You'll be thankful for him, cold nose and all, when we reach Suna safe and sound. I thought about trying to use your fan to stay cool, but I didn't want to accidentally cut us both to pieces."
"I'm just glad you even thought to bring it along," Temari sighed, finally spotting her fan lying nearby. She carefully fingered her left side, which was remarkably almost painless. "Hey, wasn't there a cut here?"
"I've been treating it while you were asleep. In a day or two, you shouldn't even know it's there anymore. But getting some more rest wouldn't be a bad idea, either."
"I'd rather rest in my own bed, if it's all the same to you, Hinata." Temari carefully stood up and stretched her arms. "Anyway, it's not exactly safe on this side of the sand dune."
Hinata stood up as well, patting the dog's neck. "Ready for one last sprint, Akamaru?"
Akamaru raised his head and barked once, his tail wagging excitedly.
"What's he so happy about?" Temari asked suspiciously.
"Oh, he just likes showing off for pretty girls," Hinata explained absently as she climbed onto Akamaru's back.
It took a few seconds for this to sink into Temari's brain. "Wait... you mean me?"
Hinata shrugged. "I'm just telling you how he feels." She gestured for Temari to join her. "Hop on."
"You're going to make him carry us both?" Temari asked as she picked up her fan and returned it to the familiar slot in her sash.
"No one can make Akamaru do anything; just look how big he is!" Hinata laughed. "He chooses to be with me, and so we are bound." She leaned forward and rubbed the top of his head fondly. "As I said, he likes showing off around you. He'll be fine."
There was still some hesitation in Temari as Hinata helped pull her onto Akamaru's back. She was used to desert heat, and keenly aware of how unbearable the environment was on non-natives. Akamaru certainly didn't look uncomfortable, even with Temari's added weight on his back, but no one was completely unaffected by this degree of heat.
"So how exactly do we handle the sand dune?" Hinata asked.
"Oh, that. Straight over, as quickly as possible, since it gets even hotter at the top," Temari explained. "Maybe you should have him wait until it's in sight to-"
"Don't worry about that," Hinata interrupted confidently. "You haven't seen Akamaru really move yet." She patted the dog's neck.
Temari found herself having to suddenly grab onto Hinata's waist as Akamaru darted forward, as if he went for runs through the desert every day. "Hey, wait!" she cried over Hinata's shoulder. "You don't want to wear him out before-"
"Sorry, can't hear you!" Hinata shouted, and indeed, the wind was suddenly rushing in both of their ears as Akamaru steadily picked up speed. But Temari had definitely heard the smile in the other woman's voice: she was enjoying herself.
Seconds later, Temari became aware of a reddish glow beneath her, and it took a few moments for her to realize that it was coming from Akamaru's body. She was wondering if this was what things looked like before they spontaneously combusted when the dog abruptly lurched forward yet again, and Temari found her stomach doing much the same thing. It was now impossible to clearly see anything beyond Hinata's dark hair; everything was just a series of red and gold blurs as they streaked past.
Without warning, Akamaru's body tilted upward, and Temari knew that somehow, they were already climbing the sand dune that served as a natural barrier for Suna. Soon enough, there was a loud thump, as Akamaru had simply covered the second half of the sand dune in one enormous leap. And still he ran for what seemed like a few more minutes before gradually slowing to a brisk jog.
When Temari next had the courage to look up, she could see the gates of Suna not far ahead. She was torn between envying Akamaru's speed and never wanting to experience such a thing again, and definitely not on a full stomach.
"I always eat light, just in case," Hinata pointed out, as if reading Temari's mind. "Just be glad we didn't have to turn."
"Believe me, I am," Temari muttered. "A warning would've been nice, too."
"Sorry. You were asleep the last few times, plus I was holding you in front of me. Anyway, he's never dropped anyone that had permission to ride him." Hinata brought Akamaru to a stop a respectful distance from the gate, in plain view of the guards that were eyeing the huge dog with obvious suspicion. "I don't suppose there's anything I could do that might convince them I was invited?"
"Not really, but that's why you've got me," Temari pointed out as she slid to the ground. "Wait here, and make sure he knows that barking would probably be a bad idea right about now. We don't get many... um, any giant dogs out here."
"That could be a problem," Hinata murmured worriedly. "Akamaru hasn't been around so many shinobi that are supposedly allies in a long time, plus Suna is new to him. He's a little nervous."
Temari could plainly see this from the way the dog was pawing the ground anxiously, which would no doubt set the guards even further on edge. Before she even thought to ask if it was safe to do so, Temari reached out and carefully petted Akamaru's neck, as she'd seen Hinata do numerous times for a variety of reasons (she would recall much later, with a sinking feeling, that one of those pats had also sent the dog streaking across the desert like a rocket). And oddly enough, Akamaru turned his head to look at her, his tongue lolling out as he relaxed visibly.
"I take it back; he really likes you," Hinata said, looking both surprised and impressed.
"Um... okay," Temari answered, suddenly realizing what she was doing and lowering her hand. She moved back a few steps, and when she was sure that Akamaru wouldn't follow her, calmly approached the gate. The guards recognized her at once, though this was due in part to the fact that Kankurou had shoved his way to the front. "Should I be touched or worried that you found time to meet me out here?" she asked of her middle brother with a smile. "You know Gaara hates it when you slack off."
"Who do you think told me to send word to him the moment you got back?" Kankurou complained, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Like I had nothing better to do than sit here waiting for you to show up."
Temari grinned and pinched his cheek. "Aww, I missed you, too!"
He grunted and smacked her hand away, but not nearly as roughly as he could have. "Whatever." Kankurou looked past her for the first time, narrowing his eyes. "What's their story?"
"That, dear brother, is the Woodland Woman of Konoha and her dog. And before you get excited, they came with me willingly. Now get these guys to back off so we can go see Gaara. I can't promise there won't be biting if the dog feels threatened."
"You say it's a dog?" Kankurou asked doubtfully, tilting his head from one side to the other. "Looks more like a bear to me."
"Either way, he could bite," Temari snapped, starting to get irritated. "Now are you going to let us in, or do you want to tell Gaara who kept him waiting?"
Kankurou muttered something under his breath, but by the time Temari had returned to Hinata and Akamaru, her brother was the only one standing at the gate. She could still sense the guards, but so long as they stayed out of Akamaru's way, she was fairly certain they could make it to Gaara without incident.
"You're not going to be punished for bringing us here, are you?" Hinata asked hesitantly as Temari motioned for them to follow her inside.
"Doubt it," Temari replied, hoping she at least sounded confident. "I was ordered to find out why you did what you did. What better way to find out than from you directly?"
"But you weren't ordered to bring us," Hinata insisted, biting her lip. "I don't want-"
"Let me worry about that," Temari interrupted, guiding Akamaru through the gate with one hand on his neck to keep him calm. "Trust me, bringing you here was the best outcome I could hope for, all things considered."
"Shouldn't have brought her," Kankurou muttered under his breath as he and Temari walked side by side towards the Kazekage's office. Hinata was a few feet behind them, and even if she could hear them, she was far more preoccupied with making sure nothing spooked Akamaru.
"It'll be fine," Temari growled just as softly, shooting him a sharp look.
"When has it ever been fine to do anything other than exactly what he asked for?" Kankurou demanded, a hint of panic slipping into his voice.
She decided not to answer that. "Well, if anyone could get away with it..."
"Did I mention how glad I was that this is your fault, instead of mine? Just in case you can't hear me when you're up to your ears in sa-"
At that point, Temari came to a stop and turned around. "Hey, Hinata? Scale of one to ten, ten being the highest. How much do you not like Gaara?"
"Sixty seven," Hinata replied without missing a beat.
Temari stared at her, then glanced at Kankurou, who normally would've laughed if he weren't so nervous. "And Akamaru?"
"As you know, his senses are better than mine, so... a hundred and ninety."
Temari laughed nervously. "Yeah... you might want to just leave him here with Kankurou."
"He's with the Kazekage, isn't he?" Hinata asked, frowning deeply.
"They're definitely in the same room," Kankurou agreed weakly, earning a glare from Temari. "Well, they are!"
"So, again," Temari sighed, "maybe you should just leave Akamaru right here."
"I don't go anywhere without Akamaru," Hinata said firmly.
Kankurou and Temari exchanged two totally different looks that pretty much meant the same thing: 'oh, crap...'
"The thing is, Hinata," Temari tried to explain, "I have to go in with you, since it was my mission. And if Akamaru's going to freak out because Gaara's in the room... it wouldn't be good. So you can see why-"
"I can't leave him," Hinata interrupted. "I won't."
"Can't you, I don't know, stick him in a scroll or something?" Kankurou asked, sounding desperate.
The look Hinata gave him actually made Kankurou forget that they were in a desert.
"Even if I could," she said slowly, "I would never."
"You can't really expect the Kazekage to allow a dog in his office, and definitely not one as big as this one!"
"I am a missing-nin, and have followed no one's rules but my own for the last decade. Consider yourself lucky that I even dismounted."
"Okay, fine," Temari groaned, shaking her head. "But let's get one thing straight, Hinata. I told you to leave Akamaru here, and you're the one that decided not to listen. So anything that happens as a result of you not listening to my advice is on your head. We're trying to make this easier on you, believe me."
Hinata glared at her. "I will not go anywhere that Akamaru is not allowed. And I certainly wouldn't go anywhere that he wouldn't go by choice."
Temari was seconds away from tearing her own hair out. As far as she knew, Akamaru normally was a sweet dog, and she really didn't want to see him or Hinata splattered all over Gaara's office. The real problem was that Gaara could be just as, if not more instinctive than an animal, and so he was actually more likely to kill Akamaru on sight than the other way around. At this point, Temari could see only one way around this, and it wasn't going to be easy.
"Okay, I haven't been completely honest with you, Hinata. But I knew if I told you out in the forest, you never would've agreed to come with me."
Hinata said nothing to this, merely waiting for the bad news.
"Gaara isn't with the Kazekage. He is the Kazekage."
To her credit, Hinata looked horrified for all of three seconds.
After that, she just looked furious.
Then, surprisingly, she looked defeated. With her head hanging, she turned to her canine companion.
"Akamaru," she said softly. "Stay."
Temari had never thought she could see an animal look so heartbroken as Akamaru did in that moment. He couldn't seem to understand that Hinata was trying to protect him, or that she could possibly want to go somewhere without him. He whined uncertainly, gently bumping his head against her arm.
"Stay," Hinata repeated, and Temari could hear the sorrow in her voice this time. "Stay."
Ears drooping, Akamaru lowered himself to the floor, still staring up at his mistress in wounded confusion. There was little doubt in Temari's mind that Hinata would have to keep her eyes on him to make sure he obeyed.
Unfortunately, this was only the first part of Temari's little scheme. The next part was making sure that Gaara wouldn't react murderously, should Akamaru suddenly come busting in through the door (or the wall).
Still feeling quite guilty, Temari stepped towards Hinata, intending to apologize for lying to her. But Hinata quickly moved past her without so much as a glance, and Temari sighed inwardly, feeling even worse. There was still one way she could apologize, though.
The Sand jounin bent down next to the miserable dog and rubbed his head in what she hoped was a reassuring way. "I'm sorry about all this trouble, Akamaru. I'll make it up to you both, I promise." She wasn't completely convinced that Akamaru understood anyone but Hinata, but his tail did wag half-heartedly a few times. His eyes never left the retreating form of Hinata, though.
When Temari finally laid eyes on Gaara, he seemed to be in a surprisingly peaceful mood. For one thing, instead of doing any sort of paperwork (which was generally tedious and tended to make him more irritable than usual), he was merely standing at the back of his office, gazing out of the balcony that allowed him to see most of Suna.
"You're back," he said simply without turning around.
"You did ask me to come back," Temari reminded him as she came a stop directly behind her youngest brother.
"And... Naruto?" Gaara asked after a short pause.
"Just fine," Temari assured him. "He understood that you needed me to be somewhere else."
"I hoped he would."
There was another brief pause, and this time it was Temari who broke it.
"Gaara... there's something you should know about that last mission you gave me."
At this, he turned around, and Temari made sure to look him in the eyes as she continued.
"The Woodland Woman... it's Hyuuga Hinata. I mean, she's just Hinata now, technically, but I-"
Gaara placed his left hand on her shoulder.
Temari blinked, looked down at the hand, and then back up at Gaara hesitantly.
"You brought her here," he stated.
Not trusting herself to speak, Temari nodded.
"Were there any problems?"
"Yes. She's still pretty upset, because... I didn't tell her you were Kazekage until she got here. And I told her not to bring her dog in."
Gaara seemed to be considering this information. Finally, he came to a decision. "Bring her to me."
His hand was still resting on her shoulder, though.
Smiling faintly, Temari stepped forward and gave him a light hug. "I missed you, too, Gaara." He didn't seem nearly as stiff as the last time she'd done this, nor did he look confused as she let go. He just looked expectant, which Temari took to mean it was time to stop with the mushy stuff and carry out his last order.
When Hinata did appear, she still looked very upset, but not angry (although that was probably out of self-preservation). She met Gaara's gaze for less than a second, and then quickly lowered her head.
"Why do you think you are here?" Gaara asked.
Hinata answered quickly, as if she thought making him wait for an answer was a bad idea (and it probably was). "Because I have committed crimes against-"
"That is merely the official reason. Are you aware of the true one?"
"I... no," Hinata said softly.
Gaara stared at her for a long moment before moving on. "I sentence you to remain in Suna until I see fit to release you. You will stay with Temari at all times, unless she tells you otherwise."
Hinata's head snapped up, but she caught herself before opening her mouth. "Kazekage-sama... if I am not here because of my crime, then why am I being punished?"
"If I had punished you," Gaara replied slowly, "you would know it."
Hinata stiffened, but said nothing.
"You are a missing-nin with no allegiance to any Hidden Village. Were you anyone else, I would extract any secrets you held by force. For now, you may consider yourself Temari's guest."
"I... I don't understand any of this," Hinata said, sounding desperate. "Why are you keeping me here?"
Gaara glanced at Temari before answering. "Because you are precious to Naruto. For that reason alone, you will remain under my protection until further notice."
Temari saw with some alarm that Hinata was gaping at Gaara as if he'd just sprouted a second head. "Um, Hinata's had a really long day, and this is a lot to take in. What she probably needs right now is a chance to rest, so I'll just show her where she'll be staying." Once Gaara had nodded his approval, Temari grabbed Hinata and dragged her out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind them. "Didn't I tell you not to stare at him, Hinata?"
"Why?" Hinata whispered, shaking her head. "Why would someone like him care about Naruto-kun?"
Temari sighed. "Because like I tried to tell you before, Naruto is family to us. I brought you here so you'd be safe, Hinata. You may have been tough enough to survive on your own for this long, but there's always someone stronger. Can you really afford to find that out at the hands of a hunter-nin?"
Hinata started to shake her head. Then she remembered that she was still mad at Temari, and scowled. "Where am I staying?"
Temari smirked. "With me. In my room. You are my guest, after all." Somehow, she knew exactly what Hinata's response would be
"I won't go anywhere else without Aka-"
"There's room for him on the floor, and I'll put some blankets down first. You can't tell me he's used to better than that, either."
"That is acceptable," Hinata decided at last, but she refused to look satisfied about virtually being Temari's hostage.
Neither woman spoke as they made their way back to the hallway where Kankurou and Akamaru were still waiting. Kankurou looked relieved to see them both still in one piece, and Akamaru hadn't moved from his spot on the floor.
Hinata walked straight to her dog and knelt down in front of him, lifting his head so she could drop a kiss directly on his nose. "Good boy," she murmured, laying her head on his and rubbing his neck firmly. "Very good boy."
Temari almost smiled when she saw Akamaru's tail thumping wildly against the floor, but stopped herself when Kankurou looked at her.
"So how screwed are you?" he asked bluntly.
"Everything worked out fine," Temari replied stubbornly. "He wasn't mad at all."
"Huh. Then what happens to them?"
"You let me worry about that."
Kankurou grunted. "You better. There's no way that dog is sleeping in my room."
Temari understood that Hinata was confused and frustrated by the current situation, that they were no longer on friendly terms, and that they might never be again. So for the most part, the two women spent the rest of the day in Temari's room, not looking at each other or saying anything.
By that night, Temari was starting to feel frustrated as well. Gaara had told her that Naruto was not to be notified of these latest developments yet. She could only assume that he was concerned about word getting back to Konoha that Suna was harboring a Leaf missing-nin. To that end, there were only two or three places where Hinata could go freely, and even then Temari had to be with her. The main problem was that while Suna didn't have a constant flow of Leaf-nin entering the village, those few that did usually stayed for some time, given the length of the journey from Konoha.
Even though Temari could appreciate Gaara's position on the matter, she still felt guilty about restricting Hinata's freedom to this degree. As it was, Temari had been forced to request the use of Gaara's private courtyard for a few hours every morning, just so Akamaru didn't get too restless from being kept inside all the time. But that seemed like such a small thing, especially considering what they were expecting of Hinata.
It was a small comfort that Hinata and Akamaru didn't have any real problems with the size of Temari's room. It had always seemed too big for one person in her opinion, but now it was just shy of being cramped, with Akamaru sprawled out on top of five blankets along most of the wall. He seemed happy enough with the arrangement, and Hinata didn't complain.
They had never discussed the actual sleeping arrangements, but Temari's bed was easily big enough for three people, so she had just assumed they would share it. Hinata had other ideas, as she made all too clear by bedding down right next to Akamaru with little more than an extra blanket. Temari thought about offering to share, but decided against it. Hinata would probably choose to sleep there even if the bed were empty, given her current mood. As far as she was concerned, Akamaru was her only friend here.
There was something else bothering Temari as she tried to get to sleep, though. Every time she closed her eyes, she would remember the very last thing Naruto had told her about Hinata.
"Hinata really had it tough in her clan. Maybe if I'd had my own clan back then, we could've taken her in or something. I think she would've even stayed with an outcast like me instead of her family, if she had a choice."
Sighing, Temari sat up in bed and looked at the large, furry mass that steadily rose and fell a few feet away. "Hinata? Can I ask you a personal question?"
"What is it?" Hinata asked softly.
"If there weren't any hunter-nin after you... would you want to go home?"
There was no response for several moments, and Temari thought she wasn't going to get one.
"Even without them," Hinata whispered, "some of the problems I ran away from would remain. There would be no point."
"What about the people who love you? Don't you want to see them again?"
"I do," Hinata admitted. "But... some of them may be the very ones who would kill me on sight. In many ways, I am better off staying here. I just... didn't want to admit it." There was a slight pause. "Why do you ask?"
Temari quietly slipped out of her bed and walked over to her dresser. "Personally, I'm a big fan of option three, you know? It's always been my experience that whenever it seems like you only have two choices, they both tend to look pretty bad. So if you're beating yourself up over whether you want to go home, or keep hiding out here the rest of your life, there is another way to go."
"What do you mean? I can't leave Suna until your brother says so."
"That's because you're currently a Leaf missing-nin," Temari reminded her, taking something from the dresser and tossing it towards Hinata. "You can hang onto this for a while. You don't have to wear it. But if you ever want to just stop running, and get a fresh start, I'm sure we can work something out."
Temari waited for Hinata's protest, or at least to have the object tossed back at her. When neither came, she smiled faintly and climbed back into bed. "Everyone needs a place to belong to, Hinata. So if you really can't go home again, maybe you just need a new home."
"Why are you doing this?" Hinata asked in a small voice.
"I don't know. Maybe Akamaru is starting to grow on me. Maybe I just don't like seeing Naruto's friends suffer. Either way, I'm the only one that's going to make you this offer, and there's no time limit as far on it as I'm concerned. All I ask is that you think on it, and don't do anything stupid that might put your life in danger. Just because I'll protect you with my life doesn't mean I'm in a hurry to throw it away."
Hinata didn't respond to this, either. But the silence that filled the room no longer seemed as tense as before, and Temari found it was all too easy to fall asleep then.
End of Part 5.
Endnotes:
Hinata's new jutsu :
Hair of the Dog: Hinata's coat is made of a special material that picks up some of Akamaru's fur whenever they come in contact, so she always has plenty of hairs to throw.
Summoning: Inuzuka Tornado: An incomplete transformation that doubles as an attack and provides a strong defense for Hinata.
Jutsu Cutter: Hinata's mysterious bone staff, when thrown and filled with chakra, can literally cut through most elemental-based jutsu (wind, water, etc.)
Akanata Comet Plus: refined version of the Akanata Comet, used for battle, brief flight, and rapid travel.
Temari's new jutsu:
Kaze no Yaiba (Blade of Wind): inherited from Baki.
Wind Shadow Clone (Kaze Kage Bunshin?): a combination attack composed of a Shadow Clone (Kage Bunshin) and wind manipulation. The Shadow Clone explodes upon being attacked, releasing powerful wind gusts that can either hold an enemy in place, knock them away violently, or unleash the Cutting Whirlwind (Kamaitachi) at point-blank range. With three Shadow Clones, all three variations could be used one after another to increase damage or ensure the attack's success. Note: this is not a Wind Clone jutsu, as that would imply the clones are composed of wind. The wind comes from the air that is normally released as the clones explode, backed by all of the former clone's chakra. The more clones used, the weaker their individual attacks, which makes it necessary to use them in a combined effort.
Keep in mind that Temari isn't fighting with her full potential for most of the battle, and neither is Hinata. And while I'm aware of the "stars" on Temari's fan and how they work… somehow, I can't picture her holding back for so long outside of the chuunin exam.
I'm not exactly sure how big Akamaru eventually gets, but when I picture him here, I'm basically drawing on two ideas: 1) Hinata is slightly shorter than Kiba would've been, and Akamaru is easily taller than her, possibly she only comes up to his neck, and 2) Akamaru is meant to be seen as being even bigger than he normally would end up. This is partially due to the way Hinata raised him, but more likely because of certain forces at work in his genes.
I'm using artistic license with the summons. Very few shinobi have "personal summons," which I guess means no one else can use them, or at least not in that summoner's lifetime. Yet there are shinobi with what seem to be unique summons that no one else uses. Unfortunately, since only Temari ever uses Kamatari, there's no way of knowing if anyone else can summon it, or if there are other Kamaitachi that can be summoned. So for the purposes of this fanfic, I'm assuming that Kamatari is Temari's personal summon, though that there are other Kamaitachi (sickle weasels) available for summoning.
I assume it's chakra that summons actually respond to, at least, in that the summoner's blood is the 'door' and chakra is the actual 'key' that allows the summon to pass through the door (everyone has blood, but few have enough chakra for summoning).
I knew messing with the chuunin exam would be tricky. Just assume that Team 8's first encounter with the Sand Siblings in the second stage happened shortly before the events of Part 2. In other words, first Team 8 saw Gaara kill the three Rain-nin, then ran into Orochimaru's snakes. Messes up the timing (since Team 7 met Orochimaru almost right away), but those scenes are too important to ignore in this case (otherwise I don't think the Sand Siblings would stand out in Hinata's memory).
It's a common belief that you can "wash off" most scents by showering or bathing. Even if that's true, scents can cling to clothes, furniture, even entire houses. It stands to reason that Naruto's house would smell like him (or ramen), since he's lived alone for years. Even if Temari had done her laundry the day she left Konoha, most likely something she took with her would still bear Naruto's scent. And remember that Hinata can use some of Kiba's techniques, including heightening her sense of smell with chakra.
Bloodline limits such as the Byakugan have to be "trained": when they first manifest they aren't at full power or effectiveness (the Sharingan actually has visible levels as it advances). Neji manages to greatly increase the distance over which he can see with his Byakugan. So Hinata's inability to see through the sand dune surrounding Suna could be due to two things: lacking the necessary experience to do so, or the sand dune itself being composed of highly unique elements (which happens to be the case here, but more on that next time).
I'm not taking requests for any couples, since that's come up more than once already. Believe it or not, the story is entirely planned out already, which means I intend for things to go a certain way, and for certain people to end up together. And if you haven't seen any hints for a couple yet, chances are they won't be together here.