Hey all! Good to see you again! Thanks for all the faves! I'm so happy! Don't forget that anyone of you are able to make criticisms. Don't hold back! Ugh…Sorry for not updating cos I have an exam next week again! I swear, I think my school's trying to kill all of us! Well, enough of that and back to the story. I will try as hard as I can to make the chapters longer. Don't expect too much in one go however. I think I'll gradually increase the length as time goes by…Remember people, I DON'T OWN NARUTO!! Sadly.
Tsunade was having a nice drink of sake. All her paperwork had been done, a miracle to both her and Shizune. She took another sip and sighed. Nothing could get better th-
" Tsunade-obaa-chan!! We need your help! " Naruto burst in her office.
" What the- " Tsunade stopped and saw Hinata drenched with blood in Haku's arms.
" Please! Save her! " Haku begged, carrying Hinata's still and lifeless body.
" Oh, hell...SHIZUNE!! " Tsunade roared.
" Yes Tsunade-sa-Ah!! What hap- " Shizune got cut short.
" No time to ask questions!! Prep the operating room! Get the nurses!! Find me those chakra threads for sowing up wounds! Sakura get your butt here and help me!! And for God's sake DON'T JUST STAND THERE PEOPLE!! " Tsunade took Hinata's body and rushed after her apprentice with Sakura following behind.
Haku sighed, worried out of his mind, " Hinata. "
" Tsunade-sama's not here right? We'll just have to wait then...for your explaination, Sai. " Yamato glowered at the Sasuke look alike.
" Why are they so special to you anyway? " Sai asked Naruto nonchalantly.
" You... " Naruto grabbed Sai's collar, " You...need to have a friend. Then, you will know what it feels like to lose one. " Naruto let go of Sai and left the Hokage tower.
" Well...That was unexpected. " Yamato sighed.
" He failed to get Sasuke back right? That means he should be hit pretty hard. " Haku said, " Speaking of Sasuke...I'm never letting Hinata go near him again. " Haku muttered, " Then again, I can't stop her from defeating me and going after him...This is not good. " he sighed.
" I was trained not to have feelings. How am I not supposed to apply what I learned since young? " Sai said to himself.
" Well, I've got nothing better to do...I'll help you cause I can't do anything for Hinata but to worry and pray. Let's start shall we? " Haku smiled, softly.
Sai nodded.
" I need to get a drink. Think you can handle him if he tries to escape? " Yamato stood at the door.
" I trust he won't. " Haku replied as Yamato left.
Sai merely watched, wondering why had Haku trusted him so fast when he was also one of the people who hurt Hinata.
Meanwhile...
Tsunade called upon her green healing chakra as fast as she could. She is not going to die in my hands! I will not allow it! Hinata, live!!
" Shizune! How's the situation? " Tsunade asked.
" She's lost a lot of blood, Tsunade-sama. Her abdomen is badly injured. So is her spine. There's a 50-50 chance that she'll actually survive the first night back at Konoha... "
" Well, we'll just have to make her live, ne, Shizune? " Tsunade smiled softly.
Shizune nodded.
After a whole week of struggling and healing, Hinata survived but just barely. Considering her fragile health at this state, Tsunade moved her to a big hospital room and let no one see her but Shizune and herself. This afternoon was no different.
" Konichiwa, Hinata. " Shizune greeted her cheerfully.
" Hello. " Hinata smiled, " Thank you...so much for taking care of me and saving me. How is Haku-nii doing? "
" Oh, he's complaining about Tsunade-sama's rule of letting no one in to visit you. He's not the only one. " Shizune laughed.
" Really, who else? "
" There's Sakura, Naruto, and Kurenai. " Shizune poured some soup out from a thermos and handed it to the Hyuuga.
" K-Kurenai-sensei? " Hinata whispered almost inaudibly.
" Yeah. I'll be going now, Hinata. Call me if you need anything. By the way, Tsunade-sama will be coming at three in the afternoon. Be prepared. " Shizune shut the door.
Hinata chuckled softly to herself. She knew a lot about Tsunade-sama ever since she was a genin. She shared a special bond with the gambling-obsessed blond Hokage. Hinata activated her Byakugan and assessed the damage her body took. Three fractures, internal bleeding and a broken leg. Hinata thought and sighed, I won't be moving for a while...Hinata then tried to use her chakra to heal herself. After several tries at healing herself, she had only successfully managed to stop the internal bleeding and collapsed exhausted.
" Hinata? "
Hinata opened her eyes wearily. She looked around. The sky was a brilliant orange. It was about three o'clock.
" Hinata. " that voice called again.
Hinata saw the Hokage standing over her bed. She sat up slowly, wincing at the pain.
" How are you, Hinata? I haven't seen you these past two years. What happened? " Tsunade frowned.
Hinata opened her mouth then closed it again. She fidgeted with her fingers, thinking of what to say.
" Hinata, you know I won't tell anyone. " Tsunade grinned.
" Will I have to stay in Konoha? " Hinata asked, " And who told Kurenai-sensei about me coming back? "
" I'll have to fight with the darn council for that. " Tsunade groaned, " I'm the one who told Kurenai about you. "
" Why?? I'm going to leave secretly in a week. So the first problem is solved. It'll make it harder for me to leave knowing that Kurenai-sensei will have to say goodbye to me. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. " Hinata mumbled.
" Hahaha...Still the same old you. You're much, much different than before but still the same kind-hearted young woman I know. " Tsunade laughed.
" How's my family? " Hinata asked, " Neji-nii and Hanabi-chan? "
Tsunade's face turned grave and she looked out the window.
" Tsunade-sama? "
" Hinata...The Hyuuga clan is on the brink of war. " Tsunade sighed, " The Main family and the Branch family are about to collide. "
" What? " Hinata gasped, eyes wide, " B-but, what happened? "
" The Main family wanted to make Hanabi the heir to the clan. " Tsunade spoke, " Then, the Branch family argued and said that you were kidnapped and that your body was not found, so you weren't dead. "
Hinata looked away, touched that the Branch family had so much trust in her.
" Hanabi didn't want to join in the arguement. Neji, however, argued for you. "
Hinata only had one question, " Why? "
" You didn't notice it did you? The Branch family love you...because you were kind to them. " Tsunade pointed to her, " Hinata, let me ask you something, the Main family taught you to be unmerciful, cold and cruel, ne? " Hinata nodded while Tsunade smiled knowingly, " Well, the rest of the Main family treated the Branch family like dirt. Not only that, they placed the Caged Bird seal on every one of them. "
Hinata nodded again, " Why would kindness do so much? "
" Because, Hinata, you gave them hope that maybe, just maybe, that the Hyuuga might have a new leader that could change the traditions and in doing so help them release their suffering. "
" Oh. "
" Well, you have to do something, right? I mean, you're supposed to be the next heir. "
" I don't want to be the next heir... " Hinata mumbled, " I don't want to stay in Konoha. " Seeing the surprised expression on Tsunade's face, she quickly continued, "Haku-nii-san and I have a mission to complete. A secret mission. It isn't because I hate Konoha. I love this place. It's my home. " Hinata looked out the window.
Tsunade smiled then hesitated, " Uh...Hinata? There's something a need to tell you... " she began and swallowed nervously when Hinata looked at her, " Your...your father...he disowned you after you disappeared. Claiming you were too weak and stupid, he announced that you were no longer his daughter. "
" I expected that. "
Tsunade gaped. Is this really the Hinata she knew? The one who always came to her crying when she got scolded by her father?
" You don't have to feel bad for me. I'm OK. " Hinata smiled, gently.
" That doesn't mean that you aren't the next heir, you know. You can still claim the clan, however you will have to fight Hiashi, your father for your right. " Tsunade managed to speak.
" I'll see what happens first. "
" By the way, what about your side of the story? "
Hinata then told Tsunade almost everything about her adventures. Some she didn't utter, like Sasuke, Orochimaru, the reviving technique she used on Haku and most importantly Orochi, the eight-headed monster that the Akatsuki wanted to find. After hearing everything, Tsunade said goodbye to Hinata and went out the door in a daze. She couldn't believe how much Hinata had changed. The once little, nervous girl had been replaced with a much stronger attitude and a quiet demeanor that radiated confidance.
" I need a drink. " Tsunade went to her office rubbing her temples.
" Hokage-sama! " a voice shot through the halls.
" Huh? Neji? What are you- "
" Is Hinata-sama back?! " he cut her off.
" Yes, she is. Wait... who the hell told you?! " Tsunade exclaimed.
" Naruto. "
" That stupid boy! I'll definitely strangle him, pulverize him, and disembowel him, heal him and do it all over again!! God damn it! When does the brat learn to keep his mouth shut?! " Tsunade roared.
" Can I visit her? " Neji asked.
" Fine, go. But let no one else in! " Tsunade said, " She's not really in the state to receive visitors yet. "
Neji left without a word and went into Hinata's room.
" Hinata...sama. " Neji's voice trailed off.
Hinata had grown so much these past two years. Her eyes shone with unlimited wisdom, sadness and even burdens. Her long midnight-blue hair reached her waist and she was still twiddling her fingers.
" Hinata-sama. " Neji called again, walking towards her.
" Neji-nii!! " Hinata quickly sat up.
Neji took a chair and sat down beside the bed. Hinata looked at him with tears in her eyes. A few of them escaped her eyes but she did not move. She knew her cousin was not a touchy-feely sort of person and did not want to make any action that would disturb the already fragile bond she had with him. To her surprise, he was the one that proceeded to actually hug her.
" N-Neji-nii!! " Hinata gasped and relaxed in his arms, " Thank you. "
" I missed you, you baka. I missed my cousin. The one I was supposed to protect. " Neji mumbled in Hinata's hair.
(For those of you who are thinking incest, no, I don't write incest stories but in my country, cousins have an especially close bond with each other! I'm sure some of you will agree with me! Sorry to those who feel offended! )
" I'm sorry. " Hinata hugged him back, knowing it took a lot for the cold genius, Neji to even think about saying those type of things, " I missed you too. "
Neji let go of her with one of his extremely rare wry smiles one his face. Hinata retold what she had told Tsunade to her cousin so that he would get a vague picture on what she had been doing the past two years. He, in turn, filled her in on the Hyuuga clan.
" Hiashi-san, or Uncle has been preparing for war. I, of course am from the Branch family and Hanabi from the Main. I've never gotten close to Hanabi but I don't like the thought of killing her. " the serious face came back, " Hinata-sama, the Branch family supports you as the new clan leader but Hiashi does not want that so he proclaimed war. " Neji explained.
" My father?? Proclaimed war?? " Hinata blinked, " Why? "
" No one knows. He's been taking Main family members into his compound and they were never to be seen again. The Main family thinks he's possessed and they don't like it but they follow him for fear of their lives. The Branch family thinks he's gone mad. He has gone mad. You can see him, talking to himself nowadays. "
" Ye-es...It seems so. " Hinata pondered.
" We need you, Hinata. Please prevent the clan from falling. "
" I'll go. "
" Good. "
For the rest of the week, Hinata was allowed visitors. Kurenai and Haku came first along with Kiba, Akamaru and Shino. They had been introduced to each other by the Hokage and hung out with each other while waiting for the 'go-signal' to visit Hinata. Naruto, Yamato and Sai came next, with Sai trying to be kind as he had a LONG, LONG, chat with Haku the other night. Sakura, however, didn't come at all.
At the gates of Konoha, two people wearing cloaks with a red cloud design on them stepped in lightly. They weren't seen, no.
" We're back here, again. Lousy Konoha. " the first one grumbled, fumbling with his hat.
" We have to catch a prey. A very elusive prey. Stop complaining. " the second one shot back calmly, no emotion present in his voice at all.
Well, I'm done!! I'm so happy. I'm making the chappies longer! Enjoy! Oh! Guess which members of the Akatsuki came! It's reeeeeaaaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyy easy! I gave like one clue which says it all! See you! Thanks for reading! P.S. whoever guesses right will get a cookie!