Important: I"ve update this so i suggest you re-read this and chapter 4. I'll post the fifth chapter tonight (7/4/11)
To Gather the Net Ends
Hinata smiled slightly as she let her feet dangle in the water. They were relatively safe here so she could afford to relax a bit. Besides with Kyuubi guarding the way, you couldn't ask for a better sentry. She motioned to her team to set up for the night. They would stay put until dawn. Neji needed the rest, as did her father, though he would probably deny it. She could feel the waver in his chakra as he sat down near her with an omphfff. Hinata shook her head and turned back to Yuuki.
"So what brings you here?" Yuuki gazed at Hiashi until she decided he was far enough out of range to not hear her before she turned back to Hinata.
"I'm heading to Konoha to join Project 9." Hinata frowned slightly.
"You know that that doesn't start for another three months, right?" Yuuki nodded. She glanced at Hiashi again but he was simply shifting his weight.
"I wanted to scope out the village first. I also am having a harder time avoiding the patrols recently. Better to be in a village." Hinata nodded. She glanced at her group. Shino and Kiba were dozing, both with their heads on Akamaru. They trusted her and Youko to keep watch. Ten Ten was asleep propped against a boulder. Hinata suspected her back was going to be very annoyed with her for that position tomorrow. The reason was on her lap. Neji's head was resting there as he slept fitfully, unable to escape the pain of his burns even in sleep. Hinata was sad that she couldn't help him any more then she already did. Her father was off to the side. His feet were also dipped in the water. She briefly wondered if he found water comforting. He was still awake, though relaxing a bit. His chakra was still on high alert for any disturbance. She could practically smell his curiosity about Yuuki from over here.
"You should stay with one of us." Yuuki looked at her, startled. She had thought the Hyuuga was lost in studying her teammates and had forgotten about her existence. Hinata rose a moment.
"W-wait! I can't impose like that. I'll just stay at an inn." Hinata looked at her smiling slightly.
"You have saved my life, my mate's life and your bijuu and my bijuu are close. It is not an imposition to us. I"ll just run it by my father and then you could collect your things." Hinata continued towards her father, whose eyebrows rose when he figured out his daughters destination. He gathered himself and looked at her as she reached him.
"Father, would it be alright with you if Yuuki staying in the Hyuuga estate for a few months until Naruto-kun returns?" He looked at her. The question was given with authority. She wasn't really asking, she was telling in a diplomatic fashion. His daughter was already becoming a leader of the clan. He could tell that she was ready to be clanhead now. Well, he wasn't ready to retire just yet. But some help would be nice. He looked at Yuuki, refocusing on her 'request'.
"Aa, that is alright by me, Otome." Hinata smiled brilliantly. She loved that name. He would have to make note to use it more often.
Yuuki sighed and huffed behind Hinata, who turned with a slight smile at the girls antics. Yuuki was a year or so younger then she was, but her Bijuu was several years older then Mui, making them an odd couple.
"Fine! I"ll get my stuff." She was being sarcastic in her anger. It was really suppressed laughter, mixed with resignation. "Far be it from me to argue with Mui or her partner. Sheesh." Hinata was faster then Hiashi by a hair's breadth. He had stood and leaped at Yuuki at her statement. Hinata had caught the hand of the strike meant for the girl. Yuuki stared up at Hiashi in slight fear.
"How did you find out?" His harsh whisper rasped at the girl as Hinata pushed her father away from the teen. Another hand appeared on Hiashi's other shoulder as Hinata separated them. Hiashi spotted Shino off to the side.
"All due respect, Hiashi-san, enough." His steady serious voice punctured Hiashi's balloon of concern. He looked at Yuuki as the girl spoke at this time.
"Hiashi-san?" She looked at him with concern as Hinata pushed him back. He looked at his daughter in annoyance for standing between him and this dangerous person. She straightened and adopted a look that was more severe then usual.
"Hiashi-dono. This person is under the protection of Konoha as part of Project 9." It was formal wording, however...
"Hinata-chan, only a jounin can make such a statement." Hinata's eyes hardened as Kiba stood next to her.
"Takaki, Shiinu and Shinji are jounin, and until we have completed this mission we are technically Takaki, Shiinu and Shinji. Her shinobi rank is the same as yours." Neji and Ten Ten gasped as Shino, Kiba and Hinata waited for Hiashi to respond. Shino had looked up Hiashi's record several monthes ago. He knew that eventually Shikamaru would take up the position in their group as the information, but until he was let in the loop, or figured it out, he would stand in. He had taken advantage of Shiinu's status tolook up some important information, including the unclassified version of Hiashi's past. He had shared this information with his teammates. He may control the book information that enters the group but Kiba and Hinata were the ones to use it. Hiashi is still a regular jounin.
Hinata stood her ground. Yuuki opened her mouth to explain to Hiashi that eny Jinchuuriki could sense Mui now, but Seiryu spoke up and told her to say silent. Let Hinata fight this battle.
"Tsukina-san is under Konoha's protection, and thus mine, Hiashi-dono." Hiashi realized that while the request to stay in the Hyuuga clanhouse was made by Hinata, this statement was made by Takaki. The fact that they were the same body simply made it easier for Hinata to make her request. He couldn't dispute this.
Everyone sighed in relief when Hiashi nodded to her and returned to his set. Hinata gestured for her to go and get her things. They could discuss more things after they were safely back in Konoha.
000
Tsunade closed her eyes as the wind breathed around her. The note had said an hour after midnight. She was here.
She had finally left a silver piece on Sandiame's head to meet with Hawk. The message had said an hour after midnight tonight. She was glad for the sliver of moon that valiantly shone, giving her enough light to see her way when she had walked up here twenty some minutes ago.
"Hard to believe, isn't it Sensei?" She was standing on Sandiame's head. "Remember when we thought that nothing would have us working together with other nations or demons? You were one of the only people in the entire village that believed peace was the answer." She gazed over Konoha.
"I understand now. I understand what you meant that day. The day I left."
-Flashback-
"Tsunade-chan. Where will you go?" The blonde girl froze in her footsteps. She slowly looked back at her teacher.
"Sen...sei..." She had thought no one had noticed her slipping away. He looked at her.
"Where will you go now, Tsunade-chan? Your home is here." Tsunade shook her head.
"Here?" She spat the word. "Here is where the memories are. Memories of my parents, my brother, my...my l-lover." She seemed to falter a moment before regaining her equilibrium. "I have nothing here!"
Sandiame looked at her with a sad expression. She hadn't seen that expression since Orochimaru defected.
"Tsunade, go with my blessing. Find the world out there, but remember that this is your home." She looked at the man. She knew that he had lost his wife to child birth and his sons were trying to move on and away from the Hokage position. Tsunade couldn't understand.
"Why? Why do you love this place?" He considered her a moment. He looked over the part of Konoha they could see from the road.
"This place is full." Tsunade shot her teacher a look that said he was once again being way too ambiguous. He chuckled.
"One day, when you return, you may understand." She shook her head in negation, but he only chuckled again. "Never deny what you may one day understand, Little Charm. The world will always keep a few surprised in store for you. That how it entertains itself." She rolled her eyes and turned from her teacher. She knew he was smiling after her. She heard his last goodbye on the wind as she left.
"I will always be here for you, Little Charm. Just look for me."
-End Flashback-
Tsunade wiped the tears from her face. The old geezer had been right. After being Hokage for a few months she had realized what he meant. Konoha was indeed full.
Konoha was full of everything. Laughter. Joy. Sorrow. Hope. friends. Family. Jokes. Anger. Amusement. They were all here. And everywhere they were, Tsunade could see Sandiame's guiding hand in the village. He was the mothers who separated fighting children. He was in the bartender who listened to the jokes. He was in the shinobi who kept the village safe. He never left Konoha. As long as the Will of Fire burned in this village, he would be there.
Just. Like. Her. Grandfather.
"Tsunade-dono." She turned and looked at the Anbu off to the side. His hawk mask was set on top of a broad shouldered man encompassed in a larger cloak of midnight blue. His chakra was non-existant, he was hiding it so much. She turned to him and nodded.
"I"m told to give this to you before making my request." She handed him the scroll from Koneko. He took it and glanced at her, before drawing a mark on the paper she couldn't make out.
Another genjutsu of Koneko appeared.
"Hey, Hawk. Sorry I'm not there to do my duty. I"ll be back soon, I promise. Please help Tsunade-Godaime-san until I can get there. Thanks a bunch! Ciao!" Koneko's perky act was all the more drastic at 1 am on a dark mountain. Tsunade looked at the ANBU as he reached out to caress the spot Koneko had disappeared from before he turned to her.
"How may I assist you, Tsunade-dono?"
000
His red eyes opened as Ino exited the tent again. She brought back a stool and set it inside the tent again. She didn't stay in long as his red-head stepped out. She had only been asleep a few hours. He glanced at the lightened side of the horizon. Dawn would be here in an hour or so. He really should start thinking about heading back. She was walking around and although he hadn't figured out that woman he almost recognized, he was okay leaving now.
He turned and prepared to leap off when the leaves next to him moved.
"You aren't even going to say hello?" He leaped back at Lee blended out of the leaves, his green suit blending in nicely. He hadn't even noticed the Chuunin. Lee was looking at the red-head as the boy next to him. "She misses you even now." He had never heard Lee so serious.
"She is fine." Lee smiled slightly, but it didn't shine like it usually did. In fact, it was close to sarcastic.
"She deserves to be better then fine." He looked at the usually bouncy boy. "She heals everyone without thought to herself and the person she hopes for the most isn't a gift we can give her." His red eyes widened in amazement.
"She is fine." His stubborn repeating of this fact would have annoyed anyone else, but Lee had learned patience the way he learned everything, until he got it right.
"You wouldn't be repeating that if you heard her on a night when she doesn't exhaust herself healing. When she doesn't succeed in draining herself so she won't have to think about how her entire team left her behind." His red eyes jumped to Lee in surprise before they hide it with ease. Lee shook his head.
"Naruto-kun has been gone over two years now." The red eyes were drawn back to her. She had strength. He needed her to have strength. Enough to be fine.
"She is with friends. She will be fine." Lee looked at her too.
"Will you be back?" He didn't answer. "Would you at least do her the favor of letting her know you were alive. She still has nightmares about Orochi-baka using your body and killing you." His red eyes closed in amusement. Orochimaru was strong, but Sasuke knew his power better, he wouldn't be overcome. But still...
Lee smiled truly as the black figure vanished from next to him.
000
Hinata stepped a quick pace as they all sped for Konoha. She wanted them all in the village and safe. Still in Takaki mode had her on edge. Now she felt like Hinata was the role and Takaki was the real personality.
Naruto and Neji's growled made her giggle. They were reminding her that Takaki was part of Hinata and Hinata was part of Takaki. They were a set. And to pay attention to the next step!
That last message came a little late as she nearly veered into a tree trunk. She gave a smirking Neji and playful glare before pulling the group up short. It was time for breakfast. Plus Yuuki was coming to hook up with them.
000
He was having a pleasant dream. He didn't really know what was happening, but it felt pleasant. He slowly brought himself to awareness of the fire. It was burning everything. It wasn't pleasant, why did he think of that? He saw it curl around him in a friendly way before merrily continuing to destroy the next home. People were weeping around him as he walked forward.
No. He did this. He looked at the children who were yelling. Just as he did, the little girl was engulfed in flames.
NOOOOOO!
Naruto sprang ten feet in the air as the cheers of children resounded throughout his tent.
"Okay, okay, he's awake. I think you have to wake up Habi too." The children ran screaming from the tent, laughing and giggling the whole way. Haruka chuckled as she looked up at her nephew, who was clinging to the horizontal tent pole like a monkey.
"Do you want breakfast?" Naruto looked at her shakily. She chuckled again. "Don't worry, they won't be back for a bit. You might was to come down before you bring down the entire tent on us." He smiled slightly as he let go of the pole a landed gently on the bed he had practically levitated off of a few moments earlier.
"Breakfast?" She nodded.
"Its almost over. The children are sent to wake those too silly to wake up in time. Only the night sentries are spared that joy."
"What time is it?" Haruka looked thoughtful a moment.
"Maybe half hour past sunrise." He stared at her. She shrugged. "The village has no clocks so I can't be sure."
"Breakfast ends at 6 AM!" His voice rose to a squeak as Haruka walked to the door. She smiled as she moved to duck through.
"Don't be late."
000
Sakura sat down on the stump as she refilled water bottles. She had asked for a task that would let her think by herself. She had a lot to think about. She had been walking through camp earlier this morning when suddenly a breeze startled everyone. It blew laundry about and papers took flight. Everyone was so busy that no one noticed the whisper that drifted into her ear. She remembered the night she heard those words spoken.
She had been trying not to think about it. Not to let his face roll around in her head. She immersed herself in her work. She exhausted herself in her studies. She involved herself in every patients' life so that her own could be forgotten to some extent. Because He was remembered before she could even remember herself. She knew Lee and Ino were worried about her. She was pushing herself and they were scared for her.
Naruto's departure had made it harder. Before he left she could immerse herself in laughing at him. and for a short time she would believe that He was just coming to train in a few minutes.
Then Naruto left. She really did try to forget all the pain. Focus on the good times. Or so everyone told her. She just smiled at them and nodded. They didn't understand her pain. It wasn't him leaving that was painful.
That did hurt for a little while, but it healed. No what hurt was his pain. His suffering hurt her more then anything. His death would destroy her, though a part might be relived eventually that he was peaceful.
She snorted, He couldn't be peaceful any more then Naruto could sit still. No, she would feel pain because he didn't allow himself to. She would feel his pain for him. She had too. It was the only thing that kept them together in her heart. Then those words. The timbre of his voice was gentle, not necessarily happy, but motivated.
She smiled as she walked back to camp. She would hold his motivation with her as well as those words.
Sakura...Thank You
000
Naruto squinted as he exited the tent. He had dressed quickly and was looking for food. He ran into Naomi and Fiona on his way towards the breakfast tables. They joined him saying they wanted to grab another piece of fruit before heading out for the day. They discussed hunting while Naruto ate with his usual zest. Actually he noticed that no one here was that surprised by the sheer amount of food he consumed. Then again, they knew Haruka and she ate more then he did. Absently he wondered if that was a Jinchuuriki trait or maybe hereditary.
He was dragged from his thoughts when his sensei grabbed his shoulder.
"Found you." He looked at her in confusion. He was rarely hard to find, though he could hide if he wanted to. She smiled at him. "Come on, we have a bit of a hike ahead of us."
They hiked up the mountain the village was based around.
The village was a grouping of eight or more clearings, he hadn't seen the entire thing yet. The clearings were around this center mountain. It wasn't a mountain in the typical sense. Rather it was more of a very steep hill. Having a diameter half that of Konoha, it reached upward with a near vertical jump. There was a path carved into it that spiraled the mountain until you got to the top plateau.
It took them a good portion of an hour to make the entire climb. Haruka refused to be rushed, firmly telling him that this was one path that you respected in this village. He wasn't sure why that would be, but he wasn't going to argue with Haruka. He used the time to admire the landscape as it passed as they circled up the mountain.
At the top, there was a small forest. The trees grew tall and thick but the path navigated them. In the center of the forest was a bumpy circle of stones. They looked kind of like pedestals. Naruto followed his sensei into the center of these stones. She took a seat in the center of the haphazard circle of stone and patted the ground in front of her. The grass was soft and the young tree that grew in the clearing was strong enough that Naruto leaned against it. Haruka smiled and spoke for the first time since the climb began.
"Here you will meditate." He gave her a confused look. "Today, we need to do some spring cleaning. You will go through everything, every thought, every worry in your head. You will re-examine it. You will ask questions, you will remember your past." He looked at her in confusion, but she closed her eyes.
"Begin as you would a normal meditation." Naruto sighed and stood up and began his meditative kata. He let the world go as he listened to the sound of her voice.
"Pull yourself inside your own skin. Hear your heart beat, breathing, the joints move and muscle contract." He let out a breath and the wind of the air whistled loudly in his ears.
"Now go deeper into your chakra. As if your chakra was a table you sat next to. Look at it." He glanced past Youko's chakra and found his own, they were entwined to a large extent.
"Now into the chakra, as if it were a lake. Dive in and immerse yourself in the feeling of the chakra." He felt himself floating in his chakra, as if it were a soft blanket. It was so warm and vibrant.
"Now reach inside yourself. Find the tight ball of tangled light. Gently hold that and think." Her voice was very faint now. He was no longer dependent on it as he gripped the ball of writhing mass. a piece came off and he remembered the day he met Haruka.
Give me a break, the last time I saw you was through a scanning jutsu two days before you were born! He felt the explosion in the pit of his stomach again. The thought of knowing about his parents.
YYYYeeeesssss, if I used a scanning jutsu on your mother, then I knew your mother? He had never thought he would be able to ask questions about his parents.
"You can ask now. I will answer." He felt her presence in his mind from their bond. He remembered the train of thought that he hadn't let take form back then. If his parents had survived. If they hadn't died.
"You would have been surrounded by your parents and our teammates. We would have spoiled you rotten, along with Hinata, and Neji, and Sasuke, and any other kids we would have had." Naruto smiled at that thought. He took in the warmth of his parents and then the tragedy of their deaths. He mourned them for a moment, the first moment he truly mourned for his parents. The first moment he knew what could have been.
000
Hinata had vouched for Yuuki as they entered the village. They sped towards Tsunade, forgoing the usual stop at Hokage headquarters and going straight to the hospital. Yuuki had been told that Sakura was in danger and all of them wanted to know that she was all right. Tsunade was the best person to ask, especially since they had to report to her anyway.
Hinata was glad to be back and was just thinking about a new training exercise she wanted to try, after some sleep and a bath, when Naruto's link just zipped out. Kiba caught the falling Hyuuga as Ten Ten did the same for her cousin. Both were holding their heads in near panic, Hinata far more so.
What's happening?
I don't know?
I can't sense Naruto-kun!
Neither can I.
WHY!
Easy, easy easy there. The two Hyuuga stopped their mental conversation at Mui gentle insistence. I"ll find out what's going on. You two go and calm down your friends and Hiashi. Go on.
Her gentle, but firm command was followed before they knew what was about. They were suddenly looking at the sky, or in Hinata's case the sky with Tsunade's face in the middle. Both sat up and held their heads in pain.
"Headache." Hinata nodded in agreement with her cousin's groan, before deciding that was a bad idea since it made the headache worse.
"I"ll bet you do!" Tsunade placed her hands on her hips. "You both are exhausted, your chakra is depleted and you, Neji, are burned. And then you shove all remaining chakra into your brains! If that didn't give you a headache, I'll give you one, just to make sure you don't do that again! Get them to the hospital, I'll be along momentarily" They didn't even have the strength to look sheepish as Tsunade huffed at them. When she was getting ready to leave they both looked up.
"Wait!" The entire group, save Hiashi and Yuuki who had't been aware of the situation.
"Tsunade-sama, what about Sakura-chan?" She looked back at them, frowning.
"She's fine. Unlike the two of you, she let herself collapse when she had had enough. She should be back by lunchtime, at which point You BOTH should be IN BED!" Hinata wasn't about to tell her they didn't have the chance to collapse until now. But before they could get sent to their rooms, she had a mission to complete.
"Tsunade-sama." The Godaime looked at her such that, Hinata felt that if she suggested something dangerous, Tsunade was likely to tie them up and haul them to the hospital herself.
"I have scrolls for you, and Youko is here to talk." She pointed to the fox, who had stayed out of sight until now. He didn't want to cause a fuss.
Tsunade looked at him and nodded. She took the scrolls from Hinata.
"Youko-san, May we talk after lunch?" Youko nodded, both being quite respectful of the other, though quiet and discreet in the street. Tsunade sighed and left. Hinata sighed as Ten Ten giggled.
"I didn't think anyone besides Naruto could make her that flustered." Hiashi stared at his daughter and her friend like they had grown wings and flew away.
Naruto is fine, he's simply very, very deep in meditation. He'll be done around lunch.
Thanks Mui. Hinata relayed Mui's message silently to Neji before yawning and allowing her teammates to help her limp to the hospital, deciding to catch some sleep while Tsunade was keeping her there.
000
Naruto floated into another memory. He had explored his first Christmas, first day at the academy, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, Iruka, Sandaime. He had thought, learned, healed, and organized.
Like a Hokage? Papa says the Hokage knows a lot of Justus and is strong and protects people and people like him. His pride at his decision.
Any baka who's a friend of this trash doesn't deserve to live in Konoha! And the shame at his reputation. He never understood why people were like that.
"Some were probably genuinely afraid of you. Of the demon growing more powerful as you grew up. But they were forbidden from removing that danger. Others probably didn't want to get singled out themselves. Their fear was of the crowd" His aunt's cool voice washed over as he pictured their faces. She was right. They were angry faces, but also scared faces.
That thought drew another thought from the ball of thoughts
She started working for our village as a shinobi when she was 4 Where was she before she was four?
"I lived in the woods."Naruto felt the pity he had shoved away for his sensei.
"Byaka and the animals raised me. I was three when I met my first NICE human." Nrauto knew that even once she had moved into the village, it couldn't have been easy.
"Don't worry about me Naruto. I'm fine." He sighed as another memory caught him. He noticed that the mess of memories was looking more like a neat ball of yarn now. He let this memory take him away to the first bowl of ramen he tasted.
000
Sakura was happy to enter Konoha. They had packed up camp and pulled out soon after she had finished collecting water. Ino wanted to get their two newest members back to Konoha and the other people who had been rescued needed to be checked out medically. Sakura hadn't gotten her chakra back yet and she really wanted Tsunade to help her with it. The chakra-draining was still effecting her and it was really irritating.
Lee was also being slightly irritating, in a sweet way. He was staying within sight of her since he rescued her. She was very glad he came to get her and she had spent some time with him this morning thanking him and generally enjoying his exuberance. However, she was starting to trip over him. She was slightly glad when he left to scout the rear and she was left with the refugees. Even without her chakra, she was a skilled mednin.
At the hospital, she was separated from everyone as she was told to locate her sensei while the staff worked. They all knew her from work and they could see the stress in her stance. They directed her towards the fourth floor, the rooms reserved for injured chunnins. That made her hurry.
She entered the room that was reserved for her friends, since they spent enough time here and they really barely trusted any medical save Sakura. She hurried in, bowing quickly to Hiashi before looking at the two Hyuuga in the beds with her sensei leaning over them. Tsunade clicked her tongue slightly as she looked back at her pupil.
"They are simply asleep." She smiled at her student, happy to see her all right. She turned to Hiashi. "When they awaken, they can go home, but no using their chakra for another day yet." Hiashi nodded seriously. Sakura approached them and looked at their charts, wondering what could have effected these two so drastically.
Her eyes widened as she gazed at the chart. She looked back at the two as they slowly woke up. Tsunade had bustled out, saying she would return soon. Sakura looked around the room. She saw Hiashi, Shino, Kiba, and Ten Ten. In one corner, she saw a small figure sitting down behind Akamaru. Hiashi's sigh got her attention.
"I"ll return soon." He gave his daughter a kiss on the head and squeezed his nephew's shoulder. "Unless you two want to go home wearing hospital gowns?" His sardonic eyebrow had the desired effect of pulling a smile from the occupants of the beds. " Tsukina-san, how about we place your thingsin the main house. We can settle you in later." Tsunade had confirmed Yuuki's participation in Project 9 and he wanted to show her the way to the estate before he got too caught up in other things. She was, after all, a guest of the Heir. He left a moment later. Sakura glanced at the others in the room. She knew Shino, Ten Ten and Kiba knew so she went ahead with her medical observations.
Neji's groan drew her attention as he clutched his head. She came over to them as Shino and Ten Ten placed hands on the shoulders of their respective teammates.
"Its the bond, isn't it?" Neji looked at her sharply, but Hinata just nodded.
"He's in deep meditation. I can barely sense his breathing and that is taking all my energy." Her soft voice calmed Neji. He trusted Hinata's judgment on who to talk to about this. Sakura frowned slightly.
"That explains some things." Like how her growing bond with him had vanished. She looked at Hinata and sighed. "If you need to reach him, a sharp burst might get his attention, but unless you plan to do that, I suggest you ignore the bond and let yourselves heal." Hinata looked at her friend, sighing. She knew Sakura was right, she was just worried about Naruto. Finally she nodded to Neji and they both relaxed their presence in the bonds and felt their headache lessen. Hinata looked at Neji and Ten Ten.
"As my doctor, Sakura-chan has been studying some of the chakra changes from these bonds." Neji looked at her in amazement. It did make sense though. Especially since she now had a bond with Naruto of her own.
They all ate some lunch, the Hyuuga intent on leaving in a few hours.
000
Ino made sure to separate Sakura's friends from the other refugees. She got them settled in one of the hospital beds near where she knew Sakura usually worked, before hunting down her teacher and her father. Ibiki wasn't hard to find, simply ask any Anbu and they're sure to know. Her sensei was an odd man in many respects. When she had first met him in the chunnin exams, her impression was a sadistic killer. When she had seen his scars, it had scared her silly, but worse. Those scars had swelled a deep sense of sympathy and pride. For his strength, of body, spirit and resolve.
When Tsunade had suggested she train with him instead with her in medicine, she was hesitant. She wanted to help her people, not torture the enemy. Or be tortured. The first few lessons were strained to say the least. It was clear that Ibiki had never had an apprentice before, nor had he specifically requested one now. She had the slightest feeling Tsunade had nudged the controlled ANBU into this role. She may have stayed that distance if not for a single incident.
They had been visiting a retired shinobi. Ibiki had some questions and wanted Ino's input on the validity of the information. She hadn't known if she could help with that, but she'd try.
The interview had gone relatively well. The former jounin was so confused, it was as if his mind had severed most of its ties with his body. She had given her opinion in as small a gestures as she could, so the shinobi had not picked up on it. They were nearing the end of the interview when the shinobi started staring at Ino. Becoming slightly nervous the chunnin had backed up, but he leaped at her anyway.
The force of his leap shoved her against a wall, his knife arching towards her. It stopped just shy of her shoulder. Ibiki's hand stopped it. The man had wrapped his hand around the blade and halted its descent. He was shaking with fury.
"I apologize, comrade. I had not realize you were so far gone as to attack a young woman of Konoha." His low murmur was sad as he knocked out the man. Ino simply looked up at him, before darting forward.
"Ibiki-sensei! Your hand!" He looked at it as she began healing it. She had had enough lessons with Tsunade to be able to do this much.
"Why did you grab the blade. It wasn't a fatal blow and then you could have knocked him out without injury." Ibiki looked away from her.
"You would have been injured." Ino looked at him quizzically.
"I would have been fine, Sensei." He looked at the woods around the house they were exiting. He veered into the forest and knelt at a clearing.
"I met a young girl here, many many years ago." Ino looked around. "Though she was three and frightened of us, she showed courage." Ino gave him a confused look.
"She saved the lives of my family. Then she proceeded to dedicate most of her life to Konoha." Ino looked back at the clearing. "You reminded me of her at first." Ino looked at him.
"Now, you don't remind me of her but of yourself." Ino had felt pride swell in her heart that day. She was truly grateful to this girl for helping her sensei, but she was also proud that she had become so important to her teacher that he cared for her as her.
She smiled at the back of her teacher as she approached him in the conference room. The big tough grizzly bear that he was. She knew, she knew who he really was.
000
Naruto could feel himself come to the end of his meditation. He grasped the string from the mental wind.
Immediately, the previous night flooded back to him.
-Flashback-
They sat around the fire. Naruto saw several large fire pits but this was the only one burning this night. Haruka, the Headman and himself sat on a raise platform as Haruka told story after story about their travels since she had been released. They had asked Naruto for stories, but he had pulled a true Hinata and blushed and stuttered until Haruka had placed a hand on his shoulder.
"My nephew will tell his stories once he has been here longer." Naruto was grateful for the intervention. Normally he would love the chance to talk about himself and his friends to these people, but they were looking at his with such camaraderie and belonging, that his words just caught in his throat.
Eventually, just as Naruto was beginning to think somewhat of bed, Haruka stood and made her requests.
"My nephew ans I have come to this village also to train. I' now humbly requesting assistance." Her low bow was respectful. He saw a few nods.
"I wish to thank Hanako-sensei. She had already agreed to continue her teachings with me, and help Naruto-kun." The elderly woman smiled as many looked at her with respect.
"I request three more teachers for my nephew, if I may. One learned of weapons, one of jutsu, and one of books."
-End Flashback-
Naruto had nearly jumped out of his own seat when most of the people had jumped at the request. Haruka had simply smiled, calmly requesting them to seek her out during breakfast.
They had said their goodnights at that point. THey had began to walk back to the tent when the Headman sidled up next to them.
-Flashback-
"Are you truly alright, Little Kitten?" Haruka smiled at the gentle bear of a man.
"I am fine, simply rusty." He looked down at Naruto, who had been steadily not staring at him. Tadashi chuckled, a low rumble that may have shaken the trees.
"You are Kushina's son then?" Naruto looked up at him as they stopped in front of what must be their tent. He nodded hesitantly. Tadashi placed a great hand on his shoulder, wet tears glistening in his eyes.
"I'm glad to meet you my grandson." Naruto looked up at this man, who if he had followed correctly tonight, was his grandmother's father. He felt something well in his throat. THis was a family member that onther people had. A family member he had seen caring for children in the village. He felt his throat swell in his desire to be part of this family grew within him so fiercely.
It must have shown, or grown in him just as strongly, for at the moment Tadashi pulled the blonde into a encompassing hug that squeezed the tears from his eyes. His heard Tadashi's gravelly voice.
"Welcome home, my grandson."
-End Flashback-
As he exited his meditation he knew. Naruto knew he had found something precious in that contact. Something, now felt, he would yearn for all his life.
Unconditional
Familial
Love
Hi guys! I"m back! I know I said this would only have one more chapter but...I guess I was wrong XP
Title-I made it up this time. think of a fisherman bringing in the fish. he gathers many parts of the outside of the net to keep the fish in teh net. now the fish are the world and the ties of friendship, the string. They are encompassing the world :)
I"m sorry I was gone so long. Lots of drama. Long story short: Boyfriend, broke up, we still want to be friends, really not sure what to do about it.