Important: I've changed parts of this chapter so i suggest you re-read. I"ll add the fifth chapter tonight
Learning New Things
Naruto walked down the beaten path. Haruka was walking contently in front of him. He looked around at the view off to the side of the mountain. It wasn't the beautiful valley and wooded mountains that held his interest, though for the first time in his life, he felt like he was at peace with his past. He had looked at his past and asked questions of his life and of himself. He was ready to let it go in favor of the future.
They arrived in the village a little later and Naruto simply followed Haruka to a small wood of to one side on the cliff. The old woman Haruka had bowed to the previous night during the party was sitting on a log, drinking tea, humming softly. Haruka approached her and waited. Naruto looked at her in confusion, but working with her for the time that he had had taught him that she was as impatient as he was, so if she was waiting, it was for a good reason.
To pass the time, he studied the woman who was probably going to be one of his teachers. Haruka had called her Hanako last night. Her bronze skin that she shared with her village-mates had the wrinkles Naruto had come to associate with laugh lines. The flaps of skin lay softly around her warm relaxed eyes as her thin, bony fingers cradled the pale cup of earthy tea over her pale green kimono that covered her lap. Her sandal-free feet didn't reach the ground, leading Naruto to believe the silver-haired elder would barely reach his waist.
When she finished her drink, she slid fluidly off of her seat and set the tea cup on her stump of a table. Naruto saw a small plant on the tea cup as it was rotated towards him. She sighed contently before speaking.
"'Bout time you returned, Haru-chan." His aunt's anxiety, which had been growing since they started toward this place, vanished as she smiled.
"Too long Hanako-sensei."
000
Ino sighed as she sat down. Her father sat next to her. She was happy to be working of this, but she was also very tired. She hadn't slept much while Sakura was gone and she hadn't had much of a break since they got her back. After she had gotten to the hospital she had found Ibiki-sensei and informed him of the volunteer test subject. He had smirked and hmmed in his positive way before mentioned that her father was two floors above them. He had turned back to the newest arrivals of the potential sources of information that he had yet to greet when she heard him wish her luck under his breath. She smiled as he covered it with a bark at one of the slower members of his team, who took it in good, though frightened, humor. Most of his team, though the best at something, probably would have never gotten far as shinobi without Ibiki and they were very grateful to him. They understood how protective he was, of others and himself. They also understood how shy he was.
Ino had found her father with relative ease. Being in her family and with how in tune their minds were, it was simply, natural since she was a girl and her father was studying some of the scrolls they had about memory jutsu. He smiled ruefully at her when she entered. Before they had found Sakura, she had come and listened and brought him drinks. This time, now that she had settled her new volunteers for the day, she was here to work.
Her father sighed as he leaned back, stretching out that imaginary condensed feeling from his back. His darker blonde hair waved in its long ponytail as he pulled out a chair for his little girl.
"I really don't know how much I can do Puppet." He was looking at the book sadly. This really wasn't his forte. He could break an enemies mind in point 5 seconds, but fixing a mind was much more complicated. She smiled at his expression of concern. She picked up one of the books he had finished and skimmed the topics, but placed it aside for another. Gradually, skimming the topics let her place the books into three piles; useful, not useful, and incorrect. The useful pile was smallest of course. Inoichi had gone back to reading, used to his daughter organizing his things while he worked. When she was younger, she did it to be near him while he studied, a time together he had missed in the last few years. When Ino sat down and started reading one of the books, he smiled. It reminded him of the time she had organized his shuriken and kunai. She had picked up one and kept throwing it like she had seen him do, though no where as smoothly or as accurately.
He leaned forward and raised an eyebrow when he saw that she was trying to decipher one of the more complicated books. He knew that her lessons in psychology were moving forward, she told him that she was working for Ibiki every day now.
"Dear, don't worry, we'll figure something out." He patted her arm, drawing a smile out of her before she went back to concentrating on the book in front of her. Stubborn as she was, he knew she's keep reading until she understood it to her satisfaction or someone, usually him, dragged her away. Ino nodded distractedly. She reached forward and picked up another book and looked through it. Not finding what she wanted, she placed it aside and started another. And a third until she located the information she wanted. Then she returned to her original book and continued.
He shook his head. Maybe she was feeling the need to be more useful after what happened to her best friend. He did wonder why she wasn't with said best friend, though.
000
Naruto was staring at an array of green. All different shades, shapes, and textures. Picking one up, he placed it next to the example, then deciding that it wasn't what he wanted, he returned it to the pile. He had sorted eight in the last hour. It felt like he had been doing this for a week.
After Hanako had welcomed them she had circled Naruto like a buyer of a statue. She nodded and grumbled to herself before snatching his wrist and dragging him away. Her grip, for all 100 lbs of her, was fierce, Naruto doubted he could break it for all the strength she had in it. She had sat him down in this bare-brown clearing and pointed to the leaves and examples, explaining that he was to separate them by type. Kyuubi, having returned from talking with Tsunade, decided to go for a stroll in the nearby woods around the village.
He hadn't thought he'd be good at that, but Haruka had said to never argue with Hanako. So he was sitting here as he heard Haruka give loud Kya!'s in the tree line. Her chakra spiked a few times, but mostly she was making noise. He didn't really know what she was up to.
Since he figured Hanako would stay with Haruka as she did whatever it was she was doing, he was startled when her voice floated to him from right next to his ear.
"Too slow." He looked up at the woman, jumping in surprise. She was staring at the plants. He frowned at her.
"I told you I"m not good at this!" She frowned and tsked.
"That's why!" She bopped him on the head. Rubbing his head, for that really hurt, he glared at her.
"What's why?" She knelt down and started sorting, speaking as she did.
"This stem means its good for numbing pain. This type of ridge on a leaf indicates that it will stave off infection. This- is what you're supposed to be listening to, brat. This color indicates..." Naruto frowned as she rapped his head again. Her tone of voice hadn't changed and he had tuned it out with the rest of her words. After the bop he listened again and she started to place things in his hands and tell them what they could be used for. After a little while he felt a rhythm develop in the time it took her to explain something and the time it took him to place it. Each characteristic took on a sound and time so that when she handed him one leaf he was saying with her, memorizing the words and phrases, though not quite the knowledge.
Slowly she stopped speaking, keeping up the rhythm, but letting him take over. After a while he was the one separating the leaves as she watched happily.
000
Inoichi set down his book and looked up to see lunchtime drawing near. Looking over at his daughter, he smiled. She had probably skipped the chapters she didn't find interesting. She was just over halfway through the book. He reached over to tap her as the door opened. Part of his mind registered Shikamaru and Chouji enter as he tapped his daughter.
"Come on Puppet, let go eat lunch." Ino him in question a moment before speaking.
"I"m fine Dad, you go ahead." He sighed as she continued reading.
"Come on, its time for a break. You can return to the book after we eat." Hopefully her team had something to do, so she could do something productive. She would feel better. Ino just shook her head.
"No, I'm fine Dad. I'm going to continue." Inoichi frowned at her stubborn streak showing. Before he could say anything, Shikamaru placed a hand on her shoulder.
"How about you fill us in while we eat?" Chouji set a basket that smelled really good on the table. Shikamaru was carrying a similar basket. Inoichi had known Chouzo long enough to know that there would be enough food in there for the four of them, even with his son present. Shikamaru sighed and sat next to Ino and placed a bun nearly on the book, caught at the last moment by Ino to save the book from the powdered bun.
Inoichi raised an eyebrow as his daughter sighed and actually shut the book, after marking her page. She took a bite of the bun as Shikamaru sat back with his own bun and Chouji set out more food. Inoichi took some food happily. He listened as Ino launched into a description of the book she was reading. It was a very thorough understanding actually. His little girl was becoming a very good reader. Shikamaru was frowning.
"What about that one by Mimichi that you were reading last month? His view on memory jutsu was different, wasn't it?" Shikamaru's memory was pretty good, but since this wasn't of absolute importance, he only tried to remember the barest of concepts. Inoichi nearly choked on his bun when Ino explained in great detail the difference in the two approaches to memory jutsu. Swallowing he looked at his daughter as she started discussing her observations with her teammates. Shikamaru interspersed enough questions to keep the conversation flowing and Chouji adding a comment here and there. Ino was doing most of the talking, per her usual flair.
During a pause as Chouji got Ino to eat more, Inoichi brought up a question.
"When did you read Mimichi?" Ino looked at her father and thought a moment.
"Over a month ago. Ibiki-sensei loaned it to me 'for fun'. I think he already knew this topic would come up though." Shikamaru nodded. Ino had initially disagreed with her new sensei's definition of fun, but after a bit, he had watched her get completely engrossed in her work. Tsunade had really called it when she sent Ino to Ibiki.
"He's known about the organization for close to a year at this point." Ino nodded absently, used to her teacher, and teammate, knowing things before her. She trusted them both to tell her what she did need to know to protect herself, her family and her village.
"It was an interesting read though. Different from the normal reading material he gives me." Inoichi looked at his daughter in concern.
"What does he normally give you?" Visions of torture books flew through the father's head, to his horror.
"Conversation Psychology, Differences between Information and Interpretation, Hiding in Plain View, mostly that type of psychology, very interactive. Memory is more passive to the present." Inoichi stared at his daughter, then looked at the book she had been reading as a growing suspicion played through his mind.
"How many chapters of that book did you actually read so far today?" Ino looked at the book, frowning in thought.
"Only eight chapters. The author refers to other theories that I"m not familiar with, so I have to look them up and it takes time." Inoichi looked at his daughter in amazement. Shikamaru sighed and stood, Chouji following his suit.
"I need to return to Anko, she and Asuma-sensei were having a disagreement when Chouji grabbed me for lunch. I'll bet they've decided to simply disagree by now." Ino stood with them, all heading for the restrooms to use and wash up after the meal.
"What's it this time?" Shikamaru sighed.
"Asuma-sensei wanted to know the identity of the Jounins that lead the infiltration. Anko believes he's better off not knowing." He shrugged. His curiosity had been piqued, but his current guess was a stretch. Asuma's anger was more curious, which made him think the Jounin did, in fact, know and was more angry that no one had told him.
Ino nodded and waved and disappeared into the girl's restroom.
"Ino is a very intelligent girl." Inoichi looked at the genius as he turned and walked away. "You should believe that." Chouji grunted slightly as the chunnin disappeared around the corner. Inoichi sighed in confusion.
"I know Puppet is bright." Chouji grunted softly.
"Ibiki-san requested Ino-chan as his apprentice himself, though she doesn't know it. She is the first apprentice he has had in a decade. Tsunade-sama said she was the most promising kunoichi in psychology she had ever seen." Inoichi looked at Chouji as he too walked off. Chouji halted a moment, not even moving to eat, but simply turned around to face the older man.
"Her pride and your pride are important to her. As her father, you should know that." Chouji followed his teammate around the corner. Ino came out of the restroom a moment later to see her father staring in amazement at the empty hallway.
"Dad?" Inoichi looked at her in surprise as she looked at him in concern. She smiled.
"Its okay. Most people react that way to Shikamaru and Chouji." She knew that most people thought Shikamaru was the only one doing anything on their team. She and Chouji encouraged the rumor. It left them with less pressure and less attention. Shikamaru seemed to think it was a good idea. It left her and Chouji able to observe people unnoticed. Shikamaru was definitely the smartest of the three of them, and the most observant. But he was also known for that, making it difficult for him to be sneaky. Ino personally thought he preferred the challenge. However, with regards to Ino and Chouji, people did things and said things around them because they were viewed as slow or, in Ino's case, flaky. This was a great strategy. It had the unfortunate side effect of their village believing it as well. That made for some funny expressions when either Ino or Chouji showed an ounce of wit. Her father was making that face right now.
"Come on, we have to get back to work." Ino pulled on her father's sleeve, leading him back into the room of books. Inoichi looked at his daughter. She was a strong girl, physically as well as mentally.
"Ino, lets work together to help Miketsu-san." Ino looked back at her father in mild confusion before smiling.
"Hai!"
000
Naruto yawned slightly as he followed Haruka around the edge of the village. They had spent only an hour with Hanako-sensei before Haruka said they needed to catch up with another sensei. Naruto thought he had been woken up too early. They had also only had a small snack after meditation.
He circled a groove of trees when a rock came flying at him out of no where. He dodged it naturally before turning to yell at the thrower. His eyes widened in the split second before he dove for the grass as a chain-linked hand scythe spun over his head. He looked up, kunai in hand in a defensive position.
Haruka was just standing next to him, looking calmly off to one side.
"Good to know your student can dodge, Haru-sensei." Haruka smiled as a young man strolled out of the wood. He looked to be only a few years older then Haruka herself. Which, after doing some quick math in his head, brought Naruto to the conclusion that this young man had been a small child when last Haruka was at this village.
"Of course he can dodge, Shin-kun. He's here to learn the other end of weaponry. He knows how to stay un-scratched. But that won't help him if the battle never ends." Shingo nodded and strolled up to Naruto.
"He looks like he could learn a thing or two." Haruka nodded. Shingo turned to the confused blonde.
"I'm Shingo. Do you want to learn weapons, Naruto?"
000
Sakura looked at Yuuki in amazement as the jinchuuriki walked with Hinata and Neji. She couldn't believe she had seen the Kunoichi again after Shinsui Temple. She really needed to take a moment to tell Shikamaru this soon.
-Flashback-
"Sakura-chan!"
Sakura stared at the young woman, who had shown them understanding back in Shinsui Temple. She had explained parts of the bijuu to Sakura, Shikamaru and Temari in an equal and engaging fashion. Here she was, walking in with clothes sent by Hiashi.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were traveling?" Yuuki smiled brightly.
"I decided to try visiting Konoha. Besides, you and Shikamaru-kun are here, right?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"You came to visit us?" Yuuki smiled and nodded before adding.
"And Hina-dono." Sakura looked at the Heiress. She was smiling slightly, if confusedly at the two. Sakura looked back at Yuuki.
"You two know each other?" Yuuki nodded in union with Hinata, though Hinata nodded considerably slower, minding her headache.
"I'm living at Hyuuga Estate for the next few months." Yuuki was smiling still. Sakura glanced at Hinata who subtly waved her eyes back and forth in a plea to stop asking.
Sakura smiled and came forward.
"Well, I least we can talk more. Come on, I'll spring for ramen and these two can go home."
-End Flashback-
Sakura looked over at Yuuki, who was describing a mountain she had visited. At a break in conversation, Sakura inserted a question of her own.
"What do you know about Shichi no Neko?"
000
Naruto sighed in relief as he sat down in front of a very large, and very late lunch. Katsukata had brought it to where they were resting on the edge of the overlook. Kata-chan, as Haruka called her, had told them not to bother coming back to the village for lunch, since they had so much work to do, no one minded that they weren't helping out with meals as much.
"Go ahead, eat up. You have enough to do today, without worrying about your stomach. If you are anything like your father, you eat a lot." Naruto nearly choked on his food as he looked at the woman sitting next to his teacher.
Haruka didn't talk about his parents much. He sensed that remembering them still caused her pain. Their death would have been the last thing she knew before being sucked into that dimension she was in. As such, she hadn't had the time to mourn in there. He didn't want to add to her sorrow over their death, but he still wanted to know more about his parents.
"My father liked to eat?" His question was tentative, hoping that she would take the invite and tell a story.
She laughed.
"I should say so! When I first met your father, I was looking for your mother. She had wandered off and hadn't come back. I found her watching your father down 10 bowls of ramen! I had never seen anything so disgusting and amazing!" Naruto cocked his head.
"How did my mother get to Konoha?" Katsu looked at Haruka.
"That's a story for Haru-imouto."
Haruka dropped her hand of food as she looked off in thought, remembering. It had been a while.
"I met your mother on a mission." Naruto sat up attentively as she started her story.
000
Yuuki looked at the little version of Hinata as she introduced herself. Hanabi's energy was a bit more, but they had the same eyes and their father's stance. It was apparent that he had been around when they were growing up, they all stood exactly the same way. Hanabi also seemed to have her sister's caring nature, but much more hidden.
"Hiashi-dono, are you sure it is alright for me to stay here?" The Hyuuga clanhead turned to her with a slight smile, a sight she understood was rare until of late.
"Please, we have the room and you are good friends with my heir. Hinata speaks for you, and when the heir speaks for someone, the clan listens closely." He gestured to the garden, implying the rest of the clan, with a sweep of his arm. Yuuki ducked her head to hide a blush as Hanabi came over and pulled her off the porch and into the garden. YUuki laughed as the youngster spun her around before taking a stance. She had promised a spar with the child. Hinata warned her that while Hanabi may be young, the clan's style was sophisticated so watch out.
As she fell into the rhythm of the spar she thought back to her talk with Sakura. The kunoichi wanted to know more about Shichi no Neko. Unfortunately, Yuuki knew very little about the author himself. Herself She corrected herself. The author was a female. That still boggled her mind.
The information about bijuu recorded by this particular author was thorough and modern, with notes on jutsu's and diplomatic positions. It was an almost how-to manual for interacting with demons, specifically the bijuu, as opposed to the other books, which were more of a history study. They were fascinating read back when she had first visited this place when she was a child.
Shichi no Neko was the start of her relationship with her bijuu. They finally had something to talk about after that. those conversation sparked others and grew into the trust and care they had for each other now.
Yuuki laughed as she tripped the younger girl and pinned her. Maybe now she could make even more friends.
000
"I was just finishing a mission, when I met your mother. I had gathered my information and was on the run. If I could make the check point then I would be safe. She was also on the run from people who had heard of her village and wanted access to it. We literally collided and fell off a waterfall." Haruka smiled wryly at herself. "Byaka was the only reason either of us survived. Kushina didn't lose consciousness, but I did. By the time I woke up, she had me tied next to her campfire."
-Flashback-
Haruka knew better then to make noise and alert the other person she was awake, but it seemed that was in vain.
"I know you're awake." Haruka squinted her eyes open carefully. The other person was a red-head. She was kneeling next to the fire, her green eyes flashing as she held her kunai defensively. Thin, undernourished though she looked, she definitely had some determination about her. "Are you going to open your eyes, or what?"
Haruka let her eyes open and forced herself into a sitting position. She did a quick survey of the camp and then of herself. Byaka was slowly recovering from the energy drain saving her life had been. Best bet was to talk with her, distract her to get information and give Byaka time to awake up.
"Who are you?" The girl recoiled slightly at the question, for all that it was deivered in a calm, defeated tone.
"Did you ask for her?" Haruka gave her a confused look, "Byaka, I can sense her in you. Did you ask for her?" Haruka's panic button went crazy. It wasn't ever good if the person knew she had a Bijuu. It was always a toss up on if they minded or would kill her for just carrying the demon. She gauged her opponent and then her own physical state. Bonds aside, she was in good condition. Her Kekkei Genkai should be okay to use again and Byaka seemed to be more aware. Another few minutes was all she needed. She looked at the woman and voted for the truth. If the female took exception to that, she should be able to hold her own.
"I didn't ask for her, but she is my partner who I wouldn't trade away." The red-head remained tense another few moments, before relaxing and sitting herself down. Byaka, now awake, was asking for an update. Upon her own inspection of the girl, she gave her approval, adding an interesting fact.
"So, your village worships the bijuu?" The girl looked at her sharply before nodding. Haruka let her trust in Byaka guide her to trust this young woman, as her partner said to. "Byaka said they felt honored." She suddenly looked very shy.
"I left the village to learn, but now, going back will be too dangerous." Haruka looked at her. Haruka wasn't in disguise and help getting back to Konoha would be welcome. Plus the girl looked as though she did know a thing or two about fighting and surviving.
"I'll make you a deal. You untie me and you can come to my village with me. " She seemed to consider it a moment before she nodded.
"On the condition that no one knows what village I"m from." Haruka looked at her and nodded.
-End Flashback-
"Your parents met at the checkpoint. It was instant argument. About her secrets, about fighting, about food, about everything. It was several weeks before your father broke down and told Kushina he liked her." Naruto chuckled. "But that is a story for another day, we need to go find Kazeko."
000
The shinobi halted at teh edge of the stream. He couldn't quite remember how he had gotten there. He had been going past the village to check up on it before rejoining his sadistic trainer. He had met up with Karin and Hiroki. They had told him about the current goings on.
He had found them several seasons ago. Drifters fleeing the violence currently enthralling the main villages. He was taking a break from his own training when he grabbed them out of the way of a falling tree. They were siblings, of a family of five. They got him to join them for dinner after that. Throughout the night they talked a great deal about hardship and hope. He saw their bond and care. Care that he barely remembered from his own family. The next day he led them to a valley that was completely protected on all sides.
They had stayed there, building makeshift homes. He had visited often to help out and talk. They became such good friends that when his master decided they needed to move, the family packed up and followed. Not closely, He was certain that his master and the family never crossed paths, though his master probably knew about them. Over the months they met other families and gathered more friends. The makeshift home that was torn down every few months turned into a makeshift village. The Migrating Village was what current rumors called it. It now boasted over 20 families and well of 100 people, all loyal to each other and Him.
After he had heard the latest news he had sat by the fire to watch the dancing until midnight was called.
That was when his memory seemed to end. He remembered deciding to come here to meet up with Kabuto, but not the trip itself. It was mildy frustrating.
He vowed to think more on it as the specled trainer appeared in the early dawn light.
000
Kazeko was a young woman, only a few years older then Naruto. She and Haruka didn't seem particularily familiar with each other, but they all hit it off. Naruto was only meeting Kazeko at this moment, the training would happen sporatically throughout his stay, first lesson being directly after dinner tonight.
They met long enought for Naruto to learn to be wary of her mischevious streak as the brunette gave him a smile of delight. He shook his head and sighed as he tried to contact Hinata and let his Aunt speak with this teacher.
000
Yuuki walked back from the library in a cheery mood. She had re-read some of Shichi no Neko's work and it had felt like reconnecting with her bijuu, and her past. Her hours in the library were the only positive part of her childhood she could remember. She didn't know who her parents were, no one did. Except the leader of her village. He had hinted that she belonged to him, it was something her parents had arranged for before their death. But asking him had always been out of the question. She couldn't even remember a time when she had truly cared. It just had always been a fact of her life.
She shuddered and pushed the thoughts of the past away, unwilling to let them intrude on present times and her good mood. Nodding firmly as she turned the corner to the Hyuuga estate, her thoughts were broken by familiar chakra nearby. Hanabi's chakra was furious as well as scared. Yuuki, fearing something was wrong with her new young friend, leaped forward and around the corner to come face to face with the pupil-less eyes of a Hyuuga elder. She jumped over the surprised man and continued forward towards the younger girl. She was held by two members that she fought viciously as two others were attempting to subdue her with Juuken.
Yuuki wasn't sure what was going on, but her loyalty, from Hinata, was to the child and they were NOT going to harm her further. Flaring her chakra to levels she knew Hinata would pick up, she smashed into the nearest Hyuuga. She felt Hinata and Hiashi approach as well as several others as she removed another opponent. She nodded to both Hyuuga heads as they entered with Neji, Sakura and Ten Ten. She could feel more Shinobi closing on them. She turned to where Hanabi was only to freeze in fear.
The remaining Hyuuga's eyes were wide with insanity, even more startling on the pupil-less eyes of a Hyuuga. He had a sharp knife, not a shinobi tool, but a doctors tool.
"You! You will destroy us! I can't let you! Tradition must be followed! She must be marked! She must! Don't you see? See! I've done it!" He brandished Hanabi's face with glee. The young girl had tears running down her face as they all saw the bloody cuts on her forehead that represented the branch family. Instead of drawing the seal on her and then sealing it with chakra he didn't possess, he had cut the seal directly into her forehead! Out of the corner of her eye, Yuuki saw Hinata see red.
She was indeed. Neji was having a hard time keeping her calm enough to think straight when he too wanted to rip the man's heart out. Naruto was stabilizing them both as he waited for his sensei to be done talking. None of the Jinchuuriki liked this.
Hinata reined in her initial impulse to rush him, possibly causing him to further injure Hanabi. Worse, she had memorized the birdcage seal, as was required of the head family, and Hanabi was still missing a line. If that bastard tried to give her so much as one more mark, she would tear him a new one.
Hiashi was trying to talk him into letting go of his youngest daughter.
"Jushiro, its alright, now. You can release her."
"Did you see, Hiashi-dono! I did it!"
"Yes, I see that Jushiro. You did it, now its time for her to go home." He was trying not to look at his daughter. If he did, he might break. As it was her whimpers were almost more than he could handle, but for her sake, he would try.
"I did it!" Hanabi's cheeks were stained with tears as she tried to speak past the tape on her lips. A gasp drew their attention as Iruka entered the compound with Kiba and Shino. They had been reviewing some lesson plans this morning in an attempt to improve them. Iruka routinely did this with past students in the hopes that he could better prepare his future students.
Shino was the only one with a calm enough mind of them to realize that they couldn't rush the madman. He grabbed Iruka as Akamaru grabbed Kiba and held on. Iruka's pained gasp at the sight of his student was what broke the plateau in front of them.
Jushiro looked down at the girl.
"Hanabi-sama? What- What have I done? Oh my..." Hiashi edged forward to grab his daughter at the first chance he saw. "I seemed to have forgot one." The madman voice was back in Jushiro's voice as he raised the knife to Hanabi's forehead again. At this motion nearly everyone in the clearing leaped forward, but they didn't lay a finger on Jushiro.
A ripple of chakra burst from Yuuki, covered by an even bigger one from Hinata. Jushiro was covered in ice crystals, as Yuuki froze him still, that stopped everyone but Hinata. Blue chakra poured off her in anger as all the chakra she released focused back in on Jushiro. Only Neji and Yuuki truly knew what happened, though, later, when things were calmer, Hiashi would make a fairly accurate guess. As it was, Hiashi was preoccupied with picking up his daughter and holding her tightly as she screamed in fright.
Yuuki had leaped for Hinata as soon as she felt Mui's chakra wash over her, with a plea to Seiryu to help calm her Jinchuuriki. Neji looked torn between going to his cousins or shying away entirely. He had felt it. All the water, all the liquid in Jushiro's body had pulled apart. Hinata had ripped the very blood from his veins, using her mastery of water, for water was in all life. On some level Neji had recognized this, but to even consider it was beyond his moral comprehension, let alone his chakra level. The shear amount of chakra it would take should have been over whelming, and yet, from what he felt, it wasn't. Hinata had released a large amount of energy, it was true, but she had used a small fraction of her own chakra, not Mui's to seize control of all the water in Jushiro's body and force it to separate. An amount she probably had had even when she was a genin. Her control was the key.
He looked at Yuuki, who was hold Hinata and talking in hushed whispers even as Naruto sent reassurances in her direction, calming Hinata down until she let her legs give out from under her.
Only then did she collapse.
000
Naruto shakily collapsed as his mate's mind descended into darkness. Haruka was to him in an instant. She placed a hand on his shoulders as he bent over on his hands an knees, trying to simply breath.
"You really need to stop connecting to people who are in battle." Haruka's gentle whisper was filled with sympathy, but it was overpowered by the feeling and image of a man being torn apart in a fraction of a second by his own bodily fluids. Naruto waved Haruka away as he emptied his stomach, wishing Kyuubi was back from his walk.
A cup of water appeared in his sight as he heaved, but held himself. Slowly Haruka helped drink the water and then sit back as Kazeko used a jutsu to do something about his refuse. He wasn't focused enough to see what but at this point he didn't care.
Relax your muscles Naruto. Slowly relax your grip on your bond.
He followed his aunt's advise as she held him close. His shudders slowly vanished and he put himself togather enough to feel along to Sakura. She was taking a quick break, so he felt he could interrupt. Sending a quick image of Hinata and a question in her direction. She showed him his mate sleeping with a calm feeling. Them she showed him Neji.
Neji was also looking slightly green. Ten Ten had gone to him in concern when the Hyuuga boy hadn't jumped forward when his cousin had collapsed. Both Kiba and Akamaru had joined Yuuki as Iruka and Shino had sped to Hanabi with Sakura. Neji was just standing there, shaking.
"Neji?" Ten Ten wasn't sure what was wrong with him.
"She just thought... a-a-and he just..." Ten Ten wasn't sure what was happening, but she placed a hand on his arm. He jumped at the contact. Looking at his girlfriend helped bring him back to reality. He sat down hard. In his mind he felt Naruto gently questioning his feelings. Placing his head between his legs, he let Naruto in.
The blonde was concerned for Hinata. He had felt her revulsion at herself for the breif moment before the consequence of using her chakra caught up with her. She wasn't healed yet. Neji looked at his cousin and then at Ten Ten. Shakily he stood. When he faltered a hand was there to steady him. Naruto's presence faded, leaving him in Ten Ten and Lee's care as the pair helped the Hyuuga boy to stand. He shakily made his way to the nearest building.
Once inside he grabbed his two best friends hard and held them. They could feel him shaking. They stayed in that building holding each other until Neji could feel enough to move to the hospital.
:
We are made to learn new things
Sometimes what we learn
Is how to keep on learning
:
We are made to learn new things
Sometimes the next thing we learn
Is the wisdom to stop learning
:
But we must always learn
I guess this will have yet another chapter. I'm sorry this took so long. Thankyou to raerae112721, Rena the pirate jedi wizard, potterqueen86 and Lavender Angel-96 for the reviews, and the kick in the pants from some of you. I'll try to be more frequent with my updates.
I made up this ending. It alludes to the exciting new things Naruto's going to be learning and the wake up Hinata, and Neji, just recieved on the responsibility of learning new things. The never ending question of not only can we do it, but should we do it.
Sensei's: You'll meet the last one in the next chapter
Hanako - herbs and patience - flower child
Shingo - Weapons and strength - True/strong child
Kazeko - Jutsu and Focus/disclipine - wind child
Motoko - books and control - book child