A/N: Okay well I think I'll have to go back to weekly updates, or if I'm lucky maybe I can ditch some homework and do this during classes instead!
Disclaimer: I don't own
Chapter 34
Hinata sat up in her hospital bed and looked out the window as the sun slowly rose. As the golden disk rose and rose so did her pride. She couldn't believe she made it in time.
Flash back
Hinata sprinted as fast as she could, reaching the bridge. Time seemed to stop for her as her feet hit the bridge, her sandals barely making slight shuffling noises. There on the other side stood the teams who had already passed the test. All stared at her confused about where her team was, but she barely spared them a glance. Her heart roared in her ears her chest heaving even as she continued sprinting.
"Go Hinata!" Kasumi called from where she stood with her team on the other side of the bridge.
Hinata flashed her a smile and continued on running, her legs pumping faster than ever before. The soldier pills were doing their job but she was losing juice fast. Just as the final seconds were counted down she leapt as high as she could and landed on her feet on the other side of the bridge just as the final second slipped by. The teams cheered and her new friend swept Hinata into a hug.
"You did it Hinata!" Kasumi cried.
'I'm proud of you love.' The calm yet proud voice of her demon echoed inside her head.
Hinata's legs went out on her and she was falling to the ground quickly. Kasumi wasn't prepared to hold the small girl and dropped her. Neji who had lead another team pushed past the gathering crowed and ran to his fallen cousins side. He shook her shoulders and Natsu's seal fell from Hinata's pocket.
End Flashback
There was a soft knock on her door and Hinata jumped. Quickly activating her Byakugan she checked to see who her visitor was. Kasumi stood on the other side of the door holding flowers, while the rest of her team was crowded together right behind her. The Hyuuga smiled and gave the okay to enter.
Slowly the door opened and Kasumi peeked her head in, she looked as though she was about to say something when her team shoved her in. They all fell in a heap on the floor and Hinata craned her neck to see if they were okay. Kasumi was able to detangle herself first.
"Here Hinata-chan! She gasped pulling out a bouquet of wilted flowers.
Hinata giggled and took them from the red head who then turned to help her team untangle themselves. It took at least another five minutes.
"Hinata," Kasumi said finally. "I want you to meet my team!"
The Hyuuga nodded and sat patiently in the bed as they all lined up.
"This is Yuki." Kasumi said shoving the first one foreword.
The girl was extremely pale. White enough to practically put the hospital bed sheets to shame. A waterfall of ebony framed her face all the way down to her waist. On either side of her a Katana was strapped and she wore simple black pants and a black t-shirt. Her eyes a deep emerald green and her face blank. Hinata slowly nodded to the girl, who immediately bowed.
"Nice to meet you." Hinata said.
The girl immediately straightened herself and stood stock-still.
"Am I dismissed yet Ojou-sama?" she asked.
Hinata looked at Kasumi questioningly. The red head nodded and Hinata's eyes flickered back to the raven-haired girl.
"Hai?" Hinata asked.
The girl bowed once more before backing away towards the door. Hinata looked back at Kasumi who was already pushing two more girls forward. Both had sun kissed skin and short brown hair, they were obviously twins. However the one defining trait between them were their eye colors. One seemed determined with a smirk on her face, she had sky blue eyes, and the other who seemed quite content with hiding behind her sister had pale green eyes.
"Hey my name is Sora!" the blue-eyed girl said grabbing Hinata's hand and shaking it vigorously.
"H-hello my n-n-name is Rikku." The shy girl said peeking out from behind her sister.
"Ahhh! But don't worry about her, she's actually a MEGA PERV!!" Sora cried.
"Sora!" the girl Rikku said, grabbing for her sisters head.
The blue-eyed girl quickly ducked and ran away, the green-eyed girl quickly in tow. Next up was a young man with long hay colored hair tied in a loose ponytail at the bottom of his neck. He had dark obsidian eyes and straight handsome face. However when he stared at Hinata she felt her heart clench and a chill ran down her spine. There was something scary familiar about this man and Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that he was bad news in general. He nodded once before going to the end of the line.
"Yeah I know he's creepy isn't he!" Kasumi said.
Hinata only nodded, and continued to watch the strange young man.
"The Raikage put him on our team and gave us a new Jounin instructor at the last minute." Kasumi added just as the door to Hinata's room was pulled open. Neji stood there with Naruto, Temari, Kankurou, and Gaara. Kasumi glanced at Hinata and the Hyuuga nodded. Quickly Kasumi organized her team and they were out in a few minutes.
Neji was the first to enter and made a b line to his cousin's side.
"Are you feeling better yet Hinata-sama?" Neji asked.
"Hai," Hinata said grabbing her cousin's hand.
"Good to hear Hinata-chan," Naruto and Temari said at once.
"Naruto!" Hinata gasped. "You should be resting! You were severely injured."
"No worries I'm a fast healer." Naruto said grinning.
"So are you Hinata-chan I thought you would still be unconscious." Kankurou said.
'It's the joy of having me around.' Hinata's demon said in her head.
Hinata looked around at all her visitors until they landed on the red headed Kazekage. Her once bright violet eyes dulled immediately and fell to her hands, which she twisted to amuse herself.
"Temari," Gaara said.
His sister nodded and slowly ushered every one out of the room so that Gaara and Hinata could have a moment alone. The door shut with a definite sounding click and silence fell over them. The Kazekage stood there waiting for her speak but she didn't.
"How…" Gaara began.
"Well" Hinata said at the same moment.
They both looked at each other, silence overcoming them again. Hinata was tempted to look down but swallowed the lump in her throat and came to eye level with the Kazekage.
"You go first Kazekage-sama." Hinata said, fake smile plastered on her face.
Gaara narrowed his eyes in anger, why was she being fake with him? She had never acted like this before.
"No you first Hyuuga-san." Gaara said in a monotone.
Hinata looked up shocked like she had been slapped in the face, the formality representing their abolished friendship, tears welled in her eyes and she stood from the bed, ignoring the weakness in her legs.
"Well since I know you hate me we might as well not talk!" she said, letting a tear escape.
Now Gaara looked as if he had been smacked.
"See!" Hinata said frustrated. "Now you've seen my weakness and now you're going to feel bad!"
Gaara opened his mouth to say something but Hinata cut him off.
"Don't worry! I won't take any more of your precious time," she spat before jumping out the window.
--Page Break--
"Natsu-chan are you feeling better?" Tsunade asked.
"Great!" Natsu said confidently. "How's the rest of my team though?"
"All ship shape, but the reason
"I ask how you are doing is that we can't post pone the exams any longer." Tsunade said. "I don't know if you're ready to walk yet, and if that's the case your team will have to forfeit."
Natsu looked at Tsunade surprised. Then carefully she folded down the blankets and ignoring the loud protests of the nurses and Tsunade she stood, a little unsteady at first but still stood.
"This is the most important thing to my team and it's also the most important thing to me!" Natsu said.
Tsunade smiled and nodded.
"Alright then the beginning of the second part of the Jounin exams will begin this afternoon."
--Page Break--
Hinata stood with her team and the remaining teams as the last round of the Jounin exam was being prepared.
"Alright!" Tsunade cried. "You will all now send a representative from your teams to come up and draw a slip of paper from this box."
Hinata looked at her teammates who were all urging her to go up and pick a slip of paper. The Hyuuga slowly walked towards the platform along with the light haired male from Kasumi's team, a dark haired male who eyed her closely, and a small girl from the last team.
"Since obviously Mizukage's team made it here first and the Raikage's team made it second they will pick from the box first." Tsunade explained holding it out.
"Next will be the team from the land of Rain and of course our great team!" Tsunade said, grinning at the last part.
The teams did as they were told. However when Hinata walked towards the box and placed her hand in the dark haired young man who was to be picking with her, shoved his hand quickly inside the box and clenched her pale and cold fingers. Hinata refused to show her surprise and continued to stare at him as if she was still picking her slip of paper. Her fingers were able to move enough to give the young man a hard pinch, but he still did not let go. Slowly guiding both of their hands he made her pick up a paper. Hinata let it fall from her fingers as a sign of rebellion but she felt the young man's hand tighten before he shoved the paper in her hand once again. She slowly withdrew her hand and held the slip tightly in her closed fist before turning away from the strange boy and heading back to her team.
"What was that about?" She mumbled to herself.
"What was what about?" Shino asked, next to her in a minute.
"Nothing," Hinata said, handing the slip of paper to Shino, who took it.
Finally the boy was done picking his slip and walked away from the box, Tsunade staring curiously after him.
"Anyway, now all of you who picked need to open your slip and show them to us all." Tsunade said.
Nervously everyone gathered around Shino who slowly unstuck the paper, on its white surface was an inky black mark of the Suna symbol, and Hinata felt her stomach clench.
"All right now who has the leaf?" Tsunade asked.
The Jounin team for the Raikage and Mizukage both approached the large platform where everyone was crowded around.
"You two teams will go head to head and try to get this from me!" Tsunade said producing a scroll from her thigh pouch. "Then those with the symbol for sand will do the same except…"
"With me," Gaara said producing another scroll, and holding it for all to see. "The remaining two teams will try and protect the scrolls from getting taken and will only win if they are able to force the other teams into submission." The Kazekage continued trying to avoid looking at the Hyuuga girl standing there.
"This begins on the count of three, 1…2…3!" Tsunade cried both her and Gaara disappeared in a puff of smoke.
The teams were frantically trying to get together before heading out to complete their respective tasks. Luckily Hinata's team was easily assembled and they began to speed off when Hinata's ankle was grabbed in mid leap and she was thrown to the ground.
"Hinata!" Shikamaru cried, catching everyone else's attention.
The two battling teams stood in silence looking at their two teammates who remained in the same position, Hinata lying on the ground on her stomach and her ankle in young man's tight grip. Kicking back at the young man her leg was finally released and she stood up painfully.
"Don't worry!" Hinata said wincing at the pain that shot through her sides. "I'll take care of him!"
"Are you sure?" Natsu asked trying to maintain her balance with the crutches.
"Hai," Hinata nodded turning back to the boy.
Natsu nodded to Hinata's back and then lead the rest of them foreword. Hinata turned towards the young man, her soft eyes turned hard.
"What is your business?" Hinata asked.
The young man simply reached into his kunai pouch and Hinata gasped, she held her hands at the ready for any weapon attacks. However instead he pulled out what appeared to be a letter that had been torn open.
"Hyuuga Hinata I am Akihiko Narumi," without another word he threw the letter at her feet and she immediately recognized it as the one meant for Gaara.
Her face burned with rage and her eyes turned dark with blood lust.
"Akihiko Narumi today is the day you will be beaten by the heiress to the Hyuuga clan."
--Page break--
Kasumi continued to run, her head glancing behind her every few minutes making sure she had lost her new teammate and Jounin instructor. However as she leapt from a branch the Jounin appeared from nowhere and punched her hard in the gut. The red heads eyes rolled and blood spilled past her lips before she fell from the trees. The man smirked as the younger looking man with the hay colored appeared beside him and released the henge over his original form. The older or at least taller man did as well, revealing bluish skin and gills along with a mouth full of razor teeth.
"Itachi?" Kisame asked the Uchiha.
"Hai." Itachi answered, slightly distracted.
"Can you find the nine tailed fox?" Kisame asked again.
"Hai."
"How about the Shukaku?"
"Hai."
Just as the word left Itachi's lips said Akatsuki pulled Kisame in to the tress and disguised them as Naruto's team labored through the trees with Natsu's injuries. Motioning for Kisame to be silent they both followed the Konoha team from a safe distance.
A/N: Sorry it only felt right to add the fact that the Akatsuki was after the demons this whole time. Once again REVIEW PLEASE!