All OCs belong to me.
Four years later.
Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temples. There was just too much that happened in the last four years. Gaara became Kazekage, then quit because the Suna council wouldn't let him threaten Konoha with war to get Naruto back, Jinchuurikis were disappearing, Iwa was getting restless, and most of the Konoha nins were still upset about Naruto's leaving. The worst of them was Hinata and Hiashi. Hiashi spent most of his time secluded in his office, or making sure that the Hyuuga clan would respect the memory of Naruto Namikaze, even if it killed him. Hinata had become melancholy and grim. She barely smiled, or talked; she only stared sadly and nodded. Not many people could make her smile anymore. And Naruto…
Tsunade sighed and hung her head.
For all she knew, Naruto had been dead these last four years. Two weeks after he had left, Danzou had sent some Root ANBU after him, and when she tried to stop them, Danzou said that she no longer had any authority over the boy and that, by law, it wasn't under her jurisdiction. That day, she helplessly watched Root ANBU jump into the forest.
The only relief she had from her problems was this 'Outcast' who had mysteriously shown up three years ago. When she first heard of him, she thought this guy would be trouble. Only to be surprised, when a tall, brown haired gentlemen showed up at the gate of Konoha with an Iwa spy tied up behind him. "It is a sign of trust from the Outcast to you, Hokage-sama." He had said. "Trust that you will not seek him out."
But now even the Outcast was a problem in itself. News of him spread quickly and immediately, Iwa was calling for his execution. "Probably to keep themselves from being incriminated further." Tsunade thought grimly. Not only that, but some of the ninjas who desperately wanted Naruto to come back, were now threatening to leave the village and join the Outcast, whomever he may be.
She sighed and grabbed a hidden Sake bottle, and was about to drink when a brown-haired man, about six feet tall, with green eyes, and a Mist headband with a circle in the center of it, opened the door to her office and came in. Tsunade instantly recognized the circle in the middle of the head-band, as the "Mark of the Exiled". Signifying that, while he would still protect his village, his loyalties were to the Outcast first.
"Hello, Vara, does the Outcast bring me another 'gift'?"
The ex-mist nin smiled. "No, he brings three." He said, reaching to a leather bag.
"Well, unless he can make my problems with Iwa disappear, I'm not interested."
Vara smiled bigger, and pulled out a square that curved inward, so it could sit on someone's head.
Tsunade instantly spat out the sake in her mouth in the perfect spit-take. "I-i-i-i-i-i-is t-t-t-t-t-t-t-that t-th-th-th-the…?" she stammered.
Vara nodded, smiling.
Tsunade began to search her desk for her intercom. The problem was she wouldn't take her eyes off the hat that Vara held in his hand, so consequently, she fumbled through the items on her desk, scattering papers and other miscellaneous junk. Finally she found the button, "Sh-Shizune, come here please."
A minute later, Shizune entered. She stepped up to the desk, concerned about both Tsunade's tone of voice, and the look on her face. "What is it, Tsunade-sama?"
Tsunade pointed at the hat in Vara's hands. "Is that what I think it is?"
Shizune looked at the hat, noticing it for the first time, and then promptly fainted.
"That's what I thought." Tsunade said.
In Vara's hands was the hat of the Tsuchikage.
When everyone had calmed down, or at least enough to breath normally, Vara left the hat along with three letters with Tsunade.
The first one was from the Tsuchikage. It read "I write to you, a humbled, and beaten man. The Outcast, who has threatened my spy network, has overthrown my power. He has proven to be an excellent ninja, commander, and warrior, of which in all of Iwa, there is no match. In exchange for my life, he has had me swear my loyalty to Konoha. So I am writing to tell you that everything that I have at your disposal. The Outcast has been honorable in his justice, so I will be with my oath.
"Two weeks from Tuesday, I will come to Konoha to swear my oath of loyalty publicly. I will also be accompanied by twelve Iwa nins that will immediately be under your command.
"I also want to warn you, some of my ninjas, despising that Iwa has become a part of Konoha, have deserted, and will probably kill any Konoha nins they find. But, as long as you have the Outcast defending your borders, you will not have much to worry about.
"Yours truly, the ex-Yondaime Tsuchikage."
Tsunade stared at the letter for a long time. Wondering how an "Outcast" could make a whole hidden village fall.
She put those thoughts aside and opened the second letter, this one read, "To the Hokage, and the Daimyou of the Fire country.
"Greetings. I am the Earth country Daimyou. I have written to you to say that, in view of Iwagakure's recent fall that I have decided that the land is not worth what it once was. So, I will give Earth country to Fire country, in exchange that I be made governor. Iwa will also go to Konoha as a second city.
"Yours truly, the Daimyou of Earth contry.
"P.S. a copy of this letter has already been sent to the other receiver."
Tsunade put that letter down, and then moved to the last one. It only had one sentence written on it. "You owe me, Hokage-sama." It was sighed with a circle, the Mark of the Exiled.
She put the letter down, and looked out her window, still bewildered by the news that had just come to her.
The Outcast had taken a Hidden Village.
This left her with a question in her mind that would not go away.
What else could he do?
Vara walked into a medium sized office, and bowed. A large, red-leather, swivel chair turned to him.
"How did it go?" The man in the chair asked.
"You were right about the look on her face." Vara said, smiling.
"Anything else?" he asked, laughing
"Oh, yeah, the secretary, Shizune, she fainted."
"Doesn't surprise me." His tone got serious, "How are those at the hospital?"
"Endu died in mid-operation, Ayaophan is now stable, Ondu is now recovering, Donuundi died of blood loss, Airaoryn is on his way to recovery, and Niligol is causing trouble by wanting to get out and do something. Those with minor scrapes have been patched up, and we have buried all of our dead."
"Thank you, Vara." He said. "You may go."
"Yes, Outcast-san."
Vara left, and the man in the chair sighed. Then he began to cry.
He cried for those who died. He cried for those that felt the sorrow of loss. He cried for those who were feeling pain. He cried for himself.
He cried because he could not go home.
He cried because he couldn't see his friends.
The Tsuchikage's oath ceremony went by without a hitch. The Iwa nins were on their best behavior, the Konoha nins were equally as behaved, and the Tsuchikage made a great deal of humbling himself. When he had done so, Tsunade told him that he was still the leader of Iwa, he simply had to answer to Tsunade. When he heard this, the Tsuchikage was delighted.
It all went by so fast for Hinata.
She didn't care about the Tsuchikage, she didn't care about Iwa, she didn't even care for Konoha. She only cared about three things. Her friends, getting stronger to protect those friends, and Naruto.
That boy had haunted her thoughts these past four years, throwing memories at her that made her all the more sad that he was gone; sometimes to the point where she would cry herself to sleep. She missed him. The thought of leaving the village to go after him crossed her mind for the millionth time that week, and she pushed it down again, knowing that finding him, when he could be anywhere in the entire world would be nearly impossible. Then the thought of him being dead crossed her mind, and this only pushed her further into her depression.
She sighed. Her large, lavender eyes filling with tears. She looked out into the crowd, and found the smiling faces of a hundred people. "How can they be happy?" she thought venomously, "How can they even live with themselves, knowing that they sent the Namikaze heir into the wild? How can they smile when a boy's life is on their conscience? How can they laugh, knowing that the boy who would have become the world's greatest ninja was thrown out because of them? They're Monsters, that's why." Hinata turned, tears flowing down her cheeks, and she left.
She was caught in a village of Monsters.
Sakura sighed. She had grown since her Genin days, she was now a Jounin, feared for her strength, which was second only to Tsunade.
It was the day after the Tsuchikage's oath, and she still wanted nothing more but for Naruto to be back. Especially since her two replacement teammates was a penis-obsessed ANBU, and a Wood user; both of whom continually got o her nerves, and neither of them had the guts to stand up for themselves.
"Oh, great, Speak of the Devil…" she thought, as a pale thin man came up.
"Hello, Sakura." He said.
"Hey, Sai."
"How are you doing?"
"Alright."
"You know, this 'Outcast' person amazes me."
"Really, why?"
Sai looked at her, "He did take out a whole Hidden Village."
`"Well, you do have a point." Sakura admitted.
"He must have a VIP." Sai said.
"What are you talking about, 'VIP'?" a voice said from the nearby trees, it was Yamato, the Wood user. He jumped down into the field where they both stood.
"A 'Very Impressive Penis'." Sai said simply. Sai suddenly went flying as Sakura caught him in the chin.
Sakura turned to Yamato. "One word, I swear, one word, and your next."
Yamato nodded, and zipped his mouth shut.
Sakura sighed, she wanted Naruto back, just so she could get rid of one of these idiots.
Preferably Sai.
Tsunade called Team eight to the Hokage tower. Hinata walked in, looking as sad as usual. Kiba stood next to her, trying his best to make her smile. Shino remained impassive, but inside, he was frantically concerned for his teammate.
"I have a B-rank mission for you. I need you to go into Iwa territory, and search for some missing nins that the Tsuchikage reported to me. These missing nins are low- to mid-chuunin and should prove to be little challenge, but they are known for their excellent teamwork abilities, and their skill in sword techniques. Here," she said, holding up a dossier, "are their names, appearances, and know jutsus. Please be careful, and good luck." She handed the dossier to Kiba and team eight left, without a word.
His name was Shibito Ishi (stone). He was tall, with brown hair and cold blue eyes. He wore an Iwa headband with a line through it. He hated his village now. Once they turned into allies of those Konoha fools, it was no longer worthy of his loyalty. His teammates and brothers, Katai (hard) and Jemu (gem), thought the same. Now, they only wanted one thing.
Revenge on Konoha.
They stood outside the great forest. Staring at the warning the Outcast left.
They were unimpressed.
"Let's go." Ishi said.
The three Shibitos entered the forest.
They were looking for blood.
The team jumped through the forest, moving as quickly as they could. Hinata was using her Byakugan to check the surrounding area, but she never said a word. Shino was silent also, logically thinking that conversation could give them away. Kiba learned after the first year of Naruto's exile that starting a conversation was useless, so he tried his best to bear the quiet.
The silence was deafening.
Kiba couldn't stand it and finally spoke. "Hinata, do you see anything?"
"I'll tell you when I do." She said. With Naruto out of her life, her stutter disappeared, but instead of encouraging her, it was a burning reminder that Naruto was gone.
Kiba, still desperate for conversation asked "So how's Neji?"
"I don't know and I don't care."
Silence reigned.
When the sun began to set, they made camp.
Kiba stared at the night sky, watching the stars shine, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The uneasiness made it hard for him to sleep, but after several hours, he went to sleep, Akamaru next to him.
Shino was sleeping peacefully; a buzz sounded from him as the nocturnal bugs under his skin began to stir.
Hinata lay in her bag. Awake. She was thinking of the boy that forever haunted her thoughts. His foxy smile burned onto the forefront of her mind. Finally, long after midnight, she cried herself to sleep, where she dreamed of someone holding her and comforting her.
The next morning, she woke to the crushing realization that her dream had been just a dream.
After packing up camp, team eight began their jump/run to the newly acquired Iwa territory.
They continued to the border of the forest, and the fire territory, as it was now called, when Hinata noticed something. "There's something up ahead."
"What is it?" Kiba asked as he slowed to a stop.
"It looks like a marker of some kind, but I can't tell; it's just out of focus."
Shino spoke up, "Alright, Hinata, shut down your Byakugan, we need you to conserve chakra. Kiba, use your nose to keep a look out."
They slowly made their way forward, watching for anything that could happen to them. Finally they came to the item in question.
It was a hardwood staff with four sun-bleached skulls hanging on it. Each skull had a "N" scratched into the forehead. Beneath the skulls was a sign, it read, "Enemies of Konoha, you have been warned."
The three of them stood in front of the staff, wondering whether this was a good sign or a bad sign. Finally, Kiba spoke up, "I've heard that the Outcast does this."
"What?" Hinata asked.
"Marks the foreheads of his victims with a 'N'."
"They all are marked with 'N's." Shino said.
"What do you mean by all of them?" Kiba asked.
Shino only pointed to the tress ahead of them.
Kiba and Hinata both looked at the trees, and then they saw it. Hundreds of heads hung form a hundred braches, each bearing the N of death. Some of them were sun bleached skulls, while others were fresh Iwa nin heads, beginning to slowly rot in the hot sun.
"Woah." Kiba said.
'Nough said.
One week later.
Team eight had searched high and low in all of Iwa territory, and found nothing. There was no sign of the Shibito brothers anywhere. Now they stood at the Outcast's warning, again awed by the number of heads he had collected.
After staring at the heads for a while, they made their way back home.
Again they made their way in silence, which was slowly killing Kiba. It seemed like an eternity had passed before the sun set and they had to make camp, where Kiba found some relief because of his teammates asking for jobs, tent pegs, sleeping bags, etc.
They quickly settled in for the night. Shino fell directly asleep, then Kiba, and finally Hinata, who cried herself to a dreamless sleep.
A full moon shone throughout the night, giving the forest a pale glow to it, until a cloud slowly crept by and hid the moon's pale face, bringing the stars out and darkening the night.
Hinata woke for a brief second, and stared at the stars above her. They seemed to smile at her, and they reminded her of Naruto. She hated them for that. But she loved them for it at the same time.
She wanted to forget, but she didn't want to forget.
She glared up at the cursed stars, thankful. She stared at them with her two liquid, lavender orbs, trying to stop the nostalgia that she wanted to come. Then suddenly, she felt a stabbing pain to the back of her head.
One thought ran through her mind, dispelling the star's blessed curse. "We're being attacked!"
Then everything faded to black.
"Wake up, princess." She heard the sarcastic voice, before a pain flashed across her cheek.
Slowly her eye opened, and she saw a man standing in front of her. Her mind instantly recalled his face, this was Shibito Katai, one of the Shibito brothers they were hunting. Her mind also registered that Kiba and Shino were tied up, and Akamaru was unconscious.
Katai turned, "The whore is finally awake."
"Great, now we're going to have some real fun." Another said, Hinata recognized him to be Jemu. He stood taller than Katai, and had a sword at his side. Jemu grabbed her cheeks, forcing her lips to form a bent 'O'. "Such a pretty face." He commented, "If you want it to stay that way, I suggest you start obeying me."
Hinata spat at him, her saliva landing in his eyes.
"Ah! You B****!" He cried taking out his sword.
A hand caught Jemu's. It was his other brother, Ishi. "Calm down, your revenge will be sweeter if your collected enough to make it last."
Jemu smiled maliciously. "Your right, forgive me." He said as he then lowered his sword to Hinata's arm. "But I still want whore."
Suddenly, there was a soft sound. Like wind moving through the trees, the Missing nins heard it and went on guard. They turned to where the sound came from, swords drawn. Then they saw it, a white ball rolling towards them, it was small, about three times the size of a fist. Then it slowed to a stop. It was a skull, staring at the Shibito brothers with its black sockets. A "N" was scratched into its forehead.
A soft voice echoed through the clearing "You were warned."
The Ex-Iwa nins instantly went on guard, backing up to the center of the clearing. Suddenly, twigs began to crack just out of sight. Voices seemed to echo all around the clearing. It seemed like he was everywhere but nowhere at once. Then there was silence.
Jemu spoke up, quietly, "I-I've heard that the Outcast is the ghost of Yondaime Hokage himself."
"Shut up, Jemu." Ishi told him.
"I've heard that he is the spirit of the wind, taking vengeance on all who attack those who live in his sacred trees." Katai whispered.
"Shut up! The both of you. The Outcast is a man who will bleed and die. And I will prove this day." He said glaring into the forest. "Understand, Jemu?"
No answer.
"J-Jemu?" Katai whispered, looking to where his brother was standing.
Nothing.
"Jemu?!" Ishi called his name. "Jemu!" He cried frantically. They began searching for him, but never leaving each other's backs, fearing that they would be next if they were but a centimeter apart.
Suddenly, the sound of breaking twigs sounded above. They both looked up, just in time to see a black shape fall through the canopy of the trees. They both ran from underneath it, just escaping getting hit by it.
Both brothers stared in shock as the saw what fell. It was Jemu, his throat was slit, his face was twisted in utter terror, and his once clear blue eyes were clouded over in death. On his forehead was the grisly "N" of death, written in skin and blood.
Terror washed over the last two brothers, until Katai couldn't take it. "I'm getting out of here!" He ran for the tree line.
"No! Katai! You'll only be killed! Don't leave me!" Ishi yelled into the darkness. But it was too late, Katai was gone into the darkness.
Ishi backed up to a tree, looking for anything to guard his back against, his sword shook as his hands trembled in fear.
Then he heard it, that soft sound of something rolling in the grass. He looked to where the sound was coming from. It was a round object, black and unrecognizable in the darkness.
Then he saw him. A white coat with red flames that seemed to lick at its hem came out of the darkness. Then he saw the green armored legs. Each plate having a red swirl mark on its center. Then came his chest. A green chest plate that bore only an "N" as a mark of who it was. Then the head came into visibility. It was hooded and masked, leaving only his two piercing cold eyes uncovered. His headband had the swirl mark that was on his armor.
He stood, staring at the man who was quailing at his presence. He then looked at the black round object that had been rolling in the grass, and picked it up. The man stared at it, before taking out a kunai and making three quick slashes against the black ball.
He returned his attention to the man and threw the ball at his feet.
It was then that Ishi recognized it. It was Katai's head. His blue eyes were clouded over, and his mouth was twisted in a silent scream of pure terror. His headband was gone, and in its place was the grisly "N" of Death. Ishi looked up at the man who stood before him. "What are you?"
Then the man spoke. "I am the forgiving exile, I am the loved Pariah, I am the scapegoat that has found a spring in the desert."
"Who are you?" Ishi asked.
"I am the Outcast." Then he took a step forward. "And you better get running."
Ishi broke for the tree line, and daring to look back, saw that the Outcast had transformed. He was now a wolf, nipping at his heels with black fangs. "Keep running." It said, "Run or I'll catch you." Ishi ran faster, the Outcast wolf nipping at his heels, pushing him to run faster. He ran, and ran, and was never heard from again.
The Outcast stood in the clearing that Ishi just left, before turning to the Konoha nins. Hinata shied away as he approached her, but was surprised when he did not hurt her, but instead freed her. "I am sorry you had to see that." He said to her, before releasing Kiba and the still-unconscious Shino and Akamaru.
"What are you?" Kiba asked.
"A friend to all who bear the Headband of Konoha." He said, before turning to the tree line. "I have sent a dispatch to some of my men, they will escort you home. They will be here in roughly ten minutes." Then he stepped into the darkness of the trees and disappeared.
Ten minutes later, three men came into the clearing. Hinata and Kiba were tending to Shino and Akamaru respectively when one of them approached.
She was of medium height, blond hair, green eyes, and bore a Kusa headband with a circle in its center. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" She asked.
"No, he will be fine." Hinata said, "He just needs to rest."
A brown haired, blue eyed man with a mist headband bearing the Mark of the Exile came up to her, "Then we shall keep watch as you rest. Go to sleep now."
Kiba then spoke up. "Thank you, I am Inuzuka Kiba, that is Hyuuga Hinata, and that is Aburme Shino. We are greatly in debt to you."
"It is no problem, I am Vara, this is Ula." He said, pointing to the green eyed blond. "And this is Girinel." He said, pointing to a large man, he had small black eyes, black hair, and he wore a Taki headband with the Mark of the Exile. "Now, take a good night's rest, we will watch over you and guide you back home in the morning."
Team eight approached the great wall of Konoha. As soon as they were within a half a mile of the wall, Ula and Girinel left, leaving Vara to take the team the rest of the way. As soon as they were close enough the guards stopped them for the usual questioning.
They checked out and the guards stepped aside. "You may go in."
Suddenly Vara stood in Hinata's way. "Unfortunately, she can't."
Instantly the guards, Shino and Kiba got into a fighting position. "What are you saying?"
Vara suddenly pulled out a small rag and pressed it over Hinata's mouth and nose. She quickly fell unconscious. "I'm saying to tell the Hoakge that if she wants Miss Hyuuga back home, she will meet with the Outcast five miles north of the Village."
"Let her go!" Kiba yelled, about to attack.
"Don't worry, we won't hurt her, just be sure you deliver my message."
Then before anyone could move, he and Hinata were gone.
Next, The Haven of the Exiles.