Chapter Sixteen.
Doctor Kirra, the Senior Doctor of the Kirigakure Medical Hospital glanced evilly at the blue haired Konoichi. I need to even up my odds against her. She looked at the window as she saw the 1st drops of rain fall, it made her grin. Taking out a kunai from her leg holster, she aimed at the window to the side of her opponent and shattered the glass quickly. Some of the drops proceeded to land on Hinata, feeling some small amounts of chakra going and Kirra, sensing the vibrations of the Leaf ninja's chakra lessen, stood up and faced Hinata.
She wants to kill me. And by using the rain's ability to remove my chakra slowly will mean she'll have more of an advantage. Coward! Hinata however had a plan, letting the rain drops fall on her hand and fingers. She then put one hand back upon Ao's hand and placing the wet forefinger on her free hand, touched the scroll Mei-Sama had given her, summoning to them both Kakashi and the Mizukage.
"Mizukage-Sama, this woman is attempting to kill my patient!" screamed Kirra at Mei-Sama. "Look at what she did to me?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow whilst Mei-Sama, walking up to the doctor, looked her up and down.
"Is that true, Hinata?" Mei-Sama asked, turning slightly towards Hinata.
"She is lying, Mei-Sama, though I did injure her to prevent her killing Ao and me. I can also prove this."
"You lying Byakugan BITCH!" Screamed Kirra, who then looked pleadingly at her Mizukage. "She's the one responsible for everything. She started the rebellion. She…"
Mei then turned back to Kirra, smiling. "Shut up or I will kill you. Oh, and who ever told you there was a rebellion?"
Kirra shut up quickly – she responded too quickly, dazed from the pain of her injury and the sudden appearance of the most powerful woman in the village. She had given herself away … after everything she had gone through … she'd blown it.
"You Kekei Genkai whores have to stick together… even before your own people." The voice came from the window, where a Hunter-nin proceeded to jump through and grabbed the weakened Hinata from behind. Kirra attempted to rush at the Mizukage as she had turned to see the man coming through but Mei-Sama simply created a jet of hot steam to come from the ground below her, making her squirm and scream as she was scolded, dropping to the floor in a whimpering mess. She didn't even need to watch her.
"Kirra… my eye!" Muttered Mei-Sama. "And I know that husky voice from anywhere… Kuro. Am I right?" Her eyes shone with the desire to kill the man who had now a kunai towards Hinata's throat.
He hummed for a moment. "I'm glad you didn't forget me… Mizukage-Sama."
"Such as it is with ugly nightmares." Retorted Mei-Sama, the smile on her face a cold one. "Why is this happening? And now, of all times?"
"Kirigakure has become weak. The one thing we could pride ourselves upon was our 'Millitary'… look at them! Weak, pathetic bags of flesh who in the past would have been mercifully put to death by their peers."
He pressed the kunai into Hinata's neck, drawing blood but she did not react. She placed her hands on his offending arms and prepared herself. I have a small amount of chakra left… that should be enough… She winked at Kakashi and the Mizukage.
"..The joy one feels when hunting down freaks like her and you is uncomparible… though I did try. Becoming a Hunter-nin certainly helped abate my needs but where was the justice? Killing men and women for rebelling against a country I had grown to hate. A country who even made a 'Double Kekei Genkai' bitch their new leader. It's sick!"
"You killed your own people." She said sadly. "You and this girl killed so many…"
"Those sheep are not MY people. And Kirra is the only one to truly understand me. We merely needed more support and thanks to this … person," Kuro leaned his head in Ao's direction. "… It made our plans much easier. He was naturally getting sick from the implant and when he refused to have it removed by us, his own men. He was more weak than anybody could have imagined … but he could be used. We knew a way we could accomplish our goal of having strong country once again."
"You tricked us." Hinata whispered, earning a response from Kuro to deepen the cut.
"Your Clan is an arrogant one. It just couldn't forgive anyone to have the Byakugan outside of their control. It was easy… so easy…" he pushed her onto the blade, trying to cut her throat but to his annoyance, her throat hadn't been cut deeply enough. Just a little bit longer… she thought. She concentrated the chakra around the tissue surrounding her wind pipe and it created a protective barrier. She just needed a few more words from him and then she could break free of him.
His anger grew quickly but before he could react more strongly and kill Hinata, the Mizukage laughed. Kuro glared at her.
"What's so funny?" He demanded.
"You thought you all could create a war again … using her as bait to ensnare Konoha and Kiri? What a pathetic man you are. No wonder you couldn't even rise to the occasion…"
"ENOUGH!" He yelled at her, dropping the Hyuuga and pointing the Kunai at the Mizukage. Hinata grabbed Ao's hand and Kakashi quickly vanished in a puff of smoke, reappearing by the side of the bed and holding onto Hinata, together the three disappeared. Kuro merely shrugged, the kunai still pointed at Mei-Sama.
"Let them go," he shrugged. Smiling at her, he felt a cackle boom from his chest, a heavy, dark and deep one. "You steamed cooked my Kirra… I'm going to make you pay for that."
The Mizukage smiled but before Kuro could deliver on his comment. Chōjūrō appeared in the open whole of the window frame which he had previously entered through. His sword had changed; it had morphed into a large whip made of chains with large metal spikes protruding from the metal links at various sections. He lassoed the rebel and jumped down, took the kunai from him and slapped him so hard across the face he passed out.
"No-one threatens my Mei-Sama." He stated and looking at her beaming at him, blushed immediately.
"Are you determined to save me, Chōjūrō?" She said.
"I'd be a really bad bodyguard if I didn't." He winked and Mei-Sama laughed.
Kirra groaned loudly and tried to crawl away. "And to think he called us weak." Mumbled Mei-Sama before she started to shriek and shivering, stopped trying to move away. Ao was smiling, having just immobilised his captor after several months of torture and being imprisoned by her.
"The drug is wearing off well." Ao commented. He now was standing by his Mizukage and the two shared a smile.
"We've missed you, Ao-Sama."
"Yes!" Chōjūrō commented and Ao arched an eyebrow.
"Young people of today… I'm fine Chōjūrō." Having heard Ao make the comment, Chōjūrō beamed at him and smiling, Ao shook his head. "I guess dinner will be on me again, right?"
"No, I'll pay." Chōjūrō said. "But not for any fried foods."
"For Kami's sake Chōjūrō, stop being such a wuss! It'll put hair on that chest of yours."
"Turn off." Commented Mei-Sama and Chōjūrō turned beetroot.
Chōjūrō then looked to where Kakashi was crouching on the floor, cradling Hinata in his arms. She had managed to prevent herself from being killed but she was bleeding heavily. He started to heal her and after a few minutes, they waited until her bleeding had stopped. She looked paler than usual but gazed happily into Kakashi's face.
"You did brilliantly." Kakashi commented. By her not reacting, Konoha showed no signs of aggression and those made by SS, Kiba, Akamaru and Shino towards the hunter-in was permitted as a) Shino, Kiba and Akamaru were escorted by Nina-Sama who was told to protect them, b) they were ambushed by the Hunter-nin who started the attack and c) SS was ordered by her Hokage by request of the Mizukage to go with her team to prevent the rebellion via the Hunter-nin at all costs.
What was needed was a confession, witnessed by both sides from the enemy and for the main culprits to be kept alive as proof. It was now 1:00pm and the rain poured down heavier. Kakashi had moved Hinata over to Ao's bed were he gently caressed her face. "You were so brave, Hinata…"
"I had nothing to be afraid of …my own bodyguard was watching out for me." Hinata said, smiling with her eyes closed.
Kakashi bent down to kiss her and finally their lips met after such a long time. It was gentle and loving and both showed their care to each other through it. Just as they were about to part, a snarl was heard. Hinata's eyes popped open and Kakashi turned quickly, as had everyone else.
An extremely pissed Hokage was leering at them.
"Mine…" he said, instantly beside Hinata's side and punching his former Sensei hard, sent him flying through the wall. "I DON'T SHARE!"
She looked terrified at the Orange Hokage in front of her. The Mizukage cleared her throat but Naruto ignored the attempt to divert his attention. He roughly picked up the woman and disappeared quickly in a flash. Chōjūrō looked worried and the Mizukage advised him.
"We have to be careful. If we are seen to attack him, it's like we're attacking Konoha. We must go to Kakashi and help him. Chōjūrō, Ao-Sama … I need you to take the prisoners to the jail. And be careful, there is still one Hunter-nin remaining."
"Don't worry Mizukage-Sama. It'll be done." Ao assured her. For a moment, she wondered if she could trust him but her trust in Chōjūrō reassured her. He could not only take care of the prisoners, she KNEW he could handle Ao as well. The blue-haired boy had more than proved himself
She nodded before disappearing in a cloud of mist outside and reappearing along the side of the building and into the rain, catching the man in mid-air. Her chakra levels then dropped drastically but luckily her Taijitsu was good. She used the wall of the building to help rush down and safely land with him. He groaned slightly in pain but knew from experience only a small rupture had occurred within his abdominal muscles. Thankfully, Naruto had held back.
"Hinata…" he groaned and stood up with help from the Mizukage.
"Naruto took her. There is nothing politically I can do Kakashi-Sama but you can. Do you know where he would have taken her?"
He though hard for a moment and a couple of laces sprung to mind. "I think I have an idea … but how can I check them out? He is much quicker than I am…"