Hello everyone ^_^ I hope you all had wonderful weeks. And now, it's Friday! :D And with it comes chapter eighteen – I hope you all enjoy!
Posting a little early because I managed to get a break in all the things I have to do today – today is a very busy day filled with busy things to keep me busy _
Okay, here's a shout out for an anonymous reviewer: Yes, Sasuke's date was supposed to be a big surprise XD Well, you'll just have to wait and find out what Itachi does ;) And yes, Sasuke's part of the letter was one of my favorite parts XD Thanks for taking time to read and review :)
Okay, now, on with the story!
~BlackRoseDragon13
*Disclaimer* I do not own, nor claim to own, any aspect of Naruto in any way, shape, or form. This is merely a fan work, and I receive no profit.
Chapter Eighteen
In the middle of June, all three members of Me-Han – Team Eyes, as they were so affectionately called – received letters of summoning from the Hokage, like any other mission they had been assigned since becoming a three man cell. They arrived before dawn, the messenger hawks tapping at their windows, carrying an encoded message. Dressing and readying for their next assignment, they each silently gave their loved one a kiss goodbye, leaving before the sun had breached the horizon.
The blonde Hokage was seated at her desk, one elbow resting against it as her chin was cradled in her hand. The other was tilting a bottle of sake – unopened – around in a circle as she waited. She hated getting up early. But today, it was necessary. Sensing her entourage approaching, she sighed. Time to get things moving.
Three shadows appeared before her, kneeling and facing the ground, faces hidden by masks.
"Good, you're on time." Standing, Tsunade moved around to the front of her desk, leaning against the corner as she folded her arms beneath her impressive bust. "Now that you're here, I can deliver the rest of the mission details.
"There has been unrest in Kawa no Kuni. A group of rebels has been rising rapidly, looking to start a war between us and Suna. As a border country, they used to benefit from our wars as a neutral place to buy weapons and supplies. This radical group believes that, by sparking war between us once again, they will revitalized their country, which has fallen into a bit of a sad state in recent months. They have received little rain, meaning that their rivers – which are their main source of prosperity – are not as full this year. Obviously we don't want war between us and Suna – our alliance is strong, but new. We still aren't sure what they plan to do to try and spark conflict, but we need to make sure it doesn't happen.
"So, instead of beating around the bush and waiting for them to make their move, we're going to do this the old fashioned way by drawing them out. I have had several spies leaking information about a supposed meeting the Kazekage and I are going to have in a few days' time in Kaze no Kuni. They've been laying the foundation to trick the rebel force into attacking our caravan on our way through Kawa no Kuni. They have been led to believe I will be traveling with only a handful of chuunin and jounin, but that's where you three come in. The force is rumored to be relatively small – around thirty members – so I believe that between you and the others I'll be bringing, it should be no problem to clean up this mess. You will pose as three of my chuunin, and do most of the cleanup. Is that clear?"
"Hai," the three ANBU replied, still kneeling.
"Good. Shizune has your outfits ready so you'll look your parts. We'll depart at dawn. Once we have eliminated the rebel force, we will continue to Suna to relay our success and reassure the Kazekage that things have been taken care of, so be prepared to be away from home for a while. I hope you said your goodbyes – I happen to know that your women hate longer missions." Giving them a teasing smirk, she added, "Dismissed. Meet the rest of the caravan at the gate at sunrise."
The men all changed into their alternate uniforms, once again bearing their Konoha hitai-ate and chuunin vests.
"This is a bit strange, isn't it?" Neji said softly, securing his forehead protector over his Caged Bird seal. "I have yet to go undercover in the corps..."
"It is a little odd, but...it's a good cover," Itachi replied.
"Do you really think this mission is going to be as easy as it sounds?" Sasuke asked quietly, already completely changed. "Something about this doesn't smell right."
"Tsunade sama seems to have taken all of the necessary precautions," Neji said with a small shrug. "Leaking the false information to draw them out so we can be rid of them."
"Why do I have a feeling it won't be that easy?"
"Besides us there will be several jounin," Itachi reminded his brother. "I am certain we can handle thirty rebels. Kawa no Kuni isn't known for its strong shinobi force. Tanigakure is relatively small." Securing his vest, the older brother nodded. "Let's get going. It takes three days to travel one direction. Add in our combat, and we're probably looking at a week-long mission."
The caravan was ready when the trio arrived, Tsunade seated inside a covered cart with closed windows. Taking their places among the lower ranked shinobi, the ANBU began walking alongside their leader, taking only the first of many steps to complete their journey.
The first day, all of their traveling was done inside Hi no Kuni's borders, meaning that the group was a bit more relaxed. They camped in a large clearing, setting up a defensive perimeter and taking shifts to watch over the site until morning. By noon the second day, they were well within the Land of Rivers.
Neji kept his Byakugan activated at a near-constant rate, not needing to turn his head in order to see everything around him. Both Uchiha had their Kekke Genkai activated as well, their bloody gazes flickering to observe everything that moved.
"Nothing yet," Neji reported mid-afternoon, the chakra-filled veins around his eyes receding as he took a short break. "Everything is clear."
"We'll be approaching Tanigakure in about an hour," Itachi replied lowly. "Odds are the rebel force will be there, sizing up our group. Once we're clear of the village, in lands they are familiar with and yet are not crowded, they will probably strike."
"How can you be so sure?" the Hyuuga questioned.
Sharingan flashing, Itachi replied bluntly, "Because it is what I would do."
Tsunade was welcomed in the Hidden Village – far from her warmest reception, but not unpleasant. The summer day was still far from over as they paused in the bustling town to eat their afternoon meal, the shinobi all on high alert. Representatives from the village gave their regards, assuring the blonde Hokage that they gave no support to the extremists.
"Their behavior and goals are unacceptable," one old man said while nodding his head. "But people are getting desperate. With the light rainfall this spring, the rivers are beginning to run dry. Fishing, shipping, and other trades relying on the rivers is what fuels our nation's economy – many have lost jobs and income due to the weather, and that sort of thing makes people do things they normally would not sink to."
"I understand," Tsunade assured the councilmen who were present, sharing her meal with her as a show of good faith. "We have had similar situations in our own country. Desperate times call for desperate measures. But you can be assured that we will take every precaution to keep things under control. The Kazekage and I do not wish to start a war, and will do whatever we can to prevent it."
"I am glad to hear that."
Itachi and his teammates, scattered around the room where the higher ups were dining, listened to every word and observed every gesture. The older Uchiha's hawk-like gaze never left the Hokage, ready to move at top speeds to stop anyone from acting foolishly. Dozens of scenarios passed through his head as he evaluated how to stop each one with the least amount of damage done. He was confident that he could protect Tsunade, but sincerely hoped that action would not have to be taken.
At least, not yet.
The caravan planned to reach the other border by nightfall, passing into allied territory before camping once again. That left a few hours for the rebels to make their move inside their own land.
"What if they follow into Kaze no Kuni?" Sasuke speculated. "After all, they want to spark war. Wouldn't an attack on the Hokage on the Kazekage's turf be a lot more meaningful?"
Itachi considered it while Neji replied, "It is possible. But we can't be sure how well they have thought things out. Who knows – they may have even decided not to take action if they feel too threatened, unready, or if they suspect a trap."
"We must be ready at any time, for anything," Itachi muttered. "Tiring, but necessary."
Nodding, Neji followed behind him as the group moved forward after a short water break, the sun beginning to dip. They had stayed longer in Tanigakure then planned, and making it across the border might happen later than the group would have liked.
Lanterns were lit at each point of the carriage Tsunade was riding in, providing a large halo of light as they finished the last few miles toward the border. Something was nagging at the back of Itachi's brain, but Neji had assured him that he had seen nothing in his last Byakugan sweep, stretching his sight to the limit as they approached Kaze no Kuni.
"Something isn't right," he muttered, crimson eyes sliding to the outside.
They passed through the checkpoint without any problems, staying inside the Hi no Kuni building for the night for added security. Itachi took first watch, making his way to the roof to oversee the landscape with his own eyes. He trusted Neji's sight, as it had been invaluable in many of their missions, but his sixth sense was bothering him. Beneath the near-full moon, he kept watch all night, his relief obeying his order to go back to bed. Itachi was highly revered, and his word wasn't often challenged.
"Show yourselves," he murmured as the sun rose. "So that I may cut you down."
.oOo.
Hinata had found the note on the kitchen counter from Itachi explaining that he would be gone for about a week on his newest mission, which also instructed her not to wait up the last night, as the return date was not set in stone. Smiling at it – he knew her too well – she left it where it was as she went back to work, yet another day teaching her second class of First Years. Her thoughts had strayed to him often during the week, and to Neji and Sasuke as well. As Itachi instructed, she went to bed the night he had estimated he would return home, ears tuned in to hear him return while she slept.
But the next morning, he still hadn't come back.
A bit hesitantly, she shrugged it off. He had said it was more of an estimation than a set date. Packing her lunch for her latest day of work, she made her way to the academy a bit distracted, losing focus a few times and having the children call her out on it.
She waited a bit later than usual to go to bed, certain he would be home that night. But by midnight he still wasn't there, and she forced herself to retire, as it was still the work week.
Tomorrow, for sure, he'd be back. She was being paranoid, as usual.
But instead of Itachi's face, a messenger hawk greeted her, tapping at the glass of her window before her alarm had gone off. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she stared for a moment before bolting to the sill, releasing the latch and letting the bird inside.
Retrieving its message, she scanned it quickly.
No. No, no no.
She didn't bother with clothes, running out into the early morning street in her nightgown. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. Hair flying out behind her, she made her way to the Hokage tower in record time. Ignoring anyone's shouts for her to stop, she barged into the Hokage's office without knocking.
"W-where is he?"
Shizune was seated at the desk across the room, elbows braced against it as she held her forehead in her hands. Looking up at the sudden intrusion, she could only ask, "Hinata?"
"Where is squad? Where is Tsunade sama? Where is he?" Stepping forward, Hinata planted her hands atop the desk, eyes wide as she made her demands. "Where are they?"
Shizune stared at the young woman, dressed in nothing but a knee-length slip. "Hinata, I...I can't say. ANBU work is -"
"I know it's c-classified!" Hinata replied hotly, gritting her teeth. She was tired of being told the same thing over and over. "But this is my boyfriend's life...this is Itachi's l-life. I got a note from the Suna h-hospital that he's...he's..."
Shizune sat up straight, brow furrowed. "You...you got a message?"
"Y-yes, from Gaara himself."
"Do you have it?"
The note was clenched tightly in one of her fists, and Hinata handed it over without a word. Examining it closely, Shizune sighed. "This is his handwriting..." She bit her lip. "Have you shown this to anyone else?"
"No."
"Did it look like it had been intercepted? Was the seal broken?"
"N-no...Shizune, w-what's going on?"
"If this it true...if Itachi was brought to the hospital...Tsunade sama might be in danger. I have to contact the Kazekage right away, and gather a squad to meet him in person..."
"I w-want to go."
Shizune gave the ex-Hyuuga a scolding look. "Hinata, you're a teacher – you aren't on active duty anymore."
"I don't care! I need to see him with my own eyes – I n-need to make sure he's all right. My cousin and my friend are with him. I'm going with the ground team."
Heaving a large sigh, Shizune brushed back her hair with one hand, the other still holding the letter as she looked over it again. "Very well. But you might want to actually put on some clothes this time. You have ten minutes before I send the squad out. And Hinata," she called, as the girl moved toward the door. "No more special favors after this. I shouldn't even let you go, because of the nature of the situation."
"I understand." Not bothering to look back, Hinata tore from the room, changing back at her apartment before making her way to the gate.
Several ANBU were waiting for her, turning to see her as she approached. Two males and one female, masks hiding everything but their eyes.
"Hinata san, we need to get moving. Our pace will be strenuous – we can't afford to wait for you if you should lag behind."
"I know. I've b-been to Suna before...I'll get there one way or another."
Nodding, the female took off first, leading the way as the boys followed, Hinata bringing up the rear. She did her best to ration her energy, trying to keep up with the elite shinobi. It had been quite some time since she had run like that. She still trained on occasion, but not nearly as often as when she had been actively completing missions.
I won't let my fatigue get in my way, she thought to herself, staring straight ahead with Byakugan flared, watching for anyone else the group might encounter. I have to make sure...he's all right...
The officers refused to let her take part in their night watch, as she had lost sight of them for the last half an hour. "You need more rest," one man said bluntly.
Ignoring the sting on her pride, Hinata simply nodded, trying to find someplace suitable on the ground.
By the end of the second day she had lost the team completely, forced to camp alone. Paranoid, she only slept a few hours at a time, waking to scan her surroundings. According to the Kazekage, the team had been attacked by foreign shinobi, and Hinata didn't want to fall prey as well. The next morning found her lethargic due to her less-that-adequate sleep pattern. But she pushed herself harder, Itachi's face floating in her mind's eye and urging her forward.
Please be all right...
The deserts were without landmarks, constantly shifting and changing. After wandering for hours, Hinata decided to wait for night, taking cover behind a dune until the stars came out, allowing her to navigate more accurately. At what she thought to be about four in the morning, she saw the tall wall that encased the Wind's Hidden Village. Giving a little cry of thanks, she managed to make it inside – the ANBU having informed the guards that she would be coming – before passing out.
Her last thought before falling into oblivion was noting the irony that she would likely end up beside her lover within the hospital. At least that way...I'll be able to see him...
.oOo.
"Hinata san?"
Eyelids twitching, Hinata managed to open them slowly. How long had she been out? "Where is he?" she slurred in exhaustion, her fatigue from traveling at full speed, sleeping poorly, and suffering the heat of the desert having drained her of every drop of energy she had.
"I'm afraid you aren't permitted to see, um...the officer in question at this time," the nurse replied. She looked hesitant. "The situation is still unclear, and as such...any information pertaining to it is being handle with great care."
"Is...is he all right?"
Relenting, the woman gave the room a wary glance before replying softly, "He's going to be fine. It might be a slow recovery, but...his life is no longer in danger."
No longer? He had almost died? Sighing shakily, Hinata closed her eyes again. She wasn't sure how much more her heart could take. Worry nearly always consumed it. Now that her fears had been realized...she wasn't sure she would ever allow Itachi from her sight again.
That was, of course, assuming that she saw him again at all.
"As soon as I can tell you more, I promise I will. I can only imagine what that must be like," the nurse went on to say. "I'm sorry."
"I...I understand." Hinata knew that getting upset with the woman wouldn't accomplish anything. Instead, she decided to just let it go until she could find someone with more access to the knowledge she was craving. "Thank you."
Bobbing a small bow, the woman departed, walking out into the hallway and taking a flight of stairs into the topmost floor. There, three high-priority officers were recovering. Peeking into the first room, she saw that the youngest was still asleep. The second oldest, being the least injured, was sitting up in bed, brooding. They weren't allowed out of bed, or out of their rooms. Last, she entered a room where the eldest – and most injured – was resting. Though prone, his eyes were open, onyx abysses staring up at the ceiling without blinking.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, hands folded politely before her.
"About the same," he croaked, throat dry.
Hearing as much, she fetched him a small glass of water, tipping the glass delicately as he sipped silently. Once he was done, she reported, "The girl is awake, and she seems to be just fine. I think she just exhausted herself trying to get here so fast."
Itachi didn't respond. His mind was full, emotions barely contained behind his mask-like expression. He was happy to hear that his lover wasn't hurt, but it was only one part of the rather large conundrum he was trying to puzzle out within his mind.
Feeling awkward and seeing she wasn't about to be included, the medic took her leave. For once, she was glad she was out of the loop. Things seemed far too complicated for her taste.
.oOo.
"Are you sure?" Gaara asked, hands folded beneath his chin as he sat at his desk. "If any were allowed to escape...things may very well escalate."
"No, I'm certain all were slain," Tsunade said wearily. "If your reinforcement hadn't arrived when they did, it may have turned out differently, but...Neji confirmed that we were the only ones left alive within his range of sight."
"Hn..." Gazing blankly at his ally, Gaara sighed. "Forgive me, but...I must ask you to tell your tale one last time." His gaze shifted to a woman with a pen and scroll. "My council and I decided that it should be properly documented."
"I understand," Tsunade replied, declining her chin slightly. "I would ask the same." Sighing, she leaned back in her chair, arms folded. For hopefully the last time, she began to recount the ambush that caught her caravan so completely by surprise. "It was about noon, and we were pulling to the side of the trail to rest. Neji completed another scan of the area, confirming it was clear. We began rationing lunch and water, and three minutes later, they were on us. The rebels, that is." Scowling, Tsunade growled, "My spies were tricked. The force was several times the estimate, closer to one hundred fifty than thirty. Caught off guard, we did our best to form some kind of formation, dividing the masses as effectively as possible. Somehow they had gotten a feel for Neji's range, probably by slowly encroaching on us and testing their luck, allowing them to make an attempt at an attack with the shortest distance possible to cover before Neji would check the surroundings again.
"The ANBU I had hidden in my entourage attacked first, taking the brunt of the force while the jounin handled what they could of who passed by. I took part as well. They weren't too highly skilled, chuunin at best with a few jounin thrown in, but...their numbers alone made things difficult. There were only nine of us. At first we thought things would turn out all right, but something shifted the advantage. The captain was severely injured, which in turn distracted his right guard, allowing the enemy to get to him as well. The last member did what he could to cover his teammates, but...things were getting severely out of hand. We had no choice but to retreat, carrying the weakest. We lost them in the sandstorm, but they found us the next morning. If your patrol hadn't have come across us, we would have suffered much more damage. Your men have my thanks."
"Of course." Nodding to the record keeper, Gaara watched as the woman left. Once she was clear, he added in a softer tone, "I'm sorry for the wounds your force suffered. I hope that their treatment suffices."
"You have a wonderful medical program here," Tsunade praised. "I'm more than certain they are all in the best hands. Now, I have a question for you, Gaara."
The redhead didn't speak, simply waiting for the Hokage to inquire.
"Yesterday another team of ANBU arrived. I assumed that you had sent a coded message to my assistant, who in turn sent a recon team to assess the situation here. But last night, another kunoichi showed up, claiming that she had received a message from you herself." Giving the Kazekage a look, she asked, "May I ask what exactly was sent to my village?"
Gaara took his time responding, thinking over his answer. "Itachi died for about a minute on the operating table," he said quietly. "I know what it means to leave one's body like that. When he was stabilized and I visited him and his team in their rooms, he told me it was the second time he had done so. Few can make such a claim. He also told me that there was a woman in his village that he owed his life to, and loved deeply. He requested that I tell her, in a way, what had happened. I...felt as though I could not refuse. I realize that it was risky, and not following protocol, but...it felt like the right thing to do. He assured me that she would also take the proper action to bring a team here for recon, so I did not bother sending another note." Blinking owlishly, he then asked, "This woman...Hinata, I believe was her name...who is she?"
Tsunade offered a small chuckle. "I'm not sure I can answer that as well as others could. But she's an amazing person, and I am amazed time and time again by her actions. I'm sure you'll get a chance to speak with her soon. You can ask her herself."
Nodding, Gaara replied, "I'll make sure to do so. So, I believe we are done here, for now. Once every member of your team is able to make the journey, I'll assume you will head back to Konoha?"
"Yes. Staying away for too long will likely prove detrimental. I thank you again for your assistance and hospitality, Kazekage sama."
"Of course, Hokage sama."
Oh no – what mess have the three boys gotten themselves into now? D: Only one more chapter, my lovelies, and then this story will be complete. So, I hope to see you all Monday for the conclusion of Defining Innocence – it's been an awesome couple of weeks sharing this with you all, and hearing your feedback. I can't wait to write more and do this all again ^_^
Until then!
~BlackRoseDragon13