Summary: A series of violent rapes and murders targeting long, dark haired, young women have caught the attention of the Hokage. Her plan? Use a qualified, long, dark haired kunoichi as bait. The only one that fits the criteria? Hinata. NaruHina.
Warning: Rated M. Contains violence, rape, cursing, sex and murder.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything associated with it. That belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. (However I believe I have a claim to the idea I wrote about).
White Kunai
Chapter 16- Betrayal
People glanced out of their windows warily at the commotion outside. Dozens of men clad in orange were practically ransacking the Village of Ash. A young child pushed the blinds of his window aside, rubbing his tired eyes and jumped back in shock. A man with bright blue eyes was peering intently at him from the rooftop just across his house. His eyes left the boys and did a quick search of his room, not caring about the consequences at the moment. The blue-eyed man grimaced and turned away, jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
The boy scrambled back to the windowsill and watched in awe as more of the orange clad ninja hopped past his bedroom window. He grew up in a horrible side of town and had seen many things in his short lifetime. This was one of the weirdest. He pushed open the window and cold air rushed inside. Little raindrops pelted his skin but he craned his neck to catch another glimpse of the bright haired man.
The little boy heard a thump and looked up, blinking water out of his eyes. He squeaked in surprise as he saw the orange man standing on the wall, staring down at him.
"What're you doing?" the man asked. The boy opened his eyes widely but remained mute. "Get back inside. You might catch a cold."
The boy stared at him in amazement. "Wow! Can you teach me that?" he said, referencing to the way he was perpendicular to the wall.
The mans previously cold and worried eyes sparked, as if remembering something long ago. Indeed, he was reminiscing. He remembered the first time he tried learning how to control chakra well enough to climb a tree vertically. But that brief glimpse of light vanished.
"No time, kid," he said, not unkindly.
The boy frowned as the blue-eyed man turned his attention away from him and glanced out into the ruined roads of this part of town.
"What are you looking for?" the boy asked.
The man looked at him surprised. "Not what. Who."
"Oh," the boy said, watching as the blond stared out into the city again. "Who are you looking for?"
"My friends," he said simply, cursing the rain in his head.
"You lost your friends?" the boy asked.
The ninja looked at the kid sadly. "Yea…I guess I did."
"I can help you look if you want," the kid said, wiping the streams of water on his face.
The man gave him a sincere smile. "Thank you. But I got a lot of people helping me out," he said, gesturing towards the other clones. "I should have left one of them with my friends…" he said, more to himself than the boy. "I made a mistake." He turned his attention back to the kid. Also, I don't think your parents will appreciate the fact that you're getting soaked in the rain right now."
The boy pouted. "My parents are never around."
He gave him a sad smile. "Ah…I know how that feels."
"You'll find them," the boy said.
"I will," the clone said firmly. "Now get inside and dry off kid."
The little boy beamed at him right before the man vanished in a poof of smoke.
An Hour Ago
The door shut with a small click as Naruto went out for food. Hinata turned to look at her friend seated beside her and found Ino staring at her intently.
"Um…" Hinata mumbled a bit nervously.
"Hinata," Ino said, sounding happy. "You and Naruto…"
Hinata waited for her to continue. She didn't. "Yes?"
"Naruto and you…" Ino said with a wink, trailing off once more.
"Ino-san?" Suddenly Ino let out a high-pitched squeal and gave Hinata a tight hug. Hinata was very confused, to say the least, but allowed the ninja to calm down. "Ino-"
"You two are too cute!" Ino interrupted, throwing an arm around Hinata's shoulder. "Boy, who would have thought? Hinata and Naruto. Naruto and Hinata. Naruto. Hinata. Naruto. Hinata. NaruHina. Hey, that sounds pretty cute, huh? NaruHina!"
Hinata felt herself go red. Ino went on talking about how charming she thought the two of them were and Hinata allowed her to finish. She wasn't sure how she should be replying.
Ino laughed, watching the other kunoichi's reaction. "Aw, Hinata. I'm just teasing," she said kindly. "But I do find you two absolutely adorable."
"Th-thank you," Hinata said, flinching at her stutter.
"Sorry for the outburst," Ino said, laughing. "But did you see the way Naruto looked at you when you talked about explosions?" Hinata gave her a wary smile. "He cares for you," Ino stated, getting up and stretching. "The look in his eye when you mentioned something going wrong…man! I saw a bit of fear and worry all mixed in one. "
"You noticed a lot," Hinata said with a quiet giggle.
"Oh yea," Ino said, nodding. "Also saw some love in those eyes."
Hinata blushed. She noticed too. "Ino-san!"
Ino laughed. "And if it wasn't clear through his eyes…it was clear through that kiss he gave you before leaving," Ino squealed again, bringing her hands to her face. "Too cute!"
Hinata couldn't help but laugh. Ino reminded her of some type of fan girl. She shook her head as Ino laughed, collapsing onto the bed. They needed a bit of laughter and fun to make up for the sadness and darkness that blanketed the city.
That laughed was cut off when they heard rapid knocks on their door.
The two women looked at each other with wide eyes. It couldn't have been Naruto…he couldn't get food that fast. Hinata activated her Byakugan and looked at the door. She frowned and shrugged at Ino, heading to open the door. After deactivating her Byakugan she opened the door, revealing a young man dressed in casual black clothing. He had glasses and messy black hair.
"I remember you," Ino said from behind Hinata. "You delivered that folder a week or so ago."
Hinata remembered as well. That was when they learned that Uso was killed.
The young man gave a quick bow and nodded. "Yes, I'm the messenger for the head family," he said. "I'm sorry for the short notice but Sora-sama has called for you all immediately."
"Did he say why?" Ino asked, looking alert.
The man shook his head apologetically. "I believe he found something important about the…the killer," he said a bit nervously. "I'm sorry. I was just told to ask for you immediately."
Hinata glanced at Ino. Both were thinking the same thing. Naruto?
"Is there anyway we can make a detour before heading to the estate?" Hinata asked.
"He would really like to see you now," the man insisted. Hinata bit her lip. "If you're worrying about the other ninja I remember seeing here a week or so ago, I will stay and tell him where you've gone."
"I don't know…" Ino said slowly.
"Please," the young man said desperately, looking at the ground. "Sora-sama seemed really anxious. He insisted he had to see you ninjas immediately."
Ino frowned. What could he have learned that was so important? "You'll tell the blond ninja where we've gone?" Ino asked.
Hinata wasn't surprised by her decision. They were expecting Sora to invite them to the main house eventually but so soon? What he had to tell them must be crucial to the mission.
"Yes!" the black haired man said with a curt nod. "Yes, I will! My duty was so make sure you go to Sora-sama's estate immediately. I will tell your friend so he doesn't worry. Count on that."
The two kunoichi stared at the man. He did deliver the folder with the information and different casualties last time they were in the village…and Sora was the one who called them to this mission. They would have to go.
Naruto should be done quickly…Hinata thought to herself.
"Well, you better tell Naruto," Ino ordered the young man. "Or he'll most likely overreact when he comes back to the hotel room only to find it empty."
The man nodded. "I understand. I will wait by the door until he comes by."
"Thank you," Hinata said kindly. She stepped out into the hallway and Ino locked the door behind her. The two quickly exited the building. Hinata glanced at the direction Naruto went but saw no sign of him. They turned the opposite way and ran to the main building in the village. The Hyuga glanced up at the dark sky. It looked as though it was going to rain. I have a bad feeling about this…
Hinata heard Ino sigh. "I guess it begins," she said ominously.
Hinata and Ino arrived at the estate. They walked through the open gates and were welcomed by the city's guards.
"Ah, he's been expecting you," one of the guards said, leading them down a hallway. The main building in the Village of Ash was large. It was a few stories high and continued underground. The hallway was wide and adorned with many pictures of the family's long lineage. Fancy pots and vases were placed on columns and the floor was carpeted a deep red. They approached a grand door, gilded with golden designs, but instead of heading through them they took a sharp left turn and continued down the brightly lit hallway.
"Where are we going?" Ino asked, turning her head away from the door.
"He'd like to see you in private quarters," the guard explained.
They were enveloped in silence. The only thing that broke the sound was the shuffling of their feet against the carpet. They continued down the hallway, turning once, only to walk some more. The guard opened a pair of sturdy looking wooden doors, which led to a dimly lit hallway. Hinata frowned. The bad feeling she had seemed to grow. She glanced at Ino who had her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
This time the walk was short and the man pushed open a large, heavy door. He stepped back and gestured for them to head down. Hinata glanced in and realized the door led to a series of stone steps going to the underground part of the estate.
She quietly activated her Byakugan but saw no chakra. She wasn't sure if that was a bad thing or a good thing.
The guard noticed their hesitation and gave them a brief smile. "Odd, right?" he said. "But that's where what he considers his little sanctuary is," the guard shrugged and ushered them in. "It's not my job to question him." Ino was about to voice her reluctance before the guard prodded them inside. "Just head down and he should be in the room downstairs," he said before shutting the door.
"Something's not right," Ino said grimly. She tested the door and to her surprise it opened easily.
The guard looked at her with raised eyebrows.
Ino gave him an awkward smile and shut the door behind her, staring at Hinata with a confused expression. She shrugged. They were allowed to leave so maybe there really was nothing to worry about.
The two ninjas walked down the stone steps carefully. There were thin slits in the walls that would have let in some of the light from outside if it was sunny, but sadly it was not. As they descended lower those tiny windows completely disappeared.
Hinata shivered. The passageway felt damp and dark. How far underground does this go? She thought to herself. Maybe it just feels longer than it is. With each step she wondered how long it's been since Naruto left. Not that long really. We got here really quick.
Finally they were on flat ground once again. The hallway widened up but continued to stretch on. The ceiling was really low. They could lift their arms up and graze the damp ceiling above. Jumping around would be a problem. There were a few wooden doors to their right. None seemed as though they were opened recently. The light bulbs flickered and the two kunoichi looked around with a frown.
"There was supposed to be a room down here," Hinata said with a frown. "The guard didn't say there would be several rooms."
"You're right," Ino said, her back to Hinata's. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach that they weren't alone.
Hinata stared down the darkened hall, activating her Byakugan. Hinata's eyes widened. She felt her heartbeat quicken. "I-Ino-san…" she whispered.
"What?" Ino asked, glancing at the young woman behind her.
"My…my Byakugan."
"What about it?"
"It doesn't work."
Then the doors that lined the hallway burst open and guards rushed out at them.
"What the hell is this about?" Ino exclaimed, though the guards didn't reply.
Hinata and Ino were forced into the defensive. They incapacitated most of the guards pretty easily but for some reason they started to feel weak.
"Ino-san," Hinata said, bending down to dodge a punch. "My chakra-"
"Mine too," Ino said, understanding. "I can't contact Naruto this way."
Hinata grit her teeth. The amount of people they were fighting seemed endless. "Try to go to the exit!"
"I am!" Ino exclaimed. It seemed futile. Most of the enemies were concentrated by the stairs. "They let us get our guards down…" Ino muttered.
"But Sora's on our side!" Hinata sputtered, confused.
"Hinata, watch my back!"
Hinata nodded in response and stepped in front of Ino as she grabbed one of the men. She used her self-made protection jutsu, keeping the people at bay but she realized that drained what was remaining of her chakra drastically and resorted to hand to hand combat once more. Remember training with Naruto-kun, she thought to herself. Think of them as clones. But now she had to protect both herself and Ino. She couldn't use her Byakugan, and her chakra level was critically low. She knew Ino must be in the same situation.
"Where's your leader?" Ino asked, pushing one of the men to the wall as Hinata protected her back.
"He's here," the guard said, looking frightened.
"Sora?" Ino questioned, pressing her arm into the mans neck.
"What? No," the man said, breathing heavily.
"What?" Ino exclaimed, feeling light headed.
"S-Sora-sama's out of town," the man said, flailing slightly but Ino gave him a quick knee between his legs. The man groaned in pain. "I t-told you already!"
"What the hell do you mean Sora's out of town?" Ino asked, turning pale. This isn't good.
"He's taking care of some business," the man said shakily.
"What business?" Ino asked, feeling dizzy.
"I don't know! He didn't tell us! We're just guards!"
"Then why the fuck are you attacking us?" Ino asked. She glanced back at Hinata who seemed to be holding up well. There were small piles of unconscious guardsmen littered around her feet.
Hinata didn't want to kill these men. They were following orders. Luckily for her, none seemed to be ninjas. Unfortunately they weren't exactly like the clones she was used to training with. They didn't vanish in a poof of smoke after a few hard hits in vital points. These men got back up and kept coming. The Hyuga was used to fighting large numbers but that was with the help of her Byakugan and chakra filled jabs. She blinked quickly, her breathing shallow. Chakra exhaustion…she thought. Not yet! Not yet!
Ino saw Hinata falter and turned her attention back on her hostage. She had to get through this quickly and help her teammate. "I asked you a question," she said roughly. She was angry. She was confused. She was getting weaker by the second. "Why are you fucking attacking us?"
"Because he told us to!" the guard exclaimed.
"Sora?" Ino asked again, getting frustrated.
"No!"
"Then who?" she yelled, slamming him into the wall weakly. The man noticed. He took the chance and pushed her away, right into Hinata. Fuck! Ino thought. With well-placed punches she knocked him out cold. That's fine, she thought, considering who else she could interrogate. Plenty more to choose from. "Sorry, Hinata," she mumbled.
Hinata shook her head. She was surprised by the push from behind which resulted in a few bruises to her arms and shoulders but she had recovered quickly. "There are a lot," she muttered.
"Yea," Ino said glumly, fighting by her side. "Is your chakra-?"
"Low," Hinata said. "Very low."
Not good, Ino thought. Not good at all.
"What did you learn?" Hinata questioned, knocking out a few more men.
"Sora didn't ask for us," Ino said stiffly.
"Then who?" Hinata's eyes widened. It couldn't be.
"Enough," a gruff voice called from one of the open rooms.
Immediately the guardsmen halted their attacks. The stood still, waiting for their next command.
Breathing heavily, Hinata and Ino looked to where the sound came from. There was a man standing in the shadows of the doorway. They couldn't see his face but they knew who it was. All that they could see where his white pants.
"Leave," the man ordered. The guards pivoted on the spot and headed up the stairs. The kunoichi gave each other quick glances and ran towards the stairs, which was the only exit from what they could see. "I wouldn't if I were you," the man said slowly. From the corner of their eyes they saw the man pull a woman out from the room. "If you want her blood to be on your hands, please, by all means, continue leaving."
"Fuck you," Ino snarled, halting in her steps. "That's low."
"Coward," Hinata muttered.
The man sighed and stepped out into the hallway. "That's right," he said. He was masked and dressed completely in white. Hinata's eyes widened in recognition. "Well, you're going to have to listen to me unless you want me to sink this kunai into this woman's chest," he explained. Ino and Hinata frowned. "Ah, and I'm sure you've noticed a change in your chakra by now? You're standing in our underground cellar," he said. "Chakra dampers are used here. Don't worry. They won't kill you. You might pass out soon though," he said, and as if on cue the two ninjas noticed a white colored gas seeping out through the room he exited. "So run and she dies," he said. "And many more will."
Ino coughed and Hinata continued to stare at the man. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Ino asked, her legs trembling.
"I want Hinata," he said. "It's quite simple actually. Now come closer." They didn't move and he poked his white kunai into the chest of the woman he was holding a bit deeper. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around her stomach. The two winced and did as they was told. The White Kunai Killer moved away from the door and gestured to them to enter. They did.
Ino was boiling. She was frustrated and angry. She felt as though she was going to collapse. The room was dark and she didn't know where she was going. She stopped near the entrance, feeling Hinata's presence next to her. Hinata felt blind without the use of her Byakugan. She felt an ache in her chest at the sight of the woman in the rapist's arm. She felt herself getting light headed. This wasn't good. They were practically running on fumes right now. Darkness started to envelop them both.
Hinata turned around to face the hallway and saw the man follow them in. The Hyuga blinked rapidly, trying to maintain consciousness. She couldn't recognize the killer but his voice sounded creepily familiar. The woman in his arms had brown, wavy hair. Hinata heard Ino mutter a curse before falling to the ground. They couldn't risk the life of the hostage.
Hinata stared into the wide, scared eyes of the bound woman sadly. She was confused. How? Why her? Before passing out, Hinata murmered the name of the captured woman. "Tsuma…"
The things happening with Hinata and Ino coincide with the time things are happening with Naruto in the previous chapter. Yes, Tsuma is in both chapters at around the same time. I'd love to hear what you guys think/guess about that!
-Magma E.
Up Next: Reveal
"He stopped in front of her and stared at her through his cold, white mask. He brought a gloved hand up to her face and ran a finger down her cheek. Hinata flinched and turned her face away. 'Aw, don't be like that. I'm sure you let your boyfriend touch you like this. I'm not so different. I can show you better. I'm more…experienced.'"