D1: A warning to all spider fans: you may want to look away. You have been warned. In five…four…three…two…one…
Chapter 5 – In the eyes of the beholder
Naruto slammed his head against a sound ninja's, then booted him back to what was left of his squad. The remaining ninja turned and fled as Sasuke fired several great dragon fire blasts after them. Neji slammed his open palm against a stubborn sound ninja; he choked and collapsed to the ground. The three ninja turned their backs on the destruction they had wreaked and walked back to the village. Naruto couldn't shift the feeling that someone was watching him, Sasuke and Neji as they walked. He managed to shake his worries; he stretched and rolled his shoulders as the village walls came into view.
"Man, Orochimaru isn't letting up," Naruto groaned as his left shoulder cracked.
They entered the village and went their own ways. Naruto weaved his way through the ninja; he froze as a scream met his ears.
"How the hell did we loose almost three entire Anbu squads?!" Tsunade screamed as Shizune wisely ducked for cover. Naruto flickered, dodging a chunk of rubble that Tsunade hurled in her anger.
"The survivors report that they were attacked by a four man cell. Apparently each of the members of the team had a curse mark," Shizune said, still hiding.
Naruto decided to follow Shizune's example and moved out of the firing line. He saw Hinata and walked over to her.
"Hinata, can I talk to you? Somewhere private," Naruto asked her quietly.
Hinata nodded and slipped her hand into Naruto's. He led the way through the village until they reached the training grounds. Hinata was puzzled until Naruto started speaking.
"Hinata, before we become any closer, I want you to know something about me."
Hinata looked into Naruto's face.
"Do you know the story of the nine-tailed fox that attacked the village almost eighteen years ago?"
Hinata nodded.
"Well, the Yondaime managed to defeat the fox, but at the cost of his life, by sealing it within a newborn baby," Naruto paused, "that baby was me."
Hinata's eyes were wide as Naruto raised his shirt for the proof, the spiral seal. Naruto dropped his shirt back down and looked away from Hinata. This time it was Hinata who made Naruto look at her. Naruto expected her eyes to be filled with hatred or loathing but all he could see was her love of him.
"So that's why the villagers hated you. They thought you were the nine-tails."
Naruto nodded.
"And during the fight with Sasuke, the fox must have taken control of you to save itself."
Naruto swallowed hard, "you really don't care that I'm a demon vessel?"
"You are Naruto, and that's all I care about," Hinata whispered, drawing closer.
Naruto also came closer to Hinata. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he slid his around her waist. A bird chose that moment to take flight from a nearby tree, scattering cherry blossoms into the slight breeze. Neither Naruto nor Hinata noticed the pink snowstorm as their lips locked.
--
Hinata walked with Neji back to the relatively untouched Hyuuga compound, a small smile creasing the corner of her mouth. They entered through the main door and saw Hiashi waiting for them in the courtyard. Hinata and Neji stopped in front of the Hyuuga elder as Hanabi peered out from behind Hiashi.
"Hinata, Hanabi tells me she saw you and that fox together. She also said you and he have become 'close'."
Hinata shot Hanabi a murderous glare that Hanabi didn't know her sister was capable of. Hiashi noted Hinata's expression and his frown deepened.
"Do you even know what he is?" Hiashi demanded.
"He is Naruto Uzumaki, vessel of the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune and nothing more."
Hiashi blanched at Hinata's confident words. She sounded so unlike her normal self.
"He is the monster that tried to destroy Konoha."
"No." Hinata said in an icy growl, "he may have the spirit of the fox sealed in his body but he is his own person."
"That boy may look like a human but underneath he is nothing but a demon."
"And your Byakugan is special, letting you see these things,"
"Hinata, you are heiress to the Hyuuga family. The future of the family rests on your shoulders and you think that monster is worthy of your affections."
"I will choose whoever I want to love," Hinata said, folding her arms.
"Hinata Hyuuga, I forbid you to go anywhere near that fox until you see sense! Until your infatuation with that monster is gone!"
"Then the main branch of the Hyuuga ends with me!" Hinata yelled at her father and stormed off to her room.
Hiashi's visage showed no emotion but inside he was astonished that Hinata had actually yelled at him. Hinata slammed the door to her room shut and her illusion of strength failed. She sank to her knees, shaking slightly. Hinata couldn't believe she had just yelled at her father.
--
Sasuke launched himself after Naruto. The fox vessel had insisted that he and Neji come with him. Neji came alongside Naruto as they bounded.
"Naruto, I feel you ought to know that Hiashi-sama has forbidden Hinata to see you."
Naruto almost lost his footing.
"Why?" Naruto asked, stumbling on.
"He sees you only as the nine-tails."
"Like hell I'm going to keep away from her," Naruto muttered.
The team landed in the clearing they'd created during the last battle. Neji scanned the area with his Byakugan but found nothing. Sasuke and Neji were about to leave Naruto to his searching but froze as the sound of clapping met their ears. They turned as one to see four figures standing a little way behind them. Sasuke's Sharingan and Neji's Byakugan activated as one, desperate to find a reason why that group was standing before them, but found no genjutsu or any other illusion. The sound four were standing before them.
"You're dead," Naruto growled.
"We were dead," Sakon corrected the blonde, "past tense."
"That was a threat," the fox smirked.
"Why did he resurrect you?" Sasuke glared at the group.
"More importantly, how did Orochimaru resurrect you?" Neji demanded, "Reanimation?"
"You see, lord Orochimaru was rather fond of us and when you killed us that really pissed him off…" Tayuya started.
"Watch that foul mouth," Jirobo grunted.
"Shut up fat ass," Tayuya replied, then turned back to the Konoha trio and continued, "So he cloned our bodies, then brought our souls back with the reanimation jutsu. He used our cloned bodies as the sacrifices for the summoning. The result was us, fully revived and alive."
"But you're forgetting lord Orochimaru's gifts," Kidomaru added.
"Yes. Lord Orochimaru has granted us greater strength in order to defeat Konoha," Ukon told the leaf trio.
Naruto had been discreetly readying himself for a pounce and chose that moment to lunge. The sound four vanished, scattering in opposite directions.
"We shall battle another time," Sakon's voice floated from nowhere.
Naruto cursed as Sasuke joined him.
"Looks like your instincts were right on the money."
--
"We that's just peachy!" Tsunade growled.
Naruto was ready to duck in case she threw something, but there was little space to do it in. He, Neji, Sakura, Shizune, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Shikamaru were squeezed into the tent Tsunade was using as a makeshift HQ. Naruto had barged in, heedless of Neji's warnings, while Tsunade had been briefing them on their patrol routes.
"Well at least we know what we're up against," Sakura said.
"Not quite," Neji said, "they mentioned that Orochimaru had enhanced their abilities."
"Could this day get any worse?" Tsunade asked the canvas ceiling.
"Lady Tsunade!" an Anbu captain yelled as he burst into the tent, "we've lost contact with Anbu group five!"
"I had to ask," Tsunade muttered.
"That's the squad Hinata was attached to," Sakura gasped.
"Sakura! Shikamaru! Kakashi-sensei! On my tail!" Naruto yelled and flickered out of the tent.
--
Hinata led the Anbu team through the forest, bounding from tree to tree. She paused for a second as she thought she saw something in the leaves ahead and activated her Byakugan. There was nothing ahead but cries from behind made her spin around. Three of the six Anbu were tied to the tree trunks by what looked like spider's silk. The nearest Anbu screamed as a gold arrow appeared out of nowhere and punched through his chest. Another Anbu's yells were silenced by more webs splattering across his mouth and nose. Hinata could see he was suffocating but couldn't do a thing as threads swept through the trees, lassoing one of the two remaining Anbu around the neck and pulling him upwards into the canopy. The last Anbu bound to the tree was dispatched by two sickle shaped blades rocketed out of the leaf cover and buried themselves in his chest. The last Anbu didn't know what hit her as Kidomaru appeared behind her and slit her throat with a blade made of his gold armour. Hinata saw the Anbu fall to the forest floor below as Kidomaru advanced on her, a blade in each of his six hands. Hinata moved into the stance of the gentle fist and Kidomaru backed away. She lunged at the spider ninja but he parried with one of his blades and slashed at her. Hinata managed to avoid the first blade but the second cut into her arm then the third hit her leg. Hinata kicked away from Kidomaru but he advanced on her. Hinata let him get closer then pivoted on her left foot and created the dome shield of palms rotation. Kidomaru was sent flying but he quickly recovered. Hinata knew this enemy was too strong for her to take alone; she turned and ran with the spider ninja hot on her heels. As Hinata started to pull away from Kidomaru, her feet were pulled from under her by a rope of web. Hinata found herself falling through the branches until she hit the ground.
She was dazed for a second and could only lie there on her back but she felt Kidomaru pinning her down. Hinata tried to push the spider ninja off, but Kidomaru was stronger than her and had more arms.
"I think I'll have some fun with you before I kill you," he hissed.
Hinata screamed as she felt Kidomaru ripped her jacket off.
"Get! Your! Hands! Off! Her!" Naruto yelled as he materialised a few feet away and charged.
Kidomaru didn't have time to move before Naruto's chakra fuelled kick slammed into him. The spider ninja was sent flying across the clearing and slammed into a solid looking tree, but smashed right through it. Naruto turned his attention to Hinata as Sakura, Kakashi and Shikamaru appeared behind him.
"Hinata, are you alright?" Naruto asked, voice soft as he knelt next to her.
She nodded and latched onto the front of his jacket. Naruto reluctantly made her let go and used his jacket to cover her. Naruto looked at Kakashi; the white haired ninja almost took a step backwards at the look of hatred on his face while Sakura couldn't help uttering a squeak of fear.
"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto growled, an animal note in his voice, "take Hinata back to Konoha and have Granny Tsunade look after her. I'll joint you when I can."
Naruto stood again and turned to the spot where Kidomaru had been to find him gone. Kakashi picked up Hinata and vanished. Sakura and Shikamaru backed away from the enraged fox vessel, knowing he wouldn't need any help. Kidomaru looked on from his treetop vantage point, his heightened vision allowing him to see every detail of the scene below. He froze in fear as his eyes met Naruto's. The spider ninja could have sworn he was looking into the eyes of the nine-tailed fox rather than another person. Kidomaru shook himself and lined up the arrow in his bow with Naruto's chest. He waited a second and loosed the arrow. Naruto dodged the arrow. He charged and vanished just before he reached Kidomaru. Kidomaru felt himself being hoisted off his feet and thrown towards the ground. He managed to land without injury and looked at Sakura and Shikamaru.
Why aren't they helping? The spider ninja asked himself.
Kidomaru yelled as Naruto's fist slammed into one of his left elbows, the gold armour and underlying bone shattered. Naruto only vaguely realised what he was doing as he pummelled the spider ninja. Naruto ducked Kidomaru's other arms and planted his foot on another elbow, this time on the other side. He kicked upwards and brought his feet down hard on Kidomaru's shoulders. The spider ninja's gold armour may as well have been tissue paper for all the good it was doing. Naruto landed, pulled a kunai from his pouch and buried it in the spider ninja's second last elbow joint. He vanished in sand and reappeared on the other side of Kidomaru. Naruto grabbed Kidomaru's last working arm and forced it in the wrong direction then leaped away. His rage ebbed enough to see all six of Kidomaru's arms were hanging limply at his sides. Naruto found the arrow meant for him in his hand. He rushed forward and rammed it into Kidomaru's stomach. Naruto backed away and summoned four clones, they dashed forwards. Kidomaru couldn't react fast enough, he was sent flying upwards. His eyes widened as he saw the real Naruto coming at him from above. Naruto formed a Sunaarashi Rasengan in his right hand and roared as he rammed the chakra ball into Kidomaru's chest. The pair crashed back to earth. As they hit, the ground under Kidomaru shattered and a dome sandstorm rose, hiding them from view. The dust and wind cleared, Shikamaru saw Naruto emerge, eyes practically glowing red. They faded back to blue as he reached Sakura and Shikamaru. Sakura made the mistake of looking at Kidomaru's body and whished she hadn't, she wasn't even sure what was left could be called a body. Without a word they leaped into the trees and headed back to Konoha.
--
Naruto entered the village, followed by Shikamaru and Sakura. He saw Kakashi and headed towards him. The blonde didn't even need to ask, Kakashi knew what he was thinking and he pointed towards a smaller medical tent. Naruto swept towards the tent, Shizune standing outside. He saw Hiashi, Hanabi and Neji also making a b-line for the tent but he was closer. Tsunade left the tent as he reached it.
"She's shaken and she has a couple of scratches but there's no lasting damage," Tsunade said then stepped aside to let him in.
Naruto bolted inside as Hiashi caught up to him. Tsunade and Shizune blocked his path.
"How dare you let that fox anywhere near my daughter!"
"I'll let it go that you mentioned the demon this time but that 'fox' saved your daughter," Tsunade ground out, "I don't even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't been there."
Hiashi faltered.
"That still doesn't change what he is!"
"He is Naruto Uzumaki. A person with the same feelings, fears and ambitions as the rest of us."
Hiashi reigned in his temper. Tsunade allowed him time to control his emotions, desperately wanting to send Hiashi flying across the village. Hiashi controlled himself and pushed past Tsunade and Shizune, into the tent. Hinata was sitting on one of the folding cots and Naruto was sitting next to her. Naruto had his arms around Hinata and she was holding onto his shirt, still covered with Naruto's jacket. Hinata's face was hidden by her hair as she had buried her face in his shoulder. Naruto growled a fox growl as he saw Hiashi enter. Hinata's occasional quiet sob was all that broke the tense silence.
"Boy, after my daughter has calmed, I want to speak with at the Hyuuga compound," Hiashi said and swept out of the tent.
--
Naruto knelt on the floor in front of Hiashi. Naruto guessed the room in the Hyuuga mansion was used for training due to the lack of furniture. Hiashi had locked his eyes on Naruto as he'd knelt down; Naruto was sure Hiashi wasn't blinking.
"Firstly, I want to thank you for saving Hinata," Hiashi said.
Naruto stared.
"You heard me correctly."
Naruto was convinced Hiashi was reading his mind.
"Now tell me, what is Hinata to you?"
The question caught Naruto off guard and his mind went blank.
"What would you do to protect her?" Hiashi asked.
"I would defend her with my life," Naruto said as the words popped into his head.
Hiashi stood and made to leave but stopped at the door.
"You have proved yourself capable of keeping your word so I will allow your relationship with my daughter to continue…" He paused, "…for the time being."
Hiashi left without another word. Naruto stood up shakily and managed to get to the door. He took two steps out of the room and was almost knocked off his feet. Hinata wrapped her arms around him and held onto him as tightly as she could. Naruto hugged her back. Hinata eventually released her death grip on Naruto and they headed off to find somewhere quiet.
--
D1: Uni has finished for the summer so I might be updating sooner until I go back. I was in the garden when a bird flew into the cherry tree, scattering petals everywhere and my favourite scene in this chapter popped into my head. I beg your forgiveness if this chapter is sub-standard but I went into a writing frenzy and before I knew what was happening this chapter had been created. If you all hate it, I'll take it down and rewrite it. As always, please R&R. See you next chapter.
