Chapter 15: Tsunade's Resolve
Hogake House, 9:00 am
Tsunade sighed. After this…what the hell were they going to do?
"So let me get this straight…Hiroshi was banned from the clan twenty years ago and no one heard from him since, except the fact he was last in the Tea Country? Correct?"
Neji nodded.
"And from what documents tell, there were two Hiroshi's in the clan? One went missing on a mission a year before Hiroshi's banishment…so you're saying that Hiroshi has passed himself off as that missing shinobi? And even Hiashi didn't notice?"
"That's just it, Tsunade-sama…they were twins. Identical."
--
"What the Uchiha couldn't? I thought you got over that dream a long time ago, Hiroshi. You saw what Danzou tried to do, and what Uchiha Madara tried. All of their plans throttled. Now you're dumb enough to try the same?"
"Of course not, you idiot. This plan is still in the making and is nowhere near being finished."
--
"Twins?" Tsunade gasped. If they were twins…then that must mean…
"They weren't related. This is hard to believe. Hiroshi the missing-nin married into the Hyuga family. Hyuga Hiroshi…and Michimoe Hiroshi."
"Mi-Michimoe Hiroshi? What are you trying to say, Neji?"
"I'm saying that Michimoe Hiroshi was murdered by Hyuga Hiroshi. It was all planned…his death, Hiroshi's banishment…it's all starting to come together so clearly now…"
Neji hung his head in shame. How come he couldn't have seen it all along? How had he'd been so blind? But now…was there anything he could do? If he confronted Hiroshi then he might, no…will get more than he bargained for. But if he kept silent, Hinata…
"Hinata will marry Takuya." Neji looked up in surprise. Tsunade stood. Her face was set and her jaw clenched.
"Hinata and Takuya will be married. That's the only solution I can think of."
"But you're the Hogake! Can't you poss-"
"Neji!" Tsunade's eye watered. She wiped the tears that had barely formed in her brown eyes.
"I want to help Hinata as well! You're not the only one who cares about her! We all love that girl and I would do anything in my power to stop this. My power can only reach so far! That's why-"
Tsunade pulled out a paper and handed it to the pained Hyuga.
"I'm sending you, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Aburame Shino on an S-ranked mission."
--
"Naruto-kun, are you awake?" Hinata asked timidly. Hinata turned on her side. She remembered what happened. She was at Tsunade-sama's private house.
She didn't know how long she'd been here though. Perhaps when Naruto or Neji….Neji! What had happened to her cousin?!
"Naruto-kun! Naruto wake up!"
"Huh? What?!" Naruto jerked up, flailing his arms around the blue-haired girl.
"What is it Hinata?! Did someone try to attack you?! I'll kill him if he tried to hurt you and bash his head and-"
"Naruto-kun, I'm fine! It's Neji-niisan! Where is he?!" Naruto looked around the room. Hinata must have just woken up. He sighed.
"Hinata calm down. Neji's in a different room…he's uh…he's resting. Yeah…" Naruto smiled.
"Oh…" Hinata breathed silently. She wasn't at Naruto's house, neither was she at Sasuke's…where was she? She opened her mouth to question, but Naruto beat her to it.
"We're at Grandma Tsunade's. After the fight…well…Sasuke, Sakura and Shino busted in and well…I guess you could say…um…sorta…well…sprung us out." Naruto nervously scratched the back of his head. Hinata blue and red tinted room. Slivers of sunlight shone through the closed shutters laminating the room with almost white rays. Hinata laid on her back, looking at the ceiling.
"What's wrong, Hina-chan?" Naruto wrapped his arms around the small girl's waist, breathing in her scent of lavender and lilacs.
"I-I'm scared, Naruto-kun…I'm r-really scared…" Hinata buried her face in Naruto's chest. She tried to stop the torrent of tear that wanted to fall. She tried to stop her voice from wavering in uncertainty and doubt, but she couldn't. Naruto pulled her closer to him and held her tightly.
"I don't know! I don't know w-what t-t-to do anymore! I'm so confused and s-so many things! Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun!"
"It's ok, Hina-chan. I'm here. I'm here and I'm not leaving."
--
"S-ranked mission?" Neji eyed the paper now setting in her hand. Tsunade smirked.
"You, Aburame Shino, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto will secretly investigate the murder of Michimoe Hiroshi."
"What about Hinata-sama?"
"Hinata will, as I said marry Takuya. I'm guessing that if what you suspect is true then, Hiroshi will make his move after they're married. But, the real question is…what are his intentions? What are his goals? What does he plan to do after Hinata and Takuya are married? That's what I want to know…" Tsunade stood.
"I'm going to check on Hinata and Naruto. You stay here and rest up…you wouldn't want Hinata to be worried."
--
"Well I see you two love birds are awake…" Tsunade stood in the doorway, a brow raised at the questionable position her two shinobi were in.
Hinata blushed crimson. Naruto merely smiled.
"Oi, Grandma Tsunade! What're you doing here?!" Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"This is my house isn't it?" She walked over to the bedside. She placed her hand on Hinata forehead.
"Your fever's gone down. That's a good sign…" Hinata sat up, leaning on Naruto's side.
"Tsunade-sama…is Neji-niisan alright?" Tsunade glanced between her and Naruto. She had already informed him of Neji's state. It was apparent he hadn't told Hinata yet…it seemed he didn't plan to either by the death glare he was sending her across Hinata's head.
"He's fine. But he'll need rest. That's Curse Seal took a lot out of him and the fight." Hinata's eyes widened…
"W-what do you mean…took a lot out of him?"
"Well…Hinata…Neji…-"
"Hey, grandma…don't you think Hinata's hungry by now? She hasn't had anything to eat in a long time you know."
"B-but Naruto-kun…"
"Hinata really. You should eat now." Naruto smiled.
"Sakura-chan is in the kitchen. She'll help you out. Granny Tsunade and I have something to talk about anyway." Naruto smiled; ushering Hinata out of the room. Naruto sighed, leaning against the closed door. He looked at Tsunade angrily.
"What the hell were you thinking, you old hag?!" Tsunade stood. Man, she felt like punching this kid's lights out.
"Naruto! Hinata has to know! She has a right to know! You and Neji and everyone else can't keep treating her like a child! She has to know things like this, even if it might hurt her!"
"Hinata is already tired and worn out! She has a lot on her mind and you're just gonna' dump all that on her?! What's wrong with you?! Can't you give her some ti-"
"She has no time, Naruto!" Tsunade yelled. Her voice seemed to echo around the room bouncing off the walls and straight to Naruto and back. He fumed. Hinata didn't need this right now! She didn't need to know Neji almost died! She didn't need to know!
"Naruto…I know this is hard for her. But she needs to know. And…she will marry Takuya."
Heya! Thank you all for reviweing and taking the time to read my stories. I hope I can continue to make these chapters to your liking! So read, review and enjoy the next chapter of If Only You Knew!