Hi Again! Chapter Two took a bit of thinking to get right, I hope you enjoy!
I don't own Naruto or anything to do with it - this is purely fan-made :)
Outside the mansion, Hanabi and Konohamaru hadn't spoken since Tsunade had given them their orders. Passing the threshold into the bustling street, Hanabi stopped and turned to her new teammate.
"I hope you meant what you said to the Hokage; I don't want you in my way!" She threatened through her glare – whether passionate about his village or not, the young Genin before her was a liability.
"Hey, I hope you meant what you said to the Hokage too!" Konohamaru began.
"What? That you're a joke? A poor excuse for a Leaf Shinobi? I meant every word." She gave him a smug grin through half lidded eyes, this guy was too easy to upset.
"Not That! When you said you'd let go of that stuck-up Hyuga clan mentality you've got!" Konohamaru yelled.
"Urrgh, I don't have time to waste talking to you! Just make sure you're at the Eastern Gate in half an hour!" Hanabi took off towards the compound after ordering this. Leaving Konohamaru to grumble that the western gate would be a better choice.
"Humph, what's her problem! And she thinks I can't take criticism..."
Konohamaru didn't know how right he was. Hanabi didn't want to admit it, but Konohamaru's attack on her clan's mentality was something she didn't want to hear. She grew up with the hostility that Neji and the branch family felt for her family. She remembered vividly visiting her sister Hinata in hospital after her match with Neji during the Chunin exams, and seeing what he did to her. She felt every blow Hinata did, because, like her sister; she had a heart full of love too.
Unlike her sister, she wasn't afraid of the responsibilities of that came with the glorious name of Hyuga. She had spent her entire life obeying every demand her father had made, progressing through any pain she felt, in hopes of helping guide the clan into a future of prosperity. Her personal views of the Clan, and what it had done to the lives of Hinata and Neji over the years caused her nothing but pain; but the need to improve herself as a ninja was the only way she drowned these feelings.
Hearing others talk down the dogmatic style of the Hyuga Clan was like having a giant hand smack her across the face, knocking down all the pretence of importance she felt for her clan, and revealing the dark and painful truths that lay behind all of Konoha's ancient Clans – blood and disgrace.
Besides, who was he to judge her clan! Some stuck up little Genin whose only claim to fame is being related to vastly superior ninja. How would he even begin to understand what kind of pressure she was under? She needed to complete this mission! It was her chance to show just how far she had come. Now she was stuck with a loser like Konohamaru.
Hanabi was only vaguely aware of returning to her compound. Had she thought of what Konohamaru had said for the entire time? Swiftly entering her room, she managed to scramble together a few pieces of spare clothing, a pouch full of kunai, a map drawn by Neji for her graduation and a compass from Hinata. Scanning her equipment, she felt it suitable enough for travelling to the Land of Vegetables. Feeling confident that she was ready, she had left the compound before any of the maids realised she had returned.
Outside the Eastern Gate, she was shocked to find Konohamaru was already pacing around waiting for her.
"Oh, you're...Sorry I didn't expect you so soon." She began, clearly taken aback. Konohamaru just growled.
"You were the one that said we needed to get here straight away. What, you think I couldn't handle a simple thing like that?" There was a tone of accusation in his voice. He wanted to see if Hanabi would snap again. But she wasn't going to fall for that.
"Well, yes, I did say that, yes. Now, let's go." She brushed a bang out of the front of her face, and a gust of wind waved the rest of her hair, as Konohamaru looked on. Her eyes were half-lidded again as she gazed onwards towards the wind – those pearl-esque eyes that Konohamaru had to admit he found angelic. The wind itself caused her cheeks to redden, and she bit her lip in anticipation to the huge task that had been bestowed to her. Konohamaru noticed that she looked a bit like the girls in those magazines the Boss used to show him. Hell, the way this Genin was turning out, she could probably get a job being one of those girls when she grew up!
"Err, what are you looking at?" Konohamaru awoke from this trail of thought at this question. He now found the gust of wind had passed, and Hanabi was simply staring at him.
"Err, nothing. Come on, let's go!" Konohamaru sprinted forwards out of the gate, his scarf in tow. It only took him a few seconds through until he remembered something and skidded to a halt, as Hanabi coolly walks past him.
"Wait a minute! I wanted to ask why we've gotta go out of this entrance? The western ones gotta be quicker!"
"Because: I've been studying the lands outside our village for months now, in hopes for getting a mission like this. Neji-niichan gave me this map," She produced the map in a dignified tone, as if talking to an infant, "If you look at this, here, this is us, and that is the Land of Vegetables, and that path – that you so wisely recommended – is riddled with mountainous terrain and riversides, that'll be flooding over this time of year." According to her, it was case closed.
"Yeah, but I heard from the Boss that there was all sorts of bandit-activity down this way." He pointed to several areas of the map that did look cosy enough for bandits.
"No offence, but I think that you're 'Boss' Naruto may've been exaggerating. Everyone knows that he hasn't passed the Genin rank, and he loves to talk all big, so I don't think we want to take anything he says very seriously -"
"Hey, Boss is a great Ninja; He was trained by the Toad Sannin for three years! And he taught me my Jutsu -"
"You mean that poor excuse for ninjutsu? It just proves the two of you are pitifully confused about your gender-"
"Are you always this annoying? You're worse than Moegi ever was!" Konohamaru pouted.
"Err, Excuse me! I'm nothing like that little layabout! Hiding from Lady Hokage because she fell in a river! What a joke!" Hanabi felt offended that he would even consider her in any way similar to Moegi.
"Hey, don't bad-mouth my teammate like that! I had to cover for them when you went to squeal to the old lady about them!" Konohamaru was going red with anger.
"Well I wouldn't have had to if they just followed instructions; come to think of it, I don't know who is the more moronic of the two of you!" Hanabi screamed back at Konohamaru.
"Arrgh, I can't work with you! Screw this!" With that he turned and stomped back to the village.
"Where do you think you're going?" She shouted.
"I'm going to the Western Gate; I'll get there my own way!" He called back, still red in the face.
"You've got to be kidding me! I just said that way was more treacherous! You really are thick!"
"Oh Yeah! Try saying that when you're being hunted down by bandits! The old lady said we've got to be quiet about this, and you want us to go into a forest of thieves! You're the thick one!"
"Arrgh! Fine! I don't need you! I'll do fine on my own." Hanabi turned, fury and determination etched across her face as she sprinted towards the sun gleaming path.
Konohamaru was marching back to the village; he never saw a few tears running down her face.
Konohamaru did, however note a maid waiting expectantly at the gate upon his return; she wore a nervous and lost expression.
"Hey can I help you lady?" Konohamaru asked.
"Oh, have you seen Hanabi Hyuga? The compound had just received word that she is to be sent on a mission." He noted that she held a large rucksack in her arms.
"Er-" He began.
"The maids have headed to each gate hoping to catch her; It's her first mission you see, and -"
"Wait! First mission! I've heard Hanabi had been on missions before!" Konohamaru interrupted.
"Well, she's not been on a mission like this. The Hyuga clan are very protective of their future Main Family leaders, and so she's usually handed missions within the Fire Country's boundaries, and is usually escorted by a Branch Family member. Today is a big day for her if she is indeed sent out! Each of us came with a rucksack with essentials for long travel; she has never had to plan for journeys across the borders and we were sure she'd miss something."
Konohamaru was shown the rucksack containing various rations, a sleeping bag, several Kunai, a first aid kit, and Ryou. He gulped loudly, yet the poor maid was too preoccupied looking around at the surrounding streets in hopes of seeing Hanabi.
In a need to up-show the younger Genin, he'd come thoroughly unprepared! Moegi usually dealt with provisions and equipment – after the survival training fiasco with the Boss. The gulp also showed how much of a jerk he may have been, he'd never have guessed this was her first order from the Hokage. No wonder she was taking it so seriously. Then the thought struck him! If her gear was here, then she too must have been travelling with next to nothing, except that map from Neji.
He didn't care how smart she may be, a twelve-year-old Genin crossing the border without any real experience or comrades spelt disaster. His initial response was to run off and catch up to Hanabi, hoping she was alright, but he was still too mad with her to be that heroic; and it would seem like he was letting her win.
"Er, well, why don't you go back to the Hyuga compound and see if she has gone there, and I'll wait here with her rucksack in case she comes by!" Konohamaru grinned.
The maid nodded in appreciation before handing over the sack and heading off. That was easy. If he caught up to her with this, then he could make it look more like he was the smarter one; having prepared for it better. He quickly dashed off in the direction that Hanabi had. He had to admit however, a small part of him felt more sympathetic towards Hanabi if what the maid said was true. He knew what it was like to be pampered and told what you couldn't do. It was no wonder why this mission meant so much to her, it was her way of proving she was capable of being a real ninja. He decided he'd apologise to her when he found her, or at least, he'd try to.
The sun was burning bright over the leaves of the forest. Woodland animals scampered to and fro, busying themselves with day to day lives. As one fawn began to eat at the blades of grass surrounding one of the trees, a hand gently stretched out and scratched it's ear. Unafraid of the hand, the fawn moved it's head forwards encouraging the hand to continue.
An unusual bird called from out of sight, causing the hand to immediately stop and retract to a nearby bush. The fawn ran off as a pair of human feet appeared where it had been grazing.
"We're not here to enjoy the wildlife, y'know." A voice came.
"I know, but just waiting here, it's so troublesome. Besides, my clan's always been good with these." The casual image of Shikamaru moved out of the bush to the figure.
"Be that as it may, you're eyes should be fixed ahead!" Responded the other ninja.
"I thought I was better suited to waiting in the shadows, coming up with the bright ideas! It's guys like the Aburame, the Inuzaka and the Hyuga that are better suited for surveillance. Oh, and guys like you."
"My dogs are stretched around this border, and if you're referring to this," The Shinobi removed his headband which lay over his left eye, "then it doesn't pick on things like the Byakugan does."
Both Kakashi and Shikamaru's conversation was ended abruptly however, when another Shinobi signalled them to turn. They saw in the distance, beyond the forest edge, a small cart and peddler crossing the path.
The old peddler hadn't been aware of many things the past few years. He wasn't aware that his son had left his previous wife and remarried, calling the new young woman 'Hazel, my dear', he wasn't aware of the drop in trade for his foul-smelling pickles, and he certainly wasn't aware of the rain of Kunai that the forecasters forgot to mention. One move, even the slightest sign of anything, and this guy was dead. There was no sound from the forests. As he soldiered on past each tree, the silent arms of the Shinobi effortlessly tightened their grip on their Shuriken and Kunai, each aiming straight for the head and chest. Storms of Shinobi raised their arms, stance ready to kill as soon as he showed any suspicious signs.
It would be quick; no noise, no battle cries, no pain, no time – forget battles between the Sannin where Jutsu rules, this was Shinobi at their best. A forest of eyes watched intensely as he struggled to heave the cart down the path running alongside the forest border. Eventually, after several pain-staking minutes he managed to pass out of their sight, sighing with frustration as he did so. They were seven of the longest minutes in Shikamaru's life, and seven of the most deadly for the unbeknownst old man.
"I don't like this. Aiming to kill anything that so much as touches a tree in our borders; how are we meant to do anything about catching these guys, if all we're doing is waiting around for enemy Shinobi to come marching into our territory?" Shikamaru groaned.
Kakashi nodded and spoke quietly. "I know what you mean. Speaking from the assassin's point of view, trying to enter any of the five great nations would be suicide at this point; this situation wouldn't have been so bad had Suna not been one of the targets, but if you ask me, Gaara and his men were just caught with their pants down, nothing more."
Shikamaru blinked twice before speaking again. "You think this was intentional, don't you? The perpetrators want it to be like this? Why?"
"Those attacks lead to few casualties, but no Feudal lord was injured. Because all three survived, the villages are pretty much restricted to what they are allowed to do. Say one of them died, particular one of the two outside of our nations, then any of the villages could claim emergency control over the land for the time being: a swift takeover.
"The other four nations wouldn't be afraid to guard their borders; they'd know who to attack. Because all five nations aren't aware of who we're defending against, they don't want to put any of their Shinobi in the limelight for fear that they'll be branded the assassins. The result; all five nations are sealed off to the outside world." Kakashi's grip tightened at the side of the tree as he said this.
"Nothing comes in, nothing comes out, huh? Then that means for the smaller nations surrounding us, the one's we're not protecting anymore; the assassins could be walking in full daylight." Shikamaru was seeing where this was going.
"Exactly! It's more likely these failed attempts were to keep all of us from doing anything! Allowing them to get on with what they were really planning." Kakashi paused.
"Which is what?" Shikamaru urged.
"That's what worries me. I don't know."
Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I wanted to go to the border and show what some of the smarter Shinobi think of the situation, the next chapter will be the first real turning point for KonoHana, so keep reading!