Hi again! Here's chapter 3! It's time for Konohamaru and Hanabi to get their first taste of action in this story. Again, I'm not the creator of Naruto, this is purely fan-made.
Groups of Konoha residents were still out in the street by the time the sun began to set; brushes in hand as they casually swept the littered streets. Usually, the residents of the village may feel annoyed at the rubbish that had gathered, but the picturesque day was still fresh in their memories, and each parent cleaning was still within earshot of the children, whom had not lost any energy since the morning and were playing further up the streets.
The stands that were crowed only a few hours ago were now dismantled and being carted away, as if they were never there. The only signs of the festival that still lingered – besides the glowing cheer from the residents – was the food stands cooking up meals for the patrons still outside. One stall was setup by Ayame, who was overjoyed at the gathering crowd waiting patiently for her tsukemen, while her father Techui dashed around assisting her.
"I have to admit that I didn't think you're new restaurant direction was gonna be this popular, but these people love it!" He exclaimed.
"Haha, I know! Now only if I can convince Naruto to come around and embrace the future of Konoha cuisine!" Ayame declared, brandishing a ladle as if it was a sword and pointing it high towards the sun. She would look gloriously powerful, had she not been a young chef who'd absent-mindedly whipped said ladle out of a boiling urn of soup, spreading much of the content onto her poor father's face, leaving him screaming off to a nearby pond.
"Speaking of Naruto," She said, returning to her usual modest demeanour, "Shouldn't he be here? With Kakashi?" At the mention of Naruto's sensei, blood rushed to her cheeks and she couldn't help but fantasise about the Jonin gliding through the crowd, declaring she was the most beautiful and talented chef to ever exist, confessing eternal love for her, and then sweeping her off of her feet and walking to the sunset whilst the crowd burst into tears of joy.
"Hey! Can I get my order, please?" Shouted a particularly indignant customer, wrenching her from this world of fantasy she'd slipped so happily into.
"Sorry! Here you go!" She began distributing more and more tsukemen as her father wiped away the soup. Glancing up, he noted the growth in foreign birds occupying the sky above them.
"Huh? Something tells me neither of them'll be here for a few days." He mused to himself. He'd served ramen to Leaf Shinobi for years, and heard enough of their procedures to recognise signs like this. He didn't see a single ninja walking the streets that day, and he knew the primary form of communication between them were birds. Something bad must've happened.
Turning to look at the Hokage's mansion in the distance, Techui felt a sense of foreboding. Citizens of the Leaf, such as he, had faith in those who protected the village, but if the more fickle members of this society noticed that something so catastrophic had happened, that would warrant all the Konoha Shinobi to leave the village, panic would erupt.
He just hoped the Lady Hokage could deal with the situation before that could happen.
Tsunade's day had not improved in the slightest. More and more reports had flooded into her office.
"According to the reports near the shoreline, we can see the Kiri Shinobi are just as enforced as we are. All shipping routes between us and them have been suspended. You don't even want to see what they did to some poor fishing boat." Explained one of Katsuyu's miniature vessels.
"How could they confuse a fishing boat as an enemy ship! I swear, their ninja must be loving this! This to them is a golden excuse to kill anything that moves!" Growled Tsunade.
Just then, the slug reacted.
"News from the western border. We've received the backup." Katsuyu reported.
Tsunade stared for one moment. Backup?
"I sent no backup to any of the borders. I don't have the manpower to provide any." Her brow lowered, where'd she get the extra set of hands?
"Ah, good. It seems my people are there then." Came a voice creeping in from the doorway. Tsunade looked up, and growled louder than ever.
"Even I am impressed by how quickly my Shinobi responded to the late demands. They were mysteriously left without orders. Why would that be?" The voice asked, as a crooked and bandaged old man moved into the room. For some reason, the sky became noticeably darker.
"I simply assumed you would've already ordered them, that's all. Is there anything else Danzo? I'm a very busy woman. We can't all just waltz around the village like you." Tsunade lifted another report in an attempt to signal an end the conversation. She knew he wouldn't leave so easily.
"Is that all? No thank you? Never mind. I'm here to inform you of dire errors in your strategy -" He began.
"I don't want to hear your opinion, unless I ask for it!" Tsunade yelled behind the piece of paper.
"Such ignorance when faced with the harsh reality of the world! Look around you! We are at war! You yourself have just heard word that Kiri is attacking anything that comes near it's borders. The Hidden Cloud is abnormally quiet about the situation, and our 'friendship' with Suna is something that can only lead us into a false sense of security. Of course, you'd never look at it like that. You weren't here when they ravaged our land." Danzo knew he'd struck a nerve.
"Get out...now!" She whispered. The last thing Tsunade needed was war-mongers like this guy.
"Too slow to act, just like Hiruzen. Anyone could've seen the signs; it was just that you and Gaara were too dim-witted to expect an attack," Danzo paced the room, as if he already owned it, "Had the assassins attempted the life our Feudal Lord, the lax security would surely have resulted in his death. This is a clear sign you lack the skills to be Hokage."
"Not this again! Any problem you have with me and this position, leave it at the damn door! Konoha doesn't need this power-struggle even when in peace. So it definitely doesn't need it when every Shinobi on the border is confused enough as it is. Get out and stay out of my way!" She pointed back at the door.
Danzo sighed, and the left. Tsunade threw both her hands on the desk; momentarily forgetting her own strength, and cracking it in two, causing the Katsuyu to retreat slightly. Tsunade breathed to ten and cracked the bones in her neck.
"I want you to keep your eyes on the Root ANBU that have arrived at the western border."
"Why do I need to spy on the Root ANBU?" the Katsuyu asked.
"Because they're more of a threat to our Shinobi than any assassin outside our land." Tsunade replied.
Konohamaru's pace had quickened of the past hour. She looked such a weak thing. Who'd have thought she was this quick? Chasing her for the majority of the day, he found it hard enough just noticing any trace of her in the trees.
What made him feel even more distressed was the fact that he knew this land quite well over the past few years. He didn't need a map to tell him she indeed had headed through the bandit territory that he'd been warned about by the Boss. She may be fast, but she was already out of her depth. After all, she was pampered up by her maids her whole life – she had maids!
If Hinata was anything to go by, Hyuga girls were in constant need of a heroic figure to fight their battles. He'd seen the Boss do this, and knew he may need to step in and save her from herself too. Konohamaru couldn't help but note that some of this distress came from the growing sense of insignificance he'd been developing since Asuma's death.
How far had he come? His uncle and grandpa were awesome; held the respect of the whole village and could go up against even the most ruthless of Shinobi. But he wasn't anywhere near their ability. Sad but true, what Hanabi had said about him was what he was slowly feeling himself over the past few months. Even if he did begin to excel; both his family heroes had fallen. What chance did he truly stand?
It was at this point that it hit him. Crashing to the floor, Konohamaru saw a blurry pair of feet approach before he gave up on consciousness. Time became irrelevant. Balls of light would drift past his vision as numbing pain shot through his skull. Echoing noise throbbed at his eardrums. He wished the noises would just shut up. He attempted to move; he couldn't. His memory began to return.
No way, he thought. He'd been ambushed. Awaiting his senses to fully waken with him, he pretended to stay unconscious, rule number one of escaping; don't alert your captives. He caught snippets of their conversation as his ears began to focus on their voices.
"I thought you guys had seen a girl. How'd you confuse that little runt with a girl?" One asked, laughing.
"No, this was someone else. I saw her eyes. She's a Hyuga, I'm certain!" The other claimed.
Oh no, he thought, they knew about Hanabi. If someone as experienced as him was captured, then she surely would've been taken prisoner too. He cringed when he thought about what they'd do to her. It was just like he'd thought before the ambush; he was no help at all.
"Maybe they're out here together? Two Genin out in the forest at this time of night, they're probably on a mission."
"In that case keep him alive for now. We've searched through his stuff. Some Kunai, provisions (we'll keep them) and a huge amount of Ryou. I'd say this guy isn't just anybody either; carrying that kind of cash with him."
"All the more reason for us to not kill him yet. We could blackmail Konoha to handing him over to his family."
The bastards were planning on using him as hostage! And the way they were talking about Hanabi, they mustn't have found her, yet.
"You two; take him outside. Leave him in the clearing and wait until the girl arrives, then pick her up too. Having this rich little punk and a Hyuga girl would double our chances of getting the cash."
Konohamaru then heard footsteps approach him, and felt a heavy pair of hands lift him off the ground. Taking a chance, he opened his eyes slightly as the man threw him over his shoulder. He briefly caught a glimpse of seven other stocky men gathered around a fire in what appeared to be cave; two of them counting the cash he'd been carrying as he saw the rucksack torn apart near their feet.
Cursing to himself, Konohamaru wished he had worked harder on his escape Jutsu. After several minutes of being carried through the forest, he was thrown to the floor, and mastered all his focus so he wouldn't cry out in pain, his head hadn't softened any.
Then there was silence. It was late into the night when he was dropped into the clearing. He again risked the open of one of his eyes. He couldn't see the two bandits. They were hiding. He felt himself shivering.
He wanted to blame it on the cold conditions, but in truth the night was as humid as the day had been. He was simply afraid; for himself and Hanabi. A part of him wanted to shout out right there and then in hopes Hanabi would hear. Alerting her about the bandits and how he was bait to lure her in. That would be the heroic, noble, cool thing to do; something uncle Asuma would do. But he really wanted her to come. To find him, and get him out of this mess.
Time went by, he felt as if an eternity had passed before he heard a rustle coming from a bush up ahead. He gulped slightly, what if she got captured too? It would be his entire fault. Whimpering slightly, he caught the noise of the two bandits, producing their Kunai from the shadows. On no, this was bad. She'd surely be captured.
The rustling grew louder, and he held his breath in fear as he waited for the blades to fly past his body. He could picture it already. She'd emerge with that 'I-told-you-not-to-slow-me-down' smug expression on her face, right before she'd register the pain the Kunai would bring, before collapsing as her attackers laughed.
The rustling indicated that her presence was close now. He stared, transfixed with fear straight ahead, begging himself to say something, but he just couldn't muster enough courage to. Just then, the culprit of the noise revealed themselves. A curious woodland fox. Creeping slowly into the clearing, the fox noticed Konohamaru's body in the centre and trotted forwards, glancing left and right as he did so. Stopping right over the Genin, he sniffed his body and face, turned his head to examine what he saw, and began to lick his nose.
Konohamaru stifled his laughter as the fox continued to sniff around, until he heard one of the bandits speak up.
"It's a fox. Just kill it."
A Kunai could be heard being thrown at the poor creature. But no yelp was heard. No blood was shed onto Konohamaru. No life was taken. Slowly looking up, he saw a figure standing above him and the fox. He saw the back of long, raven hair as a hand had caught the Kunai mid-throw. He also heard the gasp of two bandits.
"Don't even try that! I can see the both of you!" Hanabi cried.
Through her vision, she could see both the bandits reaching into their pouches to pull out more Kunai. They glanced at one another, expecting the other to act first. They wanted her to come to the clearing, but they weren't betting on her being able to catch Kunai and see them in the dark.
Never having had any real training in strategy, the two opted to charge forwards and take the little girl head on. Hanabi was a Hyuga. This was a lethal mistake. Konohamaru couldn't close his eyes as he saw the petite, lithe young figure twist and coil her way between the two; landing elegant blows to their bodies which crippled them as if Might Gai had attacked them.
Both collapsed in a heap of wheezing and blood as Hanabi sighed, composed herself and turned to her comrade, or at least he thought she turned to her.
Bending down low, she began to pet the little fox.
"No need to worry my little friend, they can't hurt you anymore." She beamed a smile at the fox as she scratched the back of his ear. Konohamaru hadn't seen her smile like that before. It would've been nicer, had he not been experiencing considerable head pains and tied up.
"That's nice, now do you wanna help me?" He snapped.
"Not really, no." She responding cheerfully, as she continued to stroke the fox.
Konohamaru growled, "Come on! Get me out of these ropes."
Hanabi sighed again and stared at him.
"I thought you were going your own way. You marched off. That means you abandoned the mission. I'll let the Shinobi at the border know when I get there, they can come and get you." With that she rose and went to leave.
"Wait! Come on! Please!" Konohamaru begged. He couldn't believe he was actually worried about her. How could she be so cold.
"Not listening." She called back, disappearing into the forest.
"You think you can get to the border on your own! I came because you didn't have the right travelling gear! The bandits have all the stuff!" He cried, desperate for her to turn.
He had a point. After slowing down to camp for the evening, she had realised she was dangerously unprepared for long journeys. Stopping in her path, she knew she'd need the stuff he bought.
"Where is the hideout?" She called, not even turning to face him.
"I'll tell you if you let me go." He bargained. He knew it. He'd already convinced her.
"Ha! I could just find it without your help." She retorted.
"Yeah! But do you want to risk searching for it by yourself? That might take some time, and they'll be alerted to your attack on these two," He nodded his head to the two beaten bandits, "Which would make it harder to get the gear."
She knew he was right. If she had the information now, she'd be able to infiltrate quickly enough to get the travelling gear. There was little choice; she'd have to untie him.
Returning to the clearing where the fox was now sleeping, she bent down and cut the rope with a Kunai the bandits had. Upon closer inspection, she recognised the design.
"Hey, these look awfully familiar..." She began, as Konohamaru stretched upon his release.
"You must be seeing things. Come on, I'll show you the way." He rose as Hanabi shook her head.
"Oh no! You: go off in that direction," she pointed to the east, "that's where I'm camping. Wait there for me. I'll handle the bandits."
"Are you kidding me! One girl going in there alone! They'll kill you!" He exclaimed.
"Ha! I didn't seem to have any trouble with these two. Tell me where they are; I'll show them what this girl can do." She looked determined.
Konohamaru submitted and pointed in the direction he came from. With that she was off in a flash. He lingered for a moment, before racing off after her. Whether he liked it or not, she'd saved him, and he wasn't going to leave her until he repaid the favour.
Well, there you have it. Will Hanabi kick more ass? Or will she need Konohamaru's assistance? The next chapter will be up pretty soon, so keep reading and reviewing :)