Do I Have A Purpose Anymore?
Chapter 11: Rampant Emotions Take Their Toll
As Naruto and company made their way through the forest; he pondered a great many things within his mind. The appearance of Hinata was most unexpected and even more surprising to Naruto was learning of why she was there.
Of finally learning the truth of why she married Kiba and hearing her confession of love for him, while realizing all she was willing to give up just to be with him, had actually given Naruto something, a notion he thought he discarded long ago.
Hope.
She had given Naruto a sense of hope that he had not felt in a long, long time. Naruto thought he had given up on love completely after what he had endured back in the village.
But...
Now he began to wonder if he could open up his heart to love once again?
Of course, Nel had unknowingly begun the process, but Hinata's arrival had definitely cracked through the hardened exterior of his heart. Hinata had not pressured Naruto in anyway and promised to give him the time he needed to see if he could ever love again?
That giving nature of Hinata was one of the many reasons why he fell in love with her so long ago.
However, Naruto also knew he still felt some anger and pain for what Hinata had done.
'She should have trusted me, I could have done something. What I don't know, but something. I know she honestly believed she was protecting me, Hanabi, and Konohamaru, but still the image of seeing her at the altar next to Kiba, argh...…..damn it all to hell!' Naruto struggled in thought.
Even now as he looked over to Hinata as she carried Nel in her arms while making funny faces at the young girl causing her to squeal with laughter, Naruto didn't know whether to smile or scowl at the scene.
Turning his gaze to his other companion, he noticed Yugito staring intently at the scene as well. But her look was not one of amusement, but the same look of disdain she had held for the Hyuga heiress since she first met her.
Naruto inwardly sighed, as he knew he would need to have a talk with Yugito about Hinata at some point in the near future.
He realized Yugito's tension in regards to Hinata was his own fault, as he had invited Hinata to accompany him and they left almost immediately after his reunion with his onetime love.
Casting a glance at their final companion a man by the name of Daisuke, who was a member and acting liaison to the bandit gang Crimson Blades, Naruto's gaze narrowed dangerously.
A small growl erupted from his throat as he noticed that Daisuke's vision seemed entirely too focused on the swaying backside of Hinata.
'PERVERT!'
Not one to stand for this, Naruto quickly unsheathed his Zanpaktou.
In an instant it was leveled at Daisuke's throat, his voice was dripping with malice as he held it there he asked.
"Are you enjoying the view Daisuke?"
"I, I, don't know what you mean?" The bandit nervously stammered as he stared down the length of Naruto's blade, practically about to piss his pants in fear.
Naruto was NOT someone you lied to.
His tone turned eerily, calm, yet Daisuke could feel the anger, simmering just beneath the surface, ready to erupt.
"Let me put it to you this way. If I catch you looking at any of the women in my party like that again, I'll keep my promise about Ayame! You got that?"
Daisuke looked to the ground and nodded his head quickly in understanding, as the memory of what Naruto was capable of was still fresh in his mind after witnessing the violent destruction of his squad by this blonde Shinobi.
Grunting, Naruto sheathed his Zanpaktou, while both Yugito and Hinata glared menacingly at their bandit companion, until Naruto's voice rang out and said.
"There's a small clearing up ahead, we'll rest a bit before we make the final trek to where were going."
"And where are we going?" Yugito asked in slight annoyance.
He flashed her a small grin.
"I'll let you know when we get there Yugito-chan."
Yugito blushed slightly after hearing this and quickly turned her head to the side hoping no one noticed, as that had been the first time Naruto had used an honorific with her name. Hinata felt a twinge of jealousy stir within her after hearing Naruto, but she remained in control.
She knew all she could do is give the time she had promised to Naruto and let him come to grip his feelings that he had shut off so long ago.
In a way, hearing Naruto use the honorific was a good sign even if it wasn't for her, as it showed that maybe his heart was beginning to thaw if just a little. Hinata just hoped that she too could once again become a "chan" in Naruto's heart as well.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Back in Konoha, one Kiba Inuzuka was fuming with anger as he angrily packed his Shinobi supplies into a bag. The object of his rage was someone he once considered a close friend and comrade, one Naruto Uzumaki.
But now the mere mention of his name was like bile in his throat, as this one person was the sole reason in his mind why his marriage was failing.
Kiba was going to retrieve his wayward wife and Kami have mercy on Naruto if he gets in his way because Kiba would show him none, as he growled aloud, gnashing his teeth together violently.
"I'll make you pay Naruto, I swear I will!"
"So this is Naruto's fault I take it?"
Kiba spat a curse as he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"GAH!"
It would seem that once again, he had let his guard down.
"Care to explain why Hinata leaving is Naruto's fault?" Came the monotone question of Kiba's longtime teammate and best friend Shino Aburame standing in the doorway of the Inuzuka home, leaning against the door, arms crossed over his chest.
Kiba nearly vomited at the mere mention of his former friend.
As it was, he spat on the nearby photo of them, back when they were genin, before violently smashing the glass frame with a kunai.
As the shattered photo fell to the ground, he whirled on Shino.
"Of course it's his fault! Who else would it be?"
If possible, Shino's tone became colder.
"Hinata's."
"Take that back Shino!" Kiba roared in anger as he whipped out a kunai and pointed it towards his teammate.
"I don't say that to hurt you. I love Hinata as much as anyone, but Naruto didn't force her to go after him when he left the village."
He paused to let his words sink in, and when he was certain that Kiba would not attack, he continued.
"She made that choice all on her own Kiba."
"Choice? What choice? She's my wife God Damn it!"
Shino shook his head sadly.
Truly, he felt pity for Kiba.
"But she doesn't love you, at least not in the way you want her too. She has and always will be in love with Naruto, and I'm sorry but there is nothing you can do to change that."
Kiba looked away, hiding the sadness etched into his face.
"You knew this when you and her family forced this arranged marriage that her heart belonged with him, yet you still went through with it."
Kiba refused to move as Shino pushed himself of the door, and strode forward, until he had rounded the room, and was staring the Inuzuka square in the eye.
"Why Kiba, why did you do that to Hinata when you knew it would break her heart?"
"Because I love her." Kiba replied, as he slumped to the floor, hands on his knees, tears pooling in his eyes, before adding:
"I, I, thought that she would eventually get over and forget about Naruto and love me as much as I love her."
Once again, the Aburame proved to be the voice of reason.
"But she didn't Kiba. And for the last three years I've watched her go through the pretenses of marriage with you while a little more of her spirit seemed to die with each passing day. I've also watched you treat Hinata cruelly by your words and actions you've committed during your marriage. So is it really so surprising that she finally decided to leave you."
He turned to go now.
"I'm truly sorry, I care about the both of you, and I know what I'm saying hurts. But you know it's the truth, and if you care at all for Hinata and her happiness, you must let her go."
Yet, just as he was about to exit, hand on the doorknob, Kiba exploded, violently shouting one word.
"No!"
Shino froze and turned round, tone echoing his surprise, his facial expression hidden by his coat and glasses.
"What?"
Rage was plastered over the Inuzuka's face.
"I said no Shino! I won't give her up."
Then as if he was talking to himself, he went on slowly pacing about the room as he did so.
"She's just confused is all, I know she can learn to love me; I just need to give it more time. Sure I could have treated her better, but I got sick and tired of her always moping around. If she couldn't give up her love for Naruto for me, then I've got nothing to feel guilty for about the things I've done or said to her."
Abruptly, he stopped, and clapped his hands together with finality.
"So I'm leaving tonight to bring Hinata back whether she likes it or not."
Shino snorted in exasperation.
Clearly his friend was blinded by jealousy.
"Whether she likes it or not? Listen to yourself Kiba; do you really want to continue a marriage based upon force?"
He now stepped forward, and with a rare expression of anger, shoved Kiba back a step, growing more agitated by the minute.
"Do you honestly believe that keeping Hinata in such a way will make her love you? It hasn't worked so far!"
Kiba's immediate response was to shove his friend right back.
"I don't care what you have to say or think, I'm getting Hinata back that's all there is to it!"
Menacingly, he reached for his weapons pouch.
"Are you going to try and stop me?" Kiba spat as he grabbed his supply bag and walked towards the door.
Shino shook his head.
"No Kiba, I won't try to stop you."
Kiba sighed in relief.
"Thanks Shino, I didn't want to have to fight you. Wish me luck."
"I cannot Kiba. Even if you succeed in this endeavor of forcing Hinata to return, this will end badly for you no matter what you do."
Shino said while shaking his head. Kiba merely scowled at his friend before calling out to Akamaru and Shino watched his longtime friend and dog disappear into the night.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Meanwhile, across town a young couple's relationship was coming to an end, as Kiba made his way out of the village in search of his wayward wife.
"I don't think we should see each other anymore." Shikamaru stated to his distraught girlfriend of two years, Ino Yamanaka.
However, it was not his statement that had caused Ino to be distraught. When Shikamaru had arrived at the Yamanaka home he had found Ino in this depressed state, and this had not been the first time.
Over the past two years whenever Ino had fallen into such a saddened state it usually involved or was about one Naruto Uzumaki.
Shikamaru knew instantly their encounter with his friend and Ino's ex-boyfriend had shaken the girl badly. As much as he wanted to hate Naruto for Ino still loving him, Shikamaru found he couldn't.
None of this was Naruto's fault, only his. Shikamaru was broken from his train of thought when he heard Ino stutter with despair.
"Wha, what do you mean we shouldn't see each other anymore? Don't, don't you love me Shika-kun?"
Shikamaru clasped Ino's hands in his as he sat them down on her couch and he said with sincerity.
"Ino-chan, I will always love you, but you and I aren't meant to be. Your heart belongs to another and I finally accept that."
She shook her head insistently, tone pleading. "I, I don't know what you mean! I, I love you!"
Shikamaru shook his head slowly.
"But you're in love with Naruto and have been since I forced you to breakup with him."
Ino turned her head away for fear her facial expression might betray her as she said chokingly.
"That, that's not true, you didn't force me to breakup with Naruto, I chose you over him."
A small sigh escaped the Nara.
"You chose me because I forced you too. When I came to you and told you that I was in love with you, you were with Naruto. But rather than give you the time to sort through your feelings and make a decision on your own, I basically gave you an ultimatum and asked you to choose.
Just saying that made him feel so guilty.
"I admit that was a calculated act on my part. I was counting on the fact that our long-standing friendship would sway your heart to my favor, but I couldn't allow you to dwell on making a choice between the two of us, so I rushed your decision. "
She tried to cover her ears with her hands, but he held them firm
"I'm so sorry I did that to you Ino. It was selfish and self-serving on my part and it wrong of me to do both to you and Naruto."
Tears pooled in the back of her eyes.
"I hope you can forgive me Ino, I never meant to hurt you or Naruto, but I did and I'm ashamed of myself for it. I just want you to be happy, and if Naruto does that for you, then you should be with him not me."
Abruptly, a mask of anger swept across her face, her blue eyes glinting dangerously, despite the broken tone in her voice.
"I can't believe you're telling me to go with Naruto. He almost killed you and Chouji just a few of days ago."
The lazy Nara shrugged.
"Hmph, not really, if Naruto wanted us dead we would be dead, he had us totally outclassed in power and skill."
She blinked, not once, but twice as he went on, hanging on every word.
"I've even spoken to Chouji about this, I think the only reason he thrashed him as bad as he did was because Chouji tried to kill him thinking that Naruto had killed me."
Oh, Shikamaru had no idea how much Ino wanted to believe that!
"I-I guess that makes sense, I didn't get the impression that he wanted to fight us, just to be left alone." Ino said before adding:
"But what can we do to bring him back?"
Misery washed away the anger, like sand at high tide.
"He seems to be in so much pain, and he's not listening to anyone anymore."
Shikamaru lightly squeezed her hands.
"That's not true Ino, he listened to you at the fight."
Ino squeezed right back, but MUCH harder, as the water began to leak from her eyes.
"I have a feeling that was a onetime pass Shika-kun. The pain he's in, I'm the cause for a lot of it." Ino stated with sorrow, as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
"Don't take all the blame yourself; I and many others had a hand in driving Naruto away. I only hope that one day he can forgive us."
Sighing, he rose to his feet, releasing her hands as he did so.
"Well, you've got some packing to do if you're going after Naruto so I should go." Shikamaru said, as he kisses Ino one last time before rising from the couch.
Ino suddenly sprang up and groaned, as she remembered something.
"Oh no, I totally forgot! Lady Tsunade specifically ordered me not to go after Naruto-kun, what do I do?"
Shikamaru gazed at Ino and said with a smirk, as he noted that Ino had already gone back to referring to Naruto with an honorific.
"Well, when does the Ino Yamanaka I know let the orders of a mere Hokage stop her from getting what she wants?"
Ino just smiled before she and Shikamaru embraced in a hug.
Her voice was a mere whisper.
"I do love you, the lazy bum that you are Shika-kun. Are you going to be ok?"
He gave a rueful chuckle.
"I love you too, you troublesome woman, and I'll be fine, I just want you to be happy."
Slowly, she released him, from what would be their last hug as a couple.
"Thanks Shika-kun."
Shikamaru nodded, then closed the door behind him and began walking home while Ino began frantically preparing supplies for her upcoming personal mission to find Naruto and bring him home and maybe back to her as well...
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Naruto and the rest of his party finally stopped to rest at a clearing. And while Daisuke went out in search of some more firewood, Hinata took Nel with her to get some water from a nearby stream. This left Naruto and Yugito alone and Naruto decided now was as good a time as any to speak to his fellow Jinchuuriki about Hinata and some other things, as they sat on a log in front of a small campfire and waited for the others to return.
"Look Yugito, about Hinata I just wanted to say…"
"You don't have say anything Naruto-sama, I've had time to think about it and I realized you weren't going to leave her on her own, just like you didn't leave me on my own."
"Well that's part of it, but I also….."
"You also have had a past relationship with her, but she betrayed you I understand. It's partly why I don't care very much for the princess. Knowing she hurt you terribly in the past makes me angry for some reason."
"You're angry at her kitten because you're starting to fall for this delicious blonde hunk of man-meat."Nibi purred inside Yugito's mind.
'Would you shut-up; I'm not falling for him!' Yugito silently snapped at her tenant.
"Ok, then maybe you're mad at the princess because she's gotten a taste of that meat in the past and definitely would like some more."
The two-tailed cat demon then sent several provocative and perverse images of what Naruto might be like in the sack causing Yugito's face to blush furiously as a small rivulet of blood leaked from her nose. The former Cloud kunoichi was broken out of her stupor by Naruto's voice.
Yugito-chan, are you all right?"
"Hai, hai, I'm alright, my tenant just decided to have a few words with me that's all." Yugito quickly stammered, as she wiped her nose.
"I can definitely understand that." Naruto replied in understanding before adding.
"Well, what I wanted to say was please try and get along with Hinata. I don't want the issues between her and me to involve you. She is a wonderful girl and I think you two could get along, if you don't let what happened to me in the past by Hinata affect how you treat her. Can you do this for me?
"Hai Naruto-sama, I will try and do this for you."
"Good, and another thing, I've told you before you don't have to call me Naruto-sama, Naruto will do just fine."
"Hai Naruto-sa….Naruto."
Naruto chuckled, before his face grew serious and he took Yugito's hands into his causing her to blush a bit, as he asked.
"Yugito, please don't take this question the wrong way, but how come Madara didn't kill you like the rest of the Jinchuuriki he had captured prior to the Fourth Great Shinobi War?"
The blonde woman instantly let go of Naruto's hand and stood up with her back to him, while wrapping her arms around herself, dreading this moment of having to reveal the truth of her survival and of the shame that came with it to Naruto. After a couple of minutes of terse silence, she finally spoke in a choked voice.
"The, the reason I'm still alive is quite simple. After the Akatsuki captured me, they were going to extract the Nibi from my being. However, after Madara saw me he took a…liking to me. And since it didn't matter what order the Bijuu needed to extracted, he decided I would be the last one after he finally captured the eight and nine-tailed demons. Until then, he felt I could provide…..entertainment for himself and the rest of the Akatsuki members."
"You, you mean!" Naruto stuttered in shock.
"That's right Naruto-sama,….I, I mean Naruto. Standing before you is the whore of the Akatsuki. An unwilling whore, but a whore nonetheless these past seven years!" Yugito spat with bile, disgust, and shame, while tears rolled down her cheek.
"You are not a whore!" Nibi screamed in anger at her vessel.
'It doesn't matter what you call me, now that he knows the truth, any thoughts you had of him and I being together is just a stupid fantasy. I'm used, dirty and he knows it now. Naruto isn't going to want to even look at me let alone touch me and I don't blame him one bit.' Yugito fired back with grief at her two-tailed companion.
However, what happened next shocked the former Cloud kunoichi, as she was suddenly turned around and enveloped in a hug by Naruto. Yugito tried to pull away, but Naruto held her firm and after a few seconds of struggling, she finally succumbed to the embrace and softly wept into his chest, as he stroked her back and said in a sad yet comforting voice.
"I'm so sorry you had to suffer through such vile atrocities for all these years. I feel like it's my fault that you had too. When Uncle Bee and I along with the rest of the Shinobi Alliance took down Madara and his Edo Tensei army seven years ago, we thought we were the only two Jinchuuriki left still alive. Had we known that you were captured and alive, I swear we would come to rescue you Yugito-chan."
Yugito couldn't believe what she was hearing. This man, this wonderful man was actually blaming himself for the fate that befell her all those years ago. What's more there wasn't a hint of disgust for her in his voice or in the way he held her. Lifting her head and looking up at him with tear-filled eyes, she hesitantly asked.
"You're, you're not disgusted by me?"
Naruto looked down at woman he held in his arms with confusion etched on his face before saying with bewilderment.
"Why would I be disgusted with you? You did nothing wrong and what happened to you no one should ever have to suffer. What Madara did to you only makes me want to kill him that much more. And I promise you once I get my hands on him, I will make him and the rest of the Akatsuki pay for what they did to you and all the other people they have hurt in this world once and for all."
Upon hearing Naruto's declaration, Yugito did something she hadn't done for as long as she could remember….she smiled. Naruto saw her smile and tighten the embrace she held onto him and he leaned down to place a chaste kiss on top of her head as he held her. Unfortunately, at that very moment a voice called out as Hinata and Nel stepped out of the woods holding two jugs of water they had gathered.
"Naruto-kun we've got the water and…"
Hinata instantly froze at the scene before her of Naruto in a deep embrace with Yugito and was kissing the top of her head. The Hyuga woman felt sick to her stomach and her heart seemed to constrict within her chest. It was all she could do not to drop Nel and the water before she set them down and stammered with tears welling in her eyes.
"I, I'm sorry Naruto-kun, I, I didn't mean to intrude on you, I'll, I'll go."
Hinata then dashed back into the forest with Naruto calling out to her and Nel feeling very confused.
"Hinata wait I…."
Was all Naruto could utter before Hinata had disappeared back into the darkness of the woods. Nel looked back at her adoptive father and being the clever and inquisitive child she was deduced that it was something her Naru-kun had done to make the lady with the pretty eyes sad. Nel had grown to like Hinata a lot in their short time together and was not pleased with this current situation, as one could easily see by the scowl that now adorned her face and she marched over to Naruto who looked down at her in puzzlement before yelping in great pain as the little Arrancar kicked him in his shin and shouted.
"What did you do to make the lady with the pretty eyeth cry!"
"Owwww, damn it Nel, I didn't do anything!" Naruto yelled back while hopping on one leg and holding the shin of the other.
"LIAR!" Nel shrieked at Naruto before winding up and kicking him in his other shin before adding.
"Hina-chan wathn't crying before we got here, so you did tomething and you thouldn't cuth in front of ladieth, ith not nice!"
Yugito and Daisuke who had returned with the firewood could only look in shock and awe as this little girl verbally admonished her adoptive father, while he writhed on the ground in pain holding both of his shins now. Nel then jumped onto Naruto and started head-butting his chest with her Arrancar mask and shouting at him.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?"
"Nel-chan, you stop fighting this instance!" Hinata sternly called out, as she walked back into the clearing.
Nel immediately stopped her attack and looked back to Hinata before jumping off of Naruto and running up to Hinata and jumping into her arms, while saying.
"But Naru-kun made you cry. Nel doethn't like to tee you cry, it maketh Nel very tad."
"Naruto-kun didn't make me cry Nel-chan. It wasn't his fault so you shouldn't blame him. And you most certainly shouldn't attack him. A lady like yourself should not get into fights."
Both Naruto and Hinata then locked eyes with one another and Yugito realized they needed to talk and called out to Nel.
"Hey Nel-chan, why don't you help me and Daisuke go collect some more firewood so Naruto-kun and the princess can talk."
"Firewood, I just brought back some firewood." Daisuke groused in annoyance before he felt a wave of killing intent wash over him from Yugito and said.
"Right, let's go get some more firewood."
As Yugito holding Nel and Daisuke walked back into the forest, Hinata made her way over to Naruto who was still sitting on the ground and rubbing his shins.
"I can heal that for you Naruto-kun."
"It's alright, the Kyuubi will take care of it." Naruto coolly snapped in response.
"Oh, ok I don't want to bother you." Hinata answered in a slightly hurt tone of voice.
Naruto inwardly berated himself for snapping at Hinata and realized he needed to talk to her and said in a more calm tone.
"No, no Hinata, it's not that, you're not bothering me. I just didn't want to trouble you or waste your chakra on something as insignificant as this."
"It's no trouble Naruto-kun." Hinata stated, before she knelt down and going through some hand-seals until her hands glowed green began moving them over Naruto's shins.
"Look Hinata about what you saw I just wanted to say….."
"You don't have to say anything, I told you I believe you still have the capacity to love and be loved. You just need to find it in yourself to let love back into your life. I had hoped to help you find that love with me, but if you have found it with Yugito-chan that's alright. I just want you to be happy again."
"It's, it's not like that, I was just comforting Yugito-chan after she told me some things that were causing her some pain that's all it was. I'm sorry if what you saw upset you."
"You don't have to apologize to me, it's I who should be apologizing to you. I had no right to react the way I did, not after what I did to you."
"Well, I just wanted to let you know that there isn't anything going on between me and Yugito-chan that's all." Naruto sheepishly replied, while rubbing the back of his head nervously.
"I appreciate that Naruto-kun, but you don't have to explain anything to me."
"Ok I guess." Naruto answered, suddenly at a loss for words before finally saying.
"My legs feel a lot better now, thanks Hinata, you learned your medical jutsu's well from baa-chan Tsunade."
"Thank you Naruto-kun." Hinata replied, while keeping her head bowed down.
Naruto felt like he should say something else to the Hyuga girl kneeling in front of him, but he just didn't know what else to say. And before he could think of anything, Yugito, Nel, and Daisuke returned to the camp and Naruto watched as Hinata rose from the ground and walked away from him.
After a brief rest in the clearing, Naruto and the rest of his party resumed their travel through the forest. Naruto noticed that Hinata was growing fatigued from carrying Nel and offered to carry his newly adopted daughter the rest of the way.
As Nel snuggled up into his chest, she looked up at Naruto's face and quietly said.
"Naru-kun, Nel is torry that the yelled at you and kicked you. Can you forgive Nel?"
"Of course I forgive you Nel, let's just forget about it ok."
"Ok, can I tay tomething Naru-kun."
"What is it Nel?"
"I really like Hina-chan and think she will be a good wife-chan for you!" Nel exclaimed with childlike innocence and zeal, her smile outshining the sun.
Naruto heard a squeak and looked over to see Hinata blushing furiously, just like the old days.
Naruto himself sported a small blush and kissed his daughters forehead before whispering.
"I like her too, now go to sleep and we'll talk more about it tomorrow ok?"
"Ok Naru-kun." Nel replied before drifting off to sleep.
After a couple of more hours of travel Naruto and company had finally reached their destination as Naruto declared.
"We're here."
"Where is here? I don't see anything." Daisuke hesitantly asked.
Naruto ignored him, looking forward the entire time.
"Hinata, activate your Byakugan and tell me what you see."
"Hai Naruto-kun."
Focusing the chakra to her eyes, the colors of the world faded away, to black and grey, as her range of vision expanded.
Hinata than scanned the area with her famous Kekkei Genkai before saying.
"About fifty yards ahead hidden by some foliage there is a entrance way cut into that rock formation leading to what looks like a manmade cave Naruto-kun."
He nodded once, hand grasping the hilt of his blade in rich anxietry.
"Go on."
With a nod in return she did so.
"There are a few traps surrounding the area but we should be able to avoid them."
Deactivating her bloodline limit, she paused, turning her head to give him an odd look and stating.
"But Naruto-kun, there is someone already in the cave, but for some reason my Byakugan can't focus on who they are?"
Naruto had expected as much.
"That's ok Hinata, I was told that there would be someone here to meet us. Just point out where the traps are and leave the rest to me."
Stammering nervously, she resisted the urge to poke her fingers together as she once did so long ago,
"O, ok, Naruto-kun but if I may ask, what is this place?"
He unsheathed his blade now, and with a massive crash, it slammed into the earth, startling thousands of birds from their perches, in the rich foliage of the trees.
As he reached for his demon mask, he answered her question.
"This, is a former hideout of one Momochi Zabuza the "Demon of the Hidden Mist."
She nodded once, recalling the details of said nin.
"I remember you telling me about him. It was from your first A ranked mission wasn't Naruto-kun. But didn't you say he was dead?" Hinata asked.
A firm nod was given to her, as he began to pull the covering material upon his face.
"Yes, Zabuza is dead, but his Zanpaktou lives on. In fact it's Zabuza's blade that I currently wield and that man in there is going to help me unlock its true potential and power."
As he said this, the mask slid smoothly upon his face, staining the whites of his eyes black, leaving his now eerily dark blue eyes to stare out at her.
Yet unlike last time, they did not seem as cold.
Frosty eyes yes, but chilling to the soul with a lack of sincerity, not so much.
"I'll be honest, I don't know what to expect when we get inside."
Naruto gave a small shrug, his tone nonchalant as he spoke with his regular voice, mutated by the mask but his nonetheless.
"Who knows? It could be dangerous, it could be harmless."
Yugito noted that he only used THAT voice, when he was royally PO'd.
Not knowing why, he cast Hinata a worried look
"This doesn't frighten you does it Hinata?"
Insistently, she shook her head.
"No Naruto-kun, I trust you and as long as I am with you, I'm not afraid."
He looked at Yugito, and noted that unlike before, she did not flinch under his masked gaze.
"What about you Yugito-chan? Do you have any problems with any of this?"
She shook her head once, a stark contrast to Hinata's insistence.
"No Naruto, if you're sure about this than so am I."
Behind his mask, his mouth curved upward in a wicked grin.
This caused the sharp teeth on the outside of his mask, to curve upward as well.
"Well let's go then."
"Hey, what about me? Don't you want my opinion?" Daisuke asked.
"No!" Naruto coldly stated, still quite annoyed with the man for looking at Hinata like that.
"Ok." Daisuke meekly replied, understanding that his standing with Zabuza's successor was far from good.
And with the discussion officially over everyone began walking towards the hidden hideout.
But each person silently wondered to themselves, what they would find when they got inside?
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Author Note: There's chapter eleven presented to you for your enjoyment, I hope? (Lol) A tough chapter to revise, as it was the first of the odd numbered chapters I started writing for the original version of the story. So it left me in a bit of a quandary. I mean how do you improve perfection? (Lol) Well, I still went ahead and tried. There are actually quite a few changes from my original work, most of them subtle, but others major like explaining how and why Yugito is still alive. Something we never did do in the original version. So, there was some substantial additions and rewriting I did for this revised version, but I do hope all of you still enjoyed the chapter. Anyway, I'm very curious to see what everyone thought about the chapter. Thanks again to everyone for all of your support and your reviews; it's much appreciated by me. Now onto the news and something I could really use your help on.
News:
A couple of my readers and fine authors themselves brown phantom and Zentary have set up polls on each of their accounts asking the question.
Who is the best Naruto fanfic writer on this site?
They have each listed 50 authors and you're allowed to vote for 10 choices on each poll. Both authors have graciously placed my name on both polls. I humbly ask if you feel I'm worthy of being one of your 10 picks to please place a vote for me. If you haven't voted yet on these polls please do so. I thank you in advance for your support and the links to the profile pages for both brown phantom and Zentary are listed below.
brown phantom http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/1634435/
Zentary http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2022054/
End of News:
Take it easy and be good!
Kingkakashi