AN: The official start to book two, part one, the land of fire. As you might have guessed, this will center around Hinata. That doesn't mean Naruto isn't just as important. Just that… well, you'll figure it out. For now, we will be updating three chapters a week (starting next week). So except updates Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on tumblr unless something special happens and you get an additional update. For fanfiction dot net, expect all three to be uploaded at once Saturday or Sunday (probably mostly Sunday as BR13 is extra lazy, and I've got no control over the fanfiction site). Once the first arc has been posted, there should be a short wait (two to four weeks) before the next arc will be posted in the same fashion. If you want to tease yourself, you can go to our tumblr page and see the chapter titles for the first arc. Enjoy.
Otou-sama – Father, formal
Ji-sama – Uncle, formal
Hai – yes
Haori – Outer jacket for a kimono
Sou desu ne? – Is that so?
Part One: Land of Fire
Arc – Transition of Power
Chapter One – A Complicated Situation
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep. Beep…
"Shut that infernal noise off," the Raikage growled, ripping at the cords in his arms as he tossed the beeping machines across the room. His body ached as he moved, gaze sweeping across the space as he tried to remember why he was here.
'The burns,' he thought suddenly, a thick hand coming up to run across previously charred skin. What was once boiled and bubbled blistering pus filled wounds was now smooth skin, drawn taut across his muscular body. It ached and itched in its newness, but that didn't matter. No what mattered was what he'd heard the last time he'd been conscious. Only rumors at the time, but now… Now he would know the truth.
In one quick motion, he was on his feet, the room spinning momentarily but he regained his balance quickly, and soon he was striding purposefully from the room. He had to know. And he had to know now, damn his injuries. In two quick strides, he was in the long winding corridor, the fabric of his haori clutched within his hands as he plucked it from its spot hanging by the door. His stitches pulled as he brought the silken material over bare shoulders, a pain that he ignored. There were far more important things for him to attend to, and pain certainly wasn't anywhere on that list.
Voices floated down the corridor growing louder with each step. Slowly, recognition filled him and anger flooded his veins. 'How dare they?' he thought as he turned down the last corner, muscles bulging as he burst into his main conference room.
"A-sama!" "Raikage-sama!" The chorus of surprised remarks filled the space as he strode further into the room, pain ignored as he glared down his advisors who dared to meet without him. The insolence. He would deal with them later.
"You should be resting, my lord. You are not…"
"I am not what?" the Raikage roared, interrupting his advisor mid-sentence."I am the heart of this village. My body its strength. My will is law. Rest? Rest is for the feeble and I require none of it."
A-sama took his seat with a flourish, body twisting without care, pulling roughly at his stitches in a show of strength. One of the freshly closed wounds popped back open, the red hot blood seeping into the pristine color of his haori, but he ignored it. The pain insignificant.
The room fell into an agitated quiet. Killer Bee silent for a change, tucked away into the corner of the room while his advisors cowered before him, sharing shaky hesitant looks that spoke volumes. The Raikage ignored them too, his mind focused on one singular piece of information, his need for answers superseding all else.
"Tell me," he demanded, fists clenched beneath the surface of the conference table. "Tell me the rumors are true," he continued. "Tell me that Hyuuga is dead. His body left lifeless. That clan left helpless. That nuisance eliminated. Tell me I am not wrong!"
This time the silence lasted only moments, the span of half a dozen heartbeats as his words soaked in, filtering through whatever bullshit they'd deemed important enough to meet without him.
"Raikage-sama, you are correct. Hyuuga Hiashi is no longer among the living." The answer floated through the air, drawing his focus away from the man who had said it, his name irrelevant in the face of such information as a grin slowly spread across his features.
Hai. This was far more than he dare hope. Far more than he'd ever imagined walking into their plan. This was…
"Hai, Raikage-sama. The Hyuuga's have been dealt a mighty blow. A blow that they shall surely never recover, at least not in time."
A-sama nodded absentmindedly, his attention more on their good news rather than that of their future plans. Plans that had needed this break. Needed a weak and wounded Hyuuga. He was pleased with the news. The once failed invasion, the first step in a much larger scheme for justice was now more than he could have ever dreamed.
"Yeah, oh, yeah, but had you brought me, then you'd have seen, a victory no doubt fit for a king. Yeah, check it," Killer Bee stated, the melodic tint of his voice something he'd come to expect, even welcome.
A-sama waved the idea away. His right hand was too important to risk on a mission like that. That and it hadn't been about simply winning or losing. No, this attack was about something more. Something he'd been planning for nearly a decade. 'Justice,' he thought before responding. "You know we never planned for that invasion to work. Not with that snake Orochimaru pulling the strings. No, I trust him about as much as I trust a Hyuuga. This was a test. Nothing more, and Konoha failed it."
"Be that as it may, my lord, we are now seen as the aggressors in the international world. Now, we'll have a far more difficult time gaining the needed support from the other three great nations for the next phase of our operation."
With a dismissive wave of his hand, A-sama ignored him. The man just didn't get it. None of them seemed to get it. "The Hyuuga," he stressed, the word spat from his lips with as much contempt as it deserved. "That's what this has always been about."
"But Raikage-sama, what about…"
Crack!
The Raikage interrupted his advisor with a strike to the table, snapping the wood in half as he snapped his answer. "No! We've seen what we set out to see. Konoha is weak. Helpless without the aid of those insufferable Hyuuga. Konoha will fall. They've made their bed siding with those monsters. Now, we'll let them lie in it."
No one spoke in the wake of his outburst. The silence of the moment filled only by the throbbing pain of another pulled stitch. To his right, Killer Bee grinned like a fool, his face a mirror image of A-sama's own manic thoughts. Once they had destroyed that infernal clan, Konoha would feel the pain of their inaction. They would finally know what it felt like for the world to abandon them. Then, and only then, would they be crushed.
"My lord, the Hyuuga will rally from this loss," one of his advisors finally spoke, hesitant worry marring his voice. "Their heir had a strong showing in the exam. She will surely be promoted."
Again, A-sama dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand, "That is of no consequence. She is but a Chuunin. And soon enough, she'll be a dead one."
"Yo, man, yo, we gotta even the score. Gotta knock off a tally on the board to be sure. 'Cause we ain't sending messages, at least not no more, when there's a father with a daughter waitin' at death's door, yo man check it," Killer Bee sung, his statement bringing a grin to A-sama's lips.
"Right you are my friend, we mustn't separate daughters from their fathers," he replied. 'Right you are,' he continued in his thoughts. "400,000 ryo," he added, the grin never leaving his face.
"Hai, Raikage-sama, I'll put out the bounty at once," one of his advisors replied with a bow before turning on his heels and leading the others out of the room.
The Raikage stopped them at the door, his voice ringing clear across the room, "And I want her head this time." 'After all, what's a good killing without an equally good trophy,' he thought as they finally left the room. The Hyuuga would fall and Konoha along with them. And then, Kumo would finally have justice.
"Now onto our next order of business," the Hokage-sama spoke, his voice cutting through the still bickering voices of several clan leaders. A sigh on his lips, the fabric of his ceremonial robes rustled in the tobacco filled air as he shifted in his seat at the head of the room, another long draw from his pipe filling the room with more smoke.
Slowly but surely the room finally quieted. Rowdy, unruly clan leaders finally coming down from the passionate highs that had derailed the conversation thus far. Hinata resisted the urge to sigh as well. Although there was little reason to believe that the room would remain quiet and orderly, the clan leaders surrounding her more than capable of finding some other reason to continue their earlier petty squabbles. For now at least, the silence allowed the Hokage-sama to continue the meeting. For what little progress that was worth.
"As we've previously discussed, finding the next Hokage is of the utmost importance. While all candidates are being considered, Tsunade-san is of course still my top choice for the position. Given that her current whereabouts limit communication, Jiraiya-kun has already left to inform her of her nomination and see her safely back within the village…"
"Bullshit!" Uchiha-san interrupted with a violent strike to the table. "You and I both know you're just wasting our time on this foolhardy mission of yours. That traitor should have been labeled a missing-nin years ago as I've already brought up to this council countless times. Don't think we don't know why she hasn't!"
"Now Fugaku-san…"
"No, don't try to placate me again with your flowery words," he snapped, anger and rage coloring his voice. "Just look at the invasion. Clearly, your bias has gotten out of hand. This is a matter of village security. And we don't have time to play more of your games."
"Fugaku-san…" Hokage-sama's voice held an edge of warning, the tone clear and strong, a reminder of why he'd been named Hokage in the first place.
"And to add insult to injury, you've recruited that no good prankster into this mess!"
"Oh shove it, Fugaku," Inuzuka-san stated, her seat creaking as she leant further back into the wood. "No one fucking cares."
"I care," Uchiha-san shot back, the heat never leaving his voice. "It's just more blatant favoritism and you know it! Why else let that troublesome brat go on this pointless trip to bring that defector back to the village?!"
"Fugaku!" Hokage-sama interrupted, his voice as hard as steel. "This is the last time you will continue to disrespect this council by bringing the topic of Tsunade-san, my student, as a defector of this village to the floor." There was a short pause as the room quieted, the tension palatable in the silence of the room. "As we've discussed, she is merely on a village sanctioned sabbatical."
"You can fool yourself with that kind of talk all you want old man, but this council, this village, doesn't need to waste valuable resources on a ninja taking an indefinite sabbatical." Venom leaked from his words as he continued, "This village needs a new, capable, Hokage. One that doesn't bother playing these pointless games. One that..."
"Really Fugaku, I'd think that you'd be jumping for joy at the prospect of getting Tsunade-san back in the village," Inuzuka-san taunted interrupting the man before he could finish what could only be the beginning of a long and unnecessary rant. Hinata repressed another sigh at the sound of Inuzuka-san's voice, despite the interruption, Hinata knew that little good would come from it. Words geared to incite, words meant to cause more unrest than was already present. It would only add more fuel to the fire. "Then at least your son won't be a complete invalid." She would have preferred the rant.
"My son's lost function in both of his hands protecting this village, what's your son's excuse for being a completely useless sack of bones?"
"Why you…"
"Enough!" the Hokage-sama interrupted before another fight could break out. Unfortunately, Hinata was certain the peace would not last. If the current trend was to continue, then they'd be at it again in under ten minutes. Faster even, if they continued on the topic of the next Hokage. "Now, as I was saying, Tsunade-san is the current top nominee for the next Hokage. Should she…"
"Why continue this farce old man?!" Uchiha-san interrupted, his temper getting the better of him once more. Hinata tightened her expression, using all of her training to keep a frown from marring her features. Few of these ninja seemed to possess any sense of control, their bickering and constant outbursts and tolerance of such behavior was far worse than the untrained children of her clan. "We should be focusing our efforts on finding an actual viable candidate. Someone strong and accomplished. Someone who actually resides within the village. Someone like…"
"No one's fucking voting for you, Fugaku," Inuzuka-san interrupted. "Hell, I doubt anyone on the Ninja Council would even nominate your twisted fucked up ass."
"No one asked for your opinion, bitch," Uchiha-san snapped.
"Oh wow, was that supposed to be an insult? Bitch? Really? You really are an unimaginative idiot aren't you? The pups in the kennel can sling better insults than that! What's wrong? Are you too fucking…"
"Tsume-san!" the Hokage-sama interrupted before she could finish the taunt. He waited a beat for the room to calm back down before continuing, "Now, as I was saying. As is typical, additional nominations should be made within the next several weeks. All viable candidates will be considered by me once Jiraiya-kun returns with or without Tsunade-san. Of course, should my wayward student return with him, she will be my number one choice. Now, as you all know we still have much to cover. So please, not another word on this matter."
"Hokage-sama, if I may?" Aburame-san questioned, waiting patiently to be addressed. The air stirred as the Hokage-sama gave his consent with a short nod. "We have yet to discuss our plans for the Sand Siblings. Surely, we do not plan to keep them hostage indefinitely."
"Ah, thank you Shibi-san for bring this topic up," the Hokage-sama began, his tone light no doubt due to his request being followed for once. "While in normal cases we might hold them indefinitely, given the circumstances of Suna's involvement in the failed invasion attempt, the elder's council and I have decided that we will negotiate their release. As we speak, a missive is on its way to Suna with a request to send their negotiator. I expect they will send one of their honorable elders given their current lack of leadership."
Hinata nodded internally at the statement, mentally cataloguing every new piece of information she'd been briefed on, in a far more efficient manner than this, about Suna's current political climate. Hyuuga trade representatives had already noted the shift in focus. The Suna council members were desperate to reclaim the royal heirs. So desperate in fact, that given a skilled enough negotiator, Konoha would walk away far stronger in their relationship with Suna then they'd been in decades.
The thought brought her no joy, as she knew her advice would undoubtable go overlooked. Here was a chance for the Hyuuga Clan to help secure a better relationship with one of the five great ninja villages, but she held only a small hope that the questionable members of Hokage-sama's advisory council would choose an appropriate arbiter. This powerlessness was becoming all too familiar.
'Otou-sama would have…' Hinata paused to mentally dislodge the thought from her mind. Her father wasn't here. He couldn't advise or assist or monitor her every action like he'd done her entire life. She couldn't lean on the same tools he'd employed. She wasn't that strong, that influential. She was alone. Left here with the weight of the world's strongest clan on her shoulders with her hands virtually tied behind her back. She was not her father and she doubted that she'd ever be. Doubted that she'd ever amount to the same greatness, wield the same finesse as he had. She just didn't possess the same leverage, couldn't wield the same respect. As it was, her position on the Ninja Council was ceremonial at best. A courtesy to the memory of the man whose seat she now held. No, her presence here went ignored while they discussed the issues of the village.
As such Hinata was under no impression that her suggestions, no matter the merit, would be taken seriously. Which was why she didn't bother even remotely entertaining the idea of providing the Hokage-sama with a list of possible arbitrators for the impending negotiation. She knew without a doubt that anything she provided would be completely disregarded without thought or consideration. Just one of her latest battles that she had no hope of winning.
Still, there was a small voice at the back of her mind urging her not to give in. 'Never give up,' Hinata thought the words sounding more like the voice she missed then her own familiar thoughts. 'Perhaps there is still some measure that would persuade the Hokage. Maybe a list provided by Ji-sama will be more readily received,' she thought as the conversation continued around her.
Like all of the previous conversations of the past few hours, it was more unimportant infighting than any words of substance. Mostly Inuzuka-san and Uchiha-san going back and forth with vitriol as the rest of the room watched until finally the Hokage-sama decided to regain control of the room.
It was unprofessional, their arguments unnecessary. A complete waste of what little time she possessed. And quite frankly, Hinata found herself in completely unfamiliar territory with the emotion she fought to control. She was annoyed.
Irritated with these experienced leaders. Ignored while they bickered needlessly about the same topics ad nauseam. This meeting was nothing more than an exercise in her control. One in which she felt she was nearly failing in a way that would have appalled the man who had spent so much time training such failings out of her.
She was weak.
Hinata closed her eyes briefly to center herself. Stamping down on the urge to snap at the leaders within the room, she forced her mind to think of other, more productive things. Exploring every alternative theory and approach that she could conceive that would benefit her clan and her village. One struck her as she tuned out the arguments beginning around her once more. If she sent her ideas through her uncle, the Hokage might be far more likely to seriously consider them. But what was the best course of action?
Seeking an escape from the infighting that plagued the ninja council, Hinata focused on what she could do for each problem presented instead of what was available to her now. Focused on all that needed her attention while the adults circled around the same concepts again and again. She was not helpless, could not be helpless in this situation. Not when so many depended on her.
She had to believe that. Desperately wanted to believe in the simple words of a boy with a heart far larger than she ever thought possible. How could she fail here, when Uzumaki-kun believed in her. Believed in her even when she struggled to believe in herself.
'Uzumaki-kun,' Hinata thought absentmindedly, her friend's absence from the village felt even as Uchiha-san continued his rant over Suna's betrayal. She ignored the man as his points were invalid, extreme and would result in little more than alienating the still struggling nation where they should be strengthening ties. Hopefully, the Hokage-sama would not take his suggestions seriously.
Instead she focused on the boy who seemed to affect her seemingly without effort. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she thought of how Uzumaki-kun would react to these meetings. 'I doubt he'd manage to stay past the Hokage-sama's opening statements,' she thought as the man in question finally stepped in to stop Uchiha-san's rant.
"Thank you for your concern, Fugaku-san. You are aware of the proper way to submit them to the elder's council. Now, where were we?"
"Sir, the injury report," Nara-san replied, his voice groggy as if he'd just awoken from a doze.
"Sou desu ne…"
"Hokage-sama, I'd like to remind you that…"
'The Uchiha Clan has lost hundreds of its members due to the collapse of the Chuunin Exams' Stadium,' Hinata thought echoing the man's words verbatim. She let the rest of his rant drone on in the background of her thoughts, unconcerned that she'd miss some vital point in his argument. After all, he'd opened with those exact same words nearly as soon as they'd begun the meeting and he'd gone to great lengths to utter them again at every possible opportunity with only slight deviations.
He was… persistent if nothing else in his desire to receive some form of compensation for his Clan's losses.
"…so clearly, reparations are not only deserved but required. My Clan has…"
"Oh will you just stuff it already," Inuzuka-san interrupted, her tone brash as she leant back in her seat, a soft thump indicating that she'd gone so far as to rest her feet against the table top.
"Why you…"
"Actually, Fugaku-san, Tsume-san does have a point," Nara-san interjected, for once keeping the conversation from veering too far out of control.
"And what might that be?!" Uchiha-san snapped, his attention shifting focus to the laid back shinobi seated next to the Hokage-sama.
"Well, technically, your clan didn't even lose the most people."
"Ah, yes, thank you Shikaku-kun for reminding us all once again that the honored Hyuuga Clan was levied with far heavier losses," the Hokage-sama added, nodding briefly at the man in question before momentarily shifting his gaze to her. She felt the weight of his gaze as easily as if the thick folds of her blindfold had lifted for the moment. Left extremely uncomfortable for what it meant, she had to forcibly keep herself from moving. His mention of her clan. The honorific thrown out so casually as if her presence was to be respected. He was humoring her, again. And the feeling of uselessness crept beneath her skin like the invasive itch of the Aburame kikaichuu.
"But those losses were to be expected," Uchiha-san continued, not to be dismissed so easily. "After all, it is their duty to sacrifice for the village."
A sigh threatened to escape her at the beginning of his argument, a pounding ache just beginning to form in her head. They'd been here before. Comparing losses like children comparing bruises. Trivializing the dead, her dead. Her people buried beneath the rubble, crushed in their forced slumber. Her people dead at the village gates, bodies mutilated in death. Her people, dark clad bodies littering the streets for what would have been days if not for Uzumaki-kun's unwavering support with wave after unending wave of clones.
It made her sick that Uchiha-san wanted to play politics with the dead. Stacking up the Uchiha Clan's meager losses in comparison as if the broken Hyuuga body meant nothing. As if her people meant nothing and she could do nothing to make him see this one truth.
It left her with an anger that itched beneath her fingertips. She wanted to snap at him. To forcibly remind him that while the Hyuuga served the village, sacrificed without hesitation, it did not make their lives less valued, less important. It did not make them expendable. And that emotion was just as dangerous as the rest that whirled beneath the surface. Her own inadequacies in the face of a forced hand because she had no room to stand. No room to complain and force the Uchiha to see a reason she doubted he'd seen in decades.
She held her tongue knowing that an outburst, any outburst no matter how tame and well-coordinated, would be seen as a tantrum from a child unfit to lead. She would look as weak as she felt. A quality that shouldn't even exist within her slight frame. Another sign that she was as unfit to lead as they all believed. And that was something she could ill afford.
"Forgive me, Fugaku-san, but I must remind you that comparing civilian losses, as I assume that is what you mean to imply, does not validate your argument," Aburame-san replied, his voice calculated and even, familiar like the steady cadence of her teammate. While she could not count the man as one of her supporters, it helped to know that he was still a friend to the Hyuuga Clan. Helped to know that her father's legacy had not been completely erased by her own shortcomings. "After all, as has been reported numerous times, the Hyuuga civilian population had the most casualties."
"But you're forgetting that they had more to lose!" Uchiha-san snapped. A frown itched at the corner of her lips. This was decidedly a new tactic. One that would be just as easily dismantled, but new nonetheless. Hopefully, this would be the last one he could managed during this particular meeting. "If you remember correctly, the Hyuuga had far more allotted seats, an oversight of blatant favoritism I'm sure, than any other clan. So of course their casualty list was longer, but when we consider the percentage of attendees, it's clear that the Uchiha were hit far worse!"
"While that may be true, Fugaku-san, we cannot gauge losses on percentages," the Hokage-sama replied, pausing only a second before continuing with his thought. "As I'm sure you're aware, if we re-calculated the clan losses, I'm certain that neither the Hyuuga nor the Uchiha would have the highest casualty percentage. As I will remind you, Fugaku-san, there are more than two clans within Konoha."
Silence filled the space while Uchiha-san sulked, his hunched figure easy to decipher as he sunk further into his seat. Finally, after another charged silent heartbeat, Nara-san coughed awkwardly into his hand, drawing the focus to him as he spoke, "Anyway, despite the unfortunately high losses, all visiting dignitaries and officials were evacuated in time."
"Oh, so now you're trying to tell me to bite my tongue because all of the important individuals were saved," Uchiha-san snapped, slamming both hands into the surface of the table. "My civilians are dead! Shopkeepers and respectable business owners, some of which have no sons to take over their family businesses! Half of our shops, our livelihood will have to be sold, put on the market because we've lost so many men, both young and old, to that damned stadium collapse!"
"Fugaku-san, I know you're upset, but I'm sure the Akimichi won't mind helping out. Right, Chouza-kun?" the Hokage-sama stated.
"Of course, Hokage-sama. We'd be happy to negotiate joint ventures and buy outs."
"I won't hear of it!" Uchiha-san yelled, venom coating his every word. "You fat pigs have already encroached too far into our district. We won't have more of your filth setting up shop in our streets."
"I'd watch your tongue, Fugaku," Yamanaka-san threatened, speaking for the first time in the hours that they'd been here. "Just because your lot can't run a decent restaurant doesn't mean you can take it out on those that can."
"Oh, that's some big talk for a man with nothing to his name! What was it again your lot owned?" Uchiha-san shot back. Hinata's hand twitched as she resisted the urge to rub at her temples. Her headache was only growing worse and apparently none of the responsible, battle tested adults seemed to be acting their age. She doubted her father would have just sat here quietly while they wasted his time on this nonsense. It was just one more failure to place on the ever piling stack. If only…
The room seemed to still as if holding its breath, waiting for something and not for the first time, Hinata wondered what that was. Then like all the times before it, chaos ensued. Voices shouted obscenities and petty nonsense as nearly everyone seemed to be at each other's throats. Inuzuka-san and Uchiha-san especially taking this time to scream insults at each other.
Hinata took back her earlier thought. They were worse than children. Uncontrollable and entitled and justified in their outrage. Too blinded by petty infighting to see clearly.
Hinata paused at the irony of that thought. How she, the only one in the room without sight, was also the only one who could see reason. Even Uzumaki-kun, the boy so full of passion and energy that he never truly seemed to slow down, would have the good sense to remain professional, at least somewhat, in a meeting. And here she was, surrounded by village leaders, clan heads every one of them, and they couldn't even manage ten minutes without collapsing into an argument. It was... disheartening to say the least.
"Enough!" the Hokage-sama finally stepped in, silencing the room with one word. "Now, while I'm sure there are some misgivings around the room. Once the Akimichi have shifted their focus away from the village repair, I'm sure they along with the Uchiha can come to some kind of financial agreement that will satisfy both parties. Now," the Hokage-sama continued before Uchiha-san could speak up to continue his protest. "If there are no more grievances, then we can adjourn this meeting."
Hinata nearly sighed in relief at the statement more than ready to have this meeting ended. After all, they'd gone over everything. Three times in most cases. There was nothing more to discuss.
"Actually, I'm glad you mentioned further grievances as I have several," Uchiha-san began, the very sound of his voice grating at Hinata's nerves. "However, I will only mention the one. The Chuunin promotions," Uchiha-san practically spat the word as he spoke, clearly unhappy with the first three times they'd gone over that particular subject.
"What could you possibly have offense to now you arrogant ass?" Inuzuka-san questioned, her tone as exasperated as Hinata felt.
"I just feel that you were too hasty, too liberal with your promotions, Hokage-sama," Uchiha-san continued, pointedly ignoring the Inuzuka matriarch. "Really, I don't see why anyone needed to be promoted after that performance. Certainly, neither that no good prankster Uzumaki nor the Koushi deserved their promotions. And really, Nara's boy was just as undeserving."
Hinata ignored the blatant show of disrespect from the man. He was arrogant, conniving, but he had no real power. Out of all the things she had to worry about, his petty words and insults were at the bottom of the list. That said, she still planned to monitor his activity closely, just as she suspected that her father had done. Despite her compounding failings, she could do this task without hesitation.
"Come now, Fugaku, each one of those kids deserved their promotions and you know it. Fuck, Uzumaki even managed to win the entire tournament so as much as you don't like the boy, you really can't say he didn't deserve his promotion," Inuzuka-san stated.
"I agree," the Hokage-sama added. "Each of our new Chuunin showed great promise and aptitude for great leadership. That was why I issued the promotions." Uchiha-san grumbled silently to himself, but did not move to further interject. "Now onto our last order of business. The Daimyo has requested that the Koushi-san lead his escort team back to the Capital. So, per his request, I will be sending the Koushi-san and the young Nara-san to lead his escort mission as their first official Chuunin mission. While I will be going over the specifics with the two later, I just wanted to remind everyone here that this is the best opportunity to secure his full support for the upcoming conflict. I don't want a war, but unless A-sama changes his mind that is likely where this is all heading."
"Really, Hokage-sama, do you think it is wise to trust such an important mission to someone so inexperienced?" Uchiha-san questioned.
"Oh the contrary, I can think of no one more qualified for the task."
At that Hinata actually did frown, the small pull at the corner of her lips darkening her expression. She wanted to trust the Hokage. Wanted to put her faith in the man just as her father clearly had, but her gut pulled at her, twisting uncomfortably as the man shifted his gaze to land heavily on her. It felt like a betrayal of the one man whose opinion had meant everything to her, just another place to show her inadequacies, but she couldn't turn away from her instincts. Especially not when she knew for a fact that was a lie.
There were, in fact, a number of her clansmen that came to mind within the span of a second who were far more appropriate for a mission of this nature. No, the Hokage-sama wanted something. Even if she didn't know what just yet, she knew that much to be weary, to be cautious in her interactions with the man. Because if there was one thing she'd learned in her relatively short existence, it was that there was only one person on this Earth that had pure motives. And he'd left the village days ago.
'No, I've changed my mind. That particular cluster of clouds looks more like a small herd of deer than the Hokage's Mountain,' Shikamaru thought as his gaze continued to trace the white whimsical outlines of the clouds lacing the sky. The sun was bright, but not blindingly so. Just enough to light the sky a brilliant blue, the perfect backdrop to the white clouds above his head.
It was warm for a winter afternoon, but then again it was rapidly approaching the spring months. 'A perfect day for cloud watching,' he thought as a light breeze floated through the loose edges of his hair. 'A wonderfully perfect lazy…'
"Get back to work you lazy bastard before I actually give you a reason to laze about!" Ino yelled, the annoying piercing tone of her voice ripping him from his blissful fantasy as she threatened him.
Shikamaru sighed, grumbling under his breath as he dragged another piece of rubble away from the ruined shop. They'd been at it all day, nearly all week, nonstop and he couldn't even manage a few quiet moments to daydream. What was the world coming to?
"Anyway, like I was saying, I just can't believe all of these stores are just going to be laying here empty. I mean, what's the point in clearing them out and fixing them up if they aren't going to be used?" Ino continued, her attention returned to the pink haired girl standing across from her.
"Oh, well, they don't have to remain empty," Choji replied as he lugged another collapsed section out of the way.
"What do you mean?" Sakura-san asked, pausing briefly in her debris collection. Shikamaru's gaze narrowed, glaring at his teammate as she failed to yell at her for slacking off. He couldn't even so much as look off into the distance for longer than a second before his teammate berated him. But here Sakura-san was resting on her laurels, and Ino still hadn't said anything. In fact, he was sure if Sakura-san wanted to stop for tea, Ino wouldn't be bothered because clearly, it was fine if Sakura-san got to relax even if he should have been the one relaxing.
"Well, it's just, this is the Uchiha District," Choji continued, bring Shikamaru's thoughts back to the topic at hand.
'Hmm, I thought this street looked familiar,' Shikamaru thought, his gaze shifting to where he thought his best friend's uncle had his shop. 'Guess this all really does make sense.'
"Yeah Choji, you're going to have to say a little more than that if you want to get your point across," Ino stated, while she managed to keep her voice calm, Shikamaru knew her well enough to know she was seconds away from snapping, her irritation a near palpable thing.
"It's just that the Uchiha shops, at least the ones in the village, are owned and operated by men. So given their civilian losses from the attack, they probably don't have enough capable men to inherit," Choji trailed off with a shrug.
"Those misogynous pigs!" Ino growled. "Why I never…"
Shikamaru tuned out the rest of his teammate's angry rant as he continued to pick at the rubble. A sigh on his lips, he had better things to do than to riffle through the wreckage of buildings likely to remain unused. That was, unless the Akimichi Clan swooped in to buy the property. An occurrence that he wouldn't put past the business savvy bunch, that was, if they had enough capital.
He sighed again as he glanced up from his work, staring wistfully at a distant hillside. It was one of his favorite napping spots outside of the Nara Clan lands, and he'd give just about anything to be there, arms tucked beneath his head as he gazed lazily up at the beautiful sky. Or better yet, eyes closed as he dozed atop the hill, sun warming his face as he…
"Didn't I already tell you to get your head out of the clouds?! Get back to work, you lazy bum!" Ino yelled, once again interrupting his descent into the wonderful world of daydreams, his body instinctually dodging the piece of rubble thrown his way.
'Damn, I should have let that hit me,' Shikamaru thought, eyeing the stone with envy. A concussion would have been a perfect reason to rest, relaxing while he healed. And given the fact that he'd yet to find a single moment to just relax, slow down and take a much deserved nap since the thankfully failed invasion, he could have used that miniature reprieve.
Sighing, Shikamaru gazed back at his work, his section of the rubble significantly more crowded than his friends. If only Naruto and his clones were here. "This would go by faster with the blond troublemaker," he mumbled shifting through the rubble with a tired pull to his shoulders.
"Oh, I think I saw some of his clones by the Stadium," Choji stated, clearly having heard Shikamaru's grumbling complaints. "I think they're almost done with that so maybe they'll head this way to help."
"Yeah, I wouldn't count on that one," Sakura-san stated with a slight chuckle and a small shake of her head.
"What's that's supposed to mean? I thought you said that knucklehead could be helpful," Ino questioned as she violently tossed half a broken wall out of the way. The loud crash meters away had Shikamaru repressing a shiver, mentally reminding himself to stay off her shit list. His eyes watched her for a moment more as he remembered Choji discussing their teammate spending obviously way too much time with the Interrogation Unit. Somehow, he doubted their familial connection would save him from her wrath. If he was lucky, it might get him at least one step down from brutal maiming.
'On the positive side, it could probably get me a fairly long medical leave,' he thought, flinching slightly at the dark look Sakura-san shot the unfortunately fuming blonde.
"Hey, I may not like him all the time, but that's my knucklehead teammate you're talking about. Calm down," Sakura-san stated, giving Ino a minute to do as she was told. Without looking down, she destroyed a disturbingly large piece of rubble with one hit, the feat going completely unnoticed as she continued on with clearing her section.
'On that note, I should also remember not to get on her shit list either. A life of average wonder will be far easier to achieve if I'm not sipping my meals from a straw for the rest of my life.'
"Anyway, as I was saying, Naruto and his clones are great at getting a lot of things done, but they are still Naruto and he has probably the worst attention span I've ever seen," Sakura-san explained. "I mean, this is the same guy who got distracted for two hours contemplating the unusual coloring of a local bird which is strange in itself given that I don't know where he gets the time to bird watch, but that's beside the point. The point is that if it moves, glows or flashes pretty colors then it will distract him."
"A shame," Shikamaru grumbled, his gaze narrowing into a glare. He thought back to that thrown rock he'd foolishly dodged, shifting his glare away from the still piled rubble that he swore was actually growing, down to his unfortunately still capable hands wondering if he could rectify that problem with a convenient accident. If he could break a few bones in his hands by a few fallen rocks, then he could be relaxing in a hospital bed next to Sasuke-san in under an hour.
'Well, maybe I can avoid getting saddled with Sasuke-san for a hospital roommate. The moody, brooding cloud that usually follows him around is sure to kill any relaxing atmosphere,' he thought. 'Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, it's probably best if I can get an empty room I don't have to share because knowing my luck, I'll probably be saddled with someone like Rock Lee.' Shikamaru shivered at that thought remembering what little interaction he'd already had with the older boy. No one should have to endure a fate like that. Hell, he thought being forced to spend an hour in the boy's presence was cruel and unusual punishment. 'Maybe I could…'
'Kuso!' Shikamaru cursed as he thoughtlessly dodged a chunk of rubble that threatened to smash his face in.
"I thought I told you to get to work!"
Shikamaru glared at his teammate as he shifted through the rubble, grumbling once more about his better than average reflexes. If only he'd seen it coming, then he could have strategically placed his body just so to avoid permanent maiming, but still suffer severe injury.
"Anyway, like I was saying before this lazy fucker tried to get out of helping, we've got two weeks of vacation time and I plan to spend it at the Capital. The hustle and bustle of a real market district and all those exotic foods, now that's the place to be, right Choji?"
"Yeah sure, the Fire Capital restaurants are some of the best in all of Fire Nation," Choji replied happily, the sound only forcing a sigh from Shikamaru's lips. Sure, they could have a great time, but he was stuck being a responsible Chuunin with summons to see the Hokage following all this. A summons that he was sure would be some mission ready to rob him of his hard earned and much needed off time.
"While the Capital might be nice, I still want to visit Haku-kun. He and Inari-kun had to practically rush back after the area was secure following the attack and that idiot Naruto hogged every last minute of his visit here! Really, if Naruto wasn't already gone, I'd hit him so hard he'd wish he had several towns of distance between us."
"Could you hit me? Then at least I wouldn't be stuck here," Shikamaru mumbled under his breath, annoyed with his situation.
"Oh, shut up!" Ino snapped, having heard at least part of his mumbled statement. "You're a Chuunin, deal with the responsibility!"
"Fine," Shikamaru grumbled, shoulders slumped in defeat as he shifted his focus. "Hey, Sakura-san, you've been helping out at the hospital haven't you?"
"Yeah, I've covered a few shifts here and there, they needed volunteers. And it's not like there's much else I can do with Sasuke relegated to bed rest and Naruto doing who knows what outside of the village." She obliterated another piece of cement before turning to him in question, "Why? You thinking about helping out too?" There was some skepticism in her voice which he didn't fault her for, after all, he wasn't known for looking for more work to do.
"Help? No, I just wanted to know how Tenten-san was doing," Shikamaru continued, starting to regret bringing it up given the looks Sakura-san and Ino were giving him. He didn't have enough free time to find his friend, and the rumor mill had only managed to inform him that she was somehow still alive. He was curious. It didn't have to mean anything. It certainly didn't mean he was looking to volunteer his nonexistent free time. He didn't need the stress of more work in his life.
"Well, the last time I checked on her, she was recovering nicely. Of course she'll be out for at least another week, but the worst of her chakra exhaustion has passed," Sakura-san answered easily, clearing a large section of a ruined building in the process.
A small smile crept across his features as he nodded once in acknowledgement. That was good to know, now he didn't feel half as guilty as before for how envious he'd gotten when he'd first heard about her chakra exhaustion. After all, his own case of chakra exhaustion had been mild. Of course, that hadn't stopped him from trying to milk it for every minute of relaxation it was worth not that it amounted to much.
'Curse my incredible ability to ration my chakra properly,' he thought with a soft sigh as he remembered the paltry hour he'd been given in his emergency hospital bed before he'd been kicked out of it so someone 'actually injured' could use it. Honestly, he really was too damned lazy to be a ninja.
"And of course you've probably heard, but Neji-san was released the other day. Although, I doubt he'll be leaving the village anytime soon," Sakura-san continued.
"Speak of the devil," Ino stated, her attention shifted to the left begrudgingly drawing Shikamaru's gaze as well. There hobbling with one crutch, a plaster cast covering his right foot all the way up to the bottom of his knee, was Neji-san making his way towards them.
"Ah, Haruno-san there you are," Neji-san spoke without a greeting. Somehow, even hobbling on one leg, he still managed to maintain his stiff Hyuuga posture, an extraordinary feat to say the least.
"Hey Neji-san, what can I help you with?" Sakura-san replied easily, not batting an eye at the rather ridiculous sight he made.
"Gai-sensei requested that I inform you that he is still unavailable for extra training and he unfortunately does not see the situation changing for the next week or so. He sends his apologies and his regards."
"Okay, thanks for the heads up. You can tell Gai-sensei not to worry about it. I'll just stop by after I get back from my leave."
With a sharp nod, Neji-san turned stiffly on his crutch and hobbled nobly away. Shikamaru grinned widely at the sight. He almost felt guilty for how envious he'd been of Neji-san too. Almost. 'If only the ceiling had collapsed in the other direction,' he thought as he turned an eye back to his work. Curse his amazing luck.
"Hey, I hate to ask, but have you heard anything about…" Choji began only to pause, his sentence hanging open in the air.
"Oh," Sakura-san began. Like the rest of them, no one needed his teammate to finish his sentence for them to know who he was referring to. "Not much, he's staying at the Kennel I think. Tsume-sama thought his recovery would be best there."
"Okay, that's good, that's…" Choji trailed off again, worry clouding his normally joyful features. Silence filled the air as they continued to work, clearing area after area.
'Yeah, I hope it's good,' Shikamaru thought, his mind on his absent friend. 'At least Kiba should have Shino-san with him. Hopefully that will help.' And if not, well, it was already a complicated situation, he was sure it couldn't get much worse.
'Forty-one, forty-two, forty-three, forty-four,' the young disciple counted his slow deliberate steps never wavering, his gaze never straying from the path before him, eyes angled down at his feet and just the two steps in front of him so that he wouldn't trip. Other than that, he completely ignored his cavernous surroundings. Curiosity, after all, could get you killed. At least he assumed that was what had killed the last acolyte to walk this path. Here one day, then gone the next, having never returned from this perilous walk.
And sure, the rumors surrounding the previous disciple were numerous and varying in the other boy's fate, but he was no fool. No, he knew his fellow acolyte was no longer among the living. And he was going to make sure that didn't happen to him.
'Fifty-five, fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight' he continued. It was just a little further. The ever watchful Father had told him seventy paces. Seventy endless steps, through darkness, the only light a warm glow in the distance that he refused to look at because the path was straight ahead. Straight ahead with no deviations. Surely, that would keep him alive.
'Sixty-six, sixty-seven, sixty-eight, sixty-nine,'
"Seventy," he whispered in the darkness as he took his last step.
"My faithful servant," a deep voice boomed ripping through the quiet of the cave. It came from everywhere and nowhere. Engulfing the young disciple with only a handful of words. He felt the divine like he'd never felt it before. Powerful and all consuming. He fell to his knees. Head pressed to the cold ground below, he tried to stop his body from shaking, tried to hold off the trimmers that threatened with every second in the Great Father's presence. A low chuckle followed. Clearly he had not been successful. "Have the preparations commenced?"
"H-hai, Great Father," the young acolyte stumbled over his words, head pressed further into the cold stone. He dare not look up, dared not risk offense of the almighty father before him.
"Good." The voice rumbled against the cave walls surrounding them, ominous in its singularity. "Very good. The time grows closer. I feel him. His spirit calls to me. Soon. So soon. We mustn't waste a moment."
The young acolyte shook slightly, regret filling his veins. He'd believed, still believed in the one Truth, but fear coursed through him regardless, almost instinctively, and he was filled with doubt for the first time in his service to the one true order. He was…
Another low chuckle, sharper in its intensity erupted from the Great Father, and the fear coursing through the young disciple's veins rushed to the forefront. His heart raced, blood sliding down his face as he pressed his forehead even harder into the ground, past the point of pain, past the point of sense.
"Fear not," the deep voice rumbled, its effect the opposite of the command given. "His greatness will walk this Earth again for his pale light is the only beacon through the darkness."
"And his Truth is our Truth. The only Truth, the one Truth," the young acolyte responded, the words slipping from his lips with a practiced ease that required no thought, no effort. "And this is our Truth," he finished, mind blank of everything but the fear.
"Hai, boy," the voice rumbled as a cold hand snaked across the acolyte's face. Cold, hard fingers gripped softly at his chin, forcing the boy's gaze up with seemingly little effort despite how hard the disciple fought against the pull. Unable to look away, the darkness gave way to cold eyes. Endlessly black, they stared soullessly back at him, "And this is your Truth."
Pain raced through his veins as crooked fingers covered his face. And in the distance he could hear a blood curling scream. It grew louder with every passing second. The pain growing until all else faded but the memory of dead eyes in the darkness. And then there was nothing.
KJ's Culture Corner Presence… Nothing, because I didn't see anything that needed explaining. A good start, no? But if you forgot, here's a couple of short notes on:
Koushi, Yotsugi, Reishi: The many titles of the Hyuuga Heir, Hinata.
Ryu conversion: At the moment, 102.334 yen is equivalent to 1 american dollar.* (Of course this fluctuations so…)
Honorifics: Sama, dono, san, chan, kun.