Chapter 5: Connections to the Past - Enter the Toad Sage
"Youth is a blunder; Manhood a struggle, Old Age a regret."
- Benjamin Disraeli
Tsunade put her finishing touches on the letter to Hiashi, having sent a reply to Hiruzen first. Her bad mood clung around her like a noxious cloud, her jaw clenched tightly in rage at being backed into a corner as she was. Shizune sat off to the side, fretting over Tonton the pet pig as her attention switched back and forth from the letters on the table to her teacher.
The slug princess had made the decision to keep her apprentice in the dark about why she now needed to begin the trek to Tanzaku Gai. If she hadn't been so enraged, and going there hadn't required re-entering the Land of Fire, something Tsunade had been unwilling to do so long as there were other casinos she could still be welcomed at, the girl likely would have assumed it was to take advantage of the many gambling dens the town was known for. But the girl was perceptive enough to take the other factors into account. Still, she was also smart enough to know that her teacher would not appreciate being pressed for an answer at the moment.
Tsunade slashed the last few words onto the scroll with the brush as if it were a knife on flesh before blowing on the paper and reading it back to herself, lazily eating from the plate of dango she was enjoying for lunch.
Hiashi,
I do wish to make it clear that I am happy to hear from you and glad to know your daughters are doing well. That said, I am less than happy to hear from you for the reasons you have written.
You know as well as anyone in Konoha why I left the village and the life of a ninja. It is a fool's errand to protect my grandfather's and granduncle's dream, as it has outlived them and proven to not be the path to peace they envisioned. Children are still sent off to their deaths in war, and any who choose to attempt to gain the title of Hokage so they may change this cursed society die young, this perversion of the dream of the men that raised me proving to be immutable. The one man who that position has not killed before their fortieth birthdays likely has come to dread the hat almost as much as I have. Young and dead or old and exhausted. Neither is a fair fate.
However, Hiruzen was not understating the importance nor the severity of the situation. Still, were it not for the debt I owe you, you two were right in thinking I may have refused to return, even if the Hokage had still made it clear, as he did in his own letter, that I would be formally made a missing-nin of Konoha should I refuse.
I will be in Tanzaku Gai in a month's time. I will return to the village. But afterwards, I will cut all ties to Konoha more thoroughly than I have, you included this time. Our debt will be settled, and I will finally fade into obscurity as I have wanted for so long, left alone to walk the world in misery as I await the day I may see all those I have lost again in the next life.
I wish you luck in becoming the man you hope to be. But some of us are too old and weary to change anymore. One day you may understand, though I hope that for the safety of those you love, that day may never come.
Tsunade Senju
Satisfied with the harshness of what she had written and ignoring how petty she was being, the woman returned to the white bird that was sitting on the window, the brown counterpart having left earlier to bring her other response to the Hokage. If her words were a bit cold and sharp in the letter to Hiashi, then her response to her old teacher would set the scroll aflame the minute he opened it.
Once the letter was secured the bird took off, making its way back to Konoha. Tsunade pulled her bag over her shoulder with a grunt. "Come on Shizune. We're heading to Tanzaku Gai. We have a month to get there, but there's plenty of casinos and onsens we can hit up on the way if we leave now."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade." The woman sighed, standing and following. The blonde woman sighed to herself quietly so the dark-haired girl wouldn't hear. She couldn't help but think that if Shizune were to return to Konoha, she would not leave again. But that would be what it would be. In the end, complete isolation was her goal, right? And even though she had spent all this time away, Tsunade knew in her heart that Shizune still called Konoha home. Another tie to the village she would cut as she had promised in her letter.
With that sullen and self-pitying thought, the two began their journey.
Hinata walked alongside her teammates, coming up on the becoming-familiar sight of Ichiraku Ramen. The inconspicuous stand had been weighing heavily on her mind since the night before, when she had been looking at the picture of her mother with her genin team. The resemblance was too uncanny for there not to be something there.
As the three entered the shop, she saw it was empty. The lunch rush had likely just died down. Teuchi was in the front making dough for noodles by hand, while Ayame stood off to the side in front of a large sink washing dishes. The three quickly took seats as they two looked up and greeted them with smiles.
"Welcome back!" Teuchi greeted boisterously, turning to a sink behind him and washing his hands. "I'm not surprised to see Naruto, but I'm glad to see the food this morning was good enough to get your teammates back so soon."
"Actually it was all Hinata's idea!" Naruto declared happily. "She's already hooked, old man!"
Hinata blushed a deep red at the statement. While she had come here with her team for different reasons than just to eat, she had to admit she had greatly enjoyed her first experience with ramen both the day before and that morning. Still, she had an objective this time and would not be taken off track.
"Well, what'll it be?" Ayame asked, coming over from the sink as she dried her hands with a cloth.
"Three bowls, miso, beef and pork!" Naruto exclaimed, a fire in his eyes reserved for the position of Hokage and his favorite food. The Hyuga girl giggled at his sheer passion for something so simple.
"Shrimp please." Sasuke said simply, settling into his seat and closing his eyes.
"I-I'll have m-miso as w-well." Hinata said, completing the trifecta of orders.
"Coming right up!" Teuchi confirmed, turning to begin cooking.
'Now is my chance.' The shy girl thought to herself. " , sir?" She spoke, her voice quieter than she wanted it to be. Thankfully the man heard her clearly.
"No need to be so formal, young lady, fresh of breath air that little respect is after dealing with Naruto. You can just call me Teuchi or old man. Ramen guy is fine too." He chuckled good-naturedly at his own little joke.
"S-sorry." She said, cursing herself for apologizing out of habit. "I j-just w-wanted to a-ask you s-something."
"Sure." He said, Turning to his daughter, a bit of silent communication passed between them before she went to cook their orders. The ramen chef turned back to her. "I actually had something I wanted to ask you after you left yesterday, but it slipped my old mind this morning."
Hinata felt her heart beating in her chest as Naruto looked at the two confused and Sasuke opened one eye, giving the conversation his attention. "W-what d-d-did you w-want to ask?" The girl abhorred how much worse her stutter got when she was nervous, but there was little to help it now.
"You wouldn't happen to be Hitomi and Hiashi's kid, would you?" He questioned.
The girl felt her heart skip a beat as she nodded. Wordlessly she pulled the photo of her mother's team out of her jacket and placed it on the counter. A kind smile made its way onto Teuchi's face as he picked up the picture, his eyes gaining a faraway look. "Ah, I can guess what you wanted to ask me. I remember when this picture was taken."
"Y-yes." Hinata confirmed, nodding slightly. "I-I was w-w-wondering if y-you could t-tell me m-more about her."
Teuchi raised an eyebrow at this. "I'd be happy to, but I'm surprised you're coming to me instead of your father."
She looked down, feeling tears gathering at the corners of her eyes and willing them back. "He d-doesn't t-t-talk much about h-her anymore."
The cook frowned at this and then sighed. "I suppose I can understand that. I can count on one hand with fingers to spare the number of young couples I've seen in my life as in love as your parents. He probably has trouble talking about her nowadays." Leaning back on the wall behind him, his eyes returned to the picture. "You were pretty young when she died, right? I remember seeing you at the funeral, tiny little thing that you were."
He looked again into the distance, getting caught up in different times. Hinata vaguely noted that her two teammates were watching the conversation with rapt attention, clearly not having expected that this was Hinata's reason for having come here. "Your mother was different from most in your clan. She had a zeal for life most Hyuga don't express, and a temper too."
He chuckled as he thought back. "I still remember when she was trying to get your father to notice her feelings for him, as well as his own for her. Sharp man in most things, but dense as a block of wood when it came to matters of the heart. She eventually got so frustrated that she hit him with a Jyuken strike in the gut and yelled that he was an idiot but she loved him anyway, all in the middle of the village! They came here for their first date the next day, only a month after I took over from my father. Apparently there was hell to pay with the Hyuga elders, but I think that was the first time your old man really stood up to his clan for something. It ended up being lucky they were about as far apart on the Hyuga family tree as they could be while still being related, even if she was less prestigious than him and didn't offer the political advantages an arranged marriage would've."
Hinata tried to imagine such a scene. She had known her mother to be patient and compassionate, so the idea of her acting so aggressively was a strange mental image. Teuchi continued on. "Back then I was a chunin of some notoriety. Got a bit of a reputation in the lead up to the third war for being pretty good with a cleaver, plus I was decent with water and fire techniques. Some people started calling me 'Konoha's Boiling Butcher'. Before I knew it I got slapped with a promotion and a team of fresh genin right as the war broke out in earnest."
Ayame came back to the front, placing the five bowls in front of the children. "Been awhile since I heard you bring up your ninja days, dad." She remarked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, they're not all happy memories. Turns out Hinata here is the daughter of one of the members of my old genin team." The man replied, leaning forward and returning to his dough as he spoke. "Hitomi was definitely the leader of the team. Tsume - Tsume Inuzuka, the other girl in the picture - she was too hot-headed, and Shibi Aburame, while the best strategic mind in the group, was always reserved." He laughed again. "I still remember him startling the hell out of your mother the first time he talked. She had thought he was a mute!"
Hinata giggled slightly as she imagined a younger version of her mother. Brave, confident, leading her team. 'Nothing like me.' The girl thought to herself, a tinge of sadness tainting a conversation she was trying to enjoy. "A-am I m-m-much l-like her?" The girl asked with a touch of desperation, searching for some kind of similarity between herself and the mother she barely remembered.
"Spitting image." Teuchi answered matter-of-factly. "She even had the same stutter at your age."
That surprised the small girl. "But I-I thought y-you s-said that s-she was the l-leader of t-t-the team?"
"Well not right away!" Teuchi replied, shaking his head. "She was a complete wallflower out of the academy. Couldn't speak without a stutter, couldn't stand up for herself, and she was always the first person to beat herself down at the smallest mistakes." He sighed. "During a mission about a year into the war, she and her teammates were separated from me behind enemy lines, infiltrating the caves beneath the mountain ranges on the border of Fire and Earth. During those times genin teams were handed far more dangerous missions than in peace. Our objective was to rescue a diplomat who had been taken hostage. He was vital in setting up and maintaining our peace treaty with the Village Hidden in the Waterfalls."
He leaned back, his eyes getting that faraway look again. "I had taken a wound to my left arm - not lethal, and I took out the guy who did it, but it was bad enough it wasn't going to be doing me any good until I got treated. When I looked up from my fight, I just barely caught their terrified faces as a cave-in cut them off from me, the VIP… and the exit."
He closed his eyes now. "One of the worst moments of my life. I thought they were dead for sure, and with my injury I couldn't weave hand signs well enough to even attempt one of the few earth techniques I was familiar with to try and dig them out. My only hope was that they would find a way out and meet us at the rendezvous point about a kilometer away by nightfall, when our evacuation was due to come."
He opened his eyes, but he was clearly elsewhere, seeing the very image he began to describe. "After two hours of waiting, just before evac was due to arrive, I saw them coming over the horizon against the setting sun. Tsume was carrying her partner hound Kuromaru, while Hitomi had Shibi tossed over her shoulder. She was covered in blood, and none of it was hers."
Hinata held her breath at the vivid image. Her mother, covered in blood? But… "My c-c-clan's t-t-techniques don't u-usually c-caught m-much bleeding." The girl said, her voice almost a whisper.
"No, they don't." The chef agreed. "I learned later that Kuromaru had been hurt in the cave-in, while Shibi had already been knocked out by a particularly vicious earth technique. Tsume by her own admission was panicking, but she told me that Hitomi grabbed her, slapped her across the face, and told her without stuttering once that they would all make it out of there alive. Your mother took point while they moved through the cave system, Tsume carrying both of their other teammates."
He chuckled again, but this time his tone was dark. "She disabled most of her enemies with the Jyuken quietly, but they ran into a jonin at the exit who sensed them. He identified himself and offered them the opportunity to surrender once he saw how injured and exhausted they were. Of course my kids knew that the offer was hollow. Hitomi insisted she got lucky - they were in close quarters, and she guessed that the enemy was a long-range fighter based on his taijutsu relative to his rank. She was almost entirely out of chakra, and couldn't even manage a Jyuken strike by the time their match was about over. But she could hold a kunai, and that's how she ended the fight. He wasn't ready for a Hyuga to get their gentle hands dirty."
He trailed off for a moment, then took a deep breath and continued. "After we got back to the village and everyone healed up, your mother was different. Tsume and Shibi deferred to her, her stutter was gone, and she never hesitated to make a call in the field. She was promoted after that mission on my recommendation, and went to complete dozens of missions by the end of the war. I think she always remembered how going away from your clan's teachings saved her and her team on that mission. She started training with senbon and small knives - got herself a nickname by the end of the war and an entry in the bingo books. 'Hitomi of the Hidden Blades'. Better than 'Boiling Butcher' as far as I'm concerned."
He sighed. "After that mission the injury to my arm retired me. Never quite got the strength back in it, damage to the tendons in the wrist. Not bad enough that I notice it running the stand now, but bad enough that I wasn't able to serve on the frontlines anymore. And we really fell out of touch once she married Hiashi and became focused on motherhood and clan duties. I would recommend talking to Tsume if you want to learn more about the woman your mother became as an adult. Those two were best friends until the day your mother passed."
'I think that's Kiba's mother…' Hinata thought to herself, nodding at the chef. "T-thank you f-for everything y-you have t-t-told me." She said, bowing her head politely.
He waved his hand, returning to the dough. "No need for thanks. Hitomi would have my head if I didn't sing her praises to anyone who asked, let alone you. Now you kids should dig in before your food gets cold."
The three genin, all of whom had been enraptured by the story, all seemed to just then notice the bowls in front of them rapidly losing steam. With a nod and a muttered thanks, Hinata began eating as her mind swirled, attempting to reconcile the gentle image she had of her mother with the fierce woman Teuchi had described.
Naruto finished his ramen quickly, much faster than his teammates, but that did not surprise him. He had dealt with uncertainty over where his next meal would come from very young, and ate quickly accordingly whenever the opportunity presented itself, regardless of whether or not it was his favorite food.
Drinking the broth out of his last bowl, he looked over at Hinata and decided to consider what he would say before he spoke for once. He didn't have parents - the book on ninja clans in his bag crossed his mind once more - but he had imagined what they had been like many times. In those mental images, he imagined two adults, blonde hair and blue eyes like him. He imagined his mother as a beautiful, gentle woman with endless patience, his father a wise man who always knew what to do in a bad situation. His father also had a beard in these mental images, as he had decided at an early age fathers had beards for whatever reason, but that was beside the point.
He wondered, if he ever found out what kind of people his parents were and that reality differed from what he imagined, how that would make him feel. Drawing on this theoretical feeling, he turned to Hinata and said, "Your mom sounds like she was really cool." He said, smiling wide. He knew from experience that if you said something with a big smile, people tended to react better.
The girl jumped slightly, having been swirling her half-eaten meal around the bowl with an expression of deep contemplation. "T-thank y-you… I-I think s-so t-too." She replied, looking back down into the bowl. "I-I'm just… Surprised is a-all."
Naruto nodded, glad his thoughts on his own situation had led him to the right conclusion. "I kinda know what you mean… I don't know who my parents were, but I've imagined them a lot. I think I wouldn't know how to feel either if I found out they were different than what I imagined."
Hinata nodded slowly. "Y-yes… I k-knew my m-mother, but a-as m-my mother. N-not as the w-warrior Teuchi j-just described. I-I a-am having trouble s-seeing h-her as someone who s-shed b-b-blood."
The blonde boy nodded emphatically. "Yeah, I get what you mean. I never really thought about it, but I guess if my parents were ninja they woulda fought and killed people." He leaned his elbow onto the counter and looked up thoughtfully, his hand on his chin. "But I guess every ninja has to kill people."
The boy's mind went quickly down that rabbit hole. He had known factually for a long time what the life of a shinobi entailed, but this was the first time he really considered the implications of a life of conflict. Naruto found himself feeling strange, knowing one day he would have to take a life. The thought of murder, even justified in the heat of battle, didn't sit well with him in many ways, but it wasn't as if there were other options - were there?
As if reading his mind, Sasuke spoke up. "Killing is a part of being a ninja. Everyone has to live with it." He stated matter-of-factly.
Naruto frowned in response. "But isn't killing wrong?" He asked, pondering the question himself. On the surface the answer was obviously yes, but for a ninja it was less clear.
The Uchiha scoffed in response to the question. "Being a ninja isn't about right and wrong. It's about what helps your village and keeps it safe. In battle either you die or they do. No room for childish morality in that."
Narrowing his eyes at that statement, the blonde leaned in towards his teammate. "How you so sure about that, huh? You just became a ninja like we did."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I've been exposed to the life of a ninja since I was born. When I was younger my father - " the boy cut himself off, his expression souring. "Nevermind. It doesn't matter. Just know that I learned that from people who knew more than you did."
The blonde grit his teeth at the implied insult, but then sighed and let it go. He was quickly getting used to Sasuke. The dark-haired boy was as big of a bastard as Naruto had always thought he was in a lot of ways, but the child was beginning to get the feeling that that was simply how his male teammate was and that maybe, just maybe, he had a reason for being that way. He didn't want to keep getting worked up every time the other boy said something that rubbed him the wrong way, especially since it seemed to make Hinata uncomfortable. He was slowly figuring out that he cared about her feelings, and while he was not far along enough to really consider the implications of such a revelation he was empathetic enough to make sure not to upset her if he could avoid it.
Instead, he decided to use Sasuke's statement to help his female teammate. Turning back to Hinata, he smiled again, but more naturally this time, in truth reassured by the thought himself. "Well there you go, Hinata! Even if your mom did some bad things to people while she was a ninja, that doesn't make her a bad person!"
The girl looked at him searchingly for a moment before slowly nodding. "I suppose you're r-r-right." She replied, still not looking entirely convinced but seeming to have been helped at least a little bit by his words. Then her eyes widened as she looked at him and she began blushing heavily, looking away while poking her fingers together.
Naruto tilted his head to the side questioningly. "Woah Hinata, are you feeling sick? You're all red." Without a thought the boy reached out and turned her head back to him by her chin with one hand, placing his other on her forehead. "You're burning up!"
As soon as he did this action, the girl went from red to absolutely scarlet. She opened her mouth to speak but only a small squeaking noise came out before her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted, nearly falling off the stool if not for Naruto quickly grabbing her shoulders.
"Hinata! Are you okay?" He shouted with concern.
Sasuke of all people burst out laughing.
"Hey asshole, our teammate isn't feeling well! Something made her sick all the sudden, at least try and be concerned!" Naruto barked, annoyance obvious in his tone.
All that did was make the Uchiha laugh harder.
Sasuke was still chuckling lightly as the three genin walked back to the clothing store. He had been right in thinking that the Hyuga's obvious feelings for the blonde child would be a source of amusement for him. The way he grabbed her chin was absolutely perfect, and the Uchiha was almost giddy - or at least as close as he got to such a feeling - at the prospect of seeing the girl's reaction when she woke up and realized she was being carried bridal style by Naruto.
His mind turned more fully to the girl now. He had taken plenty of time to ponder what more there was to Naruto Uzumaki than met the eye, but if he was being fair Hinata Hyuga had been even more against his expectations. He once more wondered why she seemed to intimidate him when she got that glint in her eye.
After all, Sasuke Uchiha was not one to be intimidated by anyone his own age. He had gladly sparred and beaten any classmate placed before him in the academy, even ones with plenty of identifiable talent on their own like Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka. Not once had he expected anything less than victory. But this Hyuga girl had actually made him doubt his odds of success should they fight, even if it had been only for a moment.
What made her different? Was it the fact that she was a Hyuga? That didn't quite feel right. They were an old and storied clan, but even they only managed to come close to the prestige of the Uchiha unlike most clans in the village, not at all equalling or surpassing it. Was it that she was a girl? That may have been part of it. He was used to girls his age throwing themselves at him, believing him to be some idealized tortured soul they could heal when he knew only one thing would quiet the screaming specters of his family that haunted him. Hinata was different.
It was with that thought that he realized what it was about her that intimidated him. Earlier that day when she had challenged him, he had seen in her eyes that she had believed she could win if they had fought. Outside of Naruto, he couldn't say that about any of their former classmates, and with the blonde he had always been so incompetent that he had never been taken seriously despite his assured confidence.
The Hyuga girl on the other hand, she was just that, a Hyuga. That clan was regarded as having the most dangerous taijutsu in Konoha. Even when he was a child, he remembered Hyuga children often beating out the Uchiha in the academy due to their immediate access to their dojutsu, compared to the Uchiha, who had to unlock theirs through near-death experiences. This allowed them access to many more of their clan arts and techniques than his kin had, especially pertaining to the Jyuken. She may have never particularly impressed at the academy, but what if that wasn't truly about her ability? What if that was simply her own lack of confidence in her abilities? Would she beat him?
The prospect of not being the best among his peers felt like an icy hand squeezing his heart. He could not afford to be anything but the best among his level. If there was a chance he was weaker than a shy wallflower like Hinata, how would he ever be stronger than that man?
Was that what scared him? Not the challenge itself, but the prospect he might not rise to it?
It was strange to be this introspective, the boy mused to himself. He had worked with things in only black and white for so long. Either he was or wasn't strong enough to achieve his ambition. Either people were or were not useful to help him achieve that ambition, usually the latter by his estimation. He had his goal, the why was obvious as far as he was concerned, and there was no reason to think any deeper than that.
This was the first time the reason behind the way his mind worked mattered. Perhaps he would have more than one-word answers during his therapy session with Inoichi Yamanaka this Sunday.
"Hey sensei! I think Hinata is sick!" Naruto's shout roused the Uchiha from his internal musings. He looked up and saw their new teacher waiting in front of the clothing shop, a bit earlier than expected. The Uchiha scion then looked over at his blonde teammate and saw the girl he was carrying was beginning to rouse.
The corners of his mouth curling into a slight smile, Sasuke banished such thoughts from his mind and prepared to enjoy the show.
As consciousness began once again to make itself a nuisance, Hinata snuggled into the pillow her head rested against, desperately not wanting to open her eyes. It was such a nice, warm, soft pillow, smelling vaguely woodsy yet also somewhat like a nice bowl of homemade soup.
However her mind could only allow her the fantasy of being at home asleep in her bed at its most comfortable before her eyes shot open, memories of what led to her being unconscious in the first place flashing to the forefront of her mind. All she saw with her now restored vision was orange.
'... I-I'm n-not, am I?' The girl thought as she looked up slowly, her stutter actually materialized in her own thoughts due to her sheer embarrassment. Her gaze was met with pure cerulean pools filled with concern.
"Hey, you're awake!" Naruto exclaimed, shifting her to a sitting position in his arms where he was supporting her with one arm under her behind, placing his now free hand on her forehead again. "You feel cooler. Are you doing okay?"
Between the way he was now holding her somehow being both better and worse, the now very close proximity of their faces, and him once more placing his hand on her forehead, Hinata did the only thing she could and promptly fainted again.
"Hinata! Sensei, I think she's really sick!" Naruto exclaimed again. Kakashi inhaled deeply as he took in the sight of one student fainting, another looking at her with worry as he continued to hold her in a way that would not be out of place in his current romance novel, and his last normally reserved student laughed hysterically.
'Am I happy Sasuke is showing emotion, or frustrated that this is all it takes to knock Hinata out cold? Either way someone is going to have to explain birds and bees to Naruto.' He exhaled heavily. 'And I have the worst feeling that someone is going to be me.'
"Well, it has been a long day. Maybe she's just tired. Why don't we pick up the clothes and I'll take her home for the day?" The jonin said amicably, deciding to just roll with the absurdity as best he could.
"If you're sure sensei." Naruto said, holding out the girl while looking at her like a worried hen. Kakashi noted that the blonde seemed to have no issue carrying her weight - he had more strength than his diminutive size indicated. The jonin turned around and took her in a much more appropriate piggy-back position.
The group proceeded into the store and picked up the order, a different person minding the counter. It was a younger woman, with brown hair and warm eyes, whose expression did not change in the slightest when she looked at Naruto.
"Hello, I'm here to pick up an order placed earlier today, it should be a jacket and some jumpsuits, as well as some black pants and shirts." Kakashi said pleasantly. As long as the woman didn't show any prejudice towards his blonde student, he had no reason to put her through the wringer like the earlier woman.
Her eyes glazed for a moment as she searched her memory before her face lit up in recognition. She smiled apologetically. "Yes, your order is ready here, we packed them separately." She hefted two large backs from under the counter, handing them to each boy. "I would also like to apologize for my mother earlier today. While I wish you had been gentler with her, we would never turn away business from a ninja of our village, and her actions were indefensible. My name is Mina, please feel free to ask for me if you need to place future orders." She bowed slightly at the group.
Kakashi smiled with his eye and waved one of his hands. "Don't worry about it. Please pass my apologies to her as well. I may have been too… emphatic… in my response. So long as the kid can come here without me and get service, there's no issues."
Naruto smiled gently next to his sensei at the woman. "Thank you."
She smiled warmly back at him, tilting her head to the side. "My pleasure. You all have a good day!" She then seemed to take notice of the unconscious Hinata on the Hatake's back and took on a worried expression. "Oh my, is she okay?"
Before Naruto could speak, Kakashi cut in and answered. "She'll be fine, just a little tired from their genin test earlier today. Thank you again." He then turned and hurried the boys out of the shop to spare the Hyuga girl any more embarrassment.
As the foursome left, Kakashi began speaking, making a quick decision. "If you are both amenable, the Hokage invited me to join him for dinner tonight to discuss how we will develop your talents. I don't think he would mind if you were there too."
"Hell yeah, I love eating on the old man's ryo!" Naruto exclaimed, pumping one of his bag-laden arms into the air.
Sasuke simply sighed in exasperation before nodding. "I have nothing better to do." The jonin thought it good that he was getting good enough to read the normally closed-off child that the glint in his eye at the mention of the Hokage having a say in their development was easily spotted.
Kakashi smiled at the two. "Great to hear. Meet me in front of the Hokage tower tonight. It's a short walk to the Sarutobi residence from there. Until then, try to rest. I plan to push you all hard starting tomorrow."
Naruto nodded excitedly, and Sasuke also seemed to like the idea. The two boys turned and began heading in separate directions, likely to their respective homes to put away the day's purchases and prepare for dinner.
Kakashi himself began heading to the Hyuga clan compound with the still out-cold Hinata on his back. Being the middle of the afternoon, the village was abuzz with activity. As he passed through the market district the sights and sounds of merchants promoting their wares, children playing in the streets, and the citizens gossiping and chatting were heard. Once again, now that his face wasn't buried in a book, he realized how often people would smile and wave at him. Ninjas he had worked with, some whose lives he saved, even gave him slight bows as they passed.
'Have people always seen me like this?' The jonin wondered as a middle-aged woman waved at him. He recognized her as the minder of the pet store where he bought many of the items he used to care for his ninja hounds. 'How many people were waving while my nose was in a book?'
Soon the Hyuga compound came into view. Thinking it would likely be better for everyone if the heiress was awake, he gently shook her. "Time to wake up, Hinata." He said. "No Naruto around now, so try to stay that way."
The girl stirred, opened her eyes, then immediately buried her face in her teacher's back again. "S-sensei, d-d-did I-"
"Yeah." The man confirmed simply, kneeling down and letting her clamber off his back. "I don't know if it's fortunate or unfortunate that he's so oblivious."
At that statement the girl looked at him in a panic, but he simply waved his hand. "Don't get all worked up. Your secret is safe with me. Although I think there's only one person it's a secret from." He stood up and straightened out, bracing his lower back with his hands and eliciting a series of cracks. "Have you felt that way about him for long?"
The girl looked at him, clearly conflicted, before she sighed. "... W-when we w-were in t-the academy, h-he s-stood up t-to s-s-some bullies f-for m-me… I s-started w-watching him after t-that." She poked her fingers together and smiled slightly as her cheeks turned pink. "N-no m-matter how m-much others p-put h-him down, h-he kept trying t-to c-change their m-m-minds. To g-get them to acknowledge him."
"And you wanted to be like him?" Kakashi drew his own conclusions fairly easily. "You wanted to be able to change your family's minds? For them to acknowledge you?" As she looked up at him, Kakashi tapped his head with one finger. "I'm a jonin and I have access to files written by every teacher you ever had. Plus branch house members actually can be very talkative - and angry - after a couple drinks post-mission." He quirked his head to the side thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, I think you are the only member of the main house they've ever had anything good to say about. Especially Ko."
The girl looked stunned at this revelation, though whether that was at the idea that her standing within her clan was more widely known than she had assumed or the fact that she was actually regarded positively by anyone of her blood he couldn't be sure. After a moment, her expression grew miserable. "Then y-you k-know t-that I'm a d-d-disgrace…" She began.
The copy-nin quieted her by placing his hand on top of her head. "None of that now." He said, trying to make his tone both stern and kind. "You actually managed to incapacitate me more than you might think with your strike during the test earlier. You wouldn't have been able to know, but your attack actually put me in a spot where I would not have been able to use my strongest technique safely. In a real fight, that would have been massive."
He could see in her eyes she didn't fully believe him, so he kept pushing. "In addition to that, I don't think you realize how good your affinities are. Water and lightning are two of the most complimentary out there. You have a massive amount of potential Hinata. I just don't think you've been given a chance to grow into it."
The girl managed a small smile. "Thank you, sensei. I'll do my best."
Kakashi returned her smile with his eye. "See? Already overcoming your stutter. Don't sell yourself short." The heiress's eyes widened as if she hadn't realized herself, and her smile truly broke though.
The older ninja turned towards the compound. "Do you mind if I come in with you? I had actually been hoping to speak to your father. I've been invited to the Sarutobi clan compound for dinner tonight to discuss your training with the Hokage, and I was hoping you both would attend."
The girl looked at him questioningly, and he returned her look with another eye smile. "I don't exactly know what he plans to have you learn in the coming months in regards to clan techniques. I'd like his input on what I plan to teach you so you'll have as diverse and complementary a set of abilities as possible." He paused for a moment. "Naruto will be there."
The girl looked uncertain, but still nodded in confirmation. "O-okay, c-come with me." She took the lead and led him through the clan gates. He nodded at the two guards stationed out front - one of them, Hikaru, he remembered, had been in his class at the academy.
The copy-nin had never been inside of the Hyuga clan compound before, and he had to admit it impressed even more than he had expected. The foyer of the building was absolutely spotless, very traditional in its decoration and construction. Four bamboo plants stood, one in each corner, and there were wall scrolls with detailed calligraphy and beautiful ink drawings of animals such as tigers and cranes. As they moved into an adjoining hallway they began to pass members of the clan going about their business. Kakashi was on the receiving end of a couple of looks of curiosity, but he was more intent on the looks Hinata received. He noticed that those clansmen with uncovered foreheads looked at her with disdain, while passing branch members gave her looks of pity. She seemed to avoid seeing any of the expressions, her head down and eyes focused on her feet as she walked.
'It's almost a miracle she's not worse if this is what just walking around her home is like.' The jonin thought to himself, feeling anger rising in his chest. He was reminded of how many in the Uchiha clan had treated Obito - as if he was offending their bloodline simply by being different from the ideal.
Soon, they came up on the door to what Kakashi assumed was Hiashi's office given that it was at the end of the long hallway. Hinata knocked gently on the door, and an older male voice from the other side said, "Come in."
Hinata opened the door and walked inside with Kakashi following her. Hiashi Hyuga sat behind a large wooden desk of the finest material, behind him a bookcase neatly stacked with scrolls and tomes. His office was otherwise austere, lacking even the refined topiary and wall decorations located throughout the rest of the compound. "Ah, Kakashi Hatake. It is nice to see you again. I assume this means my daughter and her team are officially your students?"
Kakashi nodded. "Yes. I was particularly impressed by the power of one of her Jyuken strikes during the test. It actually severely hampered the use of my tenketsu throughout my right arm. You must be proud of her abilities." A calculated statement, one the jonin was using to gauge how much of a supporter Hinata had in her own father.
The man smiled mirthlessly. "I am, however I am beginning to suspect that not very much of that is owed to me personally, nor have I shown the pride as I should have. Please, take a seat." The clan head gestured to the two chairs across from him.
'Well, that wasn't what I was expecting.' The jonin thought. He took his seat. "I'm actually here for more than just to sing her praises. I was hoping to get your input in what I planned to train Hinata in, as you know what her future in clan arts will look like and I want my teachings to complement those skills she will already be learning."
Hiashi's expression didn't change, though he did nod thoughtfully. "I can appreciate your thinking. It is actually very refreshing to see you intend to teach Hinata abilities outside of our clan arts. It is unfortunate but true that the majority of the time, our children see their sensei rely on what they are learning from the clan instead of expanding their horizons."
"That would be a waste." Kakashi replied. "We actually tested elemental affinities earlier today and I have found that Hinata has a dual affinity to both lightning and water."
At this, Hiashi's eyes widened. "Is that so?" He said, his tone now intent. "Lightning?" The Hatake nodded in confirmation. "That is… Most fortuitous. In that case, my best recommendation for helping Hinata gain the most from her training with clan techniques is to develop her lightning affinity as quickly as possible. There are several techniques she will be learning that can truly have their potential unlocked if mixed with elemental composition, lightning being best suited."
Kakashi nodded. "Good to hear. Actually, I hadn't intended to discuss her development here. As you're aware, Lord Third has taken a particular interest in this team, and invited me to dinner tonight to discuss how we could go about bringing out their full potential. Both of her teammates will be in attendance. I was hoping you could both come as well."
The jonin had been carefully watching Hinata out of the corner of his eye. Her emotions were plain as day, but what stood out the most to him during the conversation was how her face had gone emotionless when her father had spoken of having pride in her, an iciness taking over her visage that he had not seen from her before.
This was an interesting development. He had expected she would have been elated at the complementary words given their discussion just moments ago outside of the compound, but evidently he would have assumed incorrectly. Something to file away and look into for later - after all, if there was anyone who could understand having complex feelings about one's father, it was him.
Hiashi smiled lightly. "That would be excellent. There are other matters I need to speak with the Hokage about myself, so this will provide an excellent opportunity. " He turned to Hinata. "Is that agreeable for you as well, daughter?"
The girl, her face still uncharacteristically impassive, nodded. Kakashi smiled with his eye. "Excellent, we'll meet in front of the Hokage tower this evening. With that, I suppose I'll take my leave." The man stood, nodded at his student, a bit worried at her sudden coldness but chalking it up as something he would have to understand with time, and exited the office. He followed the hallways the way he came in and soon arrived at the entrance, only to be greeted by a familiar, if unexpected, sight.
"NEJI! Thank you for allowing Lee into your home to use the bathroom!" Maito Gai exclaimed, his voice full of his signature bombastic energy and posed as he usually was, thumb up and teeth shining.
The young Hyuga boy near him, Neji, Kakashi realized, returned this look with the signature impassive Hyuga expression. Next to him a girl with brown hair done in buns, had her face in her hands. "Remember sensei, allowing you two in here before we parted for the day was contingent on you lowering your volume." Neji said, his tone biting.
Gai sweatdropped, rubbing the back of his head. "Yes, right." The man then turned and locked eyes with Kakashi, his face breaking out into another blinding smile. "Kakashi! Fancy seeing you here!"
"Volume." Neji said once again, causing another sweatdrop to form.
"Yes, Neji." The jonin placated, his posture slouching further. He turned back to his peer and straightened out, resuming his smile and speaking much more quietly. "Kakashi. It is good to run into you today. Bringing your own student home I take it?"
"Yeah, I am." The copy-nin confirmed. "Hinata and her teammates actually did quite well. Not only was Naruto able to see through to the true purpose of the bell test and rally his teammates, but they actually managed to get one over on me and take the bells."
Both of Gai's eyebrows shot up past his bowl cut at that. "Really? Quite impressive!" He placed
his hand on the nearby Neji's shoulder. "Kakashi is the toughest test-giver out there with new teams. Bet you're surprised to hear that your cousin and her team did so well."
Neji gave his sensei an icy glare in response, shrugging off his hand. "Hn. I am less than surprised Hinata succeeded, if her teammates did most of the work."
Kakashi's uncovered eye narrowed at this. He was aware from nights spent out with Gai that Neji Hyuga was not very complimentary about the main family, but that comment felt more personal. "Actually Hinata was very useful in the match. She managed to use subterfuge to hit me with a gentle fist strike that severely hindered my dominant arm and distracted me from the ploy from Naruto and Sasuke that ultimately won them the day."
The boy glared defiantly at the older ninja. "And yet it would have been for naught if her teammates were not there. Someone like her isn't capable of great deeds on her own. It is her fate to be the lesser."
"Neji…" Gai whispered sorrowfully. Then his expression hardened. "I would think you would show more respect to a superior than that."
Kakashi waved his hand. "It's not me who he is disrespecting, Gai." Still, a part of him felt indignant at the sheer offense his words leveled at Hinata, and he felt the same sense of protectiveness he had earlier in the shop with Naruto. "That said, I doubt a girl who is actually as you describe would have the attention of the Hokage."
The young boy looked surprised for only a moment at this statement before quickly schooling his features into a mask of impassivity. "Of course she does. I am sure all clan heirs, deserved or not, have the eye of Lord Third due to the stations they were born into."
"Oh no, not at all. In fact the potential Hinata has shown specifically has garnered special interest." The jonin commented in a lackadaisical manner. He knew he was playing a stupid game, but something about the derision the boy displayed - a boy who was regarded as a genius in his clan's arts and clearly had an ax to grind - bothered the copy-nin enough that letting this information loose felt worth it. "In fact, my team and I, as well as Hiashi, will be joining the Hokage tonight at the Sarutobi compound so he will have a chance to share how he wishes they will be developed."
"What an excellent opportunity for your students' flames of youth to be kindled to greater heights!" Gai exclaimed, cutting Neji off before he could respond. "I could only hope for such an opportunity for my team!"
An idea shot into Kakashi's head. A chance to maybe show this boy that his cousin was worth more than he thought, as well as a chance to get more insight into training his team this evening and maybe even help out Gai's team as well. "No reason not to have the chance. Why don't you and your team join us as well? The more the merrier after all."
The three all looked at each other in surprise. Tenten, who had previously been quiet, spoke up first. "I would love the chance to receive guidance from the man who trained Tsunade Senju." Her expression was dreamy at the thought.
"Sensei!" A youthful, boisterous voice called. Kakashi turned and saw one Rock Lee striding from down the hall. He stood before the group then bowed at a perfect right angle. "Thank you for allowing me into your home to relieve myself, Neji! If I cannot hold it next time, I will do one-thousand push-ups! And if I cannot do that, I will do five-thousand sit-ups!"
"Volume." Neji hissed again, rubbing his temples.
It was then that Lee took notice of Kakashi standing awkwardly to the side. He turned and gave a salute, his back ram-rod straight. "Sir! You wouldn't happen to be sensei's illustrious rival, Kakashi Hatake?"
"Er… Yes?" Kakashi asked. He had seen the boy a couple of times, but his resemblance to Gai up close was now uncanny. Evidently he had recently started cutting his hair in his teacher's style, as well as wearing an identical replica of that eye-gouging garish spandex jumpsuit. 'Kami I can't tell if his eyebrows make him look better or worse than Gai in that suit… Especially with the hair.'
With that response, the boy bowed deeply again. "It is an honor to meet someone almost as strong as Maito Gai!"
"... Almost?" Kakashi said, his eyebrow raised.
"Hehe, remember Kakashi, we are currently fifty to forty-nine in my favor!" Gai reminded him, a small bit of light shining off his teeth as he gave his signature thumbs-up.
'Oh yeah, he won that round of rock-paper-scissors last time.' The cyclops remembered. 'Well, the longer he's in the lead on his own personal tally the more smug he'll get. Better knock him down a few pegs.' Externally, he innocently asked, "What do you say you give me the chance to even the score?"
Gai smiled smugly. "If you think you can handle it."
With that, the two held up their closed fists. "Rock…" Gai intoned, his voice heavy with the gravity of the situation.
"Paper." Kakashi said, his voice much more blaise.
"Scissors…" Gai reponsed, staring at the two hands go up and down as if this were a life-or-death scenario.
"Shoot!" The two said together, throwing out their chosen weapons. Gai had chosen rock, while Kakashi had chosen paper.
"Urk!" The boisterous man reared back as if he had been physically struck. "How did you manage to best me this time?"
'Because you always chose rock and I let you win half the time so you don't immediately challenge me again.' The jonin thought to himself, smiling under his mask. Even if he could be the silliest ninja in Konoha, Kakashi would have been lying to himself if he said he didn't appreciate these contests with Gai. They allowed him a chance to have back a bit of the rivalry he had once shared with Obito. "Well Gai, would I be worthy of being your rival if I always lost?" He asked innocently.
Gai's eyes widened before he smiled once again. "Too true!" He turned to Lee, who had been watching the "contest" with rapt attention. "Let this be a lesson to you Lee! It is only those who can defeat you that are worth combating, for that is how you will grow truly strong!"
"So wise, sensei!" Lee agreed enthusiastically, pulling a notebook seemingly out of thin air and jotting down his teacher's words.
"Are you are so studious, Lee!"
"Sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Dear Kami, not in my home." Neji groaned, averting his eyes.
"Oh no." Tenten sighed, placing her hands over her own eyes.
'Why are they-' Kakashi began to think to himself, only to suddenly have the scene in front of his eyes distorted. Instead of the pristine walls of the Hyuga compound, they were now on a beachfront, the sun glowing as it set behind them. Waves crashed upon the shore as the student and teacher embraced.
And just like that, the illusion was over. "... What in the fu-" The copy-nin began to ask, eyes burning.
"Don't ask." Tenten replied, rolling her eyes.
"Manly hugs of affirmation deserve proper setting!" Gai defended. "I may not be one for genjutsu, but it's a simple illusion to create behind us."
"... So yeah, we'll be meeting by the Hokage tower later tonight. Catch Lee up for me. See you all then." With that, the Hatake made a speedy exit out the door. Gai may have been his best friend, rival, and someone worthy of respect, but in order to keep it that way Kakashi would need to suppress that memory as best he could as quickly as possible. 'I really need to talk to Gai more. He's gotten even more eccentric over the years.'
Besides, he would need to stop by and explain to the Hokage that there would be eight extra guests at his home that night. Surely he wouldn't mind.
Far south, deep into the Land of Tea, a large man with spiky white hair that reached far enough down his back to meet the top of his calves sat squatting at the walls of a bathhouse, his eye peering through an all-too-convenient hole in the wood. High-pitched giggling could be heard, both from the young female patrons on the other side of the wall and from the man himself.
Many who knew of him but not him personally may have questioned his actions. After all, he was a man repudiated across the world. The Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, Legendary Seal Master, the Spymaster of Konoha, Jiraiya of the Sannin.
However more than any of those titles, he was most proud of his self-given moniker of super pervert, something those that knew the man personally were aware of and therefore, those few would be less than surprised that he was taking a break after meeting a contact to conduct more research for his best-selling erotica, the Icha Icha novels.
The man was currently watching a scene that had him ready to cry tears of pure joy.
"Togo, how do you get your skin so smooth?" One girl, a blonde with a pleasingly-athletic build, asked another girl bathing next to her, a brunette with a voluptuous figure and beautiful pale skin.
The now named Togo blushed. "Oh, thank you Orihime. Well I come to these hot springs very often. It helps a great deal with keeping my complexion clear." She looked away, her eyes growing sad. "M-my fiance has noticed it too… Though he was a bit more crude…"
The blonde, Orihime, snorted. "Forget about him. What your father was thinking of arranging your marriage to that pig Junya I can't understand." She then smiled deviously, standing up and to Jiraiya's jubilation dropping her towel. "I think I know what could take your mind off of that…"
Togo blushed a deep crimson but did not look away. "Ori… We can't keep doing this…"
"Like hell we can't!" Orihime barked. Her expression then softened, and she moved forward, settling herself into a position straddling the other girl. "Baby, you know we could just leave. Leave behind our families, their expectations, your bastard fiance. Move somewhere far away and start a new life. I have friends in Fire Country that could help."
"I-I…" Orihime tried to respond, but the longing in her eyes showed how much she wanted what her apparent lover was suggesting.
"Besides…" She smiled again, her hand reaching beneath the water. "You know Junya could never make you feel how I do." Orihime gasped lightly as her eyes rolled back into her head and her body seemed to melt. "We have time. I booked the hot springs for just you and me for the next few hours, used the excuse that it couldn't be risked that noble women be seen in a state of undress…"
'Good Kami above I don't even need to change anything! It's like the story of hot, wet, girl-on-girl forbidden love is getting written in front of my eyes! Because that's exactly what's happening!" The illustrious toad sage thought to himself, writing furiously on his notepad as blood streamed steadily from his nose.
Right as he was getting in the zone, and Orihime's towel was coming undone, the man felt something sticky and wet collide with the top of his head. He reached up and realized there was a large bird dropping now covering the top of his head. "Urgh!" The man gagged, louder than he meant to.
"T-Togo, st-stop… Did you hear that?"
'Goddamn fucking bird!" The pervert cursed to himself, quickly performing the replacement technique without the need for seals. He was immediately teleported nearly one-hundred yards away into some bushes, a rock he had strategically placed where he now stood at his previous location in front of the peephole.
Cursing his luck, the sannin quietly made his way to a creek in the opposite direction of the bathhouse and dunked his head in the water, scrubbing viciously at his hair. "I'll never get that lucky again… Dammit all!" He ruminated. He heard a chirp from behind and turned, seeing a brown bird waiting for him atop a large rock by the river. Tied to its leg was a scroll.
"Of course it was you." The man growled, stomping over to the bird and quickly untying the message. This particular messenger hawk was used exclusively to bring messages from Hiruzen Sarutobi to Jiraiya. Not only did it always seem to find him wherever he was in the elemental nations, but it had a penchant for shitting on him everytime it delivered a message, something his old sensei had found immensely amusing. "I swear to god you hate my work more than Tsunade ever did…" He muttered to himself, quickly breaking the seal and opening the missive.
As he read the message, his anger quickly gave way to surprise, then confusion, then disbelief. "Sensei…" He muttered, feeling tears beginning to form in his eyes. He quickly blinked them back before rolling the scroll back up and jumping into the nearby treeline, making his way towards the tavern nearby where he had been staying. He would need to pay the innkeep and inform his contact that he would be returning to Konoha immediately.
Hey guys, I think I did pretty good this time! Only took me *checks calendar* oh shit I haven't updated in four months. Oops.
I got a little ahead of myself writing future chapters, but I have a bad habit of foreshadowing half-baked ideas and skipping to cool scenes I think of that end up feeling unearned if I don't plan ahead in a detailed manner. Bright side, I got four in the bank not including this one and have full chapter outlines instead of just a general plot outline for the whole story. I'm going to start updating weekly until I run out of chapters, then every two weeks if I run out. Should be sustainable, chapter outlines make the whole process a lot faster. If not, well, you'll notice when I stop updating weekly and then another week passes without an update. But I'm trying!
... Do I garner more forgiveness if I tell y'all I'm working sixty hours a week and my girlfriend is due in early November?
ANYWAYS! Lot of developments here. I like heroic stands obviously, as the first chapter demonstrated. Hope Hinata's mom is an interesting read. Kishimoto didn't give us a lot for her, so I'm just freestyling something interesting. She'll come into play again.
Also to be clear, Teuchi doesn't have boil release. I just like alliteration. Neji sucks pre-beating as always. Gai and Lee are fun to write. Jiraiya is involved now, and will be meeting Naruto much earlier than canon. Anything else... Nah, I think I'm good for now. Please feed me reviews. If we cross fifty with this chapter I will be a happy little introvert. Keep an eye out for the next chapter Wednesday or Thursday!