Team 7 had helped each other to their respective beds before all collapsing from exhaustion. The sun wasn't set to rise for another few hours and they wanted to make the most of it by sleeping and regaining energy before starting another day of training as the week was slowly coming to an end. Kakashi had already upped the weights on their legs twice, putting them at thirty pounds on each leg and sixty pounds in total. They were all rapidly improving as they pushed themselves and each other harder and harder; they had to be prepared for Zabuza.
Those few hours seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, but they forced the sleep away and got up to have breakfast before leaving for another full day of training.
"Hinata," Kakashi said. "Since you're the most advanced with chakra control and have completed your training, I want you to watch over Tazuna for today. We don't know when Zabuza will return. It could be any day."
Hinata nodded. "Yes, sensei."
"Just make sure to stay out of the way," Tazuna said. "I don't doubt your ability to protect me, I just don't think you can build a bridge."
Hinata giggled. "I promise I'll stay off to the side." She turned to Kakashi. "I can still keep the weights on, right?"
"They're not coming off until I say so."
Once breakfast was finished, Hinata went off with Tazuna while Naruto and Sasuke returned to the forest, their ego having been bruised by Kakashi pointing out that Hinata was currently more skilled than them. They understood she was probably going to always be better than them at chakra control since her fighting style depended on that, but they knew they had to be on equal terms with one another to work properly as a team.
Hinata stood on the side of the bridge with her byakugan activated, practicing her taijutsu, as the workers passed by carrying supplies on their shoulders and trying not to look at her. She tried not to let it bother her, smiling when she turned and caught someone, but she couldn't help but feel extremely exposed by their blatant staring.
"Uh, little girl? You're distracting my workers here," Tazuna suddenly said. "Do you need to have your eyes like that?"
Because he seemed apologetic, Hinata took it in stride. "I need it to protect you. With this, I can see almost half a mile away," she explained. "I will face the other way so as not to distract your workers. I apologize, Tazuna-san."
He wiped the sweat from his face with the towel he kept around his neck. "You can really see that far with those eyes? I've never seen anything like it. To be honest, I thought you were blind the first time I saw you."
Hinata giggled. "Yes, it's a special eye ability that runs in my family. Sasuke has one as well, but his isn't as noticeable as mine when it's deactivated."
Tazuna hummed. "That's pretty interesting."
"Tazuna!" They both looked to see a worker walking toward them. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure." He nodded goodbye to Hinata and stepped to the side. "Is there something wrong?"
The man looked regretful as he let out a deep sigh. "I just wanted to let you know that today's gonna be my last day. With everything going on, it's getting too dangerous and I need to stay alive to take care of my family."
Tazuna narrowed his eyes. "I don't think that's gonna matter if this bridge doesn't get finished. We'll all die. This is important and I need you here!"
The man looked to the ground. "I'm sorry, but I've made up my mind. Good luck finishing the bridge."
Tazuna pushed past him. "Coward," he spat as he walked away to get back to work.
Hinata looked off into the distance, her back turned to give them privacy but it was impossible for her not to hear the words exchanged and she felt bad for both parties. She understood working in extremely dangerous conditions and she understood the need for independence. She turned and caught the eye of the man, smiling kindly before turning back away and continuing her taijutsu training.
Naruto and Sasuke lay on the forest floor panting heavily and covered in scratches, dirt, and leaves. It was just after lunchtime, which they had not stopped for, and they were slowly losing stamina.
"Hey," Sasuke said. "I think we should go get some lunch. We're running low on energy."
Naruto groaned. "You go eat and bring me back something when you're done. I'm staying here to rest."
Sasuke slowly got to his feet. "Fine. Don't do anything until I come back. Don't need you dying while I'm gone." Naruto waved him off and closed his eyes as he listened to Sasuke's footsteps get further and further away. It wasn't too long before he drifted off into a deep sleep, exhausted from competing with Sasuke every minute of the day.
In the distance, a young person with kind eyes and a feminine face watched the blonde ninja closely, calculating. They waited until Sasuke had left the area a good ways before making their way to the sleeping nin, their footsteps silent and swift despite the tall, wooden sandals they wore. The young kid reached out toward Naruto's neck but promptly changed its course when Naruto began to stir just a bit.
They shook Naruto's shoulder. "You're going to catch a cold," they said, smiling gently when Naruto's eyes opened and stared at him.
Naruto quickly sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Whoa, who're you?" His cheeks went red as the person opposite of him had a very attractive face. "What are you doing this deep in the forest?" He looked over the person's body, taking in their pink, short-sleeved yukata that had red swirl-like designs scattered across it and a white belt. Their long hair added to the feminine beauty they possessed.
"I'm gathering some medicinal herbs," she replied.
Naruto grinned. "I have a friend who does that kind of stuff, too!" He said, thinking of Hinata. "She's not here right now, but I bet you two would really get along on that alone! I can try to help if you'd like."
"Sure, I'd like that." They spent the next few minutes searching the area for a type that she had shown Naruto to be on the lookout for. "So, what are you doing out here?"
Naruto kept his eyes on the grass as he looked. "I was training with my teammate but he left to go get us some lunch," Naruto explained. He held some that he found to her, his face going even redder when their hands touched.
"Are you a ninja, then? You're wearing a headband I've seen some wear before."
"Yeah! I'm a pretty good one, too," Naruto said smugly.
"You sure do look the part," she said, giving him another soft smile. "So are you training for something dangerous?"
Naruto shook his head, not wanting to give away details of his mission to a stranger. "Not really. I just want to get stronger, you know?"
The girl tilted her head. "But you already look really strong, so why keep going?"
"I'm far from being at my very best. I gotta keep going because I want to be the best ninja in my village! Not only that, but there's someone specific that I have to prove myself to. I won't stop until I show him what's what."
"So then there's someone precious to you," they said. "Is that right?"
"I have many precious people. My team, my lazy sensei, and my parents," Naruto said. "I'd do anything to keep them safe."
"I see. I also have someone who is precious to me." Naruto noticed the sadness in her eyes that flashed for the briefest of moments but said nothing about it. Everyone had their own story to tell. "Having that many people you wish to protect means you will truly become strong with hard work. And just seeing you now, I know you'll get very strong." With that, she picked up her basket and began walking away. "We'll meet again soon. Goodbye."
"Oh. Okay, goodbye, miss!"
"I guess I should let you know…I'm a boy," the young boy replied.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock before he grinned widely. "Well, boy or girl, you're still real pretty! Stay safe!"
The boy could only smile to himself before continuing on.
Hinata was sitting off to the side studying her medical scrolls while Tazuna worked and occasionally activated her byakugan every few minutes to scout the area. As she was taking notes, she noticed the sun was going to set soon.
Tazuna walked up to her. "Come on. Let's go shopping for dinner," he said. She sealed her scrolls away and walked beside Tazuna as they went into town. The scene before her shocked her greatly. There were many people sitting off to the side who were covered in grime and their hair stringy with dirt and natural oils from their scalp. Her heart clenched when she recognized a few that were kids.
"It's sad, I know," Tazuna said when he saw the look in her eyes. "But this is how things are. Adults become cowards and the children suffer. That's why this bridge is so damn important."
"Yes, I see," she replied. She came to a stop when she felt someone tugging on her vest. She turned and saw a young boy looking up at her with wonder. "Can I help you with something?"
He nodded. "Can I have some medicine for my mom?" He asked. "She's been sick for many days now."
Hinata looked at Tazuna. "Do you mind if I make a quick house call while you're shopping?" She asked.
"No, go ahead. It might take me a minute anyway."
Hinata took the boy's hand and let him lead her to a house around the corner that was falling apart and only had a straw mat for a door. "Mama! I found someone to help you!" Hinata followed him in and only slightly winced at the smell permeating through the house. As she was led through, she noticed the kitchen filled with empty cups and cans and the sink filled with dirty dishes while flies crawled and flew around them.
He let go of her hand and ran into a room toward the back where he jumped on the bed and hugged his mother tightly. Hinata soon stepped through the door and made eye contact with a woman whose skin was pale, her lips cracked, and her eyes sunken in.
"Hello, I'm sorry to intrude but your son said you were sick. My name is Hinata and I might be able to help," she said, bowing her head politely.
"I'm so sorry that he troubled you. Please don't feel obligated. I see that you're a shinobi and I'm sure you have somewhere else to be," the woman said, coughing halfway through the sentence.
Hinata made her way to the side of the bed. "I'd like to help, especially now that I'm here. I'm a medic."
"A medic? Normally, I wouldn't but I'd hate to die from something treatable when I have my boy to look after," she said. "I'm Miki. Shigure, get down and let the kind girl look me over." The boy, Shigure, did as he was told and took a seat on the other side of the bed patiently.
Hinata's eyes activated and her hands glowed a bright blue as she started from the woman's head and slowly made her way down, occasionally pausing at certain areas before getting to her feet. "It seems you have intestinal parasites," she explained. "You must be in a lot of pain."
Miki's eyes widened. "Can you…how do I get them out?" She asked, alarmed.
Hinata pulled out her scroll of medication and unsealed it. "I have a natural medication here that will help. This type of parasite is very common so there's no need to worry. Once you take this, it should take effect in just a couple of hours, though I must warn you that it will be a bit time-consuming. I recommend staying on the toilet for at least half an hour to make sure everything is fully released." Hinata took an empty bottle and put sixteen pills into a bottle. "Take these twice a day for the next eight days and you will be okay."
Miki took the bottle with tears in her eyes. "Thank you so very much," she gasped. "I was…terrified I was going to be leaving my Shigure."
Hinata smiled warmly at her. "Everything is going to be okay now." She dug through her pile before finding a small jar filled with an off-white color. "Take this as well. It will help your lips heal because they look very painful. It's also very sweet and safe to consume as it is made with natural ingredients."
The young mother took some and put it on her son's lips, smiling brightly when he squealed with happiness at the taste. "Mama, it tastes so good!"
"Would you like me to check on his body as well?" She asked. Normally, if one person in the household had a parasite, it was highly likely that the rest of the residents would as well.
"If it's not too much trouble," Miki replied. "Shigure, come let Hinata-chan give you a check-up." Hinata giggled as he laid down excitedly where he was, horizontally, on the bed. She repeated the process with Shigure.
"He seems to have parasites as well, but they aren't as advanced, so I will only give him enough medication for three days and they should be gone by then," she said. She filled another pill bottle for him and handed it to Miki. "I wish there was more I could do, but once this bridge is completed, this town will definitely flourish."
"You're one of the shinobi helping Tazuna-san?" Hinata nodded. "You are all very brave as Gato is a horrendous and dangerous man. You see what he's done to this once beautiful town and we are all very close to perishing."
"We'll protect him—all of you—with our lives while this bridge is being constructed. You have my word, Miki-san," she said earnestly. "If there's anything else I can do to help, I will be staying at Tazuna-san's." She sealed up her things and tucked them away in her pouch before standing up and bowing. "I must be going now."
"Thank you so much, Hinata-chan. Be safe out there," Miki said. She seemed to be looking a lot brighter than before and Hinata was grateful that pushing some of her chakra into her intestines appeared to lessen the pain.
"I will. Don't forget to take those pills." And then she was gone in the blink of an eye, appearing suddenly at Tazuna's side who was making his way back to the house.
"Ah, crap!" Tazuna yelled, jumping at her instantaneously appearing.
Hinata giggled. "I apologize for surprising you."
"It's fine. How did it go?" He asked, referring to the young boy and his mother.
"They're going to be okay. I gave them medication and they should be completely treated in eight days," she explained.
"You can make medicine?"
"Only some, but I'm hoping to make some for almost everything that is possible to treat. It is my goal to be a great medic nin and leader of my clan."
"Sounds like quite the goal. Good luck, little lady," Tazuna said.
"Thank you! Your support means a lot to me. So, what are we having for dinner?" She asked.
"Just some simple stew, nothing special."
She shook her head. "Tsunami-san is a terrific cook. It is always special to have a mother's touch in your meals," she said, thinking back to when her mother would make her cinnamon rolls. Her father disliked it when she was given sweets but her mother would sneak them to her and they would eat together out by the garden they tended to together.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. What's your mom like?"
Hinata's eyes dimmed just a bit. "I don't…remember all that well. Only some things here and there. She passed away when I was five, just shortly after giving birth to my little sister."
"I see. That must've been hard."
Her mind went to her lost sight and when she was almost taken for her eyes. She thought back to crying in front of Itachi and him offering her a memory she wished she had taken every now and then. "It was. But I've had some time to heal and it's easier to think about her now. It doesn't hurt as much."
"Do you think that'll happen for Inari?" He asked hesitantly, thinking back to the small, angry child he loved so much.
"Yes. I believe so. He's a strong person," she replied honestly. "He's going to be just fine."
"He certainly is hard-headed, isn't he?" Tazuna laughed. Hinata chuckled beside him as they walked home.
Dinner was already being served when Hinata glanced at the door worriedly. "They're still not back yet," she said.
"You think they finally made it to the top?" Kakashi asked.
She nodded. "I believe so. They're not going to stop until they have."
"It's amazing what a great motivator you can be," the Jonin chuckled. "They don't want to lose to you or each other at all."
Hinata smiled. "It works to keep constantly working hard."
Suddenly, the door burst open with a dirty and beat-up Sasuke and Naruto trudging in. Naruto had his arm around Sasuke for support and it was clear Naruto was the more worn out of the two since he had been out there longer than both of them.
"There you two are. How did it go?" Kakashi asked.
They both smirked. "We made it to the top!" Naruto exclaimed.
"And back down," Sasuke added.
"Good. Then, starting tomorrow, you'll also be protecting Tazuna-san," Kakashi said. The pride they were feeling was felt by everyone in the room. Sasuke helped Naruto to sit before taking the seat on the other side of Hinata.
"We're starving," Naruto sighed. Tsunami put a bowl of stew and another bowl of rice in front of them. "Thank you, Tsunami-san! You're the best!"
Tsunami giggled. "Well, thank you. I hope you enjoy it. Try not to throw it up this time, okay?"
"Will do!"
Everyone dug in happily, making light conversation about how they spent their days. When everyone was finished, Hinata helped clean up once again while everyone else had tea.
"I estimate the bridge will be finished in another few days," Tazuna announced. "Thanks to you guys. But what made you choose to stay, even after I lied?"
"It was the right thing to do, that's all," Kakashi said. "We will always give help to those who need it."
Inari looked at Naruto, who was currently leaning over the table with his head resting on his arms and clearly exhausted. Hinata watched as Inari's tears began rolling down his face and he stood up angrily, causing everyone to look at him.
"What's the point of all of your stupid training? Gato's men are still gonna kill you! You're no match!" Inari yelled. "It doesn't matter what cool things you say! The weak always lose!"
Naruto glared. "Speak for yourself, all right? It's not gonna be like that for us," he said, turning away as he didn't want to look at the boy.
Inari snarled. "Just shut it! Looking at you three makes me sick! You come into this town like you know everything, but you don't. You don't know what it's like to suffer, you don't know what it's like to feel pain!"
Hinata clutched the hem of her jacket tightly, her knuckles white with the grip. Sasuke's jaw clenched and he looked away, toward the door as though he wanted to escape and lash out somewhere else. Naruto looked down, glaring harshly at the table.
"Are you done?" Sasuke said voice clipped.
"Yeah. You do nothing but cry like you're the lead in a tragedy, like you're some kind of damn victim," Naruto added, glowering at the small boy. "You can do whatever the hell you want because it seems to me that you're nothing but a coward!"
Inari paused, taking a step back.
"Although he said it harshly, he's right," Hinata said. "You can't expect anything to change if you're not willing to play a part in it. Crying about it will do absolutely nothing." Her voice was still soft, but her teammates and sensei noticed the hard edge to it. It was evident she was angry as well. Inari shook with tears before running out of the house. This time, Tsunami let him go and didn't follow after.
"I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted," Naruto said curtly. "Thank you for dinner." His teammates got up with him and said their good nights before leaving and trying to shake off the anger they were carrying.
"They seem angry. Even Hinata-chan," Tsunami said as she sat down at the table. "I'm sorry about Inari. He's still…coping."
"It's okay. I'm sorry for Naruto's harsh words," Kakashi said. "All of them, they've had a difficult life, so hearing him talk like that must've set them off." Sighing, he stood up. "Looks like I better apologize to Inari on behalf of my team." When he walked out the door, he wasn't too shocked to see Inari sitting on the dock and staring out toward the crescent moon. He took a seat next to the boy.
"What do you want?" Inari said, his voice thick and nasally with tears.
"Can we talk?" Inari shrugged and Kakashi took this as a confirmation. "Naruto can be a bit harsh, but it's not that he hates you or anything. Your grandfather told us about what happened to your father. I'll tell you something about my team…"
"Wh—what is it?" He sniffed, wiping his nose on his arm.
"Naruto's father is the leader of our village, known as the Hokage. It's a very important and dangerous job and Naruto only gets to see him a couple of times a week as a father, other times it's as a villager only. Because of this, he works hard to represent his father and to help his mother with anything she needs."
"At least he has a father," Inari huffed.
"Yes, that's true. But I think what bothers him the most is that Hinata and Sasuke aren't allowed to cry no matter the situation, and they're his absolute best friends. They have been for the last seven years. He doesn't take too kindly to someone belittling their lives, I guess you could say."
"What do you mean?"
"See, they're clan heirs which means they must not show any indication of emotion or it could be used against them in the future—Though Hinata isn't a typical Hyuuga as she still smiles. When Hinata was five, she lost her mother the same night someone tried to kidnap her for her eyes. She was not allowed to shed a single tear, especially in front of others, nor could she attend her mother's cremation as she had strained her eyes and was blind at the time. Plenty of her family still dislikes her as an heir because they believe she's too soft and weak." Inari's eyes widened as he thought about how difficult that must have been. Not being allowed to cry for the death of a parent because one is an heiress and also being disliked by your own blood. "And Sasuke, well, he is the youngest son after his older brother but…"
"What?" Inari asked, leaning in curiously.
"It's under investigation that his brother murdered his close cousin and dozens of Konoha shinobi before deserting the village and pushing everything on Sasuke's shoulders. Now, he takes care of his sick mother and barely sees his father as he's the head of the Police Force and works side-by-side with Naruto's father. My point is that they all have suffered in their own way, but they use that pain to get stronger. They don't use it to justify not making an effort. I've never seen any of them cry or sulk. They train so they never feel as powerless as they did when all of that happened and Naruto also trains to be known as his own person rather than just the Hokage's son, to earn the respect and acknowledgment."
Inari looked down at the water, taking all of this information in.
"They may be young and still have a lot to learn, but there's no doubt that they understand what true strength is like your father did. What Naruto said may have been cruel, but I can guarantee that those are words they've all told themselves since they were children." Kakashi stood up. "That's all I wanted to say." And then he walked away to leave Inari with his thoughts.
When he went up to the room they were all sharing, he looked down at their sleeping faces and smiled warmly when he saw their hands clasped together loosely. They no doubt had to comfort one another after hearing Inari's words and he knew this was how they did it. No words, just physical contact and an understanding. He pulled the blankets up on Hinata since they had slipped down and patted her head before climbing into his own futon and staring up at the ceiling. He was already completely recovered and he knew it was only a matter of time before Zabuza came for Tazuna. They would be ready, though. They were going to save his village no matter what the cost.
He turned to look at his students again and acknowledged what they had to lose. Naruto would be leaving his parents behind, Hinata would be leaving clan responsibilities to her younger sister which was something that drove her to survive, and Sasuke's mother would never recover and there would be no one left of the main house of the Uchiha to carry on the name other than the rogue Itachi. Most shinobi were taught to disconnect themselves from their loved ones so it did not hurt as much when they died, but it was virtually impossible.
He let his eyes shut and tried not to think about his own loved ones, who were already dead.
We hope y'all enjoyed that chapter! I didn't post yesterday as I was feeling sick. Next chapter is the fight, so I hope we don't disappoint with it. Please review and let us know what you think 3
-hina
NEXT UPDATE: 09/23/23
