I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, I'm just a fan I enjoyed the anime but I love the fanfics even more, they made me fall for the whole franchise.
Chapter 43
"Shisui Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake please come inside." Shisui closed his book and stood up with Kakashi following suit after a second, his book still in his hands, face buried in his favorite art. Shisui walked to the door and opened it with a twist of the doorknob, posture becoming rigid once more in front of his superiors.
"Welcome Kakashi-Kun, sorry for keeping you waiting." The Hokage greeted the silver-haired jonin who only waved his hands at the leader of the village in response before flipping a page.
"Hatake Kakashi show some respect in front of your Hokage." Fugaku's voice boomed out and Kakashi looked up from his book, his one visible eye blinking at Fugaku in confusion.
"Ah, Fugaku-San did you say something I was preoccupied with something." Kakashi gave the Uchiha head an eye smile snapping his great book of literature shut and facing the Hokage with a very lazy posture that screamed not interested, Fugaku only grunted and faced Shisui.
"Kakashi-Kun how has Naruto been behaving recently, has anything changed about his actions since our discussion two weeks ago?" Hiruzen asked his Jonin seriously, all semblance of the grandfather of the leaf village gone from his visage making him look 39 years younger and ready to cause wide mass murder.
"Nothing has changed behavior-wise Hokage-Sama, though he seemed to spend a lot of time with Shisui-Kun in the final week of the 2-week genin break." Kakashi reported verbally too unbothered to write a report on the mission.
Shisui was not surprised by the news that Kakashi Hatake was tailing Naruto. He spotted him around many times hiding in plain sight with his book always in his hand. Shisui did wonder why Kakashi was spying on the blonde enigma who he had already begun seeing like a little brother the same way he saw, Itachi his best friend, Sasuke the little twerp he watched grow from a toddler into a young man and now Naruto Uzumaki a boy whose whole being spelled special, Shisui knew Naruto Uzumaki would be great one day, he saw it in the boy's being.
'Like the child of prophecy in the tale of the gutsy ninja.' That thought always made him snicker and want to laugh it wanted to this time as well but he held strong.
"If I may Hokage-Sama, what mission is this you speak of?" Fugaku asked his Hokage and looked over at Kakashi wondering what kind of mission Kakashi could have been sent to involving the Kyuubi Jinchuriki.
"Certain developments have come up that have left me questioning Naruto's loyalties to the village and its Hokage." Hiruzen began looking serious. "I had Kakashi keep an eye on Naruto-Kun in these last 2 weeks." Hiruzen finished before looking over at Kakashi. "How has his behavior recently?" Hiruzen questioned.
Kakashi had to think about what his answer would be, he recalled everything his seen and heard, compiling the thoughts in his head before nodding to himself his posture was still lax but you could feel the atmosphere he released was serious, everybody in the room subconsciously came closer listening in with bathed breaths at the final verdict of one Hatake Kakashi.
"Like he is in love." Kakashi said with an eye smile and if he had a different audience they would fall on their sides at the report.
"Be serious Kakashi Senpai." Fugaku blinked and saw that Shisui of all people was finding the answer lacking and if anything, not an answer at all.
"I am serious, Naruto Uzumaki in these last days has been behaving like a boy in love." Kakashi sighed not looking forward to the conversation at hand, he was just going according to his knowledge of the subject through references from his expensive works of art.
"Please explain why you think this Kakashi-Kun." The Hokage of the leaf village smiled with a grandfatherly smile at the news, gaining great interest in the prospect of Naruto finding someone like his mother once did. Hiruzen remembered the day he and Naruto argued and thought of the blonde who had accompanied him.
"Naruto is very open with his emotions he might be the first person I know who can become a ninja and still be able to laugh like he was still a kid in the park. I followed him around and every day before meeting with Shisui he would go into a shop and look for giving gifts only to come out empty handed scratching his head in frustration at not finding what he wanted, I think it was for a girl." Kakashi explained and because his knowledge of the subject was so lacking the explanation was lacking too.
"You mean Ino-Chan?" Shisui asked his senpai who laughed nervously and rubbed his hair back, giving them a big wide eye smile. Kakashi Hatake thought he dodged a bullet by not getting team 7 instead he got a team full of civilians and he got to fail them all the girl Amy looked disappointed at the result.
"Who is that?" Kakashi asked never bothering to remember any of the genin's names unless they had some kind of intimate connection by actual contact or association.
"The Yamanaka heiress." Hiruzen answered easily not bothered by Kakashi's antics, the jonin did acknowledge he now remembered or at least was on the same page on who they spoke of.
"Mmh, I thought it was the Hyūga girl but now that you mention it, I did overhear they were a couple somewhere in passing, and they jog together every morning." Kakashi informed his audience who nodded in the belief that Ino might be the girl Naruto had grown affection to.
"Then we will contact Ino Yamanaka to enlighten us on Naruto-Kun in hopes of understanding him better for the future survival of the leaf village." Hokage-Sama announced looking seriously at the two jonin in front of him who both looked at the Hokage seriously in return each with their own doubts on the subject.
'This is getting serious by the second, why is Hokage-Sama so adamant about controlling every aspect of Naruto's life?' Shisui wondered with clearly different views from his Hokage. The leader's decisions and choices concerning Naruto were always extreme, from the law regarding his burden to the law regarding his heritage down to the law regarding his tutelage was always on a level that screamed going too far, but it was for the sake of the village and if the wise Hokage saw it the only way, Shisui would follow.
"They are currently in the forest of death Hokage-Sama." Shisui reported smoothly and the Hokage took a thinking pose that lasted a few seconds before nodding, looking like what he did caused him too much pain to bear. Shisui didn't know if he could trust that look anymore to mean what it showed.
"Then have a team infiltrate the exams and drop a scroll in their path, I will personally speak to her in the tower." The Hokage made up his mind and the seriousness on his face told them all nothing would change it.
"Hai Hokage-Sama!" Shisui and Kakashi responded like true soldiers and stood even straighter. Kakashi's posture looked more at home with the atmosphere around making Fugaku fold his hands and nod at the famed copy ninja of the leaf, an individual that spread the name of the Sharingan like only an Uchiha did, by murdering all that stood in his way.
"Shisui you are being demoted." Shisui showed no outward emotion on his person but inside he cried a little this was his dream job. The legacy he wanted to leave was not of a mass murderer but of a man of justice. Shisui balled his fist after a few seconds not able to hide his pain for longer than a few seconds.
"Your choices and decisions are treasonous in Konoha's laws, but you have done the leaf village many great services before so a demotion is the only punishment you will receive." Fugaku Uchiha continued looking at Shisui seriously but Shisui knew the man well enough to know he did not want to do this, in all honesty, the raid they did with Naruto's help gave them much evidence and material to build a case.
Shisui looked to Hiruzen who stood from his chair and walked to the window of his office overlooking the village with his hands behind his back. Fugaku Uchiha continued explaining the extent of Shisui's punishment he was degraded to small crimes but in the red light district his team would be disbanded and a new team would be made with a wider range of talents.
"Hokage-Sama has decided this group will be led by his former teammate Danzo Shimura." Shisui's eyes widened at the information looking to the Hokage's back in shock, he couldn't believe he would call 'that' man back to the leaf, worse to involve him with the Kyuubi Jinchuriki.
"Hokage-Sama you can't," Shisui spoke before he could think, the shock of the revelation made him lose his composure.
"The choice has already been made, your first assignment before moving on to your official duties is to deliver the message to Danzo." Fugaku had cut Shisui off before he could say more and revealed to him something he could only call a slap in the face from the Hokage, the man he respected so much.
'What happened to you old man?' Shisui thought as he straightened and stood at attention ready to do what must be done, with resigned frustration.
"Hatake Kakashi, you will be in charge of recruiting two people in your team, you are the first member and the second in command." Fugaku continued evenly relaying to the two Jonin the Hokage's decisions on the matter at hand.
"Hai." Kakashi replied seriously and Fugaku nodded forgiving Kakashi for his earlier behavior.
"Dismissed." Fugaku said and both Jonin saluted their Hokage who nodded at them seeing their actions from the reflection of the window. The Jonins left the room together side by side, when the door closed behind them Fugaku turned to his Hokage.
"Is this wise Hokage-Sama, if this goes sideways the consequences could be detrimental." He spoke and the Hokage sighed.
"Only time will tell, Fugaku-kun only time will tell."
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Shino did not know what to do to stop the force of nature in front of him, the snake that tried to swallow him whole feasted on his insects like an amphibian would tongue flicking out and gluing his partners and digesting them whole by the second.
Shino jumped back to gain space from the snake but at the same time distancing himself from his teammates. He was at a loss for what he could do, his people were adamant about following tradition, and they made things difficult for the young Aburama in the sense he didn't have different ways to handle Certain situations that called for Innovation.
"Attack." Shino said sending out another group of insects to attack the overgrown reptile that flicked its fork-like tongue and savored another meal all the while slithering towards Shino in a frenzy.
"Insect rope technique!" Shino called out, he released a large number of kikaichū that formed a rope that can easily support his weight and alleviated himself upwards by attaching his insect rope to a tree branch.
"I have no choice." Shino opened his hands wide and outstretched his free arm, commanding his insects to pour out of his body from his sleeves, the bottom of his pants, and over his high collar jacket to attack the giant snake.
«««««"»»»»»
"You do not interest me Inuzuka!" Orochimaru kicked Kiba so hard a rib cracked and he was sent flying back knocking into a tree trunk before falling head first on the ground unconscious.
"Kiba!" Sakura cried out fearing the worst, this was not how these exams were supposed to go, She was supposed to go far and maybe win. The person in front of her could not have been a genin, he was overwhelming all of them so easily and now she was alone.
"Kukukukukuku don't you want to try something maybe a jutsu? I don't know the tree walking exercise to try and defeat me kukukuk." Sakura stepped back when the Kusa genin stepped forward and continued to do so with the man following leisurely while he licked his lips occasionally he was salivating at the mouth Sakura's mind was going far with what those eyes could mean.
'Is he a pervert?' Sakura wondered bumping into a tree, the idea of tree climbing the man mentioned before seemed like a good idea at that point so Sakura placed her foot on the surface of the tree and began walking up backward. Orochimaru took a deep breath and released it in satisfaction before placing his foot on the tree as well and walking up following her.
"What is your name girl?" Orochimaru spoke casually when he asked this a smile grew on his face. "and please do answer honestly look at my smile I'm quite happy with you, let's not change that okay." Sakura gulped at that and wondered why this person seemed so familiar to her she gulped and decided to be brave.
"Then you must be honest too." Sakura told the man in front of her with a fire burning in her eyes that promised some kind of defiance.
"Why of course, why would I lie? I have nothing to lose kukuku." Orochimaru in disguise laughed at the end of his words before turning serious. "Your name?" Sakura gulped and wondered what harm it would do to tell the man her name.
"Sakura Haruno." Orochimaru nodded looking at her like a lab rat he had just injected with a serum, now he was waiting for the results. Sakura was creeped out and she asked her question quickly. "Who are you?"
"My how rude of me, I am Orochimaru of course one of the legendary Sanins, a former student of the third Hokage and a 'traitor' to the leaf village." He said with a smile that never reached his eyes. Sakura stood on the vertical surface of the tree facing down at Orochimaru while the snake Sanin stood on the same surface looking up at her.
From the man's name alone Sakura registered fear grip her heart and soul. Every detail about him from History books and texts brings her nothing but bad omens to think about. The man in front of her was a snake in every sense of the word.
"My turn, do you know how special you are Sakura-Chan?" Sakura's eyes widened at that knowledge being shared with her, and she wondered if this was about her chakra. She shook her head in the negative at his question hoping he would elaborate, maybe he knew something they didn't know.
"What do you wish for most Sakura-Chan, Is there anything, In particular, I can assist you with." Orochimaru asked and Sakura narrowed her eyes at the Snake Sanin. His voice was so rich and convincing Sakura had almost answered him without a thought.
"Do you wish to get stronger? If you do I have a gift for you, something that will have you feeling stronger in no time at all." At those words Sakura's eyes widened in shock, she was looking for strength, she wanted it, no she needed it.
"What is this gift?" Sakura asked and Orochimaru smiled with his neck elongating and moving to Sakura at such speed she couldn't dodge it even if she tried.
«««««"»»»»»
"Cowards." At Neji's words, Sasuke snorted and Naruto grits his teeth in anger looking ready to jump the Hyūga boy in front of him.
"Says the guy who enjoyed picking on his little cousin, what's that word when someone is saying shit when his being shit……. oh right a Fucking hypocrite." Naruto replied in anger that was already boiling over by the fact Neji still had a mouth on him, worse he didn't have any permanent damage.
"Naruto-Kun, please." Hinata begged the object of her affection who she could feel wasn't happy with Neji still being in one piece.
"Listen to Hinata-Sama, because without her you would be nothing but a stain under my foot." Neji smirked at the low blow he had just delivered to the blonde, he wasn't worried, they would do nothing to Lee, he did look over at the Uchiha knowing he couldn't place all his cookies in one jar with that one around.
"You have a big mouth for someone on the losing side, give us your scroll and your teammate will be released or I can always just kill him." Sasuke smirked and he released his killing intent that he has been getting a hang of recently.
Tenten looked over at Neji and wondered what he would do because the scroll was of course on him. If it was up to her she would have handed the scroll over a long time ago so they could start finding other teams to ambush. This team 7 she heard so much about was everything they said, coordinated, motivated, talented, and prepared. Tenten stood there and tried to say something but a look from Neji had her keeping quiet.
"You won't do anything to Lee, so why don't you just drop the act." Neji taunted trying to call their bluff, and although he didn't know this, Hinata who was a sensor for feelings knew exactly what her two teammates thought of the situation, Naruto had conviction in his heart and a bit of shame meaning he was willing to do something drastic. Sasuke was all in, they were told it was a survival mission and that death was allowed.
"Don't be foolish cousin." Hinata began still in her position with a Kunai against Lee's prone form. "They are not bluffing, we all know what we signed up for and I'm sorry to say this but Lee does not come from a prominent clan his death will not come with many repercussions." This was the new Hinata Hyūga who has spent almost every day of the past 6 years around Naruto Uzumaki the crime lord of Konohagaru, she wasn't here to play around Naruto was counting on her she was here to prove a point.
'That I'm here for him even if my family is involved, I'll handle Neji on my own.' Hinata looked to Naruto and glared at him, he of course stiffened having that sixth sense to know when that look was pointed at him. Hinata felt his fear climb before he resolved himself, which meant he was turning around to face her.
"Look Hinata……." Naruto kept quiet when he actually saw the look, the first thing that registered in his feelings was love before defeat came.
'He wouldn't be Naruto if he didn't at least test my resolve.' Hinata kept her glare, but her mind flew back to her changing days the day Naruto Uzumaki began training Hinata on her resolve.
(Flashback!! Yeah, this had to be done sue the fingers).
I was scared on the second day of school, I thought everything the day before was a dream. That I never made a friend, that 'Naruto-Kun' was a fragment of my imagination, that I dreamt him up after another long day of usual Hyūga affairs coz that's all it was affairs there was no casualness when it came to the clam I was born to.
but when I walked outside my clan grounds I saw bright blond hair that looked like it had never seen a barber in its life. Naruto-Kun was there leaning on one of the pillars of the entrance reading a book on politics I was so surprised to see him, then he snapped his book shut and turned around to face me.
My heart skipped such a big beat at the smile he gave me that I thought I died and woke up in the world I always dreamt of. An expressive world that I could see even with my degrading vision so clearly.
The smile was so big and expressive that I felt like I touched it and it felt like happiness, excitement, and wanting to see me. Like I was someone precious, I found myself smiling before a giggle tried to escape, I fought the laugh covering my mouth with my hands to block the sound as my head faced down to not show him my probably silly face.
The smile wanted to come out so badly for some reason I didn't understand before, it was a kind of happiness I never felt before not even when my little sister was born, this feeling was so unfiltered and true.
I remember fighting so hard to stop that laugh that it came out as weird sounds from the gaps in my hands before I snorted like a pig, I touched such confusion in Naruto-Kun's feelings pointed at my behavior I could feel it scream he found me weird.
'Naruto-Kun isn't happy with me, he is gonna cast me away, but I succeeded didn't I?' I wondered panicking heart ready to give up on the world. They gave me a chance to make a friend and I ruined it the very next day. That thought had my heart that I could somehow tell that its pieces were getting glued back together, finally want to give up.
I heaved an involuntary breath at the thought that crossed my mind that I was really a failure, everything they said about me was true. I always held doubts about it, It always hurt but I always remembered my mother telling me when I met a true friend I would find the best of life, that I would really know how someone feels about me.
"I I I." I remember going on a streak of 'I'. 'Why is this happening to me?' I thought all these things In quick succession I never gave myself time to breathe, and it wasn't long before I felt dizzy. All the blood that rushed to my head at the embarrassment I felt had my head feeling light-headed.
"What are you doing?" I remember I jumped so high at the sudden curiosity that attacked me from somewhere. I opened an eyelid having closed my eyes when Naruto had his face very close to mine.
"W-what What, W-Whhhat do ……." That was my response to him a stuttering mess that couldn't be understood or even decrypted, just gibberish no one wanted to listen to. Then I was smacked across the face by a feeling I remembered only feeling one place before, it was my mother's most prominent emotion revolving around me she was such a worry wart.
"Hey, Hinata-Chan are you okay?" I eeped so loud in shock when he placed his right hand on my left cheek with his big blue eyes in my personal space. He was so close that I noticed his eyes sparkle like a deep vast bright blue ocean.
All along I felt his panic, and stress, I felt him become thoughtful and finally get decisive.
'He is behaving like my mother.' So lost in those deep blue seas I thought of earlier I didn't even notice what I did when I all of a sudden felt Naruto happy with me again not just happy but relieved as well.
"Come Hinata let's go to school, we're gonna sit together right right!!?" That excitement I felt earlier came around and smacked me across the face, as if to say 'Pay attention, I've been here the whole time.' I was still confused about all the sudden understanding of people I seemed to gain or maybe it was just the blonde enigma so I nodded meekly accepting.
"Hey Hinata what's this word." I blinked and looked over at Naruto who had his book on politics out again pointing a word out with his index finger. I stiffened when our shoulders touched he was so close I could catch his scent, I of course panicked like a boss and began poking my fingers together in a habit I built to control my nerves.
"Hahahaha….You know you look really cute when you do that, do you come in fun size so I can put you in my pocket." I froze at his words staring at him in such shock he got shocked. That was all I could have done, Someone just called me cute worse because I was doing something the Hyūga clan have been trying to curb for 2 years already.
"N-Naruto-Kun." I found myself saying before I could think and he grinned at me like a lunatic, so very happy with himself for what I just did like it was his win, I was so confused by the concept that I didn't understand the feeling that washed over me.
"I'm so proud of you Hinata-Chan you remembered our deal!" He was proud of me, Naruto-Kun was proud of me the happiness I felt at that thought had me doing something that had Naruto feeling happy again at me, I couldn't understand it what is it that I did that made him so happy?
"You have a cute laugh too?! Man, my friend's got a lot of things going for her." I remember he said this before he rubbed an imaginary goatee before twisting an imaginary mustache and nodding three times before saying. "Naruto Uzumaki only chooses the best mwahaha hahaha." The laugh was short-lived because he began coughing a second after it started, but I registered his words, he thought of me as the best, a tear streamed down my eyes and I looked at the sky thanking whoever was out there for finally granting my wish while I rubbed away the moisture.
I saw Naruto-Kun's talent that day, it was the art of sealing, in a little puff of smoke, he had a bottle of water in his hand gulping the content down In record time before he looked at me nervously. I blinked and he blinked, then I seemed to see his soul, his bright pure curious soul before I felt our noses touch and I smiled at what I saw.
'Sometimes he will become more trouble than his worth.' I had thought to myself thinking I might just get addicted to all that positive energy that was Naruto Uzumaki's soul.
"So what is this word?" He asked me again and I looked at him in confusion, feeling I wouldn't be able to help him and that was when something peculiar happened it was the beginning of my path to change.
(End of flashback….)
Naruto came over to Hinata who dropped Lee's body to the floor and stood up straight ready for Naruto to reach her. Nobody spoke, the atmosphere around the two becoming so grave, Naruto reached Hinata and stood in her personal space, and stared her down having to tilt his head a little down to do so.
Hinata looked up and stared back, although she couldn't see his bright blue ocean-like eyes she stood her ground trying to convey her conviction with her blind eyes. Hinata's shyness around Naruto wasn't removed but It was tamed. Naruto did this every time Hinata seemed in doubt about something, a stare-down that lasted a few seconds but to Hinata, it felt like an eternity.
First, he tamed her lack of faith that she could help him with something. Second, he tamed Her overall ability to not speak without a stutter. Third, was to make her bring out her conviction and say what she meant loud and clear all with a simple stare that said he wanted to believe in her but he needed her assurance that she believed in herself.
"I will deal with Neji Hyūga." Hinata spoke up loud and clearly for everyone to hear. "I will take it seriously." When Hinata said this her blade slinked out of her sleeve, where most will know her storage scroll tattoo resides.
Naruto looked deep into her eyes before reaching out with a hand and grabbing her chin gently and rubbing it a little pulling the skin of her chin down in the process pulling her lips down, she wasn't quivering. Hinata didn't back away and he sighed before he turned her head to the side and kissed her cheek before turning it back to look her in the eyes again Hinata had a tinge of pink on her face but she continued looking up at him where she thought his eyes were.
Hinata felt belief, faith, and assurance nestle into Naruto's being and he nodded stepping away from her his hands dropping to his sides Hinata smiled at him and decided to be bold, she was already in that never give up zone. Hinata stepped closer and stood on her toes placing her forehead against his.
"Trust me." She told him simply.
"I always do." Was his quick and simple reply. Hinata smiled at that and stepped around Naruto, eyes turning serious as she locked them on Neji's presence. Neji looked like he was seeing things, he couldn't believe that the Hinata Hyūga he knew would act like that even the katana hanging from her right arm made him nervous. Neji was having second thoughts, and Hinata could feel it in his emotions he has never fought her with her blade before.
Hinata walked past Sasuke and nodded at him seriously she could feel the turmoil in his heart at what transpired between her and Naruto so Hinata decide she would sit Sasuke down when they were free and talk to him.
"Come face me Neji Hyūga, this is what you wanted is it not, well I'm here now one on one you and I, come." Hinata challenged her cousin with all the seriousness of the situation. Naruto was counting on her so she would fight her hardest and win.
'I won't lose!' Hinata promised herself when Neji's lips turned into a frown. Tenten tried to stop him but he didn't listen and instead came up to Hinata facing her eyes looking furiously at her.
"Fate will not have mercy on you Hinata-Sama, I will take this chance to reveal that to you:" Neji proclaimed to the younger Hyūga who only nodded her head not minding his threat.
"I do not fear fate," Hinata said taking her stance left palm out reminiscent of the Juuken stance, with her blade resting in her right hand facing vertically down, the tip barely touching the ground. Neji sneered at the girl and took his Juuken stance looking ready to murder.
AN
NOT MUCH ACTION BUT FROM THIS CHAPTER IM SURE YOU CAN ALL TELL HOW NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO COME ALONG, NEJI VS HINATA ONE ON ONE. HINATA PLANS ON PROVING HER WORTH TO NARUTO AND SHE WONT LET ANYONE MAKE IT OTHERWISE EVEN FAMILY...
DID SAKURA JUST GET THE CURSE MARK, what is going on here!!! Where the fuck is canon, this author popping pills that's the only logical explanation around here.
Poor Shisui-Kun... What doesnt kill you makes you stronger bro...dont give up.
Does Sakura receive the curse seal? does Hinata finally defeat Neji? And who will Kakashi choose for his two members in the new investigation team? Find out next time on A DIFFERENT TELLING,..