First Win
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Hinata took to the stairs, going down an endless spiral. She followed the hall and entered the tavern, where Sasuke and Nenma were already discussing plans as a large map was spread on the table. She walked up to them as the sun covered parts of them.
"Good morning," She said politely. But Nenma withdrew a combat knife and pretended to stab her with it as she clasped her hand and looked apologetic.
"Oi, I didn't take you for the jealous type," He said as he handed her back her weapon.
"You didn't soundproof your room. We're the ones that are owed an apology,"
"We?" Nenma glanced over at Sasuke. "Didn't you say you were sleeping in the forest?" Nenma asked.
"I was." Sasuke replied with a straight face, as if the conversation bored him. "Back to the subject at hand, Nenma is helping us figure out which villages we should travel to next."
Hinata watched over Sasuke's shoulder as he traced his finger along the map, following the winding roads and rivers. Her brows furrowed when he stopped at the Moon Village. It was the largest village on the map, in comparison to the one they currently occupied. It'd be harder to search. She felt like voicing her concern, but wanted to know their reasoning instead.
"Why? What's in the moon village?" She asked.
"That's where we're going to be traveling to next. It's where we'll split up," Nenma replied. "I got a tip that a historical record of an ancient sealing technique might be there."
Wait what?
"What sealing technique?" She asked accusingly, now knowing she had been left out of something.
"As of now, there are 10 guardians that are known about, and 9 of them are sealed, living peacefully inside the village's chosen host. When the village guardian is sealed, it is said, it grants the host a massive boost of power." Sasuke replied.
Her expression went blank as she put two and two together. "So power."
"Yes." Nenma replied, looking more like the ambitious person she had met back in the academy.
"No." Sasuke persisted. "It's not just about power. Imagine what it would be like if we didn't have to live in fear of Kyuubi losing control."
"Why would you want to control it?"
"Believe me, I don't. It'll be our fail-safe."
Nenma nodded. "He's right. What do you think will happen if we complete the tapestry and it goes mad? How do we stop it? Sure, we could defeat it, but then what? We won't have its protection anymore. We'll be vulnerable. But if we seal it, we can control it,"
"But why would you ever think of subjecting something so horrible on someone...?"
Nenma happily raised his hand. "I won't mind being the prison-"
"I'll ask my brother for guidance. Though he'll probably choose someone with a pure heart and no hatred inside." This didn't appease her.
"I rather stay focused on the main quest."
"They hold auctions there too," Nenma replied with a grin as Hinata sat down, next to Sasuke.
"I hope you're not making this up." She replied.
"Even if I was, what do you think will happen If we split up now? What are the chances you'll survive without us?" Nenma asked with a devious smile. Hinata slowly stood up. That's right, she had forgotten how arrogant Nenma can be.
"Or did you already forget about what almost happened at the Rain village-"
"Oi!" Sasuke glared his way. "Water under the bridge,"
"I forgot I had other arrangements," She said softly.
That smile. That damned smile. The same one that almost stunned him. But when used this way, why did he get the feeling that something bothered her? But if Nenma, who knew her longer, wasn't reacting, why should he? Sasuke stayed silent and observant.
"Don't worry, we'll wrap this up in no time," Nenma said while waving after her walking frame, his smile disappearing even though their breakfast had arrived.
"Hn, why do I get the feeling you're purposely keeping her out of danger? She's a Shinobi too, Nenma."
"I don't normally admit this out loud to anyone. But Hinata, she's a very precious friend of mine. When we were young, she befriended me even though others teased me for not looking like my mom. They were convinced I was some other woman's bastard."
"I think I remember something like that," Sasuke laughed. "Don't tell me that's why you dye your hair dark? Are you trying to look less like your dad?"
"Ah, this?" Nenma touched his hair. "Naw. After I graduated from the Academy, the very same people who had bullied me started being nice to me. Eventually, I realized why that was. It was because they finally understood how much influence my father had. People's fake kindness started to piss me off. Then one day before a mission, I discovered I had shadow release. I gave into my elements and my hair changed that day."
"Your records states you went on a mission and your team didn't come back with you."
"The target was eliminated, with my team as collateral." He said, as he flicked his wrist, showing a half-formed Rasengan without rings orbiting.
Sasuke leaned his chin into his hand. He couldn't judge something like that when he wasn't any better. His body count was probably worse than his.
"I understand the attachment, but she's not trying to save anyone that isn't Neji," Sasuke reminded him.
"You know, your Rinnagan is starting to look really tempting right now," Nenma replied. "Maybe you should watch your back while you sleep tonight."
Sasuke leaned back into his chair. "While I appreciate the forewarning, I've slept in the forest just fine. I don't mind doing that again tonight."
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Hinata sat on the highest elevation of the Sunflower village when she poured herself a cup of tea from her thermal flask, watching the vast landscape from up the mountain. When time passed, it almost matched the pace of the clouds, until eventually, the sun began to shift. She continued her surveillance under the parasol the tree provided, her eyes scanning the village for any sign of movement that would be telling; monitoring anything that would arise of interest as she swung her leg while sitting on the tree branch.
She hadn't mind sitting this out, and had looked forward to the promised leisure. However, the moment those words had left Nenma's mouth, she had already accepted the challenge. She will find the missing pieces without them. Hinata filtered out the small moving parts, ignoring the animals all around, searching for chakra signatures of the people in the village while keeping a tab on them.
"Nenma, why did you have to undermine me in front of our Hokage," She asked as she scanned the area they were in.
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Nenma flipped through the pages, looking at the various items that were being auctioned off. He closed it, and handed it over to Sasuke for a second inspection. Sasuke flipped through the pages, Rinnegan active, then shut the catalog. The tapestry was nowhere listed there.
"I didn't know you were looking for something in particular," Kiba said in observation.
"My cousin is getting married, and I wanted to gift her nothing but the best. I'm not seeing anything close to her taste."
"Not everything is listed. The real action happens in the after-hours, where the true valuables items are sold. Isn't that why you brought Nenma along?"
"So you really do have access to the black market," Sasuke said, unimpressed.
"Hey buddy, watch it now. Here in this Village, we don't call it that." Kiba replied.
He hadn't exactly brought anything formal. Sasuke turned to Nenma, he doubted he had anything he could borrow, but decided to ask anyway.
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Hinata took a bite of a dango, not minding being away from the hustle and bustle of the village. Away from having to use what Nenma had called "her expertise." As if she was only good for one thing. She almost dropped her half-finished snack when she finally caught sight of a few dozen people moving cargo into a museum, with hundreds of covert Shinobi standing around the place to guard it.
"Let me not get my hopes up. They're hired to protect anything merchandize that's deemed valuable."
She finished the dango and reached for her bag. Her hand froze when something seemed to glow inside. She opened her bag slowly, her lavender eyes reflecting a yellow glow as the three woven words began to glow.
"This certainly hasn't happened before," She said with hints of confusion. So why? Why was it glowing now? She didn't dare touch it, and quickly closed her bag back up and holstered it on, and faced the village.
Hinata leaped, arms spread, her descent meeting her fast as she fell head first and adjusted herself halfway through, flipping and landing softly in front of the inn. The laughter and chatter of the people inside reached her ears, but she avoided the tavern and immediately beelined towards her room and threw her bag down inside the closet when a knock came at the door.
"Great! You're here!" Nenma said as she took in his appearance as he wore a dark yukata.
"Nenma, why are you wearing that? Not even your mom could get you to wear one,"
"We're getting ready for the auctions happening tonight. How do I look?"
He would've probably looked impressive if half of his upper chest wasn't being shown.
"Like you're plotting some illegal activities. What do you need help with?"
"Sasuke won't let me go anywhere near him. He thinks I might try to steal his eye,"
"Help him with what...?"
"Just follow me,"
When Nenma opened the door to the room, Sasuke was standing in the middle, fidgeting with his Kimono, as it hung mostly loose around him. When he turned their way, his bare chest was slightly exposed. She thought being in her line of work had desensitized her to men. However, she found her own language unfamiliar to her, as Sasuke had spoken their native tongue with perfect fluency. It took her some time to decode what was being said, as he rubbed an itch at the back of his head.
Nenma noticed, his lips twisting into a wry smile. "Not many people know this about our pampered Hokage. You see, when he was little, he got too used to his big bruddah doing the most basic things for him."
"Nenma," Sasuke said in disbelief, with a simmer of heat running under his skin. "It seems you've chosen death!" Nenma twisted his body and dodged a knife.
"Cut it out you two, or you'll be late," Hinata chastised them as she walked up to Sasuke.
From them on, Sasuke remained immobilized with Hinata in front of him. She fixed and adjusted his kimono, the fabric feeling luxurious against her skin. It was a shade of muted blue, the color associated with his clan emblem. She softly asked him to turn, fixing the little details of the sash around his waist. The embroidery at the back displayed his lineage quite boldly. The faded bruise on her neck, which her hair had previously concealed, came into view as she asked Sasuke to face her once more. His thoughts don't move on from it. He knew his musings were temporary. And that his curiosity would be gone once they parted.
"I'm guessing you two had luck finding a lead,"
"My connection said that not all the stuff is being displayed at this event. We'll have to wait for the after-hours, when the black market truly starts." Nenma replied.
"Right. Meanwhile, I'll just be here, dwindling my thumbs while keeping an eye out for danger,"
Nenma glanced her way, detecting sarcasm, but quickly moved on from it.
"I guess we won't be needing this since we have a direct way of getting in," Sasuke said as he handed her back Kiba's ID card, sensing what might've been going through her mind.
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Hinata's long braid moved from side to side as she walked in the middle of the night, in no hurry. With her Byakugan, she studied the changes in patterns of the shinobis on guard duty that night. Once she got close to her destination, she hid around the site, carefully avoiding detection. She knelt behind a bush and laid on her stomach to stake out the place, chin resting on her folded hands. She could see Sasuke and Nenma were already inside, mingling with the event's planner, who was stoked to have a Hokage as a guest.
It was now or never, Hinata figured, as she moved her mask on and raised from the grass, softly disabling the first guard, before meeting the next one head-on. Piles of bodies continued to drop in the dead of night, as the regular bidding had come to an end.
The after-hours had begun by then, with the auctioneer beginning by describing the first item up for sale. It was a powerful scroll that contained a forbidden jutsu. The bidding started at a high price, and it quickly escalated. The next item up for sale was a rare sword. The auction went on for another hour, and the group watched as more and more rare and powerful items were sold. By then, Hinata had entered the back of the building swiftly tapped Kiba's card, and entered through what would've been an unauthorized room.
The guards glanced her way, startled, and at that moment, she couldn't hold back, because there it was, the tapestry, being picked up gently by a guard.
Back at the auction, the last item up for sale was named to be a beautiful, yet incomplete tapestry, with the ability to give the owner visions and foresight. The bidding started at a low price, but it quickly escalated. Sasuke and Nenma paired up, determined to win it.
Hinata drew two daggers from each side of her short kimono. She ran sideways, successfully deflecting weapons, until the last one landed too close. She kneeled and dodged the last one, quickly coming back again, with her black stockings unscathed.
After she was done scaling their abilities against hers, she ran towards them with confidence, deflecting anything until she reached the closest Shinobi, releasing her clan's secret technique once everyone was in range. She stopped at 36 palms, the diagram disappearing when she saw the target running away. The tapestry didn't make it past the door as she flung a knife, cutting the person's hand, forcing them to let go. Bloody hand prints were left behind as they pushed the door open and ran, echoes of screams reaching down the hall.
She slipped on a pair of gloves, as she approached her reward, avoding physical contact with an item that might trigger further unsettling visions. Hinata knelt down by it, her smile of triumph fading at the image being depicted before her.
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Her long braid swayed from side to side as she took fast strolls in the middle of the night, passing a group of locals who seemed to be going in the opposite direction. She touched her side, where she had the scroll still tucked away. She came to an abrupt stop when Nenma landed in front of her.
"Didn't I say to leave it up to us?"
"Nenma, leave her be," Sasuke began as he walked up to them, with his hands tucked inside the sleeves of his kimono, as he faults Nenma for saying some things that could easily trigger competition.
"I got to it first. It was a fair win." Hinata replied, feeling justified.
"Fair win my ass. I bet you saw everything with your Byakugan."
"And it was all so much easier because Lord Sasuke gave me back Kiba's card key,"
"Oi, are you in on this too?" Nenma asked him.
Sasuke smirked, half bemused. Mostly relating to her, because he likes competing as well. He had returned the ID card just to see if he would be proven right. Her stealth was truly admirable.
Nenma scoffed. "If I didn't have connections with anyone in this village, I would've retrieved it in seconds. Plus, I got us into the event without any incident. Where is my "thank you"?"
"Did you actually think I'd go around spending the Leaf village's fund on this?" Sasuke padded his shoulder, like a teacher pats a student. "How about we try working like a unit next time,"
"Hai hai Lord Hokage-senseiiiiii," Nenma replied sarcastically while marching ahead of them.
"Good job Hinata,"
She seemed caught off guard by the sudden praise. She didn't look into his eyes this time.
Hinata slowed in her steps as a wave of nostalgia almost overwhelmed her. Her fingers had already become a knotted mess when Sasuke leaned over to inspect them. His eyes trailed where she didn't want them to be, and he picked up on one of her compulsive, nervous habits she thought destroyed a long time ago. She walked past him, not wanting to be left alone with Sasuke.
"Nenma! Slow down!"
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By the time they caught up to him, Nenma's foot was already tapping to the rhythm, listening to the instruments playing inside. The fiddle, the flute, and the drum, all combined, created a cheerful, and inviting tune with the unspoken promise of a night of fun. The laughter and chatter of the people inside also reached their ears.
Hinata raised a brow when Sasuke joined in, bobbing his head along the rhythm, before locking arms with her, pulling her inside the establishment, located at the heart of the inn. That night, the tavern appeared spacious, probably because she had taken the time to notice the open room with its high ceiling. The walls were made from your typical rough-hewn stone, with a few tables and chairs that were scattered around, giving the illusion of privacy. The long bar that ran along one wall had only the inn's owner running it. Unlike last night, the place was dimly lit by a few candles and lanterns, as if untouched by technology. The air smelled thick. Thick with the smell of smoke and spirits as she walked in. Most of the occupants were Shinobis and locals who had arrived for the weekly Saturday night festivities.
Hinata let out a yelp and then laughter as she freed herself from Sasuke's arm, back-stepping along with the tempo until she reached the halls that led to the spiraling stairs, leaving a pouting Sasuke behind. Tonight had pulled a group of diverse ages once they found that the Lord Hokage had been staying the night.
"Oi, Sasuke, you want anything?" Nenma yelled as he was already surrounded by a crowd. Sasuke turned back toward the ambiance and grinned widely.
"Make it the usual!"
Nenma nodded, then danced his way towards the bar, to haggle food prices as if he couldn't afford it.
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Hinata fumbled with her key and opened the door, and shut it behind her. It was quiet. The inn owner had politely soundproofed the tavern, for those visitors passing by, wishing to just have a good night sleep. She let out a sigh she had been holding as she pulled at the ribbon holding her woven hair together, finding her mind unfurling as her long hair spread behind her. She tossed her hair behind her as she began to pace back and forth, as the sound of the wooden floor echoed in the room with each step. Her musings were interrupted by a knock. She cracked a small gap, but then flung the door open when the two were standing outside the hall.
"Hn. Everyone knows that having an alibi is basic practice,"
"I know. My clone was seen drinking the whole night. She pardoned herself from a conversation right before we walked in,"
"Then you must be exhausted," Sasuke said as she invited them in to have a look at the tapestry.
Nenma had been the only brave one as he had picked it up from her bed. He examined it in his bare hands, as Sasuke agreed with Hinata's comment. The young man certainly looked like Nenma's father.
Why was the image of Lord Minato's likeness recorded? What does an Uzumaki have to do with Kyuubi?
Sasuke frowned.
"Kyuubi once told me he had shared his name with the first Shinobi who helped create the contract that protects us. This person, whoever they were, might just be of Uzumaki descent. And now, here we are, on a quest to undermine the wishes of our ancestors. Hinata, Nenma, as your Lord Hokage, I command that you take a pause on this quest," He had to go home and find out everything Lord Minato knows.
"Ah. I get what you're saying. It's clear, even to me that someone had meant to destroy the tapestry," Hinata nodded, following his line of thinking. "And when they couldn't, they simply separated the pieces-" Nenma's was interrupted by the growl coming from Hinata's stomach.
"I barely had any time for a decent meal," She explained as she had been just as busy as them.
"Hinata, would you like to join us for dinner?"
She smiled as she walked up to Sasuke.
"I wish this village had a decent ramen place. Naruto sounds good right about now,"
"I'm more of a tomato soup kind of guy," Sasuke said with a smile as he opened the door and exited into the hall.
Nenma placed the tapestry on Hinata's bed and took a step, having a hard time finding his center. But neither noticed, as they kept on talking outside the halls while waiting for him. On his next step, he felt like the world around him was unraveling, shaking, as cicadas echoed loudly inside his ears.
"Hey guys…" He said as he had a hard time just to make it to the door.
"Hmm?" Hinata asked behind her shoulder. Sasuke also stopped and turned around. "Nenma, are you okay?"
"I wonder…why do I feel strange? Like I shouldn't be here. Like I should be somewhere else doing something important. Being part of a larger cause. Something bigger than I." He said as his eyes glowed a bright ocean blue.
"Nenma, what are you saying…? You are an Uzumaki. You're Minato's son. A lot of great things were automatically expected of you, just like a lot of great things were expected of Lord Sasuke, or Onii-sama,"
Her response was calming in nature, just to hide the uncertainty she felt as she took a few steps closer, trying to reach him. Sasuke grabbed Hinata's wrist, pulling her behind him, ready to shield her from something when he noticed the tapestry glowing behind Nenma. His eyes began to look like a blank slate, as if under a spell when his attention turned towards the bay. The three windows flew open, as he levitated outside, the wind he created setting off any wind chimes nearby.
He looked around and set his sight towards the sky.
"That's right, I remember who I am now... I'm supposed to have a different role…" He glanced down at his hands, which had started oozing some sort of dark miasma as Nenma's hair shed its darkness, leaving a bright and golden shade of blond.
Soon enough, Sasuke activated his sussano to shield Hinata. He brought her closer and forced her to look away when dark tendrils escaped Nenma's body, his shadow releasing rapidly like a broken pipe, all at once, passing through and disappearing in every direction.
When the shadow was released and exhausted, Nenma was left bathed in a bright yellow light that imitated fire, with his whisker marks more noticeable on each side. The transformation didn't last very long, as Nenma fought off whatever had taken hold, taking back calling back in all the dark elements he had released, efficiently tearing himself away from the bright light.
When he fell to his knees, his hair darkened back to a shade of black, as he gasped for air.
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Thaylin, thanks for the review!
I-Love-Trunks, I enjoy writing Nenma traveling with SasuHina to help push things. I was going to get rid of him but I think he might be sticking around. As for Itachi, maybe he'll have his screen time eventually.
Harrison's wool, here you go, more conspiracy!
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Birdly The Reaper Of Souls
Elisabeth Liselotte
TheNameTakenIsMe
Apex2023
rei2022!