Hinata waited in the security room along with Rock Lee, Choji, Naruto, and Kakashi while Shizune brought up all the security footage for the day. The hospital was filled with cameras, not only for patient safety but also for the staff. Shizune sat at the security station's computer, searching through multiple files to locate footage of the lab room for the day.
"I'm glad you all caught me before I left," Shizune said, still searching. "I hope this gives us some indication of what happened to Sakura and Kiba."
She opened the file and brought the footage from the lab on the most prominent television for all of them to see. The footage only recorded the video with no sound. It began with Sakura, an assistant, and Kiba entering the lab earlier that day. Sakura and Kiba were talking to one another while the assistant brought up Hiashi's information. Everyone watched the footage silently as Sakura pointed toward the screen. It seemed as if they had finished, and Kiba turned away from Sakura and the assistant and headed towards the door.
When Sakura was coughing, she closed her eyes, and that was when the assistant turned around. He struck her in the abdomen. She began to stumble back, eyes wide before he caught her, and she went unconscious, dropping her coffee cup. Kiba turned around to see the assistant begin saying something while laying Sakura on the ground. The assistant transformed into Kenzo, and he attacked Kiba. Hinata gasped as she realized where Kenzo was wounded when Kiba injured him with his claws. But Kenzo became the winner of this fight after rendering Kiba unconscious.
Kenzo grabbed both of them, dragged them out of the lab, and threw them into a room. After closing the door, he locked it and quickly ran out of sight of the camera view.
"Where's that room?" Naruto asked, slightly panicked.
Shizune stood up and quickly ran towards the door. "Follow me! Quickly!"
Everyone quickly left the security office and went to the lab. Shizune opened the door and turned the light on to find the room empty.
"Dammit!" Shizune said. "He already doubled back and got them both."
Naruto turned around and was leaving when Kakshi caught him by his wrist. "Wait a minute, Naruto! We need a clue as to where Sakura is before you rush off trying to find her." Kakashi said. Naruto nodded, and Kakashi let him go and turned to Hinata. "Hinata, who was that on the footage that we'd seen? He's from the Hyuga clan, yes?"
She nodded. "He's Kenzo Hyuga from the side branch. He's my father's attendant and a Jonin. He's also the one who's been poisoning my father that Sakura must've found out."
Choji turned his attention to Hinata. "There was something you were going to tell us before we ran into Lord Sixth. What is it? It can lead us to what Kenzo is planning."
She nodded and told them everything she knew, from her father's arrival at the hospital to Hiroshi's taking control of the Hyuga. Then, the side bench members met at Neji's house, where Kenzo revealed his intentions and the confrontation with the Inuzuka clan that night. After she finished, everyone was shocked to hear about this battle and turned to Kakashi for guidance.
"I see," he said before crossing his arms over his chest. "Two clans fighting each other is the last thing we need. Both Hyuga and Inuzuka will be marked by this forever. One clan is easily offended, while the other is quick to provoke. Given the history of the Hyuga and the Cloud Village, if the other villages believe we cannot get along with ourselves, what would be the point in keeping the five-nation alliance?"
"So what should we do, Kakashi sensei?" Naruto asked then.
"We need to head to the Inuzuka. Let them know what happened and still have them meet the Hyuga on the battlefield. From there, Naruto and I will show up and stop the battle from happening." He paused and turned to Hinata. "From there, it will be up to you to locate Kenzo. If the death of the main family is what he wanted, I'm sure he'll be there, and we can capture him. We'll all have radios on, and the police, along with a couple of others, will be in the nearby area to catch him. After he's captured, I'll send the order for both clans to return home. Once he's captured, we'll have Kenzo confess his crimes and give us the location of Sakura and Kiba."
Everyone nodded in agreement and left the hospital. Hinata knew she needed to see Neji and regroup with him. It was time to prove herself and face Kenzo head-on.
With the plan set in motion, Hinata hurried back to the Hyuga compound to inform Neji and Tenten of Kakashi's plan. When she arrived at their house, she knocked once, and it quickly opened, revealing Neji. He looked a bit tense at first but relaxed when he saw who it was. After he let her in, she followed him into the sitting room where Tenten was waiting along with Hanabi, who Hinata was surprised to see.
"Big sister!" Hanabi said, standing up and approaching her, wrapping her arms tightly around Hinata's torso.
"Hanabi?" Hinata looked down at her sister and then back to Neji and Tenten.
"I had someone take Hanabi's spot in her room like Ayame did for you, Hinata," Neji answered.
Hinata smiled and hugged her sister back. "Thank you, Neji."
Before Neji could speak, Hanabi started talking again. "Neji told me that you went to see our father. How is he? Is it true what Kenzo said? That he's not doing good?"
"No, father is doing well," Hinata said, placing her hand on Hanabi's shoulders, hoping it'd reassure her. "Kenzo is behind all of this. He lied to all of us."
The others looked up at her in shock, and Hinata nodded. Hinata sighed as they gestured for Hanabi to have a seat so that she could inform them of everything that had happened at the hospital. While telling them everything that had happened, everyone held a mixture of emotions in their facial expressions. Neji looked agitated, while Tenten looked worried; Hanabi, on the other hand, looked relieved. When she finished, she took a deep breath and looked at the clock in the distance. It was nine pm, and the battle with Inzuka was approaching quickly.
"So I'll lead the Hyuga into battle, and Naruto and Lord Sixth will stop us before anything happens. From there, you'll find Kenzo and take him down?" Neji asked.
"Yes," Hinata said. Lord Sixth is confident this will work, and we can stop him from harming anyone in the Main house. And if I'm going to lead our clan, it's my responsibility to handle Kenzo. But not in the way the main house has always done. When our fight begins, I must subdue him without using his curse seal so that he can see that I don't want to subject him to that type of torture."
Tenten looked at Hinata then. "Will you be okay taking him on your own?"
"Big sister can handle it!" Hanabi said confidently. "I'm sure of it! It'll be less challenging than fighting father."
Hinata laughed a little out of nervousness. "It's true, but I should be okay."
Neji nodded. "As soon as Naruto and Lord Six arrive, I'll immediately try to find you and help if needed. However, I do have to apologize to Hinata. When I visited Kiba's family, they weren't ready to hear anything from me. And given everything that has happened with Lord Hiroshi, I think I made it worse."
Hinata smiled a little as she turned to look at him. "It's okay, Neji. You did your best. We must focus on getting our hands on Kenzo and saving Kiba and Sakura." She paused and then turned to her little sister. "Hanabi, stay here and keep Tenten safe for us."
Hanabi nodded, with a look of determination filling her eyes. "You both can count on me!"
Tenten sighed and shook her head. "I'm pregnant, not made of glass."
Neji chuckled then as he stood up from the table. "True, but you're now carrying precious cargo. We should get ready to go, Hinata."
Hinata nodded, and they both stood up and hugged Hanabi and Tenten before heading to the battlefield.
Hinata waited on a large tree branch just a short distance outside the battlefield with her Byakugan activated. She could see everyone on the field, with the Hyuga clan facing the Inuzuka. The Hokage, Naruto, and a small portion of the police force were also waiting on standby to stop the battle from happening. The group with the Hokage did their best to mask their chakra to prevent them from being noticed too early by the two clans. The night air began to stir and blew her hair across her face.
She knew once everyone in the Hyuga clan activated their Byakugan; they would see what she was currently seeing. And once they did, they'd hesitate or even be confused by what was happening. Time was of the essence for her to find Kenzo before he activated his Byakugan. If he saw that there would be no battle taking place, he'd surely flee from the field. As soon as she was about to turn her attention to the field, she saw him. He was much closer to the field than she was, and she quickly began to jump from branch to branch. Suddenly, a buzzing sound came from the radio she hooked up to her ear before settling on the tree branch.
"Hinata, come in." Kakashi's voice came through. "Have you located Kenzo?"
Hinata pressed the talk button and continued jumping from branch to branch. "Yes, he's close to the field. If you consider the field a clock with the Hyuga facing twelve, he'd be at number five. I'm making my way close to him now."
"You'll only get one shot at this, and we're counting on you, Hinata."
"Roger," she answered and let go of the button.
As she approached Kenzo in her peripheral vision, she noticed both the Inuzuka and the Hyuga began running towards each other. Kenzo smiled and jumped down from the tree branch he was perched atop. He started running onto the field when Hinata jumped out of the forest surrounding the area. She landed a short distance away, stopping him in his tracks. At the same time, a giant frog landed in between the two clans. On top of the frog's head were Naruto and Kakashi, stopping both groups from running to attack each other.
Despite telling Neji and the others that she was prepared to fight Kenzo, she wanted to reason with him first. To make him see the error of his ways before it had to get violent. Kenzo's eyes widened as he looked from the frog back to Hinata and then scowled in her direction. Hinata moved into her fighting stance the moment his Byakugan activated.
"Lady Hinata, I should've known you'd bring the Hokage and others into this. You couldn't even defend your father on your own. You still need everyone else to finish or fix everything for you." He said roughly.
"Kenzo, you can say whatever you want about me. But I will not back down from you now. You tried to kill my father; you've taken one of my dear friends and the love of my life as captives. But all of that stops here. I understand you have disdain for the house system in our clan. I don't agree with it either. You say that I need everyone to fix everything for me, but how many people have you involved in destroying the house system of our clan?"
Kenzo laughed as his gaze intensely stayed fixed upon her. "You hate the house system. You who benefit from it hate the privileged life she lives? Lady Hinata, do not insult me by lying like this."
She shook her head, frowning slightly. "I might have been born into a house of privilege, but when I didn't meet the mark as the heir of said house, I was treated as almost nothing. Despite that, I know it does not compare to the life you've had to live. But I can empathize and acknowledge your hatred for the main house. I wish to change that; I'm asking for a chance to let me change it. The housing system in our clan. I beg you to please stop this!"
He shook his head and smiled a little. "It's too late for me to stop here. And if I try to run, the Hokage and the others will follow me and try to capture me. If I somehow escape, I'll be on the run for the rest of my life. You'll have to use a brand placed on my forehead, capture me, or kill me to make me stop."
Hinata shook her head. "I won't, I never will."
"Then this is the end for you, Lady Hinata." He replied grimly.
Hinata held her hands out at her sides. Purple chakra began to form into lions from the tips of her fingers to her elbows. The chakra pulsated around her arms like the lions were alive and moving independently. The pair stared at one another as the seconds passed before Kenzo charged toward Hinata. He struck with his left hand, and she easily dodged it, moving slightly to the right. As he neared her, the lion fist absorbed some of his chakra.
She sidestepped around him before he could strike again, causing him to pivot simultaneously. His strikes became quicker as he tried to hit her, but Hinata dodged his attacks. She continued absorbing his chakra more and more as he neared her. She dodged his next attack and quickly struck three of his chakra points. He grunted and promptly jumped back before she could continue attacking him.
Then, she noticed several chakra points in his arms and legs were already cut off. She realized it must've happened earlier from the guards in front of her father's room. He shook his limbs and tried to attack her again. She smacked his arm upwards and struck him in his upper and lower abdomen multiple times. His chakra was being cut point by point easily. Before he could attack again, she quickly kicked his footing from underneath him, and he hit the ground hard. He was out of breath and stared up at Hinata.
With his injuries from the multiple battles he'd had for the day, it was relatively easy for her to defeat him. And she knew if he did attack anyone from the main family, they wouldn't have hesitated to attack him. She wondered if he only came out here as a last-ditch effort to make the branch family feel sympathetic and attack the main house on his behalf. She had so many questions for Kenzo and knelt beside him as he looked up at her. Frowning, she shook her head, urging him to stop him as Neji, Naruto, and Kakashi approached them.
"What are you waiting for?" Kenzo asked between breaths. "Kill me, use my brand against me!"
She shook her head again. "I told you I wouldn't. I'd be proving your point if I did."
"Hinata!" Neji as he knelt beside her.
She looked up at him, nodded to reassure him she was okay, and then back at Kenzo. "It's over; the police can take him into custody. And have him answer for all of his crimes."
Just then, Choji, Rock Lee, and several police officers appeared. Kenzo was quickly placed into handcuffs. As the police dragged him off, Kakashi sighed and put his hands in his pockets.
"It's over; the Inuzuka and the Hyuga will return home, and no one was hurt. Of course, I'll speak with the leaders of each clan to understand why they allowed things to get this far out of hand after we find Kiba and Sakura."
Naruto stepped forward, his eyes not leaving Kenzo as they took him away. "And him?" He asked.
"The interrogation team is waiting to retrieve Sakura and Kiba's whereabouts from him. After Ino is done, we'll figure out more than that. Good job, everyone. We've thankfully averted a crisis."
Naruto nodded, looking more relaxed as his facial features relaxed and exhaled. Hinata also exhaled, feeling relieved. It was truly over, but she felt a bit sorry for Kenzo. After that night, she felt her resolve strengthening. With the battle over, she could now begin to worry about Kiba and bring him home safely. With the clans leaving the field, they quickly followed the police as they took Kenzo in for interrogation.
The group gathered in a room with a one-way window to another room that held a chair with restraints. Since all of them were Shinobi, they were permitted to sit in on the interrogation that was to take place. No one said a word as they all waited. Looking through the window, Kenzo was tied down to a bed to lie on, with restraints holding him in place. He lay there wordlessly, staring up at the ceiling.
Naruto stood leaning against the wall with his left arm beside the window, with his other hand in his pocket and the other on the scowling at Kenzo. He'd done his best to hold his anger at bay, but he was growing more restless every minute he had to wait to hear about Sakura's whereabouts. He was glad Kakashi was so busy speaking with Neji about something that he didn't have enough time to chastise him for his anger. Sighing, he closed his eyes and rubbed his face before turning to look at Hinata. She sat in one of the few chairs and stared at the window.
Her facial features were calm, but her hands were held in a tight fist upon her lap. He frowned slightly before turning back to the window. She was in the same boat as him, as Kiba was still missing. Yet, he envied how she could disguise her emotions in times like this. The seconds continued to tick by slowly until a door to the room finally opened. The other people in the room Naruto was in began to gather closer to the window to get a better look. Kakashi pressed a button on the side of the wall, turning the microphone on so everyone could hear what was being said.
In the interrogation room, Choji entered, holding a clipboard with multiple papers held down by the metal clip. He held the door open as Ino and a couple of others entered. Ino took the lead in the room as she circled the table. Kenzo struggled to move as she stood directly over him, gazing down into his face.
"It's useless to try to resist," Ino warned. "Whatever secrets you're trying to hide will no longer be hidden."
She placed her hands on either side of his temples and closed her eyes. Everyone watched as Kenzo tried to struggle on the table, and she continued reading his mind. He began sweating profusely and began grunting as he continued to struggle, even baring his teeth as he writhed against the table. Choji and the other officers held him down so he could stop trying to distract Ino. After four minutes, she took her hands off his head, and he finally calmed down.
Ino frowned, looked at him, then up at Choji and nodded. She turned to the window, where the others were waiting.
"Sakura and Kiba are located just outside the village, tied up in a safe house. As for him, he has more than one accomplice. We need to serve multiple warrants of arrest to the Hyuga compound."
Both Neji and Hinata looked surprised at this. Kakashi pressed another button on the wall.
"Nice job, Ino; we'll have you lead Naruto, Hinata, and Neji to Sakura and Kiba. Before you go, give Choji that list of people for the warrants. I want them processed immediately before they can try to run," he ordered.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Ino and Choji left the interrogation room while the police imprisoned Kenzo. Naruto, Neji, and Hinata hurried out of the room and quickly met up with Ino, who was waiting for them by the building's exit. She led them out of the village and into the forest surrounding it. They jumped from tree branch to tree branch, moving quickly until they arrived at Kenzo's hideout. Naruto promptly went to the door, grabbed the handle, and opened the door.
No traps or anything in the cabin were stopping them except Kiba and Sakura, tied up back-to-back. Naruto quickly ran in and began undoing the ropes, followed by Hinata as she began to help. Once they were untied, Naruto scooped Sakura into his arms, carrying her bridle style. While Neji and Hinata grabbed Kiba, pulling his arms over their shoulders and supporting his weight.
"We should take them to the hospital," Hinata suggested. "Although it's chakra depletion, they should be monitored just in case."
Kiba mutters words incoherently, causing Hinata and Neji to smile a little.
"He's going to be out of it for a while. Maybe they will put him next to lord Hiashi in the hospital." Neji suggested.
Hinata giggled. "It'd make it easier for me to look after both of them if they do. I'll call his sister and mother as soon as I get him checked in. I'm sure they are worried about him."
Neji nodded in agreement, and they took to the trees to head back to the village.
"Alright, we should get going, too," Naruto said before turning to Ino. "Thank you, Ino."
She smiled and nodded as she approached him and Sakura. She brushed a few strands of Sakura's hair from her face.
"Of course. I don't mind staying at the hospital while you work tomorrow. My other employees can handle the customers while I'm gone." She suggested.
Naruto smiled and nodded. "And soon as I'm done, I'll come right to the hospital to take over for you, y'know."
Ino laughed. "Sounds like a plan. Though we should get ready. Most healers aren't the best patients. They tend to think their way is the best way to heal themselves rather than the doctors and nurses caring for them."
He chuckled, looking down at Sakura. "Oh yeah, you know she isn't going to want to stay in there as long as they think she should."
They both laughed at this and began heading back to the village.
At the hospital, Kiba slowly opened his eyes and saw the bright fluorescent lights above him. They stung his eyes, and he began to groan and slam his eyes shut. The steady beeping sound of a vital machine over his left ear caught his attention, and it started to speed up as he sat in bed. He groaned again as he held his head up in bed as someone came into view. His body felt heavier than usual as he crossed his legs and let the blankets covering his abdomen fall off his body. He was dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants, and he began yawning.
"Kiba, are you okay?"
He blinked a few times until his vision focused on seeing Hinata standing over him, her face a mix of relief and concern. His eyes widened as he sat forward and began looking at her.
"Hinata, what's going on? Where's Kenzo? Why am I in the hospital?" Kiba asked in confusion as he quickly sputtered out his questions.
Hinata held Kiba's shoulders firmly, her eyes filled with reassurance. "You're in the hospital, Kiba. But you're safe. You're going to be okay. Kenzo is now in prison, so you no longer have to worry about him."
Kiba nodded and began to relax a little. "But what about your father?"
She smiled. "He's doing much better. He's right over there."
Kiba looked away from Hinata to see Hiashi in a wheelchair by the bed, with Hanabi behind and holding the handles. Hana was leaning against the wall from the distance, smiled, and waved at him. He smiled and waved at his sister but felt someone on his right side. Looking immediately to the right, he saw his mother standing on the side of the bed, looking at him with a slightly annoyed yet amused look.
"Rise and shine, sleepy head," Tsume said then.
Everyone but Kiba laughed in the room as he looked at her and smiled a little.
"I want to thank you, Kiba," Hiashi said. "Because you investigated my health, the police and interrogation teams were able to find out Kenzo had more help in his plans to kill me. Hiroshi, along with several members of the main branch of our clan, has been arrested. From there, he and some of his accomplices in the branch family decided to double-cross them. And they, too, have been arrested. You looked out for me in my time of need. You're a good man I can trust to take care of my daughter. Which reminds me, shall we begin talks for marriage between the two of them, Lady Tsume? I think a wedding in winter will be perfect."
Tsume smiled. "Yes, I agree a wedding in the winter would be perfect!"
Kiba's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. "Wait, what?"
Hinata giggled next to him. "Our parents approve of us marrying one another."
Tsume nodded. "I misjudged Hinata initially, but I see she is a strong and determined young woman who loves my knucklehead son. I couldn't ask for anything more. Now, then, Lord Hiashi and I have much to discuss. I'll leave you in Hinata's care, Kiba."
Hanabi smiled and began rolling Hiashi backward and out of the room while Tsume and Hana followed. Kiba laid back in bed and looked at Hinata.
"I didn't even get to propose to you like I wanted, and they're already planning the wedding."
Hinata smiled and leaned down, brushing his brown hair from his eyes. She leaned in and kissed him softly. "It's okay; whenever you're ready, I'll be ready for your ring."
"So, does this mean you're the new clan leader for the Hyuga?" Kiba asked, sounding hopeful.
"Not yet. I still want to challenge my father. And when that day comes, I'll be ready as long as I have you by my side."
He chuckled and took her hand. "Well, baby, I'm not going anywhere. The only place I want to be is by your side!"
She leaned in and kissed him again.
In the next hospital room, Naruto sat beside Sakura's bed, peeling an apple. He held the knife carefully, cutting the skin off slowly, focusing on getting it right. He was so concentrated on the task that he slightly stuck his tongue out while holding the apple close to his face, ensuring he didn't miss any part of the peel. The laughter from the other room and people walking past the open door caught his attention.
He smiled a little, realizing Kiba must have woken up after two days. Naruto's gaze shifted to Sakura, still soundlessly sleeping in bed. To Naruto, Sakura looked like a painting brought to life by an artist as she rested. Her skin glowed from the sunlight streaming into the room from the large window. The Byakugo seal in the center of her forehead is like a purple diamond, and her hair shines like fine silk.
With today being his day off, he had already informed Ino that he would cover the entire day shift at the hospital. He wanted to be by her side as soon as she woke up. If Kiba was awake now, he hoped with all his heart that Sakura would wake up soon. Sakura, however, continued sleeping silently.
He smiled and went back to peeling the apple. "Once you wake up, I'll have this apple cut into slices for you to eat, Sakura!" He whispered.
Suddenly, Sakura began to stir in her sleep. Naruto's eyes widened with relief and anticipation as she rolled onto her side and slowly opened her eyes. Seeing her emerald green eyes, he set the apple and knife down and scooted closer to the bed. She blinked a couple of times and rubbed her eyes as he leaned on the bed with his chin resting atop the back of his hands, his heart pounding with hope.
"Naruto," Sakura whispered.
He chuckled. "Sakura, you're finally awake! You scared me half to death, y'know."
"What do you mean?" She asked groggily.
"Kenzo Hyuga kidnaped you after you told Kiba about Hinata's father. Hinata defeated the guy, and Ino was able to read his mind so we could find you."
Sakura's eyes widened, and she started trying to sit up when Naruto swiftly caught her by the shoulders and stopped her. His eyebrows were drawn together as he looked over her for anything potentially disturbing her.
"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned while looking her in the eyes.
She blinked several times before she began to relax again. "Sorry, when you said Kenzo, I remembered drinking coffee and was knocked out. I feel a little stiff, but other than that, I'm okay. You said he kidnapped me?"
He visibly relaxed a little as he let go of her shoulders. "Yeah, he took you and Kiba, so neither of you could expose his plan. But we caught him so, and Shizune took care of the poison he used on you. Thankfully, everyone is safe now."
Sakura frowned slightly as she reached over with her left hand and caressed Naruto's face. Her thumb traced just underneath his right eye. "You must've been worried. I can see you haven't been getting enough sleep and have dark marks under your eyes."
His eyes widened briefly before he smiled, leaning slightly into her hand. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. It's a small sacrifice I was willing to make, y'know."
"Please make sure you get some rest. A full night's worth of sleep tonight, okay?" She asked him, full of concern.
He nodded and grabbed the apple and knife he had placed on the table."Are you thirsty or hungry? I'm almost done peeling this apple for you."
She watched him slowly peel the apple, the red skin slowly coming off it. Sakura slowly sat up in bed and held her hands out. "Here, let me do it."
He shook his head. "No, I want to do this for you." They stared at one another until he pointed at her bed. "You're supposed to be resting right now as the patient, y'know."
She smiled and giggled a little before lying back in bed. "So stubborn."
Naruto chuckled. "I love you too!"