Hinata took a deep breath, and then another as she stood in front of her sisters room. The doorway was intimidating, flashes of good time in her mind's eye as she stood still. Memories when they were still happy, before they broke apart.

Or rather, were pushed apart. The pressures of the clan and the shadow of their mothers sudden death when Hanabi was still a baby. How their father and clan elders pitted them against each other to see who was the strongest. Constantly comparing them to the point where they stopped seeing each other as sisters and more as stepping stones. Competition.

In a rare show of anger, Hinata clenched her fists so hard her fingernails dug into her palm. She hadn't had a conversation with her little sister ever since that fight to determine who would be clan heiress those two years ago.

Hinata was shoved to the side and spent as little time as possible in the compound and the compound center in order to avoid the cutting words of her father, and Hanabi's free time was all taken away to train her as heiress. She was micromanaged to pieces, like Hinata was.

The door opened.

Hinata had forgotten how much Hanabi looked like their mother, but face to face like this, it was impossible to deny. Hinata may have gotten her hair color, but Hanabi's face and strength was all her.

"Well? Come in. Father is at a meeting with the other clan heads."

Hanai's voice was carefully, painfully neutral, like talking to a guest rather than her sister, and Hinata wiped her clammy hands on her jacket, feeling even worse as it stuck to the rolls of fat on her stomach.

"I found this."

Hinata's pulse raced as Hanabi pulled out their old stuffed animal. It was one their mother had gifted Hinata, just weeks before she...died. She had said the Teddy bear would protect her, and always be truthful to her. She had said that with a sad look in her eyes. Later, Hinata would give it to her little sister, and tell her the same thing.

"I'm not stupid, Nee-chan. I saw you sneaking around with Neji. I know you're planning something, and whatever that is, you need me for it."

Hinata nodded unable to speak.

"My only question is, why are you only coming to me now? Where were you when I needed you?"

"I'm sorry-"

"I know you are, but that wasn't an answer." Hanabi, emotions always locked away in an icebox, had tears simmering in the corners of her eyes. She clutched the bear to her like a lifeline.

"Because, I-I'm weak. I couldn't be strong enough. Dad was right in saying I'm a bad influence on you. I couldn't protect you, I knew what h-heir meant, the struggles, the p-pressure, but I couldn't bring myself to hit you during our f-fight, and now you're suffering for it."

Hanabi's eyes narrowed at the edges, the same way mom's did when she heard something that struck a nerve.

"...Well, Dad is a liar." Hanabi said, voice tight.

Hinata chuckled wetly.

"No, you misunderstand me, Hinata. Take a closer look at this bear."

Hanabi pulled back the stitching on the back and Hinata gasped. Mother had hand made this for them! How could she just rip it apart-

A piece of paper fell out of it.

For a moment, Hinata was so stunned she could do nothing but look at the pricey stationary inscribed with her mother's handwriting as Hanabi picked it up from the floor.

"I was looking through our old things. I was mad. At dad. At mom for killing herself, and you, for standing by. So I-I tore up this bear, and the paper fell out. This bear doesn't have any chakra infused in it, so we missed it. I think mom put it there. I think you should read it."

Hands clammy, Hinata took it from her sisters trembling fingers and read it.

Dear Hinata and Hanabi.

My time is drawing to a close. I was shortsighted, impatient, and not careful enough, and got caught. After the death of your uncle, I knew I couldn't stand by anymore. He made it so it seemed like his choice to be given over to Kumo, but it really wasn't. He was dying. The caged bird seal weighed heavy on him, and was made worse, as his frequent use of the byakugan strained his chakra pathways and nerves. He had a year, tops, before he succumbed to it. He went along to Kumo because he would have rather died away from Neji's eyes and honorable than in a hospital.

And I had enough. I conspired to remove the seals from our clan-mates, but wasn't careful enough, and got caught. I'm being tried for treason.

And so, Ironically, I find myself going the way of my brother in-law. If I'm not killed, I'll be caged too, and I can't let you or your baby sister see that. I'm fully grown, and putting a seal on someone like me would more than likely drive them insane. And I can't do that to you two.

So even though it's a long shot. I'll hide this letter here. The truth will always be with you. I love you, Hinata. You couldn't disappoint me if you tried. You are such a loving girl, and your fathers standards are impossible to meet. None of this is your fault.

Hanabi. I'm sorry I won't ever get to know you. But I want you to know that I love you. That I'm sure you will be a brave, strong girl. I want you to know that you older sister loves you, and that the two of you need to take care of each other.

Don't make the same mistakes I did.

-Mother.

Eyes watering, mind in a state of shock, Hinata barely reacts when Hanabi pulls her into their first hug in years.

Hanabi mumbled something into her jacket.

"W-what?"

"...I want to make that monster pay. All of them. They made mom do this." Hanabi gasped, years of pain coming out s she clung to her sister. "Whatever you need help with, I'll do it."

Hinata froze, recalling the last line in her mother's letter to them. Then to her plans with Neji, Karin, Haku, and Tenten.

"Alright. B-but I need you to promise to hear me out. This won't be easy, and we need...need to be careful."

"Okay. What is it."

Hinata activated her eyes, saw they were along, and spoke in a low whisper.

"I want to find a way to get rid of the caged bird seal for good."

Hanabi stiffened, and she expected her to maybe yell, or rage, but she only nodded.

"That would be the best way to get back at them all. And prevent one of us from being sealed." Hanabi said thoughtfully.

"Yes, that great-what?"

"Big sister, they are planning to seal one of us. Probably you, but I've been rather sullen lately, and you are much easier to control."

"...Oh."

"Yeah. Anyway, lets go! I assume you have something set up?"

Smiling, Hinata took her little sisters hand in hers, and they were off. Feeling more hopeful than she had in years, Hinata smiled.

The room was well lit, but that didn't stop the permeanting darkness from filling the room to near suffocating. All the clan heads were here, along with every single council member and the last loyal sannin.

Everyone was here-except the Hokage.

The reason they had assembled today.

Kakashi held back a sigh. He hadn't acted as clan head for the hatake clan in, well, ever. He had been to young to take over when his father was still alive, and after that it had been too painful. But things change. Besides, even if he wasn't here to represent the Hatake clan, he would be here as one of the most powerful in the village.

As he surveyed the room, he couldn't help but notice all the empty seats. Many other clans were also extinct or on the edge. The Uchiha were only the most prominent.

Hiashi cleared his throat and the room immediately quieted down from low murmuring to silence. Jiraiya stepped forward. He looked rung out and tired. Kakashi had to stifle an inappropriate chuckle as he imagined what she would say about the state of split ends and flyaways in his hair.

Now was not the time for that.

Learning the Hokages mind was going was a huge blow, and would be an even bigger one when it got public. Kakashi had suspected something was wrong when he got the Hokage to stop the trial, but over these past few weeks, slightly odd behavior became completely bedridden. The Hokages days were numbered, and when he passed, which was going to be sooner rather than later, it would cripple Konoha in ways never seen before.

The death of the fourth was devastating, but even then they had the third to fall back on. The last time a hokage had died without someone already in place to support the village, it was the second hokage. And almost everyone in Konoha was too young to remember those dark days(like himself) or had forgotten.

"As you all know, we've assembled here today to decide who will be the next hokage." Jiraiya said.

"Which we all agreed on you." Said Koharu.

Jiraiya's eyes sharpened and Kakashi stiffened in his seat. He knew Jiraiya didn't want the hat, and neither did Kakashi. He knew they were eyeing him. In a couple years with more experience, Kakashi knows he will be a more than viable candidate. In this situation, they might disregard that entirely and push him forwards anyway.

"My answer is no."

"Then what do you propose, Jiraiya?"

"That I go and bring her back."

Gasps of surprise. There was only one person he could be referring to.

"I'll go, find Tsunade, and bring her back."

"...And if not?" Kakashi found himself asking.

Jiraiya looked at him.

"Then we'll deal with it then. I'm taking Naruto. It's about time to start on his training."

Haruhi heaved more debri over her shoulder and into the trash pile for Sasuke to burn.

Progress for cleaning up the Uchiha clan spaces was going well. Many of the houses had to be completely torn down due to damage at the foundations, but a fair number were still in good enough shape for Yamato to fix up.

All the supplies was sorted out. Things Sasuke wanted to keep were sent to the main house. Other things were subtlety donated to the various charities in the village, a fair number of them run by Kasumi and other civilians haruhi met at various group meetings.

The original Naruto worked his way over to her side, fingers tapping nervously on the side of his orange pants.

Haruhi recognized that look. He wanted to ask her something. Kakashi's words from yesterday rang in her ears, about biting off more than she could chew. But if Naruto needed someone to listen to him, she would.

"Whats up, buddy?"

"Oh, what? What would make you think that-"

She turned and raised an eyebrow at him, immediately shutting him up.

"Spit it out, kid. I don't bite."

"Well, uh, you know how everyone says i'm stupid and naive because i'm nice? And that they are smarter than me? Are they, uh, right?" He squeaked.

Haruhi blinked. Put the trash down.

"Buttercup I want you to listen very carefully to what I'm about to say."

He gulped and nodded.

"Naruto, I value kind people over intelligent people by a huge margin. So much so it's not even funny. The world has plenty of smarty pants and people who think they know better than you. But kind people? Niceness? That is so much more important than solving any rubik's cube ever. The world needs more people like you, Naruto."

His mouth made an 'O'.

"Anyone can be mean, or pretentious. That has a lot to do with being a product of the world they were raised in. As we've come to realize, the ninja world isn't a pleasant one. To be kind is a choice. No one is born intrinsically nice. To actively practice kindness is a powerful thing that not everyone has the strength of character to pull off. So while you should exercise caution, I truly believe that you are making the world a better place exactly the way you are right now."

He jumped up and hugged her, sniffling.

She hugged him back.

"Alright, lets get rid of this trash and take a break. Sound good?

"Yeah!"

"And if you're worried about being dumb or whatever, they have extra lessons at the academy for people not in the ninja program. Iruka helps with it too."

Naruto smiled, and they cleaned up. Until he showed up.

"Hey, who the heck is that old man?"

Haruhi grunted, and looked up.

And there in all his sexual harassment, worn down glory, was Jiraiya.

"Hey kid, today is your lucky day! Pack your bags because you're coming with me!"

Shit.

Spring break? More like winter break Pt 2.

Hope you had fun!