"Back again?" Kimimaro sighed. It was Hinata's fifth time visiting, and he grew less and less amused with her. If he didn't speak, she simply studied or read a book, giggling occasionally at the comedy it contained.

Hinata smiled and took a seat before holding up a book. "I brought a new one today. Would you like to hear some?" He huffed and turned his head away as he always did, but it never deterred her. "Okay. Here's a good one. What do you call a pig that does karate?"

More silence.

She giggled. "A pork chop," she laughed. Kimimaro couldn't stop the chuckle forcing its way from his throat. "Another one. Why was the broom late for work?" His eyes moved to her, but he kept his head facing the side. "It over-swept."

"The first one was funnier," he sighed.

"Let's try the next one. Why do melons get married in a church?"

"Why?"

"Because they can't elope!" She laughed, covering her face as her shoulders shook with the force of the laughter she was trying to contain.

"These are stupid," he sighed, but there was a smile on his face.

"That's what makes them so funny," she pointed out, giggling. She flipped the book to another random page without looking and held it out toward him. "Your turn! Tell me one."

Kimimaro glared, but immediately began scanning the pages. Hinata waited patiently with a smile. "What do you call a cow with a missing leg?"

"What?" She asked eagerly.

Kimimaro looked up at her with a pleased smirk. "Lean beef."

She burst out laughing. "That's a good one!" Then she tilted her head. "Maybe we should have beef for lunch tomorrow."

"You realize I'm in prison, yes? I cannot simply order takeout," he pointed out with a roll of his eyes.

Hinata waved her hand dismissively. "This is just a precaution and to ensure you completely recover from your illness," she assured him. "I can bring you lunch tomorrow!"

Kimimaro glared at the door. "I could've been… eating decent food this whole time? Why wasn't I made aware of this?"

Hinata chuckled sheepishly, putting her book away. "I pulled a few strings with our Hokage just recently," she admitted. "If you're going to recover, you need to eat quite a bit to ensure your body has enough energy to repair itself and your chakra."

"I'm sensing that you're quite close with the Hokage. I suppose if he's Naruto's father and you're his teammate, it makes sense."

"Yes, that's right. I've been lucky enough to train under him for some of my formative years," she said happily.

"I was kept in a small wooden cell during all of my formative years. Even in my clan, my kekkei genkai was rare, and it caused quite a bit of backlash when I learned I had it. I'm sure that Tsunade woman explained that they were all insane and obsessed with fighting. I wasn't…particularly fond of it, however. I just knew it was something I needed to do to survive. When they were all killed, part of me was relieved, but I was mostly lost. I had no purpose," he explained, finally opening up to her.

"I see. Spending your childhood in a cage, forced to fight, and then losing everyone must have been incredibly difficult. You were a child. You should've been taken care of properly."

At this, he glared harshly. "Orochimaru-sama saved me."

Despite the disdain for the snake that she had, she stomped it down and nodded with a small smile. "I'm very happy he was there for you. I hope Haku, Naruto, and I can also become people you can depend on."

"I don't believe you're being sincere. You just want intel on Orochimaru-sama," he spat.

She shook her head. "Maybe in the beginning, but I care more about you than getting any kind of information on him."

"Even more than your fiancé?" He goaded.

"Sasuke is doing what he feels he needs to. I'm focusing on other things," she admitted. "I'm just…trying to protect my friends, and I'm including you in that."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door before it opened to show Ibiki. "Hour's up for today," he said.

Hinata put the book on the bed next to him and smiled softly down at him. "I had fun today. I'll be back tomorrow with a delicious lunch," she promised. Then she turned and left, letting out a breath of relief when Ibiki had closed the door behind her.

"Food is prohibited here, Hyuuga-sama," he casually mentioned, but also didn't seem all that upset about it.

She smiled back at him apologetically. "I received permission from Hokage-sama. If we ever want him to fully recover, he should be consuming a lot of calories," she explained.

"He's a prisoner, not someone you should trust so much," he scolded as he led her out of the building.

She nodded. "Normally, I'd agree, Ibiki-san, but Kimimaro is different. I hope you'll come to trust my intuition one day," she replied, bowing deeply.

He sighed softly but grinned just enough for her to see. "Just remember that it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Deal?"

She giggled. "Deal. Have a nice rest of your day!" She waved as she said goodbye. The past few weeks she had been coming to see the Kagaya member, she had also become well-acquainted with Ibiki and his subordinates. They were all very strict and took their jobs seriously, but they were also incredibly kind and patient with her. It felt sincere and not just because she was the Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan.

Tomorrow would be the last day she would be able to visit Kimimaro for a while. After having shadowed her father for the allotted time, Minato was putting her back on the mission roster. He had expressed a desire to have her undertake a solo mission of a higher ranking, but her father was pushing back on that idea quite a bit. As a member of the main house of the Hyuuga, she was unsealed, and going alone would leave her too open.

She was on the fence. She understood her father's concerns and was honestly apprehensive about going on a mission by herself, but she also needed the experience. Going out alone would be dangerous for anyone, but especially so for someone with an unsealed byakugan—a highly sought-after doujutsu. She wouldn't know until Minato had managed to convince her father.

It was still a few hours until sundown so she decided going to the library to scout would be her next move. Perhaps this would be a day Danzo would be taking one of his walks, but she wasn't going to count on it. But she hoped to get on his radar soon.

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and remembered that Itachi would visit her in her greenhouse. If she was going to be getting closer to Danzo, there was no doubt that he would send his men to keep an eye on her. She needed to figure out how to apply a strong fuinjutsu seal that would conceal the older Uchiha brother and anything she was doing in there, and she would also need to figure out an excuse to tell the ROOT leader.

That was another thing she'd have to discuss with Minato.

When she got home later that evening, with no luck of seeing Danzo as she had expected, she was greeted by Mitsuki with a few letters in hand.

"You have received mail from Uzumaki-sama, Gaara-sama, and Hatake-sama," the woman explained, handing them over. "Shikamaru-sama also stopped by earlier in the day and said he would be by tomorrow afternoon."

Hinata deflated. She felt bad for missing time with Shikamaru, but she had necessary things to do. He would understand more than anyone else. That aside, she was very excited to read the letter from her friends! She thanked her maid and returned to her greenhouse to hurriedly read what she had been sent.

She took off her coat and turned on the small space heater before sitting down and reading Naruto's letter first. He went over his training, and having to do water-based training during the wintertime. She giggled as she read his angry rant about Jiraiya, but also expressed his eagerness to continue training under him. He was learning plenty and having fun seeing the neighboring nations; that's what mattered to her. He'd be very strong by the time the Akatsuki came for him, and she and all their friends would be there as well.

Gaara's letter made her gasp aloud and squeak in excitement. He mentioned that Sunagakure had been looking for the next Kazekage, which historically had been a title you were born into, and his siblings weren't interested. Gaara had decided to take a chance. He wrote about the strong dislike the villagers and council members expressed at the idea, but he wasn't backing down and his siblings weren't stepping up.

She smiled at how confident he sounded when he invited her to Suna for his future inauguration and as a personal guest of the Kazekage. He then thanked her and Team Harmony for their hand in changing him for the better.

He had come a long way from the hurt boy they'd met. His rapid change had proved that he wanted to be different, wanted to be loved and accepted, and wanted to love and care in return. After a few months of exchanging letters, she could positively call him one of her closest friends. In exchange for his kindness and openness, she revealed things about her past and home life. Things she probably shouldn't have shared with a citizen of another nation, especially one that their village was currently rocky with due to the invasion, but she trusted him. She just knew him to be trustworthy, and she was going to follow her gut.

After Gaara's letter, she went to Haku's and was happy to hear that his visit to Zabuza's grave had gone well. Now he was traveling toward Kumogakure, assuring her that he would stay vigilant. He also asked how her visits with Kimimaro were going, a tone of hope in the question. She can happily inform him that she made him laugh and tell horrible jokes.

Despite the unknown of the future, she was shooting toward Danzo, and she felt happy. She felt comfortable, and she was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

She put the letters aside and went back to focusing on her studies and creating more medications she was running low on. At this point, she was beginning to supply the doctor, someone she made sign a contract not to disclose or share the medication she made with anyone outside of the Hyuuga Clan. She had plans to introduce it into the village and hospital. First, she wanted to show them to Tsunade and get her opinion on them and, hopefully, constructive criticism. Her mistress did seem impressed and interested in the kind of medication she creates, as well as the process.

She sighed heavily as she thought about her clan and their rules. Already, they wanted to make plans on their own without consulting her about her medication. During the meeting, they continued steering the conversation to mass production and upselling to increase their profits, and it took everything in her to hold her tongue. Her father, thankfully, had managed to hold them off and, afterward, had praised her for keeping her composure.

"Your expressive face has always been the only thing in your leadership training that prevented you from getting perfect scores, but this past meeting has shown your growth. My daughter, you have mastered the art of our family's stoicism. You have done well."

She had mixed feelings about his praise. Something she had always enjoyed about herself was that she wasn't just a copy of her father, or uncle, or cousins, even. She was just Hinata. It was something Sasuke had even complimented and expressed relief for. He'd once told her to never change that about herself, but just as she hadn't recognized him at their last encounter…she was beginning to wonder if he would recognize her next time they met.

Her mission would bring out the worst in her. It had to. To keep up with Danzo, she needed to be someone she would never think about becoming. She needed to be convincing.

"Hinata-chan!" Sakura exclaimed as she ran up, Choji trailing behind her. "Sorry for being late. Choji wanted to stop for takeout before we left the village."

Hinata smiled patiently. "It's still early." She looked over at the boy with a wave. "I hope you picked me up a portion?"

He held up large bags. "I could never forget. We're having a challenge on our first stop!" He declared.

"As long as Sakura-chan can keep watch and we don't lose focus on the mission. Your lives are in my hands, and I will not take that lightly. When I give you an order, you must follow it, okay?"

They saluted. "Yes!"

She turned and gestured to the road leading out of the village, and they began the trek to deliver sensitive information to the Daimyo, someone Hinata knew was just a rich figurehead. She would try to get in his good graces and make an impression. Having the support of someone such as a Daimyo would be invaluable, making her invaluable.

"Miss Hyuuga, the eye power of your clan is renowned for not only its beauty, but especially its power. I imagine it's difficult going on missions to neighboring nations," the Daimyo commented over lunch. It was she and her team who sat with their governor, with a couple of guards stationed nearby for safety. He insisted on having a private lunch with the "future of our shinobi nations" to get to know them better. They had no choice but to agree. Hinata was looking forward to it, however. She didn't have to worry about figuring out an in anymore.

Hinata smiled politely. "It can be difficult when it's discovered I'm part of the main family, but I've been fortunate enough to be trained by powerful teachers. I'm confident enough to say that I can protect my eyes," she explained. "Thank you for being concerned for my well-being, Daimyo-sama. Please, call me Hinata. It would be an honor."

At her smile and elegant way of speaking, the Daimyo hummed happily and chuckled. "Oh, Hinata-chan! You're the sweetest, and so incredibly cute! Tell me, are you engaged?" The man leaned in eagerly.

"I have been engaged since I was a child," she replied not unkindly.

He sighed and visibly slumped. "How unfortunate. You would've made my son an agreeable wife." Hinata managed to hold her emotions in check. The Daimyo's son was in his late twenties.

"I'm very flattered." She bowed her head deeply. "And I must again thank you for inviting us to lunch before we depart. Knowing that our Daimyo cares so much for his people is incredibly inspiring."

The Daimyo blushed and chuckled, waving his hand. "Oh, dear, you're so well-spoken!"

Hinata didn't miss the way Sakura's eye twitched, but she applauded her for holding her composure. She smiled politely at the much older man. "Thank you, Daimyo-sama. I hope to lead my clan as well as you continue to lead us."

"Well, if you ever find yourself in trouble, I'll come to your rescue, darling. You can count on me to help out one of my close subjects! I also hear that you and your team set the fastest record for bringing my wonderful wife's sneaky cat back to her," he said enthusiastically, his expression full of pride.

Hinata bowed deeply once again. "I'm so grateful for your generous offer! I enjoy trying to break records. Speaking of which, my team and I must be leaving. We'd like to try surprising our Hokage by breaking a new record," she giggled. "I hope you'll forgive my overzealous nature."

The Daimyo laughed boisterously. "I love a young woman with a drive! Well, I won't be the one to get in the way, so please go ahead. I hope the food was enjoyable."

The three shinobi stood and showed their respect. "It was absolutely delicious, Daimyo-sama. We hope to do it again soon." The Daimyo watched them be guided out with a lazy wave. How adorable his shinobi were was comforting.

Once the chuunin and genin were on the road again, Sakura sighed heavily. "How the hell were you able to properly control yourself, Hinata-chan?" She gruffed. "He was so…ugh." The pink-haired girl shivered in disgust.

Hinata giggled. "He's harmless. My elders are much worse," she sadly admitted. "But being able to appeal to him helped us earn a favor from him in the future should either of you ever need it."

Choji and Sakura gasped in realization after this. "Whoa, you're sly, aren't you?" Choji laughed. He was beginning to see why Shikamaru was so into her. It's the exact same thing his shadow-user friend would have done, but maybe more obvious from him because the Nara was not a person to casually compliment someone. Hinata did it so naturally that he didn't think she was at all buttering their Daimyo up.

The Hyuuga smiled bashfully. "Should we stop at an inn on the way back, or would you prefer camping?" Her genin's eyes lit up at the option of an inn.

"Inn!" They exclaimed together.

She loved being able to provide options when they were heading back home. She wanted to use it as an incentive for her teams. It was probably manipulative, but it wasn't causing any harm and it meant that more genin would enjoy going on missions with her. She was also genuine when she offered it.

She turned to the Haruno and smiled. "How has your medical ninjutsu training been going?" She asked. "I apologize for not being around as often as I'd like."

Sakura waved her hand. "Don't worry about it! Ino and I are having a lot of fun. We've just graduated from fish last week, too! When I mentioned going on this mission with you, Tsunade-sama assured me you'd start me on the next step," she explained apologetically. "I didn't want to mention it immediately. I know how she tends to be with you."

"I don't mind!" Hinata pulled out a senbon and shot it into the forest to their left. "Let's try it out. I'm pretty sure I've just injured a rabbit. I'd like you to retrieve it and heal it."

Sakura's eyes went wide with panic as she rushed into the bushes. Choji stood off to the side, eating his favorite flavor of chips. "You can be brutal sometimes, huh?" He laughed.

She blushed. "I figure it's the best way to teach. Kakashi-sensei did the same thing, but he injured himself instead." Choji offered her his chips, and she took one, gushing over the flavor, which caused the Akimichi to go into a long explanation of how his family gets them delivered every few months from a small village just outside Hi no Kuni.

When Sakura came back with the injured animal, Hinata stood beside the kneeled girl as she began applying her medical ninjutsu to the rabbit. Hinata activated her byakugan and watched her chakra work. She was using too little.

"What do you feel?" She asked Sakura.

"It feels off."

Hinata nodded. "What do you recommend?" Sakura looked up at her, eyes pleading for help, but she remained where she stood. "Focus on your patient. Use your chakra to feel around its body. It all depends on you."

Sakura turned back to the rabbit and moved her glowing hands around its body. Then she suddenly became determined, and Hinata could see her pouring more chakra into the wound. Hinata smiled proudly and deactivated her doujutsu, leaving her to it.

Sakura was going to be a wonderful medical ninjutsu. She had the same feeling about Ino. She wouldn't be alone in healing others. She had friends who could do what she couldn't when the time came.

Hiii! Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! I gotta tell y'all, I almost forgot to upload this chapter on time again because season 2 of Weak Hero Class came out today...and I'm rewatching Signal in preparation for a season 2 FINALLY coming out 10 years later!

So, what did y'all think of this chapter? I'm aware it's moving fast and I hope it isn't coming across as choppy but if I were to fully expand on everything, then it could definitely be as long as part 1. While that wouldn't be bad, I want to keep my focus on part one and two, with these other parts acting as a look into the blank eras.

Thank y'all for reading! :)

-hina
NEXT UPDATE: 05/02/25