Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Mokushita Hyuuga ❯ Chapter 25
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Moghedian 
Disclaimer: Naruto and all related characters belong to Kishimoto, not me.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.07.2007 | Updated On: 02.11.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 606 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: Naruto and all related characters belong to Kishimoto, not me.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.07.2007 | Updated On: 02.11.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 606 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 25
"Ero-sennin! Hurry up! Stop being so old!" a hyperactive blonde yelled over the tree tops. A flash and bang of lightning followed making his statement seem much more to the point. The old man in question sighed and picked his pace up slightly, gracefully tapping the tops of the trees. His obvious amount of experiance showed to a third member of the group, that the old man was much more than he seemed.
Another flash bang sounded, startling the third member enough that he nearly missed the branch he was supposed to spring off of. Awkwardly using the unblanced momentum he gained, the boy pushed himself off the branch and managed a somewhat graceful landing on the the top of the next tree. Cheeks red from embarrassment, he was glad that his miss step was missed by his blonde companion, but was dismayed to see the old man chuckling at him.
"Oi! I see it! If you two stop dawdling we can be there in an hour!" The blonde yelled. The third member was about to respond, but another flash and bang interrupted him. A second later a sudden downpour of rain came out of nowhere, drenching the three member party in a matter of minutes.
"Che...This isn't worth it." The boy mumbled, tucking the shoulder length, and rather wet bangs behind his ears. The blonde laughed and spread his arms open wide as he continued to jump on the tree tops.
"Kouden! How can you do this with your eyes closed?" The boy yelled at the blonde. The blonde looked over at the third member and yelled, still smiling,
"Easy! I cheat!" The old man laughed quietly, and the boy blinked. Cheat? Taking a closer look at his companion, he saw that around his eyes were the typical veins of a Hyuuga. Grinning, the third member sped up a tad, in an inconspicuous manner, so that the old man would jump faster.
Shiro would like to be dry night fell completely.
Shaking his hair in a dog like fashion, Kouden laughed when his black haired teammate cursed at him. Taking off his black, orange, and sodden jacket, Kouden dumped it on the floor beside his equally sodden pack. Shiro, on the other hand, hung his white and blue coat up neatly.
Walking towards the door, Kouden paused when Shiro said,
"You plan on going like that? At least wear a proper shirt." Kouden frowned and looked down. He was wearing a fishnet top that, with Jiraiya's insistance, had a few small armoured plates sewn on the front. Extra protection from a stray kunai, Jiraiya had said, but the look in his eye suggested that it was something more.
"Shiro-teme, I'm fine in this. Worried I'm gonna freeze to death?" Kouden said, sugar dripping from his voice. Shiro bristled. Digging in his pack, he pulled out an olive green sweat similar to the one he wore now and tossed it at the blonde.
"Here. Give it back when you get back. I'm not worried about you freexing, Im worried about you getting arrested for indecent exposure, you loser." Kouden laughed and threw the sweat over his head. Not surprisingly it was two sizes too big. Kouden knew he had grown from the short figure he was in Konoha. He now stood close to 5'7", rather than the short 5' even. He had been excited at the prospect that after three years, he would finally be taller, or around the same height as Shiro. But even though his three year parting with his teamated had been cut short after only just over a year and a half, Kouden was utterly dismayed to see that his teammate stood at nearly 6 feet tall.
Sighing, Kouden raised a hand in thanks before disapearing out the door. Walking down the corridoor, Kouden noticed that the architecture was pretty much the same as in many of the Inn's that he had seen in Konoha. Another flash and loud bang, shook the blonde from his thoughts. Grinning and rubbing the back of his head, Kouden stalked out of the inn and onto the now dark and muddy street.
Katoki paced. He was worried, very worried. He had been back from his unsucessful mission to the waterfall for three weeks now, and he had yet to tell Hinata about his slip up. Gnawing on his finger, he paced again across the small apartment.
"Katoki-kun? I'm ready." Katoki's head swiveled towards the plain white door of the small bedroom. Katoki grinned and ignored the slight pain that flickered across the eyes of the woman in front of him. Raising his arm, Katoki said,
"Ah, Hinata-chan, you look wonderful! Let's go!" Hinata blushed and took his arm.
An hour later found Katoki and Hinata sitting in the bar of a nice little restaurant the two had never been in before. Hinata's eyes were slightly unfocused, and the red that tinged her cheeks and her ears were not from embarrassment. Katoki, on the other hand, as he was quite a lot bigger than his female friend, was a little better off, but not by much. Hinata raised her hand about a foot from its rather comfortable place on the bar and said,
"Sssssssssake! Yers! Please, I mean." The man at the counter sighed and poured another small cup. Hinata nodded a sloppy thanks and sipped the hot liquid, thoroughly enjoying the warmth that spread through her chest.
"Mm..uhh...Me! Yea, me too, pleasssse." The bartender complied and Katoki slammed the entire cup. Hinata raised her eye brows at him and he grinned the particular grin that always made her heart hurt.
Sniffing back the feeling of bursting into tears, Hinata quickly finished her sake and ordered another one.
Another hour passed before a kind lady in her early twenties walking by a small bar was startled by two figures bursting through the door, laughing loudly.
Not able to put together cohearant sentances, the two just laugh at each other, hoping that they would find their apartment without trouble.
In fact, the two did find their apartment. Katoki got them there, but it was Hinata who had to pull him up the stairs as he had passed out. Trying to be as quiet as she could, as it was probably sometime near midnight, Hinata dragged Katoki's body up three flights of stairs. Sitting on the top step of the third flight, she took a 5 minute break. When she next opened her eyes, it was because Katoki was shaking her shoulders.
"Wake up! Wake up!" He kept saying over and over. There was a red line on his cheek that intersected with one of the scars on Katoki's face, making a very intresting 'x' shape that, at the moment, had all of her attention.
Hinata, then, without even thinking leaned forward and licked that particular 'x'. Katoki stiffened. Hinata stiffened as well. Katoki leaned back, and because of his drunken state, nearly fell down the stairs. Hinata tried to grab him to prevent him from falling, but her motor functions weren't that great at the moment and only succeeded in pushing her friend down them instead.
Katoki yelled loudly as he fell, and Hinata winced becasue the neighbours would surely complain. She winced again as she heard a loud crack accompany the thump that came with Katoki landing.
"Katoki-kun!" Hinata said, and tried to rush down the stairs. Nearly falling herself, she had a moment of pride that she didn't when she reached the landing. Falling to her knees beside Katoki she was dismayed to see the blood flowing down from his golden hair, staining it orange in some places. Pressing her hand on the wound, Hinata tried to summon up chakra to heal it, but her head felt as if it were underwater and she couldn't concentrate.
Swearing, she ripped the bottom of the lavender dress Katoki had bought her, and tied it around the rather short gash on Katoki's head. Turning him over so that she could drag him up the stairs, Hinata gasped and the colour drained from her face.
Katoki's arm was visably broken. Hinata almost threw up all the alcohol. Cursing, she tried to move his arm as little as possible so that she could try and drag him up the stairs, without causing further injury.
Hinata soon realized, about three steps up, that getting him up the stairs in her condition was all but impossible. She was sweating bullets, and the hem of her ripped and had bloodly finger prints on it. Katoki was moaning and twitching, but didn't regain conciousness.
"Do you need help?" Hinata started and nearly dropped Katoki. Spinning around to see who spoke, Hinata clamped a hand over her stomach and mouth, as spinning while drunk was not a very good idea.
"Ah! You! Yes, I mean. Uhhh Please? Jusssssttah...there! My hhome. Shannnk...sh-th...thank! Thank you!" Hinata felt a moment's pride at finding the right word, but that was dashed when she saw the large man pick up Katoki. Something clicked in her brain and Hinata said shyly, as the large man carried Katoki up the stairs as if he weighed nothing.
"A-ano...are y-you that man...uhh...who helped m-me, th-that one t-time?" Hinata said, slowly and as accuratly as she could. The large man looked over his massive shoulders and nodded his head. Hinata sighed and gave a slurred thanks.
"This is your door right?" the large man said, stopping at a door that was labeled 3-12. Hinata nodded and fumbled around to get her keys. Fumbling with the lock, she finally got it opened, and stepped aside to let the large man in.
As he walked past her, Hinata couldn't help but notice that he made nearly no noise on the tatari mats as he plodded to the small couch and slid Katoki off his shoulder. Hinata went to her companion's side and looked up at the large man.
"Thank you...Umm...c-come talk t-to me...laterish? I can shan-thank you p-properly." The man noded once and left without a word, quietly closing the door behind him.
Hinata looked back at Katoki again, and traced the scar that ran from his left eye to the corner of his mouth. She also traced the very faint scars on his cheeks. Each one was thicker than her finger, and somewhere in the back of her brain a bell went off, but Hinata ignored it. She was too drunk to think.
Leaning down, Hinata held her face a mere inch from Katoki's as she hesitated. Blushing, Hinata didn't pull away, but she did scream a bit when all of a sudden a hand came crashing down on the back of her neck, forcing her lips onto Katoki's. Hinata's scream was cut off, but her face felt like exploding. Pulling away, Hinata looked at Katoki and saw him grinning slyly at her. Hinata blushed again, but lowered her face in for another kiss.
Hinata woke up feeling extremely hungover. Her head felt as if it had been stuffed with cotton, and her tongue felt fuzzy. Moaning at the morning light that was hurting her already sensitive eyes, Hinata rolled over and nearly screamed. Katoki moaned, but didnt wake up, or notice that his arms were being carefully unwrapped from around a redfaced individual. A red faced individual who, much to her dismay, was lacking a dress.
After finally geting free of Katoki's arms, she thought something felt off, but was too concerned about the whereabouts of her dress. Exiting the small room, she saw that Katoki's sweater was discarded on the arm of the couch, but her dress was still nowhere to be found.
"How...Uhhhnnn, he has some explaining to do." Hinata said out loud. She couldnt remember much of last night, just impressions of stairs, pain, and the large neighbour.
Tak tak! Hinata dropped the sweater she had just picked up.
"Just a second, I will be right there!" She called, hurridly pulling the sweater over her head. Silently thanking Katoki's large size as the sweater came down almost to her knees, and well past her hands. Straightening her hair as best as she could with her hands, Hinata went to the door. Opening it, she immediately closed it.
"Go to Konoha as quickly as you can, tell them this: Iwa is attacking! The war has started!" A Jounin from Suna shouted at his only surviving genin. The genin nodded and boosted chakra to his legs, narrowly avoiding a doton missile of some kind. Looking back, the genin nearly screamed as said projectile decapitated his sensei.
"Godaime-sama!" the boy yelled as he burst into the Kazekage's office. Gaara, who was bouncing Kaisa on his knee, turned his head and quickly handed Kaisa off to Matsuri, who stood, concerned by his desk.
The boy was on all fours, panting as if he had been running all day.
"Godaime-sama...Iwa...the border...the war...Sensei!" The boy tried to yell, bursting into tears at the last word. Gaara's face didnt change, but his mood became grim. Walking around to the boy he put his hand on his shoulder and said,
"Don't worry. Your sensei will be avenged. Now, can you tell me everything you saw?" The deranged boy looked up at Gaara with puffy eyes.
"There was so much blood...it was everywhere...they...They came from no where, from the ground, the sky, everywhere. Uuuu, uuuu, sensei, uuuuu...he told me to go to Konoha and tell them, but I came here first." Gaara patted the boy's shoulder and said,
"You did the right thing."
20 Minutes later found a small group of the fastest nin escorting the boy, who even with Gaara's objections, refused to be held back. It was his sensei's dying wish, after all, for him to warn Konoha.
Concentrating nothing else but pumping chakra into his legs to keep up with the nondescript nin he was travelling with, the boy tightened his fist around the handle of a kunai that he held in case of a sudden ambush.
Sensei...Tomo-chan...Kuromaru... the boy thought. He was the remaining member of the former cell 23. This was his first year being a gennin, and now thanks to the Iwa nin, he was going to have to apply for another team. It wouldnt be the same, but he'd grin and bear it. His father always told him that. To grin and bear it.
"Kid, you're lagging, keep up or go back." The boy snapped back to the world of the living and pumped an extra bit of chakra into his legs.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune yelled as she burst through the office doors. Tsunade was quietly filling out reports. Shizune stopped and gawked. Tsunade-sama is doing WORK? Tsunade glanced over at her disgruntled assistant and said,
"Shizune, stop gawking like that. What do you want?" Shizune was silent another half second before saying,
"S-suna...Tsunade-sama, they sent over a few nin." Tsunade became rapt as 3 nondescript nin entered the room. A fourth nin, quite smaller than the rest, was sleeping on one of the taller one's back.
"He passed out from exhaustion. We ran here full speed the entire way. He got within sight of the gates. This genin has potential." Tsunade sighed with agitation.
"What is the message? And after that, why do you have a genin with you?" The speaker, who was obviously the leader, said,
"War. It's begun. His sensei told him to tell Konoha, right before he died. He was just furfilling his death wish." Tsunade nodded.
"Shizune, escort our guests to the rooms to let them rest. Suna to Konoha is a three day travel normally, I'm sure you're exhausted." The leader nodded again, and Shizune lead the group out.
"Chiyo!" Tsunade called as the group left the room. The left guard jumped and ran into the room.
"Hai, Godaime-sama!" She called. Tsunade grabbed a scroll and a pen. Scribbling down a few names, she handed them to the eager Kunoichi and said,
"Find them, bring them here, tell them that lateness is not accepted. I expect them all here within the hour." Chiyo nodded and disapeared in a poof of smoke. Tenting her fingers, Tsunade rested her forehead on her thumbs.
"I really need to name a sucessor." Grabbing her emergency sake she kept under the desk, the blonde didn't even pull out a cup.
Surprisingly, the first person to arrive was Kakashi. Tsunade almost had a heart attack. Seconds later, Sasuke and Sakura appeared, Sakura still holding her dark haired baby girl. Ino, Sai, and Chouji appeared next, Ino slightly winded. Tsunade frowned. Ino had some difficulties with her last child. She never quite recovered, and often got tired. Sai patted her back, and Chouji offered her chips. Waving them off, Ino jumped back as another poof of smoke revealed Neji, Tenten, and a tired looking Kurenai. Tsunade frowned at Kurenai. She shouldnt be here, she wasn't on the list. It had been almost 15 years since Asuma's death and she was still depressed about it.
"Kurenai, go home, I didn't call for you." Kurenai's eyes were full of hurt, but not from being rejected. No, the hurt Kurenai's crimsom eyes held had worn away her soul to its bear minimum. Without even acknowledging Tsunade, she poofed out of the room.
Anko was the next to show up. Although it wasn't quiet, like the rest of the Jounin in the room. No, she used a flash bang jutsu of some kind, and only suceeded in making everyone mad, and Uchiha Sara cry. Rubbing the back of her head, she grinned in a very Naruto-like way but stopped when Tsunade glared at her. Giving a forced giggle, she mooched to the back of the room and leaned against the wall. Tsunade was about say something, but another poof, revealing Kiba, Hana, and
"Alright. Now that everyone is here..." Tsunade began. But a hand raised in the back and Sakura spoke up, rocking her baby with one hand.
"Tsunade-sama, where is Shino-kun? And Shikamaru-kun.... And why is Kakashi here?" Kakashi glared at his former student.
"Shino is near the border of Sound. He is helping to stop the sound raids. Shikamaru is with Temari in Suna already. And Kakashi was the first one to arrive. Nearly killed me." Everyone in the room gasped and grunted, clearly annoyed.
"But now that everyone is here, I have just received news from a messenger from Suna. Iwa have attacked near the border of Suna and the Bird Country, which according to my report, has been recently bought by the Tsuchikage. The war has started. Be ready for it. This may turn into the third secret shinobi war." Some one groaned in the back ground.
"Now, what I need you to do, is to tell every single shinobi ranked Jounin and up to meet in the courtyard in front of this building. Then, after they have been informed, Sasuke, Kakashi, Anko, and Tenten, I need you to go to Kumogakure as fast as you possibly can and warn the Raikage. Get as many units as possible. Stay with them until they head out towards Suna. Fight with them until they reach Suna, and report to the Kazekage when you get there. This is an S class mission. When you report to Gaara, it will be considered a success. To the rest of you, I will be giving furthur instructions when you all arrive tomorrow morning at 6 am sharp, am I clear?"
"Hai!" everyone, save Kakashi, said in unison. Everyone poofed out of the room, and left Shizune and Tsunade coughing from the smoke.
"Kakashi." Neji said, as he leap in stride with the older man.
"Hmm?" He said, traversing another building.
"Give my regards to Hinata-sama in case I dont see her again." Kakashi's face was expressionless, but after a moment he nodded. Neji smiled and split directions.
Kakashi shook his head and stopped suddenly. Using chakra to walk down the side of the building, he leaned down and peered through a window. Inside were three figures, three insanely youthful figures.
"Gai, Lee-kun, the war has started. Meet at the courtyard at 6 am. Fei-kun, you stay alert too. They will be calling chuunins later on." Kakashi disapeared to find his next target. Gai had dropped his bowl of cookie dough, and Lee had dropped the spoon. Fei, Lee's near identical student, save his big, round, blue eyes, silently picked up both and started munching on it.
"Fei!" Lee yelled, happy that his student showed his youthful sneaking and eating of the cookie dough, but irritated that he wasn't going to get any cookies.
"Oh, Lee-sensei! That yell was so youthful!" Lee's eyes sparkled."Oh, Fei! That steal was so youthful!" The two embraced, and after a second, they both, youthfully, yelled,
"Gai-sensei!" and the three group hugged.
Sakura, who didn't see Kakashi, was just about to tell the three of the war, but quickly left, nearly disgusted at the sight.
"Hanabi-sama, it is official, we are at war. I need you to gather all the Jounin up and tell htem to meet Tsunade tomorrow at 6 am in the courtyard outside the Hokage tower." Hanabi nodded. Neji glanced back at the man sitting behind Hanabi, and scowled to himself.
Hiashi was staring at the last photograph ever taken of Hinata while she had been alive. It had Hanabi holding onto Hinata's arm, an annoyed look on her face, with Hinata smiling nervously down at her. Neji was laughing and ruffling her hair, hence the annoyed look. Hiashi sighed.
"I want to fight." Hanabi blinked and looked back.
"Otou-sama...you are not in any condition to be fighting!" Hanabi said. Neji remained stoic. Hiashi scoffed.
"What are you talking about, Hanabi-chan. I'm in perfect condition. There is nothing you can do to stop me. Even as clan leader, I am considered an elder. We can overpower you." Hanabi's face fell slightly.
"Otou-sama, this isn't about the clan, this is your daughter speaking out of love." Neji found it harder to remain stoic. He could never remain in this man's presence for very long any more. Not since he was ordered to kill Hinata.
"Hanabi-chan...there is nothing you can do to stop me." He said, softly.
"I have to get going, I still have many more to warn, including the Aburame clan." Hanabi inclined her head.
"Give my regards to Naomi-san and Daisuke-san, tell them I congradulate them." Neji nodded and smiled. Naomi was a minor branch member that he remembered babysitting when he was younger. She had recently married an Aburame, a union only aloud because her Byakugan was so weak, she couldnt even use it. All she had that signified her a Hyuuga were the white eyes, and the curse seal.
Neji quickly left and headed straight for the Aburame compound. Only stopping twice to tell stray Jounin about the meeting, Neji made it there in a few seconds short of ten minutes. Sprinting through the gates, Neji immediatly saw the few kikai bugs land on his shoulder with his byakugan. Resisting the urge to brush them off, he didn't stop sprinting untill he reached the main house. Upon reaching, he was greeted by a familar face.
"Shibi-san. I have urgent news, and you were just the person I was looking for." Shibi didn't say anything but waved his hand and the kikai bugs flew off of Neji's shoulder.
"Please, inform all of your Jounins and Chuunins that the war has started. Hokage-sama requests the presence of all Jounins, and most likely, your Chuunins later. I suggest informing the Genins as they will probably be taking care of the back lines." Shibi nodded and turned back to his household.
"Neji!" Neji turned his head as he left the Aburame compound.
"Tenten!" He called back. Stopping, he waited for his wife to catch up.
"Neji, I've told as many Jounin as I could find in the eastern section, and the others are ready to leave. I just wanted to say bye before I left." Neji nodded and wasn't the least bit surprised when she lunged onto his face.
Clearing his throat, Sasuke tapped the ground with his foot. Neji glared at the raven haired katon user.
"I suppose I wont be seeing you untill the Kumo get to Suna...which might take a while." Neji said,
"I doubt that long. Not a month, anyway. I'm sure when they do start to move, we will travel with the anbu and jounin, making the trip that much faster. I will see you soon!" Tenten said, and kissed Neji again.
"C'mon you kids, let's go before the world ends!" Anko exclaimed. Tenten wrinkled her nose and gave Neji one last hug.
"Ja, mata." She said, and with a quiet whoosh dissolved into the night. Neji sighed.
End Chapter 25
Ahhh, thank you all for reading this story! I just want to apologize for the wait between the last chapter and this, and to apologize for the next wait.Last week was exam week at my highschool, and for the next two or three weeks, I have 6 new courses that are being activated, and I have to finish my old ones.I probably wont post anything untill the end of febuary.Sorry! But thank you all for reading Mokushita!
"Ero-sennin! Hurry up! Stop being so old!" a hyperactive blonde yelled over the tree tops. A flash and bang of lightning followed making his statement seem much more to the point. The old man in question sighed and picked his pace up slightly, gracefully tapping the tops of the trees. His obvious amount of experiance showed to a third member of the group, that the old man was much more than he seemed.
Another flash bang sounded, startling the third member enough that he nearly missed the branch he was supposed to spring off of. Awkwardly using the unblanced momentum he gained, the boy pushed himself off the branch and managed a somewhat graceful landing on the the top of the next tree. Cheeks red from embarrassment, he was glad that his miss step was missed by his blonde companion, but was dismayed to see the old man chuckling at him.
"Oi! I see it! If you two stop dawdling we can be there in an hour!" The blonde yelled. The third member was about to respond, but another flash and bang interrupted him. A second later a sudden downpour of rain came out of nowhere, drenching the three member party in a matter of minutes.
"Che...This isn't worth it." The boy mumbled, tucking the shoulder length, and rather wet bangs behind his ears. The blonde laughed and spread his arms open wide as he continued to jump on the tree tops.
"Kouden! How can you do this with your eyes closed?" The boy yelled at the blonde. The blonde looked over at the third member and yelled, still smiling,
"Easy! I cheat!" The old man laughed quietly, and the boy blinked. Cheat? Taking a closer look at his companion, he saw that around his eyes were the typical veins of a Hyuuga. Grinning, the third member sped up a tad, in an inconspicuous manner, so that the old man would jump faster.
Shiro would like to be dry night fell completely.
Shaking his hair in a dog like fashion, Kouden laughed when his black haired teammate cursed at him. Taking off his black, orange, and sodden jacket, Kouden dumped it on the floor beside his equally sodden pack. Shiro, on the other hand, hung his white and blue coat up neatly.
Walking towards the door, Kouden paused when Shiro said,
"You plan on going like that? At least wear a proper shirt." Kouden frowned and looked down. He was wearing a fishnet top that, with Jiraiya's insistance, had a few small armoured plates sewn on the front. Extra protection from a stray kunai, Jiraiya had said, but the look in his eye suggested that it was something more.
"Shiro-teme, I'm fine in this. Worried I'm gonna freeze to death?" Kouden said, sugar dripping from his voice. Shiro bristled. Digging in his pack, he pulled out an olive green sweat similar to the one he wore now and tossed it at the blonde.
"Here. Give it back when you get back. I'm not worried about you freexing, Im worried about you getting arrested for indecent exposure, you loser." Kouden laughed and threw the sweat over his head. Not surprisingly it was two sizes too big. Kouden knew he had grown from the short figure he was in Konoha. He now stood close to 5'7", rather than the short 5' even. He had been excited at the prospect that after three years, he would finally be taller, or around the same height as Shiro. But even though his three year parting with his teamated had been cut short after only just over a year and a half, Kouden was utterly dismayed to see that his teammate stood at nearly 6 feet tall.
Sighing, Kouden raised a hand in thanks before disapearing out the door. Walking down the corridoor, Kouden noticed that the architecture was pretty much the same as in many of the Inn's that he had seen in Konoha. Another flash and loud bang, shook the blonde from his thoughts. Grinning and rubbing the back of his head, Kouden stalked out of the inn and onto the now dark and muddy street.
Katoki paced. He was worried, very worried. He had been back from his unsucessful mission to the waterfall for three weeks now, and he had yet to tell Hinata about his slip up. Gnawing on his finger, he paced again across the small apartment.
"Katoki-kun? I'm ready." Katoki's head swiveled towards the plain white door of the small bedroom. Katoki grinned and ignored the slight pain that flickered across the eyes of the woman in front of him. Raising his arm, Katoki said,
"Ah, Hinata-chan, you look wonderful! Let's go!" Hinata blushed and took his arm.
An hour later found Katoki and Hinata sitting in the bar of a nice little restaurant the two had never been in before. Hinata's eyes were slightly unfocused, and the red that tinged her cheeks and her ears were not from embarrassment. Katoki, on the other hand, as he was quite a lot bigger than his female friend, was a little better off, but not by much. Hinata raised her hand about a foot from its rather comfortable place on the bar and said,
"Sssssssssake! Yers! Please, I mean." The man at the counter sighed and poured another small cup. Hinata nodded a sloppy thanks and sipped the hot liquid, thoroughly enjoying the warmth that spread through her chest.
"Mm..uhh...Me! Yea, me too, pleasssse." The bartender complied and Katoki slammed the entire cup. Hinata raised her eye brows at him and he grinned the particular grin that always made her heart hurt.
Sniffing back the feeling of bursting into tears, Hinata quickly finished her sake and ordered another one.
Another hour passed before a kind lady in her early twenties walking by a small bar was startled by two figures bursting through the door, laughing loudly.
Not able to put together cohearant sentances, the two just laugh at each other, hoping that they would find their apartment without trouble.
In fact, the two did find their apartment. Katoki got them there, but it was Hinata who had to pull him up the stairs as he had passed out. Trying to be as quiet as she could, as it was probably sometime near midnight, Hinata dragged Katoki's body up three flights of stairs. Sitting on the top step of the third flight, she took a 5 minute break. When she next opened her eyes, it was because Katoki was shaking her shoulders.
"Wake up! Wake up!" He kept saying over and over. There was a red line on his cheek that intersected with one of the scars on Katoki's face, making a very intresting 'x' shape that, at the moment, had all of her attention.
Hinata, then, without even thinking leaned forward and licked that particular 'x'. Katoki stiffened. Hinata stiffened as well. Katoki leaned back, and because of his drunken state, nearly fell down the stairs. Hinata tried to grab him to prevent him from falling, but her motor functions weren't that great at the moment and only succeeded in pushing her friend down them instead.
Katoki yelled loudly as he fell, and Hinata winced becasue the neighbours would surely complain. She winced again as she heard a loud crack accompany the thump that came with Katoki landing.
"Katoki-kun!" Hinata said, and tried to rush down the stairs. Nearly falling herself, she had a moment of pride that she didn't when she reached the landing. Falling to her knees beside Katoki she was dismayed to see the blood flowing down from his golden hair, staining it orange in some places. Pressing her hand on the wound, Hinata tried to summon up chakra to heal it, but her head felt as if it were underwater and she couldn't concentrate.
Swearing, she ripped the bottom of the lavender dress Katoki had bought her, and tied it around the rather short gash on Katoki's head. Turning him over so that she could drag him up the stairs, Hinata gasped and the colour drained from her face.
Katoki's arm was visably broken. Hinata almost threw up all the alcohol. Cursing, she tried to move his arm as little as possible so that she could try and drag him up the stairs, without causing further injury.
Hinata soon realized, about three steps up, that getting him up the stairs in her condition was all but impossible. She was sweating bullets, and the hem of her ripped and had bloodly finger prints on it. Katoki was moaning and twitching, but didn't regain conciousness.
"Do you need help?" Hinata started and nearly dropped Katoki. Spinning around to see who spoke, Hinata clamped a hand over her stomach and mouth, as spinning while drunk was not a very good idea.
"Ah! You! Yes, I mean. Uhhh Please? Jusssssttah...there! My hhome. Shannnk...sh-th...thank! Thank you!" Hinata felt a moment's pride at finding the right word, but that was dashed when she saw the large man pick up Katoki. Something clicked in her brain and Hinata said shyly, as the large man carried Katoki up the stairs as if he weighed nothing.
"A-ano...are y-you that man...uhh...who helped m-me, th-that one t-time?" Hinata said, slowly and as accuratly as she could. The large man looked over his massive shoulders and nodded his head. Hinata sighed and gave a slurred thanks.
"This is your door right?" the large man said, stopping at a door that was labeled 3-12. Hinata nodded and fumbled around to get her keys. Fumbling with the lock, she finally got it opened, and stepped aside to let the large man in.
As he walked past her, Hinata couldn't help but notice that he made nearly no noise on the tatari mats as he plodded to the small couch and slid Katoki off his shoulder. Hinata went to her companion's side and looked up at the large man.
"Thank you...Umm...c-come talk t-to me...laterish? I can shan-thank you p-properly." The man noded once and left without a word, quietly closing the door behind him.
Hinata looked back at Katoki again, and traced the scar that ran from his left eye to the corner of his mouth. She also traced the very faint scars on his cheeks. Each one was thicker than her finger, and somewhere in the back of her brain a bell went off, but Hinata ignored it. She was too drunk to think.
Leaning down, Hinata held her face a mere inch from Katoki's as she hesitated. Blushing, Hinata didn't pull away, but she did scream a bit when all of a sudden a hand came crashing down on the back of her neck, forcing her lips onto Katoki's. Hinata's scream was cut off, but her face felt like exploding. Pulling away, Hinata looked at Katoki and saw him grinning slyly at her. Hinata blushed again, but lowered her face in for another kiss.
Hinata woke up feeling extremely hungover. Her head felt as if it had been stuffed with cotton, and her tongue felt fuzzy. Moaning at the morning light that was hurting her already sensitive eyes, Hinata rolled over and nearly screamed. Katoki moaned, but didnt wake up, or notice that his arms were being carefully unwrapped from around a redfaced individual. A red faced individual who, much to her dismay, was lacking a dress.
After finally geting free of Katoki's arms, she thought something felt off, but was too concerned about the whereabouts of her dress. Exiting the small room, she saw that Katoki's sweater was discarded on the arm of the couch, but her dress was still nowhere to be found.
"How...Uhhhnnn, he has some explaining to do." Hinata said out loud. She couldnt remember much of last night, just impressions of stairs, pain, and the large neighbour.
Tak tak! Hinata dropped the sweater she had just picked up.
"Just a second, I will be right there!" She called, hurridly pulling the sweater over her head. Silently thanking Katoki's large size as the sweater came down almost to her knees, and well past her hands. Straightening her hair as best as she could with her hands, Hinata went to the door. Opening it, she immediately closed it.
"Go to Konoha as quickly as you can, tell them this: Iwa is attacking! The war has started!" A Jounin from Suna shouted at his only surviving genin. The genin nodded and boosted chakra to his legs, narrowly avoiding a doton missile of some kind. Looking back, the genin nearly screamed as said projectile decapitated his sensei.
"Godaime-sama!" the boy yelled as he burst into the Kazekage's office. Gaara, who was bouncing Kaisa on his knee, turned his head and quickly handed Kaisa off to Matsuri, who stood, concerned by his desk.
The boy was on all fours, panting as if he had been running all day.
"Godaime-sama...Iwa...the border...the war...Sensei!" The boy tried to yell, bursting into tears at the last word. Gaara's face didnt change, but his mood became grim. Walking around to the boy he put his hand on his shoulder and said,
"Don't worry. Your sensei will be avenged. Now, can you tell me everything you saw?" The deranged boy looked up at Gaara with puffy eyes.
"There was so much blood...it was everywhere...they...They came from no where, from the ground, the sky, everywhere. Uuuu, uuuu, sensei, uuuuu...he told me to go to Konoha and tell them, but I came here first." Gaara patted the boy's shoulder and said,
"You did the right thing."
20 Minutes later found a small group of the fastest nin escorting the boy, who even with Gaara's objections, refused to be held back. It was his sensei's dying wish, after all, for him to warn Konoha.
Concentrating nothing else but pumping chakra into his legs to keep up with the nondescript nin he was travelling with, the boy tightened his fist around the handle of a kunai that he held in case of a sudden ambush.
Sensei...Tomo-chan...Kuromaru... the boy thought. He was the remaining member of the former cell 23. This was his first year being a gennin, and now thanks to the Iwa nin, he was going to have to apply for another team. It wouldnt be the same, but he'd grin and bear it. His father always told him that. To grin and bear it.
"Kid, you're lagging, keep up or go back." The boy snapped back to the world of the living and pumped an extra bit of chakra into his legs.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune yelled as she burst through the office doors. Tsunade was quietly filling out reports. Shizune stopped and gawked. Tsunade-sama is doing WORK? Tsunade glanced over at her disgruntled assistant and said,
"Shizune, stop gawking like that. What do you want?" Shizune was silent another half second before saying,
"S-suna...Tsunade-sama, they sent over a few nin." Tsunade became rapt as 3 nondescript nin entered the room. A fourth nin, quite smaller than the rest, was sleeping on one of the taller one's back.
"He passed out from exhaustion. We ran here full speed the entire way. He got within sight of the gates. This genin has potential." Tsunade sighed with agitation.
"What is the message? And after that, why do you have a genin with you?" The speaker, who was obviously the leader, said,
"War. It's begun. His sensei told him to tell Konoha, right before he died. He was just furfilling his death wish." Tsunade nodded.
"Shizune, escort our guests to the rooms to let them rest. Suna to Konoha is a three day travel normally, I'm sure you're exhausted." The leader nodded again, and Shizune lead the group out.
"Chiyo!" Tsunade called as the group left the room. The left guard jumped and ran into the room.
"Hai, Godaime-sama!" She called. Tsunade grabbed a scroll and a pen. Scribbling down a few names, she handed them to the eager Kunoichi and said,
"Find them, bring them here, tell them that lateness is not accepted. I expect them all here within the hour." Chiyo nodded and disapeared in a poof of smoke. Tenting her fingers, Tsunade rested her forehead on her thumbs.
"I really need to name a sucessor." Grabbing her emergency sake she kept under the desk, the blonde didn't even pull out a cup.
Surprisingly, the first person to arrive was Kakashi. Tsunade almost had a heart attack. Seconds later, Sasuke and Sakura appeared, Sakura still holding her dark haired baby girl. Ino, Sai, and Chouji appeared next, Ino slightly winded. Tsunade frowned. Ino had some difficulties with her last child. She never quite recovered, and often got tired. Sai patted her back, and Chouji offered her chips. Waving them off, Ino jumped back as another poof of smoke revealed Neji, Tenten, and a tired looking Kurenai. Tsunade frowned at Kurenai. She shouldnt be here, she wasn't on the list. It had been almost 15 years since Asuma's death and she was still depressed about it.
"Kurenai, go home, I didn't call for you." Kurenai's eyes were full of hurt, but not from being rejected. No, the hurt Kurenai's crimsom eyes held had worn away her soul to its bear minimum. Without even acknowledging Tsunade, she poofed out of the room.
Anko was the next to show up. Although it wasn't quiet, like the rest of the Jounin in the room. No, she used a flash bang jutsu of some kind, and only suceeded in making everyone mad, and Uchiha Sara cry. Rubbing the back of her head, she grinned in a very Naruto-like way but stopped when Tsunade glared at her. Giving a forced giggle, she mooched to the back of the room and leaned against the wall. Tsunade was about say something, but another poof, revealing Kiba, Hana, and
"Alright. Now that everyone is here..." Tsunade began. But a hand raised in the back and Sakura spoke up, rocking her baby with one hand.
"Tsunade-sama, where is Shino-kun? And Shikamaru-kun.... And why is Kakashi here?" Kakashi glared at his former student.
"Shino is near the border of Sound. He is helping to stop the sound raids. Shikamaru is with Temari in Suna already. And Kakashi was the first one to arrive. Nearly killed me." Everyone in the room gasped and grunted, clearly annoyed.
"But now that everyone is here, I have just received news from a messenger from Suna. Iwa have attacked near the border of Suna and the Bird Country, which according to my report, has been recently bought by the Tsuchikage. The war has started. Be ready for it. This may turn into the third secret shinobi war." Some one groaned in the back ground.
"Now, what I need you to do, is to tell every single shinobi ranked Jounin and up to meet in the courtyard in front of this building. Then, after they have been informed, Sasuke, Kakashi, Anko, and Tenten, I need you to go to Kumogakure as fast as you possibly can and warn the Raikage. Get as many units as possible. Stay with them until they head out towards Suna. Fight with them until they reach Suna, and report to the Kazekage when you get there. This is an S class mission. When you report to Gaara, it will be considered a success. To the rest of you, I will be giving furthur instructions when you all arrive tomorrow morning at 6 am sharp, am I clear?"
"Hai!" everyone, save Kakashi, said in unison. Everyone poofed out of the room, and left Shizune and Tsunade coughing from the smoke.
"Kakashi." Neji said, as he leap in stride with the older man.
"Hmm?" He said, traversing another building.
"Give my regards to Hinata-sama in case I dont see her again." Kakashi's face was expressionless, but after a moment he nodded. Neji smiled and split directions.
Kakashi shook his head and stopped suddenly. Using chakra to walk down the side of the building, he leaned down and peered through a window. Inside were three figures, three insanely youthful figures.
"Gai, Lee-kun, the war has started. Meet at the courtyard at 6 am. Fei-kun, you stay alert too. They will be calling chuunins later on." Kakashi disapeared to find his next target. Gai had dropped his bowl of cookie dough, and Lee had dropped the spoon. Fei, Lee's near identical student, save his big, round, blue eyes, silently picked up both and started munching on it.
"Fei!" Lee yelled, happy that his student showed his youthful sneaking and eating of the cookie dough, but irritated that he wasn't going to get any cookies.
"Oh, Lee-sensei! That yell was so youthful!" Lee's eyes sparkled."Oh, Fei! That steal was so youthful!" The two embraced, and after a second, they both, youthfully, yelled,
"Gai-sensei!" and the three group hugged.
Sakura, who didn't see Kakashi, was just about to tell the three of the war, but quickly left, nearly disgusted at the sight.
"Hanabi-sama, it is official, we are at war. I need you to gather all the Jounin up and tell htem to meet Tsunade tomorrow at 6 am in the courtyard outside the Hokage tower." Hanabi nodded. Neji glanced back at the man sitting behind Hanabi, and scowled to himself.
Hiashi was staring at the last photograph ever taken of Hinata while she had been alive. It had Hanabi holding onto Hinata's arm, an annoyed look on her face, with Hinata smiling nervously down at her. Neji was laughing and ruffling her hair, hence the annoyed look. Hiashi sighed.
"I want to fight." Hanabi blinked and looked back.
"Otou-sama...you are not in any condition to be fighting!" Hanabi said. Neji remained stoic. Hiashi scoffed.
"What are you talking about, Hanabi-chan. I'm in perfect condition. There is nothing you can do to stop me. Even as clan leader, I am considered an elder. We can overpower you." Hanabi's face fell slightly.
"Otou-sama, this isn't about the clan, this is your daughter speaking out of love." Neji found it harder to remain stoic. He could never remain in this man's presence for very long any more. Not since he was ordered to kill Hinata.
"Hanabi-chan...there is nothing you can do to stop me." He said, softly.
"I have to get going, I still have many more to warn, including the Aburame clan." Hanabi inclined her head.
"Give my regards to Naomi-san and Daisuke-san, tell them I congradulate them." Neji nodded and smiled. Naomi was a minor branch member that he remembered babysitting when he was younger. She had recently married an Aburame, a union only aloud because her Byakugan was so weak, she couldnt even use it. All she had that signified her a Hyuuga were the white eyes, and the curse seal.
Neji quickly left and headed straight for the Aburame compound. Only stopping twice to tell stray Jounin about the meeting, Neji made it there in a few seconds short of ten minutes. Sprinting through the gates, Neji immediatly saw the few kikai bugs land on his shoulder with his byakugan. Resisting the urge to brush them off, he didn't stop sprinting untill he reached the main house. Upon reaching, he was greeted by a familar face.
"Shibi-san. I have urgent news, and you were just the person I was looking for." Shibi didn't say anything but waved his hand and the kikai bugs flew off of Neji's shoulder.
"Please, inform all of your Jounins and Chuunins that the war has started. Hokage-sama requests the presence of all Jounins, and most likely, your Chuunins later. I suggest informing the Genins as they will probably be taking care of the back lines." Shibi nodded and turned back to his household.
"Neji!" Neji turned his head as he left the Aburame compound.
"Tenten!" He called back. Stopping, he waited for his wife to catch up.
"Neji, I've told as many Jounin as I could find in the eastern section, and the others are ready to leave. I just wanted to say bye before I left." Neji nodded and wasn't the least bit surprised when she lunged onto his face.
Clearing his throat, Sasuke tapped the ground with his foot. Neji glared at the raven haired katon user.
"I suppose I wont be seeing you untill the Kumo get to Suna...which might take a while." Neji said,
"I doubt that long. Not a month, anyway. I'm sure when they do start to move, we will travel with the anbu and jounin, making the trip that much faster. I will see you soon!" Tenten said, and kissed Neji again.
"C'mon you kids, let's go before the world ends!" Anko exclaimed. Tenten wrinkled her nose and gave Neji one last hug.
"Ja, mata." She said, and with a quiet whoosh dissolved into the night. Neji sighed.
End Chapter 25
Ahhh, thank you all for reading this story! I just want to apologize for the wait between the last chapter and this, and to apologize for the next wait.Last week was exam week at my highschool, and for the next two or three weeks, I have 6 new courses that are being activated, and I have to finish my old ones.I probably wont post anything untill the end of febuary.Sorry! But thank you all for reading Mokushita!