Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Mokushita Hyuuga ❯ Chapter 32
[ 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: 04.28.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 528 | 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: 04.28.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 528 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 32
Hinata's stomach was churning. Katoki walked in through the bathroom door and handed her a cup of lukewarm ginger tea. Hinata, still sitting on the floor gratefully took it and sipped, relishing the feeling of calm that it gave her stomach.
"Hinata-chan... Maybe you should see a doctor? I mean, you've been throwing up nearly every day since we started out for the war..." Hinata waved her hand infront of her tea cup.
"I'm fine...It's nerves. Besides, even If I feel nervous, I only get sick if I dont eat...So I will try to keep myself not hungry...I guess." Katoki sighed and ran his hand down Hinata's cheek. Hinata shivered and gave a small smile.
That was, until she paled again and started to retch into the toilet. Katoki, slightly grossed out, but more worried, just rubbed the small of her back. The muscles in the Hyuuga's back relaxed and she sat back.
"Katoki-kun...I'm worried about Kouden... do you think he's alright? I mean, he's only 14, and Jiraiya brought him to war...ohh, Shiro too! I hope his family isnt worried..." Katoki grinned and Hinata gave a little smile.
"Kouden is a big boy...He can handle himself. He's chuunin too! Plus he's with Jiraiya-sama! Jiraiya-sama wouldnt let anything happen to him." Hinata nodded and took another sip of her tea.
Jiraiya paced the cabin he was in.
"Kuso, kuso, KUSO!" He shouted, and threw his jar of sake across the room where it shattered and splashed clear liquid everywhere. A few crows outside the cabin fluttered off with miffed caws. Sitting down, the legendary Gama-Sennin felt utterly helpless. Tsunade was going to kill him. No, she wasn't just going to do that, she was going to obliterate him. Rubbing his hands on his face he tried to think of a better way to figure out this situation.
Glancing at the two bundles of blankets in the corner, the old man had to look away as panic started to build in his chest.
"Naruto, Hinata-san...I'm sorry..." Jiraiya rubbed his face again.
A few days later found Katoki and Hinata back on the battlefeild. It also found Katoki not ducking fast enough.
Katoki sighed as he watched a small lock of his messy blonde hair fell down one of his cheek. Still crouching, as he had ducked under a mass of shadow clone shruiken, Katoki unleashed a few of his own stars.
The person that Katoki was fighting was almost defiantly a woman. Her head was covered in black fabric, but a large bright green ponytail swung from the top. She was wearing a shirt that hid all, if any feminine features, but judging from her height, and her flexibility (which rather frightened Katoki for a few minutes when he thought he had snapped her spine, only to be back-flip snap-kicked in the jaw.) Katoki assumed this was a woman. He wasn’t going to hold back when fighting her, as she brandished her Iwa hiteate quite proudly, but as Katoki absolutely hated hurting women, he was planning on making her death as painless as possible, and he knew the perfect jutsu.
Smirking, he watched the faceless woman dodge the oncoming shruiken with ease before he started into a long series of seals. Sucking in his breath, Katoki prepared to unleash his jutsu when a dark blur swooped over his head. Holding his breath, he watched as the dark blur landing and revealed itself to be a dark haired ANBU. The back of the beige flak vest was covered in blood that Katoki knew wasn’t from the owner of the vest.
The ANBU jumped at the woman with the ponytail and before the flexible woman from Iwagakure could react, the ANBU slapped her chest hard enough to push the Iwa-nin back a few steps. The woman’s hands shot to her chest and she knelt over coughing, before finally falling forward. She gave one last twitch before she was still, and Katoki knew she was dead.
Katoki’s brow twitched and he swallowed the chakra that he had gathered in his mouth.
“Aww, c’mon Hinata-chan. That was my kill!” Katoki said, straightening the mask that covered his own face. Hinata shrugged and dusted her hand off.
“Next time use a shorter jutsu. Well, what’s your count?” Hinata said, her voice muffled by her mask. Katoki shrugged.
“Some where around 80, I don’t know, wasn’t counting.” Hinata tilted her head and said,
“I’m at 147. I left a few alive though. I feel bad about killing the younger ones.” Katoki gawked. Running a hand through his hair he sighed and gazed at Hinata. Not for the first time he was glad the he was wearing a mask to hide the slight blush that dusted his cheeks and to hide the motion of his wandering eyes.
He wasn’t afraid of Hinata, precisely; he knew now to never wake her up from a nightmare unless he was well off to her side.
“Hinata-chan, Hinata-chan! Wake up! It’s just a dream!” Katoki said as he tried to rouse his indigo haired girlfriend. She was sweating, and moaning distressfully. Her face was screwed up in a look of pain, and it disturbed Katoki to see this happening.
Rolling so he was above her, he shook her shoulder and called her name again. Hinata snapped her eyes open and gasped. Her hand shot up and hit Katoki on his side. Katoki gaped and flapped his mouth a few times.
Hinata rubbed her eyes and looked up at Katoki.
“Ahh? K-katoki-kun? What are you doing here? Katoki-kun?” Katoki was still flapping his mouth when his arm gave out and he collapsed on Hinata’s stomach. Hinata blushed and let out a squeak.
“Katoki-kun, what’s wrong!” She said in a tight voice. When the blonde didn’t answer her, she became worried and went through a few seals. Her hand lit up in a green fire, and she placed it on the spot he had been holding.
“A-ah! Kuso! Gomen, Katoki-kun!” Hinata gasped. Making one more short set of seals, the fire spread to both her hands and burned brighter. Placing them on his side, she slowly knit up the muscles in Katoki’s side, and repaired the bottom of his lung.
Katoki opened his cerulean eyes after a few minutes only to meet concerned white ones. Giving her a tired smirk he said,
“Are you ok now? You were having a nightmare.” Hinata’s wiped a few tears from her eyes and said in a shaky voice,
“Katoki-kun! I’m so sorry!” Katoki grinned and shook his head. Sitting up he exasperated in pain, but stayed sitting. Hinata helped him up but before she could say anything, he said,
“What did you do? I was just leaning over you and you hit me, not even hard, and my entire side went numb!” Hinata sat back and invented a new shade of red.
“I…I jyuukened you…” She frowned again, but Katoki just laughed.
“Ow. I’m glad I’m not your enemy. I don’t think I’m going to watch you shower anymore ether, for fear of being caught, anyway.” Hinata’s mouth was wide and her face was almost as white as her eyes.
Rubbing his side, he resisted the impulse to rub his face, where she had slapped him quite hard. Pushing his mask to the side of his head, Katoki grinned at Hinata. Hinata tucked her mask in her belt and looked down to her left.
“Is something wrong, Katoki-kun?” Hinata said, inspecting the body of the woman she killed, and relieving her of useful weapons and supplies. Katoki shook his hand in front of his mask and said,
“No no no. I’m fine, don’t concern yourself. Now, the day is almost over, let’s hit the nearest checkout camp and take a few hours to rest. Hinata nodded and adjusted her blood covered flak vest.
Katoki was making his way over to Hinata, when he heard a small scuff on the dirt behind him, but before he had a chance to turn around, he heard a yell.
“Katoki-kun!!!” Katoki turned his head and caught a glimpse of silver. His heart instantly sped up as a rush of adrenaline spread throughout his chest. A quiet buzzing threatened to give Katoki a headache as he tried to spin in time to meet what ever was heading in his direction.
It was almost as if time slowed. By the time he had fully turned and could fully see the Nin, the blade Katoki saw, a wakizashi as it turns out, was only a few feet away from him and aimed straight for his heart. Katoki raised his arms, both holding kunai, but he knew that nothing would help. His heart skipped a beat and by instinct, Katoki closed his eyes tight.
He heard the wakizashi pierce his flesh. He smelt blood. He could even taste it in the air.
Not quite daring to open his eyes yet, he felt a slight pressure on both of his shoulders. The buzzing at the back of his head got louder. He heard nothing but his own heartbeat. Even the wind had died.
The sound of a mouth opening, of lips coming unstuck from a day of fighting and running, seemed loud to Katoki.
“K-katoki-kun…” Katoki’s entire body twitched as his eyes snapped open.
The sight in front of him nearly made him wretch, and the buzz at the back of his head picked up to a high pitched whine, and the dull throb of his headache became pangs of ripping pain, but Katoki ignored it.
Hinata was standing in front of him, facing him with her delicately calloused hands on his shoulders. Her pearly eyes were wide and filled with tears, but she was smiling. The small trail of blood that ran from her lip seemed to contrast her pale skin, despite the random dirt smudges she had gotten from days of fighting. Katoki’s eyes widened further as he trailed the line of blood and glanced at her chest.
Sticking a full inch and a half out of her chest was the tip of the wakizashi that had been meant for Katoki. Blood covered the entire front of her flak vest. Hinata coughed and a fine spray of blood stained Katoki’s own vest, but he didn’t pay notice.
The Nin standing behind Hinata had a look of surprise on his face, but it quickly changed to satisfaction as he pulled his wakizashi out of her chest. The noise made Katoki nauseus.
Hinata fell forward as soon as the blade was free from her chest, and Katoki caught her with gentle ease. The Nin had stepped back to wipe his blade on the nearest corpse’s clothes, and Katoki used this brief moment to frantically try and stop the blood.
“Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan, you need to stay awake! Keep your eyes open!” He said to her. He tried to yell, but his vocal chords seemed to have contracted and his pleas came out as a harsh whisper.
“K-ka-t-toki…k-kun…” She said, half choking on her own blood. Tears were leaking out of her eyes as she looked up at Katoki.
“Shh, don’t talk, don’t move.” Grabbing her hand, Katoki gasped as a flash of silver passed his left eye. He head shot up and Katoki felt a warm trickle of blood run down his cheek.
“Silly Kumo-nin. Don’t they teach you to never take your attention off of the enemy? I could have killed you right then. Don’t you even care about your life? Tch tch.” Katoki grit his teeth. His headache doubled in size and the high peeled whine tripled in volume. Laying Hinata gently on the ground, Katoki stood up and drew his short katana.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…SNAP! Katoki’s eyes widened and vision became blurry. He felt himself collapsing as black bled into the edges of his vision. Katoki felt a pang of despair as he felt his head hit the ground, and his world became submersed in a sea of inky darkness.
Hanabi twitched. That unexpected motion startled her enemy, and Hanabi quickly jumped in to finish him off. Looking up at the sky, she saw that night was aproaching soon, and started to head towards the nearest station.
A pang in her chest made her place a hand over her heart.
"What was that?" She said outloud. Her chest felt oddly empty... Shaking her head, Hanabi picked up the pace as she made her way to the check station.
Pushing the tent flap open, she nodded at one of the supervisor's who knew her by name. The tent was fairly large, and spotting an empty cot at the back, she was mildly surprised to see her father walking towards her, a slightly lost look on his face.
"Otou-sama? I didn't expect you to be here..." Hanabi said. Hiashi looked at her as if he had just noticed her.
"Oh...Hanabi-chan? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be training with Neji or Hinata?" Hanabi flinched, but settled a hand on her father's shoulder and grabbed his hand gently. Leading him towards the tent flap, she said,
"Otou-sama...Hinata-ne-san is busy and so is Neji-ni-san..." Hiashi smiled at her and nodded.
Hanabi led him to the hospital on the other side of the village.
"Sensei...My Otou-sama is a little off today..." Hanabi tapped her head when Hiashi looked away, "...I was wondering if there was a place that would keep him away from the war untill he regains his senses?" Hanabi said to a tall man wearing the standard medic-nin uniform, which consisted of a beige shirt, beige pants that tucked into beige sandals, and a cap that completely covered his hair. A large red cross was on his back. Hanabi figured the man had just returned from the feild, as she had seen the uniform there a few times.
"Ah...Yes, we have a seniors ward...how long did you say?" Hanabi shrugged slightly and said,
"Well, He get's better after a good night's sleep. It's nothing to worry about, he never fully recovered from One-san's death some years ago." The medic-nin nodded and said,
"Ahh, I see...we actually have a few cases like that here. Only for the night? Alright. Come back tomorrow and we will release him...ahh! Tsunade-sama!" Hanabi spun her head and saw the blonde Hokage in the entrance way. Her legs were spread and her arms were tensed. Killer intent started to roll off of her as soon as she spotted Hiashi. Hiashi smiled at her. His smiled made Tsunade grit her teeth, which marred her young features. Something that Hanabi was miffed about, as Tsunade looked almost as young as herself, yet Hanabi clearly remembered when she was instated that she looked the same.
"Ahh, Tsunade-sama. What a pleasure it is to see you." Hiashi said. The killer intent rose and a few people who werent shinobi started to retch.
"YOU! YOU KILLED HIM!" The blonde yelled. Hiashi's smiled slipped. Shuffling his feet so that he was facing his Hokage, he said in a clear voice that was devoid of any emotion,
"Gomen nasai, Hokage-sama. I do not expect to be forgiven." This was the last thing that Tsunade was expecting to come out of his mouth. It startled her into dropping every ounce of killer intent. Hanabi was still confused as Tsunade marched over to Hiashi, grabbed a hold of his arm and dragged him out of the hospital. Hanabi followed quietly and quickly.
Gaara was just finishing the day's paperwork when Tsunade burst into his office dragging an older man with long dark hair. A younger woman with equally dark hair was following her.
"Gaara, I found him." Gaara glanced at the man, and saw his eyes. All of his anger at Tsunade was redirected at the man in front of him. Hiashi looked up and looked straight into Gaara's cold turqouise eyes and said,
"It was an accident, Kazekage-sama." Gaara paled in anger. Hanabi started to choke from the killing intent that was rolling off both Kages. She vaguely heard the guards outside the door throw up.
"You killed him! My best friend! You sent your own nephew to kill your daughter! And then you lied about it by saying that Hinata, the girl who had loved him for years had killed him! What is wrong with you!" Gaara shouted. Hanabi had backed to the wall, but was staring at her father.
"...You killed...Naruto-san?" Hiashi spared her a quick glance before saying,
"I did not mean to kill Uzumaki." Tsunade's face turned angry before she spit out,
"No, we know that. You were trying to kill Hinata." Hanabi gasped.
"Hanabi-chan, do you want to know why your father was trying to kill your sister? And why he sent your cousin to finish the job for him?" Hanabi paled when everyone's attention turned to her crouched figure by the wall.
"H-hai..." She said quietly. Gaara narrowed his eyes before saying quietly,
"He tried to kill her because she was with child. But not just any child, the 'demon's' child." Hanabi didnt make any noise, but looked at Tsunade. Tsunade nodded slowly and Hanabi nearly fainted.
"Y-you mean if Nej-ji ni-san hadn't k-killed On-ne-san, I would be an a-aunt?" Hanabi started to cry and Tsunade clicked her tongue before making her way over to the young clan leader.
"Hanabi-chan, do you really beleive that Neji could kill his own cousin, whom he considered a sister?" Hanabi started to cry harder.
"You have a nephew, Hanabi-san. You know him quite well." Hanabi stopped crying at Gaara's words, but was still hiccuping. Hiashi swung his gaze over to Gaara.
"Hinata is alive?" His tight question made Tsunade grind her teeth.
"With no thanks to you." Hiashi stiffened.
"Hiashi, what did you do with Naruto's body?" Hiashi paled slightly before carefully saying,
"A few branch members...sold it to some villagers that were...more than willing to dispose of the demon's body in secret." Tsunade cracked her knuckles loudly, and Gaara's sand started to buzz with movement.
"He was not a demon. If anything, I was! He protected Konoha every single day since the day he was born, and that was the thanks you gave him? Killing him because your daughter fell in love with the greatest hero they have ever known? Yondaime-sama must be rolling in his grave." The red head word's only made Hanabi more confused.
"D-demon? P-prot-tect?" She said between hiccups. Tsunade looked at her and smoothed the woman's hair as one would a child.
"Hanabi, do you remember that legend about Yondaime killing kyuubi? It happened before both you and your sister's births..." Hanabi nodded.
"Y-yondaime-sama k-killed him...losing his l-life in the process...why?" She said, as Tsunade continued to smooth her hair.
"Yondaime didn't kill Kyuubi, nobody could. Instead, he sealed it inside a newborn, a human sacrifice. Gaara is the same way, except that his father sealed Shukaku inside of him so that he would be the ultimate weapon. No, Yondaime wanted Naruto to be seen as a hero. Konoha is not very forgiving, as he grew up knowing only hate and pain. It's a wonder he turned out so well. The fact was made a secret among his generation so that he had the chance of growing up normally...do you understand?" Hanabi's eyes were wide and shone with tears.
"H-he...that exp-plains so much...the l-looks...the whisp-pers..." Hanabi glared at her father.
"A story well known to the older generation of Konoha, I do not need it repeated again. Now, you said that Hinata was alive? I want to see her!" Tsunade's eye twitched.
"Why would I let you see her. What's stopping me from killing you right now? Naruto was like a son to me! You murdered my child Hiashi. Why should you ever see the light of day again, praytell." The blonde shouted.
"So I can apologize before you kill me. I regret what I did with all of my heart. I never liked the boy, and I never will. Not only was he tainting my eldest daughter, thanks to what he contains, half of my clan was killed in the attack. Not to mention the pranks he played...What about my grandson, do I not at least get to see what his spawn looks like, a Hyuuga half breed?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
"Kouden is not 'spawn'. He is the son of a hero, and the closest thing I have to a grandson!" Hanabi gasped, and Hiashi paled.
"K-kouden? He's my n-nephew?" Hanabi whispered. Tsunade was still staring at Hiashi and didnt respond.
"You've seen your grandson enough. When I find Hinata, I will let you apologize to her. You will do it sincerely, and with no harsh words. Untill then, Gaara lock him in ANBU solitary. Hiashi, you had better prepare your speech, for after you see her, I'm going to have you executed." Hanabi started to cry again and grabbed Tsunade's arms.
"P-please! Tsunade-sama! Don't k-kill him!" Tsunade regarded Hanabi with her brown eyes, and was wished that she looked more like Hinata, instead of Hiashi.
"...Fine. But I promise you, punishment will not be light for killing the son of a Hokage, and attempting to commit murder upon your own child." Hiashi stiffened, and bowed.
"I expected much worse. Hanabi, you should not waste your breath on this old man."
"Damn straight she shouldn't. Be lucky that one person in this world likes you." Gaara said. Hiashi almost sneered at him.
Sasami was feeling sad. She wasn't sure why, she had been stuck in this cell with Raiden, who was very good company, for a few days now. Food came twice a day, but she had no clue as to what times of the days. She assumed it was night when she was tired, and Raiden agreed with her.
Sasami and Raiden had tried various jutsu's to break out, but the bars and walls seemed to absorb whatever chakra they seeped into it. So to pass time, they taught each other jutsu's.
"Katon: Gokakyuu no jutsu!" Raiden said, and blew through his fingers. He flinched when a tiny puff of fire burst from his fingers, but died out before reaching the size of a basketball. Lowering his fingers, he sighed and said,
"This is useless, Sasami-ne-chan...I can't do it...I've been trying for hours." Sasami giggled and said,
"Raiden-kun, you give up to easy! Although, I must not be a very good teacher, I learned it by watching Sasuke-san and Kakashi-sensei spar. I'm not the best fighter, I am training to be a medic nin...although the scrolls that Shishou gave me were left at the palace when these people took me." Raiden tilted his head.
"Palace? Sasami-ne-chan, where are you from? What district?" Sasami hesitated before saying,
"Uhn...North...Actually, I'm the Hoku-hime...It's a boring job." Raiden gasped and immediatly threw his hands and face to the ground, bowing as low as possible.
"Gomen nasai, Hoku-hime-sama! I did not mean to address you so informally...forgive a simple nin like me." Sasami blushed hotly and said,
"No! No! Raiden! Stop it! Please, not you too...I wasn't raised in Raikuni...I was raised in Hokuni, in a small fishing village. I trained to be a shinobi in Konoha, and was told, just a few months ago, that I was queen of an entire district! Please, drop the formalities! I would rather have a little brother than a subject..." Raiden slowly lifted his head and said quietly,
"Gomen...S-sasami-hime...."
"Ne-chan!"
"Sasa mi-ne-chan..."
"Much better." Sasami said smiling loudly. Raiden smiled as well, and before long, the two were laughing wildly. That was until the steel door burst open and a cloud of purple smoke billowed into the room.
Sasami and Raiden were unconcious before their brains could understand what had happened.
"Yondaime-sama? You seem a little off, is everything alright?" Nanao, the Raikage's assisstant asked as she placed another pile of reports on his desk. The old man was reading a letter, tears forming tiny rivers down his ancient face.
"Migoto-chan..." He said. He held out the letter for Nanao to take before he buring his face in his hands. Nanao took the letter and read it to herself.
Yondaime-sama, Migoto-sama was kidnapped, she was betrayed by her teacher, Souma. Souma has been executed as is law for treachery, but Migoto-sama's whereabouts are not traceable. We have tried everything possible, but there appears to be no sign of her. We fear the worst. We will update you if we find her body. We sincerely regret having to write this.
"Oh...Yondaime-sama...I'm so sorry...is there anything I can do? Oh, here!" Nanao held out a scroll that she had received via hawk just a few hours previous.
"Ah...Keii, it seems Katoki found you lurking in Suna...Nanao, rally up three ANBU and bring them here for debreifing." Nanao nodded and left. A few minutes later, she came in with a bottle and placed it on Yondaime's desk. She gave him a friendly smile and left again, with the intent of finding ANBU.
The Raikage smiled sadly and took the bottle of sake and looked at it. Turning it in his hands, he uncorked it, and drained it.
End Chapter 32
Hinata's stomach was churning. Katoki walked in through the bathroom door and handed her a cup of lukewarm ginger tea. Hinata, still sitting on the floor gratefully took it and sipped, relishing the feeling of calm that it gave her stomach.
"Hinata-chan... Maybe you should see a doctor? I mean, you've been throwing up nearly every day since we started out for the war..." Hinata waved her hand infront of her tea cup.
"I'm fine...It's nerves. Besides, even If I feel nervous, I only get sick if I dont eat...So I will try to keep myself not hungry...I guess." Katoki sighed and ran his hand down Hinata's cheek. Hinata shivered and gave a small smile.
That was, until she paled again and started to retch into the toilet. Katoki, slightly grossed out, but more worried, just rubbed the small of her back. The muscles in the Hyuuga's back relaxed and she sat back.
"Katoki-kun...I'm worried about Kouden... do you think he's alright? I mean, he's only 14, and Jiraiya brought him to war...ohh, Shiro too! I hope his family isnt worried..." Katoki grinned and Hinata gave a little smile.
"Kouden is a big boy...He can handle himself. He's chuunin too! Plus he's with Jiraiya-sama! Jiraiya-sama wouldnt let anything happen to him." Hinata nodded and took another sip of her tea.
Jiraiya paced the cabin he was in.
"Kuso, kuso, KUSO!" He shouted, and threw his jar of sake across the room where it shattered and splashed clear liquid everywhere. A few crows outside the cabin fluttered off with miffed caws. Sitting down, the legendary Gama-Sennin felt utterly helpless. Tsunade was going to kill him. No, she wasn't just going to do that, she was going to obliterate him. Rubbing his hands on his face he tried to think of a better way to figure out this situation.
Glancing at the two bundles of blankets in the corner, the old man had to look away as panic started to build in his chest.
"Naruto, Hinata-san...I'm sorry..." Jiraiya rubbed his face again.
A few days later found Katoki and Hinata back on the battlefeild. It also found Katoki not ducking fast enough.
Katoki sighed as he watched a small lock of his messy blonde hair fell down one of his cheek. Still crouching, as he had ducked under a mass of shadow clone shruiken, Katoki unleashed a few of his own stars.
The person that Katoki was fighting was almost defiantly a woman. Her head was covered in black fabric, but a large bright green ponytail swung from the top. She was wearing a shirt that hid all, if any feminine features, but judging from her height, and her flexibility (which rather frightened Katoki for a few minutes when he thought he had snapped her spine, only to be back-flip snap-kicked in the jaw.) Katoki assumed this was a woman. He wasn’t going to hold back when fighting her, as she brandished her Iwa hiteate quite proudly, but as Katoki absolutely hated hurting women, he was planning on making her death as painless as possible, and he knew the perfect jutsu.
Smirking, he watched the faceless woman dodge the oncoming shruiken with ease before he started into a long series of seals. Sucking in his breath, Katoki prepared to unleash his jutsu when a dark blur swooped over his head. Holding his breath, he watched as the dark blur landing and revealed itself to be a dark haired ANBU. The back of the beige flak vest was covered in blood that Katoki knew wasn’t from the owner of the vest.
The ANBU jumped at the woman with the ponytail and before the flexible woman from Iwagakure could react, the ANBU slapped her chest hard enough to push the Iwa-nin back a few steps. The woman’s hands shot to her chest and she knelt over coughing, before finally falling forward. She gave one last twitch before she was still, and Katoki knew she was dead.
Katoki’s brow twitched and he swallowed the chakra that he had gathered in his mouth.
“Aww, c’mon Hinata-chan. That was my kill!” Katoki said, straightening the mask that covered his own face. Hinata shrugged and dusted her hand off.
“Next time use a shorter jutsu. Well, what’s your count?” Hinata said, her voice muffled by her mask. Katoki shrugged.
“Some where around 80, I don’t know, wasn’t counting.” Hinata tilted her head and said,
“I’m at 147. I left a few alive though. I feel bad about killing the younger ones.” Katoki gawked. Running a hand through his hair he sighed and gazed at Hinata. Not for the first time he was glad the he was wearing a mask to hide the slight blush that dusted his cheeks and to hide the motion of his wandering eyes.
He wasn’t afraid of Hinata, precisely; he knew now to never wake her up from a nightmare unless he was well off to her side.
“Hinata-chan, Hinata-chan! Wake up! It’s just a dream!” Katoki said as he tried to rouse his indigo haired girlfriend. She was sweating, and moaning distressfully. Her face was screwed up in a look of pain, and it disturbed Katoki to see this happening.
Rolling so he was above her, he shook her shoulder and called her name again. Hinata snapped her eyes open and gasped. Her hand shot up and hit Katoki on his side. Katoki gaped and flapped his mouth a few times.
Hinata rubbed her eyes and looked up at Katoki.
“Ahh? K-katoki-kun? What are you doing here? Katoki-kun?” Katoki was still flapping his mouth when his arm gave out and he collapsed on Hinata’s stomach. Hinata blushed and let out a squeak.
“Katoki-kun, what’s wrong!” She said in a tight voice. When the blonde didn’t answer her, she became worried and went through a few seals. Her hand lit up in a green fire, and she placed it on the spot he had been holding.
“A-ah! Kuso! Gomen, Katoki-kun!” Hinata gasped. Making one more short set of seals, the fire spread to both her hands and burned brighter. Placing them on his side, she slowly knit up the muscles in Katoki’s side, and repaired the bottom of his lung.
Katoki opened his cerulean eyes after a few minutes only to meet concerned white ones. Giving her a tired smirk he said,
“Are you ok now? You were having a nightmare.” Hinata’s wiped a few tears from her eyes and said in a shaky voice,
“Katoki-kun! I’m so sorry!” Katoki grinned and shook his head. Sitting up he exasperated in pain, but stayed sitting. Hinata helped him up but before she could say anything, he said,
“What did you do? I was just leaning over you and you hit me, not even hard, and my entire side went numb!” Hinata sat back and invented a new shade of red.
“I…I jyuukened you…” She frowned again, but Katoki just laughed.
“Ow. I’m glad I’m not your enemy. I don’t think I’m going to watch you shower anymore ether, for fear of being caught, anyway.” Hinata’s mouth was wide and her face was almost as white as her eyes.
Rubbing his side, he resisted the impulse to rub his face, where she had slapped him quite hard. Pushing his mask to the side of his head, Katoki grinned at Hinata. Hinata tucked her mask in her belt and looked down to her left.
“Is something wrong, Katoki-kun?” Hinata said, inspecting the body of the woman she killed, and relieving her of useful weapons and supplies. Katoki shook his hand in front of his mask and said,
“No no no. I’m fine, don’t concern yourself. Now, the day is almost over, let’s hit the nearest checkout camp and take a few hours to rest. Hinata nodded and adjusted her blood covered flak vest.
Katoki was making his way over to Hinata, when he heard a small scuff on the dirt behind him, but before he had a chance to turn around, he heard a yell.
“Katoki-kun!!!” Katoki turned his head and caught a glimpse of silver. His heart instantly sped up as a rush of adrenaline spread throughout his chest. A quiet buzzing threatened to give Katoki a headache as he tried to spin in time to meet what ever was heading in his direction.
It was almost as if time slowed. By the time he had fully turned and could fully see the Nin, the blade Katoki saw, a wakizashi as it turns out, was only a few feet away from him and aimed straight for his heart. Katoki raised his arms, both holding kunai, but he knew that nothing would help. His heart skipped a beat and by instinct, Katoki closed his eyes tight.
He heard the wakizashi pierce his flesh. He smelt blood. He could even taste it in the air.
Not quite daring to open his eyes yet, he felt a slight pressure on both of his shoulders. The buzzing at the back of his head got louder. He heard nothing but his own heartbeat. Even the wind had died.
The sound of a mouth opening, of lips coming unstuck from a day of fighting and running, seemed loud to Katoki.
“K-katoki-kun…” Katoki’s entire body twitched as his eyes snapped open.
The sight in front of him nearly made him wretch, and the buzz at the back of his head picked up to a high pitched whine, and the dull throb of his headache became pangs of ripping pain, but Katoki ignored it.
Hinata was standing in front of him, facing him with her delicately calloused hands on his shoulders. Her pearly eyes were wide and filled with tears, but she was smiling. The small trail of blood that ran from her lip seemed to contrast her pale skin, despite the random dirt smudges she had gotten from days of fighting. Katoki’s eyes widened further as he trailed the line of blood and glanced at her chest.
Sticking a full inch and a half out of her chest was the tip of the wakizashi that had been meant for Katoki. Blood covered the entire front of her flak vest. Hinata coughed and a fine spray of blood stained Katoki’s own vest, but he didn’t pay notice.
The Nin standing behind Hinata had a look of surprise on his face, but it quickly changed to satisfaction as he pulled his wakizashi out of her chest. The noise made Katoki nauseus.
Hinata fell forward as soon as the blade was free from her chest, and Katoki caught her with gentle ease. The Nin had stepped back to wipe his blade on the nearest corpse’s clothes, and Katoki used this brief moment to frantically try and stop the blood.
“Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan, you need to stay awake! Keep your eyes open!” He said to her. He tried to yell, but his vocal chords seemed to have contracted and his pleas came out as a harsh whisper.
“K-ka-t-toki…k-kun…” She said, half choking on her own blood. Tears were leaking out of her eyes as she looked up at Katoki.
“Shh, don’t talk, don’t move.” Grabbing her hand, Katoki gasped as a flash of silver passed his left eye. He head shot up and Katoki felt a warm trickle of blood run down his cheek.
“Silly Kumo-nin. Don’t they teach you to never take your attention off of the enemy? I could have killed you right then. Don’t you even care about your life? Tch tch.” Katoki grit his teeth. His headache doubled in size and the high peeled whine tripled in volume. Laying Hinata gently on the ground, Katoki stood up and drew his short katana.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…SNAP! Katoki’s eyes widened and vision became blurry. He felt himself collapsing as black bled into the edges of his vision. Katoki felt a pang of despair as he felt his head hit the ground, and his world became submersed in a sea of inky darkness.
Hanabi twitched. That unexpected motion startled her enemy, and Hanabi quickly jumped in to finish him off. Looking up at the sky, she saw that night was aproaching soon, and started to head towards the nearest station.
A pang in her chest made her place a hand over her heart.
"What was that?" She said outloud. Her chest felt oddly empty... Shaking her head, Hanabi picked up the pace as she made her way to the check station.
Pushing the tent flap open, she nodded at one of the supervisor's who knew her by name. The tent was fairly large, and spotting an empty cot at the back, she was mildly surprised to see her father walking towards her, a slightly lost look on his face.
"Otou-sama? I didn't expect you to be here..." Hanabi said. Hiashi looked at her as if he had just noticed her.
"Oh...Hanabi-chan? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be training with Neji or Hinata?" Hanabi flinched, but settled a hand on her father's shoulder and grabbed his hand gently. Leading him towards the tent flap, she said,
"Otou-sama...Hinata-ne-san is busy and so is Neji-ni-san..." Hiashi smiled at her and nodded.
Hanabi led him to the hospital on the other side of the village.
"Sensei...My Otou-sama is a little off today..." Hanabi tapped her head when Hiashi looked away, "...I was wondering if there was a place that would keep him away from the war untill he regains his senses?" Hanabi said to a tall man wearing the standard medic-nin uniform, which consisted of a beige shirt, beige pants that tucked into beige sandals, and a cap that completely covered his hair. A large red cross was on his back. Hanabi figured the man had just returned from the feild, as she had seen the uniform there a few times.
"Ah...Yes, we have a seniors ward...how long did you say?" Hanabi shrugged slightly and said,
"Well, He get's better after a good night's sleep. It's nothing to worry about, he never fully recovered from One-san's death some years ago." The medic-nin nodded and said,
"Ahh, I see...we actually have a few cases like that here. Only for the night? Alright. Come back tomorrow and we will release him...ahh! Tsunade-sama!" Hanabi spun her head and saw the blonde Hokage in the entrance way. Her legs were spread and her arms were tensed. Killer intent started to roll off of her as soon as she spotted Hiashi. Hiashi smiled at her. His smiled made Tsunade grit her teeth, which marred her young features. Something that Hanabi was miffed about, as Tsunade looked almost as young as herself, yet Hanabi clearly remembered when she was instated that she looked the same.
"Ahh, Tsunade-sama. What a pleasure it is to see you." Hiashi said. The killer intent rose and a few people who werent shinobi started to retch.
"YOU! YOU KILLED HIM!" The blonde yelled. Hiashi's smiled slipped. Shuffling his feet so that he was facing his Hokage, he said in a clear voice that was devoid of any emotion,
"Gomen nasai, Hokage-sama. I do not expect to be forgiven." This was the last thing that Tsunade was expecting to come out of his mouth. It startled her into dropping every ounce of killer intent. Hanabi was still confused as Tsunade marched over to Hiashi, grabbed a hold of his arm and dragged him out of the hospital. Hanabi followed quietly and quickly.
Gaara was just finishing the day's paperwork when Tsunade burst into his office dragging an older man with long dark hair. A younger woman with equally dark hair was following her.
"Gaara, I found him." Gaara glanced at the man, and saw his eyes. All of his anger at Tsunade was redirected at the man in front of him. Hiashi looked up and looked straight into Gaara's cold turqouise eyes and said,
"It was an accident, Kazekage-sama." Gaara paled in anger. Hanabi started to choke from the killing intent that was rolling off both Kages. She vaguely heard the guards outside the door throw up.
"You killed him! My best friend! You sent your own nephew to kill your daughter! And then you lied about it by saying that Hinata, the girl who had loved him for years had killed him! What is wrong with you!" Gaara shouted. Hanabi had backed to the wall, but was staring at her father.
"...You killed...Naruto-san?" Hiashi spared her a quick glance before saying,
"I did not mean to kill Uzumaki." Tsunade's face turned angry before she spit out,
"No, we know that. You were trying to kill Hinata." Hanabi gasped.
"Hanabi-chan, do you want to know why your father was trying to kill your sister? And why he sent your cousin to finish the job for him?" Hanabi paled when everyone's attention turned to her crouched figure by the wall.
"H-hai..." She said quietly. Gaara narrowed his eyes before saying quietly,
"He tried to kill her because she was with child. But not just any child, the 'demon's' child." Hanabi didnt make any noise, but looked at Tsunade. Tsunade nodded slowly and Hanabi nearly fainted.
"Y-you mean if Nej-ji ni-san hadn't k-killed On-ne-san, I would be an a-aunt?" Hanabi started to cry and Tsunade clicked her tongue before making her way over to the young clan leader.
"Hanabi-chan, do you really beleive that Neji could kill his own cousin, whom he considered a sister?" Hanabi started to cry harder.
"You have a nephew, Hanabi-san. You know him quite well." Hanabi stopped crying at Gaara's words, but was still hiccuping. Hiashi swung his gaze over to Gaara.
"Hinata is alive?" His tight question made Tsunade grind her teeth.
"With no thanks to you." Hiashi stiffened.
"Hiashi, what did you do with Naruto's body?" Hiashi paled slightly before carefully saying,
"A few branch members...sold it to some villagers that were...more than willing to dispose of the demon's body in secret." Tsunade cracked her knuckles loudly, and Gaara's sand started to buzz with movement.
"He was not a demon. If anything, I was! He protected Konoha every single day since the day he was born, and that was the thanks you gave him? Killing him because your daughter fell in love with the greatest hero they have ever known? Yondaime-sama must be rolling in his grave." The red head word's only made Hanabi more confused.
"D-demon? P-prot-tect?" She said between hiccups. Tsunade looked at her and smoothed the woman's hair as one would a child.
"Hanabi, do you remember that legend about Yondaime killing kyuubi? It happened before both you and your sister's births..." Hanabi nodded.
"Y-yondaime-sama k-killed him...losing his l-life in the process...why?" She said, as Tsunade continued to smooth her hair.
"Yondaime didn't kill Kyuubi, nobody could. Instead, he sealed it inside a newborn, a human sacrifice. Gaara is the same way, except that his father sealed Shukaku inside of him so that he would be the ultimate weapon. No, Yondaime wanted Naruto to be seen as a hero. Konoha is not very forgiving, as he grew up knowing only hate and pain. It's a wonder he turned out so well. The fact was made a secret among his generation so that he had the chance of growing up normally...do you understand?" Hanabi's eyes were wide and shone with tears.
"H-he...that exp-plains so much...the l-looks...the whisp-pers..." Hanabi glared at her father.
"A story well known to the older generation of Konoha, I do not need it repeated again. Now, you said that Hinata was alive? I want to see her!" Tsunade's eye twitched.
"Why would I let you see her. What's stopping me from killing you right now? Naruto was like a son to me! You murdered my child Hiashi. Why should you ever see the light of day again, praytell." The blonde shouted.
"So I can apologize before you kill me. I regret what I did with all of my heart. I never liked the boy, and I never will. Not only was he tainting my eldest daughter, thanks to what he contains, half of my clan was killed in the attack. Not to mention the pranks he played...What about my grandson, do I not at least get to see what his spawn looks like, a Hyuuga half breed?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
"Kouden is not 'spawn'. He is the son of a hero, and the closest thing I have to a grandson!" Hanabi gasped, and Hiashi paled.
"K-kouden? He's my n-nephew?" Hanabi whispered. Tsunade was still staring at Hiashi and didnt respond.
"You've seen your grandson enough. When I find Hinata, I will let you apologize to her. You will do it sincerely, and with no harsh words. Untill then, Gaara lock him in ANBU solitary. Hiashi, you had better prepare your speech, for after you see her, I'm going to have you executed." Hanabi started to cry again and grabbed Tsunade's arms.
"P-please! Tsunade-sama! Don't k-kill him!" Tsunade regarded Hanabi with her brown eyes, and was wished that she looked more like Hinata, instead of Hiashi.
"...Fine. But I promise you, punishment will not be light for killing the son of a Hokage, and attempting to commit murder upon your own child." Hiashi stiffened, and bowed.
"I expected much worse. Hanabi, you should not waste your breath on this old man."
"Damn straight she shouldn't. Be lucky that one person in this world likes you." Gaara said. Hiashi almost sneered at him.
Sasami was feeling sad. She wasn't sure why, she had been stuck in this cell with Raiden, who was very good company, for a few days now. Food came twice a day, but she had no clue as to what times of the days. She assumed it was night when she was tired, and Raiden agreed with her.
Sasami and Raiden had tried various jutsu's to break out, but the bars and walls seemed to absorb whatever chakra they seeped into it. So to pass time, they taught each other jutsu's.
"Katon: Gokakyuu no jutsu!" Raiden said, and blew through his fingers. He flinched when a tiny puff of fire burst from his fingers, but died out before reaching the size of a basketball. Lowering his fingers, he sighed and said,
"This is useless, Sasami-ne-chan...I can't do it...I've been trying for hours." Sasami giggled and said,
"Raiden-kun, you give up to easy! Although, I must not be a very good teacher, I learned it by watching Sasuke-san and Kakashi-sensei spar. I'm not the best fighter, I am training to be a medic nin...although the scrolls that Shishou gave me were left at the palace when these people took me." Raiden tilted his head.
"Palace? Sasami-ne-chan, where are you from? What district?" Sasami hesitated before saying,
"Uhn...North...Actually, I'm the Hoku-hime...It's a boring job." Raiden gasped and immediatly threw his hands and face to the ground, bowing as low as possible.
"Gomen nasai, Hoku-hime-sama! I did not mean to address you so informally...forgive a simple nin like me." Sasami blushed hotly and said,
"No! No! Raiden! Stop it! Please, not you too...I wasn't raised in Raikuni...I was raised in Hokuni, in a small fishing village. I trained to be a shinobi in Konoha, and was told, just a few months ago, that I was queen of an entire district! Please, drop the formalities! I would rather have a little brother than a subject..." Raiden slowly lifted his head and said quietly,
"Gomen...S-sasami-hime...."
"Ne-chan!"
"Sasa mi-ne-chan..."
"Much better." Sasami said smiling loudly. Raiden smiled as well, and before long, the two were laughing wildly. That was until the steel door burst open and a cloud of purple smoke billowed into the room.
Sasami and Raiden were unconcious before their brains could understand what had happened.
"Yondaime-sama? You seem a little off, is everything alright?" Nanao, the Raikage's assisstant asked as she placed another pile of reports on his desk. The old man was reading a letter, tears forming tiny rivers down his ancient face.
"Migoto-chan..." He said. He held out the letter for Nanao to take before he buring his face in his hands. Nanao took the letter and read it to herself.
Yondaime-sama, Migoto-sama was kidnapped, she was betrayed by her teacher, Souma. Souma has been executed as is law for treachery, but Migoto-sama's whereabouts are not traceable. We have tried everything possible, but there appears to be no sign of her. We fear the worst. We will update you if we find her body. We sincerely regret having to write this.
"Oh...Yondaime-sama...I'm so sorry...is there anything I can do? Oh, here!" Nanao held out a scroll that she had received via hawk just a few hours previous.
"Ah...Keii, it seems Katoki found you lurking in Suna...Nanao, rally up three ANBU and bring them here for debreifing." Nanao nodded and left. A few minutes later, she came in with a bottle and placed it on Yondaime's desk. She gave him a friendly smile and left again, with the intent of finding ANBU.
The Raikage smiled sadly and took the bottle of sake and looked at it. Turning it in his hands, he uncorked it, and drained it.
End Chapter 32