Konoha’s Guardians : Book II :
Chapter 5 : beginnings
Naruto bolted upright and cursed, not even noticing he awoke the woman who had been sleeping curled beside him. Muttering vehemently he quickly retrieved his shirt and then reached for his jacket. He stopped and moved towards his pack pulling out a wrapped bundle.
“Naruto-kun—what is it?” Hinata asked already fully awake and reaching for the outer layer of her kimono and the weapons stored next to it.
Naruto didn’t turn from where he was busy removing weapons and scrolls from his jacket and tucking them away in the long cloak he had removed from the bundle. “One of the pack was just killed… kuso… he was barely more then a kit still—damn it.”
Hinata frowned. While she had not known about Naruto’s entire pack until only a few days ago, she knew enough to know that none of them would die easily. And if one had been killed, it had been intentional. “Who—”
“Orochimaru. Tsunade warned me before we left Konoha that the scroll containing my family history had vanished from her office at about the same time as information on Anko. We both had reason to believe that if he sees that family history… he’ll likely hunt me down.” Naruto told her. He finished his statement and swung the cloak up over his shoulders and fastened the clasp across his chest over the dark gray styled flak jacket.
Hinata’s eyes opened wide as she recognized the pattern and insignia on the back of the cloak. “Naruto… that’s—”
“My father’s battle cloak, apparently Jiraiya and Sandaime had managed to save it for me.”
“But that would mean—”
Naruto smirked as he turned to face her, a glint in his blue eyes. “Hai. My father was Yondaime.”
“And now you’re planning on facing Orochimaru alone? I’m going with you!” Hinata cried, as she moved quickly, securing her weapons in their respective holsters.
Naruto reached for her shoulder as she stood.
“No Hinata. I need you to warn the village and keep them off and away from the bridge. I’m going to try and distract Orochimaru… but with the high probability of Manda and Gamabunta taking part—I don’t want to destroy the bridge because this battle got too close but there is that chance. Please—keep the people of Wave country safe while I face Orochimaru.”
Hinata’s eyes met his, and she could see the worry and concern lurking there. “Orochimaru isn’t likely to be alone—and what if he’s been possessed by a key…”
“It’s a chance we have to take.”
Hinata turned away.
Naruto’s expression softened. “Hinata… I—I have to do this.”
Hinata suddenly moved forward, burying her face in the crook of his neck, hugging him tightly. “I know.” She mumbled against him and then slowly let him go. “Now go teach that snake not to underestimate a kitsune.” She told him firmly as she pulled away and gave him a determined smile.
Naruto flashed her a fox-like grin, and then turned leaping out of the window with Zurui and several other members of the pack suddenly emerging to run by his side.
Hinata watched them vanish around a corner and then headed for the main part of the house to wake Tazuna and the rest of his family. It was time to sound the alert.
*********
Naruto moved swiftly into the forest that covered the coastline, nearly a dozen red-orange figures slipping through the undergrowth all around him. Naruto paused kneeling next to a large tree and rested one palm against it, two kitsune head appearing at his side. ‘Hmmm… no sign of that snake yet.’
Naruto rolled forward just as a barrage of shuriken and kunai connected with the large tree where he had been crouched. Almost instantly there was a sizzling sound as a corrosive poison began to eat into the living wood. ‘Shit! This isn’t good!’
“Brat be careful! One of Chaos’ keys is nearby!” Kyuubi warned him.
A sudden yelping followed by a whine and hiss drew Naruto’s attention to his enemy’s location. Naruto growled at the site of Orochimaru holding Zurui by the throat, his amber eyes glowing in the faint light. ‘Orochimaru… the snake’
“Look Kabuto-kun. I’ve caught another fox.”
Naruto’s eyes shifted, his pupils becoming slit, his incisors sharpening almost into fangs. “Let him go Snake-freak!”
Orochimaru slowly turned his gaze away from his catch to the blond boy growling at him. “I don’ think so. I’ve waited far too long to get my revenge on that blonde-haired upstart pupil of Jiraiya’s… and now I get to take my revenge out on him as well as the fox that took the opportunity away from me. Today is your day to die… Naruto-kun.
“I don’t think so Snake.” Naruto grazed his thumb with his fang and formed a series of quick seals. “Ninpou Kitsune Kasumo Kuchiyose no Jutsu!!!” In a flare of chakara and jutsu smoke Zurui vanished from Orochimaru’s grasp and reappeared in a larger form with Naruto on his back, flanked by two of even larger size—each of these sporting two or three tails. All around them other larger kitsune appeared, and it was apparent that each of them was ready to fight.
Orochimaru looked on impassively at the various kitsune that now faced him, the smallest being roughly the same size as a large wolf, the biggest rivaling the largest draft horses. His target now perched on one the size of an ox. Orochimaru’s eyes narrowed. “How annoying.”
*********
Sakura sighed as she walked just a few steps behind Lee through the village of Ame looking for the hotel where they were to rendezvous with Sasuke and Neji. All in all her trip from Konoha had been rather uneventful. However, that was not to say that it was quiet or dull—nothing involving Lee was ever dull. In more ways than one his enthusiastic outlook on everything reminded her of Naruto; the younger and unrefined Naruto. For unlike her blonde haired teammate it seemed as though Lee’s bond to the Gryphon Guardian Takarai had made him somewhat vain and often times rather overzealous. Though she was thankful his crush on her had faded in the last three years, but that could have been influenced with her nearly setting him aflame several times… it appeared that the power of the Phoenix was a bit too compatible with that of the Gryphon. Her focus was brought to the present as Lee called her name.
“Sakura-chan I believe I’ve found it—Ah! Neji-kun! Sakura-chan and I have arrived!”
Sakura shook her head as they approached the hotel where the Hyuga now stood looking impassive as ever. “Hello Neji-san.”
Neji nodded. “Good. Now Lee and I can continue on our part and leave you and Sasuke to do yours.”
Sakura frowned. “Not so fast Neji—there’s been a change in the missions.”
White-eyes stared at her expectantly.
“I’ll tell everyone once we’re all together. Is Sasuke-kun inside?”
Neji nodded and then frowned as he turned to lead them to the rooms he and Sasuke had rented.
As they approached the door, it slid open and Sasuke leaned against the doorframe impassively. “So they have arrived.”
“Ah.” Neji replied.
“Sasuke-kun! Its good to see—Sasuke… why is there a lizard on your head.”
Uchiha Sasuke frowned.
*********
A rumbling crash echoed out of the forest and across the water to reach the cluster of people looking out from the shores of Wave country. Hinata looked out intensely, the veins around her eyes beginning to become visible as she inadvertently began to activate her Byakkugan.
“Hinata-san you should go.” Tazuna stated as he moved to stand beside her.
Hinata turned to him in surprise. “I can’t do that Tazuna-san, our mission was to keep the people of Wave country safe.”
“As long as Naruto keeps the battle on that side of the ocean we are super safe. He isn’t though and there isn’t one person who wants to see that boy die protecting us when there was something we could do to help him. That includes sending you, his partner, after him.”
“Someone’s gotta look after the Naruto-niichan and we know you care for him a lot.” Inari chimed in as he appeared at his grandfather’s side. “Take care of Naruto-niichan for us Hinata-neechan.”
Hinata looked in surprise as several other villagers nodded and smiled at her in encouragement. She stood for a moment, unsure of what to do… then another rumbling crash echoed across the water. Hinata smiled, determination etching across her features. “Arigato minna,” and then she was gone, running across the bridge. ‘Hang in there Naruto-kun, I’m coming.’