Naruto and any of its affiliations are not owned by me

"Talking"

'Thinking'

'Writing' or 'Emphasis'

"Evil Talking"

………………………

previously….

When the water finally settled the Kage hung … soaking and unconscious from the branches of a tree … miserably defeated.

Taisan let out a sigh of relief as he watched the water subside. Grateful that the young boy was still breathing from the branches.

"I LE-VUH NA-OW?" The giant questioned.

"Not yet!" he pleaded, "… Give me at least half an hour. We still have to deal with them." He pointed beyond Gaara's broken body to the farmland further out. The Sand shinobi had already doubled their pace to aid their fallen prince.

………………………

Promise of Change

- Chapter 11: Kurenai's Revenge, … Na-Naruto-kun… -

………………………

"The comrades in Konoha are parts of my body. The villagers believe in me, and I believe in everyone. That is what a Hokage is supposed to do." - First Hokage

………………………

. Hidden Village of the Missing-Nin . 5:30pm . INCIDENT .

"GAAAAARRAAAA!!!" the blonde girl's cries were swallowed whole by the mass outbursts of rage surrounding her. Tears fell freely from her eyes as she watched her little brother's all but lifeless body be swept away in a sphere of murky water. Hundreds of ninja around her gaped in disbelief, while others screamed words of anger and hate toward the giant creature towering before them.

"G – Gaara…?" Kankuro stood in shock for a few moments, the three puppets at his fingertips sat limp and crooked, croaking slowly in a mechanical manner. Time stopped as he watched gravity and the manufactured tide play 'God' with a Kazekage shaped doll. Concentrating his rage, Kankuro clenched his teeth and burst from the lines of Sand Shinobi around him, sweeping along the dirt farmlands and the tall grass at break-neck speed, unable to stand by idly a moment longer.

The two Sand shinobi had aged well. Temari was now a much taller and fuller woman of eighteen years. Four, strong, hair-bands pulled her frizzing, blonde hair tightly in four directions on the back of her head. As would be expected of a Sand Jounin she wore a green vest over the top of a thick, purple, battle kimono. The middle child, Kankuro, wore similar clothes to his younger days. Seventeen now, to indicate his maturity the thick purple markings on his face had become more dominant, exaggerating the size of his eyebrows and chin.

"That's a summoned animal. Right Kankuro?"

Kankuro wasn't surprised to see that Temari had already caught up with him, she'd always been more nimble than himself. She was continuing her momentum, slowly outrunning him, hidden tears still fresh on her lightly tanned skin.

"…Yes,"

Kankuro's facial marking readjusted as his face turned into an aggressive scowl.

"It will disappear eventually," she stated with monotonic calmness, "… the bigger ones don't stay that long. We'll get Gaara back and temporarily retreat … Understand?"

How she managed to keep a straight face she would never know. A part of her was screaming for vengeance, to rip the head from the disgusting shellfish and boil it in an enormous pot. While simultaneously slicing open it's 'summoner' with a rusty knife and pouring salt into his wounds. But then again, Ninja we're trained to handle emotions like these.

"… the rest of the village can handle the castle once 'it' leaves." she continued, faking a half confident smile.

"…Yes," Kankuro heaved the words from his lips, his eyes tightly honed on the huge beast before him, "But … I have a favor to ask."

"…Nii-san (brother)?" Temari blinked a few times, cautiously gazing at her brother's furious expression.

"… Rip this place apart by the seams!" she could hardly hear the request through his clenched teeth.

She huffed cockily, her tomboyish attitude crushing her authoritarian act, "Just try and stop me!"

………………………

Taisan watched as two ninja broke formation and sped toward the castle … his castle … his monastery. He didn't need to get any closer to guess who they were.

"Sibling ties … I guess I … I guess I almost know how that feels."

He continued to ponder over them innocently as they grew larger on the horizon. Until of course the weight of the situation once again fell upon his shoulders, demanding action.

"… Kamebunta!" he sighed.

The creature issued a deep, rumbling, throaty growl from beneath him. The animal was indignant by nature. It didn't relish having a mortal stand upon his shoulders. Never mind a bunch of shadow clones.

"Cover me?" he asked respectfully.

What could be seen of the beast's cheeks raised and creased slightly, an undeniable smile from behind the thick, heavy turtleneck of tortoise-shell. The Missing-Kage smiled back gently as he spun on his heel and allowed himself to fall backward down the creature's front, several clones following suit. Kamebunta cracked his neck a few times, the action alone gushed hot steam from beneath the thick plates of his shell. Groaning with effort, the beast raised both arms, carefully aiming the thick iron shotguns from it's wrists.

"CHU-U-NI-N BRA-A-T."

Perhaps if Kamebunta had held his callous, dry tongue to himself, he wouldn't have been oblivious to the giant frog shaped shadow forming around him.

………………………

"Naruto …."

The frog hermit spoke loudly and gruffly as he pushed up his left sleeve, adjusting his feet on the grass, centering himself. The enemies' beast had only just been summoned, Jiraiya could still see great quantities of sand levitating around it.

There was still time.

"…ero-sennin? (peverted-hermit)" Naruto whispered beside him, before he jumped backward, well aware of what the white-haired-man was preparing to do. Many ninja around him followed suit.

"… there is something I will teach you when you are older, neh?" he bit into his right thumb, then stained his left palm with the blood it produced, "… when it comes to animal's like turtles … they're very much like blonde women …."

'…blonde women?'

That was all Naruto heard as Jiraiya thrust his blood soaked hand into the earth, immediately covering him in thick smog which erupted into a fully grown and behemoth sized reptile.

Gamabunta, king of toads.

"…. WHEN YOU GET THEM ON THEIR BACK!!! THEY'RE FUCKED!!!"

Without instruction the red toad pounced forward, clearing the farmland within seconds. Jiraiya held tightly on its head using only his feet, as his long dreadlocks blazed behind him like fire. The giant toad came dangerously close to accidentally bulldozing the castle, before it bounced in one organic leap above and beyond it.

The castle had already been in darkness, shadowed by the Giant Tortoise behind it. And now with a giant toad flying overhead …. The only light available was in fact that which issued from the giant fiery bird. Akawashi watched the giant toad leap over it, … and did nothing. No amount of fish was worth taking on a 'Bunta.' (King/Boss)

Its flight unhindered, Gamabunta descended quickly, smiling confidently as the unsuspecting 'Tortoise King' grew closer.

and closer….

and closer….

Their collision let of a shockwave …. A shockwave so powerful that the trees in the distance shook and the castles slate roofs collapsed upon themselves. The weaker, western most tower collapsed completely. Kamebunta roared loudly in surprise as a thick sticky hand pushed against his shoulders while a great force heaved against his shelled back. And a cold, sharp blade slipped between his shoulder blades and into his neck.

"Long time no see, … Tortoise Freak!"

Gamabunta jeered as he held tightly against the larger animal's back, careful to avoid the two cannons upon its shoulders.

"… Ga- - Ga-ma-bu-n-ta?!"

The sea-tortoise turned his neck as far as he could, to stare outraged at the large red-lipped-toad on his back. It's grinned with sage pride back at him.

"… Ku-so!! (Damn it)"

………………………

Hinata stood frozen and terrified as a very solid, cement wall hurtled toward her in a blizzard of shrapnel and debris. The shockwave of the two colliding 'summons' had all but completely destroyed the eastern walls, and their remains now flew toward her at breakneck speed. From a birds-eye perspective it might have looked like a small ring, a mere ripple on water … Harmless. But she wasn't looking down on it. She was before it … Helpless.

Hinata's dark hair billowed wildly behind her as a torrent of wind pushed against her, robbing her of her breath and conveniently the fearful scream that would have followed it.

Hinata turned to run, to flee, but there was nothing behind her but a sheer drop from the West castle wall, a sheer several-hundred-foot drop. She spun on the spot for a moment, desperately searching for someone … anyone … to save her. Those standing beside her moments ago had cowardly taken their leave after the 'Giant Toad' had appeared in the forest, fleeing to some unknown location. Abandoning her …

It hit her like a ton of bricks. Literally. Debris of every nature, flying at speeds she couldn't contemplate. Forcing her off the edge and down the castle wall like a cannon. She choked and sputtered as the dust invaded her mouth and nostrils. The blue-haired-girl held her eyes tightly shut whilst in the fury of the tidal explosion.

With her eyes tightly shut, she relied on the Byakugan's 'piercing sight' which gave her some clarity as to what was going around her. What she saw was … unnatural. She saw 'things' around her, consuming her … 'burning things?' The grey haze grew bright suddenly before darkening again around her.

'What's going on?'

Wings! Wings thick with orange and red plumage were embracing her body, cushioning her fall. They fell together, Akawashi holding her tightly between his feathers, in a bizarre Fire-Hinata-Eagle sandwich. Hinata could feel the rubble hitting the great-eagle's body, each piece exploding with a loud "P-SHEW" as it made contact, shaking her remorselessly between the bird's wings. Their landing was …. rough… Hinata was held still between the feathers of the giant summoned animal as they hit the rocky surface and bounced painfully down the cracked step-stone like rocks. They rolled briefly down a sloping surface until they screeched to a graceless and painful halt, only to moments later be suddenly buried beneath a great landslide of the broken stone wall.

Her eyes opened slowly and were greeted by an immediate stinging pain as ash rubbed against her cornea. She found it immensely difficult to breathe, each breath was labored and scalding hot and she swallowed them. She could feel soot on her tongue, even behind her teeth. It was everywhere, soot, smoke, rocks, small flecks of burning kindling, bricks of different colours and sizes, everything that was heavy or painful she could think of. She quickly realized the she and her summon had been buried alive. Struggling proved to be of no avail, trapped underneath the large and unconscious bird. Her lungs were already beginning to give out, burning beneath her ribs. Crawling was a lost cause as well, and if she attempted to expel the large creature she'd be instantly digging her own grave as a foreboding pile of 'ex-castle' crushed her small frame.

'Why… Why am I always the one who needs saving …' she thought miserably, 'I couldn't save myself and Akawashi-sama came to protect me … and now we're both going to …. d-…d…'

She evaluated her options, pushing back her grim thoughts.

'…. groping blindly in the dark …. No!'

'… Using an explosive tag … would cause more harm than good. No!'

'… Digging myself out … can't do that without expelling Akawashi and causing a cave in. No!'

The Hyuuga heiress lay back and nestled into the birds feathers, slowing her breathing so that she wouldn't overstress herself and waste the little oxygen in her scarlet coffin. She briefly pondered how it was that Akawashi wasn't burning her body, even though his body was made of fire …

'… I will not give up!'

With some effort she forced her right arm out in front of her as far as she could, hoping to get it close to the large eagle's head. She let a short burst of chakra exude from her palm. She watched it weave through the dirt and fade a few centimeters from his beak.

'Nothing … again…'

She repeated the step, a little more chakra this time, and aimed further outward. This time it hit but the bird didn't move, clearly unconscious.

'.. please. Akawashi-sama! Wake up!' she pleaded mentally, accidentally swallowing a small talc tasting layer of soot.

More aggressively she tried again, exerting so much chakra she felt her fingertips sting. The bird's eye snapped open immediately, the pupil dilated and glazed over as the blinding pain of cracked ribs and a broken wing swept into the creatures system.

"YAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHHHH!!"

'sorry….!' she apologized as she was rocked heavily upon it's body.

Its panicking cry echoed loudly in her head. It's hefty wings twisted and shook, crushing her body between them. It vibrated, continuing to screech loudly, as it burrowed to the surface.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

Hinata tried to speak, to comfort the creature, but her small voice was either drowned out by the birds cry, or choked out forcibly in the creature's wrath. As she was knocked from side to side, she felt the world around her growing dark. With no oxygen and now a rigorous beating ….

'…. please … I … I don't want to die this way …'

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!"

…

silence.

"RASENGAN!!"

The voice was muffled, as if from some great distance ... she ignored the pain in her body as she was once again tossed around between Akawashi's wings, focusing on the voice. There was something … familiar.

'………that …..that voice…?'

……………………….

In an aging oak tree, not far away, a dark figure perched serenely between the branches. The castle wall before him shattered from end to end. He smiled calmly.

"Destruction is so wonderful, …. wouldn't you agree? … Baki," the man mused as he brushed his long dark hair away from his yellow slit-eyes.

"Should you really be here? If you're found it will be a hassle," the Sand-Nin spoke from the trunk of the tree, looking past the brown veil in front of his eyes. "I told you I could handle this without you."

"Don't worry about it," he spoke unenthusiastically, "Perhaps, … I should ask how things are proceeding?"

"Exactly as you estimated. It's chaos down there. Ninja are fighting everyone and everything in sight."

"Such is the fate of war amongst shinobi. With jutsu such as 'Kawarimi' (replacement), 'Bunshin' (clone), and 'Henge' (transform) a war zone becomes little more than a giant mixing pot. It happened during the last great war too."

"What is the purpose of this?" Baki asked feverishly, questioning his master was never well received.

He chuckled devilishly, his shoulders shaking as he laughed to himself.

"To complete what we failed to do in Konoha, of course," his long dark hair swayed as he tilted his head to look down, "We're going to set the windmill in motion."

"They're just a bunch of fools!" a third voice spoke up from the other side of the tree, "Doing this means nothing! We're wasting time!"

Baki took a moment to bite on an insult. He'd come to accept that the young boy was far more powerful than he looked.

"Now, now. We can't all be blessed with such magnificent eyes, can we? Though you're correct. A war without the Uchiha's 'Sharingan' IS meaningless," the older man chimed playfully, licking his lower chin between sentences with his long pink tongue.

"We're going to wait for them to kill one another, and attack ourselves?" the veiled man inquired tentatively.

"Why waste our energy? We'll allow the Rock country to play with them. And if that's not enough … the Jinchuuriki will finish the job."

At this Baki jumped from the branches to stand in front of the long haired man in shock, "Orochimaru-sama! The Kyuubi is …! We should leave! Now!"

A pale hand raised and fell upon his cheek, caressing it gently beneath the veil.

"Don't you want to see the fireworks?"

The hand clenched into his cheekbone, and pulled back, ripping away a thick layer of fleshy skin. Blood dribbled down the older man's arm, which was quickly sucked dry by his elongated tongue.

"Kabuto …"

Kabuto pulled away the remainder of the Sand Jounin's face, replacing it with his pair of black rimmed spectacles.

"You worry too much, Kabuto …. This is just an experiment after all."

"…. an experiment?" the ruggedly handsome teen enquired from the base of the tree, arms folded defiantly.

"It is relevant to you too, Sasuke-kun. You see, the leader of this place has a similar relationship with a Konoha shinobi, as you do with Uzumaki Naruto-kun."

"What of it?" Sasuke shrugged, pulling up a falling piece of his purple robe.

Orochimaru chuckled again, "Ku, Ku, Ku … if Taoru-kun dies, another 'Mangekyou' user could emerge."

"… impossible."

"Could any of them really kill that boy?" Kabuto mused as he fell elegantly once again to the base of the tree.

"He'll end up killing himself," the Snake Master shrugged, "… he is a human time bomb. Under extreme circumstances it's possible for him to release his Bijuu."

"But … the Bijuu is an imperfect copy …"

"Exactly … it will die moments after escaping the host … and as a final declaration of it inhuman hatred … will destroy everything in the area …" Orochimaru took another moment to snicker, "Ku, ku, ku … the explosion itself could destroy Konoha-gakure twice, … maybe three times over."

"Baka …" Sasuke commented from below, "… the 'Mangekyou' user would be destroyed along with it."

Orochimaru disappeared in a gust of leaves, reappearing again beside the fifteen-year-old Uchiha, wrapping a friendly arm around his shoulder. Sasuke made no movement to stop him. But his upper lip raised a fraction in a threatening manner.

"Actually, I gave him a little 'present' years ago which could save him. It's quite similar to yours. But … Come now, surely you realize by now I'm more interested in you … Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru's face grew dangerously close, his long tongue extending down his front. "It doesn't matter if it blows up … or if the boy kill's it … either way we are advantaged, Ku, ku, ku."

"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto raised an arm to summon his attention, "If that is the case, we should definitely leave this place. We're well within range of the explosion. … If it occurs." He added.

Bitterly the Snake charmer pulled away from the young boy, closing the distance between himself and Kabuto. He didn't speak for a moment, staring intently into Kabuto's green eyes. Daring him to interrupt again.

A few moments passed before the elder man smiled and turned away, "I want you to stay here … Yakushi Kabuto."

"…Why?"

Orochimaru smiled, staring blankly for a moment at the grey haired man.

"Because I hate you…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Kidding ku, ku, ku…" he snickered again, indifferent to Kabuto's sigh of relief, "Direct the Sand ninja's to the front, if you really feel like adding to the confusion, tell them Konoha has betrayed them."

"Playing the spy again?" Kabuto asked nonchalantly, reapplying the 'Baki' face he'd 'acquired' month's earlier.

"It's a shame we can't stay and add further confusion to the war… oh well … perhaps next time," he smiled optimistically, privately eyeing the Uchiha boy greedily.

The older man and the youngest sunk slowly into the earth. Kabuto waited for them to vanish completely before letting out a long held breath.

'Even if you say that … Orochimaru-sama … even without the Uchiha clan … have you forgotten the original doujutsu users … the Hyuuga's?'

………………………..

'HEY!!! Wake up! There's no time for this! Ku-so! Please, wake up!'

'… just a few more minutes sensei … I had a very weird dream …'

'HEY! Somebody! Anybody! Does anyone know any … ummm … whats-da-word … 'wake up' jutsu! Hey don't run of! I need a hand here!'

'…… there was a big fight … and Akawashi was there .. and you were there … and there was a big 'frog' … and explosions … very weird …'

'HEYHEYHEY! I can't fight you now! I'm helping the injured!! Ku-so…… YOU ASKED FOR IT!!!!'

'… then I was buried with Akawashi, and … and then I couldn't breathe … and then Akawashi was crushing me … do you think it means anything sensei?'

'drip'

'… … …. ….drip?'

'drip'

'… I don't understand … sensei? sensei? Sensei?!'

………………..

For the third time a raindrop landed on the cream-white face of Hyuuga Hinata. Her eyes opened slowly, taking a leisurely amount of time to adjust. Still dazed she smiled pleasantly yawning a little and stretching out her arms calmly, and rubbing her eyes. Every neuron in her mind was telling her that as soon as she opened her eyes the cherubs would be there waiting for her, welcoming her to the morning, especially her favourite 'whiskered' cherub.

Her eyes opened to… darkness.

Her dark blue hair had brushed onto her face sometime in the night. The long silk like strands almost completely obstructed her view, giving the impression of a thick-wooded dark-blue jungle. Not the least bit fazed, she took her free right hand and traced the inside of her nose with her forefinger, gently pulling her hair away from her right eye. There it was, the 'whiskered cherub' smiling this morning, and for some reason it was upside-down, and much closer than she remembered.

"I must have left the 'Byakugan' on in my sleep …." she muttered absently, rubbing her eye.

"Hello."

Both eyes burst wide open at this. As far as she was aware, statues couldn't speak. The smiling she could understand, her imagination could put that in. But she'd never given it a voice before.

"… … … eeh?!?"

As her mouth opened a small breath of smoke issued from between her lips and she was alarmingly reminded of the horrible soot-filled burial she had suffered in her dream. The taste was disgusting.

Hinata jumped backward suddenly, hitting her head hard against an upturned rock. She pulled herself up to sit on her knees as she cradled her now swollen, and possibly 'insane' head. As soon as she did this she found herself pulled back again so that she was laying in someone's lap.

"Hey. Sis' are you alright?" his strong hand held the back of her head, feeling around calmly, "I don't think you broke anything, and you're not bleeding, … but there is a bit of a bump."

Her arms were now, accidentally caught in his, preventing her from moving the long hair covering her face. It didn't take her long to realize this pose was very unbecoming.

"… You shouldn't be doing this … My fiancée will be mad at you for touching me like this."

"Huh?" the voice spoke back abruptly, "I'd think your fiancée would be very happy I saved your life, dontcha' think."

"…my life."

She guessed, whoever this person was, he was probably about her age, exactly what he was doing in her room she definitely wanted to know.

The boy stopped feeling her head and lay her down on his thigh. She could hear him grinning proudly and laughing between his teeth. "Eh-heh-heh. Yeah. You were being eaten by this big bird or something. And I saved you. No need to thank me. That's what heroes like me are meant for."

"…"

Hinata bit her lip, 'I hope he didn't hurt Akawashi too badly. … WAIT! That was a dream…. I'm sure of it!'

"Hey! You could thank me a little bit!"

"… gomenasai." (sorry)

Hinata felt her weight adjust slightly as the boy let out a heavy sigh. She took this opportunity to move her hands back to her sides and sit up. It was dangerous to be alone with any of the missing-nin's, Tai-sensei had warned her countless times that they weren't all trustworthy.

"Excuse me, where is sensei?" she made a small attempt to brush her hair away from her face but it kept readjusting back again.

"You probably shouldn't move too much, you took that fall pretty hard."

"Where is sen-'cough'-sei?" she repeated, gagging slightly as she tasted something 'ashen' in her mouth.

"Here drink this," her hair still blocking her sight she found the boy placing a smooth metal hip-flask in her hand. Realizing an intense thirst, she snatched it, and drank from it greedily, tipping her head backward for the fastest contact with the cool liquid. After the first mouthful she turned away to spit out a disgusting looking black mixture, a combination of water and soot she supposed.

"Ewwwww …"

She used her left hand to motion an apology as she continued to drink. She handed it back empty, apologizing for her selfishness.

"… It was very warm in there … I guess I was a little dehydra-…"

Without warning a strong arm twisted around her waist as she was lifted and carried away. She felt herself be placed back down seconds afterward.

"What are you doi…"

"Shhh…" he brought a finger to her lips and pushed her head down.

'What on Earth! Taisan-sensei was right to keep me away from the missing-nin boys.'

She prepared to attack the pervert when she heard someone appear suddenly not far away. Momentarily blind she chose to listen quietly.

"…. Where is she damn it! HINATA!!!"

She recognized the voice immediately.

'Tai-sensei!'

She jumped up to yell out to him but was suddenly restrained with a soft hand around her mouth and pulled backward into the missing-nin's chest. Silenced. His hand held her hair painfully tight against her mouth, but she could see a little bit better when the hair was pulled straight than when it was just hanging loose.

"…what are you doing! Dattebayo!" he whispered close to her ear, "You WANT us to get caught!"

'… Why is he so scared of being found by sensei? Everyone respects him in this village.'

She struggled briefly, making him restrain her a little tighter.

"Shhh! Dammit he's not gone yet!"

She struggled harder on hearing the word 'yet,' she didn't know what this guy was planning to do with her after her teacher left, but she wanted no part of it.

He gave her a sudden jerk to calm her down and whispered a little aggressively, "What the hell is wrong with you! Do you have a death wish? What team are you in? Who's your sensei?"

"MmmmMmmMMmMMmhmMMm!" she choked between his fingers, immensely frustrated that she still hadn't even seen her assailant.

"What?!" he lowered his hand to her chin.

"I said … "

She was cut off again as his hand covered her mouth again. She felt herself being pulled backward carefully along the rock floor. The way he was pulling her practically had him sitting underneath her body, until he stopped and found herself sitting between the boys thighs still facing away from him.

"Kuso (Damn it). That last one must have been a clone."

"MmmMmmMmm!" his hand moved again so she could continue, "I said, I can't see, and you're hurting me."

She would have added something about the erotic position she felt herself to be in but was cut off, by a sniping comment.

"How can you not see! You're a Hyuuga aren't you! I mean even if you do wear your hair over your eyes, it's pretty obvious."

"I don't wear my hair over my eyes!" She argued back, refusing to activate the Byakugan out of pride and spite, "Let go of me."

She felt him grudgingly release her and she stepped forward immediately, limping slightly as her muscles regained focus. She turned to face and point an accusatory finger at him, but stopped herself.

"Ah… ano … thank you for saving me."

"Your welcome …" his voice came from lower on the ground, she guessed he hadn't bothered to stand yet. "… So who's your sensei?"

'How can any missing-nin not know who I am? Taisan is like a celebrity here …He must be lying … but why?'

"Uhhh? Sis'?"

"… Well …" she pointed her finger over her shoulder, "… That was my sens…"

The boy moved instantly, reaching out a hand behind her neck and pulling her downward. Hinata barely uttered an 'eep?' before she was pulled over his shoulder and carried off again.

"WHAT-are-you-doing!!" Hinata started off yelling but controlled herself pretty quickly, she didn't stop hitting his back with her bare hands though. And were her legs not being tightly held she may have given him a few dangerously aimed kicks.

"Put-me-down…"

It was getting really annoying now, she thought, how every time she tried to say something it was getting cut off. This time it was an explosion that stopped her midway.

A loud one.

He set her down softly, but put his hand on her shoulder to chastise her, using his left hand to shake his finger.

"You know, in battle, you don't have time to complain about how people choose to save your life, you should just be grateful."

".. .. .. .. battle?"

The blue-haired girl turned away, raising her hair for the first time to get a good look at her surroundings.

Ninja's …. everywhere!!

It was like a scene from an old Japanese samurai movie. It was raining lightly, the sun was just about to set, and perched on rocks, or in the gorges … Hundreds of them, fighting each other, everywhere. She couldn't see a single spot where someone wasn't fighting.

"Don't worry, ne (sentence ender)? There aren't as many of them as it looks. The other Hyuuga's say that a lot of them are clones'n'stuff."

The boy grinned as he moved to stand beside her, raising both arms behind his head. Hinata saw the slightest glimpse of orange from the side of her eye. She didn't dare turn, her brain slowly registering a few facts.

First off, the battle had already begun. Secondly, this boy may not actually be a missing nin. Thirdly, this boy ….

"HEY!!!" he exclaimed beside her, "I bet that's where you came from. Dattebayo! C'mon the rest of the Hyuuga's are all up there.

He grabbed her wrist and attempted to pull her away to his left, but she didn't move. She stood frozen, staring blankly out at the field.

"Hey, wake up…" he came closer to her, bringing his face just a few inches from hers.

She turned her head slowly toward him, the whole time using her right hand to keep her hair from her eyes. For the first time, their eyes met, Hinata was greeted by an intoxicatingly bright, and honest blue hue.

The warmest eyes she had ever known.

"…. Na-Naruto-kun…."

………………..

"TAORU!!!" Kurenai screamed loudly, at the back of the teen.

He turned slowly to face her, realization clear in his eyes. That realization quickly turned into hatred … malice. He ran at her, one hand tight on the sword upon his back. Kurenai wasted no time, bending over backward as he swung the sword over her head, kicking him in the ribs to send him off balance and finally stabbing him in the stomach, with her kunai.

She looked up into his eyes, hoping to see some shred of regret or apology, but instead there was nothing. His eyes were completely coated in 'light.'

"Ku-so!" (Damn it)

The dark-haired woman jumped back just a little too slowly as the clone blew up in her face, sending her flying and rolling along the gravel. When her body finally came to a stop, a large sharp piece of metal embedded into the ground, inches to the left of her head.

"Why? …"

Kurenai ignored the burning sensation in her right arm, and stared up aggressively to the golden-brown eyes looking down at her.

"Why? … why can't I kill someone I hate?"

A few drops fell on her forehead, she told herself it had to be the rain.

"I hated you … so much … why can't I … Why can't I …"

"You hated me?! You hated me?! I hate you a thousand times more than you could possibly have hated me." she stated slowly and coldly.

Taisan buckled hearing this, bending down to sit on his knees.

"Why can you kill me …? But I can't kill you?"

"It's called a guilty conscience!"

"…"

"Stop acting like some sorry little victim …" she took a deep breath, "YOU raped ME!!!"

Again he buckled, dropping his head a small space above hers. Like he'd heard it for the very first time.

"…. I raped you…."

The rain came down much harder now, it stung against her skin, as she pulled a second kunai from her pouch and raised it against his throat.

"…. I raped you …"

"Yeah … I'm sorry, truly I am, that you have this 'thing' in you … this 'thing' you can't control … but if that's the case… then you're better off dead, and letting me have my revenge."

She slid the knife against his skin so easily, a fresh stream of blood poured out instantly, dripping into her hair into a thick and sticky pool.

"…Arigatou … Kurenai-san." (Thankyou)

The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kurenai sat up, not quite sure how to feel. Her hair was clean. It wasn't him.

'… You … You idiot…' she thought miserably.

……………………………

- End Chapter 11 -

……………………………

A/n. Please Comment or Review.

Well a few dedications in this I think.

The whole Hinata having hair over her eyes thing was inspired by Mahou Sensei Negima, and the character Nodoka, who is very similar to Hinata and wears her hair over her eyes. Plus I thought it would be funny to have Hinata with Naruto without her knowing who it actually was. Or him for that matter.

I hope the whole rape thing wasn't TOO obvious from the start. I'm honestly wondering if anyone knew what was/is happening with that. The last bit with Taoru and Kurenai, I felt the position they were in was very similar to Naruto and Sasuke at the end of their big fight. At least I hope that's how it felt.

You'll notice I have a quote at the start of the chapter from the first Hokage, I just thought it would be a nice thing to put in character quotes at the start of each chapter from now on. To be honest I was originally going to do it at the start of the last chapter but I forgot.

Also just a note, someone mentioned that Tortoises don't live in the Ocean, Turtles do. I've decided to just call Kamebunta a special Sea-Tortoise. Besides I have a 'Golden Eagle' with feathers made of Fire in this story. I think we can all ignore a swimming Tortoise.

Finally an apology to anyone who may be reading and enjoying this story for the long delay. If there are many of you then I'm sorry but I didn't know. Throw in a comment please if you are enjoying it, it adds to my reasons to continue. This chapter is dedicated to a fan who took the time to talk to me on messenger and give my the motivation I needed to keep on going. Depending on reception I will do my best to keep these chapters coming. From this point on my writing style may be a bit different as I may be rusty. But I will do my best. Till next time.