Tobirama stared at his partner, this would be their last mission together, he wondered if she knew this. He had only found out this morning that it would be their last mission together. They had done so well working together on the first mission Tsunade gave them that she continued to give them more missions that were for only them. However, deep down he wished he could continue going on missions with her as a duo. It wasn't hard for him to admit in his mind that he was attached to the odd young woman. In actual words to another living being, yeah that wasn't going to happen. Most of their missions together had been to track down intel on the woman called death, but there was never anything to find by the time they got there.
He knew it was rough on her, but never once did she lose her edge. She just kept pushing on and held her head high. He definitely admired her for that internal strength alone. However this mission was different from all of those before and he had a sneaking suspicion this one was chosen specifically for them by a group of people rather than just Tsunade.
This one was one of those inevitable ones, the bride and the groom types where someone was targeting the engaged couple. It just happened to be the fire Daimyo's daughter that was getting married and she looked like Hinata. Hinata was supposed to act as his daughter and kill the one who threatened the life of the Daimyo's daughter.
He on the other hand was the bodyguard for the fire Daimyo's "daughter". He sighed and rubbed his brow as he walked into his new home, he felt a bit bad; he'd already moved his things into the new place so Hinata could go back to living with her annoying Uchiha friend, Sasuke. He packed his few things and smirked when his fingers brushed over his armor.
It had been repaired and returned to him. He clicked it into place and turned a few times to get used to wearing it again, it had been a while since he had and it felt good to wear it again. The fuzzy boa around his neck was soft and it gave him a sense of comfort nothing in this time could ever succeed in giving him. It had been a gift from his brother and he cherished it greatly.
He felt eyes on him and he turned to see Hinata in his doorway. "Hey brat." He said and she hmph'd her own greeting. "Seems you were eager to move out..." she said and he shrugged lightly. He turned to start packing again and he heard her leave without a single word, he guessed that hadn't been the answer she was looking for. He finished packing and grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder.
Obviously she knew this was their last mission. He arrived at the gates and she was already there. Izumo and Kotetsu were talking animatedly towards her and she cracked a smile, but the moment she saw him the smile vanished like she had seen that woman. Izumo reached out and grabbed her hand and placed his lips to it gently. Kotetsu looked at his friend with wide eyes and appeared to want to run.
Hinata had a pink blush coating her cheeks. Tobirama sniffed in annoyance, this was not the time for this. "Come on brat." He said and strolled out the gate. Hinata frowned, but she followed Tobirama out of the village. Izumo watched with a frown as her head dropped and he heard her grit her teeth. His eyes became downcast and he fisted his hands.
"He treats her like a child, a small insignificant child and the only thing she is good for is annoying him. How dare he! He doesn't know what he's got following him!" he snapped and Kotetsu dropped his bottle of syrup and blinked at his friend in surprise.
"This is her last mission with him, so you'll get your chance soon enough. That is if Kakashi doesn't swoop in like Naruto complains he's been trying." Kotetsu sighed and Izumo looked at him oddly. "You really think she would ever even look at me like she looks at him? I'm a chunnin... she's Anbu... what do I have that would ever make her look my way?" he asked and Kotetsu grinned.
"ME!" he laughed and Izumo rolled his eyes. "Obviously... She is truly amazing though..." he said and Kotetsu frowned. "Then why not challenge her to a spar, maybe she will go easy on you." His friend said and Izumo blinked and stared at his friend in dismay. "Or she could just kill me and not worry about it later... you saw what she did to Sasuke yesterday, and all he did was say something that got on her nerves!" Izumo said and Kotetsu deadpanned. "You got me there..."
:-:-:-:
Hinata sat in the room with the Daimyo's daughter, she looked a lot like Hinata; the only difference was that she had cerulean blue eyes and was a major bi-... she really shouldn't be judgmental... Hinata rolled her eyes and the other woman snorted. "You look like a savage." She snapped and Hinata smirked. "You look like a primped up little whore, now are you finished?" Hinata asked and the woman gasped and ran off, most likely to go tattle to her father or something of the sort. Hinata propped her feet on the vanity and leaned back to get more comfortable. She cracked an eye open when the Daimyo himself and his daughter Himiko walked back in.
"She was talking bad about me daddy!" the woman whined and Hinata rolled her eyes. "I'm here to make sure no one kills you, the least I could get is a little respect. I could leave you know, but if I do; just know that you will never find a shinobi of my stature willing to assist in such a trivial assignment that even a genin could handle." Hinata said and the fire Daimyo didn't even get angry.
"Please forgive my daughter, she just doesn't realize the importance of having you here." He said and his daughter looked at him in shock and anger. "Himiko, she is Hinata Hyuuga, the only Hyuuga left in my domain. She is far stronger than any common Kunoichi you will ever meet. Don't you see her markings?" he asked and motioned for the elemental tattoos that littered Hinata's arms.
"If she were so important, then why is she such a bitch?" Himiko snapped and her father glared at her. "Language himiko." He said and she rolled her eyes. "I could be a bitch, but in so I would be saying my life means a lot more than yours ever would. You after all are just the daughter of a very important person. I on the other hand... I am the head of the Hyuuga clan now, due to being the very last. I am the captain of konoha's elite Anbu, and other than Tsunade herself; am the strongest Kunoichi in konoha. If I were a bitch, I would rub that in your face... but I will just give an explanation of how I COULD act like such, but I will not be such. I'm here to guard you and your lover because I was asked to. You are lucky that I even agreed." Hinata sighed as Tobirama walked through the doorway.
"I figured you would begin making trouble." He sighed and Hinata stood. "Actually, my daughter started this mess; so lady Hyuuga isn't the cause. She was just stating her point of how she could act the way my daughter does, but doesn't act like a spoiled child." He said and Tobirama glared at Hinata who frowned and turned away from him just to look out the window once more. "Why don't you go do your job, bodyguard. Just stay away from me." Hinata said and Tobirama furrowed his brows. "Why are you acting like a child Hinata?" he growled and the Daimyo and his daughter watched the exchange between the two in slight interest.
"Why were you so eager to get away from me? Just like everyone else, always searching for a swift exit to get away from me." Hinata spat and jumped out the window just so he wouldn't follow. She crossed her arms over her chest as she strolled the wooded path leading from the Daimyo's residence to the forest that surrounded it. She changed her appearance as she strolled, her waist length dark blue\ black hair shortened and became dark brown, her eyes white instead of the pale lavender they always were. One long strip of hair fell in between her eyes and the rest of her bangs framed her face in long dark strips.
She heard ghostly whispers and a small smile crossed her lips. "So this is what I would look like if I would have been able to get older, I'm more explosive than ever!" Hanabi giggled and Hinata smiled. "Like a firework, little Hanabi-nee." Hinata said but Hinata's eyes narrowed and Hanabi began looking around frantically. "I have to go nee-chan!" she said and vanished as Hinata's blade clashed with another behind her back. The person was obviously larger than she was and she could smell the disgusting smell of sweat and old liquor all over him. He thought he could over power her by adding more pressure to the blade that was behind her back but he was surprised when she slowly turned to look at him.
"A Hyuuga." He said and she swiftly turned her blade and ran him through. "I don't deal well with disgusting bandits." Hinata said and he looked up at her with eyes filled with surprise. She pulled her blade from his abdomen and locked it with yet another blade. "What brings you filthy wretches out of hiding?" Hinata asked calmly and the four men grinned.
"The lovely lady's wedding of course. That's why everyone is coming out." The leader said, not bothering to remove the wrappings from his face. "So, Hyuuga, what are you? Are you an actual shinobi? Maybe a samurai, or even a chakra-less whelp that's good with a blade. Who knows? Would you enlighten us?" he asked and Hinata stood straight up and sheathed her blade.
She looked over the four with a sigh. "I am everything. I am Hyuuga. I am deadly. " she began and she could see the confusion in their eyes as she spoke. She sheathed her blade as she said she was Hyuuga. She shrugged her shoulders as she stated she was deadly. " I am the last of the Hyuuga. But...most importantly..." she began and the other three perked up as if truly curious. She slowly stretched her arms over her head as if to not catch their attention to her motives. "I am stronger than you." she said and swung her arms down from over her head and the lightning dragons engulfed the four men. Their screams echoed loudly, so she had no doubt that those in the Daimyo's castle heard their agonized screams.
"Pitiful fools, I'm the guardian here as of this moment." She spat and turned swiftly on her heel to head back towards the residence but Hanabi appeared beside her and whispered something in her ear. Hinata grit her teeth and took off into the depths of the wooded area around the castle. She ran with a purpose, what that purpose was; no one from the castle knew, but she ran like her legs were on fire and she needed to put out the flames.
:-:-:-:-:
One of the civilian guards ran in with his squad, much to the Daimyo's surprise. " It's Lady Hyuuga!" he exclaimed and the rest of his men stood behind him panting. "Spit it out already! What is wrong with the lady?" he asked and the leader of the group looked up at the Daimyo after he managed to catch his breathe. "She took out the first group of bandits faster than anything I have ever seen." The man panted and the Daimyo smiled with a nod. "That is why she was brought here since my daughter refused to let her take her spot in the wedding." He said and the man shook his head.
"But, sir. That's not all! She took off into the woods all alone, but then the woods exploded on the left side of the castle. I heard lady Hyuuga scream." He said and Himiko ran in. "Father!" she screeched and her father looked at her confused. "Some bodyguard that man is! He muttered something about an ominous feeling then he bolted right before the explosion. He fails at his job and so does the little whore you brought here!" Himiko complained as a familiar onyx eyed male appeared in the Daimyo's main room with confusion coating his features. "How the... how did I get here?" he muttered and moved to readjust the armor that he had been summoned in once more.
"Uchiha!" the guards exclaimed and all their weapons were on him. He looked around with a lazy glint in his eyes. "Listen here, the freaking Hokage likes to summon and send me places so it would be in your best interest to drop the damn weapons." Sasuke complained then looked at the Daimyo then furrowed his brow in confusion.
"Great, the Hokage sent another failure to your throne father! First those two ditch their positions and now he sends the traitor." Himiko complained. "What do you mean? Hinata and Tobirama wouldn't ditch their positions for no reason..." Sasuke muttered then his eyes narrowed.
"Lock this place down, unless they can prove they are who they say; don't let them in. In those woods is a woman with white eyes, she is impersonating the Hyuuga. She killed them all, so if she gets in here she will kill you two. That's why Hinata and Tobirama abandoned their posts, this woman is one of Orochimaru's experiments." Sasuke said swiftly and the Daimyo looked at him in shock.
Sasuke flew through hand signs and three more clones appeared. "I will protect the castle by putting up a Susanoo barrier, the woman shouldn't be able to get through, but I can't go anywhere or the barrier will fall. If anyone leaves the barrier you won't get back in." Sasuke said as he and his clones vanished.
-:-:-:-
Tobirama sent his clones all over. He had to find her, he had to... there was no way anyone could have survived that, but Hinata wasn't just anyone. His eyes darted all over the place trying to seek her out but all he saw were dead animals, rubble, trees that had seemingly shattered, and the random person who had been unlucky enough to get caught in the blast. He felt a familiar ominous chakra and turned to see the familiar purple Susanoo forming around the castle. He felt a bit of relief at that, his clone had made it to Naruto in time to be able to send someone to help those at the castle. He heard her scream, that's what had made him leave Himiko's side. Hinata had screamed in pain.
He landed roughly on the ground and a group of mutated shinobi gathered around him. "So, this is what happened when Orochimaru got a hold of you..." he muttered and swiped his sword from its sheathe and swiftly cut them all down with his Flying Raijin combination. "You think it's just the woman?" a sinister voice echoed around him in the devastated woods. He narrowed his eyes and searched for the source of the voice. "Are you Orochimaru?" he asked and the sinister voice made a disapproving noise. "Not in the slightest. That fool made the mistake of bringing me to life, and now the fool is trapped within Haru." The voice said and Tobirama frowned.
"I've fought you, you know." The voice said after a few more minutes of Tobirama searching. "Really, there's not very many people who have fought me and survived, but judging by what you said you didn't survive did you?" Tobirama asked and he could feel the anger resonating through the woods. "No, I died, for a futile war." He sneered and Tobirama raised a brow. His voice sounded familiar but he couldn't place it. "I'm guessing I am the reason you died then?" Tobirama asked and the voice sighed in irritation.
"Of course. And I'm going to be the one to kill you this go round, it seems that Haru-san has already finished off the little doll..." the voice said then its presence vanished completely. Tobirama frowned and ran faster, using his eternal darkness to search for her chakra, while also making it to where anyone else couldn't see. Her chakra was there and it was flickering with a ferocity that only matched that of the Susanoo's ominous chakra. He skidded to a stop to see the two chunnin from the gates of the village standing in front of Hinata, her eyes had rolled up and she looked like someone had messed with her mind. She stood slowly, reminding him of a puppet moving on its own. Despite Hinata being damn near unconscious she was forcing her body to move.
"Hinata-nee will never lose to you!" Hanabi's voice rang out loudly and with a smirk chakra seeped out from Hinata's skin. "Back up." She said as the chakra coated her body in a white blanket. It pulled around her much like the Nine tails cloak did with Naruto, but this was all Hinata's chakra. The woman who was now known as Haru grinned at Hinata. "Interesting!" she squealed in delight as Hinata focused all her chakra on the woman. Hinata held her hands out in front of her and the light from her chakra focused there. Izumo and Kotetsu jumped behind Hinata.
The shockwave the chakra gave off was fearsome enough, but the devastation the chakra beam caused was just as bad as Haru's explosion had been. Haru was gone, but Tobirama saw what had happened. The figure had jumped in front of Haru and taken off with her.
The figure was one he knew well. He now understood what the woman had said about an Uchiha being behind this. Tobirama fisted his hands in anger, this entire thing... in the end it had been all his fault. The reason Hinata's family was dead, it was his fault. Everything was his fault. The war Hinata had lost her cousin in, it was his fault. Madara's hatred, it was his fault. He owed everything to Hinata... because... if it weren't for him killing Izuna... she would still have her family.
He turned to see Izumo holding Hinata and patting her cheeks, begging her to wake up. He heard the tremor in the older man's voice. His friend, Kotetsu, stood by his side; a hand on his shoulder. Tobirama fisted his hands at his sides and grit his teeth. He walked over and crouched beside her, Izumo, and Kotetsu. He heard Izumo grit his teeth as he looked at Tobirama. "This is all your fault!" he snapped and shoved Tobirama away weakly. Hinata was barely breathing and Izumo was getting torn up over it.
Tobirama placed his hand on her forehead and gave her some of his chakra. He gave her enough to get her breathing right once more, but not too much to where he couldn't protect the group. Her eyes didn't open but Izumo calmed down a bit once she began breathing regularly once more. Tobirama stood and turned away from them. "Let's go, I'm not going to leave you all out here alone." He said and Izumo hefted Hinata onto his back. Kotetsu ran up and caught up to Tobirama.
"He didn't mean it you know, he doesn't blame you really... he just really cares for her even though about a month ago if he would have even looked her way she would have probably cut him in half." Kotetsu said and Tobirama sighed. "He doesn't know exactly how right he is in saying I am to blame." Tobirama said and Kotetsu blinked.
"But, the statement of she would have cut him down... That isn't true in the slightest. Fear is a weapon, and if you have people who fear you, you can make them bend to your every whim. She used your fear as an advantage; neither of you would stop her if she left the village, now would you?" Tobirama asked and Kotetsu blinked.
"I see." Kotetsu said and Tobirama nodded. "Besides, I used to do that as well. My older brother looked down on the majority of the jutsu I had created so he would have someone watching me all the time. I made them all fear me so they would allow me to leave the village without them telling my brother I had done so. It isn't uncommon for fear to be used as a weapon. Your entire village uses it. The civilian's greatest advantage is fear, they will fight for their lives more efficiently if they were scared rather than angry, don't you agree?" Tobirama asked and Kotetsu let it sink in.
"So... the entire time we feared her, she was just as scared as we were she was just fearful of being alone and the entire village made her that way." Kotetsu said softly as he turned to see Hinata unconscious on Izumo's back. Tobirama stopped walking for a moment and he crouched down to pull something from under burnt trees. Kotetsu noticed it was a small singed wolf doll. He furrowed his brow as he tried to remember where he had seen it before. It clicked as Tobirama held it within his hand as he walked, his thumb rubbing the doll behind the ears. It was given to Hinata by the little girl who'd resembled Hanabi...
Kotetsu sighed as they reached the castle. They heard movement behind them and Hinata had fought to get off Izumo's back. She landed on her knees but refused help as Izumo and Kotetsu ran over. She stood and placed her hands on their shoulders, taking a portion of their chakra, much to their surprise. They stumbled back dizzily as the rapid loss of chakra set in. "I can't leave it like that... It's my fault it's like this." She said and Tobirama's eyes went wide as she slammed her hands on the ground and trees rapidly sprouted up from the ground and completely restored the area that the blast had wiped out. There were no words for the amazement he felt. But that amazement was gone as swiftly as it came and blood spattered the ground.
"I told you using the elements were hurting you." A female voice echoed around them, chilling them to the bone. "I had to fix it mother, it was my fault. I can't just destroy something and leave it destroyed." Hinata said from her place on the ground once she had rolled onto her side to face her group. "I can't allow you to continue killing yourself." Her mother's voice said sadly. "What can you do, you're still dead mother..." Hinata said as she forced herself to stand, yet again shoving Izumo away as she forced herself to her feet. Hinata stood to her full height and pulled the blade from her back.
Wind swirled around the blade and in one swift swipe the Susanoo that surrounded the castle cracked and fell away. Hinata sheathed her blade and wiped the blood from her lips. Her mothers' presence became angered but vanished altogether as she strolled inside the Daimyo's residence. She reached the throne room and the Daimyo sighed in relief. "The threat is gone. And I fixed the damage as well." Hinata said but hit her knees and fell to her side as Sasuke ran over.
"Dammit Hinata, how many times have I told you not to over exert yourself?" he growled and Hinata rolled her eyes. "You never say that...it is always me telling you that." She laughed, her limbs were heavy and she knew she wouldn't be moving for a bit, so she let them carry her to her appointed room. Izumo and Kotetsu had decided to stay while Sasuke had reverse summoned himself back to konoha to let Naruto know what was happening.
:-:-:-:-:
Hinata stood at the top of the stairs, bandages covering her visible skin but she wasn't going to let that get her down. She finally had her chakra back and soon she would be leaving. Tobirama stood across the steps, but every glance he gave her was sorrowful and appeared to be begging for forgiveness. She hated those looks, she despised them. Especially since they were coming from him. What did he have to be sorry for? She watched as the ceremony carried on. The bride looked lovely, although Hinata knew exactly what was hidden behind that pretty face.
Her husband looked a bit like a black haired Gaara with bright blue eyes. He was quite attractive, if you liked the slightly emo looking guys. Her eyes drifted towards Izumo, he grinned and waved at her. He seemed to really like her, he was going to sacrifice himself for her without her even realizing it. She had always pushed him away, pushed him behind her. She had always protected him. She guessed it was because he was lower ranking than her. She hadn't always treated those at a lower rank than her like that... it just happened when she hit Anbu.
The ceremony was finally finished but they couldn't leave yet, they still figured that some bandits had lingered behind to wait on them to leave, now this is where their assistance came in once more. Tobirama looked at Hinata with a stern glare.
"The whole laser chakra thing, never do that again. Not only will you kill yourself but it may backlash and kill me too. I don't feel like dying again." He said and she smiled lightly. She could tell he was trying to lighten the mood between them. "I promise I won't... I just thought maybe it would rid me of her for good, Hanabi said she would help me with it, but she ran out of energy halfway through..." Hinata sighed and Tobirama nodded.
Izumo walked over to Hinata and Tobirama made himself disappear, dragging Kotetsu along with him, despite the other male's complaints. Izumo opened his mouth to speak but Hinata pecked him on the cheek. "Don't talk, I already know Izumo-kun. I think I need to let some people in, and you are my first choice. You're always trying to protect me, but I was always protecting you. So I think maybe, just maybe, I can let you protect me for a while." She said and walked off.
He blinked and ran after her as she flew through hand signs. "Mind hunter." She said and she located every bandit and rouge that was hidden within the woods surrounding the castle. Together, Hinata and Izumo took them out while Tobirama and Kotetsu searched the other side of the castle, taking that group out.