"Explain," said Danzo, not bothering to wipe his usual sneer off his face.
"Word of Hinata's transformation has reached other villages, who have dispatched spies to watch and report back," said the ANBU member wearing a happyface mask.
"And?" asked Danzo.
"EVERY ninja village has sent a spy," said Happyface.
"Even the tiny nearly-insignificant ones?" asked Danzo, knowing full well how much a drain on resources a full-time spy could be.
"Yessir," said Happyface.
"This is not unexpected," said Danzo. "As they are using spies, have any of their spies recognized spies from other villages?"
"Yessir," reported Happyface. "So the spies are spying on the other spies as well as on young Hinata."
"And our spies are watching the spies who are watching the spies?" asked Danzo.
"Yessir," reported Happyface.
Danzo frowned as a thought popped into his head. "Just in case there are double-agents among our own forces, we should have some of our agents keep an eye on those of our agents who are keeping track of these spies. Since Orochimaru no doubt has spies among these others, it's certainly within his known tactics to do something along those lines. Let me know if there are any discrepencies that may indicate a disloyal member of our forces."
"..." Happyface scratched his head behind the mask. "Uhm. So we should post spies to watch our spies who are watching the foreign spies who are watching the other foreign spies?"
"One can never be TOO paranoid," said Danzo, "and have a senior member go over the reports to look for discrepencies. Don't bother me with it otherwise."
"So we have a Master Spy oversee the spies who watch the spies who observe the spies who are keeping track of the other spies who are spying on Hinata?!" said a confused-sounding Happyface.
"Yes, that sums it up nicely," said Danzo, settling back into his chair again. "Oh. And procure me a small white cat, extra fluffy. I'm working on my image as an evil behind-the-scenes genius."
"Yessir! Rightaway!" said Happyface, managing to convey that he was getting a headache despite the mask.
It had been a week since her capture and transformation. A week and a day since she'd lost eyesight and clan.
Hinata waited for Naruto to leave, then stripped off her clothes to check herself out in the mirror. Not for reasons of vanity. Because of the changes that had gone through her since that night she'd been kidnapped. She had to see if anything ELSE had changed.
She stretched out one leg, pointing the toes, then rotated her body so that she stood on one leg and pointed the other straight up. Then began a series of stretches as she tested out her flexibility.
She had always been flexible. Now she was more so. She hadn't exactly been a powerhouse before, but she was much stronger now. Stronger and faster and her hand-eye coordination seemed greater. She was still getting used to the strength though, it threw off the aim of her kunai among other things.
She looked herself though, save for the ears and tail and more developed figure and muscle tone.
The tank top and shorts were her new workout outfit and quickly donned. It was odd but once she'd seen them, she had felt they'd be perfect for using her new taijutsu. She didn't have access to the Gentle Fist after all. That required the Byakugan. Her new form had greater strength and speed, as well as seeming to be genuinely tougher, so a more direct style was required. Not that she was going to drop the Gentle Fist in its entirety. The circular movements were perfect for redirecting an opponent's attacks, dodging, and for movement.
So she would have to find a sensei who could advise her on this new path. Fortunately she had a name, and all she had to do was find them now.
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(Posted Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:11)
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