KA-BOOM!
Hinata stared, blinking a couple of times, at the remains of a rock that had once been about twice the size of her head. A rock that had attained the past tense.
She backed away, now analyzing what she'd seen of the changes to Naruto's body.
After a few minutes of his rest not producing any more sudden movements, Hinata figured out what she needed to do.
"So, where to start," said Kakashi, sitting up on a futon.
"You came to Wave Country on a C-Rank mission protecting a bridge-builder named Tazuna from brigands," said Kurenai Yuhi, leaning against a dresser. "So start with the fight in which Naruto was injured. That's where our own involvement began."
"Naruto was killed, or close to it, by Zabuza Momochi."
Kurenai clarified for her genin. "The Demon Of The Mist who killed the entire genin class he graduated with. He was with Rain's ANBU, then a missing-nin who went rogue from there."
"Okay, he's a badass," summed up Kiba.
Kurenai looked at Kiba for a few moments.
"Uhm, sorry," said Kiba. "Being quiet now."
"When Zabuza was almost dead, some hunter-nin from Mist showed up to finish him off," said Kakashi. "However, there were a number of things wrong with that picture that I didn't notice at the time due to chakra exhaustion."
"You're saying the hunter-nin might not have been a hunter-nin?" asked Kurenai.
"No, probably not," agreed Kakashi. "Most likely a partner. He used senbon to dispatch Zabuza and then cart his body away for destruction."
"So Zabuza and his partner are likely going to attack again," summed up Kurenai.
"Zabuza doesn't have access to medic-nin so we have a little time," said Kakashi.
"What about Naruto?" asked Kurenai. "He's not dead."
"Naruto's spine was nearly severed, and then Zabuza spitted him on his sword in order to throw him at Sasuke," said Kakashi. "There may have been poison or an acidic jutsu involved too according to Sasuke. Everyone thought he was dead. Normally that sort of thing WOULD be enough to do it."
"Except it wasn't," said Kurenai.
"No, that was when it got weird," said Kakashi.
"Why is Naruto out there on a hill alone?" asked Kiba abruptly. "If he's that badly injured?"
"I thought it would be safe, last night I learned otherwise, but there were reasons that Naruto couldn't stay in here," said Kakashi. "His body stopped bleeding. He started healing. And changing. It was the changing part that was most disturbing."
"Hey, Hinata's alone with him!" said Kiba.
"She's fine, my allies are keeping an eye on her as well as Gai-sensei," said Shino, adjusting his dark glasses as he spoke.
"So, what IS going on with Naruto?" asked Kurenai.
Kakashi looked at Shino and Kiba then back to Kurenai. "Honestly. I don't know. I could speculate but there are laws against that."
"Shino, Kiba," said Kurenai. "Go check on Hinata and the perimeter here. Don't go too far though."
"Sasuke, you go with them. Take Sakura," said Kakashi.
Sasuke looked out into the next room to determine that Sakura was still frozen in a genjutsu. "What a pain."
Hinata put a fresh wet cloth over Naruto's forehead, doing what she could to keep him comfortable. She was NOT thinking how his ripped clothing and rippling muscles made him look like someone who could have stepped out of a romance novel cover. Not that she would ever read such a thing. Nope nope nope, not her!
"hinata-chan?" whispered Naruto.
Hinata stiffened and she looked over Naruto again. His eyes were visibly flicking around under his closed lids. He was definitely still asleep. Does that mean he's... dreaming about me?!
Hinata saw his lips moving, but couldn't quite make out what he was saying. She moved closer, curiosity temporarily moving ahead of timidity.
"hinata-chan," mumbled Naruto, "don't. run away. please."
Hinata didn't know that Naruto was having a fever-dream of a snippet of memory in which she was facing a member of Akatsuki to protect him. All SHE heard was Naruto telling her not to run away.
Unbidden tears began tracking down, as she bowed her head. She was always running away, always failing, always falling short. Naruto was counting on her now. Naruto who never gave up.
Her face went through several different moods before settling onto an unfamiliar determination.
She would NOT fail here and now.
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(Posted Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:20)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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