Rain was falling. It always fell here, pelting the ground and turning everything too wet for any crop but rice. Perhaps that was why Rain Country was so bleak, its people downtrodden and poverty rampant.
More likely, that was from sharing a border with three major countries— Earth Country to the north, Wind Country to the west, and Fire Country in the east. Four ninja sprinted across the grass, their feet landing atop deep puddles without leaving a splash.
"We're too far over the border," Ino Yamanaka said. "This isn't right. It's risky."
"We received orders not to return without the target," said a pale young man with a hollow smile. "I thought the stupidity of blonds was just a groundless rumor, but it seems it's true after all."
"Say that again and I'll stab you in the neck," Ino snapped.
It wasn't like her to make threats like that toward anyone except Sakura, but Ino was at the end of her rope. The boy — Sai — gave her an uncomfortable feeling, and it wasn't just the rude comments he'd constantly subjected the team to since leaving Konoha three days prior. Sai was her age, yet she'd never encountered him before. Where had he come from before this mission?
Ino confessed her misgivings the night before to the third member of their four-person squad, but he'd brushed her off at the time.
"Focus," Sasuke said.
A one-word rebuke was just his style. Ino listened grudgingly— gone were the days when she swooned at just the sound of his voice. They were young adults now, her a Chunin and Sasuke a Jounin. Past the age for innocent crushes.
And besides, Ino was into bad boys. Over time she'd realized that the last Uchiha wasn't all that rebellious, just antisocial. All he did was train. Ino liked her men with more of a wildstreak, like—
Her train of thought was cut short as a bug flew in front of her nose. More of its kind buzzed to their squad leader for this mission, landing on his skin and crawling inside. Ino wrinkled her nose. The fourth ninja in their hastily-assembled squad was as much of a mystery as Sai. All Ino knew was that underneath the mask covering the upper half of his head was an Aburame. She suspected he was ANBU. His orders and decisions thus far had been clinical even by their elite standards. That was an indicator of dissociation, one of the most common issues found in veterans of the masked core.
"Southeast," said the Aburame. At the start of the mission he introduced himself as Torune.
He took off in the indicated direction without another word. Sai followed him. Ino did too, hesitating slightly.
"Doesn't this bother you?" Ino asked Sasuke. "We're almost in Wind Country. It's over a hundred kilometers to the Fire Country border. If we're caught here, this could start a war."
Sasuke glanced at her and grunted.
"That means the mission is that important."
Ino snorted. "Right. The mission."
She was being unprofessional. It was a coping mechanism for the fear she felt. And Ino wasn't just scared because they were deep in enemy territory. She was concerned about the scars.
There was no other word for them. They were wounds in the earth, deep trenches of varying depth, width, and shape, gouged out of the ground. The squad came upon another one, stopping on the edge. This trench was among the older ones they'd crossed. It had been here long enough for a foot of rainwater to accumulate at the bottom.
"Cross," Torune said.
He stopped to collect another wave of the bugs he'd sent out. Obeying his orders, Ino and the others ran down the nearly-vertical wall of the trench. They crossed the water by stepping on its surface and climbed the other side. When they got there, they stopped and awaited their leader. Ino looked back.
Strangely, Torune was gone.
"Where'd he go?" she asked.
Sai acted like she hadn't spoken. Sasuke looked where Ino was looking. Before he could say anything, Torune reappeared. He'd pulled his mask higher. Before, his black hair had been allowed to spill out, but now the stoic ninja had covered his hair completely. That explained the slight delay. Even the coldest shinobi had limited patience when it came to this rain.
"Can we proceed?" Sasuke asked.
Torune nodded. The four of them resumed their running, chasing anything that resembled a fresh trail.
O-O-O
Hinata was so cold. She was soaked to the bone, staggering as she fought to stay upright. Each step squelched in the deep mud, requiring strength for her to drag her foot free. At the start she'd run atop it like solid ground, but she was out of chakra now, not able to muster enough to exhibit basic chakra control.
Still, she had gotten somewhere. She was far from Konoha, nearly a full country separated from her home. Old home, she caught herself. She had no home now.
There was a village nearby. Only Amegakure was technologically advanced with its concrete and glass towers. In the rest of the country, inhabitants were stuck with stone and wood. They lived in huts with open squares for windows. Fires flickered in the houses, calling out to Hinata like light to a moth.
She refused to follow it. In her state, people were dangerous. It would be challenging to defend herself if she was attacked. She needed privacy. Somewhere to hide. Somewhere… Somewhere to sleep. How long had she been running?
Her hopes were answered by a building set outside of the village. It was well-maintained, but no one was around now as the day neared evening. Despite being tall, it was only one-story with stone walls and a wooden roof. Hinata staggered inside. She found a corner that wasn't immediately visible from the door, giving her time to escape if someone came in. When she was tucked away as well as she could, she sat down.
She regretted it. As soon as she gave her body the rest it had been demanding, she was forced to reckon with the fact that she may not be able to move it again. She wanted to stay still forever. To distract herself from her depressing thoughts, she studied the sanctuary she'd happened across.
It was ingenious, she thought with some surprise. The room reeked of soil. The wooden roof was constructed flawlessly to eliminate any gaps and painted with resin to ensure it was waterproof. In one corner of the room was a purposefully-constructed hole with a bucket underneath. The bucket filled with water that poured in from the permanently-stormy sky. When the water got too high, it entered pipes that spanned the width of the room, pouring just enough water on an array of different crops to keep them well-fed and healthy. Hinata felt herself start to laugh.
These people had overcome nature itself to let themselves live on. If only she could be like that. But no, she had never overcome anything in her life. The permanent failure. The backup plan. Hinata Hyuuga, the useless ex-heiress that was better off out of the way.
She took off her headband and wiped the metal, trying to clear the blurry reflection. It was difficult because her clothes were as drenched as the headband. Eventually, she managed to see a vague impression of her face in the metal. She focused on her forehead. That was her only joy— that it remained blank.
It all started with whispers. Rumors spread that she wanted the heiress position back, even though it had been years since Hanabi took it from her. It certainly wasn't Hinata that started the rumors. In fact, she suspected it was someone who hated her. If so they got what they wanted.
The way the Hyuuga looked at Hinata changed. There were whispers when she passed. Before long, a new rumor started, and this one Hinata immediately knew was more than idle gossip.
She was going to be tossed into the branch house.
The Caged Bird Seal would be scrawled onto her forehead. She would be reduced to a slave, forever at the whims of the main branch. At any time, for any reason, her life could be forfeit.
Hinata hated the idea of dying that way. Dying on a mission because of her mediocre skills was fine. It would be a shinobi's fate. But after all the abuse she had taken across her life, dying the death of a slave was just too much.
It gave her courage… or recklessness? That might be the same thing at this point. She had run from Konoha, abandoning everything on an ordinary patrol mission. No one thought the timid heiress had it in her.
Hinata giggled even though she was cold and wet to the bone. She squeezed her arms against her stomach, continuing to laugh.
For once, she'd actually done something noteworthy!
When Konoha's pursuers caught up with her and killed her for it, that would be fine too.
She'd be dying for something she did, just the way she wanted.
O-O-O
"It's a village," Ino said.
The smattering of homes sat surrounded by rice paddies. A lone dirt path led into town. The Konoha squad avoided it, skirting the edge of the village.
"What way now?" Ino asked. "Do we check the houses?"
Torune pointed to his left. He'd been quiet from the start, but since earlier he'd stopped speaking completely. "That way?" Ino asked.
Torune nodded.
"Footprints lead this way."
Sasuke was crouching next to marks in the mud. He put two fingers against one, gauging the depth.
"They get deeper with each step," he said. "Looks like a shinobi running out of chakra. The pattern matches Konoha standard-issue sandals." He looked Torune in the eyes— as close as you could get with Aburame sunglasses in the way. "I think this is the right direction."
The prints led the opposite way from where Torune had pointed. Shamelessly, the Aburame pointed again, this time in the direction Sasuke was suggesting.
"Is something wrong with your insects?" Ino asked.
Torune shook his head.
"Then why are you getting turned around—!"
"Let's go," Sasuke said, standing and following the tracks.
Torune went after him. Sai lingered to give Ino another of his infuriating smiles.
"You shouldn't question Torune," he said. "The captain is the best shinobi here. If he has any issues, it's nothing someone of your skill would be able to notice."
Sai followed the others. "I'm really going to stab him," Ino whispered.
The most infuriating part was how he said everything like a friendly observation. Somehow, the lack of malice only made it worse.
Near the village the tracks they were following became muddled. By now the person had been reduced to walking like a civilian, and tracks from the village cut across the original trail, reducing everything to a mess.
"We'll have to search the area," Sai said.
He looked at Torune, presumably awaiting instructions, but Torune said nothing.
"I'll go with Sasuke and—"
"Sasuke and Torune can check the village," Sai said, completely cutting Ino off. "Me and the blond will search the outskirts. Any objections?"
Sasuke shrugged. He flashed away with a Body Flicker technique and Torune followed him. Both of them would have no trouble staying out of sight while conducting their investigation.
"I've got a name," Ino glowered at Sai.
"Nicknames are an effective way of growing closer." Sai unstrapped a canvas from his back and drew a paintbrush. He just held them ready, smiling at Ino. "Shall we search the outskirts?"
Ino set her lips into a line, nodding without another word. It was time to get down to business.
As much as she wished it wasn't.
O-O-O
Hinata might have slept. It was hard to tell the difference between her fitful dreams and her anxious thoughts. All she knew was that at some point during the night, the door opened.
It was the wrong time for farmers. Hinata had recovered enough chakra to use her Byakugan. She activated it and looked straight through the crops.
Her worst fears were true— Konoha shinobi.
Just because dying like this would be better than being branded didn't mean she was ready to throw her life away. She darted to the deepest corner of the room, hiding her body amidst tall vegetable stalks. She could use chakra control again, preventing herself from leaving tracks as she moved. Hinata turned her Byakugan off to preserve the little stamina she had left. She heard voices.
"The footsteps are back." That was a man's voice, stated with unnerving cheer.
"We don't know if that means anything." It was a girl who answered. "It could be from locals."
"I guess we'll just have to search!" said the man.
They stopped talking. Hinata couldn't even hear footsteps because of their chakra, but she knew they were there. Every few seconds she heard them pushing aside crops or poking around a corner.
"This is inefficient," the man said.
"Wait!"
There was a sound like splattering water. Hinata activated her Byakugan just in time. She pulled her head lower, going flat on her stomach as a line of chakra-infused ink cut through everything inside the room taller than two feet.
"You didn't have to do that!" the woman said, and Hinata's eyes widened. Was that…
"Why are you upset?" asked that man.
"It's just unnecessary. People could starve now for no reason. We were already checking everywhere."
"Irrelevant. Stop worrying about useless things."
Hinata activated her Byakugan again. This time, she focused on the female shinobi. The man was a stranger, but the woman…
It was Ino Yamanaka. Hinata's classmate. Was that better than dying to a stranger? She couldn't say.
A very small part of her still held onto the hope she could stay hidden. It wasn't to be.
The plants above Hinata parted. Ino Yamanaka looked down at her, staring with familiar blue eyes. Hinata wondered what she looked like, wet and dirty and shivering. She must have been pathetic. Ino's pretty face had no expression. Ino turned away.
"I don't think she's here."
"I think she is."
The man had arrived. His black eyes held nothing inside of them. Hinata knew immediately that there would be no mercy from him.
Ink streamed off of a paintbrush in his hands. Hinata knew from the way he sliced the plants that it was dangerous. He slashed the ink like a bladed whip, and she hurled herself back, barely dodging. It cut her shoulder, but the wound wasn't deep. The attack slashed the wall behind Hinata, causing a section to crumble. The Konoha shinobi flicked his brush again, this time over a canvas in front of him. Five huge serpents of ink erupted into the room.
They targeted Hinata, blocking her view of the room. They surely could have killed her. She lacked the chakra to put up a fight, and her skills were mediocre compared to the man in front of her. But instead of snapping her neck, the snakes hurled her through the gap in the wall, tossing her into the rain.
Hinata landed in the mud. Her shoulder felt sprained. She forced herself to stand, wishing this could be over already. What did he want?
"What are you doing? You're blocking me!"
That was Ino's voice coming from inside the greenhouse. The pale boy had followed Hinata into the rain and covered the opening behind him with ink.
His brush and canvas were no longer in his hands. Instead he drew a tantō with his dominant hand and a sealing-scroll in the other.
"Target had more chakra than anticipated," he said. "She unexpectedly managed to escape."
That was wrong. Hinata could hardly stand, let alone get away. He wasn't letting her go. She could tell he wasn't the type.
His body flickered as he appeared in front of her. Getting close to a Hyuuga was a terrible move, but Hinata's body was compromised. Her gentle fist was sluggish; slower than his blade. The tip aimed for her eyes with terrifying accuracy. Hinata understood suddenly with utter clarity. He was going to gauge her fresh eyes out and hide her body in a scroll, and there was nothing she could do.
Until, quite suddenly, she was flying.
Really someone had grabbed her and ran— so fast that it was like the rain was falling in slow motion. She was carried about fifty meters away, the blade meant to part her from her Byakugan striking nothing.
Ino finally made it out of the building. She pointed at the one holding Hinata. "Torune? What are you doing?!"
The male shinobi was more forceful. He dropped the scroll in his left hand in favor of his brush, forming another ink-whip. Dual wielding it with his tantō, he flickered across the distance to attack Hinata's savior.
"An imposter." He was still smiling. "You are inhibiting an operation. So… die."
The man holding Hinata had his hands full. He just booted the pale shinobi in the face faster than the enemy could react.
One kick was all it took to launch the shinobi back to Ino's side. Hinata couldn't understand what was happening, and she couldn't tell if she was being saved only to meet a worse fate
Her Byakugan was still active, which alerted her to the sudden flare of chakra. "Watch out—!"
The man holding turned to the side, dodging a barrage of deadly-fast fireballs. Sasuke arrived on the heels of his jutsu, slashing his Chokuto blade. The man holding Hinata dodged, but his mask was cut in the process. He leaped back.
Hinata's savior blinked and shook his head like a dog, attempting to dry a wild mane of blond hair. Hinata's heart nearly stopped.
"No way," Ino said. "That's—"
"NARUTO!"
Sasuke's expression morphed. He'd been all-business before, but suddenly he was smiling. Hinata had never seen him so happy. From the rumors, it was impossible for him to smile like this. His Sharingan spun and morphed, turning into a star shape.
"Hey, check this out!" Sasuke said. "I've got something new!"
Purple fire-like energy created a towering horned skeleton with Sasuke in the middle. Rain pinged off its solid surface. It lifted two fists and struck with them, attempting to crush Naruto.
"What do you think?" Sasuke said as his skeleton delivered punches with power equivalent to A-ranked ninjutsu. "Is it enough to kill you?"
Naruto just jumped back again, putting himself and Hinata out of range.
"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto said. "You know usually I'm totally into fighting you, but this is a really bad time. I think I've played around her too much already. So I've gotta go—"
"You can't leave yet!" Sasuke whined. "I have so many moves I need to test! If you won't help, I don't have anyone who can do it!"
Sasuke formed hand signs. His fiery guardian was solid to things coming in, but it let a powerful lightning ninjutsu pass through like nothing. Naruto tossed Hinata over the attack and dropped to his stomach, popping up in time to catch her.
"Ask the Hokage!" Naruto said.
"I don't want to," Sasuke said. "I don't know if he's on Itachi's level. But with you, it's been proven. So just fight me! If I can kill you, I know I'm ready!"
It wasn't Naruto's voice that answered. The perpetual rain was briefly broken by a flash of lightning. Its flash illuminated a man, floating at least twenty meters in the air. Sasuke and Naruto's heads whipped toward the new arrival. As the thunder's boom finally arrived, the floating man held out his hands.
"Jinton: Breath of the Tortoise!"
A dozen beams sprayed into the grounds. One hit the head of Sasuke's defensive technique and blasted it into nothing, making Sasuke curse and cancel his technique. When the beams hit the ground they carved it apart. In other words, they left scars.
"How much chakra do you have, crazy old man?!" Naruto shouted.
Jinton. Particle release. Hinata's head was spinning. Was that the Tsuchikage up there?
"Hold still, twerp," said Onoki.
"Crap. Time to get out of here. Hold on tight," Naruto said.
A lifetime of doing as she was told came in handy for once as Hinata followed the instruction without question. The world got blurry. Naruto was running.
His top speed was incredible. Hinata activated her Byakugan just to keep up. Onoki was following them, shooting through the sky with his body literally lighter than a feather.
What on earth was happening? She briefly considered that she was already dead and this was all a wacky hallucination.
"Don't worry!" Naruto hollered. "I've got a plan! He should be here soon!"
Who should be here? There was a very small list of people who could diffuse a situation that involved an irate kage, and Hinata wasn't sure her heart could handle meeting any of them right now on top of everything else.
Naruto covered ground like an earth-bound meteor, periodically leaping and dodging earth ninjutsu and Particle Release blasts. It could have been her imagination, but Hinata thought the rain was getting lighter.
"Damn this wet mud!" Onoki shouted. "If it wasn't so slow I would have squashed you by now!"
"Give it a rest, old man! I promise your granddaughter loved it, so why are you so mad?"
Naruto only succeeded in drawing out the largest attack yet. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of mud formed jaws and attempted to eat him and his passenger, but Naruto hurled himself clear, stumbling and nearly falling as he landed.
"Where are we going?!" Hinata yelled, trying to be heard over the chaos.
"We're trying to get to right… about… HERE!"
Naruto stopped abruptly. They were right on the border of Wind Country. It was a strange biome with flat, vaguely-marshy meadows somewhere between Rain Country's storminess and Wind Country's dry heat.
Naruto set Hinata down. She almost collapsed because of her shaking legs, but he grabbed her and steadied her. That would've been a dream come true in another situation, but right now Hinata was preoccupied thinking about being crushed by a kage.
Onoki came to a stop. Instead of Particle Release, he lifted huge chunks of dirt to create a deadly rain.
"Die already!" was his battle cry.
The earth fell to crush them. Hinata flinched. It was harder to face death than she anticipated. Naruto seemed oddly confident. His smile didn't flicker. Something gold rushed over them.
A glittering dome was created. Onoki's barrage hit the barrier and shattered, reduced to harmless rubble. The golden mass writhed like it was alive, parting and returning to where it came from. There was another man in the air, this one standing atop a gold pedestal with his arms crossed.
He was somewhere in his forties with shaggy, dull red hair. Dark circles were visible all the way around his eyes. Frankly, his appearance didn't matter. Just from the fact that he was surrounded by gold dust that he wielded like part of his body, there was no way to mistake him.
"BACK OFF, ONOKI!" bellowed Rasa, Sunagakure's Fourth Kazekage. "THAT'S MY future SON-IN-LAW YOU'RE PICKING ON!"
Hinata had been right. She really couldn't handle this.