A strange new life

3.11.i

Like usual, Shikamaru had a plan for this exam. Like usual, it involved the least amount of effort, which somehow meant going after team seven, and taking their scroll. Team seven were the easiest opponents in this forest, according to Shikamaru’s analysis.

Ino didn’t mind messing with Naruto, he was annoying, weak and not really anything to worry about. Sasuke would be harder to deal with, and the idea of making him fail left a bad taste in her mouth. He had been her crush for as long as she remembered, even if the scales fell from her eyes recently. Time and distance, like her mother always said.

No, the problem was Hinata. For all of Shikamaru’s brain, he dismissed the girl as someone easy to deal with. Had counter arguments for everything: Hinata was physically strong, but her taijutsu was laughable. She had no way of escaping his shadow-bind. Choji could thump her out cold if necessary. Her seals could be ignored, she hadn’t used them for anything else than storing sweets. She didn’t know any dangerous jutsu. The excuses went on and on.

He didn’t know all the things Hinata talked of her missions, and the little tidbits Ino learned over the years. Ino had never managed to put Hinata into a genjutsu, not even her family jutsu — Ino would never admit to using it on her classmates — worked on the girl. Hinata never outright admitted to it, but Ino could read behind the words. She killed on her mission, and aside from an A-Rank jounin, none other shinobi they faced had been a danger to her.

No, Shikamaru was focused on Sasuke. In his plan, if they took Sasuke out, they’d win. Naruto was just plain bad, didn’t really factor in. Choji never questioned Shikamaru’s decisions. Ino tried to hint — without telling them the things both girls talked about — that Hinata was stronger than she let on. Neither of the boys took Ino seriously. Ino didn’t push too hard. She had no proof, just a gut feeling.

The team set out. Moving slowly to avoid other attackers. Like right now, when they hid behind a bush to avoid Neji. Team Gai was off limits. No way Ino wanted to fight those monsters.

“Come out of hiding, unless you’re cowards.”

Ino scowled. How did Neji noticed them so fast? She looked at Shikamaru, who sighed and nodded. It was time for plan B. They stepped out of the bush.

“Wow, can I have your autograph?” Shikamaru asked in the poorest imitation of someone amazed.

Ino untied her hair, swished it seductively, gave Neji doe eyes. “What an honor Lord Hyuga Neji, I can’t tell how long I’ve dreamt of meeting you.”

“Oh, it’s you three.” Neji turned away from them, talked with his back toward team ten. “Get lost. I’ll be a laughing stock if I take the scroll from you weaklings.”

Neji walked away. The whole team sighed in relief after the Hyuga heir disappeared among the trees. The plan worked, sort of. Team ten kept their path, sneaked, hid. Until the explosions. Out in the distance, the world shook. A plume of smoke and fire billowed into the air.

“What was that?” Ino asked. It was in the same direction they’ve been moving. Shikamaru scowled, Choji just pumped his mouth full of chips. Where the boy kept getting those was a mystery even to his team.

“Be careful,” Shikamaru warned, but they didn’t change paths.

Hours dragged, the team stopped for the night, hiding among the trees. It was a tense, disturbing night. Every small sound jolted the team awake. The morning sunlight just crested through the canopy when yet more explosions, closer, shook the world a second time.

Team ten looked at each other. Retreat? Find another target. Shikamaru opened his mouth. Ino shook her head. It wasn’t even about the scroll anymore. Ino was worried about team seven. The slow silent march continued. Team ten passed through a devastated patch of forest, the first explosion site, followed by the obvious site of a battle. More explosion marks, broken branches, huge craters on the ground, ginormous dead serpents. It didn’t look like anything any of the other rookies could do.

They met Neji for a second time, along with the rest of team Gai. Rock Lee had a bloody gash on his arm, and scratches all over his body. He helped an injured Neji walk. The Hyuga heir’s leg pierced by something. Tenten looked spooked out of her mind, but unharmed.

Both teams looked at each other. Tenten was the one who spoke. “It’s no use, don’t go. You’ll die.”

That sparked a furious debate after team Gai left.

Shikamaru scowled, looking at where team Gai came from. “This is too troublesome.” He complained. “If even they can’t, we need to find a new target.”

Choji pumped even more chips into his mouth, nodding all the while.

Somehow, Ino knew she needed to continue. Not because of a silly crush. What filled her mind was her own dumb fight with Sakura over the Uchiha heir and how that cost her a friend. What if Hinata was in danger there? Would she turn back now and lose yet another friend? This time permanently?

“You wait here,” Ino said. She walked forward.

“Ino, wait!” Shikamaru called out, followed, even if from a distance.

Ino pushed into what was a nightmare. Roots, branches and all other manner of wood waved and warbled and coiled and lashed out. It was like the forest was alive, and it was a feral animal. She saw bodies, at least two, by the number of dismemberments stuck to vines and roots. In the middle of that hell, cradling an unconscious Naruto and Sasuke, was Hinata.

Ino never understood all that happened with the girl. When Ino asked her dad, he refused to explain what happened. One thing was certain: Hinata had been taken when she was just three. She was found years later, and ever since then not uttered a single sound, and unlike all other Hyuga, her eyes were black. The girl in the middle of that nightmare moved strangely, like her body wasn’t her own. Hinata’s black eyes were dilated and she didn’t blink. Ino didn’t know if Hinata was even up there.

“Hinata?” Ino called out, but there was no response. She stepped closer. The whole forest moved. Every manner of wood and branch and root pointing at Ino. Hinata screamed, raw, intense, unsettling. Hinata could talk? Ino stepped back. Raised her hands in surrender. The wood didn’t stop moving, but it retreated a little. Ino looked back at her team, Shikamaru waved her to come back, but didn’t dare make a sound.

Ino ignored him, called out again, louder. “Hinata?”

Hinata’s head snapped toward Ino. A clumsy hand raised, like trying to grab something.

Ino knew this was a terrible idea, but she stepped closer. The wood followed her every step, but didn’t attack. She knelt in front of Hinata, took the girl’s extended hand. Life and lucidity returned to Hinata’s eyes. She smiled. It was a bloody, feral thing. Hinata looked around for a moment, before her eyes settled on Ino again.

“You were always my favorite in the entire show, Ino-chan.” The girl rasped. Her voice hoarse and scratchy, but not unpleasant. Blood fell from Hinata’s mouth, she didn’t seem to notice it. “So pretty. You’re just too good for Sai.” Hinata moved forward, threw her arms around Ino’s neck in a hug.

The whole situation scared the crap out of Ino.

After a brief moment, Hinata moved back, with her arms still around Ino’s neck. “I’m going to wake up from this nightmare now. I’m glad I saw you at the end.” Her voice was eerily cheerful, with a hint of mischief. Hinata leaned forward, kissed Ino’s lips with her own bloody ones. She sighed, placed her head on Ino’s shoulder. Closed her eyes. Fell unconscious.

The forest stopped moving, like it had just lost its life. Ino had no idea what to do now. Hinata still held strong to the hug. A finger to the girl’s neck confirmed she was still alive.

“What the hell happened here?” Shikamaru complained, pointedly not commenting on the bloody smear on Ino’s lips.

Ino — with Choji’s help — managed to pry open Hinata’s arms. How was the girl this strong? While Ino held the unconscious Hinata, Shikamaru and Choji scoured the battlefield: three confirmed dead, the Otogakure team. Among the body parts they found an earth scroll.

On team seven, Naruto held a heaven scroll, same as team ten.

“What should we do with this?” Choji asked, holding the earth scroll. They put Naruto’s scroll back in his pocket.

Shikamaru shrugged. “It’s our payment for helping them, now let's get out of here, this place creeps me out.”

Choji took Naruto. Shikamaru carried Sasuke. Ino was left with Hinata.

No one said anything while they moved deeper into the forest. They had two scrolls already, and didn’t even need to fight for it.

“At least, your plan worked.” Ino said, attempting to lighten the mood.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. “Troublesome.”

Choji guffawed.

Ino took one last look at the hellscape behind them: the branches, roots, body parts, blood, and viscera. A shudder ran through her. She looked over her shoulder, at Hinata’s innocent face resting like she had nothing to do with the carnage back there. She remembered the words: ‘favorite in the entire show’. What was Hinata talking about? And that kiss. Ino was just so confused.

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