For The Good Of The Village: Transitions Arc

Ch 7 Take Care of Her

Sasuke panted with excitement. His brother, Uchiha Itachi, stood before him stoic and calm, waiting for him inside the training yard of his compound. Pulling two of his pouches from his belt, Itachi discarded them without taking his onyx orbs off of his little brother. Leading one foot in front of the other, Itachi relaxed his arms to his sides, raising his head in a reverse nod.

Come, it said.

Sasuke's scream shocked Sakura with its passion. He charged, Naruto-like with it's fervor, Uchiha-like with its precision. Sharingan blood red eyes widened like some kind of beast. Charging, Sasuke hands moved, his body flew through the air, slicing at Itachi's head with a kick, missing, then filling the air with roiling fire as he passed by the once occupied space his brother had been. The move was an amazing mix of ingenuity, flexibility, and skill. Itachi ducked under it and stepped at Sasuke's pivot, slapping him in the back hard enough to throw him off into a tumble. Sasuke attacked, mixing kunai, wire, and fire. Itachi pulled at the wire and whipped it back on Sasuke, slicing open a thin line of blood on his cheek.

Again, she was allowed to monitor Sasuke due to her diligence and accuracy in recording his behavior. As she watched, she began to see a pattern. Judging by the slight shake of Itachi's head, she could tell Itachi saw it, too.

Sasuke aimed too high, putting himself at a disadvantage of a taller opponent. While his use of tools and ranged weapons would equalize the reach, his attacks were too straightforward. He was fast, accurate, and lethally intent to kill, they were just different variances of the same thing.

Sasuke wasn't adapting to his opponent nor was he utilizing his environment, trying to push Itachi into a corner, get some blindsides, attempt to have him attack Sasuke to check Itachi's counter. Before she could voice it, Itachi simply stopped Sasuke's kunai by snatching his wrist, holding him in place with a twist.

Sasuke matched that twist with an air tumble, swinging his leg at Itachi's head.

Itachi caught the offending foot, crossed it behind Sasuke's other, dropped him to the ground, and pressed his knee into Sasuke's back, shoving Sasuke face first into the earth.

Impotently, Sasuke screamed, attempting to reach behind him to get to his brother.

"Please," Sakura blurted, hands pleading towards the dangerous nuke nin. "You're hurting him!"

"Ask her for help, Sasuke," Itachi pressed harder into his little brother's back, earning a scream of frustration more than pain into the air. "You need it."

"I don't need anyone!" Sasuke snarled, scratching at the ground. "I just need to kill you!"

"Oh, Sasuke," Sakura covered her eyes, weeping into her fingers.

"These are the people that can look over your shoulder, Sasuke. You need them since you can't-"

"Shanaro!" Sakura's fist connect to the back of Itachi's head with enough power to send him skidding across the courtyard and into a wall.

Where that power had come from, she wasn't quite sure, but she did know that it was something Itachi hadn't expected (hopefully) and his attention had been purely on Sasuke (thankfully). Like most people had, they were sure she was rather weak and useless. If there was one thing she had excelled at was sending one amazing punch to stupid bakas that made her life annoying or got in the way of her and her Sasuke-kun.

His brother was no exception.

Grinding her teeth, she brandished her fist at Itachi's shadowy figure as he emerged from the settling dust like a wraith. "Don't you dare hurt my Sasuke-kun!"

Rubbing the back of his own head, he looked at his fingers to see blood. "Had you developed the right focus of your chakra and timing, you could have killed me."

"Touch Sasuke again and I'm sure I'll get it right the next time," She cracked her knuckles, pinching her mouth into a hard line.

Sasuke was already up, rushing the air and diving, tackling Itachi to the ground. Fists flew, one after the other at Itachi, cutting into his expressionless face that stared blankly up at his attacker, letting one hit after another land unchecked and defenseless. Blood started to spray across Itachi's nose, his lips, his mouth, his eyes. Sasuke swung and landed each blow till his knuckles were bare bone, his arms as heavy as lead, and his breath lost in gasps.

Sakura thought he would keep punching till his wrists would snap. Itachi lay still, bloodied, and quiet.

At least, they thought it was him, but a wooden doll took his place, puffing into existence.

Itachi knelt behind Sasuke, his hand on his little brother's shoulder holding him in place. "Sasuke, you are ready to know the truth."

Unable to really catch his breath, Sasuke shrugged his shoulder, removing Itachi's hand. "Truth...Wha...Truth?"

"That night, our night, Sasuke." Itachi turned to look at Sakura, inviting her closer with a flick of his eyes. "You should hear this, too."

Uncomfortable with the shift in moods, Sakura grabbed Sasuke by his sleeve and pulled him away from Itachi, practically dragging him in the dirt while keeping her keen green eyes on him. Holding Sasuke possessively, she bodily put herself between him and his brother.

"I didn't murder our family out of a test of power, Sasuke."

Sasuke's breath hitched loudly, the nightmarish night coming back to him like it had so many times. Before he could restate what Itachi had told him, Itachi cut him off. "I prevented an uprising our family had planned those many years ago."

Sasuke stalled in his remarks, twisting his mind to think how his brother could even state such a thing so casually. Sakura glanced at Sasuke to see if there were any possible truths to such an accusation.

"Let me tell you what really was going on behind the curtains of our family, Sasuke. We, Uchiha's, were traitors..."

xxx

Even though Hinata couldn't see anything, in her mind she saw it all. To her left, they were buzzing by the Yamanaka Flower Shop. To the right, a grocer that had some of the best tea her mother liked to buy. All of this by sound of the people chatting, by the scents of their wares. And of course, by Naruto telling her what he was going to do when he came back and get for her as Hokage.

"I'll have the most amazing flower display on our dinning room table. I'll personally annoy Ino till she tells me what would look good in our home. I'll get Chouji to teach me how to make the best foods and deserts for you, of course I can't promise they'll be that great in the beginning, but I'll just keep trying till I get it right. You'll have to suffer a few bad meals, but I'll get better. The Hokage never gives ups. Believe it."

She held on tighter, not just because inertia gave a certain off balancing pull that felt like she was about to tip over, and it did, but for how Naruto simply made her the center of his world. She finally found heaven in such a weird way. Her father had always been there, but he never made her feel this loved. Her sister had always been a large part of her life, but when her mother passed and her father snatched her into the political world of their family, she became distant to her Onee-san.

What was left inside her heart was a void so empty it crumbled what spirit she had left. When she first saw him, he was everything she wasn't, her polar opposite in so many things, however what made him that much more important was how selfless he was to protect her from those bullies way back then. He had nothing, absolutely nothing, but he gave what little he had to protect her. He gave her everything, for that moment, and she wanted to give him what little she could back.

And he accepted with a kiss.

Now, just as she had lost so many times before, she was about to lose it all again. Perhaps her Nii-san was right. Fate was ready to take what little happiness she had left.

"This is one place I wanted to take you." Naruto slowed the wheelchair to a stop.

"Where is it?" Hinata asked at his chest, her face tilted to look at him with her unseeing eyes.

"Smell."

She sniffed, recognizing it instantly. "Ichiraku's?"

"Yep." Naruto rubbed his nose with a sense of pride. "When we come back and eventually become Hokage, I'm going to beg the old man to teach me how to make it so whenever we're down, I'll have it there for you, Hinata-chan. And it can be where we have our first date to celebrate my return."

Hinata's cheeks blushed, but she couldn't keep her fingers still from poking each other. "I'll meet you anywhere if you come back to me, Naruto-kun."

"I know, Hinata-chan." He took her fingers, kissing them.

"Now, the next place."

xxx

She heard it creaking, something soft swaying in the wind. Leaves, she was sure of it. Under a tree, but not exactly wooden limbs creaking but something else. Reaching her hand out, she felt a harsh, grainy texture.

Rope?

Tracing her hand down she felt a worn, smooth plane of wood. A seat.

"A swing?"

Naruto's chuckle was mischievous. "Yes, but which one?"

Only one came to mind.

"The one at the Academy?" She pondered out loud.

"Uh-huh," He turned the wheel chair around a bit. She pictured it in her head, they were facing not only the school grounds but the playground as well. "When I come back, Hinata, you and I will help the orphans here. Me as their Hokage, you as their mother. No one would make a better mommy than you, Hinata-chan. As an orphan, I know how much I wanted a family, and I can say it without a doubt in my mind there are others who would love to be needed by someone like you."

Taking her chin with his fingers, he made her face him, planting a kiss on her nose.

"I believe you will still make the best mommy, ever."

She was wrong, she really could love this boy more than she ever imagined.

"One last place, but we can't go there in a wheelchair."

"Then how do we get there?"

XXX

There are some things in life that need explaining. Someone has to tell you what to do simply because circumstances are not all that they may appear. Hinata could feel gravity weighing on her and the air getting thinner.

"Hang on! We're almost there!"

She didn't need to be told to hang on. She was surprised he could breathe. After all, they were-

"I really wish you could see this view, Hinata-chan. The top of the Hokage Mountain is amazing."

She was sure there was a cliff with nothing but air and very hard landing at the bottom. "You didn't have to bring me here, Naruto-kun! You could have told me at the bottom!"

Chuckling bravely, carelessly, or blindly to the real possibility of being this close to the edge didn't faze him. He really was filled with confidence...or a lack of self preservation. How many times did he deface the Hokage's faces again? Speaking of that...

"We're not going to do something to the faces, are we?"

"No, but I wanted to make a spot for you and I when I come back that would give you the best view when you say yes."

"Say yes?" Hinata let her mind go back to the boy carrying her. "Naruto-kun, I'll give you anything. You don't even have to ask. Besides, there's no guarantee that I'll be able to see then. "

"Just in case," He tapped her nose with his own. "But when I come back and ask you to marry me, this is where it will be."

Her breath caught deep in her throat, her words caught firmly in her heart.

"Even if you can't see, this is where I will tell the whole wide world I'm the happiest man ever." He sighed so deep, it raised her bodily. "We will have a family, Hinata-chan. The orphans, the people, everyone that needs someone to protect them and help them, that is where we belong. Our village needs us. This is where you and I can start our happily ever after."

She shook her head in his neck, unable to accept it all.

"But...Naruto-kun, you deserve to be a father, a real father. I can't-"

"We don't know what the future holds for either of us, Hinata-chan. In case we can't gamble on what might happen, let's see about making what we can happen, happen. Ne?"

Hinata reached up and kissed his cheek. "Hai."

"Good. Now, let's get-", he started to make his way back down.

"Naruto-kun."

"Hai, Hinata-chan?"

"When you come back, I'll be the best wife you'll ever have."

"I know, Hinata-chan." Naruto caressed her cheek with his nose. "I've always known that."

XXX

"Naruto? What are you doing with Hinata!" Sakura barked when he saw Naruto take his last few leaps off the side of the Hokage mountain to flat land.

"Showing her where I'm going to propose when I come back." He answered with pride, finding their wheelchair and plopping back on it like a recliner. "And what are you two doing here?"

Sasuke leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground as if he couldn't find another place to direct the quagmire of emotions stirring in him. Everything he had been told when he was younger just got obliterated by Itachi's tale. Nothing felt right, however the facts that were revealed were just too accurate to deny. Of course, there had to be more. He would find out, but in time. They were about to go visit their family grave to pay their respects until Itachi watched Naruto chakra running up and then down the mountain with Hinata in his arms.

Sakura gawked owlishly at Naruto, unable to believe Naruto was just so blatantly obnoxious about something as sacred as a proposal. It was so rude in its own way that it was kind of romantic. Could Sasuke even begin to express something so openly, even marriage? So far as she could tell, he only expressed rebuilding his clan but nothing more than that. It was almost as if anyone would do. With the new news from Itachi, there were a lot of things to consider.

"I'm taking them to our family's graveyard to pay our respects."

Hinata squealed in Naruto's arms. Naruto turned his neck so fast it cracked.

"You're an Uchiha, aren't you?" Naruto could see it in the firm lines of his cheeks around the nose. The dark hair, the near aristocratic facial features, everything screamed Sasuke's family genes.

"Yes, I am."

"That's great," Naruto grinned, "Now he won't complain about family and stuff. He's been kind of a pain in the butt about it."

"Naruto-kun," Hinata lectured with a word, shaking her head.

"So it would seem." Itachi glanced back at the sulking Sasuke and Sakura slapping herself on the forehead, muttering 'baka' at Naruto. "You are his friend?"

"More of his idol, shining star, one he hopes to become." Naruto snickered teasingly. "I really wish he would stop begging for my help. It's kind of embarrassing."

"Whatever, dobe." Sasuke mumbled, glancing his dark eyes between him and Hinata. "So you really are together in the end? Hiashi and the clan are really going to let you two be together?"

Hinata said nothing, just squirmed closer to Naruto.

"He's coming with me on a mission." Itachi spoke over to Sasuke, his intelligent eyes gauging Naruto and Sasuke's relationship. "Enjoy your night, Naruto. I will see you in the morning."

"What?" Sasuke nearly leaped off the wall to confront Itachi. "You're going on a mission with him?"

"It must be done, Sasuke."

"Take me, too! I can help! I'm strong enough-"

"No, Sasuke, it isn't a mission where we plan to come back. You need to stay here and continue the Uchiha line, become more than what our family was." Itachi poked his young brother on the forehead. "Make me proud."

Sasuke grumbled in annoyance, but comprehension settled in his deep dark eyes.

"Not coming back?" Sakura asked, her hands folded into the other. True worry cracked her voice. "Naruto, you're going on a suicide mission?"

Naruto tightened his hands into Hinata's yukata. "Well, it's me, so suicide is kind of harsh. I've got way too much to come back to and all. Besides, I'm going to be Hokage so I need to come back around or this whole village will just come apart. You all need me."

Sakura turned her attention to Hinata. "I'm so sorry."

Hinata chewed her lip unable to say what was going on inside her soul.

"Should," Naruto coughed, to clear his throat. "You know. Could you keep Hinata-chan company? With her family and all, I would feel better knowing-"

"Why ask us?" Sasuke frowned, glancing between everyone.

"Why else?" Naruto asked, perplexed at Sasuke's cool behavior. "We're friends."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Sakura, on the other hand patted Naruto's shoulder. "I promise we'll keep an eye on her till you come back."

Naruto nodded, accepting her word. "Thanks, Sakura-chan."

"Hey, stop flirting with me in front of your girlfriend. It's rude." Sakura slapped him on the back of the head.

"I wasn't-"

Then she hugged him, the first real hug she ever, ever gave him. "Come back home, okay? We'll be waiting."

"Definitely." Naruto turned to Sasuke. "What? No hug?"

"Hn," Sasuke shook his head. "Hinata will be here for that."

"Good enough," Naruto chuckled, glancing back to Itachi. "I'll try and keep you safe for Sasuke."

Itachi said nothing, just watched everyone talking to the other. They really were family in their own way.

"Good night, everyone!" Naruto turned himself in the wheelchair, off to take her home.

"Naruto," Itachi called out, stopping the young Uzumaki.

"Eh?"

"See you in the morning."

Naruto didn't like the way he said that. "Right."

xxx

No longer being a part of the Hyuuga had a perk Hinata hadn't considered until her first night out of the hospital. Where was she going to stay? That night, Hinata spent the evening in Naruto's room, sleeping in his bed, holding onto each other closely. Haku was there to help her change and get into sweat pants and shirt. Staying in the living room, he let them alone to whisper their good nights, their goodbys in their own way.

To Naruto, it was the most wonderful feeling in the world he could possibly have. Someone as nice, kind, and gentle as Hinata holding him, wanting to hold him and love him. This was the feeling he wanted to protect till his very last breath. To him, the night seemed to last forever and he cherished every second.

To Hinata, it was the most amazing, yet bittersweet night of her life. She felt like that time when her mother was in the hospital and she was slowly slipping away till she was gone. Her mother was the most loving and caring person, ever. She was Hinata's shining star, her foundation of love that was not matched by anyone else. Naruto had filled that emptiness, for so brief a time she wondered if it was real, here and now only to be taking it away from her in only a few hours time.

She couldn't sleep.

"I'll be back, Hinata-chan. I swear it."

"You have to, Naruto-kun." Hinata spoke with quiet passion, with quiet strength and honesty. "If you don't, I promise you I won't be long for this world."

Naruto lifted himself from his pillow, staring at her with a flicker of fear. "Don't say that."

"What does it matter?" Hinata followed the sound of his voice where she thought his face would be, touching it. "You won't be here to stop me. I have nothing here to really live for."

"We have friends. Tsunade can also help you and you'll be able to-"

"Does any of it matter if you're not a part of it, Naruto-kun?" Hinata took his hands into hers. "If you come back, then there's nothing to worry about. Just keep your word and I'll keep mine about being here when you come back. Right?"

Swallowing hard, uncomfortably hard, he agreed. "Right."

xxx

Naruto and Hinata woke to the smell of breakfast.

Haku knocked on the door, opening it to peek in. "Hinata-sama, Naruto-kun, the food will be ready in a few minutes."

Naruto and Hinata lifted their heads, thanking them.

Turning to each other, Naruto covered his nose and Hinata discreetly buried her's into the pillow.

"So that's what they mean by morning breath." Naruto mumbled, getting a mocking distraught look from Hinata. "I'm just kidding!"

She turned away, hands over own mouth. Starting to put her feet on the floor, Naruto stopped her with his hands around her waist. "I need to go brush."

"I could have definitely got used to this."

Laying back down, his hands found their way around her middle. "I've dreamed of this, Naruto-kun. For as long as I've known you, years and years, I've dreamed of this. You really have no idea."

"I kind of do," Naruto murmured into her ear. "I've always wanted someone to love me back. Is that so strange?"

"No." Hinata shook her messy locks of dark hair. "It's just that-"

The knock on the front door to Naruto's apartment was loud, too loud. Haku answered it, talking to someone.

Hinata didn't like the sound of their exchange.

Getting out of bed, Naruto opened the door to see Jiraiya standing in the middle of his room. "Hey, kid, way to go! I was much older than you when I got my first-"

Hinata found her way past Naruto, still clothed in sweatpants and shirt. Blind eyes exposed, she clasped Naruto's hand into hers. "Jiraiya-sama, have you come to take my Naruto-kun from me?"

Whatever mirth the Toad Sage had fell silent. In its place, a heavy silence that broke with his simple, yet very honest words. "Yes, Hinata. I have."

XXX

An hour later, they were there, at the gates of Konoha. Packs in hand, Kakashi, Itachi, Jiraiya, waited for Naruto to say his last words to his girl. Haku waited off to the side, ready to be there for her.

Hinata tried to think of something to say, anything to express what she wanted in either a 'be careful, come back, don't leave me' but it didn't, it couldn't.

Naruto nudged his forehead against hers, looking down at his feet. Their hands intertwined, words seemed like a silly notion compared to this. Still, what could be said, was.

"I'm...scared, Hinata-chan."

"I know, Naruto-kun. I am, too, for you."

"Promise me, you'll be okay till I come back? Don't do anything? Promise?"

"Promise you'll come back to me." Hinata answered with just as much hope.

"I give you my word that I'll do whatever I can."

"Then I will promise to wait as long until you do."

"I don't want you to hurt yourself, Hinata-chan." Naruto said almost angrily.

"I won't do any such thing, Naruto-kun." Hinata assured him. "I just don't think my heart will be able to bear it. I will simply wish to join you more than I wish to be alive. It's that simple. Kami will take me when the time comes."

"Just- don't, okay?"

Hinata found his lips with her fingers. She kissed him, soft, gentle, lovingly. "Okay."

And too soon, way too soon...

"Naruto, it's time." Jiraiya called out.

Naruto winced at the words. It sounded too much like a death knell. "Right."

"Naruto!" Sakura and Sasuke rushed out of the gates to see their friend off. The pink haired kunoichi pushed forward to take his arm, pulling him next to Sasuke and Haku with Hinata in between. "I thought of something to help you remember us by."

"That's sweet, Sakura-chan, but I've already got a girlfriend." Naruto kept one hand over his mouth. "Besides, I doubt Sasuke's that good of a kisser."

"Baka," Sakura growled, showing him an old camera. "Let's take two pictures. One for you and one for us. Here, sensei."

Kakashi received the camera, gesturing for everyone to get in place. Jiraiya posted his fingers together, telling them to get closer this way or that. "Speaking of something to remember another by, I heard Mei had a pleasant send off for you."

"I doubt that was meant for me as it was to punish another."

"Reap the rewards, my friend, I sure as hell would take your place if you want."

"Sure, just so you know Anko has already promised to take care of me when I come back. I'm not sure how much of that is a reward as it is her way to abuse my gentle side."

"Sensei, we're ready!" Sakura called, one arm hooked with Sasuke, a grimace of acceptance to his fate. Naruto wrapped Hinata close, her hands touching his arm accepting his embrace.

"Take care of my girl, will you guys?"

"I promise, Naruto." Sakura pushed herself closer to Sasuke.

Naruto turned to Sasuke. "Teme?"

Sasuke's dark eyes flicked to Naruto in annoyance, lingering just long enough to agree with a slow nod. "Fine, dobe. I'll take care of her when you're gone."

"See, Hinata-chan," Naruto rubbed his chin against her ear. "You're in good hands."

She only gripped his arm tighter. "I'm sure I am."

The camera flashed, the picture taken and handed off. Words of parting were cut short as Jiraiya and Itachi started on their way with Kakashi taking Naruto by the sleeve. Hinata couldn't see him wave, but she knew that he was gone when a certain coldness touched her.

He was gone.

"I'll see him again, I know it." Hinata spoke to everyone. "I just need to get better so he can have something to come home to."

"We're here for you, Hinata," Sakura helped her back into her wheelchair. "Right, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke watched the quartet leave, a small flicker of envy and jealousy tinging his eyes. "Right. Whatever you need, Hinata."

XXX

In an old, abandoned training field, Hiashi waiting at the destined time for his visitor. The request had been ridiculously absurd, but like his soon to be visitor had said, he would not be one to dismissed.

"I'm so glad you came." Orochimaru melted into view from the shadows of a tree. "I had my doubts."

"The message I received from Tsunade-sama had to do with Hinata. I'm listening."

"I can have her healed, but it comes with a price." Orochimaru slid his fingers along the tough bark of a tree, cutting into it.

"She is no longer needed in the family. The Hyuuga have nothing to gain by her returning, so why would we even want to go down this venture? If you wish to heal her, then do so. If not, then that is not of my concern either. Now, if we're done here-"

"What if I told you I could give you the information on how to heal her after I am done so your medics will have the knowledge for future generations that are injured the same way she was? It is curable and the knowledge could be tucked away in your little Hyuuga vaults for as long as your clan exists."

Hiashi paused at that. If he was telling the truth, the information would be priceless.

"And her other injury?'

"These two issues need only a little bit of research and some mild experimenting. Just some painless exploration, I promise." Orochimaru's yellow slit eyes detected Hiashi's doubt in his normally expressionless face.

"What would you need exactly?"

"Her mother or father's genetic code, of course."

Hiashi looked away, off into the worn grass of the training field and back at the houses of Konoha. "Her mother is dead."

"You are still alive."

"There is reason to doubt I may not be her father," Hiashi admitted. Blinking to himself, he wondered why he had done so. Why had he done so?

"Then where is the father?"

"Dead."

"Did the father have any other children? As long as I can have a strong majority of their DNA it could be good enough-"

"He was my twin, my brother. My DNA should be good enough." Hiashi faced the snake sage.

"Perhaps," Orochimaru mused. "But we won't know till we try."

"And what do you want in return?"

"I wasn't the only one in my family, Hiashi. There had to be more snake kin like myself in this world. I want to find my own roots, my own family. Eventually, I would like to have a child of my own. I need someone to pass on my knowledge and what is more important than family?"

"I'm sure your values and my own differ on that prospect."

"I'm sure they do," Orochimaru hummed in amusement. Changing the subject with a wave of his hand, he continued. "I can't do this on my own. My political network is always under watch. I need someone with influence to help me. That is my price."

"And we keep all the data, all the specimens, and everything will be ours, nothing for you to keep for yourself." Hiashi didn't believe Orochimaru's request as sincere, so there would have to be another deal to be made. "Also, if you wish to be near the Hyuuga's, you will have to be sealed while you are near us to ensure you won't try anything unwarranted and we'll know where you are at all times."

"Sealed? What kind?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

"The kind we Hyuuga have perfected for generations: The Caged Bird Seal."

"Me? Sealed? I change my mind."

"You came to me, not the other way around." Hiashi walked away, knowing it would be the deal breaker.

"How do I know you will help me then?" Orochimaru's voice soured.

"I only promise to help you see out more of your clan. I am Hyuuga, that is my word and I promise to honor that."

"Of course." Orochimaru shook his head. "How about this, show me some sort of intelligence of what you can do and I'll get started with diagnosing the samples to see if they'll work?"

Hiashi turned the idea in his head. "Fine, but only as long as Tsunade is there to assist."

"Tsunade-hime? What a wonderful idea." Orochimaru closed the distance between the two men, reaching out his hand to shake. "Agreed."

Hiashi looked at the pale appendage, returning his grey eyes towards the sannin. He bowed. "Agreed."

Hiashi didn't even see Orochimaru's fingers slice across the side of Hiashi's neck, barely missing the jugular. Byuakugan flared, Hiashi stepped back hands up ready to fight. Orochimaru strolled casually to where Hiashi once stood to pick up the few strands of hair that had fallen to the floor. Gauging them to see that the roots were still intact, he nodded that the specimines were adeqate to do his work. "I'll get started right away."

Orochimaru melted back into the tree, the dark gravely chuckles of his amusement echoing in the dark training field.

Hiashi couldn't help but wonder what had he agreed to.

End of Transitions Arc

AN: Greetings everyone! I am your Mistress.

We have come to the end of the Arc in what will, hopefully, be the last Arc till the completion of the story. This chapter was rushed and I apologize for that. I'm in the middle of a very short break and had little time to finish it as I would have liked. I'm also trying to wrap up this story in such a way that I can put it behind me and start on some original work or finish up my Get What You Wanted, a Rosario + Vampire series. Till then, ja ne!

Your Mistress.