I waited for Ino outside her family shop.
She wasn't late today. She stepped out, her hand on her neck, holding the black stone I used for the weight seals. She looked at me, rolled her eyes. Stuck her tongue at me.
I grinned wider.
She approached, and her eyes turned from playful to sad.
"Let's train, Hinata-chan," she said.
The teenage silliness fled me faster than rowdy children when the mom looked at the broom.
"We gotta get strong," she said in barely more than a whisper.
I nodded. Ino was right. Now wasn't the time. There was still so much to do. Fooling around would come later after I survived.
"Let's," I said, then offered my hand.
Ino's face blossomed into a fantastic smile. "Let's," she said, taking my hand.
A few hours later, we were in the winding-down part of the training, which meant a massage. I pretended I didn't hear Ino's noises. Paying attention to those only inflamed the teenage silliness in me.
"I was thinking Yakiniku Q," I said after one particularly distracting sound from Ino.
"Humm?" Her voice sounded sleepy as if she wasn't all there.
"For a meeting later," I added. "I also invited Karin, and Karin will invite Sakura-chan."
"Oh," Ino deflated a bit.
"You don't like it?"
From her position, she shook her head, nodded. "It's fine," she said, but I could hear the unhappiness.
"What is it?" I coaxed gently.
Ino sighed. "My team," she said after a moment. "We go there after every mission."
I nodded; that made sense. I had thought about that restaurant because it was well known and the food was supposed to be good. But it wasn't anywhere new to Ino.
"Maybe the same place as yesterday?" I asked.
Ino perked up. She propped herself on her elbows and looked at me. Grinned. "I liked it there; let's do it."
I nodded, sent a bit more chakra through the threads. Ino flopped down on the fabric again. More distracting noises ensued.
Before meeting with the Hokage, I dropped by the apartment to inform Karin about the plans for later that day. She seemed happy to see me. Hugged me tightly. Hid behind me when Teacher-chan walked from inside the bedroom.
"Will you ask Sakura out?" I asked, double entendre unintentional.
She nodded, biting her lip. "Yes!"
Oh my, good luck, dear Karin.
I patted her head. She flinched a bit at the touch, looking at me like I had something in my hand and was about to hit her. I hope Teacher-chan hadn't traumatized her that much.
I turned to my clone. I was feeling guilty now. "Be nice," I scolded her.
Teacher-chan gave me that one-eyebrow-raised kind of look. I kept eye contact just for a moment before I looked away. Damn it.
"Now," Teacher-chan husked once I took a few steps away. The wood ruler hit the palm of her hand with a meaty twak. "Ready to get back to your studies?"
"Eep!" I heard Karin squeak. "Yes, sensei!" Her voice was terrified. She ran inside the apartment again.
I shook my head. I don't think I'd be using clones to teach Karin anymore.
…
Eh, whatever. How bad could it be?
Karin ran inside the apartment, away from the demon in the shape of Hinata. She hated the clones. Hated them so much.
She sat at the table, reviewing the numerous theory sheets.
Teacher-chan paced behind, like a hound, sniffing for any distraction.
Karin gritted her teeth. It was unforgivable. The war was on. Hinata would rue the day. Oh, how she would!
A meaty twak of the ruler hitting the clone's hand sounded behind.
Karin eep'd again.
"What happens to bad girls who don't pay attention to their studying?" The demon clone whispered.
Karin stopped thinking about any future retribution plans and focused on the papers again. But retribution would come. As sure as the sky was blue.
Once again, the person at the desk was the Uchiha guy, who kept giving me the stinky eye. I waved, didn't wait for him before I ran up the stairs and towards Shisui's office. I wanted to enter the intelligence department but shook my head. Not now.
I knocked at the door, entered when called.
"Good afternoon, Hokage-sama," I said, polite.
"Hello, Hinata-san," Shisui looked from a pile of papers to me. He sighed, pushed the papers away, waved in the vague direction of the chair in front of him.
I sat. Without him saying anything, I popped out pastries and tea. Poured for him and me.
Shisui sipped the hot tea, nibbled a cupcake. It might have been my impression, but I thought I heard a sigh, like the ones Ino often let out when eating. It wouldn't be, would it?
"The Hyuga clan have stopped pushing for actions against you for trying to kill the clan heir," Shisui said, then sipped more of his tea. "They also haven't said anything more about you being a clone, but I don't believe the trouble there has ended."
I took a slice of cake. Nibbled. "Thank you," I said after a while.
Shisui waved his hand, dismissing the formality.
Before he could talk about whatever he wanted to talk about, I took the initiative. Ino was right. She hadn't said it to my face, but I could read between the lines. She was trying to take charge, make me do things when I was just letting things pass me by. It was time I stopped being passive.
"Send me to look for Tsunade," I said.
Shisui, who was about to take another sip of his tea, stopped, put the cup down, looked at me.
"I could," he said. He retook his cup and sipped the beverage. "But will you listen to a proposal of mine?"
I nodded. Ate more.
"Do you know where Tsunade is or where she went?"
I shook my head.
"Do you know the surrounding lands and customs?"
I shrugged.
Shisui nodded, like he had expected it all along. "I know you don't have many reasons to trust us," he said.
I scowled, opened my mouth, but a shake from Shisui's head stopped me.
"No one gave you a reason to," he said, looking toward the window and the bustling life outside. "That you love this place is evident enough, but I think," he placed his cup back on the table, both hands palms down, "the alienation was intentional."
I tilted my head. What was this now?
"I've been thinking about this since yesterday. What report was Hiashi talking about?" The Hokage said, and the question sounded like it was rhetorical. "I couldn't find any, or anyone in the intelligence division that is aware of such a report."
That left me feeling like someone just gut-punched me.
"And then, there were all the other things."
I blinked. Maybe a bit too fast.
"I'm not blind, Hinata-san. I know how others treated you. It mainly stems from the council not trusting you. That bled towards the jonins and, ultimately, to everyone else."
I took a deep breath; this was starting to sound like a trap all of a sudden. "And what do you want from me?"
Shisui blinked. I scowled. I might have put too much hostility on my voice. Shit.
"Right, we got sidetracked, I apologize."
I shook my head. Best not to delay this any longer. "No, please. What do you want from me?"
Shisui stared at me for a long while.
I spoke more. "I'm not blind either. Ever since I returned, everyone is treating me," I waved erratically, "I dunno, like they are scared I'll run away or something."
Shisui chuckled.
"What?"
He shook his head. "It was Nara Shikaku's recommendation."
"For what?" I asked, bristling.
The Hokage sighed. "Shikaku thinks, and Inoichi agrees, that you know a lot more than you're telling us."
It was like a stone dropped on top of me. If Shisui noticed, he didn't say anything; he kept talking in his calm voice. Thankfully, his eyes were still black.
"He also thinks that someone," Shisui stopped, tilting his head. "He thinks Danzo's been manipulating things from behind the scenes to alienate you, to push you away from Konoha. He already tried to kidnap you more than a few times."
I blinked. The question blurted out before I could stop myself. "A few?" I mean, I remembered one attempt, when I was still five. Kakashi-sensei saved me. There were more?
Shisui nodded. "We have no proof they were his agents, but in and up to a couple of years after you've been found, there had been frequent attempts. So much so that for a time, there was always an ANBU agent stationed near your house."
"Are they there still?" I didn't like the idea of ANBU spying on me all the time.
Shisui shook his head. "Not for a few years."
"And you won't ask what is this thing I know?" I asked, face still a scowl.
"I could," Shisui said, then shrugged. "But I won't. If you wanted to cause us harm, you'd never have ousted Danzo."