LOVE THIS SEAL SO MUCH 'TTEBAYO!"
"It does make the process of writing mission reports a lot easier." Neji admitted.
"U-Um… Should we really take advantage of the Copy Seal like that?"
"Nee-san. There's no need to question how we use the seal." Hanabi pushed a rubber stamp into her twin's hand. "Just use it."
Every mission report has a certain template and format to follow regardless of the rank of the mission. It usually comes in a blank form that you have to fill in your particulars. Name, rank, shinobi registration number, for example. Filling those things in the report usually takes up a substantial amount of time, and when you are told to submit more than one copy, which is usually the case, filling in mission reports can be very tedious.
So if you keep a spare copy of a blank mission report with only your particulars filled in as a template, and using the Copy Seal to copy it onto a blank piece of paper, the only thing you would need to fill in are the mission details of the most recent mission you've been on. If you need to submit more than one copy, then all you need to do is to simply copy the completed mission report which you've completed onto another piece of paper that has the Copy Seal.
It saves a lot of time this way.
Neji and Hinata had just returned back from the night patrol they did with their teams. Night patrol is a boring job with lots of mission reports to be done and handed in right after. If there's nothing to report, then it's simply filling up your particulars while declaring 'Nothing to Report' in the other blanks. It's a waste of time doing multiple copies of it if it wasn't for the Copy Seal.
"I LOVE THIS!"
"Stop playing with the Copy Seal." I chided Naruto, who acts more like a baby with a new favourite toy with how she is copying anything she sees as long as it is written or drawn in ink. The last thing I need is for her to accidentally find a seal that ended up with explosive results while being copied by the Copy Seal. We haven't stumbled across such a seal yet and I don't think it will ever happen, but I wouldn't be surprised if Naruto of all people would be the one to do so.
"Yosh! This invention is most useful! It saves so much time on my precious youth that it now burns even brighter than before!"
"Lee. Keep quiet." Tenten grumbled as she scribbled her own mission report, wanting to just get this done as soon as possible.
"Hana would love to use this in her clinic. It will definitely make handing out copies of prescriptions a lot faster." Kiba commented as Akamaru snuggled in his lap. "Mind giving me one of those rubber stamps?"
"I'm afraid that is not possible, Kiba. Why? I heard from Kurenai-sensei that Hokage-sama is strictly regulating the usage and flow of these rubber stamps because they are currently vital to our war efforts. The design of the Copy Seal cannot be leaked out so soon."
"Damn it, Shino. Whose side are you on?"
"On our village's side, obviously."
"When I first invented this seal, it's done with the purpose of making our lives easier. I certainly didn't think of using it for warfare." I huffed as I lay on a hammock that is tied between two trees. "But considering the violent state of the world, I shouldn't be surprised."
Hanabi raised a hand to pat me on the shoulder, but seeing that she really isn't looking at where her hand is going, she nearly stabbed me in the eye with her finger instead.
Shino had kindly invited us to his clan compound so that we can catch up with our lives seeing that it is rare for us to meet up at any time. We are currently the shade of the trees in his backyard. Shino had pulled out a large table for Team 8 and Team Guy to fill in their mission reports while we chatted away. Right now, Team 7 and Team 10 are somewhere in the village doing some sort of D Rank mission that helps out in the war efforts.
"What other cool seals do you have?" Kiba asked while writing his mission report. "Anything useful to keep us alive if a war breaks out?"
"This is just a prototype for now, but if you guys can help me test it on the field, by all means, go ahead." I lazily handed Kiba and gang a number of sealing tags. "These are Intent Seals. Assuming that it works as I intend it to be, they sense negative intent towards you in a fifty feet radius with you as the centre. If it lights up, then you know someone out there is out for your head."
"Cool. Thanks." Kiba pocketed the seals while giving out some of these to the rest. "Will let you know the results if we ever get sent out."
"Wait." Shino paused in his writing as he turned to look at me. "Did Hokage-sama approve the usage of those seals?"
"He didn't say no. Besides, kaa-chan and I already applied it to the Detection Barrier around Konoha and also on the village's gates with his permission. It probably wouldn't take him long to order a field test of the Intent Seals on the battlefield."
"I'm suddenly very glad that you are on our side." Tenten chipped in. "Copy Seals are life savers."
"I'm of the belief that seals can do almost anything."
"That's a bold claim to make." Neji said as he looked up from writing his mission report.
"We're going to find something that you cannot solve with seals." Hanabi added.
"Bring it." I challenged, because I'm bored. I know Inoichi has my best interests in heart when he told everyone that I'm not allowed to do combat missions or train for more than three hours per day, but not being able to do anything interesting to pass the time makes me bored. Seals are my only alternative left.
"Make us fly." Tenten immediately said.
"Tou-chan can already do that!" Naruto interrupted. "Flying is already possible with seals!"
"Damn."
"How about swimming underground?" Kiba asked.
"What do you want that for?" Neji questioned. "We already have basic Earth Release jutsus for it. Try something else."
"Bring down the moon!"
"Lee, that's too far." Hanabi shook her head in disapproval. "And the moon's pretty. I'd rather it remain up there."
"Huh, I might really do that someday." I pondered out loud as I looked into the sky. Without the moon, the Infinite Tsukuyomi cannot be used, right? I mean, sure, somebody could probably Chibaku Tensei another moon up there in replacement, but forming something as huge as a moon would definitely take a while. All I have to do is to take it down faster than somebody trying to put it up in the sky.
"Haku, I know what you are thinking, please don't." Hanabi immediately swatted her hand right at my face, which I barely managed to dodge.
"But Hanabi, I think Lee's idea is most youthful."
"Yosh! Haku-san, let's be Eternal Rivals! The first one to-"
"When I say youthful, I don't mean that part."
"Are you sure, Hokage-sama?"
Minato crossed his fingers as he rested his elbows on the table while leaning forward. He and the war council had been discussing the best way to deal with the ongoing tension between them and Kumo for a while now. Their ANBU had found out that Ay is trying to convince Onoki into joining their side as well, but the fencesitter is still deliberating on the issue. Knowing Onoki, he probably is waiting for Konoha and Kumo to fight it out and only enter the picture when both villages have suffered heavy losses in order to reap the maximum benefits. That's just his style.
In any case, the moment Iwa gets involved too, it definitely will be the start of a world war. Something needs to be done about their conflict with Kumo as soon as possible.
Konoha is not afraid of war, but considering their current circumstances, it is best if they do not get themselves involved in one. If they do, they have to end it in the shortest time possible. Kizashi used his life as the price to protect Konoha and left it to him, it's now his job as the Godaime Hokage to protect the village.
The whole topic of discussion today is about Haku's newly invented Copy Seal and how to use it to their advantage. Everyone here can see how revolutionary this invention is. The production speed of their explosive tags and storage scrolls had skyrocketed to ridiculous levels and not even two weeks had passed since it was first introduced.
Minato cannot help but be proud of Haku. That's his boy.
"Let's be realistic." Minato spoke up. "There's no way the seal design of the Copy Seal is going to stay confidential for much longer given how we had decided to use it on such a large scale to increase our supply of explosive tags and storage scrolls. If we want to make full use of our current advantage, it is now. If I make a move, I'm sure Ay would too. He knows that in his village, nothing short of Bee or him can stop me. Wherever I go, he will have to be there."
"You want our side to take the initiative." Shikaku stated. "That is definitely better than being reactive."
"I'm planning to take Ay hostage and force him to sign a peace treaty agreement." Minato's statement earned him many looks of surprise from his war council. "That's the quickest way I can think of to stop this from escalating into a real war. I can take Ay in a head-on fight. I had cut off his left arm after all. We have shinobis like Obito, Fugaku, Kushina, Yamato, and even Haku to deal with Bee. And even then, we have other S Rank shinobis like Kakashi, Dan, Tsunade, Shisui, and Itachi to deal with other possible threats. We can win this if we play our cards right. The only reason why I decided to propose this idea now is because our village needed some time to recover from our losses in the invasion. Konoha had recovered enough for us to make a move, so now's a good time as any."
The war council grew silent as everybody took some time to think over their Hokage's words. Such a bold move is risky. One wrong action on their part can possibly result in another world war, something that nobody here is keen on participating.
Unexpectedly, Danzo was the one who broke the silence.
"I agree with Hokage-sama." The aged shinobi stood up from his seat. "While Konoha cannot afford to be involved in another world war right now, we shouldn't be afraid of it. Like Hokage-sama said, the resource surplus advantage that the Copy Seal brings us can only last so long until the other villages steal the design somehow. We need to strike while the iron's hot."
"I guess sometimes we have to fight if we want our precious peace back, huh?" Tsume said with a feral grin. "I'm in."
"Hokage-sama. I don't like the risk associated with this bold move." Shikaku stated his thoughts outright. "But if you are sure this is the best way out, then I'm with you."
"The Ino-Shika-Cho are always together. Count us in." Choza said in his booming voice. Soon, each and every person in the room began to voice their agreement. Minato cannot help but let a small smile rest on his face.
Did you see this, Kizashi? Your idea of peace through unity. This is it.
"Thank you." Minato thanked his shinobis from the bottom of his heart. "I already have a brief idea of how we are going to do this. The element of surprise is a crucial factor if we want to stop the war even before it happens. Time is of the essence. We will bring the battle to Kumo, but we have to end it even before the week is over if we want to avoid needless bloodshed."
Minato's eyes turned cold and sharp as he let his Yellow Flash persona take over.
"I want everyone to listen carefully and if there's anything you think I had missed out in the plan, I want you to voice your opinions. This is important. The peace of our home is at stake."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
"Everyone is going to war?"
"Yes." Hiashi nodded solemnly. The Hyuga clan is currently in an emergency clan meeting with Hiashi briefing us with what we need to know. Everyone that can be present is all gathered here right now.
"Including me?" I asked, because I'm not sure if Inoichi's orders still stand in this scenario.
"Everyone, especially you. You've been given a very important role due to your expertise in suppressing tailed beasts."
"Then what about me?" Hanabi asked in concern. "I'm going out there too, right? I'm now an S Rank-"
"No, you are staying here together with Naruto."
"What?" Hanabi exclaimed. "Why?! I'm better than most shinobis out there-"
"Because you are a high priority target of Kumo and we don't need our jinchurikis to win us this battle. We cannot lose any of you." Hiashi said in a firm voice. "I know you don't like this arrangement. Neither do I. During this period, Kato Dan will act as interim Hokage. You and Naruto will be staying with him for your protection. You will follow his orders and you will not give him any trouble, am I clear?"
"Otou-sama, I-"
"Hanabi. Please."
Hanabi looked more than ready to light herself on fire, but she conceded in the end.
"I understand."
"Thank you." Hiashi pulled her close to him in a brief hug. "We will all come back alive, I promise, so don't worry too much. If you want to join us in the future, then master the abilities of the demon cat within you as soon as possible."
"I'll try." Hanabi mumbled.
"Time is of the essence." Hiashi looked back at the clan members gathered in front of him. "The advance party will be moving out tonight, followed by the other teams. Get the team assignment list from Hizashi and pack your gear. Bring everything you think you need."
The meeting carried on with Hiashi quickly assigning roles and responsibilities to those who will be staying behind in the village to ensure that the clan can still run by itself even with him and Hizashi gone. The meeting didn't last long because we are running on a tight schedule.
"You're in the advance party." Hanabi told me after we were all dismissed. She handed me a copy of the list and sure enough, my name is listed as a member of the advance party. In fact, I'm the only shinobi in the clan whose name is in the advance party. Neji and Hinata are in the main army who will move out at dawn tomorrow morning.
"We'll be fine. I've prepared for this possibility."
"Otou-sama said that you are most likely going to fight Bee." Hanabi said in worry as she followed me back into my room. "This is different from facing Yugito. He has four times the number of tails-"
"I'm not planning to die. Not anytime soon. If it's Bee we are talking about, I'm sure my godmother and Obito-sensei will be there with me as well. They are well-suited for the job." I cut her off as I began to check my gear and pack anything that I wanted to add at the last minute. Storage seals are the best. I can bring my whole room along to the frontlines if I want to.
"But I won't be there with you!" Hanabi raised her voice to nearly a shout. "Who knows what kind of stupid things you will end up doing if I'm not there to supervise your stupid ass!"
"I don't have much time left before I meet the advance party at the meeting point. Are you sure you want to spend this last moment with me by engaging in a shouting match?" I asked without looking at her, still busy trying to check and pack my gear. While we are moving out tonight, I have to meet the rest of the advance party a few hours in advance so that we can prepare and familiarise ourselves with our mission. I have only about slightly more than an hour left before I have to go.
"Don't say it like you are not going to return. I'll hate you for life if you don't come back to me."
"You won't have a chance to hate me." I said as I closed my backpack shut and adjusted the straps accordingly. "I told you, I'm not planning to die."
"I don't like it. I don't like this." Hanabi hissed as she stomped her foot on the floor in frustration. "Why am I stuck here while everybody is out there fighting? I don't want to be the one waiting and powerless to do anything to help. I-"
"So grow strong." I stopped Hanabi by flicking my finger on her forehead before her thoughts spiralled down to somewhere unreachable. "You promised me that you will be SSS Rank strong, so that you would never die again. I'm holding you up to that."
Hanabi let out a breath and sat down listlessly on the edge of my bed, her head hanging low. I don't like to see her acting like this, but if my godfather deemed that going into battle right now is the best possible choice to make, then I choose to place my trust in him.
Even if it means Hanabi doesn't like it. I never like seeing her sad. She deserves to be happy after the kind of shit she has been through in her life.
There's nothing much I can do right now, but I can give her something to look forward to while I'm gone.
I removed the most precious object I have from my neck and dangled it in front of her eyes.
"Here. I don't want to accidentally damage it on the battlefield, so hold onto it for me until I get back."
Hanabi blinked her eyes. No way. Why is he giving her that?
"Haku! That's your mother's-"
"Precisely why I want you to hold onto it for me." Haku interrupted her before she could go on. "The last thing I need is for Bee to accidentally destroy it when we fight it out."
"I'm not taking this." Hanabi pushed the pendant away from her. "I know how much this means to-"
"Just take it."
"No!"
The two of them ended up tussling on his bed, with him trying to forcefully wear it around her neck and her trying to not let him succeed.
Unfortunately, she failed.
"Haku!" She shouted at him when she found the pendant worn around her neck. Accepting this pendant from him just gives her a very bad feeling in her gut, like he's not planning to return. "Take it back right now!"
"You keep having nightmares whenever I'm not around. At least this way, I'm kind of still with you. Think of it as a good luck charm that wards away nightmares." Haku shrugged without a care in the world. Hanabi cannot find anything to argue back because, well, it's true.
She let out an audible sigh of frustration and resignation as she covered her face with her hands. Why is she so useless? She's of no help to anyone right now.
"Don't eat too many fried dumplings when I'm away."
"Why would I? Only yours tastes nice and it's not like you will be here to make some for me."
"Remember to not sleep with your hair wet."
"Yuki Haku. You are very naggy, you know that?"
"If you know how to take care of yourself, I don't need to be naggy." Haku gave her a pointed look and she stuck her tongue out at him in return. Sheesh, who's taking care of who most of the time? She's not the one who willingly forgo sleep just to invent a crazy seal to copy things.
Her left hand idly fiddled with the pendant around her neck, the one with the Yuki clan symbol etched on it. She doesn't know if she has anything that she can give him while she's not by his side.
But, maybe, just maybe, she can give him a fond memory to remember her by. Haku had never been good at dealing with his own emotions. It will take freaking forever if she waits for him to realise his own feelings for her.
"Hey."
"What?" He asked as he went through his weapon pouch as he sat on the floor, his back facing her. "I'm kind of busy right now."
"Close your eyes."
"In case you couldn't tell, I really need my eyes open to check if I have enough weapons in my pouch."
"Close. Your. Eyes." She growled as she walked up to face him and wrenched the stupid pouch away from his hands. This is hard enough for her as it is.
"Fine." He relented and closed his eyes without question. She took a second to look at his face, take in his every features, and did her best to ignore her rising heartbeat and the growing blush on her face.
Without further hesitation, she moved forward and pressed her lips to his.
His lips felt cool to the touch. It's surprisingly soft. There's a slight salty taste to it and she found herself loving this sensation.
She pulled away about two seconds later, her cheeks feeling extremely hot. Haku's eyes were wide open in surprise and it looked like he had simply froze in place.
That idiot. He should have demanded more. She wouldn't say no to him.
She quickly stood back up on her feet and slowly walked backwards away from him towards the door.
"I… I'll wait for you." Oh by the Sage, she doesn't even know what she is saying anymore. Her mind's even more scrambled than scrambled egg right now. "I-I don't need an a-answer from you. I already know what it is. Just don't die! If you do I will bring you right back and then kick your ass! And don't do anything stupid while I'm not there with you! If you do anything stupid out there I will kick your ass too! But if y-you c-can givemeananswerbythetimeyougetback- ARRGH! What am I even saying?! Whatever! Just come back or you are going to get hell from me! Bye!"
She quickly turned around and fled from his room before quickly taking refuge in hers, slamming the door shut behind her. She slid down with her back against the door, curling up upon herself and covering her face with her hands. Her cheeks felt so hot that she wouldn't be surprised if it can cook eggs.
Stupid Haku. Stupid stupid stupid stupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupid-
What possessed her to do that?! Argh! She can't even face him when she sees him again!
She activated her byakugan and spotted him still sitting at the same spot in the same position as she left him in. Did he really get frozen? Was that too much for him?
His right hand slowly went up to touch his lips. Okay, he's not brain dead yet. That's good.
What does this make them now anyway? She knows she loves him and she knows that he loves her, but that idiot somehow doesn't realise it. He is so scared of receiving love for fear of losing it that he long since lost the ability to recognise the emotion of love. If this kiss isn't a big enough clue slamming down on him with the force of a Rasengan, she doesn't know what else she can do anymore.
Damn it. That was too embarrassing. She's never going to do something like that again.
She remained at her position on the floor, byakugan still active as she watched him through the walls of their rooms. He left when the time was up, but not before giving a brief look in the direction of her room before disappearing using his ice mirrors.
That idiot. At least come over to say goodbye.
She almost tore her hair out in frustration and embarrassment as she deactivated her byakugan. Urgh, she just screwed everything up. What if Haku decided to not talk to her anymore? What if-
She fell on her back when the door to her room that she was leaning on suddenly opened. Her sister's face came into view from above, a sly knowing smirk on her face.
"Nee-san." She greeted with an audible gulp. She really doesn't like the look on her twin's face right now. It couldn't be, right?
"We saw everything."
"You saw nothing." Hanabi stressed. Why on earth is her twin spying on her at the wrong time? Does nobody ever respect the no-using-their-dojutsu-rule within their clan compound anymore? Oh wait, she just flouted that rule too.
"We saw everything." Her cousin poked his head out from behind her sister's shoulder and Hanabi gave an audible groan while covering her face in embarrassment. This is it. Everything's ruined. Of all times her siblings have to spy on her with their clan's dojutsu, it has to be during this time.
"Please don't tell anyone, especially otou-"
"By we, Hinata and Neji means us too."
She really wanted to just shrivel up and die right now when she heard her father's voice. She can also hear her uncle's chuckles from outside her room.
"Hanabi-"
"Don't say a word. Please don't say anything." Hanabi curled up on the floor to make herself as small as possible while trying to hide her face from view, stopping her father from saying anything to her. "I don't want to hear it. Please go away. Just let me die in embarrassment here. Stupid Haku."
She muttered the last two words to herself under her breath. This is all his fault.
Stupid Haku.
"I was about to ask if you would like me to officially put you two in an arranged marriage when he gets back, but I guess it's off the table now." Her father said dryly, earning laughs from the rest of her family. Hanabi can feel her face flushing up again as she curled up even more.
"Please don't talk about it. We are still too young for marriage."
"At least Hanabi is not denying any prospects of marriage with Haku-nii."
"Nee-san."
"Physically, the two of you are of age to be making ba-"
She promptly Vacuum Palm her cousin out of her room even without looking.
"Don't. Say. Anything."
"I'm going to set the arranged marriage such that the both of you are automatically considered married to each other when you turn fifteen. Consider yourself now engaged to him."
"You are joking." She sat up in shock upon hearing her father's words. He wouldn't. Haku will kill her!
"Of course, if any of you wants to back out, I'm not going to refuse, but I don't think the both of you would do anything like that."
"Otou-sama. You are joking, right?"
Her father simply pretended not to hear her as he looked at the ceiling and hummed a merry tune under his breath.
He has to be joking. Her father never hums a tune. Yeah, he's just joking.
"Haku-nii wouldn't be against it. He loves Hanabi too much." Hinata nodded along with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Is no one on her side?
"You think we don't know that the two of you are already sleeping in the same room every night?" Her uncle laughed out loud. "The entire clan knew about it a long time ago!"
"Go away." Hanabi groaned as she buried her face in her hands. She should have known. There's no way anyone actually adhere to the clan's rules on using their dojutsu in the compound. There's no privacy here.
Damn it, she really needs to get Haku on drawing up some privacy seals when he gets back. Surely he can invent something like that. Wait, didn't Crow's ANBU mask have such a seal to prevent the byakugan from seeing through it? Will he give her a copy of the seal if she asked him the next time she sees him?
"Nope. We are all going to make full use of this chance to tease you for as long as we can because Haku-nii's no fun at all." Hinata poked at her with a finger, that sly smirk still on her face. Damn it, why is her twin so damn perceptive when it comes to her?
"Don't you guys have packing or preparation to do? Shoo. Get out."
"Already done that. We are planning to spend some family time together until we have to gather for deployment." Neji answered smoothly. "Never thought we would stumble across that scene."
"Arrrrgghhh." Hanabi made another noise of frustration at the reminder as she threw pillows at them. "Fine! Do whatever you like! Laugh all you want! Arrgh! Damn it!"
Her family's laughter only grew even louder.
Stupid Haku.