23. Blushing

(This is the third bonus chapter for 100 Powerstones, Guys we are very close to the Top 70, already 74th rank, Give me all your stones now, we only have around 8 hours till the reset!)

With his disguise in place, Sora-as-Hoheto approached the gate. The remaining guard straightened up, his Byakugan was still active.

"Hoheto-san," the guard said, his tone respectful but cautious. "I wasn't expecting you back so soon. How was your mission?"

Sora allowed a small, tired smile to cross Hoheto's features. "Uneventful," he replied, his voice a perfect match for Hoheto's deep baritone. "Sometimes I think the Hokage sends us on these missions just to keep us from getting too comfortable at home."

The guard chuckled, relaxing slightly. "I know what you mean. Still, protocol requires me to verify your identity. You understand, of course."

"Of course," Sora nodded, maintaining his calm demeanour even as his heart raced. This was the moment of truth. If his chakra disguise wasn't perfect, if he'd missed even the smallest detail, the game would be up.

The guard's Byakugan eyes scanned Sora thoroughly, taking in every detail of his chakra network. Sora waited, barely daring to breathe.

After what felt like an eternity, the guard nodded. "Everything seems to be in order, Hoheto-san. Welcome back."

Sora inclined his head in acknowledgement, hoping the guard couldn't hear the victory dance his inner self was performing. "Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a report to prepare for the clan head."

As Sora walked through the gates, he allowed himself a small, triumphant smirk. Phase one of Operation: Red-Eyed Surprise was complete. Now came the fun part.

The Hyuga compound was a maze of traditional buildings and immaculately maintained gardens. Under normal circumstances, Sora would have loved to explore every nook and cranny. But tonight, he had a mission to complete.

As he made his way through the compound, Sora encountered several other Hyuga clan members. Each encounter was a test of his acting skills and chakra control.

"Hoheto-san," a young Hyuga woman bowed as she passed. "I hope your mission was successful."

Sora returned the bow, his movements a perfect mimicry of Hoheto's usual stiff formality. "As successful as can be expected," he replied, adding a hint of world-weary resignation to his tone. "Though I fear the report will take longer to write than the mission itself took to complete."

The woman laughed softly. "Such is the life of a shinobi. Don't work too hard, Hoheto-san."

As she walked away, Sora allowed himself a small sigh of relief. So far, so good. But he couldn't let his guard down. One slip-up, one out-of-character word or gesture, and his cover would be blown.

He continued his journey through the compound, his senses on high alert. Every shadow seemed to hide a potential witness, every corner a possible trap. But Sora had come too far to back down now.

Finally, after what felt like hours of careful navigation (but was probably only about fifteen minutes), Sora reached his target: the compound's main water supply.

It was a large, ornate fountain in the centre of a secluded garden. The water bubbled peacefully, unaware of the mischief about to be visited upon it.

Sora glanced around, making sure he was alone. Then, with a grin that would have looked decidedly out of place on Hoheto's usually stern face, he pulled out a small vial of concentrated red dye.

"Sorry, Hyugas," he whispered, uncorking the vial. "But you're about to learn an important lesson about humility. And the importance of checking your water supply before taking a bath."

He poured the dye into the fountain, watching as tendrils of red began to spread through the clear water. It would take a few hours for the dye to fully circulate through the compound's water system, by which time Sora planned to be long gone.

Just as he was replacing the empty vial in his pocket, a voice called out behind him.

"Hoheto-san? What are you doing out here so late?"

Sora froze, his heart leaping into his throat. Slowly, he turned to face the newcomer, schooling Hoheto's features into a look of mild surprise.

It was Hiashi Hyuga, the clan head himself.

For a moment, Sora thought he was done for. But years of pranking had honed his ability to think on his feet.

"Hiashi-sama," he bowed deeply, buying himself a few precious seconds to come up with a plausible story. "I was... meditating. The sound of the fountain helps me organize my thoughts for my mission report."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow, his Byakugan eyes seeming to peer right through Sora's disguise. "I see. And does your meditation usually involve adding something to the fountain water?"

Sora's mind raced. This was it. The moment that would make or break his entire operation. He took a deep breath, channelling every ounce of Hoheto's serious demeanor.

"Ah, you noticed that," he said, allowing a hint of embarrassment to colour his tone. "It's... a new technique I'm developing. I picked it up during my last mission. It involves infusing water with chakra to enhance its properties. I thought it might be beneficial for the clan, but I wanted to test it thoroughly before bringing it to your attention."

Hiashi's eyes narrowed slightly. "A new technique? And you chose to test it on the clan's main water supply?"

Sora bowed his head, the very picture of contrition. "I apologize for my presumption, Hiashi-sama. I should have sought your permission first. In my eagerness to potentially benefit the clan, I acted hastily."

For a long moment, Hiashi said nothing. Sora waited, hardly daring to breathe. Had he overplayed his hand? Was Hiashi about to call for the guards?

Finally, the clan head spoke. "Your dedication to the clan is commendable, Hoheto. However, in the future, I expect you to consult with me before conducting such... experiments."

Sora bowed again, relief flooding through him. "Of course, Hiashi-sama. It won't happen again."

Hiashi nodded. "See that it doesn't. Now, I suggest you get some rest. I expect a full report on this new technique of yours in the morning."

As Hiashi turned and walked away, Sora allowed himself a small, triumphant grin. Not only had he successfully completed his mission, but he'd also managed to turn a near-disaster into an opportunity for future mischief. After all, Hiashi would be expecting a report on a non-existent technique tomorrow. The possibilities for chaos were endless.

With his mission accomplished, Sora made his way back to the compound gates. He exchanged a few more pleasantries with the guard, made some vague comments about needing to start on his report, and then finally, blessedly, he was out.

As soon as he was out of sight of the compound, Sora released his transformation, sagging against a nearby wall as the strain of maintaining such a complex disguise for so long caught up with him.

"Man," he muttered to himself, "I am never complaining about Iruka-sensei's chakra control exercises again. That was more intense than trying to eat ramen with chopsticks while standing on my head."

As he caught his breath, a familiar voice called out from the shadows. "Sora! Did you do it? Did you really get inside?"

Naruto emerged from his hiding spot, practically vibrating with excitement. His clothes were splattered with various shades of orange paint, and there was a smudge of it on his cheek that made him look like he'd gotten into a fight with a particularly aggressive paintbrush.

Sora grinned, exhaustion forgotten in the face of his brother's enthusiasm. "Oh, I got in alright. And let me tell you, the Hyugas are in for one colourful surprise tomorrow morning."

Naruto's eyes widened. "You mean...?"

"Yep," Sora nodded, his grin widening. "Operation: Red-Eyed Surprise is a success. Now, we just have to wait for the fireworks."

The two boys made their way back to their apartment, Naruto peppering Sora with questions the entire way. "How did you get past the guards? Did anyone catch you? Did you see Hinata? What about Neji? Ooh, did you leave any clues that it was us?"

Sora laughed, recounting his adventure in hushed tones. By the time they reached their home, Naruto was in awe.

"Wow," he breathed. "That's even better than the time we painted the ANBU headquarters to look like a giant bowl of ramen!"

"Speaking of which," Sora said, eyeing Naruto's paint-splattered appearance, "you might want to clean up before someone notices and puts two and two together."

Naruto looked down at himself and chuckled sheepishly. "Oh yeah. Good point."

As Naruto headed for the shower, Sora flopped onto his bed, a satisfied smile on his face. Tomorrow was going to be interesting, to say the least.

The next morning dawned bright and early in the Hyuga compound. As was their custom, many clan members rose with the sun, preparing for their daily training routines.

In one of the compound's many identical rooms, Hinata Hyuga yawned softly as she made her way to the bathroom. She was hoping to get in some extra practice before breakfast, maybe work on that new gentle fist technique her father had shown her.

Still half-asleep, she turned on the faucet and splashed some water on her face. It took her a moment to realize something was... off.

Blinking water out of her eyes, Hinata looked up at the mirror and froze. Her reflection stared back at her, pale eyes wide with shock, and her face... her face was bright red.

For a moment, she thought she was blushing harder than she ever had before (which was saying something, considering how often she turned red around Naruto). But then she noticed that the red extended past her cheeks, covering her entire face in an even layer of crimson.