Chapter 39: Wicked Eye And Wicked Hearts

Awkward. That was what the silence in the room felt like. Hinata glanced at the door, wondering if it was still possible for her to leave.

When her gaze returned to the kunoichi opposite her, however, she shook her head. No, she could not give up now. She hadn't even done anything! Naruto believed she could do this!

But how does one talk to their daughter from another dimension? The daughter you had no idea existed? The daughter your alternate-self apparently had with the first man you ever loved?

Hinata had no idea.

Astra, no, Hoshiko, was still curled up in the corner of the room. But she had moved her head so she could see better, and as a result Hinata could now see her face. It never occurred to her before, but now that she knew whom the woman was, she could see it.

Naruto's face. Hoshiko had Naruto's face.

How had Hinata missed that?

Her heart clenched. She had not carried this child in her womb, but another version of her had. This woman was still her child, in a way. And she felt the sorrow for her child. Sorrow that the child had suffered. Sorrow that the child was now a diagnosed schizophrenic. Sorrow that her child may never recover.

How could she even begin to have a conversation with the woman?

"Is it a boy or a girl?" came a timid voice. Hinata blinked; surprised that Hoshiko would be the one to break the silence. She had honestly expected that she would have to do all the talking, once she managed to get words out.

"A-a girl," Hinata finally managed to mutter.

This seemed to excite Hoshiko, for a small glitter of some sort appeared in her lifeless eyes. "A girl?"

Hinata nodded. "Yes. Her name is Madoka."

"You already have a name?"

"Of course," Hinata said and smiled.

Hoshiko seemed fascinated. "Does it hurt?"

"What? Giving birth?" Hinata asked.

Hoshiko shook her head. "Carrying a baby."

Hinata frowned, and looked down at her round belly. With a smile she gently rubbed the bulge and shook her head. "Not at all."

A lie, but the baby kicking, constant bladder problems and aching back was worth it in the end.

Hoshiko looked down at Hinata's feet. "My mother died before she could have another baby."

Hinata bit her lip. "You miss her?"

Hoshiko did not respond.

"What about your father?" Hinata asked.

"He also died."

Hinata blanched. "Oh…"

Hoshiko's arms around her legs tightened. "He was a drunk. Became one after mother died."

Hinata could not picture Naruto as an alcoholic.

"But he was still a good Hokage," Hoshiko continued. "He wanted to make it so that children could have longer childhoods."

Hinata smiled. That sounded like Naruto.

"He liked ramen," Hoshiko whispered. "The one with salt. Always ate one bowl and let me have as many as I liked."

Hinata chuckled. Salt Ramen was not the favourite for the Naruto she knew, but to think his alternate-self still liked ramen. How very typical.

"You must really love him," Hinata said.

Hoshiko remained quiet.

Hinata sighed. She had to sway the conversation. She was here for a reason, after all. As much as she'd like to just sit and listen to Hoshiko's stories, there was no time. Not now.

"Hoshiko," Hinata began, "I am here today, because I have a favour to ask."

Hoshiko's brows furrowed. "A favour?"

Hinata nodded. "Yes. I'm been informed that you are capable of Mind Manipulation."

Hoshiko's face contorted in anger. "I am not your slave!"

Hinata jumped at the sudden outburst. "I-I did not say that, Hoshiko."

The anger seemed to fade a little, and Hoshiko sighed.

"Why would I think you are a slave?" Hinata asked, eyes wide.

"When the Lady Hokage got sick, she could no longer cast Mind Manipulation herself. She made me do it for her," was the reply.

Hinata had no idea who 'Lady Hokage' was. Tsunade? No, she could not cast Mind Manipulation.

"I don't want you to cast it," Hinata reassured the unstable kunoichi. "I want you to end it."

Hoshiko blinked, and the anger melted away. "End it? You mean I can?"

"Um, yes? You've got it activated right now, don't you? On the High Council."

Hoshiko stared at Hinata blankly, and then suddenly stood. The demeanour of a small, injured child was all Hinata could see, which was a shock. She was so used to Hoshiko being Astra. Astra, the mature, aloof and proud seamstress. Where had she gone? Could someone truly be so drastically changed?

"Okay," the kunoichi whispered. "But you'll have to get the doctor to remove the chakra seals on my wrist."

"What, really?" Hinata asked, surprised. Hoshiko nodded.

Once Hinata had called the doctor to remove the seals temporarily, Hoshiko moved towards the bed, where she sat down and formed her hands into the seal of the ram.

"The Mind Manipulation I cast for Ayaka bends to her will. Once I dispel it, she will lose her connection to it," Hoshiko explained.

Hinata nodded. "That is what we are hoping for. How does she use it herself, if it is your technique?"

"It responds to her chakra, which she projects through her voice."

Hinata's eyes widened. That sounded familiar, like a mind-altering genjutsu Shikamaru had described several years before that he had been drawn into.

Hoshiko closed her eyes, and the air shifted as she gathered chakra to dispel the technique, Hinata watched, absolutely stunned. How had it been so easy? How on earth had she managed to convince a mentally unstable kunoichi to do as she asked?

"Why?" Hinata mumbled.

Hoshiko opened her eyes, and frowned. "Why, what?"

"Why did you agree to easily? I thought I'd have to fight tooth and nail with you."

Hoshiko smiled, the first warm smile Hinata had ever seen on her face. "You're my mother, of course I was going to listen."

The silence was deafening.

Naruto had expected more of a reaction, to be honest. Anger, maybe. But the members of the High Council simply stared at him in absolute silence.

The only person who did not seem to be stunned was Shimura Ayaka. But that was to be expected. The anger on her face was exactly what Naruto had predicted.

The silence continued.

And then young Hyuuga Moritsugu, who stood, and in his nervousness, sent his chair clattering to the floor, broke the silence. The sound echoed through the room, and all eyes turned to him. Naruto liked Moritsugu. He was the youngest member on the Council, had none of that silly old Hyuuga nonsense in his head, and sometimes stuttered. A bit like Hinata used to. It was adorable.

It was a shame that he had fallen victim to Shimura Ayaka's malice.

"I do not understand," Moritsugu said. "What do you mean we are fired?"

"Yes," Ayaka's shrill voice joined in. "You have no sanction to just dismiss us, Lord Hokage."

"Actually," Naruto hummed as he pulled out the scroll he had the Daimyo approve, "I do. The Daimyo has agreed that your dismissal is required."

Gasps erupted among the council members.

"M-may I ask why, Lord Hokage?" Moritsugu asked.

Naruto sighed, and then waved his hand. It was the signal he was to give Sasuke to bring in the documents of evidence he had gathered. Sasuke had been anticipating the signal, and with poof vanished, only to return seconds later with the documents under his arm. He dropped them unceremoniously on the large table. Naruto fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Where shall I begin?" Naruto asked as he sank down in his chair and leaned on the armrest, allowing his chin to rest on his hand.

"The beginning usually works, Lord Hokage," a woman seated in the middle stated. Naruto recognised her immediately – she was one of the only two council members he had failed to dish out any evidence for treason out for.

"Yes, thank you, Hinoko," Naruto retorted.

The woman crinkled her nose. "Soku, Lord Hokage. How many times must I tell you?"

Naruto sighed again. Maybe he should have accepted Shikamaru's offer to let him join in the initial confrontation. For some ungodly reason, Shikamaru was the only one Hinoko, oops, sorry, Soku, listened to.

He had a feeling it had to do with that mission they had done together several years earlier, but he never dared to ask. Shikamaru did not like to remember that particular mission. Honestly, Naruto did not blame him. The clean up had been…tiring.

Naruto cleared his throat and opened some of the manila folders containing the documents he had gathered.

"It has come to my attention," he began, "that all of you have been acting behind my back."

He received blank stares, and one very vicious glare. Ayaka was not doing very well with hiding her emotions, something he was sure her uncle would not be impressed by, if he had been alive. Had she really completely lost her composure already? Was seeing Kurama once really all it took?

He should have summoned the fox earlier.

Moritsugu, who had still been standing, realised he was starting to look like an idiot. He quickly grabbed his chair and sat down again. Naruto waited for him to be settled before continuing.

"I know," Naruto stated. "I know about the intercepted letters. I know about the bugs in my office. I also know that you have been keeping an eye on my wife and children."

Still blank stares. Naruto frowned. Had Hinata not been successful?

Naruto continued: "I also know that you have been going behind my back and spreading…stories. Several villagers have admitted that they have heard about plans to overthrow me. Villagers who have pretended to be on your side because you threatened their loves ones."

"Are you saying we have all committed treason?" Nara Engetsu asked. Naruto turned his attention to the man, and blinked when he realised the Yamanaka seat next to the Nara one was empty. Naruto frowned. How had he missed that when he entered?

"Where is Izumi?" he asked.

"Last I heard," Ayaka supplied, "she was in hospital."

"For what?" Naruto asked, flabbergasted.

"Some sort of injury," Ayaka stated with a shrug. But Naruto did not miss the glint in her eyes.

Shit. Naruto quickly quelled his panic. No, no. He could not falter here. Ayaka may think she one-upped him by attacking one of his own, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of making her think she won. But still, he worried. Izumi was the other council member with no evidence against her name. Which meant she might have been able to escape the Mind Manipulation in its early stages.

She was, after all, a Yamanaka.

Why she had failed to alert him of the situation, however, still baffled him.

"Can we get back on to the topic?" Soku demanded. "I'd like to know where all these accusations are coming from, you know?"

Naruto nodded. Right, yes. He would assure Izumi was safe after the High Council session ended. With that, he passed the documents to the person on his right and motioned to pass it on. One by one, everyone looked at them, and as the documents moved around the table, Naruto started to notice the panic on everyone's faces.

Moritsugu was the first to react verbally. "I would never say such a thing about Lady Hinata!"

'Ah,' Naruto thought, 'he saw the transcript of one of Ayaka's private meetings.'

Naruto grimaced. Probably best not to repeat what Moritsugu and the others had said about Hinata in that instance. It wasn't pretty.

This continued as more documents got passed along, and the panic on everyone's faces got worse. Even Soku, who had nothing against her, looked stricken. But Naruto was more interested in Ayaka's reaction.

She was, naturally, fuming. But somehow had managed to regain some control on her emotions, as she had not yet lashed out.

"I-I don't understand," Moritsugu whimpered. "Why would I do all these things?"

"I don't understand either," Engetsu agreed. "Some of the things here go completely against my own principles. Why would I…unless I was being controlled?"

At the Nara's words, the room went quiet. Thoughtful expressions crossed most faces as the words sunk in. Naruto had to fight the urge to smile. Of course the Nara in the room would hit the nail on the head.

Why were all of them so bloody smart?

And if they were questioning their actions, did it mean Hinata had been successful after all?

Just as that thought crossed Naruto's mind, Ayaka stood up. She moved so fast and with so much force, that her chair toppled and like before with Moritsugu, the noise caught everybody's attention. She then proceeded to slam her hands on the table, making it shake. From the corner of his eye, Naruto saw Sasuke tense.

"Are all of you just going to sit here," she demanded angrily, "and accept this idiot's accusations as the truth?"

Nobody dared to reply. This just infuriated the kunoichi further and the blood rushed to her head.

"This man," she shrieked and pointed at Naruto, "is a buffoon! Like all his predecessors, he is filled with sentimental shit and does not realise that his stupidity is putting us all in danger!"

Engetsu looked like he wanted to object to that, but Ayaka glared at him coldly. "You, Nara! You should be ashamed that you follow him! Uzumaki Naruto is a disgrace! All the Hokage like him have created noting but problems!"

"And what are these problems, exactly?" Soku asked, her eyes narrowed.

Ayaka's face somehow got redder, if that was possible. "He released the bijuu! Like they are harmless pets! He has the audacity to call them his friends! Do I have to remind you all that the Kyuubi destroyed Konoha?"

"Over 30 years ago," Engetsu muttered. "Bloody long time ago if you ask me."

Ayaka ignored him. "This so-called peace we have is an illusion! We are all still shinobi! If we cannot live as such, what is the point of our existence? One day, another power will arise, because they always will! We are not prepared! And this idiot's tendency to 'talk things through' will get us all killed!"

"So what?" Soku demanded. "Correct me if I am wrong, but Lord Hokage's 'talking things through' with his enemies is the reason we are all still alive. Your uncle's way of doing things got himself killed before he could even be named Hokage properly."

That appeared to be the last straw for Ayaka. Naruto was not entirely sure what it was that changed in the room, but the air suddenly felt heavy and suffocating. Sasuke, who had been tense throughout Ayaka's entire speech, disappeared from his spot by the door and appeared next to Naruto, kunai ready.

"You will not disrespect me!" Ayaka yelled, her voice carrying a strange echo to it. "You will do as I say! Kill him!"

At that she pointed at Naruto, and the room became even more tense.

And then Soku burst out laughing. "You're joking, right?"

Ayaka looked perplexed at Soku's laughter. "No, I am serious!"

Soku sobered somewhat, and straightened. "You honestly think you can waltz in here and try and manipulate me with that chakra in your voice? Oh no, no, I've fallen victim to a mind-altering genjutsu before, no way am I doing it again."

Gaps erupted among the council members. Engetsu, in particular, looked angry. "So it is true. You've been controlling us all this time!"

Ayaka stepped back, the anger on her face now replaced with confusion and fear.

"Why isn't it working?" she demanded. But nobody was listening. Every member of the council was now turning on Ayaka, their intent clear in their expressions. And Ayaka knew that she was in trouble. She was, after all, outnumbered.

So she did what any kunoichi in her position would do. She ran.

"Stop her!" Soku yelled, although she really did not need to order anyone in the room. Several of the shinobi were already following.

She had failed. Shimura Ayaka believed herself to be a controlled, prideful individual. Everything she had ever done was for her uncle. Ever since she was a little girl she had worshipped him. He was a true shinobi, a man who understood that sacrifices needed to be made for peace.

Why did nobody else understand that?

She could feel the tears forming as she ran down the stairs of the Hokage building. Crying was a sign of weakness and she had sworn she would never shed them again after her uncle died. She had sworn it on his grave.

She had even failed him in that.

She knew she was being followed. And if there was one thing she knew about Konoha shinobi, then it was that soon everyone in the village would know of what happened. A manhunt would begin and she would not be safe. Not until she got far away from the Shinobi Union.

Which was impossible, of course. The Shinobi Union was no longer compromised of only the Five Great Nations and the Land of Iron. Many smaller villages have joined, and some Daimyo of the smaller countries have also signed the treaty.

There was literally nowhere she could run. But she ran anyway.

"There she is!" a voice called.

'Shit,' Ayaka thought. Had she slowed down? When? Increasing her speed, despite the protest of her muscles, she rounded a corner and spotted the doors. 'Yes!'

But just as that tiny sliver of relief settled, it vanished when a tall shadow towered over her. A pair of vermillion eyes connected with hers and with a shriek she tried to turn on her heel to run in the opposite direction. She would rather die by the hands of the idiots she had been controlling, than him!

But as always, the bloody bastard was too fast. He grabbed her arms and pulled her towards him.

"Whoa there, Ayaka," Kurama purred. "Where are you running so desperately to?"

She struggled against his tight grip, fear boiling in her blood. There were not many things she feared, not even death. But put the Kyuubi before her, and she trembled. Such unnatural power, such evil, should not exist. And to think the Hokage called the beast his friend!

She spat in his face.

Kurama blinked, then grinned. "Oh, feisty. Always knew you were one of those type of women."

Ayaka growled, but Kurama seemed far too amused to even flinch at her demeanour.

"Oi, Fox Man!" a female voice yelled from the direction Ayaka had come. "Keep her still!"

Kurama did as told, by pulling Ayaka's arm tightly towards him. She continued struggling, but her movements were severely restricted. Just as she wondered what was going to happen next, Soku appeared from around the corner, her right arm lifted. And then she flicked her wrist, and Ayaka flinched before falling limp in Kurama's arms.

He blinked as the woman sagged. "Wow, what did you do?"

"Paralysed her with a chakra needle," Soku replied as she came to a halt and rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

"Nice," Kurama hummed. "I like you."

"Er, thanks?" Soku muttered, just as Engetsu, Moritsugu, Sasuke and Naruto joined them.

"Oh, well done, Kurama!" Naruto grinned as he patted his friend's shoulder.

Kurama shrugged. "You called me here for this very reason, no?"

"Yes, but still," Naruto replied. "Thank you."

Kurama shook his head, then looked down at the paralysed woman in his arms. She was still conscious, but literally could not move anything but her eyes.

"So," Kurama said in a singsong voice. "What do I do with this one?"