𝘉𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 ( 𝖀𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖍𝖆 𝕾𝖆𝖘𝖚𝖐𝖊)

Chapter 89: Hinata

Their feelings were over the place. As adults, they were ashamed of their selves, ashamed of the fact a seventeen year old girl had to bear mental pain all along with no help from anyone. It was no excuse, they believed they all deserved death and at this point, they would be more than glad to succumb to death. Uzumaki Misa had kept everything to herself and not trsuted them but Uchiha Sasuke with the vile secret of Danzo's assault, all because she trusted him more than she trusted Konoha.

"So that's what happened," Tsunade bit her lower lip after hearing the strange turn of events.

"Yes Lady Tsunade, everything is being destroyed. Our happiness, our unity... they are all being put to test," Sakura cried into her hands with the others simply turning their heads away embarrassed of their actions and their inability to help a single woman in the village, "How could we have not even known what she was going through?"         

"Stop... It wasn't just you but it was my fault too. Today I failed. I failed as the Hokage, whose duty is to protect their people. I failed as a woman, a woman who supports and cares for the other women and worst of all, I failed as a mother. Misa was like my daughter and as a mother I'm ashamed to not have even realized or even seen the turmoil of pain within my own child!" Tsunade spoke up, tears rolling from her eyes looking into the distance as she placed her palm on her chest feeling the increasing beat of sadness, pain and heartbreak, "I shouldn't be called a mother for I couldn't protect my child from the danger lurking under my own realm. How could this happen? HOW?"

Strangely at the moment where everyone was beating themselves up because of what happened, Hinata, the one who they believed to be most quiet and most naïve spoke up rubbing a sobbing Tsunade's back, "It is true that we are all at fault. As her friends, we should be ashamed of ourselves. We should have noticed her changes and her pain whether it was mental or physical but this is information that was let out without her volition. We shouldn't be discussing this. Rather we should be discussing how we should be bringing her back because more than us, her little baby is waiting for her."

Naruto glanced up from his sorrow to take a look at the girl who spoke such mature, composed words. Hinata wasn't really a girl who stood out like Sakura in his eyes but in that very moment, he had a strange feeling. He knew he was rather immature but seeing how Hinata behaved really drew him in. She was noble and it was not something Naruto saw often. Even in the worst of the situation, the Hyuuga girl had managed to lead them on to the right direction, maybe even taking control of the situation and protecting his sister's privacy. Last time he had seen Hinata, she had given herself up trying to protect him from Pain. He had admired her courage back then but now he admired everything about her. How could he have never really noticed her presence?

"Gosh, I can't believe I need a seventeen year old child to put me in my place. What's wrong with me?" Tsunade chuckled to herself rubbing her eyes, "You are absolutely correct, Hinata. Thank you. Thank you for bringing me back to my senses. Kakashi!"

Shizune screeched upon seeing the woman get out of the bed and stretch herself casually like she was not in a coma a few minutes ago. The girl was sure she'd lose her mind if she would further be Tsunade's assistant.

"I was about one second away from becoming the sixth Hokage and honestly, I don't think I'm suited for the position. In situations like this, your presence will be a lot more effective than mine," Kakashi sighed visibly tired, "Hinata was right about not discussing Misa's issue as we didn't directly hear it from her. Sasuke just revealed it out of the blue. Sakura and Naruto acutally didn't want to tell it out but I advised them against it as our Hokage knows best. What are your orders? After all we need to save Misa and deal with Sasuke once and for all. We also have the Fourth Ninja War lining up."