Forged Beyond

Hinata and Friends... as INSIDE SPIES?!

"Hinata-sama, are you certain about this?" Neji asked, his brow furrowed with concern, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a hint of unease as he watched her from across the room.

Hinata paused for a moment, her hand still above the paper. She glanced up at him with a determined yet anxious expression, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders. (YES SHE HAS longer hair than usual, about till her chest) "I'm sure, Neji," she said softly, her voice steady despite the tension. "Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke-san should be made aware of this. They need to know what's coming." She dipped her pen into the ink and resumed writing, her focus intense, but the deep furrow in her brow revealed the weight of the decision.

Neji moved closer, his eyes scanning the room nervously. "But we cannot write it normally," he said, his voice low, almost as if the walls themselves might overhear. "If anyone else finds this, we'll be in serious trouble."

Hinata nodded, her grip on the pen tightening slightly as she contemplated his words. "Yes... you're right," she agreed, her voice barely a whisper, laced with worry. "We need to write it in a way that only they can understand." She paused again, her gaze drifting to the paper, her mind racing to figure out how to convey the message without anyone else realizing its true meaning.

She stopped writing altogether, her fingers hovering above the page as her thoughts consumed her.

"What if..."

—

A few days into their training with the Sannin

the three had managed to find a small moment to rest and share a meal together.

"Sakura-chan! I finally learned how to walk on trees... and even walls!" Naruto exclaimed proudly, slurping up the leftover broth from his ramen. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he beamed at her, clearly thrilled with his progress.

"That's amazing, Naruto!" Sakura said, patting his back enthusiastically. Naruto, caught off guard, choked on the last sip of his soup, coughing with laughter as he tried to clear his throat.

Across the table, Tsunade cleared her throat. "Sakura," she called, her tone softer than usual.

"Yes, Shishou?" Sakura turned to her mentor, still smiling, but her expression softened when she saw the seriousness in Tsunade's gaze.

"I have a question," Tsunade began slowly, almost hesitantly, her fingers interlocked in front of her. "It's a bit personal..."

Sakura raised her eyebrows in surprise, but she waved a hand lightly. "Sure, Shishou! Let's hear it—I doubt it's anything too bad."

Tsunade's gaze didn't waver, and with a quiet breath, she finally asked, "Why... did you leave the village, Sakura?"

The question hit like a thunderclap. Naruto immediately sputtered, spitting out the last of his soup in shock, while Sasuke froze, nearly choking on his ramen. Across the table, Sakura stopped chewing, her expression shifting from light-hearted to guarded as she quickly looked down at her bowl, her shoulders stiffening.

"Oh! You don't have to answer if you're uncomfortable," Tsunade quickly added, already regretting the question. She reached a hand out slightly, feeling a pang of guilt for bringing it up.

Sakura took a deep breath, forcing herself to look up. "No... it's fine. I guess it makes sense for my teacher to know," she mumbled, the quiet resignation in her voice apparent.

"Sakura, you don't have to," Sasuke spoke up softly but firmly, his hand resting on her back in silent support. His touch was steady, grounding, and a reminder that she wasn't alone in this. Naruto nodded, his usual grin replaced by a rare, serious expression as he focused on her, silently urging her to take her time.