NaruHina: Rescue

Chapter 1: Strength

"A medical ninja with chakra control and strength, a psychological expert with mind control techniques, and a taijutsu virtuoso with a powerful byakugan," the sixth Hokage, Kakashi Hatake said as he gazed at the three kunoichi standing before him. His elbows were on the table, his fingers steepled, but relaxed.

"I'm sending them my best shinobi."

Sakura felt the pleasure of being addressed thus, but she smiled at him with a glimmer of suspicion in her eyes. "You're laying on the compliments a little too thick there, Hokage-sama."

Ino laughed. "But he's right!" she said in her lilting voice, then she brushed away at the long blond hair that had fallen onto her eyes.

Hinata smiled as well, feeling the Hokage's compliment all the way to her bones. "I agree," she said in her quiet voice as she looked at her team with a wry smile. "But I think he's only saying that because he doesn't want us to refuse his request."

"As if!" Ino laughed gaily again. "Hokages don't request."

"Hmmm?" Sakura said with another gleam of humor in her green eyes. "So you butter us up first and then smack us down with our orders, right? That way we'd be forced to go along with whatever you've got planned."

Kakashi's eyes answered with a twinkle, the only indication that he was smiling behind the mask that perpetually covered the lower half of his face. He raised his hands. "You found me out." Then he laughed.

Just then a knock sounded at the door. "I'm coming in," Shikamaru said as he walked into the office carrying a folder.

Kakashi became serious, but his tone still held a note of pride. "In all honesty, you three really are perfect for this mission."

"Yeah," Shikamaru said without preamble. "Thanks for answering and coming in so quickly. I'm glad you three were in the village at this time. We just got word that there's an emergency in Ishibashi Village. There's been a cave-in and some miners are stranded inside. Your job is to rescue them and see if there are any other survivors. Are you guys prepared to leave now?"

They looked at each and all three nodded.

"Go," Kakashi said with a smile. "And be careful."

"Yes, sir!" they chorused.

They flew, getting to the village in less time than expected, their steps light and easy.

When they got to the village, they saw the carnage and it only took a moment to grasp the entirety of the situation. Dust was flying up from the ground as earth kept slipping from the mountain. Rubble was everywhere. Rocks of all different sizes were strewn along the streets. Men and women were trying to clean up, dragging debris from out of the crevices formed by the mountainside.

The villagers had already organized as much as they could. There was already a small emergency medical station set up. Injured people were sitting or laying down as they were being treated.

"I'll take care of the serious injuries," Sakura yelled as she ran to the tents set up for triage.

"Right!" Hinata yelled, her byakugan already activated and busily scanning for the survivors.

Thankfully, none were buried under rocks. She discovered five people trapped in a mineshaft a few yards away. The survivors were still breathing, no injuries she could see, based on their blood flow. She didn't know if they were conscious, though. They were lying in the cavern, some face up, some down. One of them moved his arm and rubbed at his chest.

"Ino, can you check if they're okay? I don't sense any bleeding. Chakra flow is okay," Hinata said as her byakugan peered through the rocks.

Ino nodded. She activated the Yamanaka clan's jutsu that allowed her to enter many people's minds at the same time, calling out to all the men trapped inside. She sensed only three trying to answer her back. "Listen, we're Konoha shinobi sent to rescue you. I'm coming inside to check on you guys. I'll be a snake and I'm just going to see if you are physically injured and need some immediate help. Don't worry, everything will be okay."