Author's Note: I wasn't planning to, but…
Disclaimer: Naruto is mine. Not.
Avatar: It's not mine of course. Owned by Tsundere-girl.
Dedication: Two people, actually. My most ardent fan, alee26606, and Darth-Taisha.
Beta: . Advisor: DishevelledAngle
Enigma
Chapter I
Genesis
Detective Uchiha Itachi stared at the silvery grey tendrils of smoke that languidly drifted upwards. His onyx eyes flickered red for just a second, before his hand reached for the yellow file that was placed in front of him.
Flippantly, he opened it; his eyes absorbing the information.
At exactly 0134 on Saturday the 23 of May, Hyuuga Hinata, heiress of the prestigious Hyuuga family was found missing from her room. Instead, the only occupant was on her floor... and was a corpse. The corpse was burned to non-recognition, drenched in oil and smelled of petrol. Next to it was a box of matchsticks. No fingerprints left on the matchbox, although there were oily stains. The one identifiable aspect the police was able to discover was the gender.
Female.
Hyuuga Hinata had committed suicide.
And the Hyuuga had left it up to him to find who to blame.
Itachi closed his eyes momentarily before reopening them with a new purpose. His hand reached for his phone, ringing a familiar number. It rang twice, before it was picked up. "What?"
"Sasuke, come. I may need you for this case..."
Uchiha Sasuke had been peacefully slumbering when his mobile rang, waking him up. Grumbling, he answered it, not bothering to see who the caller was. "What?" he snapped, his tone sour.
Itachi requested his help for the new case. Sasuke couldn't help his surprise, agreeing instantly. Itachi rarely ever needed help; and it made him a little happy inside to know that his brother had searched him out, of all people. Forgetting his drowsiness, he got dressed and hurried out the door.
He glided to his car, a sleek red Ferari, and was able to slip through the traffic and arrive at Itachi's office in a matter of minutes. The eldest Uchiha's office was in the eastern wing of their parent's police department. The only police department in Konoha. Sasuke ignored the pride that bloomed in his chest at the thought.
Itachi even had his own, private office. At this point, like always, Sasuke experienced an all to familiar surge of irrational jealousy.
What Itachi wanted, Itachi got.
Sasuke himself was made to work in a shared office with three others: Karin, Suigetsu and Jugo. And yet, Itachi got… was trusted enough to work by himself.
Lost in thought, Sasuke's legs took him through the length of the courtyard, making his way through the corridors. Acutely turning to the left, he was faced with a door; a door with a golden plaque that read 'Uchiha Itachi'. Not bothering to knock, Sasuke entered, and was welcomed by the sight of a tranquil looking Itachi.
He looked up and gestured for Sasuke to sit on the leather chair opposite him. Sasuke complied; his onyx eyes burning intense holes into Itachi's own. Wasting no time, Sasuke began talking. It sounded more like an interrogation than a conversation, but that was deftly ignored by both brothers. "What's the case?"
Itachi threw him a bright yellow plastic folder before his eyes trailed to a point somewhere behind Sasuke's shoulders. Sasuke disregarded Itachi as he turned his attention to the file and its contents.
"Hyuuga Hinata. A dead end suicide case." Sasuke muttered aloud, before reading further and doing a double take. "What? Her family has hired private investigators to place the blame on someone? For a suicide case?" Itachi nodded sharply, before turning his eyes towards Sasuke.
"Do you know who the Hyuuga are?" He asked Sasuke drily, his voice deep and monotonous. Sasuke crossed his eyes in concentration, trying to place the name. Hyuuga… Hyuuga… Hyuuga… it didn't ring any bells. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Sasuke surrendered his pride.
"I don't."
"They are the richest family of Konoha. Own most of the business, one of the main founders." Itachi patiently explained, dousing Sasuke in shame. How could he not know such basic information? Was he that oblivious? "Hyuuga Hinata is the heiress, the one that was expected to take over after the current leader dies."
"Leader?" At this point, Sasuke resisted rolling his eyes. "We are in the twenty first century, Itachi." Itachi was not amused. It seemed like Sasuke did not understand the severity of the situation.
"Leader of the Hyuuga Inc. and MP." Before Sasuke could voice his query, Itachi continued. "As founders, they made a legal deal that every leader of the Hyuuga received an automatic spot as an MP. They have more influence than you can possibly imagine, Sasuke. They are level with the Uchiha; some argue that they are even more powerful than the Uchiha." Seeing that Sasuke still did not understand the severity of the conversation, Itachi continued. "Imagine if it was I who committed suicide, Sasuke."
Sasuke's eyes widened. If that happened, chaos would strike across the whole clan... no... across the whole country. The Uchiha heir committing suicide? So many investigations would be made... Sasuke had to restrain from shuddering.
Satisfied that Sasuke now comprehended, Itachi fell silent once more. After a pause, Sasuke asked, "What do you want me to do about it? Evidently you know what you're talking about and I don't." Sasuke swallowed the bitterness that had welled up in his chest. "Why am I here?"
"I…" Itachi actually felt uncomfortable. Sasuke gave him a single disbelieving look that prompted him to carry on. "I lack the empathy of knowing how the victim would have felt. That is where you come in, Sasuke."
Sasuke raised an incredulous eyebrow and said nothing. "You are to tell me exactly what she had been feeling at any given time so I can reach a logical conclusion."
"So you basically want me to act like some kind of psychologist?" Itachi was inwardly amused at Sasuke's choice of language, but he kept his face straight.
"Basically." Sasuke snorted. His raven hair had gotten in his face, so with one pale had, he irritably pushed it away.
"Brother, for a genius you sure do lack social skills." Itachi did not contradict his statement, letting his silence confirm it. It was Sasuke's turn to be amused; he felt somewhat better than he had in a long time, now knowing what Itachi's real weakness was. "When do we start?"
"As soon as possible." Itachi replied, unconcerned.
"And when is that?" Sasuke questioned, his eyebrow twitching in irritation. Like always, Itachi had vague answers.
"Tomorrow."
The glossy black Porsche entered the driveway of a large, looming mansion. It stood, its enormity intimidating all that approached. Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke exited the car, their polished dark shoes clacking against the abnormally clean grey pavement.
Drops of rain started to fall towards the earth. In a bout of morbidity, Sasuke couldn't help but think that it created a fitting mood; the perfect setting for a suicide. While his own face was lined with unease, Itachi seemed perfectly calm and comfortable. Often times, Sasuke didn't know how he did it.
As Sasuke thought, the dark oak doors had managed to sneak up on him; almost making him jump as he turned his obsidian eyes forward, away from Itachi. "Concentrate, little brother." Itachi commented indifferently, watching Sasuke stiffen from the corner of his vision. "We have work to do."
Struggling to hold his anger at bay, Sasuke ignored Itachi's pearls of 'wisdom'. Instead, his hand reached for the doorbell, however, there wasn't any. In its place stood an archaic door knocker. It was in the image of a fearsome lion, its polished gold surfaces reflecting the level of maintenance that the Hyuuga were bound to upkeep.
With forced confidence, Sasuke knocked on the door, making more of a racket than strictly necessary. He and his brother stood in silence for a while before the door opened with an ominous creak. Light shone through the entrance, illuminating the single maid that was opposite them.
"Can I help you?" She asked politely. Her eyes flickered nervously between the two brothers, almost as if she thought that they were intruders. They were, but that was beside the point.
Sasuke's eyes were transfixed on the young maid. She had long, dark chocolate hair matched with pale skin and donned a maid outfit. But what baffled him the most were her pale white, pupil-less eyes. Weren't they a distinct feature of the Hyuuga? If so, then why did a normal, lowly maid carry these noble features? Were they not so rare after all?
"We are the private investigators that were hired for a case based here, Ms. Hyuuga." Itachi answered, his eyes baring no surprise. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, trying to put the facts together. She was evidently a maid, she had Hyuuga eyes, and his brother had just addressed her as 'Ms. Hyuuga'.
"Oh! Come in, come in." And she had just replied. She was a Hyuuga, yet she was a maid. Sasuke shot a baffled look Itachi, who responded by nodding and averting his eyes. A code between them that meant that Itachi would tell him later.
The duo walked in, neither bothering to take off their shoes. Somehow, Sasuke couldn't help but think it as a waste as their dripping feet glided over the pristine hard wood floors. The whole interior was a shiny white; a white that sparkled, a white that blinded. Sasuke disliked it, preferring the comfortable dark tones of his own home.
Just as the maid explained something about leading them to an office, Itachi abruptly interrupted. "We would prefer to see Hyuuga Hinata's room first, if possible." The maid seemed suspiciously hesitant as she agreed.
"Are you sure you would not like to see Lord Hyuuga Hiashi first?" Itachi shook his head, ending the conversation. The maid seemed slightly uneasy as she led them through a torrent of twisting corridors and spotless white walls. She led them to the end of the left wing, right to the end of the long hallway. Opening the door, she gestured to the room, and refrained from leaving.
Itachi raised a single, calculated eyebrow at her. "You may leave us now," he coolly dismissed her, making her twitch with worry.
"But-" she protested, but Sasuke finally stepped in. He wasn't having any of it.
"Look, maid, we are part of the police force. I can have you arrested for trying to interfere with an investigation." Sasuke boasted, his eyes hard. The maid, looking nothing short of terrified, immediately left. When the maid was no longer in their line of sight, Itachi turned to his brother, his eyes slightly reprimanding.
"There was no need for such uncouth behaviour, Sasuke." His velvety voice scolded, causing his brother to scowl darkly. Before Sasuke had the chance to retort, Itachi had already turned to the 'crime' scene.
The room was large, but not as large as one would expect with a mansion of such a size. It was painted a light lavender, different from the rest of the building. Even though he was on duty, Itachi couldn't help but relax at the serene aura the room gave off. It wasn't supposed to be so peaceful, not when someone had committed suicide within these walls.
And the peace that he had first felt quickly disintegrated when he noticed the patch of dark wood on the floor, supposedly where they had found the body. Of course, the body had been stored at a morgue; but the residents of the mansion had been ordered to leave the scene undisturbed, at least until the private investigators had come to analyse any and all evidence left.
While Sasuke swooped in to find anything that the victim (or, more correctly said, Hyuuga Hinata) had left behind, Itachi started taking notes on the room, trying to discern her personality. So far, he had found the room to be neat and orderly, which testified to her being an organized person. Or, to clarify, she had been an organized person.
He went to open the closet, expecting to find an overloaded and cluttered space, filled with various types of clothes and shoes. To his surprise, the closet was as organized as it could be. There were only three types of shoes: a pair of trainers, one pair of normal boots, and flip flops. The clothes themselves looked comfortable, and not at all expensive.
That left Itachi feeling absolutely bewildered. How could this Hyuuga Hinata possibly be female? "Sasuke, come. Make sure I am not hallucinating."
Sasuke, with an unyielding desire to quench his curiosity, abandoned the desk that he had been analysing (for suicidal notes) and walked over to where Itachi was standing. He took a curious peek at the closet that Itachi was talking about, and drew back with wonder. "I don't think you're hallucinating, brother. Unless we are both hallucinating. Are you sure this is a woman's closet?"
In their lives, all the wealthy women that they had come across had been ardent shopping fanatics. Even their mother fit in with the stereotype that connected rich women with shopping. It was a given, wasn't it? Even all the cases that involved those two things... So yes, it had come as quite the shock to find out that not all wealthy women in the world were interested in such trivial things.
"Yes." Itachi answered stoically before Sasuke turned back to examine the soft wood amber-coloured desk.
Sasuke rummaged through the variety of different coloured notes, not finding anything of particular interest. Hyuuga Hinata seemed normal... and very, very orderly. Her entire desk was like a calender, and it held the times to the events that dictated her life. "Sasuke. Notes." Itachi called out, causing Sasuke to grimace.
He slowly took out his notepad out of his pocket and flipped to a new, clean page. It was custom for every investigator to take notes while... well, investigating. It was a tedious process that Sasuke disliked, but what made it the most degrading was the underlying concept: It was always the lesser detective that took notes. The only time that Sasuke had ever had to take notes was when he was with Itachi.
Because he was only second to Itachi.
What made it even more frustrating, however, was the fact that normally, Itachi didn't take notes at all. Those little sentences usually in a bullet point format were useless to one with a photographic memory; and it was also highly irritating (to Sasuke) to know that he was lesser than Itachi even in that respect.
Deciding that dwelling on his brother's superiority would get him no where, Sasuke thought back to the maid that brought them to this room. "Itachi, isn't it time for you to explain why the maid was a Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked, contented with the certainty that no one was eavesdropping.
"She was. The Hyuuga are separated into two pronounced categories." The elder Uchiha started with a sigh. Sasuke's confusion was clear by the way he raised his eyebrow.
"And why is that?" The younger Uchiha demanded, his obsidian eyes starting to cloud over as he arduously assessed the situation.
"The Hyuuga are paranoid, Sasuke. Now, if you would please let me finish..." Itachi trailed off, making Sasuke feel the sting even though the language used was the epitome of manners.
"Yes," a cough. "Go on."
"For there to be absolute success, the Hyuuga needed a way of creating a loyal staff. For there to be no separation and dwindling of power, the Hyuuga also needed a clear leader. Well, to combine that into one aspect, the Hyuuga decided to use their own kinsmen as a stepping stone to fame and success." Everything, to Sasuke, suddenly became very clear. He no longer needed Itachi to explain.
"Freaky," he muttered under his breath, his eyes glancing down to the notes that he was taking.
"Yes, freaky." Itachi repeated, but there was a teasing and slightly serious glint in his eye. "Freaky research that you should have done yourself." Sasuke's head was bowed in shame: he couldn't deny Itachi's words being true.
Silence then reigned over the room, except for the occasional sounding of pen on paper. That was when Sasuke decided to refocus his attention on the case, knowing that he had learned enough of the Hyuuga customs to last him a lifetime.
A thought suddenly struck him. "Itachi, if she has killed herself through fire, shouldn't the floors have long since burned away by now?" In his opinion, that was a brilliant question to ask. However, Itachi regarded him with a slight amusement.
He bent down to the hard wood floors, his hand rapping softly against the wood. "What is this, Sasuke?" Itachi enquired, his eyes intense against Sasuke's own. Sasuke gave him a look of blatant disbelief, a little worried about his mental stability.
"Wood," he answered, more for Itachi's sake than his own.
"Ah. But what type of wood?" Sasuke turned to stare at the wooden floor. It was a dark brown, with various light brown streaks decorating its smooth surface. All in all, it was very regular looking. He didn't understand what the big deal was.
"Oak?" It came out as a half-hazardous guess. Itachi stood up, straightening himself. Sasuke hated the slight look of disappointment that could be found in Itachi's onyx eyes.
"Versapanel oak. It's a fire proof surface that only the richest can afford. I hope this answers your question, Sasuke." Sasuke felt the tips of his ears burning in embarrassment, turning away to avoid Itachi. It wasn't fair that Itachi humiliated him like that... and Sasuke had never once been able to get back at him.
Sasuke started diligently writing his notes, not paying any more attention to his better older brother. Instead, he focused on all the information that they were able to gather about the mysterious Hyuuga Hinata.
The professor voiced his dismissal, and the class had inevitably ended. Business university students stood up, along with one mildly annoyed Hyuuga Neji.
He had been in an incredibly foul mood ever since he had started University. But he had a reason for being so, even though said reason wasn't one that he could ever bring himself to share.
The university was one of the best universities in the country; and it was certainly the best university for business students like him. In fact, he was sure to have many work prospects after he had graduated, especially since he had the best grades in the year.
A small smirk made its way to his normally stony features; she would surely be proud of his vast achievements. And she would be happy when he had enough money to support her for whatever she might have ever needed or wanted.
The rest of the day passed in a boring tandem: it was boring whenever she wasn't there with him. He was used to it, but the fact didn't make him any less irritated. By the end of the day, he would wish that just that boring tandem had continued.
When he arrived to his luxurious (as suited for a member of the Hyuuga family) apartment, a phone started ringing. His eyebrow twitching, he crept to answer it. Seeing the caller, however, his eyebrows smoothed and his features went stony and emotionless. It was his uncle; what on earth would he want?
"Yes? This is Hyuuga Neji speaking." Neji voiced dryly, his tone neutral. He waited patiently for the reply, not really wanting to hear it in the first place.
"Neji," Hiashi's voice was as sharp and icy as ever. "I have some interesting news for you." Neji did not respond, knowing that his uncle would continue. Although it did somewhat annoy him that Hiashi could allow himself to be so rude while making all of the others around him address him politely.
"Hyuuga Hinata is dead." Hiashi murmured in a nonchalant tone, one that had a somewhat gleeful tinge. Neji's face paled, and he felt his hand starting to shake.
This was impossible. This had to be impossible. Implausible. Unthinkable. There was absolutely no way that Hyuuga Hinata is dead. If she was dead... who would he live for? How could he live? What was the point of living? Finally, through a blurred vision, Neji replied to the brutal statement. "Who... who killed her?"
"She committed suicide." Hiashi mentioned, uncaring, unfeeling. It was like he was talking about a stranger... a stranger... and not his own daughter. Not Neji's Hinata. And Neji felt numb, like the truth had yet to really sink in.
"Oh." He replied, dumbfounded... cold. Disbelieving. It still... it still hadn't sunk in. There was no way that his Hinata had committed suicide. How could she be dead? He would surely feel her death, wouldn't he?
"Yes, oh. Hanabi is now the heiress." To think that the damn bastard had the impertinence of sounding smug. Of course he would, now since the Hyuuga's weakness had willingly disappeared. Neji felt a small sneer curl around the edges of his lips and was only glad that his uncle could not see him now.
Neji didn't think he could control his reply, so he chose not to answer at all. He attempted to end this haunting conversation before he grew any angrier at his inhumane uncle. "I have homework to do, Uncle." Came his monochromatic and dull tone, in an almost practised unison. Hiashi responsed with an understanding grunt (if grunts could be understanding), and Neji left him to disconnect the call.
God forbid if his nephew shut the phone on him.
He stood still, frozen in place, still unable to comprehend the information that had been given to him mere seconds ago.
Supposedly, Hinata was dead, committing suicide. Neji closed his eyes in remembrance: immediately, the image of a petite girl with doe-like opalescent eyes and long, silky indigo hair sprung up. Her charming white smile that had soothed him on the worst of his days.
Her delicious pain-filled screams.
No, he couldn't believe that such a creature could be dead. And if she was, someone had killed her... and Neji would not rest until he had found her murder.
That was, of course, if Neji could actually confirm her death. Surely she hadn't died... surely... he unfroze, intent on calling the Hyuuga household and learning where Hinata's 'body' was located. That way, he could affirm Hiashi's words as what they truly were: lies.
Or so he thought, succeeding in calming himself down.
The newly grown fern was soft against her feet as she strolled through the magnificently large Hyuuga gardens. The sky was a bright blue; there were hardly any clouds to block the view of the gloriously golden sun.
Hinata should have been here. She should have been enjoying this fine, spring day. Hanabi had no idea what her season had been, but she did seem like a spring sort of person, especially the times that Hanabi had glanced at her while she had been furiously gardening.
It should have been her, not Hinata.
Hanabi quickly shook her head, dismissing the strange and slightly melancholy thoughts. It was wholly queer to think like this: wasn't it just the day before yesterday when she hadn't given her weak sister a stray second thought? It was. So what was she doing now, regretting matters that were out of her own hands?
Amusedly, Hanabi shook her head. What's done had been done - it was Hinata's choice to do what she had. Looking at it logically, it was better for it to have been Hinata rather than Hanabi; as it would be the younger sister who would be vital to the clan as they grew older.
Theoretically, Hinata was unneeded; a freeloader. One who spent money when she earned none. Hadn't Hanabi already learned to express utter stoniness in matters regarding her late incompetent sister?
But Hinata had been her older sister…
Hanabi sighed, returning her pale eyes on the fathomless blue sky above her. She really was in a strange mood today. No matter, she had no time to think about this now; the 'mood' would soon pass. Father had already sent detectives to investigate the case; there was absolutely no point to think about this now. Or at any time, really.
"Has the body been confirmed? Did Hyuuga Hinata really commit suicide? Or is it a faux body? It wouldn't have been the first time it happened." Sasuke commented listlessly as he stared at the notes in his hands.
After inspecting the late Hyuuga's room, both him and Itachi had returned to the office, an attempt to avoid the Hyuuga's father. It had worked, and the Hyuuga leader had been too busy doing paperwork in his office to chase after them.
And so here they were, trying to analyse the information they had noted. There was, however, a seedling of nagging doubt in the back of Sasuke's complex mind...
Itachi stared at him, raising an eyebrow. "For once, you have asked a considerably relative question, Sasuke. It is good to be able to exceed my expectations." Sasuke felt a small glow of pride at his brother's praise before he arduously realised that it was actually an insult; henceforth his pride dissolved into anger. Before Sasuke could hotly contradict, Itachi had continued in his toneless drone. "Yes. I am just looking at the location of the morgue before we pay it, and Hyuuga Hinata's supposed body a visit."
The younger Uchiha brother kept his silence as the elder started searching through the documents within the ghastly yellow file. Finally, he stopped at a single sheet that gave off a red iridescent glow. Itachi's eyes moved through the information on the page, before snapping the whole file shut.
"It's at the A.N.B.U. Headquarters." ANBU stood for All National Biologic Uses. It was mainly used as a morgue, but also as a place where cures where made, and was a well known haven for scientists. All of the most important bodies where stored there - and so, of course it made sense that the Hyuuga heiress (a person of such high status) would be stowed there.
The brothers stood up in silent unison, on their way of heading over to the parked Porsche in the driveway of the building. Quietly, the Uchiha fan that stood pasted to the large building twinkled in farewell.
Riding towards the morgue, Sasuke could clearly discern the morbid and slightly depressing mood. It was to be expected, but it still put the younger Uchiha in a blatant unease.
Instead, he focused his mind on their newly found mystery: Hyuuga Hinata.
From what he could tell, she had been a quiet and simple woman; one who hid and thrived in the shadows. She hadn't wanted much, that much was obvious just by observing her few possessions. The Hyuuga had been... unique. Strangely unique. An unusual pang bloomed in his chest. It was a shame she had died.
The slow buzzing of the car eased as the engine turned off. Itachi slipped the keys out of their hold, and the Uchiha brothers exited the expensive car, making their way towards the large and adequately oppressive building.
The ANBU structure was a dark grey and was obstructed by large jagged gates with a very high security. There were four gates located around the site; each had their separate 'guardians', that made sure that no one trespassed.
ANBU reeked of politics. Since many scientists had laboratories there, it was a blaring siren regarding the other enemy countries. It had secret documents that provided information on health, life, cures, and maybe even the poisons that the spies were developing. That was why it had to be guarded during all hours of the day.
Approaching the gates, Itachi rummaged through his pockets, and found the card he was looking for. Sasuke, however, found that there was no need for that. His rude voice echoed in the surrounding silence, causing the head of the guardian to turn towards him. "Oi! Kakashi!"
Hatake Kakashi was the guardian of the North gate (of course, there were shifts). Even with the dark mask covering his face, Sasuke could always recognise the spiky grey hair that stood up, rebelliously defying gravity. The masked guardian turned towards the younger Uchiha, raising his one visible eyebrow in question.
"Sasuke...?" His single emotionless eye flickered towards Itachi and cleared up in understanding. Itachi curtly nodded, politely handing Kakashi his card. Kakashi's eyes barely skimmed over it before he assertively opened the gate, letting them pass. Sasuke struggled to hide his annoyance at Kakashi's purposeful ignorance.
Without another word, both the Uchiha brothers stepped through the large, jagged gates and onto the plastic green grass of the ANBU garden. There were people all around them, walking in elaborate white coats, and still... the space was deathly silent.
Everyone turned around to look at the Uchiha, the only ones that were dressed in black. They ignored the stares that penetrated their backs, instead focusing on getting through the seemingly endless ANBU path and into the main building.
Itachi then managed to come across the familiar, large gate-like door and pressed the buzzer, waiting to be accepted into the building. Sasuke stood behind him, his obsidian eyes carefully observing and recording everything. Unlike Itachi, Sasuke rarely got into ANBU, his cases often being of lesser calibre.
He only knew the man because Kakashi had been his mentor during training when he had been younger. Oh, those had been the happy, oblivious days... shaking away his bitter thoughts, he followed Itachi, who had already entered the depressingly grey structure.
Itachi, on the other hand, was completely focused on the woman in front of him. She was in her late forties (early fifties?), with long blonde hair that she kept in pigtails that matched her caramel coloured eyes. Even though her face was now worn, one could immediately tell that she had once been the epitome of beauty - even without cosmetics.
She led them through the many winding corridors of ANBU, the white of her cloak fluttering behind her. Finally, they arrived at a large, silver-stained metal door - one that only opened when the woman (or any of the other staff, Sasuke guessed) pressed her hand against it.
Clack. And so, the library of horror was unveiled for the Uchiha brothers to see.
Library of horror was a suitable name: for alas, it consisted of shelves upon shelves of dead bodies, put into sleek black boxes. Sasuke struggled to keep up a nonchalant demeanour while the elder unemotionally stared ahead. Tsunade gauged their reactions, seeming slightly dissatisfied at their apparent calm.
"Which is Hyuuga Hinata's corpse?" It was Itachi who finally broke the tense silence that had surrounded the threesome. Tsunade immediately approached a nearby box, pressing her fingertips against the glossy surface. It opened and with a wisp of steam, a body covered in plastic was dragged out.
Sasuke could feel his face turning green. It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience. In juxtaposition, Itachi seemed thrilled to look at such a well-preserved specimen.
A snap eerily echoed around the room. Tsunade had just put on her white rubber gloves and unzipped the bag. Out of nowhere, an array of instruments materialized; she reached for the pincer like tool, and with it, took a bit of flesh (and was that... hair?) from where the head of the burnt body was supposed to be.
"This," she held it up, and Sasuke felt dizzy. "This is what confirms the DNA. This is indeed, Hyuuga Hinata's corpse. ANBU have confirmed. Let there be no doubt in your mind: Hyuuga Hinata is dead. Completely and utterly dead."
A pair of tired eyes opened slowly, blinking in light of the bright red dawn. A yawn graced her lips as she rolled her shoulders back, in preparation for the usual morning jog. Tenten's eyes admired the fresh greenery that greeted her eyes once she had managed to get out through the door.
It was a beautiful morning day: the sun was shining, the blue jays were chirping in harmony, and the crisp air awoke Tenten further, making her nice and energetic for the forthcoming day. It was a beautiful morning day… and still… Tenten could not shake off the lingering sense of unease that had been following her through the weekend.
Not only was she feeling strangely apprehensive, but she could also feel a striking guilt taking core in her heart. But why? She hadn't done anything in particular that could lead to such a furious array of emotions… unless?
Tenten's chocolate brown locks shook in the wind as she easily dismissed the feeling. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. Right here, right now, the only thing that mattered was her fluid movement that blended in with the serenity of her surroundings.
Unknowingly, her steady jog descended into a rapid run. Step. Hinata's face flashed through her mind. Step. Along with Neji and his beautiful ice cold eyes. Step. Lee's beaming face that only served to add to her impending guilt. Each light step she took made her ears pound until she was panting, quite out of breath. Her footfalls came to a stop, and she wound back in front of her own home.
With a blank mind she entered her home, keen on getting ready for school. School… where she would have to face Hinata.
Tenten wasn't sure why she worried so much about this now of all times; it wasn't like it was anything new. It's been a long time since she and Hinata had been close… Truthfully, since Tenten had austerely severed their ties. A memory of Hinata's forlorn expression came into mind, and Tenten shrugged it away mercilessly.
Every morning, Tenten walked to school by herself. It was a given, especially when she lived on her own and was granted allowance every month by her one and only father.
The large building that pertained Konoha High School loomed closer towards the edge of her vision. Students of all sizes and shapes had already started arriving; it was easy remarkably easy how Tenten blended in with the fray. Her chocolate eyes caught sight of Ino, the friend she had made by shared interests.
Ignoring the intensifying feeling in her gut, she walked over towards the blonde cheerleader with a spring in her step. "Hey, Ino!"
Yamanaka Ino stared at the register, a plastic smile hiding her curiosity and growing discomfort. Her pale blue eyes searched out the familiar name: Hyuuga Hinata. The three boxes at the far end of her name remained unchecked - blank - marking the three days that she had been absent without reason. It was highly unusual, since Ino had never known Hinata to have ever missed a day… no matter what. Rumours dictated that if she did, she was punished by her father.
A thin blonde eyebrow twitched, and she reigned in the rising trepidation. Who cared about Hyuuga Hinata anyway? She was a nobody in this school. A nobody that Ino didn't give a damn about.
Although she would surely feel slightly troubled if her victim was to suddenly disappear.
Finally, she moved her eyes away from those three blank boxes, instead turning them to admire the bright blue sky outside, almost the same colour as her eyes. There was no need to worry; Hinata was probably ill with a flu or something. Her eyes darted towards Tenten, who seemed as normal as ever. Yes… no need to worry at all.
If not, her victim would have her to deal with… A small giggle escaped her lips, causing a few boys to turn and gaze at her. Ino only winked.
Guilt haunted him, churned in his depthless sea-blue eyes. Guilt consumed him, eating him inside-out. Guilty… the guilt of a shameful man.
A man that went by the name of Uzumaki Naruto.
Once upon a time, before this had all started, before he had given into his desires, before he had even met her - them, he had been a man wearing a smile. One that couldn't be erased no matter what - no matter his past, no matter his agony. A smile had always been on his face… always. Or so he had thought.
In the darkness of his room, he was sat on his disgustingly bright orange bed, a picture frame in hand. The picture was that of a woman… A tear slipped down his cheek and splattered onto the clear, glass surface, covering her paper face.
Sasuke's large head rested against his arm that was propped up on the office desk. "Back onto square one," he declared, and the signs of distress were professionally hidden.
"Not quite." Itachi reminded coolly, the palm of his hand grasping the coffee that was situated on the table. "We still cannot confirm it being a suicide."
The younger brother didn't jolt; although he desperately wanted to. "I know that. I've already thought of it. But we cannot concretely confirm it being a homicide, either." Itachi nodded, but then his eyes brightened, as if a bulb had flickered to life.
"Do we still possess the box of matchsticks?" Itachi interrogated, his pupils slitted.
"That we do, dear brother." There was an edge of sarcasm prevailing in Sasuke's voice. "But why on earth would we need the matchsticks...?"
Itachi gave him a look, as if insulting his intelligence. "To examine if the petrol chemical quotient is the same on the matchstick box as the body." It was said in a matter-of-fact tone that highly irritated the youngest. Itachi was already on his feet, heading towards the door. "The police and staff should have already tested the substances." He muttered to himself, even though it was quite obvious that it was more towards Sasuke's benefit than his own.
They were walking in a steady pace down the hallway. Numerous people passed by, but Sasuke ignored them, still unclear about one thing. "Brother, I still do not understand. So what if the petrol is the same?"
"Do you really think that the criminal, if it were to be a homicide would use matchsticks, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, his steps increasing in their pace. "Well, they wouldn't. It is too time consuming, and it is much more efficient to use a lighter. If it truly was a cold-blooded murderer, I applaud them."
Sasuke gave him a strange look. Even though Sasuke was an expert in this area, Itachi still made him feel as though he was a newly born baby, clumsy and useless. "Is it because the Hyuuga family is prestigious, and therefore are non-smokers? They wouldn't have any need for lighters. Matchsticks seem more elegant."
"Precisely. And the petrol should have been exposed to the smog from the fire." Sasuke was starting to develop an understanding for what Itachi was talking about. "And if it isn't, well, it's an obvious set up, no?"
"Hn. You said there was smog, right? If so, shouldn't the Hyuuga have spotted it earlier?" Itachi shook his head, but felt slightly proud at Sasuke's natural inquisitiveness.
"The same reason as the Versapanel oak. The Hyuuga would also have protected walls and windows."
"And then what about the fire alarm?" That was when Itachi stopped in his tracks briefly, before continuing on with his trek. People looked at them strangely, but they were dexterously disregarded.
"That's a good question." Itachi mumbled slowly, his brows furrowing. "The fire alarm must have been disabled. It still should be. If it wasn't, then there must not have been a fire alarm in her room to begin with. And for that, we'd need to examine the relationship between the father and daughter."
Finally, they reached the room with the records. The guard stationed outside the room nodded at them, easily recognising the infamous Uchiha Itachi. The door swung open, beckoning them in. The brothers stepped over the threshold, and were welcomed to the world within.
Not that it was a particular sight to see. Large shelves lined up until high in the ceiling, holding files upon files upon files. Most of them were that disgruntling yellow colour, although there was an occasional orange peeking out from beneath the canopy. Sasuke knew from experience that the files were dated by time; meaning that the files that they were looking for were in the recent archives.
Itachi expertly searched through the S-ranked cases, easily finding what he was looking for. It would have taken Sasuke longer to find his way around the room (despite the fact that he had been here myriads of times before); yet again, he found himself suppressing a surge of jealousy.
But there was no time for that. In two seconds flat, they were both seated on one of the spare tables surrounded by the shelves. Truthfully, Sasuke felt quite claustrophobic. If one of those shelves fell, it would create an unwanted domino effect, and... he preferred not to think about it, instead focusing on the task at hand.
Itachi had already analysed the documents, having the necessary ones neatly separated from the rest. Finally, his voice rang in the stifled air. "Well," he mused, already beginning to put the documents away, "this confirms nothing. The petrol contains roundabout the same levels of carbon dioxide, rust, and other gases."
It was quiet, before Sasuke voiced his thoughts. "On a different note, what about the fire alarm theory? Shouldn't there be a way to check who disabled it, if it was disabled at all?"
Itachi lost himself in thought, before nodding approvingly at Sasuke. "Ah. That is true. If the Hyuuga area as cautious as they seem to be, they would only allow certain members to touch such things. And there should also have been cameras in the vicinity."
The younger brother stared at the elder. "Well, if so, we have our next destination."
"Let us hope that the Hyuuga mansion will be a bit more welcoming this time."
The mansion seemed just as cold and unwelcoming as the last time they had been. As they approached, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder how so many people lived in a place where it seemed that none ventured at all.
Itachi, on the other hand, was completely at ease and very focused on his goal. In his hands, he carried the map of the building which he studied beforehand in the car.
Once again, Sasuke had a staring contest with the fearsome door knocker. Reluctantly, he reached for it and knocked. The sound resounded in the mute surrounding, attracting the attention of footsteps behind the door. Finally, it swung open, a large gate beckoning them in.
This time, Itachi noted, it was a different maid. She seemed just as timid as the first, hesitant to let them in even as they revealed their identity. Like always, impatience prevailed within Sasuke. "So, are you going to let us in, or what?"
The maid would have squeaked if she hadn't been trained to show no expression. She opened the door wider, inviting them in. "No, sire. You are more than welcome into the Hyuuga household." They must have gotten pretty famous around here, Itachi noted offhandedly.
They followed her into the mansion, confidence lathered in their steps. Already having been there once, both brothers had memorized the terrain. "Towards the ex-heiress's room." Itachi answered her silent question. The maid jumped slightly, wondering how he had managed to read her mind.
But that was when something struck her odd."Sir, are you s-sure you don't want to meet with Mr. Hyuuga?" Sasuke shook his head in his brother's place, getting irritated at their blatant ignoring.
Itachi acquiesced. "That shall come. Later. We have all legal rights to choose when exactly we want to meet Mr. Hyuuga."
The maid, now completely terrified, came to a stop before the needed room. She quickly dismissed herself, not wanting to stay another minute in the brother's presence. While they were handsome, they were frightening... like gods above her, and she knew she had absolutely no chance with them. She didn't have the confidence to try, anyway.
Meanwhile, both Sasuke and Itachi had taken to staring at the door. It was the younger that broke the ice; with a hand on the handle, he confidently opened the door. Itachi followed him in, unflinchingly crossing the threshold. "Fire alarms are located on the ceiling, correct?" Sasuke inquired, his eyes darting around the familiar room.
"Correct." Itachi's confirmation came as a relief to the rather tense Sasuke. They were, after all, going through his idea. There was no room for errors.
Quickly scanning for any bugs or devices that could be hidden in the room, Sasuke finally decided to share a thought that had been disturbing him for quite some time (both him and Itachi deeming the room safe). Even though it would probably seem like an amateurish idea to the professional Itachi. "Brother... this case was given to us as a suicide case. They obviously have no concrete evidence of it being one. So why did they automatically assume that it was suicide when it could have easily been homicide or something of that sort?"
Itachi shook his head, a light smile taking place on his face. "Sasuke... my dear little brother," the one being addressed ignored the jab being thrown his way. "You keep on forgetting what, and who exactly the Hyuuga are."
"Would you care to enlighten me then, my dear older brother?" Sasuke sneered back, his eyebrow twitching. He knew that he should keep it cool like Itachi did... he knew that... but! Itachi knew exactly how to get under his skin.
"One of the most powerful families in the country, considered parallel with the Uchiha. And would you think that a family like that would think that there could be anyone that was able to sneak past them and kill their heiress, of all things?" Silently, Sasuke shook his head. It frustrated him. Now that Itachi said it, it all seemed so bloody simple!
Of course. A family like that would take many security measures that they would consider insurmountable. So if their heiress turned out to be dead, the only logical explanation would be self harm, wouldn't it? Suicide. And that was how it became a suicide case.
"Arrogant bastards, aren't they?" The younger Uchiha scowled, his eyes travelling to the ceiling. It was a pity that this room was so cursed; it seemed so peaceful, as well...
"Be careful, Sasuke. You wouldn't want them to hear you." Sasuke flickered his eyes over to Itachi and was pleasantly surprised to see a ghost of a smile resting on his lips. That probably meant that his older brother agreed with him.
But that quickly disappeared. "At any rate, we better get to business. There happens to be a fire alarm in this room." Obsidian eyes rose to the ceiling, verifying what his older brother said. In fact, in the serenity of the elegant room there stood a fire alarm completely visible in the corner.
"All of them are disabled." Itachi muttered under his breath, starting to head towards the exit of the room, even as he cast a look of longing behind him. Even though it was just a regular room it made him feel a peace that he had never felt in his own room.
"They are?" Sasuke asked in surprise, wondering how the hell Itachi knew that.
"There was a fire alarm in the corridor on our way here." Itachi informed, as if that explained everything when in reality it explained nothing. But Sasuke was able to depict what Itachi meant, anyway: he, ever the professional, was probably able to tell whether something was disabled or not at first glance. And he, ever the observant, spotted something that Sasuke had not. Being with Itachi really lowered his self-esteem, Sasuke thought bitterly.
"Was there? I didn't notice." He said sardonically, his face being a forcibly blank slate. "How the hell are we supposed to call the maid?" Itachi, being completely non-reactive to Sasuke's first comment, turned to face him slightly for the second one.
"This being the heiress's room, there must be some means of communication between her and the servants. One must look before one asks, Sasuke." Sasuke's took a deep breath, trying to shake off the humiliation that Itachi made him go through. That was when Itachi gestured to something at the foot of the large, comfortable-looking bed.
It was a bell. Of course. Sasuke walked up to it, purposely ignoring Itachi, and rang it easily. "Well, sorry for not being as perfect as you are, Itachi." There was a sour tone layered in Sasuke's voice. That was when Itachi walked up to him, facing him eye to eye.
Sasuke's eyes widened. What would Itachi do? He couldn't possibly hit him- he hadn't done anything wrong! Itachi's hand moved slowly towards Sasuke's face, and-
Poke. Right between the eyes.
The younger nose's twitched, and his hand went over to rub the area. "If you're feeling jealous, Sasuke, then be better than me. No use sulking about it, especially while we're working."
Just as Sasuke was going to voice a biting retort, the door to the room opened, yet another maid coming into view of the brothers. "You called?"
This one seemed to be more stoic than the previous ones. Itachi decided to take over the flow of the conversation, lest Sasuke did something stupid to aggravate her. Besides, it was a great time to take advantage of a good opportunity. "Yes. We would like to ask you some questions."
"I'm sorry, but I am not authorized to answer any of your enquiries." The maid answered back mechanically, as if she was programmed to say this. Itachi's eyes flickered over to Sasuke, silently telling him that he would take care of it.
"I'm afraid that is not the case. You would be disobeying the law if you refused us. And refusing us means that you have something to hide. Do you have something to hide, Miss. Hyuuga?" Itachi knew exactly how to psychologically manipulate someone, Sasuke learned.
"N... no." A pause. "Fine, I... consent." And the Hyuuga's strong will was broken, just like that. Sasuke didn't know if he should congratulate his brother or feel sorry for the maid. To be fair, she didn't stand a chance against Uchiha Itachi... it was Uchiha Itachi, after all.
"As a maid, you should know this. Is there a way for someone to disable all the fire alarms in this household at once?" The maid's eyes widened. She was obviously not expecting such questions to be asked.
"Well... yes, there should be. But very, very few people are authorized to do so. And besides, the entrance and exit of that area should be caught on tape." She reported, before falling silent.
"Excellent." Itachi smiled, causing the maid to shiver. The smile seemed apathetic and cold... holding no feelings at all. The young Miss. Hyuuga looked away. "Then... may you take us to the room where this was all caught on camera?"
"Sir, I'm afraid I am not authorized to-" but yet again, she was interrupted.
"My brother told you that we do not care." Sasuke snapped, fumbling for his identification card. A moment later, he was holding it out for her to see. "Now, if you oppose us one more time, things will get ugly."
Itachi sighed. His brother preferred to do things the harder way, it seemed. His countenance would only cause fear from the maids, which would only backfire against them later. He instantly straightened his features; Itachi would have to deal with it somehow.
The maid, who was still trying to hold up a tough demeanour started leading them away from the room softly closing the door behind her. The heiress's room was no longer in their field of vision, and Itachi felt a small strange shiver course through his spine. Yet he ignored it; locking it up to examine for a later date.
Together, the brothers followed the maid through the mansion; it seemed just as large and empty as before, even though a few maids running around could be spotted. Finally, the maid came to a stop in front of a large gate-like door.
That was when Itachi decided to speak. "Your fire alarms are still deactivated. Why have you yet to reactivate them?" Itachi questioned, his eyes narrowed.
She began speaking ambivalently, her eyes wide. "Like I had mentioned earlier... only certain members are able to access the control room. Those include the main family and Hyuuga Neji."
"And?" Sasuke riposted, his body perfectly poised.
"Well... Hyuuga Hanabi is too young, while Hyuuga Neji is away. That leaves Lord Hyuuga, whose time is precious and cannot be bothered for such things." The honesty in her voice was discernible, but it caused Sasuke to step back, reeling. No time for such things? This was a matter of safety! His eyebrows knotted in concern. If this 'Lord Hyuuga' was a normal citizen, he could seriously get arrested or sued for this...
"We understand. Now, may you open the entry?" Itachi, on the other hand, noticed that she withheld herself from mentioning the Hyuuga heiress. Interesting. That meant that she must have been popular with the servants if she garnered such a large emotional response with her death.
Wordlessly, the maid pushed the brass handle downwards opening the door with a creak. A white-eyed guard immediately stepped forward, his stance ambiguous. Even the guards were Hyuuga? Sasuke shook his head.
Itachi instantly took charge of the scene. "We are hired detectives, with privileges that include us looking at the tape recordings." His explanation made the guard tense. But one look at the maid standing next to them, he relaxed and motioned them to follow him into the adjacent room.
The room inside was made of luminous screens that showed various images; from all around the mansion, Itachi guessed. And yet... these cameras (for security purposes) were redundant if the fire alarms were off. What a contradictory family.
There were more than one set of guards in the room; but what seemed to be the leader warily introduced themselves to Itachi. With a bow he mumbled his name, "Hoheto Hyuuga, at your service."
Sasuke looked around the room. All of the members had white eyes. How was this possible? How many Hyuuga were there, and how many were reduced to being servants? Sasuke looked away, disgusted. While the Uchiha clan also had an abundance of members, none of them were made to be ungratified and lowly servants.
Today was a Monday. That meant... "Please show me the tapes from the day before yesterday. In the evening, preferably." Itachi ordered, which induced non-committal grunts of surprise to resound from around the stoic guards. However, they complied, their fingers clicking away at the keyboards situated below the screens.
"If I may be so imprudent to ask..." It was Hoheto that spoke, Itachi identified before nodding his head in approval to his question. It was curious to know what he possibly could ask. "What exactly are you investigating?"
This lead to a microscopic raise of Itachi's eyebrow. Sasuke's eyes widened in astonishment. "Do you..." Itachi trailed off before continuing. "Do you really now know that we are investigating Hyuuga Hinata's death?"
There was a strangled sound that came from one of the guards, before it was quickly silenced by a scorning look from another one. "And who... who appointed you to do that?" A nameless guard couldn't seem to restrain himself from asking.
Itachi was on to something. This all seemed so very suspicious. Why would they be surprised that someone was investigating Hyuuga Hinata's death? Sasuke also tilted his head in thought. "Why, Lord Hyuuga Hiashi, of course." Sasuke finally voiced and was rewarded with a strained atmosphere.
Hoheto clapped his hands, and the loud noise startled the guards into action. Finally, one of them seemed to have pulled up a file. "This is a couple of hours before the suicide. I assume that you have a camera in mind that you want to view?" The question was directed at Itachi.
"Yes. Is there one in front of the control room?" Itachi explained further when confused looks were thrown his way. "The one that controls all of the fire alarms within the building?" They nodded and in a minimal amount of time later they had the exact video pulled up, playing on the largest screen in the room.
That was when the guards started fast forwarding the tape. The images overlapped upon each other, until finally a disturbance was seen. An indigo haired woman entered the room, her face pale and her eyes large and doe-like upon her face.
"No doubt about it. That was Lady Hinata." A guard muttered, his voice dripping with sorrow. He paused upon the image, and there was not a single tinge of uncertainty amongst the other's faces. That acted as confirmation enough for the brothers and brought them to a conclusion: Lady Hyuuga Hinata committed suicide.
"Thank you for your time." Itachi tilted his head in the direction of Hoheto, who had sat back down on one of the chairs. "I'm afraid we must be going now." And they should. Glancing at the single small square window in the corner of the room, it was already night time outside.
"Ah, no problem. The maid should be already waiting to escort you outside."
"Now we really are back on square one, brother, aren't we?" Safely back in Itachi's office, Sasuke leaned backwards on his black leather chair. Itachi shot him an irritated look.
"The research we did was not pointless. It is a testimony to the facts given to us. But - we have wasted two days. I'm afraid we might lose some sleep over this, my dear little brother." There was a teasing edge to Itachi's voice. It was a well known fact that Itachi was a workaholic and an insomniac - a frightful combination - so it was obvious that he was simply making fun of Sasuke who hated losing his sleep.
"Okay, genius. Then what do we do now?" The younger Uchiha snorted, blowing a stray black lock of hair out of his face.
"We start. At the beginning." Damn Itachi with his damn vague mindfuckery.
"And where's that?" Sasuke shot back, starting to get irritated. Wasn't what they were already doing the beginning?
"The beginning of her life. Her birth. If we truly want to understand Hyuuga Hinata, we must go through her life step by step, and we must try to understand the reasons of why she would kill herself. Keeping in mind that you're supposed to be the psychologist, Sasuke." Deep breaths, Sasuke reminded himself. It wouldn't do to pound Itachi's head against his beautifully polished desk. It was doubtful that he could achieve that, at any rate.
Instead, he centred his attention on his case. "Fine then. I'll give my 'psychological' opinion on this. A person commits suicide when they are driven to a corner. Whether that be physically, emotionally, or mentally. Or, worst case scenario, all three."
"Yes. Shouldn't we at least begin focusing on her file?" Sasuke wanted to shake Itachi, who had evidently ignored his words.
"Shouldn't we begin to write suspects down?" Sasuke retorted to the ever cool and calm Itachi.
"But isn't this a suicide case?" This was somehow starting to become a battle with questions. Itachi was resting his head against his hand, his raven hair draped across his shoulder; Sasuke, however, was sitting upright with one hand gripping the edge of the desk so hard that the knuckles were white. It was clear to see who was actually taking the verbal battle seriously and who wasn't.
"Yes, but there are still suspects that could have driven Hyuuga Hinata to a corner. My first guess would be Hyuuga Hiashi. The guards acted beyond suspicious when he was mentioned." Itachi finally tensed at Sasuke's words.
"I see your point. You are correct. But, like I said: this is a suicide case. It is different from a homicide case. I've only been given one before; it is imperative to understand the victim first before you begin the actual investigation." Sasuke exhaled strenuously through his nose.
"Fine, be it your way. So where was she born?"
"In Konoha, actually."
And so the real investigation began.
Well. I have a feeling that this fic will slaughter me. Absolutely kill me. But Imma go for it anyway. XD. Now I have to work on the next chapter for TMH.
So, what do you think?
Oh, and another thought to answer in your reviews: who do you think is the prime suspect so far? Why?
Review, Review Review.
Aurora0914.
