A Total Stranger

By Janique

Wrong grammars, wrong construction of sentences and blame me if you want to.

Chapter 1

Weak and frail…

Sadness and sorrow...

Illusions of reality!

The Chunnin Selection Exam

She blocked his attack with her byakugan activated. He does the same as she threw kunais on him. He was quick and strong. He already mastered Taijutsu just like Lee while she was not strong enough to defeat such person. She doesn't have any chance to win but she still tries with her best. Always remembering what Naruto said she stands up again and again every time she was hopeless and feel weak. Still she doesn't have anything that she could use against her opponent that would weaken him. Her opponent starts making signs of tiger but before he could use it she stop it with her gentle fist. Unfortunately, it was only a log. He thinks fast too that he use the art of substitution. She was scanning the whole area with her byakugan just when her opponent disappears. While she was busy scanning the area he then made doppelgangers and hide himself more carefully to find chance to attack her back. The kunoichi focus her chakra in her hands. She attacked them one by one but they were still many after what she did. One of it made a cut on her arms. She then concentrates in the area to found out who's the real one. Finally found him handling a kunai towards her back where her blind spot lies. She tries to move but the rest of his doppelgangers hold her tight. After her opponent made a large cut in the back of her neck the shadow doppelgangers disappears and she fell unconscious. The examiner announced the winner and call for medics. Medical nins enter the field and take Hinata with them.

The final match is over which conclude new ninjas will be promoted for the rank of chunin or none of them. After the chunin selection exam the Hokage went back to her office, she sat down in her chair to relax while Shizune gave her the early reports in the village.

"Uhm…another work can I rest for a while." Stretching her arms upward and giving Shizune a lazy look.

"Master! You can't rest, you need to finish this before night."

"Okay, okay I'll finish this. You're getting strict on me these days."

Shizune giggle. "No master, it's just your imagination." Tsunade take the papers. She checked them one by one and saw a report about Sasuke

"Uchiha Sasuke…hmmm…It's been 5 years, right?" She said while reading the papers.

"Yes, it is already 5 years since he left this village. But about the exam, he progress more and his mind looks matured enough to won the match. He really proved the power of his clan." Shizune said while holding Ton-Ton.

"That power isn't natural, that's the power he gained from Orochimaru. The thing is how did he come back? Did he run back home or Orochimaru let him go? We need to investigate this so that we will be alert in what ever will happen. "Shizune, call three jonins I have a mission for them." she lean at her chair and looked down again in the papers. "!..."

"Another mission from Kumo No Kuni?"

"Ah! Shizune, wait, call Hyuga Neji and his team…and also Gai."

After a few minutes…"You have new mission…you need to find some information about Orochimaru and investigate in the hidden villages. You have three months for investigation. Hyuga Neji, you'll be going with them." She commanded.

"Master what about the rest of my team?" Gai asked.

"Yeah, Master Tsunade, why do you call us for?" The kunoichi redo her left bun hair.

"I have other mission for you…"

"What is it, what is it!" Lee punches the air with fire visible in his eyes.

"Geez, you're already fired up so early." Ten-ten cross her arms while sighing.

"The same as Hyuga Neji's mission you have to investigate the land of clouds within two months. Many assassins were hiding in that place…so good luck! "

"Master Tsunade…y-you really giving that mission to them…" Shizune looked at her in surprise.

"Why? There is nothing to worry about they are now chunins and they're with Gai, they can handle it." She scans a book.

"So anyway, what happen to Hyuga Hinata?" she turn the page of the old book.

"Her wounds are still under observations. She should be no longer staying in the hospital by now, if only she wasn't poisoned."

She let out a sigh. Because of that mysterious poison, she got no time for relaxing. She needs many time for research, approving request from the other lands and all of the Hokage's works. "No one knows that the kunai that is used to stab her has a poison…and the poison…it is a total mystery to all of us, no one knows what it is composed of."

"We already stop the poison from spreading in her body but she will still suffer in everyday pains in her whole body. Yet there are chances that the poison will start spreading again anytime. We need to study more about that."

"What about the ninja who did that to her?"

"He disappears suddenly after the exam."

"Hmm…." She lean the left side of her face in her palm. "I will let her train…"

Shizune got her eyes wide open dropping Ton-Ton in her arm. "Aiee! What are you saying, Master? We don't know when will be the poison will start spreading again."

"She will be under observations. And about her training I know the right one who will train her." there is an evil smile in her face. Shizune knows that she has another evil idea in her head. This made her sigh loudly taking Ton-ton back in her arms.

Note: I don't follow any timeline this is my own. The passers in the exam were Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba. The exam held before the previous one had passed Uzumaki Naruto, Aburame Shino, Hyuga Neji, Ten-ten and Rock Lee.

--------Ichiraku Ramen---------------------------------------------------"You're late again! And as payment you should treat us." Naruto crosses his arms.

"Yeah, you should treat us because I made Chunin this year." Sakura said.

"Alright, alright…" he turned to Ayame. "Give these three a ramen I'll pay for it."

"Thank you Master Kakashi!" Naruto jumped to Kakashi.

"Hey, stop it! You're embarrassing me again." Kakashi push Naruto's face downwards, after seeing him trying to give a kiss to him. Disgusting as Kakashi thought, red in face and sweating.

"Three? Why three..." Sakura wondered looking at her teacher still trying to push Naruto back to his seat.

Kakashi hears it and point Sasuke. "Sasuke is over there." She looked at the place where Kakashi point and there was Sasuke who was silently sitting in the chair. Naruto also looked at him but look away quickly wanting not to see his face. But none of the two, Sakura and Naruto, felt him there.

"S-Sasuke…" Sakura walked a little to get near Sasuke. But suddenly stop from moving as he lifted his head that is leaning in his hands. She completely stops moving when she noticed him glaring at her under his long bangs. She feels like she is paralyzed for a while.

Sakura gulped and a nervous smile was in her lips. She went back to Kakashi, and to Naruto, who was thinking of what he should eat first. After all it was Kakashi who will pay for their meal.

The three of them sit to their places where Kakashi's next to Sasuke and Sakura is in the middle of Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto turn his head to Sasuke. He's mad of him because he is the reason why Sakura cry even he comes back just like what he wants him to do at the first place.

Sasuke, as always ignore him that made Naruto shake his fist while saying Sasuke's name.

Sakura faced Naruto. "Naruto, stop it don't start anything again. I'll bury you if you mess up with Sasuke!"

"Sasuke why did you come back after what you've caused to us? You said that you don't want to come back here again right?"

"That's what you told me to do right? Still a nuisance…" Sasuke continue eating his ordered ramen.

Kakashi looked at them in the corner of his eyes. "Naruto always shut his mouth every time Sakura scold her even it's about Sasuke. But now he completely lost his temper." Kakashi thought as he glanced back to his perverted book and starts chuckling. This book always makes him chuckle.

"What did you say!"

"Naruto, I said knock it off!"

"Hah!" Sasuke look at Naruto with his sharingan activated then look at his forehead protector in his hand.

"Sasuke….?" Sakura stands up from her chair in a shock state.

"How…how did you get that?" after Naruto ask him as he stands up and move outside.

"…" He pauses to put his forehead band on his forehead where it always goes. He needs to replace his old hitai-ate. If he continue wearing it with a slash on the middle of the Konoha leaf sign, he'll look like a traitor of his village like his brother.

"Sasuke where are you going?" Sakura follow him, Sasuke stopped

"Walk out, Sasuke? What a coward you are." As usual he ignores him.

"Why don't you try me? I maybe a nuisance but I'm not a coward like you who keep running away!" Sasuke get a shuriken from his shuriken holster then threw it to Naruto. Naruto blocked it with his Kunai. Sasuke move to Naruto's back holding a kunai placed on Narut's throat. Ready to slash it.

"Before you ask me for a duel get BETTER than me!" Sasuke walk again to his direction. Naruto fell down in sitting position. He had met his scary eyes again that make him feel weak just by looking at it.

"Sasuke, wait can I go…I mean can we go together…Wait, where are you …"

"S…Sakura?" Naruto said slowly still sitting in the cement road, hands twitching in the air for a moment.

"I don't want to talk to anyone…and where am I going is none of your business."

"Sasuke…" Sakura looked down "…yeah you're right, who am I to ask?" She starts walking away too.

"Sakura, where are you going?"

"Home…"

"Naruto…I think you should go home too I can't go with you today I need to work for my reports." Kakashi left too after paying the bills. This must be reported and be talked about with the Hokage. They need to look over him.

"Hah! Get better than him? Sasuke, you're stupid." He also left the ramen shop.

-----------Next day---Hospital – Hinata's room--------------------------------------------------

A knock heard on the door. It was the Hokage who always visits Hinata for her daily check-up. "Master I'm going home now and I want to thank you." She bows at her.

"Hinata come with me to my office."

"Huh? Uhmm…Yes Hokage-sama." She answered without asking any question. She follows Tsunade to the office.

"I want to talk about the result of the exam." She said while sitting on her big chair. She relaxed her pained shoulder and close her eyes for a while.

"The exam? Ahmm…I'm sorry if I fail, I didn't show all of my effort." She looked at her feet, doesn't want to look at the hokage's disappointed face.

"No one blame you of what happen and I know too that you really did your best." Tsunade smiled at her, encouraging the downed ninja of her.

"But… what …about Father…" She always considers her father's words and comments. Hinata thought that he's always right and his words are rules.

"Don't worry about him. Hinata, the purpose I call you here is because I want someone will train you to improve your skills and abilities and in the same time you will gain your courage and confidence." She was surprised. The Hokage's helping her? She knew that she had a lot of work and after all of her failures and being called a drop out by many, she still helps her?

"But who? Will I be assigned in other jounin or to Lady Kurenai?" Kurenai is always helpful to her but she really has nothing to do with Hinata. She can't even help her with her trainings well.

"No not a jonin but a chunnin." she said lazily.

"A…A chunin? Can….Can I go with..." Naruto from the million of people she can think of, the blonde fox vessel is still her choice to be trained with.

"Naruto, right?" she blushed at her remark. "But I'm sorry to say that he can't, he'll be with Jiraiya for the next two weeks. He can't help you too about the Hyuga jutsus."

Hinata lower her eyes but look up again quickly to ask her. "H-Hyuga…jutsu? You mean Neji-niisan?" her eyes wide-opened. Neji in her list is the last she would mention. He's not that bad now but… she's still afraid of the male brunette. A little…

She sighs. "No not a Hyuga will teach you and he's currently in a mission. I knew that your clan's jutsu were only taught to its clan member. But there is someone who can help you aside from them."

She sighed in relief. "But who is…it?" Tsunade answers long. It makes Hinata tensions.

"Uchiha Sasuke" she leaned in her palm while showing a paper to her.

"Uchiha-san?" She thought while biting her lower lip.

"Is there any problem?"

"Ahhh…No..No Master Hokage none at all…." She said with her nervous smile and blushing cheeks, waving her hands in front of her trying to make Tsunade believe her.

"You see Sasuke is an excellent ninja, he has the highest grade and easily pass the chunin exam. Not to mention he came from a once strong clan like yours." Tsunade smiled at her.

Hinata nodded at her idea and bows at her to have permission to leave. There is nothing to be talked about anyway.

"Master Tsunade, why it is should be Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Not only Hinata need observation but also Sasuke. Isn't it easier to observe two people in the same time and now that they are both going to be together spending time for training?" she winked at Shizune.

"Something tells me that is not what you really think of." Shizune looked at her master suspiciously.

"Nah, come on, Shizune it's true."

Hinata went down the stairs silently and started looking and asking about Sasuke. Hinata decided to go to the main streets of the village. She walked in her silent manners hoping that she could find Sasuke easily.

Hinata stopped in a ramen shop, the Ichiraku Ramen. She stepped inside and there were two Jonins already have their seats. She looks for an empty seat and ordered her food.

"I heard Sasuke is here in the village, he just came back, two weeks a go." Hinata seems to be interested on what they were talking about, she listens to them silently.

"Yeah he came back before the chunin exam just like nothing happen. The nerve." Their beliefs and admiration to the great avenger was lost after Sasuke left the village. They feels like he betrayed them.

"You're right, last week when Naruto and his team went here with their sensei, the two had a fight." Mr. Teuchi joined in.

"You mean Naruto and Sasuke had a fight?"

"What are they fighting for?"

"Hmmm...I don't know but it starts with a shaking fist and a nuisance thing but I don't know that kid is so fast. He can kill Naruto."

"Naruto's mad and beaten by Uchiha-san…easily?" Hinata thought

"Here's your order." Ayame placed Hinata's order in front of her cheerfully.

"Thank you…" She smiled at her and picks up a chopstick to start eating. The two jonin notice the raven haired girl.

"I didn't even notice that girl."

"Yeah me too."

"Here's your order too sirs…" Ayame served their orders.

"Thanks!" the two jonins said smiling at the beautiful woman.

Hinata eat silently. She thought of Sasuke so powerful even Naruto can't beat him. But can she convince him easily? She knows Sasuke as an arrogant, cold, aloof and very much a loner. It's hard to convince him because he always wants to train alone or with his teammates. She now was having second thought about asking him.

When Hinata finished her meal she put down her chopsticks and stood up from where she was sitting. She pays for her ramen then immediately left.

"Please come again!" Ayame said cheerfully to the departing costumer. Hinata glanced back at her and smile a thank you.

Hinata don't know where to go now she starts walking without any destination. She remembers what the Hokage talks about the sharingan eye. She thinks of it if it can really help her and how.

A beautiful flower near the road distracts her. It's a beautiful blue flower. She picked it up and saw another five flowers near it. She picked it all and resume walking. She stops by a bridge seeing her reflection by the clear blue water. She stares down the water and stay there for a long time, thinking. What if he became mean because of Orochimaru's influence on him or what if he'll ignore her? Until she came to a conclusion that he can't just be that mean so easily. She remembered that how Sakura, Ino and the other girls act when Sasuke's around. They like him so much and up to now they still like him and follow him but she thought of another possibility that she was wrong. Possibility that he already forgot all of his friends and everything about his hometown. Breaking all the bonds with them as what she hears from Naruto.

Hinata looked at the flowers in her hands. She plucks every petal of the flower and fell into the water. "Continue" She said. She repeats it again and said "Don't" she continue repeating it again and again until there is only one petal left. "Continue" the last petal says that she should continue. It only means that she should continue looking for Sasuke. But…

She shook her head, doesn't want to think of it, to go back. "I should not lose hope now. I must…I must be strong…for them, for my clan, and for Naruto."

She went in the training grounds. But she doesn't see any Uchiha Sasuke around, only Sakura and Naruto together with their sensei Kakashi. She went to Kakashi to ask.

"Yo! What brings you here?" He said while his eyes glue on his book with his free hand rose.

"Hey Hinata are you alright now? When did you come out from the hospital?" Naruto

"Na…Naruto-kun…I…Uhmm…this morning and I'm…feeling fine now…Arigatou." She bows at him blushing when Naruto ask, thinking that he care about her condition.

"Hinata, your turning red are you sure you're alright?"

"Y-yes I am fine but I came here to ask if…you know where…Uchiha-san…is…?" Now she sounds weird to them. Everyone's eyes got to her face.

"Why she want to know where Sasuke is?" Sakura stare at her.

"The only girl I know who doesn't care about Sasuke was Hinata but now she's asking where he is." Naruto also stare at her because of his thought.

"Why are you asking about Sasuke, Hinata?" Kakashi did not bother to speak and let the two speak to her. since he's having a good time reading his favorite book. He has the new released volume and was really, really dieing to read it.

"Ano… sore wa…"

Both Naruto and Sakura moved closely to her waiting for her answer. "Yeah tell us why?"

"I…want to ask him something…about...ano…"

"Ask what?"

"What do you want from my Sasuke!" Inner Sakura shake her right fist. Sasuke is only for her and she want to shout it loud to them. But in second thought… she should not do it. Hinata must have reasons. Must not jump to conclusions.

"I…want to ask him about my…my...training..." Hinata

"Train…ning?" Naruto tilt his head sideward while thinking about what might happen if Hinata will ask Sasuke. "hmm…"

"Uhm…Sasuke-kun…can I train with you?"

"No"

"That what might happen…that jerk Sasuke, he'll just ignore her. I won't let that happen." he said angrily.

"Hah! Think again, Sasuke won't help you for training." Inner Sakura flipped her hair and crossed her arms, nodding. "Even I can't ask him if I can train with him ALONE! sigh" Inner Sakura drop her head down.

"I'm sorry Hinata we don't know where Sasuke is…he didn't tell us where…"

Naruto cut-off Sakura "But I can help you with your training…"

"N-Naruto-kun" Her blush almost crept up into her eyes but then it stopped, remembering that he can't train with her. "N-Naruto-kun you can't…"

"Huh?"

She blushed. "B-Because…Master Tsunade said…you'll be under training with Master Jiraiya in the next two weeks." Her lips move hesitantly having pauses in her words. She really wants to train with him but she can't disobey the Hokage's order. (Or she thought that it was an order)

"Oh! I nearly forgot about that…Hehehe…sorry maybe next time…"

"Sasuke, He's in the old compound of the Uchiha." Kakashi move near them and glanced back to his book.

"Master Kakashi!" Sakura stare at him "You, you…How dare you Master!" Inner Sakura shake her both hands with bulging veins in front of her. "I'll kill you!" Inner Sakura got the words engraved in her large forehead with a mad expression.

"Thank you" She bows at them then leave immediately.

"How brave she is, going in the Uchiha compound alone?" Kakashi watch the girl disappear in the bushes.

"Why was that? Does the compound that scary? I've never been there before."

"People says… that they saw some ghostly apparition inside the compound." His look makes them shiver. His left hand covered some parts of his face, his eyes got the bored look but he makes it looks scary. "Ah! Never mind it might be Sasuke who scare people." The tone of his voice immediately changed. Kakashi laugh a little.

"Sensei…" Sakura and Naruto lowers their head.

"But I really wonder why she takes the woods?" Kakashi thought.