Another Massacre
Author's Note: The initial idea is much darker than my usual style, but I promise there will be a happy ending. One can easily argue that Hinata's initial actions are out of character for her, but the same could be said of Itachi when he carried out the Uchiha Massacre. If any of that bothers you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, I hope that you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated.
Story Notations: This story will be structured more like my collaborative efforts than my solo when it comes to point of view. That means when Itachi and Hinata are interacting, the point of view will swap rapidly back and forth between the two of them. Oh and if you're interested, feel free to check out my profile for information about this story's update rates. Happy reading.
Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no profit off of any of my fanfics.
Chapter 1
The Hyuga pride themselves in the pristine antiquity of their home. The purest of marble and white silks adorn every corner of every room. The faint scent of lemon and jasmine and complete silence always lingers after every evening meal. The halls were always sparkling, shining white. This was the color of the Hyuga Clan.
Well at least, that had been the case until now. Now, there was red everywhere. The formerly pristine walls were dripping crimson red and it was all because of her. Hinata Hyuga had made it so.
Two. That was all that remained of her Clan, Hinata thinks to herself.
She was the only one left. Save for her sister. Who would come home to this and the only reason that Hanabi would live was because of the Byakugan. The Leaf no longer wanted their Clan, but they needed to ensure the continence of their bloodline.
It was a cruel irony, Hinata observes as the screams started. Those were the first signs that her sister had seen the bodies and that Hanabi's childhood was coming to a brutally swift end.
Another sign was Hanabi's chakra. It was raging fiercer than any storm the Hyuga Heiress had ever seen. Whipping around the atmosphere without mercy.
Instinctively, Hinata knew what she had to do. "H-H-Hina? What is going on? Someone has—it's just like what happened to—" She'd have to disarm her precious sister before Hanabi could kill her.
Her sister was now staring at her with undisguised horror. Those young eyes were now frantically gazing at their father's lifeless corpse. Hanabi's Gentle Fist was about to be unleashed on her, if Hinata didn't do something quickly.
"Hanabi, this was a necessary evil that one day you will perhaps understand—or perhaps not." The elder Hyuga woman tries her best to keep her voice as cold and professional as possible.
Her voice comes out in a monotone, but inside Hinata cringes. This was the part she most dreaded. Hinata had to make Hanabi feel weak. Harmless.
"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!" The tiny Hyuga's rage was a living, breathing entity all its own.
The room practically shakes with it as Hinata makes her way towards Hanabi. "It means you'll either accept the fate of our Clan or you won't. In that case, you'll let it fester and rage until it consumes you and there's nothing left of the Byakugan." If she had to, Hinata would strike her down now. Better to end things quickly than to make Hanabi suffer.
"Hinata, you couldn't! You would never do something so evil!" Her sister's words were frantic.
Pleading with Hinata to be the doting elder sister she always had been. It was enough to change Hinata's mind Hanabi would live.
"Inherently evil?" She places two chakra infused fingers at the base of Hanabi's neck." Yes, I would. Do not look for me, do not try and seek revenge." It had to be done or else Hanabi would chase after her. "We've seen with our sister clan how futile that quest is. Just accept it and move on. Maybe one day, you'll understand my reasons, but not for a very long time." Something that Hinata couldn't allow.
Hanabi, her dear Hana, was now trying her best not to quake in fear at the mere sight of her. Something that shouldn't have been possible. Their family had been bred to show absolutely no emotion, even during the heat of battle.
"No you ca—" Hanabi's instincts were overwhelming her family's training.
The primal emotion of fear would no longer be denied. Though it does her little good as Hinata presses her fingers to the younger woman's neck and renders her unconscious.
Hinata sighs as she picks up her small sister and carefully carries her to the nearest bedroom. She almost couldn't bare to do even that much, but still she summons up the last of her will to gently place her beloved sister on the bed and bestow an affection kiss to her forehead.
"Until next time, Little Sister." The bluenette brushes the bangs out of Hanabi's eyes before jumping out of the window and departing into the night.
Once she was safely out of the Leaf Village, the disgraced heiress finally allows herself the privilege of breaking down. The trembling and vomiting that followed was only the beginning of her misery.
After that, the soul crashing guilt that follows leaves her nearly breathless. The fact that Hinata wasn't naïve enough to truly believe she was the only person to be tasked with such a horrific order didn't make it any easier. Itachi had done so before her and Neji would have been more suitable to carry out this grisly task, but the elders had chosen her.
"Did they think I could do it?" She bites her lower lip. "Probably not. They always thought I was too weak to be of much use." Other than continuing their precious bloodline.
Speaking of continuing, the Sun didn't seem to care that her entire world had been torn apart. Dawn was now kissing the horizon. Which could only mean one thing.
"I'm almost in the Rain Country." The Hyuga woman sighs at that observation.
Well, still now seemed as good a time as any to assess her current situation. She was far enough away from the Leaf Village, that it should be safe to do so.
The shaking, vomiting, and guilt were still in full swing. It didn't help matters that she knew the truth. Last night had been the prologue to the Leaf Village's new future. One where she was now the villain.
What will they do when they find out it was me, Hinata wonders as she leans against a nearby tree.
The breeze whistles through the branches of the tree and blew her bangs from her forehead. She faces the wind and relishes the last bit of calm before the storm that was now her life.
It was such a pleasant distraction, that the woman in question didn't even notice she was no longer alone. There was something to be said about making ANBU Captain at such a young age, Itachi thinks to himself. Even now, the training he had received as a child was still ingrained into his very being.
What child should need stealth, he ponders morosely.
His hopes were turning out to be for naught. Itachi's actions hadn't propelled the Leaf into a new age where no one would else would be forced to endure the agony of murdering their kin as he had. Instead, history was clearly repeating itself.
The only difference was this time, the Leaf had saw fit to rid themselves of the Hyuga Clan. Never in a million years had Itachi Uchiha ever imagined that the quiet heiress would be forced to do what he had. To slay her kin for the sake of their village and of their very way of life.
"Not that my actions have helped Sasuke." He sighs to himself.
Instead of growing into a great hero as Itachi had hoped, his baby brother was now flirting with the line between hatred and insanity in a very dangerous fashion. Where had he gone wrong? Sasuke was supposed to be the savior of their village; seeking revenge on the man who had slaughtered hundreds. Not the village pariah.
Now, there were former Leaf Ninjas who were pariahs though. Himself, Sasuke, and even Hinata. "All because the Leaf asked another child to do their dirty work." Just to pour a little more salt in the wounds, the Hyuga Massacre had happened almost precisely ten years after the Uchiha Massacre.
They had even been eliminated in the exact same fashion as his own family. By one of their own and Itachi knew that he'd never forget last night. He had watched it all unfold in slow motion.
"Hinata killed them all swiftly and without hesitation." It was impressive and humbly at the same time, really.
Where he had shown coldness and calculation, Hinata must have opted to take the insane approach. Portraying herself as detached from everyone and everything, even to her beloved little sister.
Truly, it was a masterful performance. Had Hinata not chosen the life of a shinobi, she would have made a damn fine actor.
Still, her eyes would always give her away. They were so honest. Betraying her heart's secrets as easily as words written on any page would tell a story to anyone astute enough to read them.
"It's not in her nature." He sighs at his own observation.
Hinata never would have slaughtered her family, if she hadn't been following orders and honoring her sworn duty to protect the Leaf Village. It was obvious in the way that the woman no longer bothers to hold back the tears that she had been fighting so admirably, for so long.
How she had managed to keep them at bay for so long, was a complete mystery to him. Hell, he had been in her position and barely kept it together. Despite that, Hinata had shown her true spirit when it came time to slay her own father. She would do whatever was necessary to protect their village and her little sister. In that manner, they were kindred.
"Time is cyclical." He shakes his head at the thought.
Here they were at the border of the Rain Country and despite his best efforts, history had repeated itself. This time it wasn't him though. It was Hinata Hyuga who was leaning against a tree and embracing her last moments of precious freedom before she fully became one with her new role. The role of a despised killer and traitor. A Clan Slayer.
"You know it's impolite to stare." A soft voice interrupts his train of thought.
He nearly had a heart attack right then and there. Never before had Itachi Uchiha been caught so unaware of well, anyone or anything.
The little minx had managed to sneak up on him while he had been waxing poetic. The thought causes him to smirk. The little Hyuga woman had done the impossible. She had bested him at his own game. Stealth.
"I apologize. I had no intention of being impolite." He turns and faces her. "Especially to one of my foolish little brother's former classmates. I was merely curious about the rather unique situation that you've found yourself as it mirrors my own so closely."
She narrows her eyes at him; studying and summing him up in a single glance. The look was so calculating, that once again Itachi wonders just how similar were the Sharingan and Byakugan in terms of capabilities. It was an interesting thought to ponder, but one that would have to be revisited later.
He wasn't afraid that she'd kill him. No, not at all. He was more amused by her than anything else and this one time, he'd allow himself to indulge in a whim. He rarely had any amusement these days.
"I suppose I can't really fault you for that." This isn't the most normal of situations I find myself in, but it is very coincidental that you, of all people, are the one observing me."
She's an astute little thing, Itachi observes.
"Indeed." He sits on the branch he'd been perched on and pats the spot beside him. "It seems, little Hyuga, we are far more alike than different."
She sits next to him, strangely at ease. Itachi Uchiha was a murder and yet, so was she. Though the way he looks at her with undisguised curiosity in those ashen eyes was enough to make her laugh in spite of it all.
"I was thinking that I shouldn't feel so at ease with you, but then again, as you said, we are more alike than different." She smiles at him and Itachi feels himself relax.
Her every emotion was so easy to read. There was no guile. Her heartbreak over the loss of her family and relief at finding someone who could understand why she had done what she did.
"Indeed, little Hyuga, indeed." He softly pats her shoulder in agreement.
Time was a funny thing. The only way he could gain dominance over its fickle nature was with his Tsukuyomi; otherwise, it hardly ever saw fit to follow his plans. Which was probably why he ends up sitting on a tree with the former Hyuga heiress sleeping soundly against his shoulder.
She hasn't slept in some time, Itachi thinks to himself.
Their discussion had lasted the better part of the evening and straight into the night. A fact that was still astonishing to him. Everything about him should've driven her away, but it didn't.
Hinata may have been taught to think of him as a traitor and a murderer, but now so was she. Well at least in the eyes of the Leaf. Since they were both branded with those awful monikers, perhaps the Hyuga woman didn't see a reason to fear him anymore.
Itachi Uchiha had never done anything that didn't coincide with his plans. Well until her. Hinata made him lose control of himself. Of all rational thought.
"This is dangerous." He should leave now.
Despite that, he couldn't. She made him feel uninhibited and free for the first time in nearly a decade. He'd never allowed himself to be distracted from his goal of helping Sasuke get his revenge and becoming a hero, but here he was doing exactly that. Allowing himself to be distracted.
This changed everything though. Now, there was another clan that had been annihilated and he wasn't so much of an anomaly anymore. He'd had yet to hear her story, as she'd fallen asleep soon after his own, but he had a fairly good idea as to what had happened.
"Why did I tell her the real story?"That had been incredibly foolish.
Now that he had this knowledge...what was he going to do about it? He could use his Mangekyo and make her forget, but as he reveled in the touch of another for the first time in a while, he was becoming less likely to choose that route. So in lieu of that, Itachi takes this opportunity to fully observe the young woman snuggled so sweetly into his arms.
Soft. Her skin was soft, but there was a certain intensity about her that he could feel bubbling just beneath the surface. It was beautiful.
"Such a beautifully tragic angel." He smiles to himself at the thought.
Her hair was still as smooth as silk, even after everything that had transpired. Where was all the blood of the Hyuga Clan? She should be drenched in it, but Hinata was truly the exception to every rule.
She was kind, and thoughtful, and still somehow manages to shock him by containing such sadness in only her beautiful eyes. They were like pearls that provided him with the first caring glance in a very long time. That and the way she was now leaning against him with such complete trust was something that he never wanted to lose. Everything about her called to his very soul.
"Our Clan has never been particularly indecisive." Itachi chuckles at the thought.
Once they made a decision, they seldom changed their mind. Fugaku had been that way and so was Sasuke. Itachi had thought he'd avoided the passion that seemingly cursed his clan, but apparently that was not the case. As the seconds ticked by, that much became increasingly clear. After all, Itachi was an Uchiha and Uchihas always got what they wanted. It just so happened that he wanted her.
Hinata wasn't sure how long she had slept. It could have been a few minutes or a few centuries. Perhaps it didn't matter though. Her family was gone. All of them save for Hanabi.
The world would be better off without her. If she died in her sleep, then her little sister would be spared a lot of trouble and perhaps their Clan could start over. Come back even stronger than before.
That sounded nice. Hinata was about to welcome whatever her punishment was in the afterlife with open arms when she feels something warm pressed against her skin. Something warm and wet. Curiously, she opens her eyes.
Why was Itachi Uchiha kissing her forehead and why was he crying silent tears for HER?
There were a few things that identified his clan; distinguishing characteristics that were distinctly Uchiha. Crying. Not one of them. How had he allowed himself to regress to such a state was entirely this woman's fault and yet, he didn't care. For the first time in years, Itachi feels as though a tremendous weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
All because she had listened and understood the burden that had so cruelly been thrust upon him. He couldn't help but think it was something of a betrayal, but even now Itachi knew the truth. In some ways, Hinata likely understood him better than even his beloved Izumi.
Itachi knew that Hinata was now watching him. He could feel her attention locked on him, but that was fine. He'd allow her to see the hidden side to his being and that would either prove her mettle or destroy their fragile relationship. That latter of which would really be a courtesy. What need did he have of a woman who could not handle his humanity?
"Are you alright?" Hinata watches him warily. "Why are you crying?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, the bluenette immediately regrets them. It was such a childish question to ask. She sounded like she was still but an Academy student, even to her own ears. So she must have sounded even worse in his eyes.
Itachi chuckles at his newfound companion. Her eyes shine with unshed tears but not because she'd just murdered her family. She was on the verge of sobbing on his behalf. How could such an angel of mercy exist in this world?
"I am well, Little Hyuga." There was no lying to her. "These aren't tears of sadness, but of joy and relief. I never thought that I would encounter someone who would understand my actions on that night.
As if to prove his words, Itachi takes out a handkerchief that his mother had given him for luck and wipes Hinata's beautiful eyes with it. Eyes like that shouldn't be filled with tears.
"You are a truly remarkable creature, Hinata."
As much as it pains her to admit it, he was likely right. Creature was a far more accurate description of her now than woman or even person. She had slaughtered her Clan.
The only thing remarkable about that was that she had actually gone through with it. "I'm not remarkable." She didn't understand why he would say such a thing. Maybe Itachi was just glad to no longer be the Leaf's only scapegoat.
She didn't know, but the tears just wouldn't stop flowing. Surely, a river would form below the tree they were on at this rate. Not that Hinata cared. If nothing else, the forest's animals would benefit from her grief. That was something. Right?