Hyuuga Hinata did not like the colors black and pink. Black was a dark color, full of silence and danger and hidden intentions. Pink, on the other hand, was the other extremity. Pink was entirely too happy, too false and too perfect and sugary to be true. When Hinata told Kurenai her thoughts on these parts of the color wheel, Kurenai had nodded solemnly in approval and brushed a stray lock of dark hair away from Hinata's delicately pale face. "Asuma, take only her for now. She has a good head on her shoulders. She's fragile…but she's sensible. I won't have to worry about her like I would Naruto or Ino. She may not thrive, but she'll survive."
And with these stony words and a far-too fleeting kiss to her forehead, Hinata left the security of her childhood. The next day, when Hinata was clothed in a clean white dress that fell far past her feet and her newly- cut shaggy hair swung in mid-air, she would ponder on these forbidding words as she climbed into the carriage. Of course, how on earth was the young girl to know that she would be leaving her flowery-smelling foster mother Kurenai and the two loudmouthed blondes she'd lived with since she'd been born? All Hinata knew that fateful day twelve years ago when she'd settled in beside the man called Asuma, was that she was going to be going away for awhile. Hinata did not know that she was being sent to the Konohan Empire, for if she had any idea of the things that awaited her there she probably would not have even set one tiny slippered foot into the regal ivory carriage.
The first person to change Hinata's opinions about the colors was Haruno Sakura. First impressions aren't everything, you know. The first time Hinata saw Sakura, Sakura was dressed primly in a deep emerald gown and her perfect, pretty features were arranged carefully in a bland mask of propriety. Here was a girl who knew how to thrive in the delicate balance of power that was Konoha Castle. But the most startling thing about Sakura wasn't her pretty face or the shimmering circlet of jade on her forehead, but rather the long, wavy hair that fell to her waist. The princess of Konoha had bright pink hair. The moment Hinata saw the princess, shorter and younger by atleast a foot and a year, Hinata withdrew and grew cautious, wary because obviously the princess was spoiled and vapid; it was clear just from the way she looked. Hinata swept into a deep, perfect curtsy, courtesy of Kurenai, and murmured the proper formalities of "Exalted one, I am humbled to be in your presence", keeping her milk-white eyes on the hem of the princess's gown. At the time, Sakura had simply primly nodded back and offered a mild smile before sitting beside her tall, regal, dark-haired guardian, Empress Mikoto, and sipping her tea. Hinata, of course, had fled back to the safety of the other serving girls, her opinion of the princess quite secure in her mind.
Of course, the next week, when Hinata was out hurrying across the courtyard to the kitchen, she learned that first impressions were most certainly not everything. As soon as Hinata stepped into the back fields to take the shortcut to the kitchens, she was sent flying back, all the market goods from her basket scattering across the dirt and grass. As soon as she came to her senses, she was met with concerned, slightly-frantic green eyes that seemed familiar.
"Oh my Kami. Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you and I just blasted you like…I'm so sorry! And all your things, they're ruined and I am so unbelievably sorry!" Hinata merely blinked at the younger girl's wide eyes and her hands, which had met in a sort of prayer pose that only served to enhance the girl's pitiful picture.
Hinata sighed. It was honestly just her luck. She was already late from the market…she could already imagine the head cook's dark, forbidding gaze and the switch that was soon to follow. And her dress was stained and dirty and with the beating she'd get she'd probably even get blood stains and she'd just washed it this morning…
Hinata smiled faintly at the young girl and brushed her hair out of her face. "It's fine. Do-Don't worry about it, it's quite….P-P-Princess?" Hinata's eyes widened as she caught sight of the familiar pink hair. The only person in probably the entirety of the empire with pink hair was Sakura. Hinata struggled up despite the ache in her ankle and knelt into a teetering bow. "F-forgive me, P-princess," she murmured, fear thrumming in her veins. Hot blood rushed into her face as she awaited the verdict for violating the ancient rules of conduct that had stood proud since before Hinata's forefathers (whoever they were) had even been born. Not only hadn't she performed the usual curtsy, head-lowering, and formalities, but she had touched the Princess Sakura, and that was putting it mildly. She had literally run into the royal ward of the Emperor himself!
"Oh, none of that Princess-curtsy-exalted one-crap. What I saw was my student too blind to realize that it was the absolute wrong time to pull that move, however perfectly executed it was." Hinata started as a woman appeared, crossing the field towards them. She was beautiful: flawless skin, long silvery-blonde hair, long-lashed blue eyes, and a curious gem sparkling on her forehead. She was almost as beautiful as Empress Mikoto, but where the Empress was dark and elegant and willowy, with a soft face, this woman was tall figure, curvy and bright, her face all sharp lines. She flipped her hair over her shoulder as the girls subconsciously fell into line.
Hinata jumped as a hot breath touched her ear. "That's Tsunade-shishou. She's my teacher," Sakura whispered. Hinata felt hot blood rush to her face. The princess was speaking to her so informally, almost like a friend. It was refreshing not to have to interact with someone with the stiff formalities and regulations that came with life in the castle. But she was the princess! Hinata was jolted out of her thoughts when Tsunade spoke again.
"Sakura, what kind of stunt where you pulling off there?" Tsunade barked, causing Hinata to jump again. "You could have seriously hurt the girl! Twenty laps around the perimeter, and you better be back in less than two minutes or Kami help me, Konoha might mourn the loss of a princess tonight. Go!" Sakura straightened out of her sulk and replied with a sharp "Hai!" before Hinata felt a breeze sweep by her. Hinata whipped her head around to look at the spot where Sakura had just been standing, but all that she saw was a bunch of whirling leaves. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers before she came to her senses.
Of course they could do supernatural things like run faster than anyone she'd ever seen before. These people were the stuff of legends! Even Hinata, despite the fact that she kept her interaction with her fellow maids to a minimum, had heard the stories about Tsunade-sama. She was a psychotic Queen banished by her people to Konoha for the good of the kingdom; she was a fierce goddess sent down to Earth to be punished for her sins; she was a warrior shinobi trained in the ways of the ancient sages (even Hinata had smothered a smile at that one). All in all, surrounded by the legendary Tsunade and the supernatural and pretty princess of Konoha, Hinata felt way, way out of her league. She would have to make a speedy get-away, and no one would be the wiser. Hinata gathered her things in the basket as Tsunade watched her student with a hawks-eye. But when Hinata felt a piercing pain in her ankle as she shifted, she bit her lip and frowned. She couldn't sneak away with a sprained ankle. Hinata relaxed her body, letting the tension flow out, and focused her mind in that way she was so familiar with, letting the energy of her body be concentrated to her fingers. An almost invisible stream of energy shot to her ankle, gently knitting up the muscles and soothing the redness. Hinata allowed a small smile to graze her face before shifting into a crouch, ready to run before Tsunade saw her but Tsunade's voice caused her to freeze.
"Where did you learn that girl?" Hinata felt the blood leave her face, making her dizzy. Kurenai-san had warned her of this, of how others wouldn't take kindly to her ability. How on Earth had she noticed? Even if she'd been facing Hinata, the energy stream had been miniscule, invisible to the human eye. Hinata swallowed the lump in her throat and swiveled around to face Tsunade.
"U-um pardon m-me ma'am?" Hinata's face was wide and pale. She never could lie well.
"The chakra, girl the chakra! I've never seen a civilian with such exact chakra control!"
This time Hinata didn't have to attempt her confusion. She'd never heard of the word 'chakra' before.
"U-ummm…"Hinata trailed off, twiddling with the ends of her shaggy black hair.
Suddenly Sakura appeared with them, red-faced and heaving slightly. "What's going on shishou?" Sakura looked between the slightly trembling, white-faced slip of a serving girl and her far-too fierce teacher nervously. Sakura placed a comforting hand on the girl's back. The maid looked as if she was going to keel over any second now. "Tsunade-sama, what's going on?" Sakura turned to her teacher, raising her chin regally now as if reminding the woman who she was, trying to make Tsunade confide in her.
Tsunade only raised an eyebrow at her young, naïve student and rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"The girl can use chakra. Extremely well, too. She can channel it even better than you can, Sakura." Sakura's eyes widened as she processed the new information.
"Nani? Really Tsunade-sama? Then you have to teach her! A civilian with chakra control…" Sakura trailed off in wonder. "And I'll finally have a friend!" Sakura turned to the still silent girl with a beaming smile. "I won't have to deal with her alone," Sakura whispered conspiratorially to the girl.
Tsunade scowled. "I heard that." Tsunade brushed it off and turned around, already forming plans for the maid. She would have to be put under her tutelage, no matter what her profession. People with strong chakra were hard to come by these days, and now here was a girl who could already focus her energy to heal at such a swift speed! "She can't be a maid any longer," Tsunade mumbled to herself. "Perhaps we'll have her anointed a lady. Yes, that'll be much more fitting…and-"
"W-w-wait." Tsunade stopped in her tracks, pausing for the first time to actually look at the girl. She was a petite girl, taller than Sakura but still quite small. She had shaggy blue-black hair that was scraggly and choppy, and her oversized white dress had turned an off-white and was stained quite colorfully with mud and dirt. Coupling that with her pale face, wide eyes, and slight shivers, the girl made quite a pitiful picture. "I assure y-you ma'am. I h-h-have no id-idea what ch-chakra is. I-if you d-don't believe me, you c-can even ask my g-g-guardian, Asuma-san." The girl looked at her bare feet and poked her dirty fingernails together as if embarrassed. Tsunade smiled gently at the girl, transforming her stern face.
"You have nothing to fear from us, girl. From now on, you won't have to work as a maid ever again." Tsunade looked over at the scars caused by the head maid that adorned the girl's pale skin and frowned. "And no one shall lay a hand on you ever again, or they shall answer to me. You said Asuma was your guardian?" Tsunade waited till the girl jerked her head once in affirmation. "Leave everything to me, dear. By tonight you'll be a new girl. What was your name again?"
"H-Hinata. Yuhi Hinata. I-I'm nine."
"Well, Yuhi Hinata, wait here. I'll be back before the sun sets to explain everything, but for now, how about we let the princess teach you the basics." Sakura beamed and grabbed the girl's bony wrist.
"Come on, Hinata! I'll teach you everything I know!" Tsunade smiled wistfully as her new student was dragged off by Sakura. Sakura and Hinata reminded her nostalgically of herself and Mikoto, years ago. Of course, after years of living with Fugaku, things were different now. Mikoto-san was the empress of the kingdom, and Tsunade nothing more than her daughter's shinobi sensei, dirt on the bottom of her gold-soled shoes. Tsunade shook the thoughts out of her head and stood up. Now was not the time to dwell on the past. She had errands to run, lives to change.
Hinata nodded dazedly once more as the princess plunged into yet another long lecture that kept her mind spinning. Ever since Tsunade had instructed Sakura to teach her, Sakura had been talking nonstop, speaking loudly and gesturing enthusiastically and it was honestly starting to give Hinata a headache.
"Are you getting this Hinata-san?" Hinata looked up at the spirited girl. She'd paused in her wild gestures and speedy talking, waiting for Hinata to make some form of affirmation. Hinata's eyes gazed at her for a second before she nodded furiously, trying to placate the enthusiastic princess. But her attempts fell flat when some of the energy seemed to leave her leaf-green eyes and she dropped her arms. Sakura scratched her head sheepishly. "I'm not very good at this, am I?"
Hinata's eyes widened before she shook her head furiously. "N-no you are a-a won-wonderful teacher, Y-your Highness," Hinata soothed, averting her eyes and twiddling her fingers.
Hinata let her eyes rise again to look at the princess when she heard a frustrated sigh.
"Okay, first of all, please call me Sakura. Sa-ku-ra. Not Your Highness, or exalted one, or anything else. Sakura."
"H-hai S-S-Sakura-sama." Sakura looked heavenward as if asking Kami for patience before staring resignedly back at Hinata.
"Alright. It'll have to do. Though I would've just preferred Sakura, or even Sakura-san…After all, I am just a girl. Just like you!"
Hinata shook her head before stuttering out her reply. "N-no Sakura-sama. Y-y-you are a princess. It's q-quite diff-different."
Sakura plopped down gracelessly beside Hinata on the stone bench, but Hinata couldn't help but notice that even her least fluid move seemed to exude confidence.
"No, no I'm not." Sakura ran a hand through her hair. "I'm just a girl who was in the right place at the right time," she said softly. "You know my story, don't you?"
Hinata's dark eyebrows knotted.
"No? Hm. Alright. Well, I am obviously not the daughter of the Emperor and Empress."
Hinata's eyes widened momentarily. Well that was a shock. But it did make sense. Sakura's hair was bubble-gum pink, and her eyes were the color of jades. Hinata doubted that any of the Uchihas before and including Emperor Fugaku and Empress Mikoto had ever had pink hair and green eyes. It was almost a silent rule that anyone even marrying into the Uchiha family must have the dark hair, dark eyes, and pale skin characteristic of the Uchiha clan.
"Truthfully, I am the daughter of a merchant and his wife. My parents were civilians of Konoha. I was born to be just another civilian girl, one just like you. But my parents had fallen into harder times, and my father eventually lost his business. We were penniless on the streets, beggars essentially." Sakura spoke softly but emotionlessly, as if reciting the story from memory. "I was just a street urchin when I found him. Sasuke." Hinata started at the mentioning of a familiar name. Prince Uchiha Sasuke and his older brother, Crown Prince Uchiha Itachi, were the sons of the Emperor and his wife. Of course, Hinata didn't know the faces of the young sovereigns. Barely five years ago, Emperor Fugaku had sent Itachi and Sasuke, aged a mere ten and five years respectively, to train under the tutelage of Orochimaru, the Emperor's right-hand man.
But that had been years ago. What was Sakura-sama getting at?
Sakura spotted the slight rift in the space between Hinata's eyebrows. "It's true! I met Prince Sasuke when I was four years old. It was during the monsoon season, and…apparently my mother had just died?" Sakura frowned and scrunched up her face, confused. "Yeah, that's what they said. My mother just died, and my father was looking for some food for us, so I sat on the side of the street and waited for him. And then I saw Sasuke. Except…he didn't look like Sasuke…" Sakura trailed off, her eyes getting cloudy. "Meaning, he didn't look like much of a prince," she corrected herself. "From here on I remember everything clearly. Sasuke had gotten lost after he ran away from his nanny, and though I didn't know him at the time, I helped him get back. He hadn't seemed very keen to accept my offer. In fact, he kept trying to outrun me." Sakura frowned. "But eventually he gave up. When he told me he knew where to go from here, when we were in front of the castle gates, I didn't believe him. So I followed him sneakily as he climbed the gates, thinking maybe he was the son of one of the servants. I was quite taken by his face. Even under all that dirt, when we were still that young." And for the first time, Hinata saw Sakura blush. Nothing like Hinata's own light speckling of pink. After all, Sakura was anything but subtle. Sakura's face stained a rosy tomato-red. And yet, her ruddy cheeks only seemed to enhance her beauty, Hinata noted almost enviously.
"When the Prince Itachi caught me hiding behind a pillar, Sasuke came to my rescue." Sakura's apple-green eyes closed and she sighed, a giant smile on her face. "And then Empress Mikoto heard of me, and I suppose she saw something worth saving. I suppose she thought she'd be bored, what with Itachi and Sasuke leaving for their training soon." Sakura's eyes lost their dreamy haze and she shrugged. "So she asked my Father, who was keen on the idea of saving me from the streets, and so here I am." Sakura finished with a sweeping little bow.
Hinata giggled as she watched the theatrical young princess beaming at her. It was quite a story, she had to admit. But despite her humble beginnings, Hinata simply couldn't shake off the feeling that Sakura was meant for bigger things. Sakura's inner confidence and subtle regality didn't help Hinata relate to her. Hinata, despite the fact that she would've been of a higher rank had Sakura never been rescued, just wasn't of Sakura's caliber.
"But I think with my being a princess I can do so much more in the world…" Hinata looked curiously at the princess, who had gotten up and had began to pace in front the bench. "It's the opportunity of a lifetime, really. I've thought so much about what I'm going to do when I'm of age and have the power…I lived on both sides of the track, Hinata, you see? I'm a pauper and princess. I can do so much to help those that need it…I have so many plans…"
Hinata spent the remainder of that afternoon being sucked into the visions of one Princess Sakura. She was an idealist and a dreamer; that much was obvious. Hinata knew in her heart that no matter how much Sakura tried, some things just couldn't be changed. But she just couldn't find it in herself to ground the princess's fantasies.
That night, after she'd received her new quarters, she realized that maybe happy, idealist things like the color pink weren't so bad after all.
The next day, when Tsunade had taken her to get new dresses and trim her hair, Hinata couldn't find it in herself to feel lucky, or to even appreciate the fantastic stroke of chance that had happened upon her. She felt guilty at her lack of thankfulness, but really Hinata only felt satisfied, odd as it was. She fell right into her new role as if she was putting on a properly-fitting gown after years of wearing ones that were far too small. She felt almost as if she was meant to be there.
Hinata was an enigma among maids. Though Kurenai had groomed her to be a maid all her life, teaching her the painstaking cordialities and formalities of one, she could never quite fit into the role mentally. Being ingratiating and bowing down to others lit a spark of frustration in her that was actually quite out of character for quiet, shy Hinata.
She felt a sick sort of satisfaction from seeing the faces of her old peers as she moved her meager belongings into a much larger chamber. She was quite ashamed to admit that she'd smiled rather spitefully at one of the girls who had been especially taunting to her in her time there.
Her new rooms were moderately-furnished and quite spacious compared to the one large room she used to share with the other maids. Hinata laid the knapsack of her belongings on floor and admire her new room with wide eyes. It was perfect in her eyes. The armoire, bed, and all the other furniture were constructed of the same red-brown wood, and the curtains, beddings, and various knick-knacks and accents were all of the same deep cobalt blue and silvery-azure. The doors on the left led to a small closet, while the right doors led to an even tinier bathroom. It wasn't anything luxurious, but it was simply perfect to Hinata. Life. Was. Good.