0oOo0
Hinata ran, she leapt, she practically flew; Konohagakure was nothing to her.
'That horrible place shall taunt me no more!' she thought furiously, tears burning down her cheeks in fiery trails. The salty droplets swirled into the surrounding rain that stung her face as she pushed on.
"Hinata-chan, it's just that…your family fears you. They reject you for that reason."
"Hinata, you're still too weak! Even with that freaky power of yours!"
"I hate you, Hyuuga!"
She screamed suddenly as the memories came flooding back to her. Hinata's foot slipped, and she landed on her stomach, gripping the grass.
"NO! I HATE YOU ALL!" she cried, suddenly choking on a sob. Her cries came with speed and malice, overwhelming her shaking body.
"Do you all… really hate me… that much? Naruto?" she asked quietly, gasping sharply and quickly to calm her sobs.
"Hinata. This town hates you because you are different. I know. They hated me, too. But, you… you are too different."
"T-too different, Naruto-kun?"
"Its Naruto-san. And yes, too different. They'll exile you. You killed half of the town, including Tsunade. She would've shown you some compassion. Now, your chances are gone, Hyuuga. When I say 'the town', it… it includes me. I hate you."
"NARUTO! WHY THE HELL—JUST WHY THE HELL—WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME!?" Her voice rang out amongst the trees, but was lost in the rolling thunder. Hinata's head fell onto the damp grass, and simply out of exhaustion, she fell asleep.
0oOo0
"Itachi."
His raven hair swirled heavily, wet with rain, as he turned to his aquatic partner.
"Aa?"
"Is that a girl?" queried Kisame, motioning to the left.
"Don't be ridi—"
Itachi blinked. It was a girl. She was soaked to the bone, and clad in a black hooded sweatshirt and dark blue pants. He could see a Konoha headband lying on the grass beside her. Her hair went down to her elbows, and was a midnight blue color. He could guess by her complexion and hair color alone that she was a Hyuuga, and also an unconscious one.
'She's approximately 1.5 meters away…' he thought, contemplating a course of action.
"Sharingan!"
Itachi stumbled back involuntarily, bumping into Kisame. The shark-man said nothing.
The shorter man turned to him, his eyes wide and dark.
"You… deactivated it?" Kisame asked.
"She has… a strange power. An insight stronger that Sharingan could provide."
"Sh-should we inform Rei-sama?"
"I have a better plan, Minami. She shall inform Rei-sama personally. She could be a valuable asset to us."
'How could I not sense her earlier…?'
0oOo0
Hinata stirred slightly, and upon feeling the wet grass on her cheek, remembered the flood of emotional pain from before.
"…Could be a valuable…"
'Who is that? It sounds like Sasuke, but… much, much older.' She thought.
"Hai, Shu-san. Shall I wake her, Itachi?"
'Itachi!' she thought. 'As in Uchiha Itachi, slayer of the Uchiha clan? Oh, fantastic.'
Her eyes snapped shut as her Kekkei Genkai activated out of habit.
'Ancestors of late, grant me your sight.' She prayed.
A scene blurred into her mind, blinding all else. She knew that time would stand still while she was in this trance.
In the scene, a man with blue skin approached her form as it was now, lying on the grass. It cut forward to her eating on the grass with Itachi and the blue man.
"What is your name, girl?" he would ask.
It blurred forward again to show her standing in a kitchen, being watched by hungry eyes. She could feel heat in that room, and could smell meat frying.
The second to last scene was in a bedroom, and all she could see of it was a blonde figure lying there amongst maroon sheets.
'Oh no, the details of my future are being cut out. There was no sound, so I must be seeing very far to be experiencing only vague sensations.' She thought.
The last vision, very blurry, came into focus. All she could see was a blurred patch of skin color, and she felt something cold and wet on her mouth.
Hinata reentered the present. The shark-man stood over her now, and he bent down to touch her shoulder.
She waited for the feeling of his hand before even breathing again.
'Remember, Hina. This man is obviously an S-ranked criminal. Don't let your guard down.' She reminded herself.
Surprisingly, his touch was very gentle and cautious. Hinata sensed a kind spirit within him.
'Kisame. Hoshigaki Kisame. That is his name.' She thought suddenly. This information was new to her, however. 'I need to keep it inside. I need to control this… crazy power of mine!'
The hand on her shoulder shook gently, stirring her. She opened her eyes and sat up quickly, and although she sensed no malice, feigned fear.
"Who are you?" she asked quietly, despite knowing the answer. The Uchiha sat on the wet grass a few feet away, his liquid black eyes staring curiously at her. He seemed only mildly interested in anything else. Kisame stood over her, but then crouched, looking into her large white eyes with some degree of scrutiny. His beady black eyes narrowed slightly.
"She knows more than she's letting on, Shu-san." He said, his sharp teeth flashing in her lower peripheral vision.
She held his gaze, her face now blank. Slowly, she shifted her stare to scan his face, observing his concave cheeks and blue skin. Hinata traced each gill with her eyes, and then the pattern on his hitai-ate. It was adorned with the symbol of Kirigakure, but slashed through the center.
"You both are Akatsuki members. Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi." She said, deciding to give up what she knew to prevent an interrogation.
She hardened her expression, furrowing her brows slightly.
'I look weak enough already. I don't want a fight to happen here.' She thought.
"Hyuuga. Ne?" said Itachi, his dark voice weaving a temporary spell around her. Hinata figured that there was no point in hiding her clan identity any longer, considering that he already knew.
"Yes. Hyuuga Hinata, though I no longer wish to be associated with my ex-family. I have betrayed them out of spite." She explained, speaking in monotone. Kisame smirked in approval and stood, holding out a rough hand. She took it gingerly, standing with little help.
"I hope that we can become better acquainted, Hinata-san." Grinned Kisame. "Allow me to welcome you preliminarily to the Akatsuki."
"Thank you, though I have little incentive nor desire to join. I appreciate your offer, Hoshigaki-san." She answered formally.
"Did you kill any from your village?" Itachi interjected.
"Many. Half of the population, civilians included, and the Hokage." She looked down as she said this.
"Well, then," Kisame began, "You have a friend in us, for we, too, have betrayed our places of origin." He grinned, and in doing so resembled a shark even more.
"Let us eat." Itachi said, "And if Hinata-san would join us, I would be honored." He looked her direction blankly with this statement.
The vision of her eating on the grass with them echoed into her mind once more. She could eat without fear of poison.
"I don't want to impose, but I would be most grateful if I could." She said, a slight blush creeping onto her face. Swiftly reprimanding herself mentally for allowing an old habit to return, she awaited an answer.
"Come, sit with us." Kisame replied, smiling. He handed her a box full of leftover onigiri.
"Neither of us like onigiri, so please take it."
"So…" Itachi began.
"What is your name, girl?" Hinata finished for him, imitating his inflection and tone perfectly. She looked him blankly in the eye. "This is why they rejected me."
0oOo0
Hoorah! Hinata kicks ass!
Instead of Itachi asking her name, the whole situation makes me think he's going to be like "Tell me of the waters of your home world, Usul." lol sorry