Hinata grimaced as she held her left arm securely in her grasp. She walked alone down the old barren road, trying to hug herself from the cool morning air. The pain in her arm was so intense, she felt tears come to her eyes. But she did her best to subdue them.
She would not cry, it showed even more weakness. And Hinata more then anything did not want to look even more weak then she already was.
She gritted her teeth then remembering how she obtained her injuries . Her father had called her out to the training grounds that morning. He looked stern and angry, like he did every morning.
Without warning he had told her to perform the basic hyuuga fighting style. She had done so, not perfectly as there was some stumbling in her movements. But she had the basics down and performed them nearly flawless.
Then he asked her to get down into kaiten position. A technique she knew she could not do, her father knew this as well.
It was as if he was purposely taunting her and her weakness. When she bent her knees her father had then backed away and given her the signal to begin.
Hinata's eyes closed tightly then, trying to concentrate on releasing her chakra from her chakra points.
But it simply was know use, Hinata wasn't efficient in using her chakra yet. Also even if she did release some of it, the amount would be small and look so insignificant to her father's kaiten.
She heard her father sigh and she opened her eyes, looking down at the look he gave her. "It seems you are not ready yet," he spoke solemnly. Hinata felt tears come to her eyes at his disappointment, she kept her eyes down and just wanted to dissapear into the ground. Her shoulders began to shake against her will.
"Good morning Hiashi-sama." Said a male voice as the person approached them. Hinata lifted her head and spotted her cousin talking to her father. Neji looked slightly angry, though his voice was devoid of any emotions.
Hinata knew Neji hated them, but still showed some respect towards her father. It seemed Neji knew when to show his angry and when not to.
"Neji you will train with Hinata now." Her father spoke and Hinata began to shake. She was scared to go up against Neji. Her cousin scared her, the way he would look at her with disgust and hatred.
It was like nothing she ever experience before. When Neji rounded on her, she kept her head down. Hinata backed away slightly when Neji began to speak.
"I will not go easy on you, Hinata-sama." He whispered getting into his stance. Hinata bit her lower lip, her eyes glancing at her father.
The man gave her a stern look, telling her with his eyes to get into fighting position. She did so, reluctantly, observing how her posture looked more relaxed and slacked against her cousins.
His arm was raised higher and pointed, while her arm was lower and her elbow bent more. The difference in the posture alone showed how much power Neji had over her.
Neji's eyes narrowed and widened as the byukagon activated. Hinata watched him, slightly intimidated by the way he looked at her. As if she was obstacle in his way for what he truly wanted.
Hinata stared back at him, her stance wavering before she too activated her byukagon. They then faced each other down and Neji, without warning launched himself at her.
His speed was so fast, Hinata knew she wouldn't be able to keep up. His strength as he aimed a palm into her chest was so fierce, Hinata felt herself become scared of being hit. Neji's full power only increased with his rage towards her.
The look in his eyes, it was like he could kill her and hold no remorse. Hinata vaguely wondered what her father was thinking while watching them fight. Didn't he see she had the potential of being killed.
It was then she held her ground fighting back, angry that her father didn't seem to care about her fate. She attempted to strike at his stomach, but he pulled back, hitting her in her jaw. She stammered back, recoiling from the hit.
Neji then attacked again, not letting her rest and hit the side of her arm with his left palm. The force behind it almost had her fear he had snapped her arm. With his other hand he knocked her in the face sending her flying onto her back.
Hinata grunted, trying to move her left arm, but it hurt so badly she seized doing that. She lifted herself up then with her other arm, her face aching with pain. Her chest heaved up and down trying to maintain a steady breathing cycle.
Her eye's widened as Neji approached her, his stance perfect and absolute. His body was free from any wounds, as Hinata wasn't even able to land one hit on him.
And even worse yet, he had not even broke a sweat. While Hinata, herself looked like she had been dragged for at least 2 miles in the mud by a truck.
When Neji rose his hand, Hinata rose her arm to brace herself, shacking. It was then that her father decided to end the match.
"Enough Neji, if Hinata is to weak to even land a hit on you. Then she can not train with us." He spoke, watching as Neji smirked triumphantly moving to his side. Hinata sat in the dirt, frowning and her eyes lowered in disappointment.
She tried to look at her father and cousin, but was unable to do so. Instead she focused her gaze on their feet and found an extra pair of feet joined theirs.
She looked slightly up to found her little sister, Hanabi staring down at her. The girl had her hands on her hips, one eye brow raised curiously.
"What happened to you?" she asked, stepping up to the girl in the dirt.
She was slightly bent over, causing her hair to fall forward and over her shoulders. Hinata looked away unable to answer as her father said. "Neji and Hinata were training, you can clearly see the results."
Hanabi blinked and then let out a shriek of laughter. "Otou-san you knew this would happen if she trained with Neji-Nissan. It's obvious that she can't train with here with us, she'll just slow us down."
The young girl said all of this in an obvious tone.
Like this information was nothing new and it was a sole fact. And the sad thing was it was very true, Her father along with Neji and Hanabi knew. The rest of the hyuuga clan knew so as well, which explained the look of hatred she would receive from them.
"It's true, we'll try again some other time." Hiashi spoke, turning to face Hanabi and Neji. "For now we will proceed in our training. Hinata can go and get us some tea."
Neji and her younger sister nodded and Hinata, feeling forgotten stood up and winced, making her retreat.
She wanted to cry, sob until her throat became horse and her eyes dried. She made her way into the kitchen to retrieve the tea, rushing passed servants. The servants looked ill as she passed, they saw her injuries, but made no move to help her.
Hinata stumbled into the kitchen and felt herself come to rest on one of the wooden counter tops. Her breathing was shallow and she desperately tried to get it under control. She would not cry, she wouldn't.
Her small hands shaking reached out above her for the cups, but her hand fell before she could reach them. Why did she have to serve them? when they did nothing but put her down and mock her.
Instead of seriously helping her, they criticized her until she began to believe that she was even breathing wrong. In a way it was there fault for her own lack of self worth.
Hinata straightened herself then, eyes narrowed as she left the kitchen, passed the servants into the quart hard. She glanced at her cousin and sister as they trained together.
Hanabi jumped back and used kaiten. A small amount of chakra came out and she fell over after she got done spinning. But the single fact that she was able to release chakra to begin with was surprising. Hinata wasn't even able to do such a thing.
She looked away then, feeling inferior as she moved passed them. They didn't notice her as she walked passed the front doors and into the streets of konoha.
She was not wanted, nor needed.
And now here she was making her way into the market place of konoha. She walked passed the ramen shop and almost like out of out habit, paused and stared at the shop.
Naruto the boy she secretly admired and loved sat on the stool, his back turned towards her.
However he didn't seem very happy, she could tell by the way his shoulders sagged.
Hinata moved closer to his position, hiding behind a shop's barrel of oranges as she watched him closely. She was also able to pick up small amounts of the conversation Naruto was having with the ramen man.
"I feel like such a failure." Naruto complained, looking down angrily.
"It's always Sasuke, he had to save me from a enemy this time and I just stood there frightened. Kakashi congratulated him and Sakura swooned over him. That jerk, thinks he so cool."
The shop keeper smiled and nodded, listening to the boy closely. " Naruto why did you let Sasuke get to you so much? He isn't like he trying to show off." The old man's daughter delivered Naruto's noodles and as the boy opened his chop sticks he suddenly exclaimed.
"He does try to show off, he's always smirking thinking he's better then everyone. He's constantly puts me down and hurts Sakura! For that I can't forgive him." All this time as they spoke Hinata sat and watched carefully, her heart going out to Naruto and his anger.
She too felt that she was mocked and put down upon often. She was treated cruelly by her family and knew Neji was simply trying to show off as he beat her to a pulp.
Hinata began to stand, trying to gather the courage to go and talk to him. She wanted to make him feel better, if only a little. Naruto deserved to be happy, his happiness meant the world to her.
If Naruto was not happy, then to put it plainly he wasn't the cheerful boy she had fallen for. However as Hinata began to stand she noticed a another presence in the area. She ducked and instantly caught sight of a pink strand of hair.
Sakura she thought, slightly noticing the way Sakura held herself up as she walked down the street. She walked with a slight swing to her hips, her posture perfect as she flaunted her good looks without concern. There was no doubt that Sakura was beautiful and a prize, and the way she walked and carried herself with confidence showed that she knew it oh to well.
"Naruto!" She called in the distance. Naruto looked up at hearing his name be called, his mouth full with noodles. As Sakura came to a stop before him he let out a hello, his mouth still full of noodles.
His mouth opened and a few noodles came out as he did so landing on Sakura's chest. The girl shook with angry and knocked him on the head, while stating that Naruto shouldn't speak with food in his mouth.
Naruto, naturally whined as Sakura took her seat next to him. Then silence rained and Hinata saw as Sakura leaned into Naruto whispering some words to him.
Naruto himself seemed happy now, a contrast to the way he was earlier. Whatever they were talking about seemed to have made Naruto greatly happy. And this was proof when Naruto let out loudly.
"Thank you Sakura, talking to you always makes me feel better."
Hinata frowned leaning back into the shadows. Sakura cheered up Naruto without even trying, Naruto was always happy around Sakura. And what did she accomplish? Absolutely nothing. She hid and watched Naruto like some crazed stalker and didn't offer him even a ounce of comfort.
As she watched them walking away her heart ached. Could she have been the one to walk away with Naruto happily if she had the courage to talk to him. In the end she was worthless, Hinata stood and walked away her head down.
She was not wanted, nor needed.
Several minutes later Hinata arrived at her team's training grounds. Kiba, Shino and Kurenai already there training. She then realized with some disdain as she took in there tired states that they must have been training for a while now. Hinata paused at the tree and watched them silently.
Kiba and Kurenai were going head to head, while Shino stood in the background summoning his bugs in a swarm around him.
The metals of the kunais clashed together and Kiba let out a grin as he fell back on his feet and got on all fours, the kunai in his mouth. Kurenai smirking did as well, falling on her own two feet.
They didn't seem to notice her presence until she let out a nervous hello and the team turned towards her.
"Oh Hinata, we didn't see you there." Kurenai stated walking up to the girl and giving her a small smile. "I guess we were so much into our training we didn't even notice you."
Hinata looked down, sadly. She was even invisible to her own team. Kiba watched her with a serious look and Shino stepped up beside him, watching her intently as well.
Hinata did her best to move her damaged arm away from her team's view, but Kurenai hurriedly grabbed it. Hinata hissed, trying to move away from the contact.
Kurenai blushed at her own foolishness. "Sorry" she mumbled. " But… how did your arm get that way?"
Hinata looked down at her arm. "I was training with my father and he ordered Neji and I to train together." There was a silence, Kurenai looking to be in deep thought. In the background a fierce growl was heard and all of them looked towards Kiba, who had his fangs bared.
"You mean that bastard Neji hurt you like this?" Kiba yelled, furious. Hinata raised her one good arm to explain, but Kurenai turned to Kiba and said. "Try to calm down, Kiba. This is strictly family matters, we have no right to interfere."
Shino choose to stay quiet, as always and Kiba looked over at him angrily. "What? not going to say anything Shino? Don't you care if Hinata gets hurt?"
It was clear that Kiba was only addressing Shino in such a way to try and gain some support. But with Shino answering with nothing, only angered him more.
Kurenai's eyes narrowed as she tried to calm down Kiba, but Hinata soft meek voice was then heard. " Kiba, please. My father only told Neji-Nissan to spare with me to see where I was currently at in level, it wasn't to hurt me."
Why was she defending them? She knew well in her heart that they were hurting her because they were angry over the fact that she was weak. But they were her family, nothing could ever change that.
Kiba growled. "As if I can believe that. Your father's intention might not have been to hurt you. But Neji's were and the fact that you father didn't even stop him in the middle of the match before you received such injuries. Those bastards! Don't they care about on of there own-"
"Kiba that is enough! Please refrain from talking about the hyuuga clan that way. They are an honorable and noble clan and talking about them in such a way in will not be tolerated." That seemed to silence whatever Kiba was planning on saying next.
Because he gulped and calmed down, though his left first was clenched into a ball. His nails, now unsheathed digging into his palm causing small blood droplets to fall upon the ground.
Kurenai looked at Hinata and examined her arm, also noticing some of the bruises on the girl's face. "I think it will be best if you stayed here and rest, while we continued our training." Hinata was surprised. She wanted to stay and train with them, she still had an arm.
But her voice failed her as her team walked away and resumed there training. Hinata let herself fall onto the ground and leaned up against the tree for support.
Once again she felt invisible as Shino and Kurenai ran pass her, sparring. Hinata felt useless, as if she didn't even need to be there. Maybe Team 8 would have been better off with some one else. Kiba and Shino were the ultimate fighting team and while she had her byukagon it could only see so far.
Her eyes were weak, compared to the other's hyuuga members. And her fighting was below average. What her purpose on being here if she was nothing but a burden for others.
She was not wanted, nor needed.
It was then that Kiba paused in his training and walked up to her. Hinata looked slightly startled as the dog boy came to rest in front of her, getting down on one knee.
His usually sharp eyes softened as he looked at her. "Are you alight Hinata?" he asked, placing one hand on her injured arm. It didn't hurt at the contact because he barely brushed it, but the touch was strange all the same. Kiba, though she knew him for a good year never touched her in such a way.
She smiled. "I am alright Kiba-kun some goods medicinal herbs should fix me right up." Kiba smiled at her in return and let his hand fall. Hinata then noticed the absence of Kiba's companion. "Kiba-kun where is Akamaru? he isn't here."
Kiba frowned. "Akamaru is sick and needed to stay home, Hana is looking after him." Hinata nodded, feeling bad for Akamaru. The little dog was always friendly with her and seemed to enjoy her company. On many occasions it was Akamaru that had cheered her up when she was in a slump.
There was a silent pause that came after his statement, it was comfortable. However, Kiba himself didn't look as comfortable. He clenched his fist. "I know you don't want me saying anything bad about your family, Hinata."
Hinata listened then intrigued.
"But I can't help but found them to be heartless bastards. All they care about his power and the only way by gaining respect is to be powerful. But with you being different, they treat you that way. It makes me so angry."
"Kiba-kun?" Hinata began uncertainly, but Kiba was not done yet.
"I seriously hate them, I would kill them with my bare hands if I could." His fangs barred themselves as he looked at her intently, Hinata recoiled. "I can't stand when people hurt you Hinata, it bothers me."
Kiba seemed lost in his own world of anger that he didn't even see the effect his words had on Hinata, herself.
For one she was fairly surprised that Kiba could go to the lengths and even say that he would kill someone. She knew the boy was brash, but killing someone was never like his style. And what did he mean that it bothered him when someone hurt her.
Did Kiba really care so much? She didn't know. What she did know though was that the way his fangs were bared menacingly was beginning to frighten her somewhat. Like he would attack her any given moment, still though Kiba didn't scare her as much as Neji did.
Suddenly Kiba calmed down and looked at her, solemnly. He took in her frightened state and felt sort of bad for being the one to cause it.
"I'm sorry I came over here to cheer you up and I frightened you. I'll leave now, just make sure you get some rest." He sat up and moved away before Hinata could get a word of protest in.
She watched him go and saw him pick up a fight with Shino. She was then hit with a sudden wave of drowsiness and allowed her head to fall back onto the tree. The days events seemingly catching up with her and without warning fell into a dreamless sleep.
Some time later, Hinata was awakened prematurely from her slumber by a falling leaf that hit her nose. Hinata promptly sneezed and sat up, where she was before sitting slumped on the tree.
She panicked at seeing no one there with her and looked around. Where did her team go? Had she been asleep for so long that they merely forgot about her. Or did they know, but chose to leave her behind.
Hinata frowned. Not even her team wanted her? So all those looks of concern from Kurenai and Shino were fake. And Kiba's anger over her family was fake too.
She wanted to cry, curl up into a ball and wither away. The wind picked up blowing her short hair into her face. Hinata batted it away angrily when she noticed something blowing in the breeze beside her. She grasped it into her hand and held it up to her face.
"Kiba-kun's jacket" she exclaimed. What was the boy jackets doing here? Did he leave it behind accidentally when he was trying to get away from her. Hinata threw the jacket onto the ground angrily. Why didn't anyone want her. Was she created into this worlds to be alone? Forever.
Tears welled up into her eyes and not holding them back, she sobbed into her hands. All the pain her family placed on her, from friends ignoring her all came down and she felt she may collapse from stress.
She was crying so loud she didn't notice the footsteps running towards her, or the cry of her name. She suddenly felt her hands being removed from her face and opened her eyes startled. Kiba stared right back at her, eyes looking worried.
"Hinata, why are you crying?" Hinata at first looked surprised, but then they grew angry. "What do you care, you left me as well." She battled with him then, pushing him away. She took hold of his jacket and threw it at him, yelling. "Here's your jacket you left it!"
Kiba caught it into his hand, looking startled. "Hinata was has gotten into you!" he cried.
"Nothing has gotten into to me, Kiba-kun." Hinata said quietly suddenly returning to her more calm self. "I just realized now that nobody cares nor wants him. I have no meaning in this life." She choked on a sob, turning her head away ashamed.
Kiba stared at her and without warning gave her a nervous smile. "Of course your needed. You're my friend aren't you? Shino and Kurenai need you too. You may not realize it Hinata, but you have brought happiness to all of us.
Kurenai actually knows now what it means to have someone to protect, before she was cold and only watched her own back. But when she saw your pain at the hands of your father she wanted to protect you. She views you as a daughter Hinata."
Hinata listened, her own eyes wide. "Shino is still, well quiet. But with you he has learned how to interact with people. And you don't judge him because he likes bugs, but instead you show an interest in what he likes. And for that he is grateful. Because before people have pushed him away."
Kiba smiled to himself and continued. "And you've changed me as well Hinata. I don't act as crazy and rough with I am around you. With you I feel secure and don't need to be tough to protect myself. I can talk to you freely Hinata, you've given me someone I can confide in. Normally I would have gone to pick a fight with someone. My point is though Hinata you are needed here."
Hinata brought her knees to her chest, biting her lip. She took in all Kiba had to say, but something seriously weighed on her soul still. "So why did you leave me here?"
The question floated into the air and Kiba frowned. "You think that I left you here?"
"You came back for your jacket didn't you?"
"Hinata I would never, ever leave you. I left my jacket here to shield from the cold." Hinata was surprised, originally thinking Kiba didn't care. She was thankful that Kiba cared even a little bit.
The jacket must have fallen off her body from the wind, while she was sleeping. It explained why she had woken up with it beside her.
"That still doesn't explain why you left me here in the first place."
Kiba sighed and moved to sit next to her. "Well first of all you never let me finish, anyway I went back into to town to get something for you." Hinata barely registered Kiba reaching into his pocket and taking out a small bottle.
She then recognized the bottle to be adisinfectant spray, it was used to treat flesh wounds. Her mouth open silently, but no words came out.
"I went to get this for you to treat your wounds. I didn't want to wake you, because you looked so peaceful sleeping. And I figured that leaving you here for a minute wouldn't hurt. Shino and Kurenai wanted to take you home, but I told them to let me handle it. Besides I figured you wouldn't want to go back there just yet anyway."
Hinata eyed the spray and then let her eyes trail back to Kiba's grinning face. He went through all that trouble just for her? No one in her entire life time has ever been that nice to her. She then remembered Kiba's words about Shino and Kurenai and felt that they cared about her too, just as much as Kiba did.
Hinata against her will cried again and Kiba panicked. " What, why are you crying now!?"
Hinata didn't answer him however, but lunged towards him in happiness. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his chest. "Thank you Kiba-kun." She said, her voice muffled by his shirt. Kiba smiled and touched her back gently, letting her cry into his shirt.
They held each other there for a moment, Hinata still crying hysterically. She faintly remembered Kiba saying something along the lines of. "Come on Hinata, you need to get off so I can treat your arm." But she couldn't bring herself to care as she clung to him for dear life.
She was wanted, she was needed.