Mirror Mirror
Author Note: Hey guys! I'm back, mmhm! Thanks to my lovely Beta and co-writer, Aurora0914, I got this feeling that this fic will be amazing! Anyway, onwards!
Chapter 1: Ripples
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He grumbled as he read over yet another scroll. Bringing a hand to his forehead, he groaned loudly. As a kid he wouldn't have expected all this paper work but-
The knock at the door saved him from the boredom he was forced to go through alone. Tsunade had Shizune to keep her company... Where was his personal Shizune and Tonton? He wanted a Tonton. Maybe a puppy instead of a pig, and he'll name it Miso like his favorite ramen.
"O-Oh, come on!" he absently called. The door creaked open revealing opal eyes. His smile lifted a bit. "Hinata!"
She blinked owlishly. "Ah, H-Hokage-sama," she bowed deeply before handing him a scroll. "I have completed my report, sir."
He huffed. "Na-ru-to," he pronounced. "I'm still Naruto," Naruto rubbed his chin and sighed. "Sit down, Hinata."
"S-sir I-"
"Sit." He pointed to the empty chair. She nodded quickly only to begin to wring her Jonin jacket. Naruto had hoped for their relationship, or lack of, to be smoother than this.
She refused to even make eye contact with him. The blond chewed his bottom lip trying to figure out what to say. Hinata swallowed and kept her eyes to the floor.
He always did this. After or before a mission he would make her sit in an awkward silence as he chewed on his lip. She looked through dark bangs to see deep azure eyes looking back at her. Hinata closed her eyes feeling her heart constricting.
"Hinata," he finally said. "Would you like to go for a walk with me?"
If she said no, he'll force her anyway. Hinata nodded quickly and stood as he did. "What do you think of puppies?" He asked.
"P-puppies?"
Naruto nodded and put on his hat. He noticed her eyes lingering on it. "I have to wear it," he said. "Lame, right?"
She went to the open and allowed him to leave first. The blond stood in the doorway. "Please, do not do that," he said. "Just because I'm the Hokage doesn't mean-"
"Hokage-sama!" A panting ninja called. "Hokage-sama, we have a problem at the gates!"
Naruto smiled. "Finally!" exclaimed the feisty blond as he took Hinata by the wrist leaving the tired ninja in a cloud of smoke.
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"What the hell?" Naruto mumbled seeing the old lady from this morning sitting on a bench. She was nothing but a headache: too loud and too old. Especially the cane she shamelessly carried around.
Her eyes narrowed at the Hokage. "I ain't traveling with no men!" Her lip curling, she pointed to Kiba and Lee.
Naruto scratched his cheek in confusion. "Harana-sama, you didn't mind this morning."
Kiba crossed his arms. "The old bat thinks we would molest her," he muttered. "It 's all Lee's fault!"
The green ninja rubbed the bruise on his forehead. "I only said that she was y-youthful!"
"I ain't leaving with those perverts!" She hit Kiba's leg with her cane. "I ain't!"
Hinata tapped Naruto's shoulder. "I'll go."
He frowned. "You just got back," he explained. "I will not overwork you."
"I w-want to go," she smiled at the pouting woman. "She n-needs to get home."
He sighed, defeat palpable on his features. "Fine," he turned away from the heiress. She still blatantly refused to look him in the eyes. "After this mission... I'm taking you off for a while."
She stared at his back. "B-Bu-"
"I'm saying this as your Hokage." he said.
"Hai, Hokage-sama." She mumbled. She walked up to Kiba ignoring his concerned face. "The s-scroll."
He nodded and silently took it from Lee. "She's going to The Hidden Mist, and since we're five hours behind schedule you should travel until sunset then sleep in a hotel," said Kiba.
"I k-know," she smiled in reassurance. "We'll be fine."
"I know you know but I know you'll try to push yourself and that old bat is an hundred-"
"Ninety-two, you perv!" The elderly woman shouted.
Lee jumped in. "Kiba is right, Hinata. You must stay safe."
"I know," she repeated and turned. "Let's get going, Harana-sama." The old woman stood. "I'll see you in a week."
With that, the two women headed out of the gates. Kiba turned to the blond. "Are you still blaming yourself?"
Naruto looked over at him with a smile. "No," he crossed his arms, and quickly changed the subject. "Lee, bring Shikamaru to me."
"Yes!" He jumped away.
Naruto sighed and looked at Hinata's retreating form. "Do you have any nice puppies?"
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Hinata was used to solo missions. They were usually fantastic but this... this pace was ridiculous. She glanced over at the shorter woman that she was accompanying. Her silver hair was pulled into a long fishtail braid that ended at her lower back. Harana's face was littered with wrinkles and the sides of her cheeks showed two deep dimples. Her hazel eyes were focused on the road ahead on them.
Hinata looked ahead and scanned the area. She wondered why Harana did not want Kiba and Lee to escorting her, suspecting that her earlier whining was a ruse. They were a bit childish but never- "I didn't want to be bothered," said the old woman. "They seem talkative."
Hinata wondered if her thoughts were written on her face, but then smiled. She detected the lie, subtle as it was. "Hai, they can be."
The woman nodded. "Are you the Hokage's mistress?" The very question made Hinata fall on her face. The old woman laughed loudly. "Was I right!?"
Hinata stood. "N-No, I... We.. We a-are just friends."
"Tough, he reminds me of my husband."
Hinata dusted herself off. "H-Husband?"
"Yes," Harana clutched her necklace. "I've been keeping him too long."
"You're going to s-see him?"
The woman nodded. "Yes, I've been keeping him too long." She repeated softly. Hinata decided it was time to end the conversation.
After walking in silence for a few hours, Hinata grew concerned with the old woman. She wasn't complaining. To her knowledge, Harana was ninety-two and hadn't complained about her feet, legs or anything.
Just as she was going to ask her about it, she felt a presence. It wasn't coming towards them... but it was somehow familiar. Too familiar. She activated her kekki genkai but it was too late; the presence was gone. She gritted her teeth and turned to her charge.
"Harana-sama, please, let's go into town. We will make it to the next shipping tomorrow." The old woman nodded.
After settling in the small inn, Hinata went to search for the odd presence. She leapt through the trees with her eyes focused. Pausing, Hinata whispered, "I shouldn't go too f-far." She sighed and crossed her arms. She decided to walk back. The thickness of the forest oddly gave her peace of mind.
She was glad because her mind had been on the events between herself and Naruto. Was he mad? She sighed hoping to release those thoughts. Maybe a vacation would be nice.
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"Mouse, I'm curious."
Hinata looked over at the old woman. Did she... did she just call her mouse? Hinata struggled on reigning in her incredulous expression. "A-about what?"
Hazel eyes watched the clearing water. "Are you in love with that boy?"
Hinata exhaled softly. "Ah, no."
She glanced over at the younger woman. "Now, Mouse-"
"My name is Hinata," she interrupted, deciding to change the subject. "M-my name is Hinata." Came the soft repetition.
Harana nodded. "Yuju," she introduced herself before a wicked grin came to life on her face, pronouncing the already deep wrinkles around her eyes. "So, you're just a concubine?"
Hinata choked on the humid air. Her eyebrow twitched when she saw the old woman laughing freely. "Yuju-sama! Please!"
"You are just so serious, mouse!" She cheekily rubbed the girl's back. "Geesh, what's got you so serious ?"
Was it her occupation? Her upbringing, maybe? Or her title as heiress? All sarcasm aside, she concurred that she was maybe a bit too serious for her own good.
"I'm s-sorry," apologized Hinata.
Yuju leaned against the railing and inhaled the salty sea air. "When your cherry cheeks start to pale and your pretty figure starts to fall," she smiled against the light breeze. "You'll wish you smiled more."
Hinata watched the woman until the ship jerked to a standstill. "Welcome home, Yuju."
Turning to leave, Yuju's voice stopped her in her tracks. "No, no..." She vehemently shook her head. "You'll stay the night with me."
"But-"
Yuju grabbed her bag. "Do I have to be your little Hokage to give you orders?"
A blush covered her face. "O-Okay, I'll s-stay...just o-one night," mumbled Hinata in weary agreement. This woman is...tough.
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He wasn't one for gossip, nor was he a nosy person. In fact, he hated getting involved in other people's goddamn business. However, this opportunity was too good to miss. He enhanced his hearing slightly. "-No, idiot! I'm not saying this is some damn magical mirror."
"Sounds like somethin' outta a fairytale," the man barked harshly. "You expect me to believe that?"
"You ain't gotta believe me, fool! If I can just get her to let me see my wife-"
"That whore," the group of men laughed. "May her soul burn."
"That's my wife! Respect the dead!"
Sasuke stood and walked over to the group of men. "What are you talking about?" Came his abrupt demand. The men laughed louder as if he was some type of joke.
"And who are you?" The largest man asked.
Sasuke pulled off his hood. "Tell me about this mirror," he pointed to the trembling male. "Now."
The bar got deadly silent. Hushed whispers about the Uchiha bounced off of every wall. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "If I ask again-" he didn't get to finish his sentence.
"I-It's just a stupid rumor!" 'A courageous man said. Sasuke didn't seemed moved. "There's an old lady who lives on the o-outskirts of t-t-town and..."
It looked as if he was about to faint, with his face pale and teeth clattering in obvious terror. Sasuke could see his reflection in the man's overly round glasses and noticed that his Sharingan was activated. He allowed his eyes to fade to back to their original onyx color.
"...She h-has a mirror t-that allows you to speaktothedead!" The end of the sentence slurred together, but Sasuke somehow managed to understand the man's blunder.
"On which end?" He asked, his question sharp and invoking more fear in his audience.
"E-East wing, a little h-house." Sasuke grunted and proceeded walking out.
"Uchiha-sama!" A voice called from behind him.
"What?" He muttered.
"There's a fee you have to give her," 'The man said, no longer petrified. "Nobody knows what it is."
The Uchiha grunted once again before walking out. He'll give up anything to speak to his brother... and if there was a woman that could grant him his wish, he would give her whatever she needed.
Uchiha Sasuke wasn't a rouge ninja after the war but one that refused to live within the suffocating walls of Konoha. He chose to live as he pleased because after everything was done, he didn't have a home. He didn't have family or friends, excluding the dobe who was busy being the Hokage. It was better that way, anyway.
He pulled on his cloak just as it began to rain, intent on paying this old woman... and her mirror, a visit.
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Yuju tapped her knuckles cane to the ground when they arrived at a small house. Hinata watched as the barrier crumbled around them. Her home was huge. From the white stone pathways to the eccentric koi pond that surrounded the whole house, everything was at least triple the normal size. Hinata stepped over the small bridge to her porch. Yuju tapped her cane three times on the wood, allowing the door to be divided in half. "Mouse, Welcome to my humble abode."
"It's beautiful," she said in awe. "Yuju-sama, I-"
"Your room is the second room. Go take a bath in the third room and meet me here for dinner in an hour." Yuju disappeared into the right wing of the complex, leaving Hinata to assume that she was to go down the left wing.
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She stepped into the indoor hot spring. Hinata sighed, allowing the heated water to relax her tense muscles. Absently, she wondered if she could just stay here for the rest of her life. Folding her arms over her chest she tiredly closed her eyes.
No Naruto, no messy missions, no clan meetings: it was just Yuju and herself living in this amazing home. Honestly, Hinata was very tempted as she lowered herself further until she was under water. At least Yuju might allow her to stay a little longer...
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After dinner, Yuju sent her off to bed. "How are you gonna seduce that boy without proper beauty sleep?" Queue the wicked grin.
"Yuju..." She sighed as the woman pushed her forward painfully with her cane. "P-please stop," pleaded Hinata. The elderly woman just smiled and closed the door.
It was in the middle of the night when that strange presence came back. Immediately, Hinata sat up and scanned the house. Her Byakugan wasn't picking up on anything... but she somehow knew that someone unwelcome had entered.
Grabbing her kunai, she opened the door soundlessly. She hadn't fought this whole time and that thought made her smile lightly. The aura grew stronger as she stepped in front of the first door. A door, she noticed that was sealed when she went to dinner. She slipped into the opening only to be slammed against the wall.
Her eyes widened as she saw the slowly revolving tomoes of the Sharingan. A hand covered her mouth, while the other had hers in a tight grip, his eyes daring her to scream. Hinata couldn't struggle even if she wanted to. Not against Uchiha Sasuke, the infamous wanderer, war hero, and best friend to Naruto Uzumaki.
Opal eyes traveled behind him, to see a full sized mirror. "Speak and die," he offered. She nodded weakly as he pulled away.
Hinata's mouth twisted angrily at the Uchiha. Hinata didn't dislike people very often (as in never), they normally had to do something horrible for her to even think about not liking them... but Uchiha Sasuke was a rarity, exempt from those rules.
Maybe she was holding grudges that weren't hers to hold and maybe those grudges should have been dissolved by now when he "majorly" helped in the Shinobi War (and she could thank him for that), but she couldn't forgive him for how poorly he treated the people that cared about him. Hinata refused to forgive him for abandoning Naruto... even without a goodbye.
She clenched her fists as he turned back to the mirror. Sasuke took the sleeve of his cloak and wiped the the dust off. When he finished, it shone with a crystal clarity that wasn't there before. "W-why?" Her mumbled inquiry fell upon deaf ears.
"I will kill you," he reminded her, easily silencing her as he glared at the mirror. Obviously, he wanted something from it. And yet... he didn't even know how to use it, Hinata mused.
She pushed herself off of the wall. "W-why? Why are you doi-" He turned to her, making Byakugan clash with Sharingan.
"Shu-" They both paused, hearing a low buzzing sound. Hinata turned her attention slowly from the Uchiha towards the mirror. Oddly enough, there wasn't a reflection in the mirror. Instead, the surface was covered in...
"R-ripples," whispered Hinata, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Hn," Sasuke grunted and raised his hand. Hinata swallowed positive that her presence in the room was out of place. Still, a mirror with ripples but with no reflection? She raised her index finger and tapped the surface imitating the Uchiha's movements.
Hinata gasped seeing the mirror swallow his hand and glanced back at her own, attempting to pull it back. However, it was too late. Whatever this mirror was made out of, it was pulling them inside. Before she could panic about the force pulling her arm, she felt the Uchiha grab her forearm and that was when her vision filled with darkness.
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Hinata moaned and buried her head in her oddly hard pillow. Her head was pounding and her body felt like gooey jelly. All she remembered was getting swallowed up in a mirror with the Uchiha. She was glad it was just a horrible, horrible dream.
She sighed until her pillow moved... or did it just inhale? That's when she noticed the soft thumping of a steady heartbeat. Wait... Her eyes opened slowly, blurred with exhaustion and she pushed herself up only to realize that there was a hand that held her arm in a death grip. Opal eyes traveled upward to see the owner of the body that she was resting on.
Uchiha Sasuke...
She sat up sluggishly and tried prying his painful fingers away only to find them tighten. She squeaked a pain hazed, "U-Uchiha-san!" and arduously tugged on his hand.
Scarlet eyes jolted open and as if he hadn't heard her, his clutch tightened. She panicked and cut off the chakra in his wrist. Sasuke pushed himself up and that was when she realized their rather... er... intimate position.
Hinata quickly threw herself off of his lap, her ears burning red in embarrassment. He glared at her silently. "Idiot," he disdainfully hissed.
Ignoring him, she grabbed her throbbing arm and looked at the matching mirror they had just came out of... or she thought. Everything was just too much right now, especially with her pulsating migraine.
She crawled up to the mirror and raised her fingers out to touch it. "W-what hap-"
"What the hell?!"
They turned to the door and saw an old man who carried an eccentric white cane. It vaguely reminded her of Yuju's black one. Hinata gasped and stood. Her legs almost instantly gave out under her weight, but she managed to stay steady. "W-Where's Yuju?"
His coal eyes narrowed in hostility. "Did you come through that mirror?"
Hinata nodded weakly, answering his question. Sasuke was still sitting on the ground with a hard frown present. He had wanted to speak to his brother and yet here he was with an annoying woman and an old man.
It was her fault. Had she not came in the room-
The man tapped his cane against the hard wood floor. "Get out," he commanded harshly. Sasuke looked over his shoulder to see the man. "I said get out! Don't you ever come back."
Sneering, Sasuke stood and grabbed the woman's wrist. She nearly tripped over her own feet, in her effort to obey the man's instructions. The old man was standing by the front door and almost shut the door on her heels, in his hasty effort to send them away.
Where was Yuju? Where were they? Who was that man? Why did her legs have to feel like jelly when the Uchiha was fine pulling her around? At last, he jerked her for the final time. "Where are we?" He demanded.
She wearily snatched out of his clutch. Activating her Byakugan, she scanned the forest area, stopping when she saw the Konoha gates. Hinata turned back to the house, but saw that the entire thing had... disappeared? She stared. How on earth was that possible? It was like something out of a book, she thought crossly. Sasuke watched her concentrated face before she deactivated her blood line limit.
W-We're on the outskirts of Konoha," Hinata muttered softly.
He stayed quiet. The young Hyuuga started to walk back in the direction of her home. She didn't know what she was going to tell Naruto... but she had made sure Yuju was home so her mission was technically over, and a success.
Hinata rubbed her sore arm. Light blue bruises had appeared, in the shape of fingermarks. Naruto said that he was taking her off of missions for a while and it was starting to sound more desirable by the minute. She glanced back to see the Uchiha following her.
Sasuke walked silently behind her with an austere scowl on his face, as usual. She mentally rolled her eyes and continued to walk until they approached the looming gates. As if someone answered her silent prayers, she saw the gang chattering at the front, as if in wait for their arrival.
Kiba turned to her. "Hinata-chan, you're home!" He excitedly exclaimed.
She nodded in agreement. "Y-Yeah," she said looking around at her friends, finding that somehow everyone looked a little... off. Kiba's movements were more catty than usual (them never being catty before), and the bug spray in Shino's hands said enough. The way Shikamaru was talking and how Ino was acting... a little like her. But what was really crazy and odd was how they weren't making a big deal about Sasuke being here. After all, he had never visited before. Why were they all acting like Sasuke's appearance was a normal occurrence?
"W-where's Naruto-kun?"
Everyone looked at her in confusion, and a slight bafflement. Ino poked her fingers, giving her a shaky smile. "Ne, Hinata-chan, w-who is N-Naruto?"
Shino nodded sharply. "Yes. And is there a particular reason of why you are mimicking Ino-san?"
Hinata stepped back, slightly horrified. What was this? "N-Naruto! The H-Hokage?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, uncrossing his arms. "Blond idiot, blue eyes, and a stupid catch phrase?"
Shikamaru laughed loudly. "Menma had blond hair and blue eyes but he doesn't have a catch phrase!"
Hinata wasn't understanding. Her brain had frozen. "W-Who is Menma?" She helplessly managed to stutter out.
"Have you gotten amnesia?" Asked familiar voice, if only a tad mockingly. Hinata and Sasuke turned to a man who could have been Naruto... if it wasn't for the obnoxiously black hair and cold frown. Standing beside him was Sakura who was smiling brightly.
"Naruto-kun?"
He raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "No, Menma."
Hinata looked at Sasuke and for the first time he was literally the only thing that made sense to her. Which was quite sad, as she had never really spoken to him before today. Menma smirked. "Sasuke, what have you done to poor Hinata?"
Sasuke grunted in response. "I don't know her."
The gang gasped, shocked. Sakura hugged Hinata reassuringly by the waist. "Oi, Hiiinata! I didn't know you both broke up!"
"What!?" 'Hinata cried, a green tinge overcoming her pale palour.
Menma sighed. "I knew it wouldn't last. He is a manwhore and you're a crazy jealous monster," he shook his head in defeat. "No wonder there was no report of you two fighting."
Sasuke's brows dipped, a fierce scowl gracing his face. "Manwhore? Uzumaki, do you want to die?"
Menma rolled his eyes skywards. "As if you could beat me... and besides, that's my mother's maiden name."
Sakura giggled. "Charasuke-kun, he is Menma Namikaze, you know, our Hokage!"
Hinata couldn't process this world but it was real. It was very real. Sakura's crushing bear hug proved it. Sasuke analyzed their current situation. There was the Mutt that was acting quite opposite of for his nickname, the Bug Guy that was killing the insects around him, the talkative Nara, the shy Yamanaka, the overly friendly Haruno and finally... Naruto. He was the exact opposite of everything Sasuke knew to be true.
Sasuke took Hinata's wrist before pulling away from the large group of nutcases.
"The mirror must have pulled us into an alternate universe." he told her. "We need to-"
"I know," she hugged herself. "That man d-disappeared! W-we c-can't get b-back without the mirror."
Sasuke sighed. "I'm leaving." his blunt tone suggested no argument.
She frowned. "Y-you c-can't... I mean... We don't know these grounds."
The Uchiha crossed his arms and nonchalantly grunted. Hinata took that as a 'yes'. But, if this was an alternate universe it made sense for everyone's personalities to be switched. And yet, what utterly baffled her was that their counterparts were supposedly dating.
"Hina-chan!" Hinata turned around to see Hanabi running up to them. "You're back! Eeh...what are you wearing?"
Hinata blushed at her sister's judgment. "What's w-wrong with it?"
The seemingly girly Hanabi giggled and took her sister's arm in her own. "Sasuke-chan, are you coming to dinner? Your nii-san is already there."
Onyx eyes widened. "Itachi..." Sasuke mumbled under his breath.
Hanabi nodded. "Yup! Your mother and father, as well! Oi, Sasuke-chan will you come?"
He only managed to stare dumbly at the bubbly girl. Hanabi giggled before leaving them alone. Hinata watched the Uchiha closely. It almost looked as if... he was smiling. But no! That was impossible. Uchiha Sasuke didn't just... smile.
"Hyuuga, where is your home?"
Hinata nodded and started to walk the familiar route towards the Hyuuga compound. Her eyes stayed focused on the ground. Myriads of thoughts were bouncing around in her mind and she honesty couldn't contain her excitement. If the Uchiha clan was alive then that meant... that Neji hadn't died in the war. Her eyes started to burn. She took to wringing her jacket.
"Hyuuga," said Sasuke. The next thing he said would make her eyes widen with worry. "Where are our counterparts?"
Something told her their universe would be a lot less accepting of their counterparts.
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Author Note: I hoped you guys like it. It will alternate between universes and whatnot. Sorry about the wait for The Day His Heart Stopped, I'm just trying to gather my thoughts but it should be out soon. Okay, until next time!