Chapter One: Hinata's Arrival
"Of course." Hinata's dad said, signing his initials one last time and heading the papers back to the man.
"Thank you very much..." wheezed the man, licking his lips. "Let's go, child."
He put his pale-as-paper hand on Hinata's shoulder as she stuttered, "P-Please Father! I never m-meant-"
"Silence!"boomed Hiashi, "You have shamed this family enough! Be grateful that I didn't sentence you to death!"
He turned to the gold-eyed, snake-like man, "Orochimaru-san, I appreciate your generous offer to take my daughter. Let's just hope you get some use out of that worthless child!"
The odd man, Orochimaru, patted her shoulder, to which she cringed away from, "No problem... They pay for themselves, as I already told you. They do various odd jobs for those who pay during the day and we them bathing time after dinner every night. Plus, getting to travel around is quite effective on the young..." Orochimaru said, casting Hinata a hungry look to which Hiashi didn't notice.
They walked outside, Hinata desperately searching for someone, anyone, that would save her, but all she could see was a carriage, pulled by two black horses. The carriage itself looked like it had been to the brinks of Hell and back, it was so in shambles and mud-caked. Hinata hoisted her small pack that she was allowed to bring-they said no clothing was to be brought, but she was going to salvage the clothing hidden in her bag just in case. Her favorite cream-colored jacket and a black T-shirt and matching pants. She also had a few trinkets -and necessities- that she couldn't bear to part with. And some of the special ointment that was unique to her family-in case of an emergency.
Hinata opened the small door-she didn't want to risk getting yelled at again- and immediately recoiled at the state the carriage was in. It was gutted, debris was all over the interior, and it smelled awful, like sweat and rotting food. Then a hand was on her back and she was falling. Hinata threw her hands out to catch herself.
She was ok, if not a bit dusty. Until the door was slammed shut. Her legs were throbbing and she let out a moan of pain-it felt like a giant had just tried to make her shorter. And when the carriage took off, it only got worse for her. Bouncing everywhere, further bruising her already much abused legs, she wondered what this 'camp' (she heard that they would be sleeping in tents) would be like. Finally managing to brace herself, she hung on for dear life for the rest of the ride.
When the carriage finally bumped to a stop, her door was immediately thrown open, temporarily blinding her with harsh daylight.
"C'mon, c'mon, move it! I've got better things to be doing then showing the new girl around camp!" said a voice angrily.
Suddenly, Hinata felt something tight being tied to her wrists. The person yanked, and Hinata was pulled through the open door, into the daylight. Blinking her eyes to adapt, she saw who her offenser was.
He has a young face, even though he appeared to be about 18 years, and he was wearing a black cloak with red cloud designs all over it. His handsome face was glaring at her.
"What?" he snapped, "Are you deaf?" Hinata then found her voice.
"N-no..." she whispered.
Now his brown eyes were mocking. "Very well, then. Let's make this brief." He stated, yanking the rope in his hands to command her to move.
Feeling a painful jerk on her wrists, she decided that keeping up was important.
Walking briskly, he quickly pointed everything out. "Directly ahead of us is the Mess Hall. You will be here when you have any free time or for meals. The largest tent behind it is Orochimaru-sama's. It is forbidden to go near it unless her requests a private audience with you. All the series of smaller tents are the kids: The ones to the left are the boys', the right the girls'."
They paused in front of one particular tent. Row 3, tent 6, she noted. There were many tents-over 20 for each side.
The red-haired man gave her a bundle of rags, "Put these on," he commanded, cutting the ropes on her wrists off, "and give me your clothing."
She went inside, and had to slouch over. She was short, so this was just ridiculous!Fearful for what would happen if she dawdled, Hinata quickly undressed and, struggling quite a bit, changed into the rags.
She handed her clothing to the man, and he sped away. Hinata stood there, wondering what she was supposed to do now.
The red-head stopped, only for an instant, to say, "Orochimaru-sama will check up on you in a week. Don't disappoint him."
"Yeah, so you pretty much have a week til you lose everything you have left," said a voice.
Hinata jumped and turned to face the person who had just come out of the tent to the right of hers. She had sad, but very angry, defiant green eyes and short, pink, tangled hair.
"W-what?" stuttered Hinata.
The girl sighed and wrapped an arm around Hinata's shoulders. "C'mon, I'll introduce you to the others, fresh meat. My name's Sakura, by the way," she stated.
"H-Hinata," poor Hinata stuttered.
"Well, Hinata, one hell of a vacation place you picked," Sakura said wryly. "Here we are," she said, opening up the tent flap for both of them.
There was probably half of the camp's population in there. Hinata's head was buzzing with questions, but Sakura obviously had other things in mind then answering them, currently. Sakura's gaze traveled around the tent.
When she didn't find what she was looking for, she announced, "Hey! Everyone! This is Hinata."
Hinata's pale face flushed under the regarding stares. A few of them just went back to what they were doing, but two came over.
"Hi!" said a voice excitedly, "I'm Ino, this is Tenten." Ino had very matted, long, bleach-blonde hair and bright blue eyes, while Tenten had brown hair pulled back into two buns and calf-brown, serious eyes.
"It's really great to see a new face, I mean, terrible that you're here, but you get more friends!" bubbled Ino, putting her hair into a ponytail. T
enten clapped a hand over Ino's mouth, "Ino..." she said, warningly.
Suddenly, they shot off, Hinata being pulled by Sakura onto the ground, facing the tent.
She must've seen Hinata's confused look, because she then hissed under her breath, "The wardens... You already met Sasori-the red-head. Crossing them really result in-"
"Telling the new girl what's gonna happen to you, Sakura-chan?" asked the orange-masked warden cheerfully.
"I'm sorry, Tobi-sensei..." mumbled Sakura pitifully.
"I'm sorry too, but rules are rules. Shirt up," replied Tobi.
Sakura sighed, and, to Hinata's shock, turned her back to the warden and pulled her shirt up and unclipped her lacy pink and white bra. Tobi pulled something out of his pocket and gave a quick flick of his wrist. A loud CRACK! shot thorough the air like a bullet, along with Sakura's scream. A bloody gash was now on her back, along with many other whip-scars.
She was about to run to Sakura's side and give her some ointment, but she felt a restraining hand grip her arm. Hinata turned to see a girl, older than her, but younger than the wardens -about Tenten's age- with four sandy blonde ponytails and midnight blue eyes.
Hinata understood. Wait til the warden leaves again, is what the girl was saying.
"And there's your warning!" cried Tobi, "Behave now, or else! Hee Hee!" And with an odd flourish, he exited the tent.
Pausing for a few seconds, just to make sure the coast was clear, she raced over to Sakura.
"H-hey, are you ok?!" asked Hinata worrily.
Sakura wheezed out a laugh, "What...this? Ah, this is...nothing. Tobi's...gentle, compared to the others."
"We need to treat the wound, or it'll get infected!" Hinata stated.
Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but a couple people came over. "We don't have medicine-" started a red-headed boy.
"I have some, though," Hinata insisted.
"You'd...waste your...medicine on...me?" gasped Sakura.
"Not waste," Hinata stated firmly, "Now, is anyone gonna help me carry her to wherever we can clean her wounds?"
The boy from earlier stepped forward.
"No Gaara!" yelled a girl. It was quad-ponytail.
"Temari..." Gaara growled warningly.
"I am your older sister and you will listen to me! You've already been whipped twice this week-one more time and he'll..." she broke off, scared.
"Shh...Temari, it's ok..." soothed a boy with spiky brown hair.
"Kankuro! He's starting to rival SASUKE!" Temari sobbed.
"Please don't cry, sis..." comforted Kankuro.
Hinata looked back down at the now-unconscious Sakura to see a boy now kneeling at her side, boosting up her upper body.
"Get the legs." he commanded.
Hinata obliged, and they carried her out of the tent to many worried looks.
He didn't say anything, just turned to go out of camp behind the girl's tents. As they walked, she studied him. He had slightly chicken butt, mostly emo black hair with black eyes that were cold and emotionless and seemed to look down on everything.
"I-I'm Hinata," she said, trying to start a conversation.
"Hn," he responded.
Ah, not very talkative, either, Hinata could relate. But he was the one who came when she asked. Knowing his name was the least she could do.
"A-and you are?" she said, nervously.
"Sasuke." Was the short reply, indicating that the conversation was over.
They reached a river, a perfect place to clean Sakura's wounds if they could purify the water, and Hinata's head was buzzing even more so than before.
'He's starting to rival SASUKE!...' Temari's voice reverberated in her memory. Rival Sasuke...in what? Hinata wondered.
Sasuke was laying Sakura on a flat piece of ground, near a shallow part of the river. He then pulled off his shirt and set it under her head. Hinata could feel herself blushing-he was really handsome, ever more so with his shirt off.
"Help me." he commanded.
She could see that he was about turn onto her stomach. She moved the balled-up rag –er, shirt- over and, with a slight noise, flipped her. The wound was disgusting; it was puffy and red-oozing pus with dried blood caked everywhere. Sakura was breathing shallowly, she had lost a lot of blood. He never flinched, just stared at her unblinkingly. Slowly, he turned to Hinata, still staying silent.
"U-um..." she stuttered, figuring Sasuke was waiting for further instructions, "D-do you have anything t-to carry water in?"
Wordlessly, he handed her an empty canteen.
"N-now, could you get a fire s-started?" she asked nervously, wondering if he was getting sick of her bossing him around.
Now a smirk rose to his fair face. He snapped branches off nearby trees, then pulled something out of his pocket. A dry click was heard, then soft blowing. By the time Hinata filled the canteen, there was a cheery little fire going strong.
She stared at him in amazement. "H-how did you-" she started, only to be distracted by something thrown at her.
Her reflexes kicked in, and she caught it. It was a lighter. She looked up at Sasuke, who just winked.
After a few minutes of holding it over the fire, the water was boiling hot. She corked it, then place it in the river for a minute to cool it, just a little, and then she was ready to begin treatment.
"H-hold her down, S-Sasuke-k-kun, this will hurt." She told him.
He nodded and pinned her arms and legs. She scrubbed her hands with some soap she had packed in her bag-which, she had never left in her tent, thankfully. She took her shirt off and soaked it in hot water (it may have be shabby, but it was clean) and rubbed some of the soap on it.
"R-ready?" she asked.
He nodded again, not realizing her shirt was off since his back was to her.
Hinata went around to the front of Sakura and kneeled down. Sakura was conscious –and screaming- as soon as Hinata stuck the cloth in the wound. They weren't worried about the noise-they were already in enough trouble. Finally Hinata put the rag down and drew a tiny container out of her bag. Dipping her fingers in, she began to evenly spread it in her wound. Immediately, the tension left Sakura's body.
"Ahh..." Sakura sighed in relief.
To complete her treatment, Hinata pulled some gauze bandages out and wrapped them tightly around the cut, then re-snapped Sakura's bra and pulled the shirt back down. Putting her own shirt on, she turned to find Sasuke regarding her.
She blushed a tomato red, wondering if he was a perv, when he said, "Do you want to know the truth?"
Shocked that someone was finally going to answer some of her questions (and NOW, of all times), she could only nod.
"A week from now, you'll go to Orochimaru for a 'check up'," he put finger quotes on that, "and he'll rape you. And if you're any good, he'll put you on the list for when customers want someone to screw with. I'm a common favorite. But, if you're REALLYgood, Orochimaru will call you back for more 'check ups'."
She could only stare at him, horrified. "P-please tell me that this is just some sick joke..." she whispered.
He shook his head. "We should be getting back," he said instead, picking up Sakura now that holding her back wouldn't hurt her. "One question, though, why do you have all that medical stuff?" he questioned.
Hinata laughed nervously, "W-well, I always have been a just-in-case kinda girl..."
They walked for a while, when he suddenly said, "I'm an orphan; my older brother, who happens to be a warden here," to which his eyes got colder, "killed my clan."
Hinata wondered how many times this boy would shock her today. "A-all of them?" she said doubtfully.
Sasuke only nodded. Suddenly, Hinata felt ashamed: She was here cause she was worthless, Sasuke was here cause he had nowhere else to go. He was obviously wondering what her story was, but she decided not to tell him. He went back to apathetic when he saw she was done talking. And neither of them noticed the figure in the treetops that had been watching the whole time.
Ok, that was the first chapter of my first story! Please review, tell me anything that you liked, didn't like, what I could do better, if you have any ideas, or any pairing you'd like to see.
~BookHippie