This is a fic that I've gotten a lot of inspiration to do. I have no idea why. It is going to be very long, multi-chapter, NaruHina. I've only done minor edits. You have been warned!
Warnings: Use of language. Talk of Demons. Dark Naruto
Disclaimer: I do no own any characters used from Naruto/ Naruto Shippuden.
Hinata stumbled forward as her foot broke the surface of the snow and slid ankle deep into the icy blanket. The snow was beginning to lighten on her last day of her long trek, but the wind was just as cold and fierce. Her hair whipped around her face, constantly getting in her eyes and creating a stinging sensation when it slapped against her overly chilled face. She wasn't sure if she should be thankful that it was finally starting to warm up, or mad that it waited until her journey was almost over, but being cold to the point of questioning hypothermia was beginning to sour her mood and she quickly chose the latter, and through a quick glare to the heavens.
She sighed as closed her eyes, trying to stop herself from letting everything annoy her. Being in a bad mood out in these types of journeys only make things a lot worse. Taking a deep breathe that was too cold for her lungs, she continued her journey, willing herself to remember why she was here.
She was her clan's priestess, or at least she was trying to be. She was born the heir to position, but lack of good family genetics had left her family questioning the idea. So now here she was, venturing on this long, cold, lonely journey, in hopes of obtaining approval from her family.
She had been traveling for many weeks. A young man came to the compound in which her family resided and told her family elders a rumor spreading through the nations of one of the most abdominal demons treading through the snow country. It was an odd thing to hear, seeing as the demon, who goes by Kyuubi, was a fire demon, and thus according to the information gathered by priest over past generations should be avoiding such a tundra climate.
But Hinata took the chance and quickly set off in search for the demon while it would be in its weakest element. She had something to prove to her family if she wished to obtain the position of the family priest. The elders had grown unimpressed with the level of demons she was able to eradicate when she had turned 12. They were small pitiful demons in her family's eyes, and the fact that her name was famous for her power meant nothing to them.
She bowed her head in shame, as she continued walking. She hated thinking about this, yet it seemed to be all she could ever think about. It was like someone telling you; don't imagine a black cat, and the first thing you imagine is a black cat. It bothered her to no end that she was so weak, and it bothered her even more for bothering her.
She was too kind. That's what they told her. They said that she was keeping her true potential locked inside because she held too much sympathy for the demons she killed. She was supposed to be cold and uncaring, and show not even the slightest amount of emotion. She was a priest and thus was supposed to hold herself with dignity, higher than the rest, because people depended on her power and strength. So she couldn't let trivial things such as emotions get in her way. But she just couldn't do that. She could kill anything, not even a bug without feeling at least guilty.
And guilt was an emotion. A bad one.
Sighing Hinata pushed her determination forward and brought herself out of her thoughts. All she had to do was kill this one demon. This would surely bring her higher in her family's eyes, high enough to be happily placed in her rightful position as heir. Kyuubi was a famous demon, and had been for many generations. His name was a nightmare for children and a curse for adults. It seemed each year he became more well-known and more powerful. Horrid, disturbing stories are told daily of his newest kill. Supposedly he isn't just massive sum of evil energy like the rest of his fellow demons, but he's intellectual and puts thought into his killing. Maybe that's why he's feared so much. Not only because he is the most powerful strength wise, but mentally as well.
Of course the same stories all have different versions to tale. It's been told that kyuubi was a deranged looking animal, resembling that of a fox with a multitude of tails. It's been said that Kyuubi is a feral looking creature that almost resembles a human with blood red eyes, a jagged tooth smile that splits his face and a monstrous howl. It's even been said that he can hide behind the mask of a human, which is his favorite way to kill his victims.
Hinata pursed her lips and shook her head. She was psyching herself out and needed to stop. 1. Because fear is an emotion and 2. Because being afraid would only make things a lot harder for her when she faced this monster. It could really potentially screw herself over.
Glancing up Hinata pushed her flailing hair behind one ear and tried to hold it there as she began to look ahead for any signs of nearing upon a village. Seeing what she could only hope to be the beginning of a village, and not another illusion her mind made up in her times of desperation, Hinata picked up her pace a little bit, her steps becoming sloppier and breaking through the layer of ice more often and headed towards the dark figures.
She squinted through the snow covered wind and her dark hair as well as she could, trying to make out the dark shadows appearing. Getting closer she couldn't help but to let out a small laugh of releif as the dark figures slowly began to turn into the silhouette of small building.
Really she hadn't expected to be so close to the village, she had estimated at least another few hours before she thought she'd make it to the out skirts of the snow village, maybe today wasn't such a bad day after all.
Feeling slightly guilty she threw an apology glance to the heavens.
Breathing heavily, Hinata began nearing the building until she saw was appeared to be a wall barricading the village. Walking up the stone wall she peered upwards, trying to see if she would be able to lift herself up on it and take a look around the village. But the wall was high and it didn't look like her finger tips could reach the top, and she wasn't willing to put her freezing fingers in the harsh weather but preferred to keep them bundled up in her sleeves and in the crease of her crossed arms.
Sighing, and taking in a burning breathe Hinata took a step back and decided to follow the wall in hopes of reaching an entrance of some sort. It seemed that her body had all of the sudden become exhausted and cold, almost like now that it knew salvation was so close it was already trying to sleep.
But she pushed herself forward and soon enough what appeared to be the entrance to the village came into view.
Pausing before she got too close to the entrance, Hinata took on the tedious task of taking her hands out of their makeshift warmers and running them through her ice cold hair in hopes of taming it as well as she could. She straightened herself up and tried to press a few wrinkles out of her kimono, while trying as hard as she could not to concentrate on how noticeably colder she got now that she let her entire body become exposed to the winter climate.
Sighing in dissatisfaction, she young girl gave up and gave in to the need a warm place. She knew she had an image to uphold, but right now she was feeling more human than invincible in the freezing weather, and her need for a warm room over powered her need to look her part. Really, this is one of the reasons her clan disliked the idea of holding her as head priest.
She shook her head and dismissed the depressing thought, and began making her way to the entrance of the gates.
The guards saw her before she saw them, if the way they stood in front of the opening in regard to her was in clue.
"Hello." Hinata began, her voice cracking from the cold drying out her throat.
"Ms. Hyuga, you've arrived." The guards said bowing deeply.
Hinata paused for a minute as she regarded the figures showing respect, before taking a shallower bow back.
"I wasn't aware my presence was expected." She said a little suspiciously.
"Yes ma'am. One of the guards said coming up from his bow, the others following suit. "We were for warned by your clan, that you'd be arriving, so that living preparations could be made."
And right then and there Hinata felt the need to smack herself in the head. Once again the clan had to take care of her, even being miles away. How she could have forgotten about something so important was beyond her, but she was sure that the elders were looking down at her this very moment for being so absent minded.
Obviously it was due to her haste to get to the snow country, and find the Kyuubi before it moved on to a more stable environment for itself, but that was still no excuse. It only took minutes to write a note and send it off with one of the messenger hawks.
Kami, she was already messing up.
"I see" Hinata said, trying not to let her bad mood get in the way of her stoic façade. "Well will one of you be escorting me?"
"Yes." The same guard replied, and turned to look at one of the guards behind him, signaling him to come forward.
"This is Sakura Hanuro, your guard for the next few days."
Hinata raised her eye brows as she looked at the guard with a female name. Female guards weren't unheard of, but they were rare. But because of the heavy armor, most likely used for both protection and warmth, and the protecting helmet that hid a great portion of her face, she could only guess her assumptions were right.
"It's nice to meet you Hanuro." Hinata said without emotion.
"Sakura is fine, ", the guard replied, and the pleasure is mine." Hinata listened to her voice, dying to figure out whether this was a boy or girl, but the voice was for the most part unisexual.
"If you'll follow me please." The guard began speaking again, turning to walk away.
Without a word Hinata silently followed, resisting the urge to hunch over and wrapped her arms around her like she had earlier. Being so opened to the cold made a horrible difference.
After a few minutes of walking through empty streets, and Hinata trying desperately to act like the cold didn't affect her they made it to a building, and Sakura held the door open, allowing Hinata to enter first.
She stepped through the doors and immediately sighed in relief. It was so warm. And the fact that she could feel the air warming her very slowly, only made her want to cuddle up in a blanket and speed up the process. But honestly with how cold she was, she doubted she'd be able to warm herself with her own body heat.
Maybe they had a hot spring here. She could definitely go for that. That, and maybe a nice steaming plate of food. Anything warm really. She had come so far for some heat, and now she only wanted more.
"Ms. Hyuuga? Did you hear me?" She guard said from behind Hinata, causing her to jump a little and whip around.
"Huh?", came Hinata's intelligent reply.
The guard was silent for a moment as he stared at her through his helmet. Hinata could feel her face turn red with embarrassment; that was definitely not a good reply. Hinata could just imagine her elders scolding her right now, for losing focus, and having a lack of manners.
"I'm sorry" Hinata said, as tonelessly as she could muster through her embarrassment, "Could you repeat that? I was lost in thought on other matters." Hinata tried not to shift as she guard was silent for a minute longer. Maybe that wasn't as redeeming as she imagined.
Then out of seemingly nowhere she noticed the guard laughing. Nothing rude or obnoxious, but it was apparent that he was laughing through the shaking of his shoulders.
Hinata glared daggers at the man. "Something funny Hanuro?" Hinata asked coldly, switching back to using his last name in a threating manner.
"No sorry." The guard said through some laughter. "It just seems you aren't exactly what I had been expecting."
"Oh?" Hinata said growing even more pissed off. Usually she was a very kind person, but this man was hitting the exact buttons that shouldn't be hit.
Hinata was more than aware that she wasn't what most people expected because she wasn't what she was supposed to be. That got that. She didn't need some rude man, to laugh at her about it.
"And what exactly were you expecting?" Hinata asked rudely.
"A bitch." The guard said, lifting the helmet off his head. Hinata wasn't sure what was more surprising, the fact that a guard had in some way referred to her a bitch, or that fact that a stream of long pink hair fell from under the helmet and she was met with amused green eyes.
"And by the way," The girl continued smirking, "It's no use pretending you aren't cold when you're shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. Next time just say something, I'm sure your Hyuuga pride isn't worth the risk of hypothermia."
Hinata just stood their dumb founded. No one talked to her this way. It was so rude, irreverent, insulting and casual.
"Oh." Was Hinata's dumb reply.
The guard just snorted and shook her head as she positioned her helmet to the side of her hip and began running her free hand through her long pink hair, shaking the knots from the shiny streams.
She was pretty, and in a way Hinata was kind of jealous. Not that Hinata thought of herself as ugly, but this girl was pretty and she knew it. Her confidence rolled off of her in thickets, the exact confidence that Hinata was supposed to have.
"Alright, Ms. Hyuuga," Sakura said, a smile gracing her lips as she finished the task of detangling her hair, "This is the Zen Hotel" she said sweeping her hand around, acting the part of a tour guide, "And your room will be right this way."
She began walking and Hinata began to silently follow. She wasn't sure if she liked this Sakura girl. She couldn't decide if her attitude was meant to be rude, or if she was just a blunt person. Even if she was just a blunt person she still couldn't decide if she liked it.
A bit reluctantly Hinata followed the girl to a room far in the back of the hotel stopping only for a short moment to let the person in the front know that she had arrived.
They reached the door and Sakura pulled out a key that she had received from the person up front and unlocked the door with what seemed to be practiced ease.
Once the door was opened Sakura held open the door and waited dutifully for Hinata to go in first. Ignoring the faint smirk, and knowing eyes of Sakura she walked past her into the room.
Maybe Sakura was just a rude person.
"Are you from around here?" Hinata asked suddenly, taking Sakura slightly off guard, judging by the look on her face.
She smiled as she closed the door behind her and tossed Hinata the keys which she caught, a bit clumsily.
"No, is it that obvious?" Sakura replied.
Hinata just shrugged. She didn't want to let her know that she reason she asked was because she wasn't used to people being so rude to her. That made her seem kind of wimpy, like she couldn't handle a little bit of mouth.
"Yeah," Sakura said her smile becoming softer as she looked out the window behind Hinata at the falling snow, giving herself something to do. "I'm actually from the village Hidden in the Leaves."
Hinata made a little o with her mouth as she processed this information. That would make sense. She had never been to the Hidden Leaf village personally, but she knew her family held little likeliness for them because of their behavior. She had heard that they were rude, and not respectful enough towards the Hyuuga family, when they came there on call, and she could easily see why they would say that.
"What are you doing here?" Hinata asked, hoping she didn't sound rude in her curiosity. In all honesty she felt a little guilty for talking so causally to this stranger and letting herself get out of character. But this girl had already called her out on the act; it really wasn't much use to keep pretending to be the Hyuuga priest at this point.
"I'm here on call", Sakura replied, shifting her weight and returning her gaze to Hinata. "This village sent out a lot of their guards in search of that Kyuubi demon, since he's in the area. Apparently everyone's got the idea that now's the best time to go after it."
She pursed her lips and raked her free hand through the underneath of her hair, combing it over her shoulder. "So they asked warriors from my village to come here so sit on our asses for guard duty."
"Oh." Hinata said, again feeling speechless due to the casual, disrespectful language. It would take some getting used to, that is, if she decided she wanted to try and get used to it. So far she wasn't so sure.
"Yup." Sakura said sighing, "in the Hidden Leaf village, it never snows."
Hinata sighed, wishing she could have been there instead, "Must be nice."
Sakura laughed and nodded her head, "You bet." She said happily with a hint of smugness. "There a change of clothes for you in the closet, it's probably warmer." Sakura said, changing the subject. And suddenly Hinata remembered how cold she was and immediately wrapped her arms around herself.
Her cloths had begun to get wet and soggy now that the snow was melting, and she was feeling the effects of being cold and wet.
Sakura just rolled her eyes and lightly snorted, like she was watching someone about to do a stupid trick.
"I can take you to the hot spring later if you like. But I have orders to make sure your fed first, so you still need to change."
Hinata was seriously starting to dislike the way she spoke. It was like she was talking to a 3 year old. But the promise of food, and the fact that she was a bit too shy to voice her dislike kept her quiet and she began heading towards what she could guess to be the closet.
True to her word there was a dark, thick kimono hanging loosely in the middle of the closet alone.
Hinata picked took it off the rack and held it up to view it better. Not her usual priestess attire, but it looked a hell of a lot warmer.
"After you get changed, I'm going to have to do something to your hair. It definitely looks like you've been traveling for days in 60 miles per hour wind."
Once again Hinata's face burned with embarrassment because of this girl and she officially decided that no, Hinata Hyuuga did not like Sakura Hanuro.
(A/N): Next chapter will have some Naruto in it ;) yay Naruto lovin!
Review if you want more!
or if you just love How-Peculiar (;