Today was pretty much like any other day. You would wake up, perhaps make some coffee or tea before setting off to work, come back for dinner then relax before sleeping and repeating the process again. It's a little robotic, there might be a difference once in a while but the routine for a normal person is the same in most cases.
But in a Shinobi's view, the routine is much different. You would wake up at the crack of dawn for training before the rest of your team joined in, with a break in between for lunch before going home as it turns dark. Some days you might have a mission and others you were just off-duty and took a well-deserved break. Hinata's wasn't much different.
She would wake up around 5:30am, clean her room and make her bed before getting ready to go have breakfast. At some points she would even skip breakfast due to being pre-warned about some intense training from her father. After cleaning up after herself she would shower, dress then head off to train with her teammates unless she was called in by her father.
As an heiress to the Hyuuga clan she had important duties to do, especially now as she was maturing into a young woman. Often she had missed training to last minute meetings, therefore her teammates, Kiba and Shino and gotten to see her less and less that at some point it may be up to a week before she reappears.
Today didn't seem any different.
The room was silent most of the time, apart from the beeping of her alarm, which happened right about now.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
Groaning, she moves her hand to where she thinks the sound is coming from.
smash
Silence engulfs the room once again as a smile creeps onto her face. She had just finished a bunch of meetings and was glad there were none scheduled today as she begun to think they were going to be the death of her.
Rubbing her eyes she sits herself up yawns before jumping off her bed and taking in her surroundings as her eyes took focus. In the Hyuuga compound, this was probably the only room with a slight tint of colour, lavender to be precise. Everything else was pure white with hints of plants around as décor. She was glad though, it did kind of make her room unique.
As she finished cleaning up the remains of her alarm, she grabs a dressing gown and begins what seems like an endless walk along the corridors to the kitchen.
'It's true what they say; white really does make everything look bigger.'
Grabbing some cinnamon rolls she stuffs them into her mouth, not bothering to sit down or eat slowly. She chews monstrously as she takes a quick dash into the bathroom. Already the footsteps of the others make their way down. Without taking any time to properly prepare,
she puts on her lavender jacket before heading outside, passing Neji along and nearly knocking him over.
"Hinata-sama, slow down before you knock someone over!"
"Gomen, Neji-nii-san!" Before rushing out of the compound. Oh how she longed to see her friends again.
'Hn. probably wanting to see her teammates. After all, she was more like confined in here than what they say…'
Looking back at the clock on the wall, he reads 6:15am.
"Shoot!" 'I'm already expected at Uncle's office. I really could do with not losing any brain cells.' Running in the opposite direction of Hinata's.
The air smelt of morning dew as she headed to their normal training grounds. As she neared the difference she could already sense Kurenai-sensei's chakra. Being her surrogate mother Kurenai spent the most time with her than with the men, or boy and man of the team and Hinata got used to her Chakra signal so much she sensed it without having to use any jutsus. She could also sense Kiba and Shino's, but she had to be a lot nearer as she began to have less time to be with them.
After passing the woods on the outskirts of Konoha she finally arrived landing herself in the middle. Kiba was situated on a nearby tree stump with Akamaru while Shino had yet to arrive.
"Ohayo Kiba-kun," Catching his attention.
"Oh? Ah, Hinata! I haven't seen you ages! It seems so long, ne?" Kiba replies, as Akamaru charges full force onto Hinata.
"Oi, lick lick Ok Akamaru, lick you can lick stop that now, haha," As she tries to shove the dog-nin off her.
In the past years Akamaru had grown to an abnormally large size, big enough for Kiba to ride upon his back, like Akamaru did on Kiba's. Often people feared the dog, but for Hinata his size didn't change the fact he was still a puppy on the inside. The only thing she found a little weird was that Kiba hadn't even noticed the difference, just that he did hurt. A lot more that he did back then.
They continue to chat for a while until Shino appears with Kurenai trudging behind.
"It seems we are all here then. Kurenai-sensei is also here, despite having just come back from a mission." Speaking in his usual monotone voice.
Hinata could hear Kurenai grumbling about Kiba and Shino getting into more fights lately as she walked pass, but decided to let it pass. She was going to enjoy any freedom she had before she was stuck in there again.
They all trained hard during the first few hours. Doing a warm-up to help finish waking them up before sparring against each other. By noon that had called a quick break, or rather
Kurenai had as she was still fairly exhausted and sparring Shino was not what she had planned but rather a nice warm bed but she had happened to pass Gai along the way rambling on about youth and how Neji seemed to be missing due to important clan business. She cursed herself under her breath as Gai jumped in front of her, nearly scaring the living daylights out of her.
--
"Jeez, Gai! I don't need to be given a fright to wake me up!"
"My youthful friend, I am sorry but our Neji is not here for training! He never misses it and our flower Tenten is depressed without someone to spar with. Please, I beg of you!" As he begins to get onto his knees with tears brimming, Kurenai becomes a little agitated.
"Find out what our youthful Neji is doing that is so important to miss training" As his voice cracks at the end.
"Um, yeah sure I'll do what I can but no promises."
'Damn I feel sorry for the team, must be a nightmare for them sometimes' Before continuing on, content on getting away from 'Youth'.
--
Deciding to try and pry what information she can, she trots over to Hinata's side before sitting down.
"Hey, Hinata, are you alright?"
"Fine, but thanks for the concern," Kurenai smiled. Over the years Hinata's stuttering has lessened to a point she could talk normally with just about anyone, without fail.
"Ah, on my way here I happened to pass Gai, he wants me to see If I can find out where Neji has been today, so you happen to know?"
Surprised by Kurenai being concerned about Neji it takes a while before she answers.
"Um, no sorry, I only saw him once when I nearly went into him, I just know he was walking the opposite direction, into the main family compound so he might have been visiting otou-san. I don't see any other reason he would go there otherwise,"
"Ah, I guess that makes sense. Well at least I can get Gai off my back now otherwise the last thing I would probably be hearing is stuff about youth." Oh, the thought made her shiver.
"Ehehe…" A little scared with her sense of humour, Kurenai never was a joker.
Due to rushing, Hinata had forgotten to bring any lunch and sat there stomach grumbling, this was not unnoticed though.
"Hmm, as a treat for not seeing you for some time how about some Dango? I did get a little extra pay so don't worry," Kiba smiles at her.
"Oh, really? Kiba-kun, I couldn't, it'll be wrong,"
"Nah, I don't mind, its all on me!" As he grins, he moves next to Hinata and crouches.
"Well, if you say so," As she stands up,
"I do," as he too stands up before falling into step.
They walk to the local Dango shop just along the road to the training grounds as Kiba paid for both of them. The place was fairly busy, but mainly empty. Sitting down on some stools Hinata begins to munch on happily. Kiba just smirks at her eagerness.
'If anyone saw her now, it'll look like she hadn't eaten in weeks.'
Just then a Hyuuga ANBU appears, as Kiba curses.
'Kuso, they have to come now?!'
"Hinata-sama, you are requested at Hiashi-sama's presence at once."
"Eh, why does he want me?" 'It better not be another damn meeting, for goodness sake I just got out of them and there's not even supposed to be any!'
"That only Hiashi-sama knows." The ANBU replies before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.
"I'm sorry Kiba-kun, but I better not keep him waiting, ja ne!" She runs off into the distance finishing off some dango.
"Ja ne," waving at her fading figure then finishing off the last dango, making sure to leave none for Shino.
It isn't long before Hinata reaches the compound, out of breath, as she walks up to her father's office she quickly composes herself before entering,
"You wanted to talk, father?"
"Hai, this is important, so sit down."
As she takes a seat, sitting on her legs she sucks in her breath as she feels her heart pumping in fear. She had a bad feeling about whatever was coming next.