The Ballad of Hinata

Hinata, Sasuke, Kiba, Sakura

Rated T

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its extensions, and I don't own Disney's Mulan.

The Ballad of Hinata

Chapter 2

Hinata sighed as she waited with the other girls who were waiting to meet the matchmaker. They all looked so excited to meet her and be matched off to some random man. She wondered if she was the only girl there who did not want to be there.

"Hinata!" a voice called, catching her attention.

Turning around she smiled as she saw her friends Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura coming towards her, both of them dressed in the same getup as her; Sakura was wearing a red kimono and Ino and purple one. Once they reached her they both gave her a hug, being ones to show affection whenever they wanted, unlike herself.

Smiling she greeted, "Hello Sakura, Ino. I suppose you are here to see the matchmaker as well."

Ino rolled her eyes and replied, "Unfortunately so. I don't want to be some old man's bed warmer."

"It is rather ridiculous that they aren't allowing us to marry for love, but what can we do? We can't go against our fathers or else it will bring shame to our clans," Sakura said. "Though I would like nothing better than to run for the hills right now."

"So would I, but we can't, especially me," Hinata replied softly, her pearl white eyes showing sadness as she looked at the ground.

Ino and Sakura felt bad for their friend, knowing this situation was harder on her than any of them standing in front of the matchmaker's building. All of their families were there to see them be matched with someone and they knew it wouldn't do to embarrass them unless they wanted to village to talk.

Before they could say anything else, a loud horn sounded, prompting the geisha-like girls to stand in line in a slight bow, their heads bowed as they awaited the matchmaker to exit the building. The crowd behind them murmered in excitement, wondering who would be the first to be called. Hinata could only hope that it wasn't her.

The sound of the doors to the matchmaker's slamming open was heard, and then a gravely female voice called out, "Hyuuga Hinata."

Curses! Hinata gave a silent sigh before straightening and looking up at the matchmaker. The woman was large and wore an overabundance of makeup on her face, her robes an arrangement of bright colors. She wore rings on all of her fingers and her hair was pinned up in bun, chopsticks holding it in place. Her dark eyes gazed down at her before beckoning her to climb the steps to her, saying, "Come along girl, don't waste my time."

Hinata blinked before nodding and headed up the stairs to the matchmaker, stepping inside just before the matchmaker slammed the doors shut. The large woman circled Hinata as she said, "You weren't first on my list for today, but your father insisted. He also paid a large investment to my building to ensure you were first. So, let us start."

Grabbing the blue haired girl's arm she dragged her over to a table and forced her down on a pillow. Slamming a tea pot and two cups in front of her she said, "Pour the tea."

She nodded and picked up the tea pot, watching as the matchmaker sat down across from her, her hand resting on papers as she did so with ink…wet ink. The matchmaker was gazing at Hinata before taking her hand, the one with the ink on it, and rubbing her chin, smearing the ink before saying, "You're a beautiful one, I won't deny that. But tell me, what is it that you are looking for in a man?"

Hinata had been staring as she smeared the ink, causing her to nearly overflow the cup before moving to the next one. Setting the pot of tea down, she answered, "Well, I think that above all, I want him to love me as I love him."

"Ha! Marriage for love? Ridiculous!" the matchmaker laughed. "No one does that anymore, my dear. It is just to continue family lineages. You are no different from any other girl, no matter how esteemed your family is."

"W-Well I-"

"Listen, I know all about you. The eldest daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi, too shy and gentle to even be called a Hyuuga. There is absolutely no way that you would be able to bring your family honor by taking over the clan, therefore you can only be redeemed by being married off. Everyone knows it, my dear. And I guarantee I'll be proved correct by the end of this session."

"But I'm sure I could if I was given a chance."

"Don't count on it. Now do as your father said and let me match you off, though I doubt you'll be worthy of the man that you are matched to."

The matchmaker took one of the cups of tea and sipped from it, her eyes closed as she did so while the young girl across from her sat in silence, sadness and hurt filling her body from the matchmaker's harsh words. Hinata felt movement in her obi and when she looked down, she saw the cricket that Neji had given her crawl out of it, somehow having escaped his cage. Before she could grab it, the cricket hopped away from her and onto the table before hopping into the matchmaker's bosom.

Dark eyes opened wide before the matchmaker dropped her cup and began to scream loudly. She repeatedly hit herself in the chest to force the cricket out, stumbling around and accidently knocking over a pot of hot coals, which she tripped over and landed on. Instantly she jumped back up and began to run around her large room, screaming for Hinata to put the fire on her behind out. Hinata quickly stood up and tried to calm the matchmaker down, but she didn't listen to her, lost in her own chaos. White eyes noticed the cricket jump out of the matchmaker's bosom and hop over to her, landing in her obi and somehow getting back in its cage. Looking back up she saw the matchmaker head for the doors, instantly throwing them open and running outside, face smeared with ink, backside on fire, and flailing around like a madwoman.

"Put it out! Put it out!" the large woman screamed.

Hinata looked around before grabbing the tea pot and running after the matchmaker, taking the lid off and throwing the hot tea in her face. The fire was instantly put out, but the scalding hot liquid caused the matchmaker to scream even louder as it splashed in her face, ruining her makeup and turning her face bright red. A man that had a bucket of water threw it onto the matchmaker, instantly cooling her face from the hot tea and drenching her in the process. Hinata quickly put the teapot in the matchmaker's hands before hurrying down the stairs past her.

Sakura and Ino both grabbed Hinata and shielded her from the large woman as she stalked toward her, throwing her teapot down and smashing it. Huffing and looking a hot mess she screamed, "You are a disgrace! What kind of a Hyuuga are you?! Look what you have done! No matter how hard you try in this life, you will never bring your family honor! Never!"

The matchmaker quickly turned around and stomped back to her building, yelling that matchmaking sessions were over for the week before shutting herself in. Hinata hesitantly looked over towards her father and sister only to see them coming her way, a furious expression on Hiashi's face. Trembling she stepped up to him as she began, "Father, I-"

"Silence," Hiashi spoke, instantly shutting his daughter up. Glaring down at her he said, "You have embarrassed not only me and yourself today, but the entire Hyuuga clan. I am ashamed to call you my eldest daughter, especially one so incapable of doing something so simple. You will never amount to the Hyuuga name, Hinata, and nothing will ever change that."

A lump filled Hinata's throat at those words as her heart beat painfully in her chest. She looked to see Hanabi giving her a superior smirk behind their father. Tears filled her eyes as a sob escaped her before she ran off into the village to cry to her heart's content.

Sakura scowled at the Hyuuga matriarch and his youngest offspring before running after her friend. Ino on the other hand glared at him and said, "You are the worst father to ever grace this earth. Is the honor of your family really more important than being a real father to your daughter, you jackass?"

Hiashi returned the blonde's glare and replied, "Watch your tone, Yamanaka."

"I won't," Ino retorted. "One day Hinata's going to be gone and you will have nothing but regrets because you weren't able to cherish and love her like you should have. Say I'm wrong if it suits your fancy, but all of your harsh words towards her will come back to bite you in your pompous ass."

Hiashi bristled as Ino turned and walked away back towards her own father, wrapping her arm around him as he did her and walked away back towards their home. Pearl white eyes looked from them to the direction Hinata had run off to before closing briefly. When they opened again they looked in the direction to head back to the Hyuuga compound , telling Hanabi to follow when a shout reached his ears telling him to watch out. Turning around Hiashi's eyes widened in surprise as a herd of cows came barreling towards him. The last thing he heard before being hit and losing consciousness was Hanabi screaming for him to move.


Hinata sat crying next to the river in the forest, her tears dripping from her face and into the water. Dipping the sleeve of her kimono into the water, she began to wipe the makeup off of her face with it as she sniffled. With half of the makeup gone from her face, Hinata stared down at her reflection, staring at her natural face and made-up face. Quietly she asked her reflection, "When will you show me who I really am on the inside? Right now I don't even know."

"Then figure it out on your own without being told who you are," Sakura's voice said from behind her.

Gasping in surprise, Hinata saw Sakura standing behind her with a small smile. The pinkette walked over to her and sat down with her before washing her face off in the river. Letting her hair down Sakura looked at her friend and said, "Things will change for you, Hinata, and one day you will prove yourself more than you could ever imagine. And I can guarantee that Hiashi can't ignore it and overlook you for your sister."

She cleaned the rest of Hinata's face from the makeup still on it before saying, "I believe in you, and you should too."

Hinata stared into her friend's green eyes before smiling and hugging her close, whispering, "Thank you, Sakura."

Sakura returned the hug before pulling away and replied, "No problem. Now let's get you back to the compound. I'm sure Hiashi is waiting for you there if he hasn't hurt himself in rage yet. I heard Ino giving him a piece of her mind before I couldn't hear more."

"Oh gosh," Hinata said in embarrassment as she and Sakura stood, walking back towards the village together. "Well, nothing worse could possibly happen today."