Yay! I am really grateful for the reviews I got so far. Most of which had been pleasantly encouraging and its nice to be complimented by my favorite authors once in a while. I am just another fanfiction fangirl after all. XD. I didn't think much of this fanfic actually since as I said, I write this as I go. Like: immediately off the press without any thoughts about any significant plot. Except that at the very least, I have some ideas. But as I said, I unfortunately am not very serious about this work. Truthfully, it's more like an essay for me that I write whenever an equation in my Math class got too unmanageable *sweatdrops.
I think the RTN universe is the almost-canon manifestation of every Naruto AU fanfiction's dream's. It's practically blatant fanservice. For one, it's nonmassacre. Naruto's parents are alive. Sakura's aren't. Sasuke's good. Naruto's bad. So to me it does make sense that since Sasuke didn't have the sorry past that had made him mentally unstable in canon, it was only reasonable that some things may as well have changed with regards to the other characters too. So I opted to not make it congenital. Lol. I think I would write a story with an actual discernible plot someday through this (with a lot of action and stuff) but for now, well I am too unimaginative for that. Sorry.
TWO
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He resolved to always seek her though, even when after a long while of verbal demeaning and familial isolation, she was inevitably driven out of the security shell her once shy, untainted demeanor unhelpfully set up. Finally, there was fate forcing her hand to just stop hiding, the awakened desire of being someone other than the Hyuuga pushover that was subject to castration and thereby probe her way towards the spotlight.
And thus born the village bitch. Hyuuga Hinata.
Like an unsightly caterpillar sleeping off its habitat's hardship to ultimately become a full-grown, beautiful butterfly… Like the gentle breeze of the wind morphing away into a whirlwind of a destructive cyclone when the hot and cold in the world proved to be too much… Like a small being flapping its wings with the ferocity of one who wants to cause a calamity… It was a big racket when Hinata suddenly shed off that ugly tan jacket of hers and resorted onto training with a more suitable albeit rather liberated attire. It was a grating noise when she finally transformed into an outspoken no-nonsense girl and totally renounced the perks she once had as a quiet wallflower. It was a shocking change when she actually started to face the ridicule they all gave her for being weak once upon a time and not bow her head down. Heads rolled after that and in her newly-gained aggression, she was very determined not to have hers to be one of them.
Sasuke is not really certain when he started to look at her in that light—so what if her perseverance for change was awe-inspiring? Surely, she was not the only one. Sakura herself, as gentle and unwilling to kill as she was, was hellbent on trying to be more than just the hero's daughter, more than just the only living Haruno. Tenten was a big klutz in weapon-handling but she still tried anyway. Even Ino had started to hang out with boys from her neighborhood just to overcome her aversion of them. And let us not get started about Menma, who was just so power-hungry you would think he was dreaming for more than just the Hokage position his talented father was, as he had insistently said, deprived of. The drive for betterment was by no means an unheard-of concept in the shinobi world after all. For what was life in their society but merely that one of the Red Queen's, when you run faster over time just to stay in the same place? A good ninja thrived in ambition and everyone; even the most lackadaisical of the bunch have their share of these predetermined bullseye and finish lines. What then made Hyuuga Hinata who as expected, only wanted to become a great clan leader nobody wanted her to be, any different from the next typical tenacious bloke?
"You know well I'm beautiful, right Sasuke?" she would say this when the promiscuous him would lightly confront her of her supposed uniqueness in the streets, while twirling a strand of her luxurious hair and wearing a smug smirk that was ever present in her what-should-have-been-angelic features. This was her uncanny way of warding off his incessant flirting—agreeing with his compliment like she was surprised he didn't notice it a long, long time ago, unlike those stupid girls that squealed and go all over him upon hearing a praise he didn't even mean. "We all know I'm too pretty for you people. And that makes me different! Oh, precisely the reason you guys isolate me too!" she would holler this exultantly then whilst shoving him away and resuming her leisurely walk before he had ungraciously interrupted her. This, was all but an invariable routine.
Sixteen only and she acted like she owned the whole world, which she only reasoned to be might as well because she would end up being the future Hokage's wife anyway. Like the loudmouth, bold, literally see-through girl that she was, her hots for Menma was not really classified information to those interested (which was practically everybody) and she herself was one without qualms in scaring off anyone who would dare cross her path in love. Sasuke didn't really mind that though, as much as he himself carried a torch for her all these years. He had long since diagnosed himself a masochist because of that aspect. Love hurts after all. Maybe, he had also already come to accept it would never turn out otherwise. That was going on and on since they turned thirteen and even that was am aspect he found himself not wanting to alter any sooner. There was just something captivating about Hinata not being like any other and even though he knew well that the affections he wanted was only reserved to another's, he could easily accept that to him, Hyuuga Hinata was forever just a nice thing to look at. Like an unreachable star. Like a poisonous butterfly an unnoticed frog prince like him was prohibited to keep to himself. Like a girl who didn't even care about his existence.
That aside though, she was the most beautiful little thing.
Like every metamorphosis in nature was the most fascinating phenomenon to behold, Sasuke watched her avidly.
In retrospect indeed as he came to think more of it, her change wasn't entirely a drastic thing that could have shocked everyone out of their wits and cause Iruka to recommend her immediately to those who practiced exorcism (err, the Yamanaka clan ringing any bells?). Rather in a more gradual sense, the quiet girl slowly turned into the taciturn one burdened with angst: civil and nonchalant in her regard to her peers while emitting a dark aura that kept any sensible human life out. That in itself, was deemed just perfectly understandable. She had just lost her father, right? And worse, it was supposed to be her fault! Being shinobis-in-training, this kind of vengeful mentality was easily tolerated for it only made way to a much better killing machine. And yeah, ninjas weren't very fond of shrinks as well despite the theoretical reality that it could have spared them many a world war if only the psychos from back then got some help. (Believe it or not, many a battle was waged just because of a single man going bonkers)
The outspoken, pummeling phase had then come at the wake of her increasing brawls against those who label her as her clan's shame, thereby proving that yes, they were all beneath her and no, she was no longer a pushover. Her anti-Sakura movement was then founded after she was castrated based of those violent actions committed on supposedly defenseless civilian kids, with the village hating her guts as they zealously revel over Sakura's. Eight-year old Sasuke could tell that those who were closer to this molten lava (because well, she was too much of a scorching hot-blood to be an ice princess) were beginning to worry about her. He had caught that older Hyuuga dude from the other class spying on her after all, probably tasked into it by his then in-charge, father into watching their precious heiress. Unfortunately, the white-eyed, girly freak with the immaculate long hair and the ridiculous-looking headband seemed to enjoy this voyeurism more than he should, particularly those ones wherein he was required to see through the girl's locker rooms. He couldn't even hold back his ecstatic giggles when he did that!
That guy was the other class' Rookie of the Year.
Was this world of theirs really that mucked up or what?
Hinata was indeed quite a looker though, if he may so, and that was how Neji's apparent incest ideas for his little cousin was pretty much blameless. Even those who actively despised her could begrudgingly testify that Hyuuga Hinata had grown up well enough to fulfill the promise of beauty her aristocratic Hyuuga ancestry promised. It helped as well that she was one who effortlessly flaunted it like nobody's business without being all too overbearing for his preferences.
And perhaps that was why Sasuke was drawn to her in the first place for he was a very healthy man, thank you very much and as the whole village knew, he appreciated cute girls with personality more than anything. The rest of the reasons, were probably just excuses to justify his attraction to the girl he could never have and his inclination to prove himself different to those shallow fanboys she herself had acquired over the years. Far from viewing her as the challenge of the lifetime, he saw her as the unattainable he shouldn't bother with. She was after all, Menma's.
She made that clear several times, starting the academy days.
Her infatuation for Namikaze Menma was another factor for the general mass to classify her as the odd ball of the team, what with her making cute eyes on another school freak who thought being all angsty wannabe guy suited well with his genetic brilliant crayon-blond hair and bright blue eyes that instead only succeeded on projecting a more happy=go lucky version of him. He wasn't though. Not really and to be honest, far from it. Happy, that is. Menma obviously got some real issues in the head— with all his desire to acquire power and such drivel that he even began to dye his hair black just to look the part of being seriously driven about this endeavor. To no avail. Because the bad boy look doesn't do him justice as much as Sasuke could pull it off? Indeed. Instead of being taken seriously, he only appeared more ridiculous every passing minute as his attempt of emulating the Shodaime Uchiha Madara's mortal enemy, Senju Hashirama, grew more persistent over time. But bar those eccentricities he only probably got from his sensei, the promoter of hatred Jiraiya, Menma was over all a great guy. He was the closest thing Sasuke got for a friend, if you give the guy a break and remember that he knew how to smile once in a while too once he forgot he was supposed to be some badass Hokage or something like that. And Hinata was still his number-one fan and perhaps, his only.
That was why; Sasuke decided he would gladly hand his beloved tsundere to the guy anytime. His troubled friend deserved some fist to bonk his head into sanity for the rest of his life after all. Maybe, it would only be a matter of time for all those wonderful things Sasuke noticed about Hinata to finally get through his thick "avenger" head. And finally, stop being so hung up over the gentle, loving, boringunspecialnumberoneSasukesecretfangirl, Sakura who, by the way once avoided Menma like plague until they were placed in the same team. Lovely.
Sasuke could still remember that day…
Birds chirping… The winds of change blowing… Thirty genin hopefuls sitting confidently in their seats never having the hunch of how life can be so cruel…
"Tch. What do you expect of me? Run a three-man freak show? Tracking team, my butt. " Hinata scoffed in displeasure, thin elegant eyebrows twitching in barely-suppressed annoyance. "Cat-shaman and bug-crusher? Wow.. The village bitch couldn't ask for more, eh?. Oi. Iruka! If you ever dare stick me to some old pervert for a sensei! I swear I will come at night and kill you! And then I will resurrect you to kill you again! And then I will feed you carcass to baka-Akamaru to join the Aburame's dead bugs. And I will kill Akamaru to feed him to Shikamaru. And—"
Well, you get the idea. By this time as everybody else zoned out the threats that weren't so empty if you come to think of it, it seemed better to hear less.
"As if! It's not like we want you too eh.. Hi-Na-Ta." Kiba snorted, obviously feeling clever. "Although that kind of thing is going to be subject for correction since I really agree that Akamaru is stupid. Bakamaru it is! Haha! That ugly mutt. Cats are sooooo much more adorable. Meow."
"I hate my teammates. They might bug for the rest of my life." A pause. In which everybody knew what to expect. "And I hate bugs." See? To Shino, that was reason enough to everything. No logic, whatsoever.
"Hn. I sure do hope you are not planning me to get stuck with the playboy, Iruka-sensei." Menma whined in monotone, eyes boring disinterestedly to the badass, perverted teacher. Such stoic countenance didn't go well with his sunflower colors. It only succeeded on making him look like he had a cold. "He's only going to be a hindrance and you know, I have better things to do than be dragged around in stupid dates with some duckbutt who might as well be a homo."
"Ha! Menma is afraid I am going to steal someone special from him?" Sasuke's voice was usual was intentionally breathless. Or maybe husky was the perfect word. Hinata only thought it sounded too forced in him, like hearing someone desperately flirting to a marathon reporter after running five miles nonstop. It was understandable, you see— how she thought he was to be avoided in all might. Poor Sasuke. "But you know I don't have to. She practically goes to me. Right eh, Sakura?"
"S-Sasuke-kun!"
"Ehhh…" A voice said in wonder, its owner looking dazed and wide-eyed. The perks of being stoned all day really. The stupid becomes stupider. "The other teams sure fight a lot."
"Hm. This is troublesome. Heh. I think they're just a bunch of mismatched misfits." Quite an observation. Although it was more like stating the obvious that nobody wanted to acknowledge. And through that, Akimichi Chouji was immediately the class genius.
"Eh? Chouji-kun t-that's rude!" Blushing ensues. Fingers poked together. The epitome of the traditional anime shy girl. Why Charasuke wasn't attracted to her in any significant way was only a question of preference. Uchiha men liked their girls dark-haired. And looking like Mikoto. Or maybe that was just him? Oediphus Complex on the prowl? "I'm s-sure they will m-manage just f-fine."
Those were the good times, when life wasn't so perilous just yet so as to turn everyone's world upside down. When Menma wasn't some psychopathic masked guy. When Sakura was still secretly in love with Sasuke and not think him vile for his lecherous ways. When Sasuke wasn't having second thoughts about the choices he made yet. When Kiba and Shino didn't realize they like each other way too much. When Team 10 wasn't disbanded yet because of untimely deaths …
These were one of the old times really. When Hinata only had a small childish infatuation with the unique blond guy that could have dissolved at any moment…. When she wasn't just yet obsessively in love with the idea of him… When she wasn't crying because like the last time somebody died in front of her, she couldn't do anything… When Sasuke could freely watch her without questioning himself: why again did I fall in love with her?
And: why could she never love me back?
Speaking of such oddities, their teachers didn't fare much better.
Kurenai was some sort of witch who thought she could mindfuck everyone. Genjutsu specialist, my ass. She basically was only a voodoo practitioner. Probably why her team was dubbed the craziest. Asuma was an anti-smoking advocate, close-fisted miser who ironically had lung cancer before being killed by someone who had a heart penchant. And let us not begin with Gai-sensei, who was just a lackluster, unenergetic, unenthusiastic… pervert. (Everybody knows that the Bushy Brows sensei is quite a notable subscriber of the Icha Icha Series so if you are smart, it would make sense that two of his team are certified fans of bathhouses peepholes and that with his overall reluctance to move, Tenten was just inadequate). But indeed in all their eccentricity, those others of the rookies had been quite lucky. Team Seven, unfortunately wasn't so.
When one was stuck with a "youthful" teacher who used his transplanted sharingan way too much to be useful when the imperative comes, there sure was bound to be trouble.
Hatake Kakashi fainting right away after Momochi Zabuza showed himself on the way to Takigakure was proof enough of his inadequacy during the times of need, leaving only his less-than-experienced students to hope that a Fuma Shuriken and a few of Menma's obnoxious kage bunshin could penetrate the water shield of some sorts that restrained the rather useless jonin. That time, the eccentric masked man who was somehow a devotee of some religion called Springtime of Youth, only served as a cheerleader, reminding them that dying in their first official C-rank mission wouldn't earn them a place in that honorable tombstone he loved so much. At least though, these motivation did comprise of helpful hints and coaching that made you wonder whether he really valued self-reliance as much as they were insisted to be subtly taught to their students. In the end though, Kakashi's strategic plans ended up being foiled by none other than the enemy himself. What would one expect anyway? When you were practically screaming your game plan over the opponent's earshot, it would only be reasonable for one to anticipate a more than worthy counterattack. Zabuza wasn't a very smart guy. But he sure was smarter than Kakashi.
Only blunt force managed to get them out of that situation. With an immobilized jonin and two genins who didn't even know how to control their own chakra just yet, some part of Menma must have taken it all in as a sign that being an honest, goody-goody ninja was hopeless for his I-want-to-be-a-badass-Hokage course. Red eyes had flared menacingly like a bad omen and amidst the massacre that ensued after Menma's unleashed, uncontrollable rampage in both Gato's men and the two missing Kiri-nin, it obviously wasn't anybody's sharingan.
Suddenly, Menma's longtime ambition to be like the notorious Senju Hashirama didn't seem so farfetched. But as a lover of "youth", Kakashi only concluded that the Namikaze's apparent psychotic episode that resulted to the deaths of even their charge wasn't worth of note for future references, saying that it was only evidence that with this unlocked power to protect those that he held dear, Menma was really skyrocketing at the top of his Springtime of Youth. With such hero-worship and still lingering respect for his authority, Sasuke and Sakura had immediately accepted this explanation, unaware of the repercussions of having their teammate supposedly "control" such power would cause.
Nobody told Menma that letting the beast take over was wrong. Nobody told Menma that wanting power could be this bad. Nobody regretted all of these until it were too late.
Not even her. Hinata. Who watched Menma's growth more than anyone.
If only, they had paid attention to the littlest things… if only there wasn't such a thing as the butterfly effect… if only they knew Menma would be like this…
Well, Sasuke shrugged gratefully. SasuHina wouldn't have been possible. Yay! Squeal. Woohoo! So much drama!
I told you, that guy was hopeless.
As far as experiences go, their first Chuunin exams was easily what everyone in the Rookie Nine seemed to regard as their life's turning point, a quick escalation from their monotonous everyday to a much more dangerous path as young shinobis. Lifelong bonds were made as bones were broken; like a measly sacrifice for a greater gain. Like blood compensation was for a trusted summoned ally. To this day, Sasuke thinks that being beaten to a pulp by that perpetually smiling Gaara and having Menma bonk the malevolent Hinata some sense as he proved that she wasn't the only one with hate, had been worthy in the long run, In such battles waged and duels held, the twelve Konoha Rookies along with the rather unusual siblings from Sand became much more than just awkward batchmates that somehow ended up being opponents at one point. Somewhere along the line around Neji's defeat over his completely changed cousin (this was the point one would wonder why even the pervert who watched her when she bathed was surprisingly, well surprised of the most obvious thing) and Hinata's epiphany that Menma was really quite a catch for defeating even her anger (which she thought would be her greatest weapon), the Konoha Eleven became people who could count on each other at any time. Sasuke, at the very least could boastfully pride to have learned a thing or two about himself than just those tidbits of information he had gathered from promiscuously flirting with the rest of the pretty females in the exams added together. And Hinata… Well, she was a reformed woman after that.
Loving Menma was a life-changing turnabout for her, if indeed such a masochistic basis for her soon-to-be overwhelmingly obsessive attraction to the Namikaze could ever be justified into a romantic emotion. She wasn't the typical infatuated fangirl after that, latching on Menma as if being cunningly punched amidst the eyes of a crowd set on humiliating her meant she somehow owned him in a way. On the bright side, Sasuke got to see more of her as it became a regular thing for her to suddenly appear around the corner and cling around Menma who by the way, didn't even have the slightest idea how much he had just changed her life. The blonde dimwit was quite accepting of the attention though, considering that before everything else, he had none from those people who practically treated as they would a dirt. In fact, he tolerated her enough that she began to get some hopes up. And Hinata with even only a pseudo possession was well, quite violent. Menma, had always been one who sincerely appreciated action after all. Seriously, that guy was sickly masochistic. Sasuke should have known.
Sasuke was well aware that his so-called bestfriend had been kind of cruelly leading the tsundere on, smirking at her suggestively like she was someone special when everyone else knew he only had eyes for the Sakura since forever. True to the cliché these two were: the bad boy wannabe falling for the good girl while pretending to date the notoriously popular cheerleader, bitchy type. But Sasuke couldn't say much against the notion as he himself had been abusing his own kekkei genkai in giving countless, nameless girls left-handed compliments in order to fit in his own stereotype. Pathetic he was indeed. But in his defense, he only wanted to be together with the girl who could resist his superficial charms like those shoujo mangas always ended up being. They never told one though that life could be infinitely be more complicated than just a boy-meets-girl concept. Sasuke, despite being the romanticized man who secretly sobbed in bliss after watching his favorite Saturday Night Primetime episodes, was disappointed of this lack of straightforward simplicity in his life.
For Hinata loved Menma. And as much as Sasuke would have preferred it not to, it frighteningly only made things rather sensible. And infinitely, more complicated.
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Meh, That came out real lighthearted but I only wrote this in under three hours so erm, umm… (somehow, I believe this is not an excuse). So… Anyway, please review. And yeah, suggestions are very welcome. XD And please tell me if the lack of dialogue had been too much. I don't know what to do with myself but I'm just not a foremost expert with this kind of things.
Next chapter should explain Sasuke himself. Please just treat this as a series of character studies of sorts. Tch. And yeah, I would be introducing the plot soon so hang on with me guys for this excessively lengthy prologue. Thanks for your support.
Review :D
