Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Spellbound

Chapter 3

Learning (Hinata)

The next day Tsunade and I stood in the kitchen cooking the food we bought the day before. I stood at the stove while she was not too far away at the counter.

"What are we going to do first?" I asked Tsunade. I stirred the contents of the boiling pot as she chopped vegetables. I really wanted to start my training. I want to learn as much as I possibly can.

"Well, it depends. What skills do you already have?" Tsunade placed the knife on the wooden cutting board in front of her. I felt her eyes on my back. My skills? Um …

"I can … umm … I can use some telepathy, but if I don't concentrate I give people headaches, and I can make a few potions." I looked down into the bubbling pot. Just being able to do that is pathetic. Being my age other witches could do more by now.

"When did you start that?"

"When I was seven," I answered shyly. After all that time I still don't have mastery telepathy or potion making.

"That's your problem dear. You're going too big too fast. We have to start slow." I turned and watched her walk out of the kitchen. In seconds she came back with a small drawstring pouch. "Do you know how to read tarot cards?"

"My mom taught me when I was little, but that was so long ago." My mom … she was an amazing witch. She could do anything: potions, read fortunes, and use any type of spell.

"I think I will remind you then … let that boil. We have work to do." Tsunade pulled out one of the chairs at the table and sat down. I mimicked her actions on the other side of the table. She took a pile of more than forty cards out of the little pouch and placed them on the table. She explained the meaning of each card, and what they mean in pairs or in a line. Next were the layouts. I surprised myself by finishing her sentences. I remembered some of the layouts and what they meant. She told me the next time someone came in I would read their cards.


"Now here are the errands I need you to run, and take Neji with you." Tsunade handed me a piece of paper with a smile. I nodded obediently and called for Neji.

"What?!" he screamed out. When he appeared in front of me I noticed the piece of yarn wrapped around his tail.

"What have you been doing?" I asked, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Nothing." He turned in a circle trying to retrieve the yarn, but he failed. His fur bristled in frustration. "Damn you purple string of death!" he yelled at the purple yarn. I rolled my eyes and pulled 'the string of death' off of him.

"Come on!" I turned and walked to the door, not waiting to see if he was actually following. But I knew he was. Once out the door I looked down at the list. It contained five handwritten orders. The first was ordering flowers for the living room, where the tarot cards were read. I suppose the choice of flowers is up to me. Amazingly the flower shop was on the other side of East Street, exactly across from us.

I weaved through the traffic of cars and random people on bikes to get to the other side. The sign of the flower shop read: "Yamanaka flowers." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Neji hop onto the windowsill as I pushed the door open. A bell rang above me alerting the owners that they had a customer.

"Hi, be right with you," I heard a bright, yet bored voice say to me. I looked around the shop as I waited. It was small but every inch of it was covered in different types of flowers of every color imaginable. It was beautiful! A blonde with a high ponytail and blue eyes popped up from behind the cash register. I could tell she was about the same age as me.

"How can I help you today?" She smiled brightly.

"I came to order flowers for Lady Tsunade." I said walking closer to the counter.

"Oh my God! You're her!" she screamed slamming her open hands on the counter. Her who?

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You're the girl with Tsunade. You're the talk of the town, girl! Everyone knows about you, but no one really has met you yet. I'm Ino by the way." She reached out her and hand to me, and I shook it politely.

"Hinata." Everyone has been talking about me? Why? "What have they been saying?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, don't worry. It's nothing mean. Just that you are mysterious due to the fact that you have been here for like week and no one knows anything about you. You know, who you are and where you came from and stuff." Ino pulled vases out from under the counter. They want to know about me? Wow this town has to know everything … just like my family. I sighed heavily.

"You okay?" she asked, looking at me curiously.

"Yeah, I guess." I smiled lightly and Ino walked around the room, placing the flowers I asked for into the vases gently. I looked down at the list again. This is going to be a long day.


I placed the vase filled with beautifully-colored flowers onto the coffee table in the middle of the room. Tsunade finished making the cake that I had to deliver. That was number two on the list. Walking into the kitchen I fold it wrapped perfectly and waiting for me. Neji jumped up and sat next to it. Leaning over he gave it a sniff. Quickly he leaned away in disgust.

"It smells terrible!" he said, answering my questioning look.

"It doesn't matter, it isn't ours." I shrugged while putting the cake into a basket.

"Thank the fates it isn't!" Neji licked his paw and started to clean hi face. He always decides to clean himself at the wrong time.

"Stop that, we have to go!" I pushed him off the counter and onto the floor. He landed on his padded feet, gracefully. He makes me look more klutzy than I actually am. I rolled my eyes and scooped Neji under my arm.


"You know, if you didn't break your broom, we could have flown there instead of walking!" Neji sneered from behind me. He is so annoying! He complains when I carry him and then he complains when I make him walk! According to the map that Tsunade magically drew, we weren't that far away. It was only two more buildings down. I jogged slowly so I would be there faster and be farther away from Neji's annoyingness. When I reached the doorstep I checked the address with the one on the paper to make sure I was at the right place. The numbers matched perfectly and it was right next to the restaurant that Tsunade told me about. I knocked on the door loudly and waited. I heard shuffling noises and angry yells from behind the door and it swung open roughly.

"What?" a girl screamed. Her pink hair was disheveled from I guessed sleep, and her facial expression was far from happy. "What do you want? Who are you?" she sneered. Her green eyes flashed dangerously.

"This is from Lady Tsunade." I pulled the wrapped cake from the basket and handed it to her.

"Mom!" she screamed and snatched it from my hands without a polite thank you. Who does she think she is? She has no right to rude, I did nothing to her. She glanced back at me, taking in my entire appearance as I took in hers before. She snorted and slammed the door closed. RAWR! I can't believe that! Of all the rude things! I was so mad I thought my ears were steaming. I stomped back in the direction I came, expecting to find Neji but he wasn't there. I lost him again! I growled under my breath and looked around trying to think of where he could be. My eyes scanned across the street for anything that would interest him. Nothing!

"Is this what you're looking for?" I jumped up in fear at the sound of the voice. I turned quickly to look at the girl who spoke to me. She had brown hair pulled up into two buns and chocolate brown eyes. In her arms was Neji. That annoying little….!

"Unfortunately … yes. Thank you." I said taking him from her. I smiled at her and glared down at Neji. He glared right back.

"No problem. He's adorable." She smiled and walked into the door leading to the restaurant. The back of her shirt had the same name as the restaurant, she must work there.

"She called me adorable," Neji gushed, watching her over my shoulder. "That is why I hate being stuck as this fur-covered beast."

"But in this form you are immortal." I answered, starting to walk to our next destination.

"Immortality is worthless, if you have no one to spend it with." His whiskers drooped and he jumped into the open basket, curling into a ball of fur. Poor Neji. He was more alone then anyone could imagine. When all the errands are done, I have to find a way to make it up to him, if that is possible.


Finally I had reached the last thing on the list. I got the flowers delivered the cake, got the ingredients Tsunade needed and bought the herbs and rosemary we both needed for protection. The only thing left was to remind someone of their appointment for tomorrow. The house in front of me was huge. A white Victorian type, similar to the house I grew up in. I walked up the steps slowly and stopped at the screen door. I placed the basket holding Neji and everything I bought on the ground next to me. My finger pushed the doorbell in, gently. I waited patiently, for someone to answer the door, but no one did. Sighing I rang the doorbell again. I could leave a note but I didn't have a pen or a piece of paper. In defeat I picked up the basket and turned to walk back home.

"Is there something you need?" a male voice asked, coldly. I spun around and came face to face with a pair of dark onyx eyes. My body froze. I think my heart skipped a beat, not in surprise or affection, but in fear. The eyes pierced through mine. "Hello?" he asked again. Taking a step away from him I swallowed, preparing myself to speak.

"I came to tell …" I looked down at the paper for the name … Mikoto. "Mikoto, that she has an appointment with Lady Tsunade tomorrow at three o'clock."

"Sasuke! Who is at the door?" a woman yelled from inside the house.

"Tsunade's apprentice, she came to remind you that you have an appointment tomorrow." He yelled back to her, but his eyes never left me.

"A-at th-three," I stuttered out. His eyes gave me that creepy feeling.

"At three!" he yelled again. I... have to get out of here. Now! I didn't have time to take in the rest of appearance but his eyes were enough for now.

"B-bye." I turned and started to walk away quickly. "Slow down, don't walk too fast." I muttered under my breath. I didn't want him to know he scared the shit out of me, but I bet he did know anyway.

"Bye," he called out and closed the door. I glanced back and thankfully he disappeared back into the house. I stopped at the gate and looked all around me to make sure the coast was clear. Tsunade's was completely across town and I don't think I can make it back in time for dinner. Okay … transportation spell. I put mental pictures of the house in the front of my mind and snapped my fingers. In a pop I was standing in our kitchen. Taking the herbs out of the basket I put them in the cupboards where they belonged. I pulled out Neji next, and held his sleeping form in my arms. He didn't say it directly, but he liked that girl. How can I help him? Only the elders could make him human again … right? Maybe I could find a way to do it too. I was to be the next leader to the Hyuuga coven. I would eventually control the elders, or at least have a say in what actions they take.

I placed Neji in his bed and put his food next to him. When he woke up he will probably be hungry, as always. I crept slowly past Tsunade and into the room where she had all of her spell books. I pulled all the potion books off of the shelves and placed them on the desk. I had to find a potion or spell to make Neji human again. There had to be one somewhere.


After paging through two books there still was nothing. Wordlessly Tsunade came in and gave me a dish filled with meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans. She didn't ask why I was in here or what I was doing. All she did was smile and return to the kitchen. I ate my dinner and continued to search, leaving the empty dish on the side of the desk. The pile of books that I already looked through went from two to seven, and there was still nothing. Why is this so hard? I just want Neji to be happy! Why can't I do that one simple thing for him?! In anger I pushed the books I haven't read yet off the desk and I fell to the floor Indian style.

"Give me a sign! A hint! A clue! Anything!" I yelled at the ceiling. The window I had never noticed before flew open, letting the harsh wind rush through the room. Books opened and pages were blown across the room. I leapt to my feet and slammed the window closed before it caused anymore damage. I surveyed the room and picked up the books and papers close to me. I tried to reorganize them, until I stepped on an open leather-covered book. I lifted it up and scanned the page I stepped on. It was a spell for animal transformations. I found it!

"Tsunade!" I screamed, running out of the room. I ran through the empty kitchen and into the living room. She sat in an old armchair, and looked at me questioningly.

"Yes dear?" she asked. Her face looked older. It had a few scattered wrinkles that she didn't have this morning.

"You look …"

"Older?" Tsunade smiled, carefully. "Yes, aging potions … they wear off every ten years. I have to make another one for myself. Maybe tomorrow I will teach you how to make one." I nodded. I loved to make potions. No matter what kind they are. I looked at her sadly, why would she use such things though?

"But you wanted something else dear." She said. Her white Persian jumped on the arm of the chair next to her. Oh right … the spell.

"Can you teach me how to make this?" I held the book open for her to see the spell.

"No." She frowned and looked up at me from the book.

"Why not?!" I yelled.

"Because this is what I meant this morning, dear. You want to do too much too fast. You have to take it slow. You are not ready for such spells." She pet her cat gently.

"Fine." I slammed the book closed and walked to the doorway before she called out my name. "What?" I asked stubbornly.

"The book." She outstretched her aging hand. I pushed the leather object into it and stomped all the way to my room. I slammed the door behind me and jumped into bed. When she was asleep I would find the book and do the spell by myself.


After I knew for sure that she went to bed I crept down the stairs and into the library. Looking around the room I saw it was back to what it looked like before I started looking for the spell, neat and organized. The leather-covered book was sitting on the desk in plain sight. I expected her to hide it from me. Does she want me to go behind her back and do the spell anyway? I walked around the desk and looked down at it. She must have done something to it. There had to be a catch or some kind of trick somewhere. With one finger I poked at the air surrounded the book. The tip of my finger hit a magic force field. How do I get the book out now? I closed my eyes to let myself think. I rubbed my hands together making blue sparks, scatter in all directions. A blue light appeared around my hands and I tried to pull the barrier down. Using my nails and the magic I made a hole in the barrier. I had it open, but I still had no way to get the book. It took both of my hands to hold the barrier open. I had to concentrate fully on that, so I couldn't float the book out using magic.

"The saying mother like daughter definitely applies here." Tsunade's sudden appearance made me let go of the barrier. The glow surrounded my hands disappeared and the barrier formed around the book once again. I turned to face her, guilty. … Wait she said mother like daughter … did she know my mother?

"Tsunade …" she raised her hand in the air to silence me.

"I told you that you have talent and you proved it. Hinata you have to understand I would be honored to teach you that spell, but not yet. Your mother was like this too. She was stubborn; she had to know how to do it now. Don't do that. You can learn so much more than any other witch, but you must take everything at an even pace. You have time; there is no need to rush." Tsunade waved her hand once again, but this time to tell me to come closer. I walked over to her slowly. She knew my mother? She reached out and held both of my hands in hers.

"You should go to bed now. I will explain more in the morning." Tsunade smiled. She walked to her room as I walked to mine.


End of chapter 3

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