Thank you for all of your comments and reviews. You guys are awesome :D Today the chapter is a little different. A little bit of new. A little bit of old. And a little bit of something else.
Summary: Three years after the death of Anemone, Hinata has returned to her every day life among her village without anyone suspecting a thing. Her friends are changing as time passes on, seeming to leave her behind. But this quiet peace is silently falling apart as an unknown threat is slowly creeping within the village. And Hinata may soon realize that she cannot stand on her own two legs by herself.
Pairing: Sasuke and Hinata
Rating: M to be safe
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
From Within to You
Episode 03
Friday had come and went. Hinata was bogged down with patients. She could barely remember walking into the apartment last night and crashing into the empty bed. She probably snuggled into the blankets fully clothed too. That wasn't the case this morning though. Hinata could see remnants of her hospital attire on the floor in a corner. Next to her she heard light snores. Sasuke's broad shoulders poked from underneath the comforter, his face buried into the pillow. He must have come in later than one in the morning last night at the least. One of those sculpted arms had been resting on Hinata's stomach. She quietly sat up, carefully removing the arm off of herself. Sasuke shifted over to his side with his back turned to her and continued to snore.
It was fast but Hinata noticed it once more. The bruises that plagued his sides could not be hidden well under the bed sheets. Hinata didn't dare bring up that subject. Just the thought of touching them sent shivers down her spine. It was odd. She dealt with patients who had worse injuries. They bled all over her hands at some point. A few bruises shouldn't shake her up so much. But here she was, sitting on the edge of the bed cowering in fear of even mentioning them. The words couldn't escape her mouth.
Hinata needed fresh air. She slid off the bed as quietly as she could to put on loose clothes and sneak out the apartment. Dawn had not begun yet as the sky danced in deep blue and soon to be orange hues. The air was thin and cold. The rain from the night before had left a layer of water droplets on the grass that wet Hinata's ankles. She stepped over the passing boulders as she made her way closer to the forest. Not even the birds were awake to sing a tune. All life in the village still slept soundly.
As Hinata made her way down the dirt path further into the forest she began to hear the dim sound of a nearby river gushing. Her pace increased. The river just outside of the residential area within the forest was a place she had visited before. Whether it was for training or finding a place to calm her nerves, Hinata enjoyed being by the water. She always admired people who were associated with water releases. Her specialty didn't lie there but Hinata always wished that she could perform the most advanced releases of that nature technique.
The dashing blue of the river water finally broke through all of the forest greenery. The river was quite energetic that morning. Hinata walked over to the edge as quickly as she could. Bending forward, she scooped up a palm-full of water into her hands, examining the small leaf petal dance. She splashed it to her face to wake herself up one last time. Hinata smiled a little to herself, wiping off her face with her sleeve. Her eyes rose to catch the view across the river.
A sudden jolt of shock brought her back from daydreaming. On the other shore of the river stood a woman, appearing no more than thirty. Her deep green eyes focused o the water's reflection as her light brown hair, tied in a loose knot and resting on her right shoulder, lifted slightly as she sighed heavily. It did not appear that she had the Konoha headgear on her anywhere. Hinata took notice of her loose dress though. The woman looked up suddenly, catching sight of Hinata as well. Her calm features turned into panic in an instant. That panic quickly changed to horror. Before Hinata could react, the woman formed the oxen hand seal. Her mouth opened up to speak the chanter.
"Earth release." Her voice was soft and annunciated, "First Wall Nature Armour."
The ground beneath her feet shook and in an instant a giant wall of earth sprung to hide the woman from Hinata's sight. Hinata took a defensive stance unconsciously but her mind was racing and screaming at her to stop.
"Wait!" Hinata called out. "I don't want a fight!"
The woman behind the wall climbed over it in one acrobatic move as she perched at the top. Her hands changed to snake formation.
"Earth release. Second Wall Nature Armour."
Before Hinata could register her next move, the ground shook again. This time the wall extended outside of both of the women as it connected around them in a tall circle. The only room left was the untouched river that continued to run its course.
"Stop it!" Hinata yelled out at the woman. "I said that I don't want to fight you! I have no reason to fight you!"
The woman remained still on the first wall but refused to change her hand seal. Her breathing was precise and low. "Who are you?"
Hinata's stiff posture loosened up, as she stood up taller. She raised her hands with her palms facing the woman. "My name is Hinata. I am a member of this village, just like you. I'm simply taking a walk in this forest to clear my head."
The woman also rose to her feet yet she refused to let down her hands. "What makes you think I am part of your village?"
Hinata frowned in annoyance. She lowered her hands to her hips. "I know that spiral tattoo of the Konoha Anbu too well." At that statement the woman moved her hand to cover her shoulder. The walls all around them collapsed including the one she stood on. She stepped back a little, still hiding her tattoo. The woman's eyes fixated on Hinata.
"I'm guessing you know one of our agents." Her voice remained soft with crispness to it. Hinata shook her head.
"No, I know two of your agents. I've known both of them since I was very little." Hinata stepped forward with confidence, "I know how important it is for you to keep your identity hidden. I'm not going to reveal those secrets to others. Believe me, my two friends have informed me of that quite well."
"Doesn't sound like they're Anbu agents if you know so much then."
"It's a bit hard to keep that information to themselves considering I'm seeing one of them and the other is a husband to a close friend of mine." Hinata gave the woman a scowl, "I have no reason to betray their trust. They're both very important to me."
The woman finally lowered her second hand from her shoulder. Her body seemed to relax a bit from the tension. She too took a step forward. "You can call me…"
There was a slight pause.
"You can call me 'Mai'." The woman proclaimed as she stepped over the rocks within the river channel. "My rank in Anbu is… not important. I am a resident of this village, like you."
"But you're not a citizen of the village." Hinata finished the unspoken sentence. The two still had their guard up.
"You're right," Mai smiled a little, "I'm what you would consider an outsider to this village. I was not born to Konoha. I come from a distant land in the south. My techniques were sought out by your current Hokage for Konoha Anbu operations. I was… recruited."
"Then it's a pleasure to meet you, Mai." Hinata extended her arm forward. Mai glanced at her. The slight spark of confusion and shock was quickly hidden by her stoic appearance. "You must still be adjusting to our village. There's no reason for me to not welcome you to our home. At least… none that I currently know of."
Mai's face twisted slightly before her complexion turned soft. She let out a small laugh that resonated against the forest walls like a song. Her voice was truly kind.
"That's a first someone in this village has ever told me. Well… I guess second." Mai reached out to meet Hinata's hand, "The first was a very grumpy and cold welcome from a significant ninja of this village. He wasn't too pleased with what he saw, apparently."
Their shake was brief but warm. Hinata looked over her shoulder and up at the sky. The sunrise light had finally crept over the sky as the night skid away over the horizon. She looked back at Mai who too looked above. She closed her eyes to intake a deep breath. "Smells like the forest are about to come alive."
Hinata stared at Mai in confusion but refused to say a word about it. Instead she gathered her inner strength before saying the next sentence.
"Want to join me for breakfast?"
It wasn't like Hinata at all. She never enjoyed the company of others in the village. She avoided people like the plague and did everything in her power to spend as little time as she could with her colleagues without seeming rude. It was very unlike her in that moment. But there was something familiar about Mai that Hinata could not put a finger on. Her presence seemed ancient, as if this woman was someone of an older era. That gentle voice that sung beautiful statements almost made Hinata feel as if she fell in love with Mai. It was all too familiar. Those same green eyes were too familiar.
"If you don't mind." Mai agreed to the welcome, "I'd like to see what the town is like when I'm with someone who actually knows where they're going."
"S-sure!" Hinata beamed suddenly. It was completely out of character. Mai gave her a concerned smirk before walking over to her side.
"Lead the way then, captain. I don't really know any good breakfast places here so I'll trust your knowledge."
It was so easy. It almost seemed too easy.
Hinata stepped forward with Mai following her right on her heels. The two walked back up the dirt path towards the residential area. The sudden connection between them seemed surreal to Hinata. The mysterious woman who suddenly appeared in the forest with no ancestral background to Konoha was so easy to get along with. Hinata didn't even know exactly where this woman originated from but that didn't seem to matter anymore at this point. Without a single word, Hinata could feel something inner personal with this Mai.
"How long have you been in Konoha now?" Hinata began again as they walked through the residential buildings, "I haven't seen you around on the streets before."
"Oh, I just moved here about three days ago." Mai responded with the same chipper attitude. It was as if the two never had a spar in the forest. "I'm still unpacking and I was thrown at work automatically upon arrival. So it's been a bit hard to go exploring the village when I have almost no time to do so. What about you? Have you always lived in Konoha?"
"Y-yeah." Hinata hesitated for a moment. "My family has resided here for generations. I come from the main house but I decided to leave it on my own once I grew of age. I needed to see the world with my own eyes."
"It sounds like you're enjoying yourself." Mai gave a warm smile. She didn't ask of anything else. She could already sense that Hinata was uncomfortable speaking about her family. Mai sped up slightly to be at Hinata's pace.
"I am. Anyway," Hinata paused before speaking up again, "There is a small café that I go to with my friends. Usually we go there for lunch whenever we get together but since they all sleep so late on the weekend, no one has gone with me there for breakfast before."
"I'll be the first then?" Mai pondered on the question herself.
"I guess you are." Hinata gave the same smile.
It was completely out of her character. This wasn't a fake smile. There was no mask. Hinata didn't have to stumble on her words or pretend to feign innocence. She was genuinely happy. She found someone with a pure kindness. Nothing about Mai's appearance seemed forced or practiced. Her emotions appeared to be raw and clear. And that same clarity made Hinata feel at ease as she relaxed more.
It was very odd.
It was unlike anything she's ever experienced before. Not even with Sasuke.
"Welcome, Miss Hyuga!" The owner of the café greeted the two behind his counter. "You've brought a friend this morning?"
Hinata simply nodded as she slid into one of the chairs to a table closest to the window.
"You really do dine here often for the owner to remember you so well." Mai commented as she sat across from Hinata.
"I guess. The food very good in my opinion." Hinata tried to brush it off, as her face grew red from embarrassment. "You should look into their pancakes section."
It was all unnaturally natural.
Mai lowered her eyes to study the menu more. Those long lashes seemed as if they could touch her cheeks as her eyes darted across the pages. Mai's smooth complexion was vibrant, as her porcelain skin grew paler against the morning light. Her tender lips squirmed to the side as Mai dived deeper in thought from examining the menu. Hinata had to catch herself from staring too much with a half opened mouth that could water at any moment. Her face became tomato red.
One of the waiters walked up to their table with a small pad in his hands. He glanced at the two women before speaking up. "Do you two need more time?"
"Oh, no. I'm ready to order." Mai beamed at him with a dashing smile. She turned to look at Hinata who hid her face behind her menu. "Are you?"
"Yes!" Hinata suddenly answered rather loudly. Mai let out a short laugh.
The two proceeded to place their order. The waiter left them be to deliver their order afterwards. Hinata continued to stare at Mai who was now preoccupied by the village coming to life in the morning. The streets were slowly filling with more people as vendors opened their shops once again to a growing crowd of passersby. The door to the café was swung open slightly as the bell rung with its inviting tune. Mai's gaze instantly went to the visitor. Her eased complexion suddenly grew hollow.
"I'd like black coffee today." Kakashi's voice called out from behind Hinata to the owner. He didn't look their way as he sat across the café with his book. Mai's hands tightened to a secure clasp. Her entire body stiffened.
"That is Kakashi Hatake," Hinata began as she quietly explained to Mai, "He was one of the jounin who overlooked the chunin trainees group that I was part of. He wasn't my mentor though."
"So I've heard." Mai's voice was slightly colder now.
"You two met already?" Hinata questioned.
Mai looked back at Hinata with another smile. "In passing."
This smile was also cold. This one was fake and deceitful. It was a first.
Hinata disregarded it though and continued her stories. And these stories just poured out nonstop. She shared many things with this stranger. Her stories of the Academy. Her stories of the Chunin Exam. Her stories of her specialized training under her own mentor. Even the stories of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, the village young champion trio. Their order had finally come and Hinata continued with the stories. They got closer and closer to the story of Meyven Li. Closer to Anemone and Holland. But Hinata couldn't go there, not yet. She still wasn't ready to fully share that story.
The two finally focused more on their meals that started to grow cold and silence ensued. The meal was still delicious, nonetheless, but Hinata could see it from the corner of her eye. Mai was enjoying her meal yet her eyes would not leave the figure sitting across the café. And Kakashi did not stray his gaze from his book.
"So, can you tell me a little about yourself?" Hinata broke the silence, "Or are you not allowed to do that too?"
"Certainly, I can share a little about myself." Mai's eyes lit up brightly. "I was born into a small village by the sea in the south. I travelled a lot throughout my life, so I don't exactly have a certain village or place that I consider my home. When I was eight I met my first mentor in my travels. His name was Lei Paora. He was the one who first trained me in Earth release techniques and forms."
"Is the Earth release your speciality?" Hinata took notice.
"In a way," she replied, her stare now fixated on Hinata, "That was what I was most dominantly trained in. I also studied the Earth release's other extensions of discipline. When I was thirteen I met a new mentor who applied my extensive knowledge of the Earth seals into Metal release and later I studied Crystal release for a little under a third mentor."
Hinata looked at Mai with a puzzled expression. "I thought the Crystal and Steel release are a type of kekkei genkai?"
"This is true." Mai replied simply. "Over time I started to grow more mature and take on my own apprentices. Some of them have gone on to become prominent members in their society. One of my apprentices recently died though, from what I've heard."
That last sentence was prolonged. Mai looked down at her empty plate.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Hinata scattered her brain for better words, "May I ask more about them?"
Mai took the spoon in her hand and began to rub her thumb against the smooth edge. Her eyes softened. "He was a real hassle. He was one of my first apprentices and this one had a real big snotty attitude. He had already proposed his loyalty to another mentor but he still needed my help to perfect his unique technique. Afterward his training with me was complete, he travelled north to become a leader amongst a village forgotten in the gorge."
Hinata stiffened. Her heart hit the rock bottom pit of her stomach. "I… I hope that their death was meaningful."
Mai snickered a little to herself. "I hope so too. That kid had his head in the clouds a lot. But he had a good heart and a clever mind. He would have become so much more had he decided a different path in life."
Hinata remained quiet and Mai took notice of that silence.
"But we shouldn't bring up the dead so early in the day, after all." Mai shrugged her shoulders as if to brush off the story, "Personally, I had a great morning today. It was quite a change to meet someone here who is willing to sit down with a complete stranger to enjoy a meal. Thank you very much, Hinata. Truly, I am glad that we met today."
Hinata blushed a new shade of pink behind her ears, refusing to look up. She nodded in compliance and agreement without saying a word. For the love of-! Get a grip on yourself.
Mai stood up at that and pushed in the chair. "Let me cover the bill today. I had a very pleasant morning today. I hope we can meet again sometime soon."
Hinata finally looked up. "Y-yes! I am glad that we met too. Maybe we can do this again next week. Same day?"
"I would like that a lot." Mai smiled that same warm smile. She turned around to walk over to the cash register. "I'll see you around, Hinata. Have a good day."
"Thank you. You as well." Hinata smiled back as she rose to her feet. She too turned in the other direction as she made her way to the door. Stopping, she looked back at Mai once more. "The next bill is on me."
Mai laughed out loud a little in response. "It's a date then."
And with that, Hinata walked out of the café and towards the growing bustle of the village. Mai continued to the register to pay for the meals. Her dress brushed slightly against the cash register table as she rummaged through her belongings to pull out the money. The owner waited patiently until Mai completed the transaction. She bid the man farewell and turned to the door as well. She placed her palm firmly against it as she pushed open to the outdoor. Her neck felt warm as a jolt ran down her spine.
"Is this your way of gathering information on your new recruits?"
Mai turned slightly as she stepped out of the café. Kakashi followed after her, leaving his payment on the table behind him. He had tucked his book away into his pocket.
"And on that note, I don't know how they do it in your village, but Anbu agents typically don't go around flashing their tattoo for the whole town to see." His voice was chilling. Kakashi reached out to grab hold of Mai's arm as he dragged her away from the streets. She followed without any resistance.
"I was simply making friends." Mai shrugged to herself before finally pulling away once the two were in an alleyway. "I'm an outsider here. What's so bad about making new contacts?"
"It's different when that contact is a direct relation to one of your agents. Two of you agents, at that." Kakashi hissed a reply, "If your position as Anbu Captain to Sasuke and Naruto gets around by mouth, that information could be compromised. Those two aren't just another pair of agents. They have their own merit that is upheld higher than any of their colleagues."
"It's not my problem that my subordinates are so popular here." Mai frowned. She leaned against one of the alleyway walls. "Your Lady Hokage recruited me herself and made the decision to look over those two. My job is to know who is on my team. I'm simply doing research on my little ducklings."
Kakashi slammed his right hand to the wall, right against Mai's left ear. "Listen. Research is one thing. But harming those close to Naruto and Sasuke is another thing altogether. You are not going to mess with their personal lives just to get results."
Mai threw up her hands with a loud sigh, "I'm not some sadistic trainer, you know? I merely want to get to know those two from the perspective of those close to them. Second opinions are very important after all."
There was no reply from him. Mai waited a while longer before speaking up again.
"I promise that I won't do anything to bring harm to your former trainees. I will cherish them as my own and will teach them a thing or two myself before they leave my supervision. I've had apprentices before... as you've probably heard from eavesdropping on our conversation."
Before she could finish her sentence, the second hand sneaked up to her right cheek. Mai held her breath as the fingers traced her jawbone. Her green eyes pierced the darkness of the alleyway to stare intently at the pair of dark ones. Mai pressed her palms against the wall, as if to restrain herself from doing something stupid.
"Your obsession can wait until later today." She cleared her throat, halting Kakashi's train of thought. "I have to still meet Naruto's wife before I'm done for the day. And I'm sure you have a plethora of errands to do as well."
Kakashi dropped both his hands his sides and leaned back away from Mai. He refused to say another word. His dark expression hid within the dimly lit alleyway.
Mai straightened out as she slid past Kakashi. Before she could take another step her elbow was caught hold off and yanked back once more. It all happened too quickly for her to register as she caught a glimpse of a pair of lips slide from underneath a mask. She pressed herself tighter against his chest without thinking, regretting the decision instantly. Mai could feel his hands snake down to her legs, pulling at them to hoist her up. Her dress was pulled up as he continued to explore without stopping to breathe. Mai pulled back, refusing to look at the heated face in front of her. She focused on the opposite wall. This was his obsession.
A quick act of adultery to satisfy any impending needs.
And Mai was in on the deal as well.
This was the new Anbu captain of Konoha who hid behind genuine smiles and gentle expressions while fucking around with another prominent member of the village in secret.
She could hear pants unzip rather crudely and then something touched her inner thigh. Mai placed her arms around his neck as if to solidify and agree with his intended action. Her heart raced and she could feel his own beating against her chest. Mai snickered to herself at the thought. They were both over thirty and still acting like a pair of rabbits.
But it was all false love and affection. They just liked the attention.
Ten points to those who actually know where that last line is from without the help of Google! ;D
Anyway. I know there is a number of mixed feelings towards characters created by the reader to pair off with actual characters from a story. I know, guys... But to be honest, I couldn't find someone who already exists that would be able to interact with Hinata and Kakashi on a different level of intimacy without making it super awkward. Haha. It was nice to know that a number of you had a decent response to Holland and Anemone as well as my other stories with the Paradox Man. "Mai" isn't an actual character I had created in a different story. Her appearance and personality was simply another recycle of "Anemone" in different plots. But this Mai isn't the same Anemone from "With Eyes that See the Bigger Picture". Anemone was more childish while remaining noble and wise in her cause. I wanted an older character that could challenge Hinata and topple her at her own game. I needed a character that would play just as dirty as she does and get away with it. And at the same time I needed someone who would be able to catch that. Sasuke, for as much as he can see Hinata doing this, wouldn't be in the right position to question Mai. I'm hoping to build up something more with Mai's interactions between both Hinata and Kakashi. We'll see how it goes. Thank you for reading :)