Sacrifice Breeds Hate

random716

Chapter III

Special

Note:

Voice inside Hinata's head

Thoughts.

It was uncanny. It was strange to realize that you're crazy. Like, it's different to think you're going crazy than to know you're actually going crazy. Though truth be told, Hinata is not really surprised, it was just weird to be aware about it.

This can't be true, can it?

But you know it is, right?

It didn't help that the voice in her head is talking to her so casually.

I could always go to post-war counseling they are doing.

Yes. Yes. You can do that. But you wanna be with those weaklings that can't get over some little things. People die. Big deal. It was a war, for Kami's sake. You're dwelling on it too much. You are such a weakling.

"Hn."

Hinata almost jumped out of her skin hearing that infamous voice (and word—though it's obviously not a word). She is on a training field which is secluded since she wanted to be alone and also the fact that fewer shinobis are being strict with their training since the shinobi nations have come to a time of peace.

"Konichiwa Uchiha-san." it was not her intention but the way she heard herself say 'Uchiha' sounded like she spit it out with hate.

She can't help it that she hates his clan. But Kami knows it's all just in her head. And you know you're too weak to hold a grudge on the Uchiha Clan.

"Hn." the boy responded with a slight smirk.

"Sumimasen, goodbye, Uchiha-san." she muttered and started walking away.

"I knew it,"

"Nani?"

"I knew that you are not as pure and untainted as they say." she faced him, slightly offended, "I mean, don't get the wrong idea, but you are a kunoichi. You ought to see ugly things, you ought to feel ugly things, and you ought to feel ugly things." he looked at her, "You ought to get ugly."

Speechless, Hinata just looked at the last Uchiha. She opened her mouth to retort and then closed it again when nothing came.

Nothing he said was a lie and she can't deny that.

In the end, she let it go and decided to keep her mask. "I must go, Uchiha-san."

It didn't escape her all-seeing eyes the spiteful smirk he gave her. She ignored it, ignored him.

Damn that Uchiha. He's so conceited. He thinks he knows a lot about me.

But he's not wrong, is he? She refused to mentally respond to the voice. Actually, come to think of it, he's the only one who did see the ugliness in you.

"Hey, Hinata-chan!"

For Kami's sake, she's a kuinoichi and had byakugan but how does everyone keep surprising her?

By the enegy and the loud voice she didn't need to look up to know it was Lee.

"Konichiwa, Lee-kun." she said with a forced smile and tried her best to hide her annoyance.

That's another thing that had changed. Before, she liked seeing happy and cheerful people like Lee, Kiba and especially Naruto, but now, cheerful people just made her annoyed—annoyed that they are full of life and cheerful like nothing is wrong in the world. That she can't be happy and forgiving as they are. Yes, she was bitter and it was unreasonable, but honestly, that is what she feels.

Lee's face broke into a worried one. "Are you well, Hinata-chan?"

She felt a pang of guilt in her chest with the way his face contoured into a genuine worry.

"H-hai, Lee-kun, I just want to be alone." she said, "Please." she added.

Rock Lee was many things but rude is not one of them. He nodded weakly and gave her a long look. "Hinata-chan," he called, "You are Neji's precious cousin, please know that I am willing to assist you with anything." he said, sincerely. She felt warm with the way he said it. He was so sincere and passionate; it would make Gai-sensei cry.

She let a somehow genuine smile show, "Arigatou, Lee-kun." she said.

Lee was stunned for a second but gave a blinding smile with a good-guy pose. "Yosh!" he exclaimed, "I'll see you around, Hinata-chan!"

Well, he's annoying.

She tuned out the voice and went on her way. She doesn't want to answer to it, she refuse to acknowledge it, maybe if she ignored it, it would go away.

I am holding on to a thin, thin thread and it's just a matter of time before it snaps. She thought as she jumped in to the forest to avoid running into someone she knows. She had too much encounter today.

You know, everything will be easier if you'd stop being annoying and just let it go. The voice said as she sat under a tree.

Still, she ignored the voice though she wanted to question it.

Just let it go. Just be angry. Let them know how everything affected you. Let your anger go.

Stop.

Or maybe you could just blame yourself because you are so weak.

Stop.

Blame the Hyuuga clan for making Neji think he needed to protect someone weak like you.

Stop.

Blame the Uchihas for being so focused on themselves to start a war.

Stop.

Blame Sakura for not running to help him.

Hinata shut her eyes tightly. Stop.

Blame Sasuke for deciding to help a little too late.

Still with eyes closed, she crouched to the ground her head between her hands. Stop!

Blame Naruto for not being strong enough.

Stop!

Hate Naruto for being too cruel that he needed you to snap some sense to him.

"I said stop!" she opened her eyes and her byakugan was activated without her knowing.

Her eyes caught something on her peripheral and gave a jyuuken blow. Her hand hit a tree trunk, pieces of it flying to her. She snapped out of her episode and realized she blacked out and lease out.

Bits of the wood pieces broke her jacket and scratched her face.

What's happening to me? She asked herself as she walked to the pond near the area.

She scooped a handful of water and washed her face. By her second scoop, there she realized her byakugan is still active, more so, her right eye looks different. She looked closely..

What the..?

She walked away from her reflection on the water and tried to calm herself. Hinata, you need to calm down. It was just a trick of the eye. Your mind is not stable; it's not surprising you see things. Because there's no way her eye looked inverted—the pupil is purple, the iris is a darker shade of purple with a white fluidly elongated and swirled tomoe in it.

She slowly walked back to the pond and tried to peek at her reflection.

Oh, whataya know. The bunny is special after all.

Her blurred mind focused with the eerie tone the voice in her head used.

"You are special after all." she's quite sure she heard that with her ears. She twisted her body to, already poised with jyuuken style and faced where the voice came from.

"Who are—"she tried to ask but she realized she doesn't need to because she knows exactly who the person in front of her is, "Kabuto." she spit the name like it was venom.

Kabuto adjusted his glassed and broke into an insane-looking smile. "My, my, you did change, my dear Hinata-chan." he said, "And I love it!"

Hinata had little patience these days and she was not feeling guilty about it this time. She run to where Kabuto is and tried to hit him with a jyuuken.

The man dodged easily, he glided fluidly, his face close to her. His eyes are greedily looking at her right eye. "Sugoi." he whispered.

This annoyed Hinata greater. She twisted her body and faced him, she moved swiftly, fluidly and with fire, she successfully pinned the white haired man on the ground with force.

Kabuto didn't even look fazed; instead he looked more insanely happy with what he is seeing. What the hell is wrong with him? He smiled widely even with the blood on his mouth, and it looked insanely annoying to Hinata.

"What the hell are you smiling about!?" she yelled as she pound him rather ungracefully and in un-Hyuuga way.

Kabuto never answered her but she stopped when she saw her reflection on his glasses. Her right eye now had three tomoes. She dropped Kabuto and put her hand on her right eye, shielding it from anything. What is that? What is this?

"It just means that you are not meant to be weak." she heard him say.

"Shut up," she spit, still using her hand to hide her freak eye.

She knew he was standing up with the noises she is hearing but she didn't bother to try and stop him.

"Find me, we'll work on that." he said, his voice fading away.

She knows she need to stop him, after all, he is an enemy of Konoha. But she got other things in her hands right now. And she is feeling familiar chakra presence and her eye is not going back to normal.

He landed in front of her like a whisper. Without looking, who it was, she knew his chakra. Still with her hand on her eye, she refused to look at him. Of all shinobi, it had to be him, she thought ironically.

"Hn." she heard him say.

She ignored her presence and focused on trying not to look suspicious with her hiding her eye.

"Hn," he tried again.

Hinata realized that he will not go away. "What."

She was not looking at him but she felt him smirk.

"Where is he?" he demanded.

"Where is who?"

"Tck, don't play with me, Hyuuga. I know he was here. Where is Kabuto?"

She rolled her eyes, "He fled."

She just knows he just rolled his eyes, "Stop being a brat, Hyuuga."

It was weird that since the start of this conversation, she never looked at him but she knows what kind of face he is making.

He was being nosy and HInata needed to get away from him. She still wasn't sure how her eye looks.

"You know, I could think of a thousand things to describe you, but I didn't think annoying was one of them," she said, stopping whatever he was about to say, "You are being annoying Uchiha-san," she said then tried to get away.

She took the opportunity of the stunned and ego-wounded Uchiha to flee.

When Hinata arrived home, it was quite dim. And she knows it was a matter of minutes before she gets to be called for supper. So before she retreat to her room for the night she told a Hyuuga servant that she will not be having dinner for she had already ate with her teammates.

She was quite amazed how the lies rolled off her tongue. She said it flawlessly and effortlessly.

Given that her blushing and stutter was tamed after puberty, she can't help blushing (due to embarrassment) and stuttering (for nervousness) excessively when she is lying. But tonight, she was amazed and appalled with her discovery.

The more you suppress the darkness, the more it evolves. Kabuto's voice echoed in her head.

How did you end up in my head? She asked, it was no use to fret about it.

Ah, I could answer your question but does it really matter?

She thought about it and no, it was not necessary.

I thought so, too.

Why me?

Why not you?

Don't mock me.

Ah. He sounded thoughtful. ..because kind hearts darken darker than an evil heart.

Thanks for reading!