Disclaimer: I don't own this
Chapter 4: Back to Basics
Hinata waited a few minutes, too stunned to move and just stared at the door.
"Don't take any of what he said to heart." The snake said, perching himself on her shoulder.
She jumped and had to force herself not to brush the creature off in repulsion. Instead she offered a shaking hand and he slid off her shoulder. Gently she placed him on the table and fought the shudder that raced up her spine.
"S-So Sasuke-sensei wouldn't k-kill me?" she asked skeptically.
"Oh no, he would kill you, but it's nothing personal." The snake answered with a laugh. "But you better get used to it, little one. Suigetsu will be back soon with a bed and you have nowhere to put it. I believe that is a more pressing matter."
She contemplated what he said and had to agree. While the fact that she might have been chosen as an apprentice by someone who wasn't afraid to kill her was scary, finding a place to settle into seemed like a good way to distract herself and would keep her out of Sasuke's war path. Her back throbbed painfully, reminding her of the night she had spent in a chair, and she promised herself that she wouldn't do that again if she could help it. She looked around, the room she was in now was big and there was a large empty space by a large window. It was a definite possibility, but she decided to look around more. She walked to the door way near the stairs and gasped at the sight of the room in front of her. It once was a kitchen but now it was a cluttered room of garbage and rotting food. It was like a horror story. She turned away quickly and debated about looking upstairs. But she knew that was where Sasuke had slept, and after their little talk she wanted to be as far from him as possible. Walking towards the large windows she grimaced when she noticed the spiders lingering in the corners and the dirt that covered the glass and the dust caked on the floor. She knew she couldn't live like this. Moving towards the door she turned the lock till it was yellow and she pushed open the door, propping it open with one of the old chairs.
"What are you doing now?" the snake asked curled comfortably on top of the table.
"If I'm g-going to live here, s-something has to be done about all the g-garbage and dirt." Came Hinata's muffled voice as she searched through the closet near the door.
She reappeared minutes later, looking triumphant as she held a large white cloth in her hand. She ripped it in half before placing both pieces on top of her bag on the table before fighting her way through the kitchen. It didn't take her long to find a bucket and a broom, along with a medium sized scrub brush and a large sack. Walking towards the table she moved her bag to the closet before hooking her hands underneath it and giving it a gentle tug.
"What are you doing!?" Orochimaru practically spat.
"I'm s-sorry Orocimaru-san," Hinata said innocently. "But I h-have to clean, as you s-said Suigetsu-san will be returning soon with my bed and I h-have nowhere to put it."
The snake hissed dangerously, fixing her with a deadly glare. Hinata steeled her nerves and gave him what she hoped was a stern expression.
"Move p-please." She said offering her hand again.
Orochimaru gave her an angry look before sliding off the table and disappearing into the house. She breathed deeply and began to tug the table again. She heard books and bottles and other objects fall to the floor but she didn't stop until she had moved the table outside. People looked at her strangely as she stopped to catch her breath before disappearing back into the house.
-Page Break-
Suigetsu shielded his eyes and glared at the setting sun, before he turned to look behind him at the man following him pulling a cart with a futon on it.
"It's just a little further I promise." Suigetsu called, grinning.
The man nodded, struggling to pull the cart along the sandy path. Suigetsu shook his head and let out a little sadistic chuckle, he turned back and his happy grin slid from his face. There was a group of people standing outside his house clustered around what looked to be their table and the front door was propped open.
"The hell?" he grumbled, narrowing his eyes in confusion.
Suddenly a man picked up a half empty bottle, sniffed it experimentally and began to tuck it into his pocket. That was the last straw.
"Oi! Hey hey hey hey!" he shouted running towards the group.
Most of them scattered but some were too startled to move. He stormed over to the man and ripped the bottle from his hands before glaring at him and showing off his sharp teeth.
"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.
"T-the table's been out here all d-day!" the man stuttered. "I thought it was for sale!"
"Yeah? Well it didn't look like you were planning to pay for that!" Suigetsu spat.
"Well no one else paid!" the man defended.
"WHAT!?" Suigetsu yelled, and this time everyone dove for cover.
He turned to the man that had been delivering Hinata's bed and found he had also run for it, leaving his cart behind and everything. His anger rose and he gritted his teeth.
"Hinata," he growled turning and stepping into the house.
But his anger melted immediately. He looked around astounded and blinked as the light from the window across the room was almost too much for him to handle. The floors had been cleaned and waxed, the window was washed and the hearth had been swept out, there was even a book case across the room that he didn't even know was there. For the first time in a long time the house didn't smell like neglect it smelled fresh and clean and…food. Suigetsu noticed for the first time since he entered that the room smelled delicious. He walked further into the house and peeked into the kitchen. He struggled to contain his gasp of surprise. If the other room was clean this one was spotless. The cluttered counters were cleared off and there was no trace of the garbage that had littered the floor. There on the stove sat a large pot that simmered quietly. Hinata was standing at a sink that Suigetsu hadn't seen since he first came here and was cleaning dishes dutifully.
"Wow," he said smirking.
Hinata yelped and almost dropped a dish before she turned around and saw Suigetsu standing in the doorway.
"W-welcome home." She said smiling before turning back to the dishes.
"I see you've been busy today." He commented.
"Mmmmhmmm." She hummed before placing the plate back in the cupboard.
She moved towards that stove and stirred the contents of the pot gently before turning to look at Suigetsu again.
"How much did you manage to clean today?" he asked curiously.
"Well I cleaned the front room, and in here. I managed to clean the bathroom upstairs, but I didn't touch your room or Sasuke-sensei's." she answered turning back to him.
"Help me get the table and your bed in here, will you?" he asked.
Hinata nodded and followed him out of the kitchen and outside. Together they brought the table and her new futon into the house.
"Is dinner almost ready?" Suigetsu asked excitedly, rubbing his hands together.
"Almost, n-now help me clean this t-table off." Hinata said smiling.
Suigetsu groaned but begrudgingly turned to help her finish cleaning off the table.
-Page Break-
The lock spun in the door until the circle with the scraped paint was showing. The door slammed open violently, and Sasuke entered in an even fouler mood then he had been in when he left. Hinata jumped and turned to him, before quickly getting to her feet. Suigetsu continued eating as if nothing had happened.
"Welcome h-home Sasuke-sensei!" Hinata said quickly, bowing.
"Hn," was Sasuke's only reply, but instead of storming up stairs he paused to look around. "It's clean." He said after a moment.
Hinata flushed and sat down, wringing her hands in embarrassment, while Suigetsu decided to speak on her behalf.
"Hinata spent all day cleaning and cooking, because SOMEONE wasn't here to train her." He said.
Sasuke pulled out a chair and sat down across from Suigetsu, Hinata handed him a plate and he piled it high with food. They ate the rest of their dinner in silence, and once they were finished Hinata immediately stood and began to clear the table. After a minute Suigetsu sighed and stood to help her, his conscious getting the best of him.
"Hyuga." Sasiske said suddenly, making both of his housemates freeze.
"Y-yes?" Hinata stuttered, surprised he had addressed her at all.
"If I train you, you will do what I say, when I say it understand?" Sasuke asked, his voice cool.
Hinata nodded quickly, afraid that if she didn't respond fast enough that he would change his mind.
"I am the master here, if I say jump, you jump, if I say run that's exactly what you do." He continued his voice becoming sharp. "And if I ask you to kill someone, I expect it done, in a timely fashion and with gusto. Do you understand?"
Hinata swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn't know what to say; she wanted to train more than anything but she couldn't imagine herself ever killing anyone. Suigetsu nudged her and, after another moment of hesitation, she slowly nodded.
"Fine, we start tomorrow morning after breakfast." Was his monotone reply, as he stood and disappeared upstairs.
Suigetsu grinned and patted Hinata on the shoulder excitedly, but Hinata wasn't excited at all. She took a deep breath and pushed the conversation to the back of her mind, deciding to focus on her work instead.
-Page Break-
She followed behind Sasuke obediently, as he led her through the twisting underground tunnels that somehow seemed so familiar to her. He held a torch in his hand that blazed with a bright unnatural light that lit the whole hall. They turned down a side passage and continued to walk on in silence. There was a loud rumble and Sasuke stopped short making Hinata crash into him. He whipped around and shot her a glare, before he heard the rumble again. Small bits of rock and debris began to fall around them. In a matter of seconds he grabbed Hinata and pushed her away from him just as the ceiling collapsed on top of him.
Hinata woke with a start and sat up in her futon and looked around the darkened room. The fire had died down to a few embers that glowed brightly in the hearth. She pressed her hand to her wildly beating heart and took a few deep breaths.
"Have another nightmare?" Orochimaru hissed.
Hinata startled again and frowned as she heard the malicious laughter of the snake. She saw him coiled next to her futon, his head swaying back and forth.
"Oh O-orochimaru-san." Hinata said after she had calmed down. "That wasn't very nice of you to s-scare me l-like that."
"Well it wasn't nice of you to kick me out of my house." He hissed angrily.
"Oh d-don't be angry O-orochimaru-san! It's m-much c-c-cleaner here now, don't you like it?" Hinata said softly, feeling guilty for shooing him away earlier.
"Hmm, I have to admit that the stench of decay and rot was getting old." The snake joked after a moment. "So I forgive you as long as you promise to cook my meals."
Hinata smiled happily, but felt it fall from her face quickly. She looked nervously at the serpent, ringing her hands together.
"I know you wish to ask something, so ask it." Orochimaru said bluntly, as he uncoiled himself.
"Orochimaru-san?" She began formally. "How did you know I w-was having another n-nightmare?"
The snake laughed, a cold bitter laugh that gave her goose bumps before he slowly began to slither away.
"I know a lot more than you think." Was his only reply, before the embers died out completely and the room was plunged into darkness.
Hinata hugged her knees to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't fall asleep again for the rest of the night.
-Page Break-
"Smells like breakfast!" Suigetsu cheered as he raced down the stairs.
Sasuke followed behind him, a little less enthusiastic, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He noticed that Hinata stood diligently in front of the hearth, attempting to start a new fire for the day. The young man pushed her aside before mumbling something under his breath and immediately a warm, magical, fire roared to life. Hinata whipped her head around in surprise but Sasuke ignored her as he took a seat at the table. Now that the fire was lit Hinata served breakfast, once the two men had made their plates Hinata made another one and cautiously walked towards the cage where the great snake slept. She reached forward as if to touch the cage but recoiled quickly, it took her a few more tries before she was finally able to muster the courage to open the cage and leave the food for Orochimaru.
"That was pathetic," Sasuke stated blandly, as Hinata took her own seat at the table. "It shouldn't take you that long to feed him."
"A-ano…he scares m-me." Hinata admitted her voice so quite he almost had to strain to hear.
Sasuke laughed bitterly before fixing a glare on the young woman across from him, Hinata could almost swear his eyes were red.
"You have no idea what real fear is," Sasuke said. "But I'll fix that soon enough."
The Hyuga swallowed hard and gripped the table to stop her hands from shaking. Sasuke glanced over at the cage and continued speaking.
"Finish your breakfast." He said, his voice returning to its usual monotone. "We have a lot to do today."
He caught Hinata's eyes and she felt like she would suffocate in the dark depths of his obsidian glare. She nodded quickly before looking down at her food, the Sasuke with the red eyes still present in her mind. They finished breakfast in silence, and Hinata stood to clear the dishes but Sasuke raised a hand to stop her.
"Suigetsu, handle the clean-up. Hyuga follow me." He merely said, as he too stood and made his way to the cloak closet by the door.
He pulled out a dark blue jacket and handed her an oversized white one. Slipping it on he turned the lock in the door until it was purple and he led her outside. A blast of cold air hit her immediately and she zipped up her coat as she took a good look around her. They stood in the ruins of a large city. A thin layer of frost covered the ground and crunched loudly beneath Sasuke's feet as he walked ahead. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened, before she scrambled to catch up with her mentor. The large stone buildings now lay in pieces, a few structures had survived but they were all in poor condition.
"Where are we?" Hinata breathed, crossing her arms to keep the cold out.
"Oto." Was Sasuke's reply, as he continued to walk.
"But I t-thought Oto w-was a c-city?" Hinata asked confused.
"It was." He called behind him.
Hinata swiftly followed him until Sasuke stopped in front of a door. It was metal and the building above it seemed to be missing a roof. She was confused about what they were doing here, but Sasuke opened the heavy door without a second thought. A long dark stone passageway stretched before them and Hinata felt the strange sense of something familiar. He felt around the inside of the passage and pulled out a torch before muttering and incantation and the torch lit up with an ethereal glow. He glanced at her one last time before disappearing into the black tunnel, the torch lighting up everything around him. Hinata hurried to catch up to him, not wanting to be left in the dark. Their trek was silent, the walls and floors were made out of rough stone, and Hinata ran her fingers along it, contemplating how this had anything to do with her training. There were passages that branched off to the side but most of them were collapsed, Sasuke led them down one of these side passages and a loud rumble filled the hall. Hinata stopped short and was glad she did, because Sasuke stopped not an instant later and she would have crashed into him. She was hit with a powerful sense of déjà vu and looked around quickly. She noticed Sasuke moving up ahead and she quickly followed after him. Suddenly the tunnel shook with the sound of collapsing rock. Sasuke stopped, turned, and grabbed Hinata, about to fling her out of the way. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as her dream replayed in her mind. Instead of allowing Sasuke to throw her out of the way she threw herself at him. He wasn't ready to catch her so they both rolled and tumbled to the ground. Not an instant later the ceiling they were just standing beneath collapsed.
"What the hell?" Sasuke growled, sitting up and glaring at the girl sprawled across the ground in front of him.
Hinata slowly got to her knees and winced slightly as pain shot through her shoulder where she had landed. She looked up and gave Sasuke a weak, nervous, smile.
"Well S-sasuke-sensei, if I-I hadn't p-p-pushed you out of the way you w-would have b-been crushed." She said.
"How did you know the ceiling was going to collapse?" he demanded.
"B-because the t-tunnel shook?" Hinata answered unsure.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes suspiciously before standing and retrieving the torch that flew out of his hand when she had pushed him. Hinata also struggled to her feet, pushing on her bruised shoulder experimentally. Deciding it wasn't too bad she moved to follow Sasuke as he continued down the tunnel the torch still lit.
"Not much further." He answered her unasked question.
Hinata nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her. Finally they stopped at another metal door. Sasuke forced Hinata to take the torch and he pulled hard on the door so it creaked open. He disappeared into the black room and Hinata shifted nervously. Suddenly Sasuke reached out his pale hand as if searching for something. Hinata handed him the torch and the darkness was illuminated. She stepped into the large room with a vaulted ceiling and tons of book cases. Sasuke lit the sconces by the door and the whole room became visible. The library was just as dilapidated as the rest of the ruins of Oto. But some of the books were still intact.
"Wow…" Hinata breathed, she had never seen so many books in her life.
"Oto has largest collection of magic tomes and scrolls, ever recorded." Sasuke said after a moment. "Pick a few and meet me back here, than your training will begin."
It didn't take long for the white eyed girl to return, and she hesitantly held out the book she had chosen. Sasuke took it from her and read the title. Basic magic for Beginners. He looked at her in disbelief; silently asking her if this was a joke cause if it was it wasn't funny. She blushed and looked away fiddling with her fingers. Sasuke let out a loud un-Sasuke like sigh and ran a hand down his weary face.
"This is going to be a long day."
A/N: So I know it's been pretty predictable but hopefully I'll be able to surprise you a little later.
