Author's Note: So, this chapter is a little longer. Next chapter will be March. I hope I didn't make her seem like a Mary Sue? For now, she's just learning, so she's not super strong. Next chapter/month will be ninjutsu, and she will find out her nature element, basic hand signs, and one ninjutsu. She's slowly progressing, don't worry. C: Please review!

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Chapter Three: February

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First Week

Hinata's throat was dry, and she felt clammy. Why was she in this underground cave, anyways? Why couldn't she train outside with the fresh air, trees, and birds?

Hinata chewed silently on her thick jacket that she was kidnapped in. When she was kidnapped at three, she had worn her usual sleepwear. Orochimaru wasn't exactly the type to buy a child a skirt or a silk kimono, so she was forced to wear either extremely tight clothes from two years ago, or wear an oversized, baggy sweater. There was no in between.

"Hinata," Kabuto said, adjusting his glasses. His hair was getting longer, she observed. "You will become a Shinobi. You will learn how to detect a perfectly concealed ninja, a trap, and Justus."

He eyed her sourly. "There are three basic, general types of Justus: taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu. You will be focusing on those three, one for each month."

He paused. Hinata blankly stared at him, sucking on the fuzzy sweater, shivering in the bitter temperature.

"This month, you will focus on taijutsu. Not every opponent knows taijutsu. Demo, it's important to know taijutsu should you face a close range opponent. Taijutsu is perfect if you don't have enough chakra left for a flashy ninjutsu. I assume you know what chakra is?"

Hinata said nothing. Kabuto scowled. (1)Kuso! How am I supposed to teach with a silent child? What if she's mute? What if she doesn't know how to speak?

But, to Kabuto's shock and pleasure, she gave a slight nod.

"Yosh! Hyuga's have their own style of taijutsu, but I will show you the basics. Get into a ready stance, Hinata."

Hinata took her sleeve out her mouth, and awkwardly attempted to form a stance. However, she was insecure and slouched. Her feet were awkwardly splayed out, and her arm was wavering.

Kabuto decided he'd fix that later. "Attack me, Hinata!" He ordered. He squinted at her, noting she did not use her Byakugan. He'd have to figure out how to utilize it for the sake of Hinata.

Hinata blinked at his order. She sucked on her bottom lip, unsure. But after what seemed like minutes, she charged. An unsure, insecure expression crossed her face. She balled her pale fists, attempting to strike him, but she wavered, as if not wanting to hurt the teenager.

"Come on, Hinata," Kabuto shouted, "strike me!"

She chewed on her lip again, and made a noise. It sounded like a cross between a squeak and 'hai!'. Hinata balked her fist and swung at Kabuto, but he easily dodged.

He stopped, and she froze.

"You're too weak," he observed. "Too slow. We need to work on your speed." Barely finishing his sentence, Kabuto swung at the five year old Hyuga, enough to make her crumple to the floor. The Hyuga didn't speak, but quiet sobs shook her up. Kabuto kneeled down, peering down at her.

"We need to work on your speed, too," he added.

Second Week

Hinata felt herself shiver once again. Kabuto scrutinized her, and she squirmed under his disapproving gaze. It was obvious he did not approve of the Hyuga. Not only did he have a grudge against Leaf ninja and citizens, he hated her because she was mute, slow, weak, and emotionless. He called her stupid, weak, and useless.

"Why couldn't Orochimaru-Sama kidnap a twelve year old? Not a three year old who'd grow up to be mute and weak?" she heard him muttered. She showed no sign of listening, only widening her eyes, pausing her suck-session of her sweater when he said something surprising.

She made no progress like she hoped. She didn't quite understand the concepts of taijutsu. She didn't need to use chakra? But she was skinny and had no muscles. How would she block Kabuto's strike?

Hinata chewed on her sweater, almost frustrated as she attempted to duck under his punch. It was reflexes, almost instinctive to dodge now. She preferred to dodge because she had a chance to chew on her thumb or sweater sleeve. She didn't see Kabuto's second fist, however, pulled back like an arrow, ready to strike. She didn't see it inches from her stomach, and she felt it finally after it connected. Spit came out her mouth and her hands instinctively swung to her stomach, holding it.

She coughed, subtle pain growing.

"You should've seen that coming, Hinata," Kabuto said, almost pleased with himself. Hinata blinked, staring at the floor. Her eyes lolled up to Kabuto's figure.

She struggled to get up. I give up, she thought numbly, what's the point?

Kabuto, as if reading her mind, shook his head. "If you don't get stronger, Hinata, Orochimaru-sama will kidnap your unborn sister. She'll be born in a month, you know."

Hinata's head slowly rose. She stared at his glasses, his eyes concealed by the glass reflecting on the light.

She struggled to rise. I wonder what Mama named her, she thought softly as she propped a hand on her bony knee, trying to steady herself. Maybe it starts with an H, like Otousan. She gazed at Kabuto's feet, positioned to be on the offense. I don't want the Clan to be worried, too. Who will be heir if my sister gets abducted like me?

Hinata ignored her matted hair falling in her eyes. She tried to block Kabuto's swift attack. Confidence soared through once she dodged his kick. She blinked. I wonder if otousan still thinks of me? She wondered. Her thoughts coiled through her head. She tried slipping from Kabuto's punch, but her distracted mind earned her a punch to the jaw. Crumbling to the floor like a mouse, she felt her hands go limp and her jaw go numb.

Third Week

Orochimaru was going away. Kabuto was worried, Hinata observed. She heard voices as she patiently waited for Kabuto to arrive.

"Orochimaru-sama..."

"Kabuto-kun. I will be back soon. Train Hinata-chan, now. I will be going off to-" Hinata couldn't hear the rest. A few minutes later, a pissed off Kabuto arrived.

"Hinata," he said. "Have you been reading on what I assigned you?"

He didn't expect her to talk. Three weeks of training, and he knew of her silent language. Blinks when confused, nods, and shooken heads. It was simple.

She nodded.

"Good," he said. "Orochimaru-same has gone off to a village. He'll be back in a few weeks. I expect you to master taijutsu by the end of Februrary. Got it?"

Hinata nodded.

"Yosh . Begin."

Hinata perfected her stance. Although it was still awkward, the five year old has copied Kabuto's stance. She stared at him, waiting for his move. He charged at her, and she looked up at him as she dodged his punch.

He towered over her easily, and it was difficult to dodge his long arm over her tiny body. Hinata tried to thrust her fist out to his stomach, but failed as he grabbed her fist. She whimpered in pain.

"Think, Hinata," he growled. "What do you do?"

Oh, how Hinata wanted to lie down in defeat, and sleep for the rest of the months. But she had a job to do. She liked to pretend that she was a genin from Konoha and had a S-rank mission: protecting her unborn sister from the scary Orochimaru.

She grunted as she shoveled her tiny feet to his shin. Kabuto didn't wince, but he released her.

"That was great improvement , Hinata," He praised. "This soar is over. I will visit your room later after dinner to quiz you on the stances of taijutsu and types of nature energy. I have placed books on your bed. Please study it."

Hinata had a headache that throbbed, but she nodded. Perhaps it was because the ringing in her ears, but she opened her mouth, forming the words for one of the first time. Instead of sucking on her sweater, she poked her fingers together.

"H-hai." It was a simple word, but enough to make Kabuto whirl around and stare at her incredulously. She lowered her head and limped out the training ground, to her room.

Fourth Week

The last week of February, Kabuto gave Hinata a kunai. She knew what it was, she saw pictures, but she never touched one. It was a used one, and it smelled like sweat and human bloode the one that was against her throat the night she was abducted.

She gripped it in her hand, her mind reeling. Black, metal, and cold. She looked up at Kabuto.

"It's a kunai. This one is not a throwing kunai. A throwing kunai is lighter, thinner, and smaller. This one is meant to stab your opponent, to harm them at close range."

She stared at it. I don't want to harm anyone, she thought.

"I will not teach you in kunai just yet. Let us spar once more."

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As Hinata lay in bed, her muscles sore and her face red, she thought about her past home. Konoha, she thought. She missed it terribly. She forgot everything and everyone but the stone statue of the Hokagss and the leaves littering the floor. Warm and bright. Happy and free. But instead, she was being forced to train so someone can use her as a weapon.

A frightening thought came to Hinata as she snuggled to her thin pillow. The clock turned from PM to AM, marking it March first.

Maybe being a weapon wasn't so bad.