As Always I do not own anything to do with Naruto or the world in which he lives in except for my outward muse of what I wish would happen. But that is all, not really all that much. Please enjoy.
From afar shocking pink eyes watched as tiny shards of frozen water crystals wove a tightly knitted cage around her nii-san, the once formidable Hyuuga who now laid unconsciousness and prisoner to the real Hinata. Slowly emerging from the center of the lake, Hinata and her victim slowly made their way to the rocky shore were the last clone awaited her arrival.
"It appears that I'm not really needed here after all." If these words would have come from any other female they would have come across as whiny but seeing as they came from Hinata, even if it was her clone, they came off as just fact; a simple statement.
Calf deep in the crystal blue water, the real Hinata released the jutsu that had held her previous outfit into the pale lavender sundress that she had worn four years ago. Not even bothering to look at her clone, Hinata continued to move her nii-san onto the shore as she spoke. "You're allowing your emotions to manipulate your chakra pattern."
Hinata's clone smiled before she replied. "You mean you are. We are but the same."
Minutes ticked on while the clone watched the real Hinata continued with her task, until Neji finally rest upon the dry ground. Chest heaving as the pain ran amuck across Neji's usual stoic stony face as he currently lived through the hell Hinata forced upon his mind.
Apart of Hinata knew that she purposely took his demand wrong. Her dear nii-san meant that it was his business that she was torturing a Leaf nin, not that her reasoning was his business. Due to his ignorance in that topic it was only fitting that she fill him in on such information. Which she was.
However, watching the pain upon his normally emotionless face she began to wonder if her move was unjust. He did demand it though.
Biting her left thumb Hinata formed the needed signs to release the water cage that bound him. Taking pity on him, Hinata place two fingers on either side of his temple and altered the ending, well part of it. Hinata felt no need to force him through the attack, she was sure Neji could piece it together without cracking a part of him along the way.
Finally looking up at her clone, Hinata spoke her curiosity of her clones actions. "Four years? You took pity, why?"
At the mentioned of Aoba's punishment, the clone's smile faltered. "Lets not play this game, you know why."
"Well I guess I have a point." A genuine smile played on both Hinata's pale lips at the irony of the situation.
"Here." The clone flung the remaining senbon needles at Hinata before she turned to depart. She wasn't needed here, the real Hinata had it under control. She did wonder what her dear nii-san had done to deserve that kind of punishment. Oh well she was just a clone, her knowledge would merge with the really Hinata once she was released. Same goes with the other way around. The real Hinata's question would soon be answered then as well.
XxXxXxXxX
"Caw. Caw. Caw." The screeches of Sai's large white bird echoed through out the forest as it executed a perfect 160 quickly followed up with a nose dive.
Jumping to evade his opponent's attack, Suigetsu landed in Sais' ink clone's direct line of attack. Before the little Water Demon could even respond snakes bound him to the spot where he stood. Where was Karin? She had split once it was apparent that their newest opponent was quick on his feet. Once this match was over, he was going to show her true fear.
Grinding his teeth, Suigetsu awaited the aerial attack that was headed in his direction. If he wasn't fearing the repercussion of Hinata's words, Suigetsu would unleash his full potential, however his water techniques, no matter how handy they would be at the moment, would give his true identity away.
Closing his eyes, Suigetsu readied himself for the blow that was sure to come. Oh how he was going to make Karin pay when this was over.
The water demon was too much like a small child and couldn't contain his curiosity and opened his eyes. Just in time it appeared.
It also appeared that Karin hadn't abounded her teammate after all. Landing on the giant bird, Karin connected a side kick to Sai's left temple, knocking him off the bird.
One thing that Karin hadn't taken the time to preplan was the means of controlling the giant ink bird which was now currently dissolving into thin air. The second that Sai had left the bird's side, it become nothing but ink.
Free falling, Karin was spiraling out of control while Sai summoned another bird. Inches away from colliding painfully with the ground below her, Karin tensioned for the pain that was bound to be in her near feature. Surprising them both, Suigetsu formed a replacement jutsu and switched places with his falling teammate.
XxXxXxXxX
"Even if it's been a while, you should remember your comrades' faces. Why? Because otherwise you will hurt their feelings when they call out to you." Pale fingers woven themselves through thick chocolate locks just above the temple of Hinata's opponent as she spoken in a copycat monotone.
Behind dark glasses Shino eyed the strange nin, Kaya, that had some how snuck up on him without his kikaichū knowing, and had just paralyzed his limbs. All he could do was blink. This girl was strange.
Her statement was not lost upon him, he was well aware of who she was quoting. Long ago he had spoke that very line to Naruto after he had returned from his three year training with his godfather.
Only the Konoha Twelve had known this particle piece of information. Many had teased him for years. But how had she known? Unless she was-
"This is what a real trump card is." Before Hinata's latest quote could fully enter her former Teammate's ear the man laid at her feet in a dreamless slumber.
Before he could even summon his remaining chakra, Hinata had Sasuke halting in his tracks. "Please don't, Charming."
"Hm." Was Sasuke's only reply.
Sasuke had given up on guessing how she knew what he was planning just as the plans would form. Her timing was always impeccable. Well almost. He could have done without the bugs.
Finally turning to view her comrade's current predicament. Sasuke was bound to a tree by Shino's insects. Hinata knew Sasuke well, before he could even do so she knew what he was planning; frying the insects with his kikaichū.
These insects feed off of chakra, too much and in this form no less, would fry them from the inside out.
"You may not find any need for them but I assure you, Shino does, they're linked together. It is said that if one was to kill a vast number of them at once you could very much kill the owner as well. And I for one, am in no hurry to test this theory."
Kneeling over to her former teammate, Hinata redirected his remaining chakra to the organs in which the insects had made their homes. By forcing chakra to their nest, this action served as a beacon, recalling back into their host. Within seconds Sasuke stood free from the pesky bugs.
"Took you long enough, Hime."
"Beggars can't be choosers." A smile touched her lips just as her form began to dissolve, leaving Sasuke alone with an unconscious Shino.
XxXxXxXxX
Chest heaving, Karin eyed the man that had her pinned to the tree. A part of her mind had accepted that she had failed but the other part, the part that overrode logic, was openly gawking at the man.
He had many characteristic that reminded her of Sasuke. Like his pale, flawless ivory skin, cold and calculus eyes. Or how his pale pink lips slightly parted as he took in his victim. Even his ruthless mindset as a fighter, completely focused on one thing, the match at hand.
But there was something off as well.
Eyes widening as awareness took over, it was his eyes. They weren't cold and calculating, they were void of any emotion. Not cold but lifeless, nothing shown within, like he wasn't there, just a shell. A human puppet of some sort. Which was even more alarming then being a cold and heartless person. Not that Sasuke was heartless or anything.
"You look nothing like Stutters."
Sai's random and completely strange choice of topic had Karin back in the real world. Unable to reply, due to being completely lost, Karin just stared at the man that held her captive.
Who's Stutters?
Tilting his head, Sai continued his odd conversation. "What's your angle? Showing up on the anniversary of her death can't be a consequence. Not donning the same color of hair. So what is it?"
Before Karin could reply to how she felt about being compared to said female a misguided kunai that nearly took off her nose, had her eyeing the forest behind Sai.
Dodging the next attack, Sai quickly took out the female pinned to the tree.
There was something odd about this group, the man Shunsuke, had been standing there for a few minutes and had yet to step in to aid his friend. It wasn't until she was about to talk did he jump in, and he wasn't so sure that Shunsuke had truly missed the first time. Was he aiming for his own teammate? What was she about to say?
XxXxXxXxX
"You insisted on this being your business, so I did just that, nii-san."
The two Hyuuga now stood in one of Hinata's favorite gardens in the Hyuuga estate grounds, the one her mother maintained with her own hands, on her free time. This was Hinatas' mother's heaven.
Turning to face her nii-san in this dream-like world in the one place she could hide from her father's disapproving eyes when she was younger. "Might I advise that next time you should use caution when demanding things that you know little about."
Redirecting the choice of topic to another angle, Neji spoke just above a whisper. "You knew the dangers, this is not Aoba's to hold alone."
Bowing her head, a mirth of emotions ran through Hinata's pale eyes as she spoke, this action was the closes thing Neji had seen that resembled his long lost cousin. "For four years I morned the death of my child, upon seeing Aoba-san standing before me, ready to spar, the pain I suffered through everyday resurfaced. I wanted him to forever feel the pain that I still live through, everyday. To never be able to hear my daughter's laughter, or see her smile. All of it was taken from me. For years I blamed it upon him. It's funny though, upon seeing him, l couldn't make myself take that step to fulfill what I once had longed for. His mind has become very unstable, what's even worst is that this hell is something that he has force upon himself, not me. I may not be the same Hinata that I was four years ago but even I couldn't help but to take pity upon him. He has suffered for far too long."
The stony and somewhat sober expression that now tainted his cousin's pale lips had Neji fearing the answer to his next question. "What did you do? Did you-"
"What you felt wasn't a genjutsu. What I did to Aoba, in a way, is somewhat like that. I have learned many things in the past four years. Things I would rather not take time to explain at this moment. Just know that Aoba-san will not be suffering any more. And no, brother, I did not kill him either. When he wakes he'll remember nothing of the past four years. It's not an genjutsu, I have taken what has been forcing unneeded pain upon him; the mission that he failed and the past four years."
The two watched in silence as a tiny little turtle crawled out of the pond at their feet, minutes ticked away before the turtle finally made it onto dry land to only dive head first back into the pond.
"I've seen the way you look at Charming, and lets face it, you should really practice your ability to mask your chakra fluctuation, your dislike for him is apparent, nii-san. Or is that that the plan?"
"The change in you is something I'm unsure about. I understand pieces but I'm sure that he holds more to it then you've shown me."
"Yes, you are correct. I only showed you what parts had to do with Aoba-san, not Charming. But I'll share some if you would like"
A small smile played on her pale lips as she watched her cousin step back in alarm of what may come next.
"I did not mean that dear brother, I was only going to simply talk, that's all." Hinata eyed her nii-san waiting for signs that he trusted her. When his shoulders finally relaxed Hinata continued. "As you witnessed, I gave up and welcomed kami to take me. When Charming first found me, inches from death he revived me until it was apparent that I wished of nothing but death.
"He found it to be more of a disgrace then the bandits that had left me in that state. If I refused to fight then I didn't deserve to continue. I admit his methods were quite unorthodox, instead of gentle words of encouragement, Charming taunted me, but they worked. So much that I snapped, and at him. Which was his plan, he forced me to give up, abandon myself doubting and pity party.
"His method was odd, I'll give him that, but once I allowed the chains that had restricted me my entire life, to fall free, I was finally free to fight. Not even Naruto had this effect on me. I partly think that it might be because I had always fought for others; for Naruto, father, the Hyuuga clan, you. I had always fought to be better so that others would except me. But with Charming I fought for myself. He had refuse to allow me to pity myself. I must change what I do not like, or quit complaining.
"In a way, we are a lot alike, Charming and I, he has felt and battled the same fight that dwelled within me. Death is not an option for either of us."
Neji stayed silent as he took in the information his sweet cousin had just shared.
Turning to face her nii-san, Hinata eyed one of the only family members that she cared for. Odd how fate works sometimes. The irony of the only Hyuuga that attempted to take her life was the one that she loved the most.
"Now, I must leave."
"Shikamaru has finally began to-" Before Neji could finish the statement that he hoped would entice her into staying longer, Hinata had already finished the needed hand signs. Neji stood alone in this dream world with no means of leaving. No idea of how long Hinata planned to keep him trapped within his own mind, Neji made his way to the stone bench under the sakura tree.
As always I love reviews! Please make this little wishful thinker have a wonderful day by hitting the review button and writting me lovely little messages!
~I am sooooo soooo sorry for the delay on my updates. I am currently juggling two jobs and full time college student. I know not a very good excuse, but there it is. I will try update more often.
My old Beta is having the same problem as me, too much to do and just not enough hours in the day. So, I am in need of a Beta for this store, yet again. Is there anybody who would be willing to take the task on?
Any takers?
Pleas let me know ASAP.
Beta requirements: Needs to excel in the grammar department because I truly fail at it. And when to place commas because I have a bad habit of wanting to place them everywhere.
