All is Not Lost
Chapter 11
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but Cyndra and the twins are mine.
Neji watched with pride as the twins trained with Kiba and Akamaru after breakfast.
The meal had passed much the same as dinner the night before.
Hinata cooked a vast amount of food, which Kiba greedily scarfed down, as the twins bounced in their seats, eager to continue their training. Sakura lightly scolded Akamaru as he begged for scraps beside Hinata. Shikamaru sat half asleep at the other end of the table.
Cyndra was still nowhere to be seen. Neji didn't mind that one bit. It was a nice to not have to deal with the two toned woman's attitude for awhile.
Neji's musing were cut short as he sensed someone approaching.
Activating his bloodline, Neji 'saw' a dozen people slowly advancing on horseback.
"Are you expecting company?" He asked his cousin over his shoulder.
Instantly the twins were at their mother's side.
"Which direction?" They demanded, activating their kekkei genkai.
"Northwest. About half mile. Just beyond the tree bend." Neji responded, watching the boys as they turned towards the direction indicated. They squinted their eyes, trying to see beyond the trees before them.
"Don't strain yourselves." He warned.
They ignored him and continued to focus on expanding their range of sight.
They scowled and blinked away their bloodline, panting slightly.
"It's Baldy and his old man." They spoke with distaste.
"Oh my, Cyndra won't be pleased." Hinata stated as she began to gather her hair in a high messy bun. "Go inform Cyndra that they're here." She told the twins as she continued to secure her hair. "I will greet our guests."
The twins stubbornly crossed their arms. Not liking that idea at all. "We'll stay too." They stated resolutely. "Cyndra probably already knows they're here." They added trying to convince her.
"True," Hinata said absentmindedly as she rummaged through a small bag on her hip. "But you two are not properly dressed to receive guests, now are you?" She smiled at the boys as she pulled out a long black cloth with blue and green stripes and proceeded to wrap it around her pined up hair.
The boys let out a huff and pouted at their mother.
The Kohona nin watched bewilder. They didn't understand what Hinata was saying, or doing for that matter. She had finished wrapping her dark hair leaving only her bangs visible.
"Cyndra is always telling you to be better prepared." The female Hyuuga mused as she dug through her bag again.
The two grunted at their mother before turning around and stomping off towards the house. They paused halfway and looked back at their ninja guests. They glanced at Hinata then again at the ninja.
"You'll watch over Okaa-san." They demanded more than asked.
"Boys." Hinata reprimanded firmly. "They can't interfere and you know it. Now go inside before they see you." She spoke, pulling out what appeared to be strands of dark blue, green, and red hair.
The young boys open their mouths to protest again when Hinata cut them off.
"The longer it takes for you to change, the longer I'll be in their company."
"Hn." The two acknowledged their defeat and rushed off to the house.
The Kohona nin watched in confusion as Hinata placed the multi-colored pieces on her head. She combed her fingers through the colorful strands, mixing them with her own indigo tresses.
"Perhaps you should go inside." She spoke to them as she continued getting ready, her back now facing them. "Cyndra won't be pleased if you interfere with her business." They watched as she placed something into her eyes. She turned to them. Their jaws dropped in shock.
Her eyes now had pupils and were hazel brown. Her hair was an even mix of striped blues, purples, greens, and reds.
She walked away from them, moving to the side of the house where the men would emerge.
A sense of dread filled Neji as he watched her walk away.
He realized just how easy it would be for Cyndra to make good on her threat, to make them disappear. How close they were to have never known Hinata was still alive. Cyndra could of had them disguised themselves that day, or simply just hidden them deep within the house for the last few hours of their stay.
Cyndra had allowed them to meet, to find Hinata.
In a daze, he walked with his fellow shinobi to the side of the house.
It was a silent consensus that they would just watch for now.
Two men wearing rich finery rode around the bend of trees followed by ten other men wearing armor. Judging by their appearance the two were probably nobles and the others, their bodyguards. Hinata stood facing away from the oncoming guests.
"Kayla! My lovely! How are you today?" The younger noble called out. He seemed to be in his early thirties and had long overly done light brown hair. He wore an expensive royal blue kimono encrusted with gold strands in intricate designs. Not really something one would wear while traveling.
The Shinobi watched horror stricken as an smirk formed on Hinata's face. A devious grin that would have been out of place on the female Hyuuga, looked completely natural on this multi-colored doppelgänger.
She turned to face the nobles.
"Fujiroka-sama," she responded with a slight bow of the head. "I didn't know we were expecting you." She spoke in a sultry tone which caused the shinobi's jaws to drop.
"I had business in the nearby village and decide to see if that demon child was still lurking around here." The elder spoke. His long gray hair was tied back and his kimono, through probably as expensive as his son's, was far more modest and fit for traveling in.
The younger quickly slipped off his horse and snatched up Hinata's hand into his own. He brought it up to his thin lips placing a kiss on the back of her hand as he stared at her with a hungry glint in his eyes.
It took every bit of Neji's self-control to not march up to that sniveling little noble and bash his face in for daring to touch his cousin like that. Kiba and Akamaru were being held back by Shikamaru's shadow possession jutsu. Even Sakura looked ready to take the cocky noble out.
"Kayla, your ever growing beauty never creases to amaze me. You are truly a rare flower hidden among thorns." He spoke with enough cheesy enthusiasm to make Lee proud, though his predatory gazed ruined any sincerity.
"Fujiroka-san, you flatter me too much." Hinata responded flirtatiously, surprising the Kohona nin even farther. Sakura was especially shocked.
On the few seduction missions the two kunoichi went on together, the pinkette had never seen Hinata behave in such a way. She would always end up a stuttering, blushing mess whenever she tried to flirt with her targets, through it worked for her. She radiated such an air of innocence that just drew men like moths to a flame.
Now she was a temptress. Coy and seductive. Nothing like the shy woman Sakura had grown up with.
It scared her. This wasn't Hinata. The medic finally understood why Neji was so wary. If she had run into this 'Kayla' in some random village, she never would have recognize her as her dear friend.
Hinata giggled as she discreetly pulled her hand out of Fujiroka's grasp.
"Is there anything I can get for you?" She purred to the young noble.
His eyes darkened as he licked his lips, but he was cut off before he could speak his request.
"Ane-san!"
The twins names won't be revealed for a few chapters still, but if you have any suggestions I'm all ears.
Thanks for reading.
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