Chapter Ten: 盲目 (Blind)
Legs bent, feet apart, adjust your elbows, if you cry I will beat you, legs bent, feet apar-
It was a routine. Hinata soon realized her life, as she desired, would not be splashed with color, meaning, and freedom; instead, it's darkened with gray and white, the only meaning to her existence is to be strong and serve Orochimaru.
Soon, Kabuto began corporal punishment. If she slipped up and spilled a tear, her face would be red and hot from a hard, gloved smack. She'd squeeze her eyes and activate her Byakugan to prevent got tears from falling.
Routine. It was a routine.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, rest. Saturday, Sunday, Mond- it was a schedule, she memorized it, dare say she was used to it. She was a robot, a puppet being controlled by them.
Legs bent, feet apart, adjust your elbows-
A pain in her jaw caused her to slide backwards, blinking rapidly. She was overusing her Byakugan. She was at her limit, but Kabuto wasn't letting her rest. She had to keep sparring with him while he mercilessly criticized her stance.
Charging forward, her wrists adjusted and her fists clenched, she attempted to throw a punch to Kabuto's stomach. Her knuckles brushed against his navy shirt, but he dodged effortlessly.
"Good!" He shouted out, sliding backwards, his fingers lingering on the cool floor. He stayed crouched like a cat, his eyes never leaving her. "This session is over. Return to your room."
Hinata deactivated her Byakugan eagerly, mumbled a shaky response, and wobbled out the Training Grounds. Her breath was irregular and she felt like collapsing for the fifth time that week. She wanted to throw up and drink a gallon of fresh water. She was tired of the same crunchy, old bread and lukewarm water.
She panted as she slowly made her way into her room, tugging off her boots and wiping her brow. Her throat was burning. Her eyes were hurting and her muscles were tender.
After showering, Hinata quietly crept into her bed. As soon as her face hit the pillow, she was gone.
Hinata saw him leave. She was sure he knew she was spying, but he didn't care. His ethereal, snowy white hair billowed in the thin wind; his white kimono was tightened with the signature purple obi around his waist, and a pack was on his back. He was quiet, slipping out the hideout, jumping from trees to trees.
Where was he going? Hinata wondered curiously about Kimimaro. Was he escaping?
Hinata downed her food and made her way out to the Training Grounds. It was unexpectedly empty. Where was everyone?
The hideout was eerily quiet. She couldn't hear any inhumane screams, she couldn't smell blood or feel smoke. The silence was suffocating, and she wanted to claw at her skin; she wanted to do something to break the silence.
Hinata picked at her thumbs before she decided to train on her own. She was inarguably going crazy, just by sitting here.
Her fingers moved swiftly before settling on the tiger seal. Her fingers formed a circle to direct her chakra and the fire.
Her stomach felt like acid (although, after continuously doing it, she was used to the sting) and as the flame build through her throat, circulating her system, it stung. Fighting the urge to cough and choke on the flames, her lips parted and a small fire spun from her mouth, through the circle, although nipping in her fingers in the process.
She frowned as she stuck her finger into her mouth, smoke puffing from her nose and lips. She coughed, tasting the bitter, ashy after effects of the flame. She needed to be careful.
"Hinata, why are you here?" She heard a familiar, slimy voice. Whipping around, Hinata found Kabuto leaning on the wall, his arms crossed nonchalantly.
"Kabuto-sensei," she greeted sheepishly. "I arrived for our daily training session?"
"Eh? I didn't tell you?" Kabuto replied, his gleeful time implying he purposely didn't inform Hinata, "there's no training today."
Hinata swallowed, blinking owlishly at him. Wait. She woke up early, when she could've slept in?
Hinata flexed her fingers, fighting the urge to grimace.
"Why?" She inquiried instead.
"We'll be moving locations, soon. Orochimaru-sama hates staying in the same place for too long," he explained airily, waving a gloved hand. He pointed a finger to her. "Aren't you six?"
Hinata squinted at his attempt to throw off the subject.
"Hai, Kabuto-sensei. I have another inquiry, if you do not mind? I saw Kimimaro-san leaving-"
"Oh, Kimimaro-kun? After he returns we'll be off. He needs to collect a little subject for us," he answered. Without warning, he turned around, walking off.
Hinata knitted her eyebrows together. Curiosity got the best of her. A subject? A test subject, perhaps? Why did he go, and not her?
The unfamiliar feeling of envy poured through her once again. Did Orochimaru not think her capable enough? Sure, she's still struggling in her taijutsu, but she's finished mastering her fire jutsu, and at six, that's an accomplishment. Was she, in reality, too weak?
Her thoughts clouded her head. Hinata bit her lip, hard. Was Orochimaru unsatisfied with her abilities, despite the fact she busted her ass to master a jutsu just to please the Sannin?
Pain shot through Hinata's body. Alarmed, she looked down. Drops of blood was slowly slinking down her rough, pale skin. Her nails were lodged in her skin. Hinata's mind quickly cleared. She had to calm down; she was harming herself unconsciously. Hinata smudged at the blood with her fingers, coated in saliva, and pulled off her sweater. Wrapping her sweater around her arm, she stared at her fingers.
She had to work hard. She needed to work hard and train her ass off to please Orochimaru. Yes. And if I work hard enough, he'll acknowledge me.
Hinata slipped out the Training Grounds, hurrying back to her room. Rummaging through, she activated her Byakugan to quickly locate her book.
The gray, dull book was buried under her pile of dirty sweaters. Kicking the articles of clothings off, she cradled the book, peering at it curiously. She'd find another jutsu to learn. She'd teach it herself and Orochimaru will realize her intelligence and strength. Her ambition hardened her and she opened the book in anticipation.
Hinata wobbled, collapsing on the hard floor with a thud.
She was panting, feeling like shit, and was on the verge of passing out. This is why kids shouldn't practice jutsus without a shinobi's supervision, she realized.
Her kunai slipped out her hand. Her lungs felt squeezed and he stomach was on fire. She was attempting to perform a Bunshin jutsu, but to no avail; the closest thing she got was... well, nowhere.
She blinked. The world was turning darker, but she needed to rest in her room. She'd follow Kabuto's train of thought and rest. She shakily got up, stumbling as she did. She didn't even realize her Byakugan was deactivated until she realized the world was black.
What the he-? Hinata thought, the words stumbling out her moutn. Her fingers stretched as she touched the cool walls and doorknobs, trying to navigate through the hideout in the dark. Who turned off the lights?
Her pointer and middle finger were pressed to her nose as she tried to activate her Byakugan; it was still dark.
"Wh-what is this jutsu?" She quietly asked herself, fear washing over her. Was it a chakra void? Those didn't even exist!
She felt like sobbing. Her limit was gone, she couldn't see-
"Hinata. What the hell are you doing out here?" She heard a quiet voice, dripping with venom and fury. Hinata presumed she ventured into an exclusive, off limits room.
"G-Gomen n'asai!" She apologized. "It's dark-I can't see-" she sputtered, her voice shaking. She was weak and she couldn't see.
"I told you to rest," Kabuto growled. Hinata decided not to inform him that he indeed did not tell her that.
"Gomen!" She apologized, and helped when Kabuto pinched her wrists as he dragged her roughly out the room. He ignored as her arm, wrapped with her sweater, slammed into a wall and ignored when she cried out in pain.
A door opened, and Hinata can only guess it was her room.
"You over stressed you eyes," he snipped, and she sat on the bed, feeling salty tears well in her eyes; was this permanent? If she was blind, Orochimaru wouldn't give a damn about her and her worth would be erased.
"P-Please-is it permanent...?" She whimpered, fingers moving to rub her eyes, but Kabuto slapped her fingers away.
"Urusai!" He snarled, and Hinata shrunk away.
She felt the hum of chakra and felt warmth wash over her eyes. She fidgeted and twitched, clamping her lips shut.
"There's nothing to do but rest," Kabuto yapped. "Now, stay in bed to recuperate, lest you want to go blind."
"H-Hai," Hinata obediently replied, shrinking into her bed. She felt something rough wrap around her head, touching her eyes.
Footsteps; Hinata flinched when the door slammed close. She was alone. Again.
For some odd reason, this time around, she wasn't so depressed about it.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, sorry for the horrible updates. I've been having issues concerning family, and I've been really depressed lately. Second, I've been releasing anti-Hinata vibes. She's not my favorite character anymore, (not even favorite female character) because Kishimoto and Studio Pierrot ruined her for me. I'm not discontinuing this story because of it, however. Since it's my fanfiction, I could mould and model Hinata to my pleasing, and she'll actually have a backbone and won't be whimpering "Naruto-kun" or thinking about Naruto every day, like Canon!Hinata. This is not a NaruHina, (that damaged the whole series IMO, and the characters) and I'm not even sure this store will have romance. To add on to that, this is not a Kabuto/Hinata, nor was this chapter Kabuto/Hinata. I wanted to emphasize that darkness of staying w/ Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Kimimaro. Kabuto enforces rules, and if they're not followed, you'll get slapped. Just wanted to clear that up.
Also! I've started a new story. Don't worry, it's not as shitty as this one; it's an OC where she gets reborn into the Naruto world. It's a rewrite or "Quiet.'' It's called Strawberry if you want to read. Thanks for reading! Please review!