Seeing Is Believing
BY show.me.the.stars
Disclaimer : Urgh. Do I really have to say it anymore?
20. Sasuke's Mask.
That first kiss lead to many others...and things evolved from there.
Soon enough the two were secretly wed, knowing that given their lifestyles, their time together was short.
Life beyond them as well--as if mirroring Hikari and Akane's joy had turned cheerful--the war between the three Kings was about to end.
The Kings were to all gather in a shinobi village which would one day be called Kamengakure, Hikari and Akane's own village to write up a treaty.
Unfortunately, things were not all what they had appeared to be.
- -
Uchiha Sasuke stopped as he felt the young woman he was carrying on his back slowly awaken, her temperature suddenly rising as she lifted her drooping arms off of the Uchiha's shoulders, a small squeak of embarrassment escaping her lips.
"S-Sasuke-san, you c-can let me down now!" She whimpered, a hand pressed to her cheek to try and disguise the cherry red blush there.
"Tch, you are so useless, Hyuuga." Sasuke stated shortly as he came to a halt, the Hyuuga Heiress practically leaping off his back and onto the tree branch that the Uchiha had landed on, adjusting Karin's shirt as Juugo leapt to a stop to her other side. "I remember you used to faint in front of the dobe, getting a crush on Suigetsu now too?" The raven haired teen snorted, beginning the journey through the trees again, Hinata and Juugo behind him slightly on either side, yet still keeping up with his quick pace. "He isn't any better than Naruto, that's for sure. For the Hyuuga Heiress you have pretty bad taste."
Hinata meanwhile turned an even darker shade of red (if that was possible), deciding to ignore the harsh statement that the emo boy had said about his ex/teammates.
"While I do not understand the female mind very well, my mother once told me that women like men who can make them laugh." Juugo suddenly stated, his dark head raised to the light filtering through the leaves of the trees above them before turning his head to look at Hinata, his impassive gaze locked on Hinata's own. "Suigetsu makes you laugh, yes?"
Hinata smiled weakly in response, nodding shortly. "I-I suppose you could s-say that, Juugo-san. A lot of girls l-like men who c-can make them laugh...Suigetsu-san w-would be quite popular with the l-ladies. (1)"
"Yes...that was what Kaa-san had said about Tou-san when they first met...he made her laugh--apparently told some hilarious joke, and things just continued from there." Juugo smiled serenely, nodding once he had finished his short story.
"My parents were i-in an arranged marriage s-since they were very s-small...though t-they had met on l-less than amicable c-circumstances, Chichi-ue attempted t-to make my mother h-happy..it worked...f-for a time." Hinata ended her story abruptly, glancing at the sky.
Juugo, rather interested in why the girl had finished her statement so abruptly, hung upside down from a thicker branch and gently asked, "...Did something happen to your Kaa-san, Hinata-san?"
A small, sad smile crept onto Hinata's features, and her voice was even softer than usual as she answered the ginger haired giant's question. "...S-she got sick one d-day...and just n-never got better." Hinata leapt past Juugo quickly, caring not to see the saddened expression on the giant's face.
Juugo soon continued after Hinata, muttering a quiet "...I see.".
Sasuke was silent during this conversation, watching the emotions shift on Hinata's face.
It was...odd...to hear about the death of Hinata's mother.
"O-on a brighter note, J-Juugo-san, Sasuke-san, m-may I ask w-where exactly we are g-going?"
The Uchiha glanced at the smiling Hinata, seeing the broken expression that she was trying to hide behind a fake smile.
Her mask was good, but not good enough.
The best mask that he had seen was his ex-bestfriend's.
Uzumaki Naruto's mask was the most intricate of all.
Deciding not to dwell on troublesome things, Sasuke replied to Hinata's question. "We're heading into a hidden village South West from here, Kamengakure. We'll be there just in time for a festival of some sort, so we'll be able to slip in without any real problems."
Hinata's heart froze.
"The Village of Masks?" Hinata questioned quickly to disguise her horror, "I-I get my kimonos for Hyuuga Ceremonies i-imported from that village! ...The f-festival you mentioned, it's t-the Kamen Butou Matsuri...seeing a-as its on at about t-this time of the y-year. P-People dress i-in their f-finest kimonos and w-wear masks f-for the festival...i-it is quite b-beautiful..." Hinata trailed off with a small (fake) smile. "I-it is forbidden t-to remove your m-mask at all d-during the festival...l-lest you w-want a s-spirit to possess you a-and wear your b-body as a permanent mask..."
Juugo's dark eyes widened in surprise while Sasuke snorted.
"You seriously don't believe this, do you Hyuuga?" The Uchiha asked with a raised eyebrow, frowning as the heiress instantly nodded, a dark look crossing her features. "You're joking..."
Hinata shook her head. "I-I have seen m-many things in my l-life, Sasuke-san..."
Sasuke upturned his head and glanced over at the Hyuuga heiress out of the corner of his eye.
Hinata had a very serious expression pasted to her pale features--but her eyes...the look in her pearlescent eyes made it appear as if Hinata wasn't really there at all, as if she was lost in memories.
Sad memories.
"A-anyway, we have p-plenty of time to stop off at a-another village, grab t-the items we n-need before we h-head into the village. I-If I remember correctly, there is a small village about f-five kilometres South of Kamengakure...we'll stop off t-there first." Hinata smiled weakly as she ran a dainty hand through her dark locks, untangling the knots that she'd received from travelling.
The male members of her team nodded silently in response, and pushing her hair out of her face, Hinata pressed forward to Sasuke's right, waiting to see the old ninja village she hadn't stepped into since her mother was still alive.
- -
"Hinata-chan, Neji-kun...once we enter this village you do not remove your mask unless you are in a protected room, do you understand?"
A six year old Hinata looked across at the bandaged face of her older cousin before directing her almost white gaze up at her sickly looking mother, the ebony-haired woman looking stunningly beautiful in the cobalt coloured kimono with the Hyuuga Flame emblazoned on the sleeves she wore despite the fact her face was too pale, her body too frail and her pearl eyes having dark shadows surrounding them.
The woman's normally smiling face was replaced with a look of dead seriousness as she gently placed a hand on each child's shoulder, painted black nails glimmering in the candlelight of the horse drawn carriage she, Neji and Hinata were travelling in.
Hinata's mother was too sick to make the journey from Konohagakure to Kamengakure by foot, and thus Hyuuga Hiashi had ordered a carriage to take the trio (Hiashi was still needed in Konoha for important Hyuuga meetings while Hanabi was far too young to travel) to the infamous Mask village so the Hyuuga Matriarch could visit her ex-Genin teammate who had married a Kamen shinobi a few years earlier. It just so happened that the time that Hinata's mother had decided to travel to the oddly-customed Mask Village that an important festival had come up, the one festival that made Hinata's mother want to turn around and head back to Konoha--but Hiashi would have none of that, he thought of the trip as good training for his daughter and nephew.
The Kamen Butou Matsuri was not a festival fit for the eyes of a Hyuuga child, no matter how prodigal the child was.
The Hyuuga cousins nodded shortly and accepted the ANBU masks that were handed to them, two sets of lavender eyes widening in realisation at the fact that these were ANBU masks once worn by real members of the shinobi battalion, the carved symbol of the Hidden Leaf village clashing boldly with the white and red paint on the animal shaped wood. Neji held in his hands the mask of a bird while Hinata's own small hands gripped a mask in the shape of a weasel's face.
Hinata's mother smiled at Hinata, knowing already that she had seen this mask before. "Un, it is Itachi-kun's mask, Hinata-chan." The woman stated cheerfully, "He said he would prefer you wearing his mask rather than any other person's. Protecting you in spirit, or so he says." Hinata's mother chuckled good-naturedly as a dark blush spread across her daughter's cheeks, the child clutching the mask to her chest. She then turned to Neji, who was staring at his own mask curiously, his expression uncertain. "As for you, Neji-kun, I assume you are correct in guessing that the mask you are holding was in fact your father's." The woman smiled sadly as Neji's eyes instantly shined with tears, blinking tearfully up at his aunt.
Hinata's mother placed a painted hand on Neji's shoulder and sent him a half-smile, before murmuring, "I'm sure Hizashi-kun is protecting you in spirit as well...but the mask is a nice touch, no?"
The long haired boy nodded quickly, giving Hinata's mother a watery smile.
Neji rarely smiled since the death of his father, Hinata's mother being one of only a few people who could get him to do it.
An even greater feat was the fact that Hinata's mother was a member of the Sokke (2) branch--Neji rarely ever showed any signs other than utter loathing toward the main branch of the Hyuuga Family...but when he was with Hinata's mother...he could smile freely.
He was also much kinder to Hinata when Hinata's mother was around...the brunette was actually approachable.
It was then that the carriage slowed to a halt, a stern voice of a Hyuuga Bunke (3) member telling the trio that it was time to put on their masks, they were there.
Hinata's mother looked conflicted as soon as the Hyuuga's voice rang in her ears, and acting on impulse, the sickly woman brought the children into a tight embrace. "What you are about to see will most likely affect you forever. Please, don't be frightened, I and every other member of the Hyuuga Family who have travelled here with us will give our lives to protect you. Do not be afraid."
The older woman then placed her old ANBU mask in the shape of a bear on her face, her beautiful features hidden from view as Hinata and Neji did the same.
Gripping Neji's hand, Hinata stepped out of the carriage after her mother, her pearl eyes widening at the horrific sight in front of her.
The Hyuuga heiress was thankful for Itachi's mask at that moment...even when he was not physically there he was still protecting her from the monsters.
- -
Dressed in a rich crimson kimono that looked almost black and had a simple white circle pattern across the shoulder and on the white obi, and wearing a mask in the shape of a rabbit's face (having attacked a group of unsuspecting ANBU-nin and stealing their masks--so much for ANBU-ranked shinobi being strong--but then again, most Mask ANBU didn't have a battle-starved Uchiha Sasuke and a rampaging Juugo on their hands), a fifteen year old Hyuuga Hinata wished that she had Itachi and her mother with her in spirit this time to shield her from the horror of this village like they had done years before.
Both Sasuke and Juugo stood to either the far left of her, Sasuke dressed in an emerald coloured outfit that looked black while Juugo wore brown, with masks in the shapes of a mongoose and hawk (it was a rather nostalgic moment for Hinata as Sasuke pulled on the bird mask) covering their faces as they too took in the sights of the Village of Masks...but not seeing what Hinata was seeing.
The two boys didn't see the war that was taking place right before their very eyes...they didn't see the blood...good God there was so much blood...nor could they hear the petrified screams of people and their wails of death as swords and other weapons were propelled right through them, blood splattering against the old wooden buildings and dusty ground. They didn't see the horrors of the Po attacking the village people, nor could they see the anciently dressed Shitashii fighting back with all they had. Juugo and Sasuke didn't see the history of this village--and even seeing the carnage a second time round was enough to make Hinata almost physically sick.
All of this was replayed in Hinata's head--the horrors of what had happened here centuries old.
But some things are never forgotten...land will always have imprints--memories of times past.
The Village of Masks hadn't changed all that much in the almost ten years that Hinata had last stepped foot in the place, the village buildings themselves still looked ancient--made almost entirely of wood, the buildings had the traditional sliding doors and brightly coloured roofs in red, blue and green. The village actually looked a lot like Konoha in appearance...but you could see with the towering Ferris wheel, random stalls selling jewellery, candy, food and other things, the classic paper fish net game, and all the other common game stalls that were scattered around the small village that it was in the throes of a festival. The odd thing about this festival, however, was that all the village's decorations came in black and white, and the small chouchin (4) that hung above the doors of every home glowed a brilliant red...even though it was early afternoon. Glass jars filled with sickly scented candles lined the streets as well, many people dressed in brightly kimonos with matching masks were rushing around the place to light the candles up.
Shinobi bearing hitai-ates with the symbol of a circle with two carved dots (a simplified version of a mask) flanked the streets, dark eyes searching suspicious people out.
"Oi, Hyuuga." Sasuke's deep voice broke the heiress out of her reverie, and turning to face the dark haired teen, Hinata tilted her head as the Uchiha asked, "It isn't time for the Obon Festival (5)...is it?"
Hinata laughed weakly. "No, it's not, Sasuke-san."
"Then why are the decorations in black and white?" Juugo questioned, his voice muffled under the wood.
"The village actually doesn't know. ...But as a Hyuuga I know, and I think its best that you don't need to find out." Hinata added as another phantom scream rang in the air, and clamping her eyes shut, Hinata turned to Sasuke, stating softly. "L-lead the way to the hideout, Sasuke-san."
- -
A/N : And here we go, chapter 20 is finally out::grins:: I am SOOO sorry, guys--but like I said, school will get pretty busy! You can growl at me all you like in a review::hint hint::
I think that seeing as I've been so busy lately, I might actually only update fortnightly or even monthly...quality is better than quantity, no? I'd be much happier posting a chapter that I am pleased with rather than one that I feel is rushed..I'll put a message on my profile page once I've decided what I'm gonna do. I'm really sorry, guys.
(1) - I thought I'd put that in there seeing as this fic has created many Suigetsu fans::grins:: Yay Suigetsu!
(2) - Sokke is the Main Branch of the Hyuuga Family
(3) - Like with Sokke being the Main House, the Bunke is the Branch House
(4) Chouchin are paper lanterns. They're rather popular in festivals.
(5) In a nutshell, the Obon Festival is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's ancestors. It's believed that each year during obon, the ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.
Preview for Chapter 21 - No Title As Yet.
Sasuke's eyes instantly bled Sharingan as they locked with the equally red gaze of his older brother.
"Itachi..."