Broken

by EmetMehmet

After she was forced to break up her friendship with Uzumaki Naruto, Hinata had sought means to become stronger for the boy. Discovering his dark secret on the eve of his birthday, she then tried finding him to beg for his forgiveness, only to witness an incident that will change her forever. Dark!Vengeful!Powerful!BorderlineYandere!Hinata ShyandKind!Naruto

4. 4 A Plan Gone Awry

Hello everyone! I know it's been a year or two I haven't updated this story but am just happy to say that I'm finally back!

What prompted me to come back to finish this piece was the tragic death of user UrBoyPedro12 who wrote the best Naruhina fanfiction out there, House of Glass. Knowing how short life is, I shook myself out of my hiatus and finished chapter 4 as soon as possible as a tribute to him.

To reviewer Maaz Khalid Qureshi, I did it! I finally finished the chapter. Hopefully you can enjoy this, and do give your thoughts after. Your reviews give me motivation to write :)

To reviewer El Publicano, I don't speak Spanish (aber ich kann gut Deutsch wirklich (: ) but I'll try my best to explain in English. Yes Sasuke may appear a bit OOC in this story but I assure you that there is a backstory to him being different from Canon.

To reviewer Ashmole, I apologize for playing the standard Civilian Council trope but tbh me touching said trope indicates the need of there being political structures in the Naruto-verse which I believe to be critical when trying to expand the AU I'm writing in. As for Sasuke being well, Sasgay, like I explained to El Publicano there is a reason why he is like that and as for everyone of my characters I assure you I take into serious detail their development to make them as relatable as possible without them being too 2-dimensional or there being mindless bashing. Hopefully you'll come back to enjoy the story of course and thank you for your input on Akiyama! I too cried when I wrote that part and knowing that even if your comment was more on the negative side gives me more motivation to write and be a better writer!

Stay tuned Leute! And to the ones younger than 18.. You aren't supposed to be here.

Enjoy!

The ticking of the clock filled the atmosphere of the office as the clicking of a ballpoint pen accompanied each tick like an upbeat, creating an odd musical number of some sort in the process. Insignificant it may be however, it did serve its purpose of course; to occupy the vacant space in sound caused by the awkward silence in between.

Yamanaka Inoichi, the owner of the pen continued to play his little rhythmic game with the clock, his mind deep in thought in analysing the data he had collected from his patient sitting just opposite of him. The man was extremely intrigued with him in general. Truly in layman terms, the boy was a ninja through and through.

To deceive those around him in such a manner that the most veteran of shinobi had not been able to detect any obvious change in him in the slightest; 'twas the sign of his mastery as a trickster, one if not taken care of properly would be a great bane to the village as a whole. Thankfully, that was not the case.

Well, for now at least.

While his patient showed several signs of a potential docile sociopath- a condition very much common among high-ranking shinobi who have served the ANBU, it was his reasons for being so that left him baffled in deep contemplation.

This was the worst case of Passion's Plight he had ever seen in a person throughout his career as a military psychiatrist; one even greater than that faced by the Slug Sannin herself.

However, while victims of the condition would often find a way to cope with the problem similar to that of other mental conditions- Tsunade had eventually succumbed herself to the musings and pleasures of alcoholism and gambling to drown her sorrows in, the boy in question had handled his pain in another way entirely. A way taken by Sakumo Hatake to redeem himself and his family in the eyes of society over his 'disgraceful' act in prioritizing the lives of his comrades over a mission gone awry.

For one so young to take such a route, it showed how much the mistreatment he had experienced all this while was finally taking its toll on him. Just because of an incident that went beyond the powers of mortal men was he living a cursed life till the end of his days.

Nothing could change what had already passed and happened. It was painful to admit but his fellow clan members were responsible for his suffering as well. If only there was some way for him to help the boy out of his situation directly but unfortunately he had neither the ability nor the influence to do so.

There was never a day that he would not curse the inhabitants of Konohagakure for their ignorance and stupidity with regards to the boy. Then again in secret, the Hokage himself was also a primary target of his unsavory words and thoughts. His decision to allow misinformation and lies to spread across the village no matter how reluctant he was in doing so would forever remain unacceptable in his eyes. For the sake of the greater good says the Sandaime, yet even if he agreed to the elder man's reasonings, it was still a difficult pill to swallow indeed.

Very few know of the child's true burden; he was one of those very few.

Not even the other clan heads were privy to such information- only Shikaku and himself were told due to their respective positions as the Hokage's closest advisors. Contrary to Minato's own request, Hiruzen had immediately kept Naruto's jinchuuriki status to be an S-ranked secret after taking back the reins of leadership from the deceased Yondaime knowing the dire consequences of such knowledge being made accessible to the public. With utmost caution, Hiruzen, Sannin no Jiraiya, himself, Shikaku and his late father Nara Shikagaki, had forged the necessary backstory and documentations to protect the baby blond from the imminent wrath of the village if they were ever to know about the boy's burden.

Naruto was born on the night of the Kyuubi attack to two unknown parents and was found underneath the rubble of a collapsed building next to the site where said demonic fox was said to first appear. The direct exposure to high concentration of demonic chakra at such a young age had led to an inevitable mutation to occur in his genetics giving him the ability to heal from any injury inhumanely fast, expanded chakra reserves greater than the average shinobi, notable changes to his appearance- his whisker marks on both sides of his cheeks as well as developing feminine-like features the older he gets.

The backstory was based on information they had on the Gold and Silver Brothers of Kumo as well as Kushina's own experience being the Kyuubi's previous jinchuuriki. With regards to the 0sealing array placed on Naruto's stomach however, even in his final Minato was a genius beyond compare- he had drawn the seal in such a way that it would remain hidden from sight unless a seal master like Jiraiya were to close off its 'invisible mechanism' or if Naruto were to actively use the Kyuubi's chakra instead of his own- such a scenario remains very unlikely due to the fact that Naruto's chakra reserves needed to be completely empty for that to occur. After much observation on the sealing array, it was added by Jiraiya that Minato had programmed the seal to exponentially siphon Kyuubi's chakra into Naruto's chakra system as time went by making him stronger as well as having the abilities of a perfect jinchuuriki without the expense of losing himself to the intoxicating influence of the Great Nine Tailed Beast. Hence it could be said that not even the Byakugan could detect the presence of the foreign chakra due to the system created by the Sannin's student.

All in all, the plan was foolproof. Naruto could live a normal and happy life before the reveal of his actual heritage at age 14 or once he had made Chunin and there would be no animosity between the boy and the citizens of Konoha for sins and wrongdoings he had ne'er done nor committed. Jiraiya could finally settle back once and for all in the village acting as his Godfather and Shikaku and himself could use their positions as clan heads to assist and support the boy in anyway they can thus fulfilling Minato and Kushina's last wishes for their son to be seen as the Hero of the Leaf instead of the demon itself.

With the documents finalized and their claims made legitimate, the five were able to exhale a sigh of relief knowing that they had successfully protected the boy from a terrible fate. Hence by mutual agreement, they had decided to give him his mother's maiden name Uzumaki due to it being the lesser of two 'evils'- Iwa and Kumo would certainly have field days sending assassin after assassin to either eliminate the boy or kidnap him for their own personal agendas if they gave his father's last name instead- as well as it being proof of his lineage once he was old enough to claim back the Maelstrom Throne from the Fire Daimyo's Court; a right refused by Kushina due to her intention of passing Arashi's legacy to her children instead.

Such a beautiful name Uzumaki Naruto; it was. A meaning it had, one as a tribute to the chaotic elements of the heavens and the high seas- violent rotations of the oceans accompanied by wild spinnings of the winds. To have a name as so, it was a sign of something far greater than most where the threads of destiny and the unknown intertwined with each other into incomprehensible patterns; one that could neither be understood nor read by any except those blessed with knowledge unseen.

And as they measured and planned, none of the five would have expected the disasters that were about to happen moments after.

In the words of the late Shikagaki: not once had he, after becoming the Nara Clan Head, lost a battle of Shogi nor a battle of wits against any opponent. However, that day; the 10th of October, had he submitted to an utmost humiliating defeat, one that would forever scar his mind, body and soul- such would ultimately lead him to his death 2 years after as he wallowed in regret and shame throughout his remaining days on Earth.

The secret, although only partly, was somehow revealed to the masses and what they thought was the better choice of two names had ended up being a curse instead as they had angered the Twelvers for bestowing a 'sacred' name to an accursed demon that killed their friends and kin.

And that was just one of the many calamities that sprouted outside of their careful anticipations.

It started with the confirmation of the death of Uzumaki Kushina, the Red Hot Habanero. Once the heir's passing was informed to the capital, the Fire Daimyo's Court had issued an official royal order stating that the lands previously belonging to Uzu no Kuni are to be annexed as provinces of Hi no Kuni in which previous autonomy held by these lands are to be relinquished immediately under the claim that there was no Uzumaki left to hold the Maelstrom Throne as per traditional and religious ruling. This eventually led to an extremely tense situation between the two peoples of their respective communities and countries. In Konoha however, those who associate themselves with Arashi's sect were appalled at the blatant oppression of their people by the leadership of the nation as whispers of civil strife and potential rebellion began to echo throughout the country as a whole even if the oaths they had uttered previously were to Konoha and the Land of Fire.

It was absolutely chaotic as one thing led to another.

As soon as Konohagakure's

weakened state and the recall of its Auxiliary Forces from border towns, high security risk locations and other cities in the country were made known internationally, Jiraiya had caught wind of suspicious secret meetings between the leaderships of Tsuchi no Kuni and Kaminari no Kuni through his spy network. Fearing the worst, he had then sent a messenger toad to one of his agents in Kusa to investigate the matter and to report to him immediately.

It was as he expected.

There were talks of a temporary alliance between the two countries in order to invade the eastern coast of Fire Country and capture the city of Fuu no Kyou, the biggest port city belonging to the nation as well as the sovereign lands of Whirlpool Country.

With their forces spread thin and potential wars brewing from both inside and outside their borders, Jiraiya had no other choice but to put aside his duties as Naruto's Godfather in order to prevent and stall the upcoming conflicts that could trigger another Shinobi War. Just three days after the Bijuu attack, he had no choice but to leave for the S-rank mission under the direct order of Hiruzen himself.

Then a week after that, the rumours, they started to take form and spread.

Rumours of Naruto being the Kyuubi reincarnated, rumours of Minato transfering the Kyuubi's essence into that of a stillborn child in order that the demon may be killed through mortal means, rumours of Naruto being the 'Fallen Child' who will bring misery and suffering to the Earth based on local belief and legend…

They went out of control.

Mass hysteria and outrage had overtaken the hearts and minds of the villagers as the reality of their losses were brought to realization, the supposed one responsible for their suffering alive and powerless to defend itself from their revenge. Mobs consisting of both civilians and shinobi had marched in the streets demanding the boy be killed at all cost while some had dared to perform suicide assassinations at the guarded compound which Naruto was held at resulting in the death of both the boy's security detail and themselves. Only after a direct order from Hiruzen himself stating that the death sentence will be given to anyone who were to spread or speak of Naruto's association with the Kyuubi did the chaos stop- yet some did anyway hence Red October was a reminder to everyone to never cross the Hokage known far and wide as the Shinobi no Kami.

But the damage was already done.

Due to the very sensitive nature of Naruto's burden and heritage, Hiruzen had no choice but to allow the misunderstanding to go on. He had already made an emotionally miscalculated decision in ordering the silence of his citizens, if he were to continue on any further, it would spell disastrous for everyone. Thankfully yet sadly however, the people of Konohagakure were too blind in their defamation of Naruto and anger towards him to question his decision.

And alas, from that day forth, the boy who was supposed to be loved and sung praises at for the sacrifices of his family and himself was loathed and abhorred by the very people who should be calling him "Noble Lord O Noble Lord!" in the first place. He, Naruto was a victim of a network of conspiracies that went far beyond the plane of normalcy and not only that, was at the very centre of it. Just one wrong move and the entirety of the nation's system will collapse, bringing with it its extinction and the people together with it.

And if he, The Professor, was powerless regardless of past infamy and political standing what more could he, Yamanaka Inoichi do?

Even his own daughter was still at it against the boy- his scoldings and punishments meaningless in changing her attitude- doing all she could to put him down and bully him just because of peer pressure and her loathsome obsession for the Uchiha with the hope that he may notice her undying affection for him.

His daughter was not the only one to have been enamoured by the young Uchiha scion but many of the younger and unmarried kunoichi as well. After the Crow Incident a year ago, the Council had agreed that Sasuke be given specialized training similar to that of his traitorous older brother with Danzo leading the program - much to Hiruzen's vehement protests. Of course there was no denying that the boy was a genius like Itachi having been able to unlock and gain a Three Tomoe Sharingan in just three months of his training with skills on par with an Elite Chunin but one need not be a mentalist to see the darkness shrouding his being like a cloak as time passed by. Even the one eyed mummy who was Sasuke's main instructor acknowledged the fact that the Uchiha Clan thrived and relished in intense emotions for power contrary to his own philosophy that shinobi were merely tools and should remain as such.

Ever since the Uchiha Massacre, Sasuke had been placed under constant care and watch by the Mental Health and Trauma Unit of the hospital headed by one of Inoichi's clansmen at the clanhead's request in order to monitor the boy's psyche. After multiple intensive therapy sessions, there happened to be small positive results with the treatments as it seemed that the once happy and proud Uchiha boy still existed deep within his subconscious. Slowly, Inoichi believed that there was a way to bring Mikoto's son back.

However, what at first appeared to be a spark of hope towards the road to recover had been completely extinguished by the toxic environment and over-glorification of the last Uchiha by the majority of the village resulting in a full 180 degree turn of the boy's attitude in general, one resembling his ancestors quite well. While the village spoiled him rotten, arrogance and self-entitlement had seeped into his heart blackening his already damaged spirit and soul, narcissism his constant muse.

Itachi's mercy be damned- Inoichi was well aware of the truth behind the massacre-, what the village and council had been doing to the boy all these years was push him towards a resolve held by many before who in turn ended up becoming missing-nins and traitors to the village- most notable being Uchiha Madara of course.

If only it was easy to label Sasuke as such.

Evil and without redemption.

Yet such was further from the truth.

Arrogant yet humble. Unkind yet kind. Impatient yet patient. Angry yet calm. Vengeful yet forgiving. Such was the nature of Uchiha Sasuke who in all honesty was like Naruto; complex, his mannerisms and values often clashing with each other; most of the time being polar opposites of one another. What rumours Inoichi had heard of him was that Sasuke had involved himself in a number of well known charity works across Hi no Kuni and was setting up a foundation for displaced orphans who had lost their parents in war or through shinobi service. His daughter had also mentioned to him that Sasuke would sometimes stay back at the academy to help and give tips to the civilian children who faced difficulty in catching up in lessons.

Not only that but an observation report made by a member of his Intelligence Department brought further worry to Inoichi with regards to the young heir.

Sasuke had been seen talking to himself.

While that comes as not surprising due to the fact that such action was somewhat 'normal' human behavior, the context of said action however was what concerned Inoichi. Having arguments with oneself to the point of self harm in which an anxious-ridden Sasuke was reported to have slapped and punched himself on the face a number of times before reverting back to his usual self was extremely worrying. The point of the matter however is that Inoichi could see what was wrong with the Uchiha heir yet due to his powerlessness, was unable to do anything at all to save him.

Many times had he petitioned the Shinobi and Civilian Council to listen to his pleas and begs yet they care not of his input regardless of his profession in the matter. In disbelief they had even scoffed at the idea of their 'hope of the village' to be suffering from a mental disease and assumed his odd mannerisms to be a product of noblesse oblige as well as his right as a noble to hold might over those of lower upbringings.

They had even used their influence in the Imperial Society of Healers in the capital to prevent Inoichi from helping him as a patient by transferring him to a different doctor who was a supporter of the Civilian Council- there was nothing he could do as the Yamanaka have heavily special interests in the Society particularly in trade and the issuing of medical licenses. Moreover, with regards to Sasuke, Hiruzen was more or less powerless as well due to the Daimyo's special interest in the boy hence politically, he was far outnumbered for a say.

While Konohagakure was the only state among the seventeen others- not including the 9 states originally belonging to Whirlpool Country- in Hi no Kuni to possess total autonomous power, this did not mean that it wasn't vulnerable to the will of the capital. Vetoing against the Council's decision was a career suicide for the elderly Hokage as internal and external parties who wished to see the legendary ninja removed from power at all cost would celebrate in glee if he were to do so- Danzo being amongst them.

Through both legitimate and illegitimate means, the man had been gaining much favour with influential figures in the Daimyo's Court and the National Assembly to the point that Hiruzen had his hands tied to act out against him openly. Certainly, there was no denying that the Sandaime could exercise his executive powers as a totalitarian dictator to silence and dispose of Danzo like he did his very people- it was within his right to do so anyway. However, such an act of his would come with a price that he could not afford to pay at any moment.

Hiruzen could not take any more risks if he wanted to maintain his position in the up and coming years to come. Indeed, the man was getting older as the days turned into months and months into years. Adding to that, due to the intense pressure and stress that comes with being Hokage, his body and spirit was getting much more worn out as well. However, he had already promised himself to hold on to the position as long as he could- even if it felt like holding burning charcoal in his bare hands. To him, this was the only way of atonement for every past sin and mistake he had committed throughout his life; the protection of Naruto being one of his biggest failures of them all.

Pushing the thought of village business far from his mind, Inoichi proceeded to place his pen on the right side of his work desk alongside his other pens, their arrangement a physical sign of the man's orderly and tidy personality. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves down, Inoichi then looked to the boy sitting silently opposite his work desk, his patient's gaze etched firmly on his own lap as he continued to stroke a small orange creature lying down on said lap with both his hands. The soft yipping from the creature was a clear indication of the boy's gentle touch as the yips gained more volume and intensity with each passing stroke.

A small noticeable smile had appeared on the boy's petite face as his cerulean blue eyes observed the satisfaction emanating from his precious companion, a chuckle threatening to escape his lips due to her silly antics. He was glad that Akira-chan was with him at the moment, the vixen refusing stubbornly to leave his side even for a second. Today was his fourth session with Inoichi-san and he still felt really uncomfortable to be left alone with the Yamanaka head due to him being the father of Ino, his classmate- one of the girls who would often bully him at the academy at every opportunity. Another reason for his fear of the man was that once when they were younger, the girl had threatened him that if he were to tell Iruka-sensei of her involvement in the theft of one of his belongings, she would tell her father to wipe out his memory with a powerful Mind Jutsu until he was nothing but an empty shell of a human. After many unfriendly encounters with the Yamanakas in general, he took the threat seriously hence he was left with no books and ninja tools for that whole week which brought him trouble with the school administration as he was punished harshly for his 'disregard for the rules and regulations of the academy'.

Still, his anxiety was merely a reaction to his own bad experiences. Thankfully however, unlike his daughter Inoichi was an oddity amongst the norm- one of the few adults to not only treat him with much respect but with kindness as well. The possibility of the man turning him into a vegetable was very low indeed. Perhaps the reason for him doing so was that he knew who Naruto really was?

Surely the man was well-aware of his tenant. After all he did recall himself eavesdropping on one of Jiji's private conversations with the man regarding some S-Rank secret long ago hinting that he was one of his grandfather-like figure's close advisors.

Little did they know, he too was well-aware of what he was in truth.

A sacrifice.

Watching Naruto and his vixen companion, Inoichi couldn't help but smile as well at the adorable scene playing in front of him. Even after undergoing such pain and misery was he able to make those who truly knew him joyous with his very presence in their lives. Truly, if he had not been burdened by his father with the power that could bring nations down to their knees would he be loved and cared for by most who scorned or hated him today.

In essence, what was there not to like about the boy? Even though he was far from perfect, there was no denying that he possessed beauty beyond that of others; both physical and character-wise. Inoichi remembered seeing him wearing a blue floral yukata gifted to him by the clan head anonymously three years ago,- for cultural reasons, Yamanaka men's fashion are rather inclined towards femininity-, it was during one of the festivals celebrated in the village every summer to commemorate the legends of the Fire Lords of the past.

He recalled seeing the boy from afar, his pale green eyes watching him closely as the blond child walked the streets of Konohagakure with a bouncing happiness that was ever contagious even to the onlooker. The boy's appearance; it was not only Inoichi himself who was captivated by it, but those around him as well. Men and women of all ages, they who watch could not help but stare at the boy; a small number in awe while most in jealousy and lust. Clearly, in the hearts of the envious, the effeminate beauty he possessed was a by-product of him being the demon Fox reincarnated- such was partially true, yet with regards to physical attributes, both Kushina and Minato were not lacking in said department in the slightest- while for the predatory and lustful ones, they viewed him as nothing but a potential toy to be used for their own carnal pleasure. Thankfully however, the boy had never been sexually abused although there happened to be some close calls in the past which were successfully thwarted by his ANBU guards.

In the rather street term used in romance manga that the man reads in his free time away from the prying eyes of others, if Naruto possessed long hair like his mother did before, he was undeniably a desirable 'trap'.

Such is the nature of a Bishounen.

Shit, even he was guilty of thinking such corrupt thoughts. Only his moral compass and the strong love he had for his wife prevented him from going further with them anyways.

Returning back to reality once more, Inoichi then let out a polite cough, gaining the attention of the distracted boy who stopped his stroking of the fox to look at the man shyly before looking away as if to hide himself, the sound of a pouting squeal following the cough. Inoichi could not help but sigh silently at the reaction. The sad reality had struck the Yamanaka head once more- that once bright boy was nothing more than a shell of his former self.

While he remained Uzumaki Naruto through and through, none of the adults in his life-even himself- had noticed the mask he wore before his attempted suicide. Only after surviving said tragedy did the mask eventually break revealing the sorrowful truth; there behind the mask was a very broken child. Yet his very actions were so carefully calculated that one would assume that the transition of character from outgoing to recluse was an effect of the boy reaching his teenage years- a phase in personality one may say. Then again, his Ino-chan did mention that Naruto-Baka as she called him became a much more quiet boy after Hinata Hyuga broke off whatever relationship she had with him and blocked him out completely.

Ah yes, the soon to be bride of the Uchiha. The reason for the boy's plight.

"Naruto-kun, how are you feeling today?" asked the older Yamanaka in a gentle yet professional tone.

"I'm… I'm feeling be-better Yamanaka-san…" Naruto softly replied, his voice barely audible to the man as he tried his very best to answer without stuttering.

"Hmmm, have you eaten breakfast yet?"

Such was the exchange between the two as their conversation went on in casual tones with Inoichi asking and Naruto answering, albeit rather reluctantly.Their sessions always began this way- as per standard procedure in Inoichi's case. While it may seem like the two were somewhat avoiding the mention of the elephant in the room, questions of the weather today or something as nonsensically silly as that is usually a great warm up before discussing a serious topic, the lightness in content being a calming relief and distraction for the patient in order that they may open up much more easily when the time came.

A high-pitched yip then interrupted the conversation between the two as Naruto's gaze returned to the source of the sound, his shoulders drooping in defeat as a sigh escaped his lips. If the situation wasn't as dire, Inoichi would probably have a laugh at the comical sight- the small fox seemingly scolding Naruto for his lack of compliance with the therapist. Inoichi had always suspected that the boy possessed the ability to talk to foxes, an effect of having the Kyubi sealed within him but to witness someone other than an Inuzuka talk to an animal- for him, it was a rather fascinating experience.

His musings were again brought to naught as he heard a whisper of a voice coming from the boy whose words were too soft for him to comprehend regardless of the fact that the room was quiet enough that it should be easy for him to hear them in the first place. Shifting his body forward slightly, Inoichi then directed his ears and attention to his patient who fidgeted a bit in his chair, clearly nervous at what he was about to say to the man.

"Come again Naruto-kun?" said Inoichi gently as he let out a small chuckle whilst rubbing the back of his head, "I'm sorry but I got distracted for a moment there."

Akira who had been listening to the whole conversation from the beginning gave an encouraging yip to her daddy as she rubbed herself onto his stomach.

"You can do it Daddy. I'm here for you alright?" said the orange vixen in fox speech.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto then closed his eyes shut in an attempt to calm himself down, his mind in slight turmoil as he tried his best to control the raging emotions that were threatening to gush out his system at any moment. It was always difficult for him to talk about his pains without there being a sharp ache in his chest while his body threatened to numb itself. For him, said sensations were not an anomaly, rather an occurrence which happens daily.

But still, at least he was trying right?

"I st-still… Well they… they wo-won't stop…" Naruto said in a delicately soft voice.

Inoichi nodded slightly, his attention firmly on Naruto when he spoke about his problem. With much precision, the man then immediately took a blue fountain pen from the neat row at the side of the desk and began writing his findings into a booklet marked "Uzumaki Naruto" on the front cover, his greyish green eyes carefully watching the distressed boy.

"I just keep s-seeing them Yamanaka-san. The memories, the what-ifs… Every day I t-try to forget them. Make them s-stop. But every time I try, I ju-just c-can't.." Naruto continued as his voice cracked at the end, his hands clutching tightly at the hem of his long-sleeved shirt.

Inoichi was well aware of the scars that were hidden behind the sleeves, yet unlike his other injuries- they don't seem to fade away.

"I then try t-to question and understand my own feelings, why do I feel so much pain at the reminder of her presence in my life? Why does my heart ache every time I think about all those moments I had with her? Why, when I try to say her name, my tongue freezes, my body numbs and I can't breathe properly. The very mention of her name, it just hurts me so so much."

A small laugh then escaped the boy's lips but while the sound of it was of cheer and joy, the truth itself was far from happiness. "It's funny how I've been craving this feeling for so long. This feeling, the emptiness inside of me to be filled," he said while he placed his right hand on his heart.

"To feel love and be loved. 'Twas a heart's desire incomparable to none."

"What is it that I lack Yamanaka-san? What is it that makes me so detestable that no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I believe, no matter how much I try to be better, I'm still not good enough.."

"What is it Yamanaka-san?" said the boy whilst he looked at Inoichi with a smile on his face.

Yet his eyes, those beautiful sky blue orbs, they told a rather different story entirely.

Inoichi remained silent at the rhetoric that was sprouting from the blond child as he fought his fatherly instincts to wrap Naruto in a hug. While it seemed cruel to leave him be, he knew that if he were to do so, it would trigger an undesirable reaction from the boy. The nurses at the hospital - the ones who liked Naruto anyway- had tried to give him support by hugging him when they found him crying once he awoke from unconsciousness but it ended up in disaster as he suffered from a panic attack and had to be sedated to prevent any injuries to his recovering wounds. The only creature that was allowed to go near Naruto and give him physical comfort was unironically his vixen companion, the orange fox doing all she could to help and relieve her beloved owner.

Little did he know that the relationship between the two was far beyond that of being master and pet.

"Why does love hurt so much Yamanaka-san?" Naruto asked as tears fell from both his eyes, his smile still etched upon his beautiful face.

Inoichi froze, the man stopping his writing immediately as the phantom of the question echoed through his thoughts like a broken record. He knew the answer very well, for the feeling was familiar and constant throughout his life. The love from his late parents, from his wife and daughter, from his clan and his fellow shinobi who respected him, such was the meaning of the word he grew up with and understood. It was a beautiful piece of emotion so often written in books and poetry yet indescribable to none but the heart.

He kept silent. He had no right to answer.

"Why is it that when she hurts me, all I can do is hold on. Why can't I just hate her. Why why why why why WHY WHY CAN'T I HATE HINATA. JUST WHY??!!"

The smile on the boy's face was no more replaced by one of anguish and betrayal as streams of tears fell down his face like gushing rivers, the boy who was hiding in meekness finally exploding into a tirade of rage and hurt. Akira who was burying herself in her father's stomach was caught bewildered in shock at the sudden display of anger. Not once after the heiress's betrayal had he expressed his loathing for what she did to him in such a manner.

"Is it fair that I'm left to be used for convenience's sake?! Just a practice dummy?? A plaything for her to mess around with until she gets bored and falls in love with someone worthy of her?? I know it was just all a lie but God damn it

it just felt so real that I-"

A flood of emotions and feelings began to hit Naruto in bulk as the memories he had tried to suppress continued to play in his mind like an unpausable movie- every interaction between himself and Hinata recorded in utmost detail. Her calming voice, her regal-like laughter, her face of beauty as bright as the sun yet its features so soft and serene like that of the moon, they taunted him; taunted him with care and comfort, taunted him with peace and salvation, taunted him with hope and belief that maybe someday he'll be...

He'll be loved.

Yet, all that happened to him was merely an illusion, a plan crafted so finely to trick him into believing that he, for once, had finally gotten what he had always wanted. How could he have been so blind? He had always been able to read the intentions of others yet somehow she had managed to slip through his senses without fail- or was it that she was truthful at first, he didn't know either. From the very beginning of his life he was very careful with his heart, guarding it zealously in order that none would enter it except those he willed. While he did care for most of the others, so few were the ones he truly loved. Only two held such esteemed positions in his eyes, one being his daughter and the other…

He couldn't take it.

The room he was in, the man in front of him, the suffocating aura of loss and hopelessness that permeated the air around him, the recollection of moments in the past, the very mention of her- they were bringing the urge back to him, driving him mad with the temptation to just end it all once more. Only a promise held him back, one made solemnly to his daughter that he would never ever attempt the deed even if the pain remained unbearable at most. How ironic was it that a visit to the psychiatrist was the cause of his current distress.

And then he heard it.

Its voice. A deep sounding demonic voice.

"Na….. ru…. to….."

Naruto was starting to lose the feel of his limbs and face as he began to hyperventilate, the signs of him having a panic attack. Inoichi, who noticed the symptoms earlier on, had taken immediate action and stood up from his seat to approach the boy. As he was about to walk to the front of the desk, Naruto had immediately jumped from the chair and ran to the door in an attempt to get away from the Yamanaka head, his baser instincts perceiving the man as a threat. Akira who was thrown off from her father's lap had landed with a small thud on the lower bookshelf next to the desk, her senses having been overwhelmed for a fraction of a second due to being thrown off and the sudden reaction of the young blond towards Inoichi.

Opening the door as fast as he could, Naruto then sprinted out of the room into the hallway of the hospital with speeds rivaling that of Might Guy's personal student Rock Lee as Inoichi and Akira struggled to catch up. Because of an injury on his left hip during an A-Rank mission in recent months, Inoichi was unable to use chakra to enhance his speeds for fear of triggering an unwanted effect on his injury. Akira, on the other hand, was able to tail the boy from behind but Naruto was much faster as he moved further and further away from his pursuers.

The commotion of the chase between the three was witnessed curiously by both visitors and hospital staff who happened to be there at that moment. Thankfully, they were in the Mental Health Wing and did not cause much trouble with regards to the traffic of the hallway compared to the ever busy Emergency Ward. Although the hallway seemed rather calm and empty of people, Inoichi however was unfortunate enough to have knocked into a female nurse which resulted in him accidentally grabbing her bosom hard. This in turn earned him a hard smack to the face with the title pervert to go with it.

After a minute of running and jumping down from a height of three stories, Naruto had finally reached the main entrance of the hospital. A very small sigh of relief escaped his lips immediately at the sight. There was only one place to go if he was feeling like this. He needed to get there fast even if it hurt him to be there in the first place- before the voice continued to get louder and louder. Naruto then quickly made a hand sign and disappeared into thin air, not wanting to be caught by Inoichi or the ANBU Guards that monitored him from afar who were bound to act if the situation called for it.

He just wanted to be alone.

Once Inoichi had finally reached the hospital lobby, he was brought to slight shock at Naruto's liberal use of the Body Flicker Jutsu- a technique that even most Chunin had difficulty in doing- yet, it was most certainly believable for him to master such a technique. Even if his grades at the academy seemed average at best Inoichi had always acknowledged Minato's genius in his son, one of the proofs being his masterful display of Fuinjutsu which surrounded his apartment that day- it was such that the shield around his home appeared impenetrable to any technique except high A and S-Ranked ones. Once again, to him and any other respectable shinobi in the village, truly, Uzumaki Naruto was on his way to being a legendary ninja himself surpassing his father and mother in both skill and prowess at such a young age at that!

Yet sadly at his current state, a dream as such, would merely remain a mere dream far from reach, no?

As the hospital staff surrounded the lobby en masse, their curiosity let free towards the recent happenings of the runaway patient, Inoichi had stood still near the welcoming counter, the boy's condition on his mind as he analysed his behavior with much precision in order to find a way to help him from being haunted by the ghosts of his present and past. There was no use in chasing Naruto- he knew that the boy was nowhere near to offing himself again- knowing that he needed a sparingly small peace of mind, such could be found wherever he was going. However, watching a frantic looking orange fox sprinting out the entrance to search for its master, the crux of the issue had become apparent to Inoichi as realization struck him in epiphany-like fashion.

The only thing keeping him alive was the fox. It was the main reason he still kept going.

Inoichi was well aware of the pain that Naruto felt- as stated earlier on, he acknowledged it to be far greater than Tsunade's. While the symptoms of being suicidal were as clear as day on the boy, based on observational reports given to him by his ANBU Guards, he appeared to not show any sort of signs in wanting to do so again, although there was a drastic change of behavior after the incident.

Passion's Plight, it is an extremely fascinating yet gruesome condition that bordered between the state of the body and the soul. In the old tomes, it is described as the aftereffect of the deprivation, loss or rejection of one's affection by a 'soulmate' or a 'kindred spirit' leading the one affected by it into a spiraling depression and eventually death. While heartbreak and depression was a common occurrence amongst human beings, the ones that suffered from this condition took this pain to another level entirely. Similar to severe PTSD, the very reminder of being alive itself is a form of torture for these people- hence those who suffered the acute version of it would rather kill themselves at every opportunity than go on with their lives. Since Naruto's condition was among those very severe cases, it was very surprising to see him restrain himself from suicide in general. Then again, the effects of such restraint was another thing- an utter destruction of self-worth.

The boy was on at his wits end,his mind and spirit oh so fragile at the moment. Another push towards the wrong direction and there was an almost guarantee that Uzumaki Naruto would break completely. Inoichi hoped that such would not be the case. He had failed Naruto a great number of times and wanted to make it up to him as much as he could. He was confident that recovery was possible and that one day the kind and bright boy would return to the world once more.

Yet, there was an uneasy feeling in his gut- one similar to what he felt on the day of the Kyubi attack- a sense of foreboding that something big was about to happen, something which was unavoidable no matter what he did to prevent it. To shrug it off was not an option. Logically with the Yondaime's Festival happening tomorrow Naruto was at a greater risk of being attacked than other days- the Hokage had never forgotten to assign a special ANBU team to watch over him throughout the duration of the day, but the lingering feeling of doom was still ever present, constricting his chest in an unseen manner.

But as soon as he was about to go chase after the boy again, he was then interrupted by a frantic looking nurse who came running towards him while shouting his name in order to catch his attention.

"Yamanaka-san! Yamanaka-san! We need you in Ward 32 immediately. Patient #0314 is experiencing a seizure after the sealing team attempted to tamper with the cursed seal."

Inoichi swore at the inconvenience of his current situation in his mind. Of all the times for this to happen, why did it have to be now? Trouble was coming and he needed to be there to save Naruto from whatever his gut was warning him about. But alas, his duty to the village and responsibility as a doctor preceded his scepticisms almost entirely- unless he possessed actual proof that the boy was in danger.

The cursed seals… Out of the twelve infected only two survived.The trouble of transporting the infected back to the village wasn't a problem with the stasis seal but that did not mean that their bodies remained inanimate throughout their time in the seal- an hour in the seal was equivalent to twenty minutes in the outside world- hence time was not an issue with regards to the survival rate rather the compatibility of the seal towards the infected in the first place.

Undeniably, 'twas the work of Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin had been making his move upon unsuspecting Leaf-nin in almost random patterns these past few months throughout Hi no Kuni while his intentions for doing so remained unknown until now. Moreover, there were also rumours of mercenaries and missing-nin flocking to the Land of Rice acquired by Inoichi's Intel Division as of late which worried the Hokage who suspected it to be the work of his ex student as well. Overall, Konoha needed to prepare for the worst and it needed to do it quickly.

Yet no one even Hiruzen himself would have expected something else to happen entirely. The Yamanaka clan head's gut instincts were indeed correct.

Naruto was indeed in danger.

...

She stared at her own reflection in the mirror.

Her appearance; 'twas absolutely breath-taking.

Her milky pale skin unblemished and smooth as a newborn, her facial features so very soft and feminine, her dark blue hair silkier than the finest of robes, her body curvy and shaped in the right places, her lavender doe-shaped eyes like the Luna itself…

She was beautiful.

Absolutely beautiful.

And she took pride in what she looked like for it was undeniable.

How could she have been so blind to it before?

Even the women of her clan as well as most in the village paled in comparison to herself, the only people that could rival her being her deceased mother and her younger sister.

Her beauty; it was such that it could trigger wars between kings and emperors, each of them wanting to take her hand in marriage while thinking themselves worthy over the other.

But they would never be worthy of her, nobody was.

Except him.

She was staring at her mirror image once more, the once nervous and self-doubting look on her face replaced with a cold and passive one she held usually at present. She had just finished taking a bath in her private bathroom moments ago and was walking around her room in all her naked glory after drying herself with a towel. Although the autumn chill could be felt creeping playfully in doors even with the comprehensive heating system of the Hyuga compound, she cared little of it and opted to be without clothing in the meantime.

The cold never bothered Hyuga Hinata anyway.

The stark naked girl then proceeded to pose in front of her vanity mirror in different angles noticing the changes in her body that took a much more feminine appeal as days went by. Her hips and breasts were growing faster for her age compared to other girls her age yet instead of the sizes being rather disapprotional to her body mass, they complemented its beauty very well. At the age of 12 coming 13, her figure was already that of a young woman at the spring of her youth minus her height.

Not that her height mattered at the time.

Placing her petite hands on her breasts, she then squeezed the bosoms of her blossoming womanhood roughly in an attempt to acquire a feel of her recently acquired growth spurt. This however had led to a rather unexpected reaction; a soft high-pitched moan to escape her lips, the sound of it so very innocent and pure to the ears.

She couldn't help it, the action of grabbing her breasts, although normal to others was in itself arousing to her. Her sensitivity to such touch, it was like that of an animal caught in the heat during mating season where the slightest of intimate holds shook her body with intoxicating pleasure. Such was caused by the primal desire to be reunited with her chosen love bringing in visions and thoughts which for someone her age and stature, were perverse beyond doubt.

Her recent dreams were prime examples of the erotic nature of her lucidity.

All of them involving a blond sun-kissed blond with the most beautiful cerulean eyes she had ever laid eyes on.

The one she had the night before was a notable mention however.

The young Hyuga then continued to massage her chest in circular motions, her thumbs caressing the tips of her hardening nipples with buoyant vigour although it was quite clear the lack of experience she possessed in such activities. Without holding back, Hinata then let out another blissful whine this time louder than the one before as her left hand made its way towards the direction of her lower stomach, gripped hands and sharp nails dragging her skin along with harsh fervor. Unbeknowingsly, she was already drooling with excitement at the prospect of a sweet release, the wetness of her passion dripping from down the sidelines of her mouth as well as her womanhood.

The images of her recent dream, they were but a fantasy of sought and desire; so voluptuous and sensual for one so pure as she was.

She remembered the blue of the sky in her gaze, so very close to her face, staring at her with love and devotion as she felt a shiver of excitement down her spine when soft gentle hands drag down the sides of her body. With their lips met in a passionate kiss, she detected the slight taste of miso soup and banana in her loved one's mouth as their tongues danced a waltz of lovers exchanging their fluids with one another. Grinding herself upon her object of affection, she remembered stripping his usual clothing of blue and little orange in one go from his jacket to his shirt and from his pants to his underwear as her hands felt the hardness of his manhood standing erect just for her.

Looking upon her loved one's whiskered face once more, she could not help but wonder at the beauty of the boy in her presence- if ever by Fate that he was a woman physically she would still fall for him without a doubt. Then as she felt his body in rough contact on top of others, she was suddenly aware of a familiar sensation upon her bare chest that tickled her mildly as she immediately looked upon his form in plain shock.

Atop her was her hidden curiosity made reality, a maiden with the same blond coloured locks as her lover albeit longer and silkier, the tips of her growing adolescent breasts kissing her nipples in spiral motions. Hinata could not help but indulge in her situation at present- such interactions of the same sex was absolutely forbidden in her faith but carnal lust had won her over for the moment. She had always wondered what it would be like if Naruto was truly a girl instead of a boy due to the femininity of his appearance. The memory of her teasing him that she would dress him up as a girl one day in an attempt to play princess with Hanabi came to mind. However, it was soon forgotten as she felt a weight sitting upon her lower abdomen.

Two things had caught her immediate attention as her gaze fell upon her gender-swapped lover who looked at her with loving yet hungry eyes. The sticky wetness of a woman's passion grinding against her stomach and the familiar sight of the erect manhood that was rather large for someone of thirteen years of age.

What came after was something that went beyond that of even the most erotic of novels written by a well known perverted Sage.

In real time, Hinata was panting loudly. She had been biting her lower lip from the very beginning to prevent herself from screaming in pleasure, her left hand rubbing her clitoris and piercing her womanhood without hesitation whilst her right still groping her left breast. She hadn't realized that she had dropped herself on the wooden floor with her back firmly against the wall, her body arching backwards and sideways as she struggled to maintain the rhythm of her actions. Hinata had no intentions for a quicky at the moment.

Half an hour had passed and after the third orgasm had been reached, Hinata was well-spent and had collapsed on her bed immediately, the scent of sweat and sex having negated the bath that she had previously before. With her hormones and consciousness in control, the feeling of emptiness, disgust and guilt had quickly replaced her prior ecstasy once more.

She had used the image of her beloved as a means to pleasure herself, treating his existence as nothing but a toy to be played with and thrown away. She had tainted and lewd his worth and dignity to no avail. She was no more different than everybody else.

And yet he considered her so well above her, even in his suffering.

The tears had begun to flow, the aching in her chest having appeared again to her reluctance.

Masturbation was one of the ways she coped with the pain she constantly felt after losing Naruto. It was one of the very few pieces of advice she took from her female peers at the academy that was actually useful to her in the long run. In the past with regards to anything sexual, Hinata was as innocent as a clean slate, ignorant while having no knowledge of the various physical acts of pleasure. Yet that all changed; in the end of course.

The euphoria that came with such intimate acts were one of the few things that kept her from snapping, allowing her to keep the different masks she wore in front of others whilst maintaining her sanity at the same time.

To her clan she was the perfect member of the Main Branch- cold, strong and unwavering in belief of her clans supremacy against everyone else. To the public eye she was the powerful and approachable noblewoman- confident, charismatic and inspirational for young kunoichi everywhere. To her schoolmates, men and women of the village she was the lucky princess- beautiful, gentle and engaged to the most sought out bachelor in the village no matter how envious they were of her.

How unfortunate that they were ignorant of her true self, the vengeful and sadistic part of her that wanted nothing more than to shed the blood of those who had wronged her and her precious people.

Although it could be considered cruel for her to be herself in front of the ones she cared about, it would be even more cruel to hide it from them- not that she would ever project her anger at them, not at all. Except for a few rare exceptions of course.

And in those rare exceptions would she come to regret ever doing so to them. But they had always forgiven her in the end as they understood why.

Hyuga Hinata will no longer feel true happiness until she is reunited with Naruto once more.

That was her promise. That was her pledge.

Having gathered herself and her emotions, she then got up her bed and went to her private bathroom immediately. She opted to take a short shower instead of the long bath she had previously, just to make sure to clean herself from her previous ordeal. Hinata was the kind of young woman to not like feeling impure when going about her business elsewhere.

Exiting the bathroom wrapped in a towel dried up from head to toe, she then proceeded to her vanity mirror for a bit of light makeup- lipstick, some powder and eyeliner included. As stated previously, even without makeup Hinata was already gorgeous as herself. However this did not mean she wouldn't indulge herself in female-like activities such as self-beautification. Naturally, art should be made more pleasing to the eye, no?

As soon as she was about to draw thin lines above her left upper eyelid, the sound of knocking came from her room door- five to be exact- drawing her attention away from her current task at hand.

"Come in Hanabi-chan," said Hinata softly as she continued on to draw the line perfectly without a hitch.

"Ukhti!" replied Hanabi in a jovial kind of way as she trotted inside the room whilst making her way straight to her sister's bed, jumping in the process.

(AN: Ukhti- Arabic Word meaning "Sister")

"Sigh… How many times have I told you not to jump on my bed Hanabi-chan?" asked the elder sister in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Ummm… A number of times hehe," said Hanabi sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head whilst Hinata gave her a deadpan stare. "Am so sorry Onee-san. It's just that.. Well… Your bed is like softer and bouncier than mine and I don't get to sleepover much with you anymore like we used to…"

Noticing the small sadness in her imouto's voice and the pouting on her face, Hinata stood up from the vanity mirror and went to pat her head affectionately. This in turn, had gained the pleasure of Hanabi who purred in enjoyment like a kitten at her sister's touch much to her sister's amusement. With Hanabi's presence in her room, the aching in Hinata's heart had subsided slightly having been replaced by momentary serenity that stemmed out of love for her younger sister.

Save Ko, Natsu, Hawk and Falcon from ANBU and a few people from both the Branch and Main House, Hanabi was the only person in the Hyuga compound that Hinata showed kindness towards and was always and truly 'nice' to. The rest of her clan members however, were treated with an icy apathy that was very much familiar and obvious to them going on for the past year.

It wasn't to say that the transition of her personality was incredibly sudden- on the contrary, it had been quite a progressive change as a matter of fact. Being raised an heiress of the Main House, Hinata was already used to putting a rather mild version of the 'Hyuga Mask' in front of the members of her family especially the Elders who disdained her for being too 'soft' and 'gentle' for her title- except for a select few amongst them. The pressure and stress of her homelife however would eventually stunt her emotional growth to the point that she lacked the self-confidence necessary to have social interactions outside of her family, hence explaining her prior shyness and stuttering when placed in a non-Hyuga environment.

Now, however, her embracing the Hyuga persona was of another reason entirely.

After comforting Hanabi of her prior sadness, Hinata then went behind a wooden divider next to the entrance of the bathroom to put on her clothes, carefully slipping on her garments in order to avoid makeup from being in contact with them. Exiting her changing chambers, Hanabi who was waiting patiently for Hinata had been struck with awe as soon as her sister was in view- the dark purple kimono she wore was complimenting the natural beauty she possessed in both her face and figure.

While Hanabi inherited most of her looks from her father, Hinata however took more from their mother and grandfather thus her features were somewhat foreign compared to the rest of the clan. Not to say that Hanabi wouldn't be as pretty as her Ukhti in a few years time, but she couldn't help but feel envious of her sister at the moment. Moreover, although her sister was still in her teens, she was already looking like a maiden or a princess straight out of a fairytale even with her short Hime-cut hair compared to her own long and straight locks. Hanabi was very sure that her sister will only be much more beautiful than she was now in the future.

Yet, then again, looking at her sister once more, she could not help but feel a silent anger and sadness on behalf of her Nee-san. She knew very well why Hinata was wearing formal wear without there being a family event or celebration in place and it very much involves a certain person she detested as much as her sister.

A meeting with Sasuke Uchiha.

"I still have an hour left before I am forced to leave my quarters for the event later on. Would you like to continue studying from where we left off?" asked Hinata in a calm manner.

Having forgotten her previous thoughts, with a vigorous nod and imaginary sparkles in her pale white eyes, Hanabi quickly ran and sat attentively on her lap in front of a table located at the corner of the bedroom with sheets of paper, brushes of various sizes and a bottle of ink on top of it. Nevertheless the circumstances, she was all too pumped up to miss the chance to be taught by her sister who she knew was more knowledgeable and potentially more powerful than even the adults of her clan- excluding their father and the Jounin members of the Hyuga.

The Sealing Arts; they had always intrigued the young heiress ever since she was introduced to it by her older sister who, like herself, was very much obsessed with it. The complexity of its patterns and diagrams, the precision of the strokes of characters both local and foreign on pieces of parchment whether they be smooth or rough, the vast potential of the art that stretches beyond the capacity of human imagination- it was no wonder that the old poets considered the pen mightier than the sword.

While her sister may be skilled in her opinion, she was but a novice when compared to the one who taught her. Naruto-niisan was a prodigy in Fuinjutsu and a master within his own right. While she herself had never interacted with the boy personally due to her less than savory attitude of the past, Hinata's stories of him were enough to prove to her that not only was he talented in the shinobi arts, but his personality and beliefs were something that modelled him into a very noble human being.

And so, as they proceeded with their studies in normal fashion, Hanabi's thoughts continued to wonder about the boy who had captured her sister's heart. Many times had she stumbled upon his presence in public, many times had she yearned to talk and blurt out her sister's secret to him, but as soon as the consequences of her actions came to mind- she very reluctantly allowed the chance to slip pass, ignoring him like Hinata did.

It was necessary for him to suffer, there was no other choice.

Only after reconciling with Hinata did Hanabi know the truth of it all- their father's mysterious involvement with the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack, the history of the Hyuga and truth of the clan's split, Naruto's lineage and parentage, the enemies within and outside of Konoha that wanted nothing more than to end the Uzumaki line once and for all…

And that was just the tip of the iceberg; the conspiracy ran deep, really deep- such that it could literally change the reality of not only the Elemental Nations but possibly the world itself.

With the clock ticking to a finality, the first wave of her sister's plan will commence soon enough and while others are not aware of the coming events due to them lacking clairvoyance, she was very much prepared for her role when it finally happens.

"... while the dots here indicate a continuation for this function, it is very much unnecessary. The symbol 通 is already enough because-" said Hinata before she was interrupted by a knock on her door.

Opening the door, Hinata was then greeted to the sight of Natsu in her maid outfit standing in front of her mistress with humility and stoicness.

"Hinata-sama, the elders are expecting you in the ceremonial tea house soon," said Natsu flatly, lacking her usual chirpy tone when talking to either Hinata or Hanabi.

"I shall see to it then," replied Hinata with an equal amount of flatness.

Glancing at the clock on her wall, Hinata noticed that the appointment was shifted thirty minutes earlier than planned. With a defeated sigh, she then walked towards her still sitting sister who was also aware of the change in time of the event.

"I… I need to go now Hanabi. You can stay here if you want," Hinata said, her tone showing slightly the vulnerable cracks in her fortress of self. No matter how many times she had gone through these meetings, they would always leave a sour taste in her mouth afterwards, her anger and disgust left unsaid. She was thankful however, that she was not required to interact with the Uchiha heir much save the academy and some 'courting' displays due to her training sessions with multiple instructors that took most of her time throughout the year. Sadly, this did not falter him in the slightest to show her off like an exotic pet to the public when he had the chance- the reason for doing so being obvious that if her feelings were left unchecked, may result in his early death.

A sign of triumph against the one who had been consumed by envy about.

Unfortunately, the plan came first. Revenge would soon come later- even if she was confident that she was on par with him combat wise.

A small fluff of long brunette hair had made its way towards Hinata as it collided with her stomach head on wrapping her arms around the elder girl. Hanabi understood her sister's position at the moment, giving her all the support she could muster in order to strengthen Hinata's resolve to carry on. They were so very close in achieving their goals, even if they faced heavy losses initially. It was only a matter of time until victory was in sight.

"Ukhti, have patience and be strong. If everything goes well, this will be the last time that you have to face them like this."

At Hanabi's words, Hinata could not help but smile at her imouto's support. She would endure this. She would be strong.

"Thank you Hanabi-chan," Hinata said as she hugged her sister back, kissing her forehead right after.

"Ilan Najāh wal Intiqām," continued Hinata, whispering said words in her sister's right ear.

(AN: Ilan Najah wal Intiqām- means "Towards Victory and Reprisal" in Arabic)

"Wallah Shāhid a'laik," Hanabi replied back, giving a sly smile back towards her sister as she removed her hands from Hinata's waist.

(AN: Wallah Shāhid a'laik- means "And God be a witness upon thee" in Arabic)

It was time to face the music.

...

Kosei Hyuga was taking his time admiring the scenery of the Main Family's Court Garden as he walked a calm stride with his wooden cane on a stone pathway leading to one of the many tea houses scattered throughout the compound, the cool autumn breeze blowing through the nearly empty garden causing a slight shiver to run up his spine. Having loss his left eye as a result of an injury which he received from a Jounin of Iwagakure during the First Shinobi War, the elderly man was known locally by his clan members and the older generation as "The One-Eyed Hyuga" or most recently "The Old Hyuga Pirate" by the younger generation due to his resemblance to a popular cartoon character of a pirate wearing an eyepatch; incidentally however, the man too wore an eyepatch on his left eye.

While one may think that such a name to be insulting to the Hyuga man whose clan members were generally stereotyped as "stoic and cold" individuals, Kosei however was an oddity in the system due to the fact that he wore kindness on his sleeves and was warm towards others- his aura of regality as a Hyuga not diminishing in the slightest.

Rummaging through the left side of his coat, Kosei then took a silver pocket watch out of the pocket and checked the time, the longer needle pointing a quarter away from the intended time of his appointment. Satisfied that he still had a few minutes to spare, Kosei then continued his walk at an even slower pace and took his sweet time in doing so. He did not want to arrive too soon at the event.

His policy was to always be early in whatever appointments he had in life; but never too early of course.

As much as he was different from the rest of his clan members, old habits just die hard.

After having settled in Konohagakure for nearly five generations, the Hyuga have had a significant increase in number the past few decades which amounted to more homes and buildings to be erected in the compound to fit the needs of the growing population. The garden however, was part of the original construct of the compound hence it was older than even the oldest person still alive in the village. While it appeared somewhat dull in autumn compared to the summer or spring, this did not change the fact that it was still the most beautiful part of the compound.

Pausing his walk for a moment, he then directed his gaze towards the huge koi pond with a field of water lilies floating on top of it located at the eastern part of the garden as he noticed a familiar figure sitting on a marble bench by the pond's side with their back facing his direction. Having piqued his curiosity, the elderly man then made his way to the pond with the knowledge that he was changing the course of his intended destination.

"It seems that even after 55 years Old Sakuya still lives on in this pond having birthed thousands of her kin to serve the Noble House of the Hyuga," Kousei mentioned as he gestured towards the largest koi fish in the pond whose size was akin to that of a medium-sized tuna.

"If you define noble to be that of enslaving our own kin to be used as mere servants and footstools to fulfil the thirst of our ungodly egos then I am very much disappointed in you, Elder Kousei..." replied the figure back in a haughty yet defined tone.

"None of your cheek Heiress-sama," scoffed the man playfully as he sat next to the younger girl, his gaze firmly etched onto the pond. "I am merely speaking of our political prestige and position, not the state of our hearts."

"Might I remind you that the title you speak of does not refer to me anymore but my younger sister Hanabi? Has the capital made you soft in memory with their constant bickering and conflict?" jabbed the girl with a vigor to that of an elderly woman.

"Fools, the lot of them. Much worse than the ones we have here mind you." answered Kousei in a matter-of-fact voice.

Silence then made its way between the two of them, the remaining sounds being that of the surrounding nature itself.

"Might I remind you as well that you are late for an appointment Hinata-sama," said Kousei as he took out his pocket watch right in front of her to emphasize the fact.

"And pray tell, if I am to be late then what of you Elder Kousei- who walked to me knowing the consequences of doing so might result in the both of us being late. What are you but a bull being led by his nose?"

"Again with the cynicism. Sigh, girls these days and their lack of decorum towards their seniors," said Kousei as he let out an audible sigh. "And how many times have I told you to stop calling me 'Elder Kousei'. It's Ji-san. Jiiii-san."

"It is not within my right to address the wise Elders of the Hyuga Clan with such familiarity. Please forgive me for my prior insolence," said Hinata as she mocked-bowed Kousei with as much salinity as she could muster.

"Having a grudge on the Elders does not mean that I should be a victim of your bullying Hinata-sama. Sigh, the things I do for my most favourite grandniece," thought the man as his right eye-twitched.

Due to his role as the head of the representatives of the Hyuga Clan in the National Assembly, Kousei was hardly ever in Konoha spending most of his time in the capital city of Kyosei where he is a well-known and respected figure and treated as such even by the members of the upper nobility. Having taken the spot fresh out of the First Shinobi War, the elderly Hyuga had been involved in the political world almost as long as the Sandaime was the Hokage. The load which came with his responsibilities had affected his love life to which he remained single throughout his years.

Whilst he practiced voluntary celibacy in a sense, his heart had indeed been captivated by a woman long ago but such was a tale of tragedy, grief and death which had haunted him so- hence he was without heirs to his name and fortune.

Remaining a virgin was his way of honoring his past loved one with the hopes that at the eve of his passing, he would be united with his deceased lover once more.

One could even consider him a chaplain of sorts; if not a fellow scholar of the Sage's religion as well.

Although his presence in the Hyuga Compound was almost zero to none, this however did not limit his influence over the inner workings of the clan. It was he however who had pushed for the marriage between the Blue Marionette and his only sister Hanako which resulted in not only the birth of Hitomi, his niece but Hinata and Hanabi as well. Thus, somehow, he was very much responsible for the existence of the cheeky child sitting next to him at present.

Their relationship somewhat was very similar to what could have been the relationship between a loud-mouthed goofball of a blond and a perverted old man who writes smut for a living- albeit more calculated and sarcastic.

Maybe in another universe; perhaps.

Shrugging his niece's previous indirect insult on his well-being, Kousei then went into his inner coat pocket and took out a white envelope that seemed inconspicuous at most and handed it to Hinata who accepted it with ease. Knowing that the two were not being watched, she then slit the envelope into her kimono and inserted it neatly into a hidden compartment within the clothing.

"The letter uses the standard encryption as per usual. Make sure to open it in a safe location. It's the finalized report as well as a personal word of acknowledgement from the higher-ups. The details on the purchase of shares from GatoCo and the other multinational companies listed not to mention transfer of ownerships in the previous report are also mentioned in the letter," added Kousei as he stood up from his seat, proceeding to make his way to the stone pavements leading out of the garden.

"How likely are they to execute the operation within the designated date?" asked curiously Hinata as she turned towards Kousei who stopped his walking for a moment without turning back.

"Tomorrow? Very likely," he answered, earning a small smirk of satisfaction from the girl.

After a few minutes had passed with Hinata alone in the garden once more, she then decided to make her way to the tea house using a different route instead of the one used by her grandfather. The route she took was much closer to the teahouse compared to the one taken by Kousei, moving quickly yet gracefully without looking like she was in a rush. As per usual she gave a little nod of acknowledgement to the clan members who greeted her on the way but that was all the interaction she would have with them. Her reasons for doing so were obvious.

The Ivory Teahouse as it was called was the largest out of the six tea houses built in the compound and was used for welcoming important guests and official events by members of the Head House. Like most of the buildings in the compound the architectural design of the tea house followed the same local traditional design- built two stories high with tiled roofing. However, what made the building different from the rest was the fact that the building was made from bricks while the pillars and flooring of the tea house was made from pure white marble instead of wood. Other than the Main House Garden and the Clan Head's residence, the Ivory Teahouse was the fanciest building in the compound.

Two guards stood by the marble staircase that led to the entrance of the teahouse as Hinata strolled calmly towards them. Noticing their lady walking in their direction, the guards then greeted Hinata and accompanied her up the steps in order to open the entrance for her. As soon as she entered, she then continued to walk accompanied by one of the guards in the building until she reached a white double western styled door at the end of the hall. With a silent inhale of her breath, she then emptied her mind of her prior feelings and thoughts that festered throughout her walk; adorned upon her face the mask of indifference.

She knew better than to expose her rage and loathing to a predatory audience, not wanting to cause an unwanted scene to occur at the moment.

"Hinata-sama," said the bowing guard as he guided the young lady to enter the room after opening the door.

Entering the room, Hinata was then greeted to the sight of elderly men and women dressed in black robes sitting at the sides of the room, their form stiff and formal- an indication of the rigid cultural upbringing of the Hyuga Clan- while in the middle of the room was a wooden table which had the tea ceremony set already prepared on it. Noticing that the table was unoccupied, Hinata then made her way towards the centre of the room and gave a courteous bow to the spectators seated in silence.

"Honorable Elders," said Hinata in a respectful manner as she maintained her bow towards her audience.

"It is unbecoming of an esteemed member of the Main House to be late Hinata-sama. You of all should know this by now, being the eldest daughter to the Main Family," said one of the elders in a sneering tone as he chastised the late ex-heiress for her tardiness.

"It is to be noted Hayashi-dono," answered Hinata, a hint of spite present in her speech towards the man before taking a seat by the table, her back facing his direction.

"However, since our guests of honour are not even present at the moment, I believe that my less-than punctual arrival could also be excused, no? After all, I am still the daughter of the clan head and the future matriarch of the Uchiha Clan."

A noticeable frown then appeared on the 73-year old elder's face as he directed his squinted gaze at the girl, the lack of respect in her response towards him blatant to which was already the norm. While he took pleasure in his role as an Elder of the clan, he was still somewhat powerless in his influence compared to the position Hinata held at the moment. Aware that he stepped over his boundaries, the elderly man then muttered a reluctant apology to the ex-heiress for his verbal blunder.

As soon as Hinata began heating up the water using low level Katon Jutsu used for preparation of the tea used in the ceremony, the door of the room opened revealing four individuals of which her father was among them. Without missing a beat, Hinata then stood from the pillow she sat on and gave a respectful bow to the recent attendees- one she had perfected after many years of etiquette training.

"Welcome Otou-sama, Shinzo-sama, Homura-sama, Uchiha-sama…. May the Blessings of Kami be upon you," said Hinata in a graceful tone as she remained in her bowing position whilst awaiting a reply from her father.

"And Blessed be the Children of the Sage forevermore," replied Hiashi stoically, nodding to Hinata who raised her head at them, a delicate smile etched on her face.

To the untrained eye that is. Kousei who watched from the sidelines could see how truly plastic it was.

Hinata then approached the five and invited them to the centre of the room, their sitting arrangements having been designated by the placement and colour of the pillows on the sides of the table. Two of the pillows, of which were white in colour, were placed on one side of the table- these pillows were used by members of the Hyuga family- while the other three pillows which were gold in colour were placed at the opposite side of the table. In other words as per tradition, the parents of the betrothed would sit together with their child on one side while their in-laws to be on the other.

Being the sole heir to his clan name and only living member in the village, it was only natural for the Uchiha heir to be accompanied by his representatives- in this case the members of the village council. Shinzo Hatori, ex-Chunin, practicing lawyer and member of the Civilian Council, was given the task to delegate the legal procedures involving the marriage per the request of the heir himself, not wanting the Hyuga Clan to gain the upper hand in the game of tug-o-war of clan supremacy. Homura on the other hand was present as the representative of the Hokage who on paper, was the official guardian of Sasuke by law before his emancipation which would either occur when he was a Chunin or in this case married.

Knowing the reasons for him having an early emancipation, it was simple enough for Hinata to understand why he wanted to break the shackles of his supposed 'childhood' and gain his independence from the Hokage.

Power.

The ultimate goal of a clan whose Kekkei Genkai was driven by superiority and control.

Control over not only Konohagakure but Hi no Kuni and beyond that.

Yet little did he know that he was merely a pawn used by a subtle yet more powerful force, one that Danzo Shimura submitted to out of obligation and usefulness.

The instigators of the fall of the Uzushiogakure and its descendents.

A small shock ran through Hinata's spine as a scalding sensation made its way on the front side of her left hand, the result of her negligence to pay attention to her surroundings due to her mind drifting off to matters of the un-present. She had accidentally poured hot water on herself when instead, she was aiming for one of the fine china cups on the table containing the powdered Matcha she had prepared earlier on, the water flowing down her sleeves wetting parts of her clothing in the process.

Noticing the mistake, the Elders who watched scoffed silently at the girl, their disapproval made known by the judgemental stares they sent her at the side. Hiashi- while not as nitpicky as his underlings with regards to ceremonies and customs, he too was caught up in disappointment at his daughter's slip up. The Tea Ceremony was, afterall, a display performed by a noblewoman to prove one's lineage and legitimacy.

"I… I apologize for the flaw in my performance," uttered Hinata as she bowed her head towards her guests.

"No trouble, no trouble at all Hinata-sama. It's okay to be nervous of course, after all, this is a rather important event," the jovial voice of Shinzo Hatori replied as he offered a polite smile to his host, his bubbly personality thinning the solemnity of the room's atmosphere like sunlight through a fog.

As she continued to pour hot water into the cups to a considerable height, Hinata could not help but give a ghost of a smile to the man. Unlike the other members of the Civilian Council, Shinzo Hatori was a fair man and sided with what he considers just and lawful. He was also one of the few in the village to openly criticize the villagers for their mistreatment of Naruto to the behement of his peers. This in turn had earned him a good name in Hinata's books.

With the tea now prepared, Hinata then offered each of her guests a cup, starting from her father by her side and ending with Sasuke who accepted it with a small handsome smile and manners befitting his status- handsome of course to those who knew not the true nature of the boy inside. If she had a choice at the moment, she would have already ripped that smile off of his face.

Like her the Uchiha was an actor in a drama of his own making, playing a charismatic individual to entice the masses on his side whilst maintaining a part of his arrogance in public without revealing the rest. This in turn had allowed him to create a false persona of himself towards the people, appearing to be this 'kind, generous and approachable' orphan who had been left with an inheritance of richness, power and prestige, a literal 'Prince Charming' in fact.

Such was his attempt to win the hearts of the villagers; and successful had his plan been. Sasuke had always had a strong following behind him from the general public, being the only survivor of the Uchiha Massacre and the legal heir of a now extinct clan. While the civilians had always been sympathetic of his plight, the shinobi however were divided on their opinion of him- some even criticizing the special treatment given to him by the administration of the village and the Daimyo's involvement in ensuring it to be so. As critical as they may be of him, that however had changed drastically the year before.

When the crows issued an apocalyptic-like warning to the village to not harm their "heir".

That was the beginning of a misunderstanding that, instead of bringing justice to the one trapped under oppression, had given glory to one who was undeserving of such attention.

Her dear Naruto-kun…

"- I believe this to be the perfect date for the ceremony! What say you, Hinata-sama?" said the cheerful voice of Shinzo Hatori.

Shaking herself slightly out of her momentary trance, Hinata then sent a small smile of her own towards the man as she nodded in favour of the date's confirmation.

"Yes, the 29th of December would be a very nice day to hold the wedding ceremony. Just two days after my birthday. Otou-sama?"

"Indeed daughter," replied the stoic man in affirmative while sipping tea from his cup. "It would be an honour upon the Hyuga to continue the festivities until the New Year."

"Excellent!" exclaimed Shinzo while clasping his hands. "Any opinions on the matter Sasuke-sama?"

"As long as the union between the Uchiha and the Hyuga is ensured and blessed by Kami, then I have no arguments with the matter," said Sasuke in a satisfied tone of voice, a bright smile on his face. This in turn earned a hearty laugh from Shinzo and a small smirk from Homura.

Crack

The sound of cracking china had echoed across the room as the eyes of the attendees directed themselves towards the source of the sound, dripping upon purple silk; droplets of tea. On the surface of the cup held by Hinata was a visible vein-like crack that had tea leaking through it.

"What's wrong Hinata-chan? Are you alright? You don't seem so to me Hime," said Sasuke in a voice and facial expression, one of that of concern.

At that statement Hinata could not help but feel her blood boil as she tried her best to control her body language from showing any signs of anger. How dare this fucking Uchiha ask if she was fine or not. How dare he act all concerned about her well being and pretend to be someone he's not. How dare he deceive everyone by imitating the person he was not.

HOW DARE HE TRY TO IMITATE HER NARUTO-KUN.

THIS LIAR. THIS TRICKSTER. THIS PIECE OF SHIT.

"If I may be so bold to ask Hiashi-sama," added Sasuke respectfully while giving a small bow to the man, "may I have your permission to allow Hinata to accompany me to the gardens? There was a particular white flower that caught my eye earlier on when we passed the Main House. I believe it to be-"

"Yes, the Royal White Chrysanthemum. It was a favourite of Ku- I mean my late wife," Hiashi said in a somber tone, a hint of nostalgia trapped between his eyes, the slip of tongue being noticed by his daughter.

"... they kinda remind me of your eyes, Hiashi-kun. Pretty and regal but suuuuper stuffy Dattebane!" the voice of a precious memory of the past echoing in his thoughts.

"I see. Of course, it would be a pleasure for me to be able to see it upclose once more with my fiancée…"

"Indeed," said Hiashi calmly, an almost unnoticeable smile on his face. "You have my permission, Sasuke-kun."

A small look on her father's face directed towards her was enough for Hinata to know that she had no choice but to follow the Uchiha out to the garden she had visited a while ago. With all the training of an unyielding heiress, she then stood up from her previous sitting position and gave a small bow to her father and the guests at the table indicating her leave from the event.

"I thank you all for attending. My apologies for leaving this abruptly but I pray that the hospitality of the Hyuga clan may be of great service to you all."

At the end of her little speech Hinata then felt an unwelcoming sensation around her right side as Sasuke placed his right hand on her waist bringing her closer to him. While the action itself was rather indecent for a non-married couple in the perspective of the Hyuga elders, Hiashi however watched in silent happiness at the affection expressed by the young Uchiha towards his daughter.

One would think the clan head to be unyielding towards the idea of marrying his daughter off to the heir to a rival clan yet Hiashi could not think of a better partner for Hinata. Pushing his lineage, wealth and appearance aside, there were of course a few reasons why he was willing to allow Sasuke to be with his daughter.

In honour of his parents.

Contrary to what others may expect while the Hyuga and Uchiha were indeed rivaling Doujutsu wielding clans and adamant in proving their superiority against one another, the clan heads however were not enemies rather very close friends. Hiashi and Fugaku under Jiraiya's tutelage were teammates up till their Chunin years. Although the two were initially very hostile towards one another, it all changed however due to the intervention of their other team mate as much as he loathed to admit.

Even thirteen years after his demise, a large part of Hiashi still felt bitter towards the man.

Another reason for him agreeing to the match was of course to protect his daughter from it.

The demon masquerading as her child.

The blond hair and blue eyes it possessed were obviously the product of the one who sealed it, but the shape of its face and the beauty of its features belonged to her.

The resemblance, it was truly haunting.

For his daughter to even think of loving that demon, it was too much for him to bear. Therefore Sasuke informing him about the year long friendship the demon used to have with his daughter was enough for him to earn good favour in Hiashi's eyes.

Hence, after separating her from the demon, and pairing her with the Uchiha scion she became everything he dreamed of her being.

Her weakness had turned to strength.

Her shyness had turned to confidence.

Her inability to fight had turned to competence.

She had even beaten his nephew Neji who was held as a prodigy of the Branch House in a number of spars albeit in an unorthodox Jyuuken style but to the ire of the elders was effective nonetheless.

To him Hinata was a symbol of change to the Hyuga and even if she were to hold the Uchiha family name in the near future, her influence would be enough to begin the process he had always dreamed of as a child.

The dream she gave him.

While Hiashi continued to entertain his guests in the ceremonial hall, Hinata together with Sasuke had exited the Marble Teahouse, the former in cold silence as Sasuke continued to hold her in a manner she was far from comfortable from. As much as Hinata wanted to separate herself from him, she could not as two of her father's personal guards were acting as entourages for them trailing them behind at a safe enough distance. She could not afford to act out at the moment.

She needed to cooperate with her current circumstances.

As soon as they reached the garden, the two guards then positioned themselves by one of the patios at the entrance of the garden allowing the two teens privacy as they walked deeper into the garden. Knowing them to be alone, Hinata then forcefully pushed Sasuke away from her causing him to lose his footing as he tumbled on the pavement, her displeasure of him even touching made known to him by the scowl of disgust on her face. Instead of having the ire of the boy thrusted upon her, the action however had earned a light chuckle from Sasuke as he picked himself up and dusted whatever dust that was sticking onto his garments- expensive they were and tailored specifically to the taste of a noble. Hearing the mocking joy in his laugh, Hinata could not help but feel angered- if she wasn't already angry enough- at Sasuke's casual dismissal, as if mocking her. Before she could do anything about it, she was interrupted by the black-haired boy who approached her whilst still adjusting his robes.

"Feisty. As usual," said Sasuke, a noticeable smile on his face, the chuckle still present at the back of his throat.

"Nevertheless, it is to be expected of the Byakugan no Hime, no?" continued the scion, not in the least concerned at the murderous glare sent to him by Hinata while he continued to dust whatever dirt still remaining on the right side of his clothing, a slight frown on his appearance due to the dirt not budging away from the spot.

"I have to get this dry-cleaned. It seems that the stain won't come off anytime soon."

"The state of your garments are the least of my concerns at the moment Uchiha," muttered Hinata in a tone that was both cold and full of rage.

"Of course, of course. You're probably upset the wedding had to be delayed again. I suppose that-"

"You and I both know that I don't give two shits about the fucking wedding Uchiha!!" continued Hinata, the coldness in her voice replaced by molten fire. Consciously she had allowed her Byakugan to flare on while both her hands glowed a faint blue hue, her chakra made visible to the naked eye.

As soon as the anger in her voice was made known, the initial tameness of Sasuke's chuckle had turned into that of one of madness, the prince-like persona he had earlier on replaced by that of a patient in an asylum. Hinata, although unyielding with her battle stance, was slightly unnerved at the radical change of behavior from the young scion. Knowing this to be the true face of Uchiha Sasuke, Hinata prepped herself up and pushed away any irrational fear she had of the boy.

"Do you think even with all that training from the Jounin of the village that you are stronger than me Hyuga? Do you think that you have it in you to even fight me in an ongoing battle? You couldn't even defeat me in a spar at the Academy nevertheless to say that you could even bring serious harm to me..." said Sasuke closed-eyed in mocking fashion, the arrogance in his claims having been unexaggerated in the slightest.

"Is an insult."

Eyes wide open, the glare of the Byakugan was now facing the piercing stare of the Sharingan, the two Doujutsu fighting for utter dominance; blood red and murky white unyielding against the other. Hinata who moved neither an inch front nor back, stood firmly against her ground adding her own killing intent to the overall tension, the previous chaotic aura held by the Uchiha replaced by an eerie and threatening calm. Ever since she had started her training with several high profile Jounin of the village in order to be able to fulfill her duty as the 'matriarch' of the Uchiha Clan in the future, she had never actually sparred with the raven-haired boy in front of her, only hearing his progress from the rumor mill as well as her own 'spy network' of sorts. While she herself did not doubt Sasuke's awareness of her own progress compared to his very own, to see him underestimate her in such a way- assuming himself to have already possessed the upper hand against her, was rather worrisome to the ex-heiress.

After having studied her target to an utmost fervent detail throughout her time as his 'fiancee', a matter worth of note when referring to the scion's behavior is while he could be cocky at times with his skills when sparring in public against academy students and some Chunins who wanted a go against the last loyal Uchiha, it is when he was silent did she knew that he had already won the battle.

Hinata knew well not to underestimate her opponent regardless of her abhorrence for the former.

Like her, his personality had undergone a dramatic upheaval ever since the mess which was the Crow Attack on Konohagakure. The once broody and quiet boy who knew nothing more than to train and hone his shinobi skills had suddenly become social overnight, interacting with his peers and building relationships with the people of the village who too were somewhat initially skeptical over him. Of course the civilians sucked up to him, knowing him to be noble not only in Konoha but as well as the Land of Fire in general but the shinobi were somewhat bipartisan when it came to the issue of the Last Uchiha. Then again, he had won them over. Moreover, with his ANBU-like training with the wretched one eyed Danzo, one would expect him to be drone-like and emotionless- referring to the man's illegal Castaway project as well as numerous others Hinata had discovered through her intelligence channel. However against her own estimations, the unlikely result happened and he became the image he currently was in the eyes of the public.

Not only had the 'emo duck haired boy' of the Academy become handsome and charming Sharingan no Ouji, his title was given the proper recognition and respect as well.

And truthfully, truthfully did Hinata knew; if she was a lesser person than she really was, if she did not hold reverence over her own beliefs and principles, if she too was still that weak and shy little girl of her past; there was no denying that she would be swayed to follow him too, to use him as an idol for her to be a better person than she was.

She… She…

With her being the one he desired…

She would even fall for him.

Like she did with the whiskered boy with sky blue eyes so innocent and filled with kindness.

And deep within her subconscious, like all humans, there were whispers of desire present in her mind, telling her to accept the situation at hand; to take the easy path out.

Why else would she need to fight on again?

Her father had finally given her back the parental love she had always desired, her younger sister treated her as her beloved elder sister once more, the Hyuga Clan submitted to her, she was on her way to becoming one of strongest shinobi of the village, she had the power, respect and influence within and outside the village and was also betrothed to the most eligible bachelor in Hi no Kuni.

And to give almost all of this up?

For what? A penniless pariah of an orphan who had nothing to his name but the hatred of the people he lived with?

And such, the answer to that question; 'twas the reason why Hinata hated Sasuke the most out of the rest of her 'targets'.

If the truth of Uzumaki Naruto was not made known to her, if she had not made that first move to interact with him long ago, she too would abandon him, the childhood crush she had over him insufficient to outweigh the good that came with being with the Uchiha.

And she could never accept that.

Nor could she ever forgive herself for what she did now either.

Knowing the consequences of a fight erupting between the two towards her plans, Hinata then lowered her battle stance, the chakra seeping out from her hands fading away as her eyes returned to their normal pale lavender hue. Sasuke, who took it as a silent victory on his part, deactivated his Sharingan in response, a small smirk appearing on his face.

"Even when you're angry, your beauty, it fades not, rather shining brighter than a midsummer moon," complimented Sasuke as he tried to approach Hinata, his right hand close enough to caress her cheek.

"Do. Not. Touch. Me," said Hinata in silent anger as she glared sharply at Sasuke, the consequences of doing so present in her eyes.

Tutting like a child who wasn't allowed to take another piece of candy from the jar, Sasuke dropped his hand and placed it on his side. The ex-heiress never allowed him to touch her when the both of them were alone. It was something that annoyed him yet exhilarated him at the same time. Every other girl that he stumbled upon in the village or anywhere else in the country would not hesitate to be treated with affection by him, and rather they welcomed it.

All except the girl in his presence, one whose beauty was growing day by day yet her heart remained as cold as ice.

He recognized the hatred she had towards him of course. He was accustomed and was raised by a familiar feeling.

Then again, when will she look at him the way she did him?

With utmost love and devotion?

"Warn her…. Please…" echoed a voice in his head, begging him to tell of what was to come.

Grumbling inaudibly in his heart, he knew better than to deny the voice in his mind. It would probably not stop annoying him later on and try to take over. Of course it was too weak to fight back and actually win against him.

"Foolish brother, if you wish to kill me – hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run… run and cling to life."

Hatred was the path to take. But to be consumed by it? That was pretty stupid thing to do. He was of course blinded to follow said path completely, but in the end he thought, he did deserve happiness...

Did he not?

Even if it did cost the life and happiness of an innocent. Even if he had to take what was neither his nor belonging to him in the first place.

He had already decided when he took the offer from the devil himself.

He will be happy.

He will achieve his dreams.

Tsk.

Let it not be said that Uchiha Sasuke was not merciful. If he had his way he would have let him suffer for all he cared.

"Let it be a warning to you. A reminder that you should watch for what is about to come for that plaything of an orphan whom you are so fond of," said Sasuke in a careless voice, his back facing Hinata as he walked towards the entrance of the garden.

Hinata who had immediately caught what the Uchiha was saying became wide eyed as worry threatened to overcome her, a tinge of anger appearing in her chest at the mention of Naruto being a 'plaything'.

"His name is Uzumaki Naruto," replied Hinata angrily, the warmth of his emotions present at showing how much she cared for the boy.

"Tsk whatever," Sasuke said as he was about to exit the garden- not before provoking the Hyuga girl even further before he left.

"Once we're married I wouldn't be against it if you were to take him as a lowly servant, pretty as he may be. Knowing that you desire his body in such a way, it would only be fair if I had my way with him as well?"

At that statement Sasuke immediately exited the garden before Hinata even had the chance to reply. Fully understanding what he said at the end, Hinata was much more concerned at the warning Sasuke issued to her. Before she could continue pondering what on Earth was the Uchiha warning her about, she had more important matters to address.

Was Naruto in danger?

Was he going to be in danger?

She understood well that tomorrow was the Kyubi festival and was very assured that he was protected at all times. The plan also was to happen tomorrow nationwide and she could not afford to help with the effort if anything were to happen to him.

She needed to tell Cat and Owl just in case.

As soon as she had decided on her next course of action after standing still deep in contemplation for about a quarter of an hour, Hinata was then greeted to the sight of Ko running into the garden towards her. Knowing it to be something of importance, Hinata then received the man after making sure that her father's escort guards return to their posts at the teahouse. She was also informed that Sasuke had already left the compound together with his entourage.

"Hinata-sama, a letter came from Miss Yakumo and she informed me that it was urgent!" said Ko as he passed the letter to Hinata who snatched it immediately.

Opening the letter in haste, Hinata began to read the contents of the letter, the expression on her face turning to that of shock as she could hear the thumping beat of her heart through her ears; adrenaline kicking off into her body system.

The answer to her question; it was almost within her grasp.

".... through extensive investigations on the matter... It seems that Tou-san had discovered the identity of the mysterious person who sold Uzumaki Kushina's shinobi headband and sealing books to your father…. After connecting the dots…. his codename to that of a special unit that only existed during the Yondaime's time… the unit was kept secret due to... the man had a close working relationship with the Fourth Hokage, it seemed also that he was his personal bodyguard and acted as his…."

This man. He possessed the answer to her question.

Without addressing the older Hyuga, Hinata then dashed off immediately outside the entrance leaving Ko standing alone in the garden. Tilting her head upwards towards the sky, Hinata noted that the sun was setting and it would be night time an hour from now.

"... he had recently returned to Konoha after serving as a member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja together with the Hokage's son Sarutobi Asuma…"

In this hour, she had to prepare herself.

"... he often frequents The Jasmine's Scent, at the bar ..."

In this hour, she had to strike while the iron was hot.

"Namiashi Raido," said Hinata full of determination, her hand still clutching the letter tightly.

Tell me all your secrets.

...

A sleeping child could be seen in the middle of a clearing underneath a tree whose leaves of brown and grey had scattered across the ground forming a pile upon which the child slept, his back leaning itself against the tree. The tiny movements of his chest expanding and contracting as well as the calm look upon his face indicated that the child was sleeping peacefully, gentle winds blowing through the area further cementing the fact.

However it was not so.

If one were to take a look upon his face clearly, trails of water could be seen flowing down his whiskered cheeks, drips of them falling down upon his long-sleeved garments.

He hardly wore anything short-sleeved these days, knowing that the scars on both sides of his arms, unlike the other injuries he possessed, would not fade away so easily.

He made sure of it.

It was a reminder of the pain he felt that day, as well as the pain he caused others, mostly the ones towards his daughter Akira.

He could never forget the distressed cries of the fox begging for him to live.

It also served as a reminder that even if the pain in his heart would not fade away soon enough, his life was no longer his own and he had to live for others.

Even if it did hurt him much to do so.

But why had he returned to this place? To their spot knowing that it would hurt him even more?

For even if her feelings for him were nothing but a lie, the memories they made here together…

They were real.

Hence with his eyes closed, he took it all in; the smell, the ambience, the sound, the touch, the scene of the clearing as a whole and allowed his mind to recreate back the memories he had with her, succumbing himself to the illusions of his desires.

A pitiful smile had appeared on his face.

Which then turned into a frown as soon as he felt an unknown presence entering the clearing, picked up by a spatial awareness he had developed after years of being the target of less than friendly attacks.

Opening his eyes, he was then greeted to the sight of two men. Both were wearing a standardized ANBU uniform- complete with the cloak and the gloves- yet, unlike the rest of the ANBU he had the pleasure to meet, the mask that one of them wore was void of animal inspired designs- only two empty holes in the mask signifying the eyes, while the other person wore a masked inspired by a boar judging by the protruding tusk at the mouth of the mask. While the boar-masked ANBU member gave a familiar feeling of hatred and another primal feeling he could not pin out properly towards him- having experienced it constantly in the village throughout his short life, the boy was already used to it- his companion who stood eerily by his side emitted almost no feeling at all. Void like that of an empty husk.

It frightened Naruto.

"Uzumaki Naruto," dronned the scary ANBU member in an emotionless voice.

As soon as he heard his name being mentioned by the man, Naruto felt the hair behind his neck standing up, his primal instincts switching to fight-or-flight mode as his heart beat turned from calm to erratic. What did these people want with Naruto? There were a few instances in the past where some civilians and ninjas had cornered him and hurt him but it was the ANBU who jumped in to save him. He had never stumbled upon any of the masked shinobi wanting to harm him.

Until now that is.

"Wh-wh-what d-d-do you w-want fr-from m-m-me?" stuttered Naruto in fear. Even if he did know and was a prodigy in Fuinjutsu, the boy was void of his ink and scrolls which were necessary tools to use to perform any technique moreover unlike Fuinjutsu, his level of Ninjutsu was mid to high Chunin at best due to his naturally terrible chakra control and lack of proper training in the field.

Sure he did know how to perform one or two elemental ninjutsus but when facing two ANBU-level ninja without his trump card? The possibility of him losing was greater than him winning.

He could run away of course and he knew that to be the smarter one of the choices he had but shinobi training dictated that he had to extract as much information as he could before retreating. These two were not the usual type of violent crowd that the boy often attracted during the first two weeks of October; they were dangerous and one wrong move could actually kill the boy.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you are to come with us. Failure to comply would result in us having to do the unnecessary," continued the emotionless ANBU as he put out his hand for the boy to grab hold of.

"And wh-what i-if I d-don't want t-to f-f-follow you?" asked the boy again, his mind in complete disarray as panic began to take hold of him.

"Then brat even if I do hate the colour orange, they say a fox's fur is the best material to make winter clothes, right?" said boar-masked man as he opened his hand revealing orange coloured fur with a few red stains on it.

And at that very moment, Naruto's body went completely cold, his body unable to move as he felt a never ending pit in his stomach which made him nauseous and wanting to vomit.

"Na….. ru…. to….."

Even ifits voice echoed in his head once more, Naruto could not even care less as there were bigger matters at hand.

Akira-chan got taken.