A soft cry caused her eyes to flutter open. Hinata looked around warily and everything was gray; the sky was covered in dark clouds as light rain drops fell upon her and it looked like the color was sucked out of everything. There wasn't anything behind her as the land seemed to stretch for miles and miles. Although in front of her stood a large gray brick wall. It was hard to miss. She could barely see where it ended when she looked up and from side to side it appeared to be endless.
Hinata breathed a sigh and she watched it create a fog then slowly disappear. She wasn't sure where she was. It felt like a dream, but the cold raindrops felt real as it dampened her hair. Hinata's eyes settled on the wall and her lips formed a thin line. With a sense of curiosity, she stepped forward to put the palm of her hands onto it.
"Ahh…!" She breathed and retracted her hands quickly. "I-It's freezing…"
She brought her hands up to rub her arms and then slightly hugged herself for warmth. Wherever she was, it was cold, bland and depressing. The only thing seemingly of importance was this large and infinite wall that stretched as far as she could see. Perhaps there is an opening. Hinata decided to get her blood flowing to get her body heat back up, so she took off sprinting alongside the wall.
Her eyes scanned the bricks searching for anything—a sign, a door, a gateway… but after a while Hinata feared she might be running in circles. She stopped to catch her breath and it looked like she hadn't moved at all. Everything was the same. A low rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance and she frowned.
Lifting her cold and shaking fingers to form the seal, the veins around her eyes protruded as the Byakugan was summoned forth. She furrowed her eyebrows as she quickly covered her eyes in pain. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. When an exterior was blocked by chakra or a special jutsu, it was easy to distinguish. But when she attempted to look through this particular wall, it blinded her with a bright red light.
Her normal eyes returned and she cautiously looked back to the wall, which looked as it had at the beginning. The rain dropped onto her face and rolled down her cheeks and at this point, the fear she felt disappeared. She was now determined to find out what the wall was for and what was hiding behind it. Hinata concentrated chakra on the soles of her feet and began to dash upwards on the wall. She could see the top in the distance so she pushed herself further and faster.
Just like when she tried to go side-to-side, the top of the wall just continued on and on. It didn't look like she was making any progress no matter how fast or slow she went. Defeated and thoroughly confused, she backtracked down the bricks and back onto the safety of the ground. She brought her cold fingers up to cup around her mouth for some warmth from her own breath. Her teeth began to chatter and she shivered a bit.
What do I do? Hinata felt helpless at this point and wiped rain water from her face. She paused and pondered her options when she heard it again. A soft cry could be heard in between rumbles of thunder and Hinata gasped gently.
"Hello!?" She called out, her breath fogging. The faint cries continued. Hinata stepped towards the wall and leaned in a bit to discover there was someone behind the wall. There was only one more thing she could try.
Hinata took several steps backwards and then stood still for a few seconds. Her chakra flowed from inside her body and out to her fists which formed into two lions as they danced in a frenzy. Hinata leaned into her position and closed her eyes for concentration and within seconds she was speeding as fast as lightning towards the wall.
She took into account the tips from her father to block everything out; full concentration was the key. Even with the world spinning around her, she should lock into her target and it would all come around full circle. Her fist landed against the icy bricks and she half expected it to crumble. However when she stepped back, it seemed the only damage dealt was a relatively small crack.
Hinata frowned as the chakra disappeared from her hands. Her finger tips rose to lightly touch the crevice. The sobs continued which caused her motivation to sky rocket. Her hands lit up again, this time the lions were much brighter and larger as she tried again. There was desperation to break into whatever the wall was hiding. There was someone who needed her.
Slowly, chips from the bricks began to crumble out as she went back and forth with her fists. She didn't let her slow progress fool her, though, and she pushed herself even harder until several bricks fell. Hinata jumped back as dust flew and it was unsafe for her to stand so close. Shielding her eyes, she coughed a bit and waited for everything to settle.
Hinata looked up to see an opening. She hesitated at first unsure of what to expect on the other side, but she swallowed a little bit of fear and stepped over debris until she reached the opening. A cold blast of air greeted her as she looked around and she couldn't believe what she saw.
"…Another wall?!" Hinata breathed with slight frustration. The crying had gotten slightly more audible and Hinata was determined. Once again, the chakra around her fists returned and she leaped towards the bricks with the same technique.
This particular wall wasn't as tough as the first; it didn't take nearly as long for it to slowly deteriorate and crumble. Behind that wall was yet another wall, but Hinata couldn't let the frustration get the best of her. The sobs grew louder and the rain pelted down harder onto her the closer she got.
Her knuckles began to get raw from the constant force of chakra, but it didn't seem to faze her. After what felt like an eternity, the last wall crumbled with ease. Hinata fought through the debris and glanced around. It was an empty space filled with darkness. The only light that was there to see anything was the light from the holes in the series of walls. Hinata frowned and tried to squint her eyes when she saw someone lying on the ground. Breathing heavily, she sprinted towards the person and knelt down.
"Hey… are you okay?" She asked quietly. It was a child curled up and sobbing gently. Hinata reached down to touch the boy's shoulder. He stopped crying and then finally sat up to show his face. She held back a gasp. …Sasuke-kun? He sniffled and rubbed his eyes.
"I'm all alone." He pouted, his voice higher pitched. Hinata brought her fingers up to her chest in shock. He was just as she remembered that day that Sasuke had tried to befriend her, but the memory was always so blurry. Now it was clear as day. She paused to try to evaluate the situation, but she could tell that he was cold and upset.
"N-No… you aren't." Hinata whispered. "I'm here."
Sasuke's lower lip quivered gently and he looked away. Hinata smiled as rain drops streamed down her cheeks.
"You never were alone. We were always there." She said. "Naruto-kun… Sakura… Tsunade-sama… and I was e-even there." The words seemed to come out on their own because she wasn't sure why she was speaking.
"I was just protecting myself." He finally said and wiped his eyes slowly.
Hinata felt as if she had fought her way straight to Sasuke' heart—his conscious. It was a gray, raining and gloomy place to be. He put up so many walls to keep people out, but in the end, it only made the loneliness worse. It didn't protect him at all.
Sasuke turned to her and a grin erupted on his face. It caused her heart to flutter and she couldn't remember the last time she had seen Sasuke smile…perhaps not since he was a child. She could see something different in those eyes—they weren't so dark and mysterious. They twinkled with a slight glint of happiness and it brought back nostalgic feelings.
That day they met as children… there was something there. He had reached out to her not because he had to but because he wanted to. It made Hinata feel awful knowing that Sasuke could have lead such a better life had the Uchiha massacre never happened. He could have been a happy person and perhaps in the ANBU at this point.
"Hinata-chan," the young Sasuke said. "I wish I could have protected you." He held out his hand to her and her smile slowly faded with confusion. Could have? You always have… Hinata was hesitant to take his hand, but he reached out and grasped her fingers.
Suddenly the wind was knocked out from her chest as she was thrown backwards. She opened her mouth to scream, but there was nothing coming out. Sasuke was getting farther and farther away and her surroundings dissolved into complete darkness.
Hinata sat straight up and gasped for air as she looked around. The walls were gone, Sasuke was nowhere to be found, and she realized that she was in her old childhood bedroom at the Hyuuga mansion. She exhaled and then wiped beads of sweat from her forehead. Throwing the blankets off her hot body, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and tried to regain her composure.
It was a dream… but it felt so very real. Everything from the chakra pulsating through her body to the boy she found hidden away behind cold and dark walls. Her eyes widened a bit as she thought about seeing Sasuke. He couldn't have been much older than three years old. Perhaps it was her self-conscious giving her a clue on what she needed to do.
Her heart had returned to a normal rate and she glanced towards her window. The cool fall wind was creating a terrible draft in her room so she got to her feet to shut it. Hinata lingered to gaze up at the bright moon in the sky. Sasuke had been gone for a few days now. Even though she was used to not seeing the Uchiha for an extended period of time, it was still hard to keep him out of her mind.
She hoped that he was okay, but that was a silly thought. He was very capable of taking care of himself besides he was in the company of skilled ninja. Sasuke would be just fine. Hinata let her finger tips touch the cool glass as she outlined the moon. Even though she had no reason to worry about him, she did. Hinata turned away and willed herself to think of other things.
It was still late and she had several hours until her alarm would go off. Although Kiba was absent, she was still going to met with Shino still to train. Their sessions were quiet…almost too quiet without either Kiba or Akamaru there to provide some kind of distraction. Hinata ran her hands through loose wavy strands of midnight blue hair as she began to quickly braid it to rest upon her shoulder.
She got dressed for the day deciding that she would get a head start on her training. Shino would be pleased, but also concerned. He had also been worried for her safety with Kabuto on the loose although not as straight forward as Kiba. In a way, Shino was the older brother she never had offering silent support and critique when needed.
Hinata glanced over towards her window once again. The Hyuuga estate was under close watch ever since Neji had been attacked. Her father seemed cautious and made sure that there was 24 hour patrol. Hinata thought that it was strange her father asked her to stay at the Hyuuga mansion until Kabuto was found. In fact, it was right after Sasuke and the team had left that he brought it up during their heavy training. Hiashi rarely showed emotion, but he gave off a sense of worry, which in turn made her feel uneasy.
She did enjoy being in the quiet company of Neji, though, as they spent the late evenings together transcribing old Hyuuga scrolls in the clan library. It seemed no matter where she was, Hinata found herself surrounded by old books and history. It also helped Neji stay focused because he was getting impatient with his progress. Tsunade was still not guaranteeing any real results, but she wouldn't rule it out.
Hinata feared that he might have to work around just using one eye, which would put him at risk during missions. She did, however, have faith in Neji; even if he had to do that he would still be a great ninja. He certainly had the support system. Lee and Tenten visited him frequently to train. They were there simply to help him with the basics although they made sure to keep it challenging.
She knew that the Hyuuga patrol men wouldn't allow her to leave through the main doors which meant she would need to be quick out the window. With hands brought up into the seal, she was silent to activate the Byakugan and her vision did a thorough 360 around the estate. Hinata could see many sleeping Hyuuga's with slow chakra flow in their bodies, but upon seeing the patrol men, she could tell that they were on the eastern side of the mansion having a quiet conversation. Perfect.
Hinata slowly slid open her window as a blast of cool air hit her face causing her bangs to flutter. This rebellious act wasn't anything new to her—she had done it often as a teenager trying to catch up to her fellow comrades. Late night training sessions were easier for her because she didn't have to worry about slowing anyone else down. She could go at her own pace, wallow in her own defeat, gain strength from that, and rise up without feeling embarrassed. Although much of that had changed, she still struggled every so often with staying ahead.
Like a cat on the prowl, Hinata crouched on the roof of the mansion and quietly jumped downwards until the safety of the ground was beneath her hands and feet. The thrill of not obeying her Father was always strangely terrifying but exciting at the same time.
Konoha was dark and peaceful as she hid within the shadows. Her destination was actually farther out than the usual training grounds. She found an area on the outskirts up on a hill several years ago that was a good spot to completely allow herself to train without feeling like someone would stumble upon her. It was high enough that she could oversee Konoha as the sun would rise in the mornings and it had been a while since she visited it.
Upon arriving, Hinata felt a sense of nostalgia. It was just as she remembered—an open area atop a hill which was surrounded by trees. The moonlight shone down on her as if it was encouraging her to pick up where she had left off. Hinata walked into the middle of the opening and placed her hands together to form a seal. For a few moments, she stood there without calling forth any chakra. She felt uneasy.
Dropping her hands to her sides, Hinata turned to stare out over Konoha. Everything seemed peaceful but a strange feeling in her stomach caused her to think otherwise. If Kiba or Shino had been by her side, they might have felt it too. As scouters, they were trained to rely on their senses and her intuition was sending off strange alarms.
"Byakugan!" A shockwave was sent forth as the veins around her eyes became prominent. She scrunched her eyebrows in order to focus better while she scanned the village on Konoha. It was strange to think of all the sleeping townsfolk were being watched by little ol' Hinata, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary from what she could see.
Not necessarily satisfied, she allowed her eyes to return to their normal state and she sat down warily in the grass. That dream was still on her mind as she laid back to stare at the bright moon in the sky above. It was so strange. There didn't seem to be answer that she could think of as to why she might have dreamt it. In the end, Hinata blamed it on stress and unresolved feelings for the Uchiha.
A silly conversation with Kurenai popped into her mind. It was a few years ago after Hinata visited with her after she lost the clan. Hinata… maybe it's for the best. Kurenai never did agree with her Father's decisions—not even when she was a young girl. The Hyuuga Clan could live without her… but could she live without them? That question plagued her for a long time and she wasn't ready to hear the answer to it.
Kurenai always pushed her to be open and honest with the team and even with Naruto. Hinata found it difficult to do either so the opportunity to confess her feelings to the jinchuriki never came. Her sensei wanted her to find support in a man… a relationship. There was little from her clan, so perhaps it was best that she didn't end up becoming the leader. Hinata could focus on falling in love. Perhaps it's best…
Hinata frowned as she watched her breath fog up above her. It was times like this when maybe she did need someone there to encourage her and build her up, but her independence always meddled with that. Being a burden was always an obstacle. She had been a burden with her team, with her family and even with Sasuke. Hinata was working hard, though, and would continue to try to be the ninja that was expected from her.
A sudden rumble and loud explosion caused her to sit straight up. Her eyes saw fire and smoke down on the northern side of Konoha village. Hinata scrambled to her feet and her intuition had been right—something was wrong. Something was happening… Someone was here. She wasted no time in sprinting back from where she came, the entire time her mind racing. Her stomach was in knots as the fear of an attack was beginning to unfold.
Hinata hadn't made it far when another explosion shook the ground beneath her and she looked ahead. Another cloud of smoke formed into the sky; two separate explosions on the opposite sides of the village. This was not good. By now, she had arrived back in Konoha and there was panic. People were rushing out of their homes and several ninja were leaping through the town to figure out what was going on.
As a Jounin, it was her duty to head to the front lines and fight, but something was telling her otherwise—she felt compelled to go straight back to the Hyuuga estate. Hinata started to run in the direction of home as a feeling of dread washed over her. She could only think of one thing: Kabuto. What if Sasuke and his team didn't get to him in time? What if something happened to them?
The streets were filled with people running, and after a few seconds, Hinata began to see ninja fighting. She stopped and watched as Ino threw several kunai at unfamiliar enemies. Hinata could see they wore headbands with the Village of the Sound symbol. Oh no…! We're under attack!
Ino struggled as she dodged shuriken that flew at her, but she wasn't fast enough for the next round. Hinata leaped in front of her and released a wind of chakra from her hand which caused the shuriken to blow the opposite direction.
"What's happening!?" Hinata shrieked as she helped Ino up to her feet.
"I don't know… the market district was rigged with paper bombs. My family's shop is destroyed! I came out to see what was going on, and from the looks of it… Sound Ninja." Ino said, as she applied healing chakra to a cut on her arm.
Hinata looked around and dodged an attack from a man. She bent downwards as he swung at her with a kunai, then her hands surged with chakra. Hinata lodged two fingers into the man's chest, making sure to land a fatal blow to the heart.
"I have to get home… Are you going to be okay?" Hinata asked as the man fell to the ground. Ino nodded.
"I'm going to find Chouji. Be careful, Hinata." She said. Before either could say another word, another explosion went off, this time on the western side. Hinata fell to her knees as the ground shook violently. The last time an infiltration of Konoha happened was when Orochimaru came during the Chuunin exams. Hinata didn't remember much from it, but many lost their lives.
"Oh no… another one!" Ino scrambled to her feet. They shared a look. It wasn't fear, but a mutual feeling of looking after loved ones. Hinata took a deep breath and began to sprint down the street. On her way, several Sound Ninja had approached her, and usually it would have intimidated her, but Hinata didn't have the time to address her fears. Just like any other mission, fear was replaced by adrenaline and she managed to fight them off.
Hinata was never good at killing. For a long time she would avoid fatal attacks and simply harm them enough to keep herself safe. This was more personal—these ninja were here to kill her. As if on auto-pilot, Hinata's hands lit up with chakra with each enemy and she avoided kunai with swift movements. She was a Jounin after all and for good reason.
It seemed like an eternity as she finally made her way closer towards the Hyuuga mansion. Although when she arrived, it was a disaster. The entire place was filled with Sound Ninja—even more than the streets of Konoha. She didn't have time to ponder the situation. Neji was in the yard fighting three of them off and not doing so well.
"Neji-niisan!" Hinata whispered and raced forward.
His Byakugan was activated in only one eye as he stood in the stance for the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. It had been a very long time since Neji had used the jutsu, of course, since his eye had been compromised. Although it was very difficult to reach all the right places to block the chakra in his enemies, he still found it rather successful, as the three Sound Ninja were thrown back defeated.
"Hinata-sama!" Neji said as she reached him. He gritted his teeth and fell to his knees but she was there to lodge herself under his arm.
"Neji-niisan… what is going on?" She whispered through the chaos. There wasn't a Hyuuga ninja that wasn't fighting for their lives as she looked around. It was a shock-wave that rippled through her body like a shiver.
"He's here… I have to protect Hanabi-sama." Neji said as he tried to support his own weight. Her stomach dropped. He's here. That could only mean one person—Kabuto. He was there for the Byakugan and in theory he had a wide selection.
Not only was this man strong, but he was brilliant. He had created diversions with the explosions to keep the suspicion off of the Hyuuga district. Each explosion was rigged on opposite sides of the village… and with their district in the middle it was no longer a priority to protect.
"Father!" A scream echoed in the yard. It was Hanabi, but she was no where to be found.
"Check the gardens!" Hinata said in a panic. As they reached the entrance of the gates, Neji stopped as he fell to his hands and knees in pain. His hand shot up to his forehead. He overused his Byakugan which was quicker to wear out with only one working eye. Hinata was there to try to help him up again, but he refused.
"Hinata-sama… you have to go!" Neji said. She looked at her cousin and could tell he wouldn't be able to fight anymore. "He can't get the Byakugan!"
Hinata hesitated as her low self-esteem began to kick in. What if I can't save him!? What if I fail? What will happen?
"I have faith in you. We all do." Neji said quietly. Hinata looked at him once again and all the anger from her entire life began to boil underneath her skin—losing to Neji at the Chuunin exams, working day and night to live up to her father's expectations, the let down of losing her clan… it was all coming forth in her body turning into pure adrenaline.
"… I won't let him get it." She said with a boost of confidence. Neji nodded as Hinata stood up and sprinted in the Hyuuga gardens. Her mind raced with fear, anxiety and almost excitement and Hinata thought that her heart would beat its way out of her chest as her sister came into view. Hanabi was on the ground grasping her thigh with a pained expression. Hinata immediately was at her side.
"Are you okay!?" She breathed. Hanabi gritted her teeth and tried to compose herself.
"That bastard cut the muscles in my legs with his chakra… He has Father!"
Hinata looked over her shoulder and suddenly felt ill. Kabuto was indeed here. It was a sickening image to see; he was able to manipulate his body like a snake that wrapped itself around her Father. His arms were stretched with a scalpel up towards his eyes. Hinata almost didn't believe it—Hiashi was the strongest person she knew and here Kabuto was treating him as if he was a helpless prey.
"Don't worry…" Hinata hoped that it sounded believable as her sister grabbed her wrist.
"Hinata… be careful." Hanabi whispered. Hinata slowly nodded and then stood up.
She raced forward, reaching into her pack of ninja tools and grabbed several shuriken. Leaping into the air, Hinata threw them with all her might towards Kabuto. With quick precision and still wrapped tightly around Hiashi, he looked over at her. His jaw unhinged itself and a large snake's head poked his head out of his mouth and slithered downwards. It extended out blocking each of her shuriken before sliding out onto the ground. It slowly began morphing into a human body and finally revealed another Kabuto.
Hinata didn't have time to comprehend what had happened as the second Kabuto held out his arms and several more snakes emerged from within his sleeves. They shot out at Hinata, who leapt backwards into the flowers, quickly avoiding them. However, after each leap, they were back at her heels.
This is no good… I need to get rid of these snakes! She sprinted forward and then jumped to land upon the black gate that surrounded the gardens. This allowed her enough time to reach into her pack to grab two shuriken in each hand, but just as expected they were up in the air to attack. Hinata jumped up as the snakes came crashing down from above inevitably destroying the cast iron gate.
Her hands lit up with chakra as she leaped into the air once again, and with the circling lions, she threw the shuriken perfectly slicing through the snakes. They hissed falling to the ground before melting into slime. Hinata immediately felt someone upon her as the second Kabuto landed behind her with a kunai. He narrowly missed as she ducked, grabbing her own kunai from her pack, and meeting his second blow.
She leapt backwards to give herself some room, but he wouldn't allow it. With each swing, he was pushing her farther and farther away from her Father. Flowers were being sliced as petals filled the air around them. Kabuto could sense her desperation and he smirked.
"Sasuke-kun isn't here to rescue you… your cousin can barely see. And your father is currently having his eye cut out." Kabuto said as kunai pushed through hers knocking it clean out of her hand. He took advantage of this and swung the blade at her. As she attempted to dodge it, she could feel it slice through her arm and a surge of pain exploded.
"What are you going to do now, Hinata-san?"
Hinata ignored the throbbing pain and threw her hands together quickly to form a seal. Her Byakugan was activated and she could see Kabuto's chakra flowing through his body. Even though it was similar to a shadow clone, his chakra was flowing at an incredible rate. Her hands began to glow blue and he leaned forward to hit her again. This time, instead of dodging, she allowed him to slice her shoulder because it gave her easy access to grab his arm.
With two fingers, Hinata lodged them into a vital chakra point into his arm holding the kunai. Immediately the blade fell from his hand and he glared at her. She leaped forward at him with those chakra-infused hands and he knew very well the damage she could cause him with them. Hinata could feel a smirk forming on her lips as he avoided her close combat. It's working…!
Even though she wasn't touching him, her gentle fist was very close to his internal organs and if he wasn't careful, his clone would be gone and in turn affect him back at his original body. With a useless arm, Kabuto was unable to form the seals in order to summon or do much of anything, but he wasn't finished yet. A snake slithered down his arm slowly which caused her to leap backwards in caution.
The snake came at her with great speed and as it opened its mouth, a blade emerged. Hinata feared she wouldn't be quick enough to avoid it. Everything about Kabuto was quick and as swift as she was, she had a hard time keeping up.
A light emerged from the sky, almost like lightning. It came down like a blade, cutting the snake in half. The head of the snake fell at Hinata's feet and she looked up stunned. A giant brown hawk swooped down and sitting on its back was Uchiha Sasuke. He stood up and then threw something out to her. Hinata knew exactly what it was. There was no time to spare so she ran and leaped up in the air to grab it, and then landed on her feet.
Unlike before with the smaller shuriken, this required more. A large amount of chakra flowed from her hands covering the large shuriken and she sprinted forward in order to get a fair amount of energy before she let it fly towards Kabuto, who didn't seem all too impressed. He simply smirked and moved out of the way of the lion shuriken and then he laughed.
"That's all you've got, Hinata-san?" Kabuto cried. Hinata smirked and falling to one knee, she pulled back the thin wire that had been attached to the shuriken and like a boomerang it came back. This time, Kabuto didn't have enough time to dodge the attack and it sliced through the clone which disappeared into the strange slime onto the ground.
Hyuuga Hinata was really taking after Sasuke with sneaky, yet brilliant moves. He wouldn't show it, but a slightly proud feeling pumped through his body. The hawk disappeared and Sasuke landed in the gardens next to Hinata who was astonished that he was standing right next to her.
"Sasuke-kun!" She gasped. A wave of relief washed over her. Hinata knew that she was alright on her own but it was nice knowing that there was someone else there to help in cases like that. She thought about throwing her arms around him and never let go.
Their reunion was cut short by a blood curling scream. Hinata whipped around and watched as Hanabi crawled helplessly across the gardens to the body on the ground. Hinata suddenly felt sick as her surroundings got blurry. Her fears had come true. The limp body on the ground was her father Hyuuga Hiashi.
Without thinking, she sprinted over towards her father. Please… no. No! It felt like an eternity before she arrived at Hiashi's side and she fell in a heap next to him. Her heart beat was loud in her ears as she observed his condition. His hand was tightly covered over his right eye while blood seeped through his fingers. There was also blood trickling out of his mouth and down his chin. She placed one of her hands over his that was gripping his eye as if it would help.
"F-Father…!" Hinata whispered. He coughed and Hinata could feel her entire body becoming numb. There wasn't sadness, anguish or anything… just numbness and complete disbelief. Her father was strong. How? How did this happen? How did she let this happen?
"…Hinata." Her father could barely speak. She nodded gently while her other fingers began to wipe away the blood on his chin. Hinata felt so helpless. Hanabi had reached them as well, grasping her father's robes tightly in her hand.
"Hanabi…" He croaked and it was at this point where Hinata wished that she had some sort of medical knowledge. Her father was dying and there was nothing she could.
"F-Father… we need to get you to the hospital!" Hinata whispered. He slowly shook his head and tried to take a deep breath, but there was severe internal damage especially in his lungs. It would cause more damage to lift the man and there was little to no chance he would survive.
"Please… Hinata. Hanabi." Hiashi tried to say without going into a bloody coughing fit. Sasuke, who was standing just a few feet away, watched silently. There wasn't anything he could say or do. He recalled thinking if he ever saw Hyuuga Hiashi fighting for his life, he wouldn't bother to help.
Death was never really an issue to him. Ninja died and it was just the fact of life. Sasuke tried to keep his mind blank, but it was painful to watch. Of course he felt sympathy as Hiashi was on his final breaths, but there was also a feeling of guilt. He told Hiashi to protect Hinata when it was he that needed protecting.
"Hanabi… you have become… an amazing leader." Hiashi took several pauses as it became harder for him to speak. "Hinata… you have… impressed me the most."
Hinata stared hard at her father trying to figure out if she should believe him or not. It was a selfish feeling. Never in her entire life had she heard such words from the dying man at her knees. Even after becoming a Jounin, Hiashi only offered her stiff advice on how to maintain such a great title.
"Kabuto… has… the Byakugan." Hiashi paused to grunt as the pain became even more unbearable. "He must be stopped..."
Hiashi paused to cough again, this time with such violence that Hinata thought of getting to her feet and running away. What could she do? All of her problems in life she ignored but this one was something she knew she needed to face.
"Father…" Hanabi whispered. Hinata looked up at her little sister and she saw something she had never seen before. Tears were streaming down her face like rampant rivers and the chaos from outside the broken gate was beginning to subside as it seemed the Sound had retreated. Kabuto got what he came for. Hinata wanted to cry, but there weren't any tears coming to her eyes. She had trained herself not to let her emotions get the best of her like before.
"Uchiha." Hiashi said through gritted teeth. Sasuke was surprised when his name was brought up. He stepped forward and knelt down at the feet of the eldest Hyuuga.
"Please…" His voice was now a whisper. "Please… protect Hinata."
It was at this point where Sasuke felt déjà vu overtake his mind again. This time, the puzzle pieces fit together with ease. His memories began to color themselves in. Perhaps it was the Hyuuga gardens or maybe it was because the man before him was dying. Sasuke remembered his promise and he remembered why he always had such bitterness towards Hiashi. It was like a light switch in his mind.
The memory was crystal clear; everything from holding Hinata's hand through the gate to her father forbidding their friendship. Lying in front of him now was a dying man's wish—for Sasuke to protect the very thing he was against.
Sasuke was silent with his gaze fixating on Hinata. She was staring down at her father with such apathy. His lips formed a thin line and he looked back over at Hiashi. Sasuke nodded, not sure what to say.
"Hiashi-sama!" Several Hyuuga ninja had found their way through the gardens and were now crowding around them. Hinata stood up hesitantly and watched her father feeling extremely helpless. They began attempting several medical jutsus to help ease the internal bleeding, but it was simply too late. It was a strange surreal feeling and she felt her knees starting to shake. Her vision was blurry.
Father. I promised everyone I would save you… and save the Byakugan. The men's voices were distant, the blood on her knees from kneeling at her father's side was beginning to dry and her stomach was nauseous. She looked slowly down at the blood on her hands. The only sound she could hear was her loud heart beat. Hinata felt something upon her shoulder and Sasuke was attempting to help keep her balance.
She looked at him as if she had no idea where she was. Hinata was extremely confused at this point and she tried to push him off her. Run. I have to run. Her brain was sending signals to her feet and the muscles in her legs, but nothing was happening. She could hear Sasuke's faint voice but she couldn't make out the words. Her entire body was heavy and she didn't think she could keep her eyes open any longer. Hinata finally gave in and let herself slip out of consciousness. The last thing she saw was the look on Sasuke's face—it was blank as it always was but she could have sworn there was a glint of something in his eyes.
A crack of thunder shook the walls in Sasuke's loft which caused his eyes to slowly open. They stared at the time on the clock next to his bed. A minute before my alarm… With a heavy sigh he rolled over onto his stomach and he remained there until the dull beeping of his clock reminded him of today's agenda.
Reaching out, Sasuke slammed his fist onto the clock and slowly sat up. Everything was quiet around him except for the soft rain drops on the roof above. It always seemed when there was a funeral, the sky also wept. His eyes travelled around his room and then they stopped at the drawer of his desk. Inside were the scrolls highlighting the assassination of Hyuuga Hiashi and Hyuuga Hinata. He suddenly stood up and approached the dresser.
Sasuke slowly opened the drawer and removed the scrolls. He held them in his hands and just simply stared. For some reason, he was hoping that they would give him an answer of how he should feel. Sasuke wasn't sad nor was he happy. There was no word he could attach to the feeling he felt. It was a mix of guilt and empathy, but even those words didn't fit correctly.
After a few moments, Sasuke raised his other hand to form half of a seal, which slowly let the scrolls in his hand burn with a heatless flame. It was a secret jutsu to burn important documents without leaving behind a trace. No one else needed to know about these scrolls although it was pretty insignificant to date. He watched as the ashes disappeared in his palm and then he stood there without much motivation to move forward.
Sasuke hadn't spoken to Hinata since she collapsed four days ago. Tsunade said she suffered from blood loss from her two wounds which in turn caused confusion, light headed-ness and slow reaction time. It also didn't help that her father perished from his wounds just ten minutes later. Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and recalled Hiashi's final wishes.
Protect Hinata. It was simple enough. It was what he had been doing all along except Sasuke had resisted it before on his own selfish reasons. The reason now seemed clear. He went back to that day he met Hinata as a small girl; she was so scared and lonely… just like he had been after his Clan's demise.
The photograph that Hinata gave him a few months ago was taken just minutes after Hiashi forbade their friendship. He was naïve at that age and it was his first real taste at what disappointment was. Sasuke could even remember how silly he felt in front of Hinata when his kunai failed to stick into the tree.
Throughout his days at the Academy, his brain focused on getting as strong as Itachi. He rarely saw the Hyuuga in his classes. Even if she was near him, she was so quiet and blended in with her surroundings. As he got older, Sasuke just stopped caring about his class mates altogether. He had one goal and there wasn't much else he concentrated on. Sasuke had forgotten all about her and the promise he made.
Although their friendship was brief, it still meant something to him. Deep in the darkness of Sasuke's heart, there was something there keeping him from feeling so afraid and lonely. He wouldn't tell a soul how he felt even though Naruto witnessed his initial panic back in the Sound.
As soon as Kabuto had disappeared, Sasuke knew the only way he would be able to get back to Konoha was if he summoned a hawk and left the team behind. The entire memory was blurry; his adrenaline had gone into full overdrive, but Naruto understood. It was what he would have done. In fact, Sasuke was surprised Naruto didn't accompany him. He was always one to put his life on the line for his friends as well, but maybe he secretly knew that this was something Sasuke had to do on his own.
It seemed absurd and uncharacteristic of him so he stopped thinking about it as he put on his full black attire for the funeral. Another bolt of lightning flashed into his loft which was followed with a soft rumble. His mind went blank as he sat on the edge of his bed just staring at his feet.
Hanabi approached him just a day after Hiashi's death. Sasuke had been doing an early morning training session when he caught her watching him. At first he thought it was Hinata, but there was a different feeling in her presence. Hinata's was soft and gentle; Hanabi's was sharp and persistent. Sasuke thought about ignoring her but instead he had stopped what he was doing and just stared at her.
She really had no idea who she was dealing with—Hanabi had never met Sasuke nor was she aware of just how off putting he was. Nonetheless, his behavior didn't seem to bother her. Sasuke noticed Hinata's sister stood taller, focused easier, and had a stronger tone of voice.
"As the Hyuuga leader, I would like to extend my gratitude to you." Hanabi said awaiting a response. Sasuke turned from her and threw the unattended kunai in his hand to the target on the tree.
"I did nothing." He eventually grunted with his back still turned to her.
"… I disagree." Her voice seemed confused and she stepped forward a bit. "You came to our aid. You came to Hinata's side and—"
"She doesn't need protection." Sasuke suddenly said and crossed his arms across his chest. Hanabi was silent. Sasuke was a complete mystery to her. There was a few passing moments where neither said anything.
"She needs her clan." Sasuke finally said and then turned as he began to walk past her. Hanabi stared at him while a thin line formed on her lips.
"Wait." She said. He stopped simply to hear her out. "I… The Hyuuga Clan would like you, Uchiha Sasuke, at my father's funeral. I know that our people have never gotten along, but… I feel like it would mean a lot to Hinata."
Sasuke felt his shoulders tense up at the mention of their feuding clans and he wondered what good it would do. Perhaps it was just something more for Hinata to know that the man she had been dreaming endlessly of was there to offer his respect not only for her father… but her as well.
He never gave Hanabi a response and for those next few days he was against going. It wasn't because Sasuke was busy or didn't care—it meant he was coming closer and closer to addressing his feelings for the whole situation.
Sasuke was never one to sympathize. Any general feeling of pity for someone was usually forgotten because he had more important things to do. Without much motive anymore, Sasuke was settling comfortably into a normal life. Although now that Kabuto had the Byakugan, it was causing Tsunade to have to make quick decisions.
The ANBU infiltrated the Sound the day before but found it completely abandoned. The entire village was stripped and it meant that Kabuto could be anywhere. For all Tsunade knew, Orochimaru had been reincarnated already and was in hiding. There was no definitive proof yet, but it was likely.
A knock at Sasuke's door caused his thoughts to disperse and he stood up from his bed. Outside his loft were Naruto and Sakura, who were also dressed in their black clothes for the funeral. Normally, a clan would hold a private funeral but Hyuuga Hiashi was a well-respected man in Konoha. The Fifth Hokage arranged for a special funeral service to take place in the graveyard dedicated to those ninja who died in combat such as Asuma-sensei.
No one said a word as they walked the rainy streets of Konoha. Over 40% of the village was in repair due to the explosions so many shops were closed. The ones that weren't affected were closed due to respect of the lives lost just days prior. The former Team Seven walked through the weeping streets while stepping over debris.
Upon arriving at the grave yard, there were a lot more people at the funeral than Sasuke figured there would be. Of course there was the entire Hyuuga clan, along with many comrades to Hinata including much of the Rookie Nine. Sasuke wondered if there would have been this much community support for his clan.
Following Naruto and Sakura, Sasuke stood next to them in the crowd as it seemed everyone was settling down. His blank eyes glanced up at the front seeing the closed casket and then they lingered at the immediate family who stood beside it. He could see Hanabi, her husband, Neji and Hinata. Her usual braid was absent which left her long hair to flutter every so often in the rainy breeze. Her eyes were focused on her feet and her hands were held firmly together in front of her.
"Hyuuga Hiashi," said Hanabi over a rumble of thunder. Everyone stood still with their heads lowered as the services began. "He was a leader, a husband, a father, and a strong Konoha ninja. Many sought him for his quick and critical thinking. Hiashi was also a very successful leader of the Hyuuga clan for over twenty years."
Sasuke couldn't help but keep his gaze forward as Hanabi continued to talk. He was observing Hinata trying to gauge her. There were no tears streaming down her stoic face and she stood very still. She seemed to be in complete shock over her father's death. Or Hinata was trying to be strong and not look weak in front of her peers. He frowned at that thought and then looked away from her.
He had never heard of her mother being in the picture so he assumed she was dead. Her father was dead now. He remembered feeling the same way she did; numb and incapable of feeling sorrow. It was dangerous to hold in the grief—Sasuke was a perfect example of that. Hinata had lost a lot in her life but he knew that she was strong.
Protect Hinata. Those words would loop in his mind every so often and it was especially distracting during the funeral services. Protecting someone was a purpose and Sasuke was looking for a purpose. However he didn't think that Hinata would even allow him to become her personal body guard nor would she even allow it. She was a grown woman and ranked as a Jounin. Hinata didn't need to be physically protected but perhaps mentally supported.
Hinata's eyes remained lowered as Hanabi spoke of their father. The cold rain drops splashed on her ivory skin and as Neji stood next to her and she could feel how tense and uncomfortable he was. She felt that her cousin had been closer to Hiashi than she was. In a way, she blamed herself for not being there soon enough or just being stronger in general to save him. Hinata felt more guilt than she did grief. Had she of been quicker, more precise, smarter and more powerful, Hiashi would have lived to see another day and the Byakugan would have been safe.
Much to her surprise, no one in the clan pointed fingers. Instead, the Hyuuga Council offered their condolences and had already begun working on finding information on Kabuto. Revenge was on the brain of many but she knew that it might already be too late. It was a never ending battle when one was a ninja. There were enemies around every corner and loved ones saying good-bye too soon. She wondered when there would be a morning where she awoke with a smile.
The service wasn't short and it wasn't long. It was the perfect amount of time for everyone to pay their respects. The rain was still lightly dropping down as the coffin was lowered into the ground and the loose dirt was shoveled on top.
"Hinata," Her eyes watched in an almost trance as the last of the dirt was added. She turned around to see Shino, Kiba and Kurenai. Hinata smiled gently.
"Thank you all f-for coming… Shino-kun, Kiba-kun and Kurenai-sensei."
Kurenai wiped some water from her forehead and let her hand rest upon Hinata's shoulders. She had been absent for quite some time in Konoha with several missions so it was comforting to see her sensei there.
"Hinata… Please take some time off of training." Kurenai said. Hinata's small smile faded away and she slipped a damp lock of hair behind her ear.
"I appreciate that but I would feel better if I continued to train." She said quietly. Kiba frowned at her before stepping forward a bit.
"You should really just take it easy." He said and Shino put his hands into his pockets.
"Don't use training as an excuse to avoid your grief, Hinata." Shino said. She stared at him as if he was reading her thoughts. Training was an easy way to keep her mind off of things, but it seemed pointless to argue with her team mates. Hinata simply nodded.
Her team said their good-byes and several other acquaintances approached her as well; from Tenten to the Fifth Hokage they offered their sympathy and support. Even Naruto was there with an apology and a soft smile. She used to adore those big blue eyes and his grin usually made her weak in the knees. Hinata noticed that her heart rate hadn't changed and there wasn't a hint of color on her cheeks as they spoke.
People change. Life switches directions. Lessons are learned. Hearts break. The one thing that Hinata failed to see was that hearts also mend. Change is sometimes for the better, life is always going up and down and lessons are meant to be learned.
After a while, the grave yard became empty as the rain had picked up a bit. Everyone had left except Neji and Hinata. They stood in the rain, simply staring at the tomb stone. Hinata glanced over at him and wondered when things would feel normal again.
"We shouldn't stand in the rain for too long," Neji's voice broke through the sounds of falling rain drops. Hinata didn't respond for a few minutes. For some reason, she wasn't ready to leave.
"I won't be long…" She said. Neji looked at her and was about to object but he understood. He nodded and turned to leave to her thoughts. Hinata stepped forward and her hands touched the tomb stone.
For a while, she thought of the tender moments between them like when she finally awakened her Byakugan. Hiashi didn't say much, but the small smile that he showed was like one thousand compliments. It must have meant something if she could still recall the swelling feeling of pride. Or whenever Hiashi needed a document or book from the top of the book shelf, he would reach down to pick her up so she could get it for him.
Hinata finally decided it was time for her to say goodbye. Her fingertips brushed over the engraved name of her father and she lingered enough to whisper something. She turned around to see Uchiha Sasuke standing a few feet behind her. Hinata gasped a bit as she was caught off guard, but she didn't say anything or move. His eyes stared into hers until she got uncomfortable and looked away. Hinata wasn't sure what to say. There were a lot of things that she wanted him to know about, like how she was thankful he arrived in time, and how she couldn't stop thinking about him. Sasuke wasn't the type to have that kind of conversation with and she wasn't capable of saying those things anyway.
She folded her hands in front of her and took a few steps to walk past him. He held out his arm to block her path and Hinata gazed up at him.
"You can cry if you want." Sasuke said almost sheepishly. Hinata's frown deepened. He was so observant it almost gave her goose bumps.
"I'm okay." Her voice was quiet in the rain and he let his arm fall to his side. She remained standing there, though, as if she was waiting for him to say something more.
"If you won't cry, then do something else. You can't keep it inside." He suddenly said his eyes settling on the tombstone. Hinata was silent because he was right. If anyone was to know how to deal with tragedy, it was the Uchiha.
"H-How did you do it?" She whispered as the rain drops wetted her lips. Sasuke closed his eyes and thought back to how he struggled with the same feelings. It was one thing to lose a parent, but it was another to witness their pointless murder.
"How did you handle it?" Hinata asked once more after the silence became too unbearable. Sasuke opened his eyes and extended his hand to catch rain in his palm.
"I didn't." Sasuke said blankly. She looked away from him but to her surprise he continued. "I didn't do a lot of things I should have. I blindly fell right into my brother's plan and it ended up being a waste of time."
This was the most he had ever opened up to her. It was a small insight into the dark and scary mind of Uchiha Sasuke, but Hinata didn't think that it was so bad. Everyone had their demons and maybe she was accustomed to his behavior now.
"You did what you thought was right." She tried to reassure him but he shrugged his shoulders as he turned his hand to let the water drip out.
"Don't let the guilt torment you." Sasuke suggested, his dark eyes meeting hers. "You can't save everyone."
It was a silent rule; as a ninja you can't become emotionally attached. It was easier said than done and she always had a hard time with it, but lately it had gotten better. Hinata simply nodded her head lowering. Without thinking, she turned and latched onto him. Hinata's arms were tight around his waist and she buried her face into his chest.
Hinata just needed comfort. She didn't need the 'tough love' that came with being a Jounin. Her entire life was built on that concept—the strenuous trainings with her father, the belittling, the lack of support... It was all too much to handle at times. Hinata just wanted to be near him although she couldn't explain why.
She could feel Sasuke tense up to her touch but she didn't release her grip. His breath hitched as she held onto him. He thought about resisting because it was his first instinct. The voice in his head was telling him to push her away because he didn't need her but the walls around his heart were crumbling. His arms slowly slid around her waist and he felt her shoulders relax.
It was a strange moment of pure bliss for her. She was usually hesitant for these situations especially when it came to Kiba, but this was different. Everything from the soft scent of flowers in his shirt to the way his heart beat nervously in his chest was almost sweet and endearing. Maybe this was the way to knock down the walls and force her way in. For a while, they just stood there in their embrace. Sasuke knew that this would help put her mind at ease and it wasn't so bad for him either even though he might say otherwise.
Hinata pulled away to look up at the sky, her hands coming around to rest on his chest. The rain was slowly coming to a halt and it seemed as if the sun was fighting desperately to light up the dark land below. She looked back down at Sasuke who was just inches from her face his arms still at her waist. Her cheeks grew warm and a soft pink tint colored them. She thought for a millisecond that Sasuke might kiss her.
"You've grown from the little girl I remember." Sasuke suddenly said and Hinata was left speechless. He remembers. It caused her lips to tug into a small smile. A blast of wind shot down and it seemed to encircle them. Hinata tried to shield her eyes as her hair whipped around and just as quick as it came, it was gone. She stepped back and looked to her father's grave.
Hinata wondered if maybe he was still watching over her. She didn't know what happened when people passed, but there was always a thought in her mind that the souls still lingered. Even though her mother died when Hinata was young, there were times during battle with enemies that she felt the presence of her mother encouraging her to keep going. Sometimes when she was sitting alone in the library, there was a womanly scent that would appear out of nowhere.
Another smile was formed on her lips. Even though her father asked Sasuke to protect her, he was still protective himself in spirit. She stood up a little straighter and then bowed slightly at the tombstone.
"Thank you… for everything, Father."