Hinata thought she had long gotten rid of her anxious habit of playing with her fingers, but as she sat in the crossfire of Sasuke's and Naruto's gazes, she couldn't help but repeat the motion of intertwingling and unlocking them.
Ino's vanilla scent danced around the room as she set up a silencing barrier, making sure every unwanted ear was kept out. Once she was done, she slid on the chair across Hinata and placed her forearms on the table.
The air stilled and the absence of words made Hinata's head hurt. The even breathing that had rocked her into sleep during the first night she had spent in this unfamiliar reality was now ragged, sounding as though its owner could break down any moment.
Carefully shifting her gaze at the man, she was greeted with an unusually pale face and lips pressed into a thin line.
Hinata didn't dare to let her gaze wander slightly to the left.
Ino tapped on the flat of the table with her fingertips as she cleared her throat. "I will start."
Hinata concentrated on a wisp of Ino's hair that escaped her hair clip as the blonde woman turned her head to look at the two men standing next to them.
Wetting her lips, Ino's gaze settled on Naruto. "We were able to watch some of Hinata's memories. I couldn't detect any signs that would imply they were implanted by someone else or fabricated by her own mind. She isn't under any genjutsu and her memories are real. She's indeed from an alternate reality."
Hinata had always admired Ino's professionalism. She had just been shocked by dimension travel and the possible loss of the Hinata she knew, but her voice did not tremble or crack. Calm and collected, Ino waited for Naruto to show any sign of comprehension.
A whisper so low that Hinata thought it was only a play of her mind came from Naruto's direction. "I understand."
The pain that hid behind those two words wrapped itself around Hinata's neck with invisible fingers, slowly tightening the grasp. Swallowing the desire to fall on her knees and apologize to him for the mess she had caused, Hinata rolled her shoulders back.
The truth was finally out, but right now, for a brief moment, she wished they could've lived forever believing she had just gone insane.
"Someone's mindscape tells a lot about the person," Ino continued, her fingertips now pushed against the wooden material. "Hinata's mindscape visualizes itself in the form of a forest which indicates that her deepest desire is to find peace and balance, a harmonious life."
A small smile flickered across Hinata's face. All she had ever wanted was to live a harmonious life and yet, it seemed to be too much to ask for.
Ino's gaze rested on Hinata's smile for a short moment before her irises moved up and she stared into the lavender eyes.
"However, the forest also indicates that she can't let go of a past event." Hinata's smile quickly distorted into a suppressed grimace. "And the breeze that accompanied it emphasizes the hardships of accepting something that cannot be changed."
Ino's eyes traveled lower and abruptly, Hinata became aware of what she was doing—she had been squeezing the edge of the table with both hands. Prying her fingers off, she hid the shaking limbs between her thighs.
The corner of Ino's lips quirked up, offering a sympathetic smile before she turned to the men in the room again. "Hinata's memories were stored in leaves. Despite what you may think, it's not common for someone with a forest mindscape. Leaves represent death and life at the same time. It's usually rather hard to explain," Ino paused to take a deep breath, turning her head toward Hinata again, "but I think it makes sense now."
Sucking in air, Hinata balled her fists hidden between her thighs. The leaves, sadly, weren't a new addition to her mindscape. Hinata often wondered what her mindscape had looked like before all the misfortunate events that took place.
Even though she was functioning, her lungs expanded and shrunk, and her brain was able to think, she had died so many times.
She had died when Naruto and Sakura did.
She had died once again with Kiba.
She had died clutching the cold, stiff hands of her sister and father.
The only thing that kept the faint light of life alive inside her heart was the family that existed a whole reality away.
Pale fingers roamed on milky skin, tracing the curves of a thin waistline. As they brushed the faint, purple stretch marks on her belly, small bumps appeared on the skin of Hinata's arm.
The moonlight shone onto Sasuke's eyes, making them glisten with a blueish gleam. As Hinata squirmed under the gentle touches of his fingertips, he smirked and pushed his body against her lithe frame.
She arched her back as Sasuke's teeth nibbled on her earlobes, stealing a low moan out of her. Tangling her fingers into raven hair, Hinata closed her eyes as Sasuke's mouth found its way down to her collarbone, leaving behind warm, wet spots.
"Mommy?"
Sasuke and Hinata burst apart immediately upon hearing the unsure whispering. Sasuke turned to his side on the farthest end of the double bed, pretending to be asleep while Hinata swung herself into a sitting position, pulling at her top to make sure it covered everything it should.
Her eyes focused on two of her children, standing in the doorway on a moonlit spot. Aiko sucked on her finger while hugging her plushie bunny against her chest while Kosuke held her other hand.
"What's wrong?" Hinata breathed out.
"Aiko-chan had a nightmare," Kosuke whispered, tightening his grip around the small hand. "She came to my room, but she didn't want to sleep. I think she would sleep better here."
A loving smile stretched over Hinata's face as she slid to the edge of the bed and lifted the covers. Kosuke gave Aiko's hand a slight tug, encouraging her to move. With stumbling steps, the little girl walked over to the bed, not letting go of her brother's hand even for a moment.
Hinata picked her up and put her in between Sasuke and herself, and Aiko immediately snuggled up to Hinata's waist. Next to the bed, Kosuke shifted his weight from one leg to the other, a sparkle of longing shining in his black eyes.
"Good night," he mumbled.
The child turned to leave, but Hinata's voice stopped him. "Kosuke." The way she pronounced the name sounded like it contained all the love in the world.
Hinata glared at the empty space between Aiko and Sasuke, giving an urging motion with her head. Kosuke's eyes flickered from Hinata to Sasuke's back, pushing a finger between his lips.
Abruptly, Sasuke reached back and patted the bedsheet. Kosuke's face lit up and he dashed forward. The bed shook as he jumped into it and crawled under the blanket.
That night, Hinata drifted into sleep while watching Kosuke pushing his forehead against his father's back in his tranquil sleep. The last thing she remembered before the realm of dreams took her was Aiko holding onto her top so tightly that she almost ripped it off.
"Hinata?"
Her eyes focused on the blonde kunoichi in front of her, raised from her seat and leaning forward. Blinking, Hinata suddenly realized her gaze had become hazy with tears pooling in them.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, wiping away the cold drops that slowly streamed down her cheeks.
From the corner of her eyes, she spotted a tuft of blond hair moving and a warm hand slid on her shoulder with a gentle squeeze. "Let it out."
Stiffening under the unexpected touch, Hinata scrubbed away the physical evidence of her breaking heart. "It's not the right time. Let's continue, Ino. Please."
With a reluctant bobbing of her head, Ino continued, "She showed us memories before and after our realities parted."
"What about?" Naruto inquired, his hand still resting on Hinata's shoulder.
Feeling Naruto's palm on her body sent jolts of chilling coldness through Hinata's entire being, leaving her with a phantom feeling of choking for air. Not knowing if the supporting gesture was meant for her or for the person she was supposed to be, she gripped the hem of her shirt to hinder herself from reaching up to touch the soft hand.
"Our first chuunin exam, Pain's attack on Konoha, your funeral, Naruto…" Ino paused and Hinata wondered if she wanted to give Naruto time to process what had been said or herself to figure out how to put the next memory into the most neutral words possible. "And about her family life."
Naruto's fingers twitched on Hinata's shoulder before they slowly slipped off. The sudden lightness on her shoulders as the gentle weight disappeared left Hinata uncomfortably aware of cold sweat running down her spine.
"So, what about—"
"Did you know about it?" Sasuke cut Naruto off, his voice strangely hard and heavy. The glare he was inspecting Naruto with stilled the tense air in the room.
Naruto glared back. "Sakura-chan was sure it's only a genjutsu."
"You should've mentioned it in your letter."
"We didn't know what we were up against. But would it have changed anything? Would you have come earlier? Would you have just believed it without questions?" Naruto cocked an eyebrow, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Sasuke closed his eyes and Hinata's gaze gravitated toward his hand, half-hidden under his cape. White knuckles gripped the hilt of his katana before the tight clutch opened and the arm straightened. Her irises traveled up until they locked with a dark eye not covered by black hair as its owner declared, "No."
"I thought the same." Naruto's dejected sigh could easily mean regret or relief. Hinata wished she knew which emotion stretched behind it. "What about her last memory? Could you see what happened exactly?"
"Yes, we could and—" Ino started, but a gruff voice interjected.
"It was Orochimaru," Sasuke stated, his gaze narrowing.
Naruto's eyes bulged. "Orochimaru? What do you mean?"
"He's the snake he has always been," Sasuke grunted. "He's who they're fighting against."
"Orochimaru isn't behind the war itself, but he takes advantage of the chaos," Hinata quickly explained, drawing all attention onto herself.
Naruto tilted his head to the side. "What advantage does he have during wartime?"
"My husband and I—" Hinata drew in a sharp breath, her eyes wandering toward Sasuke. The delicate features showed no reaction, in contrast with the uncomfortable shifting of Naruto's cloak that Hinata had seen from the corner of her eyes. "Sasuke and I are key soldiers in Konoha's strategy. Our attention is divided and Orochimaru thinks if he tries hard enough, he will eventually find an opportunity to take our children."
Ino gasped. "Isn't he targeting you and Sasuke?"
Hinata shook her head. "He has no interest in us."
"But… why the kids?" Ino muttered, her voice filled with confusion.
Hinata shifted her eyes at Sasuke. The way his irises dilated for a moment signaled that he had already figured out the reason. Looking back at Ino, Hinata simply raised her hand and pointed at her own eyes.
"Dojutsu," the explanation came from Sasuke as he placed his hand on the table, pushing his palm hard against the surface. "He is interested in their eyes."
Hinata's nod was stiff and brief. "We aren't entirely sure what his aim is, but it might be in connection with the synthetical human beings he creates. As far as we know, his two pawns are also synthetical humans. We've met the older one several times before, that one calls himself Log. The other is only a child, Log calls him—"
"Mitsuki," the name echoed in the room, rolling off three different lips simultaneously.
"Y-Yes." Hinata blinked, perplexed. "How did you know?"
Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose with his bandaged hand and massaged his temple with the other. "He's Boruto's teammate. They're good friends."
The legs of the chair scratched the tiles with a deafening noise as Hinata pushed it back, jumping to her feet and slamming a palm against the flat of the table. She twirled to the side to face Naruto.
"Naruto, he's dangerous. He works for Orochimaru. You can't let him get close to Boruto," her lips moved on her own, startling even herself with the sharpness of them. Even though her teeth slid over her tongue for a silencing bite, the churning of her stomach hindered her from closing her mouth. "His innocent looks can be fooling, but—"
"Hinata," Naruto interjected, raising his arms with his palms facing Hinata. She couldn't decide if the motion was supposed to be calming or signaling innocence. "I appreciate your worry, but he's not the Mitsuki you know, okay? He's a proud shinobi of Konoha and I'm sure he wouldn't hurt Boruto."
Not being able to let go of the topic so easily, Hinata narrowed her eyes. "Who is Orochimaru to him here?"
"He is…" Naruto paused and glanced at Sasuke but got no help from him. The blue gaze gravitated toward Ino, but she just let her shoulders rise and drop in a small, quick motion. With a sigh, Naruto continued, "Orochimaru is Mitsuki's parent. He hasn't shown any signs of malice ever since the war. His past crimes are pardoned, and he helps the village with his strange, but useful research."
Hinata glared at Naruto, her fists unconsciously clenching as memories of all the hardships Orochimaru had caused her family rushed into her mind.
"When can we go back home?" Kosuke pouted, swinging his legs back and forth while sitting on the bed.
Hiroki, who was sitting next to him, flicked a finger against his younger brother's forehead. The muffled sound of a fingernail clashing against bone echoed in the barren, simple room. Kosuke hissed, massaging the red spot with a frown.
"You know when, Kosuke. Father will come for us when it's safe to go back home."
Folding his arms and pulling his legs up, crossing them on the bed, Kosuke muttered, "We've already been here for more than a week. It has never been more than a few days."
Sitting on the other bed in the room while caressing her sleeping daughter's hair, Hinata smiled at her son. "Are you bored, Kosuke?"
"There's not much to do in this place."
"Mother hasn't brought us here to have fun. We're here to hide," Hiroki commented. As an answer, Kosuke stuck his tongue out at him and Hinata had to place her hand in front of her mouth to hide a chuckle.
Hiroki scratched his face with his index finger as though he was contemplating something. After the several overdramatic huffs that Kosuke made, he finally said, "You can read my book… if you want."
Kosuke's eyes lit up as he hopped on his knees, leaning into his brother's face. "You mean… that book?" Hiroki leaned back to distance himself from his enthusiastic younger brother and gave a curt nod. "Where is it?" Kosuke exclaimed, jumping off the bed.
"In the other room."
Kosuke bolted out of the room and Hinata shot an approving smile toward her older son. She was about to praise him for being a good brother when Kosuke screamed on the other side of the door. Hiroki quickly moved next to Aiko while Hinata pushed herself away from the bed and darted out.
Yanking out the kunai that was hidden in her calf-high sandals, she threw the weapon at the danger instinctively. Kosuke gasped as the tool wedged itself into the head of the snake on the floor.
Hinata rushed next to the perished creature, her gaze swiftly scanning the all too familiar scales. A scouting snake.
"How did this slip inside?" she mumbled to herself, trying to suppress the nauseating trepidation that was building up in her stomach.
"Has Captain Yamato reported anything strange recently to the intelligence division concerning Orochimaru, Ino?" Naruto's voice suddenly reached Hinata's ear, and her clouded gaze cleared.
Ino shook her head. "No, he doesn't seem to be up to anything apart from the usual."
"Should we tighten the limits on his approved activity?" Naruto mumbled, grabbing his chin.
"Even though I'm not agreeing on giving him any kind of freedom," Sasuke grumbled, "Boruto doesn't have any dojutsu worth stealing."
Hinata's head whipped in his direction. Her tone sounded more skeptical than she had intended it to be as she questioned, "Are you sure about that?"
What Hinata had gathered about Boruto during their training match was that he most probably hadn't awakened the Byakugan, otherwise he would've used it to enhance the impact of his attacks. The fact that he had already turned twelve, was an active shinobi, and still hadn't shown signs of being able to wield the bloodline limit meant only one thing—he did not inherit it.
However, an irking hunch vibrated in Hinata's mind, whispering to her that the Byakugan hadn't manifested in Boruto only because he possessed something much more refined.
"Fairly sure. Boruto is my student, I would've noticed already if he had access to any dojutsu."
The earnest glare Hinata received from Sasuke made her swallow any further comments that were just about to leave her slightly parted lips.
Ino cleared her throat, drawing all attention onto herself. "Returning to Hinata's last memory," her blue, pupilless eyes traveled down until they settled on Hinata's ankle. "Mitsuki's snake bit you not long before Log's attack was released. There might be a connection."
"Yes." Hinata lowered herself onto her chair again, unconsciously putting her leg in front of the ankle that had been injured in the memory. "It crossed my mind as well, but it seems unlikely. Log aimed that attack at my daughter, not me."
"We can't reject it yet," Sasuke commented.
"Log's attack," Naruto piped in, desperation lingering behind his raspy voice. "What was it like?"
Ino held up a finger, silently asking for a bit of time while she closed her eyes. A few moments later, her eyelids fluttered open. "It had a ball shape and odd-colored chakra swirled in it. In a way, it was like your Rasengan, Naruto. But the noise it made resembled… screams."
Naruto's blue irises widened before they narrowed. "A screaming Rasengan?"
"It wasn't a Rasengan, but that's the only technique I could compare it to." Ino closed her eyes again and placed her index finger on her temple. "Hinata's memory is also my memory now. I will analyze it further to dig up more clues about what could've sent Hinata here. And how to send her back."
Humming, Naruto turned his head toward Sasuke. "You've seen her dimension, right? What if you open a portal for her with your Rinnegan?"
A deep line etching itself between his eyebrows, Sasuke explained, "I can't. She's from an alternate reality, not just another dimension. I can't enter different realities, just dimensions within our own reality."
"Huh?" Naruto tilted his head to the side, a single eyebrow raising high on his forehead.
"It also wouldn't solve the problem of Hinata's mind being in the wrong body," Ino stated matter-of-factly.
"Huh?" Naruto's confusion rang in the room.
Sasuke bobbed his head in one quick motion. "True."
Hinata's hand wandered over her side, pretending as if the unconscious motion was meant for dusting her clothes off. But in fact, she had just confirmed Ino's theory—that her body wasn't hers even if it could've fooled anybody.
Her skin was too smooth and it lacked all the scars that reminded her of all the things she had been through.
Ino clicked her tongue, gawking at Naruto. "Why are you looking at me like that? Isn't it obvious to you?" Ino tapped on her own forehead with two fingers. "The mind doesn't just disappear. They most probably just switched places."
Naruto's features distorted into a whirlpool of emotions as the stages of confusion, comprehension, and panic ran through his face.
Smashing his hands against the table, pushing it from its place and against Hinata's ribs, Naruto shouted, "We have to go there! If Hinata is really there, she's in serious trouble. We have to save her!"
"Calm down, Naruto," Sasuke groaned, and Naruto snapped his head in his direction, his blue eyes trembling with red spots. Sasuke held his gaze, his calmness unfaltering. "Your wife has once been a shinobi."
"There's a war going on there," Naruto growled, stepping closer to his friend.
"She has survived one already."
Hinata gasped as Naruto's shaking fingers curled over the collar of Sasuke's cloak, squeezing the fabric in a way that she thought Naruto was about to strangle the man. The scowl that now occupied Naruto's face sent chills down Hinata's spine.
"But I'm not even alive. She can't even rely on me," the always sunny voice was now cracked, his yell gradually shrinking into a pained whisper.
A bland expression stretching over Sasuke's features as though he was in the middle of an uneventful tea party, he said, "I'm sure my counterpart takes good care of her."
As Naruto's breathing became more even, his digits slowly unclutched and slid down, leaving his arms hanging next to his body. The limpness of them reminded Hinata of a scene she had never wanted to remember.
Naruto gritted his teeth as he stretched his hands and placed them against the wall. His head hanging between his arms, he inhaled deep and loud breaths.
Hinata parted her lips to offer words of support but pushed them together a second later without uttering a sound—there was nothing she could've offered right now. Naruto needed his Hinata, and not her.
Her lungs clenching with a suffocating pinch, she tore her gaze away.
"Is she even alive?" Naruto's faint voice blasted through the silence.
Hinata pushed the hilt of her hand against her hammering heart as though it would help her answer the dire question. Counting the heartbeats of her counterpart's body, she wished she would be back in the timeless void of the limbo world.
"I think she is," Ino spoke up and Naruto lifted his head, turning his whole body toward his only hope. "The alternate Hinata wouldn't be here if her body got killed. She would've simply died, and her mind would've gone to wherever the mind goes after death. The fact that her consciousness is here proves that her body is still alive. And if her body is alive, a consciousness must occupy it."
Strangely, a sense of relief flashed through Hinata's body. If this world's Hinata was truly alive in the other reality, she would protect her children. She would never let Orochimaru get them.
Holding onto the hem of her shirt, determination took root in Hinata's heart. Even though the reality she had been transported into seemed perfect on the surface—peaceful and free of pointless deaths—it lacked people that made her calamitous world one that was worth saving.
Even though this world had Naruto, Boruto, and Himawari, it lacked Hiroki, Kosuke, Aiko, and her own husband.
This world's Sasuke was not her Sasuke. This world's Naruto was not her Naruto. Boruto and Himawari were not her children to love. She had an unexpected opportunity to catch a glimpse of what could have been if her teenage wishes had been granted, but it was nothing more than a distant desire now.
This world was nothing more to her but a peek into the reign of the what-ifs she had spent countless sleepless nights wondering about.
"You both should go home for now. Ino and I will stay to discuss Hinata's last memory further," Sasuke's voice dragged Hinata out of her thoughts. She was about to voice her discontent about having been ordered to leave, but Naruto was quicker with words.
"I want to help," his voice sounded demanding as he hardened his features, slipping from the image of a desperate husband to a confident Hokage.
Sasuke's eyes raked through Naruto's rigid posture. "You wouldn't be of any help right now."
"I have to inform Shikamaru and Sakura-chan and—"
"I will inform them," Sasuke cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Just go home, Naruto."
Naruto tightened his jaw. "I'm the Hokage."
"I don't care," Sasuke's defiant retort swirled around the two men. Hinata could've sworn she had felt the eddies of cold aura brush the skin on her arms. "Go home. The both of you."
"Sasuke is right, Naruto," Ino chimed in, leaping to her feet and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You need to process everything we talked about. The village will survive if you're not in the Hokage tower for a day. Shikamaru can handle it just fine. Go home and be with your family. And talk to Hinata," her eyes fluttered at Hinata for a moment before they returned to Naruto.
Raising from her seat, Hinata stretched her arm to give an encouraging squeeze to Naruto's hand, but she tensed her muscles at the last moment and grabbed her own hand instead. "We can continue with the research together."
Ino raised an eyebrow at her, so Hinata quickly added, "Naruto brought me a book from the Hyuuga compound that describes theories on alternate universes. I've read a few pages, but I haven't found anything useful yet. Maybe if we read it together—"
"Alright," Naruto sighed as he ran an exasperated hand through his short blond hair. Squinting his eyes at Ino and Sasuke, he changed his tone to one that sounded like a leader giving orders. "Inform me immediately if you figure out something. Anything."
After they received a curt nod from both Sasuke and Ino, Naruto tore the door open and signaled Hinata with his head to go. As Hinata stepped out of the room, she couldn't help but turn her head back. Although, as soon as her pale gaze locked with a mismatched one, she spun around and marched out of the building.
The walk back to the Uzumaki house was just the same as the walk to the interrogation room. Tense silence, pretending cheerfulness upon receiving greetings, then more heart-wrenching quietness.
Abruptly, Hinata's breath hitched, and a stinging pain in her right upper arm made her halt. Gasping, she clasped her palm on the sensitive spot.
"Hinata? What's wrong?" Naruto turned to look at her, blood draining from his face.
Her hands shaking, Hinata let go of her arm. As she slowly turned her hand around, she half expected blood on it, but it was clean of any smear of crimson. Her clothes showed no sign of damage either.
"I… I think it was just a bug," she stammered and picked up her pace again, shaking her head to get rid of the electricity vibrating under her skin.
The odd feeling only disappeared when Hinata opened the door of the Uzumaki house. It was only half ajar when Himawari plummeted her body at her parents, almost tackling them off their feet. Small arms wrapped around their necks as their owner chirped a welcome home into their ears.
Naruto's face lit up as he put his arm around Himawari and pulled her into a hug.
"Papa, I can't breathe," Himawari patted Naruto's shoulders, trying to get away from the suffocating showcase of love, but the clutch around her body became even tighter.
A shadow of a smile passed through Hinata's face as she took off her shoes. Spotting an unfamiliar pair of shoes next to the doorway, she turned to Himawari who had just escaped Naruto's fatherly affection.
"Do you have a friend over, Hima?"
Himawari beamed at her mother. "Onii-san's friend is here."
Her legs moving without her command, Hinata made her way to the living room. Boruto sat in the armchair, his gaming box in his lap. He greeted his mother with a cheerful welcome home, but Hinata couldn't hear it.
Her lavender eyes met yellow ones. A blue strand of hair fell in front of the glowing gaze as its owner tilted his head to the side, shooting a smile toward Hinata.
Bile piling up in her throat, Hinata had to grab the edge of the kitchen counter.
"Good day, Hinata-san."
We're really tangling ourselves into the exciting parts. Now that Sasuke is here and Naruto finally, finally believes Hinata, it's time to pick up the pace.
But before that… I've received many comments/messages about how people would love to read a chapter or two from Sasuke's and/or Naruto's point of view. Honestly, I planned the whole storyline out to be written from Hinata's perspective and I think it would disrupt the flow of the story if the POV changed for one or two chapters. (Aka I'm not confident enough in my writing skills to operate with POV changes.)
I was thinking and I came up with an idea. If there's an interest in this, I will write two separate one-shots that explore the situation from Sasuke's and Naruto's points of view. Or it can be one one-shot if you're interested in only one. Or if I had a false impression and you're not interested in this at all, I can just continue with the main storyline. So, let me know!
By the way, I created a tumblr and a twitter account under the same username. In the future, I plan to post about my story and ideas, and things like that. Feel free to give me a follow or interact with me there. :)