SHIBARI: Bound

A/N: Ah yes. The trolling has begun. I must be doing something right. Negative reviews only fuel my fire. This early update is for you. ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Music:

'(3.1) Naruto Shippuden Unreleased Soundtrack - Evil Sasuke's Theme/Taka (Extended)

Note: Chapter 1 - 4 YouTube Playlist link included in my profile page.

Chapter 3

Uchiha

'(3.1) Naruto Shippuden Unreleased Soundtrack - Evil Sasuke's Theme/Taka (Extended)

Present (Late Summer 5 AN)

Like prey watching a predator stalk the forest floor, all activity began to quiet and still. The crowds undulated and bifurcated in a slow swell across the promenade. The air was thick with perspiration and unease. Eventually, the cracks between bodies revealed flashes of black cloth and raven-colored locks swaying above.

With her specially trained senses, she could faintly detect Sai's ANBU surrounding them like sharks circling their kill- hidden in the shadows and on rooftops, keeping at a safe distance. Her muscles tensed and fingers twitched begging for action, yet she was not inclined to comply without knowing the odds. She activated her bloodline limit. Hinata's eyes widened in surprise as not one, but three young, raven-haired men approached. They moved noiselessly with long confident gaits.

On the left, a tall and lithe man wore a long black robe, threaded with a subtle but intricate golden pattern, that fell past his knees. The cuffed sleeves were the same color of gold. It was buttoned from the top of a mandarin style collar, down at a slant across his right breast. The sides of his robe were slit to his hips revealing black pants underneath. Long, silky hair was smoothed back gracefully with the top half pinned at the back of his crown. His elegant features were calm, almost peaceful, and his dark gaze did not linger anywhere for too long, seemingly unfazed by the buzz of murmuring and rubbernecking on either side of him. He carried two short swords, crossed on his back and some sort of flute attached to his front hip.

On the right was a slightly shorter, strapping teen dressed in a more traditional shinobi style with a loose fitting, long sleeved, black turtleneck top. He wore a thick, gray flak jacket over his top and a belt garnished with several pouches in the front and rear. Black pants were tapered at the ends by white bandages and paired with shinobi sandals. He carried a large travel worn bag over his shoulders. His dark unruly hair was short and wavy. A black, unmarked headband wrapped around his head above wild charcoal eyes that scanned the village with an excitement to match the grin on his face.

In the center, they were led by none other than Sasuke Uchiha. The last time she saw Sasuke was the day her world turned upside down. She had heard the rumors of his voluntary return to the village to answer for his crimes. The Five Kage argued over reparations for days. The Raikage demanded a public execution as compensation for his long list of grievances which specifically included the attempted kidnapping and murder of Bee. Kakashi, however, was able to temper the other Kage by pointing out Sasuke's assistance in the war and a sympathetic retelling of select events leading up to the Five Kage Summit- namely the slaughter of the entire Uchiha clan.

A fair punishment was secured. Ultimately, the Leaf traitor served a relatively short sentence, six months of jail time with another six months of conditional release comprised of strict house arrest and community service. After his debt was repaid, he left the village again. No one knew what led to the abrupt departure aside from the Hokage, whose permission he sought out prior to leaving. Kakashi insisted his former student send regular updates in order to not be classified as a rogue-nin again and let him go.

This time there was no one to go after him.

Word of the 'last Uchiha' trickled to a halt and after some time of no news, he was presumed dead.

Hinata had been mostly absent from the village over the term of his restitution and the name "Sasuke Uchiha" meant little more to her now than someone she went to academy with. Someone that some of her precious people almost died trying to save.

She harbored no ill will towards him. She knew there was a reason that Naruto and Sakura cared for him so dearly. Did she address him as a friend in the past? Yes. Did she feel that they were friends? No. He was a stranger. Her disposition towards him was an extension of and courtesy to Naruto, and now he was dead.

There was no longer need for pretense.

She knew he was capable of betrayal and passion in equal measure. This made him dangerous. It made her wary of him, and now he was back. Why?

For some reason, she thought he would have changed significantly, but he hadn't. He added a few inches to his already above-average height. His face had matured from the loss of 'baby fat' which made his killer perfect features sharper. His hair had grown longer, long enough to tie it low against the nape of his neck. Loose strands framed his face on either side swaying past his jaw, shorter strays lightly brushed against his long lashes.

He was dressed in a sable traveling cloak that fastened at his collar and billowed freely down to his knees, flashing a velvety rich purple underlining. The rest of his outfit was unremarkable. His top was mostly hidden by the cloak, and dark slacks were tucked into mid-calf shinobi boots. A chokuto was secured to his hip. It was the only visible weapon on his person.

"What is it?" Kiba urged in a hushed tone.

Disengaging her bloodline limit, Hinata softly, almost reverent sounding, responded, "Uchiha..."

Kiba gave her an incredulous expression while the only tell from Shino was the slightest shift in the tension of his muscles. Hinata continued to stare straight ahead, waiting for the reveal.

Moments later, the masses bisected to either side of the marketplace as easily as silk meeting the sharp edge of a katana. At the core, the proud Uchiha and his two comrades headed directly towards Hinata.

Light amethyst orbs were immediately held hostage by deep obsidian. At the sight of her, his eyes narrowed, and the corners of his mouth turned down marginally as though something bitter was on his tongue. There was a torrent of emotion and some unknown knowledge hidden behind the tempestuous depths of his gaze.

Her brows furrowed in contemplation. His guarded expression. His pensive emotional struggle. The simultaneously eager but cautious gaze that never left her face.

Somehow, she knew. It was personal.

Encountering the ex-heiress was an unexpected challenge. Is he a threat? Am I a threat to him? For all her talents and all she could see, she did not know what he could possibly be thinking.

Sasuke stopped a few feet in front of the calculating kunoichi. His troupe followed his lead and paused to size up the familiar ninjas huddled in front of them.

Fighting to maintain a façade of impassivity, she choked out a greeting, "Uchiha-san." Hands straight down on her thighs, she bowed shallowly- a respectful but non-deferential expression. From the corners of her eyes, she could see gossipers whispering, onlookers gawking, maidens swooning and braggart shinobi posturing. She gracefully lifted herself, shoulders back, head held high. A fluid motion her Hyuuga tutors would have appreciated.

In swift and silent assessment, Sasuke took in the sight of his old comrades before looking back at the young woman before him. His stare was penetrating and lasted much longer than comfortable. The intensity of his gaze decorated her cheeks with an unwanted blush and forced her focus down- anywhere other than his face.

His boldness tugged at the seams of her self-consciousness. Chewing her lower lip, she fought the anxious feelings and calmed her nerves with a deep breath through her nostrils before daring to meet his gaze again with a defiant look. It had been a long time since anything unsettled her this much. How irritating.

Her testosterone prone teammates leaked agitation as they bristled and flexed. Shino cleared his throat. Kiba growled. The rest of the group were still oblivious, blocked from view behind the former Team Eight shinobi.

"Hyuuga," he nodded in return, speaking in a deep velvety tone wrapped in a measured calm. Blustering males completely ignored.

Irritated with the casual snub, Kiba flippantly groused, "Um, hello? There are other people here too you know!"

Ordinarily, Hinata would find Kiba's comments entertaining but right now, feeling out of sorts, she found herself unable to acknowledge the complaint. Again, Sasuke completely disregarded the interruption, instead choosing to study the architecture of the promenade. "This place has changed quite a lot," he casually remarked with a low rumble. His deep gaze settled on her, patiently awaiting a response.

Opting for diplomacy while deposing formality, she stated politely with a thin layer of acerbity, "Much has changed since you left Uchiha. Welcome back."

Sakura knew something was happening, but she didn't know what. When Team Eight took on a protectively offensive stance in front of their squad, she hung back. She, Ino and Lee wordlessly agreed to play defense and swarmed Tenten and the unborn fetus. When movement ceased among the horde of spectators, she could detect a presence, but she couldn't see over Shino's unusually tall stature. She thought she heard Hinata say a name but there was no way she heard correctly. So, she shifted closer to their self-appointed ambassador to sneak a peek.

That's when she saw him.

Sakura froze in disbelief, eyes wide. Her surprise buzzed in her ears, momentarily drowning out all conversation. Hundreds of memories and a floodgate of emotions engulfed her. She felt her chest constrict and she could not breathe. Feeling lightheaded, she beat at her chest to force oxygen back into her system and she heaved. After the shock wore off, she compulsorily freed her leaded legs from their shackles, and pressed her way through the thicket. Did Hinata just say something to him? She pushed all thoughts from her mind and now stood inches from her old teammate.

"S-sasuke?" Her voice trembled in hopeful hesitance. Slender callused hands were clasped in front of her demure chest and her body shook like a leaf, at risk of being carried away by the slightest gust of wind. Wide emerald eyes were glued to his ostensibly bored visage- afraid he would disappear if she lost sight of him.

The man's focus shifted to the interloper. "Hello, Sakura," he greeted coolly.

Tears gathered and tumbled from the corners of her haunted orbs. She fell into him, burying her head in his chest and clutching at his cloak. "I thought you were dead," she sobbed.

The stoic Uchiha awkwardly placed his large hands on her arms and peeled her off, with as much gentleness as he could muster, to look at her directly. Soft pink locks clung to her cheeks. "Sakura… you're still annoying." He smirked at her expression, and after a beat Sakura giggled good-naturedly at the old term of endearment.

Referring to her statement, he unaffectedly responded, "You should know better. I can't die. Not yet."

"It's so good to have you back," she said earnestly, her eyes twinkling with emotion and a reservoir of tears.

Like the switch of an elaborate machine being turned on, activity around them appeared to resume. The watchful crowd now bustled with hushed conversations and stolen glances. Although the immediate fear of an explosive situation was gone, the kindling was set, all that was needed was a spark. Luckily, for now no one was foolish enough to play with fire. Sakura wiped her stray tears and gestured to his silent accomplices. "So, who do we have here?"

Sasuke turned slightly towards the genteel male on his right. "This is Jin, from the northern village of Tanigakure in the Land of Darkness. His mother was an Uchiha." Jin gave a shallow, but respectful bow. Sasuke then tilted his head to the left. "And this is Koji Yoshida of Kokumotsu Village. His parents are from the Land of Rice, but his grandmother was an Uchiha." Koji smiled brightly and with a wave of his hand gave a short 'Hey.'

Stunned silence hung awkwardly in the air. Kiba was the first to break. "Three Uchihas? How is that even possible?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the question and smoothly responded, "I would have thought that someone from the Inuzuka clan would be more familiar with the basic principles of the breeding process."

Kiba's face reddened in embarrassment and outrage. With fists thrown down aggressively to his sides he yelled, "That's not what I meant!" He huffed loudly and gritted out, "I mean, I thought all Uchiha's stayed in Konoha."

The avenger smirked and blithely stated, "Sometimes marriages are arranged outside of a clan. I'm sure you are at least aware of clan politics, being heir to a great clan yourself and all."

Kiba's expression was nothing short of disconcerted. He puffed his chest and started towards Sasuke. "You mother f-"

Hinata forcefully stayed the incensed Inuzuka with an arm across his chest.

"Kiba," Shino interjected in a low monotone, "this is not something worth our involvement." Kiba grumbled incoherently but backed down. Hinata shifted her body weight to one foot and crossed her arms.

Sakura worried her lower lip and stared at her old teammate, who was eyeing team eight curiously. She prodded, "Is that where you've been all this time? Looking for living Uchiha?"

With the situation diffused, he angled his attention back to the medic. "That's part of it. I'm working on changing my reality."

What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan and destroy a certain someone.

Sasuke's childhood goal haunted Sakura for years and her cheeks tinted pink. She always wanted to help him achieve his dream of clan restoration and hadn't even considered the possibility that there may be other Uchiha in the world. It wasn't completely unreasonable to assume, it just hadn't occurred to her. When his reports to the Hokage trickled to a stop and she thought he died, she had lost more than just her goal.

She almost lost her mind.

Recalling the hopeless sensation, she felt the sting of new tears form in her eyes. She swallowed them down. Seeing him standing there in the flesh, she felt the heady stirrings of hope infiltrate past logic.

"Oh! Uh…" As if remembering herself, she gave a toothy grin aimed at the other Uchihas and declared, "I guess we should introduce ourselves as well! I'm Sakura Haruno, Sasuke's old teammate from Team Seven…" She turned and extended an open hand in the direction of each person introduced. "And this is Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Izunuka, Rock Lee, Tenten, and Ino Yamanaka. We were all part of the Konoha Twelve."

Lee excitedly gesticulated and chimed in. "Welcome friends of Sasuke! I am also known as the Handsome Devil of the Hidden Leaf Village!" He wrapped his free arm tenderly around Tenten's waist who giggled and leaned into him affectionately. "We were just discussing our plans to visit the Falls on this beautiful day. My sweet camelia and I would be honored if you would join us."

Koji perked up at the idea of swimming after travelling through the suffocating heat for days. He bounced slightly and eagerly exclaimed, "We'll be there!" Earning a disapproving look from the older Uchiha. The younger man withered slightly as he nervously snapped his fingers and slapped the back of a hand into the open palm of another. He repeated in a more subdued voice, "Yep, we'll be there."

Sasuke's eyes darted around to different spots on buildings and streets. When he stared off at some fixed point in the distance, for the smallest of moments Hinata could swear his Sharingan activated. Offhandedly he announced, "We have business with the Hokage to attend to… and I think our shadows are getting anxious."

He took a step to depart and decided to chance a glimpse at Hinata who looked as unaffected as ever. Suspicious lavender tinted eyes lifted to meet his dark stare which made him uncontrollably smirk. "See you around," he spoke in a velvety calm, seemingly to no one in particular.

Jin politely bowed as they walked away to continue their trek towards the Hokage Tower. Koji turned his head in passing, wearing a bright smile, and called out, "Nice meeting you all!"

The Konoha friends all watched silently until the throngs of consumers swallowed their bodies from view. Once out of earshot, Kiba muttered, "I still think I could have taken him." Which was greeted with Sakura's swift hand across the back of his head and the moniker of 'Idiot.'

Torchlight danced and flickered in golden orange hues, throwing shadows across the slickened stone of a naturally formed chamber in the back of the massive underground cave. A large map of the great nations was strewn across the stone slab that rose from the cave floor. A red 'X' was marked over the once great Kumogakure.

The echo of quiet footsteps bouncing off the stone wall corridor grew louder with each passing minute. He waited patiently for the arrival while standing behind the makeshift platform and continued to study the map. If there was anything he had in spades, it was patience. The land was perfectly imprinted in his mind. He didn't really need the map to visualize where everything was located, but it did help him focus on his goal. Red predatory eyes lifted to watch the black and white plantlike humanoid cross the room.

"Zetsu, what kept you so long? I do hope you've brought back good news," Madara greeted with mock cheer carrying a threatening undercurrent.

The walking Venus flytrap smiled humorlessly. "The rogue shinobi we hired seemed to have hit a snag. They're all dead," he informed in a detachedly slow, sing-song voice.

Madara hummed with a frown. "How unfortunate. Tell me exactly what happened."

"The Kazekage must have suspected a trap. He sent surprisingly capable shinobi in his stead." Zetsu responded in his gentle, almost amused tone.

"And…?"

"They were Konoha ANBU. Tracking-nin to be specific."

Silence fell between them. The still dank air in the cave was suffocating and smelled earthy with a tinge of mold. His long, spiky hair fell down his shoulders with the weight of the humidity. Finally, the Uchiha slowly worked through his musings aloud, "Interesting... Even so, the layered genjutsu should have been sufficient in disabling an army of Konoha shinobi. There was no way for them to know that an attempt to interact with or deactivate the illusion would put everyone in a genjutsu within a half mile radius. So how did they bypass the trigger?"

Zetsu stretched his grin unnaturally across his face. "It seems they have a wildcard. One of the Konoha ANBU overloaded both genjutsu layers with a particularly powerful chakra blast. It was an unexpectedly foolish but effective tactic on their part. The building and everything inside were nearly destroyed. It's not a particularly safe hostage extraction method in my opinion. Curious."

Madara's rutilant eyes narrowed. "There are very few shinobi with chakra levels capable of such a feat, and I'm aware of none who are Konoha ANBU." He looked down at the map in front of him and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Zetsu?"

"Yes, Madara."

The Uchiha regarded Zetsu's dull green eyes coldly, betraying the pleasant tone of his command. "Do me a favor and see what you can find out about this Konoha ANBU. This person could be a valuable ally in my plans for the new world… or a pest we must exterminate."

Zetsu agreed obsequiously and bowed his head, "Of course."

The indigo locks of her ponytail swung from side to side as she strolled along the twisting maze of the Konoha suburb. A light sheen of sweat was uncomfortably trapped between her forehead and headband from the heat of the summer afternoon sun. She welcomed the passing coolness offered from the shade provided by carefully manicured trees that dotted along the streets. The plastic handle of the heavy shopping bag she carried dug into her hands making her fingers start to numb so she switched the load to her other hand.

Even though they were miles from the marketplace, she could still smell the tantalizing aroma of barbecue carried on the light breeze making her mouth water even though she had finished eating less than an hour ago. Hinata turned her head to look at the chatty blonde next to her who was going on about the unexpected Uchiha encounter.

"… I mean seriously, if Shika and I weren't together, I'd be more than happy to show one or all of them a nice Konoha welcome!" Ino suggestively stated and giggled. She threw her hair back haughtily with a shake of her head since both her arms were weighed down with her spoils from the market. Nudging Hinata with an elbow, she teasingly remarked, "You're single. Why not give 'em a ride? Might do you some good to let loose a little." She gave a wink of her visible blue eye and doubled over in laughter upon seeing Hinata's beet red blush from crown to sternum. It contrasted nicely against the black of her kimono Ino noted. "I'm serious Hinata!" Ino smiled warmly at the silent kunoichi. "I mean when was the last time you got laid? Are you still a virgin?"

The questions did nothing to assuage Hinata's embarrassment. "Of course not!" She retorted in a clipped tone. Her face scrunching with the discomfort she felt over discussing her virtue, or anyone's level of promiscuity for that matter. "I mean, it's been a while… but… I don't think an Uchiha is right for me."

The blonde pouted. "Why not?"

Hinata dimmed considerably and quietly responded, "Clan politics. Once Hanabi officially becomes the Hyuga leader next year, I'll be placed in the branch house and will either be wed within the clan to keep the byakugan pure or married off to some foreign diplomat as leverage."

Ino felt bad for her friend and felt her mood sink, but being the self-proclaimed cheerleader of the Konoha Twelve, she wouldn't let her friend wallow in misery for long. She scoffed, "While I don't agree with your outdated clan politics, I wasn't talking about marriage Hinata. Just a roll in the hay, a one-night stand, a little bit of no-strings-attached kind of fun! If you only have a short while before you're given away like chattel, why not enjoy the freedom you have now?"

They rounded a corner, and their destination was in sight. An understated but large, traditional style home with muted colors backed into a large courtyard. It was fenced off on the sides but lacked a gate or guards. It was a welcomed change for Hinata from the Hyuga compound.

Wanting to pacify the confident Inoichi she simply offered a weak smile and conceded, "I'll think about it."

Ino beemed, "Good! And if you do spend a wild night in the sack with any of them, I'd better be the first to know!"

Hinata laughed at the infamous gossip and shook her head.

Removing their footwear, they walked in the front door. Ino called out, "Hey I'm home! Is anyone here?"

A commanding feminine voice yelled back, "I'm in the kitchen!"

Walking into the kitchen, Hinata and Ino placed the grocery bags on the counter and then Ino walked over to the adjoining room to drop off the rest of her things on the short dining room table.

Turning away from the sink, Yoshino Nara's eyes widened in surprise and she smiled widely. "Hinata! I wasn't expecting you!" She wiped her hands on her apron and held her arms out as she walked over to her guest, catching her mid-bow.

"Hello Miss Nara," Hinata greeted politely and returned the hug. "It's very good to see you again."

"What brings you around? You've been gone for quite some time! Shikamaru tells me the Hokage is pleased with your work."

"Thank you," Hinata fidgeted under the Nara's approving looks. "I'm actually here to see Mirai. I brought her a gift from my trip."

"I'm so sorry Hinata, she's not here right now. She just started at the academy this week! She's a true prodigy that girl," Yoshino gushed. "If you want to hang out here with Ino for a few hours, Shikamaru should be picking her up and coming straight home."

Ino interrupted, "We're meeting with Lee and Tenten at the Falls, remember? There might be some surprise guests and I don't want to be late! Why don't you leave the gift here with Yoshino, Hinata?"

"O-okay." Mental snap. She bowed her head disappointedly and rummaged through one of her packs for the gift.

"Surprise guests?" Yoshino inquires curiously, brushing a few stray strands of brunette hair out of her face.

"Oh Kami, I can't believe you haven't heard already! Sasuke Uchiha is back in town… and he brought two more Uchiha men with him!" Ino squealed and excitedly gestured her hands

"What?" The older Nara looked like she'd been slapped and began to lecture. "I tell you, nothing good will come from having that traitor in Konoha. All Uchiha are bad news. Both of you, steer clear of them," she spat venomously with so much anger her slight body was trembling. She stared unfocused at some point directly ahead of her, a range of raw negative emotion on display in her dark eyes. Fear. Hurt. Bitterness. Anger.

Ever since Shikaku, the former Nara Clan head and Shikamaru's father, died during the Fourth Shinobi War, the Nara household would never be the same. As much as Hinata was still grieving the loss of her friend and source of inspiration, Yoshino's loss had a more direct impact, and she blamed the Uchiha Clan for it. Hinata couldn't fault her for that thought process. Madara was directly responsible for the carnage, and Sasuke's involvement in the overall war was ambiguous. Many could not separate Sasuke from Obito or Madara. Most could not separate a run of the mill Konoha missing-nin from the Akatsuki for that matter. To them, dishonor is dishonor, no matter how you slice it.

Hinata bit her lower lip and looked to Ino who's smile had turned into a slight grimace.

The blonde took slow careful steps towards the Nara matron, who hadn't moved from her rigid position. She contritely comforted, "Hey… it's okay." Ino gathered the older woman in her arms and felt the woman slacken and return the embrace tightly. "I'm sorry if I upset you. We'll be safe, promise."

Yoshino took a deep breath and drew back to look Ino in the eye. "I just can't lose anyone else." She pivots her head to fix Hinata with a motherly stare. "That goes for you too."

"Yes ma'am," Hinata quietly acknowledged and attempted an appreciative smile. Her fingers curled around the souvenir she purchased from the border village and held it out towards Yoshino. "Do you mind giving this to Mirai for me? Could you tell her I'm sorry I haven't visited in a while?"

The Nara matriarch looked at the offering. It was a small, upright meerkat plush, holding a multicolored pinwheel between its front paws. Her face softened and her arms dropped, picking up the stuffed animal with both hands. She cooed, "It's adorable. Mirai is going to love this Hinata. Thank you."

"It's the least I could do," Hinata mumbled, her eyes suddenly finding her feet to be immensely interesting.

Yoshino smiled at her shy conduct and with her mood swinging in the opposite direction, she quipped, "So you went to Wind Country huh? Is that Kazekage as handsome as they say he is?"

Ino laughed at Hinata's reddened face and wide, white eyes. Good Kami, it couldn't be healthy to turn red these many times in a single hour. "Leave Hinata be, Yoshi," Ino lovingly chided, dazzling smile plastered to her lightly sun-kissed face. "I've already given her plenty a hard time about her romantic status- or lack there-of," she snorted.

"Sorry! There's just something about those quiet clever types." Yoshi winked at the girls and smiled through her eyes. She started putting the groceries on the counter away.

Ino shook her head dismissively and waved a hand. Hinata giggled and asked, "Can I help you with anything?"

"Oh no. You two go have fun. And Ino… make sure you take those bags off of the table and put them someplace," she scolded lightly.

"Yes ma'am," Ino murmured. "Come on, Hinata. Let's go to my room."

Hinata assented and followed her friend down a hallway and into the master bedroom. Upon entering, Ino immediately began to unload her newly purchased items. Hinata stood awkwardly by the door.

Ino began, "We should plan to be there in half an hour to an hour. I'm going to change and then head straight over. You're coming right?"

Hinata leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. She was actually feeling very tired, but she knew this was a rare opportunity to spend quality time with the people she cherished most. "Um, it would be nice to see everyone again. We don't often have everyone in the village at the same time."

"Great! Now that that's resolved, what are you wearing? Are you going back home to change first?"

Hinata unhooked a hand and indicated towards herself, sweeping the air in front of her from chest to hip. "I am wearing this? Besides, I don't have time to run home. I forgot I have something important to discuss with Lord Hatake regarding Hanabi. I'm planning to drop by there first."

Ino halted her actions. She was holding up a violet, hangered bikini against her body in front of her mirror. Through the mirror she watched Hinata in horror. "How are you going to swim like that?"

"I wasn't planning to," the Hyuga defended.

"Oh no! It's ninety degrees out there. I'm not letting you pass out from heat exhaustion," Ino chastised. She walked over to one of the shopping bags on her bed and tossed a black suit to Hinata.

Hinata caught it easily with one hand and scrunched her nose.

"What?" Ino questioned innocently.

"It's a two-piece. Plus, you're taller than me. I don't even know if it'll fit." She eyed the bikini as if it were a science project gone wrong.

Ino gave her a dull look. "I might be taller, but we all know you're more than capable of filling out my clothes. In a good way," she emphasized with a sly smirk and began removing the tags from her own suit choice. She knew Hinata was self-conscious about her over-developed feminine attributes and didn't want to give her any reason to shy away from baring a little skin.

Hinata huffed and resigned. Sakura was right. Ino could be really persuasive. She idly wondered if her influential talents had anything to do with her mind-based kekkei genkai. Were her decisions even her own when Ino was involved?

"Stop thinking so hard about it. You can put it on when you're ready to swim. You don't have to wear it the whole time. Plus, I have a fabulous sense for fashion. You're going to look amazing in it!" The Yamanaka wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at her dark-haired friend and laughed when she received an eye-roll in response.

"At least let me pay you for this. I highly doubt you'd want it back after I wear it." She began to stuff the dainty piece of cloth in a pouch and fish for some cash when Ino refused the offer calling it a gift for being her best customer at the flower shop her mom owned. Ino usually worked the weekends at the flower shop to give her mom a break and Hinata habitually dropped by on Saturday mornings before visiting the cemetery. She also worked four days a week with Sakura at the hospital. They were currently working on a project focused on pediatric mental health. That usually left Ino with free time on Fridays if she wasn't assigned to a mission or called in for emergencies.

"Thank you Ino. You're too good to me." Hinata meant it. She was truly grateful for the blue-eyed beauty's friendship.

"Don't mention it," Ino dismissed.

Hinata pushed off from the door frame and straightened out her outfit. "I should get going. There could be a wait to see The Sixth. Don't worry, I know my way out."

They said their farewells and Hinata headed back towards the Hokage Tower to come up with a plan for her sister to be placed on a team and go on outside missions. She knew it would be a fight with her father, but over the years his disposition had become more passive, and she was no longer afraid of him or his judgments. It truly did not matter to her though. For Hanabi, she would do anything. She'll figure out a plan with Kakashi, spend time with her friends at the Falls, and then speak with her father. Simple enough. What could go wrong?

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A/N: What do you think of my OC's, Jin and Koji? Fun fact, Jin is inspired by 'The Untamed' main characters (Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji). He's like their love child.

So why did I create these OC's? Sasuke being the last Uchiha has always bothered me. Realistically, there would have been no way to kill all Uchihas in the single night massacre. There HAS to be distant relatives out there, through marriage, through bastard children, through defectors… something. Or maybe someone was away for business or on vacation. What about those people? I'm assuming for canon plot purposes this is ignored and it continues to be ignored in fanfic.

Well, I didn't want to do that. I'd like to think that Sasuke is pragmatic enough to realize that one Uchiha rebuilding a clan is harder to do than multiple Uchihas. Diversification of the Uchiha genes seems like something that would be high on the priority list.

FYI- I've also added this story to Wattpad where the music videos have been downloaded for easy soundtrack transitions. Check it out if you're interested. FFnet will still be my primary platform and have the first, most timely, updates.

Enough of my rambling, next chapter will be the longest to date with more Sasuke-Hinata interaction and a fun action scene! Read, review, rate. If not, no worries, I will still continue this story knowing there are at least a handful of interested readers out there. Thank you. 😉