The Water Chronicles
A calm and nice morning during Summer at the Village Hidden by Leaf at five years old.
The next morning, she got ready to go since very early, and soon realized it hadn't been a good idea to bring kimonos because nobody was there to tie her obi and couldn't do it by herself. She wore a pair of purple leggings and a lilac knee long dress with long sleeves. The day was perfect, not too warm neither too fresh, but she wasn´t quite sure about the weather in this side of the world. She brushed her hair and placed a cute Uchiha fan pin on it.
She went downstairs and walked to the dining room. There was a vast breakfast buffet waiting for her. All types of Cereal, apples, bananas, boiled eggs, yogurt, steamed rice and raw fish. A lot of food but just one room on the table. She was feeling excited and melancholic at the same time; it was such a shame such amount of food just for one person.
When she left the house Kakashi was already waiting for her next to the front door.
"Good morning Hinata-dono. Are you ready to go?" She could feel his kind smile under the black mask. His uncovered eye was glowing brightly while her cheeks were getting warm. She had forgotten totally about the special man with silvered hair. Above of that, he was acting gentler than the other night.
"Good morning, Kakashi-san" She pressed both index fingers together. "I´m a little nervous but excited too"
"It´s completely normal. I'm pretty sure you´ll be fine. Let´s go, it´s getting late" – He offered his hand and she took it with no doubt. It was the same way when she held her brother's hands. It was a nice gesture, feeling a soft touch besides his rough skin.
The cheerful from the other night was gone, people looked stressful and diligent trying to get to work not caring a thing about the foreign weird eyes girl anymore. Kakashi and Hinata left the Uchiha District while she was happily contemplating the huge and green pine trees for all along Konoha. She was used to palm trees and tropical vegetation.
When they arrived to the Academy she started to feel a little anxious at the sight of so many kids. She stopped behind the grating doors feeling the urgent to run away. The image of her father appeared in her mind, trusting and asking to achieve the important mission of making friends. Specially getting along with the descendants of the most important clans of the Village Hidden by Leaf.
"We have to say goodbye Hinata-dono. You must go by yourself. I will pick you up at 1 pm." She gasped and increased her grip to his arm. The main entrance started to look bigger and scarier. Also she felt more frightened and uneasy.
"Good morning, Hinata-chan" Sweet and tender Minato´s voice illuminated the place. She saluted him with a small reverence without releasing her bodyguard. Suddenly a yellow glow emerged next to the jounin.
A singular boy with disheveled blond hair and beautiful blue eyes was looking at her, almost like a mini version of Minato, a very loud version of him. Hinata tried to avoid that curious and intense gaze by using Kakashi as a huge human shield.
"Old man, you said her eyes were pretty but seem very weird to me dattebayo!" She gasped again and buried her face in her bodyguard´s arm.
"Naruto!" Minato scolded him. "That´s rude and inappropriate. Her eyes are NOT weird; they are special right?"
"Yeah, yeah! That´s what I meant. Sometimes I say funny things, I´m really sorry dattebayo!"
"He is my son Naruto Uzumaki...he is also a little reckless and cluless" He whispered the last part. "Please be patience with him"- He winked at her and then turned to Naruto "She is Hinata Uchiha. Could you please take her to the classroom?"
"Sure! Let it to me!" The little blondie yelled. "Come with me Hinata-chan, I´ll introduce you to the rest of the class!" He practically dragged the girl to the school. They walked across the other kids till some random boy called out Naruto. In an instant, he totally forgot about Hinata, leaving her behind, sad and nervous in the middle of the hallway.
Why did she feel so lonely recently? She was very excited to be there. Why did things turn out in that way? Why did everything seem to be so difficult right now? Shisui-nii. Obito-nii-chan. Why wasn't anybody by her side? She failed the mission. Things shouldn´t be this way. Otou-san….
A boy passed by her side very fast and hit her. She unceremoniously fell on the floor and she could not hold the tears anymore. One, two, three delicate tears abandoned her innocent eyes running through her cheeks while she was trying to get on her feet again.
"Hey silly! Watch your way! Are you alright?" Another girl just like her height with really beautiful golden short hair and light blue eyes smiled up at her. Hinata nodded and led the new girl help her to stand up. "I hadn´t seen you before. Are you a new student?"
"Yes, it is my first day"
"Which grade are you?"
"First grade"
"That´s great! So am I and there´s only one first grade so I´m can tell for sure that we are in the same class. My name is Ino Yamanaka and your name is…"
"Uchiha Hinata. T-Thank you so much for helping me"
"Not big deal. Come with me!" She said.
The young girls came through the hallways to the classroom. When they arrived Naruto was playing with other children like nothing happened, he saw Hinata and waved his hand. Sasuke was sitting at his desk near to the window and looked away when he caught her gaze, like she wasn't there. She felt sad and internally thanked Ino for not letting her to take up that sadness. She dragged Hinata like a rag doll and introduced to her closest friends.
"She´s Sakura. They are Kiba-kun, Shino-kun and Shikamaru-kun" The pink-head brightly smiled up, Shino and Shikamaru both nodded saying hi with a light smile on their faces. The brown-head started to smell her like a dog. Hinata blushed and put her hands together on her chest.
"I don't recognize your smell, you are not from here, don't ya?" Kiba said
"Stop acting like a dog! The fact your clan uses dogs doesn't mean you are indeed one! She is going to believe we are all freaks like you baka!"
"I-It doesn't matter Ino-chan. I´m Uchiha Hinata, hope we can become good friends." She bowed her head.
"Uchiha?" The pink-head blinked. "Are you related to Sasuke-kun?"
"You don't look like an Uchiha. Your eyes are like Hyugas" Shino mentioned adjusting his dark glasses.
"I´m from Water Land´s Uchiha Clan and m-my mother was a Hyuga"- she put together her index fingers.
"That´s fantastic! We have a foreign classmate!"- Ino yelled with excitation. Every kid in the room gazed at them, just for an instance. After a minute, everybody continued with their personal stuff.
"You are so troublesome Ino, stop acting like a loudly girl, you´re making her feel uncomfortable." Shikamaru scolded her before yawning and prepared himself for another nap.
"Some people like to enjoy de trip and not just to survive or to watch at the clouds, you lazy boy!"- She answered
Shikamaru ignored her. "Whatever you said Ino" He didn't want to get into a fight with her noisy friend.
The classes began normally after a short presentation of hers. They started with numbers, colors and letters. After that, and like they were talking about the weather, they changed the innocent subjects to weapons, chakra and self-defense lessons. Some things were familiar to her, she had been growing inside a family of very important ninjas after all and in the future she really wanted to become a wonderful kunoichi.
Maybe it was due their innocence, but any kid in the room seemed not to notice that they were being trained to become tiny soldiers, ready to die for its village. Hinata forgot the issue before she realized it, even when she was a little shocked at the beginning. After chakra locations points class, Iruka sensei left the room and a strange lady with curly hair and big glasses entered to the classroom. She was supposed to teach them how to make a bouquet and floral arrangements. As ridiculous it sounded.
Apparently, it was a life-dead matter for a shinobi to know about plants and its intentions. Our little Hinata soon realized she had a gift and a kind of affinity for flowers. A talent she had not thought before. At Water Land wasn't strange for her to be surrounded by flower bouquets. But it was till recently that she found she was interesting in the subject. Sincerely, she had never been into that. She liked flowers for sure and they made her feel happy and cheerful but nothing more. Now, she was discovering a new world of colors, fragrances, textures and she loved that. It was a whole art craft and required all her heart and feelings like any kind of art. Also, the knowledge to be able to pick out the right flowers, the intention for the bouquet and many many things.
At the end, they made a simple presentation in front of the class. All the children concluded Ino´s bouquet was the best. Hinata won the second place. Both girls smiled at each other holding their flower wood vase.
There was an unwritten rule among children. Girls played with girls, and boys played with boys. At recess, girls took they time to eat lunch. Boys by the contrary find eating not quite important and got to play hide and seek, marvels or whatever allowed them to run or fight along. By 1 pm she said goodbye to her new friends and ran to the main entrance. Kakashi was there, calmly waiting for her.
"How was your day Hinata-dono?"
Hinata hold to her chest her floral bouquet. "It´s been a nice day Kakashi-san"- She said while Sasuke was walking next to her, completely ignoring her, almost like they were strangers. "Although…. seems that Sasuke-kun forgot about me"- She said with sadness and lowering her head.
"What about Naruto-kun? Wasn't he with you at the morning?"
"I think he forgot about me too, he left me alone at the hallway and we didn't talk anymore for the rest of the day. I believe he doesn't want to be my friend either. At least…Ino and Sakura were very kind to me"- Hinata smiled up.
"Please don't be sad Hinata-dono"- he stroked her head. "Boys at that age often are some…clueless and callous." He smiled under his black mask. "I´m glad you were able to make new friends"
On the way home, Hinata spoke to him about her day and that made her feel relieved. By the end of the week, she felt very happy to finally have real friends, two real friends.
"Are you going to the playground at the afternoon?"
Hinata looked up at Ino not knowing what she was referring to.
"Tell your bodyguard to take you there. We all use to go to the playground every Friday after school."
"Adults let us play till we are really tired." Sakura added with excitement.
"Uh-hum. All the class is going to there! Make sure to show yourself ok?"
Summer Friday Afternoon at Village Hidden by Leaf. Playground at the age of five.
Kakashi agreed with gentleness by the time Hinata asked him to take her to the playground. She had never seen so many kids together aside from school play time. She joined her friends. Kiba suggested to play hide and seek. At first, everybody thought was a great idea, well, just before they realized he was able to find them easily due his good sense of smell.
"It´s not fair dattebayo! That dog boy always find us!"
"Who are u calling dog boy asshole?" Kiba barked
"Guess who dog boy?"
All the children laughed out loud when the Inuzuka boy started to snarl like a dog. It was quite funny, some years from now on they all will understand about Inuzukas having a thing with dogs since birth, all members of that clan without exception. Kiba couldn't avoid that.
Time passed very fast and it was almost sunset when they noticed there were only Hinata, Shino, Kiba and Naruto left.
"It´s very weird, our parents aren't here yet"- Shino mentioned.
"Yeah, even Hana it´s late and I can´t perceive her smell, I might think she´s is not at Village"
"Maybe they had a meeting or kind of that" Naruto scratched his head.
"Kakashi-san is not here either!" Hinata cried. The jounin never leave her alone and if needed he had informed her.
"Don´t worry Hinata-chan. He probably had to go with my old man. I´ll protect you for him ok?" The blond offered her.
She blushed but smiled up at him. "Thank you so much Naruto-kun, you are very kind!"
"And what can a loser like you possibly do? I will protect you Hinata-chan!" Kiba put her by his side.
"What are you barking about dog boy? Hinata will be safer by my side dattebayo!" The blond boy took her by arm putting her by his side. Kiba did the same. Naruto dragged her again. So kiba. So Naruto. They kept the fight like she was a rag doll.
"You didn't even include me in the competition. I can take care of Hinata-chan safety as well." Shino mentioned with indignation.
"The three of you can take care of me…only if you want it" Hinata whispered.
"Hinata-chan is right! We´ll protect her, all of us dattebayo!"
"Of course we will. It´s every men job to take care of girls after all"
"Well said Shino" Kiba was about to said that the Alfa male was the one who take cares of the herd, but kept it for himself.
A few minutes later passed and it was evening already, the temperature dropped a bit.
"It´s weird indeed. We might go to my home and wait there for our parents." Shino commented.
"But Kakashi-san won't know where I am" –She said with frustration.
"Don't worry Hinata-chan, Aburame clan will handle that"
"Yeah! Let´s go to Shino´s place. I´m starving already dattebayo!"
"Agree! Let´s go" Kiba said taking the lead. When they were about to leave a very well-known figure appeared in front of them.
"Kakashi-san!" Hinata ran to him. "Could we take my friends home? Their parents aren't here yet and it´s quite late already"
"I'm so sorry Hinata-chan but we most go. I don't believe three strong and brave young boys will be in danger or am I wrong?"
"Hell no dattebayo! Go home Hinata-chan. We are going to be ok"
Something regarding of the way Kakashi spoke, made Hinata to feel uncomfortable and doubted for a second to take the hand he was offering. By the time she was about to accept his hand, she felt and other one dragging her by her wrist putting her away from Kakashi. She almost felt on the floor but was held by Uzumaki and Aburame´s good reflexes.
"Kiba-kun!"
"Do you lose your mind or what dog boy?!"
"Naruto, Shino. This guy is not Kakashi. Protect Hinata-chan no matter what. Apparently were are soon to prove who really deserve the task" He said literally pulling out the fangs and adopting a fighting pose.
"What are you talking about Kiba-kun?" The man said with false tranquility. "It´s me, Kakashi. Sorry for been a little late and that's not the way to treat a girl by the way"
"Don't tell me how to treat a girl idiot! Besides, did you forget Kakashi is half Inuzuka? You don't smell nothing like him stupid!"
"It´s true! Kakashi-san refers to me like Hinata-dono, not Hinata-chan." She yelled. Naruto and Shino took place in front the girl, hiding her from his view.
"You little troublesome dog boy. If only you had stayed quiet…There wouldn't be necessary to kill you but now... I will have to do it. The blood of your friends will remain in your hands and I will keep the hybrid girl anyway." The way he spoke made their blood freeze, it wasn't the always calm and kind voice of the silver head man. It sounded darker and more evil. Nonetheless, he still looked alike the jounin.
They couldn't do anything against him. He easily blocked all the kicks and punches they threw at him. They were spread on the floor in a blink of an eye. Hinata was shocked and paralyzed, quivering with eyes wide open. She watched everything as if was happening is slow motion. The faker was only two steps from her when Naruto´s little hand gripped firmly the man´s ankle.
"You are not…taking her. Run Hinata-chan!" He was barely able to speak. Kakashi looked down at him. What did a young boy could do? He would break his head and make sure to do if fast…just for a little bit of pity. He raised his leg preparing to do so.
"STOP IT! Ple-please don't hurt Naruto-kun! I will do anything you tell me and I will go with you without resisting me…b-but please…Don't hurt them anymore!" She was crying and even knowing she couldn't do nothing more to try for saving them, at least she should try it. She did not understand what was the big deal about her. Was she really that special? Why? Why were they want to kidnap her again? It was for the best, better to lose only one life, her life, and not the four of them.
"Smart girl" He kicked away Naruto in one movement, wasn't kind but he didn't kill the boy. Hinata closed her eyes, trembling and frightening. She internally prayed for their safety while she was waiting for that man to take her away. Obito-nii-chan. Shisui-nii. Otou-san. I'm really sorry.