(DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.)
Chapter 2
Inspired by: Time to Wander ~ Gypsy & the Cat
Hinata ran as fast and far as her legs could carry her - which was surprisingly very fast and very far.
For the first time since her influx of training, the kunoichi was testing herself and realizing just how much progress she had made over the years. When she finally did stop to rest several hours later, a grin had found its way onto her face as she realized how much ground she had covered in such little time.
Well, if almost a whole day was considered a "little" amount of time, that is.
The best part was that she had barely even broken a sweat! If not for the sun slowly making its way below the horizon, she surely would have kept going for much longer. The Hyuuga wondered just how long she could go before fatigue brought her to a stop; was it possible she could run for days before feeling such effects? The thought made her oddly giddy. However, she decided against entertaining that theory and opted to settle down for the night, instead.
Now, Hinata was not much of a scaredy-cat, despite what many seemed to believe; but, she had to admit, the fact that she would be sleeping out in the wilderness by herself made her heartbeat thump a few beats faster than usual. Though, she was sure that she would be able to defend herself against any low-ranking ninja or common thieves - the ex-heiress would still much rather spend the night somewhere generally safer. A bed would be nice, too..
Yet, she knew this was the choice she had made; so she had to accept the consequences. A few bug bites and dirt stains wouldn't kill her, after all.
Well, she interjected into her own line of thought, some bug bites could.
She was reminded then of her bug-loving teammate - which caused a gentle smile to settle onto her face and a slight ache to pierce her heart.
Since stepping through the gates of the Hidden Leaf, Hinata hadn't thought once of the home she left behind. She had been too busy watching the birds fly above her head as she leapt through the trees. Examining the flora below her feet while she travelled across unfamiliar paths. Wondering just how far she had gone, how far she would go.
Now, though, as she sat at the base of one of the many trees surrounding her, eating one of the many small meals she had prepared; the Hyuuga girl realized just how much she was going to miss her friends. How much she already missed them. She was proud of herself for going off on her own, living for herself for the first time in her life - but was it worth it? Was the heartache she was sure would stay with her until she returned worth her independence?
Hinata was about to delve into a sea of negative thoughts when something amazing happened. At least, it was amazing to her.
She had just taken a bite out of her rice cake when an acorn fell from above and hit the unassuming girl on the head. Hinata let out a squeak of surprise as she clutched her head, spotting the acorn on the ground next to her. She picked up the "weapon" and turned her head upward, wondering where the thing had come from.
As soon as her eyes landed on the branches overhead, however, another acorn hit her square in the forehead.
"Hey!"
Feeling a bit annoyed, Hinata let out a huff as she rubbed her forehead, activating her byakugan in the process. Her annoyance suddenly turned into amusement as she discovered the culprit.
A small squirrel was perched on the branch above her, trying to disguise himself in the leaves. Of course, he was unaware that the girl below him could see through trees easily - so leaves weren't much of a problem for her.
The girl in question giggled to herself as she noticed where the little creature's eyes were fixed: her container of fruits. Pretending not to notice her tiny companion, the byakugan-wielder subtly plucked a few grapes and set them down next to her. She continued eating her meal as she pretended not to hear the leaves rustle above her head; causing a few to sprinkle onto her hair and legs.
As she plucked the wayward leaves from her dark hair, Hinata listened to the sound of tiny feet crawling down the tree. A moment later, the kunoichi glanced to her left and smiled; the squirrel was munching away on the small fruits as he sat next to her.
Laughing quietly to herself at the obviously hungry creature, Hinata leaned back against the large tree and the two enjoyed their meals.
She finished just as her little friend came searching for more, sniffing at her empty containers and looking up to Hinata as if to say, "You didn't save any for me!"
"Sorry, little guy," the kunoichi replied to the critter's imaginary statement. "I've only got so much to spare."
Much to her surprise, the bold squirrel jumped up onto Hinata's lap and crawled onto her chest, sniffing at her mouth.
"You ate it all!" she imagined him saying indignantly as his little nose twitched in front of her own. He quickly made his departure after that, apparently uninterested in the girl if she was out of treats.
Hinata chuckled as she watched her meal buddy scamper away. How cute.
A yawn escaped the Hyuuga's mouth as she leaned even farther back against the tree, finally feeling like she had, in fact, been running all day long. She looked up at the darkening sky and decided it was as good a time as any to set up camp for the night.
Not wanting to draw any unwanted attention, Hinata decided against building a fire that night. It was almost summer, after all; so the night air would be comfortable enough without the added heat. Since she could only carry but so much, the kunoichi's camp was only composed of her pack and her sleeping bag. Easy to set up, easy to clean up.
After laying out her sleeping bag and tying her belongings to the branch formerly occupied by Mr. Squirrel, the Hyuuga was more than ready for sleep to consume her. Despite the early hour of the night, Hinata was fast asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
As she fell asleep, Hinata decided that sleeping under the stars wouldn't be so bad, after all.
That thought didn't last very long.
Just a few short hours later, Hinata woke with a start. Her byakugan activated immediately, looking for a threat. Instead, she found a squirrel; or rather a certain squirrel that was currently trying his best to get into her suspended bag.
"Hey, stop that!" the now-annoyed girl exclaimed as she jumped up from her place on the ground. At the human's outburst, the nosy critter ran off and disappeared into the darkness.
With a huff, Hinata assessed her belongings. Luckily, she caught the little thief before he could get anything. If she wasn't so empathetic, Hinata would think badly of her so-called "meal buddy." Yet, she knew he was just trying to survive - just like everyone else in the world.
She was still annoyed, though.
Feeling not-so-comfortable this time around. Hinata tried her best to fall back asleep. However, the surrounding darkness was making her nervous. Of course, she knew that she could simply use her byakugan to bypass the blackness around her and look out for any potential predators - but she couldn't do that if she was asleep.
So much for sleeping under the stars..
All night long, Hinata stared at the twinkling lights above her; though the beauty was sullied by her own anxiety toward being alone in the forest in the middle of the night. That anxiety stayed with her until the sun reared its head hours later, causing Hinata to breathe a small sigh of relief.
Though, she was only a little bit relieved; the night would come again, after all.
The girl worried that she would never sleep if things stayed like this, but she tried her best not to think about it as she packed her belongings that morning. Before the sun had fully awoken, Hinata was off.
Even without a full night's sleep, the kunoichi found gliding through the trees to be just as easy as the day before. Pushing on despite her fatigue, Hinata made her way through the trees, feeling the morning dew brush against her cheeks as she passed through the leaves.
The day pressed on, and so did Hinata. She had no particular destination in mind; in fact, she wasn't even sure where exactly she was. She didn't mind, though. She just kept going.
That day passed just as the day before had, and before long it was time for the sun to leave Hinata's side, once again - and once again, Hinata barely slept a wink.
The days continued in similar fashion, though each had its own surprises, as well; both pleasant and not-so-pleasant. There was a day where the girl stumbled upon a few baby birds jumping from their nests high in the trees for the first time, each clumsily flapping its wings until they finally felt comfortable in their new environment. However, there was also a day in which Hinata witnessed a group of thugs attempting to rob a travelling family; luckily, the mother of said family was much tougher than she looked. The kunoichi winced as she recalled the state of the other men as she left the scene.
Every day, Hinata made her way through unfamiliar lands - sometimes running at full speed, sometimes strolling along the many trails throughout the woods. Every night, her own anxiety and paranoia kept her eyes from staying shut for more than a few minutes at a time.
Needless to say, the Hyuuga was growing more and more weary as the days went by.
However, this feeling was different than what she used to feel. She was simply physically exhausted, while her heart and mind were more energetic than ever before.
Despite her lack of sleep, Hinata had never felt better. Every day, she saw things that she had never seen before, talked to people she had never met, and felt feelings she didn't know she could feel.
Two weeks had passed in what felt like a blink of an eye, and Hinata was beginning to understand why she had felt such a need to be out in the world. She could feel it in the tree bark behind her back, in the grass between her fingers. She could see it in the stars at night, in the eyes of travelers as she passed.
The world was a beautiful place, and it was waiting for Hinata to discover it.
Even the strongest ninja needed sleep, though; and Hinata's lack of such was beginning to catch up with her by the end of her second week abroad. Luckily enough, a passing family pointed the Hyuuga in the direction of a nearby village where she could find a room for the night.
It didn't take long for her to find the small settlement that was hidden among the trees, and she was so happy that she did. The village was quaint and small. The citizens seemed very tight-knit, yet they treated Hinata just as if she were their neighbor as she walked through the cutely decorated streets.
With the help a few of the locals, the kunoichi found the village's inn - suddenly feeling very much like she hadn't slept in two weeks.
The building wasn't very big - but, then again, neither was the village itself. Hinata didn't mind, though. Despite her regal upbringing, the former heiress thought such a small village was rather cozy; and she was pleased to find that the tiny inn was just as cozy on the inside as she stepped through the narrow doorway.
Upon entering the establishment, Hinata was greeted by an empty check-in counter. Not wanting to be rude, the kunoichi stood quietly for a few moments as she waited for the Innkeeper to notice her presence. She examined the room as she waited, fighting back a yawn and dreaming about the moment she could finally rest her head.
Despite her struggle to stay on her feet, the Hyuuga took note that whoever was in charge of decorating this place had done so with a traveller's needs in mind. Not material needs such as bags, canteens, and other useful items for a mission or vacation; no, this place was set up with a person such as herself in mind, Hinata concluded. Someone who needed to feel at home.
There was a fireplace on the far side of the room, equipped with two soft-looking seats adjacent to one another - a small table rested between them. Of course, there was no fire lit at this time of year; but Hinata couldn't help but imagine how nice it would feel to lounge there in front of a warm fire, a cup of tea on the table and a book in her hand. A small sigh escaped the girl's mouth at the thought, I wish I could come here in the wintertime..
Hinata's fantasies were cut off by the sound of the Innkeeper entering the room suddenly.
"Oh!" exclaimed the older woman as she noticed Hinata's presence. "I didn't even hear you come in!"
"T-That's okay," the dark-haired kunoichi assured the woman with a kind smile. "I've got time."
The woman smiled back at Hinata, grateful that her current customer didn't seem to be a troublesome one. "Looking for a room, my dear?"
Hinata nodded, "For t-two nights, please."
The Innkeeper mirrored the girl's nod, placing her reading glasses on her nose as she checked a notebook on the counter; probably checking to see which rooms were available. The woman looked to be in her late sixties - yet she gave off the aura of a young, energetic girl. She wore simple clothes, possibly sewn by her own hands. An apron hung around her waist and Hinata briefly wondered if the woman had been in the middle of cooking when she arrived.
If she had the energy, Hinata would have tried to have a nice chat her; but she was currently trying her best to keep her eyes open as she stood on the other side of the counter, so she didn't think she would make a very good conversationalist.
The older woman looked up at her guest with another smile as she took off her glasses, "You're in luck! We've got one room left."
Hinata doubted that such a small, out-of-the-way place had so many guests as to only have one room left - but she simply smiled and followed the quirky woman up the steps after paying for her two-night stay.
There seemed to be almost a dozen rooms in the small building, so Hinata expected a room that would barely hold a bed. Yet, as the old woman opened the door, the kunoichi was pleasantly surprised by the comfortable and cozy atmosphere.
Though it was smaller than any in the Hyuuga household, this room was more than enough for Hinata. There was a full-sized bed in the middle of the room, flanked by two small night stands. A small couch that looked to be similar to the two sitting just downstairs sat in the corner of the room, next to a window. On the other side stood a dresser; which had been decorated with a lovely bouquet of flowers that Hinata assumed was the Innkeeper's doing.
"It's perfect," Hinata said, giving another warm smile to the woman next to her. "T-Thank you, ma'am."
"Please," the woman replied kindly, taking Hinata's hand in her own as if she were her own grandchild. "Call me Miss Maho."
Hinata nodded, placing her other hand on top of the older woman's, "Thank you, Miss Maho."
With another sweet smile, Miss Maho gave the young kunoichi's hand a small squeeze before turning to the door. "Get some sleep, my dear," she said knowingly as she began exiting the room, "you look like you've been run over by a wild boar!"
Hinata blinked as the door shut behind the brazen old woman, but she quickly laughed it off. She was sure the woman was only telling the truth. She had been running through the woods for weeks, after all - so it seemed fitting. With this in mind, Hinata decided to get down to business.
After a quick shower (which, Hinata had decided, was the absolute best shower she had ever had in her life), the traveling Hyuuga fell onto her bed and let out a moan of contentment. I've missed beds so much..
Before she could pass out, Hinata forced herself to crawl under the blankets - letting out another sound of happiness as she was surrounded by the warm blankets. Within minutes, the exhausted kunoichi was sound asleep.
Hinata woke several hours later, feeling better than ever. As she stretched, the kunoichi let out a sound of satisfaction while her muscles flexed - well-rested and comfortable.
If she was being honest, Hinata could stay in this very bed for days and not feel the least bit guilty about it (especially after "sleeping" on the hard ground for two weeks straight). However, as she looked to the window and saw the beginnings of sunlight peeking through the curtains, the pearl-eyed girl decided it was time to get up.
Slowly but surely, the groggy kunoichi made her way out from under the warm covers and headed to the small bathroom. After brushing her teeth and taming the mess on top of her head, Hinata was ready to greet the day.
It was still early in the morning as she made her way out into the village, giving a quick 'good morning' to Miss Maho on her way out. Due to the early hours, it was likely that most shops were still preparing for the day ahead. Hinata needed to stock up on more supplies while she could, so she opted to take a stroll around the quaint settlement while she waited for the day to catch up with her.
Now that she wasn't dead on her feet, the byakugan-wielder was able to fully appreciate the beauty of the reclusive village where she had found herself staying.
There seemed to be only average civilians all around - which Hinata was more than fine with. Being around strange shinobi always made her nervous, anyway; so being surrounded by normal people was a breath of fresh air for the timid kunoichi. Despite their "average" status, the people of this village were anything but lazy; Hinata noted this as she walked past dozens of villagers making their way to work - or already working, in some cases.
The sun had barely risen, but this village was wide awake already.
Suddenly, Hinata felt something hit her legs; she looked down and smiled. A young girl had accidentally run into her, causing the child to fall back onto her behind with a small, 'umph!'
"Are you alright?" Hinata inquired as she reached down to help the girl to her feet, hoping she wasn't upset by her fall.
Her worries were quickly swept away as the little girl jumped up without Hinata's aid, a toothless smile gracing her features. "I'm fine, ma'am. Sorry for running into you!"
Hinata returned the chipper girl's smile in kind. "That's okay," she said kindly, lowering herself to the girl's height, "just try to be more careful from now on, okay? We don't want you hurting yourself."
The girl's bright smile somehow grew brighter as she gave a stout nod to the older woman. With a quick 'gotta go!' and a wave, she was off. Hinata smiled as she watched the young one skip away (albeit a bit slower this time), suddenly feeling a sort of peace wash over her. It was small things like this that reminded the kunoichi of why she was here. Even the most insignificant interaction could make an impact on a person, after all.
As the Hyuuga continued her walk, the village began to move around her as shops and vendors opened for the day.
"Apples! Oranges! Peaches!"
"Fresh fish over here, folks! Just caught this mornin'!"
"You look like you could use some of my home-made jam, young lady!"
Hinata did her best to dodge the sales pitches as she passed by - but it seemed that news of a guest being in the village had spread overnight. Though she had never been in this place before, the pearl-eyed girl found it hard to believe that the vendors were always so active (read: pushy) in a village where everyone knew each other so well. Everywhere she looked, the citizens were laughing and teasing one another. It was like this village was one big, loud, happy family.
The peaceful feeling in Hinata's heart continued to grow as she watched those around her go about their lives. To think I would have never experienced such a nice place if I hadn't left..
Just then, the kunoichi spotted a vendor in which she actually had an interest. This particular shop must have had a traveler's needs in mind (though, in a different way than Miss Maho's Inn), for it was filled with the essentials for a long trip in the wilderness. Containers of rations, canteens, first-aid kits, and many other travel necessities were scattered about the cart - each with fairly low prices scribbled haphazardly on their price tags.
"Anything you need?"
Hinata smiled politely at the man behind the cart, "J-Just looking for now, thank you."
The vendor grunted slightly and turned back to his waiting book, apparently not quite as friendly as the other villagers seemed to be. The kunoichi didn't mind, though; that just meant she could browse without worrying about him trying to push more, more, and more onto her purchase.
She looked around for a few moments, deciding to grab a few meals since she was on her last few. Along with her rations, Hinata grabbed a new canteen; her current one was a bit too small to carry enough water to last between fill-ups. There was only one other thing the girl needed: a cloak, to protect her from mother nature. The rainy season was just around the corner, after all.
Hinata was so engrossed in her search that she didn't notice another person approach the vendor, quietly taking his pick of the items on display. It was then that she saw it, a cloak! Hinata reached for the dark blue cloak folded on the edge of the table; but she didn't notice the other person reach for a container of rations at the same moment.
The kunoichi let out a squeak of surprise as her arm made impact with the man next to her, knocking the container out of his hands in the process. Immediately stammering out an apology for her mistake, Hinata reached down to retrieve the fallen container - grateful that the meal hadn't spilled out onto the ground.
"H-Here's your-"
Hinata's mouth dried up as she made eye contact with the person next to her for the first time. Black met pale lavender; the stark contrast going unnoticed by the now nervous girl.
She had never known the man personally, had never even spoken a word to him; but she definitely knew of him. In fact, she wondered if there was anyone in Konaha who didn't know of Sasuke Uchiha. The rogue turned hero, the most dangerous man alive. The man she had just unintentionally bumped into.
Hinata held her breath as the last member of the Uchiha clan's dark eyes looked down at her own bright ones. Is he going to kill me? He wouldn't do that over something so small…would he?
A breathless moment passed as the two stood there, the retrieved rations between them.
Despite her own anxiety, Sasuke simply took the container from her hands. Turning toward the clerk wordlessly, the legendary shinobi purchased his meal and left the cart without so much as a second glance in Hinata's direction.
Said person let out a breath as she watched him depart, putting a hand to her racing heart. That was close…
"Oi, are you gonna buy that or not?"
Hinata jumped slightly at the clerk's sudden outburst, blushing slightly at the man's annoyed expression. She nodded awkwardly and handed him her items. She then walked away from the vendor in a daze, leaving the grumpy man to get back to his beloved story.
Was that really him? Was it possible that she had run into an Uchiha doppelgänger? No, that couldn't be it. The Hyuuga girl may not have known Sasuke back in the Hidden Leaf, but she knew enough to admit that he was much too unique to be so similar to anyone else. Plus, Hinata was positive that no one could mimic his chakra signature so accurately; she shivered slightly, still feeling the remaining goosebumps that had appeared after her body had realized just who had been standing so close to her. To any ninja, especially one as low-rank as herself, being near someone so powerful was a feeling unlike any other. Intimidating, exhilarating, terrifying.
It didn't surprise the girl in the least that he didn't seem to recognize her, either. Hinata had a feeling the prodigy wouldn't know her name even if he did recognize her face. Just as she had been too preoccupied with her feelings for Naruto to notice his dark-haired counterpart, she was sure that she had been under his radar as well during their days at the academy. It was only the girls like Sakura and Ino that even got so much as a look from the Uchiha boy back then - and it wasn't necessarily a good sort of attention.
Yes, being ignored by Sasuke Uchiha in their youth was a blessing that she hadn't known she needed before that day. Who knew how he would have reacted if he had recognized her as a face from the Hidden Leaf?
Despite the jarring encounter, Hinata's peace remained with her as she made her way into one of the few dining establishments in the area. She took a seat and was immediately greeted by a smiling young woman wearing an apron; her waitress, she assumed.
"Hi there! What can I get for you today?"
"U-Um," the kunoichi hesitated, unsure of what the place served since she hadn't had much of a chance to look over the menu. Quickly scanning the parchment in front of her, Hinata pointed to the first thing she saw, "I'll have this, p-please."
"Great choice!" the cheery waitress chirped as she collected the menu from the wide-eyed girl. "Be out in a jiffy!"
Hinata thanked the girl as she walked away, hoping that whatever she had ordered would be good.
As she waited for her meal to arrive, Hinata's mind went back to her surprising encounter. She wondered what had brought Sasuke to this village; what were his intentions in this kind of place? He wouldn't harm such an innocent village, would he?
Of course not, she reassured herself. He saved Konaha during the war, he surely doesn't harbor any malicious intent after such a fight.
Still, the Hyuuga wasn't so sure if that was the case. Could such negative feelings be put to rest so easily, or was Sasuke simply repressing them? Would he lose control once again and use his massive strength to attack, rather than save the world?
Hinata sighed.
There was no reason to even think of these things. Sasuke Uchiha was practically a stranger to her; she had no way of knowing what was going on in his head.
Besides, she concluded, if the Uchiha ever did decide to harm others again - Naruto would put an end to that quickly.
Hinata blinked.
She hadn't thought once of the whiskered blonde since their awkward encounter the night before she left. It was strange; but now, as she looked back on that night, Hinata felt nostalgia. Perhaps, that was the last night she would ever see him again - or, at least, the last night she saw him as her Naruto. He was just Naruto, now. She wondered what he was doing in that moment - hundreds and hundreds of miles away from where she sat.
Probably complaining about some work Kakashi gave him again.
The thought brought a smile to the pearl-eyed girl's face, I'm sure he's doing well.
"Boy on the brain?"
Hinata jumped slightly; she hadn't even noticed the waitress approach her table. It took her a moment to process what the girl had said as she placed her food on the table. When she did, however, a blush burned brightly on her downturned face.
"U-Uh, no," she replied meekly.
Her waitress simply hummed, as if knowing that the kunoichi wasn't quite telling the truth. Though, she let the subject drop for the red-cheeked girl's sake.
"Enjoy your meal!"
Feeling thoroughly embarrassed, Hinata began eating her mystery meal. Apparently, she had ordered the special - some sort of soup. Luckily, it suited the girl's taste just fine.
After several more bites and a few quick 'Need anything over here, miss?'s from the bright-eyed server, Hinata was finished with her pleasantly surprising meal. Leaving a generous tip for her waitress - despite her momentary awkwardness - Hinata headed back out into the streets.
It was around noon by the time she left the restaurant, so the lone Hyuuga decided to do some exploring.
After dropping off her purchases in her temporary room, Hinata decided to take an alternate route this time around. Pushing off her right foot with little force, she flew into the air and landed on a nearby roof. She stayed low, not wanting any villagers to see her and get the wrong idea - she simply wanted to see the tiny village from a bird's eye view.
Gracefully, Hinata leapt over rooftops as she admired her surroundings. Flora filled the village grounds amongst the natural dirt and grass, causing one to feel comfortable as she walked through the streets of the small settlement. This place was beautiful in a unique sort of way, the kunoichi decided, as she perched atop one of the few tall buildings; it was a natural beauty created by the earth and nurtured by the good people that dwelled there.
Hinata smiled at the view, happy that she had found such a lovely place.
After several hours of exploring the village - as both a kunoichi and a tourist - the young traveler decided it was time to head back to Miss Maho's Inn. The sun was still low in the sky, but Hinata wanted to enjoy her last night of peaceful sleep for as long as possible.
As it had been during her explorations throughout the day, her encounter with the ex-rogue that morning plagued her mind. For some reason, his presence had shaken her up quite a bit; yet, at the same time, she still felt the same peace she had felt when she met the toothless little girl. It was a strange feeling - a mixture of uneasiness and calm.
Hinata tried once again to shake the strange feeling as she entered Miss Maho's home, finding the old woman to be seated at the counter this time.
"Welcome back, my dear!" she greeted warmly. "Did you enjoy the village?"
The younger woman nodded, a kind smile gracing her features as well as she addressed the Innkeeper, "It was lovely, Miss Maho. You must l-love it here."
Miss Maho's smile somehow grew more tender at Hinata's words, "Oh, yes. I've lived here my whole life, after all. So I must enjoy it quite a bit!"
She looked to her left where a picture was framed on the wall - a family portrait. "My father was one of the first settlers here, you know," she stated proudly as she looked at her family with warm eyes.
"He raised my brothers and I here, all by himself," she looked away then, a wistful smile on her lips. She quickly sobered up, however; as if reminding herself that there was another person in the room.
"Anywho, let me stop badgering your ears off, my dear," Miss Maho said with a chuckle. "You go on and get some rest."
Wanting to respect the woman's wish to change the subject, Hinata gave another warm smile to the unique Innkeeper as she bowed slightly. She began walking up the steps to her room, but paused when Miss Maho softly called after her.
"I hate to be a bother, but please be sure to keep extra quiet tonight if you don't mind, my dear," the older woman said, sounding a bit frustrated. "Another guest checked in this morning and he's quite the grump."
Hinata smiled at the woman with squinted eyes as she put her index finger to her lips, signaling that she would keep quiet. Miss Maho chuckled at the already quiet girl as she turned back to the steps and made her way to her room.
Though she knew she was already a fairly soft-spoken person, the kunoichi did her best to be silent as she walked down the hallway. Once she entered her own room, Hinata gave a silent breath of relief. It had been a very eventful day, and she was ready to sleep.
She decided to shower in the morning before she left, so the Hyuuga was under the covers in an instant.
As she lay under the warm blankets, that tell-tale feeling of uneasy calm filled her heart and pooled in her stomach once again. Yet, this time, the calm seemed to outweigh the uneasy. Hinata's eyelids grew heavier and heavier with each breath she took, peaceful calm sinking into her bones and muscles.
That night, Hinata slept better than she had in, not only the past two weeks - but the past two years.
As the sun just barely began sinking below the horizon, this village settled within the forest was humming with peaceful content as its residents made their way home for the day. Just as the wide-eyed kunoichi had gotten in the habit of doing, the villagers rose and fell with the sun. So, as Hinata snoozed under the setting sun, others followed her lead.
Peculiarly, as the sleeping girl enjoyed her night of peaceful slumber - another nearby found himself, for the first time in more years than he cared to remember, doing the same.
The next day, Hinata woke up feeling well-rested and ready to continue her journey. Though, she had to admit she would miss this place. She made a mental note of its location, hoping to come back and visit next time she was in the area.
The kunoichi, already packed and ready to go, made sure to tell her host goodbye before leaving. She found the woman in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, it seemed. Hinata had been planning on just saying a quick farewell, but Miss Maho insisted that the young woman have a good meal before she left.
"I hope you'll come back and visit again, my dear," the woman said as Hinata enjoyed her nutritious breakfast. "It isn't often that we see a woman such as yourself pass through."
The young woman in question furrowed her brows at that, "What do you mean?"
Miss Maho chuckled at her younger counterpart, "A ninja, I mean. We don't see many shinobi around here these days, and when we do, it's mostly veterans on vacation. All men, all dreadfully boring."
Hinata giggled at the Innkeeper's annoyed expression, apparently not too pleased with the usual guests she hosted. She wiped away her grimace with a smile toward the girl across from her, "It's refreshing to see a strong young woman like you visit every once in a while."
At that, the girl blushed. Though she knew she wasn't necessarily "weak" any longer, it was odd hearing someone call her "strong." She decided she liked the sound of it, though.
"I'll be sure to come back one day," she promised, mirroring the woman's kind expression.
Soon enough, Hinata finished her meal and bid Miss Maho goodbye. Not before having another meal - "for the road" - shoved into her pack, of course.
"Take care of yourself, my dear."
With a smile and a nod, the kunoichi was off.
Miss Maho watched the young woman disappear and sighed. It was so rare to meet such a well-mannered ninja; the old woman had to admit, she would miss her.
However, she didn't have the time to mope over a stranger. Turning back to her business, Miss Maho took her place behind the counter as footsteps sounded on the staircase.
Must be the other one, the woman guessed. She had only had two guests within the past few days, after all - and one had just checked out.
"Did you sleep well, young man?"
The quiet man didn't respond, simply placing the key to his room on the counter before here and making his exit. The woman pursed her lips, letting out a huff as the door closed behind him.
Yes, she concluded, well-mannered guests are rare, indeed.
Hinata's small break seemed to give her the motivation she needed to continue her journey. Strangely enough, she even found it a bit easier to sleep! Though, she still couldn't sleep peacefully through the night - the ex-heiress could now get at least a few hours of shut-eye before the sun showed its face.
The only downside to the next leg of her trip was the weather.
Just as she had predicted, the rainy season began soon after she left the village among the forest. She was eternally grateful for the rude vendor that sold her the large cloak that was now on its way to becoming a permanent of her wardrobe.
Despite the rain, Hinata was enjoying herself. It seemed she was nearing the edge of Konaha, though she honestly wasn't exactly sure where she was. In an effort to fully submerge herself in her surroundings, the Hyuuga girl decided she would only use her byakugan when absolutely necessary. So, yes, her sense of direction was a bit off without the aid of her all-seeing eyes.
She decided that was alright, though. Her trip wasn't about the destination, it was about the journey.
A little over three weeks passed before Hinata decided it was time to stop for supplies once again - and, more importantly, to sleep in a bed. Though she was getting used to sleeping amongst Mother Nature, the former heiress still preferred a soft mattress.
The village she visited this time around was quite a bit different than her previous stop. The most overt difference was its size. This place was about ten times bigger than the tiny settlement in the forest had been, with hundreds and hundreds of people pushing past one another with unfriendly ease. Though the previous village had been fairly loud, Hinata could hardly hear herself think as she waded through the pool of civilians, shinobi, bums, and royalty as they shouted at one another.
Yet, while the quaint village she had left weeks ago shouted in happiness - the people of this place seemed to only allow curse words in their vocabulary.
Not daring to ask anyone for directions in fear of having those curses directed at her, the kunoichi subtly made use of her unique eyes to find a suitable place to stay for the night. After a few seconds of searching, Hinata spotted a rundown hostile through the hundreds of people in her line of sight.
Much to her dismay, it seemed the place was quite far from where she currently stood. The girl briefly considered hopping over the rooftops as to avoid the mass of people that stood between her and her destination; but she decided not to attract the attention. Feeling her anxiety heighten as people continued to bustle around her, Hinata held her breath and began pushing through the hoard of angry citizens.
Usually, the girl would make a point to examine the village as she walked down its roads. This time, however, she had no way of doing so without utilizing her byakugan once again; and, frankly, she needed all her strength to avoid hyperventilating at that particular moment.
Everywhere she turned, all the kunoichi saw were people. Eventually, she stopped trying to discern her surroundings and kept her eyes glued to the ground ahead of her. All she had to do was keep going straight and eventually she would reach her destination. Just a little bit longer..
She was almost there when a familiar yet unfamiliar feeling tickled the back of her neck.
Hinata's brows furrowed as she inadvertently came to a stop, ignoring the people who complained as they pushed past her. The girl lifted her head, looking around - not knowing what exactly she was looking for. Whatever it was, she didn't find it as her eyes scanned the sea of faces around her. Puzzled, Hinata turned her head back toward the ground and continued her trek.
Finally, she reached the grimy-looking hostile; it was squeezed in between two other buildings, yet it looked like it had been there first, with its rickety porch and leaning sign. Pursing her lips slightly at the appearance of the place where she would be resting her head that night, the pearl-eyed kunoichi made her way to the weak door. However, she stopped when she noticed one of the buildings that hugged the Inn's side.
Hinata's stomach growled, I could use a snack.
The hungry traveler entered the pastry shop and immediately felt better as the smell of freshly-baked sweets graced her senses. After scanning their long list of items, Hinata decided on a tasty-looking cinnamon bun. The girl had to stop herself from drooling as she paid for her snack and made her way outside, taking advantage of the lesser populated area and taking a seat outside of the shop.
All of the stress from her long day was washed away as Hinata bit into the warm, sticky pastry. If there was anything that never failed to make the Hyuuga girl feel better, it was dessert.
Despite her hectic surroundings, the familiar feeling of peace that she had felt in the last village began consuming her once again. Thank goodness for cinnamon buns.
As she enjoyed her snack, Hinata watched as people passed by her place in front of the pastry shop.
An older woman walked past slowly, leaning on her cane as she hobbled down the street. The kunoichi watched as a younger man approached the woman, seeming to offer his help - which only prompted the woman to use her cane to whack him right in the shin. Hinata winced as the boy ran away from the grumpy old woman, who was smirking as she continued down the dirt road.
Looking away from the sly woman, the Hyuuga saw what looked to be a newly-wed couple on the other side of the road. They were shopping at one of the many vendors, giggling and smiling as they modeled hats and jewelry for each other. Hinata blushed as the couple shared a tender kiss; she looked away after that, feeling as if she were intruding on their privacy. Though, they were in public, so she supposed it wasn't very private after all.
Hinata took another bite of her sweet treat as another person passed. The first thing she noticed were his shoes, since she was now staring at the ground due to the affection being displayed a few feet away. He wore simple black sandals, with slender toes peeking out while he walked down the street leisurely. As her eyes travelled up farther, she noticed that he wore a long, black cloak - a bit more worn than her own. Though, the rain had stopped for that day and was replaced by a shining sun, so she couldn't help but wonder why he still wore such a thing.
As the man passed by where she sat, Hinata took another bite of her snack and almost choked when her eyes finally landed on his face.
Sasuke?!
She had only caught a glimpse of him as he passed, but she was sure that had been the Uchiha walking by. Wanting to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, the Hyuuga activated her byakugan silently and sucked in a sharp breath.
That was him, alright; but why? How?
It had been almost a month since their encounter in the small village - how was it possible that he just so happened to be here, as well?
As she tried to make sense of such a strange twist of fate, the man in question stopped suddenly, turning his head toward…Hinata!
The kunoichi quickly deactivated her byakugan and stuffed the rest of her snack into her mouth as she made a hasty departure, fast-walking in the opposite direction of both Sasuke and the hostile.
Her heart was beating at what felt like a million miles per hour. Did he notice her watching him? She wouldn't put it past the legendary ninja to be able to sense such a thing, but it still caused a chill to run down her spine.
Though, she would rather that than the other possible reason: he was following her.
That couldn't be the case, though - right? What interest would the Sasuke Uchiha have in her? Hinata chuckled breathily at her own paranoia. Of course he wasn't following her; it was simply a random occurrence.
After all, why would such a person even spare a glance in her direction? She was just being silly.
Hinata noticed then that she had made it quite far away from the rundown hostile, and Sasuke (and the delicious pastry shop). She turned to look toward where the old building stood - possibly where he still stood.
Though she was sure it was only due to her own nerves, the thought of going back toward the Uchiha made Hinata's heart pound harder than ever. She decided sleeping in a bed again could wait a bit longer.
So, with her supplies in hand and a cinnamon bun in her stomach, Hinata left the chaotic village behind.
A week went by before Hinata admitted to herself that made she should have stayed at the hectic village when she had a chance. It had been raining non-stop for days, and the Hyuuga was growing more and more weary by the day.
Luckily, she passed by another village on a particularly rainy day. This village was about as big as the last one, but not nearly as populated - or loud. Despite the dreary weather, she was greeted with smiles as she made her way through the area - which she was eternally grateful for after her last experience in a new place.
Feeling much less intimidated this time around, the kunoichi asked a man passing by for directions to the nearest inn. She was delighted to learn that it was fairly close; the sooner she could get out of the cold rain and into a warm bed, the better.
With her cloak pulled tightly around her shoulders, Hinata made her way in the direction the man pointed. The rain hadn't let up in hours, so without the use of her byakugan, Hinata could barely make out the buildings as she passed. After a few minutes of walking, the Hyuuga finally saw what looked to be her destination in the distance. Ready to be in bed after so long, the pearl-eyed girl sped up her steps in excitement.
Bed, here I come!
Just as she neared the inn with an excited smile on her face, Hinata was suddenly whisked off her feet by an unknown force.
Before her brain could even process what was happening, the kunoichi found herself shoved roughly against the brick wall of a nearby alley - a hand clasped around her throat as she struggled to regain her breath. She opened her eyes and any attempt of catching her breath was thrown out of the window as she looked at the red eyes glaring back at her.
"What do you want?" Sasuke demanded, his voice both calm and angry at the same time.
Hinata's brows furrowed through her own fear, "W-What?"
The sharingan-wielder pushed her against the wall harder, seemingly dissatisfied with her reply. "You've been following me. Why?"
The Hyuuga blinked, suddenly feeling a pang of annoyance rather than intimidation. He thought she was following him? Hinata didn't even know he was here until he so rudely announced his presence, and yet he was going to accuse her of such a thing?
"I'm not f-following you," she said, feeling a bit defensive even as the most lethal hands in Konaha were wrapped around her throat. "I-I didn't even know you were h-h-here."
Sasuke blew a puff of air out of his nose slightly, which she translated as a scoff of disbelief. "Right."
Hinata was well-aware at how strange it was that the two of them had once again ended up in the same village, at the same time; but she also knew it wasn't on purpose - at least, on her side. She was about to retort when the Uchiha suddenly released her from his grip, deactivating his sharingan in the process.
"Well," he said, sounding more apathetic this time around, "you don't seem to be much of a threat, either way. So, I suppose I won't kill you."
Hinata wasn't sure why, but she didn't necessarily feel grateful for being granted his "mercy." In fact, every word out of the man's mouth made the timid girl's nerves fire with annoyance. As if she wasn't already angry enough at his accusations, the next words out of the ex-rogue's mouth made Hinata's blood boil.
"I'm assuming Naruto and Sakura sent you to check up on their old friend," he said as he turned away from the girl, apparently done with his impromptu interrogation. "Tell them I said 'hello.'"
Again, Hinata didn't know why, but the implication that she was nothing more than his friends' errand girl made Hinata angrier than she had been in years. Not caring that he could hear her coming a mile away, the kunoichi stormed up to the retreating shinobi and planted her feet in front of him; only blocking the powerful man in theory, for he could move her aside without flexing a single muscle.
"I am n-not here for you," she stated with surprising forcefulness. "Think what you will, but I promise that your whereabouts are the last thing on my mind."
If she wasn't so terrified at the fact that she had just been so rude to Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata would have been proud of herself for barely stuttering through her declaration.
Deciding she didn't care about the man's reaction to her small outburst, Hinata passed by the Uchiha with purpose and made her way to her original destination. As she stepped out of the dark alleyway, pulling her hood back atop her now-soaked head, the Hyuuga realized just how dumb her actions had been. He could kill her at any moment, could stop her breath with a mere glance - and she had just told him off!
The thought made her jittery with both fear and exhilaration.
It took only a moment for the kunoichi to reach the inn, and she couldn't have been happier to be there as she stepped out of the cold rain and into the toasty building. After paying for her room, the Hyuuga made her way up to her room, quite frustrated that her previous excitement had been interrupted by Sasuke. How dare he treat her in such a way just because of a mere coincidence? Though she had to agree that it was strange, it was no reason to act to hostile, nonetheless.
Hinata huffed as she entered her room for the night. She had been so ready to curl up under the covers and enjoy a peaceful night's sleep, yet now she was energized by her own anger.
Hoping it would calm her nerves a bit, the girl decided to take a nice, long shower. After taking her sweet time washing away the dirt and grime that had coated her body after weeks of being out in the wilderness, Hinata felt quite a bit better. She finally started feeling relaxed as she pulled the soft blankets around her, shifting her body down further so that she was fully cocooned in the warmth of the cozy bedding.
A sigh left the young girl's lips as she closed her eyes, ready for sleep to consume her.
However, instead of seeing black behind her closed lids - Hinata saw red.
Her eyes shot open, byakugan active as she searched for any sign of the Uchiha. When she saw that no one was there, the Hyuuga realized it must have been her own imagination. Blushing in embarrassment despite the fact that no one was there to witness her paranoia, Hinata closed her eyes once again; and once again, red eyes started back at her.
Groaning, the sleepy girl turned onto her stomach and shoved her face into the fluffy pillow. Get out of my head!
For longer than she cared to keep track of, Hinata tried her best to will those eyes out of her mind - to no avail. Eventually, however, she succumbed to her drowsiness and drifted off to sleep.
Though, even as she slept, blood-red eyes stared back at her mind's eye.
The rain persisted well into the next morning, but Hinata wasn't going to let that stop her from making her departure after a quick breakfast.
Her encounter with Sasuke the night before had put the kunoichi on edge, so she was willing to endure a little more rain if it meant getting away from him. Though she wasn't even sure if the Uchiha had even stayed in the village that night, the girl was not about to take that chance; she wanted to stay as far away from that person as possible.
Of course, the world didn't seem to care what Hinata wanted.
The Hyuuga had barely taken two steps out of the village grounds when she felt a presence behind her. Out of reflex, she spun on her heel - jumping several feet away and assuming her fighting stance. The tense kunoichi relaxed only slightly after realizing who her unexpected guest was. She remained on the defensive.
"Did you need something?" Hinata inquired, surprised by both the barely-hidden disdain in her voice and lack of stuttering. If it had been just about anyone else, the polite girl would feel guilty; but as she watched that subtle smirk drift onto Sasuke's face, Hinata silently wished she had said something much worse.
"Not really," the Uchiha replied blandly, despite the mirth expertly hidden in his features. "I was just leaving, and here you are again."
Her blood boiled at Sasuke's words, at his implication. He was accusing her of something. Again.
Trying her best to keep calm on the exterior as she seethed, Hinata replied with measured breath, "What a coincidence. I was doing the same."
The stoic man across from her smirked plainly this time. "A coincidence," he repeated, obviously not buying into her words.
"Yes," Hinata snapped suddenly. "A coincidence."
There was a somewhat awkward silence then; the only sound being the rain as it poured around the two hostile ninja. Hinata avoided looking straight ahead as Sasuke's eyes bore into her. She briefly wondered if she had made a mistake. The Uchiha had just threatened her life a few hours before - what would stop him from taking back his prior mercy?
Just as the kunoichi had been about to execute her escape plan, Sasuke broke the loud silence with an anti-climactic hum of indifference.
"If you say so, Hyuuga."
With that, the elusive shinobi was gone in the blink of an eye. Hinata quickly activated her byakugan, but even with her all-seeing eyes he was nowhere to be seen.
The now lone ninja shook off the lingering feeling of awe and was once again filled with annoyance as she bound off in what she could only assume was the opposite direction of the lightening fast Uchiha. How dare he accuse her of following him, twice! The man didn't even know her, yet he acted like he had guessed her "true" intentions.
Or did he know her?
'If you say so, Hyuuga.'
Had Sasuke only made the assumption of her surname because of her unique eyes, or had he recognized her since the day of their first encounter?
Though her natural modesty wanted to believe it had been an educated guess on behalf of the former Leaf shinobi, Hinata had a distinct feeling that wasn't the case. Another swirl of frustration pooled in her stomach at the thought.
He knew who I was and just ignored me!
Of course, she knew the ex-rogue would most likely treat anyone other than his teammates in the same manner; nevertheless, Hinata felt slighted.
The annoyed girl let out a huff, her bad mood only worsening with the harsh weather as she bound through the forest. She did her best to calm down, knowing that she shouldn't let such things get to her - knowing that she had never before let such things get to her. Yet, as the day passed, the former heiress couldn't shake her irritation.
As she continued on her lone adventure, Hinata came to a sudden realization.
She had never, not once in her life, genuinely disliked someone. Even those like Pain and Obito, the empathetic girl didn't harbor hate in her heart for them. However, for the first time, the sweet girl decided she did dislike someone, after all.
So, with newfound motivation to avoid the object of her negative feelings at all costs, Hinata continued on her journey.
A/N:
Okay I wasn't expecting it to be so LONG but oh well.
Sasuke's in da house yaaaallll. I know this chapter has some weird pacing, but that's only because this is sort of setting up for all da good stuff. Anyways, I hope you guys liked it and I'll try (that being the key word here) to post the next one a little sooner. Thanks for reading! 3
Special thanks to reviewers: hikari0605, SanctuaryoftheDead, Splaaash-attack, busi, MikanYuzu, Sadie321, , Luvhina, and Zyllah!