Chapter 2: Slim Options
By: Vampire Toy
PG 13 (Just in case)
Disclaimer: Me no own ;;
Summary: "Children have the uncanny ability to know that they're different and that their love is special at a very young age, it's when they get older that others cloud their hearts." A series of events leads Hinata to realize things about herself she'd rather not know, but are these realizations going to make her fall deeper into depression or help her survive? (Votes for side couples or rivalries welcome)
"Talking"
(Thinking)
:Sound effect:
The next morning I could feel the sun warm my face even before I opened my eyes. I let out a small yawn and pushed myself up, wearily remembering the night before.
(I'm such a trouble to take care of, I can't believe I made Sakura give up her bed again…)
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and planted them on the cold wooden floor, twitching slightly as the morning cold rushed through my body but I was too tired to put on my shoes. I stood and walked out the door quietly, unsure if Sakura was awake as well. My sense of direction in her small house was as well as her own; I'd slept over so many times before, whenever I was sad or needed to talk I would come over.
It had gotten to the point that my servants rarely worried when I wasn't home; they would just call Sakura's house to make sure.
"Hinata?" her voice echoed from the kitchen.
"S-Sakura-chan, good morning!"
"Morning! Are you hungry?"
"Oh, well, I could go home and eat…"
"Sit Hinata, I'm making breakfast for two."
"Well, ok…"
(I guess her parents didn't come home last night ….)
I sat down and watched as Sakura cooked in her mothers pink apron.
I remember the conversation we had that brought up the pink apron; 'My mother loves to cook but she doesn't have time or skill, so to make her feel better, I made her this when I was eleven as a birthday gift'. (That's why Sakura-chan cooks so well, because her mom can't)
I leaned back and watched Sakura scuttle around the room.
(I should help)
But I couldn't, cooking had always been done FOR me, my goal was always to become stronger and more powerful to take over after my father……..
(Father!) I stood up immediately, making my chair fall over and Sakura turn around.
"I-I have to go! My father! I-I he wanted to talk to me this morning! What time is it?"
"Urr, 8:00 A.M."
"OH NO! I was supposed to be at the meeting by 7:00! Goodbye Sakura-chan! Thank you for everything!" I dashed out as quickly as I could and thought I heard Sakura scream 'wait!' as I bound through the soaked streets, but I was already an hour late, I couldn't 'wait'.
(This is HORRIBLE! How could I forget about something so important to my father? He is so sick this just isn't fair to him! What kind of responsibility am I showing him by running off like I did last night? So what if I do it a lot? It's not the adult thing to do! What if he died while you were gone! What if this was the choosing for your husband! You could have lost valuable suitors, Hinata! Father is working hard to make sure your taken care of when he's gone!)
My heart began to ache from my selfishness and thought of my father dying, I should've known better!
I began panting lightly as I came up to the gates of my home, I tried to push them open but they were locked. I made a face when I realized that I'd have to climb over….and that I had left my shoes and jacket at Sakura's house. I looked down at my wet muddy feet and wiggled my toes in the slush.
:SIGH:
So I began climbing, what else could I do? The guards were at the meeting too, my father had gotten out of bed for this; others were coming to the meeting too, the Hokage, and other clan heads. The security was focused in and around the meeting place, which was located in the Hokage's home, but going through my own property would make my journey much quicker, so no matter what, I'd still have to get over the gate.
(Wait, why are you trying to climb? Focus your chakara into your feet Hinata!)
I ran past the gate to the wall area of the border around our property and began walking up the wall slowly, as not to fall.
Finally I stood at the top and looked over my house to see how far I had to go. The Hokage lived in a pretty noticeable home and it wasn't hard to see it from here, but I also knew that it would take me a while to get there.
(Then run!)
Yes, I need to-
"AHHH!" My muddy foot slipped on the edge of my family's high walls and I dropped with a sickening :crack: and :splash: into a large mud pool bellow. I coughed, spitting out the gritty liquid and pushed myself up, the fall had knocked the air out of my chest and it hurt from the high fall.
"Urgl…oh…wonderful…" I was completely covered in mud now.
(Why? You see Hinata? This is your punishment for your selfish behavior!) I stood shakily and wiped off as much mud as I could before beginning to trot again, starting off with a slow trot. A sharp pain went up my left leg and I winced; the fall must have been more damaging than I'd thought.
(Just run, it will wear off! There are more important things at hand!)
I began running lightly, trying my best to avoid more mud puddles and doing my best to ignore the pain that persisted to pierce every nerve in my leg.
I felt as though someone was trying to rip my leg off, then force it back into my body; with every step it only became worse. My pace increased and I suppressed the pain, telling myself the faster I could get to the temple, the sooner the pain would stop.
I finally reached the Hokage's temple gates and panted heavily, sweat became cool and rolled down my face lightly as the cold wind blew my already muffled hair aside. I felt filthy and my leg only throbbed more painfully when I didn't move it at all.
"Excuse me miss, but you can't come in here."
"But…I- My name…:gasp: is Hyuga…Hinata! I'm here….for the meeting….please!" I begged; I was completely out of breath now; I'd run all the way across town.
(That's not too bad Hinata, remember, you're a Hyuga, you're a ninja, you've run longer distances!)
"I'm sorry, we're gonna need some certification."
"Certification! Look at my eyes! I'm a Hyuga! HYUGA! Hyuga Hinata!"
"We'll have to check with the Hokage, please hold on."
"Wait!…so the meeting? Its still on?"
"Yes."
"Ok listen, I'm sorry I'm late, really! I take full responsibility for whatever my delay has caused! But PLEASE, I have to get in there!"
"I'm sorry but you'll have to wait. It will only be a moment."
The guard walked inside while another one was left to make sure I didn't come in.
(Oh father will be so angry! I have to get in……there must be another way in…..) I sighed and turned around, walking away slowly until I was behind a tree near the gate. Cautiously I brought my hands into the sign for dopple gangers; I had to get in, this waiting for permission would take too long and get me in even more trouble.
"Shadow Replication!" I whispered softly. I heard a :poof: then the remaining guard began screaming and I peeked around the tree carefully to see him angrily chasing my double.
(Now Hinata!) I sprint, ignoring the pain in my leg again, and running as fast as I could through the gate the guard had left open and ran through the door past more men who also began screaming at me and then running after me.
"Shadow replication!"
"Hey!"
"What the…?"
"Nice try kiddo."
(Of course, not all of them are stupid! Very important people are conversing in this building! The guards on the inside must be the ANBU)
I didn't turn to look, knowing that if I faltered they'd catch me for sure.
"Not so fast little missy." Two arms grabbed my shoulders and tightened so that my arms would be forced to my sides.
"Its just some kid?"
"She's good, a ninja you think?"
"Please! My father is in there!"
"Is that so?"
"Really! I'm VERY late to the meeting! I HAVE to be there, PLEASE! My name is Hyuga Hinata, I apologize for not having authorization but I didn't know I needed any! Please my -!"
"Hinata?"
I looked up and so did the man holding me; it was the Tsunade, the Hokage.
(How…embarrassing….)
"Miss!"
"Master Hokage, we caught her sneaking in; is she supposed to be here?"
"She was supposed to be here an hour ago, but yes."
"I'm so sorry! I-I fell asleep a-and I tried really hard to get here fast-"
"Silence Hinata, its alright, you're here now….though….you look rather beat up, I hope it wasn't the ANBU…"
"No…it was my fault, they just now caught me."
"Good to hear you boys are still able to catch a Chuunin."
"Chuunin!"
"Let her go, come Hinata."
"Mistress…"
The man let go of me and bowed to the Hokage before stepping back slowly and fading back to wherever they'd come from.
"Now….Hinata, what happened to you? You look terrible."
"I-I realized that I was late and I panicked and once again, I'm so sorry for being late and for the mess I'm making over your floor…."
"It's quite alright, let's just clean you up so we can continue with the meeting. Kuo will show you to the bathroom….he will have some fresh clothes for you as well; they may not fit perfectly but they'll be dry. When your done join us in the assembly room….you know where that is don't you?"
"Yes miss, I'm sorry again…."
"Don't worry, I'm glad you made it."
I limped after Kuo and the Hokage paused to watch me; "Hinata, is your leg alright?"
"Oh, yes, I just fell on it."
"I see, Kuo, get some remedies for her leg as well."
"Yes Mistress."
After a refreshing shower I gladly put on the clean clothes and put the cream on my battered leg. Kuo soon left to attend to other things after making sure I knew where the assembly room was. I finally pushed myself up and began walking slowly out the room and down the hall. My father had sometimes taken me here when he had other, less important meetings to tend to, so I knew for the most part where the room was located.
I limped wearily to the room and paused; my father was talking loudly and it sounded as if Tsunade was trying to calm him down; obviously it wasn't working.
"What stupid things has she been up to! How does she expect me to be able to help her get ready if she cant even keep herself from simple injuries!"
"Now, calm down, remember your health! Besides, it was rather small, seemed to be nothing more than a sprain. It will heal."
"But that means we have to wait longer for the transaction!"
(Transaction! As in….exchanging money for something…..selling me?)
"She'll be fine, we'll prepare her like we've been saying and by the time her leg heals she should be ready."
"Ohh, Hinata why? My time is short, I don't understand why all these plans keep falling apart."
"We can always forget about the trans-"
"No! No, this is about more than protecting our clan, its about protecting Hinata, she needs this, we have no other choice."
(Was finding a husband for me THAT hard?) I could feel tears build up in the corners of my eyes as my throat went dry and my chest began feeling tighter with the prospect of crying and trying to hold my gasps down so I wouldn't be heard.
(I can't show this weakness) I forced my tears away and wiped the corners of my eyes.
(I've heard enough! I don't want to hear anymore!)
"Father!" I pushed open the door and smiled weakly.
"Hinata!"
"Hinata, I'm glad to see the clothes aren't too unfitting."
"They are perfect, thank you Miss Hokage." I bowed my head and she gave me a weary nod and smile. I looked over at my father who had two guards on each side while he himself was tightly wrapped in blankets, only his frail, bony, face above the thick sheets. It broke my heart to see him obviously suffering, no matter how strong he tried to look even a child could see he was close to an end.
(To think I'd made him wait for an hour!)
"W-what did I miss?"
"Nothing really…."
"Hinata, we will speak about your late entrance at home….but for now all I can tell you is that you'll be going through some vigorous training for a month or two, it will be good for you."
"Yes father."
Vampire Toy: Hn, well, I think Hinata would have servants right? I mean she's high status and an heir to a very powerful clan XP. Sorry for Sakura's OOC'ness, it kills me inside but I'm guessing the setting is some time after Sasuke left and Sakura became stronger (there…it makes sense now….) also, hope the Hokage wasn't too OOC, Strict but gentle….hope her character wasn't too insanely OOC and Kuo, he is just a butler type person for the Hokage and I felt like giving him a name (not the main one, but I assume the Hokage has more than one servant right? Lets pretend the other one's on vacation…) …. hmmm…..well, if this is read, then lemme know what you think :)
Oh yeah, hehe, the transaction? Its NOT what you think it is (smiles) I know I know, tricky me, its something much bigger….teheheh, R&R and flames welcome :)
EDIT: Yikes, what are they supposed to call Tsunade? 'Mistress' 'Ma'am' 'Miss' ? Or just 'Hokage'? what does she have pple call her? I didn't mean 'Mistress' in the lovers sense btw nn; I know you guys know that but I'm paranoid…