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Chapter III – True Lies
They were all in the Hospital waiting room. None of them was talking. Naruto kept walking side to side of the room, like he wanted to open a hole in the floor. Kiba was tapping his nails in a table nearby, while Tenten was nervously looking everywhere. Hinata was leaning herself against a wall, poking her fingers (as usual) and Shino was just observing her, blankly.
An ackward silence flooded the place.
And suddenly, Tsunade entered in the room, having Sakura behind her.
"Hinata! How long it was?" – not a question, more like a comand form the Godaime.
"I-I beg y-your p-p-pardon, H-hokage-sama…."
"Don't play fool kid! HOW LONG HE STAYED UNDER THE ACTIVED CURSED SEAL? Aswer me! Now!"
"Hinata, you know, more than us, that the Cursed Seal activation provokes a high blood pressure inside the head, and it may lead to strokes, aneurysm and, eventually death." – Sakura said, trying to convince the Hyuga to talk.
"I-I-I know nothing a-a-about…" – Hinata was trembling toe to head. Her knees seemed like jelly made, like they would fail her any minute soon. Her hands were wildly twisting, and her fingers curving in oddly positons.
She HAD to remain quiet, they can't know about the engagedment – not yet! Neji asked her to shut up. Keep lying. Keep lying.
"Listen to me Hyuga!" – the Godaime was loosing her temper – "the Cursed Seal can only be activated for 5 minutes with less damage to the bearer, more than that can cause all the consequences Sakura said, and some of them IRREVERSIBLE!"
"I-I-I…."
"Hinata! Look at me!"- Sakura demanded, grabing Hinata's shoulders – "We must know the period of activation in order to give the proper medicine. You are also a Medic-nin apprentice, you know that if we give less medicine than required by his state, he may have another crisis, resulting in permanent damage to his brain or even killing him!"
"Hinata, please, listen to Sakura-chan" – Naruto said. He was exceptionally serious.
"S-Seven to e-e-ight minutes…m-more or l-l-less….I t-t-think"-That's it: she finally gave up. To hell with Neji's and her pride, his condition was too bad to sustain the lie.
Hearing her answer, the Hokage turned on her heels and dashed back to the emergency room. Sakura was right behind her.
Silence again in the room.
"Why?" – asked Tenten, breaking the silence after some minutes.
"What has he done to deserve such punishment?"
Hinata couldn't answer, she only stared the floor. No need of Byakugan to tell that she had ten pairs of eyes over her. Despair was taking its place, her mind was in a rush loking for exits, solutions, lies she could say to escape the true. Will they know? If I say something false, could they belive? Can I lie to ones I love?
"Hinata-san. I asked you a question." – Tenten was up,few steps in front of her. She was not mad, just sad.
"Please, Hinata-chan, we know Neji. He can be difficult, disobedient, …I know he has received his teaching amounts of the cursed seal during his life, but none was so severe as this one!"- Lee almost begged for her answer. He and Tenten were Neji's only friends (even though he would never admit) for long time, and they deserved an answer.
"Hinata-chan, come on. You two were all strange this night, we all noticed. He could have died from that damned seal!" – Naruto was really serious now. And she knew that once Naruto get in the "serious mode" he couldn't be stopped. Besides, how can she hide the truth from the one she loves? Her whole body was trembling, felling the pressure her friends were putting over her shoulders. She was feeling cold, but it was spring time, wasn't it? And, without her comand, tears came down.
As if could avert their eyes, she covered her face with both hands and, doing that her kimono's sleeves fell, revealing the bandages in her wrists.
Shino gently touched her hands, putting them away from her face, turning so he could put her palms up. He silently unwrapped the bandages, exposing the red scars of her pale skin.
"What are those?" – he asked, looking her directly in the eyes. Shino was a man of few words, but nevertheless meaningful words.
"T-t-t-training w-w-w-wounds…"
"The hell these are from training! Juuken doesn't harm the outside! What happened in that freaking clan of yours today?" – Kiba was yelling already.
"N-n-n-nothing. J-j-j-ust training w-w-wounds….true"
"Hinata. I hate lies. And what I'm whitnessing here is a HUGE lie from someone I though I would NEVER hear". – Naruto was pissed, really really pissed. Gods, HE was pissed with HER. No, that couldn't be. That was a stab in the heart, she was crying now.
Shino embraced her, Kiba was caressing her long dark hair, Akamaru was leaking her hands….Her world had finally fallen apart.
"Just tell us what happened. Maybe we can help!" – Ino said, coming near her team.
Chouji came back with some water and tissues, and she was gently put in a chair sided by her team and the others.
And she told them the afternoon nightmare, the arranged marriage, their refusal, their failed bargains, the punishment of both.
Another ackward silence fell on the waiting room. Seemed like all the kids were processing the information. But, eventually, the louder one talked:
"SICK! That's sick! The Hyuga clan is all sick! Who do they think they are to play with peoples lifes? Are they Gods? They aren't even the Hokage! Nobody has this right!" – Naruto was mad, hands pummeling the wall.
"Yeah! I agree! That's insane! First, they are cousins, second, they are not even close friends nor lovers, third, they DON'T WANT TO GET MARRIED TO EACH OTHER" – Kiba was also yelling.
"Guys, that is not relevant. You are missing the important part: the punishment one". – Lee was trying to calm down, but not leave the subject.
"I agree with Lee. Arranged marriages are common in most of ancient families like the Hyugas, but forcing and torturing for this! That is really crazy!"- Ino was now at Hinata's side, holding her hand.
Hinata was just thinking how good it would be if their friends were there, during the council meeting.
"Well…what are we going to do" – Shikamaru said lazily – "It's not like I wanna put my nose in these family business, but now that we know the truth, we cannot seat and pretend nothing happened, right?"
Everybody turned to see the cloud's admirer. He was the last expected to make such subersive comment! And it seems like his words fired up the cold room:
"RIGHT! We can't be quiet! Hinata-chan! I'm going to talk to your father and take this shit out of his head!" – Naruto said, with that famous grin in his face.
"Me too. Nobody will decide my rival and friends life! That is against the rules of the spring time of youth: love must come without annoucement, without prediction!" – Lee said, and a setting sun, sparkling waters suddenly appeared behind him!
"Let's move our butts to the Hyuga compound!" – Kiba told and started to leave the room, with all rookie nine plus Tente and Lee behind him. All, except Hinata and Sai, who said:
"You are sooooooooo naïve. Do you really think your lame reasons and childish arguments can change the mind of the leader of Konoha's oldest clan? He will surely kick you out of the compound in two seconds."
"Shut up, Sai bastard! You know nothing about this! You have not experiencied Neji's pain when he showed me his seal during the Chunnin Tests! You have not seem how hard Hinata tried to fight her cousin, even though he was far better fighter than she…" – Naruto started screaming at Sai's face.
"Not only that. Hinata's old man expelled her from home for being weak and useless. Thanks to Kurenai sensei's kindness, she had a home and friends, and could become the great ninja she is today!" – Kiba was putting a finger in Sai's face.
The artist ninja continued with his impassive face, no replies.
"Man, that's troublesome, but he his right" – Shikamaru said with a yawn.
"What are you talking about Shika? Have something in your mind?" – Chouji slowly spoke while opening his tenth snack.
"Look, we cannot go talk to the man without strong arguments. That may worsen the situation".
"We have a strong argument: THEIR LIFES, THEIR CHOICES" – Naruto spoke.
"It sounded like tennis shoes or whisky comercial, Naruto" – Ino joked.
"Maa, Ino keep quiet! Shika is talking!" – Chouji wanted to hear Shikamaru's idea.
"What is he now? Your spiritual leader?" – Ino replied.
"Geez…troublesome…We must talk to the Godaime first. She can summon Hiashi-sama and put some senses into his head"
"Think that Tsunade-hime will put her nose into this! She never deals with clan's internal problems, you know that!" – Tenten told the gang.
"It's not a clan's internal problem. One of her jounins is severely injuried. She does have a reason to summon Hiashi-sama. He will probably pop out the true about Neji's problem and she can wipe away the marriage stuf" – and with that, Shikamaru just showed why he deserved the title of "Genius".
"Good! I'll talk to Granny Tsunade!" – Naruto had a big smile on his face – "Cheer up Hinata! We are going to save you and Neji".
Hinata couldn't help but to smile at her adored boy's innocence. All would be fine. Everything, will be back to its places…and she stated crying again, more than before…
"Thank you….you all…"
Sakura entered the room and told the gang that Neji was fine, but had to be in the hospital for some time, just precaution. Ino, pulled Sakura a little away from the others and told her about the wounds in Hinata's wrists and asked if she could take a better look., and also see if the Hyuga girl could stay in the hospital too.
"You know, forehead-girl, I think she may try something stupid again. Just to be safe"
"Yeah, you are right, Ino-pig"
And so, Naruto went to the Godaime's office with Shikamaru, Shino and Kiba as his first lieutenants, Lee, Chouji, Sai and Sakura as his officers. They would present Tsunade her new mission.
Meanwhile, Tenten and Ino stayed with Neji and Hinata, to keep an eye on them.
That chapter was in the loving memory of my dear cousin Gaspar. Heaven will cure all the sadness.