Sasuke can't help the scowl that appears on his face as he sits in the tree.
The fan-girls of his have long since left, but he's too scared to move, not that he'd admit that.
He hates the attention.
Why can't they see calling him the last uchiha isn't a compliment?
"Neh, Hime-chan? Why are we out here?" The annoying voice of the dobe meets his ears making his mood even worse.
Looking down he can see the bright blonde hair of the dobe who is whining at Hinata, who sasuke thinks is a saint for putting up with the obnoxious loser.
He can't understand why she wastes her time with Naruto.
The flicker of jealousy he feels is irrelevant.
"Ah, Naruto-kun, we need to be away from everyone if we are to test these out." He watches as Hinata pulls out some tags.
"I'm still shocked at how fast you're progressing in this Naruto-kun, these are really beautiful." He watches Hinata hold the simple but elegant explosive close to her face.
"I still can't believe you didn't let me carry them" he hears the dobe whine out, making him scoff.
'Course any sensible person wouldn't let the dobe ten feet near an explosive, let alone hold one' he can't help but lean forward in curiosity.
"That's because I don't trust you to not use them in a prank." Hinata states mindless of the indignant squawk.
"Hime-chan!" Naruto pouts, even from here sasuke can see the red hue from Hinata's cheeks, he can't believe the girl has a crush on the dobe of all people.
'One less chasing me' he thinks.
"Naruto, are you ready for the test tomorrow, I know how hard you're still struggling with the clones?" Hinata asks.
Sasuke could see them through the gaps on the tree as they sat down on either side of a bunch of scrolls.
"Ah, Hime-chan. I-" Naruto stops scratching the back of his neck.
"You what?" The sternness from the soft voice is startling, if the dobe's gulp is anything.
"I kinda got sidetracked, wait!" Naruto stops her before she can say anything.
Reaching into his pocket Naruto pulls out a crumpled piece of paper and from what Sasuke can see a sketch of a scribbling on it, before thrusting it in Hinata's face.
"What's th-" she doesn't get to finish.
"I made this after you said you didn't want to carry your weapons in a pouch, honestly you and Shika can be so similar Hime~" dobe sings.
"You made me a seal?" Her shock is evident to Sasuke, who in turn was just as shocked, but for a different reason.
''cause there is no way the dobe could create a seal.'
"Well, it took some time, but I made it, Dattebayo!" Naruto exclaims proudly.
'What does it do?' Sasuke thinks in irritation.
The dobe hasn't even said what it does.
"What does it do?" Hinata asks the dobe more kindly than he would have.
"Oh, duh! It's like a storage scroll, but instead of going on paper it goes on your skin!" Naruto is obviously proud of his stated accomplishment.
Sasuke is intrigued despite his disbelief.
the dobe couldn't have made a seal.
'He's barely passing.'
"Wow! Seriously? Can I see, or..?" Hinata asks the dobe after staring in shock.
"Hina-chan, I made it for you. of course, dattebayo!"
"Now where do you want it?" Naruto asks not giving Hinata a chance to respond.
Sasuke hasn't seen the girl so red since she fainted that one time, the dobe's reaction was amusing, watching Naruto flail under the dead weight of hinata.
He subtly shuffles away not wanting to invade on the private bonding they're doing feeling like an intruder. He's just about to jump to the next tree when a gentle voice stops him.
"Uchiha-san, Would you like to join us?" The softness of her voice makes him freeze, for a split second he debates on going down or not.
"Eh! The Teme! What'a you want?"Naruto swivels around trying to find Sasuke, while Hinata's pale eyes pierce him.
The curious gaze of hers making him shiver at the intensity.
Turning to Naruto, the stupefied gaping face of his makes him scoff.
"Dobe" is all he says before taking off, and if there wasn't as much heat as before, well he'll chalk it up to being tired.
——-
"How long was he there?" Naruto asks Hinata as the figure of sasuke fades into the trees.
"The whole time"
"What! Why'd you let him listen in? I thought we were keeping it a secret?" Hinata almost squeals at the confused puppy face, or should she say the foxxy face of Naruto.
"Well, I-" she pauses.
"Hime-chan?" Naruto knows some of her situation, she didn't feel comfortable having a friendship with Naruto with secrets, so she explained her situation to the best of her ability, in the simplest way his then 8 year old mind could handle.
"Do you remember how I said that I know things?" She asks in lieu of answering.
"Yeah! You told me I was going to become hokage!" She wants to giggle at the simple mindedness of her dear friend.
"Yeah, do you remember anything else I mentioned?"
"Uhh…something about meeting my best friend? But how can that be when I have you!? Dattebayo!" Her heart can't take the cuteness.
"Uh, no not that…" she doesn't know how to respond to that heartfelt decoration, so she does what she does best.
Faints.
Kidding… this time.
"I was talking about how after we graduate, we might not be on the same team…"
"What! No! You have to be on my team, I can't not have you!" Naruto starts in panic, not even thinking about the fact that he has to pass.
"Naruto-kun, we are shinobi. We don't get to pick and choose how we do it. I'm sorry, I want us to be on the same team, but I'm not sure if they'll allow it. My kekkei genkai is very vital for espionage, it's hard for Hyuga's to become frontliners, because while we excel in taijutsu, we as a clan rarely focus on anything beyond controlling our chakra, which is a liability…."
"…Sorry" hinata can sometimes rant on her opinions.
"Wha-? I don't understand most of what you said, but if you think it's for the best.."
"Naru-kun… you still haven't applied the seal. And then after we can work on your clones, neh!" She grins as the brightness returns.
"Yatta! Where do you want it? I have two on my-…"
She wonders what the future holds for she intends to destroy canon too many people she liked in the story died for stupid reasons.
And now they aren't just a story.
They're her people.
Even if they haven't met yet.
———-
Sakura remembers entering the academy being beyond nervous and scared. Being a civilian even from a clan is intimidating.
It didn't help when the mean words started.
She endured because she wanted to be strong and learn how to be an amazing woman like the kunoichi she saw walking with their heads held high, as if the world couldn't touch them.
She knew then that she wanted to be just like them.
She met Ino, who was a godsend if she could be frank. She helps deter the bullies with her intimidating self. They soon became best friends, inseparable. They would walk to class together, train together, Ino would protect her from the bullies.
That was until they moved classes. Her heart was crushed when she heard the reason for the transfers.
A whole clan was massacred.
It almost made her quit if not for the fact that she wanted to prove to herself she's not a scary cat, or a wimp.
She remembers the exhale Ino had which made her turn to see what shocked her friend, she remembers turning and just thinking 'cute'.
She must have said it out loud cause the next second her best friend scoffed and said "I call dibs"
She doesn't know why but that made her mad, Ino has always had everything in her eyes. Beauty, brains, and popularity.
She can admit she let her jealousy of that feed her more than the crush she can admit she has on Sasuke.
They started to call each other names out of rivalry.
Ino-pig
Forehead.
As they drifted, she became lonely even though Ino and her still hung out. It was more to compete for Sasuke's affection than anything.
She doesn't remember how she got so consumed with the petty rivalry, she can't help but think of the quiet but protective Hinata who she knows could be the top kunoichi should she have tried.
She doesn't understand why Hinata doesn't push herself harder, never seeing the hypocrisy of her thoughts.
She hates how Sasuke actually sees her? Why? Is it because she can actually land a hit on him? She's the smartest in the class.
Why doesn't he see her?
——-
Neji finishes the last set of the trigrams, sweat dripping off of his brow. His stance was perfect, his hits would have been perfect.
He waits for the ridicule from the main branch.
"Neji-nii-san that was amazing!" The bright voice of Hinata makes him jolt, he's not sure of his relationship with the heiress, his cousin.
It's his destiny to protect her, but he hates that she's unbranded.
Why can't he protect her without being caged, he hates how he lets his anger towards her freedom, that she doesn't have a say in, out on her.
He hates how she just takes it with a smile.
He hates how warm he feels when she tells him he's the best.
He loves the way she comes to him even though he's cold to her.
He loves that even when he says harsh things she can see that he's just angry at the world.
He's selfish in that he uses her as an out.
He hates that she lets him.
He loves her for it.
"Straighten your shoulders next time" the aged voice of his elder breaks his thoughts.
"Hai, jirou-sama" he says dutifully, the high from Hinata's words dissipating.
He just wants to leave and meet up with his team, despite the loudness of his sensei, the reprieve from the clan was therapeutic.
He can't wait till he gets a long mission.
Exiting the foyer he heads towards the branch section to his quarters, as he starts to exit the main building his arm is snagged.
Barely keeping himself from jerking away, not wanting to anger an elder and experience the seal activate.
Turning his gaze he meets the warm gaze of his cousin.
"Hinata-Sama?" His disdain is thinly concealed.
"Ah, Nii-san I just wanted to give you this", she hands him a container with a label saying 'bruise cream'.
At his questioning brow she explains it's an ointment she has made with the help of the hospital staff as a repayment for her outstanding volunteer work.
He is still amazed, and envious of how lenient Hiashi is with Hinata, while he has to scrap by just for a main branch technique.
"Hm, thank you Hinata-sama." His tone is a little more gentle as he takes the small jar, before continuing on his path.
"You're welcome Nii-san". His lips lift despite himself.
——-
Naruto feels tears fall as he shuts his door.
Why?
Why can't he be normal?
How is gonna face Hinata after finding out the reason he's hated?
'What if she gets scared' he couldn't handle his precious person leaving him.
He knows it's stupid, Hinata is one of the kindest people he knows.
In the depths of his mind he hopes she already knew.
——-
Hinata waits anxiously in her bed as she wills herself to sleep, she knows how essential Mizuki betrayal is for Naruto to grow and find out his secret, but she hates how manipulative she feels.
It was easy at the start when she didn't think of them as anyone other than a character from a former life, but now that she knows most of them personally it's harder for her to basically play god.
Unwilling her eyelids start getting heavy.
Suddenly she's floating in her mind, if she is guessing correctly.
"Little one, my brother has sent you on a difficult task."
Spinning she can't help but inhale as the figure of The father of shinobi appears before her.
"I-" looking down she yelps..
"Wha-"
She's not young? She's still here but older? Her body is older at least.
"Your mental age is older than your physical age, but since you were merged with a younger soul your mental image is what you see as you". The gentle voice of Hagoromo makes her realize she's in front of a deity.
"Hagoromo-sama" she bows low as she feels her feet plant on to a solid ground.
The gentle caress of Hagoromo's hand makes her follow the finger tilting her chin up his Rinne-Sharingan spinning almost tranquil-like as her gaze catches his.
"No need for that young one, you're doing our world a great service."
"I, thank you, for being so kind to my son's reincarnation. They have a daunting task awaiting them, and it soothes my fears knowing they'll have the help of my brother's very own champion, for lack of a better term."
"I uh, don't mean to be so disrespectful, but why are you talking to me?" She doesn't understand why he would waste his time on her?
She isn't important.
"That's where you're wrong dear one, for you are the one who will either tip the scale for the better or cause the world to crumble." Hinata's breath hitches.
"Dear one, you need to stop being so passive, for if you want a change to happen you need to act."
"What do you mean?"
"You know what to do, though a little help from my eldest living more sooner than what has been for told in your… old world, would be beneficial"
With that she wakes up to the bright light of her room, the morning light shining onto her.
If she had been paying attention she would have seen the glow of chakra settling into her being as Hagoromo balances her physical imbalance, from being an older soul, the side effects are too be determined.
a seal spiraling on the center of her forehead before disappearing.
Notes:
Sorry if this is a little choppy.
I want to get to the start of the anime/manga.
I'm debating on if she should be in team seven or stay on team eight.
I want to keep the teams cannon but add my own twist.
Would having team eight join team seven on the wave mission be too cliche?
I would make it have a purpose not just having Hinata tag along. I never understood why Konoha didn't take advantage of the money Cato had. Idk if it's fanfic or canon that he was extremely rich.
What do you think Hagoromo did to Hinata? What side effects will she have with not one but two otsustuki's chakra.
I hope it's realistic that naruto is skilled in fuinjutsu he's no master but he can do basic seals and I think being an Uzamaki gives him seal hacks.
Plus he's Minato's son, he's a genius if given the opportunity to bloom.
