V.
Act 2, Scene 1
"I pray you, do not fall in love with me, For I am falser than vows made in wine" - Shakespeare (As You Like It)
HINATA
Thinking back on my life before the chaos erupted and terror struck, I realize just how much I had taken my once perfect life for granted; the perfect life that any young, naive, and innocent girl could dream for. Before the incident, I had all the happiness I could ask for in the world. I had the finest, most pristine clothes, any toy I wanted, all of the food I could need. I had my best friend, Neji, who would always tease me by pulling my hair or poking my cheeks that he always deemed as "chubby". It would make me so mad that I would tackle him to the ground, but Mr. Kiba and Mr. Shino were always the ones to break us up. I was schooled by the best teachers money could buy, received the best education, went on the craziest, most exciting vacations. I had it all.
However, despite how much I want to forget about it, my life cannot be recalled without the dangerous turn of events that the little girl inside me had to go through. It wasn't something that my young eyes were keen on, it wasn't something that my ear canals could easily register, and it certainly wasn't something that my nostrils could recognize. It was as if I were living in a never-ending dream, running in the vast darkness with no destination in mind or sight. A dream that only I could suffer from while everyone else around me remains oblivious.
I was only seven years of age when the Royal War struck upon the Hyuuga clan. On the day of the Royal War, deep inside of me, I knew things weren't going to turn back to normal. Even as a child, having to accept something as devastating as that was quite cruel; yet, it made my heart stronger and my will to live that much greater. However, the longer I force my brain to fully register what was happening, the more this dream progressed in a downward spiral. Cries and shouts were heard beyond my bedroom, beyond the crystalline windows that protected me, beyond even further into the unknown darkness that I had yet to venture into. Thunder crashes as lightning follows, making my young body jolt at each crackle. Sobbing endlessly into the only arbitrary material I could find - my special blanket - I remained hopeless and powerless under the strong hands of the universe, fated by the guide of my own species. Will I die? Will I survive? It wasn't something I was used to asking myself, so I didn't know how to exactly answer it. All I knew was that I was scared...and no one could do anything to help me.
As the storm ran its course onto the kingdom with bloodshed stained to mark as evidence, my bedroom door was suddenly pounded on. I quickly turned my head in the door's direction, but my entire body was stuck - I didn't want to move an inch from my place. What if the bad guys are out there? What if they're trying to trick me? my adolescent mind thought.
"Hinata-chan! Open the door already! It's me - Neji! It's scary out here!"
The voice that broke out amongst the chaos, the gentle wind in the chimes, the sun gracing the world once again with its shine. That voice - it only could belong to Neji.
With a racing heart and tears very much still streaming down my face, I hurried over to the door, unlocked it, and in return, received the body of ten-year-old Neji who tackled himself into my frail frame. We landed on the ground with a soft thud with Neji laughing all the while. However, I was not; rather, I didn't have the heart to laugh at all during a situation like this. It didn't make sense to me how he could.
Though, his laughter is short-lived once he notices my distraught expression. Pouting his lip and raising his brow, he begins to pet me on my head, running his long, slender fingers through my hair. His touch immediately calmed my wrecked nerves. Without saying another word, he pulls me in close, so tight that it restricts the air in my lungs. Yet, I don't mind, and he knows I don't mind. He proceeds to say sweet nothings in my ear that I can't quite recall presently, but I remember just how happy his words made me feel.
Then, he kisses me, all of a sudden, right on the lips - something which he never did until that moment, completely shocking my entire reverie. But, there's no judgment, no interferences - and it brightened my world all the while. Even to this day, I never could be able to forget his lips on mine, especially considering he was my first.
Despite my thoughts telling me otherwise, the special moment between us was rudely taken from the light and abruptly brought into the darkness again once my bedroom door swings open, revealing Father. The first moment, I was relieved to see him; the next, I was devasted.
"Hinata, Neji! What are you two doing in here?! We need to evacuate, now!"
We both looked at father like he grew two heads suddenly. We didn't know what "evacuate" meant, but from the way father sweated profusely as his ligaments twitched underneath his clothes, I knew it couldn't have meant anything good.
"The royal kingdom is in flames!"
Those were the last words my child mind could remember until I was immediately swept up into the strong arms of another. Just from the smell of the metal armor, I could tell it was one of the royal guards. As much as I struggled against their grasp, he was not planning on ever letting me go. I screamed and cried against it, but those sounds were ignored, and once again, I remained stuck like a puppet as my guardians continue to be the master.
From that day on, the nightmares began...and have yet to stop.
The sound of metal clacking against each other took me out of my dazed reverie. Despite not wanting to give up past memories, I realize it's better to stop thinking about such things, especially when history has seemed to repeat itself.
Just like that fateful day, I remain in the arms of my loyal guards, Mr. Kiba and Mr. Shino. The symbolism only wrecks my core, reminding me of every traumatic event that occurred before my eyes. I feel them swell with hot, fresh tears but I bite my lip so hard that I forget to cry. I'm the princess - I can't show any more signs of weakness tonight. No matter how bad things get.
For a moment, we stop and the guards finally put me down. Once my feet hit the ground, I immediately realize that we were underground, inside a bunker made for this exact reason: war. Inside the bunker seated mother, father, Neji, and to my surprise, the Sunagakure clan.
I'm speechless once Gaara and I make eye contact, yet millions of questions flood my mind. Perhaps it's better that he's with us instead of in his hometown. But still...this can't be some sort of coincidence.
"Hinata! I'm so happy you're okay!" mother exclaims before forcing me into her arms. "How are you feeling?" she asks urgently, checking for any signs of damage that has been done to me.
"We wouldn't have to worry about such a thing at all if it weren't for your incompetence..."
A deep, dark voice breaks out amidst the rekindling of my mother and I. Shocked, I trail my eyes to whoever the culprit may be. Believe it or not...it's Rasa, Gaara's father.
He stands once he realizes all eyes are on him, his face as red as a heated sweet potato. It sends shudders down my spine. "What is this now? Some sort of intruder? How could you have let such a thing happen?" he spits, his voice dripping with vicious venom.
Upon realizing that this is not some sort of wholesome reunion between the clans, my body breaks out into cold sweats. I look towards father, praying that he has some sort of rebuttal to set Rasa straight. But, the more I think about one on my own, the more I realize that such a thing is not as simple as it seems and Rasa has every right to be upset.
"We couldn't have possibly expected this...," father says, looking as defeated as ever.
"How?! Just a day ago, Hinata was in danger, yet you say you were clueless?! The enemies were right under our noses the entire time...," Rasa pauses with a scoff, "they must've planned this whole thing out!"
Watching the two clans bicker before me only caused more uneasy, heavy tension that filled the bunker, smothering it with toxic fumes of anger. Breathing in the fumes made it harder for me to breathe, and soon enough, my entire body began to tremble. I have to intervene, I can't let them fight like this...
"Everyone, we mustn't fight at a time like this," Neji beats me to the cut. "We're all scared and we shouldn't point fingers -"
"Who gave you permission to speak, peasant?" Rasa blurts out, venom dripping with every word. I look over at Neji who looks just as shocked as I do. Yet, he doesn't say anything as he knows not to speak against his superior.
However, I could feel heat boiling up next to me, and I glance over to see father who seems to get heated by the second. "Don't you dare speak to Neji like that or I'll - "
At this point, I have had enough and I can't just sit around watching my fellow colleagues argue with one another. "Everyone, stop!" I exclaim, and surprisingly, it shuts everyone up. Tears threaten to fall, but I quickly blink them back, biting my lip red all the while. "How are we supposed to figure out our next plan of action if we're too busy fighting with each other? Right now, innocent civilians are dying and our soldiers may be in serious trouble. That should be the only concern at hand."
Everyone stays quiet for a moment as if they are registering the words that I have said. I glance over at Gaara, who seems to give me the smallest of smiles, almost like he's proud of the fact that I spoke up. Neji, on the other hand, remains blank and emotionless. I can never tell what he's thinking in times like these as he has trained himself since a very young age to be unreadable. He's definitely not the same lively, overly affectionate Neji that he used to be.
Karura is the first one to break the ice. "Hina-chan's right...nothing good will come out of this if we keep fighting." She looks over at father, her eyes flooded with confusion. "What are we going to do now?"
Father clears his throat, almost as if he's dismissing what just occurred a few seconds ago. "We have to wait until the soldiers clear us."
As if on beat, the walkie-talkie resting on father's waistband emits a static sound before a man's voice bellows from it: "King Hiashi, The Black Knights have been detained, captured, and they are currently imprisoned underground. Over."
Shocked, a unison gasp fills the air. I've become even more scared than before as there's a voice deep inside of me doubting such a thing. There's no way this ends so quickly...there has to be something wrong.
The others heaved a breath of relief, and the tension lifted as quickly as it came.
Father speaks into the walkie-talkie, "I would like to go see them myself." My eyes widen at this sudden sentence. "Is it clear for Areum and me to do so? Over."
"Yes. We hope to see you two soon. Over and out."
I shake my head as a series of different emotions coursed through me. Anger, resentment, confusion... Why would Father want to see them? I couldn't help myself from asking that question aloud, and Father's face only darkened.
"I need to see their faces so I never forget who they are. Then, they can rot in prison for the rest of their lives." I had never seen Father emit such venom from his sentence, and it made me further realize just how much Konoha means to him. I could feel his sense of fire rage inside of me as well, and I couldn't help the feeling of wanting to do something about this situation. I don't want to stand back and watch from the sidelines. I need to make sure Konoha is safe.
Father turns to the Sunakagure clan with a sympathetic look plastered on his face. "Please, stay at the kingdom for the rest of the night so we can ensure your utmost safety."
Rasa and Karura nod almost reluctantly. Father and Mother kiss me goodbye before quickly rushing out of the bunker, presumably to go meet The Black Knights.
The urge to stay silent disappeared like mist in the air and I turned over to Mr. Kiba and Mr. Shino. "I want to go with my parents too."
The two men quickly object, brows furrowed and mouths shaped into a scowl. For some reason, it angered me more.
Neji even chimes in, exclaiming, "That would be incredibly stupid to do, Hinata-chan. It's our job to protect you." He gestures at him and the other two guards in the room.
I couldn't stop the scowl that began to form on my face. I wanted to voice my concerns aloud, but just from the look on Neji's face, I knew it wouldn't be worth it. When he's firm, he doesn't shake from his original stance. It's nearly impossible to change his mind.
I glance gingerly at Mr. Shino and Mr. Kiba from underneath my eyelashes, and they give me the exact same expression. I can understand why they feel so passionate about it as they have been trained since birth to always protect me. Yet, I can't shake the feeling of wanting to protect myself and my family. We've had so many close calls at this point that I don't think I can take another risk.
It's strictly prohibited for me to do any sort of training, more specifically, physical training. It's to ensure that I don't accidentally get hurt and taint any sort of innocence that I may have. Although incredibly misogynistic, I've had to follow this rule for as long as I can remember.
However, now that I'm getting older, perhaps my parents may hear me out on why I want to start training in the first place. It's a long shot in the dark, but it's worth a try, especially if it means I can protect Konoha better.
I'm no longer going to sit back from the sidelines...whether mother and father like it or not.
A week has passed since that fateful day.
The kingdom has turned back to normal, for the most part. The initial shock has definitely left the atmosphere and everyone is just trying to live their usual lives again. However, while society attempts to get the cogs working as best as they can, The Black Knights remain under our feet, locked away in inescapable chambers. I'm still not sure how many have been captured yet as father is still trying to meet all of them individually. What I do know is that they're all dangerous, unpredictable, and...pissed.
Thankfully, I learned that they could never step foot past the gates, which makes me a lot more confident in our security.
It wasn't until I was taken out of my reverie that I realized that I had been staring into nothing. Looking over to who called my name, I quickly notice Neji, a slightly crooked smile adorned on his features and eyes brighter than the sun itself. It's almost like every time I see him, my worries are soon washed away and replaced with feelings of relief and comfort. Yet, despite his welcoming aura, there's still something probing my mind desperately.
Forming my lips into a straight line, I ponder my next move. I figure if I'm going to go about this, my first target has to be Neji. Although he's blunt at times, he is still considerate and doesn't always shut me out.
"Neji-kun, I've been meaning to talk to you about something," I start, my voice mellow and light.
He raises a curious brow. "Out with it," he persists.
Without another thought, I spill my guts. "I want to start training alongside Mr. Kiba and Mr. Shino to become stronger and a better leader."
It's silent; so silent I could probably hear a pin drop if it did in the distance. Neji's once inquisitive demeanor quickly changed into disgruntlement and disagreement. I knew immediately at that moment that his only answer would be a definite no.
"You're not allowed to do that, Hinata-chan. You know that," he counters, crossing his arms firmly across his chest. "Don't even bother asking Areum and Hiashi, either." I raise a brow at his words. "They'll just say the same thing...and worse."
Although his statement is true, it still managed to make the blood in my veins begin to boil and I felt a sense of rebelliousness take over me. With a slight glare, I reprimand, "I can do whatever I want, Neji-kun."
He narrows his eyes which tells me that he did not like what I had to say. With a clenched jaw, he seethes, "You can't just use your privilege to get everything that you want in this world."
I gasp, startled. Neji is never the one to blow up, but when he does, it immediately makes me want to back down and hide in a corner. His eyes turn sharp, almost menacing, and I can feel the heat steaming from his body. Gulping, I turn away from him as I could no longer bring myself to make eye contact.
No more words were exchanged before Neji takes his leave. Once he does, I wonder if I'm truly even cut out for trying to convince anyone to let me train. Whenever I bring it up, it deeply upsets anyone who hears.
But...how can I be a better leader if I can't even defend myself?
"Wait...what?!"
"You heard me correctly, Hina-chan. You'll be appointed a new bodyguard who will protect you at all times, someone who can be there for you in times of need, or just a friend to whom you want to vent," father explains, the hot summer sun rested behind him, shadowing me from its blaze. A slight draft sweeps by and my nostrils inhale the sweet smell of the garden, and I'm quickly reminded of where I am.
"B-but...Neji-kun...-"
Father sighs, as if already tired of the discussion. "This will be different than Neji. This bodyguard will be one that you can call upon at anytime, day or night," he explains.
I blink, confused yet frustrated. How could they just give up Neji's position like that, especially without alerting me first? I suppose they know I would've thrown a fit if they asked me beforehand...
Biting my lip, I ask, "What will become of Neji-kun?"
Father gives a slight smile. "He has been appointed a new job, which will be training alongside Shino and Kiba. He hopes to become a Chief Officer."
My heart drops at Father's statement. Chief Officer...? How come Neji has never told me about this? I never knew he wanted to achieve something like this. To be honest, I thought he wanted to remain my bodyguard for the rest of his life.
However, it's selfish for me to have that sort of mindset. Whatever Neji wants to achieve in life, I'll always support him wholeheartedly. Maybe once he accomplishes his dreams, he'll finally get the recognition he deserves.
I exhale in an attempt to calm my nerves. Facing Father once again, I ask with a meek voice, "Well...who will take his spot?"
"Sasuke Uchiha."
a/n: hello everyone, i apologize greatly for the long hiatus i took. hopefully the next chapter will be out a lot sooner than this one. thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think! i love you all 3
