Theme Set Delta 3/5
21. Books
Hinata is spotted by a villager reading Icha Icha Paradise. The next day Hatake Kakashi avoids Byakugan, Kage Bunshin, Nin Dogs, and Kekai bugs, wondering what he did wrong.
22. Phone
A whisper over the phone: "We're not dead yet."
And that's all they have, after two months of worry, fear, anger, feeling hopelessness. A single phone call and four words before it is disconnected. But is it four words of hope and the Godaime shouts at the administrators for being in her way as Jounin and ANBU gather at her command. The Hyuuga is in an uproar, requesting and receiving volunteer to retrieve two of their prominent members.
Hanabi grips the Herbal encyclopedia tight in her hands and prays fervent. Hold on Hinata, Nee-sama, please. We're coming to get you.
The Godaime is shouting the background but it is dim to her ears.
"We received contact from one of the operatives. Assuming nothing has changed, as of ten-o-clock this morning Yamanaka Ino, Uzamaki Naruto, and Hyuuga Neji and Hinata are still alive and active in their mission. You are to go in-"
No one really cares about the details until later, in their ears only rang the future Hokage and Hyuuga are alive. Hatake Kakashi's face is harsh, Yamanaka Inochi looks ready to leap out the window, and the Hyuuga members all have fierce gleams in their eyes.
23. Pack
The first time Hinata comes around with Neji after the Chuunin Exam, Kiba returns home agitated, ranting and raving at the predicament.
"How am I supposed todeal with this?" He asks though clenched teeth to his sister.
Hana shrugs, "You just will." and leaves without giving any advice.
Kiba is left staring at the wall in the room with Akamaru, slowly feeling ready to hurt or bite something, himself included if no other option was available.
"I can't." He says turning to Akamaru, "I can't do it."
Akamaru ignores him and continues to scratch his ears with his hind leg.
"I can't accept it!"
Akamaru barks, as if to say, you don't have a choice.
"ARG!" Kiba ruffles his hair furiously, thinking of the rigid male Hyuuga, the power in two pale hands and eyes, and the oppressing air the prodigy carried around almost like he was unawares. "There are too many freaking Alphas in this pack!"
24. Crush
"The Heir is unable to lead." A Council member says in the Hyuuga meeting. "We nominate a new candidate, a new"
Killer intent makes the man choke and fall to his knees, the others gasps in fear under the pressure and the Elders sweat. Hiashi turns tight jawed and pounding heart to the still, all too silent form of his nephew, whose eyes stare straight ahead, not looking at any of them.
25. Stammer
"I do not agree." She enunciates clearly.
The meeting pulls to a halt and all eyes turn to her. Hiashi and several elders open their mouths to refute that she has no place in the war council but turn back to the sound of loud paper scrunching. Nara Shikamaru, the Strategist who had been give carte blanche and overriding authority, bunches the drawn maps into paper balls and lobs it over his shoulder uncaring where it lands. He unfurls out a new, clear map of the terrain and looks into her calm, determined eyes.
"What do you suggest, Hinata-sama?" Shikamaru drags out the honorific lazily, but pointed and respectful.
Naruto smiles blindingly bright. The Rookie Nine in the room do not react and none turns to glance at Neji who stands behind Hinata, but the power is shifting, and they all know it. The councils watch as the discussion continues with battle plans drawn out by Nara Shikarumaru, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hyuuga Hinata.
26. Power
She is not that large, her shoulders are not that wide, her voice is not that loud, and her eyes are not that harsh. She is not part of it at all; she stands to the side lines quiet and watching.
And yet as the new lines of troopers lay gasping and aching on the dry soil of the front line, as the new wave of soldiers are lying battered and beaten down a peg of their insolence, she murmurs a single word, "stop", that cuts through all the sounds of the preparations for battle.
The jounin, special jounin, and covert specialist ninjas Neji, Naruto, and Shino all pull back and settle once more into relaxed forms.
"Singular actions and arrogance will get you killed out in battle." Strategist Shikarmaru says to the now attentive audience. "Unless you have the power and/or the ability and plan to back up what you say, do not attempt it. We will punish you."
27. New
When Hinata returns to Konoha, walking back on the ground trail leading to the large wooden gates, all her precious people and the Hyuuga Clan are waiting, her three children standing together. They are taller, leaner, older, but what is totally unexpected is the green lines decorating the soft beige skin of Kyuu's forehead.
She stares at the Seal and the blonde haired, blue eyed son of the Rokudaime stands holding his breath, his father standing on the way side, refraining from interfering.
Then Hinata smiles and all the tension fall away from the three children. "Is it worth it?"
Kyuu, standing between Jiyuu and Tsubasa with their hands linked, tightens his grip. "Yes." He says, voice wobbling. "Yes, it is."
She nods and after hugging her children, moves towards her husband standing beside the emotional Hokage. She stands on her tip toes and curves her hands gently into his long hair, pulling his head down, and presses a tender lingering kiss on the white bandages on his forehead.
Her white eyes shine with knowledge, love, sadness, and joy. A million things they won't say as he leans his forehead onto hers.
"Mommy, who's that?" A five-year-old Hyuuga Branch House child, free of the curse seal, asks curiously.
The mother leans down, soothing dark hair loving away from the clear skin. "That's Hyuuga Hinata-sama." She whispers. "The Head of Hyuuga Clan."
"Oh." The boy says, turning back to the woman held lovingly in the arms of the man whom he had always known as the leader of the renowned Clan, "I never saw her before."
28. Vision
She loses her eyes first.
Out of everyone, she was the one who the enemy ninjas attacked, waiting for their chance, instead of Neji, whom they had thought would be the focus as he was a stronghold in their plan and formation. Hinata had held them off, long enough for them to complete their objective, but at the last moment she was overwhelmed and her eyes are slashed by a sharp blades of charka, and when the others returned from their vital mission a week later with the much prized scrolls, they walk into the clearing and she stands frail, alone, swallowed by a too large yukata, and a white cloth tied around her head and in front of her eyes.
Neji falls to his knees. Naruto makes a strangled noise in his throat. Choji and Kiba are unable to believe their eyes. Shino shakes with overwhelming anger. Shikamaru clenches his fists so hard that blood drips form his palms, asking himself why he hadn't thought or planned for this possibility.
The blind form of Hinata smiles in their direction and walks towards them. She places herself between two of the most important men in her life, gently tracing the lines of Naruto's scrunched up face, and wraps her arm around trembling shoulders of the despairing form of Neji.
"Welcome back." She says in that gentle tone of hers.
Neji freezes for one thundering moment before releasing an inhumane, terrifying, horrendous sound and grips her tight to him. He screams his denial over and over while she shushes him gently. Naruto shakes then clenches the both of them in his all too small arms.
Around them, the Hyuuga in the Compound halls shudder in fear and pain.
"It's alright." She murmurs. "It's alright."
Six months later the village of Cloud is decimated and they raise the flag for surrender.
29. Laughter
Hinata covers her open mouth behind tiny hands and turns her face away from the multi-colored Kiba to save his pride. It's high and twinkling, clear and almost ethereal in its soft melody, there is no mistaking that sound.
Fifteen-year-old Neji clenches his fists and tries not to cry, he realizes it's the first time he ever heard it.
30. Stupid
"Iruka-sensei." Naruto finally drags out, watching the older man drink his tea, turning to his constant source of information and guidance since childhood. "How many husbands is Hinata-chan allowed to have?"
. : tbc : .