Hi everyone! I had to think about where I was going with this and I'm trying not to put any authors notes in this story. I made up two new characters who you'll see in the story. One may sound bad in the beginning, I just want to let you guys know that If I have questions I'll just make a poll or something and feel free to pm me if you have questions. sorry for any spelling mistakes please let me know if you notice any(editor's kinda busy). anyways let me stop babbling here's chapter 3 Enjoy! (Spoiler at the end for those not updated with Naruto Manga Chapters).
Special Thanks To: Hinata-Cutie, Lindygirl16, Shizuka Taiyou, Gingeh, and narutos vixen and everyone else that reviewed!!!!!!!!!!!
Hinata: The Woman Behind the Mask
Chapter 3: New Faces and the Mission Begins
Hinata sighed as she walked down the road back to the okiya with groceries in her hand. It had been a week already and although she was progressing well with her skills, she felt like she was going to die from how hard they were pushing her.
'You know what, I should stop thinking this is too much for me…' she thought as she neared the okiya, 'I'm literally belittling myself thinking I can't handle this. I'm starting to sound like my fath….'
She came to a stop, not even finishing her thought. It had been a while since she even thought about her father or the hidden leaf village for that matter.
She let out hollow laugh, "To think I almost forgot about them….." she said and continued to walk.
Once she was inside she heard the familiar sound of an argument between the sisters. She never really listened to their arguments, however, it didn't seem like they were arguing amongst themselves this time, but rather against someone else.
She placed the groceries on the table next to the door (some people have those things) and crept closer to the entrance of the kitchen so she could hear, but not too close so that she would get caught.
'This is so wrong….I'm gonna get caught' she thought as she pressed her ear against the wall.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I can't believe you would even ask us to consider that!" Leiko screeched!
"That is so wrong! We didn't even have to do that!" Kioko added.
The both shouted at an elegant looking man with long black hair tied in a low ponytail and beautiful piercing green eyes. His was dressed in black slacks and a white button up that had a few buttons undone revealing some of his well toned chest.
He spoke in a very Neji- like manner and said, "Well of course you four didn't have to do that because your beauty and talents exceeds that of any woman in the Land of Desire. The four had no need for it to happen because the money that you earned was deemed impossible for any geisha to reach with that help. Now this girl, although I have not seen her for myself, that you have been training is quite exquisite I hear and has caught the eye of many suitors. This certainly could….." the green eyed man was cut off by a loud thump in the hallway.
"What was that?" he asked.
"Dunno, but we'll continue this another time and we'll also consider what you proposed," Setsuko said as her sisters stared at her with wide eyes.
"Very well. I'll see you all soon," he walked to the entrance of the kitchen and before turning down the hall he added, "Oh and tell your grandmother I said 'hi', will you."
Setsuko nodded and he left. Once they heard the door shut, Leiko, Yoko, and Kioko glared at Setsuko and let out a frenzy of shouts.
"What do you mean we'll consider it!?"
"Are you out of your mind woman!"
"Why would you think of doing that to Hinata!"
"Ugh would all of you calm down!" Setsuko shouted getting frustrated. "I only said that so that he would go away. Now I don't know about you but, I'm more concerned about why Hinata was ease-dropping."
The other three let out a collective "oh" before they too, remembered that they noticed the "eep" before the thud.
"She probably overheard after coming from grocery shopping and didn't want to interrupt," Kioko suggested.
"But even so, Hinata never listens in on our conversations even if it's not personal," Leiko added.
"Most likely it's because she heard Satoru speaking and got curious," Setsuko noted and Yoko nodded her head in agreement.
"Anyway," Yoko started, "Whether we know the reason or not why she listened, we need to think of a way of explaining the conversation to her. It concerns her and even though we truly wouldn't want this for her, she's a woman with her own decision to make."
"True and in the mean time, I'm going to finish the kimono." Kioko stated before leaving.
"Yeah, we should start her training in a while. Lets give her about an hour to rest before we get started ,"Yoko said to Setsuko and Leiko who nodded agreeing to what she asked.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hinata closed the sliding door behind her as she tried to catch her breath.
'What were they talking about,' she thought, "if I hadn't fallen from leaning in more, I probably would've found out.'
She shrugged figuring she'd ask the girls later but for now she wanted to rest before her training started up again.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Yo! Pervvy Sage! How far are we from this waterfall!!!" Naruto yelled.
"Ugh! Will you pipe down down. I told you we're almost there. Just ask the dog guy and his friend." Jiraiya explained.
"Hey!!" Kiba yelled offended while Akamaru barked in his offense.
"Well are we close or not?" Sasuke asked Kiba.
Kiba mad a face as if he was sniffing and relied, "Actually we are. I'll give it about fifteen minutes if we keep walking, before the waterfalls comes in sight."
Sasuke nodded and turn his head to talking to Naruto who was walking on the left side of him, "Hey Dobe why…don't….you….where's Naruto and Lee?"
"He and Lee just took off in that direction?" Neji answered pointing in the direction they sped off in.
Sasuke shook his head and started running followed by Neji.
"Woah! Wait up!" Kiba yelled as he chased after the others followed by Akamaru.
Jiraiya shook his head, "They are crazy if they think I'm running."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Naruto came to a stop at the waterfall memories coming back to him.
'This is where me and Sasuke fought that day….' He said as images started flashing back. Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder and knew it was Sasuke. He turned to face his friend, knowing that he was thinking the exact same thing. They both had serious faces and the others, except Jiraiya who just arrived, thought that they were going to fight until Sasuke decided to say something.
Sasuke took his hand off of Naruto's shoulder and looked at him sympathetically and said, "Its alright."
Naruto smiled and said, "Yeah I know."
Sauske nodded, put his hands in his pockets and said with the same face, "We all knew you didn't stand a chance, but I appreciated that you tried anyway."
Naruto was in shock for two seconds and got ready to yell at him until an old man spoke from behind him, "Oi! Who are you?!"
Naruto turned around and saw a short old man with long grey hair and black eyes, dressed in a long black robe with sandals and a pipe in his mouth. The guys noticed that he had a scowl. They all guessed that it was safe to assume that they were on his property.
"Hisao! Long time no see!" Jiraiya said as he walked passed the boys.
The old man's scowl broke as he noticed the tall sannin. A smile broke out on his face as he greeted him, "Jiraiya you old perv! How's everything!?"
"Nothing much," Jiraiya started trying to ignore the fact that he was called an old perv, "Just out on a little business is all."
Hisao shook his head, "Well I sorry to disappoint you Jiraiya but there hasn't been a beautiful woman around here in months."
Jiraiya sputtered before he shouted, "Not that kind of business!!!!"
Sasuke, Kiba, Neji and Lee became irritated with their side conversation but as always Naruto voiced the aggravation, "Oi! Pervy Sage! Quit the side chat and ask him about where Hinata is!"
"Will you shut brat!" Jiraiya yelled.
"Sorry sonny I already told you. No woman has passed through here in months so I can't help you with your search for your girlfriend" Hisao explained.
"Wh-what! Hinata's not my girlfriend!" Naruto shouted. Kiba and Lee were cracking up at his hilarious expression. Neji and Sauske just smirked.
"Actually Hisao, this matter is of great importance. I need to talk to you about the Land of Desire" Jiraiya stated with the utmost serious face.
Hisao's face became very serious as well as he said, "Alright then. We'll talk in private. My house is this way," he finished as he started lead Jiraiya down the road into the woods where his house was.
Jiraiya nodded and said to the guys, "All of you wait here. We won't be that long." The boys nodded except Naruto who was mumbling things about perverted old men.
Once Jiraiya was out of ear shot, Kiba growled, "Does the conversation really have to be in private? Seriously this mission involves my team- mate so shouldn't I be included!"
Neji stated, "Well if you think you have a right to be I most certainly do because I'm her cousin and here I am left behind like the rest of you."
Kiba just sighed knowing that that was Neji's cool and sarcastic way of telling him to deal with it. He walked over toNaruto who was still mumbling.
"Dude get over it. We all know she's not your girl friend so let it go,' Kiba said to him.
Naruto stopped his mumbling to look at him. He was about to yell at him but then sighed and said with a tired tone, "Yeah yeah I know. It just bothered me."
Kiba smiled as he found an opportunity to lighten up his mood by making Naruto's situation a whole lot worse, but he decided against it. So he shrugged and said, " Yeah we can see but why don't we just do some fishing or something"
Naruto perked up, "Alright! I was starving anyway!" They called out to the others but only Lee decided to join in on the fun while Sasuke sat by the water.
Neji sat in silence as he waited for Sasuke to speak. He already knew that the Uchiha had wanted to ask him something since the beginning of their mission but just waited patiently for him to ask. Honestly he had wondered why no one had questioned about it before.
After a few moments Sasuke spoke, "So what exactly happened three years ago?"
Neji smiled for a moment and said, "Finally, seems you took forever to ask." Sasuke didn't say anything as he was interested in only the answer and not how long he waited. "Truthfully I knew she was going to run away," Sasuke looked shocked as Neji continued, "I wasn't suppose to hear anything that night. I was simply on my way to training grounds when I heard Hiashi speaking to Hinata. Its not a surprise to often hear him speaking to her about improving her skills or calling her a disgrace, but this time the clan's council was present."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxFlashBackxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Neji walked down the hall leading to the exit of the Hyuuga estate. He was going to be early but he wanted to get a little personal training in before his teammates arrived. As he continued to walk he heard the voice of Hiashi and assumed that he was just belittling her again. However he heard the voice of one of the clan's elder council members. He decided to stand next to the door and listen, meanwhile masking his chakra so he wouldn't be detected.
"Hinata do you know why we have called you here," the aged man said.
"N-no sir I don't," Hinata stuttered out of nervousness with her head bowed.
Hiashi scowled at her weak demeanor and coldly said to her, "Pick your head up girl. I will not have you disgracing me like this."
Hinata quickly picked her head up, on the verge of tears at her father's tone. The elder looked quite pleased with her expression. He began to say, "With your lack of showing us your value as a member of the main branch, we are going to brand you with the branch's seal."
Hinata's eyes widened at what she had just heard, she looked to her father for support, even though she knew and expected what he would do. He said to her, "You brought this on yourself. You should have been more like your sister you disgraceful brat."
Neji clinched his fists in anger at his uncle's statement. 'How the hell can he do this to his on daughter!' he thought. Neji, even without seeing knew that his younger cousin was crying.
He heard her father dismiss her before running quickly to her room where he knew she would come to. After arriving at the door to her room, Neji waited patiently for his cousin to arrive. When she did, he noticed that her head was held up instead of down that it usually would have been and that her cheeks were free of any tear stains. Neji watched her as she walked up to her door and moved aside so that she was able to slide her door open.
Before she walked in, she kept her face straight forward and asked Neji in a low voice, "So you heard?"
Neji noticed the blank look on her face that he had never seen before and said, "Yes I did..."
Hinata closed her eyes and walked into her room and shut the door calmly. Neji took that as a sign that she did not want to talk about it. As he started to leave he walked pass Hinata's door and could hear the faint sobs of his cousin as he left….
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxEnd of FlashBackxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The two sat in silence when the story was done. Neji's hand dug up dirt as he tightened his fists at the memory.
"So," Sasuke started, "this happened the day she left?"
Neji nodded, "Yes and Hiashi acts as if he had nothing to do with her leaving. He blames it all on any influence Kurenai-sensei may have had on her."
Sasuke sat silently before looking towards Lee and Naruto. "You plan on telling them and Jiraiya?"
"I'll tell Naruto and Lee when they're done. As for Jiraiya, I believe Tsunade has already told him. I told her what information I could around the time she left."
Sasuke nodded as he and Neji sat patiently while Lee and Naruto had their fun.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Alright Jiraiya, what is it you want to know exactly?" Hisao asked as he and Jiraiya sat at his table.
Jiraiya took a sip of the sake that Hisao had pured for him before answering,"Well we've recently had a kunoichi who ran away from the village. Then she suddenly disappeared. I've done some snooping around and have gotten some information that keeps leading back to the Land of Desire."
Hisao chuckled, "And to make a long story short you want me to help you enter."
Jiraiya smirked, "Of course."
Hisao's chuckling stopped and he became serious as he said, "What's the point in going in after her? What if she's happy there?"
Jiraiya became serious as well but didn't answer.
Hisao shut his eyes and sighed and took a sip of his sake.
Jiraiya spoke, "I know what you mean by that but its not exactly my call. Her friends and family want her back and I've been asigned to lead this mission. If push comes to shove and she decides that she wants to stay then so be it. But those kids out their and more will have my head if don't try with the only lead we've got."
Jiraiya watched as Hisao smirked. "Well I guess that's a good enough reason. I'll see if the old bag feels like letting you guys in."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sorry again for taking so long!!! Please Review and be nice!!!!!!!! Oh and I hope I'm not the only who almost had a heart attack after Hinata's Confession...I swear i would've stopped watching and reading the show if she died... But we all know that she's gonna be Mrs. Uzumaki soon =] Victory for HinaXNaru fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
